HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AARON!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AARON.

We have been blessed with the best of sons and daughter’s in law. So I worried about our last child and that she might fall in love and marry a spoiler. Not for any other reason than
it might be too much to ask for all five of our children to marry someone who fits so well.

Evidently, it wasn’t too much to ask. Aaron fits.

Thank you, Aaron, for being who you are.
And HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, QUINN!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, QUINTON ANDREW PAPA

I feel responsible for my grandchildren, but not the responsibility of a parent.
As a grandparent I believe that my role is to help these little people
feel loved and to help them know who they are. And they are
the most important people in our lives.

So today, we went to Quinn’s 5th birthday party. I hope today he
does know how much he is loved.

Here are a couple of things I love about Quinn.

1~ He loves us.
2~ He says good prayers.
3~ He loves his sisters.
4~ He loves his parents. I can tell he feels so secure with them.
5~He runs fast.
6~ He never forgets anything.
7~ He is a good gardener.
8~He likes me to read books to him.
9~He plays good make believe.
10~ He loves the Savior.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY QUINN.
THANKS FOR BEING SUCH A GOOD BOY!

NEVER TO LATE TO TRY..."NO TRY....DO" Yoda

I have started running. I even have a personal trainer. (She said one of the first rules of running is not talk to people about it…..they don’t care.)
~
I have avoided talking too much about this but who says
I can’t write about it.
~
My “trainer”, Patty Wright, is an experienced runner. She has several marathons under her belt and did a half marathon last year in Moab, Utah. She gave me a running magazine a couple of weeks ago. I read several articles and realized that there are
worlds out there that think things I never thought. In this case, the world of
running and runners. But, as I have started running I am finding myself thinking some things. This is what I wanted and need to write down.
~
Just so ya know….I am training for a half marathon.

WHY DO THIS?
1} I am not getting any younger.
2} I need to do teach my brain to do hard things.
3} I have been guaranteed a great looking butt.
4} I imagine completing this and knowing I can do other things that I have not tried before.
5} It is just time to add dimension to my life.
6} To know what determination feels like.

WHAT SCARED ME.
1} I won’t find determination in me.
2} My body will only have so much to give and it won’t be enough.
3} My weaknesses will be exposed.

I don’t know if running is a spiritual matter but I have a hero
who I am looking to for an example…and strength. I recently read a great
talk by Richard G. Scott. He spoke of the Savior and said there were three elements
to the completion of the atonement that showed determination. I am in no way comparing myself to The Savior. But I was inspired.

1) He felt a tremendous responsibility to make the atonement complete. If not all was lost.
2) He felt the sins and the consequences of those sins, no matter how depraved.
3) While under extreme emotional and physical stress all the powers of Satan were
unleased on him. And for reasons we don’t know even Heavenly Father withdrew
from him.

IN NO WAY AM I COMPARING MYSELF TO THE SAVIOR but I am in awe of his

supreme character which had to include determination...no matter what. I am latching

on to his example or completing the task.

FYI: This was the first week of training. I can run one minute and walk two and complete that seven times. I just about die.

And can I say that I am so impressed with Patty. We run five mornings a week at 6:00 am. She does this for me. I consider it a sacrifice on her part. She is positive and encouraging. How did I deserve such attention I don't know.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING MY LITTLE ONES, LITTLE ONES.

This is Heidi. Just so dang cute.

These were taken around 1986. I am so glad my dad took pictures. Pete and Brittany said at Lee's wedding that when it all over all you have are the pictures. Ya....I agree....raising my children is all over and I am so glad to have these pictures. I loved raising these children. Thanks, Dad, for the reminder.

(The blonde in the red top is Jeff's girl, Chelsea.

Jill was probably off chasing lizards.)

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON.

I don't know what to say about these two pictures. The top one is my dad somewhere in the midwest after a duck shoot. The bottom is Jeff and My cousin, Greg. These are doves or quail....in Arizona. It looks like they both had a great hunt.

I have to say that the ducks outweigh the doves. But the hunters in the later seem way pleased with their pile.

The Good Life in St. David

I wonder what David thought when he was this age? It looks like he was about 10 years old. I know he was thinking "when school's out today I am going to ride my go cart.

Do you wonder if Grandpa's voice sounded the

same when he was young.
Baby Dave.

Baby David.

CAN YOU TELL WHO THIS IS?

The Christmas Tree is a big hint. Think 20 December. You're right.....it's Dad. Aren't

these the coolest pictures? I didn't see anymore when I was going through some stuff but

wouldn't that be cool if there were more in front of the tree? Enjoy.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAVID!

