Fifty Years ago today two blessing came to live with us.

Lori is on the left of three pictures; Cari on the right.  Picture of them sleeping
in their carseats after grocery shopping, I think Lori is also on the left but,
I am guessing. First picture Lori and Cari were 6 months old; then about 15 months old.
In front of their playhouse that Earl built; about 4 years old; next twelve years old.

     The day is not gone yet to post in celebration of the birth of our

 twins Cari and Lori.

It’s been difficult going through so many wonderful pictures of our twins knowing that one did not make it to 50 years old.  Our beloved Cari was taken away at age 42.  She accomplished so much in her short life and one day I will post about it.

I just came across one of Cari’s favorite scriptures 

that makes it possible to finally post this

Celebration of Life on my blog. 

ISAIAH 25:8

“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears

from off the faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take

away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.”

Lori

Vern's book "The Life of Christ for Little Children."

This is my latest find that was right under my nose all these years.

Last week I picked up this little book that was on top of several ‘old’ books I have displayed in the Ancestral Room aka Guest Room. 

Inside the cover written in pencil is the script; 

To

Vern W. Tomlinson

Xmas 1916

From “Nana” Hepworth

On Christmas Day 100 years ago today 

my father was four years old and this was one of his gifts.  It was Given to him by his grandmother Sarah Ann Kidgell Hepworth. 

This book was published by the Author William A. Morton in 1916.  Know doubt my great-grandmother knew William and was probably one of the first persons to purchase this book for her beloved grandson.  Dad and his parents were living with his grandparents in Salt Lake City in 1916.  Louise, his younger sister wasn't born until 1918 so I am sure Vern got a lot of undivided love attention and received many presents for Christmas. 

This Christmas Eve my grandson Christopher read from this book the story of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Then bore his testimony how he knows that Jesus is the Son of God and expressed his love for all the teachings of Jesus Christ and how following His teachings blesses us with happiness.   He spoke for all of us who gathered together as family this Christmas Eve 2016.

Do you see a resemblance? Niece Lisa and GreatGrand Capri. So Fun.

It's that time of year again to post a tribute to my mother on her one hundred and second Birthday. This picture was taken in 1977.  The year a granddaughter missed Mom's birthday by two days on December 3rd. Just couldn't wait two more days.  I remember we were all rooting for her to join her grandmother in celebration of a birthday on the same day.
At Thanksgiving time I happened to find these pictures of Lisa in one of the family albums and certainly took a second hard look.  Then I uploaded pictures of my great-grand-daughter from Instagram who just turned two in September.
Okay Folks.  Do you see the resemblance like I do or am I just crazy?
Let me know what you think.

Happy Birthday Mother and 

you too Lisa.

(I think this is a big one.  How did that happen Lisa?)

1982 Thanksgiving Mom tending the Turkey.

Renée

Seventeen Years Later A Picture is Found of the Grandfather who Complicated our Family History

This is just one thing that can happen when you take a DNA test.  I ordered a test from Ancestry.com several years ago.  The results are posted on Ancestry.com and just this year a match appeared with Brenda from Utah. This person is on my father's paternal side. (Very rare connection)  I was so excited about contacting her and she was thrilled when she got my message of our connection.  To make a long story short this was the out come.  She was able to find a picture of my second Great Grandfather Edward Aaron WHERRETT Jr..  I have been looking for a picture of him since the year 1999; the year when I finally unraveled the surname conundrum.  

This second Great Grandfather married Mary Ellen Burns who is Brenda's Great Aunt so we are second cousins once removed. 

I'm only going to give a brief explanation of Edward Aaron Jr. at this writing and will be doing many posts on the  'soap opera' life of the WHERRETT'S at other times. 

At age seventeen Edward Arron WHERRETT Jr. migrated with his mother Matilda GAY WHERRETT from Bath, England to America in 1864 on the ship Hudson and crossed the plains with the William Hyde Co and arrive in the Salt Lake Territory in the fall of 1864.  In 1866 his mother, Matilda married George TOMLINSON.  (More to this story later)

On 18 December 1871 Edward Aaron WHERRETT Jr. married Mary Ellen BURNS in the Salt Lake City Endowment House UNDER the NAME of TOMLINSON his step-father's name. 

So Mary Ellen BURNS became Mary Ellen TOMLINSON. 

My father did not know this.  Even though his middle name is WHERRETT  (Vern WHERRETT TOMLINSON) he thought WHERRETT was a grandmother's maiden name when the truth is WHERRETT was her first married name our biological name.  Matilda (mother of Edward Aaron Jr.) maiden name is GAY.   I plan on taking this life history slow so my family can keep it all straight.  (Our grandfathers name is George WHERRETT TOMLINSON.)

I would like to encourage everyone to take a DNA test.  Last Christmas I gave my daughter and her children and their spouses DNA kits for Christmas.  It's so fun to see the results. 

Here is a link that's a simple explanation of three types of dna tests a person can take.  

  5 surprising things you could learn from a dna test.

Important message in this poster

At this very moment I was prompted to post this.  I believe it more today than ever!

Summers highlight. Peaceful and serenity among chaos.

Highlight of the summer is capturing this picture.  In all the chaos of the day Capri found the best place to lay her pretty little head and take a much needed nap and great-grandfather Earl was more than happy to oblige.

It's been a busy joyful summer with grand-daughters and grandson-in laws and four little ones here for most of the summer.

Summer was not without challenges for Earl and me.  On our 54 wedding anniversary Earl went in for emergency surgery to shore up his femur in his right leg to get ready for radiation treatments of his bones.   I won't go into the details but an hour surgery and maybe two days in the hospital turned out to be a four hour surgery and three weeks in the hospital.  He just came home today.
 (24 Aug 2016)

I will close with this quote by Madame Curie:

"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood."