Auld Lang Syne?

Harry: What does this song mean? For my whole life I don't know what this song means. I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot". Does that mean we should forget old acquaintances or does it mean if we happen to forget them we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot them!? Sally: Well may be it just means that we should remember that we forgot them or something. Anyway it's about old friends.

These lines are from one of my favorite movies, When Harry Met Sally - this movie had many great lines that go down in the annals of moviedom. But particularly, as we look towards New Year's Eve, and the beginning of a New Year, may we remember friends that we have had who may now be gone, friends who surround us and are a daily source of inspiration and support to us, and strangers who may become friends to our future.

My Wishes for You in 2009 ...

May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts.

May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.

May love stick to your face like Vaseline

and may laughter assault your lips!

May your clothes smell of success

and may happiness slap you across the face.

May your tears be those of joy &

May the problems you had be forgotten

and your home be your Sanctuary!

In simple words ....
May 2009 be the best year of your life!

Huh? What? You mean I missed it all?

See Sue {Oh! you don't see Sue?}--she is so tired of the holidays! Sue has been sick with the stomach flu since last Sunday. Everything she has eaten is recycled ever so quickly! See Kloyie and Skyla build a gingerbread house with Curt and Matt-Sue is mysteriously absent. See Sue's photos of the annual Christmas party that Heather took because Sue was laying on the couch or the bathroom floor for all festivities! See how cute the grandkids are...they love Christmas. They love Santa. They love performing the Nativity story for Aunt DiAnne and Uncle Glen & Co. They love that Grandma is quietly composing herself and her digestive system by sipping some hot chicken bouillon. See Sloane open her presents Christmas morning? See no pictures of Connor? See Sue take down Christmas on the 26th? She's so done with Christmas...music is off the blog, lights & wreaths are packed away, and it's time for SPRING!

Hoping you all had a beautiful Christmas, and that you are anticipating a wonderful New Year. Blessings of Love from our family to yours.

Flying with Eagles....

Taylor is the son of Tom & Teri and grandson of Glen &DiAnne.

Taylor's Eagle Project is a stone cairn which houses a time capsule and a "Cache to Eagle" geo-cache. The geo-cache is kind of like a treasure hunt where scouts will go online and get coordinates that with the help of a GPS they'll find their way to the cairn. Once there, they'll sign in and be led to all the other Eagle projects around the church grounds. Apparently there is a big geo-cacheing community and they go hunting these things up in the mountains, around town and all along the Wasatch front.

The time capsule contains things from our family, the church congregation, the city, etc. Examples of items were: key to the city from Fruit Heights along with history and city mtg. minutes, church history and photos, newspapers from the recent election, Grandma Lola's jello mold and recipes, letter from grandma and grandpa, happy meal toys and a pile of credit card offers with commentary by Tom on all of society's mis-steps. Basically a bunch of stuff that will either confuse or fascinate folks when it's opened in 75 years! It also contains Taylor's journey through his Eagle with print and photo. These were all sealed in plastic and put into a huge duffle bag that was then placed into the cairn.

He had a lot of help and used lots of skills he didn't know he had. We collected rocks from around the church property to cover it and the plaques were donated by a guy who had Taylor help him make them. The structure is finished and tonight he will set up the coordinates online. We'll celebrate with his ceremony in January.

Congratulations Taylor on this accomplishment-we know it required much more work and effort than just what you put into this project.

6 Days and Counting....

This is about the best mantra for the Christmas Season that I've heard:

Something they want, Something they need, Something to wear, and Something to read

Happy Birthday, Gary!

There is something about coming through the tail end of a tornado-that gives you pause, and makes you count your blessings. The idea that something can creep into your life, and take a hold of every waking hour, every day, every week for months is both frightening and humbling. Such has been the last few months for Gary and Heather.

I just want to wish Gary a very Happy Birthday; and let him know how proud we are of him, and how thankful we are for his strength and courage. Here's hoping and praying that the new year will bring you all that you hope and wish for.

