Beautiful Fall Day

The end of October has arrived.  The weather is mild and the sun is out today.  I’m sitting outside in a lounge chair with a blanket soaking up some sunshine and listening the variety of local birds chirping away.  It is so calming and pleasant to listen to.   There is a stillness in the air.  I was hoping to host another Halloween family party with the grandkids this year but I’m just not well enough.  Going to have to pass this year.  We did have lots of fun last year.  The older grandkids are getting older and would rather be with their friends.   It is the younger Grankids that really enjoy it.   Miss having Stacy in town with her 4 kids and Natasha 4 kids are all the same age.  Tasha has been out of town all week for the Magnolia market hosted in Waco Texas.  She flys in today.  I hated to disappoint them this year but I’m just not well enough.  This round of sickness has really knocked me down. I did miss seeing the grandkids dressed up in their Halloween costumes this year they will have to FaceTime me.. 

Baptism For The Dead

I’m starting to study for  my up coming gospel doctrine lesson next week- section 128-  on the subject of Baptism for the dead.  I was so touch this morning as I have started reading and learning more about the subject-  I love this quote from a talk given in 2017 by president Erying - “ Many of your ancestors did not receive those ordinances. But in the providence of God, you did. And God knew that you would feel drawn to your ancestors in love and that you would have the technology necessary to identify them. He also knew that you would live in a time when access to holy temples, where the ordinances can be performed, would be greater than ever in history.  And He knew that He could trust you to accomplish this work in behalf of your ancestors. -  I’m so moved by this quote as I reflect on my own life - I’m a first generation ancestor to become a member of the true church of God on earth in this dispensation-  I have felt this great love to search for deceased ancestors. 

Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate

This is a huge controversy as this mandate to work is sweeping the country -  Utah is right in the middle of it all-  SALT LAKE CITY — As many Utah politicians prepare for legal battle against President Joe Biden's plan to require COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing for most businesses across the U.S., Utah companies are trapped in political limbo.Biden's directive, put in place to curb the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 delta variant both in and outside of the workplace, requires that companies with more than 100 employees mandate that employees either get vaccinated or do weekly COVID-19 testing.Businesses that don't comply could face fines of up to $14,000 per violation. However, businesses that do instate a vaccine requirement risk backlash, like protests outside their establishments, like the Salt Lake City restaurant The Bayou, and a small portion of workers deciding to quit rather than get vaccinated.

Here's what some businesses in Utah have decided to do in the meantime:Big companies with a Utah presences like Adobe, Goldman Sachs, Facebook and Deloitte are requiring vaccinations for employees and people who go inside their facilities.

Food provider giant Tyson Foods, which has a plant in Eagle Mountain, announced last week that its work force had reached a 91% vaccination rate since the requirement they put in place in early August.

Walmart, CVS and McDonald's already have a vaccine requirement implemented at least on a corporate level or for consumer-facing roles.

Government and military

Biden's plan requires that all federal government offices and contractors be vaccinated with no weekly test option. This applies to some of Utah's biggest employers like Hill Air Force Base, L-3 Harris Communication Systems and Northrup Grumman.

Northrop Grumman, the biggest government contractor in Utah's defense industry, notified employees that they have until Dec. 8 to be vaccinated. This has led to employee protests outside the company's facilities in states like Florida and West Virginia. Employees at the IRS office in Ogden have also held protests multiple times.

EventsSome venues such as Sundance and USANA Amphitheater have already put vaccination requirements in place for both staff and attendees.

The Utah Jazz and Vivint Smarthome Arena recently announced that fans would have to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to attend in person. The Jazz also announced that their whole roster had been vaccinated.

Universities

Almost all of Utah's major universities have a vaccination requirement, at least for students, but not necessarily for faculty and staff. The following Utah schools have a vaccine requirement:

• University of Utah
• Utah State University
• Utah Valley University
• Weber State
• Salt Lake Community College
• Westminster College
• Davis Technical College

Brigham Young University has a mask requirement in place and "strongly encourages" vaccination.

Southern Utah University, Dixie State University and Snow College are the only public universities that haven't instituted a vaccination requirement.

Airlines

All major airlines, including those with large presences in Salt Lake City — like American Airlines and Southwest — now have a vaccine requirement, except Delta. Delta, which has more than 3,000 employees in Utah, will charge unvaccinated employees $200 per month.

Smaller Utah-based airlines like SkyWest and Breeze are waiting to see how Biden's mandate will play out before they make a decision.

Precedent for vaccination requirements in the workplace

Deseret Digital Media, the parent company of KSL.com, last week announced a vaccination requirement for employees, with an option to do weekly testing instead of vaccination. However, vaccine requirements for employment are hardly new, and some companies have been requiring that employees receive vaccinations, including seasonal flu shots, in order to protect the rest of the company's employees.

