69 years is fast approaching!

My birthday isn’t officially until next week but the celebration began to day by lunching and shopping with Lila Mae, Susan, Mary, Ciera (Mary’s daughter), Lynda Ann and Mallory.  We met at Mimi’s and had a delicious breakfast and then shopped around Salt Lake.  We had a fun day!  It is always a nice way to begin my birthday celebration.  I got a picture of Mary, Lynda Ann and Mallory.  Couldn’t get Susan and Lila Mae to cooperate with me!

I go some fun presents from Susan:  A happy birthday bag with my favorite candy in it.

Susan also gave me a piggy bank with $50.00 in quarters in it and the DVD The Tigger Movie.  She knows I love Disney movies.

Lila Mae’s gift was the biggest surprise of all!  I opened it and there was the DVD of the Song of the South!  A movie that you cannot get your hands on except through the black market in Japan.  I don’t know how in the world she came up with this DVD, but I didn’t ask, don’t want to know and will cherish this DVD most certainly.  She also gave me The Aristocats DVD and a pig sink stopper (which I saw and wanted) and a pig dish brush.  Yup, life is good!

Mary bought me some earrings that had not come in the mail yet and Lynda Ann invited me out to her house for dinner next Sunday. 

A Polynesian Evening

Last night Neal and I went to a performance by the young college students who attend school at BYU Hawaii and perform at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  There were on tour for three nights in Utah at the West Valley Cultural Center.  All three nights were sold out crowds.  The show was awesome!  It was at the outside theater where we sat on the lawn and enjoyed the summer evening.  Just so there is no question.  The couple in the picture is NOT Neal and I.  It was just a couple sitting in front of us.

July 24–The days of 47

I’ve never been much of a 24th of July celebration girl.  Being raised in Provo, we focused on the 4th and I don’t remember ever doing anything on the 24th.  That tradition has continued through the years.  As I’ve talked to Lila Mae about my family history, none of our ancestors came across the plains with the wagon trains or handcart groups.  My father’s side of the family (the Ross’s) came from Scotland and they came to Utah by train.  My mother’s side of the family mostly came from Main and mother is the first on her side of the family to join the church and actually move to Utah.  So mother is the pioneer of her family.  Being raised in the church I’ve heard stories all my life about the pioneers, their faith and what they endured for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They came to the valley with nothing including the loss of family members but immediately dropped their anchors to make this valley blossom as a rose.  Theirs were anchors of tradition, values ideas, and commitment.  They can teach us much about being positive, solving problems, thinking about the future and enjoying every day.  They also knew that patience wins most battles and the showed us the example overshadows force. 

We too can be a generation who leaves anchors for the pioneers who follow us.  We can celebrate those anchors from the past, making sure to leave a few anchors for the future and having fun in the process.

I am thankful for the pioneers on both sides of my family.  But especially for a mother who saw and recognized the true gospel of Jesus Christ, excepted it, was baptized and left all she had and came to Utah so that her children could be brought up encircled by church members and near the church headquarters. 

So, today was a quiet day for Neal and I.  We watched the parade, went shopping for new cupboard doors, took our clock to be fixed and then stopped at Café Rio for Mexican food.  Maren, Greg and the kids came over for a swim.  We were joined by Lyndsy and River and went to Ice Berg for a delicious malt.

Happy 24th to all of you!

Thank you notes that I love!

What a nice surprise to open up the mail box and find three thank you notes from Peyton, Lexi and Jordyn Lyn.  Thanks girls for taking the time to write.  It means the world to me and Pa.  We love you!

The first one is from Lexi:  “Dear Gam and Pa, Thank you for the necklace.  I love it.  Also, thank you for coming down to Kingsburg to see our recital.  I miss you and Pa a whole lot.  It’s sad that we can’t come down to Utah this summer.  Thank you, once again. Love, Lexi

The next from Jordyn Lyn:  “Dear Gam and Pa, thank you for the dance necklaces.  I love them!  You guys knew we love to dance so that was the perfect choice!  I also appreciate you and Pa coming down here to watch our recital and hang out!  That was fun!  I miss you guys so much!  P.S.  we would be there right now if it wasn’t for my dad’s job! Hope you’re having fun!”

Then on the back of the card:  Our Family

Maxfield’s

Cutlers

Gertsons

Goss

Hintze

Hope you’re all having fun during the reunion.  I wish I could be there  Love Jordyn Lyn

And last but certainly not least – from Peyton: This is as she spelled it -  “Gam thanks for comeing to my dancs reesitl and I cant for get my thank you for my necklis.  I love you Gam Peyton”

“Pa thank you for my neclis I miss yhou so much thanks for comeing to my consert I love you Love PeyPey  Look on the other side”

The other side: “To Gam from Pey Pey I love you”        “I love you I miss you thanks for comeing to my home”

Just for fun!

Every morning about 9:00 o’clock, Ashely, Kay and I walk up to the corner gas station to get a diet drink.  Ashley and Kay get one every morning.  I get one about once a week.  It is a fun little break and always nice to get out of the freezing cold offices for a few minutes.  This morning, Lowell came around with the four wheeler that he uses when he goes out to check on homeless camps and break them up.  He said that he wanted to give us a ride to the gas station and back so we hopped aboard.  It was like being at the carnival on a ride.  Ashley and I sat in the back and Kay in the front.  We felt like we were in a parade!  We waved at people and they waved back.  Fun little county perk that I’m sure is not supposed to be used to take us to get our drinks!

