MARKIM WHITEMYER FAMILY

Mark's Birthday Celebration

2009-03-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

I got this idea a few months ago about surprising Mark for his birthday. Mark used to surf a lot when he was younger and we often came to Santa Cruz while we were dating. One time we came here and I spent so much time watching and trying to get a movie of him surfing that I blistered the right side of my face. We also spent a lot of time on the beach by the board walk. I use to admire the Dream Inn as a youth thinking it would be a fun place to stay.
A few years ago it had been a long time since we had a little break so I booked a room at the Coast Hotel and Mark, Kristin, Sarah and I really enjoyed our stay. I remember that Mark told me that it was a rejuvenating place for him to come. Then it was called the Coast Hotel but it has since changed back to the "Dream Inn" as we new it back in the day. You can see the board walk, the pier, the beautiful Monterey Bay from the hotel.
So I started formulating my plan. I booked a room the weekend of his birthday but I didn't tell him. Alex (our chiropractic assistant) and I crossed off two days in his schedule so no patients would be booked. The week finally arrived and I got a sub for my Seminary class for Friday. Wednesday I started packing. I just got back from visiting Kristin and Sarah in Utah so my suitcase was still in the bedroom. I secretly started to fill it again with our clothes for the trip. Wednesday night while Mark was at church meetings I loaded the suitcase in the car. Thursday morning before Seminary I loaded a few things. (Mark doesn't get up that early.) Then when I got back from Seminary I suggested that we drive to the office together since I said I wanted to come home the same time he did. I told him that I would even chauffeur him to work since it was his birthday. I was relieved when he didn't seem to notice the suitcases in the back of the car. As we drove to work I went right past the office. Mark said, "Hey! You missed the office driveway." I told him I wasn't thinking but I kept going. As I passed the possible other routes to the office I could tell he was getting frustrated. He said, "Wow! You are really taking the long way. I finally told him we weren't going to work until Monday. He said, "I have things to do." I said, "Like what?" He responded, "Like mow the lawn." I told him the lawn would still be there when we got home. He asked about helping a friend move that day and I told him I had ask one of his counselors to help get people to help. He asked about his patients and I told him they had all been scheduled for Monday. He finally relaxed and started to get use to the idea. We had a nice drive to Santa Cruz. When we arrived it was sunny but a little chilly. They had had a lot of rain in the past few days so we felt grateful that it had stopped and we could enjoy the sun. Friday it was overcast but we walked along the pier and the beach. We did a little sight seeing but best of all we rested a bit! Today it is absolutely beautiful. It is sunny already and no clouds threatening to block the sun. It is going to be a glorious day to take in some ultra violet light!

Findarle Reception August 19th Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-06T07:31:00.000-07:00

It was a busy weekend with all of the Birthday festivities and Eric's visit. Along with those festivities my friend Terri Findarle came to Oakdale and we had fun putting together a wedding reception for her son Michael Findarle and new bride Audrey. It was fun hanging out with Terri for a long weekend. We got to shop for wedding decor and catch up on each others lives. We resurrected Mindi's centerpieces from her wedding and they ended up being perfect with Audrey's colors. I had a blast working with friends I've known for years. We got to work together and create a beautiful reception. What good friends we have! The rest of the month has been rather quiet. I've been working on a website for Mark's office and we had the missionaries for dinner. Of course I have Seminary everyday and lessons to prepare. We actually had no plans for the Labor Day weekend but we worked hard in the yard and felt good about the work we got done. It was very hot so the kids came to swim and we BBQed on Labor Day. I actually got to go swimming with the grandchildren and I really enjoyed that. Today we will be walking to let people know about Proposition 8. We also walked on Saturday the 23rd and it was an interesting but suprisingly enjoyable task talking with neighbors in our community.

August 18th Jen and Eric Celebrate With the Family

2008-09-06T07:13:00.000-07:00

On August 18th every year Jenn and Eric share their birthday. The weekend before the 18th we were all excited because Uncle Eric was coming to town. That always means we are going to have fun and the music will roll. We love it when Eric brings out the guitar and we listen to him sing. We laugh and sing and have a great time. It was a short visit but we packed in as much fun and family time as we could!

