HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREAT GRANDMA, GRANDMA, & MOM

This is my favorite picture Grandma's smile says it all!

Wow Dane you go boy!! You could always count on Grandma to go see a ball game

I couldn't resist both of these pictures we all look so fabulous!!

Don't hate me because I am gorgeous in this picture (top picture)! Grandma and her master skills with wall paper

This is when grandma came out and played school with Cindy. ( top picture)

I wanted to do something special this year for Grandma Hartin's 82 birthday to show her how much her family loves her. And I also wanted to get a chance to get to know her better through her kids and grand kids that have the opportunity to see her more than I do. So this year I asked everyone to contribute a little memory or thought about why Grandma or Mom is so special to us. I hope you enjoy your birthday grandma. We all love you very much.

News from around the world in 1926 ( year Grandma was born)

Wednesday Sept. 8 Germany was admitted to the League of Nations

Thursday Sep. 9 The U.S. National Broadcasting Company formed.

Friday Sept. 10 Doris Elizabeth Mahar was born in Anoka, North Dakota

Saturday Sept. 11 An assassination attempt on Benito Mussolini fails.

Inventions in 1926

Liquid Fuel Rocket USA by Robert Goddard

Aerosol Sprays Norway by Erik Rotheim

Some Popular music of 1926

Always" by Vincent Lopez & His Orchestra
"Black Bottom" by Johnny Hamp's Kentucky Serenaders
"Breezin' Along With the Breeze" by Johnny Marvin
"Bye Bye Bye Blackbird" by Gene Austin
"Do, Do, Do" by Gertrude Lawrence
"Gimme A Little Kiss (Will Ya', Hunh?)" by Whispering Jack Smith

Memories of Grandma:

Nickie - When I think about mom these words come to mind. Warm; always present; Stoic; hardworking; organized; morning crossword puzzle gatherings;

potroast, carrotts, potatoes

syrup in my juice glass; pancakes for dinner; sewing machine; apron dress and lipstick

Cindy - Every time I think of Grandma the first thing I remember is being about 7 or 8 years old and her coming to visit us in Utah. I loved it when she would come. She was always easy to talk to and laughed all the time. Her sense of humor about some things was awesome to a kid! (especially the fart jokes!) I distinctly remember her playing school with me down in the basement when we had that little green school desk (remember that Sarah?). and her making grilled cheese sandwiches for us for lunch. About three months ago, while looking for a recipe book, I found way back in my cupboard the Davenport Family Recipe book and started flipping through it trying to find something wonderful for dinner.... I about fell out when I came across the most coveted recipe of all time. It was Grandma's Swedish Meatball recipe. I couldn't believe it. I thought that was lost forever! I know she'll remember me begging her to make those for us about every night of the week. Oh and the Hamburger Stew and the Raisin Cookies. Yummy!!I also want to say that I still think about the trip to Minnesota back when I was 15. That was so fun. I still remember stopping in Billings, MT and being so weirded out it wasn't even funny. That was such a great life experience for me and I am so glad that I got to do that with you. I want you to know how much I love you Grandma!!! I hope you have a great Happy Birthday!!Love Cindy

Sarah - I loved when grandma would come out to visit us in Utah. Not only did she fix everything in our house but it also meant we would get real store bought milk. That was huge since we use to get only powdered milk instead of real. I still blame the powder milk on the fact that I hate milk to this day!! I also remember watching the price is right, wheel of fortune, and card sharks in the basement of our home. Another great memory I have is when me and grandma shared a bed at my mom's house in NC. We stayed up late each night and just talked about all sorts of things. I will always remember those nights and the opportunity to get closer to grandma. Thanks for the great memories grandma I love you.

Deborah - while living with grandma I learned a great deal about being on my own. Grandma had her gentle ways of letting me know when I needed to do something. One of her ways was by letting me know when I needed to clean something. I wasn't always the best house keeper while living on my own. Grandma would never say to me "go clean your room" she would just leave a bottle of cleaner in the bathroom for me. I also had a problem of leaving electrical items on while I was away. Grandma noticed this little problem of mine and instead of nagging me, she just bought me an iron with an auto shut off. I got the message and I haven't had any problems turning off an iron even when it doesn't have an auto shut off. Grandma always knows how to talk to me even when it doesn't include words. Thank you Grandma for guiding me through an important time of my life.

Colleen - I remember 1 time when grams took Greyhound from California to Utah to visit us one summer. We had just bought a new minivan that grandma was not aware of. We had to park pretty far away from the bus station. After the greetings we started to make our way to the car. My dad had already told us to play a joke on Grandma and pass the van. Which we did. Then my dad stops right by the van and starts inspecting it and saying what a nice van it was and he wanted to look at it further and wanted to see if it was open. Grandma, not knowing this was our car thought my dad had lost it. She said "Jim, what are you doing". We all started laughing and my dad/mom (can't remember) told her it was our car! Then we drove away happily ever after!

Regina - It was about 1995 or something. I was in my mid 40's and Mom was in her late 60's. I had gone to the store and bought an entertainment hutch. It was so heavy I had to have an employee bring it out to the truck for me. When I got it home I had to call Uncle John and Chris over to help me bring it in the house. Well it was too heavy for them too. So we had to bring it in piece by piece. It never dawned on me that it would be so complicated to put together. Well Mom came over and I told her what I had done, and that now I didn't know what I was going to do about putting this monster together. Well Mom said, "We can put that together" and so I said really? Well we started that afternoon putting the entertainment center together. It was about midnight when Mom went home. I couldn't believe how heavy that entertainment center was. The next day I got up and was pretty sore from all the work Mom and I did. Mom came over in the morning and said "I came back over to help you put the t.v. and VCR and things in the entertainment center." I told I would do it later. Then she said "OK, well I'm going to go help Shauna wall paper her kitchen today". I couldn't believe it. I was ready for a day off to recoup and Mom was going on to wallpaper. She was amazing. She was always helping someone with the kids or painting or wallpapering or fixing something that broke. She could fix a clothes dryer, washing machine, refrigerator, dishwasher, garbage disposal, toaster, mixer, vacuum, almost anything. I've seen her do it. I think she would have fixed the cars too if Grandpa would have let her.

Missy - The thing that I remember most as a kid with grandma is she made the best grilled cheese sandwiches in the world. We would sit at the kitchen table and she would go through loaves of bread and just keep making them until we couldn't eat anymore. They still are the best grilled cheese sandwiches I have ever had. Also after we were done eating the sandwiches she would give us a piece of wax paper each. We would go out in the back yard and go down the big slide sitting on the wax paper. I would make us fly down that slide. She is only the best grandma ever. We are so lucky!!!

Melody - When I think of Grandma I think she is the best, most caring & loving Grandma who raised the best family anyone could ask for. A few memories I have are being up at her house and she taught us how to sew & make pillows out of her decorative kitchen towels. I didn’t know she still had any of the pillows until one time in the hospital and she asked someone to bring her favorite Angel pillow, which was one I made years ago…. A good feeling inside to know that. She made the best grilled cheese sandwiches ever that we would race to see who ate them the fastest to win and be the first little piggy. She was also able to do everything else. She helped me tear apart my waterbed, rip the carpet out of the floor, put together an entertainment set, fix anything around the house, move furniture by herself, and never complained or asked for help. I remember always her words of encouragement and advice, which I still use to this day, that helps me be a better person and make the right decisions in life. I think we are all lucky to have such a wonderful, close family, because of Grandma & Grandpa.

Rhea - The thing I remember most about mom was her ability to whip up outfits for us 3 older girls in just hours, she would sit down at the sewing machine and before you knew it we had something new to ware, she was always sewing.

Roni Lee - What I remember most about Grandma growing up is she always had a plate of grilled cheese for us grandkids when we came over. They were always cut in 4 triangles too. Grandma made the best grilled cheese sandwiches.

Dane - To me I can't think of grandma without thinking about grandpa. I cant think of one without the other and I can't think of any one thing that stands out. They mean way too much to me to try to narrow down a single memory that means more then the others. Every memory I have about them is just as special as the next and I hold deep to my heart. they mean more to me then most people think they do. Without them in my life I wouldn't be half the person I am today. They have always been there for me and as I get older they will always be there, even if they are not physically here. They will always be in my heart and thoughts until the day I'm not physically here and then their memories will live on through the stories I have told my kids about how awesome my grandparents were and still are to me.....

Jim - I guess my earliest memory of mom is about 1958 as far as I can figure. She was standing in front of the old black and white TV ironing clothes on White Drive watching the Giants game! I recall her making comments as the game progressed but I did not really know what it was all about. I recall getting a transistor radio for Christmas while still at White Drive and making sure with her help that I could listen to the Giants games! Years later on Chicoine Ave. I recall mom running down the stairs with a radio in her hand yelling, "he did it, he did it"!! She then told us Willie Mays just hit a home run in the 9th inning at the Astro Dome in Houston to put the Giants ahead for good. I recall listening to the radio with her one night when the Giants scored 7 runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Pirates! So my love of baseball came from mom. We still call each other while watching games, her with the A's and me with the Giants. Go Giants!!! :)

Mandy - As a kid, I spent more of my time with Grandma, but to pick a few memories that I think of often... We spent most days playing card, dice or board games. I always think this and teaching me to knit are how Grandma has prepared me for retirement. I remember the occasional days she would take me to McDonald’s for lunch and how the other days she would tell me “not today Lucy”. I remember when we went anywhere she would let me roll around on my back in the backseat while she drove. I remember thinking Grandma was fearless. Once while we were at the cabin, some of us cousins found a spider the size of our face. We were all running around freaked out and screaming and Grandma comes out to make sure we were okay. She sees the spider, picks up a shovel and hit it a few times until it stopped walking. Another time Grandma cut the back of her hand while we downstairs and blood started rolling down her arm. I freaked out and she just put a piece of white tape on it and kept working. I often remember these times and how nonchalant Grandma was about each. A lot of my memories of Grandma revolve around food. I still quite often make myself silver dollar pancakes for dinner and put different jelly on each one. I always remember how Grandma taught me to check the temperature of the pan by sprinkling water on the pan to see if it dances. The recipes of Grandma’s that are still my favorites: grilled cheese sandwiches, monkey bread, and vegetable soup. The other day I was thinking of the time I was eating cheerios while Grandma vacuumed and I kept putting spoonfuls of sugar in my bowl and adding more cheerios. I remember getting to the fifth bowl before Grandma came over and said “You know, I know what you are doing.” I remember when Grandma would come pick us up at the bus stop at the bottom of the hill on hot days and I remember her being there on my very first day of kindergarten at the same bus stop. I remember when Grandma would do my hair in two french braids and thinking she had the most amazing skill ever (hey, Dad couldn’t even cut my bangs without poking my eyes! J) Happy Birthday Grandma!

Erin - I remember when we were kids outside swimming on a very hot day. We would always come into the house so hungry ! Mom (Grandma) would make us a big plate of grilled cheese sandwiches cut up into little squares ! They were SO good ! I do that now too for Alana and kids that are swimming in our pool! I loved her food! I also loved eating chocolate covered crackers while we watched Creature Features!!

Trivia about Grandma:

Favorite Color: Pink, yellow and white

Favorite era of songs: World War II

Favorite food: Main course (meat, potatoes, and veggies)

Favorite age: When she was 40 ( and she doesn't look a day over :) )

Favorite flower: Lilac

Favorite way to remember her mom - playing scribbage together she always won!

Favorite way to remember her dad - listening to the Indy 500 on an old radio.

Favorite clothes: Sweatshirt and jeans

Favorite family memories: fixing dinner with all the kids around

Favorite place: white drive with all the kids and neighbors

Favorite weather: warm, sunny and bright but not hot

Favorite year: When Erin was born and all the kids were still at home

Favorite way to wear her hair: short and curled

Favorite friend: Charlotte Nielson

I hope you have a wonderful birthday Grandma and you always remember how special you are to your family.