When I "Grow UP", I Want To Be Nerseyfers!

Ready to blast off....5-4-3-2-1
BLAST OFF!







The "Fast" Rocket has the cushie seat.

The "Slow" Rocket has room for a friend.

Yesterday 2 boxes containing a new crib set for the K-Man arrived at the home. After carefully admiring the crib set, Coach, Ashie, Nersey and I saw a great potential for wonderful toys in the boxes the crib set came in. Ashie climbed into the smallest box and started to flap the two sides of the boxes and called it his rocket. Earlier in the day, he had brought his rocket book to Glama's to be read. Coach jumped into the larger box. Ahhh...we all caught the vision. I was ready to grab the magic markers and start to draw a control panel when Nersey ran for the scissors while I got the markers. She quickly started cutting a round dash board, then drawing the control panel. It was at that point, Ashie noticed he was in the smaller of the two boxes and his little brother Coach had the larger box. That just was not going to do.....He wanted the bigger rocket.

Nersy thinking quickly told the boys the smaller was the "FAST" rocket and the bigger one was the "Slow" rocket because it was so very large it could not move as quickly. She took the scraps she cut away from the steering wheel and wrote "Fast" on one piece and attached it to the back of the rocket with blue painters tape as the tail fin. (Yes some of you might recognize the same tape used to keep our dryer switch working correctly.) Then she attached the other piece on the back of the "Slow" rocket for its tail fin. The boys helped Nersey as she cut the window on the big rocket and made the control panel. They gleefully took the markers and colored their rockets. Nersey even made a comfortable seat with some of the packing material in the smaller rocket to make it more desirable and added a toilet paper tube on the back....

The boys loved their rockets....but Nersey made it even better by adding special helmets to be worn while flying the rockets out of tin foil. You have got to love her creative, twisted mind. Who thinks of this stuff. What great fun was had by all of us. Thanks Nersey for your creative soul....I want to grow up to be you. You are so much fun!

Tadpole is Ready for Mt. Olympus...

Tadpole has become board with the climbing challenges around this place. He craves something with a little more majesty than the toilet and the dining room table...

Halloweenies!!!!

Hello Davis Fam-Damnly,

I know this post is a bit past season but I figure it is better late then never, besides if retail stores can start setting up for Christmas just after labor day I should be able to enjoy Halloween for a couple of extra weeks right? This year I thought it would be fun to make sugar cookies and frost them with the Franci when they came up for Sunday dinner (for the record these photo's were taken like two weeks before Halloween). Since K-Man is not at the age of appriciating cookie decorating I knew I had to turn to Ash and Coach and boy did these guys pull through. They were so much fun they knew exactly how this was done. Uncle Cookie made the dough of course and Uncle B supervised and gave good instructions on how to get as much frosting on the cookie as possible. Even Bampa got pulled into the action making sure that his cookie had every color of frosting on it. I am thinking that for Christmas we might need to borrow the brother's Franci again to decorate a gingerbread house!

Arg...Breast feeding...embarrasing moments!!!

Family:

I just finished reading Jen's account of her recent breast feeding disaster. Well, the experience is not limited to ladies involved in the practice. Often it is even more terrifying for the innocent that happen onto a lady so involved.

Remember I am an only child. I never held a baby until I was 23 years old. Breast Feeding was not in my vocabulary let alone my experience. When I was a missionary sometimes we had to go to 2 or 3 sacrament meetings on a Sunday. Sometimes I would just slip into a vacant room and read. On one such occassion I happened on a lady with her baby. I walked in the room real friendly and said hi! When I got closer I realized what any other mortal would have known when they opened the door. Later, when I was a very young Bishop I stopped to pick up Ken Fox for a basketball game. Vicky, his wife, (Susan Fitts very shy sister) was sitting on the couch with their newborn. I was talking to Vicky while Ken was getting ready. There were peanuts in shells on the table so I helped myself. Soon I had a handful of shells. I saw this white shallow cone thing on the arm of the couch. I quickly deposited my shells when Ken came out of the bedroom and we left for the game. Several months later when James was born I found out what those little white cones were, breast shields. Susan Fitts heard that story years later and couldn't breath she was laughting so hard. Evidently, that would have embarassed the socks off of her sister.

So ladies be careful on this breast feeding thing. You never know where the unsuspecting only children are lurking.

