Happy Birthday to my Son....Kevin

I had to figure out how old Kevin was on this birthday...the numbers are moving quickly it seems.  He is 27 but I was thinking he was 25.  It's crazy I'm telling you....life happens fast.  I enjoy this son of mine.  He has always been a fun kid.  He is a good daddy and has such a cute family.  Kevin loved football from the time he was born and so it's cool that he is coaching now at Roy Jr.  Teaching and Coaching is nice because it allows him to spend lots of time with his family plus he's really good at it.

Kevin is a sensitive and kind kid.  He cares about others and their feelings.  He is smart and things have always come to him easily.  He is funny and continues to make us laugh.  He always came up with such funny sayings....he still does.

It's funny....it doesn't matter how old your kids get, as a mom you still see them as your babies.  I still care about their feelings and how they are doing.  I do enjoy watching them grow and become spouses and parents. It's fun seeing how they do things.  I think Larry and I did okay because our kids are doing good.  (either that or we really blew it and they are changing things up)  Larry and I often say that we just hope our kids can do and be better than us and that the pattern continues...oh our posterity!

Weekly Tidbits

***My fun book club went to lunch and the movie on Monday.  Shanna set this up and it was so much fun.  It always is because we're all fun and have such fun memories together.  We went to Red Robin for lunch and then we went and saw The Hundred Foot Journey.  I really liked this show....I left wishing it to would have gone on. I love my book club even if we don't talk about books too much.  I did see Shanna return a book to Kathy so I guess we can still call ourselves a book club.  We are planning an over night trip to Susan's Cabin soon and I'm really excited...more fun memories coming our way!
***It was time for some "Tammy Time" and so I ran out to her house.  We visited and time flew as always.  We decided we were hungry and went to get breakfast at Kneaders but we were about 15 minutes late and so we had lunch.  Then I talked Tammy into going with me to Farmington Station because I wanted to get Trichelle a birthday gift from Home Goods. I found a few very cute things for Trichelle and even something for Julie's birthday.  We were right by Ross and so we went there to see if they had picture frames and "Bingo" they had what I wanted.  I needed a few frames to put Kelsi and Julie's bridal's in....I like what I found. The pictures are now up on my wall. WooHoo!  I love Tammy and our time together.

 ***I didn't tell anyone that I didn't have anything going on Wednesday and so I was able to enjoy staying home and getting a few things done.  My visiting teacher came in the morning and I did tell her but that's all.  I enjoyed my alone time that day but wouldn't want it all the time.

***This is how we found out that Braxton and Kelsi are having a girl. (Sadie Lou...I think)  I am so excited to have another little grand daughter.  Oh my heck I love my grands!

***Carla has invited me out to lunch for my birthday a few times but we couldn't get days that were good for both of us and so Thursday after bowling (winter league started) she took me to lunch.  I love Carla and I'm so impressed with her inner strength.  She has lost over 20 lbs simply by giving up a few things.  She looks and feels great.  I admire this girl that is so kind and caring and pretty darn wonderful.  I'm excited that bowling has started again because that means I will get to see and visit with Carla every week.  I'm so glad that she joined our league.  Carla has a talent to organize and wants to come help me.  I get nervous because I hang onto stuff and might not want to let it go.  Maybe I will play the Frozen Soundtrack to help me out.  I'm going to take a big breath and let Carla in to help me get rid of the stuff that I do not need or use.  (my heart quickened in just typing that...I kind of like my stuff)  I am thankful for this girl and all my friends that love me!

***TJ Trailers had a Retirement Luncheon for Ken.  Larry arranged for Sizzler to cater a lunch for everyone that works at TJ Trailers and their spouses.  It wasn't fancy being in the shop and all but it was good.  Ken is a great guy.  He and Larry have been working together for about 20 years (maybe more).  Ken use to work for Coast and sold to Larry--TJ's...then when he left Coast Larry offered him a job.  Ken and Carol were very appreciative and a little emotional.  They love TJ Trailers and the employee's there.  Ken will be missed but everyone is excited that he and his cute wife get to work in the Temple now....their pay check just went up! ☺

You are of Worth.....ALWAYS!

Today while visiting with my sweet visiting teacher we discussed many things.  One thing that we talked about before she left was how no matter what we are of worth.  I wanted to jot this down because I feel strongly that more than ever we all need to realize this.  No matter what choices we make...and believe it or not there will be some wrong choices made by each of us.....those choices DO NOT change our WORTH!  Wrong choices help us grow and learn and become closer to our Savior.  Wrong choices are going to happen....that's just part of this wonderful life.  That is also why we have a Savior.....ONE who atoned for each of us and loves us Unconditionally.  I am thankful that I have always believed that but also now feel and know it.  It took repenting and heart ache and making mistakes to actually know of His Love... His Unconditional Love.  ♥

In life so many things are conditional.  You have to do this to get that.  There are so many conditions.  However, the love and acceptance of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is Unconditional....Always!  I feel peace in knowing that.  I know that I am loved by Them no matter what dumb mistakes I make.  They know exactly why I made the mistakes I have and are really good at forgiving and forgetting.  They don't judge either....they totally understand.  I am glad that I know this and feel it.  It makes it so much easier living my life.  I don't need to worry or care what others might think or that others will even understand because I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ do!  It's true...They do!

