Taisley Runs for Stanley

Taisley and friends took part in Bloomington Elementary Schools mini-Relay for Life on Monday, April 20. Knowing she was going to be "running for people with cancer" really freaked our little 7-year-old out and she was hesitant to take her running shoes to school, until Grandpa explained that she could run for Uncle Phil who died of cancer or our friend Stan Blackett who is currently in treatment for cancer. At that point, she asked Grandpa to set up Grandma’s treadmill so she could practice and invited him to join her on the school track to run - or walk - for Uncle Phil, but she was going to walk for Stan Blackett because she really likes him and wants to help him get better! When Grandpa got to school, Taisley and her little friends had already worked up a sweat so he obliged them by spraying them down with a garden hose - probably the most memorable part of the event for her!

On the evening of the Relay for Life, Taisley really, really wanted to go down to the Hansen Stadium at Dixie State College to run in the real event. Guess who we ran into? Neal Maycock, a lean, mean running machine; Whitney's dad and a devoted best friend to Bill Miller who died in February from brain cancer.

Zac Pays a Short Visit

It works really well to be midway between the coast and the Wasatch Front because we get to see grandchildren from time-to-time. This weekend, Kris asked her family to pick Zachary up at the airport in Las Vegas - after spending a week in Sonoma with his "mommy and sissies" - then bring him back to St. George to connect with his dad and Tai on Sunday morning for the drive home. Stacy, Kendi and Tais made the 250-mile round trip to pick him up at McCarren Airport. Once in St. George, he and his cousins - along with some of the neighbor kids - played Night Games in the warm spring evening. We set up a bed for him in the office, but on Sunday morning we found him sleeping comfortably under Taisley's bed and when he woke up, he requested - what else? - "Grandpa's waffles." He is so full of energy, he wears us all out . . . but it was great fun to have him here, even for just a few hours. He is planning to go back to Sonoma for the summer . . . and perhaps, if his dad approves, he will move back to California permanently!

My Victory Garden

Yesterday, I planted tomatoes and strawberries. It felt really good to be outside in the 78-degree sunshine, and I am looking forward to next weekend when Taisley and I will plant cucumbers, pumpkins and watermelon. But in talking to a couple of my neighbors and friends, it seems in 2009 - as it was in World War II - digging holes and planting a few things in the backyard is now considered a political act.

Historically, victory (also called liberty) gardens were planted to help the United States cope with food shortages during the war years. By 1943, Americans had planted more than 20 million victory gardens -- at home as well as in schools and parks -- which produced 8 million tons of food.

Today, in backyards like mine all over the country, a new victory garden movement has captured the attention of people who want to lessen their reliance on mass-produced or imported food, reduce their carbon footprint, foster a sense of community or save on their grocery bills in a fractured economic climate.

Aside from the political aspect, I have some concern about my garden - not because of the possibility of tomato worms or birds eating my produce. My biggest worry is that I will come home from work to find a "For Sale" sign on the front lawn. As my kids know, it is a long standing family trend . . . whenever Mom plants strawberries, Dad sells the house!

Tax Day Tea Party

The numbers are not in yet, but Washington DC had better be listening because millions of the "silent majority" from every race, creed, color, ethnicity, religion and yes, even political persuasion, stood up today in an estimated 2000 cities across the United States to say, "we are fed up with the way this country is being run . . . and the tax burden which has been placed on the people and we're not going to take it anymore!"

Here in little old St. George, Utah approximately 2500 residents gathered on the college campus tonight to send a rallying cry to our government "leaders" (a little joke). The main stream media is going to have a hard time turning a blind eye to this tremendous outpouring of irate citizens.

Our country is in a terrible mess!!! Is it Bush's fault? Yes? Is it Obama's fault? Yes, but its also Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter and Clinton's fault. It's the fault of the Democrats . . . and the Republicans, the President (whichever one you want to name) and definately the fault of our Congress! And probably I'm even partly to blame because I voted for some of these guys who call themselves leaders! Including Obama's stimulus package(s), our government has now indebted (or is it indentured) the next ten generations of Americans, even if they don't spend another cent.

Another indicator of the mood of the country . . . (conservative) Fox News now has more viewers than CNN and MSNBC combined!!!

Not sure where this energy will go from here . . . but I don't think its over and it sure feels good to finally have a voice, because hey, I thought I was the only one who was "tea'd off" by all this insanity! I think we should dump all our congressmen and senators "overboard" and start over . . . and if Glenn Beck wants to run for president, I would vote for him in a heartbeat!!!

Larry and Grandma Doris Visit

Larry finally got his Christmas trip to St. George - postponed from December due to ice and snow in Seattle - when last week, he flew into Ontario Airport, rented a car and drove with Grandma Doris to spend a few days catching up with family and soaking up the warm spring sunshine! They have been here many times - in fact, Larry lived here for a short while - so there wasn’t much they wanted to do, other than see everyone and relax. Michael, Tara and Lilly came for the weekend - a chance for them, too, to get out of the cold and snow of northern Utah. On Sunday, after the final session of General Conference, we celebrated Lilly’s 2nd birthday with a bar-be-que. It was the usual noisy gathering of Sappington’s with Kaytee, Josh, Adyn, Stacy, Kendi and Taisley around the table. Bruce and Georgia came for dinner on Wednesday - a chance for "the cousins" to reminisce about "the good old days" before we played a rousing game of "Golf!" And, we had fun taking Larry around to look at condos although Grandma Doris would have preferred us to dote more on her rather than on the grand kids and Larry . . . who was very glad to be home to Seattle.

