'Snow kiddin'.......

.......this is what I woke up to this morning and what accumulated all day as evening came. It was beautiful. Rain was predicted but this was truly amazing. I loved having one last time to enjoy this passing season. The snow pack is good for all of us as well.

I have been enjoying watching a little bird build a nest in this quaint little bird house that I always thought was just for decoration.

The bird would fly down to the ground, pick up a stick and bring it to the little quarter-sized opening and most of the time, the stick would go in easily but once in a while, the stick was just too big. On the medium sized twigs, she would turn sideways and slip it in but a lot of the time the stick was just too big for the little bird to handle. It was fascinating to watch and it really did get me in the mood to "nest".....(fix up my house a little). I did get a huge closet project done....really wore me out but that little bird just keeps going and going and going and the humming birds keep coming and coming....as do the turkeys.

Out wandering checking things out. We are all mesmerized by the change of seasons and looking around in awe as we watch the transformation....(I guess that's why the snow was so captivating. We were just getting used to the color....then everything turns white. Hopefully, the snow will make everything more vibrant, that which doesn't freeze).

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I look forward to the end of each month. Randy and I seem to be getting into a pattern where he works really hard in California for the first 3 weeks of the month then comes and works really hard here in Pine Valley for a week or so then I drive back with him and spend a week in Cali and then fly back and start over again. We like to travel up Highway 50 (Loneliest Highway in America) and it usually takes us about 12 hours to get home. However, we left a couple of days early so decided to make a road trip out of it. This was the Urban Definition I found on line. (Road Trip: When a bunch of kids get in a car (most likely a VW Bus, most likely with tons of drugs, and drive to an exotic destination (like Vegas or New Jersey). We were old people in our Kia Sorento with lots of snacks and our exotic destination was Cameron Park, California. The fact that we stretched a one day trip into three, made it a road trip to me....first night being in Ely staying at the Four Sevens Motel (that's pretty exotic I would say). 

But before that we would go through Austen and make a quick stop at one of our favorite spots, a little "hole in the wall" that serves the best soft serve ice cream.

We always enjoy the sites of this quaint little town. These are places we usually just drive through and never really stop to enjoy. Same as the shoe tree. Seen it many times but this time we stopped and took in an "up close"  look. If we could have gotten to them, there were some pretty nice shoes hanging off that tree.

We took a detour to the Hickison Petroglyphs Recreation Area  Clicke HERE to learn more.  We snapped a quick selfie, took a small hike, and did a geocache. What's a road trip without a geocache, right? 

We saw a bunch of recreational vehicles taking a turn off the main road so we followed them to this huge sand dune. Snapped a selfie, watched for a minute then went on our way. 

We made it to Tahoe and spent the night there. This truly is one of our favorite spots to vacation and we took in all of our favorite things, including wings at the pizza place. (don't even know the name of it but we always go there. Best wings ever.)

Headed on down the hill to our favorite lunch spot, Sweetie Pies in Placerville. We took in our favorite antique store and hardware store and made it home fairly early, able to catch a couple of sessions of conference. 

I guess Randy was in charge of food for Conference Sunday. We got these in the morning (left) and this yummy spaghetti squash dish for dinner. What a chef. He's amazing. I stayed a few days.....

...enjoying my days at Cameron Park Lake and evenings with Randy. Then it's always time to come home. I often wonder why but I'm grateful that we have this Pine Valley home that needs care and I need to be with my family so for now, our arrangement is working out. It's always fun to anticipate the time we can be together again. We talk every day and FaceTime every night so we're not really too far apart. While here in Pine Valley, I fill my days with "nesting" (I'll be doing that for the rest of my life, so much to clean out and put away).

I also love leisure reading, watching the birds and often I'll take in a ball game and do some baking. I also love any time I can spend with my family. I try to see mom at the Meadows but it has become hard lately as she is still struggling and I'm feeling guilty. A few issues with staff and aids and mom's paranoia but for the most part, it's good. I had a good visit with her last week and I still feel really sad that she's there. I pray daily for her comfort and contentment (and mine). I got a chance to spend some time with Mason and his kids while Mandy went to Boston to run the marathon. I drove up with Lauri and James and kids and they dropped me off at Mason's. 

I got to have my much needed dental appointment, cleaning and cavity fillings from the best dentist in the world. As always, no pain whatsoever. He's at Jordan River Dental and it's pretty nice digs for him. I was there to shuttle the kids to their activities but it rained Friday so we went to Scheels....

So the only games were Saturday. I skipped out for one of them and had a fun dinner with Russ, Traci and family and Lauri and James and family. Then Traci and Mae (bottom right) took me back up to Layton to finish the tournament.

McKay's team "Skull Candy Crushers" played and won four games and got these pretty sweet rings instead of trophies. Just comparing......

...Mason's two state-championship rings to McKay's one day tournament ring. Interesting. It's so fun for these boys though and I've loved watching them improve with each year of the sport. I try to get to what I can but they are all so very busy.  I did get to take in a track meet in which Laynee and George participated. They are both very good at this and it was fun to watch them compete and do well.

All of my grandkids are busy with extracurricular activities and I do love to make it to their activities whenever I can. I've been able to spend time with Maycee and Jack for their birthdays and a lot of time with Lauri and James and kids. Love having them at Lexington Drive. They came up and spent Saturday with me (can't believe we didn't take any pictures. They are all so cute).  I got to one of Evan's baseball games and I'm looking forward to spending time this week with the Staheli kids while Russ and Traci head to Chicago for a little getaway.  One last note before I leave this epistle; once a D-Day Queen, always a D-Day Queen.... I attended the annual honor activity where all of the former queens are invited during D-Week.

I was queen in 1970. Cathy Lundin (right) was queen in 1969.  She came from Seattle to be there and it was so good to see her. The only part I don't like is going up on stage during the pageant. I always feel like I make a fool of myself but I'm proud to represent my class and the great college that has been a part of my life for so very long. Proud to be a Trailblazer now (I'll always be a Rebel) and proud that Kyle is a part of the evolving process of this great school. Dixie State University forever. So I bid adieu to this month of April, grateful for my heritage and my five children and their children that make my life so rich and especially for a husband who is willing to work with my need to be close to them. He's such a great support to me and I'm so glad we found each other in this stage of our lives. 

March is gone.....

....so  here's a little re-cap of the month in no particular order.  To me, this is spring.....and my Pine Valley daffodils showed up about a month later than St. George but always happy to see them. 

However, this too is spring....and these icicles are hanging on for dear life on this day out my bedroom window bent by the warming rays of the sun and extended each minute with each drip of water that just won't seem to let go. I love it though and this transformation  has been so fun to watch as I have spent the winter here.

We  had a dusting of snow on the 22nd........and then this blizzard showed up on Monday night. Tuesday we woke up to a foot of snow and more came Wednesday night.

It's gone now but the icicles are still hanging on as I am typing this entry. So we will say goodbye to March and hello to April as Randy and I hit the road for Cali tomorrow leaving behind the memories of March which included some birthday celebrations....Traci and Emily share March 12 and Mae celebrated her first in style....so sorry I couldn't be there but loved seeing pics and hearing about it.

I've always spotlighted my birthday peeps but haven't been doing it this time around but I must shed some of the spotlight to day on this sweetie. A  more loved little child you will never find as she joins this family with four older brothers. She turned one year old on March 24.

Happy Birthday Sweet Baby Mae....you are so adorable, jelly shoes, pigtails and all.  And speaking of birthdays....I think I'll put this right here as we celebrated my mom's 89th yesterday.

We are actually all gathered in her room at the Meadows and I think we all fit in there quite well. She has adjusted and the staff assures me that she is happy there. I see her taking on  her usual compassionate service role as she visits her many friends both old and new. There are a lot of people she has known and loved that share this residence and she seems to enjoy the activities, socializing and wonderful food. She definitely is thriving and it was fun to see her interact with staff and to be with her as family. We love you Mom.....we'll do it up real big next year for your 90th. Spring is also when we look forward to the season at Tuacahn.  I got a jump-start this year as Spencer and Shana gave me tickets to "Vocal Point" and "Noteworthy", the BYU Acapella groups.

I got into this stuff on my mission and we have all enjoyed "Acapellastock" every year in Ogden. Loved being there with the fam and loved the music. Thanks for a very thoughtful gift and the good memories.....(lower right; James and Lauri rockin' out in another section.) Spring also brings the beginning of "my boys of summer".....and I do love watching my little ones play baseball. I wasn't able to attend this tournament in Vegas but McKay came from Salt Lake to play on Seth's team. Jack was also there and it made for a funfilled week-end of baseball but I do enjoy getting to any of the games that I can....

I especially have loved watching these two gain a love and appreciation of the game and a lot of skill as well. Great coaches, their dads and Aaron McArthur have carried on the traditions of their fathers. Kyle is doing it as well as he coaches Evan's team this year. Can't wait for those games to start. Soccer,Cross Country and swimming are also sports my kiddies participate in.....but they know it and I admit that there's nothing like baseball.  I do try to get to whatever events I can and love watching them participate in these various sports.....and speaking of sports.....

...I have to give a shout out to the best sport of all, my dear husband who works his butt of all month to make a living then comes here and works just as hard to get this yard into working order. He created and built this new sprinkler system and box in one day, Monday and then it snowed a foot on Tuesday. What a guy.  We are ready for spring.....

...as he sets up and tries out this new fire pit. Can't wait to roast a few over this on the beautiful spring and summer evenings up here and hopefully, we won't have to worry about the fire marshal hunting us down. Easter weekend brings the Art Fair to our fair city.

We stopped by for a little while on Saturday and met James and Lauri there. Lucy and Molly are picking me out a water feature while Louis is just enjoying the ride. Meanwhile, back at the cabin....

...I continue to unpack and re-arrange furniture and make small changes to make this house our home....and love it, we do. Never have I felt such peace and contentment as I do in this tree house set in the midst of this beautiful mountain, Pine Valley. Every night I retire with the moon shining through my window and awake with the sun smiling at me in the morning. It's like resort living.....every single day.  I enjoy visitors but I also enjoy the solitude. I've enjoyed having family join me for snow days and Easter dinners. Looking forward to the blossoming of this beautiful yard. I do consider myself blessed.......and I close with this Irish Blessing:

Always remember to forget

The things that made you sad.

But never forget to remember

The things that made you glad.

Always remember to forget

The friends that proved untrue.

But never forget to remember

Those that have stuck by you.

Always remember to forget

The troubles that passed away.

But never forget to remember

The blessings that come each day.

They said it might rain....

....but I woke up to this beautiful sight and it was gone by noon. This was looking out my bedroom window at 7:00 this morning.

It has been a winter with lots of snow but I've really enjoyed it. It will also be fun to watch the transformation in a few weeks.

This is a view from the "cajuzzi"......as I love to go out there in mid-day when the sun is shining straight down.

I've also enjoyed feeding and watching my winter birds. They come by all day for snacks. I've yet to capture the big blue ones but I'm still trying.  Randy and I feel very blessed to have this beautiful place and we were able to spend our first Christmas together here.

Here's our Christmas card and before we leave the snow and enter the spring....I'm going to get caught up with all the holiday fun we had.

Our first Christmas together at our new home. A relaxing, wonderful day exchanging gifts and enjoying our new fire place. Hopefully this will be our new tradition. Sure was fun. Another fun tradition is our Annual Gingerbread House Competition sponsored by JoEllen.

Never a dull moment and her hard work is really appreciated.

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This is the first year that we didn't do Christmas Eve at great grandma's....she was at the Meadows but we arranged to have a room there and we all shared our usual games, talents, and cookies with her. She wasn't really very happy about it but it really wasn't a very happy situation. She has since adjusted well and seems to be a bit more settled and is a contributing resident there. It's always hard to end traditions but it's also exciting to begin new ones. A new one that I really enjoy and this is the second year we've done it so maybe it's not a true tradition yet but it sure was fun and I'll keep it going if I possibly can. I rent the Veyo Skating Rink sometime between Christmas and New Years and invite everyone to come along. It's not the safest activity but truly lots of unorganized fun and chaos.

 Like I said, not the safest activity but lots of family togetherness. No rules.....

 ....and it's always good to get done with the 2 hours with no mishaps....there's always a few tears but mostly just chaotic fun.

 Bring your own skates, strollers, wagons, scooters, hockey sticks.....just come have fun.

......and I've enjoyed having anyone and everyone that has wanted to come, up to the cabin to sit by the fire or play in the snow. These desert rats of mine don't like to join me much but I have been able to get them up here a few times.

 Randy and I have enjoyed our Arctic Cat...and it's been good to haul the sledders up and down as well like we used to do with the snowmobile. We've been enjoying Pine Valley snow for lots of years.

I never did like it much because I don't like to be cold but now that I have a home with a couple of roaring fires and a hot chocolate maker....it's lots more enjoyable.

Here we are enjoying a new game LCR (Left, Center, Right)......easy enough for everyone to join in. I think we did get in a game of Candy Bar Bingo with no tears this year. As I've mentioned many times, I'm very happy here in my mountain home and love it when Randy can join me. I especially like to share it so come join me any time. Pull up a chair by the fire and stay a while.  Looking forward to a new season here in a few weeks.

These daffodils have already come and gone at the Stewart home. I've kept track every year when the first flower bloomed. The last couple of years it's been February 5....this year it was a few weeks later than that.  I wanna say the 25th but they were beautiful.  Spring is certainly in the air.

We can do hard things....

...and putting my mom in assisted living is one of the hardest things I've ever done. It's been 4 months now and there are plenty of daily challenges and lots of guilt on my part but all in all, she's doing very well. We were trying to take care of  her at home but it was 24 hour care and it took a lot of people and it was just getting too hard to carry out and coordinate. Sounds like whining....but when it came right down to it, it took many, many people to do the things that Leila Sullivan did and we were trying to live her life for her, giving up our own. I'm sure there could have been other solutions but I think she realized too that it was getting too hard....hard on her as well as us. She told Joyce and me one day that if we could get her into the meadows, she would go. We went down immediately, they had one opening and if we signed right then we could
get 2 months free so we signed her up, moved her in and it happened all that fast. Probably too fast for her and for us but it's one of those decisions that, at the time, you know it is right. It just felt right. I stayed with her the first night and it was horrible. I was ready to take her home then......but we muddled through the first week, then the first month, then we kind of settled into a new "norm" which I'm still wishing we could have found another solution that would have let her stay in her home. (I guess I'll always still be looking for that solution). It still weighs on my heart and soul every single day but she is there, cared for, fed on a regular basis and she has a lot of company.  She has finally settled into trying to make the most of it and continuing to do her compassionate service there. She has some paranoia....thinks everyone is talking about her (and they probably are saying

nice things about her). It's all part of the aging process I guess....a little dementia probably to protect her from the awful reality of it all. I have to be convinced that it is a good place and that they are taking care of her best interests.  It doesn't take away the hurt I feel each time I go there but I have to be grateful for my life and the life and childhood she gave to me. I have to reflect on what I would want as I age. It's made me realize that life has to be enjoyed "daily" and it is going by so fast. In reality, I'm not sure what will happen but I know what I want to happen.  I want to check myself in to a nice facility when I'm still able and never put that responsibility on my children. I'm learning to be in charge of my own happiness and not depending on others for my well-being. I'm grateful that I have others and a very wide circle of family and friends that help me through life, however.

I have a great group of girl friends that I shared a lot of childhood memories with and we still are trying to make new ones as we gather each year to renew our friendships. It works because we are all old enough now that the old stories are new again. It really never gets old. This past October I hosted them at my home in Pine Valley. We had a wonderful time together and the 2 days went by quickly.

We ate at Paula's, attended a play at Tuacahn, made birdhouses and hung them in my tree as a remembrance of our friendship, we rode horses with Larry and dined at the Brandin' Iron Steakhouse. Whew, we did cram a lot in a short week-end but it was fun, fun, fun. Can't wait to do it again.




A huge shout out to my BFFs for being willing to drop what they are doing and make an effort
to get together.







I want to say a little bit about my Pine Valley home here. I'm enjoying it so much even with the hard winter that we have had. I'm always happy when someone wants to come join me but I'm also very happy alone there. Randy still has to work in California so I'm there a lot alone and the peace and serenity I feel is not even describable with words. I've enjoyed the snow and anticipate the magical transformation that will take place in a few months. I've enjoyed having my grand children join me. When Traci came to town, I invited the boys up for a night. It was so much fun. We had Secret Pals (stopped at Family Dollar) and bought gifts for each other. I even had them buy one for me and was thrilled to get my giant box of chocolates. Sweet boys. They enjoyed the snow, pigging out on treats, chillin' in the jacuzzi.......

 ....after rolling in the snow......

We enjoyed many episodes of "America's Worst Cooks" and they talked a lot. It's amazing what a grandma can learn with her little chatty grandsons but "what happens at grandmas stays at grandmas" and it certainly made me smile. I love each and every interaction I can have with these little ones. Maybe one day they will visit me in the rest home. Mom's grand kids certainly love her and have been so good to keep her company and help her out in these last years of her life. I may not have time for them though....bingo, Uno, rummy, programs, hair appointments. I'll try and fit them into my busy schedule. ....and speaking of grand children, so very proud of George and his parents. We watched him get his Eagle Scout Award this past Sunday.

What a good boy he is. I am so very proud of him and his accomplishments. He has a bright future and is well on his way to lots of good times. A good way to end this lengthy blog post but I need to add one last picture and express my gratitude for all the good in life. I'm thankful for my blog that helps me see the good and share it (I'm not sure who with as I don't know if anyone really reads this but one day maybe someone will). I love my new home....I've enjoyed the winter, making fires, watching the snow fall, being out in it.....especially loving the Arctic Cat and my new snow shoes.

I love it when Randy comes and he's been with me for 3 weeks. So grateful for this beautiful place and the surroundings we are able to enjoy...year 'round beauty. It reminds me of my favorite Primary Song......"I Know Heavenly Father Loves Me"....and whenever I hear the sound of a bird or look at that blue, blue sky, I know this for sure.