MY HOME

"There's nothing like staying home for real comfort."

     ~Jane Austen

My home isn't large, it didn't begin as my dream home. 

 It became my dream home. 

When we bought this house we didn't intend to stay longer than two years. 

That was about 33 years ago.  So instead of wishing we had the house we always wanted to build, we decided this was the home we always wished for. 

And because this is where we raised our children and made our lifelong friends, this is truly the home of our dreams. 

Everywhere I look in every room there are objects with special meanings connected to them.  I don't have things in my home.  Everything is either for comfort, a gift that is treasured, something Jim and I picked up while travelling, or a picture of a loved one.  So if I sit down, in any room, to read or rest for a minute I just have to look around, and I am reminded of something I cherish.

I've posted a few pictures of the bathroom Jim's been working on.

I think of the late nights, after a long day of work, that he has worked on this project. 

He's like that. 

Always working on something to make our home a bit nicer. 

 I told him a few days ago, as he was finishing up the tile, that he might not be painting a picture, but I felt as though his work was like a piece of art. 

He puts so much of himself into it.  He is such a perfectionist.

 A professional couldn't do a better job.

And so, as we put our heads together and pick colors for paint and choose tile or whatever the project may be, he does the heavy labor and I put the finishing touches and pull it together. 

I'd say we are a pretty good team. 

We might not have many talents, but together we can decorate, care for, and love our home.

Hopefully this effort expresses a bit about who we are. 

I love the time we spend in our home.  I love when our family and friends are here. 

The snows will eventually melt, and we will be outside working on projects in the garden.  And again, I will have never ending ideas of how we can plant this here or have that there.  And Jim will plant this here and move that there. 

It will be glorious. 

Our home isn't grand, it isn't even something you would look at twice if you drove down the street...

unless you knew how many dreams have come true inside these walls or
as you walk down the path and up the old stairs and
enter Upper Garden. 

Then you might want to stop by and stay awhile.

Friends are always welcome. 

THE QUEEN AND I

 Years ago Jim and I, while travelling, made the acquaintance of Queen Elizabeth. 

She was very gracious, treated us like royalty,

gave us a room at the very top of her royal ship. 

We dined on food prepared by her best chefs. 

We were invited to join her again anytime we wanted to. 

We've been back to England a few times since,

 and of course visited at Buckingham Palace, she's just lovely...

I just can't imagine what happened to our invitation?!? 

 I'm sure it was lost in the mail.?! 

After all we're such good friends. 

 I'll just call her tomorrow and see if there was some sort of oversight. 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY - 39 YEARS!

Jim and Polly

April 27th, 1972

 It is unbelievable that 39 years have passed since this picture was taken.  Thirty nine years ago I was a very young bride, just barely 19 years of age.  My parents were scared to death for me, because I was so young. I was determined...and of course knew everything.  But there is one thing I really did know.  I wanted to be married and be a mother.  So I found a really handsome brown eyed guy who wanted to get married and have kids, and I became a wife and a mother.  The first time Jim came to the door, and I looked into his eyes (my mom did too, and she instantly knew she had just lost her daughter) I knew this was it. 
(Mother's, beware of dark headed men with beautiful brown eyes)

Thirty nine years ago Jim and I started our life together. Along our way together we have been blessed with parents who always supported and loved, children who are our greatest joy and then the grandsons who make us feel young again.  We've worked to build a home and make it a place where love abounds and our family and friends feel welcome.  I feel that our home is a part of us, because we have worked so hard and put so much of ourselves into it.  We have travelled and had some adventures. We've suffered misfortune and ill-health. We've had much joy.  All this comes with the journey called marriage. 

 I still can't believe how young everybody looked.  Mom's hair was a masterpiece! Jamey was born 11 months after we were married and so we were off and running!

A few highlights of the past 39 years. 

Five children later, seven grandsons,

a lot of work, a lot of fun 

a lot of baseball, a few weddings.

Our life is centered around our family and we wouldn't have it any other way. 

 Happy Anniversary

(someday, when I'm brave, I'll tell the story of our actual wedding day, why I'm sitting in the pictures and why there really aren't that many pictures.  I think I could have ended up on Oprah with strange wedding day stories).

