Isaac vs Isabella

 crochet crochet crochet---bell is being blessed in new orleans on september 2nd....crochet crochet crochet crochet.....hurry hurry hurry.....and then

ISAAC! hurricane Isaac aimed straight at New Orleans---david and jasmine evacuated with their 3 little ones to his parents' home in Beaumont (and yes---there were a few prayers sent for Isaac to aim towards beaumont---but then i stopped that)....
crochet crochet---weather channel---weather channel----power outage----floods---security alarm goes off---David and Jas dont know what happened to their home---no one can go look at it during the storm---but the security alarm company called and said a back door was opened....and then the power went out...... hearing from friends about flooding-----crochet crochet crochet-----FINISHED! YEAH!

friday---aug 31---they decide to go home----have power! for about 10 minutes---then it goes out---we fly down there Saturday morning---power comes in about 10 minutes after we arrive---hallelujah! Their fence came down in the back yard---and they got a very little moisture in the garage---no door was opened---so they were blessed----they had friends who had just moved into their first home and had 4" of water and no power for a week (as of this writing---still no power!)---david hall spent 2 afternoons there pulling up carpet and floor---my david spent sunday afternoon there!

 we shop at walmart---yeah---shelves were empty                     this is a house near their church

 

                                     saw many light poles down----so many fences---so many power trucks and tree removal trucks.....people hit it right away to start recovering

HUGE tree came up right out by its roots! lucky it didnt hit their home

but we were here for a more blessed reason

jasmine and her girls----asleep

what a cute family!

                                                    bell in her dress (she borrowed Beth's slip)                                      

grandpa's favorite position

                                                 there was only one hour of church---and no microphone---but we got her blessed----and she looked beautiful---

                                             after church---Iva Hall, James Hall, Ben, David, Beth & Bell Asleep David, Jasmine and me

                                                even made her a headband to match her dress

                                                         grandpa (coach) with miss Bell

                                            grandpa with a smiling Beth!

                                                            Mr Ben ready for church

                                            Iva and coach got Bell this beautiful blanket

                                             grandpa can always get Beth to grin---not an easy thing!

                                              so I would say that Isabella was the winner!

Ben Hall

---one on one----what a great way to get to know someone----

this summer we had a big Ensign (my fam) reunion in Wisconsin---we've known about it for 2 years---so why the heck did JASMINE AND DAVID HALL PLAN TO HAVE A BABY 2 WEEKS AFTER? i dunno---but they did---and that will be a future blog---so----we offered to take Ben Hall (yes---we call him that because we also have a Ben Webb---and yes---we call him that) with us to the reunion---which means driving 1200 miles with a 3 yr old...and then 1200 miles back with a 3 yr old...and keep him for 2 weeks more before flying to New Orleans for the birth of his baby sister.  we didnt offer to take Beth---we love you Beth---but you were only 15 months---and this was our vacation! :) see ya in a couple.

Jasmine and David Hall (yes---we call him that because we have David Jeppson---but we dont call him that---we call him My David---or Dad---or Grandpa---or Brother Jeppson) agreed to let us have Ben (from here on to be referred to as "Ben") for 3 WEEKS!

 the many faces of Ben in the car---fully dressed with shades

 fully naked watching a movie---anticipating a loud sound!

feeling great after throwing up--hence the naked

                                     sound asleep with his pirate blanket                                     

cuddling asleep at the resort in Wisconsin

asleep on his little couch

yes mom and dad---he brushed his teeth

asleep cuddling with chloe---on my bed

asleep on the couch---we just let him be

 ben doesnt like loud sounds---so at the circus in Wisconsin---this was his position most of the show!

 but he was the only grandkid willing to go up to the clowns to get a picture!

playing with milo on top of his cousins Abby and Trevor Dow

visiting Great Grandpa in Freeport

                                                            Greatgrandma and Ben

                                                       happy boy at Chuck E Cheese!

                          after multiple water parks and swimming lessons---he was a fish!

                                                  hmmmmm---who enjoyed the games more?

he figured out the tickets pretty darn fast

                    his favorite ride at Chuck E Cheese                    



in motion as SuperHero!

