MY WEEK IN VIRGINIA

 I HAD LOTS OF FUN WITH COLDON.  HE REALLY LIKED THE ST. PATRICK'S NECKLACE THAT LIT UP WHEN YOU PUSHED A BUTTON.  THE SHAMROCK GLASSES WERE FUN TOO.;

 I LOVE BEING WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN AND GET SUCH A KICK OUT OF THEM!

 TASHA AND JEFF ARE  GREAT PARENTS.  I FEEL SO BLESSED THAT I HAVE WONDERFUL SON IN LAWS THAT I LOVE AND ADMIRE.  THAT IS A  GREAT BLESSING.

 TASHA AND JEFF LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL AREA AND WE ENJOYED GOING FOR NIGHTLY WALKS WITH THEIR DOG RILEY.  THE WEATHER WAS LOVELY AND IT WAS NICE TO GET OUT AND ABOUT.

 TASHA AND I LOVED DOING SOME SHOPPING.  WE WERE PREPARING FOR REYGAN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION SO BABIES R US AND PARTYLAND WAS ON OUR LIST TO GET SOME IDEAS AND GIFTS.

 REYGAN AND COLDON ARE SO FUN.  I LOVED BEING AROUND THEM AND ENJOYING THEIR DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES.  I TOOK SOME GREAT PHOTO'S OF EACH OF THEM.

 GRANDPA DON FLEW IN ON THAT THURSDAY.  IT WAS GREAT SEEING HIM AGAIN AND HAVING HIM WITH ALL OF US.  HE MADE A HIT WITH COLDON WHEN HE GAVE HIM A SHARK FOR A GIFT.

 REYGAN SEEMED TO LIKE GRANDPA DON RIGHT AWAY.  SHE LIKED BEING IN HIS ARMS AND WALKING AROUND.  REYGAN SEEMED TO KNOW THAT HE WAS A SPECIAL PERSON IN HER LIFE.

 THE TORGESEN'S CAME IN THAT AFTERNOON TOO.  DON AND I PLANNED ON BABYSITTING THE GRANDCHILDREN WHILE THE TORGESEN'S AND LADNER'S WENT TO THE OPENING SHOW OF THE HUNGER GAMES.  BEFORE THE SHOW THEY WERE GOING TO A HUNGER'S GAME'S PARTY.  IT WAS A PARTY THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DRESS UP AS ONE OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE MOVIE.  CAN YOU GUESS WHO THEY ARE?

I DECIDED TO READ THE BOOK SO THAT I WOULD KNOW WHAT ALL THE FUSS WAS ABOUT.  I WAS GLAD I DID BECAUSE I UNDERSTOOD THEIR COSTUMES AND THE STORY.  CAN YOU GUESS WHAT TASHA, CHLOE, LARA AND BEN ARE SUPPOSED TO BE?  THEY HAD A GREAT TIME EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T GET HOME UNTIL 3:00 A.M.

 WE ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT TIME TOGETHER.  HERE WE ARE HAVING A DANCE PARTY.

 SATURDAY WAS THE BIG DAY FOR REYGAN.  THIS IS WHEN WE CELEBRATED HER FIRST BIRTHDAY.  SHE LOOKED SO ADORABLE IN THE MINNIE MOUSE DRESS AND EARS.  WE FOUND THE DRESS AT BABIES R US AND THE BLACK EARS AT PARTYLAND.  I DECORATED THE EARS FOR HER FIRST BIRTHDAY/

 ALL THE COUSINS HAD MICKEY MOUSE EARS TOO.  ALL EIGHT OF THEM WERE THERE TO CELEBRATE THIS SPECIAL OCCASION.  THE RED WAGON WAS HER GIFT FROM MOM, AND DAD AND IT WAS PERFECT FOR PUTTING ALL THE OTHER GIFTS IN IT. REYGAN WASN'T CRAZY ABOUT HER SPECIAL CUPCAKE.  SHE WAS JUST LIKE COLDON ON HIS FIRST BIRTHDAY.....SHE DIDN'T LIKE GETTING  MESSY.

