Today is the birthday of one of my favorite people in the whole world. When I was a young child I spent every afternoon with him. I learned many things from him. I learned not to judge people. I learned respect. I saw examples of getting along with others and finding a solution using compromise. I learned to accept others' differences. I learned to enjoy puppets and trolleys (I still want to ride a trolley because of this.)I probably even got my love of cardigans from him - I wear one nearly every day. He was also the only thing that could draw me away from my favorite pretend family- The Brady Bunch. This man was a great influence on me.
In 2003 Mr. Fred Rogers died of cancer. I was running on the treadmill (I used to exercise), watching Headline News, when I heard the announcement. I truly felt that the world was less good. I think that at that moment one of the greats was gone. Well, it has been ten years since his death and I still miss him. Recently I came across an article about his life and influence. I inhaled it. I remember the clips. I wanted to post it, on his birthday, as a reminder of all the good things he taught. He was a GREAT MAN!
Life is Good - and Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was a great part of my life.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
True Ramblings
I came home today, after a rather long and somewhat difficult week, only to find myself skipping the housework that is needed and going right to my bed with the full intention on of taking a little snooze. But, instead I turned on the TV and found my "favorite" show on. When I was a kid I would do anything so that I could watch "Emergency." I just loved those boys of Squad 51. Well, to my surprise, a new channel recently came to our cable and it is called MEtv and it plays reruns of "Emergency" daily. In fact, it runs episodes of lots of my favorites from my childhood. Every Sunday, they play two straight hours of The Brady Bunch. Whoo Hoo! I love this channel!
On a completely unrelated note, I have been loving this weather that we have had lately. March 1 arrived and I declared it to be opening day of sandal wearing season. I have walked to school with my sandals, snow and all. But, I think that it is helping Mother Nature see that I am serious about wanting Spring to arrive. Mother Nature has responded quite nicely and brought "warm-ish" temperatures to us for this week. (You can all thank me later.) This has been a wonderful lift to my spirits. I really hate Winter. I don't really like Spring, either, but it does usher in Summer which is a wonderful time of year.
And now for one more completely random thought. Well, today I was thinking about how grateful I am for my children. My children are fairly "normal," if there is such a thing. They are smart and well behaved. They go to school willingly every day. Today I watched a student in my class struggle to get under control so that he could learn. I watched another student fall into fits of rage and hysterical crying because he got bumped in line. Poor kiddos! I worry about them. I just hope that somewhere along the way, the students and their parents will figure out something that will help them. School will be torturous for them. So "thank you" Collin, McKenna, Adrienne, and Kathrynn for making my life easy.
Just a lot of random thoughts to blog about. Don't you just love randomness?
On a completely unrelated note, I have been loving this weather that we have had lately. March 1 arrived and I declared it to be opening day of sandal wearing season. I have walked to school with my sandals, snow and all. But, I think that it is helping Mother Nature see that I am serious about wanting Spring to arrive. Mother Nature has responded quite nicely and brought "warm-ish" temperatures to us for this week. (You can all thank me later.) This has been a wonderful lift to my spirits. I really hate Winter. I don't really like Spring, either, but it does usher in Summer which is a wonderful time of year.
And now for one more completely random thought. Well, today I was thinking about how grateful I am for my children. My children are fairly "normal," if there is such a thing. They are smart and well behaved. They go to school willingly every day. Today I watched a student in my class struggle to get under control so that he could learn. I watched another student fall into fits of rage and hysterical crying because he got bumped in line. Poor kiddos! I worry about them. I just hope that somewhere along the way, the students and their parents will figure out something that will help them. School will be torturous for them. So "thank you" Collin, McKenna, Adrienne, and Kathrynn for making my life easy.
Just a lot of random thoughts to blog about. Don't you just love randomness?
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Growing and Three Missionaries
On Sunday, while we were in Utah, I realized just how grown up our family has become. I looked at the girls sitting around Grandma and Grandpa's living room listening to their iPods and texting and realized that they aren't little anymore. Gone are the days of pulling out the toys from the closet and watching the penguins climb up the stairs and ride down the slide. No more will we be searching for small metal balls before we leave. And never again will the hilarious giggles come from the bathroom as the girls splash and play in the giant jetted tub. It made me a little sad.
