Out of the mouths of babes:

Last night, as we were posing in front of the fireplace before we headed to the Mother/Daughter Enrichment Swim Party, Esme said, "Grandpa doesn't get to come because he's not in Relief Society."

I love that a five year-old girl already knows the great joy that awaits her in the sorority of sisterhood (is that redundant??) that is Relief Society.

Father's Day Report

Father's Day started with me going to get Noah - and a rather large contingent of Harley Boys were on their way to celebrate the day, I guess!


Dad very much enjoyed his Mister Rogers t-shirt from Harry, Dawn and crew.


And Harry Son enjoyed his special t-shirt too.


Porter enjoyed the packaging from his dad's new chess table.


And he enjoyed some "chillin' time with Uncle Noah.

Baby Harry just seemed to enjoy things in general - especially when he's in Mom's arms!

There's a pretty good view from there too!

We're not sure what drew Porter to reclining supine on the cement - but he was enjoying his time there - and wasn't even disturbed when Grandpa drew his outline in chalk!

Another Happy Father's Day goes on the books! (Or should I say, the blog!?)

Your Dad - often ready to "edify, to instruct!"

I'm not sure who's edifying who here!! (Henry and Grandpa T. at Harry and Dawn's for Eve's blessing in 2002.)

In honor of Father's Day - here are some truly random photos of you kids with your dad - and some grandkid shots - that were either easy to find, seem to stick in my memory bank so I can find them easily, or I just like them, or both or all three.

And you really wouldn't do that if your dad were here!! (Now would you??)

Dad with Bonny and Harry, probably in 1973 - recognize the couch??

Bonny with Dad in the 90's - at their house I think! This picture sits on the counter in the kitchen - one of my faves also.

This is someone's wedding - but I don't remember whose. Maybe Pheobe's??

And speaking of Phoebe, here's Dad with Phoebe at the beach on a trip to SoCal in 1978. She ate a lot of sand that day - seemed to love it!

Dad with the newly- born Eliza, 1983.

And then Dad with Eliza at her baptism in 1988.


And this shot above, which has a "gap" below it that blogger will just not let me erase, is Hannah on her blessing day in 1985. I love this picture of your dad - it's one of my faves.

Hannah with Dad at her baptism in 1993 - right after he was called to be bishop. And we need a beard shot.

Below, this is Dad with Noah at St. George in 1987.

And then here's Dad with Noah at the Roadshow in 2000, I think.

Dad with Noah and Phoebe at Brian Head - July of ??

Dad with Ara, in 1997 - the first grandchild!

We really need an updated grandkids picture - this is December of 2005.

Dad with the next Harry - November 28, 2006.

And with Theo - and the "faux hawk!"

And the "Mystery Boy or Girl" coming in July will break the grandkids tie - who will surge ahead - the boys or the girls??

Happy Father's Day to you - and you and you and you and you - and you know who you are!!

Good things come to those who wait -

My belated birthday gift came in the mail yesterday - and I was pretty excited - I finally am the proud owner of a Dottie Gardening Apron!! A big thank you to Phoebe and crew for remembering how much I have coveted one!

Initially I thought they'd be great in the classroom - to hold pens, pencils, markers, keys, kleenex, etc. And I will give it a try next fall - we're packing up these days.

But now I'm just excited to wear it around the house while I work and sew and putter and do whatever.

Don't you wish you had one??

"Summertime and the livin' is easy, fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high . . "

There have been other posts sporting this title, but it seems to apply on an annual basis!

I've found a few more Terrill/Kerksiek Group Shots for your viewing pleasure. This is a beach shot where Axel is a baby, so that would be maybe 1991?? This is at Zuma Beach. Aunt Joan was here too - as are Peter and Karl. Andrew was part of our crew too.

This definitely an 80's shot, because Bonny is not married yet. I'm not much of a historian when it comes to keeping track of photos - but I vow to get better at it!! Aunt Donna is here too.

This is early 90's - maybe '89 - I'm really bad at this. It's hard to guess how old Noah is! Anyway, it's a little water fun on Primrose Lane!! We still have that slide - and it still gets a lot of summertime water use.

This is late 90's - the year Harry and Dawn started dating - it's a Christmas time shot I think.

This is not summertime, but the livin' is (was?) still pretty easy then!

Las Dos Senoritas!

I haven't found any more "Dos Hannahs" shots, but did find some other cute pairs of cousins.

Here's Maddy and Eliza in 1988. The furniture tells us it's at Alice and Dale's place in Riverton.

And here's Maddy and Phoebe - in 1994 - the couch says it's at our house.

This could actually be construed as a Dos Hannahs shot, but the chiquitas smiling for the camera are Hester and Eliza. There are undoubtedly a lot of Eliza/Hester shots around too. This is also 1994 - and obviously at the beach.

