MAJOR Catch-Up!

I have been so busy these past couple of weeks-months, work is stressful, getting home late, etc. So I will try to tell as much as possible.

Lets see, Mike is doing wonderfully with his lap-band. As of yesterday he has loss 70lbs. Wow, I am so proud of him. We had to go get him another suit because all his suits hung on him so bad, he looked like...well you get the picture. He has learned real fast what he can and can not eat, had a couple of times that he over did it and suffered the consequences. I am so proud of him. But the most exciting news is...he got a new job!!!! He left JBS Carriers today and starting tomorrow he will be working in Salt Lake and home EVERY NIGHT!!!. Do you know how long I've been waiting for that? We have both said we definitely need to learn how to live with each other since he has been gone so much for about 9 years.

Dani is doing great. The girl who has been a bully to her has been transferred to another school (thank goodness). She has been busy with school and church activities. Her school studies, she has been doing so good. But in high school the peer pressures are worse today than when Mike and I went to school.

This past Monday was our littlest granddaughter (Kamryn) one year birthday. Where did that time go. I can't believe a year has come and gone already. She is now walking. I just love watching little babies walk, reminds m
e of baby deers walking for the first time. Of course she really enjoyed her cake, and she ate it too. I felt bad because the parents were going to deal with a major sugar rush. I had to also include a picture of Kamryn eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, reminds me when her sisters also ate their first sandwiches. Kamryn is a happy baby, but like all babies she can be cranky. I love the roll of "grandma" I am blessed to be able to spend a lot of time with all three granddaughters. I love the fact that when I come through the door, all three of them run to me screaming "Grandma" including Kamryn...well she doesn't scream but she walks very fast.

Next blog I will update on the other two granddaughters. This one was dedicated to Kamryn because of her birthday.

Cheerz to all!

I am SO PROUD of my husband!

I just have to brag and show some pictures of my husband's transformation: One of them was taken back last summer of 2010. The other photos were just taken this past weekend because I wanted him to try on those same overalls for comparison.

Then for the fun of it he put on what we call his "skinny jeans" I think there are a size 48 from a 52-54. WOW! Now can you see why I am so proud of him. As of last week he has lost a total of 50lbs. And of course I had to throw this picture in of us and our granddaughters. We have one other granddaughter, her name is Ami but she wasn't able to be with us that night, this was after Christmas because my daughter was in California with her dad. But here is a picture of my husband and our granddaughter Ami. We consider ourselves pretty blessed to have the family that we do and they are all granddaughters. The only boy is our immediately family is our dog...Grizzly, which you see is on Grandpa's lap. This picture was taken on Christmas day when all the relatives on Mike's side came over for a wonderful luncheon (soup and rolls) along with Aunt Irene's home made Cheese Cake. Which Mike couldn't have any...bummer. We did find out one other thing, on my husbands birthday, in January, I had made a cake for him and he thought, no problem, he will just chew the heck out of it. Well, cake does not go down very easily for him so from now on...no more cake. I'll have to eat it for him. NOT!

And of course I have to throw in this picture of the two of us. I am getting back the man I married close to 10 years ago. I have to look at that smile and say to myself...that lap-band surgery was well worth every penny!

A Very Merry Christmas It Was!

Christmas found us together as a family. Just two weeks ago, Mike is now the proud new owner of a lap-band, and he is doing so well. Very proud of him. So he had two weeks to recover from surgery and luckily that took us into Christmas. And as of Sunday when he left, he had lost 35lbs.

This was definitely a different Christmas, normally we as grandparents would have been over at our grandchildren's watching them open their gifts and having breakfast with our family, but this year they got the opportunity to travel to California so they could spend Christmas with their other grandpa. I understand they are having a great time, but I sure did miss them and still do. This picture was taken on Christmas Eve before they left for California, the girls were watching a movie so intently but I had Kamryn's attention the whole time.

But we spent Christmas day opening gifts and then I made homemade potato/cheese/broccoli soup, there were rolls and who ever wanted to, they could bring anything they want. Uncle Don and Aunt Irene along with Sean came over and then there was Kyle and then Jared and Stephany (I hope I spelled her name right this time). And the most important part was spending time with our newest granddaughter Ami. She is a doll and just so easy to love. I hope in the new year we can spend more time with her. Oh I can't forget my sweet mother in law coming over also.

Christmas day came and went so fast for me because Mike had to go back to work by 5am Sunday morning. It was wonderful having him home with me, he helped me in so many ways and took so much stress off of me, words can't express my appreciation to him. But with him back on the road again, the loneliness settles in again but we are working on getting him home. We are actively looking for a new job so he is home every night, so keep us in your prayers.

Well, as the New Year approaches, I would like to wish everyone a great New Year and that all your dreams and endeavors come to life. Just know I love you all!

My New Blog!

For anyone who reads this blog, I have started a new one. This one is about our journey, that is my husband Mike and I, of losing weight. And it's just not about the conventional loosing weight. It's about Mike going through Lap-Band and both of us working together to loose our weight.

It's called: lap-bandandlovinit.blogspot.com

Please check it out and if you'd like, follow us!

