Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Post of Summer of 2011

As I was reviewing my children's sites, I realized it's been almost a full year since I last put in a blogs, so I decided it was time to get going and at least put in a comment for the year.

On November 1, 2010, we welcomed our 7th grandchild into the family, Natalie Klotthor. She's just an angel and growing every day.
But on the day after, we got word that my mother fell and broke her left leg and arm, so she needed/had to be in a Rehab center for 3 months. The fell, made a domino affect, which meant taking care of my father and seeing that mom had everything she needed at the center. Each of us children tried taking our turns with dad, coming in from all over the states. Dad not liking that mom was not around and that his schedule was turned upside down, took a turn for the worse, so arrangements were made to have him live in a assisted living home. Within 6 to 8 weeks, dad had given up hope and didn't adjust well.


So 2011 started off a little hard. Dad passed away on Jan 13, then 2 of my childhood friend's fathers also passed away with in a 2 month period, plus my brother-in-law lost his father 2 weeks after my dad, so they were very busy.



In February we were able to bring mom home and help her get use to moving around the home again. A few changes had to be made, but mom made a full recovery, something we wondered if would ever come about with the severeness of her injuries.

Come April, I turned 50, so I thought that I was really going to start falling apart, since it's been 20 years, when my eye sight started to go when I was 30. I had had different things go on and I didn't like it one bit.

Come June, it was a very exciting month, Our son Clayton got married to Kayley Scott on the 4th and we had a wonderful wedding in the Salt Lake City LDS temple, following with a luncheon open house.



Thinking I was Super Woman" I went in for surgery on June 8th between the wedding and the reception in Missoula, MT and had major complications, spending an extra 3 days in the hospital. With surgery comes time off from work, but nothing has really gotten accomplished accept sleep, sleep and more sleep, with a little laundry and dishes in between.

On June 18th, while Angela, Karen and Dane were in Hawaii visiting Darcy and having a grand ol' time, we had the reception for Clayton and Kayley in the LDS South St ward building. We had a wonderful turn out and they received many wonderful gifts and cards.


I'll be returning to work on July 18th for part time, then full time the week after. Then of course it's a week's vacation to go celebrate my granddaughter Megan turning 8 and being baptized into the LDS church.

What a wonderful time of year summer is. The outdoors are alive and filled with all types of flowers and animals. People are out, parks are filled with laughing children and you even are exposed to the people who like to let loose and hang out. More ways then you think. People are happy, so the sun must be essential to our happiness. Hopefully we'll be able to hang onto Summer longer then usual, since it started so late for those of us in Montana.

Arvil has been wonderful taking care of me, and even took me on a little get away camping trip over July 4th week-end, which came with more sleep and even more sleep. How wonderful to be outdoors in the wonderful forests that God Created.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

1st Lanning Family Reunion July 2010



Visiting, Playing Games and Fun in the water...
The whole gang that attended...
This past week-end the Lanning Family got together in full force for my parent's 60th Wedding Anniversary and 1st Family Reunion. We were almost all together 10 years ago for their 50th, but a lot of the grandchildren or great grand-children weren't able to attend or just wasn't around.
My sister knew of a church camp that could be rented out on the week-ends when there wasn't a girls camp or boy scouts attending the camp. So we got pretty much the run of the whole camp. A Big Lodge, 9 or 10 cabins, and about that many tent sites. Along with the tent sites, came the wonderful world of chipmunks and squirrels.
It took a little extra time getting my dad to come, since he now has Alzheimer's, He seemed to be confused or didn't seem to know most of the grand kids or great grand kids. So he ended up staying in bed well into the afternoon on the day we were to leave to the camp. It took everything for my mom and brother Rodney to talk him into getting up. Finally, the talk of Chinese Food made him want to get out of bed. They made it up to the camp late that night. Dad was pleased once he was there and we had a great time. Carol, my sister had everything outlined and spelled out to just flow..., yet gave us plenty of free time to just enjoy the site.
The Food was outstanding and we had plenty. No one went hungry. Everyone just seemed to jump in and help.

We had games for the children & dads, home movies, lots of talk of old memories and even secrets that were shared from my siblings that they had been keeping from mom and dad while in their youth.

We had the comforts of the indoors with flushing toilets and showers, yet the feel of camping. Rope Swings that let you go into the lake, canoes to go boating, no fish were biting and a lake called Clear lake, yet was pretty green in color, lots of wildlife to last us forever, squirrels and chipmunks. Fires for S'mores and marshmallows the size of baseballs. Something my sister found in Washington around the 4th of July. Everyone was blown away at their size. Needless to say, they're just as hard to roast all the way through.

I think that this is something that we need to do at least every other year or every three years.

Those in attendance: 73 / those missing 27 + 1 due tomorrow 7.22.10
Amazing what happens in 60 years...:o)