Visit to Grandma

Pink Ballerina checks out her hair-do! She had it up in a bun! On Halloween night, I got a call from my Grandma Alice. She said, "I'm just waiting her by my door with a bag of candy, waiting to see if any of my kids are going to come! Can you come and see me?" By this time it was past 8 p.m.. and dark...not a good time to drive all the way to Mcminnville.

So we decided, we needed to bring Halloween to Grandma's house a day late! After school, we all got dressed back up in our costumes and drove to Grandma's spot we we could hear her tell stories and sing her songs.

Grandma spoiled all the kids with lollipops. She told them to open the cabinet and take ALL the remaining candy. She said over and over that she didn't want a drop of it left behind. The kids were happy to oblige!

Julianna was particularly filled with Jubilation.

Hyrum and Angel still look as if they could be twins!

Grandma especially enjoyed the little kids. Grandma is so sweet, and I was reminded that all Grandma's still have a little girl inside!

We visited for about an hour. We told stories, we listened to stories, and Courtney showed off her two front missing teeth.

At the end, we walked her to her dining room and waved to all the many grandmas and grandpas there. My kids love visiting her, and Grandma is always so gracious and good at paying attention to each child individually.

We love you, Grandma!

Moms

I feel so blessed to have my Mom and my Grandma so Close By!

This Picture was taken on my Grandma Jean's 84th birthday! We got to sing her some songs and give her some cards when she stopped by. We were just sad that we didn't have a cake ready!
My Mom is a sweet and noble lady! She is always doing nice things for other people. My Grandma is an amazing person with a glowing testimony! My Grandma Jean wrote her own personal history about 15 years ago, and it has been a blessing to me in my life to read about all the things she has experienced and the trials she has overcome. She is a great example to me and she gives me hope that I can overcome the tribulations in my own life.

Thankyou Mom, and Grandma, for all you have taught me!

New Year Thoughts

The first Sunday of the new year is always exciting for my kids because they get new teachers and move up a class in their Primary Sunday School. Today was no exception.

Manly and I are also excited because our church meeting times changed from starting 8:30 a.m. to now beginning at Noon! That's a huge difference! We are really looking forward to sleeping in a little once a week.

We sang a Hymn in our Sacrament meeting today that is one of my favorites, and it's very pertinent to my feelings at the beginning of a new year, and so I wanted to post it here:

Come, let us anew our journey pursue,
Roll round with the year And never stand still till the Master appear.
His adorable will let us gladly fulfill
And our talents improve
By the patience of hope and the labor of love.

Our life as a dream our time as a stream
Glide swiftly away, and the fugitive moment refuses to stay;
For the arrow is flown and the moments are gone.
The millennial year presses onto our view and eternity's here.

Oh, that each in the day of His coming may say,
"I have fought my way thru; I have finished the work thou didst give me to do."
Oh, that each from his Lord may receive the glad word:
"Well and faithfully done; enter into my joy and sit down on my throne."

by Charles Wesley

Here are pictures of my two Grandmas. Above is my Grandma Jean on my Mother's side, and below is my Grandma Alice on my Dad's side.
One of my many New Years Resolutions will be to take my children to visit my Grandmas more often! (And also go by myself if I ever get the chance.) I spent my whole life living in a different state from my Grandparents. When I was growing up, I lived on the East Coast, and my Grandparents lived on the West Coast. I was lucky if I got to see them once a year. But in my adult life, a miracle happened! We moved to Oregon, and for the first time in my life I lived close to my Grandma Alice! Then 2 years later, my Grandma Jean moved from California to Oregon!
Wonder of wonders, for the first time in my life I lived only 20 minutes away from each Grandma. Between the burden of homeschooling and caring for a family of 7, I have let my usual visits get longer and longer between. Now I know that I have absolutely no excuse to not be visiting them frequently. You never know how long you get to keep your Grandparents. One grandma is 94, the other is 83. So I will be making more of an effort to spend more time with my precious beloved Grandmothers!