Happy Birthday to Me

I still need to catch up on a reunion posting, but that will have to come next week, a little out of order.

So today was my birthday. Birthdays just aren't the same when you get older. I don't look forward to them quite as much. It was nice, though and my family was sweet. Savannah made me a birthday cake. This is no small thing since she isn't my daughter that likes to bake. In fact, she usually rebels at the idea of helping Veronica or me in the kitchen, so thanks to Savannah.One of the things I wanted to do for my birthday was to frame three watercolor cards I purchased in Alaska from an amazingly talented artist at a little booth. Her name is Kana Yamasaki and she was so nice and her work was so beautiful. I also purchased a lovely Christmas watercolor that will be displayed later in the year. I love that I found a frame for cheap at Ross and that this turned out so great.

The kids gave me a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble and Travis gave me flowers.

The three younger kids and I ran to See's to pick up Father's Day presents and we all enjoyed a couple of chocolates or a sucker. See's has to be the best candy in the world!

For the past several days my sciatica (I hope I spelled that right) has been hurting and I haven't felt great. In Idaho I had a woman that did lymphatic drainage and reflexology. Well, knowing I was hurting, Travis called an old colleague and hunted down someone for me to go to. It was both great and brutal. I doubt I'd have hurt worse if I'd been in an old world dungeon with shackles and whips and cruel instruments pulling off my fingernails one at a time, but DO I EVER FEEL BETTER!!! She really knew what she was doing and it made a huge difference. Thank you Travis!

Spencer and Kristi and their family are in Utah visiting from Oregon, so we invited them down for hot dogs around the fire. We had a nice visit. Their kids are so cute. Unfortunately they ran into bad traffic both directions, so that stunk, but it was nice to have them come down. Here are a few pictures. I'm looking forward to lunch tomorrow with Travis for my birthday and Father's Day. Thanks to my family for making today a nice day. I have many, many blessings and five of the best of them live with me.

Field Trip To Camp Floyd

This is Joe with his favorite teacher of all time, Miss Sechrest. Joe's class went to Camp Floyd, out past Cedar Fort. This is where the military was stationed when they were sent by President Buchanan to keep the Mormons from uprising. Since the Mormons weren't actually uprising, there was nothing for them to do except build up the camp, and then be bored, so there was a lot of drinking and fighting that went on out there. It was an enjoyable field trip.
The kids got to learn about military formation and how to hold and fire a gun during drills.


They got to dip candles, do a pony express relay (with stick horses), make adobe bricks and tour the commisary, hotel and school.

Usually when I go on field trips, I'm assigned four for five kids, including my own. On this field trip, I was with another mother (who was standing out of earshot on the phone doing business most of the time) and we were assigned 20 kids. Yes, I said 20.

We ate a sack lunch and had a great time. Joe is a great kid!

Brief Recap of 2009

This is without a doubt going to be the most random and ridiculous posting of all time. I figure the only way I'm going to get sort of caught up enough to get back on track is to give a rundown of 2009, and rather than get so caught up in getting pictures in perfect order and making beautiful, thoughtful posts, I'll just crank this out and get caught up and back on track. It's the wanting to do it 'right' that has made me put it off for so long and not do it at all. So rather than get hung up on perfection--here is our family in 2009 (in no particular order, as you'll see).


Joe turned 9 in 2009. He played flag football and was excellent. He was fast and scored multiple touchdowns and had a great time. He likes school, loves playing with friends and is a sweet kid.

Savannah decided that 2009 (6th grade) was the time to get serious about school, especially math. She's worked so hard and is getting good grades. I guess she's getting ready for Jr. High. She turned 12 and started into young womens. She is creative and clever.

Veronica restarted piano lessons and continues to get better and better. She works so hard in high school and gets perfect or better grades (because of extra credit, she often has over 100% in her classes). She loves to babysit, enjoys chick flicks and writing to her grandma.

Bruce started his senior year of high school. After spending the day at the University of Utah, where he was invited to the Honors Architecture program, he decided that he would do his undergraduate work there. He works every day after school and is saving money for college and his mission. This picture is a little teaser of how he'll look in less than a year when he goes on his mission.

Travis worked hard and significantly improved his office's performance winning a place on the top western states list. He served in the Sunday School presidency, enjoyed Jazz games with Bruce and Joe and Mehmet and took a couple of trips to Arizona moving a very large refrigerator.

The kids having fun at the family photo shoot with Rob Higginson photography.

During the summer we enjoyed a really fun family reunion in Idaho. Here is Mehmet showing off.

And here's Bruce's fine moves.

Travis and Veronica enjoying one of the fun activities.

Me clearly not enjoying one of the fun activities. (I only put this in here to prove that I'm alive and part of the family.)

Savannah enjoying the zipline with Caroline.

Joe enjoying a ride with Uncle John and cousin Stella.

Mehmet and Veronica at the Great Salt Lake a couple of weeks before he went home to Turkey. He was such a great part of our family from January until the end of June. It was hard to send him home. We wished we could have kept him. It is hard to imagine that someone from such a different background could fit in so well and be just like a son and brother, but he was and we miss him terribly. He was pleasant, helpful, funny, likeable, laughed easily, was great with the kids, respectful, entertaining and wonderful. He can be in our family any time!

The family at the family photo shoot.

Mehmet, just before he left for Turkey at a little gathering with the extended family. Everyone loved having him around and Grandma and Grandpa made him this wonderful quilt as a going-away present. He loved it!

Bruce and Mehmet at his going-away family party. He also had a great party with about fifty kids from school and church. He was loved by everyone.

Mehmet with the cake Veronica made at her cake-decorating class. She took the class with a friend and her young women's leader during the summer and did a good job. (I know, I could have taught her. In fact, she already knew how to do a lot of it, but this was a chance to do it with them and she had fun).

Mehmet and Savannah at the Great Salt Lake.

Bruce, Joe and Mehmet at M&M world in Las Vegas. We took Mehmet to St. George and Las Vegas. We had fun eating out, playing, riding roller coasters and getting paid for doing a survey on a new television show. It was a great time!

Bruce and Mehmet played on the same high school basketball team for Maiser Prep. They had fun.

Bruce at the Great Salt Lake.

Bruce and Mehmet looking a little too cool at the Jazz game.

2009 was the year we got Pepper. Savannah and Joe love her. Bruce and Veronica avoid her. She usually sleeps in Joe's room, but occasionally sleeps in Savannah. She's a huge, calm Great Dane and is a good friend for the two younger kids.

Savannah and Joe in a tree in a park by their school.

Veronica got to work with Kelsey Nixon of Food Network for three weeks. It was a great experience and Kelsey was so great. I haven't been able to find the pictures of Veronica with Kelsey, but here she is on Good Things Utah with the hosts. Veronica got to go with Kelsey as she did an appearance, helping her prep and getting to watch the taping.

Joe and Savannah playing in the water in St. George.

Joe enjoying the water park.

Travis and all the kids went on the roller coaster south of Las Vegas. Ridiculously big. I didn't participate.

Another sleeping shot of Pepper and Savannah.

Savannah with her new (to her) bike that was purchased of KSL. Veronica got a blue one. They enjoy riding around the neighborhood with their friends.

Veronica and Lily are great friends.

During the summer, we got our yard in and put in a firepit in the back. It is fun and we had some great gatherings there. Looking forward to more this year.


Veronica looking cute.

Mehmet relaxing.

Veronica performing at her piano recital. She did a beautiful job. Granpa and Grandma Higginson were able to come and Grandpa and Grandma Rindlisbacher listened from the phone since they were in St. George.

Savannah and Joe enjoyed the snow with Pepper.

Bruce and his good friend and cousin Nathan, just before Nathan left on his mission. They won't see each other for more than three years. It was tough to say goodbye.

Bruce enjoying birthday cake.

We replaced the Mazda with this 4WD car that makes us much more comfortable with Bruce driving in the bad weather to work. We also replaced the Honda Odyssey with a Honda Pilot.

The family Christmas party was great. It was a wonderful evening with good food, lots of good company, the Nativity and Quilts from Grandma and Grandpa to all the Grandkids. It was an amazing array of gifts.

The kids playing together.

Here are a few highlights with no pictures.

Bruce and Veronica had a great Youth Conference in Manti.

I finished my two novels and got them submitted (still waiting to hear something).

Travis, Bruce and Joe got to go to Texas where they watched BYU and Oklahoma in the new Dallas cowboy stadium. They saw Grandpa White while they were there. It was a fun trip.

We had a wonderful Christmas.

We finally sold our house in Bountiful after several weeks of ridiculously hard work.

We finally sold our house in Twin Falls after having it on the market for almost a year. It was an answer to months of fasting and praying.

We had a great time at an extended family yard sale/bake sale, earning money for the 2010 family reunion. It was a resounding success.

We enjoyed blessings and baptisms and homecomings and farewells of cousins.

It was a good year overall. Not without its trials, but with many happy memories.