Monarch Beach

The day after we arrived home from Utah for Joe's dad's funeral, Joseph and I (along with Isaac) headed for a trip to Southern California. We stayed at the St. Regis Resort at Monarch Beach. It was nice to have a pleasant breather before getting back to the daily routine of life. We were able to clear our minds and have a little fun. I took it easy and enjoyed being the mom to just Isaac while my mom took care of the other three kids at our home. I had time to take a million pictures of him. I wish I knew the first thing about photography, but you can't really go wrong with such a cute subject.

Isaac was a cutie at the pool. We gave him a little dip and he was slightly startled with the whole experience.

I love these two so much! (Along with the rest of the crew at home.)

We had some nice visits with Taryn and Ryan. Joe and Ryan had me laughing harder than I have in a long time. I loved hearing all of their stories and sharing funny experiences. We enjoyed lots of good food, between comfort food for a funeral and lots of really good food on our trip, we both came home with some extra padding on our tummies and hips. :) Why is it so hard to get back on track? I keep putting it off, but I need to start kicking myself into high gear.



I've decided that Isaac was born to be a first child, not a fourth. He was great on the trip, the boy loves to have our undivided attention, and that he had!

A nice tribute

Franklin Covey did a short and sweet tribute to Joseph's dad on their blog. Joseph mentioned to me, after meeting several people at the viewing and funeral whose lives Blaine had touched, that he wished he could have been more a part of that aspect of his Dad's life. He was amazed at the countless number of people who came through with such nice things to say. Franklin Covey also compiled a book for each of the children and Joe's mom, which contained letters from people all around the globe, clients and colleagues alike, sharing memories of Blaine. It has been good to read some of those things the last few weeks. What a nice thing to do.

So much to say...so little time...

I've had so much running through my mind the past few weeks. Lots of different thoughts to sort through, but things have been so busy, it's hard to find time to write.

As some of you already know, a little over two weeks ago we received the unfortunate news that Joseph's dad had passed away at the age of 62. The news was very unexpected and came as a complete shock to us. He suffered from type 2 diabetes and his health was declining, but we thought we would receive the news of an early retirement before we received this news of his death. He was still traveling extensively around the globe until the time of his death, this past year he taught in the U.S., Panama, Nicaragua, Malaysai, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Manila, Brazil and he was scheduled to present at an Executive Leadership Summit for Franklin Covey again in Malaysia this week. It's interesting how life's events unfold.

Things like this make us feel bad we live so far away from family. We pulled things together and waited for a storm to pass and then headed to Utah to be with family members and to participate in the funeral. Joseph feels like he was afforded many tender mercies from the Lord and has felt peace during this time. The day we arrived in Utah we took the kids to the Draper Temple open house and then after he was able to help some of his brothers dress his dad in his temple clothes in preparation for burial. Because of the circumstances of the past few years, this event held special meaning for him. The week was spent making preparations for Blaine's proper farewell and visiting with friends and family. The funeral services were done very well. I really think Blaine would have been proud of the way his children honored him. Joseph gave a life sketch and was able to capture Blaine at his best. Additional tributes were given by Blaine's brother Roland, and his son's (Joe's brothers) Ben, Josh, and Isaac. Music was a huge part of Blaine's life and also a big part of the funeral services. His children are very musical and performed heartfelt musical numbers he would have loved.

At best, I remember Blaine for....

*always liking red gummy bears

*always having really messy hair that stuck up in every direction in the morning

*mopping the floor every Saturday night when he lived in Salem

*never getting ice in his sodas

*enjoying Pavarotti

*eating grapefruit

*passing around bowls of carrot sticks and apples

*surprising Joseph and I with overnight stays at Sundance Resort, The HomeStead Resort, and Daniels Summit, complete with dinner vouchers for restaurants we could never afford, a basket full of goodies, and gourmet breakfast in the morning.

*playing the piano while all the boys sang along.

*telling stories about all of the places he had been and the people he had taught.

*always sitting under a giant shade tree at Priest Lake with his guitar, straw hat and a long sleeved shirt in the middle of summer, just so he wouldn't get a sunburn

*calling my parents at 12:30 a.m. every date night, "This is Blaine N. Lee, is my son Joseph still there?...."

