We have a VIKING GRADUATE

OH...so much in my head. LOVE THIS BOY/MAN!!!! GOld Cords!!!! (4 years all straight A's!!!!) Braun, Beauty AND Brain!!!:) Not PROUD or anything. Anyway...off to do my part for the all night party....will blog more later.

Glimpses of Heaven

This Cecil Brunner climbimg rose is one of the delights of my every spring...the baby buds are just breath taking. It lonly lasts about 3 weeks, but the three weeks are glorious...I'll take another picture for you when it is just COVERED!!
I have the throw up flu. Or maybe my body is just freaking out in rebellion to Josh graduating and yet another baby to fly the coop.

Memorial Day

Jeremy came to fetch the girlies and I talked him into coming to the cemetery with us. It's so interesting how we kids don't find any comfort or have an affinity for visiting there. I go every few months to make sure that it is maintained, and on days like today I want OTHERS to know how much we love them so I take flowers, etc...but we KNOW that they aren't there...they are off busy on their next life adventure...and still tending to us. Anyway. It was good to be together (Megan had to work)and BOTH Grandma's would have enjoyed the lunch at Brick Oven with us:) The weather as you can see is PATHETIC. I don't remember having so much rain in Utah...and still SO CHILLY... we about blew away at the cemetery.

In remembrance...we are so grateful for these 2 woman who gave us life, taught us how to love and live and give and smile and enjoy. They are eternally bound to us and we them. Until we meet again, may we live our lives in a way they would be pleased.

Carolyn Steadwell Broadhurst
Lillian Simmons Steadwell

AGAIN...you must go to the SANDERS blog

Be sure NOT TO MISS Jamie's blog...the first video of the girls carrying the injured girl around the bases and the second of the boys jumping into their jeans...

Lots of Loving

The weather was so bad on Friday all of Sam's games were rained out. Even though the sun came through every now and again yesterday, it was STILL dang cold.Uncle Don helped Spencer start his golf green (we gave Spencer half the garden) and then tilled the other half of the garden for me...it's a LATE start, but we're excited to get going FINALLY...this darn weather!
Kori is being treated to a spa weekend with her sister in Tahoe--SO LUCKY ME!!!! I get Haven and Elle the whole weekend. :) LIFE IS GOOD. They just sit and sit in front of the chicks holding them one at a time. Then we move out the kittens...we remembered that Haven is a photographer and most of the pictures brought to you today are the sweet work of Haven!
Dear cousins...WE WISH YOU WERE HERE WITH US!!! We are making cinnamon rolls for breakfast, strawberry cupcakes with strawberry icing for a snack, hot dogs and mac n cheese for lunch, a walk in the canyon to see the waterfall...and church of course. Then tonight they will sleep in the PRINCESS BED and watch Princess videos.Yep, LIFE IS GOOD!!!

Like I have time...

Okay Okay...the answer is NO, I have not finished the last quilt I started, but you have to admit--this one is adorable!!!! And summer is coming, and now that I have the fabric...it CAN HAPPEN:)

Off to Sam's Tournament in Payson. Guess I'll have to take the coats and mittens...GEEzZ!

Went to a yoga class after my spin class today...just let me say, I AM A WUSS. My arms are still shaking.

TGIF!!! I'm just watching for a miracle. I have some great ideas in mind.

NEW FEATHeRS

Don't ya just LOVE it when the chicks start to get their feathers? If anyone needs a kitten snug or a chick fix, come on over. You'd be able to see the hummingbirds too...AND I have a blo snake who has taken up residence under one of my front rocks...and a lady a few doors down had a momma Robin make her nest in her front door Christmas wreath and you can just look in and see the eggs. It might not FEEL like Spring with the weather, but all the other signs are here:)

Favorite

Brian Reagan the comic does this hysterical blurb on FAVORITE and MORE FAVORITE...anywy, if you haven't heard him, try to...he's clean and the whole family can listen. Anyway, this morning in the shower I decided that my shower head is DEFINITELY one of my MORE FAVORITE things.(I know I should have cleaned it before taking the picture...YES we have hard water) I am so LUCKY to be the one to have THIS SHOWER HEAD!!! I could so do a commercial for this company! When Josh remodeled our bathroom last year he even tiled up the wall--which I LOVE...(THANK YOU JOSH!!!)And on a wet cold run of a morning, I am just so dang grateful to have my LOVELY showerhead and bathroom to come home to. Silly as it sounds, this bathroom makes me feel rich and priviledged and comforted and WARM and happy!!! You can all have a turn when you visit.

Hummingbirds are BACK!

I love these little guys...I know you can't see them...so far I have counted four fighting over the nectar holes...this is just right out my kitchen sink window. Everytime I tried to take a picture I'd scare them and miss the shot. I think its strange that they would come out today when it is so chilly and rainy!

