Jack's proud moment


Jack could hardly believe his good fortune 
when they put the 4 year olds in charge of the fire!


Wonders of my Week

 1. Do you recognize these rooms?



When I was pregnant with my first baby, I used to plan my lunch 
around the time when the old I Love Lucy reruns would be on. 

They would distract me enough that I could get my lunch down. 



Then just this week, I saw this, 
 

and now all these 48 years later, 
I finally understand why and how I Love Lucy saved me back then.


2. Den and I just finished reading together, 
Hillybilly Ellegy by JD Vance. 



We listened to it in 30 minute sessions each evening while eating dinner. Very thought provoking, inspiring, and makes me want to go save a child somewhere. 

However, I can only give it 4 stars out of 5. 

The language was horrific, but in this case, it was worth enduring it. 

But I was disappointed that as JD became a Christian and made himself a better life than he was born into, that he didn't also in the process clean up his own language. 


3. A week after my friend Patty died of pancreatic cancer, 
I surprisingly received this in the mail:


She was dying, yet she arranged for this magazine to be sent to me!
She hadn't even mentioned that she was going to do this.


 
Every time a new issue comes it's kind of like she's back.


4. My sisters, Robin and Peggy, 
decided to go roller skating while they were both in Sacramento.



Unfortunately, they soon headed to ER.


So sorry Peggy!


5. This week also in the mail, my cousin Kathy sent me a package. 
I couldn't even guess why, or what it would be. 


Look what she embroidered on this apron for me!
She even made the card. She's always been artistic. 
I feel so honored. ❤️

Me, Richard, Nonie, and Kathy
(My mom use to say Kathy looked like a movie star.)


6. My rod iron dreams came true. 
After 8 years of looking, 
we finally found someone to make a gate for us! 

That's because our neighbor Mary Lou introduced us to Dave Garcia. 
Great workmanship and such a nice man!



7. A shout out to Lowes!
 Our oven died and the day they were to deliver our new one, 
we had a conflicting appointment. 

The man in charge made a few calls for us, 
and had the tech come in early to accommodate our schedule. 

Something I would never expect.




8. Love this quote I found in my journal, 8 years ago this week:

“You've got to get up every morning with determination if 

you're going to go to bed with satisfaction.”

❤️



Wonders of my Week

 Wonders of the Week

(but since it's been awhile, not exactly just this past week)


1. Elora has graduated from college and got her first job in marketing. Yay!! 

She works with 3 other women in her office. 
Laura, Nora, Iora. Elora fits right in! 

Is that not wild!



2. Den came across this picture of me and my siblings at Yosemite in whatever year that was. He asked, "Well, you probably drove in 2 cars, right?" Nope, I'm pretty sure we all squished together. 

Jill, John, and Robin on top

Richard, and our Mom peeking out the door.


3. I noticed our sister missionaries at church were looking different this week. One was gone, but Sister George was still there. But the new one's name tag also said Sister George. 

I kept squinting, trying to figure it out. Are they sisters? 


Finally I asked, "Are you two related?" One answered, "I don't think so, but we haven't done the ancestry test, so maybe." 

Never seen missionaries with the same last name before. 

Thank you sweet ladies for giving 18 months of your lives to teach people about Jesus Christ! 



4. I was in a wedding 45 years ago and just last week was sent a picture I don't think I've ever seen. 


I wish it weren't blurry, 
but this is proof my hair use to be as dark as McKay's.


5. Tyler and Karen unknowingly brought our house key home with them after visiting last month. When he offered to send it back, I asked that he try to disguise it. This is what he came up with:


Made us happy!


6. Amy's birthday was this month, and I love this picture one of her daughters put on Instagram. Amy with all 7 of her children.




7. As I am guzzling down water at 10:30 at night...

Den: If I did that I’d be up all night.

Me: If I didn’t do this I’d be up all night.


Den: We have two very different body systems

Me: Yeah, But it’s okay


Den: Yeah it’s okay

Me: Ying and Yang go well together. Much better than Ying Ying or Yang Yang.


Den laugh and says: “That’s cute”


Yes, we humor each other. This is what old people do.



How to rescue a child in a tree when you're not there

 While having a nice little FaceTime chat with McKay in Montana, 
I asked to see the rest of the family.

So he took me outside, 
and handed the phone to 8 year old Annie.

She was so proud to show me the chicken coop her Dad made.

She even showed me the inside


I thought those were 2 little bedrooms for the chicks.

