When I Am Baptized

On January 7, 2012, darling Madison was baptized. What a special day that was for all of us. She chose the song, "When I Am Baptized" to sing as a solo, and I was blessed to accompany her on the piano. She also asked me to speak about the Gift of the Holy Ghost on that day and her daddy, Eddie, spoke on baptism. The spirit of the Lord was very strong with us that day. Madison was ready to be baptized, and she was excited. I took her shopping at Nordstrom's the night before to pick out two dresses - one for her baptism day, and the second one to wear on Sunday as she sat next to the bishop on the stand. There's nothing better than a day like this.

My mom, me and Madison

Madison's special baptism day brought back memories of my own children's baptism - and even my own. I was baptized in the Salt Lake City historic Tabernacle. I can still remember turning 8, wearing white and being baptized and confirmed by my dad. That special feeling I had that day, I can still remember.  I have reflected upon my own children's being baptized, where, when and who performed those sacred ordinances. How beautiful are those memories.  Here are a few pictures on baptism day of Adelaide, Nolan and Calvin. We were able to be at all of them in Virginia and Pennsylvania. I sang and spoke and Adelaide's and Nolan's. And due to a bronchitis, I couldn't sing at Calvin's, so he volunteered and walk right up front and sang "I Am a Child of God" A'Capella. It was beautiful and very, very special.

Adelaide's Special Day

Nolan's Baptism Day

Calvin's Baptism Day

Those Yummy Blue Cookies

It's been an exciting two months since the new year began, and I wasn't sure which event to blog on first. But then I decided to hold off on talking about Madison's wonderful baptism day on January 7th until I can round up my "memory lane" of baptism pictures of the five grandchildren who have already been blessed with that event. So, let's talk about those blue heart-shaped cookies. :-)


It's no secret that I absolutely adore my sixteen grandchildren - beyond words. They are my heart, and thanking Heavenly Father everyday for the joy they have brought us happens both morning and night - and sometimes when blessing the food before eating. Yes, if I did nothing but visit those fabulous kids in Utah, Pennsylvania or Puerto Rico (latest place Chris is playing basketball), I would be content. I love watching them sing, play, scream (little girls do non-stop screaming), playing the piano (we won't talk about the piano in PA that needs to be tuned or burned), do puzzles, play with Barbies, paper dolls, and terrorize Scooter non-stop while they are visiting, and feeding those coy fish, duck, geese and turtles off of my deck. Pure heaven for me. So when I am told that I have another grandbaby coming - boy or girl - I'm ecstatic!


This past week was spent in Utah with most of the family. Chris left for Puerto Rico to play basketball on February 10th, so we wanted to fly up there to see he and his family before he left. We, of course, all met up at CPK there at the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City, laughed, ate, and hugged. The cousins also adore each other, and can't wait to sit next to each other, chat and giggle non-stop. It's a beautiful thing, and warms my heart. After eating we all headed to Chris' home to continue the family fun. 

As soon as we got there handsome 5 year old Chamberlain snuggled close to me on the couch downstairs and said casually, "I'm going to have a baby brother." I inquired, "when?" He answered, "as soon as Siri is bigger." Ok ... well maybe mom and dad have been discussing the possibility of another baby with him, I thought. He then repeated it, so I asked Josh and he shrugged and said, "he's imagining things," and blew it off. Ok, so that was that. 


Then once we started playing the nutty game called Curses in the kitchen, (that's another post entirely, but needs pictures of those involved for visual impact), Ashleigh came to us at the table with a large box. As she began to open the box, Joshua announced that they were expecting a new baby in June! And to give us a hint as to what they were having, the box was opened, and the cookies were blue = a boy. Exciting! So...Chamberlain was telling the truth here and not just imagining. How cute was he, and how special the time always is when announcing to the world that you are expecting another baby!


Takes me back to all of the kids and their unique ways of telling me about the new baby coming. Some have done it with a wrapped framed announcement, others have called me at 4am from Poland saying just, "it's a boy! But don't say anything to anybody...even dad." While others just blurt it out when I'm least expecting to hear such incredible news. I love it. So...June we will once again (yea) be blessed with a special gift from Heavenly Father, and he'll carry his father's name of Joshua. We aren't sure yet what the first name will be, but that middle name carries on the Burgess name. And that is incredible. (I'm smiling from ear to ear as I write this post.)

PICTURE TELLS THE FUN

Decorating the Sugar Cookies December 24, 2011

Enjoying the 73 degree weather

Christmas Morning

Homemade Gift from Angela and Family

The Spectrum Dec. 26, 2011

Red Robin, Spectrum Dec. 26, 2011

So much to do at the Spectrum!

The Beach (Newport on 15th Street) December 27, 2011

David and Sarah

Mama D's for Dinner ... Final Night Together

Pictures tell it all.  All of the food, fun and family.  We loved having Joshua, Ashleigh, Chamberlain, Sir, Sarah and David here with us for Christmas. We even ordered special 73 degree weather. You would think it was summer! Chamberlain and I frosted the star sugar cookies I had made two days prior, we watched 3D movies, spent two days at the Spectrum, a few hours fighting through after Christmas crowds at South Coast Plaza returning items and looking for a few bargains, went to 15th Street at Newport Beach, and ended everything having a fabulous meal at the famous (and packed) Mama D's for dinner. wonderful!  One special moment was on Christmas morning singing (for the last time at age 60) O Divine Redeemer in the church Messiah Sing-In. Yes, it's been 10 years since last singing that, but I'm glad the kids were there. David filmed it on his iPhone from near the back of the hall. He did this incognito since you aren't supposed to film in the chapel.  So, besides the noisy kids, it is a nice memory.  Thank you David.  xo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uob5s4i-tKk&sns=em

TAKING DOWN THE TREES

The "Red" Tree..Front Room

Up close "Gllitz"

Sad to say (and do) but it's January 2, 2012, and it's time to take down the three Christmas trees. Everything else that pretty much "decked the halls", as they say, has been boxed up and put away. And as much as I'd love to keep these trees up all of January, it's time to put them away. And it makes me a little sad. With putting them away it pretty much finalizes the year 2011. And a great year it was with the birth of our 16th grand child, Beckham Christopher Burgess, the graduation of our son, Joshua from B.Y.U., and the engagement of our son, David. All great things! 2011 brought us a new business with Voyager Health Technologies, lots of renewed friendships with distributors from coast to coast, a phenomenal family reunion at our cabin in Pines Ranch, Utah with all of the kids present, and involvement with another stake musical. All amazing blessings that we will cherish forever.

Office/Studio Tree

Theme: Nutcrackers

Joshua and David both were able to spend a week with us for Christmas. Joshua, Asheigh, Chamberlain (5) and Siri (almost 2) drove from Utah just after taking his "final" exam, and Sarah and David drove in from Henderson, NV. It was wonderful having them. We did the mall thing, the Spectrum thing (twice - 2nd time buying an iPad2 for Josh' graduation gift), and did the traditional Christmas formal dinner on my new Lenox Christmas china (a Christmas bonus for myself this year). Josh read from Luke, and we retired to our "sleeping spots." Since moving from the "big house", we only have one guest room here in the condo. So, hotels near by make it simpler to house the family. Christmas fell on Sunday, so instead of our usual dawn present opening, we attended a special 1 hour session of church and celebrated the present opening after. 

Bedroom Tree

Theme: Reindeer and Stars

We had a special one hour session Messiah Sing-In this year, something we used to do as an annual stake event. For 8 years I sang all of the soprano solos for this amazing musical masterpiece. And it has been over ten (10) years since I did that. But they asked me, in this shortened Messiah Sing-In, to sing "I Know that My Redeemer Liveth" this year, so although hesitant now that I'm 60, I'm glad I participated - maybe for the last time with my voice growing tired from singing, teaching voice and directing productions and choirs for more than 45 years. And I'm very happy a couple of my children could attend. David even filmed me singing with his iPhone. Chamberlain said, "grandma you sing very loud!" I asked, "did you like it?" He said, "yes" then he hugged me. So, with his vote of approval in tact, I smiled at the memories that were made for everyone this year, and will always cherish 2011.


Celine Dion's "Another Year Has Gone By" song keeps coming to mind as this new year of 2012 unfolds. Blessings are counted. Opportunities are recognized. And grateful hearts abound here at the Burgess home. Our kids don't live here on my once dreamed about "Burgess Boulevard," but the moments we have together are still treasured. And, we move into the new year with hope and possibility for even more precious moments with our distributor friends, music friends, students, and definitely family. Happy New Year!

All Together Now...3D!

Chamberlain "tweaking" Grandma's Office Tree

Christmas Eve 2011 has started out beautifully with the arrival of Joshua, Ashleigh and their two wonderful kids, Chamberlain and Siri. I could blog on the wonderful dinner we will have tonite of spiral cut ham, Christmas cheese potatoes, fresh baby peas, crescents and butter, yummy goodies both made and brought (including the home-made Yule Log!) Or I could talk about the "tweaking" of the Christmas trees that is always done by visiting grandchildren. (How did this ornament get here?) Or I could talk about the fun games that will be played where I try to always win - no matter how :-) (wink wink). But instead, I'm going to talk about dad's (Ken) or grandpa's gift to himself ... his new 3D Samsung big, flat screen tv. Well, I'll let the pictures tell the story. One word: Mesmerizing!

Chamberlain can't believe it!

Too bad it only came with two pair of 3D glasses!

OC MARKETPLACE!

It's Christmas time and a couple of the kids will be coming in to spend Christmas with us. Josh and his family, and David and Sarah arrive Friday, December 23rd. I am so excited that they are coming, and the weather is predicted to be in the 70's. That will be a warm welcome to Josh, Ashleigh, Chamberlain and Siri leaving the cold Utah weather. And we will have so much fun walking Scooter around the lake, feeding the ducks, coy fish and turtles off my deck, in fact, Chamberlain called yesterday to give me a run down of the things he wants to do when he gets here. One of those things was most likely prompted by his parents. That is to head on over to the Newport Beach / Costa Mesa area where the OC Fairgrounds holds the OC Marketplace, or as we refer to it as the Swap Meet. 

When you hear the words Swap Meet you may think of the casual and unorganized flea markets out there. However, if your thinking goes in this direction, erase that and replace it with a vision of outdoor markets that feature everything from gourmet foods, high end handbags (Beverly Hills Bag Lady) to designer furniture and 14k gold jewelry. They offer everything from handmade, artsy wear to top quality boutiques. It is a shoppers paradise where one can spend $10 for a pair (2) of sunglasses to going into a hidden van and pick up a real Fendi handbag. And it's so much fun. In fact, spending a day there wandering, snacking and shopping is highlighted with fun areas of play for the kids, live music, and rows and rows of shopping delights for all ages, sizes and tastes.


I've always loved going to the OC Marketplace at holiday time. I've picked up beautiful hand sculpted Nativity scenes, children's clothing for the grand kids, and in the past I would always go there to pick up t-shirts of every kind for the cousins. In fact, the cousins could pretty much count on receiving a t-shirt from aunt Sandi and uncle Kenneth. How can you pass up t-shirts that are priced 3 for $10? T-shirts at the OC Marketplace can be name branded (Quick Silver), sports team supported (like the Angels or Lakers), to (my personal favorite) "Someone in California Loves Me." Maybe David should get a couple of those for Sarah...no?  I can hear David now saying, "sure mom," then roll his eyes.


I haven't purchased those t-shirts from OC Marketplace for years, but the memories are still there. And this coming Saturday we'll take full advantage of those last minute swap meet gift "deals" with Santa Clause watches, handmade ornaments, a baby quilt, and maybe...just maybe, a couple of t-shirts for my sixteen (16) fabulous grand kids that read "Somebody In California Loves Me," and save them for 2012 birthday gifts. :-)

The Graduate!

So many events in a child's life make a mom and dad proud. It starts with their first smile, giggle, crawl, sitting up, walking, and grows from there. And we have had so many proud moments with our five children. We love watching them set goals, work hard and achieve their goals. When our children are happy, we're happy. That leads me to congratulating my 4th child, Joshua. He graduated from B.Y.U. this month. In fact, he just took his last class, and we couldn't be more proud. It wasn't an easy road for Josh due to a number of interruptions. He started with playing basketball and attending BYU Hawaii, then served a two year mission in the Philippines. He then attended classes at Irvine Valley College, then transferred to BYU. He took a few years off to get married and have a couple of wonderful kids, but was determined to graduate. So, he did just that, went back and finished. And he did this while juggling a full time job to take care of his family. Statistics of people actually finishing after a few starts, stops, transfers and lost credits, is low. But, by gosh...Josh did it! :-) (I tend to like rhyming.)

So with this graduation (walking in April), we have a mixed loyalty factor at both football and basketball time. Ken graduated from BYU. I, in direct contrast attended the University of Utah (U of U) (big time school rivalry). Ben graduated from the U of U, Angela played basketball and graduated from BYU. Chris played basketball and attended the U of U (after two years playing at Duke), Joshua now graduated from BYU, and his wife, Ashleigh graduated from BYU as well. Ben's wife graduated from BYU and Chris wife graduated from the U of U. David has had as many transfers as Joshua with playing and signing originally to play basketball at BYU, transferred to Gonzaga, then ended his college career playing at Azusa Pacific here in California. You see our dilemma? 


But...no matter who we root for with college sports, we adore our kids and are beyond proud of everything they have ever accomplished. We are blessed to have five miracles in our lives. Miracles that come with names ... Benjamin Kenneth, Angela, Christopher Clayton, Joshua Reid and David Michael. Each different from the other, but each bringing us such joy. And all make up an eternal family. I miss them and relish every second we have together. Thank goodness for Skype, instant messaging, Facebook, Twitter and the occasional phone call. Congratulations Joshua!