Wow...where do all the days go? I am overwhelmed at times as to how fast time travels through each and every day. Today, as most days off go, I only accomplished about half of what I wanted. There's just not enough hours in the day. I often wonder if I'm capturing all the important things. Am I leaving a mark that will be remembered for good? Do the ones that I hold dear and closest to my heart, really understand how much I love them? How grateful we are to have them a part of us! It's truely an honor to be their parent! I sure hope so! Because I am very blessed with a great hubby who is my best friend and kids that I can call friend as well.
We've had several conversations with our kids lately. Trying to express to each and every one of them, that it's "Family" that matters. That it's "Family" that makes us who we are. I was telling one of them of an interview I had many moons ago with an airlines. It was the second interview and the interviewer was asking about me. "Tell me about you" she said. So I proceeded to tell her of my family, my 3 kids, what I have been doing over the past few years with my family, etc. She stopped me and said "No, I asked you to tell me about YOU." What she didn't understand was that "My Family" is me. It's what defines me and who I am. I'm very proud of that. They make me who I am and I love them more than life!

This evening we went to watch Pays play in his second baseball game of the season. He's now on the "big" fields. He was awesome. He got two hits and on base both times. When may I ask did this little Pdawg of ours become such a little boy! He's such a natural athlete that always picks up any sport that you introduce him to! And he's competitive! He's so much fun and he will always hold a special place in my heart. This week, starting tomorrow night, I get to hang out with Mick's kids while they head off to Mexico. I CAN'T WAIT! I'm as excited to do this as I would be to head to the beach! I have missed hanging out daily with these kids!

I love my Bunco ladies! I really do! We really know how to laugh and cry with one another! I have played with this group for about 20 years. We're not all the "original" group, however most of us have been together for most of those years. Delee Skeen invited me to join and she has since dropped out. I miss her! It's her sister in laws that actually started the group-Holly & Sheri. Anyway, we have been through many things together and mostly we laugh and just enjoy each other once a month. We have laughed, cried and worried together. We had babies together,went nuts with babies hanging onto our legs, wondering if they would EVER let go, gone through dating years of our children and have sent missionaries out and then married them off, and now we're becoming gramma's together and taking care of our parents, or losing them together! It's been a great way to stay in touch with my good friends who have moved away. Each of us being so supportive of one another. It's been so fun to get to know these ladies that I would have NEVER met! We are spread out all over the valley! Last week we gathered at Cheryl's home and she shared with us her story right now of her little Grandson who has just been diagnosed with leukemia. UGH! My heart jumped. My heart aches for her. He's just barely one year old. Not much older than our dear Preslie. I wanted to run right over to Mick's house just to hold her and hug her! Why must such a young innocent child suffer so! (I know your answer, just don't like it!) Two of our Bunco girls are missing, that's why only two at one of the tables. Patti is training for the trek she is in charge of and Jane was out of town I believe. I feel blessed to be a part of this group that gathers. We each hold a piece of one another's heart and well...just to summ it up...I love them with all of my heart and feel it an honor to be a part of this group! We decided the other night that we're all going to the same "Old folks" home together, that way we can play bunco anytime we want!

Kallie is not so much of a "Gramma" fan these days. I believe right now she views me as someone who will take her away from her Momma time, so she doesn't want too much to do with me. This particular night both Tahnie and Chris were trying to do homework and Kallie was not interested in that fact at all. So I was trying to distract her. Thought making something quick that she could help me with would be fun. Rice Krispies sounded good! She loved pouring the goodies in the pan, of course after sampling each one, and stir, stir stir! It lasted about 5 minutes, then she had had enough. We tried for a cute picture, but she wasn't having it! Oh well, it was a fun 5 minutes that I was a "ccol gramma!". We'll get there!

I LOVE having the kids over. They wear me out, but we just love it. Here's just a few of them playing. Payson is playing with the Meyer girl who they have had so much fun with. This weekend here was the day they were moving out. The owner of their home decided not to extend their option of lease to buy. Makes us so sad, they were such a good family and so good for Payson and Talan to have someone fun to play with, even if it is a GIRL!

The Lion's club always sponsors a large easter egg hunt at the ball diamond n our stake and Brandyn's parents always volunteers to help bring it together so we try to go support it. They place several thousand plastic easter eggs out amongst the field and they have the kids go in age groups to gather all they can. It was a COLD spring morning and the kids needed hats and gloves. WHAT am I talking about, we ALL did! Notice the red noses!! Preslie even got into the action and was in heaven with just one egg in hand! It was hard trying to keep up with all the kids. Payson is in the big 7 year old section, Talan in the 4-5 yr olds and the girls in the baby section! Tried to get pictures of all, but just not fast enough on my feet! The kids loved it, even though it was FREEZING!

