Happy Birthday to Me

I still need to catch up on a reunion posting, but that will have to come next week, a little out of order.

So today was my birthday. Birthdays just aren't the same when you get older. I don't look forward to them quite as much. It was nice, though and my family was sweet. Savannah made me a birthday cake. This is no small thing since she isn't my daughter that likes to bake. In fact, she usually rebels at the idea of helping Veronica or me in the kitchen, so thanks to Savannah.One of the things I wanted to do for my birthday was to frame three watercolor cards I purchased in Alaska from an amazingly talented artist at a little booth. Her name is Kana Yamasaki and she was so nice and her work was so beautiful. I also purchased a lovely Christmas watercolor that will be displayed later in the year. I love that I found a frame for cheap at Ross and that this turned out so great.

The kids gave me a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble and Travis gave me flowers.

The three younger kids and I ran to See's to pick up Father's Day presents and we all enjoyed a couple of chocolates or a sucker. See's has to be the best candy in the world!

For the past several days my sciatica (I hope I spelled that right) has been hurting and I haven't felt great. In Idaho I had a woman that did lymphatic drainage and reflexology. Well, knowing I was hurting, Travis called an old colleague and hunted down someone for me to go to. It was both great and brutal. I doubt I'd have hurt worse if I'd been in an old world dungeon with shackles and whips and cruel instruments pulling off my fingernails one at a time, but DO I EVER FEEL BETTER!!! She really knew what she was doing and it made a huge difference. Thank you Travis!

Spencer and Kristi and their family are in Utah visiting from Oregon, so we invited them down for hot dogs around the fire. We had a nice visit. Their kids are so cute. Unfortunately they ran into bad traffic both directions, so that stunk, but it was nice to have them come down. Here are a few pictures. I'm looking forward to lunch tomorrow with Travis for my birthday and Father's Day. Thanks to my family for making today a nice day. I have many, many blessings and five of the best of them live with me.

Happy Birthday Veronica

So in honor of my first daughter turning sixteen tomorrow, here are a few things I love about Veronica.She willingly helps. Most of the time, without being asked, she jumps right in and helps. I appreciate this more than she can imagine. She’s been that way for so long. I remember what a great helper she was when I was on bedrest with Joe and that was when she was only six. She loves to bake. I rarely have to bake for an occasion or visiting teaching or much of anything, because Veronica loves to do it. And she’s good at it!

Veronica is a no-nonsense gal. She’s pretty low maintenance and even though it finds her on occasion, she doesn’t seek out drama.She doesn’t have any idea how beautiful she is. She’s not fancy schmancy and although she likes to look pretty, she doesn’t spend hours on hair and makeup. She’s a natural beauty!

If the prophet says it or it can be found in For the Strength of Youth, there is no discussion. She’s incredibly obedient and unrebellious. She wants to be good.
She does her best in everything—from school to piano to jobs to babysitting. If she does it at all, she wants to do it well.

She’s a good and loyal friend. Lucky is the person who can count her as a friend. She loves babies and children more than any sixteen year old I know. If there’s a baby in sight, she wants to hold it and admire it. If there’s a child around, she wants to make them smile. She will be an incredible mother.We love Veronica and I’m proud to have her as my daughter and friend.Happy Sixteenth!

BUILDING, BAKING & FLOWERS

So my window looks pretty and springy, even if there is snow on the ground outside.

Joe and some of his friends enjoy birthday cake.

Veronica and Savannah making strawberry freezer jam. They enjoyed an afternoon of baking, making two kinds of muffins, fudge filled squares and freezer jam. It was kinda nice to stay home over spring break. We planted a garden, visited grandparents and cousins, baked, and relaxed.

Joe built a roller coaster and another amusement park ride with his Knex that he got for his birthday. He does a great job of building and really focuses.

Bruce and Travis worked during the spring break. Bruce was happy to get lots of hours in. We're glad he likes his job.

