"The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's 'own', or 'real' life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life - the life God is sending one day by day: what one calls one's 'real life' is a phantom of one's own imagination."
- by C. S. Lewis - from a letter to Arthur Greeves, 20 December 1941 -

Kids, kids, kids..... and now silence.

Isaac and Sheldon Smith, oldest and youngest.

Gram and Grandad with the Smith kids.

Cally

Cally and Ammon on the tire swing.

Cousins learning to knit. Emily and Jaycee.

Saint Patrick's Day. I need to merge these two. But I don't know how!

The TeePee.

The Da Vinci Experience at Balboa Park's Aerospace Museum. This is a bridge that you put together from a bunch of sticks, copying the one in the background. Wasn't easy but they did it!!

The Skinners at the Maritime Museum in San Diego.

Yes, that's a fried Oreo. Daniel's specialty!!!!!!!!!

Emily, planting lettuce. She's a good little gardener!

Gopher hunting!

Cammy and her kids just left this afternoon. I think we're going to be really lonely! Sadie needs "doggie Prozac" or something. She is so funny. We noticed it first when Amy kept her when we went to Provo last time. When we got home I expected to be greeted by this crazy happy dog. She was happy to see us, but not overly. But then we took her home and she went into this depression! Yes, she sulked and skulked around for approximately three days and then she seemed to be alright. Well, we've noticed it since then, when Leah left with her kids and then a little when Ivy left, although the Smiths were already here so not so much. Yesterday Cam took the kid to the beach and Sadie moped around the whole time. Wouldn't eat. She didn't even want to play ball and those of you who know her know that's REALLY something. When they got home she was soooo happy to see them and later went in and started crunching away on her food. So I'm expecting a depressed dog for a while. I'll have to take her over to the Krause's once in a while for her therapy.

So we've had "guests" since the weekend after Christmas, except for right after Leah left, until Ivy got here, a little less than a week later. (Technically, we've had Brian here, a friend of Josh Smith's, since May, I think it was. He got a job in Clairmont and stayed here while trying to sell his house in Montana. He finally, around October, rented it and he and his family are now renting on the west end of Ramona. So our "empty nest" hasn't been empty much, yet.) Ethan will be home the last part of April and then Cady and Mikey will be here a week in mid-May. I must say, we've really enjoyed the kids.

Some highlights.... and I've already written about Leah's visit.... and Disneyland with the Skinners. Other highlights are Daniel getting a job (yeah!), the Maritime Museum and the Da Vinci Experience and the museums at Balboa Park with the Skinner kids. With the Smiths we went to Balboa Park and had a couple of family get-togethers, the first with the Skinners, Shelbos, Krauses and Miles Family (Brian's family). That's 18 kids!!! And a few others, one last Tuesday where the kids built a TeePee in the field with sticks from the tree trimmings pile, with a little corregated tin from the dog kennel roof (which blew off the kennel in the last wind storm).

And many thanks to the Skinners for all the yardwork, garden work, gopher hunting and house cleaning they did during the two months they were here. And Emily for planting the lettuce! (It's growing good. Not big enough to eat yet.) Weeding at the rental house out front with the whole Skinner family was SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I sure do miss them.

The Happiest Place on Earth (one of them....)

Disneyland is pretty happy, alright. Especially when you have five grandkids in tow. And Uncle Howard to pay their way!

The day was perfect; uncrowded, un-hot, un-cold, just perfect.

I, Grammy, even managed to keep up with everyone the whole day, except for the last hour or so when I chilled (literally) on a parkbench on Main Street and waited for everyone.

Popcorn, Rain and Scriptures

When Skinners, Krauses, Shelbos, (Doug) Skinners get together.....

Owen helps his mom clean the bathroom!

Happy Birthday, Daniel!!!

I smell popcorn popping. It's raining and I can hear it outside this window next to me. It's cozy inside and all the kids are busy. Ivy's gone to the airport to pick up Daniel. He went to Chicago for an interview today. I know they aren't excited about living in Chicago but we discussed the fact that this isn't exactly the best time to be looking for employment and one probably ought to take what one can get. Sure hope the one in Utah pans out before they have to move that far away.

We are enjoying family life with the Skinners. Even though I have good intentions of helping with the homeschooling, seems like I always have something else to do, like cleaning the kitchen or vaccuming. Ivy does a good job, though. Daniel is good to help too, especially with math.

Every night without fail we read the scriptures. I love that. Not even me and Dennie are that disciplined. We each take turns, even the two youngest, with help, and it has a wonderfully calming effect on all of us, right before bedtime. I love it when the Krause kids come over and they all run amock (sp?) through the house. And sometimes Daniel's brother, Doug, and family come over with their four kids and we can only hope that they don't knock the house off it's foundation :)

The Skinners

Ivy, Daniel and Justin, Ian, Emily, Garrett and Owen are here now. Daniel just got through with his internship at Disney World in Florida and now he's looking for a job. They moved out of their rented home in Florida and trekked accross the US, arriving in Ramona on Monday the 19th. With one week to catch our breath (after the Silva's left) we are now a house full again! It was so much fun seeing the kids for the first time. Justin has grown and, at 13 1/2, he's pretty much the same heighth as his dad. We have really enjoyed having them here. Ivy's homeschooling. Yesterday they went to the Maritime Museum. I'll post some pictures when I get them downloaded from her camera.

Yesterday evening the Krauses came over. The cousins have so much fun together. The noise level was way on up there!

Fun With Twins

Balboa Park with Babies

Comtemplating the Koi.

Balboa Park

Leah has been here for almost two weeks now with three year old, Gavin, and 9 month olds, Teagan and Beau. What fun! Matt came home last Wednesday from a trip with some friends to Ireland. I've enjoyed playing with the kids and having Leah home.

Yesterday we went to Balboa Park and Matt and Leah went to the IMAX theater. They took Gavin in but he was scared and Leah brought him out after a few minutes then she went back in. Ally came with Pyke and Ollie to help me with the twins and Gavin and it went very well. Five little kids three years and under.... no problem.

Here are some pictures taken there. The fountain right outside the theater and the Koi Pond near the... plant place. I can not remember the word. Arboretum? It's where they have orchids and ferns and all kinds of beautiful flowers and plants. Oh, it's the Botanical Gardens.