Fall Photos

In the corn maze . . . we didn't get too lost. :-)

We had a fun weekend . . .

with friends, fall activities, and the primary program. We spent Saturday at the pumpkin patch (which I will post more images of later), we picked-out our pumpkins (which we will carve tonight), and we enjoyed watching the kids (all three of them!) singing with the primary. During the primary program, I especially enjoyed William sticking both fingers up his nose, and flapping his tie at his friends. :-) The Bishop mentioned how much he enjoyed watching William -- and it wasn't because he was standing with his arms down at his sides singing. :-) Ahhhh . . . Sunbeams. They are the best.

More on the pumpkin patch and the primary program, later! For now, let's just do pictures!

A family shot at the farm. It was a warm day!

Pictures with Pumpkins on Primary Program Day.

Daniel now . . . age 8

Daniel 4 years ago . . . age 4

William now . . . age 4

William 4 years ago . . . age 6 months

Silly-William

He has always been silly. :-) (And extremely cute, too!)

Sammi now . . . age 10

Sammi 4 years ago . . . age 6

They grow . . .

Too Fast!

Sammi and Mommy

Mommy and the boys

Love these kiddos!

I LOVE this time of year, it is SO beautiful!

I am so grateful for my family. They are everything to me.

For Grandma . . .

Sammi Sunshine -- 5th Grade

Dan the Man -- Third Grade

Silly Willy -- Preschool with Mom

Sammi started playing basketball on the school team . . . it is super cute to watch! It is her first experience with playing on a team, and it is pretty entertaining. She is one of the shortest members of their team, which really surprised me. I thought Sammi was getting super tall -- but she is a shrimp. For now. She will grow and then she will be dangerous. ;-) wink!

She is awesome at defense and annoys the crud out of whoever she is guarding. We just need to work on getting that ball in her hands . . . that is the fun stuff! The girls are all so cute. (Notice the size difference in the teams! We got pummeled by the Grizzlys!)

Trying to get a good picture in the gym is rough . . . Erin, any luck??? If so, send me anything you got! PLEASE!

You can tell her head is in the game . . . or on her friend's nails. :-)

Good times !

Quality Education

I was going through Daniel's school binder and I found one of his "Accelerated Reader" progress reports. The students get to choose a book to read and then they take a computer-quiz to test their comprehension of the book.

Daniel's book of choice (and I am NOT making this up!):

Captain Underpants . . . Booger Boy, Part 2 . . . Nostril Nuggets.

Yeah, I know.

Wow.

I am proud to say that he got a 10/10 on his commprehension of Nostril Nuggets.

It is so nice to know that my children are getting a quality education.

It may be that classics like Tom Sawyer are banned from school libraries, but we can rest assured that our children are being taught from the very best literature of our day. These books will shape the minds of the generation to come.

Thanks, Captain Underpants . . . the future is in good hands.

71 years

Today is my Dad's birthday. He is 71 years old!

He is the most fantastic father ever.

I have come to love and admire him, even more, as time goes by.

My Dad

"The Little Cowboy"

Ready to play!

Grandma Lindquist and young Ed (my dad) in the driveway on J Street in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Grandpa Lindquist, my dad, and his baby brother Kent

A youthful Ed (my dad) and his brother Kent

My dad is an educator and has been involved in teaching -- in some form -- all his life.

Kent and my Dad in front of their J street home

Dad's graduation from college. A first for his family.

Though my dad is often thought of as "studious and wise" -- in reality, he is just ready to have some fun! (It is the cowboy in him.) :-)

I am guessing he is talking to someone "important" on the phone . . .

A handsome young man and a view of J street in the 1960's

Ahhh . . . young love.

Mom and Dad, before they were married.

Notice my mother brought "color" into my dad's life. :-)

Another view of J street in 1980

Dad holding my sister Beth, and me (the baby).

A family photo . . . My parents had a 10 year gap between children, so it often looked like the older siblings were the younger siblings parents. :-)

My mom, Dad, Kary, Amy (sister-in-law), Bob

John, Beth, Mari, and baby nephew Kevin.

A more recent family photo . . .

The "little cowboy's" children all grew-up and all 5 were married in the temple.

The "little cowboy" is now known as "grandpa".

The "young love" couple 40+ years later. You can see how much my dad loves my mother . . .

More proof that Dad just wants to have fun . . . :-)

Stanley, Idaho

This image is the epitome of dad . . . it is the look on his face. (Look closely.)

He just discovered something that looks fun, now he wants to try it, and he wants everyone else to come and enjoy it, too.

And so . . . he bought tickets for everyone to ride! And we all enjoyed it -- A LOT!!

We cruised around downtown San Diego, in style, singing Christmas Carols. :-) It was magic -- thanks to my dad.

My dad likes to tell jokes/be silly . . . you can tell my mom thinks he's funny. :-)

(Mom -- you look hot in this picture.)