It's not just my kids growing up, either. We had gone down to Utah to attend the meeting formerly known as a "Farewell" of our nephew Kendrick. He is leaving on his mission to the California San Fernando Mission. He is a good kid. We love him. But, I am not so sure when he became old enough to go. He is one of the new 18 year old missionaries which is getting him out there early. He'll be great!
This weekend, we will attend the "Farewell" of our niece Carly who is off to the Philippines Manila Mission. She will be the sweetest, most dedicated missionary there. We are so excited for her. Her family will miss her terribly. Carly and Collin are the same age. We have watched them grow up together and I suppose that if Collin is on a mission, then that makes Carly old enough to go too, given the recent age change for sister missionaries.
So, our little Grant family is growing up and we will have three missionaries out at the same time. How exciting is that? I can't wait to read their letters. I can't wait to see how they grow. And I can't wait for us to all get together in two years. What changes will there be for our families. Two years doesn't seem that long if you are only looking at the time itself. But, if you look at growth and changes, two years is an eon. So exciting! I will probably be looking back and longing for the days that the girls were sitting on Grandma's couches listening to their iPods and texting!
Life is Good!
It's not just my kids growing up, either. We had gone down to Utah to attend the meeting formerly known as a "Farewell" of our nephew Kendrick. He is leaving on his mission to the California San Fernando Mission. He is a good kid. We love him. But, I am not so sure when he became old enough to go. He is one of the new 18 year old missionaries which is getting him out there early. He'll be great!
This weekend, we will attend the "Farewell" of our niece Carly who is off to the Philippines Manila Mission. She will be the sweetest, most dedicated missionary there. We are so excited for her. Her family will miss her terribly. Carly and Collin are the same age. We have watched them grow up together and I suppose that if Collin is on a mission, then that makes Carly old enough to go too, given the recent age change for sister missionaries.
So, our little Grant family is growing up and we will have three missionaries out at the same time. How exciting is that? I can't wait to read their letters. I can't wait to see how they grow. And I can't wait for us to all get together in two years. What changes will there be for our families. Two years doesn't seem that long if you are only looking at the time itself. But, if you look at growth and changes, two years is an eon. So exciting! I will probably be looking back and longing for the days that the girls were sitting on Grandma's couches listening to their iPods and texting!
Life is Good!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Holding the Ones I Love
I haven't blogged for so long. We have been busy but my thoughts and our activities seem so boring. I figure I don't have anything to say. However, my good friend, Shannon, challenged me to make a post this weekend and so I am, boring or not.
Yesterday, I took the day off to do some much needed Christmas shopping. I started hearing about some kind of shooting that had happened in Connecticut. Unfortunately, I think that I am becoming somewhat numb to these kind of news stories. They are disheartening and so sad. But, they seem to happen so often. I didn't think much of it. I figured I'd get the update when I got home. Then I received a text giving me the tragic details. Twenty innocent children and the teachers and staff that loved them had been gunned down and killed by a young man. My heart was sick. How could this happen? Why could this happen? I always tell my students that their school, particularly our classroom, is a safe place (for some, their only safe haven) and I will do anything I can to help maintain that safety. I am sure these teachers told their students the same thing. But, it wasn't safe. Not even with the precautions the school had taken could keep them safe. I wonder how I approach that topic when I go back on Monday. Someone will ask. They always do.
I was anxious to get home to check on my girls, even though I knew that they were safe. I just wanted to hold them and tell them that I loved them. We say that all the time. No one leaves the house without being told, "I love you" by someone, if not all of us. But, I wanted to tell them just the same. They just looked at me as if I were a crazy old lady and giggled (or groaned). I am so grateful for this little family we have been blessed with. My heart aches for those poor families that are missing their loved ones to hold. When I lost one student, it was almost unbearable for awhile. I don't know how they will heal.
So, what do I learn from this? One, cherish the moments I have with my family (like staring out the window for 90 minutes with McKenna and treasure hunting at 11:00 at night in the snow, post about those later). Two, let them know that they are loved beyond measure by their parents so they never have to wonder, and I never worry that they don't know. Three, pray, like never before, that this will never happen again. But, evil people make evil choices and their consequences are felt by many. I am not sure God could promise me that.
