Our little Camers on Fridays

I often get to pick up Cami from school on Fridays.

She makes me feel like I'm so important because she is always happy to see me!

As we walk to the car I'm always amazed at how many people know this little girl.  

I hear,  "Hi Cami!" from several different directions.

This is the look I get when I even mention her sister Elora!

She was more than happy to stop at the grocery store before going to my house.

Lunchtime
Some of Grandpa Den's Vegetable Beef Soup!  (I make it---he eats it.)

 Elora taught her the excitement of the playroom!

 Did my sister hide something in here again?

 The afternoon would not be complete without a frozen cookie and watching 'Annie'!
Her little feet were moving to the music.

 She recognized we were almost to her house and she was squealing with excitement.
She knew Mommy and sister were getting closer. 

The reuniting of the sisters!  

 She missed her Elora, who stayed home from school with a fever.

Such a girly girl.
Never without her jewelry.  

 I hope you get well soon Elora!

It's hard from me to see you sick.

I'd rather see you like this:

Maybe next Wednesday.

Quotes from my journal

 I taught a lesson last Sunday about journals.  So naturally I got mine all out to review over the past week.  Here are some of my favorite quotes.  Obviously they are all my favorites or I wouldn't have put them in my journal.

"If it's fair, it's not a true trial."

Neal A. Maxwell

"Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out."

(not sure who said this but I like it!)

"If you throw dirt, you lose ground."

Wendy Rozier (not sure if this is hers, but she's the one who told me)

"We don't see things as they are.  We see things as we are."

Anais Nin

"We must have the courage to allow a little disorder in our lives."

Ben Weininger

"It isn't the great big pleasures that count the most.  

It's making a great deal out of the little ones."

Jean Webster

"The spirit always accompanies righteous endeavors."

Julie Beck 

"Service is the rent we pay for living. It is not something to do in your spare time, 
it is the very purpose of life."

Marian Wright Eastman

 Do any of these speak to you?

 

1930 Fashion Predictions for the year 2000

They just could not grasp 80 years ago,  the casualness of our day now.

I remember growing up in the 1960s....the year 2000 seemed like science fiction.

We pictured ourselves wearing paper clothes and taking pills at mealtime rather than real food.  

Téa talking on phone

She's a girl and she knows how to use a phone! 

A Utah weekend

Kris and her Dad.

Kris and Kim will always be his little girls

Surrounded by some of his grandchildren.

Grandpa and Katie

Jessica
I've always thought Jess looks like her Grandpa.

Jacob

Rachel

Can you tell I've missed him??

AND, on Saturday Grandpa got to see Robbie ride his 2 wheeler for the first time with no training wheels!



Dennis also got to see Karen (Tyler's wife) graduate from BYU, which was the reason for the trip.
Hope someone has pictures for me!

What a way to ask!

I saw these posted on the way to the Post Office yesterday. 

I have no idea who this is from, or who it is for, but I hope it got asked to the right girl!

I wish I knew the beginning of this story, and the ending...what if she said no??

All I have is the middle.

It's frustrating being so curious. 

She keeps me entertained.

Grandma Honey loves Early Release Day Wednesdays

Sorry about all the Lucky Charms near your feet Elora.  

Grandpa Dennis bought his supply last night and forgot to bring them in the house.

Our first stop is Target where she wants to read the chair labels. 

Elora sees a boy from school.  She told me he got suspended.  I asked,  "Why??"

 She motioned her eye brow towards him and said,  "You can see why." 

Sure enough he was causing all sorts of trouble while his mother was yelling at him.  Poor kid.

"I wish Mommy would buy me these shorts." 

 "Look Grandma Honey, that sign is so not true!"
My question is, how could she even notice that sign way up there?

 "I have lots of energy today because yesterday I slept in til 9:26"

(I guess those sleep ins keep her going for 2 days.)

 

Gotta dance at Jamba Juice!

Elora is very close to her Mom.  

She wanted to tell her all about our day so far. 

After the call, she told me:

"My parents spoil me. 

I hope they never stop.  

A girl can get use to it!"

(Actually, I think that was her way of saying her parents are really good to her.)

 

 Erin had a prior commitment, but Brock and Cam were able to meet us at IHOP for dinner. 

 Elora told her Dad about seeing that boy from school at Target, who got suspended.  She told him,
"When he was suspended his Mom went to the principal's office and broke the principal's pencil sharpener."
Her dad asked her,  "How do you know that?  Did you see it?
"No, but Mrs. S video taped it.  And then all the classes got to watch it on TV." 
Somehow I don't think so.
Someday Elora will be a creative writer.

Before we left IHOP Elora asked Brock,  "Daddy do I come from your side of the family or Mommy's side of the family?"

I love Wednesdays!

Creamy Black Bean Soup

I snagged this off a friend's blog about 4 months ago and we have made it several times so far.
It's one of our favorite regulars now.  My daughter in law makes this for her family, too.

Recipe Courtesy of Valerie Geary

Photo Courtesy of slim-shoppin.com
Via Michelle Carter's blog

Makes 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 heaping tsp chili powder
1 heaping tsp cumin
1/2 cup cream, half in half, or milk (I just use soy and it works great)
1/4-1/2 cup fresh (deli-type) salsa
chopped green onions (optional)
sour cream (optional)
avocados, diced (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in heavy saucepan and saute onions, celery, and garlic for about 3-5 minutes until tender. Stir in beans, broth and seasonings. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 25-30 minutes.

Puree about 75% of the soup (adding small batches at a time) in a blender (or use an immersion blender). The more soup you puree the creamer. If you want chunkier soup, puree about 50-60% of the soup.

Return to pot and stir in cream and salsa. Cook on medium heat until soup is hot again.

