New Addition...

 Hello Murray Family members, 

We usually don't write, because there usually isn't anything worth mentioning!  That has changed!  As many of you know, we spent time getting approved for adoption through LDS family services.  After being approved for over a year, and not hearing a single thing from them about a potential placement, we decided to look at other avenues!  We got a phone call from Kevin's co worker in March.  She said that a mutual friend of hers and Kevin does emergency foster care and had 2 babies that needed to be adopted.  Kevin called her to get information about the process of getting approved for state and county adoptions.  She said we had to sign up for a mandatory 9 week class at the local JC called "Partnership in Parenting."  She said that the next class started in 4 days!  We signed up immediately and though Kevin is currently doing school for a Doctorate program, we felt it was important to attend the class!  Good thing we did, because the person who heads that class got fired after our class, and now it is not in session until further notice!  During that class they focused primarily on behaviors that the kids could have, and how to deal and cope with those behaviors in a therapeutic way, but Kevin and I do that at work every day, and have done that for years, so we took time in the class to fill out all our adoption paperwork.  In that class was a "foster parent mentor" to answer any questions that we had about how the system works for foster and adoption in the county.  Her name was Natalie, and she was a fountain of information. We befriended her and asked her questions during breaks of all the classes!  She gave us her card and said that in our county she is also the president of the Redwood Empire Foster Parents association!  We kept it and decided she would be a good contact for us!  We ended up having to have an orientation meeting and 3 additional training sessions and several sets of lifescan fingerprints.  Finally we met with social workers one for the county and CPS and one for the state adoptions office!  In June, Kevin had to contact a CPS worker that he has worked with several times through work.  Him and this lady, had a client in common and have worked together several times in the past.  He mentioned at the end of the call that we were trying to adopt and to keep us in mind if anything comes up. She seemed excited and said that she works with teenaged pregnant girls who will have to give up thier babies, and said, there was a baby due in July!  We were excited about having yet another good contact!  In August, we finally we got foster parent licensed!  Our state adoptions worker also took a 3 week vacation around that same time and we asked that no one contact us about placements until she returned.  The county will sometimes try to place kids who are not available for adoption with couples, because they just need more couples, so we asked that all agencies wait to contact us until our state worker returned.  She could turn down the ones that weren't a match for us.  Also around that time, we decided to join the Redwood empire Foster parents association and contacted Natalie for the details!  We ended up going to an Ice cream social event the next week!  We met several amazing foster parents and held lots of babies and got phone numbers from other couples!  We figured it would be nice to have babysitting trades with other licensed people and that they could give us advice on how the process works.  There are some amazing couples doing wonders for these kids!  We also got to see Natalie again, which is always a plus!  She is an extraordinary woman!  So, we were biding our time waiting for August 24th when our social worker would come home from vacation.  

On Tuesday the 23rd, mom and dad left for Utah, and I got a phone call from our state worker saying "we have a baby for you!  its a girl!  But that is all I know!"  Then the next day I was at work, and got a call from our Amy (our worker)  She said, "we have a girl and she is 1 month old, but that is all we know!"  Later that day, I got another call giving us more information!  The baby's mom is 17, and has been a ward of the court since she was 12.  She has been in several group homes, but manages to AWOL from them more than she is actually participating in them!  As a result, she has only completed her first semester of her Freshman year.  She wants to get the baby back, but our worker and her own social worker think it is not even a remote possibility!  She gave a name of who she thought the father was.  The court ordered DNA testing, and it turns out that he is the father, and now he wants to try and get her, but he is barely 18, doesn't have a job, or a way to get up here to have visits.  He met the baby's mom at a group home that they were at together!  Anyway, the social workers don't seem to think that there is a good chance that he can hold it together enough to get the courts to agree to let him have her!  We ended up doing a lot of praying and thinking and talking about it!  We decided we wanted to meet the baby!  they made us wait for 5 days to see her after we told them we wanted to proceed!  It turns out that the baby was place in the home of Natalie!  (the foster parent mentor and president of the redwood empire foster parents association) :P  Natalie picked her up at the hospital when she was 2 days old and had her ever since!  We ended up driving to Natalie's house and falling in love with this beautiful sweet little girl!  We put a transition plan in place!  We met her on a Thursday, but were supposed to go visit her at Natalie's house on Friday.  Natalie has 2 kids of her own and another foster daughter, so when we got there Friday, she said, if you take the baby out, I can take these other kids to the park.  We cant go to the park when I have the baby!  So we took her on an outing!  We went to Costco, and to moms vacant house, (she needed a diaper change) and then the outlet mall to buy a couple new outfits!  We had to take her back to Natalie's that night.  On Saturday, Kevin had a 4 hour visit by himself because I had to go to work, but he spent time with her and took her for her first ride on our stroller.  He said he walked around the same block over and over, because he was afraid to cross the street with her!  :P  On Sunday, Natalie and the baby (Peyton) came to our house and we spent time with her.  On Monday, she got dropped off in the morning and we spent all day with her and took her home that evening.  Same thing on Tuesday.  On Wednesday, I got a call from Natalie while I was at work, saying that Peyton was unsettled and having a rough morning and she thought that if I talked to her, it might help her settle.  She was crying when I called back.  and by the time I was done she was cooing!  Natalie brought her to our house that evening.  The original plan was to have Peyton move in permanently on Friday, but on Wednesday, Natalie said, "we are just torturing this poor baby.  She is ready to transition now!   Why don't we plan on tomorrow after work!"  Thursday was the longest most unproductive day at work for both of us!  It was absolutely brutal!  We ended up meeting at our house and driving up to Natalie's to get our baby girl!  We named her Peyton Marianna (pronounced Mary Anna after both of my grandmas, but we did the I instead of Y because Kevin's grandmother is Marie.  It also covers Lisa, Mom and Kevin's sister!)  She has changed everything in our lives, and she is an absolutely joyful and sweet little spirit with spunk!  She turned 2 months on September 9th, making her 11 weeks old tomorrow!  She is a good night sleeper.  She goes down about 10:00 and wakes up between 3:30 and 4 for a bottle, then goes right back to sleep.  She then wakes up around 6 or 6:30 and wants to cuddle.  Usually I go get her and we snuggle and sleep on the sofa until she totally wakes up.  Also, the CPS worker that Kevin works with, who told him of a baby due in July....it was Peyton!  There have just been too many small things that have happened and connections made to bring her into our lives for us to doubt that she is really ours!  Now its just the waiting game.  The mom has her 6 month court in February where they can either sever her rights as a parent or give her a 6 month extension on getting herself together to try and get Peyton back from us.  The father has to hold down a job and talk with a lawyer about getting his status changed from alleged father to presumed father. He says he wants her, but has not taken that first step yet!  We are ready for an emotional roller coaster ride, but all the waiting and emotions are worth it when we see our little girl!  I will attach some pictures and hopefully Allison can put this up for me with her pictures!  We are totally smitten with this sweet little girl!  She is an absolute treasure!   Please keep us and little Peyton in your prayers and if you go to the Temple add our little family, especially Peyton, that Heavenly Father can have a hand in making sure that she ends up where she is supposed to.  Thanks so much for all the love support and prayers in our behalf!  We really appreciate it and love that she is part of this great and wonderful extended family!  :P  

Love Susannah and Kevin

 First Time Meeting Peyton

Transitioning

First Week Home

April 23, 2011

Dear Family,

Here it is almost May and it is still quite cool. Do we forget or is this Spring similar to the one we had last year? As I listen to the Green House show on KSL it must be about the same. No matter what the weather was or is I see from your news articles life still goes on for you as it does for us.

For us there have been graduations, presentation and operations.

Our Sharon, about two weeks, ago had an operation on her thyroid. The operation, as operations go, went well and she is now on the mend for which we are grateful. Last Friday the 19^th Jason graduated from the Police academy at the point of the mountain. I must admit, he looked sharp in his new uniform. We are now looking forward to Joshua completing his mission next month. It seems in many ways the time has really gone fast. We are also looking forward to the blessings of two grandsons. They are Alexander Murray, Neil J and April’s son and Benjamin Frampton, Brandon and Anna’s son. So Zion is growing.

Reed and Natalie were here today and Reed planted me a tomato plant. He said we are going to take a chance. He said just think if it makes it you will have tomatoes before anyone else. To which I said okay let see what happens.

I hope this letter finds everyone doing well

Love, Uncle Neil

Sharon, Charlene and Deward fawns July 4, 1960


June George Ella about 1944


Darrell’s pet Badger

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal April 18, 2011

Monday, April 7, 1980
Lester came for us at nine o clock. We went for Ruth and were soon on our way to Vernal. I was awake at 4:00 A.M. so I was sleepy but made it fine. We saw Uncle Wills’ family. Thora, Anna, Phillip, Ward and his wife and three of Thora’s Children. We saw Eva at the chapel after we went to the viewing. She looks good. Has lost a lot of weight. Didn’t see Lee.
Lester dropped us off here at home then went on. We tried to get him to stop at Vernal or Roosevelt to eat but he thought he had better go home so he could stay on his diet.
After dinner I went to survey again.

