Memorial Day Weekend

Our weekend started on Friday and a drive to see Kirsti in her new house in Stansbury Park, Utah. We loaded up our new little trailer and headed out. In Pocatello we stopped for lunch and to see how our loaded trailer was doing. We discovered the tarp had torn and frayed. So after eating lunch we had to tie the tarp on differently. Then on to Kirsti's, everything arrived in good condition. We loved her new house. She has 4 bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs, plus the washer and dryer are up there also (I just loved that). Downstairs is the living room, an office, a half bathroom, and the kitchen and pantry. I love the island and counter tops in her kitchen. I love her wide & light hallways. They have lots and lots of storeage. We didn't know much about Stansbury Park before she moved there. It seems like a wonderful place to live.



On Saturday Blake took us up over the mountains and into Copperton. We found a wonderful park there and had a fun picnic. The kids got to run and play. It was so fun to watch them. Then back in the Envoy and on to Kennicott Copper Mine.



If you have never seen it you just have to take the time and see it when you are in Salt Lake area. We'd been there the last time about 30 years ago. We were amazed how much the mine had grown. Wow! We enjoyed every minute of it!!



Then back over the mountain into Tooele for dinner. We had dinner at Applebee's then went back to the Izatt's for ice cream cones. It was a wonderful day!



On Sunday we got to attend the Bay Shore Ward with them. As McKenzie put it, "they do things backwards at our church Grandma". We went to Relief Society and Priesthood first and Sacrament Meeting last. It's been a long time since we've done that. They seem to be in a very nice ward. Since they have only been there a couple of weeks they are still getting to know people. It's a big ward and growing every week. In Relief Society they introduced 3 new ladies that had just moved in that week. There are a lot of new move ins trying to get to know people. I think they will like it more once they get to know more people. After church Blake barbecued steak and pork for us in the rain. It was delicious!! After we ate, we had to leave to come home. It's always sad to have to say good bye. We love being with our kids and grand kids. It always goes by way too fast.

We started Monday, Memorial Day, off by picking up Rick's Mom and going to the Shelley Cemetery and putting flowers on the graves of Rick's Dad, Great Grandparents - The Pugmires, Grandma & Grandpa Draper and then my Dad. We then took Yvonne out for an ice cream cone before taking her back to the Gables for lunch. Then we picked up my Mom and headed to Pocatello to have lunch and decorate my Grandma & Grandpa Baileys grave. After that we went to Centennial High School in Pocatello to see the Field of Hero's. They have done it the last few years on Memorial Day weekend, but this is the first time we've seen it. We saw it the day before from the freeway on our way home from Utah and wanted to go see it up close. It was amazing and well worth the time to go see it. They have a cross for every one that has died in this war we are in, in the middle east. We found out not only do they have crosses for each person, but each cross has a name, date of death, and where they were from. It was a perfect day weather wise. Not to hot and not raining. A perfect day!!

Spring has sprung!

The last two weeks have gone by really fast. Mothers day was wonderful! Both my kids actually remembered it was Mothers Day and they remembered me. I was suprised that Kirsti remembered because she was right in the middle of her move to her new house and I was suprised that Tommy remembered because he had no one to remind him. It was great!! Rick and I spent the Saturday before mothers day at my Mom's house getting her outside water turned on and filling up her gas cans for the lawn mower and doing a few other things she needed done. It was nice being with her. We stopped by and visited with Rick's Mom at the Gables. We got both our Mom's three little flowering plants in a neat wooden bird cage thing. They both loved them. Then on Sunday (Mothers Day) Rick was in charge of Sacrament Meeting at the Gables so we got to see Yvonne again for a little bit. Thomas and Kirsti both called me. Plus Kirsti sent me a card and Thomas sent me a plug in candle from Scentsy. Rick gave me an exercises bike that I love and have been using ever since. It was a very wonderful and relaxing day. Thank you so much everyone!!

This last weekend we spent planting. I have a triangle area by our patio I'm putting some flowers in. I planted 11 flowers and a flowering bush thing. I've include a photo of what it looks like now and I'll continue to up date you as the flowers start to grow. We also started planting our garden. We got the tomatoes, carrots, and radishes in. This week will be getting the peas in. Plus I am looking for raspberry bushes to put along the fence. I've also included some photo's of our tulips. They are beautiful right now. Oh and I couldn't forget our pets. Tenava is our dog, Teemu is the Siamese looking cat and Kissa is the cat sitting under Ricks lounge chair (your have to look close). We are doing great! Life is good.