Private companies have more flexibility when it comes to vaccine mandates. Employers are legally allowed to require vaccinations as long as they allow for exemptions in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Utah-based tech darling Qualtrics released a study in March showing that the majority of employees across the country support requiring vaccination, according to their data, which surveyed more than 1,000 people. However, a follow-up survey this month shows that almost a quarter of employees would strongly consider leaving their place of employment if their bosses mandated vaccines.

And more than half of tech workers would consider leaving their jobs if vaccine mandates were not in place, which is particularly relevant in a tech industry-heavy state like Utah.

Companies are stuck in the middle, knowing that they will likely lose employees in the thick of a nationwide labor shortage by making any definitive decision, so most are coming up with a solution that is somewhere in between.

"As companies look to the future, they need to capture insights to help them determine how to reopen offices, implement safety measures and gauge employee and customer comfort with vaccine mandates," said Jay Choi, chief product officer for Qualtrics.

"Our study found that two out of three workers say they would support vaccine mandates, while more than half say they are more likely to support companies that require employees to be vaccinated. Insights like these are good for business and help companies deliver better experiences in the future of work."

This all so wild how things have changed when it hasn’t even been a year since the vaccine campaign started and now it is being mandated.  

October 27th - SALT LAKE CITY — Intermountain Healthcare announced Wednesday it will require all of its caregivers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The requirement is meant "to comply with federal vaccination requirements announced by President (Joe) Biden" on Sept. 9, system officials said.

"As a health care organization, Intermountain requires immunizations because they protect us and others — patients, members, colleagues, families and communities — from illness and disease, like COVID-19. There is overwhelming evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective," the company policy states.

Intermountain said more than 75% of its caregivers are already fully vaccinated and up to 85% have received one dose.

"Vaccination efforts nationally, and specifically in the Intermountain West, have proven central to reducing the spread of the virus and saving lives," according to the policy. 

More than 200 million people in America have been vaccinated against COVID-19, including 1.94 million in Utah who have received at least one dose, according to data from the Utah Department of Health.

Employees will have until Dec. 5 to file appropriate medical or religious exemptions, until Jan. 5 to receive their first dose of any available FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, and, until Feb. 9 to be fully vaccinated, according to the new mandate. Anyone who doesn't meet exception criteria will be placed on administrative leave — with "eventual separation from the company."

Intermountain Healthcare — headquartered in Utah with facilities in Idaho and Nevada — already mandates multiple vaccines for its caregivers, including annual flu shots and others. Wednesday's mandate includes all employees, including clinical and nonclinical roles, physicians, clinicians, volunteers, contract workers and students, at all Intermountain facilities in and outside of Utah, as well as remote workers.

Intermountain will hold a news conference Wednesday to explain the decision.
These mandate are making it more difficult for peopele to refuse taking the vaccine- they have to make a living.  This whole course of events is. It taking into equations that many have already had the virus and have herd immunity.  Their natural T cells are more robust- than getting this vaccination-  The controversy is this vaccine is not safe and effective and is still being pushed on the mass population.  It is being reported that the vaccine is changing the healthy blood cell to unhealthy.  Many are having autoimmune responses and no concern for those that are injured from the vaccine.  There have been many deaths reported yet the CDC is not reporting and Lies to mainstream public.  It breaks my heart to see this pushed on every American.  If this vaccine is as harmful as many doctors are saying and being censored for speaking out -in a few years we are going to see even more illness and death.  

Losing Weight

Last Sunday I was feeling horrible and so bloated.  I got on the scale and weighted 189 lbs-  I was shocked how could I weigh this much when I’m hardly eating.  Since July when we contracted the virus - my weight has jumped in the 180’s

Relief Society Lesson / Things of My Soul

This Sunday is relief society- we meet twice a month.  Each lesson is the topic from a General conference talk to discuss as sisters-  this week is from the Saturday afternoon session talk titled -The Things of My Soul By Elder Ronald A. Rasband Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 

He asked us What things do you ponder? What things really matter to you? 

He made a list of 7 things and then asked us to add three more things to this list that matter to our soul?

Highlighting the 7 things -I close with an invitation for each of you to consider the seven “things of my soul” I have shared today: love God the Father and Jesus Christ, our Savior; love your neighbor; love yourself; keep the commandments; always be worthy of a temple recommend; be joyful and cheerful; and follow God’s living prophet. I invite you to identify your own eight, nine, and ten. Consider ways you might share your heartfelt “things” with others and encourage them to pray, ponder, and seek the Lord’s guidance.

So now I’m considering my three added things to add to the list-  what mattered to my soul ?  