Aug 16th Ward Temple Day

2008-09-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

August 16th was our Ward Temple Day. We met at the church building to car pool up to the Oakland Temple. My friend Val Reynolds and I toured the Visitors Center and visited the most beautiful exhibit of sculptures of the Savior I had ever seen. They were done by a woman who had had no formal training in sculpting. There was a life size sculpture of Christ and the artist finished it in five months. The detail was unbelievable. Each piece told a story and I was so awe struck that I was overcome by emotion and the reality of my Savior, Friend and Redeemer. It was truly a sight to behold! We had a nice bag lunch with our ward family and got home in time to welcome Eric home for a birthday weekend.

Birthday Lunch with Grammy!

2008-09-06T06:22:00.000-07:00

Tyce and Corbin had a birthay on the 29th of July. I take the grandchildren out to lunch for their birthdays and they get to choose the place. So far the hot spot is Del Taco because it has a play area that is fun for the kids. The tube slide was the hit of the day as you can see by the pictures. We can't always go right on their birthdays so I usually try to see when their moms can use a break and take them as close to their birthdays as I can. The boys had fun but the interesting memory for me was when we walked into Del Taco, Tyce immediately put a nickel in the gumball machine. That wouldn't have been a problem but the gumball machine only takes quarters and so when I explained to Tyce that he needed to ask before doing things like that he was not very happy with me. He pouted for a few minutes and wouldn't acknowledge me. It took a while but he finally warm up again. The boys had a great time playing in the play area. It was a fun time for Grammy to get to know the twins a little better.

AUGUST 11TH FIRST DAY OF SEMINARY

2008-08-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

WOW! Where did the summer go. It seems like we just had our year end Seminary Breakfast and here we are starting another year of Seminary. This is my 4th year and I love teaching the youth so much. My class last year was what I call a "Zion" class. One of our scripture mastery scriptures was Moses 7:18 which say "And the Lord call his people Zion and they were of one heart and one mind and they dwelt in righteousness and there were no poor among them." It was a choice experience for me to meet with these amazing young people. They got along, they were never disrespectful. They did what they were asked to do. I also believe they learned to love one another and become better friends. I know I came to love them very much.

Because I had such a good class last year I was a little afraid that this year might be hard. I couldn't possibly have a class I love as much. The night before Seminary started I had a really hard time going to sleep. Remember how you felt on Christmas Eve and you were just so excited and nervous about Christmas morning that you couldn't sleep. Well that was me. I finally fell asleep about 12:30 a.m and then woke up again at 3:30 a.m. There was no need to try and go back to sleep because I could just feel that it wasn't going to happen.

Well I got to Seminary and we had our morning prayer as teachers. My stomach was doing flip flops. Then they started arriving. It was so exciting. What a great bunch of kids. They arrived on time and all but one student came. I'm so excited! It is going to be a great year!

AUGUST 2nd A BEAUTIFUL WEDDING

2008-08-09T15:02:00.001-07:00

A great day for the Miguel Family.
It was so fun to see everyone. The wedding was so beautiful. Every detail was addressed. We had a delicious sit down dinner and it was so fun visiting with everyone.

We tried to find Uncle Jim but couldn't find him to get in the picture with his other siblings. We finally found him with Tony and snapped this picture. They all look wonderful and never seem to get any older. My camera battery died as I tried to get a picture of my cousin Ann and JB Holloway and Jeff and Diana Bentz. It was so fun to visit with them and catch up on what they are doing.
It was a beautiful day at Jenn and Chris' wedding. It was held at the St Paul's Catholic Church on Church and California Street.

Silly me, I left my camera in my car during the wedding. It took us 2 hours and 45 mins to find the church. We got lost because Army Street in San Francisco has been changed to Caesar Chavez. How were we to know? I guess we had an old map and we had left our map quest print outs at home. Mark informed me Saturday morning that we needed to leave at 10:30 a.m. to get there in time. I was feeling a little annoyed because that was a hour before I thought we had to leave. It meant I was going to have to move faster than I wanted to. We got on the road and got lost because of the name change. Instead of getting stressed I told Mark we should just consider the trip and adventure and if we didn't make the wedding we could at least make the reception. We finally reached the church and then had to park three blocks up hill on the steepest driving hill I've ever been on. It was so steep that we had to park our car horizontally and when Mark went to get out of the car he said he felt like he was going to roll down the hill. We made it to the church but then were surprised to see our relatives standing waiting to go in to the cathedral. I thought it was rather strange that a wedding would start 45 minutes late. After a while I realized that the wedding started at 2:00 p.m not 1:00 p.m. and I we were 15 minutes early not 45 minutes late

Oh! Happy Day. We got to see the wedding.