Guess What?

I know you have all given up on the soggy phrog blog, but we have a new post up! Check us out! :)

I Love Autumn

Ahhh....I must say, Fall is absolutely my favorite time of the year. Yes I love the spring, the first dig into to the soil, watching the re-birth of my hill as it goes from a barren hill of dirt to a beautiful carpet of green. But there is something really special in watching the leaves magically change from green to an array of beautiful vibrant colors. The weather is perfect too. Not too hot and generally not too cold. Fall came later this year, but it happened all of the sudden. Last week "the hill" was green. Then we had a cold snap and this week "the hill" is alive with all different colors.

Sunday Dad was bored and wanted a ride, so we cruised up Little Cottonwood Canyon. It was absolutely breath taking. Monday I wanted to go up Millcreek to check it out. We took a ride up there on Conference Sunday and listened to the afternoon session of Conference as we drove. The upper canyon was magnificent, brilliant with deep reds and oranges. The aspen had not turned yet. As we drove up the canyon yesterday, I was a little disappointed many of the leaves had dropped. I believed we had missed most of the Autumn action.....However driving down....it was absolutely amazing. I wanted to run and jump in the leaves just as I used to do when I was a child. We live so close to the mountains and spend so little time up there. I wanted to share some of "the love" from home. Hope you enjoy the picts. Anyone up for a hot dog roast up Millcreek? Got to hurry.....the leaves will soon be gone.

I love Nersey-fers!

Why? Who else is twisted enough to dress up mom's decorative animals?

Early Halloweening

What can I say it was a beautiful day in Salt Lake and I was getting stir crazy after being cooped up in the house for two days post op. Glama and K-Man took pitty on me and together we whisked off to Gardner village for some much needed sunshine and Halloween shots. We had lots of fun wondering through shops and recieving compliments on our well grown pumpkin! It was little witches night out and boy was it busy there was every type of ghoul goblin and witch imaginable. The only thing missing were cousins

New post on Golden Phrogs

Gang:

Sorry I am so slow to update blogs. I posted one on Golden Phrogs this morning. Have a nice day.

I'm to sexy for this fudge

Well my dear family my only regrets was I did not get more photos of my family when they were in town for the wedding but I did get a few gems of my sisters I thought it would be fun to share these loverly pic's. As usual Mistletoes does not disapoint and takes direction very well.

Christmas is Coming!

Okay Siblings! Now that we finally got Brian married off it is time we re-vamp the Christmas gift exchange process (at least two of us Missys think so). 

So I decree the new gift exchange shall be thus:

Every sibling gives to the sibling's family just younger than them:

James gives to my family

I give to Steve's family

Steve gives to Mindy's family

Mindy gives to Cindy's family

Cindy gives to Jenny's family

Jenny gives to Brian's family 

Brian gives to Charlene's family 

Charlene gives to James' family

And Christmas 2009 everyone will give to the sibling's family 2 younger than them, for example:

James gives to Steve's family

I give to Mindy's family

etc.

Mindurs, I hope you don't feel like I am usurping your life's work as the Official Family Gift Exchange Organizer. I am especially grateful for your effort to organize the exchange in the past, and apologize for any grief I have caused you by complaining about my random selections.

Now, everyone step in line and hit the malls!

Merry Christmas!

Missletoes

Family Picture DEETS

Hi All!!!

It it so exciting that we will be together again, How Great! Well, heres the Nitty Gritty regarding our Family Pic.'s

Wed. Sept. 3rd (the day of the dinner for Brian and Melissa). We are all meeting at 4pm at Garden Park Ward (Glama, Please leave the address in the comments). Do Not Be late! The Photographer is doing us a huge favor and even getting off work early to take our Pic.s. Let's all be Respectful of his time. If you are late, you are guaranteed to have a front Row center seat in the pictures taking the hit for the team.

Wardrobe: Navy Blue or Brown. You can wear Blue jeans or Brown pants. Big Smiles! (Shirts required).

Dontations: If you would like to throw a couple bucks at the already inexpensive pictures, please throw them in Cindy's direction. All donations appreciated :)

If you have props/Lawn furniture, etc... Please bring it so we are not all just standing in a line.

Lets come together and make this the best Family picture ever! We have a New sister in law and more Grand babies, making our Grand total 29 Davis' WOW!!!