Hearing the inspiration of the Holy Spirit - 

Acting upon the promptings

Prayer -deeper communication with my Heavenly Father and feeling his love and approval of the life I’m living.  

Quotes from his talk - President Nelson reminds us, “When we love God with all our hearts, He turns our hearts to the well-being of others.”  I have felt this love and wanting to love and help others around me.  Love is the pure essensece of living a happy life 

Fourth, keep the commandments.

The Lord has made it clear: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Strive each day to be and do a little better and to press forward in righteousness.

Fifth, always be worthy to attend the temple. I call it being recommended to the Lord. Whether you have access to a temple or not, being worthy of a current temple recommend keeps you firmly focused on the things that matter, the covenant path.  

I love the feeling in the temple and serving those who have passed on acting as proxy for their saving ordinance.  

“Be of good cheer, and do not fear,” the Lord has said.  D&C 68:6- ​Wherefore, be of good ​​​cheer​, and do not ​​​fear​, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I ​​​was​, that I am, and that I am to come.

President Nelson describes the restored gospel as “a message of joy!” And he explains, “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.”

I’m going to strive to daily be joyful- look for the joy in my life. Even in my sick times which is difficult.  

Follow the living prophet,” I said then and I emphasize again today.

We are distinguished as a Church to be led by prophets, seers, and revelators called of God for this time. I promise that as you listen and follow their counsel, you will never be led astray. Never!

We live in a time when we are “tossed to and fro,” when spirituality, decency, integrity, and respect are under attack. We have to make choices. We have the voice of the Lord through His prophet to calm our fears and lift our sights, for when President Nelson speaks, he speaks for the Lord.

President Nelson is a gifted communicator, but more important, he is a prophet of God. That is staggering when you think about it, but it is critical to realize that his clear direction will shield us all from the deceit, craftiness, and secular ways gaining momentum in the world today.

And how it is gaining momentum!! Im striving with all my heart to follow the direction of the prophet.  

The prophetic mantle is all about revelation. “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World,” given in the April 2020 general conference, emphasizes that the Lord is directing this work. In this proclamation, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles state: “We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation. The earth will never again be the same, as God will ‘gather together in one all things in Christ’ (Ephesians 1:10).” 

10 ​That in the ​​​dispensation​ of the fulness of times he might ​​​gather​ together in one ​​​all​ things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; ​even​ in him:   I know the Lord is doing his work among the earth thru his saints -  those who love him and his church.  Let They kingdom come upon the earth as in heaven.  In the proclamation it says the earth will never be the same - as in the past-  I so pray for the millennium to be ushered in -  I do know there is going to be the cleansing fire of us all before his take place- the battle cry and battle lines are being drawn to defend the gospel of Jesus Christ and his doctrine as evil continues to roll forth in the earth. I see this every day as I watch the current affairs happening in our Nation.  It is totally evil men taking control and causing pain and suffering.   They have taken God out of the equation.   Yet it is very deceiving to many-  things of my soul is that I will not be deceived !!! 

Many Sick

Since July 2021 many are contracting this new variant of the flu -Craig and I are in that category since then there are many contracting it.  I feel for the families in our ward right now, we have over five people infected. Brother Hunsaker is in the hospital and his breathing is on borderline of being ventilated. He is very heavy and has health issues so it’s not good and this illness can take you down fast when you get that far along so we are praying for him. Eric Towner Sr. went hunting this weekend at our cabin with Chad when he flew in Friday night.

He wasn’t feeling well all day yesterday. Jordan took him home in the afternoon he tested positive for Covid -Eric’s older than Craig and I think he 70. So it is concerning as we get older. He was able to go to Alta view Hospital and receive the monoclonal antibody IV treatment which I’m so glad to hear. There is a high recovery rate from this treatment I’m glad to hear that it’s being made available many people don’t know about it and don’t do anything to treat the illness and they end up in the hospital. The most important thing is to treat this illness early to prevent it from progressing.  Craig called me last night and we said a prayer together FaceTime -he is still at the lake with the Towner family that are hunting.  I’m just hanging out here at our Draper house trying to recover it’s a slow process 

The UnVax-

The world is changing fast- daily our New President of the United States- it’s only been eight months and they keep changing policies and our country is becoming something  different-it’s almost hard to believe this is happening here in the land of the free supposedly. It actually is very frightening to me to see this happen in our country. Our freedoms and liberties are slipping away by evil and conspiring men. Since this pandemic all started the world has been spinning out of control. Business are now forcing people to be vaccinated or they can’t work many are asked to give up their jobs across the country essential workers like policeman, our nurses or paramedics hospital workers  and communities that work for the federal government and our military- the list goes on and on, the mandatory vaccination for all people, no exceptions of any kind. This young lady posted this on her Instagram account it’s just so crazy to read this.  

