6 Straight Days with Greg!

I'll not be posting for several days because Greg and I get to spend the next 7 days together traveling! Tomorrow very early in the morning we are leaving for Sun Valley and the Idaho Cattlemens' Convention where Greg's company always has a booth at the trade show. It is our turn to go. It is always a nice time...nice time with him...and nice time for me in a beautiful hotel room as I can just come and go as I please. Baxter Black is entertaining this year which should be lots of laughs! We're looking forward to going and just being together. Wednesday we'll leave for the Condo for a couple of days. We are going to meet Lori and Brad and kids and their friends, Mike and Amber Tribe and kids, at Bubba's for dinner Wednesday night! This is quickly becoming a tradition, one we really enjoy and look forward to. Todd's birthday was on the 9th and he had Young Men that night so there wasn't enough time to have a big party with him. We are, therefore, taking him to breakfast Thursday morning and shopping! Again, we are really looking forward to that! Can it really be that we have two teenage grandkids? We'll come back Friday morning sometime and do a little unpacking and organizing and then head to Brigham City to visit Greg's Mom in Willow Glen and then on to Tremonton for Natalie Jex's reception. We are so happy she is getting married and has found such a fine fellow. On Saturday we are looking forward to watching Kate dance in their annual Hansel and Gretel ballet. What a fun-filled week for many reasons...but reason #1, I get to be with the man of my dreams for 6 days! I love you, honey!

Mother's Day 2009

Such a memorable Mother's Day for me! The girls, their husbands and families all came for dinner and spent the afternoon. Greg arranged for no morning meetings and spent the time with me helping me get ready for everyone to come. It was great to have him home. He is so thoughtful, loving and helpful to me. How I appreciate his goodness. Mom came early and went to our three meetings with us which is always a treat for me. She makes friends so easily... just makes herself at home wherever she goes. I love that about her (among many other things)! I have been so blessed with a wonderful mother who taught me the gospel of Jesus Christ that would make it possible for me to have peace and joy through my life. She has always been a perfect example of goodness. I truly want to be like her.

Everyone helped by bringing delicious food, and the weather? Well...it was absolutely picture perfect in every way! We were able to eat outside which really helps when we have a big crowd! The kids had a ball playing with each other in the back yard as you can see from some of the pictures. I was so glad I had not yet planted the part of the garden where the kids are playing in the dirt! They had so much fun digging and getting dirty! It is such a joy to see the grandkids love to play with each other. They all enjoy their time spent together and we get a kick out of watching and listening to them interact. Each has a special place of his own tucked away in our hearts. The day was capped by a call from the Florida Roses wishing me a Happy Mother's Day! With children such as these, how could it be any other way? And by the way, our Rome Savings Account is growing! Thank you to all of you for the heartfelt cards, messages, gifts and money to the account. You bless our lives in so many ways.

Mom and Me!

October 2nd was my wonderful mom's 84th birthday! I took the afternoon off work and drove to Idaho Falls to spend the balance of the day with her. Can I say how amazing she is? Her health is such a blessing and allows her to do just about anything and everything she enjoys doing. We had a wonderful time laughing and talking over lunch at the Olive Garden. It was delicious, but the company was the best! We ran a couple of errands including stopping at Desert Book to do a little shopping and then spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening looking at her picture life history. It would be more appropriate to call it a life history in pictures of her and Dad and all of their posterity! It encompasses volumes of binders full of pictures, programs, notes, etc. I only had time to get through a couple of them but what a wonderful time we had reminiscing. She is such a wonderful person. She has taught me everything that has brought me happiness in my life and primarily through her shining example! I love her for her unwillingness to give into loneliness though I know she wishes she could be with Dad every day. She is willing to leave that particular timetable to Heavenly Father and so continues to take care of herself by eating right, exercising, reading the scriptures every day, and serving those around her with such unselfishness. She is so active in her ward and attends everything she possibly can although I am sure it would be easy to just stay at home on many evenings. In conversations with Mom, I realize that much of the reason for her "on the go" attitude is that the loneliness could overcome her easily if she spent too much time by herself in the home where she and Dad spent so many happy years together. I know she sits in her chair and looks at Dad's picture on the end table and draws strength from him. She knows he is telling her to forge on and stay faithful and they will be together again soon enough. This and her testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ propel her on each day. I am so thankful for her desire to be a part of our children's and grandchildren's lives. Although I know she is tired, she will rarely miss an opportunity to go with us to a family event. She is so supportive and proud of all of us and handles the "pandemonium" of such gatherings with such patience! She is a great example of everything a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and daughter of God should be. I am looking forward to many, many more happy times with you! I love you very, very much, Mom!

"Grandma, I Have a Secret!"

She fell in love with this black rabbit! Three adorable cousins!

The night we visited Regan for her birthday, Cindy drove in with the kids shortly after we arrived! Jordy jumped out of the van saying as she was running to give me a love..."Grandma, Grandma, I have a secret!" I scooped her up in my arms and asked her to whisper her secret which was as follows: "Grandma, when is it my turn to come and stay at your house?" Not quite the secret I was expecting, but how do you respond to that in any other way than..."How about this weekend if it is okay with your Mom and Dad?" Greg and I needed to go to Tremonton to pick up hotdogs for our block party (those Tremonton hot dogs are unparalleled, by the way!) and had made plans to attend the Box Elder County Fair. So, with permission, Jordy came to stay Friday night until Sunday afternoon. On our way down, Julie called us to say she was coming over with Chloe, Lily, and Cannon to spend the day with us! Just an added bonus! (We missed you, Brig and Stanton). What fun it was for Jordy to have her cousins to play with. We had a great time together taking the kids on rides, showing them the rabbits and the steers, and visiting with extended family...namely, Christie, Scott and kids, Bob, Sheri and kids, Grandma and Grandpa Rose, and Brent, Janet, Amy, Bill, Amber and their girls! It was wonderful! Thanks, Julie, for making the effort to come. It was great to spend time with you and get to see little Cannon again, not to mention Chloe and Lily! I have posted some fun pictures of our time at the fair!

