Jen a lucky gal!

 Nov. 8th 2018..... Jen was heading to work and saw this speeding car come right through the intersectionon at a stop sign where she had stopped for a red light ....he was going way fast and she was waiting for her the green light.  He ran the red light and Jen thought Wow he is going fast and gonna get a ticket ......then she pulled out when the light turned green and Bang!  She hit a undercover cop car going super fast too after the guy and his car turned over and her air bags went off and she was in shock!!!  What just happened???  Course she cryed and police said stay put till we get you out.  Lucky for her  she had her seat belt on and of course all the air bags went off. We are so thankful that she  could walk away from this unharmed ...timing being what it was she could have easily been hit right smack in the middle and perhaps this could have ended being fatal for both her and the cop.   As it happened she only got a bruise.  They checked her out at hospital as well as the cop.  We are sooo thankful to still have our Jenny with us!!

Will try to post car here. 

Gramma has a Toy drawer

At grandma's house she has a special Dresser Draw that is especially for her grandkids when they come to visit!  


In that special drawer Grams trys to keep all kind of goodies for the grandkids when they come to visit.   Grams trys to keep it stocked with all kinds of goodies that the little ones will find fun and interesting and well you just never know what you are going to find!
  Here Jayden and Jamis are checking it out to see what surprises they just might find inside!!

Things I Have Done in my Lifetime.

Well its not much but wanted to see what I could list:

Given Birth to seven children
Could really dance on roller skates in my youth
Dyed my hair
Been in a choir
Rode in a airplane
Have gone on Hayrides
Baked Bread
Rode a horse
Made a snowman
Been in a Ocean
Knitted a pair of booties and small hat
Did some cross stitching
 Swing on a grapevine at my brothers home out in the country
Played hide and seek in my brothers corn field
Took a bath in a metal tub
Used a out house
Carried water from a well
Saw Statue of Liberty
Been to West Point
Been to Niagra Falls
Been inside Salt Lake Temple
Been a cashier
Been a Hat Check Girl
Read the Book of Mormon plus other good books
Painted a house
Been on a boat in the ocean
Been on a old type ferry boat/ kind you drive car onto and takes you across the water to other side


Will try to think of more later.......

Your army in this Life

     I read recently that we are the sum total of the five people we choose to spend the most time with in our lives......
  Choose your 5 wisely and make sure they are the right ones!  They really are your Army in this life and will have a big influence on you for good or bad.  They are the ones that you choose to go through life with.....pick wisely!💓

Things I have noticed that my kids love..

First up would say their children and family. That we all know.....but other than that what else?.....been thinking about that and came up with a few things but likely left some off this list as well but here goes...

Valerie....she has a soft spot in her heart for animals ,  loves her pets, and is a movie buff
Randy .... he loves the newest games out , would say his job and the latest in electronices
Angie ....Books.... has a passion for reading, loves life, and a big fan of people!
Todd....Has gift of making friends and would say his job and not to forget his new truck. and sports?
Leslie....have to say music music and dancing is right up there for sure! 
Stacey....Loves the outdoors/ loves the ocean for sure and vacations.
Jen.... For sure its her love of animals ...(especially her 2 cats Zekey and Plo)...plus Shopping....and oh, not to forget sleeping zzzz....that would have to be second. haha!
     
            As said family comes first with all these kids of mine.....as it should be!

A Summer of Traveling!

This past month ( July ) I took four trips in all.....  to Leslies , then to Angies, to Indiana for the funeral of my brothers wife and then back home and then back a wk. later for a family reunion in Vincennes, Indiana.  It was a busy summer but I actually enjoyed it and got to thinking that one day I will no longer be able to travel like this so why not now.
1....     Leslies
2.....   Angies
3.....   Joe's
4.....   Family Reunion

Will paste some pictures here later.

Something to Think On

Signs of the Lords church.....
1. His church must bear the name of Jesus Christ
2. Must have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets
3. Must have the same organization as Christ's church
4. Must have divine authority
5. Must have no paid ministry
6. Must baptize by immersion
7. Must bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.
8. Must practice divine healing
9. Must teach that God and Jesus Christ are seperate and distinct individuals
10. Must teach that God and Jesus have bodies of flesh and bone
11. Must be called by the holy priesthood of God
12. Must have revelation that comes from Heavenly Father 
13.Must practice baptism for the dead/ for those who have gone on ahead of us who knew not of Christ nor His teachings
14.Must be a missionary church
15. Must be a church that has been restored with all the teachings brought back as was first set up by Jesus himself.

