Family, Friends, Faith, Fotos, Food, Fun, Forever -- FRAN

Not To Worry

2012-02-07T19:45:00.001-07:00

Thought I'd share a poem we used at the adolescent treatment center where I worked for so many years. It has a powerful meaning about turning things over to God, letting go, and trusting with faith that He'll take care of what is given to Him. I hope it brings a sweet feeling to your heart as it always does to mine. Sorry, I don't know who wrote it.

BROKEN DREAMS

As children bring their broken toys with tears to us to mend,

I brought my broken dreams to God because He was my friend.

But then instead of leaving Him in peace to work alone,

I hung around and tried to help with ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried,

"How can you be so slow?"

"My child," He said, "what could I do ....

you never did let go."

It's taken me a while to learn that when I pray for help with something, I need to let it go and and then stop worrying about it. That's a lot easier said then done. But I have put it to the test (many, many times) and I'm never sorry and never disappointed. Sometimes the answer is "NO" and I've learned to accept that. I have also learned not to pray for things that are not good for me and that will not matter in the eternities. God is in charge, and I continue to turn things over to Him. Thank you God.

Simple Lessons

2012-02-02T16:01:00.000-07:00

When we moved into our first home in Farmington over 30 years ago, we lived next door to an elderly couple, John and Anita Moulton. Little did they know, they were teaching powerful lessons by example -- performing random acts of kindness -- quietly and lovingly. They were thoughtful, humble, Christ-like people, and such wonderful neighbors!

I was sitting in their living room one day as we discussed the meaning of "hard work" and the fact that nothing (worth anything) comes easy. On the mantel above their fireplace I noticed a little wooden plaque:

"PRAY FOR POTATOES WITH A HOE IN YOUR HAND"

We talked about that message often. I got it. It's good to ask for help. But we need to do all we can to help ourselves first, then ask. I understood that no matter how much I wanted something, I would not get it without a little effort on my part -- a new refrigerator, good health, friends, a good marriage, a happy heart ... yes, even potatoes, or in this case, beans!

Back in those days (those wonderful, simple, happy days), we had a garden in the backyard. We taught our children how to plant beans and corn and tomatoes, how to thin carrots, and how to carefully weed around each growing plant. We gave them a popsicle stick and a handful of beans. Randy turned over the rich soil with a shovel and made a row for each of the kids to plant their beans. They would place the stick down on the ground and put a bean in the dirt at each end of the stick. Then they would move the stick in front of the last bean and place another bean in the dirt at the next end, and so on. The beans were spaced evenly, with an occasional stray plant here and there! Soon the children would see how great their new garden looked. They were delighted to see things growing and even more excited when it was time to pick beans (or whatever else they had planted).

They picked the beans, snapped them into pieces, cooked them, and then enjoyed eating them. We froze some and preserved the rest in Mason jars. The pantry shelves were always filled with the bountiful harvest of our little garden and we always had an abundance of food. Although it was a lot of work, it was a sweet time for our family -- learning the value of hard work -- and enjoying the fruits (or beans) of our labor! And, as a family, we prayed for beans with a hoe in our hands!

Dear John and Anita,

Thank you!

Love, Fran

Booker's Favorite Clam Chowder

2012-01-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

When temperatures drop to freezing and our Utah mountain tops are covered with snow, my ideal dinner is a steamy bowl of hot clam chowder! OK, I admit .... it also helps to have a fire in the fireplace, fuzzy slippers on my feet, and good music playing in the background .... but something warm in the tummy just seems to fix everything that's wrong in the world (at least for a minute)!

Thirty years ago there was an amazing restaurant here in our area that served the best clam chowder I'd ever tasted in my life. We ate there often! Before they closed their doors for good, I asked the chef for the recipe and have used it ever since. It's included in the family cookbook that I gave our eight Booker kids at our family reunion in 2007.

We have spent a lot of time at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco and eating clam chowder in a bread bowl is one of our favorite things to do there. I would rate their clam chowder second to this! And I think after you try this recipe, you'll agree with so many that this is the best clam chowder ever -- in the whole wide world and universe (I had to throw that in for my girls who grew up using that phrase!).

So, enjoy .... and feel free to share with anyone and everyone. It will make you popular!

CLAM CHOWDER (from Fran to you!)

4 (6-1/2 oz) cans chopped or minced clams

2 cups diced potatoes

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup butter

1 quart half & half

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp black pepper

Drain juice from clams. Set clams aside in small bowl. Pour clam juice over chopped vegetables in 8-quart pot. Add enough water to barely cover vegetables. Cover and bring to boil. Simmer until potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). In small pan, melt butter and blend in flour. Cook on medium for 2 minutes. Slowly add cream and stir till thick. Add creamed mixture to clams, vegetables, and all the liquid. Heat thoroughly. Add salt, sugar, and pepper. Serve in a bread bowl or with cornbread, breadsticks, or sourdough rolls.

P.S. I like to sprinkle lots of black pepper on top!

This Sucks (literally!!)

2012-01-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

A while back, I posted photos of my brand new (at the time) LG front loading washer and dryer. I think that was one of the greatest purchases EVER!! The fact that they do an outstanding job of cleaning clothes should be enough ... but no, they are beautiful as well! And they are RED -- my favorite color! They make doing laundry so much fun! If you remember, I even named them! Ah, yes .... Scarlett O'Hara and Red Butler. Yes, I know, his name was Rhett but, well ... you get it!

Now, meet my new helper -- I named him Chuckie (rhymes with Suckie) 'cause that what he does. He's a robot vacuum called Roomba by iRobot. He roams around the house over carpet and tile and wood and sucks up all kinds of dust and dirt and unwanted debris. I can program him to begin and end whenever I want (I feel so powerful). And, voilà, at just the precise moment, he gets right to work and takes care of business. He's so smart (he's a robot, duh!) -- he can sense when he's near the stairs and doesn't even think about going over the edge. He even spends a little extra time over an extra dirty spot. Back and forth and sideways, like a machine with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Then, like the obedient child I never had, he returns to his docking station to charge his battery like a good little guy. That way he's ready for his next assignment. He doesn't talk back. He doesn't ask anything of me. He doesn't make a mess. He does what I want, when I want. Ahhhh, such a luxury item, and so worth it! Thanks, Chuckie, and (no offense) -- you suck!!

..... the Rest of the [Santa] Story

2012-01-19T12:00:00.003-07:00

..... so, where were we .... ah yes -- we're at the fireworks stand and I'm blown away because I don't recognize someone who obviously recognizes me!

The following week I'm telling this story to some of the ladies I volunteer with at the hospital. One of them tells me that she has a son who is Santa to a lot of people in our town, and she asks me the name of our Santa. I tell her his name and she says, "That's my son!" Oooooooo, my beady little brain kicks into high gear and I ask her to tell me something no one else knows about him. Are you getting the picture? I'm going to pull a fast one on ole Santa next Christmas!

She tells me that his nickname when he was a kid was "Buzz" and that he missed a lot of school one year after he broke his leg. Ah-ha!! Stored in my brain to use next Christmas -- we'll see who has the last laugh!!

Fast-forward to the next Christmas .....

He arrives. He begins calling us up to sit on his lap. It's MY turn. He jokes about whether or not I was a good girl all year. To which I whisper ever so quietly in his ear, "I sure was, Buzz, and I'm sure sorry you broke your leg when you were a little fella!" ..... you guess it ..... the color faded from HIS face this time!!

Well, then we moved to Northern California and didn't see Santa for five years. We moved back to Utah and didn't resume our Christmas tradition. So eight years have passed with no Santa. Sad :-(

This past Thanksgiving, a neighbor was telling me that she hired a Santa to come to her house and how much her grandchildren loved it. So I shared my Santa story with her. She asked me what his name was and when I told her, she said with excitement, "That's our Santa!" I said, "He's still doing that?"

Long story short, I called him and set up a visit without telling any of our grown kids who now have kids of their own. I asked him to come in through the sliding glass door which is very visible from the dinner table and I left the gifts on the porch (as always). Boy was I excited! I couldn't wait! I was like a little kid on Christmas morning!

Present at this occasion was Patrick and Tammy and their three little boys, Dustin and Shalee and their two little girls, Courtnie and her Dustin and their two little ones, Tiffanie and Connor, and Ashlie who had flown in from Portland the day before. We no sooner finished dinner when everyone gasped at the oh-so-familiar-looking Santa bounding right through the door! Dustin recognized him immediately and was like a little child again! It was the greatest surprise EVER!! Santa loved seeing all these kids again, now with children of their own, and still believing -- after all these years!

I hope you've enjoyed this little stroll down Memory Lane. I sure did - over and over and over again, as I tell the story to whoever will listen!!

The End.

Not for Little Ones

2012-01-17T13:45:00.001-07:00

If you have little children .... do not, I repeat ..... DO NOT let them read this blog with you (or without you). Reader takes all responsibility for any and all disenchantment and disappointment which may (no, which definitely will) occur as a result of your disregard of this warning. That being said, read on ....

