Wednesday, September 14, 2011

One Year Older & Wiser Too....

Happy 39th Birthday to My Sweetie!!!! The week before the big event Jon was packing for a surprise business trip to New Jersey. We didn't know how long he would be gone. So we took the family out to Island's Restaurant to celebrate Dad's birthday. Wow were we able to down a couple Chocolate Lava desserts in a heartbeat.

Thankfully Jon was only gone a few days and not a few weeks. He returned for his actual birthday on August 24th which meant that we need to have an actual homemade birthday cake for him. His request was an ice cream cake. Mom's creations: a Snicker's Ice Cream Cake. He got to have FIVE candles - one from each of us :)

Jessica in her sweet style was the only one with a prepared gift. Wish I could find the video clip. She thought of EVERYTHING.

Snicker cake 3
Snicker cake 2
Snicker cake
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Monday, September 12, 2011

BASKETBALL MANIA

I am one PROUD Mom. We attended FOUR games on Saturday. Each team had to keep on winning to make it to the semi-finals. James and Jacob have each shown AMAZING improvement. I can't wait to share some of the video clips. Here's a teaser for now. Enjoy!!!

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Sunday, September 11, 2011

The Root 66 Garden



Our church is supporting the Root 66 Community Garden. We are currently in the running for a $50,000 grant from Pepsi. The money would be used to fix a well so the plants can be watered.

Will you help us win by texting a vote? It only takes a minute - even faster if you are a whiz a texting.

Send to: 73744 (that's the whole phone number)
Message: 109075

If it went through you will immediately get a text back saying, "thank you for your vote."

You can text vote ONCE per day in September.

We have to make it to the 10 ten. We are in the sixties. We've got to get LOTS more votes.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Updating Address Book

Today I was trying to enter my Grandma's new address at LuRee's Legacy so I can find it easily when I send her notes. But I got all upset when I had to delete "Grandpa" off the listing on Belmont Drive. I should have just made a whole new contact card.

I went to his funeral and everything, but I've been in complete denial that he's actually passed on. I only see him once maybe twice a year anyway. I guess I keep figuring that I'll just see him next visit. I don't plan on visiting the Spirit World anytime soon. I worry about my Grandma. I worry about my Dad who always looked to his father for advice. It's kind of surreal.

Here's the slideshow I put together of our day to Honor Grandpa:

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Friday, August 5, 2011

My Grandpa Graduated

For those of you who don't know, my Grandpa Ottley graduated from this life to the next late Wednesday night. After a wonderful time in Pinto Utah with Grandma and extended family celebrating his 89th birthday, he had a bad fall and sustained injuries to his brain. Surrounded by music, family, love, tears, and support - even the urgings of an eternal spouse to go along - "I'll be there soon" he continued his journey to be greeted by our cousin Jody, his brothers Glen & Warren, his parents, and many others.

Grandpa

This was the image I was losing sleep over. I couldn't find it. These are hands of service - service to God, to country, to family, to friends. These hands scooped ice cream, tended to plants, pleated draperies, held babies, administered priesthood blessings, built gazebos, sheds, greenhouses, and playhouses, and navigated keyboards to create beautiful writings. I cherish that I've felt his arms encircle me and his hands on my head to bless me. I can finally catch my breath because I found the image that symbolizes all that you are, all that you inspire me to be, and all that you carry on with you. I love you Grandpa!

Grandpa2
Others we Love:

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Grandma-pa Great 2005

Lunches on the Patio at the Millcreek Canyon House (LuAyne Heights)
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Grandma Grandpa Great-3
W&L Reunion (23)

Sitting in Kaysville Home & Family Tree Wall:
Cutest Grandpa everLuWayne Posterity Tree

grandpa
greats

grandpa2Family Reunion-2

Grandma & Grandpa Great came to Jacob's baptism in Utah
Jacob's Baptism 2009

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Grandpa Great's Scooter-3-1-1Grandpa Great's Scoote r 2005Sanders Family Reunion 2006Grandpa Great & JessicaGrandpa O. n JessiLu 2004
Grandpa O. n Jessica 2004
Kisses from Grandpa Great 2004
7-4 Grandpa 2004
Grandpa's hatGrandpa's Parade Day

Cutest Couple Ever 2008
Grandma n Grandpa 2008 Greats

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Eight on Wednesday Morning

1. I like that my boys are working on the cooking merit badge. I've had help in the kitchen for the last couple days. This morning they are making Danish aebleskivers. Jacob basically sent me packing from the kitchen which was nice. James takes his turn like a champ too. About a dozen of them still had batter in the center, but they laughed about them being cream filled.

2. I had to MAKE Jessica go back to school shopping with me. "Can't you just go buy it and if it doesn't fit you can get your money back?" I gave her a two hour time limit and bribed her with treats. We did find some jeans and a pair of bermudas. I was hoping to find more shorts since it's so hot. She has a hard time with all the button closures so we are on the hunt for longer shorts that fit a curvy figure with snaps :) It's a painful process. I think she is going to have to embrace her feminine side and wear more skirts until it cools off.


