Smith Family Adventures

Merry Christmas, Dale and Leisa

2011-12-26T10:58:00.000-08:00

Fabio and I explored many options for providing service this year. We really wanted to provide for the people in our area, as we know Los Angeles has many families in need. I was watching CNN Heros one night and saw an Italian chef who provides meals at the Boys and Girls Club every night for children who live in motels with their families. I was so touched by this professional chef who gives his time every day to these sweet children. He even "hides" veggies in the pasta sauce so that they are eating nutritious food.

I contacted the Boys and Girls Club in Glendale and asked how we could help hungry children in our neighborhood, and they said the best way would be to donate food to the local food bank. Fabio and I (and Matteo) went to Costco and bought as much PB, beans, canned veggies and fruit and pasta as would fit in our cart. Fabio's boss even heard about our plan and gave us some money to spend! A local bank had a food drive happening, so Fabio delivered all the food their. We wanted something a little more personal, but we know our food will feed many hungry children...some that may even live in our neighborhood, and that feels good.

This all happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to take a picture, but it was so little effort on our part, and Costco allows us to spend so little and buy so much, that I think we'll do this more often.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Abbie and Scott

2011-12-25T15:09:00.000-08:00

This year we thought long and hard about an act of service we could do that would be meaningful to both us as well as for the people whom we served. We really wanted to do something for someone we knew, or at least someone local.

We have some friends who we have become very close to over the last year. The father is in his final year of law school and working part/full-time, the mother is finishing her last year of her bachelor's degree and they have two little kids, a 2 1/2 year old boy and a 1 year old girl. As you can imagine, their lives are very, very busy. The reason that we chose them to be the recipients of our service was not only based on this, but mostly because they are the type of people who would stop whatever they are doing and do anything for us. They have truly become great friends and great examples to us of service.

I think it is a natural reaction when you have parents as busy as these that other things in life sort-of start falling behind like, house work, meal planning...etc. This has been a real struggle for our friends because they really want to keep a clean, orderly home, but just have not been able to find the time. They also value education and find great value in the mother being able to finish her degree. We really felt that you, Abbie and Scott, might be able to relate to this family... going through law school, and also experiencing both mother and father in school with kids.

This is where we came in.

They have gone out of town for the Christmas Holiday to visit their family, and left their key with us in request that we bring their mail in for them. They left their home in a pretty similar state that it has been in for the last semester which, for lack of a better word, was messy... really messy. We had already had plans to go to the local "Food and Care" coalition, but decided to shift to serving these deserving friends.

We cleaned. We deep cleaned. Their whole apartment. (Actually we left their bedroom alone so they wouldn't feel completely violated.) But we spent a good 5+ hours in there making the place shine, cleaning nooks and crannies that have gone neglected even in my own apartment. You know, the stuff you never get too, like pulling out the couch and vacuuming underneath and wiping the base boards, scrubbing the refrigerator...etc.

When all was said and done, it seems like a pretty small thing to do for someone because in a few days, messes will re-appear and things will need to be put away again. But, I cannot express the relief that I feel when coming home from a vacation to a clean house. Not needing to worry about taking care of yesterday's messes, but looking forward to tomorrow's.

We really felt this would be meaningful to our friends because they value having their home in order but have struggled with balancing their lives over the last few months while mom has changed her role as the sole-home-maker to full-time-student. A lot of people have a hard time asking for help in times like that, and we have found it is best to just give help rather than asking, "What can we do for you?"

We didn't take any before and after pictures and we don't plan on telling our friends that it was us (although I am sure they will have their suspicions) because we want them to be able to just enjoy being served without feeling they need to give anything in return. Everyone deserves to feel that every once in a while. No matter what time of year it is.

Merry Christmas, Abbie and Scott, and Ella! We love you guys!!!

Merry Christmas Emalei and Fabio

2011-12-25T07:36:00.000-08:00

When Leisa and I found out we had Emalei and Fabio, we decided we wanted to tailor our service around school children in need since that is something Emalei has been passionate about. One Sunday night we were watching 60 Minutes and this story was on. It was so touching and we were very much impressed with the service provided especially for school children. We did some research for programs that helped homeless school children on the Wasatch Front and found one called The Road Home. We contacted them and received a list of toys, clothes, etc. that were needed/wanted this Christmas.

