Mom and Dad

Ann thought it would be great to put some pictures of mom and dad together to celebrate their life together. So today I was looking through and found these ones that I have loved since the day I took them. We went to Kolob for a spur of the moment picnic. We had such a great time!

Dad has always and forever loved mom. Through thick and thin, through hard times and good times. They are in love!

I love taking pictures and mom is always willing to let me have my way. I can even get her to pose once in awhile and I love it for sure!

My dad the romantic! But mom was having none of it! Stop it Bernell she said!

As the year draws to a close 2013

As this year of 2013 draws to a close I reflect back on happy times, I am thankful for a family that loves me. I have been so blessed with goodly parents who love the Lord and try to keep us all close inspite of the fragmented bunch that we are. So much water has gone under the family bridge, so many hurt feelings, so many feelings of grudge, envy, and frustration that I am not sure the family will ever recover. Mostly because I don't think they want to or need to. I love them all individually, and without  condition. They are who they are, and all of us make mistakes. Some of us learn from them and some of us continue to live them each day. We are all on different journeys, mine is not theirs and theirs is not mine.

Brotherly love runs deep in our family. My little grandsons Jackson pulling Jordan at Aunt Misty's house. I love this picture because it shows the essence of teaching and learning.

This probably is hands down my favorite picture of Len. He looks so relaxed and happy here because he was. This past two years have taken a toll on him physically and mentally but never spiritually. His calling as bishop of our ward at church. It is a hard calling for him so much need, so many lost souls to help, so many that won't try to change but continue to prey on the goodness of the church and it's members, so many who want to change but it is so hard. He loves them through it all, counsels them, prays for them and continues to help them sometimes to the detriment of his own time and family. He is such a good man and I know the Lord is pleased and happy with his sacrifice and service.

Time spent together everytime we get a moment. Is what keeps us in love. We try our best to get away from it all and be together. I so look forward to these times. Cold, heat, rain, or sleet!

Time spent with mom is always a highlight for me. She has changed so much in the last two years that it is sometimes hard for me to connect with her. I try but it just seems hard. I miss the mom she used to be. I don't know why the change or what is going on in her world but I love her still the same to the moon and beyond and pray for the day when the old mom comes back and we can share good times together. Right now he focus is on my older sister Genalee who together they are so codependant on one another that there really isn't room for anyone else in their lives. Mom tries but it is just hard. I love you mom for always believing in me, for being my greatest cheerleader and for all your efforts to keep us kids close.

Oh how I miss those days, not the hair styles or the clothes or the hard times, but I miss having the kids around me everyday. I miss the noise (it's much too quiet in our home) I miss the hugs, the fighting, the family dinners, I just miss them all so much. I love being a mom!

As the year closes I want to end this post by saying, what an amazing day! It has been a year of growth for me, finding my way, learning to cope, learning to be strong when I feel my weakest! It has been a year for me (through my sister Ann) to find that I am a Brave Girl, that I can do anything I want, that I matter, that I am worthy, that I too have dreams and apirations, that I too have a voice that needs and wants to be heard. In the coming year of 2014 I want to build on those principles, I want to truly find out who I am in every sense of the word ME! I want to find out what I need and should do with the years I have left on this earth, I want to make a difference. What an amazing Day!

Kanarraville Falls

May I start this blast from earlier this year with the statement that this was our greatest surprise find of the year. Just a short 30 minutes from home we found this wonderful hike up Kanarraville Falls. It was spectacular and something that I will always treasure. Not only was the hike great but it had waterfalls, lot's of them and you know how much I love waterfalls. The hike itself is about 2 miles long but you are mostly hiking in water and up falls. The sandstone slot canyon was Kodak worthy for sure. So much fun! 

One of the last ladders of the hike was up the falls. Len went up first to check out the climb, it was such cold water but he made it up and then said come on Hip you can do it! So up I went, I am pretty sure that I got much more wet than he did because he is a climber and I am not! So fun! 

We love our adventures so much. Some people buy toys (boats, four wheelers, snowmobiles etc) but we use our time and resources to go on adventures and to travel to see our kids and the world. We can only take with us our memories (not our toys) so we try to make as many as time and $ allow us to.

Poser!!!!

Oh my word I can't believe you took a picture of me in this predicament. I made it up but not as gracefully as I would have thought I could a decade ago! Thank you whoever built these wonderful ladders in the canyon.

Truly a gem to be explored again and again. It was a magical day spent with the man I love. Kanarraville Falls we will be back!

