Trisa Kay's Big Day

Trisa is officially an adult.  21.  She has been 21 for two weeks and 3 days.  She is a junior in college majoring in Elementary Education.  She is beautiful, and kind, and smart.  Thankfully, she's coming home today so we can see her.

Trisa is our oldest child which means that one day she will be telling Dan tales of how hard her life was compared to his.  But, lest you feel too sorry for her, she also has lots of aunts and uncles and many of them were unmarried when Trisa was born.  They were her fan club and they loved to play with her, teach her things, and spoil her in any way they could.  I still remember Trisa at about two carrying a basketball that was about as big as her out into the middle of a basketball game because she wanted to play basketball with her Dad and Uncles.  They usually let her play games with them!  She was a little angry when I chased her down and carried her off the court.  On Derek's side of the family she is the first grandchild and the first great grandchild and she was treated like a royal princess.

Thankfully, even with all of that spoiling, and our unskilled attempts at parenting, Trisa is a good daughter and a good big sister.  She dragged Tia around by the feet before Tia could walk (Tia was sitting up) so she could play with her and they are good friends still.  Tia can hardly wait to join Trisa in grown up land (away from home).  Kayli misses having Trisa around and especially looks forward to racing her up the stairs on Christmas mornings.  Connor and Trisa love to talk about, and share books.  Trisa talks to Jake and makes him smile, and Dan loves her and wishes that college weren't so far away and didn't take so long. 



Look at the candle glow on that chocolate cookie.

Trisa looks like she was needing to blow really hard to get this candle out.
And I look like I might need to help her.

This makes us wonder who really blew out the candle.

Trisa got a package from us before her birthday.  She opened it on her birthday and called me and let me listen when she opened her presents.  Her friends made her a cake and lit all of the candles I sent. That probably took a LOT more air to blow out than the one candle we lit. 

Derek and I love Trisa.  We miss her as only parents can.  We miss her baby self, her one year old self, and all on up to the wonderful person she has grown to be.  Three more hours and we won't have to miss her 21 year old self any more.  Until Sunday. Happy Belated Birthday to Trisa.

The Random Update

I have a half hour before I need to drive Kayli and I to guitar lessons.  I hope I'm more skilled for my teacher today than I was at home yesterday -- but that doesn't seem likely!  Still, I have improved from when I started a couple of months ago.

Trisa the beautiful, whose birthday blog I have not done yet because I seem to have turned flakey at the end of the year, came the Sunday after her birthday.  I'll save her lovely pictures for when I do her birthday blog.  She had spent the weekend with a former roommate and her family.  They attended a concert and an SUU away game and seemed to have a fabulous time.  They came here for Sunday dinner and we enjoyed visiting with them and the former roommate's friend.

One of the October Mondays we had some people over and carved, or painted pumpkins.  Some people did both.  We had some fabulous pumpkins.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of them before I threw their shriveled pumpkin faces in the garbage today.  Oops.

Then, there was the annual C. family Halloween Party.  Derek had a work party before the Halloween party and a lot got done.  Here are the pictures from those events.

This is only impressive if you know what it looked like before.

Professionally stacked wood.

This pile is much bigger than it looks.
It would be a fabulous, but dangerous, bon fire.

Devin did this before the work party day.  He also picked the apples.
This looks a lot better too.

Ninja Jake has been doing quite well at the piano.  He was probably playing his Halloween song.

This is the only picture I have of the group.  It does not adequately capture the crowd.

Finally, after the Halloween Party we got to have Quinn, Porter, and Haven come for the night and then to church to hear me speak, and before we knew it Halloween had arrived.  Dan was Ironman.  Jake was a ninja and went trick or treating with Brennan.  Brennan's mom drove them somewhere and so they had piles of candy.  Connor went to a party with friends.  Kayli opened the door and handed out a lot of candy.  Tia handed out candy and then went out with friends.  I took Dan trick or treating with his friend Tifanny and my friend Diane, and Derek helped with the door occasionally and watched television (I think, but I was off trick or treating so I can't be certain).  I have one picture of Dan before Halloween.  He wore his costume so much I had to sew it back together Sunday night.

IronDan with his ghost hat and necklace from Kindergarten and his camo-jacket.
"Aren't I cool Mom!"

