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

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....

domestic goddess

last night i made strawberry jam....in the process i found out that my two youngest children (who aren't that young) don't remember that i did this...guess i've been 'off the domestic' wagon for toooooooo long...it made me think...as the kids got older, i stopped doing things that i did alot when they were little...probably the biggest one would be cooking!  i guess i figure...why cook, when half the time no one is home?  i used to do alot of things, i guess because i was home all day with young children and i had to keep busy or i'd probably kill them!  not really, but, you know what i mean....let's see...what did i used to do....cook, bake, can fruits, make jams, dry foods, sew, make crafts, paint, decorate and refurbish furniture, read, try to garden or at least keep the flowers from dying... i used to drive, drive, drive, it seems like i wouldl get home and then a child would call and i'm ready to be picked up!  loved it when cell phones came around!! saved me alot of trips, back and forth....i love to decorate and make things for my house...then, i'd clean, clean and a little more cleaning...so, that's a bit of what i used to do you guys (k and r), then, we'd go to the park, the beach, the tennis club, or friends for you guys to play and have fun......back in the day that's what we'd do...i felt like we had family night--all day and night..we were always together...and i loved it...sooo...what did you other moms do?  what don't your kids remember?  i swear, kerry doesn't remember half the places we've been or done...sometimes i wonder 'why did i do this?'...i'm finding mine don't remember much...so, i'll just  have to keep reminding them! that will keep me busy...

fall fun

it's been a week of fun...goings and comings...busy busy...kelly and willie came last saturday...on sunday we drove down to kelly and jeff's for charlie's baby blessing...and gavin's first primary program...both were wonderful...plus, it was fun for the cousins to all be together...then, later in the afternoon, we went to the disneyland hotel where we stayed overnight in preparation for our big day at disneyland...what a fun day for the kids...we went to california adventure...they love 'a bug's land', toy story...we had lunch with all the princesses...kate was thrilled...then we went over to disneyland...rode pirates, nemo, a small world, matterhorn, space mountain..it was a fun, fun day...there is alot going on with kids that are 4,3,2,1 and 5 months and 3 months...all the parents are busy keeping an eye out for a runaway...a crying baby or whatever...but, watching the joy in their faces is so much fun...on tuesday after a much need looooonnng sleep...my feet really hurt on tuesday...we (adults) went to a dinner at pepperdine to honor terry and sharon, my in laws...it was really nice, kelly lewis gave a wonderful toast in their honor...the only glitch, was terry wasn't able to be there...while getting dressed he suffered a bout of vertigo and was so dizzy he couldn't stand up...so only sharon was there, the evening turned out lovely, though...this morning, kelly and willie, with russ' help had pictures on the beach with the kids and then tonight it was back to disneyland for them (not me), for a night of trick or treating with the cousins, of course....tomorrow, we're going to slc for cousin benji's wedding on saturday.....the fun never stops!!!

legoland

we went to legoland on friday...
the boys loved it..
not quite disneyland,
but, then what is?
we had a fun day together...
seeing all the fun things
they have made with legos....

my hat's off to you!

my hat's off to all of you young mothers...the ones that are up all night with a crying baby, playing with their little kids, cooking, cleaning, trying to have a spare moment to yourselves...my hats off to you! i'm proud of all of you...you want to do it all...you want to be the mommy, the bread winner, the athlete, the cook, whatever..it's a hard job and you do it well..just know that my hat's off to you! stay strong...the days are long, sometimes the nights are longer, but just know that one day those little babies will be grown up and off on their own adventures...so enjoy the moments of the sweet smelling baby, a grubby little hand, a kiss on a cheek, or a soft 'i love you'...those little babies grow up so fast...and then you'll be wishing that they were still with you...as the mother of fantastic kids (i did bring them up, right?) i have been there and know what's in your heart...so, i want you to know...my hat's off to you...for all that you do!

what could be better?

What could be better than:

Swimming in the beautiful turquoise blue ocean?

Being at the beach?

Giving your favorite cousin a kiss?

Trying to fill some big shoes?

Having fun with your aunt?

Being snuggled together in a bed?

Being with your sisters?

Playing on the beach with your uncle?

Swimming with your daddy?

Digging in the sand?

Taking a walk with your mom?

Being with your whole family?

Taking your first trip to Hawaii?

What could be better?

Nothing!

congrats to nick

a kiss goodbye?
cute

elder nick

nick lived with us this summer...he wanted to be back in california for his last summer before his mission..and since his parents so rudely moved last year, he lived with us...but, that's ok, because now we have payback and kerry spends many hours at their house...but, back to nick...he worked hard this summer and got his mission papers in and a couple of weeks ago he received his call..he's going to spanish speaking pocatello idaho mission...he's very excited to go and we are very proud of him...kerry will miss her best friend...so congratulations nick...we're excited for you!!

it's birthday time

august is the end of my summer birthdays...they start in june with russ and kelly, then there is jeff, then we have willie and kerry in august...the rest of the family is scattered during the year...but for 6 weeks, we seem to have birthdays galore!

willie celebrated at our house with a little help from kate

so lucky me...this year willie and kelly and their 2 darling babies were here to celebrate his 28th birthday!! what fun...it's sad as your kids get older and you're not always with them for that special day...willie has always been a sweetheart...he is kind, generous, loving, fun, just an outstanding person...i so admire what he has grown up to be...what a lucky person i am to have him as my son.....

kerry had a barbecue and swim party with alot of her friends


yesterday, it was my baby's birthday...kerry turned 19!! how can that be? it seems like yesterday she was 5...we had a fun party with her friends, she went to the beach on a gorgeous day...it was a very nice day for her...and she deserves it...kerry is my buddy...she's been here, alone with me for many years...i love to be with kerry, she can make me laugh, i love to hear what she's thinking...she is so talented...she is artistic, crafty, fun to be around, a great friend, loyal, loving...i love to see how she has grown and changed...just this last year, being away in college, she has turned into a beautiful person....


russ was celebrating at machu picchu

in june we celebrated russ' 23rd birthday, it was a special birthday spent at machu picchu...the hotel even made him a cake...russ is the big strong silent type...but he can be very funny when he wants to be...he is so very kind...he doesn't like to hurt others...he is athletic, smart and very loving...he is hardworking, just graduated from the u of u...he is a good artist, loves fishing and many, many sports...

kel went to disneyland with her family

kelly turned the BIG 30 in june also....so, what does that make me? old! but, she's a very beautiful, classy 30 year old...she has accomplished so much in her life...she has always been a go getter...she has a million things going at once...she is also very talented with sewing, making quilts, art work, jewelry making...plus she is chasing her 2 darling boys...i'm amazed at all that she does...she gets more done in one day than i do in a month! she's a great entrepreneur and i know she will make her mark in the world...

jeff, kelly and kerry went to see coldplay for his day


jeff turned 33 in july..he is a great son in law...he is working hard at making his law firm a success...he is always learning new things..he loves sports, any and all...biking, snowboarding, surfing, whatever...he never stops moving, it seems...he loves music, plays different instruments, he is smart and fun to be around....plus, he shares those 2 cute boys...

so, as you see...i'm a very lucky mom, with a fantastic family! and that's only half of us!

bahama mama

so, we left russ and whit in nyc, where they stayed an extra day or so...and we took off for the bahamas....paradise island to be exact...we are staying at the one and only ocean club...it's a really beautiful hotel...you might have seen it in 'casino royale', the last james bond...anyway...it's all about turqouise water, blue sky and palm trees, swaying in the breeze...in the afternoon some clouds may roll in...but, it's really beautiful...the babies are having fun with the pool...the cousins are now old enough to be playing together and want to be with each other...very fun..can be pretty noisy also...so for the next few days...this is where i'll be hanging...drinking my virgin strawberry daiquiris...having a massage or two...and enjoying the sun...don't worry, be happy!

good mail!!!

i've had some really fun mail the last few days...today, i got a really fun "good mail" package from this girl...it's more special, since she's my daughter...but, i received a cute red mail box filled with treats...there were her darling fortune cookies that she made, a box of conversation hearts and some delicious truffle kisses...what a fun gift to open and perfect for valentines day...