Spring Time Fun - But It Still Feels Like Winter To Me!

A couple of weeks ago, Kerry and I, along with some friends had the opportunity to spend a couple of days up at Snowbird attending a Summit which was held to give us training as Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) volunteers. As you can see from the snow on the trees in the background, it was snowing and the skiers were still out enjoying the slops! We learned a lot and had a great time!

Kerry and I headed up to the cabin to check on things as we hadn't been up all winter. Once again we actually had to drive in some snow to get there. It was a bit chilly the next day, but was warm enough for Kerry to get some yard work done. I stayed indoors where it was nice and warm did some spring cleaning. Kerry caught the deer looking for something to eat!

Knowing that Kerry had to work today on Mother's Day, we headed down to Lehi yesterday to spend time with our family. Keri Beth, David, and kids were already down there as Maddi was playing in a softball tournament that began on Friday. The ball games were all over by the time we arrived so their family along with Tim, Kim, and girls met up with us for lunch. Afterwards Tim, Kim, Addie, Drew, Kerry, and I headed for Thanksgiving Point to enjoy the "tulip festival". It was amazing! Wasn't overly warm, but was a nice day considering the cold, stormy weather that has seemed to want to hang around this spring.

What a beautiful view it was with the mountains in the background, and all the beautiful flowers and trees everywhere you looked. In my next life, this is what my yard is going to look like!

Here we sit in Tim's favorite part...The Secret Gardens! We quickly discovered however, that the secret was out as it was quite crowded with other's who thought it was also a nice place to sit and enjoy the beauty of the gardens. Kerry enjoyed wondering with his camera. Below are some of my favorite shots that he took.

As I looked at this picture I saw myself as the one orange tulip amongst all these beautiful, tall, strong, amazing pink tulips. To me the pink ones represented all of the wonderful women (my mother, grandmothers, mother-in-law, daughters, daughter-in-law, sister, sisters-in-law, aunt, friends, neighbors, co-workers, extended family, and other's that I don't even know their names) who have had an influence for good in my life as I strive to develop my own strengths and talents. How grateful I am for the great examples of love, kindness, tolerance, forgiveness, integrity, virtue, honesty, and selflessness! To each of you....Happy Mother's Day! I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a mother and grandmother myself and pray that I can be an influence for good in the lives of others as others have been in mine.

The Time Has Past Far To Quickly!

As I sit here writing I am holding my newest granddaughter, Miss Kennady Janae, trying to enjoy the moment. My time here as gone by way too fast and tomorrow I will be heading back home to Utah to those that I love there. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to come and spend time at Mary and Cam's with them and their beautiful children. I have loved every moment.

I have enjoyed watching Hudson assume the role of "big brother" to his "baby sissy". He is so kind and gentle with her. It will be fun to watch their relationship develop as they continue to grow and mature. Hudson loves to be his daddy's shadow and would spend every moment of every day with Cam if he could. I love to watch his eyes light up when his daddy walks through the door when returning home from work. He loves to sing "Five Little Ducks Went Out to Play" and does a great job at the "quack, quack, quack". Everyday he is learning new words, and just last night learned to say "turtle". I am so going to miss our walks to see the horses every morning.

Miss Kennady went for her one week checkup today and weighted 8 lbs. 3.6 oz. Mama is feeding her well! I mentioned to the nurse that she was born by c-section and she responded, "that's probably a good thing as she has a really big head." To me she still seems so tiny. Apparently, however, her head is about 1 inch bigger than average. We probably don't recognize it as she is well proportioned being at the 75% mark on every part of the growth chart.

Well it sounds like Hudson is awake from his nap, just in time for lunch. Better go make him his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Thanks Mary and Cam for allowing me to be here and to spend this special time in your lives with you. The only way that leaving is bearable for me is knowing that Grandpa and I get to come back in a couple of months to visit again over Memorial Day Weekend. Until then, know how much I love you all.

Happy 12th Birthday McKayla!

Each day is a special day, but today is even more so as our oldest grandchild, McKayla is turning 12 years old and I dedicate this blog to her. I will always remember how I found out that Kerry and I were going to be grandparents. It's kind of a long story, but here is a brief overview.

