Quick Utah Visit

When I went to Utah during Jack's stay in the hospital I shot some cute pictures I just have to post before I move on.

Halle is such a good help with Kate!

Just Lacey!

Love that Kate smile.

Just home from the hospital, but big smiles for everyone. We are happy he recovered so quickly.

Halle posing for me.

They actually look like sisters in this shot.

Jessie with her Nintendo DS.

Sunny and Riley. Look closely and you will see Riley always posing.

Alex practices piano quite a bit and it shows!

Tristan (phone in hand, of course) with a great new hair cut.

The only shot of Sage where he wasn't pulling a face.

Ashley, their nanny, with Riley and Charlie.

Sunny with Riley and Charlie; Sage popping in.

Alex with little brother Sam, just up from a nap.

Some of My Favorite Faces In Utah

When we were in Utah at Conference time, we had several times we were all together. Sunny and Steve open their home to all of us and we have a great time together. I took dozens of random pictures, but could only pick a few.

Steve and Sam

Jessica and Charlie

Lindsey and Kate

Harmon and Kate

Adam says every picture of Kate is the same because she has such a big natural smile. Here she even smiles her face off with a pacifier in it!

Halle and her unnaturally dark curly hairdo!

The Fierce and Scary Pirate Jack!

The sweet and loving big sister Riley with Charlie.

Jessie and Lacey.

Sorry, girls I didn't post the crazy ones that came after these.

Travis and Jade trying to calm Charlie.

Jade, Lacey, Bailey, Sage and Jack on the trampoline.

Tristan, can you see the good looking boy under the hair!

A normal position for the mother of twins--Sunny with Charlie and Sam

Conversation! Always lively.

An unlikely pairing, but great picture--Adam with Alex

Bailey and Jade on their way out the door.

Alan with Rosemary

Our weekend was so crammed that the only way I got to see Rosemary was that she came over to Sunny's to see us on Monday morning before we hit the road for home.

CONFERENCE?

Last month we went to Utah over General Conference weekend. Alan had Friday and Monday meetings and I had no Sunday RS obligations. Adam had much to do on his house to get it ready for sale. So the 3 of us headed to SLC. On Saturday we saw portions of Conference. But we also saw Riley's soccer game, Bailey's dance recital and Lacey's volleyball game. What are these Momons thinking, scheduling over Conference?

Riley plays on a 4 year old team with all boys. She is a full head taller than all of them. She is also the best player by far. But they are still 4 year olds. The pregnant mother just behind Riley was the coach of the other team. She kept trying to drag her players to be in position to block the ball since they didn't seem to get the game. Before the time was up her team didn't want to play anymore. I wonder why?

Bailey is on a cute dance team and we were lucky enough to be there to see her dance at a competition. She is very good and really projects and loves to be in front of an audience! None of my pictures during the performance turned out since we were so far away. Isn't she cute? How we remember when she and Lacey were little and used to perform for us after Sunday dinners! How time flies! We are excited to have Bailey and her family in California so we see them more often.

Lacey is playing on a volleyball team with her friend Kennedy and this was only their second game. They are just learning to play the game. They play in a coed league and with older kids. But they both were pretty good for their team. Don't these girls look alike except for their color hair? They have a lot in common and have a great time together. Besides they live across the street from each other.

We missed some of conference, but we couldn't pass on the opportunity to watch our grandkids perform while we were there. Steve's wonderful grandfather, Britt McConkie, passed away between Sunday sessions which added sadness to the visit and one more distraction from Conference. Luckily we have other ways of viewing and reading Conference later. It was a wonderful historic Conference. It is something to see the mantel fall on President Monson. I always think that my love for the previous prophet will make it harder to accept the new one, but the Lord helps us feel that love, acceptance and reverence for the successor.

More Blessings

I know it has been a month since we went to Boston where Todd and Ashley blessed their little Chase. But maybe you will forget that you saw similar pictures on Ashley's website a month ago. We love these three darling boys who really give Ashley and Todd a run for their money. They are so smart, charming, and boy all the way through. Chase is growing so fast, but beginning to sleep through the night and make his mother's life a little easier.

Todd gave Chase a beautiful blessing. Sam as well as Todd's parents were also there for the blessing. We had a good time just being together. We went out to dinner Saturday evening and it was fun in a different way.

Ann and Randy Harris get to see these guys all the time. I am so jealous. The boys are definitely more comfortable with them than us. Sometimes dinner is fun with them there and sometimes it is a trial! It was mostly fun, depending on what end of the table you were sitting at.

