Some More Chuck E. Cheese

Mom and Susanna. It is my job to save the seats, watch the cups and pizza (so the workers don't throw it away) and pass out the money. I am in charge of the tokens. I only give them a few at a time, so I get to see where they are and what they are doing. Believe me, they come back frequently. That is our big white van you can see out the window behind me. We have one open spot now that Lonnie has left on his mission. Only eleven in the car.

Katie and her friend Samantha being "firewomen."

Isabella just puts tokens into machine and then walks off. She also puts in tokens for other kids. She is very sharing. We actually made her ride this motorcycle ride after she put in the token.

Amy bringing me back the tickets (you spend $100 on tokens and you get $1's worth of prizes) but they think it is great fun and we go about twice a year. She had a big bruise on her head from what, I don't remember.

More Chuck E. Cheese Fun

Betsy, Bella and Jonathan on a roller coaster ride.

Jonathan, Scarlett and Connor with one of his prizes. Cool glasses Connor.

Dana and Emily with a picture of Bella kissing Emily. These sketches are our favorite thing at Chuck E. Cheese. They have become great keepsakes of the kids. They look like pencil drawings. Really neat.

Katie's 16th Birthday Party @ Chuck E. Cheese

We were late having Katie's Sixteenth birthday party by two months, (my fault) she was so fun and invited four of her friends and all of our kids to Chuck E. Cheese for a party. It was excellent. There were just a few other people there. We had our own arcade, pizza parlor, to ourselves. The first picture is Katie and her friend Samantha. The second is Katie and her friend Jody. Can you believe that she is 16? I can't either.

"NEW" Kansas City Stake Center Dedication

Today was a special day for our Stake, the Kansas City Missouri Stake. We dedicated a new Stake Center east of Lee's Summit on 50 Hwy. It is a beautiful building just off the highway on an outer road appropriately named "Church Rd." We enjoyed the singing of the choir, all the talks. Uncle Shawn was the first speaker, he is the 1st Counselor in the Kansas City Missouri Stake Presidency. He gave a great talk concerning the origins of the Kansas City Stake. He always does such a nice job on his talks, but what touched me the most tonight was the closing song. Truly, it had been a long Sunday. We left for church around 1:00 and went over to the dedication which started at 7:00 ending around 8:30, never returning home. That is a long time for six little children to be at church, and one mother without her husband or three oldest daughters to help love these little ones and keep them quiet so others can understand and hear the messages being spoken.

Well to make a long story short, the closing hymn was "The Spirit of God." What a rousing rendition. The entire congregation was bursting with the magnificence of this hymn. I felt choked up and looked up at the stand and there was sweet Shawn trying his best to join in with the chorus, but struggling to keep back the tears. The Spirit was very strong there this evening. I was glad that I kept the kids at church for seven and a half hours. We were there in that throng praising the Lord for his many bounties and blessings upon this area.

All I could think was how Grandma Tracy would have been so proud. Music was so much a part of her life. What nice sons she raised. I am so glad to be married to Lon. He is such a kind, gentle man. And as I was watching Shawn from afar, I was proud to be his sister-in-law. I was happy to be part of the Tracy Family. My life has been touched for good. I miss you Grandma Tracy. I wish you could have been sitting with me there tonight.

Lon is out in Utah since Friday night with Betsy, Katie and Emily attending Aunt Adalaide's services. I missed him and my daughters. I miss Lonnie. But in turn I am glad they were all where they were. It was how it should have been. And I am sure I have and will be blessed for sitting with six wiggly kids through all the meetings. They will be blessed as well.

Aunt Ann Adalaide Dennis Jaussi

Sweet Aunt Ann Adalaide Jaussi passed away September 17, 2008. She was a sweet woman, whom I wished I could have gotten to know better. These pictures were taken after the funeral of Lon's mother Norma Lee Bird Tracy, August 2002. In this photo is Aunt Ann, Lon, Susanna and Betsy.



Aunt Ann, Lon, and Uncle Dee (Norma's brother).


Christina Tracy (Von's daughter), Aunt Ann and Lon.


Dana, Aunt Ann, baby Amy Tracy (5 months old) and Uncle Bill Jaussi's midsection.


She was Hyrum Smith's great granddaughter. When I think of Grandpa Tracy and Courtney Cox (Eileen and Dennis' granddaughter) I think that being a great granddaughter isn't so distant in age difference. You could actually have alot of contact with your great grandfather. Aunt Ann was born in 1910, and was married I believe in 1936, by her cousin, the prophet, Joseph Fielding Smith. What a great moment.

She will be greatly missed.

