Easter Egg Hunt

It was such a nice celebration. Gram and Gramp were a little stressed but Gale went over and helped them get the chairs and tables out of the Attic. Then he went back on Saturday morning to hide half of the eggs. We had a great lunch and then off they went to the field. Mellonee found the silver egg in a tree under some old gloves and Minon found the Gold egg two bushes down from where Daren was methodically searching.The kids screamed and giggled indoors and out and had a wonderful time. Mellonee and Daren and the kids left on Saturday. Minon and Mason and Matthew stayed as did Tara and Braden, Tyler, and Blake. We all went to church together and then had tacos before the Collards left. Tara and the boys stayed until Tuesday. It was great to have them for a couple of extra days. I am always amazed at how well they get along and how much they love each other. Tara and her Dad went running so she could keep up her training for the Marathon. I think they ran about 3-4 miles. Gale hadn't run in quite a while and claimed he was out of shape. If I could run 4 miles I'd be in the best shape of my life. I'm proud of all my athelete children.

Cake Slide

Jodys birthday just happened to fall while she was here so Mitchell ordered gifts to be sent here. Well, you know these boys like the morning so I heard my bedroom9m door open and talking in my ear. "Hey, Gramma Kathee, did you know it's moms birthday today?" at that point I didn't really care cause I had had about 4 hours sleep. Anyway while I was slogging out of bed and getting dressed they decided to make Jody Breakfast in Bed. They used my cutting board for a tray and made her Raisin Bran, actually there were about ten flakes floating in 2 cups of milk. Jody, like all moms, was a good sport and ate her breakfast. The boys then hopped around for about a 1/2 hour until Jody got up and opened her presents. Anyway it was as exciting for them as their own birthday. I thought it was very sweet.
After the boys left Jody and I were reminiscing about birthdays past. I told her about the cakes I always had as a kid from the little Italian bakery in Eagle Rock and she told me about her yummy ice cream cakes she had as a kid. Since she doesn't like cake they had ice cream "cakes" made with pralines and cream and covered with fudge. I tried to figure how I could get to Twin to Baskin Robbins but since it wasn't possible I decided that I could do as usual and make it myself. So I bought Ice cream and hot fudge sauce. Couldn't find pralines and cream so I bought as close as I could get. Put two large containers of ice cream in my spring form pan and put it back in the freezer for a couple of hours. I got the fudge sauce into a bowl and heated it to room temp and a nice spreading consistency. Then came the fun. I put a large gob of the chocolate frosting on the top of the cake and spread it around. For just a minute it looked beautiful then it started to slide, and slide, and slide. In about a minute and a half I had a white Ice cream cake and a nice large border of hot fudge sauce. I hurried it to the freezer and as I passed Jody she said "I have never figured out how they keep that fudge sauce on the cake, either!" Happy Birthday Jody,

Waiting

Waiting for Mitchell and Jody and kids to arrive. Isn't it funny how much of our life we spend waiting. Waiting in line everywhere, waiting for mail, waiting for kids to get ready, waiting for husbands to get home, waiting to overcome personal flaws. Working goes along with that last one. I have always adsmired my sweet husband for overcoming his temper. People that know him now just can't fathom him in an angry, scary mode. Ha but we can (his family) and that is why I applaude him all the more. I went through this with him as he tried and tried only to explode again then cry and try again. It took him more than ten years, and many prayers, but look at who he is today. Sort of reminds me that the natural man is an enemy to God but this man is not.

Books

Dad is cleaning out the garage in preparation for Mitchells arrival. Mitch wants to get his dad organized. So, I went down to a group of shelves full of old books and started cleaning out the onew we would probably never read again. I found some beautiful Old books for displaying, Gales portuguese scriptures, donald duck comics in portuguese, and several old journals. I found lots and lots of learning books. You know, the ones that help you to be a better housekeeper, person, manager, cook, seamstress, etc. etc. A bookshelf is like a road map of your life. There I found lots of remembrances of different times. A stack of four old yearbooks remineded me of the time I spent in Jr. high and high school. Some fun times, but a stressfull time to say the least. I remember the elastic going out of my fluffy peticoat and falling to the ground at lunch. My face was red as I stepped out of it and did my best to crush it into a small wad that I could carry to my locker. Several of Gales journals that I, of course, saved because they will document his travel through life as well as his emergence into the wonderful man he is today. I put the childcraft encyclopedias in the discard box - that time is over and I hope that I taught my kids the right "stuff." I saved a book about Abraham Lincoln because he has always been a hero to me because he came from nothing but was taught by his mother all the great character traits and he lived up to them. Also, I am reminded of how many times he failed at things but tried again and again until he succeeded.
I was surprised at the ratio of church books to others. So many with great stories written by LDS authors without any unsavory things in them. Lots of Family Home Evening Manuals because we needed all the help we could get.
When I was done I had a stack of books to come upstairs for reading, dirty hands and four boxes of books that I hope someone else will enjoy as much as I did. I love these reflections into the past as well as reading of the wonderful things that are coming to my children and grandchildren. Life is good.

Mad - Crazy Weekend

What a great weekend! We went down to Minons on Friday night and spent a little time with all of them. Makenzie and Sara were there so we got to see them too! Saturday Gale and Minon were able to find Minon a "new" car but we had to wait until Monday to finalize it. Then going to Daren and Mellonees to see our wonderful "Son" become the Bishop of the Willard Third Ward was cool too. It was also really fun to see Jackson suffer. He's the Bishops son. I think it is great. And having been there I know that they will have some great times and lots of wonderful experiences. After we spent part of the day with Mellonee and Daren we went to celebrate Minons Birthday at Tiffany Espinosas parents home. Monday we stopped to see Tara and Brad and Gale decided to spend the night. I was too tired to care but I did enjoy seeing the boys and I always love time with Tara. She is great! Now, hopefully we will be home for a while. Soon our three other little boys will be here - Mitch is coming this weekend.