Independence Day 2014

One thing about the Fourth of July that you can count on is that it will be hot.  Especially in Utah.  It was a sizzler over there.  The morning was bearable until about 10:30 am.  The first thing we saw when we looked out the window was this flag in front of the house.  The Young Men and Women of the Church line the streets with American flags nearly every holiday that has anything to do with patriotism.  This is the way they raise funds for their special activities.  They do it for free but ask for donations from the home owners on a voluntary basis.  It is a winner. It use to be just the Scouts but now the Young Women participate as well which makes it easier on everyone.  Connor was on morning detail, getting up at 5:30 am to line the streets.  That in itself is great for all the teens to get up that early.  He put the one up you see above right in front of their house.  It is quite a sight when you step out and look up and down the street.

Provo is known for their Fourth of July Celebrations.  They have hot air balloons on years when it is not too hot early in the morning.  Over 70 degrees and the balloons will inflate but not ascend.  Bummer this year, too hot that early already.  But the City has plenty to keep families happy.  There is a big parade, a Freedom Festival, Stadium of Fire at BYU Stadium at night and probably a lot more activities I am not aware of as a visitor.  And of course the fireworks are fabulous.  We decided to pick just two activities so we went to the Freedom Festival and the fireworks.

The Freedom Festival was packed pretty early.  We arrived about 10:30 and left  after about an hour and a half.  It was just too hot and crowded so when the kids were done, none of us protested.  

A little group photo of Gramma and Grampa with the kids.

This was just as we were leaving~broiled to perfection.

Grampa likes the cooking booths so

 we stopped in there for a minute. 

 Here the grandkids are looking on.  

Connor, Owen, Aynslee, Zachary.

Missy is standing right next to Connor.

Loved being able to see the steeple on the 

new Provo Temple still under construction after the fire

that gutted the Tabernacle a few years ago.  

The Festival was just across the street

so when the crowd got to be just too much

you could look up to this and feel relief.

This was my favorite part of what the festival offered. 

They played some amazing Blue Grass music under a tent that had chairs to sit down and relax.  Awesomeness like only a "Hot Gramma" can fully appreciate. Hehehe!

I though the best part of the Freedom Festival in general was the sense of community and old-fashioned fun it engendered.  They had lots of vendors selling food and and merchandise and the mingling was good.  I am not a fan of big crowds but this was a gentle crowd.  No offensive language, no people there to cause a problem, no loud personal music, no smoking or drinking.  Just normal, everyday people out with their families enjoying themselves.  That is a freedom we don't have in a lot of places anymore and it was refreshing.

As we were leaving the Freedom Festival we saw this guy. 

 I'm telling ya, this town does it up right! 

Who among us has a handcart?

We went home and chilled and had lunch and watched National Treasure with the kids in the nice cool basement family room.  That was great.  We had a wonderful dinner and Chris grilled salmon and we ate out in their backyard under the umbrella and enjoyed the shady trees and the mountains so close and so big!

As the sun was starting to go down we packed up and went over to  the Temple lawn to watch the fireworks.

These last four shots and the one

 of us with the kids were taken by Chris. 

 This one is so pretty I think.

 I am loving the lavender hues of it.

It was the quintessential summer evening. No mosquitoes that I noticed. Warm but comfortable, pleasant people all around you and a spectacular bunch of glitter in the sky!  It ended all too soon.

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God Bless America
The Land of the Free Because of the Brave!

Visit With a Purpose

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We had some very specific reasons for making this trip to Utah.  Last month Jim wanted to go up to help Chris with some work but he was unable to make that trip due to lingering problems in his recovery from hip replacement surgery.  He was quite crestfallen about that as he loves helping our kids so much with their home projects.  So he devised a plan for accomplishing what Chris needed from home and we went up to deliver 18 cabinet doors that Jim made in his new work shop.  It was a bit of a challenge to say the least, but he did an excellent job and I am so proud of him.  The wall unit had 18 openings and each just slightly different in size by fractions of an inch.  Jim had our grandson measure the openings and recheck it.  Each opening was numbered and measured precisely.  Connor did an amazing job and he helped so much.

The shop is not done yet but projects are going on anyway!

Focus and precision is key!

He did all the painting at home and 
setting the hinges and added pulls.

When I went up to take the photos
Jim had both the big double doors wide open.
We had a visitor, one of two fawns born
recently.  They are about the size of a big dog now.
So tame and cute and their spots are nearly gone.

