Fun with Grandkids

We continued to have fun with Camden and Ethan this week. I left Monday morning and drove to Jonathan and Kristy’s house. We got to see their new little piglets. So cute and tiny. But boy they squeal when you pick them up!  The moms seemed pretty laid back about our being around their babies.

The boys had a great time there. Isabelle took them around on the four-wheeler. They shrieked and ran about the house like banshees with Zachary. And Kristy and I had a fun time talking. I left Tuesday morning about 9am. I wanted to get Camden back to at least some school on Tuesday.

It poured rain- sheets of rain—on the whole drive except for the last 10 minutes. That was nice. We were able to drop Camden off at school in just a drizzle. He seemed happy to go to school.

Ethan and I hung out most of the rest of that day. On Wednesday after Camden left for school we went out shopping. I’ve been looking for Red Vines candy (like red licorice) and can’t seem to find it!  I went to Walmart and Target, both of which said they had it online… but they didn’t in the stores. We went to Sprouts and stocked up on chocolate covered cherries and almonds and other healthy stuff.

In the afternoon the missionaries knocked on the door. They wanted to do service, so they raked the front lawn. Camden and Ethan enjoyed playing in the leaves and then riding their bikes up and down the sidewalk in front of the house. I went out and helped rake and bag.

Sister Burt is from El Centro. I told her the best Carne Asada I ever ate was in El Centro and I’d looked for years for a recipe that tasted like that. She said, “Oh, you just need carne asada seasoning. I have a big jar. I’ll bring you some.”  Oh Joy!  I’m so excited. She said, usually you marinate flank steak with lemon and the spices, but I just sprinkle it on my hamburger. I need to try it and see if it matches my memories.

Miranda and Dan arrived home about midnight on Wednesday. The boys were up early on Thursday, just delighted to see them. Miranda shares some of her loot and some of her pictures. Then she left about 10 to go and pick up Alex and I left to head home. I stopped at Deborah’s for lunch and a visit. Then I stayed to listen to a 2-3:30 webinar with Clayton Makepeace. I needed the computer to do that. When I got home, Tom was off doing tithing settlement.

Friday I sort of puttered and played catch up. I should have been more productive. Saturday night was a freeze and any remaining tomatoes are not toast. I helped Tom move a rick or two of firewood from under the barn overhand to under the side overhang. It was the last of the wood from the 2009 ice storm. With most of the leaves gone from the pear tree, I saw there were still some green pears hanging. I meant to get them, but they were out of reach. Now, they are frozen, too.

Saturday and Sunday were stake conference. Saturday morning I went shopping to get food to make lunches for the visiting guests to the conference- mission president and wife, Temple presidency member and wife and visiting 70. I wanted to find cute little cloth bags to put the lunches in. The only ones I could find that were a perfect size were pink with princesses on them. Somehow, I couldn’t envision a general authority with a pink princess bag. I chose ones slightly larger and a little more subdued.

Saturday afternoon we drove to West Plains. Tom had meetings from 2pm on. I had a stake relief society presidency meeting from 4-6. The Mountain Grove ward prepared a delicious taco salad dinner for the leadership and served it between 6 and the 7 pm evening session of conference.

The talks were great both Saturday Evening and Sunday morning. We learned about keeping the Sabbath day holy and making it a delight (Isaiah 58:13). About how our reverence of the Sabbath is a sign between us and the Lord (exodus 31:13).  It’s our way of showing that we know the Lord sanctifies us and we appreciate it.

We were blessed that the Sunday session of conference was again held in Mountain Home at Dunbar auditorium. I feel like I’m getting to know some of the other people in the stake and it’s nice to gather together.