"This is a story 'bout....

Evan.....his mother sent him out to buy bread. (Are you singing along with me? It was grandparents day at Heritage Elementary and I went down and shared this little ditty that I sing to my grand kids). Evan didn't feel like walkin'..... he wished he could waddle instead...and he said; If I was a penguin I'd waddle to the store, waddle to the store, waddle to the store....if I was a penguin I'd waddle to the store, waddle to the store for my mother."

Then I let each kid decide what they would rather be and we sing it...some choose snakes that slither, kangaroos that jump, birds that fly....so on and so on....

Today I've been thinkin' 'bout that little song and wishin' I could be something else...mostly rich with lots of money so I could help my kids and travel to exotic places......but the rest of the song goes...."But Emily got thinkin' about the loaf of bread and she knew she better move along....and as she walked she started to smile and she made up a brand new song....and she said....I'm glad I'm me and I'm walkin' to the store, walkin' to the store, walkin' to the store. I'm glad I'm me and I'm walkin' to the store, walkin' to the store for my mother." And....I am glad I'm me....I have so many blessings. I own my home and a beautiful "Heaven on Earth" in Pine Valley, I'm surrounded by my family and my grandkids...and I'm especially thankful to be a grandma to 15 wonderful little ones that love me and make me smile....and amazing friends. Yessiree (sp?) I'm glad I'm me.....and that I can walk to the store if I want to.

Boys and buffets....

....make for an interesting (to say the least) dining experience. Tomorrow is Seth's birthday and Drew was the chosen one to join him at Golden Corral today in celebration.....

There was a chocolate fountain....Drew dipped his pizza...(then put whipped cream on it.)

Seth enjoyed a chocolate covered rice crispy treat....yum.

Happy Birthday big boy. You are so handsome even with that green hair. (it was the lighting, really).....love this kid. He's 7 years old tomorrow.

One year ago today....

....this sweet little girl was born on my sister's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Lucy and Joyce.

Click on the link below to read more about my beautiful sister whom I love dearly.

http://jillynsblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/lucky-me.html

Benjas with my boys...

....Sushi, Tom Kai Kai Soup and Mango Sticky Rice....yum.

....and skybox privileges at the state high school basketball playoffs at Dixie State College.....

It's been a very good day. Dixie lost to Desert Hills and Hurricane beat Cedar. Hurricane and Desert Hills....tomorrow for the championship. I'll be there......

It's comforting to know.....

....that there are people interested in preserving our rich heritage in this area and we were able to take Spence and Jo (Randy's parents) up to Silver Reef to visit the museum there and to learn about the history of this area. It was a big part of my dad's childhood as he grew up in Leeds where Silver Reef and Oak Grove were his stomping grounds. Randy was able to meet someone that knew his Mission President , Dale Tingey when he served with the Navajo's. He even got in a little of the language as they exchanged greetings. We also enjoyed the Red Cliffs camping area that was overflowing with hikers and campers on this beautiful February President's Day weekend.

It took me back to simpler times when Scott was recovering from his Bone Marrow Transplant and we had the time to explore in the daytime and take the girls out on excursions. Silver Reef was one of our favorites.

It's also comforting to know that families still like to sit around a dinner table and talk, long after dinner has been cleaned up. I enjoyed having the Reber Clan over and enjoy a meal around my table...and it was comforting to know I could still cook and after about 3 months of no oven to finally have one to cook it in.

It's comforting to know that every once in a while, I'll get a call from one of my family inviting me to join them....last night it was the kids in the hot-tub. I was happy to head out for a few minutes in the cold evening air and enjoy a soak with the kids.

It's comforting to know that I'm going to have many years of enjoying the various sports that the kids are participating in. They had a soccer tournament this past week-end and we were able to get at least one game in of each of the grandkids.....and now with basketball, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, plays, dance recitals, cheer competitions.....never a dull moment. But I still enjoy watching my boys play their sports.

Monday nights I've been able to go over and watch Mason rip it up on the court once again with Adam, Tyler, Justin and others. They're a bit older, ya, but still got the drive and hustle (most of the time.) They fall a little harder, breath a little heavier but try just as hard for the win. As I post today I'm thinking that it's comforting to know that I'm surrounded by my family and people that I love and that love me. What greater comfort can there be in life!

Seizing the day.....

...and taking a hike in the sunshine (cold and windy too) up to what we always called "Pools of Living Youth" or the white rock up above Snow Canyon. We used to take the kids up and let them play in the white sand and hike the slippery rock. It's still there...more pools as it had just rained.

....and beautiful Pine Valley in the background with a new dusting of snow.

Sand Cove Resevoir on a cold windy day. Actually, I'd never been there before but....I'm discovering a lot of places around here that I've never been.

Springtime is just around the corner....

Some of my favorite things....

....that I've been able to enjoy this past week...a cleansing rainstorm. Nothing more refreshing.

Watching my daffodils grow. They are a bit droopy this morning but they'll raise their heads by mid-day. This year they are so very plentiful and beautiful......

...and nothing like a basketball game with the fam....

This week we got a visit from the Jazz Bear....

...and free Creamies for all. Life is oh so good.....

My own personal holiday....

...as I celebrate the first bloom of the season.

Week in review...

....and a few of my favorite things to add to my weekly post....the first being, our weekly hike which yesterday was to the beautiful Johnson's Arch up by Snow Canyon.

I'm finding all these beautiful places in my own back yard wondering why I didn't take advantage of this when I was young and could do it without huffing and puffing....but....never to complain, glad I get to do it now and with my little ones who are either going to come out of this hating or loving to hike. Now, they pretty much don't have a choice 'cause that's just what we do on Saturdays. Thanks, Spencer and Shana for another great Saturday afternoon hike. Loved it.

I spent a few days helping Lauri and James out this past week and enjoying and bonding with Lucy who was just getting through with the "pox".....we had a great time then ventured up to Bountiful to help Traci move in.......

...but while there, Lauri introduced me to these wonderful little morsels....best corn chips ever.

....and Traci introduced me to theeeee best sugar cookies in the world, for real....at Cutler's Bakery right there in Bountiful. I should have snapped a pic of them so you could see their beauty but you'd have to taste them to know that I know what I'm talking about.( Dick's Market in Bountiful also has some mighty fine ones.) In my quest for the best sugar cookie, I've succeeded in finding it. I welcome anyone that would like to challenge me. Just drop off your sugar cookies at my door and I'll taste them for you and see if yours can stand up to my newest finding. It was a good week....so now we're headed to "Singles Awareness Day" and I hope you all have a valentine, whatever that means (cause you can send a valentine or you can have a valentine (significant other) so it will be interesting to do a little reasearch and gain a greater understanding of the word, or not) ....I'm going to check it out. I'll let you know what I find out next post.

"Go take a hike"....

...are words I'm loving to hear most every Saturday....(actually, it usually comes in a text saying something like..."we're heading out on a hike, no biggie)...and I just assume it's an invitation and my schedule is such that it's easily adjusted to join in...
.....and I'm even willing to let the grandkids throw rocks at me in exchange for the pure pleasure of discovering the beauty with which I'm surrounded that I've missed the last 60 years living in this beautiful place. This one was Red Mountain Trail north of town....as far as the "no biggie" part. Well, let's just say it was a little bigger than expected but well worth the "trudging on" to see what we would find at the end. Aw....beautiful vistas. We are so blessed.

Speaking of blessings....let me count Disneyland as one of them.

One of the great escapes where nothing is real....and for a couple of days, sure can cure the winter blues....especially if it's 85 degrees, no crowds.......beautiful blue sky, lots of sunshine......

.....and plenty of churros. But, as my mother says...."you have to eventually get back and face reality"....aw, but the good times take the bite off a bit if ya ask me. Thanks, Walt, for creating this place. May there always be Disneyland!!!!!!!

Tonight was a reminder...

....of how much I love Dixie State College. I've always loved to go to the basketball games. Scott and I always had season tickets and seldom ever missed the games. I continued to go alone for a lot of years and so you must know how much I love being surrounded by my family now at these games.

There are those who don't like change....I have to say I am one of them but I also have to say that I'm in favor of the changes that have taken place and that are taking place at Dixie State College. Though I'm not in agreement with some, (I wish the Bull's name was Reb as in Reb Bull) but I do like him and he does a great job of generating Dixie Spirit. I think he's "Big D" and that's o.k. too. The games are a lot of fun and when all the kids show up, it's even more fun. The team is good this year and very enjoyable to watch. I stand and sing the Dixie Fight Song with pride. Dixie State College has given me and my family a lot of opportunities through the years and good memories. The growth in this community has allowed my kids to come back and enjoy these same opportunities and create these memories for their families. So, I say....Hail, all hail to thee....oh, oh, oh, Dixie College dear old school...we know your worth, the best on earth....we'll honor you and stand by every rule. Oh may, we never do aught that would bring dishonor to thy name....but may we be, e're true to thee, adding honor and glory to thy fame.....go Dixie....

I totally forgot.....

....that I have a tendency toward Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which explains why I've been a little blue for the past few weeks. Yes, it is a disorder and you can read about it HERE 'cause you may have it too but I just haven't felt like doing much....get the necessities done (barely) but the mood has definitely changed and once I remember that I have this, I'm able to do some things that combat the symptoms like.....hang out with the grand kids.

We hooked up at the 150th Anniversary of the City of St. George. The kids enjoyed this photo op at the law enforcement booth then we headed to Chuck a Rama for some grub. Good times.

Another remedy is to get out and enjoy the sunshine....this we did. Joyce and I took mom and Aunt Beulah out to see the new little lambs. Beautiful day. Love the blue sky.

A "sisters lunch" at Cracker Barrel....good company is a definite remedy.

Here's a sure cure....go listen to one of your favorite singers. Eric Dodge was performing at the celebration. His songs always bring a smile to my face.

Hangin' out with these kids really is a sure cure for me. They are enjoying Spence Esplin's hat collection. I won't let the seasonal blues get the best of me. I'm gonna get out in the sunshine and count my blessings. Life is good.

Some days just aren't that great.....

...... but this one is 'cause it's Spencer's birthday.....

....and it was a very good day 36 (is that right) years ago when my second little son was born in Moscow, Idaho.

....and his days just keep gettin' better and better 'cause he's home now and is trying to make up for the 9 years he's been away from God's country by finding a different hike every week-end. Glad to have you home, Spence. Happy Birthday, son.

******************************

Can I whine just a bit here and tell you my computer crashed and I hate change....this has been a difficult one trying to learn a new computer and I missed blogging about Mandy's birthday in the chaos but want to let her know how much I love her and send a shout out for a belated birthday wish. Hers was last Thursday. Happy late birthday, Mandy.

And so....I must move on....new computer, new year, new beginnings, lots to be grateful for. Change is good....it keeps us humble.

Thinking of my dad today.....

...'cause it's his birthday and he would have been 84 years old and he was the best dad a girl could ever want.

I have lots of fond memories of New Years Day in Pine Valley.....

....and when we were younger he always took us somewhere to find some snow.

So we will celebrate his life today and remember him as the fun-loving, joke-telling, hard-working kind of guy he was and maybe tell a joke or two in his memory. But....lately we don't spend a lot of time going to the snow....'cause the sun is lots more fun....

We all had a good time hiking to the Petroglyphs down by the Arizona Strip yesterday. We drove a ways then piled in Kyle's truck for the rest of the way......

...and enjoyed a beautiful day in the sun just exploring.....what wonders we have in our own back yard.

Nothin' better to do....

.....on a Thursday night..... Go to a Mystery Dinner.

Hosted by Spencer and Shana, we all showed up in "true character"....ready to solve the mystery and find out who really killed Judge Waylon Payne.

Shana and Spence put on a 3-course meal while we sat around the table eating and throwing out accusations trying to "figer it out"....

The cast of characters..........ready to get 'er done.

Ye haw.....good times. Ya outta try it some time.