Homecoming 2012

Adam turned 16 at the beginning of July, thus making him eligible to date.  He goodnaturedly took me out on his first date (a request I made of both him and his brother), but he has since gone out on some "real" dates, including Centennial's Homecoming Dance.  Hard to believe my youngest kid is a dating man, but then I am a grandma.  I must be old.

The best part of Adam's homecoming experience may have been his day activity where he went to the BSU-Miami of Ohio football game with his date and her family.  Adam is a HUGE Boise State fan--he's even rooting for them in the post-Kellen era--and so was his date's family.  So, he and Lauren enjoyed watching BSU actually generate some offense, a rarity this season, and trounce the RedHawks.  Adam was particularly impressed that Lauren's dad would high five everyone after every good play.  He may want to go to ALL of the games with her dad.

They went and got pictures out in Eagle, ate Greek food at a little bistro, and went to the dance briefly.  Adam said the dances themselves get a little wild, so they hadn't planned on staying long.  Afterward, they went swimming in someone's backyard pool and watched part of a movie.  They really enjoyed their date.

All dressed up with some place to go.

Someone in their group said they were the most closely matched.  I concur.

In a lighter moment. . .

Adam was especially happy that he was
actually taller than Lauren.

Cheese!

I was most pleased that Adam had such an unforced, fun time on his date.  He said he was surprised that it was never awkward and that they were just able to talk and have fun.  News flash:  that's what dating is supposed to be, especially at this age.  He has plenty of years ahead for more intense dating and relationship stuff.  Just have fun, boy!  Have some fun!

XC Update (before the season ends)

Sorry about the blogging break.  I have been immersed in organizing and writing the Primary sacrament meeting program for the past week and a half.  This annual event has long been my favorite sacrament meeting program of the year, but I never fully appreciated how much work went in to it.  I'm even more grateful now than I have been in the past for those sisters who slaved away to make each program come off relatively seamlessly.  I'll let you know how ours goes on October 28th.

Adam is about halfway through his junior cross country season.  Due to budget cuts, there are even fewer meets this fall than last, so he has just two more meets before the district race in about a month.  The biggest news flash is that he isn't injured this year, and he is running well and having fun.  That last part is most important to me.  I told him many times last season, "If you have fun when you run, then you've won."  I've discovered he has the most fun when he runs fast.  Not surprisingly, he runs a lot faster when he's not injured.

He really came through in his first meet of the season, the Jimmy Driscoll Invitational at Bishop Kelly.  It was so smoky that Saturday morning that I was actually kind of surprised they held the meet.  Witness:

Adam and teammate, Scott.  No, this picture is
not blurry.  It really was that smoky.

Sprinting down the homestretch

Yup, Top 10!  Hooray for Adam!

He has had three more meets since the opening lung-scorching race.  (My eyes and lungs were burning just standing there.  Don't know how they did it.)  He ran in the Twilight Invitational in Caldwell, the Silverwood Coaster Cross in Coeur d'Alene, and Centennial's Stephen Thompson Memorial Centipede Race.

He always seems a little tightly wound before each race.
Guess that what makes him run fast.  I just want to hug him.

And they're off. . .

The Centipede Race is the most unique one they run all year.  Seven runners have to hold on to a rope and complete the first 2.25 miles together.  Then they hit the transition zone where they drop the rope and race the last 0.75 miles on their own.  Adam had the disadvantage of being assigned to be the lead runner this year, and he expended a ton of energy pacing/dragging everyone along.  Fortunately, his team did well and finished second overall.  He was run down in the homestretch by a normally slower runner that he had paced along, but I think that makes him all the more fired up to run well at Bob Firman this Saturday.  

Waiting for the "Runners, take your mark. . ."

Rounding the corner just prior to the drop zone.  I think
Adam was pretty gassed at this point, but he did great.

Buckle up for the last half of the season.  I think Centennial is on their way to state!  Mark the date:  October 27th in Lewiston.  (That's gonna be a BUSY weekend!  See above.)