JULY 29TH ITS HARD TO SAY GOODBYE SOMETIMES.

2008-08-09T14:26:00.001-07:00

It's Tuesday already! Where did the time go. It seems like we wait so long for them to come and then before you know it it's time for them to go back home. With the guys either at work or back home the girls got together one last time at the park for a little more time together before the trip to the airport.

All of the grandchildren in one place. Have you ever tried to get ten children together to take a picture when they are playing at the park? Well it isn't easy. I told them all I wanted to show them a magic tree. Believe it or not it worked. Brayden was the only one that was a little skeptical. He gave me that look like, "You can't fool me Grammy." I really didn't lie. It was a special tree because of all the little trees growing around it. London was the only one that wasn't to keen on cooperating. I had to whisper in her ear and then you can see by the picture she wasn't completely convinced she wanted to be a part of it all.
One last hug before Aunt Kristin takes off for the airport. What a wonderful week it's been. The next time we see her hopefully she will be holding her own baby boy in her arms.

JULY 24th EXTENDED FAMILY GATHERING

2008-08-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

Mindi & Brooke Jenn & Jason

COBY HANGING WITH THE KIDS

On July 24th we had a little family BBQ, Jesse and Carissa were suppose to come but Carissa had the blessing of being with one of her friends when she had her baby. My brother Jim, my nephews Adam and Zachary joined us. Mindi, Amerik and their two little girls Brooke and Kennedy came. Coby and Kristin came from Utah which was very wonderful. Johnny and Tara are busy getting ready to have their new baby and couldn't be there. I didn't hear back from John and Kelly but they were missed. We had a great time. The kids swam and the adults visited and enjoyed being together. I thought sure I had a picture of Zach but I guess in all my running around I didn't get one. What a sweet young man he is!

It was a great day and we enjoyed catching up on everyone.

JULY 28th More Birthdays to Celebrate

2008-08-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

Uncle Coby headed home on Sunday but Kristin was able to stay for the birthday festivities. I was a lot like Christmas around here. Tyce and Corbin got Power Ranger costumes, Chloe got all kinds of art supplies and more. Brooke got a Barbie Computer which she called her "Puter" Aunt Kristin isn't always able to be here for birthdays so all the nieces and nephews got gifts from her.
Brooke opening her computer

Tyce and Corbin in costume
Let's play catch
Chloe opening her art supplies
GOOD MEMORIES

JULY 26 KRISTIN"S BABY SHOWER AND GOLF

2008-08-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

We got the opportunity to get together to have a baby shower for Kristin. It was fun to see friends and family. Jenn and Deana did a great job with all the festivities. The prepared a lunch for us and we had fun listening to Kristin try to guess Coby's answers to questions they had asked him. Kristin got to see friends she hadn't see in a while and received some wonderful gifts for her new baby.

The men in the family all went up to Sonora to play golf. I wished I'd sent them with a camera but I'm afraid I didn't think about it. They came home with some funny stories. My favorite was that Jason missed the ball after swinging to hit it with all of his might. Then he swung again and missed only this time Mark just couldn't hold it in. He completely ignored any golf etiquette and laughed out loud till he was almost rolling on the ground. It must have been a sight to behold. Coby was the winner and they all came back tired.

OUR TRIP HOME

2008-08-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

Our trip home from Idaho was a long one. We hit a horrible storm going across Nevada. It literally felt like someone was standing on the roof of the car pouring water from a bucket. Then there was lightning and thunder. When is started to get dark the visibility went way down and it was dangerous to be on the road any more. To make matters worse they had repaved much of the highway but hadn't repainted the lines so it was even harder to tell where you were going. We stopped in Battle Mountain and the first hotel we stopped at was full. Fortunately we did find a comfortable room we just had to drive into town a ways. We got a good night sleep and then got on the road hoping to be home about 3:00 P.M. I'm not sure what was happening as we went through Reno but we were in bumper to bumper traffic for two hours. I finally reminded Mark that we didn't have to be home at any particular time and I suggested that maybe we should pull off the highway and go to a movie or something until the traffic clear. All you have to do is mention "movie" to Mark and he is all for it. So we stopped in Reno and went to see Wall-E. We must have been tired because we slept through most of the movie. After the movie was over we got back on the road and got home around 8:30 P.M. glad to sleep in our own bed.

