Together again...Mom and Dad

Together again...my sweet, loving, amazing mom is now with my dad again.  How wonderful for them!  They were sweethearts here for 56 years.  He's been waiting for her for quite a while.  She was 96 years old when she returned to her eternal home on October 14, 2018.  The months preceding her passing were filled with visits from loved ones.  We will miss her dearly, but what a blessing to know that we will all be together again.  It keeps us going through the tough times.  I'm so thankful for the wonderful mom she has been to me.  (This was my Facebook post soon after mom's passing.)  And then life got so crazy that I haven't been able to put down words until here it is, almost her birthday.  I wish I had been able to do it sooner.  I was actually at the airport the moment Mom passed.  

When I got word, I wrote this:  Sunday, October 14th, 2018 - Left for the flight for Pasco to SLC at 3:12 pm with Tony.  Marilynne called to let me know Mom was gone at 3:55.  I said my goodbye/I love you before I left.  We were hoping she would not have to linger much longer.  Saturday she was still with us and reacting to our talking to her and to music and pain.  Today she never "woke up" and her breathing was labored and rattling.  Friday she still had a few words here and there and facial expression to our conversation with her.  All in all, it was only a couple of weeks of this hard stuff.  She was such a great mom.  I'm so happy she's with Dad and Weed and oh so many others who love her.  Love you Mom.  Our prayers were answered that she could go as soon as it was in line with Heavenly Father's will and not linger and suffer.  We will miss her prayers for us here.  I know she will be working to hlep us from where she is now.

Here's what my Patriarchal blessing says about my mom and dad:  "You have been born to goodly parents.  A sweet and loving mother and a kind and understanding father...Our Father in Heaven kept you for many years in heaven until He could find the choice and wonderful parents for you.  Your mother and father are one of the greatest blessings that you could have."  And they truly were that.  

Janet and Tony had this lovely picture taken of Mom a few Christmas's ago.  

Me at the beach with Mom and Dad.

Easter/General Conference trip to see Mom 2018 - she was still doing very well then.

Marilynne, Janet, me and Denny.  Gordon is already there to welcome Mom.   

I got to spend some time with Mom when Janet and Tony had to go out of town.  Ian Toomey was there too.  I was pretty worried about going, but it ended up being such a sweet time to spend together.  

I put this picture last though it is a few years old taken while our sweet Lenae was still with us and Mom came down for a visit.  Knowing Weed is there to welcome Mom is one thing that really makes me happy. How nice for both of them to see each other again.  They are two of the best people I know.  

Catching some Fall

Fall is "in the air" and getting away from us.  We put together a picnic on a week night and make a trip to Pine Valley.  It's lower and just getting started there.  It was so nice to have all of the campers gone and just enjoy the quiet and fresh air.  We ate our picnic and then took a hike up the canyon and found some leaves starting to change there!  The sunset on the way down was spectacular too.

Saturday we headed up to Cedar Mountain.  In the higher elevations we were too late, but there was still some lovely stuff down lower.  It was beautiful and we enjoyed another picnic in the beautiful scenery.  The pics don't do it justice since they are drive by shots.

Kaibab Camp and Buck's Viewpoint

After many weekends of doing things to get Bean settled in and tending kids we were ready to get out of the house.  We haven't camped on our own much at all this summer and it was time.  We were feeling a little too tired to go to all of the work of packing up the food, so we took a little stash Paul had and treated ourselves to dinner, cookies and breakfast at Jacob Lake to simplify things. The food was so good as always!   It was perfect weather - I only needed my warm shirt - and a full moon and hardly anyone out in the forest was so nice. We awakened to coyotes singing in the early morning.  After breakfast we drove down the hill to the Vermilion Cliffs and drove out to the west looking for a place where we could see into the Grand Canyon and see the Colorado River.  We found a couple of spots that were pretty cool!  Then it was time to head back home.  It was just what we needed!  

Weaver tending and Lou #43

Juge and Lance took a trip to Europe and had a schedule of tenders lined up for their kiddos.  We were part of that schedule one week end.  Having water wars erupt in the middle of it complicated things a bit, but we all had a good time while Paul slaved over them.  (Sad for him.)  Eden had a track meet in Cedar on Saturday morning, so I took her and Noah up for that and it was fun to see little Eden out there working hard.  We met up with Tavin and Kennis too and that was fun.  Pretty proud of all these kids doing hard things.  

We had fun watching the two Apple Dumpling Gang videos in the evenings...they are such funny old movies.  We also visited the Town Square and played in the water...more fun. 

It wasn't fun when we took them home and remembered at about New Harmony that we left our car keys at home and had to turn around and go get them...dumb!  

After we dropped the kids back home for Brynnli to tend, we stopped over at the Randall's and celebrated with Lou for her #43!  Bryan made really yummy pumpkin cookie treats which we were glad to share with them!  

Bean, Tavin and Torin - birthday time!

