Thanksgiving 2015

This Thanksgiving week was all about spending time with some of those who I am most thankful for.  Roy went down to Utah County on Tuesday night and visited with Denise Rasband and all her kids.  They were all in town for the holiday.  I had a previous book club commitment, so I didn't go with him.  After dad visited with Denise, he went and saw his mom in rehab, and then helped his dad hang Christmas lights.  Wednesday the holiday weekend began.  Jieun, Caitlyn and I took Hyeji, Doyeon, Gunnar and Ollie ice skating.  They all did a really good job and we had a great time.  Afterwards, Jieun took all the kids to McDonalds to warm up and get something to eat.  Caitlyn and I went home and I had a great afternoon shopping with Roy.  We went to World Market, TJ Max, and the new health food store in Bountiful that recently opened.  That evening we watched "The Cokeville Miracle" with Eric and Lonette Anderson and their son Derrick (their daughter Annika went with our daughter to The Hunger Games).  This replaced his normal home teaching visit and was a lot more fun.  After they left, we spent  a couple  of hours getting food ready for Thanksgiving dinner.  I made my mom's shrimp cocktail drink recipe (one sip and you can't help thinking about her), and our traditional pomegranate salad.  Dad worked on the turkey and the dressing.  We finally got to bed at about 11:30. 

Thanksgiving was wonderful.  We started out the day with a nice hike up the Kenny Creek trail.  Dan and Jieun and Caitlyn came with us.  Nick didn't see the invite text until we were halfway up the trail, and Adrienne and her family were already skiing at Snow Basin.  I'm really glad we got a hike in because that was the warmest it was all weekend, and it wasn't exactly warm.  It was a great way to start the day. 

Kenny Creek Trail hike with Dan and Jieun

We definitely felt an emptiness during the day on Thanksgiving, because for most of the last 16 years, since we moved to Utah, my dad was with us (my mom, too before 2004).  We will also really miss him on Christmas Eve (and we'll never forget the time he cracked open his crab leg and sent it flying onto Lisa Green's plate).  We had everyone in the family for dinner except Elise, Andy and Max and we also really missed them.  We had one extra guest.  Nick's friend John.  Dad invited him when he was at our house last week and he was a little vague in his answer, but he showed up and I think he had a nice time.

Elise had Thanksgiving dinner with her mother and father-in-law and Andy's grandmother.

Friday, we went ice skating again.  It's fun to share my hobby with my grandkids.  They all did great and we got everyone on ice skates except Ruby and Finn. (and Nick, Sara, and Ori because they weren't there).  It's nice that the Rec center allows strollers.  I was glad we went skating again because the first time I didn't get any pictures.  The most amazing ice skater was Yuna.  She's not even 2 and she progressed to where she could go at least 10 feet before falling on her bottom.  You could see her start to get wobbly and she'd catch herself and rebalance.  That's pretty amazing for a child that age.

Ice skating with the family

  

After ice skating, we went home for Thanksgiving leftovers, and then we went downtown and shared Roy's hobby with the grandkids--the annual trip to the Train Shoppe.  The trains on display were even more amazing this year.  They'd redone the large train and set it on a terraced terrain with real water running through it.  They had Santa (a creepy one, according to Adrienne), and a new little shooting gallery as well as a horse and wagon for the kids to ride (they loved it).  All the kids and several of the adults got a ride on the 1 1/2 inch scale electric powered steam engine.  Ori loved it so much she asked for another ride, so all the grandchildren got to go again.

Train Shoppe train ride

There are several activities at the Train Shoppe.  This is a shooting game

Ruby

Doyeon, Ollie, Ori, Nick, Hyeji, Ruby and Matt

And Santa was there (Hyeji and Doyeon)

Crista treated us to homemade pizza Friday evening, then Matt and Roy spent the rest of the evening helping Nick get his new oversized couch into their home.  It wouldn't have taken so long, but it required a lot of ingenuity to get it into the house--since Nick didn't think to measure the door frame.   Crista and I enjoyed playing the violin and the piano together.  Sara made Ricotta pancakes for Crista and Matt and Dan and his kids Saturday as a thank you for the help.  Dad and I were invited but we stayed home with Ruby so she could nap. 

