May

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.   
-Abraham Lincoln

May 1 - clean

Mike washes the screens while Alia and Ben play in the water

May 4 - just like mom and dad

I fixed myself creamed eggs over toast and sausage for breakfast this morning - one of dad's favorites.  I drank mom's favorite... orange juice, in her glass.  After that.  The tears came.  Eating breakfast, looking out the bay window, reminiscing over days gone by, admiring the beauty of the mountains, and lessons taught by mom and dad were one of my favorite things to do. I miss them.


May 5 - prepared

I bought two 55 gallon water barrels for storage.  IF we ever need them, they will be easily accessed.  They are in the corner of the garage. When Dave asked me WHY I was doing it.  I said "because it's a commandment."  Mom and dad taught me to listen to the prophet.  I know there is safety in doing so.


May 6 - Sunday Best

Dave was out of town so I decided it would be a good day to go to church with Audrey and Mike.  Ben is in his cute Easter suit... handsome boy!  Pretty mother, too.


Grandma was quite the distraction.  I don't think I can attend church with the kids too often!


May 8 - Kelsey and Annabelle

Kelsey is such a good, compassionate, and kind nurse.  She has had a little patient named Annabelle to take care of for the past several months.  Annabelle has been undergoing chemo at Primary Children's Hospital for cancer.  Kelsey takes care of little Annabelle at home, on the days she is not undergoing treatment.  Kelsey promised her that she could come to her house and see all the animals when she was better and before going back home to Montana.  Well, today was the day.  Annabelle and her little sister had a blast on Kelsey's farm. Annabelle clung, with confidence and love, to Kelsey.  Both girls love her so very much.  And Kelsey loves them. I loved watching Kelsey tenderly caring for and loving little Annabelle.  It made my heart swell with pride and gratitude.  Kelsey is a lovely daughter in every way.


I saw a segment on KSL News tonight (June 1) on Giving Hope, a Primary Children's Hospital story.  Tonight's featured guest was little Annabelle.  She rang the bell at the Hospital to signal the end of her treatments.  She also helped broadcast the weather with Kevin Ubank.  Annabelle is such a delightful and sweet little girl.  Kelsey will miss her, but I have a feeling they will be good friends for a life-time.


May 9 - pillows

I love the pillows Audrey sewed for my window seat.  My office is colorful, happy, and comfy!

May 10 - cravings

It's one of my favorite things to eat. It's comfort food. I ate cake like this as a child.  I love it as an adult.  Nothing tastes better than dark chocolate cake in a bowl of cold milk!


May 10 - Mothers Day Tea

Our annual tea was not a disappointment.  Just us five girls living in the north end of the state gathered in Kelsey's backyard for the last time.  We enjoyed good food, togetherness, and fun.  Mom was near to my heart throughout the day.  She always loved a party... I wished her there with us.  The picture of mom is from last year's tea party at her house.


May 13 - dutch oven dinner

After we had all got home from church, Mike fixed us dutch oven bbq chicken, funeral potatoes, and rolls.  I fixed a green salad and Kelsey fixed a strawberry jello salad to make it complete.  It was so delicious.  


The grandkids kept themselves busy and as always, provided the entertainment.  Brayden loves Dave and wants to be with him all the time.  He rode the 4-wheeler to the barn with him, caught a mouse and put it in a 5 gallon bucket.  Alia found a stick and went to a fishing spot in the waterfall.  The day would not be complete without a ride on Ruby.    


gifts for grandma -

Kelsey gave me the Forget-Me-Not book and Willow Tree Angel. Also the necklace. I totally love love love it!  Of course, it tugged at my heart immediately.  It's all about MOTHER... remembering and keeping my mother close to my heart.  And, hopefully, Kelsey feels the same way about her MOTHER.  Makaela made me a card that says grandma is awesome, loving, fun, the best... wow!  Thanks to all my girls!  

Ben and Alia enjoyed their day at Kings.  They planted this flower for me and made the card.  Love it!  Love my family so, so, much!

May 15 - pampered

Got a new hair cut today.  I really like it.  Also a massage.  I've never had one before.  Kelsey talked her lady up so much, I had to try it.  It was worth it!  Especially because it was less that half price... Mother's Day special. $20 for an hour.  She really worked those muscles.  It felt sooo good! Another thing. Kelsey and I joined a fitness gym, RESULTS, a few weeks ago.  We go a few times a week, have a personal trainer (for free), and are starting to enjoy the benefits of working out... energy and better health! I am trying to strengthen my stomach muscles before surgery.


May 20 - eclipse 

It only comes around about every 30 years.  Our neighbor gave us a welding helmet to watch the eclipse of the sun.  It was so cool.  It lasted about an hour. The sun set about a half hour later.  It was beautiful!


May 21 - relaxing

Today I spent the day outside on the back deck, lying on the couch, reading, and relaxing.  I was delightfully entertained by a couple of birds.  They found the perfect place to make a home... the grill!


May 23 - John Deer

Dave mows the perimeter of the lawn on his (or rather mine... he got it for my birthday last year) John Deer riding lawn mower.  I mow the inside... sometimes.  I think Dave likes to mow the lawn and that's ok with me!


May 24 - vintage scissors

Dave needed a button sewn on his Army dress uniform.  He has a funeral to go to in Long Beach, California.  I used these really old vintage embroidery scissors for the job.  They are so cool!  They came from a sewing box that was left in the red brick house in Brigham City when Dave purchased it.


May 25 - pergola

Kool Breeze started our pergola today.  I can't wait to see it completed!

