Aria

Ken Agle here for Aria. Last week, Aria was a bit too busy to write much other than to say that she was too busy to write. This week, Aria was transferred from her beloved La Reina area. I guess all good things must come to an end. Except, if you read Aria's message for this week, you'll realize that this isn't true. Hope you enjoy.

Yes, as you might have already seen on fb I have been transferred. After 11 months of my wonderful reign in La Reina I have been called off to another sector. They called me Friday night and now I am here in Diego Portales. I really feel like this is some kind of dream. Even while packing my things, I felt like everything was so surreal. I was also impressed at how many things one accumulates over the space of time! Good thing I have my expert traveling Dad who taught me how to pack, thanks dad 

I also have said a lot of goodbyes this last weekend. And I admit, it was really difficult to say goodbye. I really have come to love the people in La Reina. But it really made me think about the Plan of Salvation. Really, how perfect is the plan God has given us! He truly did think of every single one of us. Especially the crying missionaries. Because even though, goodbyes are always hard. I know that no matter what it isn´t the end, that someday I am going to see them all again. Perhaps not in this life, but in the next. How grateful I am for forever! I also have thought quite a bit about the talk given by President Uchtdorf last conference. It proved true, I really don´t like endings! Saying goodbye this last weekend, to me, felt like an ending! We have a part inherently inside of us, that resists any type of ending. We don´t like the end of movies, the end of our favorite book series, the end of whatever-we don´t like it. “Why is this? Because we are made of the stuff of eternity. We are eternal beings, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless and who promises eternal blessings without number. Endings are not our destiny." Someday we will return to our Heavenly home, and it´ll be without end 

Anyway, I love you, sorry this email is again lame. I just have had no time to prewrite anything, I was packing and saying goodbye alllll weekend. But just know I love you always!!! Thank you for writing me.

Hermana Ar Agle

THANK YOU HERMANA AGLE FOR YOUR SERVICE AND GREAT ATTITUDE.

STORYBOOK DOLLS

When I was a little girl living in Salt Lake City, on special occasions my mother would buy me a Storybook Doll by Nancy Ann. They were pricey and I would usually only get them for a birthday or Christmas. I treasured those dolls and only had a 3 or 4. 

Carol Jane - -taken just before we moved to Phoenix

Age 6. My mother smocked this dress and it was one of my favorites. I'm wearing a gold locket that my sister Betty gave me. It was kept in my mother's jewelry box because it was real gold. It was stolen, along with my dad's beautiful cameo ring and most of my mother's jewelry when someone robbed our house in Phoenix.

I also had two other dolls that I remember. One was a baby doll, life size, with "magic" skin, - - some kind of plastic or rubber that felt real. Mary Ann got one also, and we got buggies to push our babies! Quite a Christmas. 

Another year I got a Sonja Henie doll, with a blue skating outfit trimmed with gold sequins and best of all, little gold ice skates. 

That same year Mary Ann got a Scarlett O'Hara doll with the dress with the big green hooped skirt. My mother took that outfit apart and used it for a pattern and made a bride's dress for each of the dolls, each with a hooped skirt. She sewed tiny lace and little pearls on the outfits and made a beautiful veil.Then she resewed the Scarlet outfit back together. They were very special dolls and her outfits made them unique.

We moved during WWII to Phoenix. Everything was rationed and luxuries were hard to come by. Certainly no dolls to be bought. 

When we got to Phoenix, the box holding my dolls was missing - - never to be located. We suspected the moving men, but could not prove it. BTW Ann's dolls were safe!

Somehow I've kept hold of my 3 Nancy Ann dolls, but they were broken in the move. I always intended to fix them, and have drug them around for years. Now was the time. No more dragging. Do or die!

 Here's what I had saved. Three dolls (the 3rd body is under a dress.

 Her head is much worse looking than shown. I've spent 3 days trying to glue it back together. The arms all needed restringing. One had a broken leg. I finally gave up on piecing her head. The bride was in the best condition, just needed her arms re-attached, but I wanted "Autumn", so I decided to canabalize them. 

I took the wig from Autumn, the body from the bride, and reattached the arms (Ruth where were you when I needed help to restring - I ended up doing it with wire and a very so-so job!) I pressed her dress and shall enjoy looking at her and remembering my youth! 

THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

In the process of paring down, I pulled out all the photo boxes and have started going through them and tossing those of every animal in the zoo, every animal in Kenya, pictures of co-workers, duplicates of family gatherings, ones that are poor quality, and duplicates of some that I have already put in albums and others that are just not necessary and have whittled 3 boxes down to 1/2.

 Only 8 more to go. Fun memories as I look through them. 

This pile is about 3' to 4'' deep. That's a lot of photos.

BRACES

Inevitable. Braces are needed for Ryan and Travis. Here's the before and d-u-r-i-n-g. The "after" picture should come in about 2 years ???????

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOPHIE

Sophie celebrates her 9th birthday today.

Happy Birthday Sophia.

Remember when?

THROWBACK THURSDAY

I've been going through some old photos to "thin" out the pile and came across these.

We've had 2 VW owners in our family and how they loved their "bug". Remember when?

THE TIN SCARECROWOMAN

When you live in Iowa, you have corn (and pumpkins). Where you have corn you have crows. Where you have crows you need a Scarecrow, or Scarecrowess (that's a lady scarecrow!). Here's what the Lancaster's did. Julie writes:

I wanted a scarecrow for our pumpkin patch and after searching I found a tin woman.  I really liked the idea so off to the recycling Scott and I went to find cans. 

The base is metal sheeting off of our shed in the back, the garbage can has been in our garage and then her face, Jell-O tins, and other items were either in the attic or the garage.

  

In just a couple of hours we put this girl together and now she has a prime spot in the back garden.  Now all she needs is a name and a little weathering! (send your suggestions to Julie)

 One good looking tin lady!

 Ready for her closeup!

 She's ready to scare off the birds.

Love the curls.