My Little Angel's...

These little angels are my granddaughters. I am so proud of each of them, for all they have accomplished and for what they will do in the future. The little one on top is Kamryn, she is now 9 months old and the littlest of the three girls. She shows no fear about trying something new and exploring.
This is Kyla. She just turned 3 last week. If any of my granddaughters can get me out of a foul mood it is this little one. Her smile and laugh is infectious. She is extremely polite and full of gratitude. She is always saying "Thank you" for everything and anything.

This is Kaitlyn, she is 7 and the sportsman of the family. She has just finished her third year of soccer and from what I understand mom is going to get her involved in ballet after the first of the year. Grandma here is also going to start teaching the piano. When ever she comes over to grandma's she is always playing my piano. She has a natural ear for tones and melodies.
So here are all three of my little angels and I do mean angels. They have wonderful parents who take the time to teach, sit down on the floor and just "PLAY". There is a lot of exploring, questions asked and answered. There have been times I've gone over and Brenna is in the kitchen teaching colors or number with Kyla. There is story time, reading is encouraged. I love hearing the stories of mischief these girls get into and how sometimes mom and dad are frustrated, I just laugh because I went through the same thing as they did...I guess payback? I love being a grandma and I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world!

Let's Do the Time-Warp Again!

Life has a way of getting away from us as we get older. The older I get...the more busy I am and it should be the other way around, I would think. But we've been pretty busy, we've been through some tough times lately but things are smoothing out.

The fall always find Mike and I heading to our favorite trails up on Monte Cristo. The trees are so beautiful with the changing colors. Riding our ATV is one of our many favorite things to do. We haven't been able to do it that much this year because of the economy and his job takes him away more than not, but we manage.

With the weather turning colder, it's time to put our camper away and count down the days until spring comes upon us again, we always miss our camping/ATVing days when it's snowing. I guess maybe we should get into snowmobiling. Nah...I'll stay with our ATV.

Well now, tomorrow night is Halloween, I am not a big fan of the holiday but I do love seeing my family dress up. Last Friday night was our wards "Fall Social". And here are my fairies...Kaitlyn (in the blue), Kyla (in the pink) and Kamryn of course in the stroller. And my Danielle was called the "Night Fairy". I consider myself very lucky and blessed to have the family that I have. With all the bomb threats, terrorism, etc. I don't want to take my family for granted and miss all the small opportunities to be with them. We may never know when it will be our last moment here on earth with them. I want them to know how much I love them and always will. Nobody and nothing can take that away from me. I am thankful to my Father in Heaven for blessing me with my daughters, and then my husband who I love with all my heart, just wish it didn't take so long to find each other, but we have each other now...like the song says from Sugarland "you and me baby we're stuck like glue"!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

I apologize from the bottom of my heart and soul, I have not had internet connection for a long time and boy did I miss it. I went on strike again with Comcast with their huge pricing and finally canceled my cable and internet services. Now I have Qwest internet and loving it.

Anyway, last weekend when my wonderful husband was home, we went to a Raptor's baseball game. I hadn't had so much fun in a long time. I yelled and cheered with the best of them. Dani and her friend Jake were also getting into the spirit of things.


As you can see I am not very good at taking pictures of me and Mike, Mike turns out good but I always look like I am learning way back with a huge neck. Kind of embarrassing. But I really enjoy spending time with my husband, miss him so much when he is gone for 2-3 weeks at a time. So we spend as much time together doing something fun and cheap. At least the baseball game was free with a coupon from McDonald's. But it's the memories of a good time that counts.

Then my sweet granddaughter Kaitlyn took her first major plane trip...alone...to Grandpa Santi's out in California. She did great, had a ball. Grandpa Mike and I bought Kyla this huge Teddy Bear from Costco. Kyla has it on her bed and sleeps on it, just like Dani did with her big Zebra. But my other beautiful granddaughter Kamryn loved laying on her sisters Bear also.

I look at these pictures and I am pretty sure some of you who read and follow my blog probably think I am obsessed with my family but you know what? I am! I would rather be obsessed with my family than other early things. Because it's not the earthly things like my home, car, clothes, who I know that is going to get me with my family for all eternity, it's my relationship with no only first and foremost my Father in Heaven and Christ but then it's the relationships I have with my family.

Friends are going to come and go, friends will hurt you and family members will also but it is up to us to "Forgive and Forget", it's not up to Heavenly Father because he will forgive who he will, but it is commanded that we do it regardless. I have to think of the lesson we had today in Gospel Doctrine about Job. Regardless of what he went through, the loss of his family, his wealth, etc, he still praised God. Can we do that? So for my strength to get through my trials, my health problems, and anything that may come my way, I rely on the strength of God and then rely on my family. My husband Mike is such a great example of strength is. Can you imagine being out on the road for weeks at a time, away from your family? He does it with the right spirit and I know he relies on Heavenly Father for him to get through the times alone, until he comes home. It's hard, he hardly complains. I think I do it enough for both of us. But what an example he is for me.

So that is why my family is everything to me. My question to you is this...what does your family mean to you?