Mel & Annette 4 Fun

April Through October

2011-10-30T10:13:00.039-06:00

Summer Fun - Yuba

Gee, where to start when it has been six months again. Guess this will be another "six months in 60 seconds." Summer flew by like it always does. We went to our yearly campout up at the ranch in June. We went up a day earlier than everyone else, and it was a good thing that we did, because we had to go back down to SLC to get an axle for our boat trailer that had frozen up. We had "almost" the whole Davis family there.

In July we went to Yuba Reservoir for a few days. The weather was great, the water was pretty calm, the food was good, and of course, the company was fabulous!

We enjoyed family picnics in Utah and Wyoming, and celebrated the Fourth of July at Cory and Jeri's and then we all went to the fireworks at Riverton City. We took Brock, Parker and Ike to Pioneer Village, and celebrated the 24th of July at C.J. and Jennilyn's with barbecued ribs and fireworks.

We Got a beautiful new grandson, Mason Louis Klinesmith

Mel and I celebrated Anniversary #5 at Martin's Cove and Rock Hollow. It was an amazing trip and I believe that every member of the church should visit there and feel the wonderful spirit.

We enjoyed a summer of family parties, fishing, boating and an autumn of little league football; and I'll close with a few pictures of this years Halloween Party!

Hey, did you hear that both Alyssa and Alayna are expecting?

Witch's Challenge

2011-10-27T15:23:00.002-06:00

Since it has been several months again since I’ve blogged; and since most of my closest blogger buddies haven’t blogged much lately either, I have come up with an excellent idea. I challenge each of you to a “BLOG-OFF”. Here’s the deal, everyone needs to update their blog within the next seven days. Those that do it get heavenly rewards. Those who fail to blog disappoint the rest of us because we don’t get to see what’s going on in their life. Fair enough? So ready, set, BLOG!

Moab Spring 2011

2011-05-17T20:33:00.022-06:00

If you have never been to Moab, you have no idea what you have been missing! Red rocks, blue skies and views that go on forever! We had a fabulous time in Moab this spring with lots of good friends and great family. Randy and Alyssa joined us from Alaska; but some of our other family members were not able to make it. Those of us that are not fortunate enough to have our own jeeps rented them for a few days. There were 13 vehicles in our personal caravan on two full days of rough riding, bone crunching. trail-riding adventure.

"Rough and Ready" and her sister "Reckless" performed like the champs which they are....no broken axles or other breakdowns on the trip. It was a great vacation and a wonderful way to kick off the summer!

Moab is an adventure all in its self...

but we're looking forward to lots more adventures throughout the summer! Stay tuned. . .

Happy Birthday Month Mel

2011-02-27T09:11:00.010-07:00

Anyone who knows much about Mel, knows that birthday's are no big deal to him!

"It's just another day," is his personal catch phrase. Well, since I personally believe that birthday's are lots of fun, and not, just another day, I decided to announce by blog that he is about to have another birthday. Tomorrow is March 1. It's the beginning of his "BIRTHDAY MONTH!" I'm starting in early wishing him a very happy birthday, and a fabulous year.

Happy Birthday, Mel

2011-01-07T09:20:00.030-07:00

It has been a long time since I blogged. It was August, in fact. I can't think of too many really news worthy things that have happened since then. September was a blur. October also flew by. The highlight, of course, was our annual Halloween party, which is always a blast. This year it was at Jason's and Alaynas.

We always have our party outside, so we never know what the weather will be like; but so far, it hasn't been too bad.

And then we had November! It was an awesome month. On the 4th I flew to Kodiak, Alaska to be with Alyssa and Randy when they had baby #2.....Kaci Anne Martin. She is beautiful and I had a real hard time putting her and A.J. down when it was time to board the plane.

I had a wonderful time with them. We saw all of the sites of Kodiak. It is a beautiful place, with truly amazing scenery. While I was gone, Mel tore out of bathtub and tile and put in a whirlpool tub....can I say heaven!

December is always a great month. We had the annual Bingo party with the Davis' and that night went to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert with David Archuletta. We spent Christmas Eve at Mel's mom's house in Evanston and enjoyed watching the grandkids perform the Nativity while Mel read from the New Testament at Bryan and Carol's.

The next morning we visited all of the kids and got to see their gifts.

On Christmas night we had dinner at our house with the other half of our kids. We played games, ate lots of food, and opened gifts. It was a great evening and we all had a lot of fun.

The downside of Christmas, this year, was the return of Mel's headaches. He suffers from "Cluster Headaches." If you don't know what they are, take a few minutes and google them. They are the headaches from #$%&#. Just watching him have them is painful for me. Having to actually suffer with, and endure the intense pain, himself, is incomprehensible. They are nicknamed "Suicide Headaches." I'll leave it to you to figure out why.
We, like all of you, are looking forward to an exciting new year. Mel is still looking for work, so if you can help or have any ideas, please let us know.

Summer in 60 Seconds

2010-08-12T07:56:00.010-06:00

I last left off blogging at the 4th of July. It’s taken me weeks to get over my waterskiing injury, but I’m almost there! Since Independence Day, summer has flown by quickly.

We had a great family campout up in the Uintas. It was perfect weather, wonderful company, great food, and we had the pleasure of lots of mosquitos. Most all of our 11 kids were able to be there. Missing were our Alaskans, Alyssa and Randy. Also missing were Alayna and Jason who were vacationing in Florida, and Cory and Jeri. They missed out because Jeri thought that having surgery on her ankle would be a lot more fun than camping. #1Trent and family joined us, and Pat’s brother and nephew. We all had a great time fishing, visiting, and communing with nature.
The 24th of July was fantastic! We got to attend the 3rd annual Pioneer Day party at C.J’s and Jennilyns. We barbecued, visited and had the best home fireworks extravaganza, ever! We really lit up the night.

On the last day of July Mel and I hosted a dutch oven party in our back yard for about 28 friends from the ward. We cooked a couple of pots of barbecued pork and two pots of sour cream cheese potatoes. Our guests brought the rest of our meal. It was great. We visited, played a game and waited for the next patch of rain to hit. Thank heavens for Easy-up awnings!

Well August is ½ over now but we have lots of other things planned….stay tuned!

2010-07-07T08:37:00.012-06:00

I love this time of year. I love how cute our little Hobbit House looks in the summer. The junk trees, that I curse, that surround our property and cover our yard with seed pods in the spring and leaves in the fall are beautiful at this time of year. Wow! Summer is really going by quickly this year. I guess because April and May was so cold and wet this year.

The kids treated me to a great birthday party up at the Spruces. We cooked hotdogs over the fire and Jennilyn made an amazing cake with fondant icing. It was a great afternoon.

We also had a picnic in our back yard for our kids and grandkids (at least all of those that could come.) We enjoy getting all of our kids together, and are looking forward to our family camping trip later this month.

We enjoyed our annual weekend with the family at the ranch, which is located between Evanston and the Uintas. Thanks, Emily, for being in charge this year. We had a great time.

We had a wonderful 4th of July. We enjoyed watching softball, attending the parade, having a barbeque at Cory and Jeri's with great friends and family; and of course enjoying all of the fireworks. We even had a sleep-over at Cory and Jeri's.

I really love the 4th of July and the 24th of July holidays. I think that Jeri put it best when she said that the 4th of July is great. It's not a lot of work. You don't have to decorate or shop to get ready for it. You just get to sit back and have fun with the people you love.

On Monday, Mel and I took the Shake, Rattle and Troll down to Utah Lake for a spin. It was a beautiful day with calm, gorgeous water. The temptation to ski (without a spotter) was too great for me. I got into the water, climbed into my skis, and.....

....sufficient to say that I've missed the last two days of work, and tomorrow is still questionable. ) Ah, the joys of growing old!

Two Great Weeks

2010-05-06T07:32:00.022-06:00

It has been a way busy two weeks…fun, happy, sad, exciting, relaxing and tiring, all rolled in to just a few weeks. First, and most important, Alyssa and A.J. flew into town on April 23. We really had a fun time. I took a little time off from work so that we could have more time to play.

We’ve had picnics at the park; been shopping; had too much to eat; and watched little league baseball. Some of my sons took me to drive golf balls, prior to my soon-to-be big golfing debut. We visited in Evanston twice, and also enjoyed a two day trip to Lava Hot Springs. (Can I say massage… need I say more?) Big news! A.J. learned to walk while he has been here. Randy arrived in town for the last few days, and it was fun being with him, too.

I got to see my long-lost California cousin Gwen, and her daughters, Kathy and Lynette, at Kathy’s daughter’s wedding. Gwen is in her 80’s but never seems to get any older.

The sad part of the two weeks came when my very beloved Uncle Riggs died. Uncle Riggs is/was a really special guy whom we all will miss a lot. He and Aunt Helen have always been a big part of my life. I’m grateful for both of them. It was wonderful, as always, getting to visit with my Myers relatives at the church, the graveside, and at the luncheon.

