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!!!

mayakoba

I am  at the Mexican Riviera...Riviera Maya, which is south of Cancun about 45 minutes...the whole family is here, or will be when Jeff arrives tonight...we are staying at the Rosewood Mayakoba hotel...it is gorgeous...so beautiful...there is a lagoon that winds through the property...it has all sorts of fish, even has alligators in it....it's not too crowded because it's the off season...of course with that comes a few storms...i was worried that we wouldn't be able to go, because hurricane ernesto hit south of here on wednesday...but, it cleared up and we've been fine...every night it's rained...we'ved had some gorgeous days...some partly cloudy ones...but, it's been great so far...kelly, her kids and i arrived on thursday...kerry and austin on friday...willie and kelly, their kids...russell and kristen arrived on saturday...and jeff tonight...the little kids have had a great time playing with the cousins...they look like they could all be 3 sets of twins...they've played in the pool alot...we had a treasure hunt yesterday where they found pirates treasure...it's been fun and relaxing...of course, russ had to go to the hospital...we can't go on a trip that he doesn't go to a doctor or something!  he got an infect that was  making his leg swell up...who knows what...but, the doctor at home told him to go and have an iv......so, that' where they spent the day on sunday!  hope it's better now....

end of the summer birthdays

this week is the end of our summer birthdays!  happy birthday to my first born son!! willie is 32 today!  how can my children be this old?  on sunday kerry turns 23!  now, that's a mind blower! my youngest is 23....we've had all the birthdays this summer...it's fun...willie and kerry are long distance parties...i miss being with them...last week i was lucky to be in utah with kerry and austin....we celebrated her big day for the whole week...it was a fun time...i got to see little wren who has grown so much and baby julian who is only 2 weeks old...it was fun...next week willie has bushiness in san diego, so i'll get to see him for a late birthday dinner...i'm so lucky to have my children in my life..they keep me going...willie is always 'there' for me...i know i can count on him...he's a great husband and father...he works so hard at everything he does...but, he loves to have fun...he loves to bike, snowboard, rock climb...he loves to be active....kerry is a joy to have around...she brightens the day when she is there...she is so talented...she is artistic, creative, she loves to rock climb, snowboard, she's learning to fish...she loves being outdoors...what great kids i have...and now that they are all married...what great in-law kids i have....i'm soooooo lucky!!!

beach kids

it was a pretty slow week...not much happening...but, last night the lewis kids came for a visit...jeff and kelly went up to tahoe for a bike race and i am watching the kids...so, they woke up bright and early...i made our favorite breakfast of thinnies, which are swedish pancakes or crepes...russ and kristen came over for some breakfast and then said they were going to the beach...it was a perfect day...so we packed up and headed out....the beach was crowded...hard to find parking...but, finally we were down there...the kids love the water...they love digging in the sand...or the dirt on the hills...owen said he was excavating...that was a word he learned from randy....randy, jennifer, melissa, mikey, bekah and ryan also showed up....russ surfed and took charlie out on the board...she stood up, but was scared...we came home and relaxed in the spa...with the kids doing cannonballs in the pool...had pizza, then a movie night...that was gav's wish...to have a fun movie night...i think i did more in one day....than all week!!

busy.....

it's been a busy few weeks....utah and kerry's reception...birthdays last week...kerry and austin, nick and shayla, shem all came for a visit...it was a last summer reunion!  we had courtneys' baptism...yea! this week was busy also...the 4th was a lot of fun...kelly and jeff came up in the morning with the kids...we went to the beach with russ, kristen, randy and jennifer and shem....it was overcast, but warm...the kids had fun digging in the sand...playing in the water...paddleboarding with russ...it was a nice day!  that night we barbecued...and what a feast! shem cooked up his famous kahuku grill burgers! what a mouthful and soooo delicious...it was fun with the pollocks...we watched fireworks...the fire that started down the hill!  that might have been more entertaining!  it was great....thursday morning i drove shemmie to the airport...and about 1/2 hour later picked up kerry!  she was down for a couple of days...austin was fishing with his dad, so she decided to spend some time with me...we went to kelly's and spent the day with her and the kids...we saw 'brave', went shopping and had another burger dinner...this one was at slater 50/50...it's a heart attack waiting to happen!  it was a nice way to spend a hard day...my girls made it better for me....friday we spent the day with ashley and larene at the movies...met russ and kristen and derek for dinner...toasted tom's birthday! today we gave ashley and johnny a baby shower!  it turned out fun...she got a lot of cute outfits for him...and then i dropped kerry off again...she's back home...and a new week is starting!