We moved to Farmington, Utah in 1978. Shortly after moving here, two other families from our old Southern California neighborhood moved to Farmington also. None of us had family in Utah so we began an annual tradition of spending every Christmas Eve together, a tradition that lasted over 20 years! We took turns hosting this pot-luck celebration at each home. We listened to our children sing, play musical instruments, and recite poems they learned in school. At some point during the evening, the jolly old man with a big white beard all dressed in red would come right through the front door, ringing this jingle bells and ho-ho-ho'ing the entire time and carrying (what else?) a sack full of toys! The hit of the evening -- every time! This 20+ year old tradition included the birth of several babies (ok, they were all Booker babies, so?) and every Booker kid looked forward to this event all year long!

Here's how it worked .... the mom of the house hosting the party would contact Santa (remember, you were forewarned not to let your little ones read this!) who happened to be the same Santa each and every year. All three families would leave their gifts at the front door and Santa would (you guessed it!) put all the gifts in his sack. And after a few rounds of "Jingle Bells" and "Up On the Roof Top" and some funny stories about his reindeer and Mrs. Claus, Santa would begin calling everyone by name. They would leap up onto his lap, admit to being naughty or nice, and hop down with their brand new treasure. The moms were careful not to use paper that the kids might recognize -- all part of the magical moment!

Santa would mention a dance recital or a school play or call attention to newly straightened teeth since the braces came off during the year. The kids were always puzzled by how much the jolly old man knew about them. This same Santa watched each child grow up, turn into a teenager, start driving a car, and begin dating. I guess you could say he was part of the family!

Are you still with me? Hang in there 'cause this is gonna get good ....

Every three years when it was my turn to schedule Santa at our house, I just called the number we always called. I never saw the face without the beard or the body without the red suit (oh goodness, that didn't sound good, did it ... now come on ... it's a Santa story!). But I did know his normal everyday name because I wrote the check out every three years!

One year on July 4th, Randy was painting a new room in our home. The new carpeting was to arrive the next day so he sent me to the fireworks stand in the parking lot of the local grocery store to buy fireworks, something I had never done in my life, sheltered as I was. I took Dustin with me, who was about 9 or 10 at the time, and together we walked up to the fireworks stand to get things that would explode in the night sky. Following is the conversation:

Me: Hello. I need to buy some fireworks. I don't know what to buy. I have several small children so I don't want anything dangerous. Would you please choose some for me?

Man Selling Fireworks: Why, yes ....of course.
[And as he selects each individual item from the shelf, carefully placing it a bag, he says]: Your little girl with long brown hair will like this one. And your little girl with curly blond hair will really enjoy this one. And your daughter who plays the piano will love this!

Me [color fading from my face]: Do I know you?

Man Selling Fireworks [motioning to Dustin as if to say, I can't tell you 'cause I'm Santa]:
You should. I come to your house once a year.

Hmmmmm .... under my breath I asked, "Are you our home-teacher?" hahahahahahahahaha (you Mormon creatures reading this will laugh along with me, right?)

I totally understood the predicament and saved the moment by saying to Dustin, "Ohhhhh, he's the clown at the county fair we love so much, you know? Remember, he stopped by to talk to Dad one day!" (what a big fat liar). Wait a minute -- I'm not fat. Anyway ....

I will finish the story, I promise .... but this is way too long as it is. To be continued .... tune in!

My Goal for the New Year

2012-01-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

I love the new year -- each and every one! I love a fresh start -- getting rid of old habits and setting new goals. It's not uncommon to hear people say things like, "This year I'm going to lose 20 pounds." The only way I ever lost 20 pounds was when I had a baby, and then I'd carry that much weight in my arms until the child learned to walk. Or, "I'm not going to gossip anymore." I never considered myself one who gossips. But when I'm having lunch with an old friend and so-and-so's name is mentioned, is that gossiping or just getting caught up? Oh, and how about, "I'm going to do some volunteer work once a week." I don't have to set that one as a goal -- I get volunteered on a regular basis!

So this year, my goal is to be a friend to everyone I meet. How hard is that? To smile at people in the grocery store (they're probably wondering what the heck to fix for dinner, too). And to let someone merge into my lane of traffic (I'll get to where I'm going eventually, perhaps 30 seconds later). And when I ask the teller at the bank, "How are you?" -- I will really mean it. Their day will go so much better and they will smile at someone else, and so on.

So, that's my New Year's resolution for 2012. I may not fit into those old blue jeans, and I might be 30 seconds late for lunch with that old friend (where we'll only say good things about that other old friend). And perhaps someone will have a better day because I really do care how they are. But most of all, I will try to be a friend to everyone I meet. After all, that's really the only gift we can keep giving after the Christmas decorations are put away.

It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice!

Filling in the Blanks

2011-10-05T18:28:00.000-06:00

.... about time, wouldn't ya say??

my new job - I'm working for InnerChange Family Solutions, a brand new outpatient counseling center for girls and women. I'm doing the marketing and advertising, helping to create a website, developing written material, and getting them on insurance panels. It's a lot of work getting a new business started and it's a very slow and tedious process, but I can see a good future ahead and I'm enjoying the journey!
moving to a new house - we moved to a beautiful new neighborhood near a golf course; closer to the airport (Randy is traveling a lot with his job these days) and closer to the people I'm doing business with. Randy and I work out of a home office and we're loving the heck out of that!
leaving old friends, making new friends - I hate that first part, but I've learned it's a part of life, so I'm making new friends! It hasn't been difficult in our new neighborhood. Everyone is so friendly and we've become very involved in local activities.
an incredible family reunion - everyone except Patrick and Ashlie met in San Diego in June for the Rock-n-Roll marathon (see below). Chelsie and Joel came all the way from Alaska and it was so good to be together again. We had a condo at the beach and met each day at Jen and Paul's for playtime and good eats! We went to a Padres game one night, went to the zoo, played at the beach, and went on a harbor excursion. It was wonderful to be with the grandkids, however a week is just way too short when we don't see each other but once a year. I am reminded of how "in love with my family" I really am!!
completing my first half-marathon - I jogged and walked and didn't break any records, but at least I finished (and I have a beautiful medal to prove it!) and I'm so proud of myself!! They closed part of the freeway downtown so that 32,000 runners could overtake the city! It was fabulous! Randy and Shalee ran the full (26.2 miles) and I did the half (13.1 miles) along with Chelsie, Joel, Dustin, and Tiffanie. There were live bands playing music (very, very loud music) every mile and a half and the weather was perfect so I can report that it was a huge success for those of us who participated. The rest of the family were waiting at the finish line to cheer us in which made the whole event nearly perfect!
finishing a 22-mile moonlight bike ride - once a year about 1300 people meet at the marina on Antelope Island at 10 pm with flashing head-lights and tail-lights on their bikes for a 22-mile ride by the light of a very full moon. We finished close to 1 a.m. then went out for breakfast. Of course we slept till almost noon the next day! It's spectacular and I loved every minute of it! The weather was perfect, unlike last year when we rode against a mighty wind which made it very difficult and not as enjoyable as this year. Having new bikes was a plus - we both got Cannondale bikes which are really lightweight and made the hills much more manageable. We'll definitely do this again each year!
realizing it takes more energy and more time to do the things I've always done - it took weeks to pack and unpack this last move, I don't run for speed anymore, the family reunion wasn't packed with personalized gifts like previous years -- I hate to say it's a sign that I'm getting older, but it's a sign that I'm getting older!! I just need to start a little earlier and not expect so much of myself. Yep, I can do that.

Pre-Occupied and Distracted ....

2011-07-19T13:15:00.000-06:00

So that you don't think I've fallen off the face of the earth ..... I have a new job, Randy has a new job, and we've moved to a new home. And, quite frankly, I am a little pre-occupied and a lot more distracted than I have been in a long, long time .... and feeling just a little tired!

When I do have a couple of free hours, I will post details about:

my new job
moving to a new house
leaving old friends -- making new friends
an incredible family reunion
completing my first half-marathon
finishing a 22-mile moonlight bike ride on Antelope Island
realizing it takes more energy and more time to do the things I've always done!

I will fill in the blanks, really .....

May Birthdays -- There Are None!

2011-05-01T07:00:00.001-06:00

So far, May is the only month that we don't celebrate a birthday in this family. Since I didn't start posting "Birthday Blogs" until February, we skipped January. Our 6-year old grandson, Lyric, has a January birthday so this is a perfect time to honor this short, dark, and handsome little guy! He belongs to Ashlie and Stephen, our daughter and son-in-law who live near Portland. Lyric is everything "boy" rolled up into a munchkin whose nickname is "Burrito." He gave himself that name when we were talking on the phone one day. Out of the blue he said, "Hey, you can just call me Burrito" which has stayed with him for a couple of years now. He is charming, funny, sensitive, and will steal your heart within minutes of meeting you! He loves games (beats me at Monopoly) and jokes and sports and everything exciting! He is not quickly separated from his Nintendo DSi and takes great pride in doing his best to win! He and his sister, Destiny, are best buddies and lovingly call us Mawna and Peepa. We stay connected by phone and I love hearing his voice as he says, "OK Mawna, name three things that are black, five things that are red, and four things that are purple." I do my best and he catches me if I say the same thing twice. Then he laughs and laughs and laughs 'cause he GOT ME!!! Some day he'll figure out that I mess up on purpose so I can hear his contageous belly laugh! He is bubbly and energetic and amazingly smart! I love this little guy with my whole heart! Happy January birthday Lyric!

