Dreaming with Rex

Yesterday, Darion came running home full of excitement! Someone had generously donated a huge foam skeleton model of a T-Rex to all of the students in the 4th grade. He quickly ran upstairs to his room and put together his prehistoric masterpiece!I have to admit, it's pretty cool! All the kids had fun picking out a name, "Rex", and played with it all evening long. Darion even made his new friend foam cereal, "Crunchy Bones". He loves his new friend! Well, after a fun night with Rex, I tucked Darion in bed and said goodnight. A few hours later, before I went to bed, I went to check on Darion and Caleb and instantly ran and got my camera! This is what I saw. Now, how stinking cute is that!! He got on the floor and put his Rex next to him. And look how nicely he tucked him in! Darion has always been super sweet and caring, even to his toys, especially any life-like thing. He has had a beanie baby frog for around 5 years. He still takes his froggy everywhere he can. About 3-4 years back he took his frog to grandma's house and her dog chewed the frog's eyes off. At first he was very upset, ready to throw his frog away. But then I reminded him that just because his frog was different doesn't mean that he doesn't need love, in fact he needed more attention and love. Darion took that advise to heart! He came home and instantly went to work. He found some googly eyes out of the craft drawer and glued them on his froggy with a glue stick. He is very distraught if he ever misplaces his friend. He even dresses it up for Halloween, making the costume with whatever scraps he can find. He is one creative little boy. I wouldn't be surprised if he invents something really important and awesome one day! The thing that makes me the proudest is that if he treats his toys this nice and loving, think of what kind of daddy he will be! Darion, I love you! Keep on loving!!!!

Tuesday Treasures

I know it's been a while since I've done a Tuesday Treasure post; I started this one last week but had a hard time finding the right words. You see, this Tuesday Treasure is probably going to be one of the closest and dearest to my heart! My sweet and cherished grandma Billie passed away on Jan. 1st from heart problems. My grandma has always been a huge part of my life. She has been my teacher, confidant, supporter, great example and most of all my dear friend. I miss her dearly but am so grateful for all the great memories I have- ones that I will cherish always! I can go on and on about all the memories I have of this great woman, and probably will- so this entry will be long.

From the time I was a very little girl, I remember watching 2 t.v. shows religiously with my grandma- Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Apparently I didn't pay very much attention to Jeopardy or I would be smarter, but man did we love to watch these 2 shows together. I remember thinking how amazing it was how may questions my grandma and grandpa knew and how lucky I was to have such smart grandparents! Well, I never did get better at Jeopardy, but boy can I play a mean game of Wheel of Fortune! That great success I owe to my grandma! :) But in all seriousness, I owe a lot of the success in my life to my grandparents. They have always been there for me and have always offered great support to me. They, along with my amazing mother, taught me that I could do and be anything I put my mind to. They taught me, through unfailing example, to be a hard worker and how to persevere. They were always there for my piano and violin recitals and concerts, many tennis matches and any school or church event that included any sort of audience- they were there!



I remember when I was a junior in high school, I went to their house to visit. There they were anxiously waiting for me with a newspaper clipping about tryouts for the Ms. Orem beauty pageant. They had it all planned out. They would sponsor me with all the money it took to enter and compete and vowed to do whatever I needed during the process. I would play my violin and they would buy me a beautiful gown for the evening gown competition. I could instantly tell they had put a lot of thought into this and were completely serious! I remember looking at them and smiling- trying not to laugh! I remember feeling so lucky to be loved so much and for being part of a family that loved and thought I was talented and beautiful enough to be in a beauty pageant! Although I thought the offer was incredibly sweet, I graciously declined and said "I would die if I had to be in a swimming suit in front of hundreds of people!" :) Of course they tried to assure me that I looked beautiful and not to worry about the swimming suit competition. I couldn't get past the swimming suit issue and again declined. They tried for a few days to persuade me but, in the end, me and my flat-chested, big-thigh argument won! I don't think they ever knew how much that meant to me. Many times, throughout the years, when I am feeling down on myself and anything but beautiful- I remember that, to my grandma and grandpa, I am a beauty queen!