Thanks, Sam, for coming all that way for a special day. He spent most of Saturday in the airport trying to catch a stand-by flight but persisted and made it. It wa fun to have him with us!

Papa has always been a welcome place to snuggle up to...


...and sometimes a comfortable place to nap. What's a man to do but join him?

Todd is such a good dad--

He gets up early in the morning and gets the boys breakfast...and often finds his arms full.

He takes the boys to the skate park as often as he can, weather and work permitting.

And sometimes has a little time for fun himself.

Then in the evenings, he patiently finds things to keep those active boys busy and learning.

Blessings

Jack is back!

How we love this little boy!

Mostly, I am not much of a blogger. This blog is primarily a place to post pictures of my family and journal the major events and little special moments in our lives. I still intend to chronologically post the events and pictures from the past month that I have neglected this far. However, this past weekend I rushed up to Utah to stay with the Tobler children so that Lindsey and Harmon could both be at Primary Children's Hospital as much as they needed to while Jack recovered from an injury to his lungs and the RSV pneumonia that developed from it. His recovery proved to be the "best case scenario" for this condition. With vigilant action from Lindsey, miraculous antibiotics, tests to show his progress, good doctors, priesthood blessings, and the faith and prayers of many, Jack came home on the mend in quick time. If we had known the end from the beginning, I would not have needed to go up to assist. But I was glad to be there and witness his recovery, feel the strength of his family, and be with the three girls during this time.

How fragile our lives are! How many times did my children get knocked down, cry, get a hug and bounce back to rough house some more? How many times do parents warn their children to be careful, but miss the strange moment when an accident actually occurs? We cannot build a wall around them, or ourselves, and protect us from so many things that life throws at us. Life is sweeter for the challenges, but who would ask for them? It is almost a year since Alan's illness and surgery. That was the most devastating, awesome experience for us both as he lingered near death, but was almost completely restored to health by the advances of science, a skilled surgeon/caring physician, intuitive talented ICU care givers, and mostly the faith and prayers of countless loved ones in his behalf to a loving, generous Father. I will forever be grateful for the many arms that supported me during that time.

I had a very complicated weekend planned with many important and stressful activities causing me much anxiety. But when one you love is sick, and your family needs you, nothing else is that important. I wish there was another way to get my priorities straight than going through a crisis. But when it comes, it helps to put the big picture back in front of you and put all the other "stuff" in its proper perspective.

Alan and I have been so blessed with a large and loving family and many dear friends. I never want to take their health, well-being and spiritual commitment for granted. It is important that I tell each of you and my Heavenly Father how grateful I am for you and how you live your lives. I know this blog is filled with cliches, but the feeling behind it is dear and precious and unique for me. I am grateful for Jack's recovery and for the blessings I simmer in each day but don't always acknowledge.

Some Catching Up

It has been a long time since I posted anything. In fact, I have taken 183 pictures since the last time I put anything up. Don't worry, I will only put a few. Maybe I will do it over a few days so it doesn't take so much of my time but gives something new to look at for a few days.

Alan spoke in church on Easter, so JR and Casey and kids came to our Sacrament Meeting, which was so nice. The Hadleys were taking pictures after the meeting so we had them snap a few of JR's family in their Easter clothes, too. Casey put the best ones on her blog, but here are a couple of other cute ones. I took some pictures of the girls hunting for Easter eggs, but had the camera on the wrong setting and they didn't turn out so these are all we have.

Mackenzie was a little shy with Su taking the picture, but Kayla will always smile.

Happy Birthday, Kayla!

Today is Kayla's 3rd birthday. Because it is our regular shift at the temple, we had to celebrate her birthday at our house on Sunday. She is such a cute, enthusiastic personality, it is fun to spoil her! She had such fun blowing out her candles she threw her hands up and cheered.


It was the most fun to open the presents, with a sister helper, of course. She responded with excitement, but most of them just sat in the boxes.


The cheap-o dress up clothes were the hit. Note that most of the new ones are on Mackenzie, while Kayla is content with a princess dress we had on hand. Whatever works!


Aren't they beautiful!

Green Beach House

Granddad and Marge came to California a couple of weeks ago and chose colors to re-paint the beach house. It has been some shade of blue since 1983. But now it is a pretty soft green with a darker green trim. The picture doesn't show it perfectly. Don't miss it when you come to visit. It looks a little different.