Mother's Day and Signs of May

May 12, 2009
I have just had a wonderful weekend! Billy and Jen Hurd are moving to Utah, and were in need of someone to drive an empty truck from Utah to Fresno, and then drive an extra car back. I talked to Bob, who said he was fine with that, so Granny and I took the challenge. It was only afterwards that we realized it would be Mother's Day weekend. I mentioned to DaNae that Granny would have 2/3 kids there, and did she think Ruth would be willing or able to come down from Oregon. She has had a terrible time with her back and traveling is not at all comfortable.
Mom and I left Manti Thursday afternoon, after Girl Scouts, and drove to St. George, where we stayed with Bob's sister, Nedra. We left in the early morning and arrived in Fresno in the mid afternoon. There were lots of frantic, secret phone calls, while things were worked out, but Ruth and Craig did decide to come, and arrived about 4 am Saturday morning. We had arranged a very unique way to surprise Mom with their arrival, but she accidently saw them hiding and started squeeling and hopping from one foot to the other saying "What's going on!!! What's going on!!?". It was so fun. We had a park bbque with Jenny and Tara and Billy and their families on Saturday, played games, watched a movie. On Sunday, the ladies were served a delicious quiche and fruit salad on the patio before church, and the guys (mostly Billy) made wonderful Mexican food for us for dinner.
We left Monday morning and drove straight through, arriving about 10:30. It was perfect.
The Lazuli Buntings are back - in force! No, this is not some aboriginal tribe or a strange fashion trend. They are beautiful red, white and blue birds! We have had 8-10 at a time at our feeders. They are small, but so colorful they take you breath away.

May 4, 2009
Okay, so I stink at keeping a journal, or a blog.
I have completed a couple of quilt tops since my last entry - a 12 block-of-the-month in pinks and greens that I added panels of "turn of the century" children, and appliqued borders. I also completed the "critter" quilt I started in Panguitch 2008. It has all different sized blocks named after "critters" and nature. It will hang (when it's done) over the doorway into the living room in James and Cami's two story entryway. And, the main part of Anne's quilt (she bought the fabric and gave us the pattern - oh, 4 years ago) is done, but we need to add really wide borders, and decided on Twisted Ribbon borders. AND, I have started a Charlottes Web quilt that is really cool, that will be big enough for Pete and Bekah's California king.
Here is a darling picture of James and Cami and their little Hudson! He is 6 months old now. They are for sure coming to family reunion! Cami's family usually go to Bear Lake that same weekend, as well, so everything has worked out wonderfully. Hudson is growing so fast! His laugh is contagious and he smiles and plays so cute. Rebekah tends him everyday while Cami goes to work and (darn it) he knows and like her better than me!!
But his is very friendly, and warms up quickly to new people.
Mary and Aaron have decided to FOR SURE to come to family reunion, with a 5-7 week Lily (Due June 18th). So, that makes %100 of my kids, and Bills. Ruth's kids are planning on it, but will need to see what work schedules are then. I am sooo excited.
Just a note on being "empty nesters". First of all, even when the kids are out of the house, they are not gone. And that is a GOOD thing. I love to hear from them, answer their questions (cooking, friends, pregnancy, babies, etc), hear their news, and share their joys. And I love that they love to come home and visit, stay the night or the weekend, or have us at their homes.
I also love that I have the time to do things with Bob. Our recently completed Hobby Room was the largest bedroom, and it now houses Bob's radios and work space, my sewing machine and all the stuff I need for quilts, crochet, knitting, scrapbooking, painting and crafts. Also, a huge TV James and Cami gave us, a day bed/couch with trundle, and all my favorite DVD's. So, often we work on things together in the same room and share a movie. Also, usually I can just drop everything when Bob calls that he needs to do rounds at the hospital right after work and do I want to go along for the ride (which means a couple of hours of time to do handwork, and dinner out). We both have ward church jobs, and can go to and from church together and sit together in meetings. ( I play the piano in RS now instead of Primary.) I usually do the cooking and Bob the cleaning up, but if I'm busy he does the cooking. We try to have an overnight in Provo or Salt Lake every other month. Our love and care for each other has only increased, and I am blissfully content and happy.

Februsary 5, 2009
This has been a very busy couple of weeks, and looks like the trend will continue.
I have been serving as a Sector Chairman for the Boy Scout Council here, (basically from point of the mountain or Draper, to Paige Arizona, and state borders east to west), for 3 years. Before that I was Sector Commissioner. (Because the council is so huge geographically, the Council President divided our 38 districts into sectors, and we, along with the Field Directors, constitute Sector Key 3s.