Some of my fondest memories come from them teaching me the concept of hard work. My grandparents owned the "Chalet Cafe" in Provo canyon. It is no longer standing, but the memories and fun times we had there as a family will live forever. My grandparents allowed me to work there every Saturday from the time I was 11 or 12 years old. I would work side by side with my grandpa and Aunt Myker in the kitchen peeling potatoes, making french fries, making hamburger patties and much more. I loved being with them! And when I was done, I would excitingly go out front and be with my grandma! She was so fun to be around. We would wash silverware together, clear off tables, watch the hummingbirds through the window and watch the Heber Creeper stop twice a day to turn around on the tracks. I remember her being so perturbed at all the people that would come in just to use the bathroom and not buy anything! When I got older I started being a waitress and soon joined in her frustration! We would make "subtle" comments when they left, just loud enough for them to hear. Then we would look at each other and just giggle! She taught me so much about finances. My grandma was a top-notch book-keeper. I remember her financial book and bank bags that she had so organized. She taught me how to save and be careful with money. Through her example, I was able to pay for a whole semester at college with just the change I made from tips during the summer. I loved the days at the Chalet. My grandma was so great to work with my school schedule. She never worked me on Sundays, even though it was their busiest day, because she knew it was important to me not to work on Sunday. Once again, always supportive!



Some of my favorite times were when we would have picnics and camp outs at their "property" that was next to the Chalet. They owned a little cabin, with a fire pit, horseshoes and picnic tables all nestled close to the Provo River. As my grandpa said, "It was paradise on earth!" It was the perfect setting for years of memorable family gatherings. We celebrated many holidays, birthdays and special occasions there. We would bring potluck dishes but my grandpa always grilled. I couldn't pick a favorite if I tried, from his untouchable hamburgers and steak to his fish caught in the Provo river. If we ever forgot or ran out of something, my grandma would give us the keys to the Chalet and we would get in the old white jeep, that started with a push of a button, and get what ever we needed-she would often throw in a candy or two. Even though the Chalet was not very far and in close walking distance, they knew we loved driving the jeep and would let us take it for a spin. We also enjoyed riding their horses and played many heated games of horse shoes at the property. My grandma and grandpa were, most of the time, unbeatable!! But I remember many times, when they played just with the grand kids, they secretly let us win! We had many camp outs there and years and years of great times.

Well, time went by and all of us got older and our relationship just got stronger. She was a big part of both my high school and college graduation, my wedding, all of my pregnancies and most major events in my life. We had many great conversations about religion, politics, music, birds, my children, and much, much more. I valued her opinion and took it more often than not. And most the time, when I didn't, I regretted it! She was a very wise woman! My grandparents love to camp and we enjoyed many camp outs together. My children, her great-grandchildren, adored her!! Just a few days before her passing, Tayla was obsessed with her, wanting to be where she was. I wonder if she knew something that we didn't. My grandma treated everyone with respect, unless they didn't deserve it! :) She welcomed anyone in to her family with open and loving arms and all that knew her, loved her.


As she got older, my grandma's heart started giving her problems. She had many major surgeries for her heart and many other body parts, including total knee replacements.
She went through countless hours of therapy for many reasons, for many years! Throughout all her medical problems, which were many, I rarely heard her complain! She talked about her ailments to me because I was her "little nurse", but was always upbeat and willing to do what was right and going to help her feel better. She was this nurse's perfect patient! I am amazed at her strength, bravery and faith as she triumphed through each and every health problem thrown her way! And at her side through it all , was my all time greatest example of a true and loving husband, father and grandfather, my grandpa Mike! I know my grandma would agree when I say that she probably couldn't have gotten through what she did without him. I have never seen a better example of love, compassion and selflessness than from my grandpa. My grandma is truly his soul-mate, his love, and as I see him mourn for her, I realize she is half of his heart! Their relationship, through my eyes, was almost like a fairytale! They are such a great example to me of how to make a marriage work. They had problems, just like every married couple, but they always kept life in perspective and realized what was worth fighting for and what wasn't! They were married for over 58 years and we still saw them dancing in the kitchen. Grandpa, I know that you miss grandma more than words could possibly explain, but I know that you will dance again soon! Your family mourns with you and love you very, very much! We are here to lighten your burdens and to shower you with love, just like you did for grandma!
















