Happy Bday Shawners

Shawn turned 27 this year and he thinks he's getting old! SIGH...if I could only have that age back...wait...nope...don't want to go there! Glad I'm where I'm at actually! ANyways...he decided he wanted to celebrate at Classic. He missed out when it was Payson's Birthday there and he wanted to go play with the family. ANd yes...our family needed some good ol fashion play time to laugh and enjoy one another. So that's what we did...This place is really fun...big gigantic slides, and climbing things, roller blading or skating, or scootering...play gyms, it's really a kid heaven and my big kids wanted to play like they were kids. We had a great time...TOO BAD I can't find any pictures...URRR! I know I had my camera...but no pictures. Don't know what happened to them. I'll have to steal from the girls...dang it...I was doing so good on this catch up on the blog thing...!

Anyways...it was a great way to celebrate Shawn. It felt good to watch my two boys laugh and play hard together again! We all had such a good time! We need to do that more!

Shawn's has developed into such a wonderful man who we are so proud of. He's so independent and works so hard for he and Angela. He's been selling Aflac and is now starting with a brand new company selling printers for Cannon. He's not afraid to approach anyone. He'll be awesome! He still coaches 2 soccer teams and he loves it, but it's a lot of work! I hope that he can enjoy the new job, and not have to be away at night so much! We are so proud of both he and Angela and the example they set for those around them. So grateful that Shawn honors his priesthood and keeps those promises that are so sacred! We are so grateful that each one of our kids are such kind and loving people and so happy that we feel like a whole family again! Happy Birthday Shawn! Old age is not that bad, but yes, being a kid at Classic is much better!

The first weekend in November was a full one! Payson was baptized, and Hayden was blessed. It was a sweet blessing to be a part of each. Hayden truly has a corner of my heart. He gives me such comfort to hold him. I often wonder how much he & my Dad hung out prior to his birth and the lessons that both of them gave one another! Oh if only the sweet little guy could talk! When he smiles, well he smiles with his whole body! I just can't seem to catch it on film!

Payson, chose all on his own to be baptized. He has such a tender heart and yes, he has a special place in my heart as well. It's really a miracle as each child is born, a new part of my heart explodes with a love for them! I'm so lucky and so blessed! The missionaries have spent some time with Mickie and her kids. Payson has become of such a tender age, where he recognizes what is right & wrong. He wants to do the things that his Heavenly Father wants him to do. He asked Uncle Shawn to baptize him and had Grandpa confirm him. I'm so thankful that those men in my life have chosen to keep the sacred priesthood close to their heart and live worthy of it so they can bless the lives of our family! How grateful I am for the power of the priesthood and for the power of prayer. We have seen it lift us and strengthen us many times throughout this year alone! The gospel is what makes our family complete and eternal! It thrills my heart to see my children and grandchildren do the things that they know are true!

The END of a year!

See ya...wouldn't wanna be ya!

Silly phrase, but actually kind of how I feel about the year 2010! Let's move on to a better year eh!

I haven't blogged in a long time...kind of got burned with a blog of mine, that someone twisted to something it wasn't...made me feel sick to my stomach how someone can actually take something that you put here, from your heart and...well....make it what they want it to be. It doesn't matter, I have to believe that. I know what I wrote and exactly what I meant...and that's what this blog is for...for my memories, and my history.

The thing I'm most grateful for this time of year is family...gee, bet that's a big surprise! I didn't care what I got for Christmas this year-I actually didn't need nor want anything! I have my family and we're whole again. Nothing else matters. We're one again as a group, and we can help one another get through ANYTHING! And we will! That's what makes us ONE!

hia ya!

First night of Karate lessons for Pays...although he would rather have "REAL" karate lessons like his friend Parker, he seemed to have fun. Because their were only 4 or 5 students, they were taught more moves than planned. He wants a white belt...now! Hmmm...I believe you have to work a bit for that.
We were about 30 minutes early so we got to walk the halls of the school his Mom & Dad attended along with his Uncles. We found his Dad's football championship trophy and Shawn and Chris's regional soccer trophy. Brandyn was sad to find out his track record has been over taken...Mannn...it stinks gettin old doesn't it!
After we went to Arbys and saw this kid eat like no other. He must be growing....cause he put it away! We loved spending time with our guy. We need to make more times like this with each one. 8 years old...REALLY! Whew...how'd that happen!

