Dear, Sweet Gloria

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Gloria is a big, happy smile!  She is always smiling and laughing and doing her very best to make the world a better place!  She is kind, gracious, and non-judgmental and her warmth and friendship have been a priceless blessing in my life, the lives of my children, and of course, my husband.  She truly tries to follow the Savior all day, every day of her life.

It is hard to talk about Grandma, without including Grandpa too.  We have been so blessed to have Grandma and Grandpa so close in our lives.  We originally made a deliberate choice to move close to them and our other grandparents because constant family interaction is so important to us.  After entwining our two households, I feel we are even closer.  We love it when we have extra food and they can stay for an impromptu dinner.  I love being in their ward and sitting by them at church - and going to Relief Society with Gloria.  It is a special gift to our children to be able to sit by them in sacrament meeting and even sometimes hear their prayers and testimonies - and even sing with them in the ward choir.  It seems very special to me to watch my little ones grow up on the land their daddy and grandpa loved: the third generation of little Bagleys to grow up here.  It always makes me happy in the afternoon when I hear the back doorbell ring, because it is usually Grandma here for a visit and to get the mail.  I tease her that when we move back to Vintry, we are going to have their mail sent there so that they still have to come visit us everyday!  All the kids come running and shout for joy when they hear her voice at the back stairs.

As they do for all their grandchildren, they always try to attend all of our important school, dance, and sporting events.  Holidays and birthdays would not be complete without them.  For years, we have had a tradition of eating Christmas brunch together with both sets of grandparents before we open our Christmas gifts.  It is my happiest part of Christmas to see those I love so much sitting around the table on Christmas morning.  (Even though the kids almost die waiting for us to finish so they can get to the presents!)

We have had so many wonderful vacations, activities, and fun times with them.  I get lonesome for Gloria if I don't talk to her almost every day and no event, even on the other side of the family, seems complete unless they are there.  She is one of the first people I call to share good news and bad.  She is one of the most wonderful people I know and even though I don't say it nearly enough, I sure hope that she knows how much I LOVE HER!  Happy Birthday Gloria!
Love, Lori

Apple Pie Training Academy

Anyone related to Gloria will tell you that she knows how to make the best apple pie in all the land.  All our family loves to eat it, but Alexander decided that he wanted to learn how to make it.  He especially wanted to make a pie "with a top on it."  Who would be more qualified to teach such a skill than Grandma? (And who could be so patient and sweet with so many excited little bakers-in-training?)  Everyone agreed that making pies with Grandma would be great fun, so on one of the days of Christmas break, Grandma brought over all the "fixins" for apple pie training academy.

Knowing how eager and excited each child would be to help, she wisely brought four little tins so that each one could have her one-on-one attention and instruction and their own little pie in the end.

She took us carefully and patiently through each step from preparing the cutting board for the dough...

Rolling out the dough to just the right shape and consistency...

Getting it into the little tins...

Cooking the apples with just the right amount of sugar...

 

Adding the apples with a bit of lemon juice and butter...

And adding the all-important top.

We even got all fancy and put each child's initial on top of their own little pie.

At last, it was time for the oven - and everyone said "pie" for the last step.

And, voila!  The finest kid-made pies in all the land!  (Mommy and Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa shared the big pie!)  We ate like kings that night.  And what a fun memory for all of us.  THANK YOU GRANDMA - WE LOVE YOU!

Taking time to learn

We have been able to enjoy many fun trips with Mom and Dad.  We usually stayed somewhat close such as camping trips to Fish Lake or other nearby camping areas.  We even got to go to Lake Powell one year. Sometimes we even went as far as California and stayed with aunt Gwenny.  We got to go to Disneyland and also got to see Watts towers (see Watts Tower story) while we were there.

England Trip

There was one special trip England to visit Corydon, Lisa, Dustin and Ashley.  While they were stationed there with the air force.  Charles and I were fortunate to be able to go with.  Aunt Gwenny was able to meet up with us and come also. We had a great time and saw many wonderful and fascinating things.  We even took a little side trip to Paris with a bus load of people from England.
We became known as the five Americans.

