Traces of Time . . . June 12-18, 2016

Traces of Time . . .

This week 

~ June 12, 2016 
to 
June 18, 2016
in IDAHO ~

♫♪June is Bustin' Out All Over

June 12, 2016 - Sunday     

I was assigned on Wednesday, June 8, to speak today in Sacrament Meeting.  I was asked to choose one of the Saturday Session talks from the April 2016 General Conference.  
I chose Elder Gary E. Stevenson's talk from Saturday Morning entitled:  "Where are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood."  

I am thankful for the restoration of the Priesthood Keys and Authority for this last Dispensation. And thankful for the righteous exercise of that authority by my wonderful husband, Walter Ray Petersen, in presiding over and guiding our family in love and kindness.

June 13, 2016 - Monday

We spent the day sorting and filing papers in our office den.  I've been working at this for many weeks to get it done.  I got a lot done today.  Walt ran some errands and had his physical therapy in late afternoon.

For a family home evening service project, our home teacher, Eric Pierce, came with his two daughters to help seal the two sides of our air conditioner in the kitchen nook window that wouldn't reach quite to the sides.  They did it with duct tape.

Now we won't get wasps flying in through the opening of the window.

How kind of them. 

After their FHE service, they got to go have an FHE activity of swimming at the Burley Pool.  They are a darling family! The 2-year-old sister was waiting at home with Kiley, the Mom, for them to come get them to go swimming.

June 14, 2016 - Tuesday

Today is our 55th Wedding Anniversary.
Here we are with our parents--whom we miss every day since they are all now living in heaven.
Arnold and Verna Huffaker Albertson, my Mom and Dad.
Ray and Jane Petersen, Walt's Mom and Dad.

If I make it larger, you can see our "youthful" faces closer up.
Walt was 27 and Eileen 22. We thought we were "old."  
We didn't have a clue what "Old" was!

Our Twin Falls Temple is in its second week of closure for the semi-annual maintenance and repairs.  

So we decided to drive to Salt Lake City to do a session in the Salt Lake Temple where we were married on June 14, 1961.
That's my grandparents--Dave and Ella Huffaker on the left, and Walt's widowed Grama Maria Prescott on his right.

It's been so nice over the years that they always put the flags out for our anniversary.  (Ha!Ha! We really know it's for Flag Day....but it does help us never forget.)

We waved goodbye to our home for a day and were on Interstate 84 by 10:00 this morning.  We pulled into the underground parking lot of the Salt Lake Conference Center three hours later.

"You just missed our 1:00 session," said the kind temple worker as we walked into the temple.  But we were happy to have a leisurely time to get into our white temple clothes and go to the chapel to read scriptures as we waited for the 2:00 session to begin.

We were delighted to see that Grant and Marilyn Barton--friends from our time serving a mission in Argentina--were workers on that session.  It was a tender mercy for us!

After the great session, we walked through the City Creek area, and had a light supper.

We even saw the fish in the crick that our cousin, Susie Sommerkorn, had told us about.

We are so thankful and happy 

for our 55 years together.

Another 55-year flash back:
Here we are by Walt's '57 Plymouth all painted with "Just Married" after the wonderful wedding luncheon for us and all the family that  Walt's Aunt Tess Prescott Julian had prepared at her Hill Air Force Base home in Ogden.  
She had "Birds of Paradise" flowers flown in from Hawaii where they had lived for a long time since Uncle Austin Julian was a jet pilot for many years. (They were friends with Chuck Yeager.)

When we drove away "into the sunset" it was a noisy send off with all the cans tied onto the back.  After a couple of weeks that Walt worked with his carpenter father, we drove to St. Louis for Walt to begin his third year of medical school.
I got a job at the Jewish Hospital as secretary to the Hematologist.  (I didn't even know what "hematologist" meant when I applied for the job.)  

We couldn't believe the commute I had -- down the stairs and out the door of our second story apartment, walking across the street, straight into the door that led to the Hematology Department of The Jewish Hospital.  What a tender mercy! 

June 15, 2016 - Wednesday

We had a sweet rendezvous with our Petersen cousins as we stopped for lunch at Maddox.  Walt, Lareen Petersen Fox, Ken and Audrey Petersen Hibler, (and Mary Kate Petersen Christensen--not in this photo).

