Grand 'Edventure' dates - Trigg, Eliza and Torin

We had fun singing in the car, eating ice cream and then going to Snow Canyon State Park to participate in the Scorpion Hunt activity.  We had a great ranger that shared info with us and led us on the hunt for scorpions out in the sand dunes.  It didn't start until 8:30 and we didn't go out hunting until it was full dark and we could spot them with black lights.  Eliza was pretty scared about it at first, but by the end all 3 of the kids were having a good time.  The ranger also took time to point out and tell some about of the constellations which Trigg really enjoyed as well.  It was good to spend some time with these three.  

Good byes are hard

 We had one on April 19th when Derek's mom, Marie Smith, passed away in the night and Kevin found her gone in the morning.  She had slept in another room because she had a bad cough and didn't want to keep him awake.  What a sad thing for him to find her gone.  Of course we know she is not gone forever, but just gone from him and all the rest of us until that time when reunions happen in the future.  She didn't want a funeral as usual.  They just had a viewing and then a graveside for family and close friends.  Kevin gave a sweet talk there and they had a white dove ceremony which was really beautiful. We joined them in a very nice lunch at the church afterwards also.  I'm so sorry for Derek to have lost yet another important family member; Lenae, his brother Trevor and now his mom.  She was such a sweet lady and so good to the grand kids.  They are going to feel a huge void yet again.  We are all going to miss her every ready hugs and smile.  

I have to say here too that another passing touched my heart recently.  I sat by a lady at one chemo session that had been down a long hard road with pancreatic cancer.  I found out in our conversation that she had been a building inspector that Paul had worked with.  She had lost her husband quite early and became an inspector to support herself and her kids for the rest of her life.  She said she was doing this last round of chemo just because her kids wanted her to try one more time.  She said she was ready to be done if this one didn't make a difference. Her kids were all grown up and doing well now and she was ready to go and be with her husband again.  When I saw her obituary in the paper, it touched my heart knowing she had fought the good fight, but was now reunited with him again.  

Up, Up, and away...

 ...in our beautiful balloon!  Today was the day we redeemed out Christmas 'gift certificate' for a balloon ride.  We went with Heather Watkins Confetti Pebbles Balloons of Utah and she gave us a great ride.  Her cute family were her crew and they did a great job!  It was a perfect early morning ride and we were amazed to see what the view looks like from balloon aloft view!  Kind of crazy to figure things out from such a new vantage point.  Lift off - we barely felt it and when we came down it was just as smooth.  We tried to come down at a different spot first, and then the wind shifted and that was not an option at that point...so we drifted over to another spot and she put us down.  Sights along the way included seeing Ferf out running with her ladies.  Heather took us down low enough that we could converse with them!  We saw the temple, sunrise, the neighborhood mountain top trails, the ponds in backyards that we didn't even know were there, the meandering of the river and so much more!  The fields were so pretty - some green and some plowed.  On our way to land we even saw what may have been a homeless camp along the river, or it may just have been Spring Break kids trying to save money camping along the river/bike trail.   At the end of our ride they have a funny little tradition:  we kneeled down on a blanket and after Heather's little girl demonstrated how, we had to put our hands behind our back and reach down with our mouths to pick up a paper cup full of sparkling cider and drink it all up with no hands!  It was funny!  She recited the Balloonist Prayer before we started.

The winds have welcomes you with softness. The sun has blessed you with his warm hand.  You have flown so well and so high, that God has joined you in your laughter and set you gently back again into the loving arms of Mother Earth!  

It was a really fun experience and very interesting to see it up close and personal.  I've watched one land before a few years ago with Trigg, but this was the real deal just for us.  It was and expensive gift to give and we really appreciate the opportunity to have such a fun and learning adventure experience gift!  

Grand Edventure with the Smith Kids

 

We had good times with Tasia, Zade and Trigg at Fiesta Fun - miniature golfing and then at Dairy Queen for treats afterwards.  We went on the last day of our school Spring Break!  It was a fun time and a great way to finish it off!

Juanita Brooks - and fun with her family

 Had a great Saturday starting off with going to the Juanita Brooks statue installation program! She was well deserving of this honor! She is relevant today as one speaker put it and was a great catalyst in helping a hard situation begin the healing process. She took the heat with grace and stood up for truth. It was fun to have some of her posterity and their friends stay at our house (my grand nephews)! We also got to hang out with the grand nieces and a girlfriend and boyfriend! It was like being back in the good old YSA days! (Paul is photo bombing in one shot!)

Tasia, Zade and Trigg - the Champions!