Questions????? Talk with Cindy!!!!

Abizella Too!

We are getting excited about the family pics. Here is Abz' outfit. It may not be pink, but it is Glama's favorite color, blue! (wink... thanks for being the fall guy Glama!).

What Do You Think?

I found some outfits for the boys to wear in the family pics. When I was trying them on the kids this morning I had a brainstorm, maybe all the baby boys could wear the same thing? Only problem is that the smallest size in both the shirt and shorts is 6-12 months so it will not work for the K-Man. I got the shirts from Old Navy (2 for $12) and the shorts from Children's Place ($7.99 .... but I have more coupons I can share so they are really about $6. ). 

Tadpole is wearing 6-12 month shirt (good fit) and 12 month shorts (I think I will exchange them for 9 month, they are a bit too long). 
Superkid is wearing both 4T shirt and shorts.

If you like the idea of coordinating, we can buy everything online with my coupon. If you would rather have more variety, or don't like how K-Man, and Mike will not be matching then we can scratch the idea. I am not married to it, just brain storming... and showing off my super cute boys and my killer deals.

BTW Ners, I will check my stash of baby boys clothes to see if I have anything that will work for the K-Man. He is wearing 0-3 months, right?

21 Days and Counting!!!

Well, By now all of you should have received your invitations to the wedding. Both Itsy and I are excited as the count down begins. An insert in the invitation was our web address (www.melissaandbriandavis.com) check it out. Itsy made the website!

I have been really, really busy with work and wedding stuff. It has been fun, but a little stressful as we are trying to get so much done in a short amount of time. The good news is that everything is almost done! This weekend, I will officially move into my new apartment. Over the last week, Itsy and I have been slowly moving in the larger stuff (I will post pictures once I have pictures taken...). Our new dig is two blocks West of Olympus High School in a basement apartment. Maybe I should host a tour when everyone is in town? We may have to limit the tour to groups of 5 and less, becasue I don't want things to get too out of control. So while 5 of us are in the house, some of you will have to wait outside. Just kidding!

We'll see you all in a few weeks!

My first hitch hike

I have been meaning to blog about my recent trip for work to San Francisco. I was only there for a night and a day but I must say, I had a crazy experience in that time. The first day I was there I commuted home with my co-worker Brynn on the bus to Oakland. She asked me to stay in Oakland at a hotel because she wanted to make me dinner at her house. The next morning, she picked me up at the hotel at 7am to take me back to her house for breakfast and then we would be off to work. As we were driving to her house she asked in a very sly way, "do you know how we are getting to to work today?" Keep in mind we had to cross the bay bridge into San Francisco. I guessed the bus, BART, driving? All were wrong. She pointed to a group of business type people standing on the corner as if they were waiting for a bus. All the sudden a car pulls up and 2 people hop in. I see this one more time and I realized we were going to bumm our ride into town. Its called casual carpooling. Google it. I did. Very interesting. Its a win, win sort of a situation. The people that bumm their way into the city don't have to pay for transit, and the people driving don't have to pay the toll and get to ride in the express lanes. The article I read said that its one of the very rare things in this world that just works. It is also common back East mainly in the DC area. Over the 30 yrs. that this hitchhicking/ casual carpooling has taken place, there has not been even 1 act of violence. I was so entrigued by the whole process that I talked about it all the way into the city to the poor man driving us there in his mini van. Once I read the article I realized there are a bunch of unwritten rules and initiating the talking is done only by the driver. I broke that rule for sure. He was very polite. He told us that he had been car pooling like this for over 20 yrs. and has only had the same people in his car maybe twice. I thought the whole process was great! Just would hate to be the first person to be involved in a crime!

Calling All Phrogs!!!

Hello Family,
For Christmas this year I thought it would be fun to compile all of Glama's recipes into one book, that way no one will have to fight over the rusty old tin recipe box. If you would like to add some of your own favorites to the book or some good/entertaining memories you might have with that recipe please email them to me. I am going to do it on blurb.com do I can also add fun photo's of our families enjoying holiday meals so send those along too. My email is [email protected]

Kenneths First Bath

These photo's were taken right before K-Man's discharge from the hospital. We wanted to make sure that he was camera ready. He has to be Cookie Monsters kid the way he was sqwerming in the water. Its amazing to me how much he looks like his cousin Davis when he is in his car seat!

