Spicy Butt

My Baby Bailee Jo is in Russia! So far away.  So today Jory was at the house and my ipad rang and it was Bailee Jo Skyping!  We got on and showed her Gwen and Bailee started crying.  Oh it was so sad...I thought for a moment that Bailee was homesick...well, yes she was but not for me but for her host Mom and family! (FYI...Bailee left for Moscow, Russia on the 28th of August, 2012, and today is October 5th.)  So her host Mom and two kids went to Greece on vacation and Bailee is not allowed to stay home alone with the dad so ILP found a family for her to stay with for two weeks.  The family is a mom and dad and an 8 year old girl and they live outside of Moscow.  She is very "uncomfortable" because the family does not speak English and she does not speak Russian.  She has her own room there that is quite large and she gets to sleep on a pullout couch bed rather than a futon so she is happy about that.  She told us she has to now ride on a "bus van thing" to her school and it is about 25 miles and it cost money and she has to yell the address, which she can't say very well..."I just don't understand" to the bus driver so he will know where to stop so she can get off. Jory told her that was an easy fix...just go to some hot guy and point to the address and he will have to say it and then say I don't speak Russian and get him to say it several times...and there you go you talked to a hot guy and found out how to say the address to the bus driver! 

OK for "spicy butt" she told us several different words she knows in Russian and one sounded like she was saying spicy butt but it is really "spasiba", which means thank you.  Well that made her laugh and lifted her spirits...as only Jory can. Anyway, we visited for 3 hours, which ended at 2:00 a.m. Russian Time.  She said she doesn't sleep very good there and she only gets approximately 3 hours of sleep each night.

She is craving American food, especially soft cookies, because all they have there are shortbread cookies and they are just glorified crackers. The other day she and I were skyping and I showed her a milk chocolate pecan bear from the Chocolate Factory and she started to cry. Although she thinks Russian food is good, it is not as good as American food.  She dreams of food she wants to eat when she gets home...the first think she wants to do is got to In-n-Out Burger of all places.  She wants to bake and bake and bake and eat and eat and eat.  She has found a new delight and that is Sweetened Condensed Milk with milk and chocolate milk powder...we're thinking that is pretty dang rich.

Well, needless to say, it was sad to leave her today but she needed to go to bed and I had to go get groceries because Justin called and he said he was on his way up with all the kids.  Of course, I did not have one food item in the house. 

It's been exciting for Bailee to have this Russian experience, teaching children English through the ILP program, but it has been hard not to know she is so far way.  However, she comes in December.  She even admitted today that she misses everybody and she physically misses hugs from everyone.  Russians are not a friendly people and they do not hug, that has been a hard thing.  Last week she said that when they are on the train traveling to church and anywhere, their group is loud and talking and laughing but none of the locals are talking.  She said they do not smile at each other on the streets either.  Everyone pretty much keeps to themselves and they do not look at anyone else.

Today Bailee said that when she speaks people think she is British...however she said that one of the girls in their group is from Texas and she has picked up more of a Texan drawl than a Russian accent. 

By the way,  Tonight Jory, Jack and Gwen are having a "Sleep Over"!  What a fun time for me...so me and Jory are up blogging and stalking...that is what we do best!  

Looking Back in Time

This is my Grandma Finn as a young woman.  Her name is Frankie Roper and she married my Grandpa Ray Finlinson.  I love my Grandmas and now I wish I would have known them much better.  I have been visiting my Aunt Norine, my Dad's sister, and she has taught me a lot about my ancestors and has really increased my interest in family histories.  She has made me want to know my ancestors better. Why didn't I ask my grandmas questions about them and their parents and their teenage live? Why? Why? Why didn't I?

