Christmas Lights on Temple Square

Go Grammy Deb Go!

Hello Everyone ....

Just wanted you to know I put my first 100 miles on my grammy feet.

http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/v1/html/milestones/print_certif.html?id=145445777&region=us&language=en&locale=en_us&dateFormat=MM/DD/YY

onward!

Daddy/Daughter Day at Sea World

Being too lazy to double post, skip on over to Fury's Blog (www.thefuriousblog.blogspot.com) for the highlights of this event.

Christmas Warranty Deed

January 23, 1999

Dear Grandchildren,

I love you, I think about you often, and I pray for your success and happiness always.

Presently, I am in St. George. I arrived here Sunday, January 10th. I brought with me several files that contain keepsakes - documents - etc. For the past two weeks I have been going through the files, and to my very pleasant surprise I found the "Warranty Deed" that your grandfather had given to me so many years ago. I have enclosed a Xerox copy for you to keep and to enjoy [ed. will post a copy here when I get the technology]. I wish I could be with you today to tell you its story. But since I could not I am using this letter to tell you.

The fall of 1947 Katy was 7 months old - Brent was 3 years old - Bob was 6 months old - and Doug was 10 years old. It was near the 1st of November that we moved from our small home on Bel Mar Drive to our much larger and more elegant home at 1014 - 12th Street. In comparison the new home was not only larger it was also more expensive, and I was given the responsibility to make the house payment, each month. Charlie carefully pointed out to me the amount of interest we could save if we paid more than the monthly required amount.

Like always, Charlie's wisdom paid off handsomely. He was so wise to give me the responsibility of making our house payments. For in the next few years, being the task oriented person that I am, I often found ways to pay more than the required amount - sometimes double.

Charlie received a bonus in 1951. He never did tell me because he wish to surprise me at Christmas. September 7, 19561 he paid off our loan. At the time he informed the people in the credit office of his plan to surprise me. He also told them that I would be coming in as usual to make our house payments. "Please just take the payments and say nothing" was his wording to them.

As always, right on target, I appeared to make a payment. Unfortunately, a young woman, who was not aware that she should not take my payment, waited on me. She looked up the account and said to me, "Mrs. Ward, your house is paid for." "Oh! No! My house isn't paid for," I told her. At that moment the women in the back room who did know came rushing in. She smoothly excused the young woman and she took the payment - gave me a receipt and I was on my way none the wiser.

On Christmas morning 1951 I opened the package that contained this loving - very cleverly prepared- Warranty Deed informing me that our beautiful home was paid for with a $415.55 to boot!

For just a moment: Please stop and try to imagine my surprise and my joy on this very special Christmas morning!

I'm also enclosing another keepsake that I hoped you'd like to see and enjoy [ed. enclosed was a copy of a graph depicting "milestones of the Dow Jones Industrial Average"]. Margie Keeps many keepsakes!

Presently, all is well for me. I do hope for the same for you. Please drop me a line whenever your time permits.

My many thanks to each of you for your thoughtfulness at Christmas. Flowers - notes - pretties - [illegible] for cooking, and all.

With all my love, Your Grandmother,
Margie



[ed. warranty deed text as follows, will post photocopy at later date.]

Warranty Deed of Ogden, county of Weber, State of Utah hereby CONVEY and GIVE & WARRANT to My Darling Wife and Companion, Marjorie H. Ward of of Ogden, county of Weber, State of Utah All happiness received and to be received the following tract of land in of Ogden, county of Weber, State of Utah.

One beautiful home located at 1014-12th Street, Ogden, Utah. The same being NOW completely paid for and the mortgage released as of September 7, 1951. Also being conveyed is the attached savings account book having a balance of $414.55.

WITNESS the hand of Grantor, this 24th day of December, A.D. 1951
Signed
Happy and Grateful Husband
Chas E. Ward

Christmas Eve in Bountiful

Dedicated to Charlie the Videographer!

I had so much fun being in and watching Charlie's videos when he and Debby were in Maine that I really wanted to have one of my own. Those of you who have watched Acadia the movies and the nutcracker blog will appreciate this post ... and I know Charlie most of all will get a kick out of it!

