What a wonderful time of year!! I love the holidays. We just had the most wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. The best part was that my daughters were home. Cortnie has not been home since school started and Britt has only been here once. It was great to have the laughter back and to have another female in the house. Rob's parents also came for the weekend which is always great. Thanksgiving day brought my dear friend Chris from our ward and our best friends Rich and Kim from Vegas (of course, the twins came too ). We had a house full but that is okay. My house is not very big and we ran into each other but we managed. I love to cook and did it all this year - from homemade bread in the stuffing to homemade pies. It was great. The rolls are always a top seller too.
Thanksgiving though makes me reflect on my blessings. I have so many to count. First and foremost would be my best friend and the father of my children. I am so blessed to have a man whom loves me; who treats me with such respect and love; who would do anything for me. He is the love of my life and I can never tell him that enough. My children are next on my list. My house is so empty with my girls gone. Don't get me wrong - I love my boys - but there is just something about a mother having daughters around. Boys are not much fun to dress up and they don't paint toenails very well. How I did not want them my girls to leave today. Please, hug your children all the time cause they grow up way to fast. I am so proud of each one of my children. They bring me such great joy.
I would never be complete with the gospel of Jesus Christ. My brother gave his life for me so that I can have my family forever. He bled from every pore just for me. He died for me!! I am so grateful for the days when I feel his spirit so near. For the days when I feel my Heavenly Fathers arms around me. I am grateful for living prophets, for scriptures, for friends in the gospel. I am so thankful for wonderful parents who made me what I am today. They taught me right from wrong and helped me to be the mother that I am. My siblings are some of my best friends - especially my sister. My deepest desire is to move closer to her and my parents. To be able to go to lunch on our birthdays; to make cookies; to share in our childrens events. Someday, I hope that will happen.,
Thanksgiving as an awesome time. There are way too many blessings to name, but I am thankful for them all.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Surprise Trip of a LifeTime!!
So, the last time I posted, I mentioned that we had big plans for our future but I could not write them at that time. Well, now I can (actually I could have a month ago but have been so busy). We took our family on a surprise trip to Disney World in Florida! We have been planning and saving for our trip since last January. Of couse the girls had to know so they could make arrangements to miss a week of college, but no one else knew. I say no one...cause it was not just my family. My siblings..Tina, Coby and Scott and their families as well as my parents all went. What a site - 26 of us! It was such a blast and I would love to go again.
Like I mentioned, we did not tell our boys that we were going. They were under the impression that we were going to Las Vegas for the weekend to spend a few days with Brittnie. We told them she had not time off and we had an entire week. We also told them I had to work all week long so the time in Vegas would be our Fall Break. We drove to Vegas on Friday night and had dinner with Rich and Kim. We always love doing that. After dinner, we had the boys come to the living room where we gave them each a bag with goodies in it. They had to take each item out of the bag one at a time and try to guess what it was for. They had all kinds of Disney items but still had no clue. Finally Boyd guessed that we were gonig to Disneyland in California. We told him we were not and asked them to get the final item out of their bag. It was a shirt that Rob had made (for all 26 of us) that said DisneyWorld 2010 on it. They started to scream and yell and asked us if were seriously going there. They were so shocked and had not clue that is what we were doing. It was great!!
We left Rich and Kim's to spend the night in a hotel since we had to be at the airport at 4:30 in the morning. Surprisingly, everyone fell asleep fast and slept well. The alarm sure went off early though. We looked so cute wearing our Disney shirts walking through the airport pulling our suitcases. We looked like tourists :-). Boyd has only been on a plane once in his life and that is when he was a tiny baby; Skyler had never flown. They were excited to get on the plane and both wanted the window seat - but their sister beat them out. The plane ride was long but very smooth. (Thank goodness cause I am not one who likes to fly). The worse part was not being able to walk around and stretch our legs. We landed in Florida about 4:30, rented a car, and headed to our first hotel. Here we met up with Tina and Coby. We were only staying here the first night until our condos at Walt Disney World were ready for us. (It is nice to have a sister with connections and a time share). Our condos were absolutely beautiful. They were huge!! We definitely did not feel like we were in a hotel room. We had a full kitchen, huge bathrooms and bedrooms and a full living room. We even cooked some at our condo to save money.
