Christmas Gifts for the kiddos

 Christmas nativities should be made for the children to play with.  These are.  I made them out of purple foam and plaster paris, coated with stain and mod podged for a firm, nice finish.

 

Most of the pillows for Kim's family

St. George Temple Rededication

 

I am starting to understand my new life.  I wanted to go through the temple during the open house and so I made a trip to visit mom and see it.  She had previously gone through with someone else, so I just went through by myself.

This part of my life is pretty tough but I have learned if there is something I want to do I better just do it.  I have never needed someone to hold my hand, but I haven't dared always leave Dean alone either.  He has switched his medicine and  the new stuff seams to be much better for him. None of it works as well as when we first started with it, but they side effects have gotten much better with the switch.

The temple was beautiful. I went through it when I was a young teenager and it was remodeled and rededicated.  I was able to be in the Priesthood room for the dedication.  This time I just took a quick walk through.  I understand you can see the Priesthood room from one of the walk ways but that wasn't on the tour.

Special Day for a Special Girl

 Ellie asked both of her grandmother's to give talks and I was assigned the Holy Ghost talk.  I had the three bears ready to go, so I incorporated them into the talk for just a second, and made a Liahona for my new talk.  Pictured below is the progress right before I sprayed it gold.

When I was in the Spanish Branch I had made another one.  We put a GPS inside of it and took the kids on a walk through the dessert or ball park right next to the church.  The GPS told us which way to go while giving us warnings.  Awesome!

She is such a good girl. 

Labelling the Items Above our Seats

I'm pretty happy with the organizer that goes above our heads in the front of the van.  But it needs to be easier to find things so I labeled each of the pockets with the items that belong in them.

Each van has a similar one but they are slightly different, and I often send the kids out alone to get something for me but its to hard to remember which van has what where. So both vans have basically been set up about the same and all pockets have been labelled.  It's a pretty nice set up.

 

Spending a day up north

With Mike working full time and Zub neck deep in PA school, they could use some help with the kids.  They are pretty great at taking care of themselves but they just need an adult in the home.  

We decorated some oranges and that was a big hit.  Then we had a little tea party.  Bria had her own tea set so she grabbed it and we had a party for three. 

For some reason Ben didn't really come around much during our tea party.

Fun times with fun kiddos.

 

The Tabernacle Experience

 I wanted to see the Tabernacle but waited hoping Dean would be able to go while it was in Nephi and our area members were manning it.  However, after missing that opportunity I headed up to Eagle Mountain and Blaine met me and we went through together.  It was fun to see the live set up, but nothing really new as I had been viewing some of the items online, and Come Follow Me had shared much about it as well.  But it was a fun activity and so very awesome of all the people all over the state that donated their time to make it happen.  Also, it was a great day out with Blaine on his lunch hour.

 

Sod Laying Party

All that cross fit is paying off today

Grandpa got to play on his tractor

I finally found my niche next to the fence fitting in little pieces. Blaine, Mike, Taylor, and Kyle laid the sod and Chandra shuttled it to us.  Pax was a little worker for sure.

Taking a moment to lean on their shovels

 

July 24th Celebration in Enterprise

 

Mom wanted to go up to Enterprise for the celebration so I drove down and picked her up so we could drive up in time for the celebration.  Following the program, we went to the Hunt family reunion, put on by Wes Hunt's family, up in their little park near their home. It was so fun to see so many of the cousins.

Madelyn made it but Kelly and his family didn't as they had plans made previously.  Madelyn left quickly to meet her family in Pine Valley.

 

Garth, Denise, and Erin

Cordon and Peggy

Me, Mom, Renae, and Uncle Pres

Don't know their names but they are my cousin Emma's children

Cordon, Lori and Lisa. Lori was always one of my favorite cousins.

Darrel and his wife, who turns out to be Beth Johnson Terry's sister-in-law

Family Dinner with bonus Sants

 Dinner up north with the family and Jason.  We found a cute little Mexican restaurant that wasn't too busy and had an enjoyable time together as a family. 

Delta 4th of July Parade

 We found a pretty good spot the last few years, where not too many other people gather.  We are right across from Jubilee so we can run over and get drinks and treats as needed.  Even a case of water for the hot day.   Such a fun tradition and a perfect time for kids to come home.

Now this is the Van Life!

July 4th Celebration in the Ponderosas

Mike' family, J's family and the Sants were all here.

These older cousins are a delight

This is the one time I get to use the van for what I bought it for.  Expensive trip LOL

 

Candice showed me her new prouct

 Candice convinced me to let her fix my hair for church one day we were up visiting.  It turned out to be pretty fun, so I ordered some for myself.  Then I attempted to do it myself.  We will try this style for a while.

Colton's Grad from Jr. College

 Colton graduated from Snow, and has moved home to work in the mines to put away money for USU.

Last year he came and lived with us, boring and sickly as we were.  He worked at Quality and they would have loved to have him come back.  But even without expenses he just couldn't make much.  He will go home, and work with his Dad at one of the salt mines.

Trip to the Cabin

Everything is currently done from a chair.  I really need to get this knee fixed.

 

MaKayla's graduation

 Sadly, I think we may have made our last trip out to Sterling, and we were not able to get out for this graduation.  Luckily we could watch it on our TV screen.

Dad isn't doing great, and my knee is always in terrible pain.  We sent our well wishes, and watched from home.  

Dad's spending a little of Mary's Money

 Grandma and Grandpa worked very hard to provide for their family and when they passed they gave each of their children a nice little check.  Dean was able to buy a tractor and a house to put it in with some of it.  He has been so very excited for both of them.  We hope it brings peace to his heart.

By mid June the tractor house was ready to store the stuff.

 

Hairs getting longer

 I have gone totally natural on my hair color and it doesn't even bother me any more.  I have struggled when I see photos, and Mom hates that I'm gray, but it looks okay for about 10 minutes.

Then, I have to pull it up off my neck because I still struggle with the terrible heat.  I now realize that I am in Adrenal Exhaustion again, and I keep trying to get on top of it but to no avail.

I have accepted that I come from a mother who is a narcissist and I have all of the freezing problems that go along with it.  With Dean struggling I have learned to resort to fleeing when a conflict comes, or is possible.

I do not get around much since I pulled my knee.  The oxy, which I'm intolerant of, settled in my knee, causing me to use it every single night.  It built up there, as I believe, and one day when we needed groceries but Dean just couldn't do it, I went out and got in Mom's car.  

You know that final little wiggle that you do to get settled after getting into a car and you may need just a little wiggle to get fully in place?  Well, I did that and I pulled my knee so badly it crippled me for 2 years (yes, this is written that much later).  I was already in the car, and I was sure it would be fine by the time I got to the store, so I went ahead and drove into town.

By the time I got into the store, got my cart and made my way over to the pharmacy, I was in so much pain the Brad called in a replacement for him, and he took off work and brought me home.  They had the pharmacy tech, Alma, drive my car home and then he was able to take her back in.

That was the start of a really ugly year.  With my adrenal fatigue/failure I didn't feel like doing anything.  My knee was in constant pain and I couldn't stand to walk more than absolutely necessary.  I couldn't do stairs without tears and I ended up being 96% handicapped according to the doctor.  

After a year or so I realized that it wasn't getting any better and I would have to do something serious.  I assumed it was knee surgery at the least and knee replacement at the worst.  However, while shopping for doctors I ran across Dr. Averett's Recover site and it caught my attention.  As I searched the website multiple times, I ran across Dr. Hyman's picture on it.  That is what made me make the call.

I don't remember when I started but we went up north two times a week for shock wave therapy, therapy and leg compressions.  They also worked on my neck to see if we could get rid of the headaches.  I had lots of shots in my knees and finally he had broken up the scar tissue and junk in my knee enough to do stem cell replacement.  

I kept going for another while until I was moved into rehab.  Well, the cost was bad, but then when you add the gas and travel time it became a hardship.  But by the end my adrenal failure had kicked in and I needed to stop doing something and that was all I was doing that wasn't mandatory.

I couldn't be happier with the result.  My knees have hurt since I ruined them in the 1980's while rowing and also wearing surgery boots on my feet to allow me to keep working past the point my feet could handle it.  I quickly had gotten to a point I realized that know my knees were equal to the pain in my feet.  On my trip to Switzerland in 2005, my knees hurt far worse than my feet - partially due to the hills I climbed up and down, but also to the prayers specifically for my feet.

As of this writing April 2025, my knees only hurt after sitting at the computer for a long time typing back posts for blogs.  I can walk up stairs like a normal person, but downstairs is still affected by my fused feet so it's not fun to watch.  Sometimes I forget and feel good enough I go up or down perfectly normally.  I haven't been upstairs in over two years and have just made 3 trips up and down in the past month. 

Time to clean the TV, exercise and sewing rooms up there now, as well as the piano room-converted to my everything room over the past two years.  

Happy 62 in Erda

Birthdays as an adult are never as fun as they were when you were a child, until you reach the point when your daughters through a party for you.  

Kimberly made the big 4-0 special at her concert at Snow College.  I kind of died, but it was sweet just the same.

I've had a few other good birthdays, but this year with it falling on Sunday, she had a spread and invited the family.  This is how every birthday should be celebrated.  A party preplanned, precooked and I didn't even have to do the dishes.  I was surrounded by those I love and Dean didn't have to put up with any of the stress that comes with having it at our house, and our responsibility.  

It was just perfect.  Thank you C & J and for all the others for coming and sharing the day with me.

 

Daddy and His Pup

There is hair all over my bed, when guests come she pees on them, she doesn't know how to obey and always does exactly what she wants to do but she is a very good emotional support animal.

She loves to give hugs. I read somewhere that dogs, of course, cannot give hugs.  I beg to differ with you.  Sh climbs up on you and comes right up to your face and gives you the sweetest hugs.  

You had better have your face turned or you won't be able to breathe, and you have to tell her "that's enough" or it will go on much too long.  But Koko loves giving hugs, and Daddy likes to get them.
 

Grandpa Gubler's Banjo via Edna to Blaine

 Mom is playing games with her banjo.  She offered it to Madelyn's kids but they wouldn't learn it and perform for her so she asked for it back.  I told her I wouldn't take it but Blaine had said he would take it and learn how to play it and come and perform for her.  She took us up on his offer and her them learned a few songs and we went to visit her with the Banjo.

However, before we got there she informed us that she would be taking the Banjo back from him.  She didn't really give us a reason but it is her banjo and so we were prepared.  Blaine was disappointed to say the very least.

I found an electric guitar online and he said he always had wanted to learn to play the guitar.  I bought it for him, had the seller drop it off at Gary's and eventually got it to Blaine.

When he performed for Mom she was delighted and told him he could take the banjo back for a little bit longer.  I stood terribly firm and told her we weren't going to play her game.  She had already given it, taken it, and was not giving it again - knowing full well she had done it with multiple children of Madelyn.  She insisted that he could now take it for keeps.  I wanted to tell her to take a flying leap, but Blaine was actually more excited about the Banjo after having played both for a time, so he took her up on her offer and took it back home.

He sends her songs in her email every once in a while for her enjoyment.