Trips and News

This will be a long post...mostly because of all the photos I have put in. I still don't have the posting "put things in backwards" thing down, yet, so this post is backwards from this last weekend backwards to my trip to Milwaukee. Anyway, here goes.

First, a little news about Alan and Tammy. Tammy called and told me that Alan has been able to get a 7th period to teach. This will be most helpful in helping with their tight budget. We're grateful and Tammy says it's an answer to prayers. She is almost completely recovered from her pneumonia. However, Juliette will be undergoing an MRI on her head on Wednesday of this week at CHOC. She has, for some time now, been experiencing episodes of a kind of seizure-like behavior. I've only seen it briefly, so I can't really describe it. They are trying to figure out what is happening. I will keep you all updated when I know things. Please include her in your prayers.

Don't have much news from Ryan and Tanja. Tanja has been feeling the baby kick and is feeling pretty good. Her pregnancy seems to be a healthy one. They have found a female OBGYN who is willing to try a VBAC on her. This same doctor had the exact thing happen to her. A C-section due to a breech birth followed by a VBAC with her next baby. R & T are hopeful.

Jason and Becca are doing okay, but also experiencing some illness. Liesl has had another recurrence of the virus that causes the sores in and around her mouth. (I forget what it is called). It's hard on her and she can't eat for a couple of days. Owen and Clara have had the fever, but not too many of the sores. Clara, as some of you know, bent over to get a ball at her other grandma's house and hit her head on the brick fireplace. She got 3 stitches in her forehead. She is recovering, albeit experiencing a little trauma going through the process.

Netta and Brad and family are adjusting to the newly cold weather. More on my trip to see them below. My visit there was way too fast and the next time I go out I'll stay longer and take Dad with me.

Shawn and Kim came for Conference weekend. It was fun seeing the little firecracker, again. Elijah is doing better and I see potty training in his near future. We all enjoyed watching all the sessions. I was blown away by Elder Holland's talk on Sunday afternoon. It seems that every conference there are one or two really powerful talks. This was no exception. We enjoyed their visit.

So enjoy these photos. I took many more, but you can only spend so much time downloading them into the blog. BTW...I invited you all to join the blog as authors.(Except Kim who has done it already). Please register with Google (remember your passwords) and start posting on the blog. We would all like to read and see things about each other. Love to you all, Mom

As to our tradition, we went out to dinner after Priesthood session. This time we went to Ruby's This photo was taken there.

Also at Ruby's. Elijah did okay for a little boy who was tired and ready for bed.

Elijah would have stayed outside for their whole stay. Here he is out front. Sweetie.

Following are pictures from the Larkin Reunion.

We tried to take group pictures at the reunion, but it was hit and miss. I missed Nancy and Greg's family and both Hannah and Ethan were in the car when I got this photo of Eugene, Noreen an Joseph's family. The great grandkids are hitting their teens!

Janet and Larry and family. Next to Kevin is his new wife. Danielle is in front on the left. She is 20 years old and a student at USU, but looks so much younger. Cozette's new daughter is two months old.

Karen and her girls. They had family there, but this was all I got together. They are all as happy and kind as they have always been.

Uncle Glenn conducting Family Home Evening. We had a trivia contest. It was very enlightening as to memories of Grandma and Grandpa. This next photo shows the b-day cake we had in celebrating Grandma's 100th birthday which was August 2nd. So hard to believe.

Dad forgot to pack a jacket. He said he wasn't that cold, but he looks like he's a little chilly here standing by the fire during our campfire. We enjoyed smores and the siblings and spouses told about an experience about grandma and grandpa that really changed them. It was wonderful.

The fabulous five!

After we left the reunion, we drove to the Provo area and spent 3 days visiting with my siblings. We stayed at Aunt Dede's home. They were so kind to us and we greatly enjoyed our stay. We (my family) were not all together in one spot. Ria has been quite sick and could not join us at the resturant. (I failed to get a photo there. It was the only time we spent with Darrin and Jill). But this is a photo I took with the timer on the camera of the four of us. It's been 2 1/2 years since we were together and it may be another year before it happens again.

These next few pictures are from my trip to Milwaukee to watch JC and Nikki while their parents went to a job interview in Iowa. I spent a lot of my time sewing for Nikki's American girl doll, reading "Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites", and driving them here and there. (Playground, McDonalds, etc). It was fun and the weather cooperated. Following is a photo of their duplex. The place has two identical apartments which are mirrors of each other. Their's is on the left, next to the garage (which they share). The landlord lives on the right.

The photo above is JC an Nikki eating icecream cones at McDonalds. Notice, we don't even have jackets on.

However, this photo was taken on Sunday, before I flew home on Monday. We had driven to Lake Michigan to let Grandma see it. It was a little cooler and that is reflected in the photo and what we are wearing. There is a breeze that comes off the lake.

Last one...The building in the background is the Museum of Modern Art. It's really unusual.

I'm kind of glad my traveling is at an end for awhile. I've got a lot that I want to get back to. So I will end this long post. Hope all is well for all of you. I love you.