Christmas

Our Christmas this year was spent in Marty and Melody's home in Sandy. The Thursday before Christmas we drove from St George to Sandy, that evening was spent with Bruce and Tara. Mattie is growing up so fast. We were able to visit Todd, Shelly and Shay and Clay and Allison's family.

Christmas eve was spent in our traditional way. Sherry Thomas had been ill and was in a rehab home so we all went there to sing Christmas songs for her. We have been going to the Thomas's home for more than thirty years caroling. It was really a quite pleasant night to go our and sing our hearts out and give plates of home made goodies for our friends.

We then went to the Greenlief home for hot waisel, soup and some turkey that Marty cooked.

Cody was home from school in Idaho for the Holidays. It was really good to see him, Stuart was away from the family for the first time as he is in the Mission Field. Melody knitted a cap for Cody with a beard attached, that was really cool.

We then all spent some time doing the Nativity and then talked about gifts and what our Savior birth means to us. There was lots of Shepherds and Wise Men, Amamda was Mary. Melody did her yearly part as the Chief Angel.

Gift giving and getting was really fun as lots of great gifts were exchanged. I got lots of Snicker candy bars and a gift certificate for twenty five dollars for kindle e-books , lots of e-books can be obtained for that amount of money.

We got up early on Christmas morning to see the Greenlief family open their gifts from Santa, they we drove home to be on time for Sacrament meeting. Marlene was in charge of the Choir Christmas Program. Brother Nureen who was to be the narrator was sick so I did that part on the program.

It was a very busy busy Christmas time for us and we were happy to have Monday to come around to rest.

Christmas is still the best time of the year.

Christmas in st george

Christmas time is nearly here in St George. It is nice to be in a no snow allowed zone even though it is not as pretty, no it is always pretty here, We just don't have slick roads and frozen noses.

Out friend Nichole thought that it would me fun to do some caroling. She called a lot of friends, mostly old folks, obtained a trailer, bales of hay, and assigned cookies to be made and off we went. It was a little cool but our spirits were good as we went to sing for a lot of shut In's and widows. It was great fun.

The outside of our home is all lit up. Mom insisted that we put up all of our lights. She held the lights while I stood on the ladder and attached them to the rain gutter. I think all in all they look pretty good.

The tree is all decorated and the presents are in place. We are ready for the best season of the year.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving this year for most of the family was in California with Roy and Angel. They had to suffer with eighteen of the our extended family. Clay & Allison's, Marty & Melody's families along with Grandpa and Grandma stayed in Roy and Angel's house, ten Grandchildren.

It amazed me how many of the kids could bounce in the tramp. at the same time. There were some bumps and tears but after a few minutes the damaged child was back bouncing.

The pies were the best part of dinner, pecan is my favorite one. I am not big on pumpkin pie even though it is the Thanksgiving traditional eat but I favor taste over yucky pumpkin. The only way that pumpkin is eatable is if there is enough whipped cream so that you cannot taste it.

The girls spent a lot of time in the kitchen making all of the goodies, while the men helped by staying away and playing video games. The family had a good time playing games, such as monopoly, flip and other board games. It was great to get away from the TV grind and spent some quality time with our family.

We all had our part of the house to sleep in and took turns using the bathroom, all of the men made the great sacrifice of delaying shaving until we returned home, but isn't that the style now to have a scruffy beard, the unshaven look.

The best part of Thanksgiving is being with and loving your family. We had a great time!!

Hawaii

We went on fourteen day cruise from L. A. to Hawaii. The ship was on the Pacific Ocean for five days on the way to Hawaii, four days visiting various Islands and then Five days back to L. A.

The Islands we visited were, Hawaii (the big Island), Oahu, Maui, and Kauai.

There is a Banyon Tree in Maui that takes up four acres of park land. This tree has streamers that extend from the branches, and when they touch the ground they will take root and make another tree. The tree was really cool.

Since the trip was so long there was three formal dining nights. Marlene really likes to dress up

Halloween came while we were on the ocean. The crew all dressed up in costumes and the ship was decorated. There were some really interesting carved pumpkins.

The waves crashing onto the rocks on the shore was spectacular.

We went to a farm where they raised pineapple, mango and coconuts and other tropical fruits.

We went to the area on the island of Hawaii where there have been recent lava flows from the active volcano.

It was sad to see some homes that have been destroyed by the volcano.

We had a great time, Mom loved the day we spent at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Temple Cleaning

We had the assignment of cleaning the Tempe Wednesday Night, starting at 9:45 PM and finishing at 11:45 PM. I was vacuuming the dressing rooms for the Officiators. Marlene was dusting the Celestial and other Ordnance rooms. It was really nice to be in the Temple late at night doing service.

I learned several interesting things about the St George Temple. I was working on the fourth floor where the Sealers change their clothes when the lady who supervised Me took some time to show me a few of the unusual things there. I was able to look in the attic, the heavy beams look just like the ones that were used in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, large wooden trusses. The red sand stone that the Temple is constructed of is also visible. Several small rooms are on the west side of the fourth floor that are no longer in use. They were used in early Pioneer times as places to stay for the couples who made the long journey to St George to be Married in the Temple. There is what is called the Honeymoon trail from the east side of the State of Utah where people travelled in their wagons to be married here. The old pine slab flooring is still in place up there and is worn and warped after many years of use. The Sister Ordnance Workers dressing room is in the basement next to the Baptistery. The oxen by the font are white. We love the Baptistery as we assisted there in the Nauvoo Temple.

Friday Night we went to the High School game in St George for the Region Championship between Hurricane and Desert Hills High Schools. Hurricane is ranked as number one and Desert Hills as number three in the state. It was really fun to be there watching all the kids having a great time at this important event for them. Hurricane won by a large margin. There are four High Schools in St George, Pine View, Dixie, Desert Hills and Snow Canyon with Hurricane not too far away. The folks here are really involved with their teams, as there was not any place to park our car except for an empty field, all of the parking spots on the school grounds and the Street were taken and the stands were full of fans.

Stuart at the Draper Temple

It was a cool and wet day Saturday afternoon when We went to the Draper Temple to be with our eldest Grandson, Stuart, but it was warm and wonderful inside. He is going to be on a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints for two years. Clay and Allison, Bruce and Tara, and Marlene and I were there to share that special time with Melody, Marty and Stuart.

Stuart is the eldest of our thirteen grandchildren and is much loved by us. We remember that family New Years family game time where He announced his attention to enter this world, being there in the hospital while he entered this world, the times we shared as his family lived just down the street, sitting on the front row of church and loving and being loved by him. I am sure that He will be a great ambassador for the Church. It will be hard because We won't see Him for two years.

It was snowing all the way from Cedar City to Sandy as we made our way there on Thursday and was wet and cold all the time we were there. The roof on our home there is looking quite bad so we had several contractors come by the house go give us some bids to re shingle it. The interesting thing is the variation in the bid prices. There is eight hundred dollars difference between the high and low bid. I have found that it is very important to have several different contractors give bids and to let each know that they are competing for the work.

It was so good to get home, but we always seem to leave a little part of us wherever We go. Marlene left her cell phone this time. We love these trips but we are all worn out when we get back home. It is so nice to sleep in our own bed again.

Trip to Newport Beach

We took a short vacation to Newport Beach with our St George friends. John and Nicholle Alexander, a great time was had by all. One day was spent at the treasure island section of Laugna Beach. The section of beach is exceptional, with huge waves that were curling over causing a pipe before crashing onto the beach.

The area is heavily eroded with arches and other cool features along the shore. The State has made the area very nice by placing seats on the top of the bluffs, and wonderful landscaping with many trails and lots of flowers.

The Newport Beach Temple is very unusual in that it looks like a old Spanish Mission with a Angel Moroni on the Top.

We spent a day at Knots Berry Farm Amusement Park. It has been a long time since we were there and the admission was really inexpensive $ 24.00 for kids and seniors. We have been to Micky Mouse land so many times that it was nice to go somewhere different.

There is a kind of Ghost Town Theme in the Park. Mom was bad so She was put in Jail. There is some kind of show to see every hour. We went to the Snoopy Show and then Western Shootout, that had lots and lots of gun battles and fist fights.

There are lots of roller coasters that are really cool. John and I went on Montezuma's Revenge, Accelerator, Silver Bullet and the Horse Rider. Marlene liked the log flume she went several times. Old women are not brave enough to go on any good rides. We all had a good time but is is sure nice to be home here in St George

Fifty Years

My wife and I celebrated fifty years of marriage last week. It was wonderful to have all of our children, their spouses and almost all of our grandchildren here in St George. Cody is away to school in Northern Idaho. We did some very special things. We all went to the St George Temple to remember that day many years ago when Marlene and I made those covenants with The Lord that started our life together a husband and wife. That evening there was a Open House where we visited with many of our friends.

Our Children were wonderful, they did so much for us. Angel made a very special Wedding Cake. Todd took pictures of the family and at the open house. It has been many years since We were able to be all together to have a family picture. Melody and Tara did the decorations of the Club House for the Reception and everyone helped with a family dinner that we had prior the the Open House.

We are so blessed to have our special Family, and that we were all able to get together and enjoy each others company at this time. There is a lot of love in our homes.

This and That

Saturday there was some big doings at Hurricane. They celebrate their annual Peach Days. When the Pioneers first settled the area they planted many peaches here. The Church Welfare Program now has a huge orchard there. Peach Days is the biggest event of the year for the folks there.

Mom normally doesn't like country music but the was enthralled by a band that was playing. They were called the Country Classic band. She sat for almost the whole program with a smile on Her face not saying anything, for Her that is amazing. The group was really good, mild classic music.

I think the reason that she is starting to enjoy this kind of music is because of the style of LOUD screaming music that is popular today. Two weeks ago we went to a concert at Dixie State College The band was outside but We had to leave right after we got there because the music was so loud and that I was starting to get dizzy.

We were walking around when we say a large group of people and what sounded like a whole lot of Crickets. It was very strange, as We went over we came across many Kids with hammers pounding nails. They were building wooden boats and periscope boxes. The folks from Home Depot was sponsoring a program for the kids. There must have been one hundred plus of little kids in Home Depot aprons having the time of their lives pounding nails.

Our garden is producing many many tomatoes much more than we can eat. I put on my apron to make "Salsa" I put in tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos peppers, onions, ect. We lovingly put it all in pint jars and canned it. We opened the first bottle the next morning for breakfast thinking how good it would be. It tasted like tomato sauce. I thought there must be some way to fix up so I put some cinnamon, cloves and sugar in the bottle of supposed salsa. It still didn't taste like salsa but it was good. I guess it is true that a spoon full of sugar does make the medicine go down.

Special gifts for our 50th

Marlene and I have talked about what kind of Gift we should give so as to make our fifty years together special, something that would be a lasting memorial of the great times that We have spent together. We have looked around and found what we consider to the best thing.

In our old age, We have become collectors of beautiful things, so when we saw this Llydro of a Mother and Child at a consignment store, We had to have it.

It is really a wonderful piece of art work with much detail

Mom wanted to be sure that when I took the photos that I did not shoot at a angle that would show the boy parts. I told her that that was what baby boys have, but I still was careful about the photo.

While We were making the transaction of obtaining the Llydro. I was looking around and saw this Tureen and Platter combination for only $16.00. The Duck also now has a new home. It will have a place of honor in the center of our Kitchen Table.

So our Home in St George will become even more special because Mom and I are getting so old

Mom and Melody on the beach at Sand Hollow State Park

Melody, Marty and Kids came to visit us on the way back to Sandy from California. It was good to have them come to our home in St George.

Stuart heard that his Mission Call had been delivered to Sandy while they were on vacation with Roy and Angel's Family. They went back to Sandy Saturday Morning and Stuart had a Family gathering Sunday afternoon, which we were able to attend with the miracle of Streaming on the Internet. He is going to go to the Washington, Everett Mission. He will enter the Mission Home on the 16th of November. Bruce was really excited. He served in the Washington, Seattle Mission, that is next to the Mission that Stuart had been called to. We are so proud as Grandparents to have our Grandsons go out in the World to teach the Gospel.

Breakfast at Grandma and Grandpa's House

There is a new version of "Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Restoration" movie now being shown at the Church Visitor Centers including the one here at the St George Temple. It was great to be able to watch while they were here. When the movie was over we went to the Town Square park where Jim had a couple of rides on the "Merry Go Round". The old historical Judd Store is just across the street from the park. They have a lot of old time and unusual bottled soft drinks, as well as really good Ice Cream. Most of the Group got a scoop of the Ice Cream but Andy wanted a bottle of "Lenionade" the Russian soft drink.

Melody wanted to go to the Beach at Sand Hollow. Marlene did some swimming while the boys made sand castles. It is really nice as the pink sand dunes flow in to the lake.

We had some fun playing games with every one before going to bed. It gets a little busy when we have family visit but we love it.

The Narrows

The Narrows in Zion National Park

It has been more than twenty five years since Marlene I had been on the hike to the Narrows.

It is a easy, mostly level, hike of a little more than a mile. The canyon walls in many places were wet from moisture flowing through the sand stone walls. The walk is shaded by the cliffs as the canyon narrows. There is all kinds of ivy and moss on the vertical walls. The temperature is cool as one walks in the shadows of the narrow canyon.

The Virgin river flows closely by the trail with cascades and blue pools of cold mountain water. The Park service has made many access places to go down on the riverside where you can enjoy the water.

