Happy Day to Ella - and Sue!!

I did not find many photos of Ella all by herself - I guess that's what happens when you are grandchild number 2!!  But it was indeed a happy day when Ella joined our family - and it keeps getting happier!!

 

Grandpa playing with Ella - at the house we rented one Christmas season.  It was great fun to celebrate Christmas with a baby in our midst!!  Especially such a lovely baby as Ella!!

 

And then there were three!!  This is one of my fave photos of the charming Miss Ella!

 

Hanging out with Grandma - I have such great times when Ella and I get together - sewing, manicuring, shopping, cooking, talking - the fun never ends!!

 

And now there are four - and they are their own "Little Women!!"

 

I did find one solo shot of Ella - probably playing Golf on New Year's Eve or something!!

Have a great day Ella - and a wonderful year ahead!!

 

And we can't forget Ella's "Birthday Buddy" - Sue Cornwall!!  (It might be more accurate to say that Ella is Sue's "Birthday Buddy.")  Happy day to one of our favorite friends!!  (This photo is from 1997- Sue with Margaret Miramontes and Terri Parson)

"In the room the women come and go, speaking of Michaelangelo . . "

Today is the birthday of T.S. Eliot - a favorite poet of ours.

 

It was also Bonny's due date - I joked that we could have a boy and and name him Eliot Stearns Terrill - which would have been T.S. Eliot backwards.  Harry was not impressed with my choice - it's a good thing we had a girl!

 

Bonny went ahead and came on her very own day!!  11 days later!!

Celebrating Marjorie!!

We are loving having Marjorie here in our midst - and enjoyed celebrating the big 8-0 for her last night with a lovely meal at Harry and Dawn's.

 

  

Guess Eve was pretty sure Nanny B would want to play with her (meaning Eve's) new American Girl doll!

Miss Isla kept us all entertained.  Paula, Rebecca, and Carol and family were with us too - as were Mother, Donna, and Joan - who is her visiting from Tennessee.

 

Dawn made a yummy cake - with candelabra!!

 

Always plenty of helpers and singers at the birthday festivities.  Happy day to you Marjorie - and all the best for a wonderful year ahead.

Happy Day Elder Kerksiek!!

My geography is not excellent, so the day may already be over for Elder Kerksiek, but happy birthday to Axel!!

I remember his birth - Alice came here to the States to have him - and then  a few weeks later she came to California for a visit - so we got to see him as a real newbie!!

We saw lots of Axel when the Kerksieks came for their annual summer visits - but not so much since then.  Hopefully we can see more of him when he returns - the lure of the coast and all!!

Hope it was a great day!!

Love those Grandma's Birthday Sleepovers!

Can I just say that I love hanging out with my grandkids??  Eve had her Grandma's Birthday Sleepover last night - it was the first clear spot on both of our calendars.  Having it on a school night presented some challenges, but we figured it out!

You can tell we had a great time because we didn't have a lot of time to think about taking pictures!  So I will give you a rundown in words!!

We started with an afterschool snack at Yogurtland - yum!!  Then went next door for manicures at Urbane. The guy there at the front desk gave me a discount - he said, "I always see you in here with your granddaughters - I'll give you 10% off!"  I think he's earned my loyalty for life!!

 We headed off for Kohls - especially to use my $10 off coupon!!  Eve found a cute outfit she liked - and a skirt on the bargain rack.

So we headed over to Marshalls to see if we could find a bargain top to go with the bargain skirt - it was certainly fun to line up all the possibilities and discuss the virtues of each one!!  Eve is such a little fashionista - it's great fun to shop with her.

We topped off the evening out with dinner at Mimi's - Harry was doing a long run and Noah had a golf date, so we made it a girls night out!!  And I was a good girl and had the "Fit and Healthy" option - and no dessert!

Since it was a school night, Eve had homework - I helped her with her math homework - exponents - and I still know how to do them!!  She needed to read for 30 minutes, so we set the timer and both read - she is working on Play the Bach Dear and she suggested I read a book about mermaids that she especially enjoyed.  I read 3 of the stories and then my heavy eyelids drooped and the book flopped out of my hands and Eve said, "Are you falling asleep Grandma?"

Fortunately Grandpa came home from his run - after a quick shower he was ready for his "Grandpa Bob" duties.  We set up the futon and Grandpa Bob worked his magic.

In the a.m.,  Eve enjoyed whole wheat waffles with chocolate milk!!  She had picture day and requested french braids - I should have taken a close-up!!  I had to get to school on time - in the past I've had a free first period, and I hadn't considered that - so Grandpa did the morning run.  He enjoys re-living the days of getting kids to school!

So, can I just say again that it's great to spend time with such a lovely young lady!!??  (And that I wish all our grandkids lived close enough for a birthday sleepover!)

Saying good bye to an old friend -

We got word last week that our friend Pat Johnson had died unexpectedly.  It was quite a shock - I had last seen her a few months ago - and she'd greeted me with her usual smile!  Pat has been there for the Terrill family many times - for one thing, she was the workhorse in the kitchen at Phoebe and David's reception - she had volunteered!! And many of the Terrills had the opportunity to perform in shows and roadshows that she directed.

 

Her funeral services were today.  Many were there,  and it was a lovely  celebration of her life.  Cassie and Jason spoke, Cassie sang, and Mike Parson delivered a wonderful talk on the plan of salvation.

It was really nice also to see Mike and Helen Moore - and Todd Jorgenson!!  It's too bad it takes a funeral to get folks together.

Our condolences to Cassie and Jason - may good memories bring them comfort and peace.

New Bishopric today for Monrovia Ward

Today we had a new bishopric sustained:  Nathan Ogilvie, Bishop; Troy Card, First Counselor; Harry F. Terrill, Second Counselor.

