Ashlyn, Butter and Grandma Maleta Robinson

Sorting through pictures tonight I stumbled across this one that had me reminiscing during the flight from SLC to Saudi this summer. Ashlyn is two and she has a first class ticket on this trip. She is well taken care of to say the least but the food isn't always too familiar to her. At this meal she received bread and a small bowl with butter. Because I was flying solo this time with four kids, mealtimes were anything but relaxing. I would go from seat to seat cutting meat, opening silverware packets, telling them what the strange and fancy food was. I had to take a picture when I noticed Ash had eaten the chilled, molded butter patty like a piece of candy while I was distracted. Then she put her binkie in and was totally happy watching a Mickey Mouse movie before she fell asleep.

The situation is particularly hilarious to me because I have vivid memories of Grandma Robinson doing the same darn thing at about 90 years old. My cousin Rick and I both lived with her in her apartment for a while. Grandma was well known for her addiction to the buffet style restaurant Chuck-a-rama. It really was the perfect place. Always room to seat the entire family (I figure we frequently had 30+ at a standard cousin gathering by that time). Because Rick and I lived with her we went out with her every now and then just the three of us but it was always to Chuck-a-rama no matter the size.

 

She genuinely felt it was fair to take a doggie bag to the buffet and take a little home because she paid the same price as people that ate three times more than her so she always had a ziplock bag in her purse to stash away a little something for tomorrow. Rick would chastise her in the most hilariously serious voice telling her, "Grandma you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Stealing from a restaurant!" He is such a great, light hearted tease.

On this particular day we sat down and filled our plates at the salad bar first. Grandma always got a little of everything to try. We talked and ate and after a very long while Grandma finally asked Rick to taste her jello salad. She didn't particularly like it, but being raised not to waste a bit of food she had been trying to power through for quite a long time. Rick obliged by taking a little taste and promptly proclaimed, "Grandma!! THAT'S BUTTER!! You're eating a pile of butter!" She was greatly relieved and pushed the plate aside to be cleared by the bus boy because she no longer felt she had to finish the whole thing. Rick hassled her the rest of the meal in his natural good natured way and I'll never forget it. She was a wonderful woman and I really miss her some days.

So seeing Ashlyn had just polished off a big pile of butter made me smile and think of my sweet Grandma and all the good times we shared together.

Watch Out Grandpa!

Tomorrow we are going fishing. We don't fish. Don't worry. It is at a fish farm where I believe the kids stand in a concrete stream and use a net to scoop them up. Brian told Ben that he'd have to tell grandpa Zufelt about our adventures since he's a big fishermen. Ben suggested that since we will be prawn fishing next weekend with the boy scouts we will have plenty and maybe we should mail one to grandpa. Watch your mail grandpa. By the time you get our present after a few weeks in transit it's gonna be something to remember!!

That Boy Was Built for Richfield

Ben is such a people watcher. Today we went to the park down the street from Mali's house in Bangkok Thailand so the kids could run and play a little. The playground is at the entrance to their compound where everyone must pass and it was time for the US Embassy shuttles buses to unload like clown cars and some kids were selling lemonade by the swimming pool trying to catch the workers as they came in the complex. Ben's play kept getting interrupted because he couldn't help but stop to watch people coming and going. Brian and I were laughing about it when Brian said, "He is the perfect person to hang out on the porch with my grandma." Brian is right. Those two could have sat on the front porch swing for hours and hours together talking about people as they passed by. Ben would be full of "Why do you think that person does...?" and Grandma BerDella would never tire of answering because she would have all the answers and a story to go along with it too since she had been porch sitting and people watching for such a very long time. She would never tire of his questions but enjoy the time together with him. Makes me smile to think of them together on a porch somewhere in Richfield, Utah where she spent most of her life. Truth is Singapore is Brian and my exciting dream not his. We are the ones who want to see and experience the world, not Ben. He has a quiet soul that doesn't require much in the way of adventure. He would have been quite happy to spend seventeen years at school in Fairfax on Roberts Road (elementary, middle/high school and college are all within one mile on the same street).

I count his transition going so well here to positive support at home, amazing teacher(s) and school counselor and mostly generous blessings from a God that knows Ben's soul much better than me. Life is good here and my people watching boy has lots of new people to study. Maybe someday he will have stories to tell grandma when they meet again in heaven.