Heather and Gary would also like me to thank all the family and friends for their concern and support during this difficult time. They are especially grateful for keeping them in your thoughts and prayers, and ask that you continue to do so. We know without a doubt, that prayer has been the thing that has brought about the miracle of healing and the knowledge that 'this too shall pass'.

We love you guys....

What started out yesterday as a birthday catchup celebration for 4 nieces ended up being a gab-fest and sounding board for everyone's ailments - And to top it off 2 of the 4 birthday girls weren't able to make it! I guess this gives us an excuse to do it again. We do have Teri's and Michele's birthdays coming up. We met at Applebee's and had a delicious lunch - a few of them had the French Onion soup to warm up their innards, as there was an Arctic wind a wailing. Little Haddie entertained us by putting stickers all over her face and in her hair, and Casey sat quietly honing his skills at the gameboy. We asked him if he was getting tired of coming to lunch with all us old ladies - no comment, just a smile. He is such a cute guy and was very excited when his Mom left and came back with a gingerbread house to put together. I wish I had taken pix - even brought my camera, but completely forgot until we were all getting up to leave.

It is so much fun to be with this group and engage in the holiday spirit - even if only for an hour! Happy belated birthdays to Janette, Leanne, Clydene, and Cheryl.

Happy Birthday, Shari!

See what I mean about Dec. birthdays? With the hub-bub of shopping, baking, cooking {all of which I don't do!}, concert attending, parties, etc. I neglected to wish my DIL birthday greetings on the 14th! She is a whirlwind of activity and ambition and keeps her two guys well in tow.

Hope you had a great day and that your new year will bring all that you hope and wish for.

Happy Birthday Greetings, Christmas Cheer, and all that Good Stuff!

Jeff, Glen and Tom at Shaylee's wedding in October 2008

You've heard the saying 'a day late and a dollar short' - well, I want to wish BIL Glen and Cheryl a Happy Birthday. It seems that in the chasm of holiday spirit, their birthdays sometimes get tucked away in the corner as an, "OH Yeah! BTW, hope you had a nice birthday"!

I met DiAnne & Glen after they had dinner and we attended a community chorale program the night of his birthday. It was directed by a gal that grew up in the same neighborhood in Layton as us. And last night, DiAnne invited me to take Glen's place for the Christmas program at the Conference Center in SLC. Can I just say I felt like Charlie Bucket winning the lucky golden ticket for this! Believe it or not, it's the first time I've actually seen/heard the Tabernacle Choir sing, other than TV; and the first time I had been in this wonderfully architected building -- what a massive ediface, with such amazing sound capabilities, and beautiful decor. The spirit and sounds of Christmas lifted my somewhat heavy heart, and the guest artists, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Edward Herrmann were inspiring. Thanks so much DiAnne, for inviting me to go.

Beauty from Within...

by Audrey Hepburn

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness
For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry

People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw out anybody. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands - one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows. And the beauty of a woman only grow with passing years.

What's on Your Christmas List?

I picked up an excellent article to read the other day, that addressed the issue of how to take control of the holiday season, without allowing it to take control of our life! We all get caught up in the gift buying, the baking and cooking, the parties, and forget sometimes that it really is about spending quality time with the ones we love. And with the economy pinching our pocketbooks, maybe we should remember that the first Christmas 'came without ribbons - it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags' as we are reminded by the Grinch.

If you're feeling like you're spread too thin: 1} Narrow your focus of the things that you feel just need to get done. 2} Don't make it worse by stressing over your productivity. 3} PLAN early for the tasks at hand. 4} Don't be afraid to say 'NO' when you feel you can't do more. 5} Prioritize your day - work at work, and enjoy your holiday with friends and family. Don't mix the two, or you will be less effective and joyful at both.

If we de-stress our daily lives, we will enjoy the holiday more, and be more willing to give the ultimate gift - that of our time, our love, and our devotion to the true meaning of Christmas.

