Time

Time goes by so fast. I have been a bad blogger lately. I miss it! That may seem strange but it is my way to document and record my life. It is my journal, my scrapbook. New goal to start blogging more.

We have all been busy and time keeps going by so fast...

Neil is busy with work, his foundation and working out.  He is also busy planning and saving towards our 25th Anniversary trip. He is going to surprise me. He is amazing that way. He has many things in the works and many plans. I love his vest for life and how he makes things happen. Neil is such a hard worker and deserves success. I loved watching him take Aaron to Priesthood and Outback Saturday. That feels my heart with joy. They have been going to Priesthood and Outback every conference session since Aaron turned 12. Neil is one of a kind and I love him so much. He does have a few faults but I think he is perfect!

Aaron is busy with school and work. He is trying to decide what to do for a career. He is done with all electives and most of his core classes. It is time to decide for sure. I say anything that will get him a job. I know some people who graduated last year and they can't get a job. Aaron is dating but nothing too serious yet. Some of his friends are getting married. That seems strange that they are all that old. Aaron is going on a cruise with his friends as soon as school is out. I am so happy for him.

Kinsey is busy with school and she is also working full time. It is a lot and she is alwasy at school or working. She has decided to go Vegan again. I hope this time she doesn't get as sick as she did last time. Fingers crossed. Last week was animal rights week at UVU. Kinsey went to some activities and she was on the news protesting a mink farm. Kinsey loves animals. If only I could get her to give her dog a bath (smile). This week at UVU is service week. This is also something Kinsey is big at doing. She will have another big week. Kinsey is still deciding on school but I think she is wanting to be a therapist. That is a lot of schooling but I know she can do anything she sets her mind to. Kinsey is planning a trip to Seattle this summer. That is her dream place to live some day. I hope it doesn't happen. I am selfish and want her to live close by me.

Sammy is busy with school and her social life. She is looking for a job. They are hard to come by for teens but she is a hard worker. She would love to nanny for the summer or she hopes to get certified and wants to work at a swimming pool. Sammy and I are headed for a mom and me trip to Las Vegas for Spring Break to look for a prom dress and enjoy the sunshine (if there is any). Sammy's friend will be living in New York this summer and we want to go visit her really bad. So hopefully we can swing that. Money really should grow on trees.

Me I am busy with work and house and family etc. I have a hard time talking about me and what I'm busy doing. My mind wanders to all I should be doing or didn't get done. But...I am working on it. I say I am a work in progress. It is kindof my thing.

I came across this saying and I love it. “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” Joseph Campbell
I so need to do this. I think this may need to be my new motto. Life is so good and full of blessings and so hard and full of worry and heart pains.

I am grateful for my blessings and for a beautiful Easter and Conference. What a combination. It should be like that every year. It made Easter seem more special.

Preference #2 2010

Beautiful Sammy Charmer

Make-up, Hair, earrings, all dolled up and ready to go!

Cute Dress. You look so cute Sammy Charmer.

Cute dress but I love the shoes the most.

Sammy went to Preference with Brandon and they had a really good time.

We Love San Diego!

Neil and I had the chance to take a quick trip to San Diego.

We LOVE San Diego!

We flew into San Diego on Tuesday and found out it was Fat Tuesday and that San Diego has the second largest Mardi Gras celebration.
We have never celebrated or thought about Mardi Gras but thought we would give it a try.

There were over 150,000 people there but it was really tame.

There were fun floats they made snow with bubbles.

Wait Christmas?

We didn't see anyone do the "usual" things for beads.

San Diego is pretty conservative.

Look how cool this sand castle is.

This was at Coranado Beach. We loved Coranado. 

The guy who created this cool sand castle says he comes to the beach a couple days a week and creates a new sand castle. 

Amazing detail. What talent.

My cute fella checking out the water. Way too cold.

You can see the Coranado hotel in the background (red roof).

I would love to have a summer home in Coranado. Loved it.

The sun felt so good. It just warms you inside out. So relaxing!

Some sun and some tunes. Vacations in the sun during yucky end of winter weather is so renewing.

The bay side of Coranado has a beautiful view of downtown San Diego.

Love this cute fella and his smile!

San Diego Old Town

Our only purchase in Old Town was some girl scout cookies.

Thin mints of course.

There was a cute girl pulling a wagon and selling cookies.

La Jolla Beautiful water and cliffs.

It was windy and cold this day but still lots of fun!

In La Jolla there is this small beach area where the seals have made a home.

The seals were so cute. There were even babies.

It was fun to see them come in and out of the water.

House of Blues

We were excited to see J.R. and his band.

We got invited to sound check. So much fun. It was like our own private show.

J.R. and Ryan came and gave us hugs and talked to us after the sound check.

They were so kind and generous.

An amazing show. This concert was with the whole band.

I have to say it was great but I still liked our show here in Utah the best.

Neil and I at the concert. We had front row seats and were right next to the stage.

The concert was an end to a beautiful trip.

Thanks Neil for always being so much fun and for being my best friend.

Thinking of her...

I was deleting a bunch of old emails today and came across
an email my sister had sent me with this picture.

It's a picture of my mom.

She is the one in the middle wearing pants.

It's been 33 years since I have seen my mom.

I have very few memories of her.

But oh how I love her.

I have felt her in my life...even from heaven.

She has been a big influence in my life.

I want her to be proud of me.

I want to be like her. I want to honor her.

Photo Shoots

Kinsey loves photography.
She has a real talent and loves to take pictures.

Sometimes she takes self portraits.

In fun and unique ways.

Kinsey you are a beauty.

But usually Sammy is the model. 

Kinsey will dress her up and do her make-up and have 

her do crazy things.  Sammy loves it and is a 

really good sport.

Somehow she can take photos and make them into art.

Snow angel in your nice dress and new boots. 

I guess anything for the photo. 

You silly girls!!

Sometimes the photos are normal glam shots 

no wait isn't she on a snow plow?

You somehow capture the beauty around you. 

Check Presentation

Neil presented the Laursens with their check from
The Second Chance Foundation. 

Hannah was very excited about the big check. $10,000.

Thanks UVU Athletics and eveyone who helped with all the events to help raise this money.

I am so proud of Neil and all his efforts in making a difference in others lives. 

Working with the Laursens was so much fun. They are kind and humble and were so willing to do anythng we asked of them. We all enjoyed all of the activities that led up to this night.

My favorite moment was at the J.R. Richards concert when J.R. called Hannah up on stage. 

See post here about the concert. 

Neil and his Celebrity friends

Neil is a local celebrity of sorts. (He would disagree). He writes sports. Most guys like sports so I have gotten used to being stopped Everywhere (Did I say EVERYWHERE?) we go. Sometimes even when were in other states and sometimes in weird places. People will stare and wonder where they know him. I guess because his picture is in the paper. I'm not sure. But the kids and I are used to it. But now Neil has moved on and he is now hanging out with other (Real) celebrities. They are becoming his friends. The kids and I like to give him a hard time.

Neil and I had seen Safety Suit in concert last spring in Salt Lake and we really liked them.

Neil has been writing for alternativeaddiction.com and he did a story on SafetySuit see the story here. He got to know them a little with the story and found out the drummer Tate Cunningham really likes fly fishing.

When Neil heard that they were coming to play in Salt Lake he came up with an idea that he wanted to take Tate fly fishing. Any of you who know Neil...know he is not a good fisher-man. He rarely or maybe it's never catches anything. So first on the agenda was to get a guide (thanks Jim Oneil) so that he would know where to take Tate. The provo river is famous for fly fishing so Tate was excited to go and thought he might remember who Neil is and if I had to guess he probably googled Neil to find out who he was.

Afterall Tate was trusting him to pick him up and drive him around and with all the possible weirdo's out there it was brave of him...I thought. Neil met the tour bus in Park City on their way from Denver to Salt Lake. Neil met all the band members and then Neil and Tate took off for their fishing adventure. Neil had a great day and said they talked and talked.

Neil then took Tate up to Salt Lake barely in time for sound check.

Tate is a great fishermen. Check out his blog here.

He even wrote about Neil and their fishing day.

Neil went to the concert that night with Matt (I was sick...so sad).

He said the concert was great!

Neil is friends with J.R. Richards of Dishwalla and the group The Gufs and now Tate and the rest of Safety Suit. It will be fun to see who will be next. Neil your so much fun every celebrity or non-celebrity would be so lucky to have you as a friend.