Still deeply in love, the little cowboy and his girl are serving a mission in New Brunswick, Canada

Ahhhh . . . Dad.

I sure love you. We all do.

You are a rock of a man, and yet -- you are a great, big, sweetheart. You always want to make others happy. I was thinking the other day, about how you always brought home flowers for mom, pretty much weekly. It seemed so normal to me -- but now I realize how special it was.

Thank you for loving mom the way you do. You will always be remembered for your kindness and generosity. I will always remember how much you love mom. It means a lot to me. Thank you.

You are the best. Truly. Thank you for being my dad.

The "Little Cowboy"

All grown-up and still ready to play!

We love you! Happy Birthday Dad!

I am the BEST Mom ever . . .

(Click on image to make it larger)

Here is my Proof.

First, let me explain . . . A few nights ago, Daniel came to me at about 9:30 and said he needed to have a talent to share with his class, for the following day. Ugh. It was late, I was tired, and feeling a little sick and ready to relax -- NOT ready to plan a song and dance routine! We ran down a list of ideas: singing, dancing, telling jokes, making faces, drawing pictures, etc., etc., but nothing sounded golden to Daniel.

Charles was lying on the couch, reading, and he kept saying, "Just make a paper airplane."

No way. Lame idea.

Meanwhile, Sammi came out of her room (after being told numerous times to go to bed) and she kept throwing out ideas, distracting and frustrating Daniel. (Daniel frustrated is like watching the Incredible Hulk turn green.) William was also running around in circles, squawking -- not helping.

I needed quiet to think and be creative and we all told Sammi to, "Go to bed, right now!" and "She was not helping!" So, off she went to her room where she drew this dramatic picture (above) and she came back out to the living room, and set it on my lap.

Charles and I had a good chuckle over the picture, as Sammi was being dramatic and working the tears -- she was hoping daddy would break down his defenses and feel sorry for her. (He is a sucker for Sammi's drama. Wrapped around her finger, he is.) Somehow she weaseled her way next to his side on the couch. Charles has gone soft in his old age.

As you can see from Sammi's interpretive art, I am a beautiful, caring, kind, loving mother -- the epitome of glory and motherhood. (I just LOVE the look on my face!) Charles is reading and "ignoring everything" as every good dad should. And her brothers, well, you can tell they adore her. Oh, and take a good look at Sammi . . . small, in a vulnerable position, crying on the floor. How very sad for her. So very, very, sad.

Her well-crafted plan worked. She knew she could win over her daddy with dramatics (and creative art) and stay up later. He just does not understand the female-mind like I do. I understand Sammi too well to fall for her stunts. I was the queen at licking my fingers and smearing tears on my face. Worked. Every. Time. :-)

Sammi is lucky that Daddy does not know the things I know about the minds of little girls -- he will bend to her will, because he does not understand. She is just lucky that I am a push-over, when daddy falls for being a push-over. I just can't resist when Charles goes soft. He weakens my defenses. :-)

I just wanted to record this picture so I could remind myself, and let everyone else know, I am the . . .

Best. Mom. Ever.

And now you know it for sure.

When all was said and done . . . Daniel made a paper airplane for his talent.

Family History Thrills

I am a Family History fan.

I mean, I LOVE IT!!!

The other night, I was doing a little research and I came across this gem (above) on http://www.familysearch.org/.

Go there and EXPLORE your family!!! It can be SO FUN!

This particular item is of interest to me because it is Charles' great,

great, grandpa, John F. Boes, who lived in Salt Lake City, Utah back in the early 1900's. As far as we know none of Charles ancestors were Mormon, but after some research we know they lived closely amongst them!

Just check out the address on this death certificate --he lived just a few blocks from Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake. John F. Boes was a Jewlery maker and his store (which is something I have been trying to locate and this certificate had the answer!) was located on 311 South Main in downtown SLC! I can only imagine he sold many wedding rings to those getting married in the temple. Perhaps those rings are on the fingers of lots of Latter-day Saints and passed down through the ages . . . who knows? His jewlery could be anywhere! I wish I could find out somehow . . .

And who knew he, "dropped dead hunting rabbits"?? I mean, this kind of information is so priceless. Love it.

We now know where he is buried -- in the City Cemetary in Salt lake. Knowing this we can pay our respects next time we go there! We had no idea he had family buried there. We have driven by the cemetary many times. We thought most of Charles' family were buried on the East Coast -- not UTAH! I am excited to go and find the grave. He also has another grandfather we found that is buried in the Mt. Olivet cemetary in SLC. My ancestors are buried there as well. They are grave-neighbors. :-)

This census has both his great, great, grandpa's families on it, they lived in the same building in downtown Salt Lake City -- 1st avenue. That is where Charles' Grandma and Grandpa must have met -- they were neighbors!

And MOM -- I noticed the Census worker's name is Harry Cram?? Any relation? Wouldn't that be weird??