After the Easter egg hunt was over, Mickie & Brandyn needed to go back to Lowe's for a part for their new dishwasher. Payson didn't want to go so he came to our place. Talan on the other hand wouldn't leave his Dad's side. He had really missed him while he was working in Casper and it felt SOOO good to have his Daddy home. I love how he is Brandyn's shawdow. It's pretty dang cute. Anyway, Pays came to our place and I decided we needed some easter colored eggs. Even though no one really eats them. Not after I tried to poison Rick & Shawn one year...(now that's another story for another time-and probably not in writing!) So Pays colored them, then Talan decorated them with stickers when he came over. We need to plan that tradition just a bit better next year. We need to have all the kiddos together doing that!

Aunt Joy had her annual easter egg hunt and luncheon at her house. I traded days at work so I could take Dad out there. The weather was very cold and Dad's in a lot of pain with his back and hips so he decided not to go. I was sad. Just don't know how many more opportunities he will have for that kind of thing, but I really wanted to go. So I invited my family and some of them joined. I miss Aunt Joy & Uncle Frank and all their family. I have some of the fondest memories from my childhood with them! I went on many of those hunts myself, then turning the magic age of 11-then you get to be a helper! That was SO COOL! We got to color them and hide them...we were in charge of that and Cecil and Henry would be in charge of the money that we won! nickel or dimes written on some of the eggs that were hidden. I remember hunts done at two of the different cafe's they use to own, and then moving it to her back yard. It was fun to see everyone. So many there now that I couldn't pass the name test...but that's okay....your at Aunt Joy's and that's pretty dang special. This year was her 65th hunt...crazy! And I didn't get one picture of her. DUMB! Uncle Frank wasn't there. He has fallen and hurt his back, causing his Demensia to set him back further, just like it did for Mom when she got sick. Aunt Joy has hopes that he can come home when he's sronger. It's so much to care for him on her own, even with the grandkids downstairs...that's a lot and I worry for her! I know too well what she is going through! I HATE old age. I'm afraid of it!

The Girl's finding their baskets

Easter afternoon was a blast. One of Shawn's Bishop from his mission was here for General Conference with his family. So Shawn asked if we could include their family in our celebration. I was excited! I love meeting the people that loved my boys while they served the Lord. This Bishop speaks english, along with his sister and brother in law who also joined us. However, his wife and 2 children did not. That made things interesting, but none the less it was fun to visit with them and include them in an "American" celebration. We had the festive ham and potatoes dinner, along with the easter basket and egg hunt. All the kids enjoyed it! Shawn told me they had two girls, but found out in time thankfully that indeed their youngest was a BOY. Oh no, Easter bunny brought a PRETTY PONY DOLL! UGH! Shawn had to make a quick trip to the local Walmart to save that mess, but all ended up perfect. I can understand why Shawn loved this family, who wouldn't! And I can see why he's on his 6th year I think he said of being Bishop. Wow...that must be hard. His sister Lily that also joined us lives in American Fork and feels very lonely for family. I told her to come to us as often as she would like!
The picture of my legg with papers on it tells us "It's a Boy!" (it's impossible to read) These cut out letters were in several easter eggs of their own for Mick & Brandyn's announcement of what they are having! I just knew it was a Girl!

I LOVE Sundays with my parents. It's exhausting both physically and emotionally most of the time, but I have really grown to LOVE this time with them. It SUCKs royally watching them go through this nightmare, but it's an honor to serve them. I'm grateful I get the opportunity. Mom no longer knows who I am. Last Sunday, she vehemently (SP??) told me I WAS NOT her daughter. I just laughed and said whatever Mom, now please will you come with me back to your room so Dad can visit with you!" She still breaks out in song during her conversation with us. They tell us that all just love her at the Center, that she's funny and loves all the people. She scoots herself around in the hall in her wheelchair most of the day. One day she pulled the fire alarm, not just once, but twice. She reads everything, but I've noticed as she reads Dad's hat, she isn't reading properly anymore. But she must have made out the word "Pull!". Linda & I got a good laugh out of that one! She's off in some lost world of her own. I'm grateful she's happy. Dad, on the other hand is miserable in physical pain as much as his heart breaking. He misses her so! As I have said many times, it's so tender to watch him as he wants her to be as close to him as possible while we're there. He'll scoot her chair right up to him so he can hold her hand and pat her leg. She ALWAYS softens as he kisses her upon arrival. Many times it will take a few to get her to give into that kiss, but once she does, her mood changes. It's pretty darn sweet to watch! One lady at the center will say, so "Your George? your for real?" Yep Yvonne, he is very real and he's Nona's!