The latest

Well, today I got my carpets cleaned, with all the traffic I get in my house it was much needed!

so that is nice to see clean carpet for a while. It usually lasts about 6 months and then it starts to look dirty again.

I'm so happy that Carolee is doing so well in PA. She had Jeff and her inlaws have worked so hard at cleaning it up, painting and getting unpacked. She's excited about it, plus thier big full basement ended up being a great surprise for her. She is loving her new carpet. She'll get on the internet in about a week so that will be so fun to see actual pictures.

OKAY, I have a new project, ( for those who really know me I always have to have a project) I want to learn how to do solar cooking. Actually today, I cooked two baked potatoes! I just got instructions from the internet about making your own solar oven, so I did, and baked some potatoes! how cool is that? I'm going to try some more stuff, I'll keep you posted.

I'm so excited about our Wright family cabin in Groom Creek Arizona. It was build in the 30's maybe? and it is LONG over due for a major overhaul, and my nephew Shane and other relatives , ( my son in law Jess) have put in long hours, it's going to look like the Wright Hilton , I just can't wait to see the finished product. They have added two new bathrooms and then completely updated the inside with electrical, drywall, and new flooring.

My garden has been wonderful this year, we have really enjoyed our tomatoes and squash, I want to plant some more winter stuff and also add some fruit trees!

Love to you all

Happy 4th of July

Hot Hot Hot.. thank goodness for airconditioning.

well, my kiddoes are off to Pennsylvania, when Carolee first got there she was a bit discouraged because the house was left so dirty, but this past week, they have been painting and new carpet gets layed tomorrow so I know it's going to look great.

here are pictures we took recently. Kristen's son Mack had his 3rd year birthday party. Mack and Trenton LOVE each other, they will really miss being together, they are so cute to watch, they just run together where ever they go!

The picture of Trenton is him already to go to the airport at 4:30 am in the morning! the other is of me and the kids right before they left ( I was trying to stay happy!)

Can't believe it 's July already, time always goes so fast. We enjoyed having Troy here while he worked for Todd's business. Troys a great guy, I"m sure Candice is so glad to have him back home!

What's going on?

well,
hmm, what's been going on here?
Helping Carolee pack. You know moving cross country is a HUGE thing, I feel her pain getting things already, but she is a trooper and will survive it all. They have gotten a little bigger house from the School to rent and are excited about that. I've already bought my plane ticket to see them in August and October. It will be fun for us to see that part of the country. I also have my web cam set up so I can see the kids everyday. Isn't technology wonderful?

School is out, I'm sure all you moms are so happy to not have to stress about homework. No one loved summer more than me when I had 6 kids at home. I hate homework!

We have a full house again. Troy and his brother are here to earn a little extra money working for Todd, then thier wives will come and visit next weekend and in one week Carolee and kids will be here .
This Sunday we are celebrating June birthdays. That is Jeff Biehn, Joy, Jake Wright, and Bill, and of course Father's day.
I've been very blessed to have had a wonderful father. My dad was devoted to his family and to Church. He had such a tender heart and loved everyone. I miss him so much. He died 5 months after I got married, he was only 59 years old. Not only did I have a wonderful father but I married a man who is also a wonderful father. My kids have been loved and reared by an exceptional dad. I certainly couldn't have raised 6 children without his help. I'm very blessed to have such a wonderful partner by my side. Happy Father's day Billy.

Well, here's to another fun summer.

more pictures!

We sure had a great time being all together, the kids are non stop action.
this last picture is pretty funny , Nate is 8 months, Tessa is 12 months and Noah is two months!

3rd try to get pictures up

memorial weekend and our nauvoo trip

Church History tour

we just got home from a wonderful tour of the Church history sites. We visited Independence MO, Far West, and Nauvoo, We loved all of them and learned so much. It 's hard to comprehend how hard those pioneers worked to start a new community to have to leave again in the dead of Winter. I have such a love and appreciation for all of them. The Nauvoo temple was beautiful and I discovered that my great great grandfather Stephen Martindale Farnsworth was listed as one of the framers of the temple.
We also stopped in Bloomington, Illinois because that is where State Farm has it's beginnings. We enjoyed the tour given there too. We then drove on to Chicago and left from there .
I'll post some pictures of our church history tour, and then the other pictures are of Memorial Day. We were all together and had a great time at Kristen and Todd's house. The kids didn't seem to mind the cooler weather!

The Best Mother's Day ever

Oh, how wonderful grandchildren are, here is Noah talking to Gramps Picture of Carolee's home they will rent in Pennsylvania
Hey, we miss you Melissa! The Mccook Girls!

Nate getting his haircut, oh by the way, he got a taste of his first sucker here too!

but this weekend was very very special. Candice and Troy came, we love Candice and we LOVE how she can do hair so great! so we were all treated with new do's , even Nate got a haircut.

Saturday was so fun because we just had the adult kids come for a BBQ steak dinner. We could actually talk and visit becasue we weren't chasing 16 little kids around. I think the best thing was Carolee's cream corn recipe

Here is that yummy creamed corn recipe:

This is a double batch that will fit into a 9x13 pan.

2 lb. frozen white corn (two bags)24 oz.

whipping cream

3 T melted butter

3 T Flour

1 tsp salt

4 T Sugar

Pinch of white pepper

one container of the fresh shredded Parmesan cheese.

Combine corn, cream, salt, sugar and white pepper in a pot and bring to a boil.

Simmer 5 minutes. In a separate pot make a roux from butter and flour (melt butter in skillet, add flour and cook until bubbly), add to corn, mix well and remove from heat. Transfer corn mixture to a casserole dish, sprinkle with Parm cheese and brown under broiler.

But my best gift was a wonderful book given to me. They all put together sweet notes and pictures about why they love grandma.. Oh, it made me cry, it's wonderful.

Thanks everyone, my day was great,