Sometimes we need to just grab life, and let the cookies burn.

And they did. (The cookies burning I mean.)



Good thing I keep my camera in my pocket!

Cami at school

Our little Cami is now 7, and is sweet as ever.
Last week I got to pick her up from school, arriving a bit early,
so her teachers invited me to join them in circle time.

One of Cam's teachers asked me if my first name really is Honey.
As I was explaining the origin of Grandma Honey,
the other teachers gathered around to hear.
They were interested in me, because they were all so interested in Cami.
They love her!

The best part of Cami's school is the pure unconditional love the teachers have for these very special children.
I was fighting the tears just watching and being in their presence.

It may be hard to tell here, but her teacher is kissing Cam, and she's loving it.

Even little children know.

This happened 33 years ago. 
It shows the power of a family.

The Hunger Games

You'll never guess what these girls saw last night.

I should say...I would never have guessed. 

I think I am the only one who has not read The Hunger Games.

Except for Dennis.

I only saw the previews 

and closed my eyes and feared I would have night mares.

No way am I seeing the movie. I'm such a wimp.

That's Karen (Tyler's wife) in the middle.

Along with Karen's nieces, Jessica and Emily (Kim and Kris' daughters)

How sweet they all went to the midnight showing together in Logan, Utah!

I wonder how they liked it

Did you see it? Are you going?

I would have screamed too!

Portland, Oregon...anyone?

We got the very exciting news yesterday that McKay, McKenna and baby Grant 

are moving to Portland, Oregon!  

McKay was offered a job there with a health insurance company as an actuary. 

The company is letting him finish up this semester of grad school, 

and then they will begin their new life and job on April 30th. 

I am very excited for them on many levels. 

But also for a selfish reason on my part. McKay is 28 now, 

and ever since he left home at age 19 to serve his mission, 

and then has been at BYU ever since, 

I have never ever seen any of the places he has lived....in all those 9 years.

But now, since Portland has a low elevation, I get to GO! 

I get to see him and his sweet McKenna in their life...not just in my life. 

Does that make sense?

I promised them I will NOT be a pest, but I will get to visit.

So my question to you, is...Do you know anything about Portland? 

Have you lived there? 

Do you have an opinion on where in the area is best to live? 

I think my Dad drove us through there when I was 7 on the way to Washington, 

but I don't remember anything about it.

I did learn one thing about Portland last night. 

The McKs might want to consider keeping Grant inside on the 2nd Saturday of every month. 

That is the day it is legal to ride your bike in the nude. 

Not sure if it's true, but that's what we've been told. 

Oh, and also it's illegal to pump your own gas in Portland. That I could really love.

And no sales tax. I can't imagine.

We don't have to believe it, for it to be true.

 As I have said here before, I loved Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project.
I find her interesting and uplifting.

Recently on her blog she had this posted:

Of course I thought right away....'sounds very familiar to me.'

How about Matthew 10:39:

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: 
and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

Gretchen admits in her book that she is not religious. 

She labels herself as a "reverent agnostic"

How can a non Christian have such Christian beliefs?

I was thinking this same question decades ago when I asked a friend of mine about my Grandmother. 

She was one of the most giving, kind, and devoted-to-humanity-people I knew, 

yet she told me she did not believe in God. 

She was respectful of our religion, and of all others as far as I could tell. 

But she believed that when we die it was all over. 

No after life, nothing to look forward to.

Yet, she lived such a Christ like life. 

Whenever I stayed with her we would visit the sick and needy around her neighborhood. 

She knew a lady named Dot who was blind and we would walk several blocks 

so we could "pay her a visit" as my Grandma would say. 

Then there was the Sears family who lived with their disabled daughter. 

She would tell them, "Mary Jane and I came by to see you." 

I never knew why she called me Mary Jane. My mom said she use to call her that too. 

Mom would say, "If she liked Mary Jane so much, then why did she name me Gaynor!"

Anyway, back to my Grandma. 

We would go to the library together every Friday. 

One day she asked the librarian if there was anyone who needed us to bring books to them. 

We were given the name of Mrs. Boman. 

So from then on we picked her up on our way, 

and Mrs. Boman would leave with her huge stack of Harlequin Romances 

stuffed into her mesh carry out bag.

So how could such a great woman as my Grandma, 

who lived such a Christ like life, not even believe in God? 

My friend's answer was so simple, 

"Whether we believe in God or not, we are still created in His image."

Truth is truth, and we don't have to believe it to make it so.

The twins' conversation

I put together these little clips from last Wednesday, 

so the twins can look back some day 
and see their special relationship at 2 1/2 (I refuse to say nearly 3.)

Sorry about the dramatic ending. 

