May....I get back to the blog.

I have been drifting regarding this blog.  Not many read it and most of the family has quit keeping blogs but I have always used my photos as a history, so I have decided to continue.  Where else will I put photos that someone might want to see...or that I might want to look at again.  Soooo, since may is over, I have half a year to catch up on.  It's what I did when I made my photo books so I have decided not to feel too bad....even though I will have forgotten lots of the events of the past 6 months.


Our renters, the Christian Fish family, decided that it was time to move finally.  They were a real blessing to us while on the mission.  So we had to get the house ready to rent again.  Rod worked very hard on the grounds for over a month to surprise me and did a fantastic job.  We also retiled the kids and master bathroom, repainted bed rooms, fixed the kids bath tub. had the exterior repaired and repainted, repaired dry wall in kitchen and front room, had the carpet cleaned,  Oh and sprinkler repair, and on and on.  There were 4 trips to the dump clearing out the yard.  Getting new renters was a challenge.  One guy really wanted it and negotiated us down to 1,800 if he replaced the carpet. We reluctantly agreed (he wanted to put in cheap stuff but only in some of the bedrooms) but then found that he wanted to use our house as a 'car lot' for old cars, filling both side yards, including the garden space. He kept pushing for more changes so finally we told him no on the side yards full of cars so he canceled in a huff.  We posted it on Craig's list and Face book market place and had a huge response.  I finally ended up with three families I had to choose between as renters.  I had picked one lady because her daughter attended Westwood and I hoped to help support her efforts, but after praying and fasting about it, I had a night of uneasiness and so went with the Hernandez family and it has gone very well.  Antonia is an avid gardener and it is working out very well!  My only regret was that I didn't explain to those I had to say no to, that I felt it was God's will.  I missed an opportunity because I didn't want to risk being accused of discrimination.  I was surprised to find the process so hard.  I truly wanted to 'give' it to all three families.  I'm grateful the Lord guided me/us,

Oh the yard looked So Beautiful!

So did the house considering it's age.  I'm still amazed that the bedroom carpet looks as good as it does.

 We celebrated Rod's 62 birthday.  He works so hard to do the Lord's will, especially as bishop. He is a loving husband and father and the most fun Pop pop there is.  I am so thankful for him.

 

 This month was especially exciting as we had a double baptism!!! Ellie is 9 and has been waiting to get baptized till her father was ready, but.... it kept getting put off.  She finally decided it was time.  She thought it would be so gorgeous to have a winter baptism and a photo shoot with snow in her hair.  Her Mom wasn't too excited about the photo idea.  Ellie was anxious about telling her father about the plan.  She didn't want to make him upset, but her Mom reminded her that we have to do hard things sometimes, so she did.  It turned out that the photo shoot idea helped Eric get on board with the plan and it was decided to have Annalise's up here in Mesa too as lots of the Ekins family was here so the Alicia and Todd and Sara made it happen, lunch and all, and it was truly wonderful.

The girls sang a duet.  Beautiful!

Balloons as centerpieces, from the song 'I like to look at rainbows.'

Cup cakes by Aunt Chris.

A happy girl

She looks so grown up and elegant.

 The photo shoot didn't happen till Mar but it did happen.  Such a beautiful young lady!

 At the end of the month we went to Seattle for another baptism.  Great Grandma came too!  Geneva made a very fancy cake.  Pop Pop gave a talk and used Kit Kat as the object lesson. 

The fancy cake is a tradition from our family.

Penny!

 

Such a beautiful 4 generation photo!

So blessed!!!