 THE NEXT DAY THE TORGESEN'S,  GRANDPA DON AND GRANDMA JULIE GAVE COLDON HIS BIRTHDAY GIFT SINCE IT WAS GOING TO BE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE WANTED TO DO THIS SINCE WE WOULDN'T BE THERE FOR HIS SPECIAL DAY APRIL 14.

THE TORGESEN'S LEFT FIRST AND THEN DON AND I FLEW HOME ON SUNDAY.
WHAT A GREAT AND FUN TRIP!  WE LOVED IT!!

DON AND I WERE GIVEN BEN'S I PAD SINCE HE GOT THE I PAD 3.  WHAT A GREAT GIFT.  IT ENTERTAINED DON ALL THE WAY HOME ON THE AIRPLANE.  IN FACT, I'VE LOST A HUSBAND.  SEEMS LIKE HE IS ALWAYS ON IT!!

I'M NOT COMPLAINING.  I LOVE THE PHOTO'S BEN HAD PUT ON IT AND THAT IS WHAT I''M INTERESTED IN.  THANKS BEN AND LARA.  WE ARE REALLY GETTING INTO THE 21ST CENTURY!!

MY 2 WEEKS IN MARYLAND

WHAT A WONDERFUL TIME I HAD VISITING MY FAMILY.  I SPENT 2 WEEKS WITH DADRA'S FAMILY FIRST.  JASON AND DADRA ALWAYS MAKE ME FEEL LOVED AND APPRECIATED.  DADRA HAS LOST ALL HER  EXCESS WEIGHT AFTER NOLAN WAS BORN AND LOOKS WONDERFUL.  SHE'S SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ME  IN HER EATING HABITS.

NOLAN HAS CHANGED SO MUCH SINCE I LAST SAW HIM  WHEN HE WAS BLESSED LAST SUMMER.  HE IS ADORABLE AND HIS PERSONALITY IS SO MILD AND FUN TO BE AROUND. AND HE REMINDS ME OF DADRA WHEN SHE WAS A BABY.  AS LONG AS HIS NEEDS ARE MET, HE'S CONTENTED AND FUN TO BE AROUND.  NOLAN ALWAYS HAS A SMILE ON HIS FACE TOO.

IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO GO TO CHURCH WITH THE FAMILY.  SUNDAY IS A SPECIAL DAY OF REST FOR ALL OF US AND WE ENJOYED FAMILY ACTIVITIES.  LOVED HAVING ABBY AND DADRA SING TOGETHER SOME SPECIAL SONGS.

ABBY AND I HAD A FUN PROJECT WHILE I WAS THERE.  I HAD WRITTEN TO HER ABOUT MAKING A QUILT AND SENT HER SOME SPECIAL CRAYONS .  SHE NEEDED TO DRAW 20 PICTURES BEFORE MY VISIT SO THAT I COULD IRON THE PICTURES ON QUILT BLOCKS.  ABBY HAD DRAWN 18 PICTURES ABOUT HER LIFE AND FINISHED THE LAST 2 WHILE I WAS THERE.  I IRONED ON THE PICTURES TO THE QUILT BLOCKS.  THEY TURNED OUT SO CUTE.

ABBY PICKED OUT HER FABRIC FOR IN BETWEEN THE PICTURE BLOCKS AND ALSO THE FABRIC FOR THE BACK.  SHE LOVES PURPLE AND THAT IS WHAT SHE DECIDED ON.  I SEWED THE BLOCKS TOGETHER AND IT LOOKED SO CUTE.

THIS IS HOW BIG HER QUILT IS.  I WAS ABLE TO TIE THE QUILT TOGETHER AND THEN BIND IT.  ABBY WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT HER QUILT SHE WANTED TO TAKE IT TO SCHOOL AND SHOW HER TEACHER.  HER TEACHER WAS DELIGHTED WITH HER QUILT AND THOUGHT IT WAS FUN SHE WAS ON A BLOCK WITH ABBY AND THE SCHOOL IN THE BACKGROUND.