What Else Makes Me Smile?

Okay, so I freely admit that I am obsessed with my granddaughter.  She is amazing, but I have other things in my life that make me smile.  Really, I do.  I spent 45+ years before Emily arrived living a relatively happy life.  So, there are other joys.  Here are a few, in no particular order:

1)  Adam had injury-riddled cross country and track seasons last year, but he is healthy this year and is running with more confidence and, well, happiness.  Almost every race last year seemed to be a valiant struggle.  It's just heartwarming to see him running fun again.  Makes me smile.

2)  Mike and I celebrated 25 years of marriage almost two weeks ago.  I love him even more today than I did on August 21, 1987.  We've had a pretty good ride together, full of the inevitable ups and downs of life, but I've learned that he'll stick with me through both good and bad times.  He is kind, unselfish, hardworking, faithful, and optimistic.  That last attribute is a good counterpoint to my too-often moody nature.  He is simply a happy touchstone in our home.  He makes me smile.

There may be only one person more enchanted by
Emily than me--Granddad Mike!

3)  My parents-in-law celebrated 50 years of marriage on August 31st.  Wow!  Knowing that Mike loved me, they welcomed me into the family with such kindness and warmth.  It was Mike's mom who suggested that he "take out one of those Forsnes twins," so I will be forever indebted to her.  I have grown to love these two as my second set of parents and feel completely comfortable calling them Mom and Dad.  They have a strong marriage and taught Mike to honor women and to be a strong priesthood holder.  They are serving in the Hermosillo Mexico temple right now, and we miss them.  Thinking of them coming home in just two months makes me smile.  I've missed them.

4)  I miss my missionaries like crazy, but getting their letters and thinking of the many opportunities they have to serve and to grow makes me smile.  Their letters are the highlight of my Monday, so much so that I look forward to Monday.  What a tremendous opportunity to have two gone at once.  Am I lonely sometimes?  You betcha.  Would I rather have them home?  No way!

Matt and his "crazy trainer," Elder Gardner.  He now
has a latino companion.  He says his language skills are growing.

Rachel and her companion, Sister Hinckley, have had some neat
experiences in the Hamilton Mill Ward.  Rachel is now a trainer and
has a new companion she is orienting.  She's doing great!

5)  We had the chance to go to the open house of the new Brigham City Temple, and reflecting on the joy the gospel brings to me makes me smile.  I'm grateful that I have been taught the Plan of Happiness and that I know that I can live with my family, Heavenly Father, and the Savior forever.  That will bring the biggest smile yet.

What Makes Me Smile?

We have a whiteboard in our restroom at work where every couple of weeks someone posts a question.  We nurses can then write our anonymous answers, and it provides a little entertainment for us.  Some of the answers to this latest question?  "Another smile, toddlers, feeling my baby move."  My answer was easy:  my grandbaby.  Seriously, there is no quicker way to make me grin than to show me a picture of sweet baby Emily.  How I love this little girl!!

See if you can suppress a smile when you look at these:

And, my very favorite photo:

Don't tell Emily, but she could pretty much ask me for anything she wants.  If she looked at me with those bright, brownish eyes and gave me a big old smile, I would quickly comply.  I wonder if I'll be as smitten by all of my grandchildren.  My guess is YES!!!

'Tis the Season

Not much new to report from Boise except that the summer is winding down. What?! I'm trying to figure out how every year goes faster than the last. I also wonder why time flies so much faster in the summer than it does in the winter. . .

One benefit of the summer is garden produce. When I was away at college, it seemed like most of my mom's autumn letters would describe in great detail how beautiful the yard looked and how bounteously the garden was producing. Who knew I would grow up to revel in similar events? I love the smell of fresh-cut grass, and the manicured lines in the lawn do far more for me than the lines on my carpet after vacuuming. I love a pretty flower bed, along with healthy trees and shrubs.

My favorite part of the summer has to be the produce, however. Is there anything better than a tomato fresh off the vine or a raspberry eaten in the garden? I'm amazed every year when things start to ripen and mature. I'm still trying to figure out how two or three squash seeds can yield dozens of vegetables. This year we planted ONE hill of spaghetti squash, and an entire corner of the garden has now been overrun by enormous plants with lots of ripening squash. We tried one a few nights ago, and while it wasn't at its peak, it was pretty tasty. We may end up with plenty to share, however.

It's been a hot summer, and the tomato plants have
taken a hit, but the tomatoes themselves are thriving.

We've been able to can quite a bit in the past few weeks, and there are bottles of tomatoes in the canner as we speak.  Even though food is abundant, and it's ridiculously easy to drive to the store and purchase a can of tomatoes, there's something so soul-satisfying about canning my own produce.  Maybe I should have been a pioneer woman. . . NOT!  I like all of today's modern conveniences way too much.

We made some cooked raspberry jam for Karen and Andrew
when they were here in July.  Tasty!

Canning is way more fun when you can do it with
someone you love.  Lots of time to talk. . .

Gardening can even be fun. . . when you're slaving away
with your favorite brother-in-law.

I've always found working in the garden very grounding, pun intended.  It's such a reminder of how blessed we are, how work yields results, and how beautiful the earth is. And now, I think I'll look up some recipes for spaghetti squash. . .

Trip to the 'Burg

My parents have been home from their mission for about ten months.  We've seen them a lot, and it feels so great to have them home.  Adam informed me recently, however, that we hadn't been for a "real visit" to Rexburg since they returned.  We did rush over there to hear them speak in church, but we didn't stay long.  I spent almost a week over there with just my mom and dad, but Adam was right.  We hadn't invaded in FAR too long.  So we hopped in the van and headed east.

I was born of goodly parents, and it was so nice to spend time in their clean, comfortable, inviting home.  Mom and Dad always make us feel so very welcome that the trip is always worth it.  It's fun to go in the summer especially when the weather is nice and when the garden produce is on.  Mom and Dad grow the best raspberries!!

I failed to take very many pictures, but I did snap a few:

Dinner always tastes better when someone else makes it, and Dad
grilled some pretty awesome burgers.  Mom put everything else together.

Pretty sure I'm never going to outgrow needing my mommy. . .

We got Dad to go golfing with us on Friday morning, and while no
one played super well, we sure had fun.  A bad day on the golf
course beats a good day at work. . . every time.

Mike, Adam, and I ventured back the next day and due to a tournament that was being held on the other 18 holes, we tried out the "links style" middle nine at Teton Lakes.  I discovered that I'm probably not a good enough golfer for links golf.  I lost about a million balls, and the round took forever.  We played it through twice, once as individuals and then best ball the next time.  We managed a two over par for best ball.

Adam's a fun golf partner, and we used a lot of his
shots on best ball.  He's a good putter and chipper.
He's working on eliminating his slice.

We tried to follow the message on this rock, but when you start a round
of golf kind of poorly, it's sometimes hard to right the ship.

I managed to hit it quite close on a par 3, and then. . .
we all missed the putt.  We are definitely amateurs.

Mike never misses putts of this length when he is playing solo.  What?!

A big shout out to my parents for helping us to have a fun weekend.  We enjoyed the Olympics together (particularly watching the men's 10,000 while eating frozen custard--hooray for Galen Rupp!!), talking, sleeping in and taking naps (even Mike!), and eating great meals.  It was a relaxing weekend.

Another shout out to my parents for being such great examples.  I reflected last weekend that their going on a mission is undoubtedly having a profound effect on their three grandchildren who are presently out in the field.  Can you have more influence on a grandchild than by doing what's right and serving others?  I think not.

Can't remember the story behind Dad's accessory, but
he hasn't worn it since he got home.

We loved going to Rexburg, and it will be even more amazing to visit when Mike's parents return in about THREE months!!!  What's better than two grandparents?  Four, of course! 

Blast from the Past

Remember how bummed I was when the Holmsteads moved two years ago?  It was hard to see friends of sixteen years pull up the tent stakes and head to Florida, but they did what was best for their family.  Selfishly, I was still sad, and even today I still miss them. 

