THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

Wednesday night around 10:30 PM Our nephew Austin and his wife Brenna and their son Kale  came to share thanksgiving with us, they recently moved to Boise Idaho so Austin could finish his college degree. They are now in the middle of us here in Salt Lake and their home in Coeur d'alene Idaho. Austin's sister Alisha also lives here so we were all able to have a fun Thanksgiving dinner together.  We had it at Bill's brother Dwains home.  The night before Thanksgiving us girls all stayed up making a couple of yummy yam dishes and a black and blue berry pie pie which we appropriately named bruise berry pie! and of course we talked and laughed for hours...my head finally hit the pillow at 3:00 AM.

I was back up by 9 and cooking all this yummy food so we would be ready to roll by 1:30!  George and Dorathy made the turkey and dressing and a green salad,corn on the cob and the potatoes, I also had made my cranberry fluff salad so to say the least we had a feast!

We finally ate around 3:30, we all enjoyed each others company. After dinner we head down to play a few games on the Wii and Tanner was a show off and won us all at bowling. later Landon went and picked up Sacia and they came and played Mario. I am sad to say that I left my camera home so there are no pictures of this entire event! 

Many of the stores were starting their black friday shopping at 8:00 PM on Thanksgiving so Alisha and Brenna headed out to shop, I had to go to work on Friday so I just went home and went to bed with the rest of the bunch.  Later Tanner went out shopping with some of his friends....Crazy kids!  They had a good time!

On Friday around 10:00 AM  I get a call from Landon telling me that his brand new car had been hit and the guy that hit him didn't stop. He was pretty upset. I can't say I blame him, I am pretty upset too!  The guy hit the back bumper while Landon was still moving into the left turn lane went around him in the on coming lane of traffic back in front of him then back into the straight lane and just left.  I don't get why people are such jerks! I would have felt so bad hitting someones new car. Now we have to file a claim and pay our deductible,  I had Landon call and report it to the police just hoping that maybe they would catch the guy. No such luck at this point.  He is going today for an estimate to see how much it will cost to fix it.  I swear Landon can never catch a break, sometime I think if there was no such thing as bad luck Landon would have no luck at all.  I will take a picture of his poor car's damage and post it later.  

LANDON'S GONE BIG TIME NOW

Saturday October 27, 2012 started out like any other day...

Then Bill asked Landon if he wanted to just go"LOOK" at a car that he had seen in the paper. So off we go down to the car dealer Doug Smith.

The car that they advertised was of course sold out but they just so happened to have a newer model that they were pretty sure they could work out something to get him a car that day! 

Whoa~!!!!

Not something we were expecting to do but we thought we might as well listen to what they had to say.

When we got out of the car to go see what they could do another customer came up to us and said hey I am going to buy this car I am going to beat you to it! All I could think of to say was "Well that's mean" Another car salesman reminded me of the TV commercial where the guy licks the door handle to stop someone else from buying the one he wanted

I should have done that I wonder what he would have done! HA HA!!

As you can see I guess we liked what they told us so within a few short hours Landon was driving away in his 2013 Volkswagon Jetta

He is so excited and I am so happy for him

This is the last time I saw him Saturday.........Zoom..................He was gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT DID I DO?

Tanner's friend Shelby text me on Thursday and said she had "GREAT NEWS" for me! When I asked her what the news was she stated that Tanner had decided to cut his hair!  I thought she was joking, but then she said that he wanted me to call Pam to make an appointment so I did by the time I called him back and said she could cut on Saturday at 11 he was having second thoughts.....Hmmm. I found out why when I got on face book, he had posted that he was "thinking" about cutting his hair and his overwhelming responses were "NOOOOOOOOO" don't do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but by Friday he had said to call her back and tell her to set the appt. 

The first picture was right before he left to go get it cut.  This was the only picture he would allow me to take. So ignore the bed not being made and his hair being wet and not combed although this is generally how he wore it!

MULLET STYLE

                                                                   I call him GQ now.................

This picture I caught him off guard or I wouldn't have gotten it!  He looks very handsome...But I do have to admit he really does look different....and I am pretty sure this is the last haircut he will be getting for some time!! He is having Cutter's Remorse!

CRUISE VIDEO 2012

A FAMILY'S LOVE

COLBY, LISA, SHELBY, WADE SPRATT

Last Tuesday started like any other day everyone went to work or school. Lisa came home and started to fix dinner thinking Wade would be home at any time, 6 came and went.  Lisa was thinking that Wade had gone to the gym without her again soon it was 7 even if he had gone to the gym he should be home by now.  7:15 the phone rings, it's Colby telling her there had been an accident that he and his dad had gone to the motto cross track, that they had to take Wade by ambulance to IMC. Lisa and Shelby head to the hospital on their way there they receive another call that it's not IMC that he had been taken to U of U so they head there.  Once there they are told to wait they are not told anything for several hours, they have not even seen him. soon a trauma team comes and gets Lisa and takes her to a room where she is informed that Wade has received head trauma and they are informing her about brain bleeds and that he is in a Coma.  