Anyway, Hal Miller became the new Council President, and asked my last November if I would be willing to serve as a Council Vice President over Membership and Relationships. After lots of q&a, research and discussion, I agreed. So they are in the process of replacing me as Sector Chair, but currently I am doing both.

As Membership Vice Pres., I am responsible for training the 38 District Membership Chairman, (if they have them, which some don't yet) how to find potential sponsoring organizations, organize new units, find the boys, and in the case of Venturing and Exploring, the girls to join Scouting. There are so many ways to be involved in Scouting and I am learning about Soccer to Scouting (mainly to get Hispanic families involved through a structured Cub Scout soccer league) and Learning for Life (a K-12 values and life skills curriculum for use in schools and taught by the regular school teachers). Did you know that a high school club, even cheer leading, can become a Venturing group, which would provide BSA insurance and access to Scout camps and properties, when available, for their activities? In a small high school with few resources, they could have a snowboarding club, chess club, science - anything, and have available all the training for leaders and youth, insurance, and all the benefits of Scouting.

Anyway, it will means lots of traveling and teaching and workshops and training and I am excited.

We have about finished our 'hobby room" (not to be confused with our 'Hobbit room' ). Bob's radios and other electonics, my sewing machines, yarn, paint stuff, scrapbooking-all in one room with lots of shelves and counters and a huge TV (thank you James) and a daybed. So we can both be working on things together, or if one is the other can watcha movie or doo handwork, read, whatever,and we are together. Bob took the plaque off on old cultural hall door and put it on the hobby room door. It says "No admittance without authorized adult supervision."

The Asian room is started. I am wainting to get the rest of the Hobbit pictures framed, then I will add a video pan of the Hobbit room for this site. And the Africa and Victorian, as well.

So, we keep busy. And happy.

ITS FOR THE BIRDS
My 8x4 foot kitchen window faces east. There is a large deck, with two bird feeding stations and a total of 5 feeders for mixed seed, thistle and sunflower seed, plus suet feeders. We spend about $65 a month on bird seed. At any given moment there are +40 birds. These are the common guests this time of the year: house finch, house sparrow, dark eyed junco, and pine sisken.
The problem is our large,east facing window acts as a mirror, reflecting the trees, mountains and blue sky. Every morning one or two of these little creatures smashes into the window, thinking it is free air space. They fall to the deck, upside down with feet curled up, or wings splayed out and still.

Bob taught me years ago that if you hurry, you can usually save them. The problem is they go into shock and will surely die, even if the impact isn't lethal. You need to pick them up, set them right side up in your cupped hands, and hold them for 2-10 minutes, until they can keep their feet under them and their heads erect. You can usually feel their little hearts beating a mile a minute. At first they will be pretty limp, keep their feet curled, and their eyes might be partly closed. But if they are going to survive they start to perk up. I pet their soft heads with my thumb and talk to them (not mandatory, I guess). When they can keep their feet open and support their own weight, I set them on a branch (Bob put our live Christmas tree still in the stand on the deck for this purpose) or ledge or fence and walk away. I watch them out my window and check until they fly away.

I have saved maybe a dozen birds in the last couple of weeks, and only lost two. It makes me nervous to run errands until about 10 am when the sun is high enough to minimize the illusion.

It's a little thing, but it's what I do.

DECEMBER 21, 2008 Let's Play Catch-Up

November 13-22

You are all too young to remember the TV game show "I've Got A Secret", but I am ready for a sequel, in which I am the star. It's called "I Can Keep a Secret". This is unique, becuase this is rarely something I can do. But I did. Majorly.

In August I started planning a trip for Bob and I, without his knowledge, and told everyone I was going to kidnap him. I got plane reservations, hotel and car rental reservations, planned activities and events, and bought tickets for a broadway show. I got him out of work for a week, out of barbershop quartet rehersals, out of church resposibilies, and even got a government security clearance application signed - all without him knowing it. I packed and took the luggage to Karen's in SLC ahead of time.

So, we went to SLC to celebrate the November birthdays on Thurs. Nov 13. He knew we were staying overnight at Karen's and that I had something planned for the next day. Thursday night Jeffrey asked if we could give him a ride to the airport, and Bob said "I don't know. You'll have to ask Bev. I have no idea what her plans are." I said, yes, we could start our day that early. So, next morning Jeffrey shaved and finished packing his luggage, and put it in the back of our car - into which I had already packed our luggage and covered it with my coat. At the airport we all got out. I handed Bob Jeffrey's jacket, then his bag. Jeffrey was fiddling around in the backseat (get the camera turned on). I took my coat out and slung it over my shoulder, and took out our luggage. Bob looked at the luggage, then at me, then at Jeffrey, who snapped his picture. He smiled. "I'm guessing I need to put Jeffrey's luggage back into the car". It was perfect.

