Are these 2 really siblings?

Last night, Dennis interviewed Kylie and Chandler.

Because we were in a noisy restaurant it's difficult to hear at times, but they said the sweetest things, that I just had to post this.
They sure love their Mom.  While Logan has only been their "step Dad" for 5 1/2 years, he apparently passes the test, too.
(I so do not like the word "step-dad!"..."father-figure" is almost as bad)




We couldn't get over how sweet Kylie and Chandler are to each other.
We tried to take Kylie out earlier in the month but she wanted to wait for Chandler to get back from scout camp so they could come together.

To me, she looks like Julia Roberts in this picture.  Do you see it?

It  may not look like it, but the ones below are all candid shots.


Looks like it's time to go home.

our weekend...the good, and not good

I got to attend a very LOVELY baby shower for Ashley Reynolds.
The food was more like a banquet!  Everything was just SO NICE. 

The day got even better when these 2 sweethearts arrived.
After a Mexican dinner with the girls, we walked over to Savemart. 


While Dennis was picking out treats for the cat, Elora spotted someone she knew.
She turned to me and said,  "Oh I just saw Mrs. S walking by. She wanted to be principal of our school but Mr. B got the job instead." 

I asked,  "HOW do you know all that?'

She paused and then said,  "Grandma Honey...technically I go to that school."

(technically??  She cracks me up.)

Yesterday we very much enjoyed watching my son Logan give a talk in his ward about humility and patience.  He talked about his childhood and how summer vacation use to seem so long...and then once school started again it seemed like forever until the next summer would come again.  I think every child feels that way. He explained how he thinks that is how God begins teaching us patience when we are young, that we will need when we are older.  Never thought of it that way, but he may be right.

Then after church we went to dinner at Amy and Logan's house.  That is always a treat for us. 
Scrumptious food!

I couldn't understand why the twins were waiting patiently for their food
until I learned their Dad had given them samples of the punch before dinner.  

The hard part about yesterday was only having 2 hours of sleep the night before.  I just could not turn off my mind. Two hours is not enough for me.  I felt like my body was being tortured, and even left church TWICE to go home and take short naps.  And even though I only slept from 1am to 3am, I was late to the first meeting at 7:30!  Only 2 minutes late, but I had 4 1/2 hours to get ready, so I really don't know how that happened.

And then the really hard part about yesterday was learning about the Bishop in Visalia (less than an hour from us) who was shot and killed during church.  I keep thinking about his wife and 6 young sons.  My heart hurts for that family, and they will be in our prayers for a long time.  Once again, I am incredibly amazed that the choices of one, can affect so many. Forever. What peace to know this life is not the end.

Another find from my kitchen drawer.

About 8 years ago I attended a small wedding for Claudia and Dale Call from our ward.
Blaine Thomas, who was officiating, recited a poem that I immediately fell in love with, 
and I wanted to give a copy to Claudia and Dale.

So before I left that day I went into his office
and asked if he would recite it again so I could write down the words.  
He did better than that, he wrote it all out for me. 

Translation, in case you can't read it:
"When Jesus is the carpenter, a home is safe and strong.
It's built with care and happiness.
It's filled with love and song.

His joy is found in every room.
Peace whispers through the halls
And he greatly blesses everyone,
Who lives within its walls."

Coincidentally, about 5 years after that day, my Dad married Dale's sister Susan.  So now I wonder, was Susan at the wedding of her brother and his wife that I attended about 8 years ago?  I didn't know her then, so I wouldn't know if she were there that day or not. I hope to soon find out.

I just like this homey little picture.
Photo thanks to Susan Branch

No scuba diving for Téa!

Téa's pediatrician noticed that she has a heart murmur, so the Dr sent her to a cardiologist yesterday. 
Turns out the murmur is benign and nothing to worry about, but the ultrasound showed something unexpected, that has nothing to do with the heart murmur. She has a PFO.

While a baby grows in the womb, there is a normal opening between the left and right atria (upper chambers) of the heart.
This is where the baby gets blood supply from the placenta.
If this opening fails to close naturally soon after the baby is born, the hole is called patent foramen ovale (PFO).

The cardiologist told Amy not to worry, as this should not affect Téa's life....the only restriction is she can't ever go scuba diving.

Come to think of it, neither can her father.  The school nurse sent home a note with Logan when he was in 2nd grade stating that he is color blind, and he would not be able to control air traffic, or go scuba diving.  So Téa and her Daddy can sit out the scuba diving together.

I'm including this picture so Téa will have it when she grows older.

