just a few more pictures!

I don't want to leave anyone out, so here are a couple of pictures of Kelli's family and another of Megan. Here is also another picture of Stu at the track...this time with twins....(several years ago, thought you might enjoy ..looks happy, doesn't he!)

the visitors are coming!

Hello! This next couple of weeks, our home will be filled with the sound of children! I am excited! We have Timm, Megan, and Harrison, and Kelli and Keyton coming around the 6th of May. Erik and Jared will be driving a big UHaul truck here with all of Erik and Angela's belongings around that same time. Then Erik and Jared will be flying to California to go to Disneyland with the rest of Erik's family. It will be a vacation for the Smith-Mordecai-Mickiewicz family. (and they Deserve it!!!!)

I will be pet sitter for a few days. I do miss Smik. He was the BEST dog. Don't know if I could ever find another like him. I'd have to ask my Dad to find me another dog. He is a great judge of "dog character". Both dogs that he chose: Smik for us, Toby for my sister Kristen, were excellent dogs-temperament was wonderful in both.

I still miss Smik, especially when I walk, so hopefully, Boo will like walking with me while Erik and his family is away.

Here are some pictures of the families, and pets.Have a great week!

My little boy?

Here are a few pictures of Jared. Where did my little boy go? He got taller and taller, and more and more independant. Let me give all of you young mothers, or mothers of little children some advice- Enjoy them at each time of their lives! First they are infants with darling smiles and funny noises, then toddlers with lightning fast hands and tight hugs, then kids that want you to read to them and go places with them and be their mom at school functions, then they are teenagers and DON'T want you anywhere near them because you are embarrassing, then young adults who don't live close to you, and you don't hear from them unless there is a problem, then they are adults who are married and have their own children....Where did the time GO?

These pictures are of Jared with Madison (Ashley's baby girl) and in his usual attire while working on one or more of the cars in our yard. (as of today, there are 16....I am not jumping up and down with delight....)

Anyway, enjoy the pictures!

Stu and I went to the Seattle Temple today for a ward temple trip. We went by ourselves, and had a great time! I enjoy going through Edmonds, and thereabouts to see the "old neighborhood", and then we went to the temple- saw several people I know, like Jane Duffy, who works in the clothing distribution center; Heather Leishman, who works at the temple, and 3 other couple friends of ours, the Walters, McFarlands, and Mitchells, who helped us do sealings for some of Stu's ancestors. It was a nice day. I even got to play the organ for our little meeting before the session. I enjoy doing that.

We stopped in Federal Way on the way home and ate at "Black Angus". It was yummy. The trip home was interesting. We have had snow yesterday and today. There was an accident on the hill going up over past Pt . Townsend- some young guys in an SUV thought they were "invincible" and rolled their vehicle. They looked o.k. What is this? Snow in April? Here is a picture of that, too. Notice there are hardly even LITTLE buds on this tree. Poor Yard!

till later!

racing

Last night was another night at Port Angeles Speedway. Stu, being overwhelmed at work (2 days left of tax season) decided to go and race to "feel better". He grabbed his race car (which is not legal because of new rules, but the track wasn't getting anyone else out, so they delayed the new rules until next month-go figure) his red racing suit, his jug of ice water, the tools of the trade and left in a rush. I get to the track when "meet the driver" is going on. This is when the fans can go down on the track and visit with the drivers and look at their cars. I sit in the stands with a bunch of "old guys"- they are all friends from years of being in the stands together. All retired gentlemen, who now call me sweetheart, and "there she is!!". I think they are all nice guys, and I enjoy sitting with them. They act like kids at the track, except none of them move very well!!! (I don't either, after sitting for 3 or 4 hours.) Here is also a picture of Jared when he won a race last year, with the car Stu got 4th with last night. Does that make sense?

Anyway, Jared was not racing, since stu had the only car that is any good right now. I am not as scared or sick when Stu races, except when someone tries to "take him out" . Politics at the track are infamous. Anyway, I made it through another night, and stu got 4th in the main. Jared wants to start a new class - running mini demos in the mud. Can't remember what it's called- oh yeah, "rallying". We'll see! Here is a picture of Stu in his racing suit. It's not the right car, but racing is racing!

tagged!

Well, Angela tagged me with this list, so here goes!
4 jobs I've had: Dental Assistant; special ed bus monitor and wheelchair helper;babysitter for a parents group class; and everything that encompasses being a mom and wife.
4 movies I would watch again or have watched over and over: Doc Hollywood; You've got Mail; Roman Holiday; While you were sleeping.
4 places I've lived: Okinawa; Seattle; Provo/Orem,Utah; Port Angeles, Washington.
4 people that e-mail me regularly: Kristen, Mama, Angela, Megan.
4 of my favorite foods: Prime rib; schwanns ice cream with my sugar jumble cookies; Mama's green jello with cream cheese etc. in it; chicken parmisan.
4 places I'd rather be right now: St. Thomas; somewhere on one of Stu's and my getaway vacations- I don't care where, he's good at picking; my mother's house;any of my kids' homes.
4 things I'm looking forward to in 2008: Stu's and my getaway in June; Timm and Megan and Harrison , Kelli and Keyton coming in May; Erik and Angela and family moving to Port Angeles;
going to Dallas for Erik and Amy's daughter's wedding in September.

Now it's your turn!!

jello

I like jello. I like red jello with fruit cocktail and extra peaches; green jello with carrots and pineapple; jello with whipped cream, cream cheese, pineapple ; plain jello; peach jello with peaches; finger jello, actually all kinds EXCEPT cherry. I think my favorite is orange jello with mandarin oranges in it. I made this one yesterday, BECAUSE.

