Playing catch-up with the summer of 2014!

It was a crazy, busy summer - and I don't  think I've blogged half of it!!  We got home from Philly and were welcomed by the beautiful Bolander girls!!  They came for a long weekend while their parents had a little working vacay in New York.

Ella was doing a Young Women values' project - so she made dinner for us on Saturday night!  Yum!

 

We got manicures, shopped for birthday gifts, visited Eve, played cards, did puzzles, watched movies, went swimming, and generally had a fine time!!  Grandpa was with us some of the time - but not the times I was taking pics I guess!

 

Esme had a value project too - giving a Family Home Evening lesson on Service - which she did for us at Grandma Helen's.  And she made cinnamon rolls for the treat!!  Ara had returned to Malibu for a game or a practice but she returned Monday night.

 

We played a lot of "Golf" and did plenty of snacking.  It was a fine weekend.

 

The girls had to return Tuesday a.m. for more games, practices, and back to school activities.  Ara's b-day was in January, Esme's was in February, and Annika's was in July - at least we were early for Ella's!  It gets harder and harder each year to get these b-day weekends scheduled, but we're committed!!

Love these girls - and always enjoy time spent with them!

A "Mammoth" weekend!!

The drive to Mammoth was traffic-free - and Saturday a.m. the skiers got ready and headed to the slopes.

 

Had some time in the cafeteria at the lodge - saving places!!  Then headed to the gondola and the village.

 

Dinner at "The Stove" and then some old-time video games for the girls to enjoy.  At home, we enjoyed movies and ice cream and conversation.  Also some episodes of Full House - apparently a Bolander family fave!!

 

Saturday night brought a snowstorm - several inches - and some snow-shoveling was in order!!

 

The Mammoth Lakes Branch is tiny - but full of a big spirit!!  They count on the tourists to add to their Sabbath experience - kind of nice to know you have a role when you visit!!

 

We even got in on the "linger/longer" afterwards.  As usual, Harry felt the need to help fold up the chairs!!

 

It's great to find the warmth of church members wherever you go.

 

The exterior of the chapel.

 

Annika had been itching to build a snowman - so the girls and Grandpa helped make it happen.

Monday a.m. was more skiing - and reading and napping for some of us!!

We got home tonight around 6 p.m.  No traffic to speak of  - and a great Louis L'Amour novel to keep us awake.  Thanks Bolanders for a very fun weekend!!

A Super Happy Day to Ara Grace!!

It was a Super Sunday - but it didn't have anything to do with the Super Bowl. (I think this crowd didn't have any die-hard 49er or Raven fans in its midst!!)

 

Have these girls learned their camera skills from their mom??

 

Ella's new specs!

 

 The lovely ladies strike a pose!

Grandpa Bruce's much-appreciated gift - a GPS device!!

 

A pretty sturdy candle for the Stake Visitor's Cake!!  Always a family fave!

 

So happy to have Phoebe with us - so sad to see her and Agnes  go!!

 

The  "tilt" of course - someone didn't give Dad the memo!!

 

Weighty matters?  Music?  Popular culture?  All three??

 

Agnes has loved all the cousin time she's had this visit - if she looks a little droopy, it's because she was up late - and then up early - didn't want to miss out on anything.

At the end of the evening, someone - I think I did in fact - asked who won the Super Bowl.  We seemed to have survived not watching it - I don't think any of us even thought of it.

We had great food, great company, a great time - can't ask for any more than that!!

Happy 16th year Ara - enjoy it all!!

Weekend wrap-up comes again!

 Friday we went and saw Brave with Eve, Porter and Harry - had a quick lunch, went swimming, took the boys home - Eve was at gymnastics by then - and decided to check out the street fair.  I had not realized how very congested the street fair can be - or maybe I'd just forgotten!  We got some flowers for Jonah's grave and went and put them on it. 

Then we needed dinner, so we headed to IHOP - breakfast for dinner - my favorite!

 We borrowed Sunday clothes for the little girls and shopped for Sunday clothes for Ara - and managed to look our best for Anne's funeral on Saturday.  It was a lovely service - a fitting tribute to a wonderful woman.  

Afterwards I took the girls home and then headed home myself.  It was a long, tedious trip - traffic as usual - but I was telling Harry that it wasn't as bad as it could have been - since I was alone in the car, I put Pete Seeger in the cd player and "sang along" for the whole ride - I love singing old folk songs - but not everyone does!!  It was great fun to have the girls here - it seemed a bit lonely when I got back home to the empty house!!

When I got to Monrovia, I went and bid farewell to Harry and Dawn and crew as they headed off for Utah.  Then since I was in the neighborhood, I just had to get a sandwich from Market Grill for dinner!!  Harry got home about 8 from the job site.  He's headed there early tomorrow a.m. too - I think we will all be glad to get this job wrapped up!!

Tonight we headed out to GH and visited with Joan, Fred, Scott, Brianna and boys - they are on their way to Kansas for Scott's new assignment - it was great to visit with them - and to get to know their little boys!

Not sure of my agenda for tomorrow - but I think it will involve sleeping in!!