What a Beaute

This past Friday and Saturday, Troop 591 participated in the 2010 Klondike Derby at Weber Memorial Park/Causey Reservoir in the Ogden Valley.  Val's scouts did better than I thought they would (oh me of little faith) scoring 108 with the winning troop scoring 116. 

As they were packing up, preparing to come home, a snow ball fight began.  While loading equipment in to the trailer Val took one in the head.  He was taken by surprise, as he wasn't engaged in the white warfare ( I copied this terminology from the troop blog authored by Jared St. Clair ;) ) at this point.  His reaction was to start chasing the offending scout.  The pursuit was long (little scouts are much more nimble and fast compared to Scoutmasters) but Val was within reaching distance of the little guy when his feet were caught up in snow covered sage brush.  Going face first, Val fell flat, right on top of Carson, knocking the air out of the poor little guy.

In retrospect, Val thinks his eye and cheek hit Carson's shoulder, bruising is eye and abrasing his cheekbone.  His main concern was for Carson.  He was worried that he may have broken Carson's collar bone in the fall.  Val was grateful it was snow they fell on, believing it would have been much worse without the softer landing.

Word on the street is Carson has a nice bruise of his own on his back.  My question is........

Do you think Carson's bruise was caused by ...

1. Val's firm chin, or
2. Val's equally firm Chadwick nose

We'll surely never know.  Afterall, it's not worthy of CSI: Weber County. 

However, it sure is fun to speculate every time  I look at the changing color of his eye!

I just love my Scoutmaster!

Farewell Facebook

Today I deactivated my Facebook account.

While I loved being able to keep up with my family,

It was too time consuming.

I'm considering retiring my blog, too.

It's nice to record events and use it as an online journal.....

It's also too time consuming....

and mentally, consumes alot of my thoughts.

I can keep a jouranl on my computer just as easily.

In fact, it would be less pressure.

Just some of my thoughts on this winter Friday.

Now, I'm off to the grocery store!

Long Time, No Posts

Yes, it's been quite a long while since I last posted. 

I've been formating them in my mind... does that count?

We had a sleepover with Paul, Heather, Alona, Abbi, Kacen and Jesse this summer.  We used our new tent for the fist time.  Must confess I didn't get much sleep.  It was hot, children were too excited to sleep, it was hot (I know - a repeat of the fact it was hot) and it was fun!  The next day Alona and I went shopping for school clothes.  She found some cute things at Old Navy. 

After the shopping expedition we had lunch all together and then went to Antelope Island for the afternoon.  It was hot!  However, we had fun inspite of the summer heat.  We saw a few buffalo, an antelope (or was it a deer?), an owl and practiced roping a calf at the Garr Fielding Ranch. 

While walking through the ranch house Abbi said "Grandma this looks like your house!"

We also walked on the beach with all of the (thousands) flies.  Val and I checked out a place called The Point.  Up on a hill with southwestern views of the lake, which were breathtaking.  I hope we can go again on a cooler day or evening.  It would be a great place for a picnic.

Brian, Laura, Kellie and Delia came for a visit in September and it was awesome!  We hung out at home,  went bowling, attended Witches Night Out at the Rock Loft, rode FrontRunner to Salt Lake City, explored Discovery Gateway, played Hide-n-Seek with Kellie and shared them with the rest of the folks who love them and qualify for quality time. 

Aunt Jane took Kellie for a ride on her horse Shake.  Kellie learned Giddy up and Whoa commands and smiled the enitre time she was up there.  Thanks, Aunt Jane!

Grandpa also hosted an Autumn Party (aka: Halloween) for his grandchildren and their parents.  Aunt Ellen joined us with her grand-daughters McKaylie and Reilly.  It was great fun and we hope it becomes a tradition.

Delia received her name and a blessing, pronounced by her Uncle Andrew Bagley, thus creating a church membership record.  It was a wonderful event with a few memorable moments for me... the first was a Kodak moment without a camera when, during the blessing, Kellie walked up to the circle of men and peered up inside the circle to see what Miss Delia was crying about.  It was so cute.  The other memory  was walking home from the church with Alona, Abbi, Kellie and Kacen.  It was such a fun walk.  One of those opportunities you hope and dream will present itself. A dream come true, really!

The Gent family now live in Colorado and we are so happy and thankful to have them closer to home.  That SLC to Denver commute just might become a habit for me!

Jared and Tami are busy working and Jared continues to plug away at school.  Tami completed her schooling and graduated in August.  She also received a promotion with the IRS and had to go to Atlanta for a month of training. 

Right after she returned home, Jared, Tami and Brandon drove up to Seattle, Washington for an annual convention they love to attend.  It has something to do with technology and gaming.  Jared caught a bug and felt crummy but they had a safe trip, returning in one peice for which I'm grateful. 

