Remix: Another Great Family Weekend

 This last weekend was another great family connection! Nate and Kelsi planned to come hang out, go to the temple and have fun at Opa and Nona's house. I planned a treasure hunt, Jeffrey planned a hike, while they were gone, and we decided to host a family dinner on Saturday night with everyone in the area. Mike and Julia came and also Andrew and Briona bringing their girls.

Friday night Nate goes through the bedtime stories and rituals - it still took them hours to go to sleep.

Kelsi and Emma listen to Nate and the kids

The kids still got up early on Saturday and got their breakfast. I had waffles, bagels, muffins, and cereal. Then they packed up and left with Opa on a hike up Mt. Diablo.

They came home tired and elated. Hopefully they had a lot of fun. I had stayed home with Emma. After lunch they went on a treasure hunt around our house and in the yards. 

Hunting for Clues

Jayson solves the ciphers from the different clues

Emma is just a little small for the highchair. But she still ate the container of bananas that Kelsi left.

The families got together for a supper. I decided I have to have the recipe for the Cowboy Caviar that Briona brought over. Delicious! 

Amber fits just a little better, though she is still small.

I kept close watch on what worked and what needs a little more care in hosting at the house. I would love to have many more weekends like this!!

On Sunday I was concerned about my lesson so I didn't have my camera out to take pictures. The family all looked so great in their Sunday outfits - next time for sure!  I had downloaded a video of "Gethsemane" for my class, but then heard Kelsi playing it on Jeffrey's guitar in the living room. I ran down and listened-- then asked her if she would play it for my young women. After thinking about it she agreed if the girls all had words so they could sing with her. It was really magical while she strummed the guitar and played while all the girls sang.

When we got back to the house, Mike and Julia were there, so I quickly called Andrew and Briona and said to come for lunch. I knew Nate and family wanted to take off at 2 pm, so I had a vegetable lasagna in the oven cooking during church. I just whipped out any and all leftovers so everyone could have choices for lunch to go along with the lasagna. When they left, I made sure all the extras went with the different families ---- so Jeffrey and I wouldn't be stuck eating the same things every day.

Watching my boys interact was really heart warming. I am glad that they are still good friends. The women were mostly wrapped around the kids, but they had some good interactions too. The had a great picture remake of Makynlee and Lilly when they were babies. This was on Kelsi's Facebook post today

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Great Family Weekend

First we visited with Kim and Rob up in Chico for the day

 

We felt the sweet goodness and kindness that they exude

I would love to know- someday- every bit of this picture box. Everything has meaning regarding the Paradise Fire that they lived through. The Keys represent people who helped them. Each item means something important to their adventure.

Then we went up to Red Bluff where Jayson was playing soccer

Nate is the coach of Jayson's team. He did a really terrific job. It's nice when they win.

The kids had their fun on the sidelines. I got to hold Emma

Caleb was uncharacteristic quiet. He was just a little ill. The sun was good.

Jeffrey treated all of us to pizza and salad 

Meanwhile back at our Concord home, Matthew, Debbie and their kids were having an adventure in the Bay Area. I think they went out with Mike and Julia to the Chabot space and science center, Oakland and the temple. Her dad lives around there and they met up. When we got home Saturday late afternoon, they were not there as they were still having adventures.

The next Sunday we had a nice dinner and conversations before they headed home.

Pain and consolation

 Continuing on with this crazy year of break-down for my greater family.......my cousin - in her early 50's died of a heart attack when she went out to do some errands. Her daughter found her, then her sister who lived across the street tried to do CPR but to no avail. Julie Conover Mason's funeral was on Friday. She had eight children. Her oldest son died when he was four. One of her five daughters is married, but the other four are not. She had three children still at home, one in middle school, and two in high school. Her second son was married the Friday before she died and her funeral on April 21st was a week after his wedding. She will not be there in person for her other daughter's weddings.

But that is not quite enough for this week and year. My uncle Ken died on Thursday and his funeral will be next Saturday on the 29th of April. I called my Aunt Mary and she had been trying to make it up to Idaho for Julie's funeral and could not get there. She said she was glad because she knew she needed to go Provo instead to help April and Spencer with the funeral arrangements and closing up Ken's home. 