All because she is not vaccinated.  It is so upsetting to see this happening in our own country-  millions are fighting back- peacefully not complying.  I’m one of those Who is very skeptical and chose not to receive this vaccine for my own health reasons and religious conviction to have freedom of choice. Pray for us all as we fight this battle.  

My Thought For The Day

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) said: “Believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do great and good things. Believe that no mountain is so high that you cannot climb it. Believe that no storm is so great that you cannot weather it.” When we seek the Lord’s guidance, we will see His hand and the angels in our lives, and we will be able to accomplish what He has asked us to do.

I love this quote to give me encouragement as I recover from my illness   I’m slowly feeling better -  just enough that I’m getting tied of watching Tv.  I feeling like I need to be doing something.  Yet I know my body needs time to heal.  I pray for the healing I need and how to use my time -as I take this time to heal.  

Very Sick

This has been a very long week of being deathly ill.  I started an antibiotic Saturday evening- I took it twice on Sunday, I was flat in bed all day Sunday feeling terrible with symptoms increasing by Monday I was even sicker- I went back to the InstaCare and they gave me an IV and some more pain medicine Toradol an anti-inflammatory. They can’t prescribe any other pain meds at an InstaCare. I told them they needed to change my anabiotic- I remember having the same infection three years ago and the one they had me on now- I do not respond well to. They were waiting for the lab results to come back in so they know for sure which anabiotic to switch me to and sent me home.  

The doctor on call was suppose to call in a new prescription later that day.  I called Dr Romenys office to let them know I was really sick and for him to look at my records.  They never called me back.  