Life is Good - just a bit sadder today.
Yesterday, I took the day off to do some much needed Christmas shopping. I started hearing about some kind of shooting that had happened in Connecticut. Unfortunately, I think that I am becoming somewhat numb to these kind of news stories. They are disheartening and so sad. But, they seem to happen so often. I didn't think much of it. I figured I'd get the update when I got home. Then I received a text giving me the tragic details. Twenty innocent children and the teachers and staff that loved them had been gunned down and killed by a young man. My heart was sick. How could this happen? Why could this happen? I always tell my students that their school, particularly our classroom, is a safe place (for some, their only safe haven) and I will do anything I can to help maintain that safety. I am sure these teachers told their students the same thing. But, it wasn't safe. Not even with the precautions the school had taken could keep them safe. I wonder how I approach that topic when I go back on Monday. Someone will ask. They always do.
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| Three of the people that I love dearly |
So, what do I learn from this? One, cherish the moments I have with my family (like staring out the window for 90 minutes with McKenna and treasure hunting at 11:00 at night in the snow, post about those later). Two, let them know that they are loved beyond measure by their parents so they never have to wonder, and I never worry that they don't know. Three, pray, like never before, that this will never happen again. But, evil people make evil choices and their consequences are felt by many. I am not sure God could promise me that.
Life is Good - just a bit sadder today.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Yellowstone 2012
Normally, our family visits Yellowstone National Park each month from May to October. This year, with everyone's schedules, mission prep, and mission prep recovery, we didn't make it until the end of September. The good thing about that is our Park pass is good through September 2013. The weekend we went just happened to be the annual Bike to Old Faithful Saturday so we enjoyed the road with HUNDREDS of bikers from pros to novices. I'm thinking that would be a lot of fun next year. Anyone in?
So, we decided to take the road less traveled by the Grant Family. We don't take the lower loop very often. But we did and decided to follow all the little "trails" that went off the main road. It was fun. We found some beautiful waterfalls and had some good laughs because that is what we do - LAUGH!
I'm so grateful to live in such a beautiful place. I feel very lucky to be here. Yellowstone is one of my favorites. I don't think I will ever grow tired of it. I've been going there since I was a little girl and I still haven't seen a fraction of it. There is always a new place to explore. I also love the animals. I think, since it was after Labor Day, most of the animals were on vacation. We didn't see much. We found an elk, a herd of bison and a large coyote or small wolf eating a rabbit. Not much but still wonderful.
I can't wait to go again. It's already paid for!
Life is Good - and Yellowstone is GREAT!!!
So, we decided to take the road less traveled by the Grant Family. We don't take the lower loop very often. But we did and decided to follow all the little "trails" that went off the main road. It was fun. We found some beautiful waterfalls and had some good laughs because that is what we do - LAUGH!
I'm so grateful to live in such a beautiful place. I feel very lucky to be here. Yellowstone is one of my favorites. I don't think I will ever grow tired of it. I've been going there since I was a little girl and I still haven't seen a fraction of it. There is always a new place to explore. I also love the animals. I think, since it was after Labor Day, most of the animals were on vacation. We didn't see much. We found an elk, a herd of bison and a large coyote or small wolf eating a rabbit. Not much but still wonderful.
I can't wait to go again. It's already paid for!
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| I don't know what this is called. Trent is so good to stop at everything for me. |
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| At some paint-pot place where we spied a crazy lady wearing a pink furry vest. The girls followed her around giggling. It was laughable. We took a pic so we could giggle later. |
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| This is one for the brother. The girls showing their true expressions. |
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| Another beautiful waterfall that we hadn't seen before. I LOVE rivers!!!! |
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Missionary Mom
When we dropped Collin off at the MTC it was the most awesomely, wonderfully, happy and sad thing I have ever done. I did cry a bit but was so excited that something that boy had prepared for for nineteen years had finally come. He was so nervous and yet walked away with such bravery. As he wheeled that luggage up the sidewalk I kept wanting him to stop and run back but he didn't. He didn't look back because he was going into his future. It is a future full of new adventures and people and sights and feelings that none of the rest of us standing on the sidewalk that day would ever experience. So much of our lives are meshed together as we raise our children. Now was the time to let him go and do all on his own. That was the hardest thing for me but I knew he would be okay. Missionaries are so blessed. And their families are blessed, too.
