Scooter Rides with Grandpa

Scooter Rides with Grandpa

Hi all, 

Happy Easter!  I hope today is warm and fun for all of you at the very special day.  One of the most favorite things the grand kids love to do is ride on our little vespa with grandpa.  I'm pretty sure on Saturday this will be one of those begged items on the list from the girls.

On this fun page, I used the Ivy Trim CS, purple and green cs.  Glitter green journaling tag, and green diamond drops from the fall gems bottle.  Other embellishments are from my personal stash in the scrapbook room.

  I used the green diamond drops to accentuate the ivy leaves, adding between 2 and 3 diamonds per leaf.  I only did this at the top edge of the page.

I also added the diamond drops to be the leaves of these flowers, and the wet drop look of the crumpled leaves punched from green cardstock.

Hope you have a great Easter, and you find fun things to do with your family to bring great memories to your day.

Ciao,

Robin

I Love You, Mom!

Good Afternoon!

It has taken me a while to get pulled together after this last trip.  Our assignment was in Belize, and Guatemala.  I posted only once while we were there, we were so busy, that there wasn't much time for extras, and the Internet service not like home, so I was waiting to be home to post about our trip.  It has been a whirlwind after we arrived home.  2 days after arriving in Salt Lake, we went to visit Mom and Dad, Mom wasn't feeling well, said she had bronchitis, and I believed her.  Not one of my best diagnosis of time.  I did call my brother, and left a message on his machine, I thought mom needed antibiotics, what did he think?   

By that evening Milan, Kim, and Dad had Mom in the emergency room, where less than an hour later she crashed, and was put on support, and transferred to another hospital.  By 1 am she was put in the machine I posted on this blog. 

Tuesday afternoon, we were advised of our options, and by this time she was on total life support and her kidneys had quit functioning too.  She gave her last breath at 5:55 Tuesday evening, with her family members at her side.  All of us there to be with Mom.  

Here is Mom, with her beautiful smile at 81 years old.  She doesn't look that old does she! 

The funeral was on Saturday, we gave her the best, because she is the best.  

Her carriage of glory, our tribute to her.

White on White on White

Pall bearers

Rachel, Jake holding Caleb, Britney, Dana holding Kadence, Me sitting, and Chelsea.  These were my children and grandchildren who could attend the funeral.  Our other children at very far away places, one in Afghanistan just could not be here, but we know were here in spirit.

I was asked to talk at Mom's services.  Dad asked me to talk about her life centered in Christ.  This is my Tribute to my mom.

My mom lived her life as a disciple of Christ.  She loved the Savior and centered her life in Christ.

She loved to read.  As a young girl in Germany she would sneak a flashlight with her to bed, and when her parents thought she was asleep in bed, she would read under her covers.  She came to the United States at the age of 18, where she met Dad, fell in love and married him.  They moved around many, many times in their young marriage, but one day in Silmar, California - 2 young missionaries knocked on their door, taught them the gospel, and they were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I remember the day, dressed in white, at the altar of the Temple, Dad, Mom, Marko, and I - Sealed in the Los Angeles Temple.  And years later telling Mom of another spirit I saw in the temple with us, Kelly you were there too.  At the time, Mom was with child with Kelly.

I remember standing in the long line at the Oakland Temple as a family to view the temple before it's dedication.  I was deeply affected by mom and dad in their dedication to attend that temple often.  I wanted to grow up and be just like that.

I will never forget Mom at my side as I entered the Manti Temple to marry my eternal companion, and after she helped me dress in the robes of the Holy Priesthood, she took me by the hand and told me how beautiful I looked.

Mom  loved the gospel, the "good news" that the Savior brought to the earth.  She always enveloped her life in reading and studying the gospel.  Every morning for hours she would dedicate her time to this.  The last years her eyes were getting so bad she couldn't see the words anymore on a page.  Technology became her best friend, and with a new Ipad she was able to access anything she wanted to read, and she did.  I loved to watch her touch the icons on the pad, and move from place to place.  One of the last times I spent with her, she was showing me places she was finding validating the dates of her family history.

What would mom want me to tell you, and what message does she want me to share with you?  If we were all together surrounding her bed, what is the message she wants us to hear?

1.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the face of the earth.
2.  She loved the Savior, she is His disciple, she walked in His footsteps.
3.  There is eternal life AND everyone can obtain it.  She is happy to be on the other side of the veil.  She spent her life living in the footsteps of the Savior so she could live with him again.
4.  She looks down on us from Heaven and desires more than anything that you too will have the desire to live in the Celestial Kingdom with her. This takes commitment and the desire to change- to take upon you the Saviors name, and to serve and to love Him.
5.  She desires that there are no empty chairs in the Celestial Kingdom.  That ALL her children and grandchildren will live worthy to be there with her.
6.  She challenges all of us to Follow Christ, to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, to be His disciples.  Can we do this without being dedicated to His church and then live in the Celestial Kingdom forever?  No, we can't.  We must attend church, study, learn, partake of the Sacrament, renew the covenants we have made with him at baptism each week. We must teach our children the meaning of this, and live our lives in serving others and Christ.  And last but not least, we must endure to the end.  Meaning, following Christ in all that we do- becoming his disciples, and not faltering.
7.  She desires that we live worthy to attend the temple and make covenants therein.  Those covenants give us the knowledge and strength to endure to the end.  It was and will ever be important to her that Families are Forever.  That her Family IS Forever.

