TRAVELING TO NEW YORK

 THE CALLS HAD PLANNED A WONDERFUL 3 DAYS IN NEW YORK.  THEY                HAD RESERVED  SOME ROOMS AT THIS BED BREAKFAST NOT FAR FROM PALMYRA.

AFTER WE GOT SETTLED A LITTLE WE HEADED FOR THE PALMYRA PAGEANT.

IT WAS VERY EXCITING FOR ALL OF US TO BE  THERE.  SINCE WE GOT THERE
EARLY WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE SEATS TO SIT ON DURING THE PAGEANT.

THE  STAGE IS AT THE FOOT OF THE HILL CUMORAH.  IT WAS A HUGE STAGE.
THE ATMOSPHERE WAS WONDERFUL.   WE  COULD HARDLY BELIEVE WE WERE
 AT SUCH AN HISTORICAL AND SPECIAL PLACE.

 WE WERE ABLE TO BUY FOOD FOR SUPPER  AS WELL AS VISIT WITH SOME               OF THE ACTORS PARTICIPATING IN THE PAGEANT.

 THE PAGEANT DIDN'T START UNTIL THE SUN WENT DOWN AND THE               SUNSET WAS BEAUTIFUL.

 IT ACTUALLY GOT A LITTLE CHILLY.  WE WERE GLAD WE HAD BROUGHT           SOME JACKETS AND BLANKETS.

 WE WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED IN THE PAGEANT.  IT WAS EVERYTHING WE HAD HOPED IT WOULD BE.  WHAT AN EVENING!  IT WAS SUCH A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE AND IT WAS WONDERFUL SHARING IT WITH DADRA'S FAMILY.

 THE NEXT DAY JASON AND DADRA TOOK US TO NIAGARA FALLS.   IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.  THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS GO ON THE  THE MAIDS OF THE MIST
BOATS.  WE NEEDED TO WEAR RAIN GEAR SO THAT WE WOULDN'T GET SOAKED.

 THE BOAT WENT SO CLOSE TO THE FALLS, THE MIST IS WHAT GOT US WET.  IT
WAS A VERY FUN AND  INTERESTING EXPERIENCE.

 THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PICTURE THAT I TOOK OF THE FALLS.  I KEPT THINKING ABOUT WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD GOD CREATED FOR US.

 DON AND  I ARE SO GRATEFUL TO JASON AND DADRA FOR GIVING US
THIS EXPERIENCE.

 COMING TO NEW YORK AND SEEING ALL THE THINGS WE ARE SEEING, IS
SUCH A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE THAT WE NEVER WOULD HAVE HAD

  BY THE TIME WE GOT BACK TO OUR BED AND  BREAKFAST WE ALL WERE
VERY TIRED.  WHAT A FULL DAY.  WE WENT TO BED AFTER EATING SOME
 DINNER.  SUNDAY WAS THE NEXT DAY AND WE HAD LOTS TO SEE AND
DO.

 AFTER OUR MEETINGS AT THE PALMYRA WARD, WE WANTED TO SEE ALL THE
HISTORICAL SITES.  THIS IS THE BEAUTIFUL PALMYRA TEMPLE NOT FAR FROM
THE CHAPEL.

 THE VISITORS CENTER WAS WONDERFUL.  IT TELLS THE WHOLE STORY OF THE
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL.

 WHERE THE BOOK OF MORMON WAS PUBLISHED WAS FASCINATING.  WE ALL
FOUND IT SO INTERESTING.  HOW THEY HAD TO PRINT THE FIRST 3,000 BOOKS
 WAS AMAZING/
 .

                  THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST BOOK OF MORMON PUBLISHED.

 I LOVED SEEING THE SMITH'S FARM HOUSE.  IT WAS AMAZING THAT THE
SMITH'S RAISED 7 CHILDREN IN THIS SMALL LOG CABIN.

                         HERE WE ALL ARE OUTSIDE OF THE SMITH'S LOG CABIN.

 LANDON AND ABBY LOVED SEEING WHAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN LIKE WHEN
JOSEPH SMITH LIVED HERE.

THE LARGE HOME THAT ALVIN STARTED FOR HIS PARENTS WAS JUST UP
THE ROAD A LITTLE.  THE SMITH'S FINISHED THE HOME AND LIVED IN IT
 FOR 3 YEARS.

 I WAS SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WALKING IN THE SACRED GROVE WHERE JOSEPH
HAD HIS VISION AT 14 YEARS OLD.

