Graham Crackers

Growing up Westra, frosted graham crackers were a yummy treat. Generally made to use up some extra frosting, they were best the next day, when the frosting had softened the cracker some. How many of the Westra Siblings have introduced "frosted graham crackers" to their kids? Is this something the next generation will love, or will they think it is weird!?

Frosted graham crackers have been made (and consumed) fairly often at the Blackham home. Jen wondered how common this combination was, and posted the picture above to social media. There were quite a few comments from friends and neighbors reminiscing about the cracker combo, so it wasn't just a Westra thing.

Another cracker combo ... graham crackers and milk. Cookies and milk are mainstream, but Jen remembers her roommates looking at her oddly when she dipped graham crackers in milk.

Are graham crackers saved for smores or crusts, or do you still Westra them up?

Oh Deer! Hunting Memories

 

The Westra siblings and other Norman Grandchildren remember the antlers hung up in the home on Spring Hollow Drive (in the basement family room, in the garage). We knew Grandpa Norman had been a hunter, although we weren't as familiar with that as we were his fishing.  There are a few photos of Grandpa Rex and some successful hunts. Chris shared these pictures in May2020 and it brought up some memories ...

Mom/Margie: My dad's side of the family was big into hunting. He looks maybe young married years. I don't remember them ever using horses. I think my Mom's side of the family were hunters also?? But my dad went with the Norman side. I remember being up the mountain sitting in the car with Aunt Norma and her girls, while the men and boys hunted on the mountain. We would eat the giant Hershey bars. And when one of the gals needed to go to the bathroom, the others would hold up a blanket around them because you never dared go off into the trees because hunters might be there and see you or shoot you thinking you were a deer! he guys would try to shoot bucks, rather than does. They loved getting a "4 pointer" (better than a 2-pointer)---that meant the number of antlers on each side. This photo with the horse looks like the deer was a "3 pointer." I remember they would hang the dead deer upside down from a tree at Herb and Louella's place, where they would skin in. And then have to cut it into pieces and wrap them in white butcher paper and label them to freeze the venison. He also hunted pheasant and ducks and geese. With the game birds, I remember in back of our Murray house, Dad would pluck the feathers from the bird, then singe it over a fire and it smelled terrible. Since they were killed with shotguns, they would have to pick out all the shot in the bird. Seems like a great deal of work for both the venison and the game birds! When it came to fishing, we went with mom's side of the family. I remember the fun times camping with cousins in the mountains. I preferred the fishing to the hunting.

Merrill: I can shed some light on the photo with the horse, as I once discussed it with dad. Antlers from this deer were prized by dad as one of the largest he ever shot. He saved them and passed them on to me. I can’t explain why, but I have saved them and they are in our basement in storage. I believe this picture was taken shortly after I was born and dad had returned from the military – I would guess it was taken between 1945 and 1947. He was hunting with his father and brothers when they still had access to horses to help extract deer from difficult to retrieve from locations. I think this one was taken in the mountains above Mt. Pleasant. Dad was also very complimentary of his father’s strength. He has told me that his father was extremely strong for his height. He described his father placing a heavy deer on his back and carrying it long distances to where they had left their vehicles.

Nelva: Mom/Zada was probably still in her twenties in that photo. I remember my dad bringing home a deer and hanging it from a tree in front of my Norman grandparents house where they skinned it. I helped and thought it was pretty cool.

Any additional hunting memories or photos?

Singing Sisters and Mom's Memories

 

Since this quarantine, Jaiden and Janelle have been playing around with Rick's studio equipment and learning how to record. They recorded this fun song, Tonight You Belong to Me that was originally sung by The Lennon Sisters (MP3 attached). Also, here is a fun picture of them from their last concert.... Also, Janelle just got called to be on the Seminary Council next year. She is really excited!! 

