Graduation and awards....

Raft River High had their graduation...

Stan went with Angie...

It was a big disappointment...

One student had Mickey Mouse ears on his cap...

No, they didn't march, they walked in laughing and casual.

No prayer was said...

No acknowledgement of God or Country.

Raft River doesn't have Baccalaureate...

Is that common throughout all the schools?

Stan hasn't stopped 'ranting' about it...

This is as bad as daylight savings...

For those who know Stan...

That is big.

BUT...

Then there was Kindergarten Graduation...

I attended this one.

I was pretty emotional through this one.

These little six year old students...

Marched...

 They were so cute, and serious...

No Mickey ears here.

 They sang the Star Spangled banner with us.

Hand over their hearts facing the flag.

They did the pledge of Allegiance..

Hand over their heart facing the flag.

 They sang some cute songs...

 Told us what they are going to be when they grow up...

 Mrs. Wight (Joey's wife) inspires the good in her students.

 Time to graduate...

 Friends and fellow graduates.

 A proud moment in time...

Only eleven more years to go...

She also was awarded for being 'Miss Smarty pants"

That is my name for her...

She got an award for having the highest scores in her testing...

PLUS...

Best attendance. 

Her sister Angie...

Also got an award a week ago.

Best In English.

Friday I met Chris' girls in Tremonton.  

We had a celebratory dinner together.

A good family.

Friday morning I went to Logan because Sydney got THREE awards.

  Pride in America award...

Given to two students showing leadership abilities from each fifth grade class.

Sydney on the left top row.

 She got the Silver Brilliant Bull Dog award.

Criteria created by the teachers for them to accomplish.

Way to go Syd.

 The Big Award...

Great American Award...

this took over 100 hours of study and work...

She knows all the presidents...

the preamble...

Gettysburg address...

All the states and Capitals...

And...

MUCH MUCH MORE!

She had her friend Mandy were awarded their little trophies of the Statue of Liberty.

As a grandmother with all her children 'graduated'.
I think of the awesomeness of my children...
I see their good works...
Their beautiful lives.
Their mistakes...
Their successes.
Their testimonies and dependence on the Lord when things are good and bad.

THEN...
I look at my grand children....
WOW.
There is some greatness here waiting to emerge.
I stand in awe at their greatness.
It is humbling...
I thank the Lord daily for them.

Happy Mother's day...Family....Gardens....

This has been such a wonderful Mother's day.

I used to dread them.

But...

I have learned it was the adversary at work...

I would always put myself down...

Comparing me to the saintly women they always spoke of in the Mother's day program.

Now I know...

I did my best.

My children and Grandchildren are wonderful

They are kind...

Loveing...

Helpful...

and...

Always there.

 I love all the calls I receive.

The cards...

the flowers...

Notes...

and

HUGS!

It has been awhile since I have Posted anything.

I took a trip to Europe in April...

Which I posted under another Blog...

'Rantings of a Senior'...

I have been trying to catch up..

In the process...

Getting further behind.

Many pictures haven't been taken...

Sadly to say.

Moments that I hope my mind will not erase.

Stan and I are remodeling our 'offices'.

Because of that...

I couldn't sew my Granddaughter's Prom dress.

(No place to sit up shop).

Dawn Briggs did it for us.

Angie and I spent a day in Logan...

Picked out her material for her dress...

Shoes...

 Jewelry...

Neighbors Jaime Nelson and Melissa Campbell...

Set up a salon the day of the prom.

They did Angie's nails

Hair

and made a princess of her...

 Angie in her prom dress...

So pretty!

Dawn also made a vest to match Angie's dress for her date...

Dani, granddaughter...

Helped me set out all the 'pretty' garden things...

What a help...

We got them all placed...

The patio cleaned...

and the front porch cleaned and freshened.

We got the Bird netting down just in time...

The Swallows were expected within the week.

Reigan is showing off her new jump rope skills...

She does a very good job.

