Cousins!

This cute little family belongs to my cousin Vickie. They are wonderful!Me and my cousin Vickie are only two months apart in age. Our moms are sisters. We have spent lots of time together our whole lives. Many family parties, sleepovers, and fun. She and I are very different, in many ways, but we love each other.

Today is her birthday!

She an a very determined, survivor. She has been through some of the hardest experiences and just keeps going. Maybe she is just stubborn. If she is, she gets it from our grandpa. That’s not a bad thing, sometimes you need to be stubborn to let life know that you can’t be beaten. You might get thrown for a loop, knocked down, but never beaten. She is very loving, a hard worker, widow to her sweetheart, an amazing mom, wonderful nana to sweet grand babies, and has a forever family that is very admirable.

I hope she continues to have a determined heart and to know that she is very important to me and that I’m so grateful for our friendship and love for a life time.

HaPpY bIrThDaY!, Vickie!!!

oxox

Family History Friday: Collectables #8 Grandma Norma’s China

My Grandma Norma loved beautiful things.

She didn’t have a lot.

She and Grandpa were married during the depression and did their best to make a beautiful home for my mom and her sister.

When my mom was old enough to get a job, she saw this beautiful set of china and bought it for her mom. I love that! She was thinking about something her mom would like to have, and got it for her.

When I got my first job, I don’t remember thinking about my mom, except that she wouldn’t have to buy me school clothes anymore.

Years ago my mom invited me and my Darlin over for dinner. Just us two with my mom and dad. It was so special. She served dinner on these dishes. They felt very light weight and delicate. I thought, if my mom ever gives these to me, they will never be eaten on again. I was so afraid they would break.

Well, she did give them to me!

They are on display in my china hutch.They mean so much to me, because she bought them for her mom with money from her first job!

There are so many stories that are associated with the things we have in our lives. Don’t forget to tell the stories to those you love, and especially to someone who might eventually have the things in their home.

They can pass the item down to their kids along with the story!

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy

Family History Friday: Did They Serve Together?

My Great Great Grandpa Albert Fairbanks fought in the Civil War. His ancestry is Native American, English, Canadian, and French. He was born in what would become the state of Minnesota, in White Earth. He was part of a group of Native Americans and half breeds to join the Union Army to fight during the Civil War. He was a Corporal when he joined and a Sergeant when the war ended and he returned home.

My Great Great Grandpa Andrew Hanson fought in the Civil War. His ancestry is Norwegian. He came to America in 1857 with his wife and family. They put down roots in Fillmore County, Minnesota. He must have already loved the country because he joined the Union Army and fought during the Civil War. He served till the war was over and sent a letter home to his brother saying he needed a hat and boots to get home. The army gave them a ride home on the train, as far as it would go, then they’d have to walk the rest of the way.

As far as I’ve been able to tell, they were both in the Minnesota Infantry.

And they were both in “Company G”.

It does seem they were each in a different Regiment.

Andrew -2nd Regiment and Albert 9th Regiment.

After some searching, I’ve found that each Regiment comes from a different geographical location. So even though they both were in a “Company G”, they did not serve in the same Regiment.

I was thinking while I researched how neat it would be if they knew each other.

How wonderful it would be if they fought shoulder to shoulder.

It does appear as though they didn’t serve together, and that’s ok!

In 1864 the 2nd Regiment took part in the Atlanta Campaign and marched with Sherman to the sea. Wow!

The 9th Regiment spent part of their time protecting General Sherman’s railroad supply line from confederate raiders. Neat!

I am super excited to know for sure that they fought in the same conflict, and that they fought for the Union. I am so happy to know more about my Great Great Grandpa’s!  What hard working, service oriented people they were. Oh, and very patriotic! Family History is so fun!

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy

Family History Friday: “Listen, The Pictures Are Talking…”

“Keep me. Protect me. Share me.”

Taking care of photos, and stories, so that others can enjoy them, too!

This is an ongoing struggle for me. How to keep, organize, and share my photos. There are many options. If you have a favorite way please comment and share what works for you.

I’m still trying to move my VHS family movies to digital. I have many photo albums and scrapbooks that have paper pictures in them. It is so important to organize them.

The stories are important too. My dad has very few pictures compared to those some people his age have, but he has written down so many stories, it’s not all that necessary to have pictures. I can picture in my mind exactly what he is talking about in each story.

“Listen! The pictures are talking! Keep me. Protect me. Share me. And I will live forever.”

One place you can keep your pictures is on Family Search. You can upload your families most precious pictures and stories for all to see and read! Maybe you can enjoy what others have shared on Family Search!

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy

She is Witty, Funny, and I Love Her!


My sweet mother in law passed away.

I will miss her.

She has been a part of my life for 32+ years. She has blessed our family with her love, and her service. We have had so many fun times together as a family. Her skills at board and card games is amazing. Once she got the word “fandango” in Scrabble! Who does that? She is so funny and always had a cute story to share every time we saw her. She is an awesome cook. Thankfully my darlin knew I’d never be as good as her, so his expectations were low. I think he got his moms abilities to cook too. Lucky for me!  She is a good lady, and wonderful mom. She is a sweet grandmother to our kids, and grandkids.

She has a love of The Gospel of Jesus Christ, and served as a missionary several times. Her love of God was evident by the way she lived.

I’m sure she has reunited with her sweetheart Pearce, who passed away 3 years ago. What a reunion that must have been.

I am so grateful for her.

I will miss her, but when I do, I will think of all of the wonderful memories I have of her life. What a sweet lady!

Eight is Great!

Today it has been eight years since I started my blog. 

As I read through the blog, I am so happy that I have been able to share these stories and experiences with everyone!

