Tuesday, April 29, 2014

My amazing grandma

You can't celebrate a 94th birthday without mention! Or at least you shouldn't! My amazing and adorable Grandma turned 94 on Sat. I get the privilege to be my Dad's messenger and deliver his flowers every year. I really get the best job of arranging a flower for each year she has lived. 94 years deserves 94 roses.

My grandma also got to experience her FIRST face time chat. Luckily my aunt has all the fancy gadgets (because we all know I am in the technology dark ages.) And we were able to have my parents there when we gave her, her special gift. 
She shed a couple of tears over the ability to see and talk to my parents at the same time. 

For her birthday, most of my grandma's 100 decedents wrote memories of her or things that they were thankful for from her life. My parents collected them, printed them on cardstock and then we folded them and put them in this adorable jar that said "preserving our memories." I had the privilege to read quite a few of these as I folded them. It deepened my love for her and helped me to see the love that she had for all of her decedents.  

She pulled out the first one, and read it. She read a few more. Her happiness was so full and tears couldn't be restrained. After we ended the face time chat and spent some time with her the tears started coming again. I wish I could remember exactly what she said, but I remember it was something to the effect of, "if everyone would tell each other these memories and things they love instead of waiting to share it when they die, life would be much more worth living." This is said by a woman that has wanted to be gone from this life LONG ago. It was a powerful lesson to me. 

I LOVE this beautiful woman. I am thankful for her love and shining example to me. I am thankful for the love that she shares with all of her posterity. If anyone questions the importance of motherhood--they need to gather with this woman's offspring. She truly has helped to shape the lives of hundreds in a very positive way.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

A glorious Easter

We had such a great Easter. Saturday we spent the whole day working in the yard and I have to admit I was so sad as I watched people in the neighborhood come and go to parties. I was deeply homesick and quite sick of our landscaping project. But we did manage to steal a few moments to dye Easter eggs. I wanted something easy and not too messy so we tried the Shaving cream method. It was fun, close to mess free and they looked awesome!










Tell me you don't love these freckles? I adore them!!


All week we had talked about what had happened in the Savior's life in the corresponding day of His last week. Easter morning they were so excited, the two biggest boys came out of their rooms shouting "Today is the day he was resurrected!!" I was so glad that we had focused on the Savior and not the Easter bunny. They were given church clothes, new sun glasses and new flip flops.

We explained that the gifts were symbolic of the best gift ever give--the Savior's atonement and Resurrection. We ate real food and they didn't go to church hyper on sugar. It was perfect!(For us)

I made Amelia's dress and jewelry, and the boy's bow ties. I thought they looked like they stepped right out of the 50's!



After Church we went to Josh's parents for a delicious Easter dinner and an Easter egg hunt for the kids, complete with Easter baskets. They LOVED it! 








It was a great day! Easter is the BEST holiday!

We love to see the temple!

A little over a week ago we took our Homeschool co-op to the Salt Lake temple. We have been reading The Secret Garden and enjoyed the gardens at the temple and spent time drawing/and or painting the tulips. It was beautiful and so great to be with these darling kids and ladies at such a beautiful place. It was such a beautiful day!