Gazebo Base

After last summer with the grapes growing through the gazebo I decided that I wanted a permanent place to put it so that the vines would again grow through it and be able to see it and enjoy it.  Kerry and Cameron started working on this pad  last fall and have put the finishing touches on it today. 

 Not so sure that he was ready to do this lifting after all of his surgeries though!

It had to be perfect!!!!!

I love the smile on his face, grandchildren just seem to do this for us.



I'm So Excited........(April 30, 2012)

I Am So Excited

I can hardly believe that this guy is turning eight years old today.  He came into our lives in Las Vegas so tiny and fragile at the time.  He was our first Grandchild and has touched our life from the minute he was born.  This kid makes my heart smile in such a special way and at times I think he is a grown man in a little body, he has qualities of tenderness and empathy that amaze me.  This weekend he will be baptized and we are so proud of him.  We sure love him and I continually tell him he can't forget that.  Happy Birthday Caleb.

I am ALSO very excited for the arrival of these guys today they are here for a few days during Ken's break from school.  We have little time when the entire family can be together and even if it is just for a few minutes this makes me happy.

Color Run

So some of the girls have decided that they are going to start running.  One of the races that they decided to participate in was the Color Run.  When they came in the house afterwards I joking said to them, "get out of my house!"  They certainly were a colorful mess. 

Jack certainly didn't know what to think when he saw his mom.

What a mess, but the teeth sure look white right now!

Love these sister moments.

Jack still didn't really know what to think about these guys but at least the color didn't come off on him.I'm glad they had fun with it.

Women's Conference

I loved Women's Conference!  It was great to hear the words of wisdom and encouragement from the speakers these two days.  One talk in particular  was pretty enlightening to me.  I really needed the spiritual boost in addition to the last general conference I feel that my "vessel was filled."

It was so fun to attend this conference with my long lost cousin and friend Carolyn.  Our lives have paralleled one anothers for so long.  As teens and young mom's we were so close and then we got so busy with life and our families that we haven't talked or spent anytime together.  Now that we are both "empty nester's" hopefully we can see and spend time together a little more often.  It was great to visit with her.  There have been times when visiting with old friends that the conversation just picked up like no time had elapsed and this is the way it was the last two and a half days with Carolyn.  Hopefully we can do this again

 next spring. It was also great to be with my sister, sister-law, and two of my great nieces as well.

I'm So Excited........(April 25, 2012)

I am so excited...

To attend Women's Conference at Brigham Young University with my cousin Carolyn. It has been such a LONG time since we have done anything together. I'm looking forward to the conference and the classes but I am most looking forward to spending time with her. We used to spend a lot of time together but as our families grew we were so busy with them. Now that our families have grown we are still in the same life stages and I look forward to spending more time with her again.

Spring in Zions

Many years ago when I was selling some of my floral designs at a craft boutique in St. George we did a quick drive through of Zion's and it became a destination place for our family.  Kerry and I love to go and spend time there together and just hike and talk.  We decided to go in the Spring before the heat was too bad.

In some places snow was still visible and there was more water than I had ever seen in the park.

I love seeing these hanging gardens.

In Springdale we noticed these beautiful Rosemary plants growing all over and I was jealous because they could go out at anytime and have it fresh year round.  For most of them it was just an ornamental plant.

This is Marcy and Jonathan who run the Red Rock Inn, they are a really cute couple

At the Weeping Wall Trail we watched the Condors for a long time.  There were five that just glided around

the Canyon.

In all of the years we have been going to Zion's this is the first time we have seen the Desert Sheep once we discovered them and a little about them we found countless numbers it was fun to see them.

At the end of the River Walk Trail we sat down to watch people and these little critters. He could smell the trial mix we were munching on and kept getting closer and closer until he was looking right in Kerry's eyes it was so fun to watch.  In the background you could hear camera shutters clicking as people were taking pictures of the same thing.

Water was running all over it was amazing.

At the beginning of the River Walk Trail these guys were working their way up the rock it was pretty cool to watch them work up the rock and then disappear over the top to go higher.

One of our families favorite places are the "pancake rocks"  on the east side of the park.  It has been hard to watch the changes take place over the years.  This rock used to have the big black surface on top that the kids would  scamper on now they are falling and the black surrounds the base.  It made me cry and then I realized nothing stays the same and even bringing the kids here is different I couldn't help but be sentimental about it.

  I SURE LOVE THIS GUY!!!!!!

