The Old Folks

I Like to Hike

2011-07-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

Denise Landvatter, Dianne Robbins and I have been hiking most weeks in the summer for the past 5 or so years, and last year we decided to take on a longer hike. This year we did the same. We started out going to Calf Creek Falls, which I had wanted to do for a long time. Unfortunately, so does the whole world. It was cool, but there were about 70 other people there. Now I've done it, I can take it off my list.

After that, we went to Boulder, Utah and stayed overnight. We found a great little restaurant there, which was nice. The next morning, we went to Burr Trail, and did a couple little hikes there. It was beautiful, but not amazing for hiking. The drive along the Burr Trail was spectacular, though.

Next, we did a quicky to Bryce Canyon, which was free because Dianne is a Senior Citizen!!!
Our last stop was to Coyotte South Butte. On the way we encountered these weird little tunnels made by some kind of flies. Ewww.
We traveled 17 miles on an unpaved road out of Kanab, and then turned on an extremely sandy side road. We only had to go for about 3 miles, but it seemed like 10. There were deep places for the tires to go, and sand everywhere. I was so scared. I was praying the whole time, "Heavenly Father, we have no business being here, but please get us out." Denise was oblivious to the whole thing, and just talking, which was good! When we finally made it to the place, I was shaking like a leaf! It was very scary.

The place was awesome, and we were glad we risked our lives for it!

Long Time No Write

2011-06-21T21:14:00.001-07:00

I used to use this as my journal, and then I got away from doing it. So I am going to try to get back to it. It will be hard to catch up, but I will do a little of that first.

Major things that have happened:
DJ got married on May 10, 2011!!!
DJ's wife is Mariko Osterloh. They knew each other in high school, but not very well. When DJ was at Utah State, so was Mari's sister, and through her they re-connected. She is a wonderful girl, and we are thrilled that they are married. The wedding was at the Salt Lake Temple, and it was a beautiful ceremony.

The Osterlohs put on an amazing reception at their neighbor's house, who just happens to have a ball room. The band was spectacular, the food was scrumptious, and the dancing was crazy. I heard that my grandson, Coleman was really making the moves...unfortunately I didn't get to see that.

They are living in Tyler, Texas for the summer. DJ is selling alarm systems, and Mari is working in the office.

Because DJ got married, all of the family was in Salt Lake!!! It was so fun to have everyone together!

We are still doing our mission, and loving it. We got to be with a family that were sealed. That is our goal, but it doesn't happen that often. But this is the Diaz family, and we are so happy for them!

Goodbye, Ginny

2010-11-16T15:36:00.000-08:00

After a long, long, long time of being sick from cancer, my sister passed away 2 weeks ago. It was harder than I thought it would be, since she has been hoping for it to come for many months. She was told in March that she had 3 months to live. Cancer is a merciless disease. One day in June, she went into a coma, and even the doctor said she had hours to live...but nope, she came out of it and back to sinking slowly. I went to stay with her every few weeks. She was always happy to see me, and tried to be attentive to me. I was there a few weeks ago, and she was very weak. She kept falling asleep. I would be jabbering on, and when I would see her dozing, I would try to leave the room. She would say, "I'm not asleep!" She just wanted me to be there with her.

Ginny will be remembered as a great friend to many. She was a master letter writer. One of her church jobs was to keep track of the Young Adults in her ward, and she was writing to 65 of them!

Ginny had a bucket list unlike most. Here are some of the things that were on it: Write out the stories that she had been telling her children and grandchildren. Make valances for the windows so that Jim wouldn't have to worry about that. (I'm sure that really would have worried him). All the girl grandkids had a dress made by grandma, except Lila, so make a dress for Lila. Finish her journal. Everything on her list was something that she wanted to do for someone else.

Ginny was ready to learn some things that can't be answered here. She never said "Why me?", and was always sure of where she was going. I am so thankful for the example of my sister. She lived well, and she died well. Thanks for your life, I will miss you!

Blessing and Baptism

2010-07-11T16:19:00.000-07:00

We have had an eventful two days! The first was the baptism of our first grandchild, Sophie. We truly feel like she is our miracle. Born 3 months early at 1 lb. 12 oz., we weren't sure if she would make it. This picture is of her with a beanie baby to show how small she was.

Now here she is 8 years later, healthy, happy, and baptized! It was a wonderful day. DJ played a piece on the cello that he had arranged, and David gave a great talk about the Holy Ghost.
Sophie was baptized on the same day as her bff, Lilly.
Our second event in two days was the blessing of Amy and Rich's 4th child, Annie Ruth. While she was being blessed, I understand she was very content, looking around at the goings on. Richard gave a very nice blessing (as well as a wonderful blessing for Sophie).

After the blessing, she wasn't in a photo op mood, so this is what I got. She's still awfully cute!
Here is a four generation picture.
What a blessing it is to have children and grandchildren!

Our Friends are Sealed

2010-06-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

We have been part time missionaries for almost 2 years now, and loving every minute of it. By far, the best thing of all happened yesterday.

In the summer of 2008, we got to meet the Ledesma family. The sister missionaries told us that they had a "golden family". They were right. By October, we helped with a wedding, and the next day the baptism of Andrea, Luis, and Tomas.

Through the next year we saw both sucess and trials for this family. Luis lost his job shortly after being baptized, but he said that he knew everything would be ok. One day during a priesthood meeting, a brother was putting the Catholic church down. Luis stood up. He didn't say anything for a while, just stood there. Finally, he said, "I joined this church because I know that this is the truth, but we should not be putting the Catholic church down." And calmly, he sat down. He wasn't afraid, even as a new member, to be bold.

Yesterday, we got to witness the sealing of the Ledesma family in the Salt Lake Temple. To see that family that we love, surrounding the alter of the temple was indescribable. The joy on their faces, the tears, those cute two boys in white...amazing!

Maybe today topped it off though. Andrea, who has always been afraid to speak in church, or even to give a prayer, bore her testimony. She spoke of the experience of the temple, of her love for her husband, children, and the gospel.

Amy Has 4!!!

2010-05-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, Amy had her 4th baby, a little girl, 5 lbs. 11 oz., names Annie Ruth. Everything went well (for once), and everyone is doing great! Amy came home on Friday. The baby is another beauty! This adds the Hesterman grandbabies to 8! Sophie was so excited to hold the baby, she held her for at least an hour the first time at home. Carson and Cameron checked her out and then went on to do other things. Congratulations Amy and Rich!

May 2010 Trip to Florida/Georgia

2010-05-22T15:34:00.000-07:00

Yep, I got to see my cute grandkids again! Ruby has changed the most. She is so adorable, I could hardly stand it! She is very easy going (How did Wendy get that kind of luck?) I was afraid that she wouldn't like me, but she seemed just fine with me holding her.
Here's the gang at what Wendy calls "the kiddie pool". It is very shallow, and the kids love to hang out there and play in the water.
Sally is as precocious as ever. Just like Emily, no one is a stranger. She wants to make friends with anyone near by.

Alice has changed a lot since last time. She says a lot of words. But my favorite thing is that she sings! She sings the "ABC song" in tune. It is so cute. A lot of the letters are not decipherable, but every once in a while one comes out.
Coleman is a sweety. He often comes up and says, "Grandma, I love you so much!" What could be better than that?

Just a few more...

Sally is taking a ballet class. They let me come in for the last 10 minutes. It is so cute to see them dancing!
I LOVE this picture!

Two People I Admire

2010-04-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

I am in Logan for two very good reasons this week: to see my sister who has cancer, and doesn't have much time left on this earth, and to see my son play in his Sophmore cello recital.

It is both hard and easy to be with Ginny. She is such a good person, and even though this is incredibly hard, she looks to the good things. We play games, and talk and laugh about normal things. She talks about how it will be great to see mom and dad, and how she will soon be able to get answers to questions that she has. She speaks of her love for her family. There is no doubt in my mind that she knows that this life is not the end, and that she will be able to be with her family again. It is hard to see her becoming skinnier each time I see her, to see her belly swollen with a liquid that means that the cancer is continuing in her body, and to see her in pain. She is an inspiration to me, and I hope that I can become more like her.

DJ is playing in his first solo recital. He is such a great young man. Not only is he talented, he is fun to be around. He is very spiritual and thoughtful . He has been working hard with his cello, and I am proud and pleased with all that he is doing.

These are two people that I am so grateful to know and to be able to have in my life. I'm thankful to both for they ways that they have touched me!

For My Valentine

2010-02-13T20:04:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and I have a wonderful Valentine...his name is David. Here are just a few reasons that I love him:
He NEVER makes me feel bad by criticizing, or telling me I'm too fat, too dumb, not smart enough to learn Spanish, or any other things that I sometimes tell myself.
He is always happy to see me when he comes home.
He has amazing energy for our mission work.
He is a wonderful father and grandfather.
He rubs my head when I have a headache (which is often).
He makes the bed.
He is smart.
He makes money so that we can have nice things.
He lets me be me.
He has nice hair.
He loves the gospel and shares it with others.
He always tell me he loves me.

There are many others, too. I am very blessed to have a mission companion who is also my best friend. I am thankful to have David as my Valentine!

Christmas with the Hesterman Gang-2009

2010-01-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

For the first time in 4 years, all of the Hestermans were together for Christmas! We had such a great time, I was thrilled to have us all together.
The day after Wendy arrived, Terry invited us to come to his amazing place to enjoy the amenities.
Finally, we got the 4 siblings together for a picture!

When Sally saw Santa coming through the door, she jumped up and ran to him. It was so cute.
The kids got to decorate some Christmas ornaments.

The big kids got some foosball in.
Sally liked the bunny.
And grandma loved holding Ruby.

Then it was off for tubing.

The Lewis' luggage hadn't arrived, so we had to make do...Coleman is pretty stylish, huh?

Christmas day was awesome! To have Wendy's family, Emily's family, and DJ all there made it a wonderful morning.

After Christmas, we went and enjoyed the Christmas lights and spirit at Temple Square. We were all there, but DJ left early.
David worked it out so that we could spend 3 days at a lodge in Castle Valley. We turned into gunslinging, ATV and horse riding fools!
We had people wait on us, make our beds, and feed us. It was fantastic!!!
Emily put our name in the snow...this is the lodge where we stayed.

Everybody loved the ATVs, especially the boys.

I can't tell how happy I was to be taking pictures of my 4 kids.
We got to ride some horses, it was a first for a few of them.
All the grandkids together in their jammies, how cute are they???
Here are my darling little gun slingers!
To have all of our kids together was a dream come true. Sure, the house was a mess, there was always a kid or two sick or crying, but it was a wonderful thing to see all four of our kids enjoying each other. I will cherish this time together forever!

2009-12-09T12:12:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I Love Florida!

2009-11-07T21:51:00.001-08:00

Wendy lives a beautiful place, but the best thing about it is not the white sand or emerald water, it's the grandkids I get to see!

We went to the beach to try to get some pictures. Sally came in a mood, and pretty much was not cooperating the whole time. Even so, we got some pretty good pictures. With such great subjects, it helps.

I love how this turned out.
I got tons of cute pictures of Alice, she was adorable.
We went at sunset, the sky was beautiful!

One more, I think this is such an adorable picture!

October is Our Birthday Month

2009-10-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my favorite daughters that were born in October, Wendy on the 7th, Emily on the 8th, and Amy on the 21st...also Alice on the 7th and Sally on the 13th!

I am so thankful to have wonderful daughters who are great people, but more importantly, fantastic mothers.

They are all amazing at so many things, I can't name them all. I am so proud to be their mom!

# 8 Is On the Way!!!

2009-10-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

Last week during our semi-annual dinner for the girls while the boys are in the priesthood session, Sophie was sitting next to me. Suddenly she blurts out, "Grandma, my mom is going to have a baby!" I was totally surprised and thrilled. Amy was not quite ready to share the news, but when you tell the kids, it is just a matter of time. We are growing at at least 1 grandchild per year, and loving it! Yea for new babies!

2006

2007

2008

2009 will be coming soon...

Look At Two of My Cute Grandkids!

2009-08-23T18:24:00.000-07:00

Wendy just sent me this picture...are they adorable or what? I can't stand that they are so far away.

Oops, here's some pictures!

2009-08-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

When I blogged before, I forgot to put pictures. Here are some of the fun things we have done.

Emily is in Town!

2009-08-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

When Emily comes to town, the fun never ends! We have been busy taking advantage of having the cousins together. We went to the Thanksgiving Point Children's Garden. The kids loved the Noah's Ark. Emily had 3 things that she wanted to do while she was here: go to the temple, get her hair cut, and go on a hike. Dianne Robbins, Emily and I went on a hike yesterday up to Mount Aire in Millcreek Canyon. The hike was great, and the scenery was beautiful. DJ, Emily and I all went to Landis Hair Salon for a "Salon Day". Tonight, we went to the temple, it was so nice to have lots of our family together there.

Home Again, Home Again!

2009-07-20T15:06:00.001-07:00

days, and then went to pick up DJ in England. I was home for 8 days, and then went to Panama City for 17 days (I'm sure the Lewises were thrilled to get rid of me). Now, I have no trips planned, I'll be staying home for a while.

So, here are a few pictures from the last trip. This is Ruby Jane Lewis at 4 days old. She just keeps getting cuter and cuter!

Wendy and Jesse got a BOB stroller so that she can jog with both kids in tow. We had to stop her from running at 4 days post baby.
It was great to have Emily, Sally and Alice in Panama City for a few days. Sally and Coleman loved playing in the backyard.

This is Grandma's last day...I will miss these cuties.
When I got home, I discovered that Sophie has lost both of her front teeth. I understand she swallowed one of them...I'm glad some of the grandkids are in Utah, I can get my grandma jollies somehow.

Ruby Lewis Finally Made it!!!