How does this happen to a perfectly health 53 year old man?
His other injuries include broken clavicle, collarbone, knee, tib/fib. his eye socket have been broken along with his nasal cavity.

His son had been in tune that he need to stop riding to get his bike and gear put away, he was waiting for his dad to finish one more ride around the track soon he notice that many people had ran towards the track so he went to see what was going on, there he found his dad badly hurt, he hears his dad asking for him and all Colby can do is assure him he is there and all Colby hears is the pain his dad is in, he feels so bad that he cannot help his dad at all.  Colby will hear his dad cry out in pain until he is put into the life flight helicopter.

As time goes on Wade's condition fluctuates, at times he seems to be doing better, then he has taken a turn for the worse. The family has been given some details about what the doctors want to do, they had also been given choices, these choices are not taken lightly. They conclude that it would be best to let him go that the outcome would not let Wade be the person he would want to be. 
So yesterday they tearfully said there goodbyes. They are donating all the organs they can so he will be helping many others to be able to have a second chance at life.

This is a family that loved to do so many things together. Wade and Lisa have always put the kids first, they are dedicated parents who would do anything in their power to help their kids succeed.   

Wade has been a pillar in the biking community whether it was in the BMX or Motto Cross. 
He has mentor many of Colby's friends 
his dry sense of humor was second to none
I am sure he has many many people that call him  friend. and probably many he was not even aware of. He was a people person and enjoyed visiting and helping anyone that was in need.

His family that is left are so strong and have such great love for one another will surely feel the loss of Wade. They will be OK for they have each other and will unite together to carry on.

Thank you Wade for your example of hard work, laughter and riding.

CRUISE

WOW! we finally did it.....Bill and I went on a cruise we went to the Western Caribbean.  We left the house on Saturday night at 10:30pm...Our plane is leaving at 12:55am Sunday 9/23/12.  We will arrive in Tampa Florida at 9:00am. Our flight was long and uncomfortable, we was hoping to sleep, definitely not the case. Our first plane was very tight quarters even for me. I didn't know that was possible....even though I am a full grown adult my legs are short!  anyways my seat hardly laid back. I finally laid on Bills lap like a little kid lays on his parents lap during church, soon my whole body is going numb but slumber finally comes to some extent when I awake my neck is kinked and every limb is still asleep...We are in Atlanta time for a 2 hour lay over it is close to 7:00am we grab a breakfast sandwich and a hot chai.  I finally fall asleep for a bit then it's time to climb onto the next airplane for our next journey to Tampa thank heavens this plane is soooo comfy and sleep finds me and deeply so deep that I do not hear the drink cart come by, I do not hear Bill eat his cookies...I feel refreshed by the time we get to our destination. Now I am running on adrenaline! I am so excited! it is right around 9:30 in the morning we gather our luggage and head to catch a cab to the port even though our ship does'nt leave until 4:00.  We have heard many stories about how long it takes to go through the boarding process.  We get on the ship right around 11:00 they are serving lunch at the buffet. We do not have access to our room until after we leave port, we finally go and check and our room door opens we are able to get rid of our carry on luggage. Our check in bags will not get there until after 6.  Now we are free to go look around. There are 9 floors with a tenth floor deck. We have watched the ship leave port and we waved to a few people as we pass by. It was a surreal moment, I am in AWE....butterflies are in my stomach.

That night as we are walking to the dinning room we are excited to see who we will share a table with, where will they be from? what will they be like?  We picked anytime dinning which means we will meet someone new every night. We are the first to be seated, we wait for a few minutes and soon a couple is seated with us. We start the conversation by asking what city they are from. Their answer surprises us....They stated that we probably have never heard the name of their city....they state they are from "Tooele" we laugh out loud and say we are from Sandy. What a small world we live in, however they spend half the year in Mexico.  We all make small talk and enjoy a nice dinner....I fall in love with my dessert, it is called Warm melting chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream. it was a taste of heaven. 

For not getting much sleep we are all hyped up. we go to a late night comedy show....cannot remember who it was but we laughed and had the best time!
It is midnight and we finally head off to get some well deserved shut eye.

Monday: day at sea. We sleep in till 8 We eat breakfast at the buffet, then head to the pool! we are basically there all day...We join a Bing bag toss game...at home we call it corn hole. you toss a bean bag to a wood ramp hoping to make it on the ramp or in the hole. 1 point for making it on the ramp 2 for making it in the hole.  the team with the most points win and move on.....We do not move on, we got 2 points.... thanks to Bill....and I was the one saying "Oh I am good" at this game!  oh well it was fun. 
Tonight's dinner is our first "formal" night. We are being seated at a table that already has 2 other couples sitting as we approach the table they are all talking but when we sit down they stop talking....Awkward!  so I start talking (yeah I know that's a shock) and ask everyone where they are from?  couple number 1 answers "West Jordan, UT" the other couple is from a city in New Hampshire. We laugh again and say that we too are from Utah!  The other couple from Utah ask our names we tell them and they ask if we are related to John Huntsman?  Really, why would you ask that? they seem to think Bill looks like he could be his brother....WOW!!!! never been told that one! we assure them that DARN we are not.  that in fact our last name is HART. from then on out I call Bill Mr. Huntsman. We had a good laugh about that.