Our first day in the park was somewhat busy. We had to take rental cars back and meet up with the rest of the family - including Cortnie. She flew out with my parents from Salt Lake since she is going to school up there. The boys got tired of waiting at the gate for everyone to get there, so they actually were laying on the sidewalk - you would think it was our last day and they were so tired. Finally, everyone had tickets and we were off and running.
Disney World is composed of five different parks unlike Disneyland that had two. We choose to go to one park each day and then repeat our favorite one. I can not really say which was the best but probably it was Magic Kingdom. The Animal Kingdom and Epcot center were nice, but they were definitely only a one day park. There were a couple of rides in those parks though that we loved. We are all big on roller coasters and fast rides. I think one of our favorites was Fast Track and Everest. Fast track races you along at top speeds in a car testing out a new race car. Everest is a roller coaster that actually goes backwards - through a loop even - part of the time. We will never go on a space ship ride again though - can't remember the name - but even now it makes me sick. It was way bad.
It was so much fun having out entire family there. How we wish Shawn could have brought his family though. We just had so much fun. The kids all got along well; we laughed and played together. We were able to sleep in some mornings and spend some afternoons just in swimming pools. We are definitely spooled now and will always want to stay in the condos. One of my favorites was when we went to the two buffets. The pocket book did not like them but they were a blast. The first one was a Polynesian buffet where they just kept bringing food - pork, steak, shrimp, rice, vegetables, ice cream. The kids were able to do a hula dance and we all got leis. The next morning (no we really were not that hungry), we went to a breakfast buffet with Winnie the Pooh and his friends. The food there again was wonderful!! To see the kids laugh and have such a great time was so worth the money.
Vacations are always wonderful and so are there memories. I pray the kids will always remember this one. It was so much fun and I look forward to another vacation soon with my family. To see them happy and just being together is priceless.
Like I mentioned, we did not tell our boys that we were going. They were under the impression that we were going to Las Vegas for the weekend to spend a few days with Brittnie. We told them she had not time off and we had an entire week. We also told them I had to work all week long so the time in Vegas would be our Fall Break. We drove to Vegas on Friday night and had dinner with Rich and Kim. We always love doing that. After dinner, we had the boys come to the living room where we gave them each a bag with goodies in it. They had to take each item out of the bag one at a time and try to guess what it was for. They had all kinds of Disney items but still had no clue. Finally Boyd guessed that we were gonig to Disneyland in California. We told him we were not and asked them to get the final item out of their bag. It was a shirt that Rob had made (for all 26 of us) that said DisneyWorld 2010 on it. They started to scream and yell and asked us if were seriously going there. They were so shocked and had not clue that is what we were doing. It was great!!
We left Rich and Kim's to spend the night in a hotel since we had to be at the airport at 4:30 in the morning. Surprisingly, everyone fell asleep fast and slept well. The alarm sure went off early though. We looked so cute wearing our Disney shirts walking through the airport pulling our suitcases. We looked like tourists :-). Boyd has only been on a plane once in his life and that is when he was a tiny baby; Skyler had never flown. They were excited to get on the plane and both wanted the window seat - but their sister beat them out. The plane ride was long but very smooth. (Thank goodness cause I am not one who likes to fly). The worse part was not being able to walk around and stretch our legs. We landed in Florida about 4:30, rented a car, and headed to our first hotel. Here we met up with Tina and Coby. We were only staying here the first night until our condos at Walt Disney World were ready for us. (It is nice to have a sister with connections and a time share). Our condos were absolutely beautiful. They were huge!! We definitely did not feel like we were in a hotel room. We had a full kitchen, huge bathrooms and bedrooms and a full living room. We even cooked some at our condo to save money.
Our first day in the park was somewhat busy. We had to take rental cars back and meet up with the rest of the family - including Cortnie. She flew out with my parents from Salt Lake since she is going to school up there. The boys got tired of waiting at the gate for everyone to get there, so they actually were laying on the sidewalk - you would think it was our last day and they were so tired. Finally, everyone had tickets and we were off and running.
Disney World is composed of five different parks unlike Disneyland that had two. We choose to go to one park each day and then repeat our favorite one. I can not really say which was the best but probably it was Magic Kingdom. The Animal Kingdom and Epcot center were nice, but they were definitely only a one day park. There were a couple of rides in those parks though that we loved. We are all big on roller coasters and fast rides. I think one of our favorites was Fast Track and Everest. Fast track races you along at top speeds in a car testing out a new race car. Everest is a roller coaster that actually goes backwards - through a loop even - part of the time. We will never go on a space ship ride again though - can't remember the name - but even now it makes me sick. It was way bad.
It was so much fun having out entire family there. How we wish Shawn could have brought his family though. We just had so much fun. The kids all got along well; we laughed and played together. We were able to sleep in some mornings and spend some afternoons just in swimming pools. We are definitely spooled now and will always want to stay in the condos. One of my favorites was when we went to the two buffets. The pocket book did not like them but they were a blast. The first one was a Polynesian buffet where they just kept bringing food - pork, steak, shrimp, rice, vegetables, ice cream. The kids were able to do a hula dance and we all got leis. The next morning (no we really were not that hungry), we went to a breakfast buffet with Winnie the Pooh and his friends. The food there again was wonderful!! To see the kids laugh and have such a great time was so worth the money.
Vacations are always wonderful and so are there memories. I pray the kids will always remember this one. It was so much fun and I look forward to another vacation soon with my family. To see them happy and just being together is priceless.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Summer is Over
It is so hard to believe that summer is already gone. We have been back in school now for almost a month and it really stinks. We had such a GREAT summer this year. We spent lots of time on the road visiting friends and family as well as just hanging out together. I so hated to see it end. I don't remember a summer that fun for a long time. We were finally able to get Cortnie home for about three weeks once mom and dad were moving around a little bit more. Our family was complete for a short while.
The worst part about the summer was taking the girls back to college. It was not as hard to let Brittnie go this year, but Cortnie had a very hard time. It was fun to help them rearrange bedrooms, shop and laugh. The van was jam packed full with Cortnie's "pink" assemble. Everything was hot pink...from irons, to silverware, to laundry baskets. I don't know how we got it all in. I meant to take a picture but got caught up in the move. Her apartment turned out very cute and she was so excited. When it came time to leave thought, she cried like a two year old - including waling. I finally had to take her back into my parents home, ask them to take her, then turn and walk out the door. Nothing breaks a mother's heart more than leaving her child crying as she walks away. I saw no other option though.....but man did it hurt. It still hurts to have them both gone. Often times at the dinner table I think that it seems very small - me and the boys. My heart aches to have my entire family sitting there with me. I do talk to both my girls everyday and love to hear their stories. It stinks to have them grow up. If you have young children, enjoy them while you can - they will leave home all too soon.
For now, we work, play, run boys around (no more girl taxi drivers) and exercise. Our lives are happy and good right now. We have exciting plans coming up in the future and can't wait to share them with you at a later time. I am so blessed with health, with jobs, with beautiful children, wonderful families and the most wonderful man in the world. He is my best friend and I love him with all of my heart. I pray the good times will continue and the happiness will flow
The worst part about the summer was taking the girls back to college. It was not as hard to let Brittnie go this year, but Cortnie had a very hard time. It was fun to help them rearrange bedrooms, shop and laugh. The van was jam packed full with Cortnie's "pink" assemble. Everything was hot pink...from irons, to silverware, to laundry baskets. I don't know how we got it all in. I meant to take a picture but got caught up in the move. Her apartment turned out very cute and she was so excited. When it came time to leave thought, she cried like a two year old - including waling. I finally had to take her back into my parents home, ask them to take her, then turn and walk out the door. Nothing breaks a mother's heart more than leaving her child crying as she walks away. I saw no other option though.....but man did it hurt. It still hurts to have them both gone. Often times at the dinner table I think that it seems very small - me and the boys. My heart aches to have my entire family sitting there with me. I do talk to both my girls everyday and love to hear their stories. It stinks to have them grow up. If you have young children, enjoy them while you can - they will leave home all too soon.
