Family Fun at Pioneer Parade Today!

I love my family!

Happy Birthday Emily

Dear Emily,

Happy fifteenth birthday to an amazing young woman I love with all my heart. As I’ve been getting your present together ready to send to you I’ve been thinking about all the wonderful memories I have with you.

I remember when you were born. We stopped by the hospital when your mother was in labor on our way to send Joseph off on his mission. I was so excited to see you when you came. You were my very first granddaughter. I remember how soft and pink and tiny you were and how much I loved holding you and rocking you.

I remember visiting you in all the places you lived while your dad was in school and starting his first jobs. You always had a loving sweet smile for me and I especially liked it when you would just sit next to me and let me soak you in for a while. I just love being around you.

I’ve watched you develop your talents in music, dance and art. I am amazed at your proficiency for such a young age. Anyone who gets you for a piano teacher is so lucky because you are kind, gentle and patient. You are also a lot of fun to be around.

I’ve watched the kind and patient way you treat all your younger siblings. They are so blessed to have you for their oldest sister. You are such a good example to them.

I have a picture that you made of the cabin that I leave on my refrigerator because every time I look at it, I smile and think of you.

I’m glad that you have a nice group of friends and that you use your time so wisely. You have a special place in our extended family as the oldest granddaughter.  All your nieces look up to you and want to be like you.

I hope you will always be kind, patient and loving with yourself. As you go through these next few years of school and dating, remember that you are strong, you are brave and you have an eternal beauty that shines from within.

I know that you will go through your life being a light and an uplift to all those who are blessed to spend time with you. You are a joy to me and I hope you never forget how deeply you are loved and how precious you are.

I will always be your biggest fan.

All my love,

Grandma Baadsgaard

Arianne and her family at Ephraim Days

Liam fixing the crust to cook in a dutch oven.

Jared and Logan at the blacksmith forge

Sophia making apple pie from scratch.

My daughter Arianne is amazing. She has learned to make her own soap, card and spin wool from sheep and her own angora rabbit, and weave the most beautiful shawls. She is part of a group of people who donate their time to re-enact the lost skills of our pioneer generation. She made period 1850 clothing for each member member of her family including herself, her husband and six children. What a gift to the community and to her children to keep the skills of their ancestors alive.
We had so much fun going to Ephraim Days today and watching them work their magic.

Arianne weaving a shawl.

Utah Republican Party State Organizing Convention

My husband Ross Baadsgaard is a State Delegate
and is taking part in the Utah Republican Party State Organizing Convention today.
Freedom isn't free - we all have to do our part.

Happy Birthday Libby!

LIBBY QUEEN OF EVERYTHING

By

Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy birthday my precious Libby. I love you so.

Libby is the queen of everything

She likes to smile, and dance and sing

And when she wears her crown outside

Everything magic come alive

For Libby’s friends are fairies who know

When someone can be trusted to sew

Angel wings with spider web floss

And dew orb bracelets hidden in the moss

She raises her specter with great flair

And says to the birds, “I do so care

For all your lovely little songs

They make my heart sing along

To where wishes come alive at night

Seen only by fairies in the pale moonlight.”

At dusk she waves her scepter with flair

And says to the wee people who are there,

“I’ll bring my lantern here tonight

And watch your grand ball in the blue twilight.

So tell the king that I’ll be there

So his majesty must come prepared

To take my hand and fly with me

Where only our duel royal majesty

Can fly with grandeur through the sky

And float down children’s dreams by and by.”

Those who can imagine what they cannot see

Are royalty who will always be

Kings and queens with wings to fly

Where children’s wishes are made with a sigh.

Happy Birthday Rachel

RAY-RAY PIECE OF SUNSHINE

By Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy birthday to my sunshine girl. I love you Ray-Ray

Rachel . . . better known as Ray-Ray

Is sunshine walking through my door

And even if I don’t ask for it

She’ll give me a hug and so much more.

For Rachel’s eyes light up when she sees me

And mine eyes light up for her

And when she jumps into my arms

I am pretty darn sure

That I’ve just stepped into heaven

As she holds me oh so tight

And thinks my old Granny face

Is her greatest delight

When I put her down, she nuzzles up to me

And whispers into my ear, “Grandma

Do you have some more treats I can see?”

Rachel knows how to brighten every room

With her twirls and smiles and more

For Ray-Ray is my piece of sunshine

She makes my heart just soar.

Happy Birthday Gideon

GIDEON

by Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy Birthday to a wonderful little boy I love!

He eats a bubble

Then floats to the sky

Draws his sword

And fights the bad guys

He kicks a ball

Then watches it go

Up in the air

Both high and low

He jumps on his bed

Then rolls on the floor

Wrestles and tangles

And tickles some more

He climbs on the swing

Then soars through the air

He doesn’t like baths

Runs away in the bare

He slurps when he eats

Then tosses his peas

When mom says, “No!”

He thinks she is a tease

For when you’re four

You climb and giggle

And throw and punch

Run fast and wiggle

When the day is over

You’re still on the run

Don’t want to stop

Having so much fun

Alisa and Joshua - Honor's Society Program

Another great year in Honor's Society.
My daughter Alisa Baadsgaard and my grandson Joshua Moody
 have been blessed to have each other as best friends
during their high school years.

Happy Birthday Logan

LOGAN’S TREASURE

By Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy birthday Logan. I love you oh so much.

