August 2013

August came and went so fast.  I think it was because I knew I had to go back to work on the 20th so I was trying to cram everything in.  I always know after work starts I don't have time for anything else besides work and church.

I was able to can some salsa and freeze some berries.  That was about all I got from the garden this year.  I always use the herbs which I love and we got some cucumbers too.  I wish I would have gotten a lot more tomatoes though.  My zucchini didn't even grow.  I usually spend more time in the garden and usually put a lot more Miracle Grow on it.  I think that is why it didn't grow as well.  Now I am begging people who have extra to let me have some so I can do more salsa and chili sauce.  Last year I had so much, I made soup.  Oh, my beans did a lot better this year then they have ever done in the past.  I have a bunch of Kale too.

The one thing I feel really good about is my mother's ancestor scrap book.  I finally finished it.  Actually, I'm not completely done because I have to add some name plates to some of the last pictures I put in.  I am really very pleased at how it turned out.

I feel like I did a lot of work as the Relief Society President.  My goal is to bring the sisters together and love each other.  I know the only way is to have every sister do their visiting teaching.  I have had some say they just won't do it and others say they want to but they don't have time.  Still others have good intentions but they don't follow through.  I guess it has been a problem for Presidents for a very long time and it will be a problem for many more but I would love our ward to be different.  I want to strive for a hundred percent visits.  I know it would strengthen the members we have but would bring in sisters who are less active too.  I do feel our ward is getting better and the love is growing.  Service is so much easier when you love the person you are serving.

I was concerned about whether they would let me work in the library again.  The school district is in such a financial mess with its 5 million dollar deficit that you never know where they are going to make cuts.  I do really like my job.  I do wish I made more but I will take what I can get.  It is only paying for our house payment now because we have been cut so many days of work.  I still work with a wonderful lady.  She is very artistic and is always thinking about how to improve the Library and she creates great incentives for the students reading program.  This year we are Trekkies and "Going where no man has gone before."  We'll explore new worlds through books and the students will start out as cadets and rise through the ranks until they achieve the status of Commodore.  It really is a lot of work because we keep track of every page the students read and log them.  They advance another rank for every three hundred pages read.  The 10 top readers get really nice prizes and the top class receives a pizza party with games and fun.

Stephanie's Birthday and GFL

The fun started when Craig and Diana came on Wednesday.  There was so much to do for the draft and Diana was invaluable.  She made dinner Thursday night and it was so good.  Everyone came and enjoyed themselves. Kind of changing the subject, Diana gave me some pictures to put on my family wall.  It seems families change so much and the "wall" always needs updated.

The major changes are Scott is married and his new family isn't there, and Craig and Diana have two more children not in their picture.  

Friday was another busy day getting ready for Stephanie's surprise party.  I really don't like surprise parties because it is so difficult trying to pull it off.  I almost slipped a couple of times around her and so did Dad.  I think in the end after all of our covert operations, she knew about it.  She had seen a message or something on my phone.  It still turned out really fun.  I was so nervous and there was a lot of anxiety in trying to time everything.  Lynne was coming from Utah and I hoped that she had planned to call Stephanie and get her to go pick her up and bring her and the boys to my house.  We wanted her out before everyone started eating dinner here.  Everyone came for dinner because they were going to help me set up for the party and decorate.  Everything worked out and Lynne called just at the right time for Steph to come and they surprised her by taking her out to dinner.  Steph told me that when Lynne took her out, she thought that was the big surprise so she was some what surprised for her party here.  We had cake, snacks, and drinks; Lynne surprised her by giving Steph a book that everyone wrote about their memories of her in, and we played a new family favorite game called Kubb.  It was lots of fun!

Saturday started with the golf tournament at 7:00 a.m.  Roger loves doing this.  He is in his element and he gets such a kick out of watching everyone play.  I wish I would have gotten there earlier to get pictures of everyone but here is what I did get.

  

We then met over at the church to have pizza and then the GFL Draft began!  During the draft the kids played dress up and acted out plays on the stage.  Some of the kids played basketball and the women not involved with the draft visited.  It gets very serious in the room!  Scott always does such a good job and Lacey really helped him out this year by running the picks on the computer.  It's nice having the help and support of your better half!  :) After cleanup there was a dance off.  Very funny . . .

