Musical Instrument

I am not the most musically inclined person.
Random preface, side note: This may be bad to write down, but when I was in middle school I think I had a bit of an identity crisis. It seemed like all the white people in my school were Jewish, which I knew I was not. All most all of the Christians were African American. I was so confused and at times I guess I just assumed I was black. The two things that reminded me I was not where 1-I could not jump and 2-I have no rhythm!
So with that said, music was never my forte in life.
I did have a wonderful music teacher in elementary school. She taught us tons of wonderful songs, put on musicals and other events for our parents to watch, had us line & square dance and taught us to play the recorder. The recorder was a fun beginning to my attempts at playing musical instruments.
During 5th grade I tried my hand at playing the violin. Our group of about 8 met in a closet in the elementary school. I quickly learned that I did not like the violin so I only played for 1 year.
During middle school I tried my hand at playing the clarinet. That was a much better fit for me. I really enjoyed my attempts at playing. We had a great band direct who helped us excel at band competitions throughout the state.
When the time came to enter high school I no longer played the clarinet. I can't remember if I was even in the band my 8th grade year. I do know for sure that I would rather play basketball, than embarrass myself in the marching band. I wish I was good at music because I think marching bands are fun and amazing. It would have been such a thrill to be involved. It also would have helped me socially because by the time I was a Senior my main friends that supported my standards were in the band.
Since high school I took a piano class at BYU. Once again the lack of rhythm compounded with my lack of coordination were a super challenge. I presevered and did ok in the class, but I don't think I will ever play the piano publicly.
Now a days, when I get a chance I enjoy sitting down at a piano and playing songs I am familiar with. I can read music, but I am only skilled enough to play the right hand notes for most songs. Maybe I will be one of those adults that eventually takes lessons and picks up a new skill of playing the piano.

An Accomplishment in School

One of the most vivid accomplishments that I can remember in school came at Elementary School graduation. During the ceremony I was awarded a plaque for being the best female student in citizenship (I believe). I can't remember the exact name of the award, but I know it was the most prestigious of the awards given that day. I still wonder what I did to earn that award. Even at that age I knew I was different from pretty much every other kid in the school for more than one reason. I guess that was one of the first moments I realized that other people were watching me even when I had no idea. I think that continued to help build my desire to be a good example and follow the Savior Jesus Christ.

A Fond Memory of My Dad

My Dad was my hero! I was totally a Daddy's girl growing up. I don't have a ton of memories, but here are a few.
My Dad was a referee. I remember going to some of the games he worked and thinking he was so cool! He actually umpired at least one of my softball games in middle school. I didn't think he was so cool that day. He called me out on a pitch that looked terrible. How embarrassing! I am sure the other team thought it was weird that I road home with him.A lot of my memories revolve around riding in his little blue truck. I always wanted that to be my truck in high school, but no such luck. Anyway, one day we were driving and he was drinking his trusty Mountain Dew. I was so nervous, but I decided I had to have a tough conversation with my Dad. Breaking the silence I said "Dad, I don't think you are suppose to drink and drive." (Or something to that effect.) I guess the drinking and driving campaign was pretty strong at that time. My Dad chuckled, but didn't make fun of me and then proceeded to explain what it really meant to drink and drive. He was pretty patient with my innocents.
With that patience he was also a tease. He use to come up to me and ask if I wanted to be baptized. It didn't matter what I said he would throw water on me. He also was pretty strict. I remember being grounded for getting a 2 (1 was the highest and 5 was the lowest) in citizenship and I think a C. He was pretty smart and wanted me to live up to the potential he knew I had.
My Dad was a pilot. He flew Cessna airplanes out of an airport in Troy, MI. I got to go up with him a few times. It was amazing to watch how seriously he took his responsibility as a pilot. I don't think I ever saw him sweat so much as he did when he was flying airplanes. In the end it was a plane crash (he was not the pilot) that ended his life, but that didn't make me bitter toward flying. My Dad died young, but he died doing something he loved.Another fond memory I have of my Dad is working at Meadowbrook. It was fun to watch him follow in FarFar's footsteps as he worked with customers and employees. The highlight of going to Meadowbrook with him, other than the pop and ice cream and other great food, was the ride home. As a young child, I had my Dad's undivided attention. I talked to him about all sorts of things that were important to me and he would listen. Some of our best conversations were about spiritual matters. Just the feelings I remember from that quiet time are worth so much!
The final memory to share comes from my first temple trip as a youth. My Dad was the Young Men's president at the time, so he was there too. My Dad was preforming the baptisms at the beginning (see link above for more info about temples). They were going to have another guy take his spot, but someone realized I still hadn't had a chance to be baptized. They told me to go before my Dad finished. My Dad was able to baptize me on behalf of those that have died. It was a great bonding moment that almost didn't happen. I am so glad he was a worthy priesthood holder! I love him so much! I miss him and hope that he is proud of his baby girl.

