A new year once again begins and what we do with it is so vast and open to us.
So funny, I put a pretty green fabric on the lower half of the wall (with starch) for Christmas. Nimbus sits like a gargoyle and stares at a spot by the basement door like he's in a trance! It looks like he's trying to see a "magic eye" picture or something. Makes me laugh!
Sawtooth is having the annual meeting over here Friday...whoa, I need to clean house and the poor love seat is embarrassingly shredded and shot! Oh well.
I love serving in the Stake RS presidency. We trained 3 new presidencies this week. I'm also serving as a VP for our Daughter of Utah Pioneers chapter. I don't know what I'm doing there yet. We're struggling to get this chapter going but we're trying.
We had a lovely holiday week. It was wonderful to talk to Aaron on Christmas and enjoy the girls being home for holidays. Sure hate to see it end. My heart is full as I think of each of our children and how wonderful they are.
Jay and Roz Sorenson are serving a mission in Guatemala (see next page) and they invited us to come see them. I doubt they thought we actually would but what they don't know is that it doesn't take much to get Chris booking tickets!
Marilyn Leonard (of Port Angeles) and I hosted a Daughter of Utah Pioneers activity in our church building. We had a medical doctor who is an expert in women's health come and talk about aging processes. We had a pretty good turnout of about 18 and it went really well.
I was asked and have been teaching a course on parenting in the ward. I wish it would solve my problems. It's a great course but I sure am experiencing the fact that parenting isn't done by the book. Parenting has exhausting challenges and sorrows like when your little lamb is wandering. I love a comment from Elder Holland "Maybe you can't teach them today but you can love them and maybe teach them tomorrow." I'm grateful for the hope of tomorrow and grateful that we have raised up our children in the way they should go even though free is not what agency is. There is always a cost but we pray harder, exercising extra love and patience and in the Savior.
Jan 24 Tonight Andrew received his Life Scout award and Varsity letter and some merit badges in Ct of Honor. He got a prize for getting the most awards of the evening and came home very happy.
I finished painting the big "sea out the window" scene and it sits on the mantle hiding the tv. I love it!
Jan 27: Andrew performed an original song in Mrs. Reichner's class yesterday. He tried to change his project at the beginning of the week because he was getting nervous but Mrs. R said absolutely not...too many people looking forward to it. Mrs. R must have spread the word because some kids, including Stevie, Rachel and Kevin left their classes and came to Reichner's just to hear Andrew! Andrea said it went great. After his performance and girl in the class said "I have one thing to say Andrew; will you marry me?" ha ha! Drea said "right now, Andrew can have any girl in the whole school!" He was a hit and came home and fell asleep then woke up and sang with his guitar all night! - For Andrea's project she wrote an amazing and suspenseful short story! I love it!!Also today - Our dear Prophet, President Hinckley died. What a joyful day he must be having.
January has been waking us each morning with heavy frost. Oh the poor pompous grass! But how glorious are the primroses!! I can't believe such a flower exists! They are like happy smiles on a dreary day! Beautiful primroses in so many colors are truly God's gift to winter! I love them! Ah - I would write a song about them if only I were as brilliant as they are!
It's February! Everything still looks and feels like January but the sound of February - just knowing that's the month, makes the heart glad. It's the month of valentines and hearts and loving wishes and hope of spring and Jen's birthday!
Andrea was going to Stevie's and hit ice and totaled the Plymouth.
Andrea and Andrew have been very busy with play rehearsals and performances. They finished their final performance of Mid Summer Night's Dream on Saturday. They are so cute and did amazing! It'll be out of one fire and into another though. They are trying out for "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."
Andrew's Italian solo piece is taking him to state competitions!
Andrea went to Allstate with her flute and piccolo.
I have people all lined up for the soup kitchen this thurs. and I've got a huge committee pulled together for our Stake Enrichment Day in April.
Aaron will arrive home on the 17th and they have him speaking in the ward the very next day. Holy cow! Chris will also be speaking. We are going to pick Aaron up. We're all getting so excited. Andrea is counting down the days as are the Sawtoothians. Richard Wadsworth and other ward people keep talking about it. Mr Meachum up the road is excited to see "the professor". He sure loves Aaron.