Kerry and I were getting ready to go on our 1st pioneer trek. (Interestingly we are preparing for our 3rd one this year.) I was sitting on the couch going over the list of items that we needed to bring when suddenly I heard the words in my mind, "Keri Beth is going to have a baby and everything will be okay." A few days after we arrived home from the trek, Keri Beth called me from a pay phone in the Logan mall (we didn't have cell phones yet) to tell us that she had been to the doctors and was going to have a baby! I eventually told that I actually knew before she did that she pregnant!

On March 28, 1998, Kerry and I started the next chapter of our lives! I have come to recognize that being a grandparent is Gods way of compensating us for having to grow old. As I held baby McKayla is my arms for the first time I realized that grandchildren are an extension of the love that we feel for our children.

McKayla has brought so much joy and happiness into our lives as we have watched her grow and mature into a beautiful young lady. We have been blessed to watch her develop her many talents (singing, dancing, and sports) and are grateful to be able to spend so much time together.

Today as I write this, I am in Florida at Mary's house helping her with baby Kennady, and Grandpa Kerry is at work. We wish we were home to celebrate this day with McKayla, but want her to know that we cherish the memories of her birth and are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for her life and the love that we share. We pray for her daily that she will be watched over and protected, guided and directed, and blessed with continued health and strength physically, spiritually, and emotionally as she continues down the pathway of life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MCKAYLA - WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Love, Grandma and Grandpa

What A Blessed Grandma - A Beautiful Baby And Beautiful Beaches!

If it weren't for the fact that back in Utah I left a husband that I love, other children and grandchildren I adore, and a wonderful job, I think I would just unpack my bags and stay for a very long time.

Miss Kennady gets prettier by the day and continues to be such a good baby! I could just sit and look at her for hours. Honestly, you couldn't ask for a better baby. She only wakes up once at night. I never hear her at all. The lighting on this picture isn't the greatest, but it's the latest one I have.

Yesterday was a beautiful day so Cam, Hudson, and I headed for the beach for a couple of hours. It felt like I had died and gone to heaven. The beaches here are so beautiful. I have never seen such white, clean, glistening sand. It's amazing and only about 7 minutes from Mary and Cam's apartment.

Hudson loves the beach as much as I do and had a blast playing in the water and sand.

Thanks Cam and Hudson for such a fun time!

The Arrival Of Miss Kennady Janae!

Miss Kennady made her arrival on Monday, March 22, 2010 @ 1:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Hospital in Santa Rosa, Florida. Hudson and I stayed home anxiously awaiting the call that his baby sister, and my 8th grandchild had arrived. When Cam called we quickly made our way to the "Family Birth Place" to see the little princess.

Daddy Cam and Mommy Mary greet their new precious little one who weighed in at 7 lbs. 12 oz. and was 20 inches long. (Don't you love how they make bows on the little hats for the girls.)

Grandma Marlene meeting her newest grandchild.

Miss Kennady getting her first bath. Can you believe all of the hair!

Daddy and big brother Hudson get to participate in "baby sissy's" bath.

The babies are put right into their own sleepers, no hospital clothes. The local churches actually donate gift boxes full of outfits/blankets/quilts as a gift to the new babies. As you can see, Mary came prepared with the works.

The happy family.

Miss Kennady has been to the hair dressers and ready for her debute into the big world!

Miss Kennady and her pretty mommy are ready to head for home. We are grateful for the wonderful care that Mary and baby received. I love the people in the south, they are so friendly and helpful. The nurse, Rachel, gave everyone a hug goodbye as she sent us on our way! (To Be Continued.)

A Glance Back At Year End Memories From 2009

I'm not sure why I have allowed myself to get so far behind in my blogging, but my daughter, Mary, has motivated to me to get caught up. Her Christmas gift to me is to print out my blogs so I felt inspired to finish up 2009 so I can get started on 2010.

Every year I look back with amazement at the blessings that I have enjoyed during the past 12 month and my heart fills with gratitude. My mother was always going to take me to New Orleans, as it was one of her favorite places to visit. Unfortunately, we never made the trip before she passed away. Once she was gone, I added a trip to New Orleans to my "bucket list". I was curious as to what she enjoyed there.

With Mary living in Lake Charles, Keri Beth and I flew down to Louisiana to celebrate Mary's birthday with her and then we took the opportunity to head to New Orleans as it was only 3 hours away. I can't speak for the anyone other than myself, but I had a blast. Below are just a few of the memories.