So, let's everyone take a deep breath . . .

Gary

Gary {our son-in-law} is your average 31 year-old guy – active in sports, hard-working at his job, loving husband to Heather and doting daddy to Taylor and Weston, fastidious about yardwork, home projects, spending time with his family, and – Oh yes! Fighting an aggressive form of cancer known as Burkitt’s Lymphoma; it's hard for me to even write that word, and it's almost if I don't say it .... it isn't so. But it is, and it's a battle.

He was diagnosed at the end of Sept. 2008, and quickly went from going to work each day, to going in for blood tests, biopsies, CT scans, bone marrow samples, lumbar punctures, all of which help determine the type of lymphoma and how far it has spread in the body. This info was then used to help decide which treatment is most appropriate for him. He started the first round of chemo in October. He is now on the 2^nd regimen, and is responding well to it. If it is successful, there is almost a 90% chance that he will be cured – not in remission, but CURED! That is what all of us are hoping, praying, and depending on.

Burkitt’s lymphoma is a type of B-cell lymphoma. In the Western world, the most common symptom is an abdominal swelling that starts in the bowel. Burkitt’s lymphoma may also affect other organs such as the eye, the ovaries, kidneys, and glandular tissue such as the breast, thyroid or tonsil. It may also affect the lymph nodes or bone marrow. Some people experience a loss of appetite/weight loss and fatigue. For practical purposes, non-Hodgkin lymphomas are divided into two groups: low- and high-grade. Low-grade lymphomas are usually slow-growing, and high-grade lymphomas grow more quickly. Burkitt’s lymphoma is a high-grade lymphoma. This means that it is faster-growing and usually needs prompt treatment with chemotherapy.

Gary is on an A B schedule, and each schedule lasts 21 days. On the A schedule he spends most of his days in the hospital, and on schedule B he gets 4 to 5 different types of chemo a day for 7 days straight. “It pulls the life out of you”, Gary says.

Gary will be spending his birthday and most likely Christmas in the hospital this year. Gary is halfway done with his regimen but we still have ‘til the end of January before he gets to stay home for good (cross your fingers). With this type of lymphoma you have to hit it fast and hit it hard. Gary spends most of his days lying flat, because of such bad migraines that make him nauseous. The migraines are from the many spinal taps he has to have. He never gets a chance to build up fluid before they take it from him. It causes the brain to sag and leaves you with the worst headache you’ve ever had. He will have 8 total spinal taps. 3 with schedule A and 1 with schedule B.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are being viewed in a new light - we're focusing on what's important. We're not worrying so much about getting Christmas lights up, or the marathon shopping trips, all the cooking and baking, or whether there is a gift for each neighbor. With that said, I would like to invite any of you that would like to donate to a fund raiser that Gary's co-workers have initiated. They are selling T-shirts and are donating the money to Gary and Heather to help defray hospital bills, and other expenses. You will never understand the meaning of 'catastrophic medical expenses' until you go through something like this!

They come in gray or black, sizes M-L-XL-1X and the cost is $20 per shirt. To order you may contact

Tina at tinah@mountainwesttc.com or call 888-478-2276.

Happy Thanksgiving 2008

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

As we approach Thanksgiving 2008, may we reflect on the blessings that have been bestowed upon us, and give thanks to those who defend our freedoms; to our friends and family who so often 'back our play', when others would run away; to the good fortune we have that enables us to have a roof over our head, and food on our tables; to a Heavenly Father who hears our prayers, and answers them in His goodness; to the profound knowledge that this is the greatest nation on Earth.

Count your Blessings - Share the Love.

Happy Birthday, TAYLOR!

