Major catch up from March to June

This will be a hodge podge of photos from trips to St. George, Redding and Edmonton Alberta Canada.

March 15th: Marvin and I decided it was time to see our new little Great Grandaughter in St. George. We had a wonderful visit with B.J. and Amber but the focus really was on beautiful little Haylee.


Remember this is a photo of her that was taken three months ago. Can't wait to see her at the Fifield family reunion July 20th-23rd.

On April 10th we went to Salt Lake City with Bryce and Laurie to see "Wicked". Before the show we ate at P.F. Changs. Extra delicious!!!


The show was super fun. Well done in every way. A must see.

Couldn't resist slipping this one in. Kyler and Grandpa working hard.

On April 24th I flew to Sacramento to meet Marvin who had been to New Mexico for a site visit. From there we drove to Redding to attend Terry's graduation.



We can't wait for you to meet Roxy, Terry's sweetheart and wife.


After graduation we did some touristy type things. Went out to eat, took pictures, got a tour of the Fun Park that Terry manages, went out to eat, took a nap, went out to eat:) and played with Mitzi. Who is Mitzi? She is the newest Fifield hound. Look closely and you can see her with us.

Below is a picture of an impressive bridge that is in Redding
We drove down to the coast to see part of the Redwood Forest. The words "huge and magnificent" now have new meaning for me.

And finally the trip to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We lived there for twenty three years and it has been twenty four years since we left to move to Texas. I have never been back but I have promised regularly that I would go back for a visit. Well on June 2nd I kept my many promises. The following are pictures that probably won't mean much to the Fifields but to the Schaellings they will stir a few memories.
This is the home that we called the green house. It was white with a little green trim and when we lived in it, it was a few years short of 100 years old. Still standing they are putting new siding on it now. The pink is insulation.


John Mark's bedroom windows and the back yard. Notice the picket fence is gone put they still have to paint the new one!


Driving up the drive way to our log home.
Picture doesn't show it but the logs were in really good shape. They are adding on a garage on the left side.



Very disappointed that there was no one at home so I couldn't see the inside.

Do you remember the Linbrook store? Didn't look like this then but this is it today.The biggest surprise was the Church in Tofield. We were the first members in the Tofield area. They organized a branch there shortly after we moved in and we attended church in the library of the elementary school. Now 24 years later they have this beautiful big stake center in Tofield.
It was wonderful being with Lorne and Linda. So many happy memories. I was able to see Kristie and Stew and their families. I went to church in Edmonton where we attended for so many of those 24 years. There were still a lot of the same people that we knew and worked with back then.
Well that about brings me up to date............... We leave for Portland next week :)

April 14th 2009

On the 14th of April my mother peacefully passed away into the arms of her eternal sweetheart. Mom has had a very difficult two years. She has missed Dad incredibly. It has been three and a half years since he passed away. She had a cerebral hematoma that robbed her over a period of time of her ability to communicate, dress or feed herself or a million other things she had always been so careful about doing for herself. I thought I would only feel joy when Mom was released from all of this. I have been very happy for Mom but it has been surprisingly hard for me as well. There is a huge hole inside of me.

We were able to have all of Grandma's children, grandchildren, their companions and a number of great grandchildren here for the funeral. We had some wonderful visits with each other and saw and heard from many cousins and friends that we haven't seen for a long time.

The other good part of this time was the increased focus on memories and our years with her. My appreciation of mom's life, all she accomplished, her strength, her love of life and kindness is magnified. I realize at this point ( as I should have realized long ago) how much I owe to Mom.

Thank you Mom.

Special Days in Macomb Michigan

I don't know of anything that is more fun than being a grandmother. On Feb 11th I flew out to Detroit to visit Jeff and Sarah and their family. The first night I was there we went to Emma's school program. They really did a fantastic job and it was great to be there and see it. It made me a little homesick for the kids I use to teach.




It has been a long time between blogs because of photo/computer problems but I think I have it all resolved for the moment. "Senior moments" come way too often these days and what is straight and clear one day is nonexistent the next. :) So I am going to hurry and post while I have it. On the 12th I was able to witness the sealing of Maya and Tristan to Jeff and Sarah in the Detroit Temple. They are now an eternal family of seven. Emma, Isabelle and Alex were able to go in and witness the sealing also. They were all dressed in white. It was so very beautiful.




This was the hair station. Every hair was in its place. ;)


Tristan's turn!

Then on the 14th Emma was baptized. It's hard to believe that she could be eight years old already and what a wonderful young lady she is. I adore that kid! She played a piano solo for the program. It was her first time playing for an audience and she did it without a mistake.


It was especially nice to get to visit with Jeff's parents as well. They were back there for these special events as well. Good people and lots of fun.

