Long time - No Hear (or see)

Sorry for the weeks of silence but with the week in LaVerkin followed by having Shanda and Talia here and several days when all girls came over to visit, I just didn't make time to get on the computer.

Here's an update of the past 3 weeks. We have one more week at home then leave for LaVerkin next Saturday, February 2nd.


LaVerkin - January 4 to 12th 2008 On Monday night we got together with Randie, Klynn and Quinta for a lovely meal and a short lesson. We had to start early and be done by 8:00 because Randie is a die-hard Phoenix Suns fan and their game was starting.













This next picture was taken from my mother's front porch. We have a great western view and some of the sunsets are really beautiful. Too bad they only last a short time then are gone.














One of my projects this time in LaVerkin was to quilt Mellissa Rosenhan's throw quilt. She and Serena put it together a year ago but Mellissa was grateful when I offered to quilt it for her so she could use it.

You'll have to admit that it is really striking with the satins and striking colors.




















We had fun one day when Fred and LuDeen showed up with a trailer load of snow from Pine Valley where they live. Garth helped Fred "unload" the snow then we all loaded firewood on the trailer for them to take back to Pine Valley. It made an otherwise predictable day of sitting with Mother, a bit more interesting.













Fred and LuDeen at picture above then below, Garth and Fred are surveying the load.













As always we were very happy to be back in our own home Saturday, Jan. 12th. We went to Provo and picked up Shanda and Talia who were staying with family while Preston worked with some people from Carpet Direct in the Layton area. It was fun to have them here but I failed to take many pictures.
This is one of the days Trina and Marenda came to visit with Shanda and work on projects. I enjoyed helping keep Addie, Mitchell and Caleb occupied by playing games with them.


Trina is sporting a bandaged finger to keep up with her mom who seems to have injured her hands a lot recently.



And the last picture I took was of Talia Hickman helping me sew a rag doll for her birthday.

The Pajama Factory

I thought you might like to see all of the pajamas I have made.

Mellissa's and Amanda's. Stephanie wanted the money for a dress.

The Reynolds' pajamas: Alden, Tamlen, Owen and Taren. The older girls wanted money













Paxton, Dana and Shelby's













Tessa, Trenton and Kira's pajamas














Talia and Gavin's pajamas









The Harding pajamas:

Sheridan's and Marcus' pajamas














Caleb's pajamse



















Two versions of Mitchell's pajamas
































Drake's famous "Mars' Mission" pajamas - definitely a challenge to create!
Front and back of the same pajamas















Addie's nightgown. I guess I missed taking a picture of Kasen's green sports pajamas

Christmas Eve 2007 at Our House

For Christmas Eve, we 4 families in the Provo area met at our house in Springville, Utah, in spite of a snow storm that started about the time we were gathering.













Mitchell Harding decided he was very happy to be with me most of the evening.






Trina, Guy and Caleb Harding
















and Liz and Deren Hansen

















Sam and Kasen Brown


















Garth is enjoying the evening with three of our grandsons - Marcus, Sheridan and Drake.





First we sang Christmas carols with each person selecting a favorite. Marenda's accomplishment on the piano makes singing together very enjoyable.




















Addie is helping her mother play the piano.

After a delicious meal furnished by all, we gathered for a little sharing time .

The children from each family shared their talents. Addie and her mom did "Must Be Santa".














Marcus, Caleb and Sheridan told us Christmas jokes



Drake played a Christmas carol for us on the piano and he and his mom sang "O Come, All Ye Faithful" in Latin.



It was then time for the traditional "Nativity" acted out by the children. We started with a beautiful duet by Trina and Marenda, "Hush, Thee My Baby, a Story I'll Tell".


With narration provided by Garth and Deren and songs by all, the children portrayed the birth of our Savior




Drake was the angel, Gabriel, Marcus was Joseph, Addie was Mary, Sheridan and Caleb were shepherds and Mitchell was a little black lamb and Kasen a little white lamb.



Speaking from grandparents' point of view, our hearts were full to overflowing.






















At last it was time for the children to open their Christmas gifts from us - Christmas pajamas




Front: Sheridan, Addie, Marcus, Caleb and Drake
Mitchell, Janice, Kasen

Christmas - a Season of Peace and Good Will

We had a different Christmas Day this year. With no one staying with us, we had no real reason to get up early to "tackle the gifts under the tree", but we did have an unexpected gift presented to us. Some years ago we asked our children to use whatever they would have given to us for someone in need. This year Trina and Guy and the boys had identified a family who didn't have much. So early Christmas morning, before they had opened their own gifts, they loaded everyone into their Windstar and secretly left gifts and a box of food for this family.
Normally, we would have received a gift letter reporting this service but this year, because they forgot their camcorder the night before, they came by to pick it up Christmas morning after delivering their gifts and we were delighted to the boys' insightful report of their experience while eating breakfast with us.
Our best Christmas presents each year have become the reports we receive from each of our children and their families of the service gifts they have given to others.

My Mother's Hundredth Birthday Bash!

Saturday, December 15th, we celebrated Mother's 100th birthday at the LaVerkin Stake Center.
Following a dinner we provided for approximately 100 of Mother's posterity, we had a brief program that consisted of a song, "Star of Bethlehem" by three of our lovely daughters - Trina Hansen Harding, Kendra Hansen Halterman and Shanda Hansen Hickman.















My younger brother, Corrin, then offered a tribute to Mother from an experience each of us shared with him. He ended with a lovely tribute to Mother from our Dad - who passed on in 1988. This was taken from his personal history.



















Pictures were then taken of Mother . .








Of Mother and her 5 children -
Front: Quinta N. Beatty (1st child), LuDeen N. Lundin (2nd), Mother, Janice N. Hansen (3rd)
Back: Corrin G. Nielson (4th) & Eric G. Nielson (5th)

Her children by marriage were then added:
Front: Janice Gerber Nielson, Quinta, LuDeen, Mother, Janice , Marsha Barratt Nielson
Back: Corrin, Fred Lundin, Garth Hansen, Eric

Of the original family of 10 children these 4 lovely women and Aunt Ella Gubler (married to Tell Gubler) - who couldn't make it - are the survivors of their generation.

Left: Aunt Genevieve (married to Mother's brother, Horatio Gubler, Mother, Aunt Ardella Heiner - Mother's only living sibling, and Aunt Edna (married to Uncle Ovando Gubler).


This is a picture of the posterity who were able to be there for the occasion. There would have been nearly twice that many had everyone come.

Fun with Grandchildren

While in LaVerkin, Kira told me that Sheridan had climbed on Grandma's roof before and she wanted to. I took her up and here she is near the peak of the roof. She wanted to do it but was very happy to get down.












This is the flat part of the roof where many of our girls have had slumber parties over the years.















Inasmuch as the babies really don't care about opening their packages on Christmas Eve, I had Kendra and Shanda open the ones for their little girls because they were alike. Here are my two little pixie girls though neither one of them is too happy. Talia is crying for her Mother and Tessia is sucking hard on her pacifier.

A proud grandmother is holding her newest grandchild - Tessa Ruth Halterman













Just before they left for Arizona, Trenton and Kira had to have one last play in the snow by our house in Springville.



















Talia's last morning with us. She was having lots of fun with the "peg people" and Fisher Price toys.