Christmases Past

Recently my coworkers and I were discussing the little things that we remembered of Christmases when we were a child. Things like stockings with a real orange stuffed in the toe; getting a new color book and the biggest box of Crayola crayons (the 164 pack with the sharpener in the back); or being able to open one gift on Christmas Eve – it was always pajamas. This got me reminiscing about some of my childhood Christmases.

1969 – We were living in Orem and there were only three of us kids then, David, Tom and me. We all had red felt stockings that mom made us. Mine had an angel, David’s a soldier, and Tom’s an elf or a snowman, after 40 years I don’t remember that detail. I do remember we had colored lights on the tree, (yes we actually had colored lights at one time) and on Christmas Eve mom bundled the three of us into the car to visit my Aunt Madeline (my mom’s aunt). My dad was flying and wouldn’t be home until very late. Aunt Madeline had this Christmas decoration that I liked. It was kind of like a merry-go-round but it had angels and candles. At the top were windmill type pieces. As the candles burned, the heat would make it turn.

1970 – We were living in Kennewick, Washington and I got a bike for Christmas. Mom and dad had to point it out because I didn’t’ see it. I also got my very first Barbie doll. It was actually Francis (she was not as developed as Barbie). I also got a Spirograph. I remember taking it next door and my friend Mark and his brother and I played for hours with it.

1974 – We were living in Erda and my brother Paul was just a baby. We(probably me) decided that we would perform a nativity for our parents. I was Mary (dressed in my mother’s negligee), Paul was the baby Jesus, David, Tom & Brian were the wise men. We made paper crowns and painted on beards. Lots of pillows placed on the dining room chairs made great camels. Somewhere at my parents house is a copy of a picture, but since I couldn’t find it, I couldn’t post it.

1977 – We were living in Erda and there were six of us then. Our good friends were the Egelunds, who lived near by. Our families got together on Christmas Eve for a special family home evening. After dinner we went into the family room and gathered around the fireplace listening to the Christmas story as it was read from the bible and singing Christmas songs.

Family Vacation

You know it -- that part of summer that usually evokes memories throughout your lifetime. I must be old – I don’t remember many family vacations, but I know that we took them. I do remember going to Yellowstone and spending a month in Georgia. I also remember fishing with my Dad and Grandpa (though I don't consider these vacations) and going to Dinosaur Land in Vernal. The others must have been camping trips and since I’m soooo into camping they must have slipped from my mind. It’s sad that I don’t remember many vacations but I do remember Dad offering to take us kids (at different times) to lunch. To this day when he asks if we want to go to lunch with him the same question still applies – are we going to Costco (the samples) or RC Willey (free hotdogs and soda)?

Since I’ve been married we have taken at least one vacation a year (okay – it has only been six years so my memory is still good for this period of time). Granted most of them have been to visit family for reunions and get togethers, or holidays. This year, however, we actually took a true VACATION! Woo Hoo!! Where did you go, you ask? None other than the “hot spot” of Utah and home to “red dirt” -- Moab. It was hot but it was fun. We slept in, did what we wanted without a time schedule, watched a couple of movies in the cabin, and had good quality time together. We took games but never got to play them as we were so tired at the end of each day.

We drove the scenic byway, visited the Hole N’ the Rock (interesting 5000 sq. foot home built into the mountain),


visited the movie museum at the Red Cliffs Lodge, visited Arches National Park,





checked out the Indian petroglyphs and pictographs,



and ventured to Cortez, Colorado for a day at Mesa Verde. Let’s just say Mesa Verde is awesome. We are planning to go back another time as there was so much to see. You really needed at least two days to take it all in. There are five houses or dwellings that you can visit. Three are guided tours and two are self guided. There are only four that I really wanted to see but we were only able to take in one of each – Spruce Tree House (self-guided)



and Cliff Palace.






We went “camping” in a nice KOA park there in Moab where we were able to stay in a cabin – the only way to camp.