Late Nights with Dad

I love watching the local nightly news. I feel like I have to watch it every night before I can go to sleep. It's mostly because I have this weird need, a real true need to watch the weather. I have always watched the weather, even as a kid. My dad would watch too. I remember he would lay on the couch in gray sweats and dark socks (leftover from his work clothes). He would watch a 9 o'clock show and relax as he unwound most nights. I would watch with him. Then the 10 o'clock news would begin and he would watch some more. Dad had the couch, I laid on the floor in front of the TV. As the evening wore on and he got more tired I'm sure that his body got heavier and heavier. I know that feeling now as an adult. It is so hard to get up and go to bed. So dad would lay and watch or snooze. And I would stay. I learned over time that if I moved he would send me to bed. I may never know if it is because it drew his attention to me making him notice I was still there or if it was because he figured I was asleep so he'd let me sleep until he went to bed and then tackle the issue. All I know was that if I moved I had to go to bed. If I was still I could stay. I would lay lifeless on the ground. I would do everything humanly possible to not shift or wiggle. Not one inch. If I had an itch coming on I would fight the need to scratch it. Close your eyes. Imagine it away. Pretend you don't feel it. It isn't there. You can take it. Be strong. If you move, you will have to go to bed. All thoughts running through my head. If I had to give in I would fake a groggy stretchy wiggle allowing myself to appear asleep and tired while I shifted my body to scratch the itch. All the while hoping and praying I wouldn't arouse my dad's attention that would surely banish me to my bed. These are the years I fell in love with Johnny Carson and the Tonight Show. I remember the colorful curtain behind him as he did his nightly monologue. I know I didn't always get all his jokes. I wasn't up on current events, politics or the Hollywood scene when I was ten years old. I remember sometimes thinking the monologue was dumb because this day or that day I just didn't get the jokes or know who in the heck he was talking about and making fun of. The longer I listened, the more I loved it. Eventually Jay Leno replaced Johnny Carson. I was about thirteen at the time and I didn't care for the change. For a while I didn't mind going to bed earlier. He wasn't worth staying up to see and all the associated strategery involved to stay still on the living room floor in front of my dad. Over time I fell in love with Leno. Again I would lay on the floor through the 10 o'clock news hoping and praying I could stay still as a statue so I could remain on the floor watching Leno at 10:35pm. Now we live on the East Coast outside of Washington DC in Virginia. Primetime TV starts at 8 o'clock instead of 7 o'clock like in the Mountain Time Zone. That pushes the news to 11 o'clock and Leno to 11:35pm. It's late and I'm tired by the time Leno starts, but I still find myself staying up and watching. I was sad to see him retire. Though I told myself this would be the perfect time for me to break my late night habit begun over twenty years ago on the living room floor of my childhood home with my dad. For a while I didn't care for Leno's replacement, Connan O'Brien. Actually, I don't know that I'll every really like him but my channel flipping during his show has revealed another option. Jimmy Kimmel. Oh how I love Jimmy Kimmel. He is so fun. He seems to use cleaner, more light hearted comedy than O'Brien or Letterman. He's better. He's funnier. He has Guillermo and Uncle Frank. Gotta love Guillermo and Uncle Frank. Problem is Leno/O'Brien/Letterman were at 11:35pm. Kimmel starts at 12:05am. I may never break this late night habit but it is nastalgic for me. Though today instead of trying to stay painfully still and silent on the living room floor so I'm not sent to bed, I have a TV in my bedroom with a sleep timer. Instead I try to stay very still and not flip flop too much so I don't disturb my sleepy sweetheart Brian.

Dr. Craig's Diagnosis Confirmed

The "real" doctor confirmed Dr. Craig's diagnosis of an umbilical hernia. Two thumbs up to you.

Dr. Craig

Jacob has some nasty weird thing behind his belly button. Brian saw it a few weeks ago and it squishes back and forth and makes a really yucky sound. I didn't know what it was and don't like to touch it. It grosses me out and makes my stomach churn when I hear the fluid move around. Brian thinks it's really funny to make the squishy noise. I never seems to bother Jacob at all though. We mentioned it to Brian's dad, Craig today when we were on the phone. Right away he said it might be an umbilical hernia. Of course I googled it right off and looks like he is right. We'll have the doc check it next week for our regular 2 month check, but Dr. Craig has likely solved the problem. He says I can just mail the co-pay straight to the house.

Thanks, Mom!

We had an absolutely delicious dinner tonight. Thanks for cooking and freezing some meals when you were here for Jacob's birth. Tonight we dined on manicotti, YUMMY! It was a real blessing to not have to organize a meal tonight. You're service is still blessing our lives a month and a half later. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I love you.

