Johnson Adventures

First Born Sons

2011-09-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those happy days--a Sunday spent in church with almost the whole family present for a special event. Our first born son gave his first born son his name and a really nice blessing. Joel has had a great example in his Dad and I know he'll be that same kind of good example to Joshua. How lucky little Joshua is to be born to this father and his wonderful mother, Emilee.

Generations

2011-09-11T20:09:00.001-07:00

Here are four generations of Johnson men, each one being the firstborn son in their families:

Grandpa Jim, baby Joshua, Great-grandpa True, and father Joel. Aren't they a good looking bunch of guys?

Hooray for #38

2011-08-28T20:01:00.001-07:00

This past week we celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary with dinner and a movie--a very nice way to celebrate the fact that we're still together and going strong. I have been shocked and saddened lately to hear of family members and friends who have divorced after many years together, so I know not to take 38 years for granted--we don't necessarily have it made! We have to keep working on our relationships if we want them to last. I'm so lucky to have ended up with my best friend, who is as committed to us and our family as I am. I asked him if he wanted to try for another 38 years and when he figured out how old we'd be, he decided that we'd better go for eternity instead. So here's to many more years of happiness together on earth and an eternity of happy years later!

Big Winner

2011-08-18T20:47:00.001-07:00

For years Jim has been known for his humorous drawings, but about a year ago he took a watercolor class at the Bountiful Davis Art Center and let the serious artist emerge from within.
This week he had enough courage to enter two pieces in the Davis County Fair and ended up with a blue ribbon for "Ben", our grandson on a tractor. He also received Best in Division for his colorful street scene, "Recife". I am so proud of him! And how nice for him to receive validation from someone outside his family! Congratulations!

Jim and "Ben"

"Recife"

Joshua

2011-08-07T20:45:00.001-07:00

Another precious blessing has joined our family this past week. Little Joshua Bradley was born on Tuesday evening and is the first grandson to carry on the family name. Where we had so many daughters, our grandsons certainly are outnumbering the granddaughters at this point. It doesn't matter--we adore them all!
The happy family

Joshua with his Great-Grandpa Kirkham

I Am Sewing

2011-07-17T19:52:00.001-07:00

After my friend Kim died, I sort of inherited a large number of her quilt tops--meaning that I saved them from going to Deseret Industries, in the trash, or other suggestions her husband had for them. Her daughters wanted the quilts and her husband didn't want them in the house anymore, so I brought them home to keep until a time when the girls will have homes of their own and take them back. As a service I thought it would be fun to finish some of them, so several of my friends and relatives have taken some to quilt. There were more than 20 finished quilt tops and at least that many more unfinished. I especially want to get the baby quilts done so that Kim's grandchildren can have one of her beautiful creations.
Seeing all of Kim's unfinished projects got me to thinking about my own, so I determined to spend the summer sewing-- that when I'm gone there won't be so much for my family to complete or get rid of.
Although not part of my completion list, this is the quilt I made for little Marcus and even a picture of Marcus enjoying a little time on it. The pattern is Wheels by Sandy Workman. It was quilted at Sew 'n' Save and the quilter included little VW Beetles as part of her pattern.

I took a couple of weeks off of my projects in June to help sew some Wizard of Oz costumes for Kaysville City's summer production. I usually am their accompanist, but our director used a minus track this year and I only did a little playing at the beginning of the rehearsal schedule. That gave me some time to help with the costumes. I sewed the Emerald City costumes for Jenny and Sam, who were the only ones from my family to perform this year. I also sewed the coat of the guard to Emerald City. All of the costumes were pretty complicated--it took one whole week just to get everything cut out. If Melissa hadn't stepped in to help me finish at the last minute, some people might have only been wearing partial costumes. What a lot of work! I'm glad I wasn't the one responsible for everything! I'll have to see if I can find some pictures of the costumes and post them at another time.

I have joined a couple of table runner quilt clubs in the past years, so one of my next projects was to complete another one of them. This pattern is Fresh and Fancy by Bonnie Olaveson of Cotton Way. All of the table runners in this series are reversible. I machine quilted this one myself and since Emily loved it so much, I have given it to her.

The last picture for this post is the quilt I've made for Joel and Emilee's baby, due anytime now. This one is a variation of a pattern called Up in the Air by Two Peas in a Pod. Sew 'n' Save did the quilting using some bus and other vehicle motifs as well as pine trees on the quilt. We just can't wait to meet the the little guy this one belongs to!

So my theme song will continue to be "I am sewing, daily sewing, countless seams of good and ill" for the remaining weeks of my summer break. Next up: skirts and jumpers for my granddaughters.

My Friend Kim

2011-05-19T19:05:00.000-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to be the organist at the funeral of a long time friend--my last act of service as it were.

I have known Kim for more than 20 years. My first memory of her is of a young mother singing to her infant son in the foyer of our church building as we were waiting for tithing settlement. Some months after adopting this baby, they discovered that he had fetal alcohol syndrome and would be severely handicapped. But oh how she loved that little boy with an unconditional love.

I think that the first conversation we had of any length was at a baby shower for someone in the ward. I discovered as we visited that we had some things in common and also that she didn't have many friends. My heart has always reached out to people who were lonely in that way, but I haven't always been successful in turning them into a friend--fortunately I was successful this time.

We had the love of quilting, sewing, needlework, shopping, music, books, and our families in common. She was an incredibly talented seamstress, sewing beautiful heirlooms--her daughters were always dressed in the most wonderful dresses created by their mother. At one period of time we were trading piano lessons for her oldest daughter in return for some sewing for me. I don't know who got the best of that deal!

Her talent for putting together wonderful quilts was inspiring and I have been the happy recipient of two small ones that she made just for me. She loved to teach others what she knew how to do--I learned to applique from her. I also went shopping with her many times--that woman was a shopper! She introduced me to places I'd never been before, including my favorite needlework shop, Shepherd's Bush, in Ogden.

In those early days of our friendship Kim was a little prickly and easily offended, tending to hold grudges. More than once when I was on outings with her she made salesclerks and restaurant servers cry. Those times were hard for me, but I persisted with our friendship because I thought she was worth it.

Some years ago things changed. Kim was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and I watched helplessly as it took it's toll on her body. She had many surgeries, complications, and other illnesses that also attacked her. However, I was privileged to witness the miracle that took place over this time period--the thing that ravaged her body was refining her spirit. I saw her soften and become patient with others' human frailties, doing everything in her power to serve others, making other true friendships along the way. I believe that Kim knows what the refiner's fire means. How sorry I am for the amount of suffering she endured, but I am so happy for the person she became.

Our outings became fewer over time--she couldn't manage the stairs to my home, so most of our visits were in her home or via the phone. I knew that when Kim called me that I should take a comfortable seat because we were in it for the long haul. We commiserated over hard things, rejoiced in the successes of our families, and generally solved the problems of the world.

As Jim sang Each Life That Touches Ours For Good for the funeral today, he was singing the truth for me. Kim has truly touched my life for good and I will miss her. For all those years ago when I thought that she could benefit from having me for a friend, I have been the true beneficiary. Rest, dear friend.

What a Week!

2011-05-08T19:31:00.000-07:00

This has been such a busy week, full of wonderful events and a couple of not so wonderful things. Our daughter-in-law, Emilee, was put on modified bed rest on Tuesday when it looked like her little one might want to come too early, but things have stabilized for now and she just has to rest as much as possible and avoid physical exertion. She is due towards the end of July so we'd like him to stay in the cooker a little longer.
Wednesday evening was spent in the ER with my Dad. He was put on some new medications that really messed with his system, but after a few tests and some re-hydration via IV we got to bring him home feeling better and with good reports from his tests.
Thursday evening was a wonderful one--I got to attend the play that Sam wrote and directed for the Relief Society sisters in her ward. It was based on Dicken's A Christmas Carol and she called it A Mother's Day Carol--all about how all the mothers in the world feel inadequate in their roles. What a wonderful, positive, and sweet message it was to all of us. The music she chose to go with the program was perfect, too. We are so proud of her!
Friday afternoon we attended Stephanie's graduation from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in International Relations. Although she's the youngest, she is the first of our children to receive a bachelor's degree. Way to go Stephanie! We are proud of you, too!