Koira

This has been a hard week for us. Our dog Koira died on Tuesday April 28, 2009. We have had and are still having a hard time getting used to her not being here. She was such a good dog. She was the best mother I have ever seen (even though she never had puppies of her own). She mothered Tena (our other dog), our cats Kissa and Teemu, my Mom's little dog Sophie, our children and grandchildren and sometimes even us. She loved people and being in the middle of everything. She loved playing with wrapping paper so Christmas was one of her favorite times. She loved barking at the squirrels and chasing them. She followed us everywhere even towards the end when it was hard for her to get around. She never stopped going up and down the stairs to be with us. Life just won't be the same without her. We were blessed to have her a part of our family.




Born - December 4, 1993 Died - April 28, 2009

April Snow

This last week since I've been home we been doggy sitting Sophie my Mom's little dog. (Mom went to spend some time at Becky's.) We only lost her out the gate once and the front door abt. 3 times. She really needs to learn "come". When you say, "Sophie Come" she just looks at you and runs the other way. We aren't used to her energy. You see she is only 1 year old and very much a puppy. She kept trying to play with our dogs; Koira who is 15 yrs. old and Tena who is 13yrs. old. Our dogs just don't remember how to play, but they did very well ignoring her and calming her down. Our cats were another story. Kissa did very well at putting up with her follow him around. They are the same size and close to the same color. It was so funny watching her follow him all over the yard and house. (I tried but couldn't get a photo of them. Darn!) But he drew the line at following him, every time she would try to play she got hissed at. Our other cat Teemu went into hiding for 11 days. I think we only saw him half a dozen times. If he should even glimpse the puppy he would hiss and spit and run. I picked Mom up at the shuttle today and took both Mom and Sophie home. It's much quieter around here now. I'm anxious to see how long it takes Teemu to come out of hiding.





Sunday was a weird weather day here. We woke up to a blizzard. By 10am when we left for church we had about four and a half inches. It probably started melting around 1:00 or 1:30 pm, because when we came out of church at 2:15 the roads had no snow on them. Most of it melted yesterday by the time we went to bed. But we still have a little up by our house in front.

Girls Get-Away

April 16th - 20th, 2009

Mom and I left Thursday the 16th to go to Kirsti's house in North Salt Lake. We arrived there at about 5:00pm and met the Izatt's at Arbys. We had a good meal, than on to Kirstis to watch Survivor. It was a nice day.

On Friday we started out going to Thrift Town for some shopping. They have great deals on good used clothes. Then we went to lunch at Wendy's and took Kirsti and the girls home. Then Mom and I went to meet Shelley and Becky at the house we rented in Salt Lake for the weekend. Kirsti couldn't come until later that afternoon when Blake got home from work. The house we rented was very nice. It had 4 bedrooms and 2 baths and a spa right off the family room. This year we all brought our own projects to work on. Once the van was unloaded and things put away we just did our own thing. Kirsti arrived in time for dinner. After dinner we headed to Gardner Village. We had lots of fun checking out the shops. Our favorite ones were "The Girl Store" and "The Christmas Store". Oh and I can't forget the candy store where most of us had a sample of fudge and then bought gifts for those we left at home. We only wished we had more time to spend there. Since they closed at 8pm, we couldn't see all the shops. Can hardly wait to go back someday.

On Saturday the 18th we went out for breakfast and then after a minor delay (going back to the house for my pills that I forgot to bring) we were off to IKEA. Wow! Mom and I had never been there and were amazed at how big it was and how much fun stuff there was to look at. After two and a half hours, a good workout and 2 heaping carts we staggered to the van. We went to lunch at "Cold Stone Creamery". There's nothing like having ice cream for lunch. Then back to the house to hang out and do our own thing. After dinner most of us soaked in the spa and talked. It felt sooo... good. Then back inside for movie and pop corn. We all went to bed at about 10:30 pm, but not before Mom frolicked in her new PJ's. For some reason my Mom just loves to frolic in her 'jamies. She is the life of the party!

On Sunday the 19th we had a quick breakfast and then we went to Sacrament Meeting at 9am. It was really kind of weird, because at 10 mins. to 9 we were the only ones there. At 4 mins. to 9 there were 10 peope there, that included us. We were starting to wonder if we'd made a mistake on the time or something. It wasn't until after the sacrament most of the people arrived. That was Mormon standard time at it's best or worst, however you want to look at it. Then back to the house for photo's, lunch and naps. After nap time we started watching "The boy in the striped pajamas", we were waiting for Amy to arrive. What a great but very sad movie. When Amy arrived we headed to the cemetery. Becky and Shelley were going to show us where Virgil Ned Robison is buried. Shelley found his unmarked grave in the popper section of the Salt Lake Cemetery. We all wanted to see where it was. We couldn't of asked for a more beautiful day. The weather was perfect! Then back to the house for more visiting, dinner, and the hallmark movie. It was so nice to meet Amy. She is a special girl. Kirsti had to leave to go home before the movie was over. She had to be home so Blake could go to work the next morning at 6:30am. Devin came by to take Amy home after the movie. We were off to bed by 10:30pm but now frolicking tonight.

