Thanks for the pictures Dad and thanks for the visit!
11 years ago
Showing posts with label Remember This?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Remember This?. Show all posts
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Lovely Treasures...
...my parents came to visit and put Greg and I to work, but we didn't mind. They brought us some treasures! LOTS of pictures and most I have never seen before. So courtesy of my dad I give you a couple to tie you over until I can sort through some more. Look how teeny tiny my Jacey was...
Thanks for the pictures Dad and thanks for the visit!
Thanks for the pictures Dad and thanks for the visit!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
It's Different This Year...
...for the past 3 years Grams would give me $20 to buy mums to place on the graves for Memorial Day Weekend. I would lovingly do it for her and then take a picture. Mom or Debbie would print the picture off and take it to Grams to see. This year, however, was different. I started the day much the same with a good pair of gloves and rake in hand. I cleaned up the grave sites and then habitually went to the store to beat the rush and get my mums, the cream of the crop, the pretty colors. I then spent the rest of the afternoon potting them, in the past I had just forked them into the ground (partially burying them first so the wind didn't blow them away). It was different knowing that Grams could see me. It was different cleaning off her site. It was different buying mums for HER, and not just for her. I have known for years that eventually she would be laid to rest next to Gramps but the reality hit home today. She is gone, she is in Heaven, she is next to Gramps, she is with her mom and dad and together they are watching over us all. It was a sweet moment/realization. I sure love her and seriously miss her everyday, but at the same time I feel her so much around her yard, around her house, around her town and missing her seems silly.
It is strange to think that we have been living in her house for 3.5 years and for the first few months it really felt like we were visiting and that it would always be her house, but then it became more our house, filled with all of our things and less and less of her things. Lately, when I am cleaning her house or working in her yard I feel as though it is hers again and I am doing her a service cleaning it. Confession...every time we would come visit, her only request for us was to prune that bush in front of her house. She would always say "Give it a good hair cut! The more you cut off the better." I don't think we have pruned it since living here and I never felt guilty until this month. Every time I see it I think "man I should prune it" and I started to one day, but it has been so long that the branches down at the bottom are too thick and I can't reach the ones on the top. Sorry Grams, I guess it is just going to have to grow.
Anyways, out of habit I took pictures of the grave sites and since Grams has already seen them (and hopefully approves) I thought I would still post it for all the family that can't make it up this year.
I love that the bush is shaped somewhat like a heart...I might have to trim those two little branches
I tried to keep the potted and cut flowers from the funeral nice for this weekend, but most of them didn't last. I was able to pull some of them out and put them with some of Grams very own Lilacs that are finally blooming.
It is strange to think that we have been living in her house for 3.5 years and for the first few months it really felt like we were visiting and that it would always be her house, but then it became more our house, filled with all of our things and less and less of her things. Lately, when I am cleaning her house or working in her yard I feel as though it is hers again and I am doing her a service cleaning it. Confession...every time we would come visit, her only request for us was to prune that bush in front of her house. She would always say "Give it a good hair cut! The more you cut off the better." I don't think we have pruned it since living here and I never felt guilty until this month. Every time I see it I think "man I should prune it" and I started to one day, but it has been so long that the branches down at the bottom are too thick and I can't reach the ones on the top. Sorry Grams, I guess it is just going to have to grow.
Anyways, out of habit I took pictures of the grave sites and since Grams has already seen them (and hopefully approves) I thought I would still post it for all the family that can't make it up this year.
I love that the bush is shaped somewhat like a heart...I might have to trim those two little branches
I tried to keep the potted and cut flowers from the funeral nice for this weekend, but most of them didn't last. I was able to pull some of them out and put them with some of Grams very own Lilacs that are finally blooming.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sentimental Sunday...
...it has been a long time since we did one of these. Since we did not go to church today (pretty sure our dirty selves would have cleared out the entire building) I was cleaning out my files and came across some old journal entries that took me way back to the days of Roy 4th Ward (okay really it was only 3.5 years or so ago, but reading some of this stuff made me realize how much live has changed since then) I was the primary president up until we moved here. It was such a HUGE learning experience, and I am forever grateful for the experience and the ladies I got to serve with. We had a stake history book and they would ask us to submit ideas that worked well for us.
First off a little background into our primary. That ward was very unique for me. I grew up in a little town that had oodles of kids and enough teachers to go around. I didn't know small primaries existed. In this ward we had 4-5 classes and it seemed like the presidency was subbing in one of those classes every other week (I specifically remember having to recruit a member of the bishopric one week because we needed an extra teacher).
We had one little boy that I think about all the time, and wish I knew what he was up to these days. At first, I admit, I was nervous to serve him. He had many special needs. Before I was primary president I was his scout leader and learned so much from him. He loved his power rangers and was convinced that he was one. He thrived on consistency and changing things up on him was really hard. New teachers took months to get used to and would usually be gone before they had the chance. There was one set of Elder teachers that I literally cried when one was taken from us and I BEGGED the bishopric to let the other one stay. Him and Trevor had become wonderful friends and I needed him. I used to love to watch Trevor during singing time, or sharing time. He never participated in the way all the other kids did, but he loved to sing and he would sit on the floor and draw while the rest of primary progressed. One day I looked at his picture and sure enough he was paying attention. He drew our scripture story right along with his power rangers. This kid was only one of MANY that touched and changed my outlook on life.
We had frequent meetings with the bishopric and I remember one meeting we were having such a hard time with one little boy. He was always acting out and being disruptive. I will never forget what the bishop said, nor will I forget the way his words of wisdom changed our primary. He pointed out that every child thrives on attention, good or bad, they don't care. He challenged us to look past and ignore this one little boys negative behavior and start reacting positively to other kids good behavior. It took maybe 2 weeks for the little boy to catch on that he had to sit quiet and to be kind to others in order to get any attention, but once he caught on he was no doubt the best behaved kid! I think this little bit of advice changed the way I taught all my other classes since.
A few months before we moved here they decided to remodel our church and we had to go to a different ward building, just when we thought we had our routine down we were challenged with a brand new building and schedule.
Most of these memories are complied from months of journal entries, but here a "letter" I sent the stake for our history book...
First off a little background into our primary. That ward was very unique for me. I grew up in a little town that had oodles of kids and enough teachers to go around. I didn't know small primaries existed. In this ward we had 4-5 classes and it seemed like the presidency was subbing in one of those classes every other week (I specifically remember having to recruit a member of the bishopric one week because we needed an extra teacher).
We had one little boy that I think about all the time, and wish I knew what he was up to these days. At first, I admit, I was nervous to serve him. He had many special needs. Before I was primary president I was his scout leader and learned so much from him. He loved his power rangers and was convinced that he was one. He thrived on consistency and changing things up on him was really hard. New teachers took months to get used to and would usually be gone before they had the chance. There was one set of Elder teachers that I literally cried when one was taken from us and I BEGGED the bishopric to let the other one stay. Him and Trevor had become wonderful friends and I needed him. I used to love to watch Trevor during singing time, or sharing time. He never participated in the way all the other kids did, but he loved to sing and he would sit on the floor and draw while the rest of primary progressed. One day I looked at his picture and sure enough he was paying attention. He drew our scripture story right along with his power rangers. This kid was only one of MANY that touched and changed my outlook on life.
We had frequent meetings with the bishopric and I remember one meeting we were having such a hard time with one little boy. He was always acting out and being disruptive. I will never forget what the bishop said, nor will I forget the way his words of wisdom changed our primary. He pointed out that every child thrives on attention, good or bad, they don't care. He challenged us to look past and ignore this one little boys negative behavior and start reacting positively to other kids good behavior. It took maybe 2 weeks for the little boy to catch on that he had to sit quiet and to be kind to others in order to get any attention, but once he caught on he was no doubt the best behaved kid! I think this little bit of advice changed the way I taught all my other classes since.
A few months before we moved here they decided to remodel our church and we had to go to a different ward building, just when we thought we had our routine down we were challenged with a brand new building and schedule.
Most of these memories are complied from months of journal entries, but here a "letter" I sent the stake for our history book...
Roy 4th Ward History:
Primary: January 2007
As a new year begins we are faced with new rewards, concern, challenges, and changes. For us our biggest concern was our Sunbeams. We were getting 4 very active kids. After the first week of chasing them around the room, having little (unheard) talks with them we knew that we were going to have to come up with something to help these Sunbeams with Primary time.
