more snowmen

David had the idea of a marshmallow snowman toasting a marshmallow. Brigham furthered the idea by making a mini M&Ms fire. Great kids!

Marshmallow snowmen

The kids made these snowmen on our first real snowy day - the day before Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving: almost time to dig in!

If it looks like wall to wall food - that's because it was! We had a wonderful meal together and loved every bite! After the meal, at David's suggestion - we each said one thing we were especially thankful for this year. Dade's job was high on the list, as well as living in Maine, family and friends, our home, "42" (that was Adam's - he said it's the meaning of life and the universe), winning the Revolutionary war, Christopher Columbus, and cookies (Ethan's choice). Anyway, it was all great and we are still working on the delicious leftovers. Only 18 pies this year! I think next year on our mission Dad and I will just have pumpkin pie and I will declare the end of personally making so many pies . . . that will probably only last untill we get off our mission! :)

Sue is making a corn chowder and biscuits and Dade just took a chocolate cake out of the oven. It smells heavenly on this fast Sunday (due to our stake conference next weekend). We had a new family of 5 attended church today - the missionaries were so happy - and the family stayed for all 3 hours. They live in Corinth - the elders have been meeting with them for about 2 months. Dad and I met with President Page after meetings today - made some progress on our mission papers. He asked if we'd be willing to go before Christmas and we said we would - we'll see how long the process takes. We may meet with Prsident Hassell next weekend.

Hi everyone - It's a rainy Saturday - Susannah is studying - Dade is reading the newspaper - Laura is making a mask for one of the missionary Elders - Ethan is running around enjoying the sound of his bare feet slapping the bare floor in the kitchen and dining room - the boys are downstairs playing video games - and Jessica is doing some crayon art at the table with Grampy, who is trying to study his scriptures. I made "Nutritious Muffins" for our breakfast this morning - that's the actual name of the recipe - one of my very favorite muffins. Of course - I tripled it like we always do around here nowadays - and there are only 4 or 5 left - so good reviews from the kids. Nutritious Muffins ¾ c. whole wheat flour ¾ c. oat bran ½ c. brown sugar 1 t. baking powder ½ t. baking soda 1 t. cinnamon 1/3 c. mashed banana ½ c. plain yogurt 1 egg 2 t. oil 1 t. vanilla ½ c. shredded carrot ½ c. dates or raisins ½ c. chopped walnuts Mix dry ingredients. Mix liquid ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine and sir until combined. Fold in carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Bake in greased muffin tin at 400 for 18-20 minutes. Makes 10-12 muffins YUM!

This is our breakfast schedule which we stick to most of the time:

Sunday - Dry Cereal, Monday - Pancakes or Waffles, Tuesday - Baked Oatmeal, Wednesday - Dry Cereal, Thursday - Eggs & Toast, Friday - Maypo, and Saturday - Muffins & Fruit/Juice or Smoothies. It's kinda fun to have the variety. I get up around 5AM to get the ball rolling in the kitchen and the cooking aroma gets everyone up in a good mood! :)

Brigham and Adam helped at the school with a Spook Alley activity last night and the rest of us played "Apples to Apples" and watched "Song of the South". Susannah made pizzas. First time for me playing the game - I liked it alot. Do you? Of course it can never replace Scrabble as my all time favorite - but it was very fun.

Gram is at the Temple today (Stake bus trip). Dad and I have been asked to speak at Saturday session of Stake Conference next weekend and we go to the Temple Thursday and Friday this week. Life is busy and good. Have a great weekend, everyone.

Here are all the kids but Ethan (who was in his highchair out of camera range) on Jessica's 13th birthday.

Above is Gram performing at the Sloat Reunion on August 25. And this is Ethan and Aunt Alice at Dow Reunion on August 18th - the youngest and the oldest!

Katie (and Rheanna) - I posted on June 11th - it hasn't even been 3 months yet! j/k I'm hoping I will enjoy doing it more now that we have DSL (as of yesterday). So here goes. Life is very different here at home now that there are 12 of us around the dinnertable every night - but we are settling into a pretty good routine now that school is underway. Here's one of the the schoolkids on their 1st day.

