Memorial Day 2014

Our House

Dinner Time

To Remember: From September 2014 -September 2015 I taught a Group Power class at the local gym on every Monday night. It wasn't exactly the most convenient time for our family - with dinner and Ben's work schedule - but we made it work.  If the girls were not at the gym playroom, Ben would be home with them and would do dinner.  Sometimes I would even get home in time for a late dinner and FHE that Ben and I would throw together.  I am always impressed with some of the last-minute lessons or impromptu discussions Ben can come up with on the fly.  Memorial Day was not different.  I walked in the door to find Ben dishing up a simple, yet nice Spaghetti meal for the girls, complete with table decorations!  When I sat down, I was overcome with emotions as I looked at the people in these photos... our families, Grandma Pantone (who recently passed away in December), President Hinkley, Grandpa Lane and Grandpa Wallace (who also passed away in recent years), our living grandparents, and some of Ben's mission friends.  Ben talked to us about what Memorial Day means to him, and how it is a day when we can think about people that have made a difference in our life, people that we want to remember, and people that we love.  I felt so happy to be married to Ben and felt priveleged to know and love some very wonderful and choice individuals.

April 2014

Trying to make crummy exposure pictures turn out... Loved these little faces!

Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival

April 2014

Woodburn, OR 

To Remember:  We had a family day at the Portland Temple and then to the Tulip Festival in Woodburn.  The Festival was so SO crowded.  It took us over an hour to get there after the exit N or Woodburn (which should have only taken about 10 minutes).  We had a good 'ol time walking through the rows of tulips, telling Maria and Malan that we were not going on the carnival rides, and seeing a bunch of random friends from Corvallis...like I said, there were a LOT of people there.  We rode this funny little cow cars behind a tractor driving an full speed. Ben and I were practically peeing our pants (well, I was at least) because were laughing hysterically as we got covered in dust and flew through the dirt paths.  It was quite comical.

William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge

 May 2014

Finley Wildlife Refuge

Meg, Maria and Malan with friends Liz and Pearl Sproul

Flowers for Mommy

Malan kept giving me her rocks to hold. It always makes me smile when I pull the rocks out of my pockets, days later, when I am sorting clothes for the laundry.

To remember:  The weather was warming up in Corvallis, so we thought it time to start our spring adventuring.  We met our friends (Liz and Pearl) at Finley for a walk around the area.  I don't know all of the history of the refuge, but there are some old barns and farm houses that are quite intriguing and I am sure have a story to tell.  The little girls just wanted to get inside the barn to look for owls (well Malan and Pearl did and Maria, my little rule keeper and somewhat anxious child, was going to protect the little girls at all costs!).  We strolled the board walk, looking for bugs and birds, and ran through the tall grass. Malan picked lots of little flowers and a load of rocks and dutifully delivered them all to me.  I think I will look back on this memory and feel happy that my girls enjoy nature and the simple beauties and pleasures of being outside, playing with rocks and looking for bugs and animals.  I will always think is so sweet that Maria still wants to dress just like her sister (where possible).  Maria and Malan have a handful of twinner outfits (most compliments of Jill Humphreys), and Maria insists that if one of them has on a matching outfit/dress, that the other wear hers too.

Also, realizing more and more how important it is to surround myself (and my family) with good people, that LOVE ME AND LOVE MY CHILDREN.  It is evident, when my children feel safe and loved and accepted by others.  It gives me a sense or reassurance too.  Malan and Maria love Liz and her family - which was obvious during our Finley outting because Malan kept asking Liz to hold her. Pretty darn cute. 

Easter Festivities

April 2014

Our House

Corvallis, OR

 Easter egg craft with bird seed and gelatin.  Malan wanted to eat it.  We put the eggs on display and about a week later, I found her with a mouth full of bird seed craft. Ha.

Making Easter egg pancakes on Saturday morning before the Easter Egg hunts.

 The Easter Egg Hunt

Walnut (MLK) Park

Corvallis, OR

Easter Morning2014

Malan with her stuffed rabbit from the morning's visit to the ER.

To remember: This year, Maria found a new vigor for Easter Egg hunts! It was pouring rain on Saturday morning (Easter eve), and Maria said she was going to go hunt for eggs, even if it was raining.  I was feeling a little less eager to get out in the rain and mud. (By this time of year, I am DONE with rain!!!)  The rain stopped a few minutes before the hunts near our house were to begin, and Maria was adamant that we go...so, we did.  Maria gave Malan all the tips and pointers she would ever need for when it was her turn.  As usual, the candy was gross, and the eggs were a plenty.  The girls got their faces painted and did some other Easter crafts, all sponsored by a local Baptist Church.

On Easter Sunday, Ben was on call. We got the girls up early so we could see Dad off to work and spend a few minutes together talking about Easter and opening Easter baskets.  The girls got some books (Maria Had a Little Llama) and a Pez (per Ben's tradition).  During breakfast (freshly made cinnamon rolls from me), Malan fell out of her chair (that she refuses to stay in - even with the buckles together) and hit her head hard on the ground.  When I got to her (about 20 seconds after), she lay limp with her eyes closed.  She wouldnt respond to my touch or voice - just laid their like a limp noodle.  I couldn't reach Ben by phone x 2 or text.  I called a neighbor to come get Maria for church and I lay on the floor trying to arouse Malan. Within a couple minutes Ben called back and Malan was moaning, but   wasn't forming words  and still lay limp, not following any requests to move.  I threw on a dress and kept talking to her.  She started to do what I asked (wiggle toes and fingers), so I put her in the car and took her to the hospital.  When we arrived, Ben met us at the door.  Malan said, "There's my Daddy,"  the most words used since she was hurt.  She was groggy and still not moving much.  We had her checked out in the ER and within about 10 minutes or arriving in the ER, she was talking and trying to climb all over the bed and seemed back to her wild self...so we went to church and the day went on as tho nothing happened.  A funny (not really) precaution that the ER doc told us was to be extra careful over the next 6 months to make sure that Malan didn't hit her head again.  Ben and I both kind of laughed because Malan is a nonstop, always jumping and bouncing and falling!  Yes, we most definitely did not make it even a month before Malan slipped off the back of a stool she was teetering on and fell back into her bunk bed ledge, whacking her head.  But, guess what? It did NOT phase her one bit.  Classic Malan.

Tickle Time

April 2014

Our Home

(When Dad gets home!)

To remember:  Maria and Malan love their Dad. When Ben gets home from work, the girls go a little wild and beg for "Tickle Time" with their Dad. Ben tickles the girls and wrestles with the girls, and they absolutely LOVE it!  Their squeals and giggles are pretty priceless, and they never get sick of their "Tickle Time" with their Daddy.