Happy Birthday Grammy!!!!

Happy Birthday Grammy!!! Grammy would have been 102 this year. I miss her so much. We had some wonderful visits and talks during her last years of life. I would come to Fruitland during the summer for a few weeks and stay with Grammy and just hang out with her :) I am so grateful for those opportunities to have been able to spend that time with just me and her.

Grammy passed away about 2 months after Aaron was born in 1994 after suffering a stroke. Her sweet concern for others has been a living legacy for me and the rest of our family.

A few funny things that would happen with Grammy... ones that we still remember to this day.... Whenver anyone would come to visit, as soon as we would come into the house, Grammy would be trying to figure out what to fix the crowd for dinner or lunch. Grammy was always worried about making sure everyone had some food to eat :)

Another funny thing about Grammy, that she did..... When Grammy would get any new towels or pillow cases, her comment would be.... "They're too pretty to use" Grammy had boxes full of brand new, never used dish towels that she was too afraid to use because they were too pretty to use. Her towels would be thread bare, but she would not pull out any of the pretty towels. LOL!!!!

I am so grateful for the chance to have been close to Grammy and be able to see her. I am grateful to my mom for making sure that we grew up most of our lives close to our grandparents. I have tried to do the same thing for our children. It is so important to be close to family, so that no precious memory time is lost.

I love you Grammy!!!!

Monday fun!!!!

Monday, I decided to take the two youngest boys with me to Boise to do some Presidents day shopping. We really had a great time just the three of us. First we went to Savers as they were having a 50% off everything in the store. You would have thought it was black friday at Savers. The carts were all used by people piling them high with clothes. The aisles were packed with shoppers looking for the best deals.... I didn't even attempt the dressing rooms, that was INSANE!!!! People were waiting forever to get into the dressing rooms.... soooo not worth the savings for me. Although, I did find some great deals. I got about 6 or 8 pairs of pants, some pj's and a shirt for $17 :) GREAT DEAL!!!

After Savers, we went to Zurchers to look for some dinosaur pencils. Dallin found the pencils for me right off the bat. After I got all the pencils I needed, we walked around the store and looked at everything there. The aisle that we had the most fun in was the costume aisle :)

Dallin grabbed a top hat and a black dancing cane and put the hat on. He started dancing in the aisle, so fun!!! So I decided to take some pictures and hang out in the costume section for a while and just have fun :) Kyler joined our fun and picked out his favorite color hat and a dancing cane, so I got a picture of him as well :) I also got into it and was the Queen mother :) It was so fun at Zurchers trying on the funky hats and taking pictures :)

We really had a great time together in Boise. After we were done shopping, we stopped at Wendy's for lunch and headed home. It really was a great day spending that time with Dallin and Kyler :)

This is NOT fun!!!!

After more counselling and more figuring things out. We're coming to understand that I have had panic attacks and some horrible anxiety for years. This is very hard to talk about and very hard to deal with and face. During the summer this past year, I had to go to the ER with what Tim and I thought was something dealing with my heart.... as it turns out, it was anxiety or panic attack.
What are some symptoms of a panic attack or anxiety attack? Pressure in my chest, racing heart, nausea, feeling of the need to flee... and more... I'm still learning about it. There is a lot of information to learn and read up on and figure out. Panic attacks can come on undexpectedly and suddenly and can last 10 minutes or more.
As I read more and understand more about panic and anxiety, the more I'm seeing where it's been a big part of my life for so long that has gone unnoticed and untreated. So many factors come into play with anxiety and panic... also part of it could be post traumatic stress syndrome.
I pray for the Lord's blessing and help as I muddle through this, it is not a fun or desireable thing to have to go through.

I would greatly appreciate any prayers :) Thank you all

Hello???? Is anyone out there????

Is anyone out there? Is anyone reading this?

Ok this is a test to see if anyone is really looking at my blog. No comments have been left for most of my posts, so it leads me to wonder if anyone is really interested or looking :(

So, here is your assignment... if you are checking me out... the blog that is.... post a silly memory you have of me on facebook. I'm anxious to see who actaully is reading this and keeping up with our family.... and I'm anxious to hear the funny memories.... I think it will be fun :)

I am so ready for a laugh, so please bring on the funny memories. I need the giggles :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DON!!!!

A very happy birthday wish for my big brother Don Shaw today!!!! What a blessing to know him and have him a part of my life!!!! I love you big brother!!!

After a short two week visit in Dec 09 and another short visit in June 2010 I got to have a ton of great memory making days with my brother!!! It's never enough though, but those times we had were great ones and there will be more to come!

Don taught me a lot of things while I was in Texas. We now have some regular recipes added to the weekly/monthly menu..... uncle Don's double decker tacos, chicken spaghetti and biscuits and groundhog gravy (he taught me how to make white sauce) and fudge!!!!!

I love you big brother!!!! I look forward to when the boys can meet you and the whole gang in Texas!!!

Happy Birthday Aaron!!!!

Happy Birthday to my oldest baby!!!! I can't believe he's 17 years old already!!!! The time has flown on wings of lightning for sure. Aaron has grown into quite the young man.