Trip to Leslies and Angies

Spent near two wks. with Leslie in Cupitino Ca. and after flew over to spend a week with Angie in San Diego.   Want to put pictures here of all the kiddos and trip to San Juan Capistrano and my first ride on a Amtrak.   Post more here later and pictures.

Family Reunion

It was great! 

Fifty years of marriage/ this was in 2011

All the kids got together and gave Dad and I a............
                       50th Wedding AnniversarY Gift. 

We all met at St. Augustine, Fl./ had a nice Dinner and looked around the city.  They even booked us a place to stay over night.  Oh what a fun day it was! I want to post some pictures here that were taken on our special day to remember always!  Will get them posted here soon I hope. 

 Joey and I on our wedding day.....
                                  June 3rd.1961  So young and in LOVE!!

Places we have lived

As newly weds and after much work at fixing up our very first little home in the country Joey and I decided it best to move into town because of the bad winters and the snow making it difficult to drive back and forth into town everyday....
So after maybe six months or more at our little home we moved to another house in Vincennes which we thought would be our home for along time to come but then Joey decided after being there for maybe six months it would be better if he joined the Navy and quit working at a gas station. He wanted to pick what to join and wanted the navy and if waited they could draft him and he wanted to be sure he got into the navy. The military would pay for his education and he would get a license in electronics and so thats what he did and it worked out to be a very good living for us for many yrs. and so here are some of the places we lived up to now:

 Bruceville, Ind. Our first home as young married couple /maybe six months or less here because it was too hard to drive into town in winter with snow and all.
Vincennes on upper 11th st.   Here until dad decided to join the military and stop working at the filling station ....was a good decision cause he got his education in electronics there in the navy
 Millington , Tenn./ Joined Joey to live outside of base in Navy Housing
Brunswick, Georgia for---? short time there
 Eau Gallie, Fl.  Dad worked at Cape Kennedy, got layed off and this guy from church said come to Sanford and I will get you on at Repco
Sanford Fl. ...6yrs. we lived in Sanford while dad started his job at Repco then moved to Orlando
Orlando, Fl.  on Elon Dr. ....near 30 yrs. we lived there and he continued working at Repco as a  customer service advicer. they sold radio's all over the country and then dad started traveling everywhere. The kids grew up on Elon and then after gone dad and I moved away from Pine Hills  because it was beginning to be a bad area.
Eustis, Fl. at 211 Douglas Dr. ....Here 13 yrs. and counting/
Retired and will be here for rest of our life!😊

Flanders Field

I love this poem and feel truly blessed

that we have those that have given 

their very lives so we would

 have the freedom that we so enjoy today! 

I remember the DVD that Joey would play that was titled

 "What have we learned Charlie Brown." 

....the poem is in honor of our fallen heroes!

  In Flanders fields the poppies blow

 Between the crosses, row on row, 
That mark our place, and in the sky, 
The larks, still bravely singing, fly, 
Scarce heard amid the guns below. 

We are the dead; short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe! 
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high! 
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields roll by roll.

Jesus Christ Church is Worthy of His Name!

