Rewind back to last summer 2013..... Part 3

Bow Fishing

My brother-in-law took the kids bow fishing one night.  Bow fishing includes catching (spearing) Alligator Gar with a barbed arrow.  See photos below to see what these (ugly) creatures are.  The kids had a wonderful time.  

Jessie & Ison bowed the same Gar

Jessie's (small) catch

A bigger Catch

The LARGEST Gar was bowed by Melanee

It was so BIG that they had it weighed and measured to see if it was the largest catch in Texas. 

It wasn't the largest but it was a close second!  

So Awesome!!

Games

Bill found one of their family's childhood games called "Skittles" created by Carrom.  He got it all cleaned up so that we can start playing it.   After doing some research on it recently I learned this is a game created in the 1920's. It is played with spinning tops, and 12 hardwood pins.  You try to knock down as many pins as you can with the spinning top.  Points are scored depending on which tops are knocked down.  It's a blast and was a BIG HIT with everyone.  Thanks babe for finding this game for us.  

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You can find this game on Amazon or Ebay if you are interested in getting one of these for your family.

Father's Day

I was so blessed this year to get to spend Father's Day with my Dad.  It's been a few years since that has happened.  It also happened to be the last day my parents and nieces were going to be here in Texas, so we had everyone over for dinner, games and fun times spent with each other.  

Valerie, my Dad and my FIL in the background. 

I don't know what mom was doing but I just love her tongue hanging out!  LOL

She does this often when she is concentrating on something.  It's cute isn't it?  

(She'll probably kill me for posting this) 

Just finishing up dinner and dessert.  MIL in the background.

Valerie created a photo album for dad for Father's Day.  

It was awesome! 

Filled with so many memories. 

 Pretty sure my dad loves it!  

Having my parents and my nieces here with us for a couple weeks really made my summer extremely wonderful. It was really hard for my dad to be here with having to have dialysis every other day, scheduled at a center he was not familiar with. He struggled a few times and did not feel well often.  I am just so grateful that he came anyway, to visit and see our new home and our little FARMily.   I don't know if he will be able to ever make it out here again so I just feel really happy and blessed to have him here with us. 

RODEO 

After my parents and nieces left for home, we still had another week or so with Jessie before he had to go home.  We made some great memories that I will forever cherish. 

Rodeo time!  Jessie couldn't miss this opportunity since he himself is a rodeo boy back home, 

bull riding of all things! So dear hubby, Jessie and I went to our local rodeo. 

We had a wonderful time.  I was very impressed with how rodeo's are done here in Texas.  

They take the rodeo just as seriously as High School Football.  

If you have ever been to Texas you will know exactly what I mean by that.  

The rodeo grounds

Rodeo Royalty bringing the colors in.  

We had a really good time and will definitely make this a tradition.

Jessie all studded out with cowboy hat and new T-shirt!  

Pretty funny shirt if you ask me LOL!!

Jessie talked me into getting myself a cowboy hat.  

It's a comfy fit!  I like it!  

Wonderful memories were also made at Joe's Crab Shack.

Love this kid of mine!  So handsome!

And we couldn't miss out on stopping by Cabela's of Fort Worth

This is my new favorite photo.  He wanted a photo so he can show off this new hat.  

I just love the photo because it shows off my boy!  

Having my parents, nieces and Jessie visit really made my summer special.  I miss having these people around living close-by like we used to, so the times we do get to spend together seem that much more important, more special.  So thankful for Memories that will last a life time!!  

Rewind back to last summer 2013..... Part 2

On another day I took the kids and my mom to the Ft. Worth Stockyards to watch the Longhorn Cattle Drive down the cobbled streets of old town Ft. Worth.  It's a fun place to go.  Kids love it and there is a lot to see and do in the area.

Cute cousins waiting for the longhorns

Parker & Mikayla with a young longhorn

Watching a wild west show and shootout 

The Ft. Worth Stockyards is also the location of many museums, the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Stockyard's Championship Rodeo.   

This is the Cowtown Coliseum where the Rodeo takes place

This wall mural makes it feel like Jessie is right there hanging onto that Bull

Love this one of Mikayla and Parker as well.  

Jessie being way into being a cowboy and a bull rider enjoyed the museum and coliseum.  We had a great day visiting the shops and buying mementos to remember this visit.  

The next few days consisted of roasting marshmallows for s'mores in our backyard fireplace while enjoying the beautiful June evenings, playing games, celebrating a birthday and enjoying spending time together.  

Mmmm.... Yummy Roasted Marshmellows

We had the awesome pleasure of being able to celebrate Melanee's birthday while she was here.  Aunt Valerie made that cool soccer cake.  I hope she enjoyed her special day even if she was far away from home.  

Wishing Melanee a Happy Birthday

As I reflect upon this time, I remember experiencing such joy and happiness to have a houseful of loved ones.  We had such a great time together.  I will tell you more in Part 3 coming soon.  

