taryn with julian as we shopped, my new doorstop decor, kerry and wren...celebrating whit's birthday

wren with milton, one hot mama!, my favorite dessert from the dodo

i had a fun weekend in utah...it was valentine's day, presidents weekend and whit's birthday....all in one weekend! what a fun time!  i had fun with kerry and austin and milton (the cat), we shopped, ate at fun places...saw movies, visited...celebrated....it was nice weather...saw alot of my great friends...the fryers, whit, jason and baby wren, the pollock children, the mollers, my nieces...abby and marta...it was a nice relaxing time...i've been having a great time lately...the weekend before we had a girls weekend...danece and allison joined larene and me for a fun time in california!  they came down on saturday, we went and got chinese foot massages....it was a shock to larene...she came stumbling out....it was hilarious...dinner with pam krahn, we saw a fun movie, church, dinner with wayne and russ...then we drove up to ojai valley inn and spa...our favorite thing in the world...a spa day!  it was heavenly...all day we were massaged, facialed and just taken care of...it was perfect...we spent tuesday afternoon in ventura just shopping around...it was a great time with some great friends!

last night i scratched my eye, i then took out my contact, lost it (of course),
found it...it was broken...so, i  looked like this all day! (not really..no patch) haha.

changes

first swing

is it too late to change my mind? 

where's dinner?

january comes and we all have many resolutions...changes, changes, changes...well, this one is in the works...i'll let you see it as it moves along!

my baby's baby!

he will be happy to meet them

but, he might cry if he sees them like this

but, he will love going here with them!

as most of you know...this little couple is having a little baby...today they found out it's a BOY!  woo hoo!  can't wait to see this little guy...it will be so much fun to see them as parents....

december

kristen and santa!

christmas eve, matching pj's

quickest gun in the west

i know it's now january...but, i need to play catchup...which is what i feel like i've been doing for the last 6 weeks....it was a crazy december...so full of different things...i haven't had a minute to breathe...it seems like it was months, not weeks ago...after thanksgiving i went to utah for the bagley family christmas party which was at my house...alot of fun to see the family...i never am at this party...so i was happy to be there...while i was there, aunt marie got really sick, i came home and she died two days later...so, i went back that saturday for her funeral which was on monday...it was sad/happy event...i am glad that marie is out of her pain...she lived a long life and is now living a better one... it's also fun to see all of my cousins...they live out of state, so we're practically never in utah at the same time...coming home on tuesday...i helped throw the relief society party on thursday...decorated for the ward party on friday....finished my own decor on and started shopping madly through the next weeks...it flew by...kerry and austin arrived home that next sunday...they helped me a ton...it's always fun to have them around...so, then the big day arrived!  christmas eve we had our party that i throw every year...the pollocks, merls and mcnally's all came to celebrate with my family...we had everyone but the colorado mullin's :(   santa always visits during this party...last year the kids realized that it was russell...this year we needed a change, so kristen's dad was great and said he'd do it...it was pretty cute when santa arrived...i noticed gavin looking for russ...then, russ jumped out from behind santa's back...gavin was really shocked!!! the grandkids grow more fun every year...they had a great time this christmas...santa was good to everyone...we had a nerf gun fight that is always a hit...the kids got cowboy rifles and hats which they loved..it was fun...that night we met at the pollocks house for a delicious dinner...then, we went and saw les miz....amazing!!! everyone loved it!! so, what a fun christmas....unfortunately, kerry and austin left (way too early) the next morning...kelly and jeff that night...it was a very quiet house afterward...i think christmas will need to change year to year...if the kids are leaving, i need to go somewhere...it got a bit slow after they left...then, i got sick...and now after a week am finally on the mend!  so, it was a crazy month...and a wonderful christmas!

aunt marie

cousins with uncle mel and aunt jean (my dad's brother and sister)

austin, kerry and abby

marty and dee

julie

tom and cousin george

cousins...gayle and jane

tyler, melanie and dylan

polly and me

megan, katie, sarah, and kerry...in the hood!

