For My Funeral....or Larry's

Whenever someone around my age dies I start thinking about what might be said at my own funeral...what I will be remembered for.  Today I sat at a home while a cute family said there see ya later's to their dad who by the way is six years younger than me.  The family is a friend to Debbie Widdison...actually her son Bryce married into that family.  I was happy to house sit...it made me feel good to serve just a little.  It also made me think a little.  Actually I didn't really think too much about me passing until the Ward brought the flowers home.  I placed them around the house so the table was still available to use and sit at when the family got home.  I sat and smelled the beautiful flowers and admired the gorgeous plants and that's when I thought.....I don't want flowers sent when Larry or I pass away. (I guess if Larry goes first...I guess if I'm gone I wouldn't care)

I'd rather have a card or balloons.  I would like a celebration...not a sad service.  I like balloons...they make me happy.  They might "POP" or float away but that is better than watching them die or try to keep them alive like you would experience with flowers and plants.  I enjoy flowers and I love getting them from Larry but having them surround me...overwhelm me....wouldn't be good.  I think it would make me sad to see all that beauty that cost so much slowly die.

If Larry goes first I will buy balloons and have his collection of stuffed animals on display.  Larry loves stuffed animals and brings one home when we go anywhere on vacation.  It makes me laugh and our room looks cluttered with the big basket over flowing in our corner but that's okay with me because he loves them....so do the grands.  

I would hope that if I go first the same would be done for me.  Balloon instead of flowers...fun music (the Happy Song) and Heartbound to sing...family pictures displayed (there's more in the pantry on the top shelve on the far wall)....fun memories!  I would want my Blog Books displayed and memory pages too, and the book under the computer that has cards and little notes that I have saved because they brighten my day when I need them to.

I hope I am creating a good legacy.  I know I have made plenty of mistakes but I feel like there is always way more good in one's life than mistakes.  I hope my kids and family know that they have always been my favorite.  I hope my friends know that I have always cherished their friendships.  My friends and family are the one's who listen to me. My friends get crazy with me because they know it doesn't matter what others think.  My family and friends build me up.  All my family and friends make me want to be better...they encourage me to be my best.

I hope my "dash" is enough....actually it is enough....I've done my best...am doing my best.  I believe we all do our best.  It is satan that whispers in our ears that we should be doing more...that our best isn't enough....pooh...it is too!  Sometimes I think these times of reflection are good....we always have time to make our "dash" our lives better...it's never too late to be happy or make things better!  The past is past but the future is bright with so many possibilities.

Julie's Day for Celebrating

I'm so glad we have this girl in our family.  Julie adds so much and shares her talents with all us Ropelato's.  Julie is a planner and likes doing things.  However, she usually invites or includes others in her plans.  She reminds me of Larry and I back in the day....maybe a little still.  If we are going to go have fun we would invite others to go with us.  Julie likes to be active and makes life fun.

I was really impressed that she invited Jared and her nephew over on a Friday night to celebrate turning 16.  I think most people would want to have their Friday nights to themselves but Julie knows that 16 is a big deal and wanted to do a little extra for the boys.  The boys had a great time and played at Julie and Kevin's until after 1:00 am and when the boys said they were done Julie brought them home.

Julie is an organizer and she is always the one that helps clean up when dinner is over.  Her talents are different from the other kids and it's nice having so much talent when we are all together.  I love this girl and I'm so happy that she thought my Kevin was cute and wanted to date him.  I'm glad Kevin thought the same about her.  They are a great couple with some very cute little's.

Fun Day with the Birthday Boy

The last few days Jared has asked me what we were going to do on his Birthday.  I really hadn't thought much more than taking him out to dinner but he kind of mentioned that he wanted to go to Cabela's since he had a gift card there.  I thought that was a great idea.  I checked him out of school at his lunch and we went to lunch.  He chose Jimmy John's.  Then we headed to Cabela's.  My favorite part of the day was listening to my son chat and chat.  He talked to me the whole time down to Cabela's and back.  I loved hearing everything he had to say.  

