How fun

Looks like all of my grandchildren that live close by are spending the night here tonight.  Now - what for breakfast?!

Hip Hip Hooray!

The tests I took today confirmed benign cysts.  I am so relieved.  I almost burst into tears when they told me.  I was only there for an hour.

I now have most all of my Christmas books in one section of the basement.  Tomorrow it will be putting all of the fiction books in one area.  Then in the afternoon we are heading as a Utah Family to Thanksgiving Point to the Ancient History museum.  Should be a fun afternoon.

Now I need to focus on getting my knees done.  Life is good.  Carianne's surgery is on Wednesday.  Pray all goes well.

Miracles and other news

I don't think Carianne will care if I share her good news.  Her liver has not fat on it and is down to normal size!  Her only health problem is she needs her gall bladder out.  It is nothing but a miracle.

I have been sorting through a few things.  I have not felt really good today because I had to be fitted for a crown on the bottom left side of my mouth.  I have been numb all day (it is very close to the root).  I keep pulling putty out of my mouth but feeling a lot better than I usually feel after a visit.  Hopefully there will be no repercussions tomorrow.

I finally got most all of the DVD's sorted and alphabetized.  We will keep the TV up here for the time being.  I still do not do stairs with the greatest of ease.  Hopefully we will get the media room set up down stairs in the next year or two.  It has been a good day.

A little bit of news

About a month ago - I went to have my mammogram done.  There was a question and so my old records were ordered from Rhode Island.  It turns out I have another spot that they are concerned about.  I will go in next Monday and have new pictures taken with a sonogram, etc. with the radiologist that comes down once a week.  Please pray that it is just an anomaly and nothing serious.

Rain and very close lightening

We had severe thunderstorms late this morning and early  this afternoon.  The lightening was so close it would almost flash with the thunder!  Evie was here with Heather and she was sure glad to cuddle up with her mom and be safe.  Heather and I picked another gallon of peas and some carrots.  I sent them home with her.  We also ran to the Norbest outlet store and I got some ground turkey,  turkey pastrami and turkey steaks.  We also got some turkey jerky but it was a bit 'wet' - not dry like you expect jerky to be.  It was really good though.  Then we went to the Conoco station in Moroni to the little food place in the gas station and got Sanpete Barbecue sandwiches.  I wish we had only gotten 1 because that was more sandwich than Clyde and I could ever eat alone.  Clyde, Bella and Brandon went and helped my bonus mother, Doreen out with some baptisms at the temple.  It is sunny and beautiful now.  It has been a good day.

Another busy Thursday

I got up this morning and fixed breakfast, did a load of wash and worked on my Sunday School lesson.  At 10:00 I went out and  picked peas for an hour. I came in started shelling five quarts of peas (and that is not all of them).  Fixed lunch and Clyde came and helped me finish shelling the peas - it took another hour.  We got 2 quarts of  peas put away.  Now the carrots are coming on fast and furious.  I will be busy for quite a while now getting this food put away.  I think the lettuce and spinach are over for this year.  Sure was good while it lasted.

Sunday School lesson

I have been preparing for my Sunday School lesson for Sunday.  The title is "To this end was I born."  There is a wonderful video from seminary in the 90's that is suggested to be shown but as I was looking through the lesson, I found this quote from some supplemental material.  It has really made me ponder - in the temple and as I have gone through my activities today.  I put it out there for you to think about.

Heber J. Grant:  "There is but one path to safety for the Latter-day Saints, and that is the path of duty.  It is not a testimony, it is not a marvelous manifestation, it is not knowing that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that it is a the plan of salvation, it is not knowing that the Savior is the Redeemer and that Joseph Smith was His prophet - that will save you and me;  but it is the keeping of the commandments of God, living the life of a Latter-day Saint."

I have had a smile or two over this.  For some reason, Pirates of Penzance music has been running through my head.  The theme of that play is 'duty first'.  I will try harder to keep the commandments and do my duty.

