Stout Family Reunion - Summer 2010

It was so wonderful to have our whole family together at a beautiful location in Logan Canyon. It was a wonderful family reunion that would not have taken place if not for the many efforts of Janna and others who contributed time and talents and money.

So Much Rain...

One of the new garden boxes got moved to the front yard and Kirt worked on the sprinkler system. With so much rain he actually had to bale water out of the holes around the sprinklers to work on them today.

CPDM

I am just finishing my first class of the CPDM- Certified Professional in Disability Management. The final is Monday, so I will be hitting the books all weekend!

Kirt goes to Long Beach

Kirt had to fly to Long Beach on Thursday - for a meeting Friday, then he flew home. The meeting was at the Chancellor's office o the California State Universities.
After he rents his car at the LB airport he drives to Placentia and stays over with his sister, Martha Okerlund.
Katie, newly engaged, gave up her bedroom for her uncle. She bunked in with little sister, Olivia.
Kirt said the meetings were very informational and he got important RM type information.

He returned home Friday night, I had some grilled steaks ready for him, and then we watched "Voyage of the Dawn Threader" from Narnia. It was our "dinner and a movie" Friday night date.

Stiff Neck- New Glasses

There seems to be a recurring theme with my new glasses- I had them taken back and they were supposed to get fixed- they had mistakenly been made on brown frames, not pewter. It took ages to get them back, then trying to get used to them again, then a whole week with a stiff neck, and even going to the chiropractor on Friday...I think I will need to take them aback again. They are just not working out... problem is that my old ones needed replacing last August, and I really need the improved vision.

E-Book!

Logan sent me an e-reader/e-book for Mother's Day. It is the Sharper Image "Literati"- it has 197 books loaded into it. He was able to load books he already had in his own e-book. So I have some Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, Robin Cook, a bunch of classics and the Holy Bible, and the Book of Mormon.
I have been investigating all the buttons and capabilities, but am waiting for a few cords or somethings that he forgot to mail. He will then talk me through downloading books from other sources. The 8 mg reader card that he sent me a while ago for my camera will actually work in this and allow me 3000 books or so.
I originally thought I might like one for at church- my scriptures are heavy, and sometimes at church the pages are difficult to turn if my hands are cold.

Mother's Day

I planned a delicious dinner- roast in the crock-pot. Strawberry shortcake for dessert, then I started to think how much I liked a cake my mom used to make for me for my birthday. It is an angel food with a frosting/glaze made with orange juice instead of milk or water, and lots of orange zest. It gets poured over the top and sides of the cake. So I made it and we used that for the shortcake and so it was like having 2 desserts in one.

Kirt gave me a lovely card with a very special letter, and a box of chocolates - nuts and chews. Shaunika's family sent me a bunch of chocolate covered strawberries. YUM!

I guess this day will have to be one of my 20% where I eat too much or wrong stuff, knowing that tomorrow I will be "back on the wagon" and trying to eat well the other 80% of the time.

Best of the day was seeing all the posts on the grandma blog from the grand-kids, and phone calls I have received and cards that arrived yesterday and the day before. And I guess MD will continue as the gift that Logan is sending will arrive some time this seek.

Even with out gifts or any special recognition I know I am very blessed with such amazing children and a wonderful spouse.