Lessons From My Mother

I've been thinking a lot about my mom this week. 

 I had a decision to make and really wanted to talk to her. 

 I would have loved to hear her voice telling me what she thought I should do. 

 As I thought about her I imagined what she would say to me.  

Her most important priority was her family.  I think my mom had a bit of an adventurous streak in her.  

She was the one who killed the spiders, caught the mice, birthed the puppies,

rode on the rides at lagoon and disneyland. 

As the picture above shows she got up on that camel. 

 I'm sure dad was watching, as he did as she took care of the spiders, mice and rode the rides. 

 But she chose to stay at home and take care of us. 

 She was the quiet one, standing back so dad could shine.  

Some people may call that old fashioned in this day and age. 

 I call it unselfish.  

She loved us so much. 

 She was graceful, kind and good. I have tried so hard to be like her and come up short, 

but using her as an example keeps me always striving to be better.  

Thank you mom for leaving little bits of yourself behind.  

Your handwritten letters, your kind acts, your traditions, your love of the gospel and your family.

  When I am troubled or trying to make hard decisions,

 all I have to do is think of you and your life and I usually get my answer.  

You've been gone for a long time..but because of the way you lived your life,

 you will always be with me.   

Happy Birthday Hogan

This good looking young man is my grandson, Hogan. 

 He turned 13 yesterday! 

 He loves all sports, but baseball is the one he loves the most. 

We love to go back east and watch him play along with his brothers each spring. 

He's got what I like to call his Grandma DeSpain's

 "twinkling brown eyes." 

 Whenever she smiled her face lit up and her eyes twinkled.  

There are a few of her kids, grandkids and greatgrandkids who have that same look. 

 Hogan has it! 

Happy belated birthday Hogan. 

love you.. grama polly

Happy Birthday to Whitney (a few days late)

I've been in bed sick for the last two days..

didn't get to my computer to wish my sweet Whitney a Happy Birthday. 

Can't believe my youngest child has grown into this beautiful woman. 

 She is so accomplished in many ways. 

Hope you had a wonderful day. 

 love you.  mom

Stitching Through Time..Abby and Adelila

My grandmother, Ad's house always had a quilt set up in the living room.

 Often when I would go over she would be sitting around the quilt with her friends stitching and visiting. 

Sometimes we would sit underneath the quilt and listen to their laughter, their stories,  their voices. 

The stitching on those old quilts spoke of great talent, and also said a lot about the women who worked on them.  

 Sometimes my grandpa would even sit and stitch a little.   

I loved to wrap up in the warmth of those soft folds my grandma made for us with such loving hands.

I spend many of my days at my daughter, Abby's home.

  She has inherited this great talent.  The quilting bees are a thing of the past for her. 

 She has a giant computerized quilting machine in her basement, with stacks of fabric ready to be stitched together to form yet another beautiful quilt. 

 She has quilts sent to her from all over the country from people who want her to quilt them together. 

Her husband also helps with her quilting endeavors. 

 (whenever a computer is involved, he's there!)

Her boys play downstairs around her while she does her work.

(nothing changes)

Abby has even been in McCalls Quilting Magazine. 

 (Quilt on the bottom left..designed by Sarah Maxwell & Dolores Smith, Machine Quilted by Abby Latimer of Latimer Lane Quilting.)

As I wrap up in one of her exquisite creations, I am reminded of my dear Grandma Bagley. 

 How the two of them would have loved to sit around a quilt together and share ideas and their love of fabric and patterns.  

The thought warms my heart.

Valentines Day

Happy Valentines to the people who make my world a happy place to be in. 

 I love you all!  

Comings and Goings in February..Sunbeams, Grandkids, Birthdays, Arnold Friberg

It's almost the middle of February and the days never seem to slow down.  

I teach the Sunbeams in Primary. 

 Last year's class was a mix of two boys and three quiet little girls. 

 This year there are six little boys.  Such cute little boys, but full of it as all boys that age are!

I am constantly trying to think of new and creative ways to get their attention.

  Am so grateful for the internet and all the great ideas people are willing to share. 

I am also grateful for a team teacher who helps as we try to teach these little boys.

This last week the lesson was how Heavenly Father and Jesus love us. 

 What could be a more perfect lesson the week before valentines?  

I based a lot of the lesson on the song "My Heavenly Father loves Me." 

 They went on a hunt trying to find the pictures that went along and then they were able to put them in their heart envelope. 

 Hopefully they will remember they are loved.

Days are never dull when spent with Jake, Sam and Dylan. 

They keep me moving!

I love getting up to see Whitney and Wren for a little shopping at City Creek.  

We celebrated Melanie's birthday last week with Whitney's coming up!

Am missing this family, and hoping the snow stops back east soon.  

Otherwise we may not see them this summer as they will be in school til August with all the snow days they've taken. 

 Hopefully

 "The Sun will Come out Tomorrow!"

The perks of retirement!  At 3:00 pm today,

 Jim came downstairs and said "lets go see the Arnold Friberg exhibit!" 

 We jumped in the car and went to Gateway and totally enjoyed his beautiful paintings. 

 He painted in watercolor, oils, pencil sketches..everything.  There were paintings of his I had never seen before.  Loved to see the ones he did as young as seven!

  I loved reading the history behind his work.  

What a gifted artist.  

So there's our mid winter wrap up!  Have a Happy Week.