WHO KNEW WE'D BE WEARING MASKS ONE YEAR LATER?

                                                                             2020

                                                                                

                                                                                2021

FROM THE PAST....

 Just to show that I USED to make a lovely table.

It's a BUSY TIME

Neighborhood Sing-Along....so fun.

Still Wearing a Mask One Year Later.....UNREAL!

 Jordan and Kristi came up with  name for the band:  Near Passerines

Amy wanted to have a fund raiser involving her children:  

She raised over 400 dollars, got several coats, and tons of canned food for the immigrants.

It's such a grand time of the year.

Hero Mother

 She'll be moving in 17 days.  I still cannot quite believe it.

This is an outdated picture;  one more little girl has been added to the Ivey family.

It just seemed like they would be here forever; like we will be.  But, Roger got a new job in Pocatello, Idaho.  So they will move.

Andrea is from Rexburg, so we knew her parents and her grandparents.  When they moved in behind us, I immediately loved Andrea.  We have been neighbors for many years, we served in the Primary presidency together.  

The thing about Andrea is that she is ALWAYS smiling.  It's just a natural part of her beauty.  Even when she has had some extreme challenges, she smiles through them.  Her faith is a big part of her beauty.  She is very committed to the Come Follow Me program and leads her children each morning through the week's lessons.

Andrea has birthed 8 children of her own; 3 with her first husband, who was part Hawaiin, and 5 with Roger.  Roger had five from his first marriage, so it's a big clan.  

But, as I say, she smiles through it.  Now, she is in the midst of trying to sell her home, and she smiles through that.  Because she has FAITH....and such a pleasant cheery disposition and attitude.

OH, SHE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED.

Tending Neighbor Boys

 

Ezra and Cecil Ivey helping put the ornaments on the tree...

They will be moving soon...sad face here.  I love the Ivey family and these boys are just the sweetest!

Grandaughters!

 We hardly ever get to see each other....

But, it was fun to spend some time with these two wonderful young ladies from California....say hello to Alyson and Kaelyn.....

I do love my grandchildren; all so different, all so interesting and unique.  

FAMILY - it's the BEST!

Eating Humble Pie

 Once again the church is doing its 31 days of Light the World, where each day a challenge is given to provide some sort of service or in some way blessing another person's life.

Yesterday's challenge was to visit with a neighbor that you are not well acquainted with.

"Jesus taught us the true definition of loving our neighbor. Have a conversation with a neighbor you don’t know well."

Well, I did it.  I first visited Pat Elliott, whose husband has been in the hospital fighting for his life from Covid.  He is doing better now, but still can't walk or sit up much.  Also, her father-in-law died from Covid during this same time.  So, I talked to her about that situation.  She didn't have much time as her son was coming to help her with some things.

Next I walked across the street to visit with Jackie, who has been out of town for a couple of weeks.  I just went by to welcome her home.   I don't her really well, but I try to speak to her whenever she is outside at the same time I am.

As I came back towards my home, I was thinking how sad that my motivation was from a challenge and not just because I WOULD THINK TO DO IT!  

Oh, I have so  much to learn about being a good, Christ-like person!

Dear Author

 Today I started listening to your book, which had been recommended by a friend.

Immediately the bad language and taking of the Lord's name in vain started.

Now, here's the thing.  You probably wrote a very compelling story.  But, do you really think your story relies on needing and using bad language?  Wouldn't your story have been just as entertaining without all the four letter words?

I cannot even imagine a reader saying to any author, "Oh, it needs some bad language in it to make the story more interesting." 

Because that would never happen.  If you can tell a good story, NO BAD LANGUAGE is EVER NEEDED.  I love Dickens; his stories are so intriguing, but he does NOT use bad language.

So, I'm sending your book back.  There are mountains of good books and I don't need to read one with offensive language.

I only wish all authors of modern day literature would read this post!  

COVID HITS HOME!

 Just learned after a HUGE family gathering that we have been exposed to COVID-19.  

Justin has it, Eli and Calder have it.

I'm not at all worried for myself or Allen, but for all the other ones in our family.  Little tiny great grandkids, and other grandchildren.  

This covid stuff is Brutal and we thought we had left it in the dust.  Then a new strain appeared.  And, now, an even bigger one that is of great concern.

This is all very frightening.

Oh, please Heavenly Father, let no one get violently ill.  Because it's all so innocent.  

Oh, the Irony!

In the final years of my mother's life, she drank Coca Cola. 

Oh, she was very restrained and the tall size laster her a very long time.  She would pour a little glass and it would last her an entire day.  Just sips at a time.

I, at that point in my life, was not drinking soda.  For some reason, I got it into my head that my mother should not be drinking it either.  IT was SO Unhealthy.  My sister-in-law felt the same.  So, both of us encouraged, prodded, gently suggested that she should not drink THAT bad drink.  Mom told me several times her doctor had suggested she drink it for her low energy levels.  So, she felt justified in drinking it.

Well, NOW, I DRINK SODA....and I enjoy it.

And, I don't want to give it up, although my daughters encourage me to NOT drink it.  They tell me it is EXCEEDINGLY UNHEALTHY.  Which I believe and know that to be true.

So, WHY do I do it?  I have no doctor saying it will help my energy level.  (Although my PA said I just just go and enjoy a diet soda...it seemed so strange for him to tell me that!)

But, I enjoy the taste, the feel in the mouth, the fizz, the sweetness, the drink of it.

And, it's so ironic that I'm drinking it now and I so tried to get my mother to stop.

What goes around, comes around.  What can I say...

Happenings at Our Home

We had good friends, Vern and Betty Kaaiakamanu come to visit from Rexburg; they are the absolute BEST.  What dear dear friends.  I'm so grateful for friends like this over the years.

 

So, often Allen and I play a game of RummiKub.   He wins, I win.  But this was probably the shortest game in history.  WE each had about three or four turns and the game was over.  AWESOME and so fun.

And, just as a matter of record.  I won.  By sheer luck.

Allen has squeezed dozens and dozens of pomegranates to make juice this fall.  I couldn't even push the handle down, so that shows what a weakling I am, but he has done it so the pomegranates wouldn't go to waste.  What a guy!

Good Reminders

 

I like this.   I'm not so sure about #5...YIKES.  Not really me.

And, I need to read it about once a week!  HA!

DUBAI and EXPO 2020

 What an incredible adventure.

Long time planning and then it was OVER!  But, oh, what fun it was!

WELL, I DID IT!

 

At least I didn't have to read it in Hebrew!

I'm 77 years old and I did this for the first time in my LIFE!

I read/listened to the ENTIRE OLD TESTAMENT.

I can't tell you much of what I read, but I DID IT!

I wish I remembered the day I actually started, so that I could determine how long it took me, but it was a very long time.  It's not that easy to read and there's a lot of war, ugliness, sadness, etc.  

The challenge was that the God of the OT seems angry, bitter, vengeful; not like the God I know and LOVE!

But I DID IT!

A Trip to Virginia

 OH, there is just nothing like family!  And, a surprise visit to a very surprised daughter!

Such great fun with Bobby, Kristi, Will, Jordan, Jessica, Matt, and Charlie.  How I love them ALL!