The Draft is over and all have gone home.  It isn't so much what we do when we are together it is the getting together that is fun.  If we didn't have the draft we would only see each other at weddings and funerals.  Having the draft every year guarantees the fact that we will get together.  I love Rick and Doris and their entire family.  I love that they make such a huge effort to come.  I told them, that I'm always afraid that they are eventually going to say that it isn't worth the trip and they don't want to come any more.  I am just glad  that hasn't happened and they have come every year.  The GFL was started eighteen years ago in 1995.  The families have grown and changed since then but it hasn't gotten old or boring getting together to have fun.  I just want to thank everyone for all they do to bring this all together.

July 18, 2013

Roger has been working hard to get in the baseboard.  It will look so nice when its all done.  It is just one more thing off our check list on our home improvement projects.

 I love working in the yard because I love looking at what the work can produce.  When ever I get a little proud of my yard though, I go and visit someone elses.  It really makes me realize how much more work I have to do.  I was able to go to Texas and see Aunt Yvonne's yard.  It is pretty amazing.   Steve, Jeff, and Lacey and Scott have all done a lot of work in their yards and they look really great! Aunt Joan has a pretty yard.  Sue Patrick's is amazing.  There is also a lot of older sisters in our ward and they have beautiful yards too. It kind of humbles me and maybe one day with a lot more work, I can have one that I can be happy with!

Joelle's baptism and Independence Day!

Joelle was baptized June 29th.  She was also beautiful in her white dress.  I am so proud of these girls making that decision to be baptized.  I love them very much. After her baptism everyone went to Yogartz.

 Can you believe she's eating chocolate in her white dress!

Moving on to some sad news, Aunt Joan called me Monday and told me that Aline had lost their baby.  I am so very sad for her.  They'll hold a memorial Monday July 8th for her.

The fourth was really different this year.  We just had the single kids.  Everyone else had other plans.  Jeff and Jennilynn came after dinner and we were all so glad.  Holidays just aren't as fun without children.  They made me very happy when they showed up!

Update . . . continued

I got busy yesterday and didn't get to finish. So I'm still continuing the update.

Mary was baptized in May and I may as well say that Joelle was just baptized last Saturday.  Mary's was May 11th.  It was a very good day and everyone that lived here in Idaho was there.  We will never stop missing Lynne and Craig's families.  It is getting harder and harder for them to make visits.  Gas prices make it almost impossible to travel.  Also families grow and along with that they get more involved in activities.  That is the way it should be but we miss them.  Anyway, her baptism went really well and she looked so pretty in her white dress.

Scott started a family conference chat on Facebook.  I absolutely love it!  I check it as often as I can to see what the kids are saying.  They are funny and they chat about everything.  It has really helped to stay more involved and in touch with the kids from Utah.

I've been working on a scrapbook of my mother's ancestors.  It was easy to start but lately I keep putting it off and I keep finding other things to do instead of tackling the scrapbook.  It has become very difficult.  I really want to get it done and I don't know why it has become so difficult lately to get to.

We drove down to Utah for Presley's blessing.  Joan and Mom drove down from Logan and Lynne's family were there along with Dad and I and some of Diana's family.  It was good.  Presley is such a beautiful baby. Diana made Presley's dress and did a wonderful job.  It looked very vintage.

Roger and I flew to Texas for a mini family reunion.  Nicolle and Cathy weren't there and we all really missed them.  I have mixed feelings about going.  It was so nice to see everyone.  I love my brothers and sisters and it is important for us to see each other once in a while to rekindle family connection.  Its so easy to grow apart as we get more involved with our own families. The trip came to about $1000 though.  I think about the shed I could have had instead, or a new garage door.  I want to re-due my kitchen and it would have gone a long way in fixing it.  Really, all those things are just things though. Money has always been an issue with me. I always want more then I have.  I need to realize that people are more important then money.

 Mom and Samantha

 Everyone at the pool

 Yvonne's grandsons

Samantha, David, and Dan

I haven't mentioned what is happening with Broadmore.  There has been a couple of times I thought Roger was going to quit.  He was so close to doing it.  The owners don't respect him and the Pro and they treat him unfairly most of the time.  He doesn't make enough to support us and this has been going on for twenty-five years.  I have been tired of it for a long time.  I don't know what it will take for Roger to throw in the towel and walk out.  The problem now is, I wonder if he has waited too long.  Can we live on what he could make on lessons?  I don't know.

My friend, Sue Patrick's mother passed away June 16th.  So did Karen Chandler's mother.  I felt bad because I wasn't there for Ilene Wilcox's funeral.  I had everything planned and bought for it, as the Relief Society President but I wasn't there for Sue.  She told me everything went okay though.