Nothing goes better with a newly delivered pile of dirt than grandchildren!

EmmaRay enjoyed watching her brothers play in the dirt.

Here is the football Acrostic Poem

We Fought with our heart and our soul
AlthOugh we lost we kept our control
Other that that we played really hard
Through the thick and the thin now our skin is scared
Battling for the #1 spot in the country
As they cracked our egg like Humpty Dumpty
Leading the team with all our might
Losing is hard but we put up a fight!



Lisa was AMAZED, and I must have caught him on a good day, because he NEVER does any work...............:)

Poetry assignment

I had the kids write acrostic poems (poems that the first letter of each line spells a word going downward) It was to be about them. Most were silly or dumb. I got three good ones. Two I don't have a copy of any more, but they spelled out "Football" and the other was "I Need A Job"
They were very clever.

This one was written by a boy with some mental health issues, but he is very brilliant.

Unconcerned
Not making sense
Overtly learned
Ridiculous?--No end
Trapped in obsessions, as a trance
High on my insanity
Overseer to amend
Definitive incompetency
Of my own style
....Xenophile?

His word: Unorthodox!

To which, there was no doubt!

Forgive me

Kristen pointed out that I put Grace in the Rigby Family. I appologize to all the parties involved! I do know EmmaRay and I do know Grace......I'm just an old grandma that loves and misses them all!!!

Tiring

I don't know how Lisa has keep up with her school schedule for 8 weeks without a day off. (Weekends don't count when you are a teacher).......I am only on my 12th consecutive school day, and I am really happy that there is no school on Monday!!
Dad is out in the wind, working on the yard. It is cold and windy and I am staying indoors.
I keep losing at Scrabble........why is it still fun to play? I get some GREAT words.......like I just did a 45 pointer, but then dad comes back with 75 points. Can never catch up!! This will be a quiet weekend, with no Cade and Brennan and Grace here for Sunday. Maybe I will take a Sunday afternoon nap?
I love and miss you all......................

Dad and Brennan's birthday celebration last Sunday on Mother's day

Ah, I forget that the pictures come out on top instead of under the previous picture! Anyway, EmmaRay thought the whole birthday thing rather exhausting!

Look at those cute boys (not at the lop sided cake!!!)

Must be Sunday

You know it is Sunday, as two things happen: Either dad is GONE or..................................

Read, Teacher, Read

I read a chapter of The Outsiders out loud in first period, and then a chapter from the life of Fredrick Douglass out loud in the next class (the class was supposed to read it, but they are all such poor readers they asked me to read it for them) [They had to write response papers afterward], Plus, I talked a lot besides, plus I have to talk a little extra loud, as the classes are NEVER quiet---by lunch my voice was nearly gone.
Today I ran 1/2 mile and walked 1/2 mile. I don't know if my knees/ankles are going to make it. I still am going to go for the mile........pain or not. Someone gave me a brand new pair of tennis shoes today. Hurrah! I made quiche for dinner. I am losing AGAIN at Scrabble....I have 16 days worth of things to do this Saturday. I think I need a nap :). It is hot. Annie and Michael just stopped by for a drive by visit (come out to the car and say "Hi" cause we don't want to get the kids out of their carseats......). Someone paid for their dinner at the resteraunt for them. Fun. Dad is watching basketball.....he wants the Jazz to lose. I guess that is my life.

See Grandma Go. Go, Grandma, go.

Since I am at school until the end of the year, and the school has a really nice track, I decided that I would run the track during lunch. (I have 2 hours!!!) My goal was to run 1 mile by June 5th. Today was my second day.....and I ran 1/4 then walked 3/4 of the way around the quarter
mile thing. My last lap I ran 1/2 and walked 1/2. [Wimpy, I know.....], but still the best I could do. Then I saw a kid with a knife. I went over to him and told him to give it to me. [In retrospect, probably stupid....as there were about 16 boys, I was on the track, way out of sight or screaming help from anyone at the school, and the kid did have a knife with about a 7 inch blade on it.] Of course he refused. I told him he could hand it to me, or he could walk with me to the office to turn it in. He started walking with me. When we got outside the fence around the track, he took off. I took off after him. He went around a building, ditched the knife over a neighbor's back yard fence, and then I got him. We marched into the office......About 2 hours later, I saw him marching out of the school with his mom and a policeman. So, that was my bit of adventure. My legs haven't been sore from the track or the biking, but they were sure sore after the sprint!! Go, Grandma, Go!!

Thanks, Mer

Wow, no one else sent me breakfast in the mail!!! I think I will make it for dinner tonight. And I look forward to taking a nice relaxing lavender/vanilla shower!!! Love you. GET WELL. I am so sorry you have been SO SICK for TOOOOOO LONG.

Horray!!

This cute little baby girl of mine just drove herself all the way from our house to Merilee's. She is there safe and sound.

And saddle sore from horseback riding.

What an exciting life!

My nagging little background of worry is gone, and I am so thankful that she got from here to there and had fun on the way!

Oh!

I was just curious about our bike ride.....and how far it really was so I did some mapquesting.....No wonder dad and I were a little weary after--it is a 20 mile round trip!

Christmas in May?

Just thought I would show you my happy Christmas cactus.....which I have had for over 10 years now (amazing). Yes, it bloomed at Christmas, but it is so happy where it sits in my laundryroom by a window and my drier, that it decided it must be Christmas again!

I like Christmas, so I am just fine with it blooming again and again!! It reminds me that I could be sewing little 'somethings' for little someones!

Whether I really do that is questionable--but it is a good goal!

Kristen is right now driving the second half of her way to Oregon. Bon Voyage.......

Date

Here is Cade sitting in my car getting ready to go on a date with Grandma. We went to see Horton Hears a Who at the movies, and had a hot dog to eat, and some Mike and Ikes. Half way through the movie, he was ready to go home.......!! But, it was fun none the less. He said when he was a daddy, he would steal me away and take me on a date in his car. :)

Exercise record: I managed to exercies everyday but Friday (because I taught school...leaving the house at 6:30 am, then I had to go to the title company, then to take Cade on our date. I got home about 8:00 pm. I was tired, and in bed (reading) by 8:30.

That is ok, though, because today dad and I rode our bikes to Butterfield canyon, and then up the canyon a couple of miles, and then back home. It took us 2 hours. It was hard going, and then FREEZING coming home. I was 'pumping' as hard as I could just to try to keep warm. BRRRR. I think my chin got frostbite. I am still cold, so I think I will hit the shower.

Hectic Day

After being so nice and sunny yesterday, today was rainy and ligntening and thundering, and cold tonight, brrrrrrr............I had a really hard time exercizing after the hectic's of the day......and the bit of depression of having Kristen drive off on her way to Oregon (ok, I cried).....But I managed some dance pad and some weight machine and one aerobic exercizer machine (about 1/2 of what I wanted to do........but still spent a bit more than a full half hour.) I know you are bored reading about my exercising struggles, and it will get easier for me so I won't have to tell you every day, but right now it is hard! But I did it--3 days in a row. I lost our Scrabble game tonight, too. I teach 1st grade tomorrow.

Hectic Day

Accountablility

Today i didn't feel like exercising when I got home from teaching first grade, becase they wore me out! but, I took a fast walk around the lake......only 1/2 hour, but it was enough for a beginning for me. At school today there was an assembly...it was the BYU folk dancers, so that was really fun. I had recess duty--that is where you get all the 'teacher.....she hit me, teacher, it is my turn, teacher she....etc.........' which is the most annoying part of teaching elementary. I think I would rather be a high school teacher.
Yesterday I read/re-read the March Ensign, and I am just sitting down to my scriptures right now......I'm trying......

Thanks Sara

I planted these only a little over a week ago, and look how well they are doing already!! Could probably start using a bit of the chives, parsley and basil already!! That was a great Easter Surprise, so thank you AGAIN!!

New life for mom

I was at the bookstore, and there was a book that was called something like Closer to Christ in 21 days. It was almost 20 dollars, so I didn't buy it..and I thought I probably didn't need a book to help me get closer to Christ--the scriptures and prayers and diligence could do just as well--So I am committing to two things (publically, so that I am accountable to more than myself): To exercise every day (except Sunday), MINIMUM 1/2 hour on the tredmill. To be more diligent in my praying, scripture reading and contemplative time so that I do become closer to Christ and more Christlike. Hopefully a little weight loss will happen during this 21 days, too.....:) That would be an added bonus.
Today I rode my bike to the mouth of Butterfield Canyon. (and back). I don't know how far it is, probably only about 5 miles or so.......but it is uphill the entire way, and very tiring. But, I did it!!

Kathy's baby blessing

Today we went to Kathy 'Pond's'......I can never remember her married name....baby blessing. Anyway, it was nice, and their sacrament meeting was better than ours was. Much more reverent. Very good testimonies.
I didn't take my camera, but I wish that I would have......all of the Pond and Clark kids were there.....I would have liked to have gotten family shots. It was a bit of a shock to see Randy Pond home from his mission early. I don't know why, but it couldn't have been too bad--as he stood in the circle to bless his nephew. Maybe he just couldn't take the missionary pressure or something........? He was in Provo.
Anyway, it was nice to see everyone. Karen and Gary are going to Canada to pick up David next month, so that will be fun. Brad and Jenny's baby boy is grown up and looks a bit like a little man. Extra small for being 1 1/2......but, when you start out at 1.1 lbs! Jenny is pregnant, and already past the time that Preston was born.....she isn't sick...so it is much better this time--and they are expecting a full term baby.
Fun day. Wish that all the Thornbrue kids were there, too.......but we got half!!
Love you all.......pray for you all.....!

Yes, it is May 1st

Just to let everyone know, we woke up to snow on the ground this morning.
It was SO cold last night, dad even turned the fire on!!