Canyon Is Seven On Aug 1st

MY BOY IS SEVEN!!!!

I remember the day you were born and how excited Grandpa and I were to get the phone call that you had finally arrived from heaven. Tears of joy were shed, as we had waited a very long time for you to come to our family. How exciting it was to have a new grandson to love and spoil. The only sad thing is you were born in Alaska and we lived in Utah and so we could not come immediately to see you. We knew that you would be a very handsome baby because you have the best looking parents and grandparents.

1 hour old

Canyon age 1 month in blessing outfit made by Granny

Your Mom and Dad brought you to Utah to be blessed by your Dad. The priesthood circle was very large as all your uncles, grandfathers and cousins stood there holding you in their hands as your Dad gave you a most beautiful blessing after giving you the name of Canyon Harrell Madsen.

1 year old

You have been such a joy to our family and I just love you so much. My greatest dream came true when your Dad got orders to Hill AFB and you would get to move to Utah. You lived with us for six months while your home was being built in Clinton. Oh how much fun we had with you while living with us. Every night before you went to bed, you and I had to go into my bedroom because you needed a snoozer before going downstairs to bed. What that meant was you wanted to watch cartoons for a few minutes and that was our lone time together. I really did miss our snoozer time after you moved to Clinton. Nearly every weekend though, you came to spend time with us.

You and Grandpa are best buds and love to do things together all the time. Remember when you went to Lowe's and built a car and the trip on the train to Salt Lake to watch a Utah Ute's game? Those were fun days for you weren't they? Your most favorite time is when you come to visit and you and Gramps goes out in the workshop and he lets you make cars and trucks out of wood to take home. I am so glad that you and Gramps are best friends.

One day Grandma did something very bad and left the white spray paint can where you could reach it. I knew better than to not take it into the garage and put it up high on the shelf, but instead left it in the wrong place. You had been outside playing and came into the house with paint on your hands and was headed to the bathroom to wash it off. I had you take me outside to show me what you had painted. Well to our surprise!! you had painted Grandpa's tailgate to his truck, his tires, his hitch, the plants, the locks on the garage and cellar doors, the water meter cover and the rocks. My you were a fast painter because you were not outside for very long. We had a good laugh because Gramps was the only grandpa on the block with a unique paint job on his truck.

You came back a week later and ran to show your cousin, Alex, what you had done to Gramps tires and was so disappointed because the painted tires were gone and new ones in their place. You asked Gramps what happened to the tires. He told you he had to get new tires because you painted them. You looked at him so serious and said "but I only painted just one."

Another time Grandma did something bad and left the scissors on the table. Well this picture tells the rest of the story. Can you believe that you cut your own hair the night before school pictures were to be taken. Your Dad tried to fix it the best he could, but you just cut it way to close to your scalp.
The best parts to your visits are the cookies you make. I think the best part for you is eating the cookie dough. We love chocolate chip cookies the best. You are a good cookie maker.

Canyon, I am so thankful that you wanted to come to our family. You have been such a special little boy and we love you so very much. Thanks for bringing so much joy into our lives. We hope that you have a very special birthday and that everyday is as perfect as you are.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CANYON!!!!!

Farewell My Friend....

Today my friend of 31 years has passed on to the great beyond. I will miss my friend immensely and nothing will ever replace the hours of joy that was brought into my life by its usage. There was not a day during these past 31 years that this friend was not touched by either myself or a member of my family. My friend, "Magna Wonder Knife" was purchased from the DI store in Provo, Utah during the spring of 1978 for $1.00. I thought I had found the best bargain of a lifetime. The handle was so white and the blade untarnished. We took our new knife home to La Sal, Utah and it has made every move that we have made and was our constant companion through thick or thin. Now its handle is yellowed from age, broken, chipped and the blade will not stay where it belongs. Our beloved friend is not safe to use anymore. Now when I open my utensil draw, my friend's memories will only be there. We will remember well the thousands of loaves of bread that was cut with it. There is not a knife on the face of the earth that could cut hot bread fresh from the oven like my friend and each slice was uniform in shape and size. Cutting a roast was a treat with using this knife as each slice was exactly the same in serving size. My life sure was made easier with this knife and it will be hard to not have you.
May your life be full in "knife heaven" and that you will be able to fullfil all your wishes there. Until we meet again, old friend, thanks for all the joy that you brought into our family. We will miss you very much.

