Tuesdays Tell All - Touch

Tuesdays Tell All is touch. With Independence Day on Friday, I feel "touched" with patriotism. We live in the greatest country on earth, despite what some would say, we are very lucky to live here. Our founding fathers were guided by the hand of God, and we should be very grateful for their sacrifices and wisdom. Along with patriotism comes the appreciation for our flag. Here are a few interesting facts.

The first American flag design was adopted by Congress 225 years ago and has been updated 27 times since.

Red stands for valor, white stands for purity and blue stands for justice.

The largest American flag is 255 feet by 505 feet and requires at least 500 people to unfurl!

Did you know that the American flag is folded 13 times when it is lowered or when it is folded and handed to the widow or widower at the burial of a veteran? And did you know that each of those 13 folds can be interpreted as a spiritual symbol?
The first fold - is a symbol of life...
The second fold - is a symbol of our belief in eternal life...
The third fold - is made in honor and remembrance of all the veterans who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world...
The fourth fold - represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance...
The fifth fold - is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our country, in dealings with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."
The sixth fold - is for where our hearts lie. It is with our hands over our hearts that we "pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"...
The seventh fold - is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is the armed forces that protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our Republic...
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day....our mothers...
The ninth fold - is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty, and devotion that the character of men and women who have made this country great, has been molded...
The tenth fold - is a tribute to fathers, for they too have given their sons and daughters for the defense of our country since the beginning of this great nation...
The eleventh fold - in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...
The twelfth fold - in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity, and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit...
The thirteenth fold - is the final fold, and it shows the stars uppermost, reminding us of our nation's motto, "In God we Trust."

And after the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States ever since, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.

Wordless Wednesday - Lions and tigers and bears! Oh, my!

The Computer Swallowed Grandma

The computer swallowed grandma.
Yes, honestly its true!
She pressed 'control' and 'enter'
And disappeared from view.
It devoured her completely,
The thought just makes me squirm.
She must have caught a virus
Or been eaten by a worm.
I've searched through the recycle bin
And files of every kind;
I've even used the Internet,
But nothing did I find.
In desperation, I asked Jeeves
My searches to refine.
The reply from him was negative,
Not a thing was found 'online.'
So, if inside your 'Inbox,'
My Grandma you should see,
Please 'Copy,''Scan' and 'Paste' her
And send her back to me.

This is a tribute to all the Grandmas who have been fearless and . . . . Learned to use the Computer..... They are the greatest!!!
We do not stop playing because we grow old;We grow old because we stop playing.

Virtual Age

I came across this link, and thought it was interesting. I really hope it is true for me, but I definitely hope it's not true for Matthew. Have Fun

http://www.sonnyradio.com/realage3.swf

Jennifer's Virtual Age

Matthew's Virtual Age

Brighton Alert - 4 weeks old ;>

I can't help myself, I just have to post all the pictures that I can. The cute little bugaboo has to be shared with all.

Tuesday Tell All - Taste

I have to admit that out of the 5 senses, this is not my favorite. I am having just a bit of a struggle with my self esteem due to weight issues. Of course a weight issue is attributed to eating, which is connected with taste. So folks this is a short post, I don't have much to say, and quite frankly

"It has left me with a bad taste in my mouth"

Wordless Wednesday - Utah Lake

Tuesday’s Tell All this week is – Smell

Have you ever noticed that certain smells can make you suddenly remember a particular event? I have several odors that transport me back in time every single time I smell them. I actually have a flash back and can remember almost everything about the setting.