One thing about my grandma, is that she has always loved birds, any kind of birds. You can find a book of birds on their dining room table, just below a big window to the backyard. She had all kinds of bird feeders always filled with bird seed, including sweet nectar for one of her favorites, the hummingbird. I love that about my grandma. She could always see the simple things in life and enjoyed the things that most people take for granted. She loved all of Heavenly Fathers creations-especially the birds! After she passed away I wrote a poem about her love of birds. Grandma, I hope I did your love for them justice! :)

"Grandma, why do birds sing?" the little girl asked
with curiosity in her eyes.
"And why do they fly so way up high-
are they tiny angels in disguise?"

"The birds sing to us, my dear,"
the grandma sweetly replied.
"And angels indeed, they are to me-
God's gift, a heavenly guide."

"For with their wings, they show great faith,
as they soar to untold heights.
And as they fly to the highest branch-
it's their strength that carries each flight."

"As the sun brightens each new hour,
the song of the bird brings happiness to my day.
Their song of hope rings loud and clear-
it erases any sadness away."

"So you see, dear child, birds are truly God's gift-
through their songs I am never alone.
Through their wings I find my strength-
and through their flight, I'll find my way home."


After my grandma passed away, I have started to realize all the tender mercies that our Heavenly Father give us! My grandma had a cardiac arrest in June and, although weak and often tired, walked away unscathed. We were given 6 more months to be with and love this wonderful woman. We were given 6 more months to learn from her, help her, laugh with her and mostly just be a part of the end of her earthy life. I only wish I would have taken more time to be with her. My grandpa, my mom and aunt were blessed to take my grandma on one last trip, one that she had really looked forward to. I know my grandma loved it! We were able to spend one last holiday season with her and except for a few days, she was healthy and happy. Even the night before she died, my mom and aunts were given the opportunity to be with her. They said they hadn't see her that happy and care-free for a long time! That is a gift they will cherish forever. All but one member of the family, who was in Canada but came as soon as she could, were there when she passed away. Although it was hard on all of us to watch my grandma's body fight 'till the bitter end and to see each others pain, it was such a gift for all of us to be together to lift each other up and to share in our pain and loss of a dear loved-one. Although her time with us is over for a season, we have been blessed to know, learn from and love such a great daughter of God. I thank our Heavenly Father for sending me to such a wonderful, caring, one-of-a-kind, unbeatable family and for the opportunity to have a grandma like mine!!!!

Last, I would like to remember a poem that my grandpa had my mom read at the funeral. It is a poem I hope to live by, just as I have seen my grandma and grandpa show throughout their marriage and life!

Real love is... The look in someones eyes that is meant for you alone, a gentle kiss that says everything will be okay, a hand held in just the right way at just the right time.

Real love is... A secret told by one heart and guarded by another, a belief that someone knows you as no one else can, the little day-to-day acts of thoughtfulness that go unmentioned but not unnoticed.

Real love is... a feeling that no matter where you are, the deepest part of you remains with the one you love, a dream that comes true with time and trust and a little luck.

Real love is... a promise of forever.


I love you grandma, and I know that with time and trust, we will be together as a family forever!! But for now, spread your wings and soar with your favorite birds- we will feel you in their songs!

Tuesday Treasures

As soon as I thought about doing another Tuesday Treasures post, I knew exactly what my treasure was going to be!! Most everybody has had some experience with a doctor; whether it be in the office at a check-up, surgery for a broken bone, breast augmentation :) (I know, wishful thinking), at the hospital having a baby, or any number of reasons. Due to this commonality, we all have been touched by a doctor in one way or another. We have been taught by them, listened to their advise, felt their concern and undoubtedly, felt their love; for, a truly great doctor radiates love in all he does. I have had the great honor to work with such a doctor, Dr. Gregory Gordon. One might ask why I have chosen this particular time to honor a man I have cherished working with for 7 years. Dr. Gordon passed away a few weeks ago from ALS or more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a chronic, progressive disease marked by gradual degeneration of the nerve cells in the central nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement. The disorder causes muscle weakness and atrophy and most often results in death. Doctor Gordon did not, however, go without a fight! He remained faithful and upbeat until the bitter end. For that reason alone, he is my hero!! But I can not leave it at that, for he is my hero for many reasons!

