P.S. to The Mama Chair --- Here are some snapshots from our family album that date about the same time my Mommy's chair came to our house -- some ancient pictures of happy occasions.

Usually Daddy dressed in khaki work clothes and Mom in a house dress. Regular everyday playclothes for me consisted of a little T-shirt and a pair of overalls --- So here I am, about 14 months old, looking like a little boy with a dolly. But all dressed up in a little girlie dress and bonnet, I am still making pretty funny faces.

Daddy always wore a hat when he went out, whether he was dressed up or going to work, so you can see the shadow of the hat above his tanned face. Mom & Daddy loved us kids, and since I am the only little kiddie in the family on this occasion, they are taking turns playing photographer on this summer afternoon.



One of the few photos I could find of Mom's little rose-colored armchair is from a family reunion at our home a couple of years later just before we moved. Daddy's brother Bob and his wife Lorraine pose for the photographer.

Interesting, isn't it, how furnishings recede to background of activities and relationships, yet they are reminders of things we did and feelings we felt.
Mommy's snuggly chair brings to me the cozy, happy, quiet feelings I had when I was a little girl.
Again, what a great blessing that Wayne fixed it up so we can enjoy it for many, many more years!!!

The Mama Chair

Mom & Daddy moved to their first home when I was not quite 2, just before my sister was born. As they were shopping for furnishings, Mom saw the carpeting she wanted from across the store. They also bought a greenish-bluish couch and matching square armchair (Daddy's chair) and a nice snuggly dark rose upholstered chair for Mom.

Over the years, her little chair has made some changes. The rose upholstery with the woven swirled pattern was replaced with gold velveteen, and Mom attached ball casters on the front to make the chair easier to move. When she went to live with Heavenly Father, her little cuddly chair came to stay at our house, and we have enjoyed it so much over the years! It became my favorite place to nurse my younger children, and read to any of the others, unless there were too many of us to fit!

Sometime ago, I took Mom's chair to an upholstery class and fitted it out with papricka-colored $20/yard fabric that was to last 20 years.

Enter the present day: Wayne & I are getting to the point that we need to have furniture that makes our knees higher than our bums when we sit down, or we have troubles getting up and out. So this past summer, we purchased a new couch and loveseat, and because Mom's little chair seemed very low, I worried we might have to replace it. Just the idea of not having it around any more made me sad, but gratefully, there was nothing in the furniture stores that we liked. We rearranged the living room and brought Mom's chair to the opposite end of the room, and it looked cute and homey there, only problem now being its height.

Wayne, the Hero, came home this week with some new legs for Mom's chair, and the other day he turned it upside down and fixed it, just in time for Thanksgiving. He is so smart, knowing how to do things! I am so excited and happy, looking forward to many more years with Mom's snuggly, cuddly, as-old-as-I-am chair to enjoy!!

I am so glad!

Grannie Annie & Grandad: Miss Sarah's Guests

Visiting the Queen of Kinder-garten --

Several times a year, we go to visit Sarah's kinder-garten class ~~~

It all started when she was teaching at Edison Elementary. Wayne knows all about hammers and nails, so he purchased a bunch of little bitty hammers (tack hammers, he would call them . . . not a man's hammer!) and furnished an itty-bitty red toolbox with said hammers, some little screwdrivers and a couple of itty-bitty saws. Then he talked to the kids about building and let them drive nails and screws (what a lot of noise!) and saw off little pieces of wood.

This visit we did something different: Sarah had an idea for take-home Christmas gifts for the kids to make that she needed help with: enter Grannie Annie. She said the hammers were too noisy for this time, and poor Wayne was on his own to figure out an activity.

Well, he was only momentarily stumped, and then his old drama training asserted itself . . . He would tell the kids a story and then let them act it out.

Left: This is a story about a wife who tried to roll out too-long noodles in her too-short kitchen. At the advice of Grandpa Wiseman, all the barnyard animals are brought into the house. The kids are playing the animals . . .





In the mean-time, I am painting kids' hands for handprints on a Christmas bulb, the fingers of which are to be turned into 5 little snowmen. Sarah divided up her 24 (3 absent) kids into groups of four for what she calls "Centers", with Grandad taking one, Grannie Annie another, doing testing herself in a third, and the kids playing games at three other stations. Boy, that girl is talented!!!

And at the end of the day, Wayne did the Lion Hunt with the kiddies who were waiting for the bus, and they all had a blast, especially Grandad!

So it's always fun to be with Sarie and see the great things she does with her kiddies. Then she feeds us well and takes us to do fun things, giving us royal billing with those kids. "Grannie Annie & Grandad are coming!!" she tells them. How can you be anything but GREAT that kind of an intro???

Love ya, Sarie. Love your kids!!

Bus Arrival

We have these absolutely dear friends that live down the way. When I was visiting little over a week ago, the husband was all excited: He won an online bid for a handicapped bus! They were so tickled when he brought it home, that they loaded up their two little schnauzers and trundled up our way to show off their new vehicle. At first, I wasn't sure why a UTA handicapped bus was out in the road in front of our house, but then I remembered how excited Lavar had been when he won his bid. Main idea is, now they can go visit Terene's mother in Washington and travel comfortably! We are so very pleased for them!!! (We also got a ride in their new bus!)

