Park Fun

To celebrate Pioneer Day, Linds and I took the girls to the city park to the annual carnival. It's so wonderfully "small town". Mini rides, lots of food booths, pioneer games, and families everywhere. Here's my cute grands primed to go!!
Big sister A gets to ride a pony called "Moonlight". Two trips around the lawn...priceless!

Auntie J rides "Vegas", but he wanted to stop for snacks along the way.

Notice the good Elder helping to lead our reluctant pony!

We used up most of our tickets at the face painting booth...but oh, what masterpieces we got! Last year, Auntie J got "Jack Sparrow" paint. We like this one a LOT!

And look at this beautiful butterfly girl! She also won that snazzy necklace at the fish pond!

Did we have fun? Add snow cones, cotton candy, and bouncing on a gigantic slide toy

and the answer is YESSSS!

Pioneer Day

Celebrating Pioneer Day was made more poignant this year when one of my friends suggested I read "Fire of the Covenant" by Gerald Lund, the historical novel portraying the Willie and Martin handcart companies and their journey west to the Salt Lake valley in 1856. I started the 700-plus page book about a week before the holiday, and honestly read it every chance I got--day or night. It was based on real-life journal entries and experiences, and in every situation I visualized our own pioneer ancestors struggling to follow the prophet, be obedient to the Lord, and keep the covenants they had made through baptism. Their faith was amazing. My own great-great grandmother (on the Passey side), Susannah Clark King, came west as a little girl about J's age. She had a 2 year-old stepbrother and her "job" was to carry her little brother over the trail. Goodness! And we were huffing & puffing going up and down the inclines at the zoo, carrying 18 month-old L last week! As I've complained this week about hot temperatures, broken automobiles, not enough money to go buy some trivial thing, I've had to catch myself and think, "How would I have fared as a pioneer?" Not well, I'm afraid. I laughed and cried and mourned and rejoiced with these valiant saints, and as I finished the novel the day before yesterday, I gained a new appreciation for their tremendous sacrifice. I am eternally grateful to the men, women, and children who gave everything--even their lives-- so that my family and I could enjoy all the marvelous blessings of the gospel. We all owe them so much.

Happy Birthday, little sister!

Today is my baby sister, Dionne's, birthday! She and I are 12 years apart, oldest to youngest. She has been a blessing in my life since the day she arrived. I'm thankful to say that as adults, we are great friends. She is energetic where I am slow, eager where I am hesitant, fashionable where I am middle-of-the road, and positive where I am unsure. I follow her more than I lead, and I'm proud to be her sister.
This is one of my favorite pictures, taken Christmas Eve 1972, when Dionne was only a year and a half. There's Troy, our dog Frankie, and Dionne and I. She was (and is still) so cute, I had to grit my teeth!

Hope your day is extraordinary, Dionney! I love you...

Remembering Janice Hatch Boynton

Janice Hatch Boynton

May 30, 1928 - July 17, 2004

Today marks four years since my beautiful mother-in-law, Janice Hatch Boynton, passed away after a devastating stroke and complications. I've been thinking of her all day and hoping that she knew how much I loved her and what an inspiration she was to me. She and I shared the same birthday! She and Cal were married when she was just 18. She had four boys...and was thrilled to have 8 beautiful granddaughters and one handsome grandson (Aaron). (She also has 5 great-grandsons and 4 great-granddaughters, so far.) Sometime in her 30's, she developed severe rheumatoid arthritis and suffered terrible crippling pain. Despite the disability in her hands and feet, she continued to work in the office at Lakeview Hospital. After retirement, she did wonderful handiwork. She always had lovely penmanship and kept notebooks full of "goings on". She was amazing. She loved the cabin, Arizona winters, card and board games, her many friends, family gatherings, and her sweetheart. We miss her. 'Til we meet again, Mom B...

Zoo Time

Yesterday, we ventured out to the zoo with J, all three grands, and their mommys. We started out early, before the heat of the day, and really had a nice time. Here are L, A, and J peeking through a hollow "log" at the park.

We hadn't been to the zoo since the carousel was put in. Next time we'll know that the mommy who stands doesn't have to pay! L is curious about everything and chose his own animal to ride!

Here is silly Grammy by the big giraffe, cute big sister A on her little giraffe, cute little sister A on her lady bug (mommy is holding on to that littlest girl), and just a glimpse of J on her snow leopard. Wheeee!

In the giraffe building, A thinks it's stinky! (It was.) Again, hard to get L to look at the camera...he was too absorbed in all the goings-on.

Grammy and little A looking through the window at the UGLY rhino who was eating a breakfast of hay. Looks like little A is glad there's glass between us and the rhino!

Posing on the elephant statue. Good thing L hadn't figured out how to make that nose squirt water on him yet!

It was a fun day. We were there for about two hours, which was plenty of time to see it all and be DONE. We were hot and tired by the end, but all the kids were little troopers. Sure do love those little people! (and their cute mommys) Thanks for adding memories to my heart!

Happy Birthday, Troy!

Today is my brother, Troy's, birthday. Since we are only 13 months apart, we grew up close together and were always best friends and allies. I love him a lot, and hope and pray that he has a great birthDAY and a good year ahead. The first picture is fuzzy, but you can see what a cute little kid he was! The next picture was taken last year with my sister, Dionne, and I (the bookends) giving smoochies to our one and only brother! Love you, Troy! Have a wonderful birthday...

Missing My Daddy

Roy Smith Passey

January 28, 1939 - July 5, 2003