Harris, Carole Benon (Nov 5, 1925 – May 8, 2000) Wheatley Family Journal

Entries from Our Family Journal which was a gift from
Agnes Wheatley December 1979

 

Today's Date: 12-23-79

Date of Activity Sunday: 12-23-79

Author: Mom

 

Christmas Party

 

            Last
evening, Gaye, Lindsey, Dad and I went to Salt Lake Airport to meet Scoot.  Alan, Karla and Tom were scheduled to arrive
about the same time and as we went over to [Western?] to meet them we found their
flight plane had been cancelled and they were in Phoenix, so they didn't arrive
home until today.  Kim, Deb, Nichole and
Raegan, Scott, Gaye and Lindsey, David and friend Jill Frisbee, Mark, Jeff and
Lester and I all attended Sacrament meeting – special program from the
choir.  When we got home, Alan, Karla and
Tom were here and it was great having them all home.  It was reassuring to me to know that even
though we are scattered the family ties are strong.

            After a
clam chowder supper – we met in the living room for a visit from Santa and gift
exchanging.  It was great all being
together again and I am so proud of my beautiful family.  We have so much to be thankful for – everyone
healthy and strong.  We also posed for a
family picture.  Alan and family and
Scott and family will be here until New Year's Day.  Lester and I are so blessed with our
posterity.

 

 

 

Today's Date: 12-23-89

Date of Activity:

Author: Mom

 

Christmas Party

 

            Ten years
since my last entry – I resolve to do better. 
I have so many blessings and I want my family to know that I have always
been very aware of that.

            The family
started arriving in the afternoon.  Mar
and Lori came first.  Then Alan and Karla
and family – Tom, Liz, Angela and Katherine (my family has grown so in the last
10 years.)  David, Carol, Michelle,
Jennifer and Jonathon and then Jeff. 
Kim, Deb, Nichole and Raegan were attending the "Nutcracker" and didn't
come.

            We all
enjoyed being together.  Jeff opened one
present, an electric train which all the children enjoyed especially 7 month
old Jonathon, he entertained us all.

            The
grandchildren and to open a present also tonight because they each got a
sleeping bag and needed to use them.  6
sleeping bags spread out on the pool room floor, such fun.

            Our house
is full of happy healthy people who love each other and show their love to us
also.  Our cup runneth over.  We are so blessed.

 

 

Today's Date: 12-24-89

Date of Activity:

Author: Mom

 

Christmas Party Cont.

 

            Christmas
Eve on Sunday!  A special blessing!  We all made it to church on time – A very
special program by the choir.  Kim, Deb,
Nichole and Raegan came about 1:00 �clock and the party began again.

            We had our
traditional clam chowder dinner.  All the
daughters helped with the dinner and it was delicious, too many good things to
eat.

            We gathered
in the living room for a Christmas program and it was the greatest – everyone
participated and I don't think it could have been better.  We miss Scott and Gaye, Lindsey, Michael and
Matthew, but we captured the event on video and they will get our message to
them.

            We
exchanged gifts, had a visit from Santa and a very special good time.

            One special
moment during the day was when we took the time before church to read the
Christmas story from the scriptures. 
Mark read it and his strong steady voice made the story live for us.

            We are so
blessed with our family.  They are all
such fine people.

 

 

Today's Date: 12-25-89

Date of Activity:

Author: Mom

 

Christmas Party Cont.

 

            Last
evening we had to say good bye to Alan and Karla and family, David, Carol and
family, Kim and Deb and family, but Mark and Lori and Jeff were here and it was
a special treat to have them here this morning.

            Today
things were more quiet and relaxed and we enjoyed visiting with our kids.  Kim and Deb came back in the afternoon and
everyone stayed until evening.  The video
turned out great – we'll take it to Virginia with us when we go.

            We also
enjoyed watching our old home movies, which Alan put on video for us.  Movies of our wedding and honeymoon.

