Friday fun......

Jena got to ski with her friends, Suzy and Matt on Friday as Terrie was out of town.  She had a great time even though it was a bit cold and overcast,  I guess the snow was good because of some recent snowfall the day before.

Then Friday night, Jena and I got the privilege to babysit Liam and Zander while Jessica and Elessia went to a movie.  We got to meet their brand new cat which Liam loves to death. (She was not cooperative to look for a picture however.)  She reminds me of our first cat, Quigley, which Jessica got for her third birthday.  He was the best cat and also a siamese.

 Zander enjoyed his cuddles with his Aunt Jena. He is a very smiley and already is babbling a lot.  However I couldn't get a good picture of him smiling.

My goal was to get Liam to bed at his correct time, but Zander didn't take his late evening nap so I couldn't help Liam with his complete bedtime routine so he was still awake at 9:30 when they got home. Besides that, we had a great time and look forward to other invitations (hint, hint).

Kids say the darndest things--Scarlett style!

Finally on President's Day, Jena was over her cold so she finally got to meet James.  The day before he was born last week, Jena had made him a Welcome sign--"Wellcome James Part big family Aunt Jena".  What a luck boy to have an aunt like Jena to welcome him to the world.  Fun times are ahead, little James with your Aunt Jena.

While we were there, Scarlett was enjoying having us there and was keeping us all entertained during the visit.  At one point, she told Grandpa Hall (Gary) that she needed to go to the "potty".  Gary suggested she asked me for help but then she started playing with something else.  Gary asked her: "Were you just pulling my leg?"  Scarlett immediately pops up from the floor and say "Come everybody" and she rushes over to Gary and begins pulling his leg. We were rolling with laughter and she was simply puzzled why we didn't rush to pull his leg as well.  The joys of learning English and all of its funny sayings.

Belated Valentine's Day

With school and life and Baby James's arrival the day before, Valentine's Day slipped by without much ado.  I still have a card and books for Liam and Zander in my car and Gary's card is actually still in a bag waiting for me to write a thoughtful and amazing tribute to him (because he is the best for me--maybe next year!).

However a couple of days later, Jena began work on a project which she gave us when she completed it.  She took a wooden frame and painted it pink and red and then wrote a scripture in the middle of it. This scripture is the one from Mathew where the shepherds were told about the birth of the Savior and they made haste to see the babe lying in a manger.  Isn't that one of the ultimate expressions of love--the gift of the Son of God born in a manger!  And surely I want to be found worshiping him in all I do like the shepherds on that nativity night.  Thanks, Jena, we love it!

Then on our walk in the park visit with Ben, he gave each of us a handmade Valentine's card with a person note inside each one.

Jessica and Elessia gave us these darling pictures of Liam and Zander:

Liam, age 20 months

Zander, age 2 months

Niki made this cute handprint card (for his Dad, I think) but we got to enjoy it through messenger:

Niki, age 2 1/2 years old

Scott and Chantel were overachievers this Valentine season with sweet James's arrival the day before the holiday:

James, 1 week

James and Scarlett, 2 1/2 years old

So when I was little, Valentine's day was the day of sugar cookies and Valentine Boxes and writing all of my classmates names' on little cards. As a teenager, it became the "romantic holiday" celebrated by married people and those who were dating in more serious relationships. But really it is a celebration of loving others--all others-- and family is the perfect summary of that.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 2017

I HOPE YOURS WAS AS GREAT AS OURS!

A walk in the park

We had some beautiful "spring-like" weather during the middle of February.  I think it was especially for us.  On the Saturday of President's weekend, we got to take Ben out of the hospital and walk around the grounds together.  Oh, how nice it was.  This is the first time we have been with him outside a hospital since he was admitted at the end of June last year.  It was a bit breezy but still enjoyable as we explored the grounds of the state hospital.  We were able to swing on their swings and take a walk around their duck pond.

 We had a snack break at the pond....

The clouds were rolling in from the south....

Of course if you are taking pictures in Provo,
you want one of the "Y"!

 We are looking forward to more walks and soon trips out to dinner or activities around the Provo area.  He is already allowed to go with staff out of the hospital and he has gone bowling and to a puppy barn in the past two weeks.  He is anxious to come home so that he can meet Zander and James and reconnect with Scarlett and Liam.  I think he misses them the most.