Dan says.... Mom says ..... Jake says...

Dan: People at school say I'm mean.

Me: You're not mean, are you?

Dan:  No.  I always say I'm sorry.

Later in the day....

Dan: I repented today.

me: Oh?

Dan:  I said I didn't like a toy a boy had and he punched me in the face, and so I punched him back in the arm.

Last week Dan was crying in the bathroom and Jake went to investigate.

Jake:  Dan, what's wrong?

Dan:  I'm tired of blowing my nose.

Jake:  Well, everyone has to blow their nose sometimes,  (pause)  well almost everyone.  Do you know who doesn't have to blow their nose?

Dan:  no

Jake:  Chickens!

Championship Game

The soccer team that Hamburger puppet attended was the championship game.  For the third year in a row Connor was on the winning team!  The last two years they gave him a trophy.  This time they got to wear their trophy.  This is the last year that Connor can play city league soccer.  Our town only has teams through the 8th grade.  This year he not only played with Mason (his friend who has also been on the winning team all three years), but also with his friends Kevin and Clayton.  He was coached by his scout master and the scout master's son-in-law.  They had a really good time.  Connor is a great soccer player and especially likes playing as a defender.  He is very good at keeping the ball away from the goal he is protecting.  Congratulations to Connor!

Surprise!

Tina (my sister) wrote me a note telling me that she was making me a present for my birthday but she wasn't done yet.  I had no idea when she would be done or what she was making and so it was a surprise that today I got a package.  Here is the fun present that my creative sister made for me.

It's a cheeseburger puppet!  I just took five pictures of it and these are my favorites.  I took him to Connor's soccer game to show to all of my friends.   My hamburger was a big hit, though he did remind several people that they hadn't had dinner yet:).  

Generally Spoiled

I often say that I have the best family and friends around, and my birthday seems to prove me right every year.  As usual, I was generally spoiled.  I got cards, gifts, facebook messages, e-mail, phone calls, visits, and even a text message.  My sister-in-law Laura wrote a very nice blog about me.  Kayli cleaned, made cakes, and was in charge of dinner.  Tia and Kayli decorated cakes and Tia made a part of the dinner.  I only have pictures of a few of my gifts -- but I appreciated every one that I got.

Pretty flowers from Derek

The cake Tia decorated.  The cake was crumbly and the frosting soft and so Tia was frustrated -- but I could read it and it was yummy!

Who knows what this look is for but Kayli loves this picture and so I added it.

This is the cake Kayli decorated.

 I got the idea of coloring canvas shoes from my sister-in-law Tonya.  So, with some birthday money from Derek's parents, I got some canvas shoes and Tonya helped me color them with pictures of my puppets and my kids' puppets.  Her drawings are the ones that look skilled.  I tried hard but that princess looks a little evil if you look at her eyes closely.  I blame it on the markers:)

Connor drew Oscar the Grouch

Tia drew the musical notes, I drew the vine.  Tonya drew Dan's "dragon" and I drew Jake's velociraptor (with the partially red head).

I like Tonya's Magnus the Magnificent (the lion), my pirate is funny close up -- It doesn't look much like Connor's Arrrghus (Argus) but it looks more like a pirate than my tiger looks like a tiger on a different side of one of these shoes!

One friend who knows I like instruments brought me an Ocarina.  It sounds a bit like a piccolo.

Another friend sent me these cheerful daisies.

One brave friend even bought me some clothes, and another brought me a whole bag of things to help me relax.  It arrived just in time, at the end of the day when I was exhausted.  So, you can see that I am not exaggerating, I really am generally spoiled, especially on my birthday.

The Three Fates

Tia's cosmetology school had a Disney program.  The students had to get models and dress them up like Disney characters.  There were some fabulously well done characters.  Tia did the Three Fates from Hercules.  They are the only ones I got pictures of.

Kayli is the Fate on the right -- carrying the eyeball.

Generous Little Jenny

Jenny with her husband Jeff and their five children.
Photo by Mitzi Torgersen



Last week, two days before my own birthday, my little sister turned forty.  I am four years older than her which maybe explains why my brain keeps turning off when I want to remember something and then helpfully remembers that thing in the middle of the night days later.   This time it remembered 8 days late.  Better late than never is becoming my new motto.  Here are some of the things I admire about Jenny.

