March 29, 2012 The FIRST Simpson Family Yurt Adventure

This is the Whispering Pines Forest Service YURT. It has 2 sets of bunk beds, a futon double bed, a propane stove, two lanterns, table, chairs, dishes, and wood stove. Thanks to some friends, we were signed up for two nights in a Yurt.

When we arrived at the park and ski lot - it was spitting snow. Not hard, but enough that we wrapped everything in plastic. There are several trails that converge close to the Yurt, so each family packed their Polk and headed up. Kurt took off first with his Polk, (sled with poles attached so that when you go down hill, the sled doesn't run over the skier) Then Jed's family went up Moose trail. Gil started up Moose trail and realized that he needed to make some adjustments so meanwhile Kim, Deven and I started up Gold Fork loop (cross country ski trail) with Tyler, Kristy, Jake, Bree, Ellie and Carter
It's actually only about 2:00 but gloomy because of the scattered wet snow - on and off.
I love this photo Bree and Christy had been walking hand in hand then when they decided to pull Jake they both fell down with the effort. It was kind of a gentle slope (sometimes groomed) well packed cross country trail for 1 1/4 mile. Then we had .8 of a steeper trail (Yellow pine) that took off up the slope. No photo's there, we were working hard to get up the slope. Kim wound up carring Ellie. Gil and Kurt had caught up with us. Kurt had Christy and Jake on his polk, til Christy decided to go with me.
We got to the Yurt, just as Jed was leaving for his 2nd trip- It takes lots of stuff when you have lots of kids and it's winter.
Inside, we started taking off wet gear to dry off. The adults had worked so hard, they had steam coming off their backs. We built a fire in the wood stove and got acquainted with the Yurt.





Too soon, the Davis's decided to head down to the parking lot. They were going to sleep in the motor home so Bree and Ellie got into a polk and Deven pulled them down the mountain. McKayla had a sled and Carter his skis. When Jed met them coming up the hill, Ellie was asleep and Bree was "happy as a clam"
The little ones discovered that behind the futon was a good place to play peek-a-boo or do a puppet show.

We pulled out the cards and discovered that "wizzard" is a fun game to play.
What's that I hear? Squirrels on the roof? No it's kids playing on the bunk beds.
The bench makes a good stage. They had a pretty nice thermometer system. We knew the temperature inside and outside. Also the humidity. It was raining steady and 98.9 % humidity outside and 80% humidity inside. Eventually the clothing inside dried and the humidity went down. We were very comfortable.
Oh, you need the table for dinner? We'll move the card game to the big bin. That works.
We had a special place to dump the grey water. - So down the pipe it goes. By now the occasional snow has turned to rain. We hope the Davis family got down before the rain started.

Plenty of places to sit, plenty of ways to play. Jake found these little plastic men and he was happy. Now who's going to sleep where? who snores? We brought up 3 tents? There's enough beds for all but two.
So Jed set up a tent out on the deck. (He snores) It was hot in the Yurt and he knew it would be cooler in the tent - so we let him sleep all by himself in the tent. Kurt decided to sleep on the floor. We had lots of extra pads so both guys were very comfy.

Another "stuff" I've made post.

When I visited Jessi earlier this month, we walked to a shop that had some Maruca Design bags.
http://www.marucadesign.com/maruca4/maruca2/spring12/index.spring.htm I love the shapes and designs, I am just not wild and crazy about brocade fabrics. I'm more of a homespun kind of gal.
And I really needed a new bag for spring that holds just the necessities. Wallet, camera, checkbook, phone, lip gloss. So I traveled to Wall-mart and found this off the shelf fabric.
Back side (above) Front side (below)
pocket on the inside. I loved how it turned out- but it is just a bit small. (couldn't get the check book in) So I tried again.
This is the same basic bag, except I got my two pockets slanting from the same side. I stitched the black pocket so it is actually two pockets- better to hold the phone.
Same lining, and this one holds all my stuff. Jessi said: "send a photo, have Ellie model" sofirst she held it back side to the front (the little yellow is a button) Then I asked her to turn the purse so I could get the front. She turned her whole body.
She told me that she likes my new purse. And I got two projects from 1/2 yard of fabric and 1/2 yard of lining fabric. The first bag will be a birthday gift.

Utah Adventure

Gil signed up for some meetings in Utah, and I went along - to visit (of course). I got to play with Lincoln while Jessi was at work and James went to school. Gil got some quality evening time.
On Thursday, we went on a walk - the Mountains are incredible.
This photo from 2 weeks earlier shows Mt Olympus without the clouds.On our way we saw this lawn art and took the photo opportunity.
What a happy little guy this is. We wandered around the cemetery looking at the statues and some of the older grave stones. Lincoln seemed to enjoy it.On Friday I went with Kristen to pick up Aspen from school.

And then we played at Emma and Aspen's house while Clay and Kristen had a date.