My "Burrito"

I love this little guy!

The kid's a genius with his Nintendo DSi!!

April Birthdays

2011-04-01T07:00:00.030-06:00

Tiffanie and Patrick - 1989

We have such a large family that we celebrate a birthday (or two) just about every month! This one belongs to Patrick and Tiffanie -- Booker kids #1 and #8! They are unique in their own ways .... here's a little about them:

Patrick is most like his Dad -- handsome, kind, loving, strong, spiritual, always aware of the need to protect and provide for his family, quick to find the humor in every situation, first to lend a helping hand no matter what, and last to criticize. Patrick loves his wife (Tammy) and his two boys (Nick and Jake) and is finally over the shock of learning that #3 will be joining his family this fall! He would love a little girl, but he would be just as pleased with another helping of testosterone! He works hard, on the job and at home. He is [what we call] a "stand up kinda guy" and was blessed with the spirit of humility. He finds great joy in blessing the lives of others, whether it's helping a neighbor move or helping his Dad lift something heavy, but nothing comes close to the glow on his face when he's asked to give a Priesthood blessing. He stops what he's doing and does what he's asked to do. He loves this time of year when he can be found most Saturdays on his big ole motorcycle! He is loving and supportive of his seven siblings, no matter what they choose in life. What I love most about Patrick is that he adores me and he lets me know that I'm his Mama-la! What more can a mother ask .... hmmm .... nothing, thank you! Happy birthday to our wonderful son -- I love you!

Tiffanie - oh Tiffanie - where do I begin?? We say that she punched her own ticket into this world. Chelsie was going to be the last child in our family, but Randy had other ideas! Plain and simple .... he asked for this child, and I'd hate to think of life without her. She is an amazing human being. She loves unconditionally, especially her family. She texts me every single day and never ends a message without "I love you" and "xoxoxox". She loves to travel and brought home many beautiful pictures from South Africa. She cries during sad movies. She has a contageous laugh and does it a lot! She sees the good in everyone. She's a care-giver, which is why she has chosen a career in the medical field. She's creative and fun-loving and not afraid of too many things -- she snowboards, wakeboards, runs marathons, and has been known to be a little out-of-control on her bike! She has a tender heart for animals, but mostly she's a "people-person." What I love most about Tiffanie? Oh, that's easy .... she has always been (and still is) umbilically attached to my heart and oh how I love this girl! Happy happy birthday Tippy Toes!

March Birthdays

2011-03-16T08:16:00.003-06:00

Special people in our family are celebrating birthdays this month:

Zackary - an honor-roll student at Mission Bay High School in San Diego and the oldest of our nine grandchildren. Our daughter Jen and her husband Paul have raised a really terrific son. Zack is an excellent surfer and excels in many other sports as well. Of course he loves the San Diego Chargers -- his home town team!! He drives a 1974 VW bus (that's bus, not bug) which doesn't hurt his popularity with the girls at the beach! It also doesn't hurt that he's tall, dark, and handsome (and smart and funny)! We thought, once upon a time, that he might not grow into his size 12 shoes, but he has! He's also a very good brother to Joe and is happy to drive him wherever he needs to go. Happy birthday grandson -- we sure love you a lot!

Dustin - there are not enough words to describe Booker child #4 .... he's energetic, hysterically funny, terribly cute, an avid reader, and loves football (especially the Chargers -- go bolts!). He's smart, crazy, tenderhearted, strong, a terrific musician, a wonderful Daddy to his two little girls Kaiya and Ryan, and a loving husband to his wife Shalee. Growing up with five sisters, he was bound to live in a sea of estrogen but having two older brothers balanced him out a bit -- or did it? Dustin doesn't care much about "things" .... he cares much more about people and the state of one's heart. He'd give you the shirt off his back and is the first to shovel the walk for a widow in the neighborhood. Mostly, he's a loving son to us and we adore him! Happy birthday Dustin -- you like totally rock, dude! (That last part will make his day!)

Yep, sure love these March men. They add so much to the Booker family and I'm so grateful for each of them!

February Birthdays

2011-02-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

        Happy birthday to two of our nine grandchildren ~ Ryan who just turned a year old on the 13th and Kaiya who will be 7 on the 24th. Dustin and Shalee are blessed to be the parents of these two beautiful little girls, sweet and fun and brimming with energy. We live 10 minutes away and are able to see them often. Kaiya and I have our special little wave -- we put our hand under our chin and wiggle our fingers at each other. This creates a giggle from teachers at school and other parents who are lucky enough to observe this little piece of us! Ryan gives tender kisses and babbles in a language only she understands. She is standing up by herself and almost ready to take that first step. Then ..... watch out Mommy and Daddy ..... there will be no stopping this bundle of pink!
        Happy birthday sweet little ones ..... with love from Mawna (and Peepa, too!)
         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On this very day, 29 years ago, Courtnie Susanne was born. She was tiny and independent and full of life. To this day, that describes her perfectly. She has blossomed into one of the most beautiful people I know. She is smart, funny, tender-hearted, strong, and generous to a fault. She is logical and strong-spirited. She knows where she's going and how to get there. She also knows what she wants in life and will not be sidetracked. She is a wonderful mother and I stand all amazed at the love she gives her little Brody. Thanks for blessing my life dear daughter. I love you every day!

Happy birthday from your Mom (and Dad, too!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And this Monday, my earthly father John will celebrate his 84th birthday. Thank you for giving me my Italian heritage. I love you! Happy birthday from your daughter (and Randy, too!).

Our Valentine Story

2011-02-14T08:00:00.253-07:00

Most couples have a song -- and a story to go with it. Ours is "I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You" by Savage Garden. It may sound a little cheesie but it's a very appropriate song for us! Here's our story:

Randy and I met in the 4th grade at Louisa May Alcott elementary school in San Diego in 1959.

He was an active little boy and I was a shy little girl. I was very aware of him even though we were only 9 years old! He was a nice boy -- he had lots of friends and did well in school. He liked sports and was a school officer. And he was just about as cute as a kid could be! Oh yes, I noticed, uh-huh!!

Fourth row, last picture Second row, last picture

We went through elementary school, junior high, and high school together. Randy's version of the story is that "one of us did well in school and the other was popular" so we didn't have the same friends and never dated each other. I remember going to our 25th high school reunion in San Diego and hearing comments like:

the two of you? -- really??
you've been married how long??
you have how many children??

and the best of all (from several of my very popular girlfriends):

Randy, why didn't you ever ask me out on a date??

He totally understands that back in those days, they wouldn't have given him the time of day. He says he never asked me out because he thought I would have said "no" but, looking back, I would have jumped at the chance to go out with him! After we graduated from high school, life took us in different directions but our paths crossed again as we found ourselves working at General Atomic in San Diego. The rest is history! We were married in 1975, moved to Utah two years later, and raised a wonderful family of eight children. We have nine beautiful grandchildren so far and look forward to dozens more! All 25 of us will be in San Diego in June for a family reunion and the Rock 'n' Roll marathon.

Everything happens for a reason. Our meeting in the 4th grade was not by chance. I believe in "soul mates" and I know I have found mine -- I knew I loved him before I met him!

So, Randy my dear -- Happy Valentine's Day -- to the one my soul loves!

Following are school pictures taken from our junior high and senior high yearbooks. We were next to each other then, still are, and always will be!

7th grade:

8th grade:

9th grade:

10th grade:

11th grade:

12th grade:

A Little Somethin' from South Africa

2011-02-03T08:00:00.001-07:00

We have visited some incredible places including Hawaii, Alaska, and Mexico. But there are a few places on the earth that we will probably never get to visit .... South Africa is one of them. Tiffanie and Connor just returned from a five-week vacation where they enjoyed summer weather at the beach and a real safari! They brought back beautiful pictures, fabulous stories, and a wonderful gift for me -- this magnificent bowl was handmade and painted by a native woman from South Africa. Indeed I do love it so and will treasure it always!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

2011-02-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

From my iPhone this morning ......

I'm staying in today -- just sayin'

Music Makes Me Happy!

2011-01-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

I just added music to my blog! I hope you like it. It makes me happy. It makes me really, really happy! You can check out my playlist over on the right side at the very bottom. There's meaning behind each song. From "In My Daughter's Eyes" to "I Knew I Loved You" ..... each song touches my heart and reminds me of a special person or a specific time when I fell in love with that song. If you have a favorite song, please post it below and tell me why it's your favorite. I'd love to know!!

Some October Highlights ....

2011-01-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

The month was filled with delightful events:

A grand birthday ....

(or birthmonth as it turned out!)

October 1

Randy and me, Tiffanie and Connor, Courtnie

and Brody, and my mother -- celebrating my

birthday at a local restaurant. And the best surprise of all .....

as we were finishing our meal, the hostess tells us,

"Your daughter called from Alaska

and paid for your dinner."

Thank you, Chelsie and Joel! They didn't need a private

investigator to track us down. Just a sister and text messaging!! I giggled for an hour!