Tuesday morning I was feeling even worse, I was nauseous and throwing up and couldn’t keep my pills down and feeling horrible went back to the InstaCare repeated the same IV process and still no lab results so they wouldn’t change the anabiotic -I felt this is what needed to be done to have any progress in the right direction. I came back home and have just laid around so deathly ill- in and out of the bathtub with the bodyaches and chills. Feels like a poison inside your body- which it is. My bowels were backed up they could see that in the x-ray on Saturday so Craig tried to get me moving with a couple of enemas which was not pleasant- I just hurt so bad all over the only thing that seem to help comfort me is a warm bath. Wednesday morning my nerves were shot I was not improving. At this point I have a high heart rate I’m over 100 just laying in bed my heart monitor on my watch kept going off during the night at 135 bpm. My heart rate was not dropping below 100 which I’m sure is from the pain that I was feeling -my blood pressure was elevated some but not real bad. I was starting to have chest pain so I was concerned about that- I  had been feeling that for several days as it increased I hadn’t said anything at the InstaCare about the chest pain they were just looking at the urinary track infection. Wednesday morning they told us just to go to the ER I could be treated better there so we arrived at the ER about 10 AM and didn’t come home till 5 PM -it was a long day at the ER and can’t say that a whole lot was accomplished. I wasn’t real impressed with the nurses the one doctor said I had Covid and put me in quarantine because of my chest pain and low oxygen , which I knew I didn’t have Covid which made me angry that she was treating me this way because they wouldn’t look closer if they’re thinking it’s Covid. They were able to give me some morphine and Toradol which did help to calm down my stomach area of pain and bodyaches but was not helping the chest pain area and my heart rate stayed up above 100 the entire day I was there. I had to CT scans which is not pleasant they put this die throughout your body that burns really bad-  one scan for the Heart chest area and one from the abdomen area and down. I then had an EKG which did say that I have SteriaCardia not sure that is spelled right but your heart rate being above normal for a long period of time can cause stress on the heart so I was legitimately feeling pain from the stress of the elevated heart rate. So it looks like this illness has brought on a few things.   I knew I was borderline septus - that I was just on the edge going that direction -if not treated my white cell count had come down so I’m sure the anabiotic was helping I was able to switch to Bactrim on Wednesday a new anabiotic. My lab results came in and it said I had E. coli which is a bacteria caused from food contamination or fecal matter I know in the past when I’ve had these urinary infections lack of water when we were traveling to California I didn’t drink any fluids because I didn’t want to hacve to stop to go to the bathroom so that wasn’t good I got constipated too. I was just starting to feel better from Covid and felt like we could go on this trip and now I’m flat back in bed again this is really taking a toll on my body I’m just so deathly sick. Well by the end of the day I was treated for low potassium, give me some potassium and IV trying to manage the pain ,IV  fluids, changed my anabiotic and sent us home -told me to follow up with my family doctor. The one doctor said I had Covid she wrote out the report and said that I actually was treated for ruptured breast implants -which was never a discussion in any of my treatment that day- which is so crazy, I was not happy with her care. There are good and they’re bad doctors that’s all I can say. Not happy with our family doctor Romney either they never called me back until Thursday and I couldn’t get an appointment to get in to see anyone -  Now in ICU- frustrating they never called me back.  I knew I needed an anabiotic. This infection is deadly and can take you down fast this is my third really bad spell in my overall lifetime since my 50s. I have struggled with urinary track infections -my gynecologist says the uterus lining thins out when you get older and infections can happen much easier. So here I am again deathly ill and I know how long it takes to recover when I get this sick- it’s going to be another month or more before I’m able to get back on my feet again. Thursday I could tell the anabiotic was starting to kick in and I wasn’t hurting as bad so that’s a good sign. I’ve just laid around and watched TV and watch video clips of all the backlash of this vaccine campaign. We live in a scary time in the history of this world things are spinning out of control in many parts of the world especially here in America.  As of October many professions across our country are losing their jobs because they are choosing not to be vaccinated and the government is firing them -medical workers, policeman,  teachers,  all professions forcing medical mandate and if you’re not vaccinated you lose your job. Our worldly shipping of supplies are sitting at the ports not being unloaded because of political policies holding things up and truckers not available -now stores are starting to become empty of supplies, grocery stores shelves are empty- it’s all a backed up mess right now and frightening because if we’re not prepared we can be left without the supplies that we need that we have all taken for granted. I’ve been trying to stock up a little extra but if it really shuts down we don’t have enough to last very long. Gas prices are almost as high as $7.75 in places in California -we saw $5.50 a galllon when we were there. I’m just watching TV and whatever I can to distract myself from the pain and misery of this illness. Craig left to go back to the lake this weekend it’s hunting weekend Chad and the boys are flying in from California late tonight to spend the weekend at the lake, his dad and brothers are all coming up again to hunt like they did last year it was fun spending time with them, I’ll miss being there this year I’m just too sick to be any good for anybody right now. Friday - feeling a teeny tiny improvement. I can tell the anabiotic is finally kicking in, I’m not hurting as bad all over, I didn’t have to be in and out of the bathtub all night, I didn’t sleep well but I did sleep- just in an out they delivered oxygen tanks for me yesterday so I’m doing oxygen right now my oxygen is not wanting to stay above 90 and I’m sure it’s just from this illness-my chest area has seemed to calm down my heart beat has drop below 100 which is good except when I get up and start moving around it bounces back up really fast. Just wondering if I’m still having Covid affects from this terrible illness that’s attacking many people. I talked to Karen Mcdougal last night and their oldest son Wes is in ICU he has blood clots in his lungs from this illness and is very ill, we also have a family at Bear Lake, her husband is in the hospital too and their grandfather which is not good when you get to the ICU level. Don’t know which way the illness will take you life or death. I am feeling very vulnerable and weak right now just praying for strength to be strong and to recover. Natasha brought me some dinner late last night which tasted really good so I’m starting to get an appetite back.  See how the day goes today -  I text Shannon this morning and asked her and Ashtyn to come see me, I’m just going to be resting at our Draper home- too sick to do anything else

I Have A UTI

I’m so sick today.  I started feeling some symptoms while we were in California on Wednesday. I didn’t bring my back antibiotic with me so I hoped it didn’t flair up before we got home.  I soaked in the tub when I got home from the hospital.  My lower back hurting and just aching all over.  I slept in till 10am after I crawled in Bed.  We missed Lincoln’s football game it was at 9am.  Bless Tasha’s heart she got up and supported Lincoln at his early football game when she should have been in bed.  I could tell I needed to go to the instacare and get treated for this UTI before it take me down.  We meet at the ball park for Winston game at 3pm.  The game was running late starting.  I was able to drop Craig off and head to the instacare.  My white blood cell were high and I have blood in my urine.  It was a good thing I came in for treatment.  By evening It was burning to urinate and had to rush to the store at 10:45 pm before they close to get the relief pill unicalm and some vinegar to soak in the bath.  Soaking in a vinager bath helps the pain.  I started my first dose on antibiotic last night.  I was able to sleep ok last night.  I do feel terrible today.  It’s a good thing I got to the instacare yesterday afternoon.  I’m not doing well at all today.  I ache all over with a mild headache.  I’ve just been laying around most of the day. My poor Mother called me last night at about 12am crying her eyes out.  She is back in the hospital.  She has a bedsore that got infected from being confined to her bed from her broken hip.  She is in so much pain the infection has travel to her bones, which is not good.  I’m feeling that way today with the infection I’m fighting.  She was feeling all alone and that she is not going to make it thru the night.  I tried to calm her done.  They did give her some pain medication.  Her blood pressure is low so they can’t could give her anything very strong.  Draining and cleaning her bed sore is very painful.  They are not numbing the area when they drain it.  Bless her heart she has suffered so much.  I wanted to go to church today but to sick to go anywhere.  Hope I’m feeling better tomorrow.  

