Memorial Service for Tom

Although Tom, Steve's brother, passed away on December 26, 2011, a memorial service was not held until Saturday, August 11, 2012.  Finally the time came that the family could come together and celebrate Tom's life.  Steve planned the service and ordered the headstone to match his mom and dad's.  It was a nice memorial held in Moore, Idaho, which is where Steve and his brother and sisters grew up.  After the service we traveled to the Lost River Cemetery not far from the church where Tom's ashes were buried.  After the burial we headed back to the church for a delicious luncheon that Florence had prepared.  I hadn't been in Idaho for quite some time, so it seemed good to reconnect with his family and enjoy fond memories of his brother.

Dorothy, Steve, and Forence

Rachel, Tom's daughter, with her
three children

Denver, Dorothy, and their daughter, Jennifer

Denver, Steve, and Dorothy

Tom's Grave
I love the caption on the headstone which reads
"AT HOME WITH GOD AND FAMILY."

The graves of Steve's parents next to Tom's grave

Steve in front of the church where
the service was held

Tom's daughter, Rachel, and her daughters
Ella, Eva, and Sophie

Jennifer, Dorothy's daughter,  and Rachel with her daughters

Visiting with Jennifer, Dorothy and Denver's daughter

Reconnecting with the Idaho Falls Temple

Steve and I were married in the Idaho Falls temple on August 30, 1974.  Although we have been back to the temple to walk around, we have not been back to participate in any temple work.  Since our anniversary is just around the corner, we decided after driving from SLC to stop in Idaho Falls for the night.  This allowed us plenty of time to attend a session and go out to dinner with some dear friends of ours named Kim and Patsy Johnson.  I met Patsy at BYU in 1970.  We lived in the same dorm in "Q" hall which was part of Deseret Towers at BYU.  Through the years we have kept in touch.  I was happy that we were able to connect while we were in Idaho Falls.



A Stop in SLC

Last week Steve and I traveled through SLC to attend a memorial service for his brother, Tom, which was held in Moore, Idaho.  The cemetery in Salt Lake City has become a very sacred and special place for me.  Since the accident that took Sheldon and Jace from us, I personally have been in SLC four times in five months.  I was particularly anxious to see the headstones that Julie selected when we were together in Utah for Women's Conference in April.  Steve and I bought some silk flowers and spent a few hours at the cemetery cleaning, weeding, and remembering Sheldon and Jace.  We were there all alone, so Steve and I said a prayer and felt the sweet peace that only the Lord offers.

We have recently discovered that Steve's grandfather, Joseph Dean, is also buried in the SLC Cemetery along with two of his wives and seven of his children that died at a very young age.  In reading his headstone, I discovered that Grandpa Dean had a set of twins.  One's birth and death date were the same, and the other twin lived one day.  Maybe now we have an idea where twins come from in our lineage explaining Thomas and Natalie's twins.  As a sidenote, we also discovered while in Idaho that Tom's daughter, Jeanine, also has a set of twins that are nine years old.  They live in Reno.  Evidently, twins run on the Dean side of Steve's family.

After going to the cemetery, Steve and I had dinner at
one of Sheldon's favorite restaurants in SLC.  This day
definitely was a day of remembering two people
we hold close to our hearts.

More Birthday Fun

On Monday, August 6, 2012, we checked into the Green Valley Resort in Henderson.  We booked two rooms for two nights.  Natalie and her family were in one room.  Steve, Julie, and I shared the second room.  Our stayvacation was completely fun and the best birthday I can remember.  Everyone had a great time, and I couldn't be happier how I celebrated my 60th birthday!

In the lobby for check-in at 3:00 pm;
let the fun begin!

Ellsworths entering Room 8116 ready
for the party to begin

Dad in our room getting ready to go to the pool
Monday afternoon after checking in

We stayed in the East Tower;
it took us a few minutes or so to figure our
way around this rather confusing
hotel floor plan!

Natalie, Thomas, and Cali poolside; the cabanas and
hotel are in the background

There were lots of shallow pools for sitting and sunbathing;
here's Julie and me

Ashton, Natalie, and Cali enjoying
the jacuzzi

Monday night Thomas and Dad went to
Cafe Rio and brought us our dinner poolside

The next morning which was my birthday I was completely
surprised to find out that my family had reserved a
cabana for us to use at Green Valley Resort for the entire day!

Steve and I posing with all the cute decorations
inside the cabana

On the counter in the cabana were four sheets of
paper.  The title on the first page read
"60 Reasons Why We Love Mom."  Everyone had
contributed reasons.  I felt totally loved!
Included in the cabana rental was a fruit tray, nuts, tons
of drinks, chips and dip.  How cool to have a TV to watch
when we needed a rest from the sun!

Our cabana was surrounded by palm trees

Julie and Natalie enjoyed the cabana as Baby Ben
enjoyed his bottle

Julie, Natalie, Ben, Weston, and Steve

This is the view from our cabana; we even had a
small pool right in front of our cabana

Cali, Thomas, and Ashton in the pool by our cabana;
it sat up a level from the regular big pool below

The view from our cabana looking left

My girls gave me a basket of things that I like.  It included
too many things to list here, but they gave me lugguage
tags because I like to travel and a photo album because
 I like to take pictures to name a few.  They also gave me a
gift card from Brighton so now I will be able
 to finish my "family" bracelet.

About 8 pm on my birthday we headed to
The Cheesecake Factory for a late dinner.

On Wednesday, August 8, Thomas and Steve took care
of the kids while Julie, Natalie, and I were pampered
at The Spa at GVR.

Outside the spa at GVR

This picture was taken by The Spa with the vineyard and hotel
in the background.

When I got home from our two-day birthday adventure,
I put all of the things on my dining room table that the
girls gave me for my birthday present.  As you can see,
they thought of lots of things I like.  Thanks to everyone
for making this such a special birthday.  It was fabulous!

Celebrating 60 Years

My birthday plans changed several times over the course of the last few months, but eventually a plan was formulated that seemed fun.  On Friday, August 3rd, Linda and Kristi Reed took me out to lunch at The Tea Room which is inside an antique store on the east side of Las Vegas.  Linda gave me two new charms for my family charm bracelet that I am in the process of putting together, and Kristi gave me two necklaces with matching earrings.  It was a fun afternoon filled with good conversation and good food.

Linda, Kristi, and the Birthday Girl

The sandwiches were egg, tuna, chicken,
and cucumber.  I had Berry, Berry
decaffeinated tea.  The desserts were
brownies, pumpkin spice squares, and
an apple crisp square of some sort.

Enjoying Time With Julie

Although the circumstances that brought Julie back to Las Vegas are tragic, I am grateful for the time that I have been able to spend with her as she tries to recover and find her way on a new path.  She moved into a townhouse while I was at the annual Anderson sister weekend in June this year.  As the hot summer days of Las Vegas were upon us, we have enjoyed swimming at her complex numerous times plus having some meals together.  It's nice to have someone to sit with at church again as well as having her go with me occasionally to have pedicures.  I love all of my daughters, and I am grateful when I can share time with them.  Life is short; I cherish family time.

This picture was taken the day Julie
signed a 7-month contract for
her townhouse.  We parked outside the clubhouse. 

This picture was taken from the balcony of the
clubhouse on the day Julie signed her contract.

This picture was taken in August; the first time
Julie cooked in her new place.  Steve and I
were lucky to have that "first" invitation.

It seems so good to see Julie's place filled with
familiar furniture and furnishings.  She has a
very nice, comfortable home.

This picture was taken another day when Natalie and her
family came over to swim and have pizza for dinner.

Ben, Weston, me, Steve, and Thomas
enjoying the pool

Sisters are a Blessing

Linda golfing during Anderson Sister Weekend in CA

I have been thinking how blessed I am to have been born into a large family with six girls and two brothers.  Time has changed things for now.  My parents, my brother Wayne, and my sister Barbara are in heaven.  Three of my sisters and my brother Richard live out of state.  Linda is my only sister that still lives in Las Vegas.  It's odd that the Anderson family doesn't seem so large anymore when I think it's just Linda and me in Las Vegas.  I am grateful that she lives here and that we have enjoyed such a nice relationship.

Today Linda and I went to the temple, ate lunch in the temple cafeteria, and then ended our activities with a shopping trip to Target.  Last week she invited me over for dinner with her family.  We have some additional things planned next week as we wind up summer before school starts.  We decided to go to the cemetery and visit the graves of Dad, Mom, and Wayne.  We are also going to have "tea" at a local restaurant next week to celebrate my 60th birthday.  Sometimes over the years I have felt that I really didn't have too many friends, but actually having Linda as my sister has also given me a great friend.  Sisters truly are a blessing!