Making progress–slowly but surely

This has been a slow going counted cross stitch.  I feel like I’ve been stitching on it for ever and not getting very far.  When I look at last months posting then I know that I’ve accomplished more than it seems.  For some reason I didn’t think this would take as long as it has. 

Mother’s Day

This Mother’s Day was an interesting one and a most unusual one.  It had good moments, sad moments and bewildered moments.  A particular incident leading up to this day left me with a heavy heart that has lingered through this day.  I thought a lot about mother today and I hope that I never hurt my mother deeply.  I hope that I always respected her, talked kindly to her and never left her wondering if I loved her.  A life time is more than a span of time.  It’s memories made, laughter shared, tears dried and moments warmed by love.

I have found that being a step parent is one of the most challenging and hardest tasks I’ve ever undertaken.  I know that some of the Maxfield children are and were accepting right off the get go, and others were very opinionated and judgmental.  The sad thing is that opinionated one feels she can do or say whatever she can get by with.  She can express her feelings or emotions and I’m to accept them.  She can freely express hurt, anger or sadness, but I’m not allowed to have feelings.  I remember years ago when I was in counseling that I was told I had permission to “leave the room” when being verbally abused.  Something I had never considered.  He also told me that I needed to “set my boundaries”.  I’m learning I must do the same thing with certain children.  In the past 25 years I’ve learned that I can be the most kind, compassionate person on earth and it won’t matter in her eyes.  I just can’t take it personally.  It is her problem and not mine.  I don’t have to be what she demands or expects.  I have a right to be respected and have boundaries. 

Mother’s Day this year was certainly out of the ordinary.  Jeff and Mindy were in Oregon visiting with Justin and C. J. and Lynda Ann was very sick.  So the only children who came was Lyndsy and her two boys and The Cutlers minus Jaden.  He was at a Bees game. 

I did get a box of chocolate covered strawberries from Tucker and Jamie and they were delicious.  I ate two yesterday and have already had one today.  Lyndsy also gave me some face cream and body cream that I absolutely LOVE!  Thanks to all for the gifts and the remembrances.

Because Annie is sick, we are going to celebrate Mother’s Day next week when she is feeling well again.

Maddie sent me this picture from Oregon with a Happy Mother’s Day greeting along with a greeting from Mindy.

The Gertson’s finally finishing their basement!

Emmi sent me some pictures of the beginnings of a new basement.  I know Annie has wanted this almost since the first day they moved in and it has been a long time coming.  Lynda Ann said, and I quote, “It’s amazing what you can do when you have money!”  Amen to that.  Notice the fireplace that has been put in and covered for safety from all the dust of the sheet rock.  The sheetrock was delivered with a crane over their back fence and loaded into the basement by popping out the whole window.  Annie said the bathroom is also being done.  The plumbers and electricians have been there and the bathtub and shower head installed.  You could call this the best Mother’s Day present ever!!

First trip to Rosarito since Neal had cancer.

Judy, Ron and I drove to St. George Friday after work.  We spent the night at their condo and go up Saturday morning and headed toward San Diego where we were picking up Neal at the airport that afternoon.  He had two commencement ceremonies that he had to be to.  One for UVU and the other for the U of P.  He was asked to read names at the Univ. of Phoenix graduation on Saturday morning.  He had Beverly and Jonathan Nevel give him a ride to the airport so he didn’t have to leave a car there.

On our way down, we stopped for gas in Beaver and just had to take a picture of Judy and I sitting in this great big chair out in front of the gas station.  We noticed that almost everyone who came in to the station did the same thing.  Children and adults alike.  I guess the old saying is true, “We are all kids at heart”.

We arrived in St. George about 11:00.  We left St. George about 8:00 the next morning and made one stop at Prim and then on to San Diego. When we arrived in San Diego we stopped at a Costco and got some essentials for Mexico.  I saw this great big Teddy Bear and thought of Mallory’s project for one of her school activities and had to take a picture and send to her.  Annie text back and thought may it was someone hiding in a giant teddy bear trying to smuggle drugs over the border!  I assured her it wasn’t.  It was the Children’s Miracle Network doing some advertising.