Day 2:  Cozumel
We are up early, we have made it to our first port. we eat breakfast and head to shore. We do not have anything planned for today It has rained but has stopped. We decide to walk to the city it is about 3 miles. Along our way we are bombarded with taxi drivers wanting to give us a ride. when we make it to the shopping district we are harassed by all the shop keepers. most of them are selling jewelry they physically pull me into their shops, they tell me I don't have to buy just come in and look. We do this for hours. I found me a cute swimsuit cover up or sun dress. I try my best to bargin with them, it doesn't work...I feel bad for these people their city is dirty, they seem poor.  I even have to pay a young boy .50 to use the public bathroom, after i give him the money he handed me a few sheet of toilet paper and a paper towel, well that's new..........then we head off and  Bill buys a watch at Diamond International it is beautiful. looks very rich. As they are finishing up I am getting nervous it is getting close to 5 time to get back to the ship.  The lady seems to be moving in slow motion even though she knows we have to go. Really I think it was just me, I don't like the thought of being left in Cozumel. We make it back in ample of time....3 others were not as lucky they were left behind and had to stay the night in Cozumel, catch a plane to Belize our next port..

Day 3: Belize
We are up really early today. Today we are going to go Cave tubing through a river in the rain forrest. in order for us to get to Belize we are going to be tendered to shore....which means our ship is not able to go to shore as it's to shallow so they dock the ship out in the ocean and some smaller boats from Belize comes and picks us up.  We have to meet our tour group at a certain time.  We make it on one of the first boats to shore but we have to wait nearly an hour the other couple that is in our group to get there. After they make it we all climb in a van and head on way to our adventure. Our guides name is Kieth he is a native to Belize as we driving the hour to our destination he fills us all in on the history, sights we are seeing along the way. he takes us past the cemetery where they only bury their dead 3 feet down and put a 3 foot cement tomb like thing on top, they believe if you bury them 6 ft in the ground you are killing them twice...he also told us that no one takes out loans for anything, that they save their money then buy as they can afford, they do this with their houses so with what money they have saved they will build what they can then start saving again to add on, they use anything they can find like a billboard, you can tell the house are built in stages, the stages don't always match. We finally make it to the river we have to hike about 30 mins to our starting point we are all in our swim suits and just wearing water shoes, the path is muddy and very rocky it hurts my feet. the guide is carrying my tube i am so grateful I know I could have done it but it would have been much harder. Kieth shows us a pineapple plant and tells us that each plant only grows on pineapple per season.  We get to the starting point our guide ties all our tubes together and we are all helped into the tube and off we go. It is believed that the caves we are going through are degrees of heaven and hell, the first cave name means Hell, so our guide said we can tell everyone that we have been to Hell and back. Haha!  it wasn't to bad either. it is also believed that the water dripping from the ceiling of the cave is from the angels and if you so happened to get dripped on you will be blessed!  well I got dripped on, along with all the others so we all were blessed during our trip.  Our guide told us all about the plants in the rain forrest, what they could be used for such as one tree leaf if chewed would take arthritis pain away. there was many other remedies in the rain forrest, it was very interesting.   our tubing adventure last about 45 mins. when we are done we go back to the van to dry off and we buy some lunch from a local vendor. We have rice and beans, chicken, potato salad, plantain's.  it all taste very good. we eat on way back to port on our way back  Kieth takes us by a Latter Day Saint Church and right across the street is a Harley Davidson store kinda interesting such a big contrast. We make it back to port and head back to the boat...You know me....scaredy cat! I am so afraid of being left.
Day 4: Roatan
Today the ship is able to pull into port. Carnival Cruise line has  built a 6 million dollar port it is beautiful! they have shops to shop at. Since we have booked our excursions on line and not through the ship we have to meet our guides outside the port. We make it to our group and wait for awhile then we head to the jungle today we are zip lining through the jungle.  Roatan is a beautiful country so green but unfortunately not taken care of there is garbage on the side of the road. the people there are very poor. the guides we have a very fortunate to have these jobs, tourism is the main money making business.  they to tell us a lot of information about their country.  We get to the jungle and they get us all geared up to start zip lining.  We will ride 16 zip lines total.  at the first line I am at the front of the line, I lean over and tell Bill I don't want to go first, next thing I know one of the guides is pulling me towards the zip line and I am being hooked up and pushed down the line!  I end up being the first one....It was a BLAST. on one of the lines I go superman style, with the help of one of the guides. it takes us a few hours to get everyone through all the lines but everyone feels it is over with way to fast. We are then taken to a private beach where we grab a plate of nauchos.  those who know me know how happy I am about this!!!  they do not disappoint.  There are children trying to sell jewlery on the beach, they are not permitted to approach us but if we happen to want to go down to the water they can, I am swarmed when I walk down they all tell me how pretty I would look if I bought there merchendise. one little girl took a bracelet off her case so I could look at it, the patrolman was at my side immediately, I think he was there to protect both of us. I am sure he was making sure I didn't try to steal it. and protecting me from her grabbing my camera or such.  I didn't stay long by the water. We are then taken back to port where we have some time to look around and shop.....I found a shop that was selling wooden items. I bought a wooden salad bowl. it is beautiful I am so happy with my purchase I only wish that I would have bought a dip tray too. we make it back to the ship in plenty of time, I am starting to be at ease about this part of the day. Tonight is formal night at dinner. afterwards we have our pictures taken they turn out good and we buy a couple.  We have a good time at dinner then we go to a few shows, and dancing! we have a great time. Midnight seems to be our bedtime.