Mother’s Day was great, of course. We enjoyed an awesome barbecue at C.J. and Jennilyn’s on Saturday night. C.J. is a master at barbecued ribs. It was a combination farewell Alyssa, Randy and A.J. and Mother’s Day party.

As always, I was showered with wonderful gifts and love. I appreciated spending time with my Evanston kids on Sunday and hope they all know just how much they have added to my life! I would just like to publicly state that family is our greatest blessing, and I really love and appreciate mine.

Boating, Floating and Remembering

2010-04-14T09:45:00.007-06:00

It is officially the middle of April, and as it has been every year since I was about ten, I’m anxiously awaiting my first time of the season out on the lake. I love the wind in my hair and the sun on my face. I love the freedom of sailing across the water in a boat!

My parents bought our first boat the summer after my fifth grade year in school. It was a cute little boat. It was only 15 feet long--a pretty little yellow Hydroswift. I remember how saucy it looked sitting on the water. We never officially gave it a name, but unofficially my mother had named it “Never on Sunday.”

I can still remember my first attempt at waterskiing. We went out of Saratoga Harbor on Utah Lake. Back then, of course, it was a public boat harbor; not just for members only, as it is now. With all of the enthusiasm of youth, I jumped into the murky water and tried to put on my skis. I’ve taught many skiers to water ski since then, and I’m pretty sure that just like them, my skis wouldn’t cooperate either. When you are first learning, the skis have a tendency to be more in charge than the wanna-be skier is.

Well anyway, back to my first attempt. I remember trying several times to get up out of the water. I was a dismal failure. I swallowed a lot of Utah Lake water that day. Umm, yummy! After several attempts, I got back into the boat really upset.

The next week we went out again….same lake, same harbor and same results. After several futile tries I was getting pretty discouraged. And then it happened! I vividly remember being out in the water, with my skis in position and a 75-foot rope between the boat and me. I also distinctly remember hearing my father say to my mother, “Well it looks like Annette will never be a water skier like her brothers are.”

Humph!!! I heard that, and hearing that comment was all that it took. I was competitive, if nothing else. I yelled “hit it.” The rope tightened, my skis stayed beneath me, where they belonged, and suddenly, I felt for the first time, the total freedom of clearing the water, shaking the moisture off of my face, and sailing across the water with pure joy and abandon.

I was waterskiing! At that moment I fell in love, and it is a love that I’ve cherished for more than 45 years.

That being said, I am now 57 years old. My goal is to water ski up until the year that I die. With ever increasing bad knees and sore joints, I no longer do anything fancy. I don’t slalom, I don’t wake board, and I don’t even jump the wake. I clear the water and enjoy a short pull around the lake; the smoother the water the better. My theory is that I will not truly become old until I can no longer water ski.

I’ve grown up with several boats; two that my parents owned and four of my own…but there will also be a special place in my heart for that little yellow Hydroswift, the special friend who was with me that summer when I first developed my eternal love for boating.

A Wonderful Weekend

2010-04-04T20:08:00.039-06:00

Friday

Ike, teaching me the proper way to drop and crack eggs ...

Can a weekend get any better? General Conference and Easter, all rolled in to one. It was truly an uplifting few days, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Saturday

Riverton Easter Egg Hunt

and Mel, heading out to Priesthood Conference in his new birthday duds!

Conference, this year was really great! I was able to sit down for 3 full conference sessions and really soak in the spirit. It was a wonderful session and the Spirit was strong!

Sunday

Easter dinner at Cory and Jeri's. Cory barbecued and C.J. made the bunny cake all by himself.

Jennilyn, Jeri and Ike, looking at his Peeps Book-- (pictures of the 'peep'le in his life.)

We missed being with our Wyoming, Idaho and Alaska kids but hope that they know we were thinking of them and missing them this Easter!!!!!

Grandma June's 90th Birthday

2010-02-09T20:45:00.009-07:00

Mel's beautiful mother celebrated her 90th birthday on Sunday. February 7. It was a really fun afternoon, and many of her 76 descendents were present to celebrate the day with her. We all want to wish her a wonderful year, with lots of love and laughter!

Waiting for Spring

2010-01-29T15:42:00.008-07:00

In January you need to grab each day that the sun shines, and get outside and have some fun. Waiting patiently for spring!

The Seasons of My Life

2010-01-22T08:45:00.001-07:00

I have always been glad to have been born a woman. I look at the things that men need to know, like how to tinker in the car engine; how to repair a leaky faucet and how to install a sound system, and I just shake my head in wonder. Even as a child I remember being grateful that I was a girl.

As I grow older I still feel that being a woman is really a blessing. I can look back now, at the seasons of my life, and still feel very grateful.

As a young girl, I have great memories of playing house, playing with my dollies, and sneaking into the bathroom to play with mom’s makeup. In addition, I enjoyed playing baseball, climbing trees, and wading in the creek. There was a big difference between my brothers and me. I was lucky enough to be able to do all of these. My brothers, being boys, only got to participate in ½ of the above activities. Yes, I was glad that I was not a boy.

Later, as I grew in to young womanhood, I loved getting my hair done, doing my nails and shopping for a new formal gown. Sometimes I felt kind of guilty that my date had to bear the cost of our evening out together. I still think that there is a disparity there that just doesn’t seem quite right; but again, I was grateful that I was a girl.

With marriage came the greatest blessing of all…the opportunity to be a mother. It is such a humbling experience to hold your new-born child and marvel at the perfection of such tiny person. I have loved every moment of being a mother. I enjoyed feeding them, teaching them to walk and teaching them to read. I was so grateful to share with them their joys and to cry with them in their sorrows.

As their mother I got to shush them during church, and yet try to get them to be louder as they sang. I shouted loudly at their games, congratulated them with their victories, and cried with each of their injuries. I thought that every stage of their life was the very best; and it still continues to be so. I loved them as babies, children, teenagers and adults. I love the stage they are in now, where we are equals and I can marvel at how well they raise their own children.

For my self, as an individual, I was grateful for the time and talent to be able to write articles, and to write and direct plays. I have loved my church callings, and have appreciated the blessings that come from service. I have enjoyed being involved in civic activities and the opportunity to offer my service to my local city. Again, I was grateful that as a woman, I had plenty of opportunities to serve.

The seasons of this woman’s life have changed. Recently I commented to my husband that I rather missed being involved in all of the civic activities in which I participated years ago. He pointed out that for everything there is a season. I need to say to any one who is reading this, how grateful I am for every season of my life.

I now look forward to the next season. I love being a grandmother. It is one of the greatest blessings of all. I look forward to many years of service to the Lord, and to happy times with my family. Lastly, I look forward to a long and happy life with my husband. I look forward to retirement, (a time that was so far in the future that I never thought much about it; but now is getting pretty close.)

I have truly been blessed to be a woman; a daughter, a mother, a grandmother, a friend and a wife. My female existence has been, and will continue to be wonderful, as I continue to move through the seasons of my life.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T16:18:00.004-07:00

We wish you all wonderful memories of 2009

and pray that 2010

will be your best year ever!

God Bless Us and God Bless America

2009 in Review

2009-12-10T20:14:00.019-07:00

I honestly don't know where this year has gone! It's been a great one. We've had really good times and have made great memories.

I guess that the 2009 memories that really stand out in my mind are seeing Wicked in Los Angeles for New Years; our family winter camp trip to New Fork in Wyoming; and the passing of my father.

I enjoyed going with Alayna to San Diego to see A.J. born; my road trip with Alyssa, Randy and A.J., to Bellingham, Washington; my fun birthday at Echo Reservoir, buying our new old boat, and our camping trip to the Uintas.

We enjoyed our yearly trip to the ranch, the Myers family reunion; and many great times on the lake. Our weekend at Starvation Reservoir was really fun and we really loved all of the times that we spent with our family's.

Having Mel being called to the Bishopric was pretty exciting, and I received the best surprise of my life when A.J. (and his parents) showed up on our front door for Thanksgiving.

We loved having our families together for our really big Thanksgiving Dinner and getting to see that Transiberian Orchestre for an early Christmas present was awesome.

And so the Christmas season is upon us once again. We are grateful for the past year, for this season and for the birth of our Savior. We are so grateful for the wonderful year that we have shared with all of you and we want to wish you all the merriest Christmas Ever....God bless us every one!

