Benihana; Longhorn; Zupas; Hordeolum Again! Crying Birthday Boys

We always try to get together with Natalie whenever we go to Provo for a basketball game. It is always interesting to hear what her dinner choice will be for our dinner.

This time she chose a teppanyaki restaurant.

Time for the shrimp toss. Once we were full, we took Natalie to her apartment and headed off to the ball game. It's March Madness. Need I say more about the never-ending basketball games???

It had been a while since we were able to get together with Glen's sisters Barbara and Maurine and their husbands Rich and Ray. Longhorn has been a great choice for us to meet when Rich and Barbara drive down from Hyrum.

We jumped at the chance to go with Diane and Grant to Zupas for lunch. Even though they live right across the street, we haven't visited with them much during the winter months.

What I love about Zupas is they give everyone a roll and a chocolate-covered strawberry. Glen doesn't ever want his, so I took his and mine home and had those for a later meal.

The previous photos were the good pictures of me. Now it's time for the not-so-good photos of me...in particular...my left eye. 

I could tell another eye problem was coming on and I was definitely not happy about it. I think this is the 6th time I've had to deal with this particular eye issue. 

This is my eye doctor brother Mark's opinion of the situation. 

I shared my sore red eye with Rebecca and Sarah the next day to let them see the progress(?) I was making toward healing.

This was his response to Rebecca's question: "I have been taught and believe that laughter is the best medicine." HAHA!! 

The next day there was not as much swelling under the eye, but I sure had a red, bulging upper lid.

The following day it looked like I was having fluid retention near my nose. UGH! Not a pretty sight in any of these photos!!

Another problem I have been having is with my allergy injections. I get two injections each week with different serums in each arm. Then the next week they alternate the serums and back and forth like that. 

I started out with a very diluted serum and it increases each week. By the second week, I was having a reaction to whichever arm the weeds serum was injected. The other serum is cats, dogs and grasses.

Each week the reaction was getting bigger and bigger and itchier and itchier and it lasted 5 days. I would have a couple of days of calm and not as much itching and then it would start all over again.

They kept my 7th dosage the same as the 6th dosage and I had a huge reaction--red welt that measured 4 1/2 inches by 5 1/4 inches. I was miserable as I tried my best not to scratch that big spot. 

Then I got the following voicemail from the nurse telling me they were going to remix my serums and make them super diluted. 

Then I would need to start over again with the weekly build-up routine which would change from 18 weeks to now 30 weekly injection visits before I can start spacing them out more than a week. UGH!!!!

But I am happy to report I have had two weeks of injections and I have not had any itching!! Hurrah!!

I got the biggest kick out of this photo of Ben playing Set with Kade. Ben is the ULTIMATE Set playing champion. So much so that none of us even like to play with him because he can spot the patterns so quickly. 

It will be interesting to see if Kade or Levi have the Set game expertise gene. 

Haley, Levi and Kade have been really sick lately and it's been a good thing Ben hasn't gotten it as he has been the one taking care of everyone. He had to cancel a trip out of town because he didn't feel like he could leave his sick household. 

We sure hope he stays well and that the others will recover soon. 

Abe sent us photos of him and Newland attending the basketball games in Greenville. What a fun thing for Newland to do with his dad. It's all part of the March Madness.

Speaking of March...both Monty and Abe have birthdays in the month of March. 

I laughed when I saw the crying baby photo of the birthday boy Monty with the birthday card we sent him visible in the foreground.

What really made me laugh was Abe doing a photo reenactment with his birthday card in the foreground. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to both the crying boys!! 

Quotes of the Week

 We must not be intimidated or lose our composure even though the once morally unacceptable is becoming acceptable, as if frequency somehow conferred respectability!

--Neal A. Maxwell

I make an appeal for us to reach beyond our own contentment, to move out of our own comfort and companion zone, to reach those who may not always be so easy to reach.

--Jeffrey R. Holland

Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval.

--Thomas S. Monson

Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places.

--Dallin H. Oaks

Madison's Baptism; Spencer Turned 11

It is not often I am the shortest one in a group, but that was definitely the case when we went to dinner at Goodwood with Kent and Karen McBeth. 

They lived in the Escondido Stake in our mission in California and were called to serve in the Utah Salt Lake City West Mission. Since their release, they have continued to live here while their youngest son finishes up his senior year of high school. 

We enjoyed meeting with them and hearing about their experience as mission leaders--especially how they and their missionaries fared during Covid. 

Madison Golden invited us to her baptism. She asked Glen to speak and she asked me to be the pianist, which also included playing a piano solo. 

Madison's Grandpa and Grandma Golden.

Madison's Great-grandpa and Great-grandma Ward.

I noticed there is no picture of Madison's Grandpa and Grandma Thomas (us). I guess it was because I was busy playing the piano when those photos were taken.

After the baptism we made it into the group photo. 

We had precious cargo in our back seat driving from the stake center to Madison's home.

There was a lot of good food for us to eat for brunch. 

Madison and Caroline had friends there that day.

I was so happy Ben and Kade attended the baptism. Haley was in New York with Levi visiting her family. I know it really made Caroline's day to have at least one of her babies there that day. 

Ben ended up staying for quite a long time because it was so nice Kade was happily playing with his cousins.

Dallas and Rebecca took my parents and Nani on a tour of their recently-finished basement. Their home looked exceptionally beautiful that day. 

Then we were off because we had tickets to Hale Centre Theatre to see Treasure Island. 

Although it definitely wasn't our favorite play, it was very well done as usual, and the various elements of the stage were entertaining--especially when the actors started falling into the water one by one.

The five of us went to Red Lobster for dinner after the play. We had gotten to the play just in the nick of time, so we weren't able to stand in front of the decorated wall advertising the play we were attending. So, these car photos were taken instead.

Spencer turned 11-years-old and he requested we go to Golden Corral for his birthday dinner. We ended up going there the day before his birthday. But, never fear, we all enjoyed ourselves that evening.

The gigantic blue plastic gloves reminded us of what we had to wear at our family reunion at mealtimes while we were at Aspen Grove.

The next day was present day. Looks like the birthday boy was very happy as he had a great birthday celebration.

Quotes of the Week

 There are so many things in this world that can distract, divert, deceive us if we do not go to the source of perfect truth. We are agents unto ourselves, so when prophets give us direction we can ask God and know the truth for ourselves.

-- Jean Bingham

Through your faith, Jesus Christ will increases your ability to move the mountains in your life, even though your personal challenges may loom as large as Mount Everest.

--Russell M. Nelson

When we become other-oriented, or selfless, we develop an inner beauty of spirit that glows in our outward appearance.

--Susan W. Tanner