Busy, Busy, and more Busy!

I love watching my boys play basketball, it brings us to a really busy time of year. Work, Christmas, kids, and grand kids! I love, love, love it all. I have really enjoyed my new job. I really do LOVE my bosses.... crazy huh.. well really not .. since its Jani and Jami ( my sister and brother in law) I get the benefit of getting know their kids and be a part of their family as well. So it's an extra bonus for me! I have been so blessed this year, and look back to see the blessings of the gospel in my life. Jake has received his mission call, Sarah has moved over here, I have seen the Young Women in Burbank grow and Jessica be baptized, I now get to listen to Angels sing each week(Primary Chorister), I have had the blessing of the support of my family in may ways. I could go on forever... but for now, these are a few of the things close to my heart. I love the Gospel and hope every day to be able to live it better. I have such a love for my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.

and again!!

Grandkids!!!! Oh the joy!

Changes...

I don't know if any of you saw that I was going to change the heading of my blog, but I was thinking about it today, and it is still my story. So I will continue the story as it goes ... day by day. It's still once upon a time, I have a fantastic family and children that I love with all my heart. I have been going through some changes in my life as most of you know. There are many different emotions that come to the surface through trials and heart ache, I have found that when I fall it's because I have not yet learned to control my emotions. I have a great need to learn patience and am striving every day to be a better person. I love the scriptures and the conference talks, they have been a blessing and my strength.


My Visit to Alabama!!


I walked in to an awesome sign... it made me cry!


We had many activities to keep us busy.. new projects and everyone loves to help!!

Taking naps with Nammy!! .............................. Or waking up Nammy! Loved it!




Going to the park, or playing games... I had such a great time. Thank you Steph and Jared for letting my crash there for awhile!




I had the most amazing time getting reacquainted with Gordon and Clark... I think about my visit and cant help but smile, it was a sad thing to leave, but I missed my kids here soooo much I had to come home.

Lifting Burdens

Very good!

Lifting Burdens

Finding Joy!

Life seems to just continue even when you don't feel like you want it to. I have been very blessed to have such a warm and loving family. My mother, father and brothers and sisters are all amazing! I love them very much. Times seem to just get harder and harder... but as I sat today at the edge of my bed wondering if I wanted to even put my feet down, I got a call from my sister..... and then my mother... and messages from my daughters.... yes... Finding joy with such fantastic family members is not even hard to do on the worst days!!

Happy times!!!

These faces say it all!!! I love it!!

I LOVE BEING A NAMMY!!!

Wow, I didn't know the mail could bring me such joy!!! Today I got a fantastic card and pictures from Clark. It made me so HAPPY!

Then as I returned a movie..... it brought me to Quinn and Marley.... another happy place!!

There is nothing better than being a Nammy!!

Family picture fun!

I loved having all my kids together! It helps to remind me what life is all about. I love my husband and his special talents. We all have so much fun when we are all together. I am grateful for the knowledge of Eternal Families, I just can't imagine a life without them.

I immediately changed my screen saver to my family picture, it's so hilarious to walk past and see which one it is now, everyone keeps changing it. It's a fun way to see them all too.

Quote of the day:

Don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.

General George S. Patton

Junk shopping!

I love junk shopping! Oh the treasures there are to find! I find it very calming and I love to speculate on how it was used, I would love to have the history on some of the things I find. I have always loved the years gone past, there is always a story to be told.

Salsa, Salsa, Salsa, Zucchini bread!!!

My mom is an amazing woman!! She has given me so many veggies this summer, I have loved it. I'm sure she could supply the whole town! I had a lot of help when I was grinding and bagging the zucchini......

Making do!!

We didn't have the time to do a camping trip, but what kid doesn't love a campfire with smores!!! So Grampy went to work on helping us again. He works so hard to make things work out for me, I appreciate all he does...even when he bites his tongue and just does it.



We all appreciated his work for us!!!




Clark and Quinn could hardly stand it.. they wanted to help build the fire.....


Hot dogs for all, Clark got a lesson on where to get the best roasted dog!!
Quinn decided that he would just have his cold!



After all was done, Clark sat at the fire with me and talked. It was so wonderful to watch him and have him share with me how he experiences life!

Grampy!!!

Grampy is great fun and everyone loves him... and makes all the moms say...

OH.... Be careful!!

But the boys ate it up. They all loved the lift that took them way high!!!

The weather wasn't very nice to us so we didn't get to go out on the boat much, but had a lot of fun and great visits with the Hodgson's!! What a great family my daughter is now a part of! We loved having them over.

Update

This past month was an exciting one. We had special visitors from Alabama.......so we decided that special visits should get special attention. Aunti Shell showed off her skills from cheerleading, making awesome signs.


So we posted them around the neighborhood to guide them to us! It was fun making them.
We did have signs for Jared and Steph too, but we didn't get pictures of them before the sprinklers got them. We were actually happy to see them too! The time spend together was short but sweet! It was fun to get reacquainted with Gordon, he changed so much. Clark was talking up a storm and letting us know about everything! Life is good! I have a fantastic husband, who puts up with my craziness, beautiful daughters who are so willing to help each other and me, amazing sons who run to and fro to help me get things just so...point and they go!! I love you boys! and fearful son-in-laws (that they might actually start to understand this mess!) My grand kids are the best in the world! No joke!!

