Adventures in Folsom with 3 Princesses

The 3 Princesses

I had a wonderful time at Ryan and Michelle’s in spite of being sick. It is really hard when you don’t act and look that sick. Ryan still wants you to empty boxes. Michelle took really good care of me. She cooked great meals every day and as much as I hated it she took the kids out without me 2 days while I slept and coughed without worrying about waking the little ones.

Whit and Connie had us over twice while I was there. Ryan and Michelle are lucky to have them there and we are lucky to have them there to look out for our kids. (They better remember who the REAL grandparents are.)




Mom loves to walk Emmy to school and and Bella and Lexie ALWAYS want to go with her. I think Bella stayed home with me 1 or 2 times.

I got a story every night too. Mom has a story and Dad has a song and a prayer. What more could a princess ask for.

I had lots of fun with the girls. Playing games, putting together puzzles, coloring. We started planting a few plants and I developed a terrible fear of going outside in the wind and weather so Michelle and Lex planted tomatoes, watermelons, squash, and strawberries. Ryan and Bella planted peas in the planter box they built. What a fun Dad. (Please take note of the red heels.)

This is us one night when we were alone trying to all get in a picture. Doesn't it look fun? It was. I love those girls. I love the kisses from Lexie to when she calls "Hi Nana!"

GOOD SAMARITAN

We walked with Trent and Regina to our cars after the Undy 5000 last Saturday. We came upon an older man in the parking lot with a flat tire on his car. Trent immediately asks him if he needed any help and if he had all the parts he needed to change the tire. The man wasn’t sure. Trent quietly changed his tire, no fuss, no muss. Trent would not want any notice but he was practicing what he believes and who he is. What a good example of the Good Samaritan. Thanks Trent.

Heaven on the Coast

This has been a busy week. We just got back from visiting the 3 little princesses in Arroyo Grande, CA. Ryan and Michelle went on a 7 day cruise and we went to spend 7 heavenly days with the girls. Richard, Raelynn and I had a great time with Emily, Bella, and Lexie. Since they don’t seem to miss their Mom and Dad when they are gone it is lots of fun to be with them.

Lexie is just like the youngest in all the Rodger’s families. She can do anything the oldest one can do. She kept us pretty darn busy. Michelle warned us but we had no idea of the extent of her busyness. She was into everything and I mean everything. If it was quiet for more than 60 seconds, it was too late. Repair work had to be done. The last night at 3 in the morning she emptied the fridge: milk, yogurt, cheese, carrots, water bottles, and other food stuff. Came and stood by the bed at eye level staring at me. That was the night she was awake from 12 midnight till 5. Never cried even when I threatened her with bodily harm. I think she smiled when the rocker dumped me on the floor when I fell asleep in it. At 7, when Bella and Emily came and got in my bed (the one I had made to block the door) she did too, all was forgiven, by Lexie and me. In explanation for Lexie running loose at night, Ryan and Michelle wanted Lexie trained to her youth bed while they were gone. She was great the whole time till the last night. She went to bed and went to sleep with Emily and Bella just fine every night but Friday. We never had to repeatedly put her back in the bed. She made up for it that last night. She never cries except when getting up from a nap. Makes you not want to give her one. And is always smiling that great smile of hers. When you catch her at something and say “No” or “Naah” and she jerks back and smiles, you can’t help but smile at her and grab her and kiss and hug her. She eats like a little horse too. Made our hearts glad.

Bella chose not to walk to school each day with Emily, Lexie, and me. She wanted to stay with Grumpaw and get tickled. She loved sitting and watching TV with him, “Tom and Jerry.” Bella helped me a lot with organizing drawers. We spent a lot of time talking. We didn’t do puzzles very much this time because Lexie’s hands were in everything. But Bella told me about everything from her birthday at Disneyland, to her cake, to all about her friend Gage, to being a Mommy someday. She is very prim and has all the hand motions to prove it. Bella and Emily just recently had their ears pierced. Everyday we went through the routine of cleaning and changing earrings. It was really quite fun. Bella had hers done first and has quite a few earrings and is very generous about sharing them with Emily. Bella is a sweetheart.

Emily is a Rodgers. Quick witted and could talk you to death. But of course she has something to say. On the way home with Em and her Dad, who can hit 100mph on the on ramp in 10 seconds, I said “Is your Dad a crazy driver”? Em said “Nana, THAT is a stupid question”. Isn’t that cute? Emily is a picky eater but she loved Grandpaw’s cooking. We couldn’t believe it. You would think we had bribed her the way she complimented and soft soaped us about how good the food was or how well I did a list or some other thing. Maybe it was how many times we went to her favorite yogurt shop. We loved having her be the first one in the bed with us every morning at 6 or 7, even on the weekend. She came to talk not to sleep. In the years to come she will probably share her inter most secrets with her parents at that time. We played Apple Scrabble and she beat the pants off her friend and me. She has even taken on crossword puzzles and Sudoku. Emily is sharp. Friday night we had a Night at the Drive-in on our deck. We set up the lawn chairs on the deck to face the TV room window, opened the window, waited on the sun to go down, turned the lights out, turned up the volume, fixed hot dogs, fries and soda, popcorn, and candy. Emily wrapped up in a blanket and watched all of “ “. The rest of us were to cold to stay out side and watched from inside the movie theater. It was a fun night.

