Tuesday, June 7, 2011

May From Beginning to End

On the very first day of May, we are in line for the Atlanta Temple Re-Dedication. Josh, Dagmar, Gary, Jason, Jordan, Amanda and Claire all in the picture. Moroni is there, too! It was a wonderful and memorable experience...

Gary helping at our Ward Day of Service for Padgett United Methodist Cemetery

A belated birthday present for Gary - dinner at a hibachi restaurant. Dagmar, Espen, Lili, Sofi, Jasper, Josh, Becky and Gary. It was 'flaming' fun and good!

Julie and Seth in Hawaii, island of Oahu

Julie in front of the Hawaiian Temple

Dave and Jessica leaving for Israel at the Los Angeles airport. Poppy and Grandma Becky got Hannah all to ourselves along with her brothers and sisters while they were gone!

Mother's Day in California. The grandkids crowned me Queen for the Day, Gary and Beau cooked and cleaned, and Lara (Amy's sister) and her husband/children joined us for dinner. Happy day! I love being a mom and a grand-mom!

Izzy in all her glamour had her mom send me this on Mother's Day.

The Nerds, Jim and Emma, knew I would love this photo!

And here is Mamie Jane fisting her wishes. Photos are perfect gifts!

Here's Moroni again - on top of the Los Angeles Temple this time.

Jana and I met up with Beau, who lives just a few blocks from the temple. We did a temple session then Beau gave us a tour of his neighborhood, apartment (loved it), work office, famous Hollywood theaters, and finally dinner, finished off with the best bargain in West Los Angeles: a big scoop of ice cream sandwiched between two personally selected cookies and all for $1.50!

And here's the menu to prove it: 'Sandwich Cookies, $1.50! Very popular destination for the UCLA students, and for me! I'll be back...

We definitely splurged with these ice-cream sandwiches! Jana took over babysitting duties half way through Jessica and Dave's absence. She is definitely a 'one-in-a-million' great-aunt to the Sedgwick kids.

Claire and Jason, Billy Allred and his wife, Alli, ready to leave for Spain. Grandma Becky and Poppy got grandkids (Ella, Lincoln, Quincy) all to themselves again! We have definitely lucked out in May with getting better acquainted with some of our amazing grandkids.

Some of the fun things we got to do while Claire and Jason were gone: Attend Ella's kindergarten graduation.

Watching Ella bid farewell to Orrs Elementary. She'll be going to school in Augusta, GA for the next four years.

We got to cheer Lincoln on at his pre-school graduation. He is reciting, with excellence, his part in the program.

A hug and congratulations from big sister, Ella, who was all dressed up in her flamenco costume.
Sweet 'Q' thought Grandma Becky did just fine as his mommy for a while! But now that May is over, Grandma Becky is quite glad to be back just being a grandma...


Wednesday, May 4, 2011

April Adventures

Atlanta Temple Re-Dedication, May 1. We were fortunate to have
tickets for the Celestial Room. President Monson presided and
Elder Ballard conducted. It was an amazing and memorable experience.

Two bum-bums....ta da da da da da! Couldn't resist posting this
picture that Dagmar shared of Espen and Jasper.

Here I am with Elvis whom I had pretty much fallen in love with for horseback riding. He had
the smoothest gait and handled so nicely. Sadly, he was a fatality of the recent tornadoes.

In Blairesville, GA at the Tea Room for lunch. Becky, Jana, and Lucile.
We stole away for a few days in the north Georgia mountains.

Becky and Lucile in the hot tub at the cabin...love the shower cap! Love the lady
wearing it even more!

Our cabin, The Sweet Retreat, and it was sweet! Jana and Lucile

Gary and I celebrated our 38th anniversary in the hills of South Carolina at the
beautiful Red Horse Inn. Gary at a covered bridge nearby.

Gary checking in at the Inn

Looking out from the Inn toward the cottages

The view from the cottages to the Inn

Our own, private, quite romantic cottage, complete with a hot tub in the back

We invited several friends and neighbors to go to the Atlanta Temple Open House
during April. We were so happy when John and Marigold Watson, our Dunwoody neighbors, wanted to go. We picked them up, toured the temple, then took them to dinner. It was
wonderful to reconnect after such a long time - we moved from Dunwoody 16+ years ago.

We also were able to take Andy and Deb Conaway another time. Deb is my wonderful friend
who has gotten me back into horseback riding. Deb loves all living creatures great and small!

2700 youth from the Atlanta Temple District, at the Prophet's request, performed in a cultural production, Southern Lights, the night before the temple-rededication.
I helped sew the costumes for our ward, and
Ella helped me deliver them!

Each stake in the temple district had an assigned day to provide all the volunteers for
the Open House. I helped take the 'booties' off the people's feet as they exited the
temple. It was fun to see the Allred's come through and take their booties off for them.

Our 2nd Annual Back Porch Barbeque. Here is Gary visiting with Reid Galli and
Jeff and Wendy Stebar. President Stebar is lead architect for the Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania Temple and had a lot of interesting stories to share.

Gary with Dorothy Galli, a dear sister in our ward.

Hickory Hill Farm on the evening of the Back Porch Barbeque

Pink Ruffle azaleas in full bloom

We had our Easter Egg Hunt on General Conference Sunday

Ella found the Golden Egg!

Cousins on the back porch checking out their egg treasures.
L to R: Jonah, Lincoln, Ella, Lilian, Sofia, and Jasper
Above: Jasper eating his treats!
Below: Wayne coaxed Koda into watching conference...

Friday, April 29, 2011

Tornado Aftermath

This home is across Highway 16 from Hickory Hill. Claire and Jason put an offer on this home before they purchased their home by us. About 1/2 mile away.

This is about 1/2 mile from our home again

Trees contorted in all directions

Across from Ruck's Dairy on Highway 16

This was a beautiful colonial home with white pillars that sat on 100 acres.
In the back was a stable that many show horses were boarded in. I've been horseback
riding here with Deb several times and 'Elvis', a gorgeous black Tennessee Walker, was always
my mount. He died in the tornado. This is the remains of the home. Portions of the stable are standing but the roof and one side is gone. I don't know how many horses died. This property is 3-4 miles from our home as the crow flies. Between Brooks and Griffin.

Sorry, a double here of the photo above

Someone's house is in pieces in the trees.
About 1/2 mile from our home.

This is near Vaughn Road, about half way between our home and
Griffin on Macintosh Rd

Vaughn Road area again, a huge swath taken out and homes either gone or in shambles

A huge uprooted tree - they are everywhere