May 2017

I love the springtime and especially the newness of life that comes forth. It gives me hope with each new day...a plethora of beauty and opportunity awaits!

May was a month filled with family...I guess almost every month that seems to be the case...and I love it. May is a month filled with birthdays. Eight of my 19 grandchildren were born during May which brings much cause for celebration.

May 1st, Stuart turns 12 (photo courtesy JPM)

I wanted to take a picture of my home as it is ready for spring flowers to be planted. Then I will be able to document the changes over the summer.

Empty but ready

Me, Shirley, (one of stars of Anne of Green Gables), Eileen, a fun evening with Visiting Teachers

Stuart's apple art on display at County Buildings! Talented!

My next trip was to Arizona to attend a granddaughter's baptism, help Sue with the boys while she worked out of town, and celebrate more birthdays. There were other things we managed to do which made the trip a lot of fun. I had started a puzzle with Kenzie before I left Utah and she sent me a picture of the finished product

Kenzie completed this puzzle after I left for Arizona. Puzzles are fun!

Traveling with Sue

Greeting boys at bus at end of school day

Liv opening her birthday gifts...scriptures and a "Liv" case

Birthday party attendees

Block building a "throne".

Sharing pictures with Truman. So peaceful!

I attended Kiefer and August's "Kinder Rising Stars" musical program. August is more comfortable playing sports than singing and performing, so we didn't see much action. Kiefer seemed happier to be there.

Kiefer is the last green shirt on the top row

Kiefer and Me at the end of his program

Back at the Ranch (Provo), they finally were able to celebrate Davis' birthday. Baseball season keeps them all busy. His birthday is actually the same day as Liv's only two years apart.

I think Davis is happy to be ten and to have some cake! Fun!

Peterson family performing at Liv's baptism. She's wearing her mother's baptismal dress!

Liv is 8 is great!

Burke celebrating, somewhat, his 15th birthday! Love this boy!

Sue using her gardening skills to plant a tree at our house in Arizona

Observed on our girls' shopping trip to Last Chance! Maybe chairs last chance?

We celebrated August and Kiefer's sixth birthday. Their Dad put a paper block on their door but they were so fast coming through I only got their wind.

August and Kiefer with birthday hats and balloons early in the morning on their birthday

Boys faster than ? getting through the gauntlet

Birthday party attendees, Petersons, Readings, and boys! Zach was cleaning up and Sue was photographer

Joseph in Ukraine celebrated his 20th birthday on the 22nd

Tamsen started teaching some young girls some dance and singing routines and they had their final performance for the year while I was there. So fun to see and we all did a little dancing at the end.

Liv doing her solo part of the routine. She has some "chops"

Teacher Tamsen and her Singing Stars

Everybody getting a move on, some more energetic than others

Peterson and Andelin attendees at the performance

Kiefer wanted to make a photo with him hiding somewhat  behind the curtain

The next day I came back to Provo...just in time for some end of year activities for Stuart. He did a partner dance to Copacobana" with the tallest girl in his class and did very well. He even had a tux with tails for the occasion Then, it was time for graduation.

Stuart and Ivy dancing at the School Talent Show

Me and Stuart at this graduation

Jacob and I visited the cemetery on Memorial weekend, remembering Rog

Celebrating on the 30th t of May his cute Tosh's 10th birthday

Just to keep up on the progress of yard work! Flowers are planted up walk with two baskets of Ivy Geraniums on porch and a whole lot of Irises to the north. I love flowers. They make me happy

The Vinca plants love the sun

Ivy Geranium baskets

Iris just now starting to fade

As I said at the beginning of this post, I love the Springtime of the year with all it's glorious colors. It reminds me that each new day is the same...an opportunity to love life, to serve others, and to be filled with gratitude for our blessings and our experiences. So spring forth everyone or is it "sally forth"?

April Flowers and Showers

One of the first things after returning home was to visit my friend, Martha Proctor Flandro. She has long been a great example to me of how to live life and live it well. While I was on my trip, she had fallen, fractured her pelvis, and ended up in the hospital and then rehab. She is such a good patient and did everything the physical therapist required and voila, within a few weeks, she was able to return to her home. She had determined that that was what she needed to do...and she did it. Not bad for someone who will be turning 98 next month. I love "my" Martha!

