CHIPPED POLISH

January is always a solemn month for me. All the HYPE is gone from the holidays. Decorations are put away, which I love. I can only take Christmas clutter so long before I feel crowded. I usually have a few pounds to loose, ( CRAP why did I eat all those yummy No No's?) and the cleaning and organizing begins. It takes a week or so to get in the mood to DIG in which leads me to a fair amount of reflecting on my life and the past year. Usually I think "What emotional catastrophe is going to happen this year? Better get prepared cuz you know it's gunna happen."May sound a bit negative I know, however it's just one of those things that I can depend on. I've been reading some fun articles on friends, personalities and getting along with those friends with different personality traits. I was laying on my bed while reading and happened to look at my feet. I thought, "WOW you need a serious pedicure. I wonder who I could get to go with me?"
"I NEED A FRIEND" I thought. I'm sad to think that there is no one whom I could call on the spur of the moment to go do something, anything with!
I notice it more when I'm flipping through TV channels. And it's night time and the boys are off doing whatever they do with friends and my husband is reading a hunting magazine or watching hunting video's. I'm too restless to watch a movie or get lost in a book.
That's when I notice a big GAPING HOLE that cannot be filled with husbands, kids, blogging or working out. It can't be filled with spending weekends with my daughter and granddaughter.
It's the hole that, as much as I try, cannot be stuffed with family or friends that are miles away,
no matter how many e-mails I send or phone calls I share. I cannot fill it with food, parties,
hobbies or church activities.
I know because I've tried. And while I've made new memories and discovered new sources of joy, the original HOLE remains.
My toe nail polish is chipped and I miss having a friend. Not that I don't have female friends, but it's more than just another women to laugh with that I'm missing.
I miss the friend that drops by your house unannounced on any given night. Sometimes she stays
and visits for hours, or just stops to say HI. If your busy, they don't worry about it, they will
call you later, and they actually DO call back.
I miss the friend that drags all her kids over to your house and throws them in the back yard
to play before you have a chance to say hello, and her husband sits with your husband by the grill while the two of you swap stories on the latest events of family and friends. She stays forever because she enjoys your company.You know that you have to get up early to go to work the next morning but Hey, you still have to eat.
I miss the friend who can call you on the phone from work and ask you to go check on their dog
because he threw up on the floor and her husband put a bowl over the vomit because he has a weak stomach, and would you please clean it up so her house doesn't REEK.
And you do. And you don't feel inappropriate at calling her husband a wimp while your spraying the floor down with Resolve.
I miss the friendship that is easy even when it's work. The one that is part of your day and has long since passed the awkward insecure stage of calling only to set a lunch date.
The one you don' put make up on for.
The one that sees you without a bra and after a good cry.
The one that you can call on a Saturday morning because you feel like a pedicure and she says Okay. She has a lot to do so you part ways after the pedicure and go about your life and responsibilities and It's NO BIG DEAL! Until it is.
Until you don't have that in your life and then some days it's the BIGGEST DEAL in the world~
Like when your polish is CHIPPED

KANGAROO CITY

Lacey and I took Coleman to the Kangaroo Zoo after Christmas. I thought he would love it being he's active and loves to discover things. Lacey being pregnant didn't think bouncing around bumping into your child let alone someone else's child sounded that great. So I went in with Coleman. He looked at all the HUGE Animals and TALL slides and wanted nothing to do with it. The kids there were older, so maybe next visit we'll try it again.

Coleman was scared and wanted off the big Kangaroo

I couldn't even stand up so I was fine with that!
He kept running into the miniture golf room which
was quite fun. There are black lights throughout
so everything gl0wed in the dark. We decided to
try him at golf. I think he ran around that entire
room 10 times and climbed on everything.
He loved the Hippo so of course he had to climb on it.
 

"NOSE!"

"HI MOMMY"

MOM'S BIG DAY

My sister and I wanted to give mom some TLC on her wedding day. She was pretty much run down after having walking pneumonia, planning the wedding and tying up all the loose ends. We were her makeup artist, hair dresser, and nail technician. She looked so pretty and we had some good laughs. There were 70 friends and family, some who traveled from Wyoming, Oregon and Washington. The Red Flame catered a wonderful dinner of Lasagna, corn, 5 different salads , rolls, drink and brownies. Pictures and visiting went til 9:00 p.m. It was exciting for me to see mom so happy and visit with all of Henry's family and friends. Afterwards some of us went over to mom's where some of Henry's family were staying and played a game of Zilch. We had a blast. Henry fits well into our family and we all love him. We love them both so much that we short sheeted their beds (both queen size). Henry took no time in calling us at the house asking "Who Short Sheeted The Bed?" When their alram went off at 5:00 a.m. no one seemed to know anything about it. We love you guys. Have a great life together. Travel lots and mom, don't get too home sick.

I DO

My brother Randy performed the wedding.

What advice do you give your 80 yr. old mother?

Already BEEN THERE DONE THAT.

