Life

Okay- I am so bored out of my mind.  I had my best night's sleep last night and woke up this morning thinking I could see a light at the end of this tunnel.  I was suppose to teach in Relief Society but I got BFF Cathy to do it for me.  Not going to church on Sundays is like not going to the gas station when you're on empty....

Thursday was my first outing- to the Dr.'s for x-rays.  My neighbor/doctor (adopted father of the llamas) was impressed that I walked in smiling.  My back is healing nicely. 

That doesn't mean I can tap dance.  I did go to my sweet friend Geneils' funeral on Friday.  It was beautiful...and sad...and beautiful...and sad... I will miss her forever.  It was like a reunion after the services...so many friends and former neighbors to see that we love....


Wonderful friends come and visit and it helps my days go by faster.

But things could be worse...waaay worse.  Last Saturday Brendalyn came over and brought my favorite salad and yummies and we started watching a BBC series that neither of us had seen.  Love my dear friend.  She checks on me every day.

Soooo. She had a Dr.'s appt. on Tuesday because she's been having weird things happen when she exercises.   They scheduled her for an angiogram on Friday (she thought that was a big waste of time) and hello!  She had a main artery completely closed!  Two stints immediately! (she has bad family history)   Man oh man!  I could have lost her. But with modern miracles, she is up and around almost immediately!  Going back to work tomorrow!  Making me look like a real whimp...

So, my life could have been even more devastating.  I will continue counting my blessings- life is hard but oh so beautiful.

Niece Mallorie and hubbie and his brother and of course baby Gehrig- who has turned into a talking kid- came for the weekend.  I don't think I've mentioned that she's expecting her second baby- a girl- due Nov. 1st.  They are going to name her Larkin.  I love her already.  Love and miss Mal and Sam and Gehrig so much.  She's like one of my kids.

Last night Brandi and Doug brought over dinner and to visit.  Brandi and I scrolled through the proofs from family pictures.  It is just too overwhelming for me to go through them all and figure out all that head changing and editing.    Brandi usually gets stuck with all the dirty work.  She's much more mature than me and patient with my short attention span.

I am suppose to go on a girl trip a week from Tuesday.  I hope, hope, hope I can go. (Brendalyn too!) I vascilate from day to day.  Hoping another week down will be the cure.

Family Adoration!

One of the blessings of "sitting around unable to do anything" is the chance to be still and count my blessings.  My family is so awesome and has such love and concern for me and I for them.  So blessed by my favorite daughter- my only daughter!!!!  (Although can I say I love each of my daughter-in-laws so much and would cut off my arms and legs for them!  They are mine too!)

I was thrown into the blessing of being a mom of boys.  I was clueless about little boys that grow up to be men- those teenage athletic socks that stand up on their own- balls whizzing around non-stop- more baseball and football and basketball and soccer than I could even imagine.  But boy- do I love my boys!!!  They love to harass me and bring up every mothering faux paux I've ever committed.  (i.e. when I went to the testosterone filled sign-ups for football to pick up equipment etc.- amid lots of chest-bumping dads and yes, more balls flying.  I asked the sign-up guy if I needed anything else and he said, "not unless you want to  buy a cup" and I squealed "How awesome!  Is there a team logo on them and their names?"........

I'm so proud of my boys- all unique and talented in so many ways, different ways and I love them individually and collectively.  My boys are all so full of love and kindness and treat me like I'm the best mom in the world...or at least the goofiest. 




We had family pictures just 2 days before "the back" happened- grateful for that.  None of these are edited (or heads switched) but I can't help looking at this crew and think

The joy just keeps rollin in!!!!  My cup runneth over....

Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.-Brad Henry

Love your family. Spend time, be kind & serve one another. Make no room for regrets. Tomorrow is not promised & today is short. (anonymous)

Broken

Yesterday one of my dear friends and neighbors died- after back surgery.  My heart is so broken!  Everyone who loved her is totally devastated.  I don't even know what to say.....