They spent the afternoon of the 3rd installing the doors.  Love how they turned out.  The cabinets add a lot of light and personality to the room.  Wonderful job, done from a distance.  And a successful three generation project for the guys.  Connor earned his wings on this one!  Great measuring, Con!  It is so great how these skills and talents get passed from father to son for generation after generation..  Jim's dad started it and it just keeps on giving and getting better.  

Chris had also needed Jim's help on a complete remodel of their downstairs bathroom.  He had it all gutted before he learned Jim could not come in June.  So he did this on his own.  He is an amazing guy.  He consulted with Dad and watched a lot of YouTube videos on how to do the tile.  Youtube is better than a compass for directions on anything you want to learn.

Love the tile and the colors and the glass half wall.

The floor and sink are cool too. 

 This will be the bathroom for the boys
 that all have bedrooms downstairs.

We girls went shopping while the guys finished this project up.  I bought some birthday presents from Jim to me.  The value of the birthday bucks went way up with a 40% off coupon and a semi-annual big sale!  Missy and Aynslee got some clothes too. We had a very nice dinner that Missy prepared.  It was light summer faire and it was great.  Lots of fruit, and veggies and French Dip sandwiches.  Everyone was getting excited for the 4th now that the projects were completed and the sun was setting in the west.

Everything had a deadline because we had plans to chill out on the 4th and because they are moving!  Their renters will arrive by week's end.  You'll never guess where they are going!  So I'll tell you.

England!

Chris got a Fulbright Scholarship and they are going on Sabbatical for OneYear!  Sabbatical~so no classroom teaching but the luxury of researching and writing a book, and some projects papers. BYU and The University in England each pay half of his salary.  Sweet deal for sure and we are so happy for them.

 Of course their kids are not too happy because they don't want to leave their home and friends, but they will be fine once they get used to it.  Such a great opportunity to do this sabbatical with a young family.  We will miss them but know how fast times flies.

 It is nice to travel with the purpose of serving our kids and especially since it gave us a chance to say good-bye for now and to wish them well.  And sending the grandkids off with hugs and kisses knowing they will have grown a lot while away was not a bad idea either. Thank heavens for the Internet and for the prospects of going over for a visit in 2015.  That's called traveling for a reason. Pleasure and a reunion.

Liberty and Freedom~July 4th Weekend!

Taken at Church today!
Happy Liberty and Independence Weekend!

Reflecting back on our whirlwind trip to Utah it was really pretty awesome in every possible way.  The only thing that would have made it better was if Laura's family had been there too.  They were traveling in NY at the exact same time so we got lots of texts and pictures from them so it was almost like being with them too.

The drive, well you know how that is if you have ever been to Nevada.  Nevada has produced some of our most favorite people like Lee and Dave!  But that highway 80 leaves a lot to be desired where scenery is concerned.  But we need those kinds of contrasts to help us appreciate beauty when we see it.

The most interesting thing we saw was the new 80 miles per hours signs in Utah.  The jury is out on whether this is a good idea. Personally it seems it will just give license to driving even faster than 80 so I am not a fan.  We saw this right before getting to SLC.  So the 12 hours drive was only interesting and fun from the inside of the car where we talked and napped and listened to a book on tape and some music and made some plans. The best part...just being together and alone.  It is not what I would necessarily choose for my birthday activity (Nevada desert) but the carrot dangling at the end of it was our family...so it was good.

We are happy that Jen and Lowell have moved to SLC because it cut an hour off the trip. Woohoo. We arrived by design...right before dinner!  Jen had such a nice dinner prepared, balloons and our little tiny Hazie sitting on the stoop waiting for us.  Her beautiful eyes lit up when we pulled in and it was a Happy Birthday gift like no other.  I love how little kids get so excited about birthday parties.  Jen is such a great host.  She just had it all dialed in.  It was a delicious dinner and cherry pie for dessert which she knows is my favorite.

They have this amazingly wide porch so we ate out there and watched the world go by at the park near them.  It was sweet I'm telling ya, you'd love that porch.

Yep, that's me all right! (Looking like I've been in the desert for 12 hours with the "Ugly Bug" that accompanies us on car trips.  Laura and I have discussed the phenomenon for years now.  You get ready for your day like you always do.  Jump in a car and just sit there all day.  By the first stop you look like the other word for heck.)  But it is amazing what you will do for your grandkids.  I am not a hat fan which includes headbands and anything but hair on my head actually.  But the little sisters where quite excited about me wearing this so OK then.  Hazie informed me that I looked like The Statue of Liberty.  Hmm...better than a penguin, right?  But then I wasn't walking either.