He had a gift card but only bought the blue plaid shirt.  Jared is very conservative.  He really wanted a hoodie but didn't want to pay $50 for it even though he had more than enough money.  I admire him for that.  When we got home Larry asked why he didn't buy ammo for his gun.  Probably because I wasn't any help in knowing what kind or how much.  I told Jared he needs to get one of his brothers to take him down next time....or his dad.

We made it home in time to pick up Kimi from work and then leave for dinner.  Jared chose Red Lobster but even when he was thinking about going there he was concerned about the cost.  Pretty sweet and thoughtful but on birthdays you get to go where you want.  I love Red Lobster because I don't get that heavy, full feeling.  I wasn't very hungry and so I just ordered the coconut shrimp.  Larry and Jared both got the Ultimate Feast and finished it all.  

I really enjoy celebrating my kids on their birthdays.  I really enjoyed this day with Jared and I hope he will remember it as well!  Sweet 16 fits this kid to a "T"!!!

***On the way home there were a few accidents that slowed down traffic.  The Holy Ghost reminded me that I had prayed for safety going and coming home.  He also reminded me that Jared and I left the check out line even though we were next to go look at something he had missed.  I was also reminded that I had to go to the restroom again even though I had just went not long before.  We ended up being another 30 minutes before we left.  Say what you want but I think we were protected by getting out of line from being involved in those accidents on the freeway.  We are loved and protected....so true!

Sweet 16....Sweet!

I can't believe my baby is sixteen!  It seems so weird but also kind of nice.  I think Jared is cute.  He is such a good kid.  Jared loves his momma and still tells me every single day.  He also hugs me everyday...multiple times. (I love it)  Everyone loves Jared especially his nieces and nephews...he's their favorite!  Jared is so good with the little kids and loves playing with them.  Jared is easy going.  He is a hard worker and will help anyone that needs help.  Jared is a kind, sensitive, humble kid.  I'm so glad that he was sent to us.  We knew we had him long before he was born.  (I just always knew there was another boy....Larry needed a little more proof ...he had some spiritual experiences that he needed to agree to another child)  

I love having Jared in our family.  I am thankful that his life has been spared a few times because of our prayers and the priesthood.  I'm not sure why we are so lucky or what mission this kid had here but we are enjoying the journey with him.

Oh how I love each of my kids Birthdays.  I love remembering back to their Birth Day and how I felt welcoming them into this world.  That part I do remember.  I was thrilled greeting each child and loved them each the moment I knew they were on their way.  Being a mommy is a great calling...I love it!

Happy Birthday our cute son.....Your Family Loves You so Much!

Our Family Pictures

We really needed family pictures taken since it's been a few years.(we did snap a few quick pictures last fall but only a few ...mostly for our Christmas card) In the last year Macie, Kelsi and Jordyn joined our family so it was time.  I wanted to wait until Jordyn was born.  We finally made it happen.  Finding a day that works for everyone is hard to do and so we just decided to take our pictures on a Sunday when we were all together.  Julie's sister Jen came and snapped our shots.  I loved how all the pictures turned out.  I had a few ideas in mind and they turned out good.  The light was perfect too and the pictures all looked bright and great.  We were also very fast.  It only took us 1/2 an hour to get all these done.  Fast is best for this family.

A few of the girls asked me what colors we were doing.  I hadn't thought about it and just said whatever.  Kelsi suggested navy and white.  I liked that idea but Braxton remembered we had done that once already.  I thought a little more color with the navy and white would be good and so we decided on turquoise and salmon or coral.  I am happy with the splash of color in our pictures.  I am just happy with our pictures.  I had the pictures narrowed down Sunday night and ordered them Monday and picked them up and have them hanging in my house just two days later.  YeeHaw!

I think we are a cute family and obviously easy to work with.  I appreciate Jen for running over and taking our pictures for us.  We do the same for the Dunkley family when they get their's taken.  I love pictures and the memories they hold with them.

