My girls....

So when the kids come over inevitably the girls end up in grandma's room watching Spongebob. Spongebob is a word that Elizabeth can say very clearly. She is serious about watching it. Issy is always playing or doing something else while watching, she takes after me. I have to do something else when I watch TV too.

My granddaughters are very fluent in i phone and ipad. Their father is a huge computer geek, so these girls have been taught well! Elizabeth knows just how to unlock it and get it going. Such a smart baby!

Their uncles came in and talked with them. It was so funny as they were so intently watching Spongebob and the boys walked in front of them. they both moved in unison to see the TV it was funny.

Erin and Issy.  Issy is wearing the cutest little sweater I got her for Christmas. I took the girls to lunch and the girl at the counter taking our order said "what a cute sweater, I really like it." Then Issy said, "My grandma gave it to me for Christmas." I was proud, that she remembered. And I can't stand how grown up she is becoming!

We went to Chick-fil-a, we enjoy the food and they have a play place. I wish I would have done this right after because Issy said so many cute things and I can't remember any of them.

She looked in my purse and found my comb. She wanted me to take a picture of her combing my hair. So here it is.

Then little Miss Cindy Lu Who came along. She ate chicken then dipped 1 fry in the sauce and just sucked the sauce off over and over.

Elizabeth is at a fun stage she giggles and laughs and jabbers away. The fact that she was a bit of a preemie did have her a little held back. But now her therapist said she is caught up and doing great.

Issy played so hard running up and going down the slide. By the time we left her little face was bright red. She gets that from me too! Bless her heart.

Today Mike and I taught a 5th Sunday lesson in our Ward, for the adults. We have hit our Ward hard on addiction and drugs this month. We had a fireside with a police officer who came and talked about drugs. It was pretty heavy and scary. Several people told us that they were glad for the information, but it left them hopeless. So I told the Bishop that Mike and I could teach a class on preventing your kids from starting. All of the stuff we learned the hard way. He thought that was a great idea. Now here is the interesting thing.

I have been reading a ton of things on drugs to prepare. Prescriptions drug abuse is growing by leaps and bounds. Utah has the largest prescription drug abuse problem in the USA. So I was shopping at the local

thrift store. I saw a cute pair of boots and went to try them on. When I put my foot in to one of them, there was something in it. I pulled it out. I thought this is a message from God. It was a full prescription bottle of pain pills and a bag with a few lortab in it. I didn't get the shoes, but took the drugs. We used them in the lesson today. Then we will go drop them off at the police station, they dispose of all prescriptions correctly so they don't end up in our water system.

I think our lesson went pretty well. There were couples in there who don't have children yet, and older couples who have ton's of grandkids. I was worried about them having to sit through it. We did tell them that extended family is very important to kids also. All in all I think it went well. I can't believe the wave of relief that came over me when we got home and it was over:-)

I am very happy, enjoying life, and my family. Wishing for more snow, but enjoying the sunshine too. I feel very full of love and love you all!

Is it a midlife crises?

First a picture of my baby. He got a hair cut, it was a bit short for his taste but I liked it. He is my hair buddy, we share a flat iron, and hair products. He is my only son who cares about his hair. He loved it super short when he was little. In 3rd grade he got a buzz and as always the scar all the way across his head showed. All of the kids ask him what happened to him. He hated standing out, and never cut it that short again. This hair cut is the shortest one he has had since 3rd grade!

Now on to me, it's all about me, right:-) Well I am having a change come over me. It began about 2 years ago with purses. I would buy one purse I liked, always a black over the shoulder bag, and use it until it fell apart. Then I started getting bored with them. So I have started getting different purses in different colors and I am actually starting to change them out. It's been quite fun I have turquoise, red, silver, black & white, deep red, a few black and brown purses. Now I have my eye out for a purple one.


While I was loosing my weight, I was told over and over again not to buy any clothes. They said you would loose the weight to fast, so it was pounded and pounded in. We would buy one pair of pants and wear them everyday for a month until it was time for the next smaller size. I have finally evened out. I can finally buy clothes. I have been wondering what my new style would be. What sort of clothing I would want to wear. I didn't have a clue. In November I went out and bought a few things, but how do you replace an entire wardrobe. This is how.... look at all these cute blouses!

 Yes, I am now a huge fan of the thrift store. There is a huge variety of styles, I now know what not to wear!hahaha  You have to take your time and look over a whole lot of stuff. But I found some tops that really made me happy, most of them look like new. I hit the jackpot last week, I was thrilled, and Mike was impressed with all of the cute things I have been wearing. The picture below is of some of the fun stuff. I didn't have the other stuff washed yet.  Notice the nightie up in the corner. It looked like it had never been worn, it was so so soft, it does however look like a granny gown:-) But I decided to look it up on line. Gowns like that from that company were $40, I paid $4.

