April Grandkid Game Night

 Grandkid game night, and we celebrated the individual grandkid….

We put up a poster with their names and 3 things about each kid that we like about them. We talked about everyone’s talents, and made lots of fun 15-second type videos- Strike a Pose, and Eye of the Tiger. We walked to the park– Wayne drove in the car– and played around.  We got 23 cars to honk their horns at us, and every time we cheered like we had just won the lottery!

The grands from 19 down to 4 get along so well– and have such grace for each other.  I put a mirror inside of a box and told the kids that in the box was something most precious to me. It was awesome and I cherished it and was so happy to have it.. Then, one at a time, they walked up and opened the box to see what was inside– and they saw their reflection.  I told them they couldn’t say what they saw until everyone had a turn. Their little smiles and excitement was really sweet.    The most precious thing to their meema is them!  

Papa Wayne got out his ice cream machine, and we ate our weight in ice cream cones.  We sat around and I asked them questions about favorites and what they want to be when they get bigger, and what their favorite body part, etc.   For the record Alfie’s is his lungs  and Poppy said appendix. 

Easter

 Our first annual, Easter Morning Sunrise Extravaganza was a hit! 

I had all of Monson’s family and Landon and Andrew join me at 6:30am by Adam's Reservoir just off of Gordon Ave in Layton while it was still dark. There were ducks on the pond, and the midst was rolling in.  It was freezing cold as we snuggled in our chairs and listened to the last 5 chapters in the book of Mark on Jesus last week, death, and resurrection.  The sun came up.

I bore testimony that I am a believer…that it really did happen.  We sang "Joy to the World" and "Christ the Lord is Risen today" as the sky went from dark to light.  We had maple bars, apple juice, Papa bread, and butter for our treats as we listened to the “Hallelujah from the Mount of Olives” by Beethoven, and then the “Hallelujah Chorus” by Handel.  We danced and marched around to stay warm.

  I brought some hard-boiled eggs so we could do our traditional egg throw– Monson was the winner.   It lasted about an hour– perfect!  It really was freezing.  I’m already thinking of next year and how to tweak it to make it better!  – including Wayne, will be able to be there next year!  ( He won't have a catheter in from prostate cancer surgery) We really missed his wise words. 

I have worn a cross every day this week in honor of Holy Week. I love thinking about the cross with the horizontal bar reaching out to love and include everyone, and the vertical bar reaching up to heaven to Love God.

Landon and Lexi brought in food for Easter dinner– we had their families, plus Jed and Camilla and girls- Roma and Margo, Paula Carlson and the Bayhams- (Monson and Lexi's good friends).  I had everyone do a big celebratory SHOUT with me before the prayer. We are grateful for the atoning sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We did an easter egg hunt for the girls in the backyard.  Our yard is wide open and it’s hard to actually hide eggs there..they are basically just hanging out on the grass.  I also had the girls do Easter chalk art on the back cement – He is RISEN! He is Risen indeed!

Roma, Tayla, Avery Bayham, Lady and Elsie

What I wore in March

March Happenings

We celebrated St. Patties day singing at a rest home!  We all wore green (except Bob Farley) and Wayne had a giant leprechaun hat to wear and pass around to the residents who sang with us.  It as a fun idea.

My Sister Liz's friend gave me a Lucky sweatshirt because of my Instagram whatluckywears account.  They are so cute.  This came in clutch for St. Pat's day as well.

My girlfriend group is going strong... our gathering for March was at Jo Murdock's home-- she made delicious quiche and salad for us and we discussed the Give them P.I.E.-- praise, inspiration and encouragement book by Pinegar...and then I did a thrifting demo and what I thrift and how to do it and how to wear it.  It was fun.
 

Our new branch was invited to the Linden Temple Open house for a 6am tour...that's right 6 am... it was early travleing from Ogden, but so worth it.  Many of our members can't be around anyone under 18-- so they did this special for them, plus a breakfast after at a nearby church.  It was great to have so many of our guys there.  

Tina Patrick, Me, Brigit Adams, Annie 

This is our new Branch members board that we try and keep up to date for all of us to get to know each other better. 

I go on a duck walk most mornings.  I love to walk to the Kays Creek walkway along the Layton Park.  It's a paved trail that follows the creek and features two duck ponds.  I'm becoming very adept at speaking duck.  There are a lot of Mallards with their gorgeous  green heads, and Canadian Honkers that fill the ponds, but we also have a brown looking Mallard called a Khaki Campbell, a black duck with a little white on the chest and a yellow beak called a Duclair, an all black duck with a white beak called a Coot, a bluish beak duck with a mostly gray body called a Blue Swedish, the white storybook looking duck called a Pekin, and my favorite  - the ornamental duck that toally looks fake, or like an artist painted it- a Wood duck.  I walk, pray, recite my Psalm scriptues, see the squirrels and talk to the ducks and catch a gorgeous sunrise.

Grandkid game night

 Grandkid game night was all Easter-related– Easter coloring pages, we colored eggs, and talked about the Easter story and different Easter symbols – and watched a bit of "The Chosen" where Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey and explained Palm Sunday.  We gave each of the kids a palm leaf to wave.  It was good. 

                                                         

We love living close to Maverick and Arctic Circle for game night fun.... we walk and sing as we go.

We also walked to Arctic Circle for ice cream. 3 of the nuggets didn't wear shoes and none brought any type of jacket, so we went right after dinner when it was still ight out, and had to pull two in the wagon, and Tayla borrowed shoes from me.....

They also spent a lot of time jumping on the trampoline, exploding some Peeps in the microwave, playing dominoes, and starting to learn how to play mahjong.  It was a good night

Sophia

 We love our oldest granddaughter, Sophia.  She is a goer.  She is her brother's biggest cheerleader. She has a ton of supportive friends, she dares to do things out of her comfort zone, ( Sophia and friend sang the National Anthem in front of her whole school). She loves her little cousins and aunts and uncles and makes time for grandkid game night.  She is funny and confident and navigates her two worlds (her mom's home and her dad's home) pretty well.  I know at times it's overwhelming for her, but she continues to work on those relationships. 

She had a choir concert and her Centerpoint Academy show in March and she was impressive in both.

Her Viewmont Concert choir is really impressive. they sang Hallelujah from the Mount of Olives.  that is some difficult music.  I wanted to give a standing ovation when they finished. 

Sophia in front row - second one in from  the side...curly hair.  

We are her biggest fans!

Sophia peeking out on the stairs behind the girl in the black dress. She was in Footloose-- she played Lulu-- one of the adults, Ren's - the main guys' aunt.  She had a few lines and did great.  Her hair was on point!

We adore our Sophia.