A "shout out" to my mom....

.....on the occasion of her 82nd birthday on March 30.....I won't be here but will be thinking of her while walking around Disney World and remembering the first time she and dad took us to Disneyland. It couldn't have been much after it opened in the 50's but our annual trips to "California" to see my Aunt Beulah and her family were always magical. We would pile (6 of us) in the old tan Chevy. Dad put boards across the seats and made us a bed and put the luggage underneath the boards and we'd have a jolly old time going over the "whoopees" somewhere there by Barstow and would constantly ask "When we gonna be in California" and all the time we really were in California but not in Reseda yet where Aunt Beulah and Uncle Emeron lived. Mom's legacy is her service to others, her impeccably clean home and a cake for all of us kids and our kids and their kids every Sunday night. I started figurin' up how many cakes she's made in her life, counting all the funeral cakes and it's got to be about a million.....and nobody can make frosting like hers. Oh, and the best Lemon Meringue Pie evvverrr!!!! Oh, and potatoe salad!!!And Sunday dinner at her house is divine!

She's always been there for me when I had my babies....when Scott got sick....nobody could love my babies like she and dad when I needed them to be loved in my absence and I'll be forever grateful for that. Some things I've learned from my mom: ya gotta have somebody to hold yer forehead when you vomit in the toilet and if you're there watching somebody throw up, hold their forehead. That's just what ya do. Merthiolate cures a sore throat and I couldn't outrun that finger wrapped in gauze...so I learned to just not tell when my throat was hurtin'. Always fold the towels in half then in thirds. It's easier to just get the dishes done than let them sit over night. I'm not sayin' I always do it, I'm just sayin' it's easier. She taught me how to make tidy, tucked-in corners when putting sheets on the bed and how to iron shirts. Put an undershirt on the babies when you see snow on Pine Valley and it's o.k. to take them off when the snow melts. I could go on and on....but anyone that knows my mom, knows that she's not afraid of work. She's worn herself out working for our family and everyone in her ward and neighborhood....and she just keeps on going, and going, and going. Whose favorite cake are you making this Sunday, Mom? Sorry I won't be there but I'll be thinkin' of ya. Happy Birthday on Monday.

One hundred years ago today......

......Hannah Hegsted Wells Rose was born. This is one of my favorite pictures......a regal lady with her crown jewels.

Epilogue to our Austin weekend.....Kathy's husband bob created this "Memorial to Peeps" after we had all left to go home......I just thought it was very thoughtful and worth posting. Thanks, Bob.

Tis' the season for "Peeps".....

....and ours got started with "Peep Wars" (ever microwaved a Peep?) and it didn't stop....we even took a Peep to the capitol with us and....let's just say.....it got a little "peep" crazy after a while but Peeps are an interesting phenomena (this is the term I chose to use because when I looked up the meaning it said:
" Nowadays, "phenomena" are often, but not always, understood as 'appearances' as contrasted by the word "phenomenon" which in popular usage, a phenomenon often refers to an extraordinary event) ... so whether "Peeps" are an "appearance" or an "event", they are here, and in the stores in amazingly wonderful colors...but they are here year 'round and because I'm a fan, I'm choosing to blog about them and tell you what a wonderful time I had laughing about them. I don't think my "peeps" (now I'm using it as slang for "people") thought it was as funny as I did....nonetheless (is that a word?) it felt good to laugh long and hard no matter how stupid the subject. Click HERE to link to Diana's blog for a more detailed description of our awesome vacation and more crazy pictures.

Deep in the Heart of Texas....

...oh, yes we are and havin' a good ol' time. We've visited the capitol, seen the longhorns and dined at the Stage Coach Cafe (and a couple of other great places)....along with lots of laughin', knittin', shoppin' and eatin'....and just hangin' with the "peeps". Time to head on home tomarra. Ye ha......Thanks Kathy and Bob for puttin' up with our noise and chaos. It's been awesome. Everything really is bigger in Texas, especially all of us after all the food we've eaten. It's been a "rockin' good time". The yellow roses were presented to all of us by Kathy's sweet husband, Bob. What a guy!!!!!

We're leavin' on a jet plane....

.....and we'll be back again but not until next Tuesday. So..... "Hello Texas".... We'll be there tonight. After trippin' around the globe from San Diego to China, we decided to go check out Kathy's crib.

Here we are on our very first "road trip" to Zion, barely 16. The one on the right is at State Tournament. Hmmm....wondering about those glasses. I'll check with the girls and see what was goin' on.

