Top 16 List of 2015 Sappington Family Doings

It was a lovely holiday season, although we missed seeing several of our family members.  Kelly and Gary came for a short – but pleasant – visit and, of course, we had Stacy, Rick and Taisley.  Our two days together included a trip out in the unusual winter cold to see Christmas lights, Christmas Eve dinner – with turkey and all the trimmings, including ribbon salad (in the traditional red, white and green color scheme this time).  On Christmas Day – after all the gifts were opened and we had Skyped or Face Timed with just about everyone (except Elder Simeon) we went to see “Joy,” a quirky little movie about … well, you’ll have to see it yourself.   Ten minutes before the movie ended I received the anticipated call from Atlanta, GA … so hurried home so we could talk to Simeon by Skype.  Then, after all the leftovers were warmed up and consumed, we got out the Phase 10 cards and played in two teams for a couple of hours of raucous noise and laughter. On Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), Kelly and I took a turn around town to check out sales and to pick up a few items Santa did not bring before she and Gary headed for home.

Around the dinner table we came up with our 2015 Top Ten List of what has happened in the Sappington family during the past twelve months.  It actually turned out to be a Top 16 list, so here it is – in no particular order – although we think #1 really should be at the top of our Top Ten list!  Have we left anything out?

1.              Taisley is adopted by Rick and is now officially a Welch!!

2.              A definite #2 (even might be a tie for #1) … Tiffany and Bob were notified in November of the birth of fraternal twins boys – their 2-year-old Abby’s bio-brothers born at 27 weeks gestation – and asked by the social worker if they would add them to their family.  Their answer was yes … but only on the condition, they are adopted, rather than fostered.  They now are the 45-year-old parents of 7 + Ayami (Todd’s 16-year-old daughter) in a household which also includes two dogs and 5 cats!!!

3.              Rick returns to the fire truck after a year of recovery from a foot injury.

4.              Mom and Dad, Kelly and Gary enjoy a week of Rotary service in Mexico.

5.              Lilly is baptized.

6.              Kaler is an Eagle Scout.

7.              Grandma Doris moves (very much against her will) to St. George.

8.              Kelly is employed … and employed again.

9.              BD Catering is up and cooking.

10.          Kendi tours Europe.

11.          Michael has a run in with a 16” saw blade

12.          Kaler and Taisley maintain their 4.0 gpa while continuing to perfect their musical skills … she on the violin / he on the trumpet.

13.          Danielle graduates from Dixie State University and finds a great job with benefits.

14.          Jaeson survives the crash of his bullet bike but with painful injuries requiring surgery.

15.          Grandpa Ed turns 75 on New Years Eve … and, after three years of being home, Santa finally gave him our mission book – 211 pages of pictures and blog posts chronicling our 18-months in Guyana, South America (thanks to Kaytee for all her hard work)

16.          Tyson marries Tanya, Todd marries Naoko and two new Sappington's come into the world … Troy and Linda's baby girl Liana born last December 22 (almost 2015) and Todd and Naoko‘s baby boy, Todd Sappington, Jr. (“TJ”) born Tuesday, December 29, 2015. 

Happy New Year to one and all! May this be the best year yet ... for all of us.

Thanksgiving 2015 in St. George

Our 2015 Thanksgiving Week started with a visit to Denver to attend Kaler’s court-of-honor on Saturday as he received his Eagle Scout award. I’ve been to lots of courts-of-honor, including for my own two Eagle Scouts, but haven’t ever been to one quite as impressive as Kaler’s.  One of his scout leaders drove all the way from Ohio to be there and more than one of his scout leaders became quite emotional in remarks about Kaler.  Jan’L, in her usual amazing way, had a beautiful table display highlighting Kaler’s scouting career, then ended the program with chocolate cake and apples, cut up and dipped in caramel and/or chocolate with lots of different kinds of candy, nuts and/or marshmallow toppings.  It was quite the spread for the 70-80 people in attendance.

We got back to St. George late on Sunday night where we looked forward to being with three more of our kids – Kris and Michael for Thanksgiving dinner at Stacy’s.  We were delighted to have Kris and Erin with us Monday and Tuesday nights, but I’m not sure how excited Kris was when our smoke alarms went off – not once, but twice - in the middle of the night. 

On Tuesday night, Erin, Taisley and Grandma enjoyed popcorn in the dark while viewing “Mockingjay, Part 2.” 