Family Pictures

It was fun to have family around for a bit this trip.

Baby Blessing Tomorrow

Because we had to make the voyage out to Utah for Grandma’s funeral, we decided to take the opportunity to bless the new baby. We never know when our next visit might be, so we don’t know when we can plan. It is so much more special to share that great day with family and have them participate. The entire Zufelt clan will be here for Jacob’s big day and my parents will make the three and a half hour drive down from Salt Lake City. I am grateful that Brian is worthy to offer the blessing and appreciative that Grandma and Grandpa Zufelt were willing to make arrangements with the church to let us do it here tomorrow.

Home Depot Kid Class with Grandpa

Ben and Maddie Mae went to Home Depot Class today with Grandpa and Brian. They both came home with their own set of bookends and really big smiles. Maddie was Grandpa’s partner and lost interest after the first bookend was done. Grandpa finished up the other one. Ben worked with Brian and was very proud to show me what he had made when he returned home.

The Passing of Grandma BerDella

We got a call Monday morning that Grandma BerDella passed away Sunday night. Brian’s parents were with here in the evening. She said she was really tired, so they helped her get ready for bed and lay down before they left at 8 pm. By 10 pm they got a call that she had passed away. We’re glad it was quick and hope it was painless for her. While the loss of a family member is always a sad thing, we are really happy for her. She has been so miserably lonely for the last 15 years since her sweetheart died. This is what she wanted. We know she is happy in heaven with her maker and her most precious family having a joyous reunion she has longed for these many long years.

Monday it didn't really hit us, but Tuesday I asked Brian how he was doing. He sort of summed up both our feelings when he said he was mostly just sad that our children would never really have memories of her. It is odd to think that someone that was such a part of his life growing up won't be around when we visit home anymore. We are a bit sad that she missed meeting her newest great grandson, Jacob. They missed meeting each other by just a few days. It has been fun to sit with Brian the last few days and think through memories of Grandma BerDella. We thought we would share them here for our posterity and family to enjoy. Memories of Grandma BerDella Zufelt By Brian Zufelt

