Happy Birthday, Luetta!!!

Today is my wonderful mother-in-law's birthday. Poor woman, having five sons and a birthday on April Fool's Day. I am sure there are stories for that! I am so grateful to have such a kind and loving mother-in-law. She is such an example to me of what a mother and grandmother should be. She is soft spoken, patient, and easy going. Everything that I am not! Maybe someday we can live closer so that her goodness can rub off on me. My children adore her and love all her thoughtful letters, picture CD's, books, cards, and especially the music videos she makes for them. I love you and hope you have a great birthday! Wish we could be there!

Happy Birthday Grandma!! X 2

Both of my wonderful Grandmothers celebrate their birthdays in March. Because I am a slacker... I didn't post before my Grandma Mary's big day, but hopefully can get it up before Grandma Eva's! This year Grandma Mary celebrated her 80th birthday! (post to follow...) And Grandma Eva will be 91!

I am the luckiest gal in the world! I have the two best Grandma's ever!!!

Favorite Memories of Grandma Mary:

Breakfast- they always have bacon, eggs, toast with grandma's jam, and all my favorite sugar cereals, plus there were usually pop tarts! Yummy!

Jumping on the trampoline

Playing with the toys... especially the chalkboard

Grandma's food! Especially her chocolate cake with white icing.

Brushing Grandma's hair... and earning a dollar!

Grandma's hugs, and kisses

The trailer

Learning how to knit

Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream and Casco bars

Rides in the Caddy

A pillowcase with ballerinas that I would use when I'd sleep over

Washing dishes by hand

Grandma's ablility to remove any stain from anything!

Picking out songs on the piano for her. Often, grandma would have a hymn or other song that she loved and would request me to play it. Sadly, I'm not very talented but would sit and try so hard to pick out the song for her.

Listening to grandma rock a baby to sleep... "rock a bye, don't you cry, we will go to grandma's..."

Sitting on the porch admiring her flower beds

Watching her change a baby's diaper on her lap

bottled raspberries--ohh yummy!!!

Finding old high heels and a purse in the 'north end' and grandma giving them to me

Letters, cards, phone calls. Grandma always remembered my special occasions, and has always been there for them, too! I love you, Grandma!!!

Favorite Memories of Grandma Eva:

Cousins week

Conference Trip after baptism

walking the greenbelt

corned beef and cabbage

barnyard rummy

dishes--and playing waitress

answering the phone, "Manwarings"

french braids that stay in for weeks! Ouch!

head massages

devotionals

Morgan's Bridge

wearing all her necklaces... I especially loved the ones from Samoa

wrestling matches-- she is one tough lady, still!

whole wheat blender waffles with syrup in the little teapot

eating lunch and hearing the noon siren in Blackfoot!

swimming

walking to the library.... and almost everywhere else!

Idaho State Fair

quilting

always feeling safe, loved, and accepted. I love you Grandma!!!

Rexburg Remembered

Kaylee requested a trip to Idaho Falls for her birthday and it just happened to be a long weekend off school... so off we went. I love going to Idaho Falls because we get to see my grandparents and Louis' grandma, plus, my brother is up in Rexburg now, my old roomies, and lots of cousins and uncles and aunts. Always great fun! And always too short! Here is a photo recap of our fun trip:

Day 1: I had a half day of crossing, so we left after a late lunch with Louis. It was pretty snowy on the way up, but thankfully the roads were clear. The kids were so anxious to get out and play!

Day 2: We headed up to Rexburg after a yummy breakfast of waffles... thanks, Grandma! When we pulled into "Rexburger" as Charles called it, I tried to call Zach to get directions to his dorm... he was not answering. So, I took the kids to see the temple. Kaylee wanted to get out and walk around. I warned her that it was freezing cold, but she insisted. Charles pitched a royal fit. Poor kid, he was smart to want to stay in the car, and I almost let him, but there were lots of folks walking around and someone would've called the police, I'm sure. We all lasted about five minutes. Two minutes to get out of the car and walk to the temple, one to take a picture, and two more to get back to the car and jump inside! I felt like a such a ninny! I used to live there, you know, and it was only about twenty degrees. Of course that isn't taking into account the windchill of minus forty. ;) Thankfully, Zach answered his phone at last and we went to pick him up. He came out in a hoodie and then kept rolling down the car windows because it was "too hot." He has Rexburg brain.