Several Degrees of Separation with The Charm Girls/ Pain Meds/ Dr.'s and Kevin Bacon

(The Charm Girls are my high school/Primary/Young Women's friends from a million years ago.  We live all over the country- meet once a year on a fun trip- text inbetween times.)

Pam:  How are you today, Marilyn?

Me:  I am bored out of my mind.  Haven't had a pain killer since last night so that's a plus.  Ice packs are my new best friends!  People have brought in so much food, it looks like a funeral!

Dawn:  What's the prognosis?

Pam:  Ha! You have TONS of friends!  

Deb: So you're feeling slightly better?!?

Me: Yes

Deb: Is it going to get better?  I don't know how cracked/crushed vertebrae work.

P:  Typically I believe they can heal on their own.  It takes time and patience.  I'm not really a doctor.  I don't even play one on TV.  I just watch TV about good-looking Dr.'s

Me:  David doesn't want me to do the cement injection which would help within days.  Our otho neighbor isn't a fan but Brandi sees lots of patients that it has worked miracles for.  I think I'll just lay low and hope it heals on its own.  And not to be a prima donna but I'm not sleeping on a sofa sleeper this year. (Note:  The Charm Girls go to Myrtle Beach in a month.)  Or surfing.  McDreamy would be nice.  I call Mathew McConoughy "McSlurpy" just to bug my niece.  He likes to roll spit around in his mouth to talk sexy. I don't think I've seen him play a Dr.  My Dr. looked like a character on Seinfeld.

P: Maid in New York with JLo.  Maybe it wasn't that one.  But in one movie with JLo, he was a pediatrician.

Me: Nope- Wedding Planner.  We're a great team!

P:  Yup.  That's it.  Love that movie.

Me:  The girl that played his fiancée- her eyes are spaced too far apart according to my art instruction.  And the guy that wanted to marry her in that movie DID play a Dr. on Grey's.

P:  That's right.  I forgot that. Need to watch it again.

Me:  Oh my brain has way too much useless information swirling around...scary!

P:  That's what Eric always says about me too.  It's too full of junk and no room for anything new.

Me:  Full circle back to McDreamy.  Now if we can just work Kevin Bacon in there somewhere.....

Me:  I just googled it.  A 2014 People's Choice Award nomination with both actors up for Favorite Dramatic TV Actor.  Up against Person of Interest/Jim Caviezel, The Good's Wife's Josh Charles and NCIS' Mark Harmon- with Patrick in Grey's Anatomy and Kevin Bacon in The Following.

P:  I watched Hot Pursuit with Reese Witherspoon and Sophia Vergara while with my kids in LA last week.  Funny movie.  You might enjoy that.  Reese Witherspoon is so funny.

P:  No doctors, just cops.

Dawn: You two are scary together.

P:  Jim Cavaiezel was from Seattle.

Dawn:  And that is important because...

Me:  Because that is who I would have given the award to!!!!  Go Jim!  And I have never felt the same about Mark Harmon after he played Ted Bundy- who also lived in Seattle- and who I just realized looks vaguely like one of my husband's law partners. (Ted Bundy was also a law student.)



( note; this whole conversation makes me think of Christmas Eve in While You were Sleeping- these mashed potatoes are so creamy.....Sal Mineo isn't 6 feet tall...)

Gratitude!

Last week in Sunday School- we were talking about the scripture that says it's wonderful to be humble when you're going through hard things and turn to the Lord but even better to be humble when things are going well.   I've decided that although I've been "forced" to deal with a trial- I actually do realize that in difficult things can come great blessings.  I've had lots of time to reflect on my blessings - one being my husband's tender care.  He's been so awesome to help and serve me- doing those things I just cannot do.  How lucky I am!

We've had some good laughs.  The night before last, our posture pedic bed starts moving.  I'm thinking that David is adjusting his side but the next thing I know is my legs are straight up in the air and my head is headed that way as well!  I'm yelling for David to find the remote and he's thinking I'm doing that on purpose...but in reality, I was laying on the remote.  It was crazy, nuts (and ouch!)- but then we had to have a good laugh about it!

