ARIZONA PART II

A few of my sisters and I went to Tuscon for a day of shopping and fun! It was a

 WONDERFUL get-away. 

We all have such amazing husbands to let us go!  

We laughed til we cried.....usually because I was doing something AIRHEADED. 

 I don't usually think if myself as such, but for some reason this day I was TOTALLY spacey!

  I was driving like an old person, falling out of  the dressing room partially

 clothed and saying the dumbest things. 

 Needless to say I was the butt of the jokes that day. It's ok....... I can take it! I love these women! ( I guess I should call them that now!)

Eating at Olive Garden!

Callie Gal

Cara in the usual position.

Leslie Dee and Denee

Arizona Part III

This place is truly MAGICAL! Look at this sky! It is so OPEN and endless.....until it stops at the majestic, purple mountains surrounding the entire valley.

When I drove in at dusk that first Monday..... the surrounding hay fields had just been watered and the smell is so sweet and heavenly! There was a crispy coolness and wonderful silence. Except for maybe an occasional mooowing.

This visit caused me to question where I want to raise my children.

They played outside exploring and running all day! The tractors and four wheelers and horses and cows and chickens.... They LOVE it. It is what childhood should really be about.

And COUSINS!!!! Oh how special and dear is a cousin! We love ours!!!!

ALL  the grandchildren in the bath! (minus baby Clayton)

Matt bought 5 baby cows and so he was Mama Matt. The kids  loved feeding them with the gigantic bottles! They sucked so hard it would pull the bottles right out of their hands! They loved it!

Charlotte and Isaac

ARIZONA PART I

Leslie and Brians wedding reception.

It was held in the beautiful old court yard at our home ward building.

Leslie let me do her bouquet. Aren't daisy's gorgeous?

Don't even ask about my yellow shirt! But aren't my sisters amazing!?!

Leslie and Brian!

 

They are so happy and so wonderful!

I love my little brother Matt!

Can you say hottie ?

The two who started it ALL!

Gorgeous Lela! She let me teach her how to do her makeup for this night. My parents definately went out with a BANG!!!!

This is a good man Charlie Brown. One of the best I might add.

Matt throwing Easton. Easton loves his Uncle ALOT!!!

THE DANCING!

THE END!

I realized I should explain about Leslie's situation.  She has been dating Brian for almost two years.  They got married a few weeks ago in my parents front room. Brian was also babtized a few weeks ago and is on fire with the gospel!   He just recieved the preisthood and is now the Young Men's Secretary and is so happy about it! We love and adore him.  He has the funnest, happiest, most infectious personality! I am soooo happy for Leslie!

100 Years!

My Great Grandma just passed away at 100 yrs old. She had an amazing life and was a fighter all her life! The funeral is here in AZ on Friday.....so I stayed here. I will be back on Saturday!
I have sooooo many WONDERFUL pictures!

Blogging Break!

I am home for 2 weeks and loving it! I will post about everything when I get home because I can't upload pictures here! Right now, we are just loving our vacation!

Home?

This conversation is repeated daily since coming home from my mom's house in Arizona:

Easton: Mom, I want to go home.

Me: We are home Easton.

Easton: No, Grandma's home.

This makes me sad and happy.

My camera is at my mom's in AZ.  I am sad..... there were lots of fun pics from our trip. I won't get it back until the end of March!!!! BORING BLOG!

Love

I have been mulling over this post for quite some time now..... As most of you probably know... my maternal Grandfather, Lee Kenyon Udall passed away recently. I have been debating about whether or not to write about it. But I have been so positively affected by this AMAZING man, that I need to share my thoughts. 

He was a quiet ranchin' cowboy...who practiced law in his spare time.

Have you ever been around someone who is quiet and only shares anything in their heart or head (for that matter) when they feel it is absolutely necessary? This makes it so that those around them hang on their every word..... For they truly are so seldom spoken. And yet, I have learned more from this man in his few words than almost any one else.

His Life's Motto:

The Church is True.

God has been good to us.

The Best is yet to come.