On Wednesday, we got up early for “mystery trips.”  The first was a visit to the newly remodeled downtown Electric Theater, which now also incorporates the two buildings west of the theater and where a dance studio, several small offices for arts organizations, and many classrooms are ready to welcome arts groups of all kinds.  It was particularly interesting to Kris because, having grown up here in St. George where this old movie theater was the only one in town, she remembered it well from her childhood. 

The second mystery trip of the morning was to the Red Cliff Desert Reserve downtown office (the former home of the Five County Senior Corps programs) where Kris and the kids enjoyed seeing all the “critters” who live here in our unique county where three eco-systems come together (Mojave and Great Basin deserts and the Colorado Plateau).

The girls and I then headed for Deseret Industries for a “shopping spree.”  Between the two of them, they found 6-8 t-shirts and 2 pair of shoes, while Grandma found a long black skirt and some socks and underwear for the Spectrum’s Christmas clothing drive.  In total, we spent less than $30.

At home, we introduced Taisley to Phase 10 … and what followed was a fun evening together around the dining room table.

On the Big Day, we all gathered at Stacy’s, which was a beehive of activity – a cooking frenzy – with enough food being prepared to feed both sides of a small army.  After things had settled down but before it was time to eat, Grandma and Grandpa, Michael, Lilly, Taisley and Erin headed out for another “mystery trip” which Taisley later gave “an 11” on a scale of 1 – 10.  First we went to the new WCWCD’s Red Hills Park, which the kids thoroughly explored before moving over to the area by the Dixie Rock.  They climbed and climbed all over those beautiful red rocks, exploring – for nearly two hours - every nook and cranny in their enthusiasm.

We got back to Stacy’s just in time for a delicious – and bountiful – turkey dinner, including candied yams, potatoes and gravy, dressing, homemade rolls, Nana’s green beans, corn, Martian food and two turkeys (one cooked the traditional way and the second deep fried in the backyard). 

It was a fun weekend and in this season of Thanksgiving we are so very grateful for the blessings from heaven which we enjoy every day, including our wonderful family.

PS:  The kids, as always, insisted I make our traditional “ribbon salad” which is normally made with green and red jello, but since it was Thanksgiving and not Christmas, I decided to make the top layer orange.  I wish I had been able to capture the look of shock and disappointment on Stacy’s face when she first saw it … she gasped and protested, noting it was just one more thing she was going to spend years sorting out with her therapist.  It was hysterical!!!

It's a Girl!!!

Taisley Ann Welch has declared October 14, 2015 “the best day of my life” in part because she has brought her grades up to a 4.0 gpa (despite an ugly bout with “mono” last month), but more importantly because it was on this beautiful Wednesday morning, she officially became the daughter of Rick Thomas Welch.  In a brief proceeding, witnessed by family members Allysa, Danielle, Kendi, Dave and Kathy Welch and Ed and me, 5^th District Court Judge Jeffrey C. Wilcox, asked Stacy’s husband if he is “financially able and willing to assume all legal and familial responsibility for her upbringing.”  The judge also spoke briefly of the “bond of love” he witnessed between Taisley and her Dad.

Then Judge Wilcox turned his attention to Taisley asking her, “is this OK with you?” to which she responded emphatically, “its what I’ve wanted for a very long time!”  Then, after signing the adoption decree, which made this wish a reality for our beautiful 13-year-old granddaughter, Judge Wilcox ordered her family to “take you out for a treat.”  After hugs, kisses, tears all around and pictures on the courthouse steps, the treat she wanted was smiley face pancakes from Village Inn.  Gotta love this girl! 

PS:  The court bailiff was Nathan New who introduced himself and asked if Dad was any relation to Michael Sappington, who was his classmate and who he considers one of Pine View High School's really good guys.

Happy Birthday, Grandma Doris

It was a very busy weekend as we celebrated Grandma Doris' 92nd birthday on September 20.  Larry flew in from Seattle for the festivities, Kaytee stopped by after she and Josh spent a few days at a body building expo in Las Vegas and my cousin Cliff Elford accepted my invitation to spend the night in between points A and B (he's been in all 50 states in his travels).  On Thursday we picked up Larry at the Las Vegas airport, then went to a movie ... something he says he rarely does at home.  On Friday, we picked up Adyn and Skylar from Mark and Kim Postma and spent a busy and fun day (fun for me ... for Larry, not so much) at the new Water Conservancy District Park, had lunch at the Pizza Factory then headed to the St. George Children's Museum (Adyn and Skylar's favorite place when they come for a visit), finishing up the day playing in the water features in the Town Square).

