Life @ The McCrary's

Red Bird Red Bird What Do You See?

2009-03-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

I was working in the kitchen this evening at dusk and saw a bird in the tree looking back at me. You can also see the muted image of two daffodils that were the first ones to bloom and my Ella picked them for me.

The Rich Girls Party!

2009-03-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

After dividing the dinero they went out back and jumped for joy!

Lemonade Anyone?

2009-03-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

It was only a half day at school and a beautiful day. So Katelin and two other friends got together and had a lemonade/snow cone stand. They each earned five dollars. That's pretty good.

Green Milk! Eew!

2009-03-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

The kids woke up on St Patrick's Day and a leprechaun had turned the milk green. So we had green milk and porridge for breakfast.

Paint Party

2009-03-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

After the flood, we ended up pulling out all the carpet pad and letting the carpet dry. While the rooms were empty we decided to paint the rooms. So Jacob and Katelin helped us.

Ella and the Boy Next Door

2009-03-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

Guess who found the bandaids today? It's just like stickers. Later I found them on the couch, the walls, her bedframe...

Our Basement Flooded

2009-03-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

We had a couple of warm days that melted almost a foot of snow off our roof. It then went down a few seems in our cement into the already saturated soil and came up in the cracks of our basement. It came in on the East side of our house. Katelin's room, Jacob's room, the sewing/food room and the hall.

Why Mormons Build Temples

2009-03-13T08:02:00.001-07:00

Jake's First Loose Tooth

2009-02-22T20:03:00.000-08:00

This week we noticed that Jacob's incoming tooth was barely poking up directly behind his loose tooth. Yesterday I saw it again and it had come through and up quite a bit. Well, daddy found out and said he would pull it out for him. That freaked out Jacob. I am a little worried about his tooth coming in crooked so I told Jacob I would give him five bucks if he let daddy pull his tooth right now. That immediately got Jakes attention and for the next half hour daddy worked on it. First with a washcloth and pulling. Didn't work. So he had Jacob go get one of the handheld flossers to floss your teeth with. So John eventually got the flosser underneath the tooth and yanked. He pulled so hard it flipped the tooth out and it landed up on his top teeth and stuck there. So John grabbed it and showed it to Jacob. Jake was stunned or transfixed for about 15 seconds and didn't even move. John had to tell him about 4 times to swallow his blood so it wouldn't drip out of his mouth. I got a picture of the stunned look of him just laying there. He is one happy boy now that the shock has worn off AND he got his five bucks. I can't believe I gave him five dollars, but hey, it worked, and I don't have to worry about it anymore.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

So he put his tooth in a plastic bag and put it under his pillow and went right to bed. He came to me this morning and was shaking the bag that had four quarters in it. He was so happy. He told me that he didn't sleep last night. He just closed his eyes and waited for the tooth fairy. He thought maybe the tooth fairy might be a boy or it might be a girl. I asked him what he thought it was. He said he thought it was a girl. And he goes, "But she must be really small because I didn't feel her climbing under my pillow to give me the money and I didn’t get any sleep last night."

Uncle Michael Boggs Passed Away

2009-02-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

Later in the afternoon of my birthday I found out that my Uncle Mike had passed away so it made for a tearful evening. I was able to fly to San Diego, California for the funeral and visit with family.

Grandma Boggs and Lloyds baby Sage

Jamin and Donna Boggs Family

Ian and Angela Boggs Family

Josh Boggs and his mom Lettie

My mom and dad and I

Beautiful Montana

2009-02-22T19:35:00.000-08:00

John worked in Montana for a week and took a ton of pictures of the different scenery. Here are just a few!

Birthday Flowers

2009-02-22T19:10:00.000-08:00

For my birthday this year John took the day off and we went to lunch at a Brazilian restaurant and then went to the Bountiful Temple during the day. My friend watched Ella for me while the kids were at a school. When we got home there was a homemade cake at my friends house, a gift and a huge bouquet of flowers that my parents had sent to me sitting on my neighbors kitchen table.

Let them eat cake!

2009-02-22T19:04:00.001-08:00

I get to have a party with Ella almost everyday lately and this time she did it first thing in the morning after the kids left for school. John was getting ready to leave for Idaho for three days just when she made the announcement that she had a party ready and I was invited. I told her, "I think you should ask daddy becuase he never gets to have a party with you and he is going to leave in a minute." He heard the end of my sentence and put down his luggage to attend the grand even. She was so touched that HER DAD would come to her party. Look at her face!

