Good Things Utah!!!! For my brithday--FUN

Our new friends!!!



Marti Skold and Reagan Leadbetter



Angie Larson



Miriam in the Good Things Utah Kitchen



Reagan wishes she could be my friend



Three Generations.

Christmas Eve

Oh my gosh!

LET IT SNOW!!!





This is the Sidewalk in front of our house, Wow!






OH my gosh, we are getting LOTS of snow. I'm pretty sure Ned has shoveled snow every day for a week now and we are getting the next storm in tonight and then again tomorrow. I love it, just concerned about everyone being safe in the snow.

OH my gosh, I'm STILL sick. I can't shake this cold, I hope I don't end up with something serious. I still look like the picture in the previous post (maybe worse since it's been another week).

OH my gosh, it's Christmas Eve!!! I love Christmas eve. It's my favorite part of Christmas. The stockings are stuffed and presents are wrapped (we tried to be a little more meager this year). I've got to start making Ned's fabulously fattening sweet potato casserole, then get the Pina Colada's ready to make and then... Yum. Mostly, I love spending the evening with my family.

Merry Christmas to all. I'm so thankful for the birth of the Savior and for all he has blessed us with in this world.

My month so far...

Christmas Concerts
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert at Temple Square with Brian Stokes Mitchell. It was beautiful and spiritual. We went with our good friends Mark and Nena-thanks Nena for inviting us!







Then we went to our annual Family Christmas concert. First we ate at The Pie on U of U campus and then went to the John Schmidt concert at Kingsbury Hall. We had Betty with us, but Elaine was afraid of walking and driving in the snow and Lindsay was afraid of being without her friends...so we missed those two a lot. It helped me feel the good spirit of Christmas. Thanks Brooke for arranging that.





The dreaded cold. It's not just any old cold. I have been in bed for 4 days...Hoping I can make it to work tomorrow. Don't I look pretty? How I look is how I feel.

Happy Birthday Brooke!!!!!!

It always has been my children that motivate me--they are motivating me to blog today. I wanted to put a picture of Brooke up on my blog--but as usual having computer problems. You all know how beautiful she is anyway! And with all my heart I can say she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. I am so blessed to be her mother. Brooke has brought me so much joy in her 28 years. She has always been there for all her family and friends. I'm telling you she is the most supportive person there is. She comes to everything and anything to support those she loves. She makes dinners, she thinks of special, meaningful things to do for people and to give to people. She got her grandfather Batley's hard working genes. Brooke loves the Lord and she shows this by teaching primary children, helping her neighbors, attending church, making friends, serving others, being a great wife, mother to be, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, daughter in law and friend. The moment the doctor placed her on my tummy after she was born I was instantly and deeply in love with her. Now that she is an adult she is my daughter/friend/sister--that's the fun stuff about having adult children. Brooke--is there anything you can't do? Hair, paramedic, decorating, cooking, yard work, stitching and on and on. I love you. We all love you. Thanks for being in our lives. This coming year holds for you many more great opportunities, blessings, joy and fun. I can't wait to share them all with you.
Love, Your mom

Butler Baby

I am so happy for Brooke and Andy. They are pregnant and had an ultrasound today that showed them their little baby... I have a big lump in my throat and have said many prayers of gratitude. This is going to be fun!

Too tired to blog more...maybe tomorrow.

Six Quirky Things About Me.

1. I like to make lists of things to do. If I make the list part way through the day and I've already accomplished a couple of things, I'll write them on the list anyway and cross them off just to make me feel better.

2. My kids love to make fun of me on this one. I have to rub my hand across the outlet in the bathroom--just to make sure there is nothing plugged in there (looking is just not good enough). I'm working on this...

3. I LOVE to write stuff down. I have about 5 notebooks by the side of my bed that I write stuff down on. Mostly stuff from tv but also thought from books, and things from magazines. Stuff like good make up to buy, healthy things to eat, spiritual thoughts, good bargains, etc.

4. I have a couple of places around my house that I keep piles of stuff. One in my kitchen, one in my extra bedroom and one in my bedroom. Good things I want to read, study or look at such as good magazines, books (I LOVE to buy and read books), recipes, articles.

5. Being a mostly vegetarian. No red meat, chicken only rarely and only from certain places and I can only have a bite or two. I can't really eat eggs--only rarely and can only have a bite or two. Just plain weird with meat. I've seriously considered hypnotherapy on this one--it's quite inconvenient.

6. Hmmm, so many quirky things... Right when I get up in the morning the first thing I have to do is open up all the blinds in the house. AND if it's good weather I love to open the sliding glass door and get some good morning air in the house.

Conference--Love it.

I have been watching conference today. My favorite talk was Elder Holland's. I cried the whole way through his talk...not sure exactly why except he was talking about some things close to my heart. I started listening to the talk after it had started but it seemed to be about the help we receive from heaven--angels and the Lord watching over us. One things he said that I loved was "The Lord will fight our battles and our children's battles and our children's, children's battles. What do we do to merit this [blessing]? Search diligently, pray always and be beliving".

On that same subject he quoted one of President Monson's favorite scriptures--it's beautiful! "...there will I be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine algels round about you, to bear you up." D&C 84:88

I know when we listen to conference--when we listen to the Prophet, President Monson, it is as if God were speaking to us. Can't wait for tomorrow. (Church in P.J.'s is fun!)

Here is a picture of President Monson--remember Carole and Missy saw him and his cute wife having breakfast at Denny's in SLC. He was just there having breakfast talking to people. No pomp and circumstance.

Year two down...infinity to go.

Ned and I had our 2nd Anniversary on September 19th. We celebrated it by going to the Anniversay Inn in SLC. We stayed in the "Room with a View". It was great and fabulous--just like Ned! We did have a beautiul view--we could see the night lights of the city from the bed! I'm a very happy wife and feel so blessed to be married to Ned. He is perfect for me! I prayed for a man with all his qualities and he was an answer to my prayers. He is easy going, funny, loves the Lord, is a hard worker, likes to have fun, makes me happy and supports me in all I do. Thanks Ned for taking a chance on me. (No we didn't have someone come in the room and take a picture--we set the timer on the camera).

The surprise win!

So I was helping with a 5K and 10K race for Wasatch Mental Health a few weeks ago and Ned decided to come along. Then he decided he wanted to run in the race--since we were going to be there anyway. The morning of the race Ned was going back and forth--saying he didn't want to make a fool of himself and come in last in the race--he didn't think he would run (after he paid the intrance fee.) When we arrived he got the bug with all the runners warming up and decided he would go for it. Lo and behold, he won the 5K race in his age catagory--the "Masters" (I guess that means the old guys). It was pretty funny because he thought he would come in last, but I was so proud of him for trying and winning a medal!

Freezing at the Summer Concert

This picture is of Ned and myself and Mark and Nena. We were at the Three Dog Night Concert at the Scera Shell on Labor Day. Do you remember how hard it rained and hailed that day? It was fun to hear all the oldies. I remember when "Joy to the World" came out. I loved singing it--I think I was in elementary school. These men are getting up there--they gotta be in thier late 60's?? We started the summer on Memorial Day at the Scera at the America concert and ended the Summer with this concert. I really can't bear that Summer is over... I'm going to hang onto it as long as I can.
Just a word about Nena. She truly is one of bestest and oldest friends. You know, one of those friends who knows EVERYTHING about you and loves you anyway. She makes me laugh and we can talk about ANYTHING!!! We've seen each other through some really tough times. I became friends with her when we were just starting Provo High and she and a couple of others came to me and talked me into trying out for cheerleader with them. I would have never done it on my own. After much prodding, I tried out. Never been so scared in all my life. But I had a blast and I got to have Nena for my new friend.

Together Forever...

You know how you have the best days of your life--there are maybe 10 of them (I'm acquiring more as I age). This past Saturday was one of them. These best days, for me, include births, weddings, endowments and sealings. Kaila and Michael were sealed on Saturday. It was one of those days! It was beautiful and so right. I'm so happy for the two of them--they are a good couple and seem to compliment each other, be in love and they have fun togeter. Here are some pics of the day--Brooke has some on her blog too.

A little getaway....Ned's birthday

Ned and I went to the Shakespearean Festival last weekend for his birthday--really, that is what he wanted for his birthday! (I'm lucky that Ned loves plays and concerts for presents, it means I always benefit from his gifts). It was very fun--Friday we saw Two Gentleman of Verona and on Saturday we saw The School for Wives. All day saturday we hung out in the hotel room--napped, read, vegitated. In the evening before the play on Saturday we went to a place recommended by several people called the Garden House--it was fabulous food and great atmosphere.
Before the plays each evening they have a show called the "Green Show" where you sit on the lawn (green) and watch some theatrics--song's, dances, etc. Gets you warmed up for the real stuff. It was fun. Also before the play you can go hear about the plays you are going to watch that night. The person who speaks at this is the person who started the festival--he is so interesting and of course dramatic to listen to and it makes the plays more enjoyable because he tells you about the story and other fun details.

Oh--my sugar report. Today is day 20 with no sugar...I'm thinking, just thinking about going to low carbs--haven't committed yet.

Hey Brooke, Zac and Kaila--look who I ran into!

Many of you might remember Kincade. He lived in my old neighborhood and would always stop by the house to say hi to us. He is a sweetheart--so innocent and such a faithfull friend.

Last week I had to go to a facility for work. I was meeting someone at a place in Provo School District where they give jobs to the mentally handicapped. When I walked in all the workers wanted to know who I was and all about me. When I asked one of them where they lived they named the place where I knew Kincade use to live. Well I knew Kincade must be close by and I found him. He was very excited to see me and asked if I could come see him "tonight". I told him we would come visit him. So, we are going to have to do that. He also loved getting his picture taken--as you can tell

Havasupai

This post is mostly to my children. Remember our fun trip to Havasupai? Well, really you guys had fun, I just got some broken bones and a stay in the Kingman hospital. Apparently, Havasupai recently had some scary flooding. This link takes you to one of the videos--but there are a few of the flash flood. Glad we weren't there! Jamie Stubblefield is the one who emailed me and some others who were on our adventure to tell us about the flooding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SX2sBmcHGo

ESTATE PLANNING

Dan was a single guy living at home with his

father and working in the family business.

When he found out he was going to inherit a

fortune when his sickly father died, he decided

he needed a wife with which to share his fortune.

One evening at an investment meeting, he spotted

the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her

natural beauty took his breath away. "I may look like

an ordinary man," he said to her, "But in a few years

my father will die and I'll inherit twenty million dollars."

Impressed, the woman obtained his business card.

Three days later, she became his stepmother.

WOMEN ARE SO MUCH BETTER AT ESTATE PLANNING THAN MEN.

HELP!

Okay, I need a gimic (how do you spell gimic?) or some kind of incentive to eat better (because apparently cancer, diabetes, hypertension, feeling lethargic, and getting fat is not enough incentive for me.) I am wanting to go off sugar...and maybe white breads. I need a support group though. Anyone interested and maybe we could encourage each other or have a little contest or something?

Elaine and the computer become friendly with each other...

Why look at our mother on the computer!!! Her and the mouse have had a difficult time getting acquainted with each other. But, she and I learned how to do indexing--it's easy and you can do it at home in your spare time. Anyway, I'm hoping mom will feel comfortable enough to buy a computer and have something to work on in the winter when she doesn't want to leave the house. It's the beginnings of us hopefully doing some genealogy together. Anyone want to join us in our quest to SLOWLY start doing some genealogy?

At Sea World. Are you sick of my vacation photos yet???

I guess when you take my camera and take "funny" pics with it, you have to have them posted on my blog!

Eating fresh seafood!

At the "Wedge" where the waves are apparently "radical" and we saw some surfers--this is supposed to be where only the experts should go surfing. We rode our bikes there.

Zac, stop hitting your sister!

Can I move to Cali??? I think this is on the pier with Huntington Beach in the background.

I don't know which one of us agreed to do this thing, but we were approached at Universal Studios to test some smoothie drinks and to give our opinion on Dial Soap containers. I guess we did it because we are cheap and they told us we could make some money. About 30 minutes later we left with $34.00 worth of Universal Studios bucks and it bought our lunch that day.

The Boat Ride around Newport Bay looking at incredible homes!

On our trip to California we rented a boat and cruised around the bay for a couple of hours--eating, listening to music and pretending we could buy the BEAUTIFUL homes around the bay. The bay has 7 small islands in it and it was fun to look at all the sailboats parked in the bay and we had fun reading the names of all the boats. We saw a boat with Bon Jovi's name on it--do you think it was his?

Brooke and Andy--enjoying the cruise in Newport Bay

Michael and Kaila

Donald, Carrie and Zack

Zac and Lindsay--watch out--Lindsay is driving!!!

Us enjoying the boat ride in the bay at Newport Beach

Vera--aka, Martha Stewart--it was a beautiful open house!

Carole and Bev at the open house

Missy, G'ma and the twins at the open house in St. George

The newlyweds-Kris and Bethany