Happy First Birthday, Liam!!!

We were lucky because Jessica and Elessia brought the party to us.....

Scarlett loved playing under the umbrella in the sand

Liam loved the pool and being with the other little kids who came to celebrate.

Aunt Jena and Uncle Ben joined Scarlett in the cover of the umbrella as it turned out to be a hot day to celebrate.

 Eating birthday pizza with Jessica....

 Scarlett loves watermelon.

 Here is the darling Monster Smash Cake.....

 Liam didn't smash his cake but enjoyed taking pieces of the frosting and eating them.

 He shared with Jessica, too.

 He is a very happy boy and seemed delighted to be a part of the action even if he didn't quite understand what the point of the whole occasion was.

Scarlett takes a trampoline walk with Uncle Ben.  Today was the first day that she actually jumped by herself, both feet off the trampoline, all by herself.  She was very proud of herself.

 Dallin Page, Liam's second cousin came with his family.  He was showing Liam how to use his new trucks.

Opening presents with Elessia............

Working that trampoline again.....

After other friends and family left, the playing kept on going with Liam and Scarlett.  They were laughing at Elessia through the glass.

Monster cookies.  It is a bit hard to see the eyeballs but the kids and adults liked them.  They were all different colors which made it fun.

Liam, we are so glad to have you in our family.  You are a happy boy and you love to read books, be outside, and to laugh.  Happy first birthday, sweet grandson!

Whirl-wind Wednesday and so forth

Jessica had some tests up at University Hospital so I met them there and got Liam to spend a couple hours at Liberty Park.  It was a beautiful day and we had a fun time being together....with three school bus loads of children, several pre-school and community groups of more kids and then the rest of the small family groups like us trying to enjoy the park on a June day.  It was actually crazy there and very loud.  But we found fun things to do anyway.

We even take a selfie to send to Jessica and Elessia

I then headed back to the hospital to drop him off and then headed down to the central part of Salt Lake to the Intermountain Medical Center.  There I met some of my class mates to attend a SART meeting for Salt Lake County (Sexual Assault Response Team) and then we did interviews afterwards for a class project we are doing.  It was so great to talk about people so passionate about reducing sexual violence in our communities and to providing appropriate support and control to victims.

I experienced a funny moment as I walked out with 3 of my class mates.  They are all young moms and in their late twenties or early thirties. We were talking about the passion of the people in the meeting to do good.  One of them commented, "Don't you wish that you didn't have to work and worry about money.  Then you could spend your time serving the community in any way you wanted."  We all nodded our heads and agreed--then I said, "Wait, that is what I did with my life so far."  How lucky I have been in my life to have the support (Gary), the freedom (Gary), and the financial stability (Gary) to be able to serve in some amazing ways over my life.  And I know that the next 20-30 years will also have some unique experiences.  Life is an adventure!

Rushed home so I could meet with my visiting teachers (I know--the first day of the month.  However we have a standard appointment for the first Wednesday and when she texted to ask me what I wanted to do, I realized that the rest of the Wednesdays were crazy so we did it anyway.)

Had hot dogs for dinner because that is what you do on a Whirl-wind Wednesday, then we headed down to Woods Cross to drop off Jena at Wonderworld and then Ben and I went to Kaysville for a meeting...

then home again home again jiggety-jig!

And Thursday was more of the same as I made two trips to Salt Lake--one for Jena's orthodontist appointment at Primary's and then took her home and then I left for a meeting in Salt Lake for the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation.

Friday, I was happy to stay home ALL day and work in the yard.

What's that word

when you feel that you have done something just the same before.....actually I know the word but I can't spell it...........

Anyway, Tuesday found us back at the Family History Library (after dropping Jena off at the Museum).  This time Valerie and Lance joined us, went to lunch with us at the Lion House and then met up with Jena for a tour of the Museum.  (I think that might be a pattern for the summer as family and friends want to visit Jena at the Museum.)

So if you are in Salt Lake on a Tuesday, don't forget to stop by the new Church History Museum and say hi to the cutest Young Church Service Missionary in the building.  She serves from 10-2 with a lunch break.  She will usually be in the gift shop.  And let us know and we might be able to meet you for lunch!!!

When we got back to our car, a passing UTE fan added this to the dust on the back of our car.....

due to our BYU licence plate, I am sure.

(I am sad to report that it is still on my window because a trip to the car wash didn't fit in to the plans of the week.  Ben added Go BYU to the other side of the window and I imagine at Church today we may get a Go Aggies or Go Weber State to add to our collection.)

The rest of Tuesday also went as typical--school for me and dinner/bowling for Gary and work for Jena.  Ben had a quiet evening at home.

Another typical but awesome Tuesday

Flags flying once again....

Memorial Day 2016

For the last 15 years or so, the Scouts or the YM or the YW in our ward have posted flags for the holidays as part of fundraising for camps and Scout equipment.  If you have read this blog over the years, you know that we have stored, repaired and cleaned 100 flags over at least the past 10 years. However with the switch to our new ward, that plan was no longer available as they chose to do other things.  All of the flags we had followed with the Walnut Grove ward.  People were very sad about that in our end of the ward, so Gary and I proposed a new plan:  the Walnut Grove North Neighborhood Flag postings.  For $25.00 this year, we (Gary) prepared new flags and poles for everyone who ordered one.  For an extra $10, we would post them on the holidays throughout the year and store them as well.  That $10 will be donated to charity in the name of the neighborhood.  In the following years, people can either just take their flag or pay another $25 for us to post and that will be donated to charity.  We had a total of 20 people sign up-4 who are posting their own flags.

These are the same style as our previous flags
so Gary spray painted the tops glitter red.
The litter wasn't so great, but the red makes
it easy to recognize our flags.

Happy Memorial Day!!  Despite the problems in our country, I so appreciate the people who have given their lives to defend and protect us over the last 250 years or so.  I am grateful that young men and women continue to choose to join the military and to work to protect and give aid throughout the world.