What does it mean to be Tagged.

Let's everybody understand that my answers might require some explanation, however....


A- Attached or single: Attached, firstly to Gerry, next to my children.
B- Best Friend: The correct answer is Gerry, however, I like many people and have many "best friends".
C- Cake or Pie: Hmm. Dodi's Chocolate Cake is awfully fine but Rhubarb Pie mm mm(made by Ger.) absolutely easy decision. Her pastry is the BOMB. Didn't get even one this year.
D- Day of choice: Love Fridays but favorite day is actually Sunday evenings. Please keep them free of other stuff and make them a family time.
E- Essential Item: Pitching Wedge and least essential is a GPS.
F- Favorite Color: Green, how many shades of Green did God create.
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: Great for sticking on windows. Lousy to leave in the car in a heat wave.
H- Hometown: Will it change in the next year?
I- Indulgence(s): How many golf shirts does a guy need.
J- January or July: January usually offers a golf trip but July offers permanent nice weather. July for sure!
K- Kids: 5, each special and each my fave., but you already knew that.
L- Life is Incomplete Without: Have to agree - Family and dare I say, golf.
M- Marriage Date: September 27, 1972. It snowed all the way to Cardston.
N- Number of Siblings: 1 brother, 2 sisters, 1 half-brother and 1 half-sister (deceased). Good friends.
O- Oranges or Apples: Mandarin and Gala.
P- Phobias or Fears: Can make myself physically ill thinking about being in a cave or other enclosed space.
Q- Quote(s):

"Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God." Joseph Smith (smart man)

R- Reason To Smile: watching my wife enjoy a funny show.
S- Season: Fall, always has been, crisp, beautiful days.
T- Tag Three: Erin C. (Mama C.), Carly and Jadi. Add Jenn just for good measure. Oh heck, if anybody wants in, go ahead.
U- Unknown Fact About Me: Would rather read than do almost anything else. (not quite anything ;).
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: I hope that I can apologize to Murphy in Heaven. Bring on a good rib steak.
W- Worst Habit: I would have made a great cow as I love to graze.
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Keep me covered with the lead apron, please.
Y- Your Favorite Food: Best meal of the year is creamed vegetables. Maybe a rib roast, good buns, I'm getting hungry. What time is supper?
Z- Zodiac: Scorpio, just like Kristy.

Memories!!!

This issue will be of the "thousand word" variety. A short narration for each photo.

The bride gathering her thoughts

as the paparazzi gather. She was ever so calm
throughout the day, gracious in her beauty and
gentle in her approach.

The Bride models her, ever so awesome,
dress at the dinner in Springville.



Harbingers of the future? Each of our nine
grandchildren gather round Jesse and Carly on
the steps of the Salt Lake City Temple. It was
a dreamworthy day.

The bride and groom pose as they await
their guests in San Antonio. Take your
breath away.

Jesse and Carly. Of course we had
to have a 2nd wedding dress to meet
friends and family in San Antonio.
In all candor, she was incredible in
this dress. The seamstress at
Nordstroms in Orem is an angel.

Steve and Wendy Fitzer's garden
in San Antonio was never so incredible.

Sometimes, the pictures say it all.

The reception at the Fitzers was elegant.
They were the perfect hosts. Thank you so much.

The Fitzer residence in Shavano, TX. (it
is gorgeous.)



Of course, no visit to San Antonio would
be complete without a visit to "The Alamo".



New Family!!! Wendy, Steve and Andrea
Fitzer pose on the River Walk in San Antonio.
They were amazing hosts.

She said Yes!!

What a wonderful ceremony. Thanks to Cindy Beattie, we were able to invite Brother Earl Jackson (no relationship) to perform Carly and Jesse's wedding.

A temple wedding is so unique. It is reverent and sweet. The bride and groom have the opportunity to face each other across an altar and have their relationship given eternal promises. There are usually only a few close friends in the sealing room with the couple. In Carly and Jesse's case, there were approximately 40 people with them. Tears flowed freely and frequently.


Brother Jackson is in his mid 80's and gave the very best explanation of the eternal marriage that we had ever heard. He went through each aspect of the ceremony, explaining to all gathered the significance of the words. Thank you to him.

