Happy B-Day...

On the 24th...my oldest daughter, Trisha will turn 30 years old!  She is a wonderful wife, mother, and daughter...creative and talented...an awesome cook, a dependable and caring young woman...and just a
joy in our lives!  I love you Trisha...Happy Birthday!

On the 27th it is my oldest son's Birthday, Jaron will be 32!  Where has the time gone???  He is a great dad, husband, and son...very talented, with a beautiful voice...a good leader, a wonderful cook, and a very busy man!!  We miss being closer to him and his family so much.
I love you Jaron...Happy Birthday!

I knew a little girl...

My Ali has just grown up!  She turns eight years old on Sep. 18th.  I think she is such a sweetheart, always willing to help with anything
you ask of her...such a caring and good big sister...and she is just so lovable!  Every time I visit, she is so quick to come give me a great big hug!  She has lots of friends and is happy and fun.  I'm so proud of her and all that she has accomplished so far.  She is a very good reader and does very well in school, is learning to play the piano and practices alot!  She will be baptized next Saturday, and I'm so happy for her!  I just want to wish her the Happiest Birthday...and tell her how much I love her, and I can't wait to see her in a week and be there for her special day!  Love you, Ali-pali!!  And Happy 8th Birthday!

5 + 6 = BRENT!

So most of my posts are what I want to say and pictures I like or want to use...and since Brent is about as different as night and day when it comes to me...I decided for his Birthday, I would post what he would like.  (maybe???)   He is a man of few words, so here are a FEW to describe him...

hard working,       mis-understood,

adventurous, 

no respect,     stubborn,

quiet,  

Rodger...

(and maybe his favorite) grandpa...

Happy birthday, Brent!

Thoughts of a normal "crazy" woman...

We don't always have life figured out...even when we look arranged and sane.  Sometimes we are going crazy trying to make the lemonade...but the lemons keep coming and coming...or do they ever really stop coming?  Life is a journey, and many of us carry burdens, even hidden burdens...not upon our backs, but upon our hearts.  I believe, or at least I hope that we all feel this way sometimes...a sweet acquaintance of mine made a comment about something she did each day, an insight into her life...and then immediately asked us to please not judge her, or commit her!  It made me laugh...it made me think of the many times I have "lost it" and wondered when they would commit me!  She has her life all together...doesn't she?  She seems like the most normal of all people...and that's when it hit me.  Normal is this...the hidden heartaches people carry, family problems, personal failures, loss, regret.  Normal is crazy...the crazy that we feel when we mess up once again, when we can't control everything around us, when we feel all alone.  Normal is grief, let-downs, stumbling blocks, sin...Normal is this world and everything around us...which is controlled by whom?  Think about it...who is the one in control of this earth?  Who takes control of our lives when we allow that?  We don't always have life figured out...sometimes we are going crazy...but can I only hope that I'm not alone in this feeling.  I imagine there are so many things out there that no one will ever know about...that every person deals with on a daily basis...or maybe even hourly, or minute by minute.  I imagine that...because I have felt that...I have experienced and still experience those intimate feelings, that you cannot share with another human being.  But there is someone that we can share those feelings with...someone that can carry those burdens of the heart...someone that knows us, and knows our "normal" and knows our doubts and fears, our mistakes and heartaches.  I can only wish that I have not heaped upon others burdens, by my actions, my comments, my own mistakes and faults.  I hope that in my insane thoughts and fears, I have not injured someone else...but that too, is only a hope.  I know that I have...unknowingly I have spoken out of turn, or been too honest, or struck out in defense...and I'm sure that I offended someone, not purposely, but even that is not a good excuse.  I wish I could change so many things in my life...this being one tiny one of them...so many others, that are huge...some that I can't ever take back, some that I probably haven't even done yet.  We don't always have life figured out...at least I don't...

Happy Belated Birthday to Tess!

Our family only
has one summer birthday...and that's my Tanessa.  On July 15th, she turned 25!  The only problem with that this year was that it coincided with our return from Europe and a huge gathering of chaos and comotion at our house!


So unfortunately, Tanessa's birthday got somewhat overlooked this year.  I'm so sorry Tess!  But I wanted everyone to know how much I love my delightful daughter, and a few things about her!

Tanessa is a go-getter...anything she sets her mind to, she can do!
She is a little slower going about things than some people...we always teased her when she was younger about how SLOW she moved...She just takes her time, I guess...and enjoys life along the way!  I think her speed is getting a little faster now that she is a mom and has to chase after two little girls!

