Aubrey Is off !

Our Aubrey Girl left for her mission this morning -  she will be gone 18months -  we are going to miss her so much - I sent her a goodby text at midnight - We love you our Aubrey girl - praying for you tonight and every night while you serve on your mission you will be watched over and protected by the angels 😇She texted back - Thank you grandma! I love you so much.❤️

Her New Mission Companion on the plane to Mexico City with their family saying goodbye at the airport.  We will miss her but know she will be serving the Lord what a wonderful life time experience for her.  They will Love her sweet and tender spirit.

Dave and Sharlena saying goodby for 18months is hard as a parents, they have raised an amazing daughter.  So proud of them and the example they set for all to follow.   

Sabbath Day /Landon's 15th Birthday

Quote for the day 

Matthew 7: 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. ( Jesus Christ) 

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

 Moroni 10:5-5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

These scriptures give me comfort as we are surrounded in the evil forces in our nation trying to destroy our freedoms- we live in perilous times in the history of the entire world.  I can see the evil gaining more and more momentum to enact their evil ways and effecting us all worldly.  I feel the growing darkness over our land- I pray for the strength to not feel anxious of the challenging days that lie ahead. Pray by the power of the Holy Ghost I can learn what I need to do to prepare as best as I can. Hold to the faith and the Lord will bless us and lead us in these difficult days.

The power of the Savior’s teachings to His disciples can change our lives, especially when we live by them. Then His words become more than words; they become a sure foundation for life that, like the wise man’s house, can withstand the world’s winds and floods (see Matthew 7:24–25).

I enjoyed our time in church today-  the two sacrament talks we very good and we had an insightful lesson in releif society as we discussed the conference talk by James W. McConkie,  Jesus in the scriptures changed everything. We gained a deeper appreciation for who He was and what was important to Him. Together we considered how He taught, what He taught, the ways He showed love, what He did to bless and serve, His miracles, how He responded to betrayal, what He did with difficult human emotions, His titles and names, how He listened, how He resolved conflict, the world He lived in, His parables, how He encouraged unity and kindness, His capacity to forgive and to heal, His sermons, His prayers, His atoning sacrifice, His Resurrection, His gospel.  I really liked this quote from the talk.  

Today is our grandson Landon Luke Chaudhry's Birthday!  We love you so very much.  He is turning 15 years old and anxious to start learning drivers education.  He looks forward to driving soon.  He is a soft spoken and a very kind young man.  so proud of him and young man he is becoming. We took him for a birthday lunch when we came in town,  we went to a fun burger place and shopping at the outlet Mall. 

 

