January: We've been in Rexburg for Christmas. Chris went home on the 3rd for some job hunting. (He's got an offer in Cincinnati.) He also went with Bernard Murphy to the DC Temple. Bernard is receiving his endowments.
13th - Chris was in DC with Bernard. Today there was a huge blizzard there and a plane crashed on the 14th Street bridge and went into the Potomac River. It sheered the tops off some cars as it was crashing. After Chris & Bernard got out of the temple the traffic was so terrible that Bernard suggested they just take the 14th Street bridge to the airport but Chris said no, they'd just end up sitting forever in the airport so they stopped at the museum of natural history and as they pulled into the parking lot they heard on the radio that the plane had just crashed. If they'd have decided to go straight to the airport, they would very possibly have been on that bridge when the plane came down! Anyway, flights were all cancelled so they ended up taking a train at 10:30pm and arrived in Boston 8am. Took subway to airport to get the car then Chris took Bernard home. What a time!
Grandpa Clarke has been in the hospital with pneumonia. We got permission for the girls to visit him in the hospital. He was so sweet. He pinned a $5 bill on their coats. We also went to visit my Grandma and Pa Klingler and got to hear Grandpa cheerily sing his little German song.
My Dad loves to ask Jenny to give the blessing on the food because although sincere, they are so funny! "Bless that we won't have a stomach ache when we get through eating this. Bless that we will go to bed - go straight to bed without yelling or bawling. And bless us not to eat any sugar. Not even a little bit so we won't have bad dreams and get leg aches. But if we do get some ....well... uh...I guess we'll just have to have a leg ache." Oh it was hard not to laugh!!!
Jenny is so funny! She had on chapstick and asked me to hold her lips up while she drank her glass of water. She was afraid it would come off while she drank.
After dinner she asked for a Popsicle. We went into the laundry room to get one and I told her to stay in there to eat it because Sharilyn wasn't finished eating yet. Just then Sharilyn came running in and with an "Ah Ha!" type voice she said "I SEE YOU!! We all laughed so hard because we didn't even know she knew how to say that!
17th - We flew back to Boston. Terrible snow storms. Even though it was emotional leaving, the girls easily boarded the plane because Jenny was so excited to see Chris and kept jumping up and down saying "I get to see my daddy!!" Once we got on the plane and Jenny saw that we were leaving her grandparents behind she started crying uncontrollably. My Dad was so worried about me flying alone with the kids. He suggested I tie the ends of my scarf on the girls hands in our layover in Chicago, which I did and it worked well.
My Dad loves to ask Jenny to give the blessing on the food because although sincere, they are so funny! "Bless that we won't have a stomach ache when we get through eating this. Bless that we will go to bed - go straight to bed without yelling or bawling. And bless us not to eat any sugar. Not even a little bit so we won't have bad dreams and get leg aches. But if we do get some ....well... uh...I guess we'll just have to have a leg ache." Oh it was hard not to laugh!!!
Jenny is so funny! She had on chapstick and asked me to hold her lips up while she drank her glass of water. She was afraid it would come off while she drank.
After dinner she asked for a Popsicle. We went into the laundry room to get one and I told her to stay in there to eat it because Sharilyn wasn't finished eating yet. Just then Sharilyn came running in and with an "Ah Ha!" type voice she said "I SEE YOU!! We all laughed so hard because we didn't even know she knew how to say that!
17th - We flew back to Boston. Terrible snow storms. Even though it was emotional leaving, the girls easily boarded the plane because Jenny was so excited to see Chris and kept jumping up and down saying "I get to see my daddy!!" Once we got on the plane and Jenny saw that we were leaving her grandparents behind she started crying uncontrollably. My Dad was so worried about me flying alone with the kids. He suggested I tie the ends of my scarf on the girls hands in our layover in Chicago, which I did and it worked well.
February
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| Happy Birthday Jenny!!! Friends, Tiffany Bullock, Stacy & Elizabeth Clarke |
Today they celebrated Jennifer's birthday in nursery school. I made some cute decorated cookies and put them on a popsicle stick.
