The New Year

Lots of things have been happening since the beginning of 2013.

We were able to spend a week in a condo at Bass Lake splitting the time with Jared and Clara and then Ashley and Kevin.  The day that they were there together we drove to Yosemite to give Elise and Jackson their first snow experience.  The two of them were SO cute in their little snow suits.  It was a great week for me and I am ready to go again anytime.  We found a lot of hiking trails and places to visit that I'd like to see in the summer months as well.

When we got back from the trip there was a large envelope addressed to Stephen and I with a return address from Salt Lake City -- our mission call.  We will be serving six months at Cove Fort in Southern Utah.  It is exactly what Stephen wanted, other than Nauvoo -- historical and short term.  We report to the Mission Training Center (MTC) on April 8th.

Now comes the hard part of going through things and packing up the stuff that we want but don't want used by anyone else.  The process would be simpler if I wasn't doing a long term sub job.  I've worked in the same classroom since before Christmas and it is supposed to go through March 1st.  It is fun to be teaching again, but it does limit how much time I have at home.

The other new thing is that I was offered a position with National University.  It requires 30 hours a month.  The interesting thing about it is that I turned the position down because I knew that I would be leaving, but they worked around my schedule so I will work three months, be gone for six, and come back to the same position.  That was very accommodating of them.

Jackson Hole Vacation 2012

Just got back from a week in Wyoming with Jenny and Matt's family and Cory and Suzanne and their family.  We made our first trip back to our condo in Jackson Hole in thirty years.  We had a great time visiting Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, looking for wildlife, geocaching, and taking old-time photos. 

When we left we drove to Provo via the Handcart Visitors' Centers in Lander and Alcova.  They were interesting to see but VERY windy and cold.  Our plan was to stay and help Cory for several days but we received a surprise phone call from Ashley on June 7th saying that little Jackson was born that day -- 6 weeks early.  We decided that we needed to come home and help them with their move out of their apartment.

It was great having time to spend with our children and grandchildren that we don't get to see all of the time.  Hope they enjoyed their time as well.http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d7a49774d6a49344e446b3d0d0a&blogview=true

Stanley and the Leaf Cutter Ants

While we were in the canopy of the Monteverde Cloud Forest and at the Hanging Bridges in Arenal we found some very interesting creatures. They were very busy getting their jobs done. We were very fascinated watching them work.

Stanley at Playa Hermosa

Stanley spent the last two days of his Costa Rican vacation on the beach in Playa Hermosa which is on the Pacific side of the country. The beach is not a white sand beach so the water seemed rather murky. They were experiencing a red tide which killed some of the sea life. Friday morning we found over a dozen puffer fish washed up on the shoreline. We also saw other fish as well as a seahorse.



We were able to rent a boat and motor around the bay looking for animal life. We were able to see see turtles and snakes but no dolphins. Still it was nice to get off of the sand and to see some other things in the area. Stanley made friends with the captain, Luis, and with the first mate, Marcos.

Stanley Flies to Costa Rica

Stanley was up at 3:00 this morning (Saturday, March 31st) to be ready to get to the Fresno International Airport by 4:15. Surprisingly there was a line at the counter already. Our flight was on time. After posing for a picture with Stanley the pilot got us in the air headed for Los Angeles. We transferred planes and flew to Houston, Texas, and then on to Liberia, Costa Rica. Grandpa says to tell you that Stanley was very good on the planes. He didn´t even make a peep and people around him said that he was very well behaved for someone his age.

We arrived around 7:00 pm and spent the night in Liberia. The weather was great and we had a very pleasant evening.

Stanley Walks Through the Sky

This morning our group decided to take a walk through the canopy near the Arenal Volcano. There were about 20 bridges that we walked across including 5 long suspension bridges which were very wobbly especially when you had ten people or more on them. Stanley had his picture taken on one of those bridges as well as at the waterfall that was a little off the path.

We saw lots of birds and even a little red poison dart frog (that Grandma spotted). We were on our last long bridge when I looked up at a tree on the far end and saw three dark shapes -- they were monkeys. The group got excited about getting to see monkeys when Bro. Stokes turned to his right and saw a black faced monkey sitting in the tree closest to the bridge -- it was only about 6 feet from us. It was a great hike!


We spent the afternoon in La Fortuna looking through souvenir shops and checking out the local food. Stanley found a couple of things that he wanted so we bought them for him. Quiet evening back at the resort hanging with friends.