A little more Kona and on around to Hilo

The temple in Kona Hawaii. It is so pristine and beautiful. It was closed the day we were there. It is only open a few days a week. I was so amazed at all the unusual flowers we saw on the temple grounds and else where. I wish I knew the names of each of them but I don't. Just enjoy.


One of the most memorable places we visited was Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort. It is hundreds of acres, all immaculately groomed and breath taking. Included are many swimming pools, a dolphin pen where you could sign up to play with dolphins, hundreds of pieces of art from all over the world, spectacular viewing areas of the coast and ocean. Because it is so huge they have a tram that runs on rails and a canal with boats to take you around - all free of any charge even if you are not a registered guest.


Black Sand Beach and sea turtles - we saw the turtles but they did not come up on the beach despite all my prayers.



Our Bed and Breakfast in Hilo had a 120 foot fall in the backyard. It was spectacular and we could enjoy it from the balcony.



It was also surrounded with thousands of acres of macadamia orchards.

There is a beautiful four mile scenic drive north of Hilo. As we drove it I kept thinking this can't be real it is way to awesome. The trees and vines went on and up forever, flowers were everywhere. In the middle of the four miles is a Botanical Gardens. We spent almost three hours in the gardens ohhing and ahhhing :) Unfortunately the pictures don't come close to capturing the beauty of the place.







On the last day we took a ride on a helicopter in order to get a good look at the Volcanoes and the lava flow fields. They talked us into doing it with the doors offs so it was a bit scary for Marvin who was sitting with one cheek on the seat and the rest of him over the skids.



This is the steam that comes out as the hot lava flows into the ocean.

We didn't see many surfer's but on the last day we saw these three making us feel like we really were in Hawaii. :-)



Well that is it for Hawaii. Next week I am off to Detroit. Life is oh so good.

Beauty and the Beast on the Kona side of Hawaii

While we were on the main island (Hawaii) we stayed in two Bed and Breakfasts. The first one was on the Kona side close to Captain Cook. It was beautiful and especially comfortable.


Total relaxation. "However they make me take off my shoes."
As you can see the yard was huge, fantastic and very Hawaiian.

We visited a National Historical Park called Pu'uhonua Honaunau, seriously that's it! Anciently it was the home of the Royal Chiefs in the Kona District. No palace just several thatched buildings within a coconut grove on the beach. It was only to be used by royalty and staff. A common person could not look at or get close to the chief, touch his possessions or even let his shadow fall on the royal grounds. There are a couple of wooden images in the water that warn people that this is royal beach. The penalty for such contact was death.

The kinder side of the story had to do with the other half of the park. In English it is called The Place of Refuge. A massive stone wall that was built in the 1500s divides the Refuge from the Royal Grounds.

The "kapu" was a long list of restrictions and the penalty for breaking one of them was always death. If you were a person that had broken one of the rules of social behavior (the Kapu), which in addition to the no contact with the royals included things like women could not eat with men. They also couldn't prepare the food for men, how about that? The Refuge was a sanctuary that gave people a second chance. No blood could be shed within its confines. People who had broken a "Kapu," or other law if they could get to this place of refuge the priest would perform a ceremony of absolution and the offender could return home safely.



Well that is enough for today.

Escape from snow - Hawaii

Santa Claus brought a trip to Hawaii for Marvin and I for Christmas. Such a smart man!!!

We spent three days on Oahu saw the Sea Life Park (It is much like Sea World in California),


went to the Polynesian Center where we attended an authentic Luau (pig in the pit and all)


and took an excursion out on the ocean to do some snorkeling and to see whales and dolphins. We did see several whales and a large group of Spinner Dolphins that performed for us like they had been trained to dance. The snorkeling was the very best.



Beautiful sunset off the western coast of Hawaii - the Big Island our next stop.

Response to tagging from my daughter ;)

For years I have enjoyed reading about English history. That is one of the things that made the trip to England so enjoyable. Recently I have found a new book by Philippa Gregory called The Other Queen. It is the author's idea of what happened to Mary Queen of Scots. The author has a very extensive bibliography at the end and seems to have done some good research but it is admittedly fiction when history failed to share the needed information.

Page 56 "We are all growing afraid of Cecil's knowledge, of Cecil's network of intelligencers, of Cecil's growing silent power.
"This is between the two of us, I say quietly. I glance around to see that no one is in earshot. It is amazing to me that I, England's greatest earl, and Howard, England's only duke, should fear eavesdroppers. But so it is. This is what England has become in this tenth year of Elizabeth's reign: a place where a man is afraid of his own shadow. And in these last ten years, my England seems to have filled with shadows."

Does it sound very different from today?