From Far and Wide....

I'm waiting at this point to post all of the wonderful pictures of my kids that came and supported their little brother.  My camera - was ?????  and yet I know that many will come forth from different sources to fill these spaces..... but until then I have some sweet thoughts about all of them....

 

 

My son Matt and his beautiful wife Bethany, along with their (my amazing grandkids) kids drove the miles and miles and miles and games and toys and entertainment activities and songs and bathroom stops from their home in Washington State.  It was worth the drive as they added so much fun to the wedding.  You have to realize that this is an amazingly beautiful family - and I loved being able to let everyone meet them.  Bethany was amazing with the video of the cute couple and I will post it later in a blog - it was much appreciated and seriously cute.  Matt was the Best Man - and a best man he was, and always has been.  I loved seeing the little ones at the Temple - they are being taught by their parents that it's important to work towards this goal.  Today as I am posting this - Matt and Bethany have been married for 7 years now - they were married in the Jordan River Temple.

I appreciated all they did to make this trip amazing...

 

 

My daughter Ashley and her handsome husband Mike made a wise decision and flew into California.  They were the smart ones!  Their texts to us were just as fun as the driving crew on the ground.  Their jobs kept them until the last minute and we were lucky to even get to have them there.  Mike and Ashley have been married for 7 years also - they were married in the Salt Lake Temple.  Yes folks.... that's 2 weddings in one months time... yep... it's kinda like that.... (:  Mike was one of the groomsmen and Ashley was over children entertainment as the grandkids were crazy about her 6 inch heels.  I appreciated all they did to make this trip amazing....

 

 

My daughter Mandy and her handsome husband Ryan also were on the driving range with us.  The Yaris carried extra special cargo with their (my amazing grandson) son in the back - singing, eating cheerios, eating books, and playing with toys.  At 17 months - he was a really amazing traveler!  Ryan was a groomsman and Mandy flirted with him the entire night.  They have been married 5 years on the 30th of August and just celebrated being married in the Salt Lake Temple on a little get away.  I appreciated all they did to make this trip amazing....

 

 

My date was pretty handsome too.  Del and I started out driving in the 4Runner - all packed and ready to go - filled with gas, and the oil changed, and shined up all nice and all - until the 'Check Engine' light came on just past Magna... and we had to turn around, load everything up into the huge Dodge Truck - Diesel loving, road hogging, non California vehicle - and start driving again.  Actually - it was like flying in first class - room to stretch, room to load everything that needed to go and the extra that needed to come back, and not too shabby through the drive through at McDonalds!  I actually appreciated all that Del did to make this trip amazing also... except for the ride home, the last 2 hours of any road trip turns the Hillary men into some sort of maniac zombie road hating monsters.

(which usually can be cured by a cold Diet Pepsi from the cooler)
FYI - Del and I were married in the Salt Lake Temple - coming up on 30 years in April 2013

Bowen Genes....

A note to my Family

 

My brother Eric, his beautiful daughters Erin and Betsy made sure to bring my 83 year old mommmmmio to the wedding.  The texts we received as we were all traveling together are histerical and I will post them as part of my blogs one day.  I would never have dreamed that I could have my mom and my brother and niece in the Oakland Temple in California for the life of me - but my brother never fails me - and he and by sweetheart nieces made it happen.  Yes, she had no idea where she was, yes, she was unaware what was going on, but yes - she brought the strength of the Bowen family with her.  A deed, my dear brother - I will never forget.  Thank you...

 

The next day they ventured out into the San Francisco Bay onto a boat,

where I was slightly amazed that he didn't throw her overboard before

the 18.5 hour drive back to Northern Utah.

You are a good son!

 



Mr and Mrs Ryan and Katie Hillary

Ever have a moment when the world just stops and you are fully aware that a sweet miracle has just happened?  This is how I felt as I watched my son marry his beautiful bride.  He waited his whole life for her, she recognized how sweet his soul was, together they light up a room.  Katie looked so beautiful that day - and her smile was from ear to ear.  Ryan kept putting his hand on his heart to see if it was still beating he was so happy.  You spend a lifetime teaching them about how this day could be.  How when you keep yourselves according to the Lord's plan in life, he can pour out the blessings of heaven on you.  There was no rain on this beautiful day, but the skys were pouring.  It was such an honor to witness this, and to be with Bill and Dianne Lowrey, Katie's parents.  The emotions in the room were so tender, and I am fully unable to even begin to explain the electricity in the room.  There that dad were all of the people we loved dearly, inside and outside of the temple, our families gathered to support these two.  I loved seeing my son so happy, so prepared, following all that the Lord had asked him to do.  I loved seeing Katie, and her trust in him as they start this journey together.  Forever I will remember this day.  Always I will treasure having another beautiful daughter in law.  The perfect day had just started, and we were already in tears.

