friendly response

I am in no way qualified to agree or disagree with a recent family blog about the picture of George Washington Praying at Valley Forge.http://ohhonestly.blogspot.com/ I have not researched the man or his religion beliefs at the time the prayer might have taken place. But as Kim stated who knew what he might have been feeling at the time when he and his men were in a fox hole with no future in sight.

But I can tell you what I know about human nature in time of struggle and fear. I have seen people who put their cigarette out in the ER parking lot, and staggered through the door after having a few too many or a cocaine fest , and want everything done to ease their chest pain or shortness of breath. And as soon as they are able they ask for their priest or a priesthood blessing.

Fear does a lot of different things to people. Good people and many who might have thought themselves not so good. The Lord doesn’t want us to be fearful all the time, but he does want us to be humble and submissive, especially when we are in need of his help and love. George Washington may have felt confident about his own strength and abilities and knowledge of the Lord, but in times of great need even those who may appear the strongest can go weak in the knees, and fall to them for help.

I will continue to look at my picture and be grateful that even the strong and mighty have been humble enough to pray.

Now is the time

For some reason I have this week off, I don't remember asking for it, we didn't have anything planned, but when it appeared on the schedule I was happy to take it. So each day I've tyred to plan some thing different to get done. Monday I went to Mom's for about 2 1/2 hrs . We had planned to cont. working on her life history, which we had started when she lived with me, but a friend of hers and Melanie came by, so we visited with them for a while and then we worked on the history. It was nice to just sit and talk and learn things I had never heard before and many I had, but I just kept typing and we had a nice time.

Then 4 of the 5 siblings meet at a Mortuary, of Mom's choice, and made pre-funeral arrangements. That was strange. I have never looked at caskets before, never knew the difference between a sealed and non-sealed vault, prices of opening and closing the ground, never really thought about the needs and wants for the arrangements, the prices for everything that goes with a "nice" funeral. Flowers, cars, open, closed, glasses and jewelry on or off, how many people, the prices even differ if it's a weekday vs a weekend. It was very overwhelming, but Karen and Paul have gone through this before and handled and took responsibility for most of the details. One thing about doing it now, when we really have no idea when it will be needed, is that you can do it in a relaxed fashion and even joke at times.


But this whole thing really got me thinking. Kim and I need to do this now, make and pay for most of the arrangements before it becomes necessary, and our children won't have to do it, or one of us in a stressful and hurried situation. Just the money alone is overwhelming. I asked the man helping us, what do people do who don't have this kind of money readily available and we were told it just has to go on credit, "because we can't reposes a casket, once your in it it's yours". So who knows maybe that will be our next "big expense". Plus Kim said then he could pick out the pine box he wants with nothing fancy, and believe it or not they have them.


Tuesday was a little lighter, I made a new porch decoration for fall, cleaned house a little, went visiting teaching, finished some vinyl orders, just hung out and later buzzed Gordon's hair for him. Not sure what today we'll bring, but I'm just back from my gym, and I have to go shopping.


Lots to be thankful for, but I love that I have brothers and sisters,who are so smart and that I am not alone in making these very difficult decisions for my Mom who we all love so very much.

A little Culture

So the comments have been made that I don’t blog often enough. Too Bad!

But this weekend was fun. We had a little USA History and Country rock history last week, and this week we had even more. Sat. Kim and I went to the Capitol building to see the Declaration of Independence on display. The crowds were amazing and the wait was 2 or more hours to walk right up to it for a photo shot, which we opted not to do. We did see it however and it was great just to see the little video they had made and also the amount of interest there was. We stood behind a great scout leader with his troop for awhile and I thought “what a great leader to take his time out and spend it with the boys“. We did wonder around the new building and went into the Supreme Court room and the Senate and House chambers. We did get to see the Declaration, we just walked up on the side of the roped off area and again from up above. So we’ll just have to use our memories as our photo.

Then we were off to the Monet to Picasso exhibit at the U. I was able to see my first and up close real paintings by some very famous artist. My first Vincent van Gogh and all the others. It was a good experience to see them, but my only problem is I can’t walk that slow. My back was killing me by time we were done. I guess I could have just left Kim and looked at a faster pace and moved more around the crowds but I didn’t. The art and the bronze statues were great to see .I was glad we were able to go.

The little out of place video of Winner takes is all is a mystery as to why it is there. It was downloaded a month ago with the blog entry “Winner take s it all“ and it would not appear and then suddenly there is was so enjoy.

I am grateful that I can enjoy a little piece of history now and then.

The Winner Takes It All

part of the scene

On my own again

I am truly on my own, and I'll see if I like it or not, I am already a little lonely.(before)

Last Friday Kim and our boys and his brothers Ryan and Greg and nephew Paul left for a 7day back packing trip into the Wind Rivers. They had this in the works for months and months. They all seemed pretty pumped for the adventure, I just call it work and dirt. They have done this a few time before and last year Kim couldn't go because of his back, so I know he was pretty excited. They are planned home late Thurs. night.

Today Jodi left for Girls camp. Now hers I could handle, they are going to a private cabin on Bear Lake. They too having been planning this for a while, but their food and gear doesn't have to be carried on their back for miles and miles and they have showers. Now that's my kind of girls camp.

