MY MAN!

Since I'm trying to write about everybody on their birthday (brit's idea i'm copying) & I'm failing miserably at it, I'm trying to repent. Their are just toooo many birthday's in Feb.!!!!! So, this is my man, JAY!!! I love him!!! I have given him a run for his money and he has stuck with me for all these years. He has been patient, loving and kind, (for the most part). He loves me and tells and shows me in his own way. He goes about it in quiet ways and doesn't even ever tell me. I just find out about it later or someone has to tell me. We recently went to Las Vegas for Valentines. He did and said some very sweet things on that trip that were very special. I love to see him in action with the grand kids. All his barriers come down when he sees them. He is playful and cute and full of love when they are around. He is so good with the little ones. He is a dedicated home teacher, and dedicated scout/deacon leader, dedicated civil engineer, dedicated (slower) basketball player, dedicated city volunteer, dedicated fix-it-upper, dedicated dad, adviser and husband. Jay, I love you! Here's to many more years! Happy Belated Birthday entry!

Mallory... the life of the party!!!!

My second born...MALLORY!!!!

(I missed writing something about her the month of her birthday, better late than never.)

Mal, is and has always been the life of a party.!

She loves parties and is always up for one. She organizes it, plans it, comes up with great ideas and brings everyone together. She has a gift for that.

Mal, as a child was a sweetheart!!!

As a child she was the quiet one, the shy one. Cas was the boss of what they did and she would just follow along. Somewhere around 7 or 8 that all changed. She got her own friends and that's when all her ideas became the best. She was always planning the fun with her friends. A couple of young memories I have of her is when she was in a ballet recital and she kept looking out into the audience with that big cheesy, gap-toothed grin of hers. I couldn't stop laughing. Also... when we would drive in the car, she would roll down her window and talk to someone??? I could see her in the rear view mirror and I asked her who she was talking to and she said it was students in her classroom. She did that for quite a while. Mal, is a sensitive and thoughtful girl!!! Mal has always been a thoughtful daughter, friend and sister. She is sensitive to the needs of others. Makes birthdays special, picks out the perfect present, figures out the perfect thing to do. She is always making cookies for everyone. I remember one particular time she was making her famous sugar cookies and she wouldn't share with any of us. We thought she was so mean. The next morning they were are the table in the shape of 4 leaf clovers with cute sparkly notes that said she was lucky to have us in her life. Mal, I love you soooo much. I can't imagine my life without you in it. Just running that half marathon with you in Moab, I once again realized what a riot you are. You make every situation fun!!! Even running 13.1 miles!!! AHHH! I am so proud of you! You are an example to your friends and to your brothers and sisters. You are strong in the gospel and you have a strong testimony. I know that someday you will make a young man very happy and you will raise a beautiful family.

Love you tons!!!! Mom xxxooo

MY MOM!!!!!! We celebrate 75 years of her life this year!! She is an amazing woman and I would be happy to turn out half as wonderful and her!!

She raised me and my two brothers for 7 years alone. It was not easy!!!! I'm sure it was hard!! I of course do not remember that because for me, I never felt cheated out of a mom or out of a wonderful upbringing. She continued to have family prayer and family home evening and kept us growing strong in the gospel. I am grateful!! She was blessed to find a wonderful husband who could see that she came with baggage but he says it was all good baggage. I love him for that!!! The day she married my dad (step dad) was one of the best days of my life. I think I was just as happy as she was!!! He has been a blessing in our lives from the day she (we) met him! She then continued to have more babies. The 4 sisters that I always wanted. My babies! She continued to raise us all strong in the gospel and a love for life, for each other, and for family togetherness. She is an inspiration to so many people! For her birthday we sent letters and e-mails to friends, family and neighbors and asked them to send a letter of love for her birthday. I was the one to receive all these. It was so fun to read them all. I was moved to tears every time I read another letter. She has influenced many people in her life. We had a "purple" party. It's her favorite color! We had purple tablecloths, balloons, cake, flowers, wrapping paper and bows. It was so fun. We enlarged pictures of her from childhood to the present and put them around the room. We gave her some cute clothes and pillows and Dad gave her some beautiful purple earrings and necklace which happen to be her birthstone too. We had soup and salad and Ashley's homemade bread!! All the adults... no kids except my 3 older kids. We had a great time!

Mom, I love you, you are my hero, I want to grow up to be just like you!!!!!

Moab Half!!!!! 13.1

Cassie, Mallory and I and some of their friends went to Moab and ran 13.1 miles!!!!!! It was sooo stickin hard!!!! I'm not sure if it's something I want to do again. I really like the bike better. But I'm glad I did it! I forgot my IPOD! We were saying on the way down that music makes all the difference. I was saying that I would never do it without music. Cas agreed. So... I was looking through my stuff and realized that I had left my Ipod in another bag that I started to pack first. AHHHHHH! How would I ever run for 2 and 1/2 hours without music!!! After 3 minutes into it, Cas said "Mom do you want to try to put this in your ear and run next to me?" What a sweetheart!!! It worked! We ran that way the rest of the race!!! It was awkward at times but I was SOOOO grateful!!! Mal, was our MOTIVATOR!!! She was halarious!!! Singing, dancing, telling the people around her to "shake what your momma gave you". She has so much energy!! She kept us going when we thought we couldn't keep going. All we had to do was yell "MOTIVATE!" and she would! Not sure if I can say I loved it, but I am proud that I did do it and I did love doing it with my daughters, (missed Megan, though, all her energy is going to making that baby!!!)

I'M BACK IN BUSINESS!!!!!

HEY !!!!! IT WORKED!!! I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY COMPUTER, UPLOADING PICS! LOOKS LIKE I HAVE ALOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO NOW! SO WE'LL START WITH THIS PIC FROM CHRISTMAS OF '09. AREN'T THEY CUTE!!!! GRANDPA JAY AND PHOENIX

FAM PICS slide show!!!!!

My First Born is 26!!!!!!!

Cas, my sweet first girl!!! She was born with snow on the ground and a chill in the air but there was warm in my heart. She may not like her birthday in December but it was a perfect time to have a baby, a great Christmas present. There is a song that I always played when she was born that goes like this

The best gift

That I ever got

Didn't really weigh a lot

It didn't have a ribbon 'round

And it sometimes made the terrible sound

The best gift that I've ever known

I'd always wanted most to own

Yet in my dreams of sugar and spice

I never thought it could be so nice

The best gift that I'll ever get

Was sometimes dry and sometimes wet

Was usually pink but oftentimes red

As it lay so innocently in it's bed

The best gift of the year to me

The one I hold most dear to me

A gift that simply drove me wild

Was a tiny new born child...

I loved listening to that while I held my new baby girl, Cassie!

Now Cas is 26 (happy birthday Cas!!)

I love her so much! She is such a fun daughter to have and we have so much in common... duh, she is my daughter!

She is so creative, in her style, how she dresses, how she decorates her house and dresses her kids.

She is super fun to be with, to play games with, to shop with, to go to lunch with, to ride bikes with!!!

Her family and friends love her! They look up to her and also love to be with her! She is the life of a party or get together. She has in infectious laugh!

She is such a good mommy! She loves her boys and they know it! They love her and are so smart because of her!!!

She is a good wifey too! Scott adores her and she loves him too!

She is a strong member of the church and shows in her words and deeds and all who know her, know that about her too! She has a testimony and shares it with all!

Cas, I love, love, love you!!! I'm so glad the Lord blessed me with you!!!

Love,

Mom