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.

No S.A.D. (Singles Awareness Day) for me.

No sirreeeeeee. I was able to spend a wonderful Valentine's Day (actually pre-Valentine's Day) with my hubby, Randy this year. We spent yesterday in Zion....

.....and as you can see, a perfectly beautiful day and one of our favorite places to be together.

We dined at Zion's Lodge, another of our favorite spots...and outdoor dining was the way to go.....

A selfie, some salmon cakes and the views from our table....and not that Valentine's Day is all about food but on the way home we picked up some steak and lobster for our dinner and we went as gourmet as possible......at home tonight.

It was great spending the day with my sweetheart and just enjoying being in this peaceful valley together in our home and out enjoying the sun shine on the snow.  Hope you all have a Happy Valentine's Day.....and if it's SAD Day for you, all I can say is "been there, done that".....and I like this a lot better. P.S.  I'm still not caught up but will fill you in on our "Girl Friend Retreat" (last October) in up coming posts. Until then.....enjoy.

The BIG SURPRISE is documented....(previous post)

...but the month-long celebration of our 65 started in Maui. This year we traded our Lake Tahoe (not that we're tired of it) Time-Share for a week in Hawaii and it was a very good choice. It was beautiful from the start and our room had a terrific view of the ocean from the living room so we just moved our mattress on in for the week.  Randy's a bit of a "hotel snob" but changing to a better room would mean "no view" and I would have none of that so we compromised.

Top right is from our balcony. I actually was in the ocean quite a bit but I'm the picture taker here so Randy is the center of attention. We took rides each day to see the beautiful country side and drove the Hana Highway.....

...enjoying the culture and the beauty.  We stopped at various up-scale hotels to check out their beaches. Trust me, they are all beautiful. Some amenities were better than others but we enjoyed pretending for a few hours each day. We loved the scenery....both floura and fauna including huge turtles, lots of chickens, tropical birds and beautiful ocean views.

We decided we would do two commercial tours while there for the week....the first being the snorkeling trip to Molkini. We were supposed to snorkel in the semi-circular area (left) and we were supposed to see this (right)........but Randy found much more exciting things to see.  Notice the dot on the bottom of the picture on the left.

That's actually what he wanted to see and beckoned me to come and not hearing the instructions from the captain to stay inside the semi-circle, I went over to see what I could see which really was cool as it went from a few thousand feet deep to several thousand feet deep and that's actually where the rip-tides like to hang out and one came and got us. I had a noodle so I was fine but Randy started pulling me back to the boat but we were going no where fast. I saw this look on his face that I hadn't seen before and said "Are we in trouble"....."yes"...he said and he wasn't kidding....as we went up and down with the wave and further out to sea. He started hollering help and I started waving my noodle. I didn't feel impending doom. I've felt it before and this wasn't it but I think Randy did, I'm not sure but in our struggle to move any way we could.....
Ben Affleck showed up.......

....and rescued us. He was actually Ron but I couldn't think of him as anything but Ben, our life-saver for real.  He told us that Michael Phelps couldn't even swim this wave and he told us to hold on and he took us to another boat that was closer than ours. Chelsea, I think that was her name but she looked like Gidget to me, but she was so kind in our stupidity.  When I told her Randy always liked to push the limits.....(I wasn't really mad  just so scared thinking of what could have happened to us)....she put her arm around me and said..."but don't you two have a good time together". That we do. I had swallowed and thrown up salt water so I was done for food for the day so I pretty much figure the money we spent for this tour....well, it was worth it because we were both so very humbled and thankful to be alive.  What an adventure. I can now say for real....."I've been rescued from the unpredictability of the ocean and I appreciate it even more than before. The ocean is the boss.....we are just guests. Obey the rules people..........

It really was a fun adventure but one I will always speak of with humility.....probably the closest I've ever come to meeting my Waterloo.......but our last night was truly the icing on the cake....

...matching outfits and all. It was a beautiful evening Dinner Cruise, an experience so relaxing and a great way to end an amazing vacation. Let's do it again some time....k? Aloha.....'til then.

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Coming next.....the holidays in full swing. Good times....check back in soon.