Book I've been working on

I've had a children's book in my head for 10 years.  I wrote the story years ago, taken from Family History accounts.  I wanted GOOD pictures to go with the words, and even considered hiring an artist.  It has nagged at me for along time, and I kept putting it off.  It wasn't until my good friend Sherilee told me about the great AI (Artificial Intelligence) pictures she had created using Microsoft Copilot that I thought I may be able to get something to work for me. Last fall when we stayed at Sherilee's cabin near Sundance, we played around with Copilot, each of us creating pictures to go with our stories. It was amazing, and fun, and frustrating !    

This past week Sherilee and I went to Roots Tech in Salt Lake.  There was Sherilee's book front and center that she had created using a program called LORE.  I became really excited, and knew that I could do this myself, as I have made many books using Picaboo for my grandkids.  In the last few days,  I finally put the words and pictures together.  The original name of the book was changed (with much reluctance on my part), and "The Adventures of Will Dickson" came to be !

I reached out to my sister and cousins, and they were very interested in getting a copy.  I plan to give copies to my grand-children soon.  

I put the pages of the book (a generic version) into a video - click here to view.
I hope to create more books this way, to bring our ancestors to life :)

 

The Month of March - Let's catch up

All is well in AZ.
Manda has gone back to work 3 days a week (4 hours a day) from home, working for one of the doctors she is helping to set up his own office.  They have hired Elvie, a little Hispanic woman to come in and Nanny for them.  She is going to teach Cash some Spanish. 

I love to get Facetimes :) 

They went to the Aquarium ! 

Cam is getting everything ready for her big day..............

It will be here before we know it :)   Josiah has another month and a half in Virginia, then he'll be home.  Wedding celebration is in September.  Cam is liking her new job, "In the Spectrum", working with Autistic kids. 

 

Payson and Bexlee celebrate their birthdays at Grandma Carol's 

Bright had a dance competition

Easter at the Brooks

Bright is very creative. 

Fun times at school 

Bexlee loves tumbling 

Thatcher is now a Deacon.............

Here he is with friends at the Ogden Temple - they just got done doing baptisms for the dead. 

CJ is taking care of dogs in the new dog room. 

Zac helped us install a new RING doorbell at our front door. 

Treyson went to Prom

So did Tagg

Thatcher bought him a new 3-D printer.  Now he just needs to get it up and working. 

Zac (with Roger's help) built some new kennels for the dog room. 

Lookin' good 

We went on the new West Davis Corridor Highway

Ate lunch at the Post with Brenda and Bryce and Grandma Ben 

Pushed some late season snow

Broke some ice away from the building at the Property 

They are letting alot of water out of the dam, so that it won't flood. 

My sister is a Grandma ! 

Strange signs on the road in front of our home........

Getting ready for the mowing season

New little family.
I'm now a GREAT Aunt !!  

Sure love my mom. 

No good deed goes unpunished..................
Taking dinner to a friend, and this is what happened :( 

Roger picked up a new Power Rake from Wilkinson Supply.
We're in the Power Raking business now :) 

Odds and Ends from the past week

Meeting at the Courthouse - practicing Social Distancing
We are now locked down in the Courthouse (no outside entry from the public) - but are still there working, and helping the public through phone, email, and snailmail.

Treat from Janell's husband 

The Yard Master (and crew) have begun to MOW !!!

I fixed a great roast and potatoes in a NEAT old roaster pan that I got from Jenni.  

I enjoyed General Conference so much !!
I watched a little on the computer, and also "cast" my phone onto the TV.  Thank goodness for technology. 

We planted a row of peas in the garden in between conference sessions on Saturday. 

Found a picture of my Great Great Grandmother.
Mette Margrete Juulsdaughter Peterson
It was taken in Richville, prior to 1919 (when she died)
She was my Grandma Dickson's (Anona) maternal Grandmother.
She was born in Denmark in 1834

Fun MEME I saw.  I'm getting tired of it though - anyone else? 

A backpack for hiking !
Landon and Kacey and kids have been doing alot of bike riding lately with the kids. 

Cam and her friend - sure miss that girl.  

Another MEME, which is exactly what happened !  

We got new windows at the courthouse.  They started at 7:30 am and it was COLD!!  In the 30's when they started.  We were glad when the sun came up and warmed things up.  

Landon found Payson and Bright (by themselves) - writing a list of things to do. SO SWEET.
Here is Payson's list.
1. Don't whine
2. Be Nice
3. Listen to Mom and Dad
4. Help Bexlee and Brightyn when they need it
5. Sleep in room at night
6.  Be a good brother 

I think this is ALSO Payson's list.
Love the "Help old people", and I think MOM added "Don't be annoying"

Windows all done !!

Our chickens sure are different !
Look at the difference in the size of eggs.

Then there are just the WEIRD ones......
Yuck - whose old thumb is that !?!?! 

We've changed up the greenhouse, and cut it down in size.

Another fun MEME - Ya, this just about sums it up. 

The Yardmaster hard at work

He didn't want this picture taken :)

Treyson had just been for a ride around "the block"
The block is SOUTH on Hwy 66 to the Lane, then North on MVD to the "Y", then East on Young Street to State Street/Hwy 66, then SOUTH to home.  His dad ran along with him. 

Thatch is still doing gymnastics at home each day on ZOOM

We had a guy come and pull some poly pipe so that the watering of the trees at Grandpa's and Zac's could be done on the sprinkling system instead of by hand. 

You should see this kid do handsprings (front and back), and tucks, and fulls, and layouts, and gainers........ and a bunch of things that I don't even know what they are.  

Getting the burn pile ready to go. 

It was a nice day, but windy.  Alot of the farmers were burning their ditches. 

If the sun was shining, and the wind wasn't too bad, it was fairly pleasant in the sun.
These two got all of the toys back out of the shed, and a little water, and had a nice time.
We also got all of the little lights put up along side of the road to the Property, and also the grills and tables set back up under the bowery, and the kitchen/bathroom un-winterized. 

We roasted some hot dogs and had lunch. 

Smashing little voles/gophers.  They sure did a number on the lawns this past winter. 

I made JELLO JIGGLERS (Easter colors)  for all of the grandkids, and we took them down to West Haven for the kids.  Sure hope they liked them.  We stayed outside, and didn't get too close, but the kids kept creeping up on us........   We are planning a HUGE sleepover when this COVID junk is done.  Can't happen soon enough !!!

Brightyn showing off her blood blister that Bexlee "gave" her, and Pays and Bex showing their wooden eggs that the neighbor made and gave them.  

Also, Bexlee fell on the garage steps a few days ago, and hurt her mouth.  She was pretty proud to let Payson show it off.
 We sure miss our grandkids........  

And last but not least - Bright's list.  TOO CUTE
1.  Help everybody when when are sad
2. Make money
3. Help Everyone
4. Love Everyone
5. Do Math
6?
7. Smile Everytime
8. Make new friends