Aunt Judy's Diaries

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Lately...

A lot has been going on lately, this 2011 year so far. Lots of good stuff with friends and family and I know I have a hard time keeping up and sharing the love, but I wanted to give an update.

First of all, Great Grandma is still hanging in there. She has such a strong will to live. Despite her suffering, she loves life and doesn't want to leave it behind. Hospice has been so good to her. They are making her feel comfortable even though she hasn't had any food for over a week. She sleeps about 22 hours a day. She hasn't complained once! What an example to me to be like. I complain every day about little things that don't matter. I want to be more like my Great Grandma!

Second of all...I went dark again! :)

On January 8th, dad was re-baptized. He was really ready! It had been almost 2 years and he has softened his heart and made big strides to make better choices. Long roads lye ahead but he's more than ready to conquer with support from family and friends. Ryan, Michelle, Noah, and Jacob came from Temecula. I didn't get pictures at the ceremony. It was so quaint and simple. Only a few closest friends and us as a family, and the bishipric were present. It couldn't have been more sweet. The weekend was beautiful. We had so much fun together as a family. We celebrated Noah's 3rd birthday later that day with yummy food and Noah's special "Dirthday Cake". We missed Christmas with Ryan and Michelle this last year, so we celebrated Christmas with them too. Noah had so many presents it was crazy! He was so funny about opening all his gifts.

He was so excited about his Disney "Cars" cake! Especially the BLUE frosting!

He wanted to be a big boy and help get out the plate and the "parrdeee hats".

Ryan and Jacob-needing a nap.

After the nap...

Brother and sister.

Hungry Jacob and Grandpa.

He is so happy to have his birthday party hat, balloons and CAKE!

See Grandma... My "dirthday cake".

Ooh, HOTWHEELS big Monster trucks!

This was his favorite birthday card. It farted at the end.

He couldn't stop opening it!

It SINGS!!!

But it's kinda scary too!!! When he doesn't like loud noises, he plugs his ears. The card was a little loud. But still fun!!

Goofy Faces

Jacob having fun with Grandpa

It was a fun family weekend. We all had fun playing with each other, eating good food, visiting, playing the wii, enjoying the warm weather, and just relaxing.

Lisa had her birthday on Wednesday February 9. We celebrated her birthday at Trio Cafe. It was soo good! I love the butternut squash ravioli. It was delectable. We had a fun time!

I haven't updated Christmas yet and wanted to touch on that. It was a small quaint Christmas. I went home to spend it with mom and dad. We delivered gifts and stuff on Christmas Eve. My Grandma Whittle had trouble with her diabetes and ended up in the emergency room. They got her blood sugars straightened out and she was able to go home and enjoy the rest of the holiday with family. We had dinner with the Nobles on Christmas Eve. Linda, Mitch and the girls made an appearance. It was so good to see everyone! We had a soup night. Chicken Tortilla, Potato, and Corn Chowder, lots of rolls, and baklava for deessert! Yum! It was different from our usual prime rib, shrimp, Swedish meatballs, and all that other good stuff. It was non-traditional, but still good! We opened a Wii for Christmas and played a ton. It was good times.

This was Mia on Christmas Morning. Her hair is starting to grow out. She's getting so cute!

And this was a little snow in our backyard!

Mia and I on Christmas day :)

This was the Virgin River after all the rain southern Utah was getting right before Christmas. It was crazy! Lots of flooding and lots of damage!

And this is cute Mia in her favorite pink sweater!

Anyways...so far this 2011 year has been great. I knew it would be a good year! It's going to keep momentum!!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Gratitude for an Extraordinary Great Grandma

I've been feeling especially blue this past week or so. Time to re-align my perspective and start to really recognize all that I'm blessed with.

Right now one of the things I am most grateful for is my Great Grandma that I have been able to have a part of my life for 34 years. She has meant so much to me in and I feel a closeness to her that hasn't diminished over all this time, even though I have been so distant. Many miles have kept us apart but I also have not put forth adequate effort to make sure she really knows how special she is to me. She used to take care of Ryan and I a lot and we would sleep over with her in her little mobile home in Grand Ledge, Michigan. She had a special ability to make me feel so loved, protected, and comfortable. She would throw blankets in the dryer and warm them and wrap us up and set us on the couch all wrapped up with a tea-cup full of marshmallows while she watched Dallas, or Knots Landing, or whatever late night soap-opera she was into and after that she would give us warm milk before bed and I would insist on sleeping with her in her little 7x7 room in her twin size bed.