A real blast from the Past 2011

Still reminiscing of happy days with the family. Misty and her momma share a special friendship and bond. Whenever we get on the phone with each other is seems we laugh more than we talk and it is so much fun. I always feel so good after talking to her. She is such an amazing woman. She is a gifted teacher. Any student lucky enough to have Mrs. Owens is set on the right path in this life because she is so good and really cares about each of their successes. She has been instrumental in Kyla's success in spite of the autism. Because Misty was her mentor and champion along with Brandon Kyla graduated high school with her peers, and not is special education but in main stream academics. Because Misty and Brandon were there for her, challenged her, believed in her and encouraged her, this made all the difference in Kyla's future.

Two peas in a pod, Dusty and Pete 2011

Two more peas in a pod, smile you two! Pine Valley Lake 2011

Dad teaching the boys the finer details of Dutch Oven Cooking. The potatoes and chicken were AMAZING even though it started to rain it didn't dampen their adventure.

Misty, Cory, Dusty, Jackson, Jenny, Casey, Kyla, Pete, Len, Grandpa B and Grandma B. I was taking the picture and Brandon was not at this retreat, he came the next year though and it was so much fun.

Dusty and I always sneak off for some camera time and some one on one talks. I look forward to that and he always makes sure it happens. Priceless!!!

No family trip would be complete to Utah without going shooting out south of Hurricane, the kids look forward to it each time, we have all kinds of weapons and targets, something for everyone.

Target shooting south of town

Blast from the Past 2011

Just wanted to blog about my family a little and use some pictures from the last time we were 'all' together for a vacation. We used the Well's family cabin on Pine Valley for this get together. Family is the most important thing to me.

I often get to talk at length with Dusty about this and wanted to share some thoughts that we have cherished together. Our family is not your normal American family. We are very different in our relationship with each other. It is so great! We don't fight, we don't talk smack about each other, and we love deeply. Our time together is always so rare that we try t make the very most we can out of each moment spent together. We laugh, tease, and enjoy each other so much. Many months go by if not years when we are together. Len and I try very hard to make sure we see each of the 4 kids once a year. At this time in 2013 years end Misty and her family are in Colorado Springs CO where Brandon is planning to retire from the Army. Misty is teaching 2nd grade at Academy Elementary, Kyla starts working at Sprouts on Monday she is 19, and Casey is 15 in February and is still in High Schools. We were so blessed to visit them twice this past year.

We may be getting old in years, but our hearts are still young. We try our best to keep up with our kids, hiking, biking, and staying healthy. Len is 60 now and I am 58. We are both still working and looking forward to about 4 years from now when we plan to take our retirement and do some traveling and maybe serve a mission. We so enjoy the visits with the kids.  

Misty here with her brother Dusty are so close. She always try to be there for him and keep him close in her heart. It was a lot easier to do when she lived in Missouri but now it is harder. They have a strong bond. That is what I am talking about. We only see each other once maybe twice a year but you wouldn't find a stronger bond in any family. We just know we are there for each other without any fanfare, without any obligation except love. It is such an amazing thing to behold. It seems like no time at all has gone by when we are together, we take up right where we left off and fill in the blanks as we go.

It has been longer in duration since most of the kids have seen Pete and his family. Misty did go with us last Thanksgiving to see them and their new little girl Juliet. But it has been a couple years since Dusty and Cory have seen him. They do communicate via text and Facebook so that is great! Pete and his family are in San Angelo Texas for 5 months while Pete retrains with the Air Force into learning the admin side of the Drone program. We are anxiously awaiting word of where their new assignment will be. They have 3 children now, Jackson who is 5, Jordan who is 3 1/2, and Juliet who is 10 months. They are doing really well and Jenny is such a good mom, those kids are leaps and bounds ahead of their peers in knowledge.

Casey here jumping into the castle is quite the young man. He is so loving and good to us, to his parents and to Kyla. Always one with a  smile and a willingness to please. He does have a girlfriend now. My how they grow up so very fast.

San Diego

One of my most favorite places in the world to be is the ocean. It doesn't matter if it is San Diego, Vancouver, Maine or where ever I may be. There is just something about the ocean that calls to me, beckons me to come and listen. I hear the Lord speak to me through the crashing of the wave, the sound of the undercurrent dragging the fragile sand back into the sea. I hear words of encouragement, faith, and love in the lapping of each wave as it comes ashore to smooth or craggy rocks. Why? I am not sure but it is here that I find my peace. It is here that I find my answers to life. I find me!

I have found over the years that the ocean is a place of reconnection, reflection, and lost time. It is here that I truly feel my husband at peace and in a tranquil state. Our cares are left in the suitcase, our worries are washed away one wave at a time. Our lives bond in a way that is almost magical. I yearn for the ocean and it's magic. I love the way I feel. Happy!

On our San Diego trip this year we decided that to not have a plan was the best plan of all. We just flew by the seat of our pants. We were priviledged to get a room at the Navy Inn on Coronado Island where we were just steps from the beach. It was cold this trip but it didn't dampen our spirits at all, we took full use of the time to bask in the sun, listen to the waves, watch families build relationships, and be together, reconnecting and finding ourselves once again.