• Grandma BerDella loved holding newborn babies. She was always excited to hold and caress the newborns and would gaze down at their faces and their small hands and feet. In the past several years she would comment that she shakes too much, but that wouldn’t stop her from admiring the little ones.
• Grandma BerDella loved and respected the Temple.
• Any time we visited Grandma BerDella, she would tell us about what she was growing in her garden. They had a good bit of land in the back yard where they grew a garden. She loved to share the fresh food with us.
• My earliest memories of BerDella and Syril were of them visiting us at our house. They were hard working and would always help us out with some sort of project around the house. I believe the project often involved helping us take care of our garden.
• Grandma BerDella kept a box of toys in the garage for us to play when we visited. Many of the toys were outdoor games such as lawn darts, badminton, and a hula hoop. We spent hours reading the comic books and playing with the toys she kept in the basement room. She also kept several bikes at her house for us to ride when we would visit her. We would ride all around the neighborhood. We would also ride the bikes over to an empty lot with a huge hole dug out. We would ride all around and in and out of the hole. I particularly remember a bump in the sidewalk lifted by the roots of a large tree in her front yard. We would ride as fast as we could to jump the bikes over the great jump. I also remember sitting with Grandma and Grandpa on the swing on the front porch watching the neighbors.
• Our Zufelt and Malmgren grandparents lived very close together and got along well together. We would see them about one weekend a month and usually saw both sets in the same visit—either we would visit both of them at their own houses, or they would travel together to visit us at our house. Every year we would celebrate either Thanksgiving or Christmas at one of the grandparents’ house, and the other holiday at our house. When it was Grandma and Grandpa Zufelt’s turn to host, they would set up a long table in the middle of the living room to be able to accommodate all of the guests. There were always two dishes we could count on grandma to bring: 1) Orange jello salad with crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges mixed in and topped with layers of marshmallows, vanilla pudding, whipped cream, and sprinkled with grated cheddar cheese; and 2) baked beans.
• When Angie and I were in college, we had the opportunity to intern with a couple of companies out of state. We had limited room to bring things with us and needed a place to store most of our household items. Grandma BerDella quickly volunteered to store our couch, kitchen table, shelves, and many more items in her garage for the nine months we would be away. When we returned, we found that she had taken great care of our belongings, including covering it with tarps and throwing rat poison around and under it to keep the critters away. Thinking back on the situation, she probably checked on it for at least once each and every day.
• While we were interning in Kentucky, we invited my parents (Craig and Anne Zufelt) and grandparents (Grandma BerDella Zufelt and Grandpa Dean Malmgren) to visit. Grandma BerDella stayed with us in our two-bedroom apartment while my parents and Grandpa Dean stayed in a nearby hotel. We lived right on the Kentucky / Indiana state line which was also a time zone border. Anytime we talked about a schedule and state a time we would do something, Grandma would ask if we were talking Utah time, Kentucky time, or Indiana time. We later found out that Grandma did not change her watch so she had to translate everything back into Utah time so she could track our schedule. One of the mornings, she wanted to be sure she was ready by the time my parents would arrive around 7:00 so she got up around 4:00 (that’s 2:00 a.m. Utah time) and stayed in her room until she heard we had left the house at about 6:00. At that point she took her shower. We only left to run to the store for a few items for breakfast and returned to the house in a very short time. Grandma did not expect us back so soon and had not taken her clothes to the bathroom with her. Surprised that we were back so quickly, she wrapped up in a towel and ran back into her room to get dressed.
• Grandma BerDella worked very hard her whole life and saved so her posterity would receive an inheritance. She always made sure to send or give Birthday and Christmas cards with a check each year. Several years ago, Grandma decided that she needed to distribute the inheritance to all of her living posterity so they could enjoy the money before she died. She sent us a large check with the instructions that this was the final inheritance and she would not be sending any more money for Birthdays or Christmas. However, for Grandma, this still was not sufficient. Not more than two years later, the Birthday and Christmas cards contained checks again.
• Grandma BerDella was always very thoughtful about attending life events such as baby blessings, weddings, and graduations and sent Birthday Cards every year. This past year she sent her great grandson, Ben, a dollar for his Birthday. This gift was very meaningful for Ben—we took him to the dollar store where he could chose his own gift from anything in the store. He chose a dinosaur that roars, and sent a thank you card in return. Grandma BerDella must have felt bad about excluding Ben’s sister Madison, so she sent a dollar for Maddie as well. Ben helped Maddie choose a toy as well. In recent years Grandma apologized several times to us about not being able to keep track of all the birthdays. I do not recall her ever missing anyone’s birthday, but she really did not want anyone to feel left out.
• Grandma BerDella and Grandpa Syril had a large back yard with a portion covered with gravel. When we visited them we would go excavating for “Indian ruins” in this gravel—we found lots of small clay pieces which we were able to fit together to form parts of clay pots. Grandma and Grandpa did not seem to mind the mess we must have made as we carried these pieces around.
• Grandma BerDella loved music, and always commented about how she wished she had learned to play the Piano. She was very proud of us when we took piano lessons and loved for us to play some some songs to her. She taught me the “only song she knew,” which was a two-finger version of “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater,” which I have passed on to our children. Several years ago BerDella won an organ through a drawing at the Senior Citizens’ Center in Richfield. During our next visit with Grandma, she beamed with excitement when she told us, “I have never won anything in my entire life,” and showed us the brand new organ sitting in her living room. She then told us she had been taking lessons and even played a song for us. She loved being able to fulfill one of her life-long dreams.
• Grandma BerDella thrived on familiarity and having a routine in her life. In recent years she loved the companionship and routine that the Senior Citizens’ Center provided. She invited Craig and Anne to come for dinner with her during one of their visits so she could share the wonderful experience with them. She did not like to be away too long for fear that she would loose her spot at the dinner table if she was not there to claim it.
• We loved visiting Grandma and Grandpa Zufelt and staying in their upstairs rooms. The twin beds in Craig’s and Nick’s old room always had electric blankets. Our parents told us not to play with the blankets, but we loved being able to heat up the bed, so we did anyway. The two upstairs rooms were also connected by a walk-through closet. We loved hiding in the closet or using it to travel from one room to the other. In the hall near each of the upstairs rooms, Grandma had hung to poems about what boys and girls are made of. In the living room Grandma and Grandpa had a fireplace for many years. I was very surprised one visit when the fireplace was not there—that is the point that I learned that the fireplace was fake.
• Grandma BerDella always talked about how proud she was of her grandchildren and how bright they are. When I showed interest in science classes, Grandma would tell me that I needed to invent an anti-aging pill so she and Grandpa could stay young. When we visited her this past August to perform a magic show at her assisted living home, she put her great granddaughter, Madison, on the small “seat” of her walker and pushed Madison around the large common room to introduce her to all of the other residents. Everyone could see Grandma BerDella’s pride in her her family.
• Grandma BerDella always had a bowl of candy with chocolates or English toffee or hard candy and loved to share that candy with us. She always had ice cream to share with us when we visited.
• Grandma BerDella taped a paper to the side of her TV on which she had written down the channel numbers for the local stations. When we visited her, we would use this paper to find the shows we wanted to watch. Grandma and Grandpa always watched Johnny Carson and were upset when he retired. While I was in college, Grandma bought a new TV. She must have decided that I needed a TV in my dorm room so she gave me her old one. The paper I had seen for so many years was still on the TV and remained there for all of the time I had the TV. Every time I saw that paper I was reminded of sitting on the floor in the middle of the living room watching shows with Grandma and Grandpa.
• While we were interning in Kentucky Angie and I had to work one day while my parents and Grandpa Dean and Grandma BerDella did some sight seeing in the countryside. Dean and my parents stayed in a hotel and BerDella stayed in our second bedroom at our apartment. We were planning a nice dinner, but needed a few other ingredients for the jello salad. We woke around 5 am and showered. We ran to the grocery store as soon as it opened then returned home to make the jello and go to work. BerDella must not have slept a wink that night for fear she would sleep in and not be ready for the others to pick her up at 9 am. When we returned home to make the jello, BerDella was in the shower before 6 am. She must not have expected us to return, because she apparently didn’t bring any clothes to the bathroom. We soon saw her run across the hallway to her room naked, clutching her towel in front of her, but leaving her backside totally exposed. She dressed and came out to sit on the couch and wait for her ride to come in three hours. We finished our jello and headed to work.