Thanksgiving Poem

2009-11-19T07:45:00.003-07:00

Thanksgiving 2009

Another year has rushed on by--the summer’s quickly passed
We’ve said goodbye to summer’s sun; we knew it couldn’t last
The autumn’s chill has settled in; the leaves have changed and dropped
Our thoughts have turned to winter--the seasons won’t be stopped

And Thanksgiving’s now upon us--The holiday we love
We’re thankful for those we cherish; Especially Him above
We take the time to ponder on our blessings great and small
And we marvel at His goodness and the love He gives to all

Thanksgiving is the start--of a season filled with cheer
A moment before the hustle starts as the shopping season nears
Don’t let the moments pass you by-- and get lost in the season’s haste
Take the time to savor, the love, the joy, the taste

Tell your friends you need them--hug and hold them tight
Kiss your babes and love them, as you tuck them in tonight
Be grateful for your family, your friends and others dear
And have a great Thanksgiving--with loads of holiday cheer

A.L. Davis '09

Thanksgiving Blessings

2009-11-11T09:01:00.004-07:00

Mel and I would like to thank all of you for a wonderful 2009
Some of the things we are especially thankful for:

1. That we found each other

2. 21 wonderful Children

3. 22 beautiful Grandchildren

4. Healthy bodies (note that we didn't say anything about aches and pains!)

5. Our fun home

6. Employment (we keep our fingers crossed!)

7. Good memories

8. Lots of great friends

9. Plans for the future

10. Our testimonies of the Gospel

To All Of You......Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-10-08T10:49:00.007-06:00

Hope you have a happy harvest season,
and oh, so that I don't forget....Happy Halloween y'all.

Welcome Autumn

2009-10-04T12:34:00.010-06:00

Welcome to autumn;

my favorite time of year...
crisp clean air, football, halloween and the kick off

of the holiday season.

Our Front Door

Brock and Parker,

mighty Silverwolves!

Cory's a great coach and Jeri's the team mom...

these are two lucky players!

A Few Fun Times

2009-09-22T19:55:00.014-06:00

I just thought a post a few pictures from the last couple of weeks. On Friday morning, September 11, I got a pleasant surprise phone call from Randy. He was in Alabama and asked me if I would like to pick him up at the airport that night. He spent the night at our house, and the kids all came over for icecream sundaes. Brock, Parker and Ike love their "Uncle Jimmy!" I took Randy back to the airport Saturday morning for his flight back to Alaska and to his loving wife's waiting arms.

On Saturday the 19th we took the boat up to Sulpher Creek Reservoir. Mel and I played around on the water for a couple of hours, and then some of the kids and grand kids came up for a ride.

Just at the same time that we took the boat off of the water, the heavens started pouring down. It rained hard for the rest of the evening. That night we enjoyed Diana's 5th birthday party, and heard bits and pieces of a heart breaking football game.

Sunday afternoon we celebrated my "big brudders" birthday. I won't tell you which birthday. Let's just say that he is six years older than me.

Fishing Hole

2009-08-23T18:19:00.010-06:00

Mel and I just got back from a 3 day camping trip up in the Uintas. It was just the two of us, and we had a really great time. We found a really great fishing hole, and the only way we will divulge our secret place, is if you come up with us next year.

We did quite a bit of fishing. I am now a real fan of fly fishing. It is truly a beautiful sport and art form. Mel caught a few fly fishing and I loved watching him, as well as learning the sport for myself.

I caught my two, Prince Charles and Prince William, the boring way with a bobber and cheese. I named my second fish, a beautiful rainbow, Prince William because he is much better looking than Prince Charles.

We fished on Trial Lake and also on Pass Lake, in addition to our "hole". We also spent some time at Mirror Lake, just enjoying the view. Great times!

Girl's Night

2009-08-16T14:41:00.013-06:00

Friday night I got to hang out with four of thirteen of our beautiful grand daughters. That would be Sydnee, Hannah, Ariel and Molly. Our swimming plans were cancelled when the rain started on Friday night; but we had fun anyway. We cooked hotdogs and marshmellos over the backyard campfire and watched a couple of movies in the tent. After breakfast the next morning. We had arts and crafts, and then headed back up to Evanston by Saturday afternoon for Mel's world famous dutch oven stew.

Starvation Weekend

2009-08-11T17:52:00.012-06:00

We spent four fun-filled days at Starvation Reservoir last week. Starvation is a fun place to camp and play. We've always called it our mini Lake Powell because the scenery is more rugged than most of our local lakes.

We suffered through the first temperature drop of the summer. Temperatures in the 60's and 70's told us that autumn is rapidly approching. On Friday morning I braved the cold and got in to the water to ski. It was a pleasant surprise to find that the water was warmer than the air. The deep water was much warmer than the shallow water at the beach when we wanted to swim and play.

We all got in some quality skiing betweem the horrendous wind storms that hit every day, about mid-day. The kids were out skiing by 6:30 a.m on Saturday morning. Brock, Parker and I were wrapped up in blankets while the kids skiied on the glassey water. Mel was excited to clear the water behind Cory and Jeri's boat, since he wasn't able to get up when he tried a few weeks earlier with our boat.

Every one went crawdading one night. Little Ike enjoyed playing with his crawdad the next morning, at least until the crawdad turned on him and pinched his finger. It was pretty funny to see. (Click on the picture below to enlarge it, and you can see the crawdad). We seemed to always have a standing horse shoe tournament going on and games and stories around the campfire.

Mel and I would like to thank Cory, Jeri, Brock, Parker, Alayna, Jason, Ike, C.J., Jennilyn, Jeremiah, Jenni and Brodie, for the fun times and great memories that we made last weekend.

Pioneers and Potato Salad

2009-08-02T15:16:00.020-06:00

We celebrated the afternoon of the 24th of July up in Evanston. July 24th is also Mel's father, Melvin J. Davis' birthday. He would have been 92 years old. Even though he has passed on, we celebrated his birthday with a chocolate cake.

Later that evening we stopped at my cousin Mark's house for a picnic in his yard. We celebrated a belated Pioneer Day (aka the 25th) at C.J. and Jenni's home the next night. We had a lot of fun there last year, so they all invited us back for a repeat party. We all enjoyed ourselves in their beautiful back yard. We especially liked sitting in their comfy new lawn furniture. They are great hosts. We enjoyed the food, the company, and the fireworks. Thanks again, guys, for a fun evening.

(I would like to make an editorial comment on the above picture of Ike. You will notice that his parents have selected what color of hat he "has" to wear. I am confident that when he is old enough to pick his own clothes, cougar blue will be his color of choice.)

Yesterday we enjoyed an afternoon at the Myers Family Reunion. This is my mother's family; the descendents of Wilford and Edna Myers. The older I get the more important I find that family is. Pioneer Day is a great time to remember the blessings that we have received from those who went before us. Mel and I are both really grateful for our ancestors. We are proud of them and grateful to them for bringing the gospel into our lives. I truly believe that there is nothing more important than being with the ones you love. Money, power and prestige loose their luster....but family is forever.

Summer Fun

2009-07-07T19:39:00.014-06:00

The last week of June we spent a fun weekend at the Ranch with our Davis and Clark families. The Ranch is located on the Mirror Lake Highway, between the Unitas and Evanston. The above picture is Mel flying a kite. We had a large group there so it was lots of fun. The kids played in the water and Mel and I, and some of the kids fished. Briana is in the inner tube in the picture below. We had good food, great company and a spectacular fireworks display on Saturday night.

On the 4th of July Mel and I took our boat out to see how she would run. The "Shake, Rattle and Troll" did a great job. We went out of the American Fork Harbor and enjoyed our time on the water.

On the evening of the 3rd, we enjoyed watching "Rough and Reckless" play in a softball game and later watching the Riverton Parade. Brock and Parker had a sleepover with us after the parade and the next morning we took them to see their mom who was running in a 10K. Later that morning we watched the tail end of the West Jordan parade which ends at 8200 South and Redwood Road. All of the parade entries turn down our street at the end, so we got to watch it from the comfort of our front porch.

That evening we enjoyed "all you can eat" hotdogs and games at Cory and Jeri's; and then we all headed to Riverton Park to see the fireworks. After all these years, I still believe that Riverton has the best fireworks in the entire state!

Old Glory

2009-06-30T11:40:00.007-06:00

About six years ago I had the opportunity to be in Baltimore for a few days. While there I spent an afternoon visiting Fort McHenry, the site of the Battle of Baltimore which was fought during the War of 1812. This is the battle which prompted Francis Scott Key to write the poem that later became the Star Spangled Banner. It was a cold, heavily overcast day, with periods of heavy rain. At the end of our tour we were ushered in to the visitor's center to watch a movie about the events of that time. At the end of the movie, the Star Spangled Banner came over the loud speaker. We all, of course, rose to our feet. As we did, a curtain covering one entire wall opened and we had a majestic view of the Flag of the United States of America waving on the same spot which they believe the original flag pole was standing when Francis Scott Key was inspired to write his poem. At the same moment that the flag came in to our view, a crack broke in the black clouds and the sun's bright rays fell directly upon the flag. It was a glorious moment, and I will remember it always....God Bless America.

Father's Day 2009

2009-06-21T21:02:00.008-06:00

One of Mel's Father's Day gifts.

Ok, no more rain!

It's the first day of summer! Bring it on!

Meet the Lovely Miss Alisson Klinesmith

2009-06-15T20:30:00.009-06:00

Mary, Mary quite contrary

how does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells,

and pretty maids all in a row!

