Grandma Honey

What a fun night we had last Friday. Paul and Krista Gage invited us to dinner with some other couples from our ward, to celebrate Paul's 33rd birthday. We are old enough to be most of their parents. Dennis was afraid they would say things like, "Isn't it about time for you to go home and soak your dentures?" But no one said anything like that. They treated us just like everyone else there. And by the way, we don't have dentures.

Paul said he was a little disappointed that Dennis was so quiet...unlike the early church meetings they use to attend together. But Den always gets quiet about that time every night. We didn't eat til near 9pm, and that is about the time we usually start winding down for the night.

We all went to a new restaurant, one we had never been to before. Yosemite Ranch. It had a rustic friendly feel to it. The food was great. And we loved the sweet potato fries and rolls before dinner. They actually had non dairy mashed potatoe…

I've been tagged by a dear friend in Colorado. If I understand this correctly, I am suppose to list 6 random unspectacular quirks that I possess. When I asked for Den's input he said, "Only 6?" He's right, I can't disagree with him. I have many. Thankfully he loves me anyway.

Okay, here they are:

1. I have this obsession about someone tripping. No matter where I am, a grocery store, wherever...I have to pick up what could be in the way and either put it aside or back where it belongs. I think I have heard too many stories of elderly people tripping on something small and breaking a hip, or small children slipping and banging their head.

2. Then there is my hotel routine. I always bring baby wipes (not anti-bacterial) to clean down all light switches, door knobs, toilet, sinks, counters, etc. I always bring 2 blankets from home. One to go on top of the bed (after I have taken off the bedspread and put it in the closet) and one blanket to go over us …

I wanted to show a small excerpt from a video her Daddy made for her 3rd birthday. It shows Erin, her Mommy, taking her to EPU which stands for Exceptional Parents Unlimited. Cami attended there several times a week since she was just a few months old.

EPU is a precious place. I can feel it when I walk through the doors. This wonderfully unique organization provides therapy and support for children, infants through age 3, who were born with special challenges.

Cami didn't get to do her "first day of school interview" because she wasn't into sitting still long enough, as hard as Brock tried by repeatedly putting her back on the couch.
So not to be left out, here she is today:

So last night Dennis and I went to the homes of our grandchildren and interviewed them in their jammies about the first day of school, which was Monday. We sure wish we could have driven over to the homes of our Utah grandchildren also, but they are a bit too far away.

Guess who is turning 7 today?! I guess I gave it away in the title. Matthew is the oldest son of Dennis' daughter Kim and her husband Ryan.

I got to see him last December when we met them at their time share in Newport Beach, since I can't go to Utah. He is such a sweet, polite boy. We took them all to dinner that night and he rode in the backseat of our car. We were talking back and forth and then it was quiet. After a pause in conversation Matthew said, "Grandpa Shelley, it is so nice to see you again."


Grandpa and Matthew

Matthew and cousin Jacob
And how we love this picture.
He was only about 3 and this was taken with his siblings, Robbie and Emily. We love you Matthew!
We have something coming in the mail just for you.

Campbell and Elora



And a few miles away, their cousins were getting ready for the first day also.

Macie, Austin, Chandler, Laurynn, and Kylie
Macie
Laurynn
Chandler
Kylie
Austin

Last Monday, the day we got the positive results of her In-vitro...Amy was told her HCG level was 241. Her doctor told her those numbers should double every 48-72 hours. So here we are 7 days later and her count is 4,326. So her numbers obviously far more than doubled every 2-3 days! This still does not necessarily mean multiples, but it is a good sign of a healthy pregnancy.

Her HCG level will be tested again next Monday and then on Sept. 3rd she will have her ultrasound.

It's a happy day!

McKay and Tyler sent this to me. Their roommate Chris, in front, is recovering from nose surgery. Not sure how they made this. Whatever, I just love seeing them!

The question is, why is Tyler standing there with his arm up in the air?