It was a much needed time of R&R for all of us. I felt so refreshed when I returned to work. Future vacation plans include South Dakota and Durango, Colorado to name a few.

Tanner Family Reunion

Dear family members, I am sending you an invitation for a family reunion on July 11th. The enclosed attachmente has all the information. I have a limited E-mail list and I would appreciate you sending this to as many family member that you can both by E-mail and regular mail. We hope to have a good turn out and the event will prove to be worth your time. The surprise we hope to have for you will be a preview of a film that TC Christensen is doing on the life of John Tanner. He has produced many films you will be familiar with and some you should. The books will be a great blessing to the family. There is still a few week we will be able to extend the pedigrees to the 5th, 6th, and 7th generations, but the cut off date is very soon. Once the text is in the publishing soft ware additions will not be made. I am grateful for all those who have worked to bring the work to pass. If you will please forward any E-mail addresses to me. drwwtanner@msn.com so that the address list may be increased. Regards, Cousin Bill
Joseph Smith Tanner Reunion 2009.jpg

Summer Solstice

Now I know as well as most people, that summer solstice is the 21st of June -- the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, and that is how I have always viewed it. However, there are others throughout the world that actually have summer solstice celebrations, most of which are paganistic in nature. These rituals date back to Druid times or earlier. (The internet has a lot of intersting facts about summer solistice). Growing up in Utah I was rather sheltered. If such paganistic rituals took place here I never knew about them. My first experience with such was while living in Washington. There is a fun, quirky-funky little suburb of Seattle called Fremont. I may have liked Fremont had I not been there during summer solstice celebrations. Why, you ask would you be there then? Rich was a volunteer for an organization called Teen Link, which is a crisis hotline for teens. Rich had to work a certain number of community hours and so he had volunteered to work the Fremont Festival, where Sterling and I tagged along. Like most fairs there were booths promoting and selling all kinds of things from fun and practical to the odd and weird. What we didn't know was that some people in the parade (mostly bicyclists) were nude. Granted they had painted themselves, however the fact remained they were NuDe! The first person I saw as we turned the corner happened to be an old man who I swear had to be 80. I turned to Sterling and said, "That old man is wearing painted shorts!" Yes indeed, all he was wearing was his helmet, "shorts", and sneakers. Not a pretty sight on most people but certainly not when you are close to 80. I turned to Rich and said, "Rich, we're not in Utah anymore." We didn't go to the parade that year, but the following year Rich had to work the fair again. This time we attended the parade. The only thing I remember were the "nude bicyclists with painted clothing" and a group of belly dancers. The dancers were dressed in Red and there was one man also dressed in red that they danced with and around. He had short dark hair and a goatee (I thought he looked like Satan). I looked at the banners/flags that they were carrying and thought to myself, "What an intersting flower." Then I realized what I was looking at -- it wasn't a flower but a uterus and fallopian tubes. I was so glad that we didn't have to go again. It was just too Paganistic and wrong for this Utah girl. Even Rich thought so and he was about 14-15.

On MSN news I saw an article from Hagerstown, MD about Sunday being a "nude hiking day". Summer solstice is the one day a year where this group hike naked. Of course hikers who prefer clothes are not happy, as it is Father's day and families will be hiking with their children. It doesn't indicate that this is summer solstice celebration, but they do choose that day.

I tried to find a correlation between being nude and summer solstice. There is one thing I found that may be a correlation -- "Many esoteric traditions celebrate various rituals during this important event. The ancient Druids gathered at this time period to celebrate the forces of light. Many Pagans celebrate this time period as Litha or Midsummer’s Eve. It is celebrated as a triumph for the forces of light over the forces of darkness with a huge bonfire. Wiccans honor the Horned God in all his glory and the Goddess as pregnant, and ready to bear the fruit of the harvest.

