This Old Bird is 60!

I was lucky enough to celebrate my {dare I say it?} 60th birthday with all my family. DiAnne & Glen {ever so cleverly} planned a "Surprise!" party for me. Wayne, El, and Doug; Nadine, Clydene with her daughter Kacy & Hadley, Janette, her daughter Ashley & Joey, Leanne & Garth, Teri & Tom, Jeff, Karen, Shaylee & Nick, Ryan & Kristen, Paige and her two little gals, Sara & Robyn, and all my own gang with their little hoodlums! It was quite a houseful! As always, there was a spread of delicious goodies to eat, and balloons galore, and banners reminding me that I am indeed over the hill. Funny, I don't remember getting to the top of that hill, altho the climb sometimes has been grueling!

I reminded DiAnne that she had thrown a 'Surprise' party for me when I turned 30; now this one 30 years later -- then I warned her that she better not think about one for the next 30! My sweet SIL was standing behind me, and gave me a squeeze asking, 'What's wrong with 90?' She is turning 90 in June - but you'd never know it! She is still the cute strawberry-blonde darling that married my oldest brother in 1943! If I could age like she has, maybe I wouldn't mind sticking around that long.

I thought I would try to compile a list of things that I've learned in 60 years --

1. "NO" is a complete sentence!
2. Knowledge is Power -- but Ignorance is Bliss!
3. The past is to learn from – not live in
4. My way is not the way -- it's just my way.
5. 'I dwell in possibilities'....
6. Gripe to the one you have a gripe with!
7. We are the choices we have made
8. The older we get, the more like ourselves we become.
9. One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.
10. My lederhosen just don’t fit me all that well anymore!

-- but what I know the most and best is that of all the things in the World, family is the most important!

Thanks to everyone one of you that I am privileged enough to have in my life.

You know you're old when the candles for the cake cost more than the cake!

A few days of Sunshine...

I got a reprieve from the fickle weather up North, and traveled to the Land of Sunshine with Paige and her girls last week. Eryn had a dance competition, and all of us needed to catch some gamma rays to boost our spirits. We drove through 3 areas of blizzard getting to the George, but by Friday, we were basking in and having fun in the sun! We spent time at the pool and hot tubs, did some hiking in the red rocks, saw the cute movie '17 Again', and enjoyed watching Eryn weave her magic on the floor for the competition...she moves so gracefully and is on que for every dance step. She took 1st in her Jazz number, 2nd in her Lyrical, and the group took 2nd in Show, which is the finale. Congratulations to Eryn, on many years of hard work - as she moving on to other goals in her life.

As a sidebar - Happy belated Birthday to Eryn. She turned 18 on the 11th and was wondering when I was gonna get her post up. So this is it! She is graduating from high school {Dear Ol' Davis High School...} and has been accepted at Weber Univ.

And while we were traveling home yesterday, we were thinking about her cousin Taylor who just turned 16! Beware the new driver on the road! Happy Birthday to you, Taylor.

Friends, and Strangers ...

I received a cute email from a friend {obviously} that had this cute cartoon with it. I am so appreciative of good friends who keep me in their thoughts, know when to lift my spirit as I go through a rough patch, and encourage me to follow my heart and fulfill my dreams. They are sometimes my best cheer section, and I don't know what I' d do if I couldn't unload on them. I don't feel like I'm able to ever be as compassionate or intuitive to others, as they are to me - but I try to make a noble effort to remind myself to remain positive, and to make the best of what seems to be impossible situations! Love to my friends


P.S. Happy Birthday, Ms'mErika!

Easter 2009

HAPPY EASTER from us to you!

ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE...
I LEARNED FROM THE EASTER BUNNY

Don't put all of your eggs in one basket
Walk softly and carry a big carrot
Everyone needs a friend who is all ears
There's no such thing as too much candy
All work and no play can make you a basket case
A cute little tail attracts a lot of attention
Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day
Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits
Some body parts should be floppy
Keep your paws off other people's jellybeans
Good things come in small sugarcoated packages
The grass is always greener in someone else's basket
An Easter bonnet can tame even the wildest hare
To show your true colors you have to come out of your shell
The best things in life are still sweet and gooey

Here Comes Peter Cottontail.....a week early!

There are many things I can count as blessings in my life - loving brothers and sisters who stepped in and always made sure I was taken care of { I credit them generously being the wind beneath my wings}; wonderful friends - the ones just re-entering my life, or the ones who have always been a part of my heart; children and grandchildren who are probably my greatest accomplishment in Life; a faith that endures through tough and sometimes unhappy times; and the desire to write down my thoughts from time to time - if not for the general public, at least to clear out the cobwebs in my brain cloud!

Life has been a roller coaster of events, emotions, frustrations, and elation! My brother has been in and out of the hospital for the past 2 weeks with some health concerns which always puts the rest of us on ALERT. He is back home in his LazyBoy Launcher, with candy on one side, his cigarettes on the other, some Honey Buns in the pantry, and his oxygen hose hooked up around his ears. Pray that he doesn't forget that he's hooked up to that when he decides to light up a cigarette!!