Hailey went back to Rocklin on Wednesday to be with her Daddy. On Monday, Chickie (aka Wendy, my sister in law) and I took her out to lunch at the Macaroni Grill. When we ordered her the little pizza she wanted, we were surprised when the waiter asked if she would like to make it herself. Sure!! So as Chickie and Hailey headed up to the special counter, I followed them with my camera. I wanted to especially take pictures for her Dad to see.Now she is ready to eat it.
By the way, the waiter told us that any child
can make their own pizza here.
If the waiter forgets to offer, just to ask.
What we also loved about this place, is they give the kids the crayons and then just tell them to color on the paper table cloth. She loved it!
Hailey says this is a picture of her Daddy.
The waiter had packaged up Hailey's left over pizza. Papa Richard was on his way to get her so Chickie and I could do some furniture shopping. Just before Papa Richard arrived, Chickie went to the restroom and …

My sister in law Kim made such a beautiful display of Chris' life for the foyer at his funeral on Monday. She included a biography Chris wrote about his family in elementary school, each member of the family having their own page complete with story and pictures. She took apart this book and framed each page. After the funeral was over she gave us each our framed page. Not only was this so creative for Kim to think of, but very thoughtful.
I didn't include this display table in my earlier post of his funeral because they seemed too small to really see. I had forgotten that you can click each picture and make it larger.



Also, one of Chris' friends sent me an email today telling about a dream he had last night. I have not had a dream about Chris since he died. It will take me a long while I think. After my first husband died it was months later before I had dreams about him. Same when my mother died.


The dream of Chris' friend:

"I don't know if anyone is inte…

I made a promise to Logan and Amy that I won't call them every single day of this pregnancy. They say they don't care, but I don't want to be a pestering mother-in-law. However, the promise does not start yet. Today I went over and took a little video of Amy. I wanted to get her story of the day she learned the In-vitro worked. Hard to believe that was just 2 days ago.

I asked Amy if on the day of the ultrasound I could wait in the parking lot. That way I can get the news as soon as she and Logan come out of the doctor's office. She said sure.

We left Dennis, her mom, the kids, the 2 dogs, the cat, and the 10 puppies in the other room while we went to the far back room of their house to record. Here she is:

Inside the program:


The Urn

The Mountain View Ward Relief Society had such a beautifully decorated luncheon for us.




His friend Mark came all the way from England.
Also, we were so happy to have Chris' ex wife Jenny with us today.

These 3 friends are amazing. They all spoke at his funeral and have been very close and loyal friends of Chris' since high school.
Paul Stark, David Stark, and Berrett Rice
(David and I had quite a good talk today about his 9 month old triplets!)

My brothers John and Richard.
John gave the gospel message, and Richard dedicated Chris' grave.
Somehow I failed to get a picture of my brother Scott, who gave the eulogy.



Hailey and Natalie
It's been so fun having Natalie stay with us the past few days.
She is total entertainment.
She also is quite insightful.
She *knew* the In-vitro worked for Amy and Logan even before we got the news!




Hailey commented this morning that she loves funerals. Of course to her, they are a party with lots of cousins and good food an…

That is just what Amy said when she called me about noon today, "It worked!" We are so ecstatic we can hardly stand it! I have been dreading the phone call all morning, so afraid of another In-vitro let down for them. When I saw on the caller ID that it was her I didn't want to answer it. Wendy and Richard are here (my brother and sister in law) and also Natalie, my niece. As I answered the phone I heard Amy's tiny little soft voice and I thought, oh no, not again, please not again....but then she said "it worked" and I started screaming so much that I scared Hailey! Wendy started screaming, Natalie started screaming.....I'm so thankful they were here! I thought Richard was gone but I guess he was in the bedroom. He soon came out and didn't even ask why we were screaming. I guess he has been living with all women for too long. :)

Amy said they got the news on their cell phone when they were at the grocery store. She and Logan hugged in th…

Last Saturday Dennis' daughters and their families were vacationing at a time share in Park City, Utah. They invited our BYU boys, McKay and Tyler, plus Tyler's girlfriend Karen, up for the day. This is the first time they have met Karen. I haven't even met Karen yet even though Tyler has been dating her since last October!

