Picture Fun!

Hi All,
I was just looking through my computer pictures and found these. Teehee!

Rufus: the cutest dog!!

You have all read of our dog, Rufus. He is a wonderful boy! He is big and healthy and beautiful. He is also a handful, like any other toddler. I thought I would share a few pictures taken of him recently.
Rufus LOVES ripping the heck out of stuffed animals. He goes after the squeaker and usually gets it! Then he proceeds to gut all of the stuffing out and spits it out all over the floor. Then...once the animal is dead and gutted, he walks away leaving the empty, furry shell. Well, recently I was in Walmart and as I went down the aisle where the dog toys are sold, I heard a familiar noise. It sounded like an elk bugle! I saw a woman standing there holding what looked like a stuffed moose toy....but the squeaker sounded like an elk bugle. No joke! I waited patiently and then finally asked her if she was going to purchase said moose/elk. She said no because it had a weird sounding squeaker. Ha! So I brought it home for Rufus. However he didn't get to play with it until I showed it to my family members who would appreciate the noise it made! On receiving this new toy, Rufus started to gut it like all of his other toys, but upon hearing the noise, I think he thought it was a baby animal and his fatherly instincts kicked in. So cute. He only ripped off one antler! What a good dad!

Rufus would carry it with him wherever he was going to be. And, he would sleep with it under his chin!

And a final picture: (please note that if I could keep him off the loveseat when I am not home, I would!)
Notice where the moose/elk is??

Sadly, the moose/elk came up missing. I finally found him outside baking on the trampoline. He is mostly intact, except he has been thoroughly gutted and his squeaker removed. I found the squeaker!! I will give it to Steve to use on his hunts!!

It's a Wonderful Life!

I got back home on Friday. I was blessed to be able to spend an entire week up in Flagstaff with Kristen, Jamon, Keegan and new Braxton. It was an adventure. Kristen was safely delivered of a beautiful baby boy on Saturday, May 28th. Her labor was only half, (but still 12 hours,) of what it was for Keegan. And...bless her heart, she never even had to push! He just kind of fell out. But, that is her story and she blogged about it on her site!
I am very proud of my Flagstaff family. It was a privilege to be part of the newness. Kristen and Jamon are wonderful parents. Keegan is already an amazing big brother. And Braxton...well, he is precious!!




I am so grateful for my family! I love my kiddos beyond words. They are my greatest joy! And as for my grandbabies...I say, bring 'em on, keep 'em coming! With all the highs and lows, and lows and highs that my world holds, I still believe "It's a Wonderful Life."

Quiet Sunday in May

It is beautiful outside. Sunny, not too hot, clear. So great! Good Sunday meetings. Going to dinner tonight at Tracee and Rees' home, (unless there is a very important call from Flagstaff, which in reality seems NEVER to come!!)
I always have cause to ponder and think on Sundays. Maybe because they are so peaceful. Today I am thinking about grandmaship: the act of being a Grandma/Punkin.

*It is kind of weird, this role I have. Am I supposed to be fun, or funny, or chubby or skinny, or strict or a spoiler? Am I supposed to be chill or crazy?
*I have a very real fear that at some point I will have grandbabies living far away from me. I will die a little, maybe I'll die a lot, and then I will have to get rich somehow so I can fly whenever I need a grandbaby fix. But what if I am a pain in the butt and I don't know it and my children don't really want me around that much? I don't want to be a pain in the butt. But what if I am? Will they tell me?
*My mother, sweet Elaine, LOVED all of her grandchildren as I am pretty sure all grandmothers do. Can I love them all like she did? Can I love them all like I love my Keegs? He could do anything and it would be phenomenal! Seriously. He is truly amazing.I pretty much think they all will be phenomenal children.
*In Relief Society today, (the women's meeting time,) someone shared that a grandson called his grandmother this morning from a far away place where he was stationed. Oh how sweet! Will my grandbabies call me? What a great day it would be that started out by answering the phone in my older age and hearing, "Hi Punkin."
*I am so excited to welcome this new, sweet boy into his Punkin's chubby embrace!!
*I want to be remembered like my kiddos remember my mom! I'm scared!

Here it is.......

We did it!! Here is an awesome picture:

Just WOW!!

It is Sunday evening, May 1st, 2011. So many tangled up emotions. How am I ever gonna sleep tonight??!!
*Osama Bin Laden is probably right now, very seriously contemplating all that he did in this life. I wonder who came to greet him? I wonder a lot of things.....

*I spent Saturday and today with my Lovies in Flagstaff. So much going on in their lives. The arrival of a new baby boy is imminent; nesting is in full swing, tensions are running high, the apartment is crowded, finals are approaching. But....all is well with both Kristen and the baby and all of them are ready and prepared. How grateful I am as a mom and a Punkin for the blessings we have. Two weeks at the most, I say!

*Already missing my son. He is on a 20 day training exercise in Korea. I have been very spoiled with Skype!! He called and sounded so meloncholy about missing Mother's Day and the birth of his new nephew. He will be fine; my condition is questionable!

Here are a few random pictures:
Courtney's new hair:


Steve, the Welder, (can you hear the tune??) and his newly designed light fixture for his patio:


Garden before:


Garden after:





Keegan and his "favorite" Aunt:


My sons-in-law:


Our quiet and contemplative Keegan:



And this one is for my sister-in-law...she will understand:


Have a great week and maybe my next post will have new baby pictures!!!!

My husband is such a guy!!

Hi again....I know I have blogged quite a bit in the last two days, but I have to share this with all of my friends and family.

This is a picture of Steve today around noon. This is what happens when you try to rescue a crazed bobcat, or maybe it was a mountain lion. Ooey, deep,red gouges on your face! And a tetanus shot!! But, he won! That cat was toast!
Nah, I'm just kidding. Steve has been creating/building lighting fixtures for his outdoor patio. He turned around and ran into several steel poles that were in the back of his truck. He said it knocked him for a loop. Thank Goodness he doesn't need stitches...or a CAT scan!! But, he does need a tetanus shot. Poor guy! "That's gonna leave a mark."

On this next picture, if you look close, you can actually see skin and whiskers! Yuck!!