Grandma Mimi turns 29 again!

Last Saturday night, we celebrated my mom turning 29 again! (She is timeless!) She and Jane Anne share the same birthday, Feb. 24th! A very good day as far as I am concerned! We got together at my brother's home where we had a tasty dinner and enjoyed visiting with each other. For birthday cake we had apple torte with lemon sauce. Yum! Happy Birthday, Mom!

My baby girl is 21!

Jane Anne's birthday celebrating lasted a whole week!! I guess that's what happens when your birthday falls on a Wed. and you can only get together with the rest of your family on the week-ends. Last Saturday night, Feb. 20th, we went to Chef's Table for dinner. We had a wonderful time and wonderful food!


Then the following day, we had our traditional Sunday birthday dinner. Janie chose fried chicken with country cream gravy and mashed potatoes for her menu. We finished with our traditional yummy homemade chocolate cake. It's similar to Magleby's chocolate cake but way, way better!
Then this last week-end she got all her presents. I think one of the favorites is this print of
Timpanogos with the leaves and snow. Janie knows that she and Colby will be leaving these
beloved mountains and Utah in the not too distant future to pursue his medical school career.
She wants to take a little of our spectacular scenery with her!


I can't believe my baby girl is 21! I am so grateful that the Lord in his goodness (and should I say mercy?) saw fit to bless me with at least one daughter! She is my dear friend and someone that I love and admire! Happy Birthday, Jane Anne!

The Circle of Life

Back row: Diane and Carolyn, Lael's daughters
Front row: Monica, Lael and me

I went to visit my great aunt, Lael Creer, today and on Tuesday. She is 93 and has decided that maybe she would like to relocate to Heaven. She has been a widow for 37 years now and thinks its time to see her sweetheart, Paul, again. Her family has been very dear to my family. Her grand daughter, Monica, worked for me for many years as my "right-hand" gal. She helped me in a thousand different ways when I had six children at home and life was crazy. Her mom, Carolyn, was a favorite cousin of my dad and she used to tend me and my siblings when my parents went on trips. Her mom, Lael, my great aunt, was mother to my dad when he went to live with them on their dairy farm in Spanish Fork. He lived with them for a year when he was in Jr. High. He helped out with milking the cows because all the other young men just older than he was had gone off to fight in WWII. As I sat visiting with all of them, all these different ways that we are tied together came to my mind. I am the privileged one to watch as Diane, Carolyn and Monica get ready to say "Good-bye" to their mom and grandma. My heart aches as I see Lael hoping the end will come soon---and it rejoices in the reunion that is to be on the "other side of the veil". My dad will be there and I know after she greets her husband, and siblings that he will be in line to give her a great big "Welcome Home" hug. "God be with you til we meet again" Aunt Lael, we love you.

Special Valentine's Dinner

Still Valentine's after 34 years!
The Tree Room graciously substituted fries for mashed potatoes for Josh. They had to go to the restaurant next door, the Foundry Grill, to get them for him---the Tree Room is a little "too stuffy" to have fries on their menu!
Umm!!! Filet Mignon covered in Mango Chutney...

Thursday night, Bob, Josh and I went to the Tree Room at Sundance for a Valentine's Dinner Date. (We had a fantastic gift certificate that Bob had won in a golf contest at his summer office party.) We celebrated Valentine's Day early because Bob flew to Phoenix Friday morning for a knee lab and got home late Saturday night. (He really just wanted to get out of the cold and play golf---the fact that the implant company paid for his flights and for his hotel room sealed the deal! ) One of our very favorite meals is the Pepper Steak with Mango Chutney and Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. It is Divine!!! (Being the youngest child and the only child at home, really has its perks sometimes!)

Be my Valentine!

This is the Valentine I am giving to my Visiting Teaching Ladies today. I found the cute mail box in the dollar isle at Target. My children who live here, and don't need their Valentines mailed, are also getting one. Inside they are filled with English Toffee, homemade caramels, Dove chocolate hearts, Reese's peanut butter hearts, and Hershey Cherry Cordial Kisses. Yum!



To celebrate this special day, I love to make cards to send to my loved ones. Here are some of this years creations. Inside, I included a gift certificate to Cold Stone for a family home evening treat. I was pretty happy to find an ice cream store that has franchises in Ypsilanti, MI; Boston, MA; and Coralville, IA! Not to mention Provo, Utah!

A BIG, HUGELY SATISFYING DAY!!!

Ready to pack up the quilts to take to Primary Chilren's Medical Center.
Josh with Marie, the director of Charitable Donations at Primary Children's.

Being the mother of FIVE sons has it's priviledges. One of the first thoughts I had when we had the ultrasound almost 17 years ago, and found out that we were having another boy, was "Another Eagle Scout....". Now, I must admit, this was not an overly joyful thought---I had helped two sons by this time achieve their Eagle. I knew what the scouting program entailed. I knew the years of cub scouts and pack meetings,of boy scouts and merit badges and Eagle projects! Even thinking about it now, makes me tired. But today, Josh dropped off his four twin-bed size quilts to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake. The last Eagle project is done...finished...complete! If you listen carefully, you may here my huge satisfying sigh of relief! Now on to the Eagle Scout paper work...

Baby Quilt for Mary

One of the things I have always wanted to do was to have enough time to make baby quilts for special people. I am just now at that point in my life! I was able to make this quilt and burpees for Mary Holmes, a darling girl from our ward that is one of Janie's friends and someone I had taught for several years in Young Women's. (Hard to believe these girls that were my MIA Maids are now old enough to be married and beginning their families!) I loved this quilt because I was able to figure out how to use big ric rack for the edging! Now, on to quilt #2, for Jared and Jen's little son expected in June!

JOSH'S FIRST DATE DANCE!!!

The big day arrived, Friday, Feb. 5th---the day of the Sweetheart Dance at Timpview! Josh somehow found himself in charge of the entire event for his group and coordinating and arranging everything was a great experience for him. Because no one was able to drive anyone but themselves or a licensed driver yet, figuring out the transportation was the biggest challenge! The group went bowling right after school at BYU with homemade oreos to snack on. Bowling scores for Josh and his date were respectable--Josh--109 and Aubrey--99. (Good for the manly esteem to just barely beat your date!) Then everyone met together again for dinner at our house. Master griller, Bob, cooked teriyaki chicken to perfection and it was served by catering experienced Jane Anne and Colby. Then it was off to the dance and then to the Moneys for dessert and hot tubbing and games. Josh had a great time! (That was about all the detail I could squeeze out of him---this overly-talkative child of mine! He did say he would definitely want to do it again!)

Asking to the Sweetheart Dance!

OK, I have recommitted myself to blogging! Having my last child go on his first dance date is quite an event! Definitely deserving of a blog! Josh and his group of friends decided the Sweetheart Ball at Timpview was a must do! Five of them braved the task of asking a girl out and waiting for her "answer". Being the mother of four olders sons and one daughter, all trying to think of cute ways to ask to dances, has taught me that when you see something that lends itself to date asking---YOU BUY IT!! So in my stash of possibilities, we found a fun heart shaped pinata that was perfect for Josh to use. He filled it with all sorts of Valentine candies and then wrote each letter of his name on individual candy packages. His date had to find all the letters and then figure out his name. On the outside, Bob suggested we write "It would be a big hit if you would go to the Sweetheart Dance with me!" He asked a darling long-time friend, Aubrey Money to go with him. Happily, "YES" was her answer!