A Holiday Message - Christmas 2011

So I was reading a message in our weekly newsletter at the VA. It was written by Erick K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I thought I would give it a try and write a poem about the message he had for us. It goes like this:

A Holiday Message

Christmas 2011

By: Janette Spencer Sprankle

It’s Christmas and God’s most joyous day,
Across this great country, the USA.
It brings to mind our soldiers so brave,
For our freedom they worked so hard to save.

Over the years,….one comes to mind,
Poorer soldiers you would never find.
In 1776 on Christmas night,
The American Army was led to join a fight.
Over the Delaware River they did go,
With General Washington, the leader in the ice, wind and snow.

Another Christmas day in 1944,
Our American troops sacrificed once more.
They were cold, without food, supplies or winter clothes,
Fighting with undaunted courage against the foes.
General Patton came in the next day or two
To relieve these soldiers displaying the flag of red, white and blue.

On Christmas Eve, 1950 against all odds,
Our men broke away from Hungnam as they prayed to God.
That they would make it away, safe and sound,
They would not give up, they stood their ground.

For more than two centuries in our country so grand,
American men and women continue to guard our land.
We thank them all, for the sacrifice they make,
For their job never seems to be over,….they do it for our sake.

To all our soldiers young and old,
And to those of you with stories that have been and will be told,
We’ll pray for you and cheer you on,
No matter the weather, no matter the storm.

So please join me in wishing a Happy Holiday Season,
To all the soldiers who are out there for all kinds of reasons.
They protect and defend us and keep us from feeling fear,
To ALL of you please, have a Joyous Christmas and Happy New Year!

A Ball of Many Colors - Christmas Season 2011

A Ball of Many Colors

By: Janette Spencer Sprankle

Christmas 2011

It’s a Ball of Many Colors

And so simple in many ways,

But to me it means so very much

And is certainly perfect for display.

It came about one quiet day

After thoughts of what this ball could mean,

To me it represents the Christmas Season

And all the beauty that it brings
.

It sparkles with the lights that hit it

As the surface of it shines so bright,

The glistening of that colorful ball

Reminds us of God’s most Holy night.

Upon the Christmas tree this year

I thought of where the ball should hang,

With thoughts of Jesus as the small babe

And the angels in Heaven who to him sang.

I think of his mother Mary so dear

And what she went through to give him birth,

I took but just a minute or two

To think of what it meant to those on earth.

And as the three wise men came very far

With the star they followed, as it lit the way,

It brought them to God’s most precious gift,

Our Brother who laid there in a manger of hay.

And back to this Ball of Many Colors

It was made for all to see,

To remind us of His love we share

When we hang it on His Christmas Tree.

Thanksgiving 2011

Another Word for “Thanks” is “Gratitude”

By: Janette Sprankle
November 24, 2011
As we all gather together on this Thanksgiving Day

Let us all remember when we begin to pray,

Of all that we have and the gratitude we bare

And thank God in Heaven for what we can share.

Gratitude is something that fills my heart,

For so many have gone above and beyond, doing their part.
They’ve given so freely of thoughts and good deeds,
To help out with family, friends and strangers, whatever their needs.

Thinking back on my days when I was very young,

I would sing, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one”.

It was always uplifting and made me realize what I had,

And how much was provided by my Mom and my Dad.

We’ve all been taught of why we celebrate this day,

It was the pilgrims on the Mayflower who landed at Massachusetts Bay.

Eventually, after winter they met with the Indians for a feast,

It was a grand day for all up there in the Northeast!

And as we are still together

There are many things we should remember,

Thanksgiving Day is about Gratitude, but also Joy, Hope and Wishes,

And I can promise you if you help with the dishes, you’ll get lots of kisses!

Now go have some TURKEY!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Sprankle house to yours!

“Having gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a gift and not delivering it”.
Quote By: Thomas Spencer Monson

Halloween - 2011

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

Had a great and fun day at work today! Christina, Kyra and I were on the Halloween Party planning committee this year. A lot of great costumes and good food. We had a potluck and everything turned out very halloweeney!

In the picture below:

Nikki, Christina, Janette (I was a 'Buck-on-ear' (a.k.a. Buckoneer), Sunnee and Kyra

Are we ready for it to be gone?

I was laying in the bed this morning while Dave was up getting ready for the day and thinking about how chilly it was in the bedroom. We have been keeping our bedroom door open to the outside during the evening because it has been warmer upstairs from the afternoon heat. We have not run the air conditioning as much the last couple of weeks. SO,....I asked myself this question, 'Where did Summer go?' With the chill in the air is what prompted the question.

