GoNe!

Tanessa and Addi left tonight for Salt Lake and will be flying out tomorrow to their new adventure in Florida.  It has left a large hole in my heart, along with a few other holes...others have left along the way!  I miss them already...What more can I say?  but...Good luck and may you have a great time down there!

I also am leaving in the morning for Girl's Camp, and will be gone when Brent arrives home from Florida.  Sorry honey!   Hope you all have a great week, I will be looking for new posts on all of your blogs when I get back!  (And hopefully Trisha will post Jacob's letter on Friday for all of you!)  Later....

AnoThEr DaY!

Yes, it is another Friday...but not just any other Friday...Today is the day that Jake and Brent left for FLORIDA!  I have been giving Jake a hard time about it all week, and every time I would say the word FLORIDA, I would yell it really loud.  It has become our little joke.  So they left this morning about 6:30 and will drive as far as they can get, hopefully to at least Cheyanne Wyoming, but maybe into Nebraska.  Brent said he didn't want to drive all day, just to be in Wyoming, cause that didn't seem like a very good start! Ha! They got the truck all packed (very expertly I might add) and got the car all hooked up, with a few 

cigarette lighter converters for their computer and DVD player, a 

GPS, Jake's ipod, and two coolers full of drinks, a big goodie bag from Jake's mom, and a little pillow for their heads...they were off.  Not before a few tears on Grandpa's part when he had to hug Tessy goodbye and then kiss that little girl bye-bye!  He was a sad puppy!

ELDER JACOB:  Friday also means that we got email from Jacob!  Yay!  A lot of you put the emphasis this week on writing to him on Dearelder.com, and we put the big push in to see if he could get the most letters!  What we forgot about was the 24th holiday in Utah!   (Boo)  So he said that he would probably get letters when he got home from the temple today, that will still be a great gift.  He seems to be doing excellent and seems to love the work he's doing.  Go to his blog and read, and then just keep writing!  You're all such good support, thanks!

BleSseD!

There are many times in your life that things just seem to come to a halt and you have to take a step backward and analyze what you see!  This has been one of those weeks.  I have had a very long, quiet, lonely week, many days when I didn't see or talk to another person, except for a phone call here and there.  It has made me reflect on a lot, mostly on a spiritual nature...how truly blessed I am.  So here are some of the things I have thought of and appreciated in the last week:  

I am grateful for technology...a life where we can hear and see what is happening to those we love and are far away from.  

I am truly blessed with wonderful children (and that includes those that were not born to me, but have given freely of themselves to be a part of my family!)  I was not a great mom, but I truly have GREAT children.  Thank you for being the best you could be inspite of me, and if love alone could make you great, then I will take credit for that, for I honestly love you all. 

I have a remarkable husband, one that supports me and loves me, again...inspite of me.  One that I could NEVER have the energy or the ambition to accomplish the things he does, but one that I am learning to love more and more each day.

I have been blessed with an honorable heritage, of which my parents are a part of!  So grateful that my ancestors chose to have the gospel in their lives, and that it was handed down to me, by way of parents who are a loving example to me every day.  I will never be as great as they are, but I have been blessed by their GREATNESS and their humble honorable lives, Thanks!

I am grateful for health and energy to do the things I need to do, and the things I want to do.

I am blessed to be called "Grandma" by 8 adorable, sweet, loving human beings.

I love walking in the morning and looking out across the valley with the majestic mountains and the green farming valleys below, and the beautiful veiw I see reminds me of how truly small I am in the scheme of things.  Although my life seems like everything to me...it is not that big of deal to someone else.  I am grateful for perspective.

I am blessed with granduer.  I am truly blessed to live in a beautiful home, a beautiful place, with wonderful 'things of the world'...I may not be rich...but I am definately not POOR, and I am truly, truly blessed with an abundance, which I recognize daily.

I know I have said how wonderful my children are...but at this time, I am really grateful for Jacob.  He has been a great companion to me these past few years when the others have gone on to married lives.  He was my 'buddy' when they all went off to school, and still so later on.  I am lonely many times because he is not here, but truly blessed by his enormous spirit and his unconditional love for me.

I am blessed to have people that care about me...imagine that!  I am awed that there are some that do care about me...I don't feel worthy, but I am blessed because of that.

I have reflected on the people that I have loved in my life...I have been so lucky!

I know that God loves all people, so that must mean he loves me too...so for that, I am so grateful, and again...blessed.

E-mails and Sleeping Babies!

Today we recieved an email from Jake, he finally told us that his P-days were on Friday.  So that explains why we get emails on Friday and regular mailed letters on Monday!  I have posted it on his blog - Thanks to all of you who write him, I know he appreciates it so much and it is always fun to look for mail and know you are loved!  Keep up the good work everyone!  

