KEN'S CHRISTMAS SURPRISE!

KEN LOVES SHARKS.....OF ALL KINDS.....SOOOO

HIS FATHER SAW THIS BIG SHARK IN SOME MAN'S TRUCK AND TRIED TO BUY IT....IT WAS KINDA BEAT UP AND THE GUY WAS GOING TO USE IT FOR TARGET PRACTICE..... DARREN HAD HIS EMPLOYEE REPARE IT.......IT WAS A  SURPRISE FOR ALL OF US....KEN PUT IT IN HIS ROOM IN VERNAL......I WAS AFRAID HE WAS GOING TO WANT TO PUT IT ABOVE OUR MANTEL????  KEN WILL BE BACK WITH ME THE 6TH OF JANUARY FOR ANOTHER QUARTER OF COLLEGE AT UVU.....

A SAD DAY.......

AT THE FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY AT TROLLEY SQUARE.....MY THREE DAUGHTERS AND A GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER......LILLY FRITEZE......SO NICE WHEN THE THREE ARE TOGETHER AGAIN AND SMILING......
MY SWEET SHERRIE......TOOK GIGI TO THE VET YESTERDAY .....HER LUNGS WERE FULL OF WATER.....WEAK HEART BEAT AND BAD ARTHRITIS IN HER BACK LEGS.....BLADDER WAS STARTING TO SHUT DOWN...... SHE WAS 16 AND 1/2 AND THE VET RECOMMENDED SHE BE PUT TO SLEEP......I AM HAPPY TO KNOW SHE IS WRAPPED IN HER BLUE BLANKET IN A BOX AND BURIED IN THE CHRISTENSON"S ANIMAL CEMETERY......HORSES....CATS.....DOGS!   BUT......I AM SAD SHE IS GONE AND WILL MISS HER.....BUT NO MORE PEEING PUPPIES AT THIS HOUSE!
HAVE A DOCTOR APPOINTMENT THIS PM AND PACKING FOR A FEW DAYS IN MESQUITE TO SEE MY LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER.  TAKING THE SHUTTLE DOWN TO ST GEORGE TOMORROW AND LES WILL MEET ME......

CHRISTMAS TRADITION.....

HERE ARE SHERRIE, LIBBY AND I IN OUR MATCHING PAJAMAS......I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THIS IDEA.....THEN THE BOYS HAD MATCHING PANTS!..SEEMED SHERRIE THOUGHT OF EVERY THING FUN THIS CHRISTMAS......

AFTER ALL THE PRESENTS WE GOT CHRISTMAS EVE......THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE CHRISTMAS MORNING FROM SANTA.......

ALEX AND ASHLYN SPENT CHRISTMAS DAY WITH HER FAMILY....BUT WE PLAYED GAMES AND ATE ALL DAY CHRISTMAS.

DARREN BROUGHT BRAYDEN AND I HOME LATE CHRISTMAS DAY SO BRAYDEN COULD GO TO WORK THE NEXT DAY ......LIBBY STAYED WITH HER FAMILY.  WE DROVE THROUGH A BLIZZARD MOST THE WAY.

STILL COUGHING MY HEAD OFF....

A GREAT CHRISTMAS....2018

NO WORDS AVAILABLE WHEN IT COMES TO SAYING THANK-YOU FOR A GREAT CHRISTMAS.......

SHERRIE ZIPPED KEN AND I AND GIGI OFF TO VERNAL SUNDAY.....WE GOT THERE IN TIME FOR THEIR CHURCH....IN WHICH ALL THE FAMILY PARTICIPATED......HAD A NICE DINNER AND PREPARED FOR CHRISTMAS EVE THE NEXT DAY.

BRAYDEN AND LIBBY DROVE DOWN AND STAYED WITH US......GREAT DINNER AND A TON OF PRESENTS.......FOR ALL.   I LOVE THAT CHRISTENSON FAMILY AND I WAS SICK SO SHERRIE JUMPED IN WITH ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER....SHE HAD MY ROOM DECORATED WITH A DARLING CHRISTMAS TREE....A WARM HEATER AND LOTS OF BLANKETS.......GIGI NOT DOING GOOD SO MAY LEAVE HER WITH SHER WHILE I GO TO NEVADA.