From Costco to the airport to get Neal.  We arrived at the airport about 5:30.  Neal was waiting on the curb.  His plane came in about 4:45 so he didn’t have long to wait.  We picked him up and went to an Italian Restaurant for dinner. 

Notice the size of that meatball on the top of my spaghetti!  Obviously from the size of the servings we took more than half the food with us and ate it Monday evening.  The food was out of this world.  You will notice the two pictures below. We were just getting ready to leave and I noticed that Judy was having a conversation with the guy across from us and Neal was having a conversation with the people across from us.  Before they were done we had been invited to visit and stay with the people that Neal was talking to and found out the guy that Judy was talking to was from Utah! 

After dinner we headed into Mexico. When we arrived we were greeted by this huge bug.  The picture just doesn’t do him justice.  He was a lot bigger than he appears!  Andrew probably would have loved it for his bug collection.

The next day was Sunday.  It is always fun to go to church down there.  Even though we don’t understand one thing they are saying you always feel the spirit of the meeting.  It’s actually kind of fun to sing the songs in Spanish!  I slaughter their language but have fun trying.  The rest of the week was spent golfing, laying out in the sun, eating good food and just enjoying each other’s company.  Of course there was lots of bridge!

I had to take a picture of mine and Judy’s golf balls.  It is so interesting how many times we will tee off and find our golf balls side by side and exactly hit the same distance. The picture of Neal is of him picking out the hundreds of sticker weeds in his socks from climbing up the side hills and in the rough to find golf balls.  He says it is like an Easter Egg hunt on the Mexican golf courses!

It was a wonderful trip full of fun and always laughter.  Judy had to be back by Friday evening so our trip was cut a few days short.  We left Thursday at 10:30 and thanks to the Sentry passes we were across the border in 5 minutes!  So wonderful not to have to wait in those long lines for two and three hours.  We shopped on the way back and arrived in St. George about 11:00 p.m.  Got up the next morning and arrived in Salt Lake safe and sound.  I even went to work for a few hours that afternoon.  I got a call from Tucker telling me that he was speaking in Sacrament Meeting on Mother’s Day and wanted some help with his talk.  I had already given on talk on his subject so sent him a copy of it.  He will do a wonderful job and I wish I could fly down to hear him.  Good luck Tucker!

I took a picture of the Payson temple as we drove by on our way into the valley.  It is beautiful!

Love the fact that it is May!

This picture just says it all for me!  This is just how I feel.  There is something about moving from Spring to Summer that just makes me happy and feel good all over!  Sandra Boynton has been one of mine and Lynda Ann’s favorite children’s writer and artist.

Mallory is made President of . . . . .

I got a text last night from Mallory telling me that she was elected to be President of FCCLA, Family, Community, and Career Leaders of America.  Mallory we are so proud of you for your choices in your life so far.  What an incredible daughter, granddaughter, cousin and example you are to our family.  Congratulations!  We love you!

Secretaries Day with Eric, Ron and Royal

There were a number of reasons that we couldn’t celebrate secretaries day right on the day so yesterday Ashley and I were treated to lunch by our three bosses, Ron (my immediate boss), Eric (Ashley’s immediate boss) and Royal who is the boss of all of us!  We were going to go to a hamburger joint down town that we all love but I forgot my I.D. and they would not let me in.  I even smiled at the guy and said, “Are you kidding?  Just look at my face?”  He just smiled back and shook his head.  So we were denied.  Yup, 70 years old and denied entrance to a bar!  We had a good laugh over that one and decided on another place called Moochies.  They don’t sell liquor so no I.D. is required.  It is about four blocks away from where we were.  It was a fun lunch and the weather was nice enough for us to sit outside.