So Ang & Mick have been on me to update this blog...the longer I put it off, the more overwhelming it has become. When I look at the Photo gallery of the past 6 months, so much has transpired, and happened, that I really don't know where to begin! As my friend Gina put it the other day, Life is just running us over day by day. I physically feel like that today! Reading other blogs is fun, uplifting, inspiring even sometimes....I'm not feeling like much of that lately. Actually feeling down & discouraged and learning the real feeling of anxiety or saddness...I don't know how to explain it, like wanting to crawl out of my skin in some respects. But reminding myself of the many things I do have to be grateful for. All I have to do is look at my photo gallery! Family, good times and bad, that's what it's all about isn't it!
So where to begin...
We're blessed! We have a great family...we're normal I suppose...whatever THAT is~ and I'm telling you, being a parent of grown adults...man....no one warned me of the worries and heartaches that entails. I remember being annoyed with my Dad. You couldn't tell him anything without him pacing and worrying about it. It made me feel like I shouldn't share many things with him. I DON'T want it to be that way with our family! I love it when they do turn to us, as friends and parents for advice or just a sounding board. I wish for that to always continue! We have raised 3 great kids, and they in turn have chosen great companions that we have learned to love as our own! Although we may not always approve of what they are or are not doing, but we love them "to the moon and back" and wish for their happiness and success, no matter what!
The grandkids are a bonus, an extension of our love, that each time one is born, a new part of our heart is exposed that we didn't know existed. When I'm feeling down, the best cure is to have a Gramma & Grampa day. (and yes, I know how to spell it...this is just how they all say it!) I feel extremely blessed that they are all here, in the same state (Brent reminds me of that often as his are spread out over the US), just a jump in my car and run to them away distance!
It's always been my dream to have our children be our friends, and us theirs, and have each of us enjoy one another's company. That feels like success to me.

So I don't know how else to catch up, so here goes, it will probably be random, and I'm sure I'll miss stuff...but what do you do...It's 6 months worth!

I mostly took care of Hayden while Mick & Brandyn and Angela and Tahnie played with the kids at Payson's birthday party. I played a little, but I was good to hold baby! My cousin, Jen, mentioned on facebook to Mickie that Hayden looked like my Dad. I had never noticed it before, until I was holding him that night. I was saying to him, "hey, you do look like Great Grammpa Slug...are you two buddies?" and he began to coo and smile and talk to me. He had never done that for me yet. It was so sweet, and tender, yep, it made me tear up a bit. I wonder...what exactly did my Dad have to say to him? I hope he's watching out for all of us! I sure need him!

For Pay's real birthday, they had everyone over for dinner. The guys weren't back yet, so we were short a few. I hate that, but it was good that the boys were together supporting Chris at this game. They lost in the championship to Weber...that was a bummer! Chris tells Rick he's done with SLCC.
Anyway, we had lasagna, Payson's favorite and opened gifts. Rick & I gave him Karate lessons through the community ed. They start next week. He needs more toys like a hole in the head! And this gives us time to be with him. win win.! gotta love it!

Mickie threw a party for Payson's birthday at Classic Skating for his friends. Rick, & Shawn went to Boise to watch Chris play in Regional tournament for soccer with SLCC, so it was just us girls, including Angela & Tahnie to help her & Brandyn out at the event. With all 4 kids, they really need an extra hand. It's a great play place that offers skating, blow up jump toys for all ages and a track to ride your scooters, or wiggle cars that seemed to be the hit with the little ones. Kallie and Preslie fought over the one Mick brought and the boys just ran non stop to all the things they offered. Laser tag, ball something or other that they got to shoot at one another, you name it, they did it. For being the birthday boy, Pays got to do the money grab machine and the spin wheel. I'm not sure how many tickets he got in the money grab, but the spinner, he won $10. When Brandyn got in his truck to leave, there was a $100 bill on his windshield...not sure why or where, but why look a gift horse in the mouth, or as I reminded Mick...geez, look, blessings boiling over again!

Payson turned 8 a week ago. Can it really be that long ago that this little guy opened up our hearts to a blissful extention that we did not know existed! Have I said that before? Seems like it was just yesterday, okay....maybe just a few years ago, but REALLY...8 years ago! Wow. I thought it went fast with our own kids.
The blessing of being a grandparent is that you really know how to relish every second with them. Because we understand just how short the time is that we have them under our wings.
Payson is a social butterfly. He LOVES his friends. He loves to be on the go! When he comes here, it's an all day adventure of will you play soccer with me, will you play football with me, will you ride bikes with me...and you know what...we try to do it all. He can out run me in the back yard and now takes it easy on me for the soccer game, instead of the other way around. I'll say, okay, next score wins, and he will prolong that game as long as he can. He'll still cuddle to watch a movie, or snuggle up when he's tired when we're all just visiting. I'll eat that up as long as I can, because before I know it, he'll be this big kid that doesn't have much time for us ol folks. I dread that day! I'm so grateful for that special bond we have with him!

For Birthdays, we try to have everyone over to celebrate. Sometimes it takes a whole lot of planning to get a date when all can be there. That's a challenge with a family, with everyone going in all kinds of directions, but we have managed.

Kallie is growing up so fast, just like the rest of them. This is one day that Tahnie straightened her hair. It's to the middle of her back without all the curl. She's beginning to talk more, in almost full sentences. She's a Mommy's girl and won't have much to do with any of us when Tahnie's around, but she's a cutie. She love's her purse and books and loves being around her Aunt's & Uncle's, especially Tahnie's siblings! She's found Grampa's money and tries to hide it in her pocket and has found Gramma's bag balm 2 times! UGH! Now it's high in the shelfs, out of sight! I love how she says uh ha...(for yes) in the sweetest innocent voice. and "love you gramma, love you grampa"... And she LOVEs LOVES and LOVES baby Hayden!

