Great news this week!  The Feather River Temple open house and dedication dates were announced -                                                              

  Open House

    August 19 - September 9  

   

  Dedication

    October 8 - Dedication

Anyone want to do some traveling?  If I could pick, I would love to go the the Dedication, but I am sure tickets will be scarce and hard to come by.   

Have you been to the Temple recently?  If not, schedule an appointment and go! 

"My dear brothers and sisters, construction of these temples may not change your life, but your time in the temple surely will. In that spirit, I bless you to identify those things you can set aside so you can spend more time in the temple".  Russell M. Nelson

Ji-Chan News

Dad was set apart last Sunday to be a Pathways Missionary.  He will still be a service missionary for the Addiction Recovery Program because we only meet once a week on Wednesday evenings.  His new calling will be working with students in Hong Kong, and helping them through the first three terms of Pathways Worldwide Connect.  This will also just be once a week, probably in the morning, and he may be supporting the students in fine-tuning their English skills, as well as facilitating the program.  

We Celebrated Kim this week.  Her birthday was Tuesday and Chris took her to a concert in Los Angeles.  

            We also sang Happy Birthday to Ben who turned 5-years-old on Friday

It is Springtime in the Rockies which means it could be 70° here tomorrow and snow the next day.  Actually we have had really nice sunny days this past week, and so far, no snow in the forecast - but you never know 😀

With Spring comes Spring Break (Kate and Jonathan had their's last week).  Kim and Chris are across the pond with feet in the sand.  Adam and Cory are sailing into the sunset with their family.  

What about me????  I get Milo!  A super snuggler (although he does snore) and best friend to Sendai.  

Also, tonight I get Emma, Eilis, Hollie, Ben, and Amos (three dogs in the house) for a sleepover. We are going to have a great time!  Ben loves the train set downstairs - it has been through so many kids - and still going strong.  The girls are going to help me put away the Christmas boxes tomorrow (because it's March). and I'm sure we will do some shopping and eating.  

However, next year for Spring Break, I hope I'm putting my feet in the sand too - anyone else want to come 😎

Hope you all have a great week - wherever you are!  Just some fun photos to love -

Got to facetime with this handsome missionary this week

One of Sayer's school photos for this year
He always has the best smiles 💗

Eilis with her blonde curls and Emma went purple - 

This week Eilis has red curls, and Em is dark with highlights.

They look great in whatever color, and I love that they take good care of each other (and me).  More smiles that I love!

Samantha and Paul stopped by after school one day this week. they brought Milo and drinks from Kum and Go.  Love these kids so much!!!

                                                                

Blythe on a recent Temple trip.  Another smile I just can't get enough of!

I'm missing everyone who isn't here with us today.  We love you all so much.  Come see us!!!

I really enjoyed our Come Follow Me lesson this week, and I wanted to share with you from the Follow Him podcast a short story from Hank Smith.  I think some of us push ourselves to do everything for everyone, every time.  We think we need to be perfect - but we don't (need to be perfect that is).  Let me know your thoughts!

Stephen E. Robinson, a devotional given at BYU called Believing Christ, he wrote a book with the same title, I think maybe an Ensign article, the same title. He tells this story about he and his wife. He says, "Sometimes the weight of the demand for perfection drives us to despair. Sometimes we fail to believe the most choice portion of the gospel that says he can change us and bring us into his kingdom. Let me share an experience that happened about 10 years ago." So now we're going back to the 1980s. "My wife and I were living in Pennsylvania. Things were going pretty well. I'd been promoted. It was a good year for us, though a trying year for Janet." His wife. "That year, she had our fourth child, graduated from college, passed the CPA exam and was made Relief Society president."  "We had temple recommends. We had Family Home Evening. I was in the bishopric. I thought we were headed for LDS yuppiehood. Then one night the lights went out. Something happened in my wife that I can only describe as dying spiritually. She wouldn't talk about it. She wouldn't tell me what was wrong. That was the worst part. For a couple of weeks, she did not wish to participate in spiritual things. She asked to be released from her callings and she would not open up and tell me what was wrong. Finally, after about two weeks, one night I made her mad and it came out. She said, 'All right, you want to know what's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong. I can't do it anymore. I can't lift it. I can't get up at 5:30 in the morning and bake bread and sew clothes and help my kids with their homework and do my own homework and do my Relief Society stuff and get my genealogy done and write my congressman and go to PTA meetings and write the missionaries.' She just started naming one brick after another that had been laid on her explaining all the things she could not do. "She said, 'I don't have the talent that Sister Morell does. I can't do what Sister Childs does. I try not to yell at the kids, but I lose control and I do. I'm just not perfect and I'm never going to be perfect. I'm not going to make it the Celestial Kingdom, and I've finally admitted that to myself. You and the kids can go, but I can't lift it. I'm not Molly Mormon. I'm not ever going to be perfect. So I've given up. Why break my back?' We started to talk and it was a long night." He goes on later to say, "She knew why Jesus is a coach, a cheerleader, an advisor, and a teacher. She knew why he is an example, the head of the church, the elder brother or even God. She knew all of that, but she did not understand why he is called the Savior. Janet was trying to save herself with Jesus as an advisor." She said, "I'm going to do this."  