I just got off the phone with Taylor this morning to sing her Happy Birthday, to which she politetly and softly said, 'thank you Grandma'. I could tell in her voice, she had a big smile on her face, and loved my morning rendition. She was eating breakfast, and said that her Daddy has a surprise for her when she gets through; we talked of the possibilities of what it could be. Will it be in a box? Maybe it's a pony hiding in the backyard! She is such a sweet little gal, and fills her day with skipping about, telling stories of what she sees and hears, and wondering what the next day will bring.


WOW! Oh My Gosh!
How this little girl has grown!
From 5 years to 6, she’s learned to do so much on her own.

From being timid and shy at pre-school -
to the friend everyone wants as their own in Kindergarten;
Making new friends – Isabelle, Marissa, & Taylor
AKA as ‘The Three Musketeers’.

Learning to read & recognizing patterns,
Letters {BIG & small}, numbers and shapes
4 loose teeth – NO! make that 3…
Learning to ride her bike without training wheels
Playing T-ball and soccer this summer
Honing her skills at cartwheels, headstands, and handstands

She makes her bed
She helps clean up {under penalty of losing toys}
She loves to make clay buddies just like her Mom
She will draw the thing you like most, and color it with your favorite colors.
She loves kitties and puppies, and her fave color is STILL pink!

Her dream is to dance, so she can wear make-up and be in a ‘Big Show’ {just like cousin Eryn}
From Oobi, to Spongebob, and now on to Hannah
This 6 year old is achieving the landmarks of childhood,
and letting us enjoy them with her.

Happy 6th Birthday, Taylor
I love you

My Idea of Decorating....

I really HATE the holidays.....I know...that's a sad commentary. There are so many of you out there that start decorating, planning, baking, sewing, crafting, and can't wait for them. If there are any ideas to help me learn to enjoy them more...please, I'm open for suggestions. However, I guess I should preface that invitation by saying, I don't have a crafty or original bone in my body! I have almost forgot how to cook {in fact, my last can of shortening went bad for non-use}; I haven't sewn anything since a circle skirt in Jr. High; and planning is for wimps! I usually 'fly by the seat of my pants'. Now, if any of you still have a suggestion, please feel free to share it with someone else.......

It's a NEW day....

YE GADS! 10 days have come & gone since my last post - it's like I told Whitey, I've had no time, no energy and no inspiration! Besides, within that 10 days, I've had to spend 3 of them retrieving photos that were inadvertently deleted from my blog, when I was housecleaning in Picasa. Little did I realize that every damn picture I ever look at, download, insert, whatever....is on that site. And by trying to clean up some of those files, I emptied out the cache of blog entry photos. So I had to go back through every entry, delete the html's and re-insert or try to find the same photos I had used originally. What a momentous TASK...one I hope I never make the mistake of doing again. I was so discouraged and beaten down by last night, I just about decided it wasn't worth it to keep going on. Today is a NEW day, however; I've added some Christmas music to put us all in the mood-and I will try to be more diligent in putting myself back in the the groove. Blessings on you all...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DENICE!

Well, Whitey beat me to the punch on this one; but since it's her sister, I'll let her go down with the 'glory'. Denice was always the gal with the sparkle; she was into anything that had ACTION - skiing, dancing, cheer squad, etc. This summer at the 4th of July celebration, she took note of the flag carriers, and went back to her Mom's to practice -- too funny, but what form!

She has 3 great kids and 3 grandkids. We miss her cuz she lives back in WI. but she keeps promising that she's gonna move back home someday. We hold our breath for that... Hope you have a great day, and wishes come true for the next year.

Election Day

HAPPY TUESDAY!!!!
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!!

My kind of weekend...

Ahh...a gal after my own heart. She loves Barry Manilow; does not appreciate an $85 potato, and thrills from the fountains at Bellagio!

Even tho I'm stuck here in Utah with the wind, and the rain, and the blahs!, I got to enjoy a trip to Las Vegas, without losing any money or feeling like I'd been jipped cuz Barry had bronchitis.

Happy, Haunting Hallow's Eve!

