Past Weekends

Memorial Day weekend started with a long list of To Do's and ended with a somewhat shorter list. Even when it is 3 days, it just doesn't seem long enough. But I have some pics to share from the weekend before when Corey went to New York so Nicole and the kids come to Nan's for the day.

Papa brought out this old hotwheels track and when Chase got there, he added stuff to it. The funniest was when Trevor would get on the track, Tristen would say "There's a baby on the track"

The boys always like playing with Uncle Chase. And Trevor always lights up when he sees him.

Even though his head is chopped off here....(Did Nan take this?)....I wanted to put it up so you could see his fingers. Tristen is alway manipulating his fingers for one reason or another. Sometimes he is acting out a scene of Oobi or something. In this instance he is counting to 100 and I think keeping track of the 10's. He counted to 100 by 5's, by 10s, and then by 1's which is what he is doing here. Tristen can also add single digits.

This is from a couple of weekends before.
And then here is Mr Personality himself.

Super Power

My Superpower Should Be Mind Reading

You are brilliant, insightful, and intuitive.You understand people better than they would like to be understood.Highly sensitive, you are good at putting together seemingly irrelevant details.You figure out what's going on before anyone knows that anything is going on!

Why you would be a good superhero: You don't care what people think, and you'd do whatever needed to be done

Your biggest problem as a superhero: Feeling even more isolated than you do now

Here's your link: http://www.blogthings.com/whatshouldyoursuperpowerbequiz/

This was actually pretty right about me, but where is my monkey sidekick?????

Generations Collide in the Work Place

This guy named John was helping out in the office because of people on vacation and such. He is retired military, airforce like Papa. He usually takes care of some kind of pump system we do. I got some calls from his clients before he came into work today and left this note (handwritten):
TT JOHN:
STEVENSON
JOHNSON
He came in and we discussed the clients as soon as he found the note. Then he said whose TT John? We had a good laugh when I explained it meant "talk to" him. It's nice to know I'm still one of the in crowd....................or at least there's an out crowd farther out than I am.

Back in the day

This is one of very few pics of Corey and I before we got married. NO.................................the reason isn't the unavailablity of photography (I so know how my kids think). The real reason is because we spent a very short time with each other before we got married. This was in California during the first month we met. Actually it had to be toward the end of the first month we met because he had his arm around me and he didn't do that for the first 3 weeks. I had decided I needed a break from my on again off again fiancee here in Indiana so after high school I went to visit family in California. The first night there, I met Corey. It was June 13. We had 2 official dates. My stay in California ended on July 13 as we left California to drive back to Indiana. Corey gave me a single rose signifying his love for me. I tried my best to keep it during the trip and ended up putting it in the cooler. There was some milk in the cooler also and it spilled. So Pat the only adult on the trip dupped my rose a "milk weed" since it spent its trip in milk. Corey told me he would be in Indiana as soon as he had saved enough money. At this point I was a sceptic. I had had promises before and wondered if I would ever see him again. I spoke to him on the phone twice before he arrived in Indiana on Aug 13 when I happened to be in Pennsyvania visiting family. He spent time at a local hang out trying to find someone that knew me and finally ran into someone that knew my cousin. From my Aunt he got the number of my Grandmother I was staying with. He called me in PA at 2:00am but we were still up having a going away party since we were leaving the next day. We returned the next day and before that day was over Corey and I were engaged. We were married November 13, 1976. I have left alot out of this story because so much happened in the month I spent in California and so much happened the night we were engaged and so much happened in the 3 months before the wedding. And as all of you know so much has happened since. But I was going through pics and found this one. Even though it is really poor quality (ok that is because of the photographic quality of the day) I love it. I love thinking of those times. Corey and I were just saying yesterday how we have so many cute little memories that make each other laugh.

Coby

Coby has finally joined the blog world. www.cobyshields.blogspot.com
He has pics up of taking the jeep mudding.