Doctor Gordon was loved by all who knew him. If you were to ask a patient why they entrusted this man with not only their own life but also the life of their unborn child, the answer would probably be unanimous- he made you feel special, like you were his only patient. The bedside manner he had with his patients was truly a gift. He always had a quirky little joke to tell his patients or a funny little saying about the delivery or labor. The patients loved it!! They would laugh and laugh at his jokes, thinking that their doctor was sooo clever!! The nurses would just giggle to themselves, for we had heard that re-cycled joke hundreds of times! :) I often wondered if his returning patients remembered them from their last delivery!! But, that's what we loved about him!! He loved to laugh and make others laugh too! He had such an amazing, contagious smile. Dr. Gordon personified fun and happiness from his head to his toes- literally. You see, Dr. Gordon had a pair of shoes that are, in fact, quite famous with the hospital staff and his patients. He wore these shoes to every delivery- one pink and one blue!! They were a perfect match for his fun and loving personality!

Dr. Gordon was a great example to me in a lot of ways, but the one that stands out the most to me includes his partner, Dr. Judd. These men were and will forever be the best of friends! They were partners for 13 years and have seen each other through thick and thin, good and bad and have never faltered in their friendship. These two men were often caught getting in lots of trouble together. They liked hiding sponges during c-sections (it's very important for our sponge counts to be on!!), moving empty patient beds out to the parking lot (at least they were empty:)), playing phone games with us, just to name a few. These two men were both partners in the office and partners in crime!! It was amazing to see and hear of the great compassion and love Dr. Judd showed his friend during this last stage of Dr. Gordon's life. Not only did he take on all of the deliveries and call shifts, but he helped Dr. Gordon to be able to still see patients at the office. That meant the world to both Dr. Gordon and his patients. Dr. Gordon continued to see patients up until a few days before he passed away. The fact that he couldn't hold himself up, couldn't use his arms, couldn't walk, and at times had a hard time breathing never slowed him down. I can't help but believe that a big majority of why he was able to complete such an amazing feat was because of the support of his true friend, Dr. Judd and their amazing office staff. I also know that the reason why Dr. Judd did all these kind, amazing things was because Dr. Gordon, undoubtedly, had done many things for him as well. They were perfect friends for each other and I know that Dr. Judd misses his cherished friend more than words could possibly explain! But I know that they will see each other again and will have all eternities to cause havoc on all the angel nurses in Heaven! :) I just hope that one day I will be privileged to be one of them! ;) What I want them both to know is that one would be hard-pressed to find a better example of friendship- true blue, would give my life for you, friendship- anywhere!! I cherish my own friends deeper and greater because of your great example, and I thank you both for that.

Well, as you can tell, I could go on and on about this amazing man. He lived his life to the fullest! Even when he could barely hold his head up, he had more strength in his character than most people could ever dream of. I can only hope that I would be so strong! Even though his time here on this earth is over, I believe that he is up in Heaven still helping deliver Heavenly Father's precious babies, just this time from up above! :) Dr. Gordon you are missed and loved beyond measure!!

Tuesdays Treasures

In the absence of a whole lot of time, but with the overwhelming desire to let my sweet family know how much I love them, I decided to do a "Tuesday Treasure" entry. I hope that maybe this will stick and that I will do it every Tuesday, but you've seen my history, so enough said! :)

I have a lot of things that I love about every single person in my family, I could write for days. I love my sweet husband for always making me laugh and for always loving me just the way I am!! He truly gives his all for his family and his "children at school." They are so blessed to have such a wonderful teacher who loves them unconditionally. If you have children that go to school, you know how priceless this is! He always finds time, even after being with children all day, to love and care for our own children! They love their daddy with every ounce of their being! He is truly my soul-mate, my forever and ever companion! I love you, Adam.

