Another catch up????

I had plans this year of doing a blog a little more often - so far that hasn't happened. So I will do another catch up entry.

Maybe one reason I don't have time to work on blogs is because I have been spending a lot of time on "Memories of Home". Since my last "catch up" I have finished 2005, 2006, 2007 and am currently working on 2008. 2008 was such a big year - lots of events: 3 weddings, 2 new grandbabies, 2 funerals, etc. So I have gathered and gathered and gathered information before I printed. I am making a lot of progress - still more to do before the finished product. I guess what I am trying to say is that I enjoy it more than a lot of other things I should be doing. 2008 is all but done now - I have printed it and just a few minor changes to fix. Now I can move on to 2009

Brother Belnap is a friend I work with. His birthday is April 19 - he is just a couple of months younger than me - he was born the same year. He is a tease and is constantly reminding me of how old I am and we have a good laugh about it. Well, this year and a couple of years ago, he put signs on my office door "Where's my cane?" "O2 in use" "Speak loudly". So I pay him back and put signs on his door. This year was special in that I didn't plan to be there on his birthday so I put them up the day before. When he arrived (before 5:00 a.m. - he is an early bird), the janitors stopped him in the foyer and asked him if he was OK. They kept telling him that he looked a little pale and that they were there to help him to get to his office. He wondered what was going on until he got to his office and realized that the signs said "Do you want to borrow my cane?" "What did you say? - speak loudly", etc. Hurrah, I got him back.

Baby Kate was blessed. See Cindy's blog for pictures. Mahon gave her a beautiful blessing. She is a beautiful baby. I love her hair and her wide eyes. She is truly a miracle baby. We traveled to Utah and enjoyed time with the kids there. They were all there except Missy.

Then on Monday, the day after the blessing, we were in Ashton. We enjoyed playing with Kyle's girls: sending Kaite off to school, and helping with breakfast while Kyle & Kat were with Ashley. Ashley got her tonsils out. See Kat's blog for pictures. We drove home in a wind storm - so much dust was in the air.

We watched the movie "Secretariat". Brother Matt Taylor, one of my many bosses, has a movie poster of Secretariat on his office wall. I asked him about it and he told me I needed to watch the movie and watch for why I thought he would promote that movie. Well, Secretariat was a horse who won the Triple Crown in 1973. As they were training him, the owner told the horse "You do your part and I'll do mine." That is all we can do when we are teaching. We provide the right atmosphere and the spirit does the teaching. Great movie - we enjoyed it. The Kentucky Derby was coming up so we watched it. Orb came from behind and won just as Secretariat did in 1973.

Mother's Day - I always wanted to be a mom and a secretary and I got to do both. Being a mom was the greatest achievement I have ever done. I love my kids and now my grandkids. They are the best jewel in my crown (if I get a crown). Vic bought me a hanging basket and I got phone calls from all the kids. Chris brought me a Bonsai plant - guess I will learn how to care for that too.

We had Stake Conference and were counseled to be "Deeply Converted."

On May 25th we (I) planted part of the garden - the peas, onions, carrots, radishes and greens. It rained a lot that week.

May 25th we watched Kaite and Kami do gymnastics. They are really getting good. They were both going at the same time most events - so we had to rely on videos to see it all. It is always fun to be with the kids.

Livy's 1st Birthday was the 26th and we went to Aston for cake and ice cream. She is such a cute baby - so little for her age, but so good natured.

Memorial Day we put flowers on my Grandma & Grandpa's grave in Firth, then stopped to visit Max and Fay Howell, my cousin. We stopped in Shelley to put flowers on Kirt Oler's grave. Then we met Chris and Chantelle for lunch at Sizzlers. We then went to Lincoln to the cemetery and put flowers on graves there too. We spent a few minutes reminiscing about my dad and the fun times we shared with him. Then Chris, Chantelle and Chelsea came over and we put the air conditioners in.

Ashley's ballet was May 31st - "Aladin". We enjoyed being culturally fed. The dancers were all good, and we especially enjoyed Ashley - we had to wait until the end to see her, but worth the wait.

The tulips in the garden were beautiful this year, the lilacs were gorgeous. then mid-June when the peonies and irises were blooming, it was especially pretty.

Congratulations to Kyle for getting a full-time job with the City of Rexburg. Now they have benefits too. Kyle is working full-time + going to school. He goes early and stays late - fitting work around his classes. We are so proud of you Kyle. He will graduate in December.

June 8th I planted corn, beans and set out the tomatoes and peppers. The corn and beans were barely coming up when it froze on the 15th. Perfect timing. My mother always said to watch for a 10th of June frost - this year it came on the 15th.

Vic and I went to the movie "17 Miracles". It was about the handcart pioneers - very good. The first movie we have gone to in a long time.

June 9th was Kyle's birthday and we headed for Ashton for cake & ice cream. The girls were all wearing shirts alike - they had stuff written on them. I didn't even read them - until Kaite pointed it out to me. Hers said "There are 5 of us". I said "There are only 4 of you". Then Ashley showed me her shirt and it said something about 5 too. So I looked at Kat and she had a funny smirk on her face. Then I got it. That was a fun way to announce it - too bad I am so slow and didn't notice.

Chantelle's baby shower - I guess I had better finish the quilt.

Missy moved to Hershey and really misses her family. I talk to her almost every day. Andrew is growing up so fast and I am missing it. Can't wait until she comes in July for a visit.

I have been transferred to Idaho Falls. I really loved my job in Rexburg (except the drive). I asked if I could move to IF when the secretary there retired. So I have been cleaning out my office and training  a new secretary. I am going to miss working in the Preservice Program (teaching students how to be seminary teachers), but I will be closer to home. I won't have a 40 minute drive twice a day and I will be able to come home for lunch.

Devin and Julie are having a girl - Jane Lael Baldwin. Congratulations! She is due in October, but may come early. See Julie's blog for details.

Well, until my next catch up. HaHa!