So here's the whole gang a while back when we were hosted by Phyllis. We are shopping for "power purses" here. I have to admit that I have some pretty amazing friends. Toodle loo.....see ya soon. My next blog will be about Texas.

"Ewe" gotta know it's a good day....

...when you can feed a lama, chase some chickens, climb on the hay and kiss the dogs and we did it all yesterday as we visited Aunt Joyce at the Webb Retreat. So...when it's spring break and you think there's no place to go, well....you are so.....wrong. Just have a "staycation" and see what fun there is in yer own back yard. It was a beautiful day, we put the kids to work selling cookies and lemonade (they netted about 16 bucks) and then headed out to visit the critters. I bet the kids all slept sound last night (unless they had nightmares from the dead baby lamb they found). It's all part of life and learning. Thanks, Joyce. We all had a great time.

Just remembering.....

...the beginning of our family 38 years ago today.

Announcements: $50 (no discount for spelling error)
Wedding dress: 60 bucks
Catered reception: 200 bucks (paid by my grandpa)
included flowers, cake, backdrops and refreshments
Photographer: 60 smackeroos (highway robbery for sure)
Honeymoon: I'm sure it was pretty cheap. A motel room back then was probably 15 dollars (or less) and we spent 2 nights away. What couple would settle for a night at Zion and one in Richfield for a honeymoon? I guess cruises are pretty cheap these days, though.

Cheap wedding but a life full of "richness" (in blessings). I was blessed to be married to a mighty fine man and I got to have him for 29 blissful years. He'd probably call it 28 great years (minus a year for PMS days). Kiss your spouse today.....if he/she is still with you, count yourself "lucky" on this St. Patrick's Day.

"Are we havin' fun or whaaaat?"......

Yep, it's Cricket (I got her, I mean Lauri got her for Christmas in 1986 or 87) comin' at ya and she's baaaaak and if you could see the look on Evan's face when she started singin' ....it's a wonderful day, to visit the zoo, to visit the zoo, to visit the zoo...." about the only word I could place with what it looked like he was thinkin' is "freaky".... but he kinda warmed up to her after a while. I know I can remember when I thought dolls could really grow hair so there's something about a talkin' doll that's gotta seem a little bit "real" to a 3 year old. It's been pretty cool to revive her though and bring her out to liven up the party. Oh....and another fun treasure I found while "really" cleaning out under the stairs, I mean, not just a few layers of blankets back...I'm talkin' all the way to under the bottom stair. There they were, in all their 30 plus year-old glory, those "poor boy" overalls, 'cause when we were poor that other time (probably not as poor as I am right now and I'm thinkin' about starting the sewing thing again)... I used to make clothes for my kids. This cute little "superkid" overall ensemble was embroidered, yes, Lauri....embroidered, for Spencer, with love, by me. So.....the nearest model at the time was Miller and you can see how excited he was to be seen in these babies. Doesn't it just scream "What NOT to wear"? I actually thought I was quite clever in the day.

This blog is named "A Little Bit of Now and Then" for a reason. Now to the "Now" part. Mason is the proud owner of a softball team. A bit shortlived though as their team got thrown out of the league because Lance Lambert threw his bat for some unknown reason!!!!! They are in negotiations with the "powers that be" now though and a couple of the guys will be on a bit of probation if they are allowed back, but we can hope for good things from Hurricane Dental....with some heavy hitters like Nate Andrus, Aaron McArthur, Tyler Roberts, Lance Lambert, the Sparks brothers.....just to name a few but I'm here to tell you, last game they could have been beaten by Little Leaguers.....but, like I said. We'll hope for better days from Hurricane Dental. See ya at the ball park.

I love a sunset and I love being at the ball park. Last Thursday I experienced both. Aw.....good times. (Clickety-click on Cricket's picture if you want to learn more about this amazing talking doll from the '80's.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Traci and Emily...

....yep, two darling girls in our family share this birthday and I love them both....but today's blog is going out to Traci, my baby girl.....daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend extraordinaire. After four boys, I was thrilled to no end to get a girl....but 19 months later, another girl!!!! I always figure I must have done something right. I was thrilled for me but ecstatic for Lauri...she got to have a sister and it warms my heart that these two girls are such sista friends. Traci grew up in a family that knew that if she was happy, we were all happy and it was well worth the effort to see that she was happy.....when she was little she was either really happy or really sad and as an adult, I've admired how well she knows herself and she knows what she has to do to be happy and she chooses it. I've learned so much from her through the years. She's a born leader, caring daughter, fun friend and I think Lauri would agree, an awesome sister. I've run out of adjectives to describe her but on this her birthday, she would rather be in Disneyland, of course, but she is where she needs to be, at home with her husband and sons and she knows Disneyland will still be there when it's her turn. No wonder that the happiest little girl in the world loves the happiest place on earth. Happy Birthday, Traci. You make me proud. One of my greatest joys in life was watching you dance....but now I love watching you be a mom (and I'm glad you can do both). Speaking of dancing, Emily loves it and I often catch her doing her ballet moves while looking in the mirror. She's a happy soul and makes everyone around her smile. Have a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY, today Emily and keep smiling. You are a cutie.

Got "Clektions"?.........

I ran across this entry in my church journal the other day and got a laugh...... (don't ya just luv fonics). Laynee and I were exchanging questions in church a while back and she asked if I had any "clektions" so I wrote back and told her what I "clekt". So....I've been mucking out (not a pretty sight right now) and believe me, I'm a borderline "hoarder" (click HERE to learn more about this disorder) and seriously trying to SIMPLIFY but it's so hard and I know I'm in trouble when I have a hard time throwing away a box full of 1979 Good Housekeeping Magazines....HELP ME, PLEASE....but I've finally resigned myself but I'm amazed at what I'm finding.....So, I'm thinking about our family's "clektions" through the years and we've all had some from the boys "clektion" of baseball cards to my mini-mugs, dolls (Barbie, Ginny, Troll and dolls from various countries) and lately YARN (I call it a stash but it's the same thing; I have too much) and the girls teddy bears, Care Bears and Traci's "everything giraffe". Traci and Tiff used to have "Clektion Shows" and line up all their stuff in the basement and invite their friends over for the viewing of it. Why do we "clekt" what we "clekt"? I find great pleasure in having something to look for and then bringing it home and putting it in it's place and admiring the massive amounts of it that I have (oh, so sick)....why? I wish I could understand this phenomenon. Maybe someday I'll write my dissertation on the subject but for now, I'd like to get rid of some of my"clektions" (but not my dolls). Anyone want a thousand black purses or 300 mini-mugs? Check DI tomorrow. BTW, what do you "clekt"? Oh, I forgot to mention that I "clekt" dust too, but I'm sure that's an altogether different disorder.

"Top o' the mornin' to ya......

....and I hope this finds you lovin' life with a good read in your hands. This book has been recommended to me at least 3 times in the last month and since our book club decided to review it this month, I decided I needed to get my hands on a copy and I haven't been able to put it down. It's a lighthearted, easy read cleverly constructed using exchanges of letters set in a tough time in world history but it's captured my heart to the point that I wish I could be a member of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peeler Pie Society", but mostly, I wish we still wrote letters to each other. I've been going through my "stuff" and found old letters I've written both to my missionary (oh, how stupid they are, I think I'll burn them) and to my mom when we lived far away going to school. I used to write her weekly to tell her about Kyle and Spencer because she was missing out on so much by us being so far away. I would tell her every little thing they did and said. Those letters are precious to me. I'm sure we called each other periodically but we mostly communicated by letters and I can remember how important receiving letters was to me as I was away from home. I miss it.....maybe that's why I blog. I feel like I'm writing a letter to someone. Anyway, I ran across a blog that has some great reading ideas. If you'd like to visit it and read a review on this book, click HERE (this person knits socks, too. I need to meet her) and let me know what you've been reading lately.

Are ya havin' a happy "Square Root Day"?....

....I hope so 'cause I am. I found this little ditty so just thought I'd share it with you and wish you a "joyous day" one and all. "Attention, nerds of the world: Run a comb through your hair and raise your protractors high, for today is a joyous day: Square Root Day! (3/3/09 --> 3 * 3 = 9!) This geekalicious holiday only happens nine times this century, and the next one isn't until April 4, 2016 (4 * 4 = 16). So make this one ... count. "Click HERE to find out more. Now, let me switch gears here and talk about someone that is the exact opposite of "geekiness".....she's "classiness to the hilt"....

..... a great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow to my friend Janny Lou Maughan Coleman (Janet) who was our gracious host in China last year and who moved into town back in the mid 60's just in time to spice up my childhood and who let me spend tons of sleepless, crazy, song-singin', sneakin'-out-of-the-house nights at her "huge" home which would later be called the "Seven Wives Inn" and wh0 just happens to be a beautiful person inside and out. I know you won't read this, Janet but I'm sending out the vibes (and a late birthday card) and hope you will somehow feel the love and know that I think you are so totally awesome in every way.