HOLIDAY UPDATE!

We had our family christmas party on Dec. 20th. It is one of my favorite times to get together with our children & grandchildren. They have such a good time! We always do some form of christmas bingo. Ken's wife, Lori, & I love to play games. So do the grandkids. I purchase small gifts from the $ store & wrap them. We ordered in pizza, & picked up chicken wings for dinner. Everyone brought treats. Then, we played christmas bingo, G'pa Jay read the Christmas story. We opened presents (we started with the youngest grandchild, Cohen, & went up). We did get to see what gift everyone received. Later, Lori gathered all of the children & played "Spoons." I joined them for the last few games of Spoons. It was really fun!

On the evening of the 19th of Dec., we went to Nielco Roofing's company party. It was held at the Bohemian Resturant. We had the best prime rib that I have ever had! I don't know what seasonings they used, but it was wonderful. After leaving the party, we stopped by a clinic. I had a sinus infection & they gave me a prescription for an antibiotic. Plus, I may have a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder. We had a quiet, christmas day, just Jay & I. We were going to JaLynn's, but a nasty storm was coming in. Friday, Jay got up & used the snowblower to clear the drive & sidewalks. He got half finished, came in the house, fell on the floor & did not move for a while. He could not stand up straight or walk & was in terrible pain. Yesterday, Saturday, Ken took Jay to the St. Mark's emergency room. I met them there. The E.R. took x-rays, ultra sound, gave him pain medication. He came home with 5 new prescriptions. We have to call his primary call physician & make an appointment for an MRI. They, also, gave Jay the name of an orthopedic back specialist, to see. It's been almost two days. I cannot see any improvement. It really concerned me because I have never seen him like that. We know that soon he will be better. He needs to get the pain under control, which he has not been able to do.

Sorry, about all of the personal info., I really wanted you to know that even if Jay & I spent christmas day by ourselves, it was a good christmas! It's all about families!! Happy Holidays!!

Jay & Carolyn Goodrich "Christmas 2008" Family letter

It has been a few years since I have written a christmas newsletter. I went to look at my "2008" calendar to see what happened during January of this year. The thought came to me, I have to go back to June 29, 2007, the evening JaLynn's husband, Tracy & his father, George, were killed in the Neola North Wildfire. They told Duane, our 11 year old grandson (at the time) to run, & his life was spared. Despite all the numbness & pain, & all the sorrow, we feel blessed. George & Tracy were good men. They were helping a friend when it happened. They were brave men. We are so proud of JaLynn. She stepped right in, took over Tracy's responsibility, as well as her own, & has grown & matured in so many ways. JaLynn puts her family first, as she should. Shalayne is in her third year of college. Emily is in her first year of college. Britney is a junior in high school. Haley is in the ninth grade, Duane is in the 7th grade, & Cassie is in the 5th grade. JaLynn is the Relief Society 2nd counselor. She is always willing to help where & when she can. Jay & I tended JaLynn's children in August, while she flew to Alaska with friends & went on a cruise.

Bret & Mica have Avery who is in the 5th grade, Jaxx, who is in the 4th grade, Alix is in the 2nd grade, Anastin is in the 1st grade, Rixx is almost 5 years old & attends pre-school, & Keatyn is 3 years olf. Do you think their family keeps them busy? I think so, especially their mother. Mica is in the Young Women's in their ward. Bret is the Elder's Quorum President. He & Ken own Nielco Roofing Company. They work very hard. They do a lot of business in Park City, Utah.

Jim & Jen have Kaylee, who is in the ninth grade, Jaydon is in the sixth grade, Maren is in the 5th grade, Jessely is in the 3rd grade, & Brenna is in Kindergarten. Jim is a Stake clerk over computer technology. Jen is the compassionate service leader in their ward Relief Society. (I have had this calling in our ward. It was my favorite calling) Jim & two friends started Flight Deck Avionics. They do airplane installation & repair. Jim works very hard.

Ken & Lori have Kalan who is in the 2nd grade, Rixx is in the 1st grade. Zane is 4 1/2 years old. Attli is 2 1/2 years old. I tell Attli to tell her dad that she needs a sister! We'll see if he listens! Ken & Lori love their new home & enjoy their ward. Lori has a calling in the scouting program. As I told you before, Ken & Bret have Nielco Roofing Company. Lori is trained as an Occupation Therapy Assistant. She works part-time, when they call her.

Mike & Heather have Brooklyn who is in the 2nd grade. Braden is in Kindergarten. Emersyn is 3 years old. Cohen Tracy is almost 8 months old. Cohen is our little miracle baby! Everyone loves Cohen, the father, mother, grandpa, grandma, aunts & uncles & all of the cousins. Mike & Heather teach the eight year olds in Primary. Mike owns Evergreen Gutter Works. They do rain gutter, soffit, etc. They do a lot of work using copper in Park City, Utah. Mike is a hard worker.

Jay & Carolyn work in the Salt Lake L.D.S. Temple on Thursdays & Fridays, the a.m. shift, which starts at 5:45 a.m., but I have a meeting that starts at 5 a.m., & Jay has a meeting that starts at 5:15 a.m. Usually, we are through at 11 a.m. We enjoy our callings. We have met many nice people, & it is a special, reverent place to be, in the temple.

Our favorite calling is being grandparents to 25 beautiful, special grandchildren! We enjoy & love them so much! Each one is blessed with their special talents & personalities.

As you know, we lost our niece & cousin, Laura Leigh Kirkland on Monday night, March 24, 2007, the day after Easter, in a horrible car accident. It was another of those "what, I can't believe what you are saying!" moments. I do not like those calls. I don't think you ever get over these tragedies of loss, but Heavenly Father blesses you & carries you through them. Over time, they get a little easier to bear. It's still hard for me to talk about Tracy & Laura. I, so feel for Pat & Farrel! Tracy & Laura are fine. We have to live, so that we can be with them, again. Family is the most important part of life!

I think I could write a Book with all that has happened the last year & a half. Heavenly Father has truly blessed us in so many ways. All we have to do is look around at others to see how truly blessed we are!

May you have a blessed Christmas & a very Happy New Year! May our Heavenly Father bless you with all the righteous desires of your heart. He loves you, as do Jay & I.

"Spiritual Days," "Temple plus Family Events"

Part of my assignment at the temple Thursday morning, was to be at the baptistry from 7-8 a.m. When I have that assignment, I go into the clothing to see if they need help. If there are clothes, towels to fold, I help with those & that is what I was doing when the 1st counselor in the temple presidency, President & Sis. Calder came in to speak with the brethen & said they needed a sister to stand by the girls locker room, to keep them inside. This special time on Thursday mornings is when Pres. Monsen & the members of the Twelve apostles have their weekly meeting on the 5th floor of the temple. The general authorities are so busy & it can take a lot of time if they stop & visit with everyone. Pres. Calder gave me a nod when he saw the first apostle, & I stepped inside the girls locker room door. They come up the short hall, turn left, go around the corner to an elevator. I could not distinguish who they were, but I could see large, dark figures. I could feel a special spirit. What an experience, to be so close to the Prophet & his apostles!

My early Friday morning assignment is participating in sealings at 5:45 a.m. I have done this as a patron before becoming an ordinance worker, but not as an ordinance worker. Most of the time, I served proxy as the wife, a few times, proxy as the daughter. This was a special, spiritual blessing. There were two sets of three people so we could trade off. As I sat in that beautiful room with those beautiful mirrors, they were many more people attending than was in the room. Those of you who have had this blessing, know what I mean. It seems you can see forever in those mirrors. Sealings were done for kings, queens, princesses, as well as many others.

Our assignments are usually changed monthly, but with the Salt Lake temple being closed the middle of January-February 2nd, 2009, our assignment is for Dec./Jan., six weeks. I espescially love my assignments for the next six weeks. I always put lots of names on the prayer roll, so let me know & I will be happy to add you to my list. I have kept Harry & Gigi's names on the prayer roll for months, plus Clemon & Kathy, John & Nanny, Farrel & Pat & etc.

Saturday, December 6th, Jay & I celebrated our "45th" wedding anniversary. I got my hair done at 8 a.m., came home for 20 minutes. We traveled to Bret & Mica's stake house which is in Alpine, not far from Rachael & Ryan. Our granddaughters, Alix & Brooklyn were baptized & confirmed at 10 a.m. Our children & grandchildren were all there. After, JaLynn & family, Jay & I went to Subway Sandwiches, Jim & family were there. We had a nice visit, then Jay & I, JaLynn & family went shopping at the University Mall in Orem. Boy, was the traffic terrible & the mall was very busy. I wanted to go to Kirkland's Decorating store. They have these stores in Jacksonville, FL. This store in Orem is the only one in Utah. One of the clerk's said the other closest store is in Las Vegas, NV. Maybe, I'll have to try that store, someday.

Bret & Mica's three daughters, Alix, Anastin, Keatyn & Ken & Lori's daughter, Attli had a dance revue at 3 p.m. We were about 20 minutes late. It was so christmasy & cute. The colors & choreography were beautiful! Keatyn (age 3) & Attli (age 2 1/2) were so cute. They wore pretty, red tutus & danced to "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree!" They really did a great, cute job. Alix & Anasin also did an great job!