Neal’s surprise

When I got home from the Seattle trip Neal had two surprises waiting for me.  He had taken my Halloween counted cross stitch sampler to have it framed and had also had the family picture that was taken at his 70 birthday party put on canvas and framed.  The family picture is huge and will look awesome hanging on the wall in the entrance.  We missed having Desmond in the picture by one day!  The Halloween sampler is certainly an incredible piece of work and shows up much better in person.  This one will definitely be entered in the State Fair this fall.

Seattle–Sunday, day 4

Sunday morning found us packing and getting ready to head home.  We drove on another scenic drive that was gorgeous and then down to the ferry where we drove on and took a 20 minute crossing that dropped us off at Lynwood and from there to have some lunch and to the airport.

Deception Pass was one of the places we stopped to look over the view.  It was beautiful and Sunday ended up being an almost clear day.  Still on the chilly side but the sun was shinning!

As we neared downtown area of Seattle we could see the Needle from the freeway.

We stopped and had a bit to eat at Zoopa’s.  A great find and delicious food.  Different that our Zupa’s here in Salt Lake.

From there to gas up the car at $3.00+ a gallon – ANNIE then to return the rental car and make our way to the long lines at security.  Which, I might add, went very fast!  I think Lila Mae is hunting for her driver’s license or her boarding pass or something! 

We had about an hour an a half before our flight left so Annie and I wandered through the airport and bought some always last minute stuff!!  I got Neal some chocolates and we found the Life is Good Shop.  We boarded the plane on time, arrived in Salt Lake, on time, hugged, said our ‘goodbyes’ and are all safely home.  What a wonderful and memorable trip.  Annie is always a delight to have along.  I feel safe and confident when she is in charge.  Thanks Annie for planning some fun adventures and driving us all over Seattle!  I love you and so appreciate the care you took of Lila Mae and I.  You are a good sport to haul to ‘old ladies’ around. 

Seattle–Saturday, day 3

Our plan was to get up early, head to the temple, do a session, then go on a scenic drive to Snoqualmie Falls and from there to Sandy’s home to have lunch and reminisce and talk about old times, look at pictures and do some genealogy.  Well, the scenic drive took a lot longer than we anticipated (with a couple unexpected or planned detours because we were a little lost) that we had to forgo a temple session.  The drive to the falls was absolutely beautiful and the falls, as always, were breath taking.  We started out in heavy rain, but by the time we got to the falls the clouds had separated, the sun came out and it was magnificent. 

We were supposed to be to Sandy by noon and by the time we left the falls it was already 11:30.  We knew the temple was close by and on the way so we stopped just long enough for me to jump out of the car and snap a picture, back in and on our way to Sandy’s. 

We had to call Neal to get Sandy’s address because I left it at home.  With the help of GPS and Annie’s great memory and sense of direction, we found her home without a hitch.  We spent the afternoon with Sandy, Jimmy, Gail and Sandy’s daughter Julia.  We laughed and talked and laughed and talked until about 5:30 when we decided it was time to hit the road back to our condo.  This first picture is of Lila Mae, myself, Sandy and Jimmy.  Sandy and Jimmy are siblings and the children of Aunt Edith (my mother’s younger sister.  We haven’t seen them for over 10 years.  Jimmy is a year younger than me and Sandy is two years older.

This next picture is of Gail who is the daughter of Arthur (who was my mother’s oldest brother. Gail and LIla Mae are close to the same age and they were so excited to see each other after more than 30 years!  The last picture is one of my brother, Donald in a scout uniform.  None of us had ever seen the picture.  Gail had it in her scrapebook.  What a find!  To my grandchildren – See how important a picture history is.

We left and stopped to get a bite to eat and then back to the condo.  I was thinking it was this night that we went to the movies but it was Friday night after we got back from Friday Harbor.  We went to see Age of Adaline.  A good movie!