Jenny is very good at organizing events, and being in charge.  In a family where we sometimes have a tendency to not be very decisive about some things, it is helpful to have a Jenny around.  When Ray (the oldest) and Jenny and I have traveled together before, Jenny was in charge.   

Jenny and Jeff are unfailingly generous at sharing their home and their resources.  Their house is almost always the family reunion / Harvest Dinner (early Thanksgiving) location.  Once they were able to take a lot of us to Lake Powell to stay on a house boat and it is still something that many of my kids love to remember.

Jenny loves to help.  If she knows something is wrong she wants to jump right in and help solve the problem.  She even called one of my doctors once to make sure he was doing all he could to help me.  How could I not love a sister who would do that?  She is also good at helping my Mom, and since I love my Mom, this makes me happy too.

Jenny has a good sense of humor.  I wish I had a video of her during one of our family reunion skits a few years ago.  Jenny loves yoga, and climbing, and is very strong.  Still, she is also very little and does not have your usual body builder physique.  So, during a part of one skit Jenny was making muscles in a dramatic fashion that had us all laughing and laughing.  Hopefully I would still laugh and not just sit there and covet the strength that she works hard to maintain.

Jeff calls Jenny "Little Jenny".  When he goes to find her I expect that he often finds her outside in the yard -- at least if the weather is good.  Little Jenny sometimes drives a backhoe to move rocks or dirt around.  Jenny's yard is beautiful.  She does lots of things like laying stone patios, or working in her beautiful flower or vegetable gardens.

Jenny is talented, generous, strong, fun, and kind.  She is also loyal, helpful, and friendly (like a good scout).  I love her and hope that her 40th birthday was a happy one, and that she'll enjoy many more happy birthdays.

My Trusty Bike

Me and my bike.  Photo taken by Dan.

I have had my bike for 25 years.  My Dad bought it for me when I was in college so that I wouldn't have to walk everywhere.  It has seen times when I rode it a lot, and times when it spent the whole year hanging in the garage.  A few years ago I had it fixed up, but in the beginning of the year it was in bad shape again and so I went out with Derek and got a new bike.  My old one is a Schwinn and so was the new one.  It was white and red.  It had a little bell, and a rack on the back, and fenders.  I rode it around the store for a while and then bought it.  Of course, when we got it home we discovered that its gears didn't work, it's brakes were always on and were impossibly hard to adjust, and the handle bars were installed off center.  I took it back and was assured that it could be fixed in about 40 minutes.  I decided to get my money back.

After more looking, and lots of considering, I decided that fixing my old bike up was a cheaper option and a really good one for someone as sentimental as me.  So, I took it to the local bike shop and they put road tires on it again (I had replaced its road tires with mountain biking ones).  They replaced the rusty cables and oiled the chains enough that I wasn't having to work extra hard to pedal.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that my bike was fun to ride again!  I added a bike rack on the back (for snacks, jackets, or library books) and a speedometer (It's fun to know how fast you are going and how far you have ridden).  So, the bike that my Dad bought for me, and he bought me a good one, is working for me still.  Good exercise and good fun.  Thanks Dad!

Family Fun in Idaho

     No summer is complete for us without a trip to Idaho.  Unfortunately, our summer was so busy we didn't make it there during summer vacation.  Fortunately, we figured out a way to fit the trip in later.  We left right after school on Thursday (Aug. 25) and had the kids skip their first Friday of school.  Trisa and Tia were not able to come, but the rest of us had fun.  Here are some of the highlights of our trip.

     We stopped at my parents house for dinner on the way to and from Idaho.  The food was delicious both times, and it was "Dan safe" including the Oreo "cake" to celebrate Dan's birthday number 5.

     Friday the kids played a lot and Derek and I got to attend the Rexburg Temple with Chris and Tina.  It was a blessing to get to go and it was nice to spend a little time with Tina and Chris.  W also enjoyed delicious Jamba Juices afterwards.  Tina's carrot one was not really making me jealous.

     We got to see their new beehive.

Emma handled the bees, Kayli got near them because she was in a suit.  Derek, Connor and Stephen could look into the hive from above.