Chris is working at Harvard. There's a possibility we will be moving to Chicago. I don't want to leave here. I feel like I've just so melted into this place and the people that I'll have to be scraped up from the ground with a spatula. I'm so attached. Chris has had a lot of interviews and so he's needed the car. I've had to use a taxi a few times to pick Jenny up from school.
I am excited that I get to visit teach Michelle Ainge. She is the wife of Danny Ainge (former BYU star while we were there and now he's on the Boston Celtics) They live in a gorgeous 5 bedroom mansion in W. Newton and have two little kids.
Well, everything has happened so fast. I guess we are moving to Chicago the end of this month. Things have just fallen into place like we are supposed to go to Chicago but I've felt a bit like a stubborn mule over it. We are moving and I really don't want to. It's so tearful saying goodbye to people and wondering if we'll ever see them again.
I am excited that I get to visit teach Michelle Ainge. She is the wife of Danny Ainge (former BYU star while we were there and now he's on the Boston Celtics) They live in a gorgeous 5 bedroom mansion in W. Newton and have two little kids.
Well, everything has happened so fast. I guess we are moving to Chicago the end of this month. Things have just fallen into place like we are supposed to go to Chicago but I've felt a bit like a stubborn mule over it. We are moving and I really don't want to. It's so tearful saying goodbye to people and wondering if we'll ever see them again.
Had a fun ward 50's party tonight. I was in the program with LaVern Hawkins, Hannah Goldberg, Marsha Lavin. We did a fun dance to "Soldier Boy" and "He's so Fine". Someone told me that dressed like that in the army hat etc. I looked just like Goldie Hawn! ha ha. Chris, Fred Bowman, Glen Hawkins, Br. Lavin & Br. Goldberg did a dance to "The Hop" and "Walk Like a Man". We all had a blast. Br. Lavin got a line dance going to "Oh when the Saints come marching In" It was announced to everyone that we were leaving and they expressed their love and wishes to us. Oh, they've all become such a special part of our lives. I've cried a lot.
I feel so bad pulling Jennifer out of her school again. Her teacher had tears as she hugged Jennifer goodbye.
So many have invited us to dinner and come to say goodbye. Lugton's gave us 4 little boxes. One had a belt buckle with a polished stone and the other 3 contained a Herkimer Diamond necklace. They used to spend weekends collecting the rocks with these gems and even had shows and sold them. What special gifts.
Northbrook IL
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| 2233 Oak Avenue |
We piled belongings into our '74 VW bug and headed to Illinois.
We are living on Oak Ave and the house we're renting has 12 leaks in the roof. We have to put all our pots and pans out to catch the leaks every time it rains. We only have a key to the back door because the landlady lost the other keys. Chris works for John Morton Company. He takes a train to Chicago about 7:30am. Our street is really beautiful! It's lined with tall shady Oak Trees and there are Cardinals, Blue Jays, Squirrels, woodpeckers, and rabbits! So much life all around us! The squirrels leap from branch to branch in the trees!
March 10
Sharilyn was so excited and impressed with Jennifer's birthday that she got super excited when she finally realized this one was for her and we were singing to her. When I put the candles on the cake she stood by with anxious bright eyes, patted herself and said "Me?!!" I said "yes it's for you" and she asked "I have some Happy Birthday to you?!" She was so cute and full of happy smiles.
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| Two years old!! :) |
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| Happy Birthday Sharilyn!! :) |
Jennifer's foot fell asleep and she was hitting it saying "Don't foot!! Spank you hard!" another funny: "Sharilyn! Heavenly Father didn't give you a mouth to yell with!"
April
Chris had on business in LA. He visited Aunt Tude hoping to get the civil war sword that's been handed down to him from his Dad but she wants him to wait until he's 30.
It's whispering spring outside but winter is still speaking louder.