Tasia, Zade and Trigg and a big weekend of winning!  Tasia went to a State Skills USA competition and her team took 1st in State in the Quiz Bowl competition.  Zade and Trigg had a Karate competition and they each took Grand Champion in their belt levels!  Great job all of you on doing the hard work to get it done!!!

March Birthdays - Ferf, Sarai & Joel celebrated!

We went over and had a little celebration with Ferf and some of the kids for her birthday that day.  She said she usually cooks her birthday dinner/makes her dessert anyway, so she did.  We hope to get her out to a dinner/lunch she doesn't have to cook soon.  She made chocolate strawberries which everyone was happy to enjoy with her!  Happy #44 Ferf.  You are amazing!!! and we love you!!!

Sweet Sarai turned 11 and we had a little evening of birthday celebration at our house for her with a chocolate chip cookie/cake and milk.  She loves all things tiny and was pleased with her tiny gifts and panda socks!  She's a sweetie and we love her and kind of hate to have her grow up.  But, she'll be just as sweet a Sarai forever I'm sure! Happy #11!  

Next up was Joel celebrating his December 26th 8th birthday on March 26th the next year!  I got confused and tried to make it his #9 birthday!  We had such a nice day that day.  We went up to go to the Cedar City Temple to do sealings and got their a little early.  We ran over to Sportsman's hoping that just by chance they would have a pair of the boots, the only boots, that are comfortable for Paul with his poor arthritic foot.  And, there on the shelf, was the right boot in the right size!  I had called a month or two ago when the internet told me that they had one pair at that store in stock that was his size and the right boot.  They looked and looked and said they didn't have it, so finding it still there felt like a little miracle.  We bought them and made it right on time to the temple.  We had a great sealing session with only one other couple there.  We got all of our couples sealed - some from my side and some from Paul's.  And I felt something on one couple on my side and one on his side that I have never really felt before and I was sure that it meant that those two couples were accepting their work and happy to finally have it done!  It was sweet.  We changed to go home and then decided to get a drink.  We had to go through a waiting room...and there, waiting to do baptisms, Tasia and Zade Smith - our grand kids!  It was so crazy to see them there and we got to hear about some really cool activities they had been competing in and had gotten big awards for.  We probably wouldn't have even heard about it otherwise as they don't brag on themselves very well.  Then we went over and had such a fun evening with the Randall's celebrating with Joel. (Joel went around hugging everyone after he opened his presents.  It was very sweet.) We even got to go out and watch him shoot off a rocket for a school project he's working on.  It was really a very perfect day!  

Spring Break Staycation

Fortunately or unfortunately, however you want to look at it, our nice, long Spring Break - Friday March 10th - Monday, March 21st  - is going to be a stay at home gig due to skyrocketing gas prices that rip off oil companies are claiming is because of the war going on between Russia and Ukraine.  (We barely get any oil from Russia.)  And also because of our not so abundant financial situation because of some rock that we couldn't get a price for until way after we already had to give the bid for it...and it was way more than expected.  So I have a list of home projects to work on and I hope to find something fun to do every day or at least find some time to relax and take it easy.  I'm sort of cranky and bummed, but hoping to make the best of it. (We had thought about going the Palm Springs Tram/Joshua Tree NP or Carlsbad NP and White Sands NP, but the Tram was already booked up and Carlsbad isn't quite all of the way open yet because of Covid.  And it's a long ways with expensive food/lodging.) 

Friday - I had the whole day to clean the house in an unrushed fashion, do the laundry and the grocery shopping.  That's actually a pretty nice thing and I was glad I could get it all finished and done.  We also got to watch the new trailer for Top Gun 2 and afterwards they had a video about the secret building of some amazing war planes that we watched.  Dinner was planned ahead and good and easy.  We watched an interesting movie that night about a possible pandemic scenario.  So glad our actual pandemic was not so bad.  So, it was a good day!

Saturday - we got up at the regular time, took our walk while listening to a good talk and BOM and then went to clean the church.  It was nice to hang out and do some good.  Then Supe and Jem invited us to go on a nice little hike in the hills behind the house.  It's always fun to hang out with them.  Jem is growing up to be a cute, fun little kid.  We had their dog and Jasmine's 2 dogs along and they had a really good time getting out and getting worn out in the process.  Jem can say all of their names now.  He's getting to be a good little talker, jumper and rock thrower! In the afternoon we went miniature golfing with Bean.  I got one hole in one and one that took so many shots I just gave myself the max score! (Saw a lady bug there.)  Afterwards we stopped and looked at camp trailers.  With gas prices what they are I'm not sure that dream is going to be possible anymore.  Looks like we'll be camping in a tent forever. (I'm just a little bit discouraged right now.  Pretty tired of eating the costs for other people's frustrating ways.  Going to have to be much more careful working with that supplier in the future.  They've done us like this before.) 

