We will miss Grandma Holt

Ellen Irene Holt (Irene)

1912 - 2009

I knew this day would come. We can't all live forever. With the gospel in our lives we are taught that there is life after death. With families being forever. I am sure Grandma Holt is tons happier now. In this entry of my blog I want to dedicate it to one of the strongest ladies I have ever known.

I have been blessed to have known Irene (Grandma as I called her) for almost 14 years. I loved her a lot. I miss my own grandmothers who have both passed on. I always enjoyed the time I got to spend with Grandma. She is Clint's grandmother in every way but blood.

I will share some things about her. She died last night. She was almost 97 years old. Her birthday would have been in April.

When we were first married I started to give her perms. I loved those times. I would look forward to those times. She would tell me stories of when she was little with her father and brothers. Her mother died when she was 12 so she was raised by her father. They would hunt, farm, and work the land. She would tell me stories of her only daughter who she loved more then anyone. Her daughter died when she was in her early twenties. She would tell me stories of my husband and his brothers and sister when they were little.

She filled a spot in my husband's family that was empty and did it with so much love. Her whole life she served tons and endured a lot. One thing I really loved about her was the church was so important to her. I love the church with all my heart and that is how it was for her. When she would get her hair permed. I would sometimes go pick her up bring her back to my house and do the perm. We would talk tons. She would always bring a snack to Jacob. When I told Jacob that Grandma went to live with Heavenly Father last night. We were laying in my bed talking about her. We asked Clint to tell us some of his favorite stories about Grandma Holt. He told us how she would come and visit once a year and take them to Long John Silvers. He looked forward to it every year. Then Jacob said I remember when you would give her a perm and she would bring these snacks.

I think we will always remember Grandma Holt when we see these snacks. She knew Clint liked the animal crackers and what kid doesn't like goldfish. She always remembered us. I wanted her to know how special she was to us. We named Katie after her (Katie Ellen). All our kids middle names have meaning. They were named after someone in the family. She would never say just Katie it was always little Katie Ellen to her. She would tell me how her prayers would take so long because she prayed for everyone in the family everyday. How she wanted those who left the church to come back. She would ask me what can we do? It broke her heart for what they are missing out on. Especially the younger generation which were her great-grandchildren. We went as a family to visit her on Sunday after church. She had been in Hospice for the last few weeks. She was still with it knew who all the kids were. She used to send them cards in the mail randomly just to say hi. She would say kids like to get mail. I am glad we all got to see her one last time. I am mad at myself because I had all intentions to go see her yesterday but played lazy all day with sick kids at home. So I was going to go today for sure. Then last night Clint's mom called to tell us she had passed on. She was so strong for so long. I am sure she is happy to be with the daughter she lost and all her other family that has passed. I am so very thankful to have known Grandma. I hope she knows how much I admired and loved her. I know we will see her again but for now we will miss Grandma Holt.

What the heck!

I love to go to church. It is a little challenging right now because we meet at 9:00 am and my husband has meetings at 7:30 am. He is not able to help me get the kids ready as much. I do have to say he is usually a help on Sundays. I just have to pick out the clothes and he will help get them dressed. Then I have to do their hair. With meetings so early he can't do as much to help. One thing I do leave for him to do is get their shoes on. Well after today I do not know if I will be leaving him such with responsibility.

I see Sunday as a special day every week. We need to look our best. (Jacob thinks he does not apply to this rule sometimes. We will all look nice then Jacob looks like he slept in his clothes and came to church. He is all wrinkled) Anyway, it seems like such a struggle with shoes every week. This is what happen today when I didn't see Katie leave for church. I was running late because it is so early that we have to be there. I was running like 20 minutes late Clint took the three younger girls to church and I took the older two with me. I told Clint please get the third row because that is where I like to sit. He did that surprisingly. How ever I get to church sit down next to him. I happened to look down the row at my girls and I noticed Katie's feet. I looked at Clint he of course was smiling thinking it was so funny. I said "What the Heck!"

KATIE

(When Clint picks out her shoes for church. A black shoe and a purple boot.)

SUPERCROSS 2009

We went to Supercross this year. I hadn't been for a few years. I was pregnant with Katie the last time we went. It was a lot of fun. This year we had a group go. There was a ton of people there. They had this booth set up where they air brushed on the kids faces tire tracks. It was cool.

HANNA

JACOB

DANNY

DAVID

ALEX

(Jacob's best friend)

ROBERT

KRISTIAN

_____________________________

Jacob and his friends

Inside Chase Field waiting for the races to start.

The Boys

My cute husband Clint and his brother Russ with Danny.

My brother in law Lee and my nephew Kristian.

Me and Clint

I love him so much!

The cool track.

It is amazing how they could make a long track in a small place with all the curving.

They are racing.

James Stewart

The winner and the one we were cheering for. He is the best at motor cross.

That was Supercross 2009

New Year's at the Dunes 2009

Our New Year's in the dunes

We went to the sand dunes for New Year's eve and stayed the weekend. It is what Clint loves to do. Our whole family enjoys it. I like being there with my family just spending time with them. I watch the girls play in the sand which they love to do. The girls like to ride Jacob old quad with a sled tied to it. They have so much fun.
Along with all the fun at the sand dunes our family has had some real nice spiritual experiences happen to us.
This last time Jacob went out on a night ride with Clint and a friend of ours Jimmy. I did not want Jacob to go. Clint talked me into it. They came back ten minutes later with out Jacob. My heart sunk. They said that they couldn't find him and they thought he might have come back to camp. I was so mad at Clint. Me being me started yelling at Clint telling him Jacob is still so young I knew he shouldn't have gone out with them. I told Clint to bring him right back he was not to go with them any more. As soon as they left to go look for him I told the girls we have to say a prayer. So we did and I felt comfort right away. About ten, fifteen minutes I heard their quads come back and Jacob came in the camper. He took one look at me and I could tell he was scared. He tried to play tough with Clint. As soon as Clint left to continue his ride Jacob broke down. I hugged him and told him how we prayed he would be OK. He told me how he must have said a ton of prayers that he would be found or he would know his way back to camp. I feel like that was a spiritual experience for us. I am so thankful Jacob was prompted to pray and felt our Heavenly Father watching over him. I am so thankful for the gospel in my life all the time.
The rest of our New Years was nice and fun in the dunes.

