Monday Blooms & Road trip to Twin Falls.

Dogwoods Blooming outside my Window this Morning

I took my Hand Stitching on our Road trip 

Only stitch a few of the Hexies.

They all fit in my MSQC bag.

Tula Pink polka-dot squares, heart needle minder MSQC Needle threader and Needle keeper.

The road trip was to Twin Falls for our last 

Aunts Celebration of Life.

She was 90 years old. 

A life well-lived.

Cousins are forever!

Recreating a photo from 2002 when we were at

Aunt LaWana's funeral

My Sister came with us!

Brown, Waite, Squires and Kynaston Cousins 

Mary Brown Crowther, Roma Brown Cornelsen 

Candice Waite Young

Jeanine Squires Butler, Kadean Squires Benson

Dorel Kynaston 

Cousins at the Viewing

Back: Sandy Joyner, Roma Cornelsen, Candice Young, Jeanine Butler, ElJay Waite, Kaydean Benson, Carla Hill

Front: Dorel Kynaston, Mary Crowther, Dale Waite, & Linda Waite (Dale's wife)

Aunt Nola's favorite saying on a Photo for the program.

Cousins at the Funeral

Back: Roma Cornelsen, Dorel  Kynaston,

 Clora Vee Keyes, Mary Crowther, Carla Hill, 

Sandy Joyner

Front: Dale Waite, ElJay Waite, Candice Young, Chrystal Kwiatkowski 

Pallbearers

Cricket Waite Hutchinson and her Daughter sang

"O Holy Night" at the Graveside. 

Doug & Candi Young Family

El Jay  & Pep Waite Family

DelRay & Linda  Waite Family

Cricket Waite Fuhriman's family

Cousins at the Graveside service.

Back: Mary Crowther, Roma Cornelsen, Diana (Maraleen's Daughter) Tim & Ralene Overall

Front: Maraleen Dice, Sandy Joyner

Not everyone could be at all of the Celebration. 

 I missed getting a photo with my Cousin David.

There were 15 total of the Waite Cousins there. 

Representing all 7 of Grandma & Grandpa

 Waite's Family.

Roma & I at Grandpa and Grandpa Waite's Grave.

Leo & Thelda Squires Headstone

Sunny selfie with Andrea Waite Jenkins;

ElJay and Pep's Daughter

ElJay dished out Ice Cream, Yummy! 

Aunt Nola was the Ice Cream Grandma.

El Jay says, We were called Gen X.

 Now, we are the NEXT Generation...

Brown's Back in Moses Lake...

This Saturday was the day my Niece planned a Cousin's get together in Moses Lake, back at the Rose Street Chapel where my parents attended Church with us growing up.  It's been a while since these cousins have seen each other.  l-r: Allan Dale, Danette, Derlyn V, Jeffery, Milton, Sarah, Joe.

Lucky me, to be invited to go too so I could see 2 of my brothers and sister.

l-r: Roma, Allan, Derlyn, & Me (Mary)

One brother was traveling home from Seattle and didn't get to come.  A Picture with our spouses too.

l-r: Mary, Paul Sheila, Derlyn, Allan, Roma, Gordon

                           James and his son Austin came late.                 Cynthia &Derlyn V.

There was food and it was yummy!  I didn't take pictures of the Desserts. I made my Truffles and Banana Bread.

Skyping with Beth Ann in Oklahoma.  She wanted to be there so bad!  Next time...

 Even Santa came and brought gifts for everyone.

I set out some things from my Mother and Father to share memories.  Two Digital Frames played a slideshow of Family pictures too.  A great legacy of my mother's talents, Daddy's pictures and love of Family!

A trip to Moses lake is not complete without a stop to honor my parents. Thanks to Brant and Tina for the roses.  2 red ones - perfect to leave in the snow.  So glad my Army boy, Jeffery would drive us there and back safely and take the time to stop.  We stopped by Paul's parents assisted living Apartment on the way home to say hello and visit.  It snowed most of the day but didn't stick so the roads were ok.  Just one more gathering and my Holidays will be complete!  Happy New Year's with the Crowther side.

Saying Farewell to a Gentle Giant

A life cut short, but lived to it's fullest!  

Vaughn Jay Squires we will miss you!!!