********************************************************************

Portland, Oregon

October 8-11

Randy, Ashlie, Shalee, Dustin

Portland Marathon

(see December 30 post for more pictures)

********************************************************************

Kauai, Hawaii

October 16-31

Celebrating our 35th anniversary in Kauai.

A week in Kapaa and a week in Princeville.

Two weeks of heaven!

Looks like a sunset, but it's the sunrise we saw

every morning from our condo!

Everywhere we went, people asked if I was a local girl!

OK, yep in my heart I guess I am!!

We snorkled every day. We saw a monk seal one day,

but the highlight was swimming with two giant sea turtles!

The waves were magnificent ....

..... and so is he!

I've never had a better October -- ever!!!

Better Late Than Never -- this post, that is!

2010-12-30T16:09:00.002-07:00

Randy, Ashlie, Shalee, and Dustin

Portland Marathon Finishers!!

October 2010

Just a few comments about this amazing team:

Randy - age 61, father and grandfather

Ashlie - cancer survivor

Dustin and Shalee - parents of a child with Down Syndrome; both are actively involved in raising money for children with disabilities (also, Shalee was nursing an 8-month old baby at the time of the marathon!)

5 am - leaving for the race

Coming across the finish line, hand-in-hand!

It rained the entire race but they did it!

You deserve those medals!

A pre-celebration breakfast ....

From left to right: Grandpa Brewer, Ashlie,

Grandma Brewer, Stephen, Randy, Dustin, Fran,

Destiny, Lyric, Shalee, and baby Ryan

Ashlie and Dustin with their Grandma Brewer

Ashlie and Stephen's children: Destiny and Lyric

I couldn't be more proud of my family for preparing and running this marathon. They trained hard, prepared well, and gave it their best. They ran through rain and pain. They could have stopped halfway through but courageously pressed on, staying together all the way. They encouraged and supported each other until they all crossed the finish line together, hand-in-hand. That's what a family does -- not only during a marathon, but all through life. This was an emotionally packed event. I'm impressed with, amazed at, inspired by, and full of love and respect for these incredible athletes that I'm blessed to call my family!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T22:31:00.008-07:00

Our family is blessed to know the true meaning of Christmas. We are grateful for the birth of Jesus Christ and for His perfect life. My heart aches as I imagine the circumstances of His birth. Joseph humbly asking the innkeeper for a room where Mary could rest and deliver her baby. They were told that there was no room in the inn, and they were offered the stable, where the Lord Jesus Christ was born. A single star appeared in the heavens, testifying to the world that the promised Messiah had come. There were those who believed it then, and there are those who believe it still. We know that even before His birth, He was chosen to be the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, the Lord and Savior of all mankind. He is the Son of God, our Heavenly Father. He lived for us and He died for us. We join the world in celebrating His birth.

Each year I bake a cake in the shape of a star, frosted in white, with a single candle in the center. We sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus and together we blow out that one candle. That is our simple gift to the Savior on His birthday. We think of Him .... we honor Him .... we talk of Him .... we love Him .... we celebrate Him .... because it is His birthday. Each of us has the opportunity to be an "innkeeper" every day. We can echo the words 'there is no room for Him here' or we can invite Him in.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Shalee, Dustin, and Ryan

Courtnie and Brody

Randy and Fran

Happy New Year!

May 2011 bring each of us good health, an

abundance of happiness and joy, and

a stronger conviction to be kinder to others.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T22:13:00.002-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!

We had a houseful and loved every minute of it!

Courtnie made the greatest green bean casserole ....

Tiffanie brought tender delicious rolls ....

Shalee made her famous candied yams ....

Tammy brought a pumpkin pie and an apple pie ....

and the guys brought big appetites!!!

I cooked the turkey, fixed stuffing with cranberries

and pecans, and made cranberry sauce from

scratch -- real difficult since you just boil fresh

cranberries with sugar! This year I found a fresh

"free range" bird which made me feel better about

serving turkey at all. Everyone said it was the

best turkey they've ever eaten, and since I'm

the only one here that doesn't eat meat, I'll take

their word for it! If you're wondering about

the silly picture above, I learned a new way

to prepare turkey. I'd be happy to share this

new secret with anyone that's interested!

I love Thanksgiving Day.

It's a day to give thanks .... and we

have so much to be thankful for.

Four Seasons

2010-10-06T19:30:00.001-06:00

I grew up in San Diego. The Four Seasons was a group that sang "Sherry" and "Big Girls Don't Cry" ....
If we wanted to see snow, we drove to Ramona or Julian or somewhere else far, far away.
Today I live in a quiet town north of Salt Lake City. Oh how thankful I am for what "Four Seasons" means to me in my life now!

Christmas 2009
This is what our home will look like in a couple of months!

October 2010
This is what it looks like today ..... how quickly it will change!

I love living in a place where I can experience four very different seasons ....
Summer -- flowers in full bloom, trees so thick you can't see through them, swimming pools, t-shirts and shorts, backyard barbeques, riding my bicycle, watching the fireworks, and hiking in our beautiful canyons (oh how I love to hike)
Spring -- melting snow, budding flowers poking through fresh soil, birds singing and feasting on fresh seed, and the best of all .... realizing that everything gets a fresh new start (everything)
Fall -- trees flaunting orange and red and yellow leaves, crisp air, bundling up with scarves and hats, and curling up in front of the fireplace with a good book (and hot cocoa with marshmallows)
Winter -- welcoming the first snowfall, decorating for Christmas, seeing the lights on Temple Square, the smell of cookies and bread baking in the oven, listening to peaceful music, catching snowflakes on my tongue, getting cards and letters and pictures from family and friends far away, and walking miles and miles in my snowshoes.

I don't like the song "Big Girls Don't Cry" anymore ..... and I adore the four seasons! Thank you for what you mean to me now!

26.2 in 4:25 and 13.1 in 2:11

2010-05-21T17:42:00.003-06:00

OGDEN MARATHON - MAY 15, 2010

Pretty typical of the man I married -- when he sets his mind on something, he doesn't give up until it's behind him. The amazing part of this story is that he was planning to run a half marathon with Tiffanie. During dinner the night before the race, Tiffanie mentioned that her friend, Lauren, was also going to run. I saw the wheels turning in that head of his! He announced that a friend of his was registered to run the full but due to an injury, would not be running at all. That's when he decided to run the full instead of the half. His training this past year has included trail running (in the snow, up and down steep hills) totaling 13 to 18 miles. But you've gotta dig deep to pull out an additional 8 miles, and that's just what he did!

Congratulations to Randy (26.2 miles in 4 hours and 25 minutes) and to Tiffanie (13.1 miles in 2 hours and 11 minutes). You are so incredible to me and I'm very proud of you both!

A personal note:
I was quite touched by Randy's description of the last four miles. He said his legs were thrashed and he was running on empty. But he kept envisioning his family waiting for him at the finish line and he couldn't let them down. They were counting on seeing him finish and he wasn't about to disappoint them.

That's an attitude we should all adopt about life in general. There are those who depend on us every day. When we love them with all our hearts, we don't ever want to let them down or disappoint them. I believe there are those who have left this earthly life and are waiting for us on the other side. We can't let them down or disappoint them either. We should live our lives here on earth in a manner worthy of that great reunion in the eternities.

Yep, I'm very proud of my sweet husband (and best friend forever). He never lets me down or disappoints me. And I hope to spend eternity with him.

Still Here ....

2010-04-23T08:39:00.000-06:00

Sometimes just taking a little break from things is good for the soul. For example, taking a break from certain activities, or from eating sugar. In my case, taking a break from posting on my blog has been a healthy little respite and something I just needed. So, for those of you who actually noticed the break, thanks for your sweet words of encouragement. And thanks for checking in once in a while to see that ..... I'm still here!!

A New Booker Grandbaby

2010-02-22T16:07:00.005-07:00

Dustin and Shalee had a new baby girl on Feb. 13. She is iddy-biddy and as beautiful as her Mommy and Daddy! She has lots of hair and very big eyes. Her little tiny cry sounds just like her big sister Kaiya sounded when she was a baby. Kaiya is so darling with her. She rubs her chin on the baby's cheek and says, "So soft!" Shalee is recovering from the surgery very well and has been showered with love and gifts galore! Dustin is a very proud Daddy and, with a wife and two daughters, has appropriately nicknamed their home "the Maxi Pad!"

Welcome to earth, Ryan Grace Booker -- all 5 lbs 11 oz and 18" of you!

Happy Birthday Courtnie!

2010-02-18T16:11:00.006-07:00

Happy birthday to one of my most favorite women in the world (who just happens to be my daughter) - Courtnie Susanne! On February 18, 28 years ago, Randy and I made the journey to Lakeview Hospital to have a baby. The doctor checked me and said, "Make yourselves comfortable, it's gonna be a long night!" An hour later, a nurse came in and I told her the baby was coming .... now! She responded that the doctor said it was going to be a long night and I repeated, "The baby is coming, now!" Reluctantly she checked me and exclaimed, "Oh my gosh ...." and ran to get the doctor. Courtnie was born minutes later -- in the labor room -- like I said. Does anyone listen to mothers in that condition? After all, we know what's happening, sometimes better than the doctor and/or nurse! Well, the rest is history. She's been impatient ever since. And what she wants, she wants NOW!