It barely fits in his house let alone through the door :)

Saturday night was wonderful.  We had Messiah tickets for those who expressed an interest in going (Nick and Sara).  We had dinner first and then proceeded to the Sing Along.  It is hard music and a lot of fun following along and trying to sing the choruses.  It's also a great way to begin the Holiday season, with music completely focused on the Savior.   Crista and Matt ate with us before they headed back to Logan so they could be home for church Sunday. 

Nick and Sara

Crista and Matt

Roy and Catharine

Nick and Ruby

To end the week, Jieun accompanied Caitlyn and I in our ward as we played, "I know that my Redeemer Lives."  It's a lot of fun to play music with my family and to have the opportunity to perform it.   Roy and I admittedly didn't get a lot out of the talks, since we were a little distracted by four of our granddaughters. 

Right now, Roy and I are on our way down to visit grandma and grandpa.  We stopped for a half hour at the Care Center in Salt Lake to see Noel.  He has a good attitude, but is still in pretty rough shape.  He can't put any weight on his leg and though he has his turtle shell off, he has to be really careful and can't bend, twist or lift.  Lori was there visiting with him when we arrived.  She says she is pretty lonely with him in the care center all the time. 

We gave her a dog so she won't be so lonely.  One that won't make any messes!

We're leaving Thursday morning to go and spend a little time with Elise, Andy and Max.  Andy will probably be spending a lot of time studying, but it will be nice to see them.

                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                           

Signs of the times

Last Saturday I mentioned that we went out to lunch with Dan.  What I didn't mention was that at the Brigham Young park on the corner of State Street and 100 North were swarms of people.  We wondered what was going on, knowing that it would be very unusual for a concert to be held in the middle of the day.  Today (Wednesday--Nov. 18) I read in (Sunday's) paper that the people at the park that day were resigning their memberships in the Church.  I am including this in my blog/journal because it seems an interesting historical event.  We know that as we get closer to the last days, there will be a great sifting of the wheat and the tares.  Most of the people at the park that day were inactive members, non-members, or members who had long ago renounced their memberships, but there was a handful of people who said that they went to church every week.  What this says to me is that their testimonies were weak and they had been "carried about by every wind of doctrine." (see Ephesians 4:14).  Though it's always been important to have our own testimony, the days where you can just ride along on the backs of other church members are gone.  Now it is imperative to have your own testimony.
(question: which general authority said that the number of people leaving the church is really very small?)
 I am reading a book that was written nearly 20 years ago by S. Michael Wilcox.  He talks of the actions that lead to a society being in the fulness of iniquity.  These are Wilcox' examples (very briefly):  The generation of the flood--Violence; The Jaredites--Secret Combinations; The Nephites of Mormon's Time--Without Civilization; Sodom and Gomorrah--Perversion of the Procreative Gift; The Cannanites--Fascination with Evil; The Israelites'--Worship of False Gods (worshiping materialism and military might), Then he adds oppression of the poor, and finally rejection of the Good and the refusal to repent, (Ammonihah and Zarahemla).  On this rejection, Wilcox writes, "The rejection of the righteous involves more than rejecting people or stoning prophets; it encompasses the rejection of principles, commandments, values, and ethics.  A fulness-of-iniquity society fights to destroy the very laws and morals that inspire the righteous..."
He adds, "It is often suggested by the opponents of spiritual truth that a people can flourish in a moral society devoid of religious convictions, but history has proven otherwise.  No people have been able to create a moral climate independent of a religious base.  The scriptures especially testify to this truth."
As we read the news lately, we can see that our society has definitely become more violent.  Just in the past few days there have been bombings in France, a hostage situation in French owned Mali, another shooting in New Orleans...Unfortunately, I could go on.  I could probably give examples of each of the above categories but I'm sure you can come up with your own.
My plea to my family is that you will continually study and read the scriptures.  They are true.  Say prayers daily--pray that you may hold fast to the iron rod because "Satan desires to have you that he may sift you as wheat." (See Luke 22:31).