2009-07-10T23:14:00.001-07:00

Well, it finally happened! Wendy was feeling pretty lousy all day Friday, but not sure if it was labor or something else. We went to the "kiddie pool" (which is a finger off the Gulf) with Coleman and spent several hours there. When we came home, Wendy tried to take a nap, without much success. She started telling me that she was having contractions around 5:00, but she didn't want to get excited, because it might be false labor. We counted contractions, and they were pretty sporadic. About 6:00, we had some dinner, and continued to monitor her. She decided to go take a shower, and found that the bath really eased the pain. By 7:30 we were sure that this was it. Finally, at 8:00, they left for the hospital, Wendy's water had broken, and it is half and hour away. They got to the hospital, the doctor said, "You're ready to push," she pushed 3 times, and Ruby was born. That's a little too close for me, but what a trooper!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

2009-07-09T21:53:00.000-07:00

Emily came to Florida so that she could participate in seeing her new niece. No dice! Instead, we got to spend lots of time together. We went to the beach, to Gulf World, played in the backyard, and enjoyed each others' company. Wendy is now 6 days late. She got checked yesterday, and things seem to be moving along, but not very quickly.

Here are some pictures of things we weren't supposed to be doing!

Sally fell asleep standing up on the way home from the beach. Emily is holding her head up.

Waiting for #7

2009-06-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

I am in Florida, waiting for Wendy to have my 7th grandchild. We thought she would go early, since her first was born 10 days early. But so far, no luck. Wendy has a great attitude, but is VERY ready to be a mother of 2!

While we are waiting, we are keeping busy at the zoo. They had a pony ride, which Coleman thought was very cool. He is such a sweet little boy. When he saw me at the airport, he came running to greet me. This morning, he came and "snuggled" with me. Tonight, he thanked Heavenly Father that grandma gives him hugs. Yea for grandkids! (If anyone knows how to get another here, let me know!!!)

More on Our Trip to England

2009-06-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

We are back, and had a fantastic trip...better than anything we could have imagined! We used Rick Steves' book on where to go, and did almost everything that he recommended. That, plus we went to each of DJ's mission areas. Here, in no particular order, are some pictures of stuff that we did!

This was a place in northern Wales, the lady wouldn't let us inside...

This was a really cool castle in Conwy, Wales.
We made a little trek on our own in Liverpool to some of the places that the Beatles sing about. Here is Eleanor Rigby's grave, next to the church "where her wedding had been."
Here's David at Strawberry Field. We were the only ones there!
Another Beatle moment...
This picture is in the Lake District of England. This waterfall was just minutes from our Bed and Breakfast!
This is DJ and David in Birmingham, just after we picked DJ up. We were so thrilled to have him with us, I can't even describe my feelings of joy.

After we picked up DJ, we spent some time in London. Here is a great view of Big Ben.

The London Temple
This "car" made a record at the Bonneville Salt Flats. We laughed at the sign near it, it said that the record was made in Nevada. David said, "No way, that was in Utah."
This is in the Brecon Beacons, near Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. We had a beautiful hike with green everywhere. DJ is with Craig, a friend and one of the people that he baptized. He, his wife Kimberly, and daughter, Ebony came with us.
This is in Avebury, which has a ring, like Stonehenge, only it's much bigger.
This is Shakespeare's birthplace. I loved that it had lots of color on the walls!
This bobby, at Buckingham Palace, looked at DJ, and said, "Elder, are you coming or going?" When we asked how he knew about missionaries, he told us that he is his ward's High Priest Group Leader! Cool, huh?
This is Loch Lommond, in Scotland. We hiked up to where we could see for miles...beautiful!
Abbey Road
My favorite thing was seeing DJ for the first time...I was terrified that he wouldn't want to be with us, but when we got to the mission home, he ran out and gave us both a big hug. It felt so great, one of the best feelings ever. My second favorite was meeting people that DJ had taught and been with. Two different people said that DJ was like family to them. Also, we got to go to a baptism and confirmation of a woman that DJ had taught. She bore her testimony afterward, and the spirit was amazing. How can you beat that?

The touring was wonderful. We went to so many fantastic places and saw so many things. I loved the castles, the churches, the scenery, the people, and even some of the food. What a wonderful opportunity this was!

Now We're in Scotland!!!

2009-06-06T14:25:00.002-07:00

We did the coolest thing today...we went to the Highlands and hiked up to where we could see an amazing view of Loch Lomond. It was incredible. I still got in a hike! Food is not so good, but I keep eating.

In England

2009-06-05T01:26:00.000-07:00

We're in England right now, and having a great time! On the first day, we went on a quick walk-through of London...we will do it more thoroughly when DJ is with us. Yesterday we drove to York, which was an adventure. Left side driving, right driver...it was totally confusing. David got pulled over by the police to tell him that he was passing on the left, a no-no. The GPS system took us into the wilderness, and it took us forever to get to York. But we went to the York Minster, an amazing church, had dinner in a 400 year old restaurant, and went on a haunted walk with a funny, story telling guide. We didn't see any ghosts, though, disappointing! We see DJ in 5 days!!!

Georgia On My Mind

2009-05-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

David and I have been in the beautiful, rainy state of Georgia with the Nicolichs and the Lewises. We are having a great time!

The zoo was great! It turned out to be a perfect day, overcast. but not raining.

Our main reason to be here was to see Emily and The Ryan Casper Band play. They played on the Saturday before Memorial Day at Stone Mountain. It was supposed to have 15,000, but with lots of rain, the crowd was small. They still rocked it out, and it was tons of fun!
I will try to get video on here later.

Wendy and Jesse came yesterday, so Grandpa read a few bedtime stories.

Today we went to the Rennaisance Festival.

Tomorrow we go to the puppet show, and the next day we hit the aquarium. Fun, fun, fun!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2009-05-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

Here I am thinking of all the moms in my life. First of all, my own mom, who passed two years ago: she made us all feel her love, she was always glad to see us. Her house was a warm, welcome home. She was proud of our accomplishments, no matter how little. She loved the grandkids and great grandkids, and they loved her back.

Amy, the mom of Sophie, Carson, and Cameron: patient, patient, patient! With 3 pretty high maintenance kids, she still keeps her cool. And she is cool,...she always looks great! Cute, stylish, and skinny. She shows her kids she loves them, with lots of hugs and kisses.

Wendy, the mom of Coleman, and little what's her name: such a great mom! I love to see her with Coleman, they make jokes, read stories, and pretend. My favorite line: Coleman says, "I need..." and Wendy says, "You need kisses!" and smothers him with kisses.

Emily, the mom of Sally Rose and Alice Marie: she'll never grow up, and that's great! Her kids benefit from that. Everything becomes a game, a story, an adventure. Sally loves to make up stories...hmmm, where did that come from?

I'm so thankful for these wonderful moms, for their diligence in taking care of their kids, for their laughter, for their joy. I love all of you!

Amy, Rich, and Kids

2009-05-04T13:01:00.001-07:00

Amy said that she realized recently that they never have pictures with all of them together. So, while they were playing around, we got one!

We Love Our Spanish Speaking Friends!

2009-04-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

We are having a great time with our part-time mission in the Hispanic Initiative. David is wonderful with the people, and does a great job trying to speak Spanish. He is getting better, and people love him. The Ledesmas were married and baptized a day apart in October, and have been stalwarts ever since. Luis said he has been dreaming every night about his grandpa, so last night we were able to take them to the Draper Temple, and they were baptized for grandma and grandpa. When he was done, he said that his grandpa would be so happy, and maybe he could get a good night sleep now!

Look at the Quilt I Made!!!

