What A Way to Celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas

When my brother Roark found out that Thomas was getting married in the Portland, Oregon temple over Thanksgiving weekend, his first comment was "What a way to ruin Thanksgiving!" After all the festivities are over, I beg to differ.



Little Jude couldn't resist climbing up on
Mckenna's quilt.



We had a wonderful early Thanksgiving planned by Shelley and Ann at their home the Saturday before Thanksgiving. There were 26 aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and the little greats in attendance. On Thanksgiving day we got up at dark-thirty, piled into Brett and Kerri's Suburban and drove to Portland. I made homemade rolls and pumpkin pie, Kerri brought leftover turkey from her family's Thanksgiving dinner and diet Coke to eat in the car while we were driving. What more could you ask for?

   



 

Thomas looks pretty relaxed for  some one who
is getting married in less than 24 hours.



Everyone predicted rain for the wedding, but we had three dry days, unusual for Portland in November. We even made a mad dash to Moltnomah Falls on Friday between trips to the airport to pick up Jayne, Dave, Chris, Megan and Matt.



Saturday morning before we had to be at the temple we went to breakfast at a local cafe, a man was driving down the street, saw us taking pictures and stopped and offtered to take a picture of all of us. What a random act of kindness! 

 

Thomas was starting to get a little antsy by this time.



My wonderful siblings and niece Mckenna were so fabulous to come all the way up Portland  for their Thanksgiving also.  

Thomas looked so pleased with himself as he and Monica were walking out of the temple, as if he was saying, "Yep, I did it, I'm married!" Monica just looks beautiful.



We had an open house for Thomas and Monica last weekend at our home which was decked out in its Christmas finery.  Because Thomas and Monica didn't have a wedding cake, Shelley and I decided we would make a chocolate, raspberry, orange one with long distance help from Stacey. 

I will certainly remember this Thanksgiving and Christmas for many years to come.. The drive to Portland was long and the open house was a lot of work, but it was something we were happy to do. We welcome Monica into our family with open arms and look forward to celebrating many holidays with her and Thomas in the future. 

The Church Mobilized

This Sunday morning was cold and dark . . in the house. We hadn't had power since 6:00 a.m. Thursday morning when east winds came roaring over the Wasatch Mountains and down the canyons with gusts up to 100 miles per hour. Trees were toppled and torn like toothpicks. And as they fell they took down electrical wires and poles with them. The winds also ripped shingles off roofs, siding off houses, tore up fences and sent trampolines and other un-anchored backyard playthings flying.

We lost two blue spruces trees, one of which was our first Christmas tree in this house, 17 years ago. We were fortunate, they didn't hit the house as they fell.  Our emergency preparedness rated a B or so. I had flashlights, batteries, lighters and emergency candles where I could easily find them. Our ceramic glass front gas fireplaces, chosen especially as a secondary heat source,  kept the living areas warm enough, especially since we didn't have children to keep warm. The main thing we were lacking was a generator to keep the freezer and refrigerator working. But being without electricity was getting old and I was starting to get a little cranky (and a little stinky.)

So when I woke up Sunday morning at 5:00 without the cheery red glow from my beside clock I was not happy. John insisted on taking the branches from the spruces to the dump even though it was Sunday. I have to admit I was a little upset with him. He was worried about the weather forecast of more wind and snow.


Ward youth helping load our trailer, thankfully we had a
front end loader as well



John was not the only one worried about the forecast. We got word (our phones weren't working) that they were cancelling church to clean up the storm debris in our ward before the next storm and our Tahoe and trailer were needed to haul the downed trees to a holding field in west Kaysville. Ward members of all ages turned out to help. Children were working along side their 80 year old neighbors. Non members came out to help when they saw their pile of debris being thrown into trailers. 150 people working to help one another. We got done in four hours what could have taken weeks.




Waiting to unload.

 This was happening in wards all over the Wasatch Front. When John first took our trees to the dump he was the only one there, but as word spread trucks and trailers of all sizes loaded mainly with pine and spruce boughs began to head toward designated areas. I was luckily enough to go with John on 5 trips to unload the trailer. We saw the power of the church as it mobilized its members. The roads were lined with anything that could haul something; from the smallest truck bed to huge dump trucks.