Tuesday, April, 980
Spent the day surveying, people are nice to me. I am finding a lot of strangers but also renewing friendships. Five hours today.

Wednesday April 9, 1980
Iri’s birthday, he would have been 80. I worked on census until time to go to the Doctor. Dad’s blood pressure is still too high. Dr. White gave him some pills to try and said to come back in a couple of weeks. I’m concerned about Dad, he is too tired. I surveyed until 6:15 then worked here at home from 8:30 to 10:30. Six and one half hours.


Uncle Tom, Aunt Han and Grandfather James B Murray


Larry, Perry, Aunt Margaret, Leslie, Lester and Kent Maxfield

Story Time

No Empty Yesterdays (Life in the 1930s)

This last Tuesday, April 19, 2011 while riding with Brian, Sharon and Marie to attend Jason’s graduation exercise where he and several others were certified as Police officers for the correction facility at the point of the mountain, Marie asked me if I had ever been to Marion’s in Roosevelt. It seems that one of her friends is an Eldridge who still have relatives in the Basin. This friend must have been telling her about some of their experiences in the Basin of which included visits to Marion’s. I told Marie that yes I was familiar with Marion’s and then I felt bad that, as a grandparent and on our many trips to the Basin, I had never taken her to Marion’s. It was then that Sharon told about her grandfather Murray taking her and Reed to Marion’s. As she told about her visit there I could remember Reed telling about, I guess, this same visit. At least it was his first time there. I guess at this time they must have ordered a malt. According to Reed they placed this large glass in front of him and filled it to the top from the stainless steel mixing container and set the container on the counter. Reed said he thought he did pretty good being able to drink all of the malt in the glass, then just as he was finishing, the person waiting on them took the stainless steel container and filled his glass up again. Of course grandfather was watching and I’m sure was observing the expressions on Reed’s and Sharon’s faces as their glasses were filled again. Sharon said Grandfather sure laughed. Me, knowing my dad can just hear him and yes see him.

This, of course, brought memory of me experiencing my first banana split. This event, however, did not involve Marion’s, I don’t think Marion’s even existed then but it did take place in Roosevelt at the Huish Drug Store. At that time the Huish Drug store also had a fountain where they sold sandwiches and ice cream treats. Now to set the stage I must tell you that money for our family and a lot of the other families in the Basin was not all that plentiful so looking back on the event LaVora and I, especially LaVora, realized that it was a sacrifice on our folks part to provide this special experience for their children. Myself I could not have been more that five or six years old and that would make LaVora eight or nine. Anyhow Mother and Dad took us two kids into the Huish Drug store and ordered each of us a banana split and left us there alone. Now the banana splits they built in those days were huge and of course had all the toppings and then some that one would see today. Now, I must say, to me, that dish of bananas, ice cream and all the other things placed on it must have looked like a “Kitchen Sink” like they serve at Trolly Square. As I recall LaVora finished her banana split and ended up finishing mine as well.
The rest of the story: LaVora felt that the reason mother and Dad did not stay with us was because they could only afford to buy a treat for their children. Therefore they waited in the car while allowing us to have this unforgettable experience. Interesting the sacrifice a parent will make for a child.
I’m glad that Dad and Mother in later years could provide this same experience for their grandchildren and afford to be present and share the experience.


A Typical Soda Fountain in the 30s This picture, in a way, resembles the interior of the Huish Drug Store. The main difference being that the Huish Store was smaller and I don’t ever remember the Huish being that busy.

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal April 2011

Saturday, April 5,1980

I Called Linda Jackson. She said I could get her at 8:00. So I’ll have to get on the ball. When I got back from Lindas we watched conference and I made a batch of bread and ground some flour. Ruth called and said to come over to see President Kimball’s birthday party that was to be rebroadcast at 1:00 o’clock. I went out to tell Dad and forgot to turn the mill off. We took our bread and went to Ruth’s before I thought of the mill. We rushed back to turn it off. I was afraid it would be ruined but it is okay. I threw away the top part off the flour so we would not get any stone. We went back and watched the program, it was great. Ruth baked the bread. We stayed and watched the rest of conference and enjoyed it.
President Tanner had a hard time talking. He had to have some other brother finish his talk. It was very good. He did better conducting the afternoon session. Darrell called. Wanda Larsen called to tell us Harold Ashby passed away and Lila is in the Hospital in Salt Lake.

Sunday. April 6, 1980

Dewey called this morning. We watched conference. It was something outstanding and wonderful to hear the speakers in the Tabernacle then be switched to New York to hear President Kimball speak in the Peter Whitmer home where the Church was organized 150 years ago today, with President Joseph Smith standing in the same place as President Kimball is standing today. Then President Kimball dedicated the home that had been restored for this occasion. We are ever grateful to have such a wonderful experience in our lifetime. Our hearts were touched and it was hard to keep back the tears. Dad was as emotional as I was. We are grateful that we are privileged to live on the earth to witness the great things that have come about in our life time.
President Kimball left Saturday after being at conference in Salt Lake and speaking in the Tabernacle and then flew by jet to New York. We are proud and happy to be members of such a great church and thank our Heavenly Father for the wonderful blessings we receive each day, and each other.
After the first session of conference we went to John and Bonnie Urisks for Barbeque dinner. We took a raspberry and pineapple Jello salad. It was so cold we had to eat in the house. It was crowded but nice. We had a good time. Came home in time for the last session of conference. Thus passed another Easter Sunday.

Life in Myton in the 1930/s

Once in a while I spend some time thinking about the many things that have taken place in my life time. Time line I think they call it. To day I just happened to be thinking about the automobile. When I came along the car was what one might say well perfected. The days of the Model T which made Henry Ford famous was gone and his Model A was probably the going machine at the time and I must admit it was kind of fun to drive. However today it is not so much the car that I want to talk about but the way they started the engine. You see at first there was no electric starter. The car was started by CRANKING it. There was a small opening, under the radiator, in front of each car where the crank could be inserted. When a person wanted to start a car they would of course get everything set, inside the car, like setting the spark, choke, throttle and by all means have the car in neutral. With all of this done the starter, who was the owner, would go in front of the car insert the crank and with the crank and man power, turn the engine over. I understand that there were a lot of hurt, even broken arms resulting from engines backfiring. That is the cranker would be trying to turn the engine clock wise and all at once the engine would want to go counter clock wise. Anyhow when all went well the engine would start and the cranker would then become the driver as he or she hurried into the car and under the steering wheel to quickly set the choke and throttle so that the engine would continue to run. Now with this bit of background there comes my story.

This particular day I happened to be walking home. I was on the sidewalk and approaching the Blaine residence. Mr. Blaine had his car parked on the sidewalk, where he always parked it, with the front end pointing east which of course was the direction that I was walking so that I was behind the car. It just so happened that Mr. Blaine was in the act of cranking his car. Which of course was no big deal because there was people out cranking their cars all the time that is if they wanted to go someplace or maybe just liked to hear it run. You see at that time the price of gas was about eighteen cents. The thing the turned this event into an adventure was the fact that Mr. Blaine forgot just one little thing. His car transmission was not in neutral. It was in reverse and when he gave the crank a mighty yank the engine came to life and here the car came right toward me. I was so close that I did not have time to react and I just knew that the car was going to hit me. As it turned out for some reason just before the car got to me it turned and went out into the street with Mr. Blaine after it. What was interesting was that Mr. Blaine was a heavy set man but it was plain to see that when he needed to he could run because he was able to catch up to his car jump inside and stop it. Amazing!

Me, I went on home, doing as they say, pondering this event in my mind. I knew that I for sure had a very active GUARDIAN ANGEL.

Letter from Neil

Dear Family March 31, 2011

Here it is the end of March one forth of 2011 is gone and I’m not sure I have any thing to show for it. But wait that is not true, we have added two great grandsons to the clan. They are Alexander Murray and Benjamin Frampton. There mothers are doing well and so are the boys.

With some warm weather predicted it is time to start thinking about getting out of the house. I did go to the nursery the other day and pick up some seeds and fertilizer. So as soon as the soil dries out enough I will try to get some things planted. I notice that the black currents have already leaved out so I guess the other trees and shrubs will soon follow. I decided to attend the Wards talent night this last Tuesday. It was kind of fun to watch those who were brave enough share their talents. The young people seemed to have fun doing their skits. The Bishop is a Physics Professor at the Y. He did a demonstration with a cone shaped device that created a magnetic field and an aluminum ring. He demonstrated what would happen to the ring at room temperature and then what would happen when the ring was cooled well below 0. At room temperature the ring just went three or so feet in the air where when it was freezing cold the device sent the ring with a bang to the top of the ceiling. It was kind of interesting.

At this time everyone seems to be well and I hope this note finds all of you well

Love,

Neil

Story Time -- Something different - Food

By Neil R

During the time that I used to visit with my Uncle Lee when he was at the assisted living home in Bountiful I used to take with me the book “To My Children’s Children” and ask Uncle Lee the questions found in this book. I recall one day the questions were about food. When I asked him to tell me about the best meal he ever had he told me this story.

He had been up in the forest, with my mother and Dad, cutting, snaking and loading logs that were needed at the farm. Due to the fact that the length of time they were in the mountains exceeded their food supply they were without food for a day or so. As I recall Lee said Dad had bought a loaf of bread from some other loggers who was in the area. He said this was all the food they had for a day or so. He said the best meal that he ever had was the meal his mother had waiting for them when the got home.
I was just wondering, do you remember a best meal or do you have a favorite food?

Here are some I thought of:
As far as a favorite meal is concerned, it seems that I have had so many that they all kind of run together. Here however are a few of my favorite foods.
1) Grandmother Atta Murray’s carrot pudding.
2) The dry bean soup grandmother Atta Murray used to prepare
3) Mother’s and Ella’s rice and raisin pudding. I guess I remember Mother’s being so good because she was always able to make it with real cream
4) I still remember and like bread pudding.
5) Your cannot beat a good roast and mashed potatoes with lots of gravy.
6) I always liked Mother’s chicken dinners, you know like the one we took with us to Las Vegas
7) I never did like greasy food but I did like Katie’s soup.
8) I always liked “Murray style” milk toast. I must admit I never tried the Winkler or Rogers’ version. I will have to do that the next time I have some home made bread.
9) And Ice cream – The kind we used to make. I think the best part about this was getting the ice and turning the ice cream freezer.
10) The relish mother used to make. Help me find the recipe.
11) Bread and milk with honey.
12) Wilmer Murray style macaroni and cheese
13) Fresh cherries, watermelon, peaches, apricots, peas, corn on the cob, new potatoes and peas and etc.
14) And oh yes Home Made Bread right out of the oven with plenty of butter and honey
Any how I would be interested in your list. I would bet it is similar to mine.


Lavora, Darrell, and ice cream


John Tucker--Trout, etc.

Letter from Neil R

Dear Family February 22, 2011

Hi everyone, have you noticed? The days are getting longer. But then before you get too excited about spring and warm weather coming I have notice on the news where it is still 11 degrees below 0 in the Basin. I bet those living out there noticed. It brings back memories of the years we lived in Myton. I remember days of 40 below. I thought we had it bad until John Richards, Ella’s brother in law, told of the days he and his family lived in Myton. After listening to some of his experiences I decided that I had it good. When Ella and I was planning marriage her dad took the opportunity to tell her of a night he spent in Myton. I do remember there was a garage in town where they had a big stove that they kept a fire in all night and for a fee you could park your truck in that garage for the night. I guess George with several others had parked their trucks inside with the hopes that they would be better able to start them the next morning. George told Ella the next morning the only trucks that would start were the ones by the stove. They had to pull all of the others to get them started. You know, in the winter time each time I start my car, I think of my dad. He sure would have appreciated the cars of today where you just have to turn the engine over once and it starts. In that day, however, the ice skating was great. As I remember, on the old ox bows, it seemed you could skate for miles.

Since the big snow storm we had the last of December, up until now, it has been dry. The past week or two we have had one storm coming in after another. It looks like there are a few more lined up to come in this week. One good thing about snow storms this time of the year the snow soon melts. I hope this note finds everyone well and looking forward to a kite flying March.

Love,

Neil

It gets cold in the basin

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal February 2011

Monday, February 25,1980

A very beautiful day. We were awake at 2:30 A. M. It was hard to go back to sleep but did, partly. Was up at 4:30 just as we wanted to sleep again. I called Fred; he was up, dressed and had his glass of milk. Soon we were on our way. Virginia backed out so we got Fred, Ruth, Leah and Sadie. No one was at the Church so we came back for my shoes. By that time Bernice and the Bishop and Elaine were there. Charlie soon came and we were on our way. The Bishop is a good driver. Not one of us thought to take the address that Lela gave us, so the bishop had to stop at a phone both to know where to go. Boy Heber really has the snow. We met all eight Bingham Boys and their wives also Beatrice’s sisters, Erma and Elva. Beatrice was beautiful in death as she was in life. The funeral was wonderful. LaVor seemed to be taking things well. Sherrie and Carolyn made us all feel special and invited us back to eat with the family. We appreciated this very much. Soon we were on our way home. We arrived home about 4:00 P.M. tired out. Clyde called for Boyd’s phone number, (He) said he was having to sell his cows today and had to invest his money somewhere. We went to bed at 7:00 P. M. Crocheted on Ada’s doll.

Grandma Anna

Well family, I was just reading Grandma Anna's patriarchal blessing and something really stood out to me that I just want to share--there's a part that mentions that because of her faithfulness, her posterity (me and you) will grow up in the knowledge of the truth as fatted calves in the stall.

