Utah Update

 

Cathy wrote: "There will be a matching window on the side closest to the existing house.  Between them will be the fireplace.  I know they seem far apart but the fireplace is going to be 6 1/2 to 7 ft. wide because we want a long mantle for all of our Christmas stockings.  The big empty squares they haven't cut out yet are windows.  There will be a third one matching, again next to the house.  This is the back wall they haven't put up yet.  These are three windows that will face the apricot tree.  This is the back wall.  You can't tell because they left all that wood there but the French doors will be there with steps going down to the patio."  I am amazed at how much they have already done!

Heard Museum

I went on a field trip yesterday!  I can't believe that growing up I missed this treasure in the desert.  I knew exactly where it was and have passed by it more times than I can count.  Honestly, the displays were so beautiful and the talents of the many artists were inspiring.  If you come for a visit I hope you will have time to go and see it.  

Birds

 I have loved seeing the bird pictures that your Uncle Bill has been putting on his Instagram acct.  I love knowing that if there is anything about birds I want to know about, that Uncle Andy is a phone call away.  I love the bird feeders that your cousin Lincoln put out in the backyard so that he can feed the birds and see them.  I love that Perry is taking a class which requires him to find and name a large number of birds.  We are a bird family and I love it!  I have two ponds near my apartment and the birds come on a regular basis.  Right now I see beautiful egrets every day and honestly they are majestic!  Here are some pictures I have at two different locations.  I smiled at the picture of the birds on the top of the Asst. Care facility because as beautiful as the birds look perched on the roof the reality of that is that half the roof you see gray shingles and the top is completely white.  I will leave it to you to figure out what the coating of white is!  

Update on the Update!

I just got this picture from Aunt Cathy!  It is definitely moving along quickly!

 

Arizona Adventure!

While the rest of the kids and mom were gone, Jane, Duncan, and Eden were busy with school and an adventure with Grandma on Friday.  Since they are still on two day a week school we headed north to Scottsdale!  We enjoyed a great time in the new aquarium.  It was really neat and I can say I enjoyed it as much as they did!  After two hours of seeing everything there we then headed over to the train park for a train ride and a spin on the merry-go-round.  I think I am right in saying a good time was had by all!

Whitney's in Utah

 Lincoln is officially enrolled at BYU.  Aunt Amy, Lincoln, Ruth and Graham went up for the weekend so that Ruth can get a head start in deciding where she want to live when she goes in another year.  Lincoln got his official student ID and checked out the apartment that he will be living in when he goes up for Spring semester.  Aunt Amy is just enjoying the excitement that he kids are growing up and Graham is loving every minutes of all of it!  They have visited with both sides of the family and it seems that they are having a great time in spite of freezing to death!  

Utah Update

 A new additional was added to the Utah Duncan's house.  Very practical!  I am so excited how quickly things are coming together.  The snow this weekend didn't slow them down yesterday and the framing is beginning.  I can't wait to see everything continue to move forward.  

Project Update

 These are the latest pictures of the Utah Duncan's home project. The top picture is the basement with windows and walls.  The bottom picture is where their patio will be.  

Angela's Project

To celebrate the birthdays of the sisters in the Relief Society in Angela's ward she made these cute cupcakes.  They were made with a pair of socks and the cherry on top is a round sucker.  I think they turned out so nice.  

 

Dreams!

Today I got an email from Aunt Angela.  She found this design that Perry made of the kind of truck he would have if he could.  Now many years later Perry is pretty much driving that dream and even added a few additional details to his vision.  It made me think of Aunt Amy.  In second grade she wrote a book for the Young Author's Conference at her school.  It was called The Lost Egg.  In the book they had a page entitled "about the author."  Amy had written that 'she hopes to be a cheerleader someday.'  I remember when I read that so many years ago thinking "good luck with that because you won't get any skills from your mom or dad to have that happen!"  Not many years later Amy was a cheerleader and loved it.  

