The Tree of Life

Dale Carnegie said, "This is the only chance you will ever have on earth with this exciting adventure called life. So why not plan it, and try to live it as richly as possible?" Jim and Elaine have put their family pictures on the wall into a 'Tree of Life' to enjoy every day. How beautiful it is to admire each dear family in groupings of all the kids, spouses and grandkids. The smiles on their faces say, I am happy to be part of such a great eternal family. If you don't have your family photos on display, spend a few pennies on frames and photos to hang them where they can be admired often. Set up your computer screen or digital frame to a continual slide show. If you can't be with them, at least you can enjoy seeing them.

Family First Aid Kit

When this old brown suitcase was called into service for the family first-aid kit, I don't know. It served its purpose long and well. Easy to spot and always full of supplies, it has now been retired. May we all take the time to have a First-Aid Kit handy whereever we are, be it in the car, home, work, vacation or what ever place you roam. There is no place like a First-aid kit like this one.

Anniversary Date

Today is the anniversary of Mom's death.  This is the posterity of the two of them.  What a great heritage. 

Good Bye High

It was time to clean out the final treasures from Mom's garage before potential buyers arrived today to see the house.  We listed it for sale and arrived at 8:30 am to do the job.  Trucks, trailers and the garbage cans were backed up to haul away the final items.  Although I hated to part with this forty year old, yellow high chair, it was loaded into the trailer along with many other things headed to Deseret Industries.  

This faithful, sturdy stool held many a baby as they learned to eat with a spoon.  Julie, now forty-five, mastered climbing on and off successfully unaided as a child.  Nile and Jim patiently sat to have their hair cut from this perch.  Mom with dripping wet hair sat on it, while I patiently rolled it up in her pink curlers week in and out.  Many canning seasons came and went with family fighting over who got to sit on the  high chair.    We have now sent it off for a new family to enjoy and make their own memories.  Good bye, old guy. 

Sunday, January 15th marked twelve years since Nile passed away.  It was just after his fortieth birthday.  Nick was twelve and Melody was six.  They are now both enrolling at the community college and things are looking good for them.  Here is a photo of Nick with Mom a few years ago at Christmas.  They look good.  We hope both Mom and Nile are happy in heaven. 

A Quiet Christmas

Faithfully like clock work, Mom would decorate the graves for holidays. She had boxes of Christmas florals and wreaths. I made sure to do the same this year so all those years of collecting would be put to good use. Her side has the flowers and Dad's the Santa that he played so masterfully for many years.

Here's to you, Mom, a decorated for the season grave. We didn't forget.

A Freezer Full of Ice Cream

The downsizing of many food stuffs has been irritating. One is ice cream which until recently was sold in half-gallon containers. Now most are only 1.5 quart. I refuse to buy them. This caused a dilema on Thanksgiving to serve pie without ice cream. Therefore, I made a gallon batch of delicious vanilla from our trusty wooden electric ice cream maker.

This reminded me of my youth on many a summer Sunday when each of my siblings and I took a turn with our hand cranked model with high expectations of the delicious reward we got when it was frozen. Mom would be in the kitchen cooking a roast, mashing potatoes, making gravy. The table was set with her special pink rose bud china. Best manners were always used as we carefully consumed the meal and awaited our portion of ice cream.

The old freezer was put away in her shed a forgotten buddy of yesteryear.