User 65371523 · 2020 - 5-20 Jaiden And Janelle Singing TONIGHT YOU BELONG TO ME

Also, a local news story with some great footage of Janelle right in front... (Starting about ten seconds in -- after the ad). It was a fantastic concert. The girls are so sad that their director is retiring...

https://www.cedarcityutah.com/news/archive/2020/05/20/hsr-longtime-high-school-music-teacher-conducts-final-concert-before-retirement/#.XscKZmhKiUk

From Grandma to Janelle and Jaiden,

Very lovely Song and I love the harmony. Fun to have all the singers in your family! That is exciting that Janelle got called to be on the Seminary Council! That will be a great experience for her! Uncle Derek was Seminary President. Great that Jaiden was elected to the Student Council. All these experiences are great to have. 

My best friend and I were elected Song Leaders/Cheer Leaders in Jr. High. They only had 2. We would lead the school in our school song after each assembly (since I am so musically talented;-)---cough, cough!)

I was Sophomore Class Secretary. I remember we had to go around to the different classrooms and tell them why they should vote for us. These were called "whistle-stops." Back in the early days of our country, I guess the men running for President of the United States would ride on the train to different cities around the country, and crowds would come to hear them speak from the back of the train and these were called "Whistle-stops," because of the train whistles I suppose.

 I was one of the girls nominated for Prom Queen, but didn't win that.

Then we moved to Olympus High after my sophomore year and I went from being a big fish in a little pond to being a little fish in a big pond. There were 720 in my graduating class! 

 The next year Skyline High School opened and half of Olympus kids went there. Merrill was a senior that year. Seniors got to choose whether to go to Skyline or stay at Olympus. He chose to stay in Olympus. So he went all three years there.

My business teacher dictated a letter to me that I had to take down in shorthand and then type up for her to sign. I had asked her for a letter of recommendation for a scholarship to Henager's Business School. In it, she mentioned in the letter that academically, I was number 20 out of the graduating class of 720 students. I don't know if there was more than one with a certain ranking or not. I did get a full-tuition scholarship.

The top so many of the graduating students were invited to write a graduation speech and turn it in. I don't remember if I wrote one and turned it in or not. When I graduated from Henager's Business College, I was voted "the Secretary most likely to Succeed" by my fellow graduates. So write in your journals about all these experiences, and you can tell them to your grandchildren someday! Love, Grandma

Mother's Day 2020 - Memories of Mom

Mother's Day 2020 - Quarantine Mother's Day. The usual visits wouldn't be happening, so Chris asked all the siblings to come up with some memories of Mom to share ...

Derek's Memories ~

My experience growing up (during my teenage years) was a little different than the rest of you siblings since I came later, and was almost like an "only child" since Shane left on his mission. So, I'll provide some memories from some of those years. :) I remember that Mom would put a "Thought for Today" on the fridge every day. My friends LOVED it. My friend Brian would always come over and hang out in the kitchen and out of the corner of his eye, he would try to quickly memorize the fridge quote. Then he'd suddenly say, "you know Margie - I've just been thinking..." then he'd repeat back the quote from memory as if he had just come up with it. I think Mom appreciated that her thoughts were being seen and internalized. :)

Mom would make homemade bread often (before Dad's celiac diagnosis brought that to a wheat-grinding halt). :) I remember coming home from school during High School (and often having a few friends with me), and Mom would bring out 2 loaves of homemade bread hot out of the oven. I recall that we wouldn't use a knife, but my buddies and I would just use our hands to break off big chunks (juggling them because they were hot and burning our hands) and we'd go through a whole loaf and a half and a stick of butter. My friends loved coming over to eat Mom's homemade bread! 

