Beppy is Getting Married! :-)

So, pretty soon, there will be a new brother-in-law in our family! That is right! Beth is getting married! Hooray! James is his name. The wedding is set for June. We are all so excited for her! These are the only pictures I have for now, but I am sure there will be more to come. Yea Beppy! We love you!

Amazing!

You have got to go to this link and watch the whole video. I saw it on CNN. It made me cry! :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

(it would not let me embed the video, just copy and paste the link, and it will take you to youtube)

It is worth it!

Easter

Sunday was such a beautiful day! I spent the day before utterly sick and lame. We had plans to get together with some good friends (the Holdens) for dinner and fun. I started feeling sick on Friday night, and I just could not shake it come Saturday. I did not want to cancel, but I just kept dragging myself around the house, and I could hardly imagine entertaining in that condition. So I had to make the lame phone call, and cancel. I HATE doing that! Our friends are SO great though, they offered to have Sam and Dan over to their place to do Easter eggs and food. The kids were happy with that idea, and so was I! While they were gone William took a nap, and so did I! I still felt ill all day, and Charles spent the day hanging a new gutter on the house. I would try and help, then I would feel like throwing-up! So I would retreat to the couch to try and keep from losing "it".

The other day I ran twice, once in the morning and then again with Charles and the kids at night. That same night William was up until the wee hours of the night coughing, and he ended up in my bed with Charles on the couch. So, I had run twice, and also reorganized the kids room (which was scary!) and then -- no sleep! I basically exhausted myself to sickness. But it was weird because I felt GREAT while I was running/cleaning. It just caught up with me I guess . . . I am not as young as I used to be! :-) Anyhow, so on Saturday night I was pretty much certain I was not going to church, I just felt so gross! Then as we were saying our family prayers Sammi said, "Please bless mommy that she can feel better so she can go to church tomorrow." Well, I thought it was cute, but I worried -- It seemed it was more likely I was going to be at death's door, rather than opening the church door's! So, I struggled all night, uncomfortable, tossing and turning -- feeling horrible. I even took NyQuil just for the help-you-sleep factor! My body was on fire, my insides were churning, if I stood up I was dizzy. Then after closing my eyes for awhile, I woke up drenched in sweat -- I mean, it was like someone had been running a sprinkler on my body! I was soaked! When I woke up in the morning, I felt so much better. I felt alive again, and the fatigue was gone! I was so happy to go to church! Prayers are answered! :-)

It was such a beautiful day too. The weather was perfect. Church was great. I just really enjoyed the whole day. It was amazing how much better life seems after feeling like death! It made me appreciate the meaning of Easter that much more. I also got to watch my grandma's graveside viewing ceremony video (Thanks Johnny!). It was very meaningful, and special to witness. It was so nice to be able to see it, even though we were not able to be there in person. As my dad said, "She lives!" I am certian she lives. I am so grateful to have that knowledge. I am so grateful for my Savior. I know He lives. Sometimes I just burst at the seams thinking about how grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father. Especially when I look at my family -- my true and eternal joy!

Goodbye Grandma

My grandma passed away on Monday morning. She was in her nineties, and she just kept on going! She lived in her own home (the same home my father was a child in) up until the very end. She died peacefully on her couch. We are all grateful for that. She is now in a better place. A place where she can see clearly, and no ointments are needed. :-) She is now with Grandpa, and I am certain -- she is happier now than ever!

Charles had a special love for grandma. She loved to cuddle and chat with him. :-) The first time Grandma met Charles he was peeling skin from my sunburned shoulders. The second time she met him -- he pushed her wheelchair through the sprinklers. :-)

I love the smile on her face in this picture. It was often hard to get her to smile for a picture. You can tell she loves Kary. :-)
Grandma with little baby Ben

Gathering together as family

We got to visit grandma not too long ago. I am glad all of the children got a chance to meet their great grandma!

Grandma was a comedian. She was always waiting for a moment to say something silly, or make a witty remark. You just had to be ready for it!

Grandma hanging out with Charles. :-)

Glad to have a picture all together. :-)
Grandma on her 90th birthday.
Grandma and some of her posterity . . . :-)
Love you Grandma! Until we meet again!

Impressive

Charles shared this video with me the other day--I thought it was too funny! It is video of a DUI stop. The officer is trying to get the man to fail the DUI test, but he kept passing them...so she had to get creative. :-) Too funny! Not sure where it is from, however, the cowboy hat might be a clue. :-)

Little Look-A-Likes

The look-a-likes (in my family): Sammi and William, Charles and Daniel.