Tacos and Jello

For the first time in nearly 10 years of marriage I made tacos for dinner yesterday. And if you are going to make tacos, you have to make Jello. It wasn't until about 3 years ago that I thought that one through and realized that Jello may not actually be a mexican side dish outside the Phrogbottom Phamily. While I was making dinner Superkid came into the kitchen and said, "Mmm! You make the BEST dinners Mommy!" Which was actually quite a shocking statement. Not because I don't make the best dinners (because I do!). But because there is no way for Superkid to actually know. He has never tasted one.

Well, when dinner time came around I dared Superkid to take a bite of his taco (kinda like I dare him to eat dinner every night). Well, if I were a betting gal, I would have lost big time. I almost fell over when Superkid took not 1, but 2 bites of his taco! And he actually took a couple bites of Jello as well. This is unprecedented, and thus blog worthy.

Mom's Garden, Sunday Sweet Sunday....

For most of our young married lives there was never time to stop and smell the roses. We had this commitment thing going strong in both of us. I think we picked it up in college. Our Senior year Mom was Vice President of the Associated Women Students of the University of Utah. I was Chairman of Union Board and Vice President of Delta Phi Kappa. We both worked about 20 to 30 hours a week, carried a reasonable load of classwork and spent every wakeing hour together.

On Sunday I taught a Sunday School Class in University 14th Ward and was President of the Activities Committee. We produced "You're a good Man Charlie Brown and presented it at a Ward Spaghetti Dinner. I of course was Charlie Brown and Bob Peterson was Snoopy. All this and we planned and did our wedding.

After we were married and settled in our cute little apartment on Third Ave. and Q Street. (We managed the 6 plex and got our apartment almost rent free). We both continued to work and finish school. Or one car, a midnight blue Corvair (1965) was paid for we both had scholarships so all the money we made was disposable income and that's what we did with most of the cash.

By the next Summer we had finished school, bought the little house on 2700 South next to Grandma Davis, bought 2 motorcycles, bought a new Chevrolet Monte Carlo and fixed up the little house. We moved in about July and by August I was in the Bishopric and Mom was working with they Young Women in the ward.

About 17 years later I was released from the Stake Presidency and sat by Mom in the chapel for the first time in all those years. Sundays were really horendous for Mom she did all that she does today plus get all the family to church and ride herd on the family. I would leave about 7:00 in the morning and rarely was home before 5 or 6 pm. I remember really enjoying Mondays because they were easier.

So.... to the point of all of this. I really like Sundays now. We get up about 8:00 putter (water) the garden. Wash the cars for church. Get ready and wend our way to our back row bench and just listen. Once a month Mom and I have Priesthood or Relief Society lessons to give but the rest of the time (except for home teaching) we are just garden variety Mormons.

Yesterday was no exception to our new found peaceful Sunday. After church we came home had lunch, went for a ride through Holladay came home took a long nap. Mom of course slept less and cooked up the traditional roast with mashed potatoes and gravy. Rosemarie and Witt are in town so they joined Nate, Mindy, the boys, James, Mom and I at the table. Brian and Melissa came by later along with Matt, Jenny and Kenneth. Everyone was gone by 8:30 and Mom and I toured the yard. Later, I went in the house while she spoke with Paul and later Shelly.

The yard and house have never looked better and as I sat in my recliner and thought about my life I felt peace and contentment.

We are really looking forward to you all being here in September. Eleven grandchildren, 3 dogs and all the rest of us. It will be incredible. Noisy also.

Summer In The City

I delivered B.C. to the Alpine Garage to retrieve his Jetta and to relieve him of $500.00 this morning at about 8:30. Since it is no longer my practice to drive up Main Street to 900 South today was a real treat. It took me back to the Summer of 1962. Our neighbor, George Ipson, was a big time Democrat. Lots of drag with the party and elected officials. He got me a great Summer job with SLC Parks Department.

Most kids pushed mowers all Summer. I worked on the paint crew. This was way up the food chain. I delivered paint and supplies to the paint crews in the various parks. Mostly I set up scaffolding. But it was outside, in the parks and it was the greatest job a 16 year old ever could have hoped for.