I am so grateful for Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa's faithfulness in this gospel--because of them, my grandfather has a strong testimony of the church and raised my father in that knowledge. Now I am the blessed recipient of knowledge and light and truth.

I am so grateful for the example and faith of my grandparents, and I realize the importance of living a faithful, righteous life, so that I can continue this tradition of faith and my posterity will continue to grow in righteousness.

I love you all and am so grateful we are a family forever!

-Natalie

Dear Murray Family

Dear Murray Family,




I just put Jerry on the Airporter so that he could make his way to the Oakland Airport and then on to Salt Lake where Allison will pick him up and take him to our Provo home. Jerry and another friend, John Torrens, are going back to Salt Lake to visit an old friend, a former skiing buddy, bishop and stake president. His health is going downhill pretty fast, so Jerry and John wanted to get in a good visit with him. Also, Jerry and Neil will be finishing up the details on the sale of the Myton House. A BIG thank you to Neil and to members of his family who have had work parties out to the Myton House several times working on the house and yard. We wouldn't have been able to keep the house for as long as we have, without them.



Jerry and I have completed a month of our Church Service Mission at the CA Santa Rosa Mission Office. This certainly is not an MTC Mission, but we do get to live in our home and serve at the same time. We are a bit overwhelmed right now learning our responsibilities, but hopefully, we will feel comfortable with what we are doing soon. Right now, we are going into the Office 3-4 days a week, which makes for 8-9 hours each day, with commute time added in. We just attended an All-Mission Conference last Monday. Elder Kearon, of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy and Pres. Boyd K. Packer's nephew, member of our Area Presidency, were our speakers. We didn't think we were going to have any "perks" with this mission (other than living in our own home), but this certainly was a very spiritual and inspiring conference and good to gather with all the missionaries in this mission. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen very often.



I hate to boast...but...we have had the most spectacular weather here in Northern CA for about two weeks now. Who needs Hawaii, the Caribbean, Florida or Palm Springs when you can go off to work in the morning without even a sweater or jacket? I am just wondering if this will prolong our winter into spring so that we won't have all the beautiful spring weather we usually get from the middle of February through June. It does make us hang our heads a little when we think of those of you who are suffering through the snow and cold of the Midwest and Utah. It might help you to feel a little better when you think of all that we have to put up with to live here in California like higher prices, lots of liberalism, Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Boxer!



As for our family: Lisa and Bob are all moved into their beautiful new home in Morgan Hill. Well, there may be a room stuffed with boxes of things they don't know where to put or they just haven't gotten around to yet. Lyle has a temporary job that will hopefully turn into a full-time job that hopefully will turn into another full-time job that will fully provide for his family. Our family appreciates all those who have been fasting and praying for Lyle. Susannah and Kevin are STILL patiently waiting for a baby to adopt. Jerry and I know how it feels to have to wait so long when you want a baby so much. Please keep them in your prayers and your eyes and ears open to their cause. Jenn is going to the Caribbean this month and we get to granddog sit Nikki for about ten days. She has started another semester and is taking Physics. Allison is away more than she is home. In March she will come back to California for Austin and Michael's baptisms and then be happily on her way to Ireland with a couple of friends. Pretty soon she will have out-traveled her parents!



We surely love and appreciate all of you! We'd love to hear your family news on this blog. We enjoyed Christmas cards from many of you this year and we are still basking in the "warmth" of our Nauvoo Family Reunion last August. Take care and have a good February!



Love,

Marylyn (and Jerry)

Story Time!