Today I was thinking of all the churches there are in the world and there are many!  They are called by many different names.
A few:
 Luthern
 Methodist
 Baptist
Evangelicalism...
Catholicism .....
Penticostal .....
Orthodoxy....
Episopal.....
And yes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints......
The list goes on and on / there are likely hundreds and very few carry His Name!
Why do they not carry His Name?
Jesus certainly is our Savior and worthy for His name to be on his church building.....so why do many of the churches feel they have to rename their church?
So many new names popping up! Is it to appeal and attract the people. For most churches their salary is paided by the people so perhaps thats why.  People love being taught in a Big Way and Entertained  in a big way! Both out in the world and at church! So is that what they feel they must to have them feel good and want to come back? Good question? Could it be if they make them feel really good then they may feel they don't ever have to repent or change at all!!
    Playing loud music is for sure one way to draw a crowd!  Christ didn't do that!
They went to hear His words and wanted to change and live better lives.
I am proud to say from this list that I belong to" The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints "  whom name Jesus Christ we reverance. It is called by his name for it is His church and he is worthy of it being called after His name.
There is no passing the plate! No entertainment! So no man can boast! Many call us the Mormons from one of Gods great prophets that was in ancient times and we are not offended by that at all but prefer to be presented as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.....for we love all the prophets of old in times gone by .....and yes his church is worthy to be called by His Holy Name!!
.....called saints because when Jesus walked the earth his followers were called saints.
So is His Worthy enough to have his church called after his name? Yes I think so!!
                                                         

I Love A Good Love Story

Today I watched Harry and Meghan take their wedding vows and yes it touched my heart.  Guess you can call me sentimental but yes I love a good love story and to see two people fall in love!  And even though its a Major Big Wedding with everyone watching /
 it was still like watching a Cinderalla Story to me!

My mountains to Climb

We all have mountains to climb in Life! 

 So it is that at times one person’s hill is another’s mountain (and one person’s mountain is another person’s hill).
We have mountains of laundry/ mountains of dishes/ mountain of bills/ a mountain of food to buy. Depending on what’s going on in our lives, the hills may feel like a big, daunting mountains or may not seem too big at all!
 One thing for sure is.... life is never flat and without problems!
 Everything seems hard to get over.  But no matter what, with effort we are able to climb to the top.
It helps if you have your belief or a faith to help get you through.

I think of  my life......the feeling of helplessness at times, and that I have to climb this giant mountain.  The feeling of knowing that no matter what, I am not alone—my faith along with my husband makes it possible for me to get over the mountains!
In the Bible the Israelites left Egypt and they journeyed, and after 4O days, they stood where? ...at the bottom of a mountain.
They were free, but something was missing. The jouney  ahead of them was going to be long and tough!  They stood below Mount Sinai, and what were the words God spoke that everyone heard and even saw and understood?
Quote....“I am the Lord, your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
That’s right. When we are at our lowest and have a big challenge in front of us, the one and only thing that will get you through is to remember that Heavenly Father will help us climb our mountain!
I think back and just as our Heavenly Father took those Israelites out of their terrible bondage,
he will also help me!
 He was with Moses and he will be with you and I as well!

Beautiful

             
             This past weekend was so very special! Special because it was Easter Sunday and Special because of  the great gift my daughter Angie gave me.  She came all the way from San Diego Ca. to take me to a musical in Tampa Fl.
 The musical that was playing was called "Beautiful" by Carole King! She arrived Friday evening at near midnight so she got a hotel and I picked her up the next morning and we headed out to Tampa Fl. to see this wonderful musical!!! And yes it really was Wonderful!! What a great gift she gave me.... these songs will be in my head for a long time to come!!! Can't thank you enough Angie! I so loved it!!
Songs you will love!!

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

You've Got a Friend

Will You Love Me Tomorrow (The Shirelles)

Beautiful

The Locomotion

Up on the Roof

I Feel the Earth Move

Some Kind of Wonderful

It's Too Late

It Might as Well Rain Until September

Happy Days Are Here Again

Take Good Care of My Baby

One Fine Day

Will You Love Me Tomorrow

He's Sure the Boy I Love

On Broadway

You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling

Chains

So Far Away

Walking in the Rain

Pleasant Valley Sunday

We Gotta Get out of This Place

Uptown

1650 Broadway Medle

Kristen and her Gramma

Kristen and I have had a really close relationship for many years and have remained close every since she was just a new born.  I kept her while her mother worked and got very attached and then when I felt it necessary for me to work her mother tryed putting her into a daycare. She had only been in daycare for maybe three days when I ask my daughter in law Sherry how she was doing.  Her mother said she cries everyday.  I said I been crying everyday too and so I am changing my hours to work evenings so that I can keep her during the day again. It was fine with her momma and this gramma was super happy!!  So throughout the yrs. its been Gramma and Kristen.
So my job was ok with me going to evening hours and I was happy to get my baby back and needless to say we were both happy campers!
Just wanted to put some pictures in here as to remember this little gal that has my heart and has been such a wonderful part of my life back then and even so
today and for always!!



