Memorial Day!

No better heritage can a father
bequeath to his children than a good name;
nor is there in a family any richer heirloom
than the memory of a noble ancestor.

Hamilton

We spent the day with my parents visiting the resting places of our ancestors. We first went to Park City and then to Heber.
This was a Memorial Day tradition when I was growing up. We drove around Park City and Heber and reminisced about the past and our noble fore bearers.

The Cemetery is always filled with beautiful flowers on this day.

It was cold and rainy but was an enjoyable day spent with family. We remembered our loved ones who had gone before us.
I am who I am because of the sacrifices they made and the impact they had on my life. It was nice to see so many families gathered in the various Cemeteries and paying respect to those who have passed from this life.

We drove around the Heber Valley and came upon this herd of deer. There were 14 at one time!

A few deer turned their heads and posed for Mick to get this picture.

Call us Crazy!

American Gothic



We decided to join in with our neighborhood garden this summer.
There are about 10 families that will be having gardens in this field.
Our plot is 30 x30. Yes, We are crazy!
We have never done anything like this before.
Our neighbor who instigated this idea is a farmer.
We are relying on his knowledge and others to help us have a successful garden.

Melissa and Brian helped us get our rows ready.
Thanks to them we were ready for our first day of irrigation. Mick had to work so I got to water our garden spot. Our neighbor and a few other gardeners were there to help. I felt like a farmer in my newly acquired irrigation boots and shovel.
All in all it wasn't a bad experience and actually kind of fun.

Carly and Kaylie helped us plant on Saturday. We planted 22 different vegetables. We are even trying watermelon and cantaloupe.

We went a little crazy on the tomatoes. We planted 44 tomato plants!

We also planted a row of red and yellow onions, and green, red and jalapeno peppers.

We are hoping to be productive enough to make salsa, chili sauce and spaghetti.

We will be posting updates on our garden as it grows!

Happy Mother's Day!!

This is a Mother's Day Tribute to all the important women in my life.

Each has made me a better wife, mother, sister, and daughter because of their role in my life.

Phyllis Smith

I have been very blessed to have a wonderful mother -in-law.

She has always been kind and loving to me and has treated me as a daughter.

I am so thankful for the way she raised her son. I have been blessed because of the love , compassion and giving heart that she possesses. This has also come to me two-fold because of the many things that she taught her son, my husband.

Debbie, Kim, Mick, Pam, Lisa, Doyle & Phyllis Smith

On this Mother's Day I am also thankful for my Sisters-in-law. I know that they had great influence on Mick while he was growing up (and still do now). This has shaped him into the loving, kind, gentle man that he is and his attitude of respect towards women. I have truly been blessed by these women (sisters) in my life.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Sharon Spencer

I Often go walking in meadows of clover,

And I gather armfuls of blossoms of blue.

I gather the blossoms the whole meadow over;

Dear mother all flowers remind me of you.

O mother, I give you my love with each flower

To give forth sweet fragrance a whole lifetime through;

For if I love blossoms and meadows and walking,

I learn how to love them. dear mother, from you.

I always think of my mom when I hear this song. I also think of her when I walk through a garden, or make a nice dinner or serve a family member or neighbor. I think of her love and compassion for her family and all those around her.

I have been so very blessed to have the dear sweet mother that I do.

Abraham Lincoln said "All that I am, I owe to my angel mother"

I feel very much the same. I am who I am because of her example and goodness.

My mom in her younger days with my brother David.

Here is my "Carol Brady" mom and my dad.

It is amazing when Mick and I think about growing up in the 60's & 70's....how did our parents do it. My younger sister came along and then my parents had experience in the 80's & 90's also.

It is no wonder that my dad's favorite time period was the 50's !

Debra, mom, Amy & me

My mom is amazing. She has more energy than all 3 of us girls together. She maintains a beautiful garden, goes to yoga several times a week and is an avid walker. She has gone cross country skiing and went snow shoeing this year and loved it.

She gives her all in service to others and always goes the extra mile.

She has shown great strength as she has endured many challenges in life. I am honored to call her my mom and hope that I can emulate her in even a small way.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

I love you!!

When I think of mother's day I think of all the women in my life.

Each have added thread to the tapestry of my life. They each display qualities that I admire and try to emulate in my life. Here are just a few that have had an impact on me. I could add many more but will save that for another time.