As a Presidency we decided to try not to have them sit by each other during closing exercises and have them sit among our oldest class. This seemed to work a little bit better, they had role models to help them, and the bigger kids had responsibility.
After talking with the Bishop about this idea, he mentioned the word “Companionships”. Like on missions there is always a senior companion and a junior companion of which something can be taught to both. We now have companionships in our Primary. We have the older class go pick the younger class up in time for Closing Exercises. They help us keep them in their seats and as reverent as 3 year olds can possibly be.
As a presidency we are very pleased with how this is working for us. At first we were a little weary that the older kids would not like having to sit by the little kids, or help keep them reverent, but we were pleasantly surprised when with eagerness every Sunday they are more then willing to have a responsibility to help these little precious Sunbeams. Not only has this helped our little Sunbeams, but I have to say to that I think the older class is better behaved too. They are more willing to participate and sing the primary songs. They are great examples to all of the other kids, and to me as Primary President.
It is a great reward to see the older kids put their arm around the little kids and remind them tenderly to sing, or to see them walk into the Primary room hand in hand with the Spirit of Christ.
This is not to say that things run perfectly, and our Sunbeams are never restless, but it sure has helped.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Happy Memories...
Today an incredible woman passed through the veil and into the presence of God and His angels (although I have no doubt she came home to Oakley too), and with the brilliant life that she lived and the trials she overcame and her enduring it all, it was no doubt a very blessed and happy reunion!
When we heard the news that she was in the hospital we were asked to pray, but to pray that she would pass and to remember the happy memories...there are soooo many of them but here are the ones that came quickly to my mind.
Being the food lover that I am I will ALWAYS remember grams cooking...you knew she loved you when you ate her food
Her "sneaking" to the back room for flour WAY too early in the morning thinking she didn't ever wake us...little did she know we would then lay awake until that heavenly smell to filled the house and we knew it was time for breakfast.
When we heard the news that she was in the hospital we were asked to pray, but to pray that she would pass and to remember the happy memories...there are soooo many of them but here are the ones that came quickly to my mind.
Being the food lover that I am I will ALWAYS remember grams cooking...you knew she loved you when you ate her food
- bread
- cinnamon rolls
- banana cookies
- chicken noodle soup
- meatballs
- new peas and potatoes
- steak
- eggs and sausage
- scones
- lemonaide
- tuna fish
- jolley ranchers
- stripped cookies in the jar ALL THE TIME!
Watching her make bread or noodles and the flour on the nose
How about old medicine jars full of m&m's hidden throughout the house waiting for us to come and find them
Or her scolding us to get off the cellar roof
Her rubbing Sea Breeze on our very sunburned backs because we were dummies and didn't think we needed sunscreen
Week long stays at her house without our parents-getting homesick and her making it all better
Movies at the old theater
Pizza in the park before the movie
Taking us to see the Idaho Falls temple (I have no clue why we went, but I remember that trip)
Her late night shifts at the hospital, sneaking out of the house while we slept but still having enough energy to play with us the next day
Car washes and swim passes
Diving for pennies
Styling her hair, but never being allowed to use hairspray because it made her sneeze
Road trips and her silly cars need to ALWAYS pull over in Snowville
The first and only time we heard her SWEAR (shocking I know!)
The spider surprise
Her eating a black crayon
Her always having greasy hair when she showed up at our house(I now know it was because she had been to the temple first)
Her mission stories and the Baptist Preacher that preached from The Book Of Mormon
Her Valentine cards with one sucker and $1 every year
Our birthday cards on time every time (even these last few years)
Our nativity scenes
Our quilts and afghans
Watching her, hypnotized, crocheting all the time...now I know why, it is addicting and quite relaxing
Her testimony, service, example and LOVE! I feel so blessed to live here and to feel of her presence daily as I walk through her house or hear all her friends talk about how wonderful she is! I will miss her everyday, but knowing that she can see us all and walk around pain free and steady brings me peace.
Or her scolding us to get off the cellar roof
Her rubbing Sea Breeze on our very sunburned backs because we were dummies and didn't think we needed sunscreen
Week long stays at her house without our parents-getting homesick and her making it all better
Movies at the old theater
Pizza in the park before the movie
Taking us to see the Idaho Falls temple (I have no clue why we went, but I remember that trip)
Her late night shifts at the hospital, sneaking out of the house while we slept but still having enough energy to play with us the next day
Car washes and swim passes
Diving for pennies
Styling her hair, but never being allowed to use hairspray because it made her sneeze
Road trips and her silly cars need to ALWAYS pull over in Snowville
The first and only time we heard her SWEAR (shocking I know!)