The girls took some great pictures!

Kim, Tyler, Karen, Kris, and McKay


Rachel and Karen (Rachie is Kris and Mike's youngest)


Tyler with Jacob, and Karen with Katelyn.


Jessica, McKay, and Emily

McKay and Emily


Kim, Tyler, McKay, and Kris...oh how I love to see them together!
I can't help but think these are the sisters McKay and Tyler use to pray for every night...
long before they met,
long before I met their father.

Hailey said she wanted to live at Family Camp forever. I heard she would get up every morning and put her swim suit on and wear it all day. After camp fire Auntie Robin would put her in the sink and wash her so she would be clean to go to bed. Next morning, on would go the bathing suit again. Does anyone have any pictures of Family Camp this year that I could put on my blog?


Hailey was so happy to be reunited with her deedee on Saturday night after coming back from Family Camp! Aunt Natalie aka Aunt Party, gave it to her, then they told stories in bed.

Chickie and Hailey made badges for my Primary class.
They both have the creative gene.

In the midst of the evening my son Logan came by to visit also.
Tomorrow is the big day.
We will learn the In-vitro verdict.
This morning before church Hailey said good bye to her daddy Jason.
He needed to get back to Rocklin.
Thank you so much to Krista Gage in our ward for letting Hailey borrow one of her daughters' dresses!! As soon as…

After coming home from Target yesterday morning with Elora, there was a message on my machine from my next door neighbor, Dee. When I called her back, she explained that very late the night before, she and her husband were watching the Olympics. Dee was tired so went to bed about midnight. Her husband Terry wanted to watch the men's gymnastics---so he opted to stay up a little later.

About 1am Terry heard a car drive up, sounding like it was coming from our driveway. He knew that Dennis and I don't usually get home that late (as in never) so he looked out the window. He saw a car parked right by our driveway. He waited for someone to get out of this car, but no one did. That seemed very odd so after waiting a little longer, and still they did not get out of the car, Terry called the police.

After a short wait (Clovis PD is always quick) here comes the police car into our cul-de-sac. Terry watches the police come up to the car window. A very young girl gets out, and an …

As I wrote a few days ago, Hailey is at Family Camp. This is a large group of several families (not all related to us...but many are) who plan all year to meet at this campsite. There are cabins with beds, and a large kitchen where 2 cooks make all the food. The families take turns organizing crafts, etc for the kids. Each night they have 2 campfires...one early one for the families, and a later one for just the adults and kids over age 12. There is always someone to talk to, and something to do. I spent every summer of my life growing up here beginning about age 7.

I found this picture from about 1980 taken at Family Camp, of my oldest son Brock with Hailey's mother Robin. And so the torch has been passed, once again, to the next generation.

The bowl cut was in style back then, can you tell?

I know Robin would have done anything to be with Hailey at camp right now. Hailey's dad is trying to make it up there to see her. I know she is surrounded by lots of family.

My daugh…

Last Saturday night while we were in Rocklin we found a little LDS bookstore called Cover to Cover. Den and I usually like to find the LDS bookstores in any area we are visiting and with our GPS it is really easy now. I've been longing to purchase the new Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD of Called to Serve, and sure enough this store had it in stock.
The next day, as we were driving to church I put it on in the car. I went right to How Firm a Foundation. This has become one of my favorites now...ever since the morning my Mom passed away. As soon as I realized she had died I had to have music on. I reached for the remote and just turned on the stereo. We had been playing lots of hymns for her so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when the Mormon Tab came on. It sounded different to me this time. The music and words seem to engulf the entire room as I heard How Firm a Foundation. I heard the words in a way I hadn't quite heard them before.

Verse #3
Fear not, I am wit…