Newwwww rug! :)

Evan's new car rug from old time pottery. Only $9.99! Heeeee loves it! 
When I was a kid we made the BEST car tracks with chalk on a huge chalkboard my parents got from somewhere. We also made tracks in the carpet that were pretty sweet. My older sister and I & my 2 younger brothers played with matchbox cars all the time. I still have vivid memories of 'being invited to each others mansions for a party'. We would even chalk parking lots in our driveways for the guests to our parties. Lol. Those were the good ol' days. Hopefully my son will love cars & will let me play too? ;)

-- Sent from my Palm Pixi

Favorites

michael texting me 3 times in 1 hour to let me know, he's gonna "play basketball longer", "will leave in 10 minutes" and "just left". :) glad you are mine sweetie. thank you for caring about us to know where you are every moment. :) we love you. xoxo

Cleaning up the leaves from fall

Finally! :) lol

-- Sent from my Palm Pixi

Spring = Play dates

My friends Michelle and Jeff brought their son Serif down for a haircut and play date yesterday. :) I love seeing them all and it's fun to see Serif's changes since he and Evan are only a couple weeks apart in age. I have posted about these two toddlers before so here is another of them together. Thanks Michelle for the pictures! My very favorite is the bottom one...

I told Jeff and Michelle about Evan's quad so I brought it to see if Serif would like to try it. What do you think? LOL. ;) He loved it. He was totally smiling like... "Look what I'm doing mom and dad." At the end I put Evan on the back and Serif rode them together a few feet. It's so cute! I just love watching these boys grow up and seeing what new things they want to show us each day. Love these kiddos!

Saturday

Michael and I went to his brother's house in Nashville on Saturday to help put some furniture together. We kept Evan near by but as the parts needed to be scattered around the floor, it was inevitable that he would get in the way. We may have already been cleaned up or close to it and I don't even remember what he did exactly but I think he kept doing something I said not to do (like trying to turn the satellite on and off). I said, "Do you want to go to time out?" He literally froze, looking at me then mumbled and grumbled (seriously) as he walked over to their attic door, turned his back to it (meanwhile we have no idea what he's doing but we're watching him) and slid his booty against it to the ground! He put HIMSELF in "time out"! :D lol. It was priceless. We were all lifting our jaws off the floor and trying not to let him see us laughing. What a little sweetheart. I just love that little guy.

A: Almost 13 years!?

Q: How long have you been married?

That's right. This June 21st, Mike and I will have been married 13 years. I must say it has been wonderful. To some, 13 years is a long time, to others, we are barely getting started. We are happy where we've been, where we are and where we will go from here. I'm excited to see what is next for us especially since Michael continues to get better with age. I will not be trading HIM in. :)

When we were married, Michael choose a beautiful engagement ring and band set that served me well. From the beginning, we thought it was modest and that we might like to 'upgrade' after 10 years. Incidentally, my engagement ring has taken such a beating over the years and despite many professional efforts to fix the ring, I haven't worn it in 2+ years. ;( Instead I wore my wedding band with a really cool silver and cubic zirconia ring I bought for $22.00. I got constant compliments on it and it served me well. When our 10 year anniversary approached, I was day dreaming and window shopping for my big new ring with a bigger diamond right? We had money designated and saved but as the days got closer, I started feeling more and more disgusted with myself and my obsession with this 'ring'. (btw, it surprising I'd ever care about something so "materialistic" as I'm so practical, I hardly spend a dime on myself) I felt more and more guilty that I was wiling to spend so much... who am I trying to impress or something along those lines. Finally, gratefully, I changed my mind and forgot about it.

