Peach Days in Southern Utah

Greetings everyone! We traveled to LaVerkin on Thursday, August 28th, to spend some time with my mother, to have a belated birthday dinner with my sister - Quinta, and to attend my 53rd class reunion (Hurricane High School)



Eight of us gathered at Mother's house on Thursday evening for a belated birthday meal for Quinta who turned 78 on July 3rd. I prepared the meal and LuDeen made pies and furnished ice cream. Going around the table to the left you will see Garth, LuDeen, Marsha, Eric (Spencer), Quinta, Randie and Fred. It is always great to get together with my brothers and sisters and their spouses. We missed Corrin and Janice.

On Friday we took Mother's fiber optic's Christmas tree over to her apartment for her to enjoy and to brighten things up a bit. We had tried to take it to her earlier but she hadn't wanted it.

I also took her two new dresses. She is wearing one of them in this picture.
































Saturday was reunion day. In the morning, Garth delivered me to the parade route in Hurricane where I met some of my classmates and we rode on this trailer. I am actually on the other side of the trailer 2nd person from the front of the trailer.











In the evening we met at the American Legion Hall in Hurricane and had a delicious meal of dutch oven cooking










For our program we tried to follow our graduation program. Since I couldn't find one of the songs I sang in, I did a couple of songs from the operetta that we did our Senior year titled, "Kentucky Sue". I had the title part and sang, "I Want a City Feller" and "Kentucky Sue".














These are my classmates who were present. I am on the front row, 2nd from the right. Out of our graduating class of 53 we had 9 men and 13 women present. It was a fun time.

Caleb's Birthday - A Day with Addie & a Chair

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY, CALEB

We were privileged to join the Hardings to celebrate Caleb's 5th birthday. Since they had a big party when the Reynolds were still here, I made him a chocolate cake this time.













A DAY WITH ADDIE





Friday was a fun day for us. Garth picked up Addie after lunch and brought her to our house in Springville. She had been telling her mother for some time that she needed to come to our house and, "Help Lita make me some dresses".


First she wanted to put together a puzzel and she chose this Snow White puzzle.

She wanted to watch a movie and after it was established that we didn't have Ella Enchanted, she settled for Snow White.










I then let her choose the cloth she wanted her dress out of and, with a bit of help, I sewed up a dress for Addie and one for her doll.






















































A CHAIR FOR TALIA




This is another project that Shanda came up with while she was visiting but I had to wait until I was in Colorado Springs - when the patterns were on sale at Joanns - to get started.

Shanda had this grey green fabric and I cut out and sewed up the cover. It is filled with pillow forms that I also cut out and sewed up then, yesterday - August 23rd - I cut foam rubber and used batting and put the chair together. I thought you could better see the size if I put someone in it and Mr. Bear was the only one available who would fit.

To Colorado Springs & Back Home - Aug. 2008

As I mentioned in my previous posts, I am catching up on the summer. The day after Milo Hickman was born, I posted a few pictures.

This post picks up the rest of our visit.



What do you think Talia is so focused on?





You are right. . . It is one of her movies - Either "Ice Age" or "Spirit".
















On Friday - the 8th - we had a 1 day birth celebration.
Here are the exhausted parents and their little family - Milo ( 1 day) and Talia (17 Mo.). I think Talia is more interested in the yummy little chocolate cake or blowing out the candle.
















Our newest little grandson - Milo Hansen Hickman on his first day on this earth.
















I couldn't resist big sister and her two pacifiers.
"Fires" seem to be the solution to all her problems at this age.









Day 2- Don't this mom and her new baby look great!

















Garth and I spent several days working on refinishing this dresser so Talia would have a place for her clothes.

















Saturday morning - August 9th - Preston took us to see the Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs.

Talia is all ready to go in one of the little dresses I made for her, her back pack and her hat.














Here we are at the Garden of the Gods. The picture doesn't really do it justice. It is an amazing area of beautiful rock formations.








Sunday morning - August 10th -

Talia and Gavin are ready to go to church. Talia is wearing another one of the dresses I made for her. She loves pockets so all of the new clothes I took to her have pockets. Doesn't she look darling in this one?















Sunday evening - Shanda's and Milo's first excursion out of the house.

Preston's parents - Mike and Marsha Hickman - invited us to their house for a great dinner with a lot of things from their garden.





Here is the first family picture of the new family of five. Shanda holding Talia, Preston holding Milo and Gavin who is just enjoying being with his family.













I did a good job of spoiling Talia while we were there. When I was working in the kitchen she wanted to be in arms or up on the cabinets where she could be involved. From the cabinets , the sink just looked like too much fun.














We had to have a picture of Garth getting acquainted with his newest grandson.







Another project while we were visiting was to help Shanda complete her nursery. In as much as Milo will take over the drib and dresser. We helped sand and paint a dresser for Talia then Garth made a wooden headboard and Shanda and I covered it and combined with a new bed frame and the white bedspread I had made when Shanda was visiting with us in Utah, we were able to put together this lovely junior bed - just the right height for Talia.

























We arrived back home August 15th.
After having been gone from home for 12 days, this is what we found in our garden.

Goodbye to Rosenhans & Hello to Reynolds

All too soon it came time to say goodbye to Serena, Blair and Amanda and they picked up Stephanie in Logan and returned to Michigan.






Kendra and Barry Halterman had to leave for home the same time. Two little girls - Tessa and Taren - barely had a chance to get acquainted as they enjoyed our toys together.










For the 24th of July, 2008 - the families here in Utah came to our house for swimming, barbecue and fireworks.



The children were so interested in swimming that it wasn't hard for the adults to get their food.




We were pleased to have Brian's parents join us as well.


Trina, Sheila, Liz, Kerali, Deren and Marenda.









Blair, Diane & Bob Reynolds












Trysten, Sheila Reynolds, Liz, & Kerali











When it got dark Brian and Guy set off the fireworks in the street.














We were privileged to have the Reynolds family join us for breakfast for a combined birthday party for Kalen & Trysten. I surprised them by putting up all of their pictures as is tradition in our family for birthdays.

First Week in July & Sister's Retreat - July 7th & 8th, 2008

Cousins spent some fun time together upon our return to Northern Utah.


Drake had a great time in the big pool.


















Here is the "Line Up" of some of our grandchildren - Drake, Gavin, Talia, Marcus & Kira.







I thought this was a precious picture of Serena helping Talia find raspberries to eat.










Kasen, Marenda and Addie, watching the fireworks.

















Shanda had her birthday while here so we made her a chocolate cake. She also got to celebrate her birthday on our Sisters' Retreat.





It was a wonderful privilege for me to be able to meet with 5 of my 6 daughters and 1 of 2 daughters-in-law for our first - and I hope - not the last, Sisters' Retreat.











We first had a lovely meal at the BrazilianTucanos Restaurant.

Pictured are: Shanda, Trina, Kendra, Mom (Janice), Serena, Liz, & Marenda. Marenda had Kasen and Addie with her then Sam's parents took them for the night.




Trina has lovely friends who let us use their cabin up near Heber.


Here are two loving sisters - Shanda and Marenda.








We are having our evening meal - Serena, Marenda, Trina, Kendra and Shanda.











The next morning we had our breakfast on the deck.










Just before leaving for our homes, we took this picture -

Serena, Trina, Kendra with Tessa, Marenda and Shanda.


What a special time! We missed Kerali, Jenny and Liz.