I got really sick the last couple of days of spring break. Travis and I were supposed to speak in church on Sunday and by Friday night I had NO voice. I got a blessing and was able to speak, but went home miserable after sacrament meeting and yesterday found out I have a sinus infection and ear infection--and again, very little voice.

I woke up at 4:00 a.m. unable to swallow or sleep, so I went downstairs, planned May's Webelos, filled out the 2010 census for our family and got pictures ready to blog. I'm really tired.

The kids weren't very excited to go back to school, but thankfully its almost over. We're really looking forward to summer.

Happy Birthday, Dear Joe

Ten years ago today (April 7), at 7:30 a.m., our lives were blessed with a beautiful baby boy. He still blesses our lives.Joe is an amazing kid. He's a great friend to everyone--friendly, inclusive and thoughtful.
He sings ALL. THE. TIME. This can be annoying at times, but most of the time I'm just glad to know he's so happy.

Joe has a great smile and an infectious laugh. When you hear him laugh, its hard not to join in.Joe would rather play than eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom. Sometimes he runs in on a dead sprint because he's waited until the last possible second to go because he's having too much fun to be bothered. We usually have to insist that he sit down and eat something.

Joe is co-ordinated and fast. He loves sports, even though, on occasion, he's a little bit too competitive. (I wonder where he gets that trait.)Joe is loving and affectionate--just what a Mom needs and loves.

Joe is a good kid. There was a time when I constantly heard from his school teachers how social and talkative he was and then on Sunday, I'd hear from his Primary teacher how perfect he was. I asked him why he couldn't be as quiet at school as he was at church and he said, very seriously, "Because church is Heavenly Father's house." You can't argue with that.

Joe is smart. He loves school, he likes to read and he loves learning.

"Joseph, how can we ever say all that we want to about you. We're so glad that you came our way. We would have perished without you." We love you, Joe. Our family wouldn't be the same without you.

Travis Has A Birthday!

So Travis had a birthday. Not the exciting occurrence it once was, but we did celebrate with dinner at Joe's Crab Shack and a cheesy but cute romantic comedy, "When In Rome." We had a great time. So, in honor of the birthday, and the man who celebrated it, here are a few things I love about Travis (in no particular order).

1. He's funny. Sometimes he's extremely witty with a quick joke that takes me by surprise. Other times he's so corny I have to roll my eyes--I can't laugh out loud at such silliness. We all get a good laugh, but I think one reason he misses Mehmet is because Mehmet laughed at ALL of Travis's jokes, even the ones the rest of us just shake our heads and smirk at.

2. He works hard. Whether it is at his job, on the yard, or pitching in around the house, he's not afraid to work hard. Of course, one thing I have to laugh at is that if he's working outside, he's accompanied by his workgloves. That's one thing I just don't get, but since he gets the job done, it's okay with me if he wears them.

3. He's a big kid and a girl and a tough guy. By that I mean, he'll watch the most ridiculous kid movies with the kids. I never have to go see the silliest of them because he takes them and he laughs with them at all the stupid parts. One of the greatest things ever is listening to Travis and Joe laugh their heads off at something so dumb I could scream. He also enjoys a good chick flick, which is lucky for me and the girls. And yet, he still enjoys a good action movie with Bruce. He's very versatile!

4. He stands strong for the Family and the Gospel. He teaches his family. He demonstrates faith. He works hard to fulfill his role. He supports me in mine. He takes us to church. He fulfills his callings. He teaches Family Home Evening. He loves us.

5. He cares about the family having fun together. He insists on and plans family outings and vacations. He sacrifices his time and money because he wants his children to have fun experiences and good memories. He welcomes the kids' friends and is willing to have our home be the gathering spot.

6. He knows how to throw a good party and stops at nothing to be sure that anyone who comes to visit feels welcome and has a good time.

7. He considers me a friend and calls me to share interesting stories or ridiculous trivia and statistics. He would rather be with us than anywhere else. His first choice for a companion for an outing or activity is someone (or more than one) from our family.

I am lucky and blessed to have a husband like him. I love you, Travis. Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday Bruce!