                                                      free reign with my phone to take pictures of anything

cousin jake horsing around

watching Bugs Bunny on the Ipad

                                                     swimming lessons at Hurst Rec Center

 when he saw mommy and daddy at the NOLA airport---he took off running---with his elmo suitcase trailing behind him!

it was joy---pure joy.  He had his moments of missing mommy and daddy---saying "I need to go home"---so we made sure he skyped and called home a lot----but mostly we played, took swimming lessons, gave in to his every whim and desire---we arent his parents---we are his grandparents....which meant Chuck E Cheese----NRH2O (water park)----crawling into our bed in the middle of the night.  My nephews and niece were here---so Ben got to rough house with them---and he learned to say Outside! to the dogs.

Ben is so fun---so entertaining---has a great sense of humor---loves apples and all fruit---and shrimp.

when we got to New Orleans---he looked at David and I and said "you gotta go" "where?" "home"---he was afraid he wasnt going to stay with his family!

thanks Jas and David---and thanks Bell for coming 2 weeks after the reunion!

God knew...so He sent the Ensigns

God knew I would need people put in my path this summer...so he sent the Ensigns

 

----my nephew, Brian Ensign and his wife Ashley---and my other nephew, Jake Ensign---all from BYU----worked doing pest control this summer in Dallas---so we offered them our home to stay in for the 4 months they would be here----the week they moved in (mid-April) was just 2 weeks after Ace left----so they truly were a blessing---we thought we were helping them---they ended up helping us---the energy they brought to our home---they worked hard and encouraged us to play games and get out of our 'heads'.  Jake and David went to midnight movies----ashley and i chatted and played on Saturdays (her day off)---they sat with me in church as i cried---they ate the food i love to cook....jake loved my dogs---brian used his psychology studies to try to stop the dogs from barking (yeah, right)--

jake let the dogs and the grandboys crawl all over him---such a good sport!

Brian and Ashley (my 5th daughter!)

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                                  Brian spent his day off entertaining Ben Hall!

we had a great time putting together a take-off on "Hunger Games" for the Ensign Family Reunion---they looked after my puppies while we travelled....I always came home to a spotless kitchen....always greeted with a hug.

My brother, Matt & his wife, Shelley and my niece, Jackie---and her darling little man Elliot all came for a long weekend....they said it was to visit brian, ashley and jake---but we all know the truth

 we went to Chik-fil-a on THE chik-fil-a week (no political statement here ---lol)--and 7 adults watched Elliot crawl around the play place!

 my brother Matt had a birthday the next week---so I used this opportunity to use my new toy---3 tier bundt cake display!

 jackie is expecting boy number 2 in October---Laszlo----at least thats the name I'm rooting for!

 Jackie, Shelley, Elliot and Matt at the airport

 we have a kids' 4 wheeler for the grands----this is jake and elliot

 little did we know that the Ensigns would decide the 4 wheeler was not just for littles! Go Shelley!

we got to introduce Brian, Ashley & jake to Freebirds, cooking and design tv shows, anaconda marathons, Taco Tuesday at Rosa's and fish tacos! hmmm---i like tacos!
                                             we had a great time putting together a take-off on "Hunger Games" for the Ensign Family Reunion---they looked after my puppies while we travelled....I always came home to a spotless kitchen....always greeted with a hug        !

                                           this is the note (they left 3!) they left when they left
                                          
God knew that I would need people put in my path this summer---and my new children---Brian, Jake and Ashley---were truly a god-send.

the new normal

1. a/c vents upstairs----closed
2. bedrooms upstairs---fresh linens and ready for visitors
3. 1999 Chevy Van---selling
4. upstairs bathroom---grateful for the time off
5. dining room table---closed up to smallest size---tastefully decorated
6. tv trays---bought
7. dinner at the table---not unless there are guests
8. food budget---cut in like 1/2
9. trash duty---mine---unless dave is reading this---then by mine i mean his
10. school starting---really? didnt notice
11. when does school start? dunno---first time in 23 years!
12. alarm clock---unset
13. fhe---BORING
14.  where's ace?---still dont know....never get used to that.