 Sometimes things happen to us that we do not agree upon.  Those things do not take away our worth.  No matter what we choose or what others choose for us we are still just as worthy to be loved and valued as we were before.  I recently saw a message from a 50 year old man that was abused by an older guy when he was just 12.  He kept that naughty secret for 38 years.  During those years he hated himself and felt worthless.  He turned to drugs and anger and had a lot of problems.  Finally he is sharing his secret and it has freed himself. He doesn't have to carry that secret anymore and it doesn't have a hold on him like it did for all those years.  If you have a secret like that.....tell someone who loves you.  Don't let those kind of secrets control and affect your life.

In this life we are going to be exposed to things that we wouldn't choose.  We need to learn from these things and let them make us stronger.  Be strong enough to say No to the things that we have been taught and know in our souls to be wrong.  Be stronger than the temptation.  There is joy in being in control of your choices and your life instead of letting addictions control us.  One myth that there is in this life is that the commandments of God are controlling.  That is not true at all.  The commandments keep us safe and free.  (free from addictions)  Find the joy and power in you by keeping the commandments.

Don't let the unkind words or actions of others define you.  You are a child of God who loves you.  He knows each of us and has given us our own strengths and talents.  No matter what others think or say always remember YOU ARE OF WORTH......ALWAYS! (our worth is also unconditional....just being ourselves is enough!)

weekly tidbits

I got to watch Parker and Macie while Mya went to Back to School Night with her mom.  I love these little's.  On Sunday Trichelle gave Parker this cute shirt that is absolutely perfect for him.  It says: Always be yourself UNLESS you can be BATMAN then always be Batman!  For months Parker has called himself Batman...that's his name and he's stickin to it!   So a perfect gift for him.  I believe they gave Mya a necklace with an "M" which was little and cute just like her!  I love how much Macie smiles now and how she wiggles her little wrists....oh they make me smile.  I was talking to Mya went she got back and my eyes filled with tears.  It's so strange having my grands be so big.  Ivy is going into 4th grade, Mya and Kamryn in 1st and Zaden in Kindergarten.  Parker gets to go to preschool.  So strange since I remember so well when my kids were that age.

***My dad was in the hospital last week but has moved to a rehab center. (the same one my mom went to after her knee surgery)  I heard he is doing better and actually drinking water.  I'm still going to get a picture of him drinking water since I couldn't remember ever seeing him drink water.

(Lynn Halpin, Me, Teri Adam, Becky Lyons...maiden names)

***I met some Bonneville Buds for dinner on Tuesday night.  It was so nice visiting with these ladies.  I look at them and see such beauty.  Having only four of us was kind of nice because everyone was able to add to the conversation and did.  It's kind of funny that Becky, Lynn and I all have younger kids and the same kind of problems with them.  I think it's because they are boys and all their names start with "J".  I love staying connected with childhood friends....it's so much fun!

***I got to sub the last day of the summer league.  I love the last day because it's always so much fun.  The games are different and fun.  The first game if you threw one ball and if you got an even amount of pins you automatically got a strike.  If you left an odd number of pins you got a spare.  It was fun and my score was good.  There were also colored pins and if you left one you had to pay a quarter to a bank with a balloon the same color as the pin.  I ended up paying one quarter the last frame.  The 2nd game was a normal game however if you got a strike or spare you got to play a memory game that had prizes.  I won two prizes.  I also had a very good game and took a picture to prove that I really can bowl. (for my boys)  The 3rd game if you got 7 pins your first ball it was considered a strike.  I never got seven so the strikes I showed were real.  On the 3rd game if there was a colored pin for the head pin and you got a real strike you got to take a bank with the same color of balloon.  My team never had a colored head pin to even try for a bank. (I've won them in previous years)  On the summer league they serve lunch.  This year the lunches were amazing!  The gal that did them knows how to cook and went all out.  She even decorated the serving tables with bright flowers every week.  In other years the food was limited and there was never left overs.  This year you could take what you wanted and there was always left overs.  This gal was awesome!  I'm glad I got to add to the tip envelope for her since I didn't have to pay to play this summer.  Joy is the lady in the picture with me.  Joy is so much fun just like the other ladies....I love them all!

***I went and checked on my dad.  He is in a rehab center and going great.  I had to get a picture of him drinking water since he seldom does.  I told him that he really needs to drink water every day even if he doesn't like it.  His body needs pure water to keep it working right.  He's a funny guy.  My sister was there when I got there and my mom came before I left so we all had a fun visit.