Story Time -- Mt Logan Survey

By Neil R

One responsibility, as an employee of the Soil Conservation Service, was to assist with the snow surveys during the winter months. At that time we had five sites that we were responsible for. This story only involves one, Mt Logan. On this day the task of doing the survey on Mt Logan fell to me and Jim Carly. Jim was one of our Soil Scientists. Our job, whether we wanted to take it or not, was to make the hike to the top of Mt Logan and do the snow survey at the top. Since this was a walk on snow shoes all the way up you had to leave before the sun came up and you knew that you were not going to be home until after dark in the evening. I had been on this survey a number of times before so I was well acquainted with the hike. Everything went quite normally that morning. Jim and I arrived at the trail head at the determined time and began our assault on the mountain. It was generally a nice day for this type of activity. We got to the summit at about noon. We had been able to cross the slide area with out any problem, ( In time past two of our people had been caught in a snow slide at this location) had eaten our lunch and completed the survey. As a rule, on our return trip, once we left the summit we very seldom followed the trail back down the mountain but rather would take a short cut down the slopes by sliding on the back of our snow shoes. This day as I came to the first slope I paused and surveyed the area below. It was in the spring of the year, about March or even April, and there had been a lot of snow melt take place. This would be the last survey made for this water year. So, there were a lot of rocks sticking out of the snow below. As I looked I had already made up my mind that the slope was to dangerous to slide on. The chance of hitting one of the rocks below was very good. I had decided not to take the short cut and go back down the trail when Jim sat down on the back of his snow shoes and down the slope he went. As I stood there and watched about half of the snow on the slope followed him down. As I watched, Jim missed all of the protruding rocks and after a while came to a stop. It looked like he had came through okay so I found a likely spot and sat on the back of my snow shoes and down the slope I went. What snow had not slid off with him followed me and it seemed no matter how I tried to avoid a big rock below I was destined to hit it. I was going pretty fast and had no control over the direction I was going and yes, I collided with that rock. And, yes, it hurt. As a matter of fact it hurt very badly. I was not too fast getting up and when I did Jim said, “You are bleeding”. Well, here I was up on a mountain, miles from any one, and the only way to go was down. So, down we went. Needless to say we did not slid on our snow shoes anymore that day. ( or ever for that matter) We just walked down those slopes with every step hurting. Jim had a bad knee and by the time we got to the truck we were both hurting. When I got home I had to lay on my stomach and let Ella examined the damage to my sit down. She cleaned it up and put a bandage on it.

The next day when I went to work and Jim and I related our story, Boswell, my supervisor sent me to our government Doctor. I remember when I went in to see him his nurse was there with him. He told me to show him the problem. I said not with her in here. (She was in our Ward) She left the room and I took down my pants. He had me lay on the table and proceeded to take off Ella’s bandage. I guess she had used a lot of tape to make it stick. The doctor wanted to know who fixed it, I told him my wife. Then he wanted to know what she had against me. Yet to face, were the days of sitting or trying to sit while the wound healed and to write the accident report and tell how I hurt my sit down. All this was very interesting indeed.

Letter from Neil R

Dear Family January 20, 2011

This would be a good time to thank everyone for the cards, letters, e-mails and gifts received from you. Thanks so very much. It is always fun to get those cards and letter that have pictures of your family. What beautiful families. I put them in an album and that way by turning the pages fast I can watch your family grow up in kind of motion picture sort of way. For those of you who would remember the “Big Little Books”, well like flipping the pages of the “Big Little Book” and watching the action figure in the corner of the page.

It seems like January is, in many ways, a slow month because, due to the cold we pretty much stay inside and work at keeping warm. I guess if we were wise like the birds we would go south. I would guess the one thing that would be of interest is the process we are in of selling the property in Myton. I must admit it has been and is a hurtful decision but after weighing all of our alternatives we felt it best to move in this direction. While we will not be getting top dollar for the property we can have some peace of mind knowing that it will be in the hands of a family that loved the Myton homestead almost as much as we do and we can be sure they will care for it as we would have done. After all they are the ones that have been taking care of it for the past fifteen years.

We did consider keeping the property and having the buildings taken down. This would have reduced our expenses but we would have still had the maintenance of the property to take care off and we would probably have still looked to the Dennis to do this work. The other thing we looked at was fixing the house up as near as possible to current codes and then listing it for top dollar and while waiting for it to sell rented the property. Since property in Myton is, at present, taking a lot of time to sell the renting thing would probably go on for some time. From experience I have learned that most renters take but give very little

So looking at all of our options we felt it best, to do like Mr. Cederquest used to say, cut our losses and move on.

And life will go on with lots and lots of grand memories. And so goes the month of January 2011

Love,

Neil

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal January 2011

Wednesday, January 9,1980

Finished typing Anna’s history. It doesn’t look much better but will have to do. Picked up Fred to go to town. Dropped off Anna’s history to Shirley Mortensen then went over to renew our certificate at the bank. We added our savings to it making it $1,900.00 and put it on a 2 ½ year with 10.15% interest. There goes our rug or trip to Panama. Anyway Sister Talbot will be down to Panama until after March. Maybe we can go after the baby comes. Charlene called to tell us they have a sweet little boy. She sounded great. (Fred got a nose bleed while we were in Roosevelt)

Thursday, January 10, 1980

We don’t have much snow but we really had wind and it’s like summer. Today is John Tucker’s birthday. I intended on calling but waited too long so just went on working on the Mucukluk. Have John’s finished and will soon have LaVora’s done. Now I must get Charlene’s baby’s quilt done. I decided I better get the clover leaf on and send it to Boise so sister Talbot can take it to them, I will call her tonight. She wasn’t home so will try in the morning. And I forgot, Beverly Urisk called and said she would be at Afton Lewis’ getting her hair done at six.