Also, today Addi was staying with me for the afternoon and she just came and asked if she could go "nite-nite", and when I went in and looked, it was so cute!  She had crawled up on the bear in her bed and gone to sleep.  Just thought I would show you some pictures since Tess doesn't have a blog yet.  She promises that she will do one as soon as she moves, so hopefully in a month or so, she can post her own pictures!

Cutie pie!

I Wanna Be a Rock Star, Baby!

All our family knows that on Sunday night, after the family dinner, everyone plays...whether it is a whopping game of tin foil baseball, a chipping contest, a 'Master's of the Universe' version of Mario Cart, or the lastest, Guitar Hero (thanks to Jaron for letting Jake borrow it!)  So tonight, being one of the last nights that Tess and Jake will be with us for awhile, they chose to play "Rock Band"... Clint and Katie's new game, much like Guitar Hero, but the whole Band!  Brent and I got a kick out of watching and thought we would share some of it with you.  I hope none of them give up their day jobs! 

 

This was one of my favorites!  Jake singing the high notes!!

Clint always told you he would be a rock star someday...

Wedding Bells!

Brent and I spent the weekend with the Philipp Family and the festivities of Jana's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and Jana and Brad looked so happy!  It was a great opportunity to get reacquainted with all the kids.  We hadn't seen Curtis since he got home from his mission, it was fun to see him...he is such a Great guy!  Brent had fun putting a tent together with him, they shared some thoughts and laughed.  It was fun to see Andy and Becca who had just gotten back from China, they are a neat couple and are so cute together.  As always, it's just good to get to talk to Becky and Chris and Craig and Amanda and see how much their little kids are growing up and getting cuter and cuter, and Tyler is so handsome and all graduated now!  Wow, BYU in the fall for him, that's great!  This was a picture of all their family out in front before the reception.

Jana and Lexi having some camera time!

Becky and Marley with all the reception stuff behind them, It was really pretty with the gorgeous yard and all the bright pinks and greens with black.  Good job, Colleen, Jana, and Becky!  (Becky was the official 'Wedding Planner'!)

Just a shot of Mark and Colleen, they had a very hard day preparing for all of this, I'm sure they were worn out by this picture!

Thanks to all of them for letting us crash their family party and be there for this special day.  We wish Jana and Brad the best of luck in Wisconsin, and enjoyed spending the last couple of days with them, playing and working...it was fun.

Missing Jake!

Well, today was a little harder than I thought it would be.  Going to church with everyone asking about Jacob and how it went at the MTC, and seeing the priests up at the Sacrament table, and no Jake...I teared up a bit.  When I got home, I looked at Trisha's blog, and there was a picture of Jake that I hadn't seen and once again...there I went!  So I decided with that in mind, that I would post a few pictures I took of him in the last couple of months.  We have enjoyed having him home, even if just for a short time, and know that he is doing a great work now, serving the Lord...Good Job, Jake!  I love ya!  (Oh, and just a reminder to everyone...write him!)  His address is on his blog page.

Hangin' with his homies Trish & Dan, the last time for two years!

Jake is a GREAT worker!  Here he is helping Clint on his house.

Waiting to eat after our temple session together!  You gotta love those faces!

Jake checkin' out the water balloon situation with Jake and Tess!

Jake and Ali at Lagoon riding the Ladybugs.

Happy 4th of July!!

Today was the HUGE Inkom 4th of July Candy Parade! Danny and Trisha were still here and decided to attend the parade with us before heading out of town, so that's pretty much our celebration for the day. We drove down and sat in front of the church parking lot under the shade of a big tree. The parade only lasted about 30 min., but Ali got half a grocery bag full of candy, so it was "fruitful." We are so happy that they were able to come and stay as long as they did. (Thanks Danny for taking the time off of work!) It was so great to have all our family together again, and Jacob was pumped that they could be here and also take him to the MTC with us. They truly were his second family and he loved living with them. (Once again, thanks guys!!)

Trisha, Grant, Ali, & Danny Evans waiting for the parade to start.

Trisha with Grant...isn't he getting to be a big boy!

Ali waiting with her bag for the candy to come flying!

Granty-poo hangin' out in his car seat. What a sweetie!

Jacob, our New Elder!

Today Jacob's life began a new chapter.  This morning he said goodbye to his family and friends and journeyed off to the MTC in Provo to learn French and to serve the Lord as a full time missionary.  He was excited, humble and very nervous, but I know he will do well and I am so very proud to be called his mom.

Jake with his Mom and Dad, Sister Trisha, and Brother in law Danny, who have been his second parents for the past year in Clarkston.

Elder Simonson and his Dad.

Jacob with some of his siblings and family as he was leaving his home in Inkom, July 2, 2008.  I will be posting any pictures and letters from him on his blogspot.  You can link to him from here.