Another Birthday All Ready?!

OK, seriously.....didn't I just have a birthday? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for celebrating & getting spoiled; but, 40-something is just not quite as exciting as some other birthdays! :} I was just glad to get out of the house, as I've been down on bed rest. I didn't want to push it, so I just planned to go see Dylan's game & take it from there. What a fun surprise to get a text from long time friend, June, saying she saw me across the football field. Thanks for finding me June! :}

Lil' Ms. Thing being her cute self! :}

The man of the hour

It was a beautiful fall day, perfect football weather! 

And they win the game big with a score of 34-0 (which is all I asked for :}) (and nice of the boys to participate in the pink socks campaign for breast cancer awareness! :})

Way to go boys!!

Proud of my boy! :}

Daddy & his girl 

We decided to go celebrate with some dinner & time with Josh, and The Schaefermeyer's 

The boys were a little hyped up from the big win! :}

B-Dog & Kyra

Silly Matt & Summer

Nice to hang out with them more. Summer is the BEST Team Mom...she's doing a great job! :}

Harrison giving the A-OK on the food.

I guess we were all feeling a little goofy this day! 

And look who found us! :}

Kaley was happy to see her Grandma's too! :}

So, Monica had given me this puzzle to do while I was home. It was sweet to pick this one in particular, as it made her think of my Dad & his love for Hot Air Balloons.I started it the night before, thought it would be a nice way to have a relaxing weekend. Well, that's the intent of puzzles, right? I do love puzzles, and it did make me think of my Dad, as this is something we would do together. But, let me just say this....who thought a puzzle with all the same shapes was a good idea? Seriously! :} This thing drove me nuts!! But, I did survive & the darn thing is done now! :}

Even Mom & Grandma got in on it a little (though I didn't have the heart to tell Grandma the pieces she placed didn't actually go there...it was tough I'm telling you!)

Triple Chocolate Cake...yea, my Mom knows me well! :}

Geez, you'd think I like The Utes and jewelry or something! :} This collectible book is actually real cool....everyone in the house is enjoying it. Way to go Mom! :}

Happy Birthday to me! Now let this age is one of promise, hope & positive days ahead!!  :}

Our Little Models

While getting a day at the salon, Kaley & Asia joined me to have some girl time. Since they got to get their hair done too, they decided to come home & play dress up & be my models. 

Love this one...Best Friends for life! 

Our cute little girls are growing up too fast!! 

Home Sweet Home

If only walls could talk....oh, the stories they'd tell! Especially the walls in this old house! :} Here's where I grew up, in the Murray-Holladay area. Nothing fancy, but, your home is your home & all what you make of it. As I was going through Laurie's pictures of her recent visit, I came across these and it started bringing back all kinds of  memories. Honestly, I can't believe we all fit in this house! With 8 kids (and 7 of those all being within 9 years of age), it made for some tight quarters sometimes! I'll never forget when we first moved from California. Though I was just a small tot, I vividly remember all of us sitting on this porch just waiting for kids to come out, so we could find out who our new friends would be. I would share my room with Colleen & Sherrie, as we were the "3 Little Girls". As teenagers, not so easy! :} I'll never forget the time they put masking tape down on the floor and told me I couldn't come in their space. Which technically left my only way out of the room, by way of the window. At least they put a ladder outside for me, ha ha! I was the baby for 9 years...so, I got plenty of being picked on! (Whaa, whaa...poor me, ha ha! :})

You never really could see the house too well, as there were plenty of trees & bushes covering it up

Though it would have been the perfect house to toilet paper, no one ever did. That was because it seemed someone was always up during all hours of the day/night! There was always a light on! 

Glenn has really stepped up in trying to take care of it. Which is quite the undertaking...lots of repairs & things need to be done! Needless to say, lots of kids can tend to kind of trash a house after so many years! :}

 This old willow tree has taken a beating over the years, and has since lost some big branches. We used to love to climb up it! The crab apple tree, well, that's a love/hate relationship with that one! OK, more hate; but, it is still what's been part of our home for many many years...so, I can't be a hater any more! (just those darn crab apples were always all over the place!). But, again, it was another fabulous tree to climb! :}

 We would often sleep under this tree during the summer, which tells you how much the times have changed. I wouldn't think twice about letting my kids sleep outside in the front yard these days!

One thing Dad loved was having the happy little creatures all over the yard. Some of these moved over to Grandma's house while they were there; but, these are things we would always have throughout the yard...

Dad also liked to fill his flower pots out front

It's funny how seeing a place will make you feel so nostalgic, like the church at the end of the street. Granted not my favorite place to hang out (as my rebellious self found every way possible to avoid going once I had a job & would purposely take shifts on Sunday! :}), I think about the old Ward & what an awesome neighborhood we had. I can see all us kids now playing Steal the Flag on the church lawn here. I can also see Steve jumping off this very roof and lighting himself on fire; but, that's a whole nother story! :} I also picture sitting in church w/ Pam, Sandra & Melissa as we would tickle each other's arms. :}

Another place of "feeling at home" would be Grandma & Grandpa Tate's house in Holladay. As a matter of fact, it was our home for a couple of years, while they were on a mission. Mom & Dad had been living there this past year to take care of Grandma. I'm glad my Mom can be there to help her!

So, what other places give you that comfort of home feeling? Just being in your old neighborhood? Maybe you live out of state, so just being back to your hometown? You've heard me say that about Murray Park. I see this river (though awfully high this year!) and think about all the times we've waded in it as kids. 

Seeing our mountains, themselves, also give me this feeling of home. Nothing like the Utah Mountains!

I can only envision somewhere out here is now home to our loved ones who have since passed. Who really knows; but, I will continue believing & having faith, when I look at the clouds in the sky, that somewhere out there is where Heaven is & when Dad said he was "Going Home"...this is where it is!