celebrating 76 with love

right after my saturday 76th birthday, Derek and Missy left for a week long business trip to Panama and we got to help with the children. WHAT A WEEK! when I got there Jake had prepared the best chicken I have ever had and all the side dishes with perfection and kallie made a birthday cake, it even had candles! I was over joyed. As the week progressed I got to see how much each of the children work with their various chores, Dereks family includes 3 large dogs, 2 cats, 6 baby chicks and I dont know how many chickens and a rabbit or two, I think.

Along with caring for themselves, getting up for school, they have their others chores which are dishes, This week the microwave was broken which ment many many many more cooking and pans than normal. AND I had just got my nails done by Nattie!

Each of the kids has sports and or dance. And guitar and of course getting to school and back. Lucky fot me Jake has a big truck and is very helpful in driving. Needless to say, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and love and get to know each child better when I have the chance to work together and serve together. Above photo is Jim building with Izaak. We wanted to do some real building with Izaaks creative mind but never got to it. But Izaak and I did write a poem about his GREENS!!!

Kallie is the dancer.also plays the  guitar, She is very talented and committed which is what one needs to be very good at dance, I got to see some of the dances coming up in the next competition and take her to practice for the show in MAY

yes, these nails are from Nattie, I love the happy pink and orange flowers to welcome in spring, She hand painted these on my birthday!

on the first Monday Izaak wanted me to try this, UGH, I only went 2 miles an hour and that was scary, then later that day he sadly crashed and hurt his knee which caused pain for the rest of the week and he missed his swimming and faked his track practice.

early morning walks around the DRAPER temple started my days off with prayful and thankful heart, my biggest prayer is thankful for my health, that I have the energy to serve and the brain to help with our students in Nigeria, Even Izaak included  blessing our students in Nigeria in his early morning prayer!!!

Friday morning rain from the cover around the Mt Timp TEMPLE . Jim and I finished off our week with serving inside this beautiful temple. I dont want to forget the joys of helping Dereks family this week, Layla was sick most of the week but we did get an extra visit as I drove her from her 5 am swim practice which is more than half and hour away, Layla is very dedicated to being the best swimmer which includes swimming more than one and half hours every day and good nutition. She is also an avid reader so we get to share our favorite books. AND Jake is so helpful and mature as the oldest sibling, He cares for each and sacrifices his time by helping to drive them when I am double booked, Both Jake and Layla cooked the dinners while I was there and Kallie did an amazing job cleaning up most of the house. I just love being with them all. BUT it is hard being a Mom! As mothers eveywhere know ,we work hard to keep the family together with sacrifice and love.

celebrating my birthday with a ride or two, behind is TIMP , my mountian

And our love of temples, this is the Provo City temple.and lastly, Jim and I got to ride in Draper while the kids were in school, and we werent doing our zoom in Nigeria. So we did get some down time at Dereks ! what did I learn this week of turning 76. So glad I am healthy and have the energy to serve and love.

 

more cruise more love

 

more cursin more details

Part two of our Hawaiian cruise from March 16 -March 31 Beginning each day together

At the PCC Craig and I had the chance to solo  in two of the villages. Craig got up and did some dning. Mine was easier.  although I could have danced and wold have, after taking all the classess from Dorthy  Ae. All I had to do was drink from the coconut shell and act goffy. EASY!  was givin the head drress and the coconut!

here is Craig and I with our person tour station  and we really did feel the Island loveguide, As I stated before , it easy was a perfect day and we got treated royally. Our seats were saved at every 

In front of the temmple just before sunset with many of our group/ Seeing the temples all over the world is a goal that Jim and I hae always had

we hiked up to the Kona temple on Saturday and tehn went down bacck to the beach where I swim in the ocean. After going out to the middle of the bay where the water polo players set up their goal, as I was swimming back I go suck ( although I didnt know it) in a rip and had to be pulled out by one of the players! It made for an exciting swim!

Church at the Kona temple ward was the high light and another sasbbath where we can feel GOd live while traveling

Here is the youong man headed off to his mission with the Island tradition of placing love, laies, ties over his neck and giving him one last hug of incouragement. We felt the love also and will always feel it.

Mother and son love

my tree love is here. I have a special love for Gods trees, If I vever  can chose my topic in church it will be about trees. 

some of our friends on the  cruise, I didnt get photos of two couplew which we bonded w ith one from chicago and one form Idaho but they really made our trip extra fun and mem0rable

this is the only photo I have of ua dancin. We zumba. line dance and ballroom danced ever day, Here we are doing the macarana1

the classic photo at the PCC. LoveLOVELOVE So the theme is love for all  the times together and the times we miss together

 

My sibling cruise HAWAII

We spurged an bought the fabulous tour of the PCC at Laie Hawaii.  Here we are with lit Bro Craig and Jill and   Sis Terry and Doug and Tucker brothers two. The whole day was filled with the flavors of each Polensian Culture ending with the food and show which was well worth the money. It tells me that our dad never did give us the private full tour of the center.Jim and  I hadd visited a feew years earlier but stayed in an air  b&b and our good friends the stephensens and Karen and Bill were serving their mission at that time. Going as tourist and spending the big bucks was worth it

I love the formal dinning. Some one else doing the work!

our first Sunday was  St Patricks day so after church in our cabin with mingled with the rest of the lepricons

while the men read Terry and I danced

until someone pulled Jim up  to learn the hula

My favorite is all the shows, from comedy, to Elton John and ELvis impersonators to live musical productions

we floated on the boat to and fomr Hawaii

the food yummm

Craig and I were pulled out of the crowd for two different island, Hopefully someone got a photo of me.. this blog is just the start of our fun adventure

Laie temple

feasting at PCC

someone our group at LAIE temple

AND MY FAV  Kona temple

the best church day evee. we got to hear a missionary farewell and experience the tradition of putting Lais around the missionary before he leaves. It was most inspiring and my  favorite spirutual moment

excitment when we witness a helicopter saving one of our cruisers that needed extra medical care in Sab Diego

no one really knew how sick I was feeling this night, thus the scarf and sweater

a quick Mexico stop before our cruise ended

flight home from LA>   I will add more in the next blog as I figure our who has more photos and how to post them here!! Needless to say,, WE LOVE CRUISING

 

Gathering up activities into one blog

so happy for Victoria and her sucess at BYU I,

eating after her show with other dance majors

night of the show with dancers

Victorias appartment

Kallies dance competition where she came in first on most of her numbers

I just love seeing her mature in her dancing skills.

It brings me great joy to see these granddaughters dance,

Andrew turned 27 March 11 and we love spending time with him, He has about another year of college, He is very smart in computer stuff

Oreo loves me and the SUN

I have had some good talks with both of these girls and just love seeing them grow, LAYLA  SWIMS  AND VICKY DANCES

We no longer serve in the Provo temple as it is closed  so here are some of my dear firiends that I have grown to love and serve with

some how I cant move Eriks photo from this spot and  as I complete this blog so goes my life , I am frustrated with technology, I love Erik and miss him even more since Blake died

more friend photos, 

lindon templ update

Jake and Layla both made it to state swim finals, here is Jake helping Layla in her  LOOONG swim

Friends saved me during the passed month, As my blessing has stated I do have solid loyal loving friends which I am gratiful for

I am also loving to serve in BYU Pathway worldwide Nigeria   

I love my family