We then went to the store (which shall not be named) and purchased items that were on the list and took it up to the Kandy Kane Korner in Salt Lake City just a few days before Christmas. We took our camera with us to get pictures of us delivering the gifts, but the batteries were dead. Nonetheless, the workers were so excited to recieve our gifts for the children and we are sure that they were received with happy, thankful hearts.

It is tough to hear stories this time of year about people who are so poor and in such need, but it also opens all of our eyes as to how well off we are and how much more we can do for those in need. This was a great experience for us to rack our brain and think of others during this time of giving.

Merry Christmas Fabio and Emalei, We Love You

Love Dale and Leisa

Merry Christmas Mom and Dad

2011-12-24T22:02:00.000-08:00

Mom and Dad, I am excited to do your service this coming Spring. I have most of it arranged. Here is the story.

Dad had mentioned a couple times that with my photography skills, it might be nice to offer a complimentary session to a Senior who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford Senior pictures. I thought this was a fantastic idea but was worried about how I would find someone.

At church, I attended a class and got to know a girl my age named Anna. Anna is a psychologist and works with disadvantaged students. I emailed her and asked if she knew any schools that she could put me in contact with or if she worked with any students who fit the criteria (disadvantaged, poor, but someone who is striving to be better and do better). She emailed me back and said that one young girl in particular came to mind and that she would also put me in contact with an inner city school that deals with students with learning and emotional disabilities.

Because of laws governing privacy I must wait for the young woman to contact me, but Anna told me that she is ecstatic. With Village Academy, I contacted the school and the person of contact was very excited as well and told me that she knew of just the person: a young man, a Senior in high school and one of TWELVE children. Like Anna said, Senior pictures aren't something that some of these students even think about because their families can barely keep food on the table. This young man's mother has already been in contact with me and we are planning on doing a session with her son this coming Spring.

I am excited for this opportunity to share something I love with a young high school student in need. Thank you Dad for offering this suggestion and thank you for being an example of giving. The one gift that I still remember is the KIVA gift card you gave us 5 years ago. Every 8-10 months I am reminded of this gift as the money is returned and I get to re-gift it to another person throughout the world trying to get their feet on the ground.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Dane and Bridget

2011-12-24T21:42:00.000-08:00

This year for Christmas Scott and I had Dane and Bridget's name. We thought about many different service projects and decided to do one that was coordinated by my church. Every year the church has a program called, "Christ Child Project". The goal is to get at least 100 parish members to sign up to sponsor a child in need. Each member is given the gender and age of a child and asked to go out and spend $100 on that child in the form of pajamas, jeans, shirts, socks, underwear, toys, books, etc. Once all the items are purchased, they are brought to the church's auditorium where they are sorted, priced (prices are displayed as 1/4 of the retail price) and placed on tables. Once everything is out and organized the auditorium is opened up to a pre-selected number of families who are given "$100" (think similar to Monopoly money) and are allowed to go in and buy gifts for their younger family members.

As one can imagine, there are many stages throughout the duration of the program where help is needed. Scott and I decided to attend the evening where priced items were sorted and displayed on tables... the final step before opening the doors to poorer members of the community.

I can't tell you the wave of emotion I felt as I walked into this large auditorium and began helping fill it with beautiful hats, mittens, shoes, boots, sweaters, jeans, underwear, jammies, socks, coats, trucks, baby dolls, toy strollers, stuffed animals, doll houses, books, bikes, games, and more. The place was wall to wall stacked and stuffed with items that any young child would love. I felt so much love in the auditorium that night and sure, sappy Abbie, I was on the verge of tears nearly the entire time. I just couldn't stop thinking about how much these little children were going to love these toys and how members of the Parish had been so generous in their donations. I really felt that this is what Christmas should be about, especially for those of us who have been given so much. I was reading an interview with Maya Angelou a couple days ago in which she told the interviewer that her grandmother had always told her, "Sister, when you get, give. When you learn, teach." When you get... give...

We took two photographs but unfortunately one was with my phone and it got deleted. :( I'm sad because it was a larger view of Scott and the room. Oh well. So here is a photo of me folding clothes and trying to make them look presentable. :)

Merry Christmas Dane and Bridget. I hope you have enjoyed reading what we did for you. :)

Anchor's Away

2011-11-12T17:13:00.000-08:00

Grandpa Hamblin was the only grandpa I knew, my dad's father having died when my dad was a teenager. I grew up spending every other summer at my grandparent's cabin in Wyoming, going on the zip line, braving outdoor toilets, eating hotcakes, building fires, breaking pinatas, sleeping in the camper, hiking, and baking cookies to name just a few activities. He and grandma would often drive up to Washington to spend time with us or take care of us while my parents went on various trips. I can think of many times when we visited Mt. Rainier with Grandma and Grandpa or did things around the house with them.

Grandpa was one of the sweetest men I knew. He was always interested in what you were up to, always wanted to give you hugs and squeezes, and was always (always) excited to see you. You felt special, you felt important, you felt loved around Grandpa. He would share tales from his childhood and stories of his work life-a fascinating life that took him all over the state of Wyoming.

So as his life has come to a close I just want to say thank you Grandpa. Thanks for being so loving, kind, considerate, understanding, and sweet. Thanks for being you. Until we meet once more. Here's wishing you a happy voyage home!

England-Scotland (For the Kids)

2011-10-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

Bill and I went to England and Scotland in September to visit some friends. This is our way of sharing our trip with our kids. (This is long with lots of pictures so choose for yourself if you want to continue)

We flew into Manchester, England
We started our first day by attending the temple in Preston, England. It is a beautiful setting with the England MTC on the same grounds along with a Stake Center.

This was the beginning of our visits to castles. This particular one, Castle Howard is still partially occupied by the Howard family. What a life.

Next stop was into York and the York Minstrey and the town of York.

Monday, we left for Scotland but stopping first at Beatrix Potter's house before leaving the country. (she wrote a series of children's books such as Peter Rabbit)

Tuesday was spent in Stirling, Scotland at the Stirling Castle

We spent the night at Loch Lommond at the Inn at Inverbeg - charming but cold.

Wednesday we drove in pouring rain to Glamis Castle - outside of Dundee, Scotland. This is where Queen Mum (Margaret) grew up. It was fascinating.

While in the castle, the rain passed and the sun came out. It was beautiful.

We drove a short distance to Dunnottar Castle. This place was AMAZING

We drove toward St Andrews to find a place to stay. We found a nice B&B in Arbroath. So nice and loved the owners.

Thursday morning we left for St. Andrews. The collage is there that Prince William and Kate met while attending collage. It was freshman week so all the students were coming back to campus. It was a small town but full of people and excitement in the air.

After walking the town etc. we drove on to Edinburgh and spent the next two nights there. AND what did we see in Edinburgh? Another castle and walked Royal Mile that is full of shops and historic buildings.

We really did have our friends with us the whole time. Just didn't include any pictures of them. Although we were mainly interested in visiting all the castles we did, it was interesting and intriguing. We loved them all. The countryside and towns were beautiful and lodging was good. We parted from our friends Friday afternoon and Bill and I walked the streets of Edinburgh and enjoyed the atmosphere.

Lynlee Mae Smith

2011-01-26T10:59:00.001-08:00

We would like to introduce the newest addition to our family! Lynlee Mae Smith was born at 3:58 pm. She weighed 6lbs. 12 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. She has been very calm, and has really only cried when she took her first breath. Since then she's been relatively quiet, but alert.

She learned to suck her thumb! She hasn't done it since though. :)

Grandpa Layton with Lynlee

Grandma Layton a.k.a. "The Baby-whisperer"

Our little family, just minutes after Lynlee was born.

All of us with Doc. Harward. He's rockin'.

Lynlee after her first bath. She's laying under the baby warmer here.

After her first bath, in mommy's arms.

This One's For The Kids

2010-12-19T15:43:00.000-08:00

Bill is on his two week rotation, at Kadlec, of 24 hour shifts every other day. As it turns out, he is on his last 24 hour shift on Christmas Day. Bill will be spending his day with other women who's babies don't know what day it is and will do what they want. We will celebrate together on Christmas Eve and I'll go to the hospital Christmas Day in hopes that there isn't much going on. We have our stack of classic DVD's that we will watch and we'll enjoy our time together in Bill's 5' x 7' sleeping room. At least there's a big, new TV there. They have planned a potluck so I think it will be fine. A little different but fine.

So,..........knowing that Bill would be gone every other day,including Christmas Day, none of the kids will be home for Christmas. They have expressed concern that I have decorated for Christmas and how some of them miss the traditional decorations that they like.

This one's for the kids.