Emma, Kayli, and lots of honey bees

     We got to see the chickens and watch the roosters strut around cock-a-doodle-dooing.  This is funny if you are not the one being woken up at four or five every morning.

Handsome Rooster

Stephen and Connor in the chicken coop.

Connor gazing lovingly at the chicken

Connor being amazed that he is holding a chicken.

     Saturday was also fun.  Chris and Derek took some of the kids on what was apparently a fabulously awesome hike (thanks Chris).  They went to a cave that had a wind tunnel.  Derek had me buy so many sweets for the hike that the sugar buzz alone should have kept them happy. While they were off seeing beautiful things Tina and I took some boys and went to the splash park.  They rode the carousel before getting wet.  Seeing the cute boys waving at us from their horses on the carousel was probably my favorite part of that trip, though it was kind of funny when Jake accidentally squirted me in the face when I told him it was about time to go.

     That night we had a big family dinner with my sister Tina and my brother Brian's families and that was really fun too.  We spent quite a bit of time trying to think of ways that the roosters (that were supposed to have been hens) could meet their demise without Christopher feeling guilty.  We obviously weren't successful as, last I heard, the roosters were still strutting around cock-a-doodle-dooing.

     Sunday was spent at church with Brian's family.  That Relief Society room was about the temperature of the Antarctic in the winter, but Brian found me a nice lady to sit by and the lesson was good.  I can't remember the trip home.  I think I had trouble staying awake and was glad that Derek was able to make the trip without falling asleep.  It was good to be home, but we are glad that we fit in some good family fun in Idaho.

     

The Brother's Hike

In August was the annual "Brothers Hike".  The brothers and brothers-in-law from Derek's side of the family, and his Dad when he is not on a mission, try to get together to tromp through the woods together (or some other scenic location).  This year not many could go -- just five.  They went to the Uintas.  Trent took pictures and generously shared them with us.  Derek asked me to pick a few and print them for his scrap book.  Since this generally IS our scrapbook I thought I would post them with a thanks to Trent for taking them and getting them out to family.


Jordan, Trent, and Derek

Jordan, Doran, Quinn, Derek

Derek, Quinn, Jordan

One of these boats had a big leak.  Quinn got to hold his finger over it the whole time they were on the lake so they wouldn't sink.  He had a life jacket on just in case.  (Okay so they probably all worse those).

My Beautiful Mother

My Mom (Anna) and her sister Gail

My Mom is beautiful.  She isn't just pretty, she is also kind, thoughtful, generous, fun, and smart -- and that is not an all-inclusive list of her good qualities!  I could not ask for a better mother, and that is why it is rather inexplicable that out of all of the birthday blogs I chose to write this year, it is my Mother's tribute that is late!  Still, it is heart-felt and I know my Mother well enough to know that she will overlook its late arrival.

My Mom's birthday was almost a month ago on August the 16th.  She was born in a little mining town in KY where she lived until she was almost 19.  Sometimes now, when she is really excited about something, or is talking to her Sister in KY, I can hear that twang sneaking back in and it makes me smile.  I always loved to listen to my KY relatives speak.

It is hard to know what to write about the person who was there for me from the time I needed her to do everything for me, until now.  She remembers things I did that I don't remember myself!  Through it all she has loved me by listening, teaching, helping, and serving.

When I was eight we moved from Nevada to Kentucky.  I still remember crying my first night there.  My mother must have been exhausted from moving and getting us all settled, but she took the time to listen to me when I told her I was sad, and a little nervous too.  The time she took with me that night was important enough that I have remembered it for decades now.  I think it means even more to me now that I have been a Mom myself and I know how hard it can be to listen when you are tired!

My Mom taught me a lot of things.  From almost my earliest memories I had chores.  I can't imagine that it was really helpful to my Mom for me to do these chores when I was little.  I'm sure it would have been faster for her to do it herself!  Yet, she knew that I would need to do things for myself one day and that I needed to know how.  I learned to clean, and bake, and cook, and even sew (a little).  I learned to bottle fruit, do laundry, and give talks and family home evening lessons.  My Mom read to me, and bought me books so that I could read too.  She loves music and she sang to us, and with us.  She sacrificed some of the family funds so that I could learn to play the piano, and when we really could barely afford it, she bought me a flute so that I could learn to play that too.  I knew that I was a child of God, and that he loved me and wanted me to choose the right because of the songs we sang.  What an amazing gift my Mother gave me through music!