Serve topped with onions, avocados and sour cream as desired.

Our fearful friends

I should have known.
After all, I raised 4 boys.
I know how they are.

So it didn't surprise me one day about 3 weeks ago when I hard a loud thump against our garage door while I was in the kitchen making dinner.  I recognized that sound so I went outside to find the culprit.  Two boys who were familiar to me, stood in our cu de sac with a bat and ball.  I asked the boys if their ball hit my garage door.  One of them said, "Yes" but as I walked up towards them, they took off running.

I didn't mean to scare them away.  I wasn't angry at all.  I just wanted to ask them to try to be a little more careful since I was trying to prevent dents in our garage.  But they didn't give me a chance.

Then I saw their teenage sister walk towards me.  She apologized for them.  I told her at least they were honest and admitted to it.  I said I just wanted them to be a little more careful.  She said,  "I know, they should, but uh, they are boys."  She was right, they are boys and I know boys, and I love boys.  I told her I raised 4 and they also played ball in this very cul-de-sac.

When I told Dennis about this after he came home, he responded,  "At least they were not inside their house playing video games."

These 2 boys had come to our home many times selling things for school...you know, cookie dough, discount cards on food, ...  Sometimes they were not even quite sure what they were selling but would say,  "We need a computer for our school.  Can you buy this?"
"What is it?"
"Uh, we don't know but you can read about it right here."

They became regulars on our porch.

Such polite and appreciative boys, so we never turned them down.

But ever since the garage door incident, they stopped coming.  And they would no longer wave to us as we would drive by them, or even smile.  I think out of fear towards me.  I thought of having Elora help me make Rice Krispy squares to take to them, but we never quite got around to that.

So one day last week I saw them once again playing outside, and I thought, okay, I need to remedy this.  We were expecting company in about 45 minutes, so I just quickly went out to them and asked about an address, trying to find the home of some mail that was misdirected to our house.  They helped me and I thanked them.  As I walked back into the house I thought, okay, now I feel better.  At least they are talking to me again, and hopefully they will smile and wave next time we drive out of our cul de sac. 

And who knows, with any luck they may be back selling us things on our porch.

Not even 30 minutes later I was brushing my teeth when I heard the door bell.  With the tooth brush still in my mouth I opened the door and there stood my 2 little fearful friends.  They flashed a catalog towards my face and said,  "Would you like to buy some candles?"

Problem solved.

More family news

Jake Kennington and Katie Cleveland

My boys' cousin Jake announced his engagement too, this week!

They will be getting married in August in the Fresno temple.

And furthermore, did you see Jake on the cover of the Church News?
If not, here's your chance below.  Just look for my circle.

Update on McKay and McKenna:
They have changed their date from June 4th to June 3rd.
I've also updated their picture in their engagement post.

Thank you also for all your wonderful comments.
It is the best having such love and support!

The rest of the story for April 12th

The phone rang a few hours after we got home from the twins' birthday party Monday evening.  It was about 11pm and I had just finished making Den's lunch for the next day.  He had given me a new IPOD for my birthday, so then I decided to download some 60s music for my grandchildren to dance to next time they would be over, when I heard the phone.   

An 11pm phone call is usually bad news so I braced myself. 

When I heard McKay's voice I immediately asked if he was okay.  He's use to me.  He said he was calling with some good news.  I said,  "Oh no."
I don't know why I said that.

He told me that he proposed to McKenna and they are ENGAGED! 

Den and I are very happy for both of them.  June 4th June 3rd May 28th is their date. Just 7 weeks from now. Yikes.

Here is one of the songs I was downloading at the time of McKay's call.  Maybe it's just me, but I think it fits.  Even the line, "That little chip of diamond on your hand aint a fortune baby but you know it stands for the love, a love to tie and bind us..."  (since he gave her an $8. ring from Walmart, for now :)

Well whether you think the song fits or not, it was what I was listening to when McKay called, so I think it will always remind me of the day of his proposal.
I'm so happy he found the girl of his dreams.
April 12th must be a lucky day for our family.

McKay and McKenna...it has a ring to it, wouldn't you say? 

sorry for the delay

I'm still coming back with the rest of my story, but I'm having some technical difficulties.  Hope to be back soon. 

One whole year

Can you tell I kissed her as soon as we arrived at the party?

I know I said I was not going to do any birthday posts,

but these little people had not even had their first birthday yet.

While I don't have all their gifts on here, 

I was so impressed that big brother Chandler gave them his car collection.

And their sisters wrapped up toys they already had,
which I thought was a great idea.
With any luck, they may be able to do that next year, too.

A riding toy from Mommy and Daddy.  

Won't they have a most lovely time sharing it.
(Actually they do very well together so far! They are like a team.)

Don't you just love the way we are all looking in 4 different directions?  

(that's their cutie friend Brooklyn to the left)

Oh and Macie made an overnight recovery with her eye problem.

She came to the party dressed as, uh, Orphan Annie?

I was so sentimental all day yesterday and feeling so grateful to their parents
for their courage, strength, faith, and patience
in all they went through to get these babies here for us all to love.

1 day old:

And I will never ever forget how at the very last moment,
just as they were getting ready to be born,
when suddenly the nurse told us only ONE Grandma would be allowed in the delivery room...
Amy's mom handed the ONE package of scrubs to ME.

Turned out both us Grandmas got to be present,
but I will never forget what Karen tried to do for me.

Looking back, 3 weeks old
4 1/2 months old

And here it is, eating their first birthday cake!
Watch Téa say, "I like it" (on accident!)

 

Tomorrow I will tell you what happened a few hours after we got home from the birthday party!
Another reason we will never to forget April 12th.