Since I wasn't going to hang all the stockings on the railing, I mentioned to Bill that I would like to get new stockings for us. We've had these for over 15 years and I made them when we had little children. I planned on hanging the stockings on the mantle and thought it would be fun to have grown up ones. Bill wouldn't have a thing to do with it. These stockings are tradition. What would it be like to have new ones? We need the ones that have the memories. So, there they are - - -old as they are but full of memories and tradition won out.

We all love a white Christmas and yesterday might have just fulfilled our desire. Abbie wanted pictures of the snow, so this ones for her.

NOW!!!!!!!! LAST BUT NOT LEAST..........I have another little girl to shop for. Baby girl Smith is coming in the next four weeks and I couldn't pass up these holiday sales to supply her with festive wear next Christmas. Can't wait to see her in them. Well, I want to enjoy the time between now and then so I'll keep my eyes open for fun things to buy in the meantime.

It's fun to have something to look forward to after Christmas. So excited for the new little girl to make her debut.

MERRY CHRISTMAS KIDS We love you. Mom and Dad

Century Ride - - - - and 30 mile ride.

2010-11-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

We went to St. George, Utah to watch Dale and Leisa, Dane and two of their friends (who happend to be brothers and their last name is Smith) participate in a bike ride.

The boys did a 105 mile ride - - - taking 5 hrs. 55 min. Leisa did a 30 mile ride - - -taking her 2 hr 2 min. I was so disappointed that we missed Leisa's finish by about five minutes so I didn't get any pictures of her at the finish. She was able to get a shower, eat and rest before the boys finished their ride. What determination.

BEFORE

DURING - - the 5th guy in front, tagged along for company. :)

AFTER - - to me they look as fresh as when they started. This was about 5 minutes after they finished. Way to go guys.

If You Fix It, She Will Come

2010-10-14T20:03:00.000-07:00

When we built our home, Bill wanted a work shop in the basement so he could use his woodworking tools. It soon became a 'catch all' room - - -so I asked him if I could have part of it to create a playroom.

No problem with him and so I got started.

There was a natural built in beam in the room to make the division.I had a plan and was excited to execute it, with a little help from a friend. (Amanda)

Now we just needed someone to come and play..........AND our first choice was sweet little Ella.

The little lawn chairs were made for my girls ,when they were little, by my grandfather.

The metal door was painted with chalk board paint. So fun.

My Dad built the little cupboard for my kids when they were little.

Grandpa's birthday was coming up. What better time to have Ella come and play in the new play room? She flew into the Pasco airport and was so excited about all the things at the airport and the suitcases and our car etc etc etc.

Ella had the best time playing in the playroom. She loved it and asked often if she could go play in the playroom. It got used alot.

She loved sitting with Grandpa and playing bed on the fireplace hearth. She was so cute to watch play using her imagination.

She wanted to help Abbie wash Grandpa's car. She was a big help.

The only bad thing about having Ella come was that she had to leave. We could have such a great time if they lived closer. We just want to see her more often.

Thanks for coming to visit for the week, sweet little Ella. We love you.

Just Like the Old Days

2010-08-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

On August 14, Dale participated in a Triathlon in Park City, UT. Bill and I wanted to be there for support and to share in the excitement of the event. And........so we did.

It was 46 degrees out when we took the shuttle to Jordanelle Dam, where they would start with the swimming competition.

Leisa was by far, Dale's greatest supporter. She was so cute with her excitement as he would complete each event and start with the next one. You just can't help getting caught up in the excitement of a sporting event as you see the athletes compete and know the preparation that took place to be there.

Getting the bike ready before starting the swim competition.

Dale was in the third group of swimmers to swim. He looked as natural as could be in the 72 degree water. Nothing like adrenalin.

Getting started on the biking part. There was a long, uphill climb ahead of him. In the meantime, we took the shuttle back so we could see him finish the biking and start the running part of the triathlon.

Finishing the biking and getting ready for the run. His timing was so good up to this point and we were all so pumped for him.

Starting and.......................

........finishing the running.

Competition medal, proud wife Leisa and tired athlete Dale.

We were all so excited when Dale finished the race. We were all chatter boxes, asking him questions about how he felt, telling him what his times were after each events and just plain proud.

He took second in his age category.

It warms my heart to see the accomplishment of someone who trains and prepares for something.

Bill and I loved watching our children participate in sports when they were in high school and this brought back the feelings we shared for many many years. We wouldn't have wanted to miss this for anything. Bill used his iphone to send videos to our daughters so they got caught up in the event long distance.