About a year ago, I decided I really needed to either do something about my original ring once and for all or I really needed to figure out something more practical costing but beautiful to replace it. (get ready for ring education. lol) As I brainstormed about what I might like, a thought came to mind. I once had a friend who had been told (whether it's true or not, neither of us know) that at sometime in history engagement rings would have the future husbands birthstone as the center/main stone etc etc. I started my investigation. Mike's birthstone is Aquamarine, I love it, very pretty too. I even found some ideas that I liked, so much that I decided I was going to go ahead and replace the original ring. Now I just had to find the perfect one. Unfortunately I was told that Aquamarine stones are not very strong (again, could have been incorrect information but I went with it) so I decided I had to come up with a new plan. A set back. I didn't want to use my birthstone; Amethyst cause the purple would be just too much for me to wear everyday. Hmmm... so, I started thinking... I know some gemstones come in different colors than commonly known. I decided to look for a stronger stone than the Aquamarine and even look to see if it had other colors. As searched I found a setting I LOVED but just had to find the right stone. (this was already exciting that after a year of looking I was making progress!) After giving up for a few months, discouraged that I was caring about it again too much, I regrouped. I decided to give my birthstone another try, see if it came in another color.... IT DOES!!! :) whoo hoo. Not only does it, I have found a most beautiful ring that is Green Amethyst with cushion cut and has a diamond (very small) surround. I am so thrilled to have found it! It is still honoring the original idea of Michael's birthstone by being green but it's my birthstone too. :) The gemstone is great. Whatever I am wearing it adapts to that color. I posted two pictures of it from the top cause it shows this multi color type look. I tried to show a side view but... well, I tried. ;) Here is the ring and new band:

Oh, did I mention that not only do I love it and don't care if anyone else does (but I hope they do like it cause it really is pretty) but the set was under $300.00! It's 10k white gold and.... I bought it at Walmart.com! :) Oh yeah, I know you're already headed to Walmart.com to look for yourself. You will NOT be sorry. ;) Here is the link to the Amethyst ring: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10891922

here is the link to the band: http://www.walmart.com/ip/1-4-Carat-Diamond-Stackable-10kt-White-Gold-Ring/10891936

I cannot even tell you how happy I am with my new wedding set. Michael is so happy with it too(cause I am) and I look forward to wearing it for many years to come. AND it didn't cost me a fortune! ;) xoxo

Nona Elnora Bennett Wutkee

October 11, 1915 - February 25, 2010

(possibly age 16?)

I have only had one grandparent since the mid 1980's, "Grandma Nona", who is my dad's mother. After a very full and relatively healthy life, she finally started "getting old" a few years ago but only in body, her mind was sharp to the end. It was not until her fall in November that she became frail really. Thankfully Evan and I visited her at a nursing home/rehabilitation center while we were home for Christmas. She was in great spirits but her body was not working well anymore. It was gently failing her.


This afternoon she passed away peacefully in her sleep after a short deterioration of her body. She was 94 years old. Our family is happy for her and not sad in the sense of her not being here as she lived a very full and long life. We believe she has been reunited with her sweetheart, is holding our niece that never got to live her life and is having a great reunion with her parents and siblings gone before her.

I would like to tell you some things about my grandmother that I know (sorry if any of it is incorrect). She was born and raised on a Farm in Montana. One of 13 children (they were not Mormon fyi. My dad converted to the LDS church as an adult). When she was 18-20 1933+ she took a train to California. I believe by herself! (big in those days) Once in Los Angeles where one of her married sisters lived. Meanwhile my grandpa Al was working with some friends the summer somewhere near Wisconsin or Iowa when they heard you could go to the state of Washington and pick apples. ;) They were off in my grandpa's car. When they were done, they said, 'we're so close to Hollywood, let's go!" As soon as they got there, my grandpa said he was staying and to sell his car and send him the money. (wow!) He met my grandmother at a dance club, fell in love and married.

They settled in Los Angeles and raised 5 children. My parents married and eventually lived in Woodland Hills when I was a kid (approx 25-30 miles away) and for Christmas and Easter, I had great memories of driving (what seemed like hours) to my grandparents little cottage home or 'bungalow'. For Christmas Eve, it would be evening by the time we pulled up to their house. I even remember stepping from the car, onto the grass and sidewalk and walking to their front door in anticipation of what was waiting inside. The only light in the room was a table lamp or two and the Christmas tree (bubble lights!). It was so 'romantic' really, especially with the yummy smells from all the food cooking. The record player would be humming a melody so familiar and I really felt at home.

For Easter it would be the afternoon and full sunshine. They had a pretty great yard, full of flowers and probably vegetables. The flowers were taller than my head and like a maze to play in. With the sun shining it was like a fairy tale. I was purposefully sure to mention those memories to my Grandmother over the last few years so she knew I cared.

