Stake Fair

The kids enjoyed our Stake Fair this morning and you couldn't ask for more perfect weather.  The best part about it is that it was all free.  We are pretty frugal when it comes to fairs or carnival type events.  We never buy the kids any of the over-priced food and limit the amount of tickets purchased for slides and games.  But today the kids didn't have to worry about any of that.  They were too busy stuffing themselves with cotton candy, popcorn, hot-dogs, and snow cones and bouncing around in bounce houses and bumping down giant blow up slides.  They were in heaven.  Jenna was a little freaked out by the cotton candy though.  She wouldn't eat it unless Janika rolled it up into little balls.  We left the festivities early so that Jared and Janelle could head off to separate friend birthday parties.

Jase's Paper Route

Jase has been doing a local paper route twice a month for the past eight months or so and recently accepted a larger route.  I don't see how he can even move, let alone roller-blade with all of those newspapers!  The first couple of times with the bigger route he left and came back over two hours later without incident.  But I worry about him going off alone on such a big route with no way to get a hold of him.  I asked him if he wanted to bring my cell phone just in case he needed to get a hold of me but he didn't want to carry one more thing.  Well, today he came back two hours later -- one foot in his roller blade and one foot with just a sock (with a huge hole).   Well apparently one of his roller blades totally busted halfway through the route and so he had to walk all the way home -- about a mile, with no shoes.  Poor kid!

I told him that I would drive him around later that night for the rest of his route.  But you can't really drive.  They want all of the newspapers delivered right to the front porch and most of the houses have long drawn out sidewalks leading up to their front porch and the papers are too light to go anywhere if you try to toss them.  So we parked and went on foot.  He took one side of the road and I took the other.  We then went to the other streets.  With the two of us it still took two hours of walking and I was exhausted!   Jase is very proud of his job and is learning the value of hard work!  He says he wishes he could get another job during the summer -- any ideas?

A Few Mother's Day Pictures...

We invited Thelma North from our Deaf Branch to come for our annual "Mother's Day Tea" again this year.  We even gave her a hat so that she would fit in with the rest of our silly adorned family.  We had a big Turkey dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, vegies, jello salads and the works.  For dessert we had Gluten Free Chocolate Cake, Peanut Butter Bars, Cheese Cake, Jello, and Milk. 

The kids all gave me sweet notes from church and the cute little gifts that they made at school.  They were sweet -- even if Jaiden spelled my name wrong and put my age down one year older than I actually was (could have been a lot worse). Janika even made me breakfast in bed -- although I was up by that time.  She told me to "go back to bed!" but I opted to eat it in the kitchen. 

Poor Thelma.  We ended up showing her the camera and said, "Can you push this button?"  Then we all tried to do silly poses while the camera just clicked away -- but children kept disappearing behind other family members and so it didn't work all that well.  By the end we were laughing so hard we could hardly breathe.  It was a great day!

Father's and Son's -- Again

So last night was the Father and Son's camp-out for our home ward.  Even though we are currently not attending this (our former) ward, we still try to stay involved now and again and I thought it would be another nice bonding time for Rick and the boys.  Rick wasn't too thrilled about another camp-out so soon, but reluctantly gave in.  I gave him my camera (again) so that he could take some pictures --- but just like last time, my camera came back un-used.  How do you get husbands to actually take pictures on these things?  I mean I can't be everywhere can I?  When the boys got home I asked them, "So how was it?"  to which they responded "Great!" and ran out in the back yard to play.  When I asked Rick the same question he said, "We froze our butts off.  I need a massage.  I am going to go take a shower and go to bed."  And he did -- for TWO hours.  Um, hate to break it to you honey, but you are sounding a little old...

Half Tom-Boy

I just picked up Janelle (age 7) from her friend's birthday party.  She had a blast and had LOTS to say about the party.  She was holding a picture of a fashion model in a very pretty AND very modest gown.   She said, "We had to pick a picture of the dress we liked.  It was really hard because there were thousands of IMMODEST dresses!"   I told her that I was glad that she picked a modest dress.

