Life

September came and is almost done already! Life goes by fast! At the end of July Don and I had the opportunity to go to Branson Missouri for a company trip. We had a lot of fun. We went a couple of days early so we could see some of the church history sights. Independence, Liberty Jail, Adam-Ondi-Ahman. It was very nice to be in these special places. On our way home we got laid over in Minneapolis st. Paul, we stayed in a hotel next to the mall of America! It is huge!!!!!!! It would take days maybe even weeks to see everything in the mall. When we got home we had a day to recover then off to girl’s camp for a couple of days. It was a lot cooler at night and it helped that one of our cabin mom's brought up her portable air conditioner. we got back on Saturday, then on Monday we took Easton (grandson) on the train to downtown Phoenix for his 8th birthday present. We had fun visiting the Az science museum and eating at the TGIF ball park. That same Monday we had the Cluff FHE at my house so glad we were able to swim. on the 10 we had one of our sister missionaries and her husband come stay with us for a couple of days. It was so good to have them in our home.

Did I tell you that we have 3 daughters having babies in 2013! Yes Mal is due in January, Erica is due in February and Amy (Nate’s wife) is due in March. We will have 11 grandchildren! can you say crazy house!! In September I was able to help with my niece Courtney Cluff's wedding, she is now a Quist. It was a great day! Then more fun for the Crandell family girls. We were able to go to LA and go to the ELLEN show! It was so much fun to be in the audience again. we sat in the same seats we sat in last year. Crazy.. After the show Mal, Amy and Erica went to the Jimmy Kemmel show while Kim and I went to the 6pm taping of the ELLEN show. Kim was asked to come back because she shared a confession and they were going to use it in the next show. They brought back 4 people and used two confessions for the show. Kim’s was not one of them. but being in the audience again was fun. The next day we went to the Let's Make a Deal show. That was crazy fun and a long hot day. But it was worth all the line standing, the interviews and the ditsy blond who was chosen for the big deal that day. So funny and fun. Now for some sad news, the night before we left for LA Don got a call from his mom to say that his sister Dana was not doing well after her out-patient ear surgery, and had passed away. She was 53 one week shy of 54. So while I was in LA Don called to let me know that her service will be in Aztec on Tuesday and that he wanted to drive to N.M. on Sunday morning. so I flew home Saturday night and then drove to Aztec Sunday morning. All the Crandell family was there and then some. Dana's family saw the support from the Crandell side. We drove home Wednesday and picked up Rylee because Rigden was at the hospital not breathing very well. It turned out to be asthma. We had Rylee for a couple of days; she is a good girl and fun to have around. Happy Birthday to all the Aug and September birthdays and happy anniversary to Nate and Amy.

Independence visitor center I think my Aunt Cloene and Uncle Bill were some of the first to plant flowers here while on their mission to independence.

                                                        inside the mall of america

                                                                girls camp

                                                               easton on a bed of nails

 if you can see this, you notice how small the car is on the bottom floor in the mall of america. 4 stories tall.

Still around

 This is a gnome i found at Ross and it went on our summer vacation to the beaches of Oceanside

 He did not like waiting in line for boarder patrol but had a good attitude and stayed cool in the car

 He loved being at the beach with the grand children. above is Rylee, below is a crandell niece

 He was a little bit naughty and sat on the pipes

 The best part of the trip was going to the giant pizza place. he was very happy that we orderd 2 of them because our family took up the whole store and atethe whole thing.

More pictures later

Whats been happening since last we post

Well, March 25 Don was put in as the bishop of our ward. I watched the Willis kids for 4 days while their mom and dad went down to Mexico with the Willis family. I'm always afraid they won’t come back because they don't have passports. Went and helped clean up the temple gardens. Watched General Conference on T.V. Took Rylee Mae to build a bear to get her 1 year old birthday bear or in this case a rabbit, named Rylee Rabbit. Had a fun Easter party at parent in-laws house with a lot of family.  Was released from my calling as Relief Society President on Easter Sunday. Received a call to be the ward bulletin specialist. Thought about my older brother Dennis who passed away 19 years ago April 8th . Went to my Utah Niece Alli Cluff’s golf tournament in chandler with my Dad. My little brother turned 49. Kim and Amy had a birthday and Kim and Max won some great stuff on the game show LET'S MAKE A DEAL. Hanna had a birthday she is now 4. Spent lots of hours at the church while Don had interviews with the 18 and under people and the sister's only. Got the March and April Ensign read while waiting. A Nephew got his mission call to Mexico, Monetary Mission, Yea! Matt. A Niece got married to a fun fella congrats Tannis and Thomas! I went to Utah to see my mom who had a defibulator put in because of the LongQT that runs in the Family. The device looks like my zoolander cell phone. Helped in the kitchen on the day I got back for some good friends, their daughter got married. Congrats Tamron. I put Ward members’ birthdays into my outlook calender so Bishop Crandell can contact them on their special day. Visit taught my seven sisters, attended a funeral, while I was in Utah, of a winter visitor sister from our ward. Attended the baptism of two cute children, Luke and Chloe and a Eagle court of honor for Jake, Mitch, Connor and Tyrel on the same day. Put strips of paper in 126 Easter eggs for Bishop’s 5th Sunday lesson and sharpened 50 pencils. Attended the Temple several times.  I took no pictures of any of the above things. But that’s what has been going on since last I posted. The month of May is full too. Happy MAY to all of you!

Happy Birthday Erica Shout Hooray!!

Today is this 25 year's old birthday! Happy Day of remembrance of your birth ERICA! of course you can't remember it but I can. We had green eggs and ham for breakfast and grandma Crandell was worried about Nathan because he had green poop that day. I drove around with Don on his work appointments, for most of the day having contractions on a regular bases. when they were getting close together, every 7 min, I called the doctor, he said get to the hospital, # 4 can come quickly. Away we went and a couple of hours later you came into the world along with green water when the Dr. broke it. Fitting for St. Patrick's day. We thought for a small moment to call you Patrica, but we stuck with Erica. I was 26 years old when you were born. Time flies when your having fun. Hope you are having a wonderful day! Love Mom and Dad

Happy February...Where did January go?

Hope all your January's were great? Mine went a little slow for some reason.

We had some birthdays: this is Evelyn she turned 4 in January. To see a current picture of her go to her mom's blog goodjobmomma.blogspot.com



This is Brinlee she just turned 6 yesterday. She looks the same as she did when she was one as in this picture just taller.

Our oldest grand child Tillman turned 9 in December. Life is good and busy. Taylor is now in school full time and working in the family business "Mesa Roofing" full time. He keeps himself busy with homework and institute class.

His friends are starting to come home from their mission's and one is almost engaged!! Taylor's bummed about that. I love hearing him speak spanish around the house and I love the impromptu hugs. It's good to have him home.

Hope all your February's are filled with LOVE!