HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EMMA THIS WEEK!

  From the day she was born, Emma has filled our lives with sweetness, smiles, and kindness.  She is thoughtful and generous, and we have the best lunches and, once-in-a-while, a fun shopping spree. 😁  She is always so good to her siblings, always concerned for them, and goes out of her way to help them if there is a need.  She stays super busy with work and friends, so we don't get to see her as often as we would like, but we sure love her, and we are so thankful she is part of our family ❤

 Both Samantha and Angella had surgery this week. Samantha had her gall bladder taken out, and Angella had knee replacement surgery.  

I am happy to report that both are doing well.  Paul stayed home most of the weekend to take care of Sammi, and after talking with her yesterday, she said she was still pretty sore, and it hurt for her to sit up, but each day should be easier.

Angella had knee replacement surgery Thursday morning. The doctor said her knee was worse than they expected, but she came through it fine and was able to come home on Saturday.  She was supposed to be released from the hospital Friday, but she was in a lot of pain and couldn't meet the Physical Therapist's requirements to be released.  Saturday morning, Dad and Bishop Ash gave her a blessing, she did everything she needed to do for physical therapy, we got her home, and before we left, Hollie had her hooked up to the ice machine. She's in good hands with her sweet daughters!

 Adam and Cory are in Phoenix this week for Lily's soccer tournament. Her team won 2 games on Friday - I haven't heard results from yesterday, but she is on a great team, and I'm sure they did well. 

Our other budding soccer player in the family, Sayre is signed up for another session from now through March (I think)

Jonathan was in Texas for the last half of last week, and Sayre was so happy to have him home again!

 

We are looking forward to visiting them in just 3 weeks!

  

 Jake and Milo have been with us this weekend while Adam and Cory are out of town.  Needless to say, there is never a dull moment!  Jake brought his rollerblades so he could practice, and he has been outside in the cold, the wind, and even after dark.  Yesterday, we took the dogs for a walk, and when we were going up the street, he took Milo's leash so he didn't have to skate uphill 

 Genius!😀

 He was also worried about going down our front stairs, so he just jumped over them - 😲

Like I said . . . Never a dull moment 😄

COLORADO SPRINGS GOOD NEWS ~

 I put gas in the car last night at Sam's Club, and it was only $1.71.  I can't remember the last time it was down so low. 

AND, even better, Colorado Springs is getting an ALDI!  Finally!!

SADLY, this week, Francie is not doing well.  It was so nice to talk with Ruthie and Mike the other night.  We have all been in touch with Jenny, and she is doing her best to hold things together.  Francie is under Hospice care now.  She is not eating, and Steven said he is doing his best to get ice chips down her throat.  I think the thing that astounds me is how quickly she declined - just over the last three weeks.  I will keep you all updated 😢

Jenny has had some special spiritual experiences this past week as she has spent time with her Mom.  It is the greatest blessing to know that the end of life does not take away our family connections, and the covenants we have made in the Temple are eternal.  I am so thankful for my family ❤

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JAKE!  This handsome guy turns 10 today and is so happy he is in the "2 digits" now.  

 He is such a gift to our family - he is a hard worker, and there isn't a rock, stump, hedge, flower bed, ditch, tree, or fence he hasn't jumped over or climbed. He says the best prayers and gives the best hugs. He cares about others. He always makes us smile and has brightened our lives over the last 10 years. We love you, Jake!

Chicago News:

Kim and Chris had a fun houseful this weekend with Max and Amelia coming for a visit.  Kim said it had been a long time since their whole family was able to arrange work schedules so they could have dinner together. They also made time to go to the Temple, and Max took Amelia downtown to show - with Blythe and Cora as their tour guides 😃 

Iowa City Happenings ~

 Kate is back at work, Jonathan doesn't have to go back for another week, but he is doing "work stuff" from home, and Sayre is back to school and just started another season of soccer.  His baptism will be on Sunday, February 8th.  He is growing so quickly - it won't be too long before Kate will be asking him to help her get things from the top shelf.

double-fisting his yogurt after practice.

 We are looking forward to seeing them next month and being there to celebrate Sayre's birthday and baptism. 

Monument Madness!!

Adam and Cory were back to work this week, and in between work schedules, Adam has been repairing cars . . .🚙  Samantha is enjoying her work at the dental office, and school, and she finally quit working at Lifetime - which was a huge stress reliever for her.