We appreciate Danny's support of her and encouragement in reaching her educational goals.

Saturday, we had the special experience of witnessing our granddaughter, Bonnie's baptism. How thankful we are for her choice to become a member of the church and how thankful we are for her!

Now what better way is there to spend part of Mother's Day than attending a baby blessing--especially your own grandson's. We love little Marcus James. What a nice morning it was for all of us in attendance.

There was also a little birthday celebration held for big brother Ben, who turned two years old last Friday. What a kid!

Now just a few thoughts on Mother's Day--I miss my mother every single day, but oh how thankful I am for the many years and happy memories I had with her. I am so grateful to be a mother and a grandmother--I love all the people I call my family.

2011-04-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Tate was baptized and confirmed by his Dad. How nice it was to be able to be there and share in this happy occasion. There was a lot of family support and that is always so gratifying. We love you Tate! Congratulations on this big step in your life.

Someone New

2011-04-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

We are so pleased to announce the arrival of Marcus James, son of Adam and Emily, and little brother to Ben. He was born on Wednesday, May 6th, weighing in at 9 lbs. 7 oz. and was 22" long. He has a strong resemblance to Ben, but his hair is lighter in color. Mother and son are doing fine, which is such a great blessing. We are always so happy to add someone new to our family!

Something New

2011-03-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

It has been almost 24 years since we moved into our house and for all of those years only one window in the living room has had a covering. That blind broke several years ago, becoming nonadjustable, but since I couldn't decide what to replace it with, it just stayed as it was. I have always loved the look of plantation shutters and this past week we were able to have them installed on every living room window. I really love them and what they do for the room! They have created a cosier atmosphere in there. Oh and I need to mention the total privacy, too. They have insulating properties also, which will help keep the temperature regulated better (it's always been too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer) and the added bonus is a tax rebate! A new rug and a mirror will finally finish the room to be what I've always wanted it to be.

New Student

2011-03-20T20:16:00.000-07:00

When I was seven years old my parents gave me the gift of piano lessons--probably one of the best gifts I have ever been given. I don't remember how old I was when I first had the desire to teach piano, but by my early teens I was dabbling in teaching. By the time I was fifteen I was teaching for real. I always loved doing it except for the time when I got up to forty-four students--kinda took the joy out of it. It was a great way to add to the family income and still be able to be home with my little children.

I taught my own children with varying degrees of success, but many times I had to send them to their grandparents' homes so that they had access to a piano to practice on.

As the years passed the thing that allowed me to stay at home began to tie me down instead, so I determined that it was time to cut back. As students moved or quit I just didn't take any new ones and I completely did away with my waiting list. I kept just one family and promised to teach all of their girls until they were done with me.

Once again things have changed. I now have grandchildren old enough to begin learning to play the piano and I find myself with the opportunity to introduce that generation to the joys of having music in their lives. For the first time in awhile I have taken on a new student--my nineyear old grandson, Brandon. So far he's doing very well and likes it so much. Hopefully his enthusiasm will last for years to come.

Movie Stuff

2011-02-20T20:05:00.000-08:00

Jim and I have been avid movie goers for much of our life together--that is until recent years when we have been busier than ever and the movies have been less worth seeing. Some time ago (so long that I can't remember how long ago) we determined to eliminate R rated movies as entertainment possibilities. This we did in order to be good examples for our kids and to improve our own lives.
We've come close to even doing away with PG-13 movies! I get so tired of hearing how good a movie is except for this or that offensive thing. Why should I spend my hard earned money to see or hear things that shouldn't be for public consumption? The human imagination is a great thing, but movie makers have decided that we need everything graphically displayed instead of letting our minds fill in the blanks. We recently saw True Grit and thought it was a good movie except for the very graphic violence. There's that "except for" thing again!
A few weeks ago I read an article in the newspaper by Richard and Linda Eyre about Hollywood's movie rating system. Their idea was that we shouldn't determine what movies we see by their rating from a system that doesn't much match our family values. They pointed out that many excellent movies had received ratings that would keep us from seeing them. They also felt that parents should read reviews and see movies first before determining whether they are family fare or not.
Now I'm not sure whether I am in the position of justifying or not, but this weekend for the first time in ages we went to an R rated film, The King's Speech. It was one of the best movies we have seen in a long, long time--rated R for the king's use of curse words in order to cure a lifelong problem with stuttering. Don't get me wrong--I hate language like that, even though it is pretty commonplace now days, but I don't see how they could have left it out. I loved the historical value of the movie, the insight to life as a royal, the story of a friendship thriving despite class differences, and did I mention Colin Firth?
It pains me some to confess this to our children after preaching the "no R movies" sermon for so long, but I have given my recommendation without hesitation and they can decide for themselves. I expect that we will continue to remain extremely choosy about the movies we see and always make sure that it is worth our while and money.
Okay I'm off my soapbox now.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

2011-01-09T19:22:00.001-08:00

For several years we have been spending our Monday night Family Home Evenings with Melissa and her family. On the Monday before Christmas we decided to put on a Christmas nativity play. With the help of a script that I found online and my friend Peggy's cute costumes we were ready to roll. We rehearsed once and then performed for a small, but great audience. Our cast of players:

Narrator-Brandon

Angel Gabriel-Brennan

Mary-Ryleigh

Joseph-Brennan

Baby Jesus-Jonathan

Angels-Bonnie and Cassidy

Shepherds and Wisemen-Gentrie, Cassidy, Brandon, Brennan, Bonnie

Cast #1

On Christmas Eve our second cast performed:

Narrator-Joel

Angel Gabriel-Danny

Mary-Sam

Joseph-Nate

Baby Jesus-Daniel

Angel-Ryleigh

Shepherds and Wisemen-Brennan, Brandon, Tate, Bonnie, Gentrie, Cassidy, James, Emily, and Benjamin

Cast #2

The Annual Party!

2010-12-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

On last Monday night we held our annual Christmas party for the extended Johnson family. Getting together with these relatives that we don't get to see very often is definitely a highlight of the holiday season for us. Traditionally, this party was hosted by Mary and True on Christmas Eve. As their grandchildren grew up and had families of their own and the matriarch and patriarch of the family moved to a warmer climate, the tradition had to change. For the past several years Jim and I have hosted the party, with Adam and Emily arranging for us to rent the clubhouse in their neighborhood. It's a great facility--big gathering room, wonderful kitchen, a game room and big screen TV for the teens, a toy room for the younger children, and plenty of restroom facilities that none of us have to clean. Santa made his appearance amid cheers (and a few tears) and how we appreciate him (and his wife) traveling the long distance he must each time he does this. The food was plentiful and delicious and we loved being together. There are quite a few pictures, so we hope all of you Johnsons can find your beautiful faces among them. We missed those of you who didn't join us--hopefully you'll be with us next time.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-28T20:01:00.000-08:00

Some of our most precious blessings join us for Thanksgiving each year. We always miss those family members that aren't able to be with us and this year we especially missed my mother. Despite that bit of sadness we were happy to be together to share a delicious meal and each other's company.

Confession

2010-11-04T20:27:00.001-07:00

I am a little embarrassed to admit this in a fairly public place, but up until last night Jim and I had never attended a Jazz game. I don't know why for sure--it could be a lack of desire to spend money to see a basketball game, a lack of time, or maybe even a lack of strong desire to see them play in person. Anyway, last evening my dad--also his first Jazz game-- Jim, and I were able to see the Jazz defeat the Raptors, as guests of Emilee and Joel. We had a great time despite the two guys behind us who talked loudly and constantly almost the entire game. (I'm not sure that either one of them ever stopped to breathe.) Hopefully we'll get another opportunity to attend a game.

We had parked at the church office building and walked to the arena, but decided to take Trax back as far as Main Street after the game. The Trax ride was another first for Dad and me. Now I feel like a true Utahn!

