Traveling

So I'm off traveling again--this time to Aunt Virginia's birthday party, to visit Aunt Naty, Aunt Lorena-actually my dad's first cousin's wife, and Dave and Judy and their kids and families. This will be a Family History trip, too. Possibly some bettering of family relations.

My Mom and Dad liked to travel even though they had little money. Gas was cheaper then but income was smaller, too, so it wasn't always easy to go places. Their calling in the branch where we grew up was always in family history. Sometimes formally-other times not. One family in the branch had become active after their daughter was killed in a car wreck. They determined to go to the temple and be sealed as a family. Going to the temple was not easy then. There were the Salt Lake and Idaho Falls temples-both about the same distance--15 or 16 hours if you drove without stopping.
Stan and I were living in Provo at the time and Susan was a baby. Mom called and told us that this couple was coming and asked if they could stay with us if they had trouble finding a place to stay. Of course we said we'd be happy to have them.
They didn't come on the night we expected them but the following night Mom and Dad showed up. Mom said that after the family left for Salt Lake she got Daddy off to work and suddenly she received a strong impression that something was wrong and the family was not going to be able to do their temple work. The feeling was so strong that she packed their bags and a lunch and when Daddy got home from work he jumped in the shower and got dressed. His first words to her were "Something's wrong. We need to get to Utah." She replied, "I know. Everything's ready." They left for Utah within half an hour of Daddy getting home from work.
They drove straight through the night and showed up at the family file at the temple just in time to see their friends turning away with tears and despair in their eyes. Mom asked them what the problem was. Somehow the daughter's information had been printed wrong on the sheets. The worker at Family File suggested that they go to the office in the genealogy library that prepared the papers and see if it could be fixed in time for the session they were planning on.
Mom quickly took the papers to the Library but when she got there the line was very long. She was told that she needed to take her turn so she went to the end of the line. Time was passing and she could do nothing but pray. A minute or so later, a man came out of an office, looked up and down the line, walked right over to her and said, "You have a problem. Come with me."
He ushered her into the office where she explained the mix up. He quickly fixed it and she hurried back to the temple. The family was able to attend the sessions they had planned on and Mom and Dad were able to help with the sealings. That night they showed up at our house and slept on our couch and left the next day for home. Family History and Temple work IS important.

Did you ever wonder how our parents got along without cell phones, etc.?

Bulletin Board

I had fun with Mike James and Nathan at Mike Millward's homecoming. He did a great job--one speaker didn't show and he was given the whole time. Really did a good job. He talked about getting your own testimony.

Don't forget Aunt Virginia's birthday on March 29th. Let's all send a birthday card by the 25th so she will get lots of them. Or you could get one to me to take to the party on the 28th. She would love it.

The speedometer

Do you ever feel like an inanimate object or find yourself talking to a thing? This morning when I got into my car to go to the MTC the speedometer read 164003.2 miles and the silly thing started whining. "Dang! I have to go so slow--one silly mile at a time. I'll never be able to rack up lots of miles rapidly. In my first 4 years I made it to 95 thousand. Now that was exciting! Then my car got a new engine and this dorky OLD couple bought my car. The man wasn't too bad he took me lots of places and I chalked up miles in exciting trips. But then he died and the old lady goes barely ten miles a day on average. Now I'm fourteen years old and still barely moving. It's not that she couldn't let me roll up miles quickly--she keeps my cars' engine serviced and those boys of hers keep good tires on my car. They showed her how to use the four wheel drive so weather shouldn't slow her down. In the nine years she's been driving me she's put less than 8000 miles a year on me! Oh, Woe is me!! I may never reach 200,000 miles and get to start on 300,000. Oh, woe, woe, is me!! Why couldn't I have been in a snazzy Ferrari or Lexus or something with a young, on the go, driver? I feel so sluggish and unimportant! Oh, woe, woe, woe!"

Anybody want to go on a nice trip?

Happy Birthday, Benny

Benny, It's your birthday! This one's a milestone birthday--twelve years old.
I'll never forget teaching you the multi-letter spellings for sounds when you were four. Every time we came to "wr" you'd say "I know this one! It's write, wrote, written!!" The five-year-olds could never beat you. And you're still holding your own with your scholastic skills. Have a wonderful birthday. Love ya', Grandma

What kind of junk food are you?

