Emma Beth

feeling the squeeze

So this is the year we, Dave and I, decided this would be the year. If we have a baby by christmas happy day, if we have lots of babies by christmas even better. But after that we are ready to through in the towel and leave it to the young people.

We offered to take a baby whos mother was addicted to Meth. She was in jail and not going to be able to take care of him. It may have been perminant maybe not. He was born we hugged him and sent out photos of him to our family. We were all ready and a day before we were to get him at our house the mother called and said we were not going to get them.

I had a feeling that something would work out. I knew I was pregnant. but thought we had a better chance on not planning on the pregnance working. I have had 1 baby, 9 d and C surgeries for misscarages and a few pregnancies that didn't need a D & C. So this was probably number 14

The condo's getting tight for the both of us, me and Emma Beth. I am tired of the shots and discomfort of basic movement and breathing. I am so excited to have her in our home just can't wait. I am so glad for the Lords blessing us with this baby at this time. I hope that she comes with tons of love and laughter.

The other day I got a shot in the stomach and it kept bleeding. Seth looked into the whole the blood was coming out and said" Emma can you see me"....

15 wonderful years

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." Pres. Hickley



Dave and I have been married for 15 wonderful years. He is the love of my life. I adore him and lucky enough I feel he adores me.

I remember when we first got married. We were so broke and so happy. Dave was just home from his mission. He was working for Dave Meir laying carpet and going to schoool. I was a waitress at Archibalds and also attending school. We figured that with both of our 2 incomes we would have just enough money to make rent, (325.00 a month) and have about 100.00 left over to pay utilities buy gas.

Not much has changed. We are still happy and so busy and still feel broke just on a different scale. We work so hard every day. We have a hard time finding the time for the things that are the most important, each other. But we work through a lot of work related problems daily with our 4 businesses. I feel like I spend a lot of time nagging as I ask for help with these. Together, we are raising a wonderful child which we agree and disagree about how to raise all the time.

The best parts of life are the little time we do get to spend together, snowmobiling up some steep snowy treed mountain, going out with friends, playing games he alsways wins and cuddling on the couch to watch TV. I enjoy being his wife. He is very encouraging and loving to me in our life. He always has more faith than I do in me. I come from a long line of great loves stories. My Parent who continue to hang in, My Grandma Orla and Grandpa Chris great high school sweet hearts, Grandma Farmor who know how to truely love all around her. I feel just as my Great Grandmother Clyde once wrote to her love Orial William: I adore you. Dave, I truely adore you. I love the whole ride, the ups and downs, the hard spins the fast fun straight aways. Mostly Dave, I love you, all of you.

Cultural Art

What kind of a lesson is this? Anyway here are some of my favorite poems.

Cultural Arts

Question: What has a refining influence on us, that fulfills a basic human need to enjoy and participate in the beauty around us?

list some "Cultural Arts" on the chalk board.
Why do we have them? (To enrich our lives)
How do they make us feel?


Hand out:

Cultural Arts:

Music--Popular, Christmas, Instrumental

Sculpture: wood carving, porcelain statue

Photography: a man smoking, Temple Square with the Christmas lights

Painting: Other artist, Greg Olsen

Poem/Literature: The Few, Good Timber, Footprints in the Sand

Acting/Theatre: Broadways, Play houses, show "Joy to the World"

Finish hand out: list how they felt about each one.


Give a copy of

Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,
“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you.”


Mary Stevenson

The few
The easy roads are crowded; the level roads are jammed,
And the pleasant little river with the drifting folks is crammed,
But up yonder where it's rocky, where you get a better view,
You'll find the ranks are thinning and the travelers are few,
Where the goings smooth and pleasant you will always find the throng,
That many mores the pity seem to like to drift along,
But the steeps that call for courage and the task that's hard to do,
In the end result is glory, for the never wavering few.



Good Timber
The tree that never had to fight,
For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out on the open plain,
And always got it’s share of rain,
Never became a forest king,
But lives and dies a scrawny thing.

The man who never had to toil,
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share,
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man,
But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow in ease,
The stronger the wind, the stronger trees
The farther sky, the greater the length
The more the storm, the more the strength,
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In tree and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of much of toilet and much of strife
This is the common law of life.

Douglas Mallock

Festival of Trees

It is possible to give away and become richer.

Let the season begin. Christmas time is here. We started the day after thanksgiving shopping for our sub for Santa family of 7. Ashley and Tess helpped we had so much fun and they were awesome.

