Cousin's Camp

Tiffany hosted an amazing Cousins Camp for all of the cousins eight years of age and up. She is full of energy, and enthusiasm. They did many fun activities, a scavenger hunt, writing a skit and filming it, service project, hiking Spencer’s Butte, carrying their flag with the theme Stand Fast to the top of the Butte, and more.  

Crismon and I went down on Saturday morning and spoke to our grandchildren. We enjoyed their talent show first and the showing of the very clever video they filmed. It was a great bonding experience for them, no one was left out, and they are still talking about how fun it was. Julia and Austin arrived Saturday night, so we have people all over on beds and floors, but what a party!

Seth and Tiffany closed on their new home just before the cousins camp started. We were able to take a tour through their new home. It is unique! 100 years old, and full of character and charm. There are many work projects for their boys to do, but if anybody can do it, Tiffany has the vision!

June with Family

June is fun with special family time. Paxton graduated from Pre-School. Meredith found out that she was expecting a boy. Dallin takes over as "Mr. Mom" while Janelle starts the Masters Program, Tiffany and the boys came up one day to help me since I had been sick and they knew Meredith was coming. Preston made cookies and Addison made homemade wheat bread for the first time. We celebrated Father's Day at the Vance's and Sydney's 14th birthday. I had to include a picture with me and Sydney when she was a baby. Julia graduated from elementary school and is so happy to move on to middle school. Vivi made some delicious brownies for Dad for Father's Day. It is topped with Sydney's yummy homemade chocolate syrup.

Surviving during a sickness

I have been sick with a bad sinus infection over the last two weeks. I'm so ready to be well again! I'm grateful I was able to go to Sacrament meeting today, but I came home right after as I felt so weak. As I'm sitting in church I'm thinking, "I'm so glad to be here, but being at church when you're not really well, is not the same as being there when you are well." It made me think, maybe when people come to church really hurting spiritually, church is not the same for them either. Maybe they are not feeling the richness of the spirit, or maybe their hearts are heavy and they wish they weren't there. I love the hymns and the spirit they bring, but today it seemed more like a chore to sing them. Concentrating on the messages were not the same. Wellness is such a gift that we need to cherish, because without it, the changes everything else we do.

Surviving the long days of sickness was made more bearable because of great library books I had on hand, and the Hoopla app on my phone where I could listen to them while I laid in bed. Within 10 days I listened to 51 hours, which were 3 books, The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, A Higher Call, and my favorite was Anne of Green Gables. I love these conveniences that we have access to in this modern world.

Not everyday the past two weeks have been sunshine, but we're finally seeing the sun more now after a very long, cold, dark winter. When you live in Oregon you can't get enough of the sunny days, and of course, they lift your spirits, too. 

Events in May

This has been a busy month of May. We enjoyed seeing granddaughter, Sydney, perform in her 8th grade school play, “The Velveteen Rabbit.” May 6th we attended Asher’s Baptism in Eugene. Corwin & Lynette, Leslie and some of her children were there, too. It was delightful to see them and get a brief visit about their mission plans.

I spoke in the Powell Valley RS on Visiting Teaching for their VT Convention. I hosted my Book Club group in our home the next day. May 12th we drove to Moscow, ID for Austin’s (Doutre) Graduation with his Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the Univ. of Idaho. It definitely was a joint effort, as Julia was a tremendous support to him to make it happen.

On the evening of the 18th I headed to Ondalynn & Gary’s home to tend their children until Monday evening the 22nd while they were on a short getaway to New York City. I attended cute Kaeley’s Pre-School promotion Sunday evening Isaac & Paxton had a sleepover here and then Crismon joined their family for a hike at Beacon Rock State Park in Stevenson, WA. In between these events we served in the temple, attended some school concerts, and Crismon has kept busy with Church meetings and assignments.

May Events in Eugene

Thurs. morning the 25th, we went to Eugene for Addison’s musical, “Fiddler on the Roof.” He played the part of the tailor. We stayed in Eugene until Saturday afternoon to be with their boys while Seth was in San Diego for meetings, and Tiffany flew to Seattle to participate with her sister in the Northwest FolkLife Festival. They were the final performance doing a Reader’s Theater type performance with singing. They were a hit! Crismon enjoyed going on a hike Saturday morning with the boys to Spencer’s Butte. We had lots of fun being together, and I think Dad and I beat the boys in Acquire, my first time!

Austin's Graduation & Pullman

We drove to Moscow Idaho for Austin's graduation with his Masters in Mechanical Engineering on May 12th, Friday. We had dinner with the Doutre's on Friday night in Pullman and then the Graduation Ceremony was on Saturday morning. It was so thrilling to be there for this special event. We are so proud of Austin for his excellent achievement. Before leaving Moscow we stopped at the hospital where I was born way back in April 4, 1952.

It was fun for me to visit Pullman before heading home. I loved going by the home I grew up on on 721 Monroe Street. We went to the back of the house and it seemed so small from what I remembered in the alley way. The Clark's house that was next door is so nice. I have many fond memories growing up there and us playing the the neighborhood kids in the Clark's backyard, next to our home. The street was so narrow. Everything looks so different as an adult. Stadium Way was a prominent street I remember growing up.