She is a great wife to Jacob...she loves to cook and makes him all kinds of specialties!  She supports him in all his callings and his school, and loves to spend time with him.

She is a great mom to Addisyn and Brielle.  She was such a little princess when she was growing up, and now has a couple of her own!

Tanessa has always been a loving and sweet person, one who can go crazy with her imagination, crack us up with her silly comments, and has brought much joy and happiness into our family.

She is a great daughter, grand-daughter, sister, wife, and mother...she is always thinking of her family and friends and does so much for all of us.  She can cook a gourmet meal, plan a great party, decorate the coolest cakes...but she doesn't like doing dishes much!

We tease her about her potty mouth...not that it's that dirty...but she tells it like it is, and doesn't beat around the bushes much. (hmmm...sounds a little like her mother!)

She is creative...ambitious...loving...and sensitive.  She loves a good party, and for that Tess...I am sorry yours was so lame this year!

It was so fun to have her and the two little girls home with us this year for her birthday!  We miss her so much now that she is in FLORIDA!!  Happy birthday, Tessy-poo...I love you so much...you mean the world to me, and I miss you!!

Family Boating Day...

Welcome Home Jacob!!  We had a family boating day as soon as we got home from Europe.  It was great to have all the kids here...Jaron was able to join us by the afternoon as well...so all of the kids were together.  We had a great time tubing and skiing, and just hanging out and visiting.

Always some fun banter back and forth...

Who took this picture???  Kristi ready for her tube ride...

Tess and Brent waiting in the boat.

Clint and Corgin

Jake and Linkoln...having a little breakdown...

Ooooo....

Grant and Trisha hanging out in the relaxation station...

Our watermelon eaters...Ali, Corgin, and Grant.

Danny loves a camera!!  ha ha

Brent enjoying his time to sit and relax in the shade with his beverage!!  One of the few times we let him off the boat!!

It was a great, fun day...and so nice to have all of our children here.  Wish that we could have had the whole family together, we were missing Tess's husband, Jake, and Jaron's family, Heather and the four kids, but we had a great time and so fun to have Jacob and welcome him home!

on to BELGIUM! - Brussels

We arrived in Brussels... and treked to our trains, trams, and hotel room, luggage in tow.  It was much cooler than in Paris, and a lot cleaner!  Everything seemed much less crammed together and with air to breathe!  It was very beautiful with sights like this down every street...

We walked with Jacob the first day...man, could he outwalk us!!  But it was fun to see where he had served and walk the streets he had walked.  I was always a few feet behind...either because I couldn't catch up, or I was engrossed in everything or trying to take pictures of all the awesome buildings!  It was amazing!  Jacob took us down to the Grand Place...which is quite the tourist sight...lots of people, and beautiful buildings and cobblestone square...it really is a gorgeous place!

I felt like Brent...I just kept looking and looking at all the sculptures, and architecture...it was breathtaking!

Jacob showed us this place, where he said there is a superstition of some sort, that if you rub this statue, you will marry within the year...I made him rub it!!  ha ha

Here is the ever popular, Manneken Pis...Brussels is famous for this and everyone knows about it and he is quite the tourist pull...which is all fine and dandy, until you see the little guy in person!  I was expecting much more...he was TINY...and just stuck in a little corner by some of the souvenier shops...

This is the real size, when you can see it in comparison to people and buildings!  Don't quite know what all the fuss is about...but Jacob said that they also dress him up on many holidays...so I guess he's a novelty, even if he is small!!

One of many shopping malls that connect to the Grand Place...they are so pretty!

This is Saint Michel.  Jacob loves this church and wanted to show it to us...I thought it was so awesome...I even thought it outshown Notre Dame...maybe not in size, but in majestic beauty alone.

It is quite intricate, and the inside is beautiful and not dark like in the Notre Dame Cathedral.

The stained glass is so beautiful and the wood carvings...very intricate and exquisite!

Another view point of the outside - this is along the side...it's so amazing!

This is Le Palais de Justice...their government building.

We got to visit the Atomium...It was quite the modern sculpted piece in it's time...built back in the 50's for a World's Fair in Brussels....it is still amazing and an awesome sight to see!   

There are cool passages between the spheres with escalators and stairs...

We rode an elevator up to the top and this is some of the view overlooking Brussels.

Very cool indeed!

This is all for right now, but this isn't all of my Brussels pictures...more are on Jacob's camera...so stay tuned for more...I will get them up shortly!