Christmas Eve berry fight

For those of you who don't know we live very close to Stone Mountain which is a very large park in the Atlanta Metro area. We go over quite a bit and enjoy different parts of it. Last year we discovered the Carillion which is a large bell tower. They play christmas music on it at this time of year of course. We went last year to listen to the Music and while we were there we started picking berries off the holly trees and throwing them. This soon escalated into a full fledged 'berry fight'. The kids all asked if we were going back this year on Christmas eve. (funny what the remember) On the way we stopped at Crispy Creme and go some snowman doughnuts. It was a good treat before a glorious berry fight. We also shared the doughnuts with some geese and ducks. The kids thought it was great fun. I just realized this is the second post in a row to reference doughnuts! :)

I hope everyone has a fantastic christmas and enjoys the holidays!!

Audrey's Baptism Day

Great Uncle Doug and Great Aunt LaRee were wonderful to come to Audrey's baptism.

Audrey loves her Aunt and Uncle.

Bryant & Jenny Lauren and Audrey

Audrey said "This is the BEST day of my life"!

Audrey's baptism

Mom and I attended Audrey Powell's baptizm in early December. As you can see from the pictures, Audrey and her family, including her Grandma (Aunt Kathy) had a great day.

(I posted this on my Dad's behalf because he was having trouble posting to this blog)

Doughnut Falls

Kate and I went snowshoeing this weekend in Big Cottonwood Canyon east of Salt Lake City. It was a beautiful day for it with fresh snow on the ground. The sky was blue and the air was clean, although it was a "little" cold (my camel back tube kept freezing closed).

I told Kris that the week before there was no snow on the roofs of the outhouses, now look at it! That's three feet of Utah's famous powder up there now.


We came across a famiily from Britan who's teenage son buried himself in a snowbank. They had never seen snow like this before. It was really funny.

This is one of those times when I thought I was videoing but I had it on still photo instead.

The cold zapped my camera battery, I got of Kate climbing up the frozen waterfall...


At the top of the fall is a cave with a hole in the roof which the water fall through (thus the doughnut name). Kristie got some great photos of the fall in the cave... see those on her post of the outing on the Screaming Pigs blog.

Here's a photo of me in the cave...

All in all a GREAT day in the woods.

White Christmas

We got walloped with a great big snow storm last night. It was so great waking up to fresh powder, just in time for Christmas! Kate (and maybe Dad/Doug)and I are going snowshoeing in it tomorrow. Should be a GREAT day for it!

So, for those of you in the "tropics" we'll play extra hard in the snow in your honor.

From our home to yours, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

North Carolina

I have just accepted a permanent job offer with a hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina. I am set to begin work at the beginning of January. It took a lot of work to get the job and now that I have it, I am scared to death!!! It will be a lot of work to relocate and get settled. I will miss the people I love out West but look forward to being able to see more of the East Coasters.

Nutcracker with GG Margie

Grandma Margie took Jackson, Ashland, Brady, Amy and Charlie to the Nutcracker Ballet on Saturday in Ogden. We all had a great time.

We were entertained on the ride to the theater by Brady's rendition of Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas songs. "Christmas Christmas time is here. Time for joy and time for Cheer. We've been good, but it won't last. Hurry Christmas, Hurry Fast!"

We also had a polar bear in the car (Ashland was pretending). She's so funny (look at grandma's face to tell just HOW funny), and "WOW!" what an imagination.


At the Egyptian Theatre.

Grandma told us how one of her friends helped to save this grand old theater (the Eccles). She and Grandpa donated a "bit" to help out the preservation as well.
Amy and Grandma

Me and Grandma


After the show GG treated us to a buffet dinner at CHUCK-"Isn't this salad just SO FRESH?"-O-RAMA! Grandma choose the restaurant because it was a place that she and Brent enjoyed together.

Jackson took this next photo, and as you can see he's a much better photographer than I am. He did a great job keeping his fingers away from the lens AND flash, and somehow made it not blur. How'd he do that?

Jackson and GG at Chuck-o-Rama.

Brady and Ashland (the polar bear) hamming it up at Chuck-o-Rama.


The Kids with Grandma-Great after the show. What great kids!


"Thanks Grandma GREAT!" Videos.

(click the play button twice to start the video.)






A great time was had by ALL!