Riverside Walk ends at Narrows. The walls come very close together and to progress any further you have to wade in the river. The water was pretty cold and the stream bed was all rocky with lots of cobbles making is hard to walk. We hiked several crossings of the river until the canyon was so narrow that the only way to continue was to stay in the river.

The walls close in and the river becomes deeper. I went to the point where I could see some of the hikers up to their waist in water at that point I went back. It was cool to stand in the water where Zion Canyon is so narrow and look up at the walls.

The Trip is one that everyone should make at least once in their life. We loved being there in such a peaceful and beautiful place.

Clay and more fun times in St George

Clay, Allison and their family came to visit us here in St George for several days last week. We had a busy time with lots of fun things to do.

The City of St George's Parks and Recreation Department is very busy in finding innovative things for the folks here to do. The "Sunset on the Square" takes place every other Friday night.

Every one brings blankets or lawn chairs and enjoys a movie in Town Square Park. They have just acquired a old rebuilt Carousal for the kids to ride on. Their are group games to play before the movie starts. The "Blue Bunny Ice Cream Company", their factory is here in St George, supplies cheap Ice Cream.

We watched the Movie "Fly Boys" a new soon to be distributed movie made here in St George. It was pretty good, lots of action. Aaron really liked it because it was about a couple of kids being forced to fly and land a airplane after everyone else bailed out.

The Clay Glad's like to go to Sand Hollow lake while they are here. It is very unusual in that a large sand dune ends up in the lake. The contrast between the red sand and the blue water is very nice. The lake is quite shallow by the dune and it takes a long walk in the water to have the water come up to your shoulders, which is very good for little kids. The water is also quite warm, The lake water was almost 90 degrees when we were there.

One of the best places to visit in Zion National Park is Weeping Rock. The water from rain and snow melt, on the top of the Canyon Percolates through the sandstone until it reaches a different layer of rock that is harder and then it comes out through the interface between the two types of rock causing a area where the water drips out over a shallow cavity. The water is very pure after being filtered though the sand stone for such a long distance. They have done a study where they used the permeability of the stone and the height of the rock to come up with the time for the water to move from the top of the cliff through the stone and come out at at the bottom of the canyon, some where around 1,000 years.

We left the kids in the care of Cody and went to Tuachan to see the musical "Grease" it was very good. They several used old cars from the sixty's as props for many of the scenes. They used a picture of "South High School" , where I went, for a backdrop. The music was great but I have always been uncomfortable with the theme of the show, since I was a child of that age and did not like ending where Sandy let Her standards down.

Angel's family comes to visit

Angel, Nathan, Megan and Tyler came to St George so spend time with us as Roy had to go for a week back east for his work. We had a great time spending time with the grand kids.

We went to Town Square Park several times to cool off. The park has a fountain which changes the squirts with time. It is fun for the kids to run through. There is also a "lazy River" That the kids like to run through.

We went to a is a special place, that we know of, to collect Petrified Wood. Everyone was able to find lots of pieces, then as we went home, we drove by Gunlock Reservoir. This had been a very wet year so the lake is overflowing the spillway. This is a special treat that only comes after a very wet cycle. The spillway water is a natural flow with many waterfalls and pools in the red rock. many people come to play in the water.

We took this picture of the grand kids at the Snow Canyon over look just prior to returning from our petrified wood trip.

One of the best places to go in Zion Park is the Emerald Pools. It takes a short hike to see the waterfalls that cascade down from the middle pools to the lower pool. The trail goes behind the falls so it is a special treat. The middle pools are at the top of the cliff where the water from the pools causes the waterfalls. The pools are at the edge of the cliff so the water flows directly off causing the waterfalls.

Megan and Nathan at the Middle Pools. Tyler with his stick in the background

Marlene on the Trail.

We parked by the Visitors Center took the bus to the trail head and then returned for a nice picnic supper.

Snow Canyon overlook

Snow Canyon Over look.

We went to Razor Ridge park to fish. The kids liked to spend time with Grandpa seeing how many fish we could catch. The first trip all we caught was Bluegill. There are lots of them in the pond but are too small to eat. Nathan caught three trout on the next trip they were taken home to eat later. He cleaned one of the fish with some help from Grandpa. The last fishing trip Megan and Grandpa caught two trout each, their limit, while Nathan got lots of Bluegill. It is fun to fish at the pond because there is always lots of fish to catch even if most of them are small Bluegill.

We had a special treat in that we went out for a buffet dinner at the "Golden Corral".

There was lots of food to choose from and every one could choose his favorite. The kids had Blue cotton candy to finish off the meal. Grandpa liked the steak and the sauteed Shrimp with Alfredo sause over rice.

It was a great week for everyone.