Happy Birthday to Stephanie and Brett

I'm several days late getting this posted (Matthew you beat me to it this time!) But I do have pics from both Brett and Stephanie's Birthday celebrations. I had fun celebrating your birthdays with you and also watching the boys while you went out! Thanks for the great time in Utah last week. Dad and I love you both!

Brett's Birthday Celebration

Stephanie's Birthday Celebration

Waiting for the candles to be lit!

Aunt Margie, Noah and Cooper

Really???

I had a good laugh today as a ninth grade boy exclaimed after hearing the teacher in Child Development give a lecture about the three stages of Labor and Child Birth...."It is all just too terrible!" I guess we should be grateful that men don't have to go through child birth!

Goodbye to an Old Friend!

She's been my friend for 17 years! She helped make nutritious meals for four growing kids, lollipops for school classes, memorable Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, potluck casseroles for church events, many happy birthday cakes, cookies with grandkids and many, many dishes of Lasagna. She served many different cooks from our four children learning to cook, to cooking by each of our daughter-in-laws and even our son-in-law (great pies, Brett). She worked faithfully day after day keeping us happy and healthy. Her last great dish was this morning with Rick's famous everyday oatmeal in which he put celebration raisins. So we bid you goodbye, our dear friend. Thank you for being so wonderful to us and serving us well!

Our new friend.......

(It looks white here in the picture but it is Bisque color.) Evidentally, manufacturers aren't going to be making bisque color of appliances anymore and facing them out...the new color is a chocolate brown. So since our refrigerator is only three years old and our dishwater less than a year and both are the bisque color, we needed to get our new stove now instead of waiting. I do like the stainless steel appliances though.....well, just dreaming- someday!

Keeping Busy!

Just wanted to post a few more pictures from when Eric and Joy were here. Rick and I enjoy each other's company but family is so important to us. It's hard not to be able to have them around or to visit with them. Today I was thinking about things I'm thankful for. My family is number one followed by the church. But one thing right now that I'm so thankful for is cell phones and blogs that help me keep in touch with my family. I'm so glad that I get to see updates of the grandkids all the time and see how they are growing. I'm also thankful (most days) that I have a job to go to. It keeps me busy and helps pass the time.

I had to laugh at this picture because this is just what Rick does lately when I take pictures of him! A cheesy grin! We love you, Eric!!!

Botanical Gardens

Today we went to the Botanical Gardens to walk around. Even though it is September there were still some beautiful flowers blooming. My first visit to the Botanical Gardens was a year ago when my brothers and sisters came out to visit. This was Rick's first visit. I am constantly amazed at the things that are offered in our city that we didn't know were here or that we never took the time to venture to them in the seventeen years we have lived here.

The Rose Garden

Goldfish in the little streams!

These are big model trains that you can walk through with them going by you.

Happy Birthday, Kaiden and Cooper!

Happy Birthday this week to our grandsons, Kaiden and Cooper!

Monday is Cooper's big 2 year old birthday! He is such a happy little guy and so busy! He is always smiling and laughing. He loves to climb and explore and keep his mom very busy! I love his big brown eyes!!! What a darling little guy he is. We love you, Cooper and hope you have a fun birthday. Wish we could be there to celebrate it with you!

Tuesday is Kaiden's birthday! It's hard to believe that he is four. It seems like just yesterday that he was a little nine month old crawling around our familyroom. Kaiden reminds me so much of his father down to his cute smile and twinkle in his eye. You can tell that he is always thinking about something. I love his hugs when he sees us! Happy Birthday, Kaiden. We love you!

I Miss You All!

I miss my grown children so much especially after just having some of them here visiting. I miss their laughter,chatting, busyness and talks with Rick and me. I miss the help they give dad and I. But most of all I just miss their friendship and just having them here within our four walls again. I long for the days when they were children, when I could hug them everyday, when I would hear the words, "Mom" everyday. Stephanie, Eric, Joy and baby Olivia were all here and now it is quiet....too quiet! It was wonderful having them here even if it was for a short time (Stephanie only for 24 hours.) When the day starts getting lonely I have my cherished memories to get me through. Thank you Heavenly Father for blessing us with wonderful memories to keep.

“Memories are the treasures that we keep locked deep within the storehouse of our souls, to keep our hearts warm when we are lonely.” Becky Aligada

A Great Week!

Happy Birthday, Maddie!

Happy Birthday to our sweet little granddaughter, Maddie! What a cute two year old! Maddie is adorable with such beautiful eyes! When she says "Hi Grandma" it really warms my heart. We love you, Maddie, and hope that you have a wonderful birthday and enjoy your cake and presents! What a fun and exciting time for you!!!

Be My Little Bumblebee - Ouch!!!

For all of you who have been sting by a bee...I now have a lot of compassion for you! Unfortunately, I now know how it hurts! It stings and hurts even five hours later! That cute little bee decided that I was fair game during a fire drill at school. My leg immediately swelled up. I now understand why those who get stung cry....It hurts!!!!

Happy Anniversary, Matthew and Katie

Whoops! I'm a little belated-yesterday was Matthew and Katie's sixth anniversary! I was so busy cleaning and putting away stuff after painting the front bedroom that I forgot to post a blog to say, "Happy Anniversary"! It sounds like they had a great day and a wonderful dinner out! They have grown together a lot in the past six years and we are so happy for the blessings they have received in the last few years. Here's to another great year together!
We love you! Mom and Dad

My Best Friend....

"The most wonderful of all things in life, I believe, is the discovery of another human being with whom one’s relationship has a growing depth, beauty, and joy as the years increase. This inner progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvelous thing; it cannot be found by looking for it or by passionately wishing for it. It is a sort of divine accident, and the most wonderful of all things in life." Hugh Walpole, Sr.

For 34 years, you have been my best friend.....someone who is caring, thoughtful, wise, loving, humorous, hardworking, a great dad and grandpa, a sincere and honest man. Thank you, Rick, for being such a great companion and husband! Happy Anniversary!!! I love you!

Happy Birthday, Joy!

Happy "21st" Birthday to our wonderful daughter-in-law, Joy! What a great wife to Eric and super new mother to little Olivia! We appreciate Joy's loving and caring spirit. She always thinks of others first and brings a shining light to those around her.

Joy, we are so happy you are a part of our family and that Eric is a part of your great family. Hope you have a Happy Birthday today!!!! We love you!

Happy Anniversary, Stephanie and Brett

Today is Stephanie and Brett's 5th year anniversary! Wow, it seems like it was just a few years ago that we went to Mesa for the wedding! Stephanie was such a beautiful bride (a little prejudice here~but she was and is very beautiful)! We love Brett and are very happy that he's our son-in-law! He is a wonderful husband and father. Together with their two sons they have become a great wife, husband, mom, dad and family. We hope that they have a great day and wish them many happy moments in the year to come!

Love ya both, Mom and Dad!

More pictures of Olivia

Eric and Joy...thanks for letting me help out for a week. I just loved every minute of it (especially holding and cuddling Olivia). She is so adorable and cute. I wish you were closer. She would definitely be spoiled by her two grandmothers.