Finnish Ancestor Meal

We had a special party on February 16.  It would have been John Jalmer's 113 birthday on February 17.  So, we broke out the fan charts, photos, and memorabilia. 

We tried to pick authentic Finnish foods.  

Our menu included: 

Lihapyorykat:  Finnish meatballs (sometimes made from reindeer, but we used ground beef)

Porkkanalaatiko:  carrot casserole (big hit with the kids--NOT)

Beets:  they ate lots of beets because they don't require a long growing season

Getting ready to cut the Finnish cake.  It was kinda heavy.  More like a Finnish brick.

I gave Cole the camera.  He did a pretty good job of recording the festivities.

We decorated the table with our Finnish treasures.  Sierra colored a Finnish flag.  The teacup on the left was from Waino's mother's set of China from their wedding.  The vase came from Finland.  The tablecloth was made by Waino's mother.  We had copies of photos on the table. 

We concluded that we would not carry on the tradition of these recipes on a regular basis.  

The meatballs were good, but the carrots and the cake were not well received.

John Jalmer Herl... & Lilia Susanna Jarvi Herl... Wedding photo

June 14, 1927 Scofield, UT

Ancestor Project 2014: a word to Finnish Ancestors

Some new thoughts on Family History that are NOT inline with a previous post…

STOP using the same names over and over and over.  All of you ancestors that have gone on before me.  You are confusing me.  Branch out.  Find different names.  I  realize you like to name people for someone that has passed on, but stop it.  Generation.  After.  Generation.

And while we're at it….Finland:  let people keep their same last name.

STOP making them change surnames EVERY time they move to a different farm.  I realize it makes sense to you in the 1700's and 1800's, but come on.  You are confusing those of us that are trying to track you down from the other side of the world in 2014.  

And I really should have typed that whole thing in CAPITAL LETTERS.  But I do feel a little better now.  Rick says every day that his ancestors thank me for doing their work (and his work;). 

John Jalmer (Her-love-E) and Walter (Her-love-E) in Scofield in 1934.

And we like to call this one…John Jalmer in his hipster boots.

mission companions

Mission companions, Rick and Aaron Raine

A few weeks ago, I was working on a project in the basement.  Rick was not working that day.  I heard Rick call my name and then come down to the basement to find me.  He had a shocked look on his face.  He said, "Rob just called.  There's been a shooting and 2 Utah County Deputies were shot."  He didn't say it at first and I didn't even want my mind to go far there, but then he added, "And one of them didn't make it."  It was so sobering.  We later discovered that the Deputy that was killed was Cory Wride.  He served in Rick's mission in New York City at that same time as Rick.  They were not ever companions, but had companions in common.  Aaron was Rick's last companion during his mission and he also served with Elder Wride.  Aaron is also a cop in Mesa, AZ so he had another connection to Cory Wride. So, several of Rick's mission companions were in town for the funeral services.  Rick had to work the day of the funeral, but was able to get someone to cover a few hours of his shift in the afternoon.  So, Rick left the hospital and drove to the Cemetery for the graveside service.  He met up with a few of his friends and mission companions.  It took over 2 hours to get from UVU to the cemetery in Spanish Fork.  Schools was dismissed early in Spanish Fork to help alleviate that portion of the traffic situation.  There were several hundred people at the cemetery for the service.  Rick said it was a very impressive scene to drive through town and see Scouts and other bystanders waving American flags.  Even more impressive was the display of officers in uniform, including Aaron from Mesa.  Every department in Utah County was represented along with many departments from throughout the State and other states throughout the country including Alaska.
One thing that happened at the cemetery was called "Last Call."  It's where they call the Deputy over the radio using his name and the formal language of the radio system.  All of the officers at the cemetery had their radios on and it could be heard throughout the cemetery.  Rick recorded it.  We've listened to it a few times now and every time it brings tears to our eyes.  It is so powerful.
I have thought about a few things since this event took place.  A few things come to mind…How grateful I am and how easily I take for granted those people who serve us and protect our lives and our freedoms all the while their lives at risk.  They actually put their lives on the line every singe day to protect each of us.  And we just get to go on living our lives in relative safety without much worry.  I've heard it said that "I wouldn't let my husband work in law enforcement, military, FBI, etc."  And I guess we are all welcome to make that demand.  However, I am now a little more aware of the fact that people do allow their husbands, brothers, fathers, etc. serve and protect me every day, risking their lives so that we can live in a safer, better world.  That really is a big risk they are willing to take.  And Cory Wride took that risk and now his family lives without him in their lives so that Utah could be a safer place.  I'm happy to know that they will be with their father again some day.  I also realize what a small world we live in really.  Although Rick was never companions with Elder Wride, they knew of each other in New York.  And also through their loose connection through the hospital.  Unfortunately, the emergency department and the police force are a little bit more acquainted with each other than I am comfortable with.  But, again, those are choices these people make.  And I am thankful for them for doing so.
So, Aaron and his wife spent some time in our home after the services.  Conversation went back and forth between mission stories and police stories and kid stories and Church stories and back again.  It was a very pleasant evening listening to these two friends remember old times.  It was unfortunate  circumstances, however, that brought them together that evening.  I can see why Rick always talks of his time spent in New York with Elder Raine with fondness.

