We Love Being with Family

I got home from Mitchell Thursday evening; and the next day, Sam and I left for Denver about 4:00 p.m. so we could see Brittney home from her mission and hear her speak in church Sunday morning. We made it an easy trip by staying overnight in Ogallala so we could get to Denver before noon without having to get up so early.

Grandma with her beautiful granddaughter.
Brittney spoke in church in their Denver ward
at the completion of her mission in Texas.
Her talk was excellent and inspirational,
and we were pleased we could be there.

As an added bonus, Jeff & Rochelle and family arrived at Scott & Kristine's Saturday evening on their way to Utah for an Abbott family reunion.

Rochelle & Jeff's family
(Austin, Jamon, Zack, and Kate with
their parents)

After passing by three turtles on the road on our way to Denver through the sandhills, Sam turned around to pick up a turtle to take to show the grandchildren.

Kate and Austin were especially intrigued with the turtle.
The markings on this Western Box Turtle resembled
Native American drawings, not like the pattern on the
"painted turtles" we usually see.


"Charlie" turtle received much attention.
Kate, Zack, Austin, and Jamon
got right down on the garage floor for a better look.
We found it interesting to see how the front section
on the underside of the turtle was hinged, so there was
barely a crack between the top and bottom shell when
the turtle brought its head and legs inside for protection.

Saturday afternoon, Trent gave me his ticket so I could go to Shannon's dance recital with Scott, Kristine, Brittney, and Jenna. Sam didn't go and spent time with Trent, which they both thought was a good arrangement.

Shannon after the dance recital with
her star and flowers.
It was fun to see Shannon do her hip hop routine.
She has good rhythm, a nice smile, and dances well.

The Artistic Fusion Dance Academy had a program that lasted from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a 15-minute intermission. In addition to hip hop, the dances included jazz, tap, and ballet. Dancers of high school age performed a number with unique choreography which was very professional and one of my favorites. A small group seeming to be preschoolers did a cute dance wearing sunflower costumes, and they started and ended their dance sitting in flower pots. Of course, Shannon's dance group was my favorite.

Saturday evening was very pleasant and we spent time in Scott & Kristine's backyard. The children had fun on the trampoline with Grandpa Sam.

Austin liked it when his grandpa
flipped him in the air.


Austin also had fun jumping onto the
trampoline from the slide.


Zack showing how he roasts marshmallows.


Jamon didn't want his marshmallow to burn.


Jenna and Shannon
ready to leave for church.


I asked Trent to join his sisters for a photo, and
their cousin Kate wanted to be with them.


Kate had her picture taken with her brothers, too;
but she couldn't be coaxed into a smile.
(Kate, Jamon, Austin, and Zack)

After church, we caravanned with Jeff & Rochelle's family to Cheyenne where we ate together at Wendy's. From there, we said our goodbyes with hugs and each continued on to our separate destinations - Jeff's family to Utah and Sam and I for home. We stopped on the way and had a visit with Bill and Karen in Scottsbluff and got home by 8:00 p.m.

It was nice for Sam to be with the families of three of our sons on Father's Day - Scott's and Jeff's in Denver and Brent's after we got home. Sam also appreciated the phone calls from the rest of the family. I had given him his Father's Day gift before we left for Denver, which included Glenn Beck's newest book, The Overton Window. It is advertised as a political thriller, and Sam is enjoying it.

In my previous blog, I had photos from my stay in Mitchell with three granddaughters. Here are a few more photos from my last day there when we went to the Corn Palace.

Maren, Rachel, and Haley with the
world's only Corn Palace in the background.


Each fall the Corn Palace is redecorated
with corn and plants. The 2010 theme
"Through the Ages" and murals outside and
inside are created with corn.
(Maren, Haley, and Rachel)


The girls are at the right in front looking at some of
the crafts and souvenirs inside the Corn Palace.
(Rachel partly hidden by the post, Maren, and Haley)

Eating ice cream across the street from the Corn Palace
at the "Olde Ice Cream Shoppe." They had lots of flavors.
The girls had raspberry chip yogurt,
and I had peanut butter brownie ice cream. Years ago,
we enjoyed a special treat at the drug store in Martin
where they made peanut butter whirl-a-whips; but this
wasn't as good as I remembered those being.

Staying in Mitchell with Granddaughters

While Curtis and Marla are on a Pioneer Trek with Maggie and youth from their stake, I am in Mitchell with Haley and Maren; and Rachel came with me to enjoy being with her cousins for a few days. Maren has the part of the Queen of Hearts in the play "Alice in Wonderland" they are rehearsing every morning.

I told the girls we would eat out one time while I am here, so yesterday we picked up Maren from play practice at noon and went to Culver's to eat. It has been rainy and overcast for several days, so the girls are looking forward to going swimming today now that it has cleared up and gotten warmer. Haley has tennis later this afternoon.

Haley, Maren, and Rachel eating at Culver's.