*visiting us and all of our favorite places in Spokane

*his messy LandCruiser, then Outback, then Highlander, he must have used his backseat as an office, it was always full.

*the way he traveled on business, he would wear a solid colored Polo shirt with the same solid colored sweats, I always thought it was very odd

*singing and playing the piano at our wedding dinner for two hours while they waited for us to get there (pictures took a long time and then we didn't know the address for the venue, we had to stop and a 7-11 to look in a phone book, no one believes us, but that's the truth)

*being interviewed on "Good Morning America," for his book, "The Power Principle"....I was in love with his son, so I taped the interview while I was at Ricks, my roommates probably thought I was crazy

*He loved his work and he was good at what he did

*always giving us the simple advice, "Always do what you'd be glad you did."

Someone asked me a few years ago what Joe's dad was like...I think I said, "He's very smart, very talented, very muscial, and very intimidating." :) He was all those things to me, but in the last couple of years he became much less intimidating as I saw a more human side of him. He was a very complex person that in some ways I never really began to understand.

I know Joseph looked up to his dad and respected him professionally, he loved getting advice and validation from his dad about school and work. When Joseph received an offer for his current job, he was happy to share the news with his dad and was pleased with the encouragement and belief his dad had in him. It was a converation at Priest Lake between Joseph, Matthew and Blaine that ultimately led Joe to choose the path of law school. Joseph never really had a burning desire to become an attorney, but Blaine shared an article from a business journal about how many businessmen had law degrees and how it helped them to become better critical thinkers and succeed in the business world. We are so grateful for our law school experiences which shaped us and helped us grow in ways we never would have imagined.

We've lived far away for the past 6 years and really haven't seen much of him because of his travels, but this past year we were able to see him as a family in between trips and Joseph was able to sing with him at the piano with some of his brothers for what would be the last time. Those will be good memories for him to hold onto. Joseph loved his dad, even though he wasn't perfect. Since hearing the news he has had some sad moments, he has shed more tears than I have ever seen, but he feels peace and has felt some closure in his own way. Writing and reading his life sketch for the funeral was a comfort for him. He was able to draw from all of the good memories he had from his dad. I was very proud of him. He's handling it all very well.

On a funnier note...Joe's dad was honored with a 21 gun salute for his time in the ROTC and his time teaching at the Air Force Academy while he was in the Air Force. After everything at the cemetery was over, we put roses on his casket. Abby really wanted to take a rose home. She came up to me with puppy dog lips and said, "Mom, if I take a flower will the men with the guns shoot me?" It was followed by a much needed laugh. We love our Abby.

Blaine's Life Sketch

The Life Sketch:
Blaine Nelson Lee, Jr.
b. April 3, 1946; d. January 24, 2009
Written by Joseph Robert Lee

Blaine Nelson Lee, Jr. was born on April 3, 1946 in Olympia Washington to Blaine Nelson Lee, Sr., and Thelma Marie Woods. Big sister Andrea was absolutely delighted to have a new brother and she called him “my little Candy bar.” When Dad was just 2 years old, his father Blaine Nelson Senior died tragically when he was hit by a car. Eventually his mother Thelma with four children married Elwyn Earl Reeder who provided and cared well for the family.

As a child growing up in Southern California, Dad developed a unique love of parades and the excitement of the parade environment, having enjoyed the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. In later years he might be found sleeping out on the sidewalk on University Ave. in Provo staking out a great spot for the 4th of July parade.

When he was 8 years old Blaine was baptized at the old pioneer built tabernacle in Salt Lake City. During that time Blaine and his brother Grant recall sneaking in the back doors of LDS church General Conference, climbing the back stairs and standing behind the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and singing right along with them.