Celebrating the 2's

A quick birthday party for Lille...

 These 2 are so funny together

 Time for a little ride...

 Holding on for dear life...

 Now Lillie is driving.

 Time for cake

Happy Birthday Lillie.

Hope the 2's are great.

So glad you have joined our family.

Enjoy your last few days as an "only child".

Cole-ism #2814

A while ago I had a funny conversation with Cole…

C:  What is the "F" word?

Me:  It's just a really inappropriate word that naughty people use.

C:  Who decided it was inappropriate?

Me:  I don't know.  It just is.

C:  I think the governor decided.  He makes up he laws, you know.

Me:  Well, maybe so.

C:  So, is Mitt Romney the governor?  Did he decide that it was a bad word?

Me:  Well, Mitt Romney was a governor.  But not of our state.

C:  Is he the President?

Me:  No, he is not the President.

C:  He should be the President.  And I'm pretty sure Mitt Romney decided that the "F" word was a bad word.

Me:  OK.

Next up...

February's ancestor of the month is John Jalmer Herlevi

b. February 17, 1901

d. July 17, 1970

Looking forward to lots of pictures and stories to add to our Ancestor Project 2014.

More about names...

Ethel Norton Dalton

I have been reading my scriptures on my new iPad that I got for Christmas and so I haven't accessed Gospel Library on my phone for a while.  When I opened it up today, the page that came up was Chapter 9 from My Heritage.  This is the section that I had highlighted…

George Albert Smith's 42 years in the Quorum of the Twelve were filled with noble service, despite episodes of poor health.  His eyes were damaged by the sun while serving for the railroad in Southern Utah, and surgery failed to correct his near blindness. Increased pressures and demands on his time weakened his frail body, and in 1909 he collapsed from exhaustion. The doctors order of complete rest eroded his self-confidence, created feelings of worthlessness, and aggravated tension.

During this difficult time, George had a dream in which he saw a beautiful forest near a large lake.  After he had walked some distance through the forest, he recognized his beloved grandfather, George A. Smith coming toward him.  George hurried forward, but as his grandfather drew near, he stopped and said, "I would like to know what you have done with my name."  A panorama of his life passed through George's mind and he humbly replied, "I have never done anything with your name of which you need be ashamed."

It's all in the Name

So, I have been busy working on my Ancestor 2014 Project this past month and I have mostly finished my chapter about Ethel Norton Dalton.

One thing that was really impressed upon me over the past few weeks has been "Names".

I heard something on Studio5 the other day about names.  The guests were asked about how they felt about naming their children and when other people have opinions about the naming of their child.

The guests all commented about their own names and whether or not they liked their names.

Then one guy stated that he thought that the best idea is to take a look your own family tree.  Find a name from your family history and give it to your child.  He felt that that was a significant way to bring generations together and give a child a sense of importance and belonging.  

Here is a letter about the name Ethel…

To Summer Ethel, 

When Grandma Esther May Norton was expecting Great-Grandma Ethel, she had a little girl just about 9 years old named Nellie.  Nellie was so excited about the new baby, and she could hardly wait for the baby to be born.  However, Nellie got really sick not too long before the baby was to be born.  She had  appendicitis. Now that is not a serious illness, but in those days, they had a hard time diagnosing it. They just thought that Nellie had a stomachache.  Her appendix burst, and she became very, very sick.  When it looked like she might not live, she asked her Mother, Grandma Esther May Norton, to get out all of the little baby clothes for the new baby, and to let her see them, and to please promise to name the new baby after Nellie's favorite aunt, her Aunt Ethel.  Little Nellie died on November 5, 1915 and the new baby was born on January 11, 1916.  It was a little girl named Ethel.  This little baby became my Mother and your Grandma Nan's Mother; your Mom's Grandma; and your Great-Grandma.  You would have been her first great-grandchild.  How neat that you are named after her.  She was a great lady, and you should be very proud to be named after her.

Love, Dolores

April 26, 1998

I had a lot of fun over the past few weeks, compiling pictures, looking up dates, finding stories, and asking questions.  I was fascinated as I looked through the names on my family tree and noticed how names are repeated from generation to generation and sometimes even repeated in the same generation.  

I was thrilled when I remembered that my Aunt Dolores had written this letter to Summer so many years ago and it seemed to appropriate to include it in the chapter about Grandma Ethel.

We sometimes tease Summer about the name Ethel.  It's not exactly hip.  It was, however, in the top 10 list of names in the 1910's.  Also in the list are names like Elizabeth, Lillian, Grace, Ruby, Emma. And many of those names are making a comeback.  But, sadly Ethel is not one of those making a big comeback.  Nonetheless, we are proud to carry on the name of Ethel in our family.  

Another name that is used multiple times is Nellie and Nell.  (Aunt Nellie in this above story, and my mom has a cousin, we refer to her always as Cousin Nellie).  Also, somewhere out there was a distant cousin named NanNell which tells us that my grandparents weren't all that original after all in coming up with a name like NanNell.  

BTW, my grandparents and Dolores have always referred to my mom as NanNell.  

Everyone else calls her NanNell or just Nan.