Dad began adding to the porch this morning. Looks like a pretty good week weather-wise for him to do the job plus adding to the bricking the east side of the house. Peppermint is growing where the addition will be - not everyone has peppermint growing under their porch - our own special touch :).

Williamsburg

Here we are waiting for the live show at Williamsburg - Bart, Gram, Anne, and Dad. The actor that portrayed Thomas Jefferson did very well. We walked around all afternoon touring historic buildings - watched a movie - and shopped at the bookstore. You can't tell from this picture, but it was quite crowded for not being summer. VA is a great place for Mainers to visit this time of year - it felt like stepping into summer.

Washington Temple

We couldn't resist stopping at the Washington Temple for a session on our way home. As you can see all the flowering trees are in bloom. So nice to spend a couple of hours there - Gram enjoyed it too. It had been 7 years since we were last there.

brrrr

The reason for the expression on my face is that it was 89 degrees that day at Virginia Beach and the icy Atlantic Ocean had just washed a wave over my feet!! Bracing to say the least! We all enjoyed walking along the boardwalk. We even saw 4 or 5 dolphins leaping among the waves. It was great to be there. The beach goes on forever!

creativity

See what Gram's been up to this morning? Can you believe she is almost 80?? She never has been one to act her age!! ;)

April Snow

Here are some that Dad took this morning. I love this one of the opening in the fence leading into the path Dad has made into the woods. It will be a fun place for to take the kids on a walk next summer.

April Snow

Here's a couple of pictures taken through my kitchen windows early this morning. You can see that we got 4 inches of sticky snow overnight.

Sap Season Views

Here's Dad gathering sap with our barn in the background.

Sap Season Views

This is taken standing to the left of the cabin. You can barely see the corner of the cabin along the far right side of the picture.

Sap Season

ThatHere is part of Dad's sap boiling operation. I went down to the cabin with him early this morning to take some pictures. He goes to the cabin several times a day to tend the wood fire to keep the sap boiling and evaporating into maple syrup. He has to gather the sap every evening too - so it's keeping him busy. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup - no wonder it's expensive to buy - right?

The Reunion Plans Begin . . .

I decided it was time for a new templete - maybe I'll choose a new one every 3 months or so - you'll never know what color I'll be. :) I've been working on plans for our reunion. I'm thinking we'll plan on Aug 2, 3, & 4 - Thu, Fri, and Sat for the structured part of being together. I'll be sending you ideas and sign-up sheets where you can volunteer to be in charge of one meal and one activity. I'll send it with the April family newsletter - notice I kinda skipped March. Oh well - Dad's surgery is my excuse - okay?

name dropping

Here's a picture taken in May 2002. We had been serving as a Stake Primary Presidency about 6 weeks when Sister Kathleen Hughes and Sister Gayle Clegg came to Bangor to do leadership training. We were thrilled to have them, but felt a bit out-classed! From left to right: Cindy Pierce (my 2nd C), me, Sister Hughes, Sister Clegg, and DeeDee Amero (my 1st C). Gram was in the Stake RS Presidency at the time, so she was with Sister Hughes part of that day. I still refer to notes I took at our meeting with Sister Clegg in training new Primary Presidencies. She was so inspiring! Just wanted you to see who I hang around with. :)

Dad is feeling significantly better today. We have to be at the hospital in Bangor at 6:30 am tomorrow for a post-op exam. I think he will get a good report - his appetite is mostly back to normal and that's always a good sign. He's been walking for 30 minutes a day (indoors) and doing lots of reading. Randy and family gave him a book "A Mormon in the White House?" last night and he's evidently liking it since he's been reading it most of the day today. We are to have more sub-zero weather the next couple of overnights. Love my down comforter!!!

If you look closely you can see the red fish-shaped blossom on our Dolphin plant. It has lots of buds, but only this one flower so far. It really does look like a dolphin leaping through the air. double-click on the picture and it will enlarge.