when i was in salt lake last week, we found out that our aunt marie was very sick with pneumonia...i went to visit her on saturday...it was sweet...on tuesday before i left, i went again and she was out of it...she passed away on thursday evening...aunt marie was my dad's youngest sister...she was a talented singer...she was in the mormon tabernacle choir for many, many years..so, i flew back up to slc on saturday morning for the funeral..the one thing nice about funerals is that you get to see all of your family that you never see...saturday, we all met at polly's at talked about the funeral...my aunt jean, from canada had been there with all of her kids...my uncel mel from vegas and his daughter bobbi and her family were there...it was fun to visit and remember marie...on sunday we had the viewing...we got to see some friends of marie's...today was the funeral...it was a snowy, cold day...the service was really nice...the nephews, nieces, grand nephews and grand nieces sang as 'marie's choir'...polly was the chorister...we sang the opening song...i see my mother kneeling...we then sang a family song...'tell me why'...my cousin nancy bagley spoke for her family...then, my aunt jean spoke for the low family...and finally my brother tom spoke for our family...they all did a great job...the low brothers and sons then sang...we then sang a medley of christmas songs...the bishop spoke...and then a closing song and prayer...at the cemetery, my cousin george played the bagpipes...it was beautiful...we dedicated the grave...went back to the church for lunch...it was so wonderful to see all my cousins, and friends that love aunt marie...a bittersweet weekend...now, back home to finish christmas!

a bit of the winter

i've been in slc for the last few days...i came up to host our bagley family christmas party...since i was here at the right time i also was able to go to my mom's family christmas party...it was held at my cousin scott's house...it is so much fun to see all of my family...i rarely get to go to this party, so it's a real treat..i saw 3 of my aunt's and one uncle...they are what's left of the older generation...then, i saw many cousins...it's great to catch up on their lives...my aunt marie from my dad's side has been in a nursing home for a few years and she got pneumonia while i was up there...it is a blessing because i've been able to visit her...i don't think she will be with us much longer...it is so sad, but, she's been miserable for awhile, so it's a blessing for her...kerry, polly and i went to see her after the lundgren party...it was very special...polly started singing our old family songs...marie couldn't sing, but was mouthing the words...kerry and i were watching and crying...it was really a special moment...what a wonderful lady she has always been....i've also been able to visit with alot of friends and family while up here..kerry and austin spent the weekend up here with their little cat milton...what a funny cat he is...when they got to my house he was running around crazy...a heating vent was off the vent and he fell down the vent...it was a scary few moments, hoping that we could get him out...last night we had our party...dinner...a few songs and a surprise visit from SANTA!  the little kids eyes were so huge! they were really surprised...it was alot of fun...so back to california to try and get ready for christmas!!!

thanksgiving...saturday

saturdays activities were really fun...willie came up with the idea to have a family mix-doubles tournament...it was really interesting because a few of the out-laws had never, ever played...but, everyone was a good sport and it was a fun time for all....the kids played around also...owen looks like he has a pretty good swing....we went to lunch, then home for some swimming...it was a perfect day...about 80...the kids even went in the 57 degree pool!  later in the afternoon, the adult girls went and had chines foot massages...this is the best $20 dollars a person can spend...it really a one hour massage...after we got home, the boys went...the kids played around some more...gavin and kate performed their puppet show again for russ and kristen...it was a fun time...kelly and jeff and kids and gygi left  :(  on sunday we went to church...then, willie and kelly left...russ, kristen, kerry and austin and i had lunch, then, i drove them to the airport...it was a wonderful thanksgiving weekend...i'm really grateful that i could have my whole family under my roof!!!

thanksgiving holidays

started off the thanksgiving weekend with a trip to see twilight

had a fun thanksgiving dinner with all my kids and friends...24 in all...

played around at golf n' stuff

finished off the evening at Lincoln...what a great movie...

what will tomorrow bring?

VOTE!!!

Let's get out and vote!!!

