Happy Birthday USA!!

We attended the Summerlin Patriotic Parade yesterday to celebrate the fourth of July. It was great, Tommy especially loved all the "wee oohs" (his name for vehicles with sirens)!!

June 22, 1974..

Happy 36th anniversary to us! It began on a summer day in S. California, the day we were to be married, and I woke up in the middle of the night before puking all night long. By morning it was clear to me due to the 105 degree fever and the other symptoms that I had the flu. My mother, in all her optimism, kept telling me I was just nervous!! I literally had to be held up to keep from collapsing all day long, and the photographer took a picture of me laying on a chair during the reception with a cold cloth on my fevered brow, and told me, someday you will laugh at this. Hmm, hasn't happened yet!! Despite such a rough start, it has been a great 36 years, with lots of adventures along the way, including raising 4 kids, a stint in the Air Force,joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, uprooting and moving to Las Vegas to run a business, and now 3 sons in law and a daughter in law and the most amazing blessing of 8, soon to be 10, grandkids!! I love all of you so much, and never thought on that day so long ago that life could have been so great! I am especially grateful to Ed for all he is always doing for all of us, especially me, and love him so much! I am looking forward to the next 36 years, especially because it's my turn to choose and "WE ARE PET FREE"!! (Any Dave Ramsey fans out there???)

Today's Harvest..

I went out to check on my peaches today, and this is what I came in with, not pictured are two additional bowls of peaches!
I got so excited, I made a peach pie for dessert tonight!

Hello...Remember Me?

"Some people call me Old Glory, others call me the Star Spangled Banner. But whatever they call me, I am YOUR Flag, the Flag of the United States of America. I remember when people would line up on both sides of the street to watch a parade, and naturally, I was leading it, proudly waving in the breeze. When your Daddy saw me coming, he immediately removed his hat and placed it over his heart, up against his left shoulder...remember? And you, I remember you. Standing there straight as a soldier. You didn't have a hat, but you were giving the right salute...and remember your little sister? Not to be outdone, she was saluting the same as you with her right hand over her heart...remember? What happened? I'm still the same old Flag. Oh, I have a few more Stars since you were a boy. A lot more blood has been shed since those parades of long ago. But now, I don't feel as proud as I used to..when I come down your street, you just stand there with your hands in your pockets. I may get a small glance and then you look away. Then I see the little children running around and shouting...they don't seem to know who I am...I saw one man take his hat off, then look around, and when he didn't see anybody with their's off, he quickly put his back on...is it a sin to be patriotic anymore? Have you forgotten what I stand for and where I've been? Anzio, Guadalcanal, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan? Take a look at the Memorial Honor Rolls of those who never came back in order to keep this Republic FREE! When you salute me, you are actually saluting them. Well, it won't be long before I'll be coming down your street again, so when you see me, stand straight, place your right hand over your heart, and I'll salute you, by waving back..and forth..and I'll know that YOU REMEMBERED!"

A Mother's Perspective...

I found this sign hung outside my front door yesterday afternoon, a tribute from my family for Mother's Day. Each family member's hands were traced and with their names written on them, hung above the sign. I was so touched by their efforts and creativity! I love it you guys! It was a Mother's Day such as I've never had before, for while I was being honored my heart and mind were split between the family with me, Ed, Allison, Bryan, Steve, Lidia, Abby, David, Tommy, and those away, the Cox's in Washington, Keith who was working, and Jennifer and Nate who are in the pediatric intensive care unit at a local hospital. Nate has been very ill and as yet no diagnosis has been made. I spent Sunday morning sitting with him so Jennifer could get some sleep and make a quick trip home to gather supplies and organize the rest of her boys to spend some time at our house. I got home just in time to get to church, only a few minutes late and not very well put together I must say. I heard some of the youth pay tribute to mother's, including a young girl who spoke of a requirement for all of us, male or female, young or old, of having a "mother heart", a heart of service and sacrifice. I always have been a little uncomfortable on Mother's Day, I don't like being the center of attention, nor receiving accolades for just doing what I do. But yesterday, though the circumstances are worrisome and concerning, was truly a "Mother's Day". I spent the day serving Jennifer and her family, and there is no where I would rather have been, nothing I would rather have done, and no treasure I could have been given that would have been more valuable than holding my dear little grandson in my arms, and having the great blessing of being a witness to my son in law and son exercising their Priesthood as they called down the blessings of heaven on behalf of sweet little Nathan. I am so grateful for my family, they are the most important thing in the world to me, and I am so grateful to them for their efforts yesterday on my behalf. I love my brownie pan and my poster and my family so much!!!

Spring Break

I made a spontaneous decision the Friday before Spring Break to make a trip to WA to visit the Cox's. Knowing how much David misses his cousins, I called Jennifer and she threw a suitcase of stuff together for him and he and I took off early Sat. am on our "road trip". We got to the Cox's Sunday afternoon and stayed till Thursday when we headed back home. We had a great time, thanks so much Chris, Erin and kids for sharing your Spring Break with us. David, Cade and Carter camped out on the playroom floor with pillows and blankets every night, watching movies till nearly midnight, then awoke at 6:30 each morning to resume their war games, either on the computer, Nintendo DS, or out in the real world with toy rifles, Nerf guns, and a neighbor boy. They ran all day long, sometimes we would catch a glimpse of one of them hiding in the bushes or prone on the grass to avoid detection by the "enemy". I got lots of time to hold and cuddle with Cassidy, play with Cami, and visit with Erin and Chris. One day Cami decided to "make me look like a queen"! When she was done, Erin took our picture and when I saw it I immediately remembered a picture of Grandma Jane when Erin as a little girl dressed her up "as a queen", and told Cami I would put it on the blog for her to see. Some things never change! Only sad thing is, I realized the last day we were there I didn't get any pictures of the boys in their war games. Darn!

You Gotta Love March........it brings.......

VEGGIE GARDENS....

PEACH BLOSSOMS...

AND GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!!