Life's Greatest Blessings

On August 25, 2011, "Baby Gwen" was born. Gwen is a beautiful little girl with a Mom and Dad and big brother Jack that love her very much. I've always said that there is nothing like a newborn baby...oh they smell so good and they snuggle and nuzzle even better. Why is it that you can hold and gaze at a baby all day long...well I would if I could. Gwen weighed 7 lbs. and was 19 inches long when she was born. She, as a newborn, looked just like her mommy Jory when she was a newborn. She is changing every day now and growing into herself; she is a good mix of Jory, Chet and Jack. She is a doll! 

Taylor Boys

This is Grandpa Stewart Taylor standing on "Cutie" and his grandson Justin Taylor standing on "Itsy Bitsy". Like Grandpa - like son - like grandson - like great grandson and/or granddaughter...it just goes on and on once you get that "Taylor Blood" in your veins!

A picture paints a thousand words! What else can be said ...?

Aspen is standing and looking at her Dad thinking...what in the heck are you doing Dad?

This picture was taken at Alex and Brooklyn's birthday party on August 13, 2011.

For Heaven's Sake...

Bailee's RHS Graduation must have really wore me to a frazzle!  I think about what I should be writing all the time but I never actually get down to it.  Now I will have to go through all my photos to remember what I have been doing and what I was going to tell about.

Last weekend was the Burnis and Melva Finlinson Reunion in Delta on Friday and then the Ray and Frankie Finlinson Reunion in Oak City on Saturday.  I will need to give a full detailed report on those events.

Kae and I were in charge of the Burnis Finlinson Reunion.  It was a great success.  Some of the men met at the golf course at 1:00 p.m. and golfed all afternoon.  They had a great time! The rest of us visited and swam at the pool at the Days Inn and then went to the Neighborhood Park and ate hot dogs, had pony rides - courtesy of Justin and his ponies and the generosity of his little girls.  Races were held for all ages. To end the night we completed a family tree for a total of 124 posterity plus Mom and Dad.  Kane and I went over to Justin's for a little visit then back to the motel to sleep.  Jaxon stayed with us since his Mom and the other kids had to go back to Herriman. Saturday morning the "diehards" went back out to golf and had a great time.  We met the other kids at "Leo's" and ate lunch then headed to Oak City.

Uncle Bryce and Aunt Edith's Tribe was in charge of the Ray & Frankie Reunion this year.  They did a great job and had lots to do for everyone interested...Bike Ride from the Canyon, Cemetery Tour, Lunch at the Hall, an Auction...I wanted Aunt Norine's quilt but couldn't hang in there with the bidding...I bought some blocks with pictures on them for $20.  Dinner was served and then the dance with the Austin Lovell Family Band.  A good time was had by all!  It was so fun to see the cousins and all the relatives.  It is especially nice to see my siblings and their kids and my kids and grandkids!   Love!  Love!  Love!

Monday night I went to visit Aunt Norine and LaRae.  It was a nice evening.  Aunt Norine was sewing on her Grandmother's Quilt and she has a little more than half done.  She is amazing!  LaRae was tatting around a handkerchief....she is using a new pattern. Now get this...I sewed together a flower for Aunt Norine's quilt. It will be the odd ball flower in her quilt but that is o.k. because I am pretty proud of myself!

Tuesday night was City Council and tonight Bailee went out to eat at the Olive Garden.  Kane is deeply involved in all the events of Midvale's Harvest Days this week.

Bitter Sweet Day at the Taylors

Tonight we went to Mekayla Robertson's wedding in her friend's huge, gorgeous backyard.  She married Brenner Foster.  Mekayla looked so beautiful!  Her dress was absolutely gorgeous!!! It was a cream color with ruffles, ruffles, ruffles...Carolyn is supposed to get me a picture so when I get it I will post it.  All the little grandgirls were in pretty black dresses and they looked so darling. What a party it was -Mekayla and her friends were dancing up a storm...it was fun to watch! So when we went through the line Jackie told us that Justin's horse Haley died earlier today.  Oh that makes me so sad because I know how devastating that is. It is hard not to get attached to those darn animals.  Justin had told us not too long ago that he felt Haley was a keeper...she was smart and very athletic...I am so sorry for Just and Mckinley...they are pretty darn sad about it.  Larry went through that quite a few times. He had to drag horses off somewhere in the night, horses and colts that died..."Bathroom Beauty" a sick little colt that Larry and the boys tended in Grandma Taylor's bathroom, Peppy...Larry said he was more sad about him dying than he was about himself having cancer.

