2013-2014 Wonderful Life in Midway, Utah

It has been a busy year for the Utah Mosterts. We celebrated our first anniversary and our birthdays in late January with a fun get together for 60 of our family and friends. Caren has 16 great grandchildren, but my first Nathaniel Valentine was born in Provo February 3, 2014 to Chris and Kylie Valentine.

We had a quick trip down to San Diego in early March to see Mika and family, stopping in Las Vegas for a night and a visit to the LDS Temple there.  Mika took us to the exotic LDS Temple in San Diego. Beautiful, but somewhat a maze inside.

In late March/early April, Caren and I traveled back to Illinois to get my house ready for sale. On the way, we stopped by the South Lineville, MO Cemetery to see Tepa's and my grave stone, then on to Nauvoo.  Caren had never been there before, so we did some sightseeing and also attended a session at the LDS Temple. From there to the Carthage Jail where Joseph and Hiram Smith were assassinated in 1845.  In Illinois, besides house cleaning, we drove up to Hartford, Wisconsin to see Troy and Sherry, Zach and Charlie.  Lots of fun. We were able to get the house ready for sale faster than we thought as we finished in two weeks. We gave most of the stuff away to members, friends, or the Salvation Army /Goodwill. On our way home we stopped in Liberty, Missouri to visit the Jail there as well as attend an Endowment session at the new Kansas City, MO LDS Temple (which is in Liberty).

Drove up to Idaho Falls to see Caren's sister Dina and attend a session at the Temple there. On to Rexberg, where we truly were delighted by the murals in that Temple. Came home via Star Valley, Wyoming, Caren's birthplace.

Summer was hot in June and July and wet in August.  After selling the house in Champaign, Caren and I flew to Honolulu to visit a retiring Colonel Kari Mostert and family. Wonderful visit thanks to Gina's planning.
We were inspired by the World War II Memorial at Pearl Harbor/USS Arizona. Tired out by the hike up Diamond Head. Thrilled by our visit to the Lai'e LDS Temple and Hawaii's North Shore, and delighted by the performances at the Polynesian Center. Did you know Hawaii was once a Kingdom? We visited the Royal Palace in downtown Honolulu as well as swam at Waikiki. Kari joined us for a day trip up the west side of Oahu to see the surfing beaches, swim at Waimea Falls, enjoy the pineapple treats at the Dole Plantation, and have a great meal on a Restaurant's Veranda overlooking the Pacific Ocean..  

Thanks to Caren's son Val and his wife Ruth getting tickets, we joined them early on the first day of the Open House for the newly remodeled Ogden Temple. Completely different from how it was before.
No longer oval in shape it was more square shaped. Also, the main entrance was moved to the East side. Unusual Celestial Room: Instead of a single large chandelier there were four small ones on the corners with a high domed ceiling. Impressive.

Another of my granddaughters (Kelsey Mostert) got married (to Bradley Lambert) in the Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork, UT. on August 14th. Great to have a mini family reunion with Kari, Timo, Mika and Erik and families at the Reception. Kari retired from the Air Force and joined us after flying to Chesapeake Beach, Maryland where they will live while Konnor finishes his last two years of high school.
Kelsey and Brad left almost immediately for her internship in Texas, dropping off a lot of their "STUFF" in our basement. They'll be back for BYU in January. Kylie and Chris and BIG baby Nate will head up to Rexberg so Chris can go to BYU there.  Along with Nate, Kylie will nanny two other children.

We're looking forward to having Karson (home from his LDS Mission in California) and Itza (after her high school graduation) visit us often as they live in Provo and attend BYU. It is great having grandchildren near. Kristian graduated BYU this Summer, Kylie last January.  Kristian has left for Memphis, Tennessee to become an Optometrist. Three more years of school!  Brad's folks live in Brentwood, near Nashville.

Oh yes, and amidst all the other activity, we were able to hire workers to create a second guest bedroom downstairs and totally rebuild our deck. Both turned out beautifully.  You're invited to visit us.

Charlie is precious!  I drove up to Sherry and Troy's rural home near Hartford, Wisconsin on Saturday May 26th, returning to Champaign via Galena and Port Byron, Illinois. It was my first opportunity to see Charles Andrew Waltersdorf since he joined his family on Easter morning this year. Cute as a bug.  I'll try and get some of the pictures I took on this blog.  It was good to get reacquainted with his older brother Zach...now 2.
Sherry and I and the boys had a lot of fun together while daddy Troy, his brother, father-in-law and a couple of friends hunted bear in northern Canada. Word is they shot a lot of bear.  Don't know if they were able to bring any of the delicious bear meat home.  They already have a large bear made into a rug hanging on a wall.  Troy shot it some years ago. He uses both a gun and a powerful bow. Sherry and I took one day to drive into Milwaukee and visit the fabulous Harley/Davidson motorcycle museum.  Got great pictures there also.