Jared and Tami hosted Val & I, along with the Gent family, to an evening of Beatles Rock Band.  We shared Chinese food and I loved watching and listening to them interact and belt out tunes from their childhoods.

Andrew and Natalie work wacky shifts and so unfortunately, we don't get to see them too often.  They are working hard and having fun being newlyweds.  They were really kind and drove Brian & Laura's car to Colorado, along with Zoe the dog, so Brian didn't have to make the trek back.  Despite the icy roads they arrived home intact!

Brandon continues to accept weird dares from his supervisor and also moonlights composing music and playing in a band.  We just never know when we might receive notification that he's appearing in a YouTube video eating an eight patty hamburger or trying to crush a soda can with his forehead. 

Listening to his music is much more soothing and enjoyable!

Kacen turned 3 in October, right before Halloween.  Kellie will be 3 "in Novmeber".  Jesse and Delia continue to grow and develop, too.  It's fun to see their progress.

Alona is in first grade and loves school.  Her teacher is Mrs. Cannon, who was also her kindergarten teacher.  Grandpa and I went to her school on her 7th birthday (in September) and Grandpa drew pictures on posterboard for the children in her class.  After the fun, Grandpa and I accompanied Alona to the cafeteria for lunch and a tour of the playground. 

Alona also participated in Story Telling Workshops after school and learned the basics of story telling.  In October, just before Halloween, the school hosted a Story Telling Festival so each of the workshop participants could tell their stories.  The story Alona told was Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet.  She did an awesome job despite feeling nervous.  The impressive thing about it was that when she forgot some of her story she was very composed and simply thought for a minute and then resumed her story when her memory was restored.  I remember at that age I would have crumpled into a pool of tears and shut down.  I'm so happy we were able to attend the Festival.

Alona is also in a girl scout troop... a Daisy!

Miss Abbigail is so happy to be attending pre-school.  She loves being able to do the same type things as her big sister. 

This month brought the H1N1 virus to the Paul Bagley family.  Trying to be a helpful Grandma, I went down to lend assistance for about a day and a half and then came home with the bug!  Bummer. 

While I was down there, Alona and Abbi participated in their ward Primary Program in Sacrament meeting.  I'm so glad we were able to attend church with them and see the program.  They both did a great job singing and reciting their parts.  Alona recited a few lines from the Proclamation on The Family and I think every word was at least three syllables long.  She was great!

We survived Halloween night at our house.  More than 400 trick-or-treaters waited for a chance to see the Undertaker at the Funeral home in our backyard.  When Grandpa and I were talking to Kellie, via telephone, the day after Halloween I mentioned that Grandpa dressed up like an Undertaker and Kellie replied "I want to see your underwear!" It was too funny!

You'll now find us getting ready for the holidays and hoping to avoid any more sickness. 

Happy November to each of you!

Cricut Contest... You Should Enter, Too!

This is contest entry for those crazy folks at TodaysMama and Cricut. Be sure to check out Cricut's cool new cartridges and the chance at $30,000 in travel for you and your friends at the Great Gypsy Escape site! http://bit.ly/FWcudGreat Escape Meme

1. If you could escape to anywhere in the world where would it be?
London, England and the surrounding countryside to peruse book shops, stationers and fabric purveyors.

2. What song do you play when you are by yourself in the car?
Something instrumental, or I listen to KBYU Classical FM.

3. If you had a night to yourself, and money was no object, what would you do?
Hmmmm. I'd buy a new car, pickup my handsome chauffer (my husband) and drive to Sun Valley, Idaho where we'd stay for a week, reliving our honeymoon!

4. What is your guilty pleasure?
Hot Fudge Sundae with homemade Fudge Sauce.

5. What is the farthest place you have traveled away from your home?
Israel and Jordan

6. Last book that you couldn't put down?
Place of Refuge by David Wooley

7. When you want to escape into another time, what movie do you watch?
Mama Mia!

8. What is your favorite local escape?
Fairview, Wyoming

9. How do you escape on a budget?
Prepare and serve a nice meal to my husband and watch romantic comedies at home.

Best food you've ever had while on vacation.
Rahmschnitzel while on a skiing vacation in Switzerland, eons ago!

Mission Accomplished. Barely!

Miss Delia Katherine Gent was born..... the day we left!

However, I was still there and had the great blessing of being present for her birth!

Just thinking about it now brings tears to my eyes.














After a few false hopes of 'this is it', a few nesting moments, a Father's Blessing and a few conversations about 'what if', Laura was able to put aside her worries, do a little more nesting and finally wake me up in the wee hours of the morning to say ...

"We're going to the Birth Center."

That short, simple, statement was peppered with short breaths laced with pain.

Well, as you can imagine, I popped out of bed, dressed, brushed my teeth and tried to fix my bed head hair to the sounds of Laura's moanful scurrying around the house getting everything together.

