My Valentine

I know it is past the date, but I wasn't very on the ball earlier. I wanted to post this before the day but just never got around to it. Valentines day was fun to have the kids here but it snowed gobs. We were pounded with lot's of snow so we didn't really do too much. I was thinking though, that every day of the year is "Valentines Day" for me. For the past 27 1/2 years I have been blessed to live happily, for the most part, with mine. We have been through many challenges, ups and downs, and difficulties, but through it all we have remained committed and faithful to the covenants we made together with our Heavenly Father all those years ago. Calvin isn't the real romantic type, the way the world would view "romantic", but to me there is no one who understands me better, even though I accuse him sometimes of not understanding a thing about me! Let me explain. He is the man who after just a couple of months of marriage would come home from work to hold my hair up while I was throwing up (pregnant) and then go to Sizzler 3 times in one week so I could have the only thing I could stomach, a baked potato. He understood that I couldn't handle the smell of them cooking. He is the one who took our crying baby and walked with her so I could watch the "Miss America" pageant and get a little break in peace, or the many times he watched our kids so I could have some time just to myself to regroup and get my sanity back, at least temporarily. He is the man who bought me a Roomba (robotic vacuum) for Christmas. He knows how much I vacuum. It is just one of those things I have to do. I cannot stand to have dirty cluttered floors so I vaccum a lot. This sweetheart of mine researched and went from store to store to buy me a vaccum that does all the work I "need" to have done, so I don't have to. Isn't that romantic? He tells me I'm beautiful even when I am just home from a very sweaty workout. If I asked him to bring me the moon, I know he would figure out away to do it. He loves me more than anyone else and I am the luckiest girl in all the world to have such a man as my forever friend and companion. He did bring me beautiful roses for "Valentines Day," but he gives me much more through his support and love everyday. He gives me his heart and that is often shown through the things he does with his hands to help around the house, rub my feet, bless me, and make a living and a thousand other things. I love my Valentine!

FYI...unimportant facts

I can't think of anything to blog about, except the sun is shining and beautiful, so I thought I'd finally get around to this. I think it's fun to read about others, so I hope I don't let you down with mine. My life isn't very interesting REALLY!

8 favorite TV shows:
HGTV, almost everything
Fox news channel, almost everything
America's funniest Videos (I only watch this with my family. It's not fun to laugh alone!)
Psyche (USA channel If you haven't watched this it's really good)
American Idol
I can't think of anything else I watch. What a waste of satellite TV

8 fav restaurants:
Bella's Mexican
The Red Iguana Mexican
Still Taco Bell Mexican (does anyone know of a clean one?)
Olive Garden
Roosters
Red Lobster
Paradise Cafe
Rubios Mexican So I guess my favorite food would be Mexican

8 things I did yesterday
Prayed
went to choir practice
read the Ensign (church magazine)
went to church
watched America's Funniest Videos
ate a lot :(
hugged my husband
Well for a Sunday that about wraps it up

8 things I look forward to:
Spring
having our fence installed
warm weather
running in the warm weather
Vacation in Kirtland and Palmyra
Seeing my Mom in April
Spencer having a really great life
Just having a good, healthy life with my family

8 things wish list:
I had thicker hair without any gray
I didn't let little things bother me so much
I could sing more and actually do something with it
I had the funds to help EVERY worthy cause and person
No children would ever go unloved or hungry or hurt
The world would be at peace
I could go on another vacation

8 things I'm thankful for:
My knowledge of our Heavenly Father's plan
Jesus Christ
The beauty of the Earth
My family, all of them everywhere
Forgiveness
Little children
Good health
Calvin "True friendship is Eternal"

Have a wonderful Monday!!!!!

Here are some pictures of our trip to San Diego.

Let it (stop) snowing.............

Oh Cal and I did a wonderful thing. We spent a week in Sunny, warm beautiful San Diego a couple of weeks ago. The weather was in the high 70's with no wind and the sun was shining all day long. We stayed at a beautiful resort on Shelter Island with a marina on one side and the harbor on the other. We ate mexican food at Old Town 5 times!!! I ran along the water every morning in short sleeves. We went to the Temple and I might add it is a very confusing place to get around in. I got lost, really. The session was late starting because I couldn't figure out how to get out of the dressing room. Crazy! I am usually very good at directions. Did I ever get lost in Tokyo? Never. We had a car so we went everywhere and enjoyed the beautiful hot tub every night under the stars. It was so great to be with my BFF alone all week and do just what we wanted to do. I didn't want to come home but my life is here so I had to. Being in that weather for just that long does something to your brain and you begin to think it is summer like so coming back to the snow and bad air was HARD. I will put up some pictures soon. As great as it was, there really is "no place like home." It was good to sleep in my own bed and see my wonderful children. Thanks Whitney and Cassidy for looking after the place so we could go and escape from our lives for a few days. It was glorious!!!

Goodbye 2008

Well, another year has gone flying by. I just can't believe how quickly they seem to go anymore. We had a lot of challenges, but some great memories as well. We had a good Christmas with many things to be grateful for. It was a little quiet on Christmas Eve with just Nathan, Calvin and I, but the kids all came for Christmas night. Spencer had to work. I felt sad that things weren't a little different, being his first Christmas away from home, but thankful for Mark and Colette Kremin ALWAYS remembering to invite him and include him. They are good people. Here are a few pictures for you to see.

Grandbabies...

Kael turned 2!

We thought he'd make a good poster child for Baskin Robbins!

Cass said make a funny face here is what he came up with!

Thanksgiving...

There is so much to be thankful for where do I begin. We had a houseful over the weekend with whitney, Jon, Kael, Brady, Cassidy, Chris and Spencer. Mike and Jill and Christopher were here on Thanksgiving also. It was a good weekend with lot's of chaos and laughter and of course eating. It was so nice to have the family all together and enjoy the babies. Kael keeps us in stiches with his new words and funny expressions. It usually takes him a day or two to warm up to us and "perform" his funny stunts and then it's time for them to leave. Brady is the smiliest little cutie pie and loves to be social. Things just get better and better and we are expecting our third grandbaby this August. Cassidy is prego!!! We are so happy about it. We love them so much. They bring nothing but joy to us and remind us of what is most important.
This is a wonderful time of year and gives me the opportunity all day long to reflect on what it's for. I don't know about you, but it seems to me that lights went up earlier, music started playing and the people began the celebrating sooner than usual. I was thinking that maybe people were needing to get an early start on the "Christmas Spirit," with the harder times this year. I love to see it all and hear "Merry Christmas" just to defy those who would mock it as just a "tradition." Those of us who know and love our Savior Jesus Christ KNOW it is much more than a traditional holiday. It is a holy day and season, to give in the spirit of CHRIST. I decided, since I tend to feel a lot of sadness this time of year, (that's another story) I would give all month long gifts to my Savior in the way of service. I'm doing pretty good so far and I have to say that my heart truly warms with this spirit of CHRIST. I love Him and "adore" Him. He is my king and my Lord forever more. I hope everyone of you have a wonderful month celebrating His birth and may you "have yourself a merry little Christmas" with the ones you love most.