Isabella and Scarlett

Last Wednesday was Bella's first day of Dancing Class. She was so excited. She has wanted to dance for as long as she can remember. Scarlett, not wanting to be left out wanted to get on her "dancing suit" as well. So here is the last minute picture as we were running out to catch our FIRST dance class.

Scarlett and Bella love to go out with the little kids (Connor, Susanna, and Amy) as they are waiting for the school bus. They all ripstick, ride scooters, big wheels or bikes during the wait. Well, last week it was unseasonable cool. The kids got a coat (Amy's) out for Scarlett. She looked like a red blob. Bella is dragging her into the house so we could get ready for dancing.

These two little girls give me a run for my money each and every day. After we get the other seven out the door for early morning seminary,high school, middle and elementary school, we get Lon ready for the dental office and then it is just me and my "two babies." That is what Bella likes to call herself and her baby sister. She says, "Aren't you lucky, you have two babies."

Yes! I need to remember that I truly am lucky to still have two babies at home who love and need me after nineteen years of having babies. Just more and more of a good thing. Each and every baby has been a blessing to my life -- starting with my first Lonnie (the full-time missionary) down to Scarlett (the full-time "get-into-everything girl"). Each one wanted. Not a single surprise. We were glad to have every single child.

I started to make an attempt at blogging and then got sidetracked on "who knows what". I am going to try to update this from time to time. Hopefully, I will help others keep up on what is going on with our family.

Lonnie is in Chino, California, serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the next two years. He entered the MTC on July 2, 2008, he is doing his best at learning Spanish. His mission is all bilingual. Some Elders are speaking Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Armenian, and I can't remember the others. It is a very diverse area. We are excited to hear more from him. He arrived in California on September 2, 2008.

Betsy is a Senior. She is the captain of the dance team for Harrisonville High School -- The Silver Sensations. She is also on the Show Choir -- Music Makers. She stays very busy with all of her extracurricular activities and keeping up with her friends.

Katie is a Junior. She is on the dance team as well. She is in the Show Choir with Betsy, and she is also one of the three Drum Majors for the Royal Regiment Marching Band. She plays flute, dances, is on Student Council, is a Freshman Mentor, and I am sure I am forgetting something. But she is super busy also. She can drive now as of June 10, 2008. She and Betsy trade off driving to Seminary, dance practice, show choir, etc.

Emily is a Freshman this year. She is the third member of the Tracy family to be on the Silver Sensation Dance team this year. I don't know, but I think we have the most ever sisters on the dance team at one time. She is also on a show choir for Harrisonville -- Forefront. She is dancing with a studio and is on their performance team -- The Cadets. She plays the flute in the Marching Band with Katie. This is her first year in Seminary with Betsy and Katie.

Jonathan is a seventh grader. He is going out for the Basketball Team. He plays the trumpet in the band and is "awesome." He is in the Honor Choir. He loves to swim and play soccer. Computers are on his favorites list. He is waiting right now for a new "Star Wars" game to come out for the Wii or Xbox 360.

Connor is in the fifth grade. He likes to play soccer, swim and hang out with his friends in the neighborhood. He can play the piano made the State Honor Choir for his grade.

Susanna is a third grader who loves to swim, play soccer, and dance. She takes tumbling, jazz, ballet and tap classes each week. She is in Girls Achievement and loves her teacher. She is a good big sister to her little sisters.

Amy is a first grader who loves to dance. She is taking tumbling, jazz, ballet and tap classes as well this year. She is a good swimmer and want to learn to play the piano.

Isabella is three years old and just had her first dance class this past Wednesday. She was so excited and wanted to know if her "baby school was open." Because "she isn't little anymore."

Scarlett is twenty months old and keeps me hopping. She is learning to talk and express herself. She is becoming a darling little girl in a big household of girls.

Lon is still practicing Dentistry in Harrisonville. He is serving in the High Priest Group Quorum Presidency right now, and I am staying home and serving in the Stake Primary Presidency.

We have been so blessed.

Elder Tracy and Companions At The Provo Temple

Lonnie was excited to attend the Temple. It was closed for a few weeks in July and the next P-day he could attend was Pioneer Day (Susanna's birthday). Because of the holiday, the Temple was closed. He got to go a few more times before he left for California.

Elder Lon R. Tracy, II, arrives in California

This picture of Lonnie and his first companion Elder Brown was sent to us by the Bishop's wife in Chino, California. Lonnie was over for a dinner appointment his second night in the mission field. Sister McCook was so sweet to send us this photo and message that Lonnie says he is well, happy and so excited to be in California. His message to his friends was "Estoy En California, La Iglesia Es Verdadera!. (Translation - I am in California. The Church is True!)

He is a good boy. We love and miss him.

Elder Lon R. Tracy, II with a friend in the MTC

Lonnie with a guy he knew from BYU Summer Term 2007, at the MTC.