Weekly Tidbits

*Jared asked Maddi to the Homecoming Dance. He put the poster on her porch early Monday Morning.  His poster said: "I'd be a Ding Dong if I didn't ask YOU to Homecoming"  the letters of his name were on the bottom of the ding dongs..he used a big box. Maddi is one of Jared's best friends....he goes to Maddi when he needs to talk.
* Maddi replied the next Morning.  Her poster said something like: "Since this is both of our first dance we should "wing" it together."  She put Hot Wings with it.  I think these two will have fun since they are such good friends...no pressure...just fun.
*We had our Opening Social for SNAP....it was fun and great seeing the participants again.

*I went to see how my dad was and it seriously breaks my heart.  I expected much more than what I saw.  He is so weak and can hardly move his feet.  My sister and I had to help him out of his chair...he couldn't lift himself.  Then when he laid on the couch I had to help move his legs up for him.  It made me realize how important exercise of some kind is so that our bodies stay strong.  I can't see my dad being around long if he continues like this.
*My vacuums are both broke so my house is extra dirty...good thing my carpet is the color of dirt.
*Jared had a few friends over for a little celebration for turning 16.  The boys had a great time!

 *I love Sundays and being surrounded by my kids and grands.  My grands have so much fun together.  They make this gramma's heart smile!

Camping with Book Club

Susan has a cabin up by Monte Cristo and so our Book Club went up to it for the night.  We left early Tuesday morning and started making memories right away.  We were getting a picture and I accidentally hit the stick that was holding the back window up and the lock came down and hit Susan hard in the forehead.  We laughed but it really did hurt her.  We were just glad it didn't make her bleed. (it made us talk about another time when Susan and I were having fun in California together with gramps and Tammy G and Susan feel forward in the Motor home when gramps slammed on the brakes.  We had to turn around and take her to a hospital where she needed a bunch of stitches.)

The drive to her cabin was nice and we enjoyed chatting all the way there.  I was loving the leaves because they are starting to change colors and are so pretty.  Before we knew it we were there and loving the view we had from the cabin.  It was marvelous.  That is why the cabin is where it is....Susan's mother in law loved the view and so they built on top of the mountain.

 We got unpacked a little and watched a movie.  We watched three movies while we were away...."Rat Race, The Ultimate Gift and The Proposal."  We had more but that was good for the time we were there.  That is one of the things we wanted to do together since we never get the chance when we are home.  Susan, Kathy and I went for a walk after the movie.  It was pretty and the temperature was great.  It just felt good to get out and move around in the beautiful out doors.  (Shanna stayed at the cabin and had a little rest)

We played lots of games.  Susan is the Game Queen.  She knows so many fun card games and we had a blast laughing and playing both days.  We played a game similar to "Five Crowns" and "Flip It" and a funny dice game.  The dice game is similar to the M&M game but instead of sucking M&M's you write numbers to 100.  We tried playing "Murder in the Dark" but it isn't much fun with just 4 people.  Susan and Shanna had never played it before so we tried it a few times....it was more funny than fun.  We laughed our guts out until we cried when Shanna told us "she needed a smoke" after a round of cards.  It was so uncharacteristic of her that it made us all burst out in laughter.  (she doesn't smoke)

We went driving around in the evening looking for animals. It had rained pretty good before we left and so we weren't sure if we would see any.  It took a little while but then we saw two deer just ahead of us.  Not long after those two deer we saw a Cow Moose.  The picture is crappy of all the animals but they are there.  Just after seeing the Moose a guy drove by and told us that there were 7 Bucks just down the road playing in a field.  We found them easily and loved watching them. They were all at least 4 points.  We saw a few Does with them....at least one right by them and a few more just down the road.  The Sunset was pretty....the whole mountains were pretty and smelled so wonderful.

I wasn't ready to leave and I don't think Susan was either but Kathy had things she needed to get back for.  We decided this would be a yearly event and we would plan it sooner so we could stay a day or two longer.

I really enjoy getting away with girl friends.  The fun is so different than getting away with family.  Both are good but girl time is greatly needed to refresh the soul and to just relax.  It's so nice not having responsibilities for the time gone.  As soon as I walked in the door my phone went off and I was reminded that I was home again and needed to step into my wife and mother roles.  I started the laundry that was piled in the laundry room. I put on my Taxi hat and took Kimi to work and then picked Jared up from school....and so it is.....life continues on.