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T20:22:00.000-07:00

Our ward celebrated Halloween with a very wet and soggy Trunk or Treat last night, but we celebrated as a family tonight on a beautiful fall evening. We also were celebrating the October birthdays--Dad, Jeremy, and Gentrie. Our dinner was our traditional beef stew, a very delicious, spicy chicken pumpkin chowder, witchfingers (breadsticks), candy corn jello, orange jello, mini-mummies (pigs in blankets), fruit salad in a pumpkin, streusel crumb cake, and "wormy" cupcakes. Our clever cooks made it all lots of fun and very tasty. Our guests included princesses, a fairy, a skeleton, Woody from Toy Story, two werewolves, Alice in Wonderland, a wizard, a hobo, a tiger, a pea pod, a chili pepper, and other sundry characters.

Stairway to Paradise?

2010-10-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

More than two months ago we decided that replacing our front steps had become an emergency, so I had my general contractor cousin, Doug, come over to assess the situation. Well as things usually go, one thing led to another and we ended up with new cement in the driveway, a new surface on the retaining wall, a new front porch with a nice new surface, new steps, and new railings. Fortunately for Jim, these improvements will not lead to new furniture, but we do need to replace the outside lights and get a new doormat. We went without front steps for about eight weeks, but we think the wait was well worth it.

Little Girls

2010-10-10T19:21:00.001-07:00

One of the fun things I did during the summer was to make some dresses for some of my granddaughters and here are Cassidy, Gentrie, and Emily modeling the results.

Ora Ruth Hall Kirkham

2010-10-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

Ora Ruth Hall Kirkham

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, and daughter of God

December 7, 1920-October 2, 2010

Red Rock Relay

2010-09-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

Our daughter-in-law, Emilee, has spent months organizing a team to run in the Red Rock Relay to benefit her grandfather's charity, Tiny Tim's Foundation for Kids. She and Joel got everyone started in training for the event and even bought the $400 van (shown above) to transport half of the team. Jim and I signed on as volunteers, with Joel, Emilee, Jenny, and Nate making up four of the twelve running members of the team. Jim and I drove as far as Cedar City the night before, with most of our team staying in Brian Head where the race would begin bright and early on September 10th. We met up with Van #2 a little way from Duck Creek about mid-morning, then headed off for our volunteer assignment at the turn off to Navajo Lake. We spent six and one half hours directing runners and their vans in the sun and dust--and honestly we felt like we'd been running the race by the time we got done. The following picture is of Joel after he ran his first leg, more the 5 miles mostly uphill.

We were so proud of all of our runners, who finished up in Zion Canyon some 35 hours later. Many family members came down to cheer them on.

We spent a couple of days in St. George with Jim's parents and then it was off for home with a side trip to the ghost town of Grafton. Some of Jim's ancestors, who were killed by Indians, are buried in the cemetery there. Stephanie, Danny, Jenny, Nate, Sam, and their kids joined us on the adventure/photo op. We went home through Zion National Park. Everyone had a great time, but we were all tired and happy to get back to our own homes.

Heber City Weekend

2010-09-19T19:32:00.001-07:00

A few weekends ago we celebrated our anniversary with a weekend trip to Heber City. We drove around to see many of the beautiful sights of Wasatch and Summit counties, including the Jordanelle reservoir pictured above. We shopped at the outlet stores and rode the ski lift in Park City. Jim did both without his knuckles turning white! He is such a good sport.

Saturday night we rode the Heber Creeper, participating in their murder mystery dinner and play. We got off the train in Soldier Hollow long enough to eat a delicious dutch oven style meal and to see Act II of the play, which was campy and fun.

37 Years Down, Eternity to Go

2010-08-24T20:31:00.001-07:00

Today is our 37th wedding anniversary. I maintain that I am one of the most fortunate of women to have Jim for a husband. The little family that started with just the two of us has now increased to 28 members and what a great time we've had as each new person has joined us. We bought new pillows for our bed for gifts this year, but Jim cheated and surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of roses as well. (That's the only kind of cheating I like.) We went to Maddox for dinner tonight to celebrate and the celebrating will continue with a little upcoming trip to Heber City. Is it okay for me to wish us many more happy anniversaries?

Jonathan and Cassidy

2010-08-15T18:58:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was the blessing day of little Jonathan, the newest of the grandbabies. After church, Melissa and Kyle hosted a wonderful lunch in their backyard. It was a dual celebration as it was Cassidy's 3rd birthday that day. She loved her presents and cake.

Alexis Pepper

2010-08-01T19:15:00.001-07:00

Today, beautiful little Alexis Pepper was blessed by her father, Jeremy. He gave her such a nice blessing--lots of words of wisdom. Her gorgeous blessing dress was hand smocked and made by our neighbor, Dixie Pulsipher, who does it free of charge. Several of the grandbabies have been lucky enough to be blessed in something lovingly made by Dixie. We are so grateful to her for sharing this wonderful talent.

The happy family:

Baby Quilts

2010-07-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

During the past months I have been busy making quilts for all the new babies that have come to our family. Now the last one is completed and Jonathan, Alexis, and Daniel have taken possession of the quilts made by their Grandma Johnson and paid for in part by Great-grandma Kirkham, with lots of love from both.
Daniel's quilt:
Animal Junction

Alexis' quilt:
Slide Show

Jonathan's quilt:
Monkey in the Middle

July 2010

2010-07-20T20:42:00.001-07:00

Some of the people we've spent a lot of time with in July:
First of all, the cast of Seussical the Musical. Jim, Jenny, the new grandbabies, and I all got to participate in the show. For once I got to be IN it and I had a blast. We adults all played "Whos" and Jim was also "Yertle the Turtle". The babies played the baby elephant bird that hatches from Horton's egg. What a terrific, talented cast and we were ably led by our equally terrific, talented directors. Thanks to Kristin and Jessica.

We've spent a lot of time with the family at barbecues, parties, and parades. These photos come from the Kaysville and Farmington parades. Love those patriotic specs, Emily and Adam!

James and Emily don't exactly love the sirens.

We spent a fabulous, almost three hours with Paul McCartney in concert. What a great and gracious entertainer. He sounds and looks wonderful. Some of the songs made me tear up a little and for a few hours Jim and I felt young again.

Another trip down memory lane was my 40th high school reunion last weekend. This photo, used for the invitation, is from the cover of my senior year yearbook. (I was one of the editors.) I am the skinny girl toward the bottom of the steps, going up, with my hand on the railing, in case you were wondering. I had a great time renewing friendships and "remembering when". Jim was a good sport to attend with me, but he knew a fair share of these people as he graduated from the same high school a year earlier. Dear old Davis High School...

Reasons to Celebrate

2010-06-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

We had many reasons to celebrate last weekend. First reason:
Jonathan Abbott, son of Melissa and Kyle, made a safe entrance into this world. Another darling baby to hold!

Reason #2:

We finally got around to celebrating our May and June birthdays, Emilee, Bonnie, and Stephanie (Ben's celebration took place in early May) and the graduations of Emilee and Danny. It was a perfect evening for a bonfire in the orchard, with just a little rain to help put out the fire at the end of the party.

Reason #3:

The blessing of Daniel Nathan on Sunday. Nate gave him a beautiful blessing and then he and Sam hosted a barbecue in their backyard after church.

We are so blessed in many ways. I love my family and am grateful for each one of them.

May Memo

2010-05-30T19:09:00.001-07:00

I have a lot of news to catch up on. The last weeks have been very busy ones. I have to back up to April to announce the arrival of Daniel Nathan, son of Sam and Nate. He is a sweet, calm, and perfect baby.

Our next new little one surprised us with an early arrival a few days ago. Alexis Pepper, daughter of Valerie and Jeremy, is just beautiful and another perfect baby. Now we're anxious for the next one (Melissa and Kyle's) to arrive. It should be soon!

Jenny and I hosted our book club closing social at my parents' home in May. We had a potluck luncheon out on the deck and then reviewed the cookbooks we made our recipes from. We had a small, but nice group attend

We had several family members who were graduates this year. James (in the blue shirt)graduated from his first year of preschool. He has grown in many ways through this experience, but still didn't want to wear his cap or hold his diploma.

Danny received his MBA from the University of Utah. We are so proud of him! Congratulations!

Emilee received her Master's Degree in Organizational Development from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Such a great achievement--congratulations to her as well! We took a little vacation to Spokane for the occasion.