A wonderful reunion

This afternoon the Kilt's family (our neighbors in Ephraim for a few years) came over so Heather could take pictures of the family before Sam leaves for his mission.  It was a fun time - even though we were having severe thunderstorms at the time - with hail.  It finally broke enough for a family portrait in front of the old barn out back.  Heather also took some of them in the atrium and the formal living room.  Such a fun afternoon.  It has been a good day.

Thanksgiving Point

Today we went to the Curiosity Museum at Thanksgiving Point.  We went with the Bahlmann family and Evie.  Heather went to get her hair done and Bella has a full time babysitting job she had to 'tend' too.  We got there at 10:30 and left after 2:30.  It was so much fun and the grandchildren had a ball.  It was a great 'family day.'

Happy Birthday Dutch and America!

Aside from being the Nation's birthday celebration - today is my grandson, Dutch Davis' seventh birthday.  We had a wonderful birthday celebration yesterday.  Pam and Chris rented a water bouncy house (a shark house) and the kids played on it for hours!  Such a fun day to be reunited with family and friends once more. 

This morning we went to the Manti Park and listened and watched Ovation - with our granddaughter Bella Nordell being one of the performers.  Plus I saw several old friends from yesteryear.

This evening for the Manti Parade - we sat with the Bahlmann's and saw our granddaughter Evie Nordell, leading a miniature horse in the parade.  She was in heaven!  Such a fun day. 

Just Jammin' here!

My blood sugar has been on the high side ever since we got home.  I love bread and jam and this has been my biggest vice.  Whole grain bread only has 15 grams of carbs per slice but 1 teaspoon of most commercial jams is like 25-36 grams.  So Heidi and her kids helped me with 2 kinds of jam and Heather and everyone else helped with 1 more.  They are sugar free or low sugar.  One has a bit of granulated sugar (2/3 less than most freezer jam recipes) and one used sparkling apple juice for the sugar and the one we made today had honey and a Granny Smith Apple in it.  I can't decide which one I like best.  They all have multiple types of berries.  The one today was strawberry and blackberries, the 2 yesterday were raspberry, strawberry, blackberry and blueberry.  I think we have had a successful two days.

Tomorrow we are off to Sandy to celebrate our grandson, Dutch's, seventh birthday.  Should be fun to be with so much of the family again.

A Busy Day

This morning, Clyde went and helped take down chairs from the Mormon Miracle Pageant.  He came home about 8:00 and we ate breakfast.  We then headed to Provo to take a garbage bag of stuff to Deseret Industries, pick up Clyde's suits from Men's Wearhouse (they look marvelous on him) and then to get other errands taken care of.  I got a food mill to puree fruit for jam and jelly.  We got a new thermostat because our keeps trying to freeze us out (it flips to 60 degrees in the middle of the night for no reason.)  We got some KILZ so we can start repainting the guest bath on the main floor and then went to Costco.  We got home around 3 p.m.  We haven't been up north  for over 2 weeks - a record for us since we got home.  However because it is our grandson, Dutch Davis' birthday - we are going up again on Friday.  Good reason I would say.

Clyde has our kitchen about 3/4 finished.  It is a creamy yellow color with one accent wall that is a brighter yellow.  We both love it.  I did have Clyde save the inside of the spice cabinet the blue that was the original color my Grandma Sarah always had.  I love opening that cabinet and letting the memories rush in.

Yesterday...

Yesterday was my grandson Nathanael Pfiester's birthday.  He turned 13.  We thought about him all day but seemed to have one things after another happen.  Nathanael - you are so special to us.  We are thankful for such a special person to be a part of our family.  Have a wonderful year.

We got up yesterday and Clyde continued to try and figure out the sprinkling system for this house.  There is a leak and so far it has been like finding a needle in a haystack,  Heidi and I weeded in the gardens - Heidi much longer than me.  We had a lunch together and spent the afternoon with our Nordell granddaughters and a few extras.  At 4:30 we headed over to the Pageant dinners and cashiered again.  We got home at 9. 

We were supposed to have Mallory spend the night tonight but during dinner she had a major meltdown.  She is so tired.  Pageant has been hard on that little one but just two more times and life will go back to normal - or as normal as summer time lets it.