A Fond Memory of My Mum

Another tough one! I love my Mom so much and I want to make sure I do her justice in writing.
I don't have a super good memory from my young days, but I do remember snuggling with my Mom when I was pretty young. I remember laying in her lap on the couch and showing her a cross stitch I made. She taught me how to do things like cross stitch, knit and sew. I don't think I was a very good student, but she was patient.
My Mom would always read to me. When I would wait for the bus or just before bed, she would always be reading to me. I think that is where I gained a thirst for books. My Dad use to tease us about the books we read (Ramona series, Babysitters Club and more), but we knew he was listening when he drove on trips or when we was home to hear it because he would use certain parts of the books to tease me and my friends.
Probably my most poignant memories of my Mom as I was growing up came from the trials we experienced. I remember driving to church with her after my brother died. She pulled over about three blocks away from our house and was pretty emotional. She expressed something along the lines of not being able to go to church. Then she seemed to take a deep breath and she pulled back on the road. She explained that church is where we needed to be and she had to go. What a great example!I also remember going on a lot of family vacations growing up. We drove every where. There were many trips to Disney World, one to a house boat in Georgia, other to Apple Valley, Ohio, French Lick, Indiana, Mackinaw Island, Nauvoo, Palmayra and a bunch to Chicago so she could attend the temple. She was amazing at driving those many, many miles by herself. She was also the queen of finding random places along the route to stop. I don't know how she found them pre-internet. (I still can't find random things when I use the internet.) I loved these vacations and hope I can take my family on some good ones as they grow up!
Hum...what else...My Mom was a big support of my athletics. I can remember a time when she played softball with me in the street when we lived on Dartmouth. It was fun to have a Mom that wasn't afraid to have fun and get dirty with you! She also got me hooked on family bike rides. She would hook up a trailer and pull my two brothers and I would ride behind them.
As I got older my Mom supported my decision to go to BYU. It was weird when we packed up my stuff and drove across the country and then she and my brother left me at the campus. When they got back to Michigan they packed up my Nanny's house (where we had been living) and ended up living in Nanny's "summer" trailer through a tough winter. They later joined my Nanny down in Arizona. When I came home for Christmas and other times, she always tried to make me feel comfortable. She would give up her bedroom, so that I could have my "own" room as opposed to the couch in the living room. I always felt bad, but she would not have it any other way!I think I made my Mom proud when I left on my mission to England. I remember being at the airport and Burns started to get teary eyed. That made me a little emotional, but before any tears were shed my Mom said something to the effect of "Don't start." That might sound harsh, but knowing our family it just fits with the eternal perspective we have. 18 months apart is nothing compared to the time we have until we see my Dad and brothers again. I am so glad we know we will see them again. My Mom has been amazing at helping our family understand that!
The final things that have made my Mom proud are my marriage to Tyler and having her grandchildren. She thinks I got a pretty good deal with Tyler and I couldn't agree more! Then to add Matyas and Amaya to the mix, has made her SUPER happy! She and Matyas are the best of friends. They love to play trains together and procrastinate bedtime for hours when we visit. My Mom is so amazing with little ones and it really shows in her relationship with my children!
There is so much more I could say, but I will leave it at this for now!
Love you Mom!

A Fond Memory of Granny Jo

Once again, I struggle to write memories of someone that is living and might actually read this. I hope I can portray the fun times I have had with Granny Jo. Here are some of the stories I can remember from my times with Granny.
We were lucky to live close to both sets of Grandparents while I was growing up. My Dad's side of the family always threw big parties during the holidays or when there was a special occasion. Along with those big family gathering at their house, Granny Jo loved to take the grandkids out on fun adventures. It was almost guaranteed that we would get lost in the process, but we still had tons of fun.
Some of our favorite places to go where the Detroit Zoo, Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village and the mall. I remember one of the times we went to the mall, my cousin Liz (I think it was Liz) and I were separated (aka lost) from Granny Jo. We didn't know where to find her, so we just sat down in some comfy chairs and waited. Looking back, that is exactly what you are suppose to do in the wilderness and eventually it worked in the mall too.
While I was in college, I took a wonderful trip back to Michigan for Thanksgiving. It was great because Granny Jo gathered the grandkids that wanted to go and we headed out to the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade. I was the oldest by far, but I had a blast! It was fun to see some of the traditions from my childhood with Granny being passed on to the younger cousins.
When I was about 11, my family headed to Chicago to have my brother sealed to our family in the Chicago Temple. Granny Jo decided to make an adventure out of this very important trip. She took me and maybe a few other cousins on a train to Chicago. It was so much more fun then driving!
Granny Jo was a school teacher in Detroit. I remember at least once she took me to her class to help out! That was super fun! I think she taught kindergarten, but I can't remember exactly. It was great to interact with her students and see her at work. It was also great growing up knowing how important education was to her. I am glad I had the chance to grow up close to Granny Jo.

