Week 1 - March 1, 2020
It’s Marvelous March for multiple reasons:
14th is Pi Day
17th is St Patrick’s Day
15th - 19th is Las Fallas- Valencia, Spain* (see p.s.)
19th is the First Day of Spring!!!
1) This past week the Gerber’s sampled one of my favorite High School insane treats…french fries dipped in a Wendy's frosty. Everyone agreed it was delish!
2) Lane and I visited Uncle Gaylin in Farmington and shared dinner at Kyle’s, nearby in Kaysville.
3) I am organizing my life…a work in progress.
I love the snack-sack idea.
I admire my dad for being a nonconformist. I don’t know Jutta but I appreciate her idea.
4) Last evening Lane joined me at an event held in my former Orem Ward.
Gold friends: The Burnhams, Kramers, Sui Logan, Zina Larsen, Nancy Dockendorf, the Sorensens, Diane Tenney, the Youngs, Sydney Germane, (others not pictured.)
5) Afterwards the Bullocks invited us to watch “Knives Out”. Good show!
Coming soon:
6th Emeline turns 14 - whoa!
7th Lincoln & Carrie celebrate 19 years married!
We love you forever!
P.S. Las Fallas - We witnessed this crazy phenomenon while meeting Jerry in Spain 2003. I can still remember the immense HEAT! If you EVER travel to Spain GO IN MARCH!
This may just be the world’s strangest and most exuberant spring cleaning. Sculptures as intricate as they are enormous (up to 30 metres tall) are paraded through the streets as merrymakers dressed in traditional garb dance to the tunes played by live bands, with pyrotechnics and gunpowder blasts punctuating the festivities at intervals. On the final evening, the sculptures are burned in a massive bonfire so epic that neighbouring buildings have to be continually based with water to keep them from crumbling. Then, in true Spanish style, a dance party erupts and lasts until dawn.
Week 2 - March 9, 2020
Hat’s off to our Marvelous March Maniacs! (I mean that in a good way)
1) Last week there was a death in our extended family. Jerry Spendlove had married Ginger Howell (widow of Jack Howell - Lane’s brother). Jack and Ginger had 3 children (pictured below, Howell cousins Tracy, Trent and Todd). Prior to the funeral Lincoln & Carrie hosted a pre-farewell breakfast as cousin Carmen Howell Pistrito’s daughter has been serving in Lincoln’s ward. She returns to Toronto this week.
Thank you RayDean, Greg, Stephanie, Tom, and Randi for attending the funeral. Be prepared for losing aunts and uncles at the rate of one per year. That’s not to shock anyone...it’s just reality when relatives get to be 80ish.
2) We pinned down a date when Jon and Raydean could come for dinner. It was a happy coincidence that Stephen had a HS Jazz Festival near by at Herriman HS. We were pleased to attend the performance and then have Stephen join us for dinner. It was a fun evening of visiting and Stephen nearly destroying “G’ma” at Mastermind. Bright kid with great parents.
3) When my baby sister comes to town it’s always nice if we can get together with my mom. My mother recently did damage to her ribs and sternum as she lifted a 10 pound bag of sugar. She mostly stays home and ices her ribs and back per doctor’s advice for 3 weeks. She will be 85 in May.
4) Yesterday was a wonderful Sabbath surrounded by family as we gathered to celebrate sweet baby Claire Elizabeth Bell. Those missing out were missed, but we understand your absence.
5) Let me formally introduce you to the beautiful, talented and adventurous women seated next to Greg. Her name is Jennifer. There have been multiple sitings of the pair who recently went tripping, biking and kayaking in south Florida and shark valley…to use up "spare miles”. Sure. I don’t know where I’m going with this, but Jennifer is at ease and welcome at family events. We like her.
6) Lane and I are learning the ropes of serving in the Sagewood Branch - an assisted care facility for folks barely older than us. Yesterday we helped set up chairs (cleaned each week with antiseptic wipes), escorted good folks to and from memory care, and spoke in sacrament meeting. Nearly 100 people attend.
7) Did you know that the Gathering of Israel is the most important thing taking place on the earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, in importance, in majesty. Nothing. And we are part of it!!!
This coming week:
March 10th Robert Hill turns 25!
March 11th Sabrina Howell blows out 4 candles!!!!
March 12th Lane is the age of a tree + 2 (haha)
March 14th Stephanie & Jerel Bullock mark 24 years as an outstanding example of a happily married couple.
Mid March Already! What a time we are having this year. One for the books. Is everyone doing alright with all the closings, work changes, and church meetings moved to our homes?
I move forward calmly with faith in God and gratitude for His perfect love. He loves us and believes in us even when we don’t love or believe in ourselves.
Before the world turned upside down I had an afternoon playing with Gerber kids, several walks to Lincoln and Carrie’s home, an errand taking my mother to the doctor, and a celebration of Lane’s birthday.
Lane started to picket outside the pickle ball courts until they agreed to hang the nets this coming week.
That’s about it. We are self-isolated at home but I like to think of it as a “staycation”. We watch our fill of movies and play game tournaments and wait for better days ahead, while enjoying each day we have right here!
Speaking of days ahead:
March 17th St Patrick’s Day
March 21st Danika will party like a mermaid when she turns 4
Week 4 - March 22, 2020
Hi, how y’all doin?
Recommended Coronavirus Diversions:
1) Watch for signs of Spring. Check!
2) Search for ‘Where’s Waldo’
3) Lane dyed my hair and I supported Lane’s growing Mohawk,
4) Rationing TP
5) Build a puzzle
6) Enjoy some pickle ball. Check!
7) We’d like to interrupt your pandemic with an earthquake. ;o}
8) Promote new grocery products.
9) This is so lame...
10) Read something….
11) Become a pianist overnight. CHECK!
12) Paint a flamingo… Check!
Lucky 13)
14) Ernest Hemingway,
“There are people dying who have never died before."
March 24th Violet will be SIX!
Thirteen days until a unique General Conference.
Check out the P.S. below...
We love you forever!
P.S. Don’t freak out…but we are changing addresses again.
Same house, same property, new street name.
6152 W Folly Island Way
South Jordan, UT 84009
Week 5 - March 29, 2020
NEWSFLASH!!! Not one grandkid sighting in 2 weeks. Catastrophic!
My week ~ collage-style.
1) laugh often
2) pray more often
3) not my rocks…but a cool craft idea.
4) we took a drive around Utah Lake, stopping in Lindon at the site of our first ’96 date (Los Hermanos = The Historic Robison Home)
5) we observed a 24 hour fast and gave thanks to God for our blessings.
6) Lane makes THEE BEST chocolate chip cookies on the globe.
7) we have our very own portable pickle ball net, courtesy of an unnamed person living in Eugene, Oregon ;o}
Items we crossed off our calendar:
School performances, stake presentations, dance concerts, temple trips, family gatherings, a wedding, several road trips, and who knows how any standby flights ;o}
This coming week:
April 3rd - Sweet Kaelyn celebrates being 8!
Ongoing - We continue our leading roles in a reality pandemic drama…(spoiler, it has a happy ending, in the meantime, hang on!)
April 4th & 5th - General Conference, one of a kind, as promised.
Please keep us posted as to how and what you are doing? We miss your guts!!!
We love you forever!
