Primary Parades

When I was a little girl we used to have Primary Parades around the 24th of July celebration.  We would decorate our bikes, trikes and wagons, and pretend we were pioneers crossing the plains.  I remember putting two bushel baskets in either end of a wagon, and draping and tucking a white sheet around everything, and Viola !  we had a covered wagon !  I'm not sure how colored crepe paper with fringing on it correlates with Pioneers, but that's just what we did :)  We met in the parking lot of the Rock Church, and then walked around the block in a big group (kids and leaders) with our parents parked along side of the road cheering us on.

I don't know if they still do the Primary Parades.  The last time we were involved in anything remotely like this, was in 1986.  

Here is Zac pulling all of his stuffed animals in the wagon.  We started in front of the courthouse, and went over to the park.  This wasn't a Primary Parade, but a celebration for the 4th of July.  Recognize anyone else in the picture?  I see Lance Prescott, Amber Carrigan, Robyn Birt Nelson, and way in the back, above the two raggedy andy red wigs, is Manda.

Car show in Arizona

Brendon took this picture (his Cam looking at him)

And Manda took this picture (her Cam looking at her)

Bren's dad got tickets to the Barret Jackson Classic Car Auction for the family for Christmas. They went yesterday, and had a great time. Yesterday was Cameron Claussen's birthday also. Happy Birthday Cameron !! He is 9 years old. We talked to him on the phone, and he said his favorite car at the show was the Back to the Future Delorean. It looks like they had a great time in front of this Hearse? mobile too :)

Crazy Days

Near the Y

Across from Streadbecks

By Lorna Pentz's

By Uncle Norris and Aunt Pam's

In front of mom and dad's

All of the flooding in the pictures above happened on Saturday between 9am and 2pm.

Then this started................

And now this morning (Sunday) it was beautiful and sunny.  No flooding today.

On Friday as we were traveling to the temple, we were commenting on the steep roads, and how horrible they must be in the snow. Take a look at the video of just ONE of the roads leading to and from the temple in Bountiful on Saturday.

What would I do without these wonderful women in my life?

6 am - off the the temple with mom and Sherilee.  Roads weren't bad, conversation was wonderful, and the Temple was great as always :)

10am - Organ Lesson from Marcie Terrell.  She is so sweet to share her talents, and teach this piano student what the organ is all about.  I thought it would be EASY, and all I would have to do was make my fingers play SMOOTHLY.........little did I know !!  Thanks for being so patient Marcie :)

11 am - I had a great visit with Sister Phyllis Waldron, as we worked on her family history.  I  really enjoyed hearing all  about the good old days.  She has some great stories, and what a memory !  I loved the time I spent with her.

The FIRST Bee incident that I remember

Who is this cute little girl?  Oh wait, it's me !  I really like this picture.  I was about 5 years old.  I'm standing by the old Zodiac car that mom and dad had.  The hills of the "M" are in the background.  We were living on 100 E. in one of Whitey Little's rentals that has since been torn down.

That flowered dress was MY FAVORITE - that is, until the dreaded "BEE" incident.  I had been walking across the street (Young Street) to kindergarten.  I had on a red sweater that Grandma Dickson had knitted for me.  A wasp flew close by me, and I flinched, wildly looking around for it.  It had disappeared, thank goodness.  I proceeded in the old high school building where kindergarten was held, and took off my sweater and hung it in the little locker and went to my class.  A few minutes later, there was a commotion in the hall, and when I went out to see what was up, I found that another girl had opened the shared locker to hang her jacket, and THERE WAS THE WASP ON MY RED SWEATER !?!?!!?!?!?

Well, the teacher made short work of the wasp, but I was absolutely and totally convinced that the only reason that wasp had landed on me was because of that FLOWERED DRESS, and I NEVER wore it again.  EVER.  Totally traumatized for life.......... :)  BTW, did I tell you that I don't like bees ?  haha

PS - That is not the only BEE incident in my life.  I have many more, but those are stories for a different day :)

A beautiful good bye

Last Saturday, when I saw the beautiful morning sunrise out my back window, I KNEW it was going to be a great day, in all respects.  I was actually looking forward to Theresa's funeral, because I wanted to be around those who loved her, and to be uplifted by the tributes given.  I was not disappointed.

She was buried in the Roy City Cemetery. It was a beautiful sunny day, and pretty warm.  I look forward to visiting her gravesite, and seeing the headstone and epitaph, which is perfect - "We know, because our Mother told us".........

Theresa's daughter Britney with her son Tyson, and nephew Conner.  The little ones were so cute and curious.  There were not alot of tears, and I could imagine Theresa smiling down with happiness at her family and knowing that all was well.

Baby Shower !

Thanks to Camryn for helping me with the invitations

Thanks to Mom and CJ and LuAnn for being there when I couldn't.  Thanks to all who came to support Kacey.  This new little one will be here before we know it.  Love the diaper cake CJ !!

Life is good - and funny !

2 for 2 Pay it Forward

This is Shaylee 

Shaylee is our niece, born to Roger's youngest brother Kelly and his wife Michelle.  She is most likely Ben and LuAnn's last grandchild (not counting the greats and great greats to come :). Their family is currently living in Korea, and only LuAnn has met Shaylee in person, but we all love her and look forward to meeting her when they get home in a couple of years.  She's a sweetie - just look at that smile :)

Shaylee was born with Down Syndrome, and has already had to face challenges in her young life.  Please click here to read a beautiful blog post about another little girl, Nella, and other beautiful kids who "possess the magic of the extra 21st chromosome"

If you like, you can donate in Shaylee's name to the NDSS (National Down Syndrome Society)  " whose mission is to to be the national advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome."