She said no, that is where they go lay their eggs.

And that white and red can...

it has a spigot so the chicks can get drinks of water. 


Scarlett loves her chicken, Wylie.



So does Jack! He named his, Batman. 
Or at least someone named him Batman. 
My guess is him.



Then Annie stopped filming for me right after this next shot. 
She said Jack was stuck in the tree and says he is 
"too little to get down."





I kept thinking of that scene in Pollyanna where she falls 
from the tree and breaks her leg.

Frustrated I couldn't help.

So I texted this to McKay:

Us out of town Grandmas try to get involved any way we can.

McKay came out and stood close to the tree,
 telling Jack he knew he could get down by himself.
That's why kids need Dads.

Then fast forward a few more days and 
I was talking to Annie on the phone. 
I asked what everyone was doing. 
So she took this one for me:


That picture reminds me SO much of McKay's Dad 
playing with him when he was little, minus the stairs. 

Annie also reported that Jack accidentally put a hole 
in Scarlett's Stuffy. 

So I asked, "Oh is that something Scarlett sleeps with every night? 

She said "Yes, would you like me to take a picture of her Stuffy?" 

"Sure" 



Really? Isn't he a bit large to sleep with Scarlett? 
But I don't ask. 

I just enjoy being with Annie, 
and hearing about the Fam on a Saturday morning. 

A few hours after we hung up I looked at my phone and saw this:



Rich and Violet



 Last week, I began a text to my granddaughter Violet....



What a nice surprise to find out for both Violet, and Rich (one of her 4 cousins she was going to see) 

They were both born 13 years ago. 


A few days later, and since I'm Grandma Honey, I watched the clock the day of her flight. Not that it was needed. It's just who I am.

Then I was happy to receive this from Violet:


Oh good, I thought, they are taking good care of her. First time ever she has traveled alone. 

Then I wondered who would be sitting by her, so I asked that she give me a description. Hoping it was an older woman or a Mom looking woman. Or really, any female. 

This is the description I got instead:



So, okay. It is what it is.

I started thinking about my flight attendant nephew, Alex, 
and wishing he were on that plane. 


I know he would have taken super care of her.
But, wrong route.

Loved when Violet's Aunt Karen in Idaho, soon sent me this...


Her 5 days in Idaho, included a few FaceTime's with me...


I told Violet and Rich, 
"You're both act more like siblings, than cousins."


Richie responded, "Well that's what happens when you talk to someone nearly everyday for 2 years."


Such a nice pool in their Meridian neighborhood.


Leo, Rich, Violet, and Juliet
(Violet said Daisy didn't want her picture taken.)




Funny to me now, 
how dressed up people use to get just to travel.


My brother Richard and my Dad in full on suits!
Whatever date that was.


Cousins can be such a blessing!

Even though Rich and Violet live in different states, thankfully they can at least go back to phone talking once this trip is over. 

That was not an option in my childhood. 

Just a few days ago over our sibling text, Richard said:
"Back then we NEVER used long distance...that was saved for something important like a nuclear holocaust."

I added what our Dad use to say: 
"Long distance phone calls are like paying for a dead horse."

Those were different times, and different parents!


Amazing how much those two have changed in 5 very short years.
Childhood goes by lightening fast for us grandparent types.


Makes me happy when cousins grow up as best friends!


What he said about his Mom!

Delightful hanging out with Macie and Jacob one night last month. 

As you may remember, Macie became family when she was only four. That's when my son Logan married Amy. 


Macie is all grown up now, and sweet as ever. She and Jacob have been married 2 1/2 years, and I have never seen her happier. They are a matched set. 

So I said to her husband Jacob, "Tell me about your mother." 

I loved so much what he said, I turned my camera on and said, "Say that again." 

I was mostly kidding, but he didn't miss a beat and said just what he thought.... 


What he says about his Mom from Jill Shelley on Vimeo.

Brock's Red Carpet Premiere in LA

 


Brock and Erin

We were all hoping his sisters could make it, but sadly Kim got Covid right before. But thankfully Kris and Mike were there, and thanks to Kris and Mike for all these pictures!





Kris said Liz Tabish (from The Chosen) 
was gentle, humble, kind and real.





Fun to have Erin and Kris in this one!



Just 4 days later we were able to have a Premiere in our little town. 

Stay tuned for that.


Jack's proud moment

Jack could hardly believe his good fortune  when they put the 4 year olds in charge of the fire!