Off Wellman Way

I Never Run-Out Of Ideas To Blog. Journal Prompts? I Could Swamp Myself With Ideas.

2012-01-30T20:10:00.000-08:00

I was just thinking about when I do write in my blog it's never on the computer. I write all these little notes. Sometimes it's while I'm waiting for something or someone, or riding in the car, and heaven forbid, I wake-up and write something down (that's really insane information) and I dig in my purse, or desk, or glove compartment for a pen and just start writing. Really, it's so much easier to just open my computer and start writing. I don't need notes, but I want to remember and the 3X5 card system is a major habit. I'm never outta' stuff to write down. It IS just stuff, but it's my journal and not necessarily for the whole world to read. I've never felt the need to entertain, try and make money with a blog, write something profound, or even give advise. I do write-out a few recipes here and there, and also mention my ancestors... but all of the information on THIS blog is focused on my family. It does paint a picture of me and hopefully my dear family won't think that I'm too looney. I will save everyone that reads my blog the ramblings while sleep-writing and texting--Oh I've got a problem and have been known to write on Facebook while COMPLETELY asleep. It's so embarrassing.

Genealogy

One of my favorite papers to write notes for my blog happens to be Temple Ordinance Cards that are blank. Why? Well, I do lots of genealogy work and because my printouts are only 50 at a time, some room is left on each of the pink, blue, and yellow printouts that become cards. I never want to throw the blanks away, so while checking each entry--I will finally come to a blank. One side of the card has lines on it and the other-side is for taking notes for me, right? I always look on both sides in case I'm missing an entry.

I do check each one and do a lot of re-checking of all of my submissions. I'm so glad that I've done this because so far I've found at least three major mistakes. Two of the mistakes this time were probably done by myself and actually my mistakes make me much more patient with the mistakes other people make with my own family, like recently someone has put my dear grandmother with her ex-borther-in-law that ran a Missouri saloon? Okay, I can't undo that because I didn't submit the names. But, I've made sure the genealogy work for my grandparents is correct and my grandmother probably just lifted her eyebrows just a little when that sealing was performed.

One mistake was from Family Search itself. It's data entry done by volunteers and probably by a poor tired "indexer person" that sees names all day long... when two people have the same names and about the same birthdays, I suppose a volunteer after a long day, would likely place these people together. I wished they had looked to make sure they were in the same country. Again, since I didn't submit the name, I called Salt Lake City Family History Center and the Sister that helped me was so polite and so sorry. She listened intently as I explained what had happened. She said she hoped the mistake would be corrected very soon and me too, because my cousin was about to teach a class in St. George about genealogy and ordinance work and he wanted to use our "Wellman" line. Oops!

Happily, I can report that "poof" the child born across the sea and no relation to our family, disappeared from our line. I do have to look her up again and unreserved her, so that her family can find the child, wife, aunt, or mother and have her in her own family where she belongs.

Oddly enough, the mistakes I've made actually put me in touch with my cousin again. We do need each other and from above I can't say if it was meant to be, but I'm elated that we're working together because my dear cousin just sent me a whole big bucket of names to add to my family including ones that have surnames that I've never heard of before.

***caption to the picture above***The best thing I've read about the Mayflower is that am a descendent from about 12 of the people came to this country on the Mayflower. The facts are as of 1971, people in the United States that also are descendents... were already 35 million other people. The statistic was in the newspaper over 40 years ago, I bet there's a lot more people, now! Pretty humbling information, sheesh!...I'm not so hot.

I learned that this summer my cousin is planning a trip out east to scour cemeteries for our family. The information at each resting place is valuable beyond measure. He doesn't know it yet, but Steve and I are planning a back-east trip too. I'm not only doing some Wellman, but looking up a bunch of family (my husband's included) information at newspapers, county deeds and wills, and of course, cemeteries. Sounds fun, huh? Only if you're a genealogy sleuth.

Diamonds Are Forever

2012-01-13T14:51:00.000-08:00

Jan 12th 2012
I was thinking about my friend's diamond ring, which actually is very beautiful, really...but it doesn't have real diamonds. I don't wear much jewelry. Maybe once in a while to church or an event. Mostly, very special times that when I need to dress-up more. I love the way I can remove all my jewelry and oh how I'd hate a tattoo because I would probably scrub it until it wasn't on my skin. Oh and braces would probably have made me crazy because of just the fact I couldn't take them out of my mouth every night. Jewelry isn't a part of me, but I do like it. Now, lipstick is apart of me, but that's only because if I don't put something on my fat lips they hurt and get a lot fatter. Oh, chapped! And that's not in style.

Diamonds, gems, and treasures are those things that give any regular person a reason to ponder, maybe to envy, or covet. My diamonds are worth more, so much more than anyone I know or know about. It's pretty evident that I'm not really talking about "rocks" My husband, children, and grandchildren are worth more than any sparkly, brillant, valuable object in this whole world. They are are rocks in that sense.

If I were to have my lovely diamonds mounted on the most precious light metal and place it on my hand, I wouldn't be able to have the strength to lift my hand. My total diamonds are many, with rubies and emeralds tucked in and around each one. I'm so blessed and thankful and I can cherish these extraordinary diamonds beyond my ability to write the words to express my love for each one.

Today I "Channeled" My 3rd Great Grandmother For German Pancakes

2012-01-05T17:49:00.001-08:00

My 3rd Great Grandmother Renata Meseck was a German lady that married Ferdinand Ortmann. They were parents of my 2nd Great Grandmother, Minna Ortmann Loepp. My grandmother, Renata, was born, 18 March 1821 and died 15 September 1901.

The book about her life included some of the meals that the family enjoyed. None of those are familiar in anyway and I look forward to my son-in-law that served his mission in Germany to translate some of the interesting facts that are contained in the small book that I'm blessed have about so many of my ancestors lives. I can only think that what I'm writing now in my journal/blog is somewhat similar to what she left for her family. Recipes, hobbies, and daily life. Hobbies weren't probably really hobbies, but necessities. Crocheting may have been a hard duty. I love the linen and crochet bedspread that her daughter made and sent to her niece, who was my great grandmother that I knew, Grandma Martha Marie (Loepp) McKean.

The only "Channeling" I did was look for a connection in my family history ... and because I'm one of those Americans that have many different national lines through-out Europe, I knew I had a dear German ancestor somewhere. Voila, I mean ...heir ist, my pancakes. Ta Da!

I really want to use our chicken's bounty during this hot weather so here's the easiest breakfast I've ever made and it's going to be used for many meals. It tastes very similar to a custard with a little crust and is fast without sugar. I topped my serving with a tiny sprinkle of powdered sugar and some good butter tasting "Smart Beat."

German Puff Pancakes

I used:

6 eggs

1 cup of milk

1 cup of flour

2/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of real vanilla

I broke the eggs in the bowl and whisked them thoroughly, but stirred the rest in because the pancakes are not made completely smooth--they need a few little lumps. I did preheat my oven to 420 degrees and sprayed a cupcake pan with "Smart Beat" non-stick, spray (it works really well) and after the ingredients were stirred enough, I carefully put 1/2 cup of egg mixture in each cupcake pan

I love how they raised-up and tasted so good. The ones that were in a colder part of my oven I placed back in. I was a bit discouraged because they fell flat on the counter, but as soon as the oven closed the little pancakes raised back-up and when they were done, stayed all puffy and cute.

The pancakes are more egg than anything else and I know quite a few families that have these during special occasions. Perfect for big crowds because they are soooo easy to make. We always have Grandma Loepp McKean's Eggie Pancakes, and they are exactly like crepes, even yummier.

The puff pancakes were used at dinner in the early 1800s without the sugar and maybe with any meal, then on the other hand, I can think that my family probably used lots of berries, cooked sugared apples, or lemon flavored pudding for pie.

I could make this wonderful little pancake one of the most versatile foods for company, treats, grandchildren, and a whole lot better than a big steak dinner. I wanted to make something a little different for my mother's breakfasts. Seems I hit the jackpot with her too! Yay!

Wonderful Pancakes. Glad I'm German Today!

Christmas Turtle Tales

2011-12-25T23:03:00.000-08:00

To My Grandson Dallin That Loves Wildlife

and at 9 Years Old, Still Believes In Santa Claus

My daughter Marnie and her family have started this tradition to go to Big Bear for the week before Christmas. It's a wonderful time to play in the snow and see the glistening lights and just be cozy for a week. However, to do this Marnie and Steve have to be done with all their shopping, wrapping, giving, visiting teaching...everything! And of course, that includes someone to take care of their "menagerie" and this year Marnie delegated jobs out to a number of different babysitters. I seemed to be blessed with the sweet new Christmas present, the turtle. It's actually a tortoise, but for the sake of 'easier for me' I'll be calling it turtle or Herman. I did call it Herminee, but because I really have this deep feeling that Herman is a boy. Again for this post since it is Dallin, my grandson, who's receiving this super, stunning, little, baby turtle, I'll just refer to the turtle as a boy, Herman.

The New Baby!

I know that Marnie knew that I would just smother her little present (Herman) with tons of attention and I was excited to learn how to care for such a sweet pet. We did notice a bit of jealousy between the the new baby hamsters and Herman.

"Do You Want To Babysit?"

Me With Herman

Marnie texted me and I texted her to let her know just how Herman was getting along in a strange home. He is so cute. I just wanted to remember how fun it was to have adventures with Herman through Internet photos. Most of the photos I didn't even take or invent, but there are some great turtle photos on the Internet and gave us loads of fun with our adventures.

Marnie: "That's funny!" "Silly pictures. Is he being a pain in the neck?" "Thank you for watching him." "Is he okay?" Marnie was really worried that he would turn on his back and die. I was worried, too. I was so scared that got-up during the night to make sure he wasn't upside-down. It would be so disappointing for Marnie if her little Herman died. I can tell she really, really loves him and me...I would cry because I ruining their favorite Christmas gift.

Me: "He's in bed with me he's freezing." "I think Herman needs a heat lamp." We had some cold weather and he was just staying in his little house and I was so worried he would go into hibernation and then again the threat that he would die. I did hold him and put both my hands around him until he started to really move around. He was mad at me because I started touching his closed eyes and pulling at his little toe nails. He woke-up grumpy.

Marnie: "Really, I have one (a heat lamp) I just didn't want to bother you with this." "Is Dad home?"
Marnie: "After Herman is warmed-up he'll probably eat better" "Thank you for warming him up again."
Me: "Yes, Dad's outside."
Marnie: "Okay, If you want you can put the turtle outside. I just don't want the cats to eat him."

Ahhhh, Our cats love turtles.

What happened here?

Marnie: "The lamp is on Steve's work bench it has a stand."
Me: "Okay, we'll definitely get the lamp." "Thank you, Herman Ninja in my bed, again."
Marnie: "I love you mommy, thank you again and goodnight."

Marnie: "You're nursing the baby turtle, right?" "Ha! Ha!" "You're having bonding time."
I did laugh very hard at that statement because it's a running joke in our family. I start holding my new grandchildren and I'm so pro-nursing that they tease me that I'm going to just nurse ANY newborn which has now morphed into all baby animals. The thought of nursing a turtle with a beak like, Whoa! Crazier than a real baby, with a mouthful of vampire teeth. Yikes!

Marnie: "That's crazy looking." Me back:"Well it's your baby turtle." "Didn't you notice this?"
Marnie: "I guess I missed THAT SIDE of him." "Mom, your fun!" "Did you get the light?" "Melissa can help you get in because she's getting the stroller and maybe she could get the light, too?"

Herman Is Cold and He's Got His Turtle-neck On

Me: "Okay, I would like that" "We need the heat."
Marnie: "I will let your know if she's coming." "Herman will not want to come home to us,"
"Oh good, I'm glad he woke-up and tell dad thanks for getting the light."

Me: "Dad just got back and have a good night."

Marnie: "I hope he enjoys the light-is he happy now?"

Me "It seems eating is his favorite activity when he's warm." "He gives me a big smile!"

Marnie;"So he finally ate?" "Is he really eating all of these things?"

Marnie; "Dallin loves them, too."
Me: "I do not like those kind of salamanders." "They're very strange!"

Me: "This morning Herman told me he was bored and I know, I know!" "I guess I over-did it yesterday."
"B-O-R-E-D!" "I let him take his snail-friend for a ride but she started upsetting him, I don't know why... but she slipped-off the back and hid under the water fountain." "Herman's really sad."

"I had to make candy again and help mom." "Herman doesn't get it, he thinks grandma should be entertaining HIM." "Your dad helped me make this costume and spray-painted it to match your turtle." "He needs a friend that resembles a turtle." "The costume is claustrophobic"

"Oh my gosh!" "I would hate to be to be a turtle and claustrophobic." "I guess that doesn't happen much because we don't see a lot of naked turtles running around."

Marnie: "That's crazy-looking!"

Me: "I painted the turtle and now I'm getting bored." This could make Kenna so happy." "Hope you don't mind because I painted him with fingernail polish." "I still had the black toe-nail polish from Kiely's Bachelorette's Party." "Oh no, Dad just left for the fingernail polish remover at the drug store." "He's getting worried that the paint may get-down to his skin through the shell and burn him."

Marnie: "How's the little turtle doing?"
Me: "For future reference Herman really, really likes his stomach scratched."

"And! Did you know his hobbies are cars and jets? "Maybe he IS a boy, Marnie."

Me: "It's seems wheels and turtles don't go well together." "I can't believe the driveway is so steep." "We were going to go up to the mailbox but changed our minds. He would've really been hurt, probably flipped." "Herman got already scuffed-up as you can see... and I know they're just surface burns, but ouchie!"

Me: "Today Herman and I had a long talk (turtle whispering) anyways, I told him how I loved my Chia Pet turtle so much and wished he was real."

"Herman thought the idea of growing grass on a real turtle was gross." "I explained that it does happen and works well and he could grown his own food." "I had to show him the underwater turtle and it freaked him-out."

Me: "Oh yeah, this picture really shocked him." "So Herman let me do a scaled-down version."


"I'm looking silly, huh?"

Me: "After all the humiliation that I put Herman through yesterday, I guess I gave him a bad dream and he had to tell me who he really is-i\It was a secret in his family." "Herman comes from a famous line, not the dumb big flippered surfer dudes in the ocean or ponds." "He has this calling in his life."

Me: "Herman had all these special fighting tools in his pocket under his shell. the secret identity came right out." "It was that he is a Ninja Turtle." The weapons had to come out anyway-- they were giving him a rash." "Herman's father's name was RAPHAEL and who'd guess this was true?" " "It just could have been dress up but his weapons are real." "He even had one of those Ninja Stars!" "Scary!" "Herman does have a family picture of himself and all his cousins." "Herman is on the lower lefta."

"I can see that he is really special, but you knew that deep in your heart." "I also found out that he sometimes works as a double on this "pet rescue show" on TV. and showed me a portfolio picture of himself that he hands-out for autographs." "Did you know all this?"

"Don't DO THAT Again!"

Me: "I had to get Herman in the house because he was throwing a big fit and had his own SCREAMFEST" "All the animal's were looking at him in shock." "Herman has seemed to be so mellow." "He certainly has a little temper!"

Me: "Herman ran-away, dang!" "He's missing--I'm so sorry Marnie." "Can you get another turtle?"

Dec. 23rd
Me: "We found lil' Herman." "He ran off to find some flowers to make friends again with his snail friend." "Her name is Slowee the snail, she was knawing on his shell and he yelled at her and it hurt her feelings." "Herman went out to find her some flowers." "How cute, huh?"

Me: "I guess Herman is still young and he got side-tracked because after visiting with Slowee he decided to go to take some laps in the pool." "Kids are so naive!" "Herman can't swim, he doesn't even have webbed feet and he hug all around the edge all day trying to get out." "No wonder I couldn't find Herman." "I don't speak Turtleese very well but learned that 'Hissss, snap-snap!' 'Hissss, snap-snap!' means HELP." "You may need this information for later.

Me: "Herman is trying to do his dress-up daddy-style." "He wants to fit in your family and asked me if this was a good SWAT-LOOK?"

Me: "This is Herman's Dallin-look" "Silly-guy!" " He's really hoping for the blue uniforms this next year and already bought the ball-cap."

"Do I look Cool?"

Dec. 23 Evening
Me: "Herman drew a picture of himself." "He getting nervous about Christmas and is very excited."
Marnie: "That's awesome!" "How did he do today?"

Me: "Herman saw Dustin's old thumb skateboard and I had to let him try it, but no rolling down anywhere just flipping around in the kitchen." "He did hit the wall and a chair leg, but no damage and now he thinks he's neat and wants to try-out the skate park with Dallin as soon as it warms up a little."

Me: "Herman's eating right now." "I gave him some rose petal leaves and he's devouring them, like a pig." "I think he needs a good soaking and he's probably thirsty from all the skate boarding today."
Marnie: "Sounds good and we can soak him when we get home." "Thanks-I love you."

Dec 24th
Herman through Internet Translation Services: " I'm so happy I get to see my family today." "Yay!" "Bet you didn't know I'm a disco-dancing Ninja Turtle." "I also do Salsa dancing, Murango, Foxtrot, Rumba, Shufflee, and I Boot Scoot to slow dances and my best moves are Break-Dancing. I spin like a top!" "Whoot!" "Whoot!"

Blessings of Christmas

2011-12-20T22:03:00.000-08:00

Shopping would have been fabulous if I had done it when all the great sales were in July. Feed prices for our livestock skyrocketed at that time and we hadn't sold Kiely's horse yet. It doesn't look like I'll be sending my goats up to be bred this year.

What???? We don't get Bred?

If my arm doesn't shape-up I may not be able to milk and honestly, that is one of the most enjoyable chores I've ever done here on Danger Ranch aka Rock 'n' Oaks. Oh yeah, hate to shave the goats and disbud the kids, but as weird as this sounds ... I truly am looking forward to shearing the sheep. One big ol' ewe will take me all day, even with the electric 13 tooth, Oster shears. I'm so careful, no nicks, cuts, or even close calls, thank-you-very-much! I'd love to shear them, spin the wool, and then crochet my heart-out. Not that I could give my family and friends all wooly gifts, but I know a few of my daughters would love to have clean, dyed wool for felting projects. I just love sheep and goats and horses and chickens and donkeys...but I didn't need to say that really, it's a "given."

I started shopping about the third week of November and by the first week of December I was done. I used three sites and love them all. Etsy's my favorite, but Toys R Us and Amazon are terrific. I did use Deseret Book for a couple of presents and if I need to buy church items again, it'll be in person ... because the deliveries were all late, as in... after Christmas. Steve bought some things here at home, mostly for me and again this year he wouldn't give me any money to buy him a present. I think I'll just have to make him a hat and he'll have to wear it. I won't have a logo but it'll be so hideous! It'll make him feel so guilty that maybe next year he will let me have some money and let me get him some fantastic tool or something. It's been a vey long time since I've been able to buy him something. The last time was when I was working about six years ago. The hat is a good plan and think I'll make it orange and white striped, Accckkk,... it'll be CHECKED, to match his new shirt.

