February Trip North

Dad and I are still hacking and coughing...not a pretty sound. It's been nine days since he got sick, and I'm just a few days behind that. I had planned to go to Moab tomorrow to the quilt show, but I'd be miserable, and probably make everyone else sick, so I'll stay home and try to get better

We did have a pretty good trip north, and got to visit some of the families. Andrew and Amy were down in Moab for the weekend with her parents, celebrating her birthday, so we didn't get to see them. Her dad had some health problems arise, so that kept things interesting for them. Chris and Pam's family were suffering from various ailments, so we didn't stay there, but did stop for a few minutes to drop off the Christmas DVD I'd made.

On the way to Tooele on Thursday, we stopped to visit Virginia and Kermit and got a tour of their new home in Eagle Mt. Kent and Preston are their renters downstairs. We had a good visit with all of them, and Kermit made us Navajo Tacos from scratch...very yummy. We were very blessed with good road conditions both going and returning, even though a storm had been forecast.

We stayed Thurs night with Nathan's family, and had a good visit, played games, and enjoyed good meals with them. I even went to Boot Camp with Tammy on Sat. and was surprised I could almost keep up...except Stetchers walkers are not good to wear for aerobic dance. I was really tired when finished, but it was a good tired.

That experience actually helped me to make a few more healthy changes since I got home. I signed up for Weightwatchers on-line Tues. and also started reading "Sugar Busters"..Both have helped me ax out sugar and refined foods as well as curtail my late night eating. So I'm losing weight again. I'm still not up with Anthony's throw-down weight loss, but I think I will be by Tues. On the new Weighwatchers... vegetables and fruits are 0 points in most cases, so they've become my sweets of choice, instead of Almond Roca (Thanks Quent and Bev for the large economy pack at C'mas. I sure did enjoy floundering on all that sugar!) But now I'm a recovering sugar addict. I'd already stopped cooking with white flour, and grind what ever I need instead. I haven't dared make bread yet, as homemade bread is so tempting, and even though a person can have a slice or so a day, the aroma would be my downfall. I've had to get rid of everything that tempts me.

We stayed Fri. Sat. Sun with Autumn. Initially we had planned to drive home Sun, thinking Andrew and Amy would be going to Blanding, but that didn't come to pass, so we stayed one more night. WE had fun playing Yatzee and Mex. train with the kiddos. Then on Sat. Rob and Kathryn found out her dad was really bad, so they came up and stayed too. We are so thankful that he seems to have made miraculous improvement, and is home now, though we haven't talked to them about how he is doing.

Sat. night we went to a theater spoof of Phantom of the Opera with Nathan and Autumn's families. I wasn't sure how the younger kids would do, but they were right on the front row, and were very attentive, and totally following the story. Peyton got the giggles at one point, and kept laughing, which cased some of the cast members to get the giggles too...It was so funny.

We hosted a birthday lunch Wed. for Corey and Tyler Sageny, another YSA from Kayenta and had some of their friends over. That piece of cake cost me 14 pt. out of my 29 allotment!! Never again. Corey turned 23. Tyler turned 19 and is getting ready to go on a mission. His mom came too. so that was fun for us to meet her. Corey's family was here when we got back Monday, bringing him back to school, so we pulled a quick meal to gether for them before they headed home. They are always so appreciative of whatever we do.

Please pray for Corey's father, that he will soften his heart towards the gospel. His mom and sister just recently went to the temple to do baptisms and had a wonderful experience. His dad is a super guy, just needs to admit that religion is good to accept. One of the sisters we worked with in Ganado and her family were on that same baptism trip. She lost her husband in Nov. and has really turned to the gospel for help and comfort. Last Sat. she went again to receive her own endowments. I've been communicating with her quite a big lately, and helped her get some additional garments. There is always some little way we can help when we're open to those promptings. The branch has been averaging about 100 people lately, and hope to get into the new addition March or April. It is really thrilling for us to see what great things are happening there.

Dad worked two temple shifts this week, even though he's had a bad cough...One man told him he was coughing so much he couldn't sleep! Maybe that will be a new position. I know in the Puritan church they had someone walk around with long poles to poke people caught snoozing! I'm reading Pastwatch right now...Orson Scott Card's sci-fi look at history, especially Christopher Colombus. It is really interesting. I've been going to bed at 10 and reading for an hour, so that's another change...except for tonight. I took a long nap this aft. and wasn't tired.
Well, I better head to bed. I hope you're all doing OK...please make healthy choices and keep those precious grandkids well and safe. We love you all.

Trotting off the turkey, and other Thanksgiving activities

Quent and Bev and family came to Blanding the Sat. before Thanksgiving, so they had a longer and  pretty restful trip.  They stayed at Grandma Perkins' home.  On Wed. we did a Thanksgiving craft activity with all the kids and had  a potato bar and ham.  That was easy and filling.  I'll have to remember to do that again.

After breakfast Thanksgiving morning, (thanks to Nathan & Tammy), we went on a hike along the West Water trails.  It was a beautiful day.  We stopped here at the pavillion, and the kids immediately found frozen ice to break up, then climbed up to the flag pole.

Next we made our way to the towers.  The kids had a lot of fun, as did Leah.  Laurie wasn't able to go, as she is getting treatment for a wart on the bottom of her foot, and is a temporary invalid.  Brendan's friend Joshua also came with us.

Hunter, are you looking for dinosaur eggs?

Autumn made stuffed pasta shells for supper Thurs. Yummy!   We stayed up and played games most nights, which was fun for us.  Wed. night, Carl Whitehair came by and we fed him too.  He is one of our favorite YSA kids from the dorms and a friend of Corey's. 

We had Thanksgiving dinner on Friday, with 19 of us there.  It was wonderful having so many of the family with us.  We took a few minutes and did a Thanksgiving alphabet appreciation activity.  The kids participated really well, and Sage kept us on track.  Nathan and Tammy left shortly after dinner.

Nathan helped us set up a wireless connection so we can share files, and access all printers.   (This was the last meal I used this set of  plates, which I've had for 20+ years.  I set them out on the corner, and some needful person has them now.  I had more china sets than I needed.)

The next day Chris and his family went to Tooele to help install a fan and water softener for Nathan and to cheer for BYU. We love it when our kids get together with each other, even if we aren't there--though we wish we were.

 I have to admit though that I tried to orchestrate a few too many things, but between Steve and I we did manage to get most of the Christmas presents wrapped, and a special "Pay it Forward" home evening activity put together for each of the families   We gave each family $50 and challenged them to use it in ways that would "Pay it Forward."  We hope to have a report from each family on what they did.
We also presented a book of our family's "Proclamation"  to each family after dinner.  It took several weeks to put it together, but it was a gift of love, and I hope each family will cherish those ideas, and use it to teach and keep their families strong. 

  Here are some of the pages I especially love.  All the time and tears and prayers we spent raising our family was worth it.  We are so thankful for each of our children and their spouses, and our wonderful grandchildren.