Little House

The kids and I have been reading "The Little House on the Prairie" books. The girls have become quite enthralled with the story. They are very interested in reading about the lives of Laura and Mary.

Miriam has started calling us "Ma" and "Da" (not sure why-- it is Pa in the story...) and at dinner she frequently tells us, "Children should be seen and not heard at table."

Rebecca has already read the series, but wants to read them again. She will take the book with them to bedtime or rest time and read to Miriam until Miriam tells her she is too tired to listen any more. In "Little House on the Prairie" Laura and her family leave their home in the big woods and travel by covered wagon to the prairies of Kansas, where they build a log cabin and establish a home there.

In the story, they meet others who built a cabin eight feet wide. Rebecca thought this was amazing, so we had to measure out eight feet in our living room. She started at the front of the couch, and found that the opposite wall was further away than eight feet.

The kids also tried their hand at building a log cabin. Good thing they had Dad to help them build a solid log cabin, just like in the story.


I am so grateful for all the modern conveniences we enjoy. At one point in the story, it talks about not being lazy. I'm sure most of us are lazy compared to what they did, myself included. But it makes me realize that we are capable of so much more than we do. These people were nearly completely self-sufficient. Their lives can teach us all lessons that still apply today.

So Grateful

Holidays tend to be stressful to me. Even though I know that the point of holidays is to enjoy family and the time together, I often get stressed out by all the less important stuff-- meals, gifts, being timely to events-- as well as the every-day type stresses.

Thanksgiving was no different for me. We were planning on leaving home about noon to drive to Colorado Springs to spend Thanksgiving with family. That morning, I was feeling my stress level rising. I was concerned that we wouldn't be ready in time. As I realized this was happening, I took some time out, prayed, and decided that I wouldn't let myself get stressed out. It didn't matter if we were a little late.

We managed to get out of the house just a few minutes after 12, so we were right on time. In Castle Rock, we hit some stop-and-go construction. There were construction signs, but no construction. As we were going through this, we were rear-ended. As we sat on the side of the road, I realized there were many things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. I am grateful that no one involved in the accident was injured, especially the children.

I am grateful that the guy who hit us has insurance.

I am grateful the children were so calm about an extra hour added to a two-hour trip (and that they went to sleep!).

I am grateful Jack is able to take care of the situation and remain calm about it all.

I am grateful that the pies in the back of the van were undamaged. Here Joseph was so tired after making pies yesterday, he went right to sleep!

(Rebecca, Becca, Maren, TJ, Robert)

I am grateful we were able to see my brother Robert and his family that drove out from Utah for the holiday.

I am grateful the cousins all played so well together.

(Miriam, Maren, TJ, Samantha, Rebecca, Joseph)

I am grateful that we were able to spend time with my brother Aaron and his family as well.

(Ali, Ann, Jacob, Trish, Miriam, Samantha)

I am grateful we were able to be there for my niece Ali's 16th birthday. I'm not surprised all the girls liked the New Moon game she got.

I am grateful I was able to visit with my Grandma and that she has found a treatment that is helping with her dizziness.

(Joseph and Jack)

I am especially grateful for my husband and children. They mean the world to me.

Celebrating a Life

Last Tuesday we gathered as a family to celebrate the life of Tommie Fong. His funeral services were brief and focused. He was remembered. We laughed and remembered the great person that is gone from us at this time.

It was also a time to learn new things about Tommie. Who knew that Grandma met Tommie when her first husband brought him over to the house? I had no idea that Tommie traveled so much, going all over the U.S. and traveling abroad as well. I found out that Tommie would take his much-younger siblings out to amusement parks when he went home to visit. So Tommie was the best man at Bob and Lee's wedding, and Bob was best man at Grandma and Tommie's wedding. Tommie kept his marriage to Grandma a secret from his family until his sister Paula bought plane tickets for the two of them and put the wrong name on the ticket.

Tommie lived a rich, full, interesting life. He will be missed. John, Jack, David, Julie, Jennie, Linda

Tommie's sister Paula is sitting next to Grandma.

Grandma and Paula

Miriam in Tommie's hat.

Rebecca in Tommie's hat.

How Much Can You Hold?

Like any small child his age, Joseph likes to have things. He likes to carry things around. And he likes to see how many things he can carry at once. Here he has two crackers (one for each hand) and a box of raisins.

How will he eat any of it, though?

To the Zoo

Wednesday was another day off from school, and it ended up being a beautiful day, so we went to the zoo. My friend Rebekah was in town from Wyoming, and she met up with us for a while. We had fun and the girls were glad to be able to go since last time I went they were in school.

Rebekah and Benjamin Rebecca, Miriam and Joseph

I always take the kids on either the train or carousel. This day they chose the carousel, but Joseph and Miriam are not ready to go on the moving animals, so we went on the bench instead.

Rebecca on the monkey.

There is a polar bear down there. The girls liked watching him. He was the animal they wanted to see the most.

Wedding and Funeral Relatives

Last summer, my brother Robert got married. We drove out for the wedding, and while we were there I visited with my Aunt Eleice. We talked about how it was unfortunate that we live less than half an hour from each other, but the only time we see each other is at weddings and funerals, hours from where we live.

I guess Aunt Eleice thought we should do something about this, and she hosted a family dinner at her home. My brother Aaron and his family, Dad, Michele, Ann, Grandma, my cousin Keith and his family, and my cousin Kim and her family were all there. I haven't seen my cousins in years, and Aunt Eleice put all of us cousins at one table together (without kids). It was awkward at first, but after a while we were able to see that we aren't that different. It was nice to get to know them again.

My dad does videography, and so he brought a copy of the video he made of Robert's wedding. We enjoyed watching that, especially since Aaron and his family weren't able to come.

Carri, Katie, Ann, Ali, Samantha and Joseph Maren and Kim's husband Jeff in the background.

Uncle Ron, Rebecca, Samantha, Maren and Miriam

Tommie Fong

October 29, 1925 to
November 5, 2009

Tommie had been suffering from liver cancer for a while now. There was no permanent treatment that the doctors could do for him, so he did some chemotherapy and also enlisted the help of different Chinese herbs. Tommie's body finally gave in to the effects of age and cancer on Thursday, November 5.

Tommie lived a full life. He was born in China and lived there for the first 13 years of his life. He experienced a total change of lifestyle when he moved with his family to San Francisco. His family still lives in San Francisco, and he always enjoyed returning to visit them.

Tommie worked as a chef at a steakhouse in Denver for many years. John Elway would request that Tommie cook for him. I remember when Jack and I got married, Tommie would still go to work at the restaurant on Saturdays for the regular weekend crowd. He was 75 at the time.

Tommie liked to watch football, play the lotto and cook. He would go to the grocery store nearly every day. Tommie was always cheerful and willing to talk.

Tommie and Grandma Fong had been married for a long time. Jack doesn't remember Grandma without Tommie. I never saw them apart.

Tommie was blessed to pass from this life peacefully and quickly. Even though he has been struggling with his health, he was still living at home up until his hospitalization on Monday. We had planned a surprise birthday lunch at his favorite restaurant for Saturday, but he didn't feel up to it. But he was able to go to Uncle Bob's to watch as the trick-or-treaters came by.

We will miss Tommie, but we are grateful he was able to live a full life.