England Trip

I remembered that there was a big time difference there, I think it was about seven hours. Mom really did not want to change her watch to the correct time so anytime we asked her what time it was she would have to take a minute and count back from Utah time.  I also remember that where ever we visited  she would always take a minute or two to find out as much information about the place as possible. If there were pamphlets, books or brochures about the place she would be interested in having them and reading up about it. It was the same on trips when we were little kids too. If there was a historical marker or monument on the way she would want to stop for a minute and read and study it. I know that when we were little kids we were probably impatient about things like that but now I am grateful for the enrichment and the things that we were able to learn along the way.
Every place that we have visited has an amazing history. From Bryce Canyon to Yellowstone, and from London and Paris to Gates of the Mountain Montana. It is great to not just be able to see these sites but to know the history behind them too.

I am also grateful for a mom who has learned and shares so much about family history too.
I love you Mom
Love, Joann

Apple cobbler

Many have noted how great of a cook Grandma is and how resourceful she is.  I was reminded of a time when Grandma combined both of those skills.  It was a family barbecue at the end of summer, we had  a great dinner and were just beginning the best part of the meal, dessert.  Grandma had made a delicious apple cobbler, but we all started thinking it was odd how she kept asking everyone if they thought it tasted okay. Once we were all finished she announced it was not apple cobbler,it was in fact zucchini cobbler.  The best part was that Grandma had even taken the time to shape the zucchini like Apple slices so that nobody would suspect a thing.

She had found the best way to use all of the extra zucchini and make everyone eat their vegetables at the same time.
I love you Grandma and promise to always eat my vegetables.
Love, Melanie

Church History Tour

I remember when I was 18 my dad wanted to take our family to visit the church history sites and we were able to drive from Texas all the way up to New York and meet up with grandma and grandpa Bagley and Matt and Maria and their family. I remember we had been driving for quite a while and the kids were all getting wrestles and grumpy because they were hot, hungry, and tired of being cooped up in the car. There was some contention but when we got out of the car and walked up the path to the Sacred Grove it was a like a calm peace came over everyone. The spirit was incredibly strong there just like feelings in the temple. We were able to walk on the Palmyra temple grounds and we also attended the Hill Cumorah pageant. These are some special memories we shared with grandma and grandpa Bagley. These experiences are particularly meaningful to me. I know that this trip to the sacred grove and other church history sites strengthened my testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and of Joseph Smith and I am sure I am speaking for the other grandchildren as well.


Hill Cummorah

-Alyssa



Girl Cousins at the Smith Home



Boy Cousins at the Smith Home



Special moment in the Sacred Grove

Meaningful Christmas Memories

Preston, Alyssa, Baby, and Dustin

Several of the Grandchildren have written here about their memories of Grandma gathering them together at the Family Christmas Party to tell the story of our Savior's birth, and getting act out the parts.  We found this picture that shows Dustin as Joseph, Alyssa as Mary, and Preston as a  shepherd. I am not sure who the baby is. This is just one more way Mom has spread the light to her children and grandchildren. Grandma's famous poster about the Nativity, is above the couch to the right.

-Darell

"BIG HUG" Birthday Cards

Dear Grandma,

Living out here in Michigan, I don’t have quite as many memories with you as I would like to have. BUT the memories I do have with you are super super super wonderful! First off, I just want you to know how much I love you. The last couple minutes of me and my family's big long drive to your house always go by so slowly because I’m always very excited  to see you and grandpa! Your house has always been a source of wonder for me. I remember being a little girl wanting to explore every nook and cranny of your house. One year, I found your can of dehydrated water. Another year, I finally discovered your amazing backyard (and subsequently spent the entirety of the week trying to get with the big boys and help them build a fort). Another year, you showed me your stash of birthday presents you planned to send out. One year, me and Madi found a mouse pad with a baby face on it and wrapped it up like a real baby and fooled everyone! I have always loved you, and your comfy, fun, adventurous, little emporium on Pheasant Way. Last year, you got to show me cool new updates in our family history, and I got to help you get orange juice out of your phone. For some reason, I think that a  really good experience for both of us! I liked being able to laugh about that with you and then help you out with it. (After the laughter stopped of course.) Also, I love your “BIG HUG” birthday cards. And your real big hugs. I just love you! I hope your birthday is great! 

Love, Sydney.