Great Daughter, Great Mother!

I LOVE this girl of mine!!! And she is such a GREAT mom!!!

I am so blessed!

Christmas: Short on Pics but Big on Family!

I just didn't take pictures like I should have taken...

even of all the gifts I made!

I got a picture of my "perfect" chocolate cheesecake...

And my not-quite-so pretty one! (Luke didn't want anyone to think I am always perfect!)

I also was so blessed to see my family!!!

Christmas Eve in Tooele! Loved spending time with the in-laws and Adrienne and Elijah!!!

And cranberry dessert without Jesse = more for us- but so missed Jesse & fam, Jordan & fam, Leslie & fam, and Jared & fam!

Christmas day with Dad & Sue- always fun!

 And boxing day with my kids and grands is always GRAND!!!

And we must "touch the chicken"!!!

And Also... (What Christmas Means to Me cont.)

Being a mother this time of year is terrific, but being Grandma...

we will have FOUR granddaughers this year!!! SO excited!!!

These smiles = Christmas when they are near!

And watching my daughter carry on traditions with her daughters warms my soul!

 I am so blessed.

My daughter said it best in a recent blog post:

 "I love this time of year with kids. Ashtyn is only two and she already loves everything about Christmas. That makes me so happy. Making them happy is so easy, but it brings so much joy. I really love everything. I love the big things, like watching them open birthday presents and get excited about every single one, and I love the quiet moments of snuggles that come throughout the day. I honestly wouldn't want to be doing anything else with my life.

There are sacrifices that come with having children. Some are short term, while they are so little and need you for everything and some never go away. I've felt that and there have been times when I have wished to be free of the responsibility so Ben and I could spontaneously go to a movie or take a cruise whenever we wanted. I also know, though, that it's worth. I understand, down to my very core, that what I'm doing is the most important work out there. And I really, really love doing it.

And for that, I will be eternally grateful."

And I am so eternally grateful to be a mom and grandma!

What Christmas Means to Me...

I get to be with this man FOREVER!!!

And I was blessed to spend some time in the temple with him this week. This, to me, is Christmas!

Why "Black Shopping" is Priceless!

My darling Ash was so proud to go "black shopping with momma and grandma!"

Char described why it is fun the best... she said (and I am paraphrasing) that what she loves best is spending quality time with family. And shopping with the girls is just that. It usually doesn't matter what we buy or where we go, and now we don't bother to stay up all night or get up hours before the sun. We just go when we feel like it, and spend a few hours together, talking, laughing, just being together. That's what makes it all so priceless!

Camilla and Adilynne!

reading to Corduroy!

And another great reason to love this weekend... Jon picked out the perfect card!

Love my family and time with them!

The Roses are Blooming This November!

20 years ago today, this beautiful woman passed on... She was so amazing! In the year before her death, through a set of very challenging circumstances, my children and I were able to live with my family for eight months. Every single day of that time, I was able to talk with my mom. She told me she loved me every day, listened to my worries, prayed with me and for me, and spent time with my children. My daughter, who was just 3 years old then, still remembers "finger painting" (using pudding and food coloring) with her 

Grandma Pat!

What precious memories!

How very appropriate that my roses look like this in mid November:

  

My mother loved roses!

So on this day, I can look at the beauty of my roses and remember the beauty of my mother, the most caring, compassionate, and loving woman I have ever known!

Another Two!

This beauty is now two too! And these pics are so very Ash!!!

Fiercely independent! She had to carry BOTH stools WITHOUT help!

And so happy with life!

Loves nature, outside, bugs, dirt...

LOVES to read- any book, any time, always great to read!

And so LOVES her sis!

By mid-March, Luke and I will have 4 of these beautiful blessings called granddaughters! And we could not be happier!

It Really IS Going to be Okay!

SO much distress in the news about the election, the piano guy's daughter...

So many very real challenges for my cousin and her daughter, Luke and I in life...

And then I see this post: https://thepianoguys.com/portfolio/okay/

SO TRUE!!!

Because of...

I am so grateful for my Savior. Because of Him, everything truly will be okay!

My Cousin, My Friend Forever!

Been thinking a lot about this friend of mine, my dear cousin... Her oldest daughter is going through some very challenging medical things right now. Wishing Michelle could know just how much I am thinking of her and wishing I could physically be there for her as well.

Cousins make the best friends ever!

 Just look at Char and Jer, for instance...

 And I sure hope these two will also become forever friends!

The Little Things Make Life Grand!

We haven't taken a long trip for a while, our dates consist of watching old movies on the computer or "going out" to get flu shots, our evenings are reading the paper while eating dinner and reading some scriptures... 

But as Luke says, "Life is Good!"

Maybe it's all the years alone or maybe it's that I happen to have the best husband ever, or maybe it's some combination of the two...

But all of the little things like sitting together to watch something, taking care of our health together, eating dinner side by side, and perusing the news, laughing at the comics- all of these little things are so very grand!!!

And we found a Jon look-a-like in the paper!!!

 Looks just like him, don't you think?! And a bow tie too!

I am so blessed!

A "Typical" Saturday...

Luke said I should do a post about my very long day yesterday...

Started my day with a relaxing bubble bath! (from 4:30- 5 AM- yes, my day starts early now that I have spent so long with Luke and his CFS- his early bed time = me waking crazy early most mornings.)

Then started on the grapes- had to pick them, de-stem them, wash them, then juice them!

A few years ago, I only got 8 quarts from these grapevines. Now I have 27 quarts! Wow! Yes, this took many hours...

And I canned a few jars of tomatoes while I was waiting for the juicer.

Also 2 loads of laundry, 2 loads of dishes, vacuuming, mowing the front and back lawn. Attached the slide to the swing set, pick a few strawberries and more tomatoes. Pulled the weeds in the driveway, completed over an hour of paperwork, cut some fabric to prep for Christmas projects. and did some crocheting.

Oh, also went shopping, picked up clothes for the granddaughters, got gas for the car, printed notes for school.

And prepped meals for Luke.

Then ended the day watching the football game! First entire game Luke and I have watched together- very enjoyable day!

When Great Things Seem Small...

Life is so challenging and hard and just plain no fun at times! There are new challenges at work, ongoing problems with Luke's health, and so many other truly small things that add up to seemingly overwhelming big problems! The truly great things in my life can seem suddenly small and insignificant.

So because as Luke says, "life is good", I am going to review some of the small things that make my life great:

1) Because of my work schedule, I can get out in the mornings to enjoy the fresh air and a magnificent view!

And this is just one of many. Every day is new and beautiful in its own way, and I am blessed to have a front row seat.

2) My yard/garden- I may not yet successfully grow veg- but I sure seem to be able to grow bushes, trees, and flowers!

3) Food- I love to cook! And nothing is so great as making Luke something he loves to eat like garim masala or stuffed zucchini!

4) My job! I work with the most amazing people who are all trying so hard to make a positive difference in the life of EVERY student! I could not ask for a better work environment!

And I think the list could continue for A VERY LONG TIME!!!

The thing for me is to remember that this list consists of things, though small to others, that are great to me.