 BEING THERE WITH MY LOVED ONES MADE IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL.  WE SANG
SOME SONGS AND I WILL NEVER BE ABLE  TO SING JOSEPH SMITH'S FIRST PRAYER WITHOUT TEARS. IN MY EYES.  IT WILL BRING BACK THE SPECIAL FEELINGS I
HAD AS I WALKED THROUGH THE GROVE.

 THIS WAS A VERY INTERESTING PICTURE THAT I TOOK.   TO ME IT LOOKED LIKE
WHAT JOSEPH FIRST SAW WHEN HE DESCRIBED THE LIGHT.  IT WAS BRIGHTER THAN THE NOON DAY SUN AND IT CAME DOWN FROM ABOVE.  IN THAT LIGHT APPEARED TWO HEAVENLY BEINGS.  YOU ALL KNOW THE REST.

 I WAS VERY MOVED BY DADRA WHEN WE WERE SITTING ON A BENCH IN THE GROVE.  SHE BORE HER TESTIMONY TO LANDON AND ABBY.  THEY WERE REALLY LISTENING TO HER WORDS AS SHE SPOKE.  THEY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS
SPECIAL GROVE OF TREES. THEY READ OUT OF THE BOOK OF MORMON EVERY NIGHT AS A FAMILY.

WE  HAD A FAMILY PRAYER IN THE SHADE OF THE TREES.  I SAID MY OWN LITTLE PRAYER AS WE WERE ALMOST THROUGH THE GROVE OF TREES.  I WILL NEVER FORGET THE FEELINGS I FELT.  I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT I KNOW TRUTH.  I KEPT THINKING WHY WAS I SO BLESSED!  HOWEVER, WHERE MUCH IS GIVEN,  MUCH IS EXPECTED.

DON I ARE READING THE BOOK OF MORMON AGAIN AND IT'S SUCH A POWERFUL BOOK.   I LOOK FORWARD EVERY NIGHT TO READ IT.  I'M GETTING MORE OUT OF  THIS BOOK  THAN EVER BEFORE.  MY UNDERSTANDING IS SO MUCH GREATER.

WHAT A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US.  WE WILL FOREVER BE CHANGED BY IT.  .  IT TRULY HAS BEEN AN UNBELIEVABLE 3 DAYS.

 WHAT A DAY WE HAVE HAD.  THE LAST THING WE WANTED TO DO WAS GO TO
PETER WHITMER'S HOME WHERE THE CHURCH WAS ORGANIZED 183 YEARS AGO.
IT BEGAN WITH 6 MEMBERS AND NOW IT'S 14 MILLION MEMBERS.

I WAS  PROUD OF ABBY, LANDON AND NOLAN.  THEY WERE SO GOOD.  IT WAS A LOT OF TRAVELING IN CAR SEATS AND YET THEY WERE ENJOYABLE.  ONE OF THE REASONS IS DADRA'S SO ORGANIZED AND PREPARED.  ALSO, DON AND I WERE IN THE MIDDLE SEAT AND WOULD PLAY SOME GAMES WHEN THEY GOT RESTLESS.

WOW!!  WHAT A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM ALL OUR FAMILIES IN THE EAST COAST.
IT SOUNDED REALLY FUN WHEN WE FIRST READ ABOUT IT,  IT WAS EVEN
BETTER AND GREATER THAN WE HAD IMAGINED.

OUR FAMILIES SO GOOD TO US AND THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.  THANK YOU LADNERS, TORGESEN'S AND CALLS.

OUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE THE VERY BEST AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO  NUMBER NINE IN NOVEMBER.

WE LOVE YOU ALL AND YOU ARE TRULY OUR GREATEST BLESSING.  THAT'S WHAT THE GOSPEL IS ALL ABOUT!

SUCH A WONDERFUL FATHER'S DAY WEEK-END

 SATURDAY NIGHT TAMI AND JEFF TOOK US OUT TO DINNER.  DON PICKED GOLDEN CORRAL FOR THIS EVENT.
.

 AFTER EATING IT WAS TIME TO OPEN CARDS AND GIFTS.  THE WORK OUT OUTFIT WAS SO NICE THAT TAMI AND JEFF GAVE DON.  HE LIKED IT SO MUCH DON ACTUALLY WORE IT FOR HIS P.J. THAT NIGHT.

THIS WILL ALSO MAKE A GREAT BEACH OUTFIT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHEN WE GO TO THE OUTER BANKS  NC,  FOR A FAMILY REUNION.