We spent a few great hours exploring the Riverwalk Park in Spokane. We viewed the falls, took a gondola ride, saw a parade with so many marching bands that we lost count, and rode on the fastest carousel I've ever been on in my life. Emilee's parents, grandparents, her sister Erin, and of course, Joel, joined Jim, Jenny, and I on our trip. We were able to find Jim's childhood home while we were there and then came home through Boise to visit with his Aunt Glennis and my Aunt Virginia and Uncle Bill.

April So Far

2010-04-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

General Conference, wonderful as always, got the month off to a great start. We gathered together with the extended family for dinner to commemorate Easter after the last session. I'm posting some of the pictures from the egg hunt that followed dinner. Good times!

April brings more birthdays and we celebrated tonight with our monthly birthday dinner. Happy birthday to Melissa, James, Valerie, and Adam. Also, happy anniversary wishes go out this month to Valerie and Jeremy.

With the imminent birth of Sam and Nate's new baby boy, there will be still another reason to celebrate.

The Guests of Honor Are...

2010-03-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrated all of the special occasions for March with a spaghetti dinner and all the trimmings. Happy birthday to Nate, Emily Lanae, Tate, and me! This is a month that many in the family have a day with a reason to celebrate, including Sam and Nate's anniversary, my parents' anniversary, Jim's mother's birthday, his sister Trudy's birthday. and also several nieces and nephews with birthdays and anniversaries. You wouldn't believe how many of these fall on March 17th! Anyway, best wishes to all!

The Latest

2010-02-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

We've had two baptisms in the family in the past few months. Melissa's stepson, Brennan, was baptized in December and her son, Brandon, was baptized in February. The above photo is Brennan with his Dad, Kyle and the following photo is of Brandon on his baptism day.

Our family is getting big enough now that we celebrate birthdays one Sunday dinner a month. It's noisy and crazy when all 25 of us are crammed into our house, but we wouldn't have it any other way. Sam is our only January birthday, so she had her own celebration. We won't mention what the three candles stand for.

February's birthday celebration honored Danny, Joel, Brandon, and Kyle. What a handsome and great bunch of guys!

Jeremy was chosen as West Bountiful's employee of the month for January. Quoting an article from the Standard-Examiner (Ogden) on February 18th, "(Brown) feels a tremendous responsibility to always act from a place of integrity in his dealings with the public and other officers. He treats people as he'd like to be treated and administers his duties with fairness and a kind heart." The article calls him an exemplary employee with a great attitude and a pleasant demeanor and goes on to tell more about some of the things he has accomplished. Way to go Jeremy!

O Christmas Tree

2010-01-10T19:55:00.000-08:00

One of the things we did this past holiday season was to take our camera when we went around to visit family and friends and here are some of the results:

My parents

Jenny, Jim, and I

Melissa, Kyle, and family

Joel and Emilee

Sam, Nate, and family

Jeremy and Valerie

Adam, Emily, and Ben

Danny and Stephanie

Peggy and Paul

Thanksgiving

2009-12-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

It is a rare occasion that my siblings and I are all together with our parents and this past Thanksgiving was one of those times. What a wonderful day to have more than 50 of the Kirkhams crammed into my parents' home for dinner. The house was pretty warm (that's probably an understatement), but the food and company were exceptional. I am so grateful to have them all in my life. Thanks to Adam and Emily for taking care of our photo op.

Another Wedding

2009-11-12T19:09:00.000-08:00

We have had the good fortune to have another wedding take place in our family. Melissa married Kyle Smith last Friday and in the process we have gained four more grandchildren. Welcome to the family to all of you Smiths! May you find much joy in your lives together.

Officer Brown aka Mr. Jeremy

2009-10-19T20:24:00.001-07:00

Birthday greetings go out today to Jeremy--one of our favorite people--who also happens to be an important member of our family. He's passionate about Valerie, law enforcement, politics, hunting, his tent trailer, and the list could go on and on. I believe he's also vying for the title of "Favorite Uncle". We're glad he belongs to us. Happy birthday, Jeremy, and many more!

Celebrate!

2009-10-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Last night we held our annual birthday bonfire celebration for my dad. What a perfect autumn evening to get together and pay tribute to a great man in a place that means so much to him. It's always fun to be with family members that we don't get to see very often, too.

Gardner Village Here We Come!

2009-10-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we made our traditional October jaunt to Gardner Village, getting us in the mood for Halloween. It was so crowded again this year, but we still made it to our favorite spots--I came home with some yummy fudge and some cute baby boy quilt kits. Almost the entire family got together for dinner at Archibald's restaurant (Adam was working and Jeremy was camping with the Boy Scouts) and this year we added Melissa's friend, Kyle and his four children. Altogether we made quite a group!

Fall Fun

2009-10-04T19:02:00.001-07:00

It's definitely time for me to catch up on some of the fun things we have been doing lately. My camera didn't do justice to the beautiful fall scenery we saw on our drive through Sardine Canyon yesterday while we listened to conference. Between sessions we hit the Bluebird Cafe in Logan for lunch (neither of us had ever been there--delicious food, fun atmosphere) and the cheese factory for some fresh cheese and butter. Listening to conference is a great way to spend a weekend--refreshment for the soul.

The weekend after Labor Day we held our second annual family and friends bonfire where we have our kids invite their in-laws to join with us. The weather was great--we were worried that it might be too hot--and we all enjoyed ourselves and the food immensely.

Can't believe Danny was brave enough to wear his lederhosen! He took a little ribbing for it, but he's a good sport.

For our anniversary this year our kids gave us tickets to some of the Utah Symphony concerts. We have already been to our first one, An Evening of Beethoven. What great music and very well performed. I did have Beethoven's 5th stuck in my head for a few days though.

Emily Rose

2009-09-13T09:37:00.001-07:00

Today is Emily's birthday and we wish her a happy day and coming year. A lot has changed for her since we celebrated this occasion the first time. We have loved watching her grow into from a baby to a child, a teenager, a young wife, and now a mother with the addition of little Ben to her family. We love you Rosie!

Three Days

2009-09-09T20:02:00.001-07:00

Our Labor Day weekend was full of good times with the family. Saturday a lot of us went to see the Bees play and win their baseball game courtesy of a friend of Emily and Adam's. Not only were our tickets free (great seats, too!), but he gave us vouchers for free food as well. I had not been to see the Bees play since I was a child so it was a lot of fun. The weather was perfect and the game was followed by a spectacular fireworks show.

Sunday was little Ben's blessing day, with a wonderful brunch following the meeting. It is such a wonderful thing to have these little children join our family. Monday we had a barbecue at my parents' home. The crowd was a little smaller this year, but still the food and the company were great.

First Born

2009-08-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to Jenny, our first born child and the perfect one to train first time parents. We learned how to do so many new things with her and our success gave us the confidence to give her siblings. She is smart, talented, generous, and loves her family. We love her back!

Another Year

2009-08-24T21:17:00.001-07:00

Today is my first anniversary of this blog and it's also our 36th wedding anniversary. We spent this past weekend in St. George with Jim's parents as part of our commemoration, taking Jenny with us to celebrate her forthcoming birthday. It was a nice, relaxing time allowing me to rejuvenate from a busy summer before starting back to work today. We appreciate Mary and True's hospitality so much. When we arrived in St. George on Friday night it was 101 degrees. When we took our side trip to Cedar Breaks on Sunday it was 45 degrees and windy and raining. We were ill prepared for the change in the weather and had to go to the visitor's center and buy hoodies so that we could enjoy the spectacular scenery. Good times!

Vernal Weekend

2009-08-17T20:05:00.001-07:00

Our whole family went to Vernal for the weekend to attend Joel and Emilee's wedding open house. Everything turned out so nice and it was good to meet so many people that were a part of Emilee's growing up years. Unfortunately Adam and Emily had to return home Saturday evening, but the rest of us camped there for the night--some in tents in the Bradley's yard and some in comfortable beds in the Holiday Inn Express. We took a side trip to Dinosaur National Monument the next day and went home via Manila where we had a nice visit and delicious meal with Teresa and Duane. We had a really good time, but it's always nice to be home again.

Cassidy's Two!

2009-08-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

It's Cassidy's 2nd birthday today. What a lot has happened in these past two years, but as I predicted she has been a source of comfort and joy to Melissa. How we all delight in this little one and her cute ways. Happy birthday sweet girl!