Paul stopped by yesterday afternoon.  He is still trying to get all of his paperwork turned in for his mission. His dental paperwork had been misplaced (not by him), and he needed extra blood work done, so he had to go back to the doctor for that.  I think yesterday, he finally had it all done, and then was told that because his availability date wasn't until July, he would need to wait until February before he could turn it in.  Anyway, it's all done, so now all we can do is practice patience 😁

With all of the kids back at school and work this week, and Adam and Cory back to work, we were so lucky to get to spend Tuesday with Jake (his school hadn't started yet).  I hadn't taken down our Christmas decorations yet, so I put him to work helping me take the ornaments off the tree.  He eventually told me I wasn't fast enough, so he pretty much took over that job and got all the ornaments off the tree, while I packed them in their boxes.  He then helped me get the tree in its box (which was no easy feat), and he managed to get it downstairs by himself (it was sooo heavy).  I tried to help, but he basically told me I was in the way. 😁

The Rest of Colorado Springs -

Dad had jury duty on Monday, which, after about three hours, they sent him home.  We spent Wednesday running errands - returning Amazon boxes to Whole Foods and Kohl's, a visit to Costco, and quick stop at Trader Joe's.  Yesterday, I got some housecleaning done, we picked up some peanut butter from Sam's Club for Sendai, and then went to visit Shannon.  She seemed happy, and not too much has changed with her. 

I know Angella has been busy this week preparing the house and the kids for her surgery on Thursday. She made arrangements with the Mother of one of Ben's friends from school, who will bring him home each day. 

I have a lot of reading and writing assignments for my American Government class, taking dinner to a friend on Wednesday, and giving Angella a hand when she has surgery on Thursday. Adam and Cory are headed to Las Vegas early Friday morning for Lily's soccer tournament. Paul is babysitting Samantha while Adam and Cory are gone, and I get Jake and Milo for the weekend. Yay!!!

AND finally, from Sunny California ~

Mike went down to Modesto and spent several days with Francie while Jenny took some time away for her birthday.  Mike said Francie struggles with her speech and there are good moments and not-so-good moments.  I talked to her for a few minutes this week, and I could tell she had declined even from just one month ago. It makes me so sad, and anxious to see her.  Mike took her over to check the progress on the Modesto Temple.

Finally - 

This is only my first week of my American Government class, but I loved what I learned.  Our reading focused on the Articles of Confederation and how the writing of the Constitution evolved.  When James Madison proposed his plan for how our government should be formed, it sparked a major disagreement between the smaller states and the larger states.  The point was that neither side would compromise.  Benjamin Franklin became frustrated with the arguing and reminded the delegates that they only survived and won the Revolutionary War because of the power of prayer, and that possibly, they needed to seek the Lord's help again. 

This made me think of where we are in our country today. No one is willing to compromise, to work together, and I doubt that many of our politicians look for answers in prayer. 

The link below is for a movie we watched for class. It is an old, old movie, produced by BYU (you might recognize some of the faces) - but the content is credible and if you have an interest in U.S.  History, I think you might enjoy it.  I believe it was Benjamin Franklin (or maybe George Washington) who said that it is only through compromise that we can become united.  Still true today.

A More Perfect Union

   HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE ❤

  It has been a great last week of vacation - days off, no school, shortened work schedules, a good time to relax, refocus, and make plans for the new year. 

  We had a pretty lazy week - Dad caught a cold, so we stuck close to home.  I worked some downstairs, trying to move my sewing room out of the back room, hoping I could get to the Christmas boxes and get our Christmas put away.  I was able to get most of it done (thank you, Paul, for lending a hand), and tomorrow I may actually take down our tree and pack up the house decorations - maybe😊. 

We got Milo for a couple of days this week, and on Friday, we took him and Sendai to the dog park.  Wow! Did they have a great time, and did they ever come home needing baths!

 

Yesterday, we got out and stopped at FedEx to make some copies for my Primary class, and then ran out to Scheels just for fun 😀.  Love that store and how kind and helpful the employees are.  AND if you can believe it, we stopped at In-N-Out for an early dinner (two weeks in a row).  Adam taught Dad about the Flying Dutchman (two hamburger patties, cheese, smothered in grilled onions, and no bun), and now he's hooked.                                                                                                   

  Last night, at Kate's suggestion, Dad and I watched the first 2 episodes of Stranger Things.  Don't think I'm going to be a big fan (at least not yet).  I do have to ask, though, is Matthew Modine a "bad guy"?  I really like Matthew Modine 😊 (What the Deaf Man Heard)

 

 School is back in session - Kim, Blythe, Sayre, and I start tomorrow, Kate is back to work tomorrow, and Max and all of the Colorado kids head back on Wednesday. For Blythe, Paul, and Hollie, this will be their last semester of making high school memories!