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

It amazes me that after 34 years I am still married to the man who is the father of my children. Don’t get me wrong…..I am so happy that I am. The world would have you think it is normal and OK to do otherwise. I am so grateful
to David for our years together.

I am happy that he was there for each of the births of our children. There was never a question. These were
his babies and he was there to welcome them into our family.

We didn’t always have the same idea on how to raise our five children. And that would cause trouble
between us to say the least. But he was much better at seeing things as they really were. And his common
sense was a great blessing.

I know our children have said that he was hard on them and sometimes mean so it is interesting that they now seek
his advise and approval now. They love him. They love that he loves their children.

I am grateful that David is committed to marriage and family. How good it is that we take care of
family together. How good it is that David honors his role as father of our family.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, DAVID!

TOP TEN REASONS DAVID IS A GOOD FATHER
He gives good advise about cars.
He is a good example of honesty.
He has great common sense.
He honors his Priesthood.
He’ll come when you need him.
He likes popcorn.
He is a good provider.
He doesn’t complicate life.
He knows the Gospel is true.
He loves me.

MY OTHER FAVORITE FATHERS

I have other favorite fathers. These are my sons and sons-in-law. We want the best for our grandchildren and these men are the best. All these sons honor their Priesthood and honor their marriages and they are busy providing for their families. That is huge in today’s world and it doesn’t go unnoticed by David and me. It means everything! We can tell they love their children. Here are a few interesting things we have observed:

Pete ~ he shops for clothes and shoes for his girls. And he knows what they like.
John ~ his children love to sit by him at events….you can’t pry them away.
Tim ~ he has taken time to get his daughter Abbey screened for possible hearing problems.
Jeremiah ~ he makes Bodi feel like he is his best friend.
Aaron ~ just last night he was interested in a dress that Heidi made for Laine.

These might seem like ordinary things but they are huge to their children. There is a lot to being a father. These guys wanted and want to be fathers and have accepted the responsibility that comes with it.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO MY FAVORITE MEN!MT

Let's go camping

There are a couple things that make us who we are. One of those things is camping. But anymore I gotta have indoor plumbing.

When we sold the Motorhome last summer I was a little nervous about our camping accommodations. No more worries: we brought a travel trailer.

I love it! It has a kitchen at one end and a fixed bed at the other WITH a bathroom!

We can make plans again!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRITTANY ~ OH! WAIT! HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!

My daughter in law, Brittany, turned 29 yesterday. She was 19 when she married Pete. She has been part of our family for 9 1/2 years.

In a world where girls and woman are so confused about their roles and what brings true happiness, it is a pleasure to watch Brittany. Her decisions have been made. She is a great wife and mother....and aunt and friend. And a great daughter in law.

We love you, Brittany, and wish you

the best in this upcoming year.

~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRITTANY. NOW YOU CAN BE 29 FOREVER!

SEEING HOW THE DOG WOULD DO.

We took our new dog up into the mountains to see how she would ride in the jeep. I really wanted to see how she would ride in the back of the truck but gas is too expensive and the truck is a gas hog. Her first owner did the best job with her. She will jump in the jeep and just lay down in the back. We also wanted to see if she would run off in the woods. Nope. She likes staying close. Except for this encounter with a cow. But then she only got so close and that was enough.


Oh...we settled on a name for her.
BOO...you know....me and you
and a dog named Boo.

We found these trees closer to Big Lake. They probably never get cut for Christmas Trees because
the road isn't maintained or they aren't in the cutting area. But there were alot of them. They are all Balsum and really pretty.

Can't go by the store at Big Lake without getting an ice cream sandwich. David watched the dog and sent me inside for them. I talked to the store guy and told him about my dad's pictures of the big fish and that they may have come from Big Lake. He said that they made the dam bigger in 1957 and that the fish got bigger after that for a while. So maybe they were caught in Big Lake.

THAT'S WHERE IT IS!

David and I drove up into the mountains yesterday afternoon and
I do believe we found the location for
the scene that my dad took a picture in winter. It is right after Hondah
headed east to McNary. I am not
in the right spot but I am sure this
is the mountain and the road.

DAD

This is dad fishing at San Carlos or Roosevelt probably in the early to mid 50's. This is one of my favorite pictures of him. It just says so much about him and that time period. I love knowing that Dad had all that raw character and lived life to the "fullest".

But here in this picture in the early 90's dad lived the "fullness" of life. This is the sweetest picture of him. This is

his and Beverly's house in Pinedale and this is him on a

Sunday morning leaving for Church. He has his scriptures and a

Priesthood manual with him. Around 1985-87 Beverly was baptized

and she and Dad became active in the Church. One time

Beverly told me that they were driving home from Church

and Dad said something like, "I am really understanding this

for the first time in my life". And he liked what he was

understanding.