Mimi's resturant was nearby, so Jay & I had dinner there. We talk about going to a movie sometime, but does not happen too often. We went to see "4 Christmases" with Reece Witherspoon & I can't remember "his" name. There are always "spots" they could leave out, but all in all, it was cute & funny. It's good to enjoy a movie that makes you laugh or cry.

Speaking of "things" that make you laugh, if you haven't seen Echo's Elves video, you should. Jay & I thoroughly enjoyed that! Of course, since we know the performers personally, it made it all the better! Aren't they such great dancers!!

Thanksgiving & blessings

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We went to Bret & Mica's for dinner. The granddaughters spent the night with Jay & I. The boys spent the night with Bret & Mica. (Ken & Lori's children spent the night in Nephi, with Lori's parents. I got sick on Friday & spent the next few days in bed. The granddaughters had such a good time.

Nanny told me, last night, Pat has temporary custody of Benji's baby boy, David Matthew Kirkland. I'm sure some of you already know this. I'm excited for Farrel, Pat, Benji & the baby. Sometimes, we get so busy, we forget to count our blessings. At least, I am very guilty of that.

Michael called his dad & I, tonight & said that Heather had put a video on youtube. I am going to tell you how to watch this video, if you'd like to. If it doesn't work, let me know & I will try, again. TYPE IN: www.youtube.com. When you get on youtube.com, TYPE IN: Merry Christmas! Love Cohen. This video is about our little miracle baby, Cohen. I watch the video and cry, cry, cry! Heather has done a wonderful job with the video. I would not know where to start! Thank goodness for a talented daughter & four talented daughters-law! Stop for a moment & count YOUR blessings. Alix (Bret's daughter) & Brooklyn (Mike's daughter) are being baptized on Saturday morning. That afternoon, Keatyn (Bret's youngest) & Attli (Ken's youngest) are in a dance revue. I am sure we will have an exciting day! It is also, Brooklyn's eighth birthday, & mine & Jay's 45th wedding anniversary! How about baptisms & dance revues to help us celebrate out BIG ANNIVERSARY! I'd like to go to Hawaii, maybe after the first of the new year. I may have to find another man to take on my trip, Jay is not really excited about going to Hawaii. He thinks if you have done something one time, you do not need to do it, again. Unless, it's a trip with Betsy & Val, Shirley & Udell.

The Griffis family christmas party is Saturday, December 13th at 4 p.m. All are invited & if you need more information, please let me know. I have to get up early for the temple, tomorrow & Friday. Happy Holidays to all, lots of love & goodnight!!

FINALLY! THANKS, COURTNEY!!

I'm surprising myself, tonight. Jay & I have to arise early (3:20 a.m.) to get ready for the temple. I'm amazed that I can get up that early. But that's only on Thursdays & Fridays.

Thank you, Courtney, for putting pictures on my blog. I love to look at pictures! It was fun to see Courtney's children's photos. Ask her for the e-mail information to see these. They are so cute.

Last Monday evening, we tended 9 grandchildren. We had Mike & Heather's four children, while they went to the Jazz game. The Jazz won. We tended Ken & Lori's four children, while Ken took Lori out for dinner. Wasn't that thoughtful of him!! I had invited Keatyn to spend the night with me, sometimes. Mica brought her over and she spent the night with us. She wanted to go home with Emersyn, but Emersyn was sick. Emersyn had a high fever and would just shake with chills. I can't remember any of my children or grandchildren doing that. We gave her 1/2 of a children's tylenol and covered her up with a blanket. About 2 hours later, I gave her the 1/2 of tylenol. Finally, it started to work. She still had a little fever, but had cooled off a lot & had stopped shaking. Heather took her to the doctor, yesterday. She had an ear infection & an eye infection. I think she's doing better. The cousins always have the best time, together. They were fun. Oh, yes, I got to hold Cohen Tracy! He is so sweet & cute. He likes me to cuddle with him, because I talk to him & sing to him. What am I going to do, he may be the last grandchild.

Jay called JaLynn, tonight. She hasn't been feeling well. She went to the clinic, last night. She has a sinus infection. Those make you feel so miserable!

Thanksgiving is at Bret & Mica's, this year. Jay & I, Jim, Jen & family will be there. Ken, Lori, Mike, Heather & children are going to the other side of the family. JaLynn & family will spent Thanksgiving with Tracy's mother, Margie. After, they are planning on coming to Salt Lake so the Mom's can go christmas shopping, Friday morning. (The big sales!!) I told them I will tend the grandchildren.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving! Wish we all lived closer, so we could spend the holidays, together.