Haley (third from left) with teammates after their
doubleheader softball game.


Haley played second base and did
well, but her team lost both games.


Playing Webkinz games seems to be a favorite activity.
(Rachel, Haley, and Maren)

Because of other priorities, I haven't posted anything on my blog for awhile. Recently, I have been proofreading family and business histories and scanning photos to be published in a book we are putting together for Martin's centennial in 2011. Sunday before last, we had the business histories ready for the lady who is entering it on software to take to the publisher. Now we have until the first of August to get the family histories ready.

Ardeth, Joyce, and Narene serving on the
Centennial book committee.

This past weekend was our district conference in Pierre, and my priority last week was preparing for my part in the Relief Society session on Saturday afternoon. The theme was "Be Made Perfect." Our mission president, President Layton, is from Arizona where he raised cotton. President and Sister Reese spoke at the Sunday session. He served as president of the South Dakota Rapid City Mission from 1997-2000, and they are currently the president and matron in the Bismarck Temple. We always enjoy seeing the members from the branches who come from a rather large geographical area in the district.

On May 29, we went to Mission to attend the wedding of Colin and Wanda Busch. We have been friends with the Busch family since we moved to South Dakota in 1975, and our son Scott and Colin are close to the same age. It was a nice wedding in the Busch's home.

Wanda & Colin at the reception.

Because of the rain and cooler temperatures we have been having this spring, I didn't get my garden and flowers transplanted until the last Saturday in May. Rachel was my good helper.

Rachel helping me plant flowers.

We attended the annual Ireland reunion on May 30. This year, rather than have it on Memorial day, we met at noon the day before; so we hurried home from church, changed clothes, picked up the food I had prepared to take to the potluck, and went to Martin where we met at the Masonic Lodge.

Wilma (right) with her daughter Debbie.
Wilma's family was in charge of the Ireland
reunion this year, and she asked us to
write up a family history story about
Sam's dad to be included with stories
from Howard & Mary's family.


The five living siblings of Howard & Mary's 12 children.
(Berneice "Beanie" Mansfield, Forrest "Shorty" Ireland,
Wilma DeBoer, Mable Einspahr, and Eulalia "Curly" Mansfield)


Visiting after the potluck dinner at the Ireland reunion.
The variety of desserts included several traditional
rhubarb ones we always enjoy.
(Karen, Rachel, Tauna, and Weston;
Sam is visiting with his Uncle Shorty in the background.)

Bill & Karen came for the Ireland reunion and Memorial day, and we enjoyed having them stay with us Sunday night. They are getting settled into their new home in Scottsbluff.

Shorty visiting with Karen, his niece.

After the reunion, Barbie went with Bill & Karen, Rachel, and Sam & me to the cemetery to decorate graves.

Howard & Mary's graves are on the other side of this
Ireland marker. Other relatives are also buried in this area.


The headstone by Harold & Mabel's graves.
(Sam, Narene, Karen, Bill, and Barbie)

Bill & Karen left for home after we all went to the cemetery on Monday morning for the services. Part of the program was a dedication of an Eagle Scout project at the cemetery with memorial bricks for local veterans, including Oscar and Melvin Ireland.

Veterans Memorial
dedicated at the Memorial Day services,
which was an Eagle Scout project.


Memorial bricks for Melvin and Oscar Ireland,
Sam's uncles, who were killed in World War II.

It is always impressive to attend the Memorial day services with the flags lining the fence and roads in the cemetery in honor of each veteran who has served his country and now passed on. The Boys Stater and Girls Stater each presented traditional poems ("In Flanders Field" and one other one), there was patriotic music sung, the speaker gave an excellent patriotic talk, the American Legion posted the colors, and Taps was played. Memorial Day is a good tradition to honor our service men and women, to remember our loved ones, and to visit and renew relationships with extended family and friends.

This past Sunday, Russians celebrated "Day of Russia" to commemorate their becoming an independent nation rather than the USSR. The other countries in the former Soviet Union have their designated days to celebrate their independence from the USSR, but we found it interesting that Russia celebrated this independence also. It provides another day when war veterans wear their many medals, the sky lights up with fireworks, and there is a grand show presented in Red Square in Moscow.

In April, I gave a slide show presentation about our
mission in Russia and EEA to the county
extension ladies at their spring council meeting.

We continue to remember fondly the people we met and love in Russia. It has been exciting for us to learn that three of the special young people we love there have recently been called to serve missions. Nactya will serve at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Anna will serve in Ukraine, and Victor will serve in the Washington Tacoma Mission. They will be excellent missionaries, and it is with pleasure that we extend our best wishes to them.

Our granddaughter, Brittney, just completed her mission in Texas. Sam and I plan to go to Denver to see her and hear her speak in church Sunday; so I will be returning home tomorrow afternoon (Thursday) and then we will leave for Denver on Friday. Brittney will only be home these few days before leaving to attend summer session at BYU.