Finish Watching Grandkids/Biggest Snow Storm

I watched the Thomas grandkids for two weeks- it kept me very busy.  The time did go by quickly.  The first week we were all sick with the stomach flu one by one.  Winn throwing up Sunday momring, Lincoln throwing up Monday night, Valentines Day i was sick, by evening Craig came down sick, he did not escape the bug going around.   I was hoping Annie could escape the bug - but by Thursday night Annie was throwing up.  I kept her home from school on Friday.  This flu bug was so contagious!  Mindy Thomas was going to take the weekend shift, but she was flying out on Monday to California and I didn't feel she should chance getting it as it had been passed to us all in the household.  Little Annie was out of town for a few days and she still came down with it.  I was suppose to fly to Califonia to baby sit the Towner grandkids, but Saydee took my shift instead.  I didn't want to take the chance of taking this to the Towner family and starting all over again taking care of sick kids my week in California.  I was glad Saydee was able to cover for me.  I told Mindy not to worry about her shift I had it worked out to stay until they returned from their trip.  We all started feeling better by Friday afternoon - so we packed up and went to the lake for the weekend.  It was president day on Monday and a three day holiday weekend with the kids not having school on Monday.   When we arrived to the lake there is so much snow and more to come.  It was so very cold!!  Our sewer line in to the house froze so all the water draining down from washing dishes and just flushing the toilet were backing up in the basement. Luckily craig caught it early and we were able to stop using the water until he could get it opened back up.  He called brother Gifford in the Ward and he was able to come help us.  He had a camera that they were able to place in the pipeline to see how far out it was frozen.  It was clear under Gygi’s trailer next to our home over 15 feet frozen.   They were finally able to flush hot water down the line to open it up. If they couldn't get it open we were going to have to leave.  It was so cold in the upper garage that I had all my cans of pop in my food storage closet freeze and in the extra fridge we have in the garage. I had to take the time to clean it all up in a 20 degree garage.  It was a mess for us cleaning up from the very cold temperatures.  In the 7 winters living up here we have never had it freeze this cold.   We did have the sewer line freeze the winter of 2013.  We were here for a weekend and didnt know until we found all the water flowing had drained in the basement on our new carpert.  We had just moved in our new cabin that summer of 2012. This was a huge mess for us.  We had to get heaters to dry out the carpet and pay for a plumber to unblock the frozen line.  We have watched it since then in the winter months.  This winter has been a very cold winter below zero for weeks at night. That was a mess for us to clean up last weekend.  We headed back home Monday- it gave us something to do for the weekend, so we didn't feel couped up in the house.  The kids went back to school on Tuesday - we thought?  We woke up to being snowed in!  The biggest snow storm of the year hit the Salt lake valley.  We woke up to almost 3feet of snow in one night.  We were snowed in literally.  They cancelled school for the day and late start on Thursday due to all the snow.  Everyone was having to dig out the snow to get out of the house and driveway - before anyone could go any where.  The snow was so deep Craig got stuck in their driveway trying to back out into the road.  We had some good laughs watching the kids clean the car off for him. I don’t ever remember a snow storm with such deep snow in my 49 years living in Utah.  A record breaker year for sure.  Thursday Craig drove Lincoln and his friend up to Snowbird ski resort - it took him two and half hours to get them up there and then another hour and half getting them back down. All the skiers wanted to enjoy the new snow fall.  They had closed the canyon the day before.  Natasha and Bridger were suppose to fly home Thursday morning but their flight was cancelled until Friday morning and then it was cancelled until This Sunday morning.  Tasha has been gone for two and half weeks.  She is missing her kids and crying on Friday -she wants to come home!! Which I would too!  By Friday I had to regroup with them not coming home until Sunday.  We had made plans with Austin for this weekend.  He had asked us a month ago if he could come to the lake with his friends.  I wanted to be there for him.  Lexi the nanny was able to come Friday morning to relieve me and Karlee our granddaughter was able to sleep over with the kids and watch them on Saturday and Lexie their Nanny stay until they flew in this morning.  This has been quite the eventful two weeks for us.   We were able to head out Friday morning and get back up to the lake for the weekend.   Very cold driving up only one degrees coming across the Wyoming plains out of Evanston.  The freeway was closed for a period of time.  We did make it safe and sound back to the Lake.  Luckily no frozen lines this weekend- Austin and his friends arrived Friday evening.  They went skiing yesterday.  I fixed Austin’s favorite spaghetti dinner last night.  They are heading home this morning-  it was a quick trip for them.  Bridger and Natasha are excited to be reunited with their kids today.  We slept in this morning - I’ve got to get in the shower and get ready for church.  Our meetings start at 11:00 am. It was eventful last Sunday getting all 4 of the Thomas grandkids ready for church.  little Annie and Cora looked so cute in their Valentine matching  Ivy City dresses, which I forgot to take a picture of them.  They had a fun weekend.  They had fun playing in the snow.  Sunday was an adventure after church getting out to the lake the snow is so deep. The lake frozen they were shoveling off the snow on the ice to make an ice skating rink.  Big ideas !! The snow was too deep and they all soon got tired of working so hard to clear the snow.  I had some good laughs watching them thru the binoculars.  Lincoln took little Cora out and they were having a hard time getting her back in.  I could see she was crying for her gramma - her mittens and boots kept coming off and I knew she was cold! I had to get dress in my snow clothes to head out and save my little granddaughter.  I was beat by the time I got out to her.  With the deep snow it was a work out walking out there.  We tried carrying her and that didn’t last long - we put her in a snow sled and she kept falling off-  I finally had to crawl on my knees pushing her in the sled.  It took Criag and I and Winn pushing her up the boat ramp we were all beat, cold and wet from snow.   I was not going out there again!  Our Ice skating idea came to and end!

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Annie and Cora comb Craig's hair and put piggy tails in his hair, funny picture I caught him talking on the phone with his new hairstyle.

Looking out the Back door all the snow in one night

Out the front Door!  we were snowed in!

Valentine’s Day

Sad to say I’m sick today with the stomach bug.  It is very contagious!  I started my babysitting shift Friday late afternoon.  Little Cora was just laying around all weekend and wouldn’t eat anything.  Then Winnston threw up Sunday morning and I had to clean it up.  Winn just laid around all day he didn’t feel well.  He did go to school yesterday and today- then Lincoln and I started feeling bad.  I felt this pain in my stomach and very nauseous.  Lincoln threw up last night.  I tossed and turned all night and feel terrible today.  I’m fighting not to throw up.  So guess this is not going to be a very fun Valentine’s Day for me.  It has taken all my can to just get the kids up and off the school this morning.  Little Cora is feeling better now-  she is talking constantly - love her little voice.  She has been a storm this morning going from room to room dragging things out and making messes- I have just had to go behind her and tidy up and start locking the doors to contain her from turning the house upside down.  Craig went to sleep  at our Draper house - I don’t want him to get his bug.  We both have gotten sick the past three times I have baby sat the kids.  This is getting old!! Why is it I get sick kids on my baby sitting shift?   I’m just having to lay low today and pray this passes fast.  I started working on my book Links of Eternity again-  I need to buckle down and get it written.  I want to share my miracle family history stories with my prosperity.  Reading Steve Davis book that he wrote- short stories of his life had a huge influence to pass onto his family was very uplifting to me.  I can do this too!  So I’m back working on this project.  I started back in 2014- the years are ticking by and I’m not getting any younger.  I have a great started it is just organizing what I have written in my journals over the years and compiling in an organized fashion.  This gives me something to do while I’m baby sitting this week and not feeling well. I will focus on what I can do.  Cora decorated her heart cookie, none of us felt much like eating anything- with the stomach bug going around.  Cora is starting to feel better.

