My first photos

This is baby Grant. Isn't that an adorable photo?

This is the old Nana with the new baby.

Here I am again with Maya and baby Grant.

GRANT LARSEN HARWARD

December 14, 2008
5:44 PM
9 pounds 4 ounces
22 3/4 inches long

Mom and baby are doing great. There were really no problems. He came quickly and has a few bruises but he is a keeper. He looks a lot like Landon did when he was born. He has the 'Porter' lip (like Larry, Sarah, and Landon's top lip) and Steven's huge hands. Landon loved him straight up and Addie didn't quite know what to think of him. When I brought the kids home, the first thing Landon asked me when we walked inside was, "Why can't the baby come home?"

It has been a long day so I am off to bed.

BABY ALERT

I am currently in West Lafayette waiting on Sarah to birth my 6th grandchild. She went to the hospital at 7:30 AM. I am watching the kids and plan on going to the hospital at about noon to see how things are progressing. I just talked to her (10:30 AM) and she has napped and Steven is working on his route book for work. I will try to keep you informed.......

Oh, and they have finally decided on a name:
Grant Larsen Harward

Up-Date

We got a call yesterday from Sister Eddy (the one that had taken James to dinner) and she had gotten Larry's message. She said that she wasn't aware that James was planning on trying to visit the guy but she felt the same way, that James shouldn't try to see him. She was calling James as soon as we hung up to tell him not to make that visit.

I have been thinking about how thankful I am that we can live worthy of promptings from the Holy Ghost. We will never know what would have happened but I am thankful that the Lord has ways of telling us things if we will but listen.

150 Days to go!!!

Our email from James this week was a little odd. At one point, he told this little story.

"This week Elder and Sister Eddy (one of my favorite senior couples in the mission office) took us out to dinner at Provo’s famous Brick Oven. It was our first time ever going, and it was really good. While I was at the salad bar, a man approached me and made mention of my Spanish speaking nametag. I asked him he had served a Spanish speaking mission, but quickly realized that he was a non-member. I returned to our table after he said something aggressive and not very nice to me. A few minutes later, our water gave me a piece of paper and told me that another customer had requested that he give it to me. It said “Say Saturday in Spanish. Why do you go to church on Sunday if you supposedly worship YWAH? Send the answer to ___________, Helper UT.” Maybe we’ll pay him a visit while we’re there this week."

Larry didn't get around to reading it until about 10:30 last night and felt VERY STRONGLY that James did not need to visit this guy. Larry was almost frantic about it. We searched and searched for a contact number for James but Larry ended up just leaving a message at the mission office. I know James is in St. George so I hope the office gives him a call. Other than when Brad was sick, we have never called the mission office.

Oh, I packed my 'hospital' bag yesterday. I know I will get 'the call' at about 10 PM when I am exhausted and have to rush the 3 hour drive to stay up all night. I secretly hope that she waits until Sunday and is induced. I do love being a Mom/Nana!!!

I am SO disappointed

I talked Larry into a date night last and I talked him into taking me to see TWILIGHT. Let me start by saying that I am NOT a movie person. I really don't like movies and I consider it a HuGe waste of time to sit there for two hours when I could be sitting in front of the TV watching football and sewing but I did LOVE the Twilight books. So, off we go to the theater to pay FULL PRICE for the worst acting I have EVER seen. I am quite sure I could have stood there with a script and read Bella's lines and been more convincing than she was. What a huge DISAPPOINTMENT. I still like the book but feel the movie did not come even close to the book. BUMMER.

James sent me this picture in his email this week. He said that all his life he had prepared to serve a mission and leave his parents and siblings but he had not prepared for how hard it would be to leave nieces and nephews. I am not sure why Maya is crying and by the look on James's face, I don't think he knows why either.

Our holiday was great. Sarah and Steven got to come (no baby yet) my sister was here with her family and my mom. It was hectic (as usual) but I love having family together. I am so blessed and have so much to be thankful for. With all the trials and challenges, disappointments and failures - the blessings ALWAYS out-weigh the bad. I am grateful for that.

My Inner Desire

Yep, I'm a Twilight fan and I am SO sad that the movie starts tonight at midnight. Brad bought two tickets so he can bond with his little sister (who is crazy happy that she is going, on a school night) but I am too old and too tired to go at midnight. I hope to be able to see the movie but I am sure it won't happen for awhile.

My mom is coming in tomorrow for Thanksgiving and then my sister and her family are coming on Tuesday. I started some of the shopping today and will finish it off tomorrow with a trip to Kroger and then to Walmart. I hope to be home by noon and Larry will have the house clean.

Sarah and Steven may be coming for Thanksgiving also. The doctor told Sarah that he didn't like the idea of them going that far for Thanksgiving but he would live with the 3 hour drive here. Steven is trying to override the doctor, we'll see who wins.

These are a few of MY favorite things

I had one of the best weekends of my life. I was able to spend it with these two smart beautiful women who just happen to be my daughters. I don't think we took any pictures this weekend but this picture was taken in 2006. At the present time, Sarah is about as big as Amanda is in this photo and Amanda is thin. I just want to say how much I admire these two. We had great conversation because they are both very smart so we talked about everything from Prop 8 in California, to birthing, breast feeding, recycling (well, this is a stretch but Amanda wouldn't take a plastic bag for a purchase), we talked about the talks that we heard, the music, etc. I love them so much and I am such a proud mother that I really think my chest is going to pop right open. I love you girls and Thanks You So Much for going with me!!

I'm So EXCITED and I just can't HIDE IT!!!

I'm about to lose control and I think I like it! I LIKE IT!!

This weekend the girls and I (no kids, no husbands, no worries, nice hotel) are going to Nashville for a Time Out for Women retreat. We have done these in the past but we are always taking nursing babies or running up for one long day. We are leaving tomorrow and will come home Saturday night. I am so excited. There are usually very inspirational speakers, uplifting music, a church bookstore; not to mention the nice hotel and NO COOKING!!

I am so excited, can you tell??

Countdown to James

Brad and I were talking yesterday and he said how he loves to have something to look forward to. He said, "Thanksgiving is really soon, then Christmas, then February because Lost starts, then my birthday, and then James is home!" I told him how one of the great thrills in my life is when the event is almost here and I can buy milk that expires after the event! I am weird like that.

James and his companion in the mission office. James and Brad make me a picture like the one in the background before James left but I don't have a place big enough to hang it up.

Silly James

He wrote that this is the biggest 3 year old in the world. We know James can be a bit on the drama side but the kid does look pretty big to me.

One of James's best friends from high school is at BYU and had James over for dinner. Sarah Connolly is the best!!!

Today is.....

National Men Make Dinner Day!!

I like this day but, where are the men that live in this house??? I can't find them. Brad is at work and then off to Insta-toot! Larry is at work and then straight to church for High Council meeting. Hannah and I are on our own unless I can get this guy, without a shirt, and a nice looking six-pack to come and make dinner for us!

What Next?

He may be smiling but I am not!! I kind of feel like Brad. This morning, Brad came into my room and said, "You know what we should do? Go buy guns and ammunition." Our house is a little (lotta) sad.

I talked to Porter this evening. He said, "Nana, I voted for Barack Obama." I questioned him and he said he voted at school for Barack Obama. I told him that he needed to listen to his mom and dad and support John McCain. Porter then said, "But Barack Obama is skinny." Sounds like he isn't too far off from the kindergarten level of intelligent voters this election. Vote because he can say the word change, but hasn't done anything in his life to change anything. Well, that isn't correct, he changed friends, and preachers when he decided to run for president.

Bah-Humbug

JohnMcCain.com - McCain-Palin 2008

Please, go VOTE today for John McCain


JohnMcCain.com - McCain-Palin 2008

"The Birds"

I woke up this morning and we had a rendition of Alfred Hitchcock's, "The Birds" in our front yard. It was freaky. I scared most of them away when I was trying to get the pictures. Hopefully, this doesn't scare you to death!!

Okay, it doesn't look that scary but there really were tons more. If you click on the picture and see them in the bigger mode, it is a little more scary.

This is the kids from Conference Weekend. You can tell we bummed out all weekend by Steven's pink shirt and pj's.

Self Photo

Guess who's counting down the days until James come's home???? ME!! Actually, I just wanted to try to take a picture of myself (see yesterday's blog). I am not as good as the teenagers but I think I have the mouth thing going on.


Yeah, 190 days!!!! I can't wait.

We had to take a picture of Larry on Saturday night at 11:30 for Elder Johnson so here he is!! You gotta love this guy!!

Hannah Kaye

A random picture of Hannah. Of course, she is a teenager now so she is into taking pictures of herself. When did that phenomenon begin? I don't know that I have ever taken a photo of myself and now days, kids only take photos of themselves, no one else, unless a friend is smushing their face next to theirs and they usually make an odd face, like lips pushed to the side, eyebrows up. I don't understand. A definite sign that I am getting old!!

This is before Hannah's band concert last night. No flute, just kid. Of course, the night she has the concert she has two test to study for and math homework. BLAH!! Then tonight is piano lessons and I don't even know if she has practiced at all. Flush that money down the drain.

Random Stuff

I've been really busy lately. I had a class on my new quilting machine a couple of weeks ago. I stink at it but I am practicing. It looks alien but it is fitting in well with the rest of the sewing area. Speaking of sewing areas, here are some pictures of mine. I have to say, I think anyone who sews would be jealous. I just wish the floor were wood so the stick pins wouldn't stab me in my feet.

Quilting machine Fabrics for a quilt I'm starting on and the mess around it.

The larger part of the sewing area and the quilter again.

Bennett's little boy haircut. Something about those little boy haircuts that makes a Nana want to squeeze them to death!!!!

Eat outside boys!! A hard day of playing and lots of good food at Nana's house. What could be better than that???

You can't tell but we were all FAKING!!! Yep, we really aren't asleep but that really is a spare tire around my waist, I'm not really that big! :)

Larry the Crab

A week after a serious but common molting illness, Larry the Crab has died. He was known to be a hermit during his last few years of life. Larry is survived by his long-time friend, Elder James Robert Porter; roommates Larry, Kathy, Brad, and Hannah Porter; former roommates Sarah, Steven, Landon and Addie Harward. When he was younger, he regularly visited the Elmer family, Casey, Amanda, Porter and Maya (Bennett visited him several times). He is proceeded in death by Snugglefruff, the hamster and Prissy, the Yorkie.

The family and friends request no flowers be sent to the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Larry the Crab Foundation for living molted crabs.

You ask what I have been doing????

I checked on James's hermit crab last week and there he was all dried up and hanging out of the shell. I was sad that I had to tell James that Larry the Crab died. I emailed James on Monday with the bad news.
Later Monday afternoon when I decided to clean the cage, I saw a claw deep in the shell and when I tried to get it out (so I could save the shell for James) IT MOVED!! Yep, Larry the Crab MOLTED! We had hermit crabs before but I didn't know they molted. So, I quickly emailed James again and told him the news. He was happy.

I stayed up until after 1:00 AM working on a baby quilt for Sarah's baby boy to be born in December. Here is the fisished product. I dont' know if you can tell how cute it is but the main square is a little dog patterned fabric with blues, browns and yellow. The other square is four small squares with brown polka-dots, blue with bones, yellow with bones and hearts and then the blue/tan/brown striped. (click on the picture to see it better) I really like it.
Here's a bigger picture.
And sideways. Now, if I can just learn to work the big quilt machine, I will be set. I have 3 quilts to quilt and still have fabric to make another one. I LOVE SEWING!!

As requested......

You're gonna be sorry you asked for more!!!