birthday week....

before the kids got married, we would celebrate 5 birthdays in 6 weeks....mine was the only one that wasn't in the summer....now, we have 5 in april and may....7 in june, july and august (7 in 6 weeks)...october, november, and january...so, today started the summer birthdays!!!  russ turned 27 today!!  i can't believe my kids are getting sooooooo old!  what a wonderful son he is...he takes great care of me...he's a fantastic husband to kristen... a good brother...and a great friend...he works hard, studies hard and plays hard...he's amazing....then, we have a one day break (except it's jodi's and allison's birthday) and  on wednesday it's my oldest child's birthday...kelly will be 34!!  how can that be?  i'm still that young girl...i'm so grateful that she was the one that made me a mother...what a wonderful daughter she is and always has been...she has become a fantastic woman...she's pretty much a super woman...she does everything...wife, mother, runs a few businesses, crafts, blogs, sells, runs, bikes, runs, snowboards, runs, as you see, she runs a lot in her life...she's amazing and beautiful...just the daughter i always dreamed of...a few days later, we have kristen's birthday....she's turning 27 just a few days behind russ...how happy and lucky we are to have her in our family...this is her first birthday as a mullin...and we love that she is one of us!  kristen also is amazing...besides beautiful...she's a fantastic wife...wonderful daughter in law...she's a great teacher...she took up running and is running circles around russ...we are loving getting to know her more and more...so, it's a happy week...the start to a great birthday season....

june in utah

last wednesday, kristen and i flew up to utah for a few days....we had kerry and austin's utah reception on thursday....it turned out really nice...it was fun to have my family there, cousins, a few favorite aunts,  nieces and nephews, and great friends...some i haven't seen for quite a while...so, it was good times...ashley, larene and baby johnny ( what a sweetie) also stayed with us....i got to meet wren, whit's new baby girl...and what a doll she is....maybe she and johnny can 'hook up' in a few years!  friday, we shopped around with ash and larene...kerry and austin stayed with us...nick and shayla came to visit...russ flew up friday night...he went to clayton's bachelor party...saturday was a busy day...we went to que and gayle's 50th anniversary party!  that was fun to be with the moller's and their family....the kids and i went shopping that afternoon...saturday evening was clayton gunn and lauren's wedding...it was a beautiful wedding...lauren worked hard and made it darling...it was blistering hot, but, it finally cooled off!  sunday we all hung out...the kids went fishing for 'mosquitoes'...or that's all they caught...and then russ, kristen and i flew home that night....a fun, busy week...

kerry and austin's wedding!

friday, june 1st was the big day!! kerry and austin's wedding....it was a beautiful day...sunny, warm...and soooooo happy!  they were sealed in the los angeles temple at 11:30 am...it was beautiful...they were really excited...at 5 we started the reception....some hor'duerves....then we went into dinner....it was a smaller dinner for family and close family friends...they had the first dance...the brother/sister dance, mother/ son dance...a few toasts....then we had a reception with a lot more of our good friends...kerry's school friends, church friends, friends we haven't seen for a long time...it was great...more eating, cake cutting...garter toss...bouquet toss...and lot's of dancing...the band was amazing...they were the same band that played at russ and kristen's wedding last summer...they were great!! we had a hot chocolate bar, ice cream bar, candy bar and a photo booth...the little kids loved the photo booth and candy bar!! kerry looked gorgeous...her dress was amazing...her hair was beautiful...just a picture perfect bride...austin was a very handsome groom...together they were wonderful...the bridesmaids and groomsmen were great and the little flower girls and boys were darling...it was just the most wonderful, perfect day...and i thank everyone that came from far and near to be with us as we celebrated!!!

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....