Tangled Sleepover Part Deux

After returning from Rupes, we set up sleeping bags in the family room downstairs and prepared to watch my personal favorite animated movie of all time ("Tangled", of course) from start to finish! Grandpa and I laughed so hard at Rupe's because the girls were quoting lines from it with accents and all, especially Chloe, who brought back memories of her Mom doing the same! I'm sure all that knew her in high school and beyond remember that she was a master at popping off movie lines one after another and with the most perfect accents and inflections! Anyway, it was hilarious listening to Chloe do it with the same polish! It was a fun moment with the girls which made it obvious that this movie holds a special place in all of their hearts! Grandpa had meetings so the girls and I enjoyed every minute of the movie with only 1 break in the middle to put together our traditional "fruit kabobs" for snack time! We also finished tying the quilt we started last Thanksgiving to take to the Bingham Crisis Center (Women's Shelter in Blackfoot) See pics below! All five girls were amazing little square knot tie-ers and all stuck with it until it was finished!

After the movie we came upstairs and watched videos from China because the girls were missing their Rose cousins who live in Shenzen, China right now! Their favorite is of Luke, Emma, and Gavin riding these motorized animals around a big plaza area! I am not kidding, we all laughed so hard we about fell on the floor! Grandpa had returned about then and had to come and see what all the commotion was about! And he, too, joined in the raucousness! Want to join in the laughter...see the following link: You'll wonder for awhile what is so funny, but don't give up! Keep watching! Listening to Matt and Sara is half the fun but then watch Gavin as he really gets confident! Yes, yes, you have to watch to the end! http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_view_player?p=ed0d98044a5952a03121e9. The girls wanted to watch it over and over...I am serious! Then they requested to watch all of the Allen Family Christmas Videos of the last three years which we also LOVED and watched twice each! Here is the link to those:  http://allenfamilyupdate.blogspot.com/search/label/Christmas%20Movie.  I predict all of the Allen kids will have many acting opportunities in this life...what do you think?  Anyway, just a fun and laughter-filled time with our little girls staying up waaaayyyyyyy late!  However, once it was time for bed, we read scriptures with Grandpa and had family prayer and hit the hay! All were asleep within about 1/2 hour which I thought was pretty miraculous!

The next morning we awakened and while I fixed breakfast Kate and Morgan played Legos completing their work of art shown below, while Jordyn, Chloe, and Lily danced and played the piano. Chloe turned on the Demo on my electronic piano and proceeded to look like she was playing every note while the other two showed their stuff! Then they all helped to set the table for our traditional manners breakfast at which time we use the chargers, china, cloth napkins, napkin rings, etc. and TRY to use our best table manners. It doesn't always work, (you know, the occasional toots and burps followed by laughter and then, the "okay, that wasn't mannerly...excuse me!") but we have a good time trying! We had crepes this year with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, syrup, jam, powdered sugar, etc. as well as sausage, bacon, juice and chocolate milk. Yum, yum!!!! 

Later that morning after cleaning up and getting ready for the day, they all wanted to play outside! They asked me for rakes and told me not to look outside while they did something! Jordyn wanted her own separate projects to do as there were not enough rakes and she proceeded to clean out our outdoor toybox (no minor feat!), clean up the sandpile and sweep the porch. I was in the house doing a few things when I heard singing from the back yard and just couldn't help myself! I had to videotape out the window of my bedroom and out the backdoor. I'll include a video if I can make One True Media work. It was too cute not to share, so wish me luck! They all "surprised" me with raking and filling two boxes which they decorated themselves with raked-up blossoms that have fallen from our Little Leaf Linden tree...the favorite climbing tree in the back-yard! Such sweet little people...they never cease to amaze me with their goodness!  Thanks girls for doing such sweet and helpful things for Grandma! We then had lunch and took the finished quilt down to the women's shelter where they welcomed us with open arms and thanked the girls for all their hard work! You will make a sad child's day much happier through your unselfishness! Thanks, Julie, for driving all the way to Blackfoot to pick up your girls, and to Cindy and Lori for the driving they did as well to allow this to happen. You are all great parents and can know that you are raising very find young ladies! Thanks again for sharing them with us!

 Forgot to mention a little "makeover" party...just these two!

 Lovin' the movie!

 Use your creativity!

 Yummy fruit kabobs!

 You can't not dance to the music at the end of Tangled!

 boogyin' to the music!

 My princesses at our manners breakfast!

 A lego house with huge add-on garage, etc.! This photo does not do justice!

 It will never look this neat again! Thanks, Jords

 Love you, Grandma! Love you, too, girls!

 Picking vegetables from the garden

 A little swim fun

With the staff at the Women's Shelter who were so thrilled with their sweet donation!

A "Tangled" Sleepover with Grandma Aug 17th - Aug 18th

How I adore these 5 precious little granddaughters!

I planned for months to have a sleepover with my little darlin's sometime this summer. It was planned for the first week of June, but my Mom (Grandma J) became very ill. (Another post is in process on that.) I rescheduled it for the end of July and then found out my nephew, Troy, was being married that same time so we re-re-scheduled it for Aug. 17th and 18th! Finally it happened and was a highlight of Greg's and my summer! We were missing 4 of our 9 wonderful granddaughters, but we had a ball with the 5 that were there. And believe me, we missed those 4 who were not! (See below). 

 When I first mentioned it, the girls said they wanted to watch the movie "Tangled" and thanks to my niece, Amy, who told me of a darling FHE lesson she had seen based around the movie, I was able to pull together an activity that was both fun and enlightening, I hope. (Thanks, Amy! I was able to pull it up on google just with the info you gave me!) It seems there is usually a component of evil against good in most movies these days and, of course, "Tangled" is no exception. We watched the clip where Mother Gothel tells Rapunzel all kinds of lies to keep her from ever finding out that she is a daughter of a king (a princess) and becoming who she is meant to be...exactly what Satan and his minions try to do to us, our children, and grandchildren today...what they have always done! Well we followed Rapunzel's hair (yellow yarn) all around the house and along the path (of life) found truths from Heavenly Father accompanied by lies that Satan tells us today. If they chose the lies they went off to "dead-ends". If they chose truth (which, of course, they always did) they stayed on the path to eternal life and in time found themselves at their ultimate goal...as princesses with "crowns of glory" and the realization that they really are Daughters of the KING! I love the little pictures I found for the girls (look below) that show them looking into the eyes of Heavenly Father (and/or the Savior). That's all Greg and I desire for these wonderful grandchildren is that not one is left behind...not one strays from the path...and that we can all be together FOREVER! We LOVE ALL OUR LITTLE PRINCESSES AND LITTLE PRINCES! 

Kate reading a truth...or a lie...during our "Tangled" (Daughter of a King) activity!

Which will they choose to follow? 

Well, there is no question in my mind!

 More truths and lies! So far, they've made wise choices!

Getting closer to their goal...so far, so good!

 Almost there! The "prize" will be worth it!"

Wow, we made it! We really are daughters of a King...THE KING!

 Princess Kate!

 Princess Jordyn

 Princess Chloe

 Princess Lily

Princess Morgan

Missing Emma, Eva, Regan and Kami who are also precious daughters of "The King" and our little princesses! We LOVE you and missed you so much!

Regan

Kami

 Emma

Eva (with Dad)

When Grandpa came home we went to Rupe's for dinner! All 5 girls were perfectly behaved and ate well which merited ice cream cones for all!

(There will be more pictures, a video, etc of this party on another post. I'm leaving to spend the day with Grandma J! So check back later!

Morgan's 9th Birthday!

 Beautiful 9-yr-old Morgan!

 Just takin' it easy in the Papazon chair we gave her...hopefully many hours of reading fun!

 All the Teichert women!

My Mom, Morgan, and Me!