I had never been to Galena, which was a major Illinois city at one time because of large lead mines, but when the mines closed the city slept until it warped into a major tourist attraction.  Visually the main street looks like you have stepped back into the middle 1800s. With boutiques and all the other modern stores located in ancient buildings.  Fun visit.  I also drove down along my friend (the Mississippi River) and stopped off to see our old home (1944-1949 and farm in Port Byron, Illinois.  Couldn't recognize it.  Houses all over the hills with trees and brush everywhere. Dad's old foundry/garage of cinder blocks was gone...as was our old two story house. A fairly new swimming pool was located where I used to milk cows.

Wonderful trip.  Thanks Troy and Sherry for inviting me to Wisconsin.  Love you all.

Dad

After 5,100 miles of driving...I'M HOME!

Mika drove most of our trip from Chicago to Salt Lake City, but I drove all the rest of the 5100 miles of Andy's (?Andre's) Great Adventure. Had a wonderful time everywhere.  Except for the Colorado snowstorm that caught us in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming on our way out  and the stinking, oil smelling smog of far western Texas on my way home, the weather was magnificent.  Oh yes there was the snow storm on the sunday afternoon Timo and I got lost in on Traverse Mountain going to the boys' birthday party.  But we got there, had fun and got home safely.  Met many highschool and church friends, including one I don't remember ever meeting in highschool, but I still had fun spending time with her.  Thanks AudreyAnn from Andy.  Lots of Finnish friends and acquaintances.  Funny how a funeral can almost equal a Reunion.

Thanks to Mika's getting me out so often to walk the beautiful Pacific Coast beaches and parks of San Diego County. I lost many pounds and feel much better.  Mikael, you were terrific giving up your bed room for a month so I didn't have to climb stairs.  Itza, keep on running.  It keeps you slim and trim.
Federico, I wish I had seen you in your play.  I bet you are great in it.  Itzel and Mika,,,thank you, thank you, thank you. 

Had lunch with a nephew in Yuma, a weekend, including a fabulous visit to a Renissance Festival in Arizona, with my sister Trudy Wiltbank.  Several delicious meals with her and the Smiths. And then the long trip home through El Paso, Dallas, and Texarkana, Texas, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, Cairo, IL and suddently I'm home.

A MOST MEMORABLE TRIP.   Thank you God that I was alive to make it.  I missed you Tepa.

Dad's in California

The death of your mother on Dec. 9, 2011 was shocking and hard to take, but we all knew she was not in the best of health and, in fact, was frequently in a great deal of pain.  So it was for the best that she moved to a better place.

Mika met me on Feb. 2nd, 2012 at Chicago's Midway Airport, from where we drove west to Utah. Had a great visit  in Sandy, UT, with Erik and family, then down to Timo's in American Fork, UT.  It is nice to have your own car so you can go when and where you want. Met with a lot of Provo High friends, BYU Friends, Manavu Ward friends (John, Conrad and I took in an endowment session at the Jordan River Temple then ate supper with them and Dale).  Great reminiscences of our youth and mission days.

I drove down to the St. George area where I met Bp. Morris and Betsy, then had family Home Evening and stayed the night with the Wright family, their son Christian is on a mission in Autsralia.  The Wrights and Morrises were friends who once lived in Champaign.

Am currently in San Diego staying with Mika and his family.  Wonderful to walk on a Pacific Ocean beach in February in shorts and short sleeves. Mikael, Itza and Federico were home from school for President's WEEK so I got a chance to get reacquainted.  Mika is job hunting as his company has had trouble raising the funds to keep it going  So he has been able to spend more than usual time with me.
After beautiful weather for more than a week, yesterday was rain, rain, rain...with snow in the mountains. Although a little cool, today was sunshiny.

This afternoon I was on my own so I drove down near the Mexican border, returning past the famous Coronado Hotel and than across the high Bay bridge to downtown San Diego. Everything is sprawled all over the place.

On March 9 I will head for Mesa, AZ to see my sister Trudy Wiltbank and family...and friends, then the long drive home across AZ, N.M., TX, AR. MO, and home to Champaign,  Illinois.  Some 2300 miles from San Diego.