       

Sacrifice

Well last night after not getting a good nights rest I felt it a sacrific today getting out of my comfy bed to get dressed and go to church. 

All have felt this way before I'm sure! 😕
We all have make sacrifices at one time or another for different reasons.  I think of my husband and how he got up and went to work everyday for many yrs. so I and the children could have some things we wanted but more often the things we needed!
In the animal kingdom they sacrifice for their young by going out to find food for their babies and  also protect their young from predators. we pretty much do same.
There are those who often give up something they love cause they see someone else who is more in need!
 Sacrifice is part of life for sure!   With everyone coming and going these days... I feel TIME is one of the BIG SACRIFICES!  Time is precious! and how do we use our precious time?  Why do I feel i should get out of bed and go to church?
Why sacrifice my sleep and get up and go ?
I think its because of Christ and his teachings and his giving the altimate sacrifice!  He gave his LIFE! Wow, we sure aren't ask to do that!
That was HIS atimate sacrifice!!  There were many prophets of old who did just that also, gave their lives!  Why? cause they believed in the teachings of Jesus!...the list of these prophets is long.
Today you are not required to give your life. 
The only Sacrifice today that is required of you and me is
( A broken heart and a contrite spirit.)  Not much!

Thats It!  Pretty simple huh!😊 Have a blessed day! Hope to see you in church!

 

Gee Whiz I'm Old!!

So the question is. 
"WHAT DO I DO WITH THE REST OF MY LIFE?"

I will be 77 in July but oddly enough I don't feel old yet!  Perhaps its all a state of mind or is it?  When I wake in the morning the first thing I do is get dressed , then do my face,  tidy up the house,  tidy kitchen , start the wash machine , make beds but maybe not all in that order then out the door I go! I enjoy getting out and about!
 I always thought old was fifty, now I am way pass that.  So now I face 77 and well thats getting  pretty old.  Dad and I have friends that have already passed.  We try to fill our days with things we both enjoy doing..... we know the clock is ticking away!
Just read a book about old age and here are the facts......
This is the end of the last lap
Fact!  One day I might live alone
One day I was everything to my children....
            now their children are everything to them.
Once money was there in a big fat check from Repco...now S. S. check seems so small
 Now I don't have to get up early with babies or children, can sleep late if want...and sometimes I wake early and wonder why?
I am happy not preparing the whole Tks.giving meal any more and now others are in charge and I can bring one dish
I am happy that I don't have to take or pick up kids from school anymore or other events
I no longer worry if haven't done much of anything the whole day....  once it was a necessity

So now that I am OLD and i can now do whatever I want to do or choose to do nothing at all!
Maybe this OLD thing is not so bad afterall.....Life is a series of changes and each is a continuous journey... Smooth or rough its quite a journey!

Will I live happily ever after? It depends I guess. Some of the people around us are very old, some not so old, some sick , some well and some dying as I write this. Some will be in nursing homes soon, some will move to a apt.  and some will and have moved in with their children and then still some  remain with their companions at home. As they say Old age is not for sissies!  
Live well and enjoy the journey!  I love this picture!😊

Gee Whiz I'm Old

Routines

         Have you ever thought about how life is made up of everyday routines .  We basically do the same thing everyday of our lives. Getting up , dressing , eating a bite , going to work, coming home and finally getting ready for bed and then next day you get up to do it all over again. Sometimes if  you try you can add something a little different to your routine and maybe add some fun into the daily ritual.   But really thats the way most of all our lives are spent....those little mundane , uneventful routines that make up our lives and I feel perhaps they really are more important than you might think!   Be glad for them, that you are kept busy and oneday you will understand that without them life would be mundane! they really are for our good you know!!

Day by day

In the spotlight

Well Donna and I both have had our moment of glory as we got to be in the spotlight for a little bit in our grade school years.  She with girls that were called  "SIX SLICK CHICKS." They did a song called "The Tennessee Wigwalk"

THE TENNESSEE WIGWALK
Bonnie Lou


I'm a bow-legged chicken, I'm a knock-kneed hen
Never been so happy since I don't know when
I walk with a wiggle and a giggle and a squawk
Doin' the Tennessee Wigwalk.