This week was rather uneventful.  Tuesday night was Caitlyn's Young Women in Excellence.  Wednesday and Thursday, Roy was out of town for business.  Friday, we went up to Logan to visit Crista, and Saturday, with the help of Nick, Dan, and Jieun, we got out the Christmas stuff--train boards and all.  Thanks for your help you guys.  We got it out a little early because #1, the train needs to be out longer because it's so much work, and #2, we will be gone the first week of December and have parties at our home right when we get back.  Also, it was good to get it ALL out while we had help :)

Sunday night Nick fixed dinner at our home for all of us as well as a couple of his friends.  He did it all because his good friend Toby was in town.  However, Toby's kids were sick so he ended up coming alone and only for a few minutes.  Ollie got sick, too, so Adrienne and her family stayed home. Nick had a couple of other friends there that he knew from college.   Thanks for a nice dinner Nick.

After everyone else had gone home except Nick, Sara and their friends, Roy and Jennie had a chance to read to Ori.

Roy and Ori

Jennie and Ori

I didn't take many pictures this week, but Elise sent us a couple of Max

Happy Thanksgiving coming up!  It's a great time to be extra mindful of our many blessings, though of course, we know we should have gratitude always for all that the Lord has given us.  I am so grateful for so many things.  The gospel and my family are at the top of the list.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it on this blog, but I had my violin tuned up--restrung with handpicked strings, a new soundpost put in, and a new bridge put on.  I have been practicing quite a bit and having a lot of fun with the accompaniments on Youtube.  One of the pieces I'm working on is Mozart, Concerto in G for violin and piano.  If I'd had Youtube when I was young I'd probably be a much better violinist today because it makes it so fun to practice!

9 Tidbits of news

News for this week:

1) On Friday, Grandma and Grandpa Rasband went to Heber City for some sort of reception.  As they were walking through the line, grandma fell and broke her arm.  Grandpa took her to the hospital there, and they said they couldn't admit her because they didn't accept Medicare.  He then took her to Provo hospital, and though she's been there many times, and we don't really know why, they turned them away also.  Grandpa took her home, and on the way into their house, grandma fell again.  They went back to the hospital, where she was finally admitted.  At first they thought she had also broken her hip, but determined later that it was only bruised.  Dad went down Friday night and sat with her so grandpa could go home and rest.  The two of us went down again last night, and dad went down there again tonight with Jennie and Caitlyn.  She has a CNA assigned to her 24/7 because she is a fall risk. Grandma had surgery yesterday and they put a plate and screws in her arm.  She seems to be doing all right, at least physically.  Dad will continue to go down for a few nights as he is needed.  Nan Theobald gets back in town on Tuesday and will be able to help, then.  Al is coming for Thanksgiving.  Grandma will go to a rehab center for at least 30 days when she's released from the hospital.

This is an x-ray of her upper arm, thoroughly plated.

2)  Doyeon, at the age of 4, has had an orthodontic appliance put in her mouth to push her lower jaw back (I may have that wrong, but she has an under-bite that they're trying to fix). Dan and Jieun took dad and I to lunch on Saturday.  Poor Doyeon hasn't had much to eat since they put the appliance in place.  Before we went to lunch Dan and Jieun bought her a Jamba Juice.  She wanted purple, and the only purple one had peanut butter in it. (No wonder she wouldn't eat it :)  

