January Jonquils

"Hello" to a new month and a new year.  I figured a new year was a good time to update our picture.  Looks good, doesn't it?  As I was thinking about what to entitle my blogs for this year, I realized that I have used all the adjectives that alliterate with the months, probably over and over.  I tried a year of not alliterating at all but it was so boring to me...and since I think I am really the only one who reads the blog, I probably should care whether or not I am bored. :-) So this year I am going to gather a bouquet of alliterating flowers.  You are all flowers in my life's bouquet anyway, so it makes sense to me even if it doesn't to anyone else.

~Jonquils~

My iPhoto hasn't been working the last few days, so I haven't been able to really get the blog finished as I would like.  But today is February 3, so I'm going to publish it anyway.  If you have sent pictures for the blog and they are not included, never fear, I have saved them all on email and will put them on as soon as Jeremy gets me up and running.  He has been working so hard on it for me and I really appreciate his time and talent.

We have had such a beautiful January, weather-wise and peacefulness-wise...except for Joel and his family, that is, who are so involved with the Gilbert Temple open house, cultural celebration and dedication.  January has found Dad and me mostly staying home, serving in the temple. Dad has been doing books and trimming back bushes, and I have been sitting in a dentist's chair, swimming and making aprons for Daynen and Porter and just enjoying peace and quiet.  This month, it seems, has been focused on "T's."  Temple (including the open house and our temple service); Teeth (I have been to two dentists this month, 4 times, to get a tricky root canal taken care of); Thomas Wyatt's baptism; Talks (Dad and I had to talk in Sacrament meeting on the 2nd Sunday, and remembered that we spoke last year on the 2nd Sunday in January as well.  I also spoke at Thomas' baptism); Teaching (of course, my ever-present responsibility to teach Relief Society).  I guess it doesn't sound as peaceful and uneventful as I said, does it? 

This picture of the Gilbert Temple is one Daynen took.

My Christmas cactus, which only blooms once a year, bloomed in January, not December. It made me smile, though, even blooming late.  The flowers are all gone now, and it won't bloom again until next year. 

Our January birthdays are so perfect for starting out a new year.  We have Shad, Connie, Reygan and Albert.

Shad "Robertson" Brown's birthday was the 7th (also Rebecca and Scott's silver anniversary)

Connie's was the 14th

Reygan's 16th birthday was the 20th

Albert's 14th birthday was the 25th

We started our January with an Eagle Court of Honor for Mitchell McHugh.  He held it at Discovery Park.

Dallin's girlfriend, Sarah, came to visit after the new year, and we got to meet her at dinner at Rebecca's.  She's a very sweet girl from New Jersey.

The other girls you may not recognize are Savannah, their cousin on the Evans side, and a girl who just joined the church after taking lessons at their house.

Thomas and Jenn had a good idea for changing around the baptism celebration tradition.  Instead of a luncheon after the baptism, they had a FHE before.  Thomas Wyatt gave the lesson, the kids who had been baptized recently sung a baptism song and we had ice cream for a treat.  It was a very nice way to get prepared and to make Thomas feel special and important.

The baptism was held in the Thatcher Stake Center, and since he was the only one from his ward being baptized, he was able to have a personal service with his own choices for speakers, songs and prayers.  His Grandma Anna and I gave talks, Rachel led the music, Rylie played, Kirtlyn and Luke gave the prayers, and Grandpa and his Uncle Cory Echols were the witnesses.  

Confirming him were, Russ Reynolds, (a member of the Bishopric of the Thatcher 6th Ward, who also conducted), Jorge Whetten (our across-the-street neighbor from Mexico), Cory Echols, Thomas, Tyson, Dad, Tony...more "T's"...from our family: Thomas, Tyson, Tony, Tom :-)

The whole group who attended, except for the lady from the ward who took the picture.

Lillian, Rylie, Polly, Isabel and I had an "Old Movie Night."  We watched "Cinderfella" with Jerry Lewis.  We had popcorn but that just set their tasters for ice-cream after they left.  I assume that Lillian is taking this picture. Sometime we'll have to do it when Reygan, Hannah, Marlie and Shannyn can do it with us.

Dad and I were invited by Joel to attend a special, pre-open house tour of the Gilbert Temple.  It was scheduled for Saturday morning, the 18th, but Joel called us on the 17th and asked if we wanted to go then as there was a temporary lull in VIP's.  We were excited to go, so we met Joel, Stephanie and Jeremy who guided us through.  Oh my goodness, it is so beautiful!  I love the color scheme, the stained glass windows, the rich warm woodwork, and all the original art.  The lull didn't last long, and Joel and Stephanie had to hurry off in the middle, but Jeremy stuck it out with us to the end.

After our tour, we went into the tent Joel had set up for refreshments.  It was the most elegant tent I have ever seen, with flowers, paintings and missionaries! Brother Basha provided the refreshments.  Sister Basha was actually there while we were. I think she is the one talking to the white-haired lady. 

Later in the month, Dad and I treated ourselves to lunch at El Charro and saw both Thomas and Lillian.  Thomas sat down to eat with us, but Lillian was hard at work and only had time to come by to smile for a picture.

Mary and Tyson invited us to watch "Mitt" on their Netflicks. We had pizza and fresh veggies.

We really enjoyed watching our cousin.  He is a class act. No foul language, no backbiting, no lowbrow behavior.  I was proud of him.  I'm including this picture of his father, George.  Joel asked for it and after I found it I thought you all might like to see it too.  This was taken, I think, in Washington when Grandma Brinton was there, representing Arizona as 1966 Mother of the Year.  Read the caption.  So actually, Mitt is a double cousin, through is mother and through his father.

Dad went to Mesa on the 30th to attend a condo board meeting and stayed in the condo with the Browns.

I stayed home to go to Polly's last home game, work on the blog and take promised rolls to a funeral.  Polly got to play a lot, even making a basket and over 20 assists.  It was a varsity game, Senior night, but Polly, as a freshman, played a respectable amount.  They won by over 50 points!

Mary brought over her very pregnant sister-in-law to swim .  The pool seemed warm when they first stepped in, but 84 degrees only sounds warm.  When body temperature is 98.6 or so, 84 feels pretty cool. They only stayed in the water for a few minutes, then came in the house saying, "Mom, you're crazy!" I guess it's an acquired taste, something you have to get used to.  It was a chilly day, I'll admit.  Note the cloudy sky.

When Jer and Reygan were here, we took them to lunch at El Charro to thank him for all the time he has spent, from home, working on my iPhoto mess.  He is still working on it.  I'm embarrassed that it is such a big problem, but also thankful that he is able to help us fix it.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

NATHAN AND SHAUNA

Bethany and Palmer went with his parents on a dream trip to Disney World...at the same time, I think that Josh and Nicole were having their trip to Disney Land :-)

This is Hannah and her choir at their fundraising dinner.  They are preparing to go to Branson again.

Hannah was the speaker at the stake youth night, introducing the 2014 theme. These girls are ones she grew close to when she was their YCL at camp.  Hannah also sang "The Star Spangled Banner" again at a home game.  

Josh and Nathan went to a Creighton vs St. Johns game.  Creighton won. I think that is who they were rooting for since it is in their city.

JOEL AND STEPHANIE

Joel, has had a frantic month with the Gilbert Temple open house and cultural celebration and dedication...one that won't end with the month, but will go on into March, when he starts his festival season.

I got these pictures from Instagram, obviously.  For some reason, since Dad changed the computer's operating program, when I crop a picture it doesn't stay cropped.  

Joel and his staff, including Jeremy, have spent the whole of January and much of October, November and December at the Temple, making sure everything is going well...actually, maybe July, August and September too.  And when he isn't actually on site, he is in meeting after meeting making plans.  He says that if he could just do it himself it would be much easier, but he has to go through committees to get anything done.  He says it takes hours in a committee meeting to decide where to put a chair! Both he and Stephanie will be so glad when the whole thing is over and they can get back to being a family...ooops! just in time for his festival season to begin.

He and Stephanie are tour guides.

DANIEL AND CONNIE

Connie and the kids have officially been recognized as members of the Creek Indian tribe.  She has Creek heritage, but has actually more Cherokee than Creek.  However, because  of some matriarchal inheritance issues, her Creek blood is what is recognized.

They have had a lot of winter wonderland.

This picture, by Emma, of a howling wolf, was sent home by her teacher because she was so impressed and wanted Emma's parents to see it. Another artist in the family. Of course, with Jesse Nevin as her grandfather, she has true artist genes.

Albert's 14th birthday cake...another amazing "Connie Cake." I don't think anyone made her a "Connie cake" for her birthday.

I got these pictures off of Facebook. Shadrach had a date to the frozen Hanging Lake.  It looks very cold, but his date is very cute.

Devynne and Brock went to a Lady Antebellum concert. Since we only have their silhouettes we just have to take her word for it that they were there ;-D

This is of Devynne at the Y-Serve retreat that she was in charge of.

REBECCA AND SCOTT

At one of Polly's games...with Dallin, Sarah and Jordan Hunt, a recently returned missionary frend.

Dallin and Sarah, enjoying the fabulous Safford winter weather.

When they took Dallin to the airport to fly back to Virginia, they took some time to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

They also went to visit the grandparents.

Dallin, back in the Virginia winter weather.

Rebecca sent Allison and Taylor, in Idaho, a box of "Arizona Sunshine," and you can see how much Taylor loves it!