Altogether, Midsummer is a favorite holiday for many Witches in that it is so hospitable to outdoor celebrations. The warm summer night seems to invite it. And if the celebrants are not in fact skyclad, then you may be fairly certain that the long ritual robes of winter have yielded place to short, tunic-style apparel. As with the longer gowns, tradition dictates that one should wear nothing underneath -- the next best thing to skyclad, to be sure. (Incidentally, now you know the REAL answer to the old Scottish joke, 'What is worn underneath the kilt?')" I don't know if this the reason or if it has to do with fertility. Who knows? I think I'll just continue to stick with Christianity.

Pomp & Circumstance

Here it is -- the day I've known was coming for 13 years. Am I ready? Is Rich ready? Like his mother Rich is a procrastinator. We found out at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon that he WAS going to be able to walk with his class. Mind you graduation starts at 6:30. No pressure what so ever. (LOL) Rich is smart, however he is too social. He also has this bad habit of doing the work, just not turning it in. Hopefully he will have learned this practice isn't good and change things before college. (Is this wishful thinking?) I no longer have to worry about lunch money, parent-teacher conferences, class parties, and field trips. Now I just worry about how he will do in college and life on his own.

Rich has always had such great teachers. It started with Ireta Lindway and Sue Roberts for preschool, then on to Gayle Chapman for kindergarten. and many others, whose names I can't remember (or too numerous to mention). Gayle retired about a year or two ago and taught two or three of my younger siblings. She still remembers Rich. Her words "he is one of those kids you can't forget." I don't think she meant it in a bad way. Even then he was quite the talker. She even put him at his own desk away from everyone and he still talked!

Rich was never a "jock". He was never one of the "popular" kids. He did have a part or two in a play here and there. (The Pied Piper, The Wiz, and a class play his freshman year.) He enjoyed journalism and helped with the school paper (the few issues they produced). I've been told he has a quite a talent with writing, as he is a very deep thinker and his writing is beyond a high school level. His greatest accomplisment by far though has been his photography. He has won several awards with his art and we are very proud of him.

Though Rich doesn't win awards for sports, or popularity, he has compassion. He has always been the friend to the underdog, the misfits, etc. Compassion will get him farther in life than being able to play ball. I often think as a parent I failed. Especially during the time when I was a single parent. I think, "if I could just turn back the clock." Then out of nowhere my son surprises me. He listened, he learned, not just from me but from his teachers, friends, and the others involved in his every day life.

Congratulations Rich! We are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments and know that you will go far if you set your mind to it. We love you! Mom & Sterling

Bragging Rights Updated

Back in January I bragged about Rich's photography. Two of his four pictures went to Springville Art Museum for competition but only the barber's pole was accepted into the show. For those of you who don't know, this is an honor in itself as only about 100 - 150 students are accepted to show their art. This was Rich's second year being in the Springville Art Show. Well I now have some additional news in which to brag about. Last week he found out that is photo has been accepted into the Art Council Traveling Show. This is a greater honor as only 25 students are accepted. His photo will travel for the next year and he will be able to have it back in July 2010. I know that I promised to post pictures shortly after my blog in January and my brother Paul keeps reminding me they are still waiting for his pictures. Here are the winning photos he has entered in various exhibits. To see, as he calls it, "his masterpiece" as well as some additional photos you can check out his blog http://olddoorphotography.blogspot.com/. Way to go Rich!!!

Faith, Hope & Charity

This week I had a couple of opportunities to see these three principles in action. The first incident happened with someone that I did not know, a total stranger. The second incident, happened in our small community and involved the son of a friend of mine.

