Sharing The Love

I won my very first (and possibly my last) blogging award yesterday given by Adiel. Thank you Adiel, not sure that I deserve it but I am very excited. Plus it comes with such a nice story. Crystal started this award in honor of her son Noah. Go over and check them out. He is such a cute kid and has such an inspiring story!




In order to win this award someone first of all needs to nominate you, then you show the link back to Crystal's blog so everyone can know about her story and little Noah and Share The Love.


It was hard to decide who to give this award to because everyone needs some love. I would like to give this award to the following lovely blogging friends:


Kim over at Parachuting Without a Net who has been such an inspiration to me and knows how to share her love.

Heather at The Gunnell Family who is funny and inspires me to try harder and be a better person.

Julie at DJTatertots who is a friend from my previous life and who is now pregnant with triplets. Who better needs some love!

Brooke at Day to Day Life With Our Little Girls who I have know since she was three. Go check out her photography skills. She is a true sweetheart!

Liz at Livin' The Dream who helped me through Girls Camp and supported me when my daughter was starting to go nuts AND who I still owe lots!! Love Liz!

Lynn at After The Dust Settles who makes the best Piggy Banks in the world and is such a nice lady. Plus she has a kitty who is a killer, gotta love that when you're the Krazy Kat Lady!


All of you can now share the award and your love with other nice bloggers and hugs to everyone!

Revisiting the 70's

Friday night my good friend Carla called and invited hubby and I to go with her and her husband to see the Mormom Tabernacle Choir sing with the Osmonds. I was really not very excited to go and my poor husband, after the Les Miz thing, was less then enthusiastic. Maybe I should fill you in on my not really wanting to go.
I grew up in Utah and the Osmonds were like royalty here when I was a teenager. I do not like Marie (so sorry Marie, don't know what it is, but it's the truth). I have never been a big fan of Jay or Jimmy either. I met Marie, Jay and Donny once and two were very stuck up and one was sweet as can be. I'm sure they used to get teenage girls drooling all over them so maybe that was why they were less then friendly. But I really thought they used to get way more attention then they deserved. (I have changed my mind on that now.)


BUT Donny...excuse me for a moment of heavy breathing. I have always loved Donny!! I was a closet Donny lover, couldn't let my friends know the truth, they would have made fun of me. I took my daughter to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat when it came to Salt Lake and when he walked out on stage in a loin cloth and no shirt she lost her breath and asked if he was married. (She was about 8 at the time and was very disappointed when I told her, yes he is married AND has 5 sons) I am sure I lost my breathe too. You should have seen him. GROWL! Must run in the family. I also had a smidgen of a crush on Merrill. And he is still looking so good!


I have only seen the Choir once. When they sing live it sounds just like their recordings. I really was impressed. But with the Osmonds there I thought it might be a little weird. The program was held at the LDS Church Conference Center which holds about 22,000 people (I think) and every seat was filled.




The choir came in and took their seats and sang three songs and THEN the Osmonds came out. I actually forgot about Edward Cullen for 90 minutes. They sang Down By The Lazy River and their dance was exactly the same as they did 36 years ago. And they can all still move. I was suddenly back in 1972. Dancing in my seat and clapping and feeling like a teenager. And on they went, One Bad Apple (without Donny's high voice but he still has the moves...am I grossing anyone out? sorry) and Yo-Yo. Donny sang a song called Whenever You're In Trouble that he had written when one of his sons had been on a mission and sent a text saying he just wanted to know his Dad was there. Such a beautiful song, I even got goose bumps. (I did mention this was Donny singing didn't I?) The whole family came out and sang Through The Years and ran a slide presentation during that was so touching. The whole Osmond family was in tears and it was hard not to cry too. The last song they sang was Are You Up There and I Believe. They invited Tom and Virl up on stage and they signed the songs. The whole group got two or three standing ovations. I turned to Carla and said, "Donny wants me!" She burst out laughing....can you imagine?? I know she loves me but I am sure she sees things much clearer than me. (I can still dream that Donny wants me!) One of my favorite parts was when Donny and Marie were singing their hits and Donny turned to the Choir and said, "I have always wanted to do this." He had the men stand up and they sang I'm a Little Bit Country. Then Marie had the women stand up and sing I'm a Little Bit Rock and Roll. Classic! The Choir singing those lines. Loved it!


