A Weekend to Remember....

Mother's Day Weekend 2011

What a great weekend I just had!  

It started out with James graduating from the University of Utah and telling us he had a new job that would take them to St. George to live.  In this economical climate how exciting for him, Kristin, and Annie.  Although I am sad they are moving,  it is only a few hours drive away.  With them moving to St. George it makes it half way to Casey, Cindy and Lucy who are also moving....but alas not Utah but sunny California.  Road trips, mini vacations, weekend get-aways...ummm I could enjoy a few of those! (okay, a lot of those)

• We went out for a Chicken Tikka Masala curry to celebrate Friday's graduation. (and it was one of the best I have ever had there!)
• A sweet friend of mine got married and I was lucky enough to be a part of the planning from the beginning to the end.  There are a lot of very wonderful women in our area who helped with all the planning, serving and making it a wonderful day to remember. Okay, a shout out to the guys in  Last Chance the Band, Peter, Kort, Matt, Gerry, Russ & Derick who made a great wedding even better with their music!   Last Chance Website
• I learned all over again why my daughter-in-law Kristin is so super...She took all the wedding photo's along with James's help from time to time. 
• Mother's Day....what a fun afternoon we had.  It started with a family traditional sloppy joe dinner and just got better and better with laughter and lots of love being shared.
• I was able to spend Mother's Day with all my children and grandchildren, my mom, my brother and his family including those who are married with children of their own.
• My sweet niece, Keyara, painted my fingernails, blue-green while she was here!
• My other sweet niece, Heather, gave us a cute book called "Five Minutes' Peace" and a book mark about mothers that even brought tears to Peter's eyes!
• I discovered this morning on my iPhone some cute pictures of Drew, Joshua and Megan. My sweet Ellie Ellie's Family Friday took those as a surprise for me!

As I tumbled into bed last night after a very busy weekend, tears came to my eyes, I felt so blessed to have sweet friends, children and their spouses, grandchildren (yes, I have the cutest!!), a brother and his family, my mother, and of course Peter who love and support me!

Lucy, Nana, & Annie

How could it not have been a great

 Weekend to Remember?!!!

Congratulations

and

Shout Hooray!!!

To bad I wasn't a bit smarter and saved James for this week's Family Friday. Family Fridays...James  However, we want to say how excited and proud we are that

 James Thomas...

today joined his siblings in being the last of our children to graduate from University!! 

May 6, 2011

Many thanks also to Kristin and Annie for all their support!!!
We love you!!!

Family Fridays...Casey

It seems only appropriate that today's Family Friday is dedicated to Casey. (hold that thought!)

aka Kissie Cassie (ok I called him that), aka Casey Charlie, aka Casey Charles 

Grandma & Casey May 1983

Many years ago I struggled with having children (hence the 8 year gap).  It was with knees knocking and totally scared beyond reason I went to my doctor in England and said I wanted more children. (Remember I had two and that was pretty normal for England).  That sweet older German doctor, Dr. Meerapfel, said "Ok, let's send you to Chelsea Hospital for Women in London."  Needless to say it all worked for the best.

The first time I saw Casey...ultrasounds were a new thing in England in 1982.  Only a few hospitals had them and I was sent to Hammersmith Hospital in Hammersmith, for them to have a look to see if it was a viable pregnancy.  My first sight of Casey was this  '    If you blinked just now you missed it.  He was no bigger than an apostrophe!  For 16 weeks they gave me weekly shots in the hip to help hold the pregnancy.  One morning at 1 a.m.,  I awoke and spent the next several hours praying that having come this far it wouldn't end that morning.
The next glimpse I got of Casey was at 36 weeks by which time my local hospital had an ultrasound.  They asked if I wanted to know what sex the baby was..."Wow, you can do that?"  Certain he was a girl...they said "It's a BOY"  Well that took me by surprise and off to the Mothercare store I went to buy the cutest little boy outfit I could find.  Cringe now all you modern moms but it was a pair of light gray velor short overalls with a white sheep on the front and a little white shirt.  It was cute!