Pictures at the ballpark with the Thomas family 

Craig watching the game- feels good to be back in Utah.  It snowed in the tops of the mountain while we were gone.  

Arrived Home

We left Friday morning and drove straight thru-12 hours of driving to our Draper home.  We arrived about 10pm.  We were both beat from sitting in the car that long.  We did make stops along the away. We tied to meet up with Craig’s Mother when we came thru St George.  She was not responding.  We stopped to get a hot fudge Sunday and waited  for her to respond before we made the last leg of our trip another 4 hours to drive.  When I walked in the door Nataha called saying she was having terrible adomitable pain it was not letting up and wanted me to take her to the ER- I sat there with her while they ran sevaral test.  Come to find out she has a cyst on her ovary that was rupturing which is very painful.  She has never had one before.  I have been to the ER with Shannon several times over the years when she has had those flair ups.  I got her back home and pain medicine kicked in so she could rest.  I crawled in bed at 5am in the morning.  I was beat after riding in the car 12 hours and then sitting at the hospital 5 hours.  Shannon had called crying about her dear friend who is very sick also with severe adomitable pain too who has had Covid 19 and now saying thy need to remove his colon.  They were just burying his 21 year old daughter who died suddenly- they say Covid too.  Shannon was very emotional.  I have two daughters who needed their mother. Feels good to be back at our Draper home.   

Saying Good Bye

We are heading back to Utah today.  We have had 4 nice days visiting the Towner family.  The weather has been lovely.  

 They were all going a pumpkin filed trip today.  Stacy has her hands full hearding her little crew around.  She has a very bushy schedule.  She is home schooling and taking them to a charter school three days a weeks.  After school we had had to drop Jude and Yeal off to piano lessons, Farrah off at her dance lessons. Pick up Jude for his hair cut at the house.  Since the Covid shut downs they have a Lady come to their home to cut their hair.  The boys all looked so handsome after their hair cuts.  Farrah was throwing a temper after school, she was hungry and couldn’t go to dance till she ate something. Stacy had to stop by the grocery store to pickup cheese was her demanded.  We then hurried picked up Yeal and hurried and got him ready for his scorers practice, pick Farrah up for dance, pack up dinner and to the ball park to watch Jude in his soft ball game.  We didn’t get home until 7:30 for a late dinner. Get the kids ready for bed and calmed down for the night.  It is crazy causous with them all running around.  Trying to get them to all eat at the same time and out the door in the mornings for school is hard for Stacy.  Don’t know how Stacy is doing it all.  She manages very well so proud of her raising 4 darling kids.  Her and Chad are good parents. They are in a very  busy season of their lives raising these kids.  

Newport Beach Temple

We attended the Newport temple today with Stacy.  She acted as proxy for Aunt Flossie today my grandmother’s sister.  Aunt Flossie was my mother’s favorite Aunt.  I acted as proxy for Minerva A Johnson a daughter of Rev Johnson and and Sarah Nichols-  Craig was proxy for Hugh Nichols son of Anna Ruth Bails born in 1804.  It felt so nice to attend the temple with our Stacy girl- it is so pretty

here in California.

   

Ashtyn’s Treatments

Out little Ashtyn has to go weekly to have her blood drawn and received a medical treatment for the illness she is dealing with.  We are praying for her to recover from this illness the youngest patient to be diagnosed with this illness that is affecting her colon.  She had a colonoscopy and her colon is full of blister all over, this is why she is bleeding internal.  She is so upset when they took her blood - she cry’s she wants her blood Back!  

Lunch at Dana Point

We drove along Pacific Coast Highway today enjoying the beautiful scenery.  It is pretty along the ocean.  Enjoying the warm weather.  It is in the 70’s and at Bear Lake today is 37 degrees.  The weather is lovely this time of year in California.  We had fun walking along the Harbor-  we had lunch at Jon’s fish house.  We eat their yummy Halibut fish and chips.  Fun to see the seals and walrus’s sunning on the harbor decking.  Kids our of home school early today 1:30.  Craig and I have to take a nap and rest a bit. We need our battery charged.  

Danna point Harbor having lunch 

Cute Farrah and Enzo getting home from school.  

