mom messer

(This is one of the last good pictures we took of mom- here we are out to dinner for Chloe's graduation.)

My sweet mother in law Marilyn passed away last November just before Thanksgiving.

It had been a long hard battle for her with Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's is a cruel disease.

(Windmills on our drive to Wyoming)

Because of the Thanksgiving holiday we didn't have her funeral until a couple weeks after. We wanted as many friends & family who could- to come. 

Brett & I were very blessed that all of our children & grandchildren could make it. 

Grandma Messer was their- long term babysitter- for any major event or occasion when Brett & I went out of town while they were growing up. She watched the kids several times for us & they have many, many memories of her & of her home. This is their line up of mailboxes - just down the lane from their house. 

It's such a beautiful sight- especially after a long drive.

It was December & we were really worried about the weather - but I'm sure she was up there making deals with the head weather man. The weather was perfect & everyone made it safely. 

She had a beautiful service.

Her kids spoke. Megan & Hailey sang.

She looked beautiful.

She was fiercely loyal & proud of her children & grandchildren.

I'm sure she was so happy to have these boys be her pallbearers. 

I don't even really have words.

(All six of my children.)

Six of her many grandchildren.

She was easy to love.

This picture is taken just a few steps away from her grave site. 

A nice view of the mountains. 

Deer visit often & frequently eat the flowers Grandpa leaves for her weekly & checks on daily. 

She is missed 

It's times like this that I am more than grateful for my knowledge that

 He Lives.

 Because of Jesus Christ and His Great Atonement.

 I will see her again- and it will be a joyous reunion.

I Believe

cody post part 2

This is the view from at Grandma & Grandpa's house outside the door & across the yard.

It's the corral. The horses are gone (very hard for Grandpa) but it's still a great place.

Trent spent the entire time - every possible moment available that he was allowed.

right here

riding Grandpa's tractor (lawn mower.) 

He hooked up the trailer to the back & moved some stuff out of the corral.

He's helpful that way.

Chloe & Brett spent a good part of the morning Friday looking at treasures in the garage. 

This garage is a serious treasure chest.

Chloe found some chaps-

these Relief Society magazines from the 1960's

George's shoes with dates

and Bandos' shoes. 

We really loved & miss George & Bandos.

One of Grandpa's old hats.

And- a fan that his parents had & used when he was a baby & on!

That fan is at least 80 years old & still works- plus it's in perfect condition. 

Grandpa explained to Chloe what a Ne-Hi was

and also showed her some of his old treasures from his Navy days.

 

Holy Moly 

this place is cool. 

part one- UEA 2012

Every October here in Utah the UEA (Utah Education Association) has a couple day break for teachers.

That break for us was last Thursday & Friday.

So

We hopped into the car & headed up to Grandma & Grandpa Messer's house.

You know you are in Wyoming when the McDonald's looks like this:

The kids were impressed.

Chloe & Trent

ya-- we went on a road trip with only 2 kids.

2 kids?

This is the McDonald's in Evanston

We ran to the local Walmart to grab some water bottles-- forgot those

and our battery died.

Luckily we were saved by a kind stranger & off we went, on the road again.

good reading

and did I mention we took

Nya along?

Just because you know-- only 2 kids in the car & no dogs!

 What kind of trip would that be?

We made it to Cody in just under nine hours!

Proof- the Irma hotel 

(I've still never been there)

and Grandma & Grandpa's mailbox row.

More on this trip tomorrow.

best friends?

Jack has no summer job---

His summer job for the past 2 summers - which we thought he would have this summer- has disappeared, gone, done, no more- because of "the economy."

The phrase "the economy," is really getting to me- in more ways than one. Kylie here- jack's cousin has a job up in Grandma & Grandpa's town.

she was scheduled to fly there from here today. Because of Gpa's back problems & the fact that he has been in the hospital for almost a week- not to mention a full week less than a month ago- Jack is going up now too. He will be in charge of the yard & the horses, etc. He's been up there every summer for at least a week & we are hoping he can help until his Aunt gets up there in a couple of weeks.
So Kylie- nice girl that she is- gave up her plane ticket & drove with her cousin. It's an eight our drive... I nagged at Jack- you know she has a plane ticket, she doesn't have to make the drive, it's very nice of her--- to which he replied-
"dang, that blows"
he is a real deep kind of guy.
They don't really know each other- have never spoken more than a few words.
That has all changed- for sure.
Jack is not known for being comfortable around girls...
I offered him & his buddy Zach $100 each to walk up to a girl on the last day of school- say, "I've always wanted to do this!" then kiss her right on the lips. I wasn't worried about my money NO NOT ONE BIT & loved hearing their plan on how to do it. hee hee hee, oh I am really an evil person can you tell? Jack is pretty much paralyzed around girls & comes off as a snot or stuck up, or just not caring, even though he does care- you know the type?
so- this trip with his cousin should be good for him. I don't know about her- but it should be good for him. A safe girl, a cousin- maybe he will lighten up a little?
Unfortunately I have been forbidden to blog about the fact I owe the guy....
$100

so maybe I will save that story for a year from now
when he is on his mission??

my last cody post- I promise...

There's a lot to see in Cody, Wyoming.

Not too far from G & G's house is the Buffalo Bill Cody Reservoir.

{Caught ya- proof jack was throwing rocks at hailey...}
Then doing impressions- Moses...and the Karate Kid in cowboy boots.
If anyone needs rocks, I think we brought home half of these & they're still in the back of the van. Just let me know- they may go fast so ASAP ;)

A trip to Cody IS NOT complete with out a visit to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

This place is AMAZING. There is a newly build Natural History section that is so interactive & fun for the whole family, a HUGE gun museum, great western art- I'm talking Remington! (Love that) A whole Indian section... it's really worth the visit.

There are these passports for kids in the Natural History museum,

with places to put a stamp- really fun.

Part way through Trent had, had enough.

He started getting distracted & wanted a drink. We went into the little food shop & found some "cowboy" apple juice. Thank goodness they had the real cowboy stuff!

It did the trick & we were off again!

Another great place is the Cody Mural.

It's an amazing & beautiful mural & small museum in an LDS chapel.

Brett used to go to this chapel when he was a kid.

Of course, if you get bored in Cody- you can always go driving on the back roads with a teenager...