To Blog or not to Blog

I don't know how to blog and I feel embarrassed to be a blogger. I hate to sound like Andy Rooney but "blogging" seems obscene to me. Really, in our entire language we couldn't come up with a better term for keeping a personal web log than a blog? How about a webichle (web + chronicle)? or a wost (web + post)? OK, these aren't that great either but it seems like there must be something better out there than "BLOGGING". Even still, I have decided its time, as the scriptures say, "to keep a record of this people" and so I will blog! Despite the ickiness of the term, I hope you enjoy it!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Bees

My son and my dad have an interesting relationship with bees.  From the time Pace was born, he has loved bees.  He loved to see pictures of bees, hear bees, watch bees on T.V., and draw them. 

9-1020 Buzzzzz by Pace Wati 

But to see a bee in person, well, that was the end all bee all!

In fact, he might have become a certified bee keeper if not for a traumatic beetrayal when he was stung by a bee he thought was his friend.  The sting did not hurt as much physically as it did emotionally beecause he loved bees and couldn’t understand how a bee could hurt him.  Grammy put a penny on the sting to draw out the poison but it didn’t take away the sting of innocence beetrayed.  From then on, he carried on a love/hate relationship with bees, he still loved to look at bees but from a good distance away.  One more sting on the Kindergarten playground permanently changed his relationship with bees from love/hate to bees are not my friend!  Nature can be so cruel.

Then there’s my dad.  He has never expressed much feeling one way or the other about bees.  However, there is an occasional clue that they may not be his favorite insects.

 

 

SUC51992Dad didn’t say a word about being stung, but it became obvious as his lip blew up like a balloon.  It happened during a particularly stressful time of preparation for a long and tedious back surgery to remove cancer from Mom’s spine so it would probably have gone altogether unnoticed except for his suddenly enormous upper lip. 

The occurrence didn’t seem to affect his previous indifference to bees and he continued to live his life at peace with them.

Last Monday Dad found a round, black, fuzzy piece of lint on his bed.  He picked it up and threw it away.  On the way to the trash, it stung him.  He came out holding his finger complaining that he had been stung by a fuzz.  Mom looked at it, got a penny, and hoped he didn’t die of some sort of bizarre fuzz-sting reaction.  Later, I asked Dad what happened.  He explained, “Well, to the best of my recollection of the incident, I think I must have been working in the yard when a cold bee found refuge in my warm pant pocket.  When I laid down on my bed, it must have been trapped between me and the bedspread.  When I got up, it apparently stumbled around trying to recuperate when I came upon it.  I thought it was a fuzz but the prompt sting assured me that it was not.  Although I had provided it with shelter, it must not have been willing to repay my earlier kindness for when I picked it up, it promptly pierced my finger with its venom.”  This is how my dad tells me he has been stung by a bee.

I think my son and my dad have learned that bees are not loyal companions but a force to be reckoned with!

2010 Memorable Christmas Moments

We had a wonderful Christmas shared with Mom and Dad Philp.  Christmas Eve they stayed overnight with us.  We had a delicious spaghetti dinner made by Ryan followed by our traditional Family Home Evening featuring the reading of the Christmas story in Luke.  Ryan also read from Matthew and the Book of Mormon.  An additional treat was the record player and collection of Firestone and Goodyear records that Dad brought – this is the Christmas music that I remember.  As the music played, it took me back to Christmases on Rovey; our brick fireplace crackled and popped with a warm, inviting fire alive with brilliant colors.  I miss that home so much that every Christmas I feel I would like to go there and tell the current owners that I have come home for Christmas!  Diana and Michael at Christmas 1977 However, we are sharing our traditions and creating new traditions in our home for Pace so hopefully he will have wonderful memories of childhood Christmases just as we do.  In keeping with one tradition, we opened one gift on Christmas Eve.  Pace opened his “Scooby-Doo Mystery Van with Ghost Catching Shaggy”!