One of the sweetest blessings is the arrival of the weekly email. His first week at the MTC, when we didn't know his P-day, I checked my email EVERY day and EVERY hour hoping it would come. It didn't. Finally, about ten days later we got one. That was possibly the longest ten days of my life. After a few mix-ups we finally have the emailing down to a science. Then just when we were getting the hang of things, he was sent to Guatemala to begin again. The MOST SWEETEST blessing of all was talking to him on the telephone. I began to cry the moment I heard his voice and he cried too. He was able to talk to all of us and was able to call his Dad at work. But, hanging up the phone was so hard. I didn't want to let him go. If I had been there with him, someone would have had to pry him out of my arms. Heart wrenching! That's what that was but it was good. And, now I know just how sweet that call at Christmas will be - in 4 VERY long months.
Until then it is the weekly emails that I anticipate. While Collin has been at the CCM his emails have come on Saturday morning. I read it and then read it again and then again and then again. Then I edit it and post it on his mission blog. Then I re-read the blog over and over again. It is my connection to him. I love his experiences. I search for blogs of other Elders he encounters. I've Googled the CCM and the Taco Bell across the street that he longs for. I get just a little hint of his experiences and love that!!!
I love being the mom of a missionary. I love that missionary of mine!
You can check out Collin's experiences, too at www.eldercollingrant.blogspot.com.
Life is Good - and missionaries are FANTASTIC!!!
One of the sweetest blessings is the arrival of the weekly email. His first week at the MTC, when we didn't know his P-day, I checked my email EVERY day and EVERY hour hoping it would come. It didn't. Finally, about ten days later we got one. That was possibly the longest ten days of my life. After a few mix-ups we finally have the emailing down to a science. Then just when we were getting the hang of things, he was sent to Guatemala to begin again. The MOST SWEETEST blessing of all was talking to him on the telephone. I began to cry the moment I heard his voice and he cried too. He was able to talk to all of us and was able to call his Dad at work. But, hanging up the phone was so hard. I didn't want to let him go. If I had been there with him, someone would have had to pry him out of my arms. Heart wrenching! That's what that was but it was good. And, now I know just how sweet that call at Christmas will be - in 4 VERY long months.
Until then it is the weekly emails that I anticipate. While Collin has been at the CCM his emails have come on Saturday morning. I read it and then read it again and then again and then again. Then I edit it and post it on his mission blog. Then I re-read the blog over and over again. It is my connection to him. I love his experiences. I search for blogs of other Elders he encounters. I've Googled the CCM and the Taco Bell across the street that he longs for. I get just a little hint of his experiences and love that!!!
I love being the mom of a missionary. I love that missionary of mine!
You can check out Collin's experiences, too at www.eldercollingrant.blogspot.com.
Life is Good - and missionaries are FANTASTIC!!!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Family Vacation 2012
Between work schedules, sports practices, sports camps, and a mission, we found it kind of difficult to pin down some days for a family vacation. However, with a lot of planning and a little sacrifice, we did it. June 21 - 24 became the official days. Now, everyone had great plans but there wasn't a lot of time. So, what to do? Squeeze it ALL in. And we did.
First off, we drove to Provo, UT where we spent the night. We couldn't leave St. Anthony until everyone was off work. Then we visited Grandma and Grandpa in Farmington for a bit. We arrived in Provo about 10:00 and had the worst night sleep EVER. Sometimes bidding on Priceline is good. Othertimes, it is bad. It probably evens out in the end.
Early the next morning (we weren't sleeping anyway) we headed to Las Vegas. You know, there is A LOT of open space in central Utah. Thank goodness for modern technology that kept everyone entertained. Once in Vegas we visited with our AMAZING friends from St. Anthony, the Sorensons. We haven't seen them forever and their kids are big and they are wonderful and we miss them tons. We love you Sorensons!!! Adri said that is the highlight of her trip. ( I can't believe I didn't take a picture. Actually I can. It was 112 degrees there. You can't think in that kind of heat.) And good news, they are moving closer, to Ogden, in a couple weeks. Then we went to The Blueman Group. It is at The Venetian. Someday I want to live in that place.