Reunion

2009-07-30T18:10:00.001-07:00

The day after Joel's wedding we took off for a Johnson family reunion in Idaho at the Cub River Lodge. What a great time we had reminiscing, eating delicious food, and just having fun with lots of different activities. There was swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, and much more beyond the things that were planned. Unfortunately my camera stayed in the bag most of the time, so I don't have many pictures. (Someone please share!) The only thing to mar our stay was a nasty bug (violent vomiting kind) going through the entire family. (Luckily, I waited to get it until we got home, but I can honestly say that last night I threw up more in six hours than I have in the rest of my life total!) Thanks to all who planned and pulled this huge undertaking off. Good times!

Happily Ever After

2009-07-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our newest newlyweds! After a wonderful ceremony, delicious luncheon, and beautiful reception, Joel and Emilee are off to Ireland for a dream come true honeymoon. Best wishes to them for a very happy life together!

One of the Good Guys

2009-07-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

He may be a little older and grayer, but he's still one of the good guys. I have known him for more than 40 years (which seems a little incredible), been married to him for more than 35 years, and hope to rack up a good number of years with him in the future. My life has been richer because he has been a part of it. My children are so lucky to have him for a father and what a terrific grandfather he is. Happy birthday Jim--and many more!

Gratitude

2009-07-17T20:45:00.000-07:00

Today Emily chastised me for being lax in updating my blog. I have thought about writing, but the busy-ness of my life lately has kept me from following through. I am grateful for most of the things that are keeping me so busy and although this isn't the traditional time of year to write a gratitude post I think that I must.
Sam has been dealing with some physical issues for awhile now and of the dire things that could have been the diagnosis, diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus have been eliminated--so I am very grateful. She goes into more detail on her blog, but is still awaiting some blood test results to solve her medical mystery.
My mother had a nasty fall in late June which resulted in her hospitalization and she is now in a care facility. The original diagnosis was a broken neck, but that turned out to be wrong, for which I am grateful. She is doing so well with her physical therapy and course of IV antibiotics, that we hope to have her home before too long. I am grateful for her progress and for those that have been so kind and generous with food, flowers, visits, and prayers.
I am grateful for Joel's upcoming wedding and I'm so glad that he found his "Molly" in Emilee. I'm grateful that I get to add another daughter.
I am grateful for the opportunity to accompany a musical every summer. I'm grateful for the talented people I get to work with and for the chance to "stretch" my abilities with each show. Thoroughly Modern Millie was a delight!
I am grateful for my family, their support for me and other family members. All it takes is a phone call for someone to rush to the rescue. I am especially grateful for Jim. He is a great example of a husband and father--and I really appreciate the fact that he treats my parents as if they were his.
I am grateful for my country and my pioneer heritage particularly at this time of year. I attended a patriotic devotional a couple of weeks ago and actually teared up during the Pledge of Allegiance when I got to the part where we say "under God".
These are just a few of the blessings I've had on my mind lately. I am highly aware that there are many more things on my gratitude list, but I will leave that for another time. Right now I will close by saying that I'm grateful I can sew because there are still a few skirts waiting to be made for that upcoming wedding I talked about.

The Class of 2009

2009-06-13T20:15:00.001-07:00

Bonnie was our only school graduate this year. Her kindergarten class entertained us with songs and puppet plays of their favorite stories during the year--she was Goldilocks in The Three Bears--and then each student received their diploma. Congratulations Bonnie and good luck in first grade!

New Babies

2009-06-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

With our busy schedule lately I'm so far behind in my blogging that I haven't even acknowledged the new babies we welcomed into our family in May. First of all, on May 6th we welcomed Adam and Emily's little son, Benjamin Floyd. He is such a beautiful little guy and we love every moment we get to spend with him.

A few days later, Jim welcomed his "dream come true" baby. He finally has a truck to call his own. It really is nice for each of us to have a vehicle to drive after sharing for so many years. The kids have always had first dibs on our second car. I'll blog about the fun trip we took to break the truck in soon. And yes, for anyone who cares, we did take it "off roading". And can I say how much I love satellite radio? It is spoiling me for any other format!

Birthday in Fiji

2009-06-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

Today is Stephanie's birthday and she's spending it in Fiji with her new husband. Some people really know how to celebrate! I was trying to find some of her baby pictures to post, but I think that some of them might have been used for her recent wedding video and are in a location that's a mystery to me. Anyway, happy birthday Stephanie--wherever you are. We miss you and can't wait to celebrate when you return home.

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel E. Barton

2009-05-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the wedding day of our youngest daughter, Stephanie. The wedding was held in the beautiful Red Butte Garden--sunny and hot, but a very nice ceremony performed by Danny's bishop. The reception was held in her Kirkham grandparents' cherry orchard, a beautiful setting--although it was very windy during part of the reception. So many of her family and friends worked so hard to get things ready. Other than grabbing the wrong veil for the ceremony (it happens when you have lots of daughters that store their wedding apparel at your home), a mishap with the cake (which was repaired to an almost perfect state), and way too much wind, it was a wonderful day for everyone. The newlyweds are off to Fiji for their honeymoon and we hope it the beginning of their "happily ever after".

Bonnie's Big Day

2009-05-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today is Bonnie Faye's 6th birthday. She is our oldest granddaughter and how we love her bright eyes and big smile. We got to celebrate with her by going out for pizza tonight. She was so excited about everything--made it lots of fun for us. Happy birthday Bonnie!

A Day Late (and Probably a Dollar Short)

2009-04-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

What with auditions for Thoroughly Modern Millie, meeting Emilee's (Joel's fiancee) parents, and performing with the Davis Master Chorale in concert yesterday, I'm a day late posting this birthday wish to Valerie. How well I remember those frightening hours after her birth--knowing there was something wrong with her, but not knowing what it was for sure. One of the most traumatic moments of my life was watching a medical helicopter taking my newborn daughter to Primary Children's Hospital. It turned out that she didn't have heart problems, but had ingested amniotic fluid into her lungs. After an almost two week stay in the newborn ICU, we got to bring her home just in time for Mother's Day--definitely my best gift ever! We loved that little baby and we love the grown up version of her, too. Happy birthday to a smart, funny, and loyal friend, daughter, sister, aunt, and wife--our Valerie Jean.

That's Entertainment!

2009-04-19T21:51:00.000-07:00

Jim and I have often wondered what we did for entertainment before we had grandchildren. One of those sources of entertainment, James, celebrated his third birthday today. How we enjoy his clever antics and the cute way he talks. We had dinner and presents at our house this evening in honor of his special day, Melissa's birthday this past week, and Valerie's birthday coming up this weekend. Sam had made a darling train cake, which was also very delicious. (Maybe she'll post pictures on her blog.) A good time was had by all!

Missy

2009-04-13T20:45:00.001-07:00

Today we celebrate Melissa's birthday, once our little Missy whose smile could always light up a room and now a grown woman meeting the challenges in her life with a positive attitude and that same smile. How we admire your determination to create a better life for yourself and your children, no matter what it takes! We love you. Happy birthday!

Busy Weekend

2009-04-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

My wonderful mother-in-law and friend, Mary, was honored by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers for her many years of service, including ten years as their International President, on Saturday afternoon. A tree was planted in her honor on the lawn of the state capitol and a plaque was also placed there. It was a nice ceremony and she definitely deserves the recognition. I'm truly blessed to have her and True as my parents-in-law.

True and Mary with state senator and family friend, Margaret Dayton. Margaret received the tree on behalf of the state.

Next it was off to a baby shower for Emily, given by Adam's family. She received so many nice gifts--even a diaper "cake".

The diaper "cake"

The real cake was masterpiece of fondant and chocolate cake. I thought the baby must be made of plastic, but it was created from fondant, too. This was made by the same woman who made Adam and Emily's wedding cake.

We ended our busy Easter weekend with a wonderful dinner at my parents' home. Adam's parents, two of his siblings, and two of his cousins were able to join with our family for the occasion. The youngest members enjoyed a fun Easter Egg hunt after our meal.

