It's been a Gr-8 Week!

Our Mansfield Thiots
Friday night was an 80's style dance at the Elementary school for Daddy's and their daughters.  Ricky was delighted to be invited by Addison and Harper to go.  He was a little sad that Brooklyn has moved to the Intermediate school and no longer gets to go.  Don't  you worry, Becky and Brooklyn made plans to go see the latest edition of How to Train your Dragon.  Brooklyn has read all the books and has seen the other movies and was really looking forward to going.  What a fun Mom and me date they had together.  Brooklyn gave it two thumbs up.  Ricky starts a new adventure on Monday with a new position in the work place.  You are amazing Ricky Thiot!  We will all be praying that it is a great fit and that you will be happy there.

Our Medford Granges
One of the fun parts of second grade are Book Reports.  Have you read any of the Magic Tree House books?  When we moved to Plano in 1991, Charlie was in 2nd Grade.  I remember the first book report he did was on a Magic Tree House book.  Charlie actually built a tree house in a small tree that was a house plant.  I was wishing I could find the picture of it.  It was pretty amazing.  I loved this poster Miss Penny did.  Yesterday I was texting with Miss P and we discovered there were only 70 more days until her baptism date.  WOW, After Callum's earlier this month, we are getting very excited. To bring a bit of spring to Tatia's front porch, she and Oscar or "T.O." Landscapers came by and planted some beautiful primroses in her flower pots.  I LOVED seeing them there.  They put a smile on your face for sure!

Charlie had a copy of his Magic Tree house Book Report.  Thanks Charlie!

Our Carmichael Thiots
This week, a bright orange box arrived in Carmichael.  Charlie has this amazing doorbell that records when his mailman brings mail.  He could see his mailman walking up to the house and leaving the box.  He couldn't wait to open it and loved reading about Callum's wonderful, Magical Baptism weekend.  He said it was almost as much fun as living it the very first time.  Last week in the Thiot times when I reported the kids were off on an adventure with their grands and their mom, I guessed wrong, they did not go to the snow, but to the beach.  True it was a cold beach, but they loved it and no sneaker waves grabbed onto them. Happy Day, All was well!

Our LA Thiots
This was an extra great week in Los Angeles.  Adelaide invited her parents to come have a lunch date at school with her.  It was wonderful to have them come and eat.  She loved introducing them to her friends and loved playing with them after lunch on the play ground.  She was sad when it was time for them to leave, but her sweet friend patted her on the back and helped her feel better.  Another great part of the week was on Presidents Day, no school and so it was a perfect day to go to Disneyland.  What made the day even better was that our Riverton Clines were at Disney and they LOVED getting to go with them.  They had stayed with them last summer at the Family Reunion and Adelaide loves Libbie and Katie and Gabbie and Jack!  Now if those two things weren't enough to make a great week, they had more.  They got a package in the mail with glider planes.  They loved flying their gliders and guess what?  They moved on Saturday.  I talked to Adelaide on Saturday morning and she had white paint on her hands and even some tiny white freckles on her face.  She and her daddy had painted her and Jackson's new room on Friday night and Saturday was moving in day.  They had some friends come over and help them move across the street and over one house.  No moving truck needed, just lots of kind and strong and very helpful friends.  I LOVED seeing their new home.  I expected to see boxes, boxes, boxes, but instead it was all perfectly put together.  Beds made and ready for a good nights sleep.  Welcome Home LA Thiots!

Our Oak Lawn Thiots
It's been a very rainy and cool week in our part of the world.  Miss Elie has loved wearing her splash boots as she likes to say and splashing in all the puddles she could find.  She had a wonderful day at the aquarium and I'm not sure who was happier to see whom.  Was it Elie to see the Manatee or was it that Manatee to see Miss Elie.  Either way, I was so grateful for the nice thick glass that separated the two of them.  What a darling picture of a darling little girl and one of her favorite animals.  On Tuesday, Miss Elie got to go to the dentist office with me.  This silly tooth that has been giving me troubles continues to do so.  I thought the dentist could just take a peek, but instead he needed to do some x-rays and Miss Elie became helpful in taking x-rays.  I think Dr. Jesse could hire her in a few years.  She sat on a rolling chair and would roll our of the room while they snapped the picture and then roll right back in.  Everyone in the office loved Elie and I can tell you why.  She brings sunshine on a rainy day.  She is a marvelous little tiny two year old girl.

