Thankful...

This week has got me thinking about what I am thankful for as this Thanksgiving approaches. And the answer that tops the VERY LONG list is friends and family. Last Sunday night I was getting ready for bed and a long story short ended up in the ER with a blown out knee. Totally dislocated,ligaments torn, bone chipped and in so much pain I would rather not ever think about it again.  Well after a visit to the orthopedic  surgeon a few days later I found out that surgery is required to fix it. Why do things like this always have to happen when I have the least time for them? Now I must have all my Christmas shopping done, tree up and house cleaned and organized by Dec. 7th. (All while I am hobbling around in a knee brace that keeps my leg perfectly straight and my foot is so swollen that I can barely put a shoe on.) After that I will be laid up for 4-6 weeks. At first I was freaking out and having a pity party for myself. Then so many acts of kindness got me thinking about how very lucky I am and it humbled me quickly. Now I am not so worried. I have the BEST friends and family in the whole world. I don't know what I would do without them. I did not tell anyone what had happened and when they heard it through the grapevine they were here with whatever I needed and still are. Everyone has helped so much in so many ways this week. I do not accept help very easily but I realized that friends and family are all I need to get through anything. I know they will help with whatever I need wether I want it or not and that is comforting.

I am very thankful for all of you!

One year…

Yesterday, Nov. 6th marked one year since I lost my mom. I cannot believe that it has been a year. On one hand so much has happened in that year and on the other hand it seems like yesterday.  Life is so different and we are still trying to get through life without her. Some days are easier than others and then there are the days that I have a total pity party wanting to know why life is not fair and why me? But I am grateful that I had her as long as I did and I have to remember life can always be worse and I am thankful for all of the good times we had. There are so many things I miss about her, summers on their patio,Just hanging out, talking to her on the phone for no reason at all, her correcting my grammar and making fun of my “Sanpete accent” that I have aquired, shopping, lunch, her visits to my house for all of Bailee’s activities that she is involved in. (She never missed one) But I think the thing I miss the most is watching her with Bailee and seeing the special friendship that they shared. I am very sad that Bailee lost her so young and yet I am grateful that Bailee is old enough to remember her and their special relationship that they had. Bailee talks about her so much and sometimes it is as if she just talked to her yesterday. Sometimes I think she has. My mom was the BEST grandma ever and I know she is still being a grandma in Heaven.

  Lastnight we went and took flowers to her grave & visited her for a while. These are the beautiful flowers that we took.

Bailee, Hunter and me visiting Grandma

 Hunter saying Hi to Grandma Kathy

Everyone hanging out at the cemetery

The kids saying good night to Grandma

We were greeted by this beautiful sunset when we got to the cemetery. Grandma smiling down on us.

We miss you mom every single day and we wish you were still here. One year and it has not gotten any easier.

Love you!!!!!!

Camera found…. now to catch up

This is a catch up post of the past few weeks since I found my camera. We had a fun couple of days and this is just  a brief re-cap.

WE started out by going to Frightmares at Lagoon over uEA. We went with my brother and sister and their families ( and a friend, but she is as good as family) We Got Bailee to ride wicked and it is her new favorite ride,( mine too)

WE had a fun night… Frightmares is one fun thing to do in the fall. WE love it! Thanks to Grandpa Joe for the tickets.

 

The next few pics are from the night we got together at my dads to carve pumpkins. This is a tradition that my brother started a few years ago and it has just stuck. I got pics of the boys but not of Bailee…ya I know I am awful…I will make up for it when we carve our pumpkins at our house.

   

Last but certainly not least, Thriller with the girls. We have made this an annual event and we usually go to Tuacahn to see it but this year we went to Provo…not as good but still Thriller. Here are just a few pics since they are all on everyone elses cameras but mine. It was a fun night and next year St. george for sure!

Everyone at Olive Garden before Thriller…

Happy Halloween Grandma Kathy

Halloween will always be a bitter sweet holiday for me and Bailee...

Halloween last year was the last time I saw my mom. She came down to my house with Cole and Jaclyn to see Bailee on Halloween and came to the carnival with us for a minute. She died 6 days later. That Halloween will always be with me as a special day and I am so glad that they came down so I could have that day and memory of her.