Ward Hysterian

Well, folks, this is where I was last Sun evening for about 5 hours, working on the Elsinore Ward History. Don't we think it is interesting that there are just small letter changes between the words history and hysteria?? Anyway, this is part of what I do, the ward history. Did such a good job last year that I was afraid they might make it a stake calling! I am so glad that they did not!

But here I am catching up on my notes since about last August . . .

Election 2008

This past week has been an interesting one: had all sorts of things going, but the biggy was the 2008 Presidential Election on Tuesday where I serve as poll supervisor. Our election machines had to be set up by 7 a.m., so we were there at 5:45 to be sure they were up and running for the first voters. One fellow who came about 6:30. Chris told him we'd be open at 7. (We have had some people come and think they should vote right then because they were there.)The fellow said he didn't mind waiting, but he had always been the first voter in our precinct for the presidential election for I don't know how long. So he sat and waited so he could be first once more! Afterwards he told me he was 89 years old!

Voter turnout was great, about 70% of registered voters. After 8:00 p.m., we did all our paperwork, put away all our equipment, and took election results to Richfield. It was 9:30 p.m. Long day!

Right: Friends Leslie Gordon & Chris Kirkpatrick, dandy company for an all-day job!

Great people in Elsinore. I am impressed every time we do this sort of thing how kind and congenial they are, visiting with each other and not seeming to mind if they have to wait a little bit. We did have a line a couple of times during the day, and we were busy enough that I didn't have time to think about the book I brought in case business was slow.

Our polling place is the big, old town recreation hall, about 45 S. Center, which was built in the 1940's by the CCC (Civil Conservation Corps). The kids used to roller skate there, and every year they have a Halloween party and a town Christmas party, complete with the kids dancing the hokey-pokey just before Santa comes.

So the election is over for another year. One kid commented that I had been there ever since he could remember, and I guess I started registering voters in our home years ago when Calvin Rampton stepped down from being governor. I enjoy the experience, serving the community and getting to see folks that I don't see any other time.

There ARE Smiles . . .

We go to visit Wayne's mother Luzell a couple of times a week. Often we find her dozing, snoozing she calls it, which is understandable since she will be 97 on Nov 10th. She wakes up with a wonderful smile. When Andy was a baby, he would greet us with un gran sonrisa as Wayne put it, and Grandma Luzell does the same thing. One day I told her how great her smile was, and she commented, "Well, people like you better if you smile!"

As one who wakes up a bit foggy, wanting soft sounds and no bright lights for the first half hour of life after sleep, I hope I don't react too often like a post-hibertating bear when life jars me too soon out of my preferred cotton-wool enviornment. Luzell's cheerfulness is such a wonderful, bright gift she gives, although she needs help to do many other things in life -- she gives that smile to everyone who comes around.

My random thoughts this past week have come again and again on how great smiles are . . . How they lift burdens and brighten life. What great gifts from the heart!! So, to all of you who have lifted my life with your smiles and sweetness, thank you! I salute you with my Smile Album! . . . and a truly grateful heart!

A hike with Jake & Cody this spring. We all got into the pic, sort of.

ShaNee & Harlan on his blessing day . . .

Sam & Kade Eastering at Castle Rock . . .

Jen & Daphney on the J&J vacation.
Cousin Holly visits Grandma last Christmas.

Kids Joseph & Caitlin (?)

Kade, Lauryl & Josh came for Grannie Camp this summer. We went hiking . . .

Harlan & Brittney play at the Family Fun Day in Ogden this summer . . .

Then there's good reason to smile with Joe & Jen's great news!!!

Cody, you make my eyes crinkle up and the corners of my mouth go up whenever I see this pic! You & Jake!!

There's Hunter mugging for the camera at Grannie Camp 2007.

Dad & Aunt Joanie are searching for light while they wait for me to try on a dress in Mr. Macs. What nuts!

And Mike, Sam, Hunter & Grandad on the Navajo Loop trail at

Bryce Canyon.

The next few are as old as the hills and courtesy of Aunt Joanie. The first is of me, Sue & Joanie in Greenville along with our branch president Glen Sims. That's our house in the background.

That's Daddy with his Big Fins car, also in the driveway, near the back porch.

And the last one is Sue and Joanie, about 1953. Great sisters!!

Andy & Becky at home, enjoying each other. . .

Amy, Sarah & Britty resting on a hike we took at Castle Rock in 2007.

And, last of all, Joanie and Annie at the Caraway reunion she planned in 2007 at Kelley's Grove. So much fun that was!

And folks, I can see I need to smile, regardless, especially after trying to put this blog together!! Man, the spacing is murder, isn't it?

Anyway, Loves & Smiles from Annie's house this week!! Grandma's pretty sweet, spreading all that gran sonrisa around!! What an easy way to make life fun and better!