Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Month of October

October is my favorite month of the year! I look forward too this time of year all year long. I must say this year October went by way too fast!

Here are some highlights:
Jake was blessed in Pima. It was a great day and we enjoyed being with the family. He is the cutes little guy ever! I know I'm just the Grandma.

I had a wonderful youth conference by Clint Wells. We reenacted parts of the Book of Mormon. I truly loved all of it. I came away on a spiritual high! The only thing was, that we slept in tents and it got down to 28 degrees! Yes, I was a little cold and a little to old to sleep in a tent.

Craig and Sarah got married October 23rd. What a great day! We love Sarah so much and we are so excited that Craig found her. It was a great day and we enjoyed having our family and friends with us.



We had the reception at Jane and John's home. It was so beautiful. Darryl did such a great job with the food and it was a great night. The next night we were off to Snowflake to the open house. Julie and her friends did such a great job on decorating the Main Street Chapel.

Homecoming Dance was on Halloween! So Leslie was off to the dance with Juan.

Then of course Halloween is one of Darryl's favorite holidays. He used the castle that Juan made for Leslie to ask her to Homecoming and turned it into a spooky castle.

He had so much fun. He also dressed up so nicely.

Jake had his first Halloween! What a cute Giraffe.


The month went by fast but we have so many great memories! Family and friends are so important to us. We are grateful to all of you.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

What a week...

Jake is here! He is so dang cute, even if I'm his grandma. It took him some time but after 19 hours of labor he has arrived. Kami and Jake are doing great! Steven can't stop smiling. What a great day in the life of the Palmers. He was born August 17 @ 12:17 pm.
And if that was not enough, the next day Craig and Sarah got engaged! Yeah! We love Sarah and are so excited for the two of the them. They are getting married on October 23.
Looks like we have a lot to do in a short time... love on Jake, wedding planning, love on Jake, wedding planning, love on Jake...OK, you get my drift!
We are looking forward to the wonderful new changes in our life!

Friday, July 31, 2009

Summer...

It seems that my summer has gone by so fast! I have two weeks until work starts again, and I
wonder, what have I done with my time? I love to work in the yard, but I must confess I am a seasonal gardener. I work outside from Oct - June. My yard seems to suffer July - Sept. It has been hot!!! I seem to have more grass where I don't want it and less flowers where I do want it. I have sewn a lot this summer. My Young Women made a quilt to take to camp, I have made baby blankets, and attempted to make a maternity dress for Kami.

Kami had two wonderful baby showers and I got to go and be with her for them.



We of course are waiting the arrival of Kami and Steven's baby boy! He is almost here, he is due August 18th. "He" is doing well. Everything looks great. Kami and Steven have not decided on a name yet. Steven still calls him "Gus".


Here are some other highlights of our families summer.


Leslie hiked part of the Grand Canyon for the High Adventure in our stake. She even made friends with a squirrel that climb up on her leg trying to get some food.


Girls camp! I love girls camp. We had so much fun. I have the best YW in my ward. I enjoyed being with them all. I have not been a cabin mom in YEARS! We had two cabins and I had great leaders help me before and at camp!


At camp, I was showing the girls how an "old lady" can still do archery! I must say I did a pretty dang good job! It has only been 20 plus years since I did this!



A highlight of course is having Craig home from Rio, Brazil mission. He has met a wonderful girl, we love Sarah. She is from Snowflake.


Madison turned 12 and was able to go to camp with me this year! She has said for years "by the time I get to go you will be to old to go". Yes, I'm old but never to old to go to camp with my
baby!

Darryl our cook at camp and does a wonderful job! The girls love the food. We gain at least 3 pounds while we are at camp. Every year the stake staff love to embarrass the men in the kitchen and have them do a dance for the "lip sync". They of course love it. This year they had them dress in Chaps and dance to Rhinestone Cowboy! Way to funny. I will have to get some pictures. The video wouldn't load.

I have been so blessed in so many ways! I love my family and the gospel and I'm grateful for the fun summer and look forward to many more memories.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

He's Home!

Craig's home!
What a great day. He arrived at the airport at 9:50 am on Thursday, 18 from the Rio North Brazil Mission. We are so excited to have him home with us.

Here he is coming down the walkway. I of course was crying (now there is a surprise).

Here is our sign for we had for him. This is some of our family and his friends that were there.