We flew to Baltimore, Maryland, where we spent 5 days with Anne and Mike and our three grandkids. While there we drove into Amish country, toured Gettysburg, got a personal tour of Camp David, went to church, took Anne to her treatment (more later), Bob took an all day hike, and had an impromtu family birthday party for all three kids.

Then Bob and I drove to Philladelphia, toured Valley Forge, Independance Hall, and saw the Liberty Bell. We drove to New York, turned the car in at JFK, and took the subway to downtown Manhattan. Our hotel (old, very small, and shared a bathroom with 4 other rooms), was 5 blocks from Times Square.

We spent Thursday walking around, eating and having fun, and then saw 'Mamma Mia" that night. Friday we spent all morning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then went to see "Twilight". (We went to the 4:15 showing open day - right after school let out. 85% of the audiance was composed of twittery, giddy girls between 12-16 years old. There were a few college kids, and Bob and I were clearly the oldest of the 8-10 adults present. It was delightful bedlam!!! Saturday we flew home. Nine days of fun.

FAMILY MATTERS

Thanksgiving

We had James, Cami and Hudson, Jeffrey and Karen, David, Rebekah and Pete, and Granny for Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday after Thanksgiving. The night before was Manti City's Light Parade. The Girl Scouts were in the parade (elves and dancing cookies - with the help of borrowed Girl Scout Cookie costumes), and then sold bake goods at the high school afterwards. There were others selling soups and breads, drinks and treats, and Santa was there. Bob sang three songs with a barbershop quartet ( he sings "statusphere"- high tenor) It was lots of fun.

Mary and Aaron moved to Provo to be closer to BYU where Aaron is attending. He will apply for the animation program soon. Check out his blog in the right column. Mary is 14 weeks along, and Bob did an ultrasound for them to watch the little one wiggle and squirm and suck it's thumb. They are due the 18th of June. That will make 5 grandbabies for us!!

James and Cami are the greatest parents, and Hudson is doing soo well. They had this picture taken when he was just a week old, but he has grown into quite a little chubby cherub. He looks so much like James when he was new.

Jeffrey and Karen have a large, chocolate colored dog named Jane. She is very "bouncey". They have her in obedience school, where Jeffrey says she is the best and the worst pupil. She learns very quickly, obeys instantly, and hates every minute of it, as is evidenced by her barking, whining and complaining.

Ned and Kim are in SLC. Kim is starting school again next month, to work toward her teaching degree. She is currently working part time at a school for the deaf and blind. Ned is going through a hard spell, after one of the handicapped kids/men where he worked attacked him and he quit work there. He is working on his music, though, and has some new songs.

Pete and Rebekah are in Draper, and both are working and both have church callings. They

are happy and are enjoying being back in Utah.

David is living in SLC, plays drums in the band with Ned. ( I say drums, but, although he does have a drum set, he also plays "juice bottle full of beans" and bongos). He is playing Ultimate indoors during the winter months, but can't wait for spring.

Mike, Anne and kids are doing well. The good news is that 5 months of chemo have begun to shrink the desmoid tumor in her hip, and she is completely off the narcotic pain pills and can even drive a short way. They have reduced her chemo to every other week, but will continue until June. Kids are growing and learning and keeping them busy!!

Looking forward to hearing from all of you!!

FACEBOOK

Okay. So I put all my kid's blog links on this page, and only Ned and Kim and Rebekah and Pete and Aaron were ever updating them. When I asked why, they said they put all their stuff on Facebook. I said,"Well, that doesn't help all your relatives keep in touch with you." "Mom", Mary said,"They're all on Facebook, too." So, today, they hooked me up with Facebook, and I probably will hear more from you there than here. I will continue to log stuff here, so don't forget about me, but I will probably see you there more often. So. There you go.

Falling Leaves

I haven't written for so long. The crises items have passed, and we have passed on the Christmas Home Show - we just won't be ready. But in the middle of all the busyness, life happened.

James and Cami were joined by Hudson Kevin Armstrong on Oct.23. He was 7lb. 3oz. and 20 " long. He has lots of dark hair, and looks a lot like James when he was a baby. He is sooo beautiful. All went well and they are adjusting to no sleep, lots of work, and so much love.