More pictures to come as soon as the photographer releases the pictures!!

 



The long and winding road - thank you Beatles

There is so much to catch up on - so many pictures, and moments and memories.  I am overwhelmed.  I have so many things I want to post about the past month but I feel that I will not be able to fit it all in.  I want to tell the world of the fun, amazing things - but I have had to make a choice and post fewer pictures, a bit of a story here and there and keep somethings to my private world.  I wondered how to start all of this.  Julie Andrews said, "Let's start at the very beginning, it's a very good place to start".  But as Del is currently into his man flick Gladiator... I keep hearing... "I will die, but not today"   So between Russel Crow and Julie Andrew's I've decided to a) Start and b) not today (on everything).  Next to me on the desk is a Picture CD full of over 300 pictures.  My ADD attention span with a 0 on the scale of 0 - 10 (10 being fully rested) adds up to some pretty crazy brain waves.  So as I start this simple, cutback version, with pictures and bigger stories to come, I decided to start my blogging rampage with Gratitude... wha?  really?  yep - because there is no finer thing in life to have than the recognition of the full on Hand of the Lord in ALL things that had to happen, needed to happen, and did happen.  So I think if I start here - you'll get a sense of the miracle of the month of August in my eyes.

 

Internships, driving the car back and forth to California again and again and again, Katie finishing Spring Semester, e-mails with cute Dianne late at night over plans, finding a place to feed 45 tired, hungry people in a place we've never been, loading up the car, reloading up the truck, driving, and driving... oh look the Salt Flats!, Wendover, Elko (look the same to me), GPS system, (remember to have the man talk next time and not the woman), Finding diesel... almost like finding Nemo, finding the hotel, finding ice at the hotel, sleeeeeping, meeting The Lowrey Family (and instantly loving the entire bunch of them), having Katie's puppy lick my legs?, watching 100 lbs of Tri Tip Steaks being cooked on an outside grill, having tacos with Ryan at his last supper, making Ryan stay with us the night before the wedding and having that last moment of telling him how proud we were of him, and how we loved him so much, and loved Katie, the drive to the temple and not swearing at the traffic (big deal here folks), arriving to see everyone all festive, and happy and there alive, seeing Katie and Ryan walking into the temple with her wedding dress held high, meeting Elizabeth (: for the first time (:, Seeing my brother, 2 nieces and my 83 year old Mother arrive, and cry over that a lot, seeing California family that traveled to be there, walking into the temple as a family, walking in with Ashley..., walking into a room where my entire family sat for the first time on this earth, in a sealing room at our last wedding of the 4, being in that room with my husband, watching the tears from a sweet father of a beautiful bride, and the mother of the bride holding her breath, seeing them walk in hand in hand, seeing Ryan see Elizabeth, watching them kneel at the alter, listening to the make promises for eternity, witnessing the kiss (or two), greeting Mr and Mrs Hillary outside the temple, realizing the magnitude of the Oakland Temple and the views, and the beauty of the grounds, laughing through pictures, and realizing that everyone was hungry and we had the answer, eating at the most perfect place ever, enjoying a cool, elegant place to celebrate with our loved ones, resting, hugging the chef that made it so special, thanking the miracle of being able to host such an event, recognizing the blessings of faith, heading off to a magnificent reception, enjoying meeting the Best of the Best of Morgan Hill folks, and loving that their hearts are so kind and generous, hearing the stories of the Lowry Family, realizing yet again that Katie is a gift to our family, looking over at my son and seeing a smile that I've waited years to see and there it was - big as life, watching a first dance, a father's good bye, a hug from a mother, and a car decorated.... Just Married....   Gratitude... it comes in many many ways in my life, this is only part of the blessings poured down from heaven for our family.... as always I must tell my Heavenly Father that I know he blessed this occasion, there is no other explanation, no man made way it could have happened.  I know you love me.

 



 





The Quilting Bee - hey - don't give me any issues here - we have skills!