  

Luckily Natasha left Valentine treats for the kids to enjoy on this specail day

I felt really bad all day, Lincoln and I laid around too sick to do much of anything.  I told Craig to stay away he did not want this bug! 

Quote For The Day /The Savior My Comfort

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.  I can relate to these scriptures when you are trying to do your best and still be falsely accused.  It hurts even more when it is your fellow saints in the church-  Getting over the heartache from the Wallentine event when I served as young women was a real shock to my life.  I would call it a faith crisis moment for me.  To this day four years later and they are still very cool towards me in the ward.  They have so misjudged me and it is so hurtfull- it has taken me a long time to heal from the pain and sorrow caused and I’m sure they have no idea.  I do know my Savior knows my sorrow and has given me the strength to carry on.  Teaching gospel doctrine these past few years has helped me to immerse myself in the scriptures and find peace and healing.  Just barely two weeks ago when we were at church that Brother Wallentine shook my hand and greeted me as I entered the Chapel.  That was a surprise so maybe he has finally let go of his comtempt towards me.  I have just had to stand strong and hold my head high.  It hasn’t been easy.  I’m going to miss teaching gospel doctrine it helped to keep me on track in my study time when I knew I had a lesson to teach.  I took a week off while we were in St George and now baby sitting for the Thomas grandkids this week I have to make a concerted effort to stay on schedule.  I love the gospel with all my heart ❤️ The Savior is my comfort in the storms of life.  

Aubrey’s Mission Farewell Setting Apart

Aubrey is speaking in Sacrament this morning at 10:30am for her mission farewell.  She officially starts her mission preparation time tomorrow- she is being set apart for her mission at 8pm tonight.  I’m so disappointed that I’m not able to be there.  I got up at 7:30am to bake my two apple pies I made for lunch after sacrament for a family luncheon-  I was getting ready when Winnston came upstairs crying saying he just threw-up.  It was all over the side of his bed.  It was a terrible mess to clean up - luckily they have this handy steamer cleaner that sucked up the mess and made it much easier to clean up-  He has thrown up a few more times but this time I got him a bucket in time.  Poor little man- he feels terrible. Little Cora wouldn’t eat all day yesterday she just laid around.  I could tell she wasn’t feeling well.  So here we go again- it seems every time I babysit- one of the kids is sick and then I get it.  Little Cora was sick a month ago when we baby sit while her family was on a cruise.  She was sick the entire week and then Craig and I came down with it.  We are just barley starting to feel better and now another baby sitting shift and sick grandkids again.  I sure pray I don’t come down with this bug.  Natasha and Bridger flew to Brazil they are going to be gone 2 weeks.   Craig had to go without me!  He took Lincoln with him and I’m home watching sick grandkids.  Craig just FaceTime me so I could hear Aubrey’s talk.  The sound wasn't very good and hard to hear.  It’s not the same as being there-  Aubrey did a great job in her talk.  Wish I could be there with all the family.  I’m so bummed I can’t be there.  I called Natasha’s  Neighboor Kelly to see if she knew someone to come sit with the kids - but she never responded- until just a few minutes ago.  Saydee is coming tonight to sit with the kids so I can be there when Aubrey is set apart.   Our little Annie flys in tonight from her photo shoot in Florida.  Her and Natasha flew to palm beach, Florida on Wednesday for their spring photo shoot modeling their newest spring and summer fashions-  Bridger met Natasha Friday to fly Brazil and Annie will arrive home with Madeline tonight- I’m sure Annie has had a fun trip. Pray we can all stay well this week.  On our way home from St George- Friday we stopped to eat lunch- when Craig bit into his hamburger he lost the crown on his front 2nd tooth that he has been babying for months not to break-  well it came off and Craig bit onto it breaking in pieces.  He thought it was some bone in his hamburger.  I laughed so hard!! He looks so funny with his lost tooth.  I told him he looks like a Hillbilly!  Well he is meeting with Richard our dentist friend to see what can be done, looks like Craig is going to need a tooth implant.  It takes time to fix it so he is going to be looking toothless until he can schedule a time for the new tooth implant.  There is never a dull moment growing old and our bodies falling apart.  He is doing much better since his shoulder surgery he is getting to where he can do a few things.  We were able to play Pickelball while in St George which felt really nice.  Look forwrd to meeting up with the family tonight for Aubrey’s setting apart for her mission call.   Craig picked me up at 7pm and we drove the 45 minute drive to Kaysville meeting at their stake center.  Their stake president gave Aubrey a beautiful blessing as he set her apart as a missionary.   She now prepares at home for two weeks online and then flys to Mexico City mission training center.  I told her that Coco and I would meet her for lunch one day this week.  Aubrey is such a beautiful young women.  I shared with her tonight how the missionaries seeked out our family by the power of the Holy Ghost to share the gospel message with us.  She will do great things by listening to the Holy Ghost.   I’m so excited for her !! 

