Gifts

Our fabulous children gathered photos from our family's past 50 years and Becky,(our Number 6), put it all together in a wonderful 35 minute video.  It is amazing to see that what started with just two people has become this terrific family of 41.
   She also put together a book of messages from dear friends and family,  Thanks so much to those who contributed.  It has been just a delightful walk through memories and dear people in our lives.

We consider our children our greatest gifts from Heaven and we are so grateful for their good lives.

They have fabulous spouses which add so much to the family...

and of course our grandchildren are wonderful

Golden Wedding

Aspen Grove is a wonderful family camp up Provo Canyon, begun by BYU Alumni many years ago.  It is now a terrific place for family reunions and staffed with darling BYU students.  Our whole family spent a week there to celeberate our golden wedding.

There were activities for each age group, including care for the babies and toddlers.  So the siblings could spend time together and then connect wth their individual families at meals and nights.  Lots of fun whole family activities as well.

 High Adventure ropes course, frisbee golf, laser tag, swimming, archery were just a few of the things to do.

 Not worryng about meals was one of the best parts.  And the food was excellent.  It was such a fun celebration.  Perfect for us.

Celebrating

We flew to Clovis (Fresno), California  for our grandson, Jake's baptism on July 1.  Jake was born on his dad's (Chris) birthday who was also baptized on the first of July.  Chris was born on his dad's birthday (Jim) so it was a major celebration for all three generations.

 Jake was lucky enough to have both sets of grandparents attend.

We drove this great car back in a transfer from brother to sister.  Celebration on both sides; there, getting the extra car out of the driveway and here getting a new car that runs.  We drove home the northern route past Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, and Reno.  The scenery was beautiful.  It was a great trip.

Celebrated the 4th of July with the family including a BBQ and fireworks.

Reconnecting

The last week we have had a great time reconnecting with friends from missions.

On Thursday, June 22, we met  in Jay and Linda Smith's beautiful backyard for dinner and visiting with missionaries and friends from the England MTC experience including, Stevens, Hansens, Pecks and Cooks from Chorley who are serving on Temple Square as one of the two missionary couples there.

 

 Sunday we drove to St. George for Trudy and Bob Larsen's  report in Sacrament Meeting.  It was so fun to get caught up with them as well as the Mordues and Manwarings. Good to get some recent news from Copenhagen.

In their home ward we ran into Roger and Valerie Millar.  We trained with Roger and Diane at Duke Medical Center.  Diane passed away several years ago.  But such good memories.  Valerie happens to be from Chorley, England and they were able to serve as President and Matron of the London South Mission recently.

   

Arizona Adventure

Heidi, a granddaughter, was baptized the 10th of June.  We drove to Tucson for the special occasion.  We've missed a few in the past, so it was fun to be part of it.

While there, we were able to attend the Tucson Temple Open House.  The temple is beautiful and unique and fits well with the desert area.

From Tuesday till Saturday we tended the kids while Becky and Matt went to Girls Camp. We had a great time and the kids were terrific and we survived.....

Spring Stars

We have spent several fun nights watching our grandchildren perform with Clayton Productions.  Thirty years ago I had all 7 of my children at the studio in various groups and now there are 9 of our grandchildren in various groups.  Eight are in groups that will be going on tour, Maggie is only 6.

 These 2 groups have four cousins going to Chicago together: Samantha, Sarah,  James and Josh.

 These following two groups are younger and  will go to San Francisco with three cousins; Thea, Topher and Sophia

The other cousin, Michael James, goes to Portland. His dad will be chaperoning, such a fun time. It has been a successful performing season for everyone.  It's like stepping back in time. I've loved it.

Memorial Day/Scandanavian Festival

I am having a hard time keeping on top of my life.....But I will try to hit some of the good stuff.

Memorial Day is a wonderful day to remember our ancestors and those who have died for our country.  We get to have fun as well as decorate graves when we go to Ephraim for that weekend.

 There was a parade,

 including Viking Families

 horses

 floats with their city royalty

 booths, craft desplays, story telling, house tours, music and lots of food.  And for added celebration, a grandniece's wedding in the Manti Temple.

It was a great weekend.

The Money-Eating House

My mother used to say, "A house will eat all the money you can give it."  Jim and I have done a good job feeding ours in the last couple of weeks.
 We put in new super duper triple panes windows in the front of our house.  Those above the bookcase were only single pane and we are already noticing the difference in the temperature in the room.

 After 30 years we finally broke down and bought a new sectional for the family room in the basement.  It had to be custom ordered to get it down the stairs and around the corner at the top.  But we do like it.

Mother's Day

Chris and Ange made it home from Paris and we celebrated Mother's Day with them for the first time in memory.  It was a lovely day and they gave the mothers Carmel Apples  in church! 

I celebrated Mother's Day in Utah the following Wednesday going to lunch with these wonderful daughters and daughter-in-laws.  We are so blessed.

California Tending

We flew to Fresno, California on May 4.  Look at all the snow covered mountains we passed over.

Chris our son met us.  Fresno has a great airport entrance hall.  Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks are close.

We've had a fun week:  awards programs for Ella and Jake,

  appreciating 13th birthday gifts,

 scripture study, car pooling, swimming and tennis lessons and stake conference just to name a few, 

I'm sort out of the cooking mode, but so far they haven't starved...cereal is always good.

Scenic Salt Lake

Since living in Demark and looking for things to post every day on my blog, I find I notice things and especially unique scenery more.

We caught this picture of downtown Salt Lake on our way to the airport on Thursday afternoon.

WE will be looking at California scenery for the next 12 days as we go to California to tend our grandchildren.  May or may not figure out the posting...

More April Blessings

Our granddaughter, Addy, took Second Place in the State Debate and Speech Meet with her original oration.

Our monthly Family Birthday Dinner is always a good chance to connect.  We are working on including some Family History stories in the Family Home Evening part.

Baby Charlotte is now wireless!  She is off the oxygen and monitory wires and weighs10 pounds.

Book Club

When we moved into our home on Flamingo Drive in 1975, there was a group of mothers with young children and we started a book club sharing good children's books.  As the kids got older, so did the books and now we just enjoy the reviewer's choice.

This month we met at Julie Jensen's.  The book and decorations were all about Monet.  It was fabulous in taste and decor.

 Right out of a Monet picture.

Dinner Guests

We have had a delightful week enteraining good friends.

Per and Dorrit Olsen temple workers and good friends from Copenhagen and have been in the U.S. a month visiting their two sons and numerous friends.  It was wonderful to connect again.  We send our love back to everyone in Denmark and Sweden with them.

This group of friends have been meeting every other month for 25 years.  It was about my turn to hostess and we had such a good time finding all the places of their Scandinavian Ancestors on the internet with a few additional picturers from our files. The group started the year all the husbands turned 50 and we've been "The 50's Group" ever since.  It is great to have friends to grow old with.....

 It was a fun oppotunity to share our  Danish porcelain  and food.