March 2025

 March came in like a lamb this year.  We have no idea what to expect as the month progresses but hoping for a beautiful spring.  

              Lon spent the morning working on his wishing well for the back yard.

It's looking good

 

                          He hasn't missed mowing grass at all!   

          We traded days with the Harris's so we could head to Mindi's in the afternoon instead of the PM shift.  Jacob and Hannah have decided to bless Weston on Sunday, the 2nd.  It will be a fast trip but so thankful that we can go.  

Weston and Great grandpa had a conversation going on

Weston is just adorable and really growing fast

4 generations, great-grandma, Mother, Grandma and Weston

Nancy, Hannah, Mindi and Weston

Dad (Jacob), Mom (Hannah) and Weston.  Hadley was taking a much-needed nap, so we didn't get a good family photo this time.  We had a houseful for lunch after church.  Jacob gave Weston a beautiful blessing. We headed for home before the storm that was coming to Utah hit.  

Lon spent Monday working on his rock garden. 

He is adding some bird houses that George Orr made. 

 Monday evening, we went to the Harris's for dinner.  We had the Harris's, Allen's, Neilsen's, and the Wallace's.  Kjel Neilsen will be going to Burley to be their Temple Recorder and Brother Wallace will be our new recorder.  He was an institute and seminary administrator and teacher and a Stake President.  He will have a lot to learn.  It will be fun to get to know him and his wife.  

We closed the rest of the week. The temple was not so busy except for the baptistry.   The youth are so amazing.  They keep us on our toes!

On Friday the 7th, we were thrilled to get Ryanne's car sold for her.  When she and Challis left for Knoxville, Tennessee where Ryanne will be working in a hospital, she left her car here for Grandpa to sell.  It only took about 3 weeks for the right person to drive by and see the car.  

Ryanne and Challis

Saturday the 8th was our first golf game for the new year (outdoors)!  Tracy joined us.  It was fun to be in the sunshine!  We came home and cleaned up and met Tracy, Ashton and Sarah at the temple to do an Initiatory session.

  Eisley met us at McAllister's for dinner. Soup and salads.  What a wonderful day.

On Sunday, Chandler and his friend Mckinley came over for supper.  It was fun to meet her.  Time will tell if she will be a perinate fixture in our family or not.

We got to go golfing again on Monday with Tracy.  It was a beautiful spring day.  We spent the rest of the week in the temple.  It was supposed to be our week off, but the Allen's are out of town with their family, so we closed on our three days off and then opened on Friday and Saturday.  The temple is now closed for 2 weeks for cleaning and repairs.  

Lon had hopes for fishing and golfing during our break, but the weather had a different agenda in mind.  I hope to get some much-needed rest and get recharged to continue on.  Monday was raining, so he went out to Progressive and golfed the simulator with Phil.  He did the same thing on Tuesday due to the high winds. Wednesday was a much better day, so Lon and I were able to go golfing about 1:30 and afterwards, Lon and George went out to shoot rock chucks.  

Friday the 21st was finally nice with no wind so Lon, Laron and Mike Capps went fishing.  They took our boat this time.

The boat ran well, and they had a great time.  Barbara and I went to lunch and enjoyed the afternoon just being together.

On Saturday, Arianna came to help with some housework.  She is Kjel and Kittie Neilson's daughter.  She is here for a couple of months and trying to earn extra money to make a trip back to her mission in Japan.  She came and washed all of the baseboards, doors and windowsills in the house.  I have a tough time getting down to clean the baseboards anymore.  These knees just don't want to do that anymore.  Arianna did a great job. I was thrilled to actually have energy to get 2 windows and blinds washed.  I have been on survivor mode with our temple calling (mission) and the house has taken back seat to my priorities. This was a pretty good first week off.

We started our second week off by golfing with Tracy and Ashton.  What fun.  It was a little cold but the wind wasn't bad.  We had a great time.  

Lon and LaRon went fishing on Tuesday and brought home 11 crappie and 1 perch.  I got laundry done and started packing for our trip to Utah.

TEMPLE HOPPING

We drove to Mindi and Justin's on Wednesday.  We got there in time for a quick meal and headed to the Saratoga Springs Temple. 

We were thrilled that Justin was able to join us.  We did initiatory and a session.

What a beautiful, BIG temple

We arrived in the daylight and went home in the dark.

Thursday morning, we got up and headed to Manti.  It is so great having our personal chauffer to drive us around. 

We hadn't been to the Manti Temple for years.  It was just as impressive this time as the first time we were there.  We did some sealings and then a session.  

The remodel added screenes for the video presentation but didn't disturb the original temple at all.  There are 37 steps to go up and down during the endowment.  We were surprised when a temple was announced in Ephriam, only 7 miles away but now understand the wisdom in it.  A man in a wheelchair had to be carried up all those stairs.  The new temple will be handicapped accessible.

The Ephriam temple under construction

What a blessing for those who need elevators.  It was a wonderful trip, and we got back to Mindi's in time to watch the BYU basketball game.

Friday morning, we headed to the Orem Temple, another huge temple.

Lon, Nancy and our beautiful chauffer, Mindi

  We did initiatory and a session here.  We stopped for Chinese for lunch, did some shopping for a new golf bag for Lon.  We found one that will work and headed to Mindi's to visit with Hannah and the kids.

Weston was playing with the ball, and Hadley had just grabbed it away from him when Mindi snapped the photo.  Weston was not pleased but Hadley was very proud of herself.  He will be bigger than her before long and will definitely get back at her.

Weston loved his new book.  Jacob came after work, and we had pizza with them.  The great grandkids are so special.  We enjoyed time getting to know their personalities.  Of course, it is March Madness time, so the evening was spent with more basketball.

Saturday morning and we headed to the Taylorsville Temple.  Justin and Nathan were able to join Mindi, Lon and I this time.  Loren wasn't feeling well.  We missed her.  We just did a session here then went to eat at Zaxby's.  It's a restaurant that was in Georgia when the Parkers lived there so it brought back many memories for them.  The food was good.

Mindi, Nancy, Lon, Nathan, Justin

It really had a different look to the outside of the temple, but the inside was very similar to the Saratoga Springs temple.

We did try not to compare the ordinance workers to our own Twin Falls Temple, but we decided that our workers were really doing a great job.  Every temple we visited was booked solid and it was hard to feel the personal touch that our workers can give to patrons because we are so much smaller.

The three of us headed to the Layton Temple that evening.  

It was raining the whole time we were in the temple.  This one was very different than all the rest.  We again did initiatory and a session.  And again, it was packed.

What a great week spent with Mindi in 5 different temples. 

Sunday morning, we attended church with Mindi and Justin.  Mindi was released as the Relief Society President and shared her testimony.  She was called to be a Young Women's Advisor.  She will be great there too.  So proud of the amazing woman our daughter has become.  We are so thankful that we were able to share this precious time with her and her family on our week off.  We plan to do another temple hopping trip next year and hopefully Justin can join us each day.  

We came home after lunch.  

Monday the 31st of March.  Hard to believe that another month has come and gone.  March came in this year warm and mild and went out cold!  So much for the old saying of "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb".

That is hail on the ground

Cold, wet and windy

The months just seem to fly by.  We now only have 5 months left in our calling (mission) in the Twin Falls Idaho Temple Presidency.  We have been so blessed to get to know so many amazing people.  Life is good.  All is well.  We are content and happy.