HERE I AM WITH SEVEN OF THE FOURTY CHRISTMAS SOXS I HAVE KNITTED SINCE PAM WAS TWO.....60 YEARS AGO.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

KARRIE COOK.....

                                                                           KARRIE COOK......CHRISTMAS 2018
THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE IS GRIEVE THE LOSS OF SOMEONE THAT IS STILL ALIVE......

MORE FAMILY.....

I GUESS IF YOU ASK OUR FAMILY OUR FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT IN SLC .....IT WOULD BE THE SPAGHETTI FACTORY   ......I HAVE BEEN GOING THERE SINCE PAM WAS A LITTLE GIRL AND SHE IS 61......THIS IS PROUD GRAM AND GRAMPS WITH AARON.

HERE IS AARON WITH TIFFANY AND SCOTT......AND A CORNER OF RICHIE!

THE ONLY GRANDKIDS MISSING WERE NICCI AND ANDREA.....SO LUCKY.   I HAD BAGGED MY ETERNAL FOREVER FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY........THIS YEAR AND THE KIDS FELT BAD......AND TOOK OVER.

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS FAMILY.........

THANKS TO DARREN......

THANKS TO DARREN AND SHERRIE THEY ARRANGED A PETERSON FAMILY PARTY THIS CHRISTMAS.....AT TROLLEY SQUARE'S SPAGHETTI FACTORY.....HER IS SHERRIE AND DARREN WITH ANDREA'S BABY LILY.

THREE OF MY 6 GRANDSONS AND A COUPLE OF THEIR WIVES ALSO ENJOYED DINNER AND SOME COUSIN TIME.......

HERE ARE TWO MORE GRANDSONS AND BRAYDEN'S WIFE......FOR SOME REASON WE DIDN'T GET RICHIE IN ANY PICTURES......BUT THAT CUTE KID WAS THERE.....SO PROUD OF ALL 6 GUYS.

COOKS CHRISTMAS......

THIS IS CHRISTMAS 2018 FOR THE COOK FAMILY.....
THANKS TO PAM SHE GOT AN EMAIL FROM KARRIE AND FORWARDED IT TO ME......I HAVE BEEN "DEFRIENDED" FROM THE GROUP.....BUT SOMEDAY THEY WILL BE SORRY.  I HOPE THEIR HOLIDAYS ARE NICE.

SICK ....SICK.....SICK

WHAT A FUN NIGHT......WATCHING MIKE IN....... SAVIOR OF THE WORLD......WITH SISTER LESLIE......

I HAVE NOT BEEN THIS SICK IN A LONG TIME....I HURT EVERYWHERE......

PLUGGED UP, COUGHING LIKE MAD......AND TIRED!......I HAVE TO GET WELL FOR THE HOLIDAYS SO HAVE SPENT THE LAST TWO DAYS IN BED.....OFF TO VERNAL SUNDAY FOR CHRISTMAS.  THANK GOODNESS I HAVE ALL MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DONE AND WRAPPED AND MOSTLY DELIVERED......SO CAN JUST CRAWL INTO BED AND SLEEP IT OFF.

MOVING INTO A NEW YEAR......

WHEN YOU GET OLD....OLDER......OLDEST!!!!!  YOU REALIZE YOU BETTER SHAPE UP!

SO FOR 2019......I WILL TRY TO MAKE SMALL COMMITMENTS......AND KEEP THEM....CLEAN THE TOILETS....SHOVEL DOG POO.....AND DUST NOW AND THEN?....OR NOT!

BE A LIGHT...NOT A JUDGE.....BE A MODEL ....NO A CRITIC....BE PART OF THE SOLUTION...NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM!!

IF I MAKE A MISTAKE.....ADMIT IT....CORRECT IT.....AND LEARN FROM IT.

WORK ON THINGS I HAVE CONTROL OVER....WORK ON ME!

ON "BEING"......HAPPY, NICE, PATIENT ETC......IF YOU START TO THINK THE PROBLEM IS OUT THERE......"STOP".....THAT THOUGHT IS THE PROBLEM.....BE RESPONSE-ABLE!......

AT MY AGE....JUST KEEPING UP WITH ME IS A FULL TIME JOB......

"WHAT LIES BEHIND US AND WHAT LIES BEFORE US ARE TINY MATTERS COMPARED TO WHAT LIES WITHIN US."    OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES

I BELIEVE.......

WHILE PRAYING ONE DAY A WOMAN ASKED GOD

...."WHO ARE YOU?"....HE ANSWERED..."I AM".....BUT WHO IS I AM?...SHE ASKED......HE REPLIED...."I AM LOVE, I AM PEACE, I AM GRACE, I AM JOY, I AM STRENGTH, I AM SAFETY, I AM SHELTER, I AM POWER, I AM THE CREATOR....I AM THE COMFORT, I AM THE BEGINNING AND THE END....I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIGHT.".

WITH TEARS SHE SAID...NOW I UNDERSTAND....BUT WHO AM I?....HE TENDERLY WHISPERED "YOU ARE MINE."

FINALLY FINISHED KNITTING LIZ'S CHRISTMAS SOCK.......AND FINISHED ONE GREAT-GRANDCHILD'S QUILT...ONE MORE TO GO....PAM CAME BY AND PICKED UP SOME PRESENTS FOR NICCI AND BILL SO SHE COULD GET THEM MAILED TOMORROW.  I FINISHED WRAPPING THE COOKS STUFF TO DROP OFF TUESDAY NIGHT AT DINNER.....THAT SWEET CHRISTENSON COUPLE PUT TOGETHER AT THE SPAGHETTI FACTORY.......WILL TRY AND GET MY NEIGHBORS GIFTS PUT TOGETHER AND DELIVERED TOMORROW......I AM RUNNING OUT OF TIME....I WILL SPEND CHRISTMAS IN VERNAL AND NEW YEARS IN MESQUITE WITH LES AND JIM......PAM HAS BEEN GOOD TO VOLUNTEER TO GET ME READY FOR ALL THAT......

COUGHED ALL NIGHT AND HOPE I AM NOT GETTING SICK!

QUIET WEEKEND......

AS I CONTEMPLATE  MY QUIET WEEKEND.......AT THIS HOLY SEASON.......I HAVE MIXED EMOTIONS ABOUT THE LAST 86 YEARS......THIS YEAR I AM ABANDONING ALL FAMILY TRADITIONS!  IT ISN'T EASY TO LET GO OF THINGS DEAR TO YOU....BUT HEY, THAT'S LIFE........

WHEN I AM GONE I WOULD LIKE MY FAMILY TO SAY:

I WAS HONEST.......I WAS PATIENT......I WAS KIND AND UNDERSTANDING.......I ALWAYS SET A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR MY SIBLINGS AND CHILDREN.....I  CARED ABOUT THEM UNCONDITIONALLY........

I WAS INTERESTED IN THEM.......I WAS DEPENDABLE....I WAS THERE WHEN THEY NEEDED ME......I HAD A SENSE OF HUMOR AND WAS FUN.......THEY WERE PROUD OF ME.    I WAS SPIRITUAL IN MY OWN WAY......

MY FRIENDS SAY ....WE LOVED HER AND WILL MISS HER....SHE WAS AN EXAMPLE AND AN INSPIRATION TO ALL.......

HOLIDAYS ARE HARD......ALONE,

CHOICES.........

I JUST HAVE TO END MY EVENING WITH A LAUGH........
I CAN HARDLY PASS THE BED WITHOUT WANTING TO REST 20 MINUTES......
WHY DO I NOT HAVE ANY ENERGY ANY MORE.....MY ARTHRITIS IS MISERABLE IN THIS COLD WEATHER........AND I AM ALWAYS TIRED....DON'T TELL ME IT IS BECAUSE I AM OLD...I KNOW THAT!!!!!  I HAD MY SISTER GET ME SOME CANNABIS TO RUB ON MY SORE LEGS......I AM DESPERATE!!!  THANK GOODNESS MY DAYS OF SEX ARE OVER!!!.....AND ALL I THINK OF NOW DAYS IS SLEEP...........

