Boys Day with Grampa

Grandpa Larry invited the grand sons to come play on Tuesday after school.  It's Larry's day off and since Sadie isn't feeling good we decided a day with the grands would be great instead of our date to the Temple.  The boys were so excited.  They really wanted to play the Wii on Sunday but with all the people here for the party we didn't let them and that's when grandpa invited them.

The grands were really excited and surprised when Grandpa said that he would play with them.  They thought that was pretty cool.  Larry didn't take them home until around 7:30.  Actually Trichelle and TJ came and picked up Zaden and the decorations from Natalie's party that Trichelle had gotten.  When Larry took Parker home he was prepared to help give Macie a blessing.  He ended up helping give on to Mya as well since she had come home with a fever.  (they both had hand/foot/mouth)

These two boys get along really well together and love playing together.  I'm so glad they have each other.  They make this gramma's heart smile!

Natalie's 30

Today is Natalie's birthday and she is now 30.  Justin said his week was crazy and asked if it would be okay to have some friends over after our family dinner.  I told him that would be great.  He got things organized and everything ready.  He had picked up a cake and some ice cream and brought it down early on Saturday.  He had asked Trichelle and Julie to be over that decorating.  They did a good job and it looked really cute.  Natalie made cheese cake too because that's her favorite.  Natalie came down with Mya and Parker and left Justin and Macie home.  Macie has hand/foot/mouth and didn't want to share it.  I felt bad and was going to volunteer to go stay with Macie but I am tending Sadie for a week while her parents are in Hawaii and I was afraid of picking up the virus and passing it to Sadie.  Larry decided that he would go and that when he got home he'd just shower and change clothes.  He's not as involved with the grands as far as holding them and so I agreed with him.  When he got to Justin's instead of staying he was able to bring Justin home with him.  Justin had asked our sweet Cindee to come watch Macie.  Cindee watched our kids when they were young and has worked for Larry since she was sixteen and our family adores her. I was glad that Justin thought to ask Cindee and she was too.  Cindee is so awesome!

Natalie was surprised and she even wiped a tear away.  I wiped a few tears away as well.  Justin told me that when he asked Natalie what she wanted this year she told him she just wanted to feel appreciated.  WooHoo...Justin had that covered and was relived that he had nailed it.  It was fun having Natalie's sisters and their families come.  I like Natalie's family and being around them.  They are good people.  About the time the sisters left some more friends showed up.  We found out that Justin had text people different times.  He got his address and our address confused in most of the texts too but everyone found us.

It was fun celebrating Natalie.  We are so glad that Natalie is in our family.  She is such a wonderful gal.  When it comes to cooking or baking we turn to Natalie.  She is so good to Justin and their little's and for that I am very happy.  I was right when I suggested for Justin to date her.  Natalie is a keeper!

"Play"ing Around...The Nerd

I was nervous about driving to Orem tonight because of all the snow we have been getting.  It ended up being nice when it was time to go and the roads were still clear when we came home.  I went and bought some more Hostess Snowballs and we had a little snowball fight in the car before we left.  That way everyone had a treat for intermission as well.

I'm glad we didn't miss this play.  It was hilarious and the actors were so great.  I really wish I had thought sooner so that Barbie would have said something earlier because it would have been funny for us all to come in Nerd Glasses.  A kid in front of us didn't forget and it was funny!

We went to a little Sandwich Shop before and I was the last one to order and had to choose which table to sit at because their wasn't a table big enough for the six of us.  Barbie, Heather and Natalie were at one and Carol and Cari were at the other.  It really was obvious that I should sit with Carol and Cari since they were sitting side by side like a couple and there were two empty chairs in front of them but I didn't.  I sat in the empty chair by Natalie.  It wasn't long before Cari moved across from Carol. ☺  Before we were completely finished a musician asked Carol and Cari to move because he was going to set up there.  First they get left sitting side by side and then they get booted out...it was funny and I'm glad they have "thick skin"...(those were Carols words.)

From the beginning of the play I thought the "Nerd" sounded familiar.  I realized a  while later that his voice reminded me of Daniel from Special Needs.  His expressions were very similar too.  We had a good time.  I love "Play"ing with these cute ladies!

Gramma.....want to come with us?

I knew Trichelle was coming to take Kimleighel to get their eyebrows done and I was thrilled when Ivy came in and asked me if I wanted to join them!  I jump at every chance I get to be with my kids if circumstances permit me to.  I left what I was doing and went right out.  We didn't do much else but the time it took to drive to the Mall and back was nice to have.  The technique used on the brows was pretty cool.  The technician had string around her fingers and in her mouth.  She moved it around and it takes the unwanted hair out.  It was fascinating to me.  The gal is fast too and the girls eyebrows looked so precise and good.  Trichelle and Kimleighel got their dads genes for brows.  They have to have theirs cleaned up and I have to tattoo mine on.  I think my girls are beautiful.  I loved spending that hour or so with Trichelle and her kids.  I was happy that the grands wanted to stay and play.  We even let them spend the night.  I hope they will always want to come hang out at our house.  I can't help but think...."It's the little things in life that matter!"

Hooper Honey's

Sometimes when I leave my friends I regret some of the things I said.  Our conversations replay in my mind and I think: "I shouldn't have commented" but by then it's too late.  Today we were talking about some challenges of our kids and the thought came to me and out my mouth...."that is their challenge and we just need to love them and help them through it."  My "Natalie" had told me that when they found out Macie was coming to us with a cleft lip and pallet.  Even though it is Macie's challenge it does affect her parents and even the rest of us to some point.  Our kids are part of us and so they are forever connected and when they hurt or struggle we experience heartache too.  I believe these things but worry that I might have come across some other way than I intended.  Hopefully my friends know me well enough to understand what I meant when I said it.  I would never want to offend or hurt my friends.  I admire these gals!  They are all so strong and are doing well with their challenges.  They help me to be better and I hope that I can do the same for them.

