Monday, September 29, 2008

Aren't they Gorgeous!!!!

Arli and Jake had their Engagement Pictures Taken on Saturday! Jake's
Mother Lorie took them and did a FABULOUS job!
Thank YOU!
this one is my favorite...
Arli and Jake are both so Adorable how could the pictures not turn out BEAUTIFUL?
If your as happy in Life as in these pictures. . .
YOUR LIFE WILL BE GREAT!

More Weekend Updates!

Sunday was Nancy's Concert (Rick's Mom).
She is the Director of a Choir at a retirement community. Grammy is very, very talented at what she does and she is Loved by all the charming 'old' people! They are really quite fun to watch and they draw a large crowd!

They took us on a "trip around the world" with their music!
this lovely lady was doing the huki lau! I bet she was 100! She was a HOOT! She shook her boodie at us!

The girls brought Grammy these beautiful flowers!
Pop Pop sings in the choir too! He sings Really LOUD! But he is Really Great so that is OK!!! Your Awesome Pop!

Great, Great Job Grammy! You made the "old people" Sound really wonderful!


Congratulations Ian!



My handsome brother-in-law got his Masters Degree this last weekend!!! Go Ian! WE are so proud! Thanks for your great example of hardwork and dedication! Maybe I will be next. . .

Thursday, September 25, 2008

The Gang is ALMOST All here!

I love my family and even though I have been proclaimed a Ragger' to get certain family members to blog, I am happy to report that almost all have listened to their oldest sister! (hey no comments from the peanut gallery! I still look pretty AMAZING!) Now the more you blog the more fun it becomes! So lets keep it going fam!! I really want to find out what you do often. . . even if it isnt fun for you it is fun for ME!

Nathan, Terra, Preston and Tracen plus waitin' for Kelci Tanner
Len, Shelley, Lindsey, Nikki and Austin Tanner
Tiffany, Justin, Hayden, Tanner, Breckyn and Caison Poo

LeeAnn, Bob, Amanda, Samantha, Bobby, Sadi, Cody, Ethan and baby Tytan (still within Amanda!)


ONE FAMILY IS MISSING CAN YOU GUESS WHO??? Get going LES!


Monday, September 22, 2008

Arli's Wedding





There are Soooo many choices when hosting a wedding!

The biggest problem Arli and I seem to be having is agreeing on decorations, flowers, bridesmaid dresses and of course her gown! I keep telling her I will spend as much money as she needs if she just does what I want!

How hard could that be?
If you want to see her ideas go here
continue on to see my exciting ideas!


Above are the lovely centerpieces I have found. I have thought that it being a winter wedding we should bring as many colors as possible in! Bright and cheery I always say!


This is my Favorite Cake!!!! I think the beauty of the cake is the homemade look it has! It has such Charisma!
Looks like some of the cakes I have made! (Danie says "nuh uhhh! you do better!" What a gal! still inspiring me)




But for something a little different this could be
GREAT!

(Remember the speech about colors!)


Suzy would love this bridesmaid dress! Right Suz?!












This dress is so wonderful! All the ruffles, I KNOW Arli loves them but I am not sure they will let her in the temple. . .
Soooooooo. . .
Here is my pick!
Good Right?


Last but not least here is my dream of the wedding dance (come on Jake!)
go here

Wish us luck! But just remember that in the end I will win the battle of the wedding!
mwahahaha!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Baby Garrett Is Here!!