So... growing up - I was raised under the quilts being quilted by my Aunties on my Mom's side of the family.  They were maniac quilters.  We would have every toy there was under that quilt and we loved every second of it.  It's not uncommon to tie up a quilt in our family - each of my children have a quilt tied for them when they get married and since Katie and Ryan have decided to tie the knot - and the kids were all in town... why not knot?   We set it up under the big tree in the back yard and the laughter began.  Every single knot Mandy tied had to be undone, and redone.  Ashley and Bethany helped and the kids played in the pool and ran, yes, under the quilt in giggles and moving heads visible from the top.  Mike even helped - and that meant the world to me.  Someone forgot to tell him that you actually have to tie the yard into a knot.  He can carry weapons of war - but hand him a needle and we're talking hysterical.  Never the less - the pictures tell the stories of the day, and the end result was a work of art (choke) and love (lovely words of quilting), and a few blood stains.

Behold... the Quilting Bee....

lucky us.... we are tied together through it all.

(Knot really - we're all kinda just tangled)



In Utah We Say "Prade"....

There's just no getting around it - I need to post July in a hurry - because the order of documentation is vital.... and other stuff.  So I enjoyed the miracle of 3 grandchildren and the joy that they bring into my every single moment of life.  We started out the day celebrating at the Provo Freedom Festival Prade....  The stars of the day were as follows:

Sharkman - because every prade needs a shark

The 'Not shy around cameras' kid

and an extremely beautiful.... buggins

So - you see - we had all the ingredients for a spectacular 'prade' experience.  Not to mention the family... parental units and aunts and uncles in plentiful amounts.

Mikowel and Lee Lee

Ryan .... and his love....

'Baking with Blonde' and stranger behind her.  (creeeepy)

and some cute little Apples from Washington.

I was there - and here is proof...

the middle legs are mine!

Our favorite part of the 'prade'....

was no doubt

NIE NIE!!!  The Grand Marshal!

(such a freaking fan I can't stand it...

Ryan M. asked us if we actually wanted to run

out and touch the hem of her dress...)

(duh - of course we wanted to)

Here is my Blurrrrry picture ):

big huge fan - we screamed out her name and

told her we loved her - she waved extra hard,

so did Mr Neilson.... and her kids squirted us.

There were a few of these.....

oh and this guy came....

gotta have the gov there eh?

We lied and said we voted for him.

we think he has a funny name....

Over all - the morning was wonderful - we gathered on Mandy's front lawn right on center street.  They had roped off the area and no one could get on it it until 5 am - but Mandy and Ryan staked off their own property, and bazinga - best seats in the house!  Thanks guys!

But the winner of the first Prade is.....

Sharkface Mandy

So.. that was the morning Prade... then we rested and headed to the Sandy Celebration

for yes.... another Prade - this one is by far the lamest prade ever - it's full of trucks, and extremely stupid advertisement places, several floats we'd seen earlier in the day when the wavers were not so wilted, flyers, more flyers, more roller skaters, flyers.... and politicians, and flyers.  The best part though..... freakin candy throwing.  I got a cavity just catching it.

Partae on familia...

we really liked the couple behind us in the chairs - whom ever you are.... you are now family.  No matter what your rap sheet says at the police department.

off to the food - nuff prades

Kabobs....always  better cooked off the back of a

big old truck... and the fixin's along with them!

sparklers... and smiles

sleepy little party boys....

and the picture for Matt to rotate for me....

and FIREWORKS OH MY!

eat your heart out sharkface.... we had a great day.

There's gonna be a weddin'

Because Wedding Weeks make me a tad on the

psycho side of life.... I will post the poem that my

children had to see everyday and return to

post July and August and Weddings OH MY!

(hey kids... I love you)

Good Roots

Help me to give my children good roots God.

As I work with my plants I see that

the sturdiest, and those which bear most freely,

are those whose roots go deep, gripping rich soil;

they have a base from which they

and grow tall and beautiful and sound.

Let this household furnish that

kind of soil for my family, God.

Enriched with good music, good books

good talk, good taste,

But above all, goodness of action.

So that those who come here feel welcome,

and those who leave here feel warm.

And those who live here know,

in every fiber of their beings,

that they belong to people who,

for all of our faults, are good people.

People of decency and honor, who would

not willingly hurt or cheat any living thing.

Let my children grow freely, God,

In whatever direction their nature directs.

But give them root strength, too.

So that they will never deviate

too far from their own beginnings.

Help me to give my children good roots.