"I should have had my grandchildren right after college and before my kids got in the way," Bryna Nelson Paston

My daughter, Heidi, asked me a while back if I

was available to come down and help her out

during a very busy weekend.   I did and I went.

David went with our son, Tim, and his boys

on their Father's and Son's campout so

that opened up the weekend for me.

These are the sillys and sweeties I watched.

 Laine and Bode.  This picture kills me!

 If I study this little girl and her

helmet I am always brought back

to the scripture of  being

"submissive as a child".

Her little head is looking so

good.  It may only take a couple

more weeks before she has

grown into a nice little round head.

 Daisy did not like Laine's driving.

Daisy~loving her binky.

“The Good Turn will educate the boy out of the groove of selfishness.”

Scout Statistics
For every 100 boys that enter scouts:
30 will drop out the first year.  
Only rarely will one appear before a juvenile court judge.
12 will be from families that belong to no church, 6 of these will be 
brought into contact with a church and continue.
3 will become pastors,
4 scouts will reach the rank of Eagle Scout.
45 will serve in the Military.
1 person will use scout skills to save somebody else’s live.
2 will report that they used scout skills to save their own lives.
17 will later serve as adult volunteers
8 will find their future life vocations from scouting
5 will receive church emblems.


….Only 4 out of 100 boys in the USA will become scouts but of the 
leaders of this nation in business, religion and politics,  3 out of 4 were 
scouts.   Only 4 percent of our nation’s youth were scouts, yet 65% of 
all college and university graduates were scouts. 
26 of 29 of the first Astronauts in NASA’s program were Eagle scouts, 
and 133 of the 233 Astronauts were scouts at one time.


A Nationwide survey showed that:
Of Senior Class Presidents 89% were scouts.
Of Junior Class Presidents   80% were scouts.
Student Council Presidents   85% were scouts.
School newspaper editors  88% were scouts.
Football Captains 71% were scouts.
Basketball captains   64% were scouts.
64% of Air Force Academy graduates were scouts
58% West Point Graduates were scouts.
70% of Annapolis graduates were scouts.
72% Rhodes Scholars were scouts.
85% of FBI Agents were scouts at one time.So, 4 out of 100,  (maybe more here in Nogales),  make Eagle Scout.


So what about the other 94 or 92 scouts who didn’t make it to Eagle.
Is it just wasted time?    The scouts have “Aims and Methods”.  Things 
found in the Scout Oath and Law, the Patrol Method, Outdoors 
training, Personal growth, Leadership and So on.  Advancement is 
certainly one of these, but only one.  Just being part of the program 
gives the opportunity  to “better and belong”.


Sure we know some famous Eagle Scouts like Sam Walton, James 
Lovell,  Hank Aaron, Gerald Ford, John Glenn Ross Perot.
How about some “Not-Quite-Eagles” like John F. Kennedy,  Jimmy 
Stewart, Harrison Ford,  Merlin Olson,  Richard Gere,  Nolan Ryan, Jim 
Morrison,  Joe Theisman, Bill Gates and not-quite British Scout’s 
Queen’s Scout – Paul McCartney.  

So what's not to be proud of?

Landon Hall and Jason Udall

with Bishop Merrill.

I just happen to know how much it means to

the man in the middle for the youth that

are in his ward to accomplish good things.

How do they do it?

Flowers are amazing.  

Just give them a little warm sun

and water and they just

stand up and sing!

Barney Fife....not.

Tim spent last week with us.  He works in 

the director's office and teaches drug

recognition to agencies around the state.

And lucky we were to have a class

in Show Low.  We enjoyed his company.

I love having a patrol car out front.

Neighbors send their little kids over

to ask why "that car is parked in our

driveway".

 This is a common site when family

comes around.  Ipods and Ipads.

 Last day of classes.  

Love you, Tim.  Come again soon.

Spring

We started putting our yard back together.

Winter seemed so long to me this year.

But on Saturday I decided that it is

really gone.  

I walked out early one morning

last week and the morning sun

on the getting green grass just

made me feel good.  