Dear Courtnie:

You light up my life. You see the cup as half full instead of half empty. You know the meaning of love. You sacrifice. You are incredibly funny. You are beautiful. You are exceptionally smart. You are a hard worker. You do without. You love. You make me think. You are true. You are brave and determined. You are not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. And you tell it like it is. No one wonders where they stand with you. You have a heart as big as the earth. You are colorful and imaginative. You are one of the best mothers I have ever known. You deserve every good thing that comes your way! Thank you for being not only my daughter, but my friend. I love you with my whole heart, every day. Happy birthday Lollipop!

Happy Halloween 2009

2009-10-31T19:00:00.006-06:00

Darth Vader (Nicholas Booker) Yoda (Brody Booker) Thomas the Train (Jacob Booker) Cutest Girl Pirate in Town (Kaiya Booker) - missing from picture because she was so sick :-(

When our kids were growing up, one of our holiday traditions was to have "dinner in a pumpkin" before they could go trick or treating on Halloween. Now that they are grown and have families of their own, their children are learning that Grandma wants them to eat a healthy meal before they go out on the street to do major sugar damage!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Cut the top off a good sized pumpkin (save the top). Scoop out all the stringy stuff and throw it away. Draw a face on the pumpkin with black acrylic paint or magic marker. Fill with the following recipe:

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 clove chopped garlic
2 cups cooked rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 cans sliced water chestnuts, drained

Brown meat, onion, and garlic together. Drain grease. Add remaining ingredients. Mix together well. Spoon mixture into pumpkin and place "JACK" on a baking sheet before placing in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes (or 1-1/2 hours, depending on size of pumpkin). Don't let it cook too long or it won't hold its shape. Scoop out the sides of the cooked pumpkin and serve with hamburger mixture. Add a side of green beans or a salad and a roll for a complete meal!

October 19 -- We Share a Special Date!

2009-10-19T19:00:00.004-06:00

I'll explain the special date at the end of this post .....

Today is Brody's 2nd birthday! Happy birthday wonderful little boy!! You light up my life!!! Love, Gramma

I had the privilege of being in the delivery room with Courtnie the day Brody was born. I saw him leave the womb. I heard him take his first breath and offer his first pathetic little cry to the earthly life he just entered. Our eyes locked and his two middle fingers went right into his mouth.

He had the largest blue eyes I had ever seen in my entire life and his eyelashes were so long! I noticed immediately that his pinky fingers on both hands had a little curve to them (something we would all giggle about later). I have very vivid details of that day because I fell in love with Brody Matai Booker! Courtnie lived with us in Stockton while she was pregnant and we became best friends. It was a defining moment in my life. We spent a lot of time together, shopping for baby and preparing for labor and delivery. It's a very sweet memory for both of us. She is a fabulous mother and I honor her for all she has done and is doing to make such a good life for Brody. We were happy for her when she moved back to Utah as we knew that would provide a better life for her son. But I never imagined how hard it would be to live so far apart and how much I would miss them both. If you know me, you know the rest of the story! Right after Brody's first birthday we moved back to Utah, too! I consider it a gift from God that He orchestrated that move. He knew I would surely die of a broken heart if I couldn't see Brody often. Now we see each other every weekend. Courtnie designated me as the only other person who can sign Brody out of daycare. Sometimes I just pick him up and take him to a nearby park and watch him play. I sing a couple of songs that he knows belong just to him. He knows them. He loves them. He loves me and I love him. Oh, and the special date we share? October 19 -- the date his Gramma and Grampa were married in 1975. We are delighted to share this special day with him. So .... happy anniversary to my wonderful husband, Randy. And happy birthday little Brodster (rhymes with toaster)!

Autumn on the Wasatch Front

2009-10-19T09:52:00.014-06:00

We took a walk up the mountainside just a 5-minute drive from our home and witnessed a natural "fireworks display" this weekend. The trees are red, orange, and yellow -- the brightest and boldest colors I have ever seen! The cool temperatures at night have produced the most gorgeous autumn here on the Wasatch Front. When I wake up every morning, the first words out of my mouth are "Thank you, God!" I sincerely mean that. My heart is so full of gratitude for the world He created for us. He wants us to be happy. What an amazing gift, don't you agree? Come along and enjoy a virtual tour of this place we have chosen to call "home." Picture yourself walking through a little bit of heaven. Smell the damp earth under your feet. Listen to the subtle sounds of birds preparing to head south for the winter. Taste the wonderment of my new favorite season! If you've been here before, these pictures will be familiar to your spirit and you'll recognize the beauty of this majestic mountain. If you haven't, I hope you'll enjoy seeing this magnificent landscape through the lens of my brand new Nikon D5000! Ah, yes .... can I get a whoot-whoot!!

Run "Ran" Run -- (that's "Randy" to you!)

2009-10-17T16:15:00.008-06:00

Writing about the most important man in my life will not come as a surprise to anyone who knows me. This is a tribute to my Ran, and the accomplishment of a goal he has worked so hard to achieve. I'm very proud of him and I think he's just about the greatest human being I have ever known. A gorgeous day to participate in the "Buffalo Run" on Antelope Island today. A half-marathon race which, as you can see, takes place (of all things) among the buffalo! He completed a 13.1 mile race on a dusty dirt trail, up and down rocky hills, through brush-lined narrow paths on a desolate looking terrain. Doesn't do much for me, but he enjoyed the heck out of it! I followed him in the Xterra as much as I could, stopping now and then to take pictures and cheer him on. At one point I announced, "Go honey, you're looking good, you can do it, only 4-1/2 miles to go!" And I heard him mutter under his breath, "Ya .... piece of cake .... a walk in the park." After the race, he told me that he was thinking, "4-1/2 miles .... I might as well walk to the moon!" I'll sharpen my cheerleading efforts in the future! He trained for some time preparing for this event. Running through the cold. Running in the dark. Running on empty. Running after work and early on Saturday mornings. Running when he didn't feel like running at all. But the thing that impressed me most was that four days before the race, he was very sick and ended up going to a doctor (one of perhaps six times that I know of over the past 30+ years). But he hung in there and set out to do his best, no matter what. And HE DID IT! Just one more reason he is -- hands down -- my hero!! And a little "congratulations" poster left on the porch by Tiffanie and Ben, complete with Vita-water, protein bars, Gatorade and his favorite -- a whole bag of Snickers candy bars!

Doing Laundry in Tara

2009-10-08T13:44:00.006-06:00

Out with the old and in with the new! That saying has been around for a long time. It applies to clothing, shoes, hairstyles, makeup, furniture, and you-name-it!! In this case, it's all about the old washer and dryer that finally gave up -- unusable, malfunctioning, unworthy of repair, dead, kaput -- yes, to appliance heaven they've gone. With a great big "thank you" for years and years of service, mind you! Here's a little trivia about me ..... I name things. The trees in the backyard of our Stockton home were affectionately named after dear ones I left in Farmington. It kept their memories close to me and gave me the opportunity to "talk" to them while I weeded and watered and pruned. Really good therapy! Even my Xterra has a name, as do many other material things in my life. I'm funny that way, and perfectly OK with myself. So I have appropriately named my new washer and dryer "Scarlett O'Hara" and "Red Butler" from "Gone With The Wind," a classic movie I watched dozens of times when I was a teenager. If you love this movie as much as I do, you get it, and you know that Clark Gable played Rhett Butler. Now you must admit, this play on words was pretty clever, hmmm? Oh, and for the record .... if you know me at all, you know that RED is my favorite color! Even more appropriate, don't you think? Laundry blues??? No - quite the contrary - I've washed every flippin' thing in the house, whether it needed it or not! I'm doing laundry in Tara .....

Run, Fran, Run!!!

2009-09-29T18:30:00.006-06:00

When my children were very small, a group of women in my neighborhood would meet every morning at 5:30 and run the streets of Farmington. Literally! We'd run 6 miles every day and 9 miles on Saturday. This same group of moms would take turns tending one another's children so that each of us could have a little break in the day. Much of the time was spent just running after little people, and I loved it! As the children grew, I would run them to piano lessons, gymnastics, karate lessons, cheerleading, violin lessons, Scouts, flute lessons, swimming lessons, and to the mall (oh yes, frequent trips to the mall!). It was during those teenage years that I found myself running other things. Like the washer and dryer, the dishwasher, the sewing machine, and the garbage disposal. Alas, running the streets of Farmington had taken a backseat to everything else. Now the kids are all grown and gone and raising families of their own. So . . . I'm running again! I run 3-1/2 miles three days a week. On Saturday I ride my bicycle 12 miles while Randy runs his 12-mile route (he's training for a half-marathon in October). This summer I've run three 5K races. But don't let the word race fool you. My goal is to start and finish, and that's all that matters to me!!

Once a Month .....

2009-09-27T15:47:00.006-06:00

Once a month -- that used to mean something so totally different than it does now. Those of you who are female know exactly what I mean! Now ..... once a month means the following:

paying my tithing
paying on-line bills
taking a Boniva pill
taking a bubble bath
filling the bird feeders
filling prescriptions
returning library books
returning things I borrow in general
checking our food storage supply
checking my blood pressure
replacing drop-in tablets in the toilet tank
replacing dead flowers in the yard
coloring my gray roots
coloring with my grandchildren
going visiting teaching and home-teaching
being visited by visiting teachers and home-teachers

And, these days, it seems my life is so busy that I am only able to update my blog and read yours ..... once a month ..... Waa-waa-waa ..... no kidding, I really do have other things to write about -- this is just a silly one that I wanted to share with you! Much love .....

The Greatest Gift

2009-08-26T23:31:00.008-06:00

Look at him - just sitting there, smilin' real big. And why shouldn't he be? He's surrounded by Booker women! Well, his wife is a Booker. Two of his daughters are still Booker's. The other three were born Booker's and now have a different last name. The point is ..... there are five daughters sitting around this very happy father, who happens to be married to a women who is crazy about each and every one of these incredible women -- beautiful, smart, kind, loving, and talented Booker women! There are so many other fantastic words to describe them.

P.S. Missing from this picture are two more special women who happen to be Booker's also: Tammy who is married to Patrick, and Shalee who is married to Dustin. I adore them all!

It's been said that the greatest gift a man can give his children is to love their mother. Thank you, dear husband of mine ..... for the greatest gift you could have ever given me.

One Great Day!

2009-08-13T17:58:00.010-06:00

These pictures were taken on a hike up Adams Canyon last week. It was a glorious day -- the water wasn't as high as it was the last time we hiked it, but the falls were spectacular. It was so great to have Jen and her family with us. They're an active bunch and spend much of their time on the beach in San Diego so this was a piece of cake for them! And Chelsie has been hiking the wild frontier land of Alaska, so this was pretty easy for her also. She always loves to hike Adams Canyon with us and we loved having her with us once again. It was awesome to watch Dustin run downhill with Kaiya on his back. He was making zooming noises like a jet and Kaiya was laughing so hard which had us all laughing, too! This was Roman's first trip up the canyon. When Tiffanie turned him loose, he pranced like a deer! As Tiff would say, "such a good pup-pup!"

Two things that make my heart go pitter-patter ..... my family and Adams Canyon! Put them together in the same day and you've got one very happy lady -- that's me!! Uh-huh!!

Sweet .... and Oh So Smart!

2009-07-23T11:48:00.014-06:00

I just got off the phone with Ashlie's 5-year old daughter Destiny who I've nicknamed "Cupcake" because she's so dang sweet! She told me how excited she is that she's now registered for Kindergarten. With the same excitement that reminded me of Ashlie at that age, she described how she's looking forward to making new friends, riding the school bus, and learning lots of new things. She already reads on a 4th grade level, adds and subtracts, knows a lot about a lot for a 5-year old (get the picture?).

Here's how part of our conversation went:

Destiny: Mawna, can you teach me another word in Filipino?

Me: How about stink?

Destiny: think?

Me: No, stink

Destiny: Did you say drink?

Me: No, stink -- like when something smells bad.

Destiny: Oh, you mean like stench!

Me: Ya Destiny, that's what I meant.

Look out Kindergarten .... here comes my Cupcake!

The Past 60 Days .....

2009-07-21T21:39:00.005-06:00

Time just seems to fly by these days. Before I know it, it's a new week -- or in the case of blog posting -- a new month! A recap of the past two months includes a hike Randy and I took up Mueller Canyon, which is 8 miles round trip. It took us three hours but was such an incredible hike. The view from the top (called Elephant Rock) was gorgeous and was worth every step to get there. Randy carried Brody in the Kelty backpack and the three of us enjoyed a sunshiny day with a side order of cherries and grapes to keep our energy level up! As much as I love Adams Canyon, Mueller might be my new favorite!

We also celebrated Randy's 60th birthday by taking a road trip together down to San Diego. We visited Jen and Paul and Zack and Joe, and spent some time with Patrick and Tammy and Nicholas and Jake. Paul barbequed some killer steaks and Jen baked her Dad a beautiful cake. What a ton of love and a wonderful memory we have of that weekend -- doesn't get better than that!

On that same road trip, we drove up to Stockton to pick up my Mom to bring her to Utah for a visit. She loved it so much that we talked her into moving here. She has said "goodbye" to Stockton and will arrive here this Friday. We have her room all ready and are anxious to get her here! We're hoping that she will be happy living with us and seeing some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren a little more often.

On the 4th of July, Randy and I ran in the Layton City 5K Fun Run. We ran with another couple and none of us really intended to "race" or come in first or win anything. We just wanted to complete the event and enjoy the time together, which we did! Hey, we even got a t-shirt for our entry fee! And I was just happy to finish!! Later that day we went over to Dustin and Shalee's for a barbeque. Their backyard is huge and we played all kinds of lawn games and enjoyed a fabulous day with some really fun people. Kaiya and Brody played in the kiddie pool and in the sandbox. Those two little kids absolutely adore each other -- it's so cute to see them together! When it got dark, Dustin put on a show-stopper in the street with some awesome fireworks. What a super day!

Last week we took a trip to Lake Powell with Tiffanie and Ben and Ben's parents, Jill and Lowell. They have become some of our best friends and we like to hang out together whenever possible! This trip to Powell included Ben's brother Ronnie and his wife Angie, Ben's younger sister Carrie and her friend Chelsea. We found a perfect spot at Iceberg Canyon where we docked the houseboat and just played in the water non-stop everyday -- tubing, wakeboarding, floating --playing cards, targetshooting, and eating lots and lots of yummy food! What a fabulous mini-vacation!

If life isn't exciting (or busy) enough, I was recently offered a position with a company who manages several treatment programs nationwide. I will market two of them: an in-home therapy program for families in Utah, and a recovery program used by therapists all over the U.S. who treat sexual addiction. I have a week behind me already and I can tell this is going to be not only challenging, but very rewarding indeed!

There. The last 60 days in six paragraphs! Life is busy, exciting, and very fulfilling. Although I'll try to update on a more regular basis, I hope you'll understand if you tune in and read "same old, same old" now and then! If you read between the lines, you'll know that it's really not "same old" at all!

Catching Up .....

2009-07-15T15:23:00.007-06:00

So I've heard from quite a few people (who actually read my blog) that "spending the day with Chels" is old news (is that what's called an oxymoron?) and boring to read day after day! Well, sorry ..... but hopefully this very brief post will explain why I haven't given sufficient attention to my blog recently. Since hiking up Adams Canyon (when was that anyway? oh ya, a month ago, e-gads where does the time go?), I have:

hiked up Mueller Canyon (8 miles round trip)
run in a 5K race (OK, so that's only 3.2 miles, but I came in 7th in my age group!)
drove to San Diego with Randy to visit our three oldest Booker kids and four incredible grandsons
brought my mother to Utah to visit us for 2-1/2 weeks in June
celebrated July 4th with Dustin and Shalee and Kaiya in their great big new backyard
spent five days on a houseboat at Lake Powell with Tiffanie and Ben and the Williams family, and

-- drum roll please --

accepted a job offer as Director of Business Development for Proficio Management, Inc. (please check out http://www.proficiomgt.com so you'll understand why I'm so totally stoked out of my mind right now, and a little overwhelmed, I might add)!

And, in the spirit of being too dang busy to update my blog, I don't even have time to do this post justice. So I will elaborate (for those of you who even care) on all of the above within the next 48 hours ..... I promise!

Spending the Day with Chels

2009-06-02T16:03:00.011-06:00

We have fallen in love with Adams Canyon! And the really great thing is .... it's a 5-minute drive from our house to the trailhead! Another wonderful perk of moving back to Utah! This particular outing was sort of a "last hoorah" and farewell as Chelsie leaves for Alaska this week. A time for Randy and I to spend some one-on-one time with this most incredible daughter. We started out very early and enjoyed some solitude along the way. We followed the river bed some of the way, several times having to walk in the water, carefully stepping on rocks for balance. We found ourselves soaking up the beauty around us ~ the many shades of green, the delicate flowers, the sound of rushing water, and the magnificent waterfall at the top of the canyon. We climbed up on a big rock where we ate lunch and rested for a while before we began the journey back down. It's so awesome to realize how incredible the body is .... pushing ourselves and going just a little further when it would be so easy to stop. I thought about how many times I've gotten really close to something great, thinking about how difficult it would be to continue, and then pushing through anyway. The end result is always nothing less than breathtaking, just like the waterfall at the top of the canyon. And then I think about the times I may have stopped short of the goal, and what I probably missed. Oh how grateful I am for being blessed with perseverance and a strong body, and also for an adventurous spirit. How sad it would have been to miss this. As for our Alaska-bound princess .... she will be discovering a new frontier -- new to her, anyway. Happy for her, sad to see her go, excited for what lies ahead. Glad we had this time to experience Adams Canyon together one more time, a memory we'll all keep tucked away in our hearts. We'll do it again next time you're in Utah, Chels. Till then ..... I love you every day!

The Kid .....