We have the 'right' to vote

Exercise your freedoms!

kindness

i saw this on fb (thanks kari) and just love it...we need to all practice this!

be happy

i was reading quotes today and these brightened my day:

“You can be smart and happy or stupid and miserable. . . it's your choice” 
― Gordon B. Hinckley
“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” 
― Dr. Seuss

“Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.” 
― Gordon B. Hinckley

“If Life Gets Too Hard To Stand, Kneel.” 
― Gordon B. Hinckley

“Choose your love. Love your choice.” 
― Thomas S. Monson

“Get on your knees and pray, then get on your feet and work.” 
― Gordon B. Hinckley


“You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.” 
― Dr. Seuss

“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” 
― John Wayne

“The best antidote I know for worry is work.
The best medicine for despair is service.
The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired.” 
― Gordon B. Hinckley

“Only you can control your future.” 
― Dr. Seuss

projects

for having nothing to do, i am sure busy!  and that's great...last week kerry and austin flew in for a surprise visit!  they had fall break and their camping trip was canceled...so, they came home instead...we went to disneyland, saw some movies, went out a lot...shopped...they went to the beach...just relaxed...it was wonderful to have them here..last week the weather pretended to be fall for a couple of days...it got me in the mood to bake..yesterday i had the missionaries for dinner, so i made a carrot cake, peggy's delicious banana bread with chocolate chips and coconut..yum!..in between the baking and making dinner, my friend lissa showed me how to make these little baby beanies...they are so easy and quick...i'm having a struggle to crochet...so she showed me the loom version....she makes a bunch of them and donates them to the hospital for newborns...i think that's a great idea and think i will do that also...so, a new project!!!  always looking for something to do!!

love music

music brightens my day....i love to hear all sorts of music...usually when i'm driving....it makes me happy....it makes me think...it makes feel....music can take you down many paths...certain songs make me cry....songs bring back so many memories...if i hear carol king...i'm instantly in high school....james taylor is always a staple...from when i was younger to now...izzy and his great 'what a wonderful world'...reminds me of dinner on the beach at turtle bay....the beatles are always my favorite...three dog night...they were my first concert....the beach boys...what we listened to as we drove to the beach.....and all the andrew lloyd webber musicals...we listened to those driving home from tennis....queen is a big favorite....willie nelson brings memories of tom...the redheaded stranger from my college days...you are my sunshine...i think of dad and tom....and then there are the fun family songs that we've always sung...froggy went a'courting....tell me why....and numerous others that are so much fun.....i seem to be drawn to fast, uplifting songs...they make me want to dance...wish i could dance!  music is wonderful...what are your favorite songs?

paradise

this place is heaven...how can you complain about a place that doesn't want you to lift a finger the whole time you're there?  they are so nice to us here...between eating and regular eating times...when you're at the pool they come around with 'beach amenities'....popcycles, gelato, candy, cucumber ice packs for your eyes...it's heaven...we've had a wonderful time...tomorrow is our last day to enjoy here...austin, willie, kelly and kids left today...so sad...we've had a lot of fun...on tuesday we had a great beach dinner with just our family...they set up a little table for the kids and one for the adults...it was delicious...i brought glow necklaces to make the party more festive...then, after dinner they had a fire and we roasted marshmellos...it was fantastic...so much fun....on wednesday we went to tulum which is a famous mayan ruin on the beach...it was beautiful to see...it was also pretty hot wandering around there...there were tons of geckos for the kids to see also...afterwards we went to a different beach for lunch...after we got back the clouds rolled in and we had a big rainstorm...it's been great weather...but, almost every night it rains...on Thursday night they had an all you can eat 'taco' dinner...it was delicious!  during dinner a HUGE storm blew in and i mean big!  but, we just kept eating and the musicians kept playing...the doors on the restaurant are all glass and quite a bit of water came in...but, it was fun...we played games wednesday and thursday nights...the kids loved that...today after everyone left, kerry, charlie and i went to the pool...kelly, jeff , owen, gavin, russ and kristen went to a theme type park called xplor...they said it was amazing and really fun...it has zip lines, underwater caves, waterfalls, jeep driving...alot of different activities...they loved it...so, it's come to the end of a great family vacation...we all reconnected and relaxed...and got tan!!!