LONGEST blog on the block

After THREE years we finally had family pictures taken.

My good friend Kendall Kluber took them (I think she a miracle worker for making me look good)

Brandon (9), Les, Channi, Carson (5)

My handsome men

Such good friends

TOO handsome

LOVE 

They love their momma!

Back to School again

My sweet Carson started Kindergarten

He LOVES it and wishes he could go ALL day ;-)
His cute teacher, Miss Glover  is so great,!

Brandon started 4th grade....I cannot believe he is this old already.
He loves school and his teacher,  Mrs Smith,  say that 'he's so funny'

Visit to Enterprise

We took the weekend of my dad's birthday to visit my parents, my sister and their cute new foreign exchange student and my Grandpa in Enterprise and we had a GREAT time! 

Aunt Lori let the boys slack-line with her

The LOVED it!

Showing the boys how it's done

Grandpa showing the boys how to make a race track with a hose and golf balls
(something he did a lot when he was little and my brothers and boy cousins did it as well)

Perfecting their track, they played out there for hours!

The gift I made for my dad's birthday...A tribute to his mission in  Japan. The picture was taken in Tokyo  in 1972, the  papers are (on the left) his mission call signed by President Harold B. Lee, (on the left) his bishops call, signed by President Thomas S. Monson.

Memories of Grandma Honey

This is the first time I've stayed at The Honey's since Grandma passed and nothing has changed

In her bathroom all the little things that make the space 'hers' are still in their rightful place, her shower cap still hangs by the shower, all her necklaces still hang, her polish and perfume waiting to be used...I smelled the perfume and burst into tears, it is HER scent.

Her purse is hanging in it's place on the banister complete with her wallet, brush, lipstick,  mints, and  compact.

My goal is to blog more....Wish me luck!

Grandma Honey

This summer has been one of the most life changing of my life.  On June 29th 2012 I lost one of the most influential people in my life:

My sweet Grandma Honey

She was diagnosed with bladder cancer over memorial day weekend and was placed on hospice within days and lived longer than anyone expected: 4 long and painful weeks.

Reva Helen Atkin Truman
(Grandma Honey)
November 17 1933-June 29 2012

I love this lady so incredibly much and looked up to her probably more than just about anyone. She was a very loving and talented woman.

I just want to pay tribute to this incredible lady of a minute:

This is her at probably age 5

Wasn't she a fox?!

On the day she became Mrs. Bill Truman (age 18)

On their honeymoon to Colorado

They have the greatest love story EVER!

In reading my her history I came across the most beautiful things. This quote is my favorite... It's some of her feelings for my Grandpa:
'As with most young couples, the first years we had to learn to live together and adapt, to compromise, and to forgive and forget. We have refused to permit grudges to separate us, even in spirit. We were deeply in love when we married, were physical in our love and found pleasure in this aspect of our marriage, and still appreciate being close, touching, and taking time together. He puts me first in all situations. I still get breathless when he holds me close, look forward to his return, and find peace in his presence.'

One week before she passed...look at the love and worry in his eyes as he looks at her

One of the last times she was able to talk to me.

I was privileged to be close by when her spirit left this earth life behind, along with my grandpa, my dad, my baby sister, Lori and my two boys.  It was a very special experience that I haven't been able to put into words yet...one day I hope to put into words my feeling from that night.

My dad is her oldest child

I am her oldest (and favorite) grandchild

I love her and miss the heck out of her. I know that there is a plan for this life and that I will see her again, I am grateful for the Gospel of  Jesus Christ for providing the path for for us to follow, I do not know how I would be able to find peace in this loss with out it!

New Neptune Park

A few months ago a new park was built close by...It really is the COOLEST park ever built!  They call it 'Neptune Park' and it is part of Saratoga Springs City and its about 2 miles from our house.

The best thing at Neptune Park is this amazing pyramid rope coarse, Les climbed it one day...it took him several minutes. I was only able to get half way before I was too scared I wasn't going to be able to get down.

Brandon can climb to the very top in about 30 seconds I'm not sure how tall it is, but I would guess it's about 40 feet to the top (?)  Apparently it is the only structure of it's kind in the Western Hemisphere.

Carson can only get this far ;-)

There are some really great equipment at Neptune Park, there is something for toddlers to adults...swings, slides, jungle gyms etc.  There is even a pretty amazing basketball court, that has goals for all sizes from little guys (about 7ft) to Pro size (10ft) the Basketball courts were built through a donations by the Utah Jazz so it makes sense that at the 'Grand Opening' and ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday that the Jazz was a part of the celebration!

The boys got to meet and get an autograph from the Jazz mascot 'Bear'

There were a TON of people there and we had to wait in a line, but the boys were so excited about it, they are pretty big Jazz fans!

 They were handing out a Jazz magazine that has information about each player and the team history. The Jazz also sent one of the players Josh Howard #8, Brandon was especially excited to get to meet him and get his autograph on his page in the book....Brandon has set a goal to get each of the players autographs in that book and when he grows up he wants to play for the Utah Jazz!!

Spring....

It has been finally warming up and so the boys got out there swim trunks (while they had the chance) and ran through the water in the sunshine....

They ran so fast cause the water wasn't exactly warm

Brandon

Carson

Me, enjoying the sunshine ;-) I LOVE the bright summer colors!

I'm so glad the boys got the chance to play in the water....as of today it is overcast and breezy, we are expecting rain soon.

EASTER 2012

This year we had a very simple Easter.  We wanted the boys to really understand what Easter if for, so for the first time they received a picture of Christ leaving the tomb.  I think they understood, but at any rate this will be a tradition from now on!

Our handsome boys ready for Easter Sunday at Church

Brandon Dale 9yrs old

Carson David 5yrs old

I can't believe they are so big and handsome!

We did have a small Easter egg hunt in the front yard....

(With the crazy Utah weather we had snow the Friday before Easter so our poor grass is still trying to recover, and it had just been aerated so there are little dirt clods all over...It was not ideal for an Easter egg hunt) 

Singing Time

I have been called as our wards Primary Chorister.....AND I LOVE IT!! I thought that YW's was the only place for me, but I was wrong! I love being in Primary!!  Those sweet little (sometimes loud) voices singing and learning about the Gospel is really humbling.  They don't care that I have ZERO musical talent, or that I am a BIG DORK who is overly excited about being with them, they (most of them) love singing time!  This past Sunday I chose for the Senior Primary kids to sing Scripture Power, they sing this song with so much enthusiasm, for some reason the spirit hit so hard and I couldn't even sing with them cause I was balling like a baby, haha!
Plus, I get to be a crafty:

These darling little buckets were so fun yet tedious to make, good thing I have a Cricut that did all the cutting for me :-)  and the buckets are double sided (the center divider is floral foam). You see our Primary is HUGE, so it's hard to know all the kids names and be able to remember who has helped and who has not, so on each on of the CTR sticks is a child's name, and when I (or anyone else in Primary) needs a helper we can just pick one of the CTR shields and that is our helper.  Once we have used the CTR shield it get placed in the back of the bucket and the back is full we will turn it around  and start all over. 

OH!!! I forgot to mention that the Primary theme for 2012 is Choose The Right (CTR) I love this theme, it is so basic and simple, but, SO important. 

Click the CTR and hear the 2012 song 'As a Child of God'

I can't wait to see what else this calling has in store ;-)

2012.....

This year has started off FANTASTIC! I Graduated from Cosmetology school and stared my own business...A salon in our home.  It is still a work in progress, but I am so excited about it!