3) Adrienne had a hard week because Ollie is suffering from another ear infection and will likely need to have his tubes re-inserted.  Gunnar lost a filling from his tooth and was in a lot of pain.  Adrienne, overburdened with all of this, backed her car out of her driveway into a neighbor's car.  Se la vie.  When  you have several children, the odds are that you will have weeks like this.  I tended the boys on Thursday for a couple of hours, so at least she had a little break. Ollie kept asking me where Hyeji and Doyeon were (aren't they always at my house?).  We Face-timed them to make Ollie happy, and soon they were at our house, too.  Jieun helped me with Finn when he got super tired and unhappy.  Adrienne had made chicken] lasagna for our dinner that night (I guess she feels like she has to pay me :)  We all ate together.  I left at 7:00 for our Stake Relief Society night, and they all went home to bed.   

4) I taught 3 water aerobics classes-Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.  I haven't done that in a while.  I was actually pretty sore and tired on Saturday.  That may be partly because I had to be at staff meeting at 6:30 a.m.  I work extra hard as the teacher because I'm responsible to try and give everyone a good workout.  

5) Sometime during this past week, Bean, one of Nick's cute little bunnies, died.  Sorry, Nick.

6) Crista sent me a picture of Ruby with the caption, "Those Cheeks.  It is such a cute picture that I made it my wallpaper on my phone (I switch out pictures of the grandchildren occasionally).

7) Elise had sent me a cute picture of Max a couple of weeks ago that I missed.  He was helping his daddy with the fence.  We Face-timed for a little bit today.  Elise is looking pretty and pregnant.   Andy is fully involved in tithing settlement as a counselor in the Bishopbric.  That made them late getting home from church.  Max looked pretty sleepy.  

8) Adrienne and I played the duet "How Great Thou Art" in her ward.  We have now done it in various combinations of violinists at Uncle Bill Berry's funeral, in my home ward, Dan's ward, Crista's ward, and Adrienne's ward.  We're on to the next piece.  "I know that my Redeemer lives."  Cailtyn and I will be playing that the Sunday after Thanksgiving in our ward.

9)  Dad and I have tickets to Houston Texas for the first week in December (I may need a little help with Caitlyn that week--hint hint).  

"Feed my Sheep"

I don't have a lot of events to write about from this past week.  Tuesday I received an email from Nan (or David), that one of my relatives, Eleanor Christensen Brandt, had died and they were burying her in Springville on Wednesday.  They were going to have a short reception, then a short "sharing of memories" before they went to the cemetery to lay her to rest.  This is the link to her obituary if any of you are interested. Eleanor Christensen Brandt  The reason that I felt compelled to go down to the reception was because, though I had probably either never met her, or met her only once, I used to write pen pal letters to her mother, my grandfather's sister. Clara Clyde Christensen.  I am pretty sure that the deceased was not active in the church, nor her brother. Were her parents?  I wish I could ask my dad because I really don't know.  I am thinking that if they were, they were not super active.  If you read the obituary, you'll have seen that though she married, she never had any children.  I have to say that I have never been to a sadder funeral.  I am sure she had a good life, and she lived into old age, but there were a total of maybe 20 people at the reception, including her brother and his wife, and one of their four children. I doubt any of the other attendees knew her any better than I did.  In the life sketch, given by Ralph (the brother), he said that in 1998 she and her husband were robbed, and after that Eleanor grew a little bit reclusive, though he, Ralph, wasn't very aware of this.  In 2000 her husband died, and she became more reclusive.  A few years after that she cut her leg on some new books she had bought.  She treated the cut herself and it got infected.  She finally got medical help, but she soon lost her ability to walk because of the injury.  At that point she went to a nursing home in California, and a year before she died, she went to a nursing home in Kentucky to be near her brother.  At the reception Ralph read thoughts from two friends and her youngest nephew,  One of the friends was her mailman (female).  I just found it so sad that there was no one but her brother and his family to mourn her death or rejoice in her life.  I am just so very grateful for my family of 8 children, my siblings--all 6 of them--my nieces and nephews--all 37 (on my side) of them.  As much as my dad loved his family, as much as I love mine, I don't think we realize how important posterity is--on this side of the veil and the next.  I don't know if Eleanor and her husband wanted children.  If they did, I'm sure it was very hard that they never had that blessing in their lives.

