Is the mail here yet?

Zac's mission call finally came on Saturday, but he won't let me put it on this blog.  He said he will let me tell you in a week.

(A week later:  He is going to Florianopolis, Brazil, on May 22.)

Pillowcases from Jolene, 1977

Dear Jo,

I bet you are surprised to see these pillowcases.  Remember, you made a set for each of your 5 roommates at Heritage Halls the Christmas of 1977.  If I remember right, you probably sewed sets of yellow check, blue check, pink check, red check, and green check, those were the colors available about that time.

(I wonder if Toby, Marie, Dianne, or Joan still have theirs?)

I want to tell you about a strange coincidence that happened with these two pillowcases.

A number of years ago, I caught myself using one of these more and more, as my preferred pillowcase.  Sure, I used others when this one was in the laundry, but I always got this one back again.  The fabric has been washed a billion times and is SO SOFT against my face.

Then, after Seth was gone on his mission, and then married, one day I was at his apartment and discovered that he feels the same way about the other pillowcase!  I had no idea he had taken it on his mission and was still using it.  His wife is not thrilled, because it doesn't go with her other linens, but she hides it under other pillows when she makes the bed.  He won't give it up!

When we were at their house on Wednesday, I put the two pillowcases together and took this photo.  But then I took my pillowcase back home.  They will probably never be together again.

So, Jo, I just wanted you to know that your Christmas gift still lives on, 35 years later.

Thank you so much!

Love, 
your old BYU roommate,
Amy

Isaac's tree swing

Rachel said that all Isaac wanted for his birthday was to make a rope swing in one of our trees.  He chose one down by the pond, and worked on it a couple of different days, and got it finished on his birthday.

 Thomas, Rachel, and Hannah watching Isaac climb the tree.

 Isaac, getting ready to swing off of the tree.

 Exciting!

Boy Scouts everywhere

This has been a very happy day. Wayne has two scout troops over here for an overnight scout campout.  There were boys and their dads everywhere!  Some putting up tents, some jumping on the trampoline, some gathering firewood and stacking it, some riding in the trailer in back of the tractor going to pick up the firewood, some cooking dutch oven meals, and for an hour or so, all of them were having a AirSoft battle in our woods.  (Look at the picture to see how much wood they cut all in one day!)

I didn't see anyone down by the pond, or swinging on the rope swing in the tree, but they will probably discover those things tomorrow.

Wayne is in heaven!  He has always wanted to be like the Stephens, and have land where the scouts could camp out.  I am so glad he finally got what he always wanted.

These are only a few of the people who are here, most are not in the picture.

This photo was taken from my sewing room window.

Our Christmas

 We gathered at Isaac and Rachel's on Dec. 21 to open presents from each other.  The five grandchildren posed for a nativity picture (with and without costumes). (Grandchild #6, Gabrielle, wasn't here.)

 On Christmas morning, the four of us posed for our annual stairway picture. Everyone else was at their own houses or at in-laws.  Our first Christmas at our new house!

I ordered this folded book from a book artist for Tara, it was the most favorite gift I gave this year.

Nativity made of hardware

This was one of my favorite nativity scenes at our stake Nativity Celebration this year.  Someone was pretty creative to have thought of it.

Food for the Trek

Our stake has decided to do another youth pioneer trek in June, and yesterday Wayne was asked if he would accept the assignment to be the Quartermaster for food.  He said yes, and immediately went to work searching out websites and blogs about LDS pioneer treks.  He is all excited to spend the next five months testing out different recipes and campfire/dutch oven cooking methods so he can get the food all arranged and purchased.

He is super talented at this, and I am very sure he will do a great job.

Plus, I am SO THANKFUL that we don't have to be a Ma and Pa for a group of youth.  Hooray!


P.S. Yesterday he was released as 2nd counselor in the Young Men, but still kept his calling as Scout Master.  (He had been both.)

Happy Birthday Anson!

Here are some cute pictures of Anson from his birthday party yesterday.

Thanksgiving group photo

 

All 18 of us.  Smiley.

 

Silly.