Rain or shine...I'm celebrating the coming of summer!

Last Wednesday, while I was at work, my good friend Carla called and asked if we were interested in joining them at Park City for the holiday week. I knew all my kids had plans, and well the weather was looking a little bleak so I told her thanks, but I'm betting not, but I would talk to Rick. I mentioned it to Rick and he just asked where the $$ were coming from....then the next day at work I got a text that said, ya want to run away for the weekend with me??? So I took that as a yes to pass along to Carla. They have a membership at the Mountain Side Resort and they can pick up side deals that are steals if rooms are available. We had a single room for $200 bucks from Friday through Friday...you just can't beat that! Even if we didn't use it the entire time, it's still a steal! So excited to get away. We decided to stretch it out the best we could and took Tuesday off as well! So much fun! Rick & I had it to ourselves until Monday, when the kids came up for a barbeque, then we asked Mick if the boys could spend the night. She made it a surprise for them they had to earn. Friday, we hurried and packed after work and headed up for dinner and our arrival. Saturday, we did nothing but lounge. It was cold and rainy so the pool wasn't that tempting. We shopped at the outlet stores, Rick's idea and just enjoyed spending time one on one again! It felt so good! We hadn't really done that for quite sometime. Life gets in the way too often and it felt so good to slow down and smell the roses again! We enjoyed the Sunshine on Sunday with a walk to Main street, a day at the pool, a walk down below the Resort and explored an old Cemetery where so many of Park City ol timer's are buried. Most having passed away in the early 1800's. Many young couples and small children. The graveyard is tucked away in a corner of the mountain just below the resort, you would never know it was there but we stumbled on it once when just farting around in the car. It was a reverent exploration, just wondering what their lives must have been in the mountains so many years ago!

Mick & Brandyn with their kids and Shawn & Angela joined us for the afternoon on Monday for a barbeque and just hang at the pool kind of night. It was fun to visit with them and how they also had the opportunity to gather with our good friends the Wright's. I love that family! I love my family. We missed Chris, Tahnie, and Kallie. Tahnie had to work and Chris wanted to join her for dinner at Texas Roadhouse. A little frustrating, but it is what it is I guess! Tahnie's schedule is demanding and she's rarely free, so when we plan things at the last minute, she rarely will join us. We missed them.

The boys were not excited to find out that the surprise was a sleep over, until later when they realized the sleep over was up there. They thought it was just another sleep over at our house! Their eyes lit up when that realization hit! They played us hard and wore us out fast! We swam in spite of the rain the next day, played pool, played ping pong, played and crafted in the play room and swam some more. It was hard to finally call it a day and clean up to head home! I wish we could have had the whole week up there...maybe another time. I enjoyed every minute of each day. Loved the getting to know my hubby again part! He's so good to me and I'm lucky to have him!

So after Uncle Frank's funeral, I was headed up to Logan to the burial, but something pulled hard at my heart strings. Payson had an end of the year program that afternoon, and we had just listened to Uncle Frank's tribute of family and priorities...I decided I needed to be with Pays that afternoon. The burial and dinner, just wasn't as big. Although it would have been fun to visit more with everyone, it just didn't feel right. Kind of like Uncle Frank, or someone was whispering in my ear...go to Payson...that's what counts right now...so...I was going to hug my little ones as Uncle Frank would have. So after reaching Farmington, I got off the freeway and headed south to Mick's. I'm so glad I did. The look on Payson's face was SOOO worth it. I tried to get some pictures of me hugging him and Mick's little family...but we kind of suck at pictures, so well..again, use your imagination!

A hug for Uncle Frank...who have you hugged today?

My sweet Uncle Frank Bradbury passed away on 05-16-2010. When I heard the news, I was of course sad, but my next reaction was truely...good for him! Yeah for him. He has endured to the end and all is well with him again! Oh how I hunger for him to come get Mom! Is that bad?!
I couldn't attend the viewing due to my work schedule, but I was able to have the day off for the funeral. I arrived early by myself as everyone else had to work or other obligations. Linda had taken Dad to the viewing the night before as we thought it would be easier on him not to have to sit for a period of time. I greeted my sweet Aunt Joy and gave her my love! She was so at peace as I had talked to her as soon as I heard. So thankful that he didn't have to suffer any longer and the sweet blessing of having him at home! How lucky! It was so fun to see all my loved ones who I spent so much of my childhood with. Aunt Joy is my Dad's sister, but Frank's side of the family adopted us into theirs when I was very young and we spent many camping and holiday celebrations with them. I was the adopted cousin and I felt at home with each of them. Oh, how I have missed them all!
Uncle Frank had a hug for EVERYONE! Anywhere we went, he was flirting and lovin on the people who waited on or met him. And they LOVED it. He was immediately loved by all who he came in contact with, he was a tease and a flirt, and had a laugh for everyone! He just made you smile by walking in the room!
Uncle Frank and Aunt Joy are so much of my memory as a child and young adult. Uncle Frank baptised and confirmed me and maybe even blessed me. He stood where my Dad chose not to! How I love them for not only that, but for loving me and including me in so much a part of their lives. It was a perfect sleep over place and to head out camping with them was an adventure. Many trucks and trailers-many times having close to 100 of us to gather. So many cousins strung out along several tarps. Oh how we laughed and played so hard until we dropped. They taught me to fish, to hunt, to play cards and games and eat and just love and enjoy one another as family! How I want that so with my own family!
One of Robert's girls put together the most beautiful book in honor of Uncle Frank and Aunt Joy. She states in the book how she wanted Frank to have a book of pictures to look at as his memory failed him with the dreadful disease! I cried as I looked over this book. So much a part of me was etched in there as well. So lucky to have been a part of his life! I will miss you my dear sweet uncle. But I know you are with your family who you have missed so much. Tell Doug and Jeanie Hi! And all your awesome brothers! What a reunion that must have happened when you crossed the veil, I'm almost jealous!