A busy Saturday

I began the day by driving from the Sugar House area clear out to South Towne with stops at every store I could think of that sold jewelry.  I was looking for a simple red beaded necklace to wear with my new nautical print dress that I just bought.  You would think that finding a red necklace is not a big deal – well you’re wrong.  I must have gone to at least 10 different stores not to mention two malls before I finally found a red necklace.  It isn’t exactly what I had in mind but it is red so I bought it.  I found it at Penny’s in South Towne the last and final store I was going to.  You who know me know that I don’t wear red, white and blue.  I’m the pastel queen!  Consequently no red jewelry in my collection until this morning.  I think I will look charming tomorrow morning in my dress and beads as I attend my high council meeting and four other meetings to follow!

Then I made zucchini bread and used my wonderful cooling racks.  That is a gift that I’m not sure what I did without all these years.  Thanks Tucker!

Then I had my hair done.  Nice when you have a hair dresser that you love and totally trust cutting and highlighting your hair.  After the hair cut I checked out the sidewalk sale and found this cute advent calendar but Annie wasn’t interested in it so didn’t buy it.

Then off to a baby shower with Lyndsy for Candice Richardson.

From left to right:  Janelle Ott (Natalie’s), Stacey Ann (Natalie’s), Dereka Paul (Nila’s), Candice Richardson (Nita’s), Lyndsy, Crystal (Nita’s)

Grayson and the cat!

I got a text from Mindy and Jeff telling me that Grayson got caught under a neighbors porch and couldn’t get out.  They had to get another neighbor with a jack to lift the porch up just enough for Grayson to free himself.  I can’t imagine anything much more terrifying than being stuck – literally.  Thank Heavens this was a happy ending for all!

The story is that Grayson was had crawled under the neighbors porch to rescue a kitten that had run under there and when he tried to back out he got stuck.  The pictures are Grayson under the porch before he was rescued.  If you look closely you can see someone holding his hand.  I’m sure giving him assurance that they would get him out of there.  And the picture after in his big sister’s arms!  Hugs can cure just about any thing.  This will be an event long remembered.

Twenty-three years!

It is amazing when I think back at how fast the time has gone.  I have a hard time believing that we’ve been together for 23 years and feel like we have another 23 to go!  It has certainly been an interesting journey but one that I’m not sure I would do any differently if I could go back.  Yes, there are a few things that I could probably have done better, but ‘better’ comes with experience so going back would put me right back where I was still going by trial and error.  Neal is good.  That is probably the best way that I can describe him.  We’ve certainly had our bumps in the road and taken a few detours that we hadn’t planned on but there have been more good times than bad times and more happy times than sad times.  Thanks Neal for all you have done and continue to do for me and for the family.  The love is still there and stronger as each year goes by. 

We celebrated by going out to dinner at Market Street Grill.  That was where we spent our last night together as singles before kneeling across the alter the next morning in the Salt Lake Temple!

Neal always buys me a box of special packed chocolates and this year added a box of Awesome Nut & Chewy Bars.  I love those things!

Annual Bear Lake Maxfield Golf Game

Neal and Jeff G. go up to Bear Lake every year for the annual golf game.  They left at 5:15 a.m. and got home about 5:30 that evening.  Neal had to go straight to teach a class in Layton and Jeff caught the Front Runner to his car and then home.  According to Neal they had a wonderful time and even took first place.  Nice picture of the four boys.  Too bad that Nalen isn’t in the picture.  From left to right:  Ned, Neal, Norm and Nelden.  Isn’t there a song that goes, “One of these kids is not like the other.”?  I guess Nelden doesn’t wear shorts.

Someone in one of the groups had a little mishap with their golf cart.  Apparently they parked it on a hill while they left to take a shot and when they turned around it was rolling down the hill and ended up in the stream on its side.  Sure glad it wasn’t the golf cart that Neal was driving!

This is the final, final post of the reunion

This morning I got a text along with the rest of the family telling us that our little Mr. Boston actually fractured his wrist when he fell out of the tree at Miracle Hot Springs in Idaho.  We all felt so bad but are so grateful for doctors who are experienced and can care for such injuries.  We love you Mr. Boston and are so grateful that your only injury was a broken bone!  Maren said that he wanted to have a black cast but they don’t make them so he settled for a bright green one! 

A few random post script pictures . . .

I took a zillion pictures and as I’ve gone back over them I realize there a some that I liked but missed so I’ll just add them on as a P.S.  This first picture I couldn’t find.  I knew I had taken one of the donkey and I just found it. 

This next picture was one I took of Lyndsy making the “blob tons” so fondly named by Ryan.  The funny story here is that Lyndsy put a blob of cream cheese and powdered sugar mixture on the rice and tried to fold it over.  The problem was that it broke into a million pieces.  I believe it was Mindy who said, “You might want to soak the rice paper in water and it will be a bit more pliable.  We all had a good laugh over that one. 

Just two cute pictures of me and my grandsons. (I don’t mean I’m cute – they are cute – I’m old!)

Now this picture is of Maren’s legs.  Greg walked past me and made some comment about taking pictures of Maren’s legs and that it was bugging her so, of course, I had to jump on the band wagon and take a picture of her legs.  I told her to stop that I wanted a picture of her legs.  She stopped and gave me that, “what in the heck are you doing” look.  So, a random picture of Maren’s buff and toned (we’re all jealous) legs for posterity!!

Lynda Ann, Mallory and Hayley enjoying some S’mores!  I think the look from Annie is “Don’t you dare take one more picture of me!”

And the final picture of the reunion and what a great one to end on.  I took this while we were driving home from Idaho. that is why is just a little fuzzy.  Hard to snap a picture and keep your eyes on the road at the same time.  He had the scriptures on his lap and was supposed to be reading them to prepare his lesson for his primary class tomorrow.  Hummm how much reading do you think he did.  I think he woke up one time and said, ‘Oh Ogden, that was quick!”  Yup, it always is when your asleep.  Yet another picture for Tucker!