BerDella Oldroyd Zufelt

BerDella Oldroyd Zufelt passed away on December 28, 2008 in Cedar City, Utah just ten days shy of her 93rd birthday. She was born in Glenwood, Utah, January 7, 1916, to Isaac Robert and Annie Louisa Kay Oldroyd.

BerDella graduated from Richfield High School and LDS seminary, and attended Snow College in Ephraim, Utah for two quarters. She worked at Lynns Cafe and Ben Franklin Store until she was married. She enjoyed dancing and attended many dances in her youth.She married Syril H. Zufelt March 9, 1940, and their marriage was solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple February 18, 1952. They lived in Springville, Utah for two years while Syril worked for Geneva Steel. They moved back to Richfield after that and spent the remainder of their lives there. Syril passed away in April of 1993.

BerDella taught Sunday School for the LDS Church in Venice, Utah, and was active in the MIA in Venice and Richfield. She was also a visiting teacher in Richfield for 50 years. BerDella worked as a clerk in Merrill's Pharmacy for 20 years and Hall Drug for 10 years. She loved associating with people and was once named by Dan Valentine of the Salt Lake Tribune as the Utah Clerk of the Year. She enjoyed having gardens of flowers and vegetables, which she shared with many friends. Her home was always immaculate and she loved to have visitors.

BerDella is survived by two sons, Nick (Wanda) Zufelt of Sparks, Nevada, and Craig (Anne) Zufelt of Enoch, Utah; nine grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter, Deanna Dell,brothers: Marvin and LaVar Oldroyd; sisters: Vivian Oldroyd, Wilda Breinholt, Agnes Davis, Arnell Breinholt.

Funeral service will be held Friday, January 2, at 11:00 a.m. at the Magleby Mortuary Chapel (50 S 100 W), Richfield. Friends may call at the Magleby Mortuary in Richfield, Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.and Friday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in the Richfield Cemetery. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at http://www.maglebymortuary.com/

Magical Fairy Dust

Having my mom here to help after Jacob was born was like having a magical fairy around. The kids were in heaven. Every time they turned around they got candy. (Now that she's gone, it's sort of a problem.) Someone was happy to play with them and build train tracks or lego airplanes. Mom would lift or move things for me, including Maddie. She always washed the kids hands after mealtime.

When I returned from the hospital I found that all those house cleaning chores I hadn't gotten to had been taken care of. Every bathroom was shiny from top to bottom. The kitchen floors had been cleaned and every carpet was vacuumed. She even swept my bathroom floor which I had been neglecting because I didn't want to deal with the dead ants and Raid mess a month or so ago (gross, but she cleaned it up still). The Christmas decoration boxes left laying around the living room were away in the basement and the good will donation box had been taken to the car for drop off rather than sitting in the front entryway.

