Merry Christmas from the Dixon Family

A Christmas Card from our family to yours. May you have a happy holiday season and wonderful new year!

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Sacred Places

Last week, after business meetings in Rochester, New York, I drove to Palmyra and visited the Palmyra Temple, the Sacred Grove and the Hill Cumorah visitors center. Photos really don’t capture the special spirit in those sacred places, but serve as reminders of my tender feelings when I spent a few moments there.

The Palmyra Temple is located in beautiful woodland setting. This shot was taken from the west side of the temple, facing east.

The Smith family farmhouse, where Joseph lived when he experienced the first vision and where he first met Moroni, is located near the Sacred Grove.

Spending a few minutes in the Sacred Grove at dusk is a humbling, enlightening experience.

A thick carpet of multicolored leaves is a fitting covering for this sacred ground.

By the way, these photos were taken with my iPhone camera and edited with TheBestCamera iPhone application.

Wonderful Kids!

Well, it’s been too long since I’ve posted to this blog.  The best photos I found to share featured our grandkids and Holly.  Here are some of the best poses:

Olivia is really trying to crawl.  She rolls all over the place and captivates us with her big eyes.

Iris has taken her first steps and celebrated her first birthday recently.  She has a beautiful smile.

Chloe loves preschool and is always singing us the fun songs she learns.  Of course, she had to take her teacher (Granny Goose) an apple on the first day of school!

Eve keeps us all entertained with her big hugs and infectious smile.  She knows how to really touch Grandpa’s heart.

Devlin is a big six years old now, and firmly entrenched in first grade.  He loves space and science and amazes us with his reading skill and ability to remember scripture stories.

Then, we have beautiful Holly!  She is a sophomore in Mesa High School.  She keeps busy with cross country, choir, piano and good friends.  She was on the Mesa High sophomore homecoming float this week and helped serve at the dance.  She is really growing up!

So, that’s what keeps us busy and happy!  We are blessed beyond measure.

Sisters

One of the fun things of visiting Utah is seeing Claudia with her sisters, JoAnn and Diane.  They really enjoy being together.  The love they share is wonderful.

So … in three different locations, here they are!

On the Shoulders of Giants

Referring to ancestors who have gone before us, my Dad likes to say "We stand on the shoulders of giants." This summer, we paid tribute to Aunt Gwen, a giant of a woman in a little body, who blessed and enriched our lives with her humor, compassion, straightforward talk and impeccable elegance. We were able to attend her graveside funeral service at the Salt Lake City Cemetery while we were on vacation in Salt Lake City. My picture of the casket seemed so impersonal, I didn't include it here.  We'll treasure our living memories of her and anxiously await our reunion on the other side.

After the funeral, we had lunch at Gwen's ward chapel.  It was great to mingle with relatives we hadn't seen for a long time.

We caught a photo of the two remaining "Giants" in the James and Sarah Dixon family - my father Ken (with my mother Dixie) and uncle Dick (with Aunt Norma).

After the luncheon, we drove back through the cemetery and visited the spot where Great, Great Grandfather Archibald Gardner was buried, with some of his wives.  More "Giants" upon whose shoulders we stand!

Welcome Lexi!

We are pleased to announce that Alexis Paige Bartle, our ninth grandchild, arrived at 2:49 pm on Saturday, May 16, 2009. She weighed 7lbs 13oz and was 21 inches long. Her proud parents, Heidi and Garry Bartle, are delighted to add Lexi to their family of three sons. Mom and daughter are doing just fine, and Granny is thrilled to be spending the week with them in Colorado Springs.

Happy Birthday Amy!

This afternoon, we celebrated Amy Redd's birthday at our Sunday dinner - several days late, but fun just the same! The kids love to celebrate birthdays, whether by themselves or helping Amy!

What joy it is to have Amy visit! We are really grateful for the time she spends with us.