May 25 - blustery, bumpy, beautiful!

It's always an adventure when I go to Price.  After I dropped Dave off at the airport, I headed for Price.  


About 9:15 p.m. I was about 2 miles from Soldier Summit.  It was getting dark and I was concentrating on the road.  Too hard.  Something hit the car full force and knocked me sideways in my seat.  I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a deer hit the road.  It did quite a bit of damage.  The entire driver's side of the car had damage... dents, deer hair, and a broken side view mirror.  I'm glad I didn't see the deer.  I think my reaction would have been to swerve to miss it.  And that could have caused a serious accident.  Again, I believe my guardian angels were there to protect me.  I can not, for some reason, even get hurt.  I feel so blessed and know there is something more to this undeniable protection. 


It was so windy in Price.  While at Shaniel's house, the neighbor's trampoline flew into the yard. The girls got on it and started chanting "wind, wind, go away; you should come again another day!"


The girls kept themselves entertained mostly inside.  Morgann fashioned the girls with outfits and hair-do's. Nicole, Tenely (cousin to the Donaldson's), Tianna, and Tera pose for picture at the end of the Fashion Show.


a cool greenhouse

Steve's greenhouse.  He really loves this stuff!  Hailie shows off her cabbage plant.  Steve should have some good produce for the Farmers Market this year.


Steve smiles for me... love the new teeth!  They are so pretty.  It took awhile to get some to fit, but I think it's just about there.


The cemetery

It was such a blustery day.  The wind nearly took us all away.  We stayed as long as we could.  Shaniel and the girls, Kelley and Kerry, Brandon and Annie, and I braved the whipping lashes of the angry wind. In spite of it, the flowers were beautiful and the atmosphere was peaceful and calm.  Mom and dad must have come, even just for a minute.


Mom loved cardinals.  It is such a nice addition to the headstone.  My heart was saddened and I teared up when I first saw the picture I took of Kelley in the car; the gravestone in the background.  Kelley, like the rest of us, seems to be a little weary, a little worn, a little tattered.  It's been a long year, hasn't it?  The reality of "it's just us"... hit me so hard. We're the next generation to leave this world.  We don't know how long we'll be here, what our health will be.  I cherish every day I take a breath.  I have so much more to do, to see, to experience.  It doesn't seem possible that mom and dad are gone and we are the next to go.  Wasn't it just yesterday us kids were out in the back yard playing in the haystack!  TIME... please stand still!  


May 27 special dishes

Remembering... special dishes, special mothers!

Can you identify which dishes belonged to which mother?

mothers - Ellen Bates, Grandma Richardson, Grandma Bentley, Grandma Hamilton, Joyce Daniels, Carol Daniels

dishes - 

1. pink depression dessert plates, salt and pepper shakers, and serving plate  

2. blue willow plates  

3. small blue bowl, crystal bread plate, and  gravy boat  

4. white gold rimmed serving bowl and silverware  

5. crystal cake plate  

6. glasses 

Dinner was simple.  Just like mom made for many of our Sunday dinners.  Baked chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and peas.  Bread, butter, and homemade raspberry and blackberry jam, and brownies for dessert.  


hide 'n seek

Ben covers his eyes while Alia hides!  He is so dang cute!

May 28 - Heber Valley

Today, Dave and I rode to Heber to visit his family's graves.  His mother passed away in 2007, his dad in 2008, and his brother in 2009.  I wanted to find some of our ancestors graves while there.  I found Thomas Moulton and Sarah Denton, and searched high and low for their son Heber Moulton and Emily Jane Carroll (great grandmother... grandpa Bentley's mother).  I couldn't find them this time.  I also looked for grandma Bentley's sister Pearl and husband Dan Mair and couldn't locate them.  It was exciting, none the less.  The spirit of Elijah is strong in me!  I love learning about my ancestors,  I feel like I am getting to know them and can't wait to meet them someday.


We drove around beautiful Heber Valley reminiscing about the "good old days".  Dave's youth was filled with activities much like ours.  His parents would take him and his friends up the canyon (toward Park City) and drop them off at the canal with their inner tubes.  They finished their descent several blocks east of Dave's house (picture of canal at end spot- bottom center).


Can you remember Hwy 40 going from Heber to Park City before the Jordanelle was made?  Well, just at the base of the dam (bottom right picture), there's a large jagged rock with a cave hole in it.  A hermit lived there and painted a large American flag at the top of the rock.  We could still see traces of it from our vantage point above the reservoir.  The top picture is of the beautiful Wasatch Back Mountains.  


May 31 - Jenny Stevens Park

This is Alia's park... the Jenny Stevens Park!  We had a picnic there today.  It was fun.  We ate  lunch.  Put sunscreen on. Chilled (or Ben did)!  He had to have two chairs with him.  His booster and the tot spot.  He totally took advantage of it!  Alia busied herself playing on the playground and riding her bike.  We stayed for 3 hours, it was getting hot, and when it was time to go, Alia was quite upset.  She said, "I still have sunscreen on, I won't get burned."  She associates the sunscreen to keeping her bum and her legs from getting burned on the hot slide (from a previous burned bum experience).  


Audrey and I had a good laugh.  We looked and felt like the Beverly Hillbillies, only stroller style!  Ben was in the umbrella stroller with a camp chair stuffed between the bars in the back of him and the lunch sack, diaper bag, and another camp chair swung over the bars of the stroller.  And on top of that, we carried the booster seat, the bike, and two refill mugs.  We were stacked!  But we had tons of fun.


Month in Review