Paleontologists for an Hour

I found the perfect activity for Jackson to do after our Natural History Museum visit.  We 'dug' for our own dinosaur bones.

For a boy who loves tools and dinosaurs it was heaven! He was good and thorough brushing off the dirt. Truthfully, Grandma loved it too!

Here are our 'finds'.

 

A Visit to Washington DC

I love visiting Mary and her family.  I know that I would love visiting them wherever they lived but being close to Washington DC makes every trip feel a bit like a vacation.

The very first day after I arrived, we took 'dinosaur loving' Jackson down to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. He knew the name of every single one of the dinosaurs.  Smart boy!  He knows way more than I do about them!

While he enjoyed the museum, he does NOT enjoy having his picture made.  He definitely doesn't get this from his mom.

Occasionally he cooperates and even asks me to take a picture.  We were fascinated by the skeletons of various animals.  

Jackson liked the tall, tall giraffe!

After the museum we walked up the Mall towards the capitol.  Our nation's capitol is beautiful, as are the grounds.

And Jackson wanted a photo by the flowers!  Win win!!

Mary indulged my curiosity and we walked up by the Supreme Court to see the new fence and protestors.  I think it was too early in the day for a big Pro-Choice rally but there were a few people around. George said that he didn't want to see me on CNN or FOX having a fight with anyone! Don't worry, I was good and quiet!

On our walk back to the car, we passed the I-395, 3rd Street Tunnel where Mary and I spent 6 hours with our inauguration tickets in hand in 2009 waiting to be a part of history for the Barak Obama inauguration.  This tunnel is known as the 'Purple Tunnel of Doom' since thousands of people holding tickets for the 'purple' section were misdirected and totally missed the inauguration. I wrote about the experience in one of my first blog posts.  2009 Inauguration. 

It is so fun to explore a big city with a little person and find fun things like picnic tables with swings instead of benches.

 

Fairy Gardens

 When I saw a Facebook post describing a 'Fairy Garden' class, I knew that I had to participate with my fairy-loving granddaughter.  I am happy to report that it was a great afternoon at a small 'community garden' in Nampa called 'Undercover Community Garden'.

Always satisfying to get your hands dirty!

Isabella's favorite part was painting.

I think our fairy garden turned out pretty cute!

I love spending time with this cutie!

Unfortunately, the garden turned over in my car on the way home.  The rest of the way, at every turn Isabella reminded me 'slow and steady Grandma'.  Luckily we were able to rebuild it all quite easily. 

On Sunday, Isabella gave me what way be my favorite compliment ever.

We had invited other friends over for dinner so she and I had not had our usual one-on-one Grandma - Isabella time.  When the others left, she wondered what we were going to do now.  I asked her, "If you could do anything in the world right now, what would you do?' Her answer warmed my heart, "I'd play with you Grandma."

I can't even tell you how happy that made me!  

Joy Montgomery Cummings

My cousin, Joy Montgomery Cummings died yesterday. I grew up following in the footsteps of my three cousins - June, Joy, and Janie. I looked up to them and observed their lives as they went through high school, got married and had children. They were always one step in life ahead of me. 

When we lived in Spain, I had the thrill of traveling with them from London, to Paris to Carcassonne, France and finally to our home in Barcelona. Oh, the memories we made! Finally we were just 3 adult women enjoying the sights! So glad we shared those weeks!

Feeding the pigeons - Trafalgar Square, London

Eiffel Tower - Paris

Castle walls in Carcassonne, France

Cathedral in Barcelona

Three Montgomery girls

Easter

 George and I started our Easter season by visiting the Living Christ which was a community celebration of Holy Week, Easter, Passover, and the atonement and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  First we got to see a rare authorized copy of Michelangelo's masterpiece, Pietá.  There are only 4 of these replicas in the world.

In addition there were live depictions of da Vinci's masterpiece, The Last Supper, and two other paintings of the Savior's life and resurrection, with narration and live actors. 

Also a model depicting blood on the doorposts for the first passover of the ancient Israelites. 

The event helped us to focus on Jesus as we celebrated Easter Week.

