Time Travel Tuesdays~Easter in Camelot

I am a bit late in posting this but only by a few days and it is Tuesday after all!

We are traveling back in time today to Easter Sunday of 1963. As usual, the weather was glorious in Mesa. No need for sweaters or umbrellas here! I am five and-a half years old  and had been an aunt to this weeping little girl for a year! This is my niece Jalyn Black, my sister Sharon's first child. I was in love with this little girl and her red hair! She was my first baby; my little sister Gena was born nearly 8 months later. Jalyn made me an "aunt" which none of my friends would believe when I told them. I loved watching her learn to sit up, wave, and crawl. Crawling was a whole new adventure because she did crazy baby things like eating Gravy Train dog food from the bowl set out for Tammy, our Boston terrier. She once pulled a watermelon rind right out of the garbage can and we found her gnawing on it happily! There were other not so funny things we caught her eating...but I digress!

Look at how we are dressed in blue. My mother and big sister planned our outfits to be matching. Gena was just a little six month old at the time but her dress matched too. Our dresses are homemade (as they all were back then). Aren't they cute? I don't know why she had reason to cry!

 This was Jacqueline Kennedy's heyday. The height of being a lady! I had white gloves to wear with this ensemble but I hate to tell you that they were hiding in that darling hand bag! I hated wearing them, which drove my sainted mother crazy! When I did have them on I did awful things to them like eating jam or drawing pictures in the dust on the end tables! I wish you could see the bib collar on the dress up close. It had three blue buttons down the front. So cute! I loved the hat and purse. I am certain they were purchased at J. C. Penney's on main St. in Mesa. Love my little Mary Jane shoes too! This was a special outfit because I wore it for a mother/daughter fashion show that the church Relief Society put on that spring. I remember walking out on that stage holding my Mom's hand and just knowing I was so adorable! (I had my little white gloves on too!)

Look at those vibrant roses! My Dad loved to grow roses and these were his favorite, Chrysler Imperials. I have a bush of them growing in frot of my house now in memory of him. I loved our shady front yard where we had many birthday parties and pretend adventures. That is North Recker Road in the background. It was gravel then. Now it is five lanes wide. Apache Wells golf course was built a few years later across the street. You can just barley see the orchard in the distant right side of the photo. That was my favorite place to play! It either smelled like orange blossoms and lemons, or was fragrant with plums and apricots growing. There were grapes, blackberries and pecans too! Why am I not living there now?! Sadly, the very spot I am standing is now the driveway to a Camelot Country Club. Unreal. Why does progress ruin things?

Oh geez!  I just had a cheesey thought.

"Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment 

that was known as Camelot".

That's what the Kennedys thought of their time in the White House. It's how I feel about my childhood. Now it's covered over by asphalt and concrete and called Camelot!

I Am Back!

January, February, and March 2012. Depressing, heart-breaking, annoying. I think  you friends and loved ones know the depressing and heartbreaking parts. The annoying part was the demise of our computer's mother board exactly ten days after the extended warranty/service plan we purchased ran out. We are back up and running thanks to a wonderful blessing and now you get to put up with me again!

I have tried so hard to go back to "normal". If you are not a dog lover you don't get it. My house is empty and quiet during the day. I still find myself calling to him on impulse. I reach to pet him when I am sitting on the sofa. He is not there anymore. Well, sort of. I believe that animals have spirits, a soul from God who gives us all life. Just as I have felt my father and my sister near me on different occasions since their passing, I have also felt this little dog nearby. I believe the spirits of those who have gone on are allowed to visit and comfort us and to offer protection. Brittany has felt Sam too, very powerfully. I want you to know that I KNOW that this is true. I know we have a loving God, our Father in Heaven who created us all. He loves us and wants us to be good people and return to him with honor. I can testify to you from feelings I have had during prayer and from words spoken to me during Priesthood blessings that He is very aware of us and knows our needs. He can comfort us perfectly if we only believe and let Him. On the second night after Sam left us I went upstairs to bed with a very heavy heart. It felt so empty and lonely to not have him there trotting up those steps with me. Suddenly, about halfway up the stairs, I felt him there beside my right leg. I literally felt this warmth rush by me and race ahead of me as Sam tended to do. I was so comforted! I knew it was a tender mercy to let me know that he is not gone, not far away at all. I like to picture him bounding through the tall grasses and flowers of heaven chasing after the balls my Dad is tossing to him.

