October 29, 2015
What a month! We went to Laguna Beach and Port Hueneme on a business trip. It was so good to see Dawn, Tyler and the girls. Dad had a very successful business conference. It was fun, informative, and flattering. I had booked a hotel on the beach that was highly rated, but when we got there it was pretty sad. We got our money back and rebooked at a nice hotel on the south end of town. They asked what room I wanted and I described their most expensive room. Why not? They gave it to us for the week at an incredible rate. We're only guessing that it was because it was available and we were booking Monday through Thursday. Who knows? It was wonderful. Then we drove to Port Hueneme. We have come to appreciate Google Maps and the way it charts routes and finds the fastest route. On the way back to LA it took us through a canyon and through Thousand Oaks. Very beautiful. When the Pacific Coast Highway is slow, it is really slow.
We enjoyed bbqing with the family, drawing dogs, reading books, taking the girls to church. I especially enjoyed talking to Dawn. She is exercising a lot and looks beautiful. We look forward to seeing them again as soon as possible.
We were home for a week when I flew to Seattle to help Jenni and Danni. Finn was still overdue. Jenni felt well but was tired of waiting. I really enjoyed walking through the woods to the boys school and eating breakfast in Ballard with Jenni. Fortunately she went into labor that night. Finn was born at about 5:45 the next morning. They were only at the hospital for 2 1/2 hours before he came. The boys were so excited when they woke up! Danny came and picked us up and drove us to the hospital. What a sweet experience it was to see each brother hold the new baby. He is so cute. He has dark hair, but blonde eyelashes and brows. It think he will spend a few years as a blonde. He smelled so sweet. The first few days went well. Then I came home and Jenni's sisters came to help her (and hold Finn). I wish you all could have been there.
Now we are trying to clean out the laundry room. Our contractor, Derek, is going to finish it for us. We have allowed a great deal of stuff to drift into there. I keep telling Dad: pretend we're moving to Port Hueneme, or Seattle. What do you want to keep? Time to edit the junk.
Tommy and Rilee returned from Hawaii. They had a terrific time and a scary time. Somehow they ended up on the Hike from Hell. Really. Sloping narrow clay path with a sheer drop to the ocean. I think the island attitude is "Oh well. Just another tourist." Apparently the locals don't hike it much. They highly recommend a family gathering for us in Hawaii.
Alex is very busy. I think he would agree he is too busy. He is lecturing, taking tests, writing and publishing. And winter has come to Ithaca. It will be so good to see him at Christmas.
Travis is getting busier at work. His knees and ankles still act up from his marathon. He would like to get running again. He has a lot of fun activities going all the time. Don't you think if a marathon made your knees and ankles hurt you need more cushioning in your shoes? Just a thought. Not that I plan on running one. He recently went to a lecture given by a famous writer on the Polish/Jewish experience. Ask him.
Well, time to go load the Ex up with stuff for DI. We had so many crusty old gym bags and back packs free from vendors at dad's work. Heavy and brittle. Time to dump them. There are a lot of good memories in the camping closet. Even my memories from girls' camp. But a lot of garbage has collected. Next I'm sorting through the Christmas stuff. I only want to decorate with stuff I love. Why is it so hard to edit decorations?
Lilah had her birthday on Saturday. Ty and Dawn had a bouncy house for her and about 13 friends. They also had a barbeque dinner. It was fun but exhausting. She pretty much had a dinosaur birthday party. The next day all the girls stayed home and played with dinosaurs. I love that we get to recycle this stage with each child. Dinosaurs are fascinating!
Now we have Tyler and Ivy's birthday on October 3, Finn's Birthday on Back to the Future Day, October 21, 2015, Lilah's birthday on the 24th. October is turning out to be a great month.
Next is Jak's birthday on Nov. 26th, which is smack on Thanksgiving.
I bought Halloween pretzel bags for trick or treaters. Dad is not very excited. Who doesn't like pretzel bats and pretzel pumpkins?
Take care and stay warm.
Love, Mom
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Friday, October 02, 2015
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW TO IVY AND TYLER
Tomorrow is Ivy and Tyler's birthday. Happy birthday to the daddy and the daughter. We hope it is a beautiful, fun day for both of you. We look forward to seeing you in a week!
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
BIRTHDAY THANKS
September 30, 2015
Thanks Family for your text, phone calls, gifts on my birthday. I really appreciate it. It all felt like 'gifts of the heart', which is what matters the most. I wish you could all have gone to dinner with us last night. We went to a Peruvian restaurant on State Street and had a fun dinner then played Quiddler after. In the afternoon dad and I went to see Antman. So for my birthday, will you all take some time off and go see Antman? Kick back, relax, and laugh a little. It was perfectly enjoyable. This summer has been full of activities and travel. We look forward to more of the same and the birth of our dear Finn. By the way, I really enjoyed the weekend at Danny's race in Bear Lake. I don't think he did, but I had a lot of fun. Kind of missing the baby and kids, but it was great.
Take care and keep in touch.
Love, Mom
Thanks Family for your text, phone calls, gifts on my birthday. I really appreciate it. It all felt like 'gifts of the heart', which is what matters the most. I wish you could all have gone to dinner with us last night. We went to a Peruvian restaurant on State Street and had a fun dinner then played Quiddler after. In the afternoon dad and I went to see Antman. So for my birthday, will you all take some time off and go see Antman? Kick back, relax, and laugh a little. It was perfectly enjoyable. This summer has been full of activities and travel. We look forward to more of the same and the birth of our dear Finn. By the way, I really enjoyed the weekend at Danny's race in Bear Lake. I don't think he did, but I had a lot of fun. Kind of missing the baby and kids, but it was great.
Take care and keep in touch.
Love, Mom
Thursday, September 24, 2015
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAWN
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY TO DAWN! WE HOPE IT WILL BE A SPECIAL DAY. WE LOVE YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY TO DAWN! WE HOPE IT WILL BE A SPECIAL DAY. WE LOVE YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
BACK HOME AGAIN
Sept. 13,2015
Hello to our dear family. We are home. We arrived home Tuesday evening. We survived. Our house and garden survived. Since then we have cleaned up the garden, canned more spaghetti sauce, all of the elderberries (good crop), cleaned out the freezer and fridge (garbage day), and began to clean the house. Where all that energy came from I don't know. Today is the day of rest, and I feel like taking that literally. Oh, and we made pozole (Mexican hominy pork stew) after roasting poblanos. The pozole is delicious. so good. yum.
We had such a good time in Seattle. We traveled in a crowded Expedition with garage doors and ripe tomatoes to Brisky Canyon. The miracle was the car doors shut (after some adjustment). We weren't able to show anyone the doors. We had no back up plan if we couldn't shut the doors again. Granny and Papa Herb seemed very well. It was so good to see Travis, Jenni and the boys. There wasn't much smoke in the canyon even though fires were still burning. Papa Herb uses a golf cart to get around. The boys love it. He lets them do some of the driving.
We travelled to Seattle on Thursday. Jenni stopped at fruit stands and bought corn, pears and apples. We enjoyed them for the rest of the week. Our air bnb was in Magnolia on the waterfront. We really enjoyed it. It was about a mile from Danny and Jenni's house and very close to Discovery Park. Dennis and Danny worked hard for a couple of days to mount and adjust the garage doors (successfully). We walked and ran in the park, visited the book store, and cooked great meals. Tommy cooked a big crab pot dinner. The crabbing adventure took all day and was epic. We loved eating outside at Danny and Jenni's on their new very large table and eating indoors on their new and very large table. Such good times. We played Scum games with the boys, and believe me, they were equal players with lots of strategy.
I especially miss climbing up the hills in the fresh air. It was great exercise! We went downtown to Pike's Market on Monday. It was so crowded! (that sounds like Granny talking). Then Dennis and I left for home. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone. The next time I see Jenni there will be a new baby. The boys haven't started school yet. The Seattle teachers are on strike. They have some real issues. I don't know what the solution is.
Jenni has a birthday coming up on the 15th and Dawn's birthday is on the 24th of September. I hope they both have a very special day.
I'm so grateful for the good times this summer. We have had many dinners with mostly stuff from our garden. My kitchen island has been decorated with roses from the front yard every day. I'm especially grateful for the children in our family and for each one of you and the efforts you make to live good, responsible lives and to be happy.
The days are definitely getting shorter. I'm seduced by summer each year. I feel like we will always have long summer evenings and wear cool cotton clothes and plan parties outside. It's dark by 7:30 here now! I'm not ready for darkness, ice and cold. But here it comes!
Except in Port Hueneme. That little slice of paradise. So glad to visit there soon! I miss you all.
Love, Mom
Hello to our dear family. We are home. We arrived home Tuesday evening. We survived. Our house and garden survived. Since then we have cleaned up the garden, canned more spaghetti sauce, all of the elderberries (good crop), cleaned out the freezer and fridge (garbage day), and began to clean the house. Where all that energy came from I don't know. Today is the day of rest, and I feel like taking that literally. Oh, and we made pozole (Mexican hominy pork stew) after roasting poblanos. The pozole is delicious. so good. yum.
We had such a good time in Seattle. We traveled in a crowded Expedition with garage doors and ripe tomatoes to Brisky Canyon. The miracle was the car doors shut (after some adjustment). We weren't able to show anyone the doors. We had no back up plan if we couldn't shut the doors again. Granny and Papa Herb seemed very well. It was so good to see Travis, Jenni and the boys. There wasn't much smoke in the canyon even though fires were still burning. Papa Herb uses a golf cart to get around. The boys love it. He lets them do some of the driving.
We travelled to Seattle on Thursday. Jenni stopped at fruit stands and bought corn, pears and apples. We enjoyed them for the rest of the week. Our air bnb was in Magnolia on the waterfront. We really enjoyed it. It was about a mile from Danny and Jenni's house and very close to Discovery Park. Dennis and Danny worked hard for a couple of days to mount and adjust the garage doors (successfully). We walked and ran in the park, visited the book store, and cooked great meals. Tommy cooked a big crab pot dinner. The crabbing adventure took all day and was epic. We loved eating outside at Danny and Jenni's on their new very large table and eating indoors on their new and very large table. Such good times. We played Scum games with the boys, and believe me, they were equal players with lots of strategy.