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He was so thrilled we thought maybe Christmas morning would be a let down!  I opened a beautiful card with $50.00 from Mom and Dad, Mom opened a CD of the Messiah given by me, and Dad opened his gift from Dana – a leather wallet and money clip.  After that, there was time for one more story, a beautiful pop-up book I found last year about the birth of the Savior, and time for bed.  We told Pace he needed to get to bed in order for Santa to come but he just couldn’t go to sleep.  Pace is no dummy, he recognized this year that we don’t have a fireplace and wondered how Santa was going to get in.  Mom is no dummy either!  In preparation for this question, I bought a Santa Key that only works for Santa; an invention that became necessary for homes without a fireplace.  This answer seemed acceptable and off he went to bed.  Sleep, however, was a whole different story.  As we periodically checked on him, we caught him playing with his new Mystery Machine.  When caught, he quickly threw his head back on the pillow and acted as though he were sleeping.  Santa was not fooled, however, and it wasn’t until close to mid-night that he finally fell asleep for good!  So, a bleary-eyed Santa and his helpers went to work filling the stockings and setting up the toys.  Finally, Santa was able to go to bed around 2:00am.

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Our thoughts were also with Dad Weight who was in the hospital in Las Vegas.  He took a fall earlier in the month and was so weak and dehydrated that he couldn’t walk.  We knew the hospital was the best place for him but our hearts ached for him to spend the holidays there.  He has been long-suffering since losing Mom and we wish we could wave a magic wand and put him back into a happier time. Our heart-felt thanks to Ryan’s sister and brother-in-law, Cheryl and Steve, for the constant and loving care they have given and continue to give to Dad.  As a P.S. Dad was diagnosed with pneumonia and had to stay in the hospital until Dec. 30.  He will be released back to his assisted living facility – his progress will be monitored to see if he needs to be moved to a more intensive facility.  We continue to pray for him and hope he finds some good and happiness each day.

Christmas morning didn’t start for us until about 9:00 a.m. since Pace, Mommy, and Daddy, slept in much to Grandad’s chagrin.  Both Grammy and Grandad were up with the sun waiting for the rest of us to wake up.  When Pace finally went into the front room, he was very apprehensive, still unsure if he was on Santa’s nice list.  Pace began to empty his stocking but it was only after Grammy said that Pace must have made the nice list, did he get excited and yell “YES!!!” as he finished emptying his stocking.  We had a lovely morning opening gifts, listening to vintage Christmas music on the record player, and laughing.  Some of the more memorable gifts were:

Pace:  Trio Batcave, Iron Man’s Iron Car, a Spiderman and Batman action figure from Santa, a new Ralph Lauren outfit from Aunt Dana, a card game called Sandwich from Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Steve, Wii video games – Super Hero Squad & Lego Star Wars – and a Lego Batman shirt from Mom and Dad, a Nintendo DS video game – Spiderman -  from Grammy and Grandad, a new art set including a drawing book, acid-free colored pencils, and a small male are manequin, a missionary bank and Faith silly bands from Uncle Michael and Aunt Jodi, and various other small gifts.

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Daddy – Wii video game from Santa, a Dutch Oven from Mom and Dad Philp, a grill press from me, and a cute little calculator that says “Daddy” on it from Pace.

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Mommy – White gold adjustable chain for my diamond pendant, a beautiful painting of the Savior’s Second Coming, a box of Sees candy, an a candle from Ryan, a purse with $50.00 and a $25.00 gift card for the Outback from Mom, a picture frame, a necklace with a dolphin, and a My Little Pony – Rainbow Dash – from Pace, and Dead Sea lotion and body soap from Dana.

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We then had a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.  Mom and Dad went home and we had some down time for the afternoon.  Around 5:00 we headed over to Mom and Dad’s house where we prepared a wonderful meal of baked ham, green-bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, and sweet potatoes.  We have cheesecake and cream-cheese fruit cake for dessert.  It seems Santa visited Pace at Grammy’s house as well and we opened a few more gifts there. 

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Christmas was wonderful.  It was filled with the Spirit of the Savior and the joy that is Christmas.  Beginning with the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional through Christmas Day it was a season filled with all of the magical wonders of Christmas.  Time to look forward to 2011 and whatever it holds.  But, I miss Christmas already!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

A Walk Through Christmas’s Past

The memories I have of Christmas are so poignant it’s almost painful to remember them; but remember them I do.  I have always loved Christmas so I hope you will indulge this walk through my Christmas memories in picture.  