She had to stop what she was doing a few times to pace through her contractions.

I felt so helpless and unhelpful.

Because it was so early in the morning, 4:30am, we weren't able to exit the base through the gate closest to their home, and a straight shot to the birth center. Instead, Brian had to drive almost across base to another gate and then travel about twice as far. It seemed 4 times farther.

For the most part, it was a quiet drive. Brian and I still shaking the foggy sleep from our minds. The stillness of the early morning only rattled by Miss Laura and her contractions, about 4 minutes apart at the time.

Before I even arrived in Anchorage, and almost everyday I was there, comments would be made about Laura's demeanor during labor and delivery. We would talk about transition and how I shouldn't take anything Laura might say, personal. We also talked about different women's experiences with 12 hour labors, 24 hour labors, 36 hour labors and resulting Cesarean births.

I was worried.

Worried about the unknown.

Worried about saying or doing something to add to Laura's discomfort during labor.

So, on this extended journey to the birth center, my quiet demeanor was rife with worry, too.

When contracting, while in the car, Laura would hit the door, pound the dashboard, stomp her feet. At one point she rolled down the window, stuck out her head and hollered. As loud as she could. After the contraction subsided, she pulled in her head, rolled up the window and sighed.

I'm sure I was sitting in the back seat wide eyed. Worried.

Finally, we arrived at the birth center.

May I interject what an awesome job Brian did in getting us there?

He was the cool man under pressure.

At one point he gleefully said "We're going to have a baby!"

Brian pulled in to the parking lot at the birth center and gave me the assignment of insuring Laura made it inside safely.

Oh, man!

When we arrived she was in the middle of a contraction!

She slid out of the car and paced around the parking lot, working her way through the contraction. I stood off to the side while she paced and then followed her into the building feeling so helpless and unhelpful.

When Laura was a little girl I dubbed her the "No Pain Queen" and often remarked that I didn't want to be around when she had a baby! Pain was not her friend, she did not embrace it, she did not endure it well, she did not tolerate pain.

So here I am, miles and miles away from home, 20 minutes away from my sweet rock of comfort (Val was at the Gent home with Kellie, who was sleeping, nary the wiser about where her Mama was at the moment), with Laura Michelle, the No Pain Queen, in labor!

Inside, Laura resumed her pacing. Up and down the short hall of the birthing suite. Amanda, her doulah, Trina, her midwife, still in her street clothes and Felicity, her nurse were already there... preparing for the big event. They all looked so fresh and composed at 5:00am!

After Laura's contraction passed, Trina checked her. She wasn't yet fully dilated.

Another contraction began, Laura needed to "pee". A woeful, frustrated groan and declaration from the bathroom .... "Nothing's coming out, awwwwww."

In between contractions Trina offered Laura the tub. Laura accepted. Felicity turned on the water to fill the tub, meanwhile, Trina was writing on Laura's chart, Brian unloading the car, Amanda and I hovering.

While pacing the hall Laura shouted out "I want to be in the water." Trina calmly explained to Laura that it takes 10 to 15 minutes to fill the tub.

Laura continued pacing.

She vocalized her pain as she paced. At one point, during the pacing, I didn't know if I could handle it. I felt so overwhelmed. Hearing her pain was painful for me.

Selfishly, I prayed that she didn't have to go through hours of labor. I didn't think I would be able to endure to the end.

Amanda and I were still hovering. We wanted to be there for Laura but knew she was in another realm of reality.

"Water, water, water. I want the water."

After that exclamation from Laura, I smiled and chuckled to myself thinking... That must be where Kellie gets her repetitive nature when in need!

Laura was finally able to get in the tub, looking for relief from the contractions and the weight of a soon to be born child she carried.

Trina checked Laura again and told Laura her dilation was complete and her cervix was gone.

"Good-bye cervix", Laura replied.

The water therapy didn't work for Laura.

Trina explained that if Laura wanted to deliver while in the water she had to reposition herself in the tub, enabling the mid-wife to monitor her progress.

Laura chose to get out of the tub and migrate to the bed.

By this time Trina and Felicity were in their scrubs and barefoot.

Two other ladies arrived to observe and help. They were nurses in training.

The bed wasn't working for Laura either. She couldn't find a comfortable position.

Trina suggested a birthing stool Laura could use, after her contraction was finished. Laura moved to the birthing chair.

At this point I was on the other side of the bed, trying to ensure I wasn't in the way.

After each contraction Laura would frustratingly say "She's not moving. The baby's not moving." Trina would check and reassure Laura that the baby was indeed moving.

Laura wasn't convinced so Trina showed her how to check the baby's progress on her own.

I was thinking to myself... I hope Trina's just not saying that to make Laura feel better.

Trina coached Laura during a few more contractions. This helped Laura know what she should feel when pushing.