I especially miss climbing up the hills in the fresh air. It was great exercise! We went downtown to Pike's Market on Monday. It was so crowded! (that sounds like Granny talking). Then Dennis and I left for home. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone. The next time I see Jenni there will be a new baby. The boys haven't started school yet. The Seattle teachers are on strike. They have some real issues. I don't know what the solution is.
Jenni has a birthday coming up on the 15th and Dawn's birthday is on the 24th of September. I hope they both have a very special day.
I'm so grateful for the good times this summer. We have had many dinners with mostly stuff from our garden. My kitchen island has been decorated with roses from the front yard every day. I'm especially grateful for the children in our family and for each one of you and the efforts you make to live good, responsible lives and to be happy.
The days are definitely getting shorter. I'm seduced by summer each year. I feel like we will always have long summer evenings and wear cool cotton clothes and plan parties outside. It's dark by 7:30 here now! I'm not ready for darkness, ice and cold. But here it comes!
Except in Port Hueneme. That little slice of paradise. So glad to visit there soon! I miss you all.
Love, Mom
Monday, August 03, 2015
THE BULGARIANS CAME
Aug. 3, 2015
This post was supposed to be titled: The Bulgarians Are Coming. But they came and went. Travis rented his apartment as an Air B & B to four travelers from Bulgaria. I think it motivated him to clean and reorganize. The tourists ended up being four women who spoke excellent English. They were polite and appreciated the beds (instead of the floor). They met in an English immersion school. I think it was pleasant and enjoyable. He has also hired a cleaning lady from the Ukraine, Galina, who seems to do a good job. He was told that if he wanted a cleaning lady, he would end up getting a Ukrainian. And he did. Seems like all societies have their sub-cultures.
He is also coming to Seattle at the same time we are! I am so excited. He is presenting at a big gaming convention. It's the rare convention where gamers come and play games and meet other gamers as opposed to a trade show. Witcher has an interactive game for them, where they step into the Witcher animation. Very cool.
Dad is working in Clearfield all week and I miss him! I like having him here. He is training on the project he will be working on from home for a long time.
Danny and Jenni and boys seem to love and appreciate their new home, especially the back yard. Danny is using all his building permit expertise to get approval to expand the house into the garage. The irony of the whole thing is that the garage is too small to park a modern car. Yet the city wants off street parking, preferably covered, for every residence. He his hoping for a variance due to the hill they live on.
Tommy and Rilee. Oh dear. They dreaded having renters in the basement of their lovely home and it has turned out to be a nightmare. They hope to resolve this situation soon, or, sadly, move. There are people in this world that you don't want to share a house with. They are just finishing a carb/sugar-free diet called Fresh30 (I think). A sort of paleo diet. They have learned a lot and hope to make better choices after they are done. I think their work is going well.
Tyler and Dawn have visitors coming from Utah. Their house is well-organized but small, and they hope to cope with the two days of company. The girls are signed up for a second session of swimming at Hueneme High School, and Dad and I are very grateful for that. California kids need to learn to swim. School will be starting there all too soon, but Lilah and Laurel love school. Ty and Dawn have been working out. Ty has been running on the beach, probably the most envied workout there is. We loved visiting them.
Alex is very busy writing papers and working. He sends me photos of his wonderful meals. He is quite the cook. He prepares meals with produce from his co-op garden share. It's nice to see him staying away from take-out and junk food. We see the damage the quick, cheap food causes in our work downtown. Alex returned a week ago from a conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was a rare event, put together and taught by experts with a focus on a big data set. Alex learned a lot and has some ideas for his thesis. He met peers in his field and some of the top quantitative sociologists. That's about all I know, but it was a good experience.
Travis got his dna results back. We gave him a test for his birthday. He will have to tell you the results, but he is already showing up on my results as either my parent or my child. I love this stuff, family history, dna, so fascinating. He has a lot of Greek/Italian!
It's raining today which means that we are being blessed. I'll never get over rain. It is a blessing to me.
Did I tell you that we went to Green River? Dad, Tommy, Rilee, and Rilee's sister Erin ran the river. I drove shuttle. Last year we had to walk out of the river over the bed of rocks that used to be rapids. I didn't want to do that again. But this year the water was high, so no rocks. They came down pretty fast (2 hours, 15 minutes.) I had an enjoyable time reading and watching them, then we all swam in the river and had Mexican food at the Vera Cruz. While I was waiting, the temperature in the van said 107 degrees. I believe it. It was hot!
I am playing the piano in Primary downtown and teaching Sunbeams. It's all very enjoyable, even though I don't want to be this busy for very long. The two children I taught scribbled all over their pictures of a family saying family prayer. I thought, ok, I guess we're done with that. But no, they weren't! They scribbled and scribbled, and held the pictures up now and them to look at them. I guess in the end, the pictures looked exactly like they wanted them to look! In the meantime they hit each other and the girl (the other is a boy) started crying. I decided that it was time to teach the lesson, so I put my hand on her head and patted her while I read a story. I might survive a couple more weeks of this.
Dad is between projects in the shop, but is waiting to see if Danny needs carriage doors for his garage which he will build here. He runs almost every morning and looks relaxed and fit. I hope he doesn't have to drive to work very often.
We love and miss you all. We enjoy being with you and hearing from you!
Love, Mom
This post was supposed to be titled: The Bulgarians Are Coming. But they came and went. Travis rented his apartment as an Air B & B to four travelers from Bulgaria. I think it motivated him to clean and reorganize. The tourists ended up being four women who spoke excellent English. They were polite and appreciated the beds (instead of the floor). They met in an English immersion school. I think it was pleasant and enjoyable. He has also hired a cleaning lady from the Ukraine, Galina, who seems to do a good job. He was told that if he wanted a cleaning lady, he would end up getting a Ukrainian. And he did. Seems like all societies have their sub-cultures.
He is also coming to Seattle at the same time we are! I am so excited. He is presenting at a big gaming convention. It's the rare convention where gamers come and play games and meet other gamers as opposed to a trade show. Witcher has an interactive game for them, where they step into the Witcher animation. Very cool.
Dad is working in Clearfield all week and I miss him! I like having him here. He is training on the project he will be working on from home for a long time.
Danny and Jenni and boys seem to love and appreciate their new home, especially the back yard. Danny is using all his building permit expertise to get approval to expand the house into the garage. The irony of the whole thing is that the garage is too small to park a modern car. Yet the city wants off street parking, preferably covered, for every residence. He his hoping for a variance due to the hill they live on.
Tommy and Rilee. Oh dear. They dreaded having renters in the basement of their lovely home and it has turned out to be a nightmare. They hope to resolve this situation soon, or, sadly, move. There are people in this world that you don't want to share a house with. They are just finishing a carb/sugar-free diet called Fresh30 (I think). A sort of paleo diet. They have learned a lot and hope to make better choices after they are done. I think their work is going well.
Tyler and Dawn have visitors coming from Utah. Their house is well-organized but small, and they hope to cope with the two days of company. The girls are signed up for a second session of swimming at Hueneme High School, and Dad and I are very grateful for that. California kids need to learn to swim. School will be starting there all too soon, but Lilah and Laurel love school. Ty and Dawn have been working out. Ty has been running on the beach, probably the most envied workout there is. We loved visiting them.
Alex is very busy writing papers and working. He sends me photos of his wonderful meals. He is quite the cook. He prepares meals with produce from his co-op garden share. It's nice to see him staying away from take-out and junk food. We see the damage the quick, cheap food causes in our work downtown. Alex returned a week ago from a conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was a rare event, put together and taught by experts with a focus on a big data set. Alex learned a lot and has some ideas for his thesis. He met peers in his field and some of the top quantitative sociologists. That's about all I know, but it was a good experience.
Travis got his dna results back. We gave him a test for his birthday. He will have to tell you the results, but he is already showing up on my results as either my parent or my child. I love this stuff, family history, dna, so fascinating. He has a lot of Greek/Italian!
It's raining today which means that we are being blessed. I'll never get over rain. It is a blessing to me.
Did I tell you that we went to Green River? Dad, Tommy, Rilee, and Rilee's sister Erin ran the river. I drove shuttle. Last year we had to walk out of the river over the bed of rocks that used to be rapids. I didn't want to do that again. But this year the water was high, so no rocks. They came down pretty fast (2 hours, 15 minutes.) I had an enjoyable time reading and watching them, then we all swam in the river and had Mexican food at the Vera Cruz. While I was waiting, the temperature in the van said 107 degrees. I believe it. It was hot!
I am playing the piano in Primary downtown and teaching Sunbeams. It's all very enjoyable, even though I don't want to be this busy for very long. The two children I taught scribbled all over their pictures of a family saying family prayer. I thought, ok, I guess we're done with that. But no, they weren't! They scribbled and scribbled, and held the pictures up now and them to look at them. I guess in the end, the pictures looked exactly like they wanted them to look! In the meantime they hit each other and the girl (the other is a boy) started crying. I decided that it was time to teach the lesson, so I put my hand on her head and patted her while I read a story. I might survive a couple more weeks of this.
Dad is between projects in the shop, but is waiting to see if Danny needs carriage doors for his garage which he will build here. He runs almost every morning and looks relaxed and fit. I hope he doesn't have to drive to work very often.
We love and miss you all. We enjoy being with you and hearing from you!
Love, Mom
Monday, July 20, 2015
AUGUST UPDATE
Thanks Jenni for updating my August calendar. Of course Milo's 6th birthday is August 26, right before he starts kindergarten. If you thought having all kids leave public school confused me, try having someone retire! We look forward to Milo's birthday and maybe we will be in Seattle right after that.