We were all scattered today for church. I went with Stake RS to Forks, Dad spoke in Joyce, Drea went to our ward with McFarlands and Andrew stayed home.
This weekend Chris and I have an opera, "Daphne", in Victoria for our anniversary then next weekend we go to Moscow with the jazz band (even though we have no kids in jazz band this year) then the Thurs after that we go to Brazil!! I'm so nervous but so excited to go get Aaron!! He says it seems like we've all become a storybook. Every week he just writes more and more and he's excited that this story is real. His last email to us before we left "I am getting excited to see you guys. Though, it still hasn't hit me that the mission is ending. I am not trunky and have no desire to slow down my work."
Jarom called me because he's excited about us coming. He's so cute. He didn't want to go to church because he was afraid we might come while they were gone.
When we got to the Beans, we knocked and went in and Jarom said "abalagijaterblag. I'm speaking Spanish today!" ha ha ha
Shar was telling me that Jarom was playing a game on their computer and when he won Shar said "Jarom you won!" He replied "No Mom, I'm three actually!" ha ha! After that when he would win a game he would shout "Hooray I three!"
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| Ferry to Victoria |
YW had a dinner with gold fish on all the tables. Andrea brought home 3 goldfish that were doomed for the toilet! We ran to Walmart and got an aquarium. Andrea is such a sweet, thoughtful, wonderful daughter. She is talented, smart and cheery and lightens our lives.
Somebody crashed into the Sawtooth building overnight! The wall concaved in Aaron Hill's office and bowed a beam! Huge major repair! No ideas of who did it! Must have really wrecked their car.
March
Aaron returned from Brazil! (see next page for trip to Brazil)
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| Aaron at the Stake Center to be released |
In just this short time Aaron he has spoken in church and at high council mtg and a youth fireside that we had at our house...44 people and then a neighborhood gathering at our home - 28 people. He also spoke at the community school social science class. He's a ward missionary and working at Sawtooth. He is the speaker for the Easter program that the stake and community is invited to. I'm amazed at all he's shared with so many.
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Kids decked the house with Christmas lights for Aaron's return! |
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Andrew sang his original song, Eskimo Boy in the school talent show and won 2nd place! |
We invited friends and neighbors over for a "fireside" with Aaron to have Brazilian food, music and learn about the culture etc. It was a great turnout and they all loved it. I was touched to receive several thank you notes from people expressing their enjoyment of the event. We got many emailed thankyou notes and compliments on the event.
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Holy socks!
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Spring Cleaning:
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| Ok, how many people live here?!! |
April:
Andrea flew to Idaho to drive home with Emily so Em wouldn't have to drive alone. On their way here, they stopped in Moscow and stayed with Bean's for a night.
Jen went to a conference in Boston (from Albany) and got stranded because the bus heading back was full.
Easter: April 8th!
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| Bahaha! Grumpy bunny! |
We had a fun trip with the band to Disneyland. (see next page) They won several awards and all came back happy. Jen got to fly out and go with us!
Andrew got First Place Silver at the choir competition.
I've been really busy preparing for our stake RS activity. We did a "Spiritual Spa" with a luncheon, classes (10 minute classes on each of the senses and a service project. (senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, smell and sense of the spirit, sense of love and service). (see journal for more details) We had 98 in attendance!
After being in Guatemala with Sorensen's and finding out that the church humanitarian aid was currently asking for school kit donations - we decided to help! (What amazing timing!) In the service segment we put together school kits for children in Guatemala. Wards have been busy sewing bags and gathering supplies and we assembled them all at this activity. Emily counted and we made 144 kits! We'll take them to the Bishop's Storehouse in Bremerton and they will send them to the church to be included in one of their containers being sent to Guatemala. They are needing 8,000 kits!
These 3 photos below of the kids receiving the school kits came months later from Rosalind:


May |
Wow! Andrea got ladened at school on her birthday!!! |
Twins have turned 16!
I texted Andrea to see if she wanted a ride home. She replied "Yes. Yes. And yes! I'll try to get someone to help me carry my stuff out! I got 6 bouquets of flowers!"
