Best Birthday Ever

As you know, I really don't like my birthday.  I usually spend the day in tears, but this year I had 3 fun guests.  On Sunday I started a project with the 2 older girls for their Faith in God Award, a family pedigree chart.  I got them a 15 generation one.  We are on a treasure hunt for the first people to come to America from our family, for pioneers, and for Veterans. Right now we are just working on my line, and using the new Family Tree on lds.org.  Grandpa went to work so his laptop was available, we unhooked the tv, and had Grandmas lap top.  It didn't take the girls more than 10 minutes to figure out how to maneuver around this program. ( It took grandma a few hours, going through the user manual step by step). We will need a world map next time as I got questions like ... "Grandma, is Sweden in the United States?  I had a ball! We celebrated by having lunch at Costco.  It was a perfect day.  Thanks, Holly, for letting me have them.

Grandma is sewing again!

 

I had some fabric, and a pattern from the internet, and I couldn't resist making some skirts for Mia. One is very twirly! It has been a long time since I have done any sewing, and this has been lots of fun. I have such a cute model. I hope she likes them.

They are ours!!

We went to the temple on Wednesday and Tracy, Gary and Theo were sealed to Holly and Sam. It was such a special day.  The surprise was, Gary knew all the correct answers to the questions the Sealer asked the children. Holly and Sam must have had some really great FHE.  Pres.  Rodney Nelson performed the sealing and there was such a wonderful  spirit there.  The picture I will always remember, but couldn't be taken was the one in the Sealing room.  Holly and Sam in the middle and 3 kids on each side of them.  They filled all the chairs at the end of the room.  We loved these children the minute we met them, and now a year later they are part of our eternal family.

Happy Day

There has been a dry spell of posts.  I am not going to even try and catch up.  It was hard not to post pictures of everyone.  But now we can.  The adoption is final.  We officially have 3 more grandchildren.  I am looking forward to next month when we can all be in the temple together. The battery on the camera died, so these pictures will have to do until Holly's friend Christine emails me the ones she took.  It was a very special morning. 

On the Way Home

On our way home from Idaho, I convinced Andy to stop in Parowan Ut This is the town where the mission call for the "Hole in the Rock" settlers originated. Ever since I went to Bluff, I wanted to stop and see it.  Also in this cemetery is buried my great grandparents. William Down Hobbs, and his wife Mary  Ann Pope. They came to America, with their children, from England. This is a marker that my relatives put up a few years ago when it was discovered that the grave was unmarked, or the head stone was gone.  Next to this grave was my great Aunt Tryphena Hobbs West.  I always thought she had a cool name. She also has an interesting story. 

She was only married 6 years when her husband died of a ruptured appendix.  She had 3 small children to raise.  It looks like her daughter was supposed to be buried with her mother, but no death date is on the headstone.  I really like these side trips.  The next places I need to stop are Ephraim and Lavan.  They are a little further off the beaten path.

Trip to Rexburg

The bride and groom.

 My nephew Kyle got married in Rexburg Idaho, and the clan gathered.  It was a lovely wedding.  The Rexburg temple is beautiful, but what temple isn't.  The sealer really gave some wonderful advise to all of us.

 Holly and Emily flew into Salt Lake, we met them while we had breakfast with Andys sisters, Debbie and Maxine.We don't get to Utah very much any more to see them.  .One the way up we found out that our good friends the Buchi's daughter Whitney had passed away.We were able to get to the viewing and see Mark.     Holly and Emily were fun traveling companions as always.  We shared a room at the Super 8 in Rexburg. Fun Times!

 Dana and Wes had already been in Rexburg a week.  Dana is from there and they were on vacation.

 It was a treat to have Aunt Osh with us. I am glad Janice thought it through.  There is my sister Lorraine from Kansas, and her daughter Stacey, who will be going to Brazil on a mission.  My brother Ron came also.

Matt came in from Chicago, and was a groomsman, There are parents of the groom, Vaughn and Caryn.
I don't have pictures of the wedding party, you will have to check out Sharlyns blog for those.

The Wreath

 

Some seventeen years ago after dad died, I bought this wreath.  My family hated it.  But it made me laugh, and I needed that.  It is one of those that has a sensor and it has big eyes that opens and a mouth that opens and it sings very loud Christmas songs.  When it was on the front door, the sensor would pick up cars in the cul-d-sac.  It annoyed Holly the most when she came home from college and wanted to sleep in. This year my grandchildren told the new grandchildren about Grandmas "Scary Wreath"  It really was time to get it to the cemetery, so today Janice took it out for me.  I won't get there until after Christmas. There is a switch on the back to turn it on.  It has fresh batteries, if any one dares ... Dad would get a good laugh, I am not sure about Mom.