Amazing Youth!

 
 We took 16 youth from the Lodi 2nd Ward to the Sacramento Temple to do baptisms.  It was a wonderful experience for them and for me.  First of all I was so impressed that these young people were so willing and excited to give up a Friday night on their spring break no less to go to the Temple.  It's always special when they go for the first time and we had 6 first-timers!  The Temple President, President Winckel spoke to them and reemphisized the importance of the work they were doing and then quoted the prophet Wilford Woodruff when he said, that  "few if any would reject the work done for them".  I don't know why I had never heard that before, but it just sent a thrill though me!  

Yes, That is Lake Tahoe in the background...

 

 

 

 

What a great way to end the ski season 2009....Great snow, blue skies, and fun friends!  Penny and Mason Lawley, Matt Eric, Olivia MacDonald with Megan and I!!

Who needs a two year old when they have a LUCY!!

 So, we're not out of the puppy phase even though she is two years old....isn't that suppose to by 14 in people years??  My 14 year olds could be pretty messy but they never took a brand new 6 roll package of paper towels and shredded them all over the yard.  It literally looked like it snowed in our backyard!

Elder Jordan Brink is HOME!!!

 

 

What a great family reunion to celebrate Elder Jordan Brink returning from his mission to Indianapolis, Indiana.  All of Bev and Justin's family and some of the rest of us were there to welcome him home.  We gathered at their home Saturday evening for dinner and then afterwards we all sat around Jordan and got to ask him questions about his mission....the little kids wanted to know what wierd food he ate or funny expressions he learned (do you know what a far-see is?) and the bigger "kids" wanted to hear the experiences of living by and teaching by the Spirit and how this affected him personally.  He made us all laugh and cry and feel so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Northstar Tradition...Stones, Brinks and Bakers

 The numbers and couples have varied over the years but this is a tradition we look forward to every year (excluding last year because we were in Spain or planning a wedding, or something)  Dave and Sabrina Stone added us to "the group" 12 years ago and each year we have a great time skiing and laughing and sharing the happenings in our lives.   Some years have been more exciting than others....Sabrina's water breaks and they take her to the hospital in the middle of the night, we get stuck in a snowstorm on Hwy 267 and Sabrina and I hitch hike home, minor ski accidents trying to re-live our younger years and skiing way too fast, Cindy taking two Ambien (on accident) instead of two Tylenol in the middle of the night and literally sleeping for 24 hours....But some years are memorable by just being with good friends 

Jammin' in Jamaica Man...

 
 Megan and Kris Kiriu at Gingham....custom designed shirts moments before the dance by Meggie herself....

88 Years Young

 January 23rd we celebrated Grandma Brink's 88th birthday!  She's a remarkable woman who I love dearly.  Not only because she gave birth to my amazing husband but she and Grandpa raised 4 other amazing children who have created amazing families of their own.  The fact that all 19 of her living grandchildren love her and visit her and call her on a regular basis speaks so strongly of the love she has for family.  Somehow she makes each of them feel like "her favorite".