 I love Spring...

All of the newness of life kicks in...

It is truly a miracle...

Watching the brown earth emerge from beneath the snow...

With the warm sun and rains...

Viola! 

Green and color appear...

A weekend with my sisters and a couple daughters proved to be a gift from heaven.

 

 We went to Gabby's soccer game...

They won of course...

(she is Mary and Tim's daughter)

 Anna (My sister's daughter made quick friends with Gabby)

 Gabby and Anna...

My nephew, born in January was bless this weekend as well...

Jason (Patti's son) and wife Brook are the proud parents...

 Caden Edward...

 The Alleger men (except for Caden)

Brighten, (Jared's son)  Jared Brian (Patti's husband)  Jason and Greg...

Patti and Brian's family...

left to right

Greg Anna Patti Brian Jason Brooke holding Caden Marie Brighten and Jared.

 The boys

Greg and twins Jason and Jared

 Add Anna and there is a formula for teasing...

 Sisters who haven't been together in a very long time.

Patti  Diana  Jan

 Jason proves himself a good daddy...

The blessing he gave his son and his testimony were touching...

 Booke Jason and Brooke's parents...

Their first grandchild...

This child wants for NOTHING!

 Becky came down to join the crowd...

That means cousins.

Joey Jordan with Gabby on his back  Anna and Megan with Sydney on her back

Patti Becky Jan Diana and Mary...

Sisters and Sisters....

 Sunday night getting ready for the Eagle Court of Honor...

Opps...

Need to get those badges glued on...

What happened to sewing them on?

 Joey (aka Diana Jo) Tim and Jeran

 Katie and Anna (Katie is the daughter of my sister Patti's friend Rose)

 All the Eagles -- men who have earned their Eagle are in the corner in the 'Eagle's Nest"

 Nathan receiving his Eagle..

 Nathan 'pinning' his parents... (Mary and Tim)

 Oops...Group hug

 Jeran receiving his Eagle...

 Jeran 'pinning' his parents....

 Much better...Group hug..

 Their cousin Sam also got his Eagle..

The three of them joined the 'Eagle's Nest'.

 About 16-17 years ago Mary helped Tim's brother Dean and wife Amy adopt Sam from the Marshall Islands.  She helped Patti and Brian adopt Anna and Patti's friend adopt Katie and of course they adopted Megan.  Here are all four of them together.

Sam Megan Katie Anna

One last time together before the all went home.

This is just to much fun.

Jan Patti Brooke and Caden Mary Diana and Anna

 After being gone so much, I had a lot of work to do in the garden...

 Stan said that this is my mothers day flowers...

 Sunday mornings are always so beautiful...

I walked out with him to feed the horses..

 River...Ruth's horse

 Flowers given to me by Chris' family...

 Saturday Melissa took care of John and Beth and Bryce and Jodie Campbell's kids...

With hers she had thirteen.

They were over here off and on all day.

In came the girls each with their hands full of Sun Docks. 

We didn't have any last year...

This year the hills are a live with all kinds of flowers.

About the first of the year I asked Cyrstal Hurst to do a pencil drawing of Ruth and her family.

We really didn't have any real good picture of them.

We did have the picture of Ruth and the girls but not Nick.

So I gave her several pictures of them that were just snap shots so she could get a good idea of how big Nick was and how he fit with the family.

This is what she brought me Saturday...

It is like a photograph.  

Beautiful...

Breath taking...

Perfect in every way.  

What a treasure.  

We do not go to Sabbath meetings to be entertained...

 or even solely to be instructed.  

We go to worship the Lord. 

It is an individual responsibility, 

and regardless of what is said from the pulpit,

 if one wishes to worship the Lord in spirit and truth, 

he may do so by attending his meetings,

 partaking of the sacrament, 

and contemplating the beauties of the gospel. 

If the service is a failure to you,

 you have failed. 

No one can worship for you”.

( Spencer W Kimball)