The Wonderful, Busy, Crazy, Merry Month of May

So much has been going on this month, that it will be difficult to try to recap all of the events, but I will try.  We've had a baby blessing, a wedding anniversary, a baptism, a trip to Florida, and there's still a week and half left in the month.

BABY BLESSING:  On May 4th, Jenni and Will's third little son, Riley Finn Thomas, was given a name and a blessing by his father.  We traveled to North Bend for the day so we could spend it with them.  My mother, Thelma Lindsay, also drove up from Pendleton to be there for the occasion.  Will's parents, Dan and Sandy Thomas, along with three of Will's sisters and their families also came for the event.

Photo above:  Thelma Lindsay (Jenni's grandmother), Jenni and Riley, myself and Sandy Thomas....Will's mother.

 

 Above photo:  the complete Thomas Family....Will, Jenni, Preston, Taylor and Riley.

 

 

Above:   Will and his three redheaded boys.

 

All the men....Ron, James (Will's brother in law) Will and Riley, Patrick (Will's brother in law) and Dan, Will's father.

 

Below:  The entire clan that was there. (well not the entire clan....but several of them!)

 





Below:  Proud grandma!



 



 

Below:  Proud Great-grandma!

 

 

 



My mother stayed for a couple of days, and then she drove home.  I have to admit, that I'm starting to get a bit worried about her driving all by herself over Stevens Pass, but she did fine.  The next few days were busy with teaching music lessons for me, and Church meetings for Ron. 

 

BAPTISM:  Ron got home from a meeting at the Stake Center at 10:30 Thursday evening, (May 8th) ......we went to bed (and I didn't even fall asleep,) when the alarm rang at 1:00 AM for us to get up and get ready to drive to SeaTac Airport.  We left the house around 2:45 AM, got checked in, found a place for some breakfast in the airport, and then boarded that plane at 6:00 AM.  It's pretty much an all day flight when we go to Tampa, Florida.  The first leg of our flight from Seattle to Dallas was fine, until we touched down.......there wasn't a gate ready or available for us, so we waited on the tarmac for an hour.  We had a connecting flight that we had approximately 30 minutes to get to.  To say we were rushed and frazzled would be a bit of an understatement.  (Just so you know.....I will NEVER fly American Airlines again.)  We arrived in Tampa a bit late, but Stephen was there waiting for us.  It was 50 degrees and raining when we left Seattle and it was 90 degrees with high humidity when we landed in Tampa.  Wow!  Talk about climate shock!  I'm SO grateful for air conditioners!

 

We had a wonderful time visiting with our son Stephen, Ileana and their family in Tampa.  We haven't seen them in over three years........that's way, way too long.  Our grand daughters, Mackenzie and Abby, absolutely love their grandpa.  I think he's a "kid magnet." 

 

 

The reason we flew to Tampa, was because Mackenzie turned 8 years old on May 10th and was baptized.  What makes May 10th even a more special day, is that is was our 41st wedding anniversary. 

 

 

On Saturday, in the morning of May 10th, we went to Ileana's cousin's house and had a birthday party for both Mackenzie and Abby, (even though Abby's birthday isn't until June 31st.)  They love the movie "Frozen", so that was the theme for the birthday.  Hmmmmmm....snow in Florida.....that kinda makes you smile.

 

Mackenzie, the birthday girl, is a bright, happy, darling little 8 year old.....very mature for her age.  She's full of energy and is very goal oriented.  She has almost all of the Articles of Faith memorized.  Wow!  I was impressed!  (She is wearing the little Liahona necklace that I gave her for her birthday.)  Mackenzie says that she wants to be a zookeeper......she loves monkeys!

 

 

Below:  the cake with the "Frozen"  movie theme.

 

 

Abby will turn 5 on June 31st, but Stephen and Ileana usually celebrate their birthdays together at one party.  Stephen calls Abby the "negotiator."  If you tell her she has to go to bed in 5 minutes, she'll negotiate it to 10.  LOL  She loves to do everything her big sister does.  How can you say "no" to those big brown eyes?

 

 

 

One of Ileana's cousins made a cute little "Pin the Nose on Olaf" game.  Olaf is a snowman character in the movie "Frozen."  The girls had fun trying to put the nose in the right place when they had the blindfold on, and even put Olaf on the wall at home when the party was over so they could continue to play the game.

 

At 5:00 that evening, we went over to the Church for Mackenzie's baptism.  She was baptized by Stephen.  (the photo below was taken a few minutes before the baptism service started.)  During the service, Ron spoke on Baptism, and I spoke on the Holy Ghost.  Being able to participate in the service was a special treat.  We only have 8 grandchildren, and their baptisms are a very special event.

 

After the Baptismal Service, we went home and changed our clothes, and then Ron and I wanted to take everyone out to dinner.  We decided on the Olive Garden restaurant.  We were told that it would only be a 20 - 30 minute wait, however it took almost 2 hours before we got in!  To say we were all starving would be an understatement.  The manager apologized, and gave us two plates of free appetizers.  We didn't get home until almost 10:30.  It was a long day....but an enjoyable one.

 

Below:  Abby on Stephen's shoulders, waiting for dinner.

 

Below:  waiting and waiting and waiting for dinner at the Olive Garden. 