His family at the Cemetery.  It's not goodbye, just farewell for now. 

The view from his grave site in Melba. Idaho, Beautiful!

 I give the camera to my husband and this is what I get... Not my best side. I see how gray my hair is getting though :/ time to go see my Niece.
 

Just a few of the Waite cousins who came back to the church for the Family Dinner.

 I'm so glad we made the trip, quick and a long drive, but I had to go.  One of my Cousins, not pictured, that saw me said, "I knew you would be here."  Another told me I'm looking more like my Grandma Waite.  Is that good or bad?  I don't know. I learned that my Cousin, Vaughn received the Silver Beaver Award from Scouting.  What a Guy.  He devoted his life to service and I know as for me I will never forget his kindnesses or his Pancakes! The two on the right are his Brothers and the one on my left is one of his two sisters.  I had to take a lot of mental pictures of the cousins that came.  All but one of the 7 Waite families were represented.

18 hours- Home again

Friday was the BIG Day for my Cousin's Son and his Bride.  So Paul and I were up and in the car by 6:15AM.  For those who know me that isn't easy to do for me. Mostly because I stay up too late the night before getting ready.  Ya, I do stay up too late most nights, but I digress...

So we are travelling to Portland and between my reading & sleeping I see THIS and have to post it to my FB from my phone. My ZOOM feature doesn't work so good...it's wind turbines on the hill way back there. That prompted ? of where were we going and was there a quilt show going on?
                                                                     This is why we went.

Peeking though the photographers to get my picture of the newlyweds.  

I had to remember being there 13 years ago and 11 years ago with my children.  

The Bride and groom exit wasn't there then.  We had the front automatic glass doors in all of our 'Newlyweds coming out of the Temple' pictures.  They call Portland the "Bride's Temple" for a good reason and the weather was nice - NO Rain in Lake Oswego on a special family Wedding Day is a good thing.

 The happy Couple and the Groom's parents. It was hard to get a picture of all of the cousins and their wives together.  Cindy and Tami were either in the pictures or taking them.

 4of the 5 Squires siblings

 Me with my cousins.

 I always wanted to spend time at their house when we went to Idaho!  The best Summers of my childhood were spent at Uncle Leo & Aunt Thelda's house. It was so good to see them.

Kaydean and Ledge

           Jeanine and Paul                                                              David and Cindy

The luncheon afterward was in Salem 60 or so miles south of Portland.  We didn't RSVP but some who did couldn't make it so we decided to make the extra time to go there. We took an overnight bag, just in case he didn't have to work Saturday. When he called work they said lots of totes of Peas were coming in and he was needed.  Paul said that by the time we got on the road to go home-  the rush hour, Friday night traffic through Portland would be bumper to bumper. SO...we looked and saw that the road across and through Sisters wasn't that far out of the way and the traffic wouldn't be too bad, right?   I had hoped to maybe ask Paul to drive home that way, but was afraid to mention it before we left home.  I would rather have been there next week-end when the Quilt show is on!

The drive was interesting to see the Trees and Mountains and the roads were good.  A few more semis because it is a truck route, but there were extra lanes to pass on the hills.  We got up to 3,000 feet elevation and passed the 45th parallel twice.  I took a few of the pictures from my window with my camera, but will have to save them until I can figure out how to connect my phone to the folders on the computer. I tried to email them to myself but there is too many to choose.  I got the phone to make a slideshow though...it only worked to see it on the phone.  I'm still learning the tricks on my new Droid phone. 

We learned that these trees were killed by beetles, then a fire 5 years ago burned them  It was a shock to go from the green forest to this forest of sticks.

I think this is Mt Washington.  The mountain range we saw has Mt Jefferson and Mt Bachelor in it too.

 Me at the Stitchin' Post ---1 week too early and about an hour too late to shop. I only got to peek in the windows. I have to think of all the $$$ I saved.

                                    This is a wall outside the Cowboys and Cowgirls restrooms.

Me with my Frozen yogurt waffle cone. The dime store and the yogurt shop were open.

 The long way home through Grass Valley.                     Beautiful Sunset on Mt Hood.

Here's the big orange moon that we saw coming home at the middle of the night.  We were gone a total of 18 hours.  Home at 12:15 AM. I can't say my DH never takes me anywhere...