Kevin called from the airport but I couldn't go see him. He's on his way to Temple Square for the last bit of his mission. It's a new calling, having missionaries with foreign language skills there. He (and Mom & Dad) got a letter from Pres. Kimball which said that after reviewing Kevin's merits and good report from the Mission Pres. and after reviewing it with the Lord, they have chosen him. It's an honor but Kevin will miss being in the Geneva Switzerland mission. He's mostly been in France but the last 6 weeks he finally got to be in Switzerland and loves it.
I signed Jennifer up for Safety Town in June. It's through the community and the kids ride big wheels and learn all about traffic safety etc.
Our dear next door neighbors (Peter and Rosemary) are so wonderful. Pete noticed us propping our door open to let in air and he just out of the goodness of his heart surprised us with a screen door he made for us!
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May
Dad had a business trip over here and Republic Airlines had a buy one get one free offer so Mom came too and we got to spend 5 days together. Such a fun surprise! Dad called and said "Hey, if we were to drop in there Sunday, would you be home?" ha ha! We took them sight seeing, Sears Tower, and to the lake etc.
I got to go to a mother's coffee in regards to Jennifer's nursery school and I now have her off the waiting list and officially enrolled for fall. Sis. Knighton in Boston taught me that people only think you are weird in refusing coffee or alcohol if you act apologetic and embarrassed or uneasy so I tried out my gracious no thank you with a smile.
That makes me remember something else I learned in Boston from Br. Goldberg. When we do something, we know for just a tiny second of time if it is right or wrong. Like even in something very small...if you want to take the paperclip home from your office, you know for just a second if that is right or wrong.
Mike and Brenda got married on the 28th in Seattle Temple. I was so sad we couldn't make it. Mike's been so cute and bubbly and starry eyed since they got engaged.
JUNE
Jennifer loves Safety Town at the Park District. They ride big wheels on black top that has roads drawn on it, side walks and cross walks. There are miniature buildings, stop lights and road signs. They learn about traffic safety, water safety, playground safety, poisons etc. The day I helped out someone from the Coast Guard came and taught about boat and water safety.
JULY
The weather has been so very hot (100) and humid & we only have a little window air conditioner in our bedroom so we let the girls sleep in there with us. We've had hard pouring rain and even though Chris coated the roof with roof cement we still got rain dripping through. Sharilyn was sick with fever and throwing up but still wanted to come in a say the blessing when it was time for dinner! So cute. I helped her and when it got to "in the name" she paused and said "And bless frampa Klingler, in the name..." They really made an impression on her while they were here because in her prayers she tells Heavenly Father that she misses them.
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| John Morton party at Lake Michigan |
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| Pioneer Day |
Jennifer got to go to Bible School at Grace Lutheran Church the past 2 weeks. It's a short walk from us and she's loved it. They learn a bible story, songs and games.
Our landlady is selling us this house! She will help us finance it and we should close the end of this month. It's got a ton of problems...roof, rotted window sills, rusted rain gutters, mold...but...gets us into our first home.
Poor Chris. On the 7th he broke his leg just above the ankle while playing church baseball. He caught his foot as he was sliding into home plate. He was in so much pain and had to have surgery to screw in a plate to hold it together and to repair some torn ligaments. He was in the hospital several days.
Some friends came to play and we ate our lunches outside on a tablecloth. A full bushy tailed squirrel took opportunity when seeing the girls playing away from the food, to sneak up on it like a cat. It grabbed Jennifer's lunch bag, tipped it upside down spilling the contents, grabbed her sandwich and made a quick get away back to the bushes. We watched it free the sandwich from the baggie and devour it!
Our kind Mr. Anderson next door helped me hang a tire swing in the tree for the girls. They were so excited - partly because Sesame Street has a tire swing.
Man, I've felt so blessed with people getting new things and putting the old things out on the curb for trash pickup! We now have a wooden desk with drawers and a full size picnic table with two benches!