Needless to say, Jordy was exhausted (as you can see from the picture) and was so good to eat and go to bed early after we arrived home. Sunday morning she slept until 7:00. Grandpa left early and had wanted to wake her up to say goodbye, but I asked him not to as she was sleeping so soundly. After breakfast, I got her ready and we headed to church with my little friend, Tanisha, from across the street who has been going with me for the last 4 years. (See the picture I posted of Jordyn and Tanisha taken just before we left.) Jordyn was a little shy about going to Primary not knowing anyone so she went to Sunday School with me and colored while I taught. She was just a little sweetheart and didn't make a peep. We left to come home so I could get her fed, packed up and ready to deliver to Cindy before their meetings started at 1:00 pm. I needed to be to the Twin Falls Temple Dedication broadcast by 3:30. When we arrived home and started to get gathered up, Jordy asked me when Grandpa was coming home so she could say goodbye to him! I told her that if I waited til Grandpa was out of his meetings to take her back, I wouldn't have time to get back for the dedication. She immediately burst into tears sobbing, "Grandma, I CAN'T leave without saying goodbye to Grandpa!" Now I can tell the difference between stall tactics and real heartbreak and this was definitely the latter!! I was praying for help in coming up with another plan! Literally praying in my heart because this sweet little girl was heartbroken! Then I remembered that Greg had told me the night before which Sacrament Meeting he was attending (which he rarely knows ahead of time) and even what time schedule that ward is on! I quickly figured out that we had just enough time to get her fed and gathered up and make it to the church just as that sacrament meeting was ending. If all went as planned we could catch Grandpa then and still make it back to Idaho Falls by 12:50 pm! We said a little prayer together for help and in spite of road construction and the 9th ward letting out early, we saw Grandpa just as we entered the building. Now there were two people happy to see each other! After hugs, kisses and "goodbyes" we left the building and headed to the car. Jordy looked up at me with a big grin on her face and informed me that she felt better and could go home! Now is that sweet or what? On the trip back she told me she knew Heavenly Father had answered our prayer and that she always wants to follow Jesus, Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost and not Satan! Now little Jordy, always remember that, will you? What a fun weekend. We love each of the grandkids to come and stay with us for some individual time. We get to know them so much more personally! (We wish we had that opportunity with Luke, Emma, and Gavin!) Here is what we learned about Jordy while she was with us: (no particular order)

1. She loves the Merry-Go-Round but not any other carnival rides!
2. She doesn't have a shy bone in her body with people she knows well, but in a crowd, she is quite shy.
3. She knows what she wants and is not afraid to make it known.
4. She gives thoughtful prayers!
5. She LOVES bunnies!
6. She loves sausage and bacon but is not crazy about eggs or orange juice.
7. She loves her Mom and Dad, sisters and brothers and never forgets them in her prayers.
8. Don't try to take her home without saying goodbye to Grandpa!
9. She loves Uncle Matt's heart-shaped rock! (another post to follow about that!)
10. She is a great little sleeper.
11. She is cuddly and likes to snuggle!
12. She loves staying with us!
13. She has the most beautiful smile.
14. Her eyes "twinkle".

There are probably several other things I have forgotten to mention. But for journaling purposes I wanted to record them. I also need to record what we learned about Morgan when she was here awhile ago. I will do that and will continue this tradition as the kids come to stay with us. We don't want to forget what makes them so unique and special! I should have thought of it before!

Can Regan Really Be 10?

"Which shoes should I wear with my new birthday dress?"

Due to Regan's birthday falling on the day before school started and Back to School Night as Cindy posted on her blog, a regular nighttime birthday party was impossible. So, Greg and I went up Thurday night, August 21st, to take her gifts and wish her an "upclose and personal" HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Wow! Our oldest grandchild is now 10 years old! How did that happen when we remember like it was yesterday the day she was born! We remember waiting outside the delivery room anxiously listening for that little newborn baby cry! Another vivid memory is when we found out Cindy was expecting. I remember laying in bed that night talking with Greg as we tried to imagine what it was going to feel like to cradle that newborn grandbaby in our arms and realize that a whole new phase of our lives was beginning! We were going to be grandparents! It was exhilarating! And may I say with the greatest enthusiasm that 16 grandchildren later, it is still the most glorious experience to hold one of these precious little grandbabies and welcome them into our family! There are no words to describe it! Thank you, Regan, for setting such a great example for our 15 other grandkids to follow! You are delightful in every way and a wonderful example of the blessings of trying to be like Jesus. Anyway, I am posting a few little pictures I took that night of all the Teichert kids. Happy Birthday, Regan!

Ward 24th of July Celebration

Again, I forgot to take my camera, but I need to blog about the wonderful ward party that took place last Thursday night, July 24th, in celebration of Pioneer Day. It was held behind the church and we had about 300 people come and enjoy a FABULOUS and I mean FABULOUS dinner of barbequed ribs, dutch oven potatoes with bacon and cheese, tossed salad, homemade scones, and dutch oven peach cobbler with ice cream. Our ward members are taking the admonition from our leaders to love and care for their neighbors and INVITE. We had many people there who were not members and many who are not active and they all had a wonderful time. There was such a feeling of good will and love there! I know Heavenly Father was pleased with the sacrifice of those who spent so many hours of preparation to make it all happen.