we're #1!

i bowl in a bowling league every wednesday morning...it's my favorite day!  my team...larene, jodi, lissa and i have such a fun time...we start talking the minute we get together and don't stop until lunch is over about 5 hours later...we vent, we laugh, we discuss, we commiserate.....it's our therapy and we have so much fun...so, larene and i started about 7 years ago...with some long ago friends that moved (how rude)...so then, jodi and lissa joined up...we've never been very good...in fact, i was the worst on the team...last year jodi kept 'suggesting' that we take lessons during the summer...so larene and i did...and it worked...those lessons actually helped!!!  this year was fun...starting in about december we moved into 1st place...we went up and down...up and down...and at this point, we were really watching our scores...instead of not knowing where we stood in the league...we knew exactly where we stood...so, last week was our last week of bowling...and we won!  we ended up winning by 7 games...it was fantastic...we were soooo excited...and i think the rest of the league was in shock, but happy for us...what fun...and to top it off...i won the 'best improved'...improving over 24 points...it was a great way to end our season....

almost here!

we're on the countdown!!! woo hoo!!  just one week until the wedding...at this time in 7 days austin and kerry will be running down the path to their get away car!! i know that they can hardly wait...it will be a fun, but busy week....lots of activities and work to still be done...but all good stuff...tomorrow night is kerry's bachlorette party....tuesday she's going to the temple...family starts arriving...last minute stuff...then, friday will arrive and we'll all have huge smiles on our faces!! can't wait!!!

my little family

my babies

i started off with just tom...and then we grew and added kelly, willie, russell and kerry....and through the years we've grown some more....well, it's happening again!  in 2 weeks we will be adding austin to our family!  what a fun day that will be...my youngest child is getting married...it's a bittersweet moment...i'm so happy that she found austin...but, it's sad to know that she's leaving me...but, i am so very, very happy for her!  she just sparkles these days...she is so happy!  so, from 2 to 10...and then some, because i have 6 wonderful grandchildren....and more to come, i hope!! so, i guess that's the gift i get for giving my children away....i get the grandchildren..that's a pretty good pay off....it's just funny, when i think about it...i lived in a fantasyland when i got married...i never thought my children would grow up and leave...so, it was a shock when they did....now the issue is staying close with my kids...it gets harder as they leave school and start working...as they have children...as they get established in their lives...everyone has responsibilities...playtime is over...it gets harder and harder to be together...so, i'm thrilled when we have a reason to be together for a few days...it's fun to reconnect as a family...i hope we can always be close as they were when they were young!!!

 i hope that my kids want to be together...instead of our small little family...one big happy one!

the family at russ and kristen's wedding, last summer

wedding......sigh

wedding plans are coming along...but, there are ALWAYS a few hiccups....caterer...check...band...check...place...check...
colors....check...invitations...beautiful...check...
photos...check....florist...check....oh, wait...on friday...went to the 'mock up' where they show you the arrangements...oh, but, her assistant thought we were new clients and there was no mock up....dress...check.. it arrived at our house on friday...beautiful...kerry tries it on to decide on jewelry etc....hmmmmm...problem with the zipper!!! hard to zip up....and impossible to zip down!!! it wouldn't unzip....what to do?  pulled, tugged, kerry sucked in...she tried laying down....dress fits to perfection...so, there is no way to pull it over her head...getting a little panicked right then...even got some pliers out to see if i could pull the zipper down...but, no such luck!!!! luckily, kerry was very cool about it...no wigging out or anything....my cleaning lady was there, so she was helping...but, then, she noticed that the zipper's teeth were pulling apart....the zipper was broken!!!  so, problem solved....i just pulled the zipper apart....but, wait...the wedding is in 4 weeks...no zipper...no dress...luckily my friend jenelle came to the rescue...she's a seamstress and came over to help...she's fixing the dress up so there will be NO problems on the big day...we'll be able to zip up or zip down...always seems to be a bump in the road...but, we'll get over them....with a smile!!!!

last day

we had a fun trip to disneyworld...it was busy...alot of rides...some fun parties....we saw a lot of different parks...the weather was fantastic....the kids go non-stop....does owen ever stop running?  it's fun to listen to gavin as he reads all the signs...and it's just fun to talk to charlie...she has a lot to say...and she turns your face to hers as she is saying it...wants undivided attention!!  a fun little 'girls' trip also...one of the last before kerry starts her new adventure as a married lady...all in all...a great few days....