JULY 21 ORIENTATION BYU IDAHO

2008-08-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

On Monday we headed to the John Taylor building to meet Sarah for parent and student orientation. When we arrived we were greeted by our good friend Alan Williams from Oakdale. We got big hugs and exchanged greetings with each other. Alan just recently returned home from service a full time mission for two years in Florida. He was only home a few days be for heading out to BYU Idaho so it was great to see him. Sarah finally arrived and it was time for the orientation to begin.

The orientation was a spiritually uplifting experience for me. Sarah had prayed hard about where she should continue her education. Some may think she went there because many LDS kids go to LDS schools but it originally was not her first choice. We asked her to pray about it and when she did she was sure she was suppose to go to BYU Idaho. As the Assistant to the President of the college spoke he told the students that is was no coincidence that they were there. He also told them that attending BYU Idaho was privilege not a right. We heard a talk by President Eyring who said that the students of BYU Idaho would influence the world for good. He then said, "The day will come that that capacity to influence people around you for good will have you singled out as one of the great leaders in whatever place you're in. They will not quite know why, but you will know that the reason you are being singled out is not because of your innate gifts as a leader but because you have done what the Savior would do—learned how to, and did, reach out to those around you to try to lift them, to help them to be better even when it might be a little bit difficult and you might not have been received very well." I left the college that day very grateful that my daughter has to opportunity to further her education is such a wonderful place.

JULY 20th THE EMPTY NESTERS

2008-08-09T07:58:00.001-07:00

It was Sunday, July 20th. We were officially empty nesters! After 33 years it felt really weird.
We had made arrangements to meet Sarah for church but the schedule was changed for the student ward (we were told Sacrament was last and it ended up being first) and we weren't going to be able to get there in time

We got ready quickly and set out to find a ward to attend. We arrived about 11:10 a.m. hoping to find an 11:30 Sacrament service. The ward we found started at 11:00 a.m. so we were afraid we weren't going to make it for the Sacrament. We peeked in the back door of the overflow in the chapel and right there were two empty seats. We slipped in and only missed the announcements. It was a wonderful service and we felt blessed to be there. We thought maybe we would visit the campus with Sarah but we didn't hear from her all day. She was too busy taking in all of the new friends and activities. I want you to know I recognized this as an answer to my prayers because Sarah is a home body and I really prayed that she would enjoy, quickly get involved and enjoy college life. I guess I just didn't think my prayers would be answered so perfectly! LOL! Soooooo Mark and I spent the day enjoying the beautiful gardens on campus, walking around the Temple and resting. We especially enjoyed looking at the gardens because our son Eric graduated from BYU Idaho with a degree in horticulture and I know that each class contributes to the beauty of the campus. There must have been 5 or 6 different amazing water falls.

JULY 19 OFF TO BYU IDAHO

2008-08-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

The first thing we noticed when we got to Rexburg was the new beautiful Temple there. It sits up on the hill and is totally illuminated at night. The sight is spectacular! We found Sarah's dorm and she was excited to meet her roommate Hannah. Shelby and Marsha are in the same dorm but sleep in the other bedroom. All of the girls were adorable and it was fun to see them all unpacking their personal belongings and make their rooms their own. The dorm has a nice kitchen and a comfortable living room for entertaining.

Hannah

and Sarah
We had to make a trip to the grocery
store and Walmart for groceries and a few items that were needed like a desk lamp and a power strip.
Sarah's NEW ROOM

After just a few hours we had everything in Sarah's closet and drawers filled. It was truly amazing since Sarah brought just about everything she owns. She will start school again right after Freshman Academy so she had to bring everything. When everything was unpacked including her kitchen equipment Sarah was ready to hang out with her new roommates so Mom and Dad said goodbye.