Andrea passed her driving test and has her license! Andrew hasn't had time to take the test yet.
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 | Mr Numbus Kitty
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We got to watch Jennifer in a live feed as she presented in the "colloquium series". One of the stories she talked about was from the book "Who Moved My Cheese". She did such a great job! I have read and love that motivational book.
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I'd fall asleep too working out of that many books at the same time! I'd love to read that paper your working on! |
Irrigation Festival
Mom Clarke has been here visiting the past month. Aaron and I flew with her on her return to Rexburg this past weekend and got to stay a few days to visit.
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| Planting flowers at Mom and Dad's |
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Me whistling with Peetie Peetie admiring himself in the mirror Aaron playing music with Peetie |
The twins finished the Operetta season "7 Brides for 7 Brothers". Andrew was a brother and Andrea one of the town folk. The production was a huge success. Very grueling mixed with homework, band commitments, irrigation festival stuff and parades etc.
Em and Aaron are both working at Sawtooth. My Nephew, Christopher Klingler is living with us for the summer. He's engaged to Heather Gale in Chimicum. It's been fun to get to know her and we have quite a house full most of the time.
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| Chris & Heather with us this summer |
Andrea and Andrew got picked to represent SHS at the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar in Spokane. Chris and Aaron will be facilitators and I will to to Moscow to visit grandkids. I'm excited for Tom and Shar because they are moving out of their small trailer and into a home! They close on June 15th! Yay!
At our Daughter of Utah Pioneers meeting a week ago the regional head form Seattle came to help train us. Marilyn Leonard has been president of our Emeline B. Wells company but she announced that she can't do it anymore and nominated me. Everyone handed me all the stuff without a vote! I haven't accepted because I just can't add one more thing. I don't yet know what to do.

Chris and Aaron both spoke in Forks. Drea and I went also. Em went to Seatac to get Amy J who is visiting. On the way home they picked up Andrew and joined us at Salt Creek for a picnic. Brrrrr - fun but cold and windy.
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| Em at the Marina Sequim Bay |
JUNE
Aaron still seems to be in demand on the church speaking circuit ha ha. He freely shares his talents. He has sooo many cool ideas for books to write and inventions to invent and businesses to begin. I'm glad there's such a thing as eternity. This Sunday Aaron is speaking in Joyce, Chris is speaking in PA, Andrew is speaking in our ward and I'm so glad I don't have a stake assignment. I will stay in our ward with Andrew. Wish I could hear them all.
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| Seven Brides for Seven Brothers |
Emily & Andrea have been busy preparing for girls camp. They will be youth leaders. Actually we're all busy with camp! Drea has been making a song book and we have 80 to print off. Aaron is going up on tues to be in a skit and Chris and I are speaking there on Thurs. We, Stake RS Presidency, met here tues and baked cookies for the girls. I have a box of 228 cookies in our freezer ready to take them to camp. Last night we were all up late working on crafts/decor etc. McFarland's came over to help. Made marble magnets and candy scriptures for handouts.
Em and Aaron are both registered for school in the fall. I always miss them so. Em will have her bachelors' degree in December. Aaron will go to BYU in Provo.
Andrea drives to school each morning - seminary is over now. She wrote a really thrilling suspense story for her IWP (Individual writing project)
Andrew got elected to be operetta club President next year and also class senator. He was gone to an ASB campout at Ramblewood last night and then they all went to school from there this morning. He has written another pretty song "Sweetheart Lullaby" that he sang for his IWP
Chris and I went to San Fran for 3 days (MRA Conf) and got to see Margo and go to lunch together.
Uncle John and Aunt Virginia came to visit for a few days. Nice to get to know Virginia better. She's darling! I just love her.
We got to go to the temple with Gilliam's who got sealed together with Heath, Hunter and Katianne. Such a wonderful feeling!
