I want to wish Kris a most Happy Birthday. When family members were asked to come up with one word to describe her there were a few that kept coming up first and foremost - See if you can guess what they were. She has always had the smile that made the sun shine since she was a little girl - and the curly blonde hair that all of us envied! I've never heard her say a harsh word to or about anyone, and she is always such a positive force to enjoy. She even makes the birds sing!
What Mother wouldn't love that sweet face?
Wishing Vicky - the one that started it all as far as making me an Aunt {even before I was born!} - I love your enthusiasm and zest for life. You are an ageless BEAUTY! Hope you have a wonderful birthday and new year!
Can any of you recognize Mother and Aunt Dott in this line-up of Bathing Beauties?
When I was a child in the 1950s the bathing suit for the mature figure was boned, trussed and reinforced, not so much sewn as engineered. They were built to hold back and uplift and they did a good job. Today's stretch fabrics are designed for the prepubescent girl with a figure carved from a potato chip.
The mature woman has a choice-she can either go up front to the maternity department and try on a floral suit with a skirt, coming away looking like a hippopotamus who escaped from Disney's Fantasia or she can wander around every run of the mill department store trying to make a sensible choice from what amounts to a designer range of florescent rubber bands. What choice did I have? I wandered around, made my sensible choice and entered the chamber of horrors known as the fitting room.
The first thing I noticed was the extraordinary tensile strength of the stretch material. The Lycra used in bathing costumes was developed, I believe, by NASA to launch small rockets from a slingshot; which give the added bonus that if you manage to actually lever yourself into one, you are protected from shark attacks - as any shark taking a swipe at your passing midriff would immediately suffer whiplash. I fought my way into the bathing suit, but as I twanged the shoulder strap in place, I gasped in horror - my boobs had disappeared!
Eventually, I found one boob cowering under my left armpit. It took a while to find the other. At last I located it flattened beside my seventh rib...
The problem is that modern bathing suits have no bra cups! The mature woman is meant to wear her boobs spread across her chest like a speed bump. I realigned my speed bump and lurched toward the mirror to take a full view assessment.
The bathing suit fit all right, but unfortunately it only fit those bits of me willing to stay inside it. The rest of me oozed out rebelliously from top, bottom, and sides. I looked like a lump of play dough wearing undersized cling wrap.
As I tried to work out where all those extra bits had come from, the prepubescent sales girl popped her head through the curtain; 'Oh, there you are,' she said, admiring the bathing suit.
I replied that I wasn't so sure and asked what else she had to show me. I tried on a cream crinkled one that made me look like a lump of masking tape, and a floral two piece which gave the appearance of an over sized napkin in a serving ring.
I struggled into a pair of leopard skin bathers with ragged frills and came out looking like Tarzan's Jane, pregnant with triplets and having a rough day.
I tried on a BLACK number with a midriff and looked like a jellyfish in mourning.
I tried on a bright pink pair with such a high cut leg I thought I would have to wax my eyebrows to wear them.
Finally, I found a suit that fit...a two-piece affair with a shorts style bottom and a loose blouse-type top.
It was cheap, comfortable, and bulge-friendly, so I bought it. My ridiculous search had a successful outcome, I figured. When I got home, I found a label which read -- 'Material might become transparent in water.'
So, if you happen to be on the beach or near any other body of water this year and I'm there too… I'll be the one in cut off jeans and a t-shirt!
I'm so glad {not really} that Summer is almost over - maybe next year I'll be in better shape!
Almost looks like a Hollywood glamour pix, doesn't it? 
Mom, sisters, Grandpa & Grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins and their kids, friends, boyfriend -- all there to watch Eryn! Poised, gracious, articulate, beautiful, talented, and now with the experience of participating in an event that offers the opportunity to build friendships, practice sportsmanship, build self-confidence, learn, laugh, and maybe take home a crown. Although Eryn did not bring home the crown, she is 'Golden' in all our eyes and we love her for her efforts. She did look stunning in her evening gown of pale yellow; she did a great job on her dance; she carried herself with grace in a swim suit and 3" heels {a feat in itself}, and I believe the platform that she chose to represent - that of 'accepting and helping people with special needs', was admirable. But then, she has been an advocate for the underdog since she was a young child. She was always the one to befriend the one in school who wasn't quite the same as everyone else; making sure they had a friend to walk through the halls with, sitting by them at lunch, and rallying for them when others were cruel. So this seemed to be a 'natural' forum for her to pursue.
Happy Birthday to another cute niece - Jordan is the daughter of Craig and Denise, and grand-daughter to DiAnne and Glen. Hope you have a wonderful day!
Eryn is Paige's beautiful and talented daughter and a grand-daughter of DiAnne and Glen.
I wanted to send out a birthday wish to Janette - she's always on some kinda trip for her birthday, so we never get to use it as an excuse for a cousin's lunch. Maybe when she gets home . . .
I have been in such a slump lately; so much so that I forgot to send out a tribute to my SIL - who celebrated her birthday on August 3rd {sorry}! This is one gal who is always cheerful, busy and willing to lend a hand. When I had my twins and 3 little boys under the age of 8, she would come every weekend to help out, so that I could get something else done besides changing diapers and feeding little mouths. We would clean the house, do laundry, I would get out to go grocery shopping, and Wood and I would get out of the house for a few hours to go to a movie. For a gal that didn't have children, she sure got the "Baptism by Fire' by being Auntie to mine! Through her job capacity at ZCMI, she was able to get the girls involved in many fashion shows from the time they were 4 years old. She would also use the boys to set-up and help with some technical functions. From the time they were little, she would take them on a one-on-one basis and spend a weekend with them sharing special experiences and doing things that they chose. 
CLICK HERE
{Danielle is in the center w/her lovely cousins surrounding her}
I went over to visit with Tom and Margie this afternoon, and Tom reminded me that it was 19 years ago today that he had an aortic dissection and was rushed out of the local Sears store on a gurney for emergency surgery. We were all called to the hospital and spent grueling hours awaiting word about whether he would pull through. Luckily for all of us, he did, and we have all enjoyed his wit and sense of humor. But now, he is facing another medical emergency, and will be chatting with a surgeon on the 29th of this month. Hopefully, this man will decide that he is a good enough risk to do the surgery that he so desperately needs. My kids call him the Ever Ready Bunny, cuz he keeps goin' and goin' and goin'. Prayer offered on his behalf, as well as Margie and his daughter Leanne would be appreciated. They have all seen their share of sickness and heartache in the past 19 years, as they have battled with many obstacles. We love you all, and especially want Tom to know that, as a family, we hope and pray for success with this latest battle.
We spent Sunday up to the Dam celebrating Mike's & Matt's birthday {sans Matt}. Got the good beach spot with some big shade trees and tons of ants! Everything I brought home had ants in it; but, on the positive side, the smart people didn't get as sunburned.
his hair, his eyes, his nose, his mouth - I can only imagine what his bum looked like after a day of sitting in it!
#1 Tiny, frail, spunky! 4lbs. 9oz. of snorting baby boy! He came into our World easily, but with a stubborn streak. With a determination to do it his way – he beat the odds and proved his own strength.
It's hard to believe that 34 years ago, you came bouncing into our life - but here it is! I awoke this morning at 1:12am, just at the time you were born; I thought about calling you and singing Happy Birthday, but knew it might awaken your own baby, so I rethunk! 
Robyn is Paige's youngest daughter, and the grand-daughter of DiAnne and Glen.
This is a photo of Alysa{r}, her niece Skysha and her Mother with Sloane before they flew out to Oklahoma 2 weeks ago. Happy Birthday, girlfriend. We love ya . . .
The Other Side of 80
I just love this photo of Janette on her wedding day with Nadine.
Connor came thru surgery to correct his flat feet yesterday with flying colors! The doctor and nurses said he was so brave about the whole procedure, and when his Mom asked him if he was afraid at all, he replied 'NO Mom, I was asleep!' He loved showing me the brightly colored royal blue wrappings on his feet, and was even more proud of the light blue one on his wrist, where they had the needles for intravenous, and the tattoo he got. They also gave him a croaky frog and we took him over a game for his playstation. He will not be able to jump or run for at least a month - but can walk on them as soon as he wants! Nothing will keep this guy down . . .
FLOWERS FOR MY FRIEND!
For those in the family unaware of a little toe-headed, precocious and very mischievous imp of a child, I would like to introduce you to 'Whitey'. This is a little girl who wandered up on Main Street in Kaysville, and was encouraging cars to "Come on up and see me sometime" with a Mae West pose {someone I just recently found out she wanted to be when she grew up}. She has grown into a wonderful person who is a comfort and caretaker to her Mother since Clyde passed away last April. She is so talented in so many areas, I can’t begin to tell you. She quilts, she crafts, she gardens, she writes - she is ‘Wonder Whitey’! I encourage you all to take a look at her newest creation – which is going to be a great place to see some of her many sides.