I have been having a blast. I have been beefing up my wardrobe. Before if something fit me I had to buy it, simply because not many things would fit. Therefor I would try to look as nice as I could with things I didn't really like. I had one black skirt for 10 years, that was all I ever wore, with all my different tops of course. I bought one dress during that time it was for Erin's wedding. Now I have so many cute skirts, I actually have to try to decide what to wear on Sundays. I have pulled out my jewelry and instead of just wearing my anniversary necklace, I wear all kinds of things. I have had to go buy special hangers and I am having to organise the clothes in my closet. Mike loved what I wore to church on Sunday and all totaled it cost $14.

So this is my question, did I get tired of being frumpy, as in a mid-life crises? Or is it that my true self is coming out? You know like the saying inside every fat girl is a skinny girl just trying to get out? What ever it is, it is fun. Now on to shoes!

This week...

Monday was MLK day, so Nate and I went to a movie. We had a little family night activity dinner and a movie. We enjoy each others company. He has been such a pleasure to raise:-)

 I went to pick Mike up from the airport today. I went to the park and wait and then I noticed that 2 cars looked alike. I thought that is kind of funny. Then I looked closer and figured out there were 12 of those little sliver SUV's.

 I looked behind me and there were 4 of these. I think they were escalades, all black. There was a man next to me in a SAAB and it had the information on the car. I thought why would you get an expensive car and plaster what kind it was in white letters on the side.  By this time I had figured out what was up it's the beginning of the Sundance Film Festival. Sure enough all of the silver cars had "official film festival vehicle" on the sides. Even the escalades had signs on them. One day Mike and I are going to go check out the film festival.

Then we dropped by to see the girls, and their parents:-) Elizabeth was enjoying papa playing with her.

 This pic came out blurry but it was to cute, Issy is starting to do fun posses and faces when you pull out the camera.

 She got her camera,  out and took a few pictures.

Me and the girls.

 Plus somebody got contacts this week and ditched the glasses!

January.....

This is a picture of Mike and I on our 28th Anniversary. That is crazy to believe considering I'm not a day over 35:-) I had Mike take me away for the night. He travels all of the time. Going to a hotel for him is more like work.  He wants me to be happy so he gets me out for a little break. We ventured up to the big city of Salt Lake:-) Actually many years ago it was quite a long trip to make.

 We do enjoy each others company, that is handy because we are linked together forever!
 Then Mike went for a bit of a change. Nathan hates it, but it reminds me of the good old days.

 Nathan took a couple of pictures of me. We were goofing around. This day was an eye opener for me. I was out shopping and 2 different men gave me a look. I honestly though, "why are those old men looking at me?" Then I realized that they were my age! hahaha  I am a grandma!

 Mike had his nephew come over and record stuff for his work. Cammon does this stuff professionally, got to keep it all in the family.

 This is my new gadget. While Mike and I were out for our anniversary I saw this little exerciser.  Yesterday we went back and bought it. Here's hoping it does what it says and tones up my bum and thighs, I need serious help there:-)

So I have a new fun thing to do. Before our surgery they told us over and over "do not go shopping for clothes." (Because you loose weight so fast) So I would get 1 pair of pants and wear them until it was time to get a smaller pair. Needless to say my wardrobe is very sparse. I have been shopping lately. Around Thanksgiving I started to shop a little, it was fun. I couldn't find any skirts as I was shopping. Then I remembered... the DI. It's a chain of thrift stores up here. Honestly I have know wealthy people who shop at thrift stores, but I never got it. I have a neighbor who does it all of the time. It's a hobby for her. She told me which stores where the best for clothes. I was going for books, but I though "yuck, I don't want some old ratty clothes."  I was so wrong! I went shopping at a few of the good ones. It did take a long time to go through every thing, but I got great stuff. I have 3 skirts now, I have tops from Ann Taylor Loft, Lands End, Eddy Bauer jeans, I got the most comfortable pair of J Jill jeans for $4! I am loving this thrift store shopping. I think it will be my new hobby, and I will look cute in the process!

A family Christmas...

Christmas was good this year. Mike's dad came up, we had all of our kids, and of course the grandbabies. It was so good to be together. Jack didn't bring a coat. I think he could be the culprit of a little situation in my house. The men of the family don't wear heavy enough jackets for the weather. This drives me nuts as I try to keep track and yell at them as they head out the door to get a coat not just a hoody. Well Jack came with a simple sweater, and a light wind breaker. He figured the sweater would keep him warm and the wind breaker would brake the wind. Needless to say he was cold. So he had to wear various coats we had around the house. this one is Nathans. I had to get a picture of Nathan's 88 year old Grandpa wearing his coat:-)

 Mikes family when they sit down to relax always rub each others backs, necks, shoulders, etc. So we had a little train going I was the lucky one:-)

 The cutest girls ever!

 The cutest girls ever listening to Papa read the Night Before Christmas.

 Elizabeth getting excited:-)

 Issy working off a little steam:-)

 Jack, Elizabeth, and Ophie having a moment. Elizabeth charmed her great Granddad.

 The girls after all of the festivities were over.

 Issy got make up for Christmas and had fun fixing grandma up.

Mike, Nate, Char, Murphy and Grandad. This should have been the first picture but I get things messed up like that. We picked Jack up at the airport, then met Kristen and her family for late lunch. We had a great time.