So at camp: It's so great to see your kids in leadersip positions doing so well and everyone loving them! Yay! ....The cookies at camp were a hit but...sheesh! I stood up and asked the girls what they thought of when they heard the word Relief Society. Someone said "old people" (I hoped for love or service) then someone said "old ladies who make cookies". Oh dear, embarrassing that I was now going to hand out cookies! I explained a little about RS and that Sis Mitchel had found chocolate chips in all the YW value colors and we were bringing this to them out of love. They "ooooo'd" and "mmmm'd" ha ha
Aaron is so smart! He made me a RS website and it's up and working. I'm so excited and grateful to him. This will be a place where all the wards can share ideas with everyone and let us know what they are doing. I'm so pleased with it! (sisters.wking.com)
Sunday Chris spoke in PA, Aaron spoke in Joyce and Andrew spoke in our ward. Fortunately I didn't have a stake assignment so I could be in our ward with Andrew. Wish I could have heard them all. I really loved Andrew's talk and was so proud of him. He spoke on testimony and shared his "conversion". He said how he prayed for months and didn't get an answer. He said how he had been born & raised in the church & remembered feeling the spirit before so he decided to change the question he was asking the Lord. He asked Him to bless him to recognize the feeling of the spirit and that is when he got his answer. He bore testimony saying "With great joy I testify..."
JULY
Jen's car broke down and she had to rent a car to go to her conference in Pennsylvania. (from Albany)
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| Emily in our backyard raspberry patch |
Andrea and Aaron went to Silverdale for the midnight showing of Harry Potter.
Went to Europe (see next page)
AUG
We're back from Germany...sort of ha ha...so jetlagged! We all woke up at 3am and couldn't go back to sleep. Em heard a deer leap the fence by her window and got up to chase it out of the back yard and all the rest of us ended up as well. Problem is we all feel like zombies early in the day!
Thomas family (5 children) came to visit from the Marshal Islands. Thad used to work for Sawtooth. I'll try not to be too tired for them!
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| Thomas's gave us girls shell necklaces from Marshall Islands :) |
Campout at Lake Ozette:

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Lake Ozette
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Chris, Emily, Andrew and his school friend, Isaac Bockelheid, are camping on Tivoli Island at Lake Ozette. They stayed on Garden Island the first night with Daylin Mitchel then kayaked to Tivoli.
Chris and Heather's reception is here this weekend so we will have lots of family up including Bean's :) Andrea is at EFY in Rexburg. She texts me that she is having a great time. I was going to go with her but we flew her out because Jen is here and Tom and Shar were coming to see Jen before she flies back to NY. Also Mike and Brenda and family were here for the wedding of Chris and Heather.
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| Kayaking with Jarom on Sequim Bay |
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Had Family Photos taken in our backyard
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| Eating at Denny's |
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| Zoo |
Chris is back from his MRA conf in NY. We've had a week with 11 people here but we left the messy house to go on a fun family campout to Leavenworth. Got rain and wet tents and a mess to clean up camp but had a great time. Day before we left, the kids car broke down, the TV broke and I backed up and knocked over our mailbox, breaking the post. (I was running late... in a hurry getting to Izola's - 98 year old I help.) Also Em got a weird cist like thing in her ear and went to the Dr. They gave her antibiotic but she forgot to bring it to camp. She and Chris leave for Belize on a scuba trip this Wednesday they hope...Hurricane Dean in there right now.
Jarom made snow angels in the dirt and had a bit of diarrhea so he was pretty messy on both sides of his clothing! Tents are in the backyard to dry but it's raining here too so it will take awhile. There's a great deal of clean up to do with camp stuff and all the people that have been here.
Aug 29 Aaron is on his way to Provo driving by himself. I'm so sorry I couldn't go with him. Chris and Em are stranded in Belize. They were supposed to fly out tonight but a big storm and flooding hit so the earliest they can leave now is tomorrow evening. They've had a great time touring and scuba diving. Glad they were able to go! It was on the tail end of Hurricane Dean. (see photos on next page)
Poor Aaron had to drive that long tiring drive alone and he hadn't had much sleep before leaving. I don't like that! I kept in touch with him via cell all through the night. Hotels in Burley and Tremonton were all full! (I called them all!) He ended up sleeping on Paula and Rocks sofa for 6 hours and then they gave him breakfast. Em will get home from Belize and get ready to leave next week for BYU-I. I sure miss the kids when they go.
