Neal’s Planters

I took Lynda Ann home after our over nighter at Park City and Emmi asked if she could come back and stay over night.  Lynda Ann had invited us out to her house for dinner on Sunday so it worked for Emmi to have a sleep over.  I told her that Pa would be planting his pots and he would get her enrolled, but she seemed fine with the idea.  She spent nearly three hours with her grandfather planting his thirteen patio pots.  Yup, we’ve hauled 13 of those suckers one at a time back from Mexico!  While Emmi and Pa were planting, I cleaned out the window well, swept down the patio and arranged the patio furniture.  When we were done, Neal treated Emmi and I to Baskin Robbins. 

S.O.S. Weekend!

I have officially named our Mother’s Day Get-A-Way SOS which stands for “Sisters on Sabbatical.  What a great name huh?  It began by meeting at my house at 4:30.  Lynda Ann, Maren, Boston, Mindy, Lyndsy and I.  WE MISSED YOU JAMIE! 

We drove to Park City and check in at the condo and then headed out to Ruby Tuesdays for dinner.  We had a 45 minute wait so while we were waiting, Lynda Ann, Maren and Lyndsy ran over to Walmart to get a toothbrush and toothpaste, Nyquill and various other items.  Mndy and I stayed to make sure we didn’t miss our call for dinner. 

We had a delicious dinner and then headed back to the condo where we got in our comfort clothes and visited and laughed and visited and laughed.  Maren brought some chocolate covered strawberries that we consumed somewhere in the evening hours.  I think it was around 2 a.m. by the time the last person fell into an exhausted slumber.

The next morning we found a fun breakfast place and then headed over to the outlet stores and shopped until 3:30.  Lyndsy had to leave around 1:30 as she had a client.  But, never fear, she got in some great speed shopping.  We all bought our share of fun “have to have” items. 

It was an absolutely perfect weekend and hopefully this will become a solid tradition.  Maybe when I’m dead on gone the girls will continue the tradition and call it M.O.M. “Memories of Mom”.  What do you think?

   

 

Lyndsy’s sleeping attire!

  

   

No room for baby Boston!

   

Hair Day

Can I just say that when someone finds the PERFECT 'hair’ person you attach yourself to them for life.  Neal and I have been going to Dave for as long as we’ve been married.  I think there may have been one or two times when I’ve gone to someone else because I was desperate and both times it was a huge mistake.  Dave is the man!  But, plan ahead because he is booked three months out!!  Aren’t you proud of me Jamie?  I always have my trusty little camera with me for just such an occasion!

My childhood summer days

I just checked into Jamie's blog and saw all the pictures of the girls riding their bikes and selling homemade trinkets to neighbors. I was taken back to my summer days as a child and how I loved them! I remember riding my bike around the block. I would use a clothes pin to attach a playing card to the spokes so that when I was cycling it would make a sound like a motor. I would imagine going to all kinds of exotic places as I circled the block.

Another past time was putting on my roller skates and tightening them with a key so they didn't slip off the sole of my shoe. I would roller skate for hours up and down the sidewalk in front of my house.

I also LOVED climbing the huge Oak tree that grew on the property line of our house and the neighbors. That was the best climbing tree in the whole neighborhood. I had more stuff stashed up in the top of that tree. It was a wonderful hiding place and a great way to view the neighborhood. I wonder to this day that I never fell out of that tree and broke a bone.

Another fond memory is getting a nickle each Saturday for helping with the house work. I would run to a little (and I mean very little) corner grocery store and buy a Butter Finger. Oh how I loved Butter Fingers. Candy was scare at our home and having a whole candy bar to yourself was a huge treat. I would carry that candy bar back to my climbing tree, climb to the very tip top, sit on a limb and savor every bite. Sometimes, if I couldn't eat it all in one sitting, I would wrap it carefully and hide it in a knot hole and go back later and eat it. I've often wondered if there is still a part of a butter finger hidden in that tree!

Yes, I loved the summer months. Mostly I love going to Midway every chance I got, but that is for another time.

My long dear friend Bobby Mack – Olive Beth Kimball Mack

Bobby taught Jeffrey and Lynda Ann in the 3rd grade at Crestview Elementary.  I was a teacher’s aid for her for years and when she fell and broke her leg I took over her class for three months.  We have been friends for over 30 years.  She will be 89 this July.  Our friendship has run quite a path of trips to Europe, Hawaii, St. George, Mazatlan and Lake Powell.  She helped me through some very rough times in my life and has always been there to help lift my spirits. 

I got a call from her son, Spencer, telling me that she had fallen down her steps last week and had been rushed to the hospital to have surgery.  She broke her femur and had to have a plate put in her leg.  She is now at Highland Rehab Center for three or four weeks.  Neal and I ran over last night to visit with her.  She seems to be in good spirits and says she isn’t in any pain while healing.  That is a blessing.  She also told us that President Monson had stopped by to see her (for those of you who don’t know, she is President Kimball’s daughter) and gave her a blessing and then gave her a kiss as he left.

Bobby will always hold a special place in my heart.  I love her so much!  As I was leaving she took my hand and said, “I love you as much as I do my own daughters.” 

What do you all think?  Do I look 10 years younger since Lyndsy did her magic on me?

Lyndsy is officially official!

I don’t have a picture of her license.  She didn’t have it at work.  We are proud of you Lyndsy for completing your LMT schooling and for getting such high marks! 

Stitchery Progress Picture for May 1st

I’m getting closer and closer.  You can see there is still a lot to be done, but oh the progress I’ve made since January 1. 

Thank you note from Jordyn Lyn

What a nice surprise to go through our mail and find this precious thank you note from Jordyn Lyn.  I so appreciate the effort made of Jordyn Lyn to write the note and of the teaching of gratitude coming from the parents.

  

A fun Saturday

Maren called and asked if I could take care of Boston for a few hours.  Greg’s brother was getting married and Taylor had a dance competition in Provo.  Maren just didn’t see how she or Greg could keep little Boston happy and contented at the dance meet or a wedding breakfast.  Neal and I met Maren downtown, picked up Boston and then headed out to Stansbury to get Bella, who had been out at Annie’s for two weeks while we were in Hawaii.  It was fun to see the progress being made in the Gertson’s basement.  Jeff and Annie are doing most of it by themselves.  Lynda Ann even moved the water softener one day.  She asked someone how to unhook it and how to hook it back up, went to Home Depot, bought the parts she would need and successfully moved and did the plumbing on the water softener!  Some pictures of our day with Boston. 

We also found out that there had been a write up about Emmi’s golf team from her high school.

Andrew has just discovered how to blow a gum bubble.  A feat that needed to be pictured and recorded.

Goodbye beautiful Hawaii

I was laughing so hard at Judy and Ron trying to close this suit case! 

I read two incredible books while on our trip.  If you want an excellent book to read – get either one of these.  The Help is about whites and blacks in Mississippi in the forties and fifties – EXCELLENT!  And Sarah’s Key is about France during WWII – EXCELLENT.  Emmi and Maddie would be old enough and mature enough to read Sarah’s Key.  It isn’t a ‘feel good’ book but is fiction based on fact about things that happened in France during Hitler’s take over.

Pearls

I love pearls and have wanted a single strand of pink and black pearls for a very long time.  I found just what I wanted in Hawaii.  Neal bought me the pink ones (I LOVE them) and Judy surprised me with the black ones (I LOVE them!).  Yes, the gifts brought me to tears!  Thank you both. 

Of course we had to find the Boy Scouts of America center and there Neal found some patches and a shirt!

 

Picture of the bags of some of the many places we had shopped.