Friday, July 17, 2015
MID JULY
JULY 17, 2015
I still can't believe the year when I write it. 2015! How are you all doing? Alex's birthday was last week. Last Friday. His friends gave him a surprise party then he continued to celebrate the next day with a party for his friend Erin. I'm glad he had some fun.
Danny and Jenni seem very happy in their new home. I think they must be very glad to have the move and the clean up over. Tommy and Rilee think they have a good investment there with wonderful neighbors and a beautiful back yard. Somehow I think Danny is moving ahead on finishing the basement.
Travis is riding bikes all over Poland. He posted something on facebook about a card game (it looked like a role-playing game) he was involved in producing. I think it was called Gwent. Hopefully we will talk to him this weekend.
Ty and Dawn just finished an eight-day stretch without any time off. I caught Tyler on the phone at the beach with the family. He said they stayed long past sunburn and were ready to leave. I think it was the day of the beach fair. Dawn is working on planning another trip to Arizona. Her mom is settled in a nursing home in Sedona and is very weak and won't eat much. We hope Dawn can handle her concerns for her Mom at this time. We enjoyed our visit so much with them in Port Hueneme.
Dad and I just got back from the Shakespeare Festival. We just went to one play, but what a play! We saw "Amadeus", the play (and movie) about Mozart and Salieri. It was amazing. It was described as a one act play with two scenes. (There was an intermission.) The main actor who played Salieri sat in a large armchair in an old robe and talked to the audience for a lot of the time. Intermittently he would continue talking to the audience. The story was intense and fascinating, the actors were cast so well and were so good. This might be the best theater I have every seen! (Tommy and Rilee: I could see it again.) Whenever I see art so well done I wish I had you all there to experience it. The theater wasn't full (unusual for the festival) ( I think it was a deep play that required some mental effort) but the whole audience sprung to their feet for a standing ovation, maybe the most sincere one I've ever experienced. Bravo!
We didn't go to a ball game last night. We were supposed to. We gave some friends downtown tickets to a Bees game for their wedding (they didn't want gifts). They invited us to go with them, then sent the tickets out of town in someone's purse. We might have stayed longer in Cedar City if we had known, but we were tired anyway.
Tommy and Rilee are on a 30-day diet where they eat no grain, sugar, and only certain oils. And no dairy. We had a good dinner last Sunday and I have a plan for this Sunday. It's kind of a mental cleanse, too, to rethink what you are grabbing to eat all of the time. No problem. It's garden time and there's lots of produce. Here's the winners: red potato slices with onion in foil packets seasoned with coconut butter, and frozen raspberries with coconut milk poured on them. Let the berries begin to freeze the milk. Also making the salmon/caper sauce with coconut butter instead of dairy worked great. It was sharper, but good.
Dad and I found some good road snacks on our trip to Cedar City: Jalepeno cheddar cheese chunks eaten alternately with blueberries covered in dark chocolate. Yum.
Next birthday is Rilee's on August 31. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I hope you are happy and well. I read a book I highly recommend: Choosing Clarity. Simple and so life changing.
Love, Mom
I still can't believe the year when I write it. 2015! How are you all doing? Alex's birthday was last week. Last Friday. His friends gave him a surprise party then he continued to celebrate the next day with a party for his friend Erin. I'm glad he had some fun.
Danny and Jenni seem very happy in their new home. I think they must be very glad to have the move and the clean up over. Tommy and Rilee think they have a good investment there with wonderful neighbors and a beautiful back yard. Somehow I think Danny is moving ahead on finishing the basement.
Travis is riding bikes all over Poland. He posted something on facebook about a card game (it looked like a role-playing game) he was involved in producing. I think it was called Gwent. Hopefully we will talk to him this weekend.
Ty and Dawn just finished an eight-day stretch without any time off. I caught Tyler on the phone at the beach with the family. He said they stayed long past sunburn and were ready to leave. I think it was the day of the beach fair. Dawn is working on planning another trip to Arizona. Her mom is settled in a nursing home in Sedona and is very weak and won't eat much. We hope Dawn can handle her concerns for her Mom at this time. We enjoyed our visit so much with them in Port Hueneme.
Dad and I just got back from the Shakespeare Festival. We just went to one play, but what a play! We saw "Amadeus", the play (and movie) about Mozart and Salieri. It was amazing. It was described as a one act play with two scenes. (There was an intermission.) The main actor who played Salieri sat in a large armchair in an old robe and talked to the audience for a lot of the time. Intermittently he would continue talking to the audience. The story was intense and fascinating, the actors were cast so well and were so good. This might be the best theater I have every seen! (Tommy and Rilee: I could see it again.) Whenever I see art so well done I wish I had you all there to experience it. The theater wasn't full (unusual for the festival) ( I think it was a deep play that required some mental effort) but the whole audience sprung to their feet for a standing ovation, maybe the most sincere one I've ever experienced. Bravo!
We didn't go to a ball game last night. We were supposed to. We gave some friends downtown tickets to a Bees game for their wedding (they didn't want gifts). They invited us to go with them, then sent the tickets out of town in someone's purse. We might have stayed longer in Cedar City if we had known, but we were tired anyway.
Tommy and Rilee are on a 30-day diet where they eat no grain, sugar, and only certain oils. And no dairy. We had a good dinner last Sunday and I have a plan for this Sunday. It's kind of a mental cleanse, too, to rethink what you are grabbing to eat all of the time. No problem. It's garden time and there's lots of produce. Here's the winners: red potato slices with onion in foil packets seasoned with coconut butter, and frozen raspberries with coconut milk poured on them. Let the berries begin to freeze the milk. Also making the salmon/caper sauce with coconut butter instead of dairy worked great. It was sharper, but good.
Dad and I found some good road snacks on our trip to Cedar City: Jalepeno cheddar cheese chunks eaten alternately with blueberries covered in dark chocolate. Yum.
Next birthday is Rilee's on August 31. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I hope you are happy and well. I read a book I highly recommend: Choosing Clarity. Simple and so life changing.
Love, Mom
Friday, July 10, 2015
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALEX ON JULY 10
Happy birthday today to Alex! Wish we were there with him. He is planning on attending a surprise party tonight. Friday is a good night for a birthday.
We returned from California on Wednesday night. We had a great time. We were there for Laurel's 7th birthday party. They rented a pink princess bouncy house and invited a lot of friend. More came than were invited. We were all amazed at how well the kids got along and how injury-free the party was. Tyler cooked burgers and hotdogs and it was quite a feast.
We loved the ocean breezes and mild temperatures after our hot, hot June weather. We had a great Fourth of July swimming in the hotel pool, eating at Ty's restaurant, then going to the beach for fireworks.
Travelling was hectic and crowded. We learned to arrive early at LAX due to crowds and some of the worst Southwest staffing I've ever seen. But it all worked out.
Tommy and Rilee drove to Seattle with Jenni and the boys, then they helped Danny and Jenni move to their new house. It was a lot of work, but from my info seemed to go well. Danny says they are loving the new house. They already started repainting the kitchen.
Travis is in Warmia on an expedition. It's in northern Poland. He's staying in a castle tonight.
Our garden is amazing: lots of water and sun have made things grow like crazy. I don't see how the plants could grow any bigger. We have had lots of raspberries.
I am exhausted, but it a good, summer way. Hope you are enjoying your warm weather. We miss you! I wish we could celebrate this day together with Alex. Happy Birthday Alex and I hope that party thing works out!
Love you all,
Mom
Happy birthday today to Alex! Wish we were there with him. He is planning on attending a surprise party tonight. Friday is a good night for a birthday.
We returned from California on Wednesday night. We had a great time. We were there for Laurel's 7th birthday party. They rented a pink princess bouncy house and invited a lot of friend. More came than were invited. We were all amazed at how well the kids got along and how injury-free the party was. Tyler cooked burgers and hotdogs and it was quite a feast.
We loved the ocean breezes and mild temperatures after our hot, hot June weather. We had a great Fourth of July swimming in the hotel pool, eating at Ty's restaurant, then going to the beach for fireworks.
Travelling was hectic and crowded. We learned to arrive early at LAX due to crowds and some of the worst Southwest staffing I've ever seen. But it all worked out.
Tommy and Rilee drove to Seattle with Jenni and the boys, then they helped Danny and Jenni move to their new house. It was a lot of work, but from my info seemed to go well. Danny says they are loving the new house. They already started repainting the kitchen.
Travis is in Warmia on an expedition. It's in northern Poland. He's staying in a castle tonight.
Our garden is amazing: lots of water and sun have made things grow like crazy. I don't see how the plants could grow any bigger. We have had lots of raspberries.
I am exhausted, but it a good, summer way. Hope you are enjoying your warm weather. We miss you! I wish we could celebrate this day together with Alex. Happy Birthday Alex and I hope that party thing works out!
Love you all,
Mom
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
IT'S HOT IN UTAH
June 30!!
Time flies. Danny and Jenni and the boys have been here and there (Jenni's folks house and Bear Lake) for the last two weeks. Her folks left yesterday for Cambodia. Jenni and the boys and Tommy and Rilee left this morning for Seattle. I think they start moving stuff to the new house tomorrow. It has been delightful having them stay here. We will miss them so much! They are so much fun. And it's still hot. What if it stays like this all summer? There isn't enough water in the west to keep things growing.
Alex ran yesterday in between rain storms. He has no desire to get soaking wet during a run. The heavens really open up in Ithaca when it rains. Today he is going to his produce farm to pick up wonderful vegetables and fruits. His birthday is on the 10th of July. He has a lot of pressure this summer to produce a paper that is part of his ph.d requirement. Whew. This is a hard road to be on. He will do it, though, and well.
We haven't connected with Travis. On my Marauder's Map on Facebook he is traveling up and down central Poland either on a bike or running. I imagine he is eating a lot when he can and is very trim.
