Kids these days

 Becca and I participated in a craft show.  We made a grand total of $2.50 (whoop-ti-doo!), but we had a FUN time together.  Lots of time to work on crafts with no interruptions.

Our family took a rafting trip on the Genesee River (everyone but Katey).  This is Scott in his wetsuit.  We had a fun time!  

 

 Caleb likes to play outside. 

 

Katey on her birthday.  She LOVES this dress from Grandma and Grandpa Guy!

She wants her swimsuit on, no matter the weather.

 What a princess!

Funeral

 

 Mom died Sunday, March 17, 2013 at home.  We traveled to her funeral which was the following Saturday.  My sisters and I did her hair, makeup and jewelry the day before.  It was a sweet and sad experience.

 We had a good time seeing my entire family and most of both Mom and Dad's families, as well as the community of Oakley.  We all knew Mom and loved her.  The only one missing was Mom!  I'm sure she was there in spirit.

 

Jer, Karli and Shane

 

Lu and Em

 Caitlin and Ser

 

Carlos, Jon and Kay.  Three brothers.  Elna (sister) was also at the funeral, but in a wheelchair, so she was not able to come to the cemetery.

 Jer, Lu, Cass, Em (holding Alicia), Chris and Dad in the background, and Bowie in front.  Mom is buried in the Oakley cemetery.  We woke up to snow that morning, and the kids had a snowball fight at the cemetery!  After all, a FUNeral is fun, right?

 Here is the kitchen help from two of the Oakley wards.  The food was delicious.  It was so nice to be so well taken care of.  Rosemary, Jacque, Karla, Camille, Tina, Lynne, Rosemary, and (I don't know the person on the right).  Thank you all!

It really touched me to see people that had heard about Mom's death and made a quick decision to travel to Oakley from far distances.  In the center here is my Best Friend growing up (and my mom was a second mom to her) Sharon Nelson.  She came from San Francisco with her boyfriend Wyatt.  On the right is her mom who traveled from Montana.  I was also so grateful and touched that Michael's parents came up from Logan, Ryan from Montana, and Kristy from Salt Lake.  Cousins from southern Utah.  That kind of support shows so much love.

Last time with Mom

In February I took a trip to Oakley to see my Mom and Dad.  This is Mom in a hat that I had made for her and sent at Christmas.  Then I figured out how to make mittens and made her a coordinating set.  She was so grateful and sweet about my funny little gift.  She insisted on putting them both on right away and having me take a picture of her.  What a beautiful lady (in beautiful accessories)!

  

Dad took such good care of Mom her last few months when she needed a lot of care.

Zach and Luann, Ser, Dad, me and Mom.  Jess was also there the next day.  So fun when siblings are around!  We cleaned and cooked.  We pureed colorful vegetables for Mom.

  We sat in the hot tub in the barn.  We played the dice game with Mom a few times (I even won once---amazing!).  Mom sat up to the table in a traction device that Zach set up, to hold her head up.  She could do it for about a half hour before she choked and had to get out quick.  I played the piano for Mom a lot.  She would clap after every song and give me a thumbs-up to do another.  Dad never got tired of hearing, "Somewhere in Time," and said I could play it at his funeral.

 

I was in the kitchen making a giant batch of giant cinnamon rolls (Mom's recipe, Mom's way).  Dad was spending the morning framing an enlarged picture of Ser hiking in the red canyons of southern Utah.  I asked him why he didn't put a giant picture of me on the living room wall.  "When you do something amazing and adventurous, send me a picture," he said.  "What?!  You don't think the home arts are amazing and adventurous?"  So I had him take this picture of me, looking awesome and muscular in the kitchen. 

I like how Mom is looking up at Dad in this picture.  Forty-five years together.

Scott came with me on this trip.  We had lots of really fun flights together!  I meant to take him to Oakley to visit my parents, but Mom was too sick, so we decided he could stay with Grandma and Grandpa Guy while I went to Oakley.  Scott had a great time!  He got to play the Wii as much as he wanted.  He watched movies and went to restaurants (and ordered hot chocolate!).  Grandpa took a few days off to be with him.  Thanks Grandpa.

Grateful

Lately I've been really noticing how good life is when you have the commandments and you keep them. This is what I'm trying to tell my kids. Hope they someday realize it on the good side of life. If they have to find it out by having a bad life....it's possible. But I hope they will have "peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come".

Every day is Fun.

Today: kids off to school, exercised with the bus stop ladies, laundry, Mario, grilled cheese yum yum for lunch, guitar store and the bank, more laundry, Curious George and Cyberchase, math flash cards, reading flash cards, fraction homework, reading comprehension homework, chased ducks in the water, mud and muddy grass, walked with Katey in the hallway, piano practice, played with Kyrah and Kyle, mac and cheese for the kids, garbanzo soup? for mom, Becca cello and mom guitar, emailed dad who is working late all week with grant deadline, went to the library, home and to kids to bed, cleaned the living room, scriptures, and Yea! Antiques Roadshow and guitar practice.

Us

Here we are. The whole family.

Hi Family and Friends!

Do you like to blog? We are going to try it. Is it easy? Is it a good way to stay in touch with people especially for someone who has a real block when it comes to picking up the phone? We will see. Of course we always have a lot going on that you need to know about. So read our blog! Hopefully it will turn out to be more than one message long!