Love my husband and am so happy this has been a time to bring us even closer together.  Feeling blessed !

"Laughing at your own mistakes can lengthen your life."- Shakespeare

"Laughing at your wife's mistakes can shorten your life." - Shakespeare's wife

In a Pickle

You know I really like being a slug.  I really do.  But there is tremendous peer pressure to be actively engaged.  If I don't keep up, I get left behind.  But every time I do something/anything, I get hurt.

This week is no exception. 

Last week several of the friends and I started playing pickle ball in the mornings. Chef Valene.  Debra Simmons.  Wendy Elkington.  Diane Naylor.  Funny Kathy.   So fun.  Then Friday night, we had 4 couples over to play and then to dinner/dessert afterwards at Leatherbee's.  Again so fun.  Monday morning comes and I am ready to play.  Debra and I start volleying...and I lunged for a ball- and twisted and splat!  On my back.

Can I say ouch.  Can I say I broke the dang thing.  Can I say I spent 9 hours in two different ER's and had an exciting ambulance ride and a CAT scan and MRI.  Yep.  First lumbar vertebrae broken. 

I guess my decision to go pro will be delayed.  I get to now be a slug forever BECAUSE I CAN'T MOVE!  Oh my gosh- thankful for pain meds and muscle relaxers and a good hubby to help me and friends to bring me treats.

But still.  It stinks.  I was flying to Washington Monday to spend time with my dad.  I have big plans for September.  We're still in the consulting stage to see where I go from here.  Thankful that it isn't worse.

Sooooo Married!

Our wedding day was so wonderful!  We were married in the Idaho Falls Temple,  My 82-year-old grandma who had joined the church in her late 70's- went through for her own endowment's with my other grandmother as her escort.    What a day!!!

 We were married for 4 months when we got pregnant (by choice!!!!  Crazy!)  Here I am- preggers- with Brandi.  What if we had waited and I didn't get her?????

 I was thinking that this is  when I was pregnant with Ryan but it doesn't work with the timeline.  I think when David graduated from law school, I was pregnant with Travis!  Three kiddos in 5 years and all by choice and we were so poor and SO HAPPY!!!  (in spite of the HAIR!)

 This is our favorite family picture.  I won't tell you about all the drama that went into picture day!

Oh my oh my- the 90's hair!

This is us on our 25 wedding anniversary.  25 years!  We thought that was forever!    Ha.  We've had a great life together!  Love my husband of 44 years!!!

We always celebrate our anniversary with our besties- Cathy and Kirk.  Their anniversary is the day before ours, married a year later.  This year we went up Big Cottonwood to Silver Fork and had just a good time.  Our anniversary day was funny- David went to the gym (he goes most mornings for 3 hours!) and I played pickle ball with my friends.  Then I went to lunch with Elsa and Gayle- my VT friends.  And David went golfing with Joe.  And then he roped at our house with friends.  And then we played Hand and Foot and ate fresh corn on the cob and tomatoes from the garden.  Niece Mallorie called and said, "So THIS is what you do at 44?"  I know- not fireworks and big production but it works for us!

The magic doesn't begin with marriage- the magic comes with staying married.

More Home Show

 When I went to pick up the girls the other day for a play date, I ran in to a home in the home show that Brandi loved (and I loved too!  #20)  Here are some fun pictures- plus the home was filled with words of affirmation.  My favorite one is below!!!!

Rio! and Park City!

So, Olympics is going on now in Rio.  I'm not sure about table tennis and a few other events but my DIL's family is excited that Marci's cousin, Casey Patterson is advancing representing Team USA in Beach Volleyball.  Casey is an awesome player....and has a reputation for being loud and crazy and a crowd performer.  They've won their first match and play again tomorrow.  Go Team USA!

Love watching the women's gymnastics.  How in the heck do people do those things?  Just amazing!

So, while the world was watching Rio- David and I went to Park City/Heber to watch Addi play with her new soccer comp. team.

