New Years Eve 2009

Our dear friends Jim and regina Essex spent New Years Eve with us. It was also Jim's birthday! We love spending time with them and usually play a card game called "Hand and Foot" Regina and I being the sweet wives that we are and don't want to hurt our hubby's feelings usually let them win...LOL
Happy New Years, and Happy Birthday Jim. We love you both!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIE!

Your inspiration photo to keep up the wonderful weight loss.You Go Girl!

Wow...another year has past and what a year it has been for you my sweet daughter. It seems as though the fates have decided to be kind. A wonderful new job, a great new boyfriend, your first place, you have lost almost 50 pounds!. You have grown up so much and become a wonderful woman. I want you to know how proud I am of you, how much I love you and how I wouldn't trade one minute of our life together for anything. I know our family has had to go through some really tough times but I believe we are all closer now because it of them.

You are a very kind and giving person. You are such a hard worker and are always the first to be there when someone in this family needs a helping hand.

Happy Birthday Sweetie. We love you, We are proud of you and, and we thank Heavenly Father everyday that he picked us to be a part of your life.

Hugs and kisses and birthday wishes.
Mom,Scott, and Cody

THE BUCKET LIST

OK, in a week I will be 49 years old. I have not thought much about it because all I can think about is the NEXT one....LOL. Next year at this time I will be turning 50. Most people have a list of things they are going to do, or places they are going to see, or things they want to accomplish before they turn 50? I have no such list so I was wondering....do you? Do you have a list of things you want to do before you turn 30, 40,50, or before you kick the bucket? If so how about sharing it....I feel like I am waaay behind . Mine might have to be a BUCKET LIST!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Congrats to Janine, Rebecca and June. You are the 3 winners from the "Pay It Forward" game. Now it's your turn to put the "Pay It Forward" Heart on your page with the instruction. Your Homemade goodie will be on it's way very shortly.

Thanks for playing and big hugs to all of you!

I WON! I WON!

OK, so the other day I was blog stalking....LOL. I went on to a few of my friends blogs and then clicked on a couple of their friends blogs. I was looking for fun new things to blog about, or new websites to look at and I found this really cute blog. The bloggers name is Wendy and she has a great way of looking at things. She was having a "Pay It Forward Contest" The first 3 bloggers to leave a message would be the winners of a really cute homemade craft. The catch is you have to post the "Pay It Forward" contest to your blog. So....I left her a message and...YEP...I WON! Today I received this really cute banner that she made. The picture above is from her blog as I have not put mine up yet. But it is sooo cute. Thanks a bunch Wendy I love it!!

So, I posted the "Pay It Forward" message on my blog but so far have only had 2 of my blogger friends leave me a message. One more and I can declare you all "WINNERS" And then I will send you a wonderful homemade craft or treat and then you too can "PAY IT FORWARD"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON

We want to wish our Son Brandon a
VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

He is serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Mexico. He is growing and changing so much. He loves his mission and loves serving the Lord. We really miss him and his wonderful, witty humor.

Happy Birthday "B" we love you and miss you and are soooo proud of you.
Big Hugs (((((((BRANDON))))))
Dad,Cricket,Cody and Nikyu

Hanging Out With Old Friends

What a wonderful way to start the New Year...hanging out with old friends! We have known Saundra Walters, her husband (the late Mike Walters) for a long time. We have shared a lot of laughter and tears over the years. We feel so blessed to have them as such good friends...actually they are more like family!

Tammy is now married to a wonderful man named Aaron, whom we also love. They have a daughter named Maycee...who honestly could not be any cuter or Sweeter! It was great to get our families together for dinner and a lilttle catching up. We had a great time and can't wait to do it again!

Our granddaughter Paige and Maycee are going to be great friends!

Wow...those girls look pretty tough. Better not mess with them!

Hanging Out With Good Friends

What a great way to start out the new Year...hanging out with good friends. We have been friends with Saundra her husband (the late Mike Walters) and their kids for a long time. We have shared a lot of laughter and tears over the years. Now Tammy is married to a wonderful man Aaron whom we also love and they have a sweet little girl named Maycee....who honestly couldn't be any cuter or sweeter! We are so glad we get to spend time with such great friends. We love you guys!!

Our granddaughter Paige and Maycee are going to be good friends!!

Wow...those are some mean lokoing girls. You better not mess with them!

Pay It Forward!

OK, I saw this on someone's blog and made a comment and...I WON! So now I get to pay it forward. Here is how it works......

–Be one of the first three bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me. (Don’t cringe just yet. It’ll be good)

–Winners must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first three bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

–The gift that you send to your Three Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!

–When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love!

If you are not one of the first Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Please take the button and post it on your blog; start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!

Get Ready. Get Set. Comment!!!

Winter Wonderland

Being born and raised in sunny Florida and spending much of my life very close to the beach you must know that Winter in Utah is not my favorite thing in the world. I hate driving in it, I hate to shovel it,I hate it tracked into my house and onto my carpet. It seems to always start when I am in the parking lot at the grocery store with a cart full of groceries that have yet to be put into the car. My feet start freezing in October and don't thaw until sometime in April. BUT....it sure is pretty. Here is my own personal winter wonderland. These are views from my kitchen window and my driveway.

Shopping Anyone?

Ok, I just cleaned out my closet and filled a BIG bag for the D.I.....I now have nothing to wear. Sure hope my honey gives me shopping money for my birthday..hint...hint! Dress Barn, Sears, khols would be nice.....LOL

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(It's only Apple Cider)

OK, most of us make a New Years Resolution and then about six weeks into the year we can't even remember what it was. Yes, I want to lose 20 pounds but I can do that and I know I can, I have lost and found it a million times....LOL. This year I wanted to think of something that would actually bring me closer to the ones I love and not just something that serves my inner vanity. So....this year my New Years Resolution is to spend more time with my family, making wonderful memories with them. When I die Heavenly father is not going to say..."Good Job on the weight thing Cricket, or Your house was the cleanest I have ever seen, or You put your job first in your life...way to go"!

Those are not the memories I want to take with me. I want memories of watching my kids grow up, go out into the world and become parents themselves. I want to see my grandchildren discover the world.I want dinners, and breakfast, shopping trips, movies and game night. I want to remember how I saw Paige come into this world and take her first breath. I want to remember the sweet little funny faces Jaxson makes. And then there is sweet little Kayden our great grandson...what a joy he is. And I am looking forward to making many more memories with the grandchildren and great grandchildren to come.

Yes, the house does need to be clean, and health is very important so taking off 20 pounds to make sure I live longer is really important. But the most important thing of all is my family. Being with them, doing things to bring us closer and bridging any gaps is the most important thing of all. I love my family with all my heart and want nothing more than to be with them now and forever.

** Oh Yes, There is one little tiny thing I would like to do. Learn how to scan pictures from prints onto my computer and then actually find them and be able to use them on my blog. I have no problem taking them from my camera but if it's a print and I need to scan it in...you would think it was brain surgery...LOL. I should be able to do this. After all I am married to the biggest computer Geek in the world**

***SO...DO ANY OF YOU HAVE A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE***

New Years Day

Paige loves it when Grandpa takes us all to the movies. We went to see "Tales of Despereaux". It was pretty good and Grandpa promised to take us to see the new "Ice Age" as soon as it comes out.




Way to go Paige...you sound awesome!!