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal December 2010

Monday 22, 1980
Still beautiful weather. I worked on the quilt binding today, got it cut, pressed and sewed on the machine. Darrell called this evening to tell us Mrs. Butcher passed away this morning. It really upset us as we thought she was better. They are having her funeral Wednesday at noon. Maybe we will go back with Neil when he comes tomorrow. We called LaVora, Neil and Dewey to tell them about it.
Tuesday 23, 1980
It is still beautiful weather. I did not get much done on the quilt today. Neil came about one thirty. Then Ross and Velma came. I called to see what Darrell and JoAnn thought about us coming out with Neil. Only Jodi was home. Shortly after, JoAnn called back, she said to stay home and take care of Dad. We felt that they were always here when we need them and when they need us we can’t go. So we have really been mixed up.
We had a good visit with Neil, Ella, Ross and Velma. Ross is a good comforter. Soon Neil and Ella were on their way home. Neil said they would go to the funeral tomorrow. Ross and Velma visited a while longer. We really enjoy them and hated to see them go,
Katherine Abegglen and her blazer boys came caroling and brought us a box of goodies. Ardis Davis brought a plate of goodies too. They visited a while with us and our company. We have good neighbors. John Urisk brought some shale for out yard. They tried to keep it a secret but Dean and Ramona came and Dad asked who was out in the yard. Then we went out. Wade was helping his dad.

The Butchers and Murrays


Santa

Family update--Adventure at Aspen Grove!

Dear Family December 31, 2010

Here it is the end of December and the end of the year and we are ready to start a New Year so Happy New Year everyone.

I would assume that everyone’s past month has been very similar to mine. We shoveled snow, shopped for Christmas, had Christmas Eve dinner and celebrated Christmas day etc. It is always good to be with family and it is epically nice this time of the year.

We made our usual trip to Aspen Grove. I think all of the family was there except for Van, Marc, Cami, Jordan and Joshua. It seems Marc needed to work and of course Joshua is on his mission. Things went pretty much the same as usual except that we added a slide presentation, Aspen Grove 1984 – 2010, which Reed and his family prepared and showed. Experiencing the presentation was a time when one needed to have tissues handy. Then we took an hour or so to let anyone, who wished, share a few thought with the group. Needless to say that this was another tender time as everyone remembered their grandmother and expressed their appreciation for the Aspen Grove experience.

When we went up the canyon on the 27^th the roads were bare and clear. On the 28^th we had a warm day with the sun shining, which made for an enjoyable day. The morning of the 29^th, however, everything changed as a storm moved in. For a while we were snowed in. This is the first time, on our last day at Aspen Grove that it has been storming like this as were leaving, so this was something new. What an opportunity, just think of the stories we can tell and they, depending on ones imagination, can only get better with age. It was not until in the afternoon, when we were getting down to our last steak and everything that they decided to dig us out. Then we had an interesting trip down the canyon. First I got to close to a snow bank on my right and got stuck. A kind couple, who Reed and Kerry had asked to watch for us stopped and helped. They and my grandsons soon got me going again. Then by cell phones we learned that they wanted us to turn in at Sun Dance so the emergency vehicles following us could pass. This we did and while we were turning around in there my grandsons decided to drive my car out of the canyon. We, however had not gone far until we found our selves behind a long line of cars. Here we leaned that a big tree had fallen across the road and as it went down it took the power lines with it. We were told that it was going to be a couple of hours before they could get the tree moved. So there we set in the snow storm talking to everyone up and down the road as well as our families at home. (Interesting invention, these cell phones.) I’m sure it did not take that long for soon they had the road open and we were able to continue down the canyon. Now, just think, couldn’t one with a little imagination really come up with a good story like: (You know how we were going down the canyon in our covered wagons and the sleet falling was as big as a baseball and the weight of snow on the pine trees was causing them to fall all around us causing our animals to go crazy and then alas one fell across the road in front of us stopping our progress. So now here we are, with our singe blade axes, chopping away at the tree in an effort to move it. I’m afraid we will be here for the night ---“) .Anyhow, a few of us, Brad, Brytni, Bridger, Lincoln, Kevin, Rebecca, Doug and my self, finished of the day with a meal at Chuck A Rama. It was a wonderful day and wonderful adventure and best of all I was with the very best people.

I hope this long note finds everyone well and in good spirit..

Love. Neil

Abby, Marie, Neil, Karly, and Mariel