From Faye Trauntvein Anderson‏

Faye Trauntvein Anderson

I also have Type 2 diiabetes. My DR has me on Metformin, but recently took me off of it, as my blood glucose level was well within the ratio. I understand that Grandma Trauntvein(Jens Julius) had diabetes. My sister, Joyce, also had type 2 diabetes and died from pancreatic cancer which I understand was the cause, but a blockage of a stone from the liver to the pancreas was the culprit.. She was 64 when she died. Joyce was the oldest of the Jaames Elmer Trauntvein childres - then came Faye, James Elmer, Jr, Connie and Carolyn. My parents adopted a little girl. Mary Courtney, when she was 18 mos old.Mary married a young man from Wales, England and they have a little girl, who will soon be 1 yr old, Also a son, Christoopher, who is deeply involved in the Democrate party in San Francisco. What a fami;ly, who I dearly love. I must write the James Trauntvein history as I know it so that my sisters know where we lived and when. I have promised to do that, but that lazy streak in me keeps putting it off. Enough said. I hope that you had a great family Thanksgiving and a glorious Christmas.

Fruity Oatmeal Cake

This cake uses fruit juice for the sugar and makes a nice cake. It is sort of like the old oatmeal cake that we used to love, as a family.

Fruity Oatmeal Cake
Yield: 1 9 X13-inch cake 
Ingredients:
2 1/2 c boiling water
2 c Quaker Oats uncooked (quick or old-fashioned)
1 c butter or margarine; melted
2 c applesauce
1 12-ounce can unsweetened apple juice
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg 
Lazy Daisy Topping
1/2 c butter or margarine; melted
1 c crushed pineapple (pureed) and/or part applesauce (you may use one or both, pineapple is best)
6 tbsp canned evaporated milk
1 c chopped pecans
2 c unsweetened flaked coconut
Instructions:
For cake pour boiling water over oats; stir to combine. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Beat butter until creamy; gradually add applesauce and juice and beat. Blend in vanilla and eggs. Add oats mixture; blend well. Sift together flour, soda, salt and spices. Add to creamed mixture; blend well. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured 9 X 13 inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated moderate oven (375 F.) 45 to 50  minutes. Do not remove cake from pan. For frosting combine pineapple and milk and cook in a microwave until hot. Stir in nuts and coconut to coat. Spread evenly over cake. (You may broil until frosting becomes bubbly or not depending on how you like your topping.). Serve warm or cold. 

Cocoa oatmeal cake: Increase boiling water to measure 2 2/3 cups in total in above recipe. Use 3 tablespoons cocoa in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg. Prepare and bake as above. 

Michael wrote: Sorry, I forgot this:

If any of you are wanting to send letters or anything to me, I have a new address to send them to, since the mission office can no longer forward letters in this mission.  My address is:

Elder Michael H Trauntvein
5951 Riverside Dr. #58
Chino, CA 91710

You can also look it up on Google maps to see the area where I live! Alright, coolio.  Talk to you all again soon!

Love,
Elder Trauntvein

Myrna wrote: NOW what? I just sent him his Thanksgiving package. Will he get it?

Melanie wrote:  In Ben's mission, they hold all the mail and the packages until the Zone leaders deliver them, and it is usually every other week. It will get to him, if not this week, it will by next week. They are having a mission party for Mike's mission, and for sure he will be given the package then if he doesn't have it by then. Mel 

Amy G wrote: Yes, he will get it.  It will wait at the mission home until the zone leaders stop by and they will deliver it.  Usually will take an extra couple of days.  I sent an email last week about the problem they are now having with USPS not letting them forward thing on anymore.  Don't worry about it.  He will get it and probably this week.  Thanks for sending him a package!  We got ours today.  Fun activity and the kids always love that you're thinking of them!

Thanks, Amy 

Eva wrote: Myrna.  I just opened the email from Michael with address change.  I just feel sick.  I just mailed  13 emails to 'my' missionaries.'  My letter was one of my best.  What will happen to it if that Pres. doesn' t forward them. How sad, if he dosen't  think more about his missionaries than that.  Melanie just sent me an email re: a package for Ben. She must have sent it to me by mistake. I hope he gets my letter, too. I have our stateside missionaries plus 10 International, 4 in Africa. It is so fun when once in a while I get a note or card from one of therm; I got one from both Ben and Michael  in the past 2-3 weeks, which was really great.  I hope you  folks have a fabulous Thanksgiving. God bless you. Much love,  Eva 

Myrna wrote: I just learned that they are all going to their mission homes for dinner on Thanksgiving. They will hold the mail there and give it to them then. That is what the parents have found out. So we both should be just fine. We all love you and appreciate the wonderful things you do for your missionaries.