Want a Cracker?

2009-02-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

Ella asked if she could have a cracker today. I said, "Sure they are in the pantry." Not knowing that the package wasn't yet open. I walked past a couple of minutes later and Ella had opened the crackers alright. Ella Style!

Christmas Day

2009-02-22T13:14:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve

2009-02-22T12:14:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful dinner at Grandma's house and were all rolling on the floor. Then we opened gifts and the kids got thier traditional Christmas Eve Pajamas so they had new pj's to wear to bed.

Christmas Eve @ Grandma's

2009-02-22T11:59:00.000-08:00

Isn't she sweet!

2009-02-16T19:39:00.000-08:00

This is Ella in her Christmas Dress. Actually, it used to be Katelin's and it finally fits Ella. She is totally posing for the camera. When she went to church people would tell her she was so beautiful. She would bat her eyelashes and sweetly say, "Uh-Huh!"

Men at Work

2009-02-16T19:33:00.000-08:00

When the snow starts fallin, the men get workin!

Choir Performance

2009-02-16T19:31:00.000-08:00

We all got to go watch Katelin perform with her Elementary School Choir for their Christmas Concert. Katelin had a solo with a couple of other girls and they did an excellent job. She did GREAT!

Our First Snowman

2009-02-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

The kids had a blast rolling up this snowman.

Christmas Creche 2008

2009-02-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

Sunday Best

2009-02-16T19:11:00.000-08:00

Girls Just Wanna Have Fu-un!

2009-02-16T19:03:00.001-08:00

Playing at the Park

2009-02-16T18:45:00.000-08:00

California Cousins

2009-02-16T18:39:00.000-08:00

Playing with Moore Cousins

2009-02-16T17:51:00.000-08:00

Disneyland

2009-02-16T17:39:00.000-08:00

Disneyland - California

2009-02-16T17:34:00.001-08:00

Skeet Shooting w/ Friends & Neighbors

2009-02-16T17:22:00.000-08:00

Carving Pumpkins for Family Home Evening

2009-02-16T14:18:00.000-08:00

Family Vacation to Nine Mile Canyon

2009-02-16T13:59:00.001-08:00

We took a two day trip to Nine Mile Canyon with our friends and neighbors. We saw a lot of beautiful scenery and ancient Indian petroglyphs.

Halloween Pictures at Grandma's house

2009-02-16T13:53:00.000-08:00

First Snow in October

2009-02-16T13:50:00.000-08:00

The kids had a blast before school playing in the fresh snow!

Ella's Birthday

2009-02-16T13:38:00.003-08:00

Everybody loves cupcakes. Ella had a birthday with her friends

She Thinks We're Getting Married...Again!

2008-10-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

Kids Say The Darndest Things: The other day I had put on a dress and was getting ready to go.
Ella came in the bathroom and said, "Mommy, where are you going?" I said, "To the Temple with Daddy and you get to stay home and play with Grandma McCrary." Ella got exstatic and said, "Oh Mommy, you are going to get married to my daddy. Yeaaaaaaaaaaah!" I quickly added,"No Ella, we are already married."
She said very matter of factly, "No Mommy, you are going to the temple to marry my daddy." I tried to explain but there was really nothing I could say. We were going to get married.

My Jake

2008-10-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

It's not very often I actually get his real smile. And this night he was in his pajamas and it just worked out. We had our own photo shoot. He's so cute!

Family Home Evening

2008-10-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

Last week for Family Night we decided to take the family up the mountain for a short hike before it got dark. It was beautiful! We had made congo bars and stuck them in the trunk so we ate one before we left and another when we got back. Mmmmmm! A McCrary Tradition!

My First Cake

2008-09-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

Katelin baked her very first cake today all by herself. It turned out really good as you can see by their faces.

The Seasons Are Changing

2008-09-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Our Beautiful Utah Color

One, Two, Three...

2008-09-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Ella was practicing her counting to ten. It works especially well when you have daddy's big toes to work with.

A Bountiful Harvest...

2008-09-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

This year our garden sported some of our favorites: Carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, cantelope, watermelon, pumpkins, crook-neck squash, two types of eggplant, two types of green beans, yellow pear tomatoes, big beef tomatoes and roma (salsa) tomatoes. Mmmmm Mmmmmm Good! We had to pick veggies every 2-3 days for a while.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN

2008-09-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

The Biggest News of the Year!