The Rhoda's

This is a tender poem that Sister Rhoda wrote and included in her letter to Gram. For those of you who have not met the Rhoda's (Henry & Florence) - they are like family to us - they joined the Church in the 1950s and are now in their 90s I think. They served for 6 years at the Washington DC Temple and now live in Sr. housing near their daughter Judy in E. Millinockett, ME. These are Florence's words:

I’m sharing what I wrote one night as I sat alone.
Henry was safely tucked in bed for the night.


A Prayer For Us


It is quiet and the hour is late
Another day has passed.
Another day of thankful wake
To practice what the Lord has asked.

“Be patient, kind and loving too
Do unto him as he’d do for you.”
When I think of things already passed
I repent of my unworthiness.

I was blind – but now I see
How hard he struggled just for me,
Not knowing what was happening
And I, too selfish to understand
And too stubborn to try.

Oh Father, forgive my foolish pride,
My selfish concern for none but I
Forgive the meanness of my thoughts
And help me live as Thou hast taught.

He needs my love, and all my care,
Depends on me for his assurance.
Let me not fail him, but be there
And trust in Thee for my endurance.

F. Rhoda

Dear Clarice,

How I appreciate not only your beautiful card, but even more that you shared Bart’s poem with me. It was beautifully written & expresses some deep thoughts. You must be so proud of your children. They have turned out so well. I love your whole family. And the story also of Christmas you sent. I have them tucked in my handbag to have out & read at the slightest excuse.

As for Henry & I, we are doing our best to get through this time of our life. We keep things simple. Henry tries to comprehend what’s going on with him but it’s a struggle with frustration & confusion a lot of the time. I have and do feel so bad for him. One night when I felt discouraged I prayed to know what to do (and shed a few tears) but the Lord’s answer came almost immediately, “Have patience, be kind and show affection.” I knew, instantly, that was the answer. I’m so old and lame and slow to get around that sometimes I get impatient and a bit short. I’ve put those things the Lord told me into practice. I can tell you it had taught me a lot. I realize now that I was resisting the idea of his Dementia and its symptoms. He is such a dear man and the response to what the Lord says – works. Oh what lessons I have to learn! But I am learning.

I know you have had a busy year with all the doings – weddings, etc. in your family. Enjoy it all! Family is what counts! I’m so blessed with mine. Judy is a jewel – a whirlwind of activity – but always taking care of our needs. Gail too is busy all the time. I don’t know how they do it! Bruce’s health is giving him problems but he keeps plugging away. He & Gail & Michael and Hilary are flying west to Idaho to spend Christmas with their eldest, Quinn & his wife & new baby girl, Lily. Their first grandchild.

Enough said. Love to all of you. Florence

I miss our poetry sessions too.

Here are some pictures I snapped yesterday when our Poetry Kin met at our house for lunch and some poetry sharing. Ivy was home from school for one more day of recuperation so we were glad she could join us and Mari Lou too. We meet the second Tuesday of each month to share poems we have written or favorites others have written. It's fun and it is just the kind of deadline I need to actually sit down and write.

Here are some family pictures from long ago. I think it was the summer of 1986 at a camp at Sebec Lake. Those Dow boys were cute!!!

Dow Family Newsletter
Vol 5 Issue 17 February 2007
Hello Everyone! I know, I know – with so many in our family blogging – who needs this newsletter – but a written history is always good in case our computers all crash – so the Newsletter will go on (until our mission, at leastJ).
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Highlights since our last newsletter:
Spencer was hired by Marmot in Seattle, WA.
John Alexa passed away on February 1st. He was 77.

* * * * * * * * * * * *
Since it is February, I thought I’d devote most of this issue to my brother, Greg, and fill you in on some of his history and my memories of him. He was born on May 31, 1949. Our parents (Clarice & Harley Sloat) had lost their first baby in December of 1947, but Gregory Alec Sloat was born healthy and they were thrilled. He had his first health crisis when he was 16 months old. Mum went into his room one morning to get him out of his crib, when she saw a tumor about the size of an egg on the side of his neck. Dad had been called up for the Korean War and was at Camp Le Jeune, NC for training, so Mum was living alone and scared. She took him to see a doctor and Greg was scheduled right away for emergency surgery. It was identified as a cystic hygroma and the doctor said it was a blessing it had popped through the neck muscles when it did, because it had tentacles that were wrapped around Greg’s spinal cord and esophagus. It could have been fatal. Greg always had severe cases of any childhood diseases that came his way. He had chicken pox all over his body, even inside his mouth and down his throat. He also had measles when he was about 5 with a very high fever that damaged his vision. I had the same illnesses along with him, but always very lightly compared to him. I posted 2 of these pictures on my blog, but want to include them here as well.