Yesterday my sister and I took the kids to her grave because they had painted pumpkins for her and so we took them down and delivered them. 

Bailee putting out her pumpkins that she painted for her

Cole and Jaclyn put out the pretty fall leaves...it looks so pretty

Thanks Cole and Jaclyn.

The kids posing with their pumpkins...it was FREEZING!!!!

Happy Halloween Grandma Kathy... We love you and miss you so much!!!!

SMILE….

I cannot believe it …my baby got braces today. She is just growing up way too fast. When the dentist told me a few months ago that I needed to get her to the orthodontist I could not believe it. She is 10 years old…way too young for braces. Well I was wrong. We made an appointment and saw the ortho and he said, see ya next month for braces. Clint had the day off today so he took her and therefore he also had to take the pictures and they are not great but hey, at least he did it. He is not usually one to take the camera everywhere he goes like I am . So thanks to Clint for trying to document the day since I was at work. At first I thought that having Clint off work and able to take her would be great. I can go to work and not take a day off and it will be fine…Well I spent the whole day very sad that I was not there for this big event. (and worried sick that Clint would not take pictures for the scrapbook page…) But the day went fine and dad handled it great and I did not need to be a worry wart.

Bailee    “BEFORE” 

Bailee  “DURING”

 

And Bailee  “AFTER”

She chose Halloween colors for her bands…orange,green,purple.

The next two years will be spent paying for them and getting a Gorgeous smile!!!!

Labor Day 2010

Every Labor day Clints family goes up on the mountain to their sheep herd and have a picnic on. This is just a few pics of the fun day that we spent as a family.  Bailee giving Aubree and Teagon rides …Love the shades, she borrowed them from grandma. Bailee and Clint The sheep herder… Francisco he is from Peru Teagon getting saddled up for the horse ride Bailee all ready to go on the family horse ride

Off they all go…I love this picture of everyone heading off on a family ride together.

Rain, Mud, Thunder and LOTS of FUN…

This post is very late but better late than never. My camera was lost for a minute but now it is found so I am catching up. My family went on a camping trip the end of August to a favorite place we like to go. It is Lost Creek Lake in the Uintas. We had been planning this trip for a very long time and when it came close we realized the weather report was not very good for that weekend…but we went anyway  and needless to say we got WET!!! Clint and Cole went up the day before and set up camp so we did not have to do it in the rain the next day. My sister and I took the kids when I got off work and headed up. We had not been there 1 hour and it just started to pour down rain. We all huddled up under the shelters that had been set up and ate dinner in the rain and it was so much fun. That night was the loudest thunder and lightening storm I have ever experienced and it rained so hard it was scary and we were in a tent no less… but with just a small amount of water leaking in (literally just a few drops) we had a fun time. It was definetly a fun memory. The gang sitting around the fire Grandpa and the kids stayed in the trailer and stayed dry and played games. The Lake The cutest baby… and what a trooper he was We had a moose pay us a visit in camp early one morning so we took a family pic with the moose…Tracie saw the moose and came and got everyone out of bed so we are all looking pretty scary…But what the heck… we are camping Cousins…so sweet Our camp Bailee in her crazy outfit. I had to take a picture of how funny she looked. We all got a good laugh at her attire. All in all it was a fun trip. We will always remember our camping trip in the rain and laugh at the good times it was. Love spending time with the family.

First Day of Fourth Grade

First day of school pictures… We started school on Tuesday Aug.24,2010 and it has been a busy week but soooo fun. Our fourth grade teacher left at the end of last year so we got a new one this year…(yes we only have one teacher per grade, our school is that small) and Bailees teacher is just out of school and so darling and  fun!                                    Bailee at the house before we left… her kitties did not want her to go    At school and with her teacher…  Her locker…just as her friend Coldir walked in front of her for the picture…                                              Me and Bailee in my room                                           Me and my friend Julia.. We took a picture of ourselves after we took our kids to their class. She got to go home and I went back inside to get to work…Another school year, here we come!!!!!