There's a First Time for Everything

It's no secret that JoAnn and I have a lot of fun together. We enjoy getting out and going places, although over the last 8 months that has been severely curtailed. We used to enjoy a Saturday afternoon drive in the country in Indiana. It was quiet, we could enjoy the beauty of the midwest, and most important we are together and can talk, listen, or just watch. It's more about being together and away from home then anything else. They have become an important part of our life. After the kids left we used to take spring breaks without them and go down into Tennessee and Kentucky and stay in their state parks, explore the countryside, and of course just relax. In recent years we have had fewer of those as we have moved closer to our children. Las Vegas doesn't afford a lot of quiet country driving, although we have a few places we do enjoy, and we seem to spend more time going to see our children or having them come see us. We love having them and visiting them. But we still need our time away from the day to day activities of home.

On Monday we dropped the Iowa McLean's off at the airport (not quite a "drop off" but that's another story) and headed up for a bed and breakfast in St. George. We have driven by St. George so many times, but never really spent any time there. We each took our books along to read, got on the internet and found the quilt stores, and made reservations at a historic and delightful B&B.

It was dark when we arrived on Monday so we went out for dinner, came back, read for a couple of hours and then got a good nights sleep. Tuesday we had a full day of quilt stores, historic sites, the St. George Temple, and a little television in our room. At about 9 pm JoAnn said she was really tired, we turned off the lights and went to bed. You guys know we hardly ever go to bed at the same time. I'm early and she is late. As we laid there I started telling her about the book I was reading and how enjoyable it was. We talked back and forth for a few minutes and then I went into a monolog story. I was quite happy just sharing the story when I realized I might be talking to myself. It was dark so I couldn't look into JoAnn's eyes. I stopped and asked, "JoAnn are you awake?" Not once, but 3 times (I've always been a little slow). Then I listened, and sure enough, there was that unmistakable purr of JoAnn when she is fully asleep.

I've put students, children, and grandchildren to sleep before, but never my wife. I guess there's a first time for everything.

Wordless Wednesday - Conductor Time

Christmas Day

Families are up early. Children look with excitement at their stockings and all the presents under the tree. Families gather to spend time together in reflection of the season, to share joy, and to build strength and love. When families cannot gather they can text with each other, send photos over the internet, talk via telephone and other devices. Christmas is about love and nothing expresses the meaning of Christmas more than families sharing together the love they have one for another.

Today we have heard from most of our families via text messaging, telephone, or email - not to mention a blog or two. We wish we could have all of our family around us each Christmas, but that is not so easy. We have discovered we need to develop our own family traditions - sometimes by ourselves, sometimes with extended family, and sometimes all together.

Whatever we do we cannot forget the reason for Christmas. It was God's greatest gift to all of us - his Son. In addition to giving it should be a time for reflection and an opportunity for us to give thanks for all that He has done for us. So, as we ponder on Christmas this season let us not forget Christ. And in Christ we find our families.

In honor of Christmas 2010 and Christmases past I share a few photos from our collection.

Christmas 1981 - Ames, Iowa

Christmas 2010 - Las Vegas, NV

Christmas 1957 - Des Moines, IA

Christmas 2006 - Spanish Fork, UT

Christmas 2006 - Spanish Fork, UT

Christmas 2008 - Des Moines, IA

Christmas 2009 - Boise, ID (Just a little early)

Christmas 1955, Anderson Air Force Base, Guam

Hawk Sighting...

It's not often I write 2 blogs in one day and these 2 are almost 8 hours apart, so it could be two days - dawn and dusk?

This morning Tim, Joshua, and I went out to Calico Basin in the Red Rock Conservation Area for a little walk. Calico Basin is about a mile before the main entrance to Red Rock and a smidgen off the beaten path. You walk up a ramp that cuts back on itself several time until you get to the plateau. The ramp links to a boardwalk that extends around the perimeter of Calico Basin and keeps people out of the spring and field that is downstream. It is up against the mountain and there are many rocks of large size. As I've said before, it is one of JoAnn and my favorite spots for an afternoon or morning walk.