If you haven't seen them then you should. They are an experience. The kids and Trent LOVED them. I find them interestingly fun. We left Vegas that night and drove to Rancho Cucamonga, California. We got there about 1:00 a.m. It was a long drive. But driving that stretch is so much better at night. Who wants to look at that desert? blah
The next morning we had to get up and going, again, because we needed to beat the crowds to Knott's Berry Farm. (McKenna wanted Disneyland but I'm not paying $125 to go for one day. Call me cheap! I don't care. We've been several times anyway.) Well, if you get in bed at 1:30 a.m., getting up early doesn't happen. But, we made it. The crowds weren't bad (much better than Disneyland, I'm sure) and we had a delightful time. What I discovered is that 42 years might be the cut off age for thrill rides. Poor me. It used to be spinning. Now it's everything.
After all that fun, we weren't tired enough so we planned to go to the Dodgers/Angels game. Surely we could get tickets at the gate. There are always tickets at games. So, we waited about 30 minutes in line to get into the parking lot only to discover that all tickets were sold. DARN!!! Sorry Dad. But never fear. If you can't do baseball, what is a successful alternative? Shopping, of course. The girls went to Forever 21 and spent forever while Dad and Collin drove around Anaheim enjoying the memories and sights of Dad's teenage years. But, were we done for the day? NO WAY. We hadn't even eaten dinner. So, back to Rancho Cucamonga and a stop at Denny's at 10:00 p.m. where we laughed until we cried and probably annoyed all the people around us. But, its 10:30 at night. How many people are eating anyway? Finally, we went to sleep at like 12:30 a.m. A good successful day.
Next morning, we were up bright and early and off to San Diego. On the advice of a 4 year old, we decided to go to the San Diego Zoo instead of Sea World. I'm sure both have their pros and their cons. However, the advice of a 4 year old, who said there were pink bears, may not have been best for teenagers. It was really hot and the animals were grumpy and not very photogenic. Poor things. But, we did see some fun things. I've always wanted to see koalas and pandas. And, flamingos that eat real shrimp look a ton brighter than flamingos eating shrimp pellets. It was fun and we have some good memories. Plus, the girls passed off their girls camp hike certification since it was a long walk and up a mountain.
We had a little time to spend before the next adventure and so we ate at the Cheesecake Factory where Katy got the most amazing hamburger ever - The Mac 'n Cheese burger. It was a big hamburger with a ball of deep-fried macaroni and cheese added plus cheese sauce poured on that. She ate the whole thing. We watched in amazement. They have delicious ice water there, too.
Then right after we left, someone needed to use the bathroom. So, knowing that the Church is pretty clean with all their tourist spots, we drove to The Mormon Battalion Visitors Center. It wasn't only clean. It was also air conditioned. We had a nice visit there. It has been redone and it is a bit like Harry Potter meets John Wayne. We enjoyed it. Then we panned for gold and let Collin practice washing clothes on a washboard since he will be doing that for the next two years.
Finally, after much anticipation, we went to WICKED!!!!! We got the cheapest tickets available, which are about 80 dollars cheaper than the tickets in Salt Lake, and the tickets didn't disappoint. Our seats were in the balcony, row DD. Now the seating in the balcony goes from A - EE. So, you can see that we were way up there. But, you could still see (if you had your glasses or contacts in) and you could still hear and you could still be mesmerized. We were! We LOVED it. Well, Trent enjoyed it. He doesn't really LOVE musicals all that much. But he liked it.
The music was amazing. I think the San Diego Glinda was even better than Kristin Chenoweth andI didn't know that was possible.When it was over and the songs were firmly planted in our heads (Popular and Defying Gravity, WOW!) we drove back to Rancho Cucamonga. It was late. We were tired. But, we were happy!!!
Sunday morning, after about 4 1/2 hours sleep, we were up and going at 6:00 for the long drive home. We sang and laughed all the way. It was reaffirmed to us that driving through that part of California is best done at the darkest time of night. We had such a great time. We are so thankful for that time we were able to spend together. We have truly been blessed with wonderful kids that like to be together.
Life is Good - and time with family is one of our greatest joys.