Lesson:  Don't give up on your dreams.  Many realities in life started with a drawing on a piece of graph paper or on the page of a book.  

Happy Birthday Owen!

 23 Years Old

What a wonderful addition you have been to our family.  I have been touched by how brave you are to try new things and move forward with faith in the future.  I loved that you embraced being a California boy with shorts and flip flops and a big smile on your face.  I don't doubt that your future holds much and you will be an exceptional servant in your chosen vocation.  You are the perfect oldest child.  Your examples of trying hard things and accomplishing goals gives them a standard to look to when planning their futures as well.  Keep up the good work Owen!  You really are an impressive young man.

Happy Birthday Jeremy!

 14 Years Old

I hope this year is full of happy memories for you.  You're a positive, happy person and definitely a joy to your family.  It will be interesting to hear about the activities you are involved in.  Keep learning.  I look forward to hear about your music and your accomplishments in high school.  I'm sure they will be full of adventure!

Kindergarten

 This morning during my scripture study I finished by listening to a BYU devotional by Elder Holland.  In it he quoted an excerpt from an article in the Reader's Digest.  I loved this the first time I heard it and wanted to share it with all of you.

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandbox.

These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some, and draw and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap in the afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up, and nobody really knows why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup—they all die. So do we.

And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: look. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The golden rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and sane living.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations always to put things back where we found them and cleaned up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together. [Robert Fulghum, “We Learned It All in Kindergarten,” Reader’s Digest, October 1987, p. 115]

Duncan's a Deacon

Hard to believe this boy is now a Deacon, but it is true.  Last week he was ordained by his dad and this week he passed the sacrament to the congregation for the first time.  Aunt Amy said he did a good job.  The only glitch was the couple who had dozed off or were praying but Duncan just stood quietly waiting for them to be ready and then completed the assignment.  As you can see he looks really good all dressed up for his new duty.  A special kudo to Lincoln and Uncle Christian.  They went to church with Duncan during the week and walked him through the things he needed to know to be ready for his first time passing the sacrament.  Obviously it worked well!

In Utah, Will became a Teacher.  My grandchildren are growing up so fast!

Did you know...

 I thought it would be fun to give you some facts that you may not know about members of our family.  Some may surprise you!

Did you know that Uncle Andy once served as a ward chorister?                                                             Did you know that Grandpa played the trombone like Owen and Perry when he was in high school and was a member of the marching band?                                                                                                          Did you know that Uncle Ben was already reading when he was in kindergarten and we didn't know it until his teacher asked me if I did?                                                                                                                    Did you know that Uncle Bill went to San Francisco when he was a freshman at BYU to march in a support for some South American cause?                                                                                                       Did you know that Grandma wanted to be a nun when she was little?  (In spite of the fact that I wasn't even a Catholic!)                                                                                                                                                Did you know that Aunt Amy had two of her stories selected to be in the Young Author's program at her school?                                                                                                                                                         Did you know that Uncle Ben had to have stitches  three different times when he was little.  Each time he required five stiches to close each wound.                                                                                                   Did you know that Uncle Andy would run away when he got mad about something and one time we had to call the police because we couldn't find him for over an hour?                                                               Did you know that Grandpa was in the R.O. T.C. when he was a freshman at the University of Arizona? Did you know that Uncle Ben loaded luggage on air planes in Portland, Oregon?                                   Did you know that when Uncle Bill was 15 months old he could recite nursery rhymes?                       Did you know that when Amy was in grade school grandma was called to come to school because a boy bit her on the face?  (actually they collided while playing on the playground but the school didn't mention that)                                                                                                                                                              Did you know that Uncle Bill loved to listen to John Denver and Patsy Cline when he was a teenager? Did you know that Uncle Andy was a famous ska dancer at college?                                                       Did you know that Aunt Amy was a flyer on her cheerleading squad in high school?