Hudson, Mary and Keri Beth in front of the pond at Mary's condo in Lake Charles just prior to us leaving for New Orleans. Mary was pregnant and we had all just come from the doctors office where Mary had had her ultra sound that showed that she was having a girl!

A friend of Mary's and Cam had told us of a place that we needed to stop and eat so that we could experience authentic southern cooking. Here I am sampling my first ever bite of frog legs. To me it tasted much like chicken.

Keri Beth and I were enjoying the atmosphere, but I felt bad for Mary. Being 5 months pregnant the smell and food were more than she could handle. We actually had to make a stop at McDonalds on our way back to the freeway to pick her up a hamburger so she wouldn't starve to death.

I'm not sure how much time I would want to spend in New Orleans, but I could understand what my mom found fascinating about the city. We took off for a stroll not knowing that in a few minutes the heavens were going to open up and send down one of the worst rain storms I have ever been in. By the time we got back to the hotel we were quite wet. Mary and Cam stopped and bought an umbrella while Keri Beth and I used bags to cover our heads. After arriving back we got our car and headed out for dinner. We found ourselves driving in what looked like rivers. When Cam stopped to let us all out before parking the car, we literally stepped out in knee deep water. Fortunately, while we were enjoying our dinner, the rain past and the roads cleared up by the time we headed back to our hotel.

We couldn't help but enjoy the opportunity to purchase Mardi Gras masks as a memory of our time in New Orleans.

If you look closely you can see the many Mardi Gras beads hanging from the trees and wires along the celebrated parade route. Apparently they are just left there from year to year.

I am always fascinated by cemeteries and this one was definitely unique to me, but not to the people of New Orleans. Obviously, due to the high water level they are not able to bury bodies in the ground so as you can see their cemeteries are much different than what most of us are accustom to.

Once again we come to the Mississippi River. I have crossed the Mississippi in Missouri, Illinois, and now in Louisiana. While we were enjoying the sunshine in this picture, the rain started again and by the time Mary and Cam dropped Keri Beth and I off at the airport it was a down pour again. Before we left town we made our way down to the neighborhood where hurricane Katrina caused so much devastation. While many homes have been rebuilt, many are left in shambles.

Once back home we turned our focus on Thanksgiving and Christmas. As our family grows it becomes more and more difficult to get everyone together. Keri Beth was so sad when Mary told her that she would not be coming home for the holidays. What she didn't know was that we were flying Mary home between Christmas and New Years. I'm not sure how we managed to keep it a secret for so long, but Keri Beth walked into her room after church the Sunday after Christmas to get the biggest surprise of her life. There stood her baby sister Mary with Hudson in her arms. The first thing she saw was Kerry holding the video camera and she was trying to figure out what was going on. As she glanced around the room and laid eyes on her sister, she burst into tears!

The joyous reunion!

What a wonderful life! Seven beautiful grandchild and number 8 on the way. Kerry and I love being grandparents.

Grandma taking time out from cooking to enjoy my two youngest grandchildren, Drew and Hudson.

I think this was the first time that we have all spend New Year's Eve together. As you can see, we took the time to celebrate the end of a wonderful year and to usher in 2010.

With each passing day I thank my Heavenly Father for the gift of life, for the blessing of family, for my good health, for the comforts that I enjoy, and for the privilege of living in the United States of America.

As we face troubling and unsettling times, I pray for all mankind that we can join our faith and prayers and together weather the storms that come.

A Most Memorable Weekend!

Every once in a while I experience something that truly just feels like I have received a gift straight from God. This past weekend was one of those experiences.

It all began several months ago when I received an invitation via Classmates.com to attend my 40th high school reunion. Other than a couple of close friends, I had not seen any of my classmates since graduation day. My mind had occasionally wondered back to the days of my youth and I would find myself wishing and praying for a way to reconnect with those that I shared high school memories with. However, having moved to Utah I had no idea where or how to start the process. This invitation was truly an answer to my prayers.

As the invitation went out, little by little through the internet we began to find classmates and began communicating one with another. We shared pictures and short biographies of ourselves. Plans were made and airline tickets were purchased. As the time grew closer and closer I was so excited that I felt like a young child anticipating my first trip to Disneyland.