When Logan buried a dollar coin in his back yard garden, he didn’t know what would happen. When his father planted peas, peas grew. When his mother planted corn, corn grew.  So after he planted the dollar Logan watched and waited. Nothing happened for a long time even though Logan checked the ground every day and kept the dirt moist with his watering can.

Then one morning Logan noticed the ground bulging. The next day the ground cracked and out popped a fountain of pennies. When he gathered them into a pile and counted them, there were 100 pennies.

The following day a shining bush with silver dots on the end of each branch grew in the place where he planted the dollar. The silver dots grew and flattened out until they became nickels. When Logan picked them he counted twenty nickels. The following day Logan noticed a green hedge bordering the garden with four large quarters resting on top. The next day Logan found a tree with two large fifty cent pieces dangling in the highest branches.

Logan gathered all his money and counted his treasure.

“I have so much more than I started with,” Logan said. “This is much more than I need. I think I’ll open a free money store.”

So Logan gathered a card table and a chair. Then he opened a money store in his front yard with a sign that said . . . “Get Your Free Money Here. Price = One Promise.”

When the first children stopped by they noticed Logan had a bowl full of pennies, one for nickels, another for quarters and the last one for fifty cent pieces.

“How much for a penny?” the first child asked.

“If you give me a promise, I will give you three pennies.” Logan answered.

“What is the promise?”

“Just promise me that you will do three things with your pennies,” Logan answered. “Promise me that you will save one, spend one and share one.”

The child promised, took the pennies and skipped back home.

Then another child came by and Logan made the same deal.

Soon everyone in the neighborhood had received a small monetary gift from Logan and had given him a promise in return. Before long Logan noticed that the people in his neighborhood seemed to talk to each other more and helped each other with their yards. He also watched as neighbors secretly dropped off gifts to other neighbors.

One day Logan's younger brother asked, “Why did you give all your money away? You could have been rich.”

Logan took the dollar coin out of his pocket and cupped it in his hand.

“Oh, I’m rich alright – rich with friends. And I still have all I need,” Logan answered. “If I kept planting and sharing, I’ll always have enough.”

The greatest joy in living is always in the giving.

JustServe Service Project

Ross helped with a service project for Tabitha's Way yesterday. They are creating a warehouse for their food panty.

New Horizons Orchestra Concert

I love making music
with this wonderful group of people
I have grown to love.
It was a great concert last night.

Happy Birthday Alice

ALICE THE GRAND

by

Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy Birthday my precious Alice.

While you read this poem written just for you - notice the words in italic.

They are taken directly from the book “Alice in Wonderland”.

You are our Alice the Grand who brings wonderland everywhere you are!

Some people fall down a rabbit hole to discover wonder land

I know a girl who popped out of that hole whose name is Alice-the-Grand.

“Eat me!” Drink me!” says Mother to Alice with a smile.

“Now it’s time for dinner so stop running for a while.”

“But Mom,” Alice replies, “It takes all the running I can do to keep in the same place.

If I want to get somewhere else, I must run twice as fast!” before I can say grace.

“Curiouser and curiouser,” says mother with much care.

“I believe no matter what I do, we’re all mad here.”

“Who in the world am I? Ah that’s the great puzzle,” says Alice with a grin.

I think there is a Chesshire cat who will tell me where to begin.

So Alice finds her feline friend and says boldly without fear,

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends,” Chesshire says, “a good deal on where you want to get to” my dear.

When brothers Griffin and Rylan make a mad dash for her toys

Little Alice stands with her scepter and shouts most boldly

“Off with their heads, you scallywag boys

If you want to keep your heads, give me back those toys!”

“That is impossible,” says Rylan with a smirk

“I can’t think without my head – I think you are berserk.”

But Alice holds her stance and says with a mighty blast,

“If you can’t think, you wouldn’t talk so fast

So brothers beware if you don’t want a neck cast…

Give those toys back to me or today will be your last!”

Shivering with fear and quaking in their boots

Griffin and Rylan’s hand back the toys and all their sister’s loot

“It is no use going back to yesterday,” says Rylan with sigh

“way back then I didn’t see my sister’s greatness by and by.

But now I know and have been enlightened with this mighty scare

No more bothering great queen Alice - even if I dare.”

Nine Mile Canyon

Loved our Nine-mile Canyon trip
during spring break!

Happy Birthday Andrew!

ANDREW IS TURNING SEVEN

By

Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy Birthday to a very special grandson I love.

If Andrew is turning seven

Then he can’t be eleven

So let’s shout hurray

For this birthday boy today

Sometimes he sits still

Other times his wiggle will

Bust right out of his skin

And make the fun begin

For Andrew is like the sun

Before the day is done

He runs fast as the breeze

So remember if you please

He likes a big high jump

His arms are circle pumps

Swings right through the air

So notice if you dare

He will climb right to the moon

Then be back by noon

And eat blueberry pie

When it’s the fourth of July

He also likes to snuggle

And if you give him a huggle

He’ll squeeze your neck so tight

Your heart explodes in delight

For Andrew is a treasure

A jewel without measure

For a boy who is turning seven
Is a little piece of heaven

Payson Temple History

I enjoyed talking to a group of cub scouts at  the Payson Utah Temple this week.

They were especially interested in the cornerstone box that is behind the large stone that reads: Erected 2015.

I was able to share several interesting stories about the temple
from the Payson Temple History book I wrote and compiled.