Happy 86 years, Dad!

My dad had another birthday Aug. 21st, and I posted the most recent photo of him in a July post when he and mother came to visit, but here is another good one from a couple years ago.



Thought I would share a few favorites of his earliest photos, back in the 40's when he was in his 20's and had hair on his head!

Fly boy during WWII while dating my mother in NC (mother's dog, Cyrus)

Dad's WWII glider. They were beasts! He trained to fly these gliders, but the war ended before he got to fly one of these overseas.

Just another date at the beach...love this one!

One of many photos of dad doing a handstand. I'm pretty sure he still can at 86.

He also performed on the trampoline and tumbled with the YMCA for many years. I can remember going to YMCA circuses as a child and watching him do clown acts on the tramp. He also could dive and snow ski, and our family took a few ski trips, learned to dive, and sat through many diving meets.

He had his own trampoline in his back yard for a few years, but now he just swims and does a few dives off his own diving board. He's a man of many talents....does his own landscaping, built an addition to our home, made dressers, desks, wooden toys, put together a tandum bike for Christmas, and still uses the table saw he bought in 1953! He's very frugal. Paid cash for the few cars he had, and knows how to save and spend wisely.

Besides swimming and diving, dad is still active in a chorale that performs a few times each year. He has sung in a barbershop quartet and chorus, and has attended the national convention for years. Not enough room here to list all he has done and does!

Love my dad!

Happy Birthday Captain Dave!

His RJ 135

Sure love this flyboy. He loved airplaines and flying from the very beginning, and comes from flying stock. Grandpa Twogood flew during WWII, Von provided ground maintenance on several aircraft and flew on many deployments throughout his military career, and now Dave. With two sons, who knows?

At age 10, he was checking out pilot exams from the public library. At 15, he took a pilot groundschool course through community ed. and took his first flight. At 16 he soloed from SLC to El Centro, CA and back in a cessna. The night he proposed to Jenn he was planning to take her up, propose, then turn off the engine and dive until she said yes! That didnt' work out, but sounds like something he'd do. (Airport was closed when they got there.)

He graduated in Flight Tech from Utah State University, joined the Air Force, and became a pilot. He is now an aircraft commander with a deployment or two each year overseas. It's been tough leaving his cute family behind for long intervals, but the reunions are wonderful, and they take advantage of the time they have together.

Our bundle of joy

up in his blue yonder

Brother Dan

He'll probably moan when he sees these, but hey, he's my only brother, and I'm very lucky to
have him. Dan was my first and best bud, and we did a lot of things together growing up. Today, he and Willy (Dutchborn), reside in Apple Valley, CA. where "Dr. Twogood" practices chiropractory (is that a word?) Happy Birthday, bro!! I love you!

Aunt Phyllis

My mother's baby sister, Phyllis Ann (78), died this past Sunday, after battling that wretched disease, Alzheimers. We're all relieved for her. My mother's family all live in and around Charlotte, N.C. My mother has lived in California since her marriage to dad, so every so many years, our family has traveled out to visit the clan, and some of them have come out to visit us at Christmas or Easter.
Phyllis married in her late 30's to Jack Samson, who had three grown children from his first marriage. He was the love of her life, and her life seemed to change drastically after his sudden death.
She sent me many of her dresses and clothes, which I wore through high school and college. We cousins remember the fun we had playing in the back of her dry-cleaning van when she took us for rides. Up until her disease, she was writing and in touch with me, had a cute home and garden, and dealt in real estate. She and Jack followed sailing races and gathered often with the children and grandchildren. While Von and I were in Arkansas, we made a couple trips out to NC to visit, and Phyllis gave us her old bedroom suite, which we used for many years.


During a Christmas visit with us.

Phyllis and Granny during a Christmas visit. Me and my mother and siblings.

My mother's last family photo before Papa Wright's death in 1959. Eddie, mom (Rosie), Janet and Phyllis.

Phyllis and Jack with his children and grandchildren.

Our last visit with Phyllis in 2007 at her assisted living home. The four siblings, Janet, Eddie, Rosie and Phyllis. Phyllis actually seemed to recognize us and called our names with a smile and hug. My last memory of her, even though we hated leaving her there. It was funny to watch her carry her walker instead of using it properly!

A special thanks to cousin Al Wright, for his devotion and care in seeing to Phyllis's affairs these last difficult years. And to Janet and Eddie for their care and visits, as well. She's free!

Camron is 7!

Time just keeps flying by. Seems like we just celebrated this boy's 6th birthday! Now he's 7 and losing his teeth. We had a meal at Chick-Filet on his birthday, July 28.

Then gathered with the Robinson's at a playground for cupcakes, ice cream and a few gifts.

Von and I had ordered him an Avatar toy which arrived a few days later.

One happy birthday boy! We love you, Camron!

Pioneer Day hike

Five of us took a drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon to hike to Cecret Lake then ride the tram. Because so many were doing the same thing, there was no parking up by the trailhead, so we were shuttled in by vans. The girls loved it.

Von and Sheila took turns packing Lexi. This trail is only a mile long and beautiful most of the way. Lots of wild flowers were out, but it still hasn't peaked until early to mid August.

Halie and I made it up to the lake. The end of the trail was pretty steep, rocky, and in the sun, so neither Von nor Sheila could pack Lexi up that grade.

On out way back down.

In the Snowbird tram on our way to 11,000 feet!

Our house is right..........there!

Last visit with Dave and Family

Catching up on some events. Our last evening with Dave and family was dinner at one of Jenn's favorite eateries, Hires. We all like it, too!

Afterwards, we took the kids to a nearby park, and sweltered. Probably 100 degrees.

Goodbye sweet baby Makenna! How we'll miss all of them!