2009-04-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

I am not a crafty person at all, but once in a while I forget. A few years ago a friend of mine showed me this quilt that she made with old jeans. I thought it was so cute, and that I could do that. I bought material about 3 years ago, and saved old jeans. I finally decided that I should get this done. It was not hard, but it was a little hard for me. Anyway, here it is, I think it turned out great, and I'm kind of pleased with myself for doing something like this. And now I have something to sit on when I'm watching the grandkids' soccer games!

Grandma Days

2009-03-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

Thank heavens 3 of the grandkids live close! We get together once a week for Grandma Day, and I love it! We had one nice day last week, so we played outside.

This week, it was too cold again to be outside, so Cameron entertained us with his moves.

Remembering My Mom

2009-03-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

My sisters Peggy and Ginny, with Ginny's oldest, Bryan on her lap, Terry, Mom, and me with my new Barbie and Ken dolls.

This week will be my mom's birthday, she would have been 85. I've been doing some scanning of her old pictures, so I guess because of that, she's been on my mind.

I loved going on rides with mom and dad, getting peppermint milkshakes at Fernwoods, mom making me everything I owned, and they would always look just like the example on the front. I went to the bowling alley while mom was in a league, I thought she was cool for bowling. I have many memories of boating...loved it! One time dad brought home a great big sack of broken mint sandwiches from Fernwoods. Mom and I ate all of them before he had the chance to get any!

All of my kids loved to go to Grandma Barnes' house, there was always something to do: play croquet, paint, or playing "Mother, May I" on the front stairs. Her house was a warm, welcoming place. She would get down on the floor and play with them, they loved that.

For many years, Tuesday was my day to spend with mom. We would always go to lunch, and in the spring, summer and fall, we would be out on the golf course. We really didn't care much about the score, it was just great to be enjoying the outside.

I'm thankful to my mom for the lessons she taught me: to work, to be prudent, to enjoy the beauty of the world, to enjoy life.

We're Going To England!!!

2009-03-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

We did it! We bought tickets so that we can pick up DJ from his mission! I'm so excited, I've never been to England. We plan to go a week before he is released, and then spend a week with him, doing whatever he would like to do. I am excited for the site seeing, but just as happy to see DJ in action. This is something that we only have one chance to do, so we are doing it. We've got tickets on the same plane as him, and we will be home on June 18th. Woo hoo!

News From Across the Pond

2009-02-28T18:11:00.000-08:00

DJ hasn't been too good about sending pictures, this is the 4th time, and he's been gone for almost 21 months. I know he's been working hard, by the look of these shoes...

His time as a full time missionary is coming to an end. I'm so proud of his hard work, and positive attitude. It has been our privilege to be missionary parents. What a wonderful son we have!

The Silkies Live On

2009-02-21T13:34:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about my mom lately. She passed away 2 years ago in April, and I realize more and more what an amazing woman she was. Recently, my sister, Ginny decided that she wasn't going to paint with mom's old paints, so she gave them to Wendy. I hope that Wendy is able to put them to good use. Just after mom died, Wendy decided to paint a picture, and it turned out amazing. She said that she felt grandma there while she was painting. I hope that using her paints will help her to again feel grandma, and her love of many things.

Mom started making silky quilts for her grandkids long ago, and they always became the favorite blankie. The tradition carried on for the great-grandkids. She had made a couple for future great-grandkids, and my nephew, Danny got the last one for his baby. Now Wendy is having a baby. I couldn't bear for her not to have a silky, so I have taken a shot at carrying on the tradition. It is not made that well, and isn't that great to look at, but I hope it will be carried around and loved the same way that all the others have. I'm thankful to have had a mom that loved her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids, and was able to show it in so many ways.

Yep, I'm Still With YACP

2009-02-14T10:36:00.000-08:00

We went on our annual trip to southern Utah this week. The day before, I got 5 calls from kids or their parents that said they were no longer coming. I was pretty mad, but it's their loss. We had a great time. The kids played beautiful music, went to the outlet malls and dressed up, and stayed up all night. They are such amazing kids. I almost quit this year, but I got reminded about how much I love to hear the music, and how much I like to be with kids. It's true, so I'm still here!

I Am So Lucky to Live in Utah!

2009-02-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

My friend, Karen invited me to her cabin, which is near Heber. It was gorgeous up there! We spent a couple of hours snow shoeing, and enjoying the sun (which is shining brightly up there!) It made me once again grateful to live in such a beautiful place.
Notice, my tracks are the only ones...it was pristine and I got to mess it up.
This picture doesn't do it justice, but the snow had ice crystals on it, and it was glistening in the sunshine. Enlarge it, and you can see it better...incredible!

Sometimes I get tired of Utah's winters, but then I get the chance to see the beauty of it, and I realize that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else!

We Love our Grandkids!!! (and their parents too)

2009-01-28T15:27:00.001-08:00

Whew! Emily left today, and Wendy left 2 days ago. That meant all the grandkids were together. We had a great time, and ran ourselves ragged. (I did anyway) It was so nice to have all 3 of my girls here at once!

This is at the Draper Temple Open House. It is beautiful, and we loved being there with our kids. In the Celestial Room, Sally said, "I hear Jesus."

On Wednesday, we went to the Children's Museum. The balls at the beginning, and the helicopter were the favorites.

We had both sides of the family come over Wednesday night. We figured on around 30, and had 43 people! We ran out of food, but I think everybody got something. Here are all the little kids that were there-including Danny's 2 and Julie's little guy.

We went to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point. Coleman loves dinosaurs, so he was in heaven.

We decided to try to get a "professional" picture. We knew it was a long shot, and we were right. Cameron cried from the beginning, and the photographer only got 3 shots before he was on the ground screaming. It's not bad, considering...

All of the kids had a sleepover, while Grandma and their mothers went and made jewelry...that left the men to watch the kids. Grandpa set them up to take this picture.

They were all asleep when we got home...good job, guys!

My brother, Terry invited us up to his place, where we swam, tubed, looked at and fed horses, played Guitar Hero in the playhouse, did an art project there, and made and ate cookies!

Baby Alice, Sally and Coleman are adorable, and I'm sad that they live so far away, but sooo happy when they come!

Where in the World is Wendy?

2009-01-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

Two of my girls are doing great at blogging. Do you notice one who doesn't do it?

I have badgered Wendy to do a blog forever. What's the deal? I don't know, but maybe with someone other than me, we can get her to do it. She keeps telling me that she has cute things about Coleman that she would like to put on, but just can't quite talk herself into doing it. So, if you have any words of wisdom about blogging, tips, or just a little more badgering, put it on my blog, and I will pass it on.

Meanwhile, here's Coleman when I was there. He is adorable, and needs to have some blogging on him too!

It's Winter In Salt Lake!

2009-01-06T13:43:00.001-08:00

The Cleggs came over last week, and we found the perfect day for sledding. It wasn't too cold, so the kids didn't mind staying out for a while. Carson was very tough, and was great at bringing the sled up the hill.

After, we came back and Sophie and Carson learned how to make snowballs. There is one coming right at the camera!

