February Favorite Find

My random text to Megan read, "Friday, do you want to go hit the thrifts store and find a chair with me?" (strange I know) I guess she was up for the adventure and then pretty soon we Julene  pulled in on it and the rest was Friday Fun history.

We treated ourselves to ice cream after the big find.... and before we knew it, this little chair was the inspiration for a PARTAY!

$15 vintage find- love it.  I have a thing for chairs!

Step one:  A quick Rough sand

Step Three:  Paint it red, sand it a little and then add a little black glaze for the vintage effect...

So Inspired by the Valentine Red Chair, we hosted a February Fave "mocktails and hors d'oeuvres" complete with a "Valentine" exchange.   

 We all enjoyed a Post January "pick me up!"  Love these women!

Good Bye February-- can't wait to see where my next text to Megan leads....

Monday Memory- Tuweep

 I woke to a thicket blanket of snow this morning, and I realized my feet had not felt the crunch of the snow since our trip to Tuweep on January 1st.  Some say this trip is not for everyone. However, Rigby and I have been trying to get here for more than a decade.  

Located in the Western Grand Canyon, Tuweep is reached by a 2.5 hour drive on a primitive washboard dirt road.  Although the lowest view point of the magnificent Grand Canyon drop, the 3,000 foot sheer drop,  is gripping!  At 4550 feet, they say Tuweep rarely gets snow- but look what we found. 

 So my heart did stop a few as the overlook of the Grand Canyon- this view point is not a fenced overlook.  Maleck and Emma were brave, but we kept a watchful eye.  It was the teenagers we were most worried about.

                     The beauty here is thick and rich and intoxicating. 

 Thanks Grandpa for another adventure. Maleck has marked off one of his goals now of the 7 wonders of the world.

 I love you Rigby.  Enjoying the outdoors with you is my favorite place to make memories!

  Grandpa's grub was pretty yummy, and who could beat this picnic spot?

                                          Loving Life -
Find some snow- make a memory- make a memory- write your story!

Monday Memory--the best memories are made today!

 I am a story keeper... a memory maker.  I love a little adventure and time with my family.  Today we enjoyed an amazing four wheeler ride over Utah Hill.  We ended up looking over the gorge- it was incredible!  Today I wrote my personal history- and I lived it!

I fell in love with the dessert today, the cactus forests, the rough and rugged terrain, the dirty trails, the memories.  This is a harsh land.  

 Wandering I find adventure,
watch the birds,
feel the sun...
Looking West, I see the cactus,
The rugged terrain.
 memories are real, 
tangible in the sun.
I feel the moments ticking away
So quickly time passes.
Everyday is a story, a memory...
Rising and setting with the sun.

                                                Over looking the gorge

                                           Amazing Vistas
Seleck and Stockton have been chasing cows since they were tykes.  Today was no different.  They gave this cow a run for his money-- giggles echoed from their grown bodies. 

 Emma drove nearly 20 miles on the four wheeler today with just a little help from daddy!

We loved our adventure grandpa--- when can we go again?

Happy Valentine's Day! love,, Ann and William!

William Leonard Evans with bride Alberta Ann Ward
Married June 11, 1915

A love story for Valentine's... I wish I knew William and Ann's love story... where did they meet, what was their song.  But I only have dates and this one beautiful picture.

 They were my maternal great grandparents.  Three years prior to this picture William served a mission to England... He round Ann and fell in love.  The two were married in the Salt Lake temple in June of 1915- that's a 100 years ago.  They were the parents of 6 children.
They knew how to do hard things, but above all, they knew how to love each other!

Ann is my namesake-- Happy Valentine's Day to you both!

Memory Monday- To Max love, Mimi

(Left to Right) Kim, Heather, Wendy, Max, Amy, Jenimarie, LaVon (crying), Brook,Chris, Michael, Natalie, and Cleve

If you look closely at this picture, you can see the cute little boy in yellow holding my hand... I am wearing a white shirt with pink pants- That's us, Max and Mimi. 

Max named me that- Mimi.  It is the first nickname I ever had and for quite some time the only one.  I treasure that name- and my memories with Max

You know when you have 30 cousins (that only includes my Weaver cousins) you don't mean to have favorites, but you do-  Max is one of mine!  Last week he turned 39.  That seems so hard to fathom, but I guess if I am 40 then he must be 39.  

As a child, Max was so incredibly full of life and enthusiasm.  I loved that about him.  I loved it when he used to kiss grandma's vacuum-- I am not sure why he did, but I thought it was fun.

There was also his patriotic phase.  When we visited him in Nephi,  he had a flag pole out in front of his house and he raised it every day.  I loved it when I was around to help him and we said the Pledge of Allegiance.  

The summer his sister, little Laree had to be in the hospital for her hip problems, we were lucky to have Max and his younger brother, Matt come stay with us for a long period of time.

Everyday, we had a parade with our little red wagon led by Max carrying a flag- I loved it.  Those days were filled with laughter and adventures.  I cherish my memories with Max. 

I loved it when Grandpa gave us ice cream to slide between the cracks as he used to say! (Left to Right- back row Natalie, Jenimarie, Brook, Diane, Daniel, Lavon, Matt, Front row- Max, Ivan, and Ryan)

 And then Max and Mimi grew up-- became busy, drifted... In life we sometimes get a tough hand.  Max got his.  I wish we could have had a parade for your birthday Max- I would have loved to see you lead it holding your flag high and then leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Happy Birthday Max!

I love you!
Love,
Mimi

Falling in love in February

I love Valentine's Day-- last year Barnwood and Tulips featured love letters all month long.  Now with only 8 days until Valentine's we will feature ancestral wedding or engagement photos--- nothing says I love you like "I Do!"

On February 23, 1910 my great grandparents, David Christopher Weaver and Sophia Dickson Weaver were married in the Salt Lake temple.  This year marks their 105th wedding anniversary.

Sophia Dickson was born September 12, 1888 and died September 9, 1975.  David Christopher Weaver was born November 27, 1885 and died October 29, 1862. Sophia would have been 22 the day they married and Christopher 25 years old.

I love this photo- refined with dignity- a classical pose.  I love these people!  If I remember, correctly my grandfather Max Dickson Weaver said they met at a dance at the mouth of Ogden Canyon.

  I wish I knew their story...  I can only imagine- handsome valley boy dares to ask the beautiful Sophia from up the canyon to dance.  The song "By the light of the Silvery Moon"  is playing as he makes his way across the dance floor.  He is nervous but confident.  She is shy, but excited.

Their eyes lock... they dance "by the light of the silvery moon..."

Happy New Year... January according to the iphone!

I love doing my iphone posts.  Using the pics from my phone is a great way for me to journal and count my blessings.  Although January was a month full of sickness in our home and tremendous business pressure for Travis, it was also a time of great joy as we celebrated the birthdays of  Travis and Emma.  My blessings are abundant- this has been a great visual reminder to me to be MORE GRATEFUL!

 So here you go... January's Top 5
l.  After a decade, we finally made it to Tuweep, Grand Canyon National Park- what an incredible experience!
2.  Travis turned another year better looking and Emma turned 10- double digits- WOW!
3.  We enjoyed a great visit from recently returned Alyssa Clark!
4.Two temple trips in a month--- Go TEAM!
5.  Enjoyed fun times together-- sledding, bowling, playing, and celebrating!

Bonus---Have you seen gas prices-- Wowser!