Wrapping Up 2013

This was another great year for the Schaefermeyer Family.  We all got a year older and that's not bad; we are also all a year wiser.

Theron and I are going to travel and stay fit with our new electric bikes.  My back surgery was successful and I'm feeling better now than I have in years.  We will wrap up our mission of writing the humanitarian history in March and then we'll see what is next.

 









Adrian asked for 2 x 4's for Christmas and is pushing to finish their basement this coming year.  Todd changed jobs and found an even better one where he can work from home for the most part.  Cameron will finish the 6th grade this year and make a really big move up in school.  Taylor will finish the 4th grade and will now be able to spend more time alone with his mom - he'll have all the track vacations to himself!  Adrian has now given up the young women and is playing the piano in Primary - finally the piano lessons are paying off!

Cameron, Taylor and Todd on their hockey rink

The Paschals ski trip.

Their first Christmas!

Curt married a wonderful woman, Melanee, and this was a special occasion for our whole family.  He is adjusting to married life and activity in the Church -- praying, teaching classes, working with the scouts, etc.  The big house is hopefully in the last year of production and then it will be a larger house for he and Melanee.  Welcome to the family Melanee!!

Marc and Brittney added a wonderful little guy, Tyce.  It has been fun to see how unique he is in personality and temperament and to watch him grow.  He is scooting around the floor and standing, it won't be long and he'll take off like Ali and Mason.  Mason is always an amazement to see which super hero he will be on any given day.  Ali has learned to talk, and talk, and talk.  She makes us smile.  She is going to learn how to tumble and dance this year.  Brittney was called into the Relief Society Presidency and will do a terrific job.

Tyce in a "glitter" bib - it's the 3rd child.

It was a great year, we have been healthy and protected.  Everyone has a safe home and plenty to eat.  The recessions and economy haven't hurt us too badly and everyone is still working and making life pleasant for their families.  We look forward to 2014; bring it on!

We finally made a time to get together - here is the family in 2013.

Let's Go On a Sleigh Ride

Winter is always fun when you can wrap up and spend time outside in the snow.  The family went to Mueller Park and took in some sleigh time.

Cameron and Taylor and Todd are the brave ones and the older ones so they could speed down the big hills.  Taylor had the best time just using his coat as the sleigh and sliding around.

Marc brought Mason and Ali and as soon as the first ride was finished, Ali screamed - "again dad."  She was thrilled to go fast and furious.

Theron could not resist and so for one run they linked all the sleighs together and it was a group moment.

Just so we remember, we shared the slope with a family from Texas who were visiting for the holidays; they brought cardboard boxes for their sleighs.  It was fun to see them sit in the box and simply slide.

Sleigh Bells Ring

Okay, it's only a few weeks late, but I have to end the year so I can get the book published for this year.  I keep wondering why I can't keep up with a simple blog, but I can't.  So, this is about a newer tradition that we have started since the kids were married and we had grandchildren -- a Christmas Family Home Evening.  In the past we have made gingerbread houses and trains (the tradition isn't very old); this year we made candy cane sleighs - thank you Pinterest for a fun idea.

On the 23rd, we gathered at our house and plugged in the hot glue guns and spread out the candy.  You glue a candy cane to each side of a large candy bar and that forms the sleigh bed.  I'm a traditionalist but I really appreciate the creativity of the family.  There were travel trailers added, a box of candy bars made to hold a stack of candy, and just plain fun -- thanks to all.

After the fun, a little time was spent using our wood nativity to act out the Christmas story from Luke.  This year we gave the DVD, "Christmas for a Dollar".  Each year we try to find a good Christmas book for each family.  Love to all and to all a good night.

Making Cookies

Grandmas always have visions of doing neat things with and for their grandchildren.  I determined this year to become a better grandma and invited Mason and Ali up for a day of "cookies and stories".

They helped measure the sugar, break the eggs, add the flour and turn on the mixer for the sugar cookie dough.  I had pre-made the frosting and they were given a plate full of frosting and could add the sprinkles and colors all they wanted.

The cookies went well, but the stories - well that's another story.  I had three books they could choose from, so they selected the one about the giving chest.  Grandma started out reading every word -- mistake!  Attention spans of 1 minute or less don't let you get through a book like that.  Ali started thumbing through the pages trying to find Santa - he's not in this story.  Then is was jump on the couch, run around the front room and pose in front of the Christmas tree.

While the cookies were baking, we tried to read the Night Before Christmas - that went better (fewer words more pictures).

The funniest part was letting Ali turn the beater on right after putting in 3 cups of flour.  I knew it would happen and was just waiting.  Yup, she turned it up to a high speed and flour went flying -- Mason was shocked and didn't quite know what to do.  A little laughter made everything all better, we eyed how much had flown around the room and added some additional flour to the mix and the cookies were just fine.  Brittney will have to wash the clothes, but that's the fun of making cookies for us - not her.

Tyce had to stay home this year.  He was wrapped up in lights.

The Annual Spendlove Christmas Party

On one of the Saturdays of December, the Spendlove Family gathers at the Henefer fire station for an annual family Christmas Party.  One of the families is the host and everyone else brings side dishes galore. 

This year it was mother and father Spendlove's turn to host.  The fare was sloppy joes, salads, chips, and my contribution is eclairs.  The children exchange a present and everyone participates in giving the best dollar gift imaginable.  We always pass the gifts and laugh at who doesn't know their right from their left or who can't count to five.  It's a time that we can all gather and the young cousins can see each other for another year - there are certainly getting to be more and more of them.

Linda always gives each family a calendar with the names of each person's birthday written on it.  This year she made table runners for each family.  How she finds time to get this all done is beyond me, and it is appreciated.

It's not expected but most of the "original" family members give a little gift - candy, nuts, and Triple D pens and lights.  It's never about the gift, it's about the season and about the giving.  I'm glad we are all together and that we still want to get together to be a family.

This year Denzil will have to change is employment or truck runs because of the new California emissions.  We thank all who donated to the cause.

Jana is still working on her Temple altar cover. :)  Alison will be doing a service project in Ghana, Africa.  We can't wait to hear about this experience.

Linda added a driver to her insurance, Josh.  Matthew still likes a hug from everyone.

Jonathan was home from his Marine training and will be leaving for Afghanistan in January.  Fortunately, he works with the finances and his mission is to gather up the stuff the US has left there.  We will be praying for him.

Janeil had all of her family at the party and Evie and Braiden are getting very grown up.

Lisa was missed but her heart was there.

We added a new member, Melanee and hope to add more in the future.  Ali got some dress-up shoes and a tiara.  She poses so well for an almost three year old.

Merry Christmas to all and a special prayer for a wonderful new year.

A Hopi Indian Humanitarian Experience

December 5th, we left for Tuba City, Arizona, with Lane and LaVona Lewis to help them fulfill a humanitarian project among the Hopi Indians.  We volunteered to take our fifth wheel and truck and haul water barrels, hams, blankets and some clothes to the Hopi Clans.  LaVona had spent the month of November collecting money and items from members of our ward and many neighbors.  We were along to the drive and ride and experience.

This is all of us heading out.

However, we didn't anticipate the frozen north air that rolled across the state of Utah and Arizona.  Usually, Hurricane, Utah, is fairly warm - not this first night.  The water in our outside hose froze even though we left water running through it all night.  My McGyver simply brought it into the trailer and put it in the microwave to thaw it.  That was only the first of the frozen conditions we would find ourselves.

We picked up  about 90 hams, pre-cooked variety, and 100 5-gallon water containers at the Walmart in Hurricane and packed them nicely in the trailer.  We met up with about 30 other people who travel down each year to perform acts of kindness and service to these special people.  We delivered toys, clothes, blankets and furniture to several clans and schools.

The majority of the homes do not have running water, so the jugs help immensely.

 A highlight was to go to the "mesas" and see 1000 year old homes and hear stories of the Hopi.  One story that is told is that their ancestors buried their weapons of war and since then the Hopi have been a peaceful people.  They migrated to this area from the south.

The oldest clan dwellings are to be found on the 1st Mesa in a village called "Walpi".  These are pictures at the very point of the mesa and this kiva is one of the oldest there and is still used for the most sacred of the ceremonies.

Looking from the road to the top of Mesa 1

Walking out to the mesa tip

The oldest keva

The home on the tip of the mesa

On Sunday, we attended church in Tuba City and then traveled to St. George.  Now, there is never snow in St. George, but the night before they received about 4 inches and the roads were fairly snow packed the entire way.  I do look forward to spending a warm time sometime in our trailer - the most used item is the electric fireplace that doubles as a heater.  The temperature in St. George was 1 that night and there was no way we could drain the water pipes before we left and stored the trailer at the trailer park; so we hope all is well when we return to stay over New Year's.

We are so blessed to be able to have the time and means to help with projects like this.  It was a wonderful experience and we again met some wonderful people of different cultures.  We truly do live a blessed life.  What a way to kick off the Christmas season.

Celebrating Thanksgiving at Valley of Fire

In August of 1986, Theron's mother died and Grandpa Schaefermeyer did not want to celebrate Thanksgiving at home.  We all packed up our trailers and headed to Zion National Park.  Since then, our family has celebrated Thanksgiving in various places and doing unconventional things.  There have been a few times that we have gathered around the table for dinner, but for the most part, we love to travel at this time of year.

It was Adrian and Todd's turn to do Thanksgiving with us so we decided to travel to Nevada to Valley of Fire State Park.  We loaded up the fifth wheel and away we went.  Theron and I went early to get a campsite and we scored a good one.  We awoke each morning to look out over the desert and the red rock canyons.  The sky was blue each day and the weather was just right (50s at best).

The Paschals came later in the week after the boys were out of school and Todd was able to take off work.  They arrived late Wednesday night to find our trailer alight with pink flamingos - hey we're camping.

The next day, Thanksgiving 2013, the boys climbed the rocks, Todd rode his new bike, we warmed up the previously cooked food fare, enjoyed a day of fun and visiting.


The remainder of the week we traveled up to see the sites.  Todd, Cameron and Taylor tried to find a canyon trail to ride on and ended up turning back because they were carrying their bikes more than riding them.

We traveled over to Hoover Dam and spent the day touring -- we took the tour that went down into the dam and look out a tunnel in the sidewall - that was an experience.  We decided we weren't too far from Las Vegas and the boys had never been there - poor deprived children that they are.  So, Grandpa Schaefermeyer exposed them to Las Vegas -- the fountains at Bellagio, the advertising signs on the trucks and the lights of the strip.

We are certainly glad we have a bigger trailer now - everyone is getting bigger and we really needed the fireplace at night to keep us warm.

Back home, Marc and Brittney kept up another Thanksgiving tradition - the hats.  That first Thanksgiving that we traveled, our kids were young and we needed to keep them busy for 5 hours of travel.  I bought some construction paper and brought the stapler.  All the way there, we made Indian hats and some Pilgrim hats.  I'm going to find those pictures one day and get them printed into a family history blog.  I remember all of us sitting by the rocks at a picnic table wearing our Thanksgiving hats - grandpa, Elynn and Norman, Carol and John and Kendall's family.  It's a great memory.

Our hats weren't as professional looking as these, but look at the expression on Tyce's face - he's one of the big kids!