Anyhow, remember when you are doing family history, don't just see the names and dates -- SEE THE PEOPLE. They are YOUR people and they lived facinating, full lives. They deserve our attention! We are here because of them and their sacrifices. It is fun to find them. I have discovered census information, missing people on our pedigree, ship passengar info, priceless pictures, and unknown information that has made us feel connected to our past. It is fantastic.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again. It takes patience, and time. But if you like to spend time on the computer doing pointless things, maybe you can transfer that energy into doing very, very, lasting and meaningful things. FAMILY HISTORY!

If you ever need help, I am your girl. Just let me know. I don't know everything, but I know some things. :-)

Remember it is more than just gathering names, it is about gathering stories and information and the internet has amazing tools at our fingertips. I have just google-searched and found missing people in our lineage.

Find some family names and dates and then search out their stories -- you might be surprised what you find!

Clot

Blood clots are no fun.

I mentioned that baby number 4 might have to be our last. Well, the reason is: my health. Back in the day (8 years ago), I was pregnant with our second child, Daniel. During that pregnancy, I had the unfortunate side-effect of acquiring varicose veins on my lower legs. (If you were wondering why I never wear shorts, well, that is why!) The veins did NOT go away after giving birth, darn it.

My doctor informed me -- all those years ago -- that they would likely get worse with each pregnancy.

He was right.

When I was pregnant with our third child, William, I was in super-health. I felt fantastic and I was a healthy weight. But within the first month of pregnancy, and no weight gain -- new veins appeared! I was so upset, I thought it was the extra weight and pressure of baby-gut, but no . . . it was the HORMONES. The veins flared up throughout the 9 months of pregnancy and despite my great efforts to run and be healthy my additional veins were there to stay.

Within the first 2 months of this pregnancy, and because of my bodies response to pregnancy hormones -- I have obtained a clot in one of my veins. (Never had one before.) It is right above my left knee, over a fairly bothersome vein.

I went to the doctor immediately, because I know clots are never a good sign. After an examination, he determined it should not be too serious. My clot is on a superficial vein (a vein near the surface) and it is not at risk of traveling to the deep veins -- which can be a SERIOUS problem. I have been back to the doctor, twice, for him to keep an eye on it. For now, it seems to be OK. It should not pose a serious threat to my health. Let's hope, eh?

During this pregnancy I have to take very good care of my legs.

These are my rules:

• I have to wear compression stockings through pregnancy (FUN!) I am ordering them today. I HATE them, but they are supposed to help circulation. (I had some last pregnancy, too, but I was not super diligent in wearing them daily.) I HAVE to this time.
• It is super to keep running/walking daily -- the more circulation stimulated, the better
• I cannot sit or stand for more than an hour at a time, and I need to elevate my legs as often as possible
• I have to take 1 baby aspirin a day until the clot goes away (it may take months). I hate taking medicine. It scares me. But I am following doctors orders.
• I need to keep an eye on my clot and make sure it does not grow, so far, so good.

Sometimes, it hurts. The clot can feel like a rope is tied around my leg cutting off my circulation, and then it feels like someone is gliding a lit match against my leg -- it BURNS. I just woke-up a few weeks ago, and the clot and burning was there. It has been my enemy ever since.

I HAVE been running consistently (4-5 days a week) for the last 2 months and I feel fine. My focus this pregnancy is my leg health -- obviously, it HAS to be! Sometimes when I am out running, I just think that each step I take is helping me. I remind myself that each step is providing the circulation that I need to strengthen my legs and my veins. It is not just about getting in shape and looking good, it is about my insides, my inner health. I HAVE to do it. Running/walking/biking are some of the best options for me.

My thoughts are consumed with good circulation -- something I never really considered before. Ahhhh . . . pregnancy. It is a great time to learn lessons of sacrifice and giving of yourself for others, literally. Good thing the babies are worth it. :-) Sacrificing your body/health for someone else can be a really difficult thing. No doubt.

I am off to order my compression stockings (basically hard-core tights that squeeze your legs to stimulate circulation) . . . I cannot wait to wear those nasty things again! Yee-Ha! At least they come in normal colors now. They were in weird suntan colors before. Now they come in white, black, etc. Black is my friend. Yes, I think I will get black. :-)

So, this is why number 4 baby may be our last. I honestly live with a bit of fear everyday -- I have a CLOT on my leg! YIKES! I am just not sure what would happen if I got pregnant again. My veins have absolutely gotten worse with each pregnancy. I am not sure if I can risk it another time. It was a fear of mine going into it this time. Looks like my fears were legit.

When I am through with babies, they do have procedures that remove/strip the veins and I will look into it more seriously when the time comes. In the meantime . . . shorts are NOT my friends. I am sorry you will never have the privilege of seeing my legs. ;-) wink!

One day . . . one day . . . I will be whole again.

For now I await the arrival of my compression tights, oh boy!