On the evening of March 15, 1983, Casey Charles came into our lives and has been a constant joy ever since.  There are a stories around every birth...they make you laugh, they make you cry, and they make you grateful for the miracle of birth.  Casey's birth was all three but as the midwife elbowed the doctor out of the way to unwind the cord from Casey's neck we again experienced another miracle surrounding his birth.

Memories of Casey:

Casey's 1st fish

James & Casey 1987

• Losing him in the house and hearing him crawling through the hanging beads to the laundry room.  I'd found him.
• Stumbling when crossing the road to go to his 6th month check up and tossing him through the air into the road. Another miracle...neither were there any cars on that road, nor was he hurt. (me, I was a basket case!) 
• When feeding him as a baby he would not tolerate me reading, watching t.v. or doing anything but look at him.  He also hung on tightly to my blouse.  (Just recently I was feeding his daughter Lucy and she did the same thing.  It was a very sweet reminder to me).
• With his arm extended straight out in front of him and his hand raised palm up saying "ut, ut, ut, we'll talk about that later." (age 7 or 8 and to this day I do not know where he got that from)
• Mid-term report cards in high school...C's, D's, and incompletes.  It always seemed to be on a Friday or Saturday night when I would get these and Casey was ALWAYS out.  The phone call would go something like this "Casey Charles...those grades are unacceptable and as for the "U's" in citizenship. What's going on?" "Hey mom, it's fine.  She/he just didn't get the corrections in before they were sent", or "not a big deal it's only midterms. It will be fine at the end of the term."  Sure enough he was right, at the end of the term they were great grades...but remember Casey "What goes around, comes around!"
• Recorded phone messages that went something like this "Today your student missed one or more periods of school...." or "Hello, this is Bountiful High Seminary calling.  We haven't seen your student in class for several days!" (not every message was erased by James before I got to them.  I can't imagine how many were!)
• His very bright orange bedroom!
• Sports, Sports, and more Sports!!

Things I love about Casey:

• He is so smart! He is my go-to guy on any history question, church history question or political question.
• Remember the "ut, ut, ut we'll talk about it later?" You can have an opinion about something and in the space of a 5 minute conversation he will have you taking the other side of the debate and believing it.
• He is a hard worker.  He has spent the last several years studying hard at the BYU, working, being a husband, and just recently a wonderful daddy to Lucy.
• His cute, sweet wife, Cindy, and of course their daughter, Lucy!

Remember my opening comment about it seems only appropriate to dedicate this Family Friday to Casey...

Well shout Hooray! 

Today he is graduating from Brigham Young University Law School!! 

(stop cringing Casey) 

April 22, 2011

April 22, 2011

There are many miracles I have witnessed in Casey’s life and several he has witnessed himself and for those reasons and many others I am grateful to call him my son. 

We love you Casey!

Rainy Days and Mondays....

I remember driving between Sutton and Epsom (in England) one rainy Monday night and the Carpenters' song Rainy Days and Mondays playing on the radio. Spool forward 40 incredible years and it's a Rainy Day and Monday morning in Bountiful.  
How time flies!  Oh wait....now I am reminded of another song:

 "Time flies on wings of lightning; We cannot call it back.

  It comes then passes forward, Along it's onward  track.

  And if we are not mindful, the chance will fade away, 

For life is quick in passing, 'Tis as a single day"

My Auntie Dale used to say when asked how she felt at 80+ years old.  "I'm breathing, so it must be a good day!" 

So even though I like the Carpenter's song...why should a rainy day and Monday "get you down"?  It's all in the attitude!  Today's rainy Monday is a beautiful spring day and as Auntie Dale said "I'm breathing, so it must be a good day!" 

Happy Rainy Monday!

Family Friday's...

