A New Day...and More Snow!

Oh my... we seem to go from Winter to Summer with a day or two of Spring tossed in for good measure.

I have daffodils up and smiling at me with their lovely yellow skirts... yet I've not been out to clean up that bed yet...so they are coming up through the winter junk...

I see the snowbells with a hint of hyacinth's... The tulip leaves are peeking up through the cool soil...begging for some sunshine.

The cherry and apricot tree buds are starting to swell with a hint of color showing at the tips... Spring comes to our valley inspite of the weather... sometimes the snow pinches the blooms and the fruit will be put off for a year. Apple blossoms are still around the corner...a bit early...but swelling is the start of this process.

The forsythia is showing yellow tints... this is exciting... and it's freezing outside... It's hard to get excited when the sun doesn't shine. Then the sun peeks out from behind the clouds and the sky clears to a vivid blue and then you see the new fresh colors all around your world.

I have been sitting by a window today...to cold to go out...the wind cutting to the bone...yet the sun has been shining... Tomorrow I will go out and see the new treasures...and thank my Heavenly Father for the moisture and the sunshine and the beautiful Spring day in Salt Lake Valley...

Just Me...

Interesting time in my life right now.

I am at loose ends.

A time has ended, and with that a new time is beginning.

I no longer have to or need to be a caregiver for anyone other than my hubby.

We are so close to retirement that it's time for us to

build our gray years together.

For a long time we have needed to go different ways to

meet the needs around us.

Now, we can work together to build our time just for us.

We have always wanted to travel...

the economy might put a crimp in that...

we have wanted to take a class together...

we talked about that a few weeks ago...

and that is still an option and a possibility.

We both need to lose weight...

and walking and talking used to work for us,

so it may work for us again.

Time is our enemy...

well that and energy to do things.

We are hoping to down size in the next few years.

It would be nice to have more time together

and spend less time pulling weeds

and painting walls (which we both hate to do!!)

We got a fun camera to take pictures...

now we just need to plan a little car ride and take a few...

We made a goal in our first few years of marriage

to increase our temple attendance as we aged.

That time is now. Geneology is important to families...

The Gospel plays a role in our lives

we do not talk about often or in public.

In our private life,

we discuss the things we are not doing

and the things we are doing

to keep our testimonies strong.

When we drive and travel we are

able to talk about our dreams and hopes.

Our faith has kept us from digging

a hole in the ground and jumping in.

Our lives haven't been easy...

most of the time by the choices we make...

but the gospel is true.

Our Heavenly Father loves us and

it seems He knows alot about lemonade.

I pick the lemons and then I cry about it... boo hoo

Then Heavenly Father helps me find the sugar

and make the lemonade...

It's a good thing too, can you imagine all the lemons

I would have rotting in the basement of my life... ugh...

I hate getting old. I hate my body falling apart.
I love that as I age I learn how to be better at most things.
I am more patient (this is important),

I am kinder to others,

I hold my tongue more.
I try new things with less of a fear of failure.

I sit still longer.

I think more.

I just like myself more.

I've come along way and I haven't done it alone.

I've had a partner who stayed with me as I have grown and matured.

I am not always happy...but I do feel happiness.

I am not always at peace...but I do feel peaceful.

For these things in my life I am grateful.

I love my husband.

I love each of my children.

I adore my grandchildren.

We love our grandchildren and would do anything for them.

Alexis is getting so busy she has a hard time finding

the time to come and play... This is the time of

her life to do cheerleading, dance, etc...

Seth is having so much fun skating.

I love to watch his videos.

He has more boards than I have shoes.

Tanner is going to be baptized this summer.

I can't believe he is turning 8 already.

He is going to get into swimming lessons and golf lessons

and just move along the busy path also.

Audree is moving on with her new family.

She is one of the older ones at her house.

Their family stays pretty busy and it is getting

harder and harder to spend time together.

Dylan lives to far away to play often.

We try to visit him yearly...

it's been in the summer,

but we need to change that

and do it at a different time of year...

it's to hot in AZ in the summer.

Adylin is such a sweet and helpful little girl.

She is on the go from sun up

(or before the sun comes up)

until she can no longer keep her eyes open...

Let's just say she is a pistol...

just a fireball.

Matthew is the strong type.

I almost said strong and silent,

but when he yells,

silent isn't a word I would use.

He knows what he wants

and how he wants it... just ask him.

He is so funny. He says the funniest things.

I just crack up when he giggles...has the cutest laugh.

Bennett just melts your heart with his smile.

He is getting tough, Matt is seeing to that.

They adore each other...

until Bennett is done and

then he tells us all about it. hehe

We have a great time with our grandbabies...

I think we need some time to find each other again.

It takes time to re-build a relationship

after so much time in separate quarters...

we live together, we just are not in the same place.

It has been the survival mode for so long

to cover all the spots needed in order to survive.

I am hoping that just surviving is over.

I am praying that our time will be more alive and less survive.

I am working hard to get to that place.

The place we never had time to get to when we were young.

We got married and had kids before we were married one year.

We have spent years taking care of our kids and their kids.

It is time to take care of ourselves.

It's time for us to worry about us.

Life is good.

The gospel is true.

March 2009 Hogle Zoo...

The brown bears need a new home. I wonder when they are on the ticket for this. I sit and watch them and do not feel joy for them. Yes they have food to eat and a roof over their head, but not a very natural place to walk and roam.

ZOO

with Aiden, Tanner, Adylin, Matthew and Bennett...

The weather was very spring and lovely...


The kids were wonderful, or was it that we had 1 adult to each child present !!! Hurrah!!

We all try to measure up to the gorilla. Did Jay measure up or is he practicing his monkey kiss face??? Well, we will need to ask Sarah about that one...

The zebra's were sniffing and nipping just before this shot... So I call them Nip and Tuck... They have wonderful stripes...look at those thighs...similar coloring but not the same striping. Wonderful to watch...

The dad giraffe was separate from the rest of the group as was the baby.

They were having a snack of hay like grass in the food bin.

The doors were open for him to go out,

but he was visiting through the gate with the baby...

I wonder if the baby is a boy also?? hum

The kids were to fast to keep up with, as usual... The best part of this trip to the zoo is that we didn't lose anyone or misplace anyone... It's usually Ady or Matt... They run to fast and I'm to short and round to keep up with them... I keep saying that I need a rope...to tie them to the stroller.

That would be Sarah hiding in the seat that stays still. Aiden told her to go away and let him ride by himself. Oh it's tough being a mom somedays. It's a good thing most mother's love is unconditional... We had so much fun riding the merry go round...most of the pix's didn't do well, but I have to post them anyway. Note that the photographer had never used the camera and I didn't give him good instructions (surprise)...

This is the best "butt" shot of the day...We had many for some reason.

Ady has the cutest short legs and has learned to climb very well in

order to get to the places she wants to be... which are many also!

I had the best time...The warm weather was wonderful.
The heat of the day was still present and my body loved the sunshine...
There was sunshine in my soul that day!!!

I'm pretty sure we all had a good time. Sarah was wonderful with the kids.

I think we should hire her everytime we want to do something fun,

but the plane fare would be difficult.

Thanks for letting us go to the zoo with you. Next time it's Denver with you...

on a less busy day LOL...