Sunday was a great day with a walk, home study, church, nap, more home study and then a fantastic St. Pat's dinner of corned beef and cabbage!  It was cooked just perfectly and so yummy.  Only bad thing was the time change and not too great a night's sleep.

Monday - today's list got done!  Morning walk, breakfast, got an appointment for our reverse mortgage counseling, exercise, study and then errands.  Got some paint for the kitchen sink drawers and bark for the flowerbeds (and an amazing white Calla Lily for the front porch - it was an impulse item) and picked up payroll after lunch and also paid some business bills.  Then it was time to wash the windows inside/outside and dust the blinds - finished!!!  So, I got my list done all but going to the play (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) tonight for today's fun thing.  Of course, the Calla Lily was a fun thing too. I had the perfect pot to repot it to and it looks so beautiful and makes me think of my mom and my home in California all those years ago.  (PS - I also got distracted by the google screen pic of Mt. St. Helens and looked up some videos of what there is to do at Mr. St. Helen's NM and decided that would be a great summer trip to take!)

Tuesday - We had a reverse mortgage counseling appointment by phone this morning that I worked hard to get set up since last Friday.  Then I worked in the yard - weeded, raked, put bark down, trimmed the hedge, blew the back patio, side yard, garage and driveway.  Cleaned up too and got all the trash out.  That took me until about 1:00.  After lunch I got cleaned up and went out to do some grocery shopping and my fun thing was to buy a few things for Easter at Seagull Book and a few things - Essie's bday scriptures and a thing for Kaebri's upcoming birthday.  Dinner was planned - Taco Tuesday - we had flautas.  

Wednesday - painted front door (where the new lock made it necessary) and some of the trim around the window next to the door.  Had a nice little visit with Tony and Paul Brooks when they just stopped by.  Worked on Easter stuff, Essie's birthday stuff and Ministering stuff.  Also worked on Reverse Mortgage stuff.  Did some sanding on the kitchen sink drawers and washed rugs.  To finish out the day we went on a date to Mo' Bettah's and then to a really good little movie - Coda - about a hearing girl from a deaf family.  It was funny and sweet.  On our way home we stopped by Dorothy McMullin's and visited with her for quite a while.  (Paul is her minister).  She's in a sad situation with her 90+ year old husband just getting to the point of having to go into a care facility.  So sad.  They are both such great people.  Then we had a wonderful night's sleep!!! The time change has been playing havoc with our sleep since Sunday.  

Thursday - painted inside of front door where the new lock doesn't cover and some of the scraped corner edges.  More work on the Reverse Mortgage and some good scripture study time.  That evening we watched and old Cary Grant/Alfred Hitchcock movie - North By Northwest.  It was really good!

Friday - We went on the Fossil Canyon hike with Ferf, Gaige, Koen and Torin.  It was as amazing as last time and more...we got clear the the ending point we didn't make last time.  We had a couple of sketching places where you had to do some scrambling, but it then we got past them and saw all the parts we didn't see last time.  We took lunches and ate a picnic in a sunny spot.  Afterwards Paul fixed some sprinklers at Ferf's and then we went out for hamburgers and then went mini golfing.  We came back and had fresh baked cookies and milk.  We got some of the overflow company that's down for a special Brooks event - the statue dedication of Juanita Brooks.  Some of Janet and Tony's grandkids - Kriston's kids - Aaron, Kelton and Katy's boyfriend Jacob drove in from Provo/Rexburg and spent the night.  Nice kids.  Very reminiscent of our YSA glory days.

Saturday - We got up and after our walk and showers made a great pancake, bacon and egg breakfast for everyone.  Then we went down for the statue dedication of the Juanita Brooks  that was really nicely done.  She was "an excellent woman" and as they said, her example is still very relevant for today's world.  She was the catalyst to the church to becoming transparent about the Mountain Meadow Massacre incident and bringing both parties involved to the table to talk and heal wounds.  Tony spoke about her being generous and close to the spirit - things people might not have known about her.  Dick Whitehead's talk about her bearing her the trials that came to her because of her work was masterful.  And Dana Moody's was as well.  We spent the rest of the day visiting the kids around the house and just doing around the house stuff.  It was a good end to the Spring Break week.  (We do get Monday off for teacher prep day.)