For those of you who blog stalk...Family Friday's are going on a hiatus for a little while.

The Whisperings of a still small voice...

February 2011

The first Thursday in January I took on a weekly Thursday babysitting job of our cute Lucy (Lucy Lou to me) while Casey had classes at BYU and Cindy had to work.  When I started she was 2 1/2 months old.  Today was my last Thursday and she is now a few days short of being 6 months old.  I have loved these Thursday's and have missed not going when Cindy was home, or no school classes, etc.

That first Thursday before leaving I sat in my car and said a little prayer that I would travel the 50 ish miles each way in safety over the coming months.  As I was backing out of the driveway it came to me in a very clear voice that if I "obeyed the laws of the road" I would be safe.  I made the decision right then and there that I would obey the speed limit as well as any other laws that there were.

I have had cars and trucks pass me when I was traveling  65 in a 65 mph zone and cars and trucks pass me like I was standing still in a 55 mph work zone. I have had accidents to the right of me three times, and a truck that if I had tapped lightly on my brakes they would have been running over the top of me. (that company will be dealing with that truck driver in the next few days)

March 2011

Last Thursday as I traveled home, traffic wasn't heavy but indeed very busy as it was the start of rush hour.  I saw brake lights in all the lanes in front of me.  I started to slow down in anticipation of coming to a complete stand still.  Cars in lanes to the side of me and in front of me started skidding and swerving to miss each other.  As I looked in my rear view mirror I saw cars swerving and dodging each other, BUT no one was close to me.  Again I heard that voice.  It whispered two things to me and the one that was most important was "you are cocooned."  As I looked around me it was true.  The lanes to the side of me were now empty.  The lane I was in the nearest car behind me was at least 5 car lengths away.  I indeed was in a cocoon!

March 2011

Today as I traveled home there was hail, lightening, torrential rain and finally snow.  As I slowed to almost 35 mph in the hail storm I was continually amazed at the traffic around me, or should I say the lack of traffic around me...

I have enjoyed my Thursdays with Lucy!!  She recognizes my voice and her cute little face lights up (ask Casey if you don't believe me)!

Putting aside the wonderful opportunity of bonding with Lucy these Thursday's have given me the choice opportunity of being reminded that my prayers were heard and were indeed answered!

Family Fridays...Ellie

Nov. 14, 2004

Ellie was our 6th grandchild and our second granddaughter.  Ellie has been a "cuddler" it seems like from the beginning but it probably was much later.

Things I Love about Ellie:

• She will still crawl up on my lap and cuddle me.
• She likes to play games with me.
• She sometimes has a "silent mode button" that makes me laugh!
• She loves being a "mom" to anyone that will let her carry them around.
• Her grown up voice, comments, and actions.
• Her middle name is Louise (okay so is mine!)

Fun Memories of Ellie:

Bear Lake 2006

• Liberty Park 2006 
• "Snow" on her French toast (powdered sugar) (and she gets the antique cranberry glass powdered sugar shaker that was Auntie Dale's that is in the kitchen cupboard!)
• Playing Fish, Crazy Eights, Pass the Pigs and Snap
• Her painting my fingernails 
• Her sucking her thumb and while all around were complaining she and I whispering it was okay if she promised me to stop by the time she went to school. (bet some of you didn't know that)
• Hiding under a blanket to play a game on my phone.

Traditions Ellie and I have:

French Toast

• If there are "glow sticks" to be given out...I break them and she hands them out. (and don't anyone try and help!)
• Making French Toast...I beat the eggs she pours in the cinnamon creamer and dips the bread.
• When watching a movie during a sleepover she pulls a pillow and a blanket up right next to me and falls asleep.
• Shopping at the dollar store!

I love, love, love my Ellie and her sweet cuddles. Ellie is very photogenic as are all our grandchildren but these pictures are some of my favorite and hold fond memories for me.  That's not to say she is perfect but to me she is an absolutely perfect Ellie!!

