Grandchildren

Daniel is our oldest grandson and Sam our youngest. Alta and Sam are first cousins once removed. Jared is our son and Sam's father.
Alta in her Christmas dress. The babies are so cute that I just had to take lots of pictures of them.

More Wedding pictures

Natalie and Jeremy at the reception.
Lorna and Alta at the reception.
Daniel, Shalane and Alta at the Bountiful Temple.

Natalie's Wedding

Natalie and Jeremy with both sets of parents.
Natalie and Jeremy coming out of the Bountiful Temple where they were married on December 27.

Snow

This is the snow on our trees and lawn. It is beautiful but cold. I took it after the street had been plowed and after Craig had cleared our walks and driveway.

Chistmas

We had a wonderful Christmas. On Christmas Eve we had dinner with Janet and Stephen, Stephen' parents John and Marcy and his Uncle Doug. Then after dinner we attended a Christmas Mass at the Catholic Cathedral in Ogden.

It was quite interesting and not nearly as formal as I expected. The congregation sang many Christmas Carols, and the priest called people from the audience to help present the story of the birth of Jesus. The communion part of the service was formal. John and Marcy helped with the communion. After the service we visited the Christmas town display in downtown Ogden.

Craig came later on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning we opened gifts and ate scrambled eggs. We usually visit each of our children's families on Christmas Day. A big snow storm had been predicted for the day, but it was windy and dry in Bountiful. We planned to visit Rod's family first and then work our way back. However, by the time we got to the Draper exit it was snowing pretty hard so we decided to go to Lorna's.

Lorna's family was surprised when we showed up because they all bet we would not come in the storm. We enjoyed the day with Lorna's family. Rod and Justin came there for awhile. It cleared up some so we went and visited Kent's family. We called Jared, but he said the snow was heavy at his house and he already had a house full. Kelly's parents were visiting from Louisianna and her sisters and their children were also there.

Myron decided that we should leave Lorna's before the temperature fell and the roads got bad. I really wanted to stay longer but decided he was propably right. We left there a little before six and drove home with only rain on the roads.

About eight o'clock Lorna called and said Janet and Stephen were just leaving and it was snowing hard. She wanted to know if we had any snow. When we arrived home an hour and a half earlier our yard and walks only had a little snow. When we looked out we were covered with over four inches of new snow. Wow, was a I glad Myron had us leave early. It took Janet and Stephen and hour and a half to get home. That is the kind of driving I hate. Over night we had more snow for a total of about seven inches.

The above picture is Daniel's daughter, Alta, with Mark. She is so adorable and thought that Christmas wrappings were great fun. She is seven months old.

Christmas Suit

Lorna made this suit for me as a Christmas surprise about eighteen years ago. It is made from green Pendleton wool. I wear it near Christmas every year and always get compliments on it. Surprisingly, it is still in good shape and I still fit into it. Thanks, Lorna, for the clothes you have made me.

Eileen Sings in Stake Choir

I have always enjoyed singing in choirs. I remember when we lived in Manteca, Calif. that I sang the Messiah with the Modesto Stake Choir. Ruth and I sang in a community choir in Kaiser, Oregon. I sang with the Treble Cleff Woman's Choir in Salt Lake. I also sing with ward choirs and even directed a choir when we first moved to Bountiful.

I have sung with the Orchard Stake Choir for about eighteen years. It started out as a women group, but then a few years ago men were added. The choir always puts on "Prelude to Christmas." We have an excellant choir director so it is always a wonderful experience to practice and to perform. Myron took this picture when we came home last week from our performance.

Laurel in Nutcracker

Our granddaughter Laurel got to dance in the Ballet West Nutcracker. She was one of the soldiers.
We were suppose to go see her on Saturday, Dec. 13, but we got caught in the middle of a snow storm. Then on Tuesday Earlet had two extra tickets, so we were able to go after all. Elise was in Nutcracker for two years, and now it is Laurel's turn. It is a big commitment for Earlet to drive them to Salt Lake for all the rehearsals. It is a great experience for the girls to dance with a professioanl company. It is fun for us to go see them. They can only have professional pictures taken in their costumns. When we get a copy we will post it. Good job, Laurel!

Aunt Laura

I can't figure out how to get this under the picture so it will end up on top. The picture was taken at Uncle Herb's funeral on August 23, 2008. On September 27 I had the privilege of spending the day with Aunt Laura. Linda and her family live in Aunt Laura's home and take care of her. They went to a family reunion. We talked about the family and what good times we had shared together. I particularly remember a family reunion at Aunt Laura's just a few weeks after we returned from our mission. Mom was there and kept saying, "Didn't you go on a mission to Guatemala?" A few weeks later mom passed away. When we moved to Utah we enjoyed visiting Aunt Laura and Aunt Irene.

Aunt Laura and I went to a dinner at her church. It was the Relief Society Dinner held just before the Relief Society General Conference. We enjoyed the dinner and then listened to the Conference.

I just talked to Linda and to Aunt Laura. Linda said her mom is doing better. She does have good days and not so good days. Aunt Laura knew who I was, and we talked for a few minutes. Her voice is a little week, but she seemed very alert for ninety-one years.

Aunt Laura

Paul's Name Added to Memorial

Here are two more pictures from Donis. The top one is of Myron and Donis in front of the Memorial. The bottom one is of Michael Meiners. Paul's name is at the bottom left.

Uncle Paul Meiners

Myron's brother Captain Paul Albert Meiners died in the Vietnam War on March 2, 1966. For Veterans day, November 8, 2008 there was a special memorial service held in Kaysville, Utah to honor three veterans from Kaysville who gave their lives in the Vietnam War. Uncle Paul was one of those honored.

During the service a history teacher from Kaysville told how this came about. Every year Mr. Barton assigns his students to look at the memorial in front of the Kaysville library and see the names of the servicemen and women from Kaysville who had lost their live in service to their country. Last year, one of the students asked why there were none listed from the Vietnam War. Mr Barton said he did not think there were any lives lost in that war. However, that got him thinking, and he began to do research on the problem. From a computer list of the Washington, D.C. Memorial he was able to access the hometowns of the veterans. He found Paul and one other serviceman in that manner. Then he advertised in the paper and was able to identify another serviceman. Uncle Paul did not live in Kaysville at that time, but his parents did.

So with the help of the Kaysville City and Corporation and the Kaysville Rotary Club donations were made to update the war plaque. There was a program with the Presentation of the Flag, by the Clearfield High School ROTC, the National Anthem sung by the Kaysville Jr. High Choraliers, the talk by Mike Barton and the re-dedication of the Memorial Plaque with three new names added. It was a very impressive service held in front of the Kaysville Library. Michael Meiners, Uncle Paul's son, and most of Michael family were present and recognized. Donis, Myron and I also attended. Uncle Donis took some pictures that I will try to get and publish later. I got the pictures from Donis. This picture is for Patrick who saw Paul's name on the D.C. Memorial.

Eileen's Dolls

It was the beginning of World War 2, and I was just six years old. I had three younger sisters and our dad worked in the ship yards in San Franciso. He did not have to go to war. We lived in Oakland. Many things were rationed, and my Mom would trade her coffee coupons for sugar and shoe coupons. We were happy girls and not touched much by the war.

During one of those early years I received a beautiful doll for Christmas. I loved to play dolls with my sisters. Somehow my doll would disappear the week or so before Christmas. Then on Christmas day there she would be under the tree with a newly painted face, new red lips and a new dress and hat. Then one year we each received a brand new doll. My doll had blond hair like mine, and LoRane's doll had brown hair like hers. I did not play with the new doll as much as I was at the age when I was too old for dolls.

I sort of forgot about these dolls as I continued on with life. Years later, I found that Mom had saved my dolls and she gave them to me. I showed them to Lorna and Janet, but I don't think they ever really played with them. Then last week I had to give a lesson in Daughters of Utah Pioneers about pioneer toys.

They are not really pioneer dolls, but they are the only old toys I had. So we brought the box with the dolls that we had moved around with us. There inside were my two dolls wrapped in sheets. They looked sort of sad. However, I cleaned them up, repaired an arm and washed and ironed their clothes. Oh how pretty they looked for my lesson. The ladies thought they were wonderful and started reminising about their toys. The oldest doll has to be over 65 years old and the younger one over 60 years old.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Packer Sisters - Summer 2007

I just picked a picture to try this out. This was taken at one of Anne's daughters wedding. It is in Anne's yard. I am getting my house ready for our ward's Christmas Progressive Dinner which is tonight. Craig set me up so I will post more later.

Trying Blogging

I enjoy Lorna's blog so much, that I decided to blog, also. So right now I am just setting things up.

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