True Love Stories Never End....

Happy 1 Year Anniversary

Kelsey and Covey!

47 Years YOUNG

S-Supportive

T-Tender hearted

E-Even Tempered

V-Valiant

E-Elk Hunter

47 years ago, a fairly newly married couple welcomed a beautiful baby into their home. He grew up loving the outdoors--hunting, fishing, backpacking. He is neat and tidy and loves to laugh and is the most loyal person I know. He found his passion for bike riding 24 years ago, back when bike riding wasn't cool and people scoffed and laughed at the funny little outfits. He has a high tolerance for pain, and insisted on trying to ride his bike to the end of the white rim trail, even though he had fractured all the bones in his clavicle. If I just hint at the possibility of a wacky idea, he will throw his hat into the ring, 100% in support. He loves to sleep in, but gets up and goes to work anyway. He is the last person to leave anything...whether it's work, play, church, or a party. He loves to visit and talk and get to know people. He is the best friend to anyone, but he is MY best friend forever.

Happy Birthday, baby. I love you.

Giving In

I am a Bosch girl. I grew up with my mom mixing bread in a Bosch. After a few years of marriage, I began borrowing my mother-in-law's Bosch to mix up my own bread. Eventually, I grew up enough to have my very own Bosch Universal. The cookie dough hooks are, shall we say, off the hook. I love my Bosch. I love the power, and the bowl capacity and complete and even mixing. When all the newly engaged girls started registering for those KitchenAids in their rainbow of color options, I secretly felt a little sorry for them. They would never know the joy of true mixing. But then today, while at my sister-in-laws house, I used her Candy Apple Red Artisan 5-qt KitchenAid Stand mixer to whip up some frosting and I was in HEAVEN. The texture of the frosting--so fluffy and airy--was amazing. Oh my goodness, I have to have one. Scratch that. I think Steve needs to recieve one for either his birthday or Father's Day. After all, the goodies I make with it would be for him...a gift that will keep on giving! (and really, we all remember the set of golf clubs he bought me for my wedding gift. So sweet of him to have such confidence in my golfiing abilities!)

The Faith Fall

I was asked to help plan and prepare meals for 275 girls at Girls Camp this summer. We get to go to the beautiful Heber Valley Camp, and I am excited to be up there all week with Ashley and, hopefully, Madi. (She is hoping to have a job...) One of the many activities available to the girls at this camp is a Ropes Coarse, with different scenarios designed to build trust and faith. I think one of the hardest is The Faith Fall. This requires a person to stand high up on something with their back to their group, eyes closed, arms folded and to fall back into the waiting arms that are linked and ready to catch. It is always interesting to observe how some girls can get up to that high position and fall back without hesitation, while for others it is a struggle and the group has to patiently wait for them to gather up their courage to "just let go and fall back." I am always curious as to how I would feel...and was surprised to find out how unnerving it really was when I was given a turn. I like to be in charge of me. I think most of us like to be in charge of ourselves. It is how we are designed and how it should be. But we can't always be in charge, can we? As the bumper sticker states: Spit happens. And that is really when The Faith Fall happens in real life.

"It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us....If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers." ----President Gordon B. Hinckley

Keeping It in the Family

These last couple of posts have got me thinking (in the dead of night) about families, and family names, and how family names connect us.

For example:

Verlaine Carol Thon Van Horn + Ted Elliott Van Horn

Begat

Jeffrey Loren

Jackie Lynn

Julie Ann

John Elliott

Peter James

Karen Elaine

Thomas Alexander

Mark Alan

Matthew William

Jeff had a Jonathan, Jackie had a Jeffrey, Julie had a James, John had a Mark, Karen had an Elaine and Caroline, Mark had a Matthew and Matthew had a William.

John Henry Smith + Sarah (Sally) Jones Brown Smith

begat

Roger

Holly

Barbara

Charolotte

Caroline

Rueben Elmo Mordue + Winona Hansen Mordue

begat

Margaret

Hansen

Jack

Boyd Hansen

Barbara Smith + Boyd Hansen Mordue

begat

Steven Smith

Sydney

John Spencer

Suzette

Sheridan

Soni

Steve had a Sarah, Barbara and Caroline, Spencer had a Steven, Suzette had a Boyd, Sheridan had a Henry, and Soni had a Ruby (and a Winona, although I'm not sure if it's her name, technically. It's on the church records--that's the name her daddy gave her when he blessed her--but they have not made the change on the birth certificate...yet.)

Some other favorites from the family tree that I never got to use: Clara and Josephine.

My girls have a LOT of great names to choose from someday.

What's in a Name?

Esther May Hawley Van Horn and Guy Elliott Van Horn

Howard Alexander Thon and Vernice Brauer Thon

(pronounced "Tone")

Kelsey and Covey were throwing out possible names for their future little munchkins (no, they are not expecting), and a favorite of mine is Kingsley, just because we would have too much fun with Kingsley Cole ("Ol' King Cole was a merry old soul...."). I told them how much I've loved having family names for my girls (Elaine, Sarah, Barbara and Caroline are all family names--a few from my side of the family and a few from Steve's side) Just think, if we kept going we could've had an Esther, Vernice, Guy, Elliott, Howard or Alexander running around. Maybe one of my girls will choose to bestow one of these names on a child of theirs some day. That would be sweet.

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

We. Are. Family.

All my brothers and sisters and me.