Cliff arrived on Sunday evening and we had fun catching up with our cousin (oldest son of Eloise Henion Elford, one of my father's five sisters).  On Monday, I took Larry to my Rotary club meeting held this week at Dixie Middle School where as a club we learned the intricacies of pickle ball.  It was fun!  Monday night Larry and I had plans to volunteer at Tuacahn for "Sister Act" but they had changed the schedule and were performing "When You Wish" instead.  Larry was disappointed and of course, had no experience with any of the Disney music.

Sadly, we also didn't get much time with Stacy's family since Taisley was diagnosed with "mono" and Stacy is still sick with some kind of lingering gomboo!

On the "up side" we introduced Larry to the card game, Phase 10, which he seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

I was grateful to have my brother around for a few days but I'm not sure he enjoyed me as much as I did him.  Sadly, I probably won't see him again until our mother passes - or until her 93rd birthday!

PS:  Another cousin made contact this weekend.  I got a text message from my cousin Cynthia (Bert and Carol Owen's youngest daughter) who works for SelectHealth and was the one who did Grandma Doris' online enrollment.  According to Cynthia, "I made a note (of her birthday) when we enrolled her."  I said in return, "she won't know who you are because she has some dementia."  Her response, "If her face lights up when she hears someone is thinking about her on her birthday, that's all that counts." I thought her text was a lovely gesture.

Our Trip to Anaconda and Beyond

Our trip to Montana – the first since Thoryn was born in October – was 11 days of travel, smoke and friends.  The first two nights on the road were spent with Stan and Diane Blackett in Logan where we got caught up, did some shopping and had dinner together.  On Saturday morning, we left for Ririe for Ed’s 55^th high school reunion (see “The History of He”), spent the night with Blair and Jodi Grover (she was one of his classmates), and on Sunday morning we climbed back in the pick-up (with the camper on the back) and arrived at Kaytee and Josh’s home in Anaconda,  MT at about 4 p.m.  On Monday, Ed got the bathroom ready for paint while we finished our preparation for this Cuz’N Camp with two little sisters – Adyn, age 7 and Skylar, age 4 (guess we should call it Sister Camp ... maybe next year Michael and Tara will let us bring Lilly along).  

On Tuesday morning, the four of us headed north to Glacier – considered the most beautiful of America’s national parks – on the U. S. / Canadian border.  We spent the first night of our adventure outside the park.  Sadly, the smoke from two fires raging in the park and in other parts of the west, had already reached our location 20 miles away.  The second night, we ventured into the park hoping the smoke would dissipate and those famous vistas (we had hoped to see) would come into view.  Didn’t happen … so for the third night we decided to drive south out of the smoke.  As it turns out, before we drove out of the smoke, we were camping at Georgetown Lake … 20 miles from the girls home in Anaconda. 

Kaytee warned me “Skylar will eat anything … Adyn eats nothing!”  We ate hot cakes every morning (sometimes with eggs … sometimes not).  Adyn loves “cow” so we had steak and Dutch oven potatoes one night.  Skylar ate everyone’s portion of Bush’s Bourbon and Brown Sugar beans – even wanted them for her daytime snack and for breakfast.  They enjoyed roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.  Bedtime was hard … not because they didn’t want to go to bed but because it was soooooo hot in the camper even a couple of hours after the sun went down. Our final stop was the Sweet Palace in Phillipsburg – the girls favorite place in all the world!

After dropping them at home – happy and full of candy – we started for home, with an overnight stop at Michael’s where we enjoyed the chance to catch up with our youngest son.  On Sunday, the last day of our adventure, we took a detour off the I-15 to travel to Richfield where we attended Sacrament meeting to hear Kimball and Cyndi Poulson’s report on their mission in Guyana.  We also enjoyed dinner at the family home, got some good pictures, then left for the last three hours of our 2000 mile round trip!

It was a very full 11 days … we’re glad we got the chance to see friends and family and to spend time with those three precious little girls – but we’re happy to be back home, catch up on the mail and the laundry.  Can’t wait to see them all again.

The History of He: Ed’s Life in Ririe

We attended Ed’s 55^th high school reunion on August 8, 2015 on our way to visit Kaytee and her family in Montana.  His Ririe High School graduating class of 28 now has 21 survivors, but only 11 came to the reunion.  Still it was a fun evening for him and a chance to re-connect to those who were so very important to him as a young man when he was a popular sports figure in his high school … and played the clarinet in the band during intermission.  Some of his best friends were Zane Mason, Rex Lewis, Jerry Lounsbury, Tom (“Tommy” to his “Eddie” in high school) Summers, Barbara Anthony Groom, Jodi Grover (formerly Joann Williams) and Janet Keeler Wilcox.