DJ wrestling with Porter and Kami! They ask for it and love it!
I forgot my camera and Greg took this picture with his Droid! Not really knowing how to use it, some great pictures
were deleted by mistake. Some of our favorites were of DJ lifting every family member in the air on his hands
while lying on the floor! Hope Cindy posts them.

Morgan is our third grandchild to turn 9 this year and all I can say is "LOVE THAT GIRL!" It was so fun to watch her play soccer before her party and to see her score for the first time this year! It was so fun to see how much she has improved since last year in her ability to control the ball and move it down the field! We loved that she didn't feel her birthday was complete without us being there. She always misses Grandma and Grandpa T because they just live too far away to come and she understands that, but she is used to us being at all the kids birthdays. Between Regan's track meet the night of her birthday and complications in Greg's and my schedule, a night party for Morg right on her birthday wasn't possible. It was great to be with her the night after! We had a great time and love and appreciate Morgan's individuality! She is her own little person and like Lily, is comfortable with who she is. She plays alone at times and is perfectly happy to do so! She is so kind and always includes everyone and has always been a very spiritually-mature little soul! I still remember vividly when she was four-years-old her whispering to me at a family reunion home evening that she was feeling the spirit and I could tell she really was. She loves and understands the scriptures better than most her age. She also loves to give service to others and seems happiest when she is doing that. She can also be a big tease and just a lot of fun to be around! And wow, can she play the piano! Love you tons, Morgs!

Luke's 9th Birthday...clear out there in Orlando!

 At the Tampa Bay Ray's game! He's a die-hard fan!

Finding out he gets to go to a Ray's game!

It seems like yesterday we were in Florida for Luke's baptism. Soon it will be to Orlando again for Emma's 8th birthday and baptism. The years continue to fly by and they are good to us. We definitely feel our age and more, but in terms of blessings, rewards, and evidences of His goodness, we feel GREAT! We blinked and Luke turned 9!  Sorry we have to miss the Florida family birthday bashes because they DO sound like loads of fun but our primary hope and wish is that each one is happy and feels our love! Luke, you are an amazing young man and we agree with your Mom's assessment of you! You are so intelligent, kind and inclusive to all, and have great desires to make good choices. We can see that you recognize that when you make good choices, you and all around you are happy! You are also a great athlete! Keep it up, buddy! We love everything about you and miss you like crazy! We're so glad you had a memorable few days and got to attend a Tampa Bay game with your family! Hope you enjoy your watch! Now you can't ever be late coming home, right?

Easter Party Pleasure!

Easter has to rate right up there with Christmas and Thanksgiving for favorite holidays of the year! I am so grateful for the opportunity to really focus my thoughts on the Atonement and Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, without which I would be forever lost! I find such great hope and a sense of peace in absolutely knowing that our spirits will once again be reunited with our bodies, complete once again, never to be separated! I am also grateful for the knowledge that we will be resurrected in our perfect form! Hmmmmm, I wonder what that will be for me?  The atonement and resurrection are truly the greatest events to have ever taken place on the earth or WILL ever take place! I am in awe of His love for me and each of His children that he would undertake such pain and agony so we have that opportunity, in spite of our sins of omission as well as comission, to repent and work to become like Him and live with Him again! And I was reminded again Saturday as our daughters and their families came here for an Easter celebration how dismal any eternity would be without being together as families, the very center of our loving Heavenly Father's plan of happiness! There is no greater joy than that of our family gathered together in one heart and one mind! I felt Heavenly Father's love and the Savior's approval as we celebrated the "lighter side" of Easter...especially knowing that each family had already and would continue to teach the deep and true meaning of Easter Day! I felt as well, the absence of Matt and Sara and their kids, our other sons-in-law and my wonderful husband, Greg, and got a taste of the deep sadness and yearning I would feel if ANY of my family was absent in the eternities. Thank you all for choosing to follow Christ! Yes, He does live again and I will forever be in His debt!