TIMOTHY'S DANCE FUNDRAISER

Timothy belongs to an all boys dance group that is going to perform in New York this summer -- naturally Hinckley gets to go along. Anyway, that means fundraiser and last night we got to go to a performance of his group. Two of the dances were particularly good, Transformers and Newsies (pictured above)

After the performance we all went to Wendy's for a snack. Dean, Hinckley, Timothy and a couple of his dancing friends were also with us -- but they were too successful at avoiding the camera.

Doesn't Adi look way unready to have a baby in two weeks? Porter, on the other hand, might not complain about sharing the attention.

Great Great Grandpa Brown

My Grandpa Brown is a big memory from my pre school years. He died in 1950, in Salt Lake City, and I think he lived there for several years before he died. I never knew Grandma Brown, because she died in 1934, before I was born. The time when I remember Grandpa Brown was just after we moved into our "big" house in Cardston -- across the street from the RCMP station and the cenotaph. He was married to "Mrs. Wood," but spent an awful lot of time in our garage, even in the winter when it was cold. He had an old (even then) Remington typewriter there and lots of papers. I guess that was his office. Very rarely, I went to "Mrs. Wood's house." She was never accepted by his family. I don't know why they didn't like her, but she certainly made delicious cookies so going there was always o.k. by me. No one is certain as to why his children wouldn't give her the time of day, but the general feeling is that Grandpa never did right by Grandma (Amelia Little) and so when he was old and married to Mrs. Wood (and probably much more mellow due to age and less problems), they resented her because he treated her much better than he did their mother. The picture above is pretty much how I remember him.

I still have a poem that he gave me on a small piece of paper, typed out on that old machine:

I saw a little dandelion, with a head of gold

Trying to outshine the sun, was that little flower bold.

I saw that little dandelion, at the close of day,

And do you know, that little dandelion's head had turned to gray.

Here's a picture of Grandpa Frank Brown and his wife, Grandma Harriet Amelia Little, taken years before their marriage in 1891. They look pretty young to me, and not very happy. I guess that was before one smiled for pictures. We had always thought these were their wedding pictures, despite their youthfulness, but they could even have been taken at separate times.

They did have their troubles. Many many of their descendents have been afflicted with very serious depression, migraine headaches, etc. I visited Rhean's daughter, Katie, when I was in Portland in December and somehow it came up that I was adopted. She was very surprised and asked Rhean why she had never known that (Katie was a big admirer of my sister Julie). Rhean's comment was -- ". . . of course they were adopted. That's why Linda doesn't have this chronic depression that the rest of us have."

BIRTHDAYS CELEBRATED AT OLIVE GARDEN

Saturday we had a fun lunch at the Olive Garden. It was a fun time. Thanks for

the Spa Certificates. I will certainly enjoy using them.

I've been busy working on my neurofeedback training and am looking forward to seeing Debbie and her family in a couple of weeks. Elizabeth's basement is coming along fine -- though Jim is tearing his hair out trying to keep the construction paper on schedule. Yesterday we moved the hutch Mark made out of her basement and in to my neurofeedback office. Progress -- or at least change!

JULIEANNE & PETER'S RECITALS

The evening before Valentine's Day we were treated to two concerts. There was a bit of an overlap in time, so Jim and I picked up Timothy and Joelle* and went to Salt Lake to pick up Julieanne, Bugs, and Porter. Adi has been SICK for several days, but when we got there she was determined to go. Unfortunately, she was very unsteady on her feet and we finally convinced her to go back to bed. Plans were SURPRISE changed, Bugs and Porter stayed with Adi's sister Michelle, we got Michelle's daughter Amanda and Nathan joined us for the concert. Believe me, Michelle got the best of the deal as Joelle, Julieanne, and Amanda were a very noisy and out of control combination. Of course Nathan stirred things up anytime the girls' interest in noise and squealing subsided.

Julieanne, according to Grandpa Jim, was absolutely the best performer. She was certainly right up there, playing a piano piece she is preparing for a recital. Their were a couple of sisters who sang a beautiful duet and a Samoan dancer who were also pretty good, but they were a couple of years older than Julieanne.



* Hinckley & Dean had a republican party dinner to attend (where they received brand new Lincoln/Log Cabin pennies as well as delicious "Lincoln" chocolates and some advance information about Mike Lee (Rex Lee's son and Jim's son-in-law who formerly clerked for Justice Alito) running for Bob Bennett's senate seat. We had thought Mike Leavitt was eyeing that position

Tahoe for Rachel's #40 & Elizabeth's #32

Nathan, Rachel & Rob, Elizabeth, Patti & Taylor & Dillon & I are in Lake Tahoe for a skiing celebration. This is Taylor --

Isn't that a gorgeous view?

Wouldn't be a family get together without games, but even Nathan

and Rob are joining in here. Taylor and Dillon were busy with the

t.v. and Patti and I were reading. No surprises there.

Three Brothers

It is difficult to get Zachary to cooperate for a picture, but I think this is a good one of all three boys together.

Blake and Morgan were blessed the same day in Michael and Stephanie's ward. Rachel & Rob, Mark, Amy & Kids, & I were all able to be there. It is neat to see everyone working together & supporting each other like that.

After sacrament meeting we all went over to Michael and Steph's for a delicious lunch and the Super Bowl.



Tessa is so cute with Paige & Morgan. I bet she is a big help to her mom.

Portland For Blessings of Blake & Morgan 2-1-09

All the chaos of getting ready for church. Tim gave Morgan a special blessing -- and she has no one better to learn kindness from than her mother.

It was fun going back to see them. It had only been a month, but Morgan had grown so much and was such a little person rather than a newborn. She is such a good baby -- and so smiley when you play with her. Tim and Vixie work so well with them -- and it takes a lot of coordination with three kids that close together.