I had just turned off the camera thinking Jonas really got hurt. 

But Jonas popped his head right back up and said, "Sorry Téa."

(I guess he thought he had hurt her in the fall.)

The very cans of Playdough the twins played with this week, 

were the very same ones 

Macie and Elora played with in Jan. 2006. 

And seriously, it still smells just as wonderful, 

and is just as fresh and pliable.

Really, am I the only who LOVES the smell of Playdough?

Look what Violet can do!

I've never seen a baby walk like this, have you?
And then, all in the same evening, she got the hang of real walking!

 I don't know which was more fun...watching Violet, or watching the excitement of her parents! 

Violet actually took her very first steps on her Mommy's birthday, March 8th!

This was filmed just 3 days later.

The merging of the cousins!

To a Grandma, this is heaven I tell you.

Rich and Grant

Close calls

A few days ago Dennis and I were driving along a main road on our way home from shopping. 

As we were waiting for a light to change, suddenly I saw Den go from being relaxed, 

to straightening out his arms and grabbing both sides of the steering wheel tightly. 

But what I noticed most was his odd breathing. 

Before I could even ask what was wrong I thought to myself that he must suddenly be sick or in pain.

I was alarmed, but it was all happening so quickly. 

By the time I got out the words, "What's wrong??" 

he was breathing a sigh of relief and said, "I was trying to brace myself. 

That car behind ours was coming right at us. 

I was sure it was going to hit us, but swerved out at the last second." 

So I was relieved Dennis was not having a heart attack, 

and he was relieved we didn't get hit hard from behind.

Then this morning as I was out walking on the busy street behind our house, 

my shoe bumped up against part of a sidewalk that was coming up, and I went flying. 

I didn't just fall down but sort of tripped and then bounced a few steps before I went tumbling. 

If I hadn't been walking so fast in the first place I would have been able to catch myself better. 

Centrifugal force is what Dennis calls it.

My knees are bruised and my hands have concrete burns on them, but I'm okay. 

No broken bones. 

My mom had a similar tripping experience once, and broke her arm. 

Those buckled up sidewalks are dangerous.

These 2 incidences reminded me today of one of the closest calls I've ever heard. 

Tyler had recently moved to Provo to attend BYU. 

He wasn't use to driving in the snow yet. 

So in trying to stop as he was approaching a red light, 

his car slides somewhat into the intersection just as a bus is going through. 

So close that the bus swipes off his front license plate 

and sends it flying, landing 15-20 yards away in the gutter. 

Now that was a close call.

Have you ever wondered how many close calls you have that you aren't even aware of?

And this was almost as shocking.

Dennis eating popcorn in a theater today!
Never have I seen this in the 13 years I have known him.

One of our kids gave us a theater gift card for Christmas...
so he seemed very happy to have money left on the card for popcorn!

And I just thought he didn't like popcorn.
I didn't realize it was because he's just too cheap frugal.

The truth is, he has a very hard time spending money on himself.
Unlike me.

There are ways to say things.....

 ...and there are ways to say things.

The letter below was sent out to everyone in our ward by email this week. 

It's from our Primary organization, 

which is for the spiritual learning and nurturing of children ages 3-11. 

Certainly not to take the place of the parents in anyway, 

but as a supplement...a special place they get to attend each Sunday. 

Not sure who exactly in our Primary Presidency wrote the letter below, 

but I was struck by the grace and tact of it all. 

I wish I could write like that. 

I try to be tactful and kind,

 but I know some times I don't quite reach that goal.

Here's the letter:

"After prayerful consideration Clovis III Ward Primary Board is requesting that children in Primary use scriptures in book form as opposed to electronic devices.  

We see nothing sinister in electronic devices.  Indeed, we look forward to their use across the mission field.  For now, however, the majority of, if not all, missionaries use bound books for scripture reference.  Since we consider our scripture searches to be foundational learning, we prefer to use the same.

We have no problem with an individual primary teacher allowing hand-helds in the boundary of his/her classroom. We respect the decisions of our wonderful teachers.  But in the common opening and closing exercises and during Sharing Time, we would like our young people to have actual books.  

Please know, and we must be clear here, our young people have not abused the use of these devices. We respect their electronic savvy and appreciate that this might be an unpopular request.  We mean no offense.  Nor are we implying that we would confiscate the devices.  There's no need.  I've never seen a young person in our ward be inconsiderate or disrespectful.  We would simply ask them to put the device away.  And they would do so.

Thank you for your understanding,

Clovis III Ward Primary Presidency"

I think we have all been hurt at one time or another by the words of another. 

Perhaps it was even something we needed to know, something that would benefit our lives. 

