Great Grandma Della

As most of you know my Great Grandma Della went to go get a new body in heaven a few days ago. She was 96 years old and ready to retire from this life. I can't let her go without saying a few words about her though. She was a great lady and touched so many lives. She is one that I can truely say, "I want to be like her when I grow up." Every time I talked to her and spent time with her she always left me with a smile on my face and a gift in my hand. She was always so giving and loving. GG Della spent her later years quilting and knitting and making crafts that she could give away.

















She was so generous. The day before she passed away Aunt Jennifer had called me to come over because Grandma wasn't doing well at all and she needed someone to help. As I sat by her bed with Jen and the hospice nurse, grandma was in a lot of pain and continued to be sick every 10 min. We were trying different medications to help take her pain away and make her comfortable. With all that going on she gave a quilt to the hospice nurse and one to me as well. She wanted to make sure the baby would have a quilt from her. I said I had a pink one for if it was a girl. She smiled and said I had better take a blue one just in case it was a boy. she also gave me a cat she had made. Then she wanted me to get the baby hangers she had crocheted for me awhile ago. I said I would get them later b/c I wanted to take care of her. This is just one example of who my grandma is.



Grandma was always teaching everyone around her. A couple of years ago I wanted to learn how to quilt so of course I called Grandma Della. I brought all my material over and she showed me how to sew it together quickly. A few times she accidentally sewed the wrong pieces together and then we laughed and ripped out the seems to do it again. She was always so patient and would explain it until you got it.
















Grandma Della always had a mind of her own. If she wanted to do it-then she found a way to do it. At the memorial service someone told a story about how she outwitted my grandfather (her son). Grandpa Chuck was always a little protective of Grandma. Grandpa Chuck and some friends from Russia were going to go the San Francisco and walk all over. Grandma Della wanted to go but Grandpa Chuck said no. She would get too tired out and wouldn't be able to keep up with them. Grandma said ok and waited until they had left. Then she called all her friends and they went to the fair all day and had a blast. They walked all over the park and did pretty much everything there. Another time Great Grandma Della was spending time with a family from our church. The mom and her two kids had taken Grandma to the Rincon Valley Park. The kids were playing on the wide teeter-totter. Grandma got off the bench and climbed over to the teeter-totter and climbed on. She had a fun time playing with the kids that day. A week before grandmother died a neighbor had come to the door. Grandma forgot that Aunt Jennifer and the girls had gone shopping. She left the hospice nurse in her room and went to find Jenn. She thought that maybe she was upstairs so she started climbing up the stairs. Her energy was so low that soon she was crawling. When she was half way up the stairs the hospice nurse found her and got her back to her chair. Jen had to threaten grandma with shrimp meals for a week if she ever pulled a stunt like that again. She was quite a lady and nothing ever held her back. I have lots of great memories of her and I know I will miss her so much. I am glad she has a new body and is in such a better place but there will definitely be a void at our family gatherings. We will all miss her very much.

My family again

Megan and I wanted one more picture before she left for southern ca. Isn't she so cute!! I had so much fun hanging out with her and just enjoying her company.




















The three of us competed for the biggest tummy. I think I won this time.















The three girls-together again

















My dad, Megan and my mom
















The night before my parents left for home we all went over to my Uncle Wayne's house for a swim. This was my mom's favorite picture. Here you go mom!!


















My belly is really starting to show now. I love looking down and knowing my child is growing in me. Especially when I can see the baby punching, kicking and head butting. I have only felt hiccups once or twice so far but boy does it feel weird.
















Hanging out with my cat Emma. She only tolerates this briefly so I was fortunate to get this picture.

Getting Ready For the Baby

Soon the bump in my belly will be able to enjoy the high chair my mom made and the room we are working on. Here I am at 6 months.


















My mom and I found this at an antique shop. She refinished it for me and painted it. Then she made a little seat cushion and finished it. I love the updated look of a beautiful old high chair.















My mom added this little touch to the high chair.