Another memory I have of Mom/Derek time was watching shows together growing up. Being a "nerd" is "cool" now, but when I was a teenager, it wasn't necessarily "cool" to be into Star-Trek. :) Especially if you are watching it with your Mom! Haha! But I remember being secretly really into the new Star Treks. Mom and I watched The Next Generation, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine together. I remember doing homework in my room and Mom calling up "Derek, Star Trek is starting if you want to come watch!" I remember feeling "tool cool," but then I'd hear it start and I'd wander down and watch it with Mom. Fun fact - I recall one of my first crushes being a character called "7 of 9" on Star Trek (of course I never admitted this to Mom!). 7 of 9 was a half-human, half Borg that wore a way too-tight space suit. Fast forward many years, and there is a definite resemblance between 7 of 9 (long blonde hair, blue eyes, big lips) and Danielle. :) I must have a type. :)

I remember Mom doing her exercises to her CD's of "dance music" throughout the house. I imagine these are the same songs she exercises to in her pool now. Haha. I remember a few of these songs: "Let's Hear it For the Boy," and "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." To this day I smile every time I hear these songs on the radio, as I picture Mom dancing around the house with her arms up, pumping her jams. :) 

Mom has always been a sponge of information and learning, and self-improvement. I have always been SO impressed with this. When I was in High School, she would wake me up in the mornings and I'd get ready for school, and do my morning chores (one of which was strangely to make HER bed - haha, to this day, I'm the only person I know whose chore was to make my parent's bed in the morning - but I always just assumed that was something she didn't love to do). :) While I got ready, Mom would walk on the treadmill and watch BYU devotionals. She has always loved to learn, and to be inspired and then share that information with others. Over these years I watched her assemble hundreds of these "Thought for Today" packets for missionaries, for friends and family and others - inspiring them with things that inspired her. I believe this is what led to her website (she had amassed so many resources that she started compiling them online). Her thirst for learning has never stopped. Even in her 70's, she amazingly (and surprisingly) became the family's expert in investing (even with two MBAs and a CPA/CFO). I consider myself a student of personal finance and my knowledge doesn't even approach my Mom's. I've always been inspired by her thirst for learning and her ability to learn new tricks (even at an older age). :)

Sometimes I tell people that when I was growing up, my Mom made me breakfast pretty much every day. Cocoa and Toast, Oatmeal, Spam and Eggs, Waffles, etc. This blows people's minds. I didn't know this was unusual until I went to college and learned that my Mom was the only parent on earth to spoil their kids with breakfast every day. :) 

Shane's Memories ~

Riding Bikes: We would often ride bikes as a family, and Mom's bike had a little kid-carrier that Derek would sit in. I loved spending that time together as a family. 

I remember going places in Grandpa's RV, and going fishing. Mom wouldn't ever bait a hook, or pull the fish to shore, but she liked doing the rest of it!

She was the "Fluoride Lady" at school. And I hated fluoride! But I guess I needed more of it, as I've had tons of cavities my whole life. 

Before my mission, Mom took me to get my wisdom teeth out. After the surgery, on my way out of the office, I ran into a friend who was just coming in for his appointment. We chatted for a while, and then once we left apparently I was trying to convince Mom that I was fine to drive us home. Mom wisely insisted on driving. I have no recollection of my conversation with my friend or asking to drive home. 

Once I got a "pink slip" at Woodstock (for tripping a classmate), and I was embarrassed to tell Mom and Dad. So I didn't, but I did keep the disciplinary note in that old toy metal fridge. After the school year was about up, I told her about it expecting to get into big trouble. But she just said I did the right thing by telling her, and she said that if we always do the right thing nothing else matters. 

Mom would soak her feet in bucket of hot water (and I think salt). One day, she filled the bucket, put it in front of her recliner chair, and out of habit lifted up the foot rest -- spilling the bucket and all the water. She cleaned it up (which took a lot of time), filled the bucket again, sat down, and AGAIN lifted up the foot rest the second time, spilling all the water once again. I remembered that she was still pretty calm and composed in that situation, which really impressed me. 

Conference talks: Mom collected hundreds of conference talks, books, and tons of other material for me to listen to on my way to and from the U. I still refer back to many of things I learned during those commutes. 