We got to the top and were just starting to walk around. Joshua was absolutely excited, climbed down from his dad's shoulders and started to troop off. Just as that was happening we saw a disturbance on the far side of the meadow. It was a large bird extending its wings to get into the air. It flew a short distance landed, surveyed its area, and took off again landing on a larger rock close by.

I looked at it, could see it clearly, and quickly determined it was an eagle. Upon review of my photos I determined it was too small for an eagle, but certainly fit the hawk size. From afar it flew, but as we got closer it ignored us while it ate its breakfast. I cursed myself for leaving my telephoto lens in the car, but I wasn't going back for it. I didn't want to take a chance and have the hawk leave. I shouldn't have worried. When we left the hawk was still there and probably taunting us. As I said, were not sure what kind of hawk it was, but suspect it was either a Red Tail hawk or a Swainson's hawk. Bottom line - it was fun for Tim and I to see it. Joshua was a little busy running ahead to spend much time worrying about a hawk.

We were out early enough to catch the morning dew and frost, which we almost never have in southern Nevada. But, after 5 days of rain it was humid this morning. As you can see from the following photo, it made for a beautiful photo of Tim and Joshua as they worked their way down the west side of the boardwalk. Click on the photo to see the larger size.

The morning just confirmed how much fun it is to go for a walk on a beautiful Christmas Eve morning in Las Vegas and bond.

A Day at the Park

It finally quit raining in Las Vegas. Normally we would say that after a 30 minute rain, but 5 days of rain is unheard of in Las Vegas. We have green popping up in all of the wrong places. The end of the rain also meant that we could get out to the park with Joshua who brought his parents along from Iowa for a Winter Solstice. It was an absolutely busy day at the park as Joshua discovered lots of new play devices and in the meantime wore all of us out.

Josh made his first slide attempt down the vaulted locomotive slide and while he thought it was cool, when he got to the bottom he saw a mountain of slides and one in particular caught his fancy. He quickly decided that this little slide was for beginners - and he is no beginner.

So, with a little help from Mom and Dad he was off to the big slide. To get to the slide, however, he first had to cross the trembling bridge, which required the help of Mom. This was the first crossing and he progressively got bolder as he crossed it time and time again.

The first time down the slide was a real rush as he came out headfirst, but quickly, as any real boy, recovered, sat up and said, "Wow, let's do that again, and again, and again."

Tim quickly figured out that the slide looked like a lot of fun, so he said to Joshua, "Let's go buddy!" and off they went to do the slide a few more times. Of course the device is "age appropriate" and Tim was doubled over,  just getting to the slide, but it was worth the view (at least from us spectators).

Once the slide became busy with older boys and Josh saw the swing was open he conned his grandma into doing a little pushing.

After we got home everyone left - Grandma to the Temple, Mom and Dad to the basketball game and dinner, and Grandpa and Josh had a Thomas the Tank movie festival. As the evening wore on he became more relaxed and just before bed he resorted to the prone position for watching Grandpa's iPad and Thomas the Tank.

Many thanks to Lonita for the excellent editing.

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Birthday Calvin!

A Las Vegas Fall

This is our fourth fall in Las Vegas, and our most unusual. Of course as I write this most of the places where our family lives is in a deep freeze or has snow, but nonetheless, I find this fall, or what locals call winter, to be different. To begin with, over Thanksgiving we uncharacteristically had the coldest weather since we arrived, and that counts the snow we received during the first two years. We lost several plants outside during Thanksgiving week. It was more Idaho weather than Las Vegas weather.

Since then the weather has been great, yet now we find ourselves in the midst of a 5-day rainstorm. It has people all over the valley scratching their heads. It's more like an Indiana fall than a Las Vegas winter. People are scrambling to find those long lost umbrellas and discovering they can't find them.

The prettiest part of this winter is the leaves that are falling. It seems our Thanksgiving cold snap has caused the leaves to drop in numbers we haven't seen since we arrived. It does remind me of the Midwest. I even went out and took photos. Before the rain began I even enjoyed walking through the leaves and causing a rustle. One day as JoAnn and I were driving by our local park we saw a couple of small boys jumping up and down in a leaf pile their dad's had made. On the downside, no one has a clue how to remove leaves efficiently.