2009-05-26T19:21:00.002-06:00

Courtnie was able to take a quick trip to California last week so Randy and I got to play "Gramma and Grampa" for five days! Ours is like a second home to Brody ~ he knows where his bed is and (more importantly to him) where all the toys are! He always motors straight for the tub of balls and starts to chuck 'em everywhere. The kid has quite an arm! His favorite thing to do is throw the balls down the stairs and yell "Git it!" (not "Get it!") -- fully expecting us to retrieve whatever he has thrown! He also loves to be outside where he can kick any kind of ball he can find. The kid has quite a leg! Quite possibly a soccer player some day?

The kid loves the outdoors! We enjoyed a day filled with sunshine at the park, going for walks, feeding the ducks, swinging, eating popsicles, running, making friends with other little kids, getting dirty, riding in the stroller, and everything else you do outside. But his favorite thing of all is to follow his Grampa anywhere he goes!

He knows the bedtime routine here -- a warm bath, a lotion massage from head to toe, a drink, and Gramma's lullabye. Voila ~ there you have it! The recipe for bedtime when he's at our house. And it works! He goes right to sleep and wakes up smiling. The kid has quite the personality!

One of the cutest things about Brody is that he loves (I'm talkin' loves) music! As soon as he hears anything with a beat, he starts dancing around. He bends his knees and bounces up and down and puts both pointer fingers up in the air, keeping perfect time to the music! The kid has rhythm! On Saturday we hiked to the top of Adams Canyon. It was gorgeous! Randy carried Brody on his back the whole trip. I swear he was a camel in his former life (Randy, not Brody)! Chelsie and I took lots of pictures and did our share of "oooo'ing" and "ahhh'ing" the entire hike. Totally magnificent! But there came a time when Brody had had enough of sitting in the backpack and that's when he began to howl. Boy oh boy, the kid has a set of lungs!

..... and just in time to hand him back to his Mommy who missed him more than words can say! It was a sweet reunion to see these two very special people back together again. As for Gramma and Grampa? We're gonna sleep for 36 hours ~ no throwing, no kicking, no toys in the bathtub ..... no kidding! And just for the record -- we really love that kid!

Proud of YOU ~ Shalee Booker!!!

2009-05-16T16:00:00.000-06:00

Today we had the opportunity to watch Dustin's wife, Shalee, run the Ogden Marathon and come across the finish line ~ strong and beautiful and smiling! She has trained for this event for the past four months and we wouldn't have missed it for anything! She completed the marathon in 4 hours and 31 minutes. As she ran past us, Dustin handed Kaiya to her so she could carry that sweet little girl across the finish line. It was so touching and emotional! What a sight ~ Shalee running across the finish line holding Kaiya, Dustin proudly presenting her with flowers, and her family showering her with well-deserved hugs and kisses and lots of picture-taking! I can hardly type this without my eyes welling up with tears! It was exciting to watch all the participants -- young and old, short and tall, male and female, basically from all walks (or in this case "runs") of life -- giving their all and completing such a lofty goal. I stand in awe of anyone who works that hard at anything. But today ..... my respect and admiration goes to our sweet daughter-in-law who deserves this special recognition today! Love you Shalee girl ..... you rock!!

Mother's Day - Chapter 2 of 2

2009-05-11T13:48:00.013-06:00

Knowing that this day has not been one of my favorite annual celebrations (see previous post), Randy took a different approach this year. He came home on Friday night announcing it was "Ocho de Mayo" (May 8th)! He explained that I was not his mother and that this year he simply wanted to celebrate "womanhood." I must admit, this got my attention! So I opened the first gift he gave me -- a figurine of a man and woman in a "slow dance" embrace. We mirrored the figurine and began to dance without music! I know, I'm a hopeless romantic, what can I say? And he's such a good sport! Then I opened the next gift -- a beautiful book entitled "Daughters of God" by M. Russell Ballard. He had a few comments about that gift, but I'm keeping them to myself. The last gift was a box of chocolate truffles which we tore open and shared right there on the spot! Is this sweet or what?? I had already begun to label this weekend "the best Mother's Day ever" ..... It was Dustin and Shalee's idea to meet at the zoo on Saturday and spend the whole day together celebrating Mother's Day. It was so sweet to hear our two little grandchildren (Kaiya and Brody) as they "ooo'd" and "ahh'd" at every stop! Randy and I loved spending this time with Courtnie, Chelsie, Tiffanie & Ben, and Dustin & Shalee. The weather was perfect, the animals were amazing, and we took our time just strolling through the zoo enjoying every bit of the day! We got a couple of very unique pictures -- a giraffe's eyelashes and the bottom of a tiger's foot ..... yep, "amazing" is an adequate word, don't ya think? Then on Sunday, Tiffanie and Chelsie came to our house and fixed dinner for Jill (Tiffanie's mother-in-law), Courtnie, and me. Of course we shared with those who were not mothers (i.e., Randy, Lowell, Brody, and Ben's sister Carrie)! These two special daughters brought everything to make two kinds of quiche, spinach salad, asparagus, and rolls. Delicious! And so so so very appreciated by the three mothers they honored. They gave each of us a work of art that was almost too beautiful to eat ..... ..... an edible flower pot! Oreo cookies that looked like dirt and flowers made of red velvet cake (my favorite), dipped in white chocolate, and decorated with candy! Too cute to eat? Oh no! As you can see from the picture above, Jill and I were very anxious to taste this magnificent creation! How very sweet (literally) and thoughtful! Lovely cards and thoughtful phonecalls from the other Booker children and grandchildren who live far away truly warmed my heart. Thank you all for making this a simply marvelous and very special day for me! I will never forget it! Oh, and for the record? I'm looking forward to Mother's Day 2010 ..... only 364 more days!

Mother's Day - Chapter 1 of 2

2009-05-11T12:50:00.006-06:00

I've heard that Mother's Day has a reputation for some (not all) mothers which (for me, in the past) goes something like this: wake up *** get ready for church *** can't find a shoe *** put dinner in the oven on timed-bake so it will be ready when we get home from church [starving] *** still looking for that shoe *** hoping child number "whatever" will call either before or after church so I don't miss their call *** feeling less-than-worthy of the beautiful card from husband *** wondering if child number "whatever" thought to buy/address/stamp/mail a card for this once-a-year acknowledgement of labor/delivery/raising of said child *** still looking for that darn shoe *** feeling less-than-appreciative of my own mother/mother-in-law *** will they like the card/gift I selected especially for them??? *** realizing that I forgot to buy rolls for dinner *** wondering why I created the habit of having rolls for Sunday dinner anyway *** forget looking for the damn shoe and settle for another pair that doesn't even match what I'm wearing *** listening to talk-after-talk-after-talk about someone else's [perfect] mother and wishing I could be that mother instead of the one wearing the stupid shoes that I hate and didn't want to wear anyway *** silently thinking that the flower I was just handed at church will probably wilt and die *** come home from church and check the answering machine *** make long-distance calls to mother and mother-in-law *** eat dinner which would have been better with rolls *** fall into bed -- dead tired -- and remind myself that there are 364 days until next Mother's Day ..... I just know it will be different .....

Gonna Love This Weekend!

2009-05-07T14:59:00.003-06:00

Dustin called and suggested that the whole gang spend the day at the zoo on Saturday. What a grand idea! I'm really looking forward to being outside ..... with my family, enjoying the sunshine, doing some (what the professionals call) "inner child" work, and seeing the wide eyes of little ones like Brody and Kaiya as they see some of God's creations up close and personal! Look out Hogle Zoo, here we come!! And to top it off, Tiffanie is making dinner for Mother's Day on Sunday. Don't know what all she's got planned, but whatever it is, it will be wonderful and very much appreciated by this Mother! Yeah, I'm thinking that moving back to Utah was a pretty good idea ..... I'm smiling ..... I'm pretty happy ..... I'm looking forward to a great weekend!

A Weekend with the Brodster (rhymes with toaster)

2009-04-20T17:22:00.005-06:00

Brody spent a few days with Gramma and Grampa this past weekend. His mommy has never been away from him longer than overnight (and even THEN he stayed with G'ma and G'pa)! Courtnie is the best mom to this little guy, but even the BEST moms need a break once in a while. So she flew away and we got the Brodster-boy! He knows right where the toy closet is at our house. And who wouldn't want to play in a place like this?

He is very familiar with this closet! It's filled with some of the toys his mommy played with when she was a little girl. The "battle of the vacuums" was his very favorite thing to do all weekend.

No, I think he liked dancing better. No, I think he liked all the Fisher-Price cars and little people. No, I think he liked guzzling chocolate milk by the gallon the very best. No, I think he liked falling asleep to Gramma's special lullabye each night. No, I think he liked pounding on things with Grampa. No, I think he liked climbing the stairs with his cousin Kaiya. No, come to think of it, I think he just liked being loved and cuddled and loved and held and loved and, well, you get the idea! It was a really great weekend. But boy was he glad to get his mama back! And, quite honestly, so were we!