2008-09-06T07:42:00.020-07:00

Katelin got her ears pierced. Look closely and you can see them.
She told me that she couldn't believe I actually said "Yes" to her getting them pierced. After all, she has been waiting forever and all her friends already have their ears pierced and she is the last nine year old on earth to get her ears pierced. Just as she got finished her friend Ellie Putnam showed up so she was the first one to see Katelin with her new earrings. What a GREAT DAY!

Happy Birthday Katelin

2008-09-06T07:42:00.019-07:00

We started the day out by taking the family over the mountain to play in a creek we like to go to in North Fork. On our way back we talked about BBQing our hamburgers and going to the fish park. So we did and as we were loading up we saw the Farnsworths taking all four of their kids to the park for dinner. So we had an impromptu dinner together.
John had a hard time lighting the candles becuase of a slight breeze, but he did it and we sang really fast and out they went.
All the kids on the playground equipment

Shelby's Surprise

2008-09-06T07:42:00.018-07:00

Katelin's friend Shelby was going out of town for Labor Day weekend and they left really late so just before they left Shelby came over and decorated Katelin's bedroom while she was sleeping. So when Katelin woke up on her real birthday it was crazy fun!

Jacob and Katelin on their First Day of School

2008-09-06T07:42:00.017-07:00

Jacob is now a big 2nd grader and Katelin is in 4th grade. All of their teachers are really good.

Look at these Beautiful Girls

2008-09-06T07:42:00.015-07:00

Thanks for making Katelin's party so much fun!

Party

2008-09-06T07:42:00.014-07:00

This was her Hannah Montana Cake
Blew out the candles!
Jumped on the trampoline with the water on.
They Played with Balloons

Presents, Presents and more Presents

2008-09-06T07:42:00.013-07:00

She got a cute stuffed animal Dog from Katie
DVD Nim's Island from Nicole
Beads and a Summer Backpack from Ellie
Art and Shower Supplies from Rachel
Shower Radio from Shelby

2008-09-06T07:42:00.012-07:00

They did girl stuff...You know Hugged and Talked and Laughed
THE GIRLS DANCED
THE GIRLS SANG AND LAUGHED
THE GIRLS TORE DOWN ALL THE STREAMERS

The Surprise - Katelin is 9 Years Old Now

2008-09-06T07:42:00.011-07:00

The girls had come early and decorated her bedroom so when she came in they all jumped out and surprised Katelin and Nicole.
Instead of tearing down the T.P. they crawled under.
The girls had toilet papered Katelin's door entrance.

Surprise Party for Katelin - One Week Early

2008-09-06T07:42:00.010-07:00

This is Katelin and her friend Nicole. Nicole's mom took Katelin for a couple of hours before the Surprise Party. They went and Katelin and Nicole got their hair cut together and then got Happy Meals. So this is the picture just before they came in the house. I told Katelin that Ella was in her room and trashed it and was listening to all her Hannah Montana CD's. Katelin and Nicole took off running down the stairs to her room.

Ella and the Giant Tomato

2008-09-06T07:42:00.006-07:00

This is the first Big Beef Tomato out of our garden. What a Beauty!

17th Wedding Anniversary

2008-09-06T07:42:00.005-07:00

I can't believe we have been married for 17 years. I love being married to my best friend. We had such a relaxing day on our Anniversary this year. We had it all planned out and we got a wonderful neighbor to watch our kids for us. We decided to just go up to the mountains and go hiking for the day. It was so peaceful and beautiful and the perfect weather. We took some snacks and water bottles and just walked and talked and spent quality time together. On our way back we took a nice scenic drive through the hills. When we got back to town went to Deseret Book and baught a book for each other. One from Spencer W Kimball and the other by Gordon B Hinckley. It was just a great day getting away together and spending time in the great outdoors.

Just Married ... 17 years ago!

2008-09-06T07:42:00.004-07:00

Our First...

2008-09-06T07:42:00.003-07:00

Our First Date: We went out and saw the movie "Ghost" There are some very suggestive adult scenes and John was cracking jokes and we laughed through those scenes. The people all around us were shushing us.