Faith & Hope: I was visiting the courthouse the other day and had the opportunity of sitting in on various arraignments, pretrials, sentencing's, etc. One of the cases involved a young woman who was currently incarcerated at the Women's prison. This woman had been arrested on a parole violation for prescription drug abuse. She was a single mother with a 15 year old son. She had recently found out in prison that she probably had cervical cancer. Her attorney was attempting to get her released into the care of her mother and placed in a in-resident rehab near her home in St. George, as well as her being allowed to have a biopsy performed under general anesthesia, as opposed to local anesthesia ,which is offered at the prison. Her attorney then asked the Judge if the woman's mother could address the court. This is an unusual request which the judge took into consideration and allowed the mother to speak. Here is her story in a nutshell. She moved here from Georgia seven weeks ago, selling her house, loading up a moving truck, towing her car behind her, and driving cross country so that she could be near her daughter to help and take care of her and her grandson. She spoke of how her daughter has been in constant pain for four years. Each doctor she had visited had not found anything wrong, but had prescribed pain medications, which over time has led to her daughter's addiction. She told of how a year ago she fasted and prayed every day, somedays two or three times a day, that there would be an intervention in her daughter's life. The following Monday her daughter was arrested. She told the judge that she was the mother of five children and this was her only daughter. She advised the judge that she had friends in the community, in the medical profession, and in her church, that could offer their help and support. She was led to believe by her daughter's attorney that if she were here to take care of her daughter, that the court would most likely release her daughter into her care. She has done research and believes that her daughter suffers from a little known disorder that involves the bladder and/or cervix. It is very painful and causes extreme irritation and inflammation in those areas. She also has the faith and the belief that if her daughter is suffering from cervical cancer, that treating this could eliminate her pain and the need for prescription pain pills, which would lead her daughter to begin to heal. What strength and hope I saw in this mother's face as she addressed the court, waiting for the judges decison,and how impressed I was that she had such faith that all would work out in these matters. My heart and prayers go out to her and her family.

Faith & Charity: This past Saturday we had a horrible accident involving four teens, three of which were killed. An 18 year old driver crossed the line and hit another vehicle with three teens head on. The three that were killed were not wearing seatbelts. The driver was a 23 year old single mother of two little boys ages 1 and 3. Her passengers were a 20 year old young man who was waiting for his mission call, and a 17 year junion who was a cheer leader at Grantsville High School, the school which my son attends. Rich knew three of the four students fairly well. We attended Taft's "viewing" the other night. We arrived at 7:45, 15 minutes before it was to end. There were so many people, young and old alike, and the line was so long that it took us until 9:00 to get through the line. Rich attended Taft' funeral the following day and reported that the attendance was so overwhelming that there was standing room only at the very back in the cultural hall. Taft's mother, Peggy, asked our names and said she recognized a lot of faces but didn't know names. When Rich told her who he was and how he knew Taft, she asked him why he looked familiar. He replied that he went to school in Grantsville and worked in Grantsville. She then lit up and said, "You work at Jens. You waited on me the other day. You are so polite. I said to myself 'this young man knows what customer service is all about.'" What a compliment to both Rich and myself. I thought how amazing this mother was to stand here giving my son compliments during her time of sorrow. I was surprised, though I shouldn't have been, at the number of people from the communities of Grantsville, Stansbury, Erda, and Tooele, that turned how to show their love, concern, and support for this family. As a mother, and especially as a member of the LDS church, I know that Peggy feels the comfort in her faith that she will see Taft again.

Tagged

I was recently tagged by my sister Nancy with the letter "K". This was supposedly chosen at random (yeah right!) and was pretty darn hard. I had to come up with 10 things that I love that begin with the letter "K". Here's my list. (I know some of them are really stretching it, but sheesh -- give me a break.)

1. Kindness
2. Kisses
3. Kittens (unfortunately they grow up to be CATS!)
4. Kids (especially those little nieces and nephews)
5. Kinfolk
6. Kohl's (one of my favorite shopping places!)
7. Kite flying
8. Knowledge
9. KOA Campgrounds (what would camping be without them -- miserable) and last but not least,
10: Kina, Kimberlee, and Katelyn (three of our nieces)

Pay It Forward

So, here's how it works: the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going (or copy and paste like I did). Then come back, let me know you're going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift! Come and play!

I know this a shameless attempt to get people to leave comments. Humor me.