Blaine always had a strong interest and natural talent in the musical arts. Grant remembers Blaine first getting a guitar, then bongo drums, and then a Ukalele, all before he was 12 years old, and he could actually play them! He picked up piano quickly and developed the uncanny gift to be able to play any identifiable tune by ear. Many of us have enjoyed his music box style, a talent he willing shared with others all his life. Such musical ability to sing and play music must have passed on through the Lee DNA as several of Blaine’s sons are outstanding singers, and musicians. Later when Dad attended BYU he would minor in music, participate in opera, conduct choirs, he even played “Major Domo” in the musical Camelot, BUT he was the understudy for Sir Lancelot, a fact he never failed to emphasize to us kids. Sister Andrea recalls Blaine as a freshman and returned missionary causing her roommates to swoon and faint with Dad’s guitar playing and vabrado.

Blaine always loved public speaking; when he won a speech contest as a teenager he may well have discovered his ability to influence others for good with his passion and oratory skills.

Blaine graduated from Covina high school where he excelled Academically, even tutoring classmates. He participated in both Track and Cross Country, but funny enough Blaine has actually been asked a number of times as an adult “Which NFL team did you play for?”

Blaine attended BYU briefly before being called to serve in the Western States mission. When he returned his continued his studies in psychology and met Shawny Christian from Coeur D’ Alene, Idaho, and they were married in the Idaho Falls Temple September 6, 1968 after Blaine had spent the summer touring with the BYU program bureau under the direction of the legendary Janie Thompson where he sung and danced across many countries in the orient often doing USO shows for active duty soldiers serving in Vietnam. He finished his BYU undergraduate education with Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

As the Vietnam war raged on, Blaine entered the Air Force ROTC, as he completed his Master’s degree in Educational Psychology at BYU. It was there that first child Blaine Christian was born. In 1972, Blaine entered active duty in the Air Force as a second lieutenant, serving three years at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. There Benjamin David and Adam Nelson were born. His next assignment was at the US Air Force Academy in Çolorado Springs, CO. Daughter Michal and son Joseph Robert were added to the family in Colorado. He advanced from a reserve first lieutenant to a regular commission captain while at the Academy. After 6 ½ years in the Air Force, the family returned to civilian life. Blaine took the job of principal at Provo Canyon Boy’s School and Joshua Ammon and Casey Kimball were born. Three years later he took a teaching position at Utah Valley State College teaching in the business school and in 1983 and moved the family to a country hill side home in Salem, Utah where his family has resided for almost 26 years. While teaching at UVSC Blaine completed his Ph.D, graduating from the University of Texas, at Austin in Instructional Design.

Eventually Blaine ventured out on his own, testing the waters as a private consultant for a few years calling himself a “life coach.” It was then he discovered his natural gift of teaching and counseling. While in Salem, Abraham Daniel, and daughter Eliza were added to the ever growing brood. While he was freelance consulting, he met Stephen R. Covey which led to a 20 year career as a leadership consultant with Covey Leadership Center which later became Franklin Covey. In that capacity he consulted 1 on 1 with business leaders in large and small companies, foreign and domestic government agencies, the armed forces, not for profit groups, and religious organizations, helping each to face and overcome business and human capital challenges and make the most of opportunities. Oh yes, and adding children Gabriel Enoch, daughter Celeste, and Isaac Peter to complete the family, an even dozen!

With his depth of knowledge and experience, his personal style and warm approach, Dad influenced countless tens of thousands as he traveled 1/3 of million miles annually around the world. He wrote a book, The Power Principle, Influence with Honor, which sold 256,000 copies and helped many people learn that true power and influence comes from personal character, by gentleness and mutual respect, and not coersive action. When people left Dad’s seminars they often commented that they felt a renewed hope, having gained new knowledge that had real life application. Some of Dad’s proudest work moments came during these past few years where he taught high school students in Musketeen, Iowa, principles of leadership and how they could change the world for good. Dad also loved his custom off-site week long business seminars that he conducted at Sundance Ski Resort and at the Homestead, where he utilized the outdoor classroom.

We can all remember Dad conducting radio and phone interviews out in his office. I have to smile because I know personally he conducted most of those interviews in his in his sweats. I remember one day he came into the kitchen telling me that he had completed a very important telephone conference call with several big city businessmen who were all around a conference table. I looked at him with his sweat suit on, his disheveled morning hair, unshaven, and in my “know it all” teen-age way said, “Dad don’t you think if those men are listening to your words, wearing their best business suits, you should do the same?” He looked at me incredulously, but must have listened cause the next conference call I observed he was wearing the same red sweat suit, but had shaved and combed his hair.