WONDER YEAARS....

EVER WONDER?

SEEMS I HAVE A BIG GROUP OF FRIENDS IN THIS CATEGORY...AND THAT IS OK?  AS YOU GET OLDER YOU FORGET TO KEEP TRACK OF TIME.....ONE DAY JUST SEEMS T O FOLLOW THE NEXT?.....AND WHO CARES WHAT DAY IT IS.......UNLESS IT IS GARBAGE DAY AND YOU FORGET TO PUT OUT THE GARBAGE CAN!!!!!  WHEN  KEN IS HERE HE ALWAYS REMEMBERS......ME NOT SO MUCH!

MY NEIGHBOR SAID HER SISTER WOULD BE HOME TOMORROW AND SO NO MORE CHANGING THE BANDAGE ON HER BACK FROM CANCER ......GLAD TO HELP OUT!  A LONG QUIET SATURDAY.....I DID WASH MY HAIR....DO TWO BATCHES OF LAUNDRY AND FINISH LILLY'S QUILT FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!....DREAD TUESDAY DINNER WITH THE FAMILY AT THE SPAGHETTI FACTORY.....I AM DONE WITH FAMILY AND EVERYONE PRETENDING........THEY LIKE EACH OTHER AND ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME!!!!....I THINK PARTLY FOR ME.....

I WISH I COULD TALK TO MOM AND DAD RIGHT NOW......I KNOW THEY WOULD SAY......YOU HAVE A DUTY PERFORM IT!!!!!  DO IT.........

..

A

WOW.......

WOW!!!!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE I MADE THE FIRST CHRISTMAS SOCK FOR MY FIRST LITTLE GIRL ALMOST 60 YEARS AGO?????? IT CAME IN A KIT AND I PUT HER NAME AT THE TOP AND FOLLOWED THE SANTA AND CANDY CANES AND KNITTED IT ON SMALLER NEEDLES.......THEN 11 YEARS LATER AND TWO MORE LITTLE GIRLS I DECIDED I COULD NOT PUT THEIR LONG NAMES AT THE TOP SO I DISCARDED THE SANTA AND DID THEIR NAMES AND CANDY CANES.......FINALLY 60 YEARS LATER AND 40 SOCKS I JUST PUT THEIR NAMES....I AM DONE....DON'T ASK FOR ANY MORE SOCKS FAMILY.....i HAVE MADE THEM FOR NIECES CHILDREN AND EVEN DOWN TO MY FIRST GREAT-GRANDCHILD.....NO MORE.  IT HAS BEEN FUN AND I HOPE THROUGH THE YEARS AS YOU LOOK AT THE CHRISTMAS SOCK ONCE A YEAR....YOU THINK OF GRANDMA-BETTY..........WITH LOVE!

ONE OF THOSE WEEKENDS......

WHY....WHY DOES THE LONESOMENESS OF BEING ALONE ALWAYS HIT YOU AT WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS??????  HERE I SIT MANY YEARS AGO WITH MY LITTLE SISTER JOAN AND TWO COUSINS.....JIMMY AND BOBBY GOFF!......AND I THINK MY GRANDMA GOFF?????  WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE LEFT??????JO HAD CANCER...JIM AND BOB WERE KILLED IN MINES AND GRANDMA GOFF DIED OF OLD AGE.....THIS  PICTURE IS THANKS TO KORINA........YOU REALIZE HOW LUCKY YOU ARE AND HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME IN THIS LIFE!!!!  YOU HAD A BEGINNING AND YOU WILL HAVE AN END!

SIBLINGS.......A GREAT WEEKEND.