Early Summer Fun

2009-06-07T15:08:00.021-06:00

Jeri on "just barely above freezing" water

Yesterday was our first offical summer outing of 2009. We spent the day at Echo Reservoir. I would like to say that the weather was great; but it left a little to be desired. When "my buddy" the sun went behind the clouds it was cold. When the sun wasn't hiding, it was warm and beautiful.

The day was great, the company was excellent and scenery was beautiful.

(and did I say I got spoiled rotten?)

Jason is the only guy I know who loves fishing as much as my brother Brent does!

Mel was the only one of our group who caught any fish, though. There was a fishing derby going on and we sure saw a lot of big fish fighting for the $500 prize!

Cory teaching Ike Karate Kid moves!

We missed having our Wyoming/Idaho/Alaska family members there and hope that they will be able to come next time. Thanks everyone for a super perfect day!

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-03T15:58:00.011-06:00

I just want to take a moment to say Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers that I love. First of course is my mom, Mildred, who was my best friend as well as my mother. There are sure a lot of times that I would still just like to just sit down, hang out, and visit with her for a while. I want to tell my newest mom, June Davis that I love her too. She's a really great lady and I will always be thankful to her for raising such a wonderful son.

I am grateful to Margurite Kirk for being my mom as well as my friend, and to Joyce Dahl for being my other mother for more than 50 years. I, of course, need to mention my grandmothers who I thought were truly wonderful.

Then I need to mention beautiful daughters. I need to pause here and say that I don't use the terms step daughters, or daughter's in law....they are all my daughters. Alyssa, Alayna, Jeri, Jenni, Melissa, Sally, Carol, Emily, Necha and Charlotte. All but Jenni are already mothers, and they are an inspiration to me as I watch them raise our grandchildren.

I wasn't blessed with sisters; but I sure inherited some great ones. Happy Mother's Day to Linda, Mary, Maureen and Julia. I also want to tell all of my nieces how much I love them! I want to say Happy Mother's Day to some very special female friends; especially Tyra P. and Jenni T.

To each of you, I express my love, gratitude and thanks. You are amazing women. Thanks for being part of my life!

Welcome A. J.

2009-04-04T10:18:00.010-06:00

I would like to introduce you all to Mister Aston James Martin. He greeted his family with a lusty cry at 11:55 a.m. on Thursday, April 2. He weighed in at 8 lbs 15 oz and was 21 inches long. He has a dark complexion and long black hair, and since he is moving to Alaska, he will always be my little Nanook of the North.

I

A Really Special Day

2009-03-28T20:52:00.025-06:00

Today was a wonderful day. C.J. and Jennilyn were sealed in the Draper Temple. On Tuesday morning they were the very first people to be endowed in the new temple. They chose to keep both days simple and only invited a small number of people

Every detail was perfect today, except for two things: 1. The icey wind blowing down from the canyon; and 2. Having Alyssa too close to her delivery date for she and Randy to be able to come.

The weather did improve, and the day warmed up enough that we were able to enjoy a barbecue in C.J. and Jenni's backyard.

We want them to know how proud we all are of them. They have accomplished a lot in the short 19 months that they have been married. We love you guys! Thanks for the really special occasion!

SPRING.....it's a comin'

2009-03-01T14:18:00.010-07:00

Today is March 1--- SPRING IS ON IT'S WAY!

I can feel it in my heart, my soul and my bones! Have you ever stopped to think of how much nicer March sounds than February? I have been going out weekly to check on the progress that Mother Nature is making in our yard. I've found tulip leaves shooting up, quaken aspen buds, and buds on the lilacs. A couple of panseys have tiny flowers on them, the strawberry plants are getting perky; and we even have june grass coming up. (That's exciting for now, but will be the plague of our life in another month.) (See our beautiful weeds below....)

Spring can't arrive without a pussy willow bouquet and a basket of primroses to welcome the season. We have them both, so get ready world....snow's a meltin, the passes are thawin'; and spring's a comin'!

Saying Goodbye

2009-02-10T18:49:00.002-07:00

Saying a final goodbye to a loved one is always hard to do. There is sadness, pain and regrets; but most of all love. I will always be grateful that I was able to share dad's last 12 hours on this earth with him. If there is only one thing that I learned from his passing, it is that the gospel is really true. As we have been taught, there is eternal life; the spirit world is very close, and families are forever!

New Year's in the Sun

2009-01-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our San Diego vacation. When we got home the weather was a shock to our "Californiaized" body temperatures. We had a really great time. Randy and Alyssa were great hosts and as always we had a lot of fun together. Randy took me for a ride on his Harley through some beautiful country, and on New Year's Day I helped Alyssa plant flowers along the front of her house. You'll notice in these pictures how great the weather was.

Our first day out...a trip to the lake.

Ocean Beach...a great way to spend New Year's Day!

Does anyway else think that Alyssa is looking kind of "expectant?"

Wicked was Awesome and Fantastic! It was "wicked" to say the least!

Happy Birthday Cory Chris...

2008-12-23T08:02:00.001-07:00

We want to wish Cory a very happy 31st birthday with tons and tons of birthday love. Cory, we love you. You're the best! Have a super groovy, really wonderful day!

"Living for Summer"

Merry Christmas to all!

2008-12-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

We would like to to wish a very merry Christmas to our loved ones, both near and far. This is such a special time of year. It's always fun to get together and celebrate the season. I have so many great memories of Christmas's over the past gazillion years. Obviously I have forgotten many, or they have become very blurred; but there are a few that really stand out.

In my earliest memories, Grandma and Grandpa Myers would sleep over on Christmas Eve, and we kids would sleep in the same room. Grandma Mom (that's what we really called her) would sing to us and tell us Christmas stories.

A great memory happened for several years while I was in elementary school. After New Years, our neighborhood gang would go door-to-door and collect everyone's Christmas trees. We would stack them up in the field next to my house, and about a week later we all got together to enjoy a very large bonfire. That was always the end of the season for us all.

Mel remembers, when he was eight or so, the Christmas tree falling down during the night . He came downstairs to see what was going on and found his dad trying to get the tree back up. He remembers many years of sneaking to the top of the stairs, and looking around the posts, to see if Santa had come yet.

I remember the year when I was 18 that our patio roof caved in from the weight of the snow. It crushed our boat that was stored underneath. My dad took it all in stride and just said that Santa must have gained too much weight that year. I remember the year when I was 21 that I got engaged on the night we were decorating our Christmas tree.

Christmas was so much fun, both in Wyoming and Utah, when our kids were little. We both will always remember the excitment that each Christmas morning brought. There were lean years and not-so lean years, but the kids were always so excited about everything dealing with Christmas. We both remember the fun of shopping for toys and putting out the presents for our kids.

Cory, of course, was born at Christmas. He came home from the hospital on Christmas morning tied up in a big plaid bow. And then there was Cameron's car accident during the Christmas that he was 16. I will never in my entire life forget the joy and gratitude I felt when I called the hospital on Christmas morning and was told that he had just awaken from his coma.

I will always remember and treasure mine and Mel's first Christmas together. Our Christmas's are much more quiet than they were when our children were small; but they are every bit as special.

We remember Christmas parties, caroling, and hayrides. Most of all, we remember and will always remember the love that we have for that Baby in a Manger. We are so grateful for our testimony of the gospel; for the light and love that our Savior brought in to the world. We want to wish you all a very merry Christmas. God Bless Us Every One!

Giving Thanks

2008-11-25T07:18:00.001-07:00

I just want to take a minute and express my gratitude for all of the blessings that we enjoy. I don’t think that a day goes by that I don’t marvel at how lucky we are to be at the point where we are today. I want 21 children to know how much we love them. We are really grateful that we don’t have any of the turmoil’s that so many second marriages have to deal with.

We are grateful for our parents and for 21 2/3 grandchildren. They add so much joy and laughter to our lives. They are truly special spirits and we love them dearly.

We are grateful for our Hobbit house (but it’s grown up, so we’ve decided to call it the Sugar Shack now.) We’re grateful for the gospel, our testimonies, our citizenship in America and all which that represents. We are grateful for wonderful friends both new and old.

Lastly we are grateful for each other. We have tons of fun and find happiness in just being together. We know that we were blessed to find each other and we are thankful for that. We want to wish anyone reading this a very Happy Thanksgiving. We love you, and we are grateful for all of you, too!

Don't You Just Hate Graffiti?

2008-11-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

This morning we found that our house had been "tagged" by what would appear to be criminally insane vandals. See picture below.

Luckily it didn't take us long to clean up the damage!

FOREVER BLUE! GO COUGARS!

Crazy Eight Tag

2008-11-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

Eight TV shows I watch: (I'm like Necha. I don't watch much TV) But let's see what I can come up with: 1. Ugly Betty; 2. Friday Night Light's; 3. Monk; 4. I Love Lucy (9,384,002 reuns); 5. We just got back into watching Alf reruns (they're still as funny as they were back when); 6. Sometimes The Biggest Looser; 7. Sometimes American Idol; and last but not least; 8. Whatever Mel is watching at the time.

