Thanksgiving Holidays and a touch of Christmas 2008, rolled into two days. Over the mountain to Nevada City to Cheryl's home. She is on the left, with Kaitlyn next and Amy (Ashley's daughter-in-law), Heather, oldest of Cheryl's children. She is holding Madeyln who wants to have help making her sticker book I gave to her. I'm sitting holding great grand daughter Eliza. 6 adults are wearing the snowman shirts I gave them for Christmas. It was picture time and Grandpa Kay did a good job. I feel like it is Christmas anytime we get together with family.

Love Is Eternal,

Grandma Marilyn

P.S. Had a full, cut head, went to hospital in an ambulance. Got a pacemaker and now programmed for 4 or 5 years before I need a new one. Another blessing, I'm grateful!

Happy New Year!

Special thought of the day: "We only have this MOMENT, sparkling in our hand and melting like a snowflake."

-Marie B. Ray-

December Blog from Marilyn and Kay

December Blog from Marilyn and Kay

The weather cooperated and the drive over to Nevada City on Thanksgiving Day, was beautiful.

One of the highlights of the morning was the annual “Turkey Trot.” at the high school. Mother Cheryl and several of her daughter and their spouses entered and won medals. It was exciting to be with some of our family for the holidays and joy to watch the children and grandchildren prepare the Thanksgiving Feast. Grandpa Kay went to Layne’s office to have his vision checked. I read stories and helped the great grand children with the sticker books I brought them. The Thanksgiving dinner was delightful and each member of the family related what they were thankful for.

After dinner and cleanup, we all gathered in groups to rest and relax and Jeff and Max watched an up date cartoon. It was a joy to be with a bunch of our family during the Holiday. We brought Christmas gifts for the family too. I had snowman T-shirts for the girls and we had a picture time, I loved holding the new great grand baby Eliza. Picture time was funny and fun for my scrapbook and Blog. For the guys, Grandpa Kay brought wooden boxes that he collected during the year. Families are fun and keep us young at heart. We are so grateful for the true spirit of Thanksgiving and cherish our beliefs in our Heavenly Father and his plan for us all.
Love is Eternal Grandpa Kay and Grandma Marilyn, December 2008.

Marilyn's Fall

Marilyn's Fall

Into each life some rain must fall.

I had a fall and received stitches in the back of my head.

I rode in an ambulance to the Renown hospital.

The Dr. was able to realize why I was faint, and I had a pacemaker put in for my heart.

My family came to visit me. Debbie ad John Reeder, Janette, Don, and Denise Wilkerson, and Chris Jackson flew in from Washington.

Dear Grandpa Kay stayed with me to help me not to be afraid.

I will recover by Christmas time and will enjoy the holidays and the new year.

Love,

Grandma Marilyn

Cheryl's November Birthday Blog

Cheryl's November Birthday Blog
by Grandma Marilyn Johnson November 2008

Cheryl, My new goal started in October 2008. I decided to feature a child one at a time in their birthday month. Only one of our nine children was born in October. That month was easy because Melinda was born on Halloween. I said, “It was easy!” with a smile on my face.

The first time you start something new? Well I would have quite but my computer teacher Wesley comes one day a week and teaches me what to do on this computer. It is still a challenge, but an exciting adventure.

I’m having fun seeing the pictures I have collected over the years bring Memories and Personalities and love for each child I write about. The pictures really tell the story. Hopefully family and friends will look at the blog with you, and celebrate your birthday. Enjoy this time of the year of Thanksgiving and be thankful for our many blessings. I had trouble finding any pictures of you alone, you were always with someone. You really are a people person.

Love Is Eternal
Grandmother Marilyn
Grandpa Kay corrects my spelling and enjoys picking out his favorite pictures too.

Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning
Marilyn P. Johnson
February 14, 2008

As our lives get more filled and busier, organizing is more than a task-it’s a full -fledged strategy for bringing the clutter under control in our homes.

My computer art room needed help and I even had to ask Kay to help me. Willingly he took down the curtains from behind the shutters they needed the annual washing with bleach. New they look snowy white and smell fresh. The next solution was to get rid of some of the clutter. The keeping stuff goes in baskets, bins, and shelves on all four walls, and the closet system with a simple plan for using them.

Even though I have been retired from teaching for seventeen years, it’s still my annual challenge to get organized. My life is constantly evolving. Health problems like my heart and, especially my leg surgeries, are slowing me down. But my spirits are high and I am enjoying hobbies in the art field, such as Scrapbooking. Oh what a kick I’m getting out of writing about my children, grandchildren and great grands. Soooooo many pictures of fun occasions, holidays and my garden and my senior years with Grandpa Kay.

As our lives get fuller, organizing has become more than a task. It’s a full-fledged strategy for getting the clutter under control. With all the things I like to do and my collection of pictures of vacations and everyday life, I love to take pictures, especially of family and friends. I’m even writing about the many paintings I have done over the years. So clutter control has worked its way to the top of my priority list. And, in its own way, it is as much a creative pursuit as cooking and gardening and now trying to pull together a beautiful but useful room.


Working hard on the visual approach to order has opened my eyes to the beauty of storage in plain sight. Scrapbooking is important to me and good habits for my personal love to share and leave for my family. I do so enjoy getting a page or two done each week about my life today and yesterday’s memories.

Now back to the job of visually organizing the four walls of the 12 X 12 foot art room. Thank heaven for the tape Love is Spoken Here by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Choir 2006, Craig Jessop Mack Wilberg conductors 19 favorite hymns and songs.

"A creative mess is better than tidy idleness."

Blogging Down Memory Lane

Halloween and Melinda’s birthday
By Marilyn Johnson
October 20, 2008


The mind jumps around like an uncharted path, picks up pieces of the past.

Halloween - Melinda was born on Halloween 1962. I loved making her costumes when she was a child. Her favorite costume was a green M and M. But when she was very young we had Halloween parties at our home. The year she was four we had a special party and six young girls in the neighborhood came in witch costume and Melinda was a witch, too. Kevin helped with this party. He put dry ice in the punch bowl and stirred it. But the next year she went to school, all day kindergarten. She came home crying because she found out Halloween was for every one. Time marches on.

Getting Ready For Christmas

Hi family, only ten weeks to Christmas. Grandma Marilyn is writing a book about her paintings. 10 copies. One to keep and the other 9 are going to our nine children. I'll write about each painting. You will recognize some of the paintings. Some of the paintings are of our grandchildren, before they were five years old. I love the innocent look of the young ones. There will be one of Kay and his big fish. I have done only a few pages and I'll send more paintings and stories next year for Chrismas 2009, so keep this book on a shelf. All our grandchildren will have to go home to their parents' homes to see this book. Love Is Eternal.

Grandma Marilyn & Grandpa Kay


Anniversary Picture 31 Years