DADRA, JASON AND NOLAN LEFT FOR A FEW DAYS FOR IDAHO.  JASON'S SISTER GOT MARRIED IN THE IDAHO FALLS, TEMPLE ON MARCH 16.  I WAS ABLE TO WATCH ABBY AND LANDON WHILE THEY WERE GONE.   ABBY AND I HAD ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE DID.  WE HAD GONE TO HOBBY LOBBY AND BOUGHT SOME YARN THAT MATCHED THE COLOR OF HER HAIR.  WE WANTED TO MAKE A TANGLED BRAID FOR HER.  MY FRIEND LORI DILLON SHOWED ME HOW TO MAKE THIS BRAID BECAUSE SHE HAD MADE ONE FOR HER LITTLE GIRL FOR HALLOWEEN.

OUR FINISHED PROJECT WAS ADORABLE AND ABBY LOVED IT.  THE BRAID COMES DOWN TO THE FLOOR.  WE DECORATED  IT WITH FLOWERS AND GREENERY.  THIS WAS A FUN PROJECT FOR BOTH   OF US AND WE WERE PLEASED AND DELIGHTED HOW IT TURNED OUT.

I WAS THERE FOR ST PATRICK'S DAY TOO.  I HAD BOUGHT SOME FUN THINGS FOR LANDON AND ABBY TO WEAR ON THIS FUN OCCASION.  THESE ARE SOME OF THE PICTURES WE TOOK THAT DAY.

I DON'T SEE MY  GRANDCHILDREN  VERY MUCH SO IT'S FUN TO MAKE THESE KIND OF MEMORIES WITH THEM.;

MAKING GREEN COOKIES TOPPED OFF THE DAY.

A FEW MORE PICTURES TAKEN BEFORE LEAVING FOR VIRGINIA TO SPEND A WEEK WITH  TASHA'S FAMILY.  THAT WILL BE BLOGGED NEXT.

I DID FIX DOG'S NOSE AGAIN.  ABBY LOVES THIS STUFFED DOG AND I'VE OPERATED ON IT A FEW TIMES FIXING THE EYES AND NOSE.  I DON'T THINK THE NOSE WILL COME OFF AGAIN SINCE I USED A GLUE GUN.

MY GRANDCHILDREN ARE SO ADORABLE.  I LOVE TAKING PICTURES OF THEM.  THAT IS WHAT I HAVE LEFT WHEN I GO BACK HOME.  PHOTO'S AND MEMORIES.   SO GRATEFUL FOR BOTH OF THEM.

REMEMBERING A YEAR AGO

 OUR THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN WITH TERESA THESE PAST FEW DAYS.  IT WAS NICE TO GO OUT TO THE SUMMERS PROPERTY  ON SATURDAY AND FIX UP THE AREA WHERE WE HAD BURIED MOM, DAD AND TERESA'S ASHES.

 WE WERE AMAZED HOW PRESERVED THE SUNFLOWERS WERE.  WE JUST HAD TO STRAIGHTEN THEM UP A LITTLE.

 MY HARDEST DAY WAS ON MONDAY SINCE IT WAS ON A MONDAY THAT WE FOUND OUT THAT TERESA  HAD PASSED AWAY.  I DECIDED TO GO OUT TO MEMORIAL GARDENS AGAIN   THIS TIME I WAS BY MYSELF.  I SPENT ABOUT A HALF HOUR THERE.  I HAD FIXED UP AN ANGEL  SURROUNDED BY SUNFLOWERS IN A BASKET.  IT SEEMED SO APPROPRIATE.   DON, TAMI AND I HAD ALREADY LEFT SOME FLOWERS ABOVE THE PLAQUE ON SATURDAY.

I SHED A FEW TEARS THINKING ABOUT THAT DAY AND THE SHOCK OF KNOWING TERESA WAS GONE.  I HAD GONE TO THE DOCTOR, FOR THE FIRST 3 MONTH CHECK-UP AFTER CHEMO, AND FOUND OUT THINGS LOOKED GOOD.  I FELT THAT TERESA KNEW THAT I WAS GOING TO BE OK  AND WOULDN'T NEED HER ANY MORE.  SHE HAD BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL HELP TO ME DURING MY CANCER EXPERIENCE.

