Dan in Real Life

Danny brought home a copy of the Phoenix Children's Hospital 2008 calendar. He's featured, along with a couple of other residents, on the month of April. Pretty cool! He looks like he's having a great time!

TRI-FECTA

Thursday night was the Tri-famiy Activity for the Arrington side - John calls it, "TRI-FECTA." I'm sure that's an acronym for something - Tri-family eating, chilling, talking activity? That's pretty much what we did. Sharon and Gus hosted the gathering again. The kids had a blast on the blow up water slide and in the bounce house and they had a mean game of water kick-ball going. Some of the adults joined in the activities, but most just visited and watched the kids.

The kids had a great time with Uncle Dan. They'd taunt him, "Danny is a boo-boo," and he'd climb into the bounce-house after them. Watch them scramble!

When the sun went down, Sharon (aka The Pyro)did her thing with the fireworks. Here's a clip...

Grose Family Cookout

We wanted to get the family together while Danny was here. On Monday night, we had a cookout at Jeff and Angie's. Everyone brought something for the grill and something to share. We got a lot of visiting in while the kids (big and little) played on the trampoline and the playground and played volleyball. We missed a few people, but had a pretty good turnout.

A visit from Uncle Dan!

We hadn't seen Danny since last November and we were all excited for him to come home! His plane came in around 7:30 Sunday night. Jack picked him up and they made a short stop at the Barbers' to see new baby, Rachel. Most of us waited on the front porch for the van to pull up. Gus came out of the house with a smug grin on his face and announced that he had made a welcome home banner. I thought it was very thoughtful and...it's the thought that counts, right?
Gus's banner
He's greeted by a plethora of nieces and nephews!
Fans of Uncle Dan

White Family Reunion 2008

I am so glad that we got to go to the reunion this year. There were people there from all three branches of the James Alma and Mary Elizabeth White family. Family came from as far away as Canada, Oregon, California and St. George. It was great to see everyone!

Becky and Elaine - back from an errand on the golf cart.

I love this shot of my dad with my Uncle Ed White's son, Verl. Verl's from Canada.

Here's my mom's sister-in-law, Denese - Jack's wife - with her son, Charlie. My kids all remember Denese well!

Beth Ann Page is the only surviving child of James Alma White Jr., also son of Mary Elizabeth (Teeny Grandma) White.

Here's Dad with mom's cousin Jim White. Jim is the son of Teeny Grandma's son, Ed White. Jim lives in St. George now, but used to live in North Ogden.

My mom's cousin, Bunky and her daughter Doris. Bunky is Tiny's sister and they are daughters of Teeny Grandma's son, Ray White.

Summer Games in Cedar City

This week, Jack and I went to Summer Games. After hearing about the great time Bryan and Becky's family had down there last year, we decided it was something we wanted to do. We stayed in the dorms with Jeff and Angie's family and Mike and Amy's family - and John and Ann's son, Nate. We had a lot of fun and the cousins had lots of time to play together and make memories. It was great going to the soccer games and supporting the kids who played.
The cousins all had a blast playing with each other! The played in the dorms, in the hallway and at the soccer games.
The dorms were very nice and roomy. There was room for naps, and scrap booking, and preparing meals.
Some of us went to the Iron Mission Museum in downtown Cedar City. Dean and Duncan ran to get their own money to buy souvenirs!Crew FC is the team that Bryan coaches. Justin, Tyler and Nathan are all on the team. Nate joined just after the sign-up for Summer Games, so he went as an observer.
Amberly played for the Sharks - it was her last tournament with them. She made a lot of great friends on the Sharks team, but she and her parents decided it was time for a change. She is now playing with the Rampage Wolves.

New raft's ready for the river!

Jack spent a couple of hours rigging the new raft. He had to inflate it so he'd know how much rope to buy - then he took a trip out to Smut and Uglies. The chicken-line has been installed now - and we're ready to head to the river! FYI - he was blasting a Bar-J Wranglers album throughout the neighborhood as he worked on the raft. 'Tis the season!

Our First Field Trip

We went to the Aerospace Museum by HAFB today. Only a few of us could go, but we had a great time!

I voted for David A.

Sharon told me I was a groupie. Joann told me I was a nerd. I thought I was pretty sick* until I was an hour into the voting (I voted until midnight). I got myself a big glass of ice water, and with my cell phone in one hand and my glass in the other, I caught myself with the glass of water up against my right ear! Brrr!
*hip or cool

Hired Help

Jack decided he didn't want to buy a new lawn mower this year, so he called ALM (Arrington Lawn Mowing) and signed up for the summer. Nathan mows seven lawns on a weekly basis. His dad helps him right now. He may get to the point where he has to hire another helper. Way to go, Nate!

Jace helps Grandpa Jack

Jace helped Grandpa Jack this morning. He bent over nails in a whole lot of boards that will be used as firewood. Jace loves to work and he sticks to a job until it's done.

A Mothers' Day Song from the Bolos Sisters!

Happy Mothers' Day!

In 2002, my bishop asked me to give a talk on Mothers' Day. I was sick for 2 months (before and afterward). I don't know that I'll ever forgive him. I decided to do my talk the only way I knew how - by relating some "slices of real life." Here is most of the talk I gave...