On Our Way to California / Farrah's 7Th birthday

I enjoyed my time at church.  A time to renew my spirit and fellowship with saints.  I was the last to leave after I made my rounds visiting.  Craig and I got home at the same time.  We packed up and headed out for our road trip.  I drove the three hours to our Draper home.  Craig did not sleep well the night before. He tried to rest while I drove.  We got to our Draper home hurried and moved our things from the Acadia to the Corvette we are driving to California and out the door fast.  A quick stop over to change cars.  We then drove the 4 hours to St George.  We arrived at 10pm and stayed at Craigs sister’s home for the night.  It was nice to visit with them.  We were up by 8am.  We met our Saydee bug for breakfast.  She is going to college her first semester at St George university.  She is liking it so far.  So proud of her.  We are on the road now to continue our drive to California about a 6 hour drive.  We are surprising the Towner family.  They don’t know we are coming in town.  It is our Farrahs 7th birthday today.  Is is fun to be on a road trip.  So fun to surprise them!! -   I told Stacy we had a special delivery for Farrah today -  we took a picture of me by Farrah's birthday sign and sent it to her.  She was so surprised to see us and started crying when she saw us.  This has been a fun evening.  We went to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory and then we came back to their home to have birthday cake and a glow in the dark dance party with glow sticks and a strobe light.   It was so fun to watch the kids dance.  

Special Delivery- Surprise!!

A walk by the Ocean

We took a walk by the ocean this morning with Stacy.  It is so beautiful.  Have enjoyed our day in

California.

  

Tonight we came to watch Yael play at his soft ball game 

Fall Photo Shoot

Love the pictures Tasha posted of one of her fall photo shoots with her little girls are so darling.  Our Annie is 7yrs old and and she is a little diva such a darling picture of her.

Love this picture is our baby Cora Rose -  she is getting so big. 

Our Sabbath Day

The Findlayson family is speaking in sacrament today.   He picked his favorite conference talk-  Parable of the slope- by Elder Gilbert-  I really liked this talk too- another talk that he liked-  faith to act and become-Are we letting the Lord develope and our lives, we can accomplish so much more in our lives as we include the lord.  Talks about the graph -  we all have a slope we choose how the slope in our lives go.  Which way is our lives moving.   “Look up not sideways”. Looking up we are looking how we can improve- referred to the parable of the ten talents- the seventh we’re giving the talents a firm of money - each giving a different amount based on ones that are capeable of managing-  the man given one talent did not not use his talent to increase but buried it-  because of fear!! Fear can limit us-  if we are focus on the inabilities we have can limit us- we don’t lower the Lords standards.  We need to raise our standards to elevate our lives -  the focus is on us what can we do?  We all have limitations but looking to the Lord through his power we can rise-  learn the stories of the challenges our ancestors had to go thru - story of his mother sticking her feet in cow dung to warm their feet.    This gives us a greater view of how blessed our lives are.   When we include the Lord in our lives - being yoke to the Lord - what is a yoke - what is used for oxen - to guide and direct-  the Lord know us better than ourselves-  we set our slope according to what we feel and know of ourselves-  inspiration can lead us and rise us to the unknown.  Insights to take away from this talk- we all have hard things to go through-  we chose what is the hard thing to do? Either path in life good or bad we hard things to do.  Living an Elevated life we have a higher view to not be tripped up by Satan - we have so many things to propel us and elevate our minds to a higher level. I really liked the message he shared from his insights of the talks he shared.   

Thursday / Working on My Moms History-

I woke up at 8am excited to work on my Mom’s life history.  It has been an on going project for many years.  In 2014 I started a digital scrape book online.  I had a good start.  It has been a stop and go process.  2016 we move to Bear lake and my computer died on me.  I did have a back up of all the old photos I have scanned.  It has been frustrating learning how to use my new laptop computer.  Well last year the software I was working on with my Costco account was updated and said they did not support the old program.  So I couldn’t get the digital scrapbook I had already started to upload.  I was so sad I had already spent a lot of time.  This has been discouraging to me to have to start all over.  I felt like I was dead in the water so to speak.   Well last Thursday a week ago I happened to try opening the scrapebook I was working on and it started downloading.    Wow !!! I was so excited to see what I had accomplished and able to continue working on it.  It is only volume one.  Writing about my mother’s parents and ancestors that I have old pictures for and compiling a history of my mother and her life up to 1970 the year after my adopted brother Tommy was born.  I’m making great progress now.  I can see it is going to cost about $75 to print one copy.  So I can’t afford to print copies for my siblings and other family members that would like a copy.  So this week I have been trying to figure out how to make a history account on my computer to print for family members.  I’m having to go back and forth from what I have complied on my digital format and create a new format on my computer word program. It is new for me so trying to figure out how it works has been a challenge for me.  I spent several hours on Tuesday and frustrated but finally figure out how to insert the pictures and create a new history account in my word document program.  It is time consuming.  I’m excited ining see that I’m making good progress now.  I’m up and running.  Just have to stick to my task and complete the first volume.  This is going to be a great ongoing winter project for me this year.  Creating a history on my computer will be much more effective and less expensive than printing.  I can send digital copies to who ever wants one. Back to work.  It 2:30 pm and I need to proof read what I’ve down so far and then take a break.  I have a few errands to run,-  go to the post office, pharmacy and pick up some potting soil. I’m planting tulips and daffodils this fall to enjoy in the coming spring in 2022. I planted in my big Canoe that we made for a flower bed and some pots for next year.  It will be so fun to see them pop up next spring and watch the magic of color popping out of the ground from the cold winter months. Craig took a bike ride so I need to get dressed still in my Pj’s.  We both worked on things this morning together in our upstairs family room.  Craig likes to be right with me as we work on our projects.  He was on his computer doing work stuff and I'm working on this history.  