Our First Kiss: We were watching the movie "The Little Mermaid" We were at Shar's grandparents house and Sharlene was with us. She went to the kitchen to pop popcorn just before the song came on. Guess which song?
"Kiss the Girl" ha ha ha I still laugh. Kind of lame, but it worked for him. At least it was a clean movie this time.

Our First Halloween: We went to a Young Adult Dance dressed up as Mickey and Minnie

Our First New Years Eve Party: We were definitely together. A thing. A couple. We went to the Annual Fashion Fair Mall New Years Eve Dance. It is a mall in Fresno that the church used to rent after hours every year for the members of the church that were age 14-99. For both of us that was one of the first times that many of our extended families had met John and I together. I felt like I had little spies (younger cousins) all over the place watching us. It was a ton of fun going with John that year.

Our First Valentines Day: By this time I had moved in with my Grandma Boggs and she was on a vacation for a month in Europe so Sharlene came to stay with me for a month. John came over early that morning and made me breakfast in bed with a flower and a heart shaped gift box filled with candy. That night we went to the Valentine's Dance together. Everyone kept looking at us all night. I found out later that all of our friends thought for sure he would propose that day or that night at the dance. They were so disappointed. John and I had fun though.

The Proposal: March 1, 1991 It turns out that that was the same day I got baptized when I was eight years old. He had no idea. John came over to my grandma's house and I had no voice. By this time we were reading scriptures together daily and so we did that and then we read the chapter in D & C about marriage and then he proposed and wipped out the ring box. I had no voice so I just nodded my head and cried. He actually wanted me to say the words so I said YES and I sounded like a frog croaking instead. He just laughed at me and gave me a big hug. But now 17 years later we were reading his journal and found out that he had the same cold just four days earlier and gave it to me. So it's all his fault I had no voice when he proposed. Then he played a song for me that he had found called "A Long Line of Love" It is an old song by a country artist that talks about coming from parents and grandparents that loved each other and stayed together. That's what he wanted for us. It was sweet.

Married: in the Oakland, California Temple

The Dance - September 22, 1990

2008-09-06T07:42:00.002-07:00

So yes, we met at that Young Adult Dance on September 22, 1990. John was anxiously on time and Sharlene and I were the casual thirty minutes late. When I walked in the door, John was the first person that I saw and our eyes locked. I remember thinking how cute he was and why all of a sudden was he at this dance when I had never seen him before. Within five minutes John came over and asked me to dance. We danced almost every dance the rest of the night and sat down and talked when we got tired of dancing. It was wonderful! Although, my friends thought I had deserted them. He got my number before we left that night and as they say...The Rest Is History!

Once Upon A Time...

2008-09-06T07:42:00.001-07:00

...there was a girl who had recently started college at Fresno City College and decided it would be better to move out of her parents home in Selma, CA to be closer to school and work. So on September 22, 1990 she moved in with her friend Sharlene at Shar's grandparents house to help housesit for a month. They worked all day long getting things put away and that evening got ready and went to a Young Adult Dance.

Once Upon A Time...

2008-09-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

...there was a boy named John who had just returned home from his mission in Holland and Belgium on September 21, 1990. It was a great homecoming and quickly got released that very night. Upon which his older brother Dave told him that there was a Young Adult Dance the next night. John was excited and told Dave he would love to go.

The Art of Cutting Up

2008-09-05T19:20:00.012-07:00

I have successfully been able to keep scissors away from Ella and today she finally found them. She knew what they were for and quickly taught herself how to use them. Upon seeing Mom she proudly exclaimed that she was "Tutting da papaw." We had the immediate discussion that scissors are for paper only and not for hair. She agreed and I gave her a couple quick pointers for easier handling and simply asked that she please pick up every piece of paper when she was done. She gladly agreed and off she went. This was serious work. I would periodically check on her and when she was done she picked up every minute little speck of paper shred. What a good girl and a great paper cutter.

A Weekend Visitor

2008-09-05T19:20:00.011-07:00

My friend Sharlene came to visit us for the weekend on her way up and back from Preston Idaho to visit her grandma. It was so much fun to see her again and talk and laugh and reminisce. She is so much fun and we stayed up way to late every night. My kids loved having her here and Katelin let Shar sleep in her bed. We hope she can come visit us again soon.