 

In attendance were 3 previous bishops:  Jim Stevenson, Kent Cornwall, Harry P. Terrill.

Maybe this was Harry's belated 40th birthday present??

We know he will do a great job - and we support him - and the new bishopric - 100%!

Happy Grandparents' Day!!

Today is National Grandparents' Day.  I'm sure it's a holiday that Halllmark invented, but I'm certainly happy to be a grandparent!

And it gives me a good excuse to post this charming photo of Ara - the lovely young lady who made us grandparents!!

We love all of our grandchildren -  they indeed bring us joy!!

Fabulous Forty!!

Some random photos from birthdays gone by.  This would be Harry's 4th birthday in Centerville, Utah.  Good times in the Harris' house.  (Remember Elizabeth and Baby Kitty??)

 The same birthday - he got a U.S. Mailbox lunch box and a Fuller Brush hair brush - and I think he still has it!!  (He wanted a cardigan like the one Mr. Rogers wore!!  And whenever he walked by his imaginary fish tank, he'd toss some imaginary fish food into it!  Just like Mr. Rogers!)

 8th birthday - in Monrovia, California - That's Krissie in the background and Damond next to him - ah, the days on Lime Avenue!!  More good times!!

 3rd birthday - in the Rock House!!  Good times in the Rock House - Sesame Street, racing up the stairs to beat the cold, Electric Company, the basement sump pump, Mr. Rogers, chickens in the pigeon coop, swing set  in the corner, sand box, overflowing garden, '52 Plymouth with the pristine interior, dancing after bath time, Fifields next door - who could ask for anything more?? (Maybe only Dad and I have these memories - you and Bonny were pretty young after all!)

 4th birthday - in the yard at the Rock House - the 4 got composed with a 3 and one candle!!  That's David in the photo with him.  Remember Easter in the snow?  (Do you notice the bibs??)  (I was a little OCD about them!!)

Harry today - well, last year actually.  In honor of his 40 year celebration, Dad and I have come up with 40 things we know and love about Harry - and two to grow on!!  (Not listed in order of importance!!) (Can you tell which ones were mine and which came from Dad??)

1.  Juvenile opera buff.

2.  College graduate.

3.  Great Sunday School teacher.

4.  Ace Scripture Chaser.

5.  Good neighbor.

6.  Eagle Scout.

7.  Soup chef extraordinaire.

8.  Master of Dutch Oven cooking.

9.  Returned missionary.

10.  Still a fine missionary.

11. Loving husband and devoted dad.

12.  Nocturnal.

13. Talented artist.

14.  Competent gardener.

15.  Loyal friend.

16.  Basketball afficionado.

17.  Techo-talented.

18.   Unafraid.

19.  Musical.

20.  Dog lover.

21. Loving son, grandson, brother, uncle, brother-in-law, and nephew.

22.  First class police officer.

23.  Champion Scrabble player.

24.  Natural Runner.

25. Snappy dresser.

26.  Old Man.

27. Hummingbird expert.

28.  Bulgarian speaker.

29.  Avid hobbyist.

30. Proud owner of a large nose.

31.  Quilter.

32.   Orator.

33.  Very, very funny.

34.  Got rhythm.

35.  Home builder.

36.  Frugal.  Almost always.

37. Gifted fisherman.

38.  Sharpshooter.

39.  Messiah Sing-alonger.

40.  Demolition expert.

and two to grow on:

 

41.  Bow-legged

42.  Backpacker

 

Birthday Week!

 Because there are multiple birthdays this week, and because Harry F. had to work Sunday, we decided to have Helen's celebration this Sunday - and we'll celebrate Harry F. and Eve next Sunday.  Dawn wrote the numbers 9 and 7 in candles - and Helen blew them all out on the first try!!

Marjorie is here - she has moved to Monrovia - it was great to have her here with us!!

 

Dawn's brother Sean and his wife Jean drove the U-haul and Dawn and Marjorie drove Marjorie's car from El Paso.  With Marjorie living here, I'm sure we'll see lots of Dawn's other family members when they come to visit - which is just fine with us - the more the merrier!!

A bit of a bug has been going through the house on Lemon - and Eve celebrated her b-day by coming home from gymnastics feeling ill!  Porter was ill Sunday, Dawn was ill today - we're hoping the bug stops at Lemon!!

Meanwhile, happy day to the birthday folks!!

A birthday kind of day!!

Happy 97th birthday to Grandma Helen - still going strong!!  I will post photos from her birthday celebration!!

The charming Miss Eve - already a decade old!!  What a lovely young lady she is becoming!!

A quarter of a century old!!  As Hannah used to say, "Happy Day to Andrum!"

And felicitations  to our good friend Dana!  I need to take a photo the next time we visit so I can fete her with a photo entry next year!!

September 4th is indeed a day to celebrate!!

The Mobile Library

I saw this link in the LA Times about a mobile library in Germany I think.  Very modern and stylish.

 

And this is what it looks like inside!

But my memories of traveling libraries look more like this - this says it's 1955 - just about when Alice and I would be pulling the wagon to the 76 station where the library came every other Friday in the summer time - the rest of the year it came to the school we attended.

 

We would each get our limit of 12 books - and by the time we went back two weeks later, we'd both read all 24 books and were anxious to get more!!  I'm pretty sure I read just about every book in that library!!

What fond memories - just isn't the same with a Kindle!!

Happy Birthday Bill!!

I think this is a recent birthday - maybe even last year!!

Have a great day - and a great year ahead!!

Happy 40th to Damond!!

The first friend Harry met in Monrovia was Damond!!  Their birthdays are only 6 days apart.  And they are both 40 this year!!

Happy Day to you Damond - may the next 40 be the best ever!!