Rolling on the River

Okay, not exactly rolling more like floating down the river.

A couple of days ago we went "river rafting" with a group of our neighbors. It's a tradition now. We have done it every year since we have lived here. Our girls think it is a little scary and very adventurous. In reality, it is a calm float in a raft down the river.

Here is Team Z ready to hit the river.


The group launch. What a GROUP we are!


Merrily, merrily, life is but a dream


Lunch break (Honey, I don't know if a side profile in a wetsuit and life jacket is your best look) (Carson, don't worry. You look like Superman in the picture)

I can hardly wait for next year!!!!

On this Memorial Day

Since today is Memorial Day, I thought I should take a minute and remember those who have fallen. A particular name keeps coming to me. This young man was killed in service. He was part of the greatest army on earth. His name is Mason Livingston. Mason was killed while serving a mission for the Lord.

I met Mason when I was his Y group leader, the people who help Freshman get around BYU. Mason became a really good friend. He would hang out with my apartment a lot. Our schedules also worked out that I would run into him when he was leaving the Joseph Smith building and I was heading into class. I remember one morning he met me there. He was so excited to tell me he bought a motorcycle, BUT he made me promise not to tell his mom. Mason thought she would think he would end up hurting himself.

At the end of the school year Mason headed back to Ohio and left on his mission to Puerto Rico. That November he was hit while riding his bike and passed away.

It has been many awhile since I have been in Utah on Memorial Day, but every Memorial Day I will think of when Mindy Gunn and I went to visit Mason's grave. We paid tribute to a true hero that Memorial Day.
http://archive.deseretnews.com/archive/455660/DEATH--MASON-MCKAY-LIVINGSTON.html

Like Sand in an Hourglass, So Are the Days of Our Lives

So, I am feeling a little stressed lately. I have been running around a lot, but what do I have to show for it? Definitely, not a clean house.

I have decided that it is just that time of year when there is so much to do, and the dirt will have to wait, I am hanging with my kids (Fun Run, Art Discovery, Take Your Parent to School Day, Activity Day Fashion Show ...)and preparing for summer.

This is a picture of R from her music performance. Several of her friends and her acted out the life of a butterfly. R also did very well on her reading parts.


Trek's a comin'! Thanks to my Mother-in-law, I have most of my clothes. One of my kind friends helped me sew 2 aprons, one to match each outfit, and a bonnet (Bonnets are hard, and Claudine did all the work on it. I just watch her on that project). H and E are modeling my bonnets. Boy, am I going to look hot crossing the prairie!

I better get to bed. Field trip with E's class tomorrow.

The School Talent Show

This is E and R performing Cinderella's "The Work Song" at the school talent show.

Happy Mother's Day

First, Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there, especially our Moms and Grandmas.

Here are some of the lovely things I received today.

This is by R so I am going to write the original and the translation.

"Mom so swet and sbeshol and cind She hefol and funy Mom yor onle min. I love you I love you Love R"

Mom so sweet and special and kind. She's helpful and funny. Mom your only mine. I love you! I love you! Love,R

"My Mom is ..." a poem by E.

"My mom is happy, smiling all day

My mom is nice, caring for my family

My mom is a chef, cooking everything

My mom is sweet, helping my family

My mom is an actress, pretending is her thing

My mom is adventurous, planning a lot of trips

My mom is a couch potato,watching lots of movies

My mom loves flowers, planting them in her garden

My mom is great, that is why she is unique."

H is harder to post. She can only write her name, but I have cards with those two circle figures with arms and legs and her sprawling signature. Here is a poem from a card that has her hand print on front.

"Mommy I love you

For all you do

I'll kiss you and hug you

Cause you love me too

You feed me and need me

And teach me to play

So smile cause I love you

On this Mothers Day."

Here is the thought I give myself for Mother's Day.

"Recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction." -Elder M. Russell Ballard

Like today!

Family History...

For school, E had to fill out a family tree of her four generations. She only needed their names and ethnic origins. It should be easy for an active member of the church to fill it out, right?

Oops, I have no records of my genealogy at my house at all. I filled out what I remembered then I emailed our moms. They gave me some information, but I needed more. So, I emailed Grandma Z. She got right back to me. That was great I had the whole Z line, but I needed to know about the Hs and some J Crew information. I called JR and asked if he had any idea about his family. He didn't but he figured out a solution... http://www.familysearch.org/

It was a miracle! Our whole family's information was there. It took a little bit of effort to find it, for example my grandma is listed on the site but no spouse and just her parents. If you type in her husband's name it has his family for generations.

I really enjoyed it. It was great finding the names. I could only imagine the joy of finding a new name to add to the family. Maybe my heart is turning!

(or I want all my aunts and uncles to read this and fill in all the information)

Thankful it's not my calling anymore!

This morning I went with a group of ladies to clean the church. This reminded me of my old calling. It use to be my calling to coordinate the cleaning assignments for RS and then I would care for their children while they cleaned. Our ward would be in charge for one month once a quarter. Not a big deal, right?

Oh, today reminded me of why I am thankful I don't have to do that anymore. First, we get there and tried to decide who would clean what. There was no list of jobs anymore. I tried to remember the jobs plus we were informed that there were new ones too. Everyone thought I should watch the kids like I used to. So, I took the group of ten kids under the age of 5. It really was okay, but there was this one little guy that bawled the whole time (about 1 hr 45 min). Plus, entertaining, keeping them from looking for their mom, etc... that many kids for that long just takes it out of you. I am so glad I don't have to do that every Monday this month. Next week I do have to go again, but I am cleaning not watching kiddos!

Speaking of memories, while I was cleaning coordinator I was also RS pianist. I am glad I don't have that calling anymore as well. I know, you are thinking you are Primary pianist now it's not that different. Of course, there is the obvious Primary songs are easier then hymns. Well, there are other differences too. Let's face reality, I am not a good pianist! So, this is how people handle it in RS. "Oh, I know you are uncomfortable and this hymn is hard. Would you like me to play?" or "Don't worry it gets easier." Then there is Primary's reaction. I had just tried to play "Baptism". I could only play the right hand with people singing. A young girl came up to me, "Oh Sister Z, you play so beautifully!"I thought I should open this girl's eyes to the truth "You know I am not very good and made a lot of mistakes." "Well, I just wish I could play as well as you. You were so lucky to have lessons when you were little." Yes, I am lucky that I had lessons and even if I play horribly I can share the talent I do have with someone who appreciates it. (Even if every time the Bishop hears me play he ask if I have a piano at home. ) I am thankful to be the Primary Pianist right now!

Mom's Retirement (Grandma Maggie)

On Thursday,my mom retired!
She has been a banker for almost 20 years. It was a day to celebrate.
Here we are together at an Open House at the bank.
(No mom, I decided the wine bottle picture is just for us. She received 2 from customers. We teased her for not talking about her church life enough.)

We flew in our sister and surprised Mom.

We had a family party while my sister was here. R helped me with the cake. She said it should be a tire since Grandma was reTIREing.

The original members of the J. Crew

Grandma Maggie with her four Chickadees

Mom, I finally got it posted. Enjoy!

PS One of my friends pointed out that my Mom is too young to retire. I thought that was nice of Mindi to give me a gentle suggestion to be a good daughter and set the record straight. My mom is not 65! (if you want to know her age I wrote it back in March for her birthday post)