Happy Birthday to Rich and I

I love Julie and Kevin's little tradition of taking their parents to dinner for our Birthdays.  This time we were celebrating Rich and I.  I think our kids are pretty wonderful and very, very thoughtful for doing this twice a year.  I am very grateful for their generosity and kindness.  They say that it's because they are thankful for all that we do for them.  I really enjoy visiting with Rich and Lynette too.  I love the families that my kids have married into...they are all wonderful and we enjoy spending time with them.  I just feel so thankful for families and all the extensions of families.

(I think the photo bomber in the back is hilarious.  The waitress was smiling and so we knew he bombed us.  I asked him his name since but can't remember now...it made me laugh)

Food 4 Thought Friday

Food 4 Thought Friday! 

A little feast without the calories!! 

Go HEREJOIN IN!!! 

Food 4 Thought Friday ~ This week's questions: 

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Breakfast~ 

Babies always make me smile.  I have always loved little ones.  I love how fresh and pure they are...so dependent and heavenly.

Lunch~

Happiness is not a mistake or coincident.  Happiness comes from within and is a choice we get to make every day throughout the day.

Dinner~

My Testimony of everything.  I've been challenged a time or two on my beliefs and my testimony but it's mine and no one can take it from me.  (I'm thankful for the challenges because they have made me realize that my testimony is mine and not borrowed anymore)

Midnight Snack~ (two for one)

 I'm thankful I don't have cancer and I hope and pray that I never do.

That we are all going to make them....that's part of this life and we shouldn't judge anyone for the mistakes that they make.

Recipe of the Week ~ (instead of your recipe for life what is it just for the week?) 

There are things in this life worth waiting for.  We often want to rush them or hurry them along but the wait will be worth it.

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waiting and catching up

I don't go to the doctor often but my hands are driving me crazy.  For many months now they have been itching and cracking and peeling.  I wake up at night scratching my hands....it's become real annoying.  I finally broke and went to the doctor last week.  He assumes it's eczema and prescribed me some ointment.  I have been treating it like I would eczema and it still hurts and doesn't completely leave.  The ointment helped and these pictures are of my hands looking better...they still have dry itchy spots...like callouses.  I hope this is not permanent like my thin skin that turns purple when my capillaries break...I guess these are little reminders of how many birthdays I have celebrated. ☺

This week and last have been a waiting game for little boy (Behrenger) to be born.  Poor Trichelle has gone longer this time and is ready.  She's already been off work for two weeks of her six weeks maternity leave and still no baby.  Trichelle asked Larry for a blessing last night...hopefully little man comes soon.

Once in awhile we get snakes and I'm just glad they were out side....last summer we found two in our house.  TJ freaked Kimi out with a piece of rubber that was in the garage.  Kimi was sure it was the snake and locked TJ out of the house.

There has been a fire in California and our sky's are hazy from it.  The moon and sun are looking very cool because of it.  The pictures I took were okay but it was much prettier than I could capture.

My grands have come and gone this week and cute little Jordy likes my stair stand.  She is such a cutie and likes coming over now.  She reaches for me over Kamryn now which makes my heart about explode.  I'm so happy that they are staying at Gramps while their house is being built.  It's fun seeing them throughout the week.

Larry had to run to Bear Lake again to try to fix Vicky's boiler so me and the kids joined him.  Dirk and Robin were there this week at their cabin.  While Larry and Dirk went to Vicky's me and the kids visited with Robin and her daughter and grands.  We will be going up again because the problem wasn't fixed and Larry is still trying to figure out what is wrong. darn it!

Since my days haven't been super busy this week I have been trying to catch up on my blog books.  These take time and I hope they will be enjoyed for many years after I am gone.  Julene and I made a book for each member of Buffey's family with all the love that was shared on facebook through sweet words and pictures.  It turned out great...we added empty pages so they could add their memories to their books.  I love my books and hope that my posterity will as well.

I went with Kimleighel to get her hair colored yesterday.  She has been wanting "Blue" hair for a few months now.  I'm glad she listened to my advice and didn't color just the ends  like she had wanted at first.  She likes long hair and I told her that bleaching it so they could color it could damage her hair and she might need to cut it later.  Brook (who did it) said I was right and so the blue was weaved in and isn't so bold but still blue which made my girl happy.

Oh and I'm officially the New President for the Young Women in the SNAP program.  I was set apart last week and I'm super excited.  I'm reading a Memoir right now called Bloom by Kelle Hampton about her experience of mothering a little one with down syndrome.  She's honest and real.  I loved reading how about six months after her little was born she attended a Seminar for Down Syndrome families. After sharing her true feelings with them all when she received an award for sharing her story so openly on her blog she had a few men with down syndrome approach her.  One expressed to her how she had touched his heart...the other felt her sadness and wanted to comfort her.  Later she expressed how "Lucky" she was for her experience to mother such a special child and interact with the special people that would now be a part of her life.  That's how I feel too...I feel so LUCKY to get to serve the Special Needs in our area.  I feel closer to Heaven when I am with them because they have such strong spirits and are truly a Gift from God.