To a tune on a fiddle on a hardwood floor
Tho' I'm broke and I'm weary and my back is sore
I walk with a wiggle and a giggle and a squawk
Doin' the Tennessee Wigwalk.

Put your toes together, your knees apart
Bend your back, get ready to start
Flap your elbows, just for luck
Then you wiggle and you waddle like a baby duck.

 Dance with me honey, tap your toes and glide
And we'll always be together side by side
Walk with a wiggle and a giggle and a squawk
Doin' the Tennessee Wigwalk.

My group sung "SINGING IN THE RAIN"   plus little dance steps to go with it.  I remember for us we all had umbrellas and our blouse and skirt matched and we each wore a different color and same with umbrellas. I think one of the mothers of the girls made our outfits and yes they they were made just for this song!  Mine if remember right was Pink and others were yellow, blue , and purple. Each made exactly alike only different colors.  I felt so pretty!

Lyrics to song we sung: color on notes were colors of our outfit!

I'm singin' in the rain
Just singin' in the rain
What a glorious feeling
And I'm happy again.
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark, up above
The sun's in my heart
And I'm ready for love.

                                                     

Come on with the rain
I have a smile on my face.
I'll walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just singin', singin' in the rain.  

 Think the movie "Singing In The Rain was out with Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly at that time.

Grandpa Todd

My dad and the kids Grandpa Todd was quite smart and it seemed to me to have came from a pretty well to do family. Were only three children in his family, two boys and a girl.  The house that I grew up in was his family home and very beautiful in its heyday.   I hope to get more info on his father who was a photographer and did very well in those days. The home was a beauty with large rooms and grass and lovely in its heyday!  He turned it over to my dad but my dad never kept it up.
 From some of the kids I heard our dad liked to memorize poems and one of them was titled....
"Lady of the Lake."  I plan to see if I can find it from a relative. Would love to read it. Heard he loved to sing also and a funny song he sung was "Sweetly sings the Donkey."
                       Seems as I remember he was a guy that could easily entertain himself .....

"Sweetly Sings the Donkey"

By Author Unknown

Sweetly sings the donkey
At the break of day,
If you do not feed him
This is what he'll say,
Hee haw, hee haw, hee haw, hee haw, hee haw!           
He often was happy if saw me singing while doing my chores.
.....funnyhuh!


Hope to add picture here later of my dad.

Some sad days!

I have not been a happy camper lately and there are many reasons for it....
I have my own set of problems for sure that I keep to myself and deal with, has nothing to do with my marriage  but only with my inner self...my insecurities..and self esteem. Joey trys to understand but not sure he does. 
         My children have their own set of problems but today I totally feel I wasn't outspoken enough in their lives . I feel should have given them more direction for their lives. Should have Would have as the saying goes. 
Sometimes I feel somewhat responsible. Why could I not have taught them more. Today I am thinking  if only!! 
Sometimes people say "Wow" so why did you have so many kids? I have been ask that so many times and always my answer is the same, didn't really think about it back then! Dad loves kids and was ok with having a houseful. I loved him and didn't really give it much thought. Many have said to me  "what were you thinking?"
         All I now know is that  I wanted them all to be happy and love life and be glad they were born!!
Perhaps I did fail at some things and maybe I should have given them all the tools to help them to make wiser choices.  Perhaps with no example to follow growing up I just didn't take much into my marriage.  My life as a child was not that great!  No regrets for having had my children....love each one!!  With 7 children I know it was hard at times to find that one on one time with them.  I know its important!   I see others spending that one on one time with their child and think Oh my! Then think did I give each of mine enough of my time??  Sure at the time I did but again maybe not!
 So my guilt is that perhaps I didn't do and give each child the time and personal attention they needed. Even so I feel they each came into this life with their own special personalities.
 When marriage problems or whatever  popped up it made me wonder and I would get a little depressed!    Did I really do the best I could?  In my heart I think to myself and the answer comes that I did the very best I knew how!!
                                                                                                                                           yes I did!