Thursday, June 27, 2013
Hi All,
Well it was another marathon week this past one! We just finished our last two days in the Logan Temple. What a blessing and privilege it has been to serve there.
Last Wed. night, Travis and Lindsay and family stayed overnight with us on their way to Bear Lake to a Smith Family Reunion. Clair left early Thurs. morning for Honeyville to meet his brother Lee and wife DeAnn. They traveled to Denver and stayed with Randy and family and on Friday Clair and Lee were escorts for their two great-nephews, who both joined the church - one last year and one the year before. They are both going on missions. Their grandmother was Clair's sister. She passed away 30 years ago with breast cancer. What a special day that was for their family!
Mandy and Katie and kids came Thurs. and we prepared for our trip to Manti. With the help of Troy, Daniel, Kaden, my visiting teacher and neighbor, Faith, Kallie, Sadie and Maddie and heavenly angels, we left 18 kids early Friday morning. I was worried about getting their on time, so I made us leave at 6:00 a.m. I guess being married to Clair for 7 1/2 years has trained me! We had plenty of time, but it was a great time for us to visit and we even stopped in Spanish Fork at Kneaders for breakfast and to drive by Katie's old house.
The day was just perfect, and Abbie looked so beautiful. We were all dressed in white, and as I looked across the sealing room at my girls, I could not help think but what pretty girls they all are! (it's a good thing they take after their Mom - heh, heh; just a little joke there.) The sealer did such a nice job. We took pictures out on the Temple grounds and the weather was just perfect. We stopped for a little lunch at the Malt Shop in Ephraim and then went on to Provo and did some birthday shopping at Ross for Mandy whose birthday was yesterday, the 26th. Some of the other girls got something too. Then we went to the lovely reception at Will's parents home in Provo. It was so nice; we really enjoyed visiting with everyone there. We dropped Kris and Jen off in Riverdale, Utah at Travis's cousin's house where her car was. They went to pick up Karley at the airport. She has been in the Dominican Republic on a church humanitarian trip. We trudged on to Larsons and picked up some kids there and then arrived home around midnight. There wasa couple of notes from some exhausted little girls - Maddie, Kallie and Sadie - who were in charge of tending the little ones here and getting them to bed. I think they were about in tears!
Katie and Mandy and 19 kids went to the Paskins Family Reunion on Sat. and then met Jen and Kris at the Skyview Pool where they swam and then showered and washed 19 heads for Sunday! They put them all in their P.J.'s and the Mom's were SO tired when they got here Sat. night!
Daniel's farewell was so very nice. He spoke well and was very humble and appreciative of all the good examples he's had in his life and wise counsel from his parents, Bishop and a good ward member. We had lunch under the pavillion by their church. He is now an "official" Elder and entered the MTC yesterday!
Mat and Jill and family are coming this weekend and we are so excited to see them. So we have another busy but fun week ahead. We leave 5 weeks from tomorrow for Salt Lake, so when you put it that way, the summer is really flying by and school will soon be in session again! So just enjoy your kids and do some fun things!
If we can figure out how to post some pictures on this blog, we'll do it. It not, we'll send them in an e-mail.
Love you all - Mom/Grandma
Well it was another marathon week this past one! We just finished our last two days in the Logan Temple. What a blessing and privilege it has been to serve there.
Last Wed. night, Travis and Lindsay and family stayed overnight with us on their way to Bear Lake to a Smith Family Reunion. Clair left early Thurs. morning for Honeyville to meet his brother Lee and wife DeAnn. They traveled to Denver and stayed with Randy and family and on Friday Clair and Lee were escorts for their two great-nephews, who both joined the church - one last year and one the year before. They are both going on missions. Their grandmother was Clair's sister. She passed away 30 years ago with breast cancer. What a special day that was for their family!