Josh is off for his last ROAD trip with the "boys" before Greg leaves on his mission. They are heading up to Idaho to see Mike.

I'm off to list another home. Wish I could sell as many as I list these days. As long as I'm wishing, I wish summer would really come, I wish we were building a pool, I wish GrandDad were happy and settled, I wish I could eat whatever I wanted and weigh 125lbs., I wish the cyclone people could get help, I wish the earthquake people could be zapped back to normal, I wish there was someone I wanted to vote for for President that I trusted with the lives of my 4 sons, I wish all my kids dreams would come true...and mine too!

Sweet Spencer

It's a tradition to get them a new suit when they turn 16...for church, dances, etc...yesterday was Spencer's first Sunday blessing the Sacrament in church. My handsome, kind, good, sweet, smart, talented, diligent, thoughtful, loving boy/man.
Josh graduated from seminary and was the opening speaker...my buttons were bursting!I am so blessed to have such GOOD men come to our home. All are eager for school to be DONE..including me!

BLOG you MUST visit

Okay...if you want to have your socks rocked---go to the SANDERS blog from my list and scroll down past the scout camping trip to the animated WALL FILM...truly amazing, done in Brazil...let me know what you think! I am always blown away with the totally COOL stuff Jamie finds for his BLog...if you didn't do the vidoe of his on the KINGS HIGHWAY...watch that one as well...with my fear of heights, I could barely hang in there.
It's early Sunday morning and all is quiet and all are sleeping and I am LOVING catching up with everyone. Hooray for peace quiet and time.

The PiNG PONG PRO's

Josh and Jessica went as Ping Pong Pro's to Morp...I can't remember the theme...but they looked truly goofy and loved it! For the day date they went swimming.

Stake Youth Council BBQ

Don and Stake Leaders had the Youth Council over for a bBQ last night. Josh and friends crashed it...great to be OUTSIDE having a BBQ! Sarah Butler got her mission call to Lima Peru yesterday.Mike Hardman recieved his mission call to Chile(last picture on the left with water gun--looks like a missionary:)) Today is a double header for Sam in Alpine and I'm loving it! Josh has MORP (for those of you NOT from Utah--it is PROM spelled backwards and it is a girl ask guy dance)and Spencer begins the grading of his new GOLF green in the back yard...I have 20 tons of sand in the driveway so I hope he really does know what he's doing...the how to book is on it's way from Barnes and Noble.

STEPHEN Sweet 16

Stephen Rockhill has been Spencer's VERY BEST friend for as long as I can remember...like 2nd grade. ANYWAY...today Stephen is 16 and his mom should get Mother of the Year for the Rockin' party she gave him. I kept a copy of the Road Rally stops and events for any moms who might be interested...it was SO FUN!!! I was thrilled to be an "adult driver":). She broke all the kids up into teams of 5 and 6 and there were ? 5 teams. Then we drove them around while they completed their tasks and had to video them to PROVE that each team member had completed the task. They had to go to 4 different houses to get bread, peanut better, jam and then eat the sandwhich...they had to go to Walmart and find the girl with the boom box and get a patron to do the macarana with them, they went to a strange address and were greeted with silly string at the door and the guy only spoke chinese and they had to respond in Chinese to get the clue and then they had to eat a bowl of rice with chop sticks. They had to find hidden water bottles at a park and drink them upside down. THey had to find strawberry shortcake in Macey's--she gave them $, they then had to buy one chocolate soft serve cone and one vanilla soft serve cone and then come out and make it into a twist!...they had to FIND the hidden shovels and DIG for their treasure. It was SO SO SO Fun!!! And the cake she had made was ADORABLE...it was Stephen's Driver's Liscene. Okay...anyway. I think I need to go back and visit 16 or something...I just wanted to do it with MY friends:) Don't worry...I'll stick to cards...maybe.
HEY!!! I forgot to say...MY TEAM WON!!! (it was traffic school on Tuesday night that made me such an expert racer:)) Spencer and Stephen were on my team XXOOXX

They're here!!!

I was in the Toyota dealership yesterday when Shayne Clarke came in...he asked me about my chickens and I asked him about his pigeons and falcons. When I told him what a hard time I was having getting chicks with the wierd hatches this year he took note...about a half hour later he was at the IFA and they had just gotten a delievery of HATCHERY SPECIAL...which means they don't tell you what kind they are. I ran right over and got 7 Rhode Island Reds and 3 Araconnas (SP?)...or at least I'm pretty sure...they sure look like it. I LOVE it when things you want COME to you!
They are adorable!!! Fresh eggs in November!!!