Dear Blog: We want to sing to you today#links

Dear Blog: We want to sing to you today#links

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday was my birthday. I took the day off and spent it hanging with Mom and shopping. We were at Kohl's and told the sales clerk that is would be on my Kohl's card. She looked at me and said "I'll give you the seniors discount." At first I was a little miffed by this. My initial thought was "I'm only 44 -- do I really look 64." Then she told me that I was getting the senior discount because I had my mother with me. She said they take care of their Kohl's customer and try to give us a discount whenever they can. Thank's mom for the 15% discount. Sterling's plan was dinner and a movie but being as he wasn't feeling well and I was very tired, we only did dinner -- The Olive Garden. Yummmm. The best part of the day was the birthday song my sister's four kids sang to me. They each decorated a panel, which when put together said, "Happy Birthday Aunt Nana." It's such a cute video. I've posted the link to my sister's blog above so that you can check it out too.

I Love to See the Temple

Last night we went to the Draper Temple Open House. This was our ward primary activity so I invited my sister Nancy and her family to go with us. Sterling and I were late getting there due to traffic so we didn't see the film. Sterling didn't understand why I wanted to go with the kids. Let me explain. I wanted to see their expressions. What a joy it was to watch them and to see their reactions. Ethan was so cute! He was so excited he was practically skipping up to the Temple. He kept saying the temple was beautiful. He grabbed Uncle Sterling's hand and off together they went. Abby didn't really want to go but I think she had a good time. Nancy explained to her how it was a special thing to be able to go see the Temple as not everyone had a temple near them and did not have the opportunity to go visit one. The kids are anxious to see the next temple open house in June for the Oquirrah Mountain Temple. The Temple was very beautiful and peaceful as it always is and it really is hard to pick just one room that you like. I asked the kids what their favorite room in the temple was. Here are their responses:

Ethan like the room with the big Chandalier. (He really liked the Chandalier and Emma thought it looked like a disco ball). This room was the Celestial Room.

Emma liked the "room with the forever mirrors". This was one of the sealing rooms. The mirrors are hung opposite each other so when you look in the mirror you can see forever. The mirror in front represents future generations and the one behind represents the past generations. The couple who were there bore their testimony about the gospel but more specfically, about being sealed together so that if they live right they will be married not just for time but for all eternity.

Abby first said she liked the Celelestial room but then changed it to the room with the forever mirrors after she heard Emma's answer.

I remember the first time I went to a Temple Open House. I was in junior high and we went as a young women's group to visit the Logan Temple after it had been remodeled and opened for the public to view. It left a lasting impression as I'm sure visiting the Draper Temple will be for Ethan, Emma, and Abby. Thank you Lizanas for going with us to the Temple!

How Sweet It Is

Thursday night I stopped by my sister's house for what was supposed to be "a few minutes" but which turned into about an hour. Her youngest, Olivia, is 18 months old. She came over and took my hand, gathered up her Elmo books, grabbed her blanket and sat on my lap to have Aunt Nana read to her. How sweet! I miss those days. You know -- when your child thinks you are the neatest thing next to sliced bread and they think you know everything instead of them knowing everything. Somedays I wish I could turn back the clock to when my 18 year old was 18 months. Those were the days!

25 Random thoughts about Me

Okay, so I'm slow. My sister Nancy tagged me on this one a couple of days ago. I'm slow because I haven't had time, and second of all, I really hate these kind of things. I don't ever feel like I'm interesting or have anything fun to share. I enjoy reading everybody else's random thoughts and blogs (even those that I secretly read) and have found out so much more about the people I thought I knew. Anyway, here are the 25 random thoughts about me. If I really thought long and hard I could probably come up with more. However as I was reading other people's random thoughts I found myself saying, "that's me and that's me." I didn't want to look like I copied others thoughts and I tried to be a little unique in my answers.

1. My first career choice was Elementary/Early Childhood Education teacher.

2. I’m very bad at math and science. I don't know how I ever passed in high school. I do however, love the arts and literature.

3. I’m a people watcher. People are very interesting.

4. I love shopping! It doesn’t matter what it is – shoes, clothes, etc. It drives my husband crazy.

5. Out of seven siblings, I am the only one with no drawing, painting, photography or other artistic ability.

6. I have been a nanny a total of four times. Once during college, (I don’t really count this one) once in Washington D.C, and twice in Hawaii.