I am so thankful that I have written them down.

They are a treasure to me.

My life and all that I have experienced is wonderful. Even the challenges have taught me so much. Some of the best things I’ve learned in the last eight years are:

1-Family is everything. I can’t imagine my life with out my family. Both the one I grew up in and the one I have with my Darlin. I feel blessed to have a sweet husband, wonderful children, and I am in love with my beautiful grandchildren. I’m thankful I have a blog full of memories of my family.

2-A knowledge of God and my Savior, Jesus Christ is a blessing in my life everyday. The gospel gives me direction, and hope for my life. 

3-I am so thankful for my ancestors. The family who came before me, and who paved the way so that life would be better for me. They left homes they knew, for the unknown. They gave up comfort for the challenge of a journey to a new life. I can’t imagine what they went through, but I am so thankful. I love them!

4-Grandbabies are the best!!! I am completely in love with them! They are my reward for not killing my kids. Haha. But seriously, how wonderful it is to have these sweet little people who I get to love, and spoil, and then send them home. It is the best!

Thank you for your visit to my blog!

I love to have you come. 

Miracles!

I can only speak for myself, but sometimes miracles are both happy and traumatic. Both fill us with incredible gratitude.

Like the time my brother received a liver transplant, or the time we had a car crash and no one was injured. Then there was the time I really needed a job and got one. I am so grateful for these miracles.

Our family was blessed with an amazing miracle recently. This miracle cannot be denied. God was very much aware of the situation and blessed our family.

This is a picture of my parents taking a stroll in Slovenia.

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They are the rock of our family.

The most loving, supportive, and noble souls I have ever known. 

My youngest brother and his wife blessed the parents with a wonderful trip. They do it every year. It is a trip most treasured by our parents. They traveled to many locations in Europe, starting and ending in Slovenia. My brother served his LDS mission there. On the day the were scheduled to return home, my mom had a fall. She fell down a flight of stairs…24 stairs! Let me just say she is 84 years old. She is a very healthy 84 year old, but everyone knows that a fall by someone who is older in years is usually not a good thing, and sometimes it is tragic. 

This was so scary for my dad. He heard her call to him and saw her falling. They have been married for 61 years and are very attached to each other. 

Now for the miracle! 

My amazing, wonderful, favorite mom in the whole world, escaped that fall with no broken bones, no major injuries, just lots and lots of bruising. They took her to the hospital and had her checked out, and she was released to come home. Ice packs, Ibuprofen, and TLC from my brother, and then she was home. 

When I saw her I cried and cried. It was traumatizing just thinking about my 84 year old mama falling down the stairs. I still have to say that quick so I don’t think about it too much. But, she is safe. She is healthy. She is alive, and not invalid. 

I’ve always felt like my parents were blessed with so many good years, because they are still so involved in blessing others. They both still volunteer at the local Family Search Library, helping others, and actively doing their own genealogy, and my dad spends every Friday afternoon reading, telling jokes, and stories to the “old folks” at the convalescent center. Many of which are younger than him. He has done this for 20+ years.

I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who blesses His children. I am so grateful that my blessed Mama is still here to hug and kiss and tell her how much she means to me. Thank God for Miracles!

Little Brothers!

LarryAndGrantLittleBoys

Today is my little brother Grant’s birthday- Happy Birthday Grant!!

And on the 2nd of April was my baby brother Larry’s birthday- Happy Birthday Larry!!

Aren’t they so cute?

When we were kids I was often the one in charge when the parents weren’t home. I wish I could say I was always nice to them. I wasn’t.

They really were fun little brothers. They were inseparable.

Grant seemed a little more quiet than Larry when they were kids. Grant has so many talents, and is very creative. He worked hard at college and is a very good provider for his family. He is a leader. One of my favorite things about Grant is, I know he is always doing his best in whatever he accomplishes. You can count on him for love and support! For years it was our tradition to go to the local Parade of Homes together. He loves architecture and I love looking at all of the beautiful homes.  These days, besides being an all around great guy, he is a brilliant photographer of the Great Salt Lake area.

Larry is my baby brother. I don’t know if he likes me calling him that, but I was 9 when he was born and helping mom take care of him was such a fun thing to me. He was my baby. The one I took care of, and hauled around. Now he is a big guy and very lovable. He took state in wrestling in high school. We are all proud of that. He is very generous and loving to all of us. He is so creative and has a lot of projects going all the time. He is the epitome of an entrepreneur. He writes music and stories, and is creative and efficient, and also a great photographer and world traveler. He is my biggest help when it comes to technology (I’m sure he wishes he wasn’t).

Once when we were young I wanted to watch my two favorite shows: Love Boat, and Fantasy Island (I am embarrassed to say that), and the little brothers wanted to watch something else. Well, I was the boss ’cause mom and dad were gone. I said, “No, way!” A few minutes later the little brothers come in the room with picket signs and saying, “Rights for little brothers!” Bouncing the signs up and down. I about lost it! Oh my stars! They were so cute.

I feel so blessed to have these cute little brothers!!! I love you both!

LarryAndGrantBigBoys

My life would not be complete without you!

 

Family History Friday: Stories!

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Great Grandpa and Grandma Hanson’s 50th Wedding Anniversary!

Knowing stories about our family members, and ancestors is not only fun, it helps us to feel like we can relate to them. It helps us know that they have or had experiences, challenges as well as wonderful things happen in their lives, just like us!

A fun way to record the stories is to have a Family Home Evening.

I found a article that gives us ideas for fun Family Home Evening activities we can do with our families. Visit the site here! After you visit, make a plan for a fun time with family.

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy