"Weather" either or!

Hasn't the weather been crazy or what? Sunshine one day, rain or SNOW the next, and then 96 degree weather last Sunday. You never know what your gonna get. I bought flowers for the front yard the other day and thank goodness I got them planted before the rain came AGAIN! Back a month or so ago Ashlyn and I went and enjoyed the morning at Thanksgiving Points Tulip Festival. Tulips are one of my favorite flowers which I plant by our walk way and the past couple of years the deer have eaten them all. This year I got to enjoy only a few before the deer got to them.The colors were magnificent at the festival. Don't you just wish you had all of these in your yard? I'm sure the deer wish I would have planted as many as well. They would have had a feast!Now this is a different Tulip!
I watched a lady who was putting her camera underneath the tulips and snapping a photo, thought I would try it and see what it looked like. Kind of interesting. I put this as my screen saver on my computer and you can really see some detail in the peddles on a larger print.

And some say there is no God, how can anyone say that when you look at the beauties of nature?!?! And he did all of this for us. I love Spring and it was great to enjoy such a beautiful time with my daughter. Thanks Ash!!!

Photos From Our Trip

I thought I had taken a picture of the Berkley Plantation home stead. Home of Benjamin Harris but I guess I didn't, however this is a photo of a canon ball shot into the side of the Plantation home. Can you imagine having to worry about having a canon ball shot at your house?!? Yikes! Inscribed on a plate mounted on the outside wall it reads ...From the attack from General JB Stuart on the Army on the Patomac 1862. I hope your able to tell what that is. Can you make out the cannon ball?
This is the walk way from the home to the gardens and the lake where the family would entertain. It was to early in the spring to see what the gardens must look like but I'm sure they would have been beautiful. They used their English traditions in their homes and gardens.
They would make mazes in their gardens.
Hayden, Papa, and Jaron sitting in the crotch of an old tree that looked like it had Elephantiasis.
Get a load of Hayden's pant legs...the boys were throwing rocks and stick in the lake...what little boy can get that close to water and not go in:-)

From there we go to Colonial Williamsburg. What a beautiful historical place. It's like stepping back in time and expecting to see John Adams, George Washington, any of those founding fathers walking down the road. We did see Benedict Arnold, the handsome young man on the far left riding up to warn the people about the conditions of the government. (Maybe things weren't so different back then). They enact scenes from the past in the streets all the time and you can tell the people you meet there love the history of our country and their state. They love depicting what took place all those many years ago. Look at the homes along the street, many are rented by people who actually live there, but, their homes have to appear as though no one were there. I asked Jeramy and Rebecca, "why would you want to live in a home where it had to appear as if no one were there?" They said, "it's people who love history and living in the past." Rebecca and some of her friends run through the square when they go running on week ends because there is little to no traffic and it's just a peaceful beautiful place to run.

The people's attire for their day.
The Governor's Palace.

This give you a feel for the colors they used back then, decorative wall papers and floor coverings.
Quite busy don't you think? But we have to remember they didn't have any electricity only candles and oil lamps and they had to do something to brighten their surroundings.


And this is the mode of travel back then. It took them days if not months to get from place to place and I complain that it took us a day to get from Salt Lake to Virginia!! I take so very much for granted!!

Rebecca's friend told us we had to go and see Patrick Henry. She said if you don't you'll regret it. She actually has a crush on the man who plays Patrick Henry. He was amazing, he could answer any question someone threw at him. And you could tell he knew Patrick Henry almost as well as Henry himself. Patrick Henry was the most famous orator of the Revolution. He delivered dramatic speeches which kindled the spark of liberty in colonial Virginians and was, according to Thomas Jefferson, "far above all in maintaining the spirit of the Revolution." As a member of the Virginia patriotic convention, he helped draft the State's constitution and bill of rights. He became Virginia's first Governor, but, he was best know for his most famous speech of the Revolution, "Gentlemen may cry peace, peace - but there is not peace. The war is actually begun...Is life so dear, or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!" For any of you who get the chance to visit Virginia and Colonial Williamsburg visiting Patrick Henry is a must!!!
this is inside the Capitol. The walls were covered with guns and rifles. You see the British seal.
Les and I being punished for being bad in the stockade. I would have really been in trouble because I wasn't tall enough to kneel down. There is so much more to Colonial Williamsburg that I can't even begin to do it justice. The foundations mission is : To help the future learn from the past by preserving and restoring the 18th-century Williamsburg, and by engaging, informing, and inspiring people as they learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse people who helped shape our new nation. It is amazing!!!
The next day Rebecca, Hayden, Jaron, Les and I went to Jamestown. Back to the time of Indian Villiages and Soldiers of this area.
These are the type of dewelling the Indians had back then. Hayden and Jaron didn't really like the smell inside the huts....Hmmmm. Hayden sitting on one of the beds covered with skins.
Jaron demonstrating how the Indians ground their corn. Papa and Hayden working on a deer skin.