This is Jenny actually, but I took this quiz and thought it was funny so if you've always wondered what junk food you are here you go.

What Kind of Junk Food Are You?

I was a hamburger. So was mom.

You are practical, straightforward and unpretentious. While you may not be the best communicator, people appreciate your simplicity and modesty!

Happy Birthday Hyrum!

Happy Birthday, Hyrum! You are growing up! I hope you have a wonderful day. Your card is in the mail. I've missed your visits. (: Love you, Grandma

Happy Birthday Savannah!

Happy Birthday, Savannah!! I hope you are having an exciting day. You are such a princess. Love you! Grandma

New baby

Stephanie's new baby was born at 3:32 this afternoon. She weighed 7 lbs 6 oz and is 20 inches long. She had a little trouble breathing at first but is fine now. She has golden brown hair and quite a lot for a tiny baby. Congratulations Stephanie and Dan.

Bulletin Board

Nathan got his mission call--Anchorage, Alaska. Everyone of the kids I called burst out laughing. How fun! Since Alaska has been so much a part of our family. Congratulations, Nathan!

Don't forget Mike's homecoming on the 15th.

Happy Birthday Carolyn

Carolyn, I was hoping you'd get your 1st grandchild for your birthday but I was just talking to Stephanie and it doesn't seem imminent. I do hope you have a good day and your trip out here goes well. Maybe Heather will be like you were. From my first hard contraction, when my water broke, 'til you were born was just under 2 hours. If we hadn't been at the hospital we probably wouldn't have made it. Again, Happy Birthday. Love, Mom