My friend Whitney had this cutie pie early tuesday morning! I love newborns! The great thing about having young friends is you can play grandma. . .but only be a friend. Is that called something? If it is let me know, I would like to be called something fun. . .like hmmm, I dont know ?
You come up with something! Then let me know what you think!
Oooo. . . I feel like a grandma, but I am NOT one! Not ready to be one. . . Just working on that wedding stuff! Ugh! I wanna be a great mother-in-law first! Besides when I become a grandma I will be called Nana, not granny, not grams, and not grandma. It is good for others, BUT I want to be Nana! It was my mom's name for my kids and she was a great Nana. Whit was amazing! She didnt even cry! If I was that good I would have a million babies too!
Ash is so adorable, she is going to be an awesome BIG SISTER! The only problem might be if she helps too much!
I think Matty wants to be a doctor. He asks a lot of questions! I am glad I just dont have to answer!
Ben is funny! He likes Garrett fine. . . but lets just wait until he figures out he is going to be living in his house too!



Congratulations Whit and Aaron!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Salsa


We wanted a garden this year. Or so we thought. I am not a very good gardener, but we tried! Yeah US! I wanted a SALSA garden. Well we got it. Do you know how many jalapenos a jalapeno bush grows? Do you know you cant tell how hot they are by looking? And did you know that habaneros are the HOTTEST chiles you can grow? We thought we knew! Well our tomatoes weren't planted in a very sunny spot but they grew. The jalapenos BLOSSOMED as you might have guessed, and I am not sure where we planted the cilantro. . .hmmm




Needless to say we got some good, no GREAT salsa from our garden! Rick was amazing at chopping all the ingredients just right. The best part was he kept asking me for my expertise in salsa making. . . YOU GUESSED IT THE WORLD IS COMIN TO AN END! He is quite the salsa maker. . . just ask every one at this years Elders quorum BBQ!! Next year I am gonna research gardens a little better so we really have a wonderful crop of tomatoes (I know careful what you wish for. . .)

Yep, you guessed it me pretending to be cooking ( I was cooking just not at that moment see) and using an apron, so not such a great look! I will stick to changing into grubbies before cooking anything too messy!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Never Forget

Today being 9-11 I thought I would write about some of the things I am not going to forget anytime soon.

The first, of course September 11, 2001. I remember exactly were I was when the day, so bright and clear, literally exploded! I remember feeling like I was punched in the stomach and rushing to my the sides of my friends who had husbands caught in the city, (thankfully no one in the towers)! I remember the terror they faced for the next few hours until they could speak to them, and know that they were alright. I also remember the unsure feelings I had about sending my kindergartner to school that day, and how she cried, and how I cried and never wanted to let her go. . . and how my other children rushed home after school wanting to know it all, to have me tell them the things they missed, not even really sure myself of the whole story . Yes, I remember. . . I remember the kindness that we showed each other. The flags on every car, and hanging in store fronts and homes. I remember the children saying the Pledge of Allegiance a little louder and parents at the football games singing the Star Spangled Banner a little prouder. I remember a country, a proud country, sad but oh so proud!!



In January of the same year, just a few short months before this tragedy. I lost my sweet mother to a car accident. The driver of the other car had been high on drugs when he crossed the center line. I remember the night I got the call, I remember the horror and not being able to sleep that night. I remember my children rushing to my room because of my screams. Yes, I remember. . .I remember having friends that I could call that quickly came running to my side. I remember a dear sister in the ward who gave me the coveted foot rub (she was a reflexologist and everyone wanted Rita to rub their feet). I remember arriving in my hometown and having so much food at my fathers home we couldn't fit it in the fridge. I remember seeing my wonderful brothers and sisters and getting some of the best hugs ever! I remember the love radiating from my mothers friends while they told us of the kind things she did. I remember my cousins coming to the house and all of us laughing at the funny mom/aunt Sandy stories. I laughed until I cried. I loved hearing these stories! I remember. . .
I choose to remember my friend Stephanie Nielson, before and after, the plane crash she was in with her husband and the pilot, a friend of theirs. The pilot died but Steph and Christian are fighting their way back. The blogging world loves them and prays everyday, every hour for them! Their families love them and help and stand by their sides in every way possible. I remember Stephanie moving into our ward and giggling with hertrying to remember how I knew her because she had such a kind and memorable face (you know the kind). I remember wondering what to fix for dinner after inviting them and finding out they liked the veggies (we like the meat) I am sure it wasn't anything as wonderful and she made. I remember her asking my youngest to babysit. . . oh Taylor was so proud! I remember the red room. . . oh, the lovely red room. I would never be brave enough to paint a room red, bright red, even the ceiling, but she was and it was beautiful. But I think I remember the goose the most, because it made me laugh. She would have her girls sneak over to the neighbors yard and she would take thier pictures with it and the many outfits the ceramic goose owned. Her original blog Gracie Brunswick (do you remember?) hailed this interesting creature. So for you Steph, so bright and beautiful, I give you the goose. I snuck by on my way to church (and I was even a bit late, but ifigured it was well worth it) and lo and behold there was the goose. I think I will name her Gracie. . .I remember! Memories can be positive and happy even in the worst of times. I have learned many things about finding the joy in an unhappy time, from others around me and deep down inside myself where I didn't even know it existed! I would just like to remembmer a few more things. . .
  • I remember the way my dads eyes crinkle and sparkle when he laughs!