Our St George Trip/ Debra Davis

It was a fun 4 days in sunny St George.  Enjoying Bridger and Natasha's new home located in Ivan's just outside of St. George.  They are located up against the big red mountains.  Their home has a lovely panoramic view.  I enjoy opening the electric blinds each morning to view the beautiful desert surroundings.  They are slowly furnishing their new home.  Trisha spent several weeks working on it so it was nice to have some furniture on our return visist from the end of Decmember.  We only had a bed and a few chairs to sit on then.  It is coming along.  It is a beautiful home.  We filled our days up fast, as I called our friends living there and made lunch and dinner appointments each day.  We meet Kathy and Dick Bowman for lunch.  They live only five minutes from Nataha's home - they came to see how pretty it is.  It does have such a pretty view out their big windows of the big red mountian and dessert landscape.  I then went to visit with Debra Davis for about 4 hours that afternoon.  She has been sad with the passing of her younger sister and so glad I came to visit with her.  She was also one of our neighbors while we lived on Fieldpoint Circle from 1990 to 2004- 14 years of our children playing together and growing into teens.  Kathy and Debra both lived accross the street from me.  It was so fun to get reacquainted- we haven’t seen each other in over 10 years- the years all go by to fast.  Debra was so grateful to have a southern sister to visit with.  She grew up in Arkansas and Louisiana and I grew up in Texas.  She shared with me a book Steve her husband had written about his life and he highlighted the time they live by us.  It was such a special tribute to our neighborhood.  In his book He shared how they had prayed for a good neighborhood to live in and raise their children.   He listed all the neighbors, Bowman’s, Neff, Pettit’s, Despains, Hoggan, and Symes.  They thought they had died and gone to Heaven to have such good neighbors and all faithful and striving to raise their families in the church.  I was so touched-  something I’m sure I took for granted. I know we were lead to this same area too.  I remember when we had moved in our home there I knelt at the bottom of the stairs and thanked my Heavenly Father for our lovely new home and such good neighbors to be associated with.  I couldn’t believe Debra and I visited with each other for so long.  It was needed time for us both.  We missed having someone to talk to who knew our children and could reflect upon the memories and share the challenges we have had to deal with the past few years in our family circle as it has grown with spouses and grandchildren.  I read Steve’s short book he wrote of his life experiences while there the 4 days-  so inspired by his words of counsel written and learning more about him and his life.  We had a nice lunch with them both Thursday at the Cliff restaurant over looking the St George Valley.  I promised her I would come visit again the next time I come down.  We played pickleball with the Brower’s on Wednesday and went to dinner with them Thursday evening to a fun restaurant out in Ivins. Wednesday night we met up with the Holmans for dinner at the country club by their home in Sun River and then played cards games afterwards.  We had a great time.  They both are couples that have homes at Bear lake too for the summer months.  We have meet them when we moved to Bear lake.  They stay in St George in the cold weather.   We met up with Craig’s brother Scott and Jan for lunch and had a nice time visiting with them.   I hadn’t seen Jan since April when she was so rude going thru Mom Lavon's things- I haven’t care to see her since. We just visited and talk about our kids and ask about all their children. Trying to be forgiving- Jan has just been very difficult to be friends with over the years. Craig and I enjoyed our time and sad for it to end so soon.  We had to pack up and head back to Draper for our baby sitting shift.  Bridger flew to Florida yesterday to meet Natasha there.  Her and Anni were there for the week for a spring photo shoot and then they flew out last night to Brazil- we are now baby sitting for the next week.   Picture below-Debra Davis and I- it has been a really fun reuinon to visit and renew our friendship. I'm the tall one, it seems all my girlfriends are small and short.  I'm 5'6" and seem to tower over them all.  You can see the pretty red mountians in the background of this picture.  I can see I have got to lose some weight, alot heavier than I would like to be.  Trying to work on it, being sick this past month did not help us- the warmer weather movitates me to get out and walk.