Chloe lighting the candle on the pie! 
Noise makers and party toys all around.
Chloe gave me a beautiful angel wings necklace.
It has little rhinestones on the wings.
Gramma likes a little bling.
They know I love angel's wings because 
they are Hazie's transportation. 

Hazie getting ready to watch me open my present from her.  
She was pretty excited about this gift.
Her enthusiasm is always contagious.

The present from Hazie was full of lip gloss, 
peppermint and peppermint chocolate and another flavor.
She wanted to try them out!  
Have you ever played with an angel?  It is heavenly!

Publicity shots!

For "Call Your Girlfriend"

The cups are the boxes.

See the Lennon and Maisy's 

Youtube video of this song.

After dinner we had a whole lot of partying going on.  The middle girls...our very own Lennon and Maisy look alikes and sound alikes, sang me some songs from the Nashville series.  It was so tender because I love Lennon and Maisy's voices and our precious impersonators. We recorded it and it was great.  However we are waiting for our family reunion to do it up right before sharing.  The big sisters sang some songs while I toured their bedroom with all its Beyond 5 and One Direction posters, their incredible art work and other fun teen girls' treasures. 

 Piper and Julia both play the guitar but Piper accompanied Julia some while she sang.  Piper is really good on the guitar and seems so at ease with it.  She has been writing some songs.  She is shy about singing in front of people (I relate) and doesn't like a lot of pictures (ditto on relating...I've only gotten over it since I started doing family history again four years ago.)  So I am adding one picture of her in from last year that I love.  

They are so much fun and I thought to myself how generous Heavenly Father has been to give me two daughters, one daughter-in-law and five granddaughters to fill in for the sisters I never had.  

To top it all off, Julia gave me a lengthy foot massage which has been her specialty since she was 5 and had her own company called "Julia's Happy Feet Day Spa."  She has made my feet happy for years.  She just keeps getting better at it too.  When all the adults went to bed the girls and I stayed up a while longer and just spent time together.  Cherished birthday memories for me that's for sure. I felt wrapped in a hug all day long.  (Facebook friends thank you for overwhelming me all day long with your kindness.)  

Precious girls!

Julia, Chloe Piper and Little Piper~Miss Hazie Jo

The sweetest girls, I love them all to the moon and back.

Thank you Jen and Lowell for always welcoming us with open arms and making it special to be with you.  We love you all.  Glad we are coming back for more soon.  You are so generous. Loved my Williams and Sonoma bag and my party.  Grazie and Ciao for a few weeks.

When Dreams Come True

This is a vintage story with a happy ending.  When I was a little girl somewhere between 8 and 11 there was this lady that went to our church in Sacramento.  She always came with her two beautiful teenage or young adult daughters.  They were the prettiest girls I had ever seen.  One had dark hair and dark eyes.  The other had long blond hair and sparkly blue eyes.  One played the piano and one the violin.  The details have kind of blurred over the years and I don't even know their names.  What I do know for sure is they were so beautiful in my little girl eyes.  I wanted to be just like them when I grew up and I remember thinking what a lucky Mom they had.  I waited each week to see them and their pretty outfits.  They were so graceful which was only exaggerated to me by own preteen awkwardness.  I was so infatuated with them.

About that time in history the little Ginny Doll was so popular and my parents let me get two of them.  I was in heaven over being able to have two.  That was so fun for me because they were sisters in my imagination.  Something I wanted myself so badly but never did have.  The cool thing about them was they had very life-like hair for styling and little glass eyes and lashes and a ton of darling little clothes you could buy.

 The Ginny doll was only about six or seven inches tall.  She had a carrying case for all the accessories.  When you stood the case on its side it was like a little closet and it had tiny plastic hangers and a little rod to hang the clothes on.  I was never much of a doll girl, but I did love those particular ones.  The best part was you got to choose eye and hair color and I had two that I chose specifically to look like those beautiful girls at church.  I idolized those girls, I really did looking back on it now.

Well, looking through old photos the other day I ran across this beautiful picture of our daughters from the 1990s.  They are just as striking a contrast as those girls in our church and the Ginny dolls.  Oh how I did love to dress them up and get them all fancy when they were little.  And even now I love playing with them more than anyone.  Having them was a dream come true for me, a little girl with no sisters growing up.  I sure do miss the good ole days when they were here under our roof being my little dollies.  Mothers never seem to feel quite whole when their children are living away.  Even an active imagination doesn't fix it.  The gift of memories is the only salve.

Jennifer and Laura

Those Who Inspire Me

This is a flashback to September 2011

Hazie waiting for the bus on her first day
of school this year! This was her first bus ride!

