Out with the "OLD", In with the "NEW"

I haven't updated my blog in such a long time, but I've been way to out-of-control to take care of the "important" things.
We've sold out old house!! I have had mixed emotions about this whole thing. Every time I would walk into the house, see all the improvements that we had made and the memories that we've shared, I would get emotional. This is the only place that our children have ever known as home. We bought the house and moved in the week before we got married. We closed on Monday, I moved in on Tuesday and Wednesday (then left for Delta) Mike moved in on Thursday and came to Delta to get married. We have fond memories of our 1st home that we were going to live in for 5 years that ended up being 15 years. I wanted to move many times and Mike never had the same desire. To my surprise, I went on the market November 6, 2008 and was sold by the first of February 2009. We didn't have any idea of where to move but we were in quite the hurry!!

Thanks to my sweet husband and wonderful parents, they found us this house. We love it and feel like we were meant to be here. The kids love the house, neighbors and most importantly, the Ward. It is nice to be able to move around and have the room for lots of friends to visit. It just calls out our name when you look at it.

I am so happy that my kids love it here because I really don't care where I live as long as they are happy!! I am so grateful for my husband and parents who pulled me through a terrible state of mind and forgive me for my imppatience and fit-throwing personality. I love it here and hope we never move again. (If we do we are many truck loads lighter than this time.

How we Met!! (Tagged by Casey & She's fired!)

1. Where did you meet? Blind Date! (scary huh?)
2. What was the first thought that went through your head when you met? He is such a nerd. He was so nice that I knew there had to be something wrong with him and man, was he ever shy.
3. Do you remember what he/she was wearing? Nope, but I am sure that it was a clean white tee shirt and a pair of wranglers and boots. (That was his idea of dressing up)
4. Where was the first time you kissed this person? He tried to kiss me on our 1st date! Can you believe it? It was in my apartment and I remember moving away from him. I think he almost kissed my wall.
5. Where did you go for your first date? Family Resturant in Santiquin, then driving around and "sparking" at Utah Lake.
6. How long did you know this person before you became a couple? About 2 days.
7. How did he/she ask you out? He called me on the phone. One of his friends' sisters gave him my phone number. Pretty crazy for a shy person!
8. How did he propose to you? We used to play a game that would make us have great conversations. It was that whenever one of us was quiet, the other one would asked"What are you thinking right now?" Then you would have to answer. After we had been dating for about 3 weeks, we were watching a movie at his moms house. He was a little to quiet, so I asked the question. He said that he couldn't tell me, but I was persistant. He finally said, "I was just wondering what you would say if I asked you to marry me?" I told him he better get it done. It took 3 more weeks to make it official and then it was a night of roses, dinnner, and out to Payson park where he proposed in front of the dumpster! I ruined his plan because my grandpa was at the Payson Hospital and my family was there visiting him. I told Mike that I couldn't go in to see them without my ring. He gave in and told me to open the glove compartment. There was my ring. How romantic!
9.Do you and this person have kids together? Yes! Five! Isn't that enough?
10. Have you ever broken the law with this person? Yes. (And don't ask what it is.)
11. When was the first time you realized that you liked this person? Actually, there was something about him that I liked immediately and couldn't help myself like him right off the bat.
12. Do you trust this person? Absolutely
13. Do you see her/him as your partner in your future? Eternity
14. What is the best gift she/he gave you? I love anything that he gives me. He always makes sure to find all the things I love. I think maybe its the time we get to spend together. No wait, my favorite was our anniversary that he planned in Snowbird, just us and the fall and the snow and everything else!
15. What is one thing He/She does that gets on your nerves? When he pulls the covers off me and makes me cold. I also hate it when he tries to help me make the bed and he pulls the covers to far on his side.
16. Where do you see each other 15 years from now? Our kids raised. Just the two of us and hopefully grandkids by then. That is almost scary!
17. What causes the most arguments? I plead the 5th. Can't tell the whole world. Money probably comes in 2nd.
18. How long have you been together? We got married on Oct. 2, 1993. Started dating in May of 1993, so together for 15 1/2 years. (Minus a few weeks of hunting)
19. Are you Married? Yes
20. Who Do you Tag? LeAnn, Chanda, Jackie, Jen

Thanksgiving & Christmas Tree Cutting

Kids looking for the perfect tree!
Cody and Porche trying to make them have fun!
Aunt Phene always enjoys being with the kids.
We went to Delta this year for Thanksgiving. Mom was up here on Tuesday and took the girls home with her. They didn't have school on Wednesday so it was perfect. When we got there Wednesday night, we had a party and dinner at Portia's. Then we all played Bunco. Sunny was so funny! She would say "Ready, Go" and then yell "Bunco". She doesn't want to miss out on anything. Thursday morning we all got up and went to Dry Creek up Oak City Canyon. We scoped out the perfect tree and cut it down. It is really hard to pick the right one when there are at least 7 opinions on it. Besides that they all look really small when you are on the mountain and when you get it home, it is way to big. We'll have to do some prunning to get it to fit in our house, maybe even cut a hole in the roof. Then mom saw her tree she said that it would fit better in the city park than in her house. Our kids haven't got to do this for many years. In fact, I'm not even sure that they even remember when we used to do it. It was alot of fun for us. We ate Thanksgiving dinner at the Willoughby's and I ate enough for the next month. Unfortunaltey, I felt like I needed more leftovers so Mike will be cooking turkey dinner tommorrow. One of these next days I'll have to get back on that life long diet and do better. I am very thankful for my family and all the help, support and love that they show me. There is nothing more important to me than my family and their happiness. Hope all of your Holidays are great.