A Full Heart

2009-04-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

I love how participating in General Conference always makes me feel--that feeling of wanting to be better and try harder in everything I do. The positive ways our leaders encourage us always makes me feel like I can be a better person. So my heart is full of gratitude for the things I've heard this weekend.
My heart is also full because our prayers in Joel's behalf have finally been answered. This weekend he has announced his engagement to the beautiful Emilee Bradley. (She's the one in the middle.) We have been praying for so long that a wonderful young woman would come into his life and consent to stay forever and we're so happy that she is the one. The big day will be in July.

Adam

2009-04-01T19:46:00.001-07:00

Although he was born on April Fool's Day, he's no fool--after all he made the choice to marry one of our daughters. We love his quirky sense of humor, fun personality, and we appreciate the kind of husband he is to Emily. I'm happy to call him one of "my boys". We can't wait to see him in the role of "Dad". Happy birthday Adam!

Celebrate!

2009-03-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

Tonight we celebrated Nate's, Adam's, and my birthdays together with the entire family. I'm surprised we didn't set the smoke alarm off with all of the candles! The food was great, the company was better, and I got to have my picture taken with two handsome guys--what more could a girl want? Oh and I haven't even mentioned the presents yet. Good times!

One of "My Boys"

2009-03-27T21:38:00.000-07:00

There have been a few young men I've crossed paths with in my life that I have come to think of as "my boys". Many of them have come into our home as Joel's friends and others have married into our family. And one of them, who just happens to be celebrating his 30th birthday today, has been in our home as both. Though we aren't flesh and blood, he is truly a son in my heart. Happy birthday Nate!

Share the Love

2009-03-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

I found this on my niece Aimee's blog. I will get a homemade gift from her (and my niece, Brittany) by posting this on my blog. The first five people who comment on my blog and post this same offer on theirs get a homemade gift from me--most likely something good to eat if you live close by. This will be fun!

This and That and Another Birthday Celebration

2009-03-06T20:42:00.000-08:00

About a week and a half ago Jim had double hernia surgery, from which he is recovering nicely. We have before and after pictures, but we thought that they range in the TMI area. He goes back to work on Monday.
We are also going to refinance our house and wanted to have it nice and clean before the appraiser came. Well one thing led to another--the steamroller effect, you know--and we ended up purging the house of 21 years of accumulated stuff in a week's time. I do not recommend doing this in such a short amount of time and I promise not to wait for another 21 years before doing it again.

Today is the 1st birthday of our youngest grandchild, Emily Lanae. What a sweetheart! Her parents held a little party for her this evening and she was so cute about all of her gifts. Happy birthday dear little girl!

Girls' Night

2009-02-19T20:17:00.000-08:00

For a long time my desire to start a monthly Girls' Night with my daughters resulted in a lot of talk but no action. Finally, several months ago we began doing rather than talking. We had a scrapbooking party in October and in November we held a mini-baby shower for two cousins who live out of state. We got together and wrapped their gifts, then mailed them. We gave a well received Christmas performance to our ward's elderly, followed by a delicious gourmet meal in December. And last month we went to see the movie, "Twilight". Tonight, Melissa taught us all to crochet around burp cloths. We had a good time, although we did feel slightly uncoordinated at first and made plenty of mistakes--every "shoot" or "darn" was accompanied by lots of laughter. I cherish any time I get to spend with these wonderful young women.

Rings & Things

2009-02-16T10:34:00.001-08:00

Stephanie is sporting a new piece of jewelry! She became engaged to her long time boyfriend, Danny Barton, on Valentine's Day. The big day is set for May 29th. Other details will be forthcoming, but all friends and family please save the date. We would love to have you share this occasion with us.

Roses Are Red

2009-02-14T17:41:00.000-08:00

For many years I could claim that the only time that Jim had ever given me flowers was prior to our marriage--it was even before we started dating. They were actually an apology for how badly he had teased me at a young adult dinner we had both attended. As for the ensuing years, I guess we didn't have enough money or he didn't know how much I would enjoy the gesture or something like that. Since he finally caught on, I'm lucky enough to receive a bouquet several times a year. He has even had them delivered to the school where I'm employed a couple of times, which has made the other females that work there a little envious. So this beautiful bouquet of red roses is the valentine he gave me this year. Thanks Jim, my best friend and husband. And Happy Valentine's Day to you and all who read this blog.

Another Celebration

2009-02-08T20:28:00.001-08:00

Thirty-one years ago today the cutest little boy in the world joined our family. I can say that because he's the only one that came to us other than the ones that have joined our clan through marriage. From tooting his own horn (the French one) to that mischievous question he was asking just to see if we knew the answer, Joel has always been a favorite son. We are grateful for his goodness and patience and the life track that he is traveling.

Next...

2009-02-01T15:48:00.000-08:00

Next in line for family birthdays is Brandon, our oldest grandchild, who is seven years old today. How well I remember the exciting day of his birth and how I couldn't wait to tell everyone that I was finally a grandmother. How fast these years have flown. Happy birthday Brandon! We're sure glad that you came to our family!

It's Someone's Special Day!

2009-01-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to our Samantha Lynn! How we have loved watching you grow from a darling baby to a precocious child and now a grown woman with children of her own. Have a joyous day and a wonderful year!

And the Winners Are...

2009-01-23T20:09:00.000-08:00

Classic Taupe and Cottage White. Those are the new colors we chose for our "freshen up the bathroom" project. Jim painted the walls taupe and the cabinets, ceiling, and trim off-white, then I had him antique the cabinets with the same stain we used on the living room floor. We finished up the project with a new brushed nickel faucet, door/drawer pulls, towel bars, etc. and topped it off with a new light fixture. A new counter top and floor will have to wait for a new budget year, but until then we're really pleased with our more updated look.

Kids!

2009-01-10T21:33:00.000-08:00

I work part-time at an elementary school as a computer keyboarding teacher for one hour and as a 504 assistant for about four hours each day. A 504 assistant works with a specific special needs student or students and also is an aide to the teacher. The class where I work is a multi-age group consisting of two teachers, sixty-seven 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, and me. We are the MAC class and you can't find a better group of kids anywhere. You can imagine that sometimes it is noisy (very noisy) and chaotic, but mostly things run smoothly and a lot of learning takes place. I have a great job!

People From the Past

2008-12-29T20:47:00.000-08:00

For several years Jim and I have been involved in the church's FREP (now called Family Research Indexing) program. We view documents like census records on the Family Research website, then type a transcription of the record and send it back to the Family History department so that it can be made available for people researching their genealogy. We have found it to be interesting, enjoyable, and also another way of consecrating our time for the building of the kingdom. Some of the records have affected me profoundly, such as slave census records where the only name that appears is the name of the owner. The slaves would be listed as a black male, 24 years old, for example. It showed me how truly dehumanizing slavery is. Though I have always known that slavery was wrong, I still was thoughtful for a long while after I typed those. Death records often have a similar affect on me. Today we had the opportunity to go to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to teach the youth of our ward how to index as part of their youth conference. Most of them took it seriously and some even completed the record they downloaded before the time was up. Maybe it will spark an interest in one or two and they'll continue to participate in this important work. Anyone reading this post who desires to, can become involved by checking out the site www.familysearch.org . The pictures are of a few of the 44 youth participating today.

Happy Holidays 2008

2008-12-26T15:00:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays 2008 from

Back, L to R: Valerie, Jeremy, Adam, Emily, Samantha, Emily, Nate, Joel, Jennifer, Stephanie, Melissa

Front, L to R: James, Jim, Cassidy, Sue, Bonnie, Brandon

As Good As New

2008-12-17T20:29:00.000-08:00

Every year around Thanksgiving Jim tries to avoid me because he knows it's indoor project time and I always have one in mind. However, this year he thought up his own project and decided to refinish our wood floors. He rented a large floor sander to do the majority of the sanding and then went around the edges with a little palm sander. I truly have never seen so much dust in my life! My scriptures, which were sitting on the dining table upstairs, looked like they hadn't been touched in seven years. One afternoon, during the middle of the sanding, we left to go get some lunch and to do a little shopping. When we returned home we could hear a strange noise, so Jim ran upstairs to find that the little sander had turned itself on and had sanded a perfect circle about 1/4" deep, destroying four of the parquet squares. We are lucky we didn't have a fire and we are lucky that we had kept some of the leftover tiles from when we built the house. How the sander turned on is still a mystery, but we did consider consulting an exorcist for a time. The Christmas tree got put up a little later this year, but the wait was worth it--the floor is beautiful. Great job Jim, but don't think this lets you off the hook for a project I have in mind. Anyone have any suggestions for a new paint color in the upstairs family bathroom?

