On the Seventeenth Day.... Old Ornaments

December 17, 2011

The box is filled with remainders of Grandma (Ida) Bates Christmas ornaments.  The tree and girl are ornaments that we kids painted and decorated for Family Night one year for Christmas.  They bring me so much joy!

Empty

October 12, 2011

I unpacked my suitcase for the last time today.  At least to mom's house.   I'm feeling like it looks.... empty inside. I miss my mother terribly.  I'm sure time will help ease the emptiness.  But for now, I just don't feel like too much of anything.

Last One Sold!

September 23, 2011

We sold our last home.  The beautiful little white cottage on 300 West in Brigham City.  I loved this small old house.  Even though it was small, it was big on character.  I even had to take the beautiful old window pained door from the stair way with me to the new house.  I couldn't bare to part with it. The outside back door still had to be locked up using a skeleton key.  I'm going to miss this little old house.  Not only could you look out the kitchen window and see the new Brigham City Temple, but it was home to the ward I grew to love.... all sixteen years of it.  So sad!

Fair Grounds

September 16, 2011

When Dave and I were in Heber over Labor Day weekend, we stopped by the old Fair Grounds.  A new one, just west of it, has now taken its place.  Progress.... can be a bitter pill to swallow sometimes.  Dave wanted to get a picture before the remains are totally gone.

Remembering 9-11

September 11, 2011

It's been on the news for the last few days.... the terrorist attack on 9-11.  Watching live on the television, ten years ago today, ... the twin towers of the World Trade Center crumble to the ground was something I shall never forget.  I was stunned.  Disbelief filled my entire being.  How could it be?  And who, and why?  It wasn't long before we learned that we were attacked on American soil by terrorists that hate everything we stand for.  It changed us forever.  

Since that time, the United States, along with many other countries, have united to fight terrorism.  My warrior and hero, Dave, has been deployed three times since the U.S. declared war on terrorism.  Once in the states, once to Iraq, and once to Afghanistan.  I am grateful for his service and am especially grateful that he was safe in defending our freedoms.

      I anxiously greeted Dave with an American Flag when he came home from Afghanistan in June 

Midge & Francine

August 28, 2011

I'm missing mom!  One of the things that I love about her is how she thinks of each grandchild and the relationship she has with them individually.  Mom and dad watched Morgann and Carson on dance days. Morgann loved the barbies, especially the old ones tucked away in grandma's cedar chest.  She asked grandma if she could play with them.... and grandma said "not just yet; when you get a little older.  They are special and need special taking care of." One day at the Nursing Home, mom asked me to get in her cedar chest and give Midge and Francine to Morgann.   They were my dolls when I was a young girl.... so that makes the giving doubly special!

Random Memories... Logan

Friday, June 3, 2011


These pictures are from yesterday.  We had so many good and lasting memories of Logan and decided to make a few stops as we made our way up to Main Street from Willow Park, all the while reminiscing about the good old days! 

Logan River.... summer days were spent in the river.  And I just found out another stunt the kids engaged in (Amie's confession).  The McEvoy kids, my kids, along with other neighbor kids, used to tie a rope underneath the bridge around the corner from our house and surf down the rapids on makeshift surfboards.  My kids ever bored?.............never!!

The Logan 14th Ward was the perfect ward to start a new life in.   Even though I was in the old part of town where many of the members had been there for years, they took the kids and I in and made us a part of them.  I was the only single mother that went to church but never felt like it.  The girls had exceptional young women leaders, and Steven had an awesome Scout leader that took him under his wing and made sure he got his projects completed.  We were blessed with many moms and dads!

See the wing of the church building on the left side?  Another confession...... Kelsey and Liz used to climb it and lay on the roof that overlooked the Logan River, do some star gazing, and dream up adventure schemes...  which they were really good at.    

This is Logan High School where Kelsey attended school.  It was only a few blocks away so the kids walked there every day.  Kelsey excelled in both academics and extra-curricular activities.  She was a favorite of all her teachers.  She did especially well in Science and was nominated to attend the National Forum on Medicine in Washington D.C. her Junior Year.  We put a plan together and raised the money for her to go, which proved to be one of the highlights of her school years in Logan.   

Dad

Dad passed away 6 years ago today. I've been thinking about him a lot lately. A couple of weeks ago I picked up his Childhood Personal History book and started reading it again. I was re-aquainted with and enjoyed reading about his youthful adventures. I discovered that many of dad's attributes rubbed off on me... and I'll take that! He was a wonderful example of optimism. I miss him and look forward to hearing about his adventures on the other side.

A door closes

I never thought this door would close in my life time. I'm saying good-bye to years worth of home plan books. I just put the last of the home plan books in a box today. Knowing that I will never need to open a home plan book up again or attend a Parade of Homes, is bittersweet to say the least. My love of Parade of Homes started when I was a sophomore in High School. I have attended every year that I possibly could since then. And that's a long time! My plan books go back 20 years I think.

I've now got my dream home, so there's no need to dream any longer! It is time to close the door and start a new chapter in my life.