Easy Bake Oven - Sara, Katelin and Ella

2008-09-05T19:20:00.010-07:00

Today Katelin decided she wanted get those creative juices flowing and we broke out the easy bake oven. We used a regular cake mix and googled the mix to water ratio to get it just right. She invited our new neighbor Sara over for the "girls only" baking hour and they had a ton of fun. Then each girl got to frost their own cake. It was a masterpiece. Watch out Rachel Ray. It was so delicious. They made enough for half of our neighbors. Hmmmm! I wonder why all the boys were hanging around today.

Annual 4th of July - Cherry Days Parade

2008-09-05T19:20:00.009-07:00

Candy, Candy, Candy and More Candy....... It's Fun To Be A Kid at this parade!

This Train is Movin' On

2008-09-05T19:20:00.008-07:00

It sure was great to see Uncle Larry and Aunt Linda. We loved visiting with them and having them around for the two days they were with us. They even took us out to lunch before they left. We should have been the one's taking them out, but they insisted. It was great fun having them around and we will miss them.

The Great Salt Lake

2008-09-05T19:20:00.007-07:00

They say that you can actually float in the Salt Lake becuase of the large quantity of salt existing in the lake. There are inlets the flow to it but not a single outlet. Katelin and Jacob decide they had to at least go walk out on the lake. It was really cool until the swarms of brine flies began flying all around their heads, legs, arms, feet... You get the idea! Needless to say they ran back.

Walking on the beach at Antelope Island

Our Visit to Antelope Island

2008-09-05T19:20:00.006-07:00

Antelope Island is the largest and most developed island in the Great Salt Lake. With an area of 42 square miles, it is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake, the largest lake in the Western United States, and the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere. Perhaps the most alluring feature of Antelope Island is its unique array of wildlife. The island is most famous for its large bison population. The herd fluctuates between 550 and 700, making it one of the largest publicly owned bison herds in the nation. The Antelope Island bison herd is also recognized as one of the oldest in the country. The Bison were introduced to the island in 1893.
Deer, bobcats, coyotes, many varieties of birds and waterfowl also call the island home. Antelope Island holds populations of pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and millions of waterfowl. http://www.utah.com/stateparks/antelope_island.htm

2008-09-05T19:20:00.005-07:00

By the time we drove halfway down the Island we finally came across the buffalo herd. It must have taken us an hour becuase the maximum speed is only 25 mph. But seeing the buffalo up close was really cool.

Taking a Rest. It was a hot day.

Carolyn and the kids at one of the old homesteads on Antelope Island.

Mini Mini Family Reunion

2008-09-05T19:20:00.004-07:00

Larry and Linda got to have a quick dinner with us and my brother Ben and his wife Toni and Bekah before they had to get back Home. It was nice to be together for a little while though.

2008-09-05T19:20:00.003-07:00

Katelin was so excited when Linda told her she could sleep outside with them.
Ella just thought it was cool laying next to her big sister for 2 minutes.

Jacob had fun exploring every nook and crany.

Uncle Larry and Aunt Linda From Michigan

2008-09-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

Uncle Larry is my dads younger brother. Of course, my dad is the better looking of the two. He and Linda went on a road trip this year and stopped by our house for the night. Ben and Toni came up to visit too.

Where is that Leprechaun?

2008-08-19T19:57:00.011-07:00

At the end of June we had a nice summer rain storm and out came this beautiful rainbow. If you look at the stop sign in both pictures you can mentally put the picture together. What a shot!

2 Moms & 5 Children - California or Bust

2008-08-19T19:57:00.010-07:00

My cousin Rabilin and I decided to drive out to California for my Aunt Patti's funeral and to visit family. It was us and our five little one's. Our husbands couldn't break away on such short notice so we took the challenge. We stayed with my brother Mike where there were a total of 5 Adults, 10 kids and 1 bathroom. It was little like Circus Circus, but it was well worth the trip. We got to spend some time with Grandma Boggs and my mom flew in from Texas. The day after the funeral we spent time with Grandma Boggs at her home and even went out to eat with all our little kids. It took both Grandma's and both moms to get them all fed at Home Town Buffet. That must have been a site.

Cousins...

2008-08-19T19:57:00.009-07:00

We got to go visit John's sister Karen and two of her children Kayla and Logan while on our trip to California. They always get along so well and love spending time together. They are so silly.

Cousins Cousins Cousins

2008-08-19T19:57:00.008-07:00

Here are a few really cute shots of the kids with their cousins in California. These are Carolyn's brother Mike's kids. They had a lot of fun together swimming and dancing and playing and just being kids.

