A Weekend with my Son!

A week and a half ago on a Tuesday morning  I put JoAnn on an airplane for a week in Boise, ID to visit daughters and grandchildren. I had earlier decided it was a great weekend to visit my Dad. Tim decided he wanted to come too and we talked about travel arrangements finally agreeing he would fly into Las Vegas and we would drive to Modesto, CA with me the following day. He arrived in the evening of the same day JoAnn left for Idaho.

Wednesday morning we went to my campus, dropped off an exam for a colleague of mine to deliver in my class. Then Tim and I were off by about 9:30 am and headed for Modesto. We both agreed the 160 miles from Las Vegas to Barstow had to be the longest and most boring drive you could ask for. However, after we topped off the gas tank - at $4.47 a gallon - Tim took the driving tasks and took us to within 1 hour of Modesto. It was a great drive to have with Tim.

Our goal was to spend as much time as we could with Grandpa and Grandma Ruby. But we started Wednesday evening with a relaxing time with Don and Marti, our gracious hosts. On Thursday we went over to see Dad and Ruby and just to spend time with them. We had also been given an assignments by my sisters, which was to talk Dad into a new television. His old one was even older than my front room television.

We weren't making much progress - Dad can be a tough sell when he wants to stall. We just visited, took them out to lunch at Applebee's. We sat at our tables and realized the baseball Giants were playing the Cardinals. Tim made the comment to Dad saying, "If you had a new television you could see the ballgame that well too." That seemed to be the turning point. Late that afternoon he said, I think I'd like a new television. Tim & I told Dad we would deliver a new TV in the morning.

Tim and I found a great Mexican restaurant around the corner
from Dad's house. Would you believe there are 3 enchiladas
somewhere under there?

Sending 2 guys out to purchase a new television is "dangerous" to say the least. We checked out Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. We had lots of options, but finally made a great decision on a 47 inch television for Dad & Ruby. Yet, we knew we weren't quite done. We decided that Ruby needed her own TV for when Dad is watching sports (which is a lot). We settled on a 32" TV to replace the one that had been in the back bedroom.

We got to the house, set up the new television, and plugged it in and Tim programmed the controller. Having Tim there to program the controller and make sure everything was set up right was a blessing. He is so good at those tasks. Dad told us we could take the old TV to the back room for Ruby. That was when we told him that Ruby got a new television too!

Before we set the 2nd television up we turned on the golf channel and Dad was like a little kid! He loved it! And we sure felt good.

We almost had the 32" set up before Ruby got back, but we couldn't find the remote. Ruby and her daughter-in-law Kathy found it in 2 minutes. We got it programmed and when Tim and I left they were both watching the back room television.

Grandpa/Dad with the Grandkids - and yes "in-laws" are automatically grandkids!

Friday evening we got together with all of the sisters and family. On Thursday Krissie had called and said she and David were going to Sacramento on Friday. They met us for dinner at Jeri's home. We didn't tell Dad they were coming and we were lucky enough Krissie & David arrived at Jeri's the same time we did. Dad was surprised when David was there to help him out of the car. David is Dad's favorite Marine. It was a great evening with family. . I almost forgot - we celebrated Tim's birthday and everyone enjoyed it. Thank you to my sisters who put the whole evening together.

Tim receiving his Birthday Ice Cream from Aunt Marti

Jeri and Marti working hard in the kitchen. John worked hard too, but somehow
I missed him in this photo.

Saturday I took Tim to the Sacramento airport to fly home to his family. Krissie met us near the airport and we had a nice lunch. I drove back, spent a short time with Dad & Ruby feeling good about the visit. I went back to Marti's house and had a nice evening with her and Don.

On Thursday afternoon Tim and I sat on the back patio and dad shared his World War II experiences with us for about an hour. I heard some stories I hadn't heard before. I did record this and will make it available to family.

It's not very often I have the opportunity to spend a few days with one of my sons. I really enjoyed it. The time together in the car was relaxing and enjoyable. To just spend that time together was special for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

July 24th - Utah Style

We have lived in a few states and none of them celebrate their founding as excitedly as Utah does. July 24th is not really the day that Utah became a state, or even a territory. It is the day the first settlers arrived in Salt Lake Valley - of course there wasn't a city, a hamlet, or even a place then. But, no state seems to embrace their beginnings better then folks in Utah. When our children were small (Donna and Jeni) we would participate in Pioneer Day (that's the official state holiday) when we were at BYU. The kids would dress up and ride their tricycles around the Wymount Terrace Quad. Our married student housing was organized with 4 building all facing each other in a rectangle. In the middle was a large grassy area, playground, picnic tables, and the like.