I LOVE MY FAMILY!!

My Oh My!!!

It really has been a long time since I posted. I have sat to try, really I have... not much came to me, in fact this time I was just going to post "My Oh My" and thought I could put a few words on it. Life is full, many emotions happening this month and next, so really I don't know where to begin. I think I'll follow the lead of a great blogger I love to read... Passionista! and list my things I am feeling..... I am always inspired by her.

• getting all the appointments for Jacob made and done
• hitting the send button on the 25th for his mission papers
• babysitting a sweet little boy
• starting to work with Freeman Farms and enjoying my bosses!!!
• loving have Sarah close and getting to know my grandbabies
• having Steph and her family home for a visit
• going to breakfast with Shellie and building her fence
• Jesse getting his driving permit
• Brad being an inspiration everyday for getting my fitness going again
• going on the boat to fish and having Quinn sit on my feet over the edge in the water
• appreciating my boys and ALL the help they are to me
• having Jasper come home for a visit
• being able to receive a blessing from my father
• enjoying the scriptures once again
• having hope for the future
• having mission discussions in my home with a very sweet girl
• playing in the dirt at GG's house
• going home with lots of fresh veggies.. yummy, yummy

Ok... My oh my! yes I am very blessed to have such wonderful children and to have the Gospel in my life.

Fathers Day Fun.....

It was great to have Shelli and Sarah and her family come over. We even had a family get together around the computer to talk to Steph and her family. We had good food, lots of laughs, and fun, fun, fun! The boys wanted boxing gloves for Dad for fathers day.... and so we got them, Jake wanted the punching bag too... so we got that...but the first thing they hit was each other! Crazy boys... Shelli even got involved, Brad was kind to her. :-) Love ya Shell.

Then it was time to take a walk, so off we started down the road to watch Uncle Jake on the skate board.

On with our walk, we headed to the birds. He was holding onto my finger pretty hard. Wasn't sure about where we were going, then around the corner came "Unca Dave" a favorite of my kids.... he has a way with my grandboys! He was on the tractor!!! a Hero!

Quinn was fast to let go of my finger then... and got to go for a ride, "Unca Dave" said he even got to drive it a little... not sure that was planned.. but Quinn had a great time and didn't want to get off.

We continued to the birds and fed them some weeds, found a rock to kick and watched "Unca Dave" mow the field. It was a great day!!

Oh What Do You Do In the Summertime!!!!

I LOVE summer vacation!

• I love having the boys around!!!
• I love having the freedom of just going.....
• I love watching my boys interact together and goof around.
• I love the warm evenings and mornings.. (not HOT, just warm) and cool drinks.
• I love vacations!!!

New things.....

Things around here that are new!!

• Quinn helps me keep my flowers on the porch alive!
• I'm babysitting for a neighbor girl every morning, loving it!!
  


• Jesse is starting football (makes me scared)
• Jesse is practicing "jumping things" This was the result of the last time... he was running up a stop sign....
• Jacob is almost done with his papers.
• Brad keeps getting bigger and more determined to be even bigger.
• I have a block and can't seem to say or write anything (feels like I'm speechless... thats a first!
• Shellie found homes for "ALL" of the puppies...we didn't even keep one!!
• I was getting used to sleeping at night... and now.. a sleepless night.. sigh!
• I now have red hair.
• Brad just woke up at 5:50 on his own!! (now there is no seminary of course!)

Beautiful trip!!

The world is such a beautiful place..... it saddens me to know how many people are in pain, hurting or just plain sad... and they can't see the beauty in everything around them. Sometimes it can drag you down with them.
I got to take a motorcycle ride this past week, it was beautiful. I love the mountains and the fresh air.

There always seems to be something more important than the break that we so desperately need sometimes. It's nice to just get away and dream of days gone past, the way things were, and hope of things to come.

This past week has been particularly hard. I've had a hard time staying possitive, I have been grumpy with my boys, and uncommonly pessimistic! I'm usually happy for a new day, but they just seem to run together. (When you don't sleep they kind of do just run together.) I found myself taking happiness quizes.. funny huh..

When things start feeling like this it's time to stop and smell the roses..... wait.. my roses are not blooming yet.. maybe I better go buy some so I can get that done today!!!

Much needed, I'm sure my family will agree.

Family Gathering, like no other!

Today was a great day of family, fun, support and love!
We love Grandma Romm!! It showed today when we had a lot of people all over her house.


ON TOP!! and on the HILL... all working hard. It's time for a new roof, so the boys all got together and started taking off the old stuff.
Well not to be outdone.... we girls got a hold of the hill. We had a great time of chatting, working, getting blisters, learning how to pull the grasses.... water, juice, and soda from Grandma... It was a warm day, but could have been worse. The weeds are almost done... the roof got all finished and waiting for the roofers..


So.. as life goes around our house.... as the work is getting wrapped up, the entertainment starts....


Brad getting attention from passing cars....

pestering his brother until he takes him down...

Alan deciding that was enough and poured water on Brad... made it cooler for Brad and got him free from the head-lock!

All in all.. it was a great day!