Grandma's Thanksgiving

I was able to chat with Grandma on the telephone for a quite a while a few days ago. She told me about her Thanksgiving celebration with Uncle Kelly and I asked her if I could pass it on to everyone via the blog. She enthusiastically agreed, then reminded me that since she doesn't log onto the Internet, cards and letters sent the old fashioned way are most appreciated, so I'll pass that on as well.

With Uncle Brent's funeral having been held just a few days earlier, Grandma was both tired and a little sad as she contemplated celebrating Thanksgiving this year. Several of you reached out to her and invited her to share in your celebrations, but when Uncle Kelly told her about an opportunity to ride the tram to the top of Snowbasin and have Thanksgiving at Needle's Lodge she set herself to motion and made the arrangements to attend. The day was beautiful and the food delicious, but more than anything she appreciated having Kelly by her side and hearing him reminisce about Brent's skiing days at Snowbasin. Gram told me that Kelly pointed out Brent's favorite run. Being in one of the places that Brent loved best helped Gram feel close to him and remember the joy he had in skiing and other activities in Ogden's beautiful canyons. All in all, she said it was the perfect way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year.

Princess Party!!!

Simone decided she wanted a Princess Party for her birthday. Who were we to stand in the way? Nicky...well he's along for the ride. The boy is no dummy, that's for sure.




Queen Simone and her court.




Happy Birthday beautiful.

What a whopper!

Nice fish Dad. Note the Wagoneer...memories.

A couple of good lookin kids.

Uncle Doug and Aunt Laree stopped by for lunch today and dropped off some slides my Dad had. He scanned them on to a CD for me. Here's one of them. I'll post some others later.

The Best things in life are free.

Last night where looking for something to do. The Bing Crosby Theater was having a free showing of white Christmas. It had been long time since we had seen the whole movie and it was great to see it in a theater with a crowd. It is a great move, and was fun to see it in the same theater that Bing sang in when he was growing up in Spokane. The movie did not help the weather in Spokane our snow has melted. We are looking forward to a warm week before Christmas in Sunny CA then a white Christmas in UT.

Slow Movers

I was feeling grumpy today as I was walking around Sam's club because I was always waiting for people to move out of the way in the ailes. Since it is Christmas shopping season the store was more crowded than usual. I have inherited the Harris walk from my Dad and Grandma. Anything slower than a BRISK walk is way too slow. I always laugh when I go to a store with my Dad. He starts out walking fastly and by the time he makes it to the front door he is almost running. That has been one of the things about the south that has driven me nuts. Due the stifling summer heat southerners tend to move S L O W L Y. Whenever I am at the airport I charge past a ton of people. I even get mad when people move too slowly on the moving sidewalk! I decided today that if (some people might say when) I go to hell it will be spent walking behind slow people!

Moab

Last weekend Breck and I went to Moab (in southern Utah) for my company's holiday party and retreat. My bosses put us (all 32) up at the swanky Sorrel River Resort Ranch & Spa for the weekend. And although it was (cowboy twang in voice) "shore nice", staying in such fancy digs is not my typical travel preference or experience.

The resort is right on the banks of the colorado River which (at this point) isn't much of a river (think pacific creek but muddy). In the picture below you can barely see the river below the railing of our back deck.

We love Moab and try to get down there a few times each year. This trip it was a little too cold and wet to do much outside. We went bowling (I lost), hiked (briefly, brrr) in Arches National Park, ate and ate and ate, and enjoyed the views from inside our cabin.

Our next trip back is in March where we'll celebrate Breck's 40th Birthday.

IF Your Hair moves... you'll never look old

Monica taught me that if your hair moves, you'll never look old.

Hello all you bloggers!

Well, I'll admit this is the first time I have ever blogged if that's what it's called? So here it goes!
Audrey turned 8 on Friday and we had a rockin birthday party with about 20 kids running around our house. Saturday, Bryant was asked to be Santa for our school's Breakfast with Santa, it was pretty funny.
Congrats to Simone on her tooth! She's a doll.
Love to all!
Jenny

Header photos

I would like to change the header photo on a monthly basis and would like to include pictures that you might have. If you have something that you would like to see up at the top of the blog for a month, please send them my way. These are some examples of pictures I have and would use.

Michael

PS thanks to Dan for the Pacific Creek photo that I am using this month.