The greatest honor you can give to Mom is to follow Christ, to commit your soul and your heart to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to love and serve each other, and to prepare yourselves so you too can have eternal life.  This isn't always easy.  We must promise to accept the atonement, to repent of our sins, to trust in the Lord, and to know that the Savior gave us grace, because he knew that we would need help to come back to him when we make mistakes.  The plan of salvation was given to us on this earth to help us understand what we need to do.  It is simple, it is easy, it is the only way to live with Him again.

This is her greatest wish of this The DeMonja Family - That there are no empty chairs in Heaven.  "Come Follow Me" the Savior said.  She did exactly this in her life and she invites you to do the same, envelop yourself in Christ, do whatever it takes to change your life so that He, even Jesus the Christ will be in your lives and hearts daily.

Mom loved the gospel from the time the missionaries knocked on that humble little door - til the moment she left this frail existence - She centered her life in Christ.

Isaiah taught almost 30 centuries ago; "And the work of the righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever." (Isa 32:17)  Those in this life who conduct themselves with fidelity and devotion to God and his laws shall eventually know that peace "which passeth all understanding."  The calming but powerful assurance that they have successfully met the challenges of mortality.  These are they who as disciples of Christ have lived by every word of God.  They have made their callings and elections sure.

This I believe and know this is mom, I bear a second witness to you of her faith and love of God, living her life centered in Christ, teaching us not only by words by even louder by example.  Her calling and election is sure as she lives in Celestial Glory.

In the name of Jesus Christ,  Amen

I love you, Mom.

Hugs!

Robin

Easter at our House

Easter 2012

We always do fun projects with the grandkids at Easter.  Last year we decorated cookies, colored eggs, had an Easter egg hunt, and just had fun together!  I love after we are done making pages to remember these fun days together.

This last year was the first year Kadence really was able to color her own eggs.  She is 2 1/2 here, and holding an egg on a spoon is a challenge.  I love the way her hand is slightly over her mouth, and looking at her cups of colored water as she is working on her eggs.  

I used Glitter Spring Stripe, Bunny Stripe, Glitter Kiwi Sorbet, Plum Fleur, Teal Giraffe paper/cardstock.  I also used purple hair and mm dew drops and a large dew drop, and Spring Sticker.

This layout is Aliyah hunting for eggs in our backyard.  I'm so glad that the girls were wearing dresses while they hunted for eggs, they just look so elegant with dresses on.  

I used Glitter swirl egg, Viva La France, and Celebration Swirl (back side), and Celebration Swirl papers/cardstock for this layout.  I also used Spring sticker, Viva rub-on, metallic pink dew drops and large dew drops.  The banners were punched from the back of the Viva La France CS with an Epiphany Banner Paper Punch.

All these papers can be found in the Girls Products, and Holiday Products.

I hope your Easter is as fun as ours.  We love to celebrate with our family.

Ciao, 

Robin

My Mom Today

We have traveled back to the United States early, coming home 2 weeks early.  The trip to Belize to work on Self Reliance with local Branches in the country was a great success so far.  We will see how things go over the next year.  We felt they accepted the program great.

We arrived to Salt Lake on Thursday evening, a day to report how things were going in Guatemala and Belize, and a day of working on our business, and Sunday I went to visit my mom.

She has always been organized and pulled together.  I love to visit her these days as she is 81 years old, almost 82.  She had aged alot from the time we left on our mission to Ethiopia and coming back.  I thought many times, wow mom, your age is showing.  She has always looked so young, a trait that I carry with me, for her age.

Sunday was different though.  Dad answered the phone, and said they weren't going to the library to work, mom thinks she has bronchitis.  I thought, ok, can she talk, yes he said, so I came to see her.  I arrived and dad said, she is in bed, (one of those most unusual days for mom), she was coughing into a towel, her voice shaky, and she was very congested.  We talked about how she was feeling, just yesterday she said, I felt fine, don't know what is wrong.  Her breathing was cumbersome for her.  We brought her liquids, which she started drinking, and her voice sounded better, it seemed a bit better I thought.  I called my brother and said mom wasn't doing very well, and I thought she needed anti-biotic.  He wasn't home, but I left a message.  We had been at moms for 4 or so hours.  I thought, she needs to rest, and I am keeping her up because I am here.  Dana and I left in hopes that she would sleep.

That was the last time I saw her as herself.  My brother called about 4 hours later, we took mom to the hospital, they are giving her antibiotics, and she is responding well, they also put her on oxygen, and she said she hadn't felt better in days.  That all ended quickly, she crashed, they incubated her and life-flighted her to a different hospital.  At 10:30 Sunday evening I was on my way to the hospital for the evening.