Eva wrote: Thanks for letting me know. I am so glad both for letters and packages.   Have a great day. Much  love,  Eva

Sent

My missionary Thanksgiving package differed from the one I sent to each family. I just sent them $5 each, the card, the turkey, feathers and story. I didn't send them the other game because it didn't seem like something missionaries would be sitting around doing. I love you all.

Amy G. wrote: Thank you!  I'm sure they will love it!

I love you!

EllaDean Hunter to Myrna: I received this and it touched my heart...if you get this from me. I do love and admire you.

She can deal with stress and carry heavy burdens. She smiles when she feels like screaming, and she sings when she feels like crying. She cries when she's happy and laughs when she's afraid. Her love is unconditional. There's only one thing wrong with her. She forgets what she's worth! Pass this to every beautiful woman you know. Remind her that she's unique. I love you girl. In twenty five minutes something will make you super happy, but you have to tell ten crazy ladies you love them, including me. L-o-v-e-y-o-u. Today is 'love u day' send to everyone you love.
You're spoiled if you get 5 back.

Myrna wrote: I do love you and I think you are special.

EllaDean wrote: Thank you,  You are a very special person to me.  My daughter went with their youth
 to the temple last Saturday, and I ask her is she saw you.  She said she didn't see any one 
that she knew.  

Myrna wrote: We were 3 and 4 and spent most of our day doing that. What did she think of the new decor at the baptistry? 

EllaDean wrote: She didn't say anything about the new decor.  I will ask her.

About the Note

Myrna wrote: A person in Melanie's ward, when we were visiting her in Flower Mound, Texas, gave LHT and I a an interesting note. The man in Texas, who handed me the note really did not have much helpful information for us.

The first word he had written on it was "Opladen."
Next was, "Leverkusen--Opladen."
He then wrote:(Rheinland) NRW (stake); Nord Rhein Westfalen

He then wrote: "Trautwein."  It is note spelled as ours is "Trauntvein." There is not much there.

The Trautwein, he said, was a member of the church and could be traced through church records.

Eva wrote: Thank you. In all the years I researched, many of the family was wein, one Tromp wein.  I think the spelling was just whatever the Parish minister heard- Danish with a heavy German accent.  As I think back over those many years, I was so blessed to be able to find so much and be able to connect families.  I know the Holy Spirit was my constant companion.  As I get older, I keep thinking about in not too many more years, I am going to finally meet all of those wonderful folks and be able to finally tie them into their parents. One day  David showed me how he was able to pull up the huge family tree in a fan shape.  As we were looking at the lines, I noticed that our gr grandmother about three back ( Marie Fredericka Birch Trauntvein's parents were not there. I had brought that family group sheet to the library with me that morning and showed it to my favorite missionary who had been helping me for weeks. She showed  me how to add  her parents and a brother I had also found.  In doing that, she also showed me how someone else had added a sister; I had never found her in any of my extensive research. I was elated. It was in a totally different parish than I knew about. How wonderful the Spirit is to help us be successful  and for somone else to connect us. I would like to find that person; maybe he could help me in joinning up some more families. 

HAVE A GREAT TURKEY DAY. GOD BLESS YOU. OH, BY THE WAY, I LOVED BEN'S  QUOTE ABOUT THE 100,000 MISSIONARIES. BOTH OF YOUR YOUNG MEN ARE DOING TERRIFIC.  IT TOOK ME THREE FULL DAYS  (AT MY SNAIL'S PACE TO WRITE, STUFF AND MAIL LETTERS TO 13 MISSIONARIES WHICH INCLUDED THREE MATURE  COUPLES IN PARIS, AUSTRALIA AND COVE FORT,  ELDERS EVERYWHERE FROM TWO IN AREAS  IN AFRICA, TAIWAN, PHILIPPINES, TONGA, SOUTH AMERICA, ENGLAND, USA. IT IS SO REWARDING. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE LORD'S HELP  IN WRITING AND THINKING AND PLANNING. MAY HE CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU IIN ALL YOU DO. LOVE  AND  HUGS ALWAYS, EVA

Kimberly wrote: Opladen is the place my piano tuner gave me for knowing a trauntvein, last year.

Myrna wrote: I wonder if we could get in touch?

Is Bree Ill?

Melanie wrote: Mom, why is Bree in the hospital?

Bree may have tried to take her own life. She may have used her prescription. It had been newly filled. There were 50 pills in the bottle. It may not be that that is what happened. She may not have really taken all of them. She was deeply depressed and may have taken a few to try to feel better. However, when David returned from work, he took her to the hospital because she appeared to not be well. David is home with the children and is taking the next day or two off while he determines what help he might need or what he might need to do. We have offered to take the kids, to go and stay there or to do whatever else is needed. 

