Loff my other kids....

Today - I read a quote that said:  Do you have enemies? Good, that means that you stood up for something you believe in!  I thought about that - I don't per say have any enemies - unless someone hurts my family - then you've earned your place on my list.  I went to RS today - and I heard a teacher say, "I've never had a daughter, I've heard that it's the closest relationship ever.  (she had 4 boys) Then she said, I have 2 daughter in laws and well - those girls are hardly like my own daughter - you know - most daughter in law's aren't... haa tee hee..."  I raise my hand and said, "Then you either have the wrong daughter in law's or - you aren't trying hard enough to be a good mom in law."  I instantly made and found an enemy.  I told her of my very own daughter in law... I prayed so hard to get her, I watch her raise my grandchildren with amazing skills, and the most important thing, that she loves my son unconditionally - and believe me - he's given her many reasons to question her love!  (oh - nothing too off the charts)  I said that I knew that she was suppose to be a part of my family - just like my son in law's are meant to be.  Bethany started calling me mom a long time ago - I give credit to her kindness to her own mom, and grandma who taught her well.  I told this teacher that these are the mothers of our next generation - and that I honored and loved my in law children very much.  I recieved a phone message from Bethany one day - it's still on my phone - she talks of our relationship - and it brought me to tears because of her kind words.  How lucky I am to have in law children.  They are someone elses child - but they are also my sons and daughters.  Kinda shut that sweet sister up... I mean really?  I haven't had a mom in law - well - I have one - but my life was never a part of hers.  I always felt that I failed her in some way, but I always loved her son and her grandchildren and her great grandchildren.  I say - her loss, my heartache.  So - I know you are all out there worrying about in law kids - sorry - I did get the best - but try hard to make that relationship special.  When mine and my children are all in the same room - I cannot tell them apart.  Each one, I love, each one I believe in, each one I trust, each one are irreplaceable.  I promise to always be there for you, I promise to cheer you on, I promise to thank your parents every day that they allowed you to be a part of our family.  Thank you Bethany!  Thank you Mike!  Thank you Ryan!



I've got skills.....

Today I practiced my blonde skills.  I always lock every single lock and put chairs and tables in front of the door when Del travels - I'm a freaking scaredy cat.  Ya - I might look all mean and stuff - but inside - just a bunch of fluff and fright.  I always sleep with every single light on too.  The TV must be going, and I always eat waffles.  Ok - so now you know.  My skills came into play tonight when I looked at the door knob going to the garage.  Del has some fancy scmancy door lock going on there because of his garage obsessions.  I swear I'm my mom - but I've never REALLY looked at this door knob closely.  But last night I locked it and thought it was strange that the knob twisted on the inside - but was obviously locked on the outside (leading into the garage from the living room).  I ran out for a second to the garage and the door shut behind me - locking me inside the garage.  Now remember, the toys are out there, so that also means that there is industrial sized locking devices on the big garage door.  There I was - locked in the garage - phone inside on the counter - husbands plane not in for 5 more hours.  First - I blamed Del for buying such a stupid door knob. That at least made me feel a little better.  (:  Then I thought of yelling - well - like anyone would hear me - not.  I considered cleaning the garage for a few hours.... it's spotless - remember it's Del's world out there.  I pondered defrosting the freezer?  I even ventured into the forbidden land of:  Taking a nap in the Viper?  But with certain death to follow if I chose the latter option I decided on escaping.  Behind the Tools of the Trade that my husband has is a small window.  I knew I could get out of the window if I could just get to it.  After finding several things to stack, and pulling up the 20 year old, never been opened blind... I decided that it would be better if I froze to death in the garage than to pass through the spider webs, bug carcasses, and unknow creatures huddled in the corners of the window frame.  I felt like my options were limited - so I tried to remember what the spiders looked like so I could tell the Emergency Room doctor after I had been bitten, and I jumped out the window.  (at this time I'm seriously laughing because all I can think about is Ace Ventura - Pet Detective - when he's trying to climb out of the butt end of the rino.... ya - you know what I'm talking about)  Never the less - I did it - found the hidden key hidden under the "the hidden key to the house is under here" rock and let myself in the front door.  About an hour later a spider web breezed off of the back of my sweatshirt and touched me on the cheek...... screamed like a sissy.  When Del arrived home - I told him about his stupid door knob - and he reminded me - I was blonde.  Good times... what a pretty spider....

.....and you have 24 hours to do what?

Cleaned the house

Moved the furniture

Christmas away

8 bags of leaves hauled away

Groceries

Hair fixin' and coloring

(she wanted to hid the gray..... at 82)

(now she looks like a cute little old hooker)

Screaming at the Jazz on TV

(I loathe Kobi)

Trail Mix and Orange Juice - oh my!