That little mobile home holds so many memories and so much comfort for me. The owl picture on the wall and the wooden ticking clock. The picture of her and Great Grandpa, her in her blue dress. She hated pictures and especially smiling in pictures, but that picture of her and my Great Grandpa was beautiful. The fake fireplace next to Great Grandpa's chair. Moms toll-painting and hand made cards and pictures from Ryan and I on the fake fireplace. The coffee table full of JC Penney catalogs and old toys we played with, and crayons and coloring books.

Great Grandma sent me letters all the time with a special dollar bill on special occasions. She always told me what her and Great Grandpa had been up to and always told me to be a good girl. This was a special Valentines Day card she sent with a letter and a dollar bill that was un-spent.

I spent some good quality time with her a little over a year ago for Thanksgiving. It was so neat to hear her stories of life when she was younger and stories about the relationships between our ancestors. Seeing all her old pictures she kept safe, pictures of her dating my Great Grandpa, friends and relatives. She shared secrets with me and special things just for me. She gave me some of her favorite old Avon jewelry.

This was my grandma on Thanksgiving November 2009. She made it out to Buddy and Jaime's house for dinner. She had a grand old time. Ate a ton. She didn't stay away from the desert table at all. She loves her family so much. All the children, grand children, great grandchildren, and even Great GREAT grandchildren. She loved visiting with everyone!

Her life has been long, fruitful, successful, full of love, and sturdy through the ages. She is tired and worn down at 95 years old and scared to walk through that next door of life. I feel so selfish in wanting her to stay here so that I can visit her again, and talk to her about things happening in my life, hear her perspective and wisdom, and just hug her. I feel a great sense of thankfulness that she is my Great Grandma.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

DIG

This is one of my favorite songs from Incubus and one I can't stop listening to right now. I love it and want to share it. It's song number 4 on my playlist. Check it out. I hope you come to like it as much as I do.

We all have a weakness
But some of ours are easy to identify.
Look me in the eye
and ask for forgiveness;
We'll make a pact to never speak that word again.
Yes, you are my friend.

We all have something that digs at us.
At least we dig each other.
So when weakness turns my ego up
I know you'll count on the me from yesterday.

If I turn into another,
Dig me up from under what is covering
The better part of me.
Sing this song!
Remind me that we'll always have each other
When everything else is gone.

We all have a sickness
That cleverly attaches and multiplies
No matter how we try.

We all have someone that digs at us.
At least we dig each other.
So when sickness turns my ego up
I know you'll act as a clever medicine.

If I turn into another,
Dig me up from under what is covering
The better part of me.
Sing this song!
Remind me that we'll always have each other
When everything else is gone.

Oh, each other
When everything else is gone.

If I turn into another,
Dig me up from under what is covering
The better part of me.
Sing this song!
Remind me that we'll always have each other
When everything else is gone.

Oh, each other
When everything else is gone.

Oh, each other
When everything else is gone.

Favorite Times

These are some of my favorite moments and I was feeling thankful for my life, my family, and my friends. These are just a few...and I know I'm leaving far too many out. Part two to come later!

Carissa, Me, and Roxanne at the Tavernacle - Girls Night! So much fun!

This is Ryan at Bolsa Chica Beach in California. He slaved over the fire pit at the beach so that we could have some awesome food for dinner. The food was amazing! The sunset was spectacular! The ocean was so peaceful. Noah was hilarious wen he didn't want to touch the sand. Good times visiting family in California.

Clairice and I up sweet Millcreek Canyon. We had a bonfire and roasted hotdogs and smore's. It rained on us. There was lightening and thunder and some really good memories. Lovely late summer eve!!

Just showin off a little hood!

My girls at the Fray. So much fun!

Hiking up to Donut Falls! Beautiful!

My girls at Happy Sumo for Kelly's birthday.

Jada, Mom, me, Dyllan and her art! She's so much fun!

I love this little girl!

Lisa and I at one of our many Jazz nights! I can't remember what game this was but we had great seats and so much fun!!

My boys Tippy and Squeak! They loved each other so much. Came into this world together and left together. They will always be special to me!

Mom and baby Jady Innes

The boys, Tip and Squeak "sharing". Tippy LOVED to share everything!

The girls, Amber, Amy, Dena, and I at Dena's birthday party at Tsunami and movie afterwards. So much fun!

Noah. 4th of July. California.

Ryan and Michelle when they took me to Old Town San Diego. So much fun!

Hiking up Ensign Peak on Salt Lake. This was my little Family Home Evening Group when I was the FHE leader. We always had good times together! This was one of our biggest turn-outs.