Monday, April 26, 2010

Marjorie Pay Hinckley

This is why President Hinckley was as amazing as he was, And he is who helped to make her so marvellous. I have always admired this wonderful woman.
Photo by Scot Facer Proctor
I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.


I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.


I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn.


I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.


I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.


I want to be there with the children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.


I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.


Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Saturday, April 17, 2010

MASSACHUSETTS MEMORIES

Since joining Facebook a couple of years ago and reconnecting with friends from Northborough I have been thinking about some of my favorite places and activities. The more I thought, the longer the list got.
This is Peaslee Elementary School, called Maple St School when I started there. I spent my 1st 6 years in school right here.
I spent my last 4 years right here at Algonquin.
I always looked forward to the Saturday that Mom and Dad would announce we were going to Spags. There was always so much to see and it wasn't like going to Bradlees where everything was organized and predictable. You never knew what would be there or where you would find it. I was sad to learn that Spags has shut its doors.
Wednesday evnings after Primary we would come home and Dad would have pizza from Westboro House of Pizza waiting for us. I remember that because they offered 1 free pizza if you bought 5 we could each have our favorite kind.
We would go to Kimball's Ice Cream in Littleton, MA once or twice every summer for ice cream. The lines were always outrageously long, but it was worth the wait.
Is there anything better than a fresh Boston Cream Donut?
This was a great place to meet and hang out. Sometimes on the way home from a stake activity Brother Kinney and President Bates would stop and treat their passengers to ice cream.
The Northborough Memorial Day parade was a tradition. I marched in it a few times with the Girl Scouts.
It wasn't much if you compare it to a big city parade, but it was ours and no one ever complained.
I borrowed this picture from the I Grew Up in Northborough page on Facebook.
Other Memories that have no pictures are the chicken farm. It announced spring to our neighborhood, when they fertilized the fields.
The smell of candles in the air after the candle factory burned down.
I could probably go on. What are your favorite Massachusetts Memories??

Sunday, April 4, 2010

MARCH/ APRIL BIRTHDAY PARTY 2010

Once the Easter Festivities were over we had our birthday party for March and April. We did the cake outside, the breeze came up just as Aunt Karen started lighting candles.
Lyndi helped put on candles.
We had 9 birthday's to celebrate

Lyndi is 2

Kyle is 13

Jennifer is 23

Alicia is 24

Chanelle is 31

Lena is 35

Shari is 43

Tom is 46

Lori is 48


There were lots of presents.

to be opened
And a really cute cake made by Alicia

And of course, lots of visiting, and chatting.

EASTER EGG HUNT 2010

Each year we celebrate Easter with our extended family at Aunt Karen's home.
This year because it is also conference weekend those of us who live long distances gathered to watch the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference.
Our Easter dinner traditionally consists of Ham, cheesy potatoes, salads, and rolls. It was particularly good this year.
After lunch the children were shooed into the house so the parents could go hide Easter Eggs.
Anywhere is fair game for hiding eggs.

They were on the ground in the open for our very young hunters, and well hidden and up high for the older hunters.

Jonah was our youngest hunter this year, he didn't care what was inside, but they were pretty to look at.

Lyndi took a break to check out her basket.

Some of the eggs had confetti in them.

Every single grandchild has a name egg to find, these are our egg hunters for 2010.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Congressman Worried Island of Guam May Tip Over (NOT an April Fool's Joke)

Unfortunately, this is NOT an April Fools Day prank, just a member of Congress being remarkably clueless. During a hearing on Capitol Hill on March. 25, Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., voiced his concerns about overpopulating the small island of Guam. After debating the exact size of Guam for a full minute with a naval admiral, Johnson voiced his concern that adding more U.S. troops might cause the island to "tip over and capsize."
The admiral, seemingly bemused by the ridiculous question, answered, "We don't anticipate that happening..."


Big props to the admiral for keeping his professional composure and not screaming, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS?!"