Fathers Day 2010

Wow how time flies.

Life here has been crazy we closed our Pizza place in Carthage and are opening in Nauvoo. so life has been crazy need less to say.

Dad is doing ok for the stage of Alzheimer's he is in. He continues to lose a pound here and there and then gain one or two here and there. but mostly he continues to loose. he talks less and less smiles once in a while. He is eating a little better but is chocking on his liquids most of the time now. This is because he is forgetting how to swallow. I tell him how much each of you love him every time I see him. I also tell him thank you for being such a good Dad. He smiled this last time and said thank you. He is still on Hospice car I am so grateful for this it means he gets more baths every week and he has lots of visitors.

Here are some pictures from the past few months of Dad as well as others. There are a few before and after shots of his hair cut.

There is a country song called Daddy's hands that I think of often
part of the chorus goes "Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was crying. Daddy's hand were hard as steal when I've done wrong. Daddy's hands weren't always gentile but I've come to understand there was always Love in Daddy's hands."


I hope all is well with all of you Love you all Jo Ellen

Hello Everyone I am so sorry I have not updated you anything for a while. I am running all day with Census work and the restaurant and visits to Dad that this is the first time I have had a chance to update you.

Dad was at the same stage for a while and there was nothing new to update but in the last month and a half there has been a progression of the disease.

Dad no longer opens his eyes at all and talks very little if at all. usually when I visit he does not respond except to squeeze my hand while I am holding it. once in a while I can get a smile out of him but it is getting less and less.

The Nurses continue to get him out of bed every day and put him in his wheel chair. it is a nice chair that tilts back so he can not fall out.

he is eating less and less all the time. unfortunately they only weigh him once a month so I could not report his weight until today he is down to 152 pounds. that means he has lost 11 pounds this last month.


He continues on hospice care thank goodness. this means he gets bathed every other day as well as visits from them.

I am sorry I have not sent pictures lately because he is so thin he looks awe full. it makes me cry to look at them. If any of you would like a picture I will take one tomorrow when I go down to see him.

We are supposed to have 80 degree weather tomorrow and I want to take him down to the flower garden and help him smell the flowers. He loved that last year.

Well I will write soon until then I hope this finds all of you well and happy.

I truly love and miss you all
Jo Ellen

I hear

I just heard that there needs to be a big Congratulations sent out to Dawn and Larry. They recently got married. I am so happy for you. May you have many long happy years together.

Visits with dad

Our Veterans day visit 2009
Me Nichole, her 4 little ones (Jessica, Bethany,Miriam, Beck) and Eric.






Dad was not having a very good day. I think he is getting sick.

more pictures

Grandpa and Back
The pizza the grand kids helped make.
Happy halloween
Helping grandpa make pizza
Monkey Bethaby
Princess Jessica
Chicken Bethany
60's Nichole and bunny Beck (beck is wearing the costume Peter wore his first Easter)
Fall colors

Nauvoo temple fall colors
Erics Birthday he won 1,000 tickets


We went bowling

some pictures

Erics 18th birthday

Nauvoo Temple
Erics eagle project
Reflections at Nauvoo Temple

A crazy summer.

Wow has this summer been a crazy one. I never thought I could get even busier but I did.
First Eric was off to Especially For Youth (EFY) then we had house guests in July for 11 days. Then Eric was off to Scout camp and before he got back I was o ff to Salt lake for 11 days for a woman's camp and wedding planning with Mariah. Before I got back Eric was off again to a high adventure for scouting and our 2nd. round of house guests had arrived. they were here for 7 days.
Inn amongst everything were work at the resteraunt, yard work, house work, hostessing and my visits to dad (except the 11 days I was gone. but Nichole went to see him a several times while I was gone.) What a good grand daughter.

So School started August 21st. And Eric started his Senior year.He is also very busy getting his Eagle Project finished.Yes Eric will be an eagle scout. Mom would be proud she loved scouting.

Mariah is Getting married November 28th. In the Las Vegas Temple. Her fiance' is a great young man his name is Kyle Stewart. His Family lives in Vegas and so we will have have a reception there on the day of the wedding and one here at our house in Carthage on December 12th.

Diana will be moving home when Mariah gets Married and live with us a few months while she gathers some money to get an apartment here. She is planning on taking some classes when she gets here.

Nichole is doing well I hope you are all fallowing her blog. she does an excellent job keeping it up.

As for Don and I the restaurant is doing ok. Just barley paying the bills but that is good for a new restaurant we are told.

Here are a few recent pictures (Aug. 27,2009) of Dad Taken by Jon.This was the best smile we could get out of Dad. All the pictures on this post today were done by Jon he does a good job.


I hope this finds all of you well. All my Love Jo Ellen