We are leaving Friday to see Tyler and Dawn and the girls. Laurel's birthday is on the 7th of July. She will be 7! Then we will return and plan the rest of our summer. Tyler and Dawn were able to drive to Arizona for a few days. They helped get her mom into a nursing home and made a connection with her. The system is very complicated, but it appears she is getting good care. The girls enjoyed the swimming pool at the hotel. They also enjoyed meeting their Grandma. We hope all goes well and Dawn can see her again.
Dad made a table for Danny and Jenni's new kitchen. He made a mock up to see if the measurements were right. It was out of Home Depot scraps, pine and fir. It looked good, so we stained it. It looked great, so they took it. What a surprise and a fun project. We miss it a bit. I hope it works for them.
We are seeing some progress in people's lives in our mission downtown. Hopefully we will go to the temple with a young man who is defying the odds and preparing to make covenants and keep them. It's amazing to see. He is steady in a very unsteady situation. Heavenly Father gave us all talents and abilities, but some don't have the habits to use them. I think that's the biggest reason we are there: to share what we have freely inherited and been given. A chance. A lifetime of good role models. A heritage of productive decisions. I don't think I would have ever realized how blessed we are if I hadn't served downtown. I will be touched the rest of my life by what was just handed to me when I was born. It's been a priceless experience.
The garden is surviving. Things are growing themselves to death. The raspberries have sunburn but taste good and the whole place is covered with bees! Bees are disappearing but our garden is full of bees. The only thing missing is you! I love summer.
Here's a suggestion from Bon Appetit: Eat watermelon like steak. Drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and red pepper flakes. Use a steak knife to eat it.
Also, substitute watermelon slices for tomato slices on BLT's.
Come on. It sounds good.
Finn is doing well. We can't wait to meet him.
Love, Mom
Time flies. Danny and Jenni and the boys have been here and there (Jenni's folks house and Bear Lake) for the last two weeks. Her folks left yesterday for Cambodia. Jenni and the boys and Tommy and Rilee left this morning for Seattle. I think they start moving stuff to the new house tomorrow. It has been delightful having them stay here. We will miss them so much! They are so much fun. And it's still hot. What if it stays like this all summer? There isn't enough water in the west to keep things growing.
Alex ran yesterday in between rain storms. He has no desire to get soaking wet during a run. The heavens really open up in Ithaca when it rains. Today he is going to his produce farm to pick up wonderful vegetables and fruits. His birthday is on the 10th of July. He has a lot of pressure this summer to produce a paper that is part of his ph.d requirement. Whew. This is a hard road to be on. He will do it, though, and well.
We haven't connected with Travis. On my Marauder's Map on Facebook he is traveling up and down central Poland either on a bike or running. I imagine he is eating a lot when he can and is very trim.
We are leaving Friday to see Tyler and Dawn and the girls. Laurel's birthday is on the 7th of July. She will be 7! Then we will return and plan the rest of our summer. Tyler and Dawn were able to drive to Arizona for a few days. They helped get her mom into a nursing home and made a connection with her. The system is very complicated, but it appears she is getting good care. The girls enjoyed the swimming pool at the hotel. They also enjoyed meeting their Grandma. We hope all goes well and Dawn can see her again.
Dad made a table for Danny and Jenni's new kitchen. He made a mock up to see if the measurements were right. It was out of Home Depot scraps, pine and fir. It looked good, so we stained it. It looked great, so they took it. What a surprise and a fun project. We miss it a bit. I hope it works for them.
We are seeing some progress in people's lives in our mission downtown. Hopefully we will go to the temple with a young man who is defying the odds and preparing to make covenants and keep them. It's amazing to see. He is steady in a very unsteady situation. Heavenly Father gave us all talents and abilities, but some don't have the habits to use them. I think that's the biggest reason we are there: to share what we have freely inherited and been given. A chance. A lifetime of good role models. A heritage of productive decisions. I don't think I would have ever realized how blessed we are if I hadn't served downtown. I will be touched the rest of my life by what was just handed to me when I was born. It's been a priceless experience.
The garden is surviving. Things are growing themselves to death. The raspberries have sunburn but taste good and the whole place is covered with bees! Bees are disappearing but our garden is full of bees. The only thing missing is you! I love summer.
Here's a suggestion from Bon Appetit: Eat watermelon like steak. Drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and red pepper flakes. Use a steak knife to eat it.
Also, substitute watermelon slices for tomato slices on BLT's.
Come on. It sounds good.
Finn is doing well. We can't wait to meet him.
Love, Mom
Sunday, June 14, 2015
ONE MONTH LATER
June 14, 2015
It's been a month since I wrote on the blog! Oops. Sorry. In the last month we have had a fun trip to Seattle for Ollie's baptism. We stayed at a hotel on Lake Union. We loved it. We had good times with Danny and Jenni and the boys and cousins and Jenni's folks. We loved seeing Jak's school play. It was a delightful script with talented actors. Jak played the piano and had speaking parts. I'm so glad we could see it.
Dad retired and started his new job with IBaseT. It's going well. He runs almost every day then starts work in the basement. He doesn't miss the commute. The traffic has gotten worse and worse through the years. He has also fully recovered from his surgery (as far as we can tell.)
We survived the Relief Society garden tour. We were the first house. I think they had over thirty women. They visited five homes. They seemed to enjoy things here, especially the elderberry bushes, the sorrel plants, and the four-o-clock hedge. They were surprisingly interested in my use of natural fertilizers and lack of broad-leaf plant killers. So we talked a lot about the benefits of avoiding poisons and using natural products. We used the tour as motivation to redo a lot of things. We worked so hard. But it looks nice.
Travis had his birthday in New York with Alex. He's back home now. His Witcher game release has been an amazing success and he is due for a bonus. He ran a marathon in Itaca, just for fun, and road Alex's bike for miles. Alex is really suffering from hayfever. The pollens are terrible because of the rains. Obama has declared it a national health emergency and has set aside funds to find a cure for hayfever and better treatments. I guess it's really bad there.
Tommy's birthday is tomorrow. He and Rilee are in Telluride, Colorado this weekend. They enjoy visiting her brother and his family. It sounds like a fun town. They both are very busy with their new jobs. They have been looking at homes and may have found one in their neighborhood. We look forward to seeing them next week.
Dawn and Tyler are doing well. It's been a successful and happy school year for the girls. It just ended. Laurel's birthday is July 7. She was given an award as student of the year in her grade. In a presentation at the Masonic Lodge with the mayor, they gave her a new Kindle Fire HD. Congratulations Laurel! Dawn's mother is in the hospital and will probably go to a nursing home. It's hard to not be able to visit her more.
Danny and Jenni and boys are coming to Utah. We will see them around the 24th of June. Jenni's folks are moving out of their Draper home and going on a mission to Cambodia. Jenni and Danny signed papers on their new Magnolia house and are planning on moving the first week in July. Jenni is staying in Utah for a little while and driving home with the boys after her parents leave.
I spent a fun day this week with my Aunt Von. We shopped and ate and talked. I'm stuffed full of news. I will miss her when she goes back. She is 84 years old this year and doing well.
Stay well and happy and let us know how you are doing. We love you and pray for your happiness. We miss you!
Love, Mom
It's been a month since I wrote on the blog! Oops. Sorry. In the last month we have had a fun trip to Seattle for Ollie's baptism. We stayed at a hotel on Lake Union. We loved it. We had good times with Danny and Jenni and the boys and cousins and Jenni's folks. We loved seeing Jak's school play. It was a delightful script with talented actors. Jak played the piano and had speaking parts. I'm so glad we could see it.
Dad retired and started his new job with IBaseT. It's going well. He runs almost every day then starts work in the basement. He doesn't miss the commute. The traffic has gotten worse and worse through the years. He has also fully recovered from his surgery (as far as we can tell.)
We survived the Relief Society garden tour. We were the first house. I think they had over thirty women. They visited five homes. They seemed to enjoy things here, especially the elderberry bushes, the sorrel plants, and the four-o-clock hedge. They were surprisingly interested in my use of natural fertilizers and lack of broad-leaf plant killers. So we talked a lot about the benefits of avoiding poisons and using natural products. We used the tour as motivation to redo a lot of things. We worked so hard. But it looks nice.
Travis had his birthday in New York with Alex. He's back home now. His Witcher game release has been an amazing success and he is due for a bonus. He ran a marathon in Itaca, just for fun, and road Alex's bike for miles. Alex is really suffering from hayfever. The pollens are terrible because of the rains. Obama has declared it a national health emergency and has set aside funds to find a cure for hayfever and better treatments. I guess it's really bad there.
Tommy's birthday is tomorrow. He and Rilee are in Telluride, Colorado this weekend. They enjoy visiting her brother and his family. It sounds like a fun town. They both are very busy with their new jobs. They have been looking at homes and may have found one in their neighborhood. We look forward to seeing them next week.
Dawn and Tyler are doing well. It's been a successful and happy school year for the girls. It just ended. Laurel's birthday is July 7. She was given an award as student of the year in her grade. In a presentation at the Masonic Lodge with the mayor, they gave her a new Kindle Fire HD. Congratulations Laurel! Dawn's mother is in the hospital and will probably go to a nursing home. It's hard to not be able to visit her more.
Danny and Jenni and boys are coming to Utah. We will see them around the 24th of June. Jenni's folks are moving out of their Draper home and going on a mission to Cambodia. Jenni and Danny signed papers on their new Magnolia house and are planning on moving the first week in July. Jenni is staying in Utah for a little while and driving home with the boys after her parents leave.
I spent a fun day this week with my Aunt Von. We shopped and ate and talked. I'm stuffed full of news. I will miss her when she goes back. She is 84 years old this year and doing well.
Stay well and happy and let us know how you are doing. We love you and pray for your happiness. We miss you!
Love, Mom
Friday, May 15, 2015
RAINY FRIDAY
5/15/15
Surely someone is getting married today. Jessica Hill is getting married tomorrow.
According to the news we will have rain storms until the end of the month. We are so lucky!! I'm sure there never will be enough water, but I love the rain.