From the rocks that we always played on we decided to hike up a little further to one of the arches we could see.  Little did I know my suggestion would be such a strenuous hike or how difficult it would be in places. This is almost to the beginning of the canyon and it is sheer rock below.  It was exhausting but really fun and we explored yet another part of the park, just the two of us.

These were the sheep that we came upon first, we couldn't believe they were just out in the open and that we actually got so close to them.

I love Zion's National Park and the time with Kerry.

Celtic Women

We saw Celtic Women in Salt Lake a few years ago as they were becoming more and more popular.  We were pretty excited to and see them again. It's sad that this is the venue they are appearing at because the sound isn't the best but....

Kerry surprised me by the seating that he had chosen.  It was really great.

Not a wonderful picture but certainly a wonderful date!

Funny Face

Who can't look at this picture and not giggle just a little bit.  This guy loves to perform in front of the camera.

I'm So Excited.......(April 19,2012)

I am so excited to go to this place.

I love this place.

With this guy!

Zions for 4 days!!!

Deja vu

Not to long ago we loaded a variety of Cd's on my shuffle. I use my shuffle most when I walk but the other day when I got home I wanted to listen to more music so I brought this down from my bedroom where I usually keep it. I think this may have been the best idea I have had for awhile, maybe. I have just put it on shuffle and it really has become deja vu for me from my childhood, teens, young adult, to my own children's childhood and so much more. I also love that it can go from Rock and Roll to Spiritual in a second...

I have always said that music can take me and put me into another time and place, the last few days have been nothing short of time travel for me! I think this has a new "home. I am certainly enjoying the music and actually accomploishing a lot in the process.

Lookin out my window

I LOVE Spring, I think it is my favorite season, then fall. I love the color the newness... this afternoon I was fixing lunch for Kerry and I and as I walked from one counter to another I looked up to the window and saw this on the ledge. We have seen Quail in our back yard and along the fence before but never have I seen them here. I called for Kerry to come in as quick as he could to be able to see them, much to our surprise they actually stayed for a few minutes before they flew into the tilled garden area. It was a fun little surprise especially watching them peck at their own reflections.

Rainy Days and Mondays

In the 70"s the Carpenters recorded this hit song and from time to time it pops into my mind. Today I sang it and it wasn't raining but it is certainly Monday. I felt reflective as it went through my mind and wasn't sure why. Then it occurred to me that Monday's often get me down and I decided that when I am especially touched by a lesson or talk that I had heard the day before had me feeling so good and determined to do better or do something for someone always seems to be so far away the next morning. I think Satan tries me especially hard to be positive after these days to try and make me forget the way I feel. I really love rainy days most of the time but Mondays do tend to get me sometimes, something to work on!

Getting the yard ready for warmer weather

Spring weather is here!!! I have been cleaning up the front yard the last couple of days before the rain comes. Rachel, Cameron, and Jack came to visit. Rachel took the rake from me and I got to play with Jack for awhile. He wasn't to sure about the grass but he still managed to get to the fence and climb up.

I couldn't resist filming him as he tried to get across the lawn. He is so close to walking he just needs the courage.

New office view

Since starting this project in Honolulu Kerry has been in several offices.

Is isn't quite as spectacular as some of the others but this view from the 10th floor isn't too shabby either.  What can you say when you have a view of the beauty!

Girls Night Out

With every one's work schedule it becomes more and more difficult to get together.  I decided to try and at least get together with the girls who live close at least every other month, here we are at Olive Garden.  i hope that this can become a regular occurrence.  I sure love these people.

Easter Egg Hunt

Natalie and Rachel invited me to go with them to take their kids to the Easter Egg Hunt at Thanksgiving Point.  I was delighted to go and watch and take pictures.

Natalie telling "T" how the hunt works, he was so excited to get out there.

So many people about to turn all of these kids loose, crazy!!!!

Here we go!

"Little Miss" not really sure what she thought about the whole thing.

"T" loved it.

 Natalie had her hands full.

Not sure if he liked the prize or the cuddle more!

I love his response to a camera being put in front of him.

She finally looked in my direction after trying for over an hour, but still no smile.

Such cute kids and it was a fun day even with a "million" people around us.

Family time-Easter

I love these moments!  They all wanted to be with Dave and I don't think he minded at all.

Not camera shy at all!

This face, who can resist?

I love seeing my family together especially as it gets harder and harder with everyone's busy lives.

Yay!!

 I love the times when we can be together, Jes had to leave for a meeting but the rest of us stayed and played.  It is such a wonderful experience for me to sit and watch these cousins learn to play with one another and Grandpa.  I had little time with my cousins growing up so I love watching the interaction.



I am not sure what game they were playing but they were pretty intent.