1968 12-25 Diana's first Christmas in front of fireplace 1969 Diana with Gentle Ben Christmas

                          Christmas 1968 & 1969

 

Diana and Michael at Christmas 1977

Michael with truck at Chrismas 1977

 

 

  1977

 

 

 

 

 

michael and dad christmas1980

 

 

 

 

                                           1980

 

 

 

1987 December Michael with new blue bike

 

 

 

                                   

                                     1987

 

 

 

 

 

Nana and Grandad at Christmas

 

 

 

        Nana & Grandad Philp  - 1987

 

 

 

 

 12-1989 Diana with Santa Walt Wells   12-1989 Michael with Santa Walt Wells

1989 - Diana and Michael with Santa (Walt Wells – Bishopric)

 

1990 Christmas

1990 at the Rovey home

 

Christmas 1991

Christmas Dinner - 1991

 

 

1992 Dad and Nana  Santa Larry sings

                                  Christmas - 1994

 

 

Granny and Grandad 1995Granny Grandad Pace – 1995

 

Rovey Christmas

Christmas at home

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Santa’s Helper?

Tonight was the night for Pace to wrap his gifts.  He did pretty good at picking out the paper and writing on the gift tags but he wasn’t interested in the actual wrapping.  So I began the process of wrapping – once I started I was on a roll and couldn’t quit.  Pace sat quietly with his Nintendo DS playing an intense game of LEGO Batman while I wrapped, bowed, and tagged each gift.  At the end of the process, Pace’s job was to take the gift and put it under the tree.  Apparently, this “job” was more than he could handle.  After about the fifth gift, he sighed, “Mom, how many more do I have to do?”  I said, “I don’t know but this is your job so you have to stick to it no matter how long it takes.”

The next gift sent him over the edge.  He came back from his task anDSC06508d announced,

“MOM, THIS IS NOT SANTA’S WORKSHOP, YOU ARE NOT SANTA, AND I AM NOT A SANTA’S ELF!  THIS IS A GUEST ROOM, YOU ARE MY MOM, AND I AM JUST A PACE!”  Boy, putting the gifts under the tree must have been a terrible burden.  Little does he know that Santa’s Workshop and Santa are a lot closer than he thinks!  Perhaps a visit to the naughty list will help him remember the Spirit of Christmas!  

P.S. I think Pace remembered some Christmas spirit as later, while in bed, he was listening to and softly singing “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”.  That made everything ALRIGHT!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The Spoilers

There are no secrets in our house.  Surprising each other for Christmas just isn’t going to happen and we should just face the fact. 

It started with Pace.  His birthday was in November so we got most of his Christmas presents at the same time as his birthday presents.  The day before his birthday, he went to stay at Grammy’s house.  Ryan and I separated his birthday presents from his Christmas presents.  Birthday got wrapped, Christmas went in the drawer of the obscure and hardly ever visited guest room.  I was so proud of myself for thinking of a convenient spot that Pace would never find.  Pace came home from Grammy’s house.  I sent him into his room to find a small birthday gift which I had left for him in his room.  He came in with the gift along with a gift from the impenetrable guest room drawer!  His eyes were lit up and he was profusely thanking me for ALL HIS NEW TOYS!!!!  I asked him what he had seen; he listed everything in the drawer without so much as a pause for breatDSC06252h.  Santa would have to do some fancy footwork to fix this disaster!  Let the returns and exchanges begin!

Then there’s Ryan.  He found a great hiding place, which I shall not mention, and we put all the NEW toys in it.  I also threw in a few for Ryan.  I figured he would never touch the gifts again until I placed one or two in front of him with the command to “wrap”.  However, I miscalculated and a few days later Ryan announced that he had inventoried Pace’s toys and found all the Wii games.  I asked him which games he had actually seen.  Of course, at the top of the list was, MADDEN – the new football video game I had purchased for him!  Foiled again!

I was next.  While doing the banking, I became alarmed when I noticed a charge had been made from a fine art store in Utah.  I yelled out, “Ryan, someone bought something at the McNaughton studio with our credit card in Utah!”  Ryan came running as fast as he could, clicked the screen closed, and said, “Never mind, you didn’t see anything!”  Aha!  I was receiving a piece of art!  Yeah!!  BOO!  NO ONE WILL BE SURPRISED WITH ANYTHING THIS CHRISTMAS! 

Next, I asked Ryan if he had gotten any cash back from the toy returns he had made earlier in the day.  I asked the question just as he stepped into the restroom; he hadn’t heard me so I just looked in his wallet.  By the way, I haven’t looked in his wallet since our first year of marriage.  In it, to my great surprise was not only the money from the return but a crisp, new, $50 dollar bill.  He found me finding the money just as he stepped out of the bathroom.  “Hey, what are you doing?” he proclaimed.  “Where did this come from?” I demanded.  He didn’t answer right away; clearly he was weighing the importance of keeping a secret vs. my demanding tone.  He caved.  “Well, it’s your mom’s half of the Christmas present we got you, HAPPY NOW!”   Another surprise bites the dust.

But the worst (and most funny) incident happened last night at the expense of our little six-year-old.  Pace was innocently watching T.V.  I was bored and couldn’t resist the urge to tease him a little.  So I said, “Hey Pace, what did you get me for Christmas?”

“I can’t tell you, it’s a secret.”  He said, eyes still glued to the T.V.

“Is it a bicycle?”DSC06513

“No.  And I can’t tell you, it’s a secret.”

“Is it a new pair of earrings?”

“No. Mom, I can’t tell you.”

“Is it something I will like?”

“Yes you will.”

“Did you get me a My Pretty Pony?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“YEAH!  You got me a My Pretty Pony – I bet it even has a comb to comb it’s pretty tail.  And is it pink?”  I clapped my hands in excitement.’

Suddenly, he whipped his head toward me, saw my excitement over the present he DIDN’T get me, and blurted out.  “Oh no Mom, but I did make you a beautiful calendar; Ms. Denise at school helped me.  It’s beautiful, I wrapped it myself.  He walked up to me, put his hand on my face and said, “I think you will love it!” 

I was horrified and hysterical at the same time.  I burst out laughing and told him it would be wonderful.  I would love it but it was supposed to be a secret.  He glared at me and said, “OK, I won’t tell you what it is.”

I could have left well enough alone but I just couldn’t let it go.  A few minutes later, I looked at Pace’s Scooby-Doo character, Thelma, and said, “Hey Thelma, I’m getting a My Pretty Pony for Christmas . . . . . . . . . from Pace!”  Pace turned and yelled out “No!  I’m giving you a calendar I made, Ms. Denise at school helped me, and you will really like it.”  Then his tone changed and he repeated verbatim the words I have said to him countless times, “Besides that, you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit!” 

And that was it.  I had to roll over and stick my head in the pillow because I just could not contain the gales of laughter that escaped.  My own words used against Diana and Pace Weightme at the exact appropriate moment.  That’s my boy!

When I could contain myself, I looked at Pace and told him that I would love whatever it was he gave me just because it came from him.  With that, he went back to his show, content in the knowledge that his secret Christmas present to me would be loved.

Ryan said, “Poor kid, you just gave him a complex.”

And with that, I realized that we are a family of spoilers.  No one is safe, not even our innocent little boy.  But we love each other tremendously and forgive and forget.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

So we will celebrate Christmas for what it really is, the birth of our Savior.  This is really where the true joy lies.  But I have to admit I’ll be laughing for a long time when I think of the scolding I got from  Pace!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Alright!

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This morning began, as every morning begins, with Pace and I reading scriptures and eating breakfast.  The house was quiet and decorated for Christmas.  At one point during our peaceful time, Pace kicked back, put his hands behind his head and said, “I just love it when everything is alright.”   I said, “Me to! ”  And I do.  There’s a lot of things to worry about most of the time so I really do love it when things are alright.  What a great way to start the day!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Happy Birthday to my Dad!

Today my dad is 80!  I remember when I thought 80 was OLD!  But my dad doesn’t match my idea of 80.  He hasn’t changed his habits much at all since I was a little kid.  I mean, he doesn’t go to work everyday, he is more careful about what he eats, and his full head of dark brown hair has changed to a full head of cottony white hair, but, by in large, he’s just the same.

On any given day, I can stop by my folk’s house and find my dad, up a ladder in a tree, on his stomach arm fully extended in the pool to clear out old leaves, in the attic wrestling with boxes, or walking at a good clip to/from the mailbox.  He even got a bike this year and began a daily riding regimen which he might still be following if not for a blast of inopportune sun that caused a minor accident.  All in all, my dad doesn’t act like the 80-year-olds I picture in my head.

DSC05922I am thankful that my dad is still chugging along.  He still helps me with household tasks, opens jars for my mom, and enjoys a good meal from In and Out Burger.  He is a great man who provided everything his family needed; food, shelter, clothing, education (and not just schooling; you should hear my dad’s vocabulary), family vacations, backyard bar-b-ques, holiday memories, motor pool for the vehicles, love of country, priesthood leadership, good character, and love.  I am thankful my son now has the opportunity to learn many of the same things I did from the same man.

I love you dad – Happy Birthday!   

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Fall!

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I love this time of year; theoretically.  The fair comes to town (even though the magic wore off this year because the food made me sick), the weather begins to change (although in Phoenix, we’ve been in the 90’s through most of October), college football Saturdays (although ASU is officially dead to me and BYU stinks this year), Halloween decorations go up (I don’t like the gory stuff).  Well, you get the  idea.  This is a great time of year despite a few bumps.

The party season kicked off with a celebration at Lifetime Fitness for the kids.  Inflatable slides, a pumpkin patch, face- painting, etc.  Pace decided to be Spiderman to this event and had a really good time.  That night, my folks’ ward had their annual Trunk-or-Treat.  Ryan & Grandad took Pace all of whom had a lot of fun. DSC06139DSC06137

DSC06190Thursday was Pace’s school party.  I went and saw Pace in his  natural school environment.  After seeing this, I decided I better get something good for Mrs. Burgess for Christmas this year.  DSC06204

That night was the school carnival.  Games, food, fun, etc.  I didn’t go but Pace and Ryan both came home smelly  so I imagine they had a great time running around.

Friday was our ward Halloween Party.  Planned were a chili cook-off, a Jack-O-Lantern contest, and a trunk decorating contest.  I have not participated in this event up to this point because I don’t like Halloween that much but since Pace is so captivated/terrified this year, I figured I get involved for his sake.  Then itDSC06210 became a mission.  I started planning it out the week before and had tasks for  Ryan and I to complete each day – including a pumpkin carving night.  Party store, grocery store, back to the party store, Costco; it really was a marathon of shopping.  On Friday, I got up early and began the chili – burned it - had to clean up the mess and start again.  Then on to the van; I had my hot-glue gun, dry-ice, glow-in-the-dark bugs, black light, drop-down spider, evil-hand candy bowl, it was too exciting.  I worked on it all day. 

My brother started seDSC06211rving his chili in a pumpkin bowl a few years ago so I decided I give that a try; we were supposed to get to the church early to set out our chili.  At 6:00 we loaded up and headed for the church but, by the time we got there, it was mass pandemonium!  Hundreds of little princesses, Scooby-Doos, superheroes, and other characters running around, amped on candy BEFORE the trunk-or-treating even began!  I almost turfed it just getting my chili to the table.  And so it went, one chaotic event after another.  Stand in line, slam down your chili, wait for the winner to be announced.  Grab your little superhero, run for the games, eat the prize on the way to the next game.  Fly by the Jack-O-Lantern table for a split-second glance.  Tear outside and get your trunk ready for the trunk-or-treat and onslaught of hundreds of little goblins and ghouls revved up on the sugar-high of the year.  What fun;  I can’t believe I’ve missed this for so many years.  However, Pace did have the time of his life as Batman.  And, after all, wasn’t this all for him? 

Did I mention I won first place in the chili contest and best decorated trunk contest?  Maybe it was just a little for me.  I love this time of year!

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