This year we went back up to Spanish Fork for the 2nd time to observe July 24th. When you've been away from Utah you forget how much fun it is - and especially in a small town. It's even more fun when you can do it with family and have a grandson in the parade. There is a festival all through the downtown on Main Street focusing on the city park. Yes, Spanish Fork is one of those wonderful towns with a city park right in the middle of the town. It's not big, but every time I've ever been there it has been busy. The day before the parade people start going down to stake out where they are going to sit and watch the parade. It comes by 2 sides of the park. Chairs and rope and strung so families can have their spot saved. Can you imagine doing that in Las Vegas? I can't, but in Spanish Fork no one bothers your stuff. I didn't realize the science of selecting a spot until Donna explained to me that we were sitting in the best location for maximum shade. She was right too! And even sitting behind families in front of you, there was no problem seeing the parade.

Even before the morning started we were up early - Chris was off at his 10k - and the boys and I went out and put flags in people's front yard. The Scouts have about 40 neighbors who ask them (pay them actually) to put the flags out for holidays. Each boy has a route, picks up their flags from the Scoutmaster, and they are off. In the photo Clayton is in front with Cole catching up. Neither one of the were very awake.

It can't be an official parade if it doesn't have a fire engine and this one was a beauty.

A trick rider on a horse. It really is Spanish
Fork and these girls were great!

10K shoes - maybe smelly

I've been to a few small town parades, but I've never been to one that lasted almost 3 hours. It had floats, bands, big trucks, little trucks, children, adults, roller bladers, clown, cowboys, politicians, and on and on. It didn't feel like it was ever going to be over. For us, the big event was seeing Cole with his Karate group. They were on a big flatbed truck, but he was walking and demonstrating various Karate moves.

Earlier his Dad and I had walked to the start of the parade, which wasn't far from Donna's house, but it was from where we were already sitting and then when the parade was over Chris and I walked to pick him up. It became pretty evident he was a little over heated, but like any good 11 year old he wouldn't drink water, so we poured some on his head and neck and he was fine. We got him back and to sit down.

Like I said, they had floats - and some pretty good ones too!

Cole looks pretty fierce!

When the parade was over I was all set to head for home, but no, there was a quilt show just a half-block from the where we were and the girls all went over there while Chris and the boys went to the blacksmith to watch him work. I sat around and relaxed, picked up all of the chairs and blankets, folded them up, put them in their bags and was ready to go when everyone got back. Bad idea. Donna informed me we weren't done yet and they promptly opened the chairs back up. I clearly don't know the etiquette of small town parades and festivals.

It was a great day and we finally got home. We can hardly wait to go again next summer. Maybe we will decide early to go so we can get Rodeo tickets. We will skip the demolition derby. It's just not our thing.

The next morning it was time to get up and be on the road. I had a meeting down the road, so we didn't leave before dawn - for a change - and JoAnn was glad. I did get to see the sunrise coming over the mountains. It was a great way to start our trip home to Las Vegas.

Hiking in Red Rock

A couple of weeks ago Tim was in town for the weekend. We went to Death Valley on Friday and on Monday before he left we got up early and went for a walk in Red Rock. It was Martin Luther King Weekend and we stopped by on Saturday afternoon and that was a bad idea. It felt like half of Las Vegas was present. Tim went on a short hike, but wanted to do more, so on Monday morning we took off. It was a cool and windy morning and we decided to take a moderate trail. I hate to think what a difficult hike would be like. I don't climb quite like I used to, but we took off on the short hike. It was a beautiful hike. For January the weather had been unusually warm.

We started off up the trail, which is a stream when it rains, and the trees were green and there was sand to walk on. As we went up the trail we began to get to the rocks. In some instances there were stairs that were obviously created by moving rocks around. They fit nicely into the environment.

Tim and I, however, sometimes had to find the trail when it wasn't so obvious. We got sidetracked by rock formations, beautiful scenery, and just plain curiosity. We took lots of photos so we didn't make good time, but it wasn't about making good time it was about enjoying the place and each other.

When we finally go to where the trail took us it was a deep bowl that obviously filled with water when there was rain. It wasn't real impressive from a beauty perspective, but from a geological perspective it was pretty. However, Tim and I thought there must be something better to see so we hiked a little bit further and all of a sudden we had a 270 degree ranging from Las Vegas around to all of Red Rock Conservation Area. It was the real frosting on the cake for a great morning.

We found our way back, although we got side tracked a couple of times and then got Tim to an airplane. It was a great morning.