Keeping Busy/ Norma and Jerry visit

We are enjoying our fall season this year the leaves are just such beautiful colors- brighter than they have been in several years.  We did get lots of rain in August so I’m sure the moisture helped to intensify the colors this year.  I had to tidy things up and cleanup myself up for the day.  Norma and Jerry Gygi drove up to the lake for Craig to help Jerry complete his insurance application process.  We met them for lunch at the Bear trapper and then came to our home.  Norma had not been in our place since we first moved in the summer of 2012.  She enjoyed a tour of our home.  She complimented me on the decorating I’ve done.  It was nice to visit with them.  They are just next door in the summers months, we just don’t get to visit much with each other, we get stuck in our own family units keeping up with things. We did have a nice visit.  It was fun to hear stories of Craig’s mother LaVon and Norma growing up, they are 1st cousins.  Norma’s dad was Uncle Kenneth who was a brother to Lavon’s mother.  Uncle Kenneth and Aunt Bobby were Lavon’s favorite Aunt and Uncle growing up.  The three siblings Kenneth, Oralie and Uncle Arval all bought property in the 60’s here at Bear lake.  The three lots have been divided among their ancestors.  So we have cousins on the Biesinger side of the family on both sides of our place here at the lake.  It is a cousin reunion gathering place all summer long to enjoy. Norma and Jerry have been so good to our family over the years.  When our little Shannon was hurt so badly here at the lake in February1886 they watched our girls.  Sharlena, Trisha and Stacy was a baby. Our girls loved playing with their older girls Jennifer and Janea.  They were great babysitters.  So their family has been a big part of our lives over the years .  Craig has helped all their 5 children once they married and raising a family of their own with their health and life insurance.  Craig’s not making any money now - since he sold his health block of business - but very gracious to give service and care for his relatives.  It was a very nice visit.  They drove all the way up to meet with us and back down to the Salt lake valley.  After the left we went and played Pickelball for a couple of hours.  It was a lovely sunny fall afternoon.  I enjoyed our time outside.  I’m very sore from our long hike the day before.  It was a workout for me getting up that mountain and back down.  I can feel it all over.

Our Autumn Hike

Craig and I hiked up to the top of Swan peak today.  The tallest mountain peak at Bear lake.  We drove our rhino to the back side and then hiked up the steep side.  It has been a beautiful fall day the leaves are so pretty.  The red leaves are beginning to drop.  I love the bright shades of the mountian quakey trees. We hike about 4 and half miles. It has kicked my butt walking up the steep side of the mountain.  We hiked to where we had a lovely view of Bear lake.  The entire lake was a mirror with the mountains reflecting in the water- this was a hard hike for two 65 years old climbing 10,000 feet of elevation. Such a lovely view.  We are standing by Twisters grave site- a beloved dog buried on top.  This has been a nice fall day.  The weather is changing fast tomorrow cooling off to cold temperatures.  We have had a warm fall.  In the high 70’s most of the month of  September and the beginning of October.  

Conference Weekend

Craig and I have enjoyed a lovely weekend and the beautiful fall Autum colors.  Thursday we took a rhino ride up in the mountains with a couples our age.  The Popes, Batts, Christensen’s.  We met at the top of Logan canyon and drove down the dusty trails to see Old Empriams grave site and memorial erected by the smithsonian register.  This is the largest black bear that lived in the Bear lake Valley.  He was 9 feet tall standing up.  He caused lots of damage to the ranchers killing their live stock over the years.   He was finally killed.  It was a fun ride and so beautiful to see all the lovely Autum leaves in full color.  We came back in time to clean up and have dinner with the Holman’s at Cafe Sabor, we then came to our home to play card games.  They taught us swoop it is a fun game.  We had a fun day.  I enjoyed all the conference sessions.  Look forward to reading and studying them online.  I felt the theme is Come unto Christ- do all we can to have a closer relationship with our Savior.  It such a nice weekend.  I washed window before the snow flys.