After and Before

Floor squares destroyed by maniacal sander

Our beautiful, shining floor

December 7th

2008-12-07T20:33:00.000-08:00

On December 7, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, a day that changed the lives of my parents' generation forever. On another December 7th, twenty-one years earlier, my mother was born. So today I wish her the happiest of birthdays. I'm so glad for her gentle, quiet ways and spirit and her example of enduring to the end. I'm thankful for the things she has taught me. How fortunate we are to still have her with us and in good health. Happy birthday Mom!

Mom and Me, Autumn 1952

We Gather Together

2008-11-27T20:29:00.001-08:00

For family and friends near and far,
We give thanks today wherever you are.
We missed all those who are too far away,
But having LeFevres here made the day.

Fire!

2008-11-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

While Jim and I were getting ready for church today, our lights started to act weird--brown outs, no power, and so on, then we couldn't get the garage door opener to work, then it worked but the motor wouldn't shut off. I left for church with an uncomfortable feeling and it wasn't just because we were running late. I almost asked Jim to drop me off so that I could get in to play the prelude and return home to check things out, but I didn't. I just kept a silent prayer in my heart that we (our home) would be blessed because we were being faithful and attending church. Halfway through the last talk we heard the fire truck go by and I knew that it was headed for our house. I looked at Jim ( I was on the stand--he was in the congregation) and mouthed the word "GO!" He looked at me, I said it again, and he got up and left. Halfway to the door a ward member came in and told him that there was a fire truck at our house. Another member came and got our next door neighbors and for one brief moment I thought, maybe it's their house and not ours. I cannot begin to describe the feelings I had inside and I don't think I heard another word that the speaker said. I'm sure I played the closing hymn and postlude in record time. I saw that Jim had not returned and I was just sick. Jenny came up to the organ and told me that word had already spread around the ward and that it was the power box in front of our house that was on fire. She took me home and I was so thankful to see our home still standing, although we didn't have power again until the evening. We are grateful that the neighbor who drove by and reported the fire wasn't in church for whatever reason and called the fire department who arrived before the flames reached our trees. I was so relieved that I almost burst into tears when I stood on the sidewalk and thanked those men who serve our community so well. Jim tells me that two of the cables leading to our home had burned through and the dirt had turned to glass. Thanks to Jenny for letting me take our dinner over to her house to cook and thanks to my parents for allowing us to move our dinner upstairs when the rest of the family arrived. Jim was also grateful that he got out of Sunday School.

Fabric Magic

2008-11-21T16:16:00.001-08:00

My mother sewed a lot as I was growing up. When I was about 10 years old she began to teach me. I fell in love with the magical process of turning pieces of fabric into an article of clothing or craft item. In those days, sewing your own clothes saved lots of money. I discovered that I could have a much bigger wardrobe by making my own. When I had children, I sewed for them (sometimes Joel, too) and every once in awhile I experienced temporary insanity and made them all Halloween costumes or pajamas for Christmas. As fabric became more expensive, it was less economical to sew for them, and it also became so overwhelming to make Easter and Christmas dresses for six girls. By the time most of them were teenagers my sewing really slacked off with only an occasional craft project, costume for a show, or just mending to keep my sewing machine busy. In recent years I've picked it up again, but this time my passion is quilts. It is so satisfying to have that magical experience with fabric, turning many pieces into one quilt. I give most of the quilts I make away and realize I should have been taking photos all along to remember them, so from now on I'll be making that pictorial record. This picture is the fall quilt I made for myself this year, pieced by me, machine quilted by Sew'n'Save, and bound by Melissa. (Click on the picture for a close-up of the darling quilted oak leaves and pumpkins.)

Leaves Are Falling All Around

2008-11-07T20:07:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday Melissa's kids helped their grandpa with the annual leaf round-up. They helped herd them into a big pile, then jumped on them until the leaves were sufficiently subdued to put in the bags. Even little Cassidy got in on the fun, putting a couple of leaves in the bag at a time and saying "thank you" each time she did. All had a good time. Unfortunately, after we turned our backs the leaves stampeded, covering the yard again.

Our Favorite "Spooks"

2008-11-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

Halloween Fun 2008

At our ward "Trunk-or-Treat" party

Visiting the Kirkham great-grandparents

Two of my nieces

Yes, I Know It's November

2008-11-03T20:41:00.001-08:00

Yes, I know it's November, but I'm a little behind on my October blogging. There were just so many things going on--but one more post after this one and I'll be caught up. Last Monday night for family home evening, Melissa and her kids, Sam, Nate, and kids, Valerie and Jeremy, Jenny, Stephanie, Jim, and I got together for the annual carving of the pumpkins. This tradition started a few years back when Sam and Nate had grown enough pumpkins in their garden to share. This year we had to buy our pumpkins, but it didn't make it any less fun.

Pumpkin Walk

2008-11-01T21:17:00.001-07:00

The city of Syracuse sponsors a pumpkin walk just before Halloween each year and this was our second time to attend. Besides being able to see the many creatively carved pumpkins there is a mini-trick-or-treat for the children. It was warmer this year than last, thank goodness, and we got there earlier so that we didn't have to stand in line as long. Afterward we went to Sam and Nate's house for dessert. Everyone had a good time.

Scrapbook Fun

2008-11-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

I started scrapbooking about 14 years ago and although I don't keep up with it as well as some of my daughters, it's a hobby that I enjoy. It has expanded to include cardmaking as well. Every once in awhile our friend Jill Thomason, who works for Close to My Heart, comes and teaches us something new and fun to do. These photos are from the party we had in October where we made a Halloween card and one page layout.

Birthday Bash

2008-10-31T15:56:00.001-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, on October 18th, we held our annual bonfire birthday bash in honor of my dad. It was a perfect autumn night for hot dogs and s'mores and there were almost fifty guests who showed up to help us celebrate. His posterity and guests posed willingly for pictures.

Which Witch is Which?

2008-10-26T21:02:00.001-07:00

No October is complete without a trip to Gardner Village for our family. The women and children usually go early for the viewing of the witches and shopping. One purchase we always make is some fudge from Sweet Afton's. Yummy! The men and those that have to work later join us out there for dinner at Archibald's. (The historic mill is part of Jim's family history on his mother's side.) These pictures are some of the many we took on our annual jaunt on October 17th this year.

Mr. Jeremy

2008-10-19T21:18:00.000-07:00

Today is Jeremy's birthday. He has gone hunting this weekend, so we won't be celebrating as a family until next Sunday. We did call him on his cell phone and the whole gang sang. Little James got on the phone and said "I love you", which was probably the best present of all. Anyway we are so happy that he is a part of our family. There was a time when I never thought we would ever say that, but oh how we now regret our initial negative attitudes. He has proven to be a great son-in-law and we are so proud of his accomplishments. Happy birthday Jeremy!

Dad

2008-10-14T21:50:00.000-07:00

Today my Dad is 84 years young. He has overcome many challenges in his life, including growing up without a father. Dad, the oldest of three children, was about 5 years old when his father passed away. It was in 1929, the beginning of the depression, and he ended up living with various relatives as his mother tried to make do. He served in the Navy during WWII and the Korean War and went on to have careers in civil service, real estate, and construction. He also served an LDS mission to Hawaii. He is still physically active--jogging and caring for a garden, yard, and orchard. He is devoted to my mother and cares for her in so many ways. I admire so many things about him and am grateful that he is the one that raised me. Happy birthday Dad!