Tagged by Tracey

1. Started your own blog? No, the kids started it for me.
2. Slept under the stars? Oh yes, we took the kids camping by the beaver dams we didn't use tents just slept under the stars and we looked for constellations and learned all about them. Camping was one of the things we were good at I think it may have had something to do with the low cost. :-)
3. Played in a band? yes, high school marching band and BYU's marching band.
4. Visited Hawaii? No.
5. Watched a meteor shower? Yes, Mom woke us up in the middle of the night to watch them all the time. That's how I got so interested in them.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity? No.
7. Been to Disneyland? No
8. Climbed a mountain? YES, climbed up Timp., signed my name on the register, and slid down a glacier on the back side.
9. Held a praying mantis? Susan (boymom) brought a funny looking pod inside and the next morning it hatched. There were so many of them in the house the local newspaper came and took pics.
10. Sang a solo? No.
11. Bungee jumped? No.
12. Visited Paris? No. I've never even been out of the country.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea? I don't recall any.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch? Piecing quilts, is that an art?
15. Adopted a child? not lawfully but several have lived with us, and my parents did.
16. Had food poisoning? No, lucky me!
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty? No.
18. Grown your own vegetables? Yes. We always had a huge garden when I was growing up.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France? No.
20. Slept overnight on a train? Nope.
21. Sluffed school? No, I was a goody goody.
22. Hitch hiked? Yes, all over yellow stone park the summer I worked there.
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill? No.
24. Have a favorite book? Lots.
25. Held a lamb? Yes. At Cathy's.
26. Gone skinny dipping? Yes.
27. Run a Marathon? No,
28. Ridden a gondola in Switzerland? No, once in Jackson hole on a ski lift.
29. Seen a total eclipse? Yes, We invited a bunch of neighbor kids over to sleep in our back yard and watched one of the moon.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset? Yes.
31. Hit a home run? No.
32. Been on a cruise? No, only the ferry to Alaska.
33. Seen Niagra Falls in person ? No.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors? Yes, Somerset county, Iowa, my grandmother was born there.
35. Seen Amish country? No.
36. Taught yourself a new language? Sort of learned Hebrew.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied? Enough.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person? No.
39. Gone rock climbing? No, but I've been spelunking and repelling.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David? No.
41. Sung karaoke? I don't think so.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt? Many times.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant? No.
44. Visited Africa? No.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight? Yes, in Oregon
46. Been transported in an ambulance? Not as the victim but when Cathy got hit by a car I did.
47. Had your portrait painted? No, charcoal drawn.
48. Gone deep sea fishing? No.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person? No.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris? No.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling? No, I just watched my kids learn.
52. Kissed in the rain? Maybe.
53. Played in the mud? I've made mud pies.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater? Many times.
55. Been in a movie? Only home movies.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China? No,
57. Started a business? Daddy and I started the landscape business.
58. Taken a martial arts class? No.
59. Visited Russia? No.
60. Served at a soup kitchen? No.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies? No. But I sold campfire girls cookies. (ya I'm old)
62. Gone whale watching? Yes, in Alaska.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma? No.
65. Gone sky diving? No.
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp? No.
67. Bounced a check? A few.
68. Flown in a helicopter? No
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy? There's several down on the shelf in Loa.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial? No, Sometime I'd like to do a US history tour.
71. Eaten Caviar? No.
72. Pieced a quilt? Yes, several.
73. Stood in Times Square? No.
74. Toured the Everglade? No.
75. Been fired from a job? No.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London? No.
77. Broken a bone? No.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle? Not sure it was speeding, I had my eyes closed and I was holding on tight.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person? No.
80. Published a book? No.
81. Visited the Vatican? No.
82. Bought a brand new car? Yes, A brand new gray volkswagon bug when Susan was 6 to 8 months old
83. Walked in Jerusalem? No.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper? Several times.
85. Read the entire Bible? Yes.
86. Visited the White House? No
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating? I've prepared a deer but I wasn't the one who killed it.
88. Had chickenpox? Yes.
89. Saved someone’s life? How can you raise 11 kids and not have.
90. Sat on a jury? No. la sigh!
91. Met someone famous? No.
92. Joined a book club? No.
93. Lost a loved one? Yes.
94. Had a baby? 11 times.
95. Seen the Alamo in person? Yes. Yea!!!! I've done something!
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake? No.
97. Been involved in a law suit? Yes, the hospital collections agency tried to sue me for not paying a bill. They overcharged me for a rhogam shot. I showed them quite clearly I had payed the bill and accused them of harassment. The representative from the agency said she thought we were talking about two different bills for rogahm shots, and so I said to the judge. " Your honor.You only have a rhogam shot after a live birth or a miscarriage and I think you'd be hard pressed to manage even a second miscarriage between the thirteenth and the eighteenth of august." Everyone cracked up but the Judge did manage to keep straight face. Needless to say the case was dismissed.
98. Owned a cell phone? No.
99. Been stung by a bee? Walking through the clover between Cathy's house and my house in Loa one stung my little toe.
100. One cavity or less? Not till I started having kids. (Thanks guys!)

Wow I sure haven't done a whole lot have I.

I tag, Cathy Brian. Copy this page and paste it in the new post box, and fill in you own answers.

St. George Trip

Well, Vicky and I successfully accomplished our St. George trip. We had a lot of fun and may have learned something from the Family History classes. On the way we stopped in Paragonah to see if we could find the log cabin where Mom and her sister stayed the summer of the chickens but we couldn't find it so we just took a picture of something similar, but it is in Paragonah.
At the expo we had fun. I slept through the most interesting class. It was geography and he had a turning world behind his Power point presentation and I think it hypnotized me. (Vicky said I didn't snore, anyway.)
We only got lost a couple of times, nothing that stopping and looking at the map couldn't correct. Finally, we ended up eating at a restaurant 3 blocks from our motel--it only took us about 20 miles to get there.
We tried for a session at the St. George Temple but it was closed for cleaning, so we watched a couple videos at the visitor's center and from there looked for a place to eat.
We did enjoy our time together and since we couldn't find the census records on the James line that I had found previously, I bought Vicky a T-shirt that said "I've lost my census." We did have fun and Mike managed the kids ok.

Happy Birthday , Jacob

Jacob, now you are 18 years old. It seems only yesterday that you were a tiny baby and Susan was singing "John Jingle Jacob Thomas Smith" to you. I've watched you grow up and meet the challenges life presented to you very successfully. I love you and hope you had a great birthday and will have a wonderful new year as you prepare for a mission. Grandma