Milk – Kindergarten in Elko , NV . We had snack time and often had Pink Hostess Sno-balls. It also reminds me of the purple nap rug I had
Bottled Tomatoes – My Grandma Black. She would bottle tomatoes every fall
Beef Roast – My Grandma Black. She made the best ever!
All Bran Cereal – My Grandma Black. She had a bowl every morning, only she would just put a little bit in the bottom, and then put Corn Flakes on top.
Fresh Cut Grass – Believe it or not I actually like to mow the lawn. I love the fresh smell of the lawn after it is mowed
Sage – 2 things; Thanksgiving and Granite Seed in the Fall
Coffee – Grandma and Grandpa Beal's house. This also has a sound associated with it as well. They had an old peculator coffee pot that made a very unique sound
Russian Olive trees – June by Utah Lake
Wind Song Perfume – Jeff Gray in Jackson Hole
Diesel Fuel - Greg
Propane – Greg’s Trailer
Ocean – Beach on San Juan Island, the ferry and how the water tastes at Roche Harbor
Baby Spit up on your shoulder – I know it sounds gross, but after I lost my babies, I would love to smell that smell. I would try to find anyone with a baby to hold.
Cotton Candy - CARNIES
Horse Manure – Rodeo- to Matthews horror, I at one time considered myself somewhat of a cowgirl. Well at least I hung out with all the cowboys.
Pine – Salt City Candle; Christmas time, trying to make a fake tree smell real.
Green Chilies – Green chili casserole.....yummy
Fried Chicken – Sunday Dinner at our house in American Fork as a kid. We would cut up the chicken, and cook it in our electric skillet. To this day I don't know how we fed a family of 6 on one chicken.
Tide/Downy – Mom - She always has insists on having the best when she can. At times in my life Tide and Downy were a luxury, so now when I can get them, I feel like a member of the elite class and I feel closer to my Mom
Dirt – Spring, I love to work in the garden
Campfire – Hospital – The smell of fire brings to me images of being in the hospital when I was 2 for 3rd degree burns on my back and arm.
Chicken Manure – Bromley Egg Farm. Greg worked there for a while and it is the worst smell imaginable. I would make him take his clothes off before he came in the house.
Chlorine – Swimming lessons in Aurora Colorado at some woman’s indoor pool. She had a poodle with pink nails and bows in its fur.
Lilacs – Making dinner for my mom and dad for Mothers Day and Fathers Day when I was 16. I made this big elaborate meal with 5 courses, a handmade menu, nice china and I used Lilacs for a center piece.
Dermoplast and Tucks - Hospital after having a baby
Popcorn – Matthew – we love going to the movies
Rotten Eggs – Smells like a chemical you use in the dark room to turn your photos into a sepia tone
Hawaiian Tropic - Jackson Hole when I was 14 and lived with my Aunt and Uncle. My Cousin Brandi would tan almost every day. She would slather Hawaiian Tropic all over and go out on the back deck and crank up Fleetwood Mac.
Sugar and Grease - The Bakery I worked at as a teenager and young adult. There were a lot of memories about the bakery, mainly that I learned the great skill of cake decorating. I must say that I became very good at it.

These are just a few of the many smells that make my past come to life.

Fathers Day

In the June issue of the New Era, there is a story called "20 Things I like About Who?" It is a story about a young woman that was struggling in her relationship with her dad. In the story she approaches her Bishop for some council on the situation. He tells her that he will meet with her after she compiles a list of 20 things she likes about her Father. After reading this story, I contemplated my own relationship with my Father, and what my list of 20 things might be. Doing this made me appreciate my Dad much more. I have always admired and respected my Dad, however making a list of things you like about a person, creates a whole new image of that person. Usually when you think of someone you know, there are both positive and negative feelings and thoughts that are associated with that person. However, if you only think of positives thoughts, and make a list, you have a whole new perspective.

1. He is caring and thoughtful
2. He is VERY talented
3. He is funny, (sometimes he thinks he is more funny than he really is)
4. He is very social, and can interact with all sorts of people
5. He knows how to travel, and does it quite well. He has been all over the world.

6. He loves His Children
7. He adores his Grandchildren
8. He knows how to read a weather chart, is one of the best photographers I know, and has his own darkroom
9. He can make some wicked, cold, sandy spaghetti
10. He can make some really cool Halloween costumes
11. He knows how to bend and possibly break every rule in Canyonlands
12. He has a short attention span, which could be considered a negative thing, but we all find it endearing.
13. He is very hard working, and taught us all a great work ethic.
14. He is very generous.
15. He is a deep thinker, and a great conversationalist
16. He thought me “It’s better to know a little about a lot of things, than to know a lot about one thing”
17. He taught me that relationships only work when the two people have at least 3 of 4 attributes in common. They are Physical, Spiritual, Educational, and Social. It’s like a stool with 4 legs; it will still stand with 3 legs, but not with less.

20. He told me once when I was very awe stricken with a certain person, that “Even the Queen of England uses toilet paper.”

I love the person that my Dad has become and I am very proud to be his daughter.

Salt Lake Bee's

I got 4 free Bee's tickets and luckily we didn't have anything else going on. So we go tot go to the game Friday night. We took the Trax to the Franklin Covey Stadium and we had a blast! The Bees lost to the Las Vegas 51's by 2 points, but there were some great plays. Tanner and Daxton got to run the bases after the game, and I think the best part was that they got a gift certificate to a restaurant handed to them by one of the cutie 'Honey Bees'

Wordless Wednesday (Thursday) - Road to Nowhere

Tuesday's Tell All-Hearing

Make sure you have the sound on!