This is Bruce and some of his friends on New Year's Eve--2009. Those aren't gang signals. They're making the numbers 2-0-0-9.
The sad thing about getting so far behind like I have is that important days come and go and they don't get recorded or acknowledged. So here is my late birthday tribute to Bruce.

Bruce is smart--4.0 gpa from a very difficult school. He works hard and stays on top of things and I hardly have to worry at all about his schoolwork. After my growing up, I really didn't deserve to have such a conscientious student for my oldest, but I'm grateful.

Bruce is a great basketball player--We enjoy watching him play, his passing, his court presence, his leadership. He is a hard worker and never gives up. He loves a game where everyone scores and does his best with passing and court leadership to make that happen. Coaches love his work ethic.

Bruce is kind and generous--When his friend Mehmet needed a place to stay, Bruce helped make that happen. If a friend needs something, Bruce is willing to help. He's a good person to have on your side.

Bruce is motivated--He is focused and determined to reach his goals. He works hard to do that and doesn't get easily distracted. He knows what he wants and what it takes to get there and then does what he needs to to make it happen.

Bruce is funny--He has a great sense of humor and makes us laugh a lot. He is ridiculous and dry and very witty.

Last but most importantly, Bruce has a testimony--he is never hesitant to say prayers, he is anxious to serve a mission and doesn't hesitate to stand up for what he knows is right. He is willing and ready to fulfill his priesthood assignments. He is a good example to those around him.

We love Bruce. He is such an important part of our family and as happy as I am about the man he is becoming, I hate how fast he's getting there. I can't bear the thought that we are less than two years away from him leaving on his mission. I love having him around. I love visiting with him. I enjoy watching our shows together and I love that he is my son. I love you, Bruce.

Bruce and some ridiculous glasses. I guess these silly glasses sell for a lot of money, so he made his own with tape.

Happy Birthday, Veronica!

Veronica celebrated her 14th birthday. Shocking that she is already 14 years old. Sadly, Travis was out of town on business, so the traditional dinner out with parents and a friend became dinner out with Mom and Savannah and a friend. We were joined by Andee, Veronica's good friend from school. Dinner at Outback was delicious. Because there were no appropriate movies out this weekend, the girls watched a video at home. We had a nice evening.
Let me tell you a little about Veronica.

Things she IS:

• Veronica is smart--she's loaded with both book smarts and common sense.
• Veronica is beautiful--not only is she pretty to look at, but she is a beautiful girl inside.
• Veronica is helpful--she has been a good helper since she was a little girl. She even pitches in without being asked.
• Veronica is a great cookie-maker--really she's good at any kind of baking, but she's amazing at cookies. Her repertoire includes snickerdoodles, the cookies Bruce calls the best in the world, Great Harvest (my personal favorite) and many others. She also makes an amazing banana bread.
• Veronica is great with kids--kids love Veronica. She's a wonderful babysitter and her cousins adore her.
• Veronica is frugal--she's so careful with her money and spends it very wisely and with much thought. Because she is so careful, she always has money on hand and has been our own personal petty cash fund for a few years now. (We pay her back.)
• Veronica is good--she's a good girl, always obedient, with a desire to do what's right. She reads her scriptures and a section of For the Strength of Youth every day. She's a great example to the rest of us.
• Veronica is an admirer of flowers, yellow, children (especially babies) and paper products. She takes after Grandma Higginson--the one thing she will buy, even if she doesn't need it, is a box of pretty cards.

Things she is NOT:

• Veronica is not a procrastinator--if she has an assignment due on Friday, it is finished on Monday. She starts a project early and is rarely working on it at the last minute.
• Veronica is not boy-crazy--she's perfectly content to wait on the boy/girl thing and can't imagine, even in two years, there being any boys mature enough to think about. This is fine with her parents.
• Veronica is not content with anything less than her best--everything she does, she does her best.
• Veronica is not lazy--whether it is homework, chores, or practicing piano, she works hard.

WE LOVE YOU, VERONICA!

