JOLT!!!!

Back When Days Were Simpler...
Ben had to use a funnel to down his dose of JOLT COLA...with a little help from Curt.
It goes without saying...this was worth getting on film and video from both sides.

Blast From The Past

Twenty Seven Years Ago Today

August 2, l981

Blessing Day for our first child, our son, Curt!

He was 3 weeks old.

Curt was Blessed by his dad, Ron, at the West Palm Beach,

Carandis Road Chapel.

At the time, we were in The Lake Worth Ward Congregation.

We lived in Lake Worth on Stevens Road in a Triplex.

Oh...what happy simple days.

Ron and I were approaching our 1 year anniversary at this point.

One year earlier on August 2, 1980, I attended the Provo LDS Temple

in preparation for our wedding in the Salt Lake LDS Temple the

following week.

Three months after these photos were taken, I was a 21 year old Relief Society

President and Ron was serving on the High Council and was Teaching

Seminary one evening per week.

August is full of significant dates for our family, Birthdays, Anniversaries, and

milestones. Stay tuned for more.

Go Blue! Go Curt!
Curt received GREAT NEWS on his Birthday yesterday!
Click HERE to read all about it!!!!!
Congratulations! I am so excited and proud of him.
Hail To The Victors!

Way To Go!!!

Way To Go Curt!!!!!

Curt passed the GMAT today with more than flying colors.

See his score here!

Congratulations, Son! I am soooo proud of you!

Fantastic!

Go Curt

Michigan Here He Is!!!!

Curt drove safely from Utah to MIchagan last week.

He arrived on Saturday and starts his new job at the Ann Arbor office today!

Carmen will join him shortly.

They have traded snow for more snow!

Congratulations and Good Luck!

Curt pointed out some fun information. Ann Arbor is very close to the Amish Country of Ohio wheren Ron's family roots are. We can't wait to visit them....in the SUMMER!

Curt and Grandpa

April, 1982, Curt was 9 months old. My dad was visiting us in Florida from New Jersey for Easter. At this time, never would we have dreamed that 24 years later, Curt and Grandpa would share such a sweet experience as when Grandpa Hogie performed Curt and Carmen's marriage and sealing in the Salt Lake Temple, May 12, 2006.

This photo was at our little "Love Shack" duplex on Stevens Road in Lake Worth, FL.

Dad would come down and work on his tan and golf game along with all the other Northerners escaping the long winter. I am not sure if those pants are still in your closet, dad, if so, hide them when Andrew returns from Peru. He will seek them out to start building his post-mission wardrobe. Curt, was wearing one of his "nightgowns". Shortly after this time, Curt began to walk, no, RUN everywhere. He was an early walker and talker. What a delightful baby and son to raise! One of Curt's nicknames was "head". With no hair, his large head looked even larger. There was a man at Church who would rub Curt's head for "good luck"

Memories With a Smile

May 1983, Blessing Day for Jeffrey at the West Palm Beach Chapel on Carandis Road. Curt was 22 months old. Right around this time, Curt was not sure about sharing life with this little baby brother. Curt asked me more than once, "When is his mom coming to pick him up?"

Photos like these become more and more precious as the years march on.

I look at this photo and think about life at that moment. I was a very sleep deprived young mother juggling the major calling of Relief Society President in a very "high needs" Ward along with having a husband who was studying for his Florida State General Contractors Exam=he was not home much. Somehow, I was able to balance the demands of that season and look back with a smile. Our little family was blessed beyond description and I would not trade each opportunity we have had to grow and learn.

During this period, there were many needy families at Church. There were times when I would have up to ten families I had to purchase groceries for in one week. This was before Bishop's Storehouses and Distribution Centers in South Florida. I would go to the grocery store late in the evening after Ron was home so I could leave the babies home. I had to purchase 2 weeks of food at one time for each family. Some of the families had many children and this would make for a large food order. It would fill up my little Honda Accord. Most of this had to be done by me and could not be delegated for various reasons. Many times, I would wonder how I would even get my own family's groceries purchased and prepared for the week.

One evening, after shopping for a large family, I was very tired and did not have the best attitude.I wanted to put off shopping for them until the next day, but felt a pressing need to get their grocery order filled and delivered that evening. I went to their home to deliver their groceries. It was very quiet, all the children were in bed asleep. The mother helped unload the car. I went inside to put a few things away. As I opened the refrigerator, all that was in the refrigerator was a Ketchup bottle with about an inch of ketchup left. The cupboards were totally bare. I realized that the family had gone to bed hungry. How humbling for me. What an immediate attitude shift I had. Realizing that the children would be able to eat a healthy breakfast warmed my heart. This was a life changing lesson for me in following the promptings that come even if they are not convenient. This was also an experience that gave me wisdom far beyond my 22 years, something I had been promised as I was set apart to serve.

While serving others, it is clear that our family has received much more than we have given.

A Favorite Easter Memory

Easter 1983... Curt wearing his Easter suit made by...me... yes... me...the non-seamstress.

This was the project I worked on the week before Jeffrey was born. Thank goodess I completed this little red and white striped outfit as there was no way to know that Jeffrey would arrive very early and my sewing days would be seriously limited. Life as I knew it would be forever changed.

Through the years, each of my three sons wore this outfit for Easter.

Sometimes it seems like last week I was at my little house in Greenacres, FL, sewing away while my 20 month old son was peacefully napping. During that nap, I am sure there was a phone cord stretched to wherever I was in the house, as I was also the 22 year old Relief Society President. That was my first go in that calling. I always say I was so young and new, I did not even know what to be overwhelmed about, I just dived in and hoped everyone was cared for!