-117 and counting

Went to Nola's on Sunday night for Ethan's (#11) and Tanya's (#31) birthday celebration(s). First, how in the heck did my neices and nephews grow up so darned fast? I have fun memories of each of them. Then, how did Sarah have a 12 year old and an 11 year old? It was fun once again to go and be with the family, especially all of the boys. They are all so cute and have such fun personalities. Larry finished his dinner and went to the living room and I being the last to leave, sat on the couch and visited with he and Nola for awhile. He has lost 117 pounds and still losing more. He is the OLD Larry and it is absolutely amazing to watch the transformation, almost like a butterfly coming out of the cocoon. His sweatshirt jacket went from a 6XL to a 2XL and he is so PROUD - he beams! I noticed he had on some new jeans and mentioned it and he was quick to tell me that he has gone down 10 waist sizes and the new pants now have a fist size gap in them, too! I am so proud of Larry and his accomplishments.

Maggie (no babies) and I spent the weekend in the valley with Jenna and Weston and the kids. Had a good time, but Maggie was ready to come home on Sunday. I was too, it was cold at home and I hated for Troy to have to take care of Sadie while I was out of town and have to drag the kids out into the weather. I did, however, enjoy Gunnar and Bailey Boo. He is my buddy and I enjoy sharing a room with him. He tried to get me back to bed on Sunday morning so I couldn't leave and he told "Mangie" I love you when we left. Bailey Boo took a liking to Maggie so we baby sat on Saturday night so that Jenna and Weston could go to dinner with friends.

On Tuesday, Debbie and I made 100 jars of raspberry plum jam. It took all day long but the work was worth it. Today I spent the day at mom and dads and we put up 18 more jars of chili sauce, 10 jars of spaghetti sauce and 8 jars of salsa. Next...pickled beets.

I love this time of year, but boy is it hard work. My dad grows the best gardens...his corn this year was to die for. We enjoyed the bounty of his hard work.

Tomorrow I take Zip to the vet. If it isn't one thing it's another. And most importantly of all, it is my mom's birthday. I love my mom beyond words. She has always been there for me and I have learned so much from her and her mother and her mother...yes, I was blessed to KNOW my grandmother and great grandmother on the Stover side; my great grandmother on the Gilliam side; my grandmother on the Roger's side. We have a five generation picture of Jenna, me, mom, Grandma Gilliam and Nary (my great grandmother). What a treasure! My grand daughters have four generations of girls...them, moms, me and my mom! I LOVE YOU, MOM! I need to get some better photos of my mom and dad...just realized that :o(

Tonight I am too pooped to pop, but it is a good tired. I can hardly wait to crawl into bed under my down comforter.

Happy Birthday To You...

With all of the extended family and my own kids and grandkids we now have at least one birthday a month. Last night I went to Nola's to celebrate Jordan and Kevin's #3 birthday. They are so darned cute. My boys (Zack, Bryan and the twins) came tumbling out of Nola's when they saw me drive up. After hugging Zack and Bryan the twins both holding up three fingers told me that it was their birthday. I asked how old they were, "forty?"..."no, two" said one and the other said, "no, four" both still holding up three fingers. Last Sunday night we celebrated Trey's, Bryan's & Nola's birthday at her house. Trey is twelve. I can't believe he is that old. Bryan is 6 and next year we celebrate the big 5 0 for Nola. A year of planning. I am so lucky to have a sister. My sister has the biggest heart in the world and will do anything for anybody. Me, I have to have "things" done, first. Not Nola - I wish I were more like her. Mom and I want to take her to lunch - road trip over the mountain.

I told you all about Larry having gastric by pass surgery. As of this date he has lost 107 pounds and I am so PROUD of you Larry! What an inspiration. He doesn't cheat and you can't believe the change in Larry. He's like the old Larry - we have a date in three months for pizza and bowling. We used to do that before we all had too many kids to leave the house.