September
2nd We closed the deal on our house! Even with all it's problems, I just feel so blessed. We live in one of the best suburbs, one of the best school districts and with the best school (Greenbriar). We found this house in just a day and after 6 months of renting we bought it! When we came to Northbrook to look for a place to live, the realtor who owns this house, showed us several. We picked the one in Northfield because we really liked it and it was a little bigger and at the end of a dead end street. As we sat in the office to sign the papers, I got a strong feeling that we were making a mistake and that we needed to take the Northbrook home. I shared my feelings with Chris and he said he felt the same say. We then told the realtor that we changed our mind and what a blessing it's been.
It's strange but we feel that Chris losing his job in MA was actually a blessing because it helped us take a necessary step in our lives to get to where the Lord wants us to be.
We made a trip to Rexburg for Chris's birthday! (See next page)
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| Nursery School Photo |
23rd: I went to my first Northshore Musicians Club Women's Choir meeting! We're singing some wonderful songs and I feel so honored to be included with this group. It's by invitation only and Joe Downing, our director, invited me! I'm very excited and have now experienced the good side of "It's not what you know but who you know" ha ha
After only 6 months with the business Chris received a raise and promotion. His new title is "Manager of Technical Services". He was also made Elders Quorum Pres this month.
24th: We can put away our buckets and pots and pans - we got a new roof!! Yay!
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| I put pony tails in Sharilyn’s hair and she started hopping around and around saying “I a rabbit!” |
October
Jennifer got invited to Melinda's bday party next door. She got a "2 wheeler" with training wheels and all the kids went out riding their bikes because all of them except Jennifer have one. Poor Jennifer was left out but I was so impressed that she never complained or begged for one. Just one week later I was at a rummage sale to get a bicycle seat ($3.50) and found a 2 Schwinn wheeler for only $10 in excellent condition. I got a pair of training wheels for $6.00 and we were set. I was very excited.
Jennifer's teacher, Mrs. Parelli, called just to tell me that Jennifer was doing great at the nursery school.
We found out this month that the company president of JMC, Rich Johnson, is going to open an office in Sun Valley Idaho so the VP (Kirt Jones) will manage the Chicago office and Chris will now be in charge of the Evanston Office.
Someone gave us free tickets to a circus!! When I told Jennifer that we were going to the circus she nearly leaped out of her skin - she was so excited jumping, clapping and squealing. I explained how there were trapeze artists, elephants and clowns. Sharilyn just stood wide eyed staring at me and in a very worried voice said "I scared of clowns mommy." Jennifer still bubbling asked if she could go up by the elephants & Sharilyn said very worried "Elephants won't eat Jennifer will they Mom?"
Jennifer loved the circus and was squealing the whole evening and told us thank you. Sharilyn didn't say much or show much excitement. I think she was very concerned. Chris got a cotton candy to share and Jennifer asked "Is this something you eat?" Sharilyn looked shocked and surprised when she saw us eat it and she wouldn't eat any herself until I mashed some into a ball that looked more edible. Ha ha...still she wasn't terribly impressed. This was all a bit much for a 2 year old.
10th: Great news today. After much opposition and then a stake fast, last night in the Glenview city meeting the approved the building of the Chicago Temple!
17th: Jennifer has been begging for a little baby, saying that we can't just have two kids, we need more. "So when are you going to have some more huh Mom? When are you?" I told her that I was sure that when Heavenly Father wanted us to have another one than we will. She replied (always the positive thinker) "Well Mom, you know you can do whatever you think you can do and you can be whatever you want to be so just be pregnant. Just say you're pregnant and you'll be pregnant!"
I was walking Sharilyn to the nursery and as we passed the RS room she pointed at it and asked "Is this Your nursery Mom?"
Chris and Lyn Kite and Marcus and Andrea Hutchins & their two kids joined us for Thanksgiving.
I went visiting teaching and Jennifer said this about one of the children: "That little boy is just so nice, it makes me get a little tear in my eye when I see him because it makes me think of Steven and I just really miss Steven."
Via our backyard neighbor, Debbie Coulter, I've started babysitting at the Village Church for the ladies board meeting. They pay me $5.00/hour and I get to bring the girls. I will do this twice a month.
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| We got to ride in Santa's sleigh! |
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| Car washing on Christmas day |