Mission call: On my birthday when I turned 19, I was expecting my mission call. Really, it should have taken another week, but I thought "wouldn't it be cool if it did come on my birthday?" But I thought there was very little chance of that, figured I'd have another week to invite family and friends over for the opening. But when it went to the mailbox that day, there was the white envelope! I was very excited, but I knew that if I told Mom she'd make me open it sooner than I wanted (because I wanted more people to be around when I opened it). So I shoved it up my shirt, walked back to the house, and Mom asked "Did it come???" I shrugged and said "I guess we need to wait." Then I just went about the normal activities during the day. A while later Mom said "Darn, I was really wishing it would come today, that would have been such a good birthday present". Then I broke down and admitted that it had come, and it was hidden up in my room (I was using the east bedroom while still building my room in the basement). She got so excited and ordered me to go get it and open it right away! I protested, saying at least we should wait for Dad to get home from work, but she insisted so we called Dad on the phone and then opened my call. Mom was excited, but a bit scared of me going to Brazil. 

Mom is the best! One of the things that has impressed me the most about Mom is how much she cares about us, even though we're older, married, and have families of our own. She still loves us, prays for us, and does so much to help us -- I am so amazed at how much of her daily activities are dedicated to helping her children and grandchildren.

Jen's Memories ~

Mom was CRAZY for coupons. She got a system to pick up the Sunday inserts from some neighbors who didn't want them. The neighbors would lay them out, then Shane would collect them. Then they had to be cut. And filed. "Filing coupons" was one of my jobs. I actually DID like shopping and appreciated the deals, so I think Mom connected more with me over the coupons (and rebates!) One morning I remember waking up to Mom rushing into my room and practically jumping on my bed, she was so excited and ecstatic. Skaggs Alpha Beta was going to do double coupons again! ;) 

One of my favorite meals Mom would make was ... a chicken in the pressure cooker. It would be a whole chicken (I only do chicken breasts now myself) and I'd eat just it, didn't need anything else (except salt of course). My boys actually like this too! Except I don't use a pressure cooker (I'm even intimidated by the Instapot, but those old pressure cookers ... they were a little scary!)

Fruit Leather - did any other family make fruit leather? The table on the deck in back, with the wooden frames and the netting to keep the birds and bugs out. Lift up the frame and peel some off, still hot from the sun. Peaches were a milder flavor, but apricots were more plentiful. We'd experiment with jello and punch to make different flavors. Once, Mom and I even sketched out some "dream frames" ... but they never got built.

Mom didn't have time to be too involved at the schools while we were growing up, but when Derek was the last one left in elementary school, she started to go in, volunteering as "The Library Lady". Don't quote me on the name. She would tell a story to the kids to try and get them interested in a book. As I was a voracious reader, she often had me pre-read from a long list and tell her which ones I liked best (so she only had to read the best ones). She was at the school when the library was having a book sale, and they were getting rid of (gasp) the book "Sonny Elephant". This was my FAVORITE book. After I had left Woodstock, I'd get Shane and Derek to check it out so I could still read it. It is old and out of print, not something I could just buy. Mom bought it ... and it's still in my home library today.

Wendy's Memories ~

Mom was very educationally-minded and instilled within each of us a love of knowledge and learning. Going to college was completely expected. We were encouraged to do well in school and earn scholarships to help pay for our education. This is something I feel like I have passed on to my own children. When we were young, Mom and Dad had an education fund where we could contribute money for our college education and they would match it. She was also involved in our schooling and just learning in general. Mom would often correct our grammar and spelling and she would play word games with us. One game was to see how many homonyms we could come up with. We would also have spelling tests and play around with words in different ways. I still remember having to write an autobiography for a class and Mom suggested that I start it off with "On April 29, 1968 the world was graced with my presence!" I liked it and so that was the way I started my paper! 

Recently I was reading in my journal about an experience that happened in July 1982 when I was 14 years old. Donaldsons hired me to weed their entire yard for $10.00. I hated weeding (then and now) but I accepted the job. It was difficult work and I soon realized that I wasn't getting paid enough for the amount of work. Mom must have felt sorry for me and came out to help. We wet down the dirt so that the weeds would come out more easily. It got really muddy in one place and when Mom stepped in it her foot sank about a foot. She was stuck and couldn't get her foot out and when she finally got it out her sandal broke! I was grateful that mom came and helped me when I was overwhelmed with a task. All of the "mud" reminded me of when we would play "muddy mess" in our sandbox. We would put on old swimming suits and dig huge holes in our giant sandbox and then fill them with water. Often we had elaborate sand castles, tunnels, and bridges. We would play in the holes of water and get all muddy and needed to take a bath when we were finished! I am grateful that mom let us explore our creativity in fun, messy ways! 