We also took a quick pass through town (only about 900 residents so it really was quick) for a picture of his family home … his high school gymnasium (now the Community Center) … his father’s drug store where he and his friends hung out … the bank … Robert’s grave (in the Ririe-Shelton cemetery) … and a canal similar to those he and his friends swam in during the summer months.

He still cannot believe he is the same age as all the old people who attended his reunion!  That’s probably the same reaction everyone has when attending a class reunion … which is likely the reason most people DON’T attend their class reunion!

The History of Me: Remembering Our Life in Rexburg

We took a 25-mile detour off the I-15 freeway while driving home from our visit with Kaytee and her family in Montana, to visit Rexburg, Idaho and for a walk down memory lane.  Of course, Rexburg has changed dramatically in the 50+ years since we lived there.  Our apartment is no longer there.  The center court of our apartment complex has long since been filled in and replaced by a street between Porter’s Bookstore (it was there when we were there) and a hairstyling school.  We enjoyed seeing the temple – much larger at four stories - than I had anticipated and how big the city had become (a little more than 27,000 people today compared to about 5000 when we were there in 1963-64).

I was on the switchboard ("google" it) at Ricks College (now known as BYU-Idaho) on November 22, 1963 and took the first call to the campus regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (the 3-story building in the collage above is a rebuild of the original main building).  

We also tracked down the offices of ArtCo, a wedding invitation company, for which I worked for two years when Ed was going to school at then-Ricks College.  At 19-years-old and newly married, I worked as the assistant to Art Porter, the company’s owner.  Art told me I was hired because of the 20+ applicants he had interviewed, I was the only one who knew how to spell – an important skill to have in a printing company. 

Three stories I remember about working at ArtCo:

·               I have been plagued all my life with hiccups.  While working for Art, I developed a particularly persistent case and my desk was very near his.  After a couple of days, he told me if I couldn’t stop hiccupping he would have to fire me.  I don’t know if it was his threat which scared me enough to make them stop, but they did stop.  He later told me he probably wouldn’t have followed through on his threat because he would have had a hard time replacing me, but still …

·               As mentioned, I was newly married.  One day, he told me he would have to let me go if I got pregnant because he didn’t want a pregnant woman running around his office (times have certainly changed)

·               Art and his wife had three sons:  Art, Gary and Randy.  I didn’t know Artie well and Randy was a few years younger than me, but Gary was about my same age.  When I left Art’s employ, the very quiet, reserved businessman told me he loved me like a daughter … so when I heard he had passed away, I called Gary and Randy asking if I had been remembered in the will.  I don't think Artie thought my question was very funny, but Randy and Gary got a big kick out of it ... and were happy to hear from their "sister."  

Those were good days and happy memories.

Fun in Fresno, Soccer in Sonoma

Our trip to California to visit Kris, Erin and Tylre (and her family) and Charlene Sappington and her family was tiring, but very fun.  It’s a long drive to Fresno and Sonoma so it was nice to have family happy to see us on the other end.  While we were at Charlene’s we enjoyed catching up on all the family news.  Todd and Naoko, already married in the eyes of the Japanese government, will have a formal ceremony on August 8 in Japan.  Tyson will marry in August as well, so Charlene has a lot of travel ahead of her.  Tiffany and Bob are close to finalizing the adoption of little Abby … and Bob is scheduled to have weight loss surgery very soon.

On Monday night, we enjoyed a delicious dinner and fun conversation with Tyson and his kids, Tiffany and Bob and their kids and Charlene.  On Tuesday, we had a lovely day with Charlene.  We stopped by the Fresno Temple (didn’t bring the right clothes so were not able to attend), then toured the Forestiere Underground Gardens.  It didn’t look like much from the street, but it was beautiful and intriguing.  If you are ever in the Fresno area, it is definitely worth your time to see this one-of-a-kind subterranean home and garden hand built by one man between the years of 1906 and 1946.  On Wednesday, we took a swing through Yosemite National Park, including the Pioneer Yosemite History Center.  It was a lovely day despite the fact there was NO water in the streams and only a slight mist coming off the mountain side where a world-famous waterfall was supposed to be. 