JULY 17 OFF TO UTAH

2008-08-09T06:59:00.001-07:00

It was a long drive and with our car so packed full of Sarah's stuff and our suitcases we barely had enough room to breath but it was worth the trip when we got to see Kristin and Coby. Mark wasn't feeling well by the time we arrived. He came down with a miserable cold for the first few days we were gone so he rested in our motel room while Kris, Sarah and I looked for baby furniture. We didn't have much luck. Every store we went to was out of the crib we liked. We met Coby for lunch and enjoyed visiting. We all went to see The Dark Knight that night which we saw in the 3rd row because we arrived late after a great dinner at a restaurant I can't remember. I didn't see much of the movie as I had my eyes shut much of the time. It was way to intense dark for me. Sarah's friend Danny joined us for dinner and the movie. Danny is a student at BYU Utah and has just been called to serve a mission in New York and will be leaving in just a few days. We are so excited for him! Sarah met Danny at Especially For Youth last year and they have been talking on the phone every since. It was great to finally meet him.

It was so great to see Kris and Coby who had just moved to West

Jordan from Vernal Utah. If you've ever visited Roosevelt or Vernal you know that its 3 to 3 1/2 hours from civilization and especially an airport. I'm so glad Kris is closer with the baby coming.

London's Barbie Birthday Party JULY 14th

2008-08-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

London and her cousin Avery Kerr turned 3 on July 12. Jenn and Tiffany (the Mom's) hosted a wonderful Barbie Birthday Party and the Whitemyer and Kerr Families got together to celebrate.

Jenn stay up till about 3:00 A.M. making a special Barbie Birthday cake for each of the girls. Complimented with decorated cupcakes for the cousins and friends.

July 12th 2008

2008-07-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful day at the Temple yesterday. We attended Eileen Seavers (Mark's niece) and Larry Thorpe's wedding in the Oakland Temple where they were sealed for time and eternity. It was so fun seeing nieces, nephews, cousins, sibling and family friends.

Mark and I also had the opportunity to act as proxy for my grandparents Alexander George Mowat and Agnes Sampson Reid as they were sealed together for Time and Eternity. It was a very emotional experience for me. I was very close to my grandmother but my grandfather passed away before I was born. The spirit was so strong as Mark and I knelt across the alter from each other in a beautiful sealing room in the Oakland Temple. We listened to the words of the sealer as my grandfather and grandmother have the opportunity now to be companions beyond this life forever. Tears of joy flowed as I could almost audibly hear my grandmother's phrase. "I love you so much it hurts!"

When Grandma came to visit us, she always stayed in my room. I remember the stories she used to tell about being a buyer for a very large department store in Scotland and how she had her own chauffeur. How she and my grandfather were engaged for 13 years. How they got married in Canada and eventually came to the United States as it took years for my grandfather to bring his family here to America.

It turns out that the sealer is the accountant for our optomitrist here in Oakdale and has been for years and years. It is such a small world. The experience of feeling so close to my grandparents in the Temple is one I will not soon forget.

Waiting Outside the Temple

2008-07-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

Families Are Forever

2008-07-14T00:37:00.000-07:00

This story is priceless. My sister-in-law Mary is the dearest woman ever.
Yesterday as all great moms are she was very concerned about making sure all went smoothly with the wedding details. As soon as the sealing was over we all went back down to the waiting room to reclaim our shoes and bags. Mary was removing the white socks she wore in the sealing room (shoes are not worn upstairs in the Temple) when her thoughts focused on the next details of this wonderful ocassion the flowers and pictures. Mary had removed one white sock when she saw the groom entering the waiting room and realized he was in the wrong place. If she didn't act fast he might miss his bride when she came down the stairs. Mary quickly put on her other shoe a dashed to make sure Larry was in the right place. That accomplished, Mary walked outside to find the rest of the family. We were all waiting outside for the bride and groom. As Mary came out I was taking pictures of everyone and Anna, one of Mary's daughter's said, "Kim, you have to get Mom!" She is starting a new fashion trend!" There Mary stood with one white sock on and one white sock off. She had been so concerned about Larry that she forgotten to take off both of her socks. We all laughed very hard and Mary was a wonderful sport as we teased her about her fashion statement.