We Plano Thiots
One of the sisters who I minister to, has been in the hospital and now in rehab for two months.  I love to go visit her after I pick up Miss Elie or on my way home from the temple.  I've loved meeting her friends there too and they are always so kind to me when I come.  She is hoping, crossing her fingers, that this Tuesday may be her last day there.  I know her family will be thrilled to have her home, but she will miss her dear friends she has made there.  Like Miss Elie, Miss Doretha is a ray of sunshine too.

Dick has had a really tough week.  So many pressures at work and they have been thinking of buying a new office building.  Much to learn about investing in office buildings for sure.  He was invited to go on our YMYW Pioneer Trek in March over spring break to be the drone photographer.  Can  you think of anything more fun than that?  I hope it works out that he can go.  That would make him happy.  I loved these BYU cookies that Sister Packard made.  They are amazing!

On a much sadder note, this handsome man was my neighbor next door when I was growing up.  He was a few years older than me and drove a fast GTO car and we all thought he was the greatest thing ever.  He would drive us all to  MIA we called it, Young men and Young women's night a the church.  He grew up and married my sister Laurie's best friend and they had a very wonderful life.  This last week, he took the dog out for a walk and collapsed and died, just that fast.  Oh my goodness, Scott ha returned back to Heavenly Father.  I bet his mom who was my piano teacher was glad to see him, and I'm sure my dad wrapped his arms around him for a hug, but how sad for his family that is left here behind.  We never ever know when our last day is coming.  It's so important to live each day as it might be our last one.  I hope you have a great week coming up and that we all have many many more days to live.  SLY Robynn

Our Thiot Times, is back

on our service project bringing valentines to my friend in the rehab hospital 

Our Mansfield Thiots
Last Sunday was Second Sunday which has become my favorite of the month.  The Texas Thiots are invited for Sunday Dinner and I love it.  Ricky mentioned to me that his girls had a long weekend coming up and I jumped on the idea of inviting them to Grammy Camp.  I was delighted when it all worked out and Becky was able to have an adventure with her parents meeting up with her aunt and Uncle and cousin in Austin for the weekend and Ricky had made plans months ago to attend a motor cross event.  It was just to watch not to drive, so it sounded ok to me.  I love having the girls and as you can read below, we packed plenty of fun into our time together.  They make Graypa and me Smile a LOT.  Thanks for sharing them with us Ricky & Becky!

Our Medford Granges
It's been a cold week in Oregon and as a matter of fact, last Sunday they had snow and their Sunday Church Services were cancelled and they had their own service at home out in the snow.  They all loved it.  It's been a fun Valentines week and Max had to get his Valentines to school first as they were running an actual post office for delivering their cards to friends.  Max made Pokemon cards and they turned out amazing just like Max.  He loved being the delivery guy and getting them all in the correct mail boxes.  He is really turning into a great reader.  Penny designed a FOX BOX to hold her valentines and it was one Foxy Box for sure.  I loved the Cat Valentine cards she made.  If you remember last year she also made cat valentines.  How she loves cats.  Way to go Miss Penny!  Oscar and Charlie have had a fun week at home and have been good playing buddys for eachother.  Charlie was able to attend Nursery for his first week on Sunday.  He was not too overly thrilled to go but he went and after only a few sad tears, he stayed.  I'm sure next week will be even better.

Our Carmichael Thiots
After three weeks of hosting a crazy cold in his body, Charlie is starting to feel better.  He was hoping to be back on schedule with his daily runs started on Monday too.  Don't over do Charlie!  Keelie and Callum have gone on a weekend getaway with their Grandparents and Mom.  We don't know where they have gone but Charlie said they took plenty of warm clothing so he is guessing it was to snow country.  I'm hoping they are having an excellent time.  They are such fun kids.  How we love them. It was story book character day at school earlier this month.  I love Laura Ingles and Paddington Bear!

Miss Adelaide had a crazy croup cough and spent a few hours in the hospital where she was born.  She's doing better!