I stayed with mom through the night, and this last evening.  Is this really true, my mom, who was just visiting with me 12 hours before, was incubated!  Well, the night went on with more changes.  At around 1ish, my brother left with Dad to take him home to sleep, get his meds, and rest.  My other brother left for home, and my sister and I stayed for the night.  You know we really can't do anything here, but I just can't leave mom alone, even overnight.

She wasn't doing well, her oxygen level at 100%, but she wasn't breathing on her own at all, the respirator doing all the work.  She also was diagnosed with pneumonia,  and her right lung was full.  They tried moving her body, so the left lung that was good could help remove the toxins in her right lung.  This too didn't work.  The Staff started working swiftly, told us they were putting her in a rotating bed so her left side could help her right side.  So now she is in this rotating bed, she has been in it over 24 hours.  Life support is keeping her alive at this point.  I keep praying for the right thing for her, what ever that may be, will be the thing to happen.  I certainly want the best for her and for dad.

So here we are.  Mom on life support.  I sit here in the room,  I can't even hold her hand.  As she turns, I rub her back,  I softly touch her feet, the only few areas we can touch on her.  I feel so happy that I was able to see and talk to her before all this happened.  I must have needed that.  I love you mom, we are praying for you by the minute.

Alas,  it is 6:15 in the morning, we have made it through another night, another bite of the elephant.  We will see how things continue to go.  She is a fighter.

Ciao,

Robin

Mom in the rotating machine, her face is inside the metal area on the right side and the tubes are coming out through there.

 Mom laying face down in the rotating machine.  They said she was the shortest person they have put in the rotating machine before.

Mom is facing her back to us, you can see her hospital gown, and part of the top part of her arm.

Herren Cheimsee, Germany

Herren Cheimsee

I have been working on our trip to Germany last year in my scrapbook room.  It seems this will be a process to get finished with all the things going on in my life.  But little by little, each page is coming together.  I have a process of by which I scrapbook when there is an entire vacation that I am working on, and a way I organize myself as I work on my photos.  

1.  Organize my photos.  The photos arrive in the mailbox and I go through all the photos and organize them into each place we visited.  Then each stack  of one place is put in its own envelope and labeled with the name of that place.

2.  Organize my papers and embellishments.  I know that I will be working on certain pictures, so in this case, I go through my files in the scrapbook room, and pull papers that have been filed into Europe, or Fall because we were there in the fall.  I do the same thing with embellishments   These are placed in a file box next to my chair by the scrapbook desk.  Then as I work on certain photos the papers are right there next to me, and there isn't extra time spent in finding papers for this project.

3.  I pull only one envelope of photos and put it on the scrapbook desk to work on.  This helps me focus on one area, (or one theme - birthday, beach, etc) so that I am not distracted by other photos or projects.

4.  Papers are selected for the photos, or the "look" I am wanting to achieve and then I am ready to start creating.

5.  For inspiration of what my page will look like, I use magazines, personal files, or IPad to look at Pintrest for page layout ideas.

6.  Then the page is created with photos and papers only, I sometimes add the journaling tag, and set aside the embellishments I want to use on this page, but they are usually not adhered at this point.

7.  These pages are put in a pile, until all the photos are finished from that area.

8.  I then take these layouts and start adding embellishments  cut titles from the cricut, have all the dew drops, stickers, pop ups, metal things put on the page finished at this point. Only the journaling is left.

9.  At night when I am tired, and want to sit in bed and relax in the evenings, I take these pages and journal to my hearts content.  This way, as I am journaling (this one area or theme), I am focused only on it, and the day together with other people, what we did, and what we may have said.  I am able to pull together in my mind all those memories that I want to record.  I find that if I do it in bulk, a stack of page layouts together, I am able to remember more than if I just say "we were here on this day."  

Of course, after this the pages are put in  sheet protectors, and then binders and the book is completed.

Here are a few pages from our trip in Germany last year.  Herren Chiemsee is located on  an island on Chiemsee lake, where my Aunt and Uncle live.  We have visited here before, but it is always such a joy to visit this area.  Herren Chiemsee Castle was built by King Ludwig, and  is his version of a replica of Versailles   An absolute stunning place to visit with artistry that you can only experience by coming to such a place.  

I used French Vanilla Fleur Linen CS, Mocha Trail CS, Brown mini dew drops, crown from Vellum Crown, Coffee Glitter Classic Swirl CS from The Robin's Nest product line. The large fleur is cut from the French Vanilla Fleur Linen CS.  Other items are from other companies. 

Chiemsee Lake layout I used Belgian Chocolate Glitter CS, Autumn Fleur Linen CS, Chocolate 6mm Dew Drops.  Other products come from other companies.  The Paper is the star of this layout!  The stripe is from the cut off tab of the Belgian Chocolate Glitter CS, flipped over.

You can see that I haven't done my journaling yet on these pages, but that will come soon.  Each page doesn't have to be a masterpiece.  Chiemsee Lake is simple, featuring one of my favorite shots of the lake in the Autumn paper.  Also each page layout doesn't have to be so full of embellishments you forget where you were and that you are actually scrapbooking photos instead of embellishments!

I also hope that this process will help you in organizing your pages, and thoughts when you scrapbook your photos.

  

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Robin