Leon, taught for one year at Brighton High (the band teacher had taken a sabbatical leave and Leon taught in his place). The school put on "Oklahoma" and the kids gave him a plaque in the shape of the state. At one of the basketball games I played the drums in the pep band. It was a very small band! After that year, he applied at the Alpine School District and became the band teacher at Pleasant Grove High School.
Tann Michelle Romriell was born July 17, 1978 so Leon drove me down to help out. They were living in a very nice house in Chino, CA I got to give her her first bath. It was a great experience.
I needed to find a job and after putting in my application in several places, I began working at the Utah Technical College, UTC. I worked in the office of Continuing Education and Roger Plothow was the director. Barbara Smith, a niece though inactive, of Pres. David O. McKay, was the assistant director. At first I worked for Gordon Evans, in charge of Fire Science, and Walter Barrus, the OSHA representative. I always said I got the job because our son David had filled a mission in Hong Kong, Roger’s son was then serving in Hong Kong, and Gordon’s son had just received his call to Hong Kong! Cecilia Patterson was the main secretary. It was a great place to work; everyone got along fine.
When each semester began, I would drive to Ogden and/or Salt Lake Community College and register fire science students. I would drive by myself, take the money and get everyone registered, then return home and then, the next day, turn in everything. A few times, Leon went with me, but mostly I went by myself. I would get a car from the school car pool to drive. I would often get a car and drive Roger to the SL airport when he had to go out of town.
Roger was a great person to work for. I was a little older than he and could remember things from the past and so he would enjoy talking about WW II, movies, and other incidents. He believed in rewarding his employees by sending them to various workshops around the country. He sent me to Glenwood Springs, CO (Leon was able to go with me as we drove there); to Cincinnati, OH, Boston, MA and twice to Washington D.C. I always took copious notes but he never wanted to read them so they were just filed.
The trip to Boston was great. The family paid for Leon to go with me and we had a wonderful time. We were able to walk the Freedom Trail, see Paul Revere’s home, visit the sailing ship "Old Ironsides" and take a tour to Plymouth where we visited the "Mayflower" replica. We enjoyed riding the subway, which rattled and shook, but got us wherever we wanted to go. We also visited Harvard University. All in all, a great trip. I did attend the workshops!
The Washington D.C. trips were also wonderful. Another girl from the office, was my roommate. She went on just one of the trips. She was fearful of being out at night, so we would go buy hamburgers and bring them back to the hotel room for supper. For one of the luncheons, I sat by our College President and visited with him. The other girl thought it bold of me, but I figured, what the heck, he is just a man after all!
In Washington I was able to see the Declaration of Independence, visit the White House, the Capital, tour Mount Vernon, Arlington Cemetery, see the statue of the raising of the Flag, Ford’s Theater, and all the Smithsonian Museums, between my two visits. One time, while visiting the National Gallery of Art, Roger wanted to go with me. I would go into one room, look at the painting and he would sit on a bench, then we’d go into another room and the same thing would happen. I really enjoyed myself. Roger also really liked his food and chose great restaurants. In Washington was where I first tasted Key Lime Pie, GREAT!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Move to Orem 1977
Leon was getting tired of teaching and wanted a change. We had always wanted to go back to Utah and on one of our trips he found a photography studio for sale. Brent went in on it with us. Leon's last day of school was June 15th, graduation. Alan, who was the band drum major, graduated that day. He, Rob and Doug played in the band. We loaded up on a large semi-trailer that belonged to a member of the ward. He drove the semi, Alan drove the little Toyota, Rob drove the station wagon with Doug, and Leon and I with Mark and Nancy were in our camper.We had bought a large five- or six bedroom home in Orem, Utah 767 E 400 S. It had a fenced back yard with two very large old apricot trees and concord grape vines. We eventually had 4 bedrooms downstairs with a 3/4 bath and two bedrooms upstairs with a full bath and 1/2 bath. We had converted one of the bedrooms into a dining room. For the first years we had to endure ORANGE carpet in the living room together with our ORANGE couch and overstuffed chair. I hated the colors! After quite a few years we took up the carpeting and found lovely hardwood floors which Leon refinished. We also painted and put up wallpaper. Brent doing the wallpaper and it became a lovely home. We bought new living room furniture that added to the pleasant feeling in the living room.The photography studio was called Mountainwest Photography, located on University Ave in Provo. Brent and Leon took the pictures and I was the receptionist. They learned to take good pictures but were not pushy salesmen! Alan also took pictures before he left for his mission in Padova, Italy. This experience enabled him to become a professional photographer, a very good one. The busines really couldn't support two families and both Brent and Leon decided they would rather be teachers. Brent went to Montezuma Creek and Leon, after taking some classes towards a doctoral degree, taught at Brighton High in Sale Lake County. Alan and I ran the studio, then when he left Rob began taking pictures, a senior in high school. Eventually we just gave the studio back to the previous owner.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Another Barlow baby; Tricia's wedding
Another snippet about the Vietnamese. Leon would take them to the parking lot of the high school and try to teach them to drive. They said they were ready before he though they were but took them to take their driving test anyway. The man who conducted the tests told Leon to take them home and not to bring them back! I guess they eventually did get their licenses. They bought Tricia’s car and promptly wrecked it!
