Photo Friday

I was perusing pictures on my computer and came across this one.

Photo Friday

Here's a photo from Into the Woods rehearsal this week. We're almost half way through the run, and our whole family seems to be surviving. So far, so good!

Photo Friday!

Sisters, sisters....sharing, caring...

Name that song.

Little terror in the kitchen.  Such a cute terror though!

Photo Friday

Sometimes, we go to awesome parks in the mountains with Cascading Springs... 

Sometimes, we look at beautiful double rainbows

Sometimes, we paint our room. Unfortunately,we don't have a finished picture on the computer. And I never took a picture of Patrick painting cuz he did most of it while I was gone...woops. 

Sometimes, Patrick just takes pictures of my hair. This also doubles as a "before" picture of our room.

So sometimes I take pictures of Patrick's hair

and this was a year ago.... I think it's supposed to happen again soon....

Tuesday Memory - The Chair

I was so thrilled to see the picture of the "generational" chair with three of the fifth generation sitting in it.  I thought I would share how "the chair" came to the Hutchings family. 

The first time I remember seeing "the chair" was in the basement of the Workman home in West Jordan.  I though it was a cool chair and it was comfortable.  If my memory is correct, grandma and grandpa purchased the chair from the family furniture store in Delta.  The chair moved to Provo and then it was time to move on.

It was given to Greg and Jo who enjoyed it for awhile but then decided it no longer fit their family and took it to a garage sale.  We happened to be in Provo at the time, saw the chair and could not  believe they were selling it.  We gave $20 and put it in our trunk.  Yes, the chair and ottoman did fit in our trunk.  Oh, yea, it was the Lincoln. 

From there it followed, or went with us, around the Untied States and I guess really did become a part of our family fixtures before moving on to James and Liz. 

Thank you for taking a farewell picture of a piece of family history.  I guess, it is about 50 years old.

Memory Tuesday

I was hoping to have a video to go with my memory today, but it hasn't been emailed to me yet.  This last Saturday, we had our first ever ward talent show.  I think they figure since they have a ward music chair, they should use her. (Yah, that is me.)  It was a great success and loads of fun.  The highlight of the evening however, was my family.  No, I am not just saying that, everybody else did.  Joe and the kids did the John Williams tribute.  If Joe hasn't shown you, you tube it.  It was a riot.  Even David was up there singing. 

So, the memory part.  Several people came up to me and commented on the performance.  The one comment that sticks in my mind is, "You guys are like the Vontrap family (probably spelled that wrong).  It reminded me of singing together as a family.  I don't know if that was a comment ever made, but I do remember being referred to as the "MOTAB family". I always loved singing together and have many great memories of doing so.  Who could forget the sociable?  Good times.

Evening Herd

Saw this outside my front window a few minutes ago...while I was talking to Marquie on the phone.  Just wanted to share!

Photo Friday/Saturday

I am sorry I am late this week.  We even took our picture early this week but just didn't get it blogged.

Does anyone recognize this chair?  I'll give you a hint:  these boys are the 5th generation to sit on it.  Sadly we had to part with it but wanted to have a record of it.  It has had a good long hard life.  Good-bye chair!

Park Project

This is going on as I type...

Jaime: "You're good at doing my park, Dad!" and "Dad, are you done? Are you done with my park?!"

First for Photo Friday

OK, it is Friday Morning and it is time for pictures:

 Grandma May (Eunice).  Well grandma to mom and I, great grandma and great great grandma to others in the family.  Don't worry about the crooked door frame.  We had to repair this picture.

 Shoveling snow in 1959.  I remember the coat and shovel.  Reminds me of a picture of Justin shoveling snow in Prescott.  I think Justin was a bit older.

 Roger has always loved German Shepherds and this is his pride an joy, Spike.  Roger bred spike and payed for most of his mission from the proceeds of selling her pups.  Circa 1963.

 Well, you have to know this is 1974.

 February 15, 1975.  Just before I was set apart as a missionary and pictures were taken before we headed to the mission home.  (No, not MTC, didn't exist.)

1982.  We had a family portrait deal with Olin Mills.  I believe this was around September.  

Look forward to everyone's posts today.  I have to say I really appreciate the connection this photo Friday and Memory Tuesday are giving to us.  Have a great day and wonderful weekend. 