Today I mowed and Andrew helped rake up the piles of grass. Andrea & I weeded. Also I'm excited that today Aaron put a counter on the sisters website to see how many people are using it. He is so smart to do things like that! Andrew got his Hebrew courses from BYU today. Sheesh it looks hard!
Mom tells me Elder Richard Scott (Dad's study buddy in Oakridge Tenn) was at conference in Iona so he went with Mike and Brenda & they sat on the front row. About 20 minutes into the session Elder Scott saw Dad and just grinned from ear to ear. After the session he left the waiting crowd and came down and gave Dad a big hug. It made Dad so happy. They were able to talk a little and hug a little and exchanged phone numbers.
SEPT
Em has now headed off to BYU-I. Sure don't like partings. Chris was 2 days in Santa Rosa to set up for a conference then off to Esomar in Germany for 8 days.
12th Chris received his Scouting Woodbadge in a beading ceremony in Chimacum tonight. I'm proud of him. He leaves today for Berlin and will be gone a week.
Jarom sang Sponge Bob Square Pants to me on the phone today. When he was finished he said "Goodbye. Okay, here is your sweetheart" and handed the phone to Shar. ha ha
I'm hobbling around on a sprained ankle. Drea is so sweet and texts me from school to see if I'm ok.
Twins tried out for school play, Crazy Camp. Andrea landed the lead female role and Andrew the 2nd male lead! They can't seem to resist trying out for plays. ha ha! It's love/hate because of the huge time commitment.
While we were all at a meeting in PA with Elder Walker and Pres. Pearson, Andrea was babysitting Squires and the power went out. She texted me that Isaac was scared and she didn't know what to do. She is so clever and made it fun by using a flashlight and making shadow pictures on the wall.
Jen is doing great in NY. She moved into the Branch Presidents basement for a few days because she said life was "out of control" and she needed to "hide out" to get some dissertation work done.
9-24: Got this text from Andrew ha ha: "So I'm in Hebrew, am reading the story of Jonah and the whale right now and ...frankly I find it very hard to swallow." I love his sense of humor. He and Hunter are taking Hebrew through BYU and got it approved through the HS for their language credit. The librarian gave them a place to study at a regular time. They have their first assignment ready to mail into BYU. They used audio cassettes etc. - on a side note, some skunks moved under the Gilliam house, under Hunter's bedroom so he smells strongly of skunk. It smells up the whole house when he is here.
Chris is on a campout with Andrew, James Lowrance and Isaac.
We invited Trish and James out for dinner and that's when Andrew invited him. The other day James wanted to talk so Andrew talked to him for 4 hours. Andrew told me he had homework but didn't want to cut James off so as a result he didn't get all his homework done and was late for seminary, which also made Andrea late. (She was very good natured about it). That day in Br. Hall's book they both got a tardy and possibly marked down in a school assignment but in the Lord's book he got an A and Andrea got an A for her love and patience while waiting for Andrew. (the other day they left in plenty of time and got to seminary at 6:59 - one minute early but Jeff said they were late and so they didn't get a donut.) :(
October
I love this note that Andrew wrote and put on his bathroom mirror:
Isn't it such a blessing
To have new days to restart
New weeks to re-evaluate
New months to re-concentrate
and new years to re-DEDICATE
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Victoria BC
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10-15 We went to the opera in Victoria this past weekend and then Chris left for the Santa Rosa Conference for a week which will butt right up to a business trip to Atlanta for another week. Anyway, as I was working on my talk (and a mountain of things to do) for Thursday's stake auxiliary training mtg I got a call from someone helping Izola and she just had a massive stroke that left her partially paralyzed and unable to speak. I ran over and sat with her until her son could arrive from Seattle. I will sure miss her. She is adorable and bubbly my favorite thing she told me was "Well, I could complain, but that wouldn't do any good" then she'd giggle in her cute way. I just love her.
10-16
I went to see Izola again today. She kept lifting up her hand and pointing to the ceiling. I wonder if her hubby was there to receive her. She passed away a few minutes after I left. I have grown close to Izola and will miss her sorely. ---There was a brilliant double rainbow arching mightily over the bay. So beautiful. Much of the world explains it away with science but I still look at it as miraculous, a gift from God still reminding us of His covenant. I took a meal to someone with a new baby. All in a day, birth, death and a rainbow. The hand of God working continually on this Earth.
