Hard work and fun times

As I make this post I do it with a broken body.

I worked so hard last week...

My body has given out.

I am glad I had some exciting adventures to allow my body to heal.

I wish I had taken some before pictures.

For those who didn't see this...

It was completely over grown and woody.  

It took me all week to do this.

There are a lot of fresh ground cover starts and alyssum seedlings...

these will need to be thinned out over the summer as they grow quickly...

 I cleaned 6 LARGE over flowing wheel barrow of 'stuff' off this spot and the stone walk way.

 I did take a picture of this before...

It is overgrown with grape Hythenths.

 This is it all cleaned out.

I filled a wheelbarrow with just things from this little spot in and around this lilac and lavender patch.

 Tuesday evening I was clearing all the wooly Thyme off this walk and out of the flower bed.

I was feeling a lot of pain and wondered how I was going to finish this...

THEN...

An angel came...

Chris was inspired to drop Angie off as she went to pick up Jayden in Malta.

She did in three hours what would take me three days.

While she was digging some ground cover starts out of a patch so I could transplant them...

I was able to plants some seeds and prepare a place for the starts she was digging.

What a blessing she was to me that evening.

 The wooly thyme covered this walk and flower bed to the left.

I planted grass seed that is mixed with blue mulch.

 I pruned and weeded all down the flower garden on the other side of the lawn...

And the flower garden down by the old willow.

 The flower box looks pretty barren right now...

But give it a month and it will be full again.

The waterfall Tammy Henrie and I built many years ago...

It is beautiful but nonfunctional at this point...

I may use it as a small botanical garden.

Wednesday Luana Barrett had cataract surgery...

I arranged to have my back appointment that day and went with her...

She is so small and frail.

Her daughter Barbara and Nadene Sunberg drove her in...

What a wonderful lady.

I visited her on my way home.

I feel so honored to have known her...

She is my idle

Friday I made my way to Boise without Stan/Grandpa.

He had duties helping his home teaching family move.

Braden is in the Jr ROTC

 It was supposed to be the Governor's parade and award assembly.

BUT..

It rained...

They did their parade and marching competition in the morning when the skies cleared.

No time to let anyone know...

BUT we were there for the indoors awards assembly...

 He received two awards

 He was part of the color guard.

He is in the back and shouted the cadence.

We are kind of proud of Braden.

It was fun to be with the Rice family.

I didn't get pictures of them.

We had lunch together at Jimmy John's...

Oliver, Braden's older brother is expecting his mission call to come this week.

EXCITING!

I drove three hours up to Boise spent about three hours there and three hours home....

I had time to wash clean up and prepare to go to....

Salt Lake City the next day....

Saturday.

My baby sister Patti came down from Bellview Washington to visit Jason and his new wife who just graduated as an RN.

 Brooke Jason Patti

 Diana and Patti

 Brooke Diana and Jason.

We got to see our daughter Mary and her family as well.

Megan had a soccer game...

She is the goalie.  

She also got to play a little bit.

She is beautiful to watch...

A real gazelle.

Glad we got to be there.

 The cutie in the green is Megan...

After the game we went to Cafe Rio for dinner.

These kids are so much fun.

Patti and Mary and Patti's friend Rose all adopted girls from the Marshall Islands

(Katie Anna and Megan)

in the above picture.

Diana Jo is on Anna's back...

Megan is on Katie's back...

Then there is Gabbie and a friend of Megan's

I wish i could have stayed longer but I did have to get back so I could go to church Sunday...

Stan and I got to substitute the 8 year old class.

We taught these children when they were three.

What a joy to teach them at 8-9.

They are so smart and know so much about the Book of Mormon.

We didn't know the B of M like that when we were eight.

We have been without oil in our lamps since Tuesday...

the last day of April.

I hate being without my temple recommend.

It is scary to me.

Chris Stan and Diana had our bishop's interview after church...

we went home got a quick lunch...

then Chris rode back with us to interview with Pres Jack Hunsaker.

It is such a privilege to have a temple recommend.

I don't EVER want to be without one again.

The interview is always such a sacred experience for me.

Then to have Bryce our Nephew interview us was amazing.

It was testimony meeting today...

Our fast today was for our family.

It was all such a wonderful time.

I love the Savior...

I know He loves me and my whole family...

intimately.

He knows our hearts...

He knows our concerns...

He knows all.

He is in charge.

.