Day 5:  Caymen Islands
we have a short tender ride to shore today. and it's raining, we do not have an excursion planned for today, we are just going to look around.  We are dissappointed there are just high end store here. there is a jewlerey store on every corner. a perfume counter and high end clothes at every turn.  We find a little coffee shop and sit down and have a drink, I get a yummy fruit smoothie, should have got something hot. I get the chills it has rained all day. we look around some more. then head back to port they have some vendor shops there we look around and buy a few T-shirts for Landon and Tanner, a neckless for Sacia, Landon's girlfriend and head back to the ship.  We feel we should have went and swam with the dolphins or stingrays or went and seen the turtles. Oh well we get changed at head to the pool it finally stopped raining and it is now hot again. once the ship is sailing again it starts to down pouring rain again we all run for cover. we go and grab a bit to eat at the buffet and bring it outside and sit under covering and watch it rain. the DJ is still blaring the music and we all sing and dance in our chairs, we laugh and have a good time. In no time at all the sun is back out and they start a game of limbo we join in Bill is out his first try I go up and make it a couple of rounds all with a swirl cone in my hand.  More laughing, we talk with people around us it's a great day. That night a join in on a hula hoop contest....I loose the boy who wins is about 14 he was amazing he could start the hoop from the ground with his foot then move it up, they handed him more hoops and he was able to hula hoop with about 5 at a time, he won a gold ship on stick for every hoop. we had a lot of fun!

Day 6: at Sea
We are headed back to Tampa our vacation is nearly over....BOOOO! there is not much happening on the ship today, we hang at the pool and have a great time, we pack our bags and eat dinner in the dinning room for the last time.  We have met so many nice and fun people.  I have eaten that yummy warm melting chocolate cake every night. and every night our bed has been turned down with a piece of chocolate waiting for us and a cute little towel creation creature. I am wondering how I will ever function again back home cooking our own meals, making my own bed, having something fun to do everyday, being able to take a nap if i want to. It will be hard!

Day 7: back in Florida
We have to be out of our rooms by 8:30am we head to the buffet for some breakfast, there we wait for our number to be read over the loud speaker this is when we are to exit the ship collect our bags and be on our way back home.  our number is called around 10:20 and we head to customs where we wait in a huge line to get outside.  everything goes smoothly, we are the very last people to leave and now we about 4 hours to waste before we need to leave for the airport. we check our bags in at hertz rental car and pay for our ride back to the airport.  we go and walk around we find a little market that is selling hand made items, we walk past the big boats that are at the docks that are right in front of homes. it was fun to see.  We then head back to hertz and catch our ride to the airport, there we go grab a Starbucks frap then we head off to wait for our plane. We have another lay over in Atlanta it is 3 hours so we get a bite to eat at Chilli's then we go wait again for our next plane home. We finally get home at 11:30 and Tanner picks us up.  It was good to see him!  we head home and I am worried about what my house will look like, Landon and Tanner have been there by themselves, I am pleasantly surprised it is pretty clean and Landon had a Halloween candle going it was so nice!  We all head to bed!

The only bad thing that happened while we were gone was a rock hit the windshield on the highlander and broke it pretty good..... It will have to be replaced. : /

We will for sure be cruising again!

GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS

I have always wanted to know what life would have been like with girls in my home. On August 2nd, my niece, Alisha moved in with me, she came from Coeurd'alene, Idaho, she is also Bill's youngest brother Steve's daughter, and just so happens to be 4 months younger than Jailee would have been. So needless to say I was pretty excited about her coming. She moved to Utah to attend LDS Business College.  She also brought with her a friend, her name is Keressa.  They recruited another girl to come and her name is Canda she is from Philly. They have moved into my basement, not really the most ideal situation since it's just one big open room, no bathroom and no real space to call their own. They have been awesome! no complaining, I love having them here. Last night we sat in the kitchen and talked for hours It was so fun, I remember doing that with my mom.  My boys don't do that all that often and when they do I am in heaven!  They will be with me for a few more weeks then they will be moving into an apartment, What fun memories they will be making on their new journey and I hope to be a part of them.

