Hansen Reunion

We just returned from a very enjoyable Hansen Cousins' reunion centered in Park City. Cousins Kelly Hansen and Phyllis Hansen Gainsborough suggested it and Hank planned it and pushed it forward. It was well attended and it was good to be together with those folks again. There were no activities planned other than eating, visiting, and sharing stories -- fixing and expanding the family legends. The following picture was taken at dinner at the Marriott Hotel on Friday evening, 20 July.

Left to right, front to back: KayLynn Hansen Smith (Phil's youngest daughter, from L.A.), Phyllis Hansen Sant Gainsborough (Phil's eldest, from L.A.), Millie Kay Calder Francis (Floy's eldest, from Farmington, UT), Cameron Calder (Floy's youngest, from Alpine, UT), Hank Taylor (Alta's eldest, from Palo Alto, CA), Chris Christensen (Lina's only son, from Dallas, TX), H. B. Calder (Floy's eldest son, from Ann Arbor, MI), Stephen Taylor (Alta's third child, from Provo, UT), David Taylor (Alta's fourth child, from Provo, UT), Kreg Calder (Floy's second son, from Salt Lake City, UT), Kelly Hansen (3rd A.K. Hansen, Arch's eldest child, from Tucson, AZ).

Saturday evening dinner at the Blind Dog in Park City with Hank and Colette

Sunday morning brunch at Millie Kay's cabin just across the county line in Duchesne County. Allyn Hansen Thompson (Kelly's eldest daughter), Cameron, Chris, Ann Hansen (Arch's second son Bob's widow), Kelly, Norma (H.B.'s partner), Auntie Ann, Stephen, and Colette.

Alta's progeny: DAT & KBT, HDT Jr. & CGT, AW & SKT

Chris, H.B., Millie Kay, Norma, Ann, SKT, KBT, Cam

These are great folks: loving, passionate, intelligent, with a well-honed sense of family/family history and great values. As those of you who carry the blood or have to live with it know, they are strong minded. It is interesting to note that some do not share the religious conviction that brought the first A.K. Hansen from Denmark in the 19th century. Hank and I did an interesting little excercise and found that 10 of 20 in our generation of cousins are active: 50%. Of our Taylor cousins, 27 of 30 are active, 90%. He and I spent quite a while discussing how that could be, and we have no real conclusions. Interesting, though, n'est ce pas?

We had such a good time, we'll probably do it again soon.

OXO

David, Dad, Dickie, whatever

The Boyntons in Cedar City

What a fun weekend! It was good to see and be with the family. Here are a few digital memories of the reunion:

The Taylor branch of the family at Cedar Breaks with Grandmother and the aunties

Emily holding Maren holding Harry David; Madeline in rear frightening her grandfather who is nervous about heights

It seems that Finn didn't get the memo about wearing a red shirt.

Maren, H.D., Kris, Grandmother, Donna, and Raye

On a clear day you can see clear to SLC. Mostly.

"Brian Head Burger Chefs" -- Anna places an order.

Emily, reunion planner par excellence!

With $100,000 we could turn this place into something special -- what a cool little building with great bones.

Nice job boys in spite of charcoal issues

Many thanks to Emily and Trevor!

OXO

David, Uncle David, Dad, whatever

Thrice-Tagged David

I was tagged by Ellie, Maren, and Will. So here we go.

4 Jobs I've Had:
1. Imprinting names on scriptures at Deseret Book
2. Cleaning snot and gum off the bottom of desks at Granite High School
3. Building a mock-up of the LDS Church's New York Worlds Fair Pavilion in a church warehouse in SLC
4. Selling furniture at Sears

4 Favorite Movies:
1. Sound of Music (when it was new)
2. Room With a View (and other Merchant-Ivory stuff)
3. Cars
4. Many period pieces, and movies filmed in Paris and Britain

4 Places I've Lived:
1. Los Angeles
2. Mexico City
3. Paris
4. Salt Lake City

4 Favorite T.V. Shows:
1. Divine Design
2. Changing Rooms
3. Ready, Steady, Cook
4. Ground Force

4 Places I've Been on Vacation:
1. New York
2. Lisboa
3. Ariau Towers, Amazonia
4. Omaha

4 Things I Want at This Moment:
1. A strong Dollar
2. A new American presidency (make that a whole new administration)
3. Good news from Warden
4. Fall weather

4 Favorite Foods (this is impossible!):
1. Good ol' home cooking of almost any sort
2. Indian food - particularly that made by the Bombay House
3. Anything made with pudding or custard, including plain pudding and custard
4. Greek food from the old Greek Souvlaki (now closed)
5. Mexican food from La Casita (I know, just 4, but I have 10 more!)

4 Websites I Visit Daily:
1. http://news.google.com/nwshp?tab=wn&hl=en (Google News)
2. http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm (Bush's falling ratings)
3. http://finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?amt=1&from=GBP&to=USD&submit=Convert (Bush's falling Dollar)
4. http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/ (pictures of temple-construction progress all over the world)

4 Favorite Things To Do:
1. Travel
2. Read - online and books
3. Cook and eat (at home or out)
4. Spend time with family and friends

4 Places I Want to Visit:
1. Ephrata WA
2. Arizona
3. London (again)
4. Paris (again)

I tag Rod, Vickie, Kris, and Grandmother Boynton.

Odds and Ends

Lots of things have happened in the last few days. After living with us for a couple of months, Millie, Colton, and Holden have moved into their own house just around the corner. Trevor also moved out and is house sitting for Tom and Katy across the street from us. We would probably find the house very quiet, but Grandmother Boynton has come to spend a few days before the Boynton Reunion later this week in Cedar City. (She can be so noisy!) But the house is just not the same; we will miss the Soelbergs; it was really nice to have such good company around the house. We love you.


Rod and Vick have returned from Italy (with Andy, of course). It is wonderful to have them back; we really missed them. It has been fun, bit by bit, to hear about their great experiences. Thank heavens, Rod is still the great person he always was: no affectations of a general-authority wannabe. He and Vick are just solid, good folks who served a great mission and are obviously loved by their missionaries.


Tonight was the "group" picnic. It is always fun to get together with these great friends of so many years. And it was particularly nice to have the Boyntons back.



OXO

D.

A Glarious Farth!

It WAS a glarious farth, to be sure! I hope the parade goers will relate their hilarious adventures with the announcers. Everyone eventually ended up at Emily's pool for an afternoon of swimming, visiting, and grilling. Kris and I, Trevor, all of the Ensigns, the Hastings (joined by Todd and Courtney), the Phillip Taylors (joined by Mia), Stephen and Ann, the Steve Taylors, and Millie and Holden (Colton was feeding rich folks) had a fun afternoon and evening. After the BBQ, as twilight set in, we moved to Em's front yard for homemade ice cream, cookies and cookie bars of various stripes. After lots of bocci balls, running races, several exhaustion-induced cries, and the Air Force flyover (Em's house is right in line with the stadium), darkness fell and fireworks lit up the night. The fireworks were splendid, but the real show was Jayson, Phil, Steve, and Trevor, the official pyromaniacs, who were transported back to their youth, their missions, and who-knows-where-all else. They were like kids. It was a fun holiday get-together.

Anna and the little peeps headed for the parade

The cousins waving "HI!" to Finn in AZ

Madeliine and Lucy Jane: thick as thieves

Some of the Aunties staying cool

Grammy eating Clara's sugar

Auntie Ann cooling her heels...literally

Just like Stadium of Fire, perhaps even better

Maren, Gavin, Finn, Harry David, Katy Kathryn, Will and Jaime, we missed you.

OXO

Dad, David, Dickie, whatever

Sleepover + A Small Rant

The young Hastings were VERY excited for a sleepover at Grammy and Pop-Pop's. As soon as dinner was finished, Tucker asked if he could put his pajamas on. I could see it was time to get the air matress set up. Clara's mama made her a bed on the floor in the corner. It looks cozy, but didn't work all that well.


The boys were happy as clams on the HUGE air matress. Lucy Jane slept on the window seat.



So now they are off to the parade. Kris and I are, as usual, skipping the parade and will make potato salad and cookies prior to joining the others at Emily's later. I tried the parade again last year. It was exactly as I remembered: hot and boring -- way too many commercial floats and politicians that I don't want to see. All I need is some bag pipes, a couple of good bands, some beautiful horses and some homemade floats with sweet girls and handsome youths from your ward that you might even know.

When we were young, the parade was much shorter and the floats were all made by wards and one or two creative businesses (such as Dixon Taylor Russell). They were created by poking paper napkins into chicken wire that had been molded over a frame on somebody's truck. Every kid had a new cap gun, and to a little kid like me, the sound of hundreds of caps going off at once was thrilling. Huck Snow, the Chief of Police, beloved of all Provo school children (he regularly visited the grade schools), was cheered with great vigor. He was generally the only important politician in the parade, and he was just there as a policeman.

I also remember with great fondness when the fireworks were a public spectacle and not reserved for Sean-Hanity-loving Utah-Valley Yuppies who can afford to take thier offspring to the Stadium of Fire. For a few years, the public fireworks were actually set to music that you could listen to on the radio. I am saddened that the celebration has been hijacked by money-grubbing capitalists. Oh Provo, oh Provo, where did you go wrong?

No worries. The best part is still being with the family and lighting sparklers on the front lawn.

Missing those who aren't here.

Dad, David, Dickie, whatever

Let the Celebration Begin!

Tomorrow is the 4th of July. Anna, Lucy, Tucker, Anders, and Clara have come to spend the night before all the celebrating begins. Everyone is very excited for the festivities. Lucy is excited about swimming at Auntie Em's pool tomorrow. Tucker is really looking forward to the fireworks tomorrow night. Anders can't wait to swim at the pool. Clara is anticipating a good drink of momma's milk. Anna is excited for the homemade ice cream. Pop-Pop is happy to have most of the family together.


In preparation for the celebration of the birth of our nation, we hung the flag on the front porch. Everyone helped, even Pop-Pop who was tall enough to reach the hooks.


The Hastings cousins want to wish Finn and Harry David a very happy day. We will miss you, but will see you soon in Cedar City!

Happy 4th of July!