Christmas in Ann Arbor Eons Ago

Carolyn and Jim Come for a Visit

More Father's Day Photos at Ron and Lani's 2010

Velna and Dwight

Allan and Megan

Ron thinks he is so funny.  Instead of another George W. Bush greeting card this Father's Day, he gives me a LA Lakers tie.  Almost as bad.

Good Times at the Bellagio and the T & Mack Center in Las Vegas

Family Dinner at Ron's

Happy New Year: Russ and Ron in State College PA

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to our extended family from D & V.  May you find it in your hearts to repent and post comments, photos, and pearls of wisdom on this blog in the year 2009, thus assuring its perpetuity as a family meeting place.

Russell and Carolyn

Sunday Dinner at Blacks

Probably Sunday dinner, not Thanksgiving 1968

More Chili Football Party Photos

Some asked for the chili recipe.  Everyone has a dozen chili recipes, but I've used this one for 20 years and it works well every time, mostly.  We tripled the recipe for the party, acquiring a one gallon can of crushed tomatoes at WalMart for not much more than 3 bucks.  We usually cut the chili powder in half so kids and those who can't tolerate the heat can still eat it, and put just a smidgen of cayenne in it.  We usually throw in some oregano and a bit of brown sugar.  The time the recipe didn't work well was when I mistook cayenne for chili powder and put in three tablespoons of the hot stuff.  Didn't work.

The two bottom photos attest to how thrilled and excited the BYU sports fans were when it looked most of the game like BYU was going to lose.  Who knew that in the last minute and 20 seconds BYU would march down the field and make a touchdown with a second or two to spare, and win by 2 points.  To think, that some of us had thought we would drive over to Fort Collins for the game.

Home Chili Tailgate Party Before Watching the BYU-CSU game

Nine of nineteen cousins and grandkids

Some great grandkids

More photos from the BYU-UCLA game weekend

For game photos see the Curmudgeonly Professor blog linked on the right.

Velna, protesting taking her photo

Melanie

Monica, the only scientist in our family, with her cool hat

Nat

Jim and Russell at the tailgate festivities

Melody Judy Mayfield

Lori and Melody on the day of Melody's baby blessing

At the church for the baby blessing.  Kids in front: Lily, (Stacey's); Ella (Lori's); Katherine (Stacey's), Michael (Stacey's), 2 Mayfield girl cousins, Andrew (far right, Stacey's).  Second row:  D & V, Lily (Susan's mom), skip to far right, Stacey and Odessa.  To the left of D, Russell, Susan, Chad, Lori and Melody.  The rest are Chad's family.

The proud parents; Lori with Melody, Chad, Ella in front

Stacey reflecting on the thought:  Mercy!  Pregnant again!   Oh well, whatever.  If you've got 5, you'll hardly be able to tell if you have 6. 

Russell receiving instructions from his mother.

Tailgating at the BYU-Northern Iowa Game

Daniel and Courtney

Michelle

Why is Jake smiling and laughing?

r-l, Monica, Melanie, and friend

We had a large group of grandkids and college friends at the BYU-Northern Iowa game on Saturday.  Unfortunately, my camera battery died before I could take many pictures, but here are a few I did manage to get.

Courtney (third from left) and friends.  Do all BYU girls look alike?

An Earlier Version of Jim and Carolyn

Apparently, in this Ann Arbor photo, Jim and Carolyn found something to be tickled about.  It was fun to see they continued the tradition in the photos Carolyn posted.

Jim and Carolyn in Ann Arbor, 1962

Jim called today to tell us Caleb has been assigned to Ann Arbor Michigan, where his apartment is two blocks east of the UM campus.  This news brings many pangs of nostalgia and reflection about the day 52 years ago when Velna and I and Russell and three-weeks old Ronald arrived in Ann Arbor, with no place to live, practically no money, and the faith and hope that we could work things out and get through a Ph.D. program in economics.  We are happy for Caleb for this assignment and it gives Velna and me a great sense of satisfaction to know that our grandson is there on the same ground we were on a half century ago.  What an exciting moment.

Kim and the Orange Bowl

Who remembers the orange bowl?  And its matching partner, the lime-green shag-carpet colored bowl?  I just made popcorn yesterday and put it in the orange bowl.  It will never wear out.  It is made of industrial strength material.  Your mother and grandmother, Velna, is a scrooge when it comes to kitchen stuff.  She will throw everything else away and buy something new, but not kitchen stuff.  These bowls will be in our kitchen when we go to our reward, so to speak.  Along with the original grater, which has been defunct for years, and remains a daily utensil despite my pleas to buy a new, shiny, grater.  And the plastic mixing bowl with a spout.  This bowl has passed through the fiery furnace, having been scorched, beaten, and scarred but remains the favored bowl of choice because it is light and has a spout.  The approximate age of this mixing bowl, verified by carbon dating, is approximately 130 years.  Along with other kitchen tools which we have had since our matrimonial adventures began in 1952, leading to our extended downline.  Our kids stole blankets, (Jim, Russell), and my Peanuts sheets (Ron).  But no one ever walked out of here with the orange and green bowls, the grater, and the plastic mixing bowl.  Says something for respect for your mother's excellent choice of kitchen gadgets.  And isn't Kim cute wearing the orange bowl?

Russell Blood Swearing to be a Good Eagle Scout

Found one more of Russell's Court of Honor.  We just had a little tiny table, no fancy plaques or presentations.  His mother is sitting behind and to his right.  Who is the other man on the right?

Russell Blood Receives His Eagle Scout Award

This photo is the only one available that shows Steven's dad, Russell, receiving his Eagle Scout award in Laramie somewhere around 1970, give or take.  Owen Asplund, who had all daughters, is shown with Russell.  We once sent Russell on a 50 mile hike over the Snowy Range with a homemade wooden back pack someone had given him not even thinking what a horrible ordeal this would be for him.  But he made it and never complained.  I have felt bad about that event ever since.  We tried to convince our other two sons to become Eagle scouts, but told them it was up to them and we weren't going to harass them.  So they didn't become Eagle scouts.

My own scouting experience was limited to scout camp one summer at Wapiti on the North Fork above Cody, one of the great experiences of my boyhood.  I spent hours collecting samples of plants for a camp contest, which I won and received a little book about plant life.  The parents of many of the other boys came up to Wapiti on the last day to take their boys home and to attend the awards ceremony, but mine were unable to do so.  My scout uniform was limited to a neckerchief and a cap.  I wanted a scout uniform, especially a shirt with the troop number, more than anything I could think of, but we couldn't afford it.  I was unable to attend scout meetings because I had no way to get into Powell to attend them.  I did get my second class badge, and had all the first class requirements except swimming and enough merit badges for a life scout badge.  All the swimming pools were shut down during the polio epidemic of the late 1940s and we couldn't even swim in the irrigation ditches.  As a result, I never learned how to swim, a lack that I have mourned all my life.  One of my great loves during this time was my boy scout manual with all the requirements for the different merit badges.  I spent hours trying to figure out how I could become an eagle scout. I gave the manual to my brother Steve who kindly returned it to me, a sixty-something year old classic, a couple of years ago.  I still have the fondest of memories of the Boy Scouts, even though my experiences were miniscule compared to the continual round of outings and experiences today's Boy Scouts have.  I do remember at Church one Sunday asking a Scout who was asked to report on camp after they returned what his most memorable experience was.  His reply:  "Stopping at McDonald's on the way home."

Story of the Blood Family Reunions: Sedona AZ 2000

Daniel whipped the troops into shape

At the rim of the Grand Canyon

Kate ready to take the high dive

Where we stayed

At the slick rock slide