Follow Grandpa and give yourself a challenge

Last week I took Grandma Dove and Grandpa Leland to the gym for their exercise class and Grandma's physical therapy for her knee. Since the class was cancelled because of Christmas week, Grandpa and I rode the bikes for about 20 minutes. Then we decided to walk around the railings that surround the staircase. If you have seen Grandpa walk in the past few years, you know that it is a slow shuffle. His first time around the square took 70 seconds. When we got back to the starting place, I told him how long it had taken. He looked at me and said with a glint in his eye, "I can do better than that!" So off he went again. He did cut it by about 10 seconds. Each time he returned to the start, he asked how long it took and said, "I can pare that down." Sure enough after about 15 minutes of walking, he was using long strides, swinging his arms and walking like he used to years ago. His final goal was to do it in 20 seconds. He tried and tried but didn't quite make it. His best was 23 seconds. He had a cheering squad (well two of us anyway, but it felt like more) cheering him on. He finally decided that he would leave the 20 second race to next time.

I loved witnessing that effort on his part because it took me back to earlier days when he would challenge himself to do better or faster or be more efficient. He always expected the best of himself and never allowed discouragement to keep him from accomplishing his goals. He continued learning new things until last few years. He still likes to read and will be engaged some of the time in what is going on around him. When he lived in Nampa, he walked the canal bank every day with his dog. He was an active man and one who never gave up. We can use him as an example in our own lives to always try to do better tomorrow than we did today. What a great heritage we have been given.
Written by Sheila Larson

Slideshow video from 2004 Anniversary party

Even though most of you have probably seen this, I thought I could post it here for those who have not. This is a slideshow I put together in March 2004 from pictures that my Aunt's gave to me. I created this for Leland and Dove's 60th anniversary. It was just big enough that I couldn't upload it to the blog. Here's the link to the video on the site I uploaded it to.

60th wedding Anniversary Leland and Dove Fife
Uploaded by ghuff5

Stephen B. Hunt Family Thanksgiving!

Hi Fife Clan,
To keep Grandma and Grandpa and extended family updated on our life in Seattle, WA, we'll be posting to this blog much like our other family blog. In fact, I cut and pasted this post entirely! Hope you will all keep us up on your lives as well.
We had a nice Thanksgiving weekend with my parents here from Boise. Stephen was home for 4 days straight and I didn't know what to do with myself, it was so nice to have all the help with the kids and around the house. We had one of the best Thanksgiving dinners I think I have had- but that is funny because it seems to get better each year. The best Thanksgivings were really back when all our extended family would get together - 2nd cousins and all. I don't remember the food back then, just the number of people and tables that snaked through my great aunt's house. So while the food seems to get even better, the memories and associations with family will always be precious. This year we featured some new side dishes including brussel sprouts! Even our potatoes had a leek and parsnip in them, they were so good.

Thanksgiving Day was also Odessa's birthday. By 7 pm she was asking "is it time for my party yet?" Poor thing. We had eaten pie late and kept putting off cupcakes until we absolutely thought we could handle it again! She got plenty of fun presents from Grandparents and a HUGE book of horses from us. (thanks for the tip Kristyn, she loves it)Our neighbors came over to sing Happy Birthday and I got her a mylar balloon later that night and she played more with that than any of her presents after that! It's funny to think back to how much I walked after Thanksgiving dinner 3 years ago trying to get Odessa here. She came after a day of post Thanksgiving shopping : )

On Friday we checked out the activities for Winterfest at the Seattle Center. Then we headed downtown to walk around, spook the shops and people watch. Saturday morning my parents treated us to a fun breakfast at a neat restaurant in Queen Anne that is built in a remodeled old house. Then we took them for a long walk along Lake Union to check out the boat houses- they are so fun! It makes me think of miniature doll houses or something- they are all so unique and scaled down in size.
We are looking forward to Christmas in Boise THIS month (can you believe it?). It really is nice to be close enough to family to make these holidays possible. Stephen put some lights and the stockings up. We have a fireplace and he wanted a fire so much he burned a bunch of paper. The girls danced around singing "fire, fire, fire!". A little family of pyromaniacs I have here. Hope all of you had a great weekend as well.

Better?

Is this text color easier to read Sheila? I can't lighten the red background, but I could certainly find a new background that was lighter altogether, if you'd like.

My Thanks to you too, Hillary

I am happy that this blog has been created. I am grateful to have the second generation more involved in Grandma and Grandpa's lives - you all have so much to contribute and I know the G & G are very proud of all of you, and so am I. And, it will be fun to keep up with you and your families' lives. Thanks, Hillary.

Here is a story that Dad (Leland) told me the other day.

He told me that his father (Lee) was a good businessman. Once Dad went to a cattle sale with his father. His father sat through the whole sale without bidding on any animal. Then, when the sale was over, he bought a cow and calf that no one else would even consider buying because they were both too skinny and sickly-looking. He paid very little for them. Dad (Leland) was a student at the University of Idaho at the time, studying agriculture. He had been taught to buy the best in order to compete and prosper. Dad did not approve of his Dad's purchase. Lee took the cow and calf home and began to feed them the hay and grain he had raised on the farm. Pretty soon, they both gained weight and turned out to be very nice animals. After awhile, Lee took them back to the sale to sell. They both sold easily and he (Lee) made more money on their sale than any other purchase and resale Dad (Leland) was aware of.

Dad told me this story while we were driving in the car together, because I had asked him something about his father. About ten minutes after he had told me the story the first time, Dad told me the exact same story again - almost verbatim - as of I had never heard it before. It was so funny! I love my Dad!

Thank you Hillary

Thanks Hillary for setting up this blog. It has potential to keep us all better acquainted and draw us closer as a family. I have a photo of Grandma and Grandpa that I will email you. One suggestion, the background color although beautiful is so dark I am having a difficult time reading the posts. (old eye syndrome I guess) So could you lighten it for the "older generation"
Thanks, Sheila

Pictures?

I am looking for a good picture, new or old, of Grandma and Grandpa together to put in the title of the blog. Anyone that has one, please email it to Hillary! Thanks.

Welcome Family

Hello everyone! We are excited to start this blog as a means to stay in touch with more ease, and to share all of our stories and memories about Grandma and Grandpa Fife. Here, we can also post about our own little families, and the happenings in our busy lives, so that those of us who don't live close to Grandma and Grandpa can share our families with them!

We are so blessed to be part of a family that has Grandma and Grandpa at the helm. They have brought up our family in faith and love. We are so grateful for all of their sacrifices on our behalves. We love them dearly.