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!

Plo

Ok, Plo is different from any cat I have ever seen. 
So Plo has now become a outside /inside cat.  At first I worried that if he got out he would run away or get hit by car or something would happen to him and we would never see him again.  So first I took him out on leash and got him used to our home and  yard.  Then one day we set him free because he would go to the door and cry.  Actually he wants his way most the time! Anyway it seems  he has taken a liken to me and Jen said he is my cat and he loves me more.  I tell her its mostly cause I am home most all day with him.  He sleeps on my bed and now and then will go and  sleep on hers.
Right after he started wanting out I started training him that if he heard the whistle and would come to me then I would give him a treat! That did it!!  When it gets dark and he isn't around I hate to blow whistle and disturb the  neighbors  but usually he sticks around pretty close and on occasion I will sofly blow my whistle.  ha!  Well thats what I started doing when training him so now wherever he may roam all  I have to do is blow my  whistle and he comes running.  My neighbors think its pretty cool!  
I do love this cat ..we have a understanding so it seems.
 Here is the King of the Neighborhood and Master of this house!😊

Plain good advice

 Some good learning:


Courtesy is owed. 
Respect is earned. 
Love is given.
It doesn't matter the price of  the dress,what matters is whats in the dress.
If the sun is shining its good to be outside.....nice to remember throughout your life. 
Good manners are the backbone of life:
 They will win you friends
Serve your children 
Keep your workplace happy
Manners are the architecture of gratitude. 
Thank you thank you... that was so thoughtful ....what a lovely thing to do ....I treasure you ....I'll bring soup ...God bless  you! 

These are so nice and if used will help you go far!

                                                                

Fun days in my life!

Here were a few of the many shows that I loved as a young girl:
Watching Marlo Thomas in ---


Watching the Hit Parade with all the #1 songs. Can't believe they encouraged smoking back then.


 The Dick Clark Show....American Bandstand

Dinah Shore in her classic ‘throwing-a-kiss’ pose which often came at the end of her ‘See-The-USA’ song on her 1950s TV show.
“See the USA in your Chevrolet,
America is asking you to call…
                                    Drive your Chevrolet through the USA,
                                    America’s the greatest land of all…”
                                                                      – Dinah Shore, singing.
 

Think About It

Reputation is made in a moment, character is built in a lifetime
The train of failure usually runs on the track of laziness
Conscience is God's built in warning system
Be very happy when it hurts you....Be very worried when it doesn't.
No man ever really finds out what he believes in until he begins to instruct his children
And  ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath,
   but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord
Whatsoever a man soweth,that shall he also reap 
You cannot win if you do not begin
Real friends are those who when you make a fool of yourself
                             don't feel you have done a permanent job
The cure of crime is not in the electric chair but begins in the high chair
Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it
If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small 
You can easily determine the caliber of a person by
                   the amount of opposition it takes to discourage him
It is good to remember that the tea kettle , although up to its neck in hot water, continues to sing." 

              These are all good things to think on!

Is time precious to you?

Your hours of the day are much to precious to let them slip away!!!
                                   Happiness is really moment to moment!!!!

Life is short
  Time is fast
       No replay 
          No rewind
So enjoy each day as it comes!

About Work

  The subject of work has come up alot lately  .....Why work? ....and thought this appropriate.


              Most of us have to work ....
           Most do not like to work.....
           But most would be vastly more miserable without work....
              Without work , and struggles, danger, adventure, hope, fear and triumph.... life would seem to be empty!!  and have you ever thought it just might be a tremendous BORE!

 Maybe we need more sleep!

Rhett Lawton

Our  Bishop Bro. Rhett Lawton is a airplane pilot.  He travels alot of places with his job.  I love to hear him give talks and just recently he gave a great one!  He said while flying the plane the weather was not sooo good around him and in fact it got so very very dark around him that he decided to fly up much higher and get above the darkness of the clouds.  He said as he did , there it was....above the clouds " A burst of sunlight" .... Its Always There!  he said ...Always!  Above the clouds with all the darkness below him it was there and he said whatever we go through here on earth.....that light will be there right above  us always!  Heavenly Father is always there!!   Sometimes we just have to have a little patience. And like the SUhttps://www.vecteezy.com/templatesN  he is always there.... above the darkness..  I was so touched by his talk and have to say I got a little emotional.

  It was so sincere and real!

Dinner Time

We had a stationwagon when kids were young and it was called the grocery getter, named by our daughter Angie cause it was always used for going to the grocery store to be filled up with more food for seven kids.

 A funny thing Angie would say when it was time for the kids to come in for supper would be...and she would  shout this out from the front porch   "All you Shappard's come to dinner"  and then shout out again saying "if not a Shappard don't come."😊 So funny!  The kids were usually out playing and would  come in just before it got dark.


Will add our grocery getter here if I can just find that picture. 

The clock is ticking!

Its so true that time stops for no one!  Doesn't matter if i would like it to slow down....it  just keeps coming and going even faster at this age. When young i never gave time a second thought and lived as if it went on  forever,  I did.... I thought like that until I probably  reached about age 50..... yup ....then realized ''Yikes'' my life is half over and now at 76 i think wow i really will be out of here one day.😢   when i go to church on Sunday the next thing I know its Sunday again and i think how can that be already......thats  how fast it goes for me.😨  I do try to keep busy and do spend alot of time out of the house.  Don't take naps .....just wanta get out and do something. Dad is totally different .....he loves staying home , loves his naps and does a couple yards for our neighbors and then watches tv. or sleeps. 😉      I like watching tv in the evenings  but  daytime nope... I have to get out and live!

We never can stop time no matter what so
   I will try my best to enjoy what time I have left! Gosh, how do I stop these clock hands from moving. hmmm.
We always think we have more time than we do ....but we don't!