Party Like it's 1997....Happy Birthday, Abigail!

Another year, another birthday!  How could we have celebrated 14 birthdays for our Miss Abigail already?  She has grown from a little pigtailed toddler into a beautiful young woman with a dynamite smile that lights up a room in 14 short years! We love you, Abigail, more than we have words to say!  Happy Birthday!

More of Jacob's Excellent Adventures....

Jacob's excellent adventures continue in New York at The Hill Cumorah Pageant.  These are the most recent pictures of the work crew from the blog.  The pictures coupled with Jacob's letters have given us a glimpse into his fabulous summer!  We are so grateful that Jacob as been blessed with such a wonderful opportunity to take part in the production of pageant this year.  I am sure that it will be something that will never be forgotten by him.  In a week he will return home brimming with memories of his month long stay in New York.  I can't think of a better way to spend a summer! :)    

At the top of the hill....

The stage is done in record time!

The work crew at the Smith Farm



  The Lighting Work Crew

(Jacob is on the far left)

Jacob buried in the sand at Lake Ontario! :)

Canadian Connection...

It wasn't long ago that I couldn't even tell you when Canada Day was. Now, a few years later, whenever we see or hear anything about Canada we take notice. That shift has come because we now have a connection with Canada. Our oldest son, Tim, served a mission to Canada in 2005-2007 (Canada Montreal Mission -French speaking) and then in August 2008 he gave us a wonderful daughter-in-law from Canada! We love Canada and we love the wonderful people who make it so easy to love Canada!

Happy Birthday, Canada!

"O Canada, we stand on guard for thee."

(Our grandkitty, Taka, standing guard!) 

Gee Ray, What's Up With the Squirrel?

Some weeks ago we had a visit from the some wonderful friends that we had not seen in a long time.  They were on their way back home to South Carolina and stopped in to see us. The visit was long over due and much too short but we enjoyed the day. Just as our visit was long over due, so is this blog post! (I will spare you the details but suffice it to say that I have been a little under the weather as I battled what I thought was a really bad cold (turns out they think I have allergy induced asthma) and a bad ear infection. I've been to 3 doctors and am currently on a third antibiotic in about 6 weeks.)  
I am feeling better now.  And just as I am feeling better I get this message on Facebook from Kim.

"Dear Loretta, The only reason we came to visit was to become famous on your 'my little life'. We are very disappointed that we did not make the cut. Please visit soon, and we will work diligently to provide you with something to write about. Sincerely, The Hartrum Family. PS, your camera holds one of only 5 pictures of the Hartrum Family in existence. If possible, please post and tag me, or email. Thanks" I feel bad making Kim think she didn't make the cut. I feel even worse for snatching her dream of being famous.  So it is here I post rare pictures of Kim and her family.  We love you guys and so look forward to seeing you again.  Let's not wait so long to see each other again! Ray (is that a squirrel on your head??) and Kim (nice facial hair!) with their kids Shelby, Katelyn (like mother like daughters?) and Andrew (watch out for the south end of that bird!) and Gail (Kim's mother) (now we know where Kim gets it from!)

 

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We really meant to call that exterminator before the Hartrum's visit....oops!

Although they were a month late, they insisted on wearig their Derby hats.... :)

With really good friends you can go long periods of time without seeing

them but when you do reconnect it's like no time has passed at all. 

The Hartrum's and the Schlemmer's are those kind of friends. 

We love you!

Jacob's Excellent Adventure....

Jacob is off on a most excellent summer adventure -- a month long stint on the Hill Cumorah Work Crew in New York with 25 other boys!  I am excited that there is a blog being kept for the duration of the time spent there so it will be fun to get a peek into a little of what Jacob is up to over the next month and maybe get to see pictures of him if we are lucky! 

Questions? 

(I've provided some links, just click to view)

What is the Hill Cumorah Pageant?

When is the Hill Cumorah Pageant?  July 8,9, 12-16

What is the blog address for the work crew's adventures? 

You can also access it from the side bar on my blog under the title of

Jacob's Excellent Adventure on the Hill Cumorah Work Crew.:)

Where is Jacob in these pictures?  

If you look close all these boys are wet from a game of kickball in the rain!

(Jacob is on the far right, in front)

And what is Jacob working on? 

Assembling the stage. It's a huge job! 

Just wait until you see the end product! :)

Happy building, boys!

26 Years And Counting....

Yesterday Tim and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary. 

 I don't know where the time has gone but somehow it has flown by. 

In our years together we have done a lot of things.  But among our biggest and best accomplishments are that we raised 6 great kids and have given them a forever family.

Of the temples we have been to this is my favorite, 
the Washington D.C. Temple,
because it is where we were married. That beautiful June day in 1985 was the beginning of our forever story.

And I love that I still think of us just like this.  The years may show on our faces but our hearts are unchanged. They are as full of love, hope and looking toward the future as the day we were married. 

Happy Anniversary, Tim.  I love you.  Here's to another 26.  :) 

Daddy/Daughter Nerds...

Tonight Tim and Annah are off to a Daddy/Daughter Activity and they had to dress as Nerds! Annah specially made their matching hot pink duck tape covered glasses for them to wear. :)   

Good Times, Good Times!