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Show 2 iIMRAJHQ'GOSyTIME-S- - December 11,2013 - ' '.7 about it. Everyone will un-derstand if you don't give out presents to everyone this year." Well, you know that if I didn't I wouldn't be able to live with myself for all of the next year. I really would be of no use at all just because of my guilt. I have turned to my friends who are around my age, for ad-vice and they have no answers, either. Some of them say that they do not give gifts to their children, grandchildren, and any more. They buy lots of inexpensive boxes of chocolates and give one to each family and that is it. I would feel like a real failure as a grandmother and er if I did such a thing. Well, maybe not so much a failure but a cheapskate at best. to hustle home and get the kids in bed because Christmas will soon be coming and they have work to do. They will not even notice that there were no gifts from Grandpa and Grandma this year. So, see, you have nothing to worry about." Who is he kidding? He would turn to me after every- - by Marcella Walker The Holiday season is upon us and I can hardly be-lieve it! How in the world did it get here so soon? I say that every year and I still am amazed at how soon it comes around. Of course, I love the Christmas season with all of its excitement, color, beautiful music that we only get to hear once a year, and Santa Claus. Santa is a good friend of mine. I met him when I was a little girl, I saw him at lots of Christmas parties over the years, besides, he is on televi-sion, he is in all kinds of stores, and he even comes to church and hands out candy to the younger children at the ward party. You could even stretch the truth a little and say that you have seen Santa in person, and not just one of his helpers dressed to look like him. Some of the times when I have seen him he was not too tall, kind of rotund you might say, but he always smiled, asked you what ' you wanted for Christmas and gave you some candy or an or-ange just for coming to see him. Golly, I wish I could still be invited to sit on his lap and tell him my Christmas list and get a candy of some sort for my efforts. But, not only am I too big to sit on his lap, I don't really have any special gifts in mind to ask him to bring. Hey, did I really hear my self say that? I would imagine that all of you other oldsters out there feel the same way I do, and if you are not an oldster yet you will be some day. Now I get my pleasure of giving gifts for the holidays by making out a long list and then trying to figure out how I can buy gifts for each of our children's families, all of our grandchildren and all of our great- - grandchildren. Do any of you still have time and money to get gifts for your own siblings, their children and grandchildren after you shop for your own? Me neither! But enough talk about what could have been. Now I am so old that I have to think of ways to get presents for everyone without going to the poor house in the process. I could crochet everyone a nice shawl to wear on cold winter evenings around the fireplace. However, there are too many people, according to my count, for me to be able to afford to do that. So I turn to my husband and ask, "What can we give to the children, grandchildren, and and not go to the poor house?" He replies with a grunting sound that sort of sounds like a mum-bled cuss word. If I ask my children, they say, "Oh, Mom, don't worry And while I am going through all of this worry and bother and staying up late at night trying to think of a good alternative because I still want to be looked upon as a lov-ing mother, grandmother, and er by my fam-ily by giving out gifts, when grandpa steps in and says, "Forget the whole thing! They will come to the family party and they will have a good time, we will sing carols and wish everyone a great Christmas. We will hug and kiss everyone and they will file out the door one left without a gift and say, "Come on, we gotta get to the store before it closes and get stuff for everyone. I can't stand the feeling of not giving every-one a present!" Merry Christmas every-one and may you have the best holiday season of your life and I hope you all get some good presents, especially the kiddies who love Santa a little less than they do you! Have a good one, every-body! Love, Marcella Walker Thoughts From The Garden... by Tonya LeMone Every year during the Christmas season I am hooked on Hallmark movies. During this season Hallmark movies play every day and every night and include the tear-jerk- er commercials as well. For me these movies add to the enhancement of the Christmas season and make me wish I was in a Hallmark movie if only for a moment. However, every year my husband threatens to toss the television. Why you ask? And, would that not be to ban Hallmark movies from one's home? I admit every show is very predictable. Girl meets boy who's wife has died, they form a relationship with the help of Mrs. Miracle, they have a quarrel then one of the children helps one of the adults see the light and profess true love under either a town Christmas tree or a bunch of mistletoe. Sounds so perfect to me and simple, not to mention no one