Sometimes I make things just for me. When I had kids at home, if they saw what I made, they all wanted some. I guess this is an awful admission, but sometimes, I would hide what I made, so they wouldn't see, and I could have it ALL TO MYSELF. Hmmm. That didn't happen often, but I still remember the story my mother told of her mother, Vera Leishman, and the mincemeat pie. Grandma would make mincemeat pie- serve it , and I don't know if she had made an extra one, or just had what was leftover, but she would put it in a cupboard up above the oven- then she would climb up on a step stool and "sneak" a piece of that pie, every so often. Guess it was supposed to be a secret, but the family all knew about it.

I wonder how many things I thought I was hiding or doing secretly that my kids knew about.....

Children are not dumb. It always amazes me how they come up with bizarre ideas or create such wonderful art projects or stories on their own. Curse any of those school teachers who make children do art projects that conform to a specific " color or shape". I don't mean things that are inappropriate or "mental", but imagination or individuality shouldn't be stifled because someone thinks everyone should do it "their" way.

One more story about jello- When Stu and I first moved here, he was involved with the young men in scouting, etc.. Several of the YM played on a softball/baseball team . Stu and I would go and watch to support these young men. (they were around 16 years old.) Todd Northern, Todd Harris, one of Todd's friends and a guy name Gbeau, were on one team. They were glad to get any snacks I would bring. The favorite turned out to be "finger jello". I think from the time the container got to them, it was gone in a minute and a half. Todd Northern is now a good friend and a boss to Jared. He does excavating work and is starting his own company. Jared is getting his CDL license so he can work with Todd when the new company starts. Todd also took my sister, Kristen out on a date when she was visiting me one summer when she was 16 or 17. Fun times, fun memories, all because of Jello.

My Delights

Yesterday and today I was able to watch all sessions(besides the Priesthood session) of General Conference. The Solemn Assembly was a spiritual experience for me, and it was wonderful when I was able to participate in the sustaining of our new prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I wasn't sure that I would feel akin to him, because I loved Pres. Hinckley so much- he being so kind, optimistic and Daddy knew him.( Daddy was ordained a High Priest by Pres. Hinckley) I have to say, that when Pres. Monson gave his last address today, I felt a confirmation that things will be fine with him as President of the church. The excellent music by the choir, also gave me a really good feeling.

Anyway, Sis. Tanner, former Young Women's president gave a talk that I think was one of the best (besides Pres. Uchdorf's talk) . I appreciated her topic and knew exactly what she meant by basing her talk on : "I delight in..."

So, I want to write a little about what I delight in.

I delight in the wonder, inocence and forthrightness of little children. (also their imaginations!!)

I delight in music- either playing, listening to, sharing with others, and just being involved with it!

I delight in watching my children be better parents than we were.

I delight in sunny days with warm breezes and birds singing.

I delight in horseback riding with people I really like, and horses that actually obey.

I delight in riding offroad with someone who knows what they're doing! (had some great experiences in college with a roommate!!She had a jeep wagoneer which we named"slug")

I delight in Jamba Juice concoctions.

I delight in XXX rootbeer and hamburgers with relish.

I delight in Jane Austen movies made by BBC and shown on PBS.

I delight in watching movies I saw as a teenager- anything romantic- like Jane Eyre, Robin Hood, etc...Elvis, movies, too.

I delight in kneading bread dough, and making pie crust, but most of all, watching people eat what I bake and telling me it's the best ever!

How about you? what do you delight in? I also delight in spritual feelings, familial love and concern, and especially the good feelings you get from hugs and kisses from grandchildren!!!!

Stu and I have a standing date with our friends, the Beatties' every Friday or Saturday night. We play pinochle, the boys against the girls, we now keep score, and I bring some baked item, and they provide Schwanns ice cream . We have a good time, and last night, Sharon got the ultimate hand- "1000 aces"- all 8 aces- I as her partner gave her a couple of aces, but she had the rest- Yippee!!!!

Waiting

It seems that I am always waiting for something: for Spring to come; for the new grandchild; for visitors; for the U.S election to be OVER; for tax season to be over- So I can actually have a husband home for more than 1 hour at a time; for news of those in the family with health issues; for pay day; for news about Erik's maybe new job; etc...
I have gotten better at "waiting". When I was young, we used to go on family trips to Utah, Idaho, and thereabouts. We would all pile into the stationwagen, pick our "spot" and commence to sit for "YEARS". I always took a book, drawing paper and pencils, and a few games. We had a magnetic checkers game, cards for "gin rummy" , and of course other games were played like: I spy with my little eye, something that starts with an "S". We also looked for volkswagon bugs, and also played the game: "Erik is looking at me!!Erik is making faces!!Mama make him stop!!!He's on my side!!!"
What do you remember about trips? We didn't have a law then about seat belts or carseats. I'm glad we didn't get into wrecks, but to tell you the truth, we didn't even think about that!!!We just enjoyed being able to move around and eat in the car. ( Although going into XXX Rootbeer, or Herfy's were the best!!!)
Here are a couple of pictures of Port Angeles today. I love where I live. I can't remember a day of air polution(since the Rainier mill was done away with), not too much "emergency" weather(except when Megan was here-don't know what THAT was about!!) And nice people, if you smile, they'll smile back!
Have a good day. Learn how to wait- it helps to not be anxious!!