May is a wonderful time of year in Utah. It's so beautiful with all the new "greeness" and new life. I love being a grandmother, seeing my grandchildren participate in so many activities. I arrived home from Arizona just in time to catch a few soccer games and other family activities before I headed off again...this time to Oregon.
Merit loves to play soccer
Another successful soccer season with Davis
I had a wonderful visit with one of our young adults from our Armenian Mission who is now living in Salt Lake City to attend school. We had helped her prepare to serve her mission at Salt Lake Temple Square and now she is back. Welcome, Lia!
Lia H and I had a wonderful lunch with lots of catch-up talk
Other Armenian friends, Artur and Alina have started up a food truck with their family. They are serving Middle Eastern food and it was so fun to see them and taste some of their "goodies" that reminded me of my time in Armenia.
The Yeritsyan's and their food truck, Kebab Palace
I was also able to go to lunch with my long-time friends and it was a special treat! Ann fixed us a delicious lunch and then shared her pop-up books (she has over 5000 in her collection). It was so fun to learn more about moveable paper art.
Ann sharing one of her fun books
One of her pop-up books made a wonderful flower centerpiece
Back in the Northwest and I couldn't resist taking a picture of the big trees I came across as I walked the local neighborhood.
Tall trees on Hawthorne Lane
We had done some family history research and were ready to go to the temple with Anna for her first visit now that she is 12. We arrived at our appointed time only to find that the temple had had to close because the power was out. We took a selfie to mark the occasion and will try again another timeu
Julie, me, Emily, John, Anna and Jacob
I was able to celebrate Mother's Day with two of my children and their families
Petersons and Olsens for Mother's Day Dinner (a whole salmon caught by John)
A decadent chocolate cake with Reeses pieces was our dessert
The week of the wedding was just wonderful. The weather fully cooperated and was even a little o the "warmish" side, but lots of sunshine to celebrate the event. It was wonderful to be together with all my children! And we added another "daughter" to the grand side of things. It's wonderful to be able to add more children and grandchildren to our family with each wedding. Part of the week before the wedding included a lot of preparation. Julie and John made several batches of fudge to put in little boxes as favors at the wedding lunch/dinner. They included a little note about the history of "Roger's" fudge making, and I'm glad that some of my children are carrying on the tradition. Joseph arrived in time that we could make a trip to the temple so that he could included in the temple wedding. I ran into old friends, Ann Papworth and Sue and Alan Wynn. But didn't take pictures! Typical! Here are some pictures that remind me of this great family event.
John and Julie with Joseph and Jacob at the temple
Emily with her fancy "do" for the wedding festiv
Anna and Julie at the temple
Anna looking beautiful at the temple
The groom, Jacob and his proud father, John
Kenzie and Jacob with Emily
Anna and John
Peterson Family, John, Alisa, Jana, me, Sue, JaneAnne and Rob
Maready Family: John, Julie, Tiffany, Doug, Ann, Susan, Don, Rebecca and David
Peterson Family with the Grandmothers
Peterson Family
Julie and John with Joseph and Anna
Petersons and Mareadys attending the temple with Joseph
Beautiful centerpieces created by David Maready with assistance from Tiffany Maready
Anna and her cousins at the wedding luncheon
The "Grandmothers": Julia Carter, me and Ann Maready
Parents of the groom having some fun
Just married and almost ready for honeymoon
Emily and Rebecca sending the couple off with sparklers
After the wedding day festivities were over, there was still party time left but not until the next day. John and Julie hosted the Petersons and Mareadys for a traditional barbecue of jerked chicken, rice and peas, and with fresh Oregon strawberries, delicious! We were able to enjoy a pre-concert duet by Alisa and JaneAnne for entertainment. The real concert was later that evening and JaneAnne was so pleased to have her siblings there for the performance.
After concert game playing, games always a Peterson tradition
By Sunday evening nearly everyone had returned home, but I was able to capture a Sunday picture with Joseph.
Joseph in his whites at Church
I love the beauty in the Northwest and like to take random photos of what I see as I walk.
Sign says Backyard Habitat Certification in Progress
One huge rhodendron bush
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One small basketball court
Dogwood in bloom
Beautiful Dogwood blossoms
Corner fountain on Thurman
Love me some purple
Even garage roofs have flowers
The Rose City is in bloom, lovely!
I was able to go to lunch with a long-time friend that I hadn't seen for years. She used to live in Portland but has lived in Butte, Montana for about 40 years. She recently posted a picture of us taken at her son's wedding over 20 years ago. So fun to see her.
Becky Fuhriman, Karen P Butler, Me
Pretty as ever, Karen and her "best" friend
I arrived back home just in time to celebrate a good friend, Martha's 97th birthday and witness a granddaughter's graduation from Timpview High School. Well done, Kate!
Martha Proctor Flandro, an energizer bunny if ever there was one!
Kate Maughan...off to new adventures at American University
Alisa arrived to celebrate the Memorial Weekend. So fun to see her and hear her share her talents as she sang for a friend's wedding and the next day she entertained us and some of our friends and family with a recital with Joan Stephens, a wonderful organist. What a treat! I was able to attend a wonderful wedding reception for a Salem friend, Barb Morgan. I was a secretary for several years to Barb's father, Al Morgan. There are 13 children in the family and all of them and their spouses were able to gather in the temple.
Barb and Dustin
Joan Stevens and Alisa
Memorial Day found Alisa and I on the road as we headed for Salt Lake to decorate the graves of parents and grandparents. We did a little manicuring of the headstones and left some flowers. All the cemeteries look so beautiful with all the colorful flowers and flags flying.
Jana and her family hosted us for a barbecue and John had just flown in for a business meetings so he was able to join us. I'm so grateful for eternal families!
Me at Wasatch Lawn where my parents, grandparents and other relatives are buried
Alisa, me and Merit enjoying the hammock on Jana's deck; we didn't break it!
Delaney, John, Alisa, Jana, Stuart, Davis, Merit and Mike at East Lawn Cemetery
John and me, Stuart and Davis decorating Rog's headstone
A beautiful view of the mountains
What a wonderful way to end a holiday weekend and the month of May! Tennis is fun anytime and with family it's the best!
