HAPPY BIRTHDAY SALLY!!! WE LOVE YOU

Your first day as a Dees.  We love having you in our family.  

Your first time as a mom

Your first time dating a statue?  Ok, I'm lame.  I was going for a theme, but it didn't quite work out.  I deleted most of my pictures that were on this computer, so I didn't have very many to choose from.  So I put the three up that I found. 

Nathanael's Poem

I'm not sure he would like me publishing this, but I just found a poem that Nathanael wrote for english and it brought me to tears.  I want to share it with you all.

My Name

There has never been a time

That I disliked this name of mine;

I's been  with me since my time of birth,

And I will keep it 'til I leave this Earth.

"Nathanael Clarke Dees" is how I'm known;

This name I've always been so proud to own.

"Nathanael" is for the apostle of old;

"Clarke" to honor a great-grandfather so bold.

But "Dees" is the name I'm most proud to wear;

That name with such honor, I gladly will bear.

The name's origin is Scottish at root;

My ancestors had traveled to this land and its fruit.

We have been in this land since the Revolutionary War;

My ancestors arrived several years before.

We have stayed here since to help this great nation be built;

And now I will be called upon to defend it though I may be killed.

The name we are given, but still we choose its representation;

For me I'll strive to become a defender of nations.

Though now I'm still just a lowly recruit,

My name I'll wear proudly like a suit.

Through honor, courage, virtue and dignity my name will show

That even the lowly among us have potential to glow. 

Tender Mercies

I don't have pictures but just wanted to share some tender mercies in my life.  I an going to consolidate the stories so if you want details you will have to ask.
Last week VerLynn and I made a trip home from Rexburg.  4" of snow fell the morning we left to come home.  I was driving the used to be uhaul truck loaded with lots of stuff and VerLynn was driving his diesel truck pulling a trailer with the tractor on it.  So here starts the tender mercies we received from the Lord:
1.  VerLynn was able to back up and still get on the on ramp to the freeway without any problems after his truck didn't stop for the turn.
2.  I was smart enough not to try to turn on the freeway ramp when my truck did not stop for the turn and I was so blessed that no one was in the lane next to me at the time as I had to go straight from the left turn lane.  Then I was blessed not to pass out from fear :0) as I had to find a place to turn around and go back to the freeway.
3.  Nothing happened to me or VerLynn while we were driving in the snow on the freeway, even though an suv wasn't so lucky and was flipped over on the side of the road!  (Keep in mind I have never driven in snow, let alone a uhaul truck on top of it!)
4.  The roads cleared up after we got through Idaho Falls and they stayed cleared!  I was finally able to relax and my stomach quit hurting from the stress.
5.  We were able to find an all night tire repair place in St George (thanks to Lori and Trevor) to put a new tire on the trailer VerLynn was pulling after he had a blow out.
6.  The tire repair guy was still there when the tire popped again after a few feet of driving.  (seems a spring broke on the trailer and that is why the tire popped.)  Wasn't cheap but thank heaven there was a way to get a tire at night on a Friday.
7.  Lori and Trevor got us a cheap room on line in Las Vegas so we didn't have to drive through the night and I was able to maneuver the traffic of Las Vegas on a Friday night when there is tons of traffic while driving a uhaul trying to find the hotel  ( VerLynn was behind me because of the tire problem at this time)
8.  I was able to find the hotel!  And I was able to find a place to park the u haul and VerLynn's truck with the trailer on it.
9.  The uhaul overheated when there was a place to get help and no in the middle of no where.  And if you have driven from Kingman to Phoenix, you know there is a LOT of nowhere to have been stranded in!
10.  An old man was home and willing to help us with his water hose.
11.  Even thought we could see water streaming out of the motor somewhere, I was able to make it home the rest of the way without the truck over heating.
12.  We made it home all in one piece with many blessing to count!  I am so glad to be home and I am so glad the roads here are lined with heat and dirt and not snow and ice.
13.  Almost forgot a huge one.  So grateful that VerLynn come up to came back with me.  I was going to just bring the uhaul home by myself, but he decided to come up and get the tractor.  What a huge blessing that was that I had him with me.  We bought walkie talkies at Walmart so he was able to help me on the way and he was there when problems happened so I didn't have to deal with anything alone.

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY TO KELSIE

Kelsie is always happy and always full of fun and sometimes michief!  

 

  

At the state fair this last fall

She fell asleep sitting up like this in my bed.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELSIE,  WE LOVE YOU!!!!!  

(Sorry I can't be there today for your birthday.)

I Can See Now!

Ok, so I don't look dumb, all of the posts have come back and I can see them now.  :0) 

Help!!!