To meet with those that I hadn't seen in 40 years was a most unique experience. We arrived at a party thinking we would know everyone, only to find out that we didn't recognize anyone. Thank goodness for name badges and pictures! It's still mind boggling to think that so many years have come and gone, a shocking reminder to cherish every moment. And cherish the moment I did!

The next day my youngest brother Wayne, my twin sister Cheryl, and I went for a ride down memory lane returning to the neighborhood where we grew up, visiting the ball field where we spent hours at Little League games, walking the halls of our elementary school, visiting the church that our family attended, and ended the journey visiting long-time friends.

I called this weekend a gift because it was a time for me to reflect upon my life, the good things, the hard things, the lessons learned, the blessings bestowed. My heart overflowed with gratitude as I came to recognized once again just how blessed I have been. I grew up in a wonderful family surrounded by great friends. For the last 33 years I have been married to a wonderful man, had the opportunity of raising 4 great children who have given me 7 beautiful grandchildren with one on the way. I still enjoy the companionship of wonderful friends and felt truly blessed to have reconnect with those that I have missed throughout the years. I enjoy good health, and have money sufficient for my needs. What a blessing it is to live in a country where we can gain an education, worship as we choose, work, and associate with those we love. As I pondered all of these feelings and looked back over years past it was obvious that life hasn't always been perfect and I acknowledge that I have made many mistakes. I am especially grateful for the tender mercies of our Lord who has seen me through the rough time and has helped me to overcome faults and weaknesses. A long-time friend made the comment to me that "he was a work in progress". I responded, "aren't we all". And I truly believe that we are, thus the need to be patient and tolerant one with another. This weekend reminded me how important the gift of forgiveness is and how vital it is that we extend that gift to others including ourselves.

The pictures below represent the memories that I will forever hold dear to my heart. Thank you to all who helped in anyway to make this weekend a reality. It was indeed a gift!

Classmate and close friend Sharon (who lives by my sister Cheryl) and Jean (our Drum Major)who flew down from Idaho, along with Cheryl and myself met at Cheryl's house for our own mini renunion on Friday night.

My friend Candice, Sue (our Homecoming Queen) myself and Cheryl .

Cheryl and I reuniting with our friend Ann who used to spend time with us at our grandparents house in Oceanside.

Good friend Sharon, Joan (voted in our senior year " best sense of humor") myself, Cheryl, (we dressed alike thinking it would make it easier to remember "the twins" )and Vickie one of the very first friends we made in high school. We were so excited to see Vickie as she wasn't going to be able to make it. It was the highlight of my night when I turned around and saw her there.

Vickie, Debi, Linda, Cheryl and myself talking over old times while making new memories.




Cheryl and I found the thether balls that we used to play on as children at our elementary school. I was out to have a good time, Cheryl was out to win!

Here we are standing in front of the ball diamond where my brother's played countless hours of baseball. I believe that these moments hold a special place in all of our hearts.

This is the first home that my parents purchased ( I think for around $10,000) and where I lived until we were 8 years old at which time we moved in with my grandparents 4 blocks away while my parents built a new home on the lot next door to this house.

This is the home we moved into, however, they have made so many changes with the yard it hardly looks the same. My mother always had the most beautiful yard and the big edge up front was not there. I must add that the color doesn't do much for the home either and they have removed the nice brick planter that went across the front of the house. Nevertheless, when I think of home as a child, this is the home that fills those memories.

This is Rosemead High School 40 years after I graduated and it hasn't changed much.

This is my long-time friend Val who will always hold a special place in my heart. She still has a picture that she took of me (at about age 20) with her 4 children on display in her home. Oh how young we all looked. Oh for the days of no wrinkles!

Val is 90 years old but she still remembers me and I will always cherish our friendship.

We gathered with family Sunday evening to celebrate Cheryl's and my 58th birthday that was just day's before. The time together was not long enough but I appreciate everyone's efforts to make that evening happen. Cheryl's roomate Beth went the extra mile by preparing all of the food which made it possible for us to visit without the worry of cooking.

As I left the next morning for home, I left with a heart full of gratitude for the opportunity I had to share a few days with family and dear friends. I pray that until we all meet again that the Lord will watch over and bless all those that I know and love so much!