Eight things I did yesterday: 1. Got ready for work; 2. Went to work; 3. Called my dad at the hospital twice; 4. Bought brown paper plates for Saturday's luncheon; 5. Went to the chiropractor; 6. Talked to Alyssa while she got ready to go to a wedding dinner; 7. Fixed left-overs for dinner; 8. Went to a Ward Mission meeting.

Eight places I like to Eat: 1. Anyone else's house; 2. Cafe Rio; 3. The Olive Garden; 4. My mom's when she was still here (she was the world's best cook---she's making angel food cake now!); 5. Cracker Barrel; 6. Golden Corral; 7. (ok, I'm just going to cheat on these last two-- Mexican restaurants; and 8. Italian restaurants.

Eight things I look forward to: 1. Thursday at 5:00 (office is closed on Friday; 2. Being with our children and grandchildren; 3. Autumn; 4. First waterski of the season; 5. Halloween through New Year's; 6. Vacations; 7. Having no car payments; 8. curling up next to Mel's hot skin since I'm usually cold....and can I add a 9th? 9. Eternity with the one's I love!!!!!

Eight things on my wish:1. Long healthy life; 2. To learn that four years from now that I was wrong about the election; 3. No more headaches for Mel; 4. To get my 401 back on track; 5. To loose 30 more pounds; 7. One big room in our house, a larger bathroom and some closet space; 8. That our children will always know how much they mean to us!

I tag anyone that would like to share their thoughts!

MOAB--UEA WEEKEND

2008-11-07T06:31:00.001-07:00

Last night we were watching television in bed and saw a travel council ad for Moab! It was great. It showed a lot of the fun things that you can do down there. In addition to that, Jeri has asked me twice now how come I haven't blogged about our Moab trip.

Well, it's now 6:15 in the morning and I'm up, showered and dressed, but not quite ready to start my day, and so I decided that it's time to show a little of a great Moab vacation!

Before we got there, I think that Mel was a little leary about how much fun jeeping would be. He had never been to Moab. On our first day we did a run up Hell's Revenge. We were sitting in our jeep waiting for our turn and watching others start the climb. Mel told me later that he he never knew what a jeep was capable of doing. He watched the other drivers start the climb; and figured well if they can do it, so can I. By the time he got to the top of the first climb, I believe that he was hooked!

We have about a bizillion pictures and I have only posted a few. I just wanted to give you a taste of a really awesome trip. Great scenery, great times, and great people. Now I ask you, does life get any better than that?

2008-10-31T16:34:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween

From our Castle to Yours!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALYSSA

2008-10-19T20:14:00.000-06:00

Alyssa got to celebrate #29 in Moab with her family. The weather was perfect, the trails were great, and the company was the best....Does life get better than that?

Happy Birthday Alyssa. It was great celebrating with you! We love you and we can't wait to see you again in November!

2008-10-14T12:28:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Jennilyn! With love from all of your family!

Happy happy birthday Jenni dear. Happy days will come to you all year. If I had one wish then it would be......A happy happy birthday to you from me (us!) xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxforever!

2008-09-30T19:01:00.000-06:00

Our Little Bit of Heaven

Wicked in Los Angeles

2008-09-28T07:07:00.001-06:00

Just 97 days until our tickets for WICKED....

I read the book last month and I'm extra excited to see the musical. (Yeah, I already know that it ends differently, and I know that it's coming to Salt Lake; but I can't wait that long!)

Timpanogos Cave

2008-09-14T19:20:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we hiked up to Timpanogos Cave. When I say we, I mean Cameron, Cory, Jeri, Brock, Parker, Jason, Alayna, Ike, C.J., Jennilyn, Chad, Kim, Josie, Reilly, Mel and last but not least, me. And when I say last but not least, I really mean last. Ok, I thought that when you had recently dropped 25 pounds, hiking up Mt. Timpanogos would be a cinch. Well, boy was I wrong. Long gone are the days when that 1.5 mile, 1,000 foot climb was easy! It's still fun; but it sure "ain't easy" It was a really fun day!

Uintas With the Davis/Platt Families

2008-09-14T18:24:00.000-06:00

We spent a great Labor Day weekend in the Uintas. All of our family was there except for Adam, his family, and Roy. As the story goes, Necha's dad, Eugene, planned a campout for his family and since Josh is his son-in-law, he said, "hmmm, I guess we could invite the Davis' too....and the rest is history. (By the way, we out numbered them!)

We found the world's greatest camp spot right on a river (I would say "thee" river; but then you would think I meant the Bear River....and it wasn't. It was one of the Forks that feed into the Bear. It was an amazing spot with beautiful scenery. There was a really cool beaver dam that backed the river up to make a great swimming hole.

We had great food, fun games, a night hike and quality time. Oh, and did I mention rain? Holy smokes! It rained really hard! By Sunday night half of the camp was covered by strung up tarps. We had Bryan, Carol and the kids move out of their tent and into the trailer with us so that they wouldn't float down the canyon. Monday morning we even got into snow. We had lots of fun!

Happy Anniversary to Us

2008-08-28T17:52:00.000-06:00

We made a big splash for our second anniversary…. in a raft on a whitewater trip on the Snake River. It was awesome! I marked one more thing off of my bucket list, because a whitewater trip was something that I have always wanted to do. It was really exciting but awfully cold. The wind was blowing up the canyon and we were paddling in to the wind. Every rush of water was chilling. We have a great picture of us going over the Big Kuhuna, but it’s a copywrited picture so I’m not going to post it. This picture was taken by our bus driver just as we were pushing off.

We went to Yellowstone and Jackson for our honeymoon and had such a great time that we decided to try and go up to Jackson every year to celebrate our anniversary. We started at the Idaho Falls Temple and then went to visit Adam, Melissa and the kids. We hadn’t seen their finished new house. It’s beautiful. They did a great job building, as well as decorating. We spent the night with them and then drove to Jackson on Sunday.

We checked into our tent spot at the Snake River KOA and then drove to Granite Hot Springs. It’s a beautiful place and we spent a couple of hours enjoying the mountain scenery from the pool and relaxing in the warm mineral water.

On Monday we took a wagon train up into the mountains where we had a dutch oven dinner and fun western entertainment.

Sheriff Mel was drafted to be on the program. It was hilarious. He had to wear a red little boy cowboy hat with string ties. The hat, of course, had a star on the front. He was wearing a red stripped tee-shirt, so he looked like he was seven all over again.

We were also attacked by wild Shoshone Indians, but luckily we lived to blog about it.

Tuesday was our actual anniversary and our white water trip. It was a great way to end our little get away. It was a wonderful trip.

We really love Jackson and the Teton's.

Summer 2008

2008-08-17T10:18:00.000-06:00

I always remember every year on, on the 24th of July, hearing my mother say, "Well it's the 24th, already. Summer's nearly over!" I always hated hearing that. It was like listening to someone read the obituary at a funeral. Besides, I was young, and still had about six more weeks before school started.

But then the inevitable happened. I grew up! Those long summer months started getting shorter and shorter. I have to honestly say, I don't know what has happened to this summer. It really got away from us. We only got to a few of Brock and Parker's baseball games; and only one of Cory and C.J.'s softball games.

Spring through June was spent working in our yard. It was a really big project, but really rewarding! I would have to say that the highlight of the summer so far has been the fun times that we had when Alyssa and Randy where here in June, little Ike's blessing, boating at Yuba,

the Davis family

reunion, and the Davis family campout up at the Ranch. Mel and I also spent a night in our tent up in the Uintas.

We have a lot of great things planned in the next few months, though. Next week we'll get to see the extended Larsen family for grandpa's birthday, and the next day Mel and I are leaving for Jackon Hole for four days to celebrate our anniversary. We have a big campout up in the Uintas over Labor Day weekend with the Davis/Platt familys. We're also doing a Timpanogas Cave trip in September, and 4-wheeling in Moab in October. Sounds like good times, huh? Who ever said that summer has to end when school starts?

Update to the previous "We Love Grandkids" blog

2008-07-29T08:17:00.000-06:00

Please read our last line of our last blog, and then go to Alyssa and Randy's most recent blog for a complete update "on the rest of the story"....(have you read it yet? Is that cool or what?)

Grandkids

2008-07-24T08:32:00.001-06:00

WE LOVE GRANDKIDS! Here are 8 out of our 20 grand children. I thought I would share.

From bottom left: Jonah, Hannah, Molly, Allison, Noah, Megan, Sydney, Grandpa and Ariel.

Grandpa and Aiden who is #20. Matthew and Sally will welcome #21. After that we can only guess who will give us our #22......(Alyssa and Randy, maybe. We'll have to wait and see!)

Memories (from Elizabeth)

2008-07-16T15:40:00.000-06:00

...here are the instructions if you would like to play.