During another contraction Trina asked Laura to move back to the bed after she worked through her current contraction. Her screams of pain and frustration were piercing.

While the nurses tried to get Laura to move back to the bed, Trina was down on the floor trying to check Laura's progress. At the same time, Laura was protesting that she didn't want to get back on the bed.

With her head almost lying on the floor, peering up at Laura's girl parts, Trina exclaimed... "Her head's out!"

Oh man! Here I was trying to stay out of the way and I missed the head coming out!

I scurried to the other side of the bed as Laura contracted again... instead of moving to the bed. Laura was practically sitting on the floor!

Down on her haunches, almost sitting on the floor, Trina declared..."Here she comes." Gently, she took hold of Miss Delia, helped her complete her entry to our world and put her in Laura's arms! It was such a fluid motion.

It. Was. So. Amazing!

And I got to be there to witness this marvelous event!

Where ism Kellieisms!

Where is im?
Can I see im?

What is it?
Can I see it?

What is it?
Oh, I lub it!

I lub olibes!

Mama, put your hand over your heartbeat!

Oh, my golly. Oh, my golly!

I do it.

That's my job.

By myself.

I lub lellow.

Grammie, we don't sing at the table.

Grandpa, we don't play music at the table.

Oh! The American Flag!

I lub the American Flag!

It's okay, it's alright, don't worry, I'll pick em up.

It's okay, it's okay, I'm okay.

Don't worry, it's okay, I'm not hurt.


When I arrived at the Gent home on June 12th, I was so excited to re-meet Miss Kellie. The last time Kellie and I were together was in June, 2008. Although we talked fairly regularly on the telephone prior to my visit, I couldn't wait to give her hugs and kisses.

Brian met me at the airport and took me to their home on Elmendorf Air Force Base. Since he parked in the garage, I walked into the house through the garage door.... while Kellie was going out the front door to meet me! When we finally met each other, hugs and kisses were exchanged and Kellie wanted to know where Grandpa was.... Where is im? Can I see im?

After greeting the pregnant Mama and exchanging hugs, I took my things to my room and started to unpack. Kellie wasn't far behind and made a bee line for her bookcase, extracting a few books and handing them to me saying, "Can we read these Grammie?"

Thus began a daily ritual, sometimes multiple times each day, of Kellie and I reading books.

If I read Five Little Monkeys once, I read that cute little book 500 times. In fact, Kellie and I have it memorized. We've examined every illustration, several times, and expounded on each monkey, action, consequence and gender of each monkey.

The Hungry Caterpillar was our second favorite book.

Olivia was another favorite.

Kellie was a very attentive reading partner and had several rituals she went through with certain books. She never let me down and it was so much fun!

The fun thing about Laura and Brian is they let me jump right into their life. That evening I was able to be the one to oversee bath time with Kellie.... and I taught her how to make a Bubble Beard! In fact, I was able to participate in the whole bedtime ritual!

After about a week, Brain let me do the whole process ... by myself!

Rituals, routines, schedules all help the Gent home run like a smooth machine.

After a month of Grammie in house, I've wondered how much work it's been for Laura to get Kellie back on track. I know I must have upset the smooth running machine a few times, at least.... with only the best intentions.

Since I've been home, several people have asked what I did, where I went and what I saw while in Alaska. Many have been surprised to learn I didn't go fishing, or camping, or exploring.

I didn't go there to go fishing, camping or exploring!

My purpose in going to Alaska was to spend time with the Gent family, bond with Kellie and be there with Laura when she delivered her second child.

Mission Accomplished! Barely!

It's Official!

It's true... I can now say I've been to all 50 of the United States!

Thanks to Laura Michelle, I accomplished this feat when I travelled to Alaska to spend time with Laura and her family for a month. I had the time of my life, too!

• This is Alaska's 50th anniversary of becoming part of the USA
• Summer Solstice occurred
• I experienced the long days of summer... it didn't get dark, just twilight
• We welcomed a new grand-daughter, too!

Being able to check-off Alaska on the list of states I've visited was really secondary to the wonderful experience of being able to spend time with the Gent family. Getting to know Kellie better, seeing Laura in the Mama mode and being there when Laura delivered her second child was a truly amazing opportunity and experience I shall treasure, always!

Feeling So Far Behind!

Truly, I keep this blog more for me than others. However, I know how disappointed I feel sometimes when I check others blogs and they haven't been updated for awhile. I also feel a great responsibility to complete monthly posts and include family members whose birthdays are in that month. Since I started it, I need to be consistent so folks don't feel left out or overlooked.

That being said, I know I need to document June and July birthdays, so don't give up on me yet! Also, I had the time of my life spending a month in Alaska with Laura and her family and really want to record my feelings, impressions, and fun times... before I forget.

Most importantly, I have two new grandchildren and really want to record those fun events, too!

If you check back in the next few weeks, I hope to have more fun stuff to share!