Brothers and Sisters. We can't. No one can. No one is perfect." He said, "Of course we fail at the celestial level. That's why we need a savior. And we are commanded to approach God and call upon him that we may receive according to our desires."  "Perfection comes through the atonement of Christ. We become one with him, with a perfect being. And as we become one, there is a merger."  "This is why the Savior says in Matthew 11:28, 'Come onto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.' What heavier load is there than the demand for perfection, that you must do it all and that you must make yourself perfect in this life before you can have any hope in the next? What heavier burden is there than that? That is the yoke of the law." 

He kind of said at the beginning, I think a lot of us believe in Christ, we believe he exists, but we don't believe him when he says he can save us.  "A lot of us are asking the question, 'Am I going to make it?'" And his thesis was Section 25 of the Doctrine & Covenants, "If you've been baptized, you are sons and daughters in my kingdom. The question is not, are you going to make it? The question is, do you want to stay?” It's kind of a relief of, "No, you're in. You're in the kingdom. Do you want to stay?" And we keep coming back to the sacrament table and making the covenants and we keep trying. And I think that's the thing. But the burden part that she felt there, I think all of us can relate to that.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KIM AND BEN!

We get to celebrate Kim on Tuesday, March 21st 

A fun daughter, wife, mom, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, and friend who will take on any adventure she is handed - girls camp cook, shopping with Blythe at Target, Primary President, Spencer, Camping with Ji-Chan, Grant, France with Chris, Japan with Chris, Max, visiting Colorado, best friend to Gracie, homework queen, relative of Betty Crocker (she is such a good cook!),

Temple Worker, Chicago tour guide, Cath Kidston connisseur, 

Hawaii with Chris, Death in Paradise (or Murder Island according to Blythe) Fan, MissionaryMom, elementary school secretary, driver's training mom, and a million other things 💗

She always can smile, even when she really, deep down doesn't want to.  

                                                   

                                        AND Ben on Friday, March  24th 

Ben will turn 5 year-old this coming Friday.  He just got registered and will start Kindergarten in the Fall - I can hardly believe he has grown so quickly!  Ben loves trucks, trains, his Mom, playing outside, trains, Becca (Eilis), Chick-fil-A french fries, brownies, peanut butter M & M's, trains, his Dad, Amos, Hollie, trains, Gatorade, legos, water bottles, trains, apple juice, stuffed animals, trains, robots, chocolate candy bars, Emma, trains . . . .

We love you Ben!  Thanks for all of the smiles you share 💙

I'm not sure where this place is, but it looks like so much fun!

Other fun things this week - 

Sayre celebrated St. Patrick's Day in style and also became the owner of the Scheels escalator in Iowa City because he learned he could go up and come down all by himself - Way to go Sayre!

Sendai and I ate breakfast outside on Wednesday because we could - It was a balmy 61°. 😎

Two close calls this week - Kate was in Denver for a work conference, and Chris had a lay-over at DIA, but sadly we didn't get to see either one. PLEASE COME BACK  😊

Apparently, Hollie took her mini waffle maker to school this week and fixed her own breakfast -

Love it!  😂

Photos that make me smile -

Paul, when he became a Deacon

Sammi and her scowl

I think I only see 8 candles so I'm not sure 
whose birthday we are celebrating 😃

I'm not sure what Spencer is eating, but it looks
really good - We miss you Spence!!!

We love you all so, so much!  Please have a wonderful week and remember how much we care about you 💜

 It is already the middle of March - with good things behind us, and better things to come.  Dad is DONE with his walker, and moves around the house without support from really anything.  He is going to physical therapy twice a week for the remainder of the month.  In April they will re-evaluate and see if once a week will be sufficient.  He has been good to keep up with his exercises and even suggested a walk this afternoon.  Tonight he is cooking dinner! Yay!!!  It won't be Cafe Rio, but just as good, if not better 😊

Angella spent part of the weekend in Las Vegas at a work conference with her mother.  I'm not sure, but does this look like work to you????     I know she got a much needed break and I'm so glad she got to spend some time with her Mom!   While she was gone, a girl she had been helping to teach the Gospel to with the sister missionaries, got baptized yesterday.  Angella didn't make it home for the baptism, but was there today when Josh  confirmed her.  

