Deconizing????

Neil Sarter, Aaron's friend was being ordained a deacon. He told us that Neil's grandpa was going to deconize him.

Who is Speaking?

The phone rang and Craig answered with his typical cheery "Hello". The lady on the other line hesitated, then asked, "Is this the Craig residence?"

Craig quickly answered, "Yes it is!".

"Who is speaking?" she inquired.

"Craig... Craig Hixson" he replied with a laugh. The lady quickly apologized saying she was certain she had the wrong number, then immediately hung up.

Happy Father's Day

Grandpa Sterling always called Vaughn "Smilie". I think for a while he actually thought his name was..."Vaughn Richard Sterling Smilie Hixson".

Leap Year

I love the questions children ask....

When Craig was very young, seriously he inquired,

"Mom," he asked, "When is the next Leapfrog year?"

Let it Snow

While driving one morning during a heavy snow storm, large fluffy flakes were falling on the windshield. Vaughn and Aaron were spellbound quietly watching the the snow flakes hit the glass then immediately be swept away. "Look," Vaughn said, "The windshield wipers pop the snow bubbles."

Scouts

It was time for Scout camp so Kevin went to see Dr. Gibb for his physical. Betty, Dr. Gibbs nurse, asked, "What's your blood type Kevin?" With out any hesitation, Kevin answered, "Decaffeinated!"

I'm Sorry!

The year Shauna and Chris were married, 1986, they were attending Utah State University. Shauna got a job checking at Smith's in Logan. As she was leaving at the end of her shift one day, a young oriental woman rushed up to her and affectionally put her arm around her, "Oh, how are you, it's so good to see you", she said. Shauna having no idea who she was, and didn't know her from Adam, replied, "I think you must have me confused with someone else." Blushing the girl suddenly apologized, "I'm so sorry, you Americans all look alike!"

Labor Day Holiday

"No!" Dad said over and over, as Aaron was trying to talk him into going some where fun as a family, to celebrate the Labor Day weekend. Nothing sounded fun to Dad.

"I bet all the people on the block have gone some where fun", Aaron said as he became more and more frustrated, "Except Brother Roderick and a few other senior citizens."

Crib

CRIB

For years it sat up in the rafters of our garage along with other dusty forgotten items. What else do you do with an old crib after seven babies have put on miles of wear, the finish chewed off, not to mention that after this long it doesn’t even meet code. But you can’t bring yourself to part with it. So you tie it up in an old mattress box, hoist it up and everyone forgets about it. But I never really forget. In the rush of the coming and going years.. I glance up occasionally keeping the memories bound up in my heart like the crib… tied up in bungee cords laying up there in the rafters.
After years of accumulation the garage is filled with things no one really needs, or wants for that matter. Richard resolutely decides to find a day for a clean sweep. After making plans with Brenda and David to bring their trailer… they set a date and went to work. Under Richard’s direction one thing after another was tossed into the trailer. Finally he came to the crib, and then is when I voiced my plea not to make that decision yet, perhaps a later time. But NO! He was on a roll he had made a decision and there was no stopping him. Finally the trailer was filled, ready to head for the dump.
I’m not sure what created the necessity that “I” ride to the dump with David and the kids. I suppose I was the only person home with proof of Bountiful City residency. “Why do I have to witness this unfairness?” I sat in the back on purpose, hoping my tears would go unnoticed.
It was done! It was over! There was nothing that could change it. David brought me home then headed for home himself.
What took place after that; I wasn’t to know for at least four months. When David arrived home he told Brenda, “ I feel terrible for your mom because she was crying all the way home from the dump.” Brenda has always been a softhearted sweetheart and also someone who can make things happen and happen quickly. She called her brother Craig and told him they had to hurry to the dump and find that crib. He met her there and with a sad story to the gatekeeper, they were allowed to go search for their moms’ old crib, the very crib in which both of them had spent the first years of their life. Finally, after a near hopeless search, they spied the yellow mattress… there, there was the crib! Lovingly they began gathering it up, when an on looking couple who, coincidently, were also disposing of a crib, said to them, “If you want… you can have ours, I think it is in better shape.” The couple was impressed as Brenda explained the purpose for the frantic scavenger hunt. The crib was then taken home to hide in Brenda and David’s garage.
Brenda had a plan and David went to work with his wood working talent. By Christmas the old crib had been cut down to scale and had become an incredibly, beautiful, doll crib.
Brenda made a small mattress, tiny bumper pads and blankets, bought seven little dolls, 2 girls and 5 boys, put them affectionately in the crib and placed a large box over the entire thing, ready to present as a gift to me.
Christmas day 1998, all the kids came, not wanting to be left out of the surprise when the large wrapped box was delivered.
I have had surprises in my life, but none to compare before or since. When the box was lifted off and there in my own family room stood the abandoned crib.. in miniature, My Crib! The overwhelming shock couldn’t have been more powerful than had my mother resurrected and stood beside me. All I could do was bury my face in my hands and weep.
That was for certain, the most thoughtful, selfless and caring gift I have ever received.

Ants! Ants! Ants!

In 1978 we make the big decision to add on to our house. It was a fun and overwhelming undertaking. Much good has come because of it. Ever since the day we moved into the house in 1967 we have been pledged with ants. We tried every possible method to rid our selves of them but nothing worked. The day the big machinery came in the back yard and began digging the hole, made us wonder if we were doing the right thing. Richard was out helping Paul Tucker, I was in the house trying to keep the kids out of the way.

"Ya got to come here and see this!" Richard opened the door and yelled, "You'll never believe it."

I stepped out the back door and Richard and Paul were standing there starring at the foundation. With one large scoop of the backhoe, it cut into and exposed the largest aunt colony condominium I had ever dreamed possible with I'm sure, millions of aunts. It was at least 3 to 4 feet in diameter. We could have tried every insecticide know to man and it would never have touched our ant problem. Paul scooped the entire thing away and we sprayed and powdered with everything we had. For 30 years now we have been ant free. Just lately have I seen a little strange ant here and there. Oh Dear, I wonder where their resort is being built now?

What's the matter?

One day Vaughn was feeling a little sad. Trying to make him feel better we started asking him questions. "What's the matter Vaughn?", But we got no reply. More questions followed, "Are you sick?" Silence. "Are you sad?" Still nothing. Then Scott said, "Well then, you must be alright!" Then Vaughn looked up saying, "I have a matter, you just have to guess it."

Dad!

When dad reads the newspaper he spaces out the world. The kids needed to ask him a question, so tried to get his attention. Shauna called, "Dad!", but didn't get through to him. Then Scott called, "Dad!", but still no response. Craig called out even louder, "Dad!", but nothing. Then they all at once called together, "DAD!" Finally he looked up from his newspaper very impatiently, and yelled back, "Will you kids stop fighting!"

Happy Valentines

Craig was trying to think of an original date that wouldn't cost a lot of money. I tried to give him some ideas and suggested making Valentines and taking them to the rest home to give to the lonely people there. He wasn't very impressed with my idea. Giving one more try to convince him, I asked "How would you feel if I were in a rest home and some sweet caring selfless young people gave me a Valentine?" He looked at me with a noble kind of look and answered, "I'm not going to put MY mom in no crumby rest home, then smiled as only Craig can and said, "I'll put you in the best one there is!"

Transfered?

Scott and Brian Kuepper were both on missions at the same time, from 1988 to 1990. It was fun to keep up with the mission happenings both in Spain and Seattle. Lacey was visiting at our house and Aaron told her that Scott had just been transfered. Lacey got really excited replying, "Oh yes, and Brian got translated too!"

What I remember about Grandpa

We have many memories about family nights; some good and some not so good, and many are actually quite funny. One night we were talking about things that we will always remember about our Grandma's and Grandpa's. Vaughn, who was 10 years old at the time, said that Grandpa Selleneit can take his teeth out, then followed up with, "He can take his gums out too and that would REALLY hurt!

Minnetonka Cave 1982

In 1982 we vacationed at Bear Lake staying in the old Quarters Building of Utah Power and Light on the north side of the lake. Gr & Gr Sterling and Ellen, Judy/Mike and 6 kids, stayed with us and our 7 kids. It was 'Close Quarters' at times, but we did have fun. One day we took a side trip driving near St. Charles to tour the Minnetonka Cave. Dad purchased the tickets and luckily ages 6 and under were free. Each child wanted to hold his own ticket and of course Vaughn wanted a ticket to hold. I explained to him that he didn't need a ticket because he was free. This made him really upset. "No I'm not !" He said, "I'm four!"

Comedian

Scott was a comedy act waiting to happen!

(example)

"I learned these things yesterday that I never knew before; grasshoppers have hind legs, fish swim in water, words are found in books, there is dirt in sand, and mud is wet dirt."


(another example)


"I want to tell you about my mother, she is the first mother I ever had. She buys me things I need and all kinds of things I want. She even buys me things I don't want".

Cousins-Chad, JaDene, and Valerie

While tending Chad,Valerie and JaDene for Uncle Ken, Shauna said to Valerie, "Valerie, you are 4 and 1/2." She thought for a moment, then looked up at Shauna and said, "I wonder when I will be 4 and a whole?"

Kevin was teaching JaDene how to play checkers. He explained that if he had a man she could jump and didn't jump him, then he could take her women for not jumping him!

April 1st

April 27, 1986

I woke Scott up early this Sunday morning asking him what time he needed to get up to be ready on time for church. From under the covers he softly mumbled, "April 1st".

Silly Words!

Once There Was an Elephant

Once there was an elephant..

Who tried to use the telephant.

No! No! I mean an elephone...

Who tried to use the telephone!

(Dear me! I am not certain quite

That even now I've got it right.)

However it was he got his trunk..

Entangled in the elephunk..

The more he tried to get it free,

The louder buzzed the telephee..

(I fear I'd better drop this song

of telephunk and telephong.)

This is a silly little poem I memorized when I was young and I told and retold it many times to my own children. It was written by Laura E. Richards who died the year I was born, 1943.)

Talking about silly and mixed up words, these are a few that we all got a laugh from.

When Kevin was little a Sandwich was a "Famwich" and Aaron always ate "pan-a-cakes. Aaron also said "Bus-ketti" or was is "Pus-ketti" or "ska-betty", he tried them all. Ska-betty was one of his favorite foods!

Vaughn and Lacey always argued as to whether or not it was "goo-low" or "gill" when they tried to say girl. Brenda laughed because when she was living in England they pronounced it "gill". She told them that her brother had to go to speech therapy for saying it that way.

I remember way back in my past, when I was 5 or 6, a friend of mine had an uncle Fred. I thought that was the strangest thing to name someone Fred. I thought they might just as well named him "Needle and Fred".

Warm in Church

On Sunday March 21, 1982 our family finally made it to church on time. We found our normal row, gathered everyone in and eventually all nine of us were sitting down. I asked Vaughn if he wanted to take his coat off and showing his 4 year old independence he said that he didn't want to. Ten or fifteen minutes passed and it was beginning to become a bit warm. Suddenly he started pulling at his coat sleeve saying, "I've got to get this coat off, I'm starving to death!"

Send the Neighbor Kids Home

Dad came home from work late one afternoon after a hectic day at the office. He had to eat and hurry off to a Bishopric meeting. The kids were all in the family room and of course making a lot of noise. "Shauna." he said in an ordering tone, "Go in there and tell all the neighbor kids it's time to go home so we can have dinner." She quickly obeyed but came right back. "Dad," she said, "They're all ours!"

"Oh Pity"

Many times in the winter, fog settles in the valleys and stays there for days on end, often weeks. The winter of 1980 the fog was particularly heavy especially in the morning hours. It was a Thursday morning early and I was cautiously driving the girls to Mill Creek Jr High school. We rounded the corner at the west end of the school. Even though we were amazingly close, the fog was so dense nothing of the school could be seen at all. In a very sad voice Brenda said, "Oh pity, the school's gone."

"What's the Magic Word?"

Nearly 4-year old Vaughn stood in front of the kitchen sink and said to mom in quite a demanding tone, "Give me a drink". Hoping to teach him manners and how to ask in a polite way, Mom replied, " What's the magic word?" With out any hesitation his answer came,

"Abra Dabra!"

"Who had a Lu-ya?"

Craig was singing with all his might, "Glo....ry Glory, Hallelu....jah" When he stopped with a puzzled look and asked Shauna, "What does it mean to have a lu-ya? "I don't get it", he said, "Who had a Lu-ya?"

On the lap of Christmas

At Christmas time we took the "Three Little Boys" on a Saturday afternoon to visit Santa Claus. They were thrilled to sit on his lap, tell him some of the things on their wish list and of course get a candy cane that without fail made everything sticky. When we arrived home Vaughn told his older siblings that, "We got to sit on Christmas' lap!"

"Can't Work The Words"

A Letter To My Children

From Mom - April 20, 1979

To My beautiful Children,

I want you to know how I love you all and what a privilege it is to be your mother. I am so proud of you. I pray for you constantly that you will grow strong in the Gospel and in testimony, because I know that is the only way you can be truly happy.

It reminds me of a time when Aaron was three, he was trying desperately to explain something to me when finally he said, "My mouth can't work the words." I too feel that my mouth can't work the words well enough to express all the love and concern I have for you especially in these very hard years of decision making and with so much working against you. Stay strong and true. In the D&C 3:3 it reminds us that the work of God will always win, not the work of man or the world.

I love you and ALWAYS will,

Mom

"I can't remember"

I have enjoyed doing a fair amount of memorizing in my time, sayings, simple poems, etc. One of the first was in Mrs. Stenburgs 4th grade class. We were by assignment to chose and memorize a poem. I chose "Sugar Plum Tree", and I have never forgotten it. When Scott was 11 years old I asked him if he had ever memorized anything and he said that he had enjoyed memorizing several things. That pleased me so I asked him what. He looked at me for a minute, than said, "I can't remember!"

**********

Craig's Baptism

Sunday afternoons we enjoyed looking at our photo albums. As the pages were turned great memories came that made us reflect, often laughing as we remembered special times. Once little Vaughn pointed at a photo of Craig and Dad dressed in white baptism suits taken on a beautiful fall morning just before we left for the Stake House. "Dad", Vaughn said, "This is when you were BAPSI-TIZING" Craig.

These memories are choice and will always be treasured.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

You be the Mom!

After all the older kids had gone to school and things were calm and quite again, "Let's play house" Vaughn said to me, "You be the mom and I'll be the baby."

Koala Bear??

Four year old Kevin looking at a picture of Grandma Ellen and Grandpa Sterling Hixson holding a koala Bear while they were vacationing in Australia, said, "Look, that's a coconut bear."

Family Nights - 1975

A happy family are we,

Obedient as we can be.

Monday night found us doing as

the prophet said,

Each child reverent as Dad from

the scriptures read.

Suddenly Scot excitedly shouts

he has a chicken pox on his head.

Dad quiets all and regains attention,

Then once again carries on with the lesson.

Without any warning Craig falls 

on the floor.

A short lecture, than Dad starts 

over once more.

"Kevin sit still!", It's unbelievable how

 much a little boy wiggles.

And for simply no reason

the girls get the giggles.

Somehow or other 

Dad's lessons complete,

But he's sure everyones mind

has been half on the treat.

Still each monday night finds us

faithful and true..

For children, the prophet promised 

Strong testimonies for each one of you.

'And he meant what he said 

and he said what he meant'

And our wonderful Dad,

He's so faithful.... 100%