when I'm 90

Boots and Mary and Mine and Carla's hero's!  Mary is 90 and Boots is right behind her.  These two are so classy, smart, witty, and young at heart!  They bowl every week and I think they both golf when the weather is good.  I think that is the secret to staying young....being active!  Carla and I have vowed with each other that we are going to continue to bowl until we are 90.

I admire Mary and Boots and love them to pieces.  The make me smile every week when I see them.  They both asked me today at different times if they could nominate me to be the President of this bowling league.  It made me feel good but I do not want that responsibility at all.  I go bowling for the fun of it.  I don't pay attention to the league rules and don't want to.  I'm happy just being on a team and visiting with everyone!

When I'm 90 (if I live that long) I want to be like these two women!  I might need to get a heavier ball though because I think they both bowl with a heavier ball than mine...they are not wimps! I seriously admire them both!

Spring Fling

Carla hosted a Spring Fling for our friends.  She wanted to have a luncheon at her house so that Kathy could make it.  Kathy just had a knee replaced (that happens at our age) and isn't able to be on it too long without putting ice on it.  I picked her up and she did great.  I was glad  she was able to come. 

The repair man from RC Willey came to look at Carla's couch upstairs and I ended up remembering him from High School.  He was from Clearfield and I only knew a few guys from there and so I remembered him.  As we talked we found out that Jodi's brother in law and Rod were best friends growing up.  Small World!  

I made a salad to keep it simple for Carla.  Carla made rolls, Jodi brought chips and dip, and Patti brought fruit with yummy fruit dip.  It was a nice lunch.  Carla made us a Russian tea that was yummy.  (it's like a wassail)  I love our get togethers....we always have such a fun time!

Since we called it a Spring Fling you could bring something "Spring" to share.  Carla and I had bought ours before Easter and Jodi's went right along with them.  Carla got us all bunny ears and I had the bunny noses and Jodi brought carrots!  If you "carrot" all what I think....I think we are cute some-"bunny's".  

We always have such a good time with the camera.  Camera's just make life more fun and they also make memories last.  I always enjoy going back and looking at my pictures and remembering the fun times I have had.

Good Friends+Funny Props+Camera=Good Times....Recorded and Cherished!

Count Your Blessings

There is so much in our life to be thankful for~yet, so often our focus is on our hardship and trials.  By taking time each week to focus on our blessings I know we will notice a positive change in our lives.  Even in our trials there are blessing....we need to look for them.

 One blessing I am grateful for today. Washers and Dryers.  I am so glad that I do not have to do all my laundry by hand.  I'm also glad I don't need to hang it all up either.  This is a chore that is never ending!

An experience I have had that was a blessing to me. Being able to have children is a huge blessing to me.  I was able to conceive easily and my pregnancies were pretty good.  My deliveries and recovery were also pretty slick.  I was made to have babies which I will forever be grateful for. 

One Gospel Principle that is a blessing to me. The Atonement.  This week in a Sacrament meeting I heard this: "The Resurrection is for our bodies and the Atonement is for our Spirits"
I am grateful for both....what a blessing to everyone!

Something I have done to bless another. This week I had the grands a few times and as much as it was a blessing to me I'm sure it was also a blessing to their parents.  I love helping with the grands!

Who was a blessing to me this week? Robin Bailey was when she told me that I was her best friend.  She corrected herself and said that Dirk was but then me.  I had no idea Robin felt this way and I'm sure she feels this way about many of her friends but it truly made my day.  I view Robin as an "Angel" on this earth.  She is such a wonderful lady and brings out the good in me for sure.  I want to just be better because of Robin.  She is such a kind, compassionate, gentle human being.  I love her for loving me!

Recital and Birthday Dinner

Mya had her first Piano Recital tonight and she did really well.  She was first and acted so brave and confident.  I was so proud of her.  I love seeing my grands develop new talents and become themselves in their way.

Today was a crazy spring day.  We experience very hard winds, a muddy rain, and more rain and then snow with huge snowflakes.  I love Springtime in Utah.  My car was filthy from the dirty rain and I probably used all my windshield fluid in just an hour of driving but because I had to go out into the weather more my car was washed off completely and the windows were so clear it looked like there wasn't even a windshield at all.  The roads were clear and for me that is what matters....let it snow all it wants...just don't stick to the roads.  The winds scare me because I wonder about the things that could "fly" my way. So far I'm lucky and haven't had anything hit me in a wind storm. 

It's Braxton's birthday and we were able to take him and Kelsi out for their birthday dinners.  It was fun...I really enjoy our birthday dinner traditions.  The ladies sitting with us ended up get a pleasant surprise for their "girl's night out" dinner.  Larry took care of their bill.  (remember that I just wrote about wishing that I had extra money to do that?....I think I might be asking for more money so I too can cover a bill spontaneously once in awhile)

Braxton was sick before he made it home and shortly after getting home it hit me.  I don't know what it is about Tepanyaki's but I always get a gut ache.  I have even tried ordering differently and it still happens.  I love the place though and so I just deal with it.  Braxton might have to do the same.