You might have trouble figuring this one out - but it's Phoebe and Erika - that's Hester in the foreground, so I think this is a shot from 1988.

Lest you want to see them not incognito, here's a Phoebe/Erika shot from 1989. Looks like the Kerksiek Kitchen.

We'll finish off with some "group" shots of some of our "main players!"

This one is from a trek up to Santa Barbara when Bonny and Bruce lived there - the shot says 1993.


There are lots of photos of the fun times with the Kerksieks - especially after they started living abroad and when they came to visit, they stayed awhile! We had some great times - and there are lots of great memories and stories floating around out there. We should share them so we don't forget them - at least so I don't forget them!!

Family Foto Time Again

This family photo is from December of 1998. We rented a place at Laguna - and had a fun time. Little Harry didn't make it for the photo op - he was working in LA at the time. We all had a good time. We look quintessentially California don't we??

A "Current" Family Photo

A current "family" photo would probably just be Dad and me, since we are co-habiting at present in an "empty nest." But if you define family as unattached offspring who occasionally do laundry at your house - and stay with you in hotel rooms for trips here and there - then Hannah and Noah would fit the defintion.

Outside the Bountiful Temple after Joey and Mercy's wedding on Saturday.

Noah, captured taking a solitary stroll around the grounds that day.

Hannah, feeling a little "peaked" dozing in the car as we toured Davis county and environs after the wedding - and before the luncheon!

The very nice room we had at the Hilton, courtesy of Fred's sister. Hannah, mugging for the camera.

It was fun to spend the weekend with the "little kids."

More Funny Family Photos

How many family photos have been taken under the Cozy First and Last Chance??

This isn't particularly a funny family photo - but it is pretty funny of Eliza. I was thinking I could probably find a family picture where at least one of us looks a bit goofy.

This was the weekend Phoebe and David came down to have an engagement photo taken - or it was the weekend David came to meet us.

Either way, Harry wasn't there.

It's from 1998 anyway.

Funny Family Photos

It's not that this is an especially funny family photo, but it does capture a "moment in time" - one where just about everyone got a short haircut - notable exceptions being Harry F. and Bruce.

I didn't like my haircut - I showed the guy a picture of a hairdo I wanted and asked him if he could do it with my hair. He said if I straightened my hair it would work. So I went through the expense and hassle of getting my hair straightened - and it didn't work!!

Which is why I'm growing my hair out for now - my regular hairdresser had a baby and isn't going to be doing hair anymore. So until I find someone I trust, I'm just getting "trims."

Long ago and far away

When you are caring for young children, those days inevitably come when you feel like you will never have a moment to yourself. You will never eat a meal in peace, go to the grocery store alone, soak in the tub to your heart's content, have a tidy house, or read a book straight through with no interruptions.


You truly feel like there is only today. Tomorrow will never come.

But I am here to tell you that tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow just keeps on coming - and as the years march on, tomorrow seems to come with alarming frequency.

And you look back on those crazy, noisy, dusty, grimy, whiny, sloppy days with a feeling approaching nostalgia and even some remorse - remorse for wishing them away and not always savoring them.

Having all the "kids" here for the weekend was a little blessing from heaven. As Bonny so aptly put it in her sweet testimony, it was a "Terrill Moment" that I think we all treasured.

After church, we all had lunch here at home and then had a Family Home Evening. We sang, we had an activity (writing additional verses for "Because I Have Been Given Much"), and then Dad gave a lesson. It was good to relate to one another in that way.


Sunday night we had a birthday party for Noah, and on Monday all the "kids" went to the beach. By Tuesday noon everyone was back home or on their way there, and the weekend was over.

But I think I knew enough not to worry about the inevitable messes in life and just enjoyed everyone being here.

I suggest it to everyone - savoring the moment!

Carpe diem!

Maybe you can't go home again, but you can have a great time talking about it!

This is me in the 9th grade at Patrick Henry Junior High School - 1959

This Judy Vergine, my next door neighbor growing up - we were comrades in exploring with our imaginations during the fifties. This is lunch hour at Patrick Henry Junior High in 9th grade.

And this is Mom, Judy and me having a little "mini-reunion" when she came to see what had happened to the old homestead next door (it's been torn down and replaced with a "mini mansion" but the garage-turned-granny-house where her own grandma lived is still there.)

We enjoyed going over the old days - how she'd come to the fence and call me in my room - usually to wake me up, how we fought once and our moms made us come to the fence and make up, how we collected paper dolls and made houses and cities for them to live in, how we'd save our allowances and go to the By-Lo on Chatsworth to see what was new in the paper doll world, how we walked to the Union station by the Women's Club in the summertime to visit the traveling library, how we walked to StarDust Liquor store for popsicicles, how we both didn't like the new girl in the neighborhood who took baton twirling lessons and was pretty stuck up - at least that's what we thought, and how even after all these years, we felt a connection.

Let's hear it for best friends in childhood!