This is the view from Kristen's - right up big cottonwood canyon. WOW.
We went for a walk too. It's pretty hilly that close to the mountains. Emma wore the roller blades and Aspen took the scooter. I pushed Lincoln

On Saturday afternoon the group went skiing. Alta has a brief cheap time on one lift.
Jessi got her first ski day of the season.Jessi, Gil and Emma
Kristen, Aspen and ClayThere was enough variety to the terrain to make it fun.
I think this is my favorite mom and daughter ski moment.Thanks Jessi for taking the camera and getting some candid shots. James started at Brighton and went over the hill to meet with the family to get a ride back to his car.And while they skied, Lincoln and I had a great time together.
After dinner, Gil and I got to play "9's" with the girls.
While Kristen and Clay got caught up with their electronics.Thank you Jessi James and Lincoln
Thank you Kristen, Clay, Emma and Aspen
And then we left Sunday morning to come home.

Look who I found.

This little beauty queen snuck my lipstick and the hand mirror to have a make up session. She does well keeping it on her lips and yes, she is beautiful.

21 Gun SALUTE

The passing of a great man.
Remember this photo from October of 2011? My incredible brother in law passed away in January after a 7 month battle with leukemia. He fought and he won the fight. He never gave up. In spite of the pain and the side effects and the set backs, his attitude was a winner and he kept his sense of humor. We respect him so much.

Arlie and Andy had time to think about what they wanted and they wanted a celebration of his life not a dour funeral. The luncheon was a good time to share memories, photos and hugs. Somehow holding a baby helps with the grief. The two babies there were truly passed around for lots of love.

1974 - we had some good times. Andy is fun loving, fast driving (until he had a family), quick to laugh, quick to diffuse a tense or too serious situation, generous, high flying (a pilot), and deeply spiritual.
A gift the Bjorns gave to us was a request for family photos dressed in orange. (the color for fighting leukemia) We had a great dinner gathering and with the help of our sign makers, a quick photo opportunity.

And the Utah group sent their photo too. HUGS and love from all of us!

Even better, Andy got to spend his last week with his family, children and grandchildren. No more masks and gloves. To hear children's sweet voices and laughter makes the soul delight. To have children and spouses gathered around telling stories and sharing tender moments give sustenance to the soul and create treasured memories.Andy, we will miss you, but you are not gone. We will be re-united again. Until then, we'll keep tabs on Arlie, give her lots of hugs and share a laugh or two. God speed.

A picture says a thousand things.

I started this post in July of last year. This picture was in the Ensign and I fell in love with it. It reminds me of my grandmother.
The photo below is how I remember my grandmother when I was a child, and she got older and more beautiful as she aged. Meta's life was not particularly easy. She was born in Switzerland and joined the church with her family. Her father Rudolf had had a stroke and was in a wheelchair. He was educated and could speak English -so when the missionaries came, he had the time and enjoyed talking to them. Rudolf's family was baptised and not much later he passed away leaving a wife and family. Lina, (Meta's mother) owned a home beside one of the covered bridges in Lucern. She had to bring in boarders to make ends meet. The boarders would leave their shoes outside their door at night and one of the children's chores was to polish the shoes before the boarders got up in the morning. They had a dream of emigrating to Utah to be with other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Meta was about 9 (I think) when the family emigrated. In Salt Lake City, the school put her back into 1st grade until she picked up English well enough to move her up to her grade level. The family grew up and thrived in the area.
Meanwhile Meta's older brother Rudolf was in the army with another young man from Utah. They became close friends and decided that after the war, they would introduce each other to their younger sisters. Rudolf married Julia Clark and Meta married Newell Sirls Clark. They lived in Utah and Idaho (Bear Lake area) and had a sweet young life together. Until Newell was riding a horse that spooked and bucked him off. They think he must have hit his head on a rock, and drowned in the Bear River. He was 36 years old. Meta was expecting their 5th child and the shock of loosing her husband caused her to go into labor and my Uncle Ted joined the family. She raised those five children on her own (with help from her extended family) and lived to be 86 years old.

Newell Sirls Clark

Fast forward many years until Meta is old and white haired. Has dentures and arthritis. Her hands are scared and worn. She is wrinkled. She had been sick and I, as sassy teen, asked her if she was anxious to meet Newell again. I am grateful for her honesty, because she told me that he had been gone so long, she couldn't really remember what he looked like. What his likes and dislikes were and wondered if he would even want to be with her since she was so old and wrinkled. They had been married for only 9 years. Would she even know him? Would he like her after watching her live her life with all her faults?

Meta Margareth Wonderli

In my mind I knew that he would not see the wrinkles and white hair, but be thrilled to be with her in a place where her hard life would become a memory and they could have the sweet future of an eternity together. - So when I saw this picture, it depicts exactly what I envisioned their meeting to be. He was young, strong, and viable and she had lived a long life with many cares and trials. And everyone knows Grandma was young in spirit.