Proud Parents - Way to Go Travis!

Well, Travis finally made it. He Graduated! WOW! What a lot of hard work and effort. It brings back a lot of memories of when I went to school. At the time it seems like you will never get finished and then one day it is over and you have past that hurdle in your life. Travis we are very proud of you and your efforts to finish school! I know that it has been a long, hard road with lots of ups and downs along the way. You have made it. Enjoy it! Here are a couple of photo's from the eventful day.

Hunter has the right idea!

Proud Parents

Way to go Dad, from Hunter!

Kaylee just liked the BELL ringing!

A Day to remember at Thanksgiving Point

We had a wonderful time walking through Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah.  The day was absolutely beautiful with no wind and the sun shinning.  We spent almost 4 1/2 hours just walking through the beautiful flower gardens and displays.  The ponds were my favorite with the tulips planted on both sides and then the green hedges giving a border look.  It was fun to just get away and see all the beauty.  We also visited the art gallery where they had glass blowers producing beautiful works of art.  We went over to the dinosar museum which I have heard you can spend hours in there and still not see everything.  They also have a working farm where the kids can feed the sheep and milk the cows.  The lines were were long outside of the "Giant Size" barn.  This was all created by the founder of Word Perfect who donated the land.  Alot of the flowers are planted by volunteers.  Each year all of the bulbs are dug up and sold for .25 cents.  I can't imagine digging up that many bulbs - there must be millions!

This is the pond for children to play in.


Dennis posing for the camera by this man-made stream

This maze was as big as a football field completely planted with roses and the arbor behind it was beautiful.

This Christmas tree is made completly with disks of blow glass.  Look closely at the presents they are all stained glass creations.

This dinosaur was painted on this 3 story building.

This is US inside of a tulip!

Birthday Faces on Aftyn's Day

I think these faces say it all!

What's Important?

It seeems like we get so involved in the day to day schedules of our lives that we forget to take time for those little things in life that are important.  I am glad for a husband that loves me and wants me to always be a part of his life.  I am thankful for children that share their lives with each other, that keep contact with one another, that share those special, fragile moments that come along in the cycle of life.  I am glad that they each have goals, ambitions and desires in life that will make them become the best that they can.  I am glad that they remember to do the little things in life that add up to the big picture - like remembering to call each other on special occasions, take dinner into someone that is sick, call for no reason at all, remember each other's birthdays, know what someone is feeling sad or happy or when someone has reached a major milestone in their lives and remembering to congratulate them for it, or when someone is suffering to be compassionate toward them - it's the little things in life that we do that really make the difference - not the money, not the things that we acquire, not the great careers, but the people that we care and share our lives with.

It seems that everyday that I go to work and see co-workers that find their work more important then their families and I can't seem to understand how work can be so valuable. and not their families.  I know that even though I work full time, I still have a family to come home to that loves me and cares about what I feel and do. 

We took a class at work a while back and we discussed having a balanced life - it included 8 areas that we should have in our lives:  friends/family; fitness/health; careers; money; personal and spirtual growth; romance; and fun/recreation.  I have decided that my life is actually pretty balanced. I feel pretty good about family, need to work on health and fitness, work is ok, money is ok, church is ok, romance is ok  (thanks to Dennis) - I am sure that a little more fun and recreations couldn't hurt, but I feel like we do OK.  All in all I think that I have a pretty balanced life.   I am so glad that each of you are in my life and help me to grow and learn each day.  Thanks for being a part of my life!  (I love my tulip pictures and, yes there is still romance in these old bones, even if it is in front of a fish bar in Seattle)