Beneath the Wraps

                Kevin had asked Richard if he would consider visiting him at his house in Arizona.  Kevin’s plane wasn’t scheduled to leave until after 5:00 pm.  But Richard and I left the hotel at 5:30 a.m.  Kevin said his good-byes and returned to bed.  Reagan did not even know we were going.         It took us maybe five or six hours before we made it to Kevin’s house.   We had made a detour to fix a chip that was made in our windshield.   It hadn’t occurred to me that it was Saturday and most auto-glass places seem to be closed. Thankfully the chip didn’t spread to cracks. We were able to visit with Tara and the two older boys.   Tara had to go grocery shopping and took Richard and the baby.   I stayed with the boys.   We colored.   They showed me their room and their toys.    It was Conner’s birthday that day but as Kevin and Reagan weren’t home the opening of g...

            Roland believes that every person should have a cake for his/her birthday.   It doesn't matter if they can have cake or want cake or don't like cake.   I believe that his motto is "No Birthday is Complete Without Cake"             Usually when Roland's birthday is coming up and people ask, "What do you want for your birthday" he doesn't ask for a cake, but rather a homemade card.   But this year was different.   I asked what he'd like for dinner and he said he wanted me to make him a birthday cake from scratch.   Okay.   How very brave of you.             I looked up a recipe under the topic "Birthday Cake" and followed the directions to this one.   (recipe at the end of her blog post before comments)   I used blue and white sprinkles as that is what we had. ...

            I enjoy looking at the memories that facebook reminds me for each day.   The thing I enjoy most is reading comments from friends who have since passed away - like yesterday morning for instance, I was reading thoughts to wish my husband and I "Happy Wedding Anniversary" for almost each year I'd been on facebook.   The last comment I read was from my mom.   I think that's cool.             Mom was not an avid facebook user.   She seemed to allow herself to get flustered with modern technology.   The year I started my facebook account was also the first year her children all wondered if there was some instability happening with mom's mind.   I don't know if that was the first year she'd been tested for Alzheimer's.   I do know she was tested at least twice, but the results didn't show Alzheimer's - but she was in the early stages of dementia.   Ma...

          Jenna LOVES it when we sign up to feed the missionaries.   Just a few days after we fed the missionaries, Eva called to ask when we could sign up again.   If it were up to Jenna, we’d be feeding them on a daily basis, I think.   But I really wasn’t ready to make a commitment for the optional dates which Eva had given.             She had really been pushing for this past Friday, but Beth had already contacted me to see if Roland and I could meet her and Graham for lunch as they were passing through from Ashland on their way back to McMinnville.   At that time I didn’t really know how late we’d be eating and so said I would just talk to her on Sunday.   Only we didn’t have church on Sunday as it was General Conference.   I think she called five times in less than 24 hours.   One was to fill in for a cancellation the Elders had made for ye...

          Today is Jenna's birthday. It is also "Find a Rainbow Day". She now starts life off as a teenager although she has absolutely no desire of growing up.   She tried watching conference yesterday.   I admire her for trying.   And I know she really was trying to make comments each time she made an off-the-wall comment that brought a smile to my face.           The first was during the morning session yesterday when the camera had swung around the men performing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.   The view was from behind and two the side.           "Is that Donald Trump?!?   That guy [in the choir]'s hair looks like Donald Trump's!   Why would anyone want his hair to be like Donald Trump's?!?"             I think it was during Ronald A. Rasband's talk i...

            We celebrated Jenna's birthday at the end of the month ( see here ) because of the move.  Sadly more would have showed up if we had stuck with the original date.             Savannah and Bella had both shown up to the bowling alley with gifts, but Kyle did not have one - which is okay.  In the past we have always expressed our interest is with the guests themselves and gifts aren't even necessary.              Kyle was overly quiet that day.  Seemed sad, almost.  Was it because she hadn't brought a gift?  The other night we took her and Jenna to the movies as Jenna had been given tickets by the school earlier in the year for her good behavior.  They expire at the end of this month.             Kyle must ha...

     I had hired a clown the year that Jenna turned three.   Her first birthday party with friends – one redhead, five blondes, and Jenna with her dark hair.      The clown’s name was Wheeler.   Two of my boys told me that I should hire my brother-in-law, Bill – who was actually not my brother-in-law at the time.   His wife, Annaleigh had some serious health issues and she would be a priority to whatever party plans I might have made.   At the time, I wasn’t aware that he really was trying to get gigs as a professional clown.      So on Jenna’s 6 th and 9 th birthday, we had Rocko come entertain the troops.   It was on her 9 th birthday that I realized she had had a clown at her party every three years.   I jokingly asked, “ Will you have a clown at your party when you turn 12 and 15?”      She said if it were possible, she would have had...

               Earlier last month, the neighbor next door invited J enna to a birthday party for her niece.  The plans included outdoor bbq, games and a bouncy house.  She somehow had the impression that Jenna was/is younger than she is (that is actually the first time anybody has made that assumption. Based upon physical appearance alone, people have always thought that Jenna is older than she is.)                   I, too, had been misled.  I presumed her niece, M olly, would be a little older than she is.  She is actually younger than what Jenna and I had been expecting.  But still, the family really did want Jenna to come.  The weather put a damper on all original plans.         The party had been moved from next door to grandma's house located ...