The mighty Soldiers...and warriors!

One of the modes of transportation for the Solders.

We ended our tour in Charlottesville Virginia at the beautiful home of Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States. It was a cold rainy day but it didn't dampen our spirits and we enjoyed it very much. Thomas Jefferson once wrote, " All my wishes end where I hope my days will end, at Monticello." and in touring this beautiful edifice we can understand why. Monticello was Thomas Jefferson's home for the remaining fifty six years of his life. He spent forty years designing it, building it, tearing it apart, redesigning it, and putting it back together again. He loved the house and it's property, and knew the name of every tree planted on its grounds. And if one of his trees died he knew it. He used his own kilns to bake the more then half-million bricks he used in the various stages of construction. While serving as Minister to France, he filled almost a hundred crates with furniture and various works of art for the many rooms at Monticello. While in France he would collect fruit trees and bring them with him on his long boat trips home. When Mr. Jefferson was President of the United States, he would long for his home at Monticello and whenever possible would make that long four day trip there from Washington. Life was uncomfortable and difficult in the early years of construction especially for his wife Martha, who had to live in the house that in her lifetime was never finished. She had to tolerate unfinished walls and roof, being subjected to severe cold winds, brick and plaster dust, all while bearing six children in ten years, having lost four of them, until her death in 1782 at the age of thirty three. When you visit Monticello you see that Jefferson was way beyond his time in his ability to draft the plans and construct this beautiful home. I could go on and on but you just have to see it first hand and experience it yourselves to appreciate it. Thomas Jefferson passed away at the age of 83, July the 4th 1826 was was the 50th anniversary of the signing of the declaration of Independence. It was also a coincidence that Jefferson died on the same day as his friend John Adams. Both died of causes attributed to old age.
Brynlee and I trying to keep dry as we walked about the gardens and property at Monticello. She is growing up so much and turning into such as sweet and beautiful young women.

We walked down to the place where Jefferson and his family were buried. Thomas Jefferson had made a note of what he wanted on his Headstone. He wrote that he had been President of the United states but wished simply to be most remembered for founding the University of Virginia, for writing the Declaration of Independence, and Virginia's Act of Religious Freedom, and last of all the date of his death. There are many relatives and friends buried there. I found it interesting, if you can read the first name in the inscriptions in the photo. Anne Cary Bankhead (Grand daughter). We have Bankheads in our Genealogy. My Great, Grandmother was a Bankhead. I will have to see if Anne Cary might be related.
Here's Isaac beside the sculpture of Thomas Jefferson. Bryn and Isaac were in school most of the time we were there but Mom and Dad let them stay home from school and go with us to Monticello. We were so glad to be able to spend some one on one time with them while the little boys had play day with their friends. We played games in the car all the way to Monticello and sang songs on the way back. It was great!
And heres our missionary in training! Doesn't he look handsome in his new suit! He was so excited to wear his new suit especially because it had a secret inside pocket in the jacket:-) Even at his young age he is a great little missionary. They have many neighbors who are not LDS and they love Jeramy, Rebecca and their family which is mutual on their part. Isaac invited all their neighborhood friends to his baptism. There were three non member families there to witness Isaac's special day with him.
Isaac was so excited to have his Dad baptise him.
A proud Mom and Dad, and a proud Nana and Papa.

Papa and I are so thankful that we had the opportunity to make this trip. It was so fun visit all the wonderful historic place that are there, but most of all, it was great to spend time with Jeramy and Rebecca, and create some memories with our grand babies. Hopefully they will carry these memories with them throughout their life. Knowing they have a Nana and a Papa that love them very much. We have wonderful memories of bike rides, paying games, singing songs and just plan having fun together. We look forward to more of those time in the near future. Let me tell you there were many tears shed as we said our good-byes. And it was so hard to load up our car and drive away. That's the worst part! Les kept telling me not to dwell on the good-bye, but to feel happy for the time we were able to spend with them. And that's true. We had a wonderful time!!! Thanks Jer and Bec for being such great host and hostess to us, fixing us wonderful meals, packing us lunches and being wonderful tour guides!

"Pippin"

Before we left for our trip we had a great experience. We went to see the Play Pippin . Presented by the Timpanogas High School Productions Company. I really didn't know that much about Pippin but our grand son Sam was the "Headless Man" in the play. In case you are as clueless about Pippin as I was let me share with you a little part from the Director's Notes...Pippin is on a search for the meaning of life. As we all are. Pippin shows us so powerfully what is really meaningful in life...what is truly valuable. As a child of the sixties who was part of a generation "trying to find" itself, Pippin's story and music always touch my heart. Also as a parent and a teacher I have come to know that finding the "right track" is the most difficult thing a teenager has to do. Hopefully by the end of the evening we all will have learned from Pippin's search for complete fulfilment.

We are so proud of Sam. He has such a passion for the theater and arts. We all need to find something that we are passionate about. Something that makes us excited to get up in the morning, something that puts a smiles on our face and fills us with energy. Bravo Sam. You did a great job! We love you!

Sam and Rod...The proud Dad.

Guess Where We Are?

We are in beautiful Williamsburg Virgina!!!! We got here a week ago today and sad to say we are leaving today. Jeramy and Rebecca, mostly Rebecca has been a great tour guide. Jer has had to work most of the time we've been here, which we understand completely. We've been to Colonial Williamsburg where we listened to Patrick Henry tell about his day and foresee things of the future as well as listened to Benedict Arnold warn the people about the government. We've been to the Berkley Plantation where Benjamin Harris who was one of the Presidents of the United States was born and later went back to live there. We went to James town to visit the settlements and the Indian village. We went to Thomas Jefferson's beautiful Monticello. But the thing that was most important was visiting with our kids and grand kids and renewing our relationship with them, and the most importantly witnessing Isaac's baptism. Stay tune because there will be more about our trip as well as photos when we return home.

Extra Extra Read all about it.

Monday I was getting ready along with Les to go to the dentist to have our teeth cleaned when the phone rang. It was Ashlyn, she asked if I would like to go to Salt Lake with her to hear Keagan and her orchestra play at...drum roll...Abravanel Hall! Hmmmm, dentist or Keagan, dentist or Keagan? That was not a hard choice to make it was Keag's hands down. The kids were AMAZING!!! Keagan like the old Beetles song just keeps getting so much better all the time. I'm so glad that she loves music, it makes it so much easier to practice:-) I hope she will always stay as sweet as she is right now. Good job Keagan!

Call To Serve.

This past week has been a week of good byes. Our friends Patsy and Doug Adams have been called to the Sacramento California Mission. Years ago we said that we would go on our missions together requesting the same mission. This is when the possibility of going was still way out there in the distant future. Doug and Patsy and I retired last year leaving the youngest of the bunch (Les) still working. Well did they ask our permission or decide to wait for Les to retire to go? NO!!! We went out to dinner with them last Monday. Saturday night I made cookies and we went to their open house farewell, and then Sunday night we went to their setting apart. They were given beautiful blessings and the Stake President gave them and their children great counsel. Many tears were shed by their children and grand children. Some sobbed uncontrollably. How hard it would be to leave your home, your children, and especially those grand babies for a year and a half of your life, just when you are at a stage in your life when you can travel and do the things you want. What would make a couple do this? Many people may view it as sheer and utter craziness. But for Patsy and Doug and many other couples it is because they feel so blessed and they want to give back to our Heavenly Father by serving his children. They have already started to witness blessings in their lives from this decision to serve, let me share with you an email I received from them...Loved Ones: As we get closer to leaving for Sacramento, we are getting pretty dang nervous. This past Monday night however, we experienced yet another MIRACLE in our lives. Drew (their grandson and Cody's son) and his friend were in a terrible 4 wheeler accident in a remote part of Mona. It's a long story, but here's the amazing outcome. Darrell, Drew's friend, was driving. They hit a huge iron gate. (It was dark and no, they weren't wearing helmets.) Drew was basically scalped, broke a wrist, lost a front tooth. He required stiches in his lip and several staples to reattach his scalp. Darrell lost all of his front teeth, has multiple facial fractures and a broken arm. They placed a tracheostomy yesterday in preparation for the facial reconstruction. This is a miracle: Drew was unconscious, but Darrell, with all of his injuries, was able to call his sister on his cell phone to tell her where they were!! If he hadn't have been able to do this, no one would have started looking for some time. Cody is on the Search and Rescue Team for the county, and he would have been the one to find them. Frankly, they probably wouldn't have been alive. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL!!! I was able to assist the Doc in ER (Patsy is a nurse) - It kept me in a clinical mode, but to be honest, I was so amazed that neither boy had spinal injuries or skull fractures, I wasn't even nervous or that upset. Drew only had to be in the hospital for one night. We are all praying for Darrell as he starts his long journey to recovery, but feel so blessed that it is what it is and not what it could have been. I am so humbled by Drew's life that I really want to serve this mission. Love Doug and Pats. Patsy and Doug entered the MTC (Missionary Traning Center) this past Monday and will leave for Sacremento California a week from today.

The Lord blesses his faithful. Les and I look forward to the day that we too can serve the Lord.

The Month of the Blaws

If you hadn't noticed I haven't felt like blogging anything because of the dreary, drab weather we've been having in the month of February. It has been one year since I retired. WOW, I can't believe that time goes by so fast, but when I was working the weather really didn't effect me that much. I was always inside where there were little to no windows to see out of so I didn't know what the weather was like until I walked outside to go home. By that time it was starting to get dark. Being home everyday and looking out to see dark sky's, and drizzling rain can really put you in a funk. Somedays I really had to make myself get dressed, do my hair and look presentable, for what and whom, well at least Les. Sunday was no different it was bleak looking outside, but I looked out the window and what did I see?!?! No, not popcorn popping on the apricot tree but pretty darn close. My daffodiles are starting to push through the ground!!! Wahoo!! Spring is just around the corner! So all of you who feel like I do there is hope smiling brightly before us, there really will be an end to winter!

The Golden Girls at Hope of America!

We look pretty good for a bunch of ole gals don't you think?

"It's Snowing!!!"

Doesn't Mother Nature know that after Christmas it is only suppose to snow up in the mountains? It can snow in the valleys up until Christmas Day to get us all in the spirit of Christmas but, after that it needs to stop! It has snowed here straight for the last couple of days and I am the one who has to shovel the walks and driveway. Yesterday just as I started to shovel the driveway our neighbor down the street pulled up on his ATV with a snow plow. I thought, "God bless him." He looked at me and said, "you beat me to it," turned around and drove off. I thought, "You've got to be kidding me, right?" I kept thinking any minute he would come back and finish what I had just started. "WRONG!!!" This morning I thought Les will have to get up and shovel the driveway or he won't be able to get out. Wrong again!! Being retired has it's draw backs, I have to shovel the drive way to get out.
The dreaded driveway!!! This snow is so heavy it would make a great Snowman!!! For you people who love the snow and are chanting Let it Snow! Let it Snow! STOP IT!!!!! I say stop it do you hear me?