I love how Mom made birthdays a big deal -- but also kept the parties simple. We often had a birthday party both with friends and with family. We had lots of combined birthday parties (and other parties) with the grandparents, cousins, and aunts and uncles. When we were young and had a "friend" party mom would give each of the kids a paper sack to color and that became the party bag for the kids to bring home. I actually continued that tradition for a lot of my children's birthday parties -- cheap and easy -- and they loved it! She would often read the children a story and we would play simple games. When we went to a friend's party we always had a birthday gift covered with taped on candy, which immediately got lots of attention by all the kids there! Mom often got birthday gifts on sale and had a whole drawer full of gifts that we could choose from when we had a birthday party to go do. 

We had lots of birthday sleepovers! This is not a tradition we have continued (in this day and age we no longer feel comfortable letting our kids have sleepovers except at relatives houses) but I have fun memories from the sleepovers that Jen and I had with our friends. I also have lots of fun memories of family get-togethers. I am grateful for everything Mom has done through the years to keep our family close! Love you, Mom!

Wendy also wrote up a bunch of memories back in 2003 as well.

Chris's Memories ~

I remember Mom asking me about specifics in my life growing up. She knew what girl I was interested in, what test I was taking, and what afternoon activities I had each day. Because she knew, she could ask those specific questions about my day. I’ve tried hard to do this with my own boys, getting a schedule of their classes and knowing what book they are currently reading, for example. 

I remember Mom and I sharing books, even when I was a teenager. I credit her for opening up my life to psychology and life improvement and relationship books. To this day I’m still interested in those type of books!

I remember Wonderful World of Disney on Sundays, 6:00 I think. She would be in her recliner and we would be watching from the floor around her. When a commercial break came, Mom would say, “Ok, everyone up and go brush their teeth! - hurry.” And we would have to hurry to get back before the commercials were over so we didn’t miss any of the show.

Scott's Memories ~

It has been interesting to read the responses. Mom was in different stages of parenting with all of us.

I remember mom working in the small kitchen in the first house we lived in on Ranier Street. I remember the large white appliances and I remember her taking Chris in the stroller for a walk and walking behind. I remember that I had to go to my room if I was bad or if my parents needed a break and looking under the crack below the metal bedroom door and seeing my parents walk around on the wood floor. I remember mom being so nervous when dad would have me stand on his hands up in the air or leave me hanging from the clothes line or the Catalpa tree in the front yard. The Ranier house had a window-mounted air conditioner in the front window and I loved to stand in front of the cold air and mom kept shooing me away – afraid I would freeze my brain.

I remember later after we moved into the Saint Street house than mom took up cake decorating and had all these neat things to play with – disks and tubes and heads. I remember watching the moon landing on the black and white TV while mom was ironing and having her say this was something I would always remember.

I remember going to Church as a family and that the building had green stone and a deep large window well, where I was told I would be placed if I was not reverent. I remember mom wearing wiglets and that she would style them while they sat on a Styrofoam head. I remember mom taking me to Kindergarten at Spalding Elementary and letting the teacher know he should take good care of me or he would be in trouble.

Mom was always busy with the younger kids – there were babies or young children in the house all the time I was growing up and they demanded the bulk of her attention. I figured that was fair as I had her undivided attention for the first two and a half years of my life.

I am amazed at her dedication and investment in making the lives of her kids and grandkids better. She is tireless at transferring the wisdom and knowledge to benefit her posterity. She is a great example. Always faithful.

Thanks Mom for all your continued love and support for us, and for all your grandchildren! 

We all love you!