Happy Mother's day to me!

Mick & Brandyn joined us for dinner. Tahnie had to work and her family had taken Kallie to Wyoming with them. Shawn & Angela joined us for dessert...but camera had been placed on the shelf at that point I guess....I stink at taking pictures!
Rick barbequed for all of us and then we all joined in a family baseball game..I love the picture of Mick...even little ....un-named baby was part of the play! She looks so cute prego! The boys just can't get enough of all of us playing together. It WAS fun...and I'm with Mick...I see an entire family game of baseball coming our way, wouldn't that be a blast!
I LOVE having my family together...it's getting harder and harder to have them all at once...they all have their inlaws we have to share with..it's getting easier for me to share...but..well...it's just hard! Life is too crazy!
The biggest joy I get from life is knowing that my family surrounds me. We have had our trials, but we all love one another and that's what matters right! I couldn't be more proud of my kids..they have each developed into such great people and I LOVE their choice of spouse! They have truely become a part of our family that I can't be more happy with! It's such a joy to have each and every one of them around us! Thanks for always honoring your Dad & I..for always loving us and trying to be the best you can be! We are so proud of each of you and feel so blessed to call each of you our Friend! Being a wife and a mother has always been such a joy to me...it really is what defines who I am! I'm so very lucky! Love to each of you!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

As most Sunday's go, we spent the afternoon with my Mom & Dad. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the picture of my Dad & Mom holding hands is one of my favorite things that I get to experience each week. I love watching the enduring love my Dad has for our Mom, who no longer knows who any of us are. He loves touching her, just holding her hand, or patting her leg. She's very receptive to him and acts like she knows who he is, like those touches are HOME to her. But nothing else is famialiar or makes any sense. Some of her sentences make sense, like "I haven't seen my Daddy lately, have you?" and then she give us the "mixed salad version of a sentence, with lots of words that don't go together and then she begins singing a hymn to us! This disease is awful and wearing! I HATE it! and I miss my Mom! The picture with Linda & I was taken two years ago, when the disease began to take a toll on her..two years later, we have a "scarry creature" as my kids will describe but one healthy strong woman that is holding on for who knows what. Really...what is this purpose...I just don't know! It's heartbreaking to watch my Dad be so lonely and grieve for the loss of his sweetheart that he has yet to bury!
SIGH!

CONGRATS SHAWN

After attending Iowa Western, BYU, BYU Hawaii, and the University of Utah..Shawn graduated with his Bacherlor's degree in the Humanities department, majoring in Communications-walking with his class on May 7, 2010. I can't express how proud we are of what Shawn Has completed! There was two ceremonies at the U and we wanted to be at the one where he received his diploma! He wanted to hear Governor or Ambassador Huntsman speak, but more importantly to us was to see him receive what he has worked so hard at! We joined them for the graduation ceremony at 11 am. Shawn has worked hard and accomplished a major goal that he set many moons ago! Taking on the full responsibility to pay for his schooling getting only lunch money or small donations from us. Thank heavens for soccer scholorships and school loans that helped him so much! We know that he'll move forward and far in all that he decides to do! He has started working in a sales position with Angela's uncle Todd, called MBOFFICE.me. They offer Architectural Services, Web Services, Admin. Services, and Creative Services. He's way excited to be a part of this new company and we wish him the best in whatever he endeavers! We couldn't be prouder!
We had a great celebration with our family and Angela's family and their friends at our house, of course everyone sporting the true colors of the U of U! It's good to see all the support that he and Angela have around them!

Kallie turns 2

Kallie turned 2 on 04-27-2010 and we celebrated with the whole family the Saturday following. Kallie's a little firecracker...does not stop until she drops into sleep. Her movements are all so girlish..she prances when she runs and she has the cutest move to brush her hair out of her face...I wish I could catch it on film! She loves her cousins, and her Grammpa...both Rick & I were walking down the hall the other day, me in front and she ran to us shouting "Grammpa"...what...am I invisible! She'll take our hand and pull us to the toy room or wherever she wants us to go...she loves to have someone join her and watch her dump all the toys out of the buckets! It's a joy to have her here with us! She loves the car we gave her and she loves to play in her kitchen...she's known to go fill the cups up with water and dump them into her sink..problem is..water is from toilet...ewwww! Gotta love those 2 year olds! Chris & Tahnie gave her a mini tramp...it's been so cold that she really hasn't been able to enjoy it. Hope spring arrives soon!