I wish I had the energy this guy has, but I just want to snooze everytime I sit in one spot for very long. My weeks are becoming a mish-mosh of days running together, in which I can't remember what day I'm actually on, what grandchild I will be watching, and where I'm supposed to be! The one good spot will be the change back from DST this weekend. Then maybe it won't seem like the days and nights are screwed up as well!

The nights seem like an endless spiraling of tossing & turning, thinking & pondering, rationalizing and bargaining; until about 4am when I finally doze off in pure exhaustion and then the morning light comes too quickly! I must be getting that 'old person' ailment - the one my Grandma had that prompted her to go to bed by sundown, and get up with the chickens! I don't know if she slept all that time, or if she was tossing and turning, as well. She had great things on her mind, and wasn't afraid to instill in all of us the heeding that the crops were being poisoned with pesticides, the meat was bad because of the stuff being injected into it, the food was ROTTEN, and airplanes were flying caskets - a thing of the devil! The Government was going to HELL {even back in the 50's}!

Anyway, I'm getting off-track here. Just wanted to wish everyone a safe and Happy Halloween. Hope all the trick or treating doesn't end up in your bed in the form of sticky goo or sugary puke, like it does my grandkids!! You can tell I really LOVE this holiday, can't you?

Happy Birthday, Weston!

What 2 year-old isn't a whole new personality than that of our sweet baby just one year ago?

He runs – not walks

He screams – not talks

He wants what he wants right now!

Hearing the word ‘NO’ puts his tail in a spin…

He freaks if anyone touches his blanket,

But loves to tease everyone by taking what he knows he shouldn’t have.

He drags stuffed animals, cars, and trucks behind him

with anything that may resemble a rope.

Fashion conscious to a fault – he has to wear shoes,

but if he doesn’t have a ‘onesie’ on, he could comfortably go NAKED!

The monkey in him is pushing chairs and tables around to climb on,

hanging on people as they try to walk,

testing buttons, switches, rummaging through closets, cupboards, and drawers.

He loves to help Mom with the dishes.

He loves watching Disney movies and eating popcorn with Taylor,

hugs & kisses, and bath time.

If the door is left open, he’s out in a flash – he loves to be outdoors…

In the garage rummaging through Dad’s tools; digging in the dirt;

playing at the water table; pointing out dog poop in the grass for Dad;

following behind with a toy, pretending to mow and trim;

taking walks and riding in the wagon;

pointing out any bug as a bee, airplanes, tractors, and trucks.

‘Mommy’, ‘D’ for Daddy, Taylor, JJ, and Heidi {his fave aunt},

‘Doodoo’ for Thank You, ‘Oh, Oh’, ‘Sorry’, & ‘Whoa Baby’,

are just a few of his words and phrases.

His eyes, how they twinkle with mischief

He’s growing by leaps and bounds

He’s learning so many new things

His smile will brighten our day

What was life like before he was here?

We’re so thankful for ‘The Boy’.

Happy 2^nd Birthday, Weston

Love, Grandma Shifflett

Who Sez?!

The 10 Most Disappointing Treats for Trick-or-Treaters

Ed Levine

On Halloween night, some houses struggle with the idea of candy. There are good houses, and there are bad houses. The best trick-or-treaters know to avoid the latter. At the food site Serious Eats, we all love Halloween, but wish certain homes would just stop handing out the classically bad "treats." They weren't good last year, the year before that, or now. Our own Erin Zimmer put together this list of our top 10 Halloween treats that nobody wants...

Toothbrushes {who can't always use a new toothbrush?}

Dentists and orthodontists should not be allowed to celebrate Halloween if they're going to get all tooth doctory on us. Do not bring your work home with you, folks! We all have a personal responsibility to brush, and maybe some of us will forget, but your complimentary bristles on a stick (instead of a Snickers) will not help us remember. It will make us despise you and your trade.

Raisins {NATURE'S candy!}

Little boxes of stuck-together shriveled globs are not what little kids schlep around the neighborhood for all night. When they say trick-or-treat, they want candy that will rot their teeth, not wrinkled grapes. (Using an empty box as a kazoo-like instrument, though, is kinda fun.)

