Blue Magoos, Ant Farm Harvest and days gone by

Life is funny; just when you get all warm & comfy, you get hit on the head with reality! I savor the days gone by; I realize that the best part of my life is over with Rick's death; not to say that life is over; it certainly isn't; but the comfortable day to day living and planning for events; even those made up! The Ant Farm Harvest began the day that I met Elder Shea. We'd been to the Stake Farm picking up rocks and Elder Shea flexed his muscles and picked up a huge rock, held it over his head and had red fire ants streaming down his arms biting him repeatedly. He I'm sure was miserable! A few days later I received a bouquet of red roses with a note that stated how much he'd enjoyed the "Ant Farm Harvest". Our own holiday; anticipated like a birthday; celebrated with gusto; souveniers are all I have left; and the date March 27 stays in my mental calendar.

Blue Magoos began as a way to honor our children's achievements and funny things that had happened in their lives that we wanted to remember. Each of them were given a Blue Magoo (I don't know which of them coined the name) filled with candy and we had an awards ceremony on Oscar Night. It went on for years. Rick was so creative and funny, my contribution was the memories or a word here and there. It was so much fun; I don't think the kids thought it was anything special but they put up with us because they love us; the sad part is that I've failed miserably trying to keep this alive. Not that they haven't done many, many miraculous and wonderfully funny things but I can't remember anymore. I would have given Tom a Blue Magoo for getting a gold medal in a sailboat racee that nearly killed him; I would have honored Aaron for the caring father and son that he is; I would have given Kellye a medal for bravery for taking law school and a move to Florida with hardly any complaining. I would have given Doug & Becky the award for the most events to personally happen to anyone in a year; moving to a new home with a mother-in-law, endowments, sealing, callings etc. Ricky would have had the tear-jerker award for the most difficult break-up of the year because we all loved Patsi. Bethany would get the step-mother of the year award for being the puppy mom. Jordan would get the Matlock award for being a lawyer in the South; Tiffany would get the Vegan award for healthiness. All of these are good I just couldn't put them in a funny format. Brain Dead.

Oh the sweet memories; they flow and then the tears start so it's better to only go there once in awhile. I love my family; I unabashedly love them. I want them to have everything; I don't want them to suffer pain or anguish; and I think they want the same for me. We need to start some new traditions; we need to endure and have a darn good time doing it. Faith in Christ is living like you know what's going to happen tomorrow and your down with it.

I'm so grateful for the blessings I've received in this life; I'm grateful for the opportunities and experiences I've been given up to now. I hope to have many more; I know they will join a host of other wonderful, happy, painful, thought provoking, hilarious other experiences. When you think about it; I've had a great life! I'm positive of a few things; that I have a Heavenly Father who's listens to my prayers and then for whatever reason continues to preserve me for something only he knows; I have a Savior who knowing all there was to know about me; gave His life that I might get through mine; that gave me the promis of a resurrection and eternal life that I can have an eternal life. That the smartest most wonderful decision I've ever made was to be a wife and then a mother it's been the most rewarding and heartbreaking experience I've ever had. And because of the first two I'm ready for the next part of my life with little fear.

50 Questions you've never been asked; stolen from Becky's blog

1. What color is your toothbrush?
Pink & white

2. Name three people who made you smile today:
Becky, Jordan & Julie

3. What were you doing at 8 this morning?
Driving up I15 to SLC

4. What were you doing 45 mins ago?
Executing employees. The beatings will stop with the attitude's change!!

5. What's your favorite candy bar?
Mounds

6. Haveyou ever been in a fist fight?
Yes, once in a dream I beat the stuffing out of Satan who was dressed in a tux with a black cape with red lining.

7. What is the last thing you said aloud?
Thanks, Gloria

8. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Hello.....all of them!

9. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Diet Coke

10. Do you like your wallet?
Yes

11. What was the last thing you ate?
Potato chips while desperately craving a muffin.

12 Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
No, saving for a computer.

13. The last sporting event you watched?
The UofU game w/BYU on channel 2 News, it was a blip about the U's coach telling off some reporter. Those of us that are U fans need to be taken seriously, people don't get it. See #4.

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?
What a corny question.

15. What is the last person you sent a text to?
Aaron

16. Ever one camping?
I wish I had a nickel for everytime.....

17. Do you take vitamins daily?
Yessiree

18. Dou you go to church every Sunday?
Yep

19. Do you have a tan?
Not at present

20. Do you prefer Chines food over pizza?
I prefer every kind of food over pizza.

21. Do you drink soda with a straw?
Yes

22. What did your last text message say?
"you look like a secret agent"

23. What are you doing tomorrow?
The ward Easter Egg Hunt, cleaning, sewing

24. Do you drink coffee?
Nope

25. Look to your left what do you see?
A gorgeous picture of Ralph Lauren; am I the only woman in America who has Ralph Lauren as a pin-up? My Diet Coke, the Red Flags.

26. What color is your watch?
Silver & gold

27. What is your birthstone?
A girls best friend

28. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
Which ever is faster.

29.What is your favorite number?
8

30. Who's the last person you talked to on the phone?
A patient, can't tell you her name violation of HIPPA

31. How many states have you lived in?
4-California, Texas, Utah, New Mexico.

32. Biggest annoyance right now?
See #4

33. Last song you listened to?
Something on Kellye's blog don't know the name.

34. Can you say the alphabet backwards?
No, why would you want to?

35. Do you have a maid service clean your house?
No, I'd have to clean it before they came.

36. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
Some thongs that once were Tom's.

37. Are you jealous of anyone?
I don't think so; but maybe someone who's nice and can take anything. See #4.

38. Is anyone jealous of you?
No that's a definate.

39. Do you love anyone?
Lots of them!

40. Do any of your friends have children?
Most of them

41. What do you usually do during the day?
Work; see #4

42. Do you hate anyone that you know right now?
No, but there are people I don't like.

43. Do you use the word "hello" daily?
Yes

44. What color is your car?
Black

45. Do you like cats?
Yes, but not as much as I used to.

46. Are you thinking about someone right now?
I think about my children & grandchildren all day.

47. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Yes, many times. The old 6 Flags was the best; the new one is to roller-coasty!

48. How did you get your worst scar?
Umm, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and that pretty much says it all!

Love you guys!