Aren't families great?

GRANDPA

2010-07-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

After our trip to see Ella for the 4th of July, Grandpa became her new favorite person. It's no wonder why?

He took her where ever he went.

He always let her take Dolly with her.

He took her for walks - - - one time going from store to store to find some sunglasses to buy.

He played with her at the park.

He took her to the wading pool

And, to top it all, he bought her a seat to go on the back of her mom's bike.

Who wouldn't love Grandpa best if he catered to your every whim?

He caters to mine and that's why he's my favorite.

Moments to Remember

2010-06-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

Back in 1991, Abbie asked if she could do summer swimteam. This would be a huge time comittment so we decided it would be all or nothing. All the kids would have to do it or no one would. Emalei was 12, Abbie 10, Dale 6 and Dane 5. What a time it was as a family. Everyone doing the same thing, excelling at it and lots of time spent together. These are moments we'll never forget as a family.

These two pictures have become classics in our family. The first was when Dane swam 8 and under. It was a picture that was in the local newspaper. He was breaking pool records right and left. The other picture is 12 years later at championships. It was taken by a professional photographer who was hired to come to championships.

So, what brought all these memories back to mind? I went to a Prosser swim meet tonight. I have a friend whose little boy is swimming for his first time this summer. Oh, how I remember those day.
*snacks
*lawn chairs on the lawn surrounding the pool
*starting guns
*cheering by the adored parents
*sense of support and encouragement by everyone there
*late nights and tired kids
*swimmers with sleeping bags and towels set up around the deck area between heats
*faces of smiling swimmers as they complete their swim and see their times
*6:30 am practice

Just the whole atmosphere is heart warming. You'd have to experience it to understand it. Those were memories I will never regret.

Such good times and the time we spent together as a family is priceless.

Ecuador (vicariously)

2010-05-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

Bill just spent two weeks in Ecuador. He was asked, as an Alumni of BYU, to go with the nursing students as a teacher, mentor and Spanish translator. He won't post about it so I thought I'd try to capture some of the highlights to share.

Abbie has a magnet on her refrigerator that says: "To be able to find joy in another's joy: that is the secret of happiness" This is how I felt about Bill's trip. As he would e-mail me several times a day and send pictures along the way, I found true happiness for the opportunities he was having. Although it was hard, for both of us, to be apart for two weeks, we agreed we both learned from it and had blessings come our way that otherwise we would have not experienced.

So, this is where he went.......Guayaquil Ecuador.There were four alumni that assisted the nursing students.
The alumni and the nursing professors. There were seven nursing students. This is outside the children's hospital. Bill said this was quite modern.
They were able to go to the temple once a week and do baptisms. They were glad to see Bill. Nothing like a tall strong priesthood holder who could do the baptisms.
They visited a maternity hospital. What an experience. They had labor rooms that had about20 tables for laboring and delivery rooms that had eight tables.
Can you imagine? The babies were whisked away as soon as they were born. No bonding time, Bill said. They were placed in these metal containers and when they ran out of room, they doubled them up. Couldn't you just scoop up these little thick haired newborns.
So cute!!!Bill teaching firefighters different life support and intubation techniques.
Things could get exhausting at times and Bill can always find a place to take a nap - - - even if it doesn't look comfortable.
They built a house one morning (that's right - - - one morning) A single mother with eight children. This house was about 250 square feet. It did have one division down the center but no electricity or plumbing.
The family, some of the workers (students and alumni) Bill said they couldn't have been happier. Do we really understand how fortunate and blessed we are? To need so little to be happy.
Children coming home after school in the neighborhood where the home was built. They would crush up tiles and spread them out along the wet roads to make it more passable.One day they went to an elementary school on a city bus.
Bill got to know these seven nursing students so well and said he grew to love them like daughters. He was so impressed with their knowledge, compassion and personalities.
Although these were "private" schools, Bill said they were very poor and lots of garbage around. The kids were all so cute he would have liked to bring them home and said it would keep us busy until we grew old and died.
At the school they would check the students eyes, teeth, take their measurements and the most dreaded - - -a prick of the finger for a blood draw to check for anemia. This was not popular. He said they have found that 28% of the students were anemic and so they were issued bottles of fortified soy milk. As they would check back a year later, they found the number to have gone down to 2%. A great project.