Fall in Arizona

 You may think we don't have Fall in Arizona but that is a misconception.  We do have it, but is happens in January instead of October!  I have enjoyed driving around and seeing groups of kids raking the leaves into piles so they can jump into them.  What we usually don't have in Arizona is winter!  A blessing from heaven to make up for the extreme heat in the long, long summer!  

Quote

"Each of us must go through certain experiences to become more like our Savior.  In the school of mortality, the tutor is often pain and tribulation, but the lessons are meant to refine and bless us and strengthen us, not destroy us."

Robert D Hales

Project Update

Things are moving forward at Cathy and Bill's house.  As you can see from the pictures the foundation in the basement is about ready to be poured.  

In and Out!

Amy called on Tuesday and asked if I wanted to help her with a Young Women project.  They were having a dinner for all the girls on Wednesday and the theme was "In and Out."  Basically encouraging the girls to let go of the past and move forward into the future.  To go along with their theme they had dinner for the girls and were serving hamburger and fries from the local In and Out.  Her assignment was to make 8 centerpieces for the tables  using the colors from In and Out.  Yellow, Red and White.  So yesterday we went looking for ideas.  After a great deal of tweaking and with help from Ruth and Jane we put everything together this afternoon and I liked how they turned out.  I am so grateful to have projects to work on and appreciate that Amy includes me in some of them.  

  

Oh to be 4 Again!

 Graham has so many funny expressions and he exudes confidence.  If there ever was a large and in charge child I think Graham is it.  A couple of Sunday's ago he learned how to unbutton and button his shirt at church.  He entertained himself and probably those around him as he unbuttoned the shirt "flashed those around him" and then rebuttoned it.  Over and over again!  I am confident in saying he is the most self confident Whitney in the family!  

Happy Birthday Ellis!

 20 Years Old

It's wonderful to celebrate this day.  I love the memories we have had of you for the last 20 years.  When I think of Ellis I think of determination, leadership, positivity, and vision.  You have blessed my life so much Ellis and have inspired me to look more to the positive than the negative.  In a few months you will return home from you mission and begin a new chapter in your life.  I think it will be well written!

Quote

          "Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you                                    say today,  but the recipient will remember                                                            them for a lifetime."                                                                                                                          Thomas S. Monson

Confession

I have bad news and good news.  The bad news is--I am a computer game junkie.  The good news is--at  my future memorial service you can all have a good laugh that Grandma was an addict!  I tell you this because I actually attended a funeral service for an older sister and that was a topic of her eulogy.  Her grandkids said that when she came over to their house she would sit behind them when they were playing video games and tell them what to do and they always won.  Now, to clarify this, I only play Solitaire, Spider solitaire, Tri peaks, Sudoku, Mahjong, and Scrabble.  But I do play a lot!  That being said--if I come for a visit and you are playing any of the games I listed above--I got your back!  

Blessing #30 of 30

Scott Louis Duncan.  I often say very sincerely that everything good in my life was because I became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  And marrying your Grandpa taught me the greatness of that gospel.  He was always on the straight and narrow path.  He had no desire to wander from it.  He never second guessed the counsel given by our prophets and apostles and he taught me how important that was.  I met grandpa at a church dance over 50 years ago.  Although we only danced a couple of times he remembered my name and what ward I was in.  He called me later to see if I would like to go "tubing" down the Salt River with him and some friends.  I'm still amazed that I said yes because I really didn't know more than his name and that he was a senior at BYU.  As you know the rest is history and here I am remembering the amazing man who gave me a wonderful life.  Grandpa was a hard worker.  He was a genius who married someone who definitely wasn't!  He never belittled me or made me feel stupid or ashamed.  His patience with everyone taught me so much.  He truly was a loving husband,  father, grandfather, and friend.  And I was blessed because he always loved me unconditionally.  Your grandpa's illness took away his ability to remember but I never forgot everything he meant to me.  What a privilege I had to take care of him and remind him often that he was going to be okay and that I loved him.  We will meet again and I will thank him for giving me a wonderful life!