Trees

2008-10-11T21:22:00.001-07:00

One of the few nice things about our yard has always been the fact that we have mature trees, but sadly the trees are Box Elders that drop those delightful little green worms on webs when Jim doesn't spray them in time. Now we have had some other bad luck with these trees starting back when we were building our house. Jim was trying to cut down a tree that was leaning in a precarious way toward the house and managed to drop it through the roof that had just been put on that day. (Our builder was really nice about repairing it the next day.) We have had professionals come twice over the years to remove trees and limbs before they could fall down on the house and during heavy snowstorms and Farmington's famous winds we've lost others. Well, last night the wind was blowing really hard and at about 4:00 am Saturday morning I was awakened by a loud crack. Now Jim quite often sleeps through middle of the night things. For example--Sue: I can hear someone walking around in our house. Jim: Snore. (It turned out to be Stephanie who surprised us by coming home from Logan in the middle of the night without telling us she was coming.) Anyway, I digress. I asked Jim if he'd heard the noise and he said, "Huh?" So I said that I thought that a tree had fallen on the house. He got up and took the flashlight, looked out all of the windows, and saw the offending limb up by the kitchen window. Well, we tossed and turned for quite awhile and drifted off to sleep again at about 5:30. In fact, Jim was dreaming that Jeremy had come over with the Syracuse police department and they were cutting down all of our trees. That's when we awoke to the next loud crack. This limb had fallen on the house by the back door. So Jim was busy all morning clearing up the yard. I think he actually enjoys it when these things happen because he can play with man toys, aka THE CHAINSAW! I'm happy to say that there was no major damage, unless you count not getting enough sleep.

The view from our back door

The 4:00 am incident

Jim hard at work (or play?)

Happy News

2008-10-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

In our ward Relief Society meeting each Sunday we have had the tradition of sharing "Happy News" before the lesson begins. It has been a way for the sisters to share the good things and sometimes not so good things happening in their lives with each other. Some months ago our stake asked that the practice be discontinued because they felt that it took too much time away from the lesson. I believe most of us were disappointed. Our Relief Society presidency got around it somewhat by asking if there was anything that we "needed to know", but for the most part "Happy News" has gone by the wayside. Now that I no longer have that forum to use for sharing good things, this blog will have to take its place. So my happy news for this week is that Emily and Adam have announced that they are expecting a baby in early May. Today was the first doctor appointment and ultrasound and I believe that if you check out Emily's blog that there will sometime soon be a little ultrasound picture posted on it. We are so excited! It is happy news indeed!

St. George Weekend

2008-10-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

Jim and I spent last weekend in St. George celebrating his father's birthday. Most of Jim's siblings were able to be there as well, so it was a mini-family reunion. Jim and I stayed at the Marriott Town Suites, very nice and new. We went to Tuacahn (our first time) and saw Big River (our first time) as a group on Friday night. We loved the show! It was lots of fun and well done and what can you say when the stage turns into a river? Pretty cool!

Jim's Saturday morning golf game was rained out, so much of Saturday was spent visiting and watching General Conference. While the men attended the Priesthood session, the ladies stayed at the condo and watched a DVD, Emma Smith, a new movie that presents her history with a totally different perspective. All I can say is that it's a good thing that tissues were in ample supply. I highly recommend this movie. Jim and I drove home on Sunday, listening to conference and taking the more scenic and leisurely Highway 89 route part of the way home. Jim's Dad's birthday was actually yesterday, but I didn't have time to post this until today. So a happy belated birthday to True!

A Life of Service

2008-09-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

Saturday we attended the funeral of Jim's Aunt Hermese, whose 90th birthday celebration we attended on Labor Day weekend. Her life was full of devotion to her family, the gospel, and service to anyone she came in contact with. There was such a nice spirit at her funeral. All of her children paid wonderful tributes to her and the music was the perfect complement. Everyone was in agreement that we'd all like the same contract she had--live a full life, celebrate your 90th birthday with a great party, then quietly pass away.

My Fair Lady

2008-09-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

Some years ago I had the opportunity to accompany My Fair Lady at our local high school and as it turned out to be a less than positive experience, I have not wanted to ever perform it again. Last night everything changed. For an anniversary gift our kids gave us a night out with dinner and tickets to our choice of shows--La Boheme, a "Brat Pack" revue, or My Fair Lady. We chose the latter and was it ever the right choice! What an enjoyable evening we had with the wonderful songs of Lerner and Loewe and the clever dialogue adapted from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. (How I love a musical with a witty libretto!) It was a Pioneer Theatre Company production and they are always top notch (although not always in good taste). The performers, sets, costumes, musicians--everything about it was outstanding. So thanks to our family for such a great gift and to Kristin, I'm ready to do this one whenever you are!

Top of Utah Marathon

2008-09-21T20:22:00.001-07:00

One of Stephanie's goals has been to run a marathon and so yesterday she ran in the Top of Utah Marathon in Logan. We were there to see her cross the finish line after 5 hours and 38 minutes. She was exhausted and sore, but satisfied, and we were very proud of her.

The Gift of Music

2008-09-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Friday and Saturday night several family members were able to attend The Tanner Gift of Music concert at the Conference Center featuring the Tabernacle Choir, the Utah Symphony, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Denyce Graves, all under the baton of Erich Kunzel. The program's title was "An American Songbook", so it featured a lot of patriotic numbers, Broadway songs, old standards, and some choir standards like "Come, Come Ye Saints" and "Battle Hymn". It was a wonderful evening and I particularly enjoyed Brian Stokes Mitchell. What an incredible voice and stage presence! From "The Star Spangled Banner" to Broadway, jazz, and ballads, he performed all equally well. I also loved Denyce Graves' rendition of "Climb Every Mountain". (For more on the concert read Sam's blog.) Anyway, the whole point of this blog is the gift of music and how grateful I am for it. I am thankful for those willing to share their talents to entertain and uplift us and I am also thankful for the country that we live in that gives us the opportunity and freedom to express ourselves musically in the way that we want. How blessed my family and I are to have been given our own musical talents and opportunities to develop them. I can't imagine my life without this gift!

My Favorite Walking Partner

2008-09-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the summer I gained a new walking partner, my almost 88 year old mother. At first we didn't get too far, but you should see us now! I must admit that she is the one getting the good workout, but I get to enjoy the fresh air and the company of a great woman. She is a much better companion than Matt, Meredith, Al, and Ann who entertain me when I'm on the treadmill in the morning. What a blessing it is for me to still have my Mom with me and as long as the weather holds, you can find us on the Lagoon trail three days a week.

Especially for Aimee

2008-09-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed cooking. I learned to cook in Home Ec. classes, in
4-H, and at my mother's side. Mom let me try all kinds of dishes out on the family--things like souffles and steamed brown bread. Now I might enjoy cooking, but I love baking--cakes, pies, cookies, you name it. I think my favorite thing to bake is bread. The smell is like a little bit of heaven on earth! I love to try new recipes, but once in awhile I find something that just can't be topped. Such is the case with the recipe for white bread that I got from my sister-in-law, Teresa. After making it all these years, I finally asked her this summer where the recipe came from. (She is so talented and clever that I thought maybe she had created it herself.) It actually comes from The Joy of Cooking cookbook. So this one is especially for my niece, Aimee, whose food blog gives me lots of new things to try out.

White Bread

1/2 cup warm water

1 Tbs. yeast

1 Tbs. sugar

Mix together.

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup oil

2 cups lukewarm water

1-1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sugar

Mix together, then add yeast mixture.

4 cups flour

Mix with other ingredients, then add 4 additional cups of flour. (I use a Bosch mixer, so sometimes I can't add all of the flour.) Knead 10 minutes. Let rise until double. Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape into loaves. Place in greased pans and let rise until double. Place in cold oven. Turn temperature to 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then continue baking at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Makes 3 loaves.

Happy Birthday Emily Rose!

2008-09-13T21:21:00.001-07:00

Happy birthday to Emily, our Spanish rose. Born in a rocky land that resembled the difficulty of her birth, she has been worth every pain and effort it took to get her here. We are grateful to have tended the garden in which she blossomed. We celebrated the birthdays of Emily and Jennifer together last weekend.

Good Times II

2008-09-10T20:40:00.001-07:00

Saturday night we held our first annual (we hope

there will be others) "Friends and Family" bonfire

in my parents' orchard. We had our sons-in-law

invite their parents and their siblings' families and

we also invited our friends, the Reids, and their

family to come. The potluck dinner was delicious

and we had a great time getting better acquainted

with these good people. Some stayed until well

after dark visiting and laughing around the fire.

Good times!