Brooklei Ann Madsen Curry

Our sweet, precious baby was born on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, during the parade, in a little country hospital in Monticello, Utah, on July 24, 1976. You were loved and your arrival was most anticipated. Great grandma, Louise Harvey was standing in the delivery room as you made your grand entrance into the world. Tears of joy rolled down grandma's face as she witnessed your birth.
You were so beautiful and had deep creases in her arms and legs. You were given the name of Brooklei Ann, a most beautiful name to go with a beautiful little angel. Brook was chosen because of two very dear friends that I loved. I took their last name to be your first name. Lei Ann was also one of my most favorite names but not wanting to have four capital letters in your full name, added the Lei to Brook making your name "Brooklei Ann". You brought tons of joy into the family and was loved immediately by your brother and sister. Of course as each of you grew older things changed and as all children, the bickering began, but in the end you all knew that you loved each other and that as siblings, would always be there for each other in hard and good times.

You were a very active girl and always wanted to be outside. Inside was not for you and Derek, so you would hurry and do your chores then spend the rest of the day playing outside. You were such a brown skinned little girl and your hair was sun bleached all summer long. We laughed at you and your funny ways. Seems like the dinner table was our favorite family talk time. You would make us laugh each time a meal was served and our home sure got quiet after you left the nest.

One summer when you were five, Uncle Lane put you on a sheep at the Little Buckaroo Rodeo in Monticello and my heart nearly stopped beating as I watched you ride that sheep around the arena. You held on tight as could be and won first place in the end. You were one proud little girl as you received your trophy with all the boys that night.

I had the hardest time keeping you clean as a little girl. Sometimes I would find you in the pig pen playing with the pigs or in the horse pasture running after the horses. Sometimes you would be in the chicken coop chasing the chicken or in the goat pen trying to feed the goat. One thing for sure though, if there was a mud hole anywhere to be found that is where I could locate you. One Sunday, we got home from church and I was busy fixing dinner when I looked out the window and seen this little spot of white in the mud puddle. Lo and behold!!!! you had stripped down to your undies and t-shirt and was enjoying the mud more than the pigs ever could. Needless to say, it was very hard keeping your whites white.

Your Dad has always been your very best buddy and he taught you very many things, like the flop, singing, dancing, shooting guns, hunting for sea shells, driving, playing hard, being funny, etc. I could go on forever of the many things that he has be instrumental in teaching you. The love that you both have for each other is something that most children could only wish for. One thing for sure is Dad sure does love each of his children and is extremely proud of each of their accomplishments.

Remember your 16th birthday.....roses for a queen from your Dad and a diamond ring. Then you both watched "Sixteen Candles". What a hoot you both were. Birthdays were the most fun in our home. Remember the blowing glass, the bottle of aspirins, the new bike and many, many other gifts that were given to you by your Dad. Didn't he make having birthdays more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

I am so proud to be your mother and want to thank you for all the joy that you have brought into my life. Heavenly Father send me the best gift of all the day that you were born. I was struggling with situations in life and because of you, my life immediately made a turn for the good. Thanks for coming into my life when I needed you the most. I love you dearly and laugh when you laugh and cry when you cry. You are more precious than gold to me.

Thanks for giving me five beautiful grandchildren and a son in law that are all loved very much. We love you dearly and hope that your day was one filled with happiness, love and joy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY GIRL!!!!

Cory Michael Bishop

Today is your birthday and you have grown into a very handsome young man. It is hard to believe that you are married. You have been such a blessing in our family and we are so grateful that you selected us as grandparents when you left heaven.

Have a wonderful day today and all year long. Hope your day is as special as you are.

What is WHISH LAP???