They played 5 games in 3 days- we didn't see all of them but a couple and loved seeing her new team play together.  They ended up winning the tournament undefeated!  She had a ball!  David had a roping on Friday- and the girls did school shopping in between games, but I drove up to Park City to pick up Gracie so she would go to a party that night.  Crazy yes but it was my little way to show Gracie I would do anything for her.  Love that girl.  Love all my kiddos!

Home Show

 The Salt Lake Parade of Homes is going on right now- so the other day, BFF Cathy and I checked out a few of the homes.  Modern is the new trend.  Not my favorite.  It's fun to see but I wouldn't want to live there.  Modern Farmhouse I do love- lots of shiplap which I had been planning on adding downstairs.  Saw a few things I liked.  This used to be one of my favorite things- when I was in the "still dreaming about our dream home" stage.  Little did I know BFF Cathy would be living in my dream home- the one I designed to be our forever home- and here I am on our (David's) mini farm!  Life always throws some curves.... (and man, if THIS is the worst thing to happen to me (and it's not!)- I'm feeling pretty blessed.

Oh wait!  This is one of mine.  One of our guest rooms.  After seeing amazing things- it's nice being happy with spaces of your own.

Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey.

Our Amazing Bo!!!!

            

               (that's Bo without the hat on....)

Salt Lake Heat take 10u World Series title in Ventura, CA

The Salt Lake Heat had their backs against a wall.
Losing to the Westlake Stars early Sunday morning, the Heat needed three consecutive wins in a six-hour stretch to call themselves World Series Champions. Against all odds, the scrappy group of 10 year olds ran off three victories, including the final one, 3-0, over those same Westlake Stars to take home the crown.

“I’m beginning to feel a little tired now,” said catcher Bo Williams. “But when we were in the games, my adrenaline was pumping, and that kept me going.”

Salt Lake had cruised through to the championship, winning five consecutive games over a four-day stretch. The Westlake Stars, however, gave the Heat their first blemish on an otherwise perfect record, winning a tight 5-4 contest.

A 6-4 win against the Georgia Cardinals gave new life to the Heat, but the long road back to championship now went through the same Stars team that had beaten them only hours before.

Motivated by their recent loss, the Heat charged to victory, 12-1, behind another monster game from Bo Williams who went 3-3 with a walk and three runs scored. The win set up the final contest between arguably the two most deserving teams in the tournament.

“We’ve never played that many games in one day,” said coach Brett McDermaid. “I knew we could do, it was just up to us coaches to get the kids to believe that they could.

“We have great chemistry on the coaching staff. We all have our different roles. My job, other than being the pitching coach, is it keep them up in the dugout. We do our best to keep everybody positive; when they get down, we have to bring them back up.”

Riding a tidal wave of momentum, the Heat stuck to what they knew how to do best, good pitching and great defense. Through two innings, the Heat had held Westlake scoreless, never letting a baserunner past first base.

In the third, it would be Williams coming around to score on a Dalyn Ellison base hit to give them the lead. Though only a single run, it probably felt more like 10 to the Heat, who eventually held Westlake scoreless for 11 consecutive innings.
The Heat’s fearless catcher would reach base safely again in the third and fifth inning as Salt Lake tacked on runs in each, stretching the lead to 3-0.

“I was just looking for fastballs all day,” said Williams. “I wasn’t trying to chase anything outside. When I saw a pitch that I liked, I just tried to put it in play.”

Not only did Williams have a brilliant performance at the dish, but he caught all three pitchers the Heat would send out on the mound.

“The key is to really get to know each pitcher,” Williams explained. “If you know each one on a personal level, then building a relationship and good chemistry on the field becomes easy.”
Williams would captain his pitchers to retire the final 11 Westlake batters in a row to earn the shutout and the World Series crown.

“There was a ton a hard work that went in to this championship,” said Williams. “Not just from me, but from every one of my teammates. It means a lot to head back to Utah as champions.”

“All the credit goes to the kids,” said McDermaid. “We as coaches try to do our best to pass down what we know to them. Ultimately, though, at the end of the day they have to do it, and they did it.”