WE PREFER THE THREE RING CIRCUS!

 Usually it's a three-ring circus.

Three little boys under the age of three -

all going three different directions.

Today is different.

I'm usually on my own.

But Ty and Melanie needed a little extra help,

so Dylan came over to Grama Polly's all by himself.

When Dylan arrived he said "What's going on around here, It's way too quiet.

All I can hear is the sound of my own voice.  And what have you got on

that TV grama? It sounds like a bunch of grown ups. Where's

Bubble Guppies and Baby Einstein? "

"I vote that this doesn't happen very often. (even if Sam pulls my hair occasionally),

and (even if Jake is kind of a close talker- he is telling me how cute I am). I like it better

over there.  There's way more going on.  You may keep me fed and changed, Grama Polly,

but...I'm sorry to say, after being with those guys, you are a bit boring."

I know you're trying - and as grampa Giggs used to say-

"I love you anyway".

EASTER SUNDAY

A beautiful Easter Sunday. I was reminded all day long how grateful I am for my many blessings.  This picture depicts Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. I learned that is the way kings rode into cities to show their humility.  And Jesus was the most humble king of all.  I wonder what the leaders and those that have great wealth would think about riding into cities in small unglamorous cars? 
 I love this lesson, and as I observed, yet again, the good people here in my ward are a constant source of this very lesson.  So humble. So not caring what kind of calling they have, just wanting to do the very best in whatever they are doing. One of our former bishops, who has also been on the high counsel and held many other leadership positions, was just released, with his wife as nursery leader.  They jumped into that calling with as much enthusiasm and love as any other they have been called to do.  They have served those little children well and made their first experience in church a positive one.  Two other women, who also have had various leadership positions throughout their service have just been put in as nursery leaders, and are taking their calling to heart.  These two are not just babysitters.  They have a plan and a purpose, just as if they were President of Relief Society or YW. 
I have learned that it is not the calling, but how much we serve in whatever calling is given.  Also how much is learned.  And how much we love, because by loving and serving I, myself have gotten so much more back than any effort given. 
On this Easter Sunday, as in all the lessons the Savior taught, the least will be first.  I am grateful for His life and great example.

EASTER EGG HUNTING, BIRTHDAY PARTY, FAMILY- DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THIS

 We had our annual Easter Egg Hunt today.  Lately Jake's been into mystery's and maps and treasures. So this week we decided there would be a map involved in hunting for the eggs. I asked Jim if he would be in charge of this, wanting just a simple little thing that Jake could pretend to follow as he looked for his eggs - (our other hunters are 16 months and 6 months), so Jake is still the leader of this pack. 
Of course when I give Jim an assignment he never does anything simple.  And of course it can be nothing less than perfect.  So of course Jake's 'map' was a master plan of our house and yard with "X's" marking where the stash would be.  And there was a treasure chest hidden deep in the trees at the top of the hill. 
It was a successful hunt - but we miss having the Eastern Gang here with us.

 The kids soon got rid of the map and just started looking.  Dylan even found an egg or two.

We came inside and had a great lunch! The kids brought Red Velvet Cake for a birthday celebration for Jim and I, and surprised us with a great gift! A stay at the Park City Hotel - dinner at Ruths Chris - golf, massage. The works - sounds lovely.  Does anybody know a good babysitter? 
Happy Easter!

TAMING A LITTLE GROUND

I love getting my Victoria Magazine.  Its lovely pictures always make me think, "this is how I would like my garden to look".  Or they just bring me a sense of peace as I turn the pages and read the captions.  This one caught my eye as the cold weather has kept me in doors this spring.  I would usually be outside doing  clean up and getting ready for the planting of vegetables and my flowers. I am afraid it is going to come upon us all at the same time.  But I will love every minute of it.  Finally, being outdoors, with the warm sun coming from behind these cold clouds that don't seem to want to go away. They will and the sun with all that it brings will come. Oh, those warm summer evenings.
Nothing better.

"But each spring...a gardening instinct, sure as sap rising in the trees, stirs within us. 