Eight is Enough & Trent

Hey, I forgot to tell you, Mica wrote on her blog, last week. Plus, she has pictures! Check "Eight is Enough" out.

Tonight was Trent DuVal's viewing. Tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. is Trent's funeral. It is being held in the Stake House. I am sure there will be a huge turn-out. We don't understand why some things have to happen. Trent had a strong testimony for an 8 year old. His body had really been through a lot.

I never blog twice in one week, let alone twice in one night. Count your blessings!

Grandma Beadie's House

The family who had rented Grandma Beadie's house for a few years moved out. Jay had it painted & new carpet. The next family moved in. The next thing we here is that the sewer line has backed up! That is a costly repair! If we had not just rented it, I think we would have sold it. But, we are having the sewer line repaired. That should last for a looooonnnggg time. If we had sold it, we could have gone on a church mission or two. It does look nice with new paint & carpet. The lady has added ceiling fans in the rooms, plus there is one room on the east side of the basement that had sheetrock on it. She was having that fixed for a bedroom, plus new carpet. On the west side of the basement, which my dad, J.H., & Dish (Darlene's) husband built in years ago, there is a small living room (which can be a bedroom), plus a bedroom, kitchen, & small bath. We lived there for about a year when I was in the 5th grade. Grandma's old washing machine is still downstairs. Jay knows that I want to keep that. Someone added a walk-out basement door after we moved back to Georgia. We need to repair the outside steps. We will probably have to re-roof the house, too. I think we might know a couple of guys who will give us a good deal.

Jay's nephew wants to rent Jay's mother's home in Bluebell. Jay & siblings are trying to get the house cleaned out. Jay, brother, Bob, sister, Carol & husband, Joe are going out tomorrow to get the furniture out. Grandma Goodrich will be 91 years old on November 14th. She cannot walk, can do very little for herself. Where are the "Golden Years?" I told Jay that I think the Golden years are having your mate so you can take care of each other. Jay is so good to me. I don't know what I would do without him. My health is still not like I would like it to be. Oh, well, I'm not 16 years old anymore!

Fall

Fall is finally here. Jay & I went to a Real (Re-al) soccer game. As I went to get into the car, I noticed a beautiful, yellow leaf on the driveway. I took the time to look around me & found that it is fall, even in my neighborhood. The leaves in the mountains have been slowly changing, also. I hope that I take the time to notice all of God's beautiful creations, everyday. We have a professional soccer stadium in Sandy, Utah. Bret, Avery, Jaxx, Rixx, Mike, & Braden met us at the game. It was really fun. Plus I enjoy seeing my grandchildren anytime, also, my sons!

Jay answered the door for the Trick or Treaters! I always manage to get him to do that. I called Keatyn, tonight. She is Bret & Mica's youngest, almost 3 years old. She told me that she lost her Halloween candy. She is so cute & fun, as are all of my grandchildren. I should not tell anyone, but tomorrow is our son, Jim's "big 40th" birthday. He did not want a party, but Jen invited Jay & I over for dinner. We will have to surprise him at another time. If you would like to meet a courageous, young man, Trent DuVal, Jen's neighbor who has cancer & is not expected to live much longer, go to Jen's blog & then click on Trent's blog. The photo of him when he first got the cancer reminds me of my grandson, Avery. He has been through so much. We are so happy for Harry. Maybe, Harry will be running races when we see him, again.

Florida & Georgia were great! We were gone for three weeks! One week too long! No matter where you live, it is always so nice to come home! We enjoyed our visits, reunion, & Orlando. It was fun to go fishing in Nanny's (my mom) pond, nearly every afternoon with my mom. We, even, got Jay to fish. I'm glad Mama & John get so much enjoyment out of that pond. I think Mama might enjoy it more, but John drives the golf cart & even fishes some. He had a terribe stroke six years ago. He has come so far. It was fun to watch him catch fish. Not much has changed since we have been home. Ken & Mike go hunting a lot. Ken got a deer. Mike got a deer & an elk. Elk are as big as horses. They enjoy the outdoors. JaLynn has chosen the monument/headstone for Tracy. She & the children are doing good, but it's not easy to be responsible for everything. She calls her dad to help her with paperwork, answer questions. She calls me when she is sick. I hear about husbands who are mean to their wives & run around on them. What heartache for a family! Even though it is still hard, Tracy & his dad were heros, trying to help a friend when they were killed in the wildfire, summer of 2007. Count your blessings, we never know what we may have to go through. Volunteering in the temple is a blessing to Jay & I. I never knew what went on behind the scenes before working there. It is such a spiritual place, so serene & peaceful. Love to all.