Two things he lived by:

No matter what ..... EVERYTHING will be ALRIGHT!

ALWAYS follow the best impulses of your heart.

He was an unfailing, natural OPTIMIST! (Which I believe to be a GIFT.) This is something I admire wholeheartedly and strive for daily. I do not have this gift, but am determined to FAKE IT til I MAKE IT! Life is so much better when you just remember (in what ever the circumstance) that TRULY everything will work out for good. 

I never questioned his love for me... although he never gushed it dramatically or other wise. But I felt it COMPLETELY. And when I felt it, it was all the sweeter and more treasured because it wasn't said often.

I have greatly pondered my life and what I want to leave..... what I wish people to say of me.  How do I love?  Do I truly and fully love and give of self?  Do I over look the negative and weaknesses of others and treasure every moment with them?

This is what I wish to do.  My Grandpa loved me, he loved the Lord with EVERYTHING he had. 

I love my Grandpa and I love the Lord. I want to show that with EVERYTHING that I have!

Stuff

These little RASCALS decided to dump out every single card in our house...... not just dump out, but throw across the room. I was not happy to say the least.  It took FOREVER to clean up...... BOYS!

We had the Wolfington's and Bauerle's over for Sat night dinner and Wii party. This is Easton and Elijah with their Spider Man masks on. Too cute to pass up. 

The Wii Action!

Could it get any better for my 28th!

THis was amazing!!! Way worth seeing!

Mystere (Cirque De Soliel)

We actually went on a big group date with some of John's friends from dental school.  Of course..... I forgot my camera. I'm hoping John's friend will email me a picture of us at a restaurant. We ate at Maggiano's.  A yummy Italian place.  I LOVED being with my Johnny!

On Sunday we had some friends and family over for CAKE!  Here are some of my girl friends who came. ( Amy already left.)
(Lindsay, Melinda, and John's mom Rosemary)

Easton wanted to take a picture with me!!!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes and gifts!  I just Love being with friends and family!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

I hope you all have the most wonderful day full of love for all of your special peeps. 

I woke up so grateful for all of you and for my sweet boys and honey. I get to go out on a fancy suprise date tonight that John planned long ago. It starts at 3:30 p.m and we won't get home until 9:30 p.m. That is all I know.... I will have pictures and details to come!

LOVE TO ALL!!!!

OFFICIALLY A MOM

2005  Honda Odyssey

Yep, it happened....... I now drive a "mom van" I call it..........  And I absolutely LOVE it!   It is so convieniant and comfortable.  From it's leather seats (which makes for easy clean up), to it's built in DVD player ( for road trips), all the way to it's automatic doors.  It even has a button to open both doors on the key remote.  I never knew what I was MISSING!  And now I can car pool my friends kids and go places with them instead of seperate cars!

Here's to AWESOME tax returns!  We are sooooo grateful!

Anybody need a ride?

Good Books

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Every spare moment has been spent reading excellent(I used the wrong word above) books.

LITTLE WOMEN- One of the best, most uplifting, virtuous books I have EVER read.  I truly want to be a better person because of it.  And it made me miss my sisters!  LOVED it!

SCARLET PIMPERNEL- Fascinating story! Beautifully written! I enjoyed it immensley!

I have more to read.... so the posts might be slow coming.

EAR HEADED

I was using my not so pretty singing voice at the top of my lungs in one of those "silly" moments and Isaac says. "Mom, stop..... I am getting ear headed!"

" What is ear headed?" I asked.

" It's when something is too loud and it hurts your ears and you can't hear." Isaac explained.

So there you have it. A new word for what happends when you hear an annoying sound.

ARTSIES AND CRAFTSIES

My creative Isaac decided to gather rocks to paint.

They went from just rocks to MAGICAL rocks, to POWERFUL wizard rings! 

On to piggies for letter "P" in preschool.

And last....... we made a PIZZA out of yarn and felt ham slices and paper pepperonies! Then we cut it up and the kids got to take a slice home.

The End of preschool at my house for the month! I loved it and will miss it!