Candy Corn {one of my personal favorites - like Circus Peanuts!}

The most polarizing candy of all. The fruitcake of Halloween; it just never goes away. If you love them, fine. But don't subject the rest of us haters to the sickeningly sweet triangle that tastes like neither candy nor corn.

Smarties and Necco Wafers {WHAT? Everyone doesn't just LOVE the Necco?}

These chalky candies are supposedly "fruit-flavored," but no fruit I know tastes like dust -- and makes everything eaten after taste like dust, too.

Dum Dum Lollipops {I'll give him this one...but they are small and just the right size to fit in a toddler's mouth and hand...upside down...getting all STICKY!}

Usually, foods on a stick are yummy (corn dogs, ice pops), but Dum Dums just can't be included on that list. Not even if they were breaded and deep-fried and served at a fair.

Apples {Again with Nature's candy? And doesn't he know that apples will clean all the sugar from between the teeth?}

Long before "poisoned candy" scares, evil people were handing out apples instead of candy on Halloween. This disappointing "treat" is the main reason to avoid unwrapped food while trick-or-treating.

Tootsie Rolls {YUM! YUM!}

It looks like chocolate and sort of smells like chocolate, but the mini brown tubes are not real chocolate. They taste like watered-down chocolate, and have a chewy texture that will strip the fillings right off your molars.

Miscellaneous, Wrapped Hard Candies {Point for Ed!}

Halloween is supposed to be a holiday for young people, not senior citizens who suck on hard candies all day. Something about the strawberry-shaped strawberries, gold-wrapped butterscotch, and peppermint feels past the expiration date. (These usually get set aside for Granny.)

Laffy Taffy {Banana is the BEST!}

I do not laffy when I get these. I sobby. I get depressedy. Because it gets all stucky to my teethy and doesn't even taste that goody.

Anything Fun-Sized {All good - CHOCOLATE soothes the inner BEAST!}

Who started calling it this? Since when is one bite fun?! Give us the rich houses with the sprawling driveways and full-sized candy bars any day. Portion control doesn't need to start this young.

BEGGARS can't be CHOOSERS!

Check out these Halloween treats you will want to eat.

Rock My World...

There are moments in our lives

when something happens that

takes our breath away…when

our eyes behold something so

indescribably beautiful…when

a hurt carries so much pain that

you think you won’t ever be

able to heal…when a feeling of

deja-vu comes over you,

making you believe that you

have truly experienced what is

happening this very minute once before…when that first kiss,

from the one person you have loved from afar, finally settles

upon your lips…when resounding joy, creeps up from the tips

of your toes to the top of your head…when a long-lost friend

pops back into your life after an absence of many years…

when a truth hits you smack in the face, and you come to

realize that you probably already knew what it was before

you heard it…when a suspicion is validated…when you know

something isn’t quite right, but you can’t put your finger on

the problem…when you hear the words, “Will you marry me?”

…when you hear the sound of your baby’s first cries…when

you receive that dreaded call in the middle of the night telling

you that your loved one has been hurt or is gone…when a

doctor tells you that you are sick--very, very sick!

Words can carry the weight of the world with them, and once they

are said,can never be taken back. They are thrown out into the

wind to scatter their goodness, or their poison. May we all choose

carefully the words that emit from our mouth – that when all is said

and done, we will be remembered by the love and appreciation

we shared with our loved ones through our wordsand deeds.

Experiences, words, people, places – ROCK MY WORLD! Our

world consistsof so many things, and yet…when one piece of it

falters or we lose a piece ofit, it changes the person we are for

that moment in time. We exalt in joy, orwither in misery. We ask

the questions, “Why Me? Why Now? When will itend?” When

there seems there is no place to go, God is the answer. Why

is it that we fail to think, thank, and ask Him when we need Him

the most? We wait for a tragedy-or a miracle, and then we

remember Him; we pleadwith Him; we implore Him to give us

peace and comfort. He is the source of our strength – He’s

always there for us.