Aaron has been such a blessing. He reaches the highest shelves for me when I can't reach them YAY!!!! Aaron's height has come from both sides of the gene pool....Tim's father and grandfather are both tall as is my father. Aaron's musical talents have grown and increased along with his love for music.

I love you Aaron!!! May you continue to be blessed throughout your life! You are an amazing young man who has many amazing abilities and talents. The Lord loves you and He knows you. You are one of His sons!!!! Happy birthday my son!!!!

The defenition of Perfection

I was reading this morning in my book... Finding The Angel Within by Pamela H. Hansen.... In my reading, I read about pride. Pride has two ends of it's spectrum... one, we all know is feeling and thinking that we're better than others. The other end of the spectrum that so many are guilty of including me is feeling and thinking that we could never measure up. Comparing ourselves to the latest fashion trend or the Jones's. Too many times, we belittle ourselves and put ourselves down because we don't think we're as pretty as the most popular girl in school.

In my reading, if anyone wants to go check it out... on page 101... I was reading about Satan's plan of Sameness and the Father's plan of Happiness. Satan uses a perfectly toned body as a tool to get us to think and try to be just like that person. Our Father in Heaven created each of us different. He didn't want us to be clones of each other having the same physical appearance as others....so why are we still doing it?

Why are we trying to fill Satan's deffenition of perfection instead of our Father in Heaven's deffenition.... afterall.... it is our Heavenly Father's defenition of perfection that will get us to our ultimate goal of PERFECTION!!!! So.... no more comparing ourselves to others, we are all unique beings created divinely different for a reason, celebrate our differences and embrace them

Platinum vs. Gold

We've all heard of the golden rule..... but what about the platinum rule????

We all know that the golden rule is TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED.
Well, there is a new rule that far outweighs the golden rule, it is the platinum rule:
TREAT OTHERS AS THEY WANT TO BE TREATED

This simple change in rule is so heavy and has such a lasting effect and can change lives and let others know just how much you really truly care about them. We are all different and want to be treated and shown love in different ways. Some of us want to be treated like a buddy, but others of us want to be gently loved and cherished. We wouldn't treat the men in our lives like one of the girls.... nor would we want them to treat us like one of the guys.

In thinking about this new Platinum rule, I was thinking.... which one is of more worth? Gold? or Platinum? well, a simple search has proven that platinum is about double the value of gold!!!! So, naturally, we would want to follow the platinum rule and not the golden rule right????

May we think of others and be aware of their needs. May we pray earnestly to be guided by the spirit to know the needs of our children, spouses, family and all of those with whom we associate everyday. The Lord will guide us because He truly loves each one of us and wants us all to know and feel loved.

F-O-R-T-I-F-Y

On facebook, a friend had posted on her status, a challenge to all of her friends. Think of one word that you could focus on this year for 2011. As I thought about that one word, I remembered reading another friends blog as she had chosen a word STRENGTHEN.... a very good word :) I wanted to choose something different and something that would suit me and my family, so I prayed. After I said a prayer, I began to read my scriptures and was writing in my journal when the word hit me with such force that I had to stop what I was writing about and write about that word....

The word FORTIFY!!!!

The defenition of Fortify- to make strong; to strengthen and secure; to give physical strength, courage, or endurance to



I want to FORTIFY every aspect of my life this year!

FORTIFY- my family, building up those fortifications to protect my family from the evils around us
FORTIFY- my physical body and strengthen my body, getting out and enjoying this wonderful world that Heavenly Father has blessed us with
FORTIFY- my spirit, building up my own defenses and listening more to the spirit and doing the Lord's will
FORTIFY- my testimony and my relationship with my Father in Heaven and my Savior
FORTIFY- my education, studying more and continuing my education to better myself

Love notes

Yesterday I got the sweetest love note in the mail. It was addresses to me, the return address was my address and there was no stamp on the envelope. It was a love note from Dallin!!!!! He kept asking all day if he could get the mail. Asking so much to the point of almost frustrating me. I decided to let him get it, but I took Chloe with me in the car for her ride. Dallin and Kyler raced me to the mailbox.... of course they won lol. I gave Dallin the key to get the mail and it seemed to take him longer than normal. ..... of course it did because that's when he was slipping the love note from his shirt into the mailbox..... He's tricky he is!!!!

I opened the envelope and cried!!!! This is what it said... by the way it was a thank you note and a paper picture. The thank you note said "love you mom. Thank you for all you've done. i wish you get better because of your hip. Have fun and fun with friendship you're so important. LOVE you so much"

The picture was a sunshine with a heart in the middle of it.... on the paper it says "To a great mom: love you, thought you needed some light and love"

I so love these sweet tender moments of reward :) Yesterday evening Kyler even tried his hand at being sweet in his own little way. He made me a love note and, while I was in the bathroom, knocked on the door and told me I have a package waiting for me. He was so excited to give me his letter :) His letter says "I love you mom. I am going to put this card in the mail. Love Kyler" and hearts are drawn all over the paper :)

I SO LOVE BEING A MOM!!!!!!