"Before You Came Old!"

A few years ago, Joan, Lorie, and I visited an elementary school where there was a special education unit.   The three of us worked in the transitional kindergarten class at another school and several of our former students were in this special ed class.  I approached the desk of a boy who was busy coloring.  

I squatted down so I was eye level with him and said, "Hi Tanner!"  He looked at me then broke in to a smile and said, "I know you!  You used to be my teacher before you came old!"  


Is there a fine line that defines the time between being young and "coming" old?  


Perhaps it's when you decide that coloring your hair is a real pain and you allow the new color (or lack there of) to display itself in all its glory.  


Maybe it's when the sales clerk thinks you're your mother's sister!


Is it determined by how many or how old your grandchildren are?


Could the defining line be when you're given a senior discount at a restaurant without being asked?


While standing in a long line to vote and someone comes up and offers you a chair, does that mean you're old?


Maybe it's being in the bottom half of the half-marathon finishers.


I can't be old when, inside, I feel like I'm 20.  In my opinion, old is ALWAYS 10 years away.


Please excuse me while I get my dose of Geritol.

Thanksgiving Daily

Happy Thanksgiving!  

I'm grateful for all of you!

Wedding Potpourri

11/12/11 was the day of wedded bliss for Camille and Jason.

I took pictures with my own cheap camera and was very disappointed because most of them were blurry.  I'm sure the reason for the blur at the temple is because it was SO DANG COLD!!  I was chilled to the bone.

Here are the newly weds leaving the Draper Temple.

This picture would have been nice of the professional photographer hadn't been in the way!  Sheesh!

By the time the picture with the siblings was taken, only 3 were left for the picture.  :(

Don't you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Jordan's jacket?  He "borrowed" it from his Grandma Langston and refused to remove it for the pictures. 

Here are the newlyweds with my parents.

Wedding lunch at Rodizio's Grill.  

Here are the early arrivers to the luncheon (those who were on time).  

Jake, Jordan, Chelsey, Julio, Jeanette, Nicole and Dan.  Notice Jordan's still wearing the jacket! P.S. Have you heard of "No Shave November" or growing out your No-Vem-Beard?  I hadn't either but as you can see, every one of the male species in this picture has facial hair.

Friends (Bob and Jane), Cherrie (my sister-in-law), Candice and Andy (my eldest).

Jason's family.

Jason's uncles and aunts.

Notice Caitlyn and Adalyn's food.  Fruit and cheese for C8, grapes for Ad.  No meat sweats for them.  What a waste.

However, with some engineering help from Grandpa, C8 had  her own super duper straw that could reach across the table to steal some of Mom's root-beer.  Nobody's drink was safe!

Reception at Noah's.  

These beautiful cupcakes were the focal point of the buffet table.  If you know Camille, you know that she's a cupcake connoisseur.

There was other food: pasta salad, meat balls, rolls, and cookies. 

This beautiful wedding cake and the cupcakes were made by Ryley from "That's My Cake"

Not only was the cake beautiful...

...it was delicious!  Just ask Jason!

I think Jeanette and Julio felt like they were still the center of attention even though it has been 3 months since they tied the knot.  

After downloading the pictures, I discovered that the grandkids had confiscated my camera

during the evening. 

A little pose here and a little pose there.

Dancing with the cousins.  How fun is that?

Congratulations to this beautiful family!

We love you and wish you the best!

Count Down!

Just a few more days until Camille gets married!  Here's a small sampling of what we're preparing for the special day.

I think I need to defrost my freezer.  Oh well, that will have to wait!

Some things are more important.

Will be back soon.

15 Mile Rescue Walk

So...last month Andy and I joined our daughter, Candice, and her husband, Andy (the younger), and a small group of people and went for a little stroll.  OK, it wasn't so little.  It ended up being 15 miles which is shorter than the original plan of 17 miles!  

  This walk was in remembrance of Francis Webster.  

If you are familiar with the Martin Handcart story, you know of the hardships this group of people went through in their trek from Iowa to the Salt Lake Valley.  They pulled all their possessions in a handcart through blistering heat, deep sand and rocks and because of an early winter, they trudged through deep snow and freezing winds, with little to eat.  If you'd like to read more about Francis and the handcart company you can go here.

I wondered why this walk was supposed to be 17 miles.  This is why:  Along the trek to the Salt Lake Valley, James Bleak, a member of the handcart company, became very ill.  He couldn't walk and decided he would stay behind.  Francis persuaded James to get on his handcart and he pulled him 17 miles.  Can you imagine pulling the weight of all your possessions plus a full grown man through the conditions previously mentioned?  The pioneers truly had a lot of faith and stamina to do what they did.