  THANK YOU, ANGELLA, for sending the only Sunday Selfie I received today!  Hope everyone enjoyed their new Sunday schedule.  

Our Ward now meets at 1:30, and we didn't get home until almost 4:00. We made sandwiches for dinner, and I'm looking forward to my Sunday bowl of ice cream 😍.  

I graduated to Senior Primary and will now be teaching the kids who will turn 9 this year.  One of our boys has Down's Syndrom, and is non-verbal. He has someone who comes in to class to watch and help him.  Tomorrow I am going to visit with his Mom and get some ideas on how we can help him feel included in our class.  I am team-teaching with a super lady in our Ward, and I think it will be a great year!

WHAT IS IT ABOUT BOYS AND THEIR FORTS? 

 Sayre made a fort for himself in his Mom's bed, and Ben made a fort for the cats 😂

  Is it because they are 7??? 

 LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON THIS MONTH - 

 Both Samantha and Angella are scheduled for surgery on the 15th.  Samantha is joining the "out-with-the-gall-bladder" club, and Angella is having knee replacement surgery.  

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!  We also have lots of birthdays to celebrate!  Jake's birthday is next Sunday, and he will be turning 10 !#%&@!# I am in total denial about that one!  Emma's birthday is on January 23rd, and Cory turns 29 on January 27th.  I love when we have birthdays and can celebrate each other. ❤

This past week, I was listening to John Bytheway and Hank Smith's podcast, and they had Bonnie Cordon on as a guest.  The following is just a small snippet of something she shared, and I wanted to share it with you - "There is a quote by Frank W. Boreham, who is an English Baptist preacher, and he was speaking of events during the Napoleonic Wars and the early part of the 19th century.  

He said, "Men were following with bated breath the march of Napoleon, and waiting with feverish impatience for the news of the wars, and all the while in their own homes, babies were being born. But who could think of babies?  Everybody was thinking about battles.  In one year between Trafalgar and Waterloo, there stole into the world a host of heroes. In 1809, Gladstone was born in Liverpool.  Alfred Tennyson was born at the Somersby rectory. Oliver Wendell Holmes made his first appearance in Massachusetts. Abraham Lincoln drew his first breath in old Kentucky. Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born at Durham. But nobody thought of babies. Everyone was thinking about battles."

Yet, which of the battles in 1809 mattered more than the babies of 1809?  He goes on to say, we fancy that God can only manage his world by big battalions when all the while he is doing it by beautiful babies.  He says, "When a wrong wants righting, or work wants doing, or truth wants preaching, or a continent wants opening, God sends a baby into the world to do it."

That is why long ago a baby was born in Bethlehem. God uses that same pattern. When you think about the Living Christ and who signed it, consider the year 1940.  What was happening in 1940? 1940 was World War II.  There was the Battle of France. France was being placed under German and Italian occupation. The German forces invaded the Netherlands. We were thinking a lot about battles. Then you wonder about the babies born in 1940.  One of those babies born in December 1940 was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, who also signed the Living Christ. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Quentin L. Cook were born in 1940.  The Lord placed great men and great women on this earth so many years ago to help His work move forward. 

When I think about the great people that walk the halls of the church every Sunday, I think about the great young people that walk in the halls of every university, walking the halls of every high school, every junior high, and it reminds me of the words of Elder Neal Maxwell, "the same God that placed the star in a precise orbit millenia before it appeared over Bethlehem in clelbration of the birth of the babe, has given a least equal attention to the placement of each of us and the precise human orbit so that we may, if we will illuminate the landscapes of our individual lives, our light may not only lead others, but warm them as well.

Don't ever think you don't have a purpose or a place in the World!  

Love you all so much, and hope that this week you can find joy in each day by reaching out and serviing others ❤

 

  

  

  It has been a wonderful week of spending time with family - whether in person, by phone, or by FaceTime/Zoom - nothing makes me happier than seeing your faces or hearing your voices.  

 We started the week with a Dr.'s appointment for Dad (an MRI), and then kept busy with house cleaning and gift wrapping.

 Tuesday, we went on a "double date" with Adam and Cory to the Temple. We hadn't been since September due to Dad's shoulder surgery, so it was great to get back and so nice to go during the Christmas season.  

  On the way home, we stopped at In-N-Out for a bite to eat (I do love In-N-Out) and a quick errand for Cory at the Outlets. 

 Once we got home, I baked a couple of batches of cranberry bread to take to our neighbors and friends in the Ward. 