New leather cuffs

2013 Christmas card

Our family Christmas card courtesy of Cory

December to Remember

This is truly a December To Remember, one for the history books in Southern Utah. On Saturday Dec. 13, 2013 in the early afternoon, a snow storm started and it snowed clear through the night. We received 4-6 inches of snow in a 24 hour period. It has never snowed steady like that in all the years I can remember. It did go down in the history books for the coldest temperatures here since they started taking records. It got down to 3 degrees for several days.

After a whole week we still have snow on the ground everywhere. The temperatures have improved but the snow is hanging around. I am done with it...not a winter girl here.

I even had to break out the winter coat this year. Last year it just hung in the closet. It is pretty though. I am standing on the back lawn of our yard. You can see how pretty the trees are. All ready for the holidays.

Look out, I am ready for a snow ball fight!!!

Leather Working, Soul Comfort

This has been a year of growth for me. I was introduced to a lady named Melody Ross who is the founder and CEO of Brave Girls club. Her goal is to help us as women to be the best person we can. To find comfort in who we are and what we do. She is focused on helping realize that we are worth more than we think and that we can accomplish everything we want to in life be cause we are worthy of it. She focuses on helping us to find out why we are not happy, why we are not satisfied, and why we are not flying. This is all accomplished through journaling, art, and searching our souls. This of course is in a nutshell. I started off with an online course called Soul Restoration. This class taught us to look at our houses, are they in disrepair, is the paint peeling off the wall, the windows broken, how did our house get into this position! Who have we allowed in that is causing this destruction! Then kick them out and move on rebuilding, restructuring, and renovating our houses. It was a real eye opener for me. Once I began the process my house felt so much better. The best thing I got out of this class was that I needed a space to create in my home, something that was just mine. With the suggestions of my sister Ann (who introduced me to this club) I have a craft room, a place to go and  just be me! I love it more than I can tell you. Through this club I have formed some friendships and love. This photo was taken by a fellow clubber Mel McGee.

One of the crafts that has spoken to my heart is leather working. I love the smell, the result, and the message that I can emboss on the leather. I thought that I could break into the business and sell some of my work, but it looks like I can't. I am not sad about that though because I think we all have a purpose and mine is not selling leather. I love doing it and so I will do it for the love. It brings joy to those that I bless with my craft. These cuffs I sent to Dusty to put in his tattoo shop to see if they would sell, he did sell one of them.

I made these leather cuffs with the local high school theme in hopes that they would sell well. But unfortunately even these are still sitting in the display window at the local sports store. Maybe someday, our local team did not do well this year so Tiger Pride was a little lacking!

These are just some other cuffs I have made. They are in a display case at the local antique store. I have made about 50 cuffs so far and given some away, some in stores, and some well sitting on my shelf, again I am doing it for the love. The love though will have to go on the back burner as it is an expensive hobby! The biggest thing is that I feel peace most days. I feel fulfilled and happy. I have my moments but the good ones override the bad.

Colorado Springs Winter Fun

This year for Thanskgiving we decided to take a long road trip. Our first destination was Colorado Springs where Misty and her family live. Brandon is stationed at Fort Carson as a CW4 over the Criminal Investigation Division. This keeps him really busy.

Our sweet Misty got a teaching job at Academy Elementary teaching 2nd graders. She loves her new job and the school there. She is an amazing teacher.

We brought all the supplies to make Sock Snowmen with the kids. They all loved it and made some pretty creative snowmen. Even Misty got in on the fun.

Kyla is now 19 years old. She has graduate high school and is waiting for her first real job to come through. She just texted me and told me she got her job at Sprouts. It is a grocery store in their area. She is really excited. She also got her a new car this year. She is really doing so great and we are extremely proud of her.

The finished Sock Snowmen just in time for Thanksgiving dinner a few days early (we are leaving on Thanksgiving day to finish our road trip on to Texas.

There is a football game on so of course the turkey gets carved in the living room so he won't miss a play. I call that ingenuity.

It was so great this year because Ann and her guy friend Joe Thibideau joined us for dinner. It was so good to see Ann even though we didn't get to talk much.I am super happy for her that she has found someone that cares deeply for her and treats her like a queen. He is also a pilot and has many planes and cars. He is a lawyer by profession and has a law firm in Denver.

I love this angel girl. She is my one constant. She makes me laugh so much and I feel very close to her.

Misty and Kyla ready for some snow action!

Look out you two dad has the snowball heading in your direction!

Casey down for the count!

Hello angel girl!

Grandma do you think this snowball is big enough to get grandpa?

Thanks Misty and family for hosting us and showing us such a great time, we love you! Texas here we come!