During our 15 mile walk, we stopped at a few places to rest, have water and granola bars, and to listen to a spiritual thought given by David Butler, a seminary teacher.  We went to "This is the Place" Heritage Park and pulled handcarts for 2 measly miles.   In our handcart was our lunch.  That's all, just lunch.  It was still tiring.

(Andy the younger and I pulling the cart.  Andy, the Elder, in the background. Do you like his walking stick? Candice, who was 6 months pregnant, chose to take pictures instead of "driving" the cart. )

Our trek ended at the Salt Lake Tabernacle.  It was an inspiring event to start off the General Conference week.

We had a good time visiting, laughing, and enjoying the beautiful Fall weather.  We gained an appreciation of the pioneers and could feel muscles that we hadn't felt for a while. 
During the last mile, Andy (my hubs) said that his right foot felt achy.   That was the only time he complained about it. 


We took TRAX and the bus back to where we parked the car to start our walk.  It was early evening by the time we arrived home.  
Andy took off his shoe and we both gasped to see his right sock soaked in blood!   I couldn't imagine what had happened to his foot.  I wasn't sure if I even wanted to look at it.




If you get squeamish about blood, bare feet or blisters, you may want to look away now. You have a choice.  I didn't. 

Don't you think it's weird that he couldn't feel that blister forming? We cut the bunched up skin off of the blister.   We have affectionately named this his "Pioneer" foot.  It's still in the process of healing even after 5 weeks and a penicillin shot for infection.  And no, he doesn't have diabetes. 

It makes us appreciate what the pioneers went through even more.  

(OK, how's that for a gross Halloween picture?)

I Love That Sound!

It's Fall Break!  

I took a break from work and blogging.  It's been a good break from both and I've been busy.  

 Remember this little angel?  

(Neil Franklin)

I got to love on him while helping his Mom, Rachael,  bottle applesauce.  After taking a batch of jars out of the canner, the lids made the "ping" sound.  Both Rachael and I said, at the same time, "I love that sound!" 
I bottled chicken today.  As I took the jars of "science project" looking chicken out of the canner, I heard the ping.  

To no one in particular I said, "I love that sound!"  I wonder how many times I have said that over the past 40 years! 


Are there sounds you love to hear?  

Here We Go Again!

This title could have two meanings. 

Our beautiful daughter, Camille, got engaged Saturday.  

They're getting married in one month!  Yes, you heard me right!  One month! 

After cooking, sewing, decorating and crafting for Jeanette's  reception all summer, I'm happy to say that this reception will be catered and decorated by professionals!  I just need to show up! (If only that was really true!)  Wish us luck!

Congratulations to Camille and Jason.   

Without Training Wheels

It's a Sunday evening.  Mother and daughter visit the church parking lot for another lesson in bike riding without training wheels.

"Mom, I'm scared!  Hang on to me!"

"I'll hold on at first, then I'm going to let go when I know you don't need me; but I'll stay close in case you start to fall."

"Promise?"

"I promise!"

Success!

Wedding - Revisited

Here are a few pictures of Jeanette and Julio's wedding that were taken by our "professional" photographer.

Outside the temple door.

Our family - already outdated since Rachael and Dave had their baby boy who is no longer nameless.  They named him Neil Franklin

The decorated tables.  Sorry, Jeanette, it still looks like a church cultural hall.

The table decoration is a painted pot, holding branches that are spray painted white.  The flowers are hot glued on the branches.  Pictures of Jeanette and Julio are hung with the yellow ribbon.  Luminaries with battery operated candles are on the table.  Not sure if I should tell you this or not, but I will.  By the end of the reception, every picture and every candle, including the candles outside in the lanterns on the shepherd's hooks, were stolen missing! 

I love all the candid shots.

Our own beautiful Miss Kazzy, greeting Jeanette.

Jeanette's surprised to see Valerie and her daughter, Emily.

A hug for Brooklyn, her cousin's daughter.

Not sure who she's hugging here, but at least she's being careful with her glass of water.

Ahh, being nice with the cake feeding.

Everybody Dance Now!

Their first dance.

Love this picture of Jeanette and her Dad! 

During the Mother/Son dance, Jordan and I really cut a rug!  

My Mom and Dad watching the dancing.  My sister, Nancy, and her daughter, Julie, standing next to them.

These darlings had a great time dancing the night away!  

Jeanette, we love you!!