***Friday Larry and I went to the Temple.  We got out at 9:30 and it looked about like this picture.  The Logan Temple is so beautiful...I love it.  Even though we had a few sandwiches on our way to the Temple Larry wanted to stop and get something more and so I agreed.  We just stopped at a Burger King and to my surprise we sat and ate our order.  Larry then stopped and filled up with gas which was getting low.  It's a good thing we did both these things.  There were a few HUGE boulders that had slid in the Canyon and it was closed.  We had to take an alternate route which took us 45 minutes longer to get home.  (I was so tired)  Had we not stopped for food or gas there is a really good chance we would have been in the canyon when the slide happened.  I totally believe it was an answer to our prayers to be delayed.  I had even prayed on our way up that we would be safe this night as we all traveled in the storm.  (we were all safe) Prayer is a powerful thing!
***I was told that I light up a room when I walk in! ☺

33 how can that be?

My first born...the one that made my dreams come true is 33 years today....how in the world can that even be?  Time really does happen quickly.  I love this daughter of mine.  She has always been such a joy to me.  She is so cute, smart, fun, talented, kind, caring and absolutely wonderful.  I love that she is discovering who she really is.  I have always admired my cute girl.  I have always prayed that she would realize and see what I have always seen in her.  She's a head of me....always has been....it took me longer to realize who I am...I'm still learning....she's starting to get it.  I guess part of life is learning who we are...getting a glimpse of what Heavenly Father knows.  It's a process and rewarding when we start to see.  This child (and all my children) makes me so proud to be the Mommy!  I get so much joy when I introduce my children to others.

I wanted to be sure that today was special for Trichelle.  I wanted to make sure she celebrated her day of birth.  We planned on going to breakfast and then out to dinner with our guys.  I didn't realize that Larry was off and so I invited him to come to breakfast.  TJ was also off and so Trichelle had invited him and so it worked out great.  We all went to Mt Ogden Grill.  I've been there for lunch a few times and have liked it and Trichelle and TJ love going to dinner there but breakfast wasn't as good today for us.  Oh well it's not about the food as much as spending the time with our kids.

We stopped by my mom's after so she wouldn't have to mail Trichelle's card.  The guys helped her put boards up against my dad's work shed which seriously made me laugh.  I have never really stopped and looked closely at my dad's hideout.  It's not quite what my mom had in mind when she gave dad permission to build it.  It totally cracks me up how scrapped out it is.  (Braxton takes after my dad)  Trichelle helped my mom get her curtain off the rod.  (I tried but was pushing the rings instead of pulling them.....I tell you....Trichelle is a smartie)

TJ is taking Trichelle to assignment shops and little antique shops all over Utah today for her birthday.  I am glad that she is getting to do what she wants and that TJ is going with her.  That is what a great guy does.  No golfing today...it's her birthday and they are doing things that she wants.  I'm glad that they are taking the whole day and even staying over somewhere and that she gets to do what she loves.  I hope this cutie has a wonderful day.....she is wonderful and has made my life wonderful!

Wicked

I enjoyed the evening with Kimleighel.  We started off by eating at home (we weren't hungry) and then we headed to SLC.  The roads were tore up and I couldn't get into the parking lot by the Capital Theater but I remembered about a parking garage NW of the Capital and so we went there.  Kimleighel was so excited and that alone was worth it to me.  I knew she would love going to Wicked and I think that she secretly resents  not choosing to go with me and the girls a few years ago. (she wanted a birthday party...not just the play....but then again it was her 16th birthday....I would have chose the way she did)  Anyway this was a great excuse for me to go again.  I really wanted Kimleighel to see Wicked and she loved it....really loved it!  When it was over she told me she didn't want it to end.

I knew that she would enjoy it.  My girls take after me in so many ways and theater is one of them.  They love musicals and plays the way I do.  I think my boys take after their dad....however I do think a few of the boys would enjoy them if they went.

I loved spending the night with Kimleighel and listening to her chat about everything that makes her happy.  Those moments make me happy! I really liked this play.  I like how it shows that people are not always as they appear.  How sometimes people will gossip about another so they look good.  How some people don't try to get even and will just go on with their life.  How in the end it works out.

We need to be true to ourselves.  We need to treat others kindly and stick up for them if others aren't as kind.  We need to sing and dance.  We need to be mindful of our gifts and not let the past hold us back.  We need to remember we are all important and special.

Party in Logan

Denece asked me a few weeks ago if every day was a party for me.  I told her that I try to make everyday a party and so she invited me to Logan. (I need to go back in a month or so when the leaves change...she remembered that I love that canyon in the fall)  We were going to try to get facials but it's not very easy for me to play on Saturdays unless it's with my family and so we settled for lunch. (Denece doesn't work on Saturday) Denece took off at noon and we Partied. (wink) We went to Beehive Grill and had a really yummy lunch and a wonderful conversation.  Denece told the waitress that I had been her bridesmaid and even though her marriage hadn't lasted our friendship had.  We met at CeCe's Day Care (around 1978) and have been friends ever since.

I admire Denece so much.  She has not had an easy life but has pushed forward and has a good life now.  Denece is talented and has a knack for making things cozy.  Her cute little house is so inviting and I love it.  Denece is kind and a very good person.  She is a great friend.

I'm glad that we could spend the day together.  After lunch we went shopping and then we sat in her cute little car and talked some more.  I am thankful for Denece!