A Memorable Day

At 9:30 this morning, I went in for a mammogram.  I have not had one in over 2 years because of the mission.  I thought all was well until this afternoon when they called to see where I had had other mammograms done.  They need to look at my old results to see what those results were.  I must admit I have been a little off ever since that phone call.

We had a funeral at noon so we decided to go and get our Utah drivers license taken care of.  We finished that at 11:57  and headed to the Ephraim Stake Center.  We are now official residents of Utah. 

It was the funeral for Marie Beacham.  It was a sweet tribute.  We saw a lot of old friends and renewed acquaintances that we had not seen in over 12 years.  So much fun. 

At 3 p.m. - we headed to a nearby restaurant for something to eat and came home to get anything taken care of we would have done this morning.  Now, my grandchildren are weeding or watching TV, waiting for our bat watch this evening at 9:20 or so.  I love having these amazing young people so close.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all of the wonderful men in my life.  My son-in-laws are some of the most incredible fathers I have every met.  I am truly blessed by being surrounded by honorable men.

We have been very busy.  Friday we said goodbye to Cyndi Allen Peterson and her family.  It was so fun to have that time with one of my favorite cousins. 

Last night we helped cashier at the turkey dinners at the Armory here in Manti.  We bought some extra turkey for dinner today and boy am I glad we did.  It sure made dinner easy today.  I also saw some really fun people I had not seen in years! 

 I have had a migraine since 2:30 this morning.  It will be an early night tonight.

Fun times

Yesterday Cyndi and Eric Peterson came with Maggie and Roxy and Maggie's boyfriend, Brandon.  Charlie Allen, Cyndi's brother came down from Alpine and we had a wonderful visit.  The Peterson/Allen group went to the Mormon Miracle Pageant.  They left this morning.  We had a wonderful visit.  It was so fun to be with family and spend time with them again. 

Starting to make the house ours

Today the last of the furniture that we bought has arrived.  We now have 2 head boards in the yellow room and two end tables in the family room.  I also bought some latex pillows for a better nights sleep.  Things are falling into shape.

Last night was the first time I had been to the Mormon Miracle Pageant in almost 16 years.  It was fun to see so much of our family on the hill.  That made it even more special.

Today in the temple we ran into Ralph Brenchley - our former stake president in Ephraim.  So fun to visit with him.  We have been busy getting ready for company tomorrow and doing things for pageant.  Life goes on.

Dr Visits

Clyde and I needed physicals, and a TB test.  We spent the late morning and early afternoon in the Doctors office.  I visited with Bob Armstrong and then Helen Parry came in to help me with my diabetes.  It was like old home week - our kids all hung around together all of the time during High School.

I am on a new diabetes Rx.  We will see how it works.  Life is good.  Bella was here quite a bit today.  I so love that.

Saturday and Sunday

There are advantages to having a large garden.  My husband brings me in fresh flowers every morning.  It is fun.  We also have an abundance of lettuce, spinach and radishes.  I am afraid everything else will come in all at once and we will be overwhelmed.

Tomorrow is my first Gospel Doctrine Class.  Busy trying to get ready.

Sunday: My lesson went well.  I got nervous and wanted to present everything.  I need to slow down and go with the Spirit.  I will get into stride soon.

We had just the Bahlmann's and Doreen for dinner.  We had chicken roll-ups or chicken pillows as the my Davis grandchildren call them.  They were a big hit.  For dessert we had huckleberry cobbler and Luke had 3 servings.  However Mallory had a chicken roll up and liked it.  It was successful meal.  The Nordell's were celebrating Brandon's dad's birthday.  We will see them soon.

Same Old, same old

Life is getting more and more mundane.  This is a good thing too.  We get up and work in the cool of  the morning and then kind of slow down for the rest of the day.  Then we go out and work in the evening, when things cool down.  However today was spent buying new blinds for the upstairs bedrooms, getting Clyde a new suit (we ended up getting 2), me a new temple dress and some new lamps for the downstairs.  It was an expensive day but we got things that we needed.  All and all a good day but I am dehydrated and have a pounding headache now.  I can think of so much to do but no energy to do it.  Tomorrow will be another day.