He has no clue what I have in store for him

I know one of my gifts already. It's a scanner for copying photos, negatives, and slides and converts the negatives and slides to pictures.

I would love to get a really high resolution picture-scan and have our wedding picture enlarged. I regret not knowing about photographers at the Temple, (I'd only been a member a year) so the day we were married very few snapshots were taken and they were from a Brownie Camera, some are even just black and white. My family wasn't "into" me being married in the Temple. I would love to have my pictures and that's probably the grandest gift I can think of now. A nice picture of Steve and I together at the Temple.

I managed to buy little mirrors for our two house birdies and treats for our dogs, cats and farm animals. Oh dang, I forgot the chickens. I love them so much. Of course a Valentine gift would be good and by then they'll start laying eggs for us again. It could be a hint to Keep On ~~Truckin'~~ laying ... and a reward at the same time.

The chickens really do love me to hold them.

I may even give her a kiss but not on the beak.

I prayed for an Aussie Poley saddle as a gift, but with my arm hurting so bad, Steve probably didn't think I needed that right now. I want to ride so bad and all our other saddles are sized in the smallest adult saddles come in.. We do have a child's size and honestly I think that one is the same size as all the others I have to try and sit-in. I hate being stuffed in any saddle and it usually makes for a short ride pinching my legs and rear-side.

This is the first time we haven't had a child here at home and I knew I would feel different. I think I decorated for Christmas for days and days and still can't keep the Christmas music turned-off. I love the music. I even re-decorated my living room a bit by taking down my drapes and just leaving my long Norwegian, lacey valences. My windows look clean and uncluttered, and it really emphasizes my ten foot ceilings.

My Favorite Decoration an old Tapestry Rug Hanging

My blog has suffered from my arm being so messed-up. I'm not sure at all how I hurt it. I haven't gone to exercise class or used it in a way that would cause me such distress. I'm also fighting a bizarre upset stomach with it and can't sleep. I'm taking some really strange medication from my botched "procedure" a month ago. Ya' think it could hurt my arm and my stomach? I may quit my stupid pills.

I have all my wooden shoes out to place the candy inside for St. Nickolaus Feast Day, that now that day has already passed by us. No presents under the tree. All of the gifts have been sent or taken to my children family homes or over to other family and friends. Here's the good: I'm not gripping at my children about how I'm physically feeling. The shopping's done and was I was able to give everyone really sweet things this year. No toilet seats! I think what I like best this season is that my children can start their own traditions in their own homes, like the Dutch shoes. That's one of the first gifts I give to my children when they are newly married.

Some of my children and their families are traveling to Big Bear, they're all trying to go sledding in the snow. My children get to see the Christmas lights with the snow's reflection (which is a really big deal) I have my beach kids loving the surfing and genuinely loving this great Southern California weather we have in December. My Fillmore family is just enjoying each other's company now that my daughter has a break from school. I appreciate all the blessings these sweet thoughts bring to me and my most favorite is that they love us and each other.

No Snow yet in Utah

The parade, the Firefighter Party, the Harbor Celebration, our Community Christmas Celebration, and the Church's special events are plenty for us. It will be a great, great pleasure to be able to attend our own children and grandchildren's Christmas celebrations at their houses. I'm invited. Steve has to work this year on the 24th and 25th. Been there, done that! Christmas at the firehouse is a blast and I'm glad I can go after church on Sunday, we'll be together, having wonderful dinner with "Allie's turkey" and visiting. I'm so good with that! The "empty-nester" mom could be hard to experience if I let myself think about it in a "pity-party" way, but I'm thinking OMGsh this is wonderful because I know my children and their families are healthy, happy, doing well and still want me around, even if I do still need my "shawl." aka straight-jacket. We talk in code.

Naht-ugh! This isn't my Straight Jacket

The Year of The Fudge

2011-12-19T15:11:00.000-08:00

No fooling, I've never made fudge in my 61 years. Looking at 60+1 looks really old and I don't know why I haven't ever tried to make any candy, except I was aware that candy made me chubby and I had to not only not make it or be even around it. I might put my finger in the candy and gain a couple pounds-really it's true, I can inhale calories.

This is the year my mother wanted fudge. My mom's tastes have really changed. She still likes caramel, but likes chocolate, too...especially fudge with walnuts. AND...she asked me for some divinity. I hadn't even seen my mother make it because when she was flying around in the kitchen I was completely in the way.

So I started trying different recipes. I needed to take fudge to the Community Christmas Celebration and my fudge, even though I had it in the refrigerator overnight it was still like syrup, yucky. There went 25 bucks. Oh fudge! I tried the marshmallow fudge and messed that one up, too. Again, so much money down the disposal. Then, I DID IT and here's the easiest and honestly my family devoured every piece and me, I didn't taste it. I just looked at it because I finally accomplished making my family, including my mom, really a great candy. Mom still thinks I bought it, but I know.

Fabulous Five-Minute Fudge

Makes: 24 servings

Prep: 5 min. Chill: 30 min. I changed only one thing. I mixed regular chocolate pieces with the semi-sweet because most of my family like just plain chocolate and not the real dark pieces and for once it worked-out great and it's just 5 minutes. I got it off the Internet and not out of a recipe book or someone's recollection or little notes in a recipe box. I did it.

Ingredients:

12 ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces (2 cups)

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (one-half of a 14-ounce can)

1 tablespoon water

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper; set aside. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and water.

2. Microwave, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 1 minute more, or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour mixture onto prepared cookie sheet and spread it into a 9x6-inch rectangle, or drop mixture by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet.

3. Chill fudge about 30 minutes or until firm. Cut fudge into 1-1/2-inch squares. Makes 24 pieces

I made this three times and it worked every time the same way,

so I'm keeping this recipe on my computer. I'm not going to try any other.

The divinity was harder, so much harder so I opted for a short-cut. The candy didn't quite taste the same, but my mother knew I made it. It was lighter and fluffy. I was just hoping it wasn't like hard taffy. The only way one of the ingredients is available is over the Internet. I bought the Betty Crocker Fluffy Frosting Mix on Amazon of all places.

No Cook Divinity

Ingredients

1 pkg Betty Crocker or Jiffy fluffy white frosting mix

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup boiling water

1 (16 oz.) package confectioner’s sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

Directions for Divinity:

Combine frosting mix (dry), corn syrup, vanilla and boiling water in small mixing bowl. Beat on highest speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large mixer bowl; on low speed or by hand, gradually blend in sugar, stir in nuts. Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. When outside of candy feels firm, turn over and allow to dry at least 12 hours. Store candy in airtight container.

Makes 5 to 6 dozen

My talented daughter, Larin helped me out with my Visiting Teaching gifts and gifts to me friends by sending me jars topped with fake cupcakes on top. I filled the jars with the cellophane bags of fudge and divinity. I'm more than grateful for the grand decorated jars because I had something to give that wasn't just a homemade card, seasonal decoration, or a throw-away. The jars are beautiful and she even sells them on Etsy. It is wonderful to have something to give at Christmas to help make me brave enough to take to my sisters. The two that I'm blessed to visit are treasures and bot of them deserve great gifts.

"Cupcake" sounds like my little granddaughter!

Pink, fluffy, silly, and full of love.

Larin's Little Cup Cake

Harbor Christmas Lights Celebration

2011-12-19T13:45:00.000-08:00

Dec. 17th 2011

This year my dear, sweet husband was fired as a judge for the best decorated boat. There's a limit to how many years a person can be a judge and he filled-in his time. I was so sad we had started the wonderful tradition and then BOOM! No more. However, I was wrong... the Harbor Master, Scotty, had my son be the judge. He's also a fire captain but even more closely associated with the harbor because he lives there. Well, not on a boat and that would be extremely wonderful, but he lives near "Little Beach" where his family launch their canoes. Dustin's kids go to a school right on the beach and the older ones are just one block from the State Beach. What a view?

Southern California Pierpont Christmas

It was a great honor to be a judge and the best part is that he knew so many people. The exhibitors come from all over the Southern and Central California Coast, but Dustin sat right next to the coordinator for the Ventura County CERT. My husband works for her and also sat next to his daughter's school teacher at Pierpont School.

My Fire Captain Son "The Judge"

Marnie couldn't go to the harbor this year, but we took her kids and oh poor Kenna, she was throwing-up in the bushes at the hotel next to the harbor master's offices. It just never let-up and we couldn't walk her to the car because it was parked a couple miles away. She was pretty sad that night.

Good Sport Happy Face For The Camera

It was raining again this year and I sure don't know what's with that! It's been hotter than we've ever had in decades. One rain-storm with lots of wind. And the show went on anyway. That in itself shows how dedicated the boaters are in decorating and participating. Almost all the boat were filled with music and singing and then there's all the spectators. So fun and many people came to see the parade. It was just beautiful.

I have always wanted to know which boat won. No one tells me and maybe that's good because they're all winners. The best part is that so many of our children and our grandchildren go with us.

I never knew all these years what we were missing. The Ventura Harbor Parade is a great tradition.

Merry Christmas!

The Mupu Christmas Program -- How Many Years?

2011-12-17T15:03:00.000-08:00

Oh, I've been to plenty of Awards and

Christmas programs at Mupu School.

My six children attended Mupu School. When I was young and about to enter Mupu School, I didn't want to go there because I was afraid of the 7th and 8th grade teacher. I took the long trip clear to the end of town to Isbell School. My mom agreed when I asked her if I could go to Isbell because I offered that.. I would walk to my Grandparent's shops until she could pick me up after her work, at my dad's dry cleaners in Fillmore. My grandparents owned a dry cleaners and a western wear and saddle shop. I'll always regret that decision. Isbell School was a big school with lots of classes and I felt lost. That's not an abnormal feeling because everyone came from a smaller school. Even grandma's at 61 years old remember the feeling of not fitting in. It didn't help that I still was upset from moving from my beloved Fillmore and my best friend. Oh, and I told my mom I would work for my grandparents! I needed to be in the back-room doing my homework. I did learned about retail sales, using the real old-fashioned cash register and counting money back to the costumer without the help of the calculator-type register. I learned a lot about sewing and alterations, sorting clothes, and cleaning. A lot about cleaning because when it was slow in the afternoon, I was the janitor. I can say, because of my choice to attend Isbell, I learned not only the counting-back math, but became an expert at cleaning the "restrooms." All of them. Schoolwork and homework suffered because of my working. I worried all day about my duties at the shop. I had to go on errands to the bank, the pharmacy, and other shops for trading merchandise and all these things had to be perfect or I was in trouble. My grandmother always used any mistake to embarrass me in front of the patronage. Was I cute when I was about to cry? I looked forward everyday to get home and ride the horses or just sit in the field with horses all around.

All of my children went to Mupu School and almost all of my grandchildren were able to attend there. Now, it's only my Marnie's children and they have found their niche. They love their school like the Beach Boys song, "Be True To Your School." Anyone who's ever gone there knows that if someone, somewhere make fun of their school name, Mupu kids get so defensive! Mupu School was named after an Indian tribe of Chumashan Indians that spoke the dialect of Ventureno (Ventura) and the village that the school was named after is the Mupu Village. One of the principals always told the students that the name meant "mosquito" and that name would likely fit because we do have our share of little mosquitoes. The Santa Paula Creek that runs down the canyon and through our backyard. We also have a 4-H Club named "Mupu 4-H" and if you're a real outsider and at least small sizable, any kid from here will "drop 'em" meaning pick-you-up and drop you, hard if someone teasingly utters, "Mu--poo." Adults are no exception to the ear-full they'll get-- by disrespecting Mupu school or club. One exception is if an adult has a big ranch or owns an oil field and is looking over your steer, pig, sheep, at the Ventura County Fair and promising a bid at the local auction. I've actually seen this rare occasion of extreme reserved anger. It makes me smile recalling a club member's self-control, forced by greed. I even witnessed a quick look at me and a forced smile, when a buyer from Fort Tejon Ranch said, "So are these the "Mooooo-poooo beef?"

Dec. 15th, 2011 @ 10:15 am.

Today was the day that our grandchildren were receiving awards for the semester. Our grandchildren that still attend Mupu School, are receiving high honors, highest grade-point-averages in their respective classes and also are receiving the award of perfect attendance. I can say that to most grandparents, this is a huge honor to see their little ones progress so well in any school. The grandchildren don't know how our dreams of them having good grades and a good education touch our hearts, not necessarily because of the "proud and happy" thoughts for them (we are that, too) and their parents, but it gives us the hope that their lives can be successful and prosperous. It says a lot about devotion toward getting their work done, they're organizational skills, and we know that there's parent participation. I think parents need to be graded! My own children would all get A+++! I have to say at Mupu School... an award is even more special... because we know, that this little school expects even a higher standard for their students and I'm grateful for Adree, Dallin, and Kenna.

Happiness

Adree was the last to receive the Honors. I only put her first because Steve was in a better position to catch her facial expressions. I hope my grandchildren remember the happiness they get when they truly are recognized for their accomplishments. The pins and papers are taken with humbleness and in relief and we're so happy for them. My children and grandchildren have never mentioned anything about their awards to anyone, but we see that their own self-esteem is so increased by a mention and tiny little pins. I think I have all my children's awards with their baby teeth. lol

We had appointments and work to accomplish this morning, but we couldn't miss the award ceremony. The Christmas program would have to go on without us. We've seen plenty of those and actually they do repeat the same ones, just different children. All of the programs are new to the parents and students. Mupu parents have been there before, as students and the grandparents? Yep, we've seen them all.

Ta Da! Dallin!

Kenna's First Awards & Too Shy & Embarrassed To Look-up

The Little Kenna Who Loves Homework!

The Mom Taking Pictures Too!

I wish I had been apart of Mupu School and and we could've had three generations of family attending here. I think about how close even my father came to attending Mupu. My father attended Briggs School, McKevett School, and Santa Paula High School. Mupu School will always be dear to us all. I often hear my children say, "Remember _____ Mom?" "We went to Mupu together."

Fire Fighter Christmas Party Yay! Great Family, Friends, and Company, Great Food, and Santa Claus

2011-12-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

My Steve was in charge of the firefighter's hugest party, the annual Christmas Party. There's an adult one also and they are fun, but not nearly so much planning goes into an event like this tradition. Steve is the Firefighter Association President and he was worried from Thanksgiving, on how we all we were going to cook five turkeys. Steve wanted them all the same and all super yummy. We found two videos from our dear friend's daughter. Allie was just a toddler when they lived here in Santa Paula and now has children of her own and also a great chef. She was interviewed on T.V. to give an easy delicious way to cook a turkey, even if it's FROZEN! As she says in her video the turkey is so moist and so done the meat just falls away. This time we had no under or over-cooked turkeys and they all were wonderful. I posted the videos because I've been so impressed with her method. I just have to remember to put a couple tablespoons of flour in the bags and two vents in the top, to keep the bags from popping.

The information on the video was: "This morning we had Allie Shaack join the show to share a mouth watering recipe for your Thanksgiving Turkey. You will need: turkey, butter, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, flour, oven bags, celery, white onion, and lemon"

Allie Meik Shaack Helps Cook Our Turkeys for The Chrismas Party

The other big worry was that the voting for the firefighter of the year was at a tie. Steve set the voting over and over and it still came-out the same. The unusual part is that the people changed their minds and it still came-out a draw. Finally, through some miracle, a firefighter was selected. I thought Steve was dancing as he told me finally someone was selected. We had a great video program by one of the firefighters and it was great to see all... that our department does to keep our city safe.

Wonderful Party Video

Here's the link to the some of our calls this year.
My son loves to take videos with his helmet camera.

Our Firefighter Christmas Video
by Jerry B.

My mom attended with us this year. She was tired before Santa arrived but stayed to see her great grandchildren received their gifts from Santa.

Adree and Santa


Corbin loved Kenna's New Accessories.

Dallin on the left, is still eying Santa real close!

Austin thought this helmet was cuter than the yellow one!

My Marnie and Presslee

Mom and I and My Camera is GONE! : )

Presslee and Santa

Tatum & Santa

I felt I missed a lot of visiting my dear friends by leaving a bit early. Steve grabbed my camera and did a picture-taken event with almost every family there and each child as they came-up to see Santa. We have the best Santa in the world, we really do.

The decorations stayed-up for the city party the next day so not much in the way of clean-up. My husband was able to be "Back In Service" with his crew in record time. My husband is amazing. Organized, fast, and thankfully he knows how to delegate. Recruits seem to mostly know that and if they don't. OOPS!

Windin'-up "Bertha's" Siren. Model 760 Seagrave Triple Combination Pumper, Hose Wagon and Chemical Engine

2011-11-29T21:45:00.000-08:00

Model 760 Seagrave Triple Combination Pumper

How does one day magically turn from Thanksgiving-time to Christmas-time? Have a Christmas parade! The olden days of our town, our Chief drove his jeep through-out the town and gathered the children to follow him to the Fire Station on 10th Street and surprise them with candy. Later the parade was held at night during the 1960's and included a tree-lighting ceremony at the old Blanchard Library. I remember I rode Smoky, our Arabian with my grandfather in the parade when he was Grand Marshall. He had Christmas lights all across the breast collar of Chico, his big, strawberry roan, quarter horse. I don't know how he did that, because back then, a person couldn't buy battery-powered Christmas lights.

My Grand Daughter Hannah and Adree, the Sparky Dog

Today, the parade was super long and lasted well over and hour. I especially loved this parade and it included so many children on the sport league trucks, I wondered if there was going to be children watching the parade. I'm thinking there was one engine from Station 82 plus and the "Light and Air" and our golf-cart emergency vehicle with Sparky the Fire Dog (AKA as my grand-daughter, Adree) She got out and Shufflee-Stepped for the crowd and did the Rain-bird, and a Rumba Rear Dance and everyone enjoyed her silly dancing especially the judges.

Photo by Don Johnson Santa Paula Times

Station 81 had also three engines, plus the wonderful, dear old Mac Engine that was my grandfather's big purchase as Chief 2.

I Love This Engine So Faded It's Almost Pink

And then, there's our precious Seagrave, so fancied-up. A sweet guy in town, named Lynn from Lynn's Towing has a special bond with "Bertha" and really has helped the fire department in getting that special old engine 'new life.' I'm not sure where he received all his mechanical knowledge, but our sweet little fire engine runs so great. When we received it, it was completely "stove-up" from vandalism in the fuel tank. I've never ridden in it before, at least as I can remember. I'm not sure it worked when I was a little girl, but I did climb-up on the engine and wind-it-up way too tight in a very small engine bay. I could see my dad running to get me and I just wound faster and faster he would yank me off. (not an easy chore because the seat's up so high) I remember him carrying me like a football with me kickin' and screaming all the way out of the station. I loved that big ol' bell, too. Steve just told me on the phone that this was the first time the engines didn't receive a call during the parade. Even with Ventura covering us, the engine would have pulled-out and gone on a call. I know that was a worry because of the dry gusty winds, that make Southern California famous with wild fires.