Looking South East towards Calico Basin and Las Vegas
in the distance

I'm just overwhelmed by the beauty of this area. It is just awesome.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Michael

Seasons come and seasons go and birthdays are a measure of longevity. But more importantly, it's a time for remembering, enjoying, family, and fun. It was a cold icy day in Ames, Iowa when little Mike was born. Number six of seven children, he was as special as all the rest. Being the second boy meant he would have to endure sisters galore and didn't know he would yet have another little sister. Raising a family is always a challenge, but more often it is a joy, especially when you take time to stop and smell the dandelions. It's easy to smell the roses, but they aren't part of our daily life. The dandelions are more of a nuisance and we try to get rid of them in our yard, but when we stop to smell them we realize they too are part of God's creation. I like the dandelion analogy because it reminds us that little nuisances and challenges are what can bring great joy in our lives. In the same sense, our children are great blessings - each and every one of them - but they can be like dandelions and if we don't stop to smell them (read that as stopping to celebrate them) then we miss too much in their lives and our lives. Michael was one of our dandelions, and what a wonderful one he was and is, of course now I'd probably fine a different plant for him, but he remains a joy in our lives and those of his extended family. Moreover he has extended that family to include a beautiful bride (under 10 years of marriage you remain a bride) who has blessed all of our lives. I honor Michael on this birthday for who he is, who he has become, for his challenges which will make him stronger, and for his love of life, his eternal partner, and his family. Oh yes, and for his quirky sense of humor. Happy Birthday Son!

Wordless Wednesday

Joshua - Tim Comparison

I've been scanning slides again and found 2 photos that cause me pause and reinforce the Tim - Joshua connection, as it should be. Of course Tim's Dad (that's me) had a lot (I mean a lot) more hair, but then I'm jealous of all that hair too! Mom made me get rid of the mustache, but it took another 10 years. Tim definitely had a Joshua pre-barber cut. This was spring or summer 1976.

The second photo show Tim outside in his shorts dungarees on a neighbor's patio. I know it's not our's since we didn't have any mopeds. I had forgotten about both photos. Tim was about 18 months in this photo in Manhattan, KS, which would be spring, 1977. Not long before we moved to Iowa. You can see Tim was not a big shoes guy - got that from his Dad.

You have to go to Tim & Lonita's blog to see the comparison.

Classic Monday

I have a hard time finding time to write during the week, so I thought I would start a Classic Monday. It can have text, and will always include an historical (or hysterical) photo. Anything over 1-day old is counted as historical.

Tim was born in Kansas in 1975, and by the spring of 1977 he was getting around pretty well. Tim loved his Hot Wheel tricycle. He could really make that thing go. We had a long sidewalk in front of our apartment in Manhattan, Kansas. It wrapped around the parking lot on two sides, so he had about 100 feet of good area to gain speed. Out the backdoor was a playground. I'm not sure the Hot Wheel made it out there much, but if you look at the wheels, it seems that it got a lot of use. I'm sure Tim wasn't the only rider of that Hot Wheel.

You will also note that the car grill and not Tim is in focus. I had an old Mamiya-Sekor camera with a spot meter and sometimes I have now discovered, I had the wrong thing in focus. Too late to fix that problem now, but we can still enjoy the photo.

Photos and Memories - Part 2

Time to post a few more slides and thoughts to go with them. It is fun to look back at our memories of our family. As one of my daughters said yesterday, “I’m so glad you took photos when we were young.” That’s the whole point of taking photos.

Following World War II my dad got out of the Marine Corps and we moved back to Des Moines and built a house on property owned by my grandfather. It was a basement home which were fairly common in those days, especially if you couldn’t afford a full house. Dennis and I were 2 and 3 (I’m the older and with the dog) in this photo. Within 2 years my dad was called back up for the Korean war and we moved to North Carolina, but for a few years we lived in this wonderful basement home out in the country just north of town.

Skipping forward 23 years our little family left California so I could pursue a masters degree. We moved to BYU with our two daughters, Donna & Jeni. We moved from Ventura, CA to Lawton, OK, where I completed the Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill. Then we moved into Wymount Terrace, married student housing at BYU. Part of the beauty of living in Provo, UT was the closeness of the mountains. Going up to Cascade Spring and walking in the spring and summer was one of our favorite things to do. In the first photo Donna is holding her hair back while she gets that good mountain water. In the second you can see JoAnn keeping an eye on Jeni. This had to be close to 1974 just before we moved to Manhattan, Kansas. How do I know? Jeni is looks about 2-years old and JoAnn is pregnant with Suzanne. We moved in July when JoAnn was 8 months pregnant. I know, what were we thinking?

Our three little girls are having a peanut butter sandwich with Suzanne in the middle, and obviously not old enough to have a peanut butter sandwich. Suzanne was 4 or 5 months old and it was winter, 1974. Please note that the wonderful couch the kids were sitting on was purchased in California when Donna was born and survived moved to Utah, Kansas, and 2 moves in Iowa before it got so old it was given away. It was an 8 foot long couch and we could put all of us on it. It had a great charm and I still miss it.

Just 13.5 months after Suzanne, little Tim showed up. Our first boy and I was excited. There is nothing better than laying on the couch and playing with my son. In fact, this photo, taken in 1977, just before we left for Iowa, looks a little bit like his almost 2-year old, Joshua.

Finally, Christmas, 1981 in Ames, Iowa, Sally is experiencing her first Christmas. That teddy-bear is the most exciting thing in her life. When I showed JoAnn the photo, she said, “She is just stinking cute!” Clearly JoAnn’s choice of phrases has been impacted by her daughters. I think it was a good influence, but sometimes I wonder. Not really!

The Cartoon Father's Day Card

Imagine my surprise when Mike sent me an email directing me to his Minidove comic site. I was even more surprised when I saw his work. He warmed my heart. I love my children.


Thank you Mike

Happy Birthday Mike

It seem like just yesterday I was holding our brand new son, Michael. Yet it has been 28 years since that cold and icy day in Ames, Iowa. We remember how excited we were that we were finally going to have a baby that was not born in the dead of winter. He wasn't, just during an ice storm. And we shouldn't have been clueless when he seemed to take forever to deliver. Mom was in labor for hours and in those days labor rooms were little more than an after thought - small, uncomfortable, and sometimes forgotten by the staff. Most of the time fathers were not even allowed in the birthing room. I don't remember if I was allowed in for Mike or not. However, in spite of all of the pioneer (by today's standards) medical technology, he was born and has become a wonderful young man.

And Mike, I'm sorry that I'm a couple of days late this time, but we didn't pick a very good time for you to be born. We are "super busy" right now as my blog attests to only weekend work and then not every weekend. I hope everyone enjoys this long set of photos of our youngest son.

What is not to love in a little baby, and like all of our children (no bias here) they were all beautiful.


Mike has always had a smile on his face and even at this age was still a little short of hair.


When you grow up in a house full of girls you always have to be a little wary since you don't know what they are going to do to you next. And no girls, I don't want to know how you tormented your little brothers.


But there is always time for sleep and when it's on our favorite couch (the one we all still miss) you take full advantage of it.


And when your great grandpa Merriam comes to town you must have a photo of the event. It was the last time all of the kids saw their Great Grandpa Merriam. Grandpa was 90 in this photo.


Mike does love his sisters and in this photo with Sally and Krissie you can see that love.


But there is a bit of a funny side to Mike. Like any good boy/man he likes to have a little fun and always has. There is nothing better than a good laugh.


Or a new pose.


Or color coding a new dress code.


And time with Mom in the pool.


Mike has a soft spot for his dog - Strider. We all enjoyed her and had lots of fun with her.


And of course he has turned into a wonderful uncle (okay, some of the nieces may not think that, but even here he is softening). Calvin was his first nephew and was and is special to him. [I think they both just woke up.] He can always be counted on to take care of Suzanne's children, or just to play with them. Note how comfortable Chas is with Mike and vice versa in the 2nd photo.



Then he came home from his mission on a late evening. There were no banners, no large crowds, just Mom and Dad, but that was what was important to all of us. He was beaming and such a missionary.


And while there were other photos I could add these last two are probably the most important to Mike and for us one our proudest moments. There is nothing like the marriage of your children to excite and reward a parent. We are so proud of all of our children, but on this day we were most proud of Mike and Allison. Love ya Mike and happy belated birthday! Dad...



Even a little rain didn't dampen this special day!

And I almost forgot Mike's self portrait he sent us several years ago. This may be our best representation of the complexity of our young man.

I Just Couldn't Resist...

I was working on our graduation, blessing, and Christmas photos this afternoon (and no, I'm not done yet, but check flickr for the new photos) and Joshua provided me with another story line. Thanks to Lonita and Tim for creating story lines for Joshua.

It's was Christmas morning and only Joshua's second Christmas, of course he was only 3 months old for his first Christmas, so this one had to be better. It was. It didn't take him any time at all to get into the spirit of ripping open gifts. It's a guy thing!

Let's get started on this gift. I've got the first piece off, but I still can't see anything. Who wrapped this anyway?

I can see it, but just what the heck is it? And how do I get the rest of this paper off?

Okay Mom, let's get this thing open and operational. I'm ready to play.

Oh good, now I've got the help of 2 parents. I think I'm losing control of the situation.

It's all hands now! I'm sure we will get this done before dinner - well, at least I hope so.

And after all that work can you believe that Grandpa didn't take a picture of me having fun with my new school set? Some Grandpa, he forgets to take the good pictures. Oh yea, thanks Chas!