 Where Did Summer Go?
By: Janette Sprankle

We waited and waited
for oh so long,
To go barefoot out
on the green, green lawn.

We waited for the flowers

to bloom in colors so bright,
And longed for the days of
blue skies and sunlight.

We didn’t even mind
all the heat of the sun,
Because all we wanted
was the Summertime fun.

It felt good in the evening

out back on the deck,
Of all the things we should be doing
we decided, what the heck!

Again the Summer season

has passed once more,
It is time for us to see
what Fall has in store.

Our Sweet Dog

Saidee, Lucky Lady

a.k.a,  Saidee Girl

12/2002 – 9/2011

8 Years 9 Months

By: Janette Sprankle

The day we went to pick you up,

We knew we’d find a cute little pup.

The first part of February when it was very cold,

You were still a ball of black, white and gold.

You were so cute and tiny too,

At one glance we fell in love with you!

It was Ash and I, a mission we had,

For loosing “Shadow” had made us all so sad.

For you Saidee, we couldn’t do without,

Both of us were excited, there was no doubt.

On the drive back home, we hadn’t got very far,

For a name we had chosen while still in the car.

It just had to be ‘Saidee’, it fit you just right

The middle name would come by the end of the night.

We thought and we thought, it just had to be,

The best fit for our cute little Saidee, was Lucky Lady.

It’s for sure Tucker wasn’t very happy at first,

But soon he found it could have been a lot worse.

He grew to love you and take care of his ‘Sis’

You can be sure it is you, he and we will forever miss.

We know you’ll be waiting at ‘Rainbow Bridge’,

You’ll be running and romping when we come over the ridge.

Love and miss you Saidee Girl ! ! !

Dave, Janette and Diana on a mini-vacation!

For our 42nd anniversary, we took Diana with us up to the Tetons and Yellowstone last week, the 17th through 20th.  We had a great time!  This was a first time trip for her, and all though Dave and I we were there in June for his birthday a few days, we didn't get any further than Jackson Lake Lodge, and we didn't camp.

We were going to stay at Jenny Lake Campground, however it was full so we headed north and ended up at the Coulter Bay Campground.  All the 'tent' (yes, I said tent, ugh!) sites were full so we ended up among all the BIG rigs (RV's and such).  We finally got the new camp stove going and cooked dinner (Diana did some cooking and did a very good job I might add), making it very late by the time we finished up eating and cleaning up.  Because of the smell, I was nervous about the bear s coming in for a visit.  Since they had no 'bear boxes' in the RV loop, we had to take camp down the next morning (Monday) and set up over in another area where there were bear boxes.  After getting camp set back up, we went on up to Yellowstone, directly to Old Faithful.  It took forever finding a parking spot, but finally did and got over there just in time to see the 'old gyser' go off.  We went in to the cafeteria there and had lunch, then Dave took Diana on the gyser walk to see all the other stuff in the area.  I wanted to stay and see if I could get better pictures of "Old Faithful" but he never did go off again while we were there.  We headed towards the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and saw the falls, then headed on around the loop and ended back at the campground.  It was a lot of driving to do in one day.  We did see some buffalo and elk and other little critters.  We think we saw a bear in the distance headed for the trees.  A park ranger was there directing traffic so we were pretty sure it was.

We had dinner a littler earlier the second night and roasted marshmellows and Diana wanted to roast 'Starbursts'.  So you know who was a little high on sugar that night, but we had a lot of fun with her there.

On Tuesday we headed back to Jenny Lake for some hiking.  We did the 2.5 mile hike starting at the south end of the lake and ended up at the Hidden Falls.  It was a butt kicker, but I did it.  I'm not in as good of shape I was when we did the hike the times before.  Anyway, it was very beautiful all along the trail,....the falls were GORGEOUS!  We didn't hike back, but took the ferry boat back across the lake.  That was also a first for Diana,....wish the boat ride had lasted a little longer for her.

Since it was late enough in the afternoon when we finished at Jenny Lake, rather than go back to camp at that time, we went in to Jackson Hole and ate dinner at Bubba's.  Their pulled pork was wonderful!  It started blowing and raining so after getting gas, we headed back to camp.  We bedded down pretty early because it was raining.  I couldn't stand the idea of laying there on my cot for the rest of the night, so we went on a potty break and ended up building a fire and staying up.  It had quit raining by that time (9 p.m.).  We stayed up til' 11 p.m. and roasted some more marsh mellow then went back in the tent.  Oh, and just to let you know, we had 3 cots in the tent with 'no' walking room whatsoever.  Dave made breakfast each morning we were there,....he's a true blue camper.

