More Wisconsin Pictures

Kristen sent me some pictures from her camera from my Wisconsin visit that I wanted to share (and preserve!)

This is the book I read to Brielle's 2nd grade class.  Actually, I found this on my Ipad.  

She got several shots of me with baby Audrey:

Nathan and Grandma

Jacob and Grandma

Brielle and Grandma

These kids love art projects!

Trip To Wisconsin

I recently returned from a wonderful week in Wisconsin where I met our newest granddaughter, Audrey Elizabeth Mackrory.  She is child number four in the Mackrory family.

The whole family picked me up at the airport on Sunday evening.  When we got to the house, there were welcome notes posted throughout the house and even suckers for me taped to the door knob.

Nathan, Jacob, and Brielle

And even some chocolates on my bed.  

Welcome to the world, Audrey Elizabeth!

Sister time

This picture is a bit blurry, but it shows Audrey's favorite position.  When you lay her down, she always turns on her side.  

It was so fun to be in the Mackrory home and see how their day to day life is.  Brielle reads a chapter from the bible every night.  She already read the whole Book of Mormon.  She will be baptized in November.  Nathan also reads from the children's versions of the scriptures.  

Jakie  and I hung out together a lot while the others were at school.  He is such a fun little boy  Here he is playing  his "guitar." (rubber bands around a shoe box.)  

He heard a guitar in the kid's music I played for him, so ran to get his "guitar" to play along and dance.  So cute!

We took Audrey to the doctor for a weight check.  She mostly wanted to eat!

Brielle and I made the treats for Family home evening on Monday. 

Family Home Evening

I think this picture of Family Home Evening belongs in the Ensign.  The children are so engaged.  It was so fun to be there and witness it.  

Even Audrey was sort of alert!

Wisconsin had a terrible storm/storms in July.  Actually five tornadoes touched down in the area.  Many were without power or Internet for days.  Luckily, Kristen's family was fine with minimal damage.  Cute story:  the storm hit around midnight.  It hit with fury and awoke everyone.  Nathan, who was sleeping on the top bunk woke up scared.  He kneeled up and was saying a prayer for protection when he heard his little brother below him get out of bed.  He said he changed his mind about praying and ran for his parents room.  They huddled in the basement for a little while until it passed.  Their power came back on the next afternoon, but many were without power for days.

Nathan's soccer practice.

Running right through the soccer practice field is a train track.  A train came through during practice.  The little boys were SO excited.  I didn't get a picture then, so I asked after practice to show me what he did when he saw the train.  YEP,  That's what he did.  

I got to go two days to the school and read to the children in the library.  I did Brielle's 2nd grade class on Tuesday.  I taught them the Alligator Stroll from Sandra Boynton's new book.  It was so fun, but we forgot to take pictures.  We took this one after Brielle got home:

  On Thursday, I did Nathan's 1st grade class.  I read "Enemy Pie."  It was so fun.  So fun.  

Nathan showed me his locker . . .

. . . and desk.  

Remembering heaven.  

The updated Mackrory family.  

Kristen and baby Audrey.  (Yes, Kristen's eyes really are that blue.)

The View From Saturday

The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


My daughters and I had a wonderful discussion about this book in our online book club. This is the third Konigsburg book we've read and discussed and agreed this is our favorite of the three. It made an excellent book club book as there were so many insights and deeper meanings to be discussed. Konigsburg is a genius writer. The story and characters can be thoroughly enjoyed by a sixth grader, but adults can enjoy pealing the layers of meaning and symbolism and really get a lot out of it on their level as well. I love books like that. It is the story of four very intelligent sixth graders, brought together by their need for friends and acceptance(a common theme in her books.) They are chosen to represent their class in an academic bowl competition and truly become a team in every sense. Though character-driven, there is plenty of action and conflict to keep you turning the pages.



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Ride to the Grand Canyon

Ken and his friend Dale Leavitt just completed a great ride to the north rim of the Grand Canyon.  They started at Jacob Lake and rode 44 miles to the north rim of the Grand Canyon.  They've been planning this trip for a couple of months and just had a great time!  

BYU Education Week, 2013

It's been years since I attended Education Week.  It was wonderful to go again.  As I think about it, it has to be a unique environment:  thousands upon thousands of people- young and old -  converge upon a campus to learn . . .just for fun.  They fill their minds and their hearts and their souls with good stuff, then go home to try to practice what they've learned.  It is a invigorating environment.

A highlight of the week was the devotional address by Elder Russell M. Ballard.  He paid tribute to and spoke about the role of women.  It was a powerful address.  He spoke so plainly about the temple and it's purpose.  

One of my favorite teachers is Randall Wright.  I went to several of his classes.  

I went with my sister Pam and her husband, Roger.  We had such a wonderful time.  Thank you to my sister, Patty and her husband, Hal.  They let us stay in their beautiful home though they are in Germany serving their third mission.  It was so kind of them to let us sleep there. I took my camera, but didn't take a single picture.  I don't know what's happening to me.  I used to be picture taker extroidinaire. I stole some off the Internet and some off of Pam's blog.  Maybe I've become picture STEALER extroidinaire!

Lunch at the Cougar Eat. Us and EVERYBODY else!  Is that an empty chair I see behind us?  Amazing!!!

This is Marvin Goldstein playing the instrument he first learned to play as a child- the accordian.  He is such a talented musician .  I loved his class with Janice Kapp Perry.  

Roger snapped pictures on his iphone.  We loved this class on the atonement by Brother Sweat.  It was so good.  

Another favorite class was one on the hymns taught by Brother Eggetz- an Institute teacher and the leader of the MTC choir.  I have studied the hymns in our hymnbook in what I thought was great depth.  I know nothing compared to what I learned in this class.  You see, I studied them BEFORE Mr. Google was born.  Mr. Google and I are best friends now, and I'm learning SO much.  I'm loving re- immersing myself in the hymns.  I am excited to learn lots more.

  Well, I could go on and on.  I loved being in a learning environment and taking notes and walking the BYU campus again.  It was wonderful to spend time with Pam and Roger.  I sure hope I can go back next year!!