I went to 3rd Ward on Sunday to watch Dustin and Ethan in their primary program and to see Trey receive the priesthood. They are such good boys - and such hard workers. Jake and Sarah are good parents. Ethan is in a walker because he still has a cast on his lower leg. He is recovering nicely from his atv wreck. Saw Merr at church - she is the primary president in the 3rd ward - it is good to take a minute and visit with the people that make a difference in my life!

This morning Maggie and I went to Max Saunders' funeral. He used to run around with Maggie - the thing I remember most about Max was his infectious laugh. That was mentioned over and over in his funeral, his love of life and love of people. I feel so bad for Vada and her family, losing Max. With our eternal perspective, it is but for a short time.

Tad went back to work in Morenci this morning. Another change in his life, but one he was looking forward to. He told me he was ready to get on with his life so I hope all is well. I will miss seeing him once in a while. Even though he lived here, I hardly ever saw him. He worked 24/7 or was hunting or playing at the lake.

A lot of info for a blog, but I have many thoughts and feelings today. I am so lucky to be where I am and doing what I am at this time in my life. Better get busy taking more pictures...SMILE, you're on Dorlene's camera!

Playing Catch Up

Where does the time go? Just yesterday it was August and summer was here in full swing and today fall is definitely on it's way. My virginia creeper (yah, the one that Gunnar taste-tested) is turning colors and my rose bushes are in full bloom again. Go figure...one month ago today, I took this picture of a double rainbow it was gorgeous - just in the wrong location to get a great shot... and right out my back door, I just heard thunder. I hope it rains alot because my grass sure could use it.


Jenna and Weston came up on the 6th for a wedding reception in St. Johns and on Sunday we had pit bbq beef , coleslaw and corn. Gunnar loves corn on the cob and thank goodness, "papa"(my dad) had a few ears that were ready. I get the biggest kick out of watching him eat corn. It was fun to have all of the babies together. Gunnar and Kamryn get along pretty good most of the time. When he gets that "look" in his eye, that little toot is going to pester, tease, or something come hell or high water.

Tad has Alvin and the Chipmunks movie in his room so I took it to my room where Gunnar and I slept and put it on for him. It quickly became his new favorite. While watching it one afternoon here is what we foundGunnar sound asleep sitting on my hope chest at the end of the bed. Before they could move him, I had to take the pictures :o)



I took Jenna and the babies home on Wednesday and stayed until Monday. A mini vacation that I enjoyed, mostly because I was with my kids. We didn't do much, although on Saturday, Jenna and I went for manicures and pedicures. I'm old and this was my first for either one and gosh, a girl could really get spoiled. It felt so nice and my hands looked so nice.


It was so good to play with Gunnar and Bailey (when she will let me). I'm afraid we have another "mama's baby" with Bailey boo... Maggie says she can feel Jenna's pain. Kamryn was a mama's baby and Trentin will go to anyone. Gunnar is a little more reserved but doesn't go into hysterics the second Jenna is out of sight.

I got back into town Monday afternoon and have been trying to catch up from the last couple of months of non-stop go. I missed my little house and Sadie missed me. Gunnar still calls me mo mo Sadie and I love it.


While in the valley I stay in Gunnar's room with him. We make a pallet on the floor for him but before too long we are sharing a twin bed. I spoil him so when it's time for a nap or for bed, I lay down with him and we watch "Chipmunks" cause, guess what mo mo bought for Gunnar? His very own copy! He soon realized that once he was asleep that mo mo, being the shifty character she is, slips out of the room and goes down stairs to talk to mama, so he got to where he would make me lay down against the wall and would try to wrap his arms around mine so he would know when I left. I still chuckle when I think of how hard he worked to keep me from escaping.

When I got home, Kamryn wanted to see her amma - so she spent the night on Tuesday night. She is spending the night tonight - Troy is taking Maggie out for her birthday. Ed will be home and they will have a ball.


I am so blessed to have the privilege of being a wife, mother and grandmother. These are blessings I do not take forgranted. I love my kids and my grandbabies so much it makes my heart hurt. I cry every time Jenna and her kids leave here or I have to leave them behind. I miss Kamryn and Trentin when I am there and miss Gunnar and Bailey when I am here. What's a mo mo to do?