Ziplining through the Cloud Forest

Stanley wanted to go ziplining with us at Selvatura in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Unfortunately, he didn't meet the height and weight limits. He did a lot of tandem zipping with me but unfortunately I couldn't get any pictures of him because he was on my back.

Grandpa, as you can see, was flying through the tops of the trees on the zipline. He was at times more than 100 feet off the ground. He makes it look so easy.



There were 12 ziplines and one zipline where Grandpa and I rode the zip across an entire valley for almost a mile. It was a little breezy. Then there was the Tarzan Swing where you climbed a really tall tower and then just stepped off and swung out over the trees. It was easy to see how Jane must have felt as she clung to Tarzan.

Stanley on the River

Yesterday was fantastic. We had a slow start as we had to wait for people beyond our group and then got word that the river we were going to raft was closed because the dam was broken. The company substituted another trip which was another hour away but, according to Grandpa and our guide, was the better river.

Stanley could only get his picture taken at the beginning of the trip because they wouldn´t let us take our cameras with us as we would be too busy. They were absolutely right. From the moment we got in the raft and pushed off we were busy hanging onto our paddles and hanging on just to make sure that we didn´t fall in the water. Stanley had a great time even though we had to tie him in to keep him safe. The river had white water and rapids most of the way. There were only a few short spots where we got to just float.

Grandpa was in the front of the raft and got most of the water on him although all of us were soaking wet within a minute. The water was pleasantly warm even though the weather was a bit drippy. Our guide, when the water was a little calmer, pointed out lots of birds, a monkey, and even captured a poisonous tree frog.

Stanley got wet, but Grandpa had taken the precaution of laminating him so he wouldn´t stay wet. The whole trip was like a wet roller coaster ride. Very thrilling.

Stanley goes to Arenal

Stanley woke up this morning to the sound of birds calling to each other and having wonderful conversations with each other. It was a new experience for him. Tomorrow we will break out the binoculars and see what kind of birds that he can see. It is early morning and the weather is already warm.

Today Stanley is looking forward to going on a white water rafting trip. He hopes that he won´t get too wet but that there will be lots of excitement as he floats through some class 2/3 rapids.

We forgot to bring our download cord so I will send some pictures of Stanley and the things that he is doing when I get home.

Life is good.

Grandma

Time to Post again

It has been nearly a year since the last post. Many things have happened since that time.
1. I ended my time of service on the CARS+ state board in April.
2. Stephen and I traveled with 15 other couples and cruised the Caribbean.
3. I jumped off of a former racehorse while it was speeding down the beach -- thought that I might not walk normally again.
4. Took the teacher deal from Fresno USD and retired from teaching in June 2011.

Stephen and I are headed to the Caribbean again at the end of this week. We will be traveling with our friends the Lundbergs. More when we get back.

The Real Thanksgiving

People are always asking for a White Christmas, but this year we experienced a White Thanksgiving. Going along with the white was plenty of cold. It was a whole new thing for this California girl. The high was 21 degrees and the low was 7.

While we waited for the turkey to get done, I decided that it would be a good time to go out and try to find the three geocaches closest to Cory's house. It was so cold out that when we did find them that the ink in the pen was frozen and we couldn't sign the log. My fingers were stinging not to mention that both of the boys had been walking in the gutters and were soaking wet and freezing.


Jenny, Matt, and the girls came down for the evening and to share dessert. It was a very enjoyable day -- as long as we stayed inside.

Stephen, Cory, and Suzanne decided to give up sleep in preference to hanging out and making new friends in Walmart. They had quite the tales to tell upon their return. We spent the majority of the day with Jenny's family along with Lila who went to play with her cousins. The evening we joined Cory's family to watch Provo's first electric Christmas parade. I'm really surprised that anybody came out to it with the temperature where it was.




We traveled home on Saturday. It was nice to get back to a little warmth. It was also nice to find that Jared and Ashley (along with Clara and Kevin) had put out a few of the Christmas decorations to make things festive.

Thanksgiving Break

This is the year that Stephen and I determined that we should spend most of our vacations on the road to visit our children. It is great seeing the kids, but all that time in the car is tiring.

We left right after I got home from school on Friday, November 19th, and headed to New Mexico. After a few short hours in a roadside rest, we managed to arrive in Las Cruces by about 12:30 Saturday afternoon. It was really good to be able to spend 2 1/2 days visiting with Curtis. He didn't want to show us off to the members of his university ward, but other than that he let us move around the city unhindered.