Mandy and Katie and kids came Thurs. and we prepared for our trip to Manti. With the help of Troy, Daniel, Kaden, my visiting teacher and neighbor, Faith, Kallie, Sadie and Maddie and heavenly angels, we left 18 kids early Friday morning. I was worried about getting their on time, so I made us leave at 6:00 a.m. I guess being married to Clair for 7 1/2 years has trained me! We had plenty of time, but it was a great time for us to visit and we even stopped in Spanish Fork at Kneaders for breakfast and to drive by Katie's old house.
The day was just perfect, and Abbie looked so beautiful. We were all dressed in white, and as I looked across the sealing room at my girls, I could not help think but what pretty girls they all are! (it's a good thing they take after their Mom - heh, heh; just a little joke there.) The sealer did such a nice job. We took pictures out on the Temple grounds and the weather was just perfect. We stopped for a little lunch at the Malt Shop in Ephraim and then went on to Provo and did some birthday shopping at Ross for Mandy whose birthday was yesterday, the 26th. Some of the other girls got something too. Then we went to the lovely reception at Will's parents home in Provo. It was so nice; we really enjoyed visiting with everyone there. We dropped Kris and Jen off in Riverdale, Utah at Travis's cousin's house where her car was. They went to pick up Karley at the airport. She has been in the Dominican Republic on a church humanitarian trip. We trudged on to Larsons and picked up some kids there and then arrived home around midnight. There wasa couple of notes from some exhausted little girls - Maddie, Kallie and Sadie - who were in charge of tending the little ones here and getting them to bed. I think they were about in tears!
Katie and Mandy and 19 kids went to the Paskins Family Reunion on Sat. and then met Jen and Kris at the Skyview Pool where they swam and then showered and washed 19 heads for Sunday! They put them all in their P.J.'s and the Mom's were SO tired when they got here Sat. night!
Daniel's farewell was so very nice. He spoke well and was very humble and appreciative of all the good examples he's had in his life and wise counsel from his parents, Bishop and a good ward member. We had lunch under the pavillion by their church. He is now an "official" Elder and entered the MTC yesterday!
Mat and Jill and family are coming this weekend and we are so excited to see them. So we have another busy but fun week ahead. We leave 5 weeks from tomorrow for Salt Lake, so when you put it that way, the summer is really flying by and school will soon be in session again! So just enjoy your kids and do some fun things!
If we can figure out how to post some pictures on this blog, we'll do it. It not, we'll send them in an e-mail.
Love you all - Mom/Grandma
Monday, June 10, 2013
Well here we are - the day after the "adult reunion." After months of thinking and planning and arranging, it was all worth it. I appreciate all of you and all your thinking and planning and arranging so you could be there. It was fun to be with you at Lagoon, especially on "Rattlesnake Rapids." The Colussus - not so much! I couldn't stop crying in the Temple. I know that many of you could not stay awake after our late night the night before, but just being in the same Temple with all of you and with Abbie receiving her Endowment made me so grateful - grateful that all of my children and their spouses are all temple worthy and hold recommends and are working so hard to raise your children to be the same. It really was heavenly to me, and try as I might, I just could not hold back the tears. I loved just sitting and visiting and laughing and watching you interact with each other. For those who could go, I think they enjoyed "Music and the Spoken Word." The chapel where we attended Sacrament Meeting in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building is the same chapel that Clair and I will attend when we are on our mission I don't know about you, but I felt the love that we all have for each other and the spirit was there. I felt that the reunion accomplished what I hoped it would; it brought us closer as a family.
As I said, I do hope that you will remember to pray for each other, to stay in touch (even through this family blog), to come and see us in Salt Lake and to save your money for the next time we have an "adult reunion,"
Travis and Katie, we are all willing to do whatever you need us to for next year's BIG reunion! I know that it's not easy getting 70 (and by next year maybe more?) together, but it's worth the work to make the memories!
Josie, I loved your latest blog, and I'm so proud that you are finishing up your degree, and I learned a lot from you. I'm glad you wrote the poem out. Otherwise, I would not have understood a thing that girl said!
