Here a chick, there a chick...

Eventful week...David won the 2nd place trophy at the storyteller festival of his school for K-3rd grades...wow!  He did a great job telling the story of "Are You My Mother?"  Fun! They had to tell their stories on stage in a microphone and to an audience.  There was a panel of judges too!  He wasn't even nervous that I could tell...just got up and did it! Good job David!   And in other news...our baby chicks are getting so big!  The boys still love to hold them and we need to move all the chicks into a bigger box!  Not much else has been happening.  Pretty normal days around here and for that I am most grateful!  

Happy Birthday Daddy...

Today is my dad's birthday...he would be 83!  Mind boggling.  We sure do miss him!  I learned today that he not only shares his birthday with George Washington and the uncle he was named after, but Great Aunt Edna's husband was born on this date, and my cousin Jimmy (James Arlow) who was named after Dad.  I love facebook and connecting with family and learning all these fun things!  I never thought we'd be able to go to the cemetery in February...but all the snow has melted so we could!  We met Eric and his family out there last night.  Eric cleaned up the headstones (our sister Lori is buried there as well) like he always does and we added flowers.  It was cold and breezy, but we were so happy we could be out there to share our remembrances and show our love and respect.  Afterwards we went and had dinner at Eric and Randa's...Navajo tacos.  It was great!  We enjoyed our evening and I am so glad we could go put out flowers...I love living close by now!  Love and miss you Daddy...happy birthday!  Have a great celebration in heaven with Mom and all our other family that is there!

E I E I O

Old McKinney had a farm...EIEIO...with a chick chick here and a chick chick there...

On Wednesday we went to the store and got some baby chicks!  I don't know who was more excited, Dave or the boys!  We got 8 all together and if they all survive and if they all produce how they are supposed to, we will have tons of eggs come this summer!  The boys just love walking over to the box every few minutes and looking at them and saying how cute they are!  They both picked one to name.  They will grow quickly so Old McKinney needs to get building that chicken coop ASAP.  This is a new "Utah Adventure" and we hope it turns out to be a productive one!  The first picture is at the store selecting our chicks...and we have made Amanda our official chick wrangler...3 days and they are still alive and seem to be doing well!

 

Valentines Day 2014...

We had a simple and fun Valentines day.  I was happy to see Amanda carry on our tradition of having the kids treasure hunt for their valentines!  She was smart and used pictures for the clues...the boys did a good job working together and finding their valentine.  We reminisced about when our kids were small and we had them do that...it became quite the tradition and I always had fun with it.  We had pink waffles for breakfast, and heart shaped pizza for dinner with some red strawberry jello cups for dessert.  They didn't turn out as cute as they looked on pinterest, but they were yummy!  The boys and their mom had heart attacked our bedroom door a few days before and we loved it! They also made sugar cookies today and we shared them with a few special people...yummy day!  

Aunt Evelyn's Funeral...

My Aunt Evelyn Bagley passed away this week.  She is one of my mom's sisters.  We had known since before Thanksgiving that she wasn't doing well and wouldn't be with us much longer.  She has had some alzheimers (though not quite as bad as my mom's I don't think) but lately her body has been shutting down.  Her kidneys were bad but she wouldn't do dialysis, and her heart was not in good shape either.  It was just a matter of time.  Ever since Uncle Garth passed away over 12 years ago, she has been ready to go.  He was such a huge part of her life, a true love story (aka fairytale), and she just could never quite get over his passing.  She LONGED to be with him again.  Well, she is with him now and I can only imagine how happy she is!  Her 10 children were the next biggest part of her life, but they all have spouses, children and grand children.  I believe Aunt Evelyn was just too lonely for her Garth.  I am so glad I live here now and am able to attend such functions.  It is a two hour drive to Koosharem, Utah so Dave and I set out for a very lovely day.  The viewing was busy...lots of people!  They had sugar cookies to greet you at the door...she was well known for her sugar cookies, so they wanted to share one with us.  The display table was lovely with many pictures, some of her favorite things, and some of her handicrafts (she was an expert quilter!).  Two of my other aunts were there so I was able to spend some time with them and visit before the funeral and after.  I finally met Teresa, my cousin Durran's wife, she is a true asset to the Brian family and Durran is one lucky cowboy to have her!  Also got to visit a bit with Uncle Valoy and Aunt Elaine and two of their sons Kevin and Keldon.  Uncle Cleon wasn't able to come to the funeral as he was really sick...but it was great to see all those that we did.  The funeral was beautiful...we knew it would be.  The Bagleys are amazing people (we always wanted to be like their family!) some spoke, some sang, and it was a true celebration of Aunt Evelyn's life.  I am happy to re-connect with them, and I will admit, after 20+ years of not seeing any of them, most of them didn't recognize me...but only one of them I didn't recognize and I still have a hard time knowing it is her.  She looks so different!  But she came right up and called me by name and gave me a hug. I didn't talk to any of the boys, they were all busy talking to everyone else, but I did get an email from one of them today so that was nice.  The wind was a bitter cold up at the cemetery but thankfully we weren't outside too long.  They did a sweet thing where the granddaughters and grandsons lined up on each side before the casket was placed, and after the casket was in place they all put flowers on it.  Very sweet.  Afterwards the Relief Society served Cafe Rio style lunch and it was very good.  I am grateful for my Aunt Evelyn and the positive influence she was in many lives, including mine.  I always wanted to be as patient and loving as her, and to be able to cook like she could!  She might have been known for her sugar cookies, but her homemade rolls were my favorite! None like them to be found anywhere else!  Enjoy the reunion in Heaven Aunt Evelyn, and give my mom a hug for me.