I KNOW THAT MY TEARS ARE RATHER SELFISH BECAUSE SHE IS HAPPY AND WOULD NEVER WANT TO COME BACK.  I DO MISS HER AND TOLD HER THAT.

A THOUGHT CAME TO ME DURING THE END OF MY VISIT.  I HAVE ANOTHER SISTER THAT I LOVE HERE IN TOWN.  WE HAVE TALKED ON THE PHONE SEVERAL TIMES BUT I HADN'T SEEN HER FOR ALMOST 2 MONTHS.  I WENT HOME AND CALLED CLARISSA TO SEE IF HER AND KELLY WOULD LIKE TO GO OUT TO DINNER WITH DON AND I THAT NIGHT.

 WE MET AT 5:30 AT IHOP AND HAD A GREAT TIME TOGETHER.  WE VISITED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER WE ATE.  IT WAS WONDERFUL.

 

I TOLD CLARISSA AND KELLY THAT I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING TO THEM.  I THEN EXPRESSED MY LOVE FOR THEM AND TOLD THEM THAT I WANTED TO TO GET TOGETHER MORE OFTEN.   I WAS HONORING MY SISTER  THAT HAD DIED  THIS MORNING AND IT HIT ME THAT I STILL HAD A SISTER AND BROTHER CLOSE BY THAT I LOVE .  WE WANT TO  DO SOMETHING AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH WITH THEM IF POSSIBLE.

I WAS EXPRESSING THESE FEELINGS THROUGH MY TEARS.  I THINK I TOOK CLARISSA BY SURPRISE BECAUSE SHE HUGGED ME AND WE BOTH EXPRESSED OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER.   I THINK IT WAS A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR ALL OF US.

VALENTINE'S DAY

 DON CAME HOME WITH HIS NEW HAIR CUT.  I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW SHORT IT WAS.  I TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE TAKING PICTURES THE NEXT DAY FOR VALENTINE'S DAY AND HE SAID THAT AT LEAST IT WOULD GROW OUT FOR  HIS EAST COAST TRIP AT THE END OF MARCH.

 I THEN SAID, "ONCE A MARINE YOU'RE ALWAYS A MARINE HUH?"  I DO LOVE MY MARINE!!

 WE HAD A LOVELY VALENTINES DAY.    WE ENJOYED SHARING OUR DINNER WITH RED ROBIN.  WE THEN WENT TO AMERICAN FURNITURE WAREHOUSE TO LOOK AROUND.  I FINALLY FOUND A FOOTSTOOL FOR OUR BACK ROOM THAT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR.  IT WAS A GREAT DAY!!

A SURPRISE VISIT FROM TAMI

 LAST SUNDAY, TAMI MADE US A SURPRISE VISIT.  SHE DROPPED BY TO GIVE  US A VALENTINES BASKET.  WE WERE DELIGHTED TO SEE  AND VISIT WITH HER.

 SHE HAD BROUGHT US A CUTE VALENTINES DECORATION AS WELL AS OUR FAVORITE CANDY BARS FOR A TREAT.  TAMI IS SO GOOD TO US AND ALWAYS MAKES US FEEL LOVED.

LAST THURSDAY, NIGHT WHEN TAMI AND I HAD OUR OUTING, I HAD FOUND A BEAUTIFUL BLOUSE AT HERBERGER'S.  IT WAS ORIGINALLY  $80 BUT IT WAS ON  SALE AS WELL AS PLACED ON THE 70% OFF RACK.  WE BOTH LOVED IT AND TRIED TO FIND ANOTHER ONE FOR TAMI BUT WE COULDN'T FIND ONE.  I ENDED UP PAYING ABOUT $19  FOR IT  (WE LOVE IT WHEN WE GET SUCH A GREAT BUY ON SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY LIKE.)

I HAD DECIDED TO GIVE THIS BLOUSE TO TAMI FOR VALENTINES DAY AND  WAS PLANNING  TO TAKE IT TO HER WORK ON THAT MONDAY TO SURPRISE HER.  I HAD IT ALL WRAPPED AND READY TO GO WHEN TAMI CAME OVER.  I DECIDED THAT SINCE SHE WAS HERE I WOULD GIVE IT TO HER NOW.  I WENT AND GOT THE DECORATED PACKAGE WITH BALLOONS, ETC. AND PRESENTED THE GIFT.  