I am so glad I can go 

outside!

A very quick get away.

A couple Sundays ago it was Stake Conference.

There were not meetings, etc. after the Sunday morning

meeting so David and I decided to go visit the

closest grandchildren we could find!

Tim and Connie welcomed us and even

fixed a dinner for us.  It was a good get away

for us....even if it was short.

 These are Abbey's sweet hands in

a ballerina pose.  When will I get it right..

hands and heads go together!  But

look how cute those hands are!

 Ben is getting so big!

 Tim and Connie make a good pair in the kitchen.

 "Grandpa, throw me the ball!!"

 Open those eyes, Abbey!

 Father and son.

 Father and sons.

 Way to go, Mike!

 Wait for me.

 Just before the crash.

But he was ok.

Sometimes we just have to go

and see family.  It keeps us going!

The Best Advise

My daughter, Lee, called me one morning

not long ago and told me that the evening

before she went to a meeting.  The sisters

discussed upcoming activities for Relief

Society.  They laughed at each other as they

told stories of their newlywed days and the

mistakes they made in the kitchen and

laundry room.

One girl had put Dawn detergent in the

dishwasher and ran a cycle.  You know the

rest.  Lee wanted me to know how grateful

she was that I had taught her not to

do that.  I felt good all day thinking that

I HAD taught somebody something!

Just to keep things humble.....I was

buzzing through my dirty dishes and

the next thing I know....there is Dawn

in the dishwasher dispenser.  

Ugh!  

 A while back my son in law, Jeremiah, as he

sat on my front porch and studied this sign,

thought I should take the handle off the top.

I disagreed.  But it started bugging me so today

I took it off.  And since he just had lasik surgery

on his eyes I was hoping he could see

(without glasses) that I took his advise.

You were right, Jeremiah.

Quote of the Day

“I Love The Simplicity Of Happiness”

Janet Lee

Circles of Friends

Shirley's funeral was last Saturday.  It was very nice.

It was also interesting for me.  From where I sat I

could see people that I knew.  But I never knew

they knew Shirley.  

Laura Brown

I met Laura years ago when she and

her husband bought a tent trailer from us.

We would occasionally see each other

in a store and she was always gracious

to me.  But I didn't know she knew Shirley.

So I asked her how she knew Shirley.

She worked in Whiteriver with Shirley.

Both were nurses.  After Shirley retired

she always kept up with Laura and her life.

Denise Fitzgerald

Denise was my  neighbor for a long time.

But before her family moved into

my neighborhood she lived  down the

road from Shirley.

Sonja Hansen

I knew Sonja when we lived in Joe City.

We have kept in touch with each

for 30 years.  She is Shirley's cousin.

Bob London

Bob coached our kids in football

and track at Blue Ridge High School.

Shirley's son, Dalton, was Bob's best

friend in high school.  So he spent

a lot of time in Shirley's home.

Maxine Jones

Maxine is my first cousin.  (I was so

surprised to see her!)  She is

also Shirley's cousin on the

Stratton line.

A side note to Maxine:  We have a

sister in our ward, Leanna Jarman.

Leanna and Maxine know each other.

They were in a ward together 40 years

ago in the valley.

I've known these people for years

but none of us every talked about

Shirley or knew that we were connected

to each other through her.

Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings, and making music with them. Dennis Gabor

Take a quiet moment to read this poetry.  I love it.


On Children
 Kahlil Gibran


Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.


You may give them your love but not your thoughts, 
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, 
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, 
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.


You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, 
and He bends you with His might 
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, 
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

The War is Over

I finished watching the series on WW2 tonight.

I loved these men.  The emotions and mind set that

they had to develop to keep moving on was
a extreme test of their character.


I was saddened by some of the depravity
of which I learned.  I look at American soldiers
as the best of men and I believe that
99% of them were.   Some just gave in.


Nora Jones sang this song for the series.
It is called American Anthem.
I wish you could hear her sing it.

