New picture of Mom

Hey I found this picture of Mom while Cindy and I were going through her things yesterday. I have never seen it before and I love it. I thought you might all like to see it also.

TOGETHER AGAIN! We'll miss you Mom.

My Mom: Always laughed at my attempt at humor. Even when she was in the hospital the week before she left us. I know she didn't know what I was talking about, but she still chuckled
My Mom: Even though she hated driving, especially in the "Big City", she still drove up to Primary Childrens every day from Aunt Irene"s. I was having my "nose job", and was scared. But Mom was always there.
My Mom: Stayed with us for a week each time a child was born. Stayed for 2 weeks when the twins were born. I still cried when she left.
My Mom: Always got up with us and fixed breakfast before we left for anything. Usually sending a lunch along too.
My Mom: Was always there when we needed her. Even when she did finally go to work. She worked in the lunchroom at the High School. I saw her every day. And she always knew if I ate lunch in the lunchroom or took off to the Top Spot.
My Mom: Taught us the meaning of hard work. She throughly believed if you are going to do a job, do your best.
Thanks Mom, I hope I have taught some of these things to my kids too.

So I have spent the last 24 hours looking at pictures. I thought everyone might like to see what I found.
Mom, the WASP pilot.

This was taken at Cindy's last year.
Mom and Dad's 50th Anniversary Party.



Dad's Birthday party, we had three cakes in all. All with candles. Lucky we didn't burn down the church.

Mom and Dad in Vegas!

The newest addition to the Living Room

This one's just for Chris

Aaron Rodgers threw a 1-yard touchdown pass in his first NFL start and the Green Bay Packers began life without Brett Favre by beating the Minnesota Vikings 24-19.

Can't wait for the 20th Chris!

Weekend in Monticello

Hey we went to Monticello and Blanding last week to keep Mom company while she was in the hospital. The closest hospital to Blanding is in Monticello. Mark and Debbie were in California for Jeremy and Carly's wedding. Hey, by the way if you see this Carly, congratulations, and welcome to the family. Mom is doing just about the same. Saddest part was the day that she was the most "with it", was the day she really wanted out of the hospital. It was hard continually telling her that I couldn't take her home. Then she just kind of faded out again. It is so hard to see her that way. It makes me so thank-ful for both Debbie and Mark. They are special people.

These are pictures that I took on the way down and back. They turned out pretty good, considering I was in a moving car when I took them. And if you have ever traveled with Bob you know that the car was NOT moving slowly.
These wind machines are in the mouth of Spanish Fork canyon. There are about 18 of them, and they are huge! The only comparison I could find is look for the trailer at the bottom of this picture. It looks like it is minature, it's not.

The rest of these are just different sandstone formations. Some are just as I saw them. Others are enlarged a bit.

I couldn't believe that I actually caught this arch. I knew it was coming, but it was still tricky trying to snap the picture at the right time as we flew by.
Cindy and I have both decided that someday we are going to check out the cave at the bottom of this formation. I have no idea what it is, or if you could really go inside a ways. Anyone Know?
Ok, so while I was taking pictures I had to get some flowers for a flower wall in the living room. I had no idea that the green fly was on this flower til I enlarged it for the picture. Strange but for a fly it is kind of pretty. Sick huh?
And seeing as how I love sunflowers I couldn't resist taking a few of them. There is this whole field of them as you are going to the hospital in Monticello.
Well there you have it. I considered taking a Picture of Mom, but I would rather that you kids remember as how you remember her now.

Pictures of the new Living Room

So after 30 years we have finally changed the living room. It is not finished just yet. We still need new drapes for the front window, and the pictures for the walls. Carrie and I are working on flower pictures for the sofa wall. We saw some at one of the home show homes. And as much as we both love to take pictures of flowers we are trying to do our own. Hope it works.
We needed to purchase new furniture when we moved the old down stairs. This has been a lot of fun. We are still going to put a bookcase on one side of the fireplace. Bob wants a Grandfather Clock on the other side. But we just priced them, and we may need to rethink that.
I have loved the look of textured carpet since it really got popular a few years ago. The hard part was trying to find something that would not be too busy with the hardwood flooring.
We (I say we, it should be Bob) ended up putting in the hardwood flooring. Bob still wanted carpet in the living room, so we put the hardwood in the entry way and down the hall. I am glad that we did it that way now. It makes the living room a lot more inviting.
This will once again be the family picture wall. I haven't decided whether I want to use the old mixed wood frames, or buy new ones that will all be the same.

and last but not least, the hardwood down the hall. I think this was the beginning of all of this. I was so tired of that old carpet in the hall. So I said I wanted to put hardwood there. I am really glad that I did, I love it!

James Taylor Concert

Hey, last night was a lot of FUN!. Kim won tickets to see James Taylor from an radio station. Bob and I got to go with them. Limo and all. They had the limo pick them up at home and brought the boys over to our house for Carrie and Denver to watch. Then we got in and off we went to the concert.

The view from inside the limo. It was kind of fun knowing people were trying to look inside to see who was in there.
The concert itself was really fun, lots of people, some of them crazy, but it was great.
It's hard for me to imagine how OLD James Taylor really is. He sounds just like he always has. And his songs are still great songs.
I wish I had some pictures of him jumping around. He really amazed me. It was a great night and I just have to say, Thanks Kim.

Ladies and Gentlemen--Our finished Basement!!

We now have a finished basement. The poor carpet man was here from 9:30 to 4:30. Between doing the stairs and having to haul everything downstairs he had quite a work out. But it sure looks good.
The view from the bottom of the stairs. Carrie's room in on the left and Randy's is on the right.

The "theater room" from the doorway.
And from a different angle.
Our entertainment center. We looked at a lot of different places for one that would hold all of our componants. Couldn't find one that we liked, or that didn't cost $15oo. So Bob made it himself. Personally I like this one better than any of the ones we looked at. It was made to fit the speakers, the other 4 speakers are at the back of the room in the storage area. It is made so that their sound comes from behind you. It really sounds nice.
We realized that this top shelf was just the right size for the slot machine. It finally has a place to show it off.

This is the Game Bar. We needed someplace to store the games and remotes. (I can't believe how many remotes we have.)

The top of the Game Bar is made out of the same tile as the wall sections. It looks really good.
This is the gas fireplace, come winter I will move Uncle Dave's wood art. Guess that won't work too well on top of the fireplace. Actually we might hang it on the wall. Looks pretty cool on the brown carpet.
This is now the storage area. It is the south side of the room.
And there you have it folks. Bob did a fantastic job. Now he gets to start on the living room upstairs. We moved the furniture from there downstairs, and bought new stuff for upstairs. So before it comes we need some new carpet and hardwood flooring put in there. Poor Guy.

Carrie and Randy's Graduation

Hey, I was just looking at the pictures on my camra, and realized that Bobby, Marcy and Chris haven't seen the pictures from the twins graduation. So here are a few of the highlights.

Dinner at PF Changs before graduation. Had to be before because graduation started at 7 pm.



Our two graduates on the steps of the Huntsman Center. Don't they look great!!
Because she was singing with the choir Carrie was the 2nd person to enter. Her friend Jessica was the 1st.

Randy is still looking for us. We are sitting on the same row as his friends. He has found them, but he can't find us.

Carrie singing with the Concert Choir.

Now it is the Madrigals turn to sing.
Carrie receiving her diploma.

Posing for the picture.

Randy's turn. Waiting in line with his friend Megan.
Getting his diploma.
This picture is bright because I took it at exactly the same time as the photographer. So his flash is going off. Couldn't do that in a million years if I was trying.
Finally done!
I do believe he's found us!

Carrie talking to Mr. Wesman.
Do we look like proud parents? Cause we are.
Ahhhhhh.

It was an exciting day for everyone.