The Grandparent Chronicles

        IT’S FUN TO STAY AT THE Y.M.C.A.?   The group Village People had a hit song in 1978 that is still popular today. Who isn’t familiar with the music, words and actions to; “It’s Fun to Stay at the Y.M.C.A.”? When I was the Marketing Manager at Tri-Miller Packing co., I was exporting loads of pork backfat into Mexico and planned a trip to visit our customer. My itinerary would have me fly from Utah to San Diego, Ca., catch a bus to Calexico, Ca. where my broker would pick me up and together drive across the border into Mexicali, Mexico. It would require a one-night stay in San Diego. I was on a tight budget, so I looked up the Y.M.C.A. and decided to stay there. “It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.” I thought. When I arrived at San Diego, I took a taxi to the Y.M.C.A. I arrived at night and could feel that it was in a bad part of town. My small room had a single cot sized bed, a metal locker for a closet, wooden floors and a community bathroom down the...

       HAS THE DAY OF MIRACLES CEASED? Hopefully, you had the opportunity to listen to recent General Conference talks. They are all inspiring, but have you ever heard a talk that you knew was a message that was meant especially for you? I have. Let me share my experience. On September 23, 2017, my sons Blake, Aaron and Curt, with son in-law Michael Thompson and two grandsons- Spencer (age 10 at the time) and Levi (age 6 back then) and I, all went to a shooting range for a father’s and Son’s activity. We all wore the same protective ear plugs. After the event, when I removed my ear plugs, my hearing was muffled, as if I had earmuffs on. Everyone was hearing normally, except me! This condition didn’t go away so I went to an audiologist who informed me that I had experienced a traumatic hearing loss of approximately 50% in both ears! Soon after, I received a priesthood blessing in which I was not promised a restoration of hearing but was promised that I wo...

          Cruising to 90 ! Annette’s mother, Naomi Stone turned 90 on Dec 20, 2024. To celebrate, her children took her on a Caribbean cruise this March. Eight of her 9 children and those with companions all joined her. (see attached pictures) Naomi’s life has been however, anything but a pleasure cruise! Naomi was born number 9 of 9 children to Francis Louis Phipps and Nellie Clark. Born on Dec. 20,1934, she was 11 years younger than her next youngest sibling, so in many ways, Naomi felt like an only child. She grew up in Ogden, Utah and attended Mound Fort Jr high school where she met Dennis Stone. They soon became sweethearts and married the fall after graduation from Ogden High school on Nov. 4,1953 in the Salt Lake Temple.  On May 26,1955, their first-born Annette joined the family, followed by- Bruce, Carolyn, Dale, Denise, Renae, Sharon, Michelle and Chad. Naomi was a very busy mother raising her 9 children but still found time to serve in th...

          A    FISH    TALE When I was about 11 years old, my family went on a camping and fishing trip to the Madison River, just west of Yellowstone Park. We spent most of our fishing time just drowning worms. One evening as the sun was setting and it was time to call it quits, I decided to make one last cast.   I put a new fat, juicy worm on my #2 hook and cast as far as I could out into the deep rapids. As my bait started floating down river, I felt my line tighten with a jerk, so I jerked back and set the hook. I had a fish on the line, and it felt like a big one! For at least 30 minutes it was a battle between boy and fish. I had to be patient and wear the fish down. Not wanting the line to snap, I slowly wound him in. When I finally got him close to shore, my uncle scooped him up in his net. I had landed a beautiful, fat, five-pound german brown trout! By my standards I had caught a huge trophy fish. By the world’s standards, ...

         A REALLY BAD DAY !       At our senior missionary retreat last October at   Bear Lake, our mission President Ed Kumferman gave a wonderful lesson on happiness. In his lesson he shared a story related to him by his good friend Dr Gary Waddoups. We share his story with permission. Dr. Waddoups is an animal science professor at BYU Idaho and also a practicing vet. One day an imigrant family of parents, children and grandparents, showed up at his clinic with a scruffy white and black dog. Dr. Waddoups said “ you have never seen such an emaciated mess in all your life. He had one   red swollen eye and what looked to be a large dirt clod on his head.His coat was dirty and unkempt, and he was very gaunt.” One small child spoke English, and interpreted for an older woman. “We want you to fix Cholo.” Dr. Waddoups was shocked, “You want him fixed?” “Yes, the old woman said. “He’s broken.” He realized that by “fixed” they ...

  BEST CHRISTMAS EVER !           When you’ve lived as long as we have, you’ve seen a lot of Christmases!  But which  was the “Best Christmas Ever!?” Was it as an excited child with a long list for Santa?   Childhood memories of family gatherings and grandma’s delicious pies? As a teenager when you received the latest cool electronic gizmo? A lonely missionary in a faraway land with very little but memories to warm you? A newlywed with just the two of you together at Christmas time? A parent, enjoying your children’s excitement at this time of year? Or maybe as a grandparent, watching your child as they enjoy seeing their children’s eyes light up as they see on Christmas morning what Santa left for them under the tree? What is it about Christmas? Is it the music? The gifts? The decorations? The treats? The glitter and the glow? or is it all of the above? We’ve experienced Christmases with little and Christmases with ple...