Chris is still in CA on business trip. He will be home in time for Izola's funeral which I'm glad about. Andrea, Stevie, Jennie and James are double dating to homecoming dance Saturday. Drea is borrowing a dress and I'm making a shrug for it because it is sleeveless.
Candy Gammel is working now part time at Sawtooth. I trained her on a bunch of things today. Some things that I love doing I'm keeping for myself though ha ha.
It's spirit week so our costume box is spread all over as the kids look for hippy and toga stuff.
10-18 Auxiliary training was tonight. With all the many cares and worries, duties and running with Chris gone for the week etc, the Lord has guided me to the things I needed for tonight and in my mind so full it gets confused, He has calmed and helped me accomplish what is needed. I am so grateful.
10-19 Today Heavenly Father took Mom Clarke home. This has come as a great shock to us. She has suffered from dementia for sometime (see journal) but we really thought she had a few more years. I was able to get ahold of Chris in CA and he will come home a bit early. I'm thinking about the amazing reception Mom C must be receiving and how wonderful to be back with Dad King and Dad Clarke too. We will really miss her and have missed her for awhile as she hasn't been herself - hasn't truly been that cute "Grandma Clarke" for awhile now. ...We both speak in Izola's funeral tomorrow then Chris will head to Idaho and the kids and I will probably go Tues.
10-20 Well they say the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Andrea's large goldfish, Edgar, died and sweet little Francois just hovered beside him continually. It was so sad. Edgar and Francois are cute little companions. Izola's graveside service went nicely. Her ashes are buried close to Br. Bankston. As we were headed back to the car we saw Donna Bankston standing at John's grave crying. I held her in a long hug.
10-25 Mom Clarkes funeral service was beautiful. She has been an influence for good for so many people, full of talent and service. She is often referred to as very gracious and that she is. I would ike to be gracious like she is. Chris gave a beautiful life sketch and sang "Our Savior's Love"
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| Val, Tamara and Laurel |
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| Andrew with Peetie |
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| Raked leaves at Mom Clarkes then played and got photos |
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| Playing with Petey bird |
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| I love my Kids! |
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| Ha ha! Emily's pumpkin is eating a pumpkin!!! |
The Jeffrie's fireside at our home went well and food and paper goods worked out and seating space. They served a mission in So Africa and we enjoyed their tales. 35-40 people came.
November
Andrea and Andrew both have main roles in a play called Krazy Kamp. It is so funny! Andrea plays the camp director. Many kids from the ward are in the play.
Our ward had what they called "Invitation Sunday" around Thanksgiving and we invited 31 people! Andrea invited about 12 of her friends. I made some invitations and Dad went with me during his lunch hour to deliver them to friends and neighbors that know us. Everyone was so kind and gracious, invited us in and we had a great chat with many. It was a great experience inviting but unfortunately they had a RM speak and he talked about how to get your friends interested in the church instead of talking about Christ and His gospel etc. Only two of our neighbors came but they got offended by this speech and left early. I never would have invited anyone if I'd known they would talk like that with friends in the congregation. I'm so sad.
Yesterday Andrew passed his written exam for drivers license. Today I picked 7 big tomatoes & 44 cherry tomatoes from our backyard garden! (Wow - that's a lot of 4's - gotta mean good luck or something!)
We went to band parents meeting and I signed up to help with the holiday bazaar and also giftwrap at Swains in December. Lionel Hampton is arranged for Feb and weekend before is Allstate band and choir. Andrea made it into Allstate band - one of only 7 flutes in the state! Andrew made it into Allstate choir - one of only 3 voices from the school.
I went to a training a couple months ago in PA and got materials to set up a "Map your Neighborhood" which I did this week! It's 9 steps of what to do as a neighborhood in case of a disaster. We had 24 neighbors come to our home for this and it was so successful! They were really into it and enthusiastic to work together. We're going to do a neighborhood walk to map all the propane tanks.
