It's getting to be the family "hang out"......

....for our special occasions. Golden Corral welcomes us with open arms and the kids have at it for the hour we are there but it's fun and a good place for families to gather. Happy Birthday, Mom. Hope you had a nice day.

Wish I would have taken a picture of some of the ice cream creations that the kids made. Next time........

Those were the good ol' days....

......and mom was always there with the kids, sometimes our kids but sometimes the Larkin kids, doin' what they do and always willing to be a substitute mom when needed. Clickity click HERE to read more about my mom, then wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today.


She's happiest when surrounded by family....and we're always willing to surround her....like every Sunday night. She takes it, chaos and all, with a smile on her face and sweeps up the crumbs when we're gone. Thanks, mom.....for always "being there" for all of us.

I was in North Carolina on March 26 but remembered that Grandma Wells (Rose) would have been 101 years old on that day. She too, was a good example to all of us through the years and will always be remembered not only for her fine cuisine and gracious manner but also, her gentle, quiet wisdom.

Wanna feel small?........

.......stand by a really big chair, even bigger than the one at the service station in Beaver. You know I wanted to climb up there but I held back.....yup, we're havin' a good time here in North Carolina. A few pics below to let you know what we've been up to.....
A visit to the Science Museum....

......where we checked out the weather exhibit....

....and Scott tells me he wants to be an astronaut.....

....then on to the Butterfly House......



....then on Saturday, we found a little Easter Egg Hunt....

....they both made a haul....

...then on to a farm where they make ice cream...yum.....

....and always on the look-out for new parks and new friends....

....Scotty's getting to know Tyree. All is well here in North Carolina.....as the song goes, "Nothin' could be fina than to be in Carolina"......
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Last but certainly not least.....a visit to a new place is just not complete without a visit to a yarn shop and I found a lovely one on Hillsborough Main Street....Hillsburough Yarn.....wonderful, and I have a new friend too.......(clickity click on the picture for a link to the shop.)

Leavin' on a jet plane...

.....and arriving in North Carolina. I'll keep ya posted. So far...so good. Tried some NC Bar BQ last night and the boys are up bright and early...(2 hours earlier for me) so we're off and runnin'.....

Who's the pretty girl in the mirror there....

Photo shoot day....just givin' you a sneak peek at the beautiful bride.

A while back, they tried on white dresses, Traci in hers, Lauri in mine....now she has her own and it's more than a dream.....on May 15 it will be real.....

Congrats Laynee Jane......

....Meyzeek is mighty lucky to get you. I'm glad they realized that. Congratulations girl....only the beginning of lots of exciting times.....You rock!!!!!!

An old friend is back...

.....and I'd like you to meet my Vintage 636 Touch and Sew Singer that must be, oh.....let's say about 45 years old. I took her in for repairs....and dropped about 75 bucks but it was worth it as she's as good as new....and sooooo good to have her back. I loved this sewing machine from the day I got it and I don't know why I haven't used it over the last few years but when I got Lauri a machine, I just started using hers and left this one in the cabinet, neglected.... but she's back.....and I'm lovin' it.
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As I said, I used to make my own clothes...I'd stay up all night to make a dress to wear to school the next day or for a special occasion. I remember learning the basics from Mrs. Porter in 7th Grade. We started by sewing lines that were printed on paper then moved on to aprons that were just straight seams then we put this plastic wasteband in it....quite spiffy I thought. Wish I still had that....I think that Home Ec. class was one of the more useful classes that we had to take and I'm glad I did learn the basics....but I also learned a thing or two in 4-H, especially how to make clothes. I actually even made a wool suit once and learned some cool tricks that helped when I got to Home Ec. in high school from Miss Sanders. Can't remember much about that one other than I did make a real complicated shirt....and realized, when it comes to the hard stuff, I was a bit ADD....but I got through. Haven't sewn much since then, pieced a few quilts, sewn a few blankets but I did make my boys clothes when they were really little. That's just what we did back then.....and I made sure my girls at least had a chance to learn a few basics. Anyway, welcome back Singer Touch and Sew....I've missed you. (Here we all are in our "home made" clothes....I even think I made that tie. The look of horror on Kyle's face is probably because he had no choice in the matter. "Orange? Mom, what are you thinking?")

March 17.....

Clickity click HERE .....and Happy St. Patrick's Day. Here's my favorite Irish Blessing that I saw on Facebook yesterday: May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts, and if he can't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles, so we will know them by their limps.....

The ultimate multi-tasking...

......could be very dangerous if it involves a cell-phone and a steering wheel and frankly, I think talking on the cell-phone while driving should be against the law....but let me just say this about other kinds of multi-tasking. In this busy world of ours, we really have to do a lot of it but some studies I've read lately say that "....we Americans think we're multi-tasking when what we're really doing is getting good at switching our focus from one thing to another really fast and getting a lot done but not really well"....or something like that but I'd like to think that I did some "real" multi-tasking at work today. So....lately, I've decided I don't like dieting so I've decided I need to "move more". At work, I walk around the computer center and let the kids know I'm there to help them but sometimes, when I'm not helping them, I sit down or I just stand there with my hands in my pockets and wait for them to raise their hand. Not today....I multi-tasked. I read somewhere that we should walk 10,000 steps every day and a while ago I got this little gadget that records ones steps so I took it to work today and figured on a 5 hour shift, if I got 2,000 steps per hour I'd have my 10,000. So, I'd get in my exercise, earn a living and help some poor college students succeed in their course of study. I didn't make my 10,000....but got close. If I'd just walk to work and back, that would add the additional 2,000 that I would need and if I work 3 five hour shifts per week, that would be at least 3 days that I would get the recommended exercise.....

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So....while watching a movie this past week-end, I made these Flyer Blue handwarmers for Stephanie Reber so her hands won't freeze when she's keeping score at the baseball games (some evenings do get cold you know). I seldom ever knit without watching t.v......so, I decided that I could do some excellent multi-tasking if I would go to the track and knit while walking around and listen to my scriptures on my Ipod.....that would definitely be the ultimate multi-tasking. I'm wishing that it be appropriate to take knitting to church. I know the 3-hour time block would be a lot more relaxing and I think I'd even get more out of it. I could probably even bear my testimony while knitting.....Do you multi-task?

Did you know....

......that my front porch light has been on every night for 28 3/4 years....well, there might have been a time when I was out of town that it may have been off but I leave it on whenever I leave now and I have left it on all night every night ever since we built the house and chose NOT to have a lantern out by the sidewalk....so there you have it, just a mere fact that I got to thinking about as I opened the door at this ungodly hour of 3:22 a.m. to see what the weather was like after watching "Elizabethtown", a pretty great movie that I really needed to watch tonight about life, love, loss, humanity and a really great road trip....that I'm going to take one day (and it was filmed in Kentucky and had all the places I've seen and been to) O.K....back to the porch light. I love porches....and I have 3 of them (I'd rather have one big one that goes all the way around the house but I'm pretty thankful for my 3 and not just because they get me to the doors)....and I'm thankful for this family that is on my porch....

.....and another favorite porch of mine is in Pine Valley......

My porch is totally an extension of my house and I love sitting on a sunny porch in the winter and a shady porch on a late summer afternoon....so there you have. Just so you know, I'll always leave the porch light on for ya......

Twenty five.....

......years ago this very day, a 2nd little girl was born and as happy as I was for me, I was more happy for Lauri because she got to have a sister. I'm sure I've told you this before but hear it again, there's nothin' like a sister so clickity click HERE to see what I wrote last year and I'll probably repeat a lot of things this year but I need you to know....from the bottom of my heart....how I love this girl. Let me share the "essence" (definition..the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person) of this young woman and she has many elements, qualities and aspects so I'll share her "essences"......

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To stay true to the title of my blog, this is Traci then......

.....lover of cats, giraffes, dress-ups, parties and friends,....totally her daddy's girl, my little shopper, dancer extraordinaire and most of all Lauri's sistafriend.

She's now called mom to Scotty and Jake, wife to Russ, chief cook and dragon-slayer, singer and dancer and Hero portrayer.....she does it all with a smile on her face......

....she's come a long way since she was in this place!!! (Traci, I had to put this picture in. It's got to be my all-time favorite and along with birthday well-wishes, I'm going to solicit comments from the family, memories of this exact moment. We love you baby girl....you are what every little girl should want to grow up to be. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.....be kind to yourself today. I'll see you in a few and we'll celebrate big.

I feel like a disappointed little kid....

......that can't quite get over the fact that I'm not here..yeh, I was there 2 years ago and it should be me standing there again this very day...well probably tomorrow, we would have been just getting there today but I got sick and I couldn't go so I've been sulking and stomping my feet and right down feelin' sorry for myself the last couple of days because I'm not on the Oregon Coast...which I have to say is

one of my Top 10 favorite places to be and with 12 days of Spring Break....I should have been there. O.k. I'm about over it.....

.......and I did have a good time today with a good friend that I haven't talked to in a while, Jean Jolley. She called and we did an impromptu (my favorite kind) lunch at The Electric Cafe. We had a good chat and she gave me some great ideas as I'm planning Lauri's wedding and we got caught up with each others lives and families. I love doing that and I do love her family. They were a big part of our lives at one time when our boys played ball together and Gordon and Scott coached the All-Star State Champs and took them to San Bernadino and through Doug and Mason's high school years. Good times.....and it's always fun to catch up.

Here we are enjoying lunch and below is a picture of us in Hawaii about 10 years ago as we went over to watch Doug play football when he was playing for BYU. We had a great time then and a great time today. Good friends....what a treasure. Oregon coast....catch you later.....I think I'm done pouting.

Back to winter for just a minute.....

I found a little wedsite where you could put those little bubble things above the heads with captions.....but I've been under the weather and nuthin' sounded funny so I'm puttin' it out there for y'all....I couldn't help but want to post this after watching all the "red carpet" hoopla 'cause if there was a "red carpet" for snowmobilers, these guys are posin'....have at it.

I do love this picture......

It's not her birthday yet....

....but the celebrating has begun. I thought I would be headed out on a bit of a vacay tomorrow, but the old body is telling me to stay home and get well....but I summoned enough energy to take Emily to lunch for her big day 'cause she is going on vacation soon and I won't get to see her turn 7 but she's a charmer for sure.....way wise beyond her years and a "soon to be star" at Tuacahn. Watch for her in "Once On This Island".

We dined at Applebee's and she got the royal treatment with an ice cream sundae and a birthday song.

She's holding the "Birthday Bear" from school that each birthday kid gets to keep on their special day and she gets it a whole week because of Spring Break. Keep on dancin' Em....(she's always twirling around and perfecting her graceful moves)....you'll see her name in lights one day....but until then, look for it on the playbill at Tuacahn in a few weeks. Em...you're a gem!!!!

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O.k., I promised no more daffodil stuff but just one more little entry. The first picture I took was on February 9....and look at this, Mar. 9 and they are still going strong. That's got to be a record .... I'm not complaining but it looks like rain again tonight and they're gettin' pretty beat down so I brought a bunch in to enjoy for a few more days. Wish I could share a bouquet with y'all. I do love my daffodils, just in case you didn't know that. I love it when the smallest and simplist things can bring us great big JOY.....

I like my "stuff".....

.....and my new bookshelves and I'm tryin' to get a little bit organized because of my "hoarder" tendencies. I have succeeded in throwing a few things away but I like having my "stuff" where I can see it and enjoy it so I got me a few shelves to replace the desk that I gave to Mason and I'm feelin' quite please with myself right now.

If you were to come in my house, I'd take you right in here and show it off. I saw a documentary on "hoarders" the other night and one of the quotes from it was that...."these lonely people like to be surrounded by their stuff" and I thought "....ouch...that applies to me" but I'm going to try to keep mine as neat as possible. My kids will have a lot of "stuff" to sift through when I die but I think they'll enjoy it. There's money in some of the books you know......(or not). Why am I blogging about this? I don't know...I just am. Not much else goin' on 'cept I've been sick for a couple of days and a little out of touch so just thought I'd fill you in on my boring life.

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.....and today is my Aunt Beulah's birthday. She is my mom's older sister and her only sibling left. She comes south from Logan for a few months in the winter and we've enjoyed having her here. This is when Traci visited her in Logan.

I have some better pictures but didn't feel like sifting (wish I would have taken one while she was here) for them but she's a pretty terrific woman, an example of what we all need to be in our old age. Life's dealt her some low blows but she's pretty up-beat and happy to be around. She grows a great garden, makes soft, cuddly quilts that we all cherish and is an amazing cook. She's always got food for anyone that stops by. Happy Birthday, Aunt Beulah. You are loved.

There's just somethin' about babies and flowers...

....that's not workin' for me. I'm no Ann Geddes, but I thought I could give it a try.....um, after this photo shoot with Laynee about 10 years ago I should have figured it just wasn't gonna work....

...but no....we tried again today.

Matty's takin' it a little better here....

....and Miller....I must say is takin' it like a man.

Enough already with the daffodils...but they have been so beautiful for so long. How can I resist the temptation to stick a kid in there and take a picture.....apparently I can't.

The Tenors are in town....

.....not the Ten Tenors (whom I absolutely adored) but the Canadian Tenors that I also absolutely adore, as of tonight......click HERE to meet them and if they come to your town or anywhere near you, totally worth the effort to see them.

They were amazing....and I'm continually in awe of the talent that some people have been blessed with. I guess my talent is to "totally adore" their talent and enjoy every minute of their performance. It's just what I needed to take away these "winter blahs" that have been with me lately. With the Tenor's tunes in my head and my daffodils in full bloom, I am happy and I hope you are too (whomever reads this). This 2010 is rolling right along with March already here and I haven't even begun to think about my taxes....oh, my. Just as I was getting my "happy" back. I'll get back to my Tenor Tunes....aw there....it's back. Happy March....good things comin'. The month of the "luck o' the Irish". Traci and Russ arrived in NC and are setting up home...oh, how I miss them....but happy for their new adventure.