I am so glad I talked to her because she told me of the long suffering Ken had been going through physically. He had been on hospice several times as they thought he would die eight years ago. Aunt Mary said we should celebrate his life as now he is "dancing in heaven" with his former wife, Inez. He was preceded by two of his children and his wife and will have rejoicing now. 

I had a really hard time with Julie's death and listening to the funeral service (online) was a tremendous comfort and strength to me. I don't know if it was her daughter or sister, but a young woman gave a talk amongst the tears and memories of Julie, that was eye opening and of solace.

She quoted Elder Bednar in "Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease" and quoted this paragraph:

"There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, “No one knows what it is like. No one understands.” But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice (see Alma 34:14), He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power. Indeed, His yoke is easy and His burden is light."

She went on to say, "one of my favorite names that Jesus Christ has is beloved Son. And when I think about Julie I think about beloved. The definition is: dearly loved. The Latin definition is sweet, agreeable, dear, delightful, pleasant. Jesus Christ really did minister one by one and I think we heard today how Julie really ministered unto us one by one. (There had been about ten or twelve people who gave stories and examples of Julie's service and love to everyone previously.)

This young woman also quoted Elder Holland in "Lifted up upon the Cross": "It is one of the most powerful paradoxes of the Crucifixion that the arms of the Savior were stretched wide open and then nailed there, unwittingly but accurately portraying that every man, woman, and child in the entire human family is not only welcome but invited into His redeeming, exalting embrace.^" 

^{She also talked about the children picking a symbol for their mother. Four of them picked a butterfly.} 

^{Julie had a butterfly on the place she called her Brandon Tree, where she left little things in remembrance.}  

^{She had put a butterfly that lit up at night and this} young woman had seen it early in the morning and "studied more about butterflies. "And it says when a butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, there is a struggle and process that they must accomplish on their own that strengthens their wings and gives them the ability to fly. The timing of their emerging from the chrysalis is key for their flight. As we have visited with family and friends here, we have seen that Julie left a map of all the tiny perfect things to show us of her love before she took flight."  "Julie has gained her Angel wings to soar to new destinations." 

On Sunday I had a lesson on the Importance of Jesus Christ's resurrection. Kelsi was kind enough to play "Gethsemane" on her guitar for my girls while they all sang. That was deeply moving and touching to me also. There seems to be a lot a crying and solace this year.......

 

Easter Hunt and Luncheon

 There is something about being with family that is wonderful and warming. I am very fortunate that we have a harmonious supportive family. It builds me up when we are together. 

After church Michael and Julia with their girls, and Andrew and Briona with Amber came over to our house. Jeffrey had hidden about 80 eggs all over the back yard. He carefully counted the non-plastic eggs so we wouldn't have surprises later. Amber got a container of baby snacks, Makynlee and Isla got little cloth bags with bunny's on them to go pick up their eggs. One girl found eggs on one side of the yard and the other found eggs on the other side of the yard. There were plenty to go around. Michael got in on the act to make sure none were left in the yard.

The colored eggs were made into deviled eggs and we all had a fun lunch. Life is good.

Easter Celebrations were so Fun This Year

 Julia and Michael were hot and heavy into moving into their apartment. So I decided to have the Easter party on Saturday with the girls. Jeffrey told me later that he felt he should come down and be part of it all. I was so glad because he made it really fun. I set up the colors and eggs and he had them playing a concentration game while they waited for the dyes to color the eggs. Then we had cookie coloring, that Susan sent home with me.  They came from Costco pre-printed on a sugar cookie and color pens with food dye. It was a lot of fun to watch them.

Jeffrey showed them how to play the game - then had to tell them to leave the card down for the next person.

All the eggs needed to be dyed on one side and then the other, after they dried and got stickers

Concentration

Finished eggs!! Some colored on stands with stickers, and some with Gnome decorations.

Jeffrey's finished cookie! Nobody has eaten it, so it is still in the fridge

All the eggs sat on the corner until the Easter Bunny came and hid them in the yard - along with about 65 other plastic eggs that had been stuffed with stickers, stars, glow in the dark balls, and nuts with chocolate chips. (the chocolate won't happen next year!)