Oregon Trip

I know, that was two months ago but maybe you would still like something here. Firstly I had been waiting for some pictures, and then I had been waiting for some names to go with the faces. The pictures came in two batches in June, then two more in July. These were provided by Michelle. Lois got the first batch identified, but then was having computer problems and I've not heard anything more. Meanwhile I am still learning how to get blogs posted, lost one the other day so we shall see. The picture to the left is obviously Lois and Grant.

There were a total off 43 of us for dinner on the Saturday in May that we were there. You should remember that the Gibson's have 10 children. Those missing were Marilois and April, who were both ill and Lura whol lives back in Virginia and Dan, who had lived in Arizona but now is in Provo. There is a picture of Dan taken at an earlier visit they had made to Hillsboro.

I am going to split up this posting into more than one piece. Want to be sure I've got it working before losing a lot of effort!

Giberson Summer Memories--Judy

See following post, then write your own comment or post about Giberson summer memories:

Summer Vacations: (Just to trigger those minds in "the back row.). I can remember the following trips:

Trips to Portland: Hilllsboro to visit Grandma and the cousins. This was usually each summer for about a week. There were some Thanksgiving trips to Oregon and I think Mom said one try at a Christmas visit (Dad, was that the year our station wagon right into the mountain on the side of the road during a snow storm. Uncle Bob came and got us. There was also the trip in which we were actually heading from Portland down to California and we lost our suitcases off the car. We stayed in Portland an extra day and had to buy new clothes for me and others whose clothes were lost. I had never bought so many new clothes at one time. I remember thinking that was good luck for us, I didn't like it when Grandma started moving apartments. To me, the house on Wielder street (however you spell that) still is the house when I think about Grandma's house. I also have a few very brief memories of Grandpa Owen there.

California trips: One when I was 5 and we went to Disneyland (this is the famous "flood the hotel incident"), trip to San Jose and Yosemite Park--the bears, and our long trip when I was 12 and we went down the coast to San Diego, over to Yuma, up to Page and the Grand Canyon, then to Zion's (extra day of fun there), then a visit to BYU campus, a stop in Sunset at the Allen and Nora Stephens's house, then lost through Idaho on the way home, That was our longest trip. It might have been almost 3 weeks long.

Short trips: Laman Hot Springs, the camping place with the long grass hill to roll down and a lagoon to swim in, Mt. Rainer camping (and freezing!)

Canada trip when I was 14: I wrote about that trip in my birthday post.

This should start the memories, Post about what memories you have about summer vacations!!!

Evaluation and an open topic.......

We were are a half way through 2011, We have a few followers--one person I don't even know. We have introduced four of the eigth sibings and learned a bit about Mom and Dad and shared some old pictures. At the end of the year, I will place an order for a hard bound book for Dad and Karla. If anyone else would like that please ler me know. I will have more details as the time aproaches but it could be between 15 to 40 dollars depending on what you want. Comments will appear in the printing of the blog.

A new topic (No, not the Amarillo House, bu we will use it someday in this year), how about Giberson summer memories..this is directed mostly to Dad and the siblings, but grandchildren who have memories of Giberson Family Reunions or other summer visits to Grandma and Grandpa are welcome to also make a comment or post. One the post just typed it "Summer Memories-(then your name).

About Judy by Judy

I have to admit that I didn't even think about my birthday post until Valerie left a message offering to do it "since I probably didn't want to do my own." Actually it is much safer to do my own....then I know what it says.

First off, let me say that I was always glad to be the oldest. I know I have heard the pros and cons about the middle and end of the family, but I was glad to be first. For one thing, I was the only Giberson child not born in Richland, Washington. I was always glad to be born in Provo, Utah. (Mike once commented that since I was born in Provo, graduated from college in Provo, got married in Provo, and will likely die in Syracuse--about 50 miles from Provo, people reading my obiturary might think I had a rather boring life, when really I didn't.) Second, I got to do everything first.....of course, that isn't actually true--Todd was the first to serve a mission and go to South America, Mike was the first to have a child, Robin was the first "female" sibling to serve a mission, Valerie was the first to see the Garden Tomb and walk the streets of Jerusalem, Lynette was the first to live back east (I think she beat Mike there.), Rick was the first to skip Kindergarden, and Scott was the first to see New York (unless Mike made a trip there before 1990.) Of course, there are thousands of things that my siblings have done that I haven't done....but I was first in those important things like walking, talking, and toilet training! First to have two dimples...always liked that for some reason (Uncle Bob always commented on my dimples when I smiled. He called me Dude when I was little.)
More important were things like driving and going away to college.

The "then" picture.....Like I said, first to walk.....

Heading to Church from our house on Longfit

Notice I am wearing a dress.....back when I was in school, girls had to wear dress every day except for a couple of weeks during the "dead" of winter. That is so hard to imagine now.

I was not a big fan of dresses even now!

Now a few things happened between riding a stick pony in a dress and the following picture of the Halls--

After living in Washington for the bulk of my life, we moved to Texas where I graduated from Tascosa High School in Amarillo. I went to BYU and met Gary on the first day I was there as a freshman. We got married four 1/2 years later and really never dated until after our engagement. A story for another day!

I graduated in psychology from BYU and later with a masters in school psychology.

We lived in 13 different apartments, houses and flats in a variety of places--Springfield, Missouri, Sunset, UT, Clearfield, UT, Provo, UT, West Jordan, UT, Hong Kong, Plano, Texas, and now Syracuse, UT.

Hall Family last summer

And a recent "Now" picture with Gary......

The "Aunts and Uncles" questions

1. Job title and description of what you do: In addition to wife/mother/Church member/Community volunteer, I work part time as a caseworker for LDS Family Services, working with expectant parents and adoptive families.

2. married how long? Gary and I have been married for 33 years so we celebrated by posting a flag pole in our front yard. We were married on the third day of the 3 months so it was a fun anniversary.

3. Hobbies and interests reading, traveling, walking, parties with friends, games, talking to friends and family, did I mention traveling?

4. Favorites:

color yellow, green, and blue

food-home Taco salad

eating out Chinese

movie "The Sting" (I know I am old.)

tv show the older seasons of "House", "NCIS"

sport. professional/college sport teams football/basketball BYU; SanFran Giants and Diamondbacks (near the end of the season): Jazz basketball

snack food nuts and peanut M&Ms

vacation spot sandy warm beaches, probably any where in the world; Hong Kong, Asia in general

game Wits and Wagers; BuzzWord; most games at least once (Unfavorite games--Scrabble--I am terrible at it despite the fact that according to Giberson lore, Dad/Grandpa and Mom/Grandma spent a month playing it waiting for me to be born.)

5. Something you are planning to do this year (before your next birthday) With a couple of my Hong Kong friends, we are planning to HK Women's 22nd Reunion in Hong Kong for March of next year. I am also planning on finishing my Wood Badge "Ticket" which means I will officially be a Scout Wood Badger and a member of Troop 1 for the rest of my life. Go, Owls!

6. Church calling .A counselor in the Primary Presidency

7. A Giberson memory Of course there are a huge number of memories. The first thing that came to mind were our vacations. I thought everyone went on yearly vacations as a family, but as I have grown I realize that it is not as common as I thought. One vacation I loved was our trip to Canada--the mud pots, the moose, attending Church in that tiny Church on the border between the US and Canada, playing in the river by our tent, and hiking around Lake Louise--truly one of the most beautiful spot in the world,

And there you have it..........Judith Ann Giberson Hall!!!! But I am always "Judy" except on my paycheck and my temple recommend (and other important documents!)