Our LA Thiots
Pierce has been in over drive working on a presentation for the Grammy's.  I LOVE how they were able to have the art work painted by hand on these massive sky scrappers in down town LA.  WOWSERS is all I can say.  A few weeks ago, Pierce and Stacy's landlord told them that he would like to move back into their house.  I think all Pierce's hard work in the yard has made him want to live there again.  So they were a bit nervous about having to find a new place to live.  That's when the miracle happened.  The neighbor across the street and over one, decided to move to Bakersfield where they got a new job and Pierce heard about it and guess what?  They are going to be renting their home.  YIPPEE!!!  A move just across the street and Adelaide can stay in her same awesome school, Pierce will still be close enough to work to ride his bike and Stacy couldn't be happier.  It's a bit bigger home with two bathrooms, yes, two bathrooms and it should work out very nice for our LA Thiots.  I face timed with them early Saturday morning and Miss Adelaide said to me, "Grammy, there is someone on my couch that you love very much." Then she turned the camera and it was my brother RIC!!!!! Holy Macro what a fun surprise.  He had told me the day before he was heading to LA for a car swap meet and I told him if he saw my kids to tell them hi!  I didn't know he really would.  I LOVED it!

These are the amazing cup cakes Kara made for Miss Elie's Mister Rogers Neighborhood Party. I LOVE those cookie toppers, don't you?  Kara, you are remarkable!

Our Oak Lawn Thiots
This has been Miss Elies 2nd Birthday Week and it didn't turn out as they had planned, thanks to the crazy cold weather we had blow in, but it turned out great none the less and that baby girl of ours is 2.  I will say, she is a Terrific Two all the way.  She was even invited to the Saturday portion of Grammy Camp which the big girls were delighted that she could come.  We have a rule that you must be on the Potty train to attend Grammy Camp and Skyler said they worked for two days trying to climb aboard, but not with must success.  We crossed out the rule for Miss Elie and loved having her with us.  She was so nice and the big girls adore her.  Brooklyn was happy she wasn't on the train quite yet as she loves to practice diapering her.  She told me, "You know Grammy, I'm going to have children of my own one day and I need to  know how to diaper a baby."  She is right and she will be great at diapering.  Thanks for letting Miss Elie attend.

I got to spend valentines day at the dentist office, soooo fun!  NOT!!!

We Plano Thiots
It's been way too long since I have written Our Thiot Times.  I've had so much to share and have not felt well and haven't been able to get caught up.  I decided to jump right in on Valentines Week and then catch up when I can.  We had a wonderful Christmas Holiday in Oregon and I don't want to forget all those great memories we made so I will get back to that and I want to share with you our Magical weekend in California celebrating Callum's baptism and confirmation.  We loved getting to attend that.

Dick continues to be as busy as can be.  He loves serving in Boy Scouts on the district and has enjoyed doing some Friends of Scouting Presentations this month.  He is a real believer in the good that can come into lives of young men who are blessed to experience all that scouting has to offer.  We attended the Friends of Scouting Dinner on Tuesday night and came away feeling so grateful that all five of our sons including Jacob have been blessed to have been Boy Scouts.  The former Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, who is a Texan and a Big Boy Scout at heart was the speaker and what a marvelous job he did in sharing the importance of what scouting teaches our Young Men.  I so agree and I loved being there with Dick and hearing his presentation.

A new week is upon us.  Presidents Day today and my "little" brother Jeffrey's birthday is this week.  He will be turning 55 years old.  How I love him and loved that when Pierce was on a recruiting trip to BYU three weeks ago, he bumped into him and his wife at the Texas Roadhouse Grill.  What a perfect place to meet up with him.  I loved it.  You can see Jeff's wife Jenn and her daughter Lauren and her husband Taylor in the picture too.

Dick was invited to stand in the circle to ordain our newest Deacon, Locke Shearer  He's awesome!

Dick and I are sure enjoying the Come, Follow Me Home Study curriculum.  It's already been a blessing to our lives in only a few short weeks.  Have a wonderful week.  Sure love you, Robynn

Grammy Camp Love Who You Are....

 Grammy Camp began at one of our very most favorite places to go.  The American Girl Store at the Galleria.  Before we even opened the front door, we talked about how we had come to look and enjoy seeing all the fun things in the store, but we were NOT on a shopping adventure.  We were on a LOOKING adventure.