A Wonderful Reception

2008-07-14T00:36:00.000-07:00

From Left to Right
London, Jenn, Kennedy, Mindi, Sarah, little Brooke, Kinda, Kim and Carly

2008-07-14T00:04:00.000-07:00

2008-07-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

July 7th A Sad Day

2008-07-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

I've never been an animal lover. I didn't grow up with animals. Besides I had 7 children and a husband and that is enough living, breathing things to take care of! Right? Well my daughter Kristin is an animal lover. She must have been an animal keeper in the Pre-existence (before we came to this earth) because she begged me to have a dog. She wrote contracts about all that she would do to take care of her dog. Everyday for weeks on end she would beg. I definitely had a dilemma! I do love my children and I want them to be happy. Jason, my wonderful son-in-law told me about a dog that his parents has adopted. Her name was Lucky because they picked her up by the side of Orangeblossom Rd. where drivers go very fast. She was "lucky" that she didn't get killed. Jason knowing how I did not like animals that much thought Lucky would be a perfect fit. So for Christmas about 12 years ago Kristin got her dog Lucky. Lucky was the best dog a mom could hope to have. She didn't bark much (unless there was danger), didn't chew things up, she was great with the kids even when they sat on her, pulled her ears, and poked at her. Lucky was the best. She still needed to eat, shed and left her calling card in the yard but for the most part she was a blessing. Yesterday we sadly had to put her to sleep. She had cancer and was bleeding from her nose. Mark had taken her to the Vet two weeks ago and they thought it might be an abscess in her tooth that was causing the problem. She also had arthritis and we gave her some medicine so she would be more comfortable but yesterday when there was blood everywhere we knew something was terribly wrong. Mark had to go to work so I took Lucky to the Vet and got the news. At 11:45 A.M. yesterday, Mark, Sarah and I said our goodbyes and thanked her for being such a wonderful friend to all of us. She quietly went to sleep. On the way home I had this wonderful vision of Lucky running happily beside our little granddaughter Gracie who was too pure and precious to live in this world. I know that Lucky is bringing happiness to those in Heaven. Lucky became Mark's running and walking partner since most of the children have gone. Little London would always sit really still on our laps when Lucky was around because she was afraid of her. How are we going to get London and Carly to sit on our laps now? We will miss Lucky very much!

Fun on the 4th of July

2008-07-08T00:10:00.000-07:00

THE 4TH OF JULY

2008-07-07T23:58:00.000-07:00

The 4Th of July was fun. We had lots of family and friends to share the day with. The only thing missing was Kristin. It's just not the same without the birthday girl with us but she was having fun at an Abegglen family reunion in Utah. The children enjoy the firework show and loved playing with sparklers.

THE CAMERA CREW / SELF PORTRAITS

2008-07-07T23:52:00.000-07:00

A Night of Decorating with a Camera Crew

2008-07-07T23:37:00.000-07:00

Our decorating continued as we moved to my master bedroom. I had purchased new bedding, pillows, curtains and towels but they had been sitting in bags in my extra bedroom for a couple of months. I had painted one wall in the bedroom and wanted to finish the rest but just hadn't had time. We decided to change everything out and I would get to the rest of the painting later. Little did I know that while we were working the grand kids got a hold of my camera and caught our work on camera along with some self portraits. I went to take a picture the next day and my camera card was full. I couldn't figure out why my card had no room. I had a good laugh when I down loaded the pictures.

July 2nd -3rd

2008-07-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

Wow! I've had a couple of very busy days. On Wednesday, July 2ND Jennifer, Sarah and I had a girls night out. We were on a mission to find things for Sarah's new home at BYU Idaho. Everything from bedding to cookie sheets. My bonus was that I found some great picture frames on clearance that were just perfect for our playroom for the grand kids. We got home late from shopping but Jenn went to work as soon as we got home picking out pictures of the grand kids to put in our bargain find picture frames. On Thursday morning I was in the mood for projects so I went on a mission to find fabric and cushions to replace the ones that used to be on our Costco swing in the backyard. I thought it would be great to have it done by the 4Th of July. I measured everything, pinned the fabric and got busy sewing but to my disappointment something went very wrong and I was about 5 inches too short on my seat. I started over but this time Jenn and Sarah held the swing while I measured AGAIN! and this time it fit perfectly. I added the cushions I bought from Target and our swing was ready to go again. I have the fabric for the top so that project is next on the list. I just ran out of time. So Anna when your swing cushions wear out I'll help you replace them.
Then on Thursday night Jenn came over and we hung the pictures in the playroom and Jenn helped me give the room a beach theme. Jenn brought over an ore she had with pegs on it. It also had a pretty ugly fish painted on it so she went to work to transform it into a piece that would add to the theme and match the room. She swiped a beach bag of Sarah's, stole some shells out of one of my home decorations, added a little toole, changed the curtins and there you have it. A whole new look!