            We have had
a great life – been blessed with choice spirits as sons, blessed with beautiful
daughter-in-law[s] – and very, very, special grandchildren.  We must have done something right, somewhere.

            It has been
a lovely, lovely, Christmas!

 

 

Today's Date: 12-29-89

Date of Activity:

Author: Mom

 

Trip to Virginia

 

            Lester and
I left early this morning – 4 AM. To drive to the airport to leave for Virginia
to see Scott and Gaye.  Mark was there as
the airport to help us and to take the car. 
Our flight was good – about 4 � hrs – we arrived at Dulles International
Airport about 1:30.  Scott, Gaye,
Michael, Matthew and Lindsey met us. 
Some snow was on the ground but not too much and it wasn't very cold.

            It was so
good to see Scott and Gaye and the children. 
They are a very special family. 
They all look so good.  Lindsey
has let her hair grow, she looks older than 10 years – she also acts
older.  Michael has lost his two front
teeth, but it hasn't affected his beautiful smiles, Matthew has grown and talks
very grown up, he's a handsome child. 
They all are.

            We have had
such a good time visiting here – we have played Skip-bo a lot, put puzzles
together, and enjoyed the family.

            They are a
busy family – Scott in the Bishopric and Gaye in the Young Womens also coaching
a ball team.

            We attended
church with them and had Senator Orin Hatch as a Sunday School teacher.  He was very good.

            We had a
New Years party with the kids on New Years Eve. 
Sharon McArthur, a family friend and her two daughters came for the
party and stayed overnight – we had noise makers, [serpentine], balloons and
hats – the whole works.

            On New
Years Day, Lindsey, April and Jennifer arranged a piano recital in the living
room.  Programs and everything – they did
a good job.  Lindsey is a real organizer.

            Gaye has
had their house decorated so beautifully for the holidays.  They really have a lovely big home.  Toward the end of the week we helped to take
the decorations down.

            We drove to
Leesburg, a historical town and had lunch there – the countryside is beautiful
even though it is winter.  We have had
such a good time here and hate to see it come to an end.

 

 

Today's Date: Jan 6, 1990

Date of Activity:

Author: Mom

 

Lester's Birthday

 

            Birthday
Party at 8:00 in the morning.  Breakfast
in the dinning room – balloons and decorations to make it very special.  Gaye had even baked a birthday cake so early.

            We packed a
picnic lunch and started out for ball games. 
Lindsey's was first – a Community Youth team – Her team won – Lindsey
made a 3 point basket and then a 2 pointer one right after the other.  We were all very proud of her.

            After lunch
we went to a game of Gaye's girls – the ones she coaches – they also won.  We then hurried home, picked up our bags and
headed for the airport.  Our flight left
at 5:30 and the family was on their way to another game.  Gaye's team was playing at 6.

            We had a
great flight home – it was dark but so clear I could watch all the cities pass
below us.  We arrived in S.L. airport at
8:30.  David was there to meet us and
took us to Alan's to spend the night.

            It[�]s been
a great week!

 

 

 

Today's Date: Jan 7, 1990

Date of Activity:

Author:

 

Trip to Virginia

 

            We attended
Alan's church this morning with his family and Mark and Lori (How long has it
been since we attended our own)

            After
church the rest of the family came. 
David and Carol and children, Kim and Deb and Jeff.  Karla had her dining room all decorated for a
birthday party (Liz had done a lot of it) 
Lori cooked chicken fajitas and we had a delicious meal.

            We have
such good times when we're together. 
After dinner we went down to the family room for some
entertainment.  We played charades with
everyone acting out an important event in Lester's life – then everyone told of
some special event or something special they remembered about him.  It was just great.

            Alan, Jeff,
Mark, David and Kim placed their hands on Lester's head and Alan gave him a
special blessing because he has an upcoming examination of his shoulder and
possible surgery.  It was a beautiful
blessing.  Lester had tears in his eyes
and I had a very warm feeling.  I know
he'll be OK.  We are so blessed.