 We loved meeting the 2019 American Girl of the year, Miss Blair.  She is darling and we loved her hair that is just the color of a shiny new copper penny.  We loved being there and I love all the displays they have set out are at kid level.  Nobody comes around and asks you not to touch that or anything.  The girls LOVED looking at all the wonderful things and only once did Brooklyn wish she had brought her wallet and asked for a loan. We held strong and LOOKED and didn't BUY.

One of the dolls had a recording studio with a real microphone.  Oh my Miss Harper can sing and she loved singing and singing into the microphone.  I beleive all the shoppers loved Harpers talent show. 

We had a service project scheduled next.  We had put together a bucket of love to deliver to my friend Doretha who is in the Rehab hospital.  Her grandchildren were coming to visit this weekend and we wanted her to have a fun valentine to give to them when they came.  The girls loved putting that together and we enjoyed our visit.  The hosptial where she is has a lovely pond out front with ducks.  We loved saying hi to the ducks and wished we had brought some stale bread to share with them.  They wished we had too.  

From the time we left Doretha, the temperature started to drop.  We stopped at the  Green Playground to play and didn't stay as long as we would have liked as it was really cooling off.  

We stopped and picked up some pizza and crazy bread and Graypa joined us for dinner when he got home.  After dinner we had planned on a swim at the Carpenter Rec Center.  They have added a pool there and we haven't gone yet so this made it extra fun.  

We had a great swim and there were not many other swimmers there.  No line for the slides and the lazy river was practically our own.  We loved it.  The only not so fun part came when we got out and had to run like chettas to get to the car.  BURRRRRRRRR.  Next time we will bring dry clothes to change into and shoes.

Saturday morning, keeping with Grammy Camp tradition, we headed for Lovers Donuts and got donut holes and strawberry milk for breakfast.  Yum!  It did not dissapoint.

Then we headed to Costco to pick up our youngest member of Grammy Camp, Miss Elie.  The girls were thrilled to see her and our fist stop was the Plano Library.  Eveyone loves the library.  Harper loves the games on the Ipads, Brooklyn Loves hunting for new books and Addison just loves everything there.  Miss Elie had a ball and loved being with her cousins.

Everyone Loves Elie and loved reading to her.  That made me smile.

The movie Small Foot was showing at the Dollar Theatre and we couldn't wait to go.  I think it may have been Miss Elie's first movie.  She was as good as gold and loved the popcorn, the red icey and even got a free refill, by asking for More!  It was so cute. It was our second time to see Smallfoot and we all enjoyed it even more than the first time.

We stopped by Happy Meals on the way home but the Play Grounds furnace had gone out and it was WAY to cold to play there so we ate quickly and went home for Miss Elie to have a nap and for the rest of us to play quietly

Graypa brought in a huge bucket of Lego and Addison and Harper played with them alternating time with our Russian Stackable doll.  Uncle Sky brought her home from his mission and everyone loves her.  It was a peaceful hour with the fire burning while Miss Elie napped

 Brooklyn and Elies cute cottage

 Addison's cottage with soft frosting

Harpers cottage.  so fun!

When Elie woke up we started on our Cupid Cottages.  Instead of gingerbread, they are made with Sugar cookies.  We decided if we ever do them again, we will make our own frosting.  The frosting that came in the kit was a little too soft but we still had fun even if they didn't look much like the ones on the package.

 While we waited for our order, I had a can of play dough in my purse, of course every good grammy carrys play dough with her, and we had fun making things and guessing what each other had made.  A new fun addition to Grammy, what's in your bag.

Elie loved making a tortilla mask with her daddy.

Our Grand Finale of Grammy camp was going to Chuy's for fajitas.  Now this photo is very very rare.  I don't think I have another photo of Miss Elie Crying.  She never crys but when you have to wait for an hour for a table and the place is noisy and crowded,  I may have wanted to cry too.  She was a very good sport and I'm so glad Skyler could meet us for dinner.  We loved being with him too.  After a push up pop, we jumped back in the car and headed for Mansfield.

It was a very special ride to Mansfield.  I got to tell the girls about when I met Graypa and how I fell in love with him.  I loved sharing that sweet story with them and loved when they would ask questions and want to know more.  Oh how I love these darling grandchildren Heavenly Father has sent to our family.  I only wish all twelve could have been with us.