My Mother's Birthday

Today would have been my Mother's 83rd Birthday.

This picture of my mom hangs down at BYU with all the other
Homecoming Queens.  She said her life began when she got to
college.  She loved her experiences there.  At BYU is where she
met my dad. And what a wonderful thing that was!   

This is me with my mom when I was about 8 yrs old (1968)

I was so blessed with a mother who was always kind and 
thoughtful to everyone.   
She would never speak an unkind word about anyone.  
She was a great wife, mother, and friend.  

Mom was a wonderful cook, she loved talking about food,
sharing her knowledge and recipes.  She gave many 
cooking demonstrations over the years.  
As much as she loved cooking, she loved to feed 
people and received so much joy in sharing her 
delicious things she made.   

She just looked so darn cute!

I don't think she ever came to visit me empty handed.  There
was always some yummy item she brought, out
of her freezer or freshly made.  She made some of the best 
muffins I have ever had! She also shared her baked goods with many neighbors and friends.  If you ever had an chance to have a 
meal at her table you would enjoyed something made with love.

Me, Darsi my sister, and Mom

I am so grateful for a mother who showed me her strength, her courage, her selflessness, 
and for her unconditional love for me.
I miss her so much, sometimes it seems unbearable.  
How lucky I am to have had a mother like her!  She was so beautiful inside and
out!

 

1929-2006

Utah at Colorado

42-35

   We left Thanksgiving Day at 3:00 to travel to

Boulder, Co. for the last game of the year.  The nice thing

was the coaches were able to bring their families if they wanted.

I invited my dad and brother Matt, Nancy and Cary came on

Kyle's side of the family.
We all went down to the dining room at the hotel to eat
together with the team.

Salad bar, rolls, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, rice (of course), ham, turkey, chicken, roast, baked potatoes, green beans, hot dogs, clam chowder,  hamburgers, bacon, and a pasta bar. Too much food!!  It was all so good!

Pasta bar order as you like

Dessert bar

My dad and brother Matt

Fred and Tyler, ready to eat

Tyler and Kyle

Kyle, Jamie, Phil, Matt, Nancy, Jason, Cary, Fred, and Tyler

Pre Game @ Folsom Stadium

Kyle doing post game radio interviews

Utah vs Colorado

Back home after our final win and game of the season

   

Utah vs Arizona

24-34 

Our last home game of 2012

Senior Night for those graduating players

It is disappointing to lose any game

We love our team!

Coach Jay Hill's cute wife Sara and daughter Ashtyn, ready for the game to start

Parents or friends lining up to greet their son as they run on the field for their last time

As a family we are Kyle's biggest fans.  Melissa with the poster.  Trevor too.

Kyle giving his nephew, Jason Whittingham, a word before his next play

Tyler, one of his dad's biggest fans, watching game from sidelines

 

Football Players and Candy Bars

Another week of Candy Bars

I enjoy bringing the candy to the players

It is part of my weekly routine.
Who would have guessed that players 
would be so excited about candy bars. 

Team Meeting at the end of practice

Kristi Ellison, Sara Hill, and Helen Buchanan, that basket is heavy!

Kyle and I with players picking out their candy bars

 It is fun trying to remember what candy bars each 

one likes and be sure I have enough.   

Last year the definite favorite I always ran

out of was Hershey"s Cookies and Cream.

They all seem to like Skittles and Starbursts but

they like their chocolate too.  This year the new one

I could not find enough of was the White Chocolate

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.   

 

Introspection

Today I was looking through some of my files and came across a letter that my dad had written to me in 2008 on my birthday.  My dad is a wonderful writer and always writes thoughtful letters.  He ended with a paragraph about Kyle and it really touched my heart and I think applies to today and to all of us.  He wrote......

"Thinking about Kyle, I think that the last 4 years have seasoned him,

toughened him, honed his interpersonal skill and leadership style.

My poem on "Introspection" is very relevant to successes

 and defeats in football.  Defeats may be blessings that come in

"filthy rags".  For a defeat to be a blessing, the defeated must look

upon it as a fantastic experience from which new energy is released

for learning to overcome weaknesses and capitalize on strengths.

I see Kyle doing this.  In fact, his record says it all and always has."

Everyone has struggles, this just reminded me to try and really grow from those experiences and not let them go to waste or cause us sorrow. 

The following is a poem my dad wrote in 1952 when he woke up in the morning and it had snowed lightly in the night.  The rays of the sun were melting the snow from the limbs outside the window.

Introspection

A Sabbath morning in the Fall,

A few more days, no leaf will fall;

But soon the bare and ghostly limbs

Will bend down low at snow's chilly whims,

But the morning sun after the storm

Will free the limbs with steamy warm.

Will my resilience always be

As prompt and sure as thee, Oh tree?

After a storm has bent my soul 

will I spring back and take control?

Can I make the circumstance

That bends me down, somehow enhance

My strength for my next trial?

Will it lighten the burden of another mile?

My blessings hence and thus do come,

in filthy rags, hard to discern, at first.

But something down inside of me

Says "Take a lesson from the tree.

The time will come when this shall prove

To be a blessing from above."

I love my dad and am so grateful for his wonderful insights over the years.  I am so grateful that he has bound copies of his life, poems, and psychology theories, that I can reference back to them often.

My dad and I (I am 18 months old)

My dad and I, Darsi coming down the stairs

With my dad on my wedding day December 27, 1983

Utah @ Washington

15-34

The wife's trip to one of the football games is one of my favorite things.

Unfortunately they were not all able to go, but those who do each year,

I enjoy the time spent together and a meal shared.

Watching TV with my daughters, waiting on the guys.

Took the wives to Brunch at the hotel. My choice-Red Velvet Pancakes, with cream not too sweet, Perfect!

Beautiful view out my hotel window, yes that is the Nordstrom store

Shopping with Kylie and Coaches Wives at Nordstrom's across the street. Kylie getting makeup done.

Sara Hill and Jenn Shaw at the Tail Gate before the Game

Connie Corbet, Helen Buchanan and Kylie at Tail Gate

Patty Cano, Julia Willis, Bandie Rudy, Viola Tuiaki, Timberly Sitaki

Liz Scalley and Lyndi Duff at Tail Gate

Dawson and Melissa at Tail Gate

Back:  Jen Shaw, Sara Hill, Patty Cano, Viola Tuiaki,  Timberly Sitaki.  Front: Me, Helen, Kylie, Melissa

 This is what we came home to at 4:00 am

My Cute Dad's Birthday

The Daniels family gathered to celebrate my Dad's 84th Birthday.

  

My Dad

Some of the Daniels side of the family

 He will tell you he is 84% of a Century old, but you would never know it.

He likes to hike Rock Canyon by his home.  
He is outside doing the yard work, cutting, digging, moving things,  
building new sheds after he has removed the old, 

fixing sprinklers, and chopping down trees.  Anything you need done

he can still do.  It is the old farm boy in him.  

Trimming bushes in Annabella

Sweeping in Annabella, Aunt Mary on the phone

I have been so blessed to have a wonderful father. He worked either teaching 
psychology at BYU, working with companies with Organizational Behavior,  
and writing about human behavior.  It was great having a dad who could give great advice 
about everything. 

My Dad and I in 2003

Both of my parents have dropped everything to come to my aid when I have needed them.
My dad is a great counselor and help to many.

My family in 1978

When my Mom was diagnosed with Colon Cancer, my Dad worked day

and night for 6 years fighting to prolong her life and taking care of her. What a

wonderful example he was to our family and a blessing to my mom.

I will be forever grateful for his loving care for her.

Dad and Mom

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you!!

My Cute Dad