And so it begins...

 Just thought you might enjoy a little Autumn color from our yard!

Tuesday memory

Sounds like a fun idea Dad.  I have thought lots lately about our time on the river.  I think how much we would play and explore.  Sadly, we live in a society now that promotes sit on your but theories and less and less go outside.  One of my fondest memories is definitely collecting railroad ties.  Looking back on it, I wonder how the track held together.  We used to love going down that great big hill, (maybe I was just little?) and exploring the ground.  We didn't care what or who lurked there, we just had fun.  I do not recollect if we were supposed to be playing down there...... but I remember it being fun.

There were also of course the trees for climbing, hills of dirt and construction next door, all sorts of fun.  I wonder what we did with all those railroad ties?

Tuesday Memories

OK, I admit I am trying to generate another day of blogs...

I am sitting at "a" desk at our headquarters offices in the Willis Tower "savoring" a lunch that has mashed potatoes and gravy.  I put pepper on the potatoes and had a memory that I thought, hum, grandpa story and then I thought, no just a Tuesday memory.

My cousin (actually my first cousin once removed because his father was actually my cousin) and I were sitting at a ward dinner in the gymnasium in the old South Jordan Elementary school and we decided that we really knew how to have potatoes and gravy.  Put the potatoes on the plate, salt and pepper and then add the gravel and then salt and pepper.  I do not remember my age, had to be less than 8, but it is a good memory.

OK, background:

• Mike was a year older than me and was a bit rowdy.  OK, a lot rowdy!  None-the-less, we were good friends as cousins and because we were close in age.  Mike passed away several years ago as a very young man, in his forties.  He lived a hard life.  I met his son's at David Palmer's funeral (his father)
• The Gymnasium:  The meetinghouse of my youth (Still stands on 1300 west in South Jordan just north of 10400 south and is a private home/studio for Ed Fraughten the sculptor) had no cultural hall so all of the socials were held at the school.  Back then, it was community and, well, most everyone was a member of the church and so there was really no distinction.
• The meal was prepared by Sister Holt who was the school lunch cook.  She used the school facilities in the basement of the gymnasium
• I know I was younger than eight because we moved into the new meetinghouse a few months after I was baptized.

OK, my memory for the day.  

Interesting Article

I came across this article, today, and I think it's worth sharing here. I've struggled with this idea long and hard, and I've come to the conclusion that it will likely never change. Just last week, as I listened to our nation's leaders deplore the actions of film-makers and hail the dawn of a day of religious tolerance and respect, I wondered why that didn't apply to anyone inside the nation's borders. Why am I narrow-minded, bigoted, racist, and hateful because of my religious beliefs, while other religions are free to exercise their beliefs according to their will? I came to a simple conclusion that broke my heart for our once great nation: Those who stand for truth will, in this world, be ridiculed, mocked, and undervalued while others are artificially supported for personal and political gain. It's just how it is, and it won't change; the scriptures have made that clear.

I hold out hope that we, as a society, can treat others with respect and decency. Again, the scriptures lead me to believe that it is a false hope.

Enjoy and ponder.

Muslims, Mormons, and Liberals

Photo Friday

I am loving photo Friday and so are the boys.  I am sure they they are going out of their way on Fridays to make it onto the blog.  They spent almost all of yesterday working on a skit.  They made props, backgrounds, and script.  They did it all.  I had the pleasure of enjoying their show this morning.  Here is a picture of them at the end with some of their props and tons of smiles!   (That is a birthday cake in the middle that they are eating.)




Later today Jacob worked really hard not to have to help clean-up meals.  He was supposed to dry and put away the dishes after breakfast, but he didn't do it and magically disappeared.  I am sure he was just hoping that it would get done by someone else later.  So, while he played during lunch cleanup I asked the boys to not dry and put away any dishes and to leave them for Jacob.  He then had to stay in the kitchen until it was done.  About an hour later he was still in there.  While I was feeding Hyrum he started coming out in different warrior outfits.  He just cracks me up as he is prone to do.  Maybe that is how he gets out of doing things.  Hmmmm. . .  He did finally finish when he couldn't go do what the other boys were doing because they had finished all of their jobs and he hadn't.  I love natural consequences!

