We survived!! And I need your suggestions...

We survived the first week of school!! Or should I say Alex's teachers survived. And you know how I said Taylor is working in a cluster unit? I know most of the kids she's working with because I worked with them as 2 year olds!! So much fun!! Alex only had one OOPS! when he forgot he was 12 not 3, and ran away and hid. Only once!! Whoo-hoo!! And no sugar dives for his teachers, yet. (Notice I put YET in there, cause it's going to happen! We all know it!)

OK, so I need some fantastic suggestions; I am now the activities chairperson in our ward and I want your ideas for ward activities!! We haven't had ANY activity for a while now, so our ward is starved for things to do. Gimme, gimme, gimme!! And then gimme some more....

First day of school

I just put Alex on the bus. I don't know how I feel; proud. He didn't want to wake up, and really fought me, but then once he was awake he was happy and even seemed excited waiting for the bus. Scared; new teachers in a new school with A LOT more kids - and none of them know much about diabetes. Worried; he has to be on the bus at 7:55! I don't know if he can do that for a sustained period of time. Happy; a schedule again!!

Taylor will start school tomorrow at UVU again, and today is her first day of work at Willow Canyon! Yes - she is working in a cluster unit at Alex's elementary school!! She'll do a fantastic job and they'll be so lucky to have her. She is working with a new teacher, so it will be good for both of them!

I'm getting old!! First I will have 3 grandchildren by Christmas, and now my 'baby' is going to middle school. Holy Cow!!

The last few weeks in photos...

July 27, 2009 - WENT BOATING WITH THE HINCKLEY FAMILY FOR MAC'S BIRTHDAY! BEAUTIFUL DAY AT WILLARD BAY - BUT I DIDN'T TAKE MY CAMERA WITH ME :(

MY boat! My testosterone overflows when I drive it!!

...balloons in front of our house...

JUNE 28, 2008 - HAD A BIG BIRTHDAY BASH FOR MAC AT HIS GRAVESIDE WITH HINCKLEY'S, MAUGHAN'S (AND EXTENDED MAUGHAN'S) AND MOWERS, AS WELL AS MANY FRIENDS WE CONSIDER FAMILY!!

...Josh and Cali serving cake...

...balloons sent to heaven for Mac to play with...

...spoiled little kid!...

...Cali insisted on taking a picture of me (so Colby held me in place). Not bad, Lou!



JULY 13-17 WENT TO GIRL'S CAMP WITH SOME GREAT MEN AND WOMEN!!

...Griff cutting firewood for us womenfolk...

...(L-R)Sue Burton (Stake YW 1st counselor), Cristy (Camp Director), Michelle Matthews (Stake YW Pres.)



THEN ALEX, MIKE AND I WENT TO PICK TAYLOR UP FROM HER SUMMER JOB AT THE HIGH ADVENTURE BOY SCOUT CAMP NOT FAR FROM JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING! WE'RE VERY PROUD OF OUR COPE COURSE INSTRUCTOR!!

...Taylor after shimmying up a pole...

...Mike and Alex on way to hotel swimming pool...

...these 2 missed each other A LOT!!...

... me with Taylor and Alli after Destiny (not shown) pulled me up the Giant's Ladder! Thanks Destiny for helping me... wouldn't have been able to do it without your help. It was a great time; and I did it!! I'm proud of myself, but also disgusted with how out of shape I am.

... my 2 studs getting ready for the cope course...

...Alex at the END of the zipline. He loved it!!...


CALI AND JOSH CAME UP FOR THE WEEKEND AND SINCE TJ WAS DONE, WE VISITED JACKSON HOLE!!

...fam in front of the antler arch...


WE GOT PICTURES TAKEN WITH SOME OF THE LOCALS...

...a relative maybe?...

...MADE FOOLS OF OURSELVES WITH A PACK OF WOLVES....

...PLAYED AT A COOL PARK...

...AND SAW A WILD WEST SHOOT OUT IN TOWN SQUARE!

ON THE DRIVE HOME WE HAD TO TAKE OUR PICTURE NEXT TO MAUGHAN ROAD!!

WE WERE HOME WITH TJ FOR 24 HOURS THEN MIKE, ALEX AND I HIT THE ROAD AGAIN, THIS TIME TO IDAHO FOR UNCLE RON'S, JED'S AND JORDAN'S FUNERALS.

... it was very humbling to see 3 caskets.

...Ron's grandchildren and Jordan's children let balloons go...

...AND WE COULDN'T LEAVE IDAHO WITHOUT VISITING THE FARM. IT WASN'T QUITE THE SAME SINCE GRANDMA AND GRANDPA HAD NOT LIVED THERE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, BUT THERE ARE SOME GREAT MEMORIES THERE!!

...the shed / airplane hangar where 'the' plane was kept. Grandpa and Jed re-built the plane, and then grandpa died while working on it (fell or had a stroke?) and Jed, Jordan and Uncle Ron were killed in a crash in the same plane.

...looking out into the fields. Mike spent many a day out in them thar fields!

It's just a bizarre feeling

Mike called me yesterday from work. His uncle and two cousins had flown grandpa's plane to Washington for a fishing trip - they never made it. Now if you're smarter than I am you won't ask the stupid question I did; "Well, where are they?"

It just seemed too surreal! A plane crash?! Jed piloting?! And grandpa's plane?? Grandpa's plane is a legend. Nothing could go wrong with that plane. And especially with Jed flying it. And seriously - a plane crash? You just don't get a phone call like that everyday. A plane crash.

The wreckage was found yesterday afternoon and later in the evening they recovered the bodies. The time in between finding the wreckage and confirming they were dead was awful for us, and I will admit we weren't as close to them as we should be. So I can't even imagine the hell their close relatives felt.

Please give your family a hug today, and let those around you know your feelings for them. Don't let another minute go by without asking for forgiveness, or even better - forgive someone who has wronged you. Life is too short to not love as many and as much as you can!!

Colby and Kierra - I love you! thanks for being such a great first kid. Cali and Josh - I love you! thanks for being mine. Taylor - I love you! thanks for being you. Alex - I love you! thanks for being patient with me. And Mike - I love you!! Forever isn't long enough!!!

I have the best parents a girl could ever ask for - I love you mom and dad!! And I have a brother and sister in law who are my good friends - I love you, Shaun, Suzee, Caden, Abbie and Berklee! And a little sister who I will always try to protect. I love you Pam!

I could go on and on.... I love you! Thanks for being a part of my life and helping me become a better person than I am!


JUST A SIDE NOTE / ADDITION: This might seem tacky to some, so I will try to make this as tactful as possible. If you do not have life insurance, please get some. If you don't know where to go, ask family members or friends for referrals. If you need a referral, I have a person who I trust that can help you. Just take care of those you may leave behind.