10th Anniversary for Janette and Brandan

So in the busyness of the week, I neglected to congratulate Janette and Brandan on the tenth anniversary of their marriage on August 14. Janette reported that they went to a nice restaurant, visited the Boise Temple grounds and viewed videos of their engagement and marriage festivities.  Brandan got a songwriter to write a song for the occasion, too! In the meantime, Janette created a book that includes photos of their story. I'd say that's a pretty impressive celebration for a pretty impressive couple -- not to mention their especially impressive children, Cohen and Lily!!

Ethan's Move to Minneapolis

Today is a lemon drop day, sweet and sour. Mike and I helped Ethan finish packing up his stuff at Treeline Street and filling a U-Haul truck, all set for Minneapolis, where he will start his career as a history teacher at Macalester College. We will miss him but acknowledge our great fortune of having him in Boise the past year (+ a few months). We know he will do well in his chosen profession.

Hawkley Family Reunion - 2014

We had so much fun at Tamarack Aug 1-3! Janette made the shirt design and Candice took the photos. Some activities - swimming, fishing, biking, baseball, running, Disney channel, playing in the dirt, Jenga tournament, s'mores over the fire, eating and more eating, endless chatting and laughing.

We decided to set the first weekend in August (Fri-Sun) as annual dates for the Hawkley Reunion.

42 Jars of Jam on the Wall

Our recent episodes of making apricot/pineapple jam remind me of the song "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" except we're putting the bottles up instead of taking them down. Abundance is a blessing even when it is a lot of work, especially when the jam "on the wall" tastes so good.

Chatting with Ethan

My son, Ethan, has been living in Boise for 15 months and will soon leave to start a new job at Macalester College in Minneapolis. Yesterday, we spent a couple of hours chatting while we were supposed to be getting important stuff done. On second thought, chatting is the more important stuff.

http://www.macalester.edu

Yesterday was National Dance Day

I got to watch this flash-mob while tending my grandchildren, Cohen and Lily at the corner of Idaho and 8th Street in Boise. Daughter, Janette, daughter-in-law, Candice, and granddaughter, Mercedes, participated in the dance, and son-in-law, Brandan, was the videographer. SO much fun!

National Dance Day 2014

A Decade in Hawaii

As of this morning, my son, Kyle, and his family are on this side of the ocean after living in Hawaii for a decade. In August, Kyle will start teaching 1st grade in Bellingham, Washington. Bellingham is about 10 hours drive from Boise. I'm excited about Kyle starting his chosen career and also about being able to spend time with his family more often!

Cohen Teams with His Videographer

My grandson, Cohen, isn't the only one to "smile pretty" after his first dental appointment.

Cohen Goes to the Dentist

Neva's Fifth Birthday

Sandwiched between Nora and Neva Halverson, I turned the page of Richard Scarry's Animal Nursery Tales to discover a favorite childhood story, "Teeny-Tiny Woman." As I continued to read, my mother's voice echoed in my head, and I revisited the long-ago scene of my sister, Lynette, and I, snuggled on either side of Mother, her voice rising to the crescendo climax, "TAKE IT!"
And it was magical.

What Is a Tender Mercy?

To me, a tender mercy is an unexpected event of any proportion that encourages a person to move forward with faith. A tender mercy is a blessing that might not be noticed, and it might involve angels.

Apricot Salsa -- Really?

When you start making apricot salsa, you know your apricot tree(s) have taken control.  But wait! I just discovered AmpleHarvest.org and delivered two boxes of apricots to a stranger who lives nearby. There will be more apricots tomorrow, but for now, my feet are up, and I'm nibbling blueberries.

http://www.ampleharvest.org/find-pantry.php