is brutally murdered, sleeps together, or has an affair. It is good simple entertainment and when it is over your Christmas spirit has grown, if only in the slightest way, it has still grown and added to the season of perpetual hope. I have always wanted to be part of one of these Hallmark movies and last night I had the opportunity to do just that. Lindon City's annual tree lighting is so Hallmark there should be a tear-jerk- er Hallmark commercial in between the prayer so beautifully given by Pastor Mike and the sweet school children singing the good old Christmas carols that are no longer allowed to be sung in public schools. The Lindon City's tree lighting event started in 1934 during the Great Depression and at that time Lindon was very small with a population of only 300 residents. The effects of the depression were felt by everyone. The citizens of Lindon felt that a tree lighting ceremony would help brighten the Christmas spirit of the residents during this very difficult time for our country. A pine tree on the Lindon LDS church property at the . corner of Main Street and 400 North was chosen as the community Christmas tree. That first year it was lit with only 20 colored light bulbs and strings of popcorn and apples. Every year that tradition continued until 1942 when the "lights out" was enforced during the war. That tradition was not renewed until 1993. Every year since, 20 to date, the tradition of the tree lighting has taken place. Today the event takes place at the newly renovated Lindon City Community Center, but you can still see the white star lit atop the old pine tree where the old LDS chapel sat on the corner of 400 North and Main Street. It is here that a few citizens of Lindon stood so many years ago hoping that a simple tree lighting might lift their spirits during very difficult times. They stood tall with thankfulness for their community and prayed for their community, making it a perfect Hallmark movie moment. That tradition which started so many years ago continues to bring the citizens of Lindon together once again, not only to bind them as a community and possibly lift some who may be struggling, it also gives hope to those who have loved ones serving our country. Just like those so long ago, the annual tree lighting helps to build memories for young and old and rekindles a sense of community. Lindon is a great place to live, raise a family and to have an opportunity to step into a Hallmark movie if only for a moment. See you in the Garden : - probably should, one learns as they go. I have found I have much more to give then I ever thought. I am a great mother and I love seeing our little family. I love seeing my husband. He is such a great father and role model. I love to see her stare at the door the second he walks in and not even blink. She's too afraid to take her eyes off of him. I love how she starts to move crazily when he walks in the room ready to play. I love everything about her. I could stare at her for hours. It's crazy how every mother just thinks their baby is the best. I am also one of those moms. Although not ready quite yet for another, I look forward to the next. I am loving every second and taking in life like I never have before. Things start to mean more, even just quiet time with the by Marissa Moncayo It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant. I was one of the weird one's who loved being pregnant and I now love being a mom even more! It seems like Alia was just born, but now I hold a four month old baby. She has grown so much and every day is a new adventure. It is amazing to see how she learns, what she finds funny, and how everything is interesting. Sadly, we tend to lose that amazement as we get older. I wish I could stare at a colorful wall for hours and find it entertaining and glamorous. It's crazy how we all, at one point, were just like these adorable babies. We had no idea how to get our hand to our mouth, not to claw our face, or how to roll over. Slowly we all learned how to master our bodies and to finally talk. I am so proud of my little daughter, who, to me, is absolutely perfect. It's not only our family and lives, but ever since she was inside me she has taught me more about myself then I have learned my whole life. I was never one to believe in myself as much as I should have. Alia has helped me see and know my worth. She has helped me to see how my Heavenly Father must love me, and how hard of a sacrifice it was for him to watch his son go through all he did. She has given my life purpose and I feel more useful now than I ever have. I was afraid to be a mother. The unknown has always been the hardest thing for me to deal with. I was scared I wouldn't have the knowledge needed of the right skills. Although, I still don't know everything I husband means more now. We cherish each other more. It's fun to see the world through such precious eyes as my daughters. I am grateful she came to our family and I am grateful for her many smiles and the many laughs she brings. Thankfully the. endless joy I feel will never end. "Berry Merry Christmas" Pleasant Grove strawberries so the berries delivered to the Mormon prophet and Utah's Governor are real