1. Leave a memory that you and I had together as a comment on my blog . It doesn't matter if you know me well or not so well, anything you remember. 2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and people will leave a memory about you. It's a fun way to get to know each other better. If you leave a memory about me I'll assume you are playing and I'll go to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog I'll leave my memory of you in my comments on my blog.

Wanna see a cool magic trick?

2008-07-12T10:40:00.000-06:00

This trick was taught to me by a really cool magician many many years ago. Ok. What you are about see see will boggle your mind! Are you ready?

What you see here is an boring, ordinary back yard that is dirt only.

So are all of you ready? Now say out loud, "One, two, three, abracadabra and presto chango."

CJ. and Jennilyn's back yard 90 minutes later. Is that a cool trick or what? Thank you for your attention. Now you can return to whatever you were doing. Later!

The Ranch

2008-07-06T09:26:00.000-06:00

The Ranch is located on the Mirror Lake Highway between Evanston, Wyoming and Christmas Meadows in the Uintas. The Ranch has watched time and travelers pass by, just as it has watched the sun rise and set each day, and the summer and winter storms blow in from the Unitas.

It has seen its people plow, plant and harvest. It has seen babies born, and its people die. It has watched the babies grow up and move on. It has seen others come to take their place. The Ranch has been owned by the family for decades, and it has witnessed their lives, loves and passions.

Much of the land has been sold off through the years; but the smaller Ranch still survives. It has welcomed many to share in its pristine beauty. The ranch has watched a home go up and outbuildings built. It has also watched them crumble and decay. It no longer is a working ranch. Family gatherings and campouts are it's main use nowBut if you close your eyes, and listen closely, you can still hear the sweet sounds of the memories that made the Ranch great. You can hear the wind rustling the tall june grass, and the giggle of children hiding in the hay. You can hear the men and machinery cutting the hay, and see their women bringing them out sandwiches and lemonaide to share about noon-time. You can hear buggys driving down the lane and the sound of the dinner bell calling everyone in for supper.

The memories survive but life goes on...

You can open your eyes , ears and heart to see, hear and feel the sounds of the joy and laughter from family and friends that are making great memories still!

I was tagged by Diana

2008-06-24T08:06:00.000-06:00

3 Joys
First and foremost is my family. I can't begin to say how much joy and happiness my husband, children, step-children (even though I don't use the step word), in-law children (even though they are not my in-law kids...they're mine in every sense of the word) and my grandkids bring me. I have awesome parents, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and look forward to getting together with them. Family is what is it all about and I'm grateful for my relationship with all of my family members near or far.

2. I find great joy in yard work. I love digging in the dirt and feeling it in my fingers. I love watching things grow. I love to go out in the early spring and watch buds forming in the trees and bulbs starting to show growth through the dirt.

3. I love being in a boat on a lake. I love the wind blowing in my hair, the sun on my face, and the feeling of total exhilaration and freedom that I feel.

3 Fears
I don't think that I really have a lot of fears. Spiders and snakes intrique me (as long as they're not in my house; and I love the dark and open water. I guess if I have to think of 3 fears they would be: 1. Loosing a loved one; 2. Being alone in my old age; and 3. Loosing the control and use of my body.

3 Goals
Not necessarily in any order: 1. The Celestial Kingdom; 2. Loosing 50 pounds and keeping it off; and continuing to work out at the gym so that I remain healthy and active forever; and 3. Staying close with my family and extended family.

3 Obsessions
1. Spending time with Mel doing just anything at all. 2. Turning a Hobbit house into a home; 3. Chocolate in any shape or form.

I'm tagging Necha and Jennilyn.

Happy Birthday C.J.

2008-06-23T08:09:00.000-06:00

Mel and I want to wish C.J. the best birthday and the best year of his life! C.J. is an amazing young man, with a gift of lighting up a room when he enters it! He has a great sense of humor and has had his family and friends laughing since he uttered his first words! (His Jim Carrey impersonations are hysterical!) He has amazing perserverance that will take him a long way in his life. Another thing that is really great about C.J. is his easy-going personality. He is very slow to anger and he is loyal and dependable to the core. We wish him the very best because he really deserves it! Happy Birthday Little Bro!

(By the way, Jennilyn is going to hate me for posting this picture....she hates it! Oh well, it was the best that I could do from work....Sorry Jenni!)

A Special Day

2008-06-11T10:41:00.000-06:00

Today is June 11, so I asked Mel what is cool about June 11. He said, "Umm, it's in June?" "It's a Wednesday?" "It's the middle of the week?" (Three strikes you're out, right?) Well June 11th is special because (drum roll please) we got engaged two years ago today!

Ah, I remember it fondly. It was in Room 126 at the Prairie Inn. We were kissing (you can use your imagination here). I said I love you and he leaned back and said that he wanted to marry me. He teased me for several months because I never said yes. I just smiled really big!

We went ring shopping a couple of days later. We found a ring that we liked at the very first store. I told the sales lady that I really liked it but that we needed to look at a few other places before we would buy. Mel said, "hey, if you like it, let's buy it so that we can go eat." Ahh, such a romantic.

We got engaged 3 weeks after our first date; but we waited a respectable 2 1/2 months to get married. I love that we were both in love so quickly.....but when it's right, it's right! Hey M.J., in case you wonder. My answer was and still is YES!

June 4, 2008

2008-06-04T07:46:00.001-06:00

Today is my mother's birthday. She would have been 86 years old. That's hard for me to imagine, because in my mind she is still in her 60's. I wish I had a picture of her to post; but I've never had any of her photo's digitalized. I want to take just a moment to pay tribute to her.

She was born and raised on the farm in Riverton, Utah. I used to love hearing her tell stories about her childhood. She told me that when she was young they didn't have grass in the yard and so she would sweep the dirt to keep it clean. (I guess that she was a clean freak even then...she sure was for the rest of her life. Clair Workman used to joke that when he would sleep over, he would hear her vacumming at 2:00 a.m.) Mom also told me about cranking the icecream freezer. She was sitting on the sink while cranking and both she and the sink fell to the ground when it broke off the wall. Most everyone that lived on Myers Lane were her cousins and she always said that they were all like brothers and sisters.

Mom was very artistic and her hand sketches were amazing. She also had a great singing voice. Her high school music teacher wanted her to be in an operetta. Mom was very private and quite shy and so she refused. The teacher threatened to fail her if she didn't perform. She still wouldn't do it. Mom used to tell me that people often thought that she was snooty and too good for them. She said that she wasn't that way at all. She was just reserved. Mom worked for a while at the Rolls Save store on the southeast corner of 12600 South and Redwood Road. She said that she always had so many guys asking her on dates that she started wearing a rhinestone ring and telling them that she was engaged.

Mom and dad met at Midvale Harvest Days just prior to the war. They were married in Salt Lake City and then dad headed off to the Pacific. Mom worked at a munitions plant during the war. When dad returned home they lived in Salt Lake, where all three of us kids were born. They solomnized their wedding in the Salt Lake Temple shortly before I was born. Mom and dad built a house in Midvale and moved there when I was just a couple of years old. That is where they lived up until the time that she died.

Mom was a great mother. We all loved and respected her. She was a lot of fun and was always there for us. She was a great example to all. She loved her yard and flowers, and her yard was the neighborhood show place. She always enjoyed a picnic, and I have great memories of good times around a camp fire in the mountains. Her grandchildren adored her. They all remember her sleeping out with them when she had all of the grandkids over for a slumber party.

Mom was diagnosed with cancer in about 1980. She diligently fought it for seven years. I remember talking to her about death about a year before she passed away. She told me that she knew that she wouldn't live to an old age. I asked her to hold on long enough that all of my children would have a well-defined memory of her. She told me that she would try!

I've often wondered how different all of our lives would have been if she had lived. She was the mainstay of the family and was always planning activities to keep us close. I am honored to be her daughter and grateful for the legacy that she left us all.

What in the Heck is a Pergola?

2008-05-25T21:24:00.000-06:00

What in the heck is a pergola is what most people have asked us since we decided to build one. Friday I looked at pergola's on line. One article was pretty funny. It said that "pergolas are coverings that 1. do not keep out the rain; 2. do not keep out the wind; 3. they don't block the snow; and 4. they provide very little shade. So what's the use of building one, you might ask......

BECAUSE THEY'RE COOL LOOKING, and when you live in a Hobbit house; you need all of the "cool" you can get. Mel was the architect, designer, builder, and inspector. I was great at getting tools, running back and forth to Home Depot, handing out Mt. Dew and providing general moral support.

Happy Birthday Jeri!

2008-05-25T21:08:00.000-06:00

Jeri celebrated the big 3-0 on Friday. We celebrated her special day at a super surprise party that night. I thought that I would tell you a few things about Jeri that I think make her the great lady who she is: 1. She is an amazing mother (I tell her that all of the time, so this won't come as a surprise to her. 2. She taught me the importance of hugging. She told me years ago how important it is to have physical contact with the people you love, and I learned quickly that she is right. 3. She understands the important things in life such as waterskiing, icecream and chocolate. As you can see, she really has her priorities straight! Next to Mel, Jeri is my favorite exercise buddy, and I "appreciate" (hmmmm, did I say that) her dragging me out of bed at 5:00 a.m. so that we can sweat together. Happy birthday, Jeri. We all love you.