Dad is feeling better day by day. We might have been a little too positive initially. We thought he felt great until the pain medicine ran out. Then he didn't feel great at all. I actually think his throat woke up and hurt. But now he is coping pretty well. He goes back to work on Monday and will be up to four or five hours of it. I've enjoyed having him around. But it's in the master financial plan to put a little frosting on the cake for a year or two. Hopefully his hours will be very flexible. We've done projects the last two weeks that we have postponed for months if not years. It's nice to fix things up. I am so glad this surgery is over. It wasn't too bad, but bad enough.
We talked to everyone last week. Thanks for your calls. I would say everyone is in a good place right now. Travis' game was released and the reviews are wonderful. The gaming world is excited and pleased. Such a good reception. He ordered a new bike. It seems like a popular bike and was hard to find. He received notice that it was being shipped. It should be great for touring. He doesn't talk about racing, thank goodness. He is heading to New York on the 27th of May.
Alex submitted his last big project of the semester. He teaches a class and has to deal with a lot of students during office hours. I know how that goes after being one of those students. I think he must give good help or they wouldn't keep coming. I just mailed him his sleeping bag. After the winter he had it's hard to imagine sleeping outside. But they are going to do it.
Danny and family returned from Disneyland. Danny loved it. It was so fun to talk to him about it. I felt like he could look at it and explain it to me. So many people around here are crazy about Disneyland, but I don't understand why. I think I kind of get it now.
The big news besides Danny and Jenni's house purchase in Magnolia, is their new baby who is due to enter this world the middle of October. He has a name. Ask them. It's great. We will see them in a couple of weeks for Ollie's birthday and baptism. We're looking forward to that. Jak is also in a play at that time. He has been practicing for a long time. He plays the piano in the play and has a part.
Tyler and Dawn and girls are wrapping up a good school year. Laurel does well in her class and has been chosen as student of the year. She reads on a third grade level and excels at math. Lilah is a favorite at preschool and plans on going there for kindergarten. Ivy has grown into a sturdy, capable little girl, who is also very beautiful and talks a lot.
Milo cut his hair! It's still curly and looks great. He starts kindergarten this next September.
Tommy and Rilee went to Florida with their new company. They loved Harry Potter World. And I loved the treats they brought back. They also visited Cocoa Beach, one of our favorite places. They are back and happily working together at Pluralsight in Farmington. They can't stop home shopping, even if it's a little early to buy. I think they're done being renters.
We've had some big events here this month: a trip to California for us, a new job, retirement, surgery. We've enjoyed most of them and survived them all. Hopefully we can enjoy and survive whatever is ahead including a Relief Society tour of our garden. It's too early to plan the summer. I hope you know you are in our hearts and in our prayers all of the time. We love you and want you to be happy. Have a great week!
Surely someone is getting married today. Jessica Hill is getting married tomorrow.
According to the news we will have rain storms until the end of the month. We are so lucky!! I'm sure there never will be enough water, but I love the rain.
Dad is feeling better day by day. We might have been a little too positive initially. We thought he felt great until the pain medicine ran out. Then he didn't feel great at all. I actually think his throat woke up and hurt. But now he is coping pretty well. He goes back to work on Monday and will be up to four or five hours of it. I've enjoyed having him around. But it's in the master financial plan to put a little frosting on the cake for a year or two. Hopefully his hours will be very flexible. We've done projects the last two weeks that we have postponed for months if not years. It's nice to fix things up. I am so glad this surgery is over. It wasn't too bad, but bad enough.
We talked to everyone last week. Thanks for your calls. I would say everyone is in a good place right now. Travis' game was released and the reviews are wonderful. The gaming world is excited and pleased. Such a good reception. He ordered a new bike. It seems like a popular bike and was hard to find. He received notice that it was being shipped. It should be great for touring. He doesn't talk about racing, thank goodness. He is heading to New York on the 27th of May.
Alex submitted his last big project of the semester. He teaches a class and has to deal with a lot of students during office hours. I know how that goes after being one of those students. I think he must give good help or they wouldn't keep coming. I just mailed him his sleeping bag. After the winter he had it's hard to imagine sleeping outside. But they are going to do it.
Danny and family returned from Disneyland. Danny loved it. It was so fun to talk to him about it. I felt like he could look at it and explain it to me. So many people around here are crazy about Disneyland, but I don't understand why. I think I kind of get it now.
The big news besides Danny and Jenni's house purchase in Magnolia, is their new baby who is due to enter this world the middle of October. He has a name. Ask them. It's great. We will see them in a couple of weeks for Ollie's birthday and baptism. We're looking forward to that. Jak is also in a play at that time. He has been practicing for a long time. He plays the piano in the play and has a part.
Tyler and Dawn and girls are wrapping up a good school year. Laurel does well in her class and has been chosen as student of the year. She reads on a third grade level and excels at math. Lilah is a favorite at preschool and plans on going there for kindergarten. Ivy has grown into a sturdy, capable little girl, who is also very beautiful and talks a lot.
Milo cut his hair! It's still curly and looks great. He starts kindergarten this next September.
Tommy and Rilee went to Florida with their new company. They loved Harry Potter World. And I loved the treats they brought back. They also visited Cocoa Beach, one of our favorite places. They are back and happily working together at Pluralsight in Farmington. They can't stop home shopping, even if it's a little early to buy. I think they're done being renters.
We've had some big events here this month: a trip to California for us, a new job, retirement, surgery. We've enjoyed most of them and survived them all. Hopefully we can enjoy and survive whatever is ahead including a Relief Society tour of our garden. It's too early to plan the summer. I hope you know you are in our hearts and in our prayers all of the time. We love you and want you to be happy. Have a great week!
Friday, May 01, 2015
MAY DAY
May 1. 2015
Hello dear family,
Dad is officially retired. He had his exit interview yesterday. Today he is kayaking with a friend in the Weber River. Yes, it will be cold, but the water is pretty shallow. His retirement party at work was nice. Rilee and Tommy came and lots of other people. He has worked with many people through the years. It's an interesting environment: lots of smart people working in army type buildings. We had a celebration dinner after at The Mandarin in Bountiful.
Tuesday Dad has his throat surgery. We will be very glad when it's over. He starts his new contracting job on the 18th of May. We are going to Seattle at the end of May for Oliver's baptism and Jak's school play. That should be fun. I guess Papa Herb and Granny are coming over for the baptism.
We've talked most of the family this week. I'm still waiting to catch up with Tyler. We keep calling each other. Alex is busy at work and getting things ready for his visit with Travis at the end of the month. He's enjoying being out of doors now. Spring has finally come to upstate New York. He and Travis plan on camping, biking, and touring Niagara Falls. Sounds like so much fun.
Travis is in Southern Poland seeing some country side with his friends. I think they are staying in a country home.
Tommy and Rilee are on their way to Chicago today. They will spend the weekend with their friend Jimmy, then work there next week for Pluralsight. Then they fly to Orlando for three or four days. That trip is also for work, but they are going to see Harry Potter World or Theme Park. They will be there for their fifth wedding anniversary. Tyler and Dawn and Danny and Jenni have wedding anniversaries this month, too!
Papa Herb got the results of his DNA test from Ancestry.dna.
Here's the results: He's 34% Great Britain, 12% Italy/Greece,
31% Western Europe(France,Switzerland,Germany,Belgium)11% Irish, 4% Iberian Peninsula, 3% Jewish, 1% Caucas, 1% West Asia (Middle East, including Israel). We were amazed. I thought I had mixed up dna. It's all very fascinating. I think he enjoyed reading about the history of himself. I know I did. It seems like there was a little Scandinavian in there that I left out. The Jewish hit is call "European Jewish" and shows up in a lot of European dna, but not mine. Wouldn't it be nice to know the stories of all of those people, their migrations and history?
Danny and Jenni have spent the week in Disneyland with Jenni's family. Jenni has gone on some of the rides. She must be feeling pretty good. I'm sure the boys have loved it.
Once again we are having a beautiful day. Dad and I have been working on the garden and yard. I'm going to plant tomatoes in a little while. There's always so much work to do in the spring. But won't it be nice to eat fresh tomatoes?
We miss the girls and Tyler and Dawn in Pt. Hueneme. I love the name of that town. I hope they are happy and well.
Have a great weekend!
Love, Mom
Hello dear family,
Dad is officially retired. He had his exit interview yesterday. Today he is kayaking with a friend in the Weber River. Yes, it will be cold, but the water is pretty shallow. His retirement party at work was nice. Rilee and Tommy came and lots of other people. He has worked with many people through the years. It's an interesting environment: lots of smart people working in army type buildings. We had a celebration dinner after at The Mandarin in Bountiful.
Tuesday Dad has his throat surgery. We will be very glad when it's over. He starts his new contracting job on the 18th of May. We are going to Seattle at the end of May for Oliver's baptism and Jak's school play. That should be fun. I guess Papa Herb and Granny are coming over for the baptism.
We've talked most of the family this week. I'm still waiting to catch up with Tyler. We keep calling each other. Alex is busy at work and getting things ready for his visit with Travis at the end of the month. He's enjoying being out of doors now. Spring has finally come to upstate New York. He and Travis plan on camping, biking, and touring Niagara Falls. Sounds like so much fun.
Travis is in Southern Poland seeing some country side with his friends. I think they are staying in a country home.
Tommy and Rilee are on their way to Chicago today. They will spend the weekend with their friend Jimmy, then work there next week for Pluralsight. Then they fly to Orlando for three or four days. That trip is also for work, but they are going to see Harry Potter World or Theme Park. They will be there for their fifth wedding anniversary. Tyler and Dawn and Danny and Jenni have wedding anniversaries this month, too!
Papa Herb got the results of his DNA test from Ancestry.dna.