Our missionaries: Kristian and Kylie are home

The first of our grandchildren to serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Kristian and Kylie Mostert have both successfully completed their missions and returned to their new home in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland. Kristian, speaking Spanish and English, served for two years in the Las Vegas, NV Mission. He spent time in both Nevada and Kingman, Arizona.  For several months he served as one of the Assistants for the Mission President.  Kylie spent time in both New Mexico and Arizona as she served for 18 months in the Tucson, AZ Mission. She was called as an English speaking missionary, but had to learn some Spanish due to the large number of Spanish speakers in her mission. Kristian has resumed his schooling at Brigham Young University, along with his brother and sister: Karson and Kelsey. Kylie plans on returning to BYU later this year.

Their grandmother and I were most pleased with their desire to serve missions, as we had done in Finland in the late 1950s. Their father Kari, now a Colonel in the US Air Force, also served a Spanish speaking mission in the San Bernardino, CA Mission in the early 1980s.

How about that...three generations of Mostert Missionaries.

Tepa died Dec. 9, 2010

I don't know why I am just getting around to it, but I need to let those who follow this blog know that my wife of over 51 years Tepa (Terttu Tuulikki Aunola) died in a Champaign, IL nursing home the afternoon of December 9th 2011.  She was 75 years old.  She had several strokes that affected her life style. She suffered greatly from Osteo-Arthritis as well as Diabetes and other diseases. Just two weeks after we celebrated with all of our family members our 50th Wedding Anniversary in August 2010, Tepa suffered two strokes from which she never really recovered.  After rehabilitation for two months, she was able to come home and I, with paid and other help, was able to care for her until Fall of 2011.  Following several falls, she was confined to a hospital bed which we set up in the middle of our living room.  Then in September she was hospitalized with bladder infection.  Infection later traveled throughout her body, especially to her bottom, heels and lower legs. When taken back to the hospital for the infections they did all they could and we transferred her to the Heartland Medical Center in Champaign, which is where she was her last two months. Although not too lucid, I was able to understand her most of the time.  But finally she got to the point where she rarely opened her eyes and did not eat much. At her request we did not put her on medical life support and she passed quietly in her bed.  We held a Memorial Service for her on Dec. 27 and the next day I and sons Kari and Timo with Kari's two oldest sons: Kristian and Karson dedicated her and my graves near my mother's in the South Lineville, MO Cemetery and along with several of my cousins from the area of Mercer, MO scattered her ashes. A lovely gravestone is being engraved and will placed there in Spring 2012. The Cemetery contains Cox and Duncan family members graves dating back for over 170 years. I miss her.

A Happy 50th Anniversary Andre and Tepa Mostert and Family August 2010

Andre and Tepa (Terttu Tuulikki Aunola) Mostert were married on April 30, 1960 in the London LDS Temple.  Tepa was working in Hove, England at the time.  Andre was a private in the US Army.
We had met when each of us was serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tepa's native Finland.  Andre's family was living in Provo, Utah at that time.

In August 2010, our entire family joined us in celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary in Champaign, Illinois. Oldest grandchildren Kylie and Kristian Mostert are present as pictures as they are currently serving as missionaries for the LDS Church.  Kylie in the Tucson, AZ Mission and Kristian in the Las Vegas NV Mission (Spanish speaking). Our youngest grandchild Zachary Allan Waltersdorf, held on his mother Sherry's lap, was born earlier this year in March.

We held our Reunion in August as school and other problems kept family from coming to Champaign in April. We had several fun getherings at the Mostert family home and pool, ate a delicious meal at Biaggi's Italian Restaurant, and held an Open House for friends at the LDS Church on Windsor Road in Champaign.

We all had a wonderful time.

Tepa Recovering from Strokes

August 26th Tepa suffered two strokes and was hospitalized at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana for five days then transferred to the Champaign-Urbana Regional Rehab Center in Savoy, about two miles from our home. Except for a three day period when she returned to the hospital for a check-up on a urinary tract infection, she spent 8 weeks at the Rehab Center receiving physical, vocational and speech therapy. The strokes caused more cognitive problems than physical ones as were caused when she had a stroke five years ago. It took her some time before she really knew what had happened and where she was and why she was there. There are still some residual effects from that earlier stroke.

I was able to bring her home October 16th when they decided she was doing well enough that I could take care of her with some occasional help. We have physical therapists come in twice a week and a nurse once a week, while a vocational therapist came in once and said Tepa needed to be able to walk better before she could really help her much.  Tepa has a hard time walking, she mostly moves around in her wheel chair.
I have to help her get dressed, in and out of bed, to a portable pot in her bedroom.She has replaced her old recliner with a new Queen Anne Recliner from Macy's.  That's where she is sitting right now.