There was a shortage of parking, and rules being what they are at BYU-I we weren't allowed in his dorm anyhow, so we drove around Rexburg looking for fun. Yeah, we didn't find any. I drove around town six or seven times and showed everyone where I used to live, where Dad lived, where all my friends and cousins lived, where I worked, where my roomie worked, where Dad worked, where we used to shop, go on dates, etc.... we ran out of locations to sight see quickly, after all, I was only there two semesters! Finally I bumped into some signs for the Nature Park! We headed there and memories washed over me. Louis worked for the parks department before I came to school and then again the semester we were engaged. He'd come home for lunch dirty and smelling of grass, dirt, outside... it was wonderful. He even worked up a bit of a Rexburg tan! ;) We got out and again braved the cold to wander through the park. We didn't make it very far in, but the kids liked what they saw. It took me back to the night Louis proposed. He took me to the Nature Park, but it was pitch black and freezing cold! I could hardly stand the thought of getting out of the car and couldn't figure out why in his right mind he'd ask me to get out and stand in the snow with him. Little did I know!

These ducks were swimming around and around in the small area of unfrozen water! They sounded so loud with all their hilarious quacking. It was pretty funny to listen to. Sounded like someone kept telling a bunch of bad jokes and the rest would laugh, "yuck, yuck, yuck." Zach and I were quite entertained!

Next stop... a park. The kids lasted a lot longer here. I guess they got the blood flowing with all the running and fighting over who got to turn the steering wheel first.

At last Zach remembers that he has a lounge where we are welcome to sit. When we walked in, wonder of wonders, there is a TV, couches, a fussball table, pool table, air hockey, ping pong table, and a bathroom! Thanks, Zach!!! The kids had a blast and I did too! Zach slaughtered me a few games of pool. Brought back more good memories of Louis wasting me in pool games when we were engaged. He had a pool table in his lounge and we'd play while he did his laundry.

I even got to meet "mystery lady" aka Maddie. She was very nice and thoroughly entertained the children with fox and geese and any other game they made up for her to play.

After a while we headed to Craigo's for pizza. They have completely changed and although I miss the old location and the breadsticks, the food was still yummy! They made it all into a buffet, which is awesome for college kids and they have the yummiest dessert pizza! I am excited to go again!!!

After lunch we took Zach to good old Wally World for some groceries, headed back to the lounge for a movie and some more games (and to meet Maddie), and then dropped him off at class.

Once Zach left, we ran up to St. Anthony to meet up with my roomie, Marcie. She was just getting off work and we sat around and gabbed for a few hours while the kids played. My kids love going to Marcie's house. It was so good to catch up!!
Cute Sammi

Beautiful little Ellie.

We came into the room to get the kids ready to leave and Kaylee and Sammi were lying here watching a movie. It was super cute.

Day 3: A visit to Idaho Falls would never be complete without seeing "all the grandmas." We enjoyed a nice visit to see Grandma Gray. The children were completely spoiled! She always has root beer and cookies, and candies for them. And this trip she enjoyed seeing Kaylee's birthday pictures and all the ladybug things, so she sent them home with a ladybug massager and ladybug stick for a plant. They each got one. They were thrilled!

Charles was especially entertained with this fish picture. He took several pictures of it and then of each of us standing next to it. Funny kid.

Back to Grandma Eva's to pack up and give hugs and kisses to Grandma and Aunt Shauna. We were very lucky to have Aunt Shauna up visiting from California. The kids had so much fun with her! Especially on Friday night. We always have 'pizza movie night.' Grandma had gone to Costco and picked up a pizza for us and Aunt Shauna got Kung Fu Panda to watch with us. My grandparents came over and joined me and Grandma Eva in a couple games of pinochle. It was my first time playing and beginner's luck was with me! We won by quite a large margin both times!

Then back to Grandma Mary's and Papa Thaylon's to say goodbye. It is alway so wonderful to visit so many grandparents in one trip!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I am wierd. Gasp. I know, big shocker, eh. Well, I'm going out on a limb here, but those of you who previously were my friends may very well reconsider once you've been exposed to my new level of wierdness. Who am I kidding? It's not new! I have always loved holidays, there is just something great in anticipating any type of change from the everyday routine. I especially love to decorate! Louis especially despises this. Over the years my decorations have dwindled.... the things we do for love. Kaylee has inherited my love of holidays and always pesters me to put up the few wimpy decorations I have. Bless her little heart. Most people ignore these "little" holidays and go all out on the "biggies." I seem to be opposite. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and deck the halls with the best of them, but being the mom kinda ruins the holiday for me a lot. And by the end of December, I'm all partied out. Now, Halloween, that is a wierd holiday, but I sure love the cutsie decorations, and black and orange are too fun. Valentines is a very big favorite around here. And the list goes on. There are very few holidays I don't try and do something for. Well, friends, I am not exactly sure the reasoning, but St. Patrick's Day has always been SO FUN for me! I don't even really like green that much, but there is something so exciting about finding green this or that, dying food all shades of green, eating crazy food you only eat once a year, ya know? Maybe not, but I had a ball this year! Even Louis got in on the excitement, well as much as can be hoped for! He wore his green shirt without any prompting from me, and he enjoyed the meal, or at least pretended, and he even went to try and get a holiday movie! The closest he could find was Groundhog Day. I was very touched by this gesture. Much more than I let on. So there you have it, I must have been Irish in another life! Part of the reason for going to greater lengths than usual this year was due to the fact that our friends were actually IN Ireland for St. Patty's day. How lucky is that?!