Here's the results: He's 34% Great Britain, 12% Italy/Greece,
31% Western Europe(France,Switzerland,Germany,Belgium)11% Irish, 4% Iberian Peninsula, 3% Jewish, 1% Caucas, 1% West Asia (Middle East, including Israel). We were amazed. I thought I had mixed up dna. It's all very fascinating. I think he enjoyed reading about the history of himself. I know I did. It seems like there was a little Scandinavian in there that I left out. The Jewish hit is call "European Jewish" and shows up in a lot of European dna, but not mine. Wouldn't it be nice to know the stories of all of those people, their migrations and history?
Danny and Jenni have spent the week in Disneyland with Jenni's family. Jenni has gone on some of the rides. She must be feeling pretty good. I'm sure the boys have loved it.
Once again we are having a beautiful day. Dad and I have been working on the garden and yard. I'm going to plant tomatoes in a little while. There's always so much work to do in the spring. But won't it be nice to eat fresh tomatoes?
We miss the girls and Tyler and Dawn in Pt. Hueneme. I love the name of that town. I hope they are happy and well.
Have a great weekend!
Love, Mom
Monday, April 20, 2015
BEAUTIFUL DAY
APRIL 20, 2015
Hello Family,
Hope you're having a beautiful day, too. Our endless Spring never quits. We had a little snow and frost last week. We came home from California to cold temperatures in the middle of the night. Dennis covered the Asian pear tree. I don't think the fruit was damaged. It's really beautiful outside now. I heard that Pres. Obama is funding allergy research because of the warm climate. There are more allergens in the air than ever. I tried to buy Kleenex at the store. The shelf was almost bare. That has never happened.
We enjoyed our visit with Ty, Dawn and the girls so much. The girls improved in swimming every day. We had so much fun. Ty and Dawn are excellent cooks. We came home from church to taco soup and ahi tuna tacos cooked in marsala sauce. Ahi tuna is really affordable there. We enjoyed taking the girls to church. They looked so cute. They liked Primary.
We are planning on going to Port Hueneme for Christmas again. We hope it will work out in your plans.
Tommy has a new job with "Pluralsite". It's the company that hired Rilee. He's the art director. His work was considered the best and most professional of all the applicants. I think he starts in two weeks.
Alex had a big presentation today. His project was critiqued by some of the best people in his field. He defended it well. His numbers are really challenged, as they should be. I figured out that he is dealing with current history of people, based on statistics. I keep looking at my dna tests and have learned a lot about the history of Europe and Africa and Asia through dna. It's all so interesting. He's glad this project has been presented and is anxious to wrap up his other work.
Travis has a bandaid on his finger now. He doesn't know if the stump is healing. I didn't tell them that it stays numb for a long time. The scar is numb for a longer time. I think it will heal. He and Alex are going to Niagara Falls on the train from New York City. I definitely need to do this. I want to see Niagara Falls. Travis is looking forward to the Witcher release around May 20th.
Danny and Jenni are so busy. Danny took his ward young men camping this weekend. Danny and Jenni are driving to Disneyland this Saturday with the boys. They will be gone for a week. They are looking for a house in the area of Queene Anne and Magnolia. It's a cruel game. But there are houses that they could live in. They just need to win in the battle of the bidders. Ollie turns eight and the end of May. Hopefully we will see them then.
Dennis is working hard at retiring. He has a new part time job as a contractor with IBaseT. He will work at his old job for a while. His retirement party at work is next Tuesday. He is done on Thursday afternoon. This is a big milestone for him. And kind of scary. But it's good to let go and just consult part time.
I had a dizzying day yesterday. We did a Primary treasure hunt all over the building. The kids loved it. I think the teachers did, too. It brought some welcome chaos. Dennis helped me get all of the clues straight. We had a wedding Friday downtown. Two friends from our downtown ward married. It was very special with a party afterwards. This week I have a bookclub downtown. We are reading a powerful book called "Choosing Clarity." It's pretty life changing. These women are serious about bookclub. They will read just about anything. I always miss you all and look forward to the wonderful times when we see you. Tommy and Rilee came over for Sunday dinner. They were awakend in the night by the renters downstairs who had a big fight. I told them that I have learned something from every place I have lived. They have learned they don't want to share a house. I love having them visit. Everyone is willing to eat homemade spaghetti and meatballs which makes my life easier. Hopefully they will be able to find their own place this next year.
What are our summer plans? Retirement is so huge that we haven't thought that far ahead. Now I can't get Niagara Falls out of my mind. Let us know what you are planning this summer. Tentatively we would like to go to New York, and we would like to go back to Port Hueneme is July. We always want to go to Europe, but I don't know what Travis' schedule is like. I want to see everything. And I love staying home. I would like to help Danny and Jenni move. I really would. And we will be there for Ollie's baptism.
Summer is just too short. I think I will plant tomatoes this week. Here's my plan: plant a couple every week. That way you beat any frosts. Clip fabric around the tomato cage to cut down on frost settling. (this last clue was from a woman who eats homegrown tomatoes in June.
Take care. Especially with sharp knives.
Love, Mom
Hello Family,
Hope you're having a beautiful day, too. Our endless Spring never quits. We had a little snow and frost last week. We came home from California to cold temperatures in the middle of the night. Dennis covered the Asian pear tree. I don't think the fruit was damaged. It's really beautiful outside now. I heard that Pres. Obama is funding allergy research because of the warm climate. There are more allergens in the air than ever. I tried to buy Kleenex at the store. The shelf was almost bare. That has never happened.
We enjoyed our visit with Ty, Dawn and the girls so much. The girls improved in swimming every day. We had so much fun. Ty and Dawn are excellent cooks. We came home from church to taco soup and ahi tuna tacos cooked in marsala sauce. Ahi tuna is really affordable there. We enjoyed taking the girls to church. They looked so cute. They liked Primary.
We are planning on going to Port Hueneme for Christmas again. We hope it will work out in your plans.
Tommy has a new job with "Pluralsite". It's the company that hired Rilee. He's the art director. His work was considered the best and most professional of all the applicants. I think he starts in two weeks.
Alex had a big presentation today. His project was critiqued by some of the best people in his field. He defended it well. His numbers are really challenged, as they should be. I figured out that he is dealing with current history of people, based on statistics. I keep looking at my dna tests and have learned a lot about the history of Europe and Africa and Asia through dna. It's all so interesting. He's glad this project has been presented and is anxious to wrap up his other work.
Travis has a bandaid on his finger now. He doesn't know if the stump is healing. I didn't tell them that it stays numb for a long time. The scar is numb for a longer time. I think it will heal. He and Alex are going to Niagara Falls on the train from New York City. I definitely need to do this. I want to see Niagara Falls. Travis is looking forward to the Witcher release around May 20th.
Danny and Jenni are so busy. Danny took his ward young men camping this weekend. Danny and Jenni are driving to Disneyland this Saturday with the boys. They will be gone for a week. They are looking for a house in the area of Queene Anne and Magnolia. It's a cruel game. But there are houses that they could live in. They just need to win in the battle of the bidders. Ollie turns eight and the end of May. Hopefully we will see them then.
Dennis is working hard at retiring. He has a new part time job as a contractor with IBaseT. He will work at his old job for a while. His retirement party at work is next Tuesday. He is done on Thursday afternoon. This is a big milestone for him. And kind of scary. But it's good to let go and just consult part time.
I had a dizzying day yesterday. We did a Primary treasure hunt all over the building. The kids loved it. I think the teachers did, too. It brought some welcome chaos. Dennis helped me get all of the clues straight. We had a wedding Friday downtown. Two friends from our downtown ward married. It was very special with a party afterwards. This week I have a bookclub downtown. We are reading a powerful book called "Choosing Clarity." It's pretty life changing. These women are serious about bookclub. They will read just about anything. I always miss you all and look forward to the wonderful times when we see you. Tommy and Rilee came over for Sunday dinner. They were awakend in the night by the renters downstairs who had a big fight. I told them that I have learned something from every place I have lived. They have learned they don't want to share a house. I love having them visit. Everyone is willing to eat homemade spaghetti and meatballs which makes my life easier. Hopefully they will be able to find their own place this next year.
What are our summer plans? Retirement is so huge that we haven't thought that far ahead. Now I can't get Niagara Falls out of my mind. Let us know what you are planning this summer. Tentatively we would like to go to New York, and we would like to go back to Port Hueneme is July. We always want to go to Europe, but I don't know what Travis' schedule is like. I want to see everything. And I love staying home. I would like to help Danny and Jenni move. I really would. And we will be there for Ollie's baptism.
Summer is just too short. I think I will plant tomatoes this week. Here's my plan: plant a couple every week. That way you beat any frosts. Clip fabric around the tomato cage to cut down on frost settling. (this last clue was from a woman who eats homegrown tomatoes in June.
Take care. Especially with sharp knives.
Love, Mom
Tuesday, April 07, 2015
APRIL FLOWERS NO SHOWERS
April 7, 2015 at 11:47 a.m.
Good morning family! I hope you had a happy Easter. We did. We stayed home and watched Conference on t.v. It was good. Many of the talks seemed designed just for us and were very comforting and enlightening. Especially the ones about how we serve in the church and why we serve: with joy and gratitude and humility. I used to think humility was perhaps a degrading idea. Now I think pride and the elevating of self above others is the odd idea. When we are humble we can really communicate with Heavenly Father and have his spirit with us.
After we had a barbecue with Tommy and Rilee. I wish all of you could have been here! First of all, Tommy and Rilee surprised us with a new purchase. They bought a brand new car. It is perhaps the cutest car I have ever seen with almost magical interior space. Think of a mini-Isuzu with a rocket ship dashboard and pink interior led lights. It's very spacious inside with rear storage and lots of backseat leg room. Tommy is excited to properly break in the BMW engine. I think they bought it for the sound system, though.
Alex is having some warm, beautiful days followed by snow and cold. I think Friday should be beautiful there. He is very busy in school, but glad to get out running when the weather permits.
Travis just returned from Denmark. Safely. He said the food was delicious and the country beautiful. It was a fast trip. Next month he goes to New York.