We have rearranged our furniture so our living/dining room has furniture around the outside with a large open space in the middle. As usually I do all the cleaning, shopping and cooking.

I am doing fine, as my lymphoma cancer has been in remission almost a year now.  I still need to visit the restroom about once every two or three hours.

We love hearing from our family and friends, especially from our two oldest granchildren Kylie and Kristian Mostert (Kari and Gina's oldest) who are currently serving missions for our LDS faith. in New Mexico and Nevada.

Wonderful Reunion and 50th Anniversary Open House

I'll try and get pictures on here as soon as I can.

We had a fun time around the pool grilling hotdogs and hamburgers Tuesday Aug. 3rd.  Everyone was here except Sherry, Troy and little Zach.  They got to their hotel late.  Wednesday we all met at 10 am at the Illini Studio for picture taking. My did the men look handsome in their white shirts and ties and the women in their Sunday best.  In the afternoon we all sat around a long table in a reserved room at one of our favorite Italian restaurants,,,Biaggi's. Tremendous buffett with so much food that they sent enough home with us for several days meals. After a rest period...we changed clothes and went swimming in the Mostert pool,  shared some of the day's feast and had a fun Family Home Evening Talent Show and all. I would never have believed that Kelsey could stuff 10 marshmellows in her mouth...or that I could remember MOST of the words to "If I Were A Rich Man."  Thursday some of the guys went golding, some of the ladies went shopping and Tepa and I rested up. I picked up the 50 long stem red roses that Tepa wanted.  We quickly set up the Multi-Purpose Room at our Church for the evening's Open House.  A delightful time was had by all.  Many of our old friends from all over (Peoria, Rockford, Mahomet and C-U) made their way to Champaign and honored us by their presence. We had asked in the invitations for no presents as we are trying to unload not add stuff.
Most of the family left on Friday.  Mikas went early to catch a flight to Detroit then home to San Diego.  Timo and Kari drove to the Indianapolis Airport. Gina and her three plus Mika's Federico took off driving for South Carolina and Sherry drove home to Wisconsin.  Erik and family stayed in C-U through Sunday.  Monday they drove up and saw Chicago.  Stayed overnight and flew home to Utah on Tuesday.  And now once again Tepa and I are home alone.  We love having everyone here, but it is nice to relax.  Thank you all for making it a truly memorable 50th.

I'll get information as to the pictures as soon as I can.

Saw my Oncologist on Monday August 9th. He said I'm doing great and don't need to see him again until February.  My Dermatologist said the same thing. 
Every six months is just fine with me.

Summer is here in Champaign

This is a memorable year for Andre and Tepa Mostert.  January we both turned 74. In March our 13th grandchild (and Sherry's first baby) Zachary Allan Waltersdorf was born in Wisconsin. Welcome Zach!
April 30th was our "Official" 50th Wedding Anniversary.  We are planning a Mostert 50th Wedding Anniversary Reunion and Open House the first week in August, 2010.  The Open House will be at the LDS Church here in Champaign from 7 to 9 pm on Thursday August 5th.  Looks like all of our family members, except Kylie and Kristian, will be here.  Kristian is an LDS missionary in the Las Vegas, NV Mission, while Kylie will be at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, preparing to serve in the Tucson, AZ Mission.  She will be speaking mostly English, while Kristian is speaking mostly Spanish.  As we can't travel we are delighted that the family is coming here.

My oncologist says I am still in remission from my Lymphoma Cancer and only need to see him every three or four months.  My next visit will be the Monday after our Family Reunion.  Outside of gaining weight, I am doing great.  I lost 110 pounds, but have gained back 60 pounds  This may be good, as my doctor declared me in remission last December, when he heard that I was gaining weight.  Apparently you can't have lymphoma cancer and gain weight at the same time.

Tepa continues to suffer greatly from her many illnesses, especially osteoarthritis. She is also having some problems seeing because of cataracts and glaucoma.  Her eye doctor says she can't have any operations for those because she also has Macular Degeneration. Her left eye is especially bad.

We still read the scriptures daily: Tepa in English and I in Finnish, which helps both of us speak our adopted languages better.

HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!