GREAT WEEKEND WITH LITTLE SISTER,, NIECE KRISTI AND HER DAUGHTER AND MY NEPHEW MIKE.......WE TOOK IN "SAVIOR OF THE WORLD" THAT MIKE WAS IN ......IN THE CULTURE CENTER DOWN TOWN AND KRISTI AND ANNA SAW THE LIGHTS ON TEMPLE SQUARE......THEN SATURDAY MIKE CAME BY....... THEN OFF TO PREFORM IN THE MATINEE AND BACK FOR DINNER AND GAMES AND A MOVIE....NEEDLESS TO SAY SUNDAY......I WAS TIRED!!  THIS IS LES AND JIM.....MY FAMILY THAT IS LEFT!!  LESLIE JUST FOUND OUT JIM AND HIS WIFE ACE WERE DIVORCED....SO HE IS ALONE AS LES AND I ARE......HE SEEMS HAPPY ABOUT IT......BEING 14 YEARS OLDER THAN JIM.......I NEVER SPENT MUCH TIME WITH HIM AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN CLOSE THROUGH THE YEARS......BUT HE WILL ALWAYS BE MY BABY BROTHER....ALL 6 FEET AND 4 INCHES OF HIM........

SO SORRY FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE FAMILY TO LOVE OR BE LOVED BY......IT IS ESPECIALLY HARD AT THE HOLIDAYS TIME OF YEAR....

WONDERFUL MEMORY......

PICTURES LIKE THIS BRING BACK SO MANY MEMORIES......THIS IS MY DAD...WITH A BOTTLE OF BEER ......AND MY UNCLE WALTER.....MOTHER'S BIG BROTHER.....MY UNCLE WALTER WAS A "REAL COWBOY".....HE RODE IN RODEOS AND ALWAYS DRESSED THE PART......HE PLAYED A BANJO IN THE FAMILY BAND......MOTHER'S OLDEST BROTHER GLEN GOFF PLAYED THE TROMBONE.......WALTER THE BANJO....MOTHER THE PIANO.....RUSSEL THE SAXOPHONE AND CLARINET AND LESTER THE TRUMPET....EVERYONE IN OUR VALLEY KNEW THEM....MANY A FUN DANCE WITH MY UNCLES AND MOM PLAYING.....GLEN HAD ONE DAUGHTER FOR 17 YEARS WHO WAS 9 DAYS YOUNGER THAN ME......THEN DAVID 17 YEARS LATER.....HER SISTER EDITH HAD FOUR CHILDREN BY HER FIRST MARRIAGE......JIMMY, GENE, ROSE AND THELMA....THEN TWO BOYS BY ANOTHER MAN AND FINALLY EMMY LOU WHO SHE GAVE AWAY????? WALTER AND HIS WIFE JOSEPHINE HAD JIMMY AND BOBBY AND DOLORIS AND DOROTHY.......RUSSELL AND WIFE MARTHA FLORENCE HAD BILLY AND TOMMY AND MARTHA FLORENCE AND LESTER HAD NO KIDS.  THESE WERE THE COUSINS ON MOM'S SIDE THAT WERE IN AND OUT OF MY LIFE.....I WAS OLDER THAN MOST OF THEM AND NOT CLOSE AT ALL.

I LOVED MY DAD SO MUCH AND WAS ALWAYS PROUD OF HIM AS HE WAS TALL AND HANDSOME AND VERY KIND.....

HURRAH....KEN DID IT!

HURRAH.......KEN JUST FINISHED HIS FIRST QUARTER AT UVU,,,,,,,,HE IS DOING SO GREAT!!!!!...FIRST A TWO YEAR SERVICE MISSION ON TEMPLE SQUARE....NOW A QUARTER OF COLLEGE......GO KEN!  HE WILL BE LEAVING TOMORROW FOR A CHRISTMAS BREAK AT HOME IN VERNAL.....I WILL MISS HIM!....BUT WILL SPEND CHRISTMAS IN VERNAL WITH HIS FAMILY.......WE CAN DO IT!

A BUSY DAY......

I AM GOING TO LISTEN TO SNOOPY.........

KEN AND I WERE OFF TO OUR THURSDAY MORNING BREAKFAST........THEN HOME TO CHANGE SHEETS, KNIT, WORK ON BABY QUILTS, AND PUT LIGHTS ON THE TREES ON THE FRONT PORCH......

