30 more school days, but who’s counting?

January:  2016 started off with our new tradition (a couple years now) of meeting Sandra for lunch at a Chinese restaurant.  Here is the fortune that was inside my cookie: You have a charming way with words and should write a book.  I kept it of course, and hope it comes true someday.  Quinn and I both bore our testimonies the first Sunday of January—so we got that out of the way for the yearJ  For over a week I felt poorly and finally went to the doctor to find I had tonsillitis.  The wheels went into motion for Audrey and family to buy a new house here in Blackfoot.  It is a beautiful, large, well-built home that is closer to us!  The real moving work came in February when the whole family moved in with us for a few nights while they were in transition, but back to January.  

Quinn and I took Sandra down to a wedding reception in Provo for the son of Bret Twiggs.  I think he was very happy to see us and afterwards we drove to Bret’s house to visit with Aunt Doris.  We spent the night and San and I went to the Mormon Tab. Sunday morning.  The next weekend, Quinn and I drove wet and slushy roads all the way to Provo to attend a BYU game—but they did win. 

February:  I started the month with two nights of parent/teacher conferences (ugh).  Glad those are over for the year.  The next weekend, I drove myself to SLC to attend The Producers—a very funny play. 

Dax had his first birthday!  He is such a darling boy—and Kate had decorated the dining room up so colorfully for the occasion.  We went over to their house for cake and ice cream and to watch Dax play with the wrapping paper and eat a LOT of frosting.  We also found out Gus is afraid of balloons--go figure.

  We finally had our patriotic program day which we have been practicing for months!  It turned out great and this bunch of third graders really can belt out a song.  Quinn and I drove the Vet over to Boise for a weekend so Quinn could watch the girl’s state basketball.  Mostly, we just wanted to take the Vet for a drive.  I had a retreat with my book club ladies in Star Valley.  We stayed at Janis T.’s beautiful large cabin.  We watched the last episode (early) of Downton Abbey plus other movies, put together a puzzle, went shopping, saw the SV temple under construction, took a walk, and just ate lots of yummy food and visited.  On the way home is when I stopped in IF to help with the moving.

March:  I took the first day of March off to help Beau & Audrey by tending kids, running kids, and making beds so they could sleep in their own house.  The first weekend, I took Sandra with me to Burley and we met with Jacob and Amber to go to the play Into the Woods.  We ate at Upper Crust first and then watched the play.  It was so good for a community play.  Amber’s sister-in-law was Granny and Cinderella’s mother.  Dusty Heath from Snake River played the baker.  I loved how they made the cow come to life and have a personality—it even danced.  The next day I drove to SLC to see A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.  It was a hoot even though the premise was that the main character discovers he is eighth in line to a title and fortune, so he must bump off the seven ahead of him.  It was so cleverly done and really hilarious.  The next day, Sunday, I attended the viewing of Janet Goodwin along with the rest of our third grade team. 

Our third grade team on Dr. Seuss Day

For a week after work, I tended Audrey’s kids so she could go to school to sell real estate.  It always puts into perspective why you should have your kids while you’re young.

I also worked on a denim quilt for my principal Janae VanOrden.  I got the idea for the flowers from a quilt I saw when I was in Star Valley.  The next weekend, Chad came for a visit.  It was fun to visit with him, and after Janae’s reception, we met up with B&A family and K&M family and did cosmic bowling.  I didn’t do very well and it makes me frustrated because at one time my average was about 145!  

The next weekend was the highlight of the year so far.  March 25 was the day Audrey and Beau took out their endowments and we did mom and dad’s temple work.  First, Jacob was baptized and confirmed by Terry.  Then he did dad’s initiatory.  I did mom’s initiatory and went through the endowment for her.  Quinn went through for dad.  Afterwards, we got to do some of the sealing work.  All the family there was able to act as proxy and take part, and Kara and Terry sealed them together for time and all eternity.  I just felt happy and good the entire day/session/week.  I am so glad three of my children were present to see it.  All that is left is for Kara and me to seal ourselves to them.  

Mom and Dad on their wedding day

Mom and Dad at their 50th wedding celebration

Easter was spent at Sandra’s house for dinner and Rob and Karly got to come.

April:  Golfed for the first time with Quinn, Sandra, and Jacob.  Amber rode along.  We had our annual family dinner at our house.  Quinn did Dutch oven cooking and we had the following for dinner: Kim, Bev, Amanda, Manny, their kids, Stacey, Josh, and foster son (?), Terry, Kara, Sandra, Jacob & Amber, Beau & Audrey, Gus, Kate & Matt, Dax, and later, two missionaries.  Busy day, but it was very fun to have everyone together.  Now it is April 9 and we are headed to Logan soon to see Beau & Audrey sealed in the temple.  Looking forward to another great day! 

PS:  Somewhere in the course of those three months, I made the decision to go to San Francisco for Sylvie Olson’s bat mitzvah and Audrey and Katie are going with me!

Other projects: 

This is a burp pad I have crocheted around.  I can't even count how many burp pads/dishrags I have done--dozens.  I give them all away as gifts.  This is what I do in the car or where ever I am to keep my hands busy.

These are called travel bags.  You pack your shoes or stuff in them.  I made these two for my visiting teachers.  Below are two quilts I've made earlier, but donated them last weekend to Amanda's charity, Wives Behind the Badge.

2015 Wrap-up--Beginning and End

            Here is where it gets confusing because I am going to start by reviewing how 2015 started, then I am going to skip the part I’ve already told about-August through November-and I will finish with the end of the year. 

            The year started with two grandsons awaiting arrival.  We had a baby shower for Katie at my house and it was a Dr. Seuss themed event.  She got a lot of cute stuff.  I helped get the nursery ready by painting the dresser white, making a banner for the wall, sewing a curtain, buying a rocking chair and making a pillow to go on it, and picking up a crib in Boise when I went over with three other teachers to attend a tech conference. 

     Daxton D. Murdock arrived on February 6, at 8:16 pm, and weighed 7.1 lbs.  We waited for him all day, so he took his sweet time.  I spent a couple of nights at Kate and Matt’s house and helped out by holding Dax a lot.  I made him his blessing outfit which was almost too small, but thankfully he only needed it one day. 

Katie and Matt with Dax

            Katie and Matt also went to the temple to be sealed in January.  I didn’t realize it, but they use the bride’s maiden name, and where she was 8+ months pregnant, Quinn said it had all the makings of a shotgun wedding.  Jacob and Amber were there, and we met up with Audrey and Angela for dinner afterwards. 

            When spring break came, Sandra and I took off for St. George.  Katie and Matt went down in their own vehicle and stayed at Matt’s parents place.  We took a hike with Dax that was fun, but full of other people.  San and I hauled back a bed in Quinn’s pickup for Audrey.  While we were there, Jeff and Sabra blessed their new son Max. 

            Later in the spring, Sandra and I drove to CDA for state golf.  We walked around the lake and climbed Tubbs Hill, and enjoyed watching the kids golf. 

            Summer meant a trip back to St. George, and from there we picked up Sandra at the Las Vegas airport and drove on to Mesa and stayed with Cindy and Steve for a few days.  I also made the trip to see Shakespeare with Deon and Kara.  We stayed with Amanda in the “guest house”, and saw Taming of the Shrew, Charley’s Aunt, and South Pacific—all good of course.  I helped Audrey with her nursery too. 

Some good lines!!

Gus's quilt (the stitching was amazing--back was minky)

This time I painted stripes for an accent wall (they turned out phenomenal if I do say so myself), sewed a crib skirt, curtain, and a quilt the way Audrey wanted it—foresty and huntery and I included denim from Grandpa Hedin’s jeans in it.  We also had a baby shower for Gus (McCrae) at Audrey’s house and she got a lot of nice boy things.

            One of the best things Kara and I did over the summer is plan an Amazing Race for our kids.  I sent out invitations and we planned six different stops around Bingham County.  It started at the Potato Museum, then to the gun range, then mom and dad’s old farm, then Riverside School, then the cemetery and back to my house.  I was a little surprised at how competitive the teams were—I mean run for your life—and Audrey was 8+ months pregnant.   Audrey and Angela won, but they all said it was a lot of fun.  I think the guys liked shooting dad’s 357 best.  After everyone came in from the race, we had a barbeque in the backyard.  The grandkids had a blast playing in the water—we had a ton of leftover water balloons and just had a hose running a trickle of water and that was enough to keep them entertained.

            I golfed more this summer than I ever have and we even went to Aberdeen and Mackey.  Here is where August came and the previous post with back to work, the birth of McCrae, buying the Vet, etc. 

            For Thanksgiving, Quinn and I drove the Vet to Mesquite.  We just hung out, ate at buffets, visited with family, shopped in St. George, and had a relaxing time. 

Selfie at Casa Blanca, Mesquite, NV (I won $10 on .05 poker machine)

The first of December I flew to NYC to meet up with Kristine, Mary Ann, and Linda.  We saw the Rockettes, went on a tour of Radio City Music Hall, watched Finding Neverland and Fiddler on the Roof, ate at some fun restaurants, went on a bus tour of the city, took a ferry ride around the Statue of Liberty, and did lots and lots of walking and talking.  We enjoyed ourselves so much; we want to get together every year.

When I got back, we had two busy weeks of school and then two weeks off for Christmas.  I went over to Burley to take Jacob and Amber their Xmas and since she had a homemade tree, I made the partridge for it.  We had a house full for Xmas Eve: Audrey’s family, Katie’s family, Sandra, and Thane’s family.  They all came back Xmas day, plus Chad.  We played a lot of games Christmas evening and it was fun being together.  Since then I have been kind of lazy—took down the Xmas décor, cleaned a little, made a quick trip to SLC with Quinn, and on the last day of the year, I made a wall hanging for my classroom.  Goodbye 2015.

I made the partridge for Amber's tree

A serious game of 13 Dead End Drive (Regan cried when her mother killed the cat)

Wall hanging for my classroom