Charlotte & Roy Tied the Knot----Literally

2008-05-22T07:05:00.000-06:00

Charlotte and Roy got married on Saturday May 17, 2008 in Evanston, Wyoming. It was a really fun ceremony. Bishop Jones tied the knot while explaining the importance of being tied together, and always working as one.. Mel, the proud father-of-the-bride, sang "Unchained Melody". It was a great service. Allison was a beautiful flower-girl and the reception was very nice! Congratulations Roy and Charlotte....Here's to a wonderful future!

Happy Birthday Cameron

2008-05-16T08:27:00.000-06:00

My little bitty baby, Cameron Larsen Proulx, turned 33 on May 14. Man, where does the time go? We enjoyed hotdogs around the campfire at Jason and Alaynas.
Before the party we got to watch Brock, the super slugger's, baseball game.
Kool-aid Man Parker really enjoys finally having a boy cousin.
Ike's aunts are always fighting to hold him (Jeri usually wins). Both aunts whisper subliminal messages to Ike about which aunt he is going to like best. (Alyssa will have her work cut out for her next month).
Our handsome sons, Elmer, Goober and Floyd came down from the hills and really enjoyed the birthday grub !

June Danks Davis

2008-05-02T07:54:00.000-06:00

I want to take just a second to tell you about a really amazing woman. June is my new mom, and I’ve come to love her a lot in the two years that I have known her. She is a very young 88 year old and has the energy and drive of the EverReady Bunny. I really enjoy talking to her and hearing about her family members whom I will never know in this life. She is a fountain of information about the history of Evanston and the people who have lived there. She has lived her entire life in Evanston and even on County Road.

“Mom” is extremely independent and doesn’t like having to rely on others for help. She is in great health and gets around really well. She cleans her house, drives her car, and even does a little gardening (much to her children’s dismay!) She does beautiful knitting and crochet work, and we all have been recipients of her generous hand made gifts.

She worked for many years at the Wyoming State Hospital as an executive secretary, and has served the Lord in many callings. For the last several years she has worked in the genealogical program doing extraction work on her computer. I don’t think that there are many 88 year-olds, like mom, who are computer-savvy, or who have even taken the time to learn how to turn a computer on.

At our wedding reception I asked her what she wanted me to call her. She said (with a twinkle in her eye), “Well mom, of course.” So mom she is! I want to thank her for welcoming me into her family and for all she has done for Mel and me in the last two years. She’s a wonderful woman and I’m grateful for her and for the wonderful son whom she raised!

A Busy April

2008-04-20T19:00:00.000-06:00

Well we've had a pretty busy April so far. We spent the last two weekends working out in our back yard. If you have seen our place, then you know that it needed "A LOT" of work. This picture shows us making the vegetable garden smaller. It now only takes up a portion of the north forty, instead of the entire north forty. After the fire died down, we roasted hot dogs for dinner.

We moved our arbor (the one that Alyssa made) from the other house, and then we planted some trees and bushes. Since we're going to have a Trax light rail line behind us, we figure that we need to plant us some privacy.

Cory, Jeri, Brock, Parker, C.J. and Jenni were having the time of their lives in Moab while we were slaving away in the yard. And to make matters worse; Mel and I were both coughing our lungs out with some kind of disgusting bronchial thing. (Mel gave it to me, I might add.)

The next day was Sunday and so we had a pre-birthday party for Baby Ike in the back yard. It was extra special because Grandpa Ike got to be there too. Cameron was the super chauffer who picked grandpa up and also took him back to the care center.

The next day was Baby Ike's grand entrance into the world. Can I tell you what a wonderful blessing it was for me to be with Alayna and Jason and getting to see Ike born. Thank you guys. I am so grateful to have been there with you.

By Thursday we got some more good news. Jason got a new job. The timing couldn't have been better.

Well after all of our yard work, getting a new baby, being home from work sick two days, etc., etc. we topped off the last couple of weeks with a weekend trip from Alyssa.

Aunt Alyssa flew in for the weekend to meet her new nephew. The only thing that would have been better would have been if Uncle Jimmy could have come too. We had a barbeque with Cory's new grill on Saturday night (during the wannabe hurricane) and then all got together again on Sunday for dinner before she flew back to California.

All in all, it has been a great two weeks, and I must say that I really believe that I have a lot to be thankful for.

We've got lot's of fun plans for summer, so stay tuned...

Announcing Baby Ike

2008-04-14T20:48:00.000-06:00

Please join us in welcoming Ike Porter Wylie to his earthly home and parents. Ike came into this world at 5:14 p.m. on Monday, April 14, 2008. He weighed in at a healthy 7# 12 oz. and is 20 inches long. He is beautiful, healthy and strong! He has amazing eyes and 5 minutes after he was born he was already looking around, clearly checking out his new world. Mom, Dad and Baby Ike are all doing well.

1960 -- It Was A Very Great Year

2008-03-31T14:05:00.000-06:00

The sky was a cobalt blue, the sun was shining brightly, and the freshly mown alfalfa in the field next door smelled sweet. From my spot on the swing in the back yard I could see a dainty humming bird hesitate over one of mom’s especially fragrant rosebushes. It was June,1960 and the summer was stretching out ahead for what seemed like eternity. (It is truly amazing how much longer the summers lasted back then.)

Meanwhile, across the mountains, a little to the north, and over the state line, Mel was watching that summer day also. He was eleven years old that year and was thinking about getting his chores done so that he could head down to the river for some tubing, fishing and swimming. Mel paused to wipe the sweat off of his forehead as he thought that the lawn that he was cutting in the back yard seemed extra big that day.

Summer back then was an amazing thing. You didn’t spend it with a remote control in your hand or a video game splashed across the screen. You didn’t spend time texting your friends. Instead you spent your time with your friends! Running and exercising wasn’t something that you did to get fit. You were fit because you never quit playing.

In Utah Annette and company were building floats for a neighborhood parade, working on the tree hut in the big tree over the creek, or playing pioneer by pulling the red Radio Flyer to the spring where they could make soap from the scum that formed at the edges of the water. They also had fun building camp fires to get the water boiling water to make cheetah weed soup. Swimming at the Amherst swimming club was also usually part of the daily agenda. Warm summer nights were spent with the neighborhood kids playing Hide and Seek, Annie I-Over, Run Sheepy Run, Flies Up, or 500.

Mel’s summers in Wyoming were spent helping his grandpa slaughter hogs at the ranch, watching dad bring in the hay, sleeping out in the yard, raiding neighborhood gardens with his friends and swinging in the Tarzan trees down by the river. He always enjoyed playing neighborhood baseball in the back field, and was really getting into scouting that summer and was already working on his Star rank.

Favorite television shows were Howdy Doody, Captain Kangeroo, Flash Gordon, Sky King, Zorro and The Lone Ranger. Our television sets were black and white; but no one had a color T.V., so we were blissfully ignorant of what we were missing. T.V. signed off at night with the Star Spangled Banner, and signed on again about 7:00 a.m. the next day.

I was eight years old that summer, and looking forward to being baptized in just a few weeks. Mel was thinking about getting the priesthood on his next birthday. We went to Sunday School on Sunday mornings and then went back to the Church for Sacrament meeting that night. Primary was in the middle of the week, and summer Primary was the best because it was in the morning and that left us the whole rest of the day to play.

Yeah, the Summer of 1960 was just beginning, and we were both looking forward to the best summer of our lives! Times were slower then, and life, it was oh so good!

Adventures in Babysitting

2008-03-31T07:02:00.000-06:00

Last week we had the pleasure of entertaining two very lovely young ladies for an evening. We got to tend two of our very beautiful grand daughters, Tessa and Maggie. Both girls are miracle babies because they were born so premature. Their combined birth weights were only about 4.5 pounds. They are both beautiful and sweet, but most important of all, healthy!

It was the first time that Tessa and Maggie had ever been to our home, so it was an adventure for all of us. We all (well almost all of us) had a lot of fun.

Tessa was a little upset being away from mom and dad. This picture shows her moving into her "I'm getting ready to have a temper tantrum mode"

Maggie was a sweetheart and was just happy to be there. Everything makes her smile. She's a real cutie!

Tessa cried for about five minutes and then got interested in some blocks that we were playing with. She enjoyed helping us build a nice tower until I decided to go get the camera....then she started to howl! After about 30 minutes of that she was totally exhausted and ready for some sleep in grandpa's arms.

Here's a picture of Josh, Necha and the girls. Aren't they a great family? We look forward to tending the girls again soon.

Happy Birthday Mel

2008-03-12T11:52:00.000-06:00

Guess what? This month is Mel’s birthday. He will be 59, but who’s counting? I thought I would share a little bit about Mel for my newest blog. So sit back, get comfy and let me tell you about an amazing man.