It's always fun to be with Lareen, Mary Kate, Audrey and her husband Kenny.   Mary Kate had to leave before the rest to get back to her office by 1:00 for a meeting she was over.  She has worked for the City of Brigham City for 22 or 23 years now. I have her photo on Walt's smart phone, but don't know how to get it loaded onto the computer.  (I had left my phone in the car and got it for these photos outside Maddox.)

From there we drove over to The Golden Spike National Historical Site.  We had been there in May 1969 when they were celebrating the 100th year since the joining of the railroad tracks from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Now in the 147th year since that historic day, we returned for our second visit.  We had forgotten that it is 29 miles from Brigham City to the west.  But it was worth the time.

From there we took the road around the back of ATK--which is the company that bought Thiokol.  Here is a rocket display.

We got back on Interstate 15 just past Howell, then went off the Interstate again just after Snowville and drove through Strevell, Malta and Declo back to Burley.  The crops look good.

We were happy to arrive home just before the sun was directly in our eyes.

What a marvelous time we had together.  Oh, did I forget to mention that when we stopped at the City Creek Chocolate Shoppe, Walt got some penuche fudge for us.

As we walked into the house, these beautiful flowers greeted us as an Anniversary Remembrance from all of The Fishers.

Thank you!

Now we're exhausted from our adventures and are calling it a day.

June 16, 2016 - Thursday

Walt had physical therapy this morning. He comes home really tired from that hour of intense exercise.

Our daisies by the front porch are just starting to bloom.

June 17, 2016 - Friday

We are blessed each Friday morning to have Kathleen Hedberg--our ward family history consultant--come to our home for two hours to help us on our Petersen-Prescott-Albertson-Huffaker lines.  Right now Kathleen is working with Walt on his Great-Grandmother Nellie Katie Olson Petersen's Swedish line.  We have some names to go do the temple work for.

Friday afternoon we had a fun visit from three relatives--two of them from Utah, and one from Arizona.

Walt's father Ray Petersen is the son of Andrew Petersen who had 7 siblings.  Andrew's brother William was about ten years younger.  "Uncle Willy," had five children - Willis, Earl, Harold, Carol, and Reed. 

Harold "Hal," Reed, and Carol's husband, LeRoy, who drove up from Utah, going through City of Rocks, then over to Burley.  Carol was going to come, but at the last minute didn't feel well enough.  Quite something that five siblings--all in their 80's, since Reed--the youngest--turned 80 last month.

It was such a fun two-hour visit.  I remember Grampa Ray and Grama Jane talking about the good times they had when Uncle Willy and family came from Elwood to visit with them in Wendell, Idaho.

We are sad to miss the Petersen-Jensen Reunion next weekend at Willard (or Perry?).  But, at the same time, it will be great to be with our children and grandchildren at our personal WEPR--the Walt and Eileen Petersen Family Reunion here in Burley.

Friday evening -- Burley 3rd Ward Picnic
Following this nostalgic reminiscing time, we drove out to the Star Ward pavillion for our Burley 3rd Ward Picnic, hosted by the High Priest's Quorum.  Here are the High Priest Group Leader and his Assistants: Brent Young, Ken Fronk, and the H.P. Leader--David Hansen. 
David and Ken have been bishops of Burley Third Ward. Brent has been a ward clerk.  Three great Priesthood men!

With two bouncy houses to keep the children entertained, the adults got to visit with each other--so everyone was happy!

This one attracted the little kids...

...and this bouncy house kept the older kids going back for more slides down.  Walt and I have never seen such a tall bouncy house.

Delicious pork was served along with all the pot luck side dishes....and lots of yummy desserts -- including a Dutch oven cherry chocolate cake that we think Steve Ormond brought.  Ken Fronk served the pork.

The weather wasn't too hot nor too cold....except for a wind gust that blew the plates and tableclothes around.

The missionaries assigned to our ward, along with all the ward members make everyone feel welcome.

Whenever David and Alice Hansen are in charge and/or help with a ward event, it is always done with a flair.  Alice has many beautiful items to decorate with which makes everything extra special!

Old and young...we all enjoyed being together.

Dave and Marilyn Gibbons are about to be released from their 3-year calling as First Counselor and wife in the Idaho Twin Falls Mission Presidency.

Brent and Cindy Young...I didn't get a chance to gather their two daughters, son-in-law, and g-dau, Brailee to be in the photo with them.  They are just back from a wonderful family vacation to Disneyland. 

The Helms--Megan and Craig Thomas and daughter Eloise.  They hurried to leave when they saw me taking pictures, but I cut off their escape.

Bishop Steve Gerratt, his wife Michelle, and 4 of their five children: Tyler, Clara, Ryan, and Dallin.  McKay is in the MTC preparing for his Russia St. Petersburg Mission.

Gusts of wind kept blowing through and catching everyone's hair -- those who have hair!

Eric Pierce with his wife Kylie, and their three daughters: Kinsley, Aila, and Becklyn. Bro. Pierce is the first counselor in the bishopric and our great home teacher.

Bro. Dan Murray, the other great counselor in the bishopric, got away before I could take a photo.

Another great family in our ward -- Lydon and Tawny Crane, with their three children -- 

We have many wonderful members of our Burley Third Ward....here are some others...

Alyssa Carnahan is a great primary teacher, and Lanada Kerbs is our outstanding Relief Society President.

Alyssa with two of their three children, Blair and Silas. I think Jarom was helping put up the tables or chairs.  Evan was home working on something.

Amber Grayson and Kylie Jones Pierce.

Lori Baker and her son Camdon. Cameron must have had to be at work.

Debbie Harrell with her daughter Jasmine and her two sons, Kadon and  

Debbie drew our attention to the double rainbow and the full moon.  I don't know if the rainbow shows up very well in the photo I took of it.

It was a really fun ward picnic. Thanks to the High Priests and all who brought such yummy food. Thanks for the fellowship one with another.  We are truly a ward family!

June 18, 2016 - Saturday

Today Walt wore himself out working in the yard.  He has that flower bed that goes along the front porch ready to put compost or new dirt.  For the past several years, the petunias we've planted there have not thrived.

I had a fun project that Bonnie Fronk asked me to help her with.  Eric is their oldest son who lives in California.  His oldest daughter and husband just graduated from college--I think they said BYU--and are expecting their first baby in July.  They are here this weekend with cousins who hosted a Victorian baby shower.

Bonnie had me type this quote to give each one of them:

Dear Granddaughter,

Always remember you are more

COURAGEOUS than you think,

WISER than you know, and

LOVED more than you can imagine.

(It won't copy in the fancy border it was in.)

Of Bonnie and Ken Fronk's 14 granddaughters, there

were 10 able to come to this Victorian luncheon

in the Fronk's back yard.

They wore some old-style hats that Bonnie has.

Here is the next table.

And the final table.

Bonnie's rose garden is in full bloom.

Bonnie and Ken Fronk work hard at keeping their yard and flowers groomed.

They have beautiful flowers, and even more beautiful daughters, daughters-in-law, and granddaughters.

Bonnie said when she introduced them at Church the next day: "It makes me feel old that we are going to be great-grandparents.  But it's wonderful!"

We love our neighbors, The Fronks.

That evening we were invited to the wedding reception of Dr. Glen and Jane Page's daughter, Jessica, at the ward building on 16th Street in Burley.

Walt and Glen have been friends many years as family physicians in Burley.

We saw more families that are close friends.

Here we are with Cambree and Kennadee King.

Cambree recently returned from her mission in Comayguela Honduras. 

(I never remember how to spell it.)

Kennadee leaves in September for her Iowa Des Moines Mission.

Here is part of the rest of their family that was with them.  Tracy and Candace King, Cambree, Kennadee, Kia, and Kestle.  President King was our bishop and now is a counselor in our Burley Idaho West Stake Presidency.

The reception concluded with the bride dancing with her father, the groom with his mother, then the bride and groom dancing, along with the bride's parents and the groom's parents dancing with each other.

The bride threw her bouquet, they cut their wedding cake with the traditions that go along with that.

I didn't get a photo of the bride and groom but got a photo of their photo.  They were married Friday, June 17, in the Salt Lake Temple.

Yes, L O V E is forever.

As we exited, we saw something clever we had not seen before. The chalkboard had this message written on it: "Thank you for Poppin' by!" with bags of  popcorn to take.

(Best kettle corn we've ever had.)

We listened to The Lawrence Welk show when we got home and that concluded a wonderful week - June 12-18.

We're looking forward to Father's Day tomorrow,

then our Walt and Eileen Petersen Family Reunion - the WEPR -

will be June 24-25-26 - next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

We hope you have had a great week also!

We love you.

From the Walt and Eileen Petersen home - Est. 1961