Fun Family Home Evening June 23

2008-07-02T00:19:00.001-07:00

Those of us here in Oakdale got together for a fun family home evening. The grand kids swam and we played hot potato, and fruit basket. The kids liked hot potato the best. We used a ball instead of a potato but the kids loved it. I told the story about Naaman who was a leper and was healed when he listened to the prophet Elisha and washed himself in the Jordan River. It was a fun evening especially since we were all together.

June 1st Seminary Graduation

2008-06-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

Seminary graduation was a special event this year since I was not only a Seminary Teacher with graduating seniors but one of the seniors was my own daughter Sarah. She had 90% attendance all four years. (No small feat since Seminary is held at 6:30 A.M. each school day morning.) I was especially blessed to have her as one of my Seminary students her junior year. She was a great blessing to me that year because she rode with me to Seminary every morning and helped me set up my classroom each day.

Night at the Cooper's Cabin June 20, 2008

2008-06-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

We got off work, quickly changed our clothes and headed up to the Cooper's house to pick them up so that we could head off to their cabin for a night. Their cabin is in Pine Mountain Lake and it is beautiful. It is only about an hour away but it takes you to a whole different world. A quiet wonderful world filled with beautiful stars in the sky, peace, tranquility,the beautiful smell of mountain air and majestic trees. You eat breakfast in the morning and watch the deer grazing in the front yard at the same time. It is a wonderful place! We had dinner at the Hotel there in Groveland. Then we went back to the cabin. Mark and Steve looked over a map of Yosemite and talked about their adventures there. Val and I decided that rest was what we needed since I was falling asleep in the middle of our conversation. In the morning we had breakfast that I prepared and then we went off to an Art Show in the near by park. We saw some of the most beautiful pictures of Yosemite but the prices were a little too steep for us. Steve introduced himself to the artist and made arrangements to take him to glacier point on a sled to take more pictures this winter. The artist was an older gentleman who said he didn't have the stamina to hike like he used to. I'm sure by next summer Steve and Val will have pictures to share of Yosemite in the winter and Steve will have great tales to tell about his adventures with this talented artist.
We came home and attended the wedding of Tessa Arrighi. We got to visit with Bishop and Annette Kimball, Jenni and Micael Abbott and Gene and Kathy Morgan. It was a lovily wedding.

OHS PROM

2008-06-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

WOW! I have to say the month of May nearly killed us off! Mark and I are still recovering. It was a month filled with family, major events, good times and times of great reflection with family dear to us. May 1st I finished altering and adding sleeves to a dress for our friend Elizabeth Martinez. Elizabeth seemed happy and I was relieved that she liked the alterations to her dress. She and her mom surprised me with a gift certificate to the Gallo Theater for the Performing Arts. May 3rd marked Bryan’s 33rd birthday. Kinda planned a fun weekend for him and Grammy and Poppy had the opportunity to watch Carly, Braxton and Parker for the weekend. We thoroughly enjoyed having them and they were perfect angels. Even little Parker who is only 8 months old was an absolute gem. It was also Oakdale High School’s Prom and Sarah went with Rodney Perira a wonderful young man who made great efforts to make the Prom a wonderful and a fun evening for her. The surprise of the evening was that Sarah was selected by her Senior class to be their Prom Queen. She texted me during the evening to tell me and I truly didn’t know there was such a thing as a prom queen except in the movies. She was honored and surprised! Before the prom I helped Tina Shatwell serve the 5 couples who went together a special dinner. May 5th Connie Friel and I worked on sponsor packets for our Oakdale Educational Fundraiser coming up in October. We have $130,000 in grant requests that we are hoping to earn and find funds for.