I took this photo at our local park on Saturday while
JoAnn and I were out for a walk. It was a dry moment.

Yes, we do get fall in Las Vegas! And yes, here we call that winter. It's not over and we may even get a little snow this year. However, that idea strikes fear into the heart of all of us.

Have a Merry Christmas you snow dwellers!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Krissie

Happy Birthday youngest daughter. You have brought a lot of light into our family and we love you for that. It seems like you are always at the center - but that happens a lot when you are the youngest. Have a GREAT Birthday.

Wordless Wednesday

November Reflections

I was reading some Robert Frost poetry this morning and "My November Guest" reminded me of our falls in Indiana. The poem is from his 1915 book, "A Boy's Will." I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

My November Guest

MY Sorrow, when she's here with me,
  Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
  She walks the sodden pasture lane.

Her pleasure will not let me stay.
  She talks and I am fain to list:
She's glad the birds are gone away,
She's glad her simple worsted gray
  Is silver now with clinging mist.

The desolate, deserted trees,
  The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
  And vexes me for reason why.

Not yesterday I learned to know
  The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
  And they are better for her praise.

Wordless Wednesday

Birthday Doll 

Pulling the Train Whistle

Teasing the Cat

Thanksgiving at the 4-H Camp

Close to the 4-H Camp and the right season.

While we were living in Ames, Iowa in the late 1970s and early 1980s I became pretty good friends with the Iowa State University 4-H Camp Director. He was a graduate of our program at ISU and I periodically took classes out to the camp for field trips. One year during Thanksgiving break he suggested that we “camp-sit” while he was out of town. We thought about it for a few minutes and decided what a great experience it would be. Thanksgiving at a camp in a large cabin and while not necessarily rustic, it was older and had a certain flavor to it. We had a full kitchen, more bedrooms than we knew what to do with, several hundred acres to run around on, no telephone (this was pre-cell phone days by a long time), and a chance just to be together.

Everyone was excited. We made a list of everything we needed to take, including a television (none were there and we did like some amenities - this was also pre-cable), a rug for the floor, bedding, books, food, and on and on. As you might guess, the list got quite long and before it was finished I found myself making 2 trips out to the 4-H Camp. One to take everything we needed and another to bring the family. We had an 8 passenger station wagon, which we filled. It was about 40 minutes each way to the camp and most of the time the weather was okay. It was an Iowa fall, so that meant it was cold and the chance of snow and ice was always imminent. We had 4 children, and maybe Mike (but we can’t remember - that’s a function of aging) who went with us to the camp.

It was a great time of running around outdoors, watching Thanksgiving specials on television, watching movies on the video recorder, playing games, eating - all in front of a roaring fireplace. It was about being a family. We would usually stay 3 or 4 days and have a great time. For JoAnn and I it was a special Thanksgiving with our family. We did this for 3 or 4 years in a row and had a great experience each Thanksgiving.

As I think about my memories of Thanksgiving I have many, others I will share next year and beyond, but our time at the 4-H Camp was special for us and most of the kids remember it with fondness. It was different, it was just us, and we bonded. For most of the years the children were growing our family lived far away from relatives and so almost every winter holiday were immediate family affairs, absent from the extended family.

Thanksgiving with the McLean family in Idaho. The whole family was together
for this Thanksgiving. The photo is the right season, even if not the 4-H Camp

Since we moved west our holiday seasons have changed. We have the Bradley’s with us in Las Vegas, the Dunn’s are in Sacramento, the Hansen’s & Bake’s are together in Idaho, the Allen’s are with friends in Colorado and holding together our old tradition of family time, and the McLean boys are together in Iowa. We may be spread out, but we still like to get together as often as possible, it’s just more difficult to do it in the winter. What we lose in being together we make up in blogs, phone calls, and photos. Even though we are apart we are together in spirit and love.

Wordless Wednesday

The Glass is Half Full, Half Empty, or All Over Me...