While Angella was gone, Eilis cut her hair by herself.  All those curls I love so much!!!  Looks to me like she did a great job and maybe a new career???

News from Chicago - Blythe got on the Maine South Badminton Team!  Way to go!!  

Though her Mom says she doesn't love the 5:30 AM practices.  

AND apparently she has given up Dr. Pepper for Lent.  

Kim said Chicago is very Catholic so every year they join their neighbors and pick something to sacrifice for Lent.  She said one year they took away devices, much to the dismay of the boys, who in turn, reminded them they weren't Catholic.

Speaking of Blythe, I came across this video last week and she said it was ok to post it.  She had a dental appointment and was a little distraught after it was over 😂.  Be sure to turn up the volume so you can hear the funny things she says about the dentist.

AMOS

Yesterday, I got a notice from Facebook and a video they had put together with our dogs.  I had forgotten about some of the pictures, and so it was a real treat and a nice walk down memory lane. I  thought it would be fun include our furry friends in the blog.  We love them all so much - 

GRACIE

CLEMENTINE

MILO

SENDAI

Kate will be in Denver this Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for a work conference.  (I think I need to go on a work conference . . . )  We are hoping to get to see her, depending on how Dad feels.  We do have good times together - sticking our toes in the Mississippi River 

I think we caught Chris at the MALL this week SHOPPING.

I'm happy to see the tides have turned, Chris, and you love the mall as much as I do!  

Just a last note - Thanks so much for supporting me in this blog venture.  It is so much fun to keep up with what everyone is doing, and how they are doing.  The best part is getting to look through the photos that just remind me how blessed we are to have these beautiful children in our lives.  With Dad's surgery our scripture reading schedule has been way off - he is either tired and ready for bed early, or itching and hurting and can't focus on scriptures, or I'm trying to finish school assignments, or just need some down time to ponder my day.  Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I decided to get my real, paper, hold-in-your- hand scriptures out, and have been studying on my own.  It as been a long time since I have taken a red scripture marker to my scriptures, but I am loving it, and feel I am really studying the scriptures instead of just reading them.  I have been reading every morning before I login to school.  My days are better, and I feel nicer 😀.  I know you are all so very busy, but please put a plan in place to study your scriptures, even if it is only a few verses a day - you will feel a difference in your lives.   

Love you all 💚

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANT!   Grant turns 18 on March 8th.  Can't believe how time flies - 

Not sure how it happened, but Grant grew up right before our eyes!  So many exciting adventures await you, and always remember we love you so much!   It took me forever to select these pictures - I think I had close to 25 and decided I needed to narrow it down to just a couple.  That's what happens when you have such adorable grandchildren ~

Last January I had to have proof that you were a head taller than me, and then some 😊

And remember learning to drive at Liberty High School? 😎

                                    Ji-Chan and Grant on a sunny Colorado Day

Well it finally happened! 

Ji-Chan had his knee surgery on Monday.  He went in at 6:15 AM, and we were home by 3:00 PM.He was uncomfortable the first couple of days and slept a lot.  Each day has gotten better and on Friday I caught him walking around the house without the walker.  He starts PT next week, and the hopefully once he has had a few weeks to heal, we will be able to do a little traveling. (I'm hoping)

Congratulations this week to Eilis!  She completed in a Robotics competition in Denver and she had a great time.  She said they had a hard time getting their robot started, but once they fixed the problem, they won their last two.  

Kate and Jonathan had an eye-opening experience this week - they registered Sayre for Kindergarten for next school year.  Ben has a birthday in a couple of weeks, and I'm sure Josh and Angella will be doing the same thing soon.  These little ones are growing up way to fast!  Did I just say that earlier?  Do I say that every week?  

They were making Jonathan's special peanut butter cookies that everyone should try.  They are really good and made with oats in place of flour.  I posted the recipe below -

1 Cup Butter

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Peanut Butter

2 eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

405 Cups Oat Flour

Pulverize oats in for processor for this recipe.  The 4-5 cups are measured AFTER being in the processor.  Blend butter, sugars, peanut butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs one at a time.  Add baking soda and salt.  Mix well.  Add 2-3 cups of the oat flour to start and check consistency.  It should be a rather dry dough.  Add 1-2 more cups until you get your desired consistency.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Let them cool completely before moving.  They are brittle when warm due to having no gluten to hold them together.

And just for old-times sake - Remember this?  

Yesterday I worked as a Sealing Coordinator for a couple who were bing sealed.  The man was 84 years-old and his wife was 77.  She just joined the Church 2 years ago.  It was just a really sweet experience and it is amazing how strong the spirit it is in doing Temple work.   

I'm really looking forward to General Conference in the next few weeks and the words from our Prophet and Apostles.  I wonder if there will be temples announced in Iowa City and Colorado Springs?  😁

Love you! 💕