Next, there is my sweet, growing up WAY to fast, but still incredibly sweet, Austin. Ausy, you are my anchor- even at a young 11 years of age, you teach me so much. Many times, through your example, you remind me of what kind of person I want to be. I am excited about the young man you are becoming-keep up the good work! Your brothers and sister couldn't have hand picked a better brother! (who knows maybe they did hand pick you! :) And although I have so many wonderful memories of you as my baby, I am so excited for the ones we will make with you as my awesome young man!

"Dar-Bear"- I love you so much. I love the ability you have to love unconditionaly. That is a very amazing, rare gift. You rarely say anything bad about anybody and you are always trying to make others happy when they are sad! You are such a wonderful brother and it shows by how much your brothers and sister love you. Never lose that ability to love and forgive- that will carry you far in life! You also never give up. I love that about you! Even when others would have given up, you still plug along giving it your all! Life will sometimes give you lemons, but Darion, keep on giving it your all and make the best darn lemonade you can! I love you and I am so proud of you!

My sweet little "Clubby"- our little "Jim Carey!" You always keep us laughing with your wittiness! You are so quick and clever. And then there's that smile- that melt your heart, make you laugh, gotta love, super contagious smile!! Caleb, I love how happy you are! You can make a bad day good, turn any frown upside down, and love so deeply. You are such a great helper to me-thank you! When you grow up you are going to be the best "cooker", "doctor", "dolphin taker-care-of-er", "worker at Maceys" or what ever you decide on! Keep on dreaming and dream BIG! Your dreams will one day come true! Just know that mommy loves you more than all the fish in the sea and more than ALL the pet shops in the whole world combined!!!

Caleb does the sweetest little hip-hop dance!

Now for my sweet little princess, Tayla. My little "Tator Tots", I think Austin says it best, "I don't even remember my life without you!" You truly make our family complete! From the first happy "Mommy, where are you?" in the morning to our "I love you" game we play through the door at night, you bring happiness to every moment of the day. You have always been a people person and can make even complete strangers smile. You are talking up a storm and make me giggle at your sweet words! I love how you jump and shoot play guns with your brothers, but then seconds later can snuggle sweetly with your dolls. You are growing way too fast, and at times I wish I could freeze you like this forever. But, at the same time, I am excited for all the fun times we will have doing mommy-daughter things! My life is very blessed to have you in it! Thank you for all your many hugs, kisses, tickles and sweet songs- they brighten up even the most sleep- deprived day! :)

To my amazing, forever family- I love you all so very much!!

"Lead me guide me walk beside me, help me find the way..."

The worlds worst blogger award goes to... ME!

O.K.-O.K. I guess we know the answer to my first entry on what kind of blogger I am going to be. I know this is just an excuse, and they're a dime a dozen, but this is one of the busiest times for a photographer. I have been having a blast taking pictures of many wonderful families, seniors and weddings, and even FINALLY got pictures taken of my own family-YEAH!!! So, needless to say, I am hoping that I will do better at this blogging thing after the Christmas season. I do have a lot that I still want to blog about from Halloween, Tayla's 2nd birthday, Thanksgiving, and everything in between. And lots of fun pictures as well. Hopefully I can get to that soon! :) (don't hold your breath though!) I am also going to do a photography blog as well, so keep an eye out for that. (again, it might be wise not to hold your breath on that one either- like most things in my life, I have great intentions!) Anyways, thanks for those who haven't given up on me!!

At the start of this Christmas season, Merry Christmas!! And though this is a busy time of year full of stressful shopping, parties, worries about buying that perfect gift, and how to pay for it all, please don't forget what Christmas is all about; the birth of our loving, caring, forgiving Savior, Jesus Christ. In the midst of it all, always remember to keep "Christ" in Christmas!!