For some reason I was almost moved to tears when the truck and trailer next to ours finished unloading their trailer and without saying a word, turned around and started helping us with ours. It didn't matter that they weren't even from our stake, it had to be done and they were helping where it was needed. By the time we made our last load, the National Guard was there, Kaysville City police was directing traffic and heavy equipment was being used to help unload the trailers.



Our last load was wider and taller than the Tahoe, We were glad to have help unloading.

As the Sabbath ended I was in a very different frame of mind. I was filled with gratitude and awe for a church that truly believes Christ's teaching: "When you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me." I had a shower and a delicious Sunday dinner at my sisters' home, then picked up Thomas and his new bride from their honeymoon. And when I got home, the power was back on.







He Thinketh That He Can Built a Kayak

I got my garage back, just in time for winter! John finished his boat. For the past 18 months John has been building a  kayak  in the garage, while we parked our cars in the driveway. This was not just any kayak, but a 21 foot white and red cedar strip kayak with curly maple accents. Of course it is a tandem so I can go out on more adventures with him. What would I do without John to force me out of my safe, warm, lazy comfort zone. I wouldn't have gone sailing, (he also built a sail boat with my dad), back packing, or river rafting if he hadn't pushed me into them.

John and his brother Craig both decided they wanted to build kayaks, it was a great brother bonding activity.  John said the whole time he was building it he felt like Nephi when he was building his ship. Nephi's brothers kept saying "Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship." John said he often wondered if people were saying that about him. By this point I don't think they doubt him anymore.

John's is the kayak on the left, Craig's is on the right.

I know I don't, and now we get to go touring in our beautiful kayak!   And park in the garage.

"I Didn't Know That"

My maternal grandmother, Eva Willey Hill Trump, is the daughter of polygamists. Her mother, Ann Elizabeth Cowley Willey was the second wife of David Orson Willey.
We were talking about polygamy at a family dinner the other day and my mother brought up the point that her mother never had anything bad to say about polygamy.  My grandmother remembers every time her father came home was like a wonderful family home evening. He would come home and say to her mother "Annie, I have a new word for you." And they would learn the new word.
On the other had, my grandmother's sister, Antoinette Willey, hated being the daughter of polygamists. She always felt like an illegitimate child. Auntie, as we called her, never married. She didn't like men very much. Their father's other wife had 11 children and I have no idea how much time he spent with their family.

When Annie and Thomas figured out that their grandmother (my mother) was the granddaughter of polygamists they were somewhat surprised. Thomas said "I didn't know that polygamy was so recent in our family history."

 I don't understand polygamy and have very mixed feelings about it. My sister Shelley works at the Church History Library and has asked the church historians why polygamy was started. The answer is always "we don't know." I do know that I am here because of polygamy. My family is one good thing that happened because of it.

Just Happy to Be Here

I spent General Conference week in Mexico with Jayne and Dave at their beach house in Rocky Point. I also went with mom and dad. In a way it was an experiment to see how well mom and dad travel with dad's dementia and mom's chronic fatigue and pain.

Mom did about how I expected; she was tired and hurting but enjoyed the company, attention and meals that we cooked for her. It was dad I was interested in watching. We wondered if his dementia would get worse with the confusion of traveling.

Mom and dad on the beach

I caught of glimpse of my old dad one afternoon as he and mom watched a flock of pelicans on the Sea of Cortez. "Oh my word," he said with a delighted laugh as he watched the pelicans diving for fish. I have heard him say that countless times in the past when he saw something that amazed or surprised him.

Mom and dad in the 70s

Dad loves being around family, his face lights up when ever he sees any of his children and grandchildren. And especially the greats (great grandchildren.)  Alison and Brandon and their little boy Russell come down from Tucson for the last half of the week. While they were there Russell learned how to walk. We all looked on with familial pride as he toddled from one piece of furniture to another. I looked over at dad as he was watching Russell and asked him if he was glad came, he looked at me as if it was a silly question and said "Of course I am."