A Fond Memory or FarFar

Ok this week is a little more tricky because I am writing about someone that may actually read this. That brings me a little more stress than writing about someone who has passed away. Hopefully this all comes out in an acceptable way!FarFar is my Dad's Dad. His name is Nils Bertil Johansson. He was born in Sweden, but has lived in Michigan for a long time. I like to tell people that he has the greatest accent because it is Swedish mixed with a hint of the mid-west, or maybe vice versa!
FarFar ran a catering company for his career. That is probably why most of the memories I have of him involve food.
Two of the memories that come flooding back first are very special! The first involves the days right after my Dad died. I remember Granny Jo and FarFar (maybe someone else, but that is hazy) coming over to our house on Dartmouth during FHE to tell us that my Dad had passed away. I thought it was a joke at first, but not a funny one. I didn't understand what was going on. As it started to sink in, FarFar gave at least my mom and I think myself a blessing to get us through those first tough moments. I am so grateful he was able to do that!
I also remember that the Sunday after my Dad's funeral FarFar was assigned to be the High Council speaker in our ward. What a TOUGH assignment! I am so glad he was willing to fulfill that assignment. It shows a lot about his character and dedication to the Gospel. I remember that he didn't say much (which is pretty typical for him...he is always on the go and only speaks when needed), but he brought the love of the Stake President and then asked the youth to sing "Families Can Be Together Forever" (which they had just sung at my Dad's funeral-he was the Young Men's President when he died). I remember thinking that FarFar probably gave the shortest High Councilmen talk in history, but it will be the most memorable one for me!
The other memory I have that is so special to me comes from the days after Tyler and I got engaged. It was a time of pure excitement, but there was a little rain cloud looming. We had the temple part of our marriage planned, but we were very unsure about a reception/open house. I didn't want to spend too much money or go into debt for a non-necessity, but I didn't want to miss the chance to celebrate our special day. Tyler and I were talking about what to do, when my phone rang. It was my Grandparents and they said they wanted to put on a reception for us! What?!?!? I could not believe it! In the moment when we needed help, my Grandparents stepped in. With that offer I knew I wanted FarFar to cater my reception! It took a miracle to find a place to hold the reception, but thanks to a service missionary I worked with at the MTC, we found the MOST BEAUTIFUL yard to do so! It was an amazing, perfect evening! The food was delicious! Every time our anniversary rolls around I wish we could recreate that night and stuff our faces with the grilled veggies and strawberry extravaganza. There was other great food, but that is my favorite!
I can't believe I didn't think of this memory right away...FarFar is also the person that baptized me into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so glad he accepted that invitation even though my Dad was worthy to do so. I have a tendency to want to get everyone involved, so I asked FarFar to baptize me and my Dad to confirm me. I think that having FarFar participate in that ordinance with me was a great bonding moment.
A few other incomplete memories with FarFar involve me and my cousin dressing up in native Swedish attire and helping out at different events he catered.
I also remember going to Meadowbrook Music Festival in the summer and watching FarFar in his element. I remember watching as he talked to customers. I can't figure out how to put this into words, but I use to marvel at how he talked to these customers and helped them enjoy their culinary experience at an outdoor concert.
My last thought comes from my college years before my family moved to Provo. Anytime Granny Jo and FarFar were in town, they were so wonderful to me. They always found time to take me out to dinner and really show interest in my life. I feel like FarFar has helped fill a small void left from losing my Dad.

