A Collection of Conference Snow Photos

Saturday morning we awoke to this lovely Winter scene! Some of us moaned, but within a short time the sun was shining. These Spring storms seldom last and I think just beautiful! By Sunday, there was just a bit left on grasses and in shadows, but enough for a snowman. Will, Em and Libby tried several snowmen ideas, while Teagan, completely uninterested inspected the neighbors car with her mum. (Note Libby's creative eye for fashion in these photos).
Oh, and later I tried a friend's recipe for Tablet. Success! I am gathering quite a collection of Scottish treats!

An American Quilt

When William joined the Marine Corp about 8 years ago, my sister Stacey and I began collecting patriotic fabrics of all kinds to make quilts. (We have had a ball many a time doing various crafty projects!) No matter where we were if we saw some wee fat quarter that looked even remotely reddish, whitish or bluish, or had a patriotic theme, we got it and added it to our piles! Stacey was the one who really got the most, as she frequents the market and is a collector of many things, especially fabrics, and sweetly shared with me. We really have some wonderful patterns, with stars, stripes, scenes of soldiers, and even some of the Statue of Liberty! After several years of talking about it and planning to one day put them all together, we did finally cut the squares for hours and hours, decided how to arrange them, finally choosing a random selection from each pile so they were scattered throughout. At last mine is sewn together, and almost ready to tie. Yes, my dear Jill, I am not a proficient quilter, so I will be tying mine with a lovely cotton string! And please don't look too closely at the corner matches! I found a wonderful blue ticking for the edges and will use a cream cotton muslim for the back. I'll post some photies in the next wee while! I can hardly stand it I'm so excited!

Andrew, Once Upon a Mattress and Spring Storms

We stopped in to visit Andrew (what a pose!) in Salt Lake where he's living while studying at the U. He's renting a fun old house with a bunch of free spirited students, and is having a ball! He gave us the grand tour including his room, so tidy! (above), the gardens, compost area and the back patio... (he and one of his flatmates, Brad have BIG plans for it all this summer! Stay posted!) It was great to see him so happy and doing well. We sure love and miss him as he seldom gets down to see us! (Below) Moroni, Emma, Beth and Andy standing out front.




Moroni enjoyed his first Jr High production, "Once Upon a Mattress". It was really quite amazing for such a young group, but then their choir director Mrs. Walker really pushes the kids to do their very best! Incredible acting and singing from the major characters. But the one to steal the show (for us at least) was the handsome knight kneeling just to the left of the king.


Another shot of him 5th from the right.


And finally, the first of the spring storms arrived with some lovely thunder and lightening, and ominous clouds. Incredibly beautiful, but then you can never catch it on film quite as it appears.

Morning Walks and Spring

I've started walking in the early mornings again, now that the walks and streets are clear. It's the same town, same walkways and houses I see as I drive to and from, but it seems a totally different place when viewed close up, sidewalk level. I've missed it, and though I've tried to keep busy on my indoor bike (even with Downton Abbey or my adorable Daniel Craig as a distraction) there's just no comparison to walking in the early mornings... sweet air, lovely breezes, and the occasional scent of a wood burning stove... and now birds are singing, and blooms and buds are coming out...beautiful! This morning as I have dropped off the last of the kids, and am getting ready to work here I noticed again how gorgeous the sky is up beyond the mountains... that my daffodils are coming out... and that I am ready for Spring!

Snow, Lilly and Ice Cream

Awoke the other morning to the unmistakable sound of snowplows down the street, and found to my pleasure a good snow had fallen during the early morning hours! A good 10 inches to my measurements. Em was wailing for Spring, but I was not sorry to see the whiteness, as the summer heat will be here soon enough, and I am much more comfortable in a cozy sweater with a Barley Cup than anything else. Don't get me wrong, I love the summer and all of the seasons, but the cool wet weather has always been my fav. And now, this afternoon the sun has broken through from time to time, and I can hear the dripping from rain gutters, so I know it wont last... which is just fine, as I love it all... come what may, right?!


Lily is an endless source of amusement during these deep snows as well I might add, leaping through the drifts with her wee legs! And from indoors, she barks at the threatening sparrows and hapless chickadees that dare to enter her world, her tail wagging from under the kitchen curtain!


And lastly my wee Libby, with a Band-aid on her chin managing an ice cream cone for goodness sake! "Isn't it too cold for an ice cream today Libby?" I ask her... "No Ma-ka" she answers happily, her lovely blue eyes shining!!


And one more - though she is not a last minute thought by any means, I let January pass without mentioning how I love my Lel! She filled 22 this year and continues to bring joy to me and all around her! Graduating this April from BYU, she will be the first university graduate of the kids and I am popping my buttons over it! She's off to France this summer for a time to see what they have to offer as well... and then who knows! But, oh what a nest she will build, eh Lel?!