THIS IS IT!!

I can't believe this! I was checking in on-line & found out that our flight to Orlando which was supposed to leave at 1:10 p.m., tomorrow, has been changed to leave at 8:00 a.m., in the morning. I had not received any information about the change. Needless to say, if Jay & I had missed our flight, we would have stayed home. But all is well, we are checked in, Bret is coming at 5:30 a.m. to take us to the airport. We are supposed to arrive in Orlando at 4:10 p.m., instead of 10:30 p.m. Other than that, our plans are the same. See you soon. I may blog from Georgia.

Almost ready to go to FL/GA

A lot of people, including me, are getting kind of lazy about posting on our blogs! I enjoy reading other's blogs, but don't necessarily enjoy writing my own blog. Anyway, Tuesday, Jay & I leave for Orlando, FL. We will spend a few days there, before heading up to Jacksonville & Brunswick. Am I ready? NO! I have last minute washing to do, plus packing. I think I have run all of my errands.

Our granddaughter, Shalayne, who is a Junior at Utah State University, came down yesterday, spent a few hours with us & then returned to Logan. She rode down with friends. She stayed with us this summer, & we really enjoyed her. We do miss her. She tells us that she is going to plan on serving a mission, this next summer. She will be 21 years old on July 2, 2009. I could say a lot more about her & our other 24 grandchildren, but it would take too long. JaLynn has a virus & has really been sick. She went to the doctor, but other than aspirin & drinking lots of fluids, it just has to run it course. Last Friday, September 19th would have been JaLynn & Tracy's 22nd wedding anniversary. They were married on Grandma Beadie's birthday. JaLynn has a strong testimony & is doing good, but I know she has times when it just seems too much!

Hope to see all of the family while we are south. We are going to stay three weeks! I made a mistake when I booked our tickets. We will have a good time. See you soon.

Special Day!!

With 25 grandchildren, we have many special days. Today, Ken & Loreal's, Kalan, was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. His father performed the ordinances. He did an excellent job, and I am very proud of him. Of course, we are proud of Kalan for his decision to become a member of the church. He is a really good, young man. At the end of each school year, Kalan's elementary school gives one award for the best all around student, grades, behavior, etc., in each grade. Kalan received the award in Kindergarten, & he surprised us this year & received another award. It is a gold medal with a bear paw print on it, hanging on a ribbon. He, as well as the other 24 grandchildren, is special! After Kalan's baptism was completed, Mike & Heather had the blessing of our "miracle baby, Cohen." Mike blessed him, got a little emotion, but gave Cohen a wonderful blessing. He was so handsome, dressed in his little white outfit. He is such a beautiful baby & smiles all of the time. He likes to watch t.v., lights, people & anything that moves. He has found his little fingers and hands. I marvel when I am holding him and watching him. He is our "Miracle Baby!" The cousins love him & he loves them. Everyone is always wanting to hold him.

Heavenly Father has really blessed our families. Bret & Mica's Alix will be eight in October. Mike & Heather's Brooklyn will be eight in December. I cannot imagine life without our children & grandchildren.

After all of this activity, Lori & Heather had everyone for a nice luncheon at Ken & Lori's new home. Lori's family attended, of course, & Heather's family attended, so we had quite a crowd. JaLynn & family came out for the occasion. Emily & friend drove up from Snow College. Shalayne was the only one missing.

I have some cute pictures of the reunion & the events of today. I need to have Jen or Mica help me add them to my blog! And sometime, I will!!

Griffis Family Reunion 2008

The 2008 Griffis Family reunion was a success! A few people arrived on Thursday, but most came Friday afternoon, with some arriving on Saturday morning. Friday night, we all played bingo which is always a big hit. The prizes were candy bars and candy on rings. Of course, the children loved those.

After a huge breakfast on Saturday, Bret's wife, Mica, had charge of the crafts which were guns made out of pvc pipe. They shot miniature marshmellows. She had made 50 kits which sold immediately, for $5.00. You can just imagine, everyone was shooting marshmellows at everyone else! After lunch, Ken's wife, Loreal, had about five or six games going at the same time, with lots of help. They had nine groups of people, while one group was at one game, others were at the other games, a rotation system. The little children had a fish pond, a large wooden bear (of Mike's) that they threw hula hoops over. Loreal's dad had made a pig to throw bean bags through (called pork & beans). There were a few others that I don't remember, but Lori really did a neat job with everything she did. Later, they had a country store where toys could be purchased. After that, a talent show & elections for next year were held. Wendy (Dahl) & her husband, Dave, are in charge next year, with Alison Dahl, Chelsi (Despain) & her husband, Sabrina & Tammy Tatum assisting them.