I talked to Tyler Saturday when he was on the beach with the girls. He said the new Port Hueneme pier and beach is beautiful. They have been working on it for a couple of years. Apparently it washed away into the Channel Islands. He and Dawn are very busy but sounded happy. The girls are wrapping up a successful year in school and preschool and seem to love it there.
Danny and Jenni took a needed break from house hunting this weekend. They have changed some of their loan approach and it might make their bids more appealing. Danny wants to get back into fly fishing with his boys and his scouts. I don't care if it's fly fishing or sitting on a rock with a pole and a puddle: once in my life I would like to catch a fish. (that might be near the top of my bucket list. ) I think it would be fun to go out on a boat and fish in the ocean. Ok, I just want seafood.
Dad and I fly to California on Friday. We booked the painfully early flight. I wake up all bouncy. This should be interesting. We will go to Laguna Beach Friday night. Dad has an interview in the area about contracting and doing consulting work after he retires. Then Saturday we will head to Port Hueneme. We have to stay at the Hampton on Silver Strand the first night as the Navy totally booked out the Holiday Inn Express, but we will move there on Sunday. We will check out the seasons for ocean fishing. We are looking forward to seeing Ty and Dawn and the girls. We'll be back on Wednesday night.
We don't have our summer planned yet, but we hope to have a lot of fun and see as many of you as possible. We love you and pray for your success and happiness all of the time. Keep strong, have faith and courage and laugh a lot!
Love, Mom
Good morning family! I hope you had a happy Easter. We did. We stayed home and watched Conference on t.v. It was good. Many of the talks seemed designed just for us and were very comforting and enlightening. Especially the ones about how we serve in the church and why we serve: with joy and gratitude and humility. I used to think humility was perhaps a degrading idea. Now I think pride and the elevating of self above others is the odd idea. When we are humble we can really communicate with Heavenly Father and have his spirit with us.
After we had a barbecue with Tommy and Rilee. I wish all of you could have been here! First of all, Tommy and Rilee surprised us with a new purchase. They bought a brand new car. It is perhaps the cutest car I have ever seen with almost magical interior space. Think of a mini-Isuzu with a rocket ship dashboard and pink interior led lights. It's very spacious inside with rear storage and lots of backseat leg room. Tommy is excited to properly break in the BMW engine. I think they bought it for the sound system, though.
Alex is having some warm, beautiful days followed by snow and cold. I think Friday should be beautiful there. He is very busy in school, but glad to get out running when the weather permits.
Travis just returned from Denmark. Safely. He said the food was delicious and the country beautiful. It was a fast trip. Next month he goes to New York.
I talked to Tyler Saturday when he was on the beach with the girls. He said the new Port Hueneme pier and beach is beautiful. They have been working on it for a couple of years. Apparently it washed away into the Channel Islands. He and Dawn are very busy but sounded happy. The girls are wrapping up a successful year in school and preschool and seem to love it there.
Danny and Jenni took a needed break from house hunting this weekend. They have changed some of their loan approach and it might make their bids more appealing. Danny wants to get back into fly fishing with his boys and his scouts. I don't care if it's fly fishing or sitting on a rock with a pole and a puddle: once in my life I would like to catch a fish. (that might be near the top of my bucket list. ) I think it would be fun to go out on a boat and fish in the ocean. Ok, I just want seafood.
Dad and I fly to California on Friday. We booked the painfully early flight. I wake up all bouncy. This should be interesting. We will go to Laguna Beach Friday night. Dad has an interview in the area about contracting and doing consulting work after he retires. Then Saturday we will head to Port Hueneme. We have to stay at the Hampton on Silver Strand the first night as the Navy totally booked out the Holiday Inn Express, but we will move there on Sunday. We will check out the seasons for ocean fishing. We are looking forward to seeing Ty and Dawn and the girls. We'll be back on Wednesday night.
We don't have our summer planned yet, but we hope to have a lot of fun and see as many of you as possible. We love you and pray for your success and happiness all of the time. Keep strong, have faith and courage and laugh a lot!
Love, Mom
Thursday, March 26, 2015
SPRING IS HERE
March 26, 2015
Spring is officially here and our weather decided to cool down. Thank goodness. We have had about three rain storms and could use many more.
I had to wait to blog until my head cold left. Dad and I got sick with a bad cold at the same time. (Who did this to us?) We have been exhausted and feeling crummy. But we're doing better now. I hope you are all well. Tyler's girls are getting over a strep infection. Be sure to treat that nasty stuff. It damages the kidneys and the heart if left untreated.
We heard some good job news from Rilee on Sunday. She has an offer from a start-up company in Farmington. I guess its a company that produces on-line training courses. She met them through her film company, and they came to her with a job offer. She will be doing their marketing and events planning. The first event she will coordinate will be in Chicago. Dennis has worked with this company before and said they are well known. Congratulations Rilee! We are pleased that it is a local company (with plenty of travel.)
Travis arrived in Warsaw yesterday. He felt like his trip to Hong Kong and Tokyo went well. He looked so slim and handsome in his photos. He loved Tokyo! It was a good contrast to Europe. He said the customer service was amazing. He loved the food and the city. I'm sure he has a lot of interesting things to say about it.
Alex is very busy and feeling the pressure. It's almost unbelievable how much pressure there is to publish, work, write, research, teach in order to get a ph.d. I think the longest, coldest winter in history hasn't helped. I hope he and Travis can relax and enjoy their week together in May.
We get to see Ty, Dawn and the girls in a few weeks. I'm very excited. They are working hard and keeping up with the girls. Hopefully everyone is well and happy by now.
Big news from Seattle: Jak won the Pinewood Derby in his division. I saw his car that he was making. It looked like a good design to me. He narrowed down the front and took a lot of wood off in the front. It was fast! Maybe the wheels were really polished. Anyway, it's about time a Currit won!
Danny and Jenni are still looking at houses. It's a cruel market. The area and lifestyle are way to popular. For good reasons.
We have our own joys and problems. Dad is working on retirement. He might contract out some work for a few months with Solumina. He might have surgery the end of April on his throat. We are waiting for his appointment with the surgeon. We are still enjoying our time downtown. We are going to a wedding when we get back from California. A man we were assigned to teach two years ago is getting married. It's a long story, but one that is sweet to us. He is a Vietnam vet and has come back into full activity in the church. He has had a hard life due to post traumatic stress. We have watched him grow in faith and trust in the Lord. He and Dad have been home teaching together. He is marrying a woman they home teach! It's never too late for love and joy. We love them both and are so excited to be invited to their wedding in the Salt Lake Temple. Their daughters on both sides are planning a party after at the church. Dennis and Bill home taught Tuesday night. Bill made the appointments. When they visited Janna, his fiancé, he greeted her with a kiss, then kissed her goodbye when they were done. Great home teaching.
Everyone in our family has many blessings and some big challenges. I'm impressed that we need to pray for each other. I don't think I've ever formed a prayer that wasn't answered, eventually, sometimes surprisingly. Sometimes I have had to make some painful changes in myself to realize the answer to my prayers. Our blessings are real and our problems are serious. We can alter the course of our lives and bless our loved ones through prayer. Life will always present us with conflicts, losses and trials. It can be rough. But wonderful. For Dad and I, you are the part of the wonderfulness.
Love, Mom
Spring is officially here and our weather decided to cool down. Thank goodness. We have had about three rain storms and could use many more.
I had to wait to blog until my head cold left. Dad and I got sick with a bad cold at the same time. (Who did this to us?) We have been exhausted and feeling crummy. But we're doing better now. I hope you are all well. Tyler's girls are getting over a strep infection. Be sure to treat that nasty stuff. It damages the kidneys and the heart if left untreated.
We heard some good job news from Rilee on Sunday. She has an offer from a start-up company in Farmington. I guess its a company that produces on-line training courses. She met them through her film company, and they came to her with a job offer. She will be doing their marketing and events planning. The first event she will coordinate will be in Chicago. Dennis has worked with this company before and said they are well known. Congratulations Rilee! We are pleased that it is a local company (with plenty of travel.)
Travis arrived in Warsaw yesterday. He felt like his trip to Hong Kong and Tokyo went well. He looked so slim and handsome in his photos. He loved Tokyo! It was a good contrast to Europe. He said the customer service was amazing. He loved the food and the city. I'm sure he has a lot of interesting things to say about it.
Alex is very busy and feeling the pressure. It's almost unbelievable how much pressure there is to publish, work, write, research, teach in order to get a ph.d. I think the longest, coldest winter in history hasn't helped. I hope he and Travis can relax and enjoy their week together in May.
We get to see Ty, Dawn and the girls in a few weeks. I'm very excited. They are working hard and keeping up with the girls. Hopefully everyone is well and happy by now.
Big news from Seattle: Jak won the Pinewood Derby in his division. I saw his car that he was making. It looked like a good design to me. He narrowed down the front and took a lot of wood off in the front. It was fast! Maybe the wheels were really polished. Anyway, it's about time a Currit won!
Danny and Jenni are still looking at houses. It's a cruel market. The area and lifestyle are way to popular. For good reasons.
We have our own joys and problems. Dad is working on retirement. He might contract out some work for a few months with Solumina. He might have surgery the end of April on his throat. We are waiting for his appointment with the surgeon. We are still enjoying our time downtown. We are going to a wedding when we get back from California. A man we were assigned to teach two years ago is getting married. It's a long story, but one that is sweet to us. He is a Vietnam vet and has come back into full activity in the church. He has had a hard life due to post traumatic stress. We have watched him grow in faith and trust in the Lord. He and Dad have been home teaching together. He is marrying a woman they home teach! It's never too late for love and joy. We love them both and are so excited to be invited to their wedding in the Salt Lake Temple. Their daughters on both sides are planning a party after at the church. Dennis and Bill home taught Tuesday night. Bill made the appointments. When they visited Janna, his fiancé, he greeted her with a kiss, then kissed her goodbye when they were done. Great home teaching.