The room is coming together. Just waiting for the baby now.


















Eyeore fits right in while staring into a corner above the baby's room.

















This is one of the first things you see when coming into the room. It is part of the stenciled on song (or I guess an accent)















My mom helped me stencil the "I'm just a little black rain cloud" song around the room over the bead board. It is so cute!! ( sorry, I know everything is cute to me but that is just where I am right now) Here is Christopher Robin walking under the honey tree with his umbrella.















My mom painted this light switch cover. It is perfect and so sweet. Thanks mom!!





















Megan and I found this adorable lamp at a children's shop. It goes perfectly with the room and the colors too.






























































I love the detail of the Pooh bear scenes.














My mom did such a great job on this dresser for the baby. It's one of my favorite things in this room.

Family Camp at Hartstone

We went to Family Camp at Hartstone for an entire week. We had so much fun hanging out with friends from our church. Here are a few pictures of the stuff we did there. Hope most of us can go next year.











One night we all sat around the campfire and roasted smore's. There is nothing like a good smore roasted over a campfire.












Morgan was so good with the kids and they loved him.


















Stephanie and I brought our nail stuff to share. I think that almost every woman there left with beautiful toes. We had so much fun we even offered to do the boys. All of them declined. Don't know why!











One of the games we played was catch the water balloon that was shot from a sling shot. I caught 3 but they all popped.
















Kevin Boesler was the speaker for the week. He brought us some challenging messages from the word of
God.










The Hartstone Lodge where we ate and hung out.












Ladies night out was so much fun. Ladies in the church of Ukiah hosted all of us. They provided yummy goodies and fellowship. After a devotional we did facials and massages on each other. I have some other pictures but am afraid that I will loose all my friends if I post them. We did look very scary in the candlelight with the masks on our faces.









chris had fun video taping everyone on the water. I was very disappointed that I couldn't tube. It was lots of fun anyway though.









Each family got to go on a boat on the lake. We went on the Blyehl's boat. Jeremy and Stephanie had a blast tubing. Steph got knocked off once and Jeremy twice. Little Morgan Maudlin kept calling Jeremy, Bob the whole time. It was so cute.










Lake Day was really cool. We got to see almost all the Hoffer children get baptized. This is Kennedy. It was a very neat experience.












Chris and I waiting for lunch. (I am now 6 months pregnant)


















Everyday we walked to victory circle for a worship time. Aaron Willis, Stan Willis and Morgan Reed led us in song. Aaron only dropped to guitar pick into the guitar once and caused quite a funny distraction while he tried to get it out.










For the 4th of July most of us drove to Ukiah and hung out in the Railys parking lot for the fireworks. It was a pretty good show and it was free. Lots of fun too.

















We sat next to our friends Jeremy and Stephanie W. We passed the time talking and playing Pass the Pigs.











Stan Willis wanted to be in our family pictures. How cute.
















We finally got a picture without extra heads in the way.

















The river felt so good. I would only go in up to my knees b/c it was cold. Elijah Boyd told me it was cold until you swam for 20-30 minutes.













Every one is lined up for a turn. There was normally 10 people in line at any given moment. We even woke up to the sound of billiard balls at 6 am most mornings.







Chris got a winning streak and won 12 in a row at gutter ball.













Titus Boyd got completely spoiled at camp. There was always somebody willing to hold him and let Matt and Robin have a short break. He is such a joy to hold with his cute smile and good attitude.











This is what Chris looked like after pushing a multitude of kids on the rope swing.










The rope swing was very popular. The guys all got a good workout pushing the kids. The kids weren't the only ones having fun on the swing though. Here is Stephanie W. getting a turn. I had a couple turns as well. Fortunately I had the camera in my pocket so sorry there is no picture of me. :0)










Making our camp flag.














Each family at camp made their own flag to hang in front of their cabin. Chris and I both put our handprints in the middle and then painted a tiny baby hand under ours. We also put our dog and our kittys paw print on it. It turned out really well.