A couple of years ago a young man in our ward spoke at Easter and mentioned that he didn't understand why we decorated so much for Christmas with nativity scenes but didn't do much religious decorating for Easter.  That sentiment touched me and since then I have concentrated on having more decoration focused on Jesus and not just lots of bunnies!  Although I do still decorate with bunnies.  That's just a fun part of Easter that I can't completely give up.

Easter Creche 

Crosses from Iceland and Armenia and another that I just liked (thanks Amazon)

'He is Risen' plaque

Emmanuel Candle Wreath with one of the names of the Savior at the base of each candle.

I plan to add more each year...and yes I am going to collect crosses even though it isn't normally a part of my faith tradition.  

Since I didn't get home from my trip to Utah until 1:00 a.m. on Easter Sunday, George and Matt helped me by dying eggs and adding Ukrainian egg wraps to some.  Plus they peeled and dyed eggs to make our deviled eggs look especially festive. 

I love how my table looked.

And I love the faces around the table!

Happy Easter

Feliz Pascua

 

He Is Risen

On Easter Sunday, our Bishop mentioned the power in simple 3 word phrases

I love you.

Love one another

Feed my Sheep

Do unto others

But the most powerful, joyful phrase of all

He is risen!

Our absolute faith in the resurrection gave our family peace and even joy as we celebrated the life of my Aunt Dawn Boyle. 

My Aunt Dawn and Uncle Eddie and their family were the catalyst behind my conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for that I will be eternally grateful.  Monticello, Utah is the place were the teenaged members of the church impressed me enough that I had didn't hesitate when missionaries contacted me during my freshman year of college.  Dawn and Eddie, their sons, and friends were the perfect example of what living a life in the 'Mormon' church looked like. That little town hold a special place in my heart and it was good to be there again.

Dawn's funeral was a celebration of a life well lived.  Most of her 48 direct descendants were there.  Grandchildren and great grandchildren sang.  Sons and Daughter-in-laws (who were like her daughters) spoke and prayed.  While there were tears, there were also smiles and laughter.

Words that describe Dawn

loving

positive

adventurous 

happy

encouraging

faithful

missionary

independent

influential

mother

world's greatest grandma

neighbor

friend

kind

In short, she is all I would like to be! I am so glad that my uncle from the small town of Lonoke, Arkansas improbably found a girl from equally small Monticello, Utah at a business school in Missouri all those years ago.  Definitely a match made in heaven!

These two lived the gospel and 'went about doing good'.

 Dawn Boyle will be greatly missed here on the earth but I know she was welcomed on the other side by all who loved her, including parents, a whole generation of siblings, siblings in law and of course her son and husband.

The last time I saw her was October 2019 when George and I visited Monticello.

At the cemetery with cousins Scott and Bill Boyle.  Cousin Doug passed away abut 10 years ago.

To paraphrase the words of the hymn "Each Life that Touches Ours for Good",  Dawn's gentle ways strengthened my faith and enriched my days.

One interesting note, a recent move-in to Monticello is a Jewish man from Colorado. He has become friends with my two cousins and he provided the ham for the funeral meal. That has to be one for record book - a Jewish man providing ham for a funeral at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

Aunt Dawn

My Aunt Dawn Boyle passed away today, the last of my parent's generation. All afternoon I have been thinking about her and as I did, I remembered this photo. It was taken during the short time that Dawn and my Uncle Edward, my mother's brother, lived in Lonoke, Arkansas . The baby is my cousin Doug Boyle. The interesting thing is that in my mind the photo showed both of them smiling and clearly they were not. These slightly grumpy expression were not the norm for them. I can't picture them with anything but big smiles. I can still hear Dawn's sweet laugh. These two truly lived the words of former President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Gordon B. HInckley, "The gospel is a thing of joy. It provides us with a reason for gladness. Of course there are times of sorrow. Of course there are hours of concern and anxiety. We all worry. But the Lord has told us to lift our hearts and rejoice. I see so many people...who seem never to see the sunshine, but who constantly walk with storms under cloudy skies. Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine." I am eternally grateful for the example my Aunt Dawn and Uncle Eddie set for me.