Swim Meet

2008-08-19T19:57:00.007-07:00

We got to go with Mike and Jenn's family to their children's swim meet. This is the same swimming pool that us kids swam at when we were growing up.

Mike and Jenn

2008-08-19T19:57:00.006-07:00

I just wanted to show pictures of my brother Mike and his beautiful wife Jenn and all their cute kids.

Cambria - 9

2008-08-19T19:57:00.005-07:00

Lydia - 8

2008-08-19T19:57:00.004-07:00

Brinson - 7

2008-08-19T19:57:00.003-07:00

D.J. - 3

2008-08-19T19:57:00.002-07:00

Devan - 1

2008-08-19T19:57:00.001-07:00

"MY" Aunt Patti

2008-08-17T09:36:00.002-07:00

Written by Carolyn: I have my Aunt Patti’s hands. In my down time I have had opportunities lately to look at my own hands and hope that I can use them for good as she did. I want to be an instrument in the Lords hands as she was for so many people. She was like a second mom when I was young and she means a lot to me. I am sad to say goodbye to such a beautiful person. My life has been changed in significant ways because I knew her.

Carolyn's Thoughts:

God will call people to care about you and to teach you.
- Henry B Eyring

I truly feel that you can learn something from every person that you come in contact with, but there are certain people that are put in your life for a reason. Some for a short while and others for periods of time to help you, lift you up, love and teach you. Patti was there for me when I was a growing up. I loved her then and didn’t realize all that I was learning from her at the time. Now I appreciate the things I learned and thank the Lord for her being there to teach me those lessons and remember those happy moments.
One story I remember was Patti planting daffodils outside her back door at the Ashlan house on the right side of the steps. They were various colors of yellow and I remember bending down to smell them when I came over in the spring. The first time I saw them in bloom at her house I remember asking her what type of flower it was because I had never seen them and they were so beautiful and different from other flowers I had seen. Like a ray of sunshine in her heavily shaded yard. As the years went by I noticed that she planted different varieties and that allowed them to bloom at different times to make the color last longer. Some bloomed early and some later. Some were bright, others pastel and others with variegated or crinkled blooms. It was her little happy spot in the yard. Her spot of sunshine. Whenever I have seen daffodils I have always thought of my Aunt Patti. I have loved those flowers since I was a child and after coming home from the funeral I decided that I am going to plant my own little happy spot in the yard this next fall. So in the Spring I will have something beautiful to make me happy and remind me of Patti.

2008-08-17T09:36:00.001-07:00

An advocate of women, schoolchildren
LDS ward leader also was president of elementary PTA.

By Jim Steinberg / The Fresno Bee
06/25/08 23:28:44

Patti M. Binford was well-known for her compassion and the ability to translate it into action.
Mrs. Binford, 59, of Fresno had suffered pulmonary fibrosis, and died Friday.

She was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and had served as president of her ward's relief society, concentrating on the needs of women.

Earlier, she had been a leader among a small group of parents in Fresno Unified School District who challenged administrators and eventually prevailed on them to find more than $13 million to air-condition district schools. She and the ad-hoc group challenged the status quo that had forced tens of thousands of small children and older students routinely to sit in classrooms with temperatures exceeding 90 degrees for hours each day. They returned home literally red-faced on hot days.

Mrs. Binford was born in Lynwood and moved with her family to Fresno, where her father had found a printing job, said her husband, Tom Binford.

She attended Fresno schools, and worked for a telephone company until she graduated from Fresno High School.

She continued at Fresno City College, married and became increasingly involved in her children's schools, serving with the PTA and as president of the Del Mar Elementary School PTA.

That warmed her to schoolchildren's plight inside hot classrooms, Tom Binford said: "When I got here from the Bay Area, I was just blown away. I thought, 'How could anybody in this Valley not have air conditioning?' Administrators had it in their offices."

Mrs. Binford's work with her LDS church deserves at least as much praise, said her husband, mother, Arba Boggs, and close friend, Ellen Thomas.

"Patti was very organized," her mother said. "She was given basic responsibility from our bishop for the care of women in our ward," a geographic and administrative division of the church. "I guess Patti was called to do this."

Mrs. Binford maintained a notebook of all women in her congregation, or ward, and directions to each woman's home, her mother said. She kept track of the ward's "visiting teachers."