Washer Woes

You know those series of events that life hands us that start off as a minor inconvenience and by the end you are laughing just to save yourself from tears!?! Well, that's what kind of "weekend with the washer" we had! The first event started on Saturday with a simple load of laundry. I put a load in the washer and went about my merry 'ol way. The next time I stepped into the laundry room, about 3 hours later, I was in about 1-2 inches of water! "Oh great, not again!" You see, about 1 1/2 years ago the same thing happened. It ended up being a little hole in a hose at the bottom of the washer, so 15 minutes and a pretty penny later, our washer was fixed. Anyway, back to this years flood. Well, to paint a little picture of the mess we had, I hadn't done laundry for about a week or so (o.k.- it was about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks, but who's counting-we had clean undies, that's all that really matters, right!! I'm not always this bad of a mom, I promise!!) So I had 2-3 loads of clothes on the floor (the baskets on the shelves we already over-flowing :), 4-5 big blankets on the floor just waiting ever so patiently for their turn in the big water park, and 2 boxes, just needing to go outside, all sitting in an inch or two of water. Who knew that a washing machine could hold that much water!!! Now, you would think that all the clothes and blankets already on the floor would have soaked up all the water, but the inch or so of water on the floor was what wasn't already soaked up by the clothes and blankets. So, out come the towels- ALL the towels. By the end of this whole mess, I seriously felt like the only cloth-like thing left in the house that wasn't wet were the clothes on our backs, and to tell you the truth, they were pretty wet too! :) Oh, did I mention that all this happened about an hour or so before I had to go to work. So I did what any prudent person would do- I shut the door to the laundry room, told Adam not to worry about it, and went to work!! (after all, the washer flood fairies would surely have it cleaned up before I come home.) Well, guess what? To my great surprise- there are NO washer flood fairies!! So, what better Sunday night activity than to go to the laundry mat! I had never been to a laundry mat before- holy cow, what a rip off!! But I guess, where else can you do approx. 35-40 loads (unfortunatly, I'm not exagerating) of laundy in 3 1/2 hours. If there is such thing as a washer and dryer hog- I was one that day! I had probably 70% of the washers and dryers in that joint going all at once, all filled with my wet, smelly clothes and blankets. I do feel that it was a bit of a blessing though, I am finally caught up on my laundry-$45.25 later, but finally caught up-halleluliah!!

A few days later, Adam and I went and bought a new washing machine. Man, they have some pretty fancy-shmancy washer and dryers out there! I'm pretty sure they have some that are smart enough to help our Government get our economy out of this big mess, but no one understands their language- they are appliances after all! (o.k.-it's official, I should be banned from posting at 4:30 a.m.when I have been up all night at work-sorry!) Anyway, back to reality- We bought a nice, but not too nice, washer and came home happy to have a working washer again. (Last thing I want to do is get behind again!!) Adam and I quickly took out the old and put in the new and put in a load for a test drive. "Wow, it is so quiet and it holds a lot more clothes and a lot less soap than our last washer. Maybe this hasn't been so bad!" Oh, but NO!!! Then entered Mr. Rinse Cycle!! And to our greatest delight, another flood!! Yes, you read that right- more water not draining down the pipe into happy water land!! I quickly ran in to the laundry room to discover that the water wasn't coming from the bottom of the washer like last year but from the drain the big hose from the back goes to. Our stinking drain was clogged- that's all- it wasn't our old washer after all!!! SPLENDID!!! So $4.87 and 1 bottle of Drano Max later, our problem was solved. Isn't life so simple!!!!! Anyone need a washer- for some reason we have TWO!!!!! :)

Oh, by the way, I'm back to laughing about it now-I do LOVE our new washer!! :) Sorry for the long post-I'm trying to stay awake!!!

My road to Blog Town

Well, after a long, hard fought battle of me telling myself that I already have plenty of things to occupy my time, I have decided what's one more thing gonna hurt-so I am entering the blogging world. You know it's bound to happen when your kids do something cute and you think, "oh, that would be perfect to put on a blog." Or when you have an ever so rare, profound thought and you think, "oh, that doesn't happen often, I could put that on a blog." So, it's done- it's started- but I cannot, however, promise how long it's gonna last. I am the worlds worst journal writer, so I am a little sceptical about the longevity of my blog! :) But I do LOVE talking about my kids and husband and all the sweet things they do, so who knows-I might actually be good at this blogging thing! Actually, I can see one of two things happening. I will either go to the extreme and post more often than anyone would ever care to read-OR- post every few months or so. But the bottom line is I'm really excited to give it a whirl and hopefully do a better job of keeping record of my wonderful family and our crazy, amazing life! Thanks Kilee for being my tour guide through the world of blogging- you're the BEST! So, ready or not bloggers- here I come! :)