EXCITED ABOUT SEEING MY FAMILY TOMORROW.......IF THE WEATHER IS GOOD......OFF TO SEE THE LIGHTS ON TEMPLE SQUARE AND SEE MIKE IN THE "SAVIOR OF THE WORLD"........THE INVERSION.....OUR YEARLY GRINCH.....IS HANGING OVER US......VERY COLD.

KEN HAS A COUPLE MORE DAYS AT UVU THIS QUARTER.......WE ARE SO PROUD OF HIM.....PAM CAN FINALLY DRIVE BUT IS STILL IN A BOOT AND ON THE SCOOTER FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.......BAD TIME OF YEAR TO BE HOUSE BOUND.

THEY BURIED GEORGE H. BUSH TODAY.....HE WAS SUCH A GOOD MAN.AND A GOOD PRESIDENT.......

WORKING ON A CHRISTMAS SOCK FOR LIZ........MY 28TH????  FINISHED ONE FOR ASHLYN ALREADY.......THINK I AM DONE WITH CHRISTMAS SOCKS......

DIDN'T FORGET.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILL......A DAY LATE.....BIG NUMBER 28!

YOU WERE MY FIRST OF SIX GRANDSONS AND I WAS SO HAPPY WHEN YOU ARRIVED AND HAVE LOVED YOU LOTS SINCE....IT HAS BEEN FUN TO WATCH YOU GROW INTO A FINE YOUNG MAN.....EDUCATED, MARRIED, HAVE A HOUSE AND TWO DOGS.......AND A JOB!.......NOT EVERY GRAM CAN BRAG LIKE THAT!  ALWAYS LOVE YOUR PARENTS AND SISTERS AND I KNOW YOU WILL BE A GREAT DADDY SOMEDAY!

HOPE NEVER DIES.......

I GUESS I GOT SO EXCITED I PUT IN TWO PICTURES......AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ERASE ONE!!!!! BUT AS I WAS SAYING.....AGE IS JUST A NUMBER....86 OR 106.....WILL I ALWAYS HURT THE SAME????  DREAD GETTING OUT OF BED EVERY MORNING....BUT AFTER A HANDFUL OF PILLS....A HOT SHOWER ETC.....I AM ALMOST HUMAN!!!!...MY DAILY EXERCISE IS "RETAIL THERAPY"....YOU KNOW PUSHING A SHOPPING BASKET AROUND WALMART, TJ.

MACKS, ROSS, SMITH ETC.......

I BROKE DOWN AND CALLED MY SISTER WHO LIVES IN MESQUITE......AND ASK HER TO BRING ME SOME MARIJUANA WHEN SHE COMES UP NEXT WEEK....... TO RUB ON MY LEGS AND FEET......I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO "THAT" WALKER THINGY" I KNOW THIS COLD WEATHER ADDS TO THE HURT OF ARTHRITIS......

KEN SPENT LAST NIGHT WITH HIS FAMILY AT THE MARRIOTT HOTEL....... AND A PARTY FOR GRANDMA KAY THIS AFTERNOON......ONE MORE WEEK OF COLLEGE....BEFORE HIS HOLIDAY BREAK!

AND 24 MORE DAYS .....TILL CHRISTMAS!

WELCOME TO DECEMBER.....

WELCOME DECEMBER......I THINK MY SECOND CHILDHOOD IS KICKING IN!

I COULD HARDLY WAIT TO PUT UP THE TREE AND DECORATE THIS YEAR......AND I CAN'T STOP BUYING PRESENTS FOR PEOPLE!!!! 

MY LETTER TO SANTA.......

DEAR SANTA:

I"VE BEEN GOOD ALL YEAR...KINDA?

MOST OF THE TIME.......ONCE IN AWHILE.....

OH, NEVER MIND I"LL BUY MY OWN STUFF!

IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A BIG STORM LAST NIGHT....BUT WE ONLY GOT AN INCH OR TWO LAST NIGHT AND THE ROADS WERE GOOD TODAY.

ONLY ONE MORE MONTH OF 9:00 O"CLOCK CHURCH....THEN WE SWITCH TO 11"OO......I COULD REALLY BE A MORNING PERSON IF MORNING HAPPENED AROUND NOON!!!

WELL OFF TO A GREAT HOLIDAY MONTH....