I love these little people!

The Stebinger name continues on !

Mike only has one sister, and he is the only boy in the family so the pressure has been on  Mike and Angie to produce a MALE CHILD to carry on the Stebinger name!   After three little girls, when they found out they were expecting a BOY, needless to say,  they were thrilled!

Teague Michael Steginger was born right on his due date...June, 25th,
(which just happened to be his great grandmother's, Winnie Jones', birthday!) 
He weighed a whooping 9'12" !

This little guy certainly is not lacking for attention, with a mother and three big sisters dotting over him!  I am seriously worried that he will soon be spoiled rotten!   There is a constant discussion over whose turn it is to hold him!  (sometimes we have to set the timer so everyone gets equal time!)   Add LITA and daddy to the mixture and.... well, I'm sure you can see the problem!   The thing that worries me is that soon Olivia and Tessa will go back to school and then mommy will be left to try to get everything done while holding little Teague!   Oh well... it won't be my problem although I wish it were!   For now we are enjoying every second of spoiling him!   For sure, he will soon "teach these women how to treat him" and he will be SET FOR LIFE!

SUMMER FUN !

This past week, while we waited for Angie's baby boy to make his debut there was lots of FUN IN THE SUN!   The Stebingers have a pool so there is always "something to do" as long as the sun is shinning!   Kids and water are like peanut butter and honey and make a delicous combination!   We only had to make sure that there was an adult on duty as a lifeguard at all times!

  

      

The Dream of a Lifetime!

If I had only one more round to play,

I would choose to play it at Pebble Beach.

I loved this golf course from the first time I saw it!

It's possibly the best in the world!

                                Jack Nicklaus

Back in January, as Frank and I were driving down  California  Highway 101 with my mom and dad, we stopped to see the Pebble Beach Golf Course. While we were taking in the beauty of the magnificent landscaping, Frank commented to me that it would be "the dream of a lifetime" to be able to come to Pebble Beach to watch the U.S. Open Golf Tournament!   Well, I am no dummy... I thought to myself, "If that is YOUR dream of a lifetime, that's not so hard to fullful!" The minute I got back home I got online to buy some tickets as a surprise for Valentines Day! Well..... the months have rolled along and finally June 18th and 19th were the days that dream came true!

Since Rylee's ballet recital conflicted with the golf tournament... AND I knew Frank would enjoy the golf tournament more with someone who loves golf as much as he does, I decided to sale my ticket to Kelly!  I think I made the right choice!   Upon their return from the tournament, these two guys seemed deliriously happy.... like two little boys on Christmas morning!  It was fun to see the gleam in their eyes as they talked about the beauty of the course... the thrill of the tournament and two whole days spent watching professionals do what they, Frank and Kelly, love to do best!
So glad to be able to make your "dream of a lifetime" come true!   That was easy!   What's second in line??

Graeme McDowell WINS!
His four day scores were:
71 - 68 - 71 - 74  = 284

Wanna know what my "dream of a lifetime" is Frank???

A Midsummer Night's Dream!

Our Rylee has been taking dance/ballet lessons since she was three years old!   She is a very gifted ballerina!  I don't get to see her dance very often so I was thrilled when her summer dance recital coincided with my coming to California to help Angie with a new baby!   This year Rylee was show cased as she danced her first performance with a young man in "A Midsummer Night's Dream!"   Even though her dad does not like to watch boys in tights dance ballet, he couldn't help beam with pride at his beautiful daughter's performance!   Those few minutes were unforgettable to me too!   She was so poised, graceful and elegant, with a stunning smile on her face during her performance!   She also had a part in "Alice in Wonderland" that was presented the same night!!  It was a fun evening of some really fantastic dancing! The one thing I was bummed about is that we were not allowed to take any pictures or videos during the performance but I have ordered a video of the recital for myself!   I am sure I will watch it many times over and show it to all my family and friends!   Thanks to her dad for paying for her lessons, her mom for driving her to and from 3 times a week and the dance studio instructors  for helping Rylee develop the gift and talent that she loves!  
 Recently Rylee auditioned for and was chosen to train in the Pre-Professional Program which is designed to prepare advanced level dancers for a professional performing career! We are very proud of her accomplishments!

It definately was a 
"Midsummer Night's Dream" 
for me!

I love to see the temple!

In April, Brandon, Laura and their kids met us in Safford, Arizona to attend the Open House of the Gila Valley Temple! We spent a fun evening with them going out to eat and then relaxing in the hot tub at the hotel!

The next morning, I was visiting with Cam while his parents and sisters were getting ready for the Open House... (it doesn't take a little boy very long to get all spiffed up!)  I told him about when he was taken to the temple to be sealed to his parents! I told him how cute he looked in his little white shirt & pants, with a little white vest. I described to him how he was brought into the sealing room and sat upon the altar between his parents and about the special sealing ordinance that was performed through the Priesthood power by his great grandfather, Bampa Jones..... sealing him to his family for all eternity!

I also shared with him how beautiful his big sister, Kayla looked in her gorgeous white dress as she sat and watched him be sealed to their family! I expressed to him how much our whole family loves him and how he has a very special place in our eternal family and that I hoped he would always make good choices so that we can be together forever!  He watched me intently, with a huge grin on his face, as I told him about the events of that day! I know he was feeling "The Spirit" and recognized the sacredness of that occasion!