 Wednesday, we joined Adam's family for their annual gingerbread house-building contest.  This is serious business!  I think Adam and Lily came out the winners this year - with their version of In-N-Out (must have been inspired by our visit the day before), complete with outside tables and a drive-through
.  

Cory and Jake did a fantastic job building a ski run - 

Paul had to work by himself in this adventure because Samantha wasn't feeling well, so he did his best to replicate the Space Needle

And Dad and I had a great plan, but struggled to execute 😂

This is what we were hoping it would look like 

Maybe next year . . . . 

Mike sent me this today and said it was their entry in this year's contest - 

 REALLY??? 😁  It doesn't count unless you are here in person, and up to your elbows in frosting and sugar!  

 Thank you Adam and Cory - it was such a fun evening!

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE CHRISTMAS PHOTOS!

Mike & Barbi in Hawaii

The Allen's in Iowa

an apple & cookies for Santa

Sendai was happy to see Emma

Paul & his mink blanket

Jake & his BB gun (yikes)

Yes, it was that warm outside.

Hollie helping Ben

Ellsworth family in Chicago

       

             ❤

 Several years ago, Chris gave me this VHS recording of Michael Flately, Lord of the Dance.  He is always so thoughtful, so I have been treasuring it, but when it showed up downstairs during our sorting and organizing, I thought the only kind thing to do was to send it back to him for Christmas.  

 AND. then he took it up a notch . . .

 Love it so much! 😂 (Thanks, Kim for your AI expertise)

  Adam livened up our Christmas day when I gave him a gift to open, and the tag on it said it was from me; however, I knew it wasn't from me, and I was soooo confused! See the video below.

Also, you'll notice Milo (looking like Tigger) walking around in this video.  

Apparently, Paul and Lily decided this would be a great gift for Adam. 😀😳

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK! 

to the Original Grammie on Dec. 26th

  

 My Mom left us with so many fun memories - her never-ending service to others, the time she ran over Francie, the way she loved my Dad, her love of Taco Bell, Burger King, Chinese food, and Mr. Goodbars.  She loved to play Rummikub, in fact, I think she taught all of my kids how to play.  She was smart, full of energy, and an amazing nurse, not only in the Dr.'s office but to anyone in the Ward who needed help.   

Adam shared a fun story - One of my favorite memories of Grammie is from when I was six and spent the summer with them. During the day, I’d be out at the ranch with Papa, and when we got home, I spent the rest of the time cooking with Grammie or going to the store with her. When it was time to head home, they drove me all the way from California to Washington. I remember being in the car for hours, stopping to see the redwoods, grabbing snacks at little convenience stores, and just spending time together. It was all pretty simple, but it’s one of my fondest memories and made me feel really special.

And to Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, or Liggett today, Dec. 28th

No one was more welcoming or friendly than Liggett. He knew everyone who lived on their street and never hesitated to lend a hand when someone was in need.  He treasured Grandma, and you rarely saw one without the other close by.  We loved how Grandpa would drive 10 miles out of the way just to save on a "good deal".  He and Ruth opened their home to numerous Japanese home-stay visitors, and became a 2nd family to many of them.  Their generosity was rewarded in the many trips they made to Japan and spent subsequent time with these students. He even talked Grandma into going to Okinawa, and later to Hawaii when we were stationed there.  We have so many fun memories of times spent together.  Grandpa was an avid hunter and fisherman - a love that he passed down to Kevin.  I know there are many days when he remembers and misses fishing with his Dad.

OTHER FAMILY NEWS ~

 Paul had his wisdom teeth removed this week - one of the last steps to take before turning in his mission paperwork.  Adam said he is doing great!

 

Kim and Chris are enjoying having Max home for his Christmas Break.  They were able to carve out some time to go to the Temple together.

 

Kevin and I got brave yesterday and took Sendai back to the dog park.  She did great and ran, and ran, and played with the other dogs - I don't think it even crossed her mind to jump over the fence. 

She loves it, and I hope we can take her there more often. 

 I visited with Shannon after Church today.  She seemed happy and was doing well socializing with some of the people living there.  She needs a haircut, so hopefully we can get that done this week. 

This coming week will be the beginning of another new year.  Every year seems to pass by more quickly than the previous one, and there are always new challenges, trials, accomplishments, and learning opportunities (educational and personal).  Please know you are always in our prayers. We think of you each day and hope you are finding fulfillment in your relationships, your work, school, and Church.  We love when you call us or stop in for a visit, and are always happy lend a hand or offer a listening ear.  

We love you and are so thankful for you all ❤