My PHONE Died - AGAIN!

 WHY do I have so many problems with my phone?

I love my little mini 12.  But, I think it has seen its days.

NEW PHONE is in my future!

Sometimes a Happy Text Comes Through

 

Oh, sweet Andrea Ivey; thanks for this very thoughtful text.  YOU are a rare one.  And such a good one.

PET PEEVES - Picture Not Related to the Subject! HAHAH

 I find it so annoying when people DO NOT respond in any way to text messages.  

I don't get why they can't just shoot off an answer.  And, sometimes I NEED to know what it going on.  

Well, that's it for today.  

On a totally unrelated note: here's Amy and Miles working on a puzzle given to us by Ulla Gardner.  So thoughtful of her, but here's a little secret: it's tough one!

A Memorable Easter - Filled with Family and Joy

 We went to church with Stockton and Morgan.  What an experience.
Just before church with Justin and his family.

I had a couple of stuffed bunnies and gave one to each family altho Scottie and Lola took them over for the picture.

This just made my heart happy!

This was a moment that made Allen so happy; playing music with his grandsons...

Rather than candy, Jenni gave her grandkids sunglasses...

Sean had an Easter poetry contest; here are the results....

When Friends Come to Visit

 Such great people...Wonderful in every way.  

Amanda Wilkes Kingsford and Brian Kingsford.

We reminisced, talked about the good old days in Rexburg.  Brian told us how great it was to be friends with Jeremy.

And, then, Amanda told this story:

"When her father was called to be Bishop, he called his family in together and told them he had been called as Bishop.  He asked his kids who they thought he chose as counselors, and all the kids yelled out, Brother Hackworth. Which he had done.  And, then she told this story.  When Bishop Godfrey died, she was talking with her sister, Allyson.  Allyson mentioned that growing up, Bishop Godfrey had been her main inspiration.  Then Amanda had said to her sister, "When I think about my growing up years, the biggest influence in my life was Sister Hackworth.  You were my YW leader, YW president and my teacher in school."  I was beyond humbled and amazed.  

WOW!  Oh, life sometimes throws out a big unexpected MOMENT!

Thank you, Heavenly Father.

Oh, Those Sweet Grandkids

 It's a BIRTHDAY for Lola who turned TWO BIG ONES!

Here's her big sister, Scottie...

The whole family.....

Party time with Grandpa and grandma:

It's a BUSY MONTH for birthdays....OLIVIA TURNED SIX!  She wrote a poem for the family Easter poem competition:  She had only written two lines when I talked with her last week:

"I love yunikorns 

And, Jesus is my Saviour."

Felix was at the park with the family watching Evan play ball.  Oh, he's a cute one, that little kid!

And, then there's little Asa:  Cute as ever!

A Birthday to Remember

 WOW!  It was QUITE an EVENT.

It started the day before - April 7 - with a call from Ulla, who forgot it wasn't my birthday until the next day.  So, that was a great start.

Then THE day arrived!  And, what a day it was:

Calls, texts, mail, visits, gifts, bowling and spending the day with my favorite daughters and favorite husband!

Here's a smattering of pictures from that great day!

Cards from: Avery Stout, Ulla, Kristi, the Jenkins family, Allison Christensen and Emily Blount, Preston, Sara Johnson, and Justin, Amy and the boys.

Presents from Allen - See's chocolates; Kristi - Plum vinegar to make a great drink with soda water; lotion from Sea Johnson; gift card to See's from Allison and Emily; gift card from Preston to Outback Steak house; pearl bracelet from Morgan and Bri Fisher; Santa Claus book (which she made from my poem and Ruth Saunders picture from so many years ago - this was so thoughtful!) from Jessica Stout; NOT PICTURED - Brownies and Snickers bar from Brooklyn and Kenzie Comstock; Swedish dish cloths from Emily Pederson; Swedish candle from Ulla Gardner; tube of pink lipstick from Jenni and Kristi; Trader Joes Almonds, lotion and little prayer box from Justin and Amy and family.

So much KINDNESS from so many people.  I didn't deserve it all.

A list from Emily Blount and Allison Christensen was a FUN SURPRISE;

When KRO arrived, we went to Taco Time - where else?

We did coloring and drank herbal tea:

One day Jenni and Kristi cleaned all three of out bathrooms:  They've never been so clean!

ALlen, Jenni, Kristi and I went bowling: ALL FOUR of us got a STRIKE...it was so fun!

Allen and the girls had a little time to sing:

We went shopping for some new lipstick for me...do you like the color we didn't choose?

Driving out to enjoy the spectacular Kayenta, we saw  little taffy store, which we didn't even know it existed and we spent a fun time trying out and looking over their 76 varieties of TAFFY!

We enjoyed fried brussels

 sprouts at Xetava and walked around looking in shops and at the sidewalk art which was just amazing!

THEN: it was off to LAS VEGAS!

Let's go to the Bellagio to see the newest display; spring in all its glory:

We went to an ultra sound for Janessa and Daniel's baby:  That was AMAZING and so incredible...

Look at that gorgeous mom-to-be and the handsome father-to-be.  Baby boy is sure to be a handsome young man!

Second-hand store shopping and dinner at Esther's capped off a great day of fun and food!

I don't have pictures, but we squeezed in a comedy/magic show before we headed to the airport to take Kristi .....it was a laugh a minute...so so fun.  

It was a marvelous few days and puff!  It was over way too soon?!?!?!  I have the best two daughters in the world and I am so grateful.

Here are a couple of tributes I received over the last couple of days.  I don't deserve them, but it was so thoughtful of the people who wrote them:

Kim Stocking - my first Relief Society president and visiting teacher when we arrived in St George; she is so inspiring and amazing.  She's one of the best speakers in the ward!  Thanks, Kim, this totally surprised and amazed me what you said.  

This from a former student of mine:  Natalie Lilljenquist Clark; I have recently started following her on Instagram.  She is just AMAZING!  I love that she is so classy and fun and stylish, but she is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ and regularly posts about her love for the Saviour.  Thank you, Natalie for the very kind words!