Off To The Parade

We Stage At The End--We Got Santa!

The old days... when I was a 'wild child' 57 years ago I was completely obsessed with the sirens and bells and driving the big wooden steering wheel. No I didn't drive it, but today I was able to ride in front seat of the Seagrave, with my husband driving it and was so excited, because it was me....there, just windin' her siren-up and I even tied a hankie to the bell, so I wouldn't break my fingers. It's crazy how head-strong a little girl can be... strong enough to pull both a siren around and ring that huge bell. It was hard work for me today and I laughed the whole parade. I kicked and screamed a little bit and I accidentally hit the ignition on the lower left side, dashboard where I was sitting, Oops! I didn't know that would kill the engine and the engine died, it did! Right on the railroad tracks. Steve gave me sitting orders and my foot had to go out on the side handle-lift. Actually, it made me fill more secure in the small open seat. The engineer sits on the wrong-side of the engine, like England. I was told that was old school by Uncle John, Steve's side-kick and B-shift buddy.

Our family rode in the Seagrave except my grandson, Tanner, who rode with his dad and my son, the other Captain Lazenby, from station 82 and Sparky-dog Adree, was in the Emergency golf cart.

My Other Captain...My Son, Dustin and Grandson Tanner

The fun part was we were last and we carried Santa Claus. It was a whopping 83 degrees and so hot. The East Wind was blowing like crazy and everyone feared a big fire during the parade like last year when the oil tanks blew-up on South Mountain. Ventura Fire was covering for us, but our main 10th Street was closed as well as Main Street.

We all loved the time Santa took for pictures with the Seagrave in the background. It was really a fun and precious day, but I was super busy to get everything done, so we could be there at the engine before it left
the bay.

This whole parade business had me bring-up all my Christmas decorations always a couple days before Thanksgiving. The box that holds my wooden shoes for St. Nicholas Feast Day, also has all the silver bells used on the engines as the decorations. Traditionally we have kept them safe in little boxes just for this event. Our decoration box also holds all the hats that we wear year after year. I was a little sad looking at the baby Santa hats that my children and then grandchildren have outgrown. I'm glad I gave them away this year because I don't think those couple of hats would even fit a large baby dolly. I'm not sure my children ever fit in them.

Tonight included helping my mother like this morning. I wished she could have gone, but it was better she didn't attend in the heat and high wind. The whole parade is going to show all Christmas season on our local channel. I'll have to write down the parade times for her to watch.

Returning To The Station--It's All Fun!

Backing In To Set-up For Pictures

It's such a tradition to have this parade and Christmas parade pictures in our lives. All my children have participated and I miss the ones that can't be here now. Love the Jenkin's grandchildren. I'm so blessed to be the grandmother of sixteen grandchildren. I'm pretty sure all my children and grandchildren love the fire engines and all of these memorable parades.

I made bread for the Sacrament this evening. It's probably the most blessed bread, ever. I prayed over it to be light and tall. I handle it so carefully and I always make a back-up loaf so that I have a spare. It's never wasted because my grandchildren next door love it for an evening snack. I still can't believe I made sausage and "eggie-pancakes" crepes for breakfast this morning for my grandson and for my mother. Saturday has always been one of those days that we take a little more time on our breakfast. I know my mother loved to have the "eggie-pancakes" she made for all of us almost every Saturday.

I always think on the days that I have so much going on and I'm the busiest, that I can handle another "big job." Well, I must say those days are over. I have no energy left. Even though it would have been a perfect day to decorate my whole house, my bed is already calling me. The east wind, extra cooking, and climbing in and out of the Fire Engine, having all the animals chores I've done today... Can I blame my exhaustion on all of those extra things in my day? I could give-in and say I was too busy...I know the REAL reason: My extra-tight Levis, ouch! Right this second, I feel bound from my bottom rib to my ankles and that's what I get for leaning a'little on the over-eating, a day before yesterday.

One day ... and many years. I'm surprised, tired beyond words, and probably will dream about fire sirens all night. Ya' grow-up knowing and living with fire-fighters and then marrying one of them, then your boy becomes a firefighter, I can say that I know no other life. I'm so proud of my family and grateful for all they do. This was a huge undertaking today, so many firefighters came to drive and work. All of them were doing this work without any pay. It took hours to get the engines back in their storage, fueled-back-up, decorations all put-away, and everyone did it happily, even those without little children in their life right now. We are so thankful for firefighters that look at their job as being part of family. They're great.

My Captain Steve Lazenby

Hold-over... Our Thanksgiving Longer

2011-11-24T21:16:00.000-08:00

Why is Thanksgiving a day we remember just once a year? Our own American tradition is probably one of my very favorite holidays. It always gathers my thoughts of gratefulness from all year and overflows like bubbles in my kitchen sink. Every morning I'm thankful to be alive and have another day on this earth and always remember to tell my Heavenly Father.

All not a bit fancy, but sharing the joy

of what Thanksgiving really is to our family

There's nothing like having lots of little children

with us to share this great day. We spent this afternoon

at my niece's home, The Butler Family in Camarillo.

May the sun shine all day long,

Everything go right and nothing

Go wrong.

May those love bring love back to you.

May all your wishes really do come true.

All Thanksgivings with my dear husband and my brood of wonderful children have been the best days of my life. All that comes with living close to the Savior and knowing and recognizing the great blessings we have every single day and then making sure we tell our Heavenly Father how grateful we are for all things that we have in our lives.

Steve keeps beginning to rake the leaves and has to always stop because he's hindered by the early rain. I'm so grateful for the leaves on the ground. I think of the orange and brown that places a mosaic path all around our house and the pathways around the barn. The flat wet leaves have a smell I love and all blends with the black and purple sage that places the Autumn time within my whole being with each breath.

I don't remember ever giving thanks at Thanksgiving until after I joined the Church. My dad may have said, "Rub-a-dub dub, thanks for the grub." and start to giggle. I can only think he wanted to say a prayer, but no one expected it and he was shy in saying anything too serious.

Overwhelmed By A Reluctant Large Turkey

One Thanksgiving my Mom, all dressed-up and even in heels, took a peek at her turkey and the whole turkey flew-out of the oven and scooted across the floor. All her family and my dad's family were there. My mom was so horrified by that accident. It looked so crazy and my mom's face just made all of us kids take-off outside to laugh so she wouldn't see us.

I don't know how my mom did it, but we ate the turkey. I know everyone had said to her that she should let the turkey-out for run-around... every time because it was the best turkey ever... and it was. I hope our family was grateful, but it often seemed to be a contest to which sister or auntie could have the best china, silver, decorations, and all dressed in their finest clothes. The day started with all of us children crying to eat and then stuffing ourselves to where everyone had to take a nap, followed by a huge football game, drinking, and then again at night everyone eating salted turkey sandwiches with mayonnaise and cranberry sauce.

It was always uncomfortable during those years and because we didn't know about the real reason for Thanksgiving, it was an awkward and strained day with all of the children looking forward to the next day of being lazy with no school and doing something fun outside. The weather is always perfect and we'd wear ourselves out.

In contrast, now we can't think of anything but our blessings. Our dinner is simple and our dress is casual. We do take pictures because there's always a group and a lot of us looking forward to our traditional meal and watching the children. My Steve cried while he gave the prayer this afternoon. We miss our children, only one of our children and family were able to be with us today. It's hard not having them all together with us, but we know that they need to develop their own traditions in their own homes in towns away from us. Our love and thankfulness for them still is as strong or stronger and I know they feel that... while they're away.

Our greatest blessings are in Heaven. One that I truly treasure is the chance I have to have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. Our treasures are the Gospel and our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are blessed by our family, our children, grandchildren, and especially that we are sealed together as an eternal couple with the Priesthood of God in our home. We are an eternal family and that knowledge strengthens our lives to strive help and serve others.

My heart is full of blessings and every night before bed, I see my little silhouetted lambs jumping a fence and with the caption is blessings. Instead of counting my blessings instead of sheep like the singer Bing Crosby admonished us to do. I see the lambs with each blessing attached to the fleece. Graffiti lambs? Often my lambs carry messages of my great appreciation of our military service personnel, or even that we have hot water in our home, and a heater, that my husband .. is here and safe, or even our little canary, Sunshine, that is by my bed and blesses us. Sunshine sings each early morning as a beautiful signal that morning has arrived. I usually awake to hear him fluffing out his feathers even before his angel-like arias of sunrise. I never get-up until I hear him sing. I'm blessed with so many great and seemly small things in my life, but each are precious to me.

Gratitude Is the heart's memory.

French Proverb

The act of being grateful is the start of all the other virtues. We become humbled as we think of our blessings and tender actions follow to try and prepare ourselves to always be worthy to carry our blessings. We have so much unseen blessings and with the ones we see, our family and friends, fill us with joy.

I loved the comic Ziggy and remember the thought he sent to us. Now, every November as we cut our roses down to prepare for Wintertime and just before Thanksgiving, "You complain that roses have thorns or you can rejoice that the thorns have roses."

"Thankfulness is that attitude of appreciation knowing the bounty

of blessings that we feel in our soul." quote by me.

**My wake-up--November 25th The day after Thanksgiving.
One Thanksgiving when Kiely was still at Mupu School and probably in 7th or 8th grade. All my other children were here to celebrate Thanksgiving at my mother's house. The group also included my brothers and sister and their spouses and some of my nieces and nephews and they are not members of the church. My dad had been gone over a few years and my mother had baked and baked and baked tons of food. I know she must have worked all week getting ready for the event. Our family and all the little grandchildren comprised the majority of people attending. All the food was laid-out and golly, what a spread... just like old times. The table was beautiful with candles, brown turkey. It could've been a Rockwell Painting, but none of us had sat-down. My grown-married children were still trying to settle-down their little ones and this went on for maybe five minutes, not really more than that... but my mom was tired and her huge Thanksgiving creations were getting cold. Pies could be burning.

My mom said, "Wait" "Would you all hold-on for a minute?" in a loud enough tone (she was a police dispatcher and sworn peace officer) and when she was in that particular mode--we all stopped and looked at her. Who was she going to ask to give the prayer? No one had said anything like, let's wait until a prayer is offered or we won't eat. My children were just still flying around her big house catching wild children. We innocently waiting for her to ask one of us. We could have done the,"grab at closest little one near us--fold their little hands against them, and put our other hand over their mouth." That always works.

The surprise of my life happened when my mom bowed her head and said the most perfect Thanksgiving Prayer I've ever heard in my life. It was sincere, it was formal and began with Heavenly Father and ended with the closing in the Savior's name that Jesus Christ had taught us, how to pray. In perfect timing we all said, "Amen." She looked-up after a little bit to see all of us with our jaws dropped. I had never heard my mother ever say a prayer in my life.

My mother had never thought much of a Heavenly Father or a Savior because of the way her life had been. She didn't think there was a God. Was it desperation about her food at the moment? No. It has led her to many grand experiences within the Church including the final admission that she's half-Mormon. I truly miss the sisters in our ward that visited have visited her once a week, sang lovely hymns to her, and read to her out of the Book of Mormon, since her return from the Rehab. Hospital. They had blessed her for for over eight months. Mom has been really sad since they left and mentioned that the sisters were delightful and fun to have there at her home. My mom was able to have more than six sets of different sister missionaries and she loved everyone of them. I'm also thankful for missionaries. Through the missionaries I was taught, joined the church, and have been led to great happiness and faith. We will never forget the day my mother offered the prayer at Thanksgiving.

Worry, Faith, and My Colonoscopy

2011-11-21T14:34:00.000-08:00

I looked-up how to spell the word, "colonoscopy." Blogger is underlining it which means I've spelled it wrong...oh well. I learned something today by trying to spell a ~~FUN~~ procedure. The very first Google Search revealed the first item pulled-up... a doctor stating that, "Do not fear to check your rear." and right after was the next entry was to "Get Your Rear In Gear." Actually, that little rhyme may be a title of the Doctor's book. Great.

My picture at the top is absolutely, positively me. It really should be on my car as a bummer sticker, but Steve drives my FJ a lot. My confession with this blog post is that all of my problems with my system have me convinced that I definitely show an indication I have something abnormal going-on in my gut. The interesting thing is that the first colonoscopy that I had when I was 49, was way too easy. I was in the hospital a minimal amount of time and done. The prep wasn't a bit upsetting to me and I knew ahead of time what to expect. I had a wonderful doctor that I completely trusted and even though a gastroenterologist.... he's the doctor that finally found my murmur or mitral-valve regurgitation of my heart. How could any other doctor top him?

My dear husband reassured me to not worry this time. He told me that all the medications were the same as the first time, my weight is lighter, and I exercise regularly. My system runs the same as always. Really? I'm so unsure that I'm the same as before especially a lot older.

My first scheduled appointment had to be postponed because I fell out on the asphalt carrying a bunch of puppy food in a round, plastic trashcan lid. It's hard to describe my fall. I need to learn to never assume that what I learned in 4th grade was the proper way to carry anything. Over and over, as little kids, we were told... as we went to our assemblies to carry our wooden chairs safely in front of us. I can say after 4th grade, every time I have ever carried anything in front of me... I have fallen down. I never got it and it had to be that the teachers were just saving space, not safety-minded. If you can't see what's in front of your feet--you're NOT safe. I hope I remember. No more "age amnesia!"

The accident was very fast. I fell off of a step and then fell over the board that kept the puppies in the stall. My toes came out of my shoe and became caught under the gate. Quick-as-a-blink, I hit the pavement with my leg as a fulcrum. Added to that ... and I know this can't even be visualized, I fell with a twist. I also conked-my-noggin' but, my pelvis was the problem. Oh, my leg was a problem and my toes, too. I think when you hurt something, the place that hurts the most, is the only injury a person thinks they have. I hurt more in the place that if I had colonoscopy too soon, it would've caused me unnecessary pain. Postponement was the only alternative. Great! Now I have time to set-up a "worry-counsel" with myself.

I decided the Sunday before my procedure to have a "blessing" to help calm my nerves and give me the comfort I needed to go ahead a prepare for the screening. I asked a dear friend that mentioned in passing that a resection of my intestines would mean that I would completely have to change my meals and life-style. Gasp! he knows. Now, looking back ... I'm not sure he knew what kind of test I was going to obtain, but I took what he said way too seriously. This isn't going to turn-out well.

I have had in my mind that I have finished my journey

here on earth. This is my thought process --

I have been released from my callings and for the only time in my whole 42 years, I wasn't given another job in Church and we are a very small ward.
I've done lots of genealogy and I'm at a stand-off with the brick-wall that inevitably occurs at some point. Now, one of my children has shown a great interest in helping me continue the work in finding my ancestors and thankfully it thrills me to be able to pass some work over to her that she wants so desperately to do, herself. My daughter gained an aunt that works for Ancestry.com when she married Matt.
I was told once that I was "spared" to receive the "Word of the Lord" and it was meant literally, and I asked. "Literally" So thinking about that...I did receive and acted upon knowing I needed to be baptized and become a member of the true church. I was married in the Temple, love my family and I had asked to receive that great blessing and all of those great blessings were granted to me. However, I'm where all of my children are adults, some already with their own children and married and on their own. My mothering-time is over.
I'm alone most days because my husband's work at the fire station is unending. He truly has to work every day that he has time off on his CERT and city job. I fit-in just a bit.

My conclusion came when I saw the "everything works-out in the end" sign and I saved it and thought, "Well, why not?" My Relief Society lesson the Sunday before my procedure was to be prepared for the "end-times." No pun intended, I mean like my life is now closing. The whole lesson I'm thinking, "Whew! I'm glad I gave my testimony when I did" that morning. I guess I'm prepared and had felt the presence of the Spirit that day. I knew Heavenly Father was watching over me.

Yep, I've been taking care of my mother, but she

does have her other children.***Deep Breath***

People I know really well that are my age are dying everyday. I know, because Steve comes home and says, "John and I killed only 11 people today." Do I know them? I don't ask ... I'm just stating we live in a small town and yes, I do find-out and I know when I read the paper and line-up the days. I feel his regret in not having success each time the engine pulls-out and his sadness each time there isn't a "save". Still thinking ... it seems everywhere I turn, someone is talking about colon cancer, even on my Twitter account.

I left the doctor's appointment and while climbing in my car I figured that my new "distant" doctor must do colonoscopies because she can't have a family practice. I asked her for reassurance and comfort. She said tersely, "I'll give you a report on my findings when I return." She told me of just a few procedures that didn't have a good outcome, like I was a statistic. The appointment desk assistant quietly said the doctor was going to the East Coast for Thanksgiving." Nooooooo.

I Shouldn't Be have been Judging her

I tried really hard to not worry after my swimming class on Wednesday and my appointment at the hospital was Friday. All of my friends that are there in my class told me not to worry at all, especially my dear friend Vicky, who had some problems that were "taken-care-of" and Vicky is in absolutely in great health, now. "Don't worry." was instead of good-byes from all of them.

I spent all my Thursday on caring for my mother and way more so than usual. I immersed myself in her care. My day was filled with home-cooked meals, finding vitamins she could take, helping her with the channels on the television, cleaning and fixing things she needed, and then talking to her about our family. My mom didn't know about my colonoscopy. She said out-of-the-clear-blue, "Did you know your Grandma Wellman died from complications when she had a colonoscopy?" "WHAT?" "She didn't die from a stroke?" I instantly thought a word that means same as "crap" but starts with an "s".

Right!

I didn't talk much after that and I think that "nervous non-jabber" upset my husband because he knows what my usual "M.O." is the just the opposite before any event in my life. I couldn't talk even on the way to the hospital. I just sang in my head the song, "Lead Kindly Light" our practice hymn for this month. I mean, months. We haven't got the timing right yet. As the song flowed...and I can sing good in my head... I was grateful for the extra rehearsals. Now I know "Lead Kindly Light" by heart. I needed it. I reminded myself that by tomorrow all of this will be over.

"What me worry?" I had mention that because even though not too many people know or remember ... but if you're over 60, there was Mad Magazine. Honest, I only read it at my friend's house! Honest. I had said I was a little worried and Steve looked at me like I was crazy. Worry? And this boy's face jumped into my head. Alfred E. Newman's face made me smile. I hadn't thought of this since the 1970's.

So dang ... What happened?

My husband, a former bishop, attended our "Linger-Longer" Thanksgiving dinner after church this past Sunday. I stayed home because I was so sore, I couldn't walk. Steve was on-duty but was invited for free dinner with the firefighters. My Steve was taking my food assignment to the building. It was one of those "eat and run" stops, no visiting because he was working. I don't miss church, so everyone was concerned that I wasn't AT Church. Only two others knew of my hospital test. "Where's Susan?" "Oh, Susan... she had the colonoscopy from Hell."

I Entered The Hospital Bravely

At the time, I wished it had been a lot different. The medication to calm and make me drowsy, didn't work. The nurses changed shifts and didn't look at my medications, I take everyday. I had trouble with my rolling veins ... I should've gone home. The actual test didn't go well because my doctor was behind schedule and in the rush--- the scope became tangled, my intestines were longer than she thought, had lots of tight-turns, and the more she rushed the longer it took and she pushed-on harder and harder. The last straw was when she administered even more gas inside me. I saw myself on TV, I was a balloon, and rising. The process was over an hour of pure torture. The additional gas was where I hit "critical mass".

