Weekend Words...Thanksgiving Edition

Thanksgiving weekend is one of my favorite weekend of the year.

After a crazy work schedule during the month of November

for Jason it was so nice to spend

 4 days just relaxing and having fun.

Friday we headed out to my favorite nursery to pick out our tree for the basement. Kyler was very particular about what tree we got and it took some convincing that a 

8 foot tree wouldn't fit in our basement:)) 

We decided to have it flocked this year and I couldn't be 

happier with the way it turned out. 

Friday afternoon while I worked on decorating and putting lights on the tree (my least favorite thing) Jason and Kyler went and saw 

"The Good Dinosaur." 

Friday night we celebrated Thanksgiving with the Grover side of the family. We don't get together very often, but when we do it sure is a lot of fun!!! After a yummy dinner we continued the fun and all went bowling. 

We finally got our first snow fall of the season and Kyler couldn't wait to get out and play in it. It made the weekend extra magical. 

Saturday afternoon Jason and I bundled up and braved the cold for the last Utah State football game of the season. 

Even though they lost to BYU we still had a lot of fun. 

Thankful Thanksgiving

A list of the little and big things I'm thankful for as

Thanksgiving Day played out. 

Alarms clocks to wake me up at 5:00 a.m.

Annual Zumba turkey burn to help burn a few calories.

A healthy body that is able to exercise.

A beautiful blanket of fresh snow.

A warm cozy home to protect us from the winter elements.

Kids that sleep in that allow me to work on a few Christmas projects.

Hot chocolate and cinnamon roll for breakfast.

Opening day of ski season at Snowbasin.

Father and son relationship.

Thanksgiving day shopping ads.

A cozy morning of decorating our home for the Christmas season.

 Happy boys doing what they love.

Seasons and the beautiful state we live in.

Christmas music and the feeling it gives.

Cousins that are best friends.

A fun grandma that created the cutest play room.

That the play room is downstairs so we don't have to listen to all the noise that they make.

Food and the ability to provide the essentials in life for my family.

My mom's cooking, especially her stuffing and rolls. 

Leftover turkey sandwiches.

Most of all I'm thankful for family and spending time together, for our health, and the gospel which gives us direction and peace. 

Happy Thanksgiving 2015

Remembering Grandma Donna...Part 2

   

The Dash
By Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.



He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.


















For that dash represents all the time
that they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
know what that little line is worth.


For it matters not, how much we own,
the cars...the house...the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.



So think about his long and hard.
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.



If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.


















And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.



If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile, 
remembering that this special dash 
might only last a little while.



So, when your eulogy is being read,
with your life's actions to rehash...
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR dash.

This poem fits grandma Donna's life perfectly. 

She was one of the most kind and thoughtful ladies I've ever known. I think she would be happy with they way she spent her dash. Here are a few of my favorite memories of her.

* As a child whenever we would get together to celebrate a cousins 

birthday she always made sure to wrap a little gift for all 

of the other cousins too. She didn't want anyone to be left out.

*She was the best story teller. I still have fond memories of sitting in

 he rocking chair listening to her read to me. 

*She was always happy and smiling. I can't remember a 

time where she raised her voice or had anything bad to say. 

*She was big on bringing the family together and having traditions. 

Most of them were centered around a wonderful meal and playing with cousins.

*Her and grandpa lived a simple life. 

They knew what was most important and tried to teach us through their examples.

 She was an amazing example and will be greatly missed!!!

Weekend Words

Beautiful Weather.

Yard work and Fall clean-up.

Friday the 13th and flooded laundry room:((

Long awaited date night.

Warren Miller Ski movie.

Family time. 

Since November 1st 

(health care open enrollment) 

we only get to see Jason for maybe an hour or two during the week. The weeks are LONG and we look forward and appreciate the weekends even more!!!!

(I'm already looking forward to the weekend and it's only MONDAY.) 

Remembering Grandma Donna

My sweet grandma Donna passed away on 

Wednesday, October 28th.

It was a blessing for her and I'm sure there was a beautiful reunion in heaven with grandpa and her daughter Joni, but with her passing it closes a chapter in our life that is kind of hard to accept. 

We honored her life with a beautiful funeral service and enjoyed visiting with family and friends and hearing

 their memories of grandma. 

She was an amazing women with a kind heart and always focused on the important things in life. We love and will miss her!!!! 

