Hollyhocks and Eternal Lessons

Summer is here and with it the full bloom of my Nauvoo Hollyhocks. I was so disappointed last year when all they did was come up and never bloomed. My parents were serving in The Nauvoo temple at the time and mom sent me the seeds she had harvested from a cleaning day in the gardens there. I planted them with a great anticipation and then nothing. Well the Lord says we must be a patient people. Because they did not flower I thought I had lost my seeds as well. NO Flower NO seeds. But this spring they came back and started to grow. I almost pulled them out as they did nothing last year but held off to see if perhaps they were one of those plants that just takes a season or too. ( kind of like me sometimes I take a season or too to learn sometimes.)
This is what they look like today. I am so glad that I did not pull them out. I think that is how we must appear to the Lord sometimes. He plants in us the good that we can become and then he has to wait HOW MANY SEASONS ??? for me it has been ever so many more than 20 to figure out what we are and to " Bloom " in to that great person he sent to earth. If only we could see the picture on the seed packet so we could know what we are suposed to bloom into. :D Enjoy the flowers, summer is here.

Family Temple Trip

This is the beautiful Columbia River Temple.



Grandpa Bean, Grandma Bean, John, Rob, and Mary Grandstaff !


John and Grandma Bean.


We were so blessed this last Saturday to be able to go to the Temple with John and his parents and our friends. Here are some of the faces we were blessed to see in the House of the Lord. We are all so excited as John prepares to leave for the Baltimore Maryland Mission. We know he will serve the Lord well. Good luck To all. :D

President and Sister McCracken



Bishop and Sister Clark
Rick and Susan Garrett



Tom and Patsy Young

Larry and Linda Johnson

Oh what do you do in the summertime !

The other day Kelly and Jesse bought this little pool for Dylan to play in. They brought in over and filled it up and we were all having a great time. I decided that if pictures were going to be taken all summer of Nana in the pool with Dylan then I NEEDED a new suit to play in. Thank goodness for the overstock section of Land's End. Screamin deal on this suit and I love the way it fits. Now for the funny part. ( and Dyl you can hate me later ) Kelly came over and we were having a great time but Dylan had no swim suit at my house that day so we put him these little potty training pants. I think this is classic little boy in the summer stuff. enjoy, cause this is one of the things we do in the summer time.

We had a Great storm roll through the valley on thursday night and it was such a pleasure to stand and watch the power of nature. Dennis tried to get some pictures ( because I asked him to and he seems to enjoy humoring me ) But as everyone but me already knows it is almost impossible to get really great lightning strikes. So he got these instead. Some show how bright it got and some are not too bad . Dennis is amazing at telling where the lighting will strike next. So enjoy my silliness and his great indulgence.The rain was coming down in such big drops it hurt to stand out in it. So lucky for us we has a little overhang out the back to keep out of all that water. My hubby rocks !

So Benny knows this guy see... and he said hey Benny wanna take my bike out for a ride. and this is what happens when you let a car salesman talk you into taking it out for a ride. :D

What could be better than a great sunny day and the flowers and spring. I think there is nothing better that to see God's handiwork in action. This is my spring joy and the thing that is a visual symbol that God really does renew all life. Think spring :D

Let The SUNSHINE IN :D

Sunshine and more sunshine seemed the order of the day today. Truly this was a great Palm Sunday as we were able to walk through the warmth of the sun to hear the words of our great Prophet and Apostles. I love spring time and all that comes with it.

Fishing with Papa

Ewan and Sejena came to visit with us for the weekend and Ewan and Papa went fishing. We have a great kids pond where you have be under 14 to fish there. Too bad there were not any little fish to be caught and they had to settle for this big rainbow trout. Ewan caught it all by himself and Papa only had to help him get it up from the shore. He is going to be a great fisherman just like His Papa. Way to go Ewan.

Is it Spring Yet?

This morning as I was out with Benny on his way to work I see bank reader. It read, Are you ready for this 22 DEGREES I know I know those of you still in Idaho think that IS spring weather but for here in sunny Walla Walla That is winter time stuff. Now I know that winter still has a week or so to hang on to our hearts with it's icy grip but I can't help but long for spring to come and blow way all this cold. If we have to have Daylight savings time it should be spring. I love seeing the crocus and the tulips bloom and am so excited as My hollyhocks are returning from last year and perhaps they will bloom this year. SO Once again I plead with the mighty heavens to bring on the spring weather. And if that does not work I will relish the snow in the mountains and enjoy one more mug of that nectar of winter HOT TANG !
This is Derek at the Bonfire last week up at our friends who live up in the mountains


Nettie

What Joy our Family is for us. We love it when all our kids come home and bring their sweet children home.
We had such a great time with Isaac and Dylan's birthday that we are going to do it again in august for Ewan and Gary. And what could possibly be more fun than a giant truck party. With tonkas everywhere including the cake we were sure to construct a great time.



Most of you know that I love chocolate. It was evident that the chocolate loving gene was passed on to yet another generation with Dylan digging into his first birthday cake.

Isaac was no less appreciative but he was a lot cleaner. The blessing of being 2 I guess. But it was a great party and everyone got to take home a little something to remember to toot your own horn every now and then.

I love a great Birthday party :D