The Aerospace Museum February 2012

We had a lesson on keeping journals in church on Sunday, April 22, 2012, and I feel that my blog is my journal and I haven't been keeping it up to date.  This is my opportunity to do some writing instead of just placing the pictures in Facebook and not saying much about them.

While Kate and Ryan were having fun in Hawaii, the end of January and the first part of February, we were having our own fun in Sacramento, California.  One of the things that we did with our grandkids, Tyler and Chase, was to take them to the Aerospace Museum.  They had been there before, but they loved walking around and getting inside of the different planes.  There were volunteers to give information about the planes and there were even men that had served in World War II to talk about their experiences during the war...

Chase is my little model.  He loves to pose for Grandma so she can get a picture of him and the planes as well -- but most importantly, him :)  Tyler, on the other hand, is harder to get to pose.  He is so interested in the museum that he brought his backpack, some paper and a pencil to write about the planes and what he saw while he was there...

Chase testing out one of the planes...

A plane, hanging from the ceiling... 

A picture of Tyler in Chase outside with what I believe they told us was one of the fastest jets at the site.

Tyler looks like he has a parachute on and is ready to jump out of the plane.  That is what this plane was built for...to take jumpers to their destinations in World War II...

After we left the museum we went over to an adjacent park and let them play on the shuttle

Tyler at the "entrance" to the shuttle getting ready for lift off!



 It was fun for Rob and I to take our grandchildren to this museum and, of course, we had to get a souvenir to remember our trip.  All in all, we had an enjoyable day of it.

Nativity and a Photo Shoot of Grace :)

Here is one of the only pictures that I got of the Nativity Players.  This year Tyler was the angel and had memorized his part.  Ethan was the shepherd and he had also memorized his part.  Chase was Joseph and Bella was Mary.  Each one of them were superb in their roles.  I was the narrator, Steve was the Innkeeper and Ryan was the videographer.  Kate, Summer and Dad helped as necessary to move the players to different locations.  All in all it was one of the best Nativity Plays I had seen.  We will have a hard time topping this one!

 Since little Grace didn't participate in the Nativity, we just had fun with her.  Kate and I took turns taking pictures of her - most of them were Kate's pics...Grace was just having so much fun, and we were having fun just watching her.  So many things she would find so interesting -- like this ball for instance...

or just smile...as she rides one of the sheep... 

or...grabbing ornaments off the tree... 

 or getting ready to grab an ornament off the tree...

 Just as many times as we would let her...for the perfect shot!

 or just to sit by the tree...

 or grab the tree...

 What a fun evening to watch the grandkids perform the Nativity on Christmas Eve.  After the Nativity, Grandpa took the grandchildren upstairs and read "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"...and then off the little families headed to their homes.

Ethan's Christmas Program 12-16-11

Always hard to get pictures of a program indoors -- this was no exception.  I was able to get a few pics of Ethan aka "Mr. Snowman" as his grade sang songs and entertained his mom, Bella, Grace, his Grandma Reiff, Caitlin, and his Great Grandma (Brenda's mom) and me.

Ethan visiting with one of his friends...

This picture is priceless -- look at all the interesting faces!  Pretty cute - You can just see the top of Ethan's head.  Check out the face of the girl at the bottom of the picture.  She obviously doesn't like to have her picture taken!  LOL

Autumn Leaves 2011

Kate told me that I needed to take my camera outside and take some pictures in nature as I had been discouraged because my indoor pictures seemed blurry and not real quality and Rob had recently bought me a new lens.  Here are a few of my practice shots... (Great time of the year to practice - it was so beautiful outside with the leaves changing colors)  I tried to focus on different things...

 I liked this shot of a branch that turned up and looked almost like the trunk of a tree ...

 A practice shot with the focus close up and blurring the background...

 As I was leaving and was in my car, I drove by this tree and it was so beautiful, that I had to get out and take one more shot "for the road"...I think my lens actually works :-)

Thanksgiving and Kenzie's Blessing Nov 24, 2011

Kenzie Leigh Fink, daughter of Josh and Leigh Ann Fink, was blessed at our home on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011.  She wore the blessing dress that Kelly's daughter Veronica wore on her blessing day...

Kenzie

Leigh Ann and baby Kenzie Leigh

Leigh Ann, Josh and baby Kenzie

Bryan was the voice giving the blessing for little Kenzie...(Steve in the background)

Family of priesthood that joined in the blessing.  Kenzie's great grandfather Fink, Rob Fink, Steve Fink, Bryan Fink, Kris Fink, Mike Fink, Scott Fink and Ryan Jackson...

Great Grandma Fink was added to this picture

Bryan Fink with Josh and Leigh Ann and baby, Kenzie Leigh...

This was a wonderful day!  One that we will always remember.  It was wonderful to have family come and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.  We had approximately 24 family members that came.  Everyone brought yummy food and we enjoyed a wonderful visit! 

Belated Halloween Pics 2011

I know this post is so late and that I have put some of these pictures on my Facebook page, but since I am doing journaling with my Blog, I wanted to get these pictures online here as well.  Below are some spider webs that I created around Kate and Tyler and Chase's pictures on my stairway along with a friendly ghost...

The next picture is on my mantle.  Ethan noticed that I had some poison on the mantle.  The candle is a battery operated candle... 

Went over to see Ethan, Bella and Grace dressed in their costumes for trick or treating.  They were dressed up after the movie "Tangled".  Summer's grandmother sewed Ethan's vest and Summer created Ethan's boots out of felt and she made them look so realistic.  Grace wore a costume to look like a chameleon like in the movie, too.  Their costumes all coordinated with each other and they were awesome! 

Bella as Rapunzel...

Can't remember the name of the young man that was in the movie, but Ethan looked just like him, right down to the beard that Summer put on his chin after looking at the movie to see what type of beard he had... 

Chase and Tyler came over to our house after trick or treating and to show us their stash of candy...They made off with a truck load of goodies...

 Tyler was a ninja warrior and Chase was a knight... Tyler liked his costume because he got to have at least two swords and a dagger, too.  Chase had a cool sword and a cape and armour...

 For our office party I created an "All Eyes on Me" costume right down to the fingertips!  I got a bunch of different sized wiggly eyes and glued them onto a black top and pants and then got a hat and put two big eyes on that as well.  It was a fun costume, but not too many people knew what I was until I told them, and then they thought it was pretty funny! 

 The winner of the "Best Costume" went to Kathy G.  our witch.  She really accessorized this year and even had the ruby slippers from Dorothy.  She said she finally won.  In this picture she is giving an apple to our Snow White (Stella C)

The runner up for the prize of "Best Costume" was our very own Julia Child (Lynne W).  She also accessorized her costume with a dead chicken, recipe book, whisk and apron - not to mention curling her hair in tiny pin curls and messing her hair up to look more authentic!

Great costumes to one and all.

Rob the Temple Worker 10-7-11

I will probably be continuously learning how to take pictures, but here are a few pictures on the day Rob was set apart as a Temple Worker.  It was a beautiful day and after Rob was set apart, he went straight to work...I had to get back to the office...I took a little time and walked around the temple grounds and took a few pictures to help my memory remember this day!  It was a beautiful day inside and out!

Rob, just before being set apart as a Temple Worker at the Sacramento LDS Temple

I liked this picture because it made me think of the mirrors in the sealing rooms of the temple and I thought of eternity... 

Another view of the temple with the Angel Moroni on the top of the temple spire

I am so thankful that Rob has this opportunity to be of service to others and to be able to work at the temple every Friday from 11am to 5pm.  He has said how much he loves working with his crew and how wonderful they all are.