Halloween Cuties

All of our grandkids except Sammy came over on Saturday night in their great costumes. Every year Mason and Gavin ring the doorbell and I come to the door and try to give them candy, but they don't have their bags. I ask them about that and they say "grandma" and then I know it's them. They get me every year! ( It doesn't help that they are always wearing masks!)
I sure love all my grandkids!
Mason and Gavin, the Grim Reaper and scarey creature with lighted eyes!

Logan the Jedi knight.

Cason the bear.

And sweet little Emma, our ballerina!

My Dad and Me, Part 2

I feel very lucky that I was the firstborn of my family. I got to have my mom and dad all to myself for the first 17 months of my life! Then sisters kept coming every 17 months for several years. These are all the photos that I have of my Dad and me when I was young.

These photos were all printed from slides which my sister Becky was so nice to have made onto discs for us.

Don't I have a good-looking Dad?!

What a nice Dad to play with me in my crib!

This was at the Great Salt Lake.

I know I look like a little ghost! And this is my sister Laurie, who was lucky enough to be born with some color in her skin!

"Helping" my Dad shine his shoes. That kitchen table, which we had for many years, brings back lots of memories.

I sure love my Dad. He was just the greatest!

My Dad and Me

I am so glad that I had this picture taken last year of my dad and me. It is a real treasure now. I miss him so much and still have a hard time believing that he is gone. The only other pictures I have of just Dad and me are when I was about two years old and younger. Why I didn't think to have more pictures taken of us together in all those years in between, I don't know. I just always thought that he would be here for a very long time like his long-lived ancestors before him. His grandmother, Elizabeth Jane Russell Day, lived to be 103 years old. I thought that my dad would live a very long time like her because he had always been in such good health. This is obviously a lesson that we need to more fully appreciate all the special people in our lives now, because we never know when they will be taken away from us.
My dad graduated with honors from this school of life on earth. He lived a wonderful life of service and was such a great husband and father to us 6 girls. After he passed away my mom was asked if Dad had ever expressed any words of regret that he never had a son. She said that he NEVER said a single word about that. He was happy with his 6 little girls. We are all very happy to know that.
In my prayers every day, I ask Heavenly Father to please tell Dad how much I love him and miss him.

Altered Books

I have been having so much fun these last few months getting back into doing altered books. This is such a fun thing to do. The possibilities are endless when it comes to materials and techniques to use. It's great fun to use items that have been gathering dust around here for ages. The pages in this first photo were my sister Carolyn's idea. She did this in her book too. It's so fun that she has gotten excited about doing this! It's great to work (I should say play) on these together! In this book that I'm working on I decided the theme is sayings or thoughts that I like and then illustrate them however I want. So much fun and so little time!

The Latest ATC's

These are the Artist Trading Cards that I have had people make in my classes for the last few months. I can't believe how fun these are to make and all the many ideas and techniques that can be used. It's very fun that I have several people come back each month for my classes.

My Dad

I lost my dear, wonderful dad on July 13th. I still can't believe this is all real. My 5 sisters and I could never have asked for a greater dad to grow up with. I love him and miss him so much. I know that it must have been the time for him to go since we are told that no righteous person will be taken before their time, and I know that I will see him again someday, but that doesn't make my heart stop hurting right now to think of having to live the rest of my life without him here with us. And my heart just breaks for my dear mother to have to live without him and be alone after 56 years of marriage. At the funeral, the former bishop out at the State Prison where my dad was a counselor, said how much he loved watching my dad going from cell to cell talking to the prisoners and bearing his testimony to them. He must have been needed in the Spirit Prison to teach them there now.
My sisters and I have so many wonderful memories of growing up with our great dad. I remember him trying to teach me how to whistle when I was only about 4 years old. I remember going on the roller coaster with him, which he loved, and he had to hold up his hands the whole ride. I loved that he took us out to the airport and let us go in the big planes that he flew for the Air National Guard and go in the Operations building. It was great to sit in the car with my mom and sisters and watch him take off in his plane. He loved to fly.
I loved dancing with him at the "Daddy-Daughter Dates" at Church. He was a great carpenter. He built our house and the chest of drawers we used for years. He made the great bedroom with all the built-ins for Laurie and I. He always grew the most perfect gardens and loved to work in the yard which he kept immaculate. He was a really big tease with all of us girls. When we would ask for our allowance he always told us "I'd rather owe it to you than cheat you out of it". Being the banker that he was, he always encouraged us to save our money and brought home little covered wagon banks for us. I remember him chasing my mom around the house- through the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room- with all of us girls screaming and laughing chasing after them.
I'm really going to miss him calling me "Mary Man", which he did every once in a while.
"Gee cly!"
"Judas Priest"
"Put the board in the hole"
"I'm going to see a man about a dog"
I have a wonderful dad. I miss him so much and always pray that he will know how much we love him and cherish the life we had with him. I look forward to being with him again someday and getting that great big hug he always gave us. I love you so much dad.


Obituary:

Royal Duane Ridd 1931 ~ 2010 Lt. Col. (ret.) Royal Duane Ridd passed away July 13, 2010 of complications following surgery. Duane was born on April 11, 1931 to Heber Eugene and Etta Ridd in Hunter, SL, Utah. In 1954 he married Janet Meriam Holding in the Salt Lake Temple. They are the parents of six daughters, have 15 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He graduated from Granite High School and the U of U. After going through Air Force Flight and Gunnery Training he received his pilot's wings and returned to fly in the Air National Guard for 24 years. He flew fighter jets, cargo planes, and air refuelers to over 60 countries and islands in the world. In 1992 he retired from Bank One after a lifetime of working in banking. He was an active member of the LDS Church. He served in three bishoprics and had many other church callings, most recently serving at the Utah State Prison as supervisor in the Family History Library. He was also a member of the Murray Kiwanis Club. He is survived by his wife and daughters Marianne Nattress (Robert), Laurie Shaw (Paul), Carolyn Smith (Ken), Linda Herzog (Ron), Rebecca Hammond (Wayne) and Sandra. Each of his daughters is so proud to call him Dad and they always knew that he loved them. Duane and Janet spent 56 years of marriage and loving each other. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 17, 2010 at the Holladay 1st Ward, 2065 East 4675 South. Viewings will be held on Friday, July 16, 2010 at the Holladay Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 So. Highland Drive from 6-8 p.m., as well as one hour prior to services at the church. Interment: Holladay Memorial Park.

Baby Emma

FINALLY! Our first granddaughter was born on July 4th. She announced her independence by being born at 6:07 that morning. Her name is Emma Denai and she is a beautiful little girl! She weighed 7 lb. 11 oz. and was 20 inches long. She is the daughter of Steven and Katheryn. We are all very happy to have her in our family!