Something happened to my blog and all I can see is the last post.   Can anyone else see any more?  Where did they go?

White Water Rafting is Closed, Mud bogging anyone?

The creek dried up as fast as it filled up.  I loved seeing the water run and loved the sound of water rushing by, it is so calming.  I loved that the atv's could not come screaming by and kicking up dust too.    But I did worry about the erosion of the creek bank. 

White water rafting in the back yard?

The water in the creek arrived this afternoon.  We are wondering why there is never an alert that the water is on it's way because it is deeper than we have ever seen it.  We have only seen water in the creek two times before.  It is hard to tell by the picture how deep it looks.  We figure our property value just went up, we have a water view lot now! 

Nathanael standing up above the water just behind our fence.

Just had to throw this one in.  I let the puppy out and left the door ajar so she could come back in, this is what she brought with her.  Between that and the piddles on the rug, she is getting ready to be an outside dog real soon! 

Preston and Sadie

Preston was getting along with Lilly just fine, got down on all fours with her. Yesterday was a fun day.  Preston and Porter came to visit and then I got to watch David, Ashly and Brandon.  Everyone got hair cuts.  (oops sorry Deryk, his didn't turn out so good)  The kids loved playing with the dog and she loved all of the attention.  There is another post just below this one with a video clip of David and the dog, so don't miss it, I posted them at the same time.  

David and Lilly Barking at each other

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

More randomness

This is Porter and he is full of smiles

This is the dinner VerLynn and I SHARED while we were at the airport in Salt Lake waiting for the shuttle to take us to Rexburg last week.    It came from a vending machine and it was $3.50.  We were too cheap to pay $7.00 for a sandwich at the little deli so we saw this vending machine and opted for this yummy dinner.  :0/

This is a really bad picture,  I didn't want to make it real obvious I was taking a picture of him, but this guy was about as wide as he was tall and he had a big back pack on and he was a security officer at the airport in Salt Lake.  I cracked up laughing when VerLynn saw him and said "I feel safe now!"

This is our new puppy.  Not real sure why Nathanael has no shirt on but is wearing a coat. 

Doesn't she look like the cottonelle puppy? 

He's Engaged!!

Aaron and Brianna are getting married.  May 14th is the date.  We are excited to have her in the family.  She has been around us several times and she is still going to marry him, so we are grateful for that!  :0)

Randomness (is that a word?)

This is a picture of a reindeer (not a turkey :0)) as drawn by Kyle, then he put it on the christmas tree for an ornament.  These are the best kind.

  This picture is meant to give Tiffani a fright.  I am cutting Kelsie's hair.  And what gives me the notion that I can do that and that it will look good.  Absolutely NOTHING!  I just did it anyway.  Hopefully it looks better now than it did, but I'm not making any claims.  I guess I should have taken an after picture.  I'll do that later.

Look at Angie's blog for much better pictures, but this room is so awesome.  It is Seth's new bedroom.  Spencer put up the wood and they painted the other walls brown and it is the neatest room I have ever seen, combine the talent of Spencer and Angie and  you have something I would love to have in my house!  I'm so glad I was able to pass my talents on to Spencer.  (ok, I know you are thinking I passed them right past me, but at least they landed somewhere!:0)

Only a few people will appreciate this picture, but I was going down the street and saw this studebaker,  I took the best pictures I could without crashing.  You can't see it but there are maroon highlight stripes on the tailgate that go with the taillights they put on the back.

My sister sent this to me for Christmas and Ashly wanted to put it on.  Looks very warm, doesn't it.  It is great, especially when I keep the house pretty cold.  Thanks Lorraine, we all love it! 

David Loved my Christmas Snow globes, or whatever you call them.  I have three of them and I think he has gotten more enjoyment out of them than anyone has for the past few years I have owned them.  He would go from one the the next and play the music and look at the stuff inside.  They are my favorite Christmas decorations, I am glad David enjoys them too. 

More Christmas Pictures

I added a couple of pictures to my first post but then decided it was going to be a huge post is I kept adding pictures to it, so I am starting another post to put more Christmas pictures up, so look at the one below this if you haven't already seen it! 

Aaron got what he wanted for Christmas too, a steering wheel and Briana!  They are now engaged.  :0)  We are excited to have her in our family

Santa even found VerLynn,  he got his traditional almond roca in this gift.  His big gift was the second volume of the Joseph Smith Papers

I got a tool box from VerLynn, complete with a wire brush set. 

OH My,  Trevor gave Nathanael a pair of batman underwear and he is modeling them for us!  He is also wearing his new boots he got for Christmas 

And this is what Preston got for Christmas, it was so fun watching him "drive" that, it is battery operated.  He must have thought he was such a man driving that around! 

Poor Ashly, she had been sick, so she came wearing a mask.  So glad they thought of that instead of keeping her home. 

This is the ultimate in regifting.  I wrapped this up and gave it to Deryk.  It is a robe I made for him when he was a little boy.  I found it and wrapped it up for him. 

This is David, isn't he the custest thing? 

I realized that Brandon seems to always miss out on pictures.  I think he hides out and no one notices that he isn't getting his picture taken, sorry Brandon, this is the best one I have of you!  Come back over and let me take some more :0)

I think Seth's favorite present was a tool box that santa gave to him. 

Addison, she is such a sweet heart.  Just noticed I missed her in a lot of pictures too, this is the only one I have for Christmas day

Sally and Ashly.  Sally is so beautiful 

I couldn't resist putting this one in.  Doesn't he look just like a model!  haha  Trevor put on his jersey and then struck this pose for a picture

 

Seth is playing with the Aquadoodle that we got for the grandkids. And below that picture he is taking a turn in Preston's car. 

I just realized that Brandon is not quite as good as Angie at escaping the camera.  I have one of Angie sitting on the floor, but I don't think she would like me posting it because it isn't that good of a picture so I am not meaning to leave her out, she was here and we all had a great day.  I did anyway.  I loved having everyone here.  Wish all of the grandkids could have been here.  All the Murdocks were up in Utah freezing and being sick on Christmas day.  My wish for everyone this next year is that we can all have great years filled with spiritual growth and if I can say this, may this year be filled with growth in all of our bank accounts too!  :0)

Christmas Pictures

First thing, Santa Came!  This is Connor, so cute!!

Kelsie and Trevor

Then Mom and Dad came in to open gifts and Kelsie buried herself for the next hour or so.  She is so afraid of older people.  After the day was over she finally started looking at them.

Lori got the purse she wanted

Trevor got the Suns jersey he wanted

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

"This Christmas"

This Christmas.........mend a quarrel.

Seek out a forgotten friend.

Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.

Write a letter.

Give a soft answer.

Encourage youth.

Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.

Keep a promise.

Forgo a grudge.

Forgive an enemy.

Apologize.

Try to understand.

Examine your demands on others.

Think first of someone else.

Be kind.

Be gentle.

Laugh a little more.

Express your gratitude.

Welcome a stranger.

Gladden the heart of a child.

Take pleasure in the beauty and the wonder of the earth.

Speak your love...and then..........Speak it again.

Howard W. Hunter

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad 61 years

I thought I had a picture of their wedding in my computer, but I don't and this is the most recent picture I have of them together taken this summer at Bekah's baptism in Utah.  Just talked to dad, mom didn't remember it is their anniversary, but she doesn't remember that I am Jill either. 

Phoenix Suns At the Airport

So I was at the airport today waiting to leave and there was a big Phoenix Suns event that started while I was there.  In fact a bunch of the cheerleaders cut the security line while I was there.  I thought they were wanna be cheeleaders and it was annoying that they stopped the whole line while they went through.  I shouldn't be so grouchy I guess.  So there were several players there and they were giving away free tickets and other gifts for those who don't live in Phoenix, like shirts, pens, etc.  I didn't know any of the trivia questions so I didn't win anything.  I didn't even know the name of the mascot.  I could tell who the players were because they were about 2 feet taller than everyone else.  I took some pictures and I wish I would have been brave enough to ask someone to take a picture of me with some of them.  There weren't that many people there, so it was easy to go up to talk to them.  I only got autographs because Nathanael begged me to when I texted him.  So I got one from Grant Hill,  Alvan Adams, and Jared Dudley.  I will post the other pictures I got.  They aren't that good cuz I took them with my phone. 

He walked up to me and handed me an autographed picture of himself.  I asked him to autograph it for me to give to Nathanael and he said it was already autographed, but then he realized I wanted it personalized so he signed it to Nathanael.  I think I like him the best.  He is old and nice.  :0)

I can't remember, but I think this is Grant Hill.  I know I am lame.  He didn't have any pictures left so he autographed a paper I had in my purse. 

This guy has a problem in my view,  he is a giant basket ball player and he wears his hair in a bun?!  That is just wrong.  I guess I should watch the games so I could know who is who.  I used to watch them.  (Back when Alvan Adams played) 

Bad picture, I know.  This guy was the one asking the questions and giving away tickets.  People were taking his picture so I figured he must be someone.  Don't know who, so if you know, let me know.  I think if you click on the pictures to enlarge them, you might see him better.