Brandon hugs

Yes we got the mail

Yes we got the mail

Yes we got the mail

Bills written

Care Consultant Meeting for Dad

Danced with the wheelchair gang

Cried over Renee passing

Cried over Uncle Wendell passing

Cleaned out garage

4 trips to Logan

New clothes to Dad

(with name included to insure they will

still be there when they need to dress him)

Tacos

Bismark from Schmidts Bakery

ok... maybe a maple bar also

Cokes at McDonalds

Tour of the town to see who's still alive

Visit to the dead

Fed Ex Picture making session

("I've never been to Fed Ex")

(she's been there 3,000 times)

Seeing the camel, the zebra and the Llama yet again

14 ARGUMENTS

24 hugs

Missed the wild turkeys

(everyone should experience the turkeys)

Long tearful ride home.

Just 24 hours with Mom

Priceless

Today?

JAKE!



Loved this....

We went from this...

To this.....

and I am JOYOUS!

We had some of the following:

Which made me smile...

We experienced this...

Which made me giggle.

We made a miracle happen....

By getting the entire Bowen Hillary family together

for a long overdue picture

My parents

My Brothers Family on the left,

My Family on the right.

A whole lot of love all together.

We started with grandparents

added some grandkids

and added some amazing in-law grand kids

and provided some entertainment...

put the Grandkids together

Tossed in a few Great Grandkids

Found Eric's Family

Thought mine was pretty awesome

(insert Ryan)  (Gotta Love Ryan)

and then partied at Mom's/ Grandmas/ Great Grandma's

(all the same person)

with Pizza, Ginger Cookies, and loud laughter

25 family members - made this day happen

(Thank You)

(don't worry Emma - I won't tell your mom!)

We ended up on our last night together at Temple Square

with Mike, Ashley, Matt and Bethany and Grandkids.

Perfect night - perfect week - Love my family

more entertainment

We said our tearful goodbyes in front of the temple.

It was a great week to be a mom, and a grandma.

My date for New Year's Eve.... was the saxiest man in the bunch.

practiced for their New Years Eve Kiss.... more entertainment

Loved this... love them... lucky me.

You know...

...my husband always bursts out laughing when I pull the 'You know' line..... It is usually accompanied by my hand on my hip and sometimes waving an axe with the other hand.  I start this post with this concept because I am hiding behind the guilt of not posting Christmas or anything associated with Christmas.  Not that I don't like the season of ho ho - I try to be positive.... but then the retail word chokes most of the joy out of the very merry holly jolly.  I love lights, English Toffee, and the smells of the fresh air - minus the red level of the Utah diversion... but I have the most serious hang up about not being able to get simple gifts for my children.  I miss those Little People years - the noise, the listening to the little tiptoeing downstairs WAY too early.... It's hard to see the years change.  I love to see them being so understanding about the gift thing.  We draw names, we buy one gift, we move on, we love time together more than things we can buy for each other.  This year we were 100% massively involved with our Inner City Mission families - I have to say - there were miracles upon miracles there.  I cried most of Christmas day at church because, I didn't see one pair of flip flops in December.  There were shoes on most of the little children that day.  Our home ward, and a wonderful bunch of Mrs. Freeman's E.L.F.'s provided so many gifts it took several trips to deliver them.  I cannot go into many of the details but - it was seriously the most amazing thing I've ever seen.  When my emotions are in order - I may post what I am allowed to post, because some of our families are protected and I have to be careful.  Never the less - Pere Noel made quite an appearance at some heart felt, hard hit homes.  That was my Christmas Memory.  Then.... You know.... my funny kids came over that night - with one of my 3 grandkids in tow... The WA grandbabies arrived Christmas night late and we are ParTaEiNg on Wednesday, and Friday, and Saturday and maybe inbetween there also.  I love the dinner table when my kids are all around it.  We are loud, and we talk about body parts, and movie lines, and random insanity that surrounds most of our lives.  We also love to cheat at board games, which will be another post for another day.  Now - when our family gets together - it's always.... what should we fix to eat??  After so many meals together and so many holidays - there are the usual fixin's.  But sometimes I want to get a little off the beaten trail... I've been getting excited about trying some organic, and some semi vegatarian (that means that I won't eat meat, except for In and Out) dishes - because I like the nutty tastes better than the knarled bloody meat adventures.  I enjoyed my soy nog... yes I did... I love my Christmas Eve Yoga - yes I did.... But with the first mention of "Maybe I'll make that meatless lasagna with vegetables and pumpkin and stuff"  I was informed (and you know which kid you are - punker) about the following information:  "Mom - we all remember when you made that and we ALL hated it!"  AAAAHHHH!!!!!!    I can't believe Santa brought you ANYTHING at all when you were children!  Here I am trying to make you healthy - no green boogers, or snotty noses, or hacking throat issues - and you give me that line?!!!!  Well - beware children - because mom has her hand on her hip and the axe in the other - and I'm learning how to say "You Know..." in several languages!  I love that it took 10 years to finally tell me you didn't like it!  I'm making extra brussel sprouts tomorrow for dinner..... I remember saying, "There are children starving in Africa!"  You know.... just like every single mom has done and will do at some point... but apparently - they wouldn't even want this dish!  whatddeva - So for our family celebration this year - I have had a tee shirt made up with this on it...