I love nothing more that going to Canyonlands. What this has to do with hearing is that my all time most favorite thing to do while at Canyonlands is to take my ipod and go to the top of one of the rocks, by myself, and crank up Vivaldi. There is nothing better in this world than to be in the most beautiful place on earth, listening to one of the worlds greatest composers. The combination of site and sound in this instance is spectacular, and I am so thankful I have the ability to hear amazing music.

What's In a Name?

I was brought to my emotional knees slobbering over the thought of becoming a grandparent. I spent months imagining the joys of bonding with a few pounds of flesh that’s wrapped like a baby burrito in a little blanket that will, in all likelihood, evolve into the threadbare, filthy rag the little our prince will drag around for the next few years in a tiny-fisted death grip.

Yet somewhere inside that broad fantasy of grandparenting lurks an all-important question. What name will my grandkids call me?

Let me state the obvious, I will have absolutely no control over this, since little ones have minds and mouths of their own. So, about the time our sweet bundle of joy begins to vocalize, I will say, “Can you just say Grandma J’? Yes, you can, little sweetness… yes you can, my little prince.” And finally, miracle of miracles, the kid will probably burp out something like “glabooc.” Or “vlack-vlack baba,” or some other mumbo-jumbo, and it will be as if a white-hot iron will brand that name on my forehead, and nothing I say or do can ever change it. Until I keel over at 103, I will be forever known by that ridiculous nickname. And like a really bad meal at a very expensive restaurant, I will claim to love it.

A perfect example of this is my own Mother. Since the time she was a baby her nick name was Sis, given to her by her older brother. Her Mom and Dad called her that, her aunts and uncles, her cousins and even some of her friends. So it was perfectly natural to assume that when she became a Grandma, she would be called ‘Grandma Sis”. This was her handle through 7 of her grandchildren, no problems, no mispronunciations, no confusion. That was until my sweet little Tanner was born. Once he could start babbling and recognizing people, he turned Grandma Sis into Grammersisses. Of course we all thought it was cute and my mom now is called Grammer Sis. Even her email address is grammersis@msn.com. Another example is that of my Grandma Beal. She was Grandma Beal my whole life and even my kids knew her as that. However one swift move to St. George and she is now known as Grandma Duck by all the Great Grandchildren, due to the fact the she has ducks in her back yard. So my point here is that even though I think I should be called a certain name by my Grandchildren doesn’t mean I will get my way. I might be one name to Brighton, and another to some other sweet soul. It will be interesting to hear what the 'Baby Burrito' will be able to say in a year from now and what he might decide to call us all.

I know it is very hard to beleive, but with all the second marriages and people just living longer, other than the people pictured, this little guy has 3 more Grandparents, 6 more Greatgrantparents, and 2 Great-Greatgrandparents........he will have to come up with quite a few names!

Light House on San Juan

Tuesday’s Tell All this week is – Sight

This weeks tell all is on sight. My favorite quote from Helen Keller is “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” We all know people that fit into this category, and they are not very interesting. A person who has vision has character, charisma, charm, magnetism and appeal. If you don’t identify your vision, others will plan and direct your life for you.

So what is a vision? It is what you want to create of yourself and the world around you. What does your vision include? What are you good at? What do you love to do? What aren’t you good at now, but you’d like to be? All of these important questions are part of identifying your personal vision. A part of my vision is to become a better photographer and painter. I have great plans of doing so one day, but in the meantime I will just keep practicing.

Last Weeks Tuesday's Tell All - Graduation

I thought I would do a catch-up on Tuesday's Tell All. Last week I was just a tad bit busy, so I will try to make up for it this week. The topic was on Graduation. I was very lucky to have attended a Catholic Kindergarten in Boise, ID. The Nuns where great, especially if you liked your knuckles whacked every 30 minutes. Being a student of this school, meant that you got to graduate. We had a wonderful graduation ceremony upstairs (our classroom was in the basement) in the chapel. I remember it to this day.

This is a picture of my Bishop and my Stake President at my Seminary Graduation. I am very proud that I was able to graduate from seminary, although I really wish I would have been paying more attention. It would come in handy now in my calling as MIA Maid advisor in Young Woman's






Not quite sure whats up with my hair, I must have had a late night. Isn't that little red Triumph so danged cute? I loved that car. Okay I know you are saying to yourself, "Did she Really get that for a graduation present?" Well the answer is that I got half of it. I had to pay the other half, but what a great thing was that. I have a lot of memories about that car

This photo is of my actual graduation. Back in the day, we had graduation at the Tabernacle, not at the Marriott Center like now. And yes children, that is your uncle Lynn behind me.