REMEMBERING FAMILY PETS

This week dozens of memories have been flooding back to me. These memories are of our pets, past and present. I guess it's because Brandt and Soupie are having a hard time right now, their Boston Terrier, Daisy just past away this last weekend. John and I know what they are feeling. Daisy was named after our Daisey, who was an American Bull dog. She originally belonged to Brandt, but because he could not keep her where he lived she became a part of our family. She was a sweetheart and we loved her very much.

DAISEY DUKE

Daisey visiting Santa Claus

John loved coming home from work to play with Daisey and Daisey loved his attention

When we got Daisey, she helped make Cocoa feel young again.
We only had Daisey for about 8 years, too short for how much we loved her.

COCOA

Cocoa was a playful dog, but as she got older she slowed down a lot. When we got Daisey, Cocoa quickly became Daisey's adopted mother. She frequently had to let Daisey know when she became too playful, they really loved each other.

I remember every summer we would cut Cocoa's hair, she loved it because she would get very hot in the summer. She also loved hers baths they kept her cooled off. By fall her hair would be grown out again, she had the most beautiful coat.

Brandt and Cocoa

We had Cocoa for 16 years

FLOPSEY

Our first pet was Flopsey, at the age of 5, Natalie brought home a stray kitten(Flopsey). She had a crooked tale so we thought it was broken. We tried to wrap Popsicle sticks around her tale, but as soon as we put them on she would have them back off. A few years later we found out that she was from a certain kind of breed that are suppose to have crooked tales......go figure!

Natalie hideing behind Flopsey

She was a playful cat. Flopsey out lived all of our animals (except for Maya). Flopsey was 23 years old when she passed away, that's older than Methuselah in cat years.

I remember Flopsey would follow the kids up the street and stop at the corner, she would watch them continue on to school until she couldn't see them any more, then she would hurry back home.

Michael and Shannon

These were Flopseys kittens, Grandpa and Grandma Strong kept one of her kittens, Dusty. Flopsey even out lived Dusty.

We also had other animals, we had Scamper our hamster, we loved watching Flopsey chase her around in that clear plastic ball. We know it frustrated Flopsey but we sure had a laugh. Brandt also took on the adventure of raising rabbits. It seems we always had some kind of pet to take care of. I may not have been as patient with them as John was, but I can honestly say that we truly loved them. We have had the privilege of taking care of some of Gods most precious creatures and in doing so they have unconditionally loved us and have enriched our lives. President David O McKay said that "love of nature is akin to the love of God."

ST. GEORGE IN MARCH

March 18 - 21, 2010
We visited St. George the weekend of the 18th. Cindy and Bob were sealed in the St. George Temple and Cheri had surgery on her back. It was perfect timing to be there and spend time with the family. The temple ceremony was beautiful and being with family made it perfect. Cheri looked great and I am so happy that she is doing so well after her surgery.

Gloria and John were so nice to let us stay with them while we were in St. George. We really enjoyed being with them and getting to know John more. They really do make a cute couple. We stayed an extra day so John could help Vince build a shed. John loved it!

John and Gloria John and Vince

Jean and I watched the men w0rk

I loved the warm weather, check out our umbrella's shading the sun

Savannah sang the National Anthem at a soccer game, she and Saxton have beautiful voices

JUST CHILLIN' Mid March

THIS DOG REALLY THINKS SHE'S HUMAN

You have to appreciate the whole procedure here. Maya (the dog) walks across the other couch, jumps onto the arm rest of the love seat by John then she backs herself up and sits on his lap.
Who says we still don't have kids at home?!

NOT SNOW AGAIN! March 4th & 5th

X-BOX VS IMAGINATION

School was out on Friday except for the teachers. Natalie and Jay's babysitter was out of town so we got to have their kids Thursday night and Friday. Of course the weather changed from Springlike back to good ole Winter, so they didn't have clothes for playing outside. Shannon offered to exchange kids so Syd and Logan stayed at the Curtis home while the two older boys stayed with us. Collin wasn't very happy about that because we don't have an x-box! But he soon learned that making a tent was way cooler than an x-box. They slept inside the tent and spent hours playing games and just talking. Even Sydney and Logan came over and wanted to be a part of it.

WHO KNEW A HOME-MADE TENT WOULD WIN OUT THE X-BOX!

ZOO TIME Tuesday March 2, 2010

The weather was so nice so I took Tayler to the zoo. I can feel Spring in the air, but I don't want to get my hopes up. March came in like a lamb, so I fear it will go out like a lion......no pun intended. The zoo animals were at their best! We had a lot of fun.

The baby elephant was so cute! See how he is trying to imitate his mom's trick

WE HAD A ZOO-PENDOUS TIME!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SYDNEY

Sydney had a birthday party with her friends at our Olympic Oval on the 27th(her birthday is on the 25th). It was kind of unique because the Olympics were going on in Vancouver Canada at the same time. They had an instructor show the skaters a few moves and then away they went. Down stairs a little area was sectioned off for the cake and opening of presents after their skate.

The instructor was one of Natalie's old students

Later in the day the family was invited over to Jay and Natalie's for dinner and cake and ice cream. Sydney got a zhu zhu pet for her birthday and Nana Donna & Papa John supplied it with clothes.

The whole gang was there except for our Cali family. Thank you for inviting us over, the dinner was great. We hope Sydney enjoyed herself and had a wonderful birthday.

TRIP HOME February 16th & 17th

We decided to go through Death Valley, California on our way home. We got there a little late so we went to the nearest town called Beatty (it's in Nevada) we stayed there over night and then went back into Death Valley the next morning to see Scotty's Castle, then on home through Ely and Wendover Nevada. Those are not white capped mountains, it's white sand

There's water in the desert in February

We stayed at the Stagecoach Hotel & Casino in Beatty

There was a ghost town out side of Beatty so we went for a visit before dark

Rhyolite's statue of a miner and a bird

One of the many buildings left standing, the Mercantile

Hey, we used to live on Colorado Street

One of the ghosts of the town (pretty cool statue)

We even visited the cemetery

SCOTTY'S CASTLE

The next day, we visited Scotty's Castle

Our favorite was the courtyard

The home was beautiful, it's has an interesting history

The Johnson's even had their own music room, pipe's for the organ are behind the back wall

The whole trip to California was great, we had a good time with the kids and with each other. One of my favorite eating establishments was the Jail House Cafe in Ely Nevada. John had Barbecued Ribs and I had a French Dip sandwich for lunch. It was a quick trip, nice to go, but also nice to be home.