8 Honest Things

2009-04-14T20:53:00.006-06:00

Tiffanie tagged me in her last post entitled "List 8 Honest Things About Yourself, and Make Them Interesting!" OK, here goes:

1. I want everyone to be happy. I'm a "PLEASER" at any cost. I'm definitely a "white" personality. I have to concentrate on "not fixing everything for everybody." I want everything to be pleasant, happy, joyful, peaches-n-cream, as easy as possible, no conflict, and no confrontations please. Why did I come to this earth anyway? I really do understand the concept of "opposition in all things" and "all these things shall give thee experience" and "adversity makes us stronger" -- I just don't like anyone to be sad or (heaven forbid) upset with anyone else. And I certainly don't like feeling that way. I can't stand yelling of any kind for any reason. As a child I was taught, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." I have never outgrown that and it's been a huge issue most of my life.

2. I hate certain smells to the point of becoming physically ill. I won't list them here; it will just make me vomit. That's one of the smells I don't like.

3. I would rather be with Randy than anyone else on the face of the earth. Anytime. Anywhere. Doing anything. I want to grow old with him. Really really old. With him. Not without him.

4. If I see a penny on the ground, I pick it up -- no matter what. I think it brings me good luck that day. It usually does. But I wouldn't know if it didn't because I always pick 'em up. Most of my 'bad days' I didn't see a penny on the ground. That's proof enough for me.

5. I don't like mean people. I don't understand that behavior. I don't relate with the way their brains work.

6. I have never mowed a lawn in my entire life. I don't know where the button is to start the dang thing. I can tell the difference between a gas-powered one and an electric one because one has a cord. I do LOVE the smell of freshly cut grass, however. But getting grass stains out of the kids' clothes when they were little frustrated me beyond belief!

7. If I had one wish it would be to sing. I guess I wasn't standing in the right line when that talent was being given out. When I would sing a lullabye to my kids at bedtime, they would say, "Mommy please don't sing, I promise I'll go to sleep!" How sad is that?

8. I always wanted to have blue eyes when I was a little girl, and now I love, love, love that I have brown eyes!

I have to add that Tiffanie is the 8th child in our family ..... and one of the most honest people I know! Yep, I kinda like that number!

What Easter Means To Me

2009-04-12T12:42:00.000-06:00

Easter is my very favorite holiday -- more important to me and more special than any other day of the year. It's the one day that the world pauses to remember the most historical event that ever took place on the earth, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. I love Him. I am so grateful for what He did for each of us. He died a humiliating and disrespectful death at the hands of ignorant people. But the suffering He endured in the Garden of Gethsemene the Friday before He was crucified was a much more significant event. He paid the price for every sin that would ever be committed and He suffered so that we would not have to. That was the greatest gift that would ever be given to us on this earth. On the third day He was resurrected which gives each of us hope for eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Although Christmas is also a very special holiday, without the resurrection, His birth would have been no different than that of any other baby. He is the greatest man that ever lived on earth and I know He lives today. I will always be thankful for what I know in my heart to be true.

Happy Birthday Tiffanie!

2009-04-03T09:04:00.014-06:00

Today our family celebrates Tiffanie's 22nd birthday. So much can be said of this sweet and beautiful daughter. I will write this from the perspective of a very blessed and happy mother! She is child number 8 and the caboose of the Booker family! Tiffanie Anne Booker Williams was only born because her father had this brilliant and incredible idea to have another baby! I was sitting on the floor in the family room on a warm summers day in 1986... folding laundry.... little people sitting all around me -- Chelsie (2-1/2), Courtnie (4), Ashlie (5-1/2), and Dustin (7) -- lots of thoughts running through my head ..... the memory of having 3 in diapers at the same time; two years earlier having 4 pre-schoolers tugging at my shirt asking for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich ("cut in corners please, no crust"); married to a near-perfect husband with a demanding job; trying to balance life with three older kids who lived in California at the time; grinding wheat and baking bread; maintaining a large garden and bottling fruits and vegetables; doing 3 loads of laundry every day; cleaning house; volunteering at the hospital and the elementary school once a week; and teaching Sunday School at church.

Back to the scene on the floor in the family room in July of 1986 -- my idea: gather all the baby things and have a garage sale! Randy's idea: let's have another baby!

I remember looking at him in bewilderment and thinking to myself, "Are you nuts?" Followed by, "Here's an idea ... YOU have it!" All kidding aside, we did what we always do before making any important decision ..... we thought about it, prayed about it, waited for an answer, and Tiffanie was born 9 months later!

She has blessed our lives (and the lives of everyone who has ever met her) since the day she was born. We laugh at silly family stories about her, we tease her for being so fresh and unassuming; we stand in awe of her accomplishments; we are grateful for the wonderful man she married (Benjamin Ray Williams), we respect her choice to pursue an education in the medical field, we rejoice in her happiness, and we celebrate her birthday today.

Happy birthday dear daughter, #8, Babycakes, Tippy-Toes, youngest, and all the silly nicknames your siblings call you -- you are the sweetest person I have ever known and my life is blessed because you're in it! I will be eternally grateful to your Dad who was more in-tune with the spirit than I apparently had time to be.

I love you!

It's Just the Little Things .... prompted by my Chelsie-girl!

2009-03-31T11:42:00.013-06:00

Calm tea with Stevia extract; long "Shade" brand t-shirts; Hawaiian flip flops; Patricia Wexler (she needs to hire us for marketing purposes); wearing an apron when I cook; snorkeling with giant turtles in Hawaii; re-reading notes from my children when they were small; long walks and talks with Randy; violin music; the smell of bread baking; catching a whiff of coffee beans at the grocery store; any kind of surprise; eating with my fingers and getting really messy so I can lick 'em clean; long hot bubble baths by candlelight; Brody's gibberish*; waffles with peanut butter and maple syrup; making a hole in the center of a stack of pancakes and filling it with syrup; my big red velour VS robe; tea parties at the Beehive Tea Room with my girls; flying kites; music by Kenneth Cope; sneaking bites of ice cream from the freezer with a fork; Chelsie's "special" dance; watching birds at the feeder in our backyard; playing board games even when I never win; having everyone over for Sunday dinner; Chinese New Year in San Francisco; the sound of a waterfall or fountain; a massage by Tiffany Anderson; movies that make me laugh or cry (a movie that does both gets an A+); a cup of hot cocoa with whipped cream; tapping Randy on the shoulder when I want him to slow dance with me to a mushy old love song; salsa from Patricia's in Ogden; eating breakfast outside; getting flowers; tinted mint-flavored lip gloss; old photos; theater popcorn; foot rubs; peanut M&M's; my home-made granola and muffins; falling asleep watching TV; big long tight hugs and a kiss on the cheek; hearing my mother laugh; my girlfriends from 7th grade; getting a good pedicure; black tights in the winter; tonic water with 2 limes no ice

******************************************************************* * Wikipedia defines "gibberish" as: a generic term in English for talking that sounds like speech, but has no actual meaning. The common theme in gibberish statements is a lack of literal sense, which can also be described as a presence of nonsense.

What Does It Mean?

2009-03-30T08:00:00.005-06:00

1999 - on the red convertible Mazda Miata I bought on impulse. The frame around the licence plate said, "I'm not a brat. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not." OK, it was a phase I was going through, but I outgrew it (and the car)!

2006 - on the Nissan Xterra that I bought right after we moved to California. Just in case anyone didn't know that I was a transplant from Utah.

2009 - on that same Xterra that I'm still driving since we moved back to Utah (and for the record, the best vehicle I have ever owned -- EVER!!). Just in case anyone doubts where my heart is, I will NEVER move from this state again. I love it here and I'm stayin' for good!

I think it's safe to say that this will probably be the last personalized license plate I will own. Unless I happen to find myself going through another phase sometime ..... then I'm sure I'll come up with something clever like I M B 4 U or 4DA GMA or WHO NOSE. No, I think I'll just stick with UT2STAY -- I hope you know what that means!

What a Difference a Day Makes .....

2009-03-29T19:32:00.008-06:00

..... or in this case, just a few hours!

Taken at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2009

Taken at 3:00 p.m. the same day!

Hello Spring-time!

2009-03-26T17:59:00.010-06:00

This is the same spot where June-Bug faded from existence (see earlier post entitled "Meet June-Bug"). Although I mourn his premature departure, I rejoice in his replacement -- budding daffodils -- a sure sign of Spring! Isn't life extremely fair from time to time? We moved into this house in the middle of winter. As the snow melts everyday, we find new gifts left by Mother Earth. Proof that things do change. Drab replaced by color. The gift of HOPE! Rebirth of all beautiful things ..... flower blossoms, budding trees, and baby lambs in open spaces as I drive around this lovely town we now call "home" .....

My Little Betty Crocker Daughter!

2009-03-23T23:58:00.004-06:00

Her name is really "Tiffanie" .... not Betty! Our ward Relief Society is having a huge birthday dinner tomorrow night and I signed up to bring a cake for dessert. Since Tiffanie is the baker in the family, I asked her if she'd decorate a cake for me and, being the sweet and kind daughter that she is, she whipped one together tonight! It's a four-layer chocolate cake with pink frosting between each layer, covered in chocolate frosting with pink polka-dots. A designer cake if I ever saw one! Now I ask you (dear readers of my blog), who's cuter, the cake or the girl? Are you kidding? Hands down, the girl -- inside and out! But we're gonna eat that cute cake tomorrow night, for sure!

P.S. Notice the apron? The girl just has class. And I really like her a lot. The end.

