These are a couple of random pictures taken in the spring when it was still too windy to really enjoy playing outside. The bathtub pic was taken my my friend, Charlotte while watching the kiddos. I guess the story is that the kids asked to go swimming, so being the creative gal that she is they had an indoor swim party!
The bottom picture is a day that I was home from work and the kids asked if we could have a picnic. Still too cold and windy to do such outside we had tuna sandwiches inside on the livingroom floor instead! It's small moments like these that I hope I can try and do more often. I want to be a fun mom who took the time to be creative and take time to be silly with the kids.
We were able to attend Chris' youngest sisters, graduation from Burley High school. Here's Chelsae standing in line with a friend. We had great seats and she walked right by us during the graduation march!
Chris, Shawnae, Mom, Dad and Ben all watch proudly!
Class of 2011
The graduates did this dance spoof after one of the speakers. I didn't get what was going on at first so I didn't get a full video- but it was really funny! They all did a great job!
Picture Time!
Aunt Brenda, Uncle Mike and Grandma Opal
The After Party: Opening Gifts!
Shawnae, Nickie and I went in on a basket- tons of goodies to prepare her for living the single life!
This past Easter we spent in Burley at Grammie and Grandpa Grafs. The kids were extra spoiled because the Easter bunny came to visit them there too! In their Sunday best!
Brady 6 - Olivia 2
Our little family of 4 with "baby bump" just starting to show!
Ben (Chelsae's boyfriend), Chels, Mom and Dad Graf
(The cute couple had just gone to prom the night before)
My grandfather, Harrison Hayford passed away in his sleep on March 30, 2011.
All of the women in the family came together to create displays in the cultural hall depicting Grandpa's life.
My Uncle Mike and cousin Seth created this beautiful box to hold Grandpa's ashes in. They made a similar one when my Grammie passed away several years ago.
This poster illustrates Grandpa's service in the military, his life's work as a craftsman and all things he loved.
This poster depicts his life as a husband and father. The bottom picture shows his life as a grandfather and great-grandfather.
This last poster was a special one that I helped my cousin Megan make. She had some favorite pictures of Grandpa that she wanted to display.
This was the family that was able to make it to the services. Many of us traveled from out of state to get there. My cousin Glen, far right, came from connecticut with his girlfriend Carmella. Isaac, Erin and their three children came from Oregon, as did my cousin Lorraine. My mom came from Maine and Chris and I and our kids came from Idaho. It was great to have so many of the family together again and even though the circumstances were sad we came together and enjoyed happy memories of Grandpa and Grammie.
The Memorial Service was held at the Bozeman LDS church. Many family members took part in the program, giving talks, sharing memories, and singing. I was able to sing with my cousin Megan and my cousin-in-law, Rachel the song, "Be Still My Soul," as well as presenting the obituary that I helped write with my mom, aunts and a couple of cousins.
Following the services we had a graveside Memorial Service presented by the military with full honors. There was a soldier playing Taps and a 21-gun salute, 3 volley and presenting of the flag to my Uncle Steve (the oldest child). It was very touching for everyone in our family to see our Grandpa honored like that.
Several of the men in the family. Uncle Scott held Grandpa's box during the service.
All of the women got a rose to put on top of Grandpa's box.
The Hayford Siblings: Brenda, Linda, Steve, Scott, Sandra and Donna
A precious video of the children singing a song that Grammie taught us grandchildren and that we have sung to our children. We closed the funeral by suprising everyone and having Isaiah, Alison, Brady and Olivia stand in front of Grammie and Grandpa's grave singing the song. It's a little hard to hear but it was so sweet and the perfect way to say good bye to twe people who we loved and who touched all of our lives.
A few days before the funeral we had a showing at the funeral home. The men in the family took part in dressing Grandpa and then we had a family circle around him and shared any thoughts. It was very emotional for everyone in the family to surround our patriarch after he had passed on. I am grateful that we were able to be a part of the week and share in these sacred experiences with my family.
The grandchildren and great-grandchildren
The siblings
After the showing we had a family potluck luncheon. Everyone shared a favorite memory, we read memories that had been typed up from Grammie's funeral and my mom acted out "Farmer Brown" with the grandkids as Grandpa used to do with us!
Isaiah, Alison, Natalia, Brady and Olivia (Brynlie not pictured)
bunny rabbits hopping to get away from Farmer Brown!
I am proud to announce that last Friday was my last day at work! I'm finally a SAHM (stay at home mom) again and it feels GOOD! I have struggled in the past with the idea of "just being a mom" or "just staying at home" but after the last year and a half of working and being away from my children I can now truly see the blessings of being at home myself and having a mother in the home. My mom was a stay at home mom and I never really appreciated how wonderful of a blessing that was! I took it for granted it every day and my hope is that I will never do that again! For all of you who sacrifice and work hard TO stay at home...CONGRATULATIONS! What a precious calling motherhood is! I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to be at home with my children. To take care of them, to love them, to protect them, to teach, play, go on adventures and BE THERE FOR THEM whenever they need ME!
To celebrate my first day of our new lives Olivia and I walked Brady to school and then went walking with some friends. It was great to be out in the fresh morning air and be physically exercising my body again. Then we came home, read books, had a snack, walked to school to pick up Brady, had lunch and headed out the door for our first adventure! I took the kids to the canyon with their friend Annie and we went on some nature trails, saw 5 basejumpers from the bridge, swang and played on the playground. We would have stayed much longer but we got rained out.
Then we picked up Nicole, Annie's mom and her baby sister Sofie and went to a fabric store and a neat little consignment vintage furniture store, both in Kimberly. We rounded out the day with slushies from Sonic and a trip to Costo were we had hotdogs and lemonade...a pretty good first day off!
Scripture reading, books and songs and the kids were in bed by 7:30 all tuckered out!
The rest of this week we've gone to parks, gone shopping, picked books and a movie out at the library and played outside, blowing bubbles, riding bikes and enjoying precious sunshine and warm weather.
Now I have a LOT of catching up to do on this blog!!!