7. Someday I hope to do some traveling. I especially want to visit: England, France, Germany, Ireland, Wales, & Scotland.

8. I was born outside the United States (France) and lived there for two years.

9. I’m terrified of large bodies of water – especially at night, when I can’t see the bottom or what’s in it. On my first date with Sterling he asked if I wanted to go for a walk on the pier. I told him no, I was afraid of the water. His reply, "Are you afraid you'll get attacked by a fresh water shark." Ha ha.

10. A few of my favorite things are: antiques, lace, polka dots and stripes.

11. I love having photographs of family. I have photos of siblings, parents, nieces & nephews, etc. all over my house.

12. I hate camping!

13. My two favorite seasons are spring and fall.

14. I love rain and thunder storms. I used to love to watch the storms when I was a little girl and still enjoy running through the rain.

15. I hate big cities. I hate the noise, the people and the traffic.

16. My favorite smells are rain and fresh cut grass.

17. I prefer pearls over diamonds. They even look great with jeans.

18. I’m messy but at the same time I’m obsessive compulsive about some things.

19. I’m 12-14 years older than my sisters and we were never close. Because of this I enjoy the time that we share whether its talking or doing whatever.

20. I consider myself a romantic. Not a hopeless one – just a romantic.

21. I love to read and make time to do so, but I have no desire to read the Twilight series.

22. I blog because I don’t like facebook.

23. When I “grew up” I wanted to live in a house with a white picket fence and have four children. I don’t have a white picket fence and at this stage in the game, I won’t have more than one child.

24. I didn’t get to choose my in-laws, but I love being a part of the whole Martin/ Folsom family. (I’m not trying to get brownie points).

25. My favorite flowers are daisies. I especially love Gerbas but I also like the clean crisp look of Shastas.

Misery loves company -- but they're all in bed

Yes misery loves company. I have been sick this week and still am. I'm miserable and awake while my family is asleep. I have the "junk" that has been going around. My doctor said the good news is that is runs its course in a week. That's great, but this week has been wasted. I should have known that I was coming down with something. The week before I was so tired and slept a lot. Monday I coughed all day and my throat was kind of tickly. Tuesday, my head was pounding, I was dizzy, and had a horrible cough. Figured it was a nasty cold -- nope I think it was the flu. I was cold then hot, then back and forth. I Couldn't eat and come Wednesday still couldn't eat, and couldn't get out of bed. At least by Thursday I could eat and get out of bed. I went to get a prescription cough syrup filled at the local WalMart only to discover that they were out. It has been two days and they still didn't have it. I finally got my prescription at Albertson's, who informed me that this was some of the last of this particular cough med that they had too. Everyone is getting the gumbo and the meds. I figured this would be no problem but I was wrong. The over-the-counter stuff I took last night didn't work and I was up coughing until 5:00 a.m. Here I am feeling like a walking commercial for Vic's Nyquil. I'm in my robe, tired but can't sleep due to coughing, stuffy nose/runny nose, sneezing and worst of all -- cramps in both feet. I guess I'll just drink my water and read blogs until I fall asleep.

Bragging Rights

As the mother of a young adult, it isn't often that I have something fun or exciting to write/brag about in relation to my child. However, this is one of those times. Rich loves photography. For Christmas we bought him a very nice, Canon camera. Not a "point and shoot", but rather one that will take him far until he can work his way up to what he really wants. He has taken classes in school and as his mother I think he is very artistic. His photo style is unique to him. As I reminded my mother, Rich isn't the photographer of smiles, butterflies, and flowers. His subjects are usually simple and different. Case in point -- last year at school Rich entered the Springville Art Show. This is open to all juniors and seniors throughout the state. Only two students per high school are selected to participate and out of those 700 students, only half are chosen to go on to the finals. It is quite an honor to be selected to participate in this art show. Rich was one of those 350 students. His winning picture -- a black and white door knob. This wasn't just any door knob mind you, it was a door knob which is several hundred years old and hand carved of wood. This door knob is located at the historical Cove Fort in Utah. When his photo was first judged and accepted, it was only an 8x10 matted and framed picture. In order for it to be displayed at the Springville Art Musuem, it had to be enlarged. It is now 24 x 22 and hanging behind my office desk. This was the first of Rich's winning photos. His next several photos were entered into the county fair, where each took first place. These pieces of "art" were weeds in front of the school, part of a unique spiral glass sculpture, and a plain (not his style) cactus flower. His spiral glass sculpture photo took fourth place at the state fair. Not too bad for his first couple of art shows.