Then Saturday we went Christmas tree hunting with the Packers and Whit. That was a blast. In the snow. With the ones I love. Only 2 bears in the woods this year. Bear bums that is.

Then on Sunday we set up our festival of Trees. This year was dedicated to Uncle Paul. What a great man,full of love, laughter and knowledge. He was "One of the Stapel few" This is our 7 year in the festival. We love "giving a tree to Jesus" as Seth puts it. I love set up day, it is my way favorite. Everyone there is giving gifts and all are beautiful on this day. Later the crowds roll in and judge which ones they like and don't like. Which ones are good enough gifts or not. But on Set up day, all trees are the perfect gift, one is not better than another, and the place it packed with people that give and care more about others than themselves for that one moment.

Tuesday Dave and I went to the bidding on the trees. We purchased one that had not sold. It had Dinosaurs on it. Seth loves it.

Wednesday I took the Young Women.

Friday, Dave Volunteered some time to be an isle worker with me. It was a fun date. To do our favorite thing, People Watch and do service. He was dressed up and looked so nice.

I know you can give away and become richer because I feel so rich with blessings today.

cowboy up!!

Heehaw what a time. All the cowboys and cowgirls came out tonight to dance by the light of the moon. Great birthday party on Monday afternoon. It was fun.

Here's what we did:
Gave hats (to cowboy up)
Played pin the badge on the sheriff (used bandannas over there eyes, they got to keep it and be villains and wear them over there nose and mouth for a while)
3 legged horse stampede (had a three legged run to the rattle snake game)
rattle snake rope jump (shook a rope on the ground they jumped over it)
paper bag sheriff puppets (earned there badges so they could carry a gun)
shot down the Indians (gave dart riffles and they got to keep the Indians they took down)
Ate vitals (hot dogs, lumpy apple sauce, & dirt(chocolate covered raisins)
had cake and ice cream

We had a blast. What a great day. Happy birthday Seth.

Final 5 interview

“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.”
Abraham Lincoln


This is it. The end. He will never be five again. I told him when he got up. He better do his favorite things, he will never be five again.

Here is his final 5 Interview.

What is the best thing about being Five? "You don't grow up so fast"
What is your favorite thing to do as a five year old? "Swim"
What is your favorite food? "Meat, Mac and cheese"
Who are your best friends? "Three of you (points to dave and I and then points up to heaven, meaning Jesus)"
What is your favorite color? "Blue"
Who is your all time favorite teacher? "Mrs. Oakeson"
Who is your favorite friend at school? "Dallen" (Stuart)
Who is your favorite girl friend? "You got me there (Heehee) Niomi" (Naomi Kehl)
What do you want to be when you grow up? "Painter"
How many kids will you have? "2, cause"
What do you think heaven looks like? “White”
What does Dad do at work? “lays down tile”
Who is a person you know that seems the most like Jesus? “That lives down here? You two”
What do you think your wife will be like? “That’s a hard one, I’ll put a NO on that one... Cute”
If you were going to spend one year on a desert island and could only take three things with you, what would they be? “Cup, a lot of food, a mattress”
Who is your favorite uncle and why do you like him so much? “Cliff, cause he likes me”
What sounds and smells do you think Joseph and Mary had in the stable on Christmas night? “Shoot… Clean, No sounds”
What is the nicest thing I ever did for you? “took me to Toys R Us”
When is a time that I hurt your feelings? “Today when you wouldn’t let me get a drink”
If people Chose the right, what are some we wouldn't need? “Toys”
If you could be in a movie that you've seen, which one would it be, what character would you play? “Rattittoi, I would be Remi”
How is love at our house different than love in the movies? “The Gospel”
What is the difference between being smart and being wise? “Smart is you know a lot of things. Wise means your being nice to other people”
What is your favorite outfit? “Pajamas”
What is the hardest part about being 5? “You got me on that one, I’ll put a NO on that”
What is your favorite memory? “To much things…Going to the ice skate place, going bowling, going to Cabelas”
When you pray, how do you picture God? “Happy”
What is your favorite Scripture Story? “Nephi broke his bow.” Why do you like it? Because he tried, I like to try too.”
If you could be any animal for a day, what would you be? “Turtle, cause then I wouldn’t have to eat your kind of supper.”
If you could go in a time machine, what would you like to visit? “I’ld like to see my Great Great Grandpa… My Viking Grandpa” (Paul I Paulsen)
What is the most important choice you will ever make? “Choose the Right”


This was so much fun. Wish I had it on video. I will miss my five year old. But I bet I will love six too.