Special Visitors

We were happily surprised when Jay's brother called and said that he and Joyce were in town and wanted to come and visit us. He is ten years older than Jay and drove all the way from Silver City by himself. Bernard looks younger every time we see him. Thank you Ann for coming to visit us with your folks.
Jay and I and Bernard and Joyce had a great visit together. We love them so much. They have set a good example for us.
Brothers enjoying a visit together.

Sunday Evening Entertainment

Ray came over on Sunday evening, February 21, 2010 to entertain us with the things he is learning on his guitar.
He is getting very good. He performed for us Teach me to Walk in the Light, I am a Child of God and We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet. All of his practicing is really paying off.
Ray brought with him his friend Cori and her brother Dave.
Dave entertained us with his talent of tearing in half with his bare hands a huge telephone directory.
Ray was very entertaining with his guitar. He has found a new hobby that he enjoys and is using it to give service to others. We had a delightful evening.

Special Day for Nathan

On Sunday, February 21, 2010 we met Rauna and Fred at their Stake Center after their Stake Conference so that we could be with them when Nathan received the Melchizedek Priesthood and was ordained to the office of Elder.
I was happy that Ray was there to help his Dad join them in the circle for the ordination performed by Nathan's Dad. Nathan is another grandson with Jay for his middle name.
Grandsons that are preparing to be future missionaries. How grateful we are for righteous posterity.

Saga Book Club Held in Our Home

On February 16, 2010 I was happy to have my friends from the Saga Book Club come to our home for their monthly book review. I have belonged to the Book Club for years and enjoy meeting with our friends from Tempe Fourth Ward and getting an update on their activities.
Often I give a book report to the group but this year decided to have all our friends come to our home.
I worked hard to make everything nice to welcome our friends to our home. I made homemade bread with wheat that I freshly ground to serve the Saga Book Club along with a special honey butter recipe that Margie gave me.
I also made shih-ka-bobs with five different kinds of fruit- canteloupes, honeydews, pineapple, strawberries and grapes. They looked very festive. I also made a salad with turkey bacon, spinach, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, broccoli, and swiss cheese. I bought French fried onions to put in and then forgot to add them. I got lots of good comments on the food I prepared for my friends.
Lot of our friends came to the Saga Book Club and we had a delightful afternoon in our home. I am so grateful for the influence for good our many Tempe friends have been in my life. Margaret Rosenhan reviewed the book My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas who is a Federal Judge.

Valentine Day 2010

On Valentine Day I expressed my love to my eternal companion, my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and to our many family and friends throughout the world. I try to express my love through the year but am grateful for a special day to think about how much they all mean to me. Amy helped her Dad give me a beautiful bouquet of roses that I am enjoying so much. The valentine in the picture is the one I gave my sweetheart to express to him my love on Valentine.
Amy gave me a beautiful bouquet of tuplips that I plan to plant after enjoying their beauty. Ray gave me a box of chocolates and I received valentines from Miriam, Malvin and Tami and their children and from Melanie and her children. Melanie made me a cute heart that she crocheted.
I made cherry cheesecake for a Valentine Treat. I gave valentine cards to Amy and Ray and to all our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to express my love to them.
Rauna made this valentine treat for us.
Adrianne came to visit us for her Valentine to us so I took this cute picture. We are grateful for the love shown to us by our family and friends on Valentine Day and throughout the year.

Be My Valentine 2010

Marlene helped me put up the family picture over the fireplace.
Ryan wanted to hammer in the nail to mount the picture of another grandson who has been called as a missionary. We put our family missionaries in a special place while they are serving.
Amy helped Jay get me a beautiful bouquet of roses for Valentine's Day. I am enjoying them so much. I made my sweetheart a Cherry Cheesecake to show my love to him.
I am enjoying the valentine decorations that we have scattered around the living room. Amy gave me a beautiful arrangements of tulips that you can see in the picture below.
I am so blessed to have a wonderful companion, eleven living children that are living the gospel, 62 righteous grandchildren and 9 beautiful great grandchildren. I love them all so very much.

Some of the family at Virginia's 80th Party

There were lot of family members that made a special effort to be at Virginia's 80th Birthday party. I didn't get pictures of many but here is one I took of Bill and Erleen.
Cecil and Sylvia came from Benson.
We enjoyed a good visit with our niece Verna at the party. We had a wonderful time. Virginia's daughters really put on a great party and one that will long be remembered.

Friends at the 80th Birthday Celebration

I like this Friend's plaque that they had on the serving table at Virginia's 80th Birthday Celebration. Virginia had many friends come to honor her. A few of her friends are pictured below.
Terry and MarJean Lunt
Lora and Mac McIntire
Brad and Polly Perkinson
LeRoss and Mabel Jones and their son and wife.

Virginia's 80th Program and Dinner

Virginia's daughters began the program singing a couple of cute numbers. They sang a cute song about their Dad wanting a male quartet and instead got four daughters. They also sang "God Sent An Angel to Look After Me" which was very touching.
Three of Virginia's granddaughters played piano solos. Virginia's great grandchildren sang, "I Am a Child of God" on the program.
Buddy and Charlene sang three old favorites, Have I Told You Lately That I Love You, Catch a Falling Star and You Are My Sunshine. On their last song we all joined in singing the chorus.
Donna surprised her Mom by playing a couple of numbers on her Dad's accordian that had been repaired. I especially enjoyed hearing her play Whispering Hope.
The program was followed with a delicious chicken dinner with homemade bread and jam and homemade ice cream and pies.

Virginia's 80th Birthday Pargy

We were happy to be invited to celebrate Virginia's 80th birthday party on February 13, 2010.
We enjoyed making a page with our tribute to add to the book that her daughters made for her. We have so many special memories of times spent together through the years.
Virginia and Ted Brimhall at Virginia's 80th Birthday Celebration.

Donna, Lucille, Erleen and Verna put on a great birthday party for their Mother. They did a lot of work to make it a wonderful time for their Mom and to let her know of their love for her.
Virginia's granddaughter decorated a birthday cake for her Grandma.

Olympic Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada was fabulous on February 12, 2010.
The Olympic flag is being brought in and mounted to fly over the Winter Olympics.
The television picture is really too small to enjoy but it does bring back the memories of watching the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics.
Steve Nash carries the Olympic Torch.
I enjoyed watching the Olympic Torch being lit. It had been carried thousands of miles around Canada before being brought into the stadium.

Winter Olympics Parade of Nations

February 12, 2010 we watched on television the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
I always enjoy the Parade of Nations as the Olympic Athletes enter from the different countries.
I especially enjoyed the 210 Olympic Athletes from the United States enter the stadium.
These athletes have worked hard in their different sports to represent the United States of America. I hope they will feel good about their performance and be able to do their best.
I fell patriotic as I watch our United States flag being carried in the Parade of Nations at the Winter Olympics.