SHARING THE LOVE....

This is so, so good!

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

For the crust:
1 stick butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup nuts
1 cup flower
Melt butter, add nuts, sugar, flour, mix.
Press into a 9x13 pan, Bake 350' for 12 min. cool.

Cream cheese layer:
1 80z. package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
8 0z. Cool whip (use 1/2 of it now)
Cream together and fold in the half cool whip.
Spread over cooled crust.

Mix:
1 3oz. package instant chocolate pudding
1 3oz. package instant vanilla pudding
with 2 1/2 cups of milk...spread over the top
of the cream cheese layer.

Top with the other half of the Cool Whip
Sprinkle with nuts and shavings of a
chocolate bar.
Eat up and enjoy!

Now this is the way to wind down the
day...Sophia, all relaxed and warm!

A little earlier she was all wound up and climbing like
a little mountain goat up.....

and down the play ground toys.


Do you want to see an angel?

Here she is, you just can't see her wings!

(yes, I have a lot of angels in my family!)

This one had just had her bath, love that
curly bath hair!

Grandma Julie reading a book to Sophia...
Can you tell that I am pointing to an elephant?
See her doing the elephant trunk thing.

Sophia and Ella, riding into the sunset like all good little cowgirls.

It's pure love...what else can be said?!

Speaking of pure love...my daughter Tiffany and her baby Claire.
Is there anything more beautiful than the love that fills a mothers
eyes? I don't think so.

Our sweet grands...Natalie and Brickelle with little brother Brody.

The other night my church held a special, annual women's conference.
One of the presidency of our church gave a talk and he spoke of 5 points
that we as women need to not forget, they are here above.

He also told us something cute...When God named the flowers, the little tiny
blue flower was last and it said..."Forget- me- not"... and thus it got it's name!

I love this and it is so true...look a child right in the eyes
today ladies and let them know that you respect and love them.

My husband and I watched this movie last night...
If you can get a hold of it do so, it is so good! You can
find it at a Desert Book Store.

Well, that is all I have for you today sisters...
And all my LOVE to each one of you, thank
you for being my sweet sisters and friends!

NO RHYME NOR REASON....JUST LIFE.

This is a gorgeous glass sculpture that sits big and bold in the window of Abravanel Hall
in Salt Lake City, Utah. Some of the city and the Mormon Temple is reflected into
the window from outside, so pretty!

My husband and I went here for a most beautiful concert. It is amazing,
look at the chandeliers on the ceiling...what a night we had!

We were there to hear the Utah Symphony, lead by this man, his name
is Thierry Fischer and what a workout he gets as he leads the symphony!
It was as fun watching him as it was listening to the music.

They played Beethoven's Ninth and also a special arrangement just for this
night in honor of 9-11. At the end they played the Star Spangled Banner....
people were on their feet, hands over hearts and singing loud. We all felt it...
that powerful patriotic feeling, that LOVE for our country, it was so moving!

I have been reading this...I am not quite finished yet, just got to the part
where Miss Celia writes out the check to Hilly and on it she writes...
For Two-Slice Hilly. I loved it! Can't wait to see the movie too.

Just sharing some pictures with you...
Our pretty daughter Lindsey and her sweet Sophia.

Sophia and her daddy...I love how she is patting the lamb!

Lindsey, holding my daughter Tiffany's new baby Claire...
Humm, am I seeing "baby hunger" in those eyes ?!

Yes, we are all thrilled silly about new baby Claire, especially her sister Ella!

Caleb had a birthday...he turned 4 and he is so glad that he isn't 3
any more! His daddy made his birthday cake cause mom is a bit busy
with the new baby and everything...I think dad did a super good job too!

This little angel...and she is an angel too. She sleeps and nurses and is
so pleasant and good...what a joy she is to all of us.

I am telling you, she really is an angel, you just can't see her wings
because they tuck under when she sleeps! ;D

She loves her baths too...doesn't cry at all.

Big brother Caleb loves her so much and he is such a great helper
for mom, running to get this and that.

We just think that she is such a little beauty, and we all love her so much!
It has been such a joy for me to go and help with the new baby, grandma
heaven for sure!

Sophia off camping with her mom and dad...I think she is a bit
like her daddy, she loves to ride anything that will go!

We went to this sweet grand daughters baptism, Cloe just turned 8,
and it is so great to be 8! She had the most beautiful white dress!

Some of our family that were there to love and support Cloe on
her big day, it was so much fun being together, nothing like family!

Some of our cute grands...love each of them so much!

Some of them went to the Zoo...and some of them are little monkeys too...
like Brickelle and Natalie!

No fair...our daughter Lisa, with all those cookies and yet she is just
a little bit of a thing! LOL

Our son and his sweet wife Melanie, Cloe's mom and dad...(and me) LOL

Our son Darin with his wife Laura...

Caleb..Claire..Ella
In little shirts that Aunt Lindsey, (the graphic designer in the family)
designed just for them! I thought they were so darn cute!

And little Sophia at the zoo, looking like, "Where's my mama?"
I know this is not my mama!!!


Well, they you go...and here I am back to blog-land.
It's strange but nice to take a bit of time off from here,
but I really did miss everyone too, glad to be back!

Now, I am off to check up on what you all have been up to!
Love to each of you my sweet friends.

WHERE I HAVE BEEN....

SWEET BABY CLAIRE...Our 22nd grandchild.
The sweetest of scents and softest of touch... Heaven sent.

I have been very busy these last couple of weeks and just look at what
I have been doing...spending time with an angel. I got to be there to see
this little one come into the world and I will never forget her BIG dark
eyes and that head full of jet black hair! She took after her daddy in that
department because her mom is very blond. She is such a little beauty!

This quote is half true, because the gift really comes from God.

Claire was 7 lbs. 1 oz. and 19" long...she didn't come into the world
crying but slipped in as quiet as a little angel for that she is. She was pure
sweetness from the first moment and is filling her home with Heaven's love.

Come on...open those big eyes, we aren't that scary!

See, it's OK here, we all love you so much!

And now they have three...

Siblings are such a blessing to each other as
they comfort, care and stick up for each other.

An exciting moment for both us grandma's for sure. I
am so glad that I am great friends with this lovely lady.

I was glad that grandpa got there on time too, a sweet meeting.

Love at first sight!

Sharing time with Mommy, and keeping them out of everything in the room!

I will be called Grandma and she will be called Grammy...both, words of LOVE.
Actually, I would come to whatever they would want to call me!

It's so fun to have a baby with tons of hair.

See, I told you she is a beauty...a bragging grandma I am! (he he)

Mother...what a divine, eternal word.
I loved this...Mommy mothering Ella as Ella mothers Claire.

And they worried that Ella might be jealous...
She is in Mothering Heaven with HER baby!

Big boy Caleb off to pre-school and so happy about it,
they grow up so fast!

Beautiful Cloe

We have also been busy traveling to be with this sweet
grand daughter for her baptism. We had five of our 8 kids
there also and had a very fun time together as a family.

Some of our grand children

And some of our family.

I almost lost track of time as I was busy with my family.
I cannot imagine anything more important in this whole
wide world than being with family. All the ups and downs
of it all and LOVE is at the heart of it all.

We were shown that by our Savior, LOVE is the final word
and deed, and I am glad that I have learned this lesson.
Being a mother has taught me this, through the hard times
of life and raising children, I can say that... yes, love is all there is.