We exchanged Christmas cards with Xuan for several years and then they stopped coming. It was and interesting experience.
Leon’s parents filled a temple mission at the Manti Temple and when released, they moved to Ephraim. They lived in "The General" and two-bedroom trailer with a pop-out side in the living room. Dad Honey built a utility porch on the side and Joan bought an old home next to them. We enjoyed driving down and visiting with all of them. Joan and her family had a lot of funny songs they taught us.
Sylvia and Brent had another baby, David Michael, born in Cortez, CO. He was early and his lungs were not fully developed and he had to be flown to a hospital in Albuquerque. Leon and I came, borrowing Grandpa Honey’s little trailer on the way. I stayed with little Jenny and Brent and Leon took Sylvia and Tricia down to Albuquerque to be near David. I again celebrated Sylvia and Brent’s anniversary, their 2nd! I made Jenny her first birthday cake. Mom and Dad Honey were able to come to Montezuma Creek for David’s blessing.
The next big event in our lives was Tricia’s wedding. She met Alan Romriell at Young Adults and he was (and is) a great guy. They were married in the Los Angeles Temple and Leon’s folks, my folks, David, Fred & Carol, Brent & Sylvia and Alan’s family were present. Again I made the wedding dress. Tricia chose a Vogue pattern, a little tricky, and I first made a dressy dress then the wedding dress. She has worn her wedding dress as a temple dress all these years. Sylvia was matron of honor, some cousins, and Alan’s sisters were bridesmaids. Nancy and Alan little sister Janna were flower girls. Grandma Williams also wrote a wedding song which was sung at the reception. It was a lovely day. We now had two great sons-in-laws.
We exchanged Christmas cards with Xuan for several years and then they stopped coming. It was and interesting experience.
Leon’s parents filled a temple mission at the Manti Temple and when released, they moved to Ephraim. They lived in "The General" and two-bedroom trailer with a pop-out side in the living room. Dad Honey built a utility porch on the side and Joan bought an old home next to them. We enjoyed driving down and visiting with all of them. Joan and her family had a lot of funny songs they taught us.
Sylvia and Brent had another baby, David Michael, born in Cortez, CO. He was early and his lungs were not fully developed and he had to be flown to a hospital in Albuquerque. Leon and I came, borrowing Grandpa Honey’s little trailer on the way. I stayed with little Jenny and Brent and Leon took Sylvia and Tricia down to Albuquerque to be near David. I again celebrated Sylvia and Brent’s anniversary, their 2nd! I made Jenny her first birthday cake. Mom and Dad Honey were able to come to Montezuma Creek for David’s blessing.
The next big event in our lives was Tricia’s wedding. She met Alan Romriell at Young Adults and he was (and is) a great guy. They were married in the Los Angeles Temple and Leon’s folks, my folks, David, Fred & Carol, Brent & Sylvia and Alan’s family were present. Again I made the wedding dress. Tricia chose a Vogue pattern, a little tricky, and I first made a dressy dress then the wedding dress. She has worn her wedding dress as a temple dress all these years. Sylvia was matron of honor, some cousins, and Alan’s sisters were bridesmaids. Nancy and Alan little sister Janna were flower girls. Grandma Williams also wrote a wedding song which was sung at the reception. It was a lovely day. We now had two great sons-in-laws.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sylvia's baby, Vietnamese
That summer, 1975, Sylvia and Brent were moving to Montezuma Creek, on the Indian Reservation in Southern Utah and we were going to help. At first, we had a large trailer hooked up to our station wagon with all their furniture but the load was too heavy for our car. A truck was rented and Leon, Nancy age 5, and I started out on the trip. Sylvia and Brent went in their own car. I couldn’t believe how often we stopped for gas for that truck. We had to fill up in Victorville, which was just barely starting out on the trip. I think the truck got about three miles to the gallon and we stopped at every little town on our way. The kids had either rented or bought a trailer in Montezuma Creek and everything was unloaded Brent worked as a teacher’s aid at the elementary school.
