The Grand (ma) Move

Much against her wishes, we moved our mother, Ruth G. Nielson into the Beehive House in Hurricane, Utah. It is a lovely home for elderly people and has only 12 residents. The staff are loving, caring people and do all they can to help their people adjust to their new surroundings. The opportunity came up unexpectedly last week and we, as her children, decided to move on it. We have been searching and praying for something to relieve us from the intensive care we have been involved in for so long. Of course, Mother would like to end her days in her own home, but does not want to live alone. This was a hard decision but we felt we had to try it out for now. On Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 we had Mother pack a few of her things and we made the move.

We have been very impressed with the facility and hold high hopes that Mother will find it a place where things are going on and she has some interesting things to do and people to get to know. Her world has been sitting and sleeping in her chair and walking only when she needed to go to the bathroom. She has regained so much of her energy and alertness that she doesn't sleep much during the day and wants to be entertained with videos or reading all day.
After the move, it didn't take me long to rearrange a few things in the house.














Two views of the living room.














Doesn't this entry way look much better this way?



















Thursday night we had a family dinner - minus Mother - to discuss options














LuDeen, Eric and Garth

Corrin, Janice and Fred. Marsha was there but out of the room.













Before we left for home, we stopped in to see Mother. This picture is taken in her room. She doesn't have much more furniture than this so far.














This is the large living area that all residents have access to there are couches and chairs and two dining room tables and chairs and a nice, big kitchen



















This is the front of the Beehive House. The grounds are open and quite lovely






The window you can see is Mother's room - at the back of the building. Garth is coming out the back door.

A Baby Shower & a Baptism

Friday evening Trina, Marenda and I - with Garth as our chauffeur - went to Draper for my niece, Carie Nielson Carter's baby shower as she awaits her first child. Carie and Marenda are the same age.


Marenda and Kasen, Carie and Trina. It was so good to see Carie who lives in Virginia.



The shower was given by her sister , Jean and she provided us with a wonderful dessert bar. This was, by all odds, one of the fanciest dessert bars I have ever seen. with chocolate and carrot cake, cheese cake, éclairs, pastries, fruit fondue, chocolate pudding, tarts loaded with berries, raspberry/Sprite drink etc. Everything was so good!













Lana and Carie trying to decide what to take.



















Trina fell heir to a lot of the leftovers to use for Marcus' baptism the next day.

It is always a special privilege for grandparents to be able to attend the baptism of one of their grandchildren. Guy baptized & confirmed his son, Marcus, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.

Family Home Evening with the Hardings 3-24-08

We were pleased to join Trina, Guy and the boys for Family Home Evening. When we arrived, Mitchell was sitting on the dining room table cleaning out the peanut butter jar.










After dinner. We met for Family Home Evening. Trina is playing for the opening song as Marcus and Mitchell assist.


















Caleb had a little hard time settling down so we could begin.




Both Guy and Garth helped entertain a young man.






































Mitchell decided his job was to take pictures.












Marcus gave a very nice lesson on the importance of baptism in anticipation for his baptism next Saturday.




















Trina and Sheridan are assisting with scriptures.


For a special number, Caleb sang a song about an elephant . . . . .


















and Mitchell was the elephant.




















When it came time for treats, soda crackers with icing was being served but Mitchell headed for the freezer and the only treat he thinks he should have.

Garth is helping him get his ice cream.

Easter at Our House - March 23, 2008

The day after we arrived back in Springville was Easter weekend. The family in the area gathered at our house for the traditional Easter picnic and Easter Egg hunt.
With everyone furnishing something, we had plenty of good food - chicken rice salad, deviled eggs, rolls, veggies and fruit, Hot cross buns and cupcakes.



























Even though the temperature outside was just in the low 50's, everyone agreed that we should eat outside on our back lawn.
Before the meal, Kalen and her friend, Dave, hid around 75 plastic Easter eggs filled with candy all around our yard.





































The children got their Easter baskets and then took off in search of Easter eggs.

Once they had found everything, they gathered in our living room and enjoyed the bounty of their hunt. (Addie's back, Caleb, Marcus and Drake)
David, Kalen and Sheridan watching the proceedings.


Mitchell was more interested in seeing how the eggs worked than what was inside of them.













Drake found our treadmill and wanted to get on it in the worst kind of way. I told him only if he had one of his parents. I then did my best to keep Mitchell back because he wanted a turn just like everyone else. Deren, who was supervising his son, let him get on for a short time.

March 17-21 Our week with Grandma

I set up the sewing machine by the washer in order to work on some Christmas place mats that I started months ago. I thought this was a good time to finish them up.

When we left to go care for Mother we were told that she had improved in health to the point where she needed constant entertainment. For the first time in 2 months, she ventured on outings away from her house. On Tuesday we took her to see the blossoming trees in Toquerville then Garth decided he wanted to go up toward Virgin. As we got near Virgin we turned around and started back to LaVerkin when Garth decided he wanted to explore the road that went up to the Mesa where the government had a testing facility for high speed ejection seats. Mother didn't much like the looks of the road but as we got higher she began to fret until Garth turned around.

This first picture gives you a little idea of the height.

We stopped long enough for me to get a picture of our reluctant traveler. She informed us she was not enjoying this and that we were going to fall over the edge.





























Garth snapped this shot of Mother's living quarters. She spends 99.9% of her time in this chair. I had a family video on that she was watching.

We had a pleasant interruption on Tuesday evening when Sam, Marenda, Addie and Kasen came to see us and "Grandma" and joined us for dinner before returning to Orem.






I couldn't decide which picture to use because Kasen is looking in one picture and Addie is looking in the other one. This is just before they left to go home.
















They had to drive up in the "development" behind Grandma's house to see how our beloved hillside has changed.

The Reason For My Silence

Between spending our time in LaVerkin caring for Mother during a very difficult time then getting a bad case of the flu myself, I have been pretty much out of commission.


This couch was the scene of my sick bed for a good week. We arrived back from caring for my mother who was still suffering from the flu and I started with chills and fever that day and didn't do much else for the next week. The second week, I plugged away working a little each day on the quiet book but it was two weeks to the day before I was back to full health and energy.



This second picture shows that we actually had snow in LaVerkin while we were there. It doesn't happen very often so I had to take this picture.

Garth is surveying the scene.

Look What I Have Been Spending My Time Doing!

Shanda requested a Quiet Book for Talia's first birthday. I thought you all might like to see some of my hard work.