Cali's Mom Questions

1.Typically, what time do you wake up? 5:30 to get Chase up for seminary
2. On a good night, what time are your kids in bed? 10:00 or thereabouts on a school night. But let me say that when we had elementary school children, our kids went to bed at 8:00. I think parents need alone time
3. How long have you been a mommy? A little over 29 years
4. How old were you when you became a mom? 21
5. What is your favorite kids T.V show? Oobi
6. What is your least favorite kids T.V. show? Barney
7. What is your favorite chore? No favorite chores.
8. What is your favorite meal to cook? Anything my husband cooks
9. What meal do you cook most often? Chili in the winter, Taco salad in the summer
10. What is your kids favorite meal? They all have different ones.
11. What is your favorite thing your husband does with your kids? Uses his priesthood
12. What are 5 things that make you smile when you’re being a mom? 1)Rocking my babies to sleep 2)Putting highlights in their hair 3)Having water fights 4)Tickling them (after so long they tickle back) 5) Just enjoying everything about them
13. If you could take your kids anywhere, where would it be? Hawaii
14. When was the last time you went out without your kids? Went out where? In our house a better question is when was the last time you went out with your kids.
15. What is your favorite pastime/activity to do with your kids? I love it all and each one is different....Chase is watching band, Coby is laughing at his jokes, Corey is watching him with his kids.
16. Name one thing you said you would never say as a mother? "Wait til your Father comes home"
17. Name something you do, that your own mom did? Get down on the floor to play with the grandbabies
18. What is your favorite quality your mom has? Her integrity
19. What is your favorite kids book?Snow white.
20. What is your favorite advice for new moms? Take your time with them, they don't stay little for long
21. What is your most heartbreaking moment as a mom? When they get hurt, both physically and emotionally
22. What is your most joyful moment being a mom? All of them....I love it
23. When was the last time you told one of your kids, “I Love You”? Yesterday....all three of them
24. When was the last time you were told, “I love you” by one of your kids? Yesterday by all three of them

Happy Mothers Day

I had a great Mothers Day!!! Chase surprised me with a red rose with baby's breath and a card that had his voice recorded in it. Wow that made me cry. Then we headed to Mom's for chicken and noodles, yummy and its not even Thanksgiving or Christmas (when we usually get chicken and noodles). It was a great dinner. Coby was on the phone when I got there so I got to talk to him a while. Corey called later and I also talked to the kids. Trevor babbled something and Tristen talked and talked. He talked more to me on the phone yesterday than he ever has. When I am with Tristen I always try to sit down with him and chat about his life. I guess I want him to know even now that he can talk to me and I will always listen (not at all saying his parents wont).
Another big surprise and more tears came from my Mother. Actually as I was showing Corey my gift from her I cried and cried. First because she was so thoughtful about this and second because it was the last work of Gordon B Hinckley. It's a book called "My Dear Sisters". Mom knows how much I love to read and she really surprised me with this. I admire my Mom so much. She has love abounding. I am grateful I have such a good relationship with her and I am grateful that we get to spend so much time together, most of it is shopping but hey.....that's great too.
I hope everyone spent a great Mother's Day and not one mother had to do dishes!!

To Nicole and Lindsey

Ok anyone that knows me, knows I wanted a girl and that never happened. I have been blessed with 3 boys. Well news flash.....boys turn into men and men get married!!!! I have to leave a little note here to say I am one lucky lady when it comes to daughter in laws. First off....how fun are they!!! Wow....I so enjoy them both. And secondly.....These two women are 2 of the most beautiful women I know, both on the inside and the outside. I love them so much. For something that I had no control in and had to rely solely on my guys to go find, I did exceptional well.
Well two down and one more to go. If Chase does as well as his brothers, I'll have even more to cheer about.

A Great Day

Since until recently Corey and his family lived 2000+ miles away from us, it doesn't take much of an excuse to get together now. Coby & Lindsey (and Sarge) came to town for a friends graduation and was able to come for lunch at Nan's. Corey and his family came from Bloomington and my brother Danny and his wife came in from Parke County. Coby has a four day weekend once every 4 weeks and we take an opportunity to see him and Lindsey when we can get it. (I use the term 4 day weekend loosly as he works alot of his days off and even had to work yesterday before coming to Brazil)

Anyway....I am always ready with my camera and ended up taking 50 (yes 50) pics in under 3 hours. One day they will thank me. Uncle Chase made a happy Trevor as he took him swinging.

I must say that no matter when and yes even how we all descend on Nan, she always has something yummy for our tummies. Nan we really do appreciate it.

Sarge got a summer cut or in other words, he got shaved. He looks like a different dog completely.
It turned out to be a real nice day which was great since the kids love being outside so much. Tristen helped Grandpa opened some belated birthday presents just so we could listen to Tristen ewww and ahhh over boxes and clothes and cds again. (See the post about Nicole Birthday if this is news to you) Tristen has a youthful excitement about EVERYTHING that is just joyful to watch.

Sorry this is so chopped up but I had to insert most of these pics three times and it is staying the way it is.