This is the Van Horn clan. Growing up, we were the Herdman's of our Orem and Bellingham neighborhoods. A favorite collective memory: mom, at the end of her rope, throwing golf balls at the retreating backs of my brothers and their friends while yelling, "I have had it!" We are not perfect. Our kids are not perfect. But together, somehow, we are perfect. We have all been down the road to hell and back, and I can not think of a more reliable and non judgemental group to have in my corner. We will move heaven and earth to be there for each other, and have done so many times. We all have helped each other in our own little ways, whether it's financial, or moral and physical support. We have flown to Pete's bedside when he suffered electrical burns over a huge part of his body. We answered the call to go to Bellingham to help look for our missing niece and console our grieving sister. We have gathered together to say a final earthly goodbye to our brother, Mark, and sister, Julie. We will go and watch Pete perform his music in many different venues. We prayed for Jeff when he fell off the roof. We have prayed for Tommy and John and their families. They have prayed for me and my family. Whether it's weddings or funerals--and all of the joys and sorrows of this life--we are there for each other.

The Clan: Karen, Jackie, Mom, Dad, (back row) Tom, Jeff, Peter, Matthew and John. In memoriam: Mark and Julie...we miss you!

The Boys: Tom, John, Jeff, Peter and Matt.

Whenever we get together you can bet that they will bring out the war stories of their childhood exploits. They still laugh raucously at their twistedness. Ah, the good ol' days...

The Girls: Jackie and Mom are the best of friends. They have to talk to each other by phone at least three times a day. That is a little much for me, personally, but I love these two women to the moon and beyond. They are two ot the most kind hearted, generous, compassionate and fun women I know.

The Mordue Girls (and honorary Boy): Markelle, Madi, Ashley, Covey and Kelsey. It is my hope and dream that these girls will be as good to one another, and there for each other, as my siblings have been for me.

And then there's Steve and I: we are hanging on by our fingernails and enjoying the ride. 25 years and counting, baby. As my dad just told me (like two minutes ago, when he asked about our anniversary), "You're half way there!" (which I promptly replied that I hope I get more than another 25 years with this guy!)

Lucky 13

Friday the 13th does not scare nor bug me. However, this past Friday the 13th certainly made itself known. First off, did you know that this will be the only Friday the 13th we have this whole year? And when Steve and I had a few minor mishaps with our anniversary trip (nothing we couldn't shrug our shoulder at, or at least get over very quickly) we definitely spooked ourselves a teeny tiny bit when we noticed that our hotel room was on the 13th floor. But the biggest annoyance of Friday the 13th? It definitely had to be when Blogger shut down and lost everyone's latest post. I really hope they find and restore my latest post, because it was a tribute to my siblings and their awesomeness, and I just don't think I have it in me to recreate it. I'm crossing my fingers!

On a good note about the 13th: Steve and I flew up to Boise, stayed at the lovely Grove Hotel, ate a long and leisurely meal at The Melting Pot (and we had the place to ourselves, as they had just opened for lunch time this week) and was served impeccably by the very attentive Hunter, and then we went to see the play, "Wicked." Incredible as it may seem, I have never seen this play. I bought tickets on KSL.com and so, being Friday the 13th, I was definitely saying my prayers and crossing my fingers that we didn't get ripped off. I loved the play, the humor, the music, the energy of the show, the crazy costumes (Lady GaGa inspired). What a wonderful way to celebrate being married for 25 years to my darling man. I am lucky.

7 Random Facts of Kindness

Okay, I was just looking for a cute title to a post that I am finding very hard to write. My daughter, Kelsey, issued an invitation to write seven random facts about myself (hence, the title's allusion to Random Acts of Kindness...eh, eh? Clever). I couldn't think of anything. I asked Steve what I should write. With his help, I came up with:

1. I ran the Boston Marathon the year I turned 40.

2. While I have never personally been summoned before the court, I have had the honor and privilege of appearing with my three daughters who are currently of driving age. I am on first name basis with the Bountiful City Prosecutor. I'm counting on my youngest to continue this family tradition.

3. I LOVE to take baths....I think I've only used the shower in our new home the total of 5 times. (and as I am writing this, I just realized that I left the bath faucet running so I have to quickly go check on the levels RIGHT NOW. Just so you know, I will be saying "oh, crap!" as I run up the stairs and praying that it has not overflowed...)

4. I like old people. (definition of old people: anyone at least 20 years older than me)

5. I have to make my bed first thing every morning.

6. I still have my wisdom teeth.

7. I would make a great government employee. I love rules and structure. I do not think outside of the box. I want to clock in at 8 a.m. and clock out at 5 p.m. and waste a little time in between. Is this scary?

Golden

She was a 24 year-old devorcee with three small children when they met for the first time...on a blind date no less. He was a 22 year old farm boy who had dabbled in the arts before and after high school. When a mutual friend set them up, I don't think they had any idea that nine kids and a lot of heart ache and joys later they would be celebrating 50 years together.
"Oh, help!" as my mother, Verlaine, is fond of saying. Happy 50th Mom and Dad!

Biltmore is a "Bit More"

Toasted whole wheat bagel with cream cheese: $5.00

12 oz. diet Dr. Pepper: $4.70

1 liter of water: $6.00

$15.00 for a breakfast at the Phoenix Biltmore!

But....laying out by the pool in 80 degree weather with my hunny of 25 years: Priceless!