Basic Bread

Freshly baked bread was quite common growing up Westra. Mom had a Kitchenetics mixer ... she could double this recipe (that's 14+ cups of flour!). Jen loved the mixer so much she got one when she married and it's still all she uses. Bread is pretty basic - there are websites out there that will give you lots of hints and step-by-step instructions. If you want the bread Mom made, the recipe is below.

Ingredients

2 ½  cups warm water

1  Tbls Yeast

¼  cup sugar

⅓  cup oil

1  Tbls salt

7 ½  cups flour

Combine water and yeast. Add sugar, oil, salt and flour. Mix for a couple minutes, then let the machine knead for seven or so more. Form into loaves and place in bread pans (non-stick spray recommended). Rise until double. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.

A couple "bread" memories ...

• When Mom and Dad went to Germany, Grandma Norman was at the house to watch the kids. Grandma baked some bread. When she took the hot bread out of the oven, Scott told her that Mom always put butter on the top of the hot bread to make it taste better and to soften the crust and make it shiny. Grandma told him that wasn't really necessary. Then she turned around and there was Scott, putting butter on top of the loaves!
• Derek wrote: Mom would make homemade bread often (before Dad's celiac diagnosis brought that to a wheat-grinding halt). :) I remember coming home from school during High School (and often having a few friends with me), and Mom would bring out 2 loaves of homemade bread hot out of the oven. I recall that we wouldn't use a knife, but my buddies and I would just use our hands to break off big chunks (juggling them because they were hot and burning our hands) and we'd go through a whole loaf and a half and a stick of butter. My friends loved coming over to eat Mom's homemade bread!
• Wendy wrote: I remember the aroma of yummy homemade bread and eating big slices of it right out of the oven with melting butter and home-made strawberry jam! Now I am in the habit and make home-made bread for our family every other week!

Derek Memories (38th Birthday Edition)

It happened to be birthday 38 when these memories resurfaced. Wendy shared some journal entries from 1981, when we first learned that Derek would be joining the family. An email chain ensued ...

November 10, 1981 announcement (written February of 1982 in retrospect):

Oh my word! I can’t believe I forgot this! It happened on Jennifer’s (11^th ) birthday on Nov. 10. (I mean we got the news then). Jenny excitedly opened one of her presents and she read it and started jumping around yelling, “Oh boy! Just what I wanted!!” I kept yelling “What! What! What is it!” Jenny showed me the card and it read, “On May 13 you will have a new baby brother or sister!!!” We passed the card around so everyone could read it and we were all laughing. We hoped for a girl but the amtesase (or however you spell it) (amniocentesis) showed it would be a boy! Oh well! Better, than nothing! We are all excited for him!

--------

I sure that will make you feel great that you were "better than nothing," ha ha (coming from a 13 girl wanting another baby sister). But in all truth, after everything our family had been through, I doubt any family was more nervous, excited, and thrilled than our family was to be having another baby on the way!! 

A few more... 

June 6, 1982: Derek was blessed today! All of the cousins came to watch. He looked so cute. After the blessing Dad held him up and then Derek lifted up his head and then it fell, kerplunk! Then the cousins came over and ate dinner here. 

October 2: Derek has started learning forward all the time in his swing now, he looks so funny! Twice he fell asleep leaning forward with his head on the tray. He even chews and sucks on the tray.

October 4: Derek’s getting a little more hair now but not much! It goes down on the top of him head and curls up in back, it looks cute. He is starting to laugh now and sounds funny and cute. He makes lots of noises too. (Has conversations with himself) full of goos and gurgles. 

Jen added some memories as well ...

... and these pictures are from my childhood photo album. I might have taken the originals back in the day. I don't believe these are in Dropbox, and I'm wondering if any of you have seen these ones before!

I don't think I was keeping a journal at this age, but I remember this. For quite a while I said Derek was MINE because of this ... I got him for my birthday (just had to wait for delivery). I remember thinking we'd keep him flexible (as he could so easily touch his toes and such) ... but I think baby bodies are just proportioned differently! I remember trying to get him to say his own name properly~

Say "Der"    (he'd say "Der")

Say "Ick"  (he'd say "Ick)

We'd do it a little faster ...

