A Joyous Happy Birthday, Ashley!

Ashley was pretty much this fun as soon as she showed up in 1976, election month, right after my debut as a pregnant Minnie Mouse for Halloween.  Even after all these years I can still remember my emotions from that moment she was born.   Our first born, who bore the brunt of parents that knew little of what that meant,  yet she has no bad memories, no sad stories, just optimism of what life holds, and what life will always hold for her.  I am so grateful for the lessons she continues to teach me of enjoying life, the hard, the good, the moment, yes, the right now.

Thanks for making Minnie not be pregnant forever, for making me a real, live, mother.  Happy Birthday! I will love you forever.

 

 

                                  MOM

Utah

I went to Utah the absolute perfect time.

There is something about this desert that love.

These past pictures are on the way to Glendon ranch, close to Castledale.

Ashley got me up to Rock Canyon Saturday morning.

You can tell Eli has been hiking a bunch--not one complaint and I had a hard time keeping up with him.

Love those mountains and especially the people that live by them!

Glendon's Funeral

Bobette, queen of the ranch.

This fence actually comes from the Peterson family home in Richfield.

Here is Shad's grave on the ranch property

And Tawney's grave.

This is the one room cabin where six of the twelve children were born.  Remember my rug of Louisiana Heppler, the woman crossing her arms?  This is what is left of their first home when they came from their wealth in Canada to Utah after they joined the church.

Window of the old cabin.  Bobette and Glendon had it taken apart and moved onto their ranch property.

This is my favorite--the old door frame.  I think of all those people going in and out of this door.

Family gathering for the graveside service.

The burial site.

No small feat getting the casket over the grave on those small boards.

Filling the grave.

The Johnson Family.

Folk Art at the MOMA

Oh So Cute Baby Boy Dill!

Cool As A Cucmber, This Girl.

 

Well, number six is on the way, five are currently underfoot, she is Young Women's President,  a Famous Blogger and seamstress extraordinaire.   And she is cool as a cucumber.  Happy Birthday dear daughter.  To that list above I add the most important one: a faithful and strong daughter of God.  Thank you for getting it right and teaching others along the way, including me!  

I love you so!

Happy Birthday, Brendon!

I love this photo that Ann took of her two men!  I am grateful for Brendon, 

for his determination, his focus on all things that are good, 

his love of the gospel and the commitment that brings. 

I love how he not only tells Ann he loves her 

but he shows her in so many ways.  

Happy Birthday, Brendon.  I love you!

Let's Go to Paris!

Enter to win a trip to Paris on this blog:
 http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris 
Hey, someone has to win, right?

Happy Birthday, Craig!

I don't think there is a living son in law on earth that would happily let his in laws camp out with him for eight months.  Do you?  I mean really, eight months?  I will forever be grateful for his gracious and giving heart.  He is always wanting to help, comfort, bandage, feed and entertain anyone that walks through his doors.  I love you, Craig.  Happy Birthday!  You are fantastic.  And no, I won't stop it.

Welcom To LIberty, North Carolina!

After seeing cute Lucy sing away in her Kindergarten program we took most the day off to go to Liberty, North Carolina, to the semi annual antiques festival.

People hauling away their treasures!

It is held on a one hundred acre farm with 400 vendors from 25 states.  And to top it all off is the fantastic announcer lady with the thickest accent this side of Texas.  If someone was lost she would announce it.  If someone accidently dropped one of their banjo strings they just bought, she would announce it.  If it was somebody's birthday, she would announce it.  If someone lived in Greensboro and needed their just purchased outdoor furniture set transported there, she would announce it.  Fantastic

This was a  photograph from the 1800's.

This beauty almost jumped in our car.  It is a metal stool that is also a drying rack.  You can see the metal dowels pulled out on the left and stored in the middle when not is use. 

Sold.

See that smoke in the background?  Dixie Land BBQ!

Cars were everywhere on the 100 acres.

You know you want to join us in September, don't you!?