For now, we work, play, run boys around (no more girl taxi drivers) and exercise. Our lives are happy and good right now. We have exciting plans coming up in the future and can't wait to share them with you at a later time. I am so blessed with health, with jobs, with beautiful children, wonderful families and the most wonderful man in the world. He is my best friend and I love him with all of my heart. I pray the good times will continue and the happiness will flow
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Summer Vacation - 2010 (if you could call it that)
Summer vacations are never long enough and this year was no exception. In fact, the vacation was extended by two days but now I need a vacation to recover from my vacation. We left the day after graduation to head to Utah for about 10 days. We had lots of plans and so excited to see our family. We were able to go the first day there to the temple with our niece to see her sealed to her husband. I love sealings and love the temple. It is so beautiful to realize that we really can be together forever. We spent a wonderful night with Bob and Leann. How we wish all of our family was closer so we could see them more.
The next few days were spent eating, golfing, shopping, eating, visiting, playing games, eating, and just having fun. It was so great to be there. Cortnie and Boyd headed to EFY on Monday morning to spend the week in a spiritual world. I am jealous of my children everytime they go cause they come back so uplifted. Boyd was a little hesitate about going being this was his first year. He hit it off so well with his roommates though and within an hour had forgot about home. He was asking the next day if he gets to go back again next year. They both agree that testimony day is their favorite day. Boyd said he has not felt the spirit ever so strong. They had great time and I am glad we can send them every year. It is so worth the money.
Rob and Brittnie left to come home on Wednesday to get ready for his summer job - Cinderella. They made a pit stop in Panaca to see his mom who had to have her gall bladder out (she was not able to come to graduation). The rest of us stayed there to play and have fun. We were suppose to go to Seven Peaks - a water park - but it got rained out so we had to wait a few days. On Thursday, Tina and I were going to have a ladies day out. I was so excited to hang out with my sister. About twenty minutes into our trip, my mother called to inform us that dad had just fallen off the roof and could not move his legs. We got home as fast as we could to see him laying on the grass. What a horrible feeling!! He was moving his back but could not put any pressure on his feet at all. Stubborn old man would not let us call an ambulance so we got some help, loaded him onto an army cot, and put him in the back of my van with the seats all down. We headed to the hospital for a very long night. Dad had to have x-rays and cat scans to find out that both of his heels were broken. It was not good. I could not believe the attitude of my father though. He was just so grateful that it was not worse. We laughed and joked all night while waiting in the emergency room. Mom told us she though dad looked like one of those dead bodies you see on TV when she saw him on the grass. Dad teased the intern who tried without success to get his IV in. Finally about 9:00 they were ready to move him to another hospital. Tina and I went with him to get his settled. They gave him lots of pain meds and told him to try to sleep. He did not get much of that at all.
I spent the next week in and out of the hospital. Mom was scheduled to have her shoulder replaced on Monday and it was in the same hospital as dad. We asked for a double room, but they had none. They were two doors apart though so we just spent the time walking back and forth between them. Dad ended up having surgery on his right foot on Wednesday. The left one was healing okay in a boot. His right heel was broken in five places so it required 9 screws and a plate to make it better. He did not have a good experience in the hospital with slips, nurses not knowing what they were doing, and so much pain. Mom had better luck with the nurses but she swears she will not have her other shoulder done. They both are doing better now and in a rehab center for a week. I was able to get a few extra days off of work and spent that time getting wheelchairs, commodes, and so forth for them to come home. I rearranged furniture at their house and the ward built a ramp for dad to get up the stairs. He can not put any pressure on his feet for 6 weeks - no walking at all. It wa so hard to leave them there on Thursday to come home but I knew I needed to get back. They were and are in good hands with my brothers and sister. I did as much as I could to help out while I was there. I even left Cortnie there to help out for a month. She was going to stay for two weeks anyway to help Grandma, but now will stay until they don't need her anymore. I am hopeful that will be the first part of July. I would like to enjoy some of my daughter's last summer at home before she leaves for college. We make that trip the end of August.
Needless to say, our vacation was not what we planned. I am so grateful things did not turn out worse though and that I was there to be able to help. I love seeing my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews and parents. How I long to be close to them. Maybe someday my dream will come true. Until then, I pray every day for them - especially now. They mean the world to me.
