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!!!

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!!!