My Mom has the mistaken notion that she isn't very smart.  Though we aren't inclined to argue much in our family, I have occasionally argued with her over this.  What is more smart than to know how to find answers when you need them?  Life has sometimes been hard for my Mom.  Dad worked a LOT of hours for a while and she had five of us to take care of, teach, and listen to.  Then we started moving.  We moved from Nevada, to Kentucky, to Missouri, to Colorado before I was eighteen, and she and Dad, and Brian and Jenny moved more often after that.  Friends were made and left behind.  Jobs were found and left behind.  And she had some health challenges to deal with along the way as well as the normal challenges of being a parent.  My Mom is really very incredible.  When challenges came she would turn to scriptures, and books, and ask people, and most importantly, she would pray.  She learned to listen very well to the help that Heavenly Father would send through the whispers of the Holy Ghost and she did what He said.   My Mom is smart.

I could probably write whole chapters about my Mom's many good qualities, but I will finish by talking about her compassionate nature and the service she gives.  I remember her taking care of me the many times I had tonsillitus when I was younger.  I would get so sick, and she would always offer to make whatever I wanted to eat when I got better.  Then, when I was pregnant with Trisa, she came to Provo from wherever they were living at the time and took care of me.  Since then she has cooked many meals for me and my family, and done lots of laundry, and watched grandkids, and written letters, and done dishes, and cleaned floors, and helped us move, and any number of other things.  I'm sure she has helped my siblings in many of the same ways.  My Mom is an extremely hard worker.  I have also watched over the years as she has made meals for others, or called them, or visited them.  She is good at loving people the way they are and, at the same time, inspiring them to want to be better.

I love my Mom.  Her heart is a loving one, which helps to make her incredibly beautiful. 

My Mom and Dad's 50th Anniversary Tribute

The Story of a Girl and a Boy

(My Parents)

A boy was born in a western town,

Where the LDS church was the main church around.

He had parents who loved him,

And he had siblings too.

He was taught what was right,

He was taught what was true.

He grew up and left home,

On a mission he went,

Knowing his life would change

But, to what extent?

A girl was born in a mining town

There were hills, and trees, and churches around.

She had parents who loved her.

She had siblings too.

She was taught what was right,

She was taught what was true,

To the fullest extent that her parents knew.

But the girl still had questions

Where could answers be found?

And it was about then

That the boy came around.

The girl's family was taught by the boy.

They learned more of truth.

They discovered new joy.

And the man he discovered

By unusual means

That this girl, from this town

Was the girl of his dreams!

So once he went home he wrote letters galore.

He had really strong hopes

He would see her some more!

He sent her a ring, by way of the mail,

And he called on the phone

What a tale he can tell!

Of the girl that he loved

Bravely telling him yes,

And going out with her Father

To buy a new dress.

One fit for a temple that was far away

Where she'd marry the boy

On their own wedding day.

So on September 1^st 1961

They were sealed in the temple

Their marriage had begun.

The girl and the boy

Were now to be one.

They would sometimes be happy,

And sometimes be sad.

There would be times that were hard,

And times that were glad.

Through all things they were

Determined to stay

Together to work

Through each challenging day.

They welcomed five children

They taught them with love,

Of their Heavenly Parents

Watching from up above.

They sent two boys on missions

And welcomed them home.

Boys and Girls soon grow up

Leaving parents alone.

But not so alone as they were before.

Because the children got married

And then there were more!

More people to love

More children to hold

More joy for the years

All more precious than gold.

This because two good people,

A girl and a boy

Who valued good family

And worked to have joy

Were sealed in the temple

Making promises there

Then worked hard to keep them

With diligent care.

I wrote this for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary party.  Mom and Dad are really good people who have worked hard to be good parents.  I am especially thankful that they taught me about Jesus, and His love for me and all of Heavenly Father's children.  Because of that knowledge my life has been full of hope, joy, love, and peace.  I love my parents and hope they are enjoying their anniversary adventure today.