It was an extremely warm day and Jesse, Carly and a photographer spent about 90 minutes walking about the temple taking pictures. When we picked them up on the northeast corner of temple square, Carly was melting. she was grateful for air conditioning vents in the back seat and pointed them all over her over-heated body. Our first stop was at Sonic Burger to pick up some ice-cold drinks.


We were treated to a special evening by Jesse's father and step-mother. There were about 70 family and friends that gathered for a quiet evening out in Springville. It is now on to San Antonio where we will have one last open house, courtesy of Jesse's mom and step-father. The kids will then take 2 weeks to honeymoon in the Padre Islands and in Las Vegas, returning to Provo for the start of school early in September.

We are exhausted and grateful. Thank you to all of you who have assisted, attended and blessed us with your kindnesses.

Thanks for your thoughts.

The Great and Wonderful Travelling Jackson Reunion

What a great week!!! :) Thank you to all who supported Carly and Jesse at the reception in Calgary. It was a great party. Now we are on the road.

Carly and Jesse.

Each year our family has a "Family Reunion". Over years the event will take on much greater meaning but for now, it is a party for our family to hang out together. This is our 5th reunion and in order to accommodate the wedding in Salt Lake City, have taken a road trip.

Sunday afternoon everyone except Lee and Andrew, who will join us on Wednesday, met in Shelby, Montana. A strange meeting place but it worked great and on to Butte.

One of my choice lifetime experiences will be the memory of holding hands with the 5 oldest grandchildren, all of them extremely excited, as we crossed the street from the Hampton Inn to a local pizza restaurant. The event was made greater when the children realized that it, the restaurant, had mini games and rides. One of the popular games was the bowling game where you roll a ball up the ramp and it drops into a hole that is labeled with points. Before his Mom climbed up on the game, Cooper Jackson found that he could almost fit into the 50,000 point hole. The small merry-go-round was almost full when all 9 children got on board. Kristy made a hasty departure as one of the twins chose dessert time as the time to get into the hazardous waste business.

Monday morning early Mark Ehlert, Spencer and I made our way out to "Old Works" golf course in nearby Anaconda to start the vacation right. Another timely meeting at 11:30 at a truck stop on I-15 and we were off to Salt Lake City. Doug and Nancy joined us at precisely the appointed time and we were now a convoy of 5 vehicles. We have 3 walkie-talkies between us and were able to visit almost non-stop, Kristy, Carly and Jenn assigning everyone "handles".

Jenn and Mark grab a quick rest from
chasing their 4 cute little princesses.









Aunt Nancy and Uncle Doug join the party.
Hope they know what they are in for....

one hour stop at the Idaho Temple grounds to have a good run and a visit with cousins Tom and Glenda Tucker. Their son Brian came over from his nearby office to meet and greet. The Tuckers are my grandmother Jackson's family and are our deepest LDS line. I like to keep the relationship alive.









Max and Sol, 15 month old twins wondered if they would ever get free of their car seats.

















Cooper never stops smiling and always keeps running.















Braelynn, Anna, Jackson, Sam and Kelsie all take 30 seconds to pose before doing more laps.

The Tuckers and the Jacksons

Arrival in Salt Lake City at the Shilo Inn at 6:00 p.m. to find all the reservations properly messed up. Hardly the time to get in the way of mothers whose children needed to be tended, cleaned and fed but we managed to straighten things out, calm a few grands and on to a great party at Cafe Rio.

The Wedding Week

Monday night and we are in full gear. Although the wedding is not until the 16th, we will be hosting a reception here in Calgary on Friday night. Gerry has been at top speed for 6 weeks. She has really put her every effort into these events. These past few days, the house has been the number one priority, we are all working to have it ready to be full of family.

5 weeks is a long time.

At the same time we have been checking off important but last minute details. We will be entertained by a harpist, Spencer has abandoned the role of teasing elder brother and will emcee and are generally the recipients of many kindnesses by good friends. Thanks to you all, you know who you are. What have we forgotten? It doesn't matter as it will happen, regardless.

Carly is incredibly calm, in spite of the long distance courtship.

Carly and Jesse have had a frustrating number of weeks as they have courted by email, text message, facebook and telephone. Carly has said that she is sick of talking on the phone. They spend hours every night talking about their futures together. Jesse and his father arrive on Wednesday and we are meeting them in Cardston so that Carly can go through the temple. Carly has informed any and all that she and Jesse will travel back to Calgary together that evening, no debate.

This weekend there are 6 or 7 other receptions that will be in direct conflict with ours. Like Scott says, "Easy Peesy, Lemon Squeezy". We will have a party for whoever can come. After the reception and weather permitting, I am going to put a fire in the firepit and we will replay every move, roast marshmallows, hot dogs, whatever and chill for a couple of hours. Hope family can come.

I haven't come to grips with losing our baby. There have been moments when the reality is almost too much. We have experienced so much the past couple of years. Carly is, in many ways, incredibly mature and ready for this. On the other hand, how can anyone prepare for marriage when the actual experience is so dynamic. I am so very proud of all of my children, this week particularly so with Carly. She has her first temple recommend in hand and is deserving of it, without doubt.

Let the good times roll....

The Old Works

Just returned from an annual golf trip to Butte, Montana. You ask, how could anyone take a golf trip to Butte? In fact, just 20 minutes west of Butte is the home of "The Old Works" golf course. This Jack Nicklaus designed course is a real treat. It is eminently playable, very inexpensive and run by a happy staff, who aim to please.

The Old Guy at the Old Works, 2007.

We arrived on Wednesday evening with plans to play 18 holes on Thursday, possibly 36 on Friday with 18 on Saturday and then a return home. On the way to Montana, 7 of us stopped and played at Cardston's Lee Creek Golf Course, an excellent credit to that community.

After playing 18 holes in almost perfect weather on Thursday, it was a no-brainer that we re-play in the afternoon. The whole day cost $91, 2 rounds of golf with cart. The hamburgers are world class, order the pepperjack cheese. Friday was a repeat of Thursday and Saturday was, as planned, 18 holes and a return to reality.

Old Works is built on an old Foundry. During the 1980's the U.S. government enacted a law to clean up environmental problems. Called the "Superfund", the government imposed a tariff on industry that was to assist with the clean up. Anaconda, Montana had a huge foundry that had processed all the ore in the Butte area. (You probably remember the huge open-pit mines in the community.) They contracted with Jack Nicklaus' company to build a course.

The Four of us Have Been Taking Golf Trips for 10 years.
Leron Crapo, The Old Guy, Dennis Locking and Kipp Craig.

The course features black shavings in all the bunkers and all the rough. It is spectacular.

It is a long way to travel. This was our 7th year. I want to make the trip again but, particularly want to do so with my sons. (As many of them as can make the trip.)

This year's cast, left to right; Ethan Craig, Simon Kelly,
Trevor Locking, Mike Parker (back), Dennis, Kipp (back),
Sean Smith (Joe Sport's son and my golf partner on the last day),
Chris Law (back), Sean Crapo, Leron (back), Stan, Frank Stanford.

Keep it in the fairway. Until next time.......

Keeping the Spark Alive

The idea for this blog came to me late this afternoon as we hurried around the supermarket getting ready for tonight's FHE. Later this year we will celebrate 35 years of wedded bliss? The question mark simply highlights the fact that marriages are not all wedded bliss but ours has been one of great memories and increasing love.

As we walked through Sobeys today, I found that I could create some static electricity and then innocently put my hand on Gerry and give her a pretty good jolt. Each time I sent out the spark, Gerry would look around and try to identify what was shocking her. Of course, my role was to continue trying to innocently offer my assistance and to get up behind her, touching her leg or back with a full charge. After several successful sorties, Gerry identified the source of her zaps and began to endeavor to avoid them, mostly unsuccessfully.



We continue to fuel the fires of our romance, sense that while our love has matured and changed, it is better than ever. Of course we have our differences, that is what makes our family improve and complete. We have learned that differences of opinion are healthy and that nobody is ever exactly right. We also have agreed that we will commit to one set of principles, that we will put the Gospel first in our lives and will love one another forever and through whatever.

My advice to each of you is to understand that once you make the commitment to marriage, you forsake the option of being single. You, in fact, commit to a relationship that you have the responsibility to make successful. Understand that there will be bumps in the road. We keep our love alive by continuing to romance one another, by being friends, being 100% honest with each other and understanding that when we disagree, we will find a compromise.

I am grateful for my bride. She still takes my breath away. Hopefully we will have another 35.