On Saturday I took them to the Balloon Festival, where Keressa sweet talked a pilot into taking her up in the balloon, she had a blast and Alisha and I watched her, then went and picked her up about a 1/2 hour later in a church parking lot a couple of blocks down the road. The pilot's name was Dan he is a really nice guy, looked at Alisha and I and said heck I could have taken one of you with too!  We were like what the heck are you kidding!!! now is not the time to say that, we were both dying to go. he was like you didn't ask, I was like....trying to be polite! Oh well. Maybe next year, any way we all had a super fun time, then we came home had some breakfast and they went back to bed. (Canda didn't get up to go with us, so she was still sleeping) Then in the afternoon we all went downtown on trax to City Creek to do some shopping. All the girls went into "Tiffany's and tried on some really expensive rings. then they went to Temple Square and we went to lunch at the Blue Lemon!  We had a whole day of fun! my mom and Dorathy went along too!
                                                my niece Alisha

                                              Keressa - my adopted niece don't have one of Canda :(

So in the last couple of weeks I have been given a taste of what life would be like with girls in the house, and all I can say is bring it on! I have a couple of more weeks with them here,then they get to be on their own.  but I sure hope I see them lots!

So This is How It's Going to Be.....

Back in February 2000 Bill and I bought a 5th wheel trailer, it was the most awesome thing! It had bunk beds for the boys and a made up queen size bed for us, a couch, table all that made out into other beds and it has a slide out so it made it that much more roomy! Along with our purchase it came with a one year membership to Blue Water Resort at Bear Lake.  We could hardly wait for Summer to come so we could venture up there to see what it was like. Our first trip up was over Memorial Day weekend. We had a blast! The resort was right on the beach and it had a swimming pool and a hot tub, we thought we had all gone to heaven. Landon was 6 and Tanner was 4 so for them it was also a BIG deal! We went a lot over that summer in fact so much that we bought a membership so we could keep on going. Over the last 12 years it has been a huge part of our summer. We always went for the 4th of July and the 24th of July.  One year we went every weekend plus a few full weeks, I am thinking that Landon was 10 and Tanner was 8. One week when I was packing the trailer Tanner asked where we going?  I said where else....Bear Lake! his reply was not what I expected.....He came back with and I quote " What the heck, what are we The Bear Lake Freak Family" I just busted a gut, I said what's that all about? I thought you liked going there.  He said I do but can we ever do something else? I just laughed and said be glad you going any where, most kids would be loving it!  We continued going and have referred to ourselves from then on out as "THE BEAR LAKE FREAK FAMILY"  All our friends do too! Our Bear Lake trips have been a blast and as our kids continue to grow to be adults I hope that they will look back with fond memories. and even want to keep going with us as they start there own families!

Which brings me to our last week's vacation to Bear Lake.......It was so different than any other we have  ever had.

It's a start to a new season of life for Bill and I one that I am so excited for and  yet one that I will enter with a little tear in my eye, a tug at my heart. Things are changing.

Bill and I went to Bear Lake alone! Both boys have jobs now and not so much vacation time, Landon is working as a landscaper/snow removal guy with no paid time off. and Tanner is still a sweeper at the middle school and much to his surprise they have kept him on through this part of the year. (usually they only keep the part timers through June) so he didn't want to ask for any time off , since everyone that has asked for time off has been let go.

The above discription of why they didn't come with was a lot different than what Tanner told my neighbor Shaley Allen when she asked why he didn't come along with us.. Here is his version:

"Well they didn't take the boat so they didn't want to hear us say I'm bored, what can we do! and I do think that my parents have a whole other agenda planned for this week "Wink, Wink" if you get the idea! and I don't really even think they told us they were going, so that's why me and Landon didn't go"  and with that Shaley said she had to go.....Hmmm I'm thinking it was just a bit of TMI!  Hahaha!!!  Where does this kid come from?  all I could do was laugh when she told me his version, then I quickly told her mine!

The week was great!  We lounged on the beach, went on walks, and in our heavenly way of "Glamping" we watched movies, I read a book, and Bill surfed the web. and we heard no "I'm Bored" we went into town and got a milkshake and one night even went out to dinner.  Not one time did I get bored! On Friday our sailing friends came up and we went and said hello that day it rained all day. The next day returned back to being sunny and hot and we returned to visit our friends, it's the day Bill went sailing and I sat and chatted with the ladies and the kids, and even hula hooped for awhile!  Then we said our good byes to our friends because the next day we head for home, the day we find our if the kids killed each other, had a party, if the house was still there!  I am happy to report that all was fine on the home front!  But it also can be said those boys of mine are NO housekeepers!

                                                 2012  Just me and Bill

                                                 2006-2007 with the boys

So with all that has been said.......................I am happy to say that YES sometimes " This is How It's Going to Be" It does feel strange to think that Bill and I have kids old enough to stay home while we do something by ourselves every now and again, but I am happy too that they still want to come along! 

HERO

picture/poem posted on facebook by Misty Fielding


It all started about 9 years ago, I had a dream that one of my dear friends died and went to heaven and met my daughter Jailee, in my dream they became the best of friends, I was so happy that my Jailee had someone with her that new me. So on Monday  I went to work and told my friend about the dream I had,  she then ask how she had died? I was so nonchalant it hadn't even occurred to me that I didn't know I didn't think it was all that important I was just so into the idea that now she knew my Jailee! and besides the fact she was 26 years old she was not really going to die.......We laughed about it and it has been a "little" thing with us ever since! I went on my way with my life not giving that dream any other thought, but not really ever forgetting either untill.............

A few weeks later my "friend" Nicole told me that she had breast cancer, my heart sunk how could I have been so thoughtless, I was mortified about telling my dream. I apologized right then about how I had put her thoughts and feelings aside and was so into my selfish desires.  And as Nicole always was she just laughed about it consoling me. trying to make me feel ok!  Nicole told all of us that was close to her not to feel sorry for her, that everything was going to be ok!  for the first 6 years that she had cancer I never seen her cry, and she very rarely missed work! Sometimes I forgot completely that she had cancer.  She was the bubbliest, happiest person all the time. The first round of chemo seemed to do the trick, she was well for 1 year then the cancer came back in her bones and that is when they told her she would be in treatment for the remainder of her life, but you would still never know that she was sick and she still never missed much work. I didn't ask her about her cancer very often I didn't want to dwell on it, she didn't seem to.  Then about two years ago she was told she had brain tumors these last two years really took a toll on her for the first time I seen her cry, miss work and plain just not feel well. She got disoriented, forget silly things like her passwords to her computer, these things plain out just made her mad! It was so sad but no one dared to tell her that because she still insisted that no one feel sorry for her. In this last year she found love! What an amazing man she found, I only met him once but in that short time I seen him interact with her I knew that he truly LOVED her! he treated her like she deserved.... like a queen! He took her on romantic rides up in the mountains, had a picnic in the back of his truck while they looked at the lights in the valley and just looked at the stars, I had never seen her so in love. She deserved all of it! the fairy tale guy that rode in on a horse and carried her away and took care of her!

Last year Nicole came to me and told me about her weekend, she said wasn't feeling all that great and was alone, but she felt she was not alone, she said that she had the most calmest feeling come over her and that she believed that Jailee was with her, I was so touched!  of all the people that had passed that loved and knew Nicole here on earth, she felt like Jailee had come to comfort her... I told her that I thought it was possible that because I loved her ( Nicole) so much that Jailee had gone in my place.  ( I know this may sound odd, but I truly believe that our loved ones that have passed on can and do many great things from the other side). I have no idea why these two have a connection ( besides me)  but I really think they do! I am so glad she told me this experience it made me feel just that much closer to her.

There are so many words that described her, here are just a few:

Beautiful, caring, funny, contagious, inspiring, uplifting, amazing, selfless, calm, confident, joker, and HERO!

She had a way about her......She made all of her friends feel so special, like a best friend! She has inspired me to be a better person, those who knew her are blessed because she was a part of their life no matter the connection.

Today earth lost a great person........Today heaven will never be the same! I am sure there is much rejoicing and a great reunion with all that have gone before her.

My life improved the day I met you Nicole, I will love you forever!  Rest in Peace My friend, Rest in Peace!

This saying is so NICOLE!

IT'S SO GOOD FOR ME!

Almost a year ago I participated in a health assessment at work and I was shocked by the results...It made me take a step back and look at how I was living my life and what I could do to make some changes in order for me to be a bit more healthy...my weight for one had skyrocketed I weighed more than when I was 9 months pregnant....in fact my weight at the time of the assessment was so much more than when I delivered my babies I could have been carrying twins...WOW!!! So the same week of the assessment I started walking....Walking my neighborhood, there are many up and down hills and I couldn't walk all that long. but I was persistent and kept on walking...soon it was not so hard and I was able to walk without being out of breath. I continued walking throughout the winter.  I fell one night and was sure I had broke my tailbone, it hurt for a good month, in the end I don't think I broke it but just had a deep bruise...I was very leery to walk after it snowed.  January came and it was time for Bill and Tanner to renew their gym membership and to add me was only 30.00 for the whole year, now I have a safe place to walk.  After I had done that for sometime I decided  that my body was getting use to it and I needed to change things up so I started running, the gym has an indoor track and at first I could only run ( when I say run, it's more of a slow, really slow jog) one time around the track, then I was exhausted, I kept trying and soon I was able to run ( I think I am actually running by this point)  2 times around the track, I was able to walk two then run 2  for 3 miles..I did that routine for a few months then one day I couldn't run at all my legs just felt weak, time to change it up again.  so I started strength training. I have started to lift weights with my legs and arm...ohhh the burn! One day my friend from work came to work out with me, she showed me some things to do I was able to keep up pretty good and we worked out for almost 2 hours, the next two days I paid for that I was pretty sore but I kept going every day and soon the pain was gone, until the next time she came and we start to do some abdominal training....Can you say hurt I couldn't even cough without hurting, I came to find out during that session that I cannot do a sit up so that has been what I am working on I can do a sit up but it's still hard.  I will get there!!!  Since my strength training started I can run again....Now I can run 4-6 times around the track continuously.  Since my original assessment I have lost 14 pounds and I feel good! I still want to loose more but I am on the right track. It feels great to be in better shape and it's fun to be able to go to the gym and workout with my family.

So here is to good Health, Happiness, and to NEVER giving up!

FRIEND

Today while at lunch I got a phone call from a co-worker telling me that another friend/coworker had passed away in the early morning hours.  My heart sunk into my stomach, Susette had been so ill for so long she lost weight so fast and was not able to keep anything she ate down, had been in and out of the hospital many times searching for answers all over the United States and Mexico. she went to so many specialists and at first no one had any answer this went on for months until an MD out in Tooele finally gave her an answer.....not an answer any of  us would want to hear....Cancer - Ovarian how could this happen to a healthy 40 year old a mother, wife, daughter and friend. It was more news than she could comprehend. She traveled all over seeking treatment. She tried many new and unconventional therapies.  She continued to loose weight and the pain was more than anyone should have to go through.  In the early morning hours today she lost her battle. she is now pain free and is now home where she will be with her Father in Heaven and her Dad that she lost not that long ago and missed so much! I am sure she is saddened knowing that she leaves behind her husband and young son..a son that lost a mother way to soon, being 9 can he comprehend what has happened, or is it....can we as adults comprehend being 9 and no longer have a mom? I am so sad for him. I am 45 and cannot imagine what it will be like, I feel scared just thinking about it.  Life was never meant to be easy or to always go as planned. Today I am glad that I had the chance to be her friend one that I shared many happy times with, shared many moments both good and bad with. A friend I shared many stories and was able to laugh and to cry together. She was a great mom...Always thinking of Braden before anything or anyone else. she would drop everything to make sure he was taken care of. They always had the best Halloween costumes and when I say "they" I mean the whole family dressed up...one year they were Thelma, Fred and Scooby Doo. They took wonderful family vacations so Braden will always have some great memories.  And I will always remember a good friend!
May you rest in peace Susette!  You will be dearly missed.

BOOTLEG BIKE VIDEO

WATCH AND ENJOY! THESE BOYS ARE CRAZY!!

1ST BIKE RACE OF THE YEAR!

Over President's Day weekend we headed out to Boulder City Nevada to a downhill mountain bike race.  Tanner is in hope of making it to the podium this race with a 3rd place or better, it would give him some much needed points and give him some confidence to move up and race against the BIG boys!

We started our trek to Nevada at 4:00am and made it to St. George around 8:30 so we made a quick stop at McDonald's for a little breakfast, we eat on the run as we needed to make it to the race site by 10:30 NV time which is an hour behind us.  We made it there roughly 10:45 so we were not to off schedule.  Bill goes to sign in and get his plate numbers for the race. Tanner will be racing in two separate races one is the "real" race the other a fun race that will be run without chains on their bikes.  Tanner gets busy with his bikes and getting his gear on, today will be a practice run until it get dark.  After all is settled in I get all comfy in the car with my blankets pillows and my book "The Hunger Games"  I have brought some snacks so I am good to go. I read until my eyes can hardly stay open and my vision is starting to see 2 and three of the same lines...it's time to stop and get some shut eye...I am not sure how long I slept but I do know I really went out, after all I have been up since 3:00am.  I wake up and start reading again. by this time I am sure it's getting late in the afternoon, I am right they are getting ready to head out to get something to eat. We all go the Tony's Pizza and enjoy a lot of laughs and some really great pizza. I just so happen to be the only Mom that has come along for this trip, So it was just me three Dad's and 3 boys so I am a little out numbered.  All is good!  They make sure I am well taken care of.  The next day is the same as day one....I thought about spending the at the hotel but decide I might miss something exciting so I go and do day one all over again....It is fun to be there to support Tanner in his sport.

