Mom turns 52

My "birthday" started a couple days early, because Tim and Cindy and baby Conner came up to visit. We really enjoyed getting to spend some time with them and getting to know Conner better. He warmed right up to us.

My visiting teaching companion and long time friend, Carmen Shumway came and brought all of her daughters and daughters-in-law and husband to sing Happy Birthday to me that Monday morning. We had a nice visit.Mark cooked dinner for me on Sunday and when I got back from Ward Conference visits in Young, we ate together. Then we had some angel food cake with buttercream frosting. I tried to blow out a few candles...we didn't have 52. It was fun to receive cards, gift cards, money, phone calls, homemade cards from grandkids, emails and personal visits. I felt loved, but most importantly, I felt blessed to finish another year of a wonderful life!

Happy Birthday Kelly

So sweet! This picture is called "First pet, first night" and was taken March 2004.We can't remember the date when Kelly was born, we just remember it was in February a month before we bought her. My nickname for her a number of years was "Mess of a Pet." She is a "Minature Pinscher." She's made a place in our home and is a good watchdog. She'll scare off any wandering dogs that come around. She still likes to snuggle in Calla's bed on cold winter nights. She is a very fast runner and it's fun to see her take off after a bird or cat. She gives them a scare. Mark always tells her, "We don't love you" but she knows that we do. Here she is with Jenny.

Brookly's humble apology

I'm not sure what grade Brookly was in when she had Mr. Webb, but I think it was third. I came across this note in a box of old cards and letters I was sifting thru. It's a treasure. She took the time to illustrate it on both sides. The heart made me think it was an old valentine...till I opened it.


Looks like when I scanned it, part of the top was chopped off. This is what it says:

Dear, Mom, Dad I got my name on the board today
Please do not get mad at me! See me and Rachell were
tacking. Mr. Webb told us not to We forgot thou! I am
trying not to talk But I can not stop talking!
if you forgive me circle Mom yes & no give to next perint
Dad yes & no

How could a parent's heart not be softened and melt when they get one of these?

"The Power Within Us"

We had our Stake Relief Society seminar this past Saturday and it was truly inspirational because the speakers were outstanding.


Patriarch Gillespie spoke about some of the key women in the scriptures whose posterity were blessed by their righteous lives. Then one idea he shared was that we can take our blessing and retype it, with double spacing, study it and write down scriptures or other inspired notes as we receive spiritual insight. He said that these sacred blessings are "scripture" for us personally, and if we are asked to read from the scriptures daily, wouldn't it be a good idea to do the same with our Patriarchal blessings?


Carmen Shumway taught us that there are several important factors in being a great visiting teacher: studying the message well before we attempt to teach it, listen and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost regarding our assigned sisters so that we can serve them when they need us, make a weekly contact instead of just "once a month," enjoy the diversity and differences in each other, develop a true and loyal friendship with each one you teach. She had two sisters sing "Getting to Know You" and "Sisters." Carmen invited seven sisters in the stake to share some special visiting teaching moments from their lives.


Shellie and Brett Caldwell recounted the amazing journey they faced together when Shellie was diagnosed with a rare sinus and bone cancer which required radical surgery that removed almost half of her face. (The picture was taken just before her surgery) They opened up to us and honestly shared all the feelings and fears, pain and healing, and trial of faith that it was. There wasn't a dry eye in the chapel. We witnessed a true love story in action. It was an indelible experience for all who attended.

Now that's resourceful!

Calla kept her hair dry in the shower using a plastic baggie. Way cute, isn't she? She recently auditioned for the musical, "Annie" and got the part of one of Daddy Warbucks maids, Cecille. She will be dancing and singing in several scenes ("I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here" and "NYC") and have a one-line part. Congratulations, Calla! The tentative dates for the performances are April 24th and 25th and possibly May 1st and 2nd. Calla is in one cast that will perform twice. More info later...

January bride

Melissa Merrill, our niece on the Reed side of the family, married her sweetheart on January 17th in the Mesa temple. She and Brookly were close cousins growing up and Melissa was in Brookly's wedding line almost ten years ago.

A Milestone

Dad, Calla, Jenny and I finished reading the Harry Potter series! A friend let us borrow a CD set and we finished the last hundred pages listening to a great professional reader as we drove to Mesa. We marveled the past couple years at the imagination of J.K. Rowling. Without her talented literary skills we would have never met brave Harry, bumbling Ron and level-headed Hermoine, Hagrid and Buckbeak, Luna and the Weasley's, Grawp and Sirius Black, Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore...
and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. We can't wait for the next movie due out this summer!

Sledding near Sunrise

Calla's friend Mikayla, Calla and Jenny, impersonating a suicide bomber. The wind was fierce and cold below the hill, but once we hiked up-- the trees provided a nice wind break and it actually felt warm. That really is Jenny even though you can only see her nose. She hates to be cold. Getting ready for a nice push down the hill from Dad.
The view from the top This lucky shot we called "Wipeout!" Calla and Mikayla hit some bumps and ended upside down on their heads before they came to a rolling stop. Calla is on the right. (Should of had the video camera with me) Mikayla wanted to go home after that scare. We talked her into staying after her headache subsided.


Okay, I took a self portrait. I just wanted proof that I was there (the photographer on excursions often is overlooked).



The wind was whipping the snow across the road...such a pretty scene.

Quick reunion at the Freeman's

This morning LeeAnn Freeman called and invited us to her home to pick some citrus before we headed up to Taylor. While there, Tim showed up with his little family to pay some rent to the Freeman's. He didn't know we'd be there, so he was surprised. Then Tiffany drove up with her two sons (she's down visiting for the holidays from Colorado). We talked and compared babies and shared hugs and smiles. Good friends!

Merry Christmas morning

We went and saw the Bigler's that night and the only picture I took was of Saylor in her new tunnel from Grandma and Grandpa Reed. Peek-a-boo!

Christmas Eve

We're modeling the socks we got from Calla, they sure are warm! and the funny thing was how perfectly they matched the girls new Christmas Eve 'jammies! Connor was already dreaming of sugarplums. We read the Christmas story in Luke and sang and Mark read, "Twas the Night Before Christmas." The girls were sent to bed and they were pretty hyper before they settled down for the night. Mr. and Mrs. Claus were up until 12:30 a.m. wrapping presents and stuffing stockings. It seemed we had just closed our eyes when there was a knock at the bedroom door at 5:30 a.m. and bright-eyed Jenny was asking if "Ho Ho" had come...

Gingerbread houses

This is a fun family tradition and the kids were really excited about it. Grandma Reed let us use her kitchen and we appreciated her hospitality. Saylor and Stryder were very patient as we passed around and shared the decorating icing tube. We had way more candy than we needed, and alot of it didn't end up on the houses. Yum!

The Fantastic Four (blessings of 2008)

Great-grandma Klepinger was giggling watching us try to take this picture of Dad and the squirming babies. From left to right: Connor Reed, Zane and Gage McMullin, Brolin Bigler. So precious!

Christmas long ago