 DON  GETS  SUCH A KICK OUT OF CARDS HIS DAUGHTERS SEND HIM.  THE MESSAGES ARE WONDERFUL.  THE MAIL HADN'T COME BEFORE HEADING FOR GOLDEN CORRAL SO WE ONLY GOT TASHA'S CARD BEFORE WE LEFT.  WE GOT A KICK OUT OF IT.

 I HAD ALREADY GIVEN DON HIS FATHER'S DAY GIFTS  (THE NEW SHIRT HE IS WEARING WAS ONE OF THEM, BUT I ALSO SURPRISED HIM WITH THE LES MISERABLES  DVD.  WE LOVE THE MOVIE AND SONGS!!  HE WAS VERY SURPRISED AND DELIGHTED ABOUT THIS GIFT.

 JEFF TOOK THIS PHOTO FOR US BEFORE LEAVING GOLDEN CORRAL.  WHAT A GREAT TIME WE HAD!

 TAMI ALWAYS MAKES IT SO NICE   WHEN SHE ATTENDS SACRAMENT MEETING WITH US.  SHE LIKES TO DO THIS  ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS LIKE FATHER'S DAY.

OF COURSE WE HAVE PICTURES TAKEN BEFORE SHE LEAVES FOR HOME

DON HEARD FROM TASHA, DADRA AND LARA AND LOVED TALKING TO THEM ON THE PHONE.  OUR DAUGHTERS ARE SO GREAT ABOUT MAKING US FEEL LOVED AND HONORED.  WHAT A GREAT FAMILY WE HAVE.  WE COUNT OUR BLESSINGS EVERY DAY.

MEMORIAL DAY-2013

 DON  AND I WENT OUT TO THE SUMMERS TO FIX UP THE AREA THAT MOM, DAD AND TERESA'S ASHES ARE BURIED.  WE HAVE HAD SO MUCH MOISTURE THIS YEAR, THERE WERE LOTS OF WEEDS GROWING AROUND THE SITE.  YOU COULD HARDLY SEE WHERE IT WAS.  DON THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE THE CASE SO HE BROUGHT A HOE FROM HOME TO CLEAN THE AREA UP.

                    IT LOOKED SO MUCH BETTER WHEN HE WAS FINISHED.

 I FIXED UP THE FLOWERS BEFORE PLACING THEM BACK IN THE CONTAINER.  NEXT YEAR I WANT TO BUY SOME NEW FLOWERS.  THESE  SUNFLOWERS HAVE LASTED FOR 2 YEARS BUT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED  NEXT YEAR.

 WE THEN DROVE OVER TO MEMORIAL GARDENS.  WE HAD BROUGHT SOME CLEANER SINCE THE FAMILY PLAQUE HAD SOME WHITE STUFF AT THE BOTTOM OF IT.   I'M SURE IT WAS FROM THE HARSH WINTER WEATHER THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR.

I PLACE THE FLOWERS AND THE  LAMB AND LION FIGURINE  ABOVE THE PLAQUE.  FOR SOME REASON THIS PLAQUE GIVES ME COMFORT.

 I'M GLAD THAT THE ASHES ARE BURIED OUT IN THE SUMMERS FIELD, BUT I LOVE HAVING SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR OUR   EAMES FAMILY PLAQUE.  IT'S PLACED NEAR  THE  RIGHT HAND OF THE RESURRECTED CHRIST STATUE.

 DON AND I LOVE TO GO OVER TO THE MARINES  RAISING THE AMERICAN FLAG  DON KNOWS EVERYONE'S NAME AND TOUCHES EACH ONE AS HE HONORS THEM.  THEN HE SALUTES.  THIS IS VERY TOUCHING AND I CAPTURED IT IN PICTURES.

 TAMI AND JEFF DID SOME THINGS TOGETHER IN THE MORNING . TAMI CALLED AND WANTED TO GO OVER TO THE MEMORIAL GARDENS TO REMEMBER OUR LOVED ONES AND HONOR OUR VETS.  SHE KNEW WE HAD ALREADY DONE THIS BUT   I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO WITH HER

 AFTER MEMORIAL GARDENS, WE WENT OUT TO LUNCH AT TACO BELL AND THEN DID SOME SHOPPING.  WE ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT TIME TOGETHER.

WHAT A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR  THE VETERANS THAT DIED FOR OUR FREEDOMS.  WATCHING SOME  PROGRAMS ON T.V. MADE IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL.WE HAVE A PLAQUE IN OUR FRONT ROOM THAT SAYS....."HOME OF THE FREE, BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE."