Everyone in our family has many blessings and some big challenges. I'm impressed that we need to pray for each other. I don't think I've ever formed a prayer that wasn't answered, eventually, sometimes surprisingly. Sometimes I have had to make some painful changes in myself to realize the answer to my prayers. Our blessings are real and our problems are serious. We can alter the course of our lives and bless our loved ones through prayer. Life will always present us with conflicts, losses and trials. It can be rough. But wonderful. For Dad and I, you are the part of the wonderfulness.
Love, Mom
Friday, March 13, 2015
HAPPY PI DAY
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE FOR TOMORROW, BUT SOME OF US ARE VERY EXCITED TO CELEBRATE HAPPY PI DAY ON MARCH 14, 2015. IT WILL BE THE ONLY TIME IN THIS CENTURY
BACK FROM SEATTLE
March 13, 2015
Hi Family,
I'm back from a quick trip to Seattle. It was so good to talk to Danny and Jenni in person and to spend time with the boys. The weather was dry and beautiful. (Note to Alex: they almost cancelled the Iditarod this year due to lack of snow.) The boys are really into football cards and have some nice ones. They know a lot about football, especially about the Seahawks and the Patriots. They understand the game really well.
Danny and Jenni took the youth in their ward on a camp while I was there. They went to separate cabins and had a wonderful time. The boys and I watched a movie called "The Book of Life" which was so good and surprising. It was all about the Day of the Dead and Mexican folklore. I loved it. We had a bit of the stomach flu, especially Milo, but weathered it pretty well. Jenni made an amazing pie. I think it's called Haulpi Pie. It's a Hawaiian recipe and is delicious. I'll try to post it. Danny and Jenni went to an event at the school. It was an auction to raise money for the school Jenni is the PTA Treasurer, so she was an important part of the night. People spent all kinds of money. Sounds like fun.
Dad survived while I was gone. He had two doctor appointments, one to remove a cyst under his eye (no problem), and the other to evaluate for some surgery to maybe make it so he doesn't use the c-pap machine. He'll probably have the surgery the end of April.
Last time I talked to Tyler his family was doing well. The girls love school. They have gone through the flu and some stomach stuff this winter, and the girls can hardly be convinced they need to stay home. It's very warm there, too.
Travis is going to Asia for a trade show. I think he's going to Japan, maybe China. Imagine travelling with gamers to a gaming show. Should be fun. He's looking forward to it. He's very busy and looking forward to seeing Alex in May. They plan on biking, hiking and camping. I hope it's warm enough! It's beautiful there.
Tommy and Rilee are busy as usual. Rilee is very busy in her film production job. They both have been interviewing for other jobs in their spare time.
We look forward to seeing Ty and Dawn in April and going to Ollie's baptism in May.
We're reading a book called "Quiet" that I recommend. It's about the power of introverts. We mix up introverts and extroverts together in life and it's easy to become frustrated when your style doesn't match the new American "norm" of being highly extroverted. The author even goes into detail about how the big recession in recent times was caused by extroverts controlling Wall Street and being addicted to reward-based thinking. I think some of our frustrations in relationships are caused by the communication problems between introverts and extroverts. Our schools are set up to basically annihilate introverts. Most introverts try so hard to be extroverts and end up with anxiety issues and medication. It was so interesting. What did I get out of it? Lots. I think I'm introvert who is very comfortable with a lot of extrovert behavior and demands and isn't very shy. I think Dennis is extrovert who's very flexible and comfortable with introvert lifestyle. But under stress we respond very differently. And sometimes that's frustrating. It's a very readable book. Important if you think you're a damaged introvert or are trying to raise an introvert child, or having trouble in a relationship. The population is pretty mixed but modern American society is definitely pushing extrovert behavior.
We gave Papa Herb a DNA test for his March birthday. I suspect he is Great Britain and Western Europe. We'll see. I was surprised by mine in some ways.
Well, we love you. We wish we could see you often. We wonder when we will see Travis again. Next Christmas, I hope? You might have to catch me in Port Hueneme.
Love, Mom
Hi Family,
I'm back from a quick trip to Seattle. It was so good to talk to Danny and Jenni in person and to spend time with the boys. The weather was dry and beautiful. (Note to Alex: they almost cancelled the Iditarod this year due to lack of snow.) The boys are really into football cards and have some nice ones. They know a lot about football, especially about the Seahawks and the Patriots. They understand the game really well.
Danny and Jenni took the youth in their ward on a camp while I was there. They went to separate cabins and had a wonderful time. The boys and I watched a movie called "The Book of Life" which was so good and surprising. It was all about the Day of the Dead and Mexican folklore. I loved it. We had a bit of the stomach flu, especially Milo, but weathered it pretty well. Jenni made an amazing pie. I think it's called Haulpi Pie. It's a Hawaiian recipe and is delicious. I'll try to post it. Danny and Jenni went to an event at the school. It was an auction to raise money for the school Jenni is the PTA Treasurer, so she was an important part of the night. People spent all kinds of money. Sounds like fun.
Dad survived while I was gone. He had two doctor appointments, one to remove a cyst under his eye (no problem), and the other to evaluate for some surgery to maybe make it so he doesn't use the c-pap machine. He'll probably have the surgery the end of April.
Last time I talked to Tyler his family was doing well. The girls love school. They have gone through the flu and some stomach stuff this winter, and the girls can hardly be convinced they need to stay home. It's very warm there, too.
Travis is going to Asia for a trade show. I think he's going to Japan, maybe China. Imagine travelling with gamers to a gaming show. Should be fun. He's looking forward to it. He's very busy and looking forward to seeing Alex in May. They plan on biking, hiking and camping. I hope it's warm enough! It's beautiful there.
Tommy and Rilee are busy as usual. Rilee is very busy in her film production job. They both have been interviewing for other jobs in their spare time.
We look forward to seeing Ty and Dawn in April and going to Ollie's baptism in May.
We're reading a book called "Quiet" that I recommend. It's about the power of introverts. We mix up introverts and extroverts together in life and it's easy to become frustrated when your style doesn't match the new American "norm" of being highly extroverted. The author even goes into detail about how the big recession in recent times was caused by extroverts controlling Wall Street and being addicted to reward-based thinking. I think some of our frustrations in relationships are caused by the communication problems between introverts and extroverts. Our schools are set up to basically annihilate introverts. Most introverts try so hard to be extroverts and end up with anxiety issues and medication. It was so interesting. What did I get out of it? Lots. I think I'm introvert who is very comfortable with a lot of extrovert behavior and demands and isn't very shy. I think Dennis is extrovert who's very flexible and comfortable with introvert lifestyle. But under stress we respond very differently. And sometimes that's frustrating. It's a very readable book. Important if you think you're a damaged introvert or are trying to raise an introvert child, or having trouble in a relationship. The population is pretty mixed but modern American society is definitely pushing extrovert behavior.
We gave Papa Herb a DNA test for his March birthday. I suspect he is Great Britain and Western Europe. We'll see. I was surprised by mine in some ways.
Well, we love you. We wish we could see you often. We wonder when we will see Travis again. Next Christmas, I hope? You might have to catch me in Port Hueneme.
Love, Mom
Thursday, February 26, 2015
SNOW--FINALLY
Hi family: it snowed all day today. It started out as snow then hit the ground like rain. And I found out I have to drive downtown tonight. I hate driving on the freeway at night. But I probably will. I have book club at a friend's house and I don't think anyone is coming.
Uncle Dave Johnson passed away last night. It was very peaceful: no life support to remove. He will be cremated and interred (?) at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane. There will be some kind of military ceremony. I don't know when this will happen. Might not be right away.
My Christmas present was a DNA test. We watch some genealogy shows like "Finding Your Roots" and "Who Do You Think You Are?" It's fascinating (to me). People are almost always wrong about the proportions in their family history, and sometimes about their family origins. It's especially been interesting to see black Americans discover their origins. A lot of them are genetically related to their recorded slave owners. And they are thrilled to find out something, anything about who they are. I always thought we might have some African ancestry due to the number of tall, thin dark people in my family. But there is no cultural memory of this. So I figured it was way back in time. The only cultural memory I have is that they were adventurous, wild, and musical. Another cultural memory I have is that my mom's family lived in Ireland, took on an Irish version of their name, but adamantly were not Irish and were not Catholic and were very important people. Also, I have had a lot of doubts about my grandmother Orr's paternity. She was darker, more foreign looking than her family, but very loved. (she was the oldest). Her father was from Germany and her mother from Italy.
So here are my test results, and basically, yours: I'm 98% European. Those results are pretty much between three countries: Great Britain 64%, Italy/Greece 16%, Finland/Northwest Russia 9%. I am more than 1% North African and 1% West Asian (Middle Eastern). I have traces of Europe West (France, Germany, Switzerland, etc), Ireland, Iberian Peninsula, and Scandinavia.
No German. No Irish, really. Got me some African. And WHAT ABOUT THAT FINNISH????
I have no records or cultural memory of anything to do with Finland. It reflects the expanding, diminishing borders of Finland throughout history. Sometimes their borders went into Northwest Russia.
Middle Eastern is not necessarily Jewish. There is a common DNA hit for European Jew. This reflects possibly any country in the Middle East: Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Arab nations, Lebanon, and Israel, etc.
So it was worth $80.00. Totally. I still don't know why my Grandma and my sister and some cousins looked kind of Chinese or Asian. But I would have been disappointed to not have had some African, and Northern Africa seems right.
I wish I could get one of my living uncles to test. If they have more Finnish, I think we're on to something.
My great grandfather was a good, good father. My grandma loved him and was favored by him. But he's not appearing in my DNA test, unless he was Finnish and the German genealogy is wrong.
The website is fascinating and has linked me up with lots of cousins to contact. I know two of them.
I promise you are totally related to me and your dad. Not a problem.
Love you,
Mom
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Johnson Address
Hi family: Here is Aunt Alvina's address:
The Johnsons
3131 West Wapato Drive #2
Moses Lake, Washington 98837
The Johnsons
3131 West Wapato Drive #2
Moses Lake, Washington 98837
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