  • I remember the cry of my first and oldest son.

  • I remember my daughters first date.

  • I remember my joy of my little red head. . .'she is my sunshine, my only sunshine'

  • I remember when my "baby" started kindergarten.

  • I remember my baptism (thank you uncle Jim).

  • I remember roller skating.

  • I remember my first time through the temple, and dinner after (thank you mom and dad)

  • I remember my first broken heart, I had lots of them.

  • I remember my wedding day!

  • I remember I am a daughter of God and he has sent me here!

There are many things I will forget, and many I will choose to forget, but today I CHOOSE to Remember!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Oh what a Time

"Let's Go!"

Remember I told you about the wonderful time we had at our little cabin in the woods?

Well NOW I have pictures to PROVE it!
Yes, the dogs got out...

Yes, it took us forever to get there...

But it was BEAUTIFUL!



It was a FINE swimming week!







The girls had fun!!!



Eating and LOOKING AT BOYS! Ask them about Blue Shorts sometime. . .

Or Bandaide. . .










Even Daddy had fun! Doesnt he look like he wants to toss me in the RIVER?
WE are still mad at the dogs! LOL!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Home again, Home again

Houston we have a problem! all the pictures I took on my camera phone wont download! STINK! so here we go-enjoy!

Yes, we made it! There and back to our lovely cabin in the woods! We didnt leave anyone behind either. . . AMAZING aint it!

Insert Photo of the fabulous family!

We finally left the house and got on the road around 8:30...UGGGH! Yes the dogs got lost and gratefully a nice lady (who deserves cookies by the way) found them and kept them in her back yard until we came screaming by!


Insert another cute photo of my runaway doggies!



OH THANK YOU DEAR LADY!!! the dear, nice lady, at 6 James. Zoey and Lila's lifesaver-those lucky dogs! She doesnt realize if not for her they would have spent the weekend in dog jail!!! I would NOT have bailed those poor puppies out! (dont tell a soul, but I would have, SHHH)


These were some BEAUTIFUL pictures

Pool shots and Horses

Over the next 4 days the sky was blue, the water clear and the food Great! Maybe it was the fresh air? We laughed, rode horses (just ask my fanny), played games and just plain ole watched tv (I know, I know), we even came home with clean clothes!! I told you this is my idea of camping. . . sooo nice! Four days of quiet, even keeping the house picked up seemed ok. Oh to only be a pioneer! WHAT??!! Ok, I was caught up in the DRAMA of it all! I DO NOT want to be a pioneer and about 4 days was all I could handle, but it was fun anyhow! City girl in my heart, small town girl by birth, UGH!

A wonderful Picture of us grilling and playing cards


Next, tales of my BIRTHDAY. . . Yes I am 39 and holding! But I may have to change it to 29 and holding. . . some of my friends are "younger" than me I cant have that!!!! LOL!