Then she said, "...and we painted our nails.  I painted mine but then I washed it off."  I asked her why she washed it off after and she said, "Because I'm half tom-boy!"  Then she told me that she "double-dog-dared" her friends to dip their pretzel in frosting (heaven forbid) and then eat it.  "And they LIKED it!"  Then she "double-dog-dared" one of her friends to put her M&M in her pop and then drink it..."and she did it!"  Well, years from now if she keeps this modesty standard, and if the raciest thing she does is put an M&M in her pop, well then I will be a content Mom!

Jase's Choir Concert

Today was Jase's Choir Concert.  They passed out papers so that we could "grade" our child on their posture, behavior, whether or not they knew their music and choreography, and whether or not they sang all of the songs.   I gave him all "10's."  I wonder if every parent gave their child all "10's".  Probably, but he deserved it.  He even sang a solo -- and did great! 

My Grandpa's Funeral

My Grandpa's Funeral was Wednesday, May 5th (on Derek's Birthday).  Grandma Jensen graciously offered to drive to Salt Lake in order to tend Josh and Jenna during the funeral. Since my mom and dad were watching my brother and sister-in-law's two girls while they are on a cruise this week, she tended them too.   It was nice to see all of our relatives in one place.  I had not seen several of my cousins for a long time.  Everything went smoothly during the funeral, graveside service, and luncheon and the weather was gorgeous.

Jaiden was worried about the military guns after experiencing the graveside service of Uncle Bill last summer while Rick and I were away on the Pioneer Trek. The minute she found out she was going to a funeral she asked if there would be guns there. I knew Grandpa had served in the army and so I said that there probably would be. As soon as we arrived at the graveside service she saw those guns and immediately clamped her hands over her ears!

It was touching ceremony and it is neat to think about Grandpa Norman finally being free of the pain he suffered for so many years.  My heart goes out to Grandma.  She looked so little and frail.  She is having trouble with her memory but she seemed to understand everything that was happening.  We hope that she doesn't have to wait long to be reunited with her eternal sweetheart.

Below you will see a picture of a vase filled with beautiful red roses. There are 73 roses -- one for each of Grandma and Grandpa's descendants.  We were all instructed to take one for each family member and so I now have a beautiful bouquet of 8 red roses on my kitchen table -- one for me and one for each of my seven children.  Uncle Merrill talked about how Grandpa was so meticulous about numbers both in his job and when score-keeping with the games they loved to play.  And speaking of numbers, notice all of the family members listed below.  He pointed out that every marriage is a temple marriage -- with NO divorces, not one. What a legacy! 

Herbert Rex Norman
August 31, 1915—April 29, 2010

The Family of Rex and Zada Norman

Nelva and Arnold Griffiths
Dale and Stephanie Griffiths . . . Janell and Darren Robinson & Baby Lillia
                                                    Courtney, April, Devin, Cami, Alicia
Karie and Gary Godfrey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Megan, Wesley, Taylor
Randy and Jennifer Griffiths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor, Shelby, Brandon
Gregory Griffiths

Marjorie and LaMar Westra
Scott and Amy Westra . . . . . . . McKenna, Alyssa, Kellen, Kemery, Taylee
Christopher and Cassandra Westra . . . . . . . . . . .Conner, Kadan, Corin
                                                                          Camden, Cayson
Wendy and Rick Jensen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Janika, Jase, Jared, Janelle
                                                                       Jaiden, Joshua, Jennalee
Jennifer and Grayson Blackham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Landon, Callahan
                                                                        Keaton, Cooper, Colton
Shane and Alicia Westra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adria, Mirella
Kellie Sue (deceased)
Cory (deceased)
Derek and Danielle Westra

Merrill and Lorrie Norman
Jason and Kristen Norman . . . . . .Joshua, Natalie, Abigail, Caleb, Sabrina
Kathryn and Jacob Murakami . . . . . . . Anderson, Walker, Bennett, Miya
Emily and David Watkins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Remington, Ellie
Nicole and Callahan Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eliza, Caroline
Jeffrey and Whitney Norman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katelyn, Jane
Matthew and Alllison Norman

Herbert Rex Norman
August 31, 1915—April 29, 2010