Unfortunately I didn't feel particularly close to my Grandmother growing up and wish I had known more about her. I have lived away from my family for the majority of my adult life and would have liked to learn more of her genealogy and her youth, in person, from her mouth. I'm sure my older siblings had better experiences and closer relationships depending on where they were in the birth order. I was little and the middle of 11 children, I felt distracted from getting to know her as I would have liked to know her now. I'm sure she would have told me anything I wanted to know. She was always kind to me, even writing me a few letters over the years, asking how I was doing.

Grandma Nona was widowed in the Mid 80's (and eventually moved into a guesthouse built on to my Aunt and Uncles property, 2 blocks away). She was very sentimental and saved lots of things. I dare say everything given to her. :) Now, I just hope she is enjoying seeing my grandfather again and is happy to be young again. I know she missed the younger more agile body of her youth and it must be nice to hop and skip again. ;) In a conversation a few Christmas's ago, she was having a lot of trouble with her legs, 'just not working' at the time. She said to me "I just don't understand (why her legs weren't working), I'm not OLD!" ;) There is a bitter sweet sentiment that she was at least 92 at the time and saying she wasn't 'old' but it's the frustration we all feel. Our minds are younger than our bodies. So I will try not to take for granted a healthy agile body while you enjoy your once again youthful one. :) Love you Grandma Nona. xoxo

(This is a revision of a posted memorial I posted somewhere else. I also wanted it documented here for when I one day get it printed. Sorry if you've already read this)

First Musical Talent

Uncle Matt will be happy to know, 'the hat' is baaaaaack. :)

Evan has been facinated by my whistling recently and is understanding how to blow into a toy giraffe he has that makes noise when you blow in its ear. lol. Today I had a bright idea to give the kid my harmonica to see what he would do with it (after having no success with a recent effort with a cheap kazoo). He's a NATURAL! Look how he's even holding it. grin. He just cracks me up and the video at the end... cherry on top. eeek! look at those happy eyes, what a sweetie. I love you babe. :)

(doesn't want me to take it away so turned his back on me.LOL!)

Photos for last post

throwing everything out of the bed and took all his clothes off as mentioned in a previous post. ;) he's used to me getting him out of bed right away but this time it became a photo shoot. not as happy as usual. ;)

Seeing first PB&J (side of delicious white cheddar cheese puffs) :)

I asked "Can I see your face babe?" This is what I got... "The" face. ;) lol

I... think he likes it. ;)

Do you want some?

the good things.

my baby can blow his nose! all parents of babies and appreciate that, especially when their little one is sick longer than they need to be all because they can't get their mucus out. ;) so pleased with my little munchkin.

evan woke up today happy, bouncing and 'talking'. i went to get him as usual. well, i will describe what i found. a jumping baby in only a diaper with all 5 of his blankets, 2 pillows, his p.j. top and p.j. bottom all outside his bed on the ground and a proud grin on his face. yes i took a picture but it's much more difficult lately to upload pictures so there's the description.

today evan ate his first peanut butter and jelly sandwich! he didn't die and he really likes it. :) it may have been a little peanut buttery so next time I'll thin out the pb.

i talked to courtney this afternoon on the phone. it was so great to hear her voice. she really sounds more mature through the experiences she's had in the last 16months. i'm so proud of her. based on the descriptions she's given us, i really believe she raised herself. the challenge that can come from that is the parents that should have raised her a passed the wisdom they should have had, to her, failed her. she didn't have the 'older and wiser' parents, they were busy being very in the moment and self centered with their choices (in my perspective but it's all courtney knows). Luckily she had a lot of guidance from her grandparents who do have wisdom.i think it's where she get's any of her sense from. i think it's hard for her to see her grandparents as young enough to know what is right for her but they do know. i hope one day, because she deserves every wonderful thing in life, that she will understand their guidance and follow the good things they say. with that said, she has so many good instincts! i cannot fathom how she could focus on placing a baby for adoption while 17 when other 17 year olds would think it's a great idea for them to raise a child without a mother AND father, a stable home, job and surroundings. courtney wasn't raised in that but knew evan needed it. she figured that out on her own and through prayer! how can you not love her and hope she will make it in life. unfortunately she still struggles with many of the same things she has since we've known her but in true fashion, she always holds her head up and thinks positive. she listed all the good things ahead, including finding work and finishing her education (without parents no less! or family to guide her. dad is estranged, mom died in a car accident a few years ago and currently not speaking to her grandparents but it striving to make that relationship right). i know i don't know courtney as her family does. i definitely don't know all the things that have happened in her life to make her who she is. she could be lying to me all these months for all i know but i'm grateful to see her as a child of god, full of potential, yearning for goodness (but getting so much disappointment) from life and love. just like our children, we want to see them do their best in life. well, i know our father in heaven wants that and more for us, every joy we can think of that is good and pure. i want those things for courtney and i'm pretty sure she's on her way, albeit slowly, IN her way to success and i can't wait to tell evan about her journey. something i didn't have to live for him to think about and appreciate but lucky for him, he has two mommies to be proud of and love. I know i will hear more downs but she will have many ups too and one day, she is bound to break through the mold set in her life and live the life the Lord intended for her. i look forward to hearing about that day. we love you courtney, always. ;)

jump. crash. it's all good.

*for Liam*

FABLEHAVEN BOOK SIGNING TONIGHT!!!

Ok kids I JUST bragged about the book series FABLEHAVEN and tonight saw that the Author Brandon Mull will be here in Tennessee! I want you all to go the Cool Springs Barnes and Noble 7pm and buy his books and get them signed! You won't regret reading them. Here is about his series (which is slated to be made into a feature film/s!)

http://brandonmull.com/site/

I will unfortunately not be able to go since I have plans I can't break but please go! :) Have fun, get some yummy Cold Stone Creamery afterwards! lol. ;)

bye.

My Moon, My Man ;)

I know it's been awhile since you've seen me. Let me introduce myself. My name is Lila and this is my family's blog. A beautiful life.

Meet our Tennefornia Snow man because he has an Avocado skin for a nose! lol. ;) can get whoop whoop from my California peeps?! :)

Who do you think you are "Mr." Snowman? ;) Evan was not really interested in him. I'd post the video but it takes WAY too long. I'm impatient and want to post this NOW! :) xoxo

Hey! rrr. I don't want to look at the camera!

A shimmy to the left...

Evan's art work on my Appointment book.

Someone got a neeeeeeeeew trampoline! ;) (daddy's not thrilled but he'll come around)

I love you Mommy. Now I know you love me. :)

For his next performance: my baby demonstrates his extreme athleticism on his new and first trampoline. Hold on to your hats y'all! he he he.
(posted later on a seperate post :(...)

DANGER!

I have been reading. I know, it's really dangerous. I can feel my brain getting bigger I think. ;) So first of all I have wanted to blog this off my sleeve for awhile so bare with the story.

Michael reads ALL THE TIME. He constantly has a book at his bed side, at times, two or three. Currently, he admitted tonight that he's reading two at the same time! Sheesh!

Well anyway, I was never a 'reader' growing up and didn't know why till I started reading for fun a few years ago. I enjoy reading and have always been a 'good' reader as far as I know but in elementary school, when they group you into reading levels. I thought it went by alphabet or just split you up by chance but it turns out I was placed in the group "Never Give Up" for a reason/on purpose?! Looking back the name "Never Give Up" definitely means something to me (and hurts) but as a kid, you have NO IDEA - how cruel that I didn't know I had a problem. Luckily I was oblivious. In Jr. High, I was humiliated by being taken out of my reading class (class had started and I had to leave as everyone watched, none of us knowing why I had to leave... never to return) to go to a little storage sized room to do Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) with maybe one other student for the rest of the year. This is when I was told by the 'teacher' (if that's what she was) I had a challenge with "Reading Comprehension". The first time ever that someone told me I had any problems and what it was. This was instrumental in weakening my reading, math etc confidence throughout H.S. My parents never said anything to me if they knew, my counselors never took me aside to explain anything about it so it festered that I wasn't a good reader. When reading book assignments came, I gave up before I began, going right to cliff notes and only skimming them (though chose to read To Kill a Mockingbird in English and loved it). In math, any word problems were like hieroglyphics to me and I ended up in "Comprehensive Math" (ironic?) before long (balancing check books with a Coach/Teacher who could care less). So even though I had my 'diagnosis' (in Jr. High, and never to hear a thing about it again) of Comprehension challenges, I had interpreted it as "reading challenged" even though, like I said, I read clearly and even quickly. I read the King James Version of the Bible for goodness sakes... AND understand it. Anyway, finally I watched an interview with a 'new author' named J.K. Rowling (heard of her?? he he he) and her series sounded great! I was really looking forward to it, for the first time. A couple months before the first movie opened, I started reading her stories and finished all 4 that were out before the premier. I was hooked on reading and getting lost in a story, using my imagination as I did as a kid when I daydreamed for hours. Since then, I haven't read as many books as I should or want to but in the last 6 months, I've gone reading CRAZY. I recently finished the 9 book Historical novel series called "The Work and the Glory" (of which there are also 3 or 4 movies, I'm now going to watch hopefully soon). Then, while cleaning up and packing up my brother Isaac's room, as he left for a two year proselyting mission, I found some of his H.S. required reading (including his margin notes. lol), so next, since it was tiny... I read "Of Mice and Men". Last, I just finished "To Kill a Mockingbird" for the 2nd time and LOVED it! I just want to keep reading the story. As for my next adventure, I am about to read the 5th book of the FABLEHAVEN series coming out in March. Not unlike the Harry Potter series in imagination, there are many things I like better about it. First of all when I first saw the book advertised, I kept seeing the Authors name "Brandon Mull" and thinking... I know someone with that name from home (California). I started searching all over online for his picture and SCORE, it WAS him! ;) Now, I won't pretend we are bffs, we barely knew each other but he unknowingly effected my life for good when I was 19 and at an impasse in my young adulthood. At the time, it had nothing to do with writing, it was his singing! He and my friend Larry Bagby were sitting in front of me at church and sang "The Spirit of God" together in harmony and it's just what I needed to move on to bigger and better things. So, needless to say, I HAD to read his book and was HOOKED immediately. So, besides this, I need more books. I am a sucker for Historical fiction a little bit and believe I may brave some Jane Austin business. :) I don't like romance novels at all but don't mind a love story so suggest away. Ok, on to talking about the specific books. My opinions:

