Soper Family Stories

Does anyone read this anymore?

2007-01-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

Well, we have this nice family blog, does anyone ever check this out anymore? Its been a pretty long time since I've seen a post... comment or post if you're out there.

Its been awhile

2006-10-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

I know that we have more memories than we have been sharing, but I think we are all busy people so we don't come here very often and it slips our mind. I'm trying to think of something good to share here.

I remember staying with Grandma and Grandpa Soper in St. George. The house was always incredible clean. We had so many choices for breakfast. There was a running joke about breakfast cereal. If you were out of cereal, but still had milk you had a refill. The same if you were out of milk , but you still had cereal. Grandma always had those ice cream pops for us, the ones that you push the stick up so you can get more ice cream. And she was have us drink alovera juice. She was a firm believer of alovera, but we really prefered the orange juice. We loved our grandma so we drank it down anyway (I made sure to hold my breath).

We had wooden tulips every where from Grandpa's workshop. He was quite the expert in making wooden flowers. I wonder where all of the tulips ended up.

When I was on my mission, about 5 years after Grandpa past away a few months after Grandma past on I was having a difficult time. I was feeling discouraged with the work. The work wasn't going anywhere and I wasn't getting along with my companion. I was feeling really low. I had a dream that I entered into a room. There were a lot of people in that room that I didn't know, but they all seemed to recognize me. On one side of the room were Grandma and Grandpa. I felt their love for me and I could feel how proud they were of me. In my dream I felt to my knees and began to cry. I felt warmth and love from all those in the room even though I only recognized two of them. I had the feeling that Grandma and Grandpa knew these other people and that they must also be related to me. I don't remember if anything was said, but what was felt couldn't be denied. When I woke up I still had the warm feeling deep within my heart. I knew that the feelings were too intense to be just a normal dream. I believe that Grandpa and Grandma came to visit me that day to let me know that I wasn't alone and that I was loved deeply.

I know they still watch over us today.

2006-06-24T10:55:00.004-07:00

You know I'd like to say something here. I'm very proud of Nate for his effort to help keep the memories of this family. I love you for this Nate. (Chuck) I have a grundle of memories about all of you and of my parents and brothers etc. I will spend my new found time sharing on here what I know so that it will not be lost ever.

Thanks again Nate for this effort to inspire your family especially me. I love you muchly family - all of you!!!

2006-06-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

I remember being very loved as a child. I was nurtured by just about everyone. I didn't even learn to walk until I was almost 17 months old because everyone would carry me everywhere. Especially my sweet Bro, Rob. There's a picture somewhere of him carrying me. It's a very significant picture for me. He does that even now when I'm down. He picks me up now with his laughter and his love. I'll always be grateful to Heavenly Father for my Bro, Rob. I just love him so much.

After our brother, Kerry died, we didn't do very well until we found a place of humor and then we both were able to start healing. Kerry had a heart condition from the time that we were very young. I said to Rob, "I always thought that Kerry would die of health conditions." Rob's famous response, "Well, Ellie, I'd like to see you survive getting hit by a truck." In that moment I felt not only Rob and I laughing, but also Kerry right there with us. We laughed for a full five minutes to the point of tears. It got easier after that. Thank God for my brother Rob.

I had a situation this week that was actually very shocking and painful. Of course, I turned, again, to my bro, Rob. He picked me up with laughter and concern and got me back on my perspective again. Thank you again dear Heavenly Father for my dear sweet brother.

I wish I remembered more

2006-05-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

I think I've shared almost all of the memories I still have of grandma and grandpa. I really wish I could remember more. It makes me glad to think that I'll see them again because they are slowly slipping out of my head right now. I'm not old and senile like some of you so there really isn't any excuse for memory loss, I just don't remember. I hope that we can remember together, that was my hope for this blog, as well as staying in touch.

Staying close

2006-04-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

As life goes along it is so easy to grow apart from different members of our family. People move away for work or for school. People grow up and get jobs and families and thus they get busy. We spread ourselves every which way just to make ends meet and to make our lives better. But distance is only really as far away as we make it.

I go out to lunch with my mom and Tony (her boyfriend) every week. I am glad that I am taking the time to go out to lunch with them every week. I always look forward to talking to those two because they always make me feel so good. I know that years from now when mom and Tony are gone that I will be so grateful that I took the time to be with both of them every week.

So here is a challenge for all of you. Find a way to stay close to somebody in the family. Maybe you can call them more often, or email them more often. You could include them in your plans. There are so many things we can do to stay close and some of them are as simple as taking five minutes to call and ask, “how are you doing?” I think that if you take this challenge seriously you will find out just how awesome this family of ours really is.