I can’t remember whether it was on the way to Montezuma Creek or on the way home, but we stopped for the night at a motel. We made a little bed on the floor for Nancy to sleep on, made of blankets. Returning from the Barlows, a sheep ran into the road and we hit it. Nancy felt so badly about that, it really upset her.
In September, when Sylvia’s baby was expected, Leon, Alan and I drove back to Montezuma Creek to help out. Jennifer Lynn, our first grandchild, was born in Monticello on September 5th. How exciting, such a sweet little baby. Leon returned to Garden Grove to continue teaching. On September 6th, Brent and I celebrated their first wedding anniversary by eating out at a restaurant after visiting Sylvia in the hospital. After about a week, Leon drove back up to bring us home..
Sometime during 1975, many Vietnamese came into the U.S. Members of the church were asked to help out so we opened our home to two boys, Nien and Xuan Van Vu. Nien was the oldest about 27, and had been a teacher, Xuan was about 18. Leon had partitioned part of the garage so that we had two little bedrooms in it. Doug and Mark had bunk beds in the first room and the other boys in the back. Shortly afterwards, their brother Gon joined us. It was quite an experience! They took turns in all our activities and prayers. For family night they played the guitar and sang songs but never changed chords. It sounded very different to our ears and we never could figure out if they just didn’t know how to play or if that was really how it was supposed to sound. When I brought out the clothes basket with the socks in it to fold, Nien would say "the sock game." Sylvia, Brent and Jenny came for Christmas and when Nien prayed, he would say "and bless bebbee." meaning Jenny.
I can’t remember whether it was on the way to Montezuma Creek or on the way home, but we stopped for the night at a motel. We made a little bed on the floor for Nancy to sleep on, made of blankets. Returning from the Barlows, a sheep ran into the road and we hit it. Nancy felt so badly about that, it really upset her.
In September, when Sylvia’s baby was expected, Leon, Alan and I drove back to Montezuma Creek to help out. Jennifer Lynn, our first grandchild, was born in Monticello on September 5th. How exciting, such a sweet little baby. Leon returned to Garden Grove to continue teaching. On September 6th, Brent and I celebrated their first wedding anniversary by eating out at a restaurant after visiting Sylvia in the hospital. After about a week, Leon drove back up to bring us home..
Sometime during 1975, many Vietnamese came into the U.S. Members of the church were asked to help out so we opened our home to two boys, Nien and Xuan Van Vu. Nien was the oldest about 27, and had been a teacher, Xuan was about 18. Leon had partitioned part of the garage so that we had two little bedrooms in it. Doug and Mark had bunk beds in the first room and the other boys in the back. Shortly afterwards, their brother Gon joined us. It was quite an experience! They took turns in all our activities and prayers. For family night they played the guitar and sang songs but never changed chords. It sounded very different to our ears and we never could figure out if they just didn’t know how to play or if that was really how it was supposed to sound. When I brought out the clothes basket with the socks in it to fold, Nien would say "the sock game." Sylvia, Brent and Jenny came for Christmas and when Nien prayed, he would say "and bless bebbee." meaning Jenny.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sylvia's Wedding, 1974
Brent Barlow came home from his mission but Sylvia was a little nervous meeting him so she went to April General Conference with Leon and me. But things worked out just fine when they got together. They planned a wedding in September. Sylvia picked out the pattern for her wedding dress and asked me to make it. Things were a little hectic at our house, Nancy being just four years old and Mark a year and one-half older so my aunt Mona offered her home in San Diego for me to use. What a neat thing. Mona was out-of-town and Leon and I had the whole place to ourselves. I could lay out all the dress parts on the carpet and sew to my heart’s content. No little children to bother or need attention. I think we were there for about three days. The last day, my parents came down to visit.
The night before the wedding all the family, including extended family helped decorate the cultural hall at the Valley View Chapel in our stake. Gina and her girls Debbie and Melanie came, also my Mom and Dad. The wedding took place September 6, 1974 in the Los Angeles Temple. A very lovely affair. Many family members were present. We had a luncheon afterwards at Brent’s parents, Miriam and Maurice Barlow.