First off, we drove to Provo, UT where we spent the night. We couldn't leave St. Anthony until everyone was off work. Then we visited Grandma and Grandpa in Farmington for a bit. We arrived in Provo about 10:00 and had the worst night sleep EVER. Sometimes bidding on Priceline is good. Othertimes, it is bad. It probably evens out in the end.
Early the next morning (we weren't sleeping anyway) we headed to Las Vegas. You know, there is A LOT of open space in central Utah. Thank goodness for modern technology that kept everyone entertained. Once in Vegas we visited with our AMAZING friends from St. Anthony, the Sorensons. We haven't seen them forever and their kids are big and they are wonderful and we miss them tons. We love you Sorensons!!! Adri said that is the highlight of her trip. ( I can't believe I didn't take a picture. Actually I can. It was 112 degrees there. You can't think in that kind of heat.) And good news, they are moving closer, to Ogden, in a couple weeks. Then we went to The Blueman Group. It is at The Venetian. Someday I want to live in that place.
If you haven't seen them then you should. They are an experience. The kids and Trent LOVED them. I find them interestingly fun. We left Vegas that night and drove to Rancho Cucamonga, California. We got there about 1:00 a.m. It was a long drive. But driving that stretch is so much better at night. Who wants to look at that desert? blah
The next morning we had to get up and going, again, because we needed to beat the crowds to Knott's Berry Farm. (McKenna wanted Disneyland but I'm not paying $125 to go for one day. Call me cheap! I don't care. We've been several times anyway.) Well, if you get in bed at 1:30 a.m., getting up early doesn't happen. But, we made it. The crowds weren't bad (much better than Disneyland, I'm sure) and we had a delightful time. What I discovered is that 42 years might be the cut off age for thrill rides. Poor me. It used to be spinning. Now it's everything.
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| Can you pick the family out up there? |
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| This is what it was like closer to the ground. |
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| Checking out the map and waiting for the log ride. |
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| Happy smiling faces! Don't you love log rides? |
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| This is the wildest, craziest ride ever. The video makes me sick. Collin, Katy, and Kenna loved it. |
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| Food and cold drinks! Perfect pick me ups. Wake up McKenna! |
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| Unfortunately, the train ride is more my speed. Watch out for the robbers!!! |
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| Not family members. No cameras allowed. Wait 20 minutes. Ride 15 seconds. |
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| 0 to 60 in 3 seconds, up and over and twist and scream. Fun??!! |
Next morning, we were up bright and early and off to San Diego. On the advice of a 4 year old, we decided to go to the San Diego Zoo instead of Sea World. I'm sure both have their pros and their cons. However, the advice of a 4 year old, who said there were pink bears, may not have been best for teenagers. It was really hot and the animals were grumpy and not very photogenic. Poor things. But, we did see some fun things. I've always wanted to see koalas and pandas. And, flamingos that eat real shrimp look a ton brighter than flamingos eating shrimp pellets. It was fun and we have some good memories. Plus, the girls passed off their girls camp hike certification since it was a long walk and up a mountain.
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| Seriously? A sweater? But look at those people with the hoodies. It was HOT! |
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| Can't remember what they are but they look a lot like our dog, Buddy. |
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| That folks, is a real panda doing panda things - eating bamboo. |
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| For 50 cents this really loud machine will "massage" your feet. |
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| Isn't she cute? We loved her. |
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| Have you walked your cheetah today? |
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| Probably ready to leave at this point. Next time - Sea World. |
We had a little time to spend before the next adventure and so we ate at the Cheesecake Factory where Katy got the most amazing hamburger ever - The Mac 'n Cheese burger. It was a big hamburger with a ball of deep-fried macaroni and cheese added plus cheese sauce poured on that. She ate the whole thing. We watched in amazement. They have delicious ice water there, too.
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| Not my pic. We forgot to take any here. |
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| I cannot even say how much I love this story. |
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| Not my pic because cameras don't work at that altitude! hahaha |
Sunday morning, after about 4 1/2 hours sleep, we were up and going at 6:00 for the long drive home. We sang and laughed all the way. It was reaffirmed to us that driving through that part of California is best done at the darkest time of night. We had such a great time. We are so thankful for that time we were able to spend together. We have truly been blessed with wonderful kids that like to be together.
Life is Good - and time with family is one of our greatest joys.
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