I LOVE THIS COUNTRY AND FEEL SO BLESSED THAT I LIVE IN THIS PROMISE LAND.  DON AND I HAVE BEEN READING THE BOOK OF MORMON AGAIN AND IT SEEMS LIKE THIS TIME I'M GETTING SO MUCH MORE OUT OF IT.

JANET HAD GIVEN ME HER MOM'S LARGE PRINT BOOK OF MORMON AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO READ IT AND MARK SCRIPTURES THAT ARE SO MEANINGFUL TO ME.

ONE THING THAT I KNOW IS THAT THIS LAND WILL STAY FREE AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE ARE RIGHTEOUS AND LIVE THE COMMANDMENTS.  WE ALL NEED TO TURN TO HIM FOR HELP.  IF WE DO THIS, THEN ALL WILL BE WELL.

SHADOW WITH ALMOST NO TEETH LEFT!

I HAD TAKEN SHADOW TO THE VET FOR SOME UPDATED SHOTS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.  HE CHECKED SHADOWS MOUTH AND SAID THAT SHE NEEDED HER TEETH CLEANED AND THEIR WAS SOME INFECTION IN HER GUMS.  THIS WAS SUCH A SURPRISE TO ME BECAUSE SHADOW HAS ALWAYS EATEN CRUNCHY DOG FOOD AND NEVER TABLE FOOD.  WE ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS WOULD HELP KEEP HER TEETH CLEAN.

I MADE AN APPOINTMENT LAST WEEK AND TOOK HER BACK FOR THE CLEANING.  IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE SCARY TO HAVE YOUR SPECIAL PET PUT OUT BUT OF COURSE IT'S NECESSARY FOR THE CLEANING.  I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE VET WHILE SHADOW WAS OUT AND SHE SAID THAT HER MOUTH WAS REALLY IN BAD SHAPE.  FOURTEEN TEETH HAD FALLEN OUT AND SHE NEEDED TO PULL 16 MORE SINCE THEY WERE SO BAD AND INFECTED.  I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS.  SHADOW NEVER SHOWED ANY SYMPTOMS ABOUT BEING UNCOMFORTABLE OR IN PAIN.  SHE ALSO DIDN'T HAVE BAD BREATH TO GIVE US A CLUE THAT SHE WASN'T FEELING GOOD  OR HAD AN INFECTED MOUTH.

I TOLD HER TO DO WHAT SHE HAD TO DO TO HELP HER STAY HEALTHY.  IT ENDED UP COSTING US $715.00 AND THAT WAS WITH A SENIOR DISCOUNT.  SHADOW NOW HAS 12 TEETH TO CHEW HER FOOD.  WE ARE  GOING TO FEED HER A LITTLE SOFTER FOOD AS WELL AS PUT WATER IN HER CRUNCHY FOOD SO THAT SHE CAN EAT THIS.

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND ON A DOG BUT SHE IS WORTH EVERY CENT. SHE IS OUR MIRACLE DOG THAT CAME INTO OUR LIVES 6 YEARS AGO.  THIS LITTLE DOG HAS GIVEN US SO MUCH JOY AND LOVE.  HOW CAN YOU PUT A PRICE TAG ON THIS?   HOWEVER,  I'M SURE GLAD THAT DON IS STILL WORKING!!

I DID ASK THE VET WHY HER TEETH WERE SO BAD.  SHE TOLD ME THAT  HER BREED  HAS A TENDENCY TO HAVE BAD TEETH.  DIDN'T KNOW THIS.  I LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY.

GOOD NEWS!

I DON'T KNOW WHY I GET A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT MY DOCTOR VISITS TO MY ONCOLOGIST.  I'VE BEEN FEELING GOOD AND HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT MY HEALTH.  I GUESS IT'S BECAUSE CANCER IS SUCH A SILENT KILLER AND BY THE TIME YOU FIND OUT THAT YOU HAVE IT, IT'S USUALLY BAD.

ANYWAY,  WHEN I GOT HOME DON WAS ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR ME AFTER WORK.  WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE,  AND MY THUMBS UP, HE KNEW THAT ALL WAS GOOD.  HE WORRIES EVEN MORE ABOUT MY VISITS TO THE DOCTOR.  I CALLED TAMI AT WORK AND TOLD HER THE GOOD NEWS.  SHE WORRIES EVEN MORE, THAN HER DAD AND I ,  ABOUT WHAT THE DOCTORS GOING TO TELL ME!