So it was living with dad. He worked very hard to do “good” and make a positive difference in the world. He really enjoyed serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teaching, giving blessings, and working in Administration, and was well versed in the scriptures. I remember being his hometeaching companion where he exhibited a great sense of humor and love for his fellow church members. Dad served as a scoutmaster where he taught his scouts to take great pride in their troop and their cheers. I will never forget the night Dad “showed” his boys how a real man could sleep out in the snow without a sleeping bag or tent. The boys brought their tents and double bags and set them up in the yard. Dad then emerged in a fluorescent orange, artic down suit with enormous white rubber insulated arctic boots. Dad trudged through the knee deep snow, gave the scouts a speech, then flopped down in the snow, crossed his arms, and went to sleep. Somehow he actually lived through the night unfrozen.

Perhaps we children will remember Dad most for his love of music. Dad seemed most comfortable as a parent when he gathered us kids around the piano and we would sing musical greats from Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and many others.

I’ll treasure the times when Dad came upstairs to our bedroom to play his guitar and get us to sleep -- songs like BlackBird Blackbird, the Marvelous Toy, the Donut Song, 500 miles, Puff the Magic Dragon, Turn Around, and Leaving on a Jet Plane.

Though Dad traveled extensively the last 20 years, I remember him frequently arriving home and on Saturday evening and he would vacuum and mop the kitchen floor late while watching the Lawrence Welk Show, only to depart again Sunday after church.

Dad was a large man and enjoyed food. If most of us were asked our favorite foods, we might say cookies, pizza or Mexican food. Dad loved fresh grapefruit, cut tomatoes, vinegar and celery, and beef stick and cheese. He loved cool drinks, particularly the citrus soda’s Squirt and Fresca, and if at a restaurant would be sure to ask for “no ice” so he could have more beverage.

Dad loved the water. On our family vacations at Priest Lake Idaho growing up we would watch his large swimming form and comment on the great white whale in the lake.

Dad admitted he was not perfect, being tormented by what Shakespeare’s Hamlet called the vainess and the frailties and the foolishness of men. A crowning achievement in Dad’s life occurred on September 23, 2007, when he had gospel blessings restored after a season away from full fellowship in the church. Of the occasion he wrote,


“Dear Family, I am very humble and grateful to share with you that today I met with Elder Coleman of the Seventy, and had the glorious Privilege of having priesthood, patriarchal and personal blessings restored to me… If there are offenses lingering, I beg your forgiveness as I continue to become a man of God, worthy, healed, and whole. I want to make amends whenever and wherever possible.”

Well Dad, in the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps, “Come on dear brother, since the war is past, for friends at first, are Friends again at last.” The bitter cup has been drunk for you, and you have drunk heavily from that bitter cup. I will personally look forward to the day, many years from now, to greet you again and embrace you as brothers before the Lord. Thank you Dad for trying to the end.

Blaine Nelson Lee, Jr., passed away at his home in Pleasant Grove, Utah, on January 24, 2009, of natural causes.

Blaine is survived by his children: Blaine Christian Lee, Benjamin David Lee, Adam Nelson Lee, Michal Lee Wride, Joseph Robert Lee, Joshua Ammon Lee, Casey Kimball Lee, Abraham Daniel Lee, Eliza Lee Billadeau, Gabriel Enoch Lee, Celeste Lee, Isaac Peter Lee, and 31 grand children.


He is also survived by his parents Elwyn and Thelma Lee Reeder of Pleasant Grove Utah, his siblings Andrea Lee Conley of Pleasant Grove, Utah; Grant Nolan Lee of Meridian, Idaho; Roland Loren Lee, Luann Reeder Forest, Marsha Reeder Bowler, and Lorin E. Reeder of St. George, Utah, and many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Blaine Nelson Lee, Sr.

We wondered if any of us would ever fill our Dad’s shoes, but since he wore a size 15, it is not likely. God be with you till we meet again our Father, Son, Brother, and friend.