My babies are growing up!

It was mid-October that I spent a few days in Utah visiting my kids.  I can't believe how grown up they are getting.  Shellise took me on a tour of SUU's campus and all three of us went on a fun drive up the "C" mountain.  The fall colors were becoming amazing!  I got some great photos of the weekend, thought I would share!

The red leaves on this tree were really amazing! 

SUU's clock tower

It's hard to believe how grown up they are 

I still think of them as babies!

LOVE these kids!

 

Looking over the Cedar valley

Climbing back up the mountain

I sure miss my kiddo's, but I am sure glad to get special times like these as often as I am able. It was so nice just being able to hang out with them.  

Love You Both So Much!!

-Mom

Graduation & Vacation Part 5

After a slight delay, I am finally posting the final part of my graduation and vacation trip.

As mentioned previously, the morning of Day 9 we left a cold, windy, rainy and snowy Bryce Canyon to begin our trek home.  A few miles south of Bryce Canyon off of Hwy 89 is a very small, rural town named Alton, UT.

So without further ado.... I would like to welcome you to Alton, Utah, population 119.  The home place of my heritage in Utah.

This sign that welcomes everyone to Alton was donated by my family in 2008 at  the 100th birthday celebration.

My maternal grandmother and her 4 sisters grew up here. 

Please read this plaque.  

Jonathan Heaton, the founder of Alton is my great-great grandfather.  

Further down you will see the names of my great-grandparents, John Stanley and Clarrisa Amy Heaton Glover.  They are the parents of my Grandmother.  Clarrisa is my mother's namesake, only she was given the shortened version of Claire.  

Only in a rural town!  Ha!  

Another reason for us to visit Alton was that it was Memorial Day weekend and we wanted to decorate my ancestor's graves with flowers.  

The grave sight of my great-grandparents

Moi 

My great-grandparents passed away shortly before I was born so I never got the chance to get to know them.  However, I have been told some wonderful stories about them.  I look forward to meeting them someday.  

Another Ancestor

Cool Headstone

The Alton Cemetery is full of Heaton's, Glover's, and Roundy's.  I am related to them all.  

In fact if you have one of these surnames or know someone with these surnames and are from the Southern Utah area, I am most likely a relative.

The entrance to the Alton Cemetery

This view is looking at the cemetery.  

Among the cedar trees and sagebrush you will find my ancestors graves.

Another view of the cemetery.

 This is a view of the Alton valley looking from the cemetery.

Another view

This is the property where my grandmother's home used to sit.  The house burned down a few years ago.  It used to be next to that small red garage.  Sad to see it is gone.  

I have so many wonderful memories of Alton.  There were many family reunions held here when I was younger, and my grandmother has shared some really fun and amazing stories about her life growing up there.  

The welcome sign says it all.  Alton, Utah... A pretty little place.  The scenery surrounding this area is breathtaking!

To read more about it go here and here.  And if you ever find yourself in Southern Utah, do stop by for a visit.

A few short miles down the road from Alton is Kanab, Utah.  And right before you get into town is a place we wanted to visit called the Moqui Caves.  This is a museum of natural history displaying life of ancient Anasazi Indians of Southern Utah, as well as many other artifacts.  

As we walked into the cave we were greeted by a man named Lex Chamberlain.  He begins by telling us about the history of the caves and about his father, Garth Chamberlain who originally bought the cave and turned it into what it is today.  He explained that his father was an amazing artist (many of his creations are on display),and an ex-NFL player that played for the Pittsburgh, Steelers after being drafted from BYU. Next he tells us that his father was also born in Alton, Utah.  When he told me this, and I let him know my family history of Alton, we began talking about our ancestors and learned that his relatives are also Heaton's, and discovered that we are cousins (removed a few times)!  It was amazing!  

He gave us a more personal tour and showed us all the family pictures he had as well as the works of art his father created.  It was wonderful!  Finding relatives you don't know about is really exciting!   This place was amazing!  I can't describe the feeling that I had on this day after visiting Alton and the Moqui Caves.  We stayed much longer than we planned to but it was well worth it.  I encourage all of my family and friends who have not visited this place to do so.  

This was the last big stop of our trip.  Our stopping place for the night was Gallup, NM. The next morning, on our 10th and final day was a 13 hour car drive from Gallup to Fort Worth.  

Our whole trip was amazing! We saw my daughter and niece graduate, we got to see and spend time with many family members that we haven't seen in a long time, we got to meet family that we have never met before and visited places so spectacular that the memories of this trip will last a lifetime.  

And the best thing is that I got to see and experience it all with my best friend and husband.  Love Him!  Can't wait to do it again sometime.  

If you have never been to southern Utah I recommend that you get there someday.  There are so many National Parks and neat places to experience.