You can't keep a good girl down

During April, I was able to take a trip to Portland to visit my Oregon kids, JaneAnne and John, and their families.As usual, it was a lot of fun! This year I was able to be there for Easter and Easter Sunday. Besides great talks about our Savior whose resurrection we remember and are grateful for, I was able to hear JaneAnne sing as a soloist on a number, and then John sang with a great men's quartet. But then, I'm getting ahead of myself. The first part of the month, we had another great Armenian Mission Reunion. I was able to carpool with Lisa Ferguson and Amanda Cornwell, fun, young sisters I served with. It was wonderful to see President and Sister Carter and all the other seniors and younger elder and sisters missionaries we served with or who later served in Armenia.

2017 Mission Reunion near Ogden

Me with President and Sister Carter

So happy to be in Portland for a week. We (JaneAnne, Julie ad me) were able to take a tour of some historic homes that had been updated.Most of the houses were the same vintage as JaneAnne's (early 1900's) so it was fun to see what they had done.

The only "newer" house  with me, Julie and JaneAnne

Lunch break at the Grain and Gristle

We celebrated the weekend with some game playing, some searching and finding of hidden eggs, and Julie made cookies (eggs in a nest of Nutella and coconut, delicious). We also made a trip to the Portland Temple to enjoy the beautiful flowers and take a few (??) pictures.

Me, Julie, Emily, Anna and John

A "selfie" of our game playing

Cookie treat for John's Young Men at Church

Anna and me with Easter baskets

John helping Emily find some eggs

Looking hard, don't want to miss any

Successful egg hunt

A couplel of Anna's creations made with crayon shavings

Me, Emily and John at the Temple

All the girls, Me, Emily, Julie and Anna

Peterson Family with Grandma P

Anna and me

My oldest son, John, and me at Temple

Egg hunters, including an added guest who just recently arrived in Portland for the summer

Finding the 83 hidden eggs was quite the feat

The "stash" that had all been filled (with candy or money)

Including our Missionary (2nd from left), Joseph, serving in Ukraine

Beautiful blossoms seen while out walking

Beautifying the fences

Dogwood

I liked this but what is it?

Beautiful lace leaf maples on Thurman

Mosaics in Portland

Wall of hands created by children to mark the 100th anniversary of the neighborhood

Love this kind of Candy (Tuft really)

A falling down garage still filled with suff

Love this Camellia, like peppermint candy

Notice the squirrel (not real, however) in the tree!

Moss grows well here and slick so would be fun to slide on

An even mossier staircase

Like little bells

The tree in my own yard that greeted me upon my return! Most beautiful

One of the regular activities I've enjoyed this year is an Institute class twice a month. We've had excellent teachers in Stan Taylor and Joe Jenkins and wonderful discussions. Here is our class at the last meeting of the year. We enjoyed a discussion which was followed by "all things chocolate". I thought I might not be able to sleep after so much sugar, but it didn't appear to be too big a problem, so guess I can keep enjoying it. Pictured are Bob Petersen, Parley Robison, Boyd and Lauralee York, Yvonne Henrichsen, Shar and Jerry Burke, Diane Felt, Rex Carlson, Stan Taylor, Joyce Linebarger, Alice Carlson, Norma Jenkins, Mona Peterson, Marian McKee, Joe Jenkins, Stig Martinson, Gloria Ruiz, and me.

Senior Institute Group

I enjoyed a great lunch at Savory Thai with good friends, Carl and Joanne Byers. We followed good food with a visit to a wonderful stained glass exhibit at UVU, "Roots of Knowledge". The glass panels picture the earth from it's beginning and through the years with significant events and people to present day. There is even a "find Waldo" in one of the pictures. This was quite the project and took about 10 years to complete and have installed. If you're in the area, drop by and see it.

Joanne and one of the glass panels

Me with background of panels

Roots of Knowledge

An amateurs attemp at video

Remind me of my Middle East Trip

Modern Times, the message is a good one

The rest of April went by in a flash. I was able to watch several soccer games and even found time to do some puzzling with Jake and Kenzie! Kenzie is really good at puzzles and we managed to complete this 750 piece one in about 3, or was it 4, hours. They are fun company to have around.

Puzzling the New York Skyline

Hope everyone out there is enjoying a wonderful Spring. Sending love to each and every one!