The next few days were spent eating, golfing, shopping, eating, visiting, playing games, eating, and just having fun. It was so great to be there. Cortnie and Boyd headed to EFY on Monday morning to spend the week in a spiritual world. I am jealous of my children everytime they go cause they come back so uplifted. Boyd was a little hesitate about going being this was his first year. He hit it off so well with his roommates though and within an hour had forgot about home. He was asking the next day if he gets to go back again next year. They both agree that testimony day is their favorite day. Boyd said he has not felt the spirit ever so strong. They had great time and I am glad we can send them every year. It is so worth the money.
Rob and Brittnie left to come home on Wednesday to get ready for his summer job - Cinderella. They made a pit stop in Panaca to see his mom who had to have her gall bladder out (she was not able to come to graduation). The rest of us stayed there to play and have fun. We were suppose to go to Seven Peaks - a water park - but it got rained out so we had to wait a few days. On Thursday, Tina and I were going to have a ladies day out. I was so excited to hang out with my sister. About twenty minutes into our trip, my mother called to inform us that dad had just fallen off the roof and could not move his legs. We got home as fast as we could to see him laying on the grass. What a horrible feeling!! He was moving his back but could not put any pressure on his feet at all. Stubborn old man would not let us call an ambulance so we got some help, loaded him onto an army cot, and put him in the back of my van with the seats all down. We headed to the hospital for a very long night. Dad had to have x-rays and cat scans to find out that both of his heels were broken. It was not good. I could not believe the attitude of my father though. He was just so grateful that it was not worse. We laughed and joked all night while waiting in the emergency room. Mom told us she though dad looked like one of those dead bodies you see on TV when she saw him on the grass. Dad teased the intern who tried without success to get his IV in. Finally about 9:00 they were ready to move him to another hospital. Tina and I went with him to get his settled. They gave him lots of pain meds and told him to try to sleep. He did not get much of that at all.
I spent the next week in and out of the hospital. Mom was scheduled to have her shoulder replaced on Monday and it was in the same hospital as dad. We asked for a double room, but they had none. They were two doors apart though so we just spent the time walking back and forth between them. Dad ended up having surgery on his right foot on Wednesday. The left one was healing okay in a boot. His right heel was broken in five places so it required 9 screws and a plate to make it better. He did not have a good experience in the hospital with slips, nurses not knowing what they were doing, and so much pain. Mom had better luck with the nurses but she swears she will not have her other shoulder done. They both are doing better now and in a rehab center for a week. I was able to get a few extra days off of work and spent that time getting wheelchairs, commodes, and so forth for them to come home. I rearranged furniture at their house and the ward built a ramp for dad to get up the stairs. He can not put any pressure on his feet for 6 weeks - no walking at all. It wa so hard to leave them there on Thursday to come home but I knew I needed to get back. They were and are in good hands with my brothers and sister. I did as much as I could to help out while I was there. I even left Cortnie there to help out for a month. She was going to stay for two weeks anyway to help Grandma, but now will stay until they don't need her anymore. I am hopeful that will be the first part of July. I would like to enjoy some of my daughter's last summer at home before she leaves for college. We make that trip the end of August.
Needless to say, our vacation was not what we planned. I am so grateful things did not turn out worse though and that I was there to be able to help. I love seeing my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews and parents. How I long to be close to them. Maybe someday my dream will come true. Until then, I pray every day for them - especially now. They mean the world to me.
SHE MADE IT!!
Well, she finally made it. Cortnie is an honor graduate of Mohave High School. It was rough the last few weeks being so sick, but she was able to pull it out and get straight A's her last semester. She was so pretty and grown up in her cap and gown as she walked down the aisle with her friends. They were able to choose when the walked, with whom and where to sit. She and her friends wanted to walk very first which was great. We were right there on the aisle seat as she came by with a huge smile on her face. Of course, walking first meant that she was in the bottom ten to get her diploma. We waited forever for her name to be called. I was so proud of her for not tripping on the stairs or losing her cap. I was just so proud of her for becoming the beautiful young woman that she is. She has so much going for her and has her head on straight. It will be so hard to send another one off to college, but she can't wait to go. Thank you Cortnie for being my daughter and my friend. We both made it through - I love you!!
Watch out Mohave High School
Yep.....another highlight of the week was for Boyd to "graduate" from junior high school. He says he is ready for high school, but we are not sure high school is ready for him. Way to go Boyd!
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