Here’s Greg at 6 years old:
and at 7 years old:
I was 3 years younger than Greg. He was always my boss when we played together. TV Westerns were big back then, so he and I played Cowboys & Indians more often than not (can you guess who was the Indian?) Later he became an avid reader and took me into whatever his latest book was, by playing it out. We played “Shipwrecked” a lot and also “Lost in Space” – those were his two favorites. We lived in Hancock, Maine for much of our growing up years and beyond the blueberry field that was right behind our house was the Taunton River. It was a tidal salt water inlet and we loved to play “Shipwrecked” there on the shore. We even had a huge driftwood tree that forever lay there on the sandy beach and it became our ship on the ocean or in outerspace. We called the tree “Dino” – don’t ask me why.

I said he was an avid reader – and here’s an example that put him over the top in my young mind: most every Friday night our family would go together to buy groceries at Dunbar’s Store in Sullivan (by then Bart was a toddler). I looked forward to this outing all week. Mum & Dad would often buy orange soda or half ‘n half soda which I loved for a treat – or canned peaches and vanilla ice cream – yum!! Anyway, Greg would usually opt to stay home alone and read. I thought there was something seriously wrong with him. I mean, who would choose to stay home – to me it would have been the worst possible punishment! He also asked to move his bedroom out into the unfinished chamber – I’m talking really unfinished – rafters and a rough board floor. He loved it though and Dad made him a desk and bookcase. He had an Indian blanket (which were very popular at that time). It was cool!
The missionaries taught our family in early 1961 and we were all baptized on April 8th of that year(except for Bart who was only 2 ½ ). Greg turned 12 the very next month. He bonded with several sets of elders who spent time at our house 2 or 3 times a week. There were no young men in our small branch there in Ellsworth – so the missionaries were very important role models for us. At that time, Hancock students were given the choice of going to high school in Ellsworth or Sumner High School in Sullivan. The two schools were bitter rivals. Greg chose Ellsworth High School and was very happy there. He ran cross-country and did some pole-vaulting. He carried a leather briefcase and one day after school, he was walking across the practice field and a javelin flew through the air and hit his briefcase, making a hole in it. It was a close call. He excelled at French and talked of someday becoming a linguist. As the fall went on and cross-country season ended he decided he wanted an after school job at Ackerman Hardware Store there in Ellsworth, thinking Dad could pick him up on his way home from work at Hancock Wholesalers in Ellsworth. He applied and was turned down but was persistent and stopped by the store every night or two until they hired him a couple of weeks later. They knew he really wanted the job! When Dad would stop by to pick him up, the Ackermans often praised Greg for being a good worker. Then the unthinkable happened! Our family bought a little General Store in Sullivan in 1964, at the end of his freshman year, and our moving to Sullivan required Greg to transfer to the lowly Sumner High School! He was not happy about it, but quickly adjusted and did well there. He and I had jobs to do at the store, one of which was stocking shelves. One day as we were loading up cans of soda in the basement to bring upstairs, he said, “I bet you’ve never chug-a-lugged a soda” - I didn’t know what chug-a-lug meant, but was pretty sure I hadn’t. Anyway, he told me to open a can of soda and drink the whole thing without stopping, which I did (I told you he was my boss J). It was warm grape soda and made me queasy the rest of the day. I still don’t enjoy grape soda to this day. It was while we owned the store in Sullivan that our family made the long drive to Salt Lake City and were sealed in the Temple there in September of 1965. We were gone for 3 weeks, but our teachers all agreed we’d learn more from the trip than we would in the classroom, so we took our schoolwork with us and had a wonderful time. As that school year went on however, Sloat’s General Store failed due to over-extended credit to customers and so again our family moved, this time to Dover-Foxcroft. Greg was just finishing his junior year and really did not want to transfer. Arrangements were made for him board with the missionaries and he finished the school year out and continued working at Ackerman’s through that summer. By August he was ready to transfer to Foxcroft Academy. He’d had enough of living away from home. He hit the ground running at the Academy and was elected Senior Class President and starred in the senior play The Importance of Being Earnest and won rave reviews. His English teacher told my parents that Greg would be getting an A in her class if he would change his practice of only turning in the writing assignments he enjoyed doing. By now, he had decided that Battle Cry by Leon Uris was his favorite book and I think he wore out more than one copy. He loved the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean. This is his senior picture:

He graduated from FA in 1967. He worked at Guilford Woolen Mill that summer and went to BYU in the fall. After a semester there, he enlisted in the Marine Corps, telling Mum & Dad that he felt his education was a financial burden on them. He went through boot camp and eventually was trained as a journalist and stationed at Camp Pendleton. While there, he wrote articles for the Marine Corps paper and also submitted some of them to a San Diego newspaper and was told by the editor there to come back after his discharge and he’d have a job for him. This was while the Viet Nam War was raging and Greg was eager to do what he had been trained for, so he wrote 3 letters to Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith, requesting to go to Viet Nam. He got his wish in the fall of 1970. He came to see me in Provo (I was a freshman at the Y) on his way back to base after he’d been home on leave. He visited me at Helaman halls and after he left, I stood watching him out my dorm window, until he was out of sight. It was late afternoon and he was wearing a blue and yellow wide-striped windbreaker. I don’t remember worrying at that point that he might be killed, but I did feel that I wouldn’t see him again for a long time. Well, it’s been over 36 years now since that day. Greg became a war correspondent in Viet Nam and also served as rear gunner in helicopters. He sent home letters telling of his playing Santa to some Vietnamese children that Christmas and handing out gifts and candy to them. On February 18, 1971 he went down when their Huey malfunctioned and came apart in the air. He was killed instantly, landing face up in a rice paddy. His glasses weren’t even broken. I like this picture of him. I’m not sure when it was taken.

Greg grew up through the turbulent 60s – thankfully the gospel came into his life when it did. One of his Marine Corps buddies did his Temple work for him a year later and said that he definitely felt Greg’s presence with him all through the session. I hope this has given you some sense of my older brother. He would be 57 by now, had he lived. How thankful I am for the Gospel and the promise of being reunited with our dear family members. I know our fondest dreams will come true because of what the Savior did for us. Before this no close to me had ever passed away, but later that same year Grampy Boone died.

This poem became dear to me after that February:

Of Places Far

To me Istanbul
was only a name
until a picture
you took
of the Blue Mosque
came.

I don’t receive
postcards from Heaven
showing St. Peter
at prayer,
but oh – that place
is real enough,
now that you are there.

Carol Lynn Pearson
***************
We wish all of you a Happy Valentine’s Day and hope you know how much we love each one of you. You mean everything to us! M & D

I found this in my files, after I had sealed your envelopes – grrrrr – but thought it was important to include – I think I got it from BYU’s website a few years back.



Gregory Alec Sloat
SGT U.S. Marine Corps

Birth: 31 May 1949
To Harley F. and Clarice H. Sloat
Death: 18 February 1971

Gregory Sloat attended Brigham Young University during the 1967-68 school year. He entered the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, CA on his 19th birthday, May 31st, 1968.

Gregory Sloat was a passenger on a helicopter that went down in the Thua Thien Province Republic of Vietnam on the 18th of February 1971. He died as a result of injuries sustained from that crash. He was a man that in whatever situation he was in did his best to be the best. Bruce Jewett memorialized Gregory in this way: “I knew Greg in Camp Pendleton 1969-70, I was a short-timer and raving to get out of the Corps. Greg was sharp, a great listener, had a great sense of humor. He talked about Hattie back in Maine and homesteading there. He made rank fairly quickly, considering he was never considered a career Marine. I hope he liked me as much as I liked him.”