Recently, their daughter Heather (Karen's age) had a baby girl.  I knew mama Kendra would be out to Utah to help with the wee one, and I knew I just had to find a way to see her.  My schedule looked a little crowded, but I figured Kendra's trek west would be my best shot to hook up with one of my dear friends.  So, I went for it.  Know what?  It was totally worth it.  I got to spend a couple of hours with Kendra and Heather, meet the new baby, and see my sweet grandbaby (and her AWESOME parents).  Those were some of the best 32 hours I've ever spent.



Emily loves lots of action and was happy to meet a new
 friend. . . and to meet Nana's friend, Kendra, and Karen's friend, Heather.

Alena Mae Moreno, born July 20th.  Sweet baby girl!

Alena was too sleepy to be super social, but happily, Emily was
also too young to bother her new friend.  It wouldn't have been
 too cool if she had tried to grab her face or something.

These new moms met each other when they were just six years old.
I had no idea that time would fly so quickly.

If Karen and Heather are mothers, that must mean that Kendra and I are grandmas.  Could we possibly be that old?  Are we mature enough to handle that blessed title?  Absolutely! 

I wish that everyone from both families could have gotten together, but something tells me that will probably never happen. . . at least not any time in the near future.  Rachel, Matt, and Derek are all serving missions, and I suspect that we may have to wait until the next life for everyone to be together.  However, I'm grateful for the happy memories our visit brought up and thankful that the next generation is arriving safe and sound.  "Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver, and the other gold."

Emily, Emily, Emily!!

Seems hard to believe it's been less than a week since my sweet grandbaby abandoned me.  It feels so very much longer.  Seriously.  I don't know if I can handle seeing her only every month or two or three.  I just adore this little girl, and as the following pictures will show, Mike and Adam kinda like her, too.  She's pretty cute, but I know I'm biased.  I do see lots of babies, however.  Just sayin'. . .

I looked through the many pictures we took of her, and I found one that reminded me of Karen:

I have a hard time seeing Karen in Emily with her darker eyes
and hair.  However, for some reason, she reminded me of Karen when
 her eyes were closed, and she was crying.  Sorry, Karen!

Fortunately, Emily didn't cry the whole time she was here, and we snapped some happy, peaceful shots as well.  She looked especially cute in her yellow Sunday dress and white cardigan and in her outfit from Aunt Rachel.

Like Karen when she was a baby, she loves to be propped up in
the corner of a couch or chair.  That way she can see all the action.

I still can't get over all that hair!



When Karen was a baby, her aunt Jenny told me that I needed to have twins and then she, Aunt Brenda, and Aunt Becky wouldn't fight so much over their Baby K.  I completely understand that sentiment now.  I felt jealous whenever either Mike or Adam was holding Emily.  I tried to be a good sharer; I really did!

Mike LOVES being Granddad!!

We installed our swingset over a decade ago with the hopes that it would last
through grandkids.  Emily LOVED swinging with her granddad.  Sometimes
it was the only way she could get to sleep.  Mike loved it even more than Emily did.

Emily even consented to being on the front porch swing
with me every now and again.  That was heaven! 


The person who may have enjoyed Emily the very most was Uncle Adam.  As the youngest, he obviously never had little brothers or sisters, and he was completely entranced by every little move she made and just by her very being.  He would say, "She's just a little person."  I think he'll be even more enamored when she is sitting up, playing with toys, crawling, and even walking around.  Right now, I know he is LOVING his position of being the only available uncle/aunt on the Young side.  Rachel and Matt are going to have some catching up to do when they get back.

All dressed up and ready for church.

For having never really held a baby before, he quickly
got the hang of it.  He's going to be a good daddy someday.

Adam especially loved it when Karen dressed Emily in the outfit
he got her for the baby shower.  He said it expressed her feelings perfectly.


Emily Time is Awesome Time.  Can't wait until I can see her again!