In Relief Society today we spoke of feeding the Savior's sheep.  There are many ways to do this.  We often think of it in terms of missionary work, but we are all the Savior's sheep.  We need to reach out to others who are lonely, sad, sick, or afraid... I recently finished reading my dad's autobiography. He lived an exemplary life.  It was interesting for me to read his thoughts.  There were times when he made mistakes, and he regretted these times--the times when maybe he didn't treat his fellowman as he felt he should. For example--this excerpt from his book:

"When high school life began as a freshman, I had an attitude and a little too much confidence
 Certainly, I felt that way when I started high school, thinking I was an adult, not just a teen-aged kid.  It didn't take long for me to become disabused of this notion.  I did something terrible on the very first dance date that was an embarrassment to me for a good while.  I took a girl whose name was Phyllis, and I thought she was one of the prettiest in the class.  I didn't drive a car to this dance because I was only fifteen, but of necessity depended upon someone else.  At the dance, when the kids at school found out that I brought Phyllis to the freshman ball, two or three of them came up and said, "She has a reputation.  How come you asked her?"  After I found that out, it frightened me and I didn't want anything to do with her.  I didn't see her again during that dance because I thought her reputation was going to pass off onto me, so I abandoned her.  I never found out how she got home.  I've regretted that ever since.  I should have been thoughtful, but I was still a dumb kid, not an adult, and certainly not yet a gentleman.  She never talked to me after that and I deserved it.  I didn't stop to realize the ramifications of that neglect.  I was the one who suffered most and still regret it.  Surprisingly, the matter never surfaced again and I didn't hear a comment about it from anyone".

My dad was such a humble, repentant, man at the end of his life.  I really felt that humility as I read his book.
I have also had a couple of experiences in my life when I didn't live up to who I should be and I have some regret.  One time, while we were running the theater in Atlanta, we were fixing a big turkey dinner for the cast on closing night.  A man came in, begging.  He had a sign that said he was deaf and blind and he wanted money.  We were actually pretty poor at the time, but I could have given him a few dollars, or given him a plate of dinner, but one of the actors said to me, "You need to get rid of him, he could hurt your business."  So I took the man's arm and led him outside.  I do regret that.  I wish I had ignored the actor, and offered something to the man.  Another regret I have is from early in my school years.  There was a girl in my elementary school that was quite homely and she had a lot of moles on her face.  All of the kids were mean to her.  I wasn't that mean, but neither was I inclusive. One afternoon I was bored, so I called her number and said some mean things to her.  I don't remember what I said.  I called her again and said something else mean.  Afterwards, I immediately felt sorry, so I called again.  Her mother answered and asked me who it was.  I told her, and she put her daughter on the phone and I apologized.  Still, I am sure the damage was done.  She had a hard life and never fit in well.  She finally married at about the age of 40, and the man she married had several kids.  I am glad she found some happiness.  I am sorry I was one of those who was unkind.

I saw some of the family this week.  Adrienne and Jieun were over on Thursday afternoon to practice the violin piece we'll be playing next week in Adrienne's ward.  I didn't take any pictures, but I found these pictures Adrienne sent me a couple of weeks ago that I didn't see in time to include in the last newsletter.

This was from the Green's weekend in St. George
AJ had some business down there and they shared
a Condo with a couple of families.

Dan sent me a few pictures from their Saturday.

Crista was going to come down while Matt went camping with the scouts, but he found he needed the car, so she didn't come, which was just as well because it was so cold that Matt actually ended up roasting marshmallows in their backyard and not camping at all.  Matt is the new Young Men's president in their ward.  Good luck, Matt!

I got a picture of Ori when she came over with her dad to borrow a cookie sheet Sunday evening.  We ended up seeing everyone of the Davis County kids on Sunday evening.  