By the way...my baby (Maggie) is 24 today! Happy birthday. I love you and am so proud of the person you have become! Love you, Mom

Feeling Neglected

Maggie was talking to Jenna the other day and they asked when I was going to be through with the Jamboree. They were feeling neglected and wanted to know where their mother is. Other than my kids, church, and scrapping this is the thing I do for me. I try to jump through hoops when my kids need something. I try to fulfill my church callings. I scrapbook to keep a history for my kids and the jamboree my one selfish "me" thing.

Anybody else noticed that our weather has a definite "fall" feeling to it this past week? I do love our falls here but my favorite is summer. The sun rises early and sets late. I feel better when it is warmer and seem to have more energy.

Did take a couple of hours on Friday and scrapped with Bonnie and Terry. I got Trentin's newborn album done and from that point on the other albums I do of the kids and grandkids will be theirs probably when I die. That's their inheritance -

The Jamboree starts on Tuesday but I will be working the Eagar Precinct Primary Election. I have been doing that for 12 years and do enjoy working the elections. I have learned a lot and it feels good to serve in that capacity. Pay isn't anything for the hours put in so it is service. I have a good crew I like to work with. Again, I have made some new friends in this capacity, too. My circle of friends grew after I took my leave of absence from work. With work, my family, church, and any service every minute of every day was taken. Now that I have a little more time, I enjoy my lunch dates with the girls from work, birthday lunches with my circle of friends and just visiting when I see people around town.

There are so many positive things about living in a small town, a few negatives...like limited shopping, but I couldn't imagine raising my kids anywhere else. I am sad that there aren't more work opportunities here for some of our kids that have to live in the valley to make a living. But, that does make coming home special.

I haven't had time to even blog stock hope all of you are well. Miss checking in on you and seeing what is going on in your lives. I do care - have a good weekend.

This Life Has Been Temporarily Interrupted...

Oh yah...JAMBOREE time! I know, I know...some of my family and friends think I am nuts. I love riding my quad and have met some really nice people and made new friendships through the ATV Club. This is crunch time and for the next three weeks it will be a zoo around here, but I love it. You had to be there in 2004 when Ed won the first quad we raffled off. He gave it to me and the rest is history. You had to be there in 2007 when Weston won the quad... they way I screamed and jumped up and down you would have thought that I won it. Hank even said to me, they didn't call your name...I said, he's my son-in-law! This year we are raffling off another polaris like the one Weston won.

We went for a ride up by Oscar Schultz' grave on the mountain Saturday and it was beautiful. The grass is about a foot tall and the wild flowers are breath taking. There has been lots of rain and there is water running in some of the little streams. 80+ miles and we might go again this weekend.

On Saturday during the jamboree they run an obstacle course that is really fun to watch. Lots of competition and good fun. Want a week chock full of fun? Join us!

One Popular Blog...

Cord & Whitney's blog has a picture of Cord with welts and it is one blog that Gunnar and Kamryn are obsessed with. They want to see the "owiee". I think I have created a monster. I started looking at blogs one day for entertainment for Gunnar and he is hooked. Kamryn is too. I always take pictures and I always put them on a slide show on my computer. Those two will sit on my lap and look at pictures for hours. Gunnar's "girlfriend", Taylor Swuft (no that's not a typo, that's how he says it) had a video showing her toes - he was obsessed with her toes. I guess his new favorite song is by Sugarland. Everytime you get in the car with him the first thing you hear is "one, two, three like a bird I sing..." by Tim McGraw. Both Gunnar and Kamryn like music. Kamryn loves to dance. Gunnar is more into listening than dancing.

It is amazing how smart those two little toots are. They know their family and then most of their extended family members through pictures. See...my hobby of photograph/scrapbooking will pay off in the end. Who knows, maybe they will be photographers. Anyway, they will grow up knowing family and friends through pictures and memories.

Lessons Learned (from a 2 Year Old)

Well, here are a couple of things that I have learned with Gunnar this past weekend. 1) Sadie will NOT die of thirst in three days without water no matter what Mo Mo Sadie tells me...