Christmas For a Missionary Mom

2008-12-29T08:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas was wonderful. David got me too many presents, as usual. We got to go and visit Amy and their family, and see their Christmas gifts. The kids were excited and happy with what they got. But the best thing for us on this Christmas Day was THE PHONE CALL. Every missionary mom waits on pins and needles for that phone to ring. It came about 12:00, just when he said it would. We talked and talked, we didn't have any problem trying to figure out what to say to each other. Each sister was conferenced in, and got to talk for a while. I loved hearing what they had to say to each other. Wendy kept saying things so that the conversation couldn't be cut off, quite yet. DJ sounded great, he has a different lilt in his voice, just like a Brit. I loved hearing that. He sounds happy, engaged in missionary work, and ready to work a little harder. The picture is at his Christmas conference, DJ is on the top, 2nd from the right. I'm so thankful to have a missionary!

Back to the South

2008-12-14T20:03:00.000-08:00

I got a great price on a ticket to Atlanta, so I got to be with the southerners again! Emily picked me up straight from the airport in Atlanta, and we went to Florida. Sally and Coleman were so excited to see each other. The first night, we didn't get there until about 8:30 at night, and they were so keyed up, they coulnd't go to sleep. They played really well together this time, there was hardly any fighting. They loved having similar monkey jammies.
There was only one nice day, but we still got to go to the beach and enjoy the sand. Guess what? ANOTHER BIRD INCIDENT!!! A seagull came right over, an hovered just above my head. Unbelievable!

We came back to Georgia Saturday, because Emily and family had been asked to be in a live nativity scene at their Stake activity. The manger scene was in front of the ward building. It was awesome!

Last, but certainly not least, little Alice Marie was blessed by her father on Sunday. It was a beautiful blessing, and a wonderful day. What a cutie, huh?

I Think I'll Make It!!!

2008-12-06T13:46:00.001-08:00

My week of taking care of the Clegg kids is almost over. The first couple of days went pretty well. We made a gingerbread house, and the kids did fine at the Spanish Branch. They liked wearing the earphones (for the translator), and Cameron hardly moved the whole sacrament meeting!

tThen we had to go back to the Cleggs for all of the regular stuff. The kids were great, but I am exhausted! Cameron wakes up several times each night, so I'm now sleep deprived. It was a lot of fun, but I think I'll stick with the once-a-week stuff...It's not as tiring!

Oh no,The Grandkids for a Week!!!

2008-11-28T16:51:00.000-08:00

Amy and Rich are going away on a cruise for their 10th anniversary. So, David and I are going to watch the kids for a week. Now, I've had kids, so I should know how to do this. I know how to play with them and spoil them now that I'm a grandma, but I think I've forgotten how to do all the day-to-day stuff. Sophie is in school all day now, and Carson is in preschool 3 times a week. There will be homework, carpools,and getting to places on time, not to mention cooking dinner every night (I forgot how), and making sure Cameron gets his naps. I'm a little nervous...

Being Nice Isn't All It's Cracked Up to Be

2008-11-22T10:28:00.000-08:00

Being an empty nester, I have extra time on my hands. So I have tried to fill it with worthwhile things. I am the secretary for a group of kids' orchestras. DJ and Emily were both in those groups in times past, and I think a lot of Jack, (one of the conductors) and feel like this is a good thing to do. Anyway, I do it on a volunteer basis, and enjoy being with the kids. This week we had 2 concerts, which included sending out reminder postcards, making programs, etc. I have been there longer than the others on the board, so sometimes I get other things thrown at me. Anyway, it turned out that a girl didn't get her uniform, I tried to help, and ended up getting yelled at because of a misunderstanding. The next day was another concert, and through some miscommunications, the venue didn't have us scheduled. It turned out ok though. Guess what? I got in trouble again!

I have done dvds of weddings for the past few years. I have never charged, and enjoy doing it, but it is a ton of work. I was asked to do one recently, and accepted. This time, I don't know how, but I didn't get the actual wedding on tape...major screw up. I feel horrible, and don't know how I can fix it. Here again, I'm just trying to do something nice for someone. It's not working out so well right now.

Just blowing off steam...

A Little Bit of Winter

2008-11-13T12:38:00.000-08:00

We had some snow in Utah last week...most of the city didn't, but way up here on the mountain we did! The snow was just perfect for making a snowman.

We also tried to make a fort, but Carson couldn't help but stomp on it.
It will be all right if winter waits a while, but it was fun for a minute.

OK, Back to Cute Pictures...

2008-11-04T15:47:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures of all of the grandkids, and a few adults in their Halloween costumes.
Sophie is a pretty green witch, Carson is a Power Ranger, and Cameron is a vampire. Amy tried to put his hair down into a peak, but it just curled up anyway!

Sally is a buzzy bee, Alice is a ghost, and Emily is supposed to be a witch...

Coleman is a fireman, and Wendy is a gypsy.

Last but not least, Amy and Rich went to a party dressed as Sigfried and Roy.

I looked in my front yard, and saw this beautiful mix of colors...I'm not much for scenery without people, but it is awfully pretty!

I'm Taking Over Marilyn's Ranting...

2008-10-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

I have 2 things to rant about, and then I'll go back to cute pictures of grandkids...

1. I despise politics! Everyone thinks they are right! As I look through the years that I've been around, I can see that people are unhappy no matter what. First they aren't happy with democrats, so they go republican...then they are unhappy with the Republicans, so they go democrat. David loves the whole arguing, debating stuff. It just makes me feel nauseous. I've already voted, and I feel pretty strongly about some parts of politics, but can't we all just get along?

2. I am frustrated with the idea that "vaccinations are a cause of autism." There was a segment on the Today Show today. There have been 16 different studies that have tried to link autism to vaccines, and the link is not there. Here is a quote from Dr. Paul Offit:

"But the reason I say vaccines don’t cause autism is that they don’t. I say this because the false alarm about vaccines and autism continues to harm a lot of children — harm from not getting needed vaccines, harm from potentially dangerous treatments to eliminate mercury, and harm from therapies as absurd as testosterone ablation and electric shock. I say this because the feared vaccine–autism link, which has now been disproved, diverts research dollars from more promising leads. I say this because I care about children with autism."

This doctor has seen outbreaks from people that will not vaccinate their children. Do we really want to go back to the days of deadly diseases that can and should have been obliterated?

Dr. Offit has had tons of hate mail, and even a death threat. To read more about this, go to: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/27440647/.

Autism is a terrible thing, but it's not caused by vaccines. Get your kids vaccinated!

Why Do Birds Hate Me?

2008-10-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

So, while I was in Georgia, I had 2 more bird incidents. One day, I was down in Emily's kitchen, and I kept hearing a knocking. I went to a window in their family room, and there was a bird tapping on the window. Of course, it freaked me out, and I shooed it away. The creepy thing was that it kept coming back...probably 5 times! Emily said that had never happened before.

The really freaky thing was on Sunday before I left. I went out to the backyard with Alice, and looked up in some high trees. There were no less than 10 giant buzzards up there, some with their wings spread, others flying around, and others just waiting for me. I looked around, and noticed at least 2 other trees full of them as well. It was one of those things that you can't quite take your eyes off, even if it is a horrible sight. I held onto Alice for dear life, and when they would start to fly, I would run back into the house. Why we didn't take a picture, I can't explain...well, I didn't because I was going out of my mind with fear. Emily said that she has never seen anything like that either. Bill says that they can feel my fear...