 

Once again, I just want to say how grateful I am for family, for all of you! I am grateful for the love and relationships I enjoy in my life and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ that gives me the guidelines necessary to get the most out of these wonderful relationships. 

Halloween

I've decided I'm a very tangential individual.  I sit down to write my newsletter (or read my scriptures, or to do any other specific task), and I first look at my emails, then at Good Reads, If I have my phone I might play a game, then I'll maybe spend a minute or two on Facebook, and finally, when I get my act together to start writing--it's time for dinner!

Halloween really got its start this week at Charlotte Cook's annual Witches Tea (or biannual from now on, if what Phil's letter says is true).  Crista came down from Logan with Ruby so she could go with us.  Jieun and Adrienne were able to get baby sitters and we all went together.

Jieun, Ruby, Crista, Adrienne, Finn

Catharine, Jieun, Adrienne, Crista, Ruby

Catharine and Ruby

It was fun to see all the witches! and Charlotte's daughters--all except Natalie, and her daughter in-law, and her mom and sister (I didn't see Christie.  I'm not sure if she was there or not).  Of course, everything was delicious and tempting and we enjoyed ourselves very much.  We each took a delectable caramel apple home.  We also got a chance to see Cam's playhouse up close.  It's pretty awesome.  

Caitlyn, Crista, Ruby, Adrienne, Jieun

Everyone stayed at my home for the next several hours to visit with Crista and Ruby.  Jieun braided Adrienne's and Crista's hair.  We missed Sara and Ori because Sara was painting her basement and couldn't get away.

I got my Halloween quilt finished just in time.  I didn't get a chance to hang it, though.  Maybe next year.

Thursday, Roy and I were able to use my dad's tickets to the Hale Center Theater.  We saw Big Fish. At first we were wondering what kind of play we'd gotten ourselves into, but then it got really good and had a good message.  We saw Laura Stayner, Sharon Jensen and Jan Allen there.  They buy season tickets together.  I guess maybe our bishop doesn't like plays.  Anyway, thanks to my dad for his gift of the tickets.  Each of the Utah siblings got two tickets to the various plays.  I hope they all got used.

Friday night dad and I attended the High Priest Dinner that the stake leaders put on.  The entertainment was a singer from Lehi named David Beck.  His first song, "You make me feel so young."  He then explained that he sang that because, though he is a high priest, he is definitely on the younger end of the spectrum.  He likes being with the high priests because, yes-they make him feel so young.  He said he just turned 40.

Saturday, Roy, Caitlyn and I went on a quick hike up the Kenny Creek Trail.  We had a good time.  It's a steep hike, but not too long.  I always get a mental block when Roy suggests this activity because it's so steep, but I always enjoy it.  We used our new walking sticks and they seemed to help.

 On Saturday, Roy got to watch Ollie in a soccer game.  We had plans to work on organizing the basement, but the day got away from us.

Dad said he had fun watching Ollie run around the soccer field.

Roy and Finn

Ollie

Our family all had some fun and unique costumes for the holiday:  The picture of Max handcuffed was from earlier in the week, and he had done it to himself, but I thought it matched this adorable picture of  Doyeon--Cop on the Swat team.  She was very  proud of her costume!  It's very likely if Max had been around, she would have handcuffed him.

Max in handcuffs

Doyeon

Trick or Treaters at the door

Jennie--this is a bit too gory for me.

Believe it or not--this costume did not win a prize.  Matt was a door "mat" Crista was the door.  The cat was lying by the mat, in case you can't tell.  They didn't even get a runner up prize.  The company Matt works for gives great prizes for the best costume, so everyone puts in as much effort as Matt and Crista did.  I guess the competition is pretty stiff.

These are the trick or treaters who came to our house.  Nick and Sara had giraffe tails that you can't see in this picture.  I dressed as a witch.  I figured since I dressed up for the Witches Tea, I should dress up for my grandchildren, too.