 Aunt Lew and her husband Curtis, Aunt Bev and Uncle Dudley

 9 of the 10 Bagley children...Michael, Mark, Lori, Stephanie, Scott, Gary, Greg, Michelle, and Camille.  David had been at the viewing the night before (he is the oldest) but was so sick and they couldn't get a hotel room so his kids took him home.  I felt so bad for him.  Hope he recovers quickly.  Michelle is the one who cared for Evelyn at her home in Mapleton the last 5 or 6 months.  

 Teresa Brian and Uncle Valoy

 Aunt Elaine on the left, Aunt Bev on the right, a childhood friend of theirs in the middle

 Curtis, Aunt Lew and Keldon (he is a police officer in Orem)

 I gave Aunt Bev a chance to smile...she does NOT like getting her picture taken!

 Kevin

 Aunt Evelyn's house...lots of memories from here.  There is a bench there by the side that was referred to at the funeral as being given by her son Gary and how much she enjoyed sitting on that bench and visiting with people...and the front of the house from main street.  They raised 10 kids on this farm with ONE bathroom!

 Lastly we took a picture of this house on our way out of town.  My Great Grandparents (William Baxter Brown and his wife Amelia) home as it looks today, with additions to it and a couple of pictures I have of it from days gone by...it looks like the same outbuilding is still there...Farewell Koosharem...don't know when we will come your way again...

An Epic Party...

If you want a themed party...have Amanda plan it!  She is an awesome party planner and she did not disappoint for David's 6th birthday party!  David had missed most of the week of school from a nasty cold and cough, but after a SECOND dr. visit and some strong meds, he was ready to party on Saturday!  He wanted a Star Wars party and he got it!  The kids were Jedi's in training, complete with little outfits that Amanda cut out for them to wear.  David of course wore his Darth Vader costume and Jacob wore his Yoda one.  Amanda made Darth Vader goodie bags, light sabers out of bubble wands, centerpiece planet things out of sixlets and gumballs, and a death star out of a gray chinese lantern.  And don't forget her cake...a Death Star with Darth and Luke on it!  David doesn't really like cake, so she tried an ice cream cake and it turned out really yummy!  For lunch she served Padawan pizza (Bagel bites), Jabba Jigglers (jello), Yoda Soda (lemonade mixed with ginger ale) and pretzel light sabers (large stick pretzels dipped in colored chocolate).  She also served chips.  Can't remember if they had a name!  The kids colored a storm trooper (note the special way Jacob colors) and then they got to throw balls at them and try to knock them down.  They played Star Wars memory, and then they had to see how long they could keep a balloon up in the air using their light saber.  The pictures turned out too blurry on that game, but they had fun with it!  Then as the kids were eating their cake, you will never guess who crashed the party!  Darth Vader!  In person!  He could feel how strong the force was, but he put up a fight anyway...the kids defeated him with the force!  Then we took pictures with him.  Special thanks to him for his appearance!  A couple of the kids were a little scared.  Jacob hid behind the table while he was here and would not get in the picture!  Amanda aka Princess Leia did a fantastic job!  It was a very fun party! They got their certificates saying they were now trained Jedis.  One little girl took it very seriously!  And of course presents...almost more fun than Darth Vader!  Tons of pictures...to tell the story...Sorry Grandpa missed the party...but he did get home last night and the planets are once again aligned.  May the Force be with you! 

 

 We hurried to get a picture before the guests arrived and as I was telling them all to "look at grandma" David said very seriously from behind his mask, "I can't smile."  It was soo funny!!