Last of all, Ken had rented a snowcone machine, and made snowcones for all, which were a huge hit! Everyone was so concerned last year that no one would come because we could not stay over on Sunday, because it is church property. We had 134 people attend, & a few families did not attend. It was a huge success & a great time was had by all!! Plan on attending next year.

Our thoughts & prayers are with Harry, Gigi & family, during this time. Love to all.

Up-date on Utah Gma & Gpa

Today is Saturday, August 17, 2008. My surgeries were last Monday, August 11th. I thought they were minor surgeries, but I have changed my mind! Anytime, they make incisions, it is major surgery! I am feeling better. I have done nothing but rest, other than being sick and sore. But I have had the best nurse my money could buy. His name is Jay, and anytime that I am not feeling well, I want him near. He takes the best care of me. He is having to make sure I get fed, whether he cooks or picks up fast food. He washes clothes, gets me anything I want, and makes sure that I do not bend or lift. I am not supposed to do anything for a few weeks. It is hard to see something lying on the floor and have to stop and think, "no, you cannot pick that up." My aunt Eva tells me that they broke the mold when Jay was made! I know some of you have great husbands, too.

We tended JaLynn's kids for about two weeks while she went on a cruise to Alaska. She really had a good time, but had to come home to rest. Isn't that the way it is, when you go on vacation? JaLynn and family came out Monday night, went school shopping on Tuesday & Wednesday. Jay found a 2002 Ford Escort for Emily to drive to college. She seems thrilled with it. JaLynn & Shalayne went to Snow College in Ephraim, UT, with Emily today. Shalayne is going to Utah State University in Logan, UT, probably on Monday. Shalayne left us about 1 1/2 weeks ago. It is quiet without her. JaLynn will only have four children home, now. Time moves on and Life goes on, no matter what.

It's almost time for the Griffis Family reunion, which starts on August 28-30th. We cannot use the Stake Property on Sundays, anymore. We are looking around for a place that we can stay on Sundays for next years. You are all invited. I have talked to Farrel & Pat about coming to the reunion, but I don't think they will. It's fun to read your blogs. I need Jen to help me add some gadgets to my blog. **BETSY'S BIRTHDAY WAS AUGUST 13, 2008. HOW OLD WAS SHE!!

Where does time go??

July 24th is a BIG day in Utah!! It is always a lot of fun. We do not attend the parade anymore, we watch it on T.V. All of our kids (except JaLynn's) came over this afternoon. We had a barbarque dinner, the kids had a water balloon fight. That was fun to watch. Jen had a birthday cake for Kaylee. She was 14 years old on July 22nd. To end the evening, Gpa did fireworks. It's always fun to watch the kids during fireworks. We love family outings!!

JaLynn leaves for her Alaska cruise, tomorrow. She sounds so stressed out. There is so much going on with her kids while she is gone. They work with sheep & steers to show at the county fair. Jay & I have to get up about 3 a.m. to go to the temple. We go on the 10 a.m. session, which means we will not get through at the temple until about 12:30 p.m. Then, we will come home, gather clothes & ect. we need & drive out to JaLynn's & tend her kids. She will return on August 4th. The next few weeks are full. I have an umbilical hernia which I am going to have repaired on August 11th. I have had so many little health problems the last few months, I feel like my body is falling apart or trying to tell me something!

Tara, your book is on its way. You may receive it, tomorrow. As I told Tara, the name of the book is "My Dear SISTERS" by Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley. It has beautiful thoughts & pictures for women. Till I check my blog, again. Have fun!

BRYCE'S CANYON/FAMILY-JULY 2008

JaLynn & her family, Mike & Heather's two children, Brooklyn & Braden, & Jay & I were the only ones who ended up going to Bryce's Canyon. Bret & Ken had things going on at work they felt they couldn't leave. But we sure had a good time! Cassie, JaLynn's youngest, rode with us. When we were on our way to pick-up Brooklyn & Braden, Cassie said, "Braden never talks to me." Well, those were her famous last words! When Braden got in the car, he started talking & laughing, & did not stop until we took him home!! He & Brooklyn were so cute. JaLynn's kids were cute with them. Duane was cute with Braden. We drove thru the canyon & saw many beautiful rock formations. The formations are different shades of orange. Beautiful! We had a picnic lunch under the big trees in the canyon. The weather was so nice all the time we were gone! Salt Lake was hot!! We visited shops in "Old Town." I wish I knew how to include pictures with my blog. They had these cut-outs of a cowboy & a saloon girl, the kind you put your heads in. Everybody had to have at least one photo of themselves. It was so funny to watch. Everyone enjoy laughing at the others! Oh, yes, we saw a chipmunk (or something like that). He was so friendly, he's run right up to you. I think that was Brooklyn's favorite moment. I took pictures of him. We were only gone three days, but they were worth it!

