Wordless Wednesday. . .

Sledding with Colton & Bailey ~ January 2010

I gave him a heart attack!

Last week my Grandpa was telling me that he wasn't going to leave his house anymore because every time he did, he came home more depressing stuff....sympathy cards in the mail, treats from neighbors with sympathy cards, funeral stuff...etc. So, I decided that...the next time I knew he would be gone...I would leave him something that would make him smile....A HEART ATTACK! I found out Sunday morning that my parents were coming up to take him to dinner that night giving me the perfect opportunity to leave him my surprise :) Love you Grandpa!

He Did Good!

For an anniversary/valentines day gift Joel got me....

A NEW RING! I love it!!

Then on Friday, our actual anniversary, he gave me this rose that he made out of a Coca-Cola can (more proof of his craftiness) and...somehow...made me a anniversary card for my kindle. How he got it on my kindle is completely beyond me, but it makes my heart smile every time I see it there!

That night we went to Maddox for dinner and then continued our date on Saturday with lunch at Chili's and a movie. We went to see the movie "Act of Valor". The movie was very good, tense, but very good....and yes, as always, I cried.

I'll admit it...I was a lousy date on Friday night :( After a very long -emotionally draining- week I came home from dinner and CRASHED, yep by 6:30pm I was out! Our original plan was to come home, check on the kids, and then go to the movie a little bit later, but while he was downstairs talking to Ry...I fell asleep. Joel, being the sweetheart that he is, knew that I was exhausted and didn't wake me up. I woke up on Saturday morning, still dressed in the clothes I wore on our date, and started laughing.....I felt SO BAD. I'm such a slacker wife! He was super fabulous about it all and we made plans to continue our date later that day. Today I asked him if he glad that he didn't have to miss his "Modern Warfare Night".

He said...the best answer EVER...

"I decided not to play...I just climbed into bed with you".

Ahh, that right there made me love him even a little bit more!

Joel,

You are my partner, my sweetheart, my confidante and

advisor, my comforter and best friend.

Thank you for everything.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ~ I LOVE YOU!

16 Years Ago Today....

For you see, each day I love you more
Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.
~Rosemonde Gerard

Wordless Wednesday...

. . .Grandma's Obituary. . .

Charlotte May Robbins Alvey

Charlotte, 80, passed away on February 15, 2012. She was born in Ogden, Utah on May 23, 1931 to Alvin and Norma Aenone Arbon Robbins. She attended Ogden City Schools. Charlotte married the love of her life, Garth C. Alvey on January 12, 1948, in Elko, Nevada. Their marriage was later sealed in the Ogden LDS Temple on May 23, 1989. She lived in San Diego, Clearfield and Washington Terrace. Charlotte was a stay at home mom until her children were all married. After Garth retired from H.A.F.B., Charlotte enjoyed assisting him in transporting children to the School for the Deaf and Blind for Wasatch Transportation. She also loved visiting with the many friends she made that worked at the local restaurants.

Surviving is her husband Garth; daughter, Gartha Zampedri; son, Scott (Debbie) Alvey, 9 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren; and brother, Lynn (Susan) Robbins, Bellingham, Washington. She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Diana; and son-in-law, Doug Zampedri; brother, Darrell; sister-in-law, Joan; sister, Evelyn.

Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 11 a.m. at Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd. Friends may visit family on Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd.

The family would like to express a special Thank You to Melinda, Bridget, and Heather and to the rest of the great staff at VistaCare Hospice.

One Of A Kind. . .

Charlotte May A.May 23, 1932 - February 15, 2012 . . .I love you Grandma. . .

{My Wedding Day - Feb. 1996}

{Grandma's 80th Birthday Party - May 2011}

{Christmas Day 2011}

Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end.
They simply mean I'll miss you until we meet again.
~Author Unknown

Forever My Valentine...

1. How long have you and your significant other been together? Best Friends for 18 years

2. How did you meet? We met at the Newgate Mall. He worked at the Pine Factory across the Hall from where I worked at The Pretzel Maker. My very first day my boss, Jeanette, told me that the two brothers across the hall would come across for their Pepsi refills but would never stay to talk to me.......OH, I LOVE A GOOD CHALLENGE!

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? Next week we will be celebrating our 16th Wedding Anniversary!

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? On February 24, 1996, we got married at the Wellington House Reception Center. The wedding ceremony was small...the reception was big. It was perfect. Seven years and one day later we were sealed as a family in the Ogden Temple.

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share! I call him Buddy and he calls me Bud. We started calling each other Buddy/Bud back when we worked at the Mall together.

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

His personality...he makes me laugh.

The way he loves me unconditionally...the man's a saint.

His love for our children...he truly is the best Dad.

7. Tell us how he proposed? Candle-light picnic at night on the beach. Very romantic.

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals? It's different every year...I LOVE IT!!

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl or pop a movie in and relax on the couch? Both. Sunset dinners in the summers and movies on the couch in the winter.

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere? Hmmm....I would love a day to be bored with my husband. Seriously, a day with no plans and no kids. Sounds like heaven!

11. What did you do on your first date? I think our first "official date" was when we went bowling with Adam & Carie...they were not impressed with each other. Little did they know that we would try and try again ;)

12. What is your song? One of our songs is "When You Say Nothing At All" by Allison Krauss.

13. Finish this sentence, “It makes me laugh when my husband...makes up his own songs! It's hilarious!

14. What cologne do you love your husband to wear? lol...I love it when he wears OLD SPICE. I've NEVER been a fan of Old Spice...NEVER bought it for him. His Mom bought it for him a few Christmas's ago...he tried it...I'm hooked! Old Spice smells good on him.

15. I love my marriage because…It’s MY marriage :D Sure he can drive me CrAzY and I know I BUG him on a daily basis...but I love it! There is not one day in the past 18 years that I would go back and change!! I LOVE YOU BUDDY!!

16. Show us a picture of what love means to you.

Friday Confessional. . .

I confess that I can do a awesome Irish accent...in my head, it just doesn't come out quite right. I'm reading a book about a hockey player that lives in Ireland. It's very funny! So, I'll just keep reading...in my head...where the accent sounds amazing :)

I confess that I'm looking forward to hanging out with Ky and her two friends tonight. Joel and Ry are going to FREEZE their cute little bahookies off at a scouting overnighter...the klondike...a.k.a. sleeping outside in below freezing temperatures...a.k.a. my idea of HELL! I'll be warm and cozy with the girls while eating pizza, decorating valentine cookies, watching movies and then....snuggling with my puppies in my warm cozy bed :)

*** Oh...and kudos to my wonderful husband! He passed on a chance to hangout with the guys in the KSL suite at the Jazz game tonight so that he could go freeze with his son at the scout overnighter...What a good Dad!***

I confess that I think Hospice workers are angels on earth. Seriously, I don't know how they do it. These people show up during the most difficult times of life and stay a calm and strong support system for both the patient and their family. I met my Grandma's CNA and Nurse yesterday. Both of them are the nicest ladies and I feel a little bit better knowing that my Grandma is in good hands.

Wordless Wednesday. . .

Surf & Swim - 2009 ( I think ;)

Friday Confessional. . .

I confess that it frighten my soul when I listened to the music on my sons iPod this week. I thought I was pretty open minded when it came to music...thought I liked it all. I was wrong...way wrong! He's not going to be happy with me the next time he tries to listen to that playlist....oh darn.

I confess that I'm completely annoyed that Clinton Walmart has a huge Pepsi display that shows the Patriots vs the 49ers...FIX IT PEOPLE!!

I confess that life completely comes to a stop at this house on Superbowl Sunday. Yes, it is a day that ranks right up there with Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving, and the 24th of July. I love getting together with my family...the food is always yummy, laughs are always plenty, and the rivalry can get heated...Well, except this year...it's unanimous, even if they are not a fan of Manning...We all hate Tom Brady! I'm sure this is the first year that the house will not be divided :)

I confess that Heather H. has changed my life...seriously, I'm not kidding at all. I'm so excited to have finally met someone else with Sjogrens. My sister saw one of her "friends" on FB post about struggling with Sjogrens. Susie introduced me to Heather and it's been a lifesaver. I no longer feel so all alone...there is finally someone else out there who completely understands. She has suffered for several more years than I have plus she has an aunt that's dealt with it for over 25 years. The information I have learned over the past several days has been life altering! Thanks Heather!