We look about and decide to tame another little bit of ground."

~Lewis Gantt

SHARING TIME

Last Sunday I was in charge of Sharing Time in Primary.  The subject was the Atonement and Repentance.  I found a way of teaching this online that I thought would help the kids understand.  I think the kids in the Sr Primary got it.  But I found out - thru Jake that maybe the Jr primary didn't quite get the concept.  Although I did realize that at least he was listening.  Here's how it went.  After a brief intro about the Atonement, I did a demonstration about repentance.  I had a child come up and (with a bowl underneath his hands) told him that a bottle of chocolate syrup represented sin.  The little kids didn't know what sin was so we went over that.  To them it was mostly hitting brothers or biting sisters or pushing friends.  So my little guy in the jr primary got a big squirt over clean hands (representing no sin) because he pushed his brother, then another big squirt of chocolate syrup for biting his sister and another for pushing.  Then he was told if he repented and never did it again his hands would be clean.  The kids thought it was fun - at least it held their attention.  
Move forward a few days.  I am tending Jake and Sam.  Sam has a tendancy to bite when he gets frustrated (we are working with him on this).  He bit Jake.  While Jake was crying and getting a love, he told me that Sam needed chocolate syrup all over his hands because he had bitten Jake. 
At least Jake remembered the lesson. Even if he didn't get it quite right.  You don't get chocolate syrup poured all over everytime you do something wrong.  But I was happy that he was listening, we can work on the understanding part - line upon line. 
After all, he's only three.

ALMOST COMPLETE

 Jim has been hard at work on this bathroom since January! Ripping everything apart, refinishing, and finally putting the new tile in. It's a good thing we've had such bad weather, because he didn't think this would take him into April.  He's just got to clean up, put the sealer on and we'll be ready to add the finishing touches!
We've still got to decide on a vanity and mirror, but we got our light tonight, so we should have it put together by this time next week! It's going to be beautiful and I'm grateful for all Jim's hard work and that he's such a perfectionist.  A professional couldn't have done a better job!
Hopefully by then the weather will turn nice and we can move outdoors and onto summertime projects. 
It never stops around here.

RELAX GRAMA

 Not very often do I have a day like yesterday.  I should have worn my combat boots.  My little ones are usually quite good.  We have good times. Yesterday,  the stars must have been aligned wrong, the universe out of sinc. Whatever.  It started out with Sam, who by the way has reflexes so quick, and who by the way, has taught me to up my reflexes a notch. I'm usually a step ahead of him. Not today! He needed a change, so I left Jake in charge of Dylan and off Sam and I went to the changing table. He was loaded! I had no sooner untaped his diaper (filled to the brim) when he snatched it and hucked it across the room! (contents flying everywhere) of course his little bottom was a mess and of course he was ready to jump off the table.  Legs flying, grama screaming, I cleaned him up, diapered him, put him in his crib, then went about his room gathering up the contents of the diaper. (hopefully Abby doesn't run into anything I may have missed).  After this adventure Sam decided to move and knock down all bar stools which ended up in the laundry room, while Jake was balancing himself on the back of the couch - as if it was a balance beam, when I reacted to this saying he might hurt himself Jake told me to, "Relax Grama". Then Jake's new Star Wars lego's started falling apart and Grama didn't know how to put it back together, at this point Jake fell apart sobbing - I suggested a nap and Jake asked me, "are you insane?" at which point I started questioning myself - am I? Sam went down for his nap - at last...it was exactly 20 minutes. So those two decided to cry the rest of the afternoon - together.

Dylan said "I'm not saying a word".

I came home and went to bed.

MAUDE AND MY LILACS

 Jim may be the landscape architect in the family, but his mom Maude was the true gardner.  The lover of all plants and flowers.  She could make anything grow.  I think of her alot at this time of year, because when our home was new and we were always planting something, she was the one who would help me decide what to plant and where to plant it.  She loved lilacs, snowballs and peonies.  She gave me most of those plants that I have in my yard.  I have other lilacs and snowball bushes, but for some reason, Maude's are the most beautiful.  She knew what she was talking about when she told us where to plant them. 

