April 2006

Random shots of activities in April: Preschool opening day with Christopher Robin (aka Brian) visiting with Heidi, Peter, & Owen.


Gardening with grammy in the front yard

Follow Up NY

Well the trip back home to NY found Mom doing actually quite well! It was such a relief to see her and to know she was going to be alright. (see pic of nana, pop-pop, and Tommy). Laura and I helped out by cleaning and organizing the main apartment so Nana could be released to a nice environment. We worked hard! We also got dad to order two Craftmatic beds, so getting in and out of the bed should be easier for them, and more comfortable than what they have been sleeping in!




Laura and I also explored the city once again, we walked from one end of lower Manhattan all the way to Times Square and enjoyed ourselves with a dinner out. We stopped off at the World Trade Center Memorial and were so touched by the grief that took place there. Hard to believe that five years ago in July our family took the subway up from the Trade Center and had a lunch of hot dogs and pretzels sitting in front of those magnificent buildings. Two short months later, they were obliterated! Incomprehensible. We even took picture from Liberty Island of our family, with the Towers in the background to use for our family Christmas picture--a sad reminder of what had been an wonderful vacation for our clan.

Laura and Ken and I also visited Serendipity3 http://www.serendipity3.com/ for a wonderful meal and their famous "frozen hot chocolate"! YUMMMMMMMM

We also caught up on some genealogy and took some picutres of the home my dad grew up in Middle Village! It looked nearly the same! We drove around and looked back at all the fun places pop-pop had played ball and gone to school at. I reminisced about the grocery stores I went to with "Big Nana".

I have wonderful memories of weekends spent here exploring the neighborhood, playing on the player piano, and shooting pool down in the basement!

Catching Up...

22 March 2006
So as with everything I undertake, I procrastinate! Let's see in case you care...

At the end of January, I spent two weeks back in NYC helping my dad with his recovery, and cleaning out my grandmother's apartment. So many good memories as we went through family items. It sure was cold there though and I'm grateful our home is in warmer climates! (people can keep their "4 season" changes!) Laura and I only went into the "city" twice, since our real purpose was to help out with my parent's. While we were there though pop-pop treated us to a day at the theater and a really nice lunch at FRANKIE & JOHNNIE STEAKHOUSE (269 W. 45th St Upstairs). This was Laura's first Broadway play, so we went to see Phantom of the Opera at the MAJESTIC THEATRE (247 West 44th St). Who could ask for a better first?! The music , the stage...all captivating.

Our second day involved a 50 mile stroll throughout Manhattan's Time Square, Forty-Second St, Fifth Ave, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, etc. Of course the best part is the subway ride ( the "J" to the "E"), and a hot dog & pretzel from a corner stand!

While we were there we were able to meet my cousin Alice for the first time since we made contact on the internet! We found each other through our interest in genealogy and found we were related (we have the same great grandparents). We had a nice visit and lunch out with my parents at Olive Garden. It was great to put this wonderful person, with a "face"!

But life is back to usual...Busy having fun with Heidi! She now has grammy confused in three languages! The other day she used her sign language and spoke in spanish to me, and I had NO idea what it was she wanted! I had to ask Amy to translate.










Busy with Stake Youth Conference; Stake Girl's Camp; Ward Conferences. Enjoyed celebrating with our friends the marriage of their son in the Oakland California Temple ( www.mormon.org) the first part of March, and driving through the beautiful central valley of CA. Busy trying to de-clutter my house; trying to organize my genealogy so I can send it to all my relatives; trying to scan and preserve our pictures and videos...the list goes on and on. I NEED A VACATION!!!

Now things get complicated. My mom just suffered a stroke on Monday (MAR. 20th). She has weakness on her left side, but is showing some ability to move more. Her ability to understand and communicate is hampered with some slurring, but it is recognizable. This is so tough being this far away in a crisis. My dad is trying to hold it all together, and I feel badly that he is doing it all alone. This might be the thing that has them moving to California.

So this is what getting older is all about?! hmmm, why did I want my younger days to hurry by? AAAAAhhhh the simple days of youth...

Time Out For Women

This was a special day that I gave as a present to me and my two friends Connie and Brenda. We got to see a General RS Counselor, Sherry Dew-president of Deseret Book, and her good friend Wendy Watson. Only a month later she (Wendy) married Elder Nelson!

We were treated to speakers and music that were uplifting, and then had a special "spanish-style" lunch in the quaint area of Long Beach. We took thes pictures after a wind-blown walk to lunch!

Relief Society Service

We had a special luncheon with all the stake Women and did a service project that included making up baby kits for the needy. It was a morning well spent. The stake had a wonderful presentation for us, and decorated the cultural hall to look like a baby shower~so fun! I was lucky enough to have two of my girls attend this activity with me (Amy Johnson, and Karen!) I can hardly wait to share such fun service with Laura as well someday.

not a creature was stirring...

Okay so now after a year of having a website and blog area, I am getting the hang of it! Things are as normal...day to day laundry, errands, playing with Heidi, taking care of my calling in Young Women. Yeah, yeah, glamorous I know! But truthfully I wouldn't have it any other way.

So know that I "get it", this techno, new age stuff. I will try to stay up to date with things as they happen.

Brian is getting ready to go up to BYU in Provo, UT after the first of the year. Have been trying to get him prepared for winter!

Karen we hardly ever see since she is either at school or work!

Laura has recently celebrated her 16th birthday with a 4 day extravaganza with her best friend, Kelsey! She is also ready to drive so that will be a whole new world! YIKES.

Well it's one in the morning. I've had fun posting the last of the pictures for our Christmas newsletter. But I'm up WAAAAAYYY past my bedtime. And you know how it goes, 'I be needin' lots of beauty rest lately, just to stay this side of grotesque!'

Have a merry one!