I told him I would not tell all of you about this but he said there was nothing secret about it so he did not care if I did. Last spring she tried to cut her wrists with an old soda pop can. She seems to be cycling with the bipolar disease but none of the meds seem to work for keeping her from cycling into the deepest depression. David has more questions at this point than he has answers. I am certain that is also true for Bree. She does not choose to be ill.

I want you all to know that LHT and I love them all. We cannot imagine what it must be like to be in her shoes.  We just pray that some one of the doctors may find the necessary treatment and that all will be well. 

Melanie wrote: I called to talk to him about the dog and camping in November in Texas. He has good ideas. I will be using some of them. I love that little boy.

The Crisis of the American Family

What a sad world we live in. I think it was easier to worry about wolves eating your children than to worry about all of the problems that beset our children and grandchildren in the modern world. Well, maybe not, but it is hard for many of our loved ones. One of the largest problems facing all of us today is the weakening of the American family. While it is true that the news coverage of the epic health care debate in the Supreme Court represents one of the most important news stories in recent years, one story with implications for the future of the American republic, a potentially bigger news story, went largely ignored. Mormon Media Observer: Coverage of crisis of the American family under-covered story By Lane Williams, For the Deseret News Published: Monday, April 2, 2012 The traditional American family continues to break. That's a key takeaway from a quadrennial study by the National Center for Health Statistics recently released. It was a large-scale study of more than 20,000 people. News coverage of the report was spotty and uneven at best. Among the study's findings: • A full 38 percent of women under age 44 have never been married. • Less than one in three men in that age group are in a first marriage. • Only about 50 percent of first marriages are surviving 20 years. • The rate of cohabitation — living together before marriage — is growing rapidly. In 2002, about 9 percent of men were cohabiting. Today, that figure has grown to more than 12 percent — a 33 percent increase. (Evidently, about 60 percent now say they cohabit before marrying.) • It is one third as likely that men are cohabiting as it is that they are in their first marriage. • More than 50 percent of black or African American women under age 44 have never married. • Education makes a big difference. While one in five women without a high school diploma live unmarried with a man, only about one in 20 with advanced degrees do. For men, those without a high school diploma are cohabitating at a rate of about one in four. • U.S.-born Hispanic or Latino men are about half as likely as their foreign-born counterparts to be married. • Religiousity and education also correlate with longer-lasting marriages. • Cohabitation before marriage still correlates with a marriage more likely to end in divorce, especially among those not engaged. But those statistical differences seem to be narrowing as more people live in cohabitation. It all paints a picture of the nation's most important institution facing continued assault and great peril. It suggests that the value of chastity continues to fade. And without marriage, poverty and other problems rise among children. The foundation of the nation is cracking. To be sure, this report received some important coverage in the news media. And, rigorous, useful analysis by intelligent people is also available. But many important news organizations missed the news entirely. Who missed it? If my Lexis-Nexis and Google searchs were accurate, only two major national newspapers wrote about it and only two smaller wire services covered it. To be sure, these news organizations haven't ignored the story of the changing American family — as in a fascinating New York Times report on the troubling rise of out-of-wedlock births among women under 30. More than 50 percent of births to women under 30 now are outside of marriage. Furthermore, we must be grateful to careful government researchers who spend their time writing these remarkable, extensive reports. But there needs to be a greater focus on family issues by the national press. Here's why: One of the most important insights that has emerged in recent decades from the study of the news media is that as the frequency of stories about certain issues rise, so does the public's perception of the importance of those issues. Put another way, when you ask people what the most important issues are facing the county, they choose issues that correlate with how frequently issues are in the press. So, as news focuses on, say, the economy, so do voters. And as voters focus on issues, so, naturally, do politicians. Things, therefore, get done. Hence, the lack of coverage of these family issues by the mainstream press makes it less likely that people will talk about them and, therefore, less likely that any pressure will come to make policy change. Are their useful governmental solutions to help address this crisis? Probably. Yet, these proposals have a hard time gaining traction amid low national attention. What is the most important issue facing this county today? Obamacare? The economy? Possibly. Here's one vote that the declining norm of marriage may be the biggest threat to our long-term survival as a nation. I, for one, think this issue needs more serious, focused, consistent and thoughtful attention by the nation's mainstream press. The coverage of this milestone study needed far more attention than it received. The crisis of the American family is real and may be the most important issue in America today even if the press neglects it.

Will any of you be here on Thanksgiving?

