Just wanted you all to know that Joel and Becca Fuessel, from our mission, had their baby girl , two months early, but everything looks ok.  Lila Hope...what a miracle.  The beautiful thing is she is born in the covenant!  You can go to their blog from ours just press of Becca.  It's pretty nifty!

I've Taken the Pepsi Challenge!!!!

As most of you know, I only drink Pepsi when I have a headache or I'm thirsty!  (Thank you Jennifer for saying that when you were only 3 or 4...it's almost as good as Carly's "Pretty soon you'll be smokin' a coffee!" or something like that!)

Anyway, I didn't read the December Ensign until the family left after Christmas.  Then I picked it up and read the article on caffene and energy drinks while sipping a Pepsi, I'm almost certain.  Oh my, the picture of the spider web made by a spider on caffene undid me.  So, as a result, on the 30th of December there have been no Pepsis down my gullet!  Ohhhhhh My!  There have been headaches in my crainium, however!  Along with headaches there have been nights of no sleep along with brain-busting headaches...I don't yike 'em!  

So, as of today, it has been 19 days! I cannot honestly say that I don't want a Pepsi, that I don't dream of Pepsi, that a tall glass of ice floating in a Pepsi is out of my mind,  or that water is as wonderful as a Pepsi...yet;I'm almost there...but not quite!  I don't want to fall off the wagon as I don't want to experience any of the above once again.  I think in the 19 days I've had maybe 4 sodas but not Pepsi, not caffinated ones, but the cranberry splash  that Christy introduced me to and a Squirt but they don't taste like Pepsi so they may be off of my list too.  I wonder...do they have a Pepsi Annonymous? Ah well!

Top and Top

Tuesday we drove up the mountain to see if we could get to our cabin.  Not the true Top and Top of course as all the Lowe Kids know.  The TRUE Top and Top is of course and could only be the Big Horns but Cedar Mountain passes for top n top (lower caps at least) for us these days.  We had a beautiful drive, the roads were mostly clear and it was a great day.  There was less snow than I expected. Last year on Chrismas Eve day when Mark and Jamie went up with me we had at least another foot. Never the less we are greatful for what we do have.                                   

                                     

           We knew that we had

 arived when we spotted the trusty old hummingbirds sticking up through the snow.  Safe to say that the birds that we so enjoy all summer have departed for warmer habitats.  Here is our old cabin and garage

 peering out from the trees and the snow.

     We could tell that a lot of thawing was going on.  The road in was plowed and was beginning to get muddy in some spots.  Last year when we

 went in the road was all snow and ice.  

     Just like last year though it was neigh on to impossible to hike up to the cabin.  It was just too hard to walk through, you would just fall through the snow hip deep.  

                                   

     

   

                 

                                   

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                              However I came prepared and strapped on my snoweshoes.  A Christmas/Birthday present from me to me.                                                                                                                                                                       

                                   

                                 

     And up the hill I marched carrying a bed frame.                                                                 

        Well I had a bedframe for the downstairs bedroom.  Trust me, and it was heavy what with the uphill thing, the altitude, the inexperienced snowshoer, and the out of shape since I've not been working very hard but eating hearty since Thanksgiving time.  Mostly the latter I think.

  When I got up the hill to the cabin the view was worth the climb.

           

           

             

                   

                             

      

Where the snow had slid from the steep metal roof it is really piled deep.

                                         

              

                

                                                                                             Here is a view of the old cabin from North of the new cabin.

     As you can see there has been a lot of melting.  I don't think too much snow slid from the old cabin roof, it is composition roofing and not slick like the new cabin.

We had a great day and I know we need to get some snowshoes for Carla.  I would have enjoyed walking around more once I put the bedframe inside the cabin.

     We got some great picture on the way down the mountaihn

   

 

Here is Duck Creek.

                                                     

                                

                 

                             

           

           

                       

                        

                                   

       Duck Creek Pond.

                                                                 

                       

 With some Ducks which flew to the other side, but alsa you can't see them.  Too bad, it sort of explains the name.

  

                                                                                      

      You can see some of the ten or so turkeys that we saw coming down the mountain.  We saw five Tom turkeys going up but did not think to take a picture. 

Anyway we had a great day.  I was wondering if we could get the rest of the kitchen cabinet doors and drawers that I have built in the past few weeks along with the upstairs vanity that I just finished, along with the top and toilet that clutter my workshop, but no way am I going to pack that stuff up the hill on snowshoes.  For that matter I don't want to pack them up the hill at all.  They will have to wait until we can drive up to the cabin in the spring.    OK enough for today.