They were all proud of the band aids they got on their fingers to show the trauma they experienced.One little girl took it extra hard and Bill was handy for a little comfort. He's got a tender place in his heart for little ones and this one ate it up. He said she sobbed and sobbed. This is a touching pictures.

Bill rarely goes out in the sun without a cap. He left it in his hotel room one day and the girls reverted back to school days when they learned how to make a hat out of newspaper. So, he was taken care of from the suns rays.

The weather was hot and humid but the experience was worth the discomfort. They had devotionals every night together and each night spotlighted someone different. He was spotlighted one night and they gave him a poster that had a package of Werther's candies on it and said "(werther's candy) - - it's safe or not, thank you for being our protector, traffic stopper, laundry carrier, treat buyer, camera man, and everything else! You're the best! We love you!

He said he felt like he had been at girls camp.

May I just add my own thoughts of feeling so blessed that we can do these kinds of things and experience different cultures and events. This was a great experience for Bill and I'm so glad he was able to arrange his work schedule and share his knowledge, experience and spirit with the people of Ecuador and the nursing students. They are all the better (including Bill) because of it.

Where is Heaven...............

2010-04-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

.........is it very far?

I experienced Heaven this weekend and realized it is "right where you are".

I attended the funeral of my Uncle Grant Bangerter this weekend and once again, experienced Heaven. I loved getting together with these cousins when I was younger and it has continued on as we have gotten older. There is a pure love there. What a blessing family is and I couldn't soak enough of it in.

Words can't describe the love that comes when sharing time with my Dad's family. Pure love.

Enough said.

My dad with his siblings

Our boys and their wives were able to come.

Getting together with cousins Robyn, Julie and I made us feel like we are young again. Oh the memories we have from growing up.

Aunt Geri with her 10 children. Everyone such an example of family, love, testimony and just goodwill.

It was such a struggle for me to decide whether to go or not but so eternally glad that I did. I was reminded of the blessing of eternal family and I came home striving to rededicate myself to the things that really matter.

SWEET LITTLE ELLA

2010-04-10T19:17:00.001-07:00

We went to Nashville on March 19th to celebrate Ella's second birthday. We were a week late but it didn't matter. She loved opening the presents and had a reaction to each of them. It was beyond cute.
She's our only grandchild and to us, everything she does is cute. So, I'm going to brag a bit and tell you some of the cute things she did.

*She loved being with me and doing everything I did. Comb my hair ----I'd have to comb her hair and her dollies. (Makeup, hairspray, lotion, brush teeth etc)

*I got to read her scripture book to her before bed. I was so impressed, when on one of the pages was a picture of Jesus, she pointed to it and said "Jesus"

*We were kneeling down one night for prayer and during the prayer she looked over at Scott (he had leaned forward and his head was on the floor) You could see her studying what he was doing and she promptly leaned forward and put her head on the floor. (I guess I just told on myself that my eyes weren't closed)

*Abbie turned the music on in the car and Ella swayed and sang to the song "All the Right Moves" by One Republic. I couldn't believe it when she was back there singing "ya we're goin down" How cute is that?

*She was supposed to be taking a nap but was instead talking to herself. Her bedroom wall shared the front room wall where I was sitting on the couch. I sneezed and you could hear her in her room say "Oh, bless you"

*I was giving her a bath and told her nanna was going to go right across the hall to get her towel and that I would be right back. As I left she said "bye, bye, see ya"
I came back into the bathroom and laughed and said "what did you say" She knew then that she was being cute and repeated "bye, bye, see ya"

*She has three dolls that she carries around by the neck. She would cover them up with their blanket and give them their bottles. Such a cute mini momma. She loves her dollies.

*She let me comb her hair and fix it pretty with pigtails and flowers.

*We took some walks together and I pushed her in her stroller on a beautiful afternoon. We went to the outlet mall and they had cute strollers that were like cars. You had to pay $5 to use them but it was worth it to see how much fun Ella had using the steering wheel. It kept her happy while I bought some summer outfits for her.

*She sings some of the cutest songs and carrys a tune right on key. I'm so impressed. Can't wait to see where she'll go with her musical talent.

Those are a few of the highlights. It's my blog, she's my granddaughter and I'll brag if I want to.