I just love this series of pictures. I don't know why exactly but they represent something special to me. They brought tears to my eyes as I looked at her sweet little face, so eager, so trusting, so ready to go! I have had to ponder this experience for days to better understand why it touched me so deeply.

Getting on the Big Yellow School Bus!
This little one that has never met a stranger!
She is trying to engage this man who seems
to be unaware he is in the presence of an angel!

And off she goes to school....
To life as a big girl.

Her first independent trip away from home, away from her family and into the unknown with a smile on her face. That is courage. That is inspiring. When I saw the back of that bus...I had to think of our own daughter, Hazie's Mom. Watching her little, almost four-year-old, take off with perfect strangers on her own for the first time.

There was her little precious girl, that she has nurtured and cared for in the extreme, with all of her spina bifada issues, knowing her and helping her like no one else but a mom could. The very act of letting Hazie get on that bus and go off on her own...that had to take courage, it had to be hard. That kind of maternal courage inspires me.

I remember when Jennifer went off to school, how I wept. That little person who shared my body before birth and my soul all of her life, wasn't a baby anymore. And I prayed for her protection in a big, very uncertain world. I wanted to hold on to her and her innocence and never let the world rip it from her as it was ripping her from me right then.

I felt the same way when I saw the back of this big yellow bus. In our lives, we have those defining moments when we learn something that changes us. I am constantly amazed by the depth of love I have for our grandkids and kids and what I learn from them. I see things in them all the time that humble me and make me want to be a better person. Their refining moments refine me. The power of that love of mother to child is divine.

Their experiences bond me to them in ways I never realized they could or would. When they stretch and grow I do too and when they hurt I feel pain along with them, when they feel joy, my heart is bursting too. These feelings can be felt in other relationships, but never quite as keenly as in mother to child. Not even child-to-mother love knows of this power. Of course perhaps, a father's love for his children produces this experience too, but I can only speak of a mother's love through the heart that I know best. The courage that I see in our children and grandchildren makes me feel ashamed of my own fears sometimes. They are amazingly faithful and courageous. That inspires me to face my fears head on.

Spencer James

This very week our grandson, Spencer, has gone off for the first time as well. He is 12 so that probably seems rather strange to a lot of you. But Spencer has a disability that cannot be seen. He is deathly allergic to peanuts and soy. What this means for his parents is they must prepared all his food with caution. They never buy anything that the label isn't checked first because companies change ingredients all the time. Most of his food is made from scratch. (He will undoubtedly be healthier than most through out his life time because of it, right?) He can never eat any purchased treats like chips, cookies, candy or a gelato, or a hamburger. To a child with a peanut allergy eating can bring about unthinkable consequences. You cannot be lax, vigilance is essential 24/7.

Spencer carries an Epipen wherever he goes, he doesn't eat food prepared for parties or church dinners or in any but a couple of thoroughly screened restaurants where he is allowed pasta with butter only. He never travels on a train or plane without precautionary methods needing to be taken.

It is tougher because it is invisible and it enters into every new relationship he ever makes, as explanations and exceptions have to be made. There are emotional issues to be dealt with. I think most people never can imagine this type of thing unless they are faced with its challenges. Food is an issue and central to just about every social thing we seem to do. Imagine always being on your guard.

But this week he went on an outdoor, educational, camping trip with his new friends, at his new school, in another state. He went with every one of his meals packed and ready for him to confidently enjoy, prepared by his diligent mother. That took courage, that took faith. That is inspiring to me. I know that Laura and Robert wrestled with this and had very similar thoughts to what Jen must have when that bus drove away with her baby.

Again I do not know that I could have handled these thing well as a parent. I learn courage through their courageous acts. And I am pretty sure I would not have handled this well as a 12-year-old. There is so much security within the walls of a loving, protective home. When the grandkids are brave, I can be more brave in the things I face or may face in my life. I learn from them all the time.

These are just two examples of those who inspire me to be courageous. There is also James, always working hard and usually in pain as he does it. He just plows through in spite of the consequences physically sometimes. The sacrifices are almost always for someone else. There is also my brother, Steven, bravely enduring his cancer treatments that have been so difficult with his Steve Martin-like looks and sense of humor and a desire to lift the rest of us. That is courage that inspires me.

I have a mental list of those who inspire me to be better. You are probably on that list yourself. Who we eventually become has a lot to do with where we are looking. I am looking to God, and wonderful courageous and inspiring people that help me along my way, every day.

Do you ever think about who inspires you through their courageous living?

Our Son...39 Years Old Today!

You and your Mom!