It turned out to be a great performance and I really am glad we went. Thanks so much Carla (and Heli) and thanks to Pauline for fanning us against the heat. You are the best!

The Office

Things here at work have been difficult for the past six weeks. We have lost friends to layoffs and transfers. We have gained new friends through mergers and more transfers. We miss those who left. You can probably hear us sobbing over Matt, Tonya and Brett. We try to hold it together and sometimes we fail. Our work load has double, maybe tripled but yet we persevere and continue on in hopes that someday we can actually take a lunch. (We are hungry and are withering away to nothing...well, not really withering but we are always hungry!)

Yesterday was a pivotal moment. Shane, who transferred here a month ago, had just come back from lunch. Adiel, who really is a cougar in disguise, told him she was going to beat him up. Now Adiel may have been just a little delusional because Shane is a big guy who works out and could crush her with his left pinky. But Adiel is fearless (or maybe just too young to know when she is looking death in the face) and she didn't back down. He said, "Now?" She said, "Yes." I was behind the safety of my Plexiglas shaking in my sandals....it was scary! So big bad Shane saunters over to the front of Adiel's desk and puts his elbow down, his hand up. He was challenging her to an arm wrestle. YEAH...an Olympic event right here in our office! Here is a picture of the result. And just so you know Shane did not break Adiel's arm. Thanks goodness because I too had just eaten lunch and that could have really made that lunch not sit well.

So, I figured if Shane could arm wrestle Adiel so could I. Who cares that she is 30 years younger than me, runs, works out and coaches cheer! I knew in my middle aged, flabby, leave me alone while I sit on the couch and watch TV body I would probably be the one in a cast. But I am brave and stupid at the same time. Yeah for me!! So I walked up to her desk and put MY elbow on the counter and challenged the little whipper snapper to a dual!! (He He He...just like Snidley Whiplash) I was pumped, she was cocky...she thought she could whip me, she thought wrong. Here is the proof.

I totally kicked her BUTT!!! I AM WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR!! I am pretty proud of this!! Please allow me to gloat in my superiority of arm wrestling.

Here is a photo for Tonya...the Hales boys miss you too.

I just had to include this picture of Jake! I love this shirt. It has the Pink Panther on one side and the tail on the back. I am just too easily amused!

I can't figure out why these pictures won't go full screen. I am still in the learning stages of blogging. Wonder if I'll ever get it!

2 Weddings & A Parade

We had another busy weekend. Well, weekend before last anyway.

Friday we met up with three of hubby's daughters and several of their children for dinner at the local buffet. There were 17 of us total and we ate and laughed and had quite a good time. I got to sit with four of the grand kids and we had a great time. I haven't laughed that hard for a while. Tanner is such a crack up! Alexi was trying to teach him table manners in case he ever dates. He still has a few years until that time. Jadera and Tanner were throwing out some tips too.

After dinner we went back over to our house to sit around and chat for a while. We drug out the hula hoops and the kids ended up trying to ring each other with them. We had a wonderful time sitting around talking the night away.

From Right to Left:

Here is Damen, Tanner and Jadera Hula Hooping it up in the backyard.

The whole gang posing. Front Row, Alexi, Ben, Matt, Tanner, Damen and Jadera. Back Row: Jessica, Kailee, Connie, Linda, Gwen and Jim.

Hubby with his three oldest daughters: Linda, Gwen and Connie.

The next morning Jim, Gwen, Damen, Tanner and Jadera left to head back to Arizona. I am really going to miss them. Wish they lived closer.

On Tuesday we got back together with Scott, Connie, Matt, Ben, Jessica, Alexi, Kailee and AJ for a get to meet the soon to be in laws for Josh and Molly. Josh is Scott and Connie's oldest and is marrying Molly in October. The picnic was at Sugarhouse Park. We met Molly's parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews.

Here are Jessica and Ben marrying in May, and Molly and Josh marrying in October.

Turns out Molly's grandpa's wife and I had a lot in common. She is a very sweet lady and I am so glad we got to spend some time getting to know each other. I am looking forward to seeing her and the rest of the family this October.

