2014

Last year was a great year.  I was happier than any other year...which I think should be said every year ...we should always continue to improve our lives and our out look on life so it should always be better.

I look forward to this year.  I look forward to being kinder.  I am going to purposely watch for ways that I can show kindness to others daily.  I am going to continue giving out "Scatter Sunshine" bags.  I am going to compliment and smile and be happy.  I'm going to continue having fun and making fun happen.

We have lot's of things planned this year.  A few vacations...Puerto Rico, California, Washington DC, Hawaii and a cruise to Alaska. We have a few weekends scheduled for camping. We have a few babies joining our family.  Macie Marie is expected to arrive January 7th and Kevin and Julie's little one in July.  Oh I love adding to our family.  Speaking of adding to our family....Braxton has chosen his wife, Kelsi Bangerter.  I'm not sure the exact date of their marriage yet but in the spring when school is out. I'm so excited for the things ahead.  I welcome 2014!

"At the advent of a New Year, I challenge Latter-day Saints everywhere to undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I call the abundant life----a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness,,and blessings.  May we remember these (things) as we begin our journey into the New Year, cultivating a positive attitude, a belief that we can achieve our goals and resolutions, and the courage to face whatever challenges may come our way.  Then the abundant life will be ours." President Thomas S. Monson

Wrapping Up Another Year!

Another year has come to an end.  I can't believe how fast the years come and go these days.  I would consider this past year one of my favorites.  My attitude was so much better and I helped others to smile.  I looked for ways to help people and I consciously smiled more. I looked for opportunities to make fun happen.  I just felt so much better which goes to show that when we are thinking and doing for others and keeping a positive out look on life it is just better!

I love how we celebrate the ending of one year and welcome another.  For about 20 years (or more) we have spent this day with our dear friends...the Jones's.  We include our families which I have really enjoyed.  Family means everything to me and so why not celebrate with them.  We go bowling and then trade off who's house we go to.  This year we got to host the dinner and party.  It doesn't matter who hosts because we all help and it is fun. The advantage to hosting is you are usually in bed sooner since we live a ways from each other.

I'm not going to lie.....having Dave gone left a huge void!  I could imagine him at the front desk talking to the owner of Morgan Lanes...laughing.  I "saw" him with Larry and sitting by Vicki patting her leg. I couldn't help but tear up a few times!  Dave left a great legacy.  We all miss him so much!

For dinner we had crab, shrimp, chicken and salads.  Dave would have liked that.  We did it in honor of him.  We all enjoyed our dinner which kind of surprised me since we all snacked so much at the bowling alley.  I loved the noise of everyone enjoying our time together.

After dinner we played games.  The kids played pool and shot the basketballs and played barbies and dress up and had such a great time.  The adults played a few card games.  This year one of the tables played the Dave Jones game.  It's a card game similar to phase 10 and years ago we started calling it the Dave Jones game.  I think it's because Dave liked it so much.  We had hours to play and those hours flew by too.  Before we knew it horns were blowing and people were screaming and couples were kissing and the New Year had begun.  The kids went outside to watch the fireworks from the streets close by. Some kids were actually asking to go to bed...it was wonderful!

I'm looking forward to the New Year.  I plan on just doing what I have been doing and when I am prompted to do something new ... I will!

Lorrilee and Me

It's been awhile since Lorrilee and I have visited and so we decided to go to lunch.  It was a 3 hour lunch and would have been longer but I had things I needed to do...which by the way didn't get done because I didn't have time by the time we said our good byes.

I cherish my friends.  I care about them all so much and their families.  I love hearing how they are doing and what is going on in their lives.  I'm proud of Lorrilee and how she faced her cancer and conquered it.  She was so positive through all her treatments and always wore a smile.  She didn't get discouraged.

Lorrilee is such a great example.  I am so glad that we have been friends for so long. (almost 30 years) It has been fun raising our kids together, and learning and growing from each other.  It has been fun making memories and making our friendship stronger.

Oh how I love my friends!  What a blessing friends are!

Happy Birthday Larry Joe

This year Larry wanted to have a cook-out with our kids instead of going to dinner with the others that share his birthday. (Cole & Suzie)  Last year he mentioned it and this year we did it!  It was so much fun having everyone over for the day.  Justin ordered Vegas Steaks and came and cooked them.  Larry paid for the steaks and we took care of the drinks and the kids brought side dishes to go with it.  It was yummy!

The kids all came at 2:00 and they didn't leave until that evening.  It was so much fun and Larry loved it!

I love Larry!  He is such a great guy!  He just keeps getting better.  He cleaned the pantry Dec 24 and my side of the garage.  He is so fast when he cleans and does a great job.  Then on Dec 26 he cleaned the upstairs room.  My car was full a few times with things for the DI or Rescue Mission.  Larry's truck was full with garbage.  It is so nice to have those rooms cleaned.  I dread the hall closet but I am encouraged now and that will be a project for the new year.  If Larry had more days off I bet he would just do it.  He doesn't clean much but when he does he gets a lot done quickly.