Donna Mary Rader Ward passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on October 28, 2015. Donna was born on October 23, 1932, in Brigham City Utah to Leslie William and Ada Delilah Young Rader of Corinne. Donna grew up in Corinne and also spent time in Astoria Oregon and Lakeside Utah while her father was in the Navy. She graduated from Box Elder High School in 1950, and later married her eternal companion, Max Ward on March 23, 1953 in the Logan LDS Temple. Donna devoted her life to her family. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

Donna was well known for her homemaking skills. She made it a priority to teach and pass those skills on to her three daughters. She was an excellent cook and her family would gather at her home every Sunday to enjoy her famous rolls and roast beef.  She took excellent care of her husband, especially in his last days. She was always by his side, making sure he was fed, and had freshly ironed white shirts and crisp jeans to keep him looking nice.  She kept a tidy home, her laundry was pristine, and she spent countless hours binding over 200 quilts for the Belmont 2nd Ward.

Donna spent her life serving in the LDS Church. She served in various callings such as the Relief Society President, was diligent at temple attendance, and spent many years doing name extraction. Donna and Max completed a service mission to the Bishop’s Storehouse in 2003. Donna had a strong testimony and made sure she shared that with her family often. She was a perfect example of the phrase “endure to the end”. She was committed to visiting teaching up until her last week of life and made sure she knelt to pray even in her very last days when she could barely walk.

Donna’s biggest hobby was her grandchildren. She supported each one of them, loved them unconditionally, and made sure they all knew just how special they are. She was always aware of other’s feelings. She never wanted any of her grandchildren to feel left out, especially at birthday parties. Donna was very gracious, she lived a simple life, and never wanted or asked for much. She would willingly go without so her family didn’t have to.

Donna is survived by her two daughters; Sherry (Billy) Rhodes, Fielding; Patti (Kelly) Walker, Honeyville; and son-in-law David Earl, Beaver Dam; her sister Leone Higgins; 12 grandchildren, Jared (Becky) Rhodes, TJ (Tiffany) Rhodes, Cody (Tara) Rhodes, Jenny (Wes) Firth, Jody (Jason) Grover, Casey (Kristan) Earl, Clay (KaeDawn) Earl, Todd (Megan) Walker, Kaylee (Jason) Cook, Kimberly Walker, Kami (Joe) Walker, Ty (Valerie) Walker, and 25 great grandchildren.
Donna was preceded in death by her husband; Max Ward, her daughter; Joni Earl, her brother; William Rader, her parents; Les and Lila Rader.
Funeral Services for Donna will be held on Monday, November 2, 2015 11:00 AM at the Belmont 2nd Ward LDS Chapel (16925 N 5200 W, Riverside, UT) with a viewing held prior to the service from 9:30-10:30. There will also be a viewing held on Sunday November 1, 2015 from 6-8 PM at the Rogers and Taylor Funeral Home (111 N 100 E, Tremonton, UT) Interment will be in the Riverside Cemetery. 

October's Little Things

October is one of my favorite months of the year.

The weather seems to be perfect, I love the changing leaves and fall air. There are a lot of simple family traditions and bonding time. The preschool children are in a routine and things are running smoothly. 

Here are a few little things that happened during the month:

Pumpkin picking for FHE. 

One Saturday some of the girls in the family got together to have my mom help (teach me) how to can tomato juice and make salsa.
It was a good productive day and the kids had fun running around and playing all day. 
I appreciate my mom taking the time to help and teach me, especially since she didn't really benefit from all the work. 

Every October Jason and a few of his friends go on a fishing trip for the weekend. This year they ended up in Heber and spent the day fishing at Strawberry Reservoir. 

We spent a lot of time outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather.

Khloe is getting to the age where her and Kyler play together.

Most of the time he is really cute with her, but occasionally he gets a little rough:)) 

Kyler enjoyed endless hours playing in the leaves.

His favorite was using them for art projects. 

My favorite Sunday of the year usually falls during the month of October. Kyler did a great job with his part in the primary program.

"My name is Kyler Cook. I know my Savior loves because we had a missionary come home. We waited at the airport. I was so excited to see him. I felt the Spirit and can't wait until I can go on a mission." 

The end of the month brought an unexpected change for our family.

My sweet grandma Donna's health took a turn for the worse and within less than a week she passed away.

I feel so thankful that we were able to say our final goodbyes.

Kyler was so thoughtful and spent most of the time while we visited making her get-well cards:(( 

It broke my heart when we discovered she was already for Halloween. She had her recipe out for her yummy rice krispie treats and her grocery list made. 

What I wouldn't have given to have one of her yummy treats and to visit her on Halloween. 

Jason brought home the most gorgeous white roses just to let me know he was thinking of me:)) 

Speaking of flowers, this is the first year ever that my flowers have lasted all the way into November. I defiantly got my money's worth and I guess it's okay if it freezes now:(( 

Halloween kind of took a back seat this year with all that the family was dealing with losing a loved one. We did manage to do a little trick-or-treating and I survived throwing a preschool party and mini-program. 

I'm really looking forward to November and celebrating my favorite holiday of the year.