Joe's Big Day

Joseph had a fun birthday. His best friend, Conrad, came home with him after school and played, then we went to Maxie's Pasta and Pizza.
We came back home for birthday cake and ice cream.
After birthday cake, I took Joe, Conrad, Savannah and Veronica to "Horton Hears a Who." It was a fun movie--we liked it a lot. It was a nice day. WE LOVE YOU, JOE!

Happy Birthday, Joseph!

This cute and cheerful boy is turning eight years old. I can't believe he is already eight. It seems like just yesterday that he was a cuddly, little baby.

Let me tell you a few things about our Joe. Joe loves to build things. He sometimes pulls up a website with instructions for paper airplanes, and then he'll make airplanes for everyone. He even bought a book with his own money that was full of patterns and papers for airplanes. He is good with his hands and good at figuring things out. He loves toys that let him build things or transform things.

A couple of years ago, we went to see the Blue Angels. It was amazing and we were really close. Joe decided at that point that he'd like to grow up to be a trick pilot. Maybe he'll be a pilot or an engineer when he grows up.

Joe is very sweet and cuddly. He loves to sit by my and he tells me he loves me a lot. He worries about my feelings and if I'm sad about something, he will sit by me and watch to see if I have any tears he should wipe away.

Joe loves to sing. He sings all the time and all kinds of music. He sings to himself or anyone who will listen. He has a really good voice and learns words really fast.

Joe loves basketball and wants to play as good as Bruce when he gets bigger. He shoots baskets almost every day.

Joe is a good student and gets good grades. Unfortunately, he's also a good talker and has to be talked to often about being less sociable. Where did that come from?

We love Joe and are very glad he's in our family. Happy birthday, Joe. I love you!

Happy Birthday to my Wonderful Husband!

Today (March 5) is Travis's birthday, so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish him a wonderful birthday and list a few of the reasons why I love him. These are not necessarily in order of importance.

• He's a great Dad. He teaches his kids, takes them to church, plays with them, enjoys being around them and is even willing to go to a silly kid's movie that they want to see--even if he has no interest in it. I appreciate that because it has saved me from having to see dog movies and superhero movies that didn't interest me at all.
  

• He works hard to support his family. He puts up with bad hours, difficult people and stupid problems, all so he can support his family. He has amazing business skills that would bring him more money and recognition somewhere else, but because his family likes it here, he works hard and makes do with what is available here. He's so unselfish.
  

• He has a great sense of humor. He finds humor in ridiculous and often difficult situations. I love it when he says something completely funny and unexpected.

• He has incredible discernment and reads people so well. He has an amazing ability to read a situation or a person's behavior. The mark of his character is that even though he is so good at reading people, he's also very forgiving and willing to give people the benefit of the doubt. I find this to be a really amazing quality.
  

• He's a thoughtful husband, bringing me flowers and chocolates often enough to be thoughtful, but not so often as to be taken for granted. He shows me he loves me in other, more meaningful ways (if there is a more meaningful way than chocolate). He's been known to vacuum, clean bathrooms, call and offer to pick kids up, and he's even willing to go to almost any "chick flick" with me. When I go to girls' camp or go to Utah without him, he always makes sure I come home to a clean house.

• He takes the family to church. He leads by example and always fulfils his church responsibilities. He has a strong testimony.
  
• He treats my parents with love and respect. I am so grateful for my parents and it would be hard for me if I was married to someone who didn't treat them well. I love him for loving my family.
  
• He always keeps our yard looking beautiful. I don't much like yard work and Travis always makes ours look nice. I love the fountain he installed. It is beautiful!
  
• If it has snowed and he knows I'm going to have to drive kids to school, he always shovels around the car and brushes off the snow. He's thoughtful.
  
• He supports me in my callings without complaining--even if it means lots of evening meetings, some Saturdays, staying late on Sunday, having people to the house or leaving for a week for girls' camp. He doesn't complain and tries to make it easier for me.

• He encourages me in projects and interests I have. He's a fan when I'm doing cakes, cheers me on when I'm writing, and admires the crafts I do.
  
• He puts our family first--ALWAYS!
  