Or as Grandma June would say...

Eat it or wear it...

(Which I recall my dad doing several times)

So, you know kids... I just love you.  I love that you have tried so hard over the years to not hurt my feelings. (HA!) That you hauled out napkins full of food in your pockets after meals.  That you Googled a place in Africa I could send food. That you are better cooks that I am, and that no matter what, you'll never know how many times I've sneezed in your dinner.

Merry Christmas!

(and yes - those dang family pictures are tomorrow!)





My Spawns

A mom must take a thousand pictures of their children in their lifetimes.... and yet this is the one I've chosen.  Ryan was fighting for his life in the hospital, and Mandy was trying to shorten it my making him laugh to death.  This pretty much sums up their relationship.  My two youngest - born 2 years and 2 days apart - making quite the 2-some growing up.  This week is their birthday's, Ryan's on the 13th and Mandy's on the 15th.  Both arrived 2-3 weeks early - but have never been on time since for anything.  (ok - unless it involved root beer floats with limited root beer and the necessity to fight for the remaining ice cream)  When they were little we had outrageous parties for their birthday.  Now - I call them up - tell them how freaking much it hurt to deliver them, how I can remember every single night I stayed up while they were sick, crying, or late from a date.... (not particularly in that order).  I'm not a 'I'm going to find you the perfect present for your birthday' mom - I get a gift certificate for them to go out and eat somewhere fun and say - enjoy.  But to me - I celebrate their lives every single day that they exist - because of the joy they have brought into my life.  Mandy was born quiet, and tiny and petite - she's still tiny and petite... oh well - 2 of 3 isn't bad.  Ryan was born quiet and tall.  He's very very tall - but he's starting to noisy up a bit which is a good thing.  Each have made choices that have thrilled me beyond words.  They are close to the church - they have testimonies - they actively attend the temple, they have wonderful goals, Mandy has finished college and Ryan is right on course in college.  Each have served those around them in callings, in the community, and have been encircled by good friends.  They are known to tell each other EXACTLY what they are thinking about each other - making eyebrows raise, and hearts thump faster, and we wonder if they'll punch each other out - but they don't.  They are brutally protective of each other - I like that a lot.  I love watching them when they are together, they are SO FUNNY... my sides ache from laughing at the things they do.  Each one knowing what the other will do and or say in any situation.  They are most frightening when in the same car, when any window is down, and Mandy is in the back seat.  I'm pretty sure there is a warrant out for their arrest.  Sometimes I look at them and I see the most tender moments.  When Ryan was sick - I watched Mandy praying for him.  When Ryan was far away, his e-mails would include how Mandy was feeling.  Those moments that remind me that they have been friends long before even coming to earth.  Their lives have changed from the birthday parties of yesterdays - but there will still be cake, and well maybe root beer floats somewhere in this week.  Mandy is now a mom, and a wife, and a musician and is living her dream.  Ryan is studying hard at school, just completed an amazing mission for the church, and has found a bright little light in his world, he's found joy, and I hope he takes good care of her.  There are actually 4 favorite kids in my line up of children - Lucky me.  I look forward to seeing the events of the year ahead as we continue to grow older as a family.  Mandy and Ryan I hope you have a wonderful birthday - and that you know you are loved by all of us.  I hope Jaffar blesses you in every way... if we can find him... at Disneyland.... again... in It's A Small World....

Oh Happy Day!

Yo Momma Loves Ya.

Taa ina Wiieend

Windy day... wait - 100 mph winds - Hurricane Day in Utah!  I took precautions though... I moved all of my Pepsi to the middle of the house, along with the Oreos.  Can't say that I am not prepared.  Feel bad for those that had damage on their homes.  People are more important than things - but you do need to have a place to sleep.  Everytime the wind blows Mandy and I call each other and say, "Taa ina Wiiend"!  It's from a movie called 'Nell'.  In which a young girl is left to raise herself in the back country of the South or East or some place where they decided to do it.... whatever... When civilization finds her she has her own language - thus Taa ina Wiiend - when the wind blows she explains 'Tree in the wind'.  But it's not any fun unless you say it and sway your arms over your head several times.  Rolling your eyes back into your head also adds to the drama of the quote.   Good times.  I'm going to have to watch Jodie Foster in that movie again someday - and get some more awesome quotes.  I'm now late for what I was actually going to get to as of right now - what's with the freaking squirrels in my life???  Well, I'm off and flying.... Taa ina Wiiend... to you all xoxo