When I was a child we traveled for holidays and summer vacations. As our family got older most of that travel occurred in an International Harvester Travelall (the equivalent of today's Suburban). We could spread all over the car (seat belts were just beginning to be introduced and not many cars had them), romp, roam, occasionally get yelled at (and yes, we usually deserved it). I was usually the one who got in the most trouble and times have not changed a whole lot.

Not our Traveall, but it sure brings fond memories. JoAnn and I drove it to Oklahoma
with Donna & Jeni for the 3 months we spent at Fort Sill. We pulled a U-Haul trailer
with it for our household goods. That is another story. This is what I learned to drive on!
photo courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevincollins/4842741366/

One summer we were driving across the desert from Arizona to California. We did not have air conditioning in our car, so it was very hot. We had the thermos for water and that kept us hydrated. We were coming in to Yuma, AZ on this afternoon and I made a comment that was not well received by my mother. I did a lot of that. She had just poured herself a glass of ice-cold water. She turned, looked at me, said something that I don't remember, and threw the glass of water in my face. Everyone was stunned until they realized I was the only cool person in the car at that moment. We started to laugh and laugh. The tension eased, I was cool, and the drive went on.

5-Year Old Scheduling

We have family coming to town for Thanksgiving. We are delighted about that, especially since it involves three little ones. We enjoy the big ones too!

As we are getting ready for their visit there has been a flurry of emails and even a few telephone calls. One such email started a series of responses. Our daughter said, "I'll send you our schedule so you know what we have planned." JoAnn and I both responded with would you do a schedule for us so we know what we are doing? Of course it was all in fun, but it got me to thinking what would it be like if the children (ages 4, 3, and 1) put the schedule together? I decided to stick to the 4-year old, who will turn 5 while she is here. And I will just do one day, with parental interpretations.

7:00 am - There are toys at this house I haven't seen for a year. I wonder where Grandma hid them? [Parent - Can't they sleep in just one day?]

7:20 am - I can't play alone, I need my brother and sister to help. [Are these really my children?]

8:00 am - Look, Grandma is up. I don't have to go check on her today. [Mom's up, I can roll over and go back to sleep.]

8:30 am - Wow, breakfast, and at our very own table. We can even watch television. If I'm lucky they have got Scooby-do! [Food, and I don't have to make it, what a good deal.]

{Editor's note - For the convenience of space I've abstracted the original schedule, which had 3.5 minute increments and a little more hysteria from the parents.}

8:45 - Time to go to the park. Can I talk Grandpa into taking all of us? [please Dad, take them to the park and preferably the one an hour away!]

10:15 - Time for a morning snack. Why does Grandpa look tired? I wonder if Mom and Dad are here? I haven't seen them all day. [They are back already?]

11:00 - It's boring, all the big people want to do is talk. Let's go somewhere, anywhere, but let's go! [It's only 11 am, it's going to be a long day!]

Okay, you get the idea. I'm of the mind this world would be a lot more fun world if we let our kids plan our schedules, at least until they became teenagers. Looking through the eyes of a 5-year old is refreshing and a little frightening, but we would all do good to spend a little time using their lens of reality once in a while.

I'm actually looking forward to the excitement, hysteria, frenzy and enthusiasm of having 3 little ones for a few days. Of course I'm thinking about taking a few days off after they leave to recover.

Wordless Wednesday

Cupcake Stories

Twice a month on Monday evening we meet with several of our friends for Family Home Evening (FHE). Since the children have left home and have FHE with their children, our FHEs have become a little more erratic. Having friends get together allows us to enjoy our company, teach, talk, have fun, and celebrate life. One of the more popular activities are the treats which always come at the end. It's like a reward for being good. It was the most popular part of our FHEs when the children were home. This group really likes McLean frosting. In fact, one of our group said we were welcome to visit him any time as long as we brought a cake with McLean frosting. He has a summer home in the Arizona mountains.

Last night JoAnn made cupcakes that were really good. One of our friends was celebrating his birthday and JoAnn called his wife to discover his favorite cake. We had a devils food cake, that was oh so moist, and THE frosting. He had seconds. Come to think of it, all 3 men had seconds and none of the women.

As we were sitting around talking I mentioned that when I was a child my mother would make cupcakes for our lunches. I explained that she would take the cupcake apart, put the frosting in the middle, put it back together again and then freeze it. The whole idea around freezing it was so that it would still be fresh for lunch. The reality is that it rarely made it to lunch. Most of the time I would eat it within minutes of when I got on the bus. I don't think anything is better than a cold chocolate cupcake with frozen white frosting in the middle. My mouth is watering for one right now.

A couple of our friends were intrigued by the whole idea, but I've come to realize we all have those kinds of stories to tell about growing up. I like to think our cupcake stories are stories we all need to remember. Do you have a cupcake story?

Wordless Wednesday

Donna with her parents and Grandma McLean

Building our Heritage

Mom as a young girl skiing.

Twenty-five years ago in December, my mother died from complications of cancer treatment. I have thought of her often over those years and over the last few months I felt a need to introduce her to a generation of grandchildren and great grandchildren who never knew her very well or not at all. Donna, our oldest, was just 15 when Mom died. Krissie, our youngest. was just a few days past her first birthday. Since we lived in the midwest and Mom and Dad lived in California we only got to see them every couple of years. They would usually get to see us on an annual basis, thankfully. Our older children have dim memories of Mom and our younger children have none at all.

From the 1980 Family Reunion

So I've contacted family members and asked them to put on their thinking caps and provide stories and photos of Mom. I'm focusing less on a biography than on capturing the essence of who she was and why she was so important to all of us. My youngest sister Marti was only 24 when Mom died and she said she was so jealous of the rest of us because we had Mom for so much longer. As I've watched my daughters bond with their Mother I really do understand that. My Mom had a significant impact on all of our lives and contributed to our heritage. I want my children and their children, and on, to know about that heritage. Waiting 25 years may have seemed too long, but everyone I've talked to is excited about it and the time is right.

Some of the collected stories and photos will appear in this blog. My goal is to have the book ready to publish by Mom's birthday in late March. That is pretty ambitious, but I think we can be close.

So what did You do Saturday Morning?

Chris really got into the
tree trimming and it was
all I could do to stop him.

Keeping with the spirit of the Hansen family vacation and Donna's up-to-date posts about all the fun they were having I thought it was only appropriate to share the morning of the last day with everyone. I'm not sure Donna would, and anyway she was too busy to take photos.

As you know, I'm still not up to doing too much physical. The doctor has cleared me for light work - not to lift over 20 pounds, and do that carefully. Plus, I should get up every 15 or 20 minutes and walk around. Try to do that at Church.

We have this mesquite that shades our driveway and at least once a year, and usually twice, it needs to be pruned. Mesquite are a great trees for where we live, but when you give them water they really are more like a weed then a plant. Our tree was hanging so low, the sidewalk was blocked, the driveway, and our neighbors yard. I knew it needed to be done, but I wasn't going to pay a landscaper to do it. So when the kids passed through a week ago Chris committed to helping prune the tree when they got back. We didn't realize it would take over 3 hours. Chris cut and cut and cut. The boys cut and cut and complained - or sometimes it was the other way around - but they did a great job, it just wasn't what they had planned for their vacation. Clayton said that if I had no more trees in my yard that was 25 too many. Cole felt the same way. Yet, when the job was done it was beautiful. Our tree was heavily pruned. There is almost NO shade left, and hopefully it won't be hanging over the driveway, roof, or sidewalk anytime soon.

Chris and Clayton were in the thick of cutting the limbs so we could get
them in bags. Chris's cutting tool was 20 years old and not very sharp. I had
to purchase a new one for Clayton so he could cut.

My thanks to the Hansen's for providing this great service. It only cost me lunch at Frank & Fina's, and they have great Mexican cuisine.

For some reason I suspect this may not have been the MOST FUN activity
the boys participated in during their vacation. Their bubbly smiles just
disappeared during this experience. Once we were done, however, they were
all play again. And yes, Donna was there leading the clean-up charge!