Right after the neighbor activity 11 of Andrew's friends came over to have a sleep-over and plan their retreat. At 3:30am I was awakened by the dvd player getting to the end and was loud and in a loop. I got out of bed and maneuvered through the maize of sleeping boys on the floor to turn it off. As I was going back upstairs I saw shadows on the front porch that quickly fled. I wondered if there were boys locked out - outside. I stood in the entry wondering what to do when up came the kids again. I flew open the door and there was Tina Gruendell with the Laurels (who were also having a planning retreat). They came to saran wrap cars and steal all the boys shoes so boys would have to go to the church without them in the morning. After they'd gone I realized that Andrew was leaving in the morning for an overnight choir fieldtrip to Seattle and we had a ferry to catch for a temple sealing assignment. I called Andrea and asked her to please bring back Andrew's shoes because we would have zero time to retrieve them in the morning. She was very kind to bring them back and I went back upstairs to sleep. In the morning we left early to take Andrew to the school in his shoes that fit, picked up Br. Workman and headed to the temple. We left Kevin Beck in charge of locking up the house after everyone got picked up by the bishop.
Jen (still in NY) got a new puppy. She was with a friend who wanted to go to the pet store and the puppy took to Jen...they bonded. Jen really never wanted a dog and couldn't afford it. She went home and cried because she loved the puppy so much. She visited it everyday for a few days and finally couldn't stand it and just had to have him. They seem meant for each other. His name is Tucker and he's a beautiful white cockapoo.
Our tv broke in August and we haven't seemed to miss it. We are planning to get one for the holidays.
December
Jen is working on her dissertation and is a bit frazzled and still having serious joint problems. Tucker is such a good companion for Jen.
Emily is graduating this month! So proud of her. She texted me "I just got my hat and gown and totally feel like Harry Potter! he he"
Sheesh so far this month had 2 fund raising choir performances, enchilada making (and delivering) fund raiser for Nina Jones, party at Eveland's, ward party, company party, RS party, musical fireside (Andrew sang 2 numbers, Andrea accompanied one of them on flute, Chris sang and Drea and I played flutes) Andrew passed his driving test, dentist apt for the twins, HS play rehearsals and now Chris is on his way to Idaho to deal with some of Mom C's estate stuff. I leave on Thursday after Andrea's band concert to be there Friday for Emily's graduation (Batchelor in communications) and Saturday we'll move her to SLC where she will live and work and then the 3 of us will come home in time for Andrew's choir concert Monday and pick up Jen at the airport along the way. Oh goodness.
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| Emily with her bachelor's degree in Communications! |
Today someone asked me a question; a question that I have probably been asked no less than a dozen times in the last month and I'm sure you have been asked the same. The question was "Are you ready Christmas?" This question caused me to create this message:
Over 2,000 years ago some shepherds tending their sheep, hearkened to the voice of the angels and walked to Bethlehem to see the Christ Child. The wisemen must have been studying their scriptures and watching for the signs of the times because they recognized the star in the heavens as the sign of Christ's birth and they followed the start to Bethlehem, bringing gifts to the Christ Child.
Wouldn't it be great if we all put as much effort into preparing for the 2nd coming of the Savior as we do Christmas. As we study the scriptures prayerfully and watch for the signs, we are being like the wisemen. As we tenderly watch after the Lord's sheep & hearken to the voice of our prophet we are being like the Shepherds.
Are you ready for Christmas? Are you ready for Christ to come? As we carefully prepare and check off our lists we will be ready for Christmas. As we are listening and watching and walking toward the Savior with our loved ones, we will be ready when he comes.
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Our Stake RS Presidency Photo we made into a Christmas Card |
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| Caroling around the neighborhood |
Jennifer lives in NY and is working on her PhD in Rhetoric & Communications.
Sharilyn is married to Tom and has two children, Jarom and Kaydance. They live in Hayden Idaho. Tom works for the Navy testing unmanned submarines at Bayview on Lake Pend Oreille and Sharilyn runs a pre-school in her home.
Emily just graduated BYU ID with her bachelors degree in Communications.
Aaron is a sophomore at BYU and majoring in International Business
Andrea and Andrew are juniors at SHS involved in school plays, band and choir.
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| Protection Island from our view |
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Such great sports working together on a huge service project sandbagging due to flooding south of Seattle |
Happy Birthday Aaron!!!