I hurt more than birthing any of my children, (all born Lamaze method w/o anesthesia and even more than the induced one, and the few over 10 pounds) I yelled, "STOP!" "I'm going to explode!"

The Doctor stopped and she pulled the scope-out not so gently, and said "Fine, you'll finish your procedure over at x-ray." and she left. What? The nurses rambled-on about x-rays and Barium. I think one of my daughter's drank Barium once at an x-ray lab. My hand rose to my face and I knew I had rattled the windows in the whole north-west corner of the hospital.

I was on a rolling bed and moved down a few halls and was met by young men, one still in training. (???!) They treated me with great respect, kindness. and a gentleness that my own son would've given me. I'm very grateful. The Barium test was very hard to not only administer to me, but also hard for me to be still, considering how my traumatized end-parts were--right at the moment. I was shaking and trembling and that made the techs run x-ray pictures over and over and over. Both of the young technicians said, "I'm sorry, you look so tired." and I said, "I keep telling myself I was going to be up all night anyway, so keep going." "I was going to go to the Twilight movie at midnight." Sheesh, like that made sense to them! The technicians were so patient and sweet. I hope they get paid a lot for what they do in the lab.

My stay in the hospital ... instead of, at the most three hours, was all stinkin' day. I finally said when I saw my husband- all dejected **add whine here*** "We have to pay for this." and I started crying from pain, embarrassment and relief it was over. "I can't believe I put-on all this make-up." (excuse me, while I laugh ... OMGsh- I'm a mess!)

FAITH

Where is my faith between all of my fear and worry? Did I ever feel the Comforter? I had faith throughout the whole experience and I faced it knowing that whatever the outcome, it was going to be okay. I did rely on my husband's faith and admonintion that will be well on my insides. (outside?..another post) He just knew that the findings would be normal. Though-out the whole experience I sang the song in a whisper.

If the outcome was required that I needed to take care of a cancer then I would've done that, knowing I could be really sedated, as in "out." The nurse told me it was a good thing and she was glad that I was awake and could yell-out because it caused the doctor to rethink (actually get mad) and gave the three nurses a chance to completely stop. The discharge nurse, and who was one of the nurses in the room with me, knew that if the doctor had continued...I would probably still be in the hospital and under emergency surgery. The nurse didn't feel good about continuing, fearing perforation. Pain was part of the process and was a learning experience for me. Today, I don't regret the colonoscopy or x-rays because it has made me stronger. Sore all inside, but stronger. This is one of those "We Can Do Hard Things"

Home-bound included a side-trip to my favorite frozen yogurt store. My dear husband went in the shop and brought-out the largest bowl he could find... and he bought himself some this time and even my same flavor. I looked at the bowl and said, "Freeze my guts, please."

I believe I screamed..oops!

Today, my family doctor called and

apologized for my doctor's actions, saying

she was undergoing a lot of stress in her life.

The best news--- my tests were very normal and that I can wait another 10 years before going back again. I hung-up the phone and took a really deep sigh of relief. My prayers were answered in the way I wanted, and that's-- I'm able to stay a bit longer here on this earth and do the things I need to finish in my life. That's a huge thought! I'm not finished with me yet. Thank you, Heavenly Father.

I did enjoy my ride and arrival to my home. My husband had left the heater on in the house so when I came home it would be all cozy for me. Steve even had turned-on my electric blanket to warm my bed because I hadn't slept for over 45 hours and I was still, really shaking. I'm so grateful and appreciate him so much. He left me with my phone and said to me, "Call your kids." I think, I maybe called one of them. Did I tell all of my kids?

I Love This So Much. Yes, It's True

I gazed-out the window and lifted my eyes

to the shadow of lizard-ranch mountain.

The sun has gone and it's Twilight.

The paragraph above's so cheesy...give me a break!

So Blessed! Please Get Screened. I Already Had The Bad Test

My Great Great Grandfather Saw President Lincoln Assassinated

2011-11-10T22:28:00.000-08:00

I have wanted to write this down forever and because it will be Veteran's Day tomorrow, I felt this journal writing entry should be to honor my Union Soldier, Frank LeRoy Perry, who joined the Infantry when he was 13 years old. He was my great, great grandfather and was assigned to The 7 Minnesota Infantry, 7th Regiment, Company K. His birthday was 9 October 1848 and the assassination of President Lincoln was 14 April 1865. This event described by my grandmother, wasn't the voice of my grandmother, it was of my very own grandfather's story and with that, being the way it was presented to me, it became thoroughly embedded in my mind, memorized. My great grandma, Jessie Mable (Perry) Freeman also known to me, as Jessie Mable Frandsen was "prompted" to tell me of his experience.

My Great Grandmother Jessie (Perry) Frandsen and me

Our whole family loved to visit my great grandparents in the San Fernando Valley in a place called North Hollywood. She didn't live far from our town of Santa Paula, except it was warmer there. She and Grandpa Frandsen lived in a group of darling homes at the edge of a grove of Orange trees, farmland, and her the road to get to her house, really it was gravel. Oh, how it has changed. My Grandma Jessie had the neatest stuff and saved very best things that no one else had. I played with an armadillo purse, old grandpa's dentures, old money, dice, marbles, and a little postcards of ships. My young years of visiting her were very loving. I still remember the smell of her rouge on her cheeks and the how she smelled like spring flowers. She had this crazy Chihuahua dog named, Buster. I saw a lot of teeth in that dog, but he never bit me.

I was very close to her in her later years, after my step great grandfather had passed-away, she moved to our town. My mother worked, so every-time I was sick, I went to Great Grandma's. My other grandmother, her daughter, had to work and so did my mom. My ailments weren't serious, but involved a lot of poison oak. I missed so much school during that time, but I'm so blessed because our forced togetherness became a bonding time for the two of us. I grew out of the exploring and romping in the poison oak, but never, did I stop going to see her a lot. She lived just a little over a mile from our house.

Jessie was, because she was at the age of "those years" when all the early remembrances come back so fresh that the event or memory seem to her... to have happened recently. My grandmother thought it was so important to for me to write absolutely everything she knew about her family. Grandma Jessie said to me that all I had to do... was write and I did. Her paper was old, like we used when I was maybe five or so, and was about the size in the picture above. The tablet paper was beige and the blue lines ran across the paper to keep handwriting neat and legible. The papers rolled to the back like a legal pad and the pencils she handed me were sharpened with a knife. I wrote about all of her brothers and sisters and there were ten. Grandma Jessie was the last one in her family and she told me to keep all the information because someday it would all be important. How did she know, how important? : )

I knew that her father, Frank LeRoy Perry, had my same birthday month and day and that her little brother, Edward Thomas, did also. It's special to me because I too have a son that shares my birthday. My son was the grandest birthday present. Also, my father was honored with Frank Perry's middle name and my father became, LeRoy Gene Wellman. He was called Gene Wellman. I still see mail with his first name and I always think of where the name LeRoy had come. My dad's been gone for over twenty years.

My Grandma Frandsen told me that The Ford's Theater was so packed with people the night President Lincoln was shot. There were many people outside the theater and my Grandfather Perry came early to the theater. My grandmother said he was young like me. I couldn't understand and questioned the story because I knew only officers of the Union Army were allowed to attend a play or an important event with the President of the United States. His age didn't match an officer's age. She told me she didn't know why he was there, but he was. He wasn't in the balcony area and he didn't watch the play or remember it. What he remembered was seeing a scuffle in the President's balcony room or boxed seating, a shot and lots and lots of blood.

He saw too much blood and the President's face seemed gone, however it was covered with blood. He told his family it looked like President Lincoln had no face because it was covered dark red and had even ran onto his clothing. He hardly remembered a person falling out of the balcony...like a blur.

But, didn't look because his eyes couldn't leave the President and the immediate flurry of persons trying to help the President.

My grandmother continued with the account by adding that one of my grandfather's acquaintances ran to the kitchen and took a white "tea-towel" and covered the President face and became was one of the men that helped carry President Lincoln to the place across the street, called Peterson's Boarding House. I asked her about her father's friend that got the "tea towel" and I know I asked that a lot because I remember she always corrected me by saying that he wasn't a friend, but an acquaintance. My grandmother was retold about about this horrible evening, time and time again. She said it was as if her father couldn't accept it. His story never wavered, it was always the same.

I told my children the story a few times and not even half as many times as my Grandma Jessie had retold it all to me about President Lincoln and Frank LeRoy Perry. My children knew that story very well. I think I told it to them on Lincoln's birthday even though we celebrate both President Washington and President Lincoln on the same day. I always put my decorations of the two silhouettes together to help them remember how important the two holidays are to Americans. It's interesting, I remember Lincoln's birthday and still have to look-up President Washington's. We do have some great historical connections with our ancestors and President Washington. I have toooooo much to remember!

One year we home-schooled our children. it wasn't well-received at all from our extended family and the school districts, but we needed it. One of our favorite places to visit was the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. It's really close and has lots of traveling displays. The very first time we visited the Library as a family was when the Civil War mementos and history was featured. I had no clue that anything of President Lincoln would be highlighted, but it was. We walked by a picture of Ford's Theater, saw posters, the "Playbill" and then hanging on a display was a gauze towel, a kitchen towel or "tea-towel" and I looked at Steve. The towel was stained with dark brown and I knew it was President Lincoln's blood. I started crying, because it was then I knew... without any doubt, my great, great grandfather was there.

Six years passed and the event came into my life again. Kiely, my youngest, was chosen by her little school to attend with a larger town school to take a trip to Washington, D.C. I had done a lot of genealogy by then and I filled the escort teacher's ear with tales of our family in Early America and then I told her about President Lincoln. I cried. I didn't say another word about our family after that. I was interested in going back with my daughter, my husband, a fireman and emergency expert was invited. I wanted to go too. So I did.

If anyone has been on those 8th grade trips, it's hectic and the day-to-day itinerary is often whizzing by from lack of sleep and just genuine tiredness. I had no idea we were going to the same Ford's Theater where President Lincoln was shot, this was a play about The Declaration of Independence. I was thoroughly excited because another ancestor, Thomas McKean, signed for the state of Delaware. I couldn't wait. My first thought as I entered was that it was a reproduction theater. The teacher that led the tour and all of the planning, came to Steve and I and walked us to some saved seats directly across from the box seats that President Lincoln was assassinated. I'm not sure when I became aware that I was really looking at the "real" place where President Lincoln had been.

I looked down at the empty seats and just imagined all the men in their uniforms with their hats on their knees and wondered where had my grandfather sat. How did he see President Lincoln so well? How did he see the blur of a person come out of the box seating, and why wasn't he watching the play? I was so upset, but then our own play started about Independence. I saw Thomas McKean with his strong brogue and how he had been placed in the play as comic relief. Perfect, I needed some of that.

Our dear teacher, that was more than an expert in American History, had my husband and I assigned in that special seating. She took us to The Peterson's Boarding House after the play and while all the kids looked at the crazy bubble-gum tree across the street. The three of us, oblivious to the students... just looked and thought of the history that happened more that a hundred years ago and we felt it.

A day later we arrived in Gettysburg, and it was at that sacred place that I found the answer about Frank LeRoy Perry. My great great grandfather was a musician! We found his regiment and company and no wonder he was young and he didn't watch the play. He was probably able to see very clearly all that transpired that evening with the shock and unbelievable trauma of the beloved President being killed. I'm sure it wasn't a new experience to see bloodshed, but this was so much more and he never got over it.

I want my family to appreciate veterans. I saw my husband's red poppy on his uniform pocket today. It made me think about wars and the rumors of war. Tomorrow is a happy day for my mother-in-law. It's her birthday and we're celebrating with a large party at a big Mexican Restaurant in town. It will be 11-11-11. I don't know that all those "ones" mean anything other than the date, but writing it is fun and it looks even better.

Have I ever said that I love genealogy? It gets better as we go back, it does. We have so many great people in our family and me...I just occasionally write it down. No greatness here, nor can I have claim on any of their greatness. I am humbled to know that so many of them succeeded in their work while on earth. My intention is to document their story or even just their family names, but I do know how hard they worked and I appreciate them for coming ahead of me to make my life better. I know....

Try living with Noah. There is going to be a disaster and we need to prepare now. My husband isn't a Prophet, but a "voice of warning, none-the-less" I'm so grateful to be blessed with such a devoted public servant. My Noah is HERE: Disaster Preparedness

Thanksgiving Appreciation

2011-11-07T21:19:00.000-08:00

Recently, we had a talk at Church by a famous author. He lives in our town and a member of our congregation. The brother spoke about how life was on the Alberta, Canadian prairie, many years ago. He said when he was little, one of best stories that he remembers reading in his primary reader-book was a story that touched his heart to always know and appreciate what he had in life. The story is by Laura Richards and called, The House With The Golden Windows.

The story was about a young boy who lived with his parents and family in a cottage and in his sight was far-away hillside that had a house perched on the top. He would watch every evening from his home to this house that was situated on the hillside in the distance. He always waited for the golden moment when the sun was setting and the house on the hillside would glow in a golden light and all the windows appeared to him, to be etched in gold. He thought the people in this house of "golden windows" were rich and happy because they lived in such a beautiful and marvelous house. The little boy always thought about living in a house that had "Golden Windows" He thought that he could be happy forever if he had a house just like that one on the hill. The boy looked at his regular house with regular glass windows and thought how he wished his own home had the same beautiful glow.

The boy wished he could see the windows up close and meet the people that lived there, so he took a hike to see the house and it was much farther away than he had figured. The sun was setting before he reached the top of the hill. The boy looked at the house. It wasn't grand or large or even have "Golden Windows." The house had regular windows of very plain glass. It was a house that was similar to his own house, only it was not well-kept and tidy like his family took care of his home, this cottage on the hillside was smaller and run-down. The entire house was very plain and he was so sad that the house wasn't the dream home he expected. The family walked out of the little home and asked him to spend the night and even offered him supper because it was already night-time and it would've been very hard to leave for home so late. While the boy ate with the family... he learned that they were very poor and they didn't have many visitors.

The young boy awoke early in the morning before sunrise and got himself ready to go on his way. He had many chores at home and he would be late. As he started down the hillside, he looked to see if he could find his house. The sun was starting to rise and there he saw his home down in the valley below. The sunbeams of the morning lit the sky and to his great amazement his own house was ablaze with golden rays of light.

He never thought that his home could look so beautiful and have the windows that he had so recently wished he had. The boy raced toward home with a new appreciation and gratefulness for his home and parents and family. His lesson that day was that he had "Golden Windows" and he saw how blessed he already was with what he had in his life.

I'm so grateful for being at church and hear this beautiful talk by a very wise and wonderful man. It's made me think a lot about how I may perceive others...as so much better off than I am. I don't mean that I'm wanting a new or fancy home, but the temptation is there to compare others, and a whole variety of different things, without any knowledge of their real circumstances. or how I may judge others to "be" in their life. I already knew it was wrong to judge in a bad way, but also we shouldn't ever judge anyone... in any light or compare ourselves.

This was a lesson that we recently had in Relief Society Conference and was repeated by a small parable by our dear brother. It was the same, but taught to us in story; those same things that President Uchtdorf had admonished to all of the sisters in Relief Society. We need to remember and not only be grateful for our lives we hold, but to be kind to our own circumstances. He said, "God is fully aware that you and I are not perfect," he said. "Let me add: God is fully aware that the people you think are perfect are not. "President Uchtdorf said people often spend time and energy comparing themselves to others — usually comparing their weaknesses to others' strengths. "This drives us to create expectations for ourselves that are impossible to meet. As a result, we never celebrate our good efforts, because they seem to be less than what someone else does. …"Dear sisters, many of you are endlessly compassionate and patient with the weaknesses of others. Please remember also to be compassionate and patient with yourself." President Uchtdorf spoke about five different things he wanted us to remember and this one was the first.

This "The House With The Golden Windows" was a perfect story to cement in my mind how much I have to be grateful for here on earth and my "Golden Windows" are in rich abundance. Our joy is full... and both Steve and I know how blessed we are to have such a great family and a home that is filled with joy and even though, I have a lot of time alone, when Steve's on duty. Our house is never without the feeling of warmth, happiness, and love. We'll have a grand Thanksgiving.

Toilet Paper Do What Comes Naturally, Make Something

2011-10-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

I can understand that because money is tight these days, it's important to recycle. I've heard over and over about how my parents had this saying, (and I'm sure tired of it) “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!” I know that reminder was a Depression saying and I think that causes so much guilt in so many of us us that we feel that we can't actually throw stuff, trash even, into the garbage/recycle/trash pail. Sheesh, I don't want to be a "hoarder."

My husband, Steve was a trash hauler for a number of years and he had the contracts for Santa Paula and rural areas, Bardsdale, Fillmore, and Piru. I have to say running our trash business was hard and we learned so much. I'm so glad he sold it the trash business because people don't pay their bills even without a recession. Many people held on to way too much junk in their homes and my husband was called-out to provide huge bins and carry large amounts of trash out of homes to the dump.

One time in Fillmore, and this was a great lesson to me ... a grand lady that was well-known in the city and a great philanthropist died, and her only son or daughter came down to help with managing her affairs and prepare her home for selling. No one ever expected or knew what her home was like inside. She had hundreds and hundreds of old photographs with no names (oh, that killed me) but she also saved every single empty, toilet paper cardboard roll. There were boxes and boxes of really important items to her and everything was neat, but no room to walk. One particular box held small pieces of string that weren't long enough to tie around a person's pinky finger.

I never forgot the cardboard TP holders she had. My own mom told me that I needed to use them for holding rope. Not that Fillmore lady's rolls, but ours. I did use them to hold electrical extension cords or cords that are used for appliances and had to be kept separate from the appliance. I even covered them with contact paper so they would match my kitchen. That's it, no more ... I use fat rubber-bands now.

Isn't it obvious what is hanging on this wall?

Steve used to say to our little kids that all they were getting for Christmas was a "Rootie Toot" and that was the T.P. cardboard and a child would have to hold one like a kazoo and toot pretending it was music. That's the Southern California version, "If you're bad the only thing you're getting for Christmas is ..." Everywhere else, I guess ... it's a lump of coal. I'm sure most children raised in Southern California wouldn't know what coal was. This is the truth: I went up to UTAH at Snow College, winter before last, I was 59 years old and I said, "Oh Steve, I can smell it, can you?" He said, "Ye-ah, what?" "Oh, no there's kids smoking grass up here, on campus!" He was laughing and almost couldn't tell me -- choking because of laughter, he kept saying, "Coal, coal .... coal." "What?" He almost fell-down in the snow and was trying to tell me that's one of his favorite smells. Okay, I'm so confused. "Pot?" "Coal?" I thought people didn't use coal anymore, except to make oil, Bar-B-Que fuel, or something. No one told me that it was used for heating, still!