So, here are some of his warrior outfits:

He told me that this one is a Japanese warrior.

I know I need to get some more pictures of Hyrum since he will be crawling before I know it.  I'll work on that for next week.  He did get to eat some green beans today.  I may regret that tomorrow, but for now it seems to help fill him up better.  Happy photo Friday to all!

Photo Friday (Birthday Style)

This is the invitation I made last night for the girls' birthday party (address removed).

My birthday present to Vida.

So the girls' birthday party is in a few weeks.  You are all invited :).  But I won't be offended if you don't come.  And for those of you who live in Utah, you will be getting your invitation shortly.  My birthday present to Vida is a name plaque to be placed above her bed.  I meant to have one for her before she was born, and I actually did but it was a different name (for reference, see HERE).  We still have that name plaque because I can't seem to part with it, but it is about time Vida got hers.  It's something we are going to do for each of our children as they are born.  We hand carved Jaime's out of cheap wood that we could afford at the time, and curled copper that we stripped from used electrical cords that we got for free from the Packards (you can see a picture of it HERE).  This one was my first experience using modge podge. I think it turned out cute and am excited to hang it in her room after her birthday!  Thank you to Michelle and Mom for helping me pick out the letters and papers.

And suddenly I just got a little weepy at the fact that I married into such a incredible family.  Thank you for accepting me into your family and for being so wonderful.  I love you guys.

August Trip to Utah

 Here are some mostly blurry pictures of my trip to Utah...man I am a bad photographer!

Let's See What Photo Friday Can Produce from the Archives

 Christmas 1964.  Larry, Byron and Nephi.  Nephi passed away in 1965

 Birthday for Mom, 1970.  Hum, that would be age 14.

 Mom, still 1970 but with a change in hair style.

 Grandma Hutchings HATED swimming.  Came from a near drowning event in her childhood.  None-The-Less, with husband and two sons helping she braved the 2 foot deep surf.

1973.  I actually cherish this picture as it shows two generations of Eagle Scouts and a supportive wife and mother.  I remember my Eagle Board of Review.  Mom took me to the Scout Office at Fort Douglas (University of Utah) and brought our portable typewriter so she could type a research paper for me while I had my review. 

                        Our exchange student.  She is super nice and we had a great time.

 A few quick pictures of Patrick's introduction to our family.  It was a silly time.

Peaches

Julia was a good little helper when we canned peaches last week. Enjoy! It would be a little pathetic if I a was the only one who posted on photo Friday. . . being that I never post. Lets see some pictures!

Almost Photo Friday Again!

Last weeks Photo Friday was so much fun!  Just wanted to remind you it's coming again tomorrow!  So looking forward to it!

Thank You All

Thank you all for your Photo Friday's!  And especially thank you Liz for resurrecting it!

Justin's Photo Friday

Some of you may recognize this view of the Salt Lake Temple. It is from the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. I took Jodi to The Roof Restaurant tonight to celebrate a recent promotion at work. Wish you all could have joined. The company was great.

Photo Friday

After a summer of no Cub Scouts the boys have been ready to jump back in.  We decided to make Cub Scouts apart of our school work and the boys love it!  Michael has been randomly bringing his Webelos book to James or myself and asking us to work on it with him.  Tonight is their big kickoff with a bike derby (we'll see if the rain pauses for the event).  Joshua will be earning his Wolf and arrow points and Michael will earn his Webelos and several activity badges.  They have worked hard and I am very proud of them.  

This is a picture of Joshua with some puddle jumpers he made (after they broke once).  They didn't last long but they were pretty fun while they did.  And he made them all by himself.  

Photo Friday from the Hutchings House

Jaime reading books to Vida to help me out during dinner prep.

Vida learning to use a spoon.  She's obsessed.

Jaime trying to help Vida out with her yogurt.  Bad aim.

This is a constant at our house - Vida begging for Jaime's drinks and Jaime sharing.

Some of our pumpkins found homes hanging from our fence!

Thanks for the reminder about photo Friday!  I will try and find something to share each week.