Today we went to Logan and while driving down Main Street a light turned RED causing the driver of the car to suddenly stop abruptly. This happened at the same time that Meghan was getting ready to take a drink of her soda.
She yells, "Grandpa you just about gave me WHISH LAP. You need to warn me when you are going to stop so fast".
We were laughing so hard and finally she realized that she had created a new form of WHIP LASH and then she could not control her laughter.
All day long I have chuckled at her and her whish lap. She is a character and a half and we have had tons of laughter since she came to stay.

Meghan's New Computer

Happy Girl!!

Hard Work All Summer

Is Rewarding!!!

Hip Hip Hooray!! Today Is Dick's BDay

Dear Dick,

Today we are celebrating your 66th birthday and it is ironically one half of your life that we have been together. We met 33 years ago and your birthday in 1976 was the first celebration that we had together as a couple.

Thanks for making these years the most enjoyable and fun years of my life. Here are a few pictures that were taken during these years.

Saying goodbye to your Mother

Your 66th birthday cake made by Meghan

Sweet 18 month old Meghan giving Gramps kisses

Some of your greatest blessings call you Grandpa

Your sisters and Mother on a visit to Elko

...but sherrif, I didn't do it!!!!

Baby, you sure look good!!!

Navy Boy, what a hunk!!

Fun day at Hardware Ranch

Papa and Brea

Playing in the snow with Canyon and Evan

I hope that your day was special. You are loved very much and I am so thankful that you chose me to be your wife and that you chose my children to be your own. My happiest moment was being sealed to you for time and all eternity. Thanks for the fun ride. It is one of great adventure.

What a day this has been

This morning bright and early we got in the truck to run errands and it would not start. We have a truck that starts without a key, never turns off properly, or just runs the battery dry. I am so tired of the guess work each time we get in it anymore.
With a quick jump from the car, we got the truck running again and took off to do the errands, not shutting it off while gone. All seemed to be going great and didn't have any more problems for the rest of the morning.
We were headed down the freeway to Farmington to set up for our event in the morning when we hit a rough spot in the road (mind you in Utah there are rough spots in the road continually, our state sign is the orange construction cone) and I heard a sound like something was dragging. Last year we lost an A-frame off the top of the truck so was a little worried that maybe something had fallen off the truck again. We pulled over and I got out to check and make sure all was riding well on our load. Nothing was out of place and everything looked just fine. I was walking back to get in and happened to notice that the tail pipe was not connected to the muffler and was dragging on the ground.
Dick got out and tied it up with a bungee cord. Sounds good to me, I thought to myself. Then on our way we head again. All goes well, until we get to our booth and I noticed that the heat from the exhaust melted the bungee cord, but the tail pipe was still attached to the muffler.
We are now carrying the tail pipe in the back of the truck and hopefully it will be able to be temporarily attached to the truck until we have time to take it in for a new muffler.
Sometimes I fell like a hillbilly with how our vehicles are starting to act up.

I DON'T WANT A CAR PAYMENT RIGHT NOW, PLEASE VEHICLES, JUST DON'T FALL APART RIGHT NOW ON US!!!!

Kelson is 18!!!

Sweet little angels ages 1 1/2, 3, & 2

Sleepy time boy on quilt made with love



All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth


All the cousins at La Sal having fun

Kelson all grown up (he thinks)!!

Today, Kelson, you are 18 and it seems like yesterday that I was waiting outside of the operating room waiting to hear your first cry. Finally it came and then they brought you out to meet me. Oh, how very excited I was to meet my little grandson. You were so tiny, but full of spunk and I immediately feel deeply in love with you.

Your first 10 days were spent living at my house as your Mom was very ill and could not walk and she needed my help with you for the first few days. I took advantage of our time together and spoiled you rotten before moving to Denver. I left you with big tears in my eyes and a very heavy heart not knowing when I would see you again.

You have grown into a very handsome young man and I hope that you will make choices in life that will take you down righteous and good paths. I worry about you and hope that you will heed your mother's advise. Listen to her and follow the counsel that she will give to you as she knows from personal experience about choice making.

We love you very much and hope that you will have a wonderful birthday today.

Cherries for Winter Eating

Today Meghan and I canned cherries. Oh they sure do look pretty in the bottles and will be anxious to get them downstairs on the food pantry shelves.