Gary had a PET/CT scan last week - it was determined that the two spots that they saw originially are STILL there, but because they are not growing, and they don't have a 1st scan to compare with, they took out 'Squidward' {the cathport} and he just has to have his blood drawn weekly, and will go in for another scan periodically. We still keep faith and pray that he is one of the lucky ones to be cured and that there will be no re-occurrance of this for him. Heather and his kids are excited to have him home on a daily basis, he has been back to work for the past 2 months, and Taylor can't wait for him to 'rassle with her'!

I had the family over on Sunday for an early Easter celebration, with an Easter Egg hunt for the grandkids. It was chaotic, but alot of fun to watch them run from one corner of the yard to the other looking for their colored eggs. Weston and Sloane even got down on their hands and knees and were digging through the long, matted down grass for something that might be hidden.

The weather here continues to put me in a FUNK! One day it is beautiful and warm, the next stormy and cold....Just get here already, SPRING! I really need to work on my flower beds, and get my regimen of walking again. I swear my little crab apple tree has almost opened it's buds up and then had a 2nd thought and recoiled!

I've rambled enough....this family is wishing Jenna and Krissy a wonderul adventure; we can't wait for Heather's new Surfer Girl to come and are so excited to see cute pix of Baby Asher. Our 8th grandchild will be here soon - and the excitement builds every time we think of his arrival and what blessings a sweet smelling, angel baby brings into our family.

OK - I just read an article in the Standard about an event that is to take place at the Davis Convention Center here in Layton. I have included the article and the website referred to in the article and would like your feedback. When you bring up the vid, I caution you to look at a couple of the other vids as well, but make sure they are about the actual pole dancing, and not some other trashy exoctic dancing that anyone can bring up on the internet! The gal explains why they wear what they do {or do not!}, and tells a little about the workout.

http://www.standard.net/live/news/168306
http://www.misspoledanceutah.com/

Personally, I find nothing offensive about this event. It may be a bit suggestive, but no more than some of the beauty pageants, fashion shows , etc. or any other thing that is presented on TV/movies/music videos. If any of you have tried to pull yourself up from the floor in the last while, let alone hang upside down holding onto a pole only by your ankles or knees - you definitely have to appreciate that this is a true fitness demo. I sometimes can't even hold onto the railing to get up the stairs!!

Tell me if I'm too open-minded for my own good......

These are a few of the remarks that I received back from an unbiased {did I just admit that?} select group who shall remain anonymous. One gal admits that a couple of her daughters and even her 11 year-old grandson participate in this extraneous form of fitness. Another states that it is just too suggestive. What views do you have?

- This is funny, my girls, and a lot of their friends have taken or are taking this class in Ogden . It is not stripping, but a heck-of-a-workout. They had to show me before I would believe it! One even put a ‘pole’ up in their basement and the girls go over there and practice. My 11 year old grandson has been practicing with his mom and can do some of the ‘moves’ that she can’t do yet… they do end up with bruises on their legs & arms from it but as long as they are active, what the heck? Beats the treadmill at the gym, I guess.

- I have actually seen alot of shows on this lately. There are moms purchasing poles for there homes, cause it is such a hard workout. I personally would not want a stripper pole in my room. What kind of image would you be giving your children if they saw that? Just not right in my opinion. They offer these classes all over now and people swear you will never felt better after the workout. It's crazy to have this competition!!

- I totally agree with you and think it would be fun to see it. I do agree it's good that they have rules to keep it above board, but pole dancing is getting very popular and I'm sure it isn't easy. This is perfect fodder for people who like to stand out as being offended - as it gives them the public exposure they crave so other self-righteous, narrow-minded people can admire them for taking a stand. Afterall, everyone KNOWS these pious phonies have no problems in their families (yea, right). Too bad there isn't a Stepfordville that they could all move to.

- Well, they say kids age 12 and up are invited. It says no G strings, top should cover entire boobs and bottom covers entire butt. Sounds okay to me. Thanks for keeping me ABREAST of the latest.

- Whatever! Obviously the choreography won't be that great. Boring. At least these women know that in this economy they'll have something to fall back on as a night job. At $20 for admission, I can get that on my HBO at home with my package. I'll stick to yoga!

I guess what I'm saying here, is that this is a COMPETITION! And for those who don't want to attend or would be offended by it, I say "Stay Away". I won't be there, but then I wouldn't attend a weight lifting competition, or a WWF, or a Victoria Secret fashion show either!

The Power of Prayer

For those of you who have noticed the Praying for Stellan button on the right sidebar, I thought I would explain to you why I have it here. This is a baby who at 20 weeks gestation was diagnosed with a heart problem, and his parents were told he would never survive. When he was born, they couldn't find a problem with him and it wasn't until just recently that he began having an irregular heart rate and was put into the hospital. His story is a long and tedious test of faith but if you would like to read more about him you can go here.

With all the problems in the World right now, the economy, the war on Terrorism, the unemployment rate, etc. it's interesting to me, that this story can get more than 200,000 hits in a day!! If you want some inspiration, and would like to feel the power of faith and prayer in a person's life from all around the world, you need to read this story. I know there are so many more like this one out there. I know that we have all had occasion to witness the power of prayer in our own lives.