Family Photos

 Yesterday Bryce and Amber had their family pictures taken and she asked me to come along to help with the babies. I took a few shots of my own while we waited for the photographer to get there.. They decided  the next time they do this they will try for a morning photo shoot when the babies are usually happier!

I snuck this photo with my iPhone while the photographer was setting up. I wish I had taken some of them in this spot with my Nikon! Those leaves were incredibly beautiful!

Life goes on.........

My parents wedding photo. They have been married 64 years.

Dad is 85 and mom is 82 now. Both of them have been blessed with good health for the majority of their lives. When dad was 70 he was diagnosed with diabetes. He has done very well considering and luckily not suffered any major problems like blindness, comas or amputations and things that come with that disease. However, he was diagnosed with a slow growing prostate cancer a year ago, that has now turned into a fast growing lymphoma, which has presented itself in his leg in a huge mass of infection that had to be removed and is currently a huge open wound.  He is now and  has been for three months in the SST rehab center. The good news is, this fast growing lymphoma is easy to kill and his leg is healing, but very slowly due to his diabetes. Then, a few weeks ago my mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. We were all very surprised by this because she has no tremors. Apparently not everyone with Parkinson's has tremors. That was a surprise! We are grateful in that regard! Her doctor immediately put her on some meds  that have improved her mobility, thought processes and coordination immensely! We had taken her to a physician who told  us she had dementia and gave us pills and sent us on our way, but we werent satisfied with his diagnosis as it didnt fit her symptoms. We took her to a couple more physicians and we are so grateful that we did! Oprah has said many times that we should get at least three opinions if we have a serious medical condition. I totally agree!!! It makes me sick to think what would have happened to my mom had we not done so! Anyhow, I decided to blog about this because Ive been so wrapped up in caring for my parents lately and I looked at this photo this morning and the reality of what happens in life hit me hard. Getting old is freaking scarey!!!!!!  I need to enjoy my health and be happy with my age compared to theirs as much as I can! Life is so short, and I need to make the most of it every single day! I need to do what I can to be healthy as long as I possible can! Im sure when my parents posed for this photo they never even imagined what was headed their way,  just like the rest of us. So now thanks to them, Im uncomfortably aware and Im going to appreciate where I am in my life and my good health...... ;)

Day at the Dam

We went to Hyrum Dam with the Calls the first week of September. This was the first time they have been able to go boating with us in three years! Ali and Stacy were the first to go, and Stacy was a nervous wreck! She screamed the whole time she was on the tube lol!

The girls kept getting smashed by the boys.

Yee Haw!

Oops, sorry Justin and Bennett!

Amy and her cute little Brooke.

BFF's

               Watching Darwin on the tube was a nail-biting experience for Julie!

Brooke and Casey... I think they had a good time!

It took a while, but we finally dumped the boys!

My cute girls!

       

Jeremy helping Conner and Brooke play on the tube.

Darwin, before he nearly suffocated on his tube ride!

His life jacket was too tight but he didnt realize just how tight till he got in the tube! Hahaha, I shouldnt laugh, but the whole time he was riding I thought he was just scared when actually he was suffocating, or at least felt like he was! Fortunately he survived and is still alive and well! We had a good time and loved having them with us!

Fire

One evening about the second week of August, I was driving into town with my sister and my husband when we saw this RV getting  jumped. Just as we were passing by it we saw smoke start to billow out from underneath the RV.  We slowed down and watched as the smoke got thicker and then,"whoosh," flames shot out and by the time we turned into the parking lot this is how much it had burned!

 

Inside the 'Up' house

We went to the 'Up" house again and this time it was decorated and open to the public. Here are some photos of the inside. Its really cute and homey. I love the retro kitchen.

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Nick...

Here is Nick seeing his grandpa at the hospital the day he returned from his mission.

 Here he is on Saturday, two days home from his mission. He and I had been shopping for a much needed new wardrobe for him... and he fell asleep on the way home. He stayed zonked out like this in the car for three hours! Lol!! Its exhausting being home I guess!

Returned!!!!!

Here we are at the airport waiting for Nick, Bret and Bennett. Nick is returning from his two year mission, and Bret and Bennett went to pick him up. They have been there with Nick for two weeks and I'm really, really happy to have them all home safe and sound!

There he is! The first sighting in two years!

 Of course I get first hugs!!!!!! This picture is blurry because I threw my camera to poor Amber and asked her to be the photographer and she didn't know how to work it. But that's OK, Ive got my son home and that's all that matters!

 The grandparents in wheelchairs.....and family hugs and greetings all around....

 I kissed a baby-butt smooth face good-bye, and two years later I kissed a stubbly rough man-face hello!

 Meeting the twin niece and nephew for the first time!

Luggage time!

It was really fun picking Nick and the boys up at the airport.. When we asked Nick where he wanted to eat lunch for his first meal in America in two years, his answer: "In and Out Burger!" Lol! Ugh! Really? ............. So, thats where we went. On the way home this is what we saw! Nathan, Luke and Sean had made Nick a welcome home sign on the over pass! That was awesome! 

                          

The day before the boys got home, I paid Justin Call to mow our lawn, and he surprised all of us with this! So cool!

We wrote love and welcome home notes to Nick on the driveway and front porch with sidewalk chalk!

 Here are my kids being sickening because Im taking pictures of them!

 On going sickeningness....

 The ugly hug...(Luke)

 The ugliest hug...(Sean)

 The bro hug! (Nathan)

 We were all kind of porch-mokeying for a while....

Nicks first time in his newly painted bedroom with the fam....

Can you guess what the first item of business for him was the next day? The purchase of an iPhone....... and macbook pro. It didnt take him long to jump right back in to the swing of things!