A Fond Memory of Nanny

I have a ton of memories with Nanny since we lived with her during my high school years. I will share a few here and maybe some more later. Let me preface all of these by saying I was the only granddaughter until I was about 13. I was soiled, but please don't hold that against me!
I remember being Elementary School age and Nanny would take me on shopping sprees. We would go to a few stores and she would want to buy me everything I looked at twice. I remember being nervous to go home after one shopping trip because I new I would get in trouble for how much Nanny bought me. I promise I didn't ask for all of it!
This shopping bug was great when I was a Freshman at BYU. By that time Nanny lived full-time in AZ. Since she was close to Utah, I went down there for Thanksgiving. I must have made Nanny's day when I told her I was thinking about buying some girly clothes and maybe even a purse. I came back from Thanksgiving with a suitcase full of super cute girly clothes.
As a side note to that trip...I had a friend from middle school that moved to AZ (we also served in the same mission...weird!) While I was down there we hung out together. One of the times he picked me up he just honked from outside. Nanny was shocked. She lectured me on how a boy should pick up a girl at the door. I laughed and told her that he was more like a little brother and this was DEFINITELY not a date.
I remember that the Christmas after my dad died, my grandma and her good friend were a secret Santa that dropped off bags and bags of presents for our little family. It was so kind. It helped me feel special after a pretty tough year.
I remember going to the Lake (the summer trailer park) with Nanny. She would let me drive the golf cart. I was pulled over once by the trailer park security and they told me I was too young to drive, especially alone. I guess 10 is pretty young on a road with cars.
Nanny also gave me money to stock up on treats at the little convenience store in the trailer park. She would sit by the pool while I swam and swam. The tradition on those summer nights was to sit in the screened in porch with her neighbors and play "feed the kitty." Yes she taught me how to gamble. I love winning the pot of coins! Looking back I wonder if they sometimes let me win so that I could have candy money.
I also remember how excited Nanny was to have me wired shut when I was 16. That sounds mean I know. She was just so happy that when my jaw was stuck close, I had to enunciate my words more so she could finally understand me. I guess I mumbled way too much as a kid!
When we would eat dinner together in high school we drove Nanny crazy! Nanny thought that dinner was a great time to talk about our day and bond as a family. I totally agree, but Burns and I always had a thing about eating our food. We would eat way more than we would talk. It was pretty quiet unless we were asked open ended questions. Poor Nanny!
I think I inherited Nanny's love for sports. I love a good Saturday of football, basketball, baseball or even golf. Nanny could often be found watching sports on TV.
I went to Utah with Nanny and Poppy a few times. One of my scariest childhood memories comes from a car ride in downtown SLC. While we were driving her Buick died in an intersection. I can't remember what happened, but I remember freaking out a bit.
Along the lines of car rides, there was another time I was driving back from the Stake Center with Nanny. We were about 2 blocks from home when Nanny drove through a stop sign. I was shocked. I had to tease her because she had lived in our house for quiet a few decades, so that stop sign was not new to her.
I also looked up to Nanny for her family history knowledge. She did so much family history (maybe she got the bug from her mom). Maybe that is where I have gained the desire to do family history. For now this is my start, but I also desire to one day be a whiz at my extended family history. She did leave me feeling a bit intimidated because there is a missing link in our family that no one can seem to figure out. How can I figure it out when I am so novice. Maybe there will be a little help from the other side of the veil.
This last part is not my specific memory, but a memory I wish I had. My grandparents build a retirement house in St. George, UT. From what I hear it was amazing and built specifically for their needs and some wants. Apparently they made one bedroom specifically for me. It was decorated very girly. I never got to see it because Poppy died shortly after it was finished and Nanny sold it since she did not want to live there without Poppy. I learned about this just a few years ago and it helped me realize just how much my grandparents loved me. I love them too!

A Fond Memory of Poppy

Poppy was my Mom's dad. He actually died when I was six, but his death was one of those times that solidified my testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I remember the last moments of his life. Nanny and I picked him up from the hospital. We had some colored glass in the back of the Cadillac (he made wonderful stain glass lamps and other things). Nanny and Poppy's dog, Brownie was with us because we were going out to the Lake (their summer trailer home) for a week or so of fun and relaxation. We were all sitting across the front seat. I loved sitting between my Nanny and Poppy in that Cadillac. As we were driving Poppy suffered another heart attach and died. It was devastating, but was also a chance to learn that death is not the end. I know I will see Poppy again!
Poppy was a good man. He was a Stake Patriarch and on one occasion I remember being at his house when someone came for their blessing. I was too young to understand what was going on, but I do remember the added peace that day. I am grateful for Poppy's righteousness!
I also remember that Poppy was the camera man at Christmas! I remember that when we went to the trailer, the squirrels would eat out of his hand.
Poppy was a plastic surgeon. I remember when I was little I would go hang out at his office. I felt so cool being behind the desk. I would pretend to file papers and type. It was great to experience those days! Looking back it is even more impressive that a boy who grew up as a potato seed farmer in Kuna, Idaho became a respected plastic surgeon in Detroit, Michigan. He also left a legacy in that he trained many residents that became wonderful plastic surgeons also.
Those are just a few of the things I remember about this great man!

What Is This?

I decided that I want to start recording some of my memories. Maybe I am doing this because my dad died when I was 12 and I love hearing about what he was like as my memories are very limited. I am a super crazy journal keeper, but I think this will be a place where I can share more of my stories with an overall perspective. Since I write in my journal everyday (kind of) they are pretty mundane and probably miss some very important details.
No one has to read this, but if you do enjoy... If you have more details or information about a story, please feel free to comment.
I am trying to limit my computer time, so I can live in the moment with my little ones, so I am not sure how often I will post new stories and insights. I will just do my best!