Tagged by Chanda

Thanks to Chanda for tagging me! I am supposed to post my fourth picture in my 4th folder. Now that takes me back a few!! My old computer died with all my files and I was able to have a friend take off all my pictures off that computer. I really contemplated on what picture to use but this one always touches my heart, and since it was my cute cousin that tagged me, I thought that we could all reminisce about our Grandparents. I have a real hard time doing this but wanted to write about one of the greatest people I ever knew and miss everyday. In fact, after all this time that she has been gone, I still cry at the very thought of her and miss her more than I can stand. There is no one that can mention her name that I don't get teary. I miss her especially this time of year and it's not the same without her here. Granny was the strongest, sweetest, and wonderful women ever. She always had us (her kids and grand kids) in her thoughts. She always worried about us, helped us and made sure that we had everything we needed, and sometimes things we didn't need. Porche wrote the cutest story about Granny in a pop-up book. Someday I hope we can all have a copy of it because it tells what kind of Granny she was.
This picture is of her and Grandpa's anniversary the June before she died. What a great picture of the both of them. Even though neither one of them felt the best, they smiled, had a great time, and let us spend a very important time with them. I hope that as we think about Grandpa Hoot and Grandma Holler, we can laugh and cry joys of tears for the wonderful heritage that we came from. I love all of you guys and send this to you with tears running down my face!! Your the best Grandparents any kid should ever have!! I tag Anne, Christy, Rhonda, Tiffany and mostly Aunt LeAnn!!

Anniversary at Snowbird

Mike and my sister Penny Jo planned us a getaway to Snowbird for the weekend. It was fabulous. The weekend started by dropping off the kids with her for the weekend and she greeted us with this edible arrangement!!Then we headed up Little Cottonwood Canyon and on our way up we saw a cow moose and a bull moose. We were only about 30 yards from this bull moose!!We had the cutest room with a fireplace and kitchen and beautiful look at the mountain.

We walked around the Octoberfest, rode the tram to the top of the snowy mountain, and enjoyed the colors of the trees.

It rained, it snowed, and the mist was so pretty over the mountains. I wish I could show all the pictures but I took to many!

We dressed up in our best clothes and went to the city for dinner at one of my favorite places...Red Lobster. The weekend was the best and I love Mike more today than yesterday. I hope our relationship continues to be better each day and many years of happiness to come. Thanks for the incredible weekend!! I love you!!

Sighting in the Muzzleloaders

Mont and Garrett had a muzzle loader tag for deer and Mont had an antlerless tag. We went up Ty Fork in Spanish Fork Canyon to sight in their muzzle loaders.
The leaves were so beautiful and we picked chokecherries and made jam and syrup that was to die for. In fact it was so good we had to make a couple of more trips to get more berries. Then came the big day of adventure to find those darn deer. The problem wasn't finding them, but shooting them was another story! Mont shot his first deer the first night they went out. Then we headed for Delta to get his antlerless. He succeeded! Unfortunately, Garrett was unsuccessful and will have another chance on the Rifle hunt. The most important thing is that they had a great time. Once that hunting is in the blood, seems like it goes forever.

15 Years of "What"?

Today is our 15th Wedding Anniversary. I thought it was supposed to be "Total Bliss". Someone obviously forgot to tell us that there would be a few "Intermissions" along with "Family Fued", "Let's Make a Deal", and "Funniest Family Videos". If we knew then what we know now, would we still have taken the plunge? Of course we would have! We have definately had our trials but over all it has been a pretty great 15 years. I once had a friend that would say she and her husband had a pretty good fight last night. I never understood what that ment and hope I never feel that our fights and disagreements are "GOOD". Nothing comes out of them that makes you feel better. I want my dear husband to know that I love him very much and through the good times and the bad times, he has always been there to pick me up, apologize, and make things right. I couldn't have asked for a better husband, although I probably should have followed muy moms advise about "Marrying more in a minute than you could make in a lifetime." Love is blind and it is a good thing. We got married in the County Barn in Delta and my dad drove me to my wedding in his Model T Ford. I will never forget it although my dad had a heart attack the day before the wedding. He his my hero and I hope that I can learn from his example and advise on makeing marriages work. MIKE...... I love you and hope that we can continue to work out our differences. You are amazing and I am so thankful for you becoming active in the Church and guiding our family. You are a wondeful man and I LOVE YOU!!!

Week Long Backpacking Hike

Monts scout troop has been on several overnight scout backpacking hike to prepare for the "Big One" . This weekend they went on a week long backpacking hike up to Tye Fork in Spanish Fork Canyon. They hiked to Strawberry, then around, and down to Diamond Fork. I think this was a brilliant idea. Sleeping quarters were less than desirable to me. Not my idea of the Marriott.We didn't have to ship them out of State with gas as high as it is, they were close enough that we didn't really have to worry, and the families were invited up the last night for dutch oven dinner that was wonderful.
We had B-B-Que boneless pork ribs, dutch oven potatoes, and cobbler.Talk about pigs. They did skits for us and told jokes. I was so fun. I can't even stand how dirty they were. They were so happy to see their families. The first day Mont cut his finger bad enough that he should have had stitches, but they just wrapped it (I'm sure with toilet paper) to stop the bleeding, put a bandaid on it and repeated these things when it started to bleed again. Welcome to the mans world of fixing cuts. I am surprised that the Duct Tape didn't come out. This is definatly not what I call fun, but the boys have loved it. I can't believe that someone who has such an attitude towards scouts, lets her child be so active in the program.

Memory Tag!!

My friend Lerin sent this to me and I thought it was fun. Here is how it goes: 1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! 2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.