Everything that you may feel is unimportant, insignificant, or

trivial today, will one day sneak up on you with such impact;

you’ll wonder why it took you so long to understand.

‘These are the moments I know Heaven must exist. These are

the moments I have all I've waited for...and I could not ask for

more.’

5 Secrets

A Friend of mine sent me the most amazing link to a site that talks about 5 Secrets - must be the point at which I am in my life, and the many issues whirling and swirling around in my life, that made me take note of the thoughts and words. I need this kind of reinforcement each and every morning. I hope that each of you will take 6 minutes to watch the presentation and come away with something that affects you to do good or to change that which you are unhappy with.

Happy Birthday, Kloyie!

It's so hard to believe that one year has passed, and your are now 9 years old. I remember the day your were born - it was much warmer than it is here today - a beautiful Autumn day. You were just about the sweetest bundle that was ever handed to me! I looked at your round little face, your perfectly formed body, and you became SPECIAL! Special because you were my first grandchild, special because of your tender heart and sweetness, special because you knew you would always hold a very tender place in my heart that no one else shares. I love you all the way from Heaven and back. Hope you have a wonderful birthday, and a great new year!

Appreciation

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
by Erma Bombeck

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead
of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern
if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a
rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if
the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living
room and worried much less about the dirt when
someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather
ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled
up on a summer day because my hair had just been
teased and sprayed.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching
television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it
was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed
to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy,
I'd have cherished every moment and realized that
the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance
in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never
have said, "Later.  Now go get washed up for dinner."
There would have been more "I love you's."  More "I'm
sorry's." But mostly, given another shot at life, I would
seize every minute...look at it and really see it live it
and never give it back. Stop sweating the small stuff.
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more,
or who's doing what.

Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with
those who do love us.

Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with. And
what we are doing each day to promote ourselves
mentally, physically, emotionally.

I hope you all have a blessed day.

CONGRATULATIONS, Shaylee & Nick!

You are my shelter from the rain,

My warmth from the cold.

My light in the dark.

On the hottest summer day,

You are my shade.

You are my tranquility.

You refresh my soul.

There is a place I go, a sanctuary like no other.

It is your love.

You are my best friend and my true Love.

There are two of us – You & Me.

But there is only one life between us.

Happy Birthday, Leanne!

Garth and Leanne are taking Tom to Wendover to celebrate HER birthday - I know they'll have fun, and hope they come back with some winnings.

I would think that getting older would be assault enough without losing money, but then that's me!

Hope you guys have a fun time...

Did you say 30?!

HOLY COW...I can't believe that my babies are 30! What the heck does that make me? I'd like to say that I was just a mere teen when I had them; but I was mature, and quite overwhelmed!

I want to tell them how much I love them - they are unique and special with individual talents, strengths, and beauty. I appreciate what great Mothers they are to their children, and pray that they will always be the best of friends to one another.

Happy Birthday, H & H!

We love you girls....

As the month of September comes to an end, I would like to wish all the happy couples in the family who celebrate the 'beginning of their beginning', HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!


And to take us back to the 'Fabulous 50's', is this photo of DiAnne and Glen on their wedding day, Sept. 28, 1956, and her daughter Teri and Tom on their wedding on Sept. 21, 1979.

Pursuit of Happyness

Happy is the man and happy is he alone,
He who can call today his own.
He who is secure within can say,
'Tomorrow do thy worst,
for I have lived today.'

Today is all we have, really.
Now is the best time to choose happiness.

Happy Birthday, Paige!

Paige -- so witty, so quick and so smart...

The "Trivia Queen" -- with Joy in her heart.

She can tell you the title of almost any song; she wins most every game she plays; she's voracious, competitive, giving and sweet.