JEREMY AND ERIKA

Daynen has been hard at work making a movie...not just a video, but a full-fledged movie.  It is a superhero comedy musical, and his friend wrote the original score.  I can hardly wait to see it.

Erika has been hard at work learning how to care for patients.  In fact, she is so good at it that members of the family have already called on her for her medical opinion.

The first Sunday of 8:00 a.m. church.  Tayte seems to be the only one awake.  

Here is Tayte with a cast member of a community play he watched this time rather than participating in.

Jeremy and Erika at the Gilbert Temple.  Also, Reygan and her friend there as well...another Instagram picture that wouldn't crop.  But thank goodness for Instagram.  I get most of the pictures of out-of-town grandchildren from there and from Facebook.

Reygan's 16th birthday fun.

Jeremy sent me this one of Reygan after she got her driver's license.  Good job, Reygan.  They came to Safford to register Daynen's car, because we don't have such strict rules for emissions. I'm glad because it gave me a chance to see her...and Jeremy, too, of course. In fact, he spent some more time working on my iPhoto problems.  She drives her mom's cute little blueberry.

RACHEL AND TONY

Yes, the awesome gingerbread house is no more.  It took major explosives to demolish it, though.  They tried fireworks, but it still held together.  Tony had to finally resort to lighter fluid along with the fireworks to get it to succumb. They had a "blow-up-the-gingerbread-house" cookout.

At one of Polly's games.

They went to Kartchner Caverns for Martin Luther King Day.

One of their favorite games is "Hide and Seek" in the dark.  Isabel hid in the revolving cupboard...being small has some advantages.

When they went to see the Gilbert Temple, they stayed at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

ESTHER AND SHAD

I love it that Esther's boys like for her to take pictures of them and send them to me.  Brody said "Take a picture of me and send it to Grandma!"

Shad's traditional birthday picture.

At the Gilbert Temple open house.  Esther and Shad are both ushers.  In fact, Esther was there when Rachel's and Thomas' families went through.

The boys are playing football!

They have been living in the condo until their house sells.  I'm afraid they are getting cabin fever. The hallway is lined with baskets containing clothes for each one.

When Mary went down for the Temple open house, they went to G&G's house.  Mary took a picture, but Esther didn't.  This is taken in front of their house, an evidence that Esther was really there in case Grandma doesn't remember and chides her for not visiting.

They also went by Esther's new house.  This is inside, with Brianna, Lindsay, Soren, Carson, Bridger and Crew.

Their beautiful new house is still in their ward, just down the street and around the corner, near some good friends.

THOMAS AND JENN

Thomas has been elected to the Safford Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.  It is an elected position, so quite an honor.  He's already been to ribbon cuttings etc. :-)

Their big news this month is Thomas Wyatt's baptism. 

Grandma wanted to come out on the porch to say "Goodbye" to everyone going to the Temple open house. I put this under Thomas and Jenn's section because I already have Rachel's family with the grandparents.

MARY AND TYSON

Mary had me make a tree poster (oh, another "T" word) for her Primary sharing time.

Talking about "T" words, Lindsay has lost almost all her top teeth at once!  I guess it was perfect for her costume for the 100th school day...a toothless 100-year-old woman!

Brianna has amassed quite a little fortune, with fair prize winnings and Christmas money-$40.  She carries it around in her wallet and took it to school one day.  She came home, so upset that she had lost her wallet.  Mary called the teacher and the front office, and everyone was alerted to watch out for it.  Brianna prayed and prayed that she would find it.  The next day she did...in her backpack!

Here they are at the Gilbert Temple.

They also went by "our" temple, as a reminder to their children of generations of a forever family sealed there.

They also visited the grandparents while they were there.

OUR MISSIONARIES
Levi is loving Argentina scenery.  These pictures are in Capilla del Monte, I think.  Levi says he wants to live in that beautiful villa.

DwWitt is now secretary to the President and works from the mission office during the day, and teaches in the evenings.  Parker is doing well and I am waiting for an update on him.

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

I was going over old pictures to organize my iPhoto this month, and found this darling picture.  It made me smile so I thought it would make you smile too. :-)

Time out...I think Jared spends so much time in "time out" that he's quite comfortable with it and considers it a game.

He and his Aunt Elizabeth comparing tummies.

So does Jeremy's hair remind you of his hair in the 80's?

January has been a lot of fun and easy, for the most part...if you don't count root canals and Temple dedication stress...a good start to 2014.  Keep the pictures coming.  In 20 years, you will look back at my blog books and be glad that I kept these pictures for you.  I'm already glad.  Dad and I love you very much, don't ever forget it. And never forget how much you are loved by your Heavenly Father as well.  That's a wonderful, secure feeling to carry around with you as you go about your lives in the coming months and years.