Has anyone heard of a PFO before? 

Look what I found when I cleaned out a kitchen drawer today.

Tyler wrote this when he was 11, about 3 months after his Dad died.




Then, right next to it, I found this note from McKay. 
I don't know when he wrote it...sometime when he was a teenager.
Is it any wonder they are such good husbands now?  
Karen and McKenna:  They are good husbands, right??

And just in case you are wondering, I do clean out that drawer more often than every 13 years.  
I just keep putting those notes back in to enjoy the next time I clean it out.

Amy and Logan's adventure to Missouri!

Logan had to work all night long before their morning flight.
So guess what he did during the layovers.  
Not sure what's on his head, 
but good thing he's always had the ability to sleep anywhere.

While the kids did this:

The kids got to experience their first flight ever.

Then let the good times roll!

They stayed with Amy's brother Jason, and his wife Jenny and family.

The Arch in St Louis

Nauvoo!

Carthage Jail

Amy with her brother Jason, and Macie and Laurynn
The two families together!

What an adventure they will always remember, except for the twins. 
I think they will need to go back and do it all over again for them someday. 

Back to school for the grandchildren.... And Hailey!

Many thanks to my daughters in law, Amy and Erin,
Here are this years First-day-of-school-pictures taken yesterday.

The babies were sleeping at 7am when they left, so no first day of school pictures for them!

 Elora and Campbell


Hailey starts school in Sacramento today, but since she sleptover Sunday night, I was able to get her picture too!
She's a 1st grader now, and she can already spell "diverticulitis" 
 
Hailey was showing me where her Uncle Jordan is serving his mission.

Our Utah grandchildren don't start school until Thursday, so watch for those pictures!

Yesterday long time friends became relatives

Yesterday morning my nephew Jake Kennington married Katie Cleveland...
That's right...McKay and Tyler's best friend growing up, and cousin.  
The Jakester is a married man!  (as Uncle Den Den calls him.)

Last Wednesday I attended a really fun shower for Katie, given to her by her Aunt Jenny Parker.
I just want to show some things that impressed me about it.

Look what they did with her new name to be....

2 of Jake's sisters, Carly and Kaidy, painted a bench for their gift!
And look what my sister Robin did on her gift bag...She glued Jake's face on it!
Katie with her niece McKenzie


Where did my sister Robin ever find cologne named JAKE?

My sister Peggy (Jake's Mom) gave Katie some incredibly creative gifts and I feel bad I didn't get pictures of them!
But at least I got a pic of Peggy with her daughter Kaidy.
Hard to believe Peggy is a Mom to SIX, and a grandma to FOUR.


My sister Heidi with my Dad's wife, Susan.
Lots more attended who I didn't take pictures of.
Believe it or not, I didn't want to be annoying.

And the food!


Some of the Kenningtons who were present.
 And look at this.
I asked Jenny if I could take a picture of her backyard because they made it into a little golf course!

Katie's Mom, Kip, MADE this quilt!!  The picture does not do it justice. 



I just had to take this picture because have you ever seen a more look-alike Mother/Daughter??
This is Katie's best friend, Kylie, with her Mom
They were so cute...they just sat cuddled up together on this chair during the shower. 

  
Ohmygoodness had to take a picture of Betty Cleveland!  
We have known her for probably 50 years.  She is Katie's grandmother. 
w/ Katie's cousin Jana

Katies's Dad, Steve, and my brother Richard, have been friends long before high school even.
Here they are 37 years ago.  
Who would have thought Steve's daughter and Richard's nephew would get married. 
And what I think is also interesting,
Richard's wife Wendy, was with Kip when she gave birth to Katie!
That's not all.
Some other memories I have of the Clevelands:
Popcorn and brownies in their home on Sunday nights
Bob Cleveland's firework stand every summer.
They came to our 4th of July lawn parties when I was a little girl.
My mother's very long phone conversations with Betty Cleveland.
(My Mom was not a phone talker, but she would sit down for those.)
I asked Betty to come to my high school and speak on families, and she did!
Running into Betty at Sees Candy.


Be forewarned, that I couldn't edit this.
So just start about 34 seconds into it and turn it off after Jake answers the question,  "When was your first kiss?"

Turn up your volume because it's hard to hear...I was filming this from across the room.
Don't watch beyond 3:02 or it won't make any sense.

Look what happened last night

  Just a little pre-graduating gathering for our DIL Amy.... Not everyday a Mom of 7 and a Grandma of 7, graduates from college. It was not ...