Beautiful Moments

Nick, Natalie, and Phoenix doing make-up. Just making beautiful moments together.

Silent Monks Singing Halleluia

Worn out, out of steam, dog tired, etc.

I had Sally's boys for 3 days last week and they wore me out.  But Tuesday, Nov 26th (7:00-10:30) I watched them again and it looks like I wore them out. Here they are fast asleep listening to Christmas music and watching the fire!

Before falling asleep we played with toys, made handprint bats and turkeys, had hot chocolate and toast, and watched the Toy Story video. What a great evening!

Pheasants and Ducks

November 9, 2013

                           

     Today I acted WAY outside my comfort zone.  When I went to bed I felt content, really happy and thankful to Father in Heaven for allowing me to spend time with two of his wonderful children, Christina Blanchard and Luke Shumway. Christina has a beautiful smile and peaceful manner. Luke is full of energy, so very talented, excited to learn and do things.

     I helped Christina with one of her Young Women’s values-Knowledge.  She came over and I taught her how to make a baby quilt with duck fabric and stripes on the ends. You should have seen her joy with the finished product!  The biggest smile ever as she showed it to Rick.

     After quilting we went over to see Sally and children and take them out for ice cream.  But I didn’t go for ice cream and neither did Luke.  Luke is helping a man raise pheasants.  One of the pheasants was injured so Luke was asked to wring its neck so it wouldn’t suffer.  He brought it home. Therefore, he had a bird he wanted to learn how to clean and cook.  Sally, Andy and Rick were not willing to teach Luke. I had never done it before but knowing the basics I volunteered to do it with him. We had such an experience! The smell was bad as we cut him open to gut and clean. Luke was squeamish it first but finally got into it with both hands.  He loved saving the feet (spurs were cool to him) wings and tail.  We both thought he head was soooooooooooo beautiful!  We learned that you don’t have to pluck a pheasant. The feathers come off with the skin when you pull it. After cleaning I taught him how to cut and cook it.  He made fries too.  We served everyone dinner and you have never seen such a proud 13 year old boy in your life.

     I am grateful for being able to share these experiences and happy that I went out of my comfort zone to do things I have never done before. I am grateful for the little knowledge I have about many things. I am thankful for the talents Heavenly Father sent me to earth with. I feel content.

P.S. To top the day off Luke played the tuba and we all sang with him. The song was: All Creatures of Our Lord and King. Another wonderful moment in time that felt much longer than a single moment!

Shumway Kids 2013 Halloween

Here's a photo of 6 of Sally's kids dressed for Halloween.

Luke: Missionary

Lily: Superman

Mabel: Witch

Nell: Snow White

Paul: Tiger

Samuel: Gorilla

Halloween Costumes 2013

Rick and Pat at Ward Halloween party, dressed in Regency Era clothing, as

Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy from the book, Pride and Prejudice 

 (when they grew older, of course.)

I really really missed having our family Halloween Party, it just didn't feel like Halloween without it....so family get ready for it next year!

2014 Fall Colors

Rick and I took our bikes up Logan canyon on Saturday October 11.  The colors are pretty but not spectacular this year.  We rode up to Camp Lomia where we camped twice with our children when they we living at home.  It brought back a flood of good memories.  We had Memorial Day Games there 2 times.  Once we were rained out and the other we had my Dad, Brevan and his mother Renee join us. Shooting guns and bows and arrows were the favorite events. I also remember having a Stake Family Home evening and camp out there to celebrate the 24th of July. Nick, is the the place where you got your foot smashed by a big boulder?

Rick's Heart

LOGAN
Rick had chest pains on Sat. July 20
Went to Dr. on Mon. July 22

ODGEN McKAY-DEE HOSPITAL
He had stress test on Thurs. July 25...something wrong...had an angiogram...4 restricted arteries sent to ICU

He had open heart surgery Fri. July 26...quadroupal by-pass surgery
He returned home Wed July 31

LOGAN
He is doing well and is happy to be home.
I am doing well to because I didn't have to drive back and forth...I stayed across the street at the Guest House.

Bannock State Park Ghost Town

Rick and I went to a ghost town near Dillon Montana for our 28th Anniversary.  What a great place to visit. We chose to go when all was quiet and deserted. If you want to go when it's full of people in costumes of the era with activities, music and a real shoot-out go during Bannock Days.  This year Bannock Days are are next week-end July 19-21.  There are camping spots and great fishing too. Enjoy a few photos.  xoxo Pat

Holland Tulip Trip

Here are just three photos from my trip to Holland to the Tulip Festival.

(Michigan not Netherlands)

The fields were smaller than I expected (about 20 acres.)

But they were just fabulous in variety and color.

Simply breath-taking!!

Isis & Nick- the facepainters

(news from Nick & Jasmine)
Isis is totally painting faces at the School Pot Luck for $5/face, $1 of which he gets to keep for himself and spend on legos!!! ($1 out of every $5 that is, not just $1 - the rest goes to the school to help raise funds) (Nick did Isis' face in these pics.) Isis is a real natural and tooooadally loves doing it, and you know, as a parent, about nothing could make me happier than him finding something he loves and proactively doing it because he wants to, not because I forced him :) He painted Phoenix and Nicks face about 4 times each that day.

Mabel turned 9 years old on April 24th

New Bikes-Freedom

Isis and Phoenix just got new bikes from an organization called the "Variety Club" 

They look so free and happy. I miss them terribly. I'll go for a visit in June.

Is it a stalagmite or stalactite?

This is not something you see very often.  

It is an icicle hanging from our neighbor's roof.

We've had snow, cold, snow, cold, melting, and cold again, 

hence we'd had lots of icicles this year.

Isn't this a beautiful photo taken on this sunny day?

My 4 Generation Pedigree Chart with Photos

I finally had the time and inclination to put my mothers work into an updated format.  Here is my 4 generation pedigree chart.  I hope to continue on with the additional photos and information. I hope you enjoy...feel free to download and keep a copy.  xoxo Pat

(If there are any mistakes they are mine. My Mom kept excellent and accurate records.)

Three Unique Quilts

 Well, I tried my hand and some pieced quilts.  I just wanted to get rid of some scraps I had around.

 It's not worth all the work to just give away, so 

I'll hang on to them for awhile and give them so someone really special. 

Tell me what you think! 

Lots of snow in Logan

I spent a few days in Omaha, Nebraska. Enjoyed my sister Judy and her two granddaughters. I had a delay in getting home because of snow in Utah.

The pictures are of: 1) Judy's granddaughters, Hadley and Tatum, 2) photo of Judy's livingroom, and 3) views from my patio doors looking into the patio benches and the snow laden pine tree.

Today I shoveled the patio and shook the tree limbs to remove the snow.

I had a good visit but am glad to be home!

Ten of My Favorite People

My refrigerator is finally updated, again, with current photos of each of my grandchildren.

Mason and Natalie belong to Max & Brigitte.  

Isis and Phoenix belong to Nick and Jasmine. 

That leaves Luke, Lily, Mabel, Nell, Paul, and Samuel as Andy and Sally's children.Now, an announcement...Sally is expecting another baby in May/June.

 That will make 11 grandchildren in all. 

 I am so proud of each of them.  As the year goes by I hope to send you news and updates of their lives. They are a great joy to me and keep me from getting lonely (since Rick works way to many hours.)