March ... from Mom (3/2012)

March 2, 2012
If you are free, we will be hosting a family get-together Sat. evening, March 17, for cookies and ice cream. It is mainly for all of you to meet and get acquainted with Chris's girlfriend Kim Taylor and
her 4 children----Krystal (19), Courtney (17- high school Junior),  Aaron (13), Seth (11).

Seth plays the saxophone in a jazz band and likes to snowboard.

Krystal is attending Snow College this year, and she was just elected as a student body officer for next year at Snow..

Courtney plays the trombone.

Kim works at a kidney dialysis center. She lives in Pleasant Grove, about a mile and a half from Shane.

Would 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. work best for you?

If you want to bring your favorite cookies

March 22, 2012

Monday morning after my water aerobics, we went to visit Grandma. We played 2 games of Scrabble. They had just moved Grandma's roommate to another room--hurray! Hope she can stay alone for awhile, so we can leave the card table & chairs up and not have to put everything away each time. They raised their price by $250 a month, so it costs about $4,000 a month to have her there. It's more for a private room. We stopped at a couple stores and the library on the way home.

Dad played racquetball with Chris about 4:00 Monday.

Tues. I had my appt. with my diabetes doc at St. Marks. Good A1c again, 5.2. He was out of samples, but said to call in a week or two and he would get me some. He gives me enough blood pressure medicine to last between visits, saving $100 a month for the past 3 or 4 years. Now he offered me a couple Byetta pens (worth about $600). Great doctor too! Always on time, never have to wait. Just wish the parking wasn't so bad there. Dad was sweet and drove and dropped me off, so I wouldn't have to walk so far, as my hip and calf pain has been bad for the past 10 days.

Then Dad took the truck and went out to help Derek clean out their storage shed and garage. He had taken the day off. They are busy getting ready for their move to Pleasant Grove. Derek is borrowing the truck on Sat. for some more moving.

Tues. evening Joen picked me up for our R.S. birthday dinner. They used the theme of "Gifts," because R.S. is such a gift to us. A couple weeks before, the presidency gave each of us an empty gift bag. We were instructed to put something in the gift bag that we loved (a treat, lotion, whatever) and that night we would exchange gift bags with someone at our table and explain why that item was meaningful to us or why we enjoyed it, etc. I took one of my "A Thought For Today" packets, though it wouldn't fit in the bag.

Wed. we went downtown after my swim, stopping at Sunflower Market on the way home for strawberries and grapes. The downtown store is so convenient and Wed. is their double ad day, so it works out well.

Then Chris and Kim took us out to dinner at the new Blue Lemon. It is very nice, attractive food, and the ambiance is so clean and comfortable. We saw several people there we knew. It was quite full, even on a week night. We had a nice visit with Chris and Kim.

This morning we got an email from Jen that it was Grandparents' Day at Columbia Elementary School, if we could come at lunch time. So we hurried and got ready after my swim and went. Hawaiian theme--we got leis and had our pictures taken with the 3 boys in front of Island

 scenery. Jen came to help with the affair and to pick up Colton from kindergarten at noon, so they joined us.

Dad is going hiking with Chris today at 4:30.

Wendy and Rick are making a quick trip here this weekend for EFY Director's training. Coming Fri. after school and heading home Sat.

We went to Katie's son Anderson's missionary farewell this past Sun., so missed our Church. He did a good job. He was originally supposed to enter the MTC yesterday, but they notified him it would be postponed for two week. He is part of a new pilot program, where half of the missionaries will have two fewer weeks at the MTC to learn Japanese, then they will see if his group does just as well as the full-length group.

Beautiful warm weather for a few days! Love it!
Mom


March 28, 2012

Dad and I met with Dr. Momberger this morning at 8 a.m. He was very nice and unrushed. I really liked him.

I will be having a total knee replacement in 3 weeks on Tues., April 17, on my right knee. He was pretty much booked for surgeries until July, so I was lucky they had an opening. I hate having things "hanging over my head," and would rather get it over with. I am having it done at TOSH and will be in the hospital 3 days. We will set it up to go to Aspen Ridge Rehab for a few days after that, or may choose to cancel that and go straight home, depending on how I am feeling.

We will wait on my left knee to see how much having the right knee done enables me to do the things I want to do in life. Of course, the spinal stenosis is hurting my left leg so much, I still can't do much. So I will still have to see about back surgery, which is scarier--outcome-wise. Knee Replacements are long hard recoveries, but very good success rates, whereas back surgeries are less reliable on outcomes.

I worked in the yard yesterday for awhile, but paid for it the rest of the day with left leg pain from the pinched nerves. When I overdo, I get leg spasms that shake my entire body, mostly when I go to bed at night, sometimes 30 or 40 spasms, not really painful, just annoying.

Susie, next door, is having her pond cleaned and power washed. They told her she had too many fish for the space, so they brought over 10 or so to our pond.

We enjoyed seeing Zorro last night at Hale Theater.

Nelva, we forgot to pick up the peddler when we visited Grandma on Mon.--next time!

Derek & Danielle have sold their house and will be moving next week on Thursday, April 5 to Utah county.

Wendy, tell Janelle we are proud of her for doing so well on the science project----those were some very huge bubbles from her project. It was fun to see the photos of you & Jen in your baton group costumes in 1978 and then see your little girls in the same costumes more than 30 years

later! Congratulations to Jared on receiving the priesthood and becoming a deacon. http://www.wendyjensen.blogspot.com/

We will get ready now and go downtown for our missionary job. We may stop at Details Furniture Store in Sugar House on the way home. Conner has been wanting us to come see where he works and he will be there today.

love, Mom/Margie