Took Kristen up the canyon for a run Megan went with us...it was INCREDIBLE what we saw...kind of reminded me that Dr. Suess book WhAT I SAW ON MULBERRY STREET...because everyone will think we are exaggerating. ANYWAY...just to name them: 2 BEAVER-yes BEAVER playing with each other and scampering up the mountainside next to the river, 2 HUGE snakes and one baby snake (thank you Megan for helping them to MOVE),huge hawks,rock climbers, a boy scout group, one of the largest waterfalls I've ever seen caused by the release of the winter snow pack, just breath taking the amount of water cascading down, and then someone had just painted in red on the path "will you marry me". OK, I've been running this trail for years and never had that kind of activity. It's a sign Kristen and Megan...we're on the RIGHT path:)

Happy Birthday Karie!!!

Karie (blonde in top picture with black "indian" top) and I met at BYU in the Elementary Education Department, lived in the same apartments, and later married the same summer to men who ended up working for Word Perfect together. Megan and Chris were born the same year and most of our kids mirror each other's ages...but even with all these similarities...it is our SOULS that are the most alike. I LOVE THIS WOMAN!!!! Karie...THANKS for loving me back!! I realized that yesterday we were celebrating more than her birthday...we are celebrating at least 26 years of friendship!! Karie has one of those amazing memories that can remember conversations word for word from 26 years ago...so fun to have her around to fill in the missing blanks when you can't remember. Even MORE fun to just have her around. FUN is the right word for Karie...jet skied for the first time with Karie, Tole painted( that will date us) for the first time with Karie, went to Hawaii for the first time with Karie, sewed Halloween costumes for the first time with Karie, started at least 10 different crazy diets with Karie...LOVE YOU WOMAN!!!
(yea,I know, my hair is lovely:( sorry Liz, we took pictures before you got there! And Chris...we missed YOU!)

OH YEAH!!! I GOT INTO THE ST. GEORGE MARATHON

I'm a bit surprised at how pleased I am... so, OCTOBER 4th is circled, starred and just waiting...wouldn't it be lovely if I could break 4 hours this time? Kristen, get your running shoes ordered...

Weekend Catch Up

Fiday I went up to Pocatello by myself931/2 hour drive with music blaring--me singing and loving Michael Jackson all over again, with a 30 minute dave Ramsey reprieve) and met Sam at his game in American Falls at 4pm. I took Paige (a favorite realtor friend in Idaho) by a client's home to see if she could help her sell her home THERE so we can get her one here. Then we were off to commercial and residential pieces for the day. We met with the dearest farmer wanting us to sell his 69 acres...he had my new favorite quote "I was born with nothing and still have most of it left."
When i got to the fields it was COLD, by the start of the second game it was FREEZING and the wind was INTOLERaBLE...the boys hands were concrete! I thought it would NEVER end and felt so HORRIBLE for those boys and so TICKED at those stupid coaches for not having BRainS enough to STOP the game. BUT...Saturday...was the absolute opposite...just HEAVEN...about 62-65 degrees, a light breeze, SUNSHINE, nothing else I could do except watch the boys play AMAzinG BALL!! Yep. I loved it. It was fun to be alone with Sam. He is such a happy, grateful, easy going boy who loves life like I do.Driving home with him was so relaxing to just talk and laugh. I LOVE my life.

Magnificent Marveous Mother's Day

I slept in until 8:45...a miracle I didn't wake up before then! Went to 45 minutes of another ward's sacrament meeting at 11 because MICHAEL was calling at noon. TALKED TO MICHAEL for an hour and a half...yes, TRULY LOVELY!!!!! He SOUNDS SO GOOD!!! 12 weeks and he'll be home! He's decided to just work fall semester and try to buy a car and save for winter semester tuition. It was sad to hang up, but GLORIOUS to think the next time I hear his voice it will be IN PERSON at the airport!!! After his call I had a NAP! When I woke up Megan and Don had a great dinner ready. Then we played Settlers which finished 10 minutes before the start of the SURVIOR FINALE!!! I am telling you...a PERFECT DAY!!! I wanted Cerie to win, but the ending was poetic considering all the blindsiding that went on throughout the season.
Megan gave me a picture frame that said ALWAYS MY BABIES with pictures of each of the kids before they were 2. Josh made me my favorite chocolate shake. Sam gave me a shirt that says BECAUSE MOM SAID SO.Spencer gave me the SWEETEST note with a personal private promise that I loved!!! Don gave me a flower pot for my addiction.
It was just so relaxing...

