L & M visit with P & K

Le and Mah-lene were the first to come and sample the wonderful, bounteous fruits around Santa Maria. And we encourage all of you to do the same. :)

The 4-day soiree synopsis: eating (my favorite part), napping, walks, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach outlets, driving the coast, strawberries!, Settlers, the awesome Madonna Inn, talking, and getting splinters in our feet on the pier. (I'll never walk the pier again w/o shoes!) After all that, these were about the only pics I got. So silly.

Thacker could make a hot older lady!

He pulled down Mama Marlene's glasses and put them on like they were made for him.

The below pic was taken sometime after getting the mother of all splinters. Sorry to be dramatic. But really, I about cried from relief when I pulled it out the next morning. Still couldn't walk right for a while though. Okay, moving on.

This water was C-O-L-D!

And T-dog was so mad when he found it too cold to cross and meet up with his daddy. He just stood on one side and cried! Paul's got guts! And feet that don't feel cold apparently.

Mama Mar with the favorite offspring and in-law. :) Just kidding. We all know Bear is the favorite child.


Marlene was chattin' it up with the locals like she owned the place. I'm pretty sure I heard her say something along the lines of, "Oh yeah, I go to the beach all the time. You should see me bodysurf." And then something else about how if it wasn't so cold she would totally be in the water. It was awesome.


Le working on his mean tan.

And this is T-dog aspiring to be his gramps one day.

We had a great trip with you guys and are so glad you came down! It was fun to host you for the first time ever and I hope you come back again soon!

Jengo

Welcome to the newest member of the Robinson family! Jengo the boxer puppy! So soft and cute- he is sleeping on my lap.
And sleeping on Hailey's lap. She takes good care of him! I think all the kids are doing well with this little one. How does he get so worn out though?

The Bionic Woman vs. robot on wheels?

The other night we were trying to put the kids to bed and they were being very rowdy. I made fists, bent my arms at the elbow, and slowly started walking toward them making a loud buzzing sound. I instantly had to stop because I was laughing. In that moment a memory came back to me, something I had not thought of for YEARS. Do you guys remember when Sam used to do that and Jenny and Wendy, we would be terrified?! And we loved it of course. Was that from the Bionic Woman? I tried to look it up online to see if I could find out more. They have episodes guides and of course youtube has the show clips (which it was so fun to hear the music from the show and immediately recognize it). Sam do you remember? We would get so scared whenever you imitated the creature coming after us.

Oh and we loved it! It however had no affect on my kids. Maybe because I started laughing? Just like when Jenny shoved a handful of popcorn in her mouth while she was supposed to be "murdering" Kim at the haunted house. Not so scary with popcorn spraying out. Jenny you need to tell us that story again!

May 1st

I don't want to take attention away from the previous post. So just real quick. I'm going to graduate on May 1st. Commencement and Convocations on that day. Come if you wanna.

Vic

MEN DON'T CRY

It must be very difficult
To be a man in grief,
Since "men don't cry" and "men are strong"
No tears can bring relief.

It must be very difficult
To stand up to the test
And field the calls and visitors
So she can get some rest.

They always ask if she's all right
And what she's going through.
But seldom take his hand and ask,
"My friend, but how are you?"

He hears her crying in the night
And thinks his heart will break.
He dries her tears and comforts her,
But "stays strong" for her sake.

It must be very difficult
To start each day anew.
And try to be so very brave-
He lost his baby, too.


~Eileen Knight Hagemeister

Another week closer to spring. Yippee
My week was fairl y regular.Mom and Dad seem to be doing ok. They went to church this Sunday, they don't always do that. Vanita will be coming on the 20th of March to stay with them. The temple dedication is on the 22nd.
The high light was going to Molly's baby shower and seeing her and Vic and Nancy. Molly is large with child and looks great.
A teacher in church explained that we should take a church journal with us to church and write down ideas that we have. I have been doing that. I also write in my scriptures things I want to keep. Then at home I have a journal just for spiritual experiences or events that I don't want in my normal journal. I like that one. I also ask questions in it and then I write the answer when I get it. I need to ask more questions.
I wanted to share some things that have made me think and I hope it will you also.

Does tribulation strenghthen our character or does it show what our character is?
Salvation is never easy - why should it be. Christ paid with his life because it was so hard.
Our testimonies are filled with "micro dots" or small experiences we have everyday. We all have micro dots from Heavenly Father. We just forgot the details.
Personal righteousness does have power!
Ok, that's all. Hope you have a great week, Take care Love MOM

One of my favorite poems.

A candle's but a simple thing,
It starts with just a bit of string.
Yet dipped and dipped with patient hand,
It gathers wax upon the strand
Until, complete and snowy white,
It gives at last a lovely light.

Life is like that bit of string,
Each deed we do, a simple thing
Yet day by day if on life's strand
We work with patient heart and hand,
It gathers joy,makes hard days bright,
And gives at last a lovely light.

Can I express wonder seeing my children
go through life, and handle what happens to them.
We don't have many choices but to take it a day
at a time, a task at a time. So be it.
I hope you have a good week. Love MOM