Then just after midnight on Tuesday we got a phone call that Bob's mom passed away in the care center in St. George, where she has been for two years. She was 97 1/2. She was alert and fun to talk to until the last, but phyically getting weaker every day and not eating much. Monday she had her breakfast and took a morning nap, slept all day, and slipped away during the night.


If you know me at all, you know I hate funerals.(I don't plan on going to mine!) But Bob is the only one in Manti, where the funeral was to be, so I had to help him with arrangements, casket, obituary, program, printing, etc. Bob's siblings, Nedra,Karl and Judy, arrived Friday, and the funeral was Saturday. All my kids, including Anne and little Miriam from Maryland, were there, and most of their spouses. I think there were only three grandchildren missing out of 19. There were also some of Bob's cousins. We had a photographer come the the luncheon afterwards to take group and family pictures. I did ok. And, as funerals go, it was beautiful.

So, autumn has come. It has given, and it has taken. So goes life.

From Crisis to Crisis

Most of you are too young to remember, but a popular act on many of the variety TV shows during the 60's or 70's was this guy who had a long stand into which he stuck several - a dozen or so - thin bamboo sticks. He would take a china plate and start it spinning atop the thin pole, then he would start a second one, and a third, hurrying back periodically to grab and rotate a pole to speed up the spinning of a previously started plate that was starting to slow down and drop to the floor. This craziness continued until all twelve were spinning.

I have often compared my life to this spinning plate act. Running from near disaster to near disaster, crisis to crisis, trying to keep so many things going at once. Well, I'm doing it again.
Plate #1) I, as an assistant council chairman for our Boy Scout Council, am in charge of a Sector leadership meeting tomorrow night, which is no biggy, except it is 45 minutes away.
Plate #2) I am supposed to be in Delta (1 1/2 hours away) on Thursday to visit their RoundTable since they won't be to Wednesday's meeting. I have to leave immediately after Girl Scouts at 5:00.
Plate #3) I am also in charge of a Sector wide District Committee Training Workshop on the 27th, that, although I've known about for 2 weeks, have only now began scrambling for instructors from council - members of the committees on finance, membership, program, advancement, health and safety, etc. Plus I need a really good opening ceremony (I can solicite such from my meeting tomorrow), and lunch.
Plate #4)Girl Scout Awards Ceremony and Bridging (some of my girls to Cadettes and some of Deb's Brownies to mine) Thursday, the 25. (Which is also the evening that I am supposed to be on a computer/telephone training to be a delegate for the Girl Scout Service Unit - Hey, everyone else has has two turns since I did it last). So, when I go to SLC to do genealogy on the 24th, I will go pick up the awards, etc.
Plate #5) Mandatory GS Leader training here in Manti from 5:30-8:30 (00ps, I'm supposed to call and reserve the building. Just a sec.)
Plate #6) September 30 is Cami's baby shower!! Right after Cub Scouts, at 4:40,Granny and I will drive to SL area and have fun. Home late, but looking forward to it.
Plate #7) A dear friend called to ask if I would take her place on a committee for Cub Scout Leader PowWow in our district, being in charge of finding teachers, making sure they are informed on budget, classroom location, time limits, etc, and that they show up. About half of this has been done. The PowWow is the end of October.
Plate #8) Oct.3 - SLC for GS Events Training (I do Day Camp) 6-9 pm, leave at 3:30.
Plate #9) Oct 7, Orem, for first official duty as GS Delegate, 7-9, leave at 5:30. One hour after Cub Scouts.
Plate #10) Primary Program. I play the piano. I have played for years, love to play, but never have played really accurately. Okay for just me, family and the Primary kids, but better get some practice in before this is done for Sacrament Meeting.
Plate #11)I want all my bedrooms done, and my house clean, for the home show the first part of December. I have actually hired a gal in my ward who is a champion de-clutterer. I would invite all applicable children to come home soon and clean out your various boxes, drawers and closets before we get to them.
Plate #12) Next room - the largest bedroom is getting hardwood floor,(we're doing-it-ourselves laminate), a nice radio desk for Bob, the TV (huge!) that James gave us, a daybed/couch, and ALL of our hobby stuff - yarn, crochet, quilting, paints, fabric, scrapbooks, etc, and Bob's radios and electonic projects -from all over the house is going in there. Then the room his stuff was in, Karen's old room, will be made over in 1930's pink and roses and dolls. The computer room, where most of my mess is, will just have genealogy and Scout stuff, and my closet will be cleaned out enough to actually have clothes in it!

So, there are my spinning plates. Hope you enjoyed the show.