LAST NIGHT'S SERMON

2010-03-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

There's no pictures and this is a bit lengthy but I was moved by it and thought I'd share it. You know the saying "follow your promptings"

Bill and I rented a movie last night titled "Doubt" It was a good movie and at the beginning a Catholic Priest gave a sermon that really moved me. I found myself thinking about it again this morning. I love sermons. They seem to be things I can relate to and not always based on scripture. Below is the sermon from the movie. I made a personal note in parenthesis.

"What do you do when you're not sure?
Last year when President Kennedy was assassinated, who among us did not experience the most profound disorientation and despair? (We can more recently relate to Sept.11) Which way? What now? What do I say to my kids? What do I tell myself?

It was a time of people sitting together, bound together by a feeling of hopelessness. But think of that - - - your bond with your fellow being was your despair. It was a public experience. It was awful, but we were in it together.

How much worse is it then to the lone man, the lone woman stricken by a private calamity? No one knows I'm sick, no one knows I've lost my last real friend, no one knows I've done something wrong. (you can make your own list) Imagine the isolation. You see the world as through a window - - on one side of the glass happy and troubled people and on the other side you.

I want to tell you a story. A cargo ship sank one night. It caught fire and went down and only this one sailor survived. He found a life boat, rigged a sail and being of a nautical discipline turned his eyes to the heavens and read the stars. He set a course for his home and exhausted, fell asleep. Clouds rolled in and for the next 20 nights he could no longer see the stars. He thought he was on course but there was no way to be certain and as the days rolled on, the sailor waisted away. He began to have doubts. Had he set his course right? Was he still going on towards his home or was he horribly lost and doomed to a terrible death - - no way to know. The message of the constellations, had he imagined it because of his desperate circumstance or had he seen truth once and now had to hold on to it without further reassurance.

There are those of you in church today who know exactly the crisis of faith I describe and I want to say to you - - doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty.

When you are lost, you are not alone

SEASON'S OF LIFE

2010-03-15T12:50:00.000-07:00

It's sad to see the progression that life takes in some people's lives.
My parents were married almost 62 years ago.

They celebrated a 50 year anniversary and an addition 12 years with hardly a niche.

Now they live apart. My dad with my brother and his family in Boise and my mom in a care facility for Alzheimer's patients. This is my mom's home now.

Dad goes to see her at least twice a week and would go every day if it wasn't 20 minutes away and gas wasn't so expensive. He has been 100% true to her their whole marriage. It was hard for him to put her in a facility and not be the one who takes care of her but it became detrimental to his health. They left their home in Wyoming and moved to Boise with the plan to live in an assisted living center together. That barely lasted a month before it became impossible for mom to live without further care.

Now when you visit my dad, he is so excited to see you and my mom is a shell of a person. She looked at me with a blank look when we went to visit. She later called me by name and said she liked my blouse. When I opened my coat to show it to her better, she said I looked like I was expecting a baby. I don't know whether it was alzheimers that was talking OR if I'm in denial that bad about my weight. Which ever, we all had a good laugh. She talked more than I expected her to - - - but most of the time not understandable. Bill got some lotion and rubbed her hands. It brought tears to my dad and brother's eyes to see his tenderness with her but he did it because he was reminded how much his mother liked touch when she was suffering with Alzheimer's. Such a sad situation to be in.

There was emotional abuse during my childhood from my mother but I still learned to respect her. She is my mother. It is sad to see anyone be so cheated of their memory and hers used to be pristine.

My dad still loves her dearly and looks forward to his visits with her. He is a wonderful example of kindness, loyalty and love. What a heritage.

HAPPY DATE-IVERSARY

2010-03-04T10:27:00.000-08:00

I was reading my journal a couple of weeks ago and was reminded March 4 was our first date.

Little did I know that three months and 9 days later, we would be married.

As I was reading in my journal, I thought it would be fun to plan something and go on a date that night to celebrate our first date. I looked at Bill's schedule and discovered he would be home the night of March 4. I started making a few plans. Then Bill announces that his schedule changed and he would be working a 24 hour shift that day. Bummer!!!! It's just not the same to celebrate on another day. Not for your first date.

I gave the idea up but when last night approached, I felt restless and wanted to get out. I told Bill about our first date today and that I would like to go to a movie or something. He proposed watching BYU vs UofU basketball game in the media room. Well, at least we would be together. I was willing. It was a relaxing time and enjoyable game but as I read over my journal again this morning, I discovered that on our first date we went to Bill's apartment and watched BYU vs UofU on TV. (he also fixed me dinner that night)

So, I guess we celebrated after all and did the same thing as we did on our first date 32 years ago. What are the odds?

AND...........we're still living happily ever after - - -only happier.

MEMORIES OF HOUSTON

2010-02-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

We had an opportunity to visit Dane and Bridget in Houston and also visit some of Bill's old mission areas. We made memories and shared in some of Bill's memories. He's a great story teller and his memory is amazing. We kept the iphone busy looking up directions to places and looking up information as we conversed.

Our first stop was to see Dane in his element and the reason they are in Houston through May. He is not paid for his internship but one of the perks is being able to get instruction in the simulator. His instructor let us come in toward the end.

You can't visit Texas without experiencing a Bar-B-Que eatery. One was recommended to us and we staked it out. To me it was a bit disgusting the amount of meat people were eating but some people just love a good bar-b-que. As for me - - - I could never have it and be just fine. I was a good sport and let the 'guys' do their thing.

You were served your meat on pieces of butcher paper. You could buy side orders of salads but you had to eat it from the bowl or on your butcher paper. The place was busy with lines going out the door. I guess people come from miles to this specific place. It was an experience. The treat for me was the Girl Scouts selling their cookies outside the building. YUM

Our next stop was New Braunfels where Bill served his mission. It is a quaint town with a little bit of a theme like Leavenworth. We found where Bill used to live and loved hearing the stories of living there.

San Antonio was the next mission stop. Our first stop was the temple. It is the same size as the Columbia River Temple and looks very similar. The stained glass windows were beautiful. It was up on a hill and had a gorgeous water fall in front. Worth the extra 20 miles we drove to see it.

Our last stop in San Antonio was The Alamo. So interesting. History makes so much more sense the older you get. You could really get a sense of the lives lost there.

Sunday was Valentine's Day and tradition came into play. I always made the kids a huge/layered valentine cookie with candy decorations etc. Bridget and I made them on Friday while Dane was at work and froze them until the big day. Dane was a happy camper and Bill and Bridget benefited also. It was fun to be able to carry on that tradition again. I have missed that.

We went to church with Dane and Bridget and as it turns out, it is the building that Bill attended as a missionary. That chapel was dedicated while Bill was serving there. It was a neat experience to have with Bill. On our way to the airport, we drove by the Houston temple.

When you are in the company of an aspiring pilot, what trip to the airport would be complete without finding some place to watch planes fly in and land. We did that with the spare time we had before our flight. Dane would tell us what kind of plane it was but for me a plane is a plane. :)

Although I would love to have our kids live closer, the perks are that we get to visit places we might not normally go. Thanks for a fun weekend Dane and Bridget.

New Blog

2010-01-19T08:27:00.001-08:00

To all those who may be interested, Leisa and I have started a new blog. The website is daleandleisa.blogspot.com. Enjoy!!

Four Weeks

2010-01-11T16:14:00.000-08:00

Can't believe that, on Saturday, it will be four weeks since we were at Dale's wedding in UT. COLD day but warm feelings and memories. Abbie took the pictures and I've only seen a select few. Can't wait to see them all. If there was ever a picture that would describe joy, it would be the following pictures of these two. They had smiles like I've never seen before. Such JOY

This is a look like "we're married" So cute!!

These boots were one of the smartest investments. It was so cold.

Did I mention it was COLD? It took alot of courage for Leisa to take her cape off but when you're in love, you'll do anything.

After the wedding events, Bill and I got to bring Ella home with us on the plane. Abbie and Scott drove a car up from UT and stopped in Boise for the night, along the way. My dad (great grandpa Hamblin) sent me this doll bed for Ella. I had dolls, blankets and pillows waiting - - - ready for Ella to play. She took immediate interest in the whole thing and it was fun to see her play. My dad couldn't wait to see pictures of Ella playing with the cradle. It will stay at "grandma's" so Ella will have something to do while she's visiting. So cute.

Thanksgiving/Christmas

2009-12-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

WHAT!!!! It's been six weeks since a post has been made. Too busy, with nothing to blog about.

I did have Kenzie, McKayla and McKell over the day before Thanksgiving to decorate Christmas cookies. Bridget was here with Dane and brought her decorating tips.

We had fun just experimenting and telling stories. The girls loved Bridget and she loved them. Such cute girls. :)

Congratulations Dale and Leisa!

2009-10-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

Congrats on getting engaged! Image courtesy of Dane, Bridget and Abbie. :)