ESCAPING

I know I am NOT the only one out there who does this..but I'm reading 4 books at the same time. Analyze as you wish. Each one is GREAT. I am easy to please. Somehow someone else's words running through my brain can be such a comfort. Martha Beck is just flat brillant...like her father...and I like to "feel" her processing. The Sacred Contracts is just another mid life who in the heck are you book...but dang interesting so far. And THE HOST and TWO FOR THE MONEY are just white nosie for the brain. I read Jan E.'s ONE FOR THE ? in Cancun...I'd never read that kind of a mystery before and she had me laughing out loud ALOT and dying to see how the bounty hunter was going to hook up with the love interest. Anyway..
Tommorrow I take Sam to Pocatello, Idaho for a Baseball tournament until late Saturday Night...that will be some lovely reading time. I hope the rain stops.

FLASHBACK WEDNESDAY

The Knapp Family were our dear neighbors growing up...they lived through the woods from us...and yesterday Judy sent me a ton of pictures that took my heart straight home...just thought I'd share these two...I realized that I must be older now than Mom and Dad were in these pictures...I think Kelly looks alot like Mom in this picture and that I look like Dad...now I know where I get the circles under my eyes. And SO GOOD to see Grand Dad and Grand Mom so happy. I wish he could see this. I'll have to print it and get it to him. THANK YOU JUDY!!!!

Flowers for Michael

Okay...I LOVE planting flowers in Spring. And TODAY the LOVE FEST began...and the sweetest part of it was thinking how MICHAEL will be home to see these flowers!!!!! Tommorrow I will take pictures...OINK is back in the front...thanks to Spencer. I have planted Hot Pink zinnias all around him. The weather was WONDERFUL!!! It got into the low 70's today!!!! I just worked on my phone and felt this amazing gratitude for my job.
Don is in Ottawa until Wednesday negotiating important vital record contracts.
The boys and I did our FAVORITE thing for Family Night! We went to 2 movies right in a row...MADE OF HONOR (for me) and IRON MAN (for them). The buttered popcorn ruined my perfect eating day...ummmmmm.
I woke this morning to an e-mail from Kristen Muirhead (21 yrs--Barb's daughter and hers is the BLOG with the slurp me up writing) asking me to run the St. George marathon with her October 4th...Even though the St. George Marathon has been my most favorite I've ever run, I love Kristen even more...the ONLY reason i would break my pact to not run one this year. So, we're registered and should know by Friday if we made the lottery!
Tommorrow I go to get the chicks!! Think I'll have a few neighborhood girlies come with me! Think I'll get all Rhode Island Reds this time. We'll see.

PROM

Josh the BEAUTIFUL, kind, sweet, helpful, PERFECT child, went to his Senior Prom last night with Shantel Thompson. No, he did not bring her by for me to SEE and take pictures. So, maybe he's NOT perfect...I WILL rewrite the RULES. I will make it mandatory for BOTH sets of parents to get the see their kids off before the BIG EVENTS.
Made me think of my Senior Prom and everyone coming to our house afterwards for waffle breakfast on the way to the beach...but of course...I didn't get to go to the beach for the all nighter.
The kittens are JOY. They LOVE climbing the trees!,

SOMETIMES...

Somtimes I just lose myself and am taken over by this frenzied EATER personality who has to have all the things she LOVES to eat in ONE day....because of COURSE, the next day she will be a perfect eater again and will feel for days on end that hungry, unsatisfied,knawing, left out, never get to eat good stuff again feeling. YES I KNOW that it's not true...how could I EVER go very long without something lovely on my tongue and in my mouth? But I just KEEP doing it. Now that I have confessed, I will also confess to being on a 2 week binge...each day thinking I have to eat the world because IT WILL BE MY LAST DAY BINGING LIKE THAT. I MUST STOP. I am stopping NOW...now that I have just eaten 4 rolls, roast, green bean casserole, rice with lots of butter and salt, and the last handful of SugarBabies.
Never ask me WHY I do it. Some psycho reason of extreme maladjustment and insecurity I am sure. If I could just break the cycle sooner without going for 2 freaking weeks!!!!

Breathing

yep, I'm breathing...COLD AIR..,I promised myself not to whine once more on here about the STUPID weather...but it IS just SO STUPID!!!! 36 degrees when we headed out for our long one thi MAY 3RD!!!!
I'm speaking at a Youth Conference today at Aspen Grove (near Sundance Ski resort), once I show a few condo's to this DARLING newly wed couple,and go to Sam's last game of his double header, I'm going to try to figure out how to do the MOSAIC picture thing so i don't bore you to death with all the Cancun pictures.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAVEN!!!! we'll see you tommorrow for PINK CAKE AND PINK ICING!!! I can barely wait to make it for you!!!! I think Uncle Preston and Aunt Jeremiand girlies should come down and surprise us with a visit!!!! What do YOU think?