I am

I am... A Child of God.
I think...I do not do enough for the people I love.
I want...to always have my family nearby.
I have...many wonderful people in my life.
I miss...my Grandmothers. They would have loved my children.
I fear...losing Clint. I do not want to live without him.
I hear...Jacob teasing Ester and Katie talking and the dryer going.
I smell...toast the kids had it for a snack.
I crave...Oreo cookie milk shakes from Jack in the Box. It has been a week since I have had one. They are off limits for the new year.
I cry...at church when I have been touched by the spirit.
I regret...not being kinder to certain people in my family who are now gone.
I search...for goodness in a world that doesn't have a lot.
I wonder...If I will always be fat. It is my curse.
I wish...my children will always be strong in church.
I love...My husband with all my heart.
I care...about everyone.
I always...try to choose the right. I said try.
I worry...that my children will fall away from the church. It means a lot to me.
I am not...a very good housekeeper. I am awful at it.
I remember...the first time I realized I was totally in love with my husband. When he was known to me as Elder Hyman.
I believe...in wishing on shooting stars
I sing...in primary. I have to be an example to the kids.
I don't always...treat my husband with the respect he deserves
I argue...with my brother in law Dave the most. Also with Clint, my Mom and my sisters. I still love them though, well Dave is another story.
I write...things down with hopes of remembering. It doesn't always happen.
I lose...EVERYTHING. We probably have two or more of things because I lose them. Clint is the same way. Our poor kids.
I listen...to the prophet.
I can usually be found...at home, shopping, church, or my girls school.
I need...to be a better wife.
I forget...a lot of my childhood memories.
I am happy...when I am with my husband and children doing what we like to do.
Tag! You're it! (Yep! That means you...who ever reads this!)

I hope we will shine in 2009

Since this blog is also like my journal I wanted to post our family goals on it. Hopefully with them posted it will encourage us to do them. I want my family to be better this year. I told them 2009 was Christ-like time. For FHE I went around to each member of my house and asked them "How they were going to be more Christ-like this year and also how they were going to be a better person?"

Hyman Family Goals 2009 It is CHRIST-LIKE time.

Katie -

* To go on the potty no more diapers for Mommy and Daddy.

(since Katie is so little that is a great goal for her.)

Eliza -

* Be Nice, Try not to be mean

* No hitting and scratching

* No middle finger to anyone.

(I just wrote what she told me. Why she would say that is beyond me. She saw a shirt at the sand dunes that had the middle finger on it and has asked a ton of questions. She knows it means something bad.)

Ester -

* Listen better to Mom and Dad.

* Try not to laugh at other people.

Hanna -

* Try to be nicer to my family.

* Be more helpful to Mom and Dad.

* Try not to ask for a lot.

* Try to be a better sister.

Jacob -

* Take better care of myself.

* Share more with my sisters and cousins

* Try not to get as mad.

Clint -

* Be more organized

* Do my calling better.

* Go to the temple.

Renee -

* Try not to raise my voice as much.

* Go to the temple more.

* Read the scriptures & pray more fervently

* SERVE, SERVE, SERVE!

*Try to show more gratitude

* Better at house work

* Have FHE every week

* Do my calling better

* Choose healthier foods

* Move more

* Be better all around

I am usually really bad a keeping and achieving goals. I need to teach my children to be better then me. My hope for this year is to be better. I hope we will Shine in 2009.

Temple Lights for FHE

We had plans to go see the temple lights for FHE. We do it every year. It is always so beautiful. I look forward to the time when I could go and not have to worry where all of my kids are and if they are dry and not wet from falling in the fountains or the reflective pond. I worry every time we go since Jacob was a baby. Anyway we went this year after Christmas because of how busy everything was this year. Jacob and Ester were not feeling so good. Clint stayed home with them. I took Hanna, Eliza and Katie with me. We met up with my sisters and their families at the temple.

Hanna Katie & Eliza



The missionaries gave the girls a picture of Christ. Such a nice gift and Eliza and Katie fought over who got to hold it. Kind of runes the spirit.

The Cousins by the fountain.

(No one fell in this year)

Me and my girls. We missed Ester.

Me and Monica, Carla wouldn't get in the picture.

My cute girls and the pretty lights.

We went into the visitors center. The girls were amazed by this. We need to go back soon and just spend time in there. There is so much peace. That is just the visitor center. There is more inside the temple. I love going there. For the new year I need to go more. It is a gift to me that I do not use as often as I should.

This is a new statue of Christ that is on a thing that spins around. Katie loved holding His hand and pretend to dance with Him.

I love each year going to the temple lights for FHE.

It was cold but we had fun.

It was cold but we had fun.

We went to Globe to go quad riding. It happened to snow the day before. It was so cold. I have never rode a quad in the snow. It was fun. There wasn't a lot of snow. Maybe an inch. To us it is a lot. The kids were so excited to be in the snow. We had left our younger two with my sister. I am glad we did they would have cried the whole time because it was so cold. I had on 3 pairs of gloves and my hands were still so cold. I grew up in weather like that I do not miss it at all. It was cold but we had fun.