Me hugging my boy! He grew a 1/2 - 1 inch and lost 30 pounds.


Our family together again.
These are his shoes... he did A LOT of walking! He never complained that he needed new shoes!
We had a get together that night with some of his friends and family. It was nice to see so many people. Father's Day he spoke and he did such a wonderful job. He has grown so much, and his testimony has grown and is amazing. I'm so grateful for his service he gave to the Lord. He truly loved his mission. He has said it is the hardest thing he has ever done and the happiest he has ever been.
I'm sure you will hear more later.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Palmer Baby...

I love to see the new Ultra sounds they do. Here is an ultra sound of my new grandson due August 18th. Isn't he cute!




Yes, he is a boy!

Friday, April 10, 2009

The email that made me cry...

Dear Parents:
It is our pleasure, at the request of the mission president, to send the flight itinerary for your returning missionary.




He leaves Rio at 10:10 pm on the 17th and arrives here on the morning of the 18th! Wow these two years have really gone by fast. I have missed him so much but it has been a joy to watch him grow in so many ways.

Craig left with Elder Brough (far right - he is from Gilbert, Az.) and they will return together setting next to each other on the same flight. I'm sure the conversation when going to Brazil, will be A LOT different from the one leaving Brazil!





He is going to miss Brazil and all of the wonderful people he met and worked with.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Aubrey

On March 7 it will be a year since Aubrey came into our lives and left us wanting to become a better person in this life. At times it has felt like it has been years since this experience. We think of her often and wonder what she would have been like if we were able to keep her. I long to hold her and I imagine what it would be like to have a little toddler grandchild running around.


I try to find positive in all things and so I have had to make my mind think of positive things in this experience and not dwell on my selfish wants. I'm grateful that she is a beacon to help me be a better person to do the things I need to, to be with her again. I'm grateful she will not have to go through the hardships of this life. I think it has brought our family even closer to each other and to not take life for granted. I'm grateful for Eternal Families!





We planted a orange tree last year in memory of Aubrey. It has been fun to go out and look at our "Aubrey Tree". So as we celebrate her 1 year birthday It has been a joy to see all the blooms that have come on her tree. Spring has become an even more enjoyable time for me. I'm reminded that life goes on. I look forward to watching this tree grow and grow, to show our future grandchildren our "Aubrey Tree", and sharing with them the knowledge that I have that Families are Forever.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Wanted...

Leslie won one 1st place in a district wide writing contest. We are quit proud of her! So I'm sharing....

WANTED: LESLIE REYNOLDS

Description:
· Height: 5’ 4¾” tall (don’t underestimate her prowess, she’s stealth)
· Weight: a whopping 110 pounds (soaking wet) of pure muscle – looks can be deceiving
· Eyes: blue/green, they change like a cat. WARNING: do NOT make eye contact, her gaze leaves its victims in a trance, there are known cases of death from the effect of her glance.
· Hair: high and tight! Blonde in color, brunettes beware
· Shoe size: 6 ½ to 7
· Markings: unmistakable freckle on the bottom of her left foot. CAUTION: if you can see the freckle it means that her foot is in your face.

We have recently been made aware that Leslie has been in contact with her family. Please watch for her parents, Darryl and Jeannie Reynolds, father and mother of the family of four. We only know of the whereabouts of two of the children. The oldest, Kami, was last sighted in a small town in south eastern Arizona, called Pima. She is well armed and personally protected by her 6’ 3” 165 lbs body guard. He’s lean but mean. Rumor has it that they are married, but we doubt the rumor. Leslie’s brother, Craig, was last spotted running with Gringos in Brazil. He stands 6’ 3” tall and 195 lbs. Built like a tree trunk, you won’t want to mess with the ‘Craig-n-ator’ as he is called. Then there is Madison, she is the youngest of the children age 11, and is reported to tag along with the parents, Darryl and Jeannie.

All of the family should be considered armed and dangerous. They are sometimes referred to as: The Six Pack, The Mesa Gambinos and The Sensational Six. If you have any information about their whereabouts please contact local law enforcement. Do not try to apprehend them on your own. A substantial reward is being offered.

Leslie’s piano playing skills have forced her to go mad. Eight years of dedicated piano experience allowed her to teach other students. However, this drove Leslie insane. Her attention to details and commitment to excellence overwhelmed the students and they became un-teachable. This is what caused Leslie’s fits of rage and uncontrollable violent outbursts. Leslie has been known to lock here students inside the piano bench if they did not play Bach’s Third concerto in B Minor flawlessly.

