Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Sending a Missionary Out Into the Field




We've been planning it his whole life. He's made all the right choices. 

He got his letter.

We bought the suits and shirts, the shoes and ties. He went through the temple (twice). He received his Patriarchal blessing. He gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting. Everyone wished him well. His nieces and nephews came by to play with him. He went to the movies for the last time. He was set apart.

Then all of a sudden it was the last night. He was packed and I was kissing him goodnight like I did when he was little.

We took him to the airport.






He used his last couple of hours saying good-bye to friends.



A friend who works at the airport escorted us through security so we could be with him just that much longer.



But then they called his flight number to board and we had to leave him.



Now he is in the Lord's hands and is about His business.

I cried all the way home. His dad was excited that he was getting to go on a great adventure.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday, March 12, 2012

Super Heros for Roko


My daughter, Kelly planned the most awesome 4th birthday party for Roko this past Saturday. It was so fun! And the kids loved it!

I've always been a fan of at home birthday parties (well mostly, when I'm feeling especially Super Mom-ish). Ya know, before McDonalds and Chuck E Cheese all birthday parties were held at home. I remember a great dance party I went to as a kid right after Chubby Checker invented the "twist". And then there's the famous unbirthday party of my cousin Barbara where we invited all the neighborhood kids and then told Aunt Joan (who came through with cupcakes). And of course, I've planned a few fun ones myself. There was a Gem party for Kelly, a Tea Party for Sabrina, the super Hot Wheels and great Nerf party for Harry.

But none have compared to Roko's SUPER HERO birthday.

There were HEROS:
Kelly made capes for everyone and they decorated their own masks.

They each had their own Trading Cards:

There was a VILLIAN:
They eventually apprehended him using Super String.

They trained by:
Diffusing bombs...

Scaling tall buildings...

Driving super fast...

Disposing of Kryptonite...

And traversing laser beams.

They were rewarded:
They ate "hero" sandwiches with "power" punch.
Kelly made an array of Super Hero cupcakes.

Oh and there were presents:
Roko received lots of super hero presents, but his favorite was the Captain America helmet and shield from Gramma Ashurst.

And when it was over, some people were REALLY tired.

Thank you Kelly for such a great party, for being such an awesome mom, and O yeah, for having such a Super Hero son!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Leprechauns




St. Patrick's Day is,coming.

I've never been a huge fan. I'm not Irish (I don't think so anyway). I don't like green food, well except for green beans and salad, well and avocadoes, of course. But I definitely don't like green eggs and ham. When I was little my Aunt Joan made corned beef and cabbage every St. Patrick's Day and I loved it. But my kids won't eat it so I don't make it.

I decorate for every holiday. Christmas and Halloween are the biggest (lots of big boxes in the garage). Then there's Easter (one box in a closet and the cupboard over the fridge). A few years ago I started decorating for Valentine's Day (one small box in the closet). It's actually become my favorite- I think it's the red and white. Last year I even did a few Fourth of July decorations because we were having a big family celebration. (They're kept in an even smaller box on top of the Valentine box in the closet.)

This year we're going to Disneyland on St. Patrick's Day. So along with getting green to wear I picked up a few decorations- 4 to be exact, not including a weird green candle holder I found in a cupboard. I'm hoping DL will have some Micky Leprechauns to put with the other four decorations- at least enough to go in a small box.









I have never drawn anything for St. Paddy's Day. This year is a first. And because Harry will be leaving us soon, I made the Leprechaun look like him.

Here's hoping you remember your green on the 17th. I wouldn't want to have to pinch you.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day



Tomorrow is Valentine's Day.

Perhaps we should go out to dinner.
But what I'd really like is "take out" that we can eat
IN BED.
Maybe a movie.
Hey! I have "Conan the Barbarian" and we could watch it
IN BED.
Ooooooh diamonds.
Just buy me new pajamas from Walmart that I can wear
IN BED.
So the truth is, for Valentine's Day this year,
I would just like to stay
IN BED.

P.S. I know the drawing has nothing to do with my post. Happy Valentine's Day anyway.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Harry's Birthday

We had an early Birthday Party today for Harry who is turning 19 on the 1st. He'll be in San Diego that day.


The weather has been so beautiful lately that we decided to have a summer time BBQ. We have them often in the summer and Harry will miss them and we will miss him this summer. And it was a great party.

Roko played in the water. Sandy accidentally knocked him in, but he was OK and climbed right out and kept playing.

Dave got a chance to ride his Harley that he's been rebuilding. It started out a very "un" Harley purple. Dave took it apart, repainted it, got new tires and a retro seat, and had the logo painted on it. And he even got it all put back together correctly.

It is very cool.

The kid's table.

When the grown up dinner was ready everyone was so starved they rushed to the table.

But getting these 3 men in my life to come to the table is really torturous. Mark was already eating.

We were too busy eating and sharing favorite stories about Harry to take pictures at the grown up's table.
We laughed about the time Sandi locked him and the keys in the car while it was still running.
Dave had a garage band when Harry was little. He was their groupy and so they named the band Harrald for him.
Harry always wanted to be part of Kelly's backyard slumber parties. So after all the girls were in the tent and it would be just a little dark, he would sneak out to the tent and the girls would be scared by the noise he made. And he would say, "It's just me, Haaarry". When he was little we called him Haaarry.
Nancee told us he was the first person to make her feel really welcome in our family when at dinner he sat by her and leaned against her, put his hand up her sleeve and leaned his head on her arm. She also liked the way he would give her birthday presents that were things he liked such as a Rescue Hero or a Hotwheel, secretly hoping she would give it back.
So that leaves mine and Rich's memories. I remember bringing him home from the hospital after he was born and tucking him in bed between me and rich and looking at his sweet face.
Rich remembers showing him how to play on the computer "How Many How Many How Many Bugs in the Box. He was two.
Oh Yeah, Harry's favorite memory? Dave locking him in his room with the light turned off.
From then until he was about 12 he slept with a light on.

Then it was time for presents. Kelly and Roko were in charge.

They presented and unwrapped.

A beautiful spinner CTR ring and an oil vial (it's a church thing).

Non "skinny" jeans.

A camera to take on his mission. Complete with funky bendy tri pod, and case.

And what could be cooler than a new white shirt and two new cool ties and 10 pairs of black socks with a different color stripe at the top so he could pair them easily.

We sang and Roko and Kelly helped him blow out the candles.

All of our parties are a little crazy and chaotic, but they
are also fun and entertaing and we are
all together tickling littles kids, kissing babies,
and trying to get the "tweens" to participate.
It's loud. And we love every moment!

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