Shared some wonderfull things about mom and Henry

Well done.

PICS OF FAMILY AT WEDDING

They found love again...so cute mom

The center pieces were done by Willow and Wild Flowers

They do such a great job

Words to their favorite song were placed at each setting

"And I Love You So" by Perry Como

Shae, Landon and Clint visiting with Uncle Brad and Trudy

My siblings and I trying to have a family picture.

By the time we all said "CHEESE" my battery went dead. Henry's son Terry and wife Cindy Kimberly...Mya and Henry

Mom with sister Norma

Mom with her friends

MORE PICTURES TO COME SOON .....check back

MARLEY & ME

New Years Day the first thing I heard was "Debbie time to get up and get dressed I want to hit a matinee today." My reply, "A matinee is in the afternoon, I'll get up in a little while." Lance replies, " It is the afternoon." Yep I actually got to sleep in till NOON. And the best part about it was I heard nothing until Lance opened the door. I didn't even feel Danner (Landon's dog) wedged up against me so tight I couldn't move. Pure bliss! I did get right up though since I had plans to take down all the Christmas decorations and FINALLY get caught up on the laundry. I got on the phone and called Gateway in Salt Lake to see show time and purchase tickets. All the show times were sold out except at the Jordon Commons out on 90th South. After trying 4 different times to order tickets the recording would disconnect so I had Lance look it up on line. By the time he got the computer up and going it was 1:15 p. m. Frustrated, I asked him to iron my sweater while I ordered the tickets and printed a copy of our confirmation. I got dressed and grabbed my shoes and socks, hopped into the truck and we were off to the movies. Some of you know Lance's driving habits. #1 he never speeds. #2 He forgets that there is a carpool lane. #3 he listens to talk radio and #4 he always, I mean always, always talks about seeing deer up on the mountain as we safely, slowly drive on the freeway towards Salt Lake. Not something you want to hear when your running late in heavy traffic. I'm really holding back my anxiety trying not to put a crimp in the day but DANGIT going 60 miles an hour when we're late as it is and the parking at the Jordon's is always a nightmare. Lance! please speed it up a little!!! He replies, "Is it off 60th or 90th?" I pull the confirmation out of my purse and read the directions.... 3743 West Parkway....South Jordon....WHAT! It was obvious that I had bought tickets at the wrong theater. "I don't even know how to get to that theater. Forget it and let's just go to Jordon Commons and take our chances."
So that's what we did. We got there 10 minutes late, parking was a breeze, they were out of popcorn so we got fish and chips and a large drink, found our seats which were great and watched the best movie I have seen in a very long time.
MARLEY & ME.
My sister gave the book to her husband, then she read it and gave the book to my mom and she read it. They loved the book so much that when the movie came out I put it on the list.
They couldn't have picked two better people to play the roles in this movie. Owen Wilson looked healthy and great and Jennifer always does such a good job. Very well written, down to earth, real life, putting a grin on your face through the entire movie, except the end. The humor was wonderful.... No violence....sex scenes...foul language... leaving the theater feeling good/sad.. but a good sad. GO SEE THIS MOVIE.
We ended the day by taking steaks over to mom's and having a tasty dinner with my mom, Henry, my sister and her husband.
HAPPY NEW YEAR

I LOVE HELLO'S - HATE GOODBYE'S

It all began when we got a phone call from Chris telling us that he was going to bring Lacey up for Christmas. They originally weren't going to make it up this year. Chris read one of Lacey's e-mails where she was answering some questions about Christmas when he came across the question, "What would you want the most for Christmas?" Her answer was "To see my mom and dad." Chris was so touched that he told her that he would give her that gift. I have a lump in my throat as I type this post. I love my kids so much that even one living so far away breaks my heart. It all comes with the package of marriage. You follow your husband wherever he needs to be to go to school or make a living. Thank you Chris for taking such good care of my daughter and grandson and being sensitive to her need to see her family now and then.

GOODBYE I LOVE YOU!

Coleman and Mya are in Kim and Kents Journey for the trip. Coleman will be able to watch his new movies. Kent will love Oklahoma. Lots of Long horns, farm land and wide open spaces.

ALL THIS is going in the car? Wait there is still the big suit case, the car seat, the pack n' play and the computer moniter.

I love you I'll miss you

Coleman giving me fish kisses

Goodbyes are not the time for me to put on makeup as you can see. Lacey looks great.

Watching mommy and daddy load up the car.

The first day after Christmas that the sidewalks were clear enough for Coleman to ride his bike was the day they were leaving to go back to Oklahoma. He caught on to the peddle thing quite fast.

RIDE'M COWBOY

We decided to get out of the shed a rocking horse that was Lance's when he was Coleman's age. "Lance" is painted on the side of the horse. It is all original except for the handles had to be replaced with a heavier dowel. It's beat up and could use some TLC; however Lance will not let me do a thing to it. He likes it just the way it is. Coleman had a blast on it.