Mel was born on March 25, 1949 in Evanston Wyoming. His parents are Melvin Joseph Davis and June Danks Davis. He has a sister Maureen and two brothers, Lawrence and William. Mel’s father and brother Lawrence are both deceased.

Mel grew up in an area that is every kid’s dream…on the banks of the Bear River. He had endless adventures “on the river” and when I picture little Melvin Joe in my mind, I can see a freckle faced, red-headed boy in blue jeans that were rolled up in wide cuffs, and either a checkered button down cotton shirt, or a horizontally stripped tee shirt…with a belt, of course, and PF Flyers on his feet.

The teenage Mel was pretty much the “who’s who” of Evanston High. He was the captain of the football team and played offensive and defensive tackle. He was the starting center for the basketball team and was president of the Letterman’s Club. He was president of the band and played a mean trumpet. He was also homecoming king his senior year. He went on to play football on scholarship at Rick’s College and West Minster College. He graduated with a B.S. degree in business.

In 1968 he married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn Kay Clark. They were blessed with six great children (See Mel’s Marvelous Kids blog). After a few years of living in Salt Lake City, Mel and Marilyn moved back to Evanston where they raised their children. Mel owned a gas station and spent several years as a gas jockey. He later managed a motel. He dedicated his time and talents to Church service both in the bishopric and the high council. His favorite calling, however, involved the young men of the Church. He was active in scouting for many years and has been awarded most of the highest awards that scouting offers.

After a long illness, Marilyn passed away in 2004. Mel spent the next couple of years working out physically, managing the motel, and spending time with his kids and grandkids. He’s a wonderful grandfather and his grandchildren adore him.

Mel and I met in the spring of 2006 and got married in August of that year. I continue each day to appreciate the man that I have married. He is extremely hard working. He’s made our “little fixer” upper look like a model from the Parade of Homes. He gets along with everyone and is noted for his amazing smile. Mel is very health conscious and together we spend many hours each week at the gym. My grandsons consider him their grandpa, and he treats them as his own.

Even though I could write about him forever, I think that I will quit for now and just say “Happy birthday, Mel, with lots and lots of love.

My Thoughts on My Dad

2008-02-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you about my dad. He has always been an amazing man. He’s been fun, and extremely out going. He and my mom taught me the gospel and taught me to love life and our beautiful world. He has always been my friend as well as a wonderful father.

That being said, sometimes, lately, I have had a real hard time being with him. As late as last weekend he was frustrating me to no end. Visiting him at the care center had become a negative experience because he is often not very pleasant to be around. He is depressed, angry, and negative about everything and everyone around him. I visit regularly, but I have gone away angry, frustrated or depressed. Seldom have I gone away happy that I had been able to spend time with him.

Well that all changed just a couple of days ago. My son Cameron, who was visiting dad with me, made a comment to me that was life changing. He told me to let dad say what he wants and to not try to correct him when he says things that are “off-the-wall.” He reminded me that I should just listen and not try to correct him. Roughly translated, I figured that means that I do not need to make “editorial comments.” Basically he was telling me to just let dad be happy. As I said, that was life changing for me. I’ve been thinking since then that maybe I have been more focused on my own needs, than I have on his.

Dad can no longer walk. He is frail and is in extremely poor heath. He has been diagnosed with dementia. Life, at least from a health point of view, really sucks! I can finally understand that it must be really hard for him to keep up a positive outlook when the life that he has always known is gone. The future is really scary for dad, and thankfully, for me, my perspective has now changed before it was too late.

I am now determined to make his remaining days as happy for him as possible. I will smile when I want to cry and I will hug him when I want to throw something. I will let him say what he wants to say, even if it doesn’t make sense; and above all, I will love him unconditionally and be grateful for any time that we still have together in this life. Dad is almost 87. He deserves that and more!

Thanks for everything dad! I love you.

I've Been Tagged by Jennilyn

2008-02-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

What is your husbands full name? Melvin Joseph Davis, Jr. (Everyone in Wyoming calls him Melvin Joe)

How long have you been married? 18 months today (Hard to believe it's been that long already)

Who eats more sweets? We're both pretty good at it; but I think Mel wins.

Who said I love you first? Me, about 10 seconds before he proposed.

How old is he? 58 until this time next month.

Who is taller? Mel by 4 inches

Who is smarter? Spare me! He has an B.S. and I only have and A.S.; but that doesn't mean anything does it?

Who can sing better? Mel by far. He inherited his singing voice from his dad.

Who does the laundry? We both do. He will only fold his own clothes and not mine, though. I fold his when I do the laundry, so what's up with that?

Who pays the bills? I pay them, but he pays (get it?) for more of them.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me, so if a burgler comes in they will get me first. (What's wrong with that picture?) Actually it's cause we spoon better on our right sides.

Who mows the lawn? We both enjoy it. Yard work rocks!

Who cooks dinner? The little woman.

Who drives? Mel hates it when I drive. He thinks I'm a terrible driver. I think that I'm great of course.

Who kissed who first? Ah, I remember it well. We we sitting pretty close with his arm around me and looking into each other's eyes. We both went 50 percent. None of this 80-20 stuff that Hitch preachs.

Who asked who out? Ok, that's a loaded question. I guess that I did because I asked him how much he would charge me to get a room at the Prairie Inn.

Who has more siblings? Mel (has/had) 3. I have/had) 2

Who wears the pants? I wear slacks most of the time. Mel wears the pants.

I'm tagging Necha!

Mel's Marvelous Kids

2008-02-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

Adam is my first born. He has always been out-going, charismatic and determined in any thing he does. He is an excellent athlete in multiple sports. I am impressed with what a wonderful father he is and how close he is to his children.

Matthew is my entrepreneur and the spiritual one. He impresses me with his financial expertise. He has great concern for his own family as well as his extended family. He has a beautiful singing voice. He is outgoing and amuses me with his quick wit.

Bryan was a shy child but quickly out grew it. He was and is a gentleman; and even as a child would hold the door for his sister. He is an excellent craftsman and a loving husband and father. He is a good example of not letting little things get him down.

Emily has a great love for children and is an excellent mother. She is health oriented, knowledgeable, and a great source of good advice. She was a gentle child and grew into a loving woman who helps to keep her extended family united.

Josh has always learned quickly. He has a vast knowledge of multiple things and he is willing share that knowledge. He is a leader/organizer and is fun to be with because he has such a happy disposition. He is an excellent father and an example of loving patience.

Charlotte was the caboose and her birth rounded out our family. All of her siblings got to watch her birth. She was shy and a gentle child. She has always been loved by her parents and siblings. She is a hard worker and a devoted mother.

Caribbean Cruise

2008-02-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

In January we went on the vacation of a lifetime aboard the Norwegian Cruise Ship, Spirit. Mel and I looked forward to and planned for this trip for more than a year. The trip was extra special because Matthew and Sally, Alyssa and Randy, and lots of Randy's family were there with us. We departed out of New Orleans; and we spent our first night at the Oak Alley Plantation. After boarding the ship the next day, we sailed to Roatan and then Guatamala where we hiked to a waterfall. The next day we sailed to Belize, where we went cave tubing and played like monkeys in the trees. Our final destination was Cozumel where we enjoyed my favorite part of the trip, exploring the Tulum Mayan ruins and swimming in the Caribbean Sea.

Annette's Amazing Kids

2008-02-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Cameron always makes me laugh. He has a very unique sense of humor and can get you caught up in a story (that with a totally straight face) he is making up as he goes. His perseverance amazes me. Once he makes up his mind to do something, he does it and then never looks back.

I have always been able to count on Cory to be there for me. Even as a young boy, if I was crying or upset in anyway, he would drop what he was doing to curl up on my lap and comfort me. He has always been the responsible one and has been the first one there to help out with a project or help weigh out the pros and cons of any situation I was considering.

Alyssa is my soul-sister. It’s amazing to me how much we think alike. As a child I called her my sun because she was so happy and bright-eyed all of the time. She is empathetic and is led by the gospel. I enjoy talking to her because she can see things clearly and has a positive outlook on life.

The young Alayna was my moon. Her radiance was more quiet and serene than the sun; but every bit as beautiful. I found her to be quiet, pensive, more private than her siblings. She used to be timid; but lost that trait somewhere along the trail to adulthood. She now is extremely adventuresome and loves the outdoors. I’m still blown away that she got her private pilot’s license.

C.J. never ceases to amaze me. What he has accomplished with his life in the last two years boggles my mind. As a young man playing little league football he would have to diet to drop 10 or so pounds every season so that he could be a ball handler. He did it every time. He has brought that determination into his adult life and has reached goals that most people wouldn’t even consider possible.

Just getting started

2008-02-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

Well at the urging of both Jeri Lynn and Jennilyn, I have decided to create this blog site. I'm looking forward to telling about Mel and me, and I hope that I can put together something that will be interesting. Looking at the blank site is overwhelming. I hope that I can make sense of it.