11-12-13

11-12-13
What an awesome date.  I probably won't see many more of these in my life time so I need to take advantage of blogging on this spectacular date.  Since it's November and I feel my life is so bountifully blessed at this time, (and since I don't really do facebook but totally admire Thankful November) here are some things that I feel so very blessed for.  I'm sure that I've forgotten some but these are on my mind right now on this spectacular date.

1.  A wonderful husband - honorable, handsome, patient, friendly, upbeat, funny, athletic, hard working, tolerant and tender hearted...and the list goes on.
2. My testimony and all things gospel related (which could be a big list in itself).
3. My 6 children (2 from another mother) who all mean the world to me and who I am so proud of which could be another big list.
4. Being a grandma this year to the most adorable darling smiley granddaughter
5. My health and the good health of my family
6. My missionary sons, son in law and husband (all missionaries)
7. My 2 house dogs
8. A wonderful boss, job and work place
9. Dependable transportation including UTA TRAX
10. A house and living in SLC
11. Music in my life
12. A good upbringing
13. My creative streak

Happy Halloween 2013

I love Halloween.  I love the decorations, the fall scents, caramel apples, trick or treat candy and chili.  I have extremely creative kids and a tolerant dog...here's proof. Happy Halloween!

Slipping Away

An X-ray yesterday at Brickyard Veterinary Hospital revealed our worst fears about our sweet family dog Oscar.  He has a large cancerous tumor in his shoulder.  It's spreading and he's quit using his left front leg.  He's been in a lot of pain lately. 
For the last few years we've known this time would eventually come and we've all been dreading the day we have to say good-bye to a major part of our family.  To the astonishment and curiosity of many, Oscar has been more of a kid than a dog.  He's a one of a kind dog and in another post (after a few buckets of tears)...I'll tell you why.  We count each day now a gift of borrowed time with him.

Baby gurl - growin' like a weed

I can't wait to post my birthday surprise...but until I wrangle up the video...I'm going to post a few of my favorites pictures that I've gotten this summer.  Can't wait til their back from CA.

 

Pierced Ears!

"SAFE!!!"

This summer my hubby and I have enjoyed going to four Salt Lake Bees Baseball games.  All free tickets and all really good games (and surprisingly very fun to watch!)  In fact, we've even gotten 2 FREE Grand Slam breakfasts from Denney's out of it. But the best news of all came last week when I felt like I'd got on base and the call was made..."SAFE!!!" by the smallest fraction.  After a very emotional July due to a bad mammogram, a bad re-call mammogram, an ultrasound and a biopsy...I am"SAFE!"  I will be up to bat again next July and pray again that I make it on base and hear that call "SAFE"!

No More Teenagers

Today is another milestone in my life.  I have no more teenagers!
I became a teenagers mom on Feb 17, 2002 and I ended being a teenagers mom on June 5, 2013.  It's been an awesome 11 years! By the way...Happy Birthday Jentry! (my baby)

Our little angel has arrived!

 

Callie Jane Harper

April 19, 2013

9:27 pm

7 lb. 6 oz.

19 inches

 

A little piece of heaven just arrived in the form of a perfectly healthy baby. 

I have a new title now: "Grandma" and I love it!

I think of the words of a special blessing: "you shall have joy in your posterity".

 

A very special Thank you to jillapontephotography.com

or should we call her "the baby whisperer" for her TLC and amazing pics of Callie at just 5 days old!

 

 

Movin' in

Here she is!  Our new house as of Thursday, March 28th.  We first spotted her on February 27th.  Truly one short month before she became ours. So after almost 1 year of apartment life, we moved in on Thursday, March 28, 2013.  It was a one-month whirl wind and we're so happy that we've finally landed.  Here are the answers to A LOT OF QUESTIONS everyone seems to ask:
Nope, not brand new 
Nope, not old fixer-upper
Nope, not in the ritzy part of town (I guess that's the East side of State Street)
Nope, not in Sandy, Sugarhouse, Millcreek, Murray or Day Break
Nope, not one level
Nope, no cute yard...yet (but lots of potential)
Nope, I don't have a bus route yet, may have to drive
Nope, I don't know the name of the area
Nope, not keeping the Christmas lights that are still up all over
Yep! it's on the West side
Yep!  I know all about the crime - sadly, it's ALL over the valley
Yep! it's about 18 years old
Yep!  it's a complete flip on the inside and it smells new
Yep! there are a few things we will change inside
Yep! we have a lot of yard work to do
Yep! the dogs LUV their new backyard
Yep! it's off of Redwood Road
Yep! we'll be in a another ward/stake
Yep! it's just the perfect size nest for two old birds
Yep! it's got stairs all over the place and some crazy ones in the kitchen/living room
Yep! I'm gonna paint sometime (how well you know me)
Yep! I have multi-cultural neighbors but I had that in the apartment too
Yep! it's only 15-20 minutes if I drive to work, 40-60 minutes on the train & bus
Yep! I can hear trains and airplanes sometimes
Yep! It's SO super quiet at night, no one walking on the ceiling all the time!
Yep! I am so glad to be out of the apartment!
Yep! We got in on the great interest rates
Yep! This is a huge blessing for us!!
We feel so blessed and we felt guided to this house by Heavenly Father.  We gratefully thank him for his tender, loving, watchful care. We are so thankful he is in the details of our daily lives as we know he truly answered our prayers and knows what's best for us.
Please come see us anytime!  We have a bed for you and I'll even make you a huckleberry muffin!

My baby gurl's having a baby gurl

25 Year Anniversary

25 years ago today my world was turned completely upside down, rocked and shaken.  It was definitely an earthquake in my life. I couldn't say it then, but I am better for it. Joseph Smith said that someday we will get the answer to our "why?"

 In Memory

Jade Roy Nelson

October 27, 1987 - January 30, 1988

If tears could build a stairway, 

and memories a lane, 

I'd walk right up to Heaven 

and bring you home again.
-Unknown

Vacation Remembered

It was a month ago today that we set sail on the Carnival Splendor in the Pacific Ocean for Mexico on a grand Christmas trip with our 2 married children and their spouses.  We visited the ports of Cabo San Lucas for 2 days and Puerto Vallarta.  Oh vacation days....I miss you.