MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas to everyone as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. Let us all be thankful for Him at this special time of year.

Camp Floyd

Yesterday, our family got together at Lori's for Labor Day. Previous to our gathering at Lori's, we drove out to Fairfield so we could see the area where Camp Floyd was once a huge military base for Johnston's army in 1858 to 1861.

But the most significant thing about this place for our family is that Bernell's great, great, grandfather, John Carson, was the person who established this town in 1855 with his four brothers. The settlement was first known as Frogtown.
This tree we are standing in front of was planted by John Carson 152 years ago.
John Carson built this two-story adobe and frame hotel called the 'Stagecoach Inn' in 1858. It was the first stop south of Salt Lake City on the Overland Stage Route. It also served as one of 157 way-stations during the operation of the Pony Express.
It was one of the few respectable establishments in this frontier town. It lodged visitors such as Mark Twin, Porter Rockwell, Bill Hickman, and Sir Richard Burton.
It has been restored and John Carson's pedigree is framed on the wall.


In 1858 Camp Floyd was established near Fairfield with soldiers numbering 3,500. Fairfield became the third-largest city in Utah and the country's largest military post. Fairfield grew to 7,000 people and along with it many saloons, businesses, gamblers, thieves, etc.
The kids had some fun dressing up in military uniforms, marching, and learning some gun handling techniques.
Becca and Isaac look pretty sharp. Attention!!!!
What a great way to see some family history. Standing in the home where they lived 150 years ago and learning more about them was a special experience. Makes family history real!!!

Dusty Pictures

About 2 weeks ago, Joy, my past stepmother, called and said she was in her basement in a part where the ceiling was unfinished. She looked up and among the boards was a cardboard box. She pulled it down and found some very old pictures that my dad must have stored there. She brought them over. Oh my, how dusty they were and what a fantastic find to see all these never-before-seen old photos of grandparents, great-grandparents, and a great,great-grandparent!

This first picture is my dad about 16 years old. He's standing next to my great-grandmother, Mary Pinkney Patterson Warford. She lived in town, Higbee, where dad had to attend high school so he stayed with her during the week since his parents lived out a few miles from town on a farm.
This next picture is of his (Dad's) parents, Nancy and Leonard, and his brother and sister. This picture was taken about 10 years before my dad was born.
This is a choice picture of my great-grandfather, James Warford, husband of Mary Pinkney. I've only seen one picture of him where he's much older.
This next one is a family picture of James and Mary with some of their children and grandchildren. My grandmother, Nancy Susan, is standing right behind her mother. I've never seen a picture of my grandmother at a very young age like this before.


This is a family picture of James and Mary with their 5 daughters and 3 sons. Nancy Susan is Dad's mother. I was named after her.

The next 2 are the most priceless of all these new photos. This is a picture taken around 1860 of my great-great grandmother, Nancy Catherine Maxfield. I had never seen ANY picture of her before.
Nancy Catherine was born in Kentucky. She married John Pinkney Patterson in 1864. He went off to fight with the Confederates in the Civil War that same year and never returned. 9 months later, my great-grandmother, Mary Pinkney, was born. I've had a picture of him, probably taken just before he went off to war so what a thrill to now have one of Nancy Catherine, too.
So glad you checked out the dusty box, Joy!

Spring Flowers

I did my annual spring tour of the beautiful Church office grounds, yesterday. I met Becky for lunch at the Lion House and then we went out for some picture taking.
The tulips are at their peak. Just look at the pictures and enjoy!!!



Pretty huh!!!!

The wind started getting very strong so Becky went back to work and I left, too. The only damage we sustained during the night was the awning on our backyard swing flew off and over the top of the house. Bernell found it in the front yard this morning with broken hinges.

I guess the pretty tulips of yesterday will have to endure some snow today or tomorrow. Nice while it lasted.

Panama Canal Cruise

We're back! We did a cruise through the Panama Canal and it was great!
Our dining room table was next to the back window of the ship so we captured some beautiful sunsets as we dined.
We left San Diego for 2 weeks of sailing. Puerto Vallarta was our first stop followed by Huatulco.
We just did a little shopping around here. Was very hot!!!
Next stop was Puerto Chiapas. Very hot here, too!!!!
Next stop, Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. We did a tour into the city of Antigua. Soon as we stepped off the bus we were surrounded by people trying to sell us their trinkets. Streets were very narrow, don't know how that bus driver made the corners. Saw a lot of poverty along the way. Made me realize how much WE have.
We sailed on to Panama and did a tour of the city but couldn't get good pictures because it was night time and too dark. Saw a lot of poverty in the old parts and then very wealthy high rises in the newer parts of Panama City.

Early the next morning we entered the beginning of the Panama Canal, first passing Panama City. We could see the temple very well up the hill from the ship.
After sailing under the Bridge of the Americas, we entered the Miraflores Locks. What a fantastic experience to see how they operate.

Standing on a higher deck, I took this picture of the nose of the ship as we entered the first lock. The water level rose and the gates opened; into the next lock we went. Very interesting to see!!!

A heavy rainstorm came and went in 15 minutes time but oh was it hot with 100 percent humidity!!!!! Felt like we were in a windy steam bath.


Next day we toured the city of Cartagena, Colombia. It's a large place with high rises stretching out among the long beaches with areas of poverty mixed in. And it was extremely hot and humid here, too!!!!!
A large cruise ship parked next to us in port.
We sailed 2 days up to Fort Lauderdale; then spent the day flying back home. There's no place like home!!!

Big Job

I've decided to transfer all the many video tapes we have taken of the family for the the past 30+ years to DVD's.
Spent the past week doing the weddings. The computer's had some glitches with new programs and the overwhelming overload of work going into this project. Sure glad Bernell's been around to help clean up problems when they come (which has been all too often). We bought a 1Tb hard drive to hold all these video transfers, all my digital pictures for the past 6 years, and all the scrapbook pages I've made. It's already down to 850Gb. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be doing stuff on a computer and need this much space. Be interesting to see how many more Gb's are used by the time I finish transferring all these tapes! A BIG JOB but think it's worth it...

2009 iMovie Done!

I've finished making the 2009 Family iMovie. Took me most of January to finish it...but it's done!

Here's some samples.....

"Summer Fun"
"Bernell's 70th Celebration"
"Trip to Arnold's"

Happy New Year!

We always go to Lori's on New Year's day. After a nice lunch, the ladies, with the help of little fingers, tried to fit the pieces of a puzzle together as we talked, laughed, and just had a good time.
We didn't get too far on this one.
The older kids went sledding on a nice hill near Julie home. They had fun bouncing on the bumps.
As a kid, I loved to sled down the hills with my brothers and dad. Now the grandkids have just as much fun.
The holidays are over. With Becky's help, our tree got taken down and put away for another year. The front door wreath was changed, and the decorative lights outside are turned off.

Today is Monday. Probably a lot of moms were glad to send their children back to school. I remember when I was about 6 or 7 years old, I came home from school that first Monday and saw the Christmas tree gone from the living room. I asked my mom why was it gone and then cried. I didn't want it gone.


Well, like my dad always used to say on Christmas morning, "Only 365 days till Christmas!"
..............Gee, it's less than that already!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!