We went to Sweet Bee's Bakery in Fruit Heights and the GPS on my car doesn't know how to get there. ☺ It got us close and we were still on time but it send us way north of where we needed to be.  (Kari came with me)  I even entered the address twice because I was worried about the South and North.  I like GPS but don't trust them completely for this reason. (I might be the problem...I know that)

I took Hostess Snowballs and we had a little Snowball fight.  We have a lot of snow and we may as well be celebrating it right?  Tammy  used her snowballs for "other things". ☺haha We sure have a lot of fun together.  I'm glad we are starting a New Year and starting our lunch dates again.  I always look forward to being with my friends.  I love My Hooper Honey's!

Food 4 Thought Friday

Food 4 Thought Friday!

A little feast without the calories!!

Feel free to play along for some yummy fun! Go HERE to JOIN IN!!!

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Breakfast ~ What is something you eat a lot? Pasta and Sweets

Lunch ~ Name something you should have never done. Thrown my right hip out to hold little kids on when I was young.  I made my back crooked and have back aches often now because of it. Name something you wish you would have done.  I wish I would have went to a chiropractor  to get it straightened.  I wish I would have used moisture cream when I didn't need it.

Dinner ~ What is your alter ego? I think I'd say a dancer on Broadway.  When I watch awesome dancers it moves my soul and I really wish that I could be one of them. (sometimes I think I might have been in another life...even a "black dancer"....they're beautiful)

Midnight Snack ~ What is the last thing you lost? some glassed that I wear at night when I don't have my contact in. (they use to be Trichelle's but work pretty good for me)  I couldn't find them for about a week and even said a prayer asking for help in finding them.  I was holding some things with my knees reaching for a hoodie shirt and something dropped on the floor.  There were the glasses...dropped right down from Heaven. (I'm pretty sure they had been in the hoodie pocket)

Recipe for the Week ~ (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for the week?) Don't Give Up!  We all get hard days and have hard things that affect our lives but we must never give up.  You didn't come this far only to come this far!

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busy thursday

When I was with my Bonneville Buds last night I got a text with a picture of two candy bars.  It didn't hit me until I got home why Larry would send me a picture of candy bars.  Kevin and Julie's twins are a girl and a boy!  Woo Hoo ....so very happy and excited!

I love Thursdays.  I get up and ready and go bowling.  Today I had a hard time knocking down the pins I didn't get with the first ball.  Not sure what my problem was since the others didn't seem to be having much of a problem.  I was kind of feeling bad that I was 20 or more pins under my average until I thought about the other team beating us close to 100 pins each game.  (they did lots better than their averages)  Another 20 pins wouldn't have made a big difference and so I didn't let it get to me.  I love bowling because it's a form of exercise that's fun and there are lots of great ladies I get to see and visit with each week.  So maybe I should restate that and say I love to GO bowling instead of I love bowling.  Some of my hero's are at bowling every Thursday.  I admire my older friends that have the strength and energy to throw those balls down the lanes.  There are some pretty amazing ladies out there.  I like the hugs I get too....Sylvia gives the best hugs!  So many ladies find Sylvia every week to get one of her hugs.

After bowling I had a short break and then went to Daughters of Utah Pioneers.  It was interesting and I enjoy listening to stories told of pioneers.  There are so many interesting things told each month at our meetings. They talked about steam boats today. I really like getting to know the ladies in this group as well.  They are all so nice.

I didn't have a whole lot of time before it was time to go to SNAP.  I had to run to the phone store and give permission for my kids to be added to our plan and make some changes since I wasn't able to go with them tonight.  I decided that since I didn't have much time I would just make hash browns and french toast for dinner.

I had just enough time to hug and kiss Larry before leaving for SNAP.  I picked up Barbie and Karleigh for SNAP.  I enjoy visiting on the way.  It's so much nicer than driving by myself.  I made a few of the participants crack up tonight.  We started learning a song for the Production and I got a little tongue tied.  Ryan was on my left and Samantha was on my right and they both bust a gut laughing at me.  I was glad that I could make them laugh.  haha ☺

I was over the activity tonight and wanted to play Bingo but came up with a "Life Skill" that we could tie in with playing Bingo.  We talked about Sportsmanship.  How it's important to be a good sport in everything.  How it's important to be a good sport when you win or loose.  The girls had some good input and then we played Bingo.  They were all really good sports.  At the end of the night I asked them what they had learned.  There was more learned that I had planned on learning. Their responses included: sportsmanship, sharing, kindness, love, helping each other, caring.  I was please that all those things were noticed.  Girls were helping others close to them that needed help.  If they had already won a treat they chose someone who hadn't.  I turned out good and everyone had a great time.

Barbie shared a little story with me about my 2nd counselor that I want to remember.  While I was on the cruise Dyan was in charge of the activity.  In the prayer meeting that we have before opening exercised Dyan leaned over to Barbie and said he thought she might be over that activity but had forgotten until right then.  Barbie confirmed that she was over it and Dyan said no worries...just give me a minute.  Barbie said that if she hadn't known that Dyan had forgot that she would have thought she spent lots of time preparing.  She used the chalkboard and talked about resolutions, which included healthy eating and exercise.  She made a little coarse that the girls went around and had them exercise at different points along the way.  I love the women I work with...they are awesome!