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...

Well, here it is. I am 35, have a 7 year old (almost - Wednesday for those of you keeping score) and she's lost her two front teeth. WOW. I'm amazed.

That thing she called a tooth has been hanging on a thread for about two days. Tonight Monica and I went Christmas shopping and when we returned we found the following.

"Excited" is an understatement. Thrilled, probably is more accurate. The babysitter put her tooth in a bag and wrote the date on it (a bonus was paid). That's awaiting pickup from the Tooth Fairy.

Three dollar bills and 8 quarters were reportedly provided in exchange for the fang. Inflation is apparently rampant. Someone alert the Fed.

Decorating's Done

I went up to Whispering Oaks last night to help G./G-G./G-G-G. Margie get her Christmas decorations out. We had a fun day going through boxes and remembering past holidays. This year the decorations are going to be very minimal, especially compared to years past. David Dog will remember the giant tree we used to bring up from the bottom basement. It was so big we would wrap it in a canvas tarp and drag it (and the 4 or more boxes of ornaments required to decorate it) all the way up three flights of stairs. Then there were wreaths to hang, garland to sting, lights to light, angel moss to fluff, ornament to hang, holiday dishes to clean, etc, etc, etc. Add in all the rearranging of furniture and you had a full days work for 5 people.

In the last few year's she's been significantly downsizing the decor. She's given me some the oldest decorations (most from the 12th street era) which I really cherish. She gave the big tree and most her ornaments to D.Doug and mom M.LaRee to decorate their Bountiful house. She told me she previously didn't understand why Lala stopped decorating in her 90's, but now that she's in her 90's she understands completely. "Your body starts telling you 'No, no NO!' Charlie", she told me. "I just don't have the energy for all that anymore."

This year we put up a small table top tree, a portrait of Santa, the outdoor decor, some holiday place mats, 4 silk poinsettias and the (obligatory) White House commemorative ornaments. We put on some of Grandpa's old Christmas music (remember all his cassettes/8-tracks/and CD's!), decorated the bar and had dinner. It was a really really nice day. I'm glad I live close enough to get to spend time with GM. She's a great-old gal.

1st snow in Spokane

We we woke up to the 1st snow of the year. It always looks so beautiful to see the first one of the year. Liberty got outside as soon as possible to stomp around in her boots. I guess we will be skiing soon.

Happy Days are here again!

Hip Hip Hooray! Today was a great day! After six weeks of sponge baths and itchy ankles, Emma the Magnificent got her casts off. She was a little nervous because the cast saw was very LOUD but she only cried a little! At first, her ankles were very stiff but she is walking around just fine now. This picture was taken right after her long, luxurious bubble bath where she massaged her legs for a long time. Some of her cute comments are; "My legs are soooo happy to be rubbed! and "My baby toes and ankles love to wiggle!" Life is good with light as a feather legs and Harry Potter book #3 to read!

High and Dry

Several of you have asked me if we have any water and/or how much we have left here in the Atlanta Area. I thought this picture illustrates why this drought has been so devestating to the Atlanta area. As you can see Atlanta sits near the top of the Chattahoochee (Hooch to the locals) River Basin. I circled Atlanta on the Map. In order to fill up the lake and keep it filled we have to get a ton of rain in the mountains upstream of lake lanier which is our primary water source. This year we are 20 inches below normal so the lake has dropped like a rock. I'm not sure who the genius was that put a city this large with a water source this small!!!

Skiing at Sundance

Sarah and I went for a hike up behind Sundance yesterday, I thought I would give you all a peek of our wonderful snow pack this year.

Don't book your airline tickets anytime too soon.

Happy Turkey Day

I love fall and everything about the season and I especially love the holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving).I wanted to share the memory of what we call "Take Back Thanksgiving". The tradition started over 10 years ago when my best girlfriend Brandie and I decided that, "yes in fact we really did love thanksgiving", we just were tired of feeling like outcasts (or worse not being invited or welcome) at family Thanksgivings. Relationships have (for the most part) improved but we still keep coming back for our annual Take Back dinner.

Brandie and me



Breck and Brandie's mom Rita


Breck and Scott


Merlin, Lisa, Rita, Breck and Me


Breck, Lisa, Barbara, and Scott