****interrupted. My photo frames were just shattered by kids throwing things at each other**

3. I purchased my ticket to Utah for my 20th High School reunion and planned to return LATE Sunday night so I could spend the day with my Grandparents. I haven't seen them since last year. Now it seems that Grandpa will pass before I get there. That makes me feel sad. I've been thinking about all the years I've known him and how much I love him. I guess grandma might need my visit now even more.

4. Summer has been very hard. The constant headaches, changing medications, dealing with side effects, detoxing my system.... just so draining. It's been very difficult to feel like myself and to be a good mom. I had hoped to do so much more with my kids. I need them back in school so there are some hours without chaos swirling around me. It's very pathetic, but true.

5. On pasta nights I drink green fruit smoothies instead. I just really hate pasta.

6. I've been re-reading the Children of the Promise Series. I'm just finishing book 5 now. It's historical fiction set during World War 2. If I retain any facts about the war, it's because I've followed fictional characters - a soldier, a prisoner of war, a nurse in Pearl Harbor, a German family that resisted the Nazis - each telling his or her story. I can't imagine living during that time, but both sets of my grandparents did. It's really humbling.

7. Our boys are playing basketball again this summer. They both are on very good teams. It is so fun for me to see them play. They are the tall guys on their teams - the rebounders. It's been fun watching them play with my brothers and dad over the summer.

8. I've been helping with the music with the Primary children at church for the last two weeks. It's been a lot of fun - especially working with the older children. I love music. We were working on a tricky song and they sang with all their hearts and it made me feel so proud of them.

Friday, July 29, 2011

The Things They Say

JAMES:
He was telling me about his adventures away at Scout Camp and I couldn't help but laugh out loud as I heard him say, "The first night I slept like a baby..." See, James woke up ever hour and a half to eat when he was a baby. I remember it well.

JESSICA:
"If I were a dog, I would listen to my owner and not drink out of toilets."

There were a couple other ones but I didn't write them soon enough and they are forgotten already. Sad, but true.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Wedding Anniversary


  • When did I get married??? Facebook is telling me that my Anniversary is this Friday. I just wrote it on the calendar for Thursday. The sad thing is, I think Facebook is right.

    Yes. I just checked Jonathan Stock's page and HE got married July 22nd, so that must be my anniversary too :)

    Parents 21st
    Mine 22nd
    I CAN keep this straight
    July 17 at 3:37pm · Privacy: · ·
      • Jonathan Stock Let's just pick a day in July and go with it. Are you free this Saturday? ;-)
        July 17 at 8:52pm ·

ALERT: Children unattended in the Car

You may not know this but I find time in my daily life to accrue experiences for a book I will entitle, "How Not to Become the Mother of the Year" or "How to Fail at Motherhood." One such experience happened recently. Hopefully you will still buy my book even though I'm sharing this sneak peek :)

Jon was away with James at Summer Scout Camp so it was incumbent on me to drive Jacob to basketball practice with the two younger kids in toe. As I predicted Jayson choose this same day to take his one spontaneous naps. I layered him in a diaper to protect the carseat and carried my husky cherub to the car, held the swinging door open with my wonder hip, and tried not to bonk his head. When did he get so long?

I sent Jessica back into the house scrambling for the portable DVD player and movie to keep her occupied and I grabbed my book (yep, you read the correctly. I'm reading). With McDonalds planned for dinner, spare juice pouches in my purse, we were on our way. YES!

I dropped Jacob off at the curb and found a semi-shaded spot in the parking lot to wait out the hour. Jayson slumbered. Jessica set up her cinema. I read and drank my ice water. Jacob practiced. After an hour, I REALLY had to use the bathroom. Jayson was sound asleep. I ran the A/C again for a couple of minutes to keep things cool and asked Jacob to sit with the kids while I ran in quick. I even double checked to be sure the doors were locked so my kiddos would be safe and sound :)

When I came back out side, there was another mom at my car. Two of my kids were out of the car and the car alarm was blaring. Oh great. I don't know what button I pushed on the remote, but the alarm was going off THE WHOLE TIME I was gone to the bathroom. Nice way to be subtle. Lovely.

Monday, July 11, 2011

We're Back - Did you Miss us???

I kind of feel like this past trip was a mix of adventure,
fun,
and an
"I Survived" episode.
Wow!!!


  • horseback ride
  • bug bites
  • dancing at ice cream social
  • Jacob's fat, scabbed lip & swollen eye
  • fresh scones and homemade cheesecake
  • tie dyed t-shirts
  • Jessica breaks arm (trip to ER)
  • Ottley Family Olympics
  • Jon runs 10K
  • Kids bring home bags of candy from parade
  • bubble blowing
  • slip n slide
  • Geo-caching
  • boating at lake
  • James gets the flu
  • pizza at the park
  • Jayson thinks he can swim without help
  • Jessica thinks she can swim with a splint and sling
  • Jon's 16 mile mountain bike loop
  • Mom gets the flu
  • family photos in downtown Salt Lake
  • Jessica crafts a a bazillion projects with her non-dominant hand (true sign of creative genius)
  • family
  • love
  • movies
  • video games
And just to top it off.... Jon gets the flu for the ride home

Lost: one water bottle & one pair prescription sunglasses