April fun

Emma's long stride wins the high jump

Sydney's birthday trip to the temple

Maren runs for class office

Letter to Stewart

Dear Elder Maxfield;

           

            Spring has sprung around here and today it dumped 3 inches or rain in the valley and 7” of Snow at the Bird.  They are 85” away from 500”.  Banner ski year.  Of course now we’ve transitioned into yard work and that’s in full swing as well.  Dad has a trial that starts in 3 weeks and he is swamped – we don’t plan to see him until  it’s over, about May 20.  I’m just covering the entire side yard in black plastic so we don’t come home to mountains of weeds.

            Speaking of swamped, Maren is swamped as well – getting ready to take 3 AP tests and all the other end of year commitments that come with your Junior Year – she’s also successfully been attending early morning seminary and has managed to do so without needed any make-up days.  I’ve been extremely impressed.

            Blake gets married May 10^th to a very wonderful girl.  They actually meet as they were both reporting their missions to the High Counsel last fall.   She loves Blake and Blake is so happy.  Emily is unattached and plans to attend BYU through the summer – she’ll be down there to show you the ropes.  All the other cousins are doing great and growing up fast – there will be many that will be hard to recognize.  I’m guessing from our family, Emma has changed the most – I guess we’ll see.

            Did you like my Bob Pedersen analogy of the Jr High Track and Field team running the longer distances (400M, 800M, Mile).  I’ll give it to you again, just in case you can’t remember.  As I watched the kids cross the finish line, the winner (& the really good runners) all crossed the finish line at full run – even faster than they had run the entire race.  The not-so-good runner would see the finish line and actually slow down and virtually stop when they got there (I’m sure you can imagine this from Stake Olympics).  You can see the finish line and now it’s time for the full on run, the run that carries you through the finish line at full speed.  (I should share this with Bob next time I see him).

            Sydney and Charlie are doing great.  I like to refer to them as Jane and Michael Banks from Mary Popins.  They are so good with each other and Charlie enjoys Sydney’s company, and Sydney is so kind to be with him, play cards with him, read to him, play chess or checkers.  Emma is doing great in 8^th grade and seems to have made it through Jr. High, so far, without too much drama.  Always good for a girl.  And Oscar – doing well – we loving refer to him as Perro Gordo; he needs to go on a diet.

            Last Sunday we had Simon’s blessing (David and Catherine’s Baby) – he is a cutie!  Catherine is such a good Mom and David is such a fun Dad.  Afterwards we all gathered at Grandma Frazier’s for a nice brunch.  It was a perfect spring day!

            Abbie Jones and Hoggan Blackham will both be going to the Lyon France mission.  Hoggan in May and Abbie in August.  I’d don’t know of too many other mission calls right now, but I’m sure they’re coming fast and furious up at the High School.  We have several mission homecomings this summer in our ward – in order Jacob Flynn (remember, they live in our ward now), Jake Taylor, Ben Brunken, You, Marissa Reynolds.  That’s 5 Sundays of homecomings.  Combine that with 3 fast Sundays this summer and it’s either going to be a homecoming, fast Sunday or the High Counsel will be speaking.  You’re homecoming is scheduled right now for May 20^th.

Love you tons – have a great day.

Mom