Driving up Main Street in my own freshly painted 1953 Chevrolet (midnight blue) made me king of the world. In the morning the air was clear and cool and I remember how the trees shimmered in the morning breeze. It still smells the same. We worked all day in the hot sun but because it was in the parks it was bearable. I worked with some nice people that Summer and felt special about being the driver. I really think none of the real painters had licenses. They were notorious drunks! Never the less, the time passed sweetly. Made about 90 cents an hour but gas was only 25 cents, and burgers and coke was about 15 cents.

I remember reading or napping during the lunch break (mostly napping). I had a pretty active social life that Summer. Paul, Max and I played the Trumpet Trio alot. We played at the Terrace Ballroom, Lagoon, and Winder Ward on Highland Drive (this is where Brian and Melissa are having their reception). We played on the same program with an unknown vocal group of little boys from Ogden. The Osmond Brothers. No kidding, I still have the program.

The most memorable trumpet job that Summer was playing the event calls at the horse shows at the Cottonwood Club in Holladay (now a golf course). I had to dress up in white nickers (short pants with long white socks), a brilliant red coat, an ascot and a funny black riding hat. Looked pretty bad but played the calls well and made $25.00 a night. Big money! I also gave about 20 trumpet lessons a week for Summerhays Music ($2.00 a half hour). I was really well off when I was a kid! At Granite!

In late August we played Buglar's Holladay with the S L Municipal Band in the old band stand at Liberty Park one Sunday afternoon. The place was packed (mostly our parents and friends).
Mr. Bill Sullivan played in the band. He was our private lesson teacher and he was the principal coronetist in the Utah Symphony. He told me years later - when Steve was taking lessons from him - that he told the guy sitting next to him that Sunday "to follow the boys, not the conductor because it would be one hell of a ride". When we finished the guy said to him what was that? Evidently we played it a little faster than most.

The conductor was my first private teacher when I was 8 years old. After the concert he told me he was the Director of the 23rd Army Band in the Utah National Guard. He invited me and the others to audition. We did and joined the army that Summer. It probably saved my life. I would have been a lousy jungle fighter in Vietnam.

Well it was a great Summer. I learned to water ski, fell in love with every girl I took out, worked alot and played more. The most important lesson I learned was how beautiful trees are and how lovely it is to lay under a majestic conifer on a lazy Summer morning and read, nap or just enjoy the sounds of the leaves, the mystical light filtering through the leaves and the soft moist grass underneath my then bony body.

Thanks B. C. for taking me to a place I needed to go.

Kenneth Mathew Miller Esq.

Last night Glamma and I visited little Master Kenneth Mathew Miller Esq. in the University Medical Center. We were alot more impressed with him than he was with us. While we oohed and ahhed he just slept. That's ok because it will be no time at all before he is raceing around the table in the family room and staking his claim to the toy box.

He has wonderful parents and a great puppy. What more could the little guy want?

Thirty Days, Give Or Take And We Will All Be Together!!!

Little Ones:

It dawned on me that it is less than a month until you all make your way home to be with us for Brian and Melissa's Big Day. Cousins erverywhere, silly talk and teasing! I just want to sit back and giggle.

Mom and I had my home teaching families over for a barbeque tonight. Mom really has hamburgers and chopped fruit down to a science. I'll save a place for each of you. Sunday Nick, Asher and The Coach were all here. They need playmates from Boston and Seattle. Missy has been planning an itinerary for the kids. Hope it includes some of us old time kids. How about a night at the Ball Park watching the Bees and sucking down Diet Coke and Hot Dogs! Yeah!

We had a great Sacrament Meeting yesterday. Our ward met at This Is The Place State Park. The music was provided by 8 violins and one viola. We were under a bowery constructed of pine logs and willow branches for a ceiling. During the meeting a duck wandered through. We also had several birds flying around. The most incredible thing was the shadows and flashes of sunlight that flowed through the bowery during the hour we were there. Although the speakers and music were fabulous the hit for me was the air currents. Sometimes hot sometimes a cool breeze. Sometimes a whif of the horses stabled down the road. Yep, I felt like a pioneer.

Uncle Dave, Aunt Caroline, Mom and I spent the holiday weekend at the cabin. We ate, talked about family, planned next years Mexico adventures and traveled Wolf Creek Pass. It was a spectacular weekend. Life just gets better and better.

See you soon!