Mom let me just sit and relax or nap. Every meal was prepared for me and after I ate the dishes were wisked away and washed immediately for me. When she made dinner she doubled everything and froze and extra portion for us to eat later. The countertops were never as clean as while she was at our house. The toys seemed to stay in their right places or at least within reason so our main floor was much cleaner than usual. The children were read stories and entertained. They even went on a Christmas Lights Bike Ride when the weather was pleasant one evening. Ben said they need to do that every year when he returned to the house again.

Grandma is a hit with everyone at our house. I am so grateful for all the help she offered us. It was wonderful knowing that Brian could go to work and I didn't have to stress about which friend was watching the kids this day or that. They were safe and happy at home with Grandma. Now that she has returned home, I'm missing her and wishing we could hang out in the evening again talking. I'm glad that Baby Jacob will forever be able to share a birthday with you, even if he didn't get to share the birthday cake this year. I miss our magical fairy and the magical fairy dust she spread all over our entire home. Thanks, mom. We love you!

The Big Kids Meet The Baby

The kids had fun meeting the baby. Ben wasn't really very interested in sitting on the bed with me or holding the baby at first. Maddie was more interested in my bed and if I was going to fall off because it moved. Both of them did eventually want to hold the baby. We washed up all the little hands and both Ben and Maddie got a turn. When Ben finished after about 30 seconds, he simply dumped the baby off his lap onto the bed. We had to tell him to stop and we would help take the baby. Maddie was much more interested in the baby. She wanted to hold Jacob for a long time. She wanted to touch his eyes, his ears, his hair and pet him like a doggie. She stayed with the baby on her lap for a long, long time. She loved him.

We let Grandma hold the baby without supervision. She's a little more trustworthy than the little people and didn't try to throw the baby on the ground when she was done.

Hi Woofelt

Maddie keeps calling Grandma Zufelt on the computer mouse. Grandma never answers, but Maddie keeps trying and trying to get a response...

Grandma Fan Club

Ben and Maddie are both founding members of the Grandma Zufelt fan club. They were obviously, totally spoiled by the amount of time that Anne spent with them. When I got home, they were seriously upset with our return to regular life where I have other responsibilities than playing trains and reading books. Grandma, they want you back!!

We miss you Mom

This is Ben, filling in for Mom while she is away (with a little help from Dad). Mom went to girls camp this week and has been gone for 3 days. I hope the next 3 days pass quickly so she will be home soon. Don't worry--Grandma Zufelt dropped in to play with me and Maddie while Mom is away and Brian is at work.

Before Mom left for girls camp, we went on a fishing expedition using the couch as our boat and Potsy (my doll) was the fishing pole. I drove the boat. We caught lots of big fish and cooked them and then ate them.

Mom, Maddie, Grandma Z, and Ben fishing

Grandma Zufelt has done lots of fun things with me this week. We went to ride the train at Burke Lake Park, we played with my Thomas train set for three days straight and we went on some walks together. We also made some spaghetti with some playdough.

Me, Maddie, and Grandma Zufelt at Burk Lake Park

Today we went outside to watch the workers replacing some of our cement sidewalk with their bobcat tractor that gets cement out of the mud and they brought a cement truck with a cement slide to fill the hole. They called the cement truck on the phone to come fill the hole. They worked very fast because it was a fast job.

I am having lots of fun with Grandma, but I miss Mom a lot. I will be happy when she comes home on Saturday.

More Cherries

Brian decided he really wanted to can more cherries, so he went an bought a ton more. Brian, Ben and Anne all donned aprons and started working to bottle the fruit. Maddie didn't want to be left out, so on her own, she went and found an apron and brought it to the worker group to have it put on so she could help. Of course, she had nothing else on so her clothes didn't get ruined.

Here are some fun pictures of the kids working with grandma, including Maddie's attempts to clean up by wiping everything, including her toes. Guess they must have been sticky.

Pelo All Gone!

Since we don't live close to any of our extended family, we often spend time looking at pictures. I have took a map of the USA and put pictures and the names of all the important people in our family. Ben knows everyone pretty well, but Maddie is just starting to learn everyone's names. During our name quizzes, she saw a picture of Grandpa Zufelt. She was quite concerned about him and kept pointing and saying, "Grandpa, pelo all gone! Oh no!" For all you non-spanish speakers, pelo means hair. She was concerned that Grandpa doesn't have enough hair.