 

 

The next day was Sunday, and church started at 9:00.  Ileana had told me that the church was always cold and that I should wear a sweater.  I just about left the sweater at home, because the temperature outside was very hot.  But she was right.  They kept the temperature of the church building VERY cold, and I was glad that I had my sweater.

 

Stephen confirmed Mackenzie and member of the Church, and blessed her to receive the Holy Ghost.  Ron participated in the circle with the other Melchizedek Priesthood brethren.  Then after Sacrament Meeting, Ron went with Stephen to help him teach his Primary Class.....the 6 year olds.  Like I said, I think that Ron is a "kid magnet."  By the end of class, all the kids were calling him "grandpa!" 

 

I attended Gospel Doctrine Class with Ileana, and then Relief Society.  The sister who was teaching the RS lesson looked so familiar to me.....at least her mannerisms and her voice.  Then she said that she was from a small logging town in Washington state, and then it hit me who she was........she was Delores Dickson's sister: Helen!  (Delores's husband John B. Dickson was our Stake President when we moved to Camano Island, and later became a member of the First Quorum of Seventy.)  I talked to Helen Houssian after church for several minutes and introduced her to Ron.  It's such a small world after all.....at least in the Church.  There is always someone that you will run into that you know.

 

I couldn't resist putting the girls hair into French Braids.  Mackenzie called it an "Elsa" braid, because that is how Elsa wore her hair in the movie "Frozen." 

 

Below:  Ileana helping Abby get her shoes on to go to Pre-school....with her hair in an "Elsa" braid.

Ron gave Stephen a few pointers in photography, with a hands on demonstration.  I think that all three of us could spend hours talking about photography or taking photos.....it's way too much fun.

This is a sign that is in the back yard of townhouse where Stephen and Ileana live.  Can you read it?  It says: "Warning: Alligator habitat, Do not feed. Danger. No swimming. No Fishing. No Boating."  There is no fence around the pond, and it's a gentle slope from their backporch, so there's really no room to play on the grass.  Ileana told me that alligators have been know to climb over fences and find their way into people's home.  That would be a rude awakening to find an alligator in your kitchen in the morning!

Below: Ron and I.....our 41st wedding anniversary.

 

 

On Monday, our last full day in Tampa, we went for a picnic after the girls got home from school.  There was a breeze blowing, so it was quite pleasant.  We piled in their Toyota Highlander and drove to Picnic Island Park.  Stephen got the charcoal going while the girls played on the swings and climbing ropes.

 



Below:  Abby having fun on the swing.

 

Below:  Mackenzie on the "Jungle Gym."

Abby climbing up the ropes on the "Jungle Gym."

We were hoping for a beautiful and colorful sunset.  It wasn't as colorful as we were hoping, but we had fun climbing on the jetty and taking a few pictures.

 



Below:  Stephen and I at Picnic Island Park in the evening sunlight.

 

Mackenzie and Abby discovered some small crabs hiding in the sand.  Their pinchers were almost bigger than the rest of their bodies.  They were quite a ways up on the beach hiding.

 

 

 Below:  Crabs hiding in the sand.

Below: Abby, Stephen and Mackenzie enjoying the evening sunset.

Below:  Stephen and Ron at Picnic Island Park.

Below:  Stephen, Ileana and myself at Picnic Island Park.

Ron, taking a picture of the kids.

Ileana discovered lots of dead jellyfish on the beach.  They were all over the place and kind of yucky looking.

I think that Stephen had a good time experimenting with his camera.  He wasn't the only one.....

At Picnic Island Beach  on Tampa Bay, with Abby, Ron, Mackenzie and myself.  Ileana is "camera shy."  Hmmmmm......we are going to have to work on that.  This is a family of photographers!

There was a full moon that night as well.  Palm trees and full moon with warm breezes.....couldn't be better.

 

Ileana, Abby, Mackenzie and Ron, at Picnic Island Park.

Abby, with the big brown eyes.

Stephen and the setting sun at Tampa Bay.  (St. Pete is across the bay.)

It was hard to say "goodbye" and get back on the airplane to head home.  I just hope that it won't be another three years before we can see them again.  They are a happy family, and we love them to pieces!  Just wished we lived closer to each other so we could enjoy their company more often and spend more time with those darling granddaughters of ours.

Our flight home to Seattle was worse than our flight to Florida.  There were gate changes, delays, waiting for crew, plane changes because of maintenance issues, waiting for the galley to be stocked.  You name it.  Next time we will fly anything except American Airlines.  We got home several hours later than we should have.  It was exactly midnight when we pulled in the driveway. 

On Monday, May 19th, we went to dinner with Wayne and Janet Wilcox at the Chatterbox Restaurant in Stanwood.  It was Wayne's birthday, and they invited us to go to dinner and celebrate with them.  They have been such good friends ever since Wayne was Ron's councilor in the Stake Presidency.  Wayne is now the Stake President of the Marysville Stake and Ron of the Arlington Stake.

Below:  Janet and Wayne Wilcox at the Chatterbox Restaurant

 

It has been a very busy month so far, and it's not over yet.  We have Ward Conference this coming Sunday, and I teach Gospel Doctrine for the next two Sundays......we are back to our normal routine.  But it was wonderful to take a few days and spend it with our family.  Because.....that's what life is all about anyway. Families are Forever!