What Kind of a Grandmother Am I?

What kind of a Grandmother takes a picture of her grandson doing this?

Me I guess.

The Dog Days of Summer

Grant and I spent some quality time in his backyard tonight.

Grant is pure boy . . . and I adore this kid with all of my heart.

He makes me happy.

Oil Painting - At Last

I am finally back into painting . . .

only now I am tackling the dreaded oil paint.

Here is the painting I produced this weekend.

I figure the more I paint the better I will become

so I better start painting a lot.

This is the Great Salt Lake at Sunset.

Please keep in mind I am an AMATEUR!
(Also - it really does look better in real life - I promise.)
One more also -

it will look better if you step a few feet back from your computer.

It is a sort of Monet styled type of painting.

I think. I hope.

Either way - I love the time I spend with my brushes

and my oil paints and my mediums and my palette

. . . and my music.

And two dogs and a bird who sit and watch me.

Independence

Independence, MO was awesome.

Here are a few photos I took of the

Joseph Smith Emma Hale Smith Family Conference.

 New Kansas City Temple at sunset.

Still in construction but still so beautiful.

The Smokin' Guns BBQ wall of award ribbons.

A few of us snuck off the first night around 9:00 pm

and feasted on the best ribs and baked beans 

I have ever tasted in my entire life.

And I have tasted some good ones over the years.

Sorry I don't have pictures of those but we ate them in

a park and it was dark by the time we took our first bites.

Guy voted it best of BBQ on his Diner, Drive-ins, and Dives.

I love Guy. Tanner and I watch his show a lot and 

there he was looking down on us from the wall.

And yest that is his signature on that poster you're looking at.

We took a jaunt to a few tour sites and this is the place

that the first corner stones were laid for the first 

Temple the Saints were going to build in Missouri.

One Stake was having their Pioneer Trek.

The humidity was outrageous and it was about

85 degrees making the heat index around 100 degrees.

I was dying in my t-shirt and capris and as I

looked at those kids and adults in full pioneer garb

I felt like suffocating.

What a bunch of dedicated people.

Across the street and over a hill was where 

my Great-Grandfather Joseph F. Smith

was born one very cold winter night.

This is a picture of the field near by.

Green enough for you? In July I might add.
That is a beautiful tall corn field behind the tree.

Emma's Birthday Cake

I forgot to take a picture until our dear

General Paul had started cutting it.

Then someone yelled, "Did you get a picture of it?"

I grabbed my camera and snapped despite the

Smith and 1804 being completely mutilated.

It was vanilla cake and was delicious.

So was the strawberry cake, and the chocolate cake.

Yeah - I tasted them all. Small bites - okay?

 Chelsea from Australia.

I love this thirteen year old from down under.

She became my friend and buddy,

and I tried to convince her when she grows up

to come to Utah and attend college.

I promised I would cook for her every weekend.

Since she's never tasted my cooking she wouldn't promise.

You can see the Community of Christ's Church spire behind her.

On my way home I took this picture from the plane

of the Mississippi River which is ginormous.

What you will not be able to see in this photo

is all the buildings and roads that are 

still covered with the murky waters.

An incredible but sad scenery to watch from above.

Thank you Smith family for a remarkable and memorable four days.

Fourth of July Boys

My 4th of July Boys

 Cute as bug's ears aren't they?

A New Painting

I painted a new picture and thought I would share it.

It was a gift for a friend who has spent endless hours over the years

sharing her wisdom, humor, compassion, and friendship

in the most pure and extraordinary way.

Happy Belated Birthday Maureen