Larry is a wonderful dad and husband.  I hope my kids have paid attention so they will do as good of job at both callings. (so far so good)  Larry treats me good and still makes me laugh.  He is my favorite guy!  Larry is a good friend and I know many consider him one of their best friends.  He is nice to everyone and has a huge heart.  Larry is a spiritual GIANT and has always tried to please Heavenly Father and Jesus...I think he has done a great job.  I love that Larry is my Eternal Companion....Together we have had a good life...and raised some pretty awesome kids.  I'm glad we chose each other.  I'm thankful that Larry was born.  I'm thankful that he has lived a good life.  I Love Larry!

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas

                                 

This Christmas was so wonderful!  No one complained, everyone was grateful, we thought of others more than ourselves.  It was what Christmas should be like.

Diana and Gaby came from Mexico and arrived on Dec 24.  They ended up staying with Gramps and Braxton.  They are sisters and Braxton met them on his mission. They expected nothing but I was able to come up with some gifts for each of them.  It wasn't a lot but I know it made them feel loved.  I even had a little cloth bag and stocking for their stocking stuff. (Larry & I shared our stocking stuff) 

The kids each got a stuffed toy, which my kids all still love.  They also got one more present and they were thrilled.  It was more than they expected and just being thought of made them smile.  I truly have some of the best kids ever born.  They never ask for much if they ask for anything at all.  Santa left a few things under the tree.  I don't think Santa paid very close attention this year to what he was leaving.  The sled was for people under 80 lbs, (I told my kids they could ride it anyway) and the Wii game was really a Wii U. (oops....silly Santa)  He also left a few new barbies for the grands to play with.

After some doughy cinnamon rolls we got ready and went around to the married kids homes so the grands could show us what Santa brought them.  I love seeing their excitement.  They are so stinkin cute!

Later in the day we went to my mom and dads where things get crazy.  We all squeeze in their little house and my mom gives out Christmas.  My mom always makes it so fun for the little ones.  She collects gifts all year for them.  Even though the space is limited I love having us all there together. Susan and a few of her kids were there also.

It gets a little hectic and this year Trichelle's card got lost.  Trichelle didn't have her kids later when we went and so she was just planning on visiting Grandma another day.  Between me and Julie we were making sure that their gifts were kept together and put in the Santa Sack grandma has for our family. The card got lost for a few days but when Trichelle made it to my mom's the card was there.  I was so glad because mom thought that me or one of my kids had it with our things.

We stopped on our way home and visited Larry's mom and Clark.

It was just a peaceful, perfect kind of day!  A Very Merry Christmas!

Ropelato Christmas Party

I love our Ropelato Family Christmas Party.  There are a lot of us now and it's harder to fit into one place but I love having us all together.  This year Becky and Jeff hosted it at their new house.  Their house fits us all easily.  It's so nice and big and open.  They built it so they could have people over.

I love our traditional Lasagna Dinner and the performance of the Nativity.  Every year I reminisce over the previous years when our big kids were the actors....now it's their kids!  In the earlier days we might have had one angel...these days we have a lot.  (we even had some in the back ground) I love the expressions on the children's faces...I believe they know how important their parts are.

I love visiting and catching up with everyone.  I love playing Jeopardy and seeing how competitive everyone is. I also love how smart we all are!  It's just so fun for me.

I love that Santa visits and gives the kids new socks.  I love watching my little's get excited about their socks and how they like to put them on right away.  I just love this time of year and all the hustle and bustle and family time!  It's the best!

Family Christmas Party

I Love our little Family Party.  It's so fun to see the excitement of each family member.  This is the time that our kids exchange gifts with each other.  We rotate each year so that every kid always has someone different to exchange with each year.  The grands also exchange gifts with each other. It is fun watching them exchange.  It is so obvious the love they share with each other.  I hope it will always be this way.  We also give our gifts to the grands and married kids.  I like giving the grands a new Christmas book each year and then they get their traditional cereal.  I actually think they look forward to the cereal....some of them tell me what their favorite is. ☺

 This year we didn't decorate Gingerbread Houses....we were cutting back and so I didn't pick any up.  Instead we decorated sugar cookies.  The kids had a great time and did a good job.  I think we might do this again next year.

 I love my family and love the time that we spend together.  We missed Ivy this year which always stinks. (she was in Disneyland with her dad and his family)  I love Christmas and the Spirit of Jesus that is felt throughout the season.  I love talking about Jesus and discussing His birth.  I love all the beautiful music that makes you feel good.  I love the lights and presents and Santa.  Everything about Christmas is symbolic and wonderful.  This time of the Year really is the Best time of the Year!