Myrna wrote: OK, I know who will not be here--Julie and family are going to Idaho; AnnMarie and family are going to St. George; Todd and family are in Ohio; Melanie, Howard and Mikaela are in Texas (if that is still a state and not a new country); Siovhan is still at her far-away job; David is on-call; and the rest of you we do not know about. 

Auntie Helen called and she, and her wonderful popcorn cake, will be here. 

In spite of my type 2 diabetes, we will have all the traditional dishes, including pie. I will have my own dishes--turkey, salad, vegetables and a baked sweet potato--but the rest of you can expect the same traditional meal we have always served, including stuffing and pie.

We love you and would appreciate knowing your plans.

Kirsten: Jared's parents are flying in tomorrow, so we will be here. Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Miss you all and love you all very much! Love, Kirsten

Melanie wrote: I do admit it feels weird not to be traveling to Ohio for Thanksgiving. I will miss being there, almost as much as I will miss not seeing Todd. :)

Todd wrote: Ah. She misses me. :)

Myrna wrote: We all do! This getting old is for the turkeys. I remember that my dad told me that.

Todd wrote: Yeah. Last year was my first year of odd. Told Amy we ought to just go out there for kicks and giggles. I know where there are a few places to eat dinner on Thanksgiving. I only hope hailey will remember those trips. Remember the year it snowed the whole time we were there? The kids rode the hill all morning long. 

Braden wrote: As you all may have seen in the news, Israel is suffering a great time. I write this so that you may all remember one of my dear friends who is serving in the Israeli Army. Her name is Ariel Bruce. Please keep her in your prayers over the next few days. Thanks to all!


Okay, just an update. My friend, Ariel, had actually been flown in to the U.S. and is currently in Boston for a surprise visit to her parents. She is safe and sound.

And sorry for all the emails, and the grammar that sometimes does not make sense. You can take Braden out a Spanish world, but you can't take Spanish out of Braden...


Myrna wrote: OK. It might be Auntie Helen and us and MAYBE David's kids, depending on whether Bree is still in the hospital or not.

Shawn wrote: We will be in Kaysville this year.  :(

Kirsten wrote: If no one is coming down you are always welcome to come here! I'll have lots of extra turkey including me! Love you lots

Myrna wrote: I'd need to bring Auntie. Maybe she would come. I haven't heard from Braden. 

I love my turkey girl. Happy Birthday! I hope you could read the card. Sometimes my pens smear. :)

Kirsten wrote: She'd be welcome, too!  I will let you know about the card.  Mail hasn't come yet today. :)

Braden wrote:  You are going to be in Kaysville?I think I should be okay to come down Wednesday night and help prepare for the whole next day. Just let me know what's going on with all the plans, okay?

Myrna wrote: I will not be in Kaysville at all, the Shawn Trauntvein family will be. It is going to be a small gathering at our house. You are invited and so is your roommate. We will be here and so will Auntie Helen and MAYBE David's kids.

Amy J. wrote: I am working but Eric and the kids will be there.

Myrna wrote: Thanks for all of the responses. I now know who will be here to celebrate with us and who will be celebrating elsewhere. Let's all have a great day. Thanksgiving is still one of my favorite holidays: food, family, fun. Of course, there is also gratitude, thankfulness and lots of good and happy memories.

One year for either Christmas or Thanksgiving, when Joey and Walter Olpin lived next door, they were our only guests besides our own small family. We crowded into our small kitchen, that was years and years before the addition was added, and ate, laughed and enjoyed a great meal. 

Most years, we traveled elsewhere. I don't know why it was that we stayed home that year. It was most unusual but it was fun. Perhaps all of our usual haunts had other plans. Strange that I do not remember why we were at home. It must have been Christmas. We usually stayed home Christmas Day after all of the children started to have lots of gifts to pack around. We would sometimes have family come to our home for dinner and sometimes not. 

We always had Auntie Helen's Christmas party in early December and met together as a big family then. We also, at some point, visited in Kenilworth, Price and Huntington. There we exchanged gifts prior to Christmas and were fed great meals. These are all good memories to warm my old age.

Oh, wait, I am old. Well, they warm my memories now and, perhaps, someday I will actually remember whether it was Christmas or Thanksgiving that we hosted the Olpin neighbors.

OK, Braden is coming on Wednesday, right? Am's youngest will spend her workday here and will travel on to St. George that evening. Bree is home from the hospital and none of them will be here. Amy J. is working but the rest of Eric's family will be here. Auntie Helen will be here. Is that all right? Three cheers for Thanksgiving. It is still a favorite holiday of mine--good food, great family, and lots of blessings to recall.

Two quotes Myrna needed to hear.

"We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that 'gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.'" Thomas S. Monson

Melody Beattie
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."