Preparing for Easter

Easter is such a wonderful holiday.  I love that the flowers popping out of the ground bring new hope.  I love focusing on our Savior, and all that he did and continues to do for us. 

A couple of weeks ago in ward council, the bishop asked me if the Primary would be in charge of putting together a little Easter Program for Sacrament Meeting.  Yikes, we haven't been together in over a year, and we usually work on our Sacrament Meeting Program for months and months.  I sent a note out to my counselors to see if they thought we could pull if off.  One of them said she had written a program about 15 years ago that she thought she could tweak and make work.  She is amazing, and within a week, sent me a sweet program.  Our chorister delivered the music, of 2 songs we had sung in the past to our kids, and we made a plan to meet 2 weeks later and record them.

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The kids were perfect!  They stayed right on the X's we put on the floor to social distance them.

They sang their little hearts out.  (We have such a tiny primary)

I spent a week meeting the children at the church to record their part for the program.

Saturday night, I called the guy helping us put the video together to ask if I could delete the kids talks that I had sent him from my phone, since I was out of storage.  He said, sure, so I deleted them and emptied my trash.  Sunday morning, he called me and said that there was a problem!  When I deleted it from my phone, it deleted it from his.  OHHHHHHH NOOOOO!  I was just sick.  Luckily, he had recorded the kids singing, so I wouldn't have to redo that.  I started calling to make appointments to rerecord all the speaking parts. Before I finished calling all the kids, he called me back and said he actually had only lost the last 4 that he hadn't downloaded  yet.  The rest were fine.  WHEW!

What a relief!  We were able to get those rerecorded and we're back in business.

Annie, staring Molly

For the past few months, Molly has been going to practices after school for her Jr. High production of 

This was the week of the performance, and it was so much fun!  She was an absolutely darling orphan, and did such a great job.  She had several lines and lots of singing.  She even got to do a little duet with one of the other orphans.  I'm so glad I got to go!!!

 

Hot Chocolate Bombs

At about 3:00 this afternoon, I got a video call from these cute boys.  They were wanting to learn how to make Hot Chocolate Bombs, and invited me to watch them do it.  It was sooooo fun!

First they painted the molds with melted chocolate and let them cool for a few minutes.  Then they filled one half with hot chocolate mix and marshmallows.  YUM!

Then Jamie put them on a hot pan for a second to melt them and seal them together.

The last thing was to drizzle frosting over them and put on the sprinkles.  Great job guys!   I'm so happy they invited me to watch them learn how to make these.  I can't wait to try one!

They made a beautiful one for me and gave it to me when we did our visits this week.  YUMMM!

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Kanab Balloon Festival

This past weekend, all our kids and grandkids, (except Molly, who couldn't miss her  play practice) headed to Kanab for a Balloon Festival. 

 They had such a great time there.

After the festival, they found some BEAUTIFUL places to hike.

Josh's family went there last year, so he was the cruise director for the trip.  He knew all the fun places to go and things to do.  They brought their snow sleds and used them on the sand dunes.

      They even managed to find time to spend in the swimming pool and hot tub!

On Saturday night, there was a place you could go and let off these cool lanterns. 

 They called and did a video chat with us so we got to see the sky full of them. 

 It was so fun!

Today they are packing up and heading for home.  I'm so happy they could have such a great time together!  I REALLY appreciate all the pictures they sent so we could feel a part of the trip even though we weren't able to go. 

 (I may have offered a prize to the one who sent the most, whatever works right?) 

1st place-Josh made a video and sent 32 pictures

2nd place was a tie-(Little) Jamie and Emily each with 24

3rd place- Hailey with 8

 Mike and I should be able to get our Covid Vaccine in the next month or so.  

We are sure looking forward to being able to join in on all the fun again! 

Happy Valentines Day

 I always love to do a little baking around Valentines Day.  (Well actually anytime)

I made some yummy cookies using a new recipe that I got from one of my friends.

They turned out very tasty.  I made a few deliveries, first to a couple friends in my neighborhood, then off to Grandma Cline, Jeff and Jen, Lani, Krista's family, Jamie's family, Grandpa Cline, Jordan's family and Josh's family.  That was a lot of cookies!  I also made a double batch of cupcakes and delivered them to my primary kids.  I enjoy getting to visit all the people I LOVE!

Fun Weekend

For the past month, I have been blessed to get to sit in on the missionary discussions and read the Book of Mormon with Kaven Kester and his sweet family.  He is one of the less active kids in our primary.  We have been visiting him for the last 3 years, since I've been Primary President, so I know him pretty well.  Around Halloween, the missionaries knocked on his families door, and they let them in and started teaching Kaven who is 10.  A couple of weeks ago, they challenged him to get baptized and he accepted.  

His dad, who has been less active for the past 10 years,  was able to baptize him.  So awesome!

Kaven asked me to speak, and I borrowed the talk Lani has given about the 3 bears of baptism.

It was a wonderful baptism, and I was so happy to get to be a part of it.  

Afterwards, we went around visiting our kids and delivered some yummy pretzels.

They were really fun to make!

Jordan's family was sick of being home, so we met them at a park

It was such a nice day, 45 degrees instead of 30.

Logan and Parker spent most of their time climbing trees.

 

Such DANGEROUS boys!

 

 

Katie and Aida turn 12

Due to stupid Covid, we weren't able to have a big party to celebrate Katie and Aida's 12th birthdays.  Since they are only one day apart, we have often celebrated together with our whole family, but not this year.  Krista invited Katie's family and us over for a social distanced dinner.  

It was fun to get to see the birthday girls.  

They have been great friends since they were tiny. 

And now they are so grown up, I love these sweet girls!