The spider surprise
Her eating a black crayon
Her always having greasy hair when she showed up at our house(I now know it was because she had been to the temple first)
Her mission stories and the Baptist Preacher that preached from The Book Of Mormon
Her Valentine cards with one sucker and $1 every year
Our birthday cards on time every time (even these last few years)
Our nativity scenes
Our quilts and afghans
Watching her, hypnotized, crocheting all the time...now I know why, it is addicting and quite relaxing
Her testimony, service, example and LOVE! I feel so blessed to live here and to feel of her presence daily as I walk through her house or hear all her friends talk about how wonderful she is! I will miss her everyday, but knowing that she can see us all and walk around pain free and steady brings me peace.
I LOVE YOU FOREVER GRAMS!!
ps) I would love to hear all your memories of her as well!
ps) I would love to hear all your memories of her as well!
Monday, May 02, 2011
More Treasures...
...wow, there are a lot of nooks and crannies in this house. You would think after 3 years I would have found them all.
Nelson children of Jim and Barbara
Pat, Evelyn (holding James), Doris, Debra (holding Andy)
(I want to know what happened to this wallpaper...so pretty)
Jim Nelson-somewhere in the So. Hills
a very sick father (that is what is written)
John E. Franks
Cora Nelson
Cora Brockett Nelson
five generations
Barbara Nelson, Thelma Franks, Evelyn Mecham (holding Jodie), Effie Walker
Clara, Rex, Ruth, Rose, Jim, Leah Nelson
Maryann Johnstone Franks
Maryann Johnstone Franks
(written on the back of the photo-didn't know there was an "e" on Johnstone)
(written on the back of the photo-didn't know there was an "e" on Johnstone)
Nelson children of Jim and Barbara
Pat, Evelyn (holding James), Doris, Debra (holding Andy)
(I want to know what happened to this wallpaper...so pretty)
Jim Nelson-somewhere in the So. Hills
a very sick father (that is what is written)John E. Franks
Cora Nelson
Cora Brockett Nelson
five generationsBarbara Nelson, Thelma Franks, Evelyn Mecham (holding Jodie), Effie Walker
Clara, Rex, Ruth, Rose, Jim, Leah Nelson
Maryann Johnstone Franks
Sunday, March 06, 2011
More Treasures...
I can't tell you how many boxes of grams stuff we have taken to my mom's or my aunt's. I was pretty sure that other than a few pots and pans, furniture and other odds and ends there wasn't anything left up here. Well back a week or so ago when I really really cleaned I found these. With as deep as I cleaned you might think I found these back behind the walls or something, but no. They were in the magazine rack that has been sitting at the end of the couch for the past 3 years. I have emptied it, dusted it, filled it back up a hundred times. I was pretty sure that everything grams had in it had been long ago replaced. Well, not quite. Do you know how excited I was to find these treasures. Not sure if it is the photographer nerd in me, or the fact that these are pictures of my family, but I LOVE LOVE them, and will cherish them everyday.
John E. Franks with Barbara (I love the shadowing on his face-nerd I know!)
Marim Walker and Barbara Franks
it is no wonder that these two fell in love and got married, and it is also no wonder that I have such a beautiful mom and aunts! My uncles are also very well looking too ;)
James F. Walker Nelson
Grams nursing class (gram is on the top row 2nd from the left-1st from the left is my EMT instructor Shirley Hubbard)
Aunt Evelyn, looks like a painting, so pretty!
no doubt a family reunion-gram and her siblings...I dare you to tell me who they are all in top-bottom left-right order :)
this must be her siblings without the spouses. I know Dallon is top row far left, gram is bottom row left, gram great is center, Margarette is bottom row right but not 100% on the others
I dare you to tell me who this is too :)
how fun is this one? I can point out dad, mom, chad, monica, paul, debbie and scott, but not sure on all the other ones-sad! go ahead and fill me in!
This would be little Barbara Jean Franks (aka Grams)
John E. Franks with Barbara (I love the shadowing on his face-nerd I know!)