Say Hi and Enjoy some Pie

Susan is in her new home and so she decided to have some friends over to say Hi and have some pie.  She told us that Matt had put that suggestion in her ear and she followed it. (she usually does follow Matt and his suggestions whether she wants to or not)  I love Susan's new home and have even thought that I wouldn't mind down sizing like she has in a few years.  I think it's perfect for her at this time in her life.

Driving by her old home is hard to do....it's just not her anymore.  There are wood blinds in all the windows and the yard isn't kept up and every day when I drive by I am reminded that she is gone.  Even when she was on her mission her home was kept up and was welcoming the way it was when she was there.  I'm just glad that Susan isn't too far away and that I can still stop by if I want.  I love this friend of mine.  She is so talented and full of life.  She has always been a great example to me and I cherish all our memories together.  I have served in Young Women's with her and we have gone on a lot of fun trips together.  Susan is Fun!  She will be a blessing to her new neighborhood and Ward and now even her Stake. (she was just called to be a counselor in the Stake RS)  Susan does everything good and more people are going to fall in love with her.  I love Susan! ♥

Tonight I found out that Matt reads my blog so this is for you Matt...your photography skills are awesome...exactly what I was hoping for.  I like how you are able to crop out people (Larry) before the picture is even taken.  You make me laugh...Thank You! 

I want to be free from me Meme

I want you to be free from me Meme

Are your nails painted a dark or light color? I seldom paint my fingernails but my toenails are a purple
Have you ever ordered pizza online?  I think I did once.  I use to call and order it but not so much anymore.
What color was the last candle you lit? I think burgundy
 Is there something written on your shirt right now?  nope...I don't wear shirts with writing very often.
Is there a bookshelf in your room?  Yes..a very nice one where you can tell right off which side is mine and which side is Larry's.
Do you own a treadmill?  nope...I did a really long time ago when I only had 2-3 kids.
Have you ever signed up for a gym membership? a few times...just recently I closed one. 
Is there a garbage can in your room? What color is it? no garbage can...only in the bathrooms and mine is silver and the kids is green.
Have you ever read in the bathtub?  I've tried to read in the tub but I'm really not a bath kind of gal. I rather shower and when I do bath I'm in and out.  I like reading on the sofa with my feet up.
Have you ever had to wear a hairnet? the last time I remember is at the Hershey Company while we made our own candy bars which were behind a glass and in my opinion a waste of a hairnet.  When I go to the canary everyone has to wear one. 
Do you know how many pages the last book you read had?  260 for the one I finished last week and 284 for the one I'm almost finished with.
What day of the week does the laundry usually get done?  Monday, Wednesday and Friday...sometimes every day if the kids keep their rooms clean.
Do you use the Facebook chat often?  no...I turn it off.
Do you have any baby pictures of yourself on your computer? I don't think I do. 
Do you eat onion rings? I have ate onion rings but really don't like onions so it's not my choice. 
What flavor of tea did you last have? I don't remember...it was plain old tea when I was growing up and only when I was sick.
 Do you own a bathrobe? Yes and threw it on when the police came to my door early Saturday morning. I don't usually wear it much.
Did you/will you have coffee or some other form of caffeine today? nope...I seldom have caffeine. 
Do you have a mailbox or do you collect your mail from the post office?  we  have a mailbox
What was the last animal you saw, and was it a pet?  a dog and yes it was a pet.
What was the last documentary you watched focusing on? I didn't watch it but last week my hubby and kids were watching a documentary on Alcatraz.
 Is there anything you need to remember to do before the day ends? get groceries for tomorrows dinner.
 Is your car messy, or do you like to keep it clean?  I prefer to keep it clean and it usually is.
Are you the type to wake up before the sun has even risen? No....the sun usually beats me up.
 Do you get uncomfortable when people stare at you? Of course I do....doesn't everyone?
 Have you ever been admitted to the hospital for a long period of time? Nope...having babies and staying for a day or two is about as long as I've stayed in a hospital...except when Jared was born. Actually I was sent home after a few days but Jared was kept for 18 days so I'd go there every day.

"Playing" Around Again

Another Fun Play with these Fun Ladies and girls.  Recently there was a Movie of "Into the Woods" and most the comments I heard from others about the movie was that it wasn't that good.  Barbie was leery about the play.  We laughed as we sang our sentences with no melody or rhyme.  We were skeptical but we were also pleasantly surprised.  I thought this was a fun play and even though the songs weren't "catchy" they were still better than I had anticipated.

Before the plays we always go out to eat and we knew the fresh peach shakes would be on at the Taco place and so we went there.  I had a little deja vu  going on when we got there and right on their sign it said" "Fresh Peach Shakes this Monday".  Two years ago the same thing happened....we were a few days too early. Darn!  Oh well....we tried and we will try again next year.  Barbie and her girls will probably make another run this season because they really wanted one and don't mind driving that far.

I enjoy this group of ladies and I'm so glad that I was invited to join their group.  The time always flies and we always have such a good time!  I sure do love and appreciate my friends!

Yes I Do!