Other Grandkids

2008-10-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

Sally had her 2nd birthday while I was here, on the 13th. We had a party in the park with the Lewises. Sally loved the cake, she kept calling it "Happy cake". She is such a cutie, it has been so fun to be with her. She just plops herself on my lap when she wants to read a story.

Coleman came for the weekend, it wasn't long enough, but it was so great to have the Lewises here. Coleman is obsessed with dinosaurs, and knows then name of lots of them. Listen to this:

Coleman and Sally did pretty well together, considering that they are both 2-year-olds! On the first day, they were so excited to be with each other. Here's them together.

It's so fun to be with the southern grandkids! I love, love, love them all!

I Spoke Too Soon!

2008-10-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

So, it's not even 24 hours later, and we have our little granddaughter, Alice Marie Nicolich! She was born on October 7, 2008 at 8:20 AM. She weighs 7 lb 11 oz. and is 20 1/4 inches. Mom and baby are doing well. Emily did the natural thing again...wow, what a tough cookie! The midwife (who happens to be a man) was very willing to let Emily do it her way. No more of that lying on your back for the convenience of everyone except the mother. When it got close, he asked me if I wanted to help. I said "yes," and he told me to put on some gloves. "Wait a minute," I thought, "What am I getting into?" Well, I didn't have to worry, she was born almost immediately, so I missed my chance at I-don't-know-what. Bill was a great coach and helped Emily through everything.

What an amazing thing the birth of a baby is! I will never cease to be amazed at it. And what a blessing to be able to be a part of it. Thanks Emily and Bill for letting me see a miracle today.

Emily is STILL pregnant!!!

2008-10-06T17:17:00.000-07:00

I am in Georgia. waiting for Emily to have her baby...with NOTHING HAPPENING YET! We've been walking, and today we went and had eggplant parmesan. Here is how Emily looks all the time...
Sally is so cute and fun to be with. She wasn't shy with me even the first time I saw her. This is how she says "Grandma" What could be better than hearing this?

Hesterman Ramblings

2008-09-23T07:55:00.001-07:00

Here's an update on our mission...we are having a great time! We have been working with the Sanchez family, and David, the father, was baptized about 3 weeks ago. He has seen huge blessings since that...his family is stronger, and he got a promotion in his job. He was able to baptize his daughter, Melanie, 2 weeks after his baptism. We got to take the family to Regional Conference at the Conference Center. They had never been to Temple Square before! What a great family! We hope to be a part of getting them sealed in the temple a year from now.
Carson started soccer! It is just like old times, going to his soccer games. The kids are so darn cute, I can hardly stand it. Carson's coach is awesome, the first game, Carson got the "Bravery Award", and the second game, I think he got the "Hustle Award". Carson is loving it! I watched him run, and he runs like DJ used to.
How fun is it being a grandma?

(Notice where the ball is, and how many of the kids are looking at it!)

Birds and Becky...

2008-09-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

I despise birds...I don't know why, but I have been afraid of them as long as I can remember. It seems like they know that, and are out there just to harrass me! I have been pooped on several times, and had one chase me once. I have never run so fast in my life! People think it's funny that a little tiny bird can turn me into a screaming, crying maniac.

So, yesterday, I was riding my bike, my newest hobby. I love being out in the fresh air, exercising, and was enjoying myself as usual. I saw, ahead of me, a cat jump over a fence. Behind the cat, a hawk came swooping down, straight towards me!!! I don't think he was out to get me, he might even have been teasing the cat, but none of that mattered. I screamed, ducked, and of course, fell off my bike. As I was lying there, an older woman came and asked if I was OK. All I could say was, "A bird attacked me!" I felt pretty stupid, but thought I might as well let every body else get a laugh out of it!

Skye's Pictures

2008-08-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

Amy got her pictures from Skye Johansen, and is trying to decide which she likes best...funny, I have a whole different group that I like.

Here's what Cameron was doing most of the photoshoot...I think this is hilarious, and I've got to put this picture somewhere in my house!

I think even though you can only see one eye, that this is adorable!

Grandpa thinks this is the essence of Sophie: shy, thoughtful, smart.

I was at the photoshoot, and after it was over, I thought, "If she gets anything good, I'll be a believer...well, she did a fantastic job, and I believe in Skye!

The Cleggs Can Swim!!!

2008-08-22T15:50:00.001-07:00

Amy and her kids come over once a week for "Grandma Day". We do lots of things, but in the summer we almost always swim. This year, Sophie and Carson have really become good swimmers. Today Sophie swam the length of the pool 6 times! Carson didn't want to be outdone, so he swam the length too. They both learned how to float on their backs today too. Cameron loves the water as well, he just walks off the side. It's so fun to see them love the water. Yea for the Clegg swimmers!

I'm sending this video to DJ, so it keeps referring to him, but I still think that it's cute.

Pictures from Deej

2008-08-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

It has been just over one year since DJ has been on his mission to England, and he just sent us his 3rd set of pictures. I now have about 30! He's working hard in the mission field, and taking pictures is obviously not his biggest priority. It just made me so happy to see him, and that he is doing well and looks happy. (his hair is a little scary, but oh, well.) Here's a couple of pictures, and a video that is pretty funny. What a cute boy, huh?
This is what the people of England do for July 4th...notice the Conferedrate flag!

Our Mission

2008-07-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

OK, first of all, I'm sad that I'm not getting many memories...if you see this, go down one and give me a memory. I'm needy!

This is David beating up a missionary. Good start, huh?

David and I have just embarked on a 2 year part-time mission. We are in what they call the Spanish Initiative. We are assigned to a ward, and go to it every Sunday. We also will be proselyting missionaries, and will be teaching some English. So far, we don't have a clue as to what exactly we are supposed to do, but are hoping to learn. On Saturday, we went to our first activity, Mini Olympics for the primary. We helped with games for the kids. It was fun, and we got to know some of the people a little. This week, there is a ward campout...and David is willing to go!!!! Most of the kids speak English, but a lot of the adults don't. This Sunday, we sat next to a young man in the Gospel Essentials class, and he interpreted for us. It was very cool, he was an investigator, and knew nothing about our religion. He would say something in English, and I could feel that he was learning as he was talking. The spirit was very strong. I could tell that he wanted to be there. We are hoping for more great missionary moments!

Here are some of the cute kids!

Memories...

2008-07-22T13:26:00.001-07:00

Here's a fun thing to do...

As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Time with the Clegg Kids

2008-07-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

Last week, Amy went to YW camp, so I had the kids during the day. Amy had warned me that it might be really hard, so I was kind of worried. But, it was great! We swam a lot, and Carson and Sophie really started doing well in the water. On Thursday, Carson swam in a triangle, from the stairs to the hot tub to me about 50 times in a row. Cameron was a perfect baby. He only cried when he wanted to be held or he was hungry, and would go down for his naps easily. I went to the dollar store before they came, and got some stuff to keep them occupied. Here's Sophie and Carson with some punching balls. Yea for grandkids!

Hangin' Out With the Stars

2008-06-25T14:09:00.001-07:00

David has been doing some work with some "personalities" lately...he helps to introduce up-and-coming products by making infomercials. One of them is a company called Copperking, and they used John O'Hurley for it. He is the guy that was Mr. Peterman on "Seinfield". Anyway, because of that, we were treated to a trip to Las Vegas, complete with a fantastic 2 bedroom suite at the Bellagio, and tickets for us and Amy and Rich to "Spamalot", which John O'Hurley stars in as King Arthur. Afterward, we met with him. What better way to let everyone know than to put it on my blogspot? It was a very short trip, but we still had a lot of fun, swimming in the pool, walking the strip, and going to the Las Vegas temple.

Tagged Again!

2008-06-18T16:03:00.000-07:00

OK, Amy tagged me...3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current collections/obsessions, 3 random/surprising facts about myself...
JOYS
1. The biggest joy to me is my grandchildren, as evidenced by my blog being almost completely about them. I love to hear what they say, do, think, etc. And they are so darned cute!

2. Hiking...I love to be outside, seeing the beautiful sites, and love that I get exercise while doing it.

3. Visiting different temples...Since DJ and I went to 3 temples in 3 days, I realized what a great thing that is to do. I get to travel, and do some good at the same time!
FEARS
1. Everyone knows about my fear of birds. I am sure all of them are going to come and peck at my head.
2. Claustrophobia...don't put me in a crowded room, I might freak out at any moment.
3. Getting cancer.
CURRENT COLLECTIONS/OBSESSIONS
1. Hell's Kitchen, American Idol, and So You Think You Can Dance. I know, too much tv, but I can't wait to find out what happens each week, and then to discuss with anyone who will talk about it.
2. DJ's letters...I go crazy if I don't get a letter on Tuesday mornings!
3. Exercise...I do a ridiculous amount of it...walk the dog every morning, Jazzercize 3 times a week, weight training, hiking, swimming. Funny, it doesn't look like it.
RANDOM/SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT MYSELF
1. I surfed last week, and actually got up!

2. When I was a kid, I took years of organ lessons...and hated every minute of it. Don't ever tell anyone in the ward.
3. Even though I try to act tough, I am kind of a softy as I get older. I'm amazed at all the things that make me teary-eyed.
OK, I tag Marilyn, Becca and Kathryn!

Father's Day

2008-06-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

On this Father's Day, I am thinking of my dad, who has been gone for 17 years now. I remember some of the lessons he taught me. He was completely honest in all he did. Everyone knew that if he said something was true, you could believe it. He taught me how to work hard, and that hard work would make you a better person. He had amazing willpower. He was a very humble, but a great man.

David is a wonderful father. He has always been the calming spirit in our home. When something bad happened with any of the children, he was able to logically think it out, and make sense out of things. He loves to have fun, and has made some great memories by giving us some fantastic vacations. He honors his priesthood, and has given many blessings that I know are the words of God. He tries very hard to live the gospel, and to be an example of it. I am very thankful to have a husband who does all of that.
Happy Father's Day to all fathers!

A Week in Georgia/Florida

2008-06-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

What a great week we had! So much to do!

This is at the Braves game with Emily Johnson Grigg, Joe, and Bill (Emily is taking the picture) Emily is a childhood friend that got talked into moving to Georgia!
The babies were so much fun. Sally is very boisterous, in every way...laughs, cries, etc. Coleman is kind of laid back, unless Sally was taking a toy away from him. They loved being together, though. When Coleman would wake up, the first thing he would say is "Sally."

Coleman liked Grandma's reading glasses...who does he look like?

Wendy and Emily are such good moms. It was fun to see what a great job they are doing. They really love those babies!

My Girls

2008-06-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

I am spending a week with my girls from the south! I went to Atlanta, went to a Braves game, and then Emily, Sally and I drove to Panama City, Florida. We have been having a great time. It is so fun to have the babies together...they are really warming up to each other. Yesterday, we went to a concert in the park. We were late, so we didn't see much, but it was a lot of fun anyway. Wendy and Emily had a "dance off" in the park. It was hilarious! Watch this for a good laugh.

Our Tiny Vacation

2008-05-29T15:34:00.001-07:00

David and I spent last Friday and Saturday in St. George, so that we could see the Beach Boys in concert. As many know, they are David's favorite band in the world (maybe next to Finally Friday), but not so much mine. He had a client to take, so I relented to go. There are only 2 original Beach Boys left, so really it should be "A Bunch of People singing Beach Boy Songs". David loved it anyway, and so did his client. David knew every song, even one called "The Ballad of Betsy the Car"...or something like that.

On Saturday, we went to Snow Canyon, which is spectacular!

We had a great time together. It's nice that we still like each other, even after all these years!

Becky needs...

2008-05-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

Wow, there were some really weird things that come up when you look at that in google. Here are some of the less offensive ones:

1) Becky needs massive amounts of more money.

2) Becky needs a psychiatrist.

3) Becky needs to be rougher and uglier. Keeping her character so humane for over two hours is not believable.

4) Basically, Becky needs round the clock, one on one, care and supervision.

5) Becky needs a home. Becky came to the SPCA as a stray 7 months ago. She had been found tied to a tree in a local park. When Becky first came to us she was in a highly stressed state. She would howl and bark for attention, and bite her lead almost uncontrollably. This, of course, has meant that it has been hard to find a home for her. However, determination and training has paid off. Her behavior has vastly improved in her kennel environment and she is now much more controllable when out and about. Although Becky mostly ignores other dogs when out walking, we do not think she would be able to live with other animals. Becky loves to cuddle on an armchair with staff and volunteers, however it is important to mention at this point that it would be no trouble training Becky not to get on furniture or to get down when told. Becky does not tolerate the antics of small children, so she will need an adult home.

All true, except maybe the uglier part.

For once, I liked this tagging! OK, I tag Amy, Kathryn, and Cicely. Google "(your name) needs",
and see what comes up!

One More Mother's Day Remembrance

2008-05-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, one more thing about Mother's Day...it is an amazing thing to see your kids become moms, and see what a great job they are doing. They each have so many strengths that they use as mothers.

Amy is incredibly patient. (I know she doesn't think so, but I see how she deals with them.) Her kids are very busy, but she is able to juggle all that there is to do. She gives them each time and love, and is a wonderful mom. She also is very spiritual, and does a great job of having FHE and family prayer. She even lets them help read in scripture study...Now that's patience!

Wendy makes life for Coleman fun. He is a jokester, and she lets him be what he wants to be. I love hearing their conversations, which usually have a laugh or two in them. Coleman loves to be read to, and Wendy takes lots of time for that. I wish I was there to see her, but I know she's doing a great job.

Emily is just a kid at heart. Together, Sally and she discover, read, learn, and become better. She can't quit telling us how amazing Sally is. I believe her!

Amy, Wendy, and Emily, you are all doing a fantastic job with my grandchildren. Keep up the great work! I love you.

Mother's Day is Coming!

2008-05-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

As I think of Mother's Day this week, I think of my own mom, who passed away just over a year ago. I realize more and more how great she was, and what a good example she was to me. She always made me feel like I was someone important. She was very empathetic, and I know she hurt when I hurt. She was my friend, my mentor, my golf buddy, and the best grandma ever.