It was fun to see Justin and Carolyn and their little fam, Jessica and Al, Chase and Teresa, Jeff and Amy...they are all so nice.  Sue Nuttal was helping in the kitchen...she is so nice and so talented.  She was in charge of mine and Kane's wedding food...she is such a great gal.

Tonight I am making brownies and cinnamon twists and queso for Jera's Herriman Day's party tomorrow.  The brownies are missing 1/2 cup of powdered milk...hmmm...will they be good? Hope the weather holds out for tomorrow!

Oh, this afternoon I went to the Riverton Arts Festival at the City Park with Bailee and met Jory and Chet and Jack there.  It was pretty fun!  I took some silverware for some fun surprises!  Trace Robinson, our City Engineer, had his booth with Kettle Corn....he is so nice and always gives us ours free. Bailee and Jack went down the huge slide...twice!  Ester Duncan, retired school teacher from Delta, had a booth and was selling silk scarves that she dyed...I bought a pretty pearl gray one...$15.00.  We all bought colorful thread bracelets...a bonding thing.

Well Taylors I am so sad for your loss. I love you.

The Morning After...

This morning was the morning after City Council Meeting.  It was quite uneventful last night...we had our first Budget Hearing and only one person spoke.  Jim Katzdorn and Scott Ball were honored for reaching 25 years with the City.  Jim is retiring this month...he is quite a character!

Earlier in the day a toddler fell into a canal in Riverton...apparently he had crawled through a hole in the fence and went into the canal and drowned...pretty sad event.  I remember when Dot Atkinson's little child fell into a ditch in Oak City and drowned. That was many years ago...Dot is an amazing person.  I have never known anyone like her. She is so happy and positive and fun to be around.  I believe she has had five children die.  When I was young I was at Mel Roper's with my Mom and I was playing outside with some kids and Dot came out to leave in her car and as she backed out her baby crawled under the back tire.  I saw it happen and I also saw Grandpa Mel giving her mouth to mouth.  What a sad event that was.  Lisa her teenage daughter died of cancer and I'm not sure how the other two died.  To be around Dot you would never know but what her life is perfect!  Why can't I be more like her?

I will never forget the time we were together in Branson, MO and we happened into a Wal-Mart and there was a huge map of the U.S. and there were pins at different locations in the map.  Well, silly Dot and I started naming all the cities in Utah that had Wal-Marts in them and placing pins at those locations...we were doing so good and thought we were pretty smart until some guy said, "the pins are where people are visiting from."  Oh my gosh...we felt so stupid and we laughed and laughed and laughed!  I am laughing now just thinking about it.  That was such a fun trip...we were with Howard and Marilyn Clayton, Dot and Jay Atkinson, Will and Kae, Howard and Afton Dutson and Supt. Topham and his wife.  We had so much fun eating, going to the shows, eating some more, going to more shows and eating, eating, eating!  One night we went to an ice-cream parlor and pushed back tables and chairs and turn on the jukebox and had our own dance!  We went twice to Branson with this group - the next time was at Christmas time and we didn't like it as much because all the shows pretty much sang all the same Christmas songs.  The best entertainment was the Andy Williams Show...he was so good and he had a couple dancing...it was so hilarious!

This morning Kae called me and reported that Rex Harris passed away.  Rex was a nice guy...he and Kae were very good friends.  He was a Delta Councilman when I worked there.  He is the father of Tina Harris Nielson - she is my age and a very nice person as well.