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.

A good day to reflect

Oh it's been too long since I last blogged and here is the reason why. I just haven't been able to put my feelings into words yet. With our past family crisis, I felt really mixed with emotions and hurt inside, I couldn't bring myself to say anything that I thought you would find useful. I am doing better, but honestly, this has been the hardest thing ever to deal with because I have absolutely no control of the outcome. I did learn however, I DO have control over my outcome and how I choose to react and respond to adversity and those who sometimes cause it. We have the perfect example in our Savior, who has given us the way...pray for them and love them inspite of everything. Well I do love my son Spencer so very much. I pray for him with all the faith I have inside and with all the energy of my soul. I don't think there is anything else I can do right now so I will continue to do this one great thing. I don't mean to sound negative because really I feel such joy and peace and gratitude for all that I have been blessed with throughout my life. Since it is officially the "Thanksgiving" month, I think it would be appropriate to share some of my blessings with you. "These are a few of my favorite things," not necissarily in order.
....Autumn colors, snow on the mountains today, America the beautiful, the privilege and right to cast my vote (and yes it does count in Utah!), my testimony of Jesus Christ and of His atonement for me, my wonderful and beautiful grandsons, my boys and girls, my loving and honest husband, my family and friends, clean water, heat in my house, beautiful music, children laughing, a really good movie, HGTV, my Mom and Dad, my health, feeling happy...the end....

I could go on and on, but the important thing is to get started and try to say different things each day.

I just finished reading the book John Adams by David McCullough. It was a wonderful book and helped me in my perspective. I realized while reading this book about this great man and the birth of our nation, that throughout the entire history of the USA, people have been saying the nation is in a terrible state and it's worse than ever etc. It made me stop and think about that. Things do seem dim and yet if we look back in time we can see that they always did and we kept moving forward as a nation and building a great and a strong union which has passed the tests of time. We don't need to fear but look up and as John Adams said "Rejoice evermore!" I choose to do this. I will put my trust in God and look to the future with hope and determination to do the BEST I can do. With each small and simple act of goodness, a greater goodness is done. I am grateful and proud I could vote today. I pray the Lord's will to be done and that no matter the outcome, I will continue to follow Him and trust He is in control. God Bless America and each of you!

Gives me hope...

I was just thinking that I needed to update my blog. I guess I don't have as much to say as I thought I did! Anyway, I was looking at the blogs I could get into (I can't seem to get into the private ones even though I've been invited..hmmm), and everything always came down to the children and being "MOM." I started to think how wonderful it is that we are so blessed with this privilege. When all is said and done, it all boils down to this, our most important work and focus is our children. Like right now, I keep looking out of the window to see if Nathan is coming up the road from school and never a day goes by without thinking about my kids and wondering if they are okay. I thought when they were grown my worries would be all over, but I was wrong. Sometimes I think everything before was just preparatory for the "BIG" worries. I was also thinking how wonderful it is that these young mothers have so much faith to have children. I"m impressed by their desire to have more children and without wondering how they are going to do it all. Maybe that is a blessing of having them young and maybe it is also a blessing that our Heavenly Father gives to females...an internal pull from heaven. I am grateful for mother's everywhere who love their children. There is nothing like it in all the world. If we can love our children this much, how much greater is our Savior's love for us. It's hard to imagine, and yet I know it is real. I know that He has the capacity to love me and everyone else on the planet He has created. I am grateful beyond measure for His allowing me to share in this love and help to bring His children into the world. I treasure this opportunity and feel a great responsibility to do my best, even though I fall short often. Through His grace and mercy, He makes up the difference in the end. Like the song says, "He is the tender in tender mercy."