Sunday Smiles

Hello Again dear blog friends.

This past week has really been a busy one for me.

Besides being in Utah, driving home (with 3 grandchildren), doing our church and temple callings,doing my Goldrush travel agency work and driving 100 miles to San Diego to attend a ship inspection, we celebrated two family birthdays.

I have been too busy to hardly sit down much less get on the computer.

I have missed checking in on your blogs but I have thought of you....

...and I've had so much to smile about that it will take a month of Sundays to tell you about it.

...

As you know from my last post, John and I and all 4 of our children and their families gathered together in Utah a week ago Fri. to go to court and to the temple with Erin and Patrick when they adopted, sealed and blessed little Calan. It was a wonderful day.

However, another special occasion was in store for us the next day.

...

Evan's blessing made me smile.

Saturday morning all of our family joined with Marla's family for David's little baby Evan's blessing.

We usually have our babies blessed when they are a month or so old.

In our church the baby is given the name he or she will be known by and then the baby is given a special blessing through the power of the priesthood that will help them through out their life.

This is a special and scared occasion to us.

The child is usually blessed by his father or another family member that holds the priesthood and assisted by additional family or close friends who are also priesthood holders.

Little Evan was blessed by his dad, our son David, and assisted by his grandfathers and uncles.

Evan is almost 4 months old.

David and Marla waited until they came to Utah for Calan's adoption to bless Evan so his family from both sides could be there to share this special time with them.
We are happy that they did that.
Since David and Marla live far away from us, across the states, we don't get to spend much time with them.
Being together with them for a whole week
and attending little Evan's blessing was a precious time for us.
We were all smiling.

Grampy with our David and his boys, Davey and Evan

This is Evan with his other grandpa.

I just threw it in because I thought it was cute how David got Evan to smile.
...
Watching Dancers made me smile.

Our daughter Lynell teaches preschool dance classes.

While David's girls, Grace and Emma were visiting in Utah, Lynell got them to go to her dance classes and be her assistant teachers.

Emma took her task seriously and carefully instructed the little dancers.

So did 7 year old Grace... who is so tiny that she looked like a preschooler too.

I was full of smiles as I watched.
...
Karaoke and more dancing made me smile.

Of course our family can't get together for too long without having a karaoke fest.
Almost every night we were smiling as we sang and danced to our hearts content.

What fun!
...
Hugs and kisses for Grammy made me smile.

I just couldn't get enough of my little ones.

My lap and arms were always full... and so was my heart.
...
Justin makes me smile.

It is not just my little grandchildren that make my heart smile...

My big grandsons do too.
My 18 year old grandson, Justin, graduated from Army basic trainging

this past week.

He did well and was one of 5 that were nominated
for outstanding soldier of the company.
Lynell and Dathan flew to Kentucky to attend the ceremony.
John and I could not go but our hearts were with Justin and we were smiling.

He is now in Texas starting his specialized training to be a medic.

How we love our Justin ...and wish him well.
...
My honey makes me smile.

Both kinds of honey...my John and the yellow sweet liquid, make me smile.

Most of you said that you thought John's home made honey extractor would work.

...

Well....it did ...but only for about 5 minutes...then it froze up and broke.

He had not put bearings in the bottom and when the contraption got to spinning really fast it got so hot that the plastic parts melted together and froze up.
We were sad...but John is back to the drawing boards to try again.

However, he took the beeswax frames and drained them into a tub.

He filtered them through layers of cheesecloth to strain them.

(This took place when I was really sick with kidney stones and couldn't get pictures for you)

We ended up getting 4 quarts, 6 pints and a bear full of honey.
and
IT IS DELICIOUS!!!

I am now happy that I let Queenie and her family stay in our yard.

...

I hope that you have been smiling too.

I have a lot more I would like to share...but this is enough for now.
Until next time I send you love and wish you well, Lura