We of course saw the city through geocaching as we visited many sites that Curtis would never have thought to taken us to otherwise. We even had the opportunity to sit in the theater with Curtis and watch the latest episode of Harry Potter.



We took the scenic route to Utah, stopping to visit Mesa Verde National Park near Moab. It was somewhere that I've wanted to visit for many years and we finally made it. I can't imagine how the Native Americans could survive the winters living on those cliffs -- it was freezing cold while we were there. The structures were amazing though.

Conference in Utah

October 2nd, Jared, Ashley,Stephen and I found ourselves inside the Conference Center for the first session of General Conference. It was amazing to hear how this huge building, filled with tens of thousands of people, just went completely silent when Pres. Monson walked in. It was easy to see the reverence everyone has for him.




We met at the Shirts home for the afternoon session of conference. After dinner, the guys went to Priesthood, Dad watched the grandkids, and the girls and I went out to Deseret Book and Robert's Craft that were having special "Ladies' Night Out" events. Suzanne won one of the drawings at Deseret Book, and Jenny found out later in the week that she won the grand prize -- a $400 value set of books about the Messiah. It was a very good night out for the Nimer women. It was really nice of Stephen to give up conference to babysit.

Shirts are Eternal Family

October 1st, 2010, was a brilliant day for the Nimers and Shirts families. As parents of Matt and Jenny, we were all excited to be able to be in the temple when they were sealed to each other for time and all eternity. Then in walked Sam and Kelsie who kneeled with their parents at the altar in the Salt Lake Temple and were bound to each other forever. What a powerful event.



I was blessed to be able to go and help Jenny get dressed and to spend a little time with her before she was taken to be with Matt. I am so happy for her and her family. Glad that she has received this blessing in her life.

It was wonderful to hear Matt's mom say what a great mother Jenny is to the girls. She said she was so patient and loving not to mention extremely talented. I loved having her recognize this about Jenny and to know that she is appreciated by her in-laws.

Family Photos June 2010

Free scrapbooking design made with Smilebox

Create a photo album

Another One Flees the State

It was bad enough when 3 out of 5 of our children fled from Fresno to other areas, but now Jenny is getting ready to head with her young family to Utah. She will be teaching in the South Jordan district starting in August while Matt attends school at Weber State in Ogden. The move has made Stephen and I realize how much we need to spend time with our kids while they are close by. I hope that we have learned our lesson before we lose anymore.

We spent from July 2nd to July 5th at Matt and Jenny's in San Jose helping them get packed for the big move. Stephen was a very entertaining grandpa to Samantha and Kelsie. It was touch and go for awhile but by the end of Monday afternoon Matt had sealed off the tractor/trailer (or whatever you call the container portion of a big semi-truck). It was a long weekend but it was good to be able to feel that we were of service to their family. Plus it was great being able to spend a little more time with our very cute granddaughters.

The BIG Day

After about a year and a half, Ashley and Kevin were sealed in the Fresno Temple on Saturday, June 19th. It was so good to be in the sealing room with all the people who know them and were wishing the best for them. It was great to have Cory and Suzanne, Matt and Jenny, and Jared and Clara there watching as they were sealed together for time and eternity. I am so happy for both of them.

Jenny and I helped Ashley get ready for the ceremony and then afterwards helped her to get into her wedding gown. She looked beautiful in both of her white dresses.

The reception was wonderful with perfect weather and the support of fantastic friends who helped with all of the last minute details and the food service. It was nice to be able to visit with family and friends that we hadn't seen in a long time.

I am so grateful to have valiant children who have tried to remain faithful and do what they have been asked to do. Stephen and I have been truly blessed as parents.

Woman in White

Ashley looked beautiful today as she dressed in white and took out her endowments in the Fresno Temple. She asked me to be her escort and so I was able to be in the celestial room waiting for her when she arrived. She definitely leaned on Kevin for his support and understanding. One more week and Ashley will be sealed to Kevin. Jared was also waiting for Ashley.

The afternoon and evening were spent at Ashley and Kevin's newly acquired apartment helping them get things moved in. It was nice to watch the empty rooms turn into a home for them as their furniture and other things began to fill it up.

Jenny in the Temple

Friday night we had the privilege of serving as the escort for Jenny as she took out her endowments. It was so good being in the room with other family members and welcoming her there among us. She looked wonderful all dressed in white.

Matt's parents flew to California to be here for the special event. Shelley drove over from San Rafael, and several people from her ward attended as well. I am so happy for her.