The Annual Wanlass Family Christmas Party

I have always loved Christmas, I think I got that from my Mom. She always made it a special time of the year for us kids and she loved it just as much as we did. We always picked out our Christmas tree around the first of December. It had to be just the right tree. All the branches had to be even without any holes or bare spots. If there were any holes, Dad would cut off the bottom of the tree, take a branch, drill a hole in the trunk, and glue or attach the branch in someway so our trees were always perfect. We had special ornaments that we put on the tree every year like our Santa Clause ornament. We would fight about who got to put Santa on the tree so we had to take turns. I think even after Santa was placed on the tree if no one was looking we would move him to another spot. Icicles were a tradition back then and they were made from tin foil. We would rub our feet across the carpet causing static electricity, then we would walk towards the tree. The icicles would stand straight out as did our hair from all the static electricity. We would sit quitely on the couch together and stare at the Christmas tree as if in a trance. It was as if the Christmas Tree transported us to a fairy land where christmas wishes and dreams really did come true. My sisters and I would lay on the floor for hours with the Sears catalog and dream about what we wanted Santa to bring us for Christmas. We didn't need computers or electronic games to make us happy all we needed was the catalog and we could entertained ourselves for hours. Mary Pulley's Hill was another Christmas Tradition. Mary was an old maid that lived at the top of a large hill in a beautiful home. The grounds were decorated with the nativity, and all the pine trees were adorn with Christmas lights. Christmas Music was piped onto the grounds and as we waited in the long line of cars we could listen to the beautiful music which always made us all the more excited. At the top of the hill was Mary herself with Santa Clause and Santa would quickly ask us what we wanted for Christmas and give us a candy cane. The ward, stake, or maybe it was the town put on a Christmas Pageant in the old American Fork Tabernacle. One year Dad was one of the three wise man and he and two other men sang We Three Kings. As I close my eyes I can see them walking down the aisle carrying their treasures for the new born King. There was always a trip to toy land where we could see, touch and feel all those wonderful things we wanted Santa to bring us Christmas Eve. Usually last but not least, was our family Christmas Party at Grandma and Grandpa Wanlass with all our aunts, uncles and cousins. It was one of the highlights of Christmas. We exchanged gifts, put on skits and just plain had fun together because we were with our family. Mom and Dad carried on that tradition with our own family. My siblings and our children would get together at Mom and Dads or one of our homes and exchange gifts and enjoy one anothers company. As our families grew, we started meeting at a church, and then Mom started renting the Senior Citizens building. There we have all the comforts of home plus it's decorated for Christmas. This year was no different. I don't know if all the adults look forward to it but I know that I do and I know most of my grand kids do. Keagan asked the other day, "when Grandma Wanlass is gone does that mean that we won't have the Christmas Party any more?" I asked her why she asked that and she said, "I like getting together and seeing my cousins, especially the little ones." I assured her that I was pretty sure it would continue to go on.
Look at Grandma surrounded by these beautiful Children. What a posterity!!! And that's not all of them. Bonnie and Mark started the Pinata last year it as you can see by the pictures above it was a great success again this year. Deb and Jim brought it back by popular demand. I'm sure it has now become a standard tradition.

As you can see kids of all ages love the pinata!!

Chris, my grandson took the swing that sent the candy flying to the delight of all the little ones!! Megan and Mandy, Deb's daughters had crafts for the kids to do as well. I've never seen the kids so quite and attentive, this gave the grown ups time to visit. Look at these beautiful kids.


All in all the party was a great success and worth all the time and effort it took to put it on. We don't see the end results right now but as these kids grow into adulthood they will look back on these times and remember the love and happiness they shared with their family, and isn't that what Christmas is all about really. Our Savior came down to earth and gave his life because he loved us so much. He did that so we could be with our families forever. What a wonderful gift!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know, I'm always behind, here it is just weeks away from Christmas and I am posting about Thanksgiving. And to top it off, I was so busy scurrying around making the dinner and getting the tables ready that I didn't even take ONE PICTURE!!! We had a great time though. Doug and his family, Rod and his family and Ashlyn and her family were here, and this year Mom and Christopher, Dave's nephew shared our Thanksgiving with us. It was great. The only thing that would have made it better is if Jer, Bec and the kids could have been here as well. We probably would have had to rent a place or have it at the church to fit everyone in but it would have been great. Dinner was delicious as usual but doesn't it just amaze you how we can spend all those hours slaving over the stove and preparing those favorite dishes and have them devoured in just minutes?!?! We had a lot of fun visiting with each other, especially the kids. They love seeing and spending times with the cousins. Keagan wrote a play, How The Turkey Got it's Gobble which had to be acted out twice because Nana forgot to video it the first time. But it was great fun for all of us. Special recognition goes to Rod for the sound of the Turkey's gobble and Tristen who really got into his character - Doctor Expert Turkey with accent and all, and Aunt Raquel who was Tiny Tim - the littlest Turkey. But Bravo to all the turkey characters. Then after the Play we played our annual Thanksgiving Bingo. Last year Tristen walked away with most of the gifts, this year it was pretty even. Anyway...we had a great Thanksgiving and have so very much to be thankful for!

You have to watch this video!!

Wedding Ceremony - My Waffle Wedded Wife this is great!