Does anyone want my box of home plan books? They are awesome! Otherwise, they will go to the recycling bin.

Day 166 - movie day

June 15

The kids and I do summer movies at the local Theater. This year we go on Tuesday at 12:00 noon. Mom was up visiting Steven, so we had her come up for the day. After the movie, we ate lunch at Idle Isle, a historical resturant. It still has the old-fashioned soda fountain and beautiful stained wood on the tables, benches, and walls. Floral wall paper and old fashioned carpet give an authentic look and feel. It is a quanit little place and brought back many fond memories for both mom and I. I think I will be visiting much more often!

Mom is bushed from the long day's activities!

Day 164 - Moms cinnamon rolls

June 13

Mom's cinnamon rolls were a real treat at the Reunion this year. Growing up, she spent hours in the kitchen making these cinnamon rolls from scratch. I loved to watch her sprinkle the cinnamon and raisins on top of the rolled out dough. After she rolled it up into a nice long log roll, she would take a piece of string and slice perfect size rolls. She lined pan after pan. Waiting for them to rise seemed to take forever! The smell of cinnamon rolls baking filled the kitchen air with sweet cinnamon. After the rolls came out of the oven, mom moved them to wire racks for cooling. The thin consistency of the icing was the perfect topping on her fresh baked cinnamon rolls.

It's been awhile since I've had one of these monster rolls. They are to die for! The bread is so soft, and they have just the right amount of cinnamon, raisins, nuts, and icing. No one can make cinnamon rolls like mom!

Day 163 - Rain on our Parade

June 12

It rained on our parade! It was cold and wet, but that didn't deter our fun at the Bates Family Reunion. We had a delicious picnic under the bowery at the Lions Park in Helper. The kids watched the rain come down in sheets. It didn't take them long to decide it would be much funner running in the rain... so they did! Didn't this same scene play out 25 years ago in Pioneer Park in Price? Just another generation!

Day 160 - Purple Lilacs

June 9

I love the smell of lilac in the Spring! We had a large lilac bush just outside our bedroom window at our last house. It grew the largest purple flowers. During blooming season, I cut boquets of them, arranged them in a large clear vase and placed them on the kitchen table. I love fresh cut flowers in my home, and lilacs are one of my favorites. I used to open my window early in the mornings and let the fresh smell of lilac fill our room. I missed the smell of lilac when I moved from there, so I bought a lilac candle from Nauvoo and burn it every now and again. It doesn't replace the real thing, but it takes me back to those wonderful Spring mornings everytime I light the candle and smell the sweet armoa of lilac filling the room.

Day 136 - The Mail Route

May 16

Sunday after church, when I am in Price visiting, mom and I take a drive around the Mail Route in Spring Glen. We get to reminisce about the good old days!

Oh the lazy days of summer bring back so many fond memories. Cows in the field grazing and chewing cud are a most welcome sight!

I always have to stop by the house to see if the owner is ready to sell it to me yet! I know I am just dreaming about it.... but it's always a good dream! I took a picture of the apple tree on the side yard. The one that was struck by lightning during a fierce thunder and lightning storm. The tree was little and we were unsure if it would survive. Dad braced the broken branch with a fence post and the little apple tree was nourished back to health. It provided many years of delicious red apples for us and it's still producing!

Growing up, parked underneath the apple tree was a 1966 Dodge Impala. It was white with a thin red pin stripe on the sides. It had a push button start button. I used to sit in the car for hours pretending that I was driving. I went on lots of trips in that car.... through the countryside, around town, and up and down the valley roads! It was a great life!

Day 83 - little old cupboard

mar 24

This little old cupboard needed someone to give it some TLC.... love it like it used to be loved and played with. I took my treasure to my trusty old Wood Man in Logan for him to make new doors and sand it down for me to paint. I can't wait to get it back!

Day 74 - Daffodils for Dad

mar 15

It's been 5 years since dad passed away. Today, a couple of sisters and I went out to lunch with mom and took daffodils to dad's grave. Love and miss you dad...

To view my tribute to dad and leave one of your own, click here

Day 40 - Aunt Ruth's street

Going to Aunt Ruth's house was always a treat. Her, uncle Pink, and Virginia lived in a little house just below the University of Utah on a narrow street overlooking the Salt Lake Valley. Looking out over the valley today brought back a flood of memories of days gone by. We didn't visit very often, but it's just one of those places that paint a vivid picture in your mind that can be retrieved easily.

Aunt Ruth's house was small, but comfortable. I remember the beautiful wood dining room table and the meager meals prepared for our family. Uncle Pink was a timid man with a soft, quiet voice. Aunt Ruth was stern in voice and demeanor but always looked so beautiful in her dark dress and bright red lipstick. So she didn't scare me too much. Virginia's cerebral palsy confined her to a wheelchair, but that didn't stop her enthusiasm to be a part of our visit. Virginia was just another member of the family.... and she was always treated as such.

The street always beckoned me to wander out and take a peek at the vast valley below. It has changed a lot over the past 40 years, but the memories take me to a time and place where it seems like yesterday that I was at Aunt Ruth's house.