This was Rick's birthday. We had so much fun! The kids had given us a nights stay at the Homestead for Christmas, so I decided this was a great weekend to put it to use. So we headed up there after work. We had dinner at Texas Roadhouse first, and used a gift certificate that Tahnie & Chris had given us. Sweet, all this entertainment, all on the kids! YEAH BABY! We didn't get up there until 7 but it was still nice and relaxing. I love the mountains and I have missed camping so much this summer! The drive up there is always so beautiful and peaceful. We went for a walk, listened to a "cowboy" story teller around the fire and just simply enjoyed the time together without any distractions. Shawn & Chris were playing in a soccer tournament this weekend in Park City, so it was nice and convenient for that as well. When driving to their first game on Saturday morning, I was bummed, I didn't want to check out, felt like we had just arrived, so we decided to stay another night and have the kids come up to the Homestead for swimming and dinner! Perfect plan! Between games, we ran to the hospital in American Fork to visit and check on Dad, at this point he was in the transitional unit, before he was sent to the Sandy Rehab. Rick & I stopped and bought chicken at Walmart (not a good plan! ick!) and we all gathered for a picnic and swim at the Homestead about 7. Rick kept telling the kids, that all of them coming up there and being all together was all the present he needed! It is sweet!

This is Father's Day and the last picture I took of my Dad before he passed. I can't erase it from my camera, I can't erase his phone number from my phone. I miss that man! He was having a rough day that day, in a lot of pain and didn't want to go anywhere. I was sad too! I went to see my Mom on that day by myself cause Rick was on call. Mom looked at me and touched my arm, and said, "your having a bad day today aren't you." She never makes any sense, ever! And she whips that sentence out like it was normal for her. All I could do was cry! I miss my Mom too!

One of the fun things we did this summer was have fire's in our back yards. Brandyn started us off on that and they invited us over to roast marshmellow. We made all kinds of goodies. We made banana boats, smores with reeses peanut butter cups and hot dogs. We enjoyed the fun times together so much, that Shawn dug a pit in our back yard under the tramp in our sand pit. We used it a few times and invited our good friends the Jensen's over and Angela's parents. Ang's brother even blessed us with his guitar...Can't find those pictures! This has been a great bonding time for all of us. Brings us together for simple little things! This is what Rick & I call happiness!

Preslie turned one this summer on June 18th. Mick & B threw a great bash with a huge blow up slide that all the big people got to enjoy! She's really a sweetie and we love seeing her grow. Last week at Gardner Village, she ran after me saying..."gramma, gramma, gramma!" Awweee, the sweet sound of that!

Talan graduated from his first year in preschool this spring. He's getting so big. He loves to color with me and loves the one on one attention. He's so tender hearted and as all the kids, pretty much has us wrapped around his little finger!

Payson played a lot of baseball this Spring and summer...he's pretty dang good too! A man at the batting cages a few weeks ago, watched him and told me.."he's got one natural swing!". Yep that's our Pays...a natural athelete!

Halloween has come and gone, REALLY...will it be November tomorrow! WHAT THE HECK!
We enjoyed spending Halloween with Mick & her family along with Shawn & Ang at Mick's house. (One day maybe, we'll have our entire family gather for something other than a main event.) Mick & Brandyn have ran their selves ragged over the past few years trying to get to our house, to Brandyn's parents, to wherever, and the kids just didn't get much real trick or treating done. Pays and Talan are at the age now where they deserve that! Every kid needs a memory of running through their own neighborhood to see how much candy they can gather! Shawn & Ang brought soup, I made homemade root beer and Mick's friends brought over pizza. I wanted to stay inside with the baby and answer the door. The Utah game was on so Rick, Shawn & I stayed while the others headed out. Ang lasted a little bit, but she was cold, & wet, and Brandyn and Mick took turns. They brought in a haul! Rick had to leave about 9, he was on call, and the rest of us stayed and started to watch a movie. We started with Beetlejuice, a favorite of my kids growing up, but it had commercials...UGH. Then they put Karate Kid on. Shawn & Ang had seen it, so they didn't last long, and we all started to fall asleep. Payson cuddled up on my lap and I didn't want to move...don't know how many more of those I will get! When he was out, I headed home. We were all tired!
Friday, the day before, I didn't work cause I worked on Saturday, so I went out to Payson's school for their parade and tended Pres and Hayden while Mick helped with the party. I love being able to do things like that! When I was home, I would go, but most often I would be hauling a half dozen or more daycare kids with me and it was exhausting! I'm happy to make it a little easier for Mick to enjoy the little things that will be gone before they realize! I love being a part of my kids lives, no matter how big or small the part may seem! That's what it's all about isn't it!
Here's a few pic's from the Halloween month....