What is it about a sweet child...

...and she's MINE!  

Well, my grandchild Emma Jane! 

I just loved this picture for Valentine's Time! 

 

Wishing that love was more important than "being right",

than having "imagined status,"

than filling voids with "artificial things" that the world offers to me..."

more important than wanting to look like
"I have it all together."

Love...by itself

could change life's big and little troubles...

a challenge to forgive...

stubbornness and selfishness...

freedom from offense...

Love offers peace...
true peace!

 

Only with humility, selflessness and self-love

 can I see past my own trivial problems and begin to
progress like never before... to feel like I've never felt before.
 So...Taking time today
to reevaluate...
and challenge myself to a life filled with more charity...
the true love of God!

 Happy Valentines Day!

One year without my sweetheart!

 I didn't see it coming....  

There was no warning whatsoever.... 

I was totally blindsided....

My husband and best friend Alain, left this earth
one year ago today. 

But oh... 
the blessings one year has brought into my life. 

I realized very quickly after he passed away,
that I had been married to the most wonderful man 

any woman could ever ask for. 
(I knew that before, but never with this intensity)

The years we spent together were some of the hardest...

yet the most growth occurred during that time also.

Alain was the most loving, giving, selfless person I have ever met.  

His ultimate goal in life was to...
be found worthy as a son of God, 

a faithful husband, 
a good father and a friend to all. 

  (I know he reached that goal...and all who knew him would agree)

I had the precious experience recently of reading his personal journals.

The one I read, started in 2005

and went until his last entry of January 21, 2011. 

I was amazed at his 

goodness, his humility, & his willingness

to keep trying after mistakes & challenges,

and his number one love.... 
serving any and all whenever he saw a need.  

He filled the pages with things he was so thankful for;

vehicles to take us places,

the furnace,

running water,

his health...

(which was always a challenge),

his children & grandchildren,

his ability to create and build things...

and the opportunity to serve others in need.

I read over and over again of the love he had for 

his parents, his family and me.

   Blessed me!  

I completed reading this journal, 

and was left with such an overwhelming appreciation and such gratitude 

to have been married to such a MAN!  

This experience was such a tender mercy in my healing and moving forward. 

I have felt a complete peace and calmness 
at my ability to continue missing 

every fiber of his being, 

and yet be able to continue through the coming years, 

honoring his memory,
loving our children, improving my life, 

serving others as he would have,

and being one year closer to being 
together again! 

During the past 12 months.
I feel such deep and sincere gratitude to every one of you,
who have touched my life for good...

Thank you 

I could NOT have done this without your love, prayers and support.

And as my sweetheart always told me...

"Tomorrow is a new day!"

(and I look forward to it's blessings!)

Birthday Man!

B est dad to his "5"children...

R eady to help anyone...

A good guy chasing the bad guys...

N ifty piano player...

D o it yourself man...

O bedient & True...

N ot a Nerd!

This is my first child and oldest son 
BRANDON!  
 He is the ripe old age of 34 today!

Holding that sweet baby boy in my arms

those 34 years ago 

is one of the most special reflections I have in life.

I am grateful for a respectful son

who was a joy to raise

and now a joy to watch do the "raising!"

This is Brandon when he was about 5 years old.

His sister Angela was crying because there were

too many "stickers"

in the field she was trying to cross.

 My heart and camera took a picture that day!

This was his nature as a little boy!

Christmas 2011

Happy Birthday Son...

I love you!

A day for two roses...

Today there are two roses

place by the graveside

of a very special man named Scott.

Scott is the husband of my very dear friend Deby.

Two years ago today 

her sweetheart left this earth
from a tragic snowmobile/avalanche accident.

Deby and Scott have a love story

which started over 40 years ago.

They have a family of

three beautiful daughters

and three handsome sons.

Deby is a devoted mother, grandmother and friend.

Her world both stopped and started that day.

A day of stopped earthly association,

stopped conversation,

stopped hugs and kisses,

stopped sharing and helping and supporting.

The starting of cherished memories,

 of independance,

and  alone-ness.

Not loneliness...

because she is surround by 

the support of family and friends, 

but alone-ness that is hard to describe.

We entered this new journey of journeys one year apart.

(Alain died just 5 days after Scott's accident just one year prior.)

Deby knew much of what my new world would be like.

We both know where our sweethearts are,

we know what kind of men they were in life,

and we are anxious for the day when we can be with them again.

Until then...

we are trying to make 

every day count!

(Deby has touched my life for good!)

Do you have a Pinterest interest?

 

PARTY!

My cute friend Konda held her first ever Pinterest Party today! 

She invited those of us in the neighborhood 

who have been pinning and repinning and liking and following each other!

(Notice her husband in the other room....
imagine.... not wanting anything to do with our squealing and laughter!)


OK... so the idea was that we would each bring a recipe that we had pinned on our boards
and bring it to her home and share with each other.
I was giddy over these "piggies" I saw, so I pinned them to my

"Ideas to do with the Grand-kids" board!

I honestly don't know when I would have taken the time to try them,
but this gave me a great excuse this morning.
So easy and so much fun!
Pig out!
 

Konda's Men

Snowmen that is!

Warning.... completely addictive!

 

This could be considered wasting time... I know I will have to be disciplined, but the way I see it...

once I've pinned it,

it's sort of like mission accomplished...

well... at least partially.

Sometimes I just like to look...

(we can't do it all!)

Thanks Konda!  Besides being a "party queen"...

you're the best!

Another birthday girl!

A very good listener

U  nusually kind & thoughtful!

B ig time workout girl!

R eady to work hard...

E asy to talk to.

Y es... she is that beautiful in person!

 Aubrey Ann turns 28 today.  

She is the girl on the far right.  She has the most beautiful smile and teeth!

 Aubrey was the peacemaker in our family. 

We could always count on her to be where she was supposed to be,

doing what she was supposed to be doing.

Alain and I would marvel at what a big help she was 

even when she wasn't asked.

In other words...

she was a joy to have in our home.

She is out in the big world in California,

working as a paralegal

working out every day

and honestly... still trying to move forward

after the loss of her sweet dad.

Aubrey was Alain's only daughter and they were very, very close.

Happy Birthday Aubrey

I love you!

This was a visit of her's to our snowy home in Idaho.  

We even built an ice cave for the little girls to play in!

This is her graduation day in 2008 from BYU! 

10 Years of Wonderfulness!

I s a very hard worker

S peaks Spanish very well

A lways a teaser

I s a very good piano player

A wesome grandson

H ugs his Nana with the best hugs!

 
This is Isaiah Alain. 

Isaiah was born 10 years ago today! 

He is my very first grandbaby! 

(He was cuddled and kissed like no other!)

I will never forget the first time I heard him say "Na."

(Short for Nana!)

This is Isaiah this past summer in the backyard.

He wanted to be the first one to find a ripened "raspberry!"

(And he was!)

The bee's were making him nervous so he went 

and got a pair of his Papa's work gloves.

I asked him how in the world could he pick raspberries

with gloves on?

Very well, apparently!

One morning I went outside and found my sweet daughter in law
and grand-kids working in the garden.

I was so impressed with Isaiah... he is one hard worker.

I will never forget the previous summer when he got another group of cousins

and went to work weeding the corn to surprise Papa!

This is a picture of Isaiah's dad Brandon, Papa,

Isaiah (holding his scriptures) and little brother Josh just before

Isaiah was baptized in California two years ago.

Isaiah is the tallest boy sharing his talents at our

Family Reunion Talent Show!

                 Happy Birthday Isaiah!