The Steed Family lives and loves in the 1830's-1850's at the time of Joseph Smith and the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The fictional family is constantly intertwined with the real leaders and real stories of the Church as they were persecuted and driven from town to town, state to state in pursuit of peacefully being allowed to practice their religion and be faithful to the commandments and prophet/s. It was very informative to me on my churches history and I felt driven to be stronger myself. I also left with a peace and understanding of why their persecutors were so cruel. I highly recommend this series that the author has done EXTENSIVE research on the times in the United States in general and of course, Church history. ****

I was curious about this novel as I never read it (even the cliff notes that I can remember). It was short so I said, 'what can it hurt'. I had a VERY hard time reading it. First of all, I don't like cussing at all. I have a very low tolerance for it and it's every where immediately at the beginning and throughout. With that said, I understand, it was 'necessary' to depict the characters lot in life but, I got really distracted and judgmental every time they used the language. Second, I cannot relate to the mindset of the 'leader' of the 2 main char. and it was hard to be in his head though I tried so I could 'broaden my mind'. As the story progressed, it got worse as new story was introduced only to end cruelly. I felt like this book was pointless and would never want my own child to have to read it. -*

It had been so long since I had read this story but was drawn to it again when I saw it on Isaac's shelf. In H.S. all my older siblings had been assigned it to read so I was expecting it. When it wasn't, I volunteered to read it! Not only was it the first novel I ever read, I knew there was a movie but waited to watch it till I read the book! Yay me! :0) Anyway, I love that the book it told from this little tomboy girls perspective and everything that made her character 'her'. There is a constant sadness but around every corner is youthful bliss and optimism. I think Harper Lee did a great job (apparently more important 'critics' than me agree), describing the plight of race and 'class' and region of the times. What a hard time to live though they would see our time and be appalled. ;/ ****

I LOVE THIS SERIES!! The 5th (and final I believe) book in the series comes out the end of March and I can't wait! (Liz, I know you can't wait too so you can borrow it after I read it. lol he he he). Ok, why I really love the series: It's family oriented, teaches morals (remember those? well, read the book to be reminded there are 'consequences, pain and joy in life), allows you to use your imagination (like H.P.) - something some 'groups' likes to suppress in my opinion. The story is FUN and uplifting though it has parts that can make you worry and sweat a bit. I think you will all like it and I'd like to support my friend. Better yet, it is planned to be made into a movie!! whoo hoo. Who doesn't like a book turned movie!? ;) ****


Thank you for your patience in my blog post. After all, it IS my blog and my opinion but it's not my usual post. Hope you still got something out of it cause deep down, I really want to please you too. ;) he he he. xoxo