Fantastic Family Function

Fun Family Photo August 2013

Okay i

Birthday Wishes to MOM

This week is Mom's birthday.  I find that I am becoming more like her every year.  I speak to total strangers, horde more than I care to, am getting a bit on the selfish side, remember birthdays of to many people and eccentric in many of the same ways.  (Don't ask my husband if this is a fact.)

We are what we are and there is history that makes it happen. 

Here's wishing you a great birthday memory of Mom or Grandma or Grandma Great.  We love you!

When Abandoned Becomes Art Deco

 Why is it that old stuff really hits the spot, when one tends to get old also.   Memories of yesteryear of many a Sunday visiting our grand parents.  It didn't take long to get bored while they chatted away. We went off exploring or played hide and seek around their old sheds.    These fun times come flooding back and are tender experiences.

 

An old rusty cement mixer reminds me of my Dad's abandoned one in the side yard on the old farm.  I couldn't resist taking photos of these when out of state last month.   They were better than modern art deco to me.

6 Grads, 4 Babies, 2 Weddings, & a Reunion

This family has been busy and it won't stop, because there are some we may have missed or don't know about.

Graduates: 
  April 15-Brian - BYU Idaho -Bachelor
  April 26-Jory  - BYU - Master
  May 4 - Camille - Bachelor
                Allyson - Bachelor
                Stephen - Master
                Audrey - Associate
  June 1st - Makayla - High School

Weddings - Camille & James - May 17
Audrey & Ken - May 30

Babies:  Few photos but all precious angels and growing. 

Steffan - (Todd & Jessica) - April 12
Henry - (Jed & Breann) May 10
Alexandria - (Jim & Jen)
Baby - (Katie & Troy) October



  
A Move - Brian & Leah - May 16

A Missionary - Dean - Orlando Florida

An Actress - Emma - Willy Wonka - July 27

A Reunion - for the Park family-Tomorrow -June 8- Be there or be square. 

And Then Their Was Laundry

The Amish put us to shame when it comes to doing laundry.  Their clothes still hang outside on the line.  The farmhouse's second story window has a 100 plus foot rope clothes line.  It stretches all the way from the house on a pulley attached to the top of the barn's gable across the farmyard.  It is easy to see what day they do the washing.

 

As a girl we hung our wet laundry outside on a wire clothesline year round. When the snow was as high as an elephant's eye the pieces quickly froze. On windy days the wooden clothes pins, struggled to hold the wildy, whipping sheets and towels. The hot summer sun dried them in an instant.

After dryers became the norm, Mom wouldn't waste money on a perfectly good clothes line drying day. Eventually the electric or gas dryer won the battle. With help from the cities restrictive covenants, clotheslines became history.

Hurray to the Amish for keeping the tradition alive.

Crane Traits

I'm sure we all carry a little of our ancestors in our day to day actions, likes, and habits.  Here are a few I have that I equate to the Crane/Park lines:

I wiggle my toes - I always get little holes in my socks and shoes from wiggling my big toe. i used to wear toe socks, but stopped when I realized I was wearing out the big toe after just a few times of wearing them. I remember Grandma Crane constantly flexing her feet as she would be sitting down. I don't know if it cause he shoes to wear out faster or not.

I talk to myself - As far as I'm concerned this is normal and everyone does it, but my husband thinks I'm weird.  Grandma Crane did this, my mom does this, my sister does it and so do I, maybe its a girl thing.

I sleep through movies - The movie goes on and my body shuts down.  I remember Elaine talking about going to visit Jim's family.  They would ALL be around the TV with their eyes closed.  My mom is AWESOME as watching TV/movies with her eyes closed.  I fall asleep in just about any action movie. It is like the action is too much for my mind so it just shuts down.

I love peanut butter - I'm not sure where this stems from exactly, but I'm rather addicted it peanut butter.  At Camille and Audrey's wedding showers on Friday we got on the subject of peanut butter, and it seemed like there were many people that just LOVED peanut butter.  Earlier this year I was trying to limit my calorie intake, but couldn't give up my PB sandwich so I just starting eating half sandwiches.

I love to garden - I remember Grandma having an awesome garden.  I know my neighbor, Mike Park, also a Park descendant,  also has an awesome garden as do many of my aunts & uncles.  I guess for me this skipped a generation, or maybe it was the Magna soil that spoiled any attempt my mom made.

I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones I can think of right now.  What traits do you have?

Mom's Day

It's been two years since Mom passed away.  How time flies when you are busy.  Every time I see this jacket hanging in an out-of-the-way closet I think of her.  Last week I saw a little white curly topped, lady that reminded me of her. 
There really are many people that look very much alike.  I guess there are only so many styles of facial and hair there is definitely going to be some common traits.  Here's thinking of you Mom.  We love you!