Her obsession with the TV show ‘House’ has lead to entertain raunchy delusions of perceived superiority and medical genius. Her fascination with the show lead to her performing grotesque experiments of unspeakable proportions including: melting ice cubes on one victim’s forehead and water-boarding.

Most of her crazy ideas steam from lazily laying on her bed, listening to her radio and watching her favorite, yet terribly disturbing TV shows “Monk” and “Psyche”. When not absorbed in mindless TV, Leslie has been known to read voraciously, finishing the Harry Potter series and Twilight in a matter of three hours. Her ex-best friend little miss Taylor, the tattle-telling tall-telling-trader, describes her as a ‘reading machine.’

Training, background & the criminal mind:
Leslie has been in school for the last seven years of her life, her goal: become an accomplished Marshal Arts Master. Her Sensei revealed that she has always done well in her training, learning quick and exceeding above others with little effort. All of her efforts have paid of by earning her A’s and B’s. Her training as a Ninja Warrior paid off this year when she was selected to be on the Olympic Ninja Warrior team representing China. Unfortunately, international outrage precluded her from participating. Watch out for her combat skills, even Jackie Chan won’t fight her in battle.

WARNING: her only known weakness is very strange and unusual (much like her mind). If you ever confront Leslie, it is suggested that you NOT touch her hair. She is extremely protective of her volume. This volume is achieved with mountains of product that drives much of her criminal mind. It is said that she leads a life of crime, simply to finance her hair product addition.

One way to defend your self against Leslie is to turn on talk radio. This form of entertainment seems to render her virtually helpless. The screech of non-stop talking confuses her and sends overpowering radar vibes through her head, causing short-term paralyses. Even with this weakness, it is suggested that you NOT try to apprehend her; she is an insane criminal animal. If spotted, contact the FBI immediately.

Life Circumstances:
Based on interviews with former cell mates of Leslie’s, we have learned a great deal about her criminal mind and what lead her down this tangled path. Perhaps it started with her being the subject of countless blonde jokes. Perhaps being exposed to the intense heat associated with wearing a Chick-fil-a cow suit in the middle of an Arizona summer, cooked her fragile brain. Maybe there were indications in her youth, like the time she set out for a short trip from Mesa, Arizona to Awhatuke, and ending up in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

REWARD:
The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Leslie Reynolds, AKA Osama Bin Leslie. Contact the FBI if you have information about her whereabouts.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Fun Times In the Kitchen


I remember years ago when Kami and Craig would fight while doing the dishes. It would drive me crazy and I would have to walk away before I started yelling at them. Funny thing is, they have fun memories of doing the dishes and fighting now. Funny how that happens.
Well, tonight I had Madison and Leslie do the dishes because the dishwasher was already running with a load. It was like going back in time 10-12 years ago.

Leslie HATES to touch dirty dishes. She freaks out!!! So I bought her gloves so she wouldn't have to touch the "dirty dishes". It was kind of funny. Leslie of course looks to her dad, hoping he will say, "it's ok, you don't have to do them". Not tonight, he walked away!
I tell the girls they are making great memories! Do you think they believe me?

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Everything will be fine in '09




Things I look forward to in 2009!

(not in any specific order)

  • Craig comes home from in June from the Rio de Janiero North, Brazil Mission.

  • Madison gets to go into Young Women's and goes to girls camp this year.

  • My 25th Wedding Anniversary!

  • Kami and Steven having another baby!

  • Craig will be here to watch over Leslie when she goes on dates!



It has been 10 months now since Aubrey was with us! I miss holding her. I didn't get enough time to hold her and talk to her. I look forward to holding her and rocking her and talking to her again. We think of her daily and dream of what life would be with her here on earth, and when we get to be with her again. She has helped me want to be a better person so I can be with her someday.

I'm excited to say that I'm going to be a grandma again! Kami and Steven are expecting in August. They are a little nervous but are doing well. Kami has been a little sick and VERY tired. We are so excited for them. We know things will go well this time.

Life brings us trials, but I feel if you look for the positive in all things you can find something. We know our little Aubrey is perfect, she didn't have to go through the trails we do. She has made us want to live a much better life so we can be with her again.

Find Joy in all things

Happy New Year