These 3 share some close birthdays day wise.  Not so close year wise.  This year was number 30 for Bean!  His last year has been one a of great growth and healing.  We feel so blessed that this has been the case for him and we are looking forward to what this coming year will bring in blessings for him. 

Tavin is moving along too and is a senior this year and so very busy with school, work and cross country.  He's one GREAT grandson and we are so proud of him for all he is accomplishing and for who is is most of all!  Happy #17!

And Torin is just getting started!  He's such a fun little guy and wants to be one of the big boys so bad.  He loves all things Super Hero as you can see from his 3 different hero shirt, capes and present!  Happy #4 Torin!  We love all of you guys!

Big Rock Candy Mountain

We had planned to go pick up a load of stone, but it wasn't ready.  Paul said he just wanted to go somewhere for a little vacation Friday-Saturday.  That isn't much time, but we found a fun thing not to far away that turned out just right.  Friday afternoon we used out gift certificates for a matinee play in Cedar - The Fugitive - and for lunch at Park Place.  Both were really good!  The Fugitive was hilarious in fact!  And to food at Park Place is very delicious!  (Too bad I'm on a diet!)  We also checked out the art museum at the college which had a very interesting display going on.

After we finished up in Cedar we drove over the mountain (beautiful drive) and on to The Big Rock Candy Mountain Resort.  It is just a little spot that has some fun things to do.  We spent the night in a tiny, but comfortable place and had a really nice dinner at the local cafe.  We took a nice walk along the rails to trails bike path before bed.  It was cool and had recently rained in the nearby mountains.

The next day we got up and did 12 miles on the bike trail before a really good breakfast again at the cafe.  Then we packed up to check out and make it on the 11 am river float trip.  It's a couple of miles in calm water in the Sevier River.  They drop you off and you tube down the river for the couple of miles.  It took us about an hour and a half.  Very peaceful for the most part, but you have to pay attention and not get stuck in the eddies!  We both got caught in a few and it was a lot of work to get back out into the current.  We also got out too early at the wrong stop and it was a little tricky getting back in!  It was fun and something we had talked about doing for quite some time. 

On the way home we stopped in Cedar and went to a movie with Bean and had ice cream and then headed home.  It was a fun trip, pretty reasonably priced and just what we needed!  

Thursday, August 9th, I hike the Zion Narrows with Juge, Lance, Eden and Noah.  It was kind of a last fling before back to school.  It was something I had always wanted to do and it was both SPECTACULAR and strenuous.  It was 18 miles - felt like more - and full of beautiful spots.  I left my house to meet them at Zion at 5:30 am and got back to my house that night at 11:30 pm.  We did the hike in just short of 12 hours.  Eden and Noah were really impressive.  They just kept keeping on.  My feet got a little heavy toward the end and I did a couple of spectacular splats, but was just bruised and not broken.  Glad I got that one off my bucket list!  Glad they let me tag along!

Torin's first Grand Edventure - Home Depot, etc.

Torin was a little worried about going with us, but ended up having a good time and then was ready to go home.  We did another Home Depot building project date and he made Inch Worm book ends.  They were really cute and he did a great job pounding the nails, painting and putting on the stickers.  After that we needed to stop in at Costco, so we just added that to the date and ate samples and got a book for him to put in his book ends as well.  Then we were off to the Town Square to ride the carousel and play in the water.  He was not about to take off his shoes, but once we got the squirt guns out he was ready to soak Grandpa and then me and didn't want to leave!  After that we went to Wendy's and got lunch and frosties and took them to a park to eat while we dried out.  It was a fun time with the little guy.  Looking forward to more good times in the future! 

Visiting Grandma Poulsen

It was a quick trip, up and back for the weekend.  Sadly, I took no pics at all.  Paul, Bean and I left Thursday afternoon.  We arrived in Lehi a little too early to go to Jay and Brynn's, so we saw the latest Mission Impossible and then went to their house for the night.  It's always nice to visit with them and the girls.  After a great breakfast we got on the road to Kennewick and arrived there in time for a little visiting before bed.  Then we had all of Saturday to visit, pick peaches, visit with more family who dropped by and eat lots of good food.  Sunday we attended church and visited more and ate more good food!  Monday it was time to take our leave and head back down for a night with Jay and Brynn and girls and then Tuesday we came back to St. George.  It was so good to see everyone.  Kriston and family came over, Careina and Andrew and girls too.  And Denny made the drive down also.  Then Evan, Jenny and girls stopped in on Sunday.  Supe and Beacher flew in on Friday night and stayed until Sunday morning.  What a bunch of wonderful people.  Mom may not have been able to hear all that was going on, but I'm sure she felt loved and visited.  Janet and Tony are such great hosts and fun people.  I'm so glad we were able to get up there one more time before school starts back up and I'm not able to leave much.  Pictures would have been good, but visiting was the best.  Mom is actually doing quite well as far as you can tell.  She does get tired and naps quite a bit, but other than that, she seems quite well.