Bampa Would Be Proud

We were driving home from the park yesterday when Superkid observed the sticky nature of his cup holder in the minivan. He wanted to know if he could clean it out, and the rest of the van as well. I asked him if Bampa set him up to this! How do you like that for evidence that the obsessive Phrogbottom-car-cleaning gene is alive and well in the next generation?

Turns out that one of Superkid's best powers is helping out with "chores" (as he calls them). PBS has done a good job making chores into not only a badge of honor, but a rite of passage into "Big-kidhood". Remind me to send in a check.

I am happy to hone this genetic pre-disposition to cleanliness, and around here there is plenty of opportunity!

Mid-July Musings

I really love this blogging thing. It makes me realize how much I miss each of you and at the same time makes me happy to be a distant part of your lives. I read all the comments friends make about our blogs and love to see the impact ezch of you have on your friends.

This week has been really rewarding for me. You know how much I love cleaning and organizing things like garages and basements. Well I am happy to report that 2 Saturdays ago I washed 2 cars of Brians, 1 car of Jenny's, Mom's newer Lexus, the Mustang and almost got to James' new car. Then I cleaned the garage (six county trash cans). Part of the trash was scrub oak limbs and lawn clippings that James and Mom provided but a significant part was garage stuff.

Next I tackled the office at work, my office at home, the front closet (shudder), my closet in the master suite, the master suite and Steve's old bedroom in the basement. I still have left the family room down stairs and storage room in the basement. Mom says that there are alot of childrens hidden treasures down there. Now would be a great time to confess your sins and let me know what you really want to keep, and how you want it sent to you. In fairness I have alot of crap down there myself so I promise to be gentle with your stuff. Steve's drum set has become the property of the grandkids. Nicholas and Asher are gaining exihibiting great talents on the drums. I forsee a future for Sam, Abby, David, Davis and Hayden in the pounding tradition.

Check us out!

Ok, I have gone hog wild and have been posting lots of Davis pictures on my site. Check him out!

The Jesus Answer

When we were little almost every Sunday dinner mom would ask us what we learned about at church and we would all take our turns and answer "we learned about Jesus." It was the simple answer that got us out of explaining what we actually learned or it was the answer that we would use because we didn't listen at church. Mom was a wise woman and caught onto us giving the "Jesus answer", it would annoy her when we would ALL answer that we learned about Jesus at church. Well my Ashie has caught on to the "Jesus answer" everyday when I pick him up from daycare I ask him what he learned about and every day he answers "abcdefg" for the first couple of weeks I bought it, you know he was learning a letter day I reasoned. I am not fooled anymore, he does a whole lot more at daycare, he just chooses to answer "abcdefg" because it is the easy answer. Mom I now know that the "Jesus answer" can be a bit annoying. Thanks for putting up with me and all the others even though we had our annoying moments.

Happy Birthday to ME! and BAMPA!

Ever since giving Bampa the best birthday present EVER, 33 years ago, I have been having trouble coming up with an equally worthy present...okay so Mom might deserve some of the credit for that fabulous gift (...okay Bampa too). Unless I can manage a grandbaby on Bampa's birthday, I will probably never come close. I have always known that my birthday was way cooler than any of your birthdays' and felt kinda bad for the rest of you. I mean, how cool is it to share a birthday with Bampa? In JUNE!!! Because we are summer babies, we always had great parties at Aunt Jack and Uncle Zella's swimming pool or waterskiing at East Canyon! At our birthday we had the distinction of having birthday pies! Of course blueberry and boysenberry were reserved for the birthday kids, and the rest of you got the consolation chocolate and apple pies. Since I have moved out here I have not had one blueberry pie birthday until yesterday! Somehow a birthday just doesn't seem like a birthday without one. I have to admit I was kind of disappointed in the caliber of my pie last night, but after polishing off the remaining 1/3 of the pie for breakfast, I am in a state of nirvana. Nothing beats CHILLED blueberry birthday pie! I only wish Bampa was here with his fork too (and that we had another full pie to share!)!

Happy Birthday Bampa! I love you and I love our birthday celebrations! Eat some pie for me too!

Photos May 2008 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico

The view from the main court yard to our building

A One of my favorite rockin places. The main lobby

The Pacific Ocean, private beach, lower buildings

The little chapel, a seperate building, used for mediation and weddings