Monday the 20th was mainly spent eating breakfast and packing up. we had to be out of the house by 10am, but I think we left at about 9am. I sure do love our girls get-aways. I'm so grateful the men in our life support us and let us get away. Women just need to get away and be together every now and then. I'm really looking forward to next time.

Easter Weekend

We had a wonderful Easter weekend. The Izatts arrived on Thursday April 9th. Rick and I watched our sweet granddaughters on Friday so Kirsti and Blake could get away for the day. Unfortunately it was our turn to help clean the church, so the morning started out going over to the church. The girls were very good and actually helped where they could. We did have one causality when Ashley was trying to dust the piano and fell. She hit her left check right on the edge of the piano. She now has a big bruise. I'm hoping they don't show up in the photos. Once the cleaning was finished we headed home for lunch, a movie (Snow White) and Easter egg coloring. I was amazed at how well the egg coloring went. Nobody spilled anything and we all had a wonderful time. We were able to wear the girls out, so when bed time came they went right to sleep. Needless to say wearing the girls out also wore out the grandparents. All we could do was sit down and try not to go to sleep until at least 9:30pm. Believe me it wasn't easy to stay awake.

Saturday the 11th was our Easter Egg Hunts. The first one was held at The Gables assisted living center where Rick's mom lives. Shelley came with her boys Kasen and Aidan. The weather turned out to be beautiful so they were able to be outside. After the egg hunt at the Gables everyone came to our house for lund and the Jensen egg hunt. My mom was able to here. Everyone had fun! I was amazed at how well Kasen and Ashley got along. They are only 9 days apart in age and were so cute together. After everyone left McKenzie and Ashley drew beautiful chalk pictures on our patio. I took photos of a couple of them. Kenzie was very proud of the tiger she drew. It was a really big tiger. Before the girls went to bed we watched a movie about Jesus and the Resurrection. We wanted to remember the true reason we celebrate Easter.

Easter Sunday we were able to focus on the Savior. We attended church together. The girls looked so cute in their Easter dresses. Rick and I sang in the choir. It was a very uplifting experience. We sang "In a coming day" by Kory Kuntz. (He used to teach seminary here in Shelley. As a matter he was one of Kirsti's seminary teachers.) Anyway the song talks about when we die and go to heaven and knowing the Savior and knowing he's God son and our Redeemer. We must of done a good job because our chorister cried through the whole thing. She's never done that before. After chruch we took a few photos in our Easter clothes and then had a nice Easter dinner. Then it was time for everyone to leave. It's always hard to see them go, but it is amazing how good the quiet sounds the first little while anyway.

General Conference Weekend

On Friday we were busy trying to get everything done so we could just sit and watch conference. We met the Burtenshaws at WinCo trying to do the same.

We really enjoyed conference as we usually do. We were both taking notes on all the talks, because Monday is our Empty Nester FHE group and we are supposed to share our favorite parts of conference. (We meet once a month.) Taking notes is both good and bad. It's good because you are really listening and trying to remember what is being said. It's bad because as I am writing things down (I must write too slow) I'm missing other things. The major theme seemed to be as Elder Allen Packer of the Seventy put it "These are the days when prophies are being fulfilled". I need to do much better in my temple attendance. One of my favorite quotes was from Gary E. Stevenson of the Seventy "You are never lost when you can see the temple". I really need to go over my budget and work harder on sticking to it. I need to learn to say as Elder Robert D. Hales told us "We can't afford it, even if we need it and/or We don't need it even, if we can afford it". One of Rick's favorite quotes was from Elder Hales "The 3 most important words are I love you and the 4 most important words are We can't afford it". My whole problem is figuring out what my true needs are. I loved Elder D. Todd Christoferson's talk on being good Christians. I also enjoyed Elder M. Russell Ballard's talk on learning from the passed and I loved when President Monson said "Fear not and be of good cheer your future is as bright as your faith". I don't think I've ever really understood Christ suffering on the cross and why God had to withdraw his spirit from Jesus until I heard Elder Hollands talk. It was all amazing. I can hardly wait for the Ensign so I read and reread the talks again. Rick's favorite session was the Priesthood session and his favorite quote came from that session. He can't remember who said it, but it was " Young men look to the future, because they have no passed. Old men look to the passed, because they have no future".

I'm really looking forward to Easter! The Izatt's will be here to help celebrate. I always love being with my granddaughters!!