This evening we spent our time preparing again for this year's Springville Art Show. Rich is submitting four photos this year through the school. His subjects -- a black and white photo of a very old claw-foot tub at the Huntsman Hotel located at This is the Place State Park; an old red & white barber's pole on a white and black building located on main street in Cardston, AB, Canada; half of an empty snow filled bottle in the blowing snow of Cardston; and our favorite, part of an old Pony Express station in Ely, Nevada. I will post later as to the results of this art show, as well as the pictures themselves. Good luck Rich! Keep up the good work.

A Perfect Day

Even though I spent it indoors, yesterday was a perfect day. The sky was gray, it rained lightly, it was fairly warm (for a January day), and I was in my favorite, comfy clothes -- my husband's jeans and one of his button-up shirts (oversized on me), and my long blue sweater. I even had a good book to go along with the day. The only thing missing was a diet coke.

Home Again, Home Again . . .

It has been just over a week since we've been back from vacation and it feels good to be home. We spent Christmas this year with Sterling's family in the great white north -- Cardston, Hillspring & Balzac/Airdrie, Alberta Canada. Temperatures here in Utah were about 25 to 30 but in Canada it was-25 to -32. Brrr! I thought of my brother Paul and sister-in-law Carmell, who live in Alaska. This is what it's like for them too. But for the time being we'll stick with visits scheduled for the summer months.

Even though I consider myself rather warm blooded I think that if I lived in Canada my heating bills would be outrageously high. This is the third time in six years that Rich and I have been to Alberta, but the other two times were during the summer when the weather was alot more mild. Sterling has talked about growing up with Canadian winters and I could never imagine how cold of a winter that was, but I can say that I have had a taste of one.

1. The Cardston, Alberta Temple at night

2. Chief Mountain
3. Blowing snow
4. Snow covered field

5. Blowing snow -- this is what we were driving through on our way back to Cardston from Calgary

We knew that Canada's prices were higher than those in the States, but we had forgotten just how high. For example -- Milk $4.19 a gallon, gas 68.5 per liter (times this by 4 and you have about $2.75 per gallon -- in Utah gas was only $1.39 per gallon), and cereal $6.29 to $10.99 per box!! I don't think that I will complain about our "high prices" here in the good ole' USA.

We spent our time visiting family (our main reason for going) -- "Mum", sister, brothers, nieces, nephews, uncle and cousins -- most of whom we knew and got to know better, a few that we had never met. Everyone knew we were coming except Mum and she was really surprised. That was our plan! On Christmas Eve we attended a live nativity in Calagry. It was sooo cold! Nathan & Kina (Sterling's nephew and his wife) were Mary & Joseph. The pagent was pretty awesome. The live Nativity is something that has been performed for the past 40 years and and though it was extremely cold (metal bleachers) it was pretty neat to see. The performances were every 15 minutes beginning at 7:00 p.m. and going until 9:00 a.m.

1. Part of the cast of the nativity
2. Kina & Nathan as Mary & Joseph
I was glad that we had made the time and sacrifice to make the trip. Rich especially enjoyed visiting with his cousins whom he rarely sees and though he keeps in touch through the age of technology with the assistance of "textmessaging" and "Facebook", it is not the same as being able to spend time together. Rich and I are truly blessed to be a part of the Martin family. They're a crazy bunch of Kanucks but we love them alot!