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Jayne, Dave, Alison and Brandon with baby Russell

Dad still had (and has) times he didn't know what to do and wasn't sure where he was, but I look at him and he is still my dad. I see frustration in his eyes as he chokes on something or tries to remember something or what to do.  His dementia has taken away his medicine, his brilliance and many memories, but he is a kind gentle soul, mostly happy with where he is at.

I hope as I age I can learn from my dad, not notice anything but the good and say, "I'm just happy to be here."

Mother Nature is Still in Charge

The first cold front of fall has come; Indian summer is all that is left of warm weather. The cricket’s song is slowing down, and I put on socks to warm my cold feet. Another growing season has come to an end.

It started out slow with a wet cold spring and a record snowmelt that lasted well into June. The creek in front of our house flowed as high as I have ever seen it.

Because summer was so long in coming, my flower and vegetable garden had a slow start with mainly successes and a few failures. I have learned garden failures are nothing personal, just Mother Nature telling me she is still in control.

Successes:
1. Spinach in March. The spinach I planted in the greenhouse last fall wintered over provided us with an early spring crop.

2. Flowers form seed. I started most of my self watering planter plants including avalanche petunias and a large leaf begonia from seed. I figure I saved at least $30 a pot growing my own plants and I have 7 pots. The math speaks for its self, especially if I don't factor in the initial cost of the greenhouse, grow lights and potting supplies.

3. Perennials. I love perennials. They come back every year, with more than enough to share. The front perennial bed was as pretty as it has ever been.

4. Fuchsia. I was able to keep fuchsia alive on my front porch for most of the summer. I didn’t think that was possible because they are a cool weather plant. The flowers look almost fake to me because they are so vibrant and exotic looking.

Failures:

1. Deer. They ate beans, beets, tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers, zuchinni, tulips, petunias and geraniums. Note to self, don’t suspend a hanging planter where a deer can just walk up and munch on the petunia and geranium buds. It must be like candy to them. Luckily, I have enough to share. Barely.
2. Tomatoes from seed. I also planted heirloom tomatoes from seed. They started out great, but didn’t do too well later on. I don’t know if it was the variety I chose, the late summer, or just a bad season. On the other hand my cherry and grape tomatoes did great, climbing up the wall outside our bedroom window.
3. Cucumbers and peppers. I don't think I am getting enough sun for these veggies. And I think I am one of the few people in the gardening world who cannot grow zuchinni. But on the bright side, I usually get all the cukes and zuchinni I need by mentioning my lack of them to other gardening friends.

It is time to put the garden to bed for the winter. I am anxious for the cold winds of winter. And all ready I am thinking about next year's garden. Who knows, maybe I will figure out how to grow zuchinni.

Just Be Nice

I was talking to Megan, my daughter-in-law last weekend about the post 9/11 world.  We discussed how after the bombing of the Twin Towers our nation seemed to return to our spiritual roots, but as time passed we, as a nation, are actually less spiritual now than we were before the terrorists attack.

I sometimes wonder that we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are any better than the rest of the nation.  We mean well, we try to do everything we are asked to do, but sometimes we, like the rest of the nation are falling short. Megan is the Young Women president in her ward in Cortez, Colorado. She has a counselor who in Megan’s words is “mean” to the girls. The counselor would feel inspired that she needed to tells the girls what they are doing wrong and would do so in no uncertain words. Megan told her “I just want you to be nice” when dealing with the girls and their parents. The counselor felt that if she was inspired, she could just tell it like it is. Finally, after many hurt feelings, Megan told her counselor that she no longer could work with her if she couldn’t be nice to the girls. The counselor was stunned. She couldn’t understand that even if she felt she was inspired, she could also be nice.

I read President Monson’s Washington Post blog on the need for spiritual steadfastness after 9/11. He states: “If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/911-destruction-allowed-us-to-spiritually-rebuild/2011/09/08/gIQAbkjKCK_blog.html.

We are taught to “turn the other cheek,” and do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”  We need to remember that even though we believe we belong to the true church, that doesn’t give us license say hurtful things to any one, whether we agree with what they are doing or not. We are not their judge, our Heavenly Father is.  And he wants us to be nice.