Another Great Vacation Day!

This evening we gathered up the family and headed off to Home Town Buffet for some grub. (Kids eat for only $1,99!). While there a man came to our table and made ballon sculptures for each of the kids.

Then we settled down on the couch and enjoyed the results show for American Idol. It was just another great vacation day!

Tending Grandkids in Oregon

We've been having a great time in Medford, Oregon spending some quality time with five of our grandchildren and with Carrie and Aaron. Sunday Carrie helped us get the kids ready for church and went to Sacrament Meeting with us. After church that afternoon we got together and enjoyed the nice weather at the park.

Considering my age, I think I'm doing pretty good at tending these kids, but there is one thing I struggle with ..... Those blasted child car seats!

Happy Birthday Kathlene

On April 25, 1977 our lives were blessed and changed forever with the birth of our lovely little Kathlene. I remember it like it was yesterday. We were humbled to think that our Father in Heaven would entrust us with such a beautiful little child. She was our first child and the first of many blessings to enter our lives. We love you so much and are so very proud of the great person you have become. Have a wonderful day! We are happy that we get to spend your birthay with you.

Our April Vacation

We're taking a spring vacation of sorts. We are staying in Reno, Nevada for a few days and then heading on to Medford, Oregon to stay with our grandkids while Kathlene and Travis go on a trip together. We have been enjoying ourselves basically just doing nothing but wandering around and relaxing. On Monday we drove up to Lake Tahoe and took a few pictures. The lake was so blue and beautiful. Of course, we had to stop at In n Out Burger (two times). Jill loves their hamburgers and fries and it reminds her of Las Vegas when we lived there. We do realize now that the amenities of our own home far exceed what we have there at the "resort" in reno. Sometimes we take for granted just how comfortable our home really is. Here are some pictures:

Unconditional Love

The words “unconditional love” popped into my head this week one morning as I was driving to work. Perhaps it was because of a recent visit to my parents in Ephraim. Perhaps it was because of a little bout of depression that I’ve been in lately waiting for spring to finally arrive. For whatever the reason, it has dwelled on my mind and the more I’ve pondered about it the better I feel.

What is “unconditional love”? I believe this is the greatest love of all. It is love that is given freely without condition, regardless of the circumstances. This kind of love for someone is never diminished even in times of difficulty, disappointment or disagreement. This is the kind of love that the Savior has for us and that we should have for each other.

As I pondered it further, I began to make a mental list of everyone I knew in my life who I believed to have unconditional love for me. Certainly my parents have demonstrated that time and time again, I’ve never questioned that. As I began to think about them and other special people, both living and dead, a great peace come over me.

I then began to make a mental list of everyone I knew I had unconditional love for. I realized that everyone on my first list were also on the second list of people I loved unconditionally. Suddenly a thought entered my heart as if whispered softly and repetitively, “When you can love all men unconditionally, then you are where you need to be”.

Do you know who loves you unconditionally? Do you know who you offer this kind of love to? To me these two questions seem very important questions to ask ourselves. As we ponder this our actions toward others will be different and our lives will be more meaningful.

Character

Award

Robert and Jill you have been given an award for Worlds Best Parents. Your children nominated you for this award because they want you to know how much they love and appreciate you. They couldn't ask for better parents!

A Special Day

Today was a special day! On the Savior's birthday Jill And I gathered up Conner, Tayler, Porter, Jenn, Dallas & Olivia and headed off to see Grandpa and Grandma Warnick in Ephraim. Jill prepared a lunch and we spent the afternoon visiting and listening to conference. We had a nice visit. I really love and appreciate my wonderful parents who sacrificed so much to raise me and my brothers and sisters. We also saw Faylyn and her three beautiful little kids. I left the memory card home for the camera so we only got a few pictures, here is one of my favorites:

Olivia met her great-grandparents for the first time and took an immediate liking to them both. It was like she already knew who they were and felt very comfortable in their arms.

So Small

I like this video, it has a good message.

Artist Site

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Planting Raspberry Bushes

Conner, Tayler and Porter came to visit this afternoon and together we planted new raspberry plants along our west fence line. Someday when they are eating Nana's raspberry jam made from the berries from our yard, I hope they will look back and remember this day and how much their Papa loves them!

We thank thee, O God, for a prophet!

Today in the opening session of LDS General Conference a solemn assembly was held where members of the church were given the opportunity to stand and sustain a new prophet, Thomas S. Monson. How special it is to know that we have a prophet on the earth today to provide direction to the world in these difficult times.

Also sustained today was a new apostle, D. Todd Christofferson. What many members of my family may not know is that Elder Christofferson is a relative of ours. His grandmother, Adena Warnick Swenson was the sister of my wonderful Grandfather Merrill N. Warnick. Jill and I have personally met with Elder Christopherson a couple of different times. On a recent vacation while returning from Florida by plane I saw Elder Christofferson and stood to shake his hand. I reminded him that I was the grandson of Merrill Warnick, to which he replied, "You are part of a great family, Merrill was a great man".

I hope and pray that all my children and grandchildren realize that they are a vital part of a great family and that they will always strive to follow the counsel and example of living prophets. By so doing, great joy and happiness will result today and forever.

Thanks Kathlene!

Here Roberts office that Kathlene and I painted. As you can tell by my pictures I don't like white walls. I love lots of color in my house. Next will be the spare bathroom and then the laundry room. Thanks for helping me paint Kathlene :) Its goes a lot faster with 2 people working together.

Guest Room

Here is our guest bed room we painted too. The color in this room is kind of pink but you don't think pink when you see it. I love the color especially with the white doors, ceiling, and baseboard. It was fun having you and your family here.

Another new look for Jennifer

Jennifer made an appointment with Becky's friend Heather to have her hair done. She is happy with her new color and cut.