But because of the way it is presented to us, we are offended and hurt 

and can't even hear what is being said.

A good piece of writing, like the above email, is a work of art. 

I like to reread it, and then read it again.

I can't imagine they would get any negative responses from either the parents or children. 

It doesn't tamper with  anyone's ego. 

It doesn't put defenses up. 

Instead, it is positive, and even charming.

And no doubt the original issue will be solved.

Is this normal?

I don't think so.


I was just sitting at our kitchen table writing a birthday card to McKay when suddenly I heard a huge roaring noise. It sounded like a humungous truck had suddenly landed in our backyard.


Then all went silent. I looked out the window to see this.

 I mean really, how does a tree just decide to jump out of its spot?

It wasn't all that windy outside. A little, the wind chimes were breezing. But not enough to make a tree suddenly uproot and fling across our pool fence.

Every week of my birthday, for the past 16 years, this tree would bloom these gorgeous purple flowers all over. Just my birthday week and maybe a few days after that, and then they would be gone.


I am quite happy I was not out there with our grandkids at the time.
They had just left 30 minutes before.
 

Colt and Sami, the video

Remember that video the Clovis High seniors performed just before graduation last year?

It was rated #2 in the nation.

The teacher who was the mastermind behind that video, also did my nephew's wedding video last month.

(He just so happens to be the bride's uncle.)

If you're a local you may recognize some people in it.

If not, I think it's amazing to see how the music and pictures and words all come together.

If you didn't catch the link above, and wish to see the award winning Clovis High video, go here.

Some things

1.  While Dennis was in Utah last week, I discovered this cereal I really like. 

I didn't even tell Den about it, but he found it in the cupboard his first night back.

He liked it so much that he went on a hunt the next day to buy another box of it. 

He likes to eat regular Raisin Bran for a goodnight snack. But now he says he likes this one much better.

I found it at Trader Joes, but Dennis found some at Savemart, our corner grocery store. 

2. Thanks to my friend Rebecca, I learned about this glass spritzer which I fill with olive oil.

So goodbye to Pam spray and her friends, diglcerides dimythel, silicone, and propellant.

No more spraying my cake pans in the garage.

3. I've learned a great use for some of those laminate samples I still have.

They make excellent coasters for our glasses of water we take with us around the house.

The back has regular flooring underlay attached, so no scratching furniture.

The samples are less than $1. each at Lowes and Home Depot. 

4. We found these at Costco over the weekend.
It is so rare for them to carry the organic peaches.
Don't these look wonderful!

5. And for some reason, this cartoon made me laugh.

Hope you are having a wonderful Monday!
It's a bright and sunny 78' here.

Mitt

Just in case you haven't seen this...
I especially love the picture of his 16 grandchildren. Many of them look like they were born the same year.

Our floors are done!

Actually they have been in for about 2 weeks, but I keep forgetting to post pictures.
So in case anyone is interested.....

First, the before pictures!
Here are the floors before the water damage...

Well okay, so this is an older picture, but you get the general idea of what it use to look like around here.

Then the floods came.
Well not really, but the leaky dishwasher that caused all this damage....

That caused us to live in a hotel with our visiting family for 5 days.
A unique Christmas breakfast hotel-style.

We decided to go home and cover our floors with old sheets
and bedspreads and just make do,
until I could make a decision on what floor to put in.

Finally, after checking out FIVE flooring places....and several of them many times....we found it! 

But it was more than we wanted to pay. 

So finally on a whim we tried one more carpet place.....

"Quality Carpets" right next to the Olive Garden in Clovis.

The owner Harry gave us the flooring we wanted for $2000. less!! 

He said he would give us a great deal if we would refer people to him. 

So here I am doing that right now.

And here is our finished product...

We left an open area for the grandkids to play, and to entertain us...

you know, sort of like a stage right there in front of the couches.

Don't get too excited my house is clean.
Hopefully it won't stay this way.

As strange as this feels to admit, I prefer it with with toys, and books, and projects, little shoes, 

and dress up clothes, and crumbs left from cookies and PBJ sandwiches, and a few dishes in the sink.
Because that means I am not alone. 

Last week was not my favorite. 

Dennis was gone for 7 whole days. 

And I did spend some time with the little people in my life and their parents, 

but not enough.

I would trade a clean house for happy days anytime!
And I usually do.

A toddler project

Thanks to my niece Julie, 
I found a simple no fail "craft" to do with my grandtwins. 

 All it takes is a strainer and some pipe cleaners 

I found at the Dollar Store.

If you need more instructions, just watch Jonas and Téa
in the video below.

Then after they went home 

I just pulled all the pipe cleaners out 
in one big swoop of my hand, 
and I will save them for another time.