Kylemore Abby, Ireland

Nearly a year ago Kathleen and I celebrated our 30 years of marriage. We went to Ireland. Her maiden name is O'Sullivan. We had a fantastic trip and would like to return. This is Kylemore Abby. A beautiful stop for a grand intrduction to Ireland.

Mom, our pioneer,
July 24 is a State holiday in Utah, It is known as Pioneer Day. For on this day in 1847 the Latter Day Saint pioneers who had to leave their homes in Nauvoo Illinois arrived in the Salt Lake valley and found that it was as the Prophet Brigham Young declared “The right place” Then the Prophet Brigham Young said “Drive On”
My thoughts go to Mom now as one of our modern day pioneers. She left her home in Utah to travel to Colorado for a short time while dad finished school. One of the “Right Places “Then on to Southern California of all places and began to raise a family. Another “Right Place” She always enjoyed visiting Utah and Colorado each summer for our family vacations. Next on her list of “Right Places” was Ohio. Living in two homes there she continued in her pioneer spirit. Always staying active in the church and volunteering to help others. We learned valuable life lessons accompanying her to ward activities, fund raisers and neighbor’s homes.
The next trek was to Missouri. I remember talking to her on the phone and how excited she was to have found a beautiful piece of property in Missouri that she and dad could retire on and have plenty of room for the grandkids. I would agree that this has been the “Right Place for them” Thanks to all of you for helping them live there dream here in Shannon County.
Each time she and Dad moved to another place she went willingly and was always able to “Drive On” and keep things going in our family. She served actively and faithfully in the church in all of the places she lived. She was there for each one of her children wherever they lived. Having visitors here on the farm; be it family or friends really made her day.

My Aunt Kay Haskell reminded me as we spoke on the phone last Saturday that all of us as a family have the temple blessings in our lives as we are all sealed together. It reminded me of a time when mom and dad were serving in the St. Louis Temple. Dad invited all of his children who could come to Missouri and to attend the temple with him and mom. Officiating the session I remember dad looking at all of us and thoughtfully nodding his head as if to say, ”This is the right place”
Thanks Mom for helping us get to the temple.
Thanks for always being in the “right place” Thanks for helping us to be able to “Drive On” Thanks to Mom for having us attend primary. Thanks to Mom for having us attend Seminary, Sunday School, Priesthood, Mutual and Sacrament meeting. Thanks for helping us to write talks, teaching us how to pray. Helping us prepare for stake dances. Getting us through Scouts and Young Women. Thanks for always having eyes in the back of your head so we never traveled too far astray.

The unit just off Brigham Ave was not my favorite. It looks like apartment building. Two story, noisy, 3 small yip-yip dogs were there. I did not take any photos.

At our office we participate in a local charity fundraiser for Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Festival of Trees. The Decorated trees are purchased at the festival itself held in the Southtown Expo Center. We display the purchased trees in our office and raffle and silent bid them to our employees. To keep things a little confidential we use a name other than our own on the silent bid sheet to buy the trees. My name on the sheet was "Chester" in honor of Chester Gump. I was describing my "Chester" ghost name to Lenore and Deann. They were impressed with "Gump" lore. In secret they went online and were able to get a "Big Little Book" titled "Chester Gump at Silver Creek Ranch". I knew these books existed and was I surprised when they handed me a present for Christmas and inside was this wonderful book. How cool was that! Here is a photo of my new/old book. What a nice thing to do for me.

So Emma has turned one year old! It is amazing how fast time flies. She is the best. Kathleen and I could not be happier.

We had a Bell family reunion on June 20, 2009. Kathleen, Ann, Jenny, Maggie and I attended. Aric, Gretchen and Emma came also.It was cool and rainy but we had fun. Here are pictures of the event.

All I can say is: "Man we are getting old".

Here is Pauli, Chris, and Brian from an old photo.

Sisters left to right: Bobbie, Loya, Carol, Joyce.

John and Bobbie Gilette.

Sheri Western and Lori Hess.

Cousins Peggy, Sheri, Brian, Paul.


Peggy and Jim somebody. (I forgot their last name.)
Carol's Daughter.

Paul Searle and his wife Chris.

Mike Heagin, Carol's son.

Loya, Joyce, and Gilbert in the back.

Lori Hess.

Joyce Searle.

Jenny Haskell and her niece Emma.

Fred Searle and his wife Karen.

Carol Heagin.

Ann Haskell and Linda Clark.

Bobbie's Daughter.

Emma Jane

Baby Emma Is now a month old. Time flies much too fast. Gramma and I are thrilled at the birth of our first grandbaby.

Here is Chester and Marge with Elder and Sister Wrigley who were our camp hosts.

How about this Wyoming sunrise at the Cove?

Here is Chester and Marge with the host of our campground, Elder and Sister Wrigley.

Martins Cove Wyoming

Chester and Marge were privileged to be the Trail Bosses on a recent trip to Martins Cove in Wyoming. Going to the 'Cove' was a youth conference for the Battlecreek 9th Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What a great trip. Many fond memories of this trip. This was their third trip to Martins Cove and they loved it.

Marge and Chester and girls 4x4 in Murdock Basin

Marge with the girls and the whole Famdamily

Today June 6 2008 Chester and Marge received some wonderful news. Gretchen and Aric announced that they are PREGNANT!! Chester and Marge will soon be Gramma and Grandpa Gump! Mrs Gump was jumping up and down and hugging and crying. We took Gretchen, Aric and Gretchen's Mom and Dad to dinner at Los Hermanos. We had nice time talking about being Grammas and Grandpas. We then went to tell Gramma O'Sullivan who was soooo excited to be a Great Gramma. The rest of the family will find out soon and we will keep posting as the news spreads.

Chester Gump's Disneyland Trip

Chester Gump just returned from a family vacation to Southern California. He has a family member that turned 50 and wanted to have a birthday trip to Disneyland. Chester and Mrs Gump (Marge) had done this for their 50th birthdays and now it is becoming a family tradition.
Chester and Mrs Gump learned a few things. Traveling in a large group at the Dinsey Resort is tedious. We met up with Mrs Gumps mother (Phyllis). She is almost 81 years old. We convinced her to use a wheelchair and away we went. Do you know that if you have a wheelchair in your group you can go to the head of the attraction line with 5 others of your group and get right on?
It is awesome. We did feel a little guilty but got over that guilty feeling quickly.

Valentines Day 2008
What an incredible winter we have had. Snow after snow after snow. Two weeks ago we had Church cancelled. The mountains look absolutely wonderful.
Kathleen and I and our 4 girls here at home are having a red dinner tonight. I wonder what Chester Gump did for valentines day? I will have to ask him.

Chester Gump is a character from stories my father used to tell us when we were youngsters growing up in southern California. My father grew up in southern Colorado and worked on a cattle ranch named the "T-Bone". He would tell stories of a young cowpoke named Chester Gump. (No relation to Forrest) Later as we grew older we relized these stories were of himself as a young man working on the ranch. With the advent of the internet I found that there was a childrens storybook character named Chester Gump too. I have wondered if my father read out of these books as a child and wrapped his personal tales around this character. I have adopted this name for this blog and I want to publish a Chester Gump cookbook too. The recepies will be based on what Chester Gump likes to eat.

Christmas in Utah

Finally. We have Snow! We all had a concern about our water situation here in the high desert. There is no prettier place than Utah County wrapped in snow at Christmas time. My family wishes all a very merry Christmas and a reminder to keep the Christ in Christmas.