This piece of art is a print that Rachel made a few weeks ago. I love it. It is taken from a photo that I took of Sam just a few weeks before he became very ill. He was sitting at the door waiting for Brittany to come home. See his waggling tail? I know he is waiting for us, anxiously, to play with him again.

I hope you all had a glorious Easter! I take great comfort in the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is indeed risen and so will we all be, great and small!

It's Making Me Crazy

Waiting is hard...yes, it IS!

Life goes on all around me in spite of wanting to know a certain answer very much. I have a new little nephew named Montgomery. Isn't he cute?! Congratulations to Dee's sister Alicia and her husband Doug. I am busy with my new machine making something for this little guy.

Speaking of the new machine....I have finished three new aprons this week. Here's a sneak peek.

 These little egg guys are what I have been working on for Easter.

Someone we all love was very sick on Wednesday. Life is rough when you can't keep anything down! I spent much of Tuesday night and most of Wednesday with my carpet cleaner out, cleaning up the aftermath, as well as doing lots of laundry! When he wasn't "losing it" He was sleeping soundly. Poor little guy! Poor Mom. I am tired, still. They really are just like children!

 He is recovering today all curled up in front of the heater while I sew.

Wishing you a warm and cozy day too!

Sending love your way!

Easter Weekend~

Things were bustling around here this weekend! The little house on the corner welcomed Miss Rachel home for the weekend. We were joined by Cousin Chris, and Nick and Diana too. Brittany worked all day Saturday at Easter Eggstreme out at Thanksgiving Point along with Rachel who did face painting. I miraculously regained my energy and was able to do everything I wanted to!

Here's the run-down on the Loose gang plus a few photos:

Sarah...in Toronto, working hard on her dissertation, made crescent rolls for Easter dinner with friends (she has Grandma E's recipe down!), church started late because the Ukrainian Orthodox Church  worshipers next door to the LDS chapel had blocked the entrance to the parking lot. Has Napoleon Dynamite's twin brother in the Gospel Doctrine class she teaches.


Brittany...Exhausted after running crazy, huge egg hunt and all day event. It was either a smashing success or a frustration, depending on how you look at it. Based on past ticket sales they planned for 2500 people. 4300 people came!! Ticket sales huge, many kids without eggs, and grumpy parents.


Rachel...Painted faces of wiggly children for 6 hours in the cold outside with numb fingers! Back at Snow College today and ready for finals week. Sold her first piece of art at the art show! One week until summer break!

Richard...Valiantly mowed thick, wet grass with a lawn mower which has lost it's self-propelled power. Spent the weekend doing his Seminary homework which was hugging his parents and telling them he loved them!

Nick & Diana...Spent a week having fun with Nick's Oma & Opa. Took them to the Tulip Festival and the Carl Bloch exhibit at BYU. They are now working for the same company and enjoy driving to work together every day.

Chris Faria...Slept on our famous brown sectional that is more comfy than a bed. One week and 5 days from his wedding day!! (I cannot believe this!). Kind of lonely all weekend because his lovely Christina flew home to D.C. to get ready for the big day. Moved into their future home on Saturday and is setting up house.

Marianne...Stayed up late helping the Easter Bunny hide baskets. Annoyed with weight gain. Found her post-surgery energy. Made a lovely carrot cake!


Dee...Coached a swim meet on Saturday that took FOREVER, shopped with his wife for just the right ham. Is now the longest serving member of the Stake High Council. Says he feels old!

Sam...Helped clean the floor of dropped Easter candy and bits of ham. Went for a walk in the rain. Took lots of naps.

Coloring Eggs.

 

 Happy eggs and tempting candy.

 

 Peeps!!

 

 Caught sketching.

 

Son-in-law  Farkle-ing.

 Cousins playing.

 Lovely cake. Britt filled the hole with jelly beans because, "it's what Aunt Gena would do"!

 

 The spring banner I made.

 

 Did you know that Sam rhymes with HAM?!

 

 First post surgery photo of me...looking tired, but I looked SO much worse a few weeks ago!

Love my Rachel!