Happy Anniversary!

Ben & Becky 

24 Years

 True love blooms when we care more about another

                person than we care about ourselves.            

Blessing #29 of 30

 My children!  Without each of you I would never have been able to be a grandmother.  Even better is when you have four children and end up with eight!  A quote I loved about adult children says, "Happiness is when you realize your children have turned out to be good people."   I have been humbled by all that each of you have accomplished in your lives.  My heart is full of love because your love for each other has taught me so much.  How could each of you married so well when you had parents who lacked so much.  In spite of that you moved forward boldly to continue on with lives worth so much more than I could have imagined.  For years I have watched in awe at your parenting skills.  You put me to shame.  The lesson to be learned is that each new generation can become better and do better.  I want you to know that in my patriarchal blessing I was reminded that I must always "honor my parents" and if I did that they would return to activity in the church.  That promise became a reality.  I am always so honored to know that each of you have gone out of your way to love and support me and your dad.  How enriched to have children who I can call friends.  Thank you for blessing my life so much.  You are all the best of the best!  

Blessing #28 of 30

Grandchildren are the best!  And one of my greatest blessings.  I read a book recently and one of the characters said that grandparents love to spoil their grandchildren.  She said grandparents do that  to make up to their children for being so busy making a living that they didn't spend enough time being with them.  I suspect there is some truth in that thought.  All I know is that spending time with each of you is the best times I remember.  Each of you are growing up so nicely!  I remember the awe I felt when I saw Rachel the first time.  It was like a light went on and I knew that I wanted to feel this way over and over again!  Twenty-one grandchildren later I still feel incredible satisfaction when I see any of you.   I wish all of you would have lived closer so we could have had more time together, but that wasn't to be.  In spite of that I have loved the times we could visit and the times you came and spent time with Grandpa and me.  I read a quote that said, "Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old."  I have to admit that growing old has been a pleasure because of each one of you!     

Grandpa's Flowers

 I made a flower arrangement for Grandpa's grave site.  I hate that we can't put out fresh flowers but I also realize that flowers in Arizona would last about an hour when it gets warmer!  In thinking of things that I could do I decided that I would make sure each month that Grandpa has a flower arrangement particular to the month we celebrate.  Here is the first one I put in the cemetery today. 

Happy New Year!!!

 

Blessing #27 of 30

 I hope that you  realize that in one day I could have written in minutes the 30 blessings I have had and for which I am so grateful for.  But I wanted to expand my wonderful blessings by really putting some thought into everything that is so important to me.  That being said, I have saved the last four blessings in my life for the last.  Because as you should know you often save the best for last.   I have been so blessed to have the parents I was given.  They both were amazing people in their own right.  They both were hard workers and in spite of difficult situations they never quit trying to achieve great things for our family.  I personally and humbly believe they did amazing things with the gifts they were given.  I am often in awe when I think of our family joining the church.  If you knew your great granddad you would have known that he was very stubborn and he never accepted anything on face value.  He questioned and quarreled about almost everything.  In spite of that for a brief period of time he humbled himself.  He listened, he learned, he studied, and he lead our family to become members of the church.  And sweet mom went along with him in every way.  His conversion in itself is a miracle and I have to admit that many times in my prayers I express gratitude to both of them for leading us to the gospel that changed all of our lives.  My mother was such a friendly person and extremely patient with my dad.  She loved unconditionally and forgave continually her stubborn companion and as he grew older I think he came to realize that he had truly found an often undeserved treasure in his wife.  Marriage is not easy.  Learning to adjust to each other and their needs can be challenging.  There are ups and downs.  Disappointments and happiness that I don't believe can be found in any other relationships.  But I believe that my parents adored each other and adjusted as needed to give us a nice home and encouraged us to have hopes and dreams that would help us to each be better people.  What a great blessing I was given when I was born into their home and became a part of their hearts.  I love you both--and thank you!