This morning I woke up very early...it reminded me of the early morning of March 27th, 1975.  It was a day we hold very close to our hearts, the day our only son was born.  He arrived on the scene at around 7:25 AM.  It had been a hard day's night and worth every minute of it. When Jennifer went to bed the night before at Gramma Jo and Grampa's Ross' house she had a very pregnant Mommy.  When it was time for breakfast for her...she was a big sister.

One always thinks that babies are born at night..Chris was our only one.  Both of our girls were born during the day.  There is nothing quite like that feeling of working so hard and then finally holding your precious child in your arms.  That experience, as husband and wife, bonds you like no other.

Your parents long after you were born

About 2009

Chrissy and Jenny 1977

1997~The Wedding Day
 In The Salt Lake Temple 

With Reception at The
 Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Your goofy family of five At Sundance 2011!
This pose had some kind of significance
to someone in this  group...
No idea what?
Let's just call it a "shelfie" 
instead of a selfie!

The brothers your sisters gave you!

Mom, Jen, Grandma Gloria, Melissa, Laura

Your own little family!

Our Clan

Much Love from all of us, Christopher!

Happy Birthday!!!  You are Loved!

We are so pleased with you, Chris, and the choices you have made and the path your good life is taking.  We are so excited for your family to have the change to move to England in June to fulfill your Fulbright Scholarship opportunities on your  Sabbatical from BYU for one year.  What a wonderful chance for your children to live abroad again!  So many in our family and at Loughborough University will benefit.

Chris is in Brazil this week so we cannot even wish him a proper Happy Birthday today.  But that is OK. He's a man with important places to go and people to see.  We have learned in our family that the real celebrations and holidays happen whenever we can be together.  The date hardly matter anymore.  We are thankful for all the high quality times we do have together.  The Lord has richly blessed us all.

I adore this photo of my two Handsome Men

working together to improve the world and our world.

So a big shout out to you, Son! 

 We love you and wish you 

the very best today and always.

Love and big hugs,

❤♡♥♡❤♡♥♡❤♡♥s
Mom, Dad and Company

So What About Kids?

I have to admit there times when I don't think a lot about kids.  Like when I'm under general anesthesia, doing our taxes or having a root canal.  But other than that I think about kids a lot.  Our kids, your kids, our grandkids and yours.  Big kids, little kids, precious infants, kids in trouble or that are troubled.  Innocent kids, naughty kids, kids that are noisy and exuberant, kids that are sad...I think about them a lot.  And there are the ones I love because I know them so well.  Or because my good friend loves them so much...kids or grandkids of theirs.  I may never have met them but if they love them...I do too.  They are a part of my friend and their life and that is good enough for me. 

I have to admit I am not really a people watcher but I am a baby watcher! I love spotting a baby and watching them in a mall or crowded place or in church.  And it is funny but if I can catch their eye they will usually smile at me, almost as if they know I am a Gramma!  

There are the ones I want to scoop up and hug and the ones that I think need a time out until they remember who is in charge.   I think about the ones I'm so proud of and the ones that worry me sick. The ones I applaud and the ones I cry over.   Kids are wonderful big and little humans, in all of their varieties.  As for the littlest kids, the thing that I love to see the most is their innocence and their newness in this game of life.  Where they haven't been jaded too much by hurts or sad things and they are just kind of living in their happy moments without a care.  The ones that have faith in Jesus, their parents, their surroundings, their friends and themselves.

One thing about them all...they all need a lot of love.  Real love and attention and protection.  They need assurance and security and praise and help in growing up healthy in body, mind and spirit. They need sound principles to guide them and understanding parents that sacrifice constantly to give them these things and grandparents too.

May none of our children ever doubt we are there for them through thick and thin, no matter how old they or we get.   And no matter what their struggles may be.  Love not only changes everything for the better but is soothes a lot of difficulties in life.  Good parents love unconditionally and kids have to know that some people will never leave them~no matter what.  Not ever.

I love the photo message above.  It is cute, poignant and true.  I like the suggestion to put them in water if they are crabby.  I once babysat a child that was crying hysterically about something.  I picked him up and sat him on the counter near the kitchen sink.  I put his little bare feet in some cool water and he was delighted immediately.  Who knew?  And I love the admonition to "Teach Feelings."  This is where empathy begins and love is learned.  And I'd add teach them to express feelings.  Especially feelings of love and appreciation for others.  May they never wonder if we love them.

So anyway, since I am not under anesthesia today or doing taxes or having a root canal...I was thinking about kids.   My kids, your kids the people that give us reason to get up and get dressed and get going every day with a purpose.  God bless us all in our sincere efforts to keep this sacred trust with the Lord to do good by them.