Enduring a job meant for Mother Goose - A daycare provider

She cuddles, sings and reads to them, and watches as they play.

They come to her for comfort, she kisses their tears away ith benefits that are endless, memories that are priceless, & rewards that are eternal.

Happy Birthday, Paiger -- I love you.

Happy Birthday, Jessica!

Jess is a first - the first child and only daughter of Teri and Tom, and the first grandchild for DiAnne and Glen. She was born the day before her Aunt Paige's birthday and made a very nice surprise. Jessica loves photography! and has taken some awesome photos. She's taken college classes in it and the amount of her photos downloaded on her computer is a testament to her desire to document EVERYTHING. She works for ARUP laboratories
up by the University Utah as a lab tech. Loves to travel and hanging out with her friends & cousins, hiking (has tried rock climbing a few times) and family get-togethers.

{Danielle, Dezi, Jessica}

All Dogs Go To Heaven....

Malachi Jan.23, 1996-Sept.23, 2008

{Thoughts from Heather} When Gary got her she thought she was a lap-dog or a baby {one of the two}, so you always had to sit down with her right in your lap... funny thing is that she never really outgrew that until she hurt to sit down.... so we always had that 100lb dog laying all over us!

Anytime we were on the floor or on the couch she would nuzzle her way right between us and lay on her side so she could push me as far away as she could from Gary-guessing I was a threat of some sort...

She was such a good dog... had a lot of times when she'd attack other dogs and end up getting rabie shots that same day so we wouldn’t get sued....

Dragged me through the grass on my 7 mo. pregnant belly trying to get other dogs... very angry about that, but other than that she was a very lovey dog and just wanted attention and to be loved....I like to think she knew she was!

I didn’t think I loved her as much as I did, until I had to put her down - hardest thing I've ever had to do.

Happy Birthday, Aunt Joye!

Aunt Joye is the only living sibling of my mother. She and I shared the same rung in the family ladder of being 'the baby'. She has always been such a JOY to visit with - she keeps busy with crocheting baby afghans, hats and scarves {which she donates to Festival of the Trees and other needful organizations}, enjoying a day at the Senior Citizens center playing Mexican Train, and of course her favorite thing of all, playing the penny slots in Wendover!

When I questioned Wendy about some info on Aunt Joye she sent me this: The house that she lives in; she and my dad built while she was pregnant with me...they would do like one big log a day. Back then, the logs didn’t come ‘prepared’ so she would strip the bark and such off one log during the day, then when dad got home at night, they would put it on. I heard she was even up on the roof shingling shortly before she went into labor with me.

She used to be a really good bowler, & later in life she and my dad learned how to golf together. She has written an article for the Morgan newspaper titled 'The Other Side of 80' for a number of years, which offers up some advice on aging with grace and keeping your sense of humor intact. Here are a couple of excerpts from articles she has written on age:

Remember When...
I have warned you before, I am not political, I don’t preach religion, and I write about old age, middle age and all the things that go with it. I write to amuse people, to get a laugh about the process of growing old. If you can’t laugh once in a while what is there to look forward to?
Ah, those golden years. You can remember when “the net” was something you wore on your hair.
You get our breakfast out of the medicine cabinet…
Doing the “Hustle” means you’re on your way to the ladies room.
You refer to your stockings, girdle and bra as your “support group”….
People don’t get mad at you when you forget things; they expect it.
You repeat gossip because you can’t remember it from the first time…
You still have everything you did when you were l6 only it is two feet lower!

Gift of Life
Read the title over again. When you get to be my age I am thankful every day for the gift of life. I have enjoyed my life up to now, and I intend on treating it as a gift and do all in my power to take care of myself in body and spirit. I don’t get to church so I have to do something that will let me through the pearly gates. That is what all the crocheting I do, donating it to charities, the homeless shelters, and other organizations that take care of the ones not as fortunate as I am.

Best of Wishes for a wonderful day and year, Aunt Joye. We love you....