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Gregory was an example to those around him. Bob Paine was a school-mate of Greg’s said this about him:
“Greg and I went to high school in Maine. He graduated two years ahead of me. We weren’t really close friends but he gave me my first real contact with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), and I later became a member, in part, I think, because of his example. Greg never knew I joined the church, but he does now. He wrote in my yearbook

“Don’t let the guys get you down. Remember, we geniuses are in a minority.”

I never got to Nam, and for that I’m grateful. I miss Greg and I know that he’s doing a great work among the spirits on the other side. Rest well, my brother. From an airman to a good Marine, I miss You.”

February 2007 Newsletter

Here are a couple of pictures of my older brother, Greg. He was killed at 21 in Viet Nam on February 18, 1971 - the first deep sorrow of my life - I was 18 and a freshman at BYU at the time. I've devoted most of our Feb. Newsletter to sharing some of my memories of him and more pictures. In this first one, he's 6 years old and the other one is how I remember him best.

Welcome!

Welcome to Katie and Mandy (our newest bloggers in the family)! I followed Rheanna's lead and added the family blog links (I labeled them by the wives' names, since I haven't seen any male involvement in the blogging so far). We are in the deep freeze here in East Dover. It was 17 below this morning! Thankfully no wind.

Dad went for a wlk and I should have too, but I opted to stay in where it's warm. Here's a summery picture for you. This was taken in July of 2004. I call it "Breakfast on the Porch" makes me anxious for summer to arrive!

Morning Surprise

What a difference this morning! We were surprised to find a winter wonderland out sour window - the weatherman hadn't predicted it. This is taken from our porch looking down toward Gram's.


Here's the chicken house with the new addition Dad put on this fall. The chickens now have 3 windows on the south side so they have solar heat on sunny winter days. I know you can't see much of it, but I didn't want to leave the porch and get my feet wet. :)

Here's Dad leaving for the Church to give a Patriarchal Blessing this morning. That's his new phone behind him on the wall. It came with 2 additional handsets, so now we have one in the living room and one in our bedroom - very nice.

Have a great January 8th, everyone!

Thank you Mr. Goose!

Dad gave me a down comforter for Christmas. It is so light yet so warm and cozy - we only need it and a sheet - no other blankets. I am amazed because we don't heat out bedroom at all. I need to make or buy a duvet to protect it. It is wonderful!

a winter afternoon

It is unseasonably warm in Maine this winter and we've had very little snow - not like the west. Ammon has been shoveling like crazy in Colorado and even built an igloo and slept in it one night. Justin says they have more snow than usual where he is in Utah and Spencer has probably had his fill of driving through blizzards and flipping trucks and such. But here we have bare pavement on the roads - just icy driveways. Dad is giving a blessing this afternoon and I have been searching for women's arrangements of LDS music online for an upcoming stake enrichment meeting - any ideas? We have been feeling the need to organize and sort through our belongings in preparation for serving a mission next fall - it's a big job, but we have made a start. Gram is feeling better. At least she went to Church today, but she said on the way home that she was feeling worn out and was going to take a nap. We had a very small turn-out at Church today. Last Sunday only 55 came and there were even less today. Hope Page told me today that they plan to move to Arizona in 10 years - mostly for Steve's health. Makes me wonder if the Church is ever going to really grow in Maine - so many move west. Bob and Rosa-Lee's call to our home mission makes me suspect it will be the same for us, but maybe not. We'll go wherever called.

Justin and Rheanna's family have already bought their plane tickets for next summer. They fly into Boston late on July 24 and fly back to SLC on Aug 7th. We are sure looking forward to having everyone together. Todd and Katie are planning to drive and so are Susannah and Dade. No word yet on the rest. Dad's already thinking of putting some extra beds in the basement, but maybe tents would be better. Some can sleep at Gram's. We'll figure it out. We can set up 3 tables in the dining room. It will be great fun. Talk to you all soon.