Marim Walker and Barbara Franks
isn't she PRETTY?!
it is no wonder that these two fell in love and got married, and it is also no wonder that I have such a beautiful mom and aunts! My uncles are also very well looking too ;)James F. Walker Nelson
Grams nursing class (gram is on the top row 2nd from the left-1st from the left is my EMT instructor Shirley Hubbard)
Aunt Evelyn, looks like a painting, so pretty!
no doubt a family reunion-gram and her siblings...I dare you to tell me who they are all in top-bottom left-right order :)
this must be her siblings without the spouses. I know Dallon is top row far left, gram is bottom row left, gram great is center, Margarette is bottom row right but not 100% on the others
I dare you to tell me who this is too :)
how fun is this one? I can point out dad, mom, chad, monica, paul, debbie and scott, but not sure on all the other ones-sad! go ahead and fill me in!
Friday, February 18, 2011
De-Cluttering And Finding Treasures...
...how fun are these? Oh my little Jacey bug has gotten so big!
it is no wonder the girl had so many self hair cutting experiences...I really did try to keep it out of her face
the girl has always LOVED books!
cousin Brooke playing with the toys of choice at Grams
she was really tired...I am pretty sure we got her into her jammies and into bed without her even knowing it. Must have been a late night (we used to have those a LONG time ago and this would be why we stopped)
Christmas 2003
one of the best purchases-she loved this couch!!
yeah so the pictures aren't in order...oh well!
look how teeny tiny she used to be. Now she is quick to remind us she is almost as tall as grammy
I used to dump a cup full of flour on the table and she was well entertained for hours!
Jacey learned the computer VERY early on...and is a whiz now. Such a whiz that around Christmas time this year if she had had access to my wallet I am pretty sure she would have completed that purchase of a puppy.
Oh what a sweetie! I love finding such fun treasures-tomorrow we hit the kitchen and something tells me I wont find fun treasures in there.
it is no wonder the girl had so many self hair cutting experiences...I really did try to keep it out of her face
the girl has always LOVED books!
cousin Brooke playing with the toys of choice at Grams
she was really tired...I am pretty sure we got her into her jammies and into bed without her even knowing it. Must have been a late night (we used to have those a LONG time ago and this would be why we stopped)
Christmas 2003
one of the best purchases-she loved this couch!!
yeah so the pictures aren't in order...oh well!
look how teeny tiny she used to be. Now she is quick to remind us she is almost as tall as grammy
I used to dump a cup full of flour on the table and she was well entertained for hours!
Jacey learned the computer VERY early on...and is a whiz now. Such a whiz that around Christmas time this year if she had had access to my wallet I am pretty sure she would have completed that purchase of a puppy.
Oh what a sweetie! I love finding such fun treasures-tomorrow we hit the kitchen and something tells me I wont find fun treasures in there.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Still Trying To Convince Myself...
...that I have an 8 year old. Scanning in more pictures today I came across her first birthday (4/21/03) party. I think the first and last "big" party we through for birthdays. She hated it and cried most of the evening and I ended up opening most of her presents for her-a little overwhelmed I think.
We went down to Oak City to visit and came home on her birthday...lots of fun with LOTS of girls!
Jacey took her first steps right before she turned one
this couch proved to be a good gift and provided lots of fun and hiding places
wanna know how many times she wore this swimsuit? Probably this one time...I am not sure we ever went swimming with her until she was older. And I can PROMISE you that she never wore the grass skirt again
Yeah our Jacey developed a mature taste in food early on. She didn't go to McDonalds until after Dax was born and old enough to eat there. Her favorite place was The Olive Garden and that is where we had her first birthday lunch.
hanging out at Grandma's
Happy first Birthday Jacey!
We went down to Oak City to visit and came home on her birthday...lots of fun with LOTS of girls!
Jacey took her first steps right before she turned one
this couch proved to be a good gift and provided lots of fun and hiding places
wanna know how many times she wore this swimsuit? Probably this one time...I am not sure we ever went swimming with her until she was older. And I can PROMISE you that she never wore the grass skirt again
Yeah our Jacey developed a mature taste in food early on. She didn't go to McDonalds until after Dax was born and old enough to eat there. Her favorite place was The Olive Garden and that is where we had her first birthday lunch.
hanging out at Grandma's
Happy first Birthday Jacey!
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