Cleaning and Cooking and our Homecoming too.

 What a week this has been ... We spent the night at Becca and Brady's Sunday night, so that they could take off during the night for Washington DC for a realtor's conference and 11th anninversary trip.

I forgot my medication so we had to run to Payson after we got Titan off to school.  Since we were there we worked at the house, I painted the the inside of an old cupboard with glass doors that was originally in the shed when we bought the house.  Its is now full of my favorite things.

Dad worked on a few things around the house and the girls played until it was time to go home for Titan's early out day.

 Maddy had fun climbing into my angel desk ... (at the end of the week, on Sunday she disappeared during our Homecoming Open House, and guess where they found her ...)

I fixed Reagan's hair before we took off for McDonald's for dinner that night, she wanted to send a picture to her Mom.  She even blew her a kiss.  I thought that was sweet.

Here's Maddy standing on a lady bug in the play place at McD, but I thought her cute facial expression was the best part of the picture.

The big kids loved the climbing wall.

 

 We woke up to fresh snow on Tuesday, and the kids make quick work of turning it into snow cones.

Then it was off to my friend Kimi's for craft group.  I have had so much fun with these girls, and have missed our crafty days.  Following them on face book as they shared their craft days, and even crafty trips, always left me a tiny bit jealous.

It was a great welcome for me, even though a few of the girls had conflicts, and didn't join us.  This is Joanne.

 This is Kimi, who hosts our events since she has a wonderful, well stocked craft building, and Margie who joined the group while I was gone, though I have known her for years.  On the right is Shirley, who just couldn't stay away, even though she had her daughter's wedding on Saturday.

 This is Jann, who used to host the group at her house, and Kimi.

 Here are all of those who could make it ... I think the happy part is evident.

Here are some of our projects.  Can you tell the theme was birds and eggs?

When I got home, about four in the afternoon, it was my turn to change our Madison... I forgot how much I love a baby right out of the bath.  She loved her beard. (I took the picture so I could show her what it looked like.  She said "that's Madison.")

We knew it was almost  bedtime when she dragged her favorite blankie in and climbed up on the couch beside her grandpa. But then Dad was off to our first Finnish Class in Provo.  I'll join him next week.  The class is being taught by the daughter of a former Finnish mission president, who lived there in her teens.  She has a daughter who is in the MTC right now learning Finnish ... the proceeds from the class go to the support of this daughter.  Also in the class there is a young man who is learning so he can go to Finland to work in a couple of years, and another student is a recently called missionary who goes in the MTC this summer, and is getting a jump on her studies.  Dad loved it.

When we were cleaning up the house for bedtime, Titan put these writing implements on the file handles.  I thought it looked very cool, he's a contextual artist.

I was planning to work on Wednesday, but we got an email from the Ericksons with whom we served in Finland.  They came home last fall, but live in Virginia.  They've been out here for about 10 days, and had hoped to get together.  Their email said they were leaving the next day, and could we join them for lunch.  Heck yea, it took a bit to get someone to work, and someone to watch the kids to make it happen.  Nell was good enough to take them on, and they loved playing with Penny. 

 That night it was back to Payson, as we had an appointment with the Stake President ... this time it was Briahnna who saved the day.  Again, they all got some cousin time.  The Stake President asked us to speak in Stake Conference next week.

 These two families come in matched sets, at least this week they did, since Becca took Mac.  How cute are they all.

 On Thursday I was off to work and Dad and Maddy went shopping, while Reagan and Titan were both at school.

That night Dad and I watched a movie, and Titan put together a puzzle.

On Friday morning we got to visit with Becca and Brady for a bit, before heading home.  Dad had set up an energy audit.  I worked around the house, still trying to get ready for the upcoming homecoming, while Dad took the guy around to check our natural gas usages.  He put this apparatus in the family room door, to pull air from the house and guage how much air was sucked in through closed doors and windows.  Pretty interesting, eh?

You can also see my 'favorite things' cabinet to the left.

 Then we headed to Salt Lake to pick up Amanda Grant and her cousin Anna Aho, both of whom lived in our Espoo ward.  They are 16 and 17 and are staying with Amanda's older married sister who lives, interestingly enough, in Brittney and Spencer's ward is downtown SLC.  Here Amanda rides Dallas, while Darby gives her some pointers.

Darby took Dallas through his paces to get him warmed up.  She was surprised that Amanda was such a good rider.  Amanda's been riding English style for ten years, since she was six. Her cousin Anna took lessons for a while, but never loved it like Amanda does

Darby took the girls to see her other horse, Oakly.  I just don't understand why this horse in not named Seven.  Darby said she thinks his white mark looks like the conversation bubbles one sees in cartoons.

 And finally you get to see both girls, Amanda and Anna, at Cafe Rio of course ... where else? Anna's father was the first councilor in the Bishopric when we were in the ward, and was recently made the new bishop.  So fun to be in the know.

We got home about 11... we had hoped to drop in on Brittney and Spencer before heading south, but as it was 10 pm we decided to head home.  We hope they appreciate that. (I do remember how tired I was when I was pregnant.)

On Saturday we got up early and started working and working on the house.  So many little chores and fixes to do.  Becca had made arrangements to have the piano moved.   We decided to give it to her when we realized that we could seat two more people in the parlor if we said goodbye to the piano. Here is Dad saying goodbye to the wonderful piano that's been a part of our lives since 1991, when I went on a trip to see my sister Julie, and came home to it sitting in place in our first Orem house.  What a wonderful man I married .... I'd seen it at a yard sale, and had taken him to see it, but he said we couldn't afford it just then (it was $1000) ... so many good memories for more than 25 years. Dad and I counted and figured that we moved the behemoth seven times.

 The many of you all who have helped us move this oak monster, will be surprised to know that there were just two movers ....

They parked on the street by the north gate ....

 ... and just muscled it out.

Good bye our piano friend ... thank you Becca for biting the bullet to have it moved.  I know that Dad and Brady and your brothers appreciate it.  I'm just glad that its staying in the family .... happy practicing Titan and Reagan.

 Then it was off to Macey's to buy the food for our Homecoming open house.  While we were waiting at the Deli for them to finish up the meat and cheese trays ... Dad found these two Finnish Cheeses .... in the international section, how fun is that?

 We were sorry to miss Darby's horse show that day, but were glad to hear that Becca and Davin's families went to cheer her on, as well as her friend Dallas. (Not to be confused with her horse)

By 10:00 P.M. I was so exhausted that I sat down in the parlor, and it took me an hour to get up the gumption to climb those stairs.  Dad had headed up before I sat down ... where he lay in bed with visions of me continuing to finish up small projects, bless his cotton socks.

Sunday morning Dad played sous chef as I prepared the salads for the open house ... of course he was all about his specialty, making homemade root beer.

The last thing we did before heading to church was to hang the welcome home sign that Davin and Bri's family had made for us and brought to the airport.

 Dad teared up when we got to church and he saw all these beloved missionaries standing in the foyer.

Ben and Hannah got to the house first and opened it up.  They also ended up taking over 'the keeping stuff filled' job, along with Becca ... thanks heavens for their help. We also appreciate all of our children who came, and helped out.  We love you all, and felt bad that we didn't really have time to chat.  Thanks for coming and supporting us.  We also love our other children who had commitments that kept them away. We really have such amazing children.

 Here is a picture of the Clarks.  Behind, to the left is Jane, who is marred to Jack, and who are the parents of Little Clark, being held by Grandma Jo, who is standing by Grandpa Clark. Little Clark's twin Anthony is named for his maternal grandfather.  How fun is that.  And let me tell you, its kind of weird, but having a grandchild named after you (I have Abigail Paula Talley)  kind of makes you feel extra connected.  Not sure why,but it does.

 Of course we love having grands in the house ... This is Eleanor and Adi.

 Here we're meeting one of Dad's favorite LDS Romance authors, Annette Luthy Lyon.  She is the niece of Amanita Koivula, who was such a good friend to me in the Espoo ward. (Amanita's sister married an American missionary and came back to Finland with him when he was  Mission President)  Dad got to know Annette on a  Finnish Facebook page and she came down for our homecoming.  How perfect!

Uncle Doug gets to know Mac as Darby plays with him.

 Bruce and Dianne brought two grandchildren, ages 8 and 9 ... along with Phil and Nicole and their family.  Bruce and Dianne's  nine year old grandson, who lives with them, came up to me and very seriously said...."I went down in your basement, and I was not scared at all" .... he was very impressed with his bravery, one just has to wonder why he thought it was scary down there in the first place .... aren't kids the best?

 Arlene, Shirley, Doug and one of Phil's daughters, who was especially borrowed for the occasion of taking this picture.

 Teri and I bookend Barb in our matching polka dots.

 After most of our guests had left, Jack and Shamayne Mason stopped by

As did Jerry and Amy Mason ...it was really fun to have a long visit with them and catch up.

Jack has been fight colon cancer for a long time.  I've been following his struggle on face book, and we always pray for his recovery.  But it is so evident that he has become so acquainted with the Lord in his extremity.  We love them all, though we have know Jerry and Amy better in the past.

When our last guest left it was 6:30.

My cute friend Kimi drove down from the point of the mountain to visit.  Later, while I was blogging, and we were texting, and alternately reading remarks left on Dad's FB post about the day, she mentioned that she just realized that one of the missionaries we knew best, who had posted, is actually her cousin.  Of course Dad is snoring right now, since its 1:00 A.M. and that's what normal people do... but he's going to love it when he finds out in the morning ... connections between people that he knows and love is his second favorite thing ... (Of course grandkids are his first favorite thing.)

So this is the official end of our mission.  We have loved the experience.  We have loved how it has deepened our commitment to each other and to our children and grandchildren.  During our mission we have grown in the gospel, and in our love for our Savior.  It has changed us in ways that we never imagined possible.