So it's me and Simon for a few days. I'm sure we can handle it. But I really do hate the quit at night.

I have to go back to work tomorrow after being off for 18 days, so that should be a trip too. I am so thankful that we all have so many opportunities in our lives and we are blessed to have great people to share them with.

Vacation over(again could be boring) pictures to come

I’ll wrap up with days 3.5 through 7. We went out to the deadliest Civil War scene of the war. Stones River. We were able to see a little reenactment of one area and how the men would move and what happened to them, the little movie was very good and very moving. It’s hard to believe when war is so devastating and so destructive that we would do it on our own land against our own people. But it also reminds us how far some will go to protect what they think is right. We also went to the cemetery of all the soldiers who fell that day, on that spot, were buried.

Then we went to the Hermitage. Home and Plantation of President Andrew Jackson. We learned so much about what a great man he was before he became Pres. and after. He was on the Battle field at age 13 and never did stop serving his country. His wife died during his run for pres and never did serve with him. He became a very wealthy man before he ever became pres. And was smart in all his actions, and always very kind, along with his wife, to the salves he had. He only had two adopted sons, one white and the other and Indian boy he found and sent home from one of his battles. The Indian boy died young and then the other would lose all the family money only 11 years after Pres. Jackson died. This had to be my favorite stop, so rich in history and preserved as it once was. Even the house, the furnishings, the paint colors the bed linens, light fixtures, everything is the original. If it wasn’t for the heat we could have stayed all day.

On to the Gaylord Opryland and the National BSA convention. This place is amazing. I have never been in one place this big under one roof. It is just a maze of rooms, shops, restaurants, conventions halls, waterfalls, hidden walkways, 6 acres alone of the water and green atrium. Anyway the meals have been fantastic, the shows professional, the productions are Hollywood style the Scouts really know how to put on a good show. This is my first National Convention. They only hold them every 10 yrs. So 10 yrs. ago Jodi had just needed her 3rd appendix follow up surgery and so I could go. One night we were entertained by Josh Turner a new and I guess well known country singer; he was really good and put on a great show.

The spouse brunch was so much fun. We had a special speaker, Dr. Kevin Leman, who is a family and children book author and psychologist and also a great comedian about family, kids, husbands, wife’s and just life. It’s so fun when someone can take the normal and seemingly stressful parts of life and make them funny and normal at the same time. We laughed so hard we were hurting.

All in all this has been a fun time. There are a lot of spouses who I really like and don’t get to see very often and it was nice to just be with Kim with none of the normal stressors of life bugging us. Now back to the real world today, and I’ve heard the animals are still alive and Matt got a new job, so Roy here we come. I am blessed to have gotten to come and have such a great time.

More to come

Day 3: We traveled out to the country side to see an old Estate and gardens but it wasn't as old as were thought only the early 1900's and the gardens were beautiful but it was so hot you couldn't spend too much time in them. But we did learn a lot about the Faberge artiest and his famous eggs. There is a collection of some of his work in the home, mostly cigarette cases and flowers but a couple of eggs.

We just drove around the country side a lot today. We found there to be a church on every corner and then one in between. Some took up blocks and blocks. None of them have the same name, and you can sure tell who has the bigger population and money due to the size and ornateness of the building. Mormons and Catholics are no where to be found. Even miss Garmin had a hard time finding a church. We are having a good time and tonight, Day 4, we check into the Grand Old Opry Land Hotel and convention center, we have our tips ready. Today were are going to an old battle field and General Jackson's home. We are grateful for good old southern hospitality.

Travel Log

(Warning could be boring)
Day 1: Travel. Salt Lake to Denver lay-over no problem. Then on to Chicago, we were not supposed to have a lay-over, but we were told something was wrong with our plane, (on the ground is a good time to hear that) and so we had to get off and had about a 30min. wait for a new one. Finally into Tennessee.

We got our cute little car, PT Cruiser, can we say old folks car? It has really been a good little drive, according to Kim anyway, it has great leg room and our tires must have that right air pressure because we are getting pretty good gas mileage. Gas here is about .50cents cheaper.

Day 2: Mammoth Caves, in Kentucky. Kim had prearranged and booked out 2 tours. We had two very long and fun tours of the Mammoths cave, named because it's about 367,m known, miles of cave. We only saw about 3miles at two different entrances. It was different than any other cave I've seen. There were hedge rooms and some very tiny areas, walk-ways that took a good back and some very tricky body movements to get through. There were straight up stairs and then straight down and so not to look like a wimp you just kept moving. In some areas we were walking more than 200 feet above the floor. Being inside was always a pleasure, because of the cool air, once outside all you have to do is blink and the humidity makes you sweat.

It's been fun having the Garmin, but a few times she didn't like the little side trips, like the spooky old cemetery Kim found, and the car ferry ride. But all in all she's done well.

One side comment. Did you know that only in Utah Polygamy is LEGAL? We meet someone who totally believed that. We did set him straight and he said he appreciated the information. More to come. I am grateful that I am seeing more of our great country.