JaLynn & friends leave on July 25th for an Alaskan Cruise. They will return on Aug. 4th. Jay & I, along with Shalayne will make sure someone is with them at all times. I don't want JaLynn to worry about anything. I want her to relax & enjoy!! She deserves it. The death of a young loved one has to be the hardest, especially when you are so close to them. I know what Pat & Farrel are going thru. Jay & I still get emotional about Tracy & Laura. Hope you are having a great summer!

CONGRATULATIONS to TARA!

Tara is the winner of the drawing for the free book. My granddaughter, Shalayne, drew the winning name. Thanks to all who participated in the drawing. I wish I could give a book to all of you, but you know how it goes. You can tell by the time of my blog, that I have a hard time sleeping.

I saw Angie when I was home in June. Their is a sister who works in the temple with me who served a mission in Birmingham, AL. It is a small world, when I asked her if she knew Angie, she said that she did. She went on to compliment Angie & her family. I did not know that Angie's oldest son sings. She told me how reverent Angie & Tony's boys were when they were passing the sacrament. You never know when someone is watching you. I also met Angie's oldest son's girlfriend. Angie has high hopes for them!

When Jay & I go to GA in October, we will stay a little longer, so hope to get to see everyone.
I have not talked to Betsy for awhile, but she called me. I have to call her back. She doesn't blog, but she reads everyone else's blog. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Gigi. Sorry, it has taken so long. I went to Georgia for a week. (Not long enough) June 29th was a year since Tracy was killed in the Neola North Wildfire. We spent that weekend with JaLynn & family. She's doing pretty well, but it is still hard. JaLynn's brothers went out early on Saturday morning, along with Jay & JaLynn, they cleaned her yard most of the day! They cut down a couple of trees, mowed, edged, etc. There is still more to do, but it really looks good. Jay & I, JaLynn & family, Bret & family, Ken & family, maybe Mike & family, are going to Bryce's Canyon on July 11, 12, & 13th. It should be lots of fun.

Okay, here goes, list 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names.

3 joys-my family, my membership in the L.D.S. church, my country.
3 fears-SNAKES!!, poor health, loss of a loved one.
3 goals-clean my house, learn Spanish, take a photography class.
3 current obsessions/collections-beanie bear babies, trying to do for all my grandkids what I do for one, photographs of my grandchildren.
3 random surprising facts about yourself-I was engaged to a non-member years ago, I served a six month church mission when I was 19 years old, I always wanted 12 children, until Jay & I had a serious car accident in 1963.

Echo, Courtney, Amanda, Sandy & Phil, you are tagged! Enjoy!!

"Georgia's on my Mind!"

Hey, I am on my way to Georgia and Florida! I leave Wednesday, June 18th and return Wednesday, June 25th! My dad's sister, my aunt Penny, is getting married again. She lost her husband several years, ago. I hope to have the opportunity to see all of the family. One of our dear friends, Bill Beesley's funeral was yesterday. Then, I came home and tended Bret's kids plus one of Mica's sister's son. Bret had planned a surprise birthday party for Mica. (You'll have to talk to her about her age). She is still young. We, also, had a neighborhood party and took the kids to that. As soon as Jaxx and I ate dinner, we had to leave. I took Jaxx to train one on one with his soccer coach. Jay and Shalayne took the other kids to Bret's. Jaxx and I met them there about 8:45 p.m. We had a full day!

I called Farrel and wished him a Happy Birthday! Sunday is Father's Day, so we will have a barbeque in our backyard. JaLynn is doing better. We enjoy having Shalayne stay with us. She is a lot of fun. Leah came over Sunday, picked up Shalayne and took her to church with her. Natalie (Betsy's granddaughter) met them at the ward. Leah sang a beautiful song for Sacrament meeting. That was nice of Leah. Shalayne needs to meet some young people.

Betsy will be so jealous when she finds out that I am going to Georgia!!! Our baby, Cohen, is doing great!