JUST FUN PICTURES

I get excited to share these pictures. In part because

it helps me remember my childhood. Of course, some

of these pictures are way before me. Even though I

want to share these little snippets from the past for the sake

of sharing them I have had some moments when I

remember feelings from my life before marriage and

parenthood. And I like those feelings.

This is Jeff, probably 15-16, and his friend, Daryl Holliday. For those of you that know Show Low, this is the corner of 60 and 260. (or the corner that you take in Show Low to head to Pinetop.) They are standing at the HUB looking west. It was a gas station and sporting goods store on the corner. You could always find somebody you knew at the Hub. Across the street is a Coke sign for the Tastee Freeze. I worked there the summer before my senior year in high school. Jeff and Daryl are still good friends. They still look just the same only older.


My parents. Looks like Salt River. My mom is wearing a wig. She had very fine and thin hair. She went to the valley to see a doctor and came home with a wig. I remember laying on the floor and dad asked me if I thought mom looked different. I actually thought she looked good but I didn't know she was wearing a wig. I was about 10-12 years old. So that is how I can tell the approximate year of this photo. This is probably around 1962-63.

This is my dad. Pretty handsome I think.

The U must be for Snowflake UNION

High School....three year letterman. My dad was blind in one eye. (today don't ask me which one) and he lost half of his left thumb and two fingers in a blasting cap accident. The story is that he and his brothers found some blasting caps and they decided to blow up a tree but the cap didn't go off so Dad, who was a young boy, went to the tree to check it out and it blew up on him. He also has a scar on his lower lip from the blast. But he was really a good athlete. Baseball, of course, was his game.

He wore this style hat his whole life.

This is my great Aunt Estelle. She was a VERY tiny woman. If I remember right she was very educated. She is my Grandmother Brewer's sister. Their parents were polygamists. Estelle went to the Mexican Colonies with them. Granny may have been married by then so she didn't go. Estelle always thought that made her a little more special than Granny ~ at least that was how my mom viewed it. This is up around Shiprock. Classic little old lady picture.

Last but not least....this is Peter. So dang cute.....and all that hair! 4 years old, maybe?

DAD LOVED CAMERAS

My dad left a treasure! I didn't know until today! We are going through the boxes of papers and pictures that my dad and Beverly had. ( My dad died in 1996 and Beverly this past December ) We are getting their home ready to sell and are down to the boxes of stuff.

I told my daughters about these pictures and they said to post some. So they are not in any particular order. I will do a better job on another day with more.

Alot of these are Polaroids. My dad loved taking instant pictures. I will try and explain (if I can) the 10 I posted.

This, of course, is a dead mountain lion. I am trying to figure out where dad shot it. This looks like Flagstaff. He had this cat
made into a rug.
























My brother, Jeff, looks around 3 years old. Look at the size of those fish my dad is holding. They are in the front yard of our house in Show Low. So where did he
catch such big fish? I can't tell if they are trout. If we knew that they were we could assume that he caught them at Big Lake.
This is my junior year in high school. I remember that night. It was starting to get into the colder fall weather. We had just come back from the opposing teams side (did a cheer for them) and my dad stopped us and took our picture. That is me, Evelyn Ramsey, Kayrene Williams and Diane Porter.



I think this is also my junior year in high school. Jeff looks like a goofy freshman. It is Christmas and that is my mom's tree. She loved to spray them white. We were getting ready to leave with my dad on Christmas Eve. We went and visited some of his friends. That was a nice night.




These are my two sisters and their husbands. On the left is Milo and Lynne. And then Coleen and Richard. Richard was a professor at ASU and Coleen took a class from him. Long story short: This is their wedding at our home. It was about 1968.




This is just a typical winter scene in the White Mountains the 60's. I can't tell exactly where it is taken.




This picture was dubbed "the noses" by my Aunt Ruby. There are her four brothers and my uncles. This picture was taken in Pinedale. Left to Right: Uncle Lee, Dad, Uncle Max, Uncle Carl. I don't know if they were married or not but they look out of high school to me....of course, my dad was on the 6 year plan.








This is a picture of my cousin Mike. He was one of my favorite cousins. He was about 4-5 years older than me. He died in an accident in his back yard when he was working on the family car. This little guy by him just might be a friend of my son, Pete. They met while in school in Des Moines, Iowa.








I don't know where we were when this was taken. But David is still pretty thin so I don't think we had been married that long. Looks like we were having a good time.

OK, this is Jill, my oldest daughter. Boy, do I see her son, Quinn, in this picture. It makes me laugh. I had to post it sooner than later!