For the reception, Sylvia had Tricia plus cousins Deborah Honey, Debora and Melanie Morris and Nancy, as the flower girl, in her line. Brent had his brother Carl and Alan as his attendants. Both sets of parents were also in the line. My Mom had written a special wedding song just for Sylvia. Leon also wrote a special song, as did Brent’s brother Carl. We had lots of music during the evening. Our family had now started to shrink, one less around the table. Of course, David was already gone, serving his mission in Hong Kong.
The next summer, the family went camping along the Colorado River again. This time, Syl and Brent came too. We really liked that protected spot by the river and had a great time. Sylvia was expecting so it wasn’t a very fun time for her.
The night before the wedding all the family, including extended family helped decorate the cultural hall at the Valley View Chapel in our stake. Gina and her girls Debbie and Melanie came, also my Mom and Dad. The wedding took place September 6, 1974 in the Los Angeles Temple. A very lovely affair. Many family members were present. We had a luncheon afterwards at Brent’s parents, Miriam and Maurice Barlow.
For the reception, Sylvia had Tricia plus cousins Deborah Honey, Debora and Melanie Morris and Nancy, as the flower girl, in her line. Brent had his brother Carl and Alan as his attendants. Both sets of parents were also in the line. My Mom had written a special wedding song just for Sylvia. Leon also wrote a special song, as did Brent’s brother Carl. We had lots of music during the evening. Our family had now started to shrink, one less around the table. Of course, David was already gone, serving his mission in Hong Kong.
The next summer, the family went camping along the Colorado River again. This time, Syl and Brent came too. We really liked that protected spot by the river and had a great time. Sylvia was expecting so it wasn’t a very fun time for her.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Dance Festivals and David's Mission
MIA Dance Festivals were very big in California the 14 years we lived there and many of our children participated in them. They were held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. One year, Sylvia and Tricia had dresses with miles of tulle or net in the skirts. Of course I made them. Another year, Alan was in a minuet dance and had a very elaborate costume with black satin knee britches and coat with a yellow vest and lace cravat. That was a challenge to make too. One year I made four costumes, three for our kids and one for a friend. The festivals were very fun to watch.
One summer David and another young man in the ward, Brent Barlow, needed to work on a swimming merit badge. I don’t remember just how far they had to swim but Leon swam with them, back and forth across Newport Bay until they had the required distance. My first memory of this young man was as a 15-year-old. He came to a Mutual costume party dressed as the Jolly Green Giant. When he received his call to the mission field in Germany, Sylvia asked him if she could write to him. Of course he agreed and they corresponded his whole mission.
In 1974 David received his mission call to the Hong Kong Mission. All of us were very excited about this, our first missionary. We all went to the airport to see him off for Salt Lake City. Shortly after he was sent to Hawaii where the missionaries going to Asian countries had what was their MTC. Being a violinist with a very good ear, he readily took to the Mandarin language. He not only learned to speak it well but also to read it. He served an honorable mission and we were very proud of him.
I was not very impressed with his mission secretary. When it was time for him to come home, David told us the date but said the secretary would mail us the flight number and time. It never came. On the correct day we went to the LA airport and met every plane coming in from Hong Kong but no David! My mother also had come with us. After being home for a while we got a phone call from David at the airport. He had flown first to San Francisco then to Los Angeles! Back we went to the airport, about 50 minutes away, and were finally reunited with him. I felt so badly we were not there to meet him but he was very understanding.
One summer David and another young man in the ward, Brent Barlow, needed to work on a swimming merit badge. I don’t remember just how far they had to swim but Leon swam with them, back and forth across Newport Bay until they had the required distance. My first memory of this young man was as a 15-year-old. He came to a Mutual costume party dressed as the Jolly Green Giant. When he received his call to the mission field in Germany, Sylvia asked him if she could write to him. Of course he agreed and they corresponded his whole mission.
In 1974 David received his mission call to the Hong Kong Mission. All of us were very excited about this, our first missionary. We all went to the airport to see him off for Salt Lake City. Shortly after he was sent to Hawaii where the missionaries going to Asian countries had what was their MTC. Being a violinist with a very good ear, he readily took to the Mandarin language. He not only learned to speak it well but also to read it. He served an honorable mission and we were very proud of him.