Sunday - Just a great Sunday.  Got the kids fed and on the road in the morning, great church and then a nap, ministers, personal study throughout the day, a great grilled salmon dinner and I got the Easter decorations up and we watched a Chosen segment that evening.  Very nice, restful and good sabbath.

Monday - took our walk, got yummy French toast from Kneaders for breakfast.  Did house stuff, went ministering and had some good visits and then took the Smith kids miniature golfing and for DQ afterwards.  And we got to talk to Kaebri for just a few minutes when we picked them up!  She looked great!  Fun times with the kids and Bean.  A great finish for the break.  And back to work tomorrow.  This is the time of year that I start being glad that school is winding down. I love my job, mostly, but I'm always glad for the break in the summer!

 

February Birthdays - Kennis, Weed & Anna Lou

We don't have very many birthdays to celebrate in this month, especially with Weed taking leave of earthly birthdays.  But this year Kennis and Anna Lou both have milestone birthdays.  Kennis turned 18 and Anna Lou turned 90!  Those are both pretty BIG birthdays!

Kennis is looking a little nose beaten in this birthday picture as a result of a wrestling match injury.  But even with that, she still a cutie!  She's an amazing young woman and we love her so much!  Gaige and Indy (the dog) photo bombed this picture!  

Today would be Weed's 42nd birthday if she was here to celebrate it with us.  Derek has invited whoever wants to come to get together at Pizza Factory.  She worked there and loved their pizza.  I don't really know what to say except that I wish she were here to celebrate with us.  It would be a much better party then.  We've had 6 birthdays without her now.  Her kids are growing up into wonderful people.  Kaebri is on a mission, Tasia has taken over as the head cook, Zade it looking like a young man and Trigg is not that lost little 4 year old looking for a mom.  He's a handsome boy and growing up like all the others.  We've had a hard time staying as connected as we should be with all of the Covid restrictions making hash of family dinners and Derek is very busy as a single, but engaged dad.  Life keeps us all going our busy, separate ways.  A few weeks ago we had the kids over for homemade chocolate chip cookies and ice cream and games.  It was a really fun evening.  We need to do it more often.  I guess that's the commitment I need to make...to stay connected.  I'm going to try harder on that.  Love you Weed. Miss you Weed. You made some awesome babies before you had to go.  

Those who could gathered at the Pizza Factory for a little family time in remembrance of Weed's #42!

It was very nice.  She would have enjoyed it with us.  For now, we'll just leave her in Jesus' hands.  

We celebrated Anna Lou's 90th the day before (since it was on Sunday) by getting her together with all of her kids.  Everyone came!  We visited, ate lunch, had pie, opened presents, and then visited and ate dinner and visited some more at our house.  It was a nice day for her.  She had talked about wanting a BIG party, but it is so impossible for her to be around a big crowd that we came up with this plan which seemed to please her.  

And that's all for February!  

Actually, there was another important birthday that happened in February this year.  Julius Neils Poulsen was born on February 19th in Puyallup, Washington to my brother Dennis' son Christian Neils Poulsen and his girlfriend Maddie.  He weighed 5.15 and was 18.2 inches long.  I will probably never meet him, but Dennis is so happy to have a grandchild that he may actually get to know.  His others were basically lost to him through his divorce from Sharon.  Christian is his adopted son with his second wife, Sandee.  They also adopted Christian's twin brother William and their half sister, Ariel.  I think I have met the boys a couple of times over the years.  They live in Washington and we just don't see them very often.  I hope Denny's health holds up long enough for him to enjoy this little one for a while.  

Amazing Kennis...the wrestler!

I was so surprised when Kennis decided to do girl's wrestling this season! She has always done cross country and track.  She decided to try this and what a great job of learning a whole new sport she did!  She's a senior and was in great shape from her running already, but this is a pretty crazy sport to come into in your last year of school, but she was not deterred.  She had super supportive coaches and worked so hard!  And she learned how to do it!  And last Saturday at the the UHSAA 4A Boys and Girls State Wrestling tournament she took 3rd place in her weight division...can you believe that!  Wow!  Paul and I went up on Saturday (the 2nd/last day) and she won 3 matches by points...she had to work hard.  The last girl had quite the personal record, but she beat her anyway!  It was "fun" to be there to see her succeed, but mostly I felt relieved when it was over for her.  It's a pretty brutal sport and some people get hurt and everyone feels the hurt I believe.  But she stayed strong to the end and did GREAT!