Congratulations to Karley for sending in her mission papers! We'll be excited to learn where you are going. Good luck to Brendan in Alaska. Good luck with the finishing touches on the wedding plans Amy and Michael. We will see you a week from this Friday in Manti. Good luck Jen and Troy with the last preparations for Daniel's "non-farewell" on the 23rd and getting ready to take him to the MTC in a couple of weeks. Mat and Jill and family, we are looking forward to your visit in about 3 weeks. It's party time around here til Aug. 2 when we take off for Salt Lake! We'll let you know when our "non-farewell is." Maybe they don't have them for 3rd time Sr's?
Please give a big thank you to all those who tended 40 grandchildren while we had fun. Without them, none of that would have been possible.
I'm no good at posting pictures, so I'm counting on all of you to do that! Know that I love you all so very much.
Mom
As I said, I do hope that you will remember to pray for each other, to stay in touch (even through this family blog), to come and see us in Salt Lake and to save your money for the next time we have an "adult reunion,"
Travis and Katie, we are all willing to do whatever you need us to for next year's BIG reunion! I know that it's not easy getting 70 (and by next year maybe more?) together, but it's worth the work to make the memories!
Josie, I loved your latest blog, and I'm so proud that you are finishing up your degree, and I learned a lot from you. I'm glad you wrote the poem out. Otherwise, I would not have understood a thing that girl said!
Congratulations to Karley for sending in her mission papers! We'll be excited to learn where you are going. Good luck to Brendan in Alaska. Good luck with the finishing touches on the wedding plans Amy and Michael. We will see you a week from this Friday in Manti. Good luck Jen and Troy with the last preparations for Daniel's "non-farewell" on the 23rd and getting ready to take him to the MTC in a couple of weeks. Mat and Jill and family, we are looking forward to your visit in about 3 weeks. It's party time around here til Aug. 2 when we take off for Salt Lake! We'll let you know when our "non-farewell is." Maybe they don't have them for 3rd time Sr's?
Please give a big thank you to all those who tended 40 grandchildren while we had fun. Without them, none of that would have been possible.
I'm no good at posting pictures, so I'm counting on all of you to do that! Know that I love you all so very much.
Mom
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Learning with Josie
Hey, everybody. I am on my last semester at BYU-Idaho, and I am taking a bunch of English online classes. I don't know why I want to share this with you all so badly, but I'm going to. I am putting off my homework, which is terrible, but they tell us to teach others--so I will. I'm doing British and American Literature classes, and they are so interesting! We learn a little about the history of the countries, because the events really affected the authors and what they wrote.
It's just so fun to learn about all these people, and recognize how their works have lasted for hundreds of years, and can be found in our daily lives--especially Palmer lives. Most of us are kind of into old things :) But we don't even realize all the history that can be found behind it! Or maybe you guys already know, and I'm just learning.
So far I've learned about John Bunyan who was jailed 12 years altogether for preaching without a license in England (he wouldn't quit, but whenever they jailed him, people would riot). He wrote "Pilgrim's Progress" during his time in jail, and, if you ladies remember, it makes an appearance in the book, "Little Women". I actually finished that book right before I started classes, and am now writing an essay on it...which I still have to finish...
It's just so fun to learn about all these people, and recognize how their works have lasted for hundreds of years, and can be found in our daily lives--especially Palmer lives. Most of us are kind of into old things :) But we don't even realize all the history that can be found behind it! Or maybe you guys already know, and I'm just learning.
I loved learning about William Wilberforce and his dedication to free slaves in England. They didn't have a civil war, like we did. It took 15-20 years, but they used strategy and it worked! Watch the movie "Amazing Grace", it's good. You learn where that song came from. It was written by a man who was once the captain of a slave ship and felt so bad for the deeds he and others did to slaves that he became a monk, wrote his confessions, and helped with the abolition of slavery in England.