2) I will NOT eat berries off of Mo Mo's Virginia Creeper vine and tell my mama "popples" = apples (and yes they are yucky), because you wind up in the Emergency Room and you become POPULAR right away...

Dang kid runs the water hose 24/7 while he is here and empties Sadie's water bucket within minutes of me filling it. At least for the most part he is past the part where he puts the dry dog food in the water and makes it look like floating poop. I can't stay ahead of him so that Sadie has water and sometimes food. But that's ok, I guess. Sadie loves to play chase with Gunnar and Kamryn and for the most part stays out of their way. Jenna says he's going to be a fireman when he grows up and he will be able to save lots of lives and it is because of all of the training he had at Mo Mo Sadie's house when he was little.

Now for the ER story...I was out early Friday morning with the weed eater getting the last of my weeds knocked down when Jenna comes and asks me what kind of berries are on the bush. I'm thinking "berries...bush..." then she asks me again and I finally realize she is talking about the Virginia Creeper that grows up my chimney. She told me that Gunnar ate a berry. I told her to look it up on the internet... and it says "Highly toxic and can be fatal to humans"...I run through the shower while she calls Poison Control who tells her to get him to the ER. On the way down the road I call ahead to the ER and tell them we are bringing in a 2 year old and that Poison Control said to get him to the ER. We get there in 2 minutes and they are online researching the Virginia Creeper. I had no clue that dang thing could be poisonous, of course until Friday, I'd never had anyone go out and eat the berries either. Misti Eagar was the RN who was online and said that they might have some good news for us. Not ALL Virginia Creepers are toxic and I looked at one that looks identical to mine and it isn't supposed to be.

Once they started working with Gunnar (who up to this point is completely normal) he starts having a fit and wants to go home, wants to go find "Pamryn", etc. They check is temp, his blood pressure and then want to draw blood. His mama leaves the room in tears and I am left to help make him into a human burrito with one arm out and hold him down. It was so hard - I wanted to cry, but I needed to keep calm for him. Then they put a urine collection contraption on him because they needed to make sure his urine was clear, not cloudy and no crystals. (Question...why do when you want someone to pee they won't and when you don't want them to, they will?) Finally, after about 2 hours we found pee in the baggie and they had to send it to the lab before we could be released. We finally were released at 12:30 and Gunnar and his mama were a little worse for wear. We went and collected Bailey who had been rescued by Aunt Maggie and went to lunch at Booga's. Gunnar who has a history of not eating, scarfed down his cheese crisp. I have NEVER seen him eat that much.

His daddy was a nervous wreck in the valley until we were able to report an "all clear". Needless to say, our Friday was NOTHING like we thought it might be.

Jenna has been making tutu's for Bailey for dress up. Yes, I know she is only 6 months old, but she does look cute in them. Jenna brought some tulle for Maggie to make a tutu for Kamryn and it turned out cute, too.

Weston and his two brothers, Max and Spencer came up Friday night and camped on Terry Flat. Jenna and I went out Saturday night and took chicken to bbq. Max and Spencer had made this huge bonfire for Gunnarwho really just wanted to put a stick in the fire and go home. The bonfire was awesome...but Gunnar wanted to go home. I guess he was a little unsure being out at night like that.

This morning I made biscuits and gravy for everyone and then Weston and Jenna loaded up and went home. It was a busy weekend, a traumatic weekend and I am sad to see them go. The good news is I am going down the end of this week for my dr. appt. so I will spend time with those two babies again.

On a really traumatic note...Sarah's son Ethan was riding his quad and had a serious wreck. They flew him out on Friday night and he had surgery this a.m. he broke the (femor??) above his knee, two bones below his knee, tore up both ankles, and has a cracked pelvis. He was given a priesthood blessing and with all of the trauma to his body, he has NO internal injuries, no head injuries, just what I mentioned above plus scrapes and bruises. He has a couple of hard days ahead of him and when he can get up and get around on his own, he will be released. When we think of how serious it is and how much worse it could have been, we KNOW that he was blessed.