Sunday is RACE day and Tanner gets to be the 6th racer in his catagory, Bill and I hike to a spot were we can see Tanner come around the mountain head down the hill hit a step up and go to the finish.  We hike for almost 30 mins. We are there in plenty of time to see some of the others come racing by us.  Soon I see a glimpse of Tanner's helmet shimmer from the sun as he comes in between the mountain, there is another racer just in front of him they are too close and Tanner is coming upon him fast, there will be  no room for Tanner to pass. and he will have to slow down, Just as the front rider has to go in between two rocks he crashes and goes of the course, I felt so bad for him! but it opened the course for Tanner to be able to carry on without having to slow down, he gets to the step up which is right in front of us and he is going FAST! we are so excited it looks like he is having a great race!  he makes it to the finish and is told he is in 3rd place.  Just what he wanted but there are still more riders to go....Bill and I now have to make the hike back to the car, one of Tanner's friends Demitri has been seen yet and we are all worried that something has happened. His dad stays on the race course watching and we will call him once we reach the boys..We finally make the trek back to find out that Demitri had gotten a flat tire and was not able to race now that's a BUMMER! it is so disappointing. The race is over for Tanner's catagory and Tanner had in fact taken 3rd place! his time was 5 mins. 13 seconds.  He is one HAPPY boy! and I was so happy that I was able to be there to celebrate in his win!

Now it is time for the chainless race, this means that no one can pedal so its either push with their feet and pumping the bike by jumping up and down to just having the momentum of the hill to get the racers down the hill.  Tanner takes 28th out of 35 and has a really fun time. We stay for the awards ceremony then head to grab a bit to eat, we get Mexican food which was really tasty then head back to the hotel, it's been a long weekend full of fun and excitement! and now us 3 are pretty tired so we get right to bed, in the morning we head to breakfast then hit the happy trails home,  we make it home around 5 that night and we are all glad to be home, first time we have all gone but Landon and he seemed to handle things at home pretty well without us.  We had gotten a snow storm and he thought he would get called out to work so that is why he didn;t come along...although I think he would have gotten pretty bored just hanging out at the races all weekend after all I read 1 and 2 of the Hunger Game series.....

Good Job Tanner can't wait to see how the rest of the season goes..................
                                                   
                                                The bike /rider shuttle

How the bikes travel and where I spent my time

                                          Tanner during the race                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                       
                                          Tanner telling me he took 3rd place

                                               some dude waiting for the shuttle.....so tired!

                                          Tanner crossing the finish line in the chainless race

                                         the winners!

ONLY MY VALENTINE

This holiday is not one that we make much of a fuss over. But I can say that I love Bill more and more every year and we have grown closer together over the years and for this I am so thankful!  Many of my friends do not have this same kind of relationship and that just makes me sad.  I cannot even imagine my life without him!!.....But the following is how we showed our love for one another on Valentines Day:

Me through text:

Hey sweetie just wanted to tell that I am so HaPpY that I said YES to you 25 years ago today. I love you so much!

Bill response through text:

I don't know who you think your talking to but I have only been married for 2 years to a young hot chick!  and I am not that old!!!

Me:

Oops sorry wrong number!!!


I am so glad that he has a sense of humor....believe it or not that totally made my day!  I wouldn't want him any other way.....I love you Bill Hart!  Thanks for being my Valentine for the last 25 years!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL GIRL!

Dear Jailee,                                                         February 11, 2012

This month marks what would have been a milestone birthday for you!  One that is hard to believe is here already.  How has 21 years gone by? I can still hear your little giggle and wonder what it would sound like now, you had beautiful almond shaped eyes that were blue...would they still be the same?  I wonder if I would still be the shortest one in the family? How tall would you be? I sure wish that you could have stayed so I could have seen what you would have liked to do, how you would have thrown a tantrum, would you have been shy or out going, funny or somber? Had many friends or just a few? I would have loved to see you interact with your friends been there to laugh with you and cry with you! To be your mom was the best thing I could dream of! I was so so excited to think I actually had a girl! I feel so honored that you chose me as your mom if it was only for a few months!  There is not a day that goes by that my heart and mind drifts to visions of you, your smile, how you liked to cuddle and play for hours how you rolled to where ever it was you wanted to get to, how you were lightening fast, how your little head looked everywhere to take everything in. You had the tiniest hands.  I really think that your brothers would have loved to have an older sister, they have asked me many times do you think Jailee would have liked to ski, bike, skateboard?  Or do you think she would have just liked girlie stuff? I always tell them I am sure she would have liked to do all those things as long as she got to do them with her brothers.  In my heart I hope deeply that we would have gotten along, that as you grew into a young women that you would have made good choices, been a girl that received and gave respect, a girl that stood up for the weak, made a difference in our world!  I don't mean that you had to be on a pedestal  all the time, Just that overall you would be good girl!  This world we all come to is full of hard choices, it's a challenge for us all. You had such a sweet innocent short life that at times I envy you....You have made it to the best possible place, while the rest of us have to have struggles, fears, hardships.  There are times I am so grateful you did not have to grow up in these hard times, as I have had to watch your brothers make choices that I wish they would not have, seen them hurt by words and actions of others. But always....my heart aches to hold you, to see you to laugh and cry with you!  Just to have you in our home....but for now I will dream of what life would have been like with you in it and I will smile....just because you were here! I find comfort in knowing that Heaven holds my treasure! I will love you forever my baby girl!   Happy 21st Birthday!

Love,

Mom
XOXO

I WANT TO DO THIS......I BETTER GET BUSY!