All we've been given by those who came before

The dream of a nation where freedom would endure

The work and prayers of centuries

Have brought us to this day

Each generation from the plains to distant shore with the gifts

They were given were determined

To leave more battles foughts together

Acts of conscience fought alone

These are the seeds from which America has grown

For those who think they have nothing to share

Who fear in their hearts there is no hero there

Know each quiet act of dignity is that which fortifies

The soul of a nation that never dies

Let them say of me I was one who believed

In sharing the blessings I received

Let me know in my heart when my days are through

America America I gave my best to you

America America I gave my best to you

Secret Eating

I didn't know this was a eating disorder.

See on the left hand side of this magazine...

Secret Eating The Most Common

Eating Disorder.

I have already confessed my love of sugar.

But I eat it in secret more times than not.

I have done this for years!

When my children were home I had

hiding places for my sweets.  If I left

the house on an errand most times

I bought a Snickers and finished

eating it before I got home.  Now

I eat sweets in secret because I

don't want David to eat any.  I'm

not being stingy...I just want him

to stay healthy.  That is a dumb thing.

Like it doesn't affect my health.

(Especially if I eat it in secret.)

I read an Amy Tan book....maybe

the Kitchen God's Wife and I remember a

Chinese daughter tell about her mother

who would not stop the car for the

children to eat all day.  In the

evening they stopped at a motel for

the night and the mother told them

to just go to bed.  They were starving

and the daughter slipped out of bed

and found her mother in the bathtub

reading a book and eating a candy

bar.   I relate to that.  But I would

feed my children.

Can Anybody Say it Better?

This quote fell out of my Bible this morning.

Elder Maxwell wrote this in 1979.

We are now entering a time of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: We will see a maximum, if indirect, effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism which uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of western civilization to shrink freedom, even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage. Brothers and sisters, irreligion as the state religion would be the worst of all combinations. Its orthodoxy would be insistent and its inquisitors inevitable. Its paid ministry would be numerous beyond belief. Its Caesars would be insufferably condescending. Its majorities—when faced with clear alternatives—will make the Barabbas choice, as did a mob centuries ago when Pilate confronted them with the need to decide. This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened. In its mildest form, irreligion will merely be condescending toward those who hold to traditional Judeo-Christian values. In its more harsh forms, as is always the case with those whose dogmatism is blinding, the secular church will do what it can to reduce the influence of those who still worry over standards such as those in the Ten Commandments. It is always such an easy step from dogmatism to unfair play—especially so when the dogmatists believe themselves to be dealing with primitive people who do not know what is best for them—the secular bureaucrats’ burden, you see. Neal A. Maxwell, A More Determined Discipleship, Ensign Feb 1979 Makes me sad.  What he saw coming is here.

Happy Easter

Blessed Easter

"The Savior's Resurrection assures all of us that someday we, too, will follow Him and experience our own resurrection. What peace, what comfort this great gift is which comes through the loving grace of Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind." M. Russell Ballard

You can't replace someone like Shirley Jones

There is something right about Shirley Jones

passing away on Easter weekend.  If anyone

followed the Savior it was Shirley.

We received word this morning that

she was gone.  I am wondering how many

calls went out this morning.  Shirley was

loved by so many people here on the

mountain.  I am happy to say that I 

loved her.  I am glad to be on the list

of folks who knew her.

I knew Shirley's name years before 

I ever met her.   I knew she was this

famous nurse that worked at the

McNary hospital.  I say famous because

Shirley was part of a story that my

mom told me over and over again.

Mom became very sick when I

was small.  She was hospitalized

in McNary.  Things didn't look good.

Mom had a reoccurring dream.  She

was in line with other people and

they were moving on a path towards

a door.  She realized that if you went

through that door you would die.

She went in and out of the dream

and each time she would be closer to

the door.  She was dreaming that her

turn had come to pass through the

door and, guess who!, Shirley came

in to give her some medicine and

woke her up.  Mom says she missed

her turn and never had the dream again.

And she eventually regained her

health and told us that story.

So I grew up believing that a Shirley

Jones had saved my mother's life.  I

never forgot that name....Shirley Jones.

10+ years ago Shirley came back to 

church.  She was in my ward.  We became

friends.  I told her my mom's story and

how I remembered her name all these

years and she just chuckled.  

I think she must have saved a lot

of people's lives.  And I don't mean as

a nurse.  The longer I knew Shirley the

more I realized that her everyday life

was spent in concern for this person or

that person.  She was always taking

care of somebody.  

Shirley was never a complainer. Never.

She had plenty of things to complain

about but she loved life. Pain and

discomfort were just part of it.

I am glad I knew Shirley Jones.

I can only imagine the reunion she

experienced with all her family and

all the others she called family and

friends.  

Shirley,  you cannot be replaced.

I will miss you.

Mrs. Merrill

This past fall I started a preschool.  

I am amazed that it is now April

and we are about to finish "school".

When I was the Children's Librarian

I felt that I was contributing to the whole

of the community.  And I enjoyed the

little children.  So I just decided I would,

at best, try to do something that would

contribute to children.  

I have to say that Pinterest has

been my teacher.  There are so many

helps and ideas.  I have learned a lot

by trial and error. 

 And I have gained 

a new respect for teachers overall.

I only have three children this year.

 A classroom at school may have 30+

students.  I think about the preparation

alone.  They are amazing.

I started keeping a binder with my

weekly curriculum.  We did some

things this week that I can't slip

into a sheet protector so I decided

to take pictures for my binder

just in case my notes are not such

that I will remember.  I think I would

but just in case.  I thought I would

post them.  

This is Annabelle.  I love this picture

because she has really struggled

with scissors.  She is left handed

and it took me a while to figure that out.

But she holds the scissors so well now.

And can cut really well.

 I made a ruler out of blue tape and marked the

inches.  They rolled out play dough and cut it up

inch by inch.  They seemed impressed by the uses

of a ruler.  And they really liked using their scissors

to cut out the clay.

And then, since it is Easter, we made these sheep.

(Yes, I found these on Pinterest.)  It is just card

board cut into a sheep body and two clothes pins

clipped and glued to the body.  Paint them black

and wrap fluffy white yarn around them.  

I have thought if my grandchildren spend time

here this summer that we could play preschool

and I would have stuff ready to go.  Fun!

Life Savers

When I was little my Granny Brewer would come

and stay at our house.  She was a tiny lady and

quite old by the time I came along.  But she

liked me a lot.  I think it is because my middle

name is Lou and I was named after her.  

She would sleep in my bed with me and

if she left before I woke up, which was 

often the case, I would always find some

Life Savers under my pillow.  It was always

the same flavor.....white with red flecks.

Probably peppermint. 

I have given my grandchildren Life Savers

at times because I remember how it felt

for Granny to leave her's with me.  

They were so common in the stores when

I grew up.  It is harder to find them now.

When I went back to Arkansas the last time

Jill and John gave me these.  I have saved them

because it meant something to me to know that

they knew about me and Life Savers.

I think I forgot to say "Thank you".

So, thank you Jill and John!

And then there are Bit O Honeys!

Not that my world was all about candy and

actually there were a couple of years of

my childhood that I didn't like sugar.

But I got over that and developed

some favorites.  I could buy single candy(s)

for cheap.....5 for a penny, etc.

I loved to get a tiny brown bag and

fill it with these one cent candy(s) and

pretend I had a sack of groceries.

My parents once talked about moving

to California so the next chance I had

to buy me a bag of groceries for the trip

I did it.  We didn't move.

I was still buying my brown bag full

of "my groceries" in the 5th grade.

I know that because I got a bike

for Christmas that year, and on

a Sat. morning I rode it to the store

to get "groceries" and was on my way

home when a man opened his car

door and hit me.  I flew off my bike

and dropped my goods.  I was 

more embarrassed than hurt so

I hurried back on my bike and

took off.  He called to me so I looked

back and he waving my little

grocery sack in his hand.  He

said, "you dropped this".  I didn't go 

back.  And that may have been

the last time I shopped for my

groceries.