On Thursday morning, we loaded up the car and headed to Sonoma for a visit with Kris and Erin.  On the way, we stopped for a brief visit with Troy and Linda and their family.  It was fun to see how tall their girls are getting and how much they are enjoying their beautiful third baby girl.

Kris wasn’t able to get Friday off, but it gave us the opportunity to spend time with Erin and meet Kris’ co-workers and her boss, Jeremy.  We had lunch and hung out that evening with Tylre, Jaeson and their adorable Memo (Guillermo).  I made Master Mix for EJ, we cleaned the kitchen for Kris, took in a movie and cheered Memo at his first ever soccer camp.  All in all, it was a very fun weekend, just not enough time together.

On Sunday morning we headed back to Charlene’s for dinner with her family and so our trip home wouldn’t be 10 hours in one day, but rather 4 hours on Sunday and 7 hours on Monday.  It was nice to get home, but we sure enjoyed being with everyone, even for a little while.

The Golden State is Now the Brown State

After four years of serious drought, compounded by environmental issues relating to the endangered smelt, the Golden State of California can now, more realistically be called the Brown State – at least in the central California valley in and around Fresno.  The drought is caused in part because of a lack of rain / water shed ... and partly because environmentalists are standing in the way of the building of dams and catch basins for any rain water.

Referred to as America’s fruit bowl, Fresno’s once thriving agricultural region, has annually shipped countless truckloads of oranges, lemons, grapefruit, pistachios, grapes, pecans, olives and other produce to communities all around the nation (maybe even to some parts of the world). 

But in the summer of 2015, there are millions of acres of prime agricultural land which is not being cultivated and probably that much again which is not being grazed by beef cattle.  It’s pretty unnerving because the cost of everything is going to go sky high.  Better get your food storage!

Two Weekends in the Row, Tuacahn and a Cat with Diabetes

Stacy has a friend at the hospital.  She is a cute, single mother of two and a respiratory therapist.  Stacy told her about her divorced brother and they connected on FB.  Michael came down last weekend from Pleasant Grove to meet her.  We all went up to Pine Valley to get out of the heat and cook burgers … then Michael came back again for the 4^th of July!  

On Friday night, Ed and I got free tickets to Tuacahn where we volunteer regularly, so we took Stacy, Taisley, Michael and his new friend Miranda to see “When You Wish,” a new Disney play which was created on the Tuacahn stage.  It was delightful and we enjoyed a fun evening together.

David and his family came from Denver for their annual week on Jan’L’s family houseboat at Lake Powell.  It’s been awhile since both of my sons have been here at the same time.

Then there’s my mother’s cat Penny who was diagnosed a week ago with diabetes.  I ordered the insulin and, since Friday, have been giving the cat a daily shot.  She is 15-years old and the center of my mother’s universe so I am doing my best to keep the cat alive until my mother passes.  We’ll see!

And then, we went to Allysa's to celebrate Daxton's 6th birthday ... and Ed sold my Jag.

I’m also sad about the passing this week of Pdt. Boyd K. Packer.  My thoughts and prayers are with his family and with all members of the church who loved this man who wrote his commitment of agency, soon after he came home from his mission:  ‘I’m not neutral, and you can do with me what you want. If you need my vote, it’s there. I don’t care what you do with me and you don’t have to take anything from me because I give it to you—everything, all I own, all I am.”  

Us at the Mormon Miracle Pageant

It was a delightful special treat to be able to travel with Stacy and Taisley to the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti. It was a 4-hour trip on a warm summer day, with Stacy and Taisley stuffed into the teeny, tiny backseat of Dad's old pickup truck. There was a crowd of thousands, an inspirational show on Temple Hill and, of course, the usual protestors in the street. We met up with Danielle who was spending a long weekend with her mom.  It was nearly midnight when the show was over.  We walked back to the campground where all four of us managed to fit in our little old (“old” being the operative word) camper. Stacy says, “next time we’ll take our camper!” but we talked, laughed and snacked, snacked, talked and laughed all the way coming and going.

As we were coming over Red Hills Parkway on our way to Stacy's we saw a firetruck ahead of us in traffic.  Stacy and Taisley said, "Grandpa, catch up.  Hurry!"  The truck is old and doesn't "catch up" easily, but we realized the firetruck was slowing down (he told us later he saw us coming up behind him).  When we got right next to the big red firetruck, we saw Rick at the wheel ... on his first official day back on fulltime duty after a year recuperating from an on-the-job injury to his foot!  So sorry I didn't think fast enough to grab my camera because he looked really good back at his job until he blew the horn and just about deafened me.