TAMI WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE THE BLOUSE!  IT'S SO FUN TO MAKE SOMEONE SO HAPPY THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH.  SHE HAD DELIGHTED US AND WE WERE ABLE TO DELIGHT HER IN RETURN.  ISN'T THAT WHAT VALENTINES DAY IS ABOUT?

.

I FEEL SO BLESSED!

I'VE OFTEN SAID THAT I DIDN'T KNOW I WOULD GIVE BIRTH TO 4 OF MY BEST FRIENDS.  THREE OF MY DAUGHTERS LIVE SO FAR AWAY AND  I'M LUCKY TO SEE THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR.   WHEN I DO SEE THEM WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT TIME TOGETHER.

TAMI LIVES 15 MILES FROM ME AND WE NOT ONLY TALK ON THE PHONE SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK WE ALSO GET TOGETHER EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT FOR A FUN NIGHT OUT.

LAST NIGHT WE HAD FUN GOING TO THE MALL AND HAVING DINNER WHILE CATCHING UP ON ALL THE NEWS.  THEN WE HIT THE SHOPS  TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY SALES.  WE ALWAYS HAVE SUCH A GREAT TIME TOGETHER.

I'M SO PROUD OF TAMI FOR GOING BACK TO WEIGHT WATCHERS THIS LAST SUMMER. SHE HAS LOST 43 1/2 LBS. AND LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL.  TAMI HAS ALSO BEEN PROMOTED TO A NEW JOB AT THE VETERANS HOSPITAL AND IS WORKING HARD TO LEARN HER NEW POSITION.

DON AND I HAVE OFTEN COMMENTED THAT WE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING RIGHT TO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL FAMILY.

I LOVE TO BE WITH MY FRIEND JANET

 JANET AND I HAVE A VERY SPECIAL FRIENDSHIP.  WHEN WE FIRST MOVED TO GRAND JUNCTION IN 1976 SHE WAS PRIMARY PRESIDENT AND I WAS PUT IMMEDIATELY IN AS A PRIMARY TEACHER.

WE HAD DAUGHTERS ABOUT THE SAME AGE THAT WERE FRIENDS IN THE WARD.

WHEN I HAD OUR LITTLE STILL BORN BABY IN 1978 IT WAS JANET THAT COMFORTED ME THE MOST BECAUSE SHE HAD A STILL BORN BABY TOO AND UNDERSTOOD MY GRIEF.

WHEN SHE BECAME THE RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT I WAS CALLED AS THE MOTHER'S EDUCATION TEACHER WHICH WAS  MY FAVORITE CALLING.

WHEN I STARTED GOING TO THE POOL TO EXERCISE, THERE WAS JANET.  SHE BECAME MY POOL BUDDY!

THEN WHEN I HAD COLON CANCER, JANET CALLED ME UP 3 MONTHS LATER AND TOLD ME SHE HAD COLON CANCER TOO.  WE WENT THROUGH CHEMO AT THE SAME TIME.  WE UNDERSTOOD EACH OTHER AND HOW WE WERE FEELING  AGAIN.

JANET AND I DECIDED AFTER OUR FIRST ROUND OF CHEMOTHERAPY THAT WE WOULD GO OUT TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE LIFE!  WE BEGAN DOING THIS  JUNE OF 2011.  WE WOULD TRY TO DO THIS EVERY 3 MONTHS.

I WAS DEVASTATED TO HEAR THAT JANET HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF CHEMO.  SHE ONLY HAS 3 MORE TREATMENTS AND IS DOING GREAT.  I'M VERY PROUD OF HOW SHE IS HANDLING THIS.

 LAST THURSDAY  WE WENT OUT TO CELEBRATE LIFE AGAIN.  WE ENJOY  SHOPPING AT THE SAME STORES SO THAT WAS FUN.

WE DECIDED TO EAT AT DOS HOMBRES FOR DINNER.  WHAT A FUN TIME WE HAD!!  I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL FRIEND.