"Password"

Thanks for your comments. I have been having trouble with my password. Let's see how long it works. I saw Mama's (Nanny) huge fish. I wish I could have been there. I can imagine how excited she was! Did I tell you that Shalayne, JaLynn's oldest daughter, is spending the summer with us? It is so good to have her with us. She will be 20 years old on July 2, 2008. She will be attending Utah State University in Logan, Utah, in the fall. Do we know of any guys that are her age?

Cohen Tracy Goodrich went home with his parents, this afternoon. He is almost 6 lbs., and about 18 in. He is really growing. Right now, everything looks good. Emersyn, who is 2 1/2 yrs. old, had never seen him. Brooklyn and Braden saw him Sunday morning. It's good that he is able to finally go home. That is our biggest news, today!!

All is well with the Goodriches!

I am still learning about blogging, as you can tell! We had a great trip to Newport, Oregon. Newport is located on the coast of Oregon, about the middle of the state. It is the most scenic drive, absolutely beautiful. We did a lot of sight-seeing. Jay and I attended a session at the Portland temple, while Udell & Shirley visited Udell's sister in Vancouver, WA, which was about 20 miles north of Portland. Betsy had to get her hair fixed, so she & Val found a beauty salon somewhere in Vancouver. The Portland temple is beautiful, as is all temples that we have seen. We waited about 2 1/2 hours for Val & Betsy to pick us up from the temple. We saw the baptistry, had a late lunch and waited. They, finally, found us about 6 p.m. We had two GPS's, but Betsy did not have the patience to use one of them.

I found my lighthouse jacket. It has lighthouses on it from the west coast. I have looked & looked for the east coast lighthouse jacket, but could not find one on Jekyll or St. Simons. JaLynn's Emily graduated from seminary and high school. Shalayne is working in the office for Ken & Bret. It is a good job for her. I have been trying to get into Courtney's blog so I can see Nanny's humongous fish. She is so thrilled about that fish. I would be, too.

Six people have responded to my drawing about a free book. What about the rest of you?? The cut-off date will be July 4th, 2008. So, come on, what is your favorite religious book and why!!!

OFF TO OREGON!

What am I doing up at 1:12 a.m.? I forgot to paint my nails and toenails, so I jumped out-of-bed and here I am. We pick-up the Farnsworths and the Players about 6 a.m. I want to relax and enjoy. Jay and I are going to one of the Oregon temples, if they are not too far from where we are staying. I hope you will soon find my blog.

We saw Cohen Tracy this afternoon. He is so little and cute. I would talk to him, he would struggle to open his eyes. He weighs 4lbs. 5ozs. and is 17 inches. I can't wait to hold him. Jay repaired a broken sprinkler line, this afternoon. When Holladay installed a street sign on our corner, they broke the pipe. Jay found out today, when he turned on the water. Jim is taking care of the watering of the lawn while we are gone. The boys usually stop by the house to make sure all is well. Heather is still making her daily trips to the hospital. Mica, Lori, Jen and some of Heather's neighbors help with Brooklyn, Braden and Emersyn. They are pretty good kids.
See you in about 7-9 days. I'll let you know how the "Caravan" trip goes!

Help!! This is my first blog!!

I hope this blogging will get easier! We have netzero.net internet, we are trying to move everythint to Comcast.net. I want to move needed info from netzero to comcast, before I close netzero account.

Thanks to Jaydon, Jim's son, for setting up my blog. I need him sitting beside me when I blog.
Jay and I, Betsy & Val, Shirley and Udell are leaving Friday, May 16th, for Newport, Oregon to spend the week. It will be a good trip. Our 25th grandchild, Cohen Tracy, son of Mike and Heather, was born April 20, 2008. He weighed 3 lbs. 6 ozs., was 16 inches long, with lots of dark hair. Sunday, Mother's Day, Cohen weighed 4 lbs. 1 oz. He is growing! Last Sunday, he was three weeks old. He is still in the hospital, maybe for a few weeks, but he is doing good. JaLynn misses Tracy, but she and the chilren are doing good. Sometimes, life throws us curve balls. We have to stay strong in the gospel, because we know that we are to grow and learn from these experiences. We love and miss Laura! Courtney, call me! My cell phone number is 801-913-8990.

I have read your blogs for months. Please offer me suggestions. Your lives are so busy with your family. Our lives are busy, but we are at a different stage of our lives. Enjoy your children, they will be gone before you know it.

Okay, I am going to have a drawing for your favorite religious book. Send me your names, name of your book, and I will have a drawing for one person to win one book. I will mail a book to the winner! Lots of love to you all. Aunt Carolyn, cousin Carolyn & etc.

New blog for Grandma&Grandpa

Thanks for letting me make you a blog for scouts
Jaydon