Liberty Park Picnic 2006

Liberty Park 2006 "Cold........"

Nana, Ellie & Drew 2010

Family Fridays...James

It took me a while to decide whom I might like to blog about next. However after reading Tiffany's blog about the baby of the family (And then there is....) having it hard, I thought I'd give my reasons for the baby of the family being a great position to be in.

My baby...Ames Momas Too Too Train (name given by Casey)...aka Jimbo Jumbo (bet you didn't know that James), Jamie (when did he stop being Jamie?), aka JT (given by himself) , aka James Thomas Unwin (he was going to be Benjamin, but that's a whole other story)  

Memories of James:

• Chubby little feet that wanted to be kissed each night
• Loving to watch the movie Back to the Future
• He and Casey hiding behind my bed pretending they hadn't found their Christmas presents of various Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• "Al be gur" (Disney's movie Oliver)
• His love of his binkies and having to have warm milk in his bottles
• Picking him up from his mission and his surprising us by being at the airport in the Dominican Republic
• Covering for Casey by wiping messages off of the answering machine that said "today your student missed one or more classes...."
• Lying on the couch with "DeeDee" watching cartoons and each of them drinking their bottles
• Christmas Eve 1989 when he split the back of his head open
• Soccer, soccer and more soccer (Casey too!)

Reasons why being the baby last child in the family is the best:

• Trips to England that others missed because they were married or on a mission
• Always around to move furniture for parents or family members
• Being lucky enough to help do odd jobs around the house
• The opportunity to bond with  parents not only on holidays but at breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Having a car to yourself
• Having a house to yourself
• Fussed over by older siblings 

Ok maybe there aren't sufficient reasons that being the baby is a great place to be but when all is said and done James is the ideal baby last child of the family.  He has always been easy going, kind, patient, helpful, slow to anger (and to be honest, I don't ever remember him angry as a teenager or adult).  He is a great father to Annie, (last Friday's Family Friday) husband to Kristin, and son to me!  James, I love you!

No apologies to James...but he will always be my baby! 

(and to his older siblings...I'm sure they wouldn't have it any other way either...RIGHT?)

April 1987

Family Fridays....With Annie

Our adorable little Annie joined our cute group of grandchildren in December 2009. She is a real cutie and I think I have finally gained her love and trust. She was a little character from about 2 months on. She just didn't act like she liked me. It didn't stop me kissing her and telling her one day she would love me.

Things I love about Annie:

• She loves her mommy and daddy
• She loves the movie "Little Mermaid"
• She loves to sing and dance
• She loves her cousins
• She loves Missy

Sweet Memories of Annie:

• Hearing her first sweet newborn cry.
• The night she decided it was okay to stay and play with Nana and Grandpa
• Her funny face expressions.
• Our applesauce fight (I might add she won!)
• Watching "Little Mermaid" with her for the first time and watching her sing along. (she was only 14 months old at the time)
• The Sunday Annie was sick and was laying in my arms watching videos of herself on my phone.  She turned around to look at me and gave me a half smile and buried herself into my chest as if to say "I'm safe and love you." 
• The Sunday night when I was playing with her 5 month old cousin Lucy on the floor.  Annie came and sat on my lap and put her little arm around my neck and held on tight. (I can still feel that hug.)  She wasn't sure if she wanted to share me!  
• The day I gave her an Ariel sing-a-long doll. 

Although she wasn't sure I was who she really wanted to be around a few months ago she has decided that maybe just maybe she will keep me around...I told her she would love me lots one day...

 and she really does love Nana!

Do you know where you were?

Some events stick in our minds and it is very easy to remember where we were and what we were doing.  Twenty eight years ago today was such an event!

Although this picture is 27 years old, a lot of joy, happiness, love and a sometimes pain in the backside (no pun intended) came with that event. I love you!  Happy Birthday Casey!