Beautiful Tree

I was getting ready to close the blinds this evening when I noticed how pretty the nut tree looked.  The sun was setting and hitting just certain branches of the tree.  I felt like we had our very own tree of life in the back yard! 

The Weekend of Bitter and Sweet

Not long ago I read a book titled "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet".  I loved the book.  And I loved the title, referring to a place that brought the main character such joy and then such deep sadness.  It is how I felt about the weekend.  Bonnie and Abigail were here Friday evening.  That was sweet!  She loves those sweet potatoes!  But she also likes mugging for the camera.

Lisa and Diane flew in for the weekend.  We gathered here on Friday.  The weather was perfect and we were able to eat out on the deck and enjoy being outside.  I love watching the kids play together!

We loved watching Lincoln perform Lizzy's recital dance, "The Towel Tango"

Sunday we gathered at Justin's for more fun family time.

The "bitter" of the weekend was that there are major changes happening in our family.  My parents will soon moving into an assisted living facility in Kaysville. It is clean and bright and inside you will find streams with fish and turtles, singing birds in cages and lots of live trees and plants. It is hard to make major changes in your life.  In his last conference talk, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin gave a talk about the challenges of change.  I loved this quote:  "How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life. If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.  http://lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/come-what-may-and-love-it?lang=eng&query=come+may+love

To Mom and Dad, we all love and support you and will do anything we can to make this transition easier.   

 

Spring in Its Majesty

I don't think this tree has ever been prettier.  It is so thick with blossoms - the picture doesn't really do it justice.  There are so many honeybees getting mighty plump!  It seemed that spring would never arrive.  I am loving these warm days.  Kevin tilled the garden and maybe I'll get some seeds into the ground this weekend. 

Easter Celebration

 

No words in Christendom mean more to me than those spoken by the angel to the weeping Mary Magdalene and the other Mary as they approached the tomb to care for the body of their Lord: “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen” (Luke 24:5–6).  With this pronouncement, those who have lived and died, those who now live and one day will die, and those yet to be born and yet to die had just been rescued.  As the result of Christ’s victory over the grave, we shall all be resurrected.  (Thomas S. Monson)

I love Easter.  As I struggled to begin to express what it means to me, I went back to President Monson's words.  He puts into words the feelings of my heart.  Knowing that this life is not the end but a prelude of better things to come helps me put into perspective challenges and trials that come in this life.   It gives me hope and fills my soul with peace.

 Sharing the story of Easter with the children was a highlight of the day's activities.  My Mother commented on how quiet and attentive they were.  I was impressed with how much they knew about this sacred event - they have been taught well by their parents. 



We had the traditional egg hunt.  It was chilly outside so we did it upstairs.  Each of the children had their own color of eggs to look for, so all of them wound up with the same amount.   Being the Cougar fan that he is, Ross always chooses blue!

Lizzy's favorite colors are pink and purple, so she was happy for the pink eggs.  Lincoln didn't really care - he was just excited each time he found one that was green.

 

Reading their new Easter books to Great-grandma and Uncle Brian.

I love the two belly pictures!

No chocolate eggs for Benson this year!

The Pond

I look out the window and what do I see??  Popcorn popping . . .no, the apricot blossoms were frozen with the cold weather.  We didn't see too many bees out when the tree was in full bloom, either, so I will consider it a wonder if we even have any apricots to eat this year.   I have a new water garden!  I wouldn't be surprised to look out and see frogs hopping around!  If you use your imagination the lilies kind of look like cattails and the if the water continues to rise, the pansies might look like lily pads by the end of the day.   I keep wondering if these rainy days will ever end.  We did have a nice weekend, though.  Kevin mowed the lawn for the first time and said that the peas were actually up!  I had pretty much given up on them, figuring those seeds were rotting in the soil.  I am grateful that there will be peas to eat in a couple of months - if we ever have more than one or two sunny days in a row!  We live in a desert and how many years have we prayed for rain to have water for the summers?  Now we are praying for the water to stop so that we won't have a repeat of 1983 when State Street in Salt Lake City was turned into a river.

To the left is a picture of Centerville during that same time.  The street is not identified, but that year Barnard Creek was diverted to run down Barnard Street (just a half block to the south of us).   Church was cancelled so that the men could fill sandbags.   When they redid the street they used concrete and put in a drainage basin at the bottom of the street in case it happens again.  Stay tuned . . .

Sights of Spring on 200 East

Do I dare say it aloud?  After so many days of rain and snow, it is really feeling like spring.  At least for today.  Tomorrow may be a different story.  It took me a little longer today to deliver flyers on our street.  I love to take photos of flowers and there were many things that caught my eye.  Here are a few:

 This was a hard winter on my pansies.  It makes me happy to see their faces peek through the snow as it is melting.  It was a hard winter on them as they were under a lot of snow for long periods of time.  "Pansy" is not an apt description for these flowers.  They have to be tough and sturdy to survive winter conditions.  I love all varieties and colors.  Have a nice spring day, everyone!

Birthday Celebrations

Yesterday we gathered at Justin's to celebrate April birthdays.  From young to old, everyone enjoyed themselves.  Thanks, Brian, for sharing the pictures!

Although you can't see it, Lizzy is playing Angry Birds on Justin's phone.  Ross was using Joe's IPad to play the same game.  Lincoln likes to play as well, and was sad when Joe had to leave and take the IPad home with him.

Steve and Diane were here for the weekend skiing.  The Popes should have been on vacation, but April showers brought leaks through the roof.  Grandma and Grandpa came down to join us.         

Abigail's six month birthday!

Love those kissable cheeks!

The many moods of Lincoln!

Thank you, Justin and Crystal for a great Sunday!