I DO FEEL SO BLESSED.  MAYBE PART OF THIS IS BECAUSE I JUST LOST ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS TO THE SAME CANCER  THAT I HAD.  JANET WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 3 COLON CANCER 4 MONTHS AFTER I HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED.  SHE LOST HER BATTLE THE END OF JANUARY THIS YEAR.  WE WERE GOING TO BEAT THIS DISEASE TOGETHER BUT IT WASN'T MEANT TO BE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY SHE DIED AND I LIVED.  I DID PUT MY LIFE IN THE LORDS HANDS AND I KNEW THAT IF I WASN'T ASSIGNED TO DEATH, I WOULD LIVE.

 I'VE BEEN READING A LOT OF BOOKS ON AFTER DEATH EXPERIENCES LATELY AND I KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT GOES ON TO A WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL AND DELIGHTFUL WORLD.  I KNOW THAT JANETS  MISSION WAS OVER ON THIS EARTH AND THAT IS WHY SHE LEFT.  I CAN PICTURE HER SO HAPPY AND OUT OF PAIN.  BEING WITH HER LOVED ONES AGAIN THAT HAD PASSED ON, MUST HAVE BEEN A WONDERFUL REUNION.

I DON'T FEAR DEATH BUT I'M NOT READY TO LEAVE YET.  I STILL HAVE LOTS TO DO.  I ALSO DON'T WANT TO LEAVE MY FAMILY HERE ON EARTH.  I LOVE BEING WITH THEM SO MUCH.  I ALSO WANT TO WATCH ALL MY GRANDCHILDREN GROW UP AND BEGIN TO HAVE CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN.

I'M SO LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR 3 WEEK CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM OUR DAUGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.  THE END OF JUNE AND FIRST TWO WEEKS OF JULY,  WE ARE GOING TO BE IN VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA,  NEW YORK AND MARYLAND.  A WEEK AT THE OUTER BANDS IS A FAMILY REUNION.  CAN'T WAIT!!!  SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

WEDNESDAY GIRL'S NIGHT OUT

DURING THE REST OF SPRING AND SUMMER, TAMI AND I WILL BE GETTING TOGETHER ON WED. NIGHTS INSTEAD OF THURSDAY.  JEFF HAS GOLF ON WED. WITH HIS FRIENDS AND SO THIS MAKES A GOOD EVENING FOR TAMI AND I TO GET TOGETHER.

I'M SO GLAD THAT WE HAVE THIS TRADITION TO EAT OUT AND DO SOME SHOPPING.  IT'S FUN TO HAVE THIS GIRLS NIGHT.  WE GET CAUGHT UP ON ALL THE NEWS AS WELL AS HAVE SUCH FUN TOGETHER.

THANK GOODNESS ONE OF OUR DAUGHTERS LIVE SO CLOSE SO THAT WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE THIS!!

2013- MOTHERS DAY

 WE ALWAYS LOVE HAVING TAMI ATTEND SACRAMENT MEETING WITH US.  AFTER THE MEETING FLOWERS WERE PASSED OUT.  I ALWAYS GIVE MINE TO TAMI SO THAT SHE CAN PLANT THEM IN HER FLOWER BOX.

 I LOVE WEARING THE NECKLACE THAT DADRA  GAVE ME A FEW YEARS AGO.  IT'S A MOM AND DAD WITH 4 CHILDREN DANCING IN A CIRCLE.  IT REMINDS ME THAT WE ARE AN ETERNAL FAMILY!

 LAST NIGHT, DON BOUGHT A KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN DINNER.  HE DIDN'T WANT ME  WORKING ON MY SPECIAL DAY.

 IT WAS SO FUN TO BE PAMPERED ALL WEEK-END.  I JUST SAT BACK AND ENJOYED IT.

THERE WAS SO MUCH FOOD  WE HAD LEFT OVERS FOR ANOTHER NIGHT THIS WEEK.   DON AND I ENJOYED EVERYTHING AFTER IT WAS HEATED UP.

 ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IS TO GET LOVELY CARDS FROM ALL MY DAUGHTERS. IT'S SO FUN TO GET MAIL THAT'S NOT JUNK OR BILLS.  I ALSO GET PHONE CALLS FROM  OUR DAUGHTERS.  I LOVE TALKING  TO ALL OF THEM IN ONE DAY.

AS YOU CAN SEE, DON IS EXHAUSTED AFTER OUR FULL WEEK-END.  HE DID WORK ON SATURDAY AND THEN WORKED OUT FOR 2 1/2 HOURS AT THE GYM
HE DESERVED THE SUNDAY NAP.

WHAT A GREAT WEEK-END.  I FELT VERY HONORED AND LOVED!