Another Henion Passes

Lois Jewell Henion Higgins Clark (left), my dad’s baby sister, was born on May 21, 1926 and died from a stroke on Friday, March 27, 2009 at the age of (almost) 83. Though I have not seen much of her in the past two (maybe even three) decades, I have many happy memories of my association with my aunt. She had a wonderful, raspy laugh that came all the way up from her toes and she was an interesting contradiction in terms. She had a well-deserved reputation as a terrible housekeeper, but loved to entertain! She was hard on her husband, but he absolutely adored her (and, I suspect, he is suffering terribly at her loss). She struggled for many years with diabetes (our family disease) and recently with serious heart problems complicated by a lifelong struggle with alcohol. She lost her first husband in 1942 when his plane was shot down during World War II and her only daughter Zanna, who fell from a rocky ledge after about her 100th rock climb, leaving behind two beautiful daughters.

Though my Aunt Lois was almost 20 years older, we were pregnant at the same time. I was expecting Kelly (my first) when she was expecting Adam Peter (her fourth and last child) so we had a lot to talk about; and, when we lived in Thousand Oaks - not far from their home in Northridge - we enjoyed many fun times together. She teased me frequently about my Mormon-penchant for food storage and made particular fun of all the bottles of water we had stored "just in case!" When the 1972 earthquake hit (measuring over 7.2 on the Richter Scale), hers and hundreds of other homes in Northridge were left without safe drinking water for several days; but, she knew who to call. The very water bottles she had teased me about sustained her family for about a week. She never again made fun of my food storage.

It’s too long of a story to share here, but Lois helped me solve a tricky genealogy problem relating to her mother’s birthday. If you haven’t already heard the story, ask me about it sometime. My darling aunt leaves behind her husband Stan and three sons - Steve, Dexter and Adam Peter. Regarding the photo, Coral Nyland (in the middle) is the only sister still living. Leodice Henion Wheeler (in the blue blouse) was the oldest.  Lois and Leodice were my favorite of my dad's sisters, perhaps because I knew them the best.

Kendi Is On a Roll

She didn’t tell us until almost the end of March, but Kendi was named “Student of the Month” at Tonaquint Intermediate School for the month of February. On top of that honor, she brought home her best ever report card yesterday - all A’s and B’s!!! She is very focused at home and is working hard in school. Kendi doesn’t do much tooting of her own horn, but all of us on the home team – her mom, sister and grandparents - are very proud of her accomplishments.

Happy Birthday, Taisley

On a beautiful spring Friday, March 13 - an ominous day to the world in general but a lucky day for the birthday girl - Taisley's friends and several family members gathered at the new park on Dixie Drive, with its fun interactive play equipment, to celebrate her 7th birthday. Avery, Marcus and Tessa, Kyla, Melissa, Jillianne, Allysa and Josh, Momma, Kendi (and her friend Summer), Aunt Kaytee, Papa (aka Dick Foote), Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed hot dogs and chips as well as the traditional cake and ice cream whileTaisley enjoyed the attention and lots of beautiful gifts.

Taisley’s birthday on March 12 serves as a reminder of other important family events! It was seven years ago when Stacy was deathly ill with Valley Fever and had to be lifeflighted to Salt Lake City on March 11. Though this vicious fungal disease is under control, she is one of the "unlucky" 1% of those diagnosed with Valley Fever who will need to be medicated for life! Three days after Stacy flew off in the airplane, and two days after Taisley was born, Michael and Tara were married in the Salt Lake Temple. How lucky we are to have this beautiful and talented young woman - and our precious Lilly - in the family.

Stop Me Before I Hurt Myself!

Hi, my name is Linda . . . and I'm a certifiable, can't-stop-myself blogaholic! At the moment, I have four blogs going at the same time, including this one for my family and friends, one for my ward, one for my Rotary club and one for the Utah Rotary District Conference for which I am the chairman in 2010. I also post regularly to two other blogs - one for the Youth Volunteer Corps in Utah and one for the Utah Commission on Volunteers and to add to the problem, I am always thinking of other blogs I would like to create. Help me, please!!! Surely there must be a support group somewhere. This passion has now become an addiction and it is taking over my life.

It's Identical Twins

After many years of intermittant pain in my feet - probably caused by a history of wearing high heels - I finally scheduled an appointment with podiatrist, and long time friend, Keith Reber, who immediately diagnosed my problem as a neuroma - well, actually two neuromas - one in each foot. For those who might not know, a neuroma is a growth on the nerve tissue - usually between the third and fourth toe bones. This sometimes VERY painful condition develops when bones press together and irritate the nerve. Keith suggested surgery when I was ready - and after a very painful episode following dinner at The Outback, I was definately ready!!! Yesterday, I spent an hour in an operating suite at Dixie Regional Medical Center and for the next couple of weeks I have to wear really funny looking shoes and take things slow and easy. Keith was really impressed with my good health history. As he noted, most of my time spent at the hospital was either as an employee or giving birth . . . so while I was in the recovery room, Keith met with Dad in the waiting room, announcing with a laugh, "They were large identical twins but Mom is doing very well!!!"

On a pain scale of 1-10, I am at a 1. Other than pain-worse-than-death when the surgical tech literally tore my skin off removing the bandage wrapped around my legs, this has not been any worse than having a root canal.