Wednesday morning we took camp down and headed back home around 10 a.m.  We took some time and stopped at the "Shirt Off My Back" store and the Visitors Center.  We stopped in Alpine, WY for lunch.  Just as we were leaving there, I stubbed my second toe on the back of Diana's shoe and am pretty sure it broke in the first knuckle.  It was killing me, and since I started driving at that time, I had to pull over and take some Tylenol.  We wanted to show Diana Bear Lake so we went down and around Montpelier, ID then made our way up and back down through Logan Canyon.  It was much longer or I guess more time consuming by going that way.

Anyway, we made it back and settled in earlier that night so we could get up early and get ready for work on Thursday.  We were beat!

We had a great anniversary and a mini-vacation with our grand daughter.  We love the mountains!  She loved going with us as well.

Fun memories!

Happy Birthday Dave ! ! ! !

Happy Birthday to my hubby, Dave! He's outside working hard in the yard, but I think we may go to his favorite store today,....NPS. You gotta' know the place to see why it is his favorite. Me? Uhhh, not so much mine. I go there because he loves it so much,.....hummmmm. What a girl wouldn't do to make her feller smile a little.

SPRINTIME AT HOME

 The Blossoming of a Tree

By: Janette – April 2011

It started in March when buds started to form,

Even tho’ the weather hadn’t started to conform.

It rained and it snowed and the wind it was cold,

Hard to believe this tree was getting ready to unfold.

The beauty of it all was soon to come about,

Although many of us had some serious doubts.

Every few days these buds were starting to show,

Just how beautiful they would grow and grow.

Here is the countdown from buds to flowers,

The March snows have turned into April showers.

Now the flowers are slowly blowing off with the wind,

Soon the tree will be full of green leaves limb to limb.

For the leaves are popping out in their color of green

They’ll be big and beautiful sometime this Spring.

TEN......NINE.....

EIGHT,.....SEVEN,......

SIX,.....FIVE,..... 

  FOUR

 THREE

TWO

ONE

BLAST OFF !!!



FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY WE SAID GOODBYE TO OUR DAD - 1928-2007

I LOVE MY MOM AND DAD!

I MISS MY DAD ALOT!

SMILE ON MY FACE!

Here's April ! ! ! !It’s Putting A Smile On My Face!

By: Janette – 2011

I’m excited for April

I’ll tell you right now,

The buds on the trees

Are covering the boughs.

The first of the month

Is for jokesters we know,

They think they are funny

And sometimes it’s so.



It’s also a month

Where the poets come out,

They show off their talents

Some of the best, no doubt.

April is the beginning

Of the springtime showers,

It’s a time to renew and get ready,....

For May and all her flowers.

Happy Beautiful April Everybody!

A Birthday Wish for Auntie Sue!

Birthday Wishes for Susan

By: Janette – March 27, 2011

Today is your birthday

Dear sweet Suzie-Q!

You aren’t very old

Even at Sixty-two!

This day should be special

I am sure it will be,

I have so many wishes

For you from me.

You’ve touched many lives

Mine is one that is true,

Every day you are present

I celebrate you!

You were a special gift

From Heaven above,

When you came into this world

You brought so much love.

You may have some doubts

You would not admit,

But you’re one of life’s treasures

With such a gift of wit.

Once upon a time

Our space we did share,

We’d tell each other secrets

In our room they’d stay there.

We did pretty good

We didn’t fight much,

We were like sisters

My heart you did touch.

So Happy, Happy Birthday

Susan so dear,

Lots of good wishes

For you all year!

The Hope of Spring?

Ok,.....I am sick of WINTER and need SPRING! Not tomorrow (it's suppose to snow!), not the next day,... but NOW! Don't want the winter blahhhhhhhhs anymore!

Below is a picture I took this last weekend that gives me hope for beautiful blossoms next month. Seemed like last Spring was so wet and cold. Dave left for AZ on Mother's Day Sunday thinking I would get all the stuff planted he bought before leaving and we would have a beautiful garden over at his mom's. I did plant it all, but the springtime weather was so icky, it ruined most everything I planted. Much later, I went and bought more garden stuff and thanks to Ashley, we got the garden replanted and did enjoy a little bit of our 'fruits of labor'?

Here's hoping the snow tomorrow does not freeze my buds and we'll still have a beautiful tree when it warms up a little.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

My 2011 St. Patrick's Day poem (see next post down),...My St. Patrick's Day Tree at home (a little more decorated this year than last) and my Cubby SPD deco's at work.

It's Already St. Patricks Day In 5 Days!

A St. Patrick’s Poem - 2011

By: Janette Spencer Sprankle

In an Irish Village called Blarney
At a castle that is well known,
Tis’ a fact that most Irish folks
Will go kiss the Blarney Stone.

I love the sounds of an Irish Tenor
Singing praises ta’ their Irish home,
It isn’t quite the same I feel
If the singer is a Baritone.

Now tis’ known my favorite color
Is that o’ the sky so blue,
I’ll wear the greens on St. Paddy’s day
Fe’r I don’t want a pinch from you!

Oh,..the words o’ “My Wild Irish Rose”
Are truly the sweetest I’ve ever heard,
Tis’ one of my favorite Irish songs
In it a love story has occurred.

As I sit and think ‘bout the Shamrock
And the luck they say it brings,
It brightens my days in the middle o’ March
Ta’ think I may be rich by Spring.

An Irish phrase of my youth I would say
I wasn’t sure back then what it really meant,
“Hunky Dory” means ‘good’ and now I know
I should have said it with an Irish accent.

On St. Patrick’s Day we’re all Irish
For we help ta’ celebrate the day,
Tis’ fun, tis’ happy and tis’ really green
What more about it can I say.

There’s many an Irish Blessin’s
That I wish for my loved ones so dear,
But good health, good luck, and happiness’
Tis’ what I want for them thru’ the year!

Happy Birthday Suesie! My Sweet Sister-In-Law

The third of March was my Sister-In-Law, Sue Sprankle Wilson's Birthday! Want to let everybody know that she is the BEST, and we love her dearly. She makes beautiful beaded jewelry and you can't find it prettier than what she makes. She has been making me all colors of landyards for my badge at work. I wear a landyard to the office one day, and she has orders for many more the next. One young lady that had ordered one, got hers today. After she put it on, she came and showed it off and said, 'now I feel like one of the girls', because so many of us have them now. Besides the landyards, Sue has made bracelets and ear rings to go with them for those that wanted them. She has also made a few watch bands to match for another co-worker. Besides my landyards, she has made me bracelets and necklaces of all styles. And I am always getting compliments on them. Thank you Sue! (The picture below is her in the bead store she use to volunteer in before Fort Lane Shopping Center started getting torn down. Big changes have taken place in Layton, Utah!) Any way, for anybody that is interested, I would be happy to hook you up with her or show you pictures of some of her stuff. This sweet lady is very talented! Love you Suesie! I hope your birthday was one of your best!

A Little Something For My Mom - Happy Birthday!

This is the poem I wrote for my wonderful Mom's 80th Birthday and how it looked after I decided how I was going to present it. The poem is below.

Nadine Fry Spencer
February 23, 1931
You’d Never Know It,….But She’s Eighty

By: Janette Spencer Sprankle

It isn’t very often
And all would agree,
You’d see an eighty year old woman
With her original knees.

The sparkle in her eyes
Is where it’s always been,
We won’t count the transplant
In her eyes of the lens.

The hips are truly hers
They haven’t been replaced,
No tightening anywhere,
not even in her face.

Now her boobs are her own
Nothing fake we all know,
She’s even got her original
‘Fry’ mouth, ears and nose!

She’s had some cleaning out
Of the spine within her back,
There’s been a fix on her arm
Although all is intact.

The only part that’s not
In their original form,
Are her upper & lowers
With which she was born.

Her smile has always been
The one we adore,
It Radiates true beauty
And goes right to the core.

So Mom, keep on smiling
You are awesome as can be,
We all love you dearly
And please don’t forget,…..
Take care of them knees!

Happy Birthday Nathan ! ! !

Can't call it a day until I have wished my Son, Nathan a Happy Birthday! He is awesome and his Momma (and Dad) loves him dearly. This picture is still one of my most favorite pictures of him. It was taken at the Kennesaw Mt. National Battlefield Park (click on the link to learn more about the park) in Marietta, GA (right next to Atlanta). We were visiting Dave's sister Sylvia and brother-in-law Bob in Atlanta this weekend and went over there to the park. Dave has always been a history buff so where ever we traveled we were learning a history lesson at the same time. Nathan has lived in Arkansas for 2 years (the beginning of March), and it's been 2 years ago in May since we saw him last. So, today has been an emotional day just because I miss him so much and when thinking back on the day he was born 36 years ago in Concord, MA., it was an amazing day. What an event that was! I wrote a poem last year for his birthday, so I don't have one this year but if you want to read it you can go to my blog post last January. Love you N8!