I was not very impressed with his mission secretary. When it was time for him to come home, David told us the date but said the secretary would mail us the flight number and time. It never came. On the correct day we went to the LA airport and met every plane coming in from Hong Kong but no David! My mother also had come with us. After being home for a while we got a phone call from David at the airport. He had flown first to San Francisco then to Los Angeles! Back we went to the airport, about 50 minutes away, and were finally reunited with him. I felt so badly we were not there to meet him but he was very understanding.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Birth of Nancy, life in California 1970-73
We didn’t want Mark to be what would amount to be an only child, with the other six children all older, so we decided to have another baby. I was in labor all day on February 25, 1970, but wasn’t quite ready to deliver. Leon stayed home all day from school to be with me and finally in the late afternoon, I went to the hospital. Leon couldn’t stay with me because it was the night of the Mutual Choir Concert and he was the conductor. At 6:25 p.m. I gave birth to a beautiful little girl, 9 lbs 8 oz but no one was there to share the news with. The doctor told me that she had had the cord wrapped around her neck. I was glad I was at a hospital with all available medical knowledge.
After the concert, around 9:30 p.m. or so, Leon and Sylvia came to see me and I could finally show off our little girl. We named her Nancy Elizabeth. Nancy after my sister and Elizabeth after all the heroines in the books I had read. Sylvia and Tricia enjoyed having a living doll to play with and were a great help.
One of Sylvia’s friends, Dixie Hirschi, was having problems at home with her mother and she came and lived with us for a while. During that time we took the family camping in northern California. Sylvia, Dixie and David stayed home; they were all working. We went to Lake Huntington and had a great time. The lake water was so clear but very cold but we all went in anyway. It was a very fun time.
The Orange County newspaper came and interviewed our family for an article to be published in the paper. We were chosen for several reasons: Leon was a local music teacher, our older kids played musical instruments in his band and/or orchestra, and most had had all their schooling in the Garden Grove School District. They took a nice picture of the family to go with the article.
Our Ward had a fundraiser for the building fund and gave most families $25 and asked them to multiply it. We chose to put on a musical program, calling it "Honey Kith & Kin". We asked the Williams, Kaufman and Tolman families to participate. It was a fun evening with choir numbers, trios, solos, instrumentals with my Dad as the master of ceremonies. We were able to double our $25 for the building fund and everyone had an enjoyable time.
We had another fun outing with the family in 1973, this time with Alan, Rob, Doug, Mark and Nancy. We drove to Phoenix and had a great visit with Gina and her family. Then we went to Leon’s folks and borrowed their "Draggin Wagon" a trailer and drove to Salt Lake City. We parked at a place just outside of Lagoon which provided the kids with tickets to the amusement park. Leon would drive me into SLC and drop me off at the Genealogical Library and then he would take the kids to various parks, museums, and Lagoon. There was even an circus we attended and the clown impressed Nancy and she said she was going to marry him. My Aunt Beth, who worked at the Genealogical Library, helped me with my research.
After the concert, around 9:30 p.m. or so, Leon and Sylvia came to see me and I could finally show off our little girl. We named her Nancy Elizabeth. Nancy after my sister and Elizabeth after all the heroines in the books I had read. Sylvia and Tricia enjoyed having a living doll to play with and were a great help.
One of Sylvia’s friends, Dixie Hirschi, was having problems at home with her mother and she came and lived with us for a while. During that time we took the family camping in northern California. Sylvia, Dixie and David stayed home; they were all working. We went to Lake Huntington and had a great time. The lake water was so clear but very cold but we all went in anyway. It was a very fun time.
The Orange County newspaper came and interviewed our family for an article to be published in the paper. We were chosen for several reasons: Leon was a local music teacher, our older kids played musical instruments in his band and/or orchestra, and most had had all their schooling in the Garden Grove School District. They took a nice picture of the family to go with the article.
Our Ward had a fundraiser for the building fund and gave most families $25 and asked them to multiply it. We chose to put on a musical program, calling it "Honey Kith & Kin". We asked the Williams, Kaufman and Tolman families to participate. It was a fun evening with choir numbers, trios, solos, instrumentals with my Dad as the master of ceremonies. We were able to double our $25 for the building fund and everyone had an enjoyable time.
We had another fun outing with the family in 1973, this time with Alan, Rob, Doug, Mark and Nancy. We drove to Phoenix and had a great visit with Gina and her family. Then we went to Leon’s folks and borrowed their "Draggin Wagon" a trailer and drove to Salt Lake City. We parked at a place just outside of Lagoon which provided the kids with tickets to the amusement park. Leon would drive me into SLC and drop me off at the Genealogical Library and then he would take the kids to various parks, museums, and Lagoon. There was even an circus we attended and the clown impressed Nancy and she said she was going to marry him. My Aunt Beth, who worked at the Genealogical Library, helped me with my research.
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