Dr. Samuel Johnson wrote a Dictionary in 1755. He kind of scared people and they thought he was odd because he made weird gestures all the time, and had "tics". Research shows that he had Tourette syndrome!
Anyway, I've read and learned so much so fast. Today we were more in the Romantic Period, and learned about Robert Burns. He was a Scottish poet. He was a farmer most of his life, and died at age 37. He wrote "Auld Lang Syne" (which means "long ago"), and--for you Nickel Creek fans--he wrote "Afton Water". You've probably heard it--
"Flow gently, sweet Afton, among they green braes (slopes)
Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.)
It's about a river in Ayrshire, Scotland. The song is beautiful.
If you haven't heard it, here's a youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbJlz8mYFeY
The funnest thing I did today, though, was listen to a couple of recitals of Robert Burns' poems. "To A Louse" is a good one. There's a link below of it of a woman reciting the poem. But I would highly advise you to read the poem, first. On words you probably won't know, I put a definition off to the side. In an nutshell, there's an insect on a lady, and the narrator is talking to it. The main point is to see yourself the way other's see you.
To A Louse (a parasitic insect)
On Seeing One On A Lady's Bonnet, At Church
Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin(crawling) ferlie?
Your impudence protects you sairly;(sorely)
I canna say but ye strunt(strut) rarely,
Owre gauze and lace;
Tho', faith! I fear ye dine but sparely
On sic a place.
On Seeing One On A Lady's Bonnet, At Church
Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin(crawling) ferlie?
Your impudence protects you sairly;(sorely)
I canna say but ye strunt(strut) rarely,
Owre gauze and lace;
Tho', faith! I fear ye dine but sparely
On sic a place.
Ye ugly, creepin, blastit wonner,(wonder)
Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner,
How daur ye set your fit(foot) upon her-
Sae fine a lady?
Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner
On some poor body.
Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner,
How daur ye set your fit(foot) upon her-
Sae fine a lady?
Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner
On some poor body.
Swith!(swift) in some beggar's haffet(locks) squattle;
There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,(struggle)
Wi' ither kindred, jumping cattle,
In shoals and nations;
Whaur horn nor bane(fine-tooth comb made of horn or bone) ne'er daur unsettle
Your thick plantations.
There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,(struggle)
Wi' ither kindred, jumping cattle,
In shoals and nations;
Whaur horn nor bane(fine-tooth comb made of horn or bone) ne'er daur unsettle
Your thick plantations.
Now haud you there, ye're out o' sight,
Below the fatt'rels,(ribbon ends) snug and tight;
Na, faith ye yet!(confound you!) ye'll no be right,
Till ye've got on it-
The verra tapmost, tow'rin height
O' Miss' bonnet.
Below the fatt'rels,(ribbon ends) snug and tight;
Na, faith ye yet!(confound you!) ye'll no be right,
Till ye've got on it-
The verra tapmost, tow'rin height
O' Miss' bonnet.
My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out,
As plump an' grey as ony grozet:(gooseberry)
O for some rank, mercurial rozet,(rosin)
Or fell,(sharp) red smeddum,(powder)
I'd gie you sic a hearty dose o't,
Wad dress your droddum.(backside)
As plump an' grey as ony grozet:(gooseberry)
O for some rank, mercurial rozet,(rosin)
Or fell,(sharp) red smeddum,(powder)
I'd gie you sic a hearty dose o't,
Wad dress your droddum.(backside)
I wad na been surpris'd to spy
You on an auld wife's flainen toy;(flannel cap w/ earflaps)
Or aiblins(perhaps) some bit dubbie(ragged/muddy) boy,
On's wyliecoat;(undershirt/vest)
But Miss' fine Lunardi! fye!
How daur ye do't?
You on an auld wife's flainen toy;(flannel cap w/ earflaps)
Or aiblins(perhaps) some bit dubbie(ragged/muddy) boy,
On's wyliecoat;(undershirt/vest)
But Miss' fine Lunardi! fye!
How daur ye do't?
O Jeany, dinna toss your head,
An' set your beauties a' abread!(abroad)
Ye little ken what cursed speed
The blastie's(creature) makin:
Thae(those) winks an' finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takin.
An' set your beauties a' abread!(abroad)
Ye little ken what cursed speed
The blastie's(creature) makin:
Thae(those) winks an' finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takin.
O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:
What airs in dress(chastise?) an' gait wad lea'e us,
An' ev'n devotion!
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:
What airs in dress(chastise?) an' gait wad lea'e us,
An' ev'n devotion!
When you watch the video, I would bring up two different windows and put them side by side--it's fun to see the poem and listen to her give it at the same time. It brings out the meaning a lot more. Burns is famous for his use of his native Scottish dialect, and this lady is awesome at it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO_tdp8pYxg
Anyway, just thought some of you might enjoy that. I still can't keep from smiling whenever I hear it! I love this dialect, it's so fun. It reminds me of Nels (sp?) at those Palmer parties when he would recite stuff with an accent...except that was kind of weird.
Hope you all enjoyed learning with me! This is part of what I do all day. And, as Jeff reminded me the other day, probably the last time I'll be doing school for a loooooong time.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Pictures and more pictures!
We are so so sad that we will not be able to make it to the reunion. I try not to think about it so I won't get so sad. Please take lots of pictures and hopefully we can skype one of the nights.
Thought I would post a few pictures from our little DC adventure with the Klinglers and Larsons, and from when Clair and Carolyn came to visit.
DC was so much fun. It was so nice hanging out and learning more about history. I had never been to Mt Vernon before. I was so amazed at how they lived and the busy life George Washington lived.
We had so much fun with Clair and Carolyn. I felt right at home with them here. Valley Forge is so beautiful and so is the Amish country. We bought some root beer, raw milk and cheese. The Amish life just amazes me. I am excited to go back.
I have decided that you are all such great writers and I am not. Therefore I will just post pictures from our adventures :) We love you all. Just this last week I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for marrying into the best family! Have fun this weekend.
Torrey
Mt Vernon
Grandma and Grandpa Visit!!!!
Thought I would post a few pictures from our little DC adventure with the Klinglers and Larsons, and from when Clair and Carolyn came to visit.
DC was so much fun. It was so nice hanging out and learning more about history. I had never been to Mt Vernon before. I was so amazed at how they lived and the busy life George Washington lived.
We had so much fun with Clair and Carolyn. I felt right at home with them here. Valley Forge is so beautiful and so is the Amish country. We bought some root beer, raw milk and cheese. The Amish life just amazes me. I am excited to go back.
I have decided that you are all such great writers and I am not. Therefore I will just post pictures from our adventures :) We love you all. Just this last week I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for marrying into the best family! Have fun this weekend.
Torrey
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| Kristin had fruit snacks...therefore Kanny and Kris were instant friends |
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| Jenn and Kris decided to be George Washington's granddaughters |
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| George Washington's "hot rod" |
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| George Washington's tomb |
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| Arlington Cemetery |
Grandma and Grandpa Visit!!!!
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| They fit the part. Mr and Mrs Washington |
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| Valley Forge...This is George Washington's HQ |
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| "Hey Clair...do what George is doing" |
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| Guarding the store house..those are some tough looking soldiers |
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| Shawn likes amish ice cream |
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| Clair insisted on getting some close ups, so Shawn accommodated |
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| Shawn: I really wanted to capture Clair's great, military like strength, and leadership, but also wanted to show his inner tenderness. |
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| Sunday picnic |
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| Amanda opened their mission call and read it over the phone. Family History Center, SLC!!!!! |
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| Grandma practicing to be the best Visitor Center welcomer there ever was! Thanks for coming to visit!!! We love you guys. |
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