*** Here's how to make a naughty coal present, HERE:

Chick the stinky baby!

Recipe:

What you’ll need:

1/4 cup butter

10.5 ounce bag mini marshmallows
4 cups rice krispie cereal (this is cut down from the regular rice krispies recipe)

black icing color (can be found at most craft stores)

bags or containers

ribbon or tulle

cardstock

tag – download HERE

What you’ll need to do:

melt the butter on low and then add your marshmallows. once that is all melted add your black coloring. (it took a bit of coloring to get it to go from purple to black for us) then stir in your rice krispies until they are all covered with the marshmallow mixture. then just take out small handfuls and mold them into odd shapes. voila… yummy Christmas coal.

I didn't know coal was shiny and hard and smelled when it was burned. I thought it would look like uneven brickettes similar to what's used for Bar-B-Ques. There it is! Black, hard, shiny coal vs. the Southern California "Rootie-Toot" Christmas present for bad kids.

Not Iron, Not Coal, but Cardboard T.P. Rolls

I like this wreath, good job hiding it's original use.

I suppose the coal is worth more. While I'm on the cardboard recycling brainstorm, actually I should have used a lot of brainstorming BEFORE I wrote this post. Has anyone noticed how many people are interested in plain old toilet paper? I don't have television, so I'm hoping it's not as common on TV as online. I suppose there are just too many minds buzzing along and when they go to the restroom their mind just keeps going, especially if they didn't take their phone, tablet, IPad, book? with them to pass the time.

Okay, "smart" idea. Don't let your legs fall asleep.

Okay, I'm guilty. I saw a few weird toilet paper pictures and then I started collecting toilet paper on my computer. Oh my gosh, I'm a toilet paper hoarder on my computer. So, now I'm throwing it all out on my blog to get rid of it. Honestly, as many as I have, I know there's a thousand other designs, alternate uses, and why not? The creative minds have this world outlet to show just amazing we all are.

I do realize that the upcoming holiday of Thanksgiving is soon approaching. I am grateful for nice, sweet toilet paper. A simple thing.... and amazingly better than the Sears Catalog. Or worse....?

NO!

We Could All Learn Origami in The Bathroom

Yes, Let's Decorate It

A Reminder To Use Sparingly and Save Trees

Oh, Please Hide It So People Don't See It

I know I have at least three crocheted toilet paper covers with flowers on the top, in the basement. Why do I keep them? "Dear, your great grandmother made them to match your little bathroom on Maple Street."

I'm so sure my grandmother cares, now. Makes me laugh to think about how worried I was that they weren't set-out here in the bathrooms at the ranch. All four totally match my bathroom, no they don't.

So Jeremy, are you selling a lot of that Chuck Norris

Toilet Paper? Your mom is proud of you.


Not More Origami? Or is that Paper Airplanes?

Toilet Paper airplanes do not fly!

"Crime Scene?" After seeing that... I would only expect guilt and constipation.

Do I need to say Goth?

Of course, Damask and Polka Dots!

Knotty!

Tough Enough?

I hope it's color-fast!

Punishment?

Personal Statement on Life and Economics?

Decor off a Music Room, right?

No!

Okay, I like this one...........

Harsh

Oh crap

Perfect Pearl Accessories for Chuch

No duh

Why Did I add this One? My name is Susan.

This particular bath accoutrement will probably

scare most anyone to make great use of the facilities.

Some need to be reminded of very important things,
especially if the "smart phone" or planner isn't there
with them to help. Okay, what do I do next?

For all who think that they are worth it. 14K

Games

If It's not "Angry Birds" Forget It!

Okay, I love lace, BUT(T), I would use the above T.P. to wrap presents, or line the front of my kitchen cabinets, or go around and frame with an added feminine touch to my big bulletin boards in our hallway. I love poorly written run-on sentences too.

Modern or Vintage?


Okay, This would be handy.

There were many pictures of toilet paper and a few were naughty or maybe gross is a better word. I had them on my computer! I put some pictures up and then read the fine print while I was blogging and almost died. I had those pictures on my computer for about six months maybe longer. Acccck...people!

Lastly, out of my very own Brownie Book from Girl Scouts a page fell-out. I remember that we made these projects from toilet paper cardboard rolls. There was no corrugated paper. We made a snowman, a Santa, and an angel. The next week we put cloves in an orange and that's the same year we had all the ants in our Christmas tree. It cracks me up that we took something out of the bathroom, made ornaments out of them to be used for a Christmas table decorations. I think the craft project below didn't make it home from our dry cleaners shop in Fillmore. I'm pretty sure my dad put them in the window.

These roll are just so cute in color.

Taylor Swift was rumored to have written a song in an

airport bathroom. I don't think she used this particular

one. If I had my choice it would be the standard

Western musical notation paper with a treble and bass clef.

This looks like it takes a long time. Well?

Is This Too Over The Top?

I did find a mouse in a toilet picture, but was

so freaked-out by it, I couldn't post it on my blog,

so here's maybe a hamster. Honestly, I sewer rat in the

toilet would make me want to go to my neighbor's house,

To Go...I know that they would let me because

she's my daughter. Thank you Marnie.

We have lots of rain spiders and I just found-out

that's not what these spiders really are called. It's Camel Spiders.

They have chased my children down the hall. One was about

the size of a silver dollar on the back of the

toilet seat. Not really upset, he got the boot. But, if

there was a surprise from down-under, I would've fainted.

Oh yes I did! I jumped a snake down our hall,

I pulled a snake out of the bathtub drain escaping

to freedom. I even pulled it out of the toilet.

Thank you Dustin. The only time I think it would've

been upset is if I didn't personalty know the snake.

Oh, heck no! This is probably one animal that would

up-set me a lot if I didn't know it was in

there and decided to crawl out before I was ready.

Just want all my grandchildren and children to enjoy this

blog--you know me! Hope you have happy dreams tonight.

The Great California Shake-Out Drill

2011-10-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

My husband has been dreading this day for a long time, well maybe since the last one in October. He and the city manager got together and prepared a statement to be announced on our local radio. Santa Paula residents were all, and I mean all of California too, were supposed to do this earthquake drill. It didn't matter where we were today, but we were encouraged to listen to 1640 am in our radios and respond altogether as a community. It was going to even have earthquake sound effects. It sounded like static, but I figure, "Hey, that's probably what the TV would do and every radio everywhere."

I was over at my mother's house and told her about it and got online and registered both of us. I like to do drills and I like to be prepared. Mostly, I don't want to be scared and not know what to do in case of a disaster of any kind.

Me Working The Triage Area of A Drill

I decided to go home because I don't want to be in an earthquake in the heaviest house in town. My mom's house is made with huge cut rocks. She said she was going under the dining room table anyway and there's not room for the both of us.

I Grew-up Here and Felt The 1971 Quake Here. The House Groaned

My house is right next door to my mother's and

just across driveway and the grass on the right.

The drill began right on time: I was listening to Santa Paula

Emergency and information broadcast on the dial of 1610 am

"SHEEESSSHHHhhhhh......" And then the announcement began and it continued over and over. I had moved my genealogy over to my regular roll-top desk and made room under the library table with a little padded stool to help me get-up after the drill was over.

I planned the earthquake drill and was starting to restore my new information on my genealogy file and the drill it began (I knew that) I ducked under the library table and grabbed the leg with one hand and the other over my head. And I learned a very important lesson.

The legs on the library table had one screw in each of the front legs and they had not been tightened by the wing-nut that held them on. I grabbed the leg and then the library table was being held by my BACK. It dropped! It came down and was a bit concerned because I didn't have my cell-phone with me... another mistake. No one called 911, thankfully. The table was very light and just "planked" around on my back until I figured this is nuts. FAIL! I guess I didn't survive the drill.

Lovely!

I should have gone under my roll-top desk, the one that I was working at when the drill started. I only thought, at the time, that I should get-away from the big picture window that isn't tempered. The place for my legs while I use the computer has is absolutely nothing to hold-on to inside that space. We're suppose to drop, cover, and HOLD ON. If the desk scooted back and forth maybe I'd get pinched. We'll have a fix more than a few things in this house.

Oh no... the pinching, it's better to get crushed

by a table! I figured that was just par for me.

This is Danger Ranch and I was just

filling my quota of excitement for the day.

My Steve thought that my experience did teach me, so the drill wasn't a real failure for me. Now, I may actually think a little clearer, especially if I'm "home alone" and trying to be in the right spot to ride-out a quake. Pretty weird that Berkley, California had an earthquake early this afternoon on the same day as the drill. It was a 4.0 and that's not exactly tiny.

The broken desk did give reveal some surprises while I was looking for the parts to fix the it. I found a new box of Ticonderoga pencils and my old IPod ear phones and it's the tiny ones that FIT IN MY EARS! I wish I hadn't thrown the player away. I think it'll fit my phone... sooooo, it wasn't a wash. I found gold! (gold pencils and stereo!) Dang, glad there wasn't a spider under the library table. I didn't even think about that. But, while digging out the good stuff there was "web evidence" of spider(s). We would have scared each other.

This afternoon I took my mom to have some skin cancer biopsied and the places that were checked, had to be burned on face and hand for excessive bleeding. Oh gee, it was awful. It smelled just like the odor of disbudding goat kid horns. I hate that. It smelled exactly like a burned hot-dog and you know what? Bar-B-Q hot dogs are on my "yuck list". I almost threw-up in the doctor's office. Smell, plus my little mom. I know it hurt me more than it hurt her. It didn't bother my mother at all and the doctor did that TO HER! My mom wanted to go out to eat. I will not comment my thoughts on that.

Cal Poly Quitters

Since this is somewhat like "one of those days" I really, really hate "Quitters." It's those socks that are real soft and the top edge of the sock runs around ankle just where the shoe ends. "Quitters" are those socks that don't stay there, they want to sneak-down under my heal and make me crazy. I have a pair and if anyone wants some Cal Poly Quitters, let me know. They're free.

Madly Cutting Hair

2011-10-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

Sunday, October 16th 2011

This morning I woke-up way too early. Steve was still on duty and I wondered if all the chores could be done on time and get myself together enough to look at the very least "pulled-together" for church. I was so busy yesterday and was in a crunch that I washed my hair and didn't even bother to comb it. That's not really a bad thing if you live in the country. I sometimes go out and feed the animals and do the chores in my flannel nightgown. Who's going to see me?

I had let my hair dry naturally and Saturday was my day to help my mother, except I needed to go to my niece's birthday party and wanted to help my mother-in-law go to the party, too. As expected, I felt I couldn't leave. My car is so high and my mom had said that she wasn't up to go to a party. I called Marnie to pick-up my mother-in-law and she promptly said, "You are going!" I knew that meant that was a "no if, and, or buts" statement. I quickly took my mother lunch and hurried back to the house. My hair? I couldn't go like this. I brushed it and thought that it was so strange that my hair actually looked like I had spent a lot of time on it. I was extremely puzzled. It didn't look "GOOD" just the same! I wore my glasses on my head and went to the party, then back to my mother's, and then out to do all the chores. Home.

This morning I looked again in the mirror, there was no change. I thought if my hair looks like this all time even if I don't do anything, why bother. I went back to bed because I was freezing and it was only 4:00 am. I wondered if my daughter Larin had put more pictures up and there on my Android Tablet in the dark I opened Facebook, and there was Larin's dear friend Ashley. She had put pictures up of her little girl, it was a whole bunch of hours difference in time because her family lives in England. Little Chole is maybe five years old and she had a new haircut. The amazing thing is that she cut it herself and it looked so cute. I should have looked closer and at all the pictures

A light-of-an-idea popped in my head and I got up. What if I just cut my bangs? I found the scissors and all my hair grooming tools and set them out. I already had set-out my clothes for Sunday, so I crawled back into bed and promptly fell asleep.

I awoke to banging on my back kitchen door. I leaped-out of bed to find that it was not only 8:15, but Steve was at the door and I didn't have enough time to do much of anything but rush madly on getting ready for church. Oh, I let him in. I got in the shower with a shower cap, hurried on a robe, and proceeded to cut my bangs. This is what I learned this morning.

THE RULES FOR CUTTING YOUR OWN HAIR: (if you're not a trained professional)

Do not cut your hair when you are mad.
Don't let others influence your decision. Like a cute little five year old darling little girl. And never make decisions before the sun comes up.
Try and stay calm. Do not spin!
~~Use sharp scissors.~~ Use dull scissors and you won't make HUGE mistakes.
Do not keep trying to make it even, or right... by continuing to cut.
Lifting eyebrows may cause unwanted eyebrow removal
Lifting eyebrows may cause a person to think that hair needs to come down to eyebrow level, but are your eyebrows lifted? Always make your face in the normal expression.
Remove all cut hair-strands from your face so you don't look like the bearded-lady.
Don't leave the hair straightener, hair curlers, or curling iron on.

This rule is for me: Walk with head down and wear bright orange lipstick with gloss so if anyone sees me they will think either that woman has shiny lips or she's really "with" the Fall/Autumn/Halloween season.

So, my dear children you wanna' a picture

of my cut bangs? Look in the photograph above

and there's some blond hair at the bottom left

below the scissors and next to the blue comb.

We sat in our usual place at church with our daughter and grandchildren. I held the hymnal high and while I was contemplating all my short-comings during the Sacrament, my thought processes went from, I cut my hair really bad. (Oh, so vain) and I remembered, "Oh no!" "I didn't shut off the hair curler."

I whispered low to my fireman husband, "I left the curling iron on at home." He said, "Oh." No expression of panic or concern on his face. I knew already that many, many fires have been started that way. The Sacrament time was over and before the youth speaker... he rose and slid-out the side-door. We live about a mile from the church building. He was gone forever!

The talks were about keeping the Sabbath holy. It was high counsel Sunday and I was sorry I had keep my husband away. So many times he misses his Sunday meetings from his firefighting duty, so he treasures being able to come to church.

I found-out he had heard all of the talk, but more than that, he was working in the hallway at church. We have two dogs and four puppies. We have a ba-zillon cats. We watch where we walk, always. Look down.

The brand new asphalt church parking lot was one place my husband didn't think to look and promptly stepped on a nice steaming present from a neighbor's dog in the church parking lot.

My dear husband had been in the custodial closet with ever bit of carpet cleaning equipment available and had been trying to quickly rush to clean the whole entire hallway of his big, foot, print tracks. He then quickly washed his boot with some fancy other Amway cleaner and shined it and used cleanser and bleach on every bit of surface that he had used to clean his boot. Firemen do that. He had heard the talk and I'm sure he was thinking how ironic it was that he was working fast and hard to make things right and smelling lovely before church was dismissed.

Steve sat down before the closing prayer and I knew he was out of breath. He leaned in and said to me, "Your hair-curler wasn't on at home." I must have looked surprised because he never sits in the foyer. He related what he had been doing and then we started to sing. "Lead Kindly Light." Have you ever thought one little mad moment could cause all of this? Maybe it was the way he told me the story, but I started giggling and couldn't quit, and even laughed a bit aloud. Weird though, the left-side of the congregation was laughing harder than me. I didn't know it, but everyone, everyone was singing off-beat and off-key. Perfect. I wasn't the only one who had the fidgets.

Today, as we left our meetings. I felt like I had been taught a lot. There were great lessons about our Sundays and The Great Plan of Salvation. And..there so much hope for me, even me .... to make it to heaven. Lastly, even if you have super beautiful hair, look down or at least have one eye scanning the ground and stop, and stand tall, and smile because you didn't fall-down or step-in something that well...causes a mess. Now, Steve needs a rest. I need a nap.

The Days of SPAM and Woe-zes (no "wine" and pruned the "roses")

2011-10-10T15:58:00.000-07:00

I ate some SPAM today and it wasn't bad tasting at all, my SPAM sandwich was truly just what my tummy needed. My firefighter/CERT instructor husband made me dinner. That's not unusual for my Steve because he loves to cook, however, I wouldn't have thought to ask him, "Hey, would you fry-up some ol' SPAM for me?"

"Hey Mikey .... he likes it!" I had to quote the old 1972 Life Cereal slogan. I don't have a Mikey, but I have a Dustin, and he does eat SPAM. The "Life" part of the slogan relates to me that this ground-potted meat that can sustain a life when putting together a family preparedness supply for times of an emergency. The 72-hour pack has been a real push and here again, Steve's training another big class on Wednesday night. Today was a'bit of a disaster for me and I needed a protein-type of a food and "click" my husband went into his emergency-mode, "She needs some SPAM!"

I can't bring myself to read the ingredients but I know there's no shelf-life, it can be eaten right outta' the can, and it's a source of protein. I've heard it's redeeming qualities many times before when attending his classes. After his announcement of it's greatness, it's always followed by everyone in the whole class moaning out-loud in unison, just like its scripted. (moan here and make a face) I'm going to say what's real: SPAM will look, smell, and taste like the best cut of meat anyone could ever fix if you were hungry and the added fat is actually a'bit satisfying. (that's my added thought)

I've eaten SPAM at the Hawaiian fast-food place and decided then, after an awkward attempt to even taste it, caused me to start gagging. I "fake-coughed" and then looked-up at the pretty pictures and pretended I was on vacation. I couldn't act like a little kid and push it on the floor, especially in front of all the others in the restaurant eating their SPAM-inspired culinary presentations. I couldn't upset my husband, because that would be so ungrateful. I was his guest and he was taking me out. This was a date and treat just for me and I know for sure he still wanted to eat his order selection. Okay, I'll make this worse...I asked him to take me there. Hawaiian-anything sounded so wonderful on a cold, rainy night. Does my turning my nose-up sound immature and not thankful for his generosity? The food wasn't cheap, even though real SPAM is a deal at the market. I think I ordered the wrong items, ahhh "Sweet and Sour SPAM" It's hard to even write it. I WAS grateful for the pretty pictures on the walls all around the restaurant, and the steaming, smokey atmosphere. "Don't look down" was on rerun-mode in my head. Steve asked me, "Why aren't you eating very much?" I already had an answer prepared. "I must not be as hungry as I thought" "Aren't these pretty pictures?" "I love yellow ... and blue .. and waves ...".

I do live in Southern California. I feel lucky that the only times he's asked to go since that time to the Hawaiian SPAM place, is when it's been beautiful and really warm here. My answer has been, "We have our own Hawaii, right here". Confession: Waikiki Wieners with pineapple made me sick, too. I had to watch my children try and eat the Wacko-wieners and it was my recipe!

Now that I've thoroughly convinced all not to even try SPAM. It wasn't really the SPAM that was bad, it was the way it was prepared. Sweet and Sour seems really yucky to me, unless it was our Santa Paula Lin's Chinese Restaurant.

The first step is to just buy it, just get it and store it on your shelf or in your "grab and run" bag in your emergency supply storage.