Say "Der"    (he'd say "Der")

Say "Ick"  (he'd say "Ick)

Say Derek ... he'd yell "gigick"

... but of course, then we called him Dunk

Mom added a few more memories ...

Funny! Yes, I do remember him calling himself "gigick" and us calling him Dunk, though I am not sure where that came from. Remember how instead of sucking his thumb, he sucked his middle two fingers? I remember you telling him something like: "Yuck, if you are going to do that, at least wash your hands first!" And Wendy telling you, "Don't tell him that----it is just condoning it!" And remember how he would breathe so loud, if we ever couldn't find him, we would just listen, and find him asleep down in Chris's basement bedroom. We called him "Darth Vador" because that's how he sounded. We got his tonsils out at age 5 to solve the breathing problem and bought "The Little Mermaid" movie for him to watch. (Further tonsil memories ...Scott and Wendy got their tonsils out together and stayed one night at the hospital. Jeni and Shane got their tonsils out together and stayed one night at the hospital. Both times the younger child (abt. age 5) recovered much quicker than the older child.)

A Compilation of Cars

1982 - Silver Stationwagon

Mom: No car seat laws back then. We had a little "hookover" carseat in the middle of the front seat for Jeni. No bucket seats then. We put blankets in the far back behind the back seat for a play and sleep area. We sometimes would drive all night to get here, so that you kids would sleep most of the way---no ipads or DVDs or movies or computer games back then to entertain you kids. So traveling all night (14 hour trip the first years we were there, then with added freeways and highways, it got down to 12 hours) was easier on us in one way (kids asleep), but hard on us to not fall asleep ourselves when driving--I remember Dad taking caffeine tablets to help him stay awake. And I didn't dare go to sleep because I wanted to keep him talking and help him stay awake. Then when we got here and had to face the day with no sleep was hard. I remember my eyes would feel "burny" all that day.

1980 - California Vacation

Scott: I thought it was a 1972 Chevrolet Kingswood Estate station wagon with an Oldsmobile 454 engine. I learned to drive in that car. I remember floating over gravel roads out by Dugway (stake ranch) at 90 mph when I was probably 15. I remember the "far back". Never wanted to sit there.

Jen: I did NOT want to learn to drive. To make things worse, I had to both learn to drive, and learn a stick shift ... because we ONLY had stick shifts then. Whereas some parents might bribe their kids with "if you get A's in school, we'll let you get your license and drive the car" our parents had to say "you can't be in any more plays until you get your license!"  Mom would stop the car and get out and force me to drive home. Dad would trick me into turning onto the freeway. I eventually mastered it, although driving has always been an issue with me (and has again become worse in my old age). I never had my own car. Chris went on his mission and I was able to drive his Subaru while he was gone. Grayson and I bought our first car (a little Honda Accord for $2000) the day before we got married.

1989 - Too many cars for the driveway!

We need to get a good picture of the little blue truck. So few miles for its 20+ years. It's been borrowed by many a kid over the years. Just recently (2020), both Keaton and Adria tried out their "stick shift" abilities. 

In 2013 Mom and Dad bought a nice new Lexus. 

Then there was a bad accident. 

It's incredible that they weren't hurt. 

They replaced that Lexus with another Lexus - it had protected them well!

More cars from the Westra past ...

1962 - After the Wedding!

 1963

Mom: When I was a teen, I could name every car make and model on the road, but not anymore! I learned to drive down in Sanpete County when we visited grandparents. Safer because there weren't many cars on the road, but.......there were lots of herds of sheep in the road and you just had to slowly creep your car through them. But I had to learn on a stick shift and trying to slowly make my way through the sheep and me jerking trying to handle the gas, the brake, and the clutch, I was sure I was going to kill several sheep every time!!

Mom and Dad's first apartment on McClelland Street in 1962.

(Homes Before Hermitage and Havenmoor)

 Dad is standing in the doorway top right. The car is a 1958 Chevrolet.

1968 in Richland

 1971

Two cars at the Hermitage house. 1976.