Braxton is a year older

I can't believe how fast time goes and that Braxton is already 26 years old.  Holy Moly....I love this kid!  Braxton has always been such a great kid....adventurous and a goer but one that I didn't worry about much as far as choosing the right.  Now choosing smart is another story.  Braxton made me roll my eyes often and I was glad I didn't know what he was doing all the time until after when I already knew he was safe.  Braxton and his friends spent a lot of time at our house and in the field.  Braxton built a few forts in the field that gramps would end up knocking over. (that always made me sad)  Finally Braxton went far enough west that gramps left his fort alone.  Him and his friends made a two story fort with furniture and even wall hangings. (others junk was Braxton's treasure) They later added another room and on the roof they had turf and would hit golf balls from it.  I know that they had a big sling that they launched bowling balls with too.  He had a zip line that he made with old telephone polls that he drug home behind a truck.  I later saw pictures of Braxton riding the logs while they shot up sparks.  The zip line came down after his mission when a girl fell and broke her toe and got knocked out.  It scared Braxton enough to take it down.  The boys blew things up in the field and named there camp....Kamp Kaboom!  I also saw a video of a Sobe Bottle shooting gas into the sky and blowing up.  They had a lot of crazy fun!  I enjoyed having the boys here....they did crazy things but were all good kids.

Braxton has enriched my life and added so many happy memories to it.  I am so lucky to be his mom...he is truly a wonderful son!

Easter Egg Hunt

I love family traditions....I love our family Easter Egg Hunt tradition.  We had ours a week later which was kind of nice because we bought the treats for the eggs on clearance.  We also got a few baskets for each of the grands since they were on sale.  We kept our dinner simple.  We had hamburgers and everyone brought something to go with them.  I like simple.  We invited Debbie and Paul to join us and Roger.  (Carla is out of town visiting her daughter and grand)  It was fun having them join us.  I hope the noise didn't bother them...when we get together we are noisy.  We ate first so the kids would eat. ☺  I felt bad for Parker...he didn't feel good and slept through most of the fun.  I was impressed that Kimleighel decided that she would find eggs for Parker and not herself.  She even gave him all of the $$$ that she found.  What a kind Aunt!

We always let the grands hunt first. This year their eggs were in the play ground.  I have such a good time running around after the grands trying to get their pictures.  I just think they are so dang cute!  When they were done hunting everyone gets to hunt for the rest of the eggs around the house and yard.  It makes me smile watching my big kids still hunt for eggs.  We actually had $$$ in the eggs this year.  I think that is what keeps them coming back....however, we don't always have $$$ in the eggs.  It's always a surprise!  So the kids hunt just in case.  It was a fun year and I think everyone found a little cash.

We hid baskets in the house for the grands.  For the most part they were thrilled with their finds. (Ivy might be getting too big for these little baskets...but I think she's too young to not be included)

The boys baskets were hid in the washer and dryer and neither could find them even looking inside.  They didn't think to move the clothes. haha Larry had to help them out.

We ended the day with rides in this cute train our neighbors let us borrow.  They even painted them on Saturday so they would be extra cute.  The kids loved riding around!  I think the big kids had as much fun pulling them around as the little's did.  I have always wanted to have something like this and after seeing how much fun the grands had I might just need to learn to make them.  Our neighbors got them for FREE from KSL.  I'm glad that they were willing to share with our family.  I hope they enjoyed the treats we gave them as much as we enjoyed their train.

The Sizzle Meme

The Sizzle Says Meme

Go HERE to Play

1. If money were no object, what would you be doing with your life? I would be looking for opportunities to share it with those in need.  I would love to secretly make people Smile! ☺

2. Money is just that - an object, so why aren’t you doing it? Maybe I am without even knowing it.  However, if I had money I would share it and I'm just not able to much at this time.

3. What’s better: horses or cows? Horses...at least when it comes to fun and entertainment.  They are gorgeous and strong animals and fun to be around and ride.  But, if we are talking about eating...then cows.  I try not to like our cows too much or get too attached to them because we do end of eating a few of them.  We had a cow that we bottle fed and loved and had to sell it because we couldn't be ones to slaughter it.

4. What do you think the secret to happiness is? Smiling and Gratitude!  Focusing on the good things and smiling will change your life to pure happiness.

5. When was the last time you had a dream that you either remember well or did not want to awake from? Can you share a bit? Last night I had a dream where we owned this really big house.  It had a very weird layout but was still really cool.  It was huge and I kept finding there was more to it.  While my friend and I were exploring it I had three friends from High School walk in.  One of them was Eve (a friend who recently passed away).  I wondered how it was possible for her to be there because I knew that she had passed away.  I often dream of big houses.  I use to dream that I could fly....actually it was more like swimming in the sky.  

6. When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Always and Forever I always wanted to just be a mom!  That dream came true.  I have seven wonderful, fun kids.  I love being a mom and now I love being a gramma.

7. Complete this statement: Love is… an expression that you share with or about something that is bigger and better than anything else.

8. Can you tell a good story? I think I can.  I am a very detail kind of person....maybe a little too much at times.  I like to be expressive and make others laugh.

9. Can you remember your last daydream? What was it about? I think I must have too many thoughts in my head to allow a daydream to happen.

10. If you were to thank someone today, who would you thank? My Savior was my first thought.  I don't think any amount of thanks that I could offer would ever be enough.

11. If you could be anyone's mojo, whose would you want to be, and why? Actually I have no idea.  I think I could be Ellen D.'s.  I think we are both witty and kind and so she wouldn't be any different and either would I.  (For those you do not know what mojo is, it's personal magnetism; charm.)