Burkhart's Bucket

Mele Kalikimaka

2009-12-27T18:14:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Hawai'i is beautiful. December brings big waves and beautiful sunsets. The surf just pounds the beaches all the time. At night it sounds like we are in a jumbo jet with the engines going! We can tell how high the surf will be in the morning by the volume of the ocean from our room.

Hawai'i Hiking

2009-11-29T21:47:00.000-08:00

The day after Thanksgiving Lyle and I went for a beautiful hike above the Pupukea Boy Scout Camp. It felt like we were on top of the world, or at least the top of Hawai'i! It is always hazy because of the high humidity so it's hard to see the ocean in this picture, but it is right there under the clouds! We were above the rain forest canopy and it was so impressive.

Sacrament Meetings in Kahuku, Hawai'i

2009-11-29T18:46:00.000-08:00

Today we had a marvelous sacrament meeting again. Each week in the Kuhuku First Ward we can count on several things, the singing is great, (our music director sings at the PCC) the spirit is present, the bishop always counsels us, and we get out late! Everyone jokes about Aloha standard time, but don't believe them, meetings always start on time with most people in their seats early, but if our ward is typical, the standard time is that we always go over time! Today was no exception. We had three missionaries speak! One leaving, and two returning. New Elder Bridges was a big hawai'ian kid, who has been called to the Honolulu, HI Mission. Wouldn't that be a shock to be called to your home Island? He also could not believe that he had to lose weight to serve a mission, he's in great shape! The bishop took him to the Cross Country Track Coach at BYU-H and together they set up a training program. but after a while he hit a plateau and didn't lose any weight. Coach asked if he was eating right & exercising. Ya, he was. Then Coach suggested he turn to prayer. Cute Elder Bridges had prayed before, but never about something like dieting! But he sincerely prayed and with the Lords help met his goal and is now leaving on his mission. What a difference spiritually and physically two loving men in the Ward have made for this Elder! This is a pic of Elder Bridges after the ward members said their good-byes.

Pearl Harbor

2009-11-29T16:24:00.000-08:00

Sat. 14 November 2009 Lyle & I took Grant to Pearl Harbor. A very solemn film preceded the ferry out to the Arizona Memorial. War is a horrific waste of everything I hold dear. I thank God my sons have not been called on to sacrifice their lives like thousands have before them. I could go on, but I will not do so here. We had fun touring the submarine docked on site. Grant would have never fit! We were impressed with all the engines and equipment on board, it must be deafening at all times in a sub. Grant is crouched next to just 1 of 4 diesel engines used to keep the generators (more noise) going. At least in the Moonlight Maid the engines/generators could be shut down at night! We did walk up to the Aloha Stadium to go to the Swap Meet, but there was a UH game that evening so no swap meet. We don't watch the News here, so who knew!

Wedding Bells: Maren and James

2009-03-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

Lyle's niece, Maren Burkhart was married 28 Feb 2009 to James Acorn. Lyle and I drove our little Honda Fit for the third time in so many months to Riverside, CA loaded with supplies to cater the reception. It was held at the Flabob Airport in a little airplane hanger! Riverside is beautiful and green in Feb and the wedding was gorgeous. It was so cute to see Andrea, Maren's cousin take charge when needed and Grizelda, her sister-in-law, step in to save the day and miss the ceremony. What sweet girls. We were able to visit with Lyle's mom, that was nice, I also got to work with Linda and Lisa and James's mom, Nancy setting up.

Kayaking Freaks

2009-03-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

Lyle and I decided to do something exciting together this winter, so we signed up for a kayaking class at the University of Utah. I was really looking forward to gently paddling around the pool, just like the sea kayaks we've seen in Alaska. Well the first week I was unable to get in a kayak, but I was able to witness the panic in all the students faces as the were about to drown! The class turned out to be a river kayaking class and the first skill our lovely instructor taught that first night was the rescue roll. The person being rescued rolls the kayak so he is up-side-down in the water and pounds on the bottom of the kayak, signaling that he needs help, then someone t-bones the up-side-down kayak and the near-drowning victim attemps to right his kayak by holding onto the bow of the rescue kayak and rolling. Well, it did not work all the time. Lyle would get his mouth out of the water for just a moment and catch his breath and then finally give up and ditch the kayak. Needless to say, I was scared out of my gourd! I told the Relief Society funeral committee to be on stand-by. Lyle insisted that he was not close to anything, but he could not see his own face! That sunday Noah told me to hang on to the side of the pool and practice rolling up, but I only got really good at ditching the kayak and giving myself lovely bruises up and down my legs. Lyle is working really hard, but hip action and back-bends are not his forte! I'm thinking sea kayaking can not be this hard. The tour companies take complete novices into water that is so cold a person would die of hypothermia before anyone could execute a rescue roll! I'm counting on that.

Christmas announcement

2009-02-05T16:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2008 we got the best present ever from Holden, he is going to be a BIG BROTHER! He has been waiting a long time for this. Last christmas Jalaine & Noah hosted the family christmas party and when Holden let us in the door he made the announcement that he was going to have a little sister, which was a surprise to his parents! So the baby (they are waiting to find out girl/boy) is due on 21 July 2009. Jalaine is hoping for the 24th, then he/she will have fireworks for every birthday!

Trip to Chicago 9 Dec 2008

2009-02-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

On 9 December 2008 Lyle & I flew into Chicago to see our new granddaughter, Blythe Ann Burkhart. It was nice that Joel & Jackie were there too! Joel is in his 2nd year of 3 of grad school at IIT (Illinois Institute of Technology) in Architecture. They live in downtown Chicago in a highrise apt. building on the 15th floor. This was our first trip to see them in their new home! Chicago is so cool! We walked down the Magnificent Mile, went to the top of the John Hancock Bld. took a walking tour of historical buildings and won the lottery for tix to see the show "Wicked"! Most importantly we got to hold Blythe a lot and ride the "EL" to see Joel's campus. We can hardly wait to go back!

Burkhart babies!

2009-02-05T10:40:00.000-08:00

Although it is hard to get my mind around Dad Burkhart's passing, it is wonderful to see family members not often seen. We have some pretty cute little guys in the family too. Here's proof!

Vaughn Burkhart (Paul's baby)

Alex and Andrea Daniels

Madelyn and Joe Caldwell

Robbie, Gricelda, B-Bo, and Seth Burkhart

Dr. Edgar Robert Burkhart's passing

2009-02-05T09:31:00.000-08:00

On 9 December 2008 Lyle's father Dr. Edgar Robert Burkhart died in Riverside, California. He was 94 years old and left his wife of 70+ years, Carma Lines Burkhart. The funeral services were held in Riverside at the Mt. Rubidoux Stake Center on 17 December 2008.

Lyle and I were fortunate to have spent Thanksgiving week with Mom & Dad a few weeks before his death and their daughter, Mary Lynne Jarvis spent 6 weeks with them before we got there. We are so appriciative of Gordon and Linda Burkhart who live in Riverside for their unwavering care for Dad and their continued love and care given to Mom.

Final three weeks in Alaska 2008

2008-08-07T17:15:00.000-07:00

It's hard to know where to start when blogging for the first time. I would like to use my blog as a journal exercise, plus keep tabs with family and friends. So, here goes! For the past week my friend Jane Babcock has been in Alaska with me. She took a chance on spending a week with me knowing me well enough (we served in our Stake Relief Society for 7 years together) to know that she would be sacrificing her solitude for my constant babbling. Of course I had a perfect excuse, when hiking on the trails in Alaska a person must remember 2 things, look big and be loud. I'm both, so no worries! In all our travels around the state the only place we have come across any bears has been in our own backyard here in Girdwood. Last Sunday evening Jane & I went out to pick blueberries on the bike path under the ski resort. As we were checking out the bushes a couple of bikers called out, bear on the left! We stepped to the right side of the trail to let them pass on the left. They did not pass but stopped and became much more forceful, yelling, BEAR on the left in the meadow! We decided to let the bear have those berries. We had a wonderful week together. We drove to Talkeetna to see Danali by plane, the majesty! Gathered river rock to take home in the Susitna River. Ate the most wonderful Salmon Bisque at the Wildflower Cafe in Talkeetna.Spent the night in a little Hostel with an attitude. Napped on the dock at Nancy Lake in the sun.
Hiked along the Turnagain Arm in Hope. Ate the best piece of pie I have ever tasted in my life, Apple/gooseberry. Cruised the Prince William Sound and witnessed glaciers calving.

Hiked the Winner Creek trail and rode the hand tram! Alaska is heaven!

smiling baby jedi

2008-07-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

I don't seem to be able to figure out the workings of this blog site. So my text never matches my pics, sorry. When I get home to SLC Jalaine can help me. Shauna took this cute pic of Jed. He doesn't open his eyes much, but he still smiles occasionally.

Uncle Gordon & Aunt Linda Burkhart came to visit Alaska for two weeks. This is Lily with Uncle Gordon's glasses!

Alaskan Adventure 2008

2008-07-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Alaska, Chalmers Bay 2008 As many of you know, I came to Alaska in the summer of 2007 for two weeks, and stayed for two months! I fell in love with the spectacular scenery of the Chugach mountains and was totally captivated by the Prince William Sound. Even more lasting are the bonds made with my sister, Wendy Tueller, who was only 6 years old when I married, and moved, hence this was the first opportunity we have had to really connect as adults. But, I have to admit that after 30 years of mothering, for the first time I was put on time-out, and Wendy took over the mothering for the summer. She took complete care of me. So this summer I've taken the course of payback and have come to Girdwood, Alaska for three months to help Wendy with the birth of her third child, Jedadiah Pacific Tueller.

Baby Jedi, not too happy yet! Aunt DeAnn, Lily, Eli and baby Jedi
Oh, I think we got the best one! Daddy Lyle reading to Lily and Eli
Wendy and baby Jed

Here's a sample of the wildlife you can see in Alaska. A moose in Hope, a little mining town across the Turnagin Arm from Girdwood. We have seen a few moose in the front yard also.
This not so little black bear is trying out the garbage at Our Lady of the Snows, the Catholic/Mormon Church in Girdwood. The Catholic Diose has been very generous and let the Latter Day Saints meet Sunday mornings while Catholic services are Sunday evenings.At a certain spot in the Sound the Porpoises come to surf the wake of the Moonlight Maid. Lyle and I love to play with them by banging on the side of the boat. This one has turned to the side to check us out! We have also seen whales spouting and dancing in the ocean. One almost rammed the boat when Wendy was driving. It dove barely in time off the port side.

"THE MIGHTY GATOR"
The day before Jed was born Nathan picked up a little fishing boat. He has been patiently training his crew to fish with mixed success! I hear there have been a few cases of man/women overboard! Lyle was able to spend a couple of weeks in Alaska also. Here he is fulfilling a lifetime dream, catching a fish! And not just any fish, a halibut! It weighed 24 lbs. They call that a chicken up here, but anyone knows the small ones taste the best!

While we are on the Moonlight Maid, we actually work, I cook and clean and Lyle drives and does odd jobs the Captain assigns. We both love it on the water. The only time we have trouble is when we get off the boat and the ground will not stop moving!

Grant is also in Alaska working on the Moonlight Maid as a deck hand. He is having the time of his life! The entire crew has gone overboard, but Grant has the singular distinction of taking his camera with him. Unfortunatly it did not dry out as well as Grant did. Here's Grant with a King Salmon. (It could be a Dog, I'm not sure)

On Lyle's last day the clouds broke enough for us to take a Helicoptor ride out of the Girdwood Airstrip over the Chugach Mountains. We landed on a glacier! It was spectacular!!!

Soccer Champ
Little Bear, the dog

Here's the boys fryin' up some haibut!