My parent's grandchildren (in order by age).



I think it is so interesting that in some families children look so different from each other, and in other families the children all look exactly the same! It extends (of course) to parents as well. Sometimes you can see a child, and you could pick their parents out of a crowd. And other times, well, it may not be so easy!

In our family it is a pretty good mix (I think) though my view is tainted with tunnel family-likeness vision. :-) I think that if you put our children side-by-side they all look like family, and show many similarities. But each child is very different (I am just talking about appearance). I think they all have a bit of me, and a bit of Charles in them (Duh!) but I find it interesting to go to my grandma's house and she will point out that my children look like some of my cousins, distant relatives, etc. I think some of our children look more alike than others, and some have stronger parent traits.

In my immediate family, it is the same. I look more like some of my siblings than others. However, we all have a common trait . . . our eyes. There was one time my mother was in the temple (in Alaska) a lady I knew from my ward asked her if she was my mother. The lady said she could tell by my mother's eyes. Interesting!?

I have really enjoyed watching my children grow and change. Children are so fun. I love them so much! I (of course) think they are each a beautiful gift from God! I can see a little sparkle of Heaven in their eyes! My hope is for them to keep that sparkle and to pass it on to their children, and their children's children, etc. FOREVER!! :-)

Courtroom Chuckles

Every now and then, Charles will send me an e-mail that goes around his office. They are usually pretty entertaining. I thought I would share this one. (I edited a few words -- to protect innocent eyes.) :-) The claim is that these are things that were actually said in court, though they sound ridiculous -- I am often AMAZED at the stories that Charles brings home with him! Fun stuff!
These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.

____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?

WITNESS: Yes.

ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?

WITNESS: I forget.

ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?___________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?

WITNESS: We both do.

ATTORNEY: Voodoo?

WITNESS: We do.

ATTORNEY: You do?

WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.

____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?

WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?____________________________________

ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?

WITNESS: He's twenty, much like your IQ.

___________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?

WITNESS: Are you kidding me?

_________________________________________

ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?

WITNESS: Yes.

ATTORNEY: How many were boys?

WITNESS: None.

ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?

WITNESS: Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?

____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?

WITNESS: By death.

ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?

WITNESS: Take a guess.

____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?

WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.

ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?

WITNESS: Unless the Circus was in town I'm going with male.

_____________________________________

ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?

WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.

______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?

WITNESS: All of them.. The live ones put up too much of a fight.

_________________________________________

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?

WITNESS: Oral.

_________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?

WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.

ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?

WITNESS: If not, he was by the time I finished.

____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?

WITNESS: Are you qualified to ask that question?______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?

WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar

ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?

WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

He, he, he! :-)

Enjoying the View

It is Spring here. I love Spring. It brings with it beauty, and life. It also brings with it hundreds, perhaps thousands, of memories. Something about the smell of warm dirt, and fragrant flowery air. Images of times gone by. . . swirl freshly into my mind's eye. Some days, I just go about my business, and other days I "take in the view". I express my gratitude daily, for this beautiful world in which we live. These are just a very few things I found to be grateful for . . .

This is the view out of the back window. When I am doing the dishes, this is what I see. . .what a great reminder! I LOVE living so close to the church!
Our backyard neighbors are on a few acres of land, so they are very far away. Some of the backyard neighbors own roosters, and other livestock, and every now-and-again, I can hear the sounds of farm life. :-) I like it.

What happened to Bun-Bun after the Daniel reaction? Well, she was in the garage for the cold times, and now she is enjoying the sunshine in the backyard. She will soon be the proud new owner of a real outdoor bunny hutch, and she may also enjoy the company of another bunny. :-) I just could not "give her the boot". She is our pet, and I want her to stay in our family. We believe Daniel is allergic to her food (which has tree-nuts in it). He has had no trouble with her outside (she has been there for awhile) and he is just not allowed to touch her (a little sad) but he can look at her, and talk to her, all he wants. :-) I have had this weird desire to raise farm animals since living here . . . chickens may be in our future, as well! ;-) One day . . . MoooOoooo!!!

Our little Easter Bun-Bun!

She is right outside the sliding glass door, so we can see her every move, all day, and she can see us, too!

She is also surrounded by our new plants. They will be planted in our front yard, soon. . .

There are more pictures to come, but the uploading is not being very friendly!!! I will try again later!!

Chocolate Bunny Time