Here Alex (doesn't he look happy to be in the picture?) and me posing with Verli. She and I both married older men and spent some quality time comparing stories. She is such a sweetie!

We were also pleased to find out that son #3, Ben is engaged and he and Jessica are getting married next May. Jessica is a sweetheart with the most infectious laugh. We are very excited to have her as part of the family.

This past Wednesday our neighborhood had a Red, White and Blue Pioneer parade. Alex and I went out front to watch but the first group of kids must have been really excited for Popsicles because they rode their scooters by at about 70 MPH. The rest of the group came by at normal speed. It was fun to see all the kids with their bikes and scooters all decked out in red, white and blue. There were even some pioneers in the mix.

Starting with the top row: Our trusting Cub Scouts carrying the flags, Emily holding Abbie's new puppy Piper, Mikey finding a shady spot, Michael after the color guard and Ellie eating her Popsicle. Love these cute kids!!

Book Tag

Adiel tagged me on her blog and I waited a couple of days because I am reading Twilight and I wanted to get past page 123 first.

So, here is the tag:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

"Who was that other boy Lauren was talking to? He seemed a little too old to be hanging out with us." I purposefully lumped myself in with the youngsters, trying to make it clear that I preferred Jacob.

Now I would have rather posted something a little more juicy but alas I am not that far into the book. I resisted starting Twilight just because everyone seemed so in love with it. But after I read this by Heather on Mindless Junque I knew I had to check out Edward. I started out slow and didn't really get into the book until Chapter 3, and then, dang, I was hooked.



I will tag Tonya and Sid. Sorry ladies!!

Happy Anniversary to Me!

My cute hubby and I have just celebrated our 1st Wedding Anniversary. He found out that I love Les Miserables and suggested that we travel to St. George and see it at Tuachan. I love, love, love Les Mis and had already seen it about four times. It is always so difficult to decide which part of this production I enjoy the most! I love the prayer that Jean Valjean sings at the barracade, I love Fantine singing as she dies, I love Castle in the Clouds that Cosette sings as a little girl, I love Eponine singing On My Own and I always love the deep voice of Javert. I laughed, I cried, I cheered and poor hubby squirmed and wiggled trying to get comfortable. Bless his heart for taking me and sitting for 3 1/2 hours during something he really didn't like. How lucky am I?

The weather was a hot 105 but there was a breeze blowing all through the show which made the temperature tolerable. (And yes, Heather, I am a wimpy Utahn LOL....just can't take the heat after it hits 95!! But I do love to visit all those hot spots, as long as I can come back home.) The surrounding landscape was breathtaking and this picture just doesn't do it justice. You just had to be there. We ate dinner at the Amphitheatre along with every wasp in Washington County!

These two pictures show the fountain the runs from the theatre to the bottom of the parking lot. Someone did a great job designing all this.

Here we are enjoying our mini vacation!! Hubby trying to look mean. Can you guess he hates his picture taken and usually puts his hand in front of his face. This time he instead pulls Mr. Grumpy Gills, but don't let that fool you!! Down deep he is a big ole teddy bear! And here I am all wind blown and trying to look tall and thin...how am I doing??

Thank you to my wonderful semi-perfect hubby (Did I mention not to tell him I said that?) But this really was a great trip and he is almost perfect!

On our way back home we stopped in Aurora which, for those of you who know Utah is just a little north of Richfield. I have a 3rd Great Grandfather that I had found is a descendant from the Mayflower and I wanted to find his grave. (and YES I plan on becoming a Mayflower snob, so be prepared!!) It was Sunday afternoon when we arrived and threatening thunder storms. We found the cemetery, found a map but didn't find any graves we were looking for. I was trying to find something very old and kept walking right by this headstone. On the fourth trip through the same spot this is what I found. I was so excited and this was a great ending to our little vacation. Zimri Harford Baxter had a son Zimri Harford who had a son Zimri Harford who had a son Merl Harford who had a son Merl LaMar who is my father!



Anyway, we did have a wonderful time! Tuachan is so nice but if you go take water, a pad to sit on and those cute little bottle fans that let you squirt water on yourself to battle the heat.

Sorry about the way this post looks...I am ready to throw my computer out the window!!! PLUS I feel like a two year old because I can't make the blasted thing work.