We read stories every night. I read the story from Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle titled “Harbin the Slowpoke”. Emily became Harbilina. (It isn’t her favorite nickname, hum Lulu?) We’re still looking for the powder from Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle to sprinkle on Emily’s shoes. Does anyone know where it is? Nana will give a reward for it.

They were all 3 so happy and easy to get along with. I’m glad we’re in good health because we were running all the time and came home not needing to rest. That made it a really fun trip and the kids really enjoyable.

Lastly, Regina and Trent; take a trip so we can come and stay with your kids. We want to watch the cute things they do and say on a daily basis. It has been a while. They grow up so fast.

We're happy we get to see the 3 little missionaries all the time. We love them. We love our life.

Grandma Joyce

How lucky can one person be???



















I’ve spent some time with Grandma Joyce all by myself the last couple of months. It has been like a vacation for me. She has really slowed down from her hundred miles an hour that she has run for the last 85 years; but she can still run small circles around most of us. If nothing else the stories she tells about her adventures through life as a wife and mother are enough to tire any normal woman out.


Last Wednesday I had Jury Duty and had to be there at 1:00 in the afternoon. The case was going to last 5 to 7 days. The judge said not to try to use the grandmother excuse to get out of jury duty. We are leaving for Ryan’s on Thursday. I feel a patriotic responsibility to serve so I would never use the grandmother card unless Lexie was calling. Well Lexie is calling, I told the judge, he had no choice, and he let me go.

I arrived at Grandma Joyce’s with 2 of our Rodger’s family Christmas projects. Grandma’s monitor stopped beeping. She had a new reason for living. She went to work and if she hadn’t had so many phone calls and so much company we would have gotten finished with the stockings. Nancy helped a bit. (We are really going to owe them when Crystal gets married.) I left the stockings and pillow cases at her insistence. She hasn’t been this happy in a long time. I may have to look for other projects for her.

I learned a few new things about Grandma during this visit. One is where Ryan gets his desire for long, long, long showers. Grandma told me she loves to get in the shower and stay there. She pays the bill so she can. I told her about Ryan and she said “You go Ryan.” . I made a late run to Sam’s Club Wednesday night for chocolate and we ate nuts and chocolate for dinner because we could
We called Dad/Richard and ask him to bring stuff we needed on Thursday. He was wonderful. He did. The garage door stopped working so we called Dad and he came on Friday (and brought stuff) and he and Uncle Alan worked on the garage door. Dad left and Uncle Alan finished up. Dad left at 3:30 to run an errand for Wendy and for a meeting at home Friday night. On Friday afternoon Grandma and I talked about needing my sewing machine to finish the stockings in just a couple of hours. Grandma laughed a mischievous laugh and said “Call Richard one more time and ask him to bring your machine in the morning and we could be done.” She was half kidding but would have loved it if I had. I didn’t. I came home on Friday night before she wore me out. Hopefully she is resting now.

Life is good.

I love Grandma Joyce's philosophy on life. She always wanted to make a lovely home for her husband and children and see her children grow in truth and righteousness. She has done a great job achieving her desires. She is a great Matriarch. Any of us would do well to pattern ourselves and our lives after her.

This is it

Trailing.................2009

I loved taking Savannah to the airport to send her to EFY on July 12th. It was so fun to spend the afternoon with her. I wish it hadn't been sandwiched between two very exciting activities -

Wicked and EFY

We thought it would be a quick drive by and drop off but it turned out that I went with her to the gate and then her plane was delayed and we had dinner and talked and talked. They swapped her plane for one that worked and she was on her way to one of the best weeks of her life. I'm glad I was a small part of it. Savannah, you are so put together and so beautiful. Wow!!

Trailing Thoughts From the Summer 2009

Some happenings I don't want to forget so I better start putting them down. Now that the kids are back in school maybe I will catch up. I sure love all of these kids. I must tell this one on Bella. Only the adults can read this. Don't mention it to Bella. I believe we were home from the beach 2 days, like Sunday evening, and I was talking on the phone with Richelle and Grumpaw was watching TV. I was standing in the family room next to my desk. Emily was sitting at my desk. The card table was set up in the family room in front of the TV with a 1000 piece puzzle on it. I had been working on it for about a month and had almost finished it. It lacked about 25 pieces being finished. Bella walked over to the card table and tried to put in a puzzle piece and then with both hand made circles on top of the card table with the puzzle pieces. I went berserk. Richelle thought someone had drowned. It was the only time Bella cried while she was here. We all got over it.

I think I will put the puzzle back up today and start over. I love Bella. I love Mary Ellen's statue that has magic marker on it by someone who shall remain nameless. I love the foot prints on my back from the bottom of the pool. I love the foot prints in my garden. I love holding their hands next to my bed at night. I love being asked if it's time to get up yet at 6:30 am. I love being ask "Can we come swimming?" or "Will you come to my party?" or "Havn't you finished it yet?" Or being call Nana or Monkey. Or even Grandma, yuk!