Last year I donated in honor of Logan Manning, son of my good friends Dave & Michelle Manning.  This year I will donate in Shaylee's honor.  Maybe you have someone who you would like to honor?  Click here to donate. Every little bit helps.  

My birthday

Zac and CJ and the boys brought supper up on Monday night.  It was Bean and Biscuit Casserole,  and Landon and Kacey brought the dessert - Brownie cake with ice cream and toppings.  It was great to just come home from work and not have to worry about supper, and to have my family there most of all.  I love them so much.  The little boys played, and the adults talked, I read a book to the boys and it was a very nice birthday.

Amanda and Bren and Cam and Cam sent a card.  Here is what it said:

By Camryn
I love you so much
I miss you so much, but I'm coming in March, 14,15,16,17,18
Happy Birthday and
I really need you
I miss you so much and
I love you so much
I love you gramma

This is from the dogs
We all love you,
Yep, that was from the dogs.

Until we meet again...............

Theresa Hodges Hyde  March 10, 1963 - January 10, 2012

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.  These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.  - ― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

My dear dear friend, Theresa Hodges Hyde passed away this morning at 12:30 am. Bless her heart, she waited until after my birthday.  Her last gift to me.  No - not the last......I know she will be watching over, and inspiring me for the rest of my life.  Words can't describe the things she taught me.  She always made me feel good about myself, she encouraged me, she LOVED me..  Oh, how I will miss her.......

We are officially egg farmers:)

As you can see, the chickens are laying !   In the last week and a half they have produced 24 eggs !    Cam said we had to wait till we got the egg carton filled before eating :)

The Barred Rock chicken lays the beautiful big fat brown eggs

The Silky Chicken lays little pinkish eggs

The Araucana Chicken lays large tall green eggs

This can be a dangerous profession (haha) - no, I didn't get pecked, I just snagged my  arm on the chicken wire.

Saturday was the day - and the boys were the taste testers.  Treyson tried a green egg first (no ham :), and Tagg a little pink one.   

Then..............they wanted more, so Treyson had a brown one, and Tagg a green one.  They gobbled them up !

Tagg likes eggs with his ketchup :)

Can you tell I'm getting excited ??

Doesn't it just make you want to pinch some cheeks ?

Well...............I asked for it !

Is is really Winter ?

Yesterday  - Right out my back window..............

Go back  to January 1965, and WOW !   What a winter we had that year :)  I'm wearing a coat that my mom made.  She entered it in the Morgan County Fair, and won SWEEPSTAKES !  

And this was the year before, January 1964.  We made a snowman, and called him Ned.  

I had a book called "Snow, Snow"   I had the book completely memorized.
Snow, Snow, do you like snow?
Do you like it?  Yes or No........
Do you like it in your face?
YES!  I like it anyplace.
In that book, the kids built a snowman named Ned.
Ned will have to have a hat,
his hat is on, just look at that.
 Oh no !  That sun has come out fast !
Do you think Ned is going to last?.........
The biggest snowman of them all,
is very, very, very small :(

**Can you tell where we were living at the time?
Do you know where Tom Birt lives now?
That's the place !
***Also - take a look at mom's stylin' boots and crop pants - in the middle of winter !?! 
Love you mom !

My dad built a toboggan.  The road to Round Valley (and my Grandpa and Grandma Tonks' home) was not paved.  We would drive to just about where Dan and Carol Wilkinson live now, and unload from the car, and dad would hook the toboggan up to the hitch with a rope, and we would pile on with all of our cousins.  Dad never went too fast, but it sure felt like it, being pulled behind the car.  We'd drive up to Grandma's and go in and get warm, and then drive back down to where we started.  One trip was usually enough to satisfy us, because snow clothing 40+ years ago, is NOT like it is today.

We will miss her - as always..........

Here she is with Grandpa and Grandma "D".  It's funny, that we all call them that, and not Dickson.  Camryn is lucky - she has  4 Great Grand parents in Morgan and one in Arizona (Grandma Severino).  When I was her age, I only had one GREAT grandparent - Grandma Dawson.  

Here she is with Grandpa and Grandma Rich, also known as Grandpa and Grandma "Ben".  When I was younger, my kids (Manda, Zac, Landon) referred to my parents as Grandpa and Grandma Dickson, and to my Grandparents as "Grandpa and Grandma Dickson WITH THE CHICKENS".  That is how they told the difference.  Maybe now that we have chickens, we'll be known and Grandpa and Grandma Rich WITH THE CHICKENS, instread of Grandpa Roger and Grandma Gwen.  Either way - we love it :)

Treyson and Tagg will sure miss her too !

Camryn Dee - until next time :)

Winding down............

We received a BEAUTIFUL gingerbread house from Tim Poll and Justin Batty this year.  After looking at it for about a week, we let the kids go for it and dismantle for eating :)

I taught Cam how to use EXCEL, and she entered over 100 names and info  into about 5-6 different columns.  She is smart and amazing !

She had fun playing Yankee Doodle on mom's piano

Look at all of the eggs we have !   And FINALLY a GREEN one !   Cam and Grandpa Roger were so excited :)

Cam borrowed one of the Brooks girls dresses, and we went to church with Treyson and Tagg.  We survived !!  With the help of Grandma Ben and her NECCOS, we lasted through Sacrament Meeting, and then Primary.  It was a miracle (haha).  

Tonight we made homemade pizza and Landon and Kacey came up for dinner.  Tomorrow we'll take the left overs to Zac and Grandpa "D".

And last but not least, we are raising some amazing dancers in our family.  I don't know WHERE they get all of their energy.