Wrong or Right?

Do you feel sometimes like everything is going wrong? I know I have felt this way too many times. I have a friend, Dee, who's husband is an inspirational author (best known for "Chicken Soup for the Soul")and from whom I receive daily thoughts. This one came across my desk not too long ago and really hit me. I loved it and thought I would share.

"Sometimes when things seem to be going wrong, they are going right for reasons you are yet to understand."

-- Alan Cohen

Woo Hoo -- it's Fall!

My favorite time of year. I LOVE the sights, the colors, and the smells. Fall brings with it lots of wonderful things -- crisp air, apple cider, pumpkins, corn mazes, spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg), and of course leaves in all their glorious colors, just to name a few. Fall also brings a son's birthday and an anniverary! Best of all, Fall begins the countdown -- Halloween, Thanksgiving, and right around the corner -- Christmas!

You Are Loved . . .

or so I was told today at the Church Employment Center. Since February Sterling has been unemployed and today I was fired. Our Bishop's wife is the manager at the center and after being in there yesteday, I felt I needed to stop to talk to her. She told me that she had heard that when God loves us, he humbles us. She said we must really be loved! My reply, I dont' want him to love me so much.

Breaking the Silence

I know it has been awhile since I posted -- okay a very long while to be exact, but has there really been anything worth while to post?

On the way home from St. George my mother was telling my sister and I about a speaker that she had heard at a Geneology conference. He talked about the importance of keeping journals so that others can gain from us. (Something to that effect) He spoke of a journal that he had read which was simple. One entry talked about the day in such beauty and detail. The next day the entry only read -- "I didn't feel like doing anything, I slept in." The author of that diary was John Adams.

I know lots of people are going through a slump. I can try to post more, even if it is "I didn't feel like doing anything."

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