As for me being a mom, there is nothing greater in the world. I have loved raising kids! I've loved ballet & jazz recitals, teeball, soccer, basketball, & softball games, piano, flute, violin, & cello lessons, Suzuki camp; Nutcracker practices, Young Women everything, and maybe even scouting stuff. I have 4 fantastic adult children, and I'm so glad to have been able to be their mom. Thanks all of you for being everything a mom could hope for!

Here's my 4 cuties just a little while ago:

Amy...our first, the one that took care of the others, the peacemaker.

Wendy...our clown, always keeping us on our toes.

Emily...as her dad always said, "She knew no strangers."

And DJ...our baby boy. Easy going, and so much fun to have around.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers, and enjoy them while they're young, the time flies!

Tagged By Emily!

2008-04-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

OK, here's what I got:

Hymns: page 123, 5th sentence:

"Oh, may my soul commune with thee and find thy holy peace."

It really was just as close as any other book, up in my bookshelves, above the computer...it's a little better than a "How to" computer book!

I tag: Kat, Leslie, Tricia, & Cecily--I don't have that many people!!!
Here’s what you do:
a)pick up the nearest book
b)turn to page 123
c)find the fifth sentence
d)post the fifth sentence
e)tag 5 (or more) people. Fun, fun, fun!!

The Nicolichs Come To Utah!!!

2008-04-23T12:45:00.001-07:00

I haven't even looked at any blogs for a while, because Emily was in town, and used up every minute! That's more than ok, though, I loved having most of the grandkids around for a week! Here's some pictures of some of the things we did:

This was at Wheeler Farm. Sally put her fingers in the turkey's cage, and he nipped at her. She was not pleased at that.

These were taken at the Children's Museum. The kids loved all the things to do there, even going out into the helicopter when it was snowing.

This is Sally and Cameron in the Dimple Dale Pool. Sally had purple lips, but still wanted to stay in the pool!

This is the train at the zoo. We waited in line for at least 45 minutes for that. Carson said it was the best part of the zoo.

We loved having the Nicolichs! We just wish they lived here, so we didn't have to cram everything into one week.

Has David gone crazy?

2008-04-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

Some of you know about this, but I think it's worth telling. A couple of months ago, David discovered Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. He bought a few, and we enjoyed them. Then one day, I was talking to Emily on the phone, and glanced into the outside freezer. It was filled with Ben and Jerry's...Cherry Garcia, Cinnamon Buns, Half Baked, Karamel Sutra, etc. etc. etc. I counted, and there were 30 pints!!! OK, I can keep away from things when they aren't in my house, but this is impossible. To make up for all the ice cream eating, I have added a day of workouts, and some extra running on the treadmill.

Grandma Day

2008-03-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

Marlene Johnson, a friend of mine, told me that she had instigated "Grandma Day" once a week, which means that any grandkids that are in the area are required to spend one day a week with her. I decided that I needed to do that too. Amy has been very cooperative, the others moved away. I love when the kids come! We go places, do crafts, build trains, etc. etc. Last week we dyed eggs, even though no one likes to eat them. We had some sparkle stuff that went on top. One egg turned out black...yuck! But then Sophie put some green sparkle on it, and it turned into the most beautiful egg that we had.

Life is Tough

2008-03-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a rough week. We found out last week that my sister, Ginny, has liver cancer. She was told that there is too much to be cut out, and that chemo isn't much of an option. They are giving her the option to try something new, called TheraSphere treatment
where millions of tiny, radioactive beads are implanted into the cancer through blood vessels. It could slow or stop the blood flow to the cancer. It is very new, and is only used when there is no other viable options.

What I'm amazed at, is how Ginny is taking all of this news. At first she thought that she would only have a very short time to live, maybe as short as 6 weeks. Now, she has been told that she has 1-3 years, and the TheraSphere could extend that, but they really don't know by how much. She does know that there is not a cure. She is very upbeat about it. She feels great that she has a lot more than 6 weeks, and is going to make the best of it. She's not afraid to die, but she's glad that it's not quite yet.

Wow, what an attitude! I'm thankful to have a sister that can show me how to be positive, even during the hardest trials. I can see that with the knowledge of the gospel, all things can be dealt with. Thank you, Ginny, for being a person I can look up to!

Look how cute!

2008-03-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest pictures I have...Coleman just got back
from Costa Rica. Sally is coming to SL in April. YEA! Carson likes to wear his cousin's hand-me-downs more than anything else. And Cameron has a new way of getting around. Sophie carries him all over the place, and he loves it. He loves anything Sophie does!

Becky = Sunflower?

2008-03-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

I was sick of the pink layout! The sunflower caught my eye because of something a friend said to me recently. She said that a sunflower is like me because it is very bold and out there. Sometimes the filter (that most people are born with) doesn't work on me. I think that's what she meant. You never have a question where you stand with me...

Elder Hesterman

2008-03-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah, did I mention that I have a son on a mission? He's in Coventry, England, and is doing great. This picture was in January. After 6 months with no baptisms, the 4 missionaries that live together had 7 on one day! He has since had 3 others. He lives with the zone leaders, and says that he has learned a lot from them. I'm so grateful to be a missionary mom...we are blessed because of him.

Promontory Point with the Cleggs and Terry

2008-03-03T13:36:00.001-08:00

My brother, Terry invited us and the Cleggs to his luxury gated community on Saturday. The kids got to pet a horse, hold a bunny, do crafts, go tubing, and swim in an indoor/outdoor pool, all in one afternoon! We were all brave, and went outside swimming, while it was snowing on us! Sophie said it was the best day she had ever had in her life. Thanks to my brother for giving us a great day!

Why am I still doing YACP?

2008-02-25T11:08:00.001-08:00

Everyone asks that! Part of the reason is because they can't find someone that is willing to, but the other part is that I like to be around teenagers, and mine are all gone now. We spent 2 days last week going on a bus to southern Utah. We rode the bus to Ephraim, Utah where YACP played at Snow College. Then we went to St. George. We got to go hiking (one of my favorite things) and shopping at the outlet mall (one of my least favorite things). The kids played that evening at the St. George Tabernacle, and were amazing. They are also amazing in other ways. I was talking to some of them about the new prophet, and saying how I am trying to get used to him. One girl said, "If you look up Joshua 3:7, that might help you." Wow, I couldn't believe she could pull up something like that out of her head. They make me feel young!

Why am I blogging?

2008-02-15T12:42:00.003-08:00

To show off my grandkids, of course. The stuff that goes on in my life is pretty boring, so I have to enjoy it through these cute kids. As soon as Emily sends me a video, I'll have a sample of each for you. I think they're adorable. Don't you?

Cameron almost crawling

2008-02-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

This is Cameron Clegg, Amy's youngest. He's working on his crawling skills, and has almost got it!

Sophie and Carson

2008-02-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

This is Sophie and Carson. They didn't know the camera was rolling!

Coleman Surfing

2008-02-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

This is Coleman pretending to surf, just like his daddy. Cute, huh?

New Blogger!!!

2008-02-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

OK, I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm jumping on the bandwagon! I would love to share some of the cute pictures I have of my grandkids...this looks like a good place for that. Somebody, give me some hints on what I'm doing!!!