My Father Turns 80 and we had a party

Happyn 80th birthday dad! Oh, how I love you!

The five kids

Jeff, Tawnya, Vicki, Liz, Kelly

The cousins

Front: Tiffney, Heather

Back: Nikki, Ashley, Hydee (she's pregnant)

"Friends Always Welcome

relatives need reservations"

Varce carved this for my parents.

It is a saying they enforce.

Varce also carved a sign for my brother Kelly and my sister Liz.

I am so proud of Varce to get these done while working in an outage.

No one can appreciate the hours and sacrifice he does for our family.

The Three Stooges....

I mean the three sisters.Tawnya, Liz, Vicki


My mom and her oldest granddaughter, Nikki

Sunday April 26, 2009 Dad's Birthday

And we got 3 to 4 inches of snow.

Sunday morning we all met at Perkins for breakfast. The Charlie Brown snowflakes were too tempting so I joined my niece Tiffney,my sister Vicki, and Nikki and we all played in the parking lot.When we came in the locals asked us where we were from, it was obvious we weren't from Idaho.

Mom and Dad

Every spring the daffodils poke there heads up and then get snowed on.

This a truly a typical Idaho Spring sight.

Happy 80th Birthday to my Dad.

I love you with all my heart!

New Insight

D&C 122

That says all I need to hear.

Tyia's last weekend

The four kids, and Sadie.

Big brothers never change!

My family can entertain us at any given time. After eating we thought it would be nice to get a family photo.... we didn't make it....as the big kids sat on the waterfall they began to fool around....and around...................and more fooling around...................

And everyone was laughing and I just kept shooting photos, and suddenly, Kattie wasn't on the water fall anymore. She has watched her cell phone go slow motion out of her pocket and into the pool. So she followed it.

I don't know who was the most surprised, Kate or us. Well, then Uncle Oliver said Jackson could go swimming, too.

We finally ended up celebrating the birthday of Jackson. He turned 12, and is now ordained a deacon and has the aronic priesthood. We are so proud of him.

Kattie gave Jack a book to teach him how to be a computer hacker! Good Grief!!

Zoey had a gift to wrap for Jackson, too. She just couldn't be left out!

Kattie is Engaged

Kattie was engaged to Rich Peckham in March while vacationing in Puerto Rico. With open arms I welcome Rich and Alaina to our family. They are planning an October wedding in the San Diego area. More to come later.

Scottsdale Hilton

I just completed a wonderful 2 day class given by Dr. Paul Homoly. I have the CD's. And after many hours of trying to filter all that I learned.... What I learned is "I wish I had learned this in kindergarten". Just to listen. What a concept.

I get scriptures, quotes, and what happened on this day... from a church website. Today I got this quote from President Hinckley:

"I would that the healing power of Christ might spread over the earth and be diffused through our society and into our homes, that it might cure men's hearts of the evil and adverse elements of greed and hate and conflict. I believe it could happen. I believe it must happen. If the lamb is to lie down with the lion, then peace must overcome conflict, healing must mend injury" (The Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 424-425).

From our country to our homes we should practice this a little harder. Greed and jealousy can destroy so much.

The negative list,and its my opinion :)

You know when you read things about people when they are their own author how everyone always is so positive and happy and skinny and rich and in love and tall and thankful and..........

Well I have another list, it is one that tells the truth about my life.

I have adverse feelings about the economy.

After years of sacrifice and saving and planning, it was all for not. The money I have worked so hard for is gone. The promises made by the current administration, when they were campaigning are much harder to produce than it was for them to promise. We hear how so many people have lost their homes. Well, what about the millions of us who worked hard, and saved and were financially smart with a practical plan to care for ourselves. We had 401K's and bonds and a nest egg savings account and no expectation to have the government take care of us. Our homes are still over our heads, and no one did it for us. No one gave a hand out and said "here, this is your future funds you will need, and I am putting it in a 401K just for you". Why does everyone expect a hand out. When people make their choice to go out on a limb to buy something they can't afford, and still have all the extra luxuries and don't make changes in their life style to pay for the thing they can't afford, they expect help. These are real people and real situations.

But last night I watched the news, and saw video of people who had invested millions and lost it all. The man who took the money is off to jail for being dishonest, a thief, a crook. And when all is said and done the cameras and the microphone was on the people who had lost millions. And do you know what they said: "I still have my wife/husband. We have a family and that is what is the most important".

Those people said it with tears running down their cheeks, or looking into the eyes of their spouses. They are still grateful. And they weren't asking the government to give them the money they had lost in poor investments. They took responsibility. They will go after their money from the person who took it from them. Time will tell if they hold to that path.

It is refreshing to see people, in all walks of life, under trying times, find gratitude for what they have. Losses of huge amounts of money, family, homes, and jobs is the normal condition today in our society. I am happy to see someone show gratitude for the "really important and irreplaceable things".

Money is not the foundation of our character. Our actions are. Opening our homes to family and friends is better than any resort where we could meet. Sharing our food, our time, our love is what really matters. There is not a price tag that can be put on that. Whether we are renting, buying, or own our homes, it is still our haven of love and comfort for us and our families.

So as I turn my head from side to side and see all that is surrounding me, I am so grateful. I have a family, and the rest just is not all that important. Lamps, sofas, wall art, dishes, rugs, and all the rest. I could live with much less of it all.

To each of my family, friends, and those who I share my life with..... I love you. You are the things money can't buy, and can't take away. I am so glad I don't have to be greedy and expect others to pay my way, or give me anything. I am thankful I can provide for myself and my family. It may not be the glamorous way I wanted to, but it is more from my heart than my wallet. I love my family, even with all our quirky ways, I wouldn't trade any of you. I love you.