I am so sad to have lost my sweet, sweet sister this past Wednesday, as she succumbed to the effects of Alzheimer's. 
 Over the last few days, I have pondered my many memories of her, the fun times we spent together, and as an older sister, she was always such a wonderful example to me. About one month after she and Ray adopted Matt, she found out she was pregnant. I always remember her chasing two boys, just 9 months apart, and how she managed it all with grace and patience.  She and Ray began dating when she was in high school, and Ray's old blue convertible (sorry, I am not a car person, so I don't know what kind of car it was)became a staple in our driveway. The first semester that Francie was away at BYU, Ray was baptized.  A year later, they were married and sealed in the Los Angeles Temple. Some of my favorite more recent memories of Francie are the days we spent at Napa -  eating, playing cards, sitting around the fire pit listening to Ken's friend, Gordon, who sounds just like James Taylor (just for fun, click on the link below), and exploring some of the local antique markets.  https://youtu.be/g4ITQRiVg04?si=D7SAv_zNJtLgejcb

Francie and Ray came to Colorado for a conference several years ago, and they wanted to see Pikes Peak - I mean, really see it - so Kevin drove us up, and Francie was terrified the whole way that the car was going to go over the edge. However, since that time, when we would go to California for a visit or talk on the phone,  she would always ask about "her" mountain.  

  It was surprising how quickly her health declined over the last three weeks.  But I know it is a blessing for her to be reunited with Ray, and with our Mom and Dad.  She will be so missed!  I am thankful I have Pikes Peak to remind me of her every day ❤.  

 And thank you so much to each one of our wonderful children who took the time to call us and share their love and concern. 

 You are the Best!

 

HAPPY NEWS THIS WEEK ~

 We get to celebrate Cory's birthday on Tuesday, Jan 27th ❤🎉🎈❤🎂🍨❤

 I can't imagine our family without her - she is a wonderful wife, mother, daughter, and friend - and she has taught me so many things.  One of my favorite memories of Cory was when we lived in Tucson, and Adam and Cory came down from Provo, and we drove down to Nogales to do some shopping across the border.  I can't remember exactly what it was that we were looking at (I think maybe rugs) but Cory was the Queen of bargaining, so much so, that the little Mexican shopkeeper ran out of the shop still trying to talk her into purchasing his goods (at his price, of course). I can still hear him yelling "20 dollar, 20 dollar" down the street.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CORY - HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!

Angella is doing well, recovering from her knee replacement surgery.  She is able to get around (carefully) and when she is off her feet, Hollie, Ben, and Eilis are around to give her a hand.  She has decided to take some extra time off of work, so she can start physical therapy, and hopefully that will help with the healing process.

Samantha has recovered from gallbladder surgery, and on Wednesday, she took Jake to an Avalanche Hockey game in Denver.  She is such a great sister - it was her gift to Jake for his birthday.  Apparently, they sat next to a "grandma and grandpa" who were quite taken with Jake, and during an intermission, they wanted to buy him something from the gift shop.  

 So he picked out this huge chain 😂

 Really, can anyone look at this picture and just not smile????

Adam, not wanting to be left out, took Paul Friday night to an Avalanche game -

They had a great time, though the Avalanche lost.  I don't think I could ever be too much of a hockey fan because it is just as cold inside the arena as it is outside (well, maybe not this week).   

  Has everyone survived the arctic cold weather?  Kim and Kate had bitter,  subzero temperatures last week, and the problem is that it is so humid in the Midwest that the cold feels even colder.  Colorado hasn't been too bad - in the high teens and low 20's, just cold enough that Sendai's walks are not as far or as long, and they normally are.  

  

 Kim sent me this photo of Blythe bundled up with her blanket scarf, trying to get warm ⛄

 

These cute boys will both be turning 8 in the next couple of months.  Sayre's birthday is February 7th, and he will be baptized the following day after Church.   Ben's birthday is March 24th. I can't believe how quickly they have grown up 😥

Kate sent me a photo today of the book nook they made out of Sayre's closet - What a great idea! 

Today, in my Primary class, we were talking about agency and the blessings we receive from being able to choose the path we want to follow.  I love the idea that we will all make mistakes and make wrong choices sometimes during our lives - I know I still do.  But without my mistakes, I would never learn. And sometimes I have to repeat the mistake until I finally get it right.  To me this is just another example of how much our Savior loves us.  That he allows us to keep trying until finally we get it right.

I love you all so much!  Send me photos this week.  Let me know what great adventures you are having, or if there is anything I can do for you ❤ 

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 ❤