Reminescences

This morning we met the Beazer's at Scipio for breakfast.  They are the couple from Canada we got close to in Nauvoo.  They are on their way to San Antonio, Texas for an 18 month mission.  We had a good visit and look forward to seeing them at Grand Canyon North Rim in June 2012 when we meet on their return trip.  How I miss our mission experiences.  

Last Sunday the Blodgett's reported their mission to Nauvoo.  He served in NRI, like us, in the cabinet shop and she served in the sites.  Boy, did the memories flow back as they spoke about the people and activities.
We do miss that place but what wonderful remembrances we have.  I think it's sad that couples don't see not only the opportunity to serve but the opportunity to get closer as a couple and as a child of God.  The friends you make on a mission are forever friends and that's what the Beazer's are to us.  Experiences of a mission are irreplaceable and I would love to go again.

I'm Thankful

I am thankful for so much:
A wonderful husband and marriage
Five absolutely perfect children with their wonderful spouses
29 spectacular grandchildren to call my own
Six extra special people grandchildren have married
Six very special great-grandchildren
The Gospel of Jesus Christ and my testimony of it, and
An absolutely wonderful life.

How much better could it be?

We had a great Thanksgiving Day and the only thing that could have made it better is if everyone could have been there.  Our family is the BEST!

Crash Time

Can you believe it--my laptop computer crashed not once but twice last month! I felt like a life line had been cut off. I love checking up on all the family blogs and finding out what everyone is doing and I had withdrawal pangs. Now we are back up and running and I'm feeling back into things.

Well, the garden is officially done for the year with the frost this past week. In fact it looks quite black out in that area. Some of the flowers are still blooming but it won't be for long, I'm afraid. I will miss them but not the work of the garden. I will miss fresh tomatoes and green peppers though. Anyway the freezer and the store room shelves are full so I guess we're ready for come-what-may.

Now it's time to really get gifts ready for Christmas and I am almost ready. Just a little more shopping to do, especially for books. If anyone has a request put it in now before I head up north for a shopping spree.

Tonight is Halloween and we are ready for that with plenty of candy. Dad said we should get candy we don't like so we won't be tempted. Fat chance of that. I can't think of any candy we don't like and that's the truth. We will be looking for the little witches and goblins and ghosts this evening though. I love it!

Last week we filled all our quart jars with grape juice but it took a couple of days to do it and the house got kind of a sickly sweet, sticky, steamy smell until we were done. What probably added to the smell was we were drying graped for raisins at the same time. No more buying raisins for a couple of years--I had missed having home-dried raisins for the past couple of years and I hate buying them. Anyway, another fall project done!

Now we are trying to get the yard cleaned up for winter, grandpa in the garden and me in the flowerbeds. Slow but it's coming along. Oh and while we doing that we have been enjoying the beginnings of winter squash. It is so yummy! Grandpa's even getting requests from the people in town so I guess we aren't the only ones who love it.

Amber is helping me with my big cleaning projects for this fall and winter. They are the ones I put off until that about attack me and say DO THIS so loud that they can't be ignored. One of the big ones was cleaning the game cupboard. Boy, what a mess and mixup. A lot went to the trash and some to D. I. Finally got rid of my old wigs. I'll never wear them again especially since they are a pretty brunette and my hair is now musty, dusty, grey-brown--more grey than brown. Oh well, age must come and I'm afraid must show itself. Too bad--so sad.

Summer is officially over with Labor Day's passing, but boy we had fun at the family reunion so there's lots of good memories. The group site Karen and Erick arranged at Otter Creek was great (especially I loved being able to take a hot shower). I know, I'm not a very good camper any more but that's one of the privileges of getting old(er). Kasey planned some fun activities from a sailboat building and regatta on the water to some "Minute to win it" games. Plus she put together an awesome slide show of the family growing up from our marriage right up through Jacy's being in a family group shot.

Of course the food was wonderful and the company better. Quite a few fish were caught and those who wanted them took home enough to feed them a few meals. We also enjoyed attending the ward in Antimony on Sunday--great meetings.

I can't believe it but this was the 27th Max Wood Family Reunion. What a great time and what a great family; however we missed those that were not able to attend either because of work or distance. Hopefully some time soon we will ALL be able to be together.

Just to catch up: the Wednesday before Labor Day was our ward Harvest Dinner full of lucious fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and corn to supplement the new potatoes and barbecue meat. After we ate we hustled up to the pavilion where we got a treat: Mont Crosland, our hometown sculptor, and Jack Johnson donated a bronze statue of children Mont had sculpted. It is set up by the playground and is a special addition to the area.

Grandpa is harvesting mucho tomatoes and beans (I wish they were through, the beans, that is) and the first winter squash. Boy I have been waiting for that squash--it is delicious. My mouth was just watering and savoring every bite. Wish we could share it with everyone.

Once upon a time there was a beautiful little blonde girl who worried about everyone and everything. She only wanted everyone to be happy all the time. Now that little girl has grown into a lovely young woman and became a beautiful bride last Saturday. Congratulations Tristan and Rob!

It was so nice to be in the temple with all the endowed members of our family except the three who live out of state. I imagine that it will be much like that in the afterlife when we can all be together forever--what a wonderful promise. The day was lovely and family is the greatest.

Karen and Erick's whole family stopped by the house on the way home and dad loaded them up with garden produce. That means a break for me--but we still did corn yesterday and will do tomatoes today. When you read this Stacia, I really want that recipe for tomato-less corn salsa you offered. There will still be cantaloupe for reunion and probably some other things.

Now, we are looking forward to the reunion at Otter Creek and to listen to Karen and Kasey, we are going to have a blast! We will miss those that can't be there this year but one of these years we will have everyone again. I can't believe how blessed we are to have family that enjoys being together and that has such a good time.

The freezer is full with the corn done last Saturday. Max will want more corn though since it is his favorite veggie. Now what is left to do is tomatoes and they can be a mess. Oh well, at least we have them and for that I am grateful.

It's hard to believe that it's time for school to start again but the nights have been cool, almost enough to use a blanket, so I guess it's time. I love fall though with the colors and coolness and the crispness of the air.

We are looking forward to seeing just about the whole family on Saturday at Tristan's wedding. What a special time to celebrate being a family and we have a GREAT family! How blessed and lucky can you be than to have five great kids who chose wonderful mates and 29 marvelous grandchildren, six of whom have added tremendous mates and six great grandchildren. The family is growing and I love to brag about everyone of them.