These particular bushes are right down where I like to sit on a warm spring evening (in the years that spring comes to us).  The fragrant scent spreads across the garden.  They are big now and give a great amount of shade.  A lovely place to sit and read, or think or just relax.  What a beautiful gift that continues to give me joy year after year.  I am grateful for Maude and how she taught me about flowers, and nature and all things that are simple and good.

JOLYN'S BIRTHDAY -APRIL 10TH

We just weren't that happy of a group until the day JOLYN ARRIVED!

 

 When I turned four, Jolyn made her appearance.  And her sweet smiling face made all the difference. 

 We couldn't help but smile with her around. 

And she continues to bring joy where ever she goes.

Which is a lot of places!

Jolyn has a great family.

Is generous and kind

Loves travel and adventure.

Have a Happy Birthday

and

continue to spread your beautiful smile

wherever you go.

MY MOM'S HANDWRITING

I think of all the belongings I have left of my mom, it is her thoughts written in her handwriting I treasure the most.  It is the connection I feel to her when I see something she has written. 
I am missing my mom right now.  I miss talking to her on the phone or running over to her house to see her.  We had such great conversations.  We could really talk about our troubles, feelings. We could laugh or cry together.  She could talk to me and I could talk to her.  At the end of a long phone call - mom would say, "it's so good to be able to talk to you like this."  I would agree.  We just got each other.  The worst part about her being gone after all this time - is that I still miss her, daily.  The best part, is that nothing was left undone in our relationship.  It was a good, loving relationship that I will be excited to take up where we left off when I see her again.  For now, I'll read what she has to say - and feel comforted by her presence.

BEING ELEGANT

 I have always wanted to be elegant.  Always wanted perfect hair, perfect skin, and I hate to admit it, but I love clothes -(for anyone reading that doesn't know this already).  And tell me, who doesn't fall for those ads about makeup~ you know the one's that say, when you rotate your hand just so with their product - you will look 10 years younger. That new haircut will make you look just like the girl in the picture and that new outfit will take pounds off - even if it is a size bigger than the last time you were out shopping.
I tend to get carried away sometimes with how I appear - wanting to be elegant and all.  When looking elegant is different than being elegant.  Coco Chanel said, "Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress, rather, elegance in personal style requires only that a woman major in the classics:  comfort, color, shape, fabric, value, and appropriateness.  Elegance means that clothes never eclipse the woman within but permit her inner light to shine."  This statement gets me down to what I really want to write about. 
I am surrounded by elegant women.  Women who are comforatable with themselves, who value themselves and what they do, who don't care about color or shape.  Their inner light shines constantly. 
To me, this is true elegance.  I don't live in a big city, just a simple neighborhood.  These elegant women are my friends, neighbors, sisters, daughters, mothers, grandmothers.  Lovely women, every one.  They are kind and good and have talents and are creative.  They share and serve and above all, they love. 
I think most of them like a day at the salon and a new dress. Who doesn't?  But none of them need it to be elegant. They all ready are.

They are simple, graceful, well-bred, they never over-power, but always strike the right note.  They are self assured.  Beauty, grace and elegance cannot be bought.  It is attained by how a person lives.  It has nothing to do with makup, hair or clothes.  It is letting the inner light shine through. 
These women have it!

FUN WITH THE KIDS

 Conference Sunday,  a lovely day -listening and watching great talks.  Spending time with Whitney.
Having fun with the little ones. 

 Can't keep from smiling when you see a face like this.

These guys help us from missing the PA gang too much.  Although we are looking forward to lots of baseball in May. 

 Can't wait!!!!!

A HUGE CHANGE IN OUR LIVES!!!!!

Ok - I don't think I can go another minute without letting people know what has happened in our lives.  I sat through lunch with my brother and sister yesterday and didn't say a word.  Can't believe it!!!
Jim has been asked to go and help with the landscaping at one of these beautiful spots.  We are excited beyond words.  Back east would be close to the PA Gang, yet the other places would be close to HEAVEN ~ SLC would be close to home.  Things wouldn't change that much.  Will write later with details.
What a beautiful Garden I would be able to enjoy everyday!!!!