Then, just try and find a way you can eat it or incorporate it in your cooking, like the Chef Cook-Off TV shows. An even better way is to go to the SPAM website and find a good recipe and have your family get used-to eating it and it's taste. There's probably a vegetarian SPAM somewhere if your inclined to not eat real meat. Here's the link: www.spam.com

The sandwich that I had was good. Plain and good. I'm sharing the only way my own children would gobble cans of SPAM and not even know it. Well .... they know it now, and I think they still love it. Yes, it's fatty and the crackers have a lot of sodium, but every once-in-a-while on Sunday night we had our favorite "pick-night" dinner. (Pick something out of our cupboards and eat it. It's so really, really easy and no mess)

1 can of SPAM grated
1 large onion grated
1/2 pound of Monterey Jack Cheese grated
2 Grated Dill Pickles
Mix together with a couple big dollops of Real Mayonnaise and serve as a dip with Chicken-In-A- Biskit Crackers. I know it's junk food, but once-in-a-while, I think it's okay. We're practicing eating what we store!

Really, these are the only crackers my children

could eat with this because they

thought all my other crackers were too bland.

The truth is, no matter if I tripled the recipe I never had leftovers. I never told them the dip was SPAM, either. The kids would just hand me the cracker box and I knew they wanted this simple meal. I did have six children, so to triple the recipe wasn't that much for all of us and the poor children really had to scramble for food when we had a regular meal. Poor children, "Did I not make enough?"

As you travel to the market, pretend that the street stencils say "SPAM" and you won't forget.

I promise that this SPAM isn't a virus or has malware

The time will come when there aren't any groceries in the stores, you will be so glad and thankful that you put some of these strange canned meat away for yourself and your family. Sheesh, I'm thinking about the other cans we have stored: Sardines, smoked smelt, pickled herring, will I be able to eat them? Yep, and I know when I need to eat them they will be like Halibut or Salmon. Or maybe ... I'll just look-up.

Charity, Covenants, and Forget-Me-Nots

2011-09-25T23:36:00.000-07:00

Sept. 24th Relief Society and Sept.25th 2011

Marnie and I stepped into the foyer at the Stake Center and saw four tables filled with dresses. I thought at that moment I was so grateful I had made an extra effort to make seven dresses. Without anyone looking and busy in the Cultural Hall, I added my dressed to the side table.

Tada! I entered a beautiful decorated and food-filled room that the Relief Society had prepared for us. I was floored at the number of dresses covering the whole, huge cultural hall. The little dresses were pinned as decorations for our meeting and as a reminder of our mission of service. There were boxes everywhere and I had heard there weren't enough boxes to contain the amount of humanitarian kits that had been made through-out the stake. We stood, took pictures, and greeted old friends and hugged the new ones we were meeting for the first time. The first count on the kits were 780 hygiene kits, 200 infant kits, and 562 dresses. We were surprised at the number of dresses still to come in toward the end of the next week. I'm still amazed.

My youngest daughter, Kiely, had arrived a minute before the meeting had started. I knew where she was sitting. The time difference was an hour earlier, but I strained to see her as we sang and the camera swung quickly across the audience in attendance. I thought then, I wouldn't recognize her and the camera was moving so fast and even if it had been slower it would have been hard to spot her, the mother (me) looks for a blond ... and not brunette with glasses. She was there!


Kiely is on the far left and attending with her husband's family

I couldn't help and be in awe of our Sunday Sabbath meeting and the talks presented to us all revolved around the same subjects spoken last night. The talks were about covenants and the Priesthood It was a widening of what we had heard just the night before. It seems without any knowledge what another is talking about or what the lessons might be, often our Sunday services have a theme. Today is was about our covenants and service to others and the blessing of the Priesthood. I soaked it in.

LDS Conference Center

Last night, at our General Relief Society Meeting, we definitely were uplifted by every single talk that was given to us. I was writing frantically trying to keep some memory of what I was hearing and not even thinking that we would have all this probably again in a week. Of course it's recorded and definitely written down in the Church News. I was a bit wrong on the timing. I saw even before midnight, last night in the Deseret News there was a link on Twitter and there were summaries of what I needed to recall what was said in the meeting. I wanted to share with my Steve the great meeting we were able to attend. I should have sat in the pew and absorbed it in and left the note-taking and saved my pages for what would not be recorded. I took five pages of notes and my daughter, Marnie, who was sitting next to me took four pages. I had, right in the middle of Sister Beck's talk torn-out of my journal two pieces of paper. Marnie wrote really small, front to back, and I could tell by the time of President Uchtdorf's talk, she was just plain out-of-room.

The talks are online and will be published soon. The printed word seemed to land deeper in me than trying to read the computer. Sister Beck's talk was about granddaughters and what she hopes that they will gain from their knowledge of Relief Society and understand why we have this great organization. I feel the same way and I know that reading our new manual will help us learn even more details of it's beginnings and restoration. That was new to me, restoration of Relief Society. It was an organization of ministry and discipleship organized by the Savior. And it was patterned again after The Priesthood. A restoration.

The early and mid-1800's had lots of organizations for women, but none under the direction of the Priesthood and patterned like the Priesthood. Women weren't voted into their positions, but appointed by those having keys to send direction from our Heavenly Father. Relief Society was organized for a specific work and a place of learning, so that all women will be ready to receive of the temple blessings that we are blessed to obtain.

The challenges that lie ahead for all of us are different in each area of the world, but we have a common desire to provide relief to those challenges and hardships. I can make a promise to myself here, that even though there are life changes and a new direction given, there is always choice of another path we could take.

I will be certain to hold to the rod and not let those paths take me off the course that I have set for my life. We study the early saints to gain a respect and learn from the women that endured to the end in all hardships and trials. We'll also have hard times in this life. We have so many great examples to follow and some that are own family members, our ancestors. The burdens that we carry are made lighter by lifting each other and this provides a way to learn to protect our homes and family. The strength that comes with caring for others, makes us stronger and more faithful in keeping all the Lord's commandments. It provides standards to live by, examples to follow, and by improves our own discipleship of Jesus Christ.

Sister Allred also had additional admonitions about providing service to all that are in need. She said that by our own service to others we can come to an understanding that helps our own difficulties seem less of a burden. She wants us to remember to "abound in charity."

Again, Sister Thompson spoke of the joy and happiness that comes by keeping our covenants. She promised us that joy, happiness, and protection is ours if we hold to those covenants that we've made. The blessings from these also help us when we have trials of our own. Remember and keep close the covenants and blessings of the Temple.

I could only reflect on how blessed our family has been this past month with the help of our members rebuilding our porches that have been such a danger. I think that my accident in the barn was not as bad, first, because I recieved a blessing of the Priesthood, just after it happened ... and also the pain was lessened, as I fretted about the "Little dresses" getting done in time. It wasn't a burden, it was a determination.

Lastly, we heard from President Uchtdorf. His lovely talk will certainly go down as one of the loved and respected by women. First it is represented by a little flower. That alone endears all of us. The Forget-Me-Not is beautiful and each pedal has a great significance. The flower helps us not to forget the lessons that we have so many times not heard, not understood, or misunderstood before. President Uchtdorf made plain what we needed to hear. The Forget-Me-Not flower is to remind us that Heavenly Father will not ever forget us. He knows each of us and loves us.

The flower metaphor is so lovely I can't help but try and share just a little bit of his talk. The Forget-Me-Not has five petals and each petal that serves as an important reminder to each woman in the church.

The first petal was to help us remember to be patient with ourselves and that Heavenly Fathers knows all of us are imperfect. We are here on earth to strive to become better and that's our purpose. Our time here on earth is for that very endeavor, to improve ourselves and become more like the Savior.

President Uchtdorf said that the second pedal was to remind us that we needed to pick those sacrifices that are most important. I felt that was an admonition to use our time wisely. Do the sacrifice that will bring the most worth. I was going to embellish each dress with a design on the front to make them even more than just a tee-shirt. If I had done that, I would've have been short, four dresses. I felt this lesson from President Uchtdorf was spoken straight to me. The number was important, not how pretty the dress could be.

The third pedal made me smile because I had recently written a journal entry about enjoying life now and not waiting for a time when___(fill in the blank)___ as in more money, more time, or when we get a longed-for "golden ticket" that allows us to be happy. I need to take some of his advice and enjoy more now. Life is flying by and we need to find joy in the moment. Find our happiness now.

The fourth pedal was that we shouldn't forget the "why" of the Gospel. Why does the Lord ask us to all these things and how we're suppose to do them? Let's have another meeting (he didn't say that) but our thinking should always have a "why" and remembrance. We all do so much all the time and our focus should always be on the point that it is because, we can feel joy. The things we find difficult or burdensome that we do in the church, become sweet. The "why" should be in our thoughts if we are thinking about what we are doing. It's those negative thoughts or vocal complaints that we maybe feeling ... that really make even any small job, assignment, or calling burdensome and hard. Here is the ***WHY ***. These things are our pathway back to our Heavenly Father. We need to understand what makes the way and the "how" and the "why" inspires and uplifts us. Then it's magnified to an holy consecration to our Heavenly Father. Little dresses and little kits of kindness are changed into something even more special than the joy of giving them.

The fifth pedal is for us to always remember and to be never be forgotten and that is ... that we are loved. No matter what our circumstances we are in, and what we are facing, Heavenly Father knows us and loves us. This love gives us comfort, healing, love toward others, and all that is good. Heavenly Father cares for us with more love than we can imagine.

Relief Society Service Learning

2011-09-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

Sept 24th 2011
I finished my little dresses that I had signed-up to do and promised to make for the little girls in the country of Sierra Leone. It was so much harder this time around. When I hurry, I take short-cuts and each time I do that ... my messes begin with the gathering, adding on the skirt the top side, and it would all bunch-up! I would make small stitches, of course the smallest stitches would be among the many that ended-up where they didn't belong.

The project for Relief Society for this year, was one of service to Muslim girls and boys that live in the poorest country in the world. It's similar to the project we had done last year. This is the country that was mostly taken into slavery at the end of this century for the diamond mines. Sierra Leone and the people who call it home, were the inspiration for a famous movie, "Blood Diamonds" and was written somewhat about the terrible things that happened to a whole country when the greed of people become more important than human lives.

This humanitarian project was started early in the year. It was a goal accomplished without any notoriety and very anonymous. This was a very personal commitment. I guess I'm writing about it now, because I'm so overwhelmed by every one's commitment and great sacrifice of time, energy, effort, and money as a group. I want to share the joy that we have received, by trying honestly to have Christ-like charity.

This Was the picture in The Desert News

Last year, I made five dresses and made one to represent each of my five daughters. I think the final count of dresses the last time we did this the count for our stake was around 800 dresses. This year I wanted to "Lengthen my stride" and do more, two more. Then, at the same time the Relief Society presidency also wanted to do more, and asked for additional humanitarian hygiene kits ... as many as we could make. One kit was for anyone and all the others would be for infants. These packages have a bunch of very important items contained in them; as soap, a washcloth, diapers (if needed) toothpaste, and toothbrushes and more. The kicker here is my daughter, Kiely and her husband arrived here from Utah after her school let-out in May. She was called as the person that kept a record of all the humanitarian items being turned-in to the coordinator. I would hear her say, "Oh, we need more soap and more toothbrushes." "I hope everyone remembers." I just saw the goal sign and knew I needed to help in this. The sign-up sheet would pass me on Sunday and I just felt I needed to again, do more. We would give knowing that it would be a sacrifice for us money-wise and also I had suffered another fall. (It takes forever for me to get patched-up) Instead of asking for money to buy the washcloths, or other items I had a new idea. .I would go in a store and come-out telling Steve what a great price the soap, washcloths, or toothbrushes were in a bundle. My Steve's very generous and he'd reach in his pocket and pull-out a few dollars and little by little, in time, and I mean THE ... wire, in time... I had done it.

My Seven Dresses

This whole project isn't exclusively a "Mormon" service. We work with another couple of churches and the person that helps take the needed supplies into the county is a children's doctor from our county of Ventura, California. I think one of the names of the church is Lighthouse Ministries in Santa Monica, but I'm not sure. Again, our church doesn't care about getting recognition, it's mission to provide a very needed service. Stake Centers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all have assignments on the inspiration of their Relief Society presidencies and the Stake President. I'm not sure there are Mormons in this Sierra Leone because it's exclusively Muslim. I hope they know that we do care about them and saddened that we have so much in clean clothes and bodies and ... we take all of this for granted, the children need so much. This service has been a real catharsis for me and my family.

Mostly, the way of dealing with 9/11 has been one of patriotism, but with also fueled with the emotional hurt and anger directed of a large group of people in this world that want us to not be here or exist. Our feelings should be different and the only way we could truly be Christlike is to love our enemies and love those that strive to hurt us. This process of trying to purify myself has changed me and I can't write or find words to write what my heart feels.

We have brothers and sisters that don't like us, because we are Mormon or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, still ... in our own county. I'm not sure why, because our country was founded on the right to religious freedom. All humanitarian missions have some supplies that go to those of our faith and even more are given to those who are our neighbors and non-members. It isn't as some believe, that we (Mormons) just take care of ourselves.

This particular project has brought a healing and there's not a more combined group of people that have suffered more from 9/11 than those that are a part of the fire service. From the beginning when our country was young, almost all the firemen were related in various departments and these men were usually the poor working class that joined the volunteer departments. Firefighting has been a vocation that really believes in family within the department so much, that they would die for each other. The firefighters are a close-knit family and we all have to believe that Heavenly Father gives justice to all those doing unrighteous acts and still claiming to be of a certain religion. Anyone can become capable and warped, and still belong to any religion. One charismatic person can twist and provide a way to gain followers to believe an interpretation that's completely off-kilter and do very unspeakable acts of terrorism, just like others before. We know that these things happened in just a few past decades. Who is it that twists and changes scripture and the Prophets voice? The great deceiver, Satan himself.

Oh, the dresses! It was more than a charitable heart that helped me finish what I had started. The spring that holds the presser foot on my sewing machine had quit working. I had to do something and the fix-it shop would take too long and ordering a new one was also out-of-the-question. I used some jewelry tools to fix the wire and continued working on that project, I ran all the straight stitching with the foot off my mother's 1922 Singer. It fit the shank, I've never been so happy to actually rig something that would work. By the time the fourth dress had begun, I had just bent the whole fast-change foot attachment with every bit of muscle in me and the foot stayed. It was better than the day I received the machine and in the mean time, I found that basting and well-ironed garment on a gathered waist or anything for that matter, is actually faster ... because there are no mistakes and no ripping-out endless seams.

The day I finished the dresses the electricity went out all over the county. It came back-on in almost all the areas, but ours. The tree that fell and caused the problem was less than a mile from our house. It went on-line for the evening, but Verizon came to my door and told us that the electricity would be out again in the morning because the adjustment on the huge electrical towers in our pastures. My work was done and the Lord blessed me and helped me in what I desired to accomplish.

Today, I'm thankful for the help I received and I'm grateful for my daughter, Kiely that pushed me to do more. I'm glad my daughter, Kiely be attending with all of her husband's family at The Latter-day Saints Conference Center, near Temple Square. I look forward to this meeting and have prepared myself so that I can receive counsel and learn in summary, about the new lessons that we'll be receiving in Relief Society this year. I've already learned and received blessings this entire year. The "topping on the cake" will be the final course of the spiritual meal that we have been receiving. Relief Society conference and I'm truly excited to go. Yum.

Added note: Oct. 9th, 2011
Our Relief Society President Carolee Johnson reported:
The final stake count for the stake humanitarian service project was: 926 hygiene kits, 306 infant kits, and 636 dresses. The Relief Society Stake presidency is sincerely grateful for the time and service given. Me: All I can think to say about the loving service in our own little Ventura Stake is, wow!

Sunday Wake-Up Call

2011-09-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

What a great Sunday we've had today! It didn't start out so great. My husband came into our bedroom and shook me, "Get-up, get-up." "We need to be at church a little early this morning." My husband had taken the day off from his fire-duty and we also had Tanner, our grandson, staying here with us. I could see they both were all dressed and ready for church. I wasn't going to church today because I didn't sleep at all, the night before. I had terrible cramps in my leg and arm muscles. The loss of sleep doesn't do well for how I look or act. Sixty-year old women need beauty sleep more than anyone, because when we don't sleep, the red, bloodshot eyes, and our saggy face seems to be greatly enhanced. My hair was in every direction; I thrashed-around all night to find a comfortable position. I needed sleep. Steve said again, "You're going to church." 'No, I'm not!" I said, "Steven, Why are you forcing me to church?" he said, "I can't say, but you HAVE TO GO!" I was back at him, knowing my daughter, Marnie, had an appointment with the Stake Presidency a couple weeks ago (I had watched her little ones) I blurted out in a smarty-tone (remember...I was really grumpy/groggy/sleepy) and I said in a louder than normal, talking voice, "What!" "Is Marnie receiving the Priesthood?"

Steve gave me "the look", anyone who knows us or is related to us, know the "look." Steve then said, "This isn't a guessing game, you really need to get ready." I CAN throw myself together and be showered, dressed, and hair done, in 45 minutes. Maybe I'll wear? Anything. I rushed.

Tanner passed the Sacrament and there on the podium sat the whole Stake Presidency. I could see that they were here on business and not to visit our little ward. I reflected on our entrance on the side of the building. It's the entrance that everyone seems to feel comfortable using each week. Maybe it's because of the proximity of Bishop's office and that's the very first office we see ... as we step through the door. Anyway ... we came down the hall and there was my son-in-law, all dressed-up. His suit looked new and he even stood differently, he looked dashing. Yep, perfect word--dashing. I hadn't given that even a thought until after the Sacrament had been passed. This is where I usually can put 2+2 together, but I didn't quite understand. Just as the Stake President started to announce the change, I knew it was my son-in-laws calling to be second counselor in the bishopric.

Lt: Our Son-in-Law, Steve, Bishop LaPointe, and Brother Ennis

Our son-in-law is a convert of about fourteen or so years and had been called a few weeks earlier. He had some questions and a bit of wavering maybe, of his own abilities, so he needed to talk to my husband. My Steve has been both counselors and also a Bishop. He has on many occasions talked to those coming into these callings. He did only what was asked of him. He help solve their questions and was able to reassure them that the Lord would bless them in their calling. The reassurance comes at the time that they are "set-apart" to do their work, all will fall into place, because of the Priesthood. We often had new bishops here at our house talking to Steve. They would take walks and talk or stand and then sit under the big Oak tree on Sunday afternoons. I asked him once why do the "newbies" come here and do you tell them how to be a bishop. He said this exactly, "They are here to pick my brain." and then Steve always laughs. The funny part is that he doesn't remember much about it, not the callings he's had, nor the people he met with, nor e any of the fire and medical calls he's been on. Steve has trained himself to forget after the reports are done. He files all of it away in his brain in some dark, secret spot, that has a security lock on it. My Steve did know and was aware that Steve, my son-in-law, was going to be called into the bishopric and there was never a whisper or suggestion of the coming change.