"She was born to it," her mother said. "We believe they come with these gifts. She helped a lot of families."

Thomas called Mrs. Binford "a master of organization," a talent she handled "with such dignity and grace."

Mrs. Binford also was an accomplished musician, particularly on piano and organ, teaching music in her ward along with organizational skills and preparedness.

"The compassionate service is something she did so well," Thomas said.

A memorial "graduation service" was held Wednesday in the LDS church on East Alluvial Avenue.

The reporter can be reached at jsteinberg@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6311.

Patti in the the 80's

2008-08-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

This is how I remember my Aunt Patti when I was growing up.
Patti was a wife, a mother, a mother-in-law, an aunt, a grandmother, a sister, and a friend to many.

Boggs Siblings

2008-08-17T09:03:00.004-07:00

Back Left to right: Lloyd, Jonathan, Michael
Front Left to Right Suzanne, Nancy, Elizabeth
These are the remaining children of Ralph and Arba Boggs.

Ralph W Boggs

2008-08-17T09:03:00.003-07:00

Here is a picture I took at the funeral of where my Grandpa Boggs was buried. It is at Belmont Memorial Gardens in Fresno, CA.

4 Generations

2008-08-17T09:03:00.002-07:00

This was totally unplanned but we were able to get a picture of Great-Grandma Boggs, Grandma, Carolyn (Mom) and Ella. Pretty Cool!

Father's Day

2008-08-17T09:03:00.001-07:00

This was a picture of Father's Day in June. The kids helped me get him some speakers for his IPod. He also got some knee pads for when he is working out in the yard.

2008-08-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

Ella loves to get dressed up and so she was wearing her pretty church dress, play shoes, railroad conductor hat and sunglasses (upside down). She cracks me up!

Utah's Hogle Zoo -Salt Lake City, Utah

2008-08-16T07:31:00.001-07:00

We got to take a trip to the Zoo in early June and spent the day there. The weather was still pretty cool. They have done alot of upgrades in the last ten years and it was pretty fun!

2008-08-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

This black marble ball is able to roll becuase there is a thin layer of water all over it at all times. -Utah's Hogle Zoo Entrance

2008-08-16T06:47:00.000-07:00

Guess which one's are the posers in the family?

2008 PIONEER TREK

2008-06-30T05:05:00.005-07:00

This was an amazing experience that none of us will soon forget. It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done, but one of the most spiritual experiences I have had with my whole family. What did we learn from it? That those people who crossed the plains and gave up so much. They were doing it because they were following the prophet. He had asked them to move West to Zion. Their challenges were hard and many died, but many many more lived. We face challenges that are just as difficult in our day. Ours are not physical, but we have still been instructed to follow the prophet, in all things, and we will be protected. They had to work to together in many aspects of their lives and we rely on others during difficult times to help us get through the challenges we face. Our entire ward banded together and it was a growing and spiritual experience for many many people. We are so much closer. And we are so glad that we went. We hope to do it again someday when our children are older.

2008-06-30T05:05:00.004-07:00

This is where Ella sat most of the trek. She just couldn't keep up when she walked with her mom or she cried from the wind and dirt in her face so we put her in the cart and hauled her with the rest of our stuff. She was much happier then.

2008-06-30T05:05:00.003-07:00

Our family in front of the statues that represent those who died the cold winter night after carrying hundreds across the Sweetwater River. There were actually several people men and women who carried people across the river but these four young men were there the most and ended up passing away soon after.

2008-06-30T05:05:00.002-07:00

This is Jacob standing near the Sweetwater River. It winds back and forth across this vast landscape. I can see now why the pioneers crossed it several times. We were given the option to cross if we wanted. With all the rain this year it was about waist deep and they told us not to take our carts through. There were still about twenty people who decided to conquer the ice cold depths of the river.

2008-06-30T05:05:00.001-07:00

This is Ella at the Sweetwater River. It was really windy and our bonnets helped protect our faces from getting windburn. That is, when it wasn't blowing directly in our faces.

2008-06-30T04:18:00.004-07:00

This was our family group. The Johnson's, Katie Paskins and our family. During the time of the Pioneers they were arranged in family groups to help and support one another during the journey.

Devil's Soupbowl in Idaho

2008-06-30T04:18:00.003-07:00

He's The Best Dad! Oh No! Don't Fall