When everyone was ready, we went to the Stake Center right next to the temple. After watching a short video about the historic background of the building of the Gila Valley Temple we were off on our tour!  I could tell that Brandon and Laura had talked to their kids about how special the temple is and about how to act inside the temple!   Little 2 year old Katelyn kept putting her finger to her lips and whispering ...."Shhhh! The temple.... quiet!" It was so cute. She never made a peep above a whisper the whole time! The Gila Valley Temple is even more beautiful on the inside than the outside. The color scheme inside is gray and blue, and of course,  lots of white! The thing that really makes the Gila Valley Temple unique is that it has some "one of a kind" paintings that can only be seen inside this temple! It was a very special experience and we are so glad that Brandon and his family made the effort to share this experience with us!

The Arizona sun was so bright and hot that day that we weren't successful in getting a picture of everyone with their eyes open!   We'll just have to save the beauty of this special occasion in our memories!

Mission update!

For those of you who have been on board with me since my mission as a Worldwide Support Missionary for FamilySearch began.... for those of you who have listened to me complain and even cry about how very hard this mission is.... for those of you who love and support me anyway, I just want to say that I am so, so happy that I have "hung in there" and tried to keep a stiff upper lip! I have to admit that it has been VERY hard! After I completed my training, and had taken my final CYP (check your performance test) which I passed, I was terrified at the thought of taking live phone calls and trying to answer patron's questions and guide them through different processes on FamilySearch. You see, I would guess that 99% of the people serving in this mission have had extensive background experience using FamilySearch. Me??? NONE!   I was able to pass all the training because for the most part it is technical computer training....learning how to use all the different computer programs used to work in this mission. But because of my lack of experience in FamilySearch, even though I had completed the training I was so unqualified!  After my final test, I asked my TA (Teacher Assistant) if it was possible for me to just "stay in emails" where I could work slowly, searching for answers to patron's questions and asking for help from my mission Skype group until I learned the FamilySearch program much better. He became pretty upset  with me and told me that he didn't think that was possible and that I had two options. I could either quit... (after all, this is a volunteer mission,) or I could start the training all over again! (But what good would that do? I had already passed all the training!) He told me to think about it and let them know what I decided!  I shed many, many tears after this conversation! After several hours I had decided that I would just have to quit. Then the phone rang and it was my Family History Support Trainer.   She told me that my TA had called her. Then the flood of tears started all over again!  She listened patiently to all my whoas and then in a soft voice pleaded with me... "Sister Hatch, please do not quit!  WE NEED YOU!  Of course we will let you stay in emails until you are comfortable enough to move on to phone calls! Don't let discouragement get the best of you! We will help you every step of the way! We do not allow our missionaries to fail!"  What a blessing and a comfort she was to me and I so appreciated her enouraging words because I really did not want to quit!   I was just so overwhelmed!   Of course, I agreed to continue on!  Later that week, I was assigned a "Mentor".... Sister McNamara from Iowa!  Although I have never actually met her, how I love this sweet, sweet patient Sister!  She has been a God-send!!  I have been working with her for the past 2 weeks and have learned so much!  She gently leads me through the process, councils me and patiently teaches me the FamilySearch program!  I love working with her and consider her a "tender mercy" in my life!  Each new day that I work with her brings a new and exciting learning experience into my missionary service!  I find myself anxiously waiting for our time together the next day!  And so... I just want to say that "I LOVE my mission and I LOVE Sister McNamara!" I am beginning to believe that someday I may actually be knowledgeable enough to take live phone calls, although I still consider that to be WAY FAR AWAY in the future! There is SO MUCH TO LEARN but I know that this is a very important work and Heavenly Father will bless and help me!

What shall I do next????

Before I became a Worldwide Support Missionary I used to be bored!!   In order to keep myself occupied and excited about life, I was always looking for "a project!"   A few years ago, Aprons were "all the rage!"  So, I thought to myself...."Why not?"  I can "do aprons!"   So, after a trip to the fabric store and nice big swipe of my credit card, I was all set!  
My very first apron turned out to be a Bridal Shower gift for Mindy!

   After that, I was hooked!

I will make an apron for all "my girls!"   So, throughout the year they all received homemade aprons from mOm on their birthday!

                                                                                                                     

                          

                                       

                                                

Aren't they all so cute and so "domesticated" looking!

(Frank Hatch Family inside joke!)

By the time I made it through the year, I was oh, so tired of aprons but I was complaining that I had not made one for myself and I was not about to!

Well, my "one in a million" sister heard my complaint and she quickly got to work and made ME an apron for MY BIRTHDAY!  (And this was after she had already made 8 others for her sisters-in-law!  Chris & Lynnnette's girls all got in on the fun too!!!  I told you this apron thing was "all the rage!")

Did I mention that we sometimes have trouble finding ways to occupy ourselves here in the Colonies???

                                     

For Christmas one year.... everybody got a PURSE.... made with tender loving care by Lita!   These are SOME of the 18 purses I made that year!  I even cut the pattern down and made three different sizes.    Those little granddaughters of mine are just too darn cute!   How could I NOT make them a purse???

     

Years ago, Aunt Lanny made Nativity Sets for her children for Christmas!

I thought it was such a great idea (and because of a pretty broad HINT from Angie,)  I got to work early that year!  Yep!

Mrs. Santa opened up her workshop early in August (and about lost her sanity by the time it was over!) but she pumped out 5 Nativity Sets.... complete with 5 different  costumes  in various sizes for each family, (ranging from a childrens size 16 all the way down to a size two,) Baby Jesus, a Star and a Nativity Script all packed into a nifty container just ready to be pulled out and put to good use on Christmas Eve

and put to good use!

     


                  

This year there won't be any HOMEMADE gifts!   I will be busy helping to give the gift of an ETERNAL FAMILY to others through my missionary service!

WHAT COULD BE MORE MEANINGFUL AND REWARDING THAN THAT???