Parade Celebrity

Several years ago when we went to the Provo Freedom Festival Parade - (Randy & Heidi slept overnight to save a spot for us that year) there was an entry honoring veterans. I decided that I should try to get Grandpa Pryor in the parade sometime. Well this year it happened. I contacted the Parade committee and they put us in touch with the American Legion who was sponsoring entries in the parade to honor Veterans. At first when we approached Grandpa about it he was reluctant but before we left their home that night he was excited and was practicing his wave:) Keith checked to see what clothing he had that might be appropriate and even though his original army coat fit him it was long sleeved, wool and not the best thing to wear in the heat of July in a parade. So Keith decided to rent him an army uniform from Hale Center Theatre. Grandpa was so excited by this time we knew we had done the right thing. We topped of his "parade look" with my Grandpa Siddoway's tan Stetson hat. He looked sharp and was very happy to be part of the parade.



We had to have him in Provo at 7 am on parade day and he enjoyed feeling like a bit of a celebrity in the staging area - free donuts, bottles of water for us all, golf cart rides to and from the porta potty, but the real fun came when they assigned him to ride in the back of a restored army jeep driven by the man who restored it, a former military pilot and a super nice man. He made Grandpa feel so special.


You can see in the pictures there were only four entries behind the Utah's Military Veterans Banner and with Grandpa in a vehicle by himself he really looked and appropriately so, acted like a dignitary. Keith and Grandma Pryor along with Melissa, Spencer and their little ones found a good spot to watch. During the parade I stayed back at the car to rest and to be there when they brought him back after the parade was over.


Grandpa said he had so much fun. Just look at the look on his face, he was very happy to be honored by being in the parade. He did have a little trouble with him arm - diagnosis - too much waving at all the people cheering for him along the parade route. What a special way to honor his military service. Thanks Grandpa Pryor for doing your part to defend our freedoms during the historical conflict that has come to be know as World War II.

Better Family picture? you decide

The family picture I included in the Memorial Day post wasn't the best. I hadn't fixed the red eye. So here is a different one. You can decide if it is better. Love to ya'll.

Memorial Day Weekend

We spent Memorial Day weekend in Idaho. We took Jessica up with us and enjoyed visiting with her on the ride up and helped her learn to count to 100. She really enjoyed doing Karaoke and swimming with her cousins at Green Canyon. She and Abigail had great fun playing with Barbies and hanging out together.





We went on Thursday and spent time in Driggs helping Valerie so she could get some sleep and help her prepare to host over 40 people after Savanna's blessing on Sunday. I only stayed up one night with her. Savanna is getting better at sleeping at night.


Savanna is beautiful and smiles with a bit of coaxing.


Valerie chose to bless Savanna in the dress that we had Valerie blessed in which seems like "just a few years ago".

It was a tender moment watching her dress her.





What a sweet family you have Valerie & Wyatt. We are very proud of you Thank you for bringing such wonderful children into our lives.

We love all of our grandchildren and appreciate the time we can spend with any of them.






Our whole family was able to come so it made a great weekend for us. Thanks to each of you for making the effort to come support Valerie & Wyatt and also to be with me on Memorial Day. I trust you have each sent a Thank You note to your hosts.
On Monday we went to the Teton Cemetery to see Mom's headstone and we sent the kids on a hunt for other relatives graves. I shared some memories of them until it was time to head back to my Dad's for a family picnic.

Thankfully my fall into a hole wasn't as bad as it felt when I was on the ground. The weather was threatening so we moved the picninc into the garage but the rest of the day was perfect weather so we were able to really enjoy visiting with my family. Dad was very sharp and seemed to enjoy having everyone there. We especially enjoyed watching him walk hand in hand with Parker out to the shed where they enjoyed the machines.




THANKS SAVANNA FOR BEING BORN INTO OUR FAMILY WE LOVE YOU!

Welcome Savanna Penfold

We welcome into our wonderful family our 12th grandchild - Savanna Penfold born April 10, 2009 to Valerie & Wyatt. She weighed 7 lbs .07 oz. for more details see Valerie & Wyatt's blog.


Savanna is a beautiful little girl. She is very strong and was doing wonderful. She has big eyes, a cute well shaped nose, small, flat to her head ears, very petite features and a well shaped head with just a shadow of dark hair on top but quite a bit on the back.
She has a very cute mouth that can open very wide. Valerie is a devoted mother and thoroughly enjoys her newborn babies. So much so that I had to ask to hold Savanna. Actually partly because I was busy trying to keep up with Brittany, Alex, Abigail and Parker. They all were so tender and sweet to their new little sister.

Abigial especially loved to hold her and would sit for the longest time just talking to her. She and I shared some special times singing to Savanna and helping to calm her when she would cry, which wasn't very often. Well maybe Valerie would disagree with that statement in the middle of the night.
Grandpa Ward & Neil came up to Valerie & Wyatt's for a bit one afternoon and it was interesting the things that Grandpa said. He wasn't sure he should come because he didn't think Valerie would remember him. He wasn't sure he should come because he didn't know the baby's name. He asked about the motorhome that Wyatt's friend had bought from him. He hadn't shaved or bathed for a few days so he looked a smelled less than fresh but we all enjoyed his visit. It was very emotional to think about him being there without Mom. Both Valerie & I shed a few tears. He seemed so happy to hold her. When I asked if He'd like me take her he said, Why don't you think I know how to hold her?" He seemed to really enjoy her. On my way home I was able to spend some time at my Dad's going through a few more of Mom's things.(And to enjoy some sourdough pancakes - yes that's right Neil has Dad making sourdough pancakes again!!!)

I was very blessed to have my legs remain strong enough to deal with all the time I was on my feet while I was there. It was an answer to prayer. Really it was a miracle that I didn't have to use my crutches at all while I was there. I just need to get my knees replaced. Thank you Valerie & Wyatt for allowing me to serve your family and be there during Savanna's first week of life. What a blessing these sweet grandchildren are in our lives. Valerie & Wyatt please let us know when you will be blessing her as soon as you decide.

Snowsledding in Tooele

Valerie & Wyatt came to Salt Lake over Valentine's Day for Alex & Wyatt's diabetes doctor appointments and Scott & EmmaLee invited us to Tooele for an absolutely yummy ribs dinner then sledding.

I'd love to learn how to include a slide show of pictures - maybe next time. I know you're all saying yeah right, so here's just a sampling.
This was a very healing weekend for me. To get together so soon after Mom's death and just enjoy spending time doing things as a fmaily. YOU ARE ALL WONDERFUL! How grateful we are to part of this great family. We enjoy each time we are together.

We did a service project for Valentine's Day by putting together a Valentine's Day Party for the young children at the Christmas Box House, a place where children are taken when their parents have made bad choices that result in the children being taken away. It was a very rewarding experience. Kids remember to be thankful for all you have each time you wear your socks?

Family events

We've had fun celebrating special events in our family since the first of the year!
Melissa and Abigail's birthday's in January

Scott's birthday in February (also Grandma and Grandpa Pryor's)
Heidi, Sara & Parker's birthdays in March
Our anniversary in March - sorry we didn't take any pictures. I guess those memories are ours alone. I'd just returned from some time in Iaho helping Valerie while Wyatt was away and when I got home I put a clean pair of garments in my bag packed a dress and my temple clothes then off we went to celebrate our anniversary. I must have had the camera somewhere but didn't get it out or use it.
To celebrate our anniversary we used a getaway prize we won at Keith's Moog Christmas Party. We won a nights stay at the Little America Hotel which also included restaurant vouchers enough for two meals. We enjoyed our time in a beautiful room, lovely meals, a session in the Salt Lake Temple, time on Temple Sqaure watching several new couples and remembering our wedding day at the Idaho Falls Temple 34 years ago. We enjoyed a piece of pie at the Lion House Pantry(our anniversary is on "pi" day (3.14) then Hale Centre Theater's preformance of "Phantom". After all of that we went to Hellstrom's to be part of Heidi's birthday celebration where she went on a "hunt" to discover we had all gone together and purchased her a piano from one of her family's neighbors. She was surprised and very happy. Sorry I didn't include a picture of Heidi. I didn't have the camera. To see Heidi's new piano see the Fruitland Pryor blog. We'll get a cute one of her when we go there the first weekend in May.

Thoughts about losing my Mom

I've been getting quite a bit of flak from some of you about being so bad at creating new posts so here are a few new ones to catch you up on some goings on in our family.
Mom's passing on January 29 (funeral Feb 2) was bitter sweet. I wouldn't have wanted her to linger here much longer in the physical condition she was in (the mortician said she only weighed 82 lbs when she died) but knowing she is gone is still hard. Some of sweet memories I have of that time are:
Being in Idaho when she passed was a huge blessing but when we got word she had died I was sad I wasn't at her side. The thought came to me – “Oh well” and immediately I was comforted, especially when I learned the staff was with her and I knew she was not alone. It was early in the morning when we got word and at first I didn't know what to do. So I prayed and received the most wonderful (for lack of a better word) vision of her being with my sister JoAnn. What joy filled my heart. I mean pure joy, the kind that fills your whole being with warmth and support. The thought of my mother who no longer had Alzheimer's being with her daughter who was no longer handicapped filled me with such joy that I was not sad. I was sustained by that thought throughout the entire time we were making plans, visiting with family and friends and actually doing the funeral and burial; what a blessing that was. I considered it a great gift from our Heavenly Father. Each time I would start to feel sad or burdened with all that was going on, the thought of Mom & JoAnn being together would come to my mind and I was instantly comforted. I even felt like I was missing a grand reunion and wished I could be there for the party. This was especially helpful as I spoke at Mom's funeral. As I was preparing this tribute to my Mom I prayed that I could control my emotions and that I wouldn’t talk too long. I had lost my voice two days before and was concerned about being heard as I gave my talk. I scolded Heavenly Father; how could He let such a thing happen at a time when I was visiting with so many people and trying so hard to comfort others and make so many plans. I felt the spirit say to me, “This is an answer to your prayer”. Whatever! I was very puzzled until I thought about it for a moment. If I talked for very long I began to cough and if I cried my voice, weak as it was, failed me completely. When I gave my talk I spoke very softly and slowly, I made it through without too many squeaks and I don’t remember if I coughed or not. Heavenly Father has a sense of humor, but I wasn’t laughing just trying to be grateful. My testimony of the Plan of Salvation has been strengthened so much during these past months. Even before Mom died I had felt prompted to make a few preparations beforehand and was glad I had written Mom's obituary and had thought through a funeral plan. I already believed Mom’s spirit would live after her physical body died and that her spirit would go to paradise where she would be allowed to rest for a season and then continue a work on that side of the veil I don’t fully understand. She would be with her parents, her brother and sister and many other friends and family members who had gone there before. I knew these things before she even died but when she actually passed from mortality these snippets of knowledge became truths I could testify of. I know she is allowed to be with our family and have felt her spirit several times. If we trust that what we’ve been taught about the eternal Plan of Happiness our Heavenly Father has given us then we really shouldn't be overcome by grief at the passing of a loved one.
We had a family get together the day before the funeral so we could go over the funeral plans and we let Dad give a folder of fifty cent coins Grandma Siddoway had saved over the years and which Mom & Dad had divided up so all of us and each of the grandkids could have some. It was a touching time. Neil had brought some handbags and we had a great time letting the girls chose a bag.
We chose to use one of Mom's crocheted afghans and a small floral arrangement on her casket which was very beautiful rather than a large floral bouquet. The time at the cemetery was very brief because it was very cold. The great grandchildren were each were given a helium filled balloon to release just before we left the cemetery. These kinds of events made it seem personal for everyone there. We had each grandchild participate in some way on the funeral program.
Thank you to everyone who participated in any way to help us remember the wonderful person she was and the way she touched each of our hearts. Anyone who knew Norma Siddoway Ward is a better person for having known her.

Dad continues to improve. My younger brother Neil has moved back to Teton to care for Dad (we let the live in nurse we hired after Mom's death go)and Neil is working to update some things in Mom & Dad's house. Dad has some dementia issues but with summer coming we are all hopeful he will get outside and enjoy digging in the dirt and continue to heal from the lose of his best friend and eternal sweetheart. He even had helped Neil restart his sourdough. The first attempt was disaster but each batch gets better and better. Dad would enjoy frequent visits from any who has time to stop in for even a minute or two. He may choke up a bit if you mention Mom but please don't hesitate to reminisce about their lives together with memories you have of Mom & Dad together. Hopefully it will help Dad to continue to heal. And the better he does the better we each do as well.