And here is all the proof:

Breakfast began with Lucky Charms. This year was extra special because Kaylee had been begging for a green shirt (she and Charles don't have one), and I found two cute, very inexpensive shirts last week and hid them!

It was a battle to get this hairdo just right, but it turned out awesome! (why does blogger do this?!?!?) It's a shamrock, in case you can't tell!

Dinner is always corned beef and cabbage, though I may change it next year since I didn't enjoy it as much this year.... we also had green salad, green ribbon jello, green kool aid, green shamrock biscuits, pistachio bread, shamrock sugar cookies, and gold coins!

Hope you had a great holiday too!

Dinner Anyone?

Kaylee has gotten used to the fact that often I make dinner for other families. This is kind of a shocker since I am not always good to make dinner for my own family! Anyway... a few times she's helped me deliver the food and as we drive she tries to convince me that we should just keep this "yummy yummy food" and eat it ourselves. These are the times that I am secretly so proud because it means that I made something that the family will like, hopefully! Most often it is when I make breadsticks. I don't have a whole lot of talent to speak of in the chef department... but I can bake, and I make some mean breadsticks! Well, tonight I was feeling pretty good and decided to knock myself out and make dinner. I was cooking up some hamburger and Kaylee wanders into the kitchen. She comes to see what I'm doing and eyes the pan suspiciously.

Kaylee: Mom, whatcha cookin'?

Me: Hamburger (waiting for the "oh, gross!")

Kaylee: Oh. Is it for somebody else?

Me: No...

And then she proceeds to throw a fit! Not an all out crying thing, but she starts yelling, "Gross! I don't want it!" And stomping around the kitchen.

Is there anyone out there who wants a free meal? My family doesn't!

Loose Tooth

I had one of those mommy moments where you are so happy and taken back and sad and everything all at the same time. This morning while doing Kaylee's hair for school she told me she has a loose tooth. She's been talking about loose teeth for months. She was so upset on her birthday because she didn't have a loose tooth yet and the last dentist told her she'd lose one by then. So when she again announced a loose tooth I was skeptical and made her show me. I felt it and darn that tooth! It wiggled. I still can clearly remember having loose teeth and wiggling them all the day long. It is not possible that I have a child who is experiencing the same thing! She was overjoyed and skipped around the house singing, "Loose tooth, loose tooth, I've got a loose tooth!" I fought tears and was excited. Later when we called my mom to tell her the good news, her reaction seemed to mirror what I felt. Excitement for Kaylee and wonderment that we've already reached this milestone. sigh. And it's only the beginning!

Happy Belated Jakey!

Jake is the greatest brother in law! When my family met him they all just loved him right away, especially Charles. We all held our breath and hoped and prayed that he'd ask Tressa to marry him and that she wouldn't back out! We were very relieved when the marriage occurred! They are so good to our kids and family. I wish they lived in Logan with us still, but thankfully it's just a short drive. Happy Birthday, Jake!

The year is slipping by without me! So... last weekend was super busy, crazy, fun!!! Jake's party was on Friday night, the next day I had two birthday cakes to make, one baptism to attend, and two birthday parties for my kids to attend. I slept soundly Saturday night and was very angry with Daylight Savings for getting me up an hour early on an already too early Sunday morning for extra early meetings!
On Friday night we headed to Brigham City for my brother-in-law's bday. Everyone kept giving Jake a bad time about being an old man. Well, I put a quick stop to that, seeing how I'm just a little bit older than he is. ;) Jake requested Chicken Mole. It was delicious! His mom showed me the ingredient list and I was sure it was for a pumpkin pie or other dessert. Yum!!! Chocolate and peanut butter, along with other things. After dinner we enjoyed playing a new game called Wackee Six. It was so much fun, and his whole family is so fun and hilarious! I hope we can go down and play again soon!!! Jake got some great gifts... including Civil War Stratego compliments of Louis so they can each practice up and slaughter each other some more. Charles was really enjoying all of Jake's gifts as well. Especially when he opened WALL-E. I got excited and called Charles over to look. He grabbed the movie in awe and said, "Wow, thanks!" I felt so bad. Hopefully we can have a pizza movie night with them soon. Louis and I still haven't seen that one. Thanks for letting us come and join the party. It was a ton of fun!

I think he was looking at those candles and thinking, "Man, he is old!"Squirmy was totally into the candles
Kaylee, my mom and dad

Isn't he so stinking cute?!