I’ve been writing this blog for 4 years today. As a quiet person, it’s been a joy to be known through my writing. Thank you, my dears, for reading. Happy weekend!
A visit with Grandma
Timothy’s Last Pinewood Derby
Timothy and Richard created a masterpiece for their last Pinewood Derby together.
Timothy won most of his races and received an award for the excellent styling of his car.
Richard gets one year off and then Mark will be in Cub Scouts. Just three more cars to go!
Easter Eggs in the Secret Garden
The kids had their first Easter egg hunt in the Secret Garden at my parents’ cabin on Saturday. The annual Easter egg hunt is something we have heard about with a twinge of pain because we have never had the opportunity to be there. Well, this year we were THERE. And we loved it. Almost all of the cousins were there from my side of the family. I loved watching the dads hiding the eggs almost as much as I enjoyed watching the kids finding them.
Daniel took the photos of the spring flowers emerging on the property. At our house the bulbs are beginning to bloom in our front yard and it was a happy surprise to find a row of crocuses in our new flower beds. We planted some tulips, but the the beds are full of more varieties of tulip leaves than we planted. The daffodils arrived just in time for Easter. I miss my Arizona irises which are probably blooming right now, but living in Utah was worth every sacrifice.
General Young Women Meeting Year 5
Paige and I got to go to the Conference Center tonight to see the General Young Women Meeting.
It was a powerful experience. Even the art in the halls and the smiling ushers were special to me. I was so grateful that Paige and I could have this opportunity. When all of those young women began to sing the opening hymn I couldn’t join them. I just tried to breathe and wipe the tears away as quickly as possible.
I watched the General YW President before and after the meeting, walking about and greeting people. This taught me a lot about her leadership style and her capacity to love. People can teach us even when they aren’t speaking to us. She was just a tiny speck from where we were sitting, but I could see how people reacted to her focused attention and how she maneuvered from shaking hands with apostles to hugging a little 12 year old girl. It is a skill to be able to greet so many people in a meaningful way.
I love General Conference season. When I am listening to the apostles and other leaders, gospel living seems well within reach. Their words inspire me to do better.
San Francisco
It was a quick trip, but so much fun. There’s no place like San Francisco. For me, it holds memories of my grandparents and Aunt Kate who took me there a couple of times when I was a teenager. I like driving through Berkeley and seeing all of the pastel houses. I like the rolling hills. As I have been writing my grandmother’s history, I have learned quite a bit about the Bay Area. A piece of my history lives there.
We laughed so hard
When you visit Grandma, you’re sure to have a good time.
Grandpa sat with the liveliest group, moving now and then to a different room.
He liked the grandkids quite a bit.
Girls’ Weekend Year 2
Photo by Sarah Hainsworth via fancy remote
We celebrated a second annual Girls Weekend with the Sanchez women this month at Spring Lake. Activities included shopping at outlet stores, going out to eat, eating snacks, eating delicious soups and enchiladas that my mom prepared beforehand, yoga and essential oils with Becky, facials, a Victorian era chick flick, and a special morning choral reading of my mom’s book about her parents. I couldn’t be there the whole time, but we captured this moment with all of us together, promising we’d edit out the lower half of everyone’s ensemble. (wink!)
I have a few things to say about this photograph.
- My little sister Susan is NOT that much taller than I am.
- Paige is, however, that much taller than I am.
- I did not get the memo about purple and blue. Even if I had, I don’t think I could have found something those colors in my closet.
- This is a very happy picture. I smile when I see it.
- These ladies are great company.
Home Tour
The other day Timothy decided to take some pictures of our house to send to his friend in Arizona. I have been working on writing all of the time. Looking at the photos was a wake-up call for me. This house needed to be whipped back into shape. Here are a few before and after shots.
Kitchen BEFORE:
Daniel’s sleeping bag from the scout camp out is draped over the kitchen chair. I don’t know why. The island is doubling as a pinewood derby workshop because the garage workshop is too cold to work in. This was the picture he was ready to send to his friend. Oh help us.
Kitchen AFTER:
This is a house tour for Timothy, so he’s posing in a few of these shots. Sparky, confused, wandered into many of our shots. The finished pinewood derby car sits proudly on the kitchen island.
Craft room BEFORE:
Let me just say that this room is beneath the stairs and it will never be pristine because craft rooms are work spaces. This week, though, my craft room was a dumping ground for every project. There are costumes, monster hats, family history photos, slides, notes, and general clutter from the kids keeping me company. The 100 year old photograph of my great-grandmother sits on the table so I could photograph it and so she could be in my thoughts as I write about her. Yes, oh yes, he was going to send this photo to his friend.
Craft room AFTER:
It’s not magazine quality, but who wants to live in a magazine?
Mark’s bedroom BEFORE:
Mark’s bedroom after
Basement reading room BEFORE:
The impossible puzzle that we have been working on since December sits prominently in the middle of the room. Just one day later Daniel manned up and finished it for us. We are ready for a new puzzle!
Basement reading room AFTER:
The puzzle is gone and Timothy shows us where he sits when he reads each day. Here are a few other views of the big basement rooms.
Aren’t you so glad you get to see a picture of our huge sofa today? It’s better than doing dishes or attending to other things, surely!
I won’t show you all of our messes, but here are a few more shots of the house so you can see where I have decorated and where I have not.
I believe in having computers in family areas. When my kids Skype with their friends, there’s always a mother looking over their shoulder, even if it looks like she’s just making dinner. I don’t believe computers make for good decorating, but it’s worth it. Can we ever be too vigilant about computer use in our families? Richard hates it when I ask rhetorical questions. I hate it when I come home to find that the kids are online when I’m not around.
April is my home repairs and decorating month. Caulk, paint, decor, plants… they’re on their way!!!
Some of you will be pleased to know that comments are currently being accepted. I’ll probably stop soon, so take your opportunity while you can.
Great-grandmothers
It’s been quite a special time for me, learning about my great-grandmothers. I only have memories of one of these women, and she didn’t look like her photo when I knew her. The effort is deeply satisfying. I’m so involved in the project that I have given up cleaning the house or reading, and sometimes I forget to eat. My book is growing, and to use a phrase that I hear from my middle school son, “It’s epic!”