My son in law, Jeremiah, always buys me

Bit O Honey.  He likes them too and we

have had several conversations about them.

I have to say that these little gestures by

my family are very sweet to me.  I hope

I thanked Jeremiah.  But just in case:

Thank you, Jeremiah!

Other favorite candy(s) I have liked

are Paydays, Snickers, Big Hunk,

Sugar Babies and Sugar Daddy.

Most recently I have finally 

seen the beauty of a Baby Ruth,

which is my husband's favorite.

What was I thinking?  He always

got one and offered me a bite and

I turned my hose up. 

But I must say that I love

homemade candy the best.

Toffee, Caramels, Fudge....just to name

a few.

I am mentioning all my sweet treats because

I am trying to break the sweet habit.

I watched a 60 minute segment and

the truth is sugar is so bad for me and you.

They are connecting it to heart disease

and cancer.  I am a believer.  And then

David listened to something about

sugar addictions.  I am that girl.  Like

all addictions your body gets used to

a substance and you have to increase

the amount you take in to get the

"high" you are accustomed to.

Now I don't get "high" on sugar but

I know I consume so much more to

satisfy my love for it.  So, that was

a huge red flag for me.

I have grown to love the taste and texture

of certain sweets and I have known this

for a while.  It isn't just the sweet.

What was a treat for me from 

my Grandmother has turned into

a recreational pursuit.  Way sad.

Chivo Falls ....east of Tucson

Last weekend David and one of our sons, Pete, 

met with some of Pete's friends and went

rock crawling.  I say rock because this was one

nasty place.  

Before it all came together there must have

been 15 emails exchanged.  There was definitely

some excitement!

It was no time at all that photos and

videos were being sent.  I feel bad that

I can't figure how to download the

videos.  The photos I have don't have

David's Rubicon in them.  The 

videos do.  

But here are some shots that will

support the drama of the day.

And since I was not there I

am taking license to interpret the pictures.

 Exploring on foot.

 Devil's Canyon.......just guessing.

 A frog.  

 Certainly a distraction from that pesky real life.

 Yes, David wants one of these.

 And one of these.

 Secret swimming hole.

 Head waters.

David has been watching videos

of other people who have taken this

trail.  The ones who have rollovers

are all older folks.  I concluded that

somebody finally got the vehicle they

always wanted and are doing what

they always wanted to do but they

aren't skilled because it is new to

them.  What I am saying is I hope

David can do this for a long time

and I am banking on it because

he's got the skills!

No rollovers allowed!

And he needs the therapy.

Hey, Pete, if you have better pictures

I would be glad to post them.

Hint.  Hint.

What Thinks Christ Of Me?

I loved General Conference.  

This is what I concluded as I thought about what talk

I liked best.  Things stand out, of course, but what hit

me most was the genuine truth of each general

authority's talk.  Everything that was spoken confirmed

my belief in this Gospel and its origins.

Each talk offered encouragement and direction.

And bore testimony of the Savior 

and pointed to Him.

I felt that these talks were motivated by

love for us.  No one sought to wow us with

charismatic speech.  No one sought to be best.

They only taught principles of truth.

I might settle in on several talks that

were "meant for me"  but this morning I

am just amazed at the solid and consistent

foundation that was used in preparation for

these addresses.  

They make me want to be better.

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

These are just fun shots of

unusual vehicles passing through town.

I love where I live.  

Fun people from Surprise.

Were these bottles made so mom's could

hold them like this?  From the looks of things

this is not the first time Piper has had a bottle

this way.

I talk with my children on the phone and every now and then one will say it has been a long time since they have been home.  I like to hear that.  I like knowing that every now and then their hearts are drawn to the home where they grew up.  David and I aren't that exciting and the snow was almost gone but we had a good time in March when these guys came up.

Sometime I need to make a post about this 

tree and all the grandchildren that have

a picture of themselves in it.