You know you're a mother when…

You finally talk your little son into "coming here for a just a minute" to give you a love, then you catch him counting to 60 under his breath.

Twenty-three years later, the 3 year old daughter of that same son follows you to your car with tears in her eyes and says "Grandma, I forgot to give you a yuv."

You attend pack meeting and see your 9-year-old son awarded every possible arrow point in the Cub Scout Book, then find out as you question him at home that he forged your signature on most of them. You are broken hearted as your husband takes your son to the cub master's house to explain and apologize.

You are in the bride's room helping your daughter dress in temple robes for her imminent wedding.

You watch your little boy angrily packs all of his belongings into a black garbage bag and runs away to the neighbors’.

You read a segment of your son's letter about an especially poignant incident that happened in the mission field. The segment from the letter ends with, "I guess you had to be there." Then, through tear-blurred eyes, you write back and tell him, "No. You didn't have to be there."

You hunt for a birthday card for one of your children who has been acting so mean and ornery that you have to find a greeting that is appropriate, but doesn't lie.

You hate Mother's Day because it always makes you feel guilty.

You like Mother's Day, because it gives you the opportunity to honor the mothers and grandmothers in your life.

You get into the car to run away from home, and realize that you don't have anywhere to go…then you come back home a couple of hours later, only to find that nobody even noticed you've been gone.

You are accused of being a mother hen, and wanting to nail the feet of your children to the state of Utah.

You feel so loved when your six year old son buries his face in your lap and hugs your legs, then, as he walks away, you notice the boogers that he wiped on your dress - on purpose.

Your 9-year-old son refuses to put his dirty Cub Scout shirt in the wash, because he says "I'll never see it again." [This was back in the day when we ironed (or didn’t) clothes and they ended up in the ironing bag…waiting.]

You’ve been scouring the neighborhood for your missing 8-year-old son, then you see him dropped off in front of your home by his Primary teacher, who had picked him up off the street an hour earlier and had taken him, dirty as an orphan, to the baptism of a classmate.

You watch with pride as your son recites the Hippocratic Oath that you previously had only read about in books.

You watch as your daughter is giving birth, and step into the bathroom to pray when her baby's heartbeat drops dangerously low.

You visit the mission field of your son after he completes his mission, and you see the love that church members and investigators have for him.

You feel that when your child is late, negligent, or in trouble for any reason whatsoever - that it's YOUR fault!

You cry with your son and his wife when they have lost their firstborn child.

You rejoice with your daughter when she makes Chamber Quire.

You are awakened abruptly when your daughter pounces on your bed, breaks it, and announces that she's been kissed.

You realize when you finally see the words of the Weber Hymn in print on the back of a program, that you've been singing them wrong for 15 years! At the end of every concert, you have stood, held hands, and earnestly sung, "Of all the schools in this prostacious land, Weber, there's only you." (For you who aren't familiar with the words to the Weber Hymn - they are, "Of all the schools in this broad, spacious land, Weber, there's only you!)

You share your new cologne with your 4-year-old daughter, and laugh your head off when she says, "Mmmmm! I smell like a new woman!"

You feel a sense of family unity as you watch your husband and sons working together to build a home.

You are deeply touched when your son writes from the mission field to his dad on Father's Day, "And thanks most of all for loving Mom."

Tooling through the tulips...

Last Friday we went to Thanksgiving Point with my dad and siblings. It was Sandy and Phil's turn to plan the activity - so we went to the Tulip Festival. Jack had great fun driving Kathy, Dad and Sandy all over the gardens. We saw everything! And more than once! It was so fun to see all the wonderful tulips and to spend time together.

Haley Ann gets glasses.

Haley got her first pair of glasses last week. I think they look great on her. She is beautiful - and growing up so fast!

Kidz!

When we got a new TV for Christmas, Jack wanted to save the box for the kids to play in. The snow finally melted in the back yard, the weather warmed up and the grass dried out so...out came the box! It kept most of the grandkids occupied Sunday night. They asked Grandpa Jack to bring their creation (Some called it a castle, but I guess it's a "hut.") inside so it wouldn't get rained on. Down the basement it went and we noticed this document sitting on top of it this morning. [We figured out - a week later - that the "kidz" had inadvertantly left out a word. It should read "... if I disobey I might be kicked out for as long as needed."]

To eBay or not to eBay

Sunday while I was fixing dinner I pulled this carrot out of the bag. I just couldn't bring myself to peel, cut and cook....Homer Simpson!

Clip from "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"

Lisa is currently performing in her final show with the Choralaires. The group finished up their spring concert April 19th and will go on tour next month with the show. Lisa's had a lot of fun and made a lot of friends while she's been in Choralaires!

You know these guys?

Justin and Tyler made what they thought was a great find - bright orange soccer shoes! They are playing on the same team - Crew FC - again this year. Bryan is back as their coach.

Is Lisa running away from home?

Lisa and her friend, Sarah, head down the road with packs on their backs and carrying all their stuff for a YSA over-nighter at the Stake Camp. (They're only walking to the church.)