Rainy, cold, miserable January

We had terribly cold weather (even down to below zero) much of January, but for the past week the temperature has moderated to 20 - 36 degrees, unfortunately, the weather has been very moist, either raining or just very humid. And the wind makes it seem even colder than it is. I about froze yesterday as I pumped my gas as Sam's Club. The heavy snow we had two weeks ago keeps hanging around, although it is not nearly as deep as it was. I'll let you know if it gets any better.

I have been asked to be on our Troop 222 Boy Scout Committee.  We had a meeting for parents last night, to introduce them to the new Committee, its chairman (Bill Evans) as well as our new Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters.  We have about as many adults as youth involved with Scouting.  I think there are 16 boys, but only one over 16 years of age.  So it is a fairly young troop.

Our next get-together will be an Eagle Court of Honor for our one older scout.  He has turned 18, but earned his Eagle before his birthday.  I sat on his Board of Review.  He was well prepared.  His Eagle project was to build an outdoor classroom at Homer Lake Park.  With the young men he supervised, he created benches and a teaching space.  The park people were very  happy.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Time to get the Christmas letters ready and sent. Now if only I can find my address book.

I wish you all a Merry C hristmas and a Happy New Year.

Compressing pictures

I don't know about you but I often hgave a need to make my pictures smaller. I had a friend recommend to me a program called Advanced JPEG Compressor from a company called
WinSoftMagic.com it really works.

Mostert Family Blog

It looks like winter is just around the corner in Champaign. September was warm and pleasant until late in the month and ever since the weather has turned cold and rainy and now the weatherman is saying we may get snow as soon as Sunday Oct. 11th. I was able to add the chemicals needed to close the pool this morning (Friday the 9th). I need to clean out a few leaves and then lower the depth of the water to below the outflow. Then I have to take our big pool cover out of the attic of the cabana and cover the pool. It is a tough job, but I have been able to do it before.

Our footballer Mikael

Mostert Family Blog

Mostert Family Blog
September 15
Warm September
After a rather chilly July and August, September has been surprisingly warm. Each day's high has been near or at 80 degrees.I've been able to swim every day (except Sundays). The water is cooling off, but still not bad. Actually it is quite invigorating.I try to swim 100 yards each day. Makes up for my not walking as much as I used to. I get most of my walking during mowing the lawn or grocery shopping. I figure I get a real workout when I shop at Sam's Club.Tepa has not been able to get out for several weeks now. No church, no shopping, no doctor appointments. Her arthritis reallybothers her, especially like today where we are anticipating a rain storm. She has always been able to sense a change in the weather.I've been skyping Mika and Kari recently. Mika is working in California for a company called Energy Innovations located in Pasadena.Kari is attending a year of advanced training (on his way to become a Colonel) in Washington, D.,C. Gina was able to go visit him from their home in Columbia, South Carolina, over the long Labor Day weekend. Kristian is at home preparing to go on an LDS mission to Las Vegas, Nevada in October, via Provo, Utah where he will spend several weeks learning more Spanish at the Missionary Training Center.We are very proud of our family's first third generation missionary

Current Andre

It has been a cold summer

Greetings from Mostert's Mini-Mansion on the Prairie.

We'll see if August is warmer, but we just had one of the coldest Julys on record for our part of Illinois. Plays havoc with using the swimming pool. We had a terrific thunder and lightning show during the night with lots of rain. I had to go out today and pick up the pool sun cover and its roller as the wind had blown it several feet and turned it over.

Here's a brand new picture of me...WITH HAIR!

It's Swimming, Summer Time. I FEEL GOOD!

I feel terrific! Last Sunday I was able to sit through the entire three hour church block of meetings in our Champaign Ward. First time I have attended a church meeting in 7 months. Hooray!

The diarrhea which has kept me out of meetings has almost totally disappeared. It is wonderful not having to make a bathroom run every hour or even half hour as happened most of the 7 months I was receiving chemo-therapy. I am still weak, but that's to be expected when you lose one third of your body weight, including most muscles. I am down around 200 pounds for the first time in 20 years.

Went swimming this afternoon. really felt good in 80 degree weather. Looking to do that every week day weather permitting. It was been a wet and cold Spring so, although I got the pool ready early, I have only been swimming 4 or 5 times. Usually I try to go twice a day once it is warm enough. Great exercise. I usually try to swim 100 yards, different strokes, each time I am in the pool.

Tepa sat in the shade watching me swim. Tomorrow after her doctor's appointment we will try to get her in the water, if it is warm enough. I suspect it may not be. We'll see.

Had a wonderful talk with my sister today. She said it has been cool in Arizona, only in the 90s. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA