MAY 2017 (here are the 4 weekly check-in emails I shared with our family)
WEEK 1 5/8/2017
Hey Jazz fans...and those who aren’t,
Lane & I will never know what it would have been like to raise up young kids TOGETHER. But we do know what it’s like to entertain a handful of sweet grandkids. It’s pretty radical and rewarding.
1) It’s wonderful to give these Kelley kids a few weeks to get to know us (while their parents visit Thailand). These resilient kids are surviving us.
2) Tagg created ‘g’ma bucks’ as a way for the kids to earn movie treats. Then he set up this concession stand to redeem them. We watched Babe. When the kids tackle g’pa I hear echoes of “Baa-Ram-Ewe”. So funny!
3) They were excited to use their annual passes at Cherry Hill. We had the place all to ourselves. (Tip: Go on a Tuesday afternoon when soccer practice is cancelled.)
4) Lane made the most scrumptious cinnamon rolls just because he can.
5) Sunday afternoon we gathered to celebrate Isaac’s 5th. Carrie and Lincoln are super generous hosts. Yummy pork, spuds, corn cobbettes, salad, 7 layer dip, deviled eggs, veggies, mouth watering rolls, and Texas sheet cake with ice cream. Darn it…Lane was on a clear liquid diet. “Wow, this colonoscopy prep is so delicious, I think I’ll drink another!”…said no one ever.
(With his colonoscopy behind him, Lane and I are driving to Gunnison to visit Greg. We thank X for stepping up to fill-in for the fill-er-inners.)
6) If we buy 10 acres of land do we own it all the way to the core of the earth? And if that is true, how big would it be at the core?
7) I mistakenly bought my shoes from a drug dealer. I don’t know what he laced them with but I’ve been tripping all day. ;o}
Coming this week:
Friday the 12th, Hurray for Raylie who will be 6!
The Kelley’s return home from Thailand.
Salutations sterling kinsfolk,
News of the week:
1) See what you can do during a 3 hour prison visit…
2) Greg drew floorpans of his pod and cell. Quite a good likeness. The real thing (pod) is on the bottom (Cameron shared this from a recent news story, thx).
The sketch on the top left is Greg on the bottom bunk as he watches TV with his headphones on.
3) Greg invited us to drive by the SanPete facility, so we drove back to Layton through Manti. Ahhh, the memories!
4) The Kelley kids continued to impress us with their vim & vigor. The kids were entertained by G’pa Lane’s snoring. Bike rides and walks. Tagg wakes at 6:15 on weekdays to practice piano. Healthy snacking and popsicles. They were ultra excited to have their mom & dad back late Friday afternoon. Mer & Tyson, thanks for entrusting us with your sweet kids.
5) My brother Clayton marks his 60th birthday TODAY. But his wife Michelle pre-empted by putting together a party for him Thursday. My mom came along, 5 of her kids and 6 of her kid-in-laws. I also enjoyed time with the Gerbers, nieces & nephews.
6) Our best chance to get Lane home for work on Monday was to catch flights yesterday. We landed this morning at 4:50 a.m. Again we thank Stephanie and JetBlue. Direct flights from Longbeach to Ft Lauderdale started this very month.
We are home! My mother’s day gift was a 4 hour nap.
It’s an actual fact that I have the best mother on the planet. Because of her limitless love and outstanding example I positively, absolutely love being a mom! I’ve been super blessed to have my dream job. Tough, challenging, tear-jerking, rewarding, joyful. Happy Mother’s day to all of my amazing daughters. THIS IS YOUR DAY!
Coming soon:
19th My momma’s birthday!
20th Amanda will be old enough to be a deacon. ;o}
20th X & KC will have been married for 8 years <3
21st Caden celebrates his 19th birthday
Hey hey hey!
1) Life is good. I had oatmeal for breakfast yesterday. Banana Foster Oatmeal. That’s steel-cut oatmeal topped with bananas, caramel, candied pecans, cinnamon and whipped cream. But the best part was the ‘sweet crisp’ served on the side. Try it sometime.
2) When I’m alone I talk to myself out loud. Do you do that?
3) Last night I finished the second coat on our front porch steps. It was dark. I painted by flashlight. Nuisance bugs flew in and out of the wet paint, leaving teeny-weeny footprints on my trailer pad. Don’t strain your eyes you can’t see ‘em. Poor things.
4) Yes, we live in a trailer, nearly 10 months. And we still love it!
5) "YOU are vibrant and enthusiastic beacons in an ever-darkening world as you show, through the way you live your lives, that the gospel is a joyful message.” Sister Harriet Uchtdorf
6) My mother was the special guest at a fabulous tea party yesterday, hosted by my incredible sister Charla. Callie, thanks for attending and sharing these photos.
Coming soon:
Caden is 19 TODAY - cheers!
Rockwell will be 6 TOMORROW - yippy!
Sam will be 36 TOMORROW - Hurray!
Kylie will be 17 Saturday - Celebrate!
Scott & Lincoln arrive in South Florida late Saturday - Hallelujah!
WEEK 4 5/28/2017
Hello sterling sons and darling daughters,
1) Just as I was telling Lane “it’s been nearly 1 1/2 years since one of the kids made a baby announcement” we received this from the Robisons. Yippy!
2) AND this from the Gerbers…. ;o} “Another ballon is gonna pop! Popping December 2017” Congratulations!
3) The week started and ended with the temple. Cleaning it on Tuesday, and patrons on Friday. (a fraction of the 30 person cleaning crew is pictured here)
“At the temple the dust of distraction seems to settle out, the fog and the haze seem to lift, and we can ‘see’ things that we were not able to see before and find a way through our troubles that we had not previously known.” - Boyd K. Packer, former President of the Quorum of the twelve Apostles.
Remember your deceased family members on this memorial day. This temple will be open, will yours?
4) The LDS “temple prayer roll” is a confidential running list of the names of people who are ‘sick or otherwise afflicted’. I always add my own name to the temple prayer roll and sometimes your name too.
5) I am making slow progress preparing 16 girls from my ward to attend a regional girls camp (7 stakes). This group hiked 5 miles yesterday.
6) We happily welcomed Lincoln and Scott to south Florida last night. They will be here a week! We had a glimpse into Shark Valley this afternoon.
7) I liked this perspective on time which I remember from sacrament meeting today.
I only have a minute, just sixty seconds in it.
Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it,
Forced upon me, can’t refuse it.
But it’s up to me to use it.
I must suffer or I lose it.
Give account if I abuse it.
It’s just a tiny little minute,
But eternity is in it.
- Benjamin E Mays
8) Oh, and we ‘planted’ a patio garden but it’s too dark now to snap a photo.
We love hearing from you. Keep us posted.
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