2008-06-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

May 6th was senior awards night and Sarah was awarded a scholarship by Raley’s and received the Gold Block O award for her leadership and contributions to Oakdale High School. To my surprise I was also given an award for 18 years of service to Oakdale High School and for starting the Academic Boosters organization there. I had the privilege or awarding 6 scholarships to students that night and received a beautiful plaque with the inscription “Kim Whitemyer A Heart For Service 1989 – 2008” I was truly surprised and honored. May 7th Mark’s dear mother passed away. She died peacefully listening to the Tabernacle Choir. She was having a hard time eating and swallowing. She didn’t want to go to the hospital anymore. We were so grateful for her peaceful passing. It was truly and answer to our prayers. We are also thankful for Mary and Craig Searvers who have been caring for her this past year. May 9th Sarah, Mark, Chloe, Ashlyn Marler and I attended the Modesto Nuts Baseball Game. I knew we were in trouble when no sooner had we found our seats when the girls asked me when it was going to be over. Grammy and the girls spent most of the night playing on the bouncy bins and activities they had for the young ones. The fireworks were spectacular after the game. The Modesto Nuts won and we earned some money for Senior Grad Night.

2008-06-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

May 10th was the LDS Prom in Modesto. Our Stake put on a Prom and the girls in our ward all looked beautiful and had a wonderful time. May 14th Was my Seminary auction. My students were able to bid on prizes with the Seminary Bucks they had earned during the year. It was a fun time and my students this year were the absolute best! Our class moto was taken from Moses 17:18 “And the Lord called his people Zion and they were of one heart and one mind and the dwelt in righteousness and there were no poor among them.” They truly were a “Zion” class. They learned to love and uplift one another. I know they uplifted me! May 15th was our Seminary Breakfast and the last day of Seminary. I have to say I was pooped out and ready to get some sleep again! It was also the Senior all night Disneyland trip.

MAY 17TH Sonora Prom

2008-06-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

May 17th was the Sonora Prom. Sarah went with a nice young man from Sonora High School. It was actually quite eventful as the Hummer Limosine the kids rented a $60 per person had no air conditioning that day and it was 106 degrees outside. They had to drive from Sonora to Modesto for dinner and then back again with no air. Sarah said it was the longest ride of her life but everyone made the most of it and had fun anyway. Her date was wonderful and she had a great time.

May 20 -23 Graduation, Grad Night, YW In Excellence

2008-06-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

May 20th I made a special program for a Young Woman In Excellence night where Sarah received her Young Woman’s Medallion. It is an award that takes six years to earn. It is much like the Eagle Scout award only for girls. The have to give service and execute projects for seven areas which are Faith, Divine Nature, Knowledge, Choice and Acountablity, Good Works and Integrity. We also got to hear Sarah’s testimony of the Savior and her love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. May 22nd Mark and I worked for hours helping to decorate for the graduation party for the seniors this year. I got roped into finding 120 volunteers for the all night party. Mark was a great sport and helped hold and move our ladders so we could hang black plastic on the walls along with various decorations. May 23rd Marked the end of a 19 year span on having someone going to Oakdale High School! Sarah graduated and it was a great occasion to get all of our family together to celebrate. Sarah also attended her all night graduation party and won $200 for second place in the dance contest.

MAY 24th

2008-06-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

May 24th was Mary Elizabeth’s memorial service. It was a special day to remember our beloved Mom and Grandma. All of Mary Beth’s children were there and many of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. It was an uplifting day knowing that we will be able to see her again someday and that she was having a grand reunion with many loved ones who had gone on before her. After the memorial service many of us came home to hang out together as Kristin and Eric were visiting from Utah and Los Angeles. Coby just got a new job in Salt Lake City and we are so excited to have them closer to an airport! It will make the trip to help with the new baby in October so much easier! Eric starts school at Pamona Cal Poly on June 23rd. . We were excited that Kelly, Josh and Emily were able to stop by to say Hi! for a minute that day as well.

2008-06-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

May 25th we took Kristin to the airport to fly home. May 26th Brayden turned 9 years old and Poppy and Grammy took him out to lunch. Then Poppy took him to see the new Indiana Jones movie. May 27th I conducted an Oakdale Educationa Foundation meeting where we finalized our fundraising plans for our annual fundraiser on October 4th at the Oakdale Country Club.

MAY 31st

2008-06-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

May 31st Mark, Sarah and I attended the Ward Relief Society Temple Trip to the Oakland Temple. I tried to have my grandmother and grandfather sealed together but the computers were down. Mark and Sarah did baptisms and I went through a session with Annette Kimball who is a good friend and former neighbor. All of this along with work & church responsibilities the month really kept us flying! It was a great month with many, many things to be thankful for, especially family