I want some comments to see who is willing to take this challenge with me. Oh and spread the word to all the other family members who may not be reading this blog.

Other Memories

2006-04-10T03:30:00.000-07:00

I guess I was not involved in the yard work to use the pool part, but I do remember how Kerry really like to keep things neat and clean. I sometimes wish I was that way, but I live in a different mental world.
I have memories of Kerry's pool and how much fun it was to go over and party on hot summer days. The food was always really good, even if we brought part of it. I remember his cool deck off the back of that house in Holiday.
It is hard not to miss my brother, but I know he is happy and was needed for other teaching assignments. I just hope I get to finish what I need to do here, before I go on to other teaching assignments.
On the other hand I have another brother and we don't talk very often. We need to get talk more often.

Kerry's Pool's Rules

2006-04-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

I remember when Uncle Kerry lived in Holiday. He had a pool and this meant that we hung out at his house a lot. He always expected us to earn the pool by doing yard work. At the beginning of each "pool season" Kerry would read off the rules. Does anybody remember what the rules were?

I remember that we had a lot of good times in that pool. We always seemed to eat very well too. It seems like that was so long ago.

My mouse chase

2006-03-29T12:09:00.000-08:00

We had a mouse problem at my current house as well. For a long time I just thought it was funny because Ian (my roomate) is easily spooked. He'd see the mouse and freak out running around like a scared little girl. So I ignored the problem for a long time because I think it's funny when he freaks out. Well I saw a mouse in my bedroom two days in a row. That's when I changed my mind about the mouse problem.

So the next day I got a few mouse traps and some poison, and I layed them out carefully. We caught a mouse in my room one day in one of the mouse traps. I was so proud! A few days later Marcus Mike and I were going to watch some tv. We moved the couch and saw the mouse run under the another couch. We had him cornered! We all grabbed shoes so we could smash him. We had him running between Marcus and me. He would run one way, only to see a giant with a shoe, and then turn the other way and see the same thing. Finally he got up the nerve to try to run past me. I slammed the shoe down as hard as I could and smashed him. Then Marcus yelled out, "Who's the dominant species now?" I saw the mouse twitch before he died and I kind of felt guilty, at least until I threw him in the trash.

I think that I prefer the poison method to the shoe method. Let them crawl into a dark corner and die all alone, because I don't want to watch it. I was kind of surprised that Rachel was so vindictive with the baby mice. Still, it does kind of fit her character, but don't tell her I said that!

One Day In Our Life

2006-03-27T03:46:00.000-08:00

Time seems to pass so quickly. One day we are the object of our parents concerns the next as it seems we are that parent concerned about our own children, and then as if by magic we somehow become the concern of our children. I guess you could call that the cycle of life or something.
Yesterday was a great example of the little things in life and how great they really are. This last few months we have been having an on going difficultiy with mice in our house. Yesterday Rachael was searching for more places that they had been and found a nest of little ones. You would think that she would come screaming for a man to get them, instead she screamed at them and started catching them and throwing them outside in the dupster. Before the end of the day she had cleaned where they had been and set traps and bait. It was just interesting to watch the progress throuhout the day.
It isn't that this is one of those great memorable moments, but that it is one of those little things that happen on a daily basis to all of us. We need to keep that in mind as we are thinking of posts we could make and how those little moments of ours will help all of us to feel closer as a family.
I have been trying to remember those big moments from the past, but maybe the little moments now from every day are really more important to jot down and tell us about, please do the same so we can all get closer.

Brad and JJ's drive together

2006-03-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

I remember going to Uncle Kerrys funeral. I drove with Bob and Lindy and somehow Brad ended up driving with JJ. Those two couldn't be more different. Brad has always been a church going spiritual guy. JJ on the other hand was anything but that.

We all love JJ in all his diversity, but I didn't think pairing him up with Brad on a five hour road trip was a good idea. Well apparently they had come to an agreement at some point as to the music arrangements. Basically they would switch off between punk rock and church music. Just thinking about makes me laugh. They actually got a long very well. I was surprised.

I remember another time when I was at uncle Rob's house. We were doing something computer related most likely. He told a story about how JJ was on his skateboard going around the neighborhood (or somewhere, I don't know) and he slipped and the skateboard went out into the street. Right after that a cop ran his board over and broke it in half. Uncle Rob finished the story and we both paused for a few seconds and then we both laughed and laughed and laughed.
It was good times, but then being at Rob's house always is.

Memories

2006-03-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

You may think that we are trying to dig up dirt, but really all we are trying to do is to find things from our past that may be memorable and fun to read about. It was not my intention to make this look like a place to dig up dirt on any of us. Funny stories from the past sometimes seem to be just that though, dirt.
In the future let us remember things that are memorable, even if one of us seems to be more involved for a while don't take offense after all it is just memories. To remember the past and put it down as something that others may want to read about may take some creative soul searching into our feable (at least mine) little minds.
Since we have been doing this I have been trying really hard to remember things from my past that everyone would enjoy hearing about, it is hard to remember all of the details of what we went through as a family.
I was the oldest and left our home before Dean, Kerry and Ellie. I am sure some of the things they remember about those times in their lives will be different than what I come up with, but that should not stop any of us from finding something from our individual pasts to post here.
I am not sure if this site has an e-mail way of submitting, but if any of you want to submit something without loging on to this site just e-mail me at sevenstartax@aol.com and I will post it for you, if you would like.

Mary ellen memories

2006-03-15T21:51:00.000-08:00

It seems that we've been remembering a lot of Mary Ellen memories lately. Ellie getting hit in the head with a ball, Ellie running into a tree, and so forth. We will have to get her on here to let her redeem herself and pull up some dirt on others.

I know that there is a way to make blog postings via email. Nate, maybe you could figure that out so who don’t know how to use blogs could post messages, too.

She did what?

2006-03-15T20:56:00.000-08:00

Yeah some of you may not have heard this story. It's a short one but still a goodie. My mom (Ellie) somehow managed to fall asleep while riding a bike when she was younger and she ran it into a tree. We've never let her live it down. So here's to you mom, you really can do the unthinkable. We love you

-Chuck Bateman

Fire in the Shanty

2006-03-14T17:20:00.000-08:00

I remember one summer night, I can't remember how old I was, I was sleeping on the covered back porch we had in the home in Draper. I awoke to see a fire behind grandpa's house. (This was my mom's dad Hal Walbeck) He had a wooden out building we called the shanty. It had caught on fire. It was once used as living quarters for one of grandpa's family members. The fire destoyed the shanty and the things that were stored inside. It left unsettling impression on me about sleep and waking up to see a fire. We never rebuilt the shanty, years later grandpa had a garage built behind his house. I guess you could say that was to replace the old building.

2006-03-14T09:25:00.000-08:00

We use to meet for a family reunion every summer at Draper Park. I'm not quite sure when we stopped doing that. Anyway, there was a great big water fight every year and there was an on going battle between Mary Ellen and Shane. Unfortunately Ellie's own kids (including myself) were on Shane's side. I don't remember any instances in particular, but we got her pretty good just about every year.

2006-03-13T20:04:00.000-08:00

This is Rob Blogging. I remember when I was a teenager I used to love to throw a baseball at the back wall of the house we lived in in Draper and have it bounce back to me so I could practice catching it, then I would throw it again, and again. One time when I was practicing this way I missed the wall and hit the window of the room Ellie was using for a bedroom. The bad part of that was the window broke and the ball hit Ellie on the head. I am not sure what happend after this, but I am sure I suffered some kind of punishment for braking a window and hitting Mary Ellen. If she can remember any of this maybe she can comment on this.

God has to have a sense of humor

2006-03-13T16:08:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago we went down on vacation to see grandma and grandpa in St. George. It was me Bob Brad Tim and mom. I remember that we were all real excited to go hiking. Our favorite thing to do while visiting them was to hike Alligator mountain. The problem is that it was raining and so we could not go. Normally it doesn't rain too much in St. George so we considered this to be bad luck.

Well at lunch one day my grandpa had asked Tim to pray. As you know grandma and grandpa were both very active members of the church. On the other hand we were not the most active members of the church, and could be considered by some to be a bit irreverent.

So grandpa asked one of his irreverent grandchildren to pray, Tim. He said all the typical things in a prayer, "Thanks for grandma and grandpa, please bless the food to nourish and strengthen our bodies and minds. We’re grateful for this and that..." then he paused and then said, "Oh and thanks for the rain, I'm sure it's doing somebody some good!"

Well that's where that prayer ended because we all began to laugh. I remember thinking that we were going to get reprimanded by grandpa, but he laughed too. After a few good chuckles he said something I'll never forget, he said "God has got to have a sense of humor."

That's my favorite memory of Grandpa. What he said has stuck with me and has helped keep me guilt free through many sacrament meetings.- Chuck Bateman