Pleasant Grove strawberries. I have met with the berry specialist from Utah State University and they are anxious to see strawberries reintroduced to Pleasant Grove. Give it some thought and have a berry, Merry Christmas! P.S. Thanks for all you do to make Pleasant Grove a berry nice place to live! " " "" " " ' " " ' f L L While the vast majority of voters rejected the proposed bond in November, there are still problems that need to be addressed in a growing community. Members of the Blue Ribbon Committee have met with newly elected officials in an effort to address these needs and other needs in the community. There is one thing that continues to trouble me as we look to the future. In not many months, Strawberry Days will be here. Planning is already underway. It is such a wonderful time of year with such wonderful traditions. There is nothing like a good bowl of strawberries and cream! We sell hundreds of cases of berries each year during the annual celebration! We know the best strawberries on earth can be grown here. Thousands of cases were grown here each year and hence Pleasant Grove became the Strawberry capitol of America. Lovely homes have replaced many of those berry patches and it seems unlikely anyone will take up strawberry growing on a commercial level, but I think we can at least do one thing. We should have a place where we can grow enough I to. Many of these, like Don West, are those who gave their entire lives building this community. On Veteran's Day we gathered at the cemetery to honor those who have served in the armed forces of our beloved nation. Their names are etched on granite walls. Not all were required to give their last full measure of devotion. The passing of Nate Hilton is a grim reminder that many suffer the effects of war long after they leave the battle front. This brave young American from Pleasant Grove saved many of his fellow Marines on the battlefield and helped preserve our freedoms. The horrible nightmares of the battlefield haunted him, but now he rests in peace. God bless these men and women who give and have given so much, over so many years. This season we will sing the words to a familiar Christmas hymn penned by Longfellow on Christmas Day during the Civil War. He had lost his wife in an awful fire and his son had been wounded in the war. It was a dark chapter in American history LonqfeHow felt that there was no peace on earth, for hate was strong and mocked the song of peace on earth good will to men. As he sat in despair, the bells pealed more loud and clear! God is not dead nor does he sleep. The wrong will fail and right prevail with peace on earth good will to men! Eventually the bloodiest war in our nation's history came to an end and efforts began to bind up our nation's deep wounds. Many of us have seen much of hate and violence during our lives. We have also seen much of love and caring. This season and every season of the year thousands of kindnesses are shown throughout our community. The warmth of this caring and love means so very much to so very many! A big part of the good life is to say thanks, an attitude of gratitude if you will. In just a few weeks a new mayor and two new city council members will be sworn in. It would be wrong not to thank those who have spent so many hours serving us these past few years. A big thanks should also go to April Harrison, who retired after many years serving in our library. by Mark Bezzant Once again the Christmas season is upon us and yet another year is coming to a close. It was wonderful to have a good old fashioned snow storm usher in the holiday season and turn Pleasant Grove into a winter wonderland. We really need the moisture and the kids need some snow for winter fun! I loved the days in Pleasant Grove when they would block off entire streets just so the kids could sleigh ride! It was awesome! Sadness fills our hearts as we reflect back over the year at those we have bid farewell Pleasant Grove Residents Go to Philippines to Give Assistance to Those in Need by Mary Burgin Two Pleasant Grove broth-ers took their expertise to the Philippines following the re-cent disasters in that region to aide in any way they could. Emergency room Dr. Gary Sanderson and PG Fire Chief Marc Sanderson went to the region for a week to not only help in any way they could, but to also assess the situation for a return trip. They were accompanied by a nurse from Pleasant Grove and friend from Idaho that spoke the language and could interpret. Sanderson's mother, De-nis- e, said the young men pro-vided what medical care they could. They helped 500 to 600 patients a day, totally thousands that they eventually cared for. They also worked to replace the roof on the church they were working in, as well as cutting down broken trees and foliage. She said they reported until they were exhausted by each evening. Adding to the difficulties, the temperature ran about 85 degrees with 100 per-cent humidity. Marc said they felt very humble watching the people going through such hardship, yet maintaining hope. Denise said he commented that he wouldn't mind his family see-ing such humility and hope. The group plans to return to the region as soon as they can. |