• He loves to travel with the whole family. He plans and looks things up and prepares so that we get the most out of every vacation. He loves to be with the kids and enjoys seeing all of us have a good time.

I love Travis and am grateful to have spent the last 18+ years of my life with him. I look forward to many more wonderful times together for many years to come.

Happy birthday! I love you!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Savannah

Our happy Savannah turned 10 years old today. (I'm calling it today even though it is after midnight. I didn't have a chance to post until now.) We gave her the cute baby doll she is holding the the picture. Doesn't it look a lot like her. She named her Genevieve.

Savannah had a "puppy party" with a few of her friends. They had a fun time.

There are so many great things about Savannah. She's a cheerful girl with a beautiful smile that she shares all the time. She loves to dance and is very graceful, but also loves a good wrestling match with Joe. After years of doing her very best to avoid any kind of chore, she is maturing into a young lady that pitches in and helps. She loves babies and little children and is more than willing to play with the "little kids" if it will make them happy. Savannah loves music and always wants to be singing or dancing. The trouble is that most of the time she slaughters lyrics worse than almost anyone in the world, but her pitch is perfect and her voice is very pretty.

Savannah's favorite color has been purple for many years, and while that is still at the top of the list, she's starting to appreciate other colors, as well.

Savannah is a great friend and loves to make people feel good. She cheers wildly at Bruce's football and basketball games and can actually sit and follow the whole game.

Savannah is a dog fanatic and is the most attentive to Sanders (and any other dog she sees). If she had her way, we'd own a dozen dogs.

Savannah is hilarious when she gets awakened from sleep. Sometimes we let her fall asleep on the couch just so we can rouse her and watch her as she makes her way to bed. Sometimes she says ridiculous things, sometimes she does ridiculous things--like walk up to the wall and place both of her hands on it and just stand there. When she was really little, sometimes she would sleep in the splits. One time we woke her up to put her to bed on a cushion at Grandma's and she did a cartwheel into the bed--all while still sleeping. You never know what you're going to get when you move the sleeping Savannah, but it is always amusing.

After a few medical problems and a hard start, Savannah is strong, healthy and happy. We love her and don't know what we'd do without her in our family. Happy birthday, Savannah. You're a wonderful girl and we love you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRUCE!

Bruce, my first child, turns sixteen today. Hard to believe he's reached this milestone already. Time moves much too quickly. It seems so recent that he was just a smiling little baby and now he's a man. Part of me is sad. I'd like him to slow down because I feel the days rushing by like a wild wind and I know he'll be gone WAY too soon. Another part of me is so pleased with the great young man he is and the wonderful person he's becoming.
I love that Bruce is smart in so many ways. While some other mothers complain to me about how poorly their kids are doing in school, I feel grateful for his hard work and excellent grades. He's planning for his future, preparing for college and a career. He talks about his mission and post-mission plans. He doesn't get caught up in the day-to-day drama of so many teens. He's focused. It is such a blessing. He has his flaws. His room gets cleaned only occasionally and at any given time, 5-10 towels can be found on his bedroom floor, but those are minor in the big picure.

I love Bruce's sense of humor. He's clever, creative and witty. He's almost always pleasant to be around, and the great thing is, he doesn't mind hanging out with his family. He's not always asking to go somewhere. He loves watching mysteries with Travis and me. He is happy to take a drive with us and look at architecture and real estate. He draws funny pictures. He's a champion "dot game" player during sacrament meeting. He fills in and teaches his teacher's quorum when the teacher fails to show up. He smiles easily. His brother and sisters think he's great. He willingly helps with the math that is too advanced for Travis and me. He makes Veronica feel great by asking her to make "the best snickerdoodles in the world."
Bruce is talented. He draws, plays piano, and loves all sports. He provides us with tons of entertainment. I am so thankful to have a son like Bruce. When Travis blessed him as a baby, one of the things that stood out in my mind was a reminder that it was important for him to set a good example to his siblings that would look up to him. He is doing that. Happy birthday, Bruce. I love you!