Remembering my mom

My mom, Lucy Alice Neves Asay Cox, had a lot of sorrow in her life; at 16 was the first in her family to find her murdered father; lost a beloved daughter, Carol when she was so very tiny, my father, Reed, in his forties, premature baby, Reed Willis two weeks later who lived less than a day and at Christmastime the same year lost her 21 year old daughter, Della; but she told her oldest, Richard to stay on his mission as that was where his father wanted him to be; kept teaching school, kept the rest of us together, spiritually and temporally.  She was a hard worker; her family was her center.  I don't remember her having any 'friends' outside the family; now she's nearing 100 years and counting. /What a tower of strength! February 7th is the big day.

     While LuAnn and I were there last October or November I found this poem, typed on pink paper, and cut to a shape.  It touched me; and helped me see how the pain of her first death, Carol, stayed in her heart.  It's called 'The passing, by Edith Cherrington

She was so little-oh so very small,

My palm could hold the tiny shoes she wore;

She ran them through, and yet she was not tall

Enough to turn the handle of the door.

She would call to me to "Open Please!"

then like the sunshine she would hurry through.

Now all I have are memories--such as these--

I was so foolish then, I never knew 

Her call to "Open Please!" could reach so far,

Or angels hear a voice so small and thin,

And yet an angel set the gate ajar

And she, who stood there waiting, passed within.

I'm not saying that all  was tragedy, there are memories of her singing, 'My Dear do you know..." while we rocked with her in that squeaky wooden rocking chair, her helping us give jr. Sunday School talks with 'Pazazz!  "If you're going to do something; do it with pazazz!" being in the elementary school in Lovell knowing that she was "THE" teacher to get in 4th grade; knowing that she sat up all night making dresses for us; but she put them on the front step, rang the doorbell  then ran to the backdoor so she could be with us when we discovered our new beautiful creation; her making  huge pots of chili (in the big canner kettle) so Ted or Phyllis could have a friends party; allowing me to invite my entire 3rd grade school class to my birthday party which she made wonderful; and oh my!  the smell of her bread baking when we came down the street on Saturdays, after seeing the matinee.  I remember her strength when Ted was shot and almost killed in a hunting accident when he was a teen ager, how the next year she took him out pheasant hunting, along with LuAnn and me to be the bird dogs; so he wouldn't carry the fear of guns with him the rest of his life.  She was Primary president; when it was after school.

She taught herself to knit and crochet; I don't think she took the time til she retired from teaching at about 72.  She made some beautiful treasures.

Another great thing she did was to bring Burl Cox into our family; he may not have been the very best husband, as hunting and fishing were first on his list as a bachelor in his late 40s;(after being gone in late Oct. for a couple of weeks, Mom found him in the shop refilling his grub box."Burl, where have you been?"  "Hunting, when I told you I go hunting, I stay the whole time!"   but he was a wonderful father and Grandpa.  We need him and he needed us.  Mom brought him back to the gospel, &to the temple, she was, in a way, his savior.

I guess I could go on and on, but I won't.  I hope you children will cherish her memory, and talk about her once in awhile to your children so they won't be a stranger to her.  Allow your memories of Grandma Cox to be in their hearts too.  She is a great lady, one of the best.  I love her and hate that I'm so far away.  I'd like to sing, "My dear do you know how a long time ago, there were two little children whose names I don't know...and see her smile once again.

Gone but not forgotten

    Our family has gone home, we had that's 12 grown children(including us), 10 growing children, and 8 dogs with rain, mud and cold!  

The troops have gone home but they are not forgotten.  The back door has muddy handprints allll around the door knob, the red carpet has dog hair deep and plentiful, but you have all left your loveprints in my heart, for that I'm grateful.  Thank you for being here.  It was a glorious time of laughter, squeals, game playing, dogs running, dogs growling, dogs vying for attention, wet smelly dogs coming in from the rain, grandkids with eyes sparkling and the most beautiful of all was when the grandchildren presented the Nativity.  Ahh, yes! Memories to last forever.

   I think as a family you did much better than you've ever done before about leaving things for Mom to figure out whether to throw away, save or send.  Maury left her 3 hour mints in her Santa Sock; Mike left EVERYTHING in his, (hand warmers, snickers etc).; Curtis left his whistle from his Jacob-made fire truck...(I'm sure his parents are not sorry.); both Curtis and Alyssa left their new Christmas ornaments from Aunt Jena.  
There are half pairs of socks, pairs of socks, some clean, most dirty; one volume of Lowe Quality Music Vol 2 made by Maury; a shower caddy; Christy's green jacket, Maury's brown; a lion pez dispenser.  All the decks were left here for the Hand and Foot game.  Do I take them to the cabin or just leave them here?

While writing Christy called to inform me that the Lowe Quality music is her's; so that's taken!

As with last year, this has been the best Christmas ever! Thank you one and all for being a part of our family.  You are loved.

Samantha (Jamie's) said as she was hugging me good-bye "Are you ready for the quiet?"

Charlie, our Rottweiler, is!  She's been reveling in her "I'm the only dog here" situation.

Our snow is all but gone; as Christy said, "My snow is gone...now my backyard just looks like dirt...that's what it was before; but..."   There's just something special about  snow covered hills and mountains here in Dixie; out of kilter but nice.

   Happy New Year!  Be safe, be happy, youREALLY are loved.  Mom

Happy, Happy Birthday Baby!!! Dec. 20

   Thursday, the 18th, was my favorite man in the entire world's birthday.  The handsome, older gentleman whom I married is now a young 66!

    To show how much he is loved, the sky showered down snow, snow, and more snow, just to frost the world for his birthday!  Then our metal roof sent it down in an avalanch of snow and ice  to block our sidewalk and gate from any intruders who might be out there!

    When Ed heard that Emily had to go into work at the hospital while the rest of her family was going to be home...school was cancelled; he insisted that Emily drive our 4-wheel drive car to work.  That's the kinda guy he is.

   Soon,Matthew, was heard outside scooping the snow.  He cleared the path  just in time to sample Ed's happy birthday lemon mer. pie.  He felt well paid for his labors; plus I pushed a few of the famous Lowe caramels in his pocket for good measure.  (Sorry Joel...they are all gone, wish you were closer so we could share with you!)

  We waited for all the trucks to clear the freeway so we could drive safely to St. George to celebrate the birthday with dinner, a movie and a bit of shopping (a snow shovel was first on the list...he wanted a grain scoop like he used on the farm...no-could-find!)  It was a beautiful day, crisp, but not windy.  We went to Olive Garden and enjoyed the quiet just-the-2-of-us meal.  then a cute couple sat beside us with a darling baby who smiled at us most charmingly; he must have known he was looking at a birthday boy.  We saw an anglo dad and the hispanic wife and Ed asked if they spoke Spanish...'no'.  turns out she's East Indian.  The proud papa said that he hoped his son would be tri-linqual as his wife speaks Hindi, while the babysitter speaks Spanish.  

  We went to Costco, where Ed saw a huge sled that said it was for 2 people.  He decided that it could hold 3 little girls, if the middle one held onto the first; and bought it. The 3 Hillsider girls got to try it out that evening. The squeals that were heard were delightful.

  After a visit to Home Depot, he decided that he was birthdayed out and just wanted to go home. I was in accord.  It's awful to have two limpers in one family...we enjoyed our trip home and our warm house.  We had had more avalanches while we were gone; so Ed got to use his Happy Birthday shovel and scoop it away.  What a great idea! then I tried it out getting the snow off the deck.  It's a duel delight!

   Thank you for the phone calls, the beautiful renditions of Happy Birthday, the singing Rabbi,the snow scooping, the cards, cookies etc.  We love you all.

   Today, he's celebrating his birthday plus two by watching bowl games, reading, eating fresh bread toast, cooking sausage and eggs and generally enjoying life.  Who could ask for anything more???? Not us!

While the Cat's away, the mice will play...

This is Carla,... finally...my debut...I want you to know that while Emily was working at the hospital we were all playing.  I took the pictures.  Never have been a good picture framer but they turned out pretty well...my humble opinion.  

  We came into the house after sliding, eating snow, making snow angels, making snowmen and all the Hillsider girls stripped...kind of in the garage.  We went in for ham sandwiches,  hot chocolate, more sandwiches and hard rolls...bread anyone???  I've always been one for balanced meals.

  When I took the Hillsiders home(Matthew's family live on Hillside Dr.) even my 4 wheel drive would not let me up their steep driveway.  I began sliding into the rocks and Matthew deemed it of value for me to let them out at the base of the driveway.  We carried wet girls, sleds and very wet clothes in then I slipped and slid all the way home.  Wish you'd been here, Emily!

  Sorry, no pictures on my part yet.  One baby step at a time, ya know!!  

 Maury, hope we see you tomorrow.  We're excited.