I thought the Stake President, President Jones, was so thoughtful and much like the Savior when he knelt-down in front of Marnie and Steve's children. I thought of the Scriptures I had just read in the Book of Mormon, in 3rd Nephi, Chapters 17 and 18. President Jones spoke softly and looked in each of their eyes and told them about their dad's new calling. I could see all of them looked back at him, knowing the things that he was telling them was to reassure them that their father was doing an important calling in the Church. We could all feel the Spirit there.

My Steve blessed their father to the office of a High Priest and then Steve, the younger, was set-apart by the Stake Presidency. The Bishop was grinning ear to ear. Brother Bill Ennis, my Steve's buddy, was put in the office of first counselor. We know that these two men will be a great service to our ward and will bless us all.

Bishop LaPointe is... humble, down-to-earth, approachable, and truly could be any man's best friend. He works hard in the "oil patch" now that he retired and sold his business. The men that he works with on the mountain are very rough around the edges. I know the kind. My dad also worked the oil fields and my husband did too. When Steve and I first started dating, my boyfriend, Steve (later husband) met my dad, not at our home or our front yard, but over 25 feet in the air and sitting on the edge of a huge oil tank eating lunch together. My father was one of those "rough around the edges" oil field roustabouts. Our bishop said that he was called by all his oil field buddies, the "grand pooh-paw". The bishop grinned. It makes me sad that the men make light of his position. They have no idea how important and scared a bishop's calling is in the church. Our bishop is forgiving and understands. I know we will be blessed by these great men.

My dear Mother-in-Law, Dune and My Steve

We've had a huge Sunday. Tanner and I cleaned-up the puppy-pens and while my husband was looking on. I gave all the puppies their first puppy shots. I felt they needed this shot to protect them from the stray dogs that linger around the ranch. There are few times when the sleep-need is more than the eat-need. This was one of those evenings and I knew it would be an early-to-bed evening because I couldn't see through my eyelids.

My bed was calling me and I nearly sleep-walked my way to the hall and into our bedroom. My thoughts were that I had read a lot of Scriptures in class today and was probably enough. I put my head down on the pillow and instead of the instant sleep I expected, I looked right over at my Scriptures and thought of all I'm so grateful for in this world. I couldn't let sleep come without the need to express my appreciation, so I read, I prayed, and sleep came to me quickly.

10th Anniversary of 9/11 Memorial For Firemen and Heroes

2011-09-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

My Captain, Steve Lazenby Station 81 B Shift

It's so hard to go to a memorial... as this is today. Our memorial was for the fire fighters, but the heroes of 9/11 were many and were included in the service. It's Sunday, so we went to Church first and then over to the Ventura Government Center for the memorial. Earlier, one was at our Station 81 and then there was another in Ventura at a later time of the day. My Steve dressed in his full dress uniform as did my daughter's husband, Steve is a peace officer. They both looked so nice. I wish the departments would do more pictures of them in their dress uniforms, it seems lately that the only time I see the very formal wear is during a sad occasion.

Steve In His Formal Uniform

The day of 9/11 I recall just like everyone else, such shock after the one explosion and then seeing the other happen, as it happened. I cried when I saw the firemen walking together as a squad into the smoke and people running away. Tressa called crying and said, "See those guys? Those firemen?" I said, "Yeah, I do." She said, "Mom they're not coming out." and I returned, "I know." She hung-up the phone. Her husband's also a peace officer.

The towers fell and the firemen and peace officers that responded were gone to dust. I believe that's why this memorial is so important. The firefighters always know that any call could be their last. They have faith and know if protection is needed Heavenly Father will be there to provide it. If Heavenly Father wills otherwise, it's always their hope, that at the time, they "go" while in the service of others.

Sept. 15th 2011
Today Steve went under a big tractor that was used for loading huge, heavy equipment. The trailer had collapsed on a young man and the real risk in this is ... that the heaviest part went across the young man's chest. An old-time heavy equipment operator and owner was on scene and he climbed into a large crane and lifted the trailer up just enough for the firefighters to rescue the victim. When there was just enough room for my skinny Norwegian captain to get under the trailer, he slid to be beside the young man. Steve wanted to tell me how it seemed his injuries were very severe, but he was talking to him. The young man didn't bleed-out when he was carefully taken-out from under the trailer, and he was speaking to the ambulance crew, too. I said, "Don't you think that's probably not a good place for you to talk to him, right under the trailer?" I didn't understand what my husband was thinking! He said to me he needed to be beside him, he needed information, even if it was only a whisper. If it was the moment of his last breath, he wanted him to know that he had someone there with him and reassure him as he leaves this earth. I asked him, "You could have been crushed if the trailer had slipped, just like the young man that was trapped." He said in a very matter-of-fact and serious tone, "I didn't think of that, I was just doing what we do." That was it, he didn't want to talk of the accident anymore. I could tell the conversation was over, but still wanted to know. "Did you know him?" "No." I asked, "Did he live?" and he added that he was okay and and I don't remember the terms he used but, like critical and stable, and yes, he now he knows who he is. Steve told me that the victim was talking to the hospital staff and doctors, but was really busted-up and that is interpreted as a lot of big.broken bones. "You think you'll talk to him, again?" Steve just gave me the look.

I don't know any firefighter's personal fears or thoughts, but I do know some of my husband's. My firefighter has lost piece by piece parts of him that can't be replaced. First are the images of things he can't ever tell me or show me. The physical parts have been taken by the service to in behalf of the fire department are measured by the chunks, and some of them I recognize easily. What I can share is his hearing loss, his knees, one at a time ... first as an engineer jumping out on one side, and then the other knee, as he has jumped, repeatedly out to help others, as a captain on the other side of the engine. He has a terrible back because he has fallen so many times from wet mud on a mountains, yanks from another firefighte that has pulled him down, or even the wind as he was trying to close the door to the engine compartment during the Moorpark Fire. He landed flat on his back and then the door had blown-off. My husband has even laid unconscious on the floor of the engine bay, when someone had polished the step to fine that his feet slipped. Steve's legs when under from the top step and he landed on his head and back at about 2:00 AM. Other things just as hard to bear is his gut has been torn, and hernias developed ... when he first started pulling hose lines. There are obvious marks on his face, arms, and feet... all have pre-cancerous patches from the repeated burns. I know his lungs are black from the smoke he's eaten over all the years. I'm grateful everyday that he's still here with me and amazed at his insistence to still go to work, even when his body aches. Every shift is a prayer.

I can't think of anything but sorrow for the families that lost loved ones in 9/11 and have gone ahead to Heaven earlier than expected. The memorial prompted little Presslee, my grand daughter to ask me, "Who died?" Kenna leaned-in to try and find-out why everyone was crying. I'm thinking, "Oh no...How's there a simple answer to this event and of all it represents?" There was a speaker at the podium, and really, how could I whisper? She asked me the same question again; I was taking too long to answer. I told them both quietly and respectfully and that this all happened before they were born.

Following The Memorial, Some of my Grandchildren
Behind is a Piece of the Twin Towers, Physical
Reminder that all of what was said today, really happened.

We as a people, have spent a decade not showing the tragedy of 9/11 on television (for my daughter's that wouldn't even be possible, because they don't receive a signal even from an antenna, they only have wii and videos) I know there was a very important purpose as to why to not show the whole thing over and over in our living rooms. First, it was to the dismay to our enemies who sought to cause more and more pain in the aftermath. And even more importantly it was also for thousands of family members that lost someone there at the Pentagon, the Pennsylvania field, and The Towers, It was out of respect and honor that it wasn't shown. The repetition of it all only would hurt their tender hearts.

Everyone Sang With The Military Band
We all had our Hands on our Hearts. We All Cried
Flags Were Raised And Then Lowered To Half-mast

The firetrucks though-out the country all carry flags on their engines and trucks. All of the equipment carry the stickers of 9/11 and all of them say that they "will never forget". All the firemen wear their 9/11 tee shirts.

I see a whole generation from about the age of thirteen and fourteen down to little Presslee's age, that now know to ask. This children don't know. My grandchildren do not have a clue to what happened that day, all sixteen of them. Still, how many children were able to see it, if they didn't have television or the parents didn't turn on the television when they had come home from school. There wasn't the crowd that I had expected at the memorial. Only four visitors came to the memorial in Santa Paula and only two had no family involved in the fire and police service. Two people and it was a well-published event and welcomed all to join in the memorial. Two. There were people standing at the Ventura memorial, but it wasn't crowded.

Steve, second from the Left

I thought the study of history is to remind us of past mistakes and how "man" can lower themselves to do terrible tragedies on others, and not inflict the same horrible disastrous effect that brought so many such extreme sorrow. We are setting ourselves up for forgetting and the circle will repeat itself again. Our media news channels seem to be bent on exaggerating weather extremes and what the new "Reality TV" is going to bring to us this television season. This isn't real and given to us for entertainment. It's on the news, as news.

I don't know what age is appropriate for children to start learning about all this, but I know at some point there needs to be a time to show them. The children need to learn about sacrifice, service, faith, liberty, and freedom. They need to learn about courage and love of fellow beings of the earth and to help everyone. People need to appreciate, to be grateful, and thankful for what we all have in the United States. All of these ideals should be taught in the home and the teachings gently provided and with the guidance of the Spirit.

The Book of Mormon teaches us graphically about war and terrible things that happen when hate, pride, and evil thoughts take hold of a people, and the dreadful results of those intentions. We are taught about the circle of forgetting, the repenting and returning to the blessings of that which comes with the teachings of the Savior, Jesus Christ. We believe that to have the Spirit with us we need a remembrance of the teachings of the Book of Mormon, The Bible, and all other scriptures that we have been blessed to study and learn from earnestly and with the desire to make ourselves more like Jesus Christ.

The memorial was good because it made me think a lot about sacrifice and teaching. It helped me to remember to write down today. I hope if my grandchildren or children forget these things, that this journal will be another "tap on the shoulder" to remember what they need to know. Children stay humble, charitable, and always trying to sacrifice for the good of others. Please never say, "hate" as one of the four-letter, ugly words and replace it with the one that is always perfect ... and that is, love.

Grandparent's Day? Is That Real?

2011-09-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

Sept 12th
Steve and I has a video, face to face with our granddaughter, Jane's class at school,today. I think it's either 2nd or 3rd grade or both. But it was Grandparent's Day and we were invited! We all used our large Android Tablets to see each other. I'm writing this and I'm thinking the Tango Application has to be the best invention and clearest transmission, surely there will be no better. I know as technology expands at the "Mach I" rate like it has been, all that I'm saying is that the future will look back at this time and it'll seem we actually arrived here in Santa Paula in wagon trains. Steve and I always think we have the newest gadget, but we're already behind by four, and counting.

We met Jane's teacher and she has the cutest Southern accent. She was introducing herself and using her high voice, "I'm so happy ya'll could come see us'all taday." The school is in a little town in Central Arkansas. I really don't know how my daughter Bree was able to handle pre-schooler Charlie, Jane, in her school chair and not only hold her little baby, Susan, and hold this Tablet up for us to see everything. It was a juggling act.

My Cute Arkansas Daughter, Bree

Mini Me? No, It's my Newest Granddaughter, Susan

It was a relief that our grandchildren remembered us from our trip back this summer. We laughed about how they must remember our names. Steve wanted to give Charlie a "nickname" so that he'd remember his Grandpa Steve always called him "Spike". Well, Charlie wasn't having none of that! "Ma name is Charrlie!" I tried to write his heavy accent. "Yip!"

I noticed while we were visiting, Charlie would call me by his other grandma's name and that's Grandma Bea. She's also in California and lives the neighboring town. We see each other at special occasions at the stake center. I thought if Charlie called me Grandma Bea one more time, I was going to call him, Spike. There was a nap and a short drive to North Little Rock to see the Old Mill. I was stalling a little because of the weather temperature. I'm not used to this humidity and I'm not running down a cement sidewalk and an uneven slope. I can't even touch the metal fence, let alone hang-on to keep my balance. The fence is so hot it could burn your hand. The weather here is unbelievable, but everything grows. Arkansas is one huge hot-house in the summer. And ... I now I know, why things are slower in the South.

Old Mill, hotter than you can imagine 106 Degrees, 90% Humidity

Charlie said, "Grandma Bea, herrrry!" and I said, "Okay, Spike," "Hayyyy! I'm naw Spike!" "I'm Charrrr-lie!" I countered him with, "I'm not your Grandma Bea, so if you call me by my name, Grandma Susie, I'll call you by your name, Charlie." He said, "Yip, Okay" and started laughing. That worked instantly and he never forgot to call me by my right name the rest of our visit. Steve and I agree Charlie really isn't Spike.

I loved this time we had together "video talking" and it even though it was brief--to us, the chance to see Jane, her desk, her school work, and her teacher seemed incredible. Actually, seeing everyone and hearing the children all around, I can honestly say that it seemed like we were there. The children both called me Grandma Susie and I know it won't be long before Baby Susan will be smiling at us when she realizes that there's crazy people at the other end of the Tango. I had just come out of my swimming class and had my robe on and my hair was all wet, so there in the car we were visiting school on Grandparent's Day.

The teacher needed to finish her presentation and Bree was still juggling the Tablet and Susan, so we ended the call. We visited, we exchanged our love, but missed the touch of tight hugs and little hands and arms squeezing our necks. Oh, how I miss my children and grandchildren and wish for them to be close to me. I feel blessed to be able to have a call we can see, somehow, I think it makes the separation a bit easier. I can only imagine in just a few years, we'll be doing maybe a 3-D visit or jumping in our flying car and buzz back to visit in person. Really!

Don't Put Off What You Love Doing

2011-09-11T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is what I'm thinking.... "Today, I need to give advice to my children and grandchildren". It's good advice and I wish someone had told me this while I was a lot younger and stronger.

I know what you're procrastinating in life, my children. You're fussing with your own children and there's no time to accomplish all that you want to pursue in life, right now. You tell yourself, "My passion for ___________ (fill in the blank) will have to come later in life when ____________(fill it in, again) and I are on our own, and our lives will need hobbies, learning, just doing great things together, because then we'll have the TIME.

Don't wait until you're my age, at 60 years old, to try and do all the dreams you've had in your heart. Don't wait until everything is perfect. If your dad and I had waited until we had the money to birth each of you children, we would be childless. We didn't have insurance until I was seven months along with Kiely.

One of my dreams was to paint like Nellie Lee. She was an elderly lady that loved to paint and she was very, very good. She only painted a few lovely oil landscapes and then her life on earth was over.

My hopes were to quilt like Ethyl Dalyrmple, spin wool and crochet lovely little things for my children. I'm not sure my darling children want Christmas slippers, now. Especially, Dustin! I'm not sure I can remember how to crochet, now, and I was great at it at one time. My spinning wheel is broken--but I'm going to buy some wool and get started without my own sheep's wool and while I'm trying to relearn it all, I'm going to work on fixing the sheep shearers, the spinning wheel, the carders, and go dig in all my stuff down in the basement, and find some hooks. Here's where the little doubts creep in.

It's dark down there and I'll fall and do I have time? I'm still BUSY! Get it? Still, I'm very busy!

I've dreamed of rocking on my porch enjoying the fabulous sunsets, reading and doing my genealogy. Oh, and how I've dreamed of trail-riding with my husband and going out camping in our little egg-shaped trailer.


Please Remember These Words

All my dreams that I have planned for at this time in my life, are not happening. I had to let the porch just rot-off the house before I now, will go out and really do that wonderful goal. I could've set-out to have done this when I had my own little children to rock in my arms, and I could've read them stories and showed them how lovely the sunset was, and how sunsets are a part of God's blessing to us in this glorious world that we have to enjoy. We can enjoy it all now. I'm going to ... and I may even grab a grandchild to sit with me. You all need a rocking chair. Oh, BTW...Cracker Barrel Restaurants have the rockers. I have one in my bin. Soooo, you think the spiders will get me if I try and take it out?

Honestly, I feel like when I'm trying to do something, anything .... it's like digging holes at the beach in the sand. The water level rises up and the sand falls back in the hole and it's shallow again or an in-coming wave brings a bunch of water and sand with it, and my hole utterly disappears. Should I keep digging or wait until the tide is low? Would I still get my task accomplished? No, because the high-tide comes back again. Give-up? I did. I should have moved from the beach.

My time is not wasted, not one bit. I do things that are mostly for good, but as life changes and we become older, time goes faster. It does, I promise. We're truly here living for only a wink of eternity. All of this advice makes me think... Do I really want to make wool junk?

I Can Go With Everything, but "The Flirt With Disaster" and no more "Risks" I've Done Those Things ... Way Too Many Times, Already. *smile*

Races Again! One Half Marathon-Disneyland Resort

2011-09-11T18:28:00.000-07:00

We had the time of our lives again at the Grand Californian Resort Hotel at Disneyland in Anaheim. This has become a tradition in our family to get a huge suite not to far-up (firefighter husband keeps us close to the 3rd or 4th level and no higher) and it's always pretty close to the concierge lounge. We had been going for years at Christmas and Halloween, but the park became super crowded. Halloween during the 1970s and 1980s we rode the rides without even standing in line. But, we changed our timing and what a change. We now come when there's more people at Disneyland than any other time of the year. The One Half Marathon and the Children's Marathon are so exciting. There were 14,000 runners and they all had families. Our family is staying on this healthy running trend and a few of them, while they have their knees still, are doing the marathons. They are different than any other of the Wellman-side of the family. The runners receive lots of goodie bags of stuff and that's FUN!

Everyone Is A Winner!

The children's race and really...the everyone race, has blossomed into a costume race. Just about any attire that's fun and appropriate is allowed. We've done family shirts, but now it's either princess attire or the classic shirts that Disneyland hands-out to everyone. This time it was Star Wars and the theme was so great for the runners and all that supported them on the route. Star Troopers and Princesses all joined in helping racers along. At the beginning of the race everyone had to swear : "To enter this race, we all want you to promise to not ever go to the Dark Side" Of course, all promised! Hey! They want to run, right? At the end of the race----there HE WAS .... Darth Vader, himself ... trying to get everyone to join him on the 'Dark Side" It really was a big promotion for the new 3-D attraction, but we loved it, adults and children. Everyone that raced found new friends and we giving "knuckle-bumps" to people that they would run into again in the park or in the Hotel. Congratulations were everywhere.

The Half Marathon was wonderful, as well. Marnie and Larin, my daughters, went all the way to Disneyland with their Aunt Luana and their Grandmother Dune to Florida, to run the Marathon on the east coast.


Princess Run!

The Run For The Bi-Coastal Metal


Everyone Was Congratulating Marnie And Even The Chipmunks. Actually, I Think He Wanted Her Metal

And...if you do both runs, a "Bi-Coastal" metal can be earned when a participant comes here after the Florida race and run the other the Half Marathon here in Anaheim. Larin's husband just changed jobs and unfortunately it was just the wrong time, even though Larin had paid for everything. Kelsey, Larin's cousin Matt's new bride, ran for Larin. She's a runner, but almost died when she heard that it was so much longer than her usual daily runs. She did wonderful and came in about the same time Larin would have arrived at....guess where? Home plate at Angel Stadium. Is that just so great?

The Half Marathon started before daybreak and I got a picture out of my window of the runners at dawn running in the bottom, right corner from our room. It started with the National Anthem and then a bunch of Disneyland Fireworks. It was a wonderful starting ceremony.

The Angel's Baseball Stadium

and The Finish Line!

I really didn't want to say the day we all went down there, because everyone that reads this blog will want to do this. It really is the best family event. Every time or each year the different races take the kids and adults to places not seen by the regular visitors to Disneyland. "The Magical Kingdom" makes it really special for everyone, because there's lots of hugging by all the characters, pictures, and awards to all participants. This event is very, very well-planned. Disneyland is almost exactly 100 miles south of our driveway. There's shortcuts and we love them. Okay...I'll say it: This is held on Labor Day Weekend, every year.

My Steve Is Right In the Middle with the Star Wars T-shirt and

Marnie and The Little Girls At Her Sides

I'm so proud of my Marnie and grateful for Kelsey and proud of her...she really stepped-up literally for going through with it, even though she hardly slept the night before the run. She finished well. Both did wonderful!

Marnie and Kelsey. Kelsey Ran For Larin

and It Was Really Sweet For Her To Do!

That evening we went to a different restaurant than we usually go to celebrate. We love the movie star restaurant in the other hotel with the famous stars of the 1960's and 1970's. This time we went to the Napa Rose, just downstairs from our room in the Grand Californian Hotel. Oh...it was an extraordinary treat. The kids were bored, so they all went up to eat at the concierge and the concierge does have very healthy food. The children sit and then all watch television. A treat to the grandchildren because they don't have regular TV at their homes. Our menu is one I can't describe, but I did have just one item explained to me, because I want to copy it. Baked chicken with a large piece of lemon grass inserted into a boneless white meat and partly marinated with red cabbage and mango. There wasn't enough time for our waitresses to talk to us about every single ingredient because everyone was asking about the food. Oh yeah, the tenderloin is perfect. I love Napa Rose and it's on my list of favorites for sure.

Great, Great Food

My Chicken is In The Center, Yum!

Steve and I Didn't Sit Right-Up To This Light but,

This Was My View from Where This Picture was Taken.

Really Wonderful Atmosphere, Too

My bum leg kept me out of the pool. I brought all my duds for swimming but, I just propped-up my leg on pillows and Steve and I both rested. It was the best vacation. So much to be grateful for all of this and my sister-in-law is the greatest to get all this organized and help us spend time together. I really enjoyed the fireworks, the view, the music outside our big windows and balcony, even the weather was wonderful. The children have so much to do besides go in the resorts. There's a playroom and story time by the big fireplace. OMGsh, it really is a step-away from real life. My Larin is coming next time and she has her big winner metals. My family is amazing and again, I'm so blessed!

We Are The Ward's Welfare Project And We Were Blessed

2011-08-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

He's Our Bishop

Some time ago, I don't know when, we were chosen to have our porch fixed. I suspected that something was going to happen up here at Danger Ranch, but I thought it would be a Ward Bar-B-Que. I had to go to Ward Council one Sunday morning and it was unexpected, to them. I wanted to tell the ward leaders in this meeting about the upcoming changes in our new calendars on the Church-wide, would-wide) lds.org. I had given my brief report and I left for home to prepare for Sacrament Meeting that morning. I glanced at the agenda that was passed-out to the members of the council and there ... to my surprise our name was listed as service project for our Ward. I immediately started crying. I know that we aren't that bad off, or were we? I had fallen through our porch about a year ago and ended-up in the hospital several times. My family had done a repair job, but the scope of the real project wasn't addressed and even my front porch became completely impassable, except for cats, light dogs, and an occasional varmint.

Not A Natural Disaster...A Personal One

Dustin, my strongest son. : ) I only have one, did the pre-demolition. He told us he'd love to tear-it-up. All his nieces and nephews don't call him "Butt-kicker" for nothin'. Dustin can weld a sledge hammer like no other. He is one strong man.

Oh The Weeds!

I talked to the Bishop's wife and cried. No matter how I pleaded with her, she insisted that we needed this for our own safety and I should be relying on the Bishop's inspiration. What could I say to that? I started with the argument ... that I felt others in our ward need this more than we do, we can't do this. It wasn't pride, really. I thought eventually we would have enough money saved to fix our house. I needed to listen and I finally did. I couldn't get past that this was inspiration from the Bishop. I didn't realize that in the next few days our lives changed. The fire department took a huge cut in my husband's pay. The trash haulers are receiving more than the fire fighters and they don't need to stay-up all night, or get burned, or fall-out of engines. My husband was a long-time trash hauler, we owned an operated Sespe Enterprises. We know first hand that fire fighting is a lot harder. (collecting on the statements our customers owed us wasn't easy and that was the hardest) I felt the true counsel that I had given my grand daughter just two weeks before. It was that part of my quote for our county fair, "life isn't fair" and our little savings have completely dried-up.

The Priesthood and Families Arrived Before Dawn

This Is So Hard For Me To Share
I've Neglected My Yard and House
For Too Long.

Oh, The Elders Quorum President Wouldn't Quit
It Was Too Hot To Work

The Tall Weeds From My Garden
All The Priesthood Members
Are Amazing Workers.

Great Progress

It's Too Hot

Jeremy LaPointe Is Everywhere and So Is Steve Jenkins!
They All Are Super Heroes

Beyond Power-man Is My Clean Garden
Oh, How Sweet Tony and Bill

Brother Cook, Jane LaPointe, Bishop, and Jeremy.
This Picture Brings Tears

All Need To Hurry To The Baptism

Aug. 27, 2011

We made it by only thirty seconds before the baptismal service started. All who worked at our house today looked shiny clean, with ties and all reverently awaiting Guy Mansfield's baptism. Our bishop, Bishop LaPointe, stood first and began to talk to our crowded room full of members of our ward attending this moment when Guy is going to be baptized after over a year of studying the Church.

Bishop LaPointe paused and looked-out over the filled chapel and said, "Today was a primer as a service we give to each other." I could see the weariness in the blood-shot eyes of the many men that worked so hard today at our home. There were also women and children that helped ... and all had been up at the ranch since before 6:00 am.

I reflected about how earlier this afternoon just less than 45 minutes before his baptism, Guy walked past me, so tired. I heard kidding between all the Priesthood members about how hard Guy had to work to be able to enter the waters of baptism. It was all you had to do. The Gospel, and build a whole porch in one day, and provide service and so on, and so on.

This isn't a normal day... this is Aug. 27, 2011. It is the hottest, most humid day of the year. It rained a little yesterday and and it didn't take long for the temperature to rise again to over 100 degrees. Many of the members had to leave because their hard work had led them to walk (work) harder than they had strenght. They were all striving to "lenghten their stride" as The Prophet, President Kimball, had admonished us to do and really go the extra mile in all things that are good. I think so many here today went more than the extra mile. We have some Scriptures that provide relief to those that work so hard. "It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. … He should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize." (Mosiah 4:27) and also again in the Doctrine and Covenants, "Do not run faster or labor more than you have (Doctrine and Covenants 10:4) ....The prizes?

I still am in "awe" of this service project, one that was beyond words. Awe ... this one word, the reverence and admiration of that which is grand, is my true definition of the feeling I have felt inside of me for those that provided so much help to us. The work was happy and even though the heat literally hurt them, those that helped smiled as they worked.

It was a beautiful baptism service. How do I show my gratefulness of this day? I cry, but don't want to because no one can understand me when I'm crying and trying to talk. I am grateful beyond words and only tears can reflect how I feel. I saw gratefulness in Steve's teary-eyes as the Priesthood left our home. I may never have enough words to express my appreciation for all that we were blessed with today. The temporal blessings, the spiritual blessings, and there's the Bar-B-Que following the baptism. Oh, what food and so many non-members and visitors. It was Guy's day, but the members all learned about what had happened earlier. It was a sacrifice of a precious Saturday for the families of the men who worked, and a sacrifice for the men that were so weary and sore this evening and probably worse tomorrow for Sunday.

Add caption

My Marnie and Steve's Marriage

My Steve Walking Her To Her Steve

When Our Porches Were Beautiful

I have found-out due to little spies that it was my Marnie that started all this. She was the instigator on the porch-project. I love her so much and for knowing our needs. While everyone was at our anniversary party, she asked all her siblings if they would go in on a new porch for us? We didn't go with it, we all can't ... because we are all trying so hard to save. She explained that it needed to be put back to it's original way and not just a stairway in the house. I have to let it be said that this hope of a porch was never, ever spoken to the Bishop or anyone else in the Ward about this project, just my adult children knew. All didn't say a word. But, the Lord spoke to the Bishop, it was completely inspiration.

I know that Marnie really, really loves the porch because of her wedding here, fourteen years ago.

I still see in my mind, how Marnie walked-out on that very front porch and then to the archway in our garden be married by my husband, to her own Steve. He was a new convert and had been studying the Church for a long time. He joined and it was love. They were sealed in the San Diego Temple exactly one year later.

My vision of her on that day will always be the loveliest decoration I've ever had on my porch! The music started she walked out and paused radiantly. The song was by Kenny Chesney and it starts out slow and she stood for the moments of the song .... and as the song started to change she started down the staircase. "Me and You".

How things change with all the rain and my neglect to my yard. My priorities changed so much. I love my gardens, but first my baby daughter's wedding in Utah and the receptions, and then just six months later my mother had her stroke. I have put all my energy into what I've felt were needed most. Especially, my mother. I water her lawn and mine dries-up. I didn't even noticed until now, I see our old pictures of the way things were.

The Weeds So High

My Garden Needing Work. Brother Bill Ennis came to our
house and offered the expensive wood that the porch needed.
A wood that lasts a lifetime. He also was touched by the Spirit.
What wonderful "men of God" truly knowing need, by their inspiration.

Ready For Me Once Again

My Garden I Love, Then

A Chance For Renewal

We are so grateful and humbled by this all.
I appreciate all their work, sacrifice and fellowship.
I know we have our Heavenly Father watching over us.

Aug. 29th, 2011

No one knew that I would be hurt again. I fell fixing the puppy pen. I was doing it again, carrying a big pan of puppy chow, that blocked my view of my feet. Whoever taught us in 3rd or 4th grade to carry everything in front of us, as in chairs, were sure wrong! I've fallen so many times that way. Please remember to always carry anything to the side and balance it with something on the other side. I'm stuck for a few days with my feet-up and mending my pelvis, toes, and a huge bruise on the side and back of my leg. I missed falling between on a welder and a sharp, broken wagon. My blessing of being chubby is that I have very strong bones. The ONLY blessing.

Last night, Steve cracked his head while on duty, hurrying to a call. It was a car accident with a family that had a seven week-old baby with them. A speed bump was hit too hard and not only his head was hurt, but also his neck, shoulders, back, and legs. He said after a forever exam, it sure could have been worse. He has a great mind no bump will change.

I've never felt so loved and there are angels around us.
Living Angels and some that are of Spirit.

Sept. 1, 2011

The porch is still coming along and is looking great! We love the Redwood and may decide that when we can paint we're going to paint the redwood color the same as it is and the trim. The windows redwood too, but only with the very inside white to match our corrals. The rest of the large portion of the house clay color and maybe even the metal roof. A long ways off, but we love it!

Listen To My Firefighter Husband

2011-08-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

CERT PODCAST FOR EVERYONE

We have the longer video available and if you're interested in the longer version please call me. It is used on our public broadcast channel thoughout our county. The long version runs all during the month of September and October. 805-794-4013 or 805-794-6094

Is Fair, fair?

2011-08-11T23:01:00.000-07:00

I always told my girls that entered project animals in the county fair that they needed to understand that the Fair isn't fair, ever. Even if you win. It took a lot of convincing, but they "get it" now that they're grown. Actually, is all of "life" fair? I think all my kids earned a buckle and recieved ribbons that covered their walls, but the only thing that I told them that I wanted them to really remember was to do better than the year before. Doesn't matter how they place, just do your very best, put forth a bunch of effort, and be poised and as sweet a lady as we expect from our family.

Hannah's Ribbons Are Lovely & We Know What They Represent

I went as a mother with my girls to Fair and I think as upset as any of my girls became for whatever reason, the moms have it way worse. It's not heaven at the fair, it's like the other place. I cried when they cried, I suffered when they showed their animals, I fretted and packed, hauled junk from one end of those fairgrounds to the other, and even worked the auction, did loads of paperwork, the list is endless.Yesterday, I went as a grandmother just there to take pictures and suddenly I had all those memories of... ahhhh, "torment" comes to mind. Yep, all those memories came flooding back, as I saw my daughter watching her daughter. Yesterday, Hannah showed her pig in the judging class to have it placed and be numbered in the auction.

What A Terrific & Loving Mom I would Never Do Hog Boards!

I'm so proud of Hannah and all she accomplished yesterday, she came-in fourth, in her class. A fourth plass out of 302 pigs is excellent. The judge was amazed at the muscle that Hannah had on her pig. He weighed 271 and didn't have as much finish that he needed, but if he had the finish, her pig... Kalua, would have been over the weight limit. Judge Holland really liked Hannah's pig's confirmation. The impressive part of all this is that she picked the pig herself, all by herself.

Oh Happy, She and Kalua Were Penned--She's Going To Place

Still Showing In The Pen. Good Practice for Showmanship, Saturday

I saw a grown-up girl poised and not one bit flusstered though-out the crazy circus that pig shows always are and I'm grateful that she really took the time to know everything she could about her animal. Hannah was a "pro" at showmanship, she actually looked like she was having fun. It's called "acting" and her stage presence was radiant. A novice, but proving excellence.

Hannah's Brother Helped With the Hog Boards

Of Course, Her Cousin Was Right There, Also

One thing that people think about all this "Fair Business" is, that's how can young children or young adults do this, knowing the end result is probably slaughter, and the animals are pets? The animals are a pets in a way, but if a leader is doing their job, the 4-Her or FFA member know very well the end result. Everything dies that lives in this world, that IS truth. The animal assigned to a club member is the most pampered and loved than any lap-sitting puppy. A club animal can have no better life. The process of letting them go is extremely hard, but it doesn't change how the next animal is treated for the next year. I haven't met anyone that spends so much time with these animals that can't love them with all their heart, even most of the parents. I can't help it. I'll cry when Kalua, my grand daughter's pig, is auctioned. We pray for pastures and people to save them in the auction, but most of our animals have gone to "Food Share" for the homeless or needy families. I'm grateful for those who've bought my children's animals and then turned around and gave it to such a worthy cause. The money? It was banked and yes, all my children used their money for school and very worthwhile purchases.

The most unfair of all is leaving your

animals behind without you, knowing the

outcome later. Dad is The Best to Lean-on.

Yesterday, I saw me in my own daughter. She'll survive it, my Tressa won't like it, but that's what mother's and dad's do.

We Have Queenland Heeler Puppies!

2011-08-03T23:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, about 2:30 p.m. our Darby Dog had her litter of darling little Queenland Heeler Puppies. We had her bred at the end of June to our favorite stud, Turbo, and what a darling litter. We were surprised at her sudden onset of labor and the timing was so unusual.

Darby was bred to Turbo and luckily the day that he covered her, we took pictures of Turbo. Thankfully, the pictures had embedded the date and from that, my daughter Kiely, could exactly pinpoint the day Darby would have the puppies and she would go into labor. It was June 29th and yes, it began, but after four hours stopped suddenly when our seven month old puppy, that isn't related to Darby, tried to play with her.

Grouchy and nervous is the only way to describe Darby Dog's annoyance with him. She didn't bite Duelly or fight, but she had, had it! The labor quit.

We were all so happy Kiely was home and visiting here for the summer during her school break. She wanted so much to help her dog though labor and delivery like she did with her last litter. There was a problem the last time with one large puppy and we thought that might occur again.

Kiely needed to go back to school so she spent all of Tuesday packing up her car. This morning was going to start early and she was afraid she couldn't wake-up all the animals at 5:00 a.m. So when the car was finished and packed Kiely called Darby to say goodbye and the dog wasn't around. Keily knew that Darby had run-off to have her puppies. One glance in the barn and there was Darby in her bed and right next to the bed was the birthing kit with all Kiely's supplies. Both touched and Darby started pushing, her mid-wife was there.

The labor and delivery wasn't smooth by any means and because it was expected, Kiely was prepared. One giant boy and some breech puppies made it. It was a long labor for dogs and more than nine hours, but as tiny and looking like wet rats, the cute chubby puppies are fluffy and super fat today. I can't believe what one day does for puppies on rich milk.

There are four females and two males. The puppies will be tri-colored and with lots of freckles. We can see them under the white hair. They're a happy and a squealing bunch of white-patched babies.

Darby, was cowered some last night but now is happy, smiling, and contented. I've never seen her this way. She really loves being a mother.

How'd Darby know Kiely was leaving? And ... How did the labor start? Darby knew she needed Kiely, her best friend and companion to take care of her. I can only think that there must be something more to the world of animals than we humans know and may only understand when we reach "The Other Side."

Farm kids KNOW to stay still and quiet. They all were so good and I think Darby was glad her favorite friends were there with her.

Trip Hits Home

2011-07-24T23:57:00.000-07:00

July 22nd 2011
This is the day and end of our most memorable vacation of our lives. We had to say good-bye AGAIN! Oh, I start missing them before I even leave.

Today is beautiful. I wish we could just take-off and maybe take the long way home just so that our trip won't end already. I want to go around that old bend near the airport in St. George.

We didn't have the time and Steve needed to be at his class. I knew right where a Menchie's Yogurt was in St. George and took my husband right to it. I was set for the day, really, Then I was looking at a map and "low and behold" I saw right-off Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra Blvd. in Las Vegas, was another yogurt shop and Steve did want to stop and this time returned with a yogurt for himself, too. I know in my mind how this city thrives, but really, this whole downtown makes no sense.

I was glad to see the Barstow sign because we didn't want to get home at midnight. We arrived at home about 7:30 pm. and stepped out of our car to be met by cool ocean breezes and enough time to carry what we needed into the house before dark. We're so tired.

Steve and I listened to three large novels on our trip. So fun and we'll do that again! We didn't have any access to the Internet almost the whole trip unless we were "hooked-up" in the places we were staying for the night. The cellphone service was off and on and most of the time "off" and the easy way to do my blog was writing it down or catching a bit of time, late on the places we stayed and my family's computers in Arkansas and Utah. I have to say having 4G in Little Rock, Arkansas was a first for our phones. We don't EVEN have that here in Los Angeles. Arkansas' image is not at all what is real and true. Little Rock is prosperous, fancy, very clean, and very modern.

The sweetest part of the whole trip was moving quickly through Oklahoma and surprising our daughter and family in Mayflower. I had yearned to hold our new baby granddaughter, Susan. I'm so grateful for Chip and Bree naming her after me. I'm so thankful and so blessed in so many ways. Our meeting with family members and doing genealogy was precious.

Holding and meeting with our loved ones gives us the true understanding and feelings of the term, "Joy In Your Posterity"