Etheawin Carroll Spencer

This is my dad's mother. She was a wonderful grandma. We got to eat junk food at her house! She always had unconditional love for me. She always had a positive attitude. She loved to made quilts for people. She told me once that she had heard of a mother whose baby died because it was cold and didn't have a blanket. I think she made it her personal mission to make a baby blanket for any baby that she came in contact with.

Sydonia Annie Bradley Anderson

This is my moms' mom. I have learned many things from her. She was a hard worker and always did the best that she could. She had a beautiful garden and loved to spend time working in it. She was very good at remembering details when sharing stories or events. She was very compassionate with those she associated with. I enjoyed personal time with her. She always made me feel so important and special.

Esther Sophia Sundquist Anderson

This is my Grandpa Anderson's mother, my great grandmother. She lived until I was 14 years old. I had many opportunities to visit with her. I loved staying with her and going to the post office and grocery store each day. This was her routine with her sister in the little community that they lived. She was a wonderful cook. She always had a freezer full of cookies to send home with us. Also homemade fudgecicles that were the best. She was a sweet humble woman who loved her family.

Annie Katherine Neilson Bradley

This is my grandma Anderson's mother, my great grandmother.

She died before I was born but still had a huge impact on me. She was born in Denmark. At the age of 5 traveled with her parents to America. They had joined the LDS church there and wanted to join with the saints in America. She was the oldest daughter in the family. When I was growing up I heard many stories about this family. They had a few sons but many daughters. I loved to hear about each of these daughters and imagine life with them. I have thought of my grandmother Bradley often while raising my family of 6 daughters and 1 son.

I have been told that she was a hard worker and had a beautiful garden. I have seen her talents and goodness displayed through my grandmother and mother.

May Flowers and A Wedding

We felt like we were in the Garden of Eden
as we walked around Temple Squares.

When we came to Temple Square a month ago we thought the flowers were beautiful.

Today they were even more beautiful and fragrant!

The Colors were brilliant!

-Newlyweds Bryce and Ashley Newcomb Gates-

A Wedding and May Flowers

We had a wonderful experience Friday in the Salt Lake Temple. We were able to attend the sealing of one of our Sister Missionaries, Ashley Newcomb to Bryce Gates. We love this sister like a daughter. She looked beautiful and her new husband is a good man who will treat her well.

The flowers on Temple Square were amazing.

Everywhere we looked there were beautiful colors of flowers and trees.

My handsome husband sitting among the flowers.

We loved walking among the beautiful flowers and smelling their sweet fragrance.

Women's Conference

I had an amazing experience on Thursday and Friday. I attended Women's Conference at BYU for the first time. The Theme for this year was "Awake, Arise, and Come unto Him" from Moroni 10:30-32. I was spiritually uplifted and came away with an added appreciation of my role as a woman. Here are A few of the things that stood out to me:

"We are here to influence the world, rather than be influenced by the world. If we could unleash the full influence of covenant keeping women, the kingdom of God and the world would change overnight." - Sherri Dew

"The path that leads to the Father passes through the temple."
"The power of Godliness is in the Ordinances."
"Parents can help their children come unto Christ by modeling their own homes after the temple." - Elder Merrill J. Bateman

"Influencing is more important than managing."
"All of us build on the shoulders of someone."
"Daily do the things that demonstrate that we know who we are." - Julie Beck

"Your individual tapestry is woven with thread common to you and to all women."
"Life's challenges build up our character, purify our hearts and expand our souls."
"Do not procrastinate celebrating life's wonderful moments. Every day in your life is a special occasion".
"Don't let the important things of life pass you by. Instead, find joy in the journey now."
- President Thomas S. Monson

It is hard to express and recreate the spirit that I felt as I attended women's conference.
I felt strengthened, refreshed and uplifted by my experience.
Not only were the talks wonderful but the sisterhood was incredible.
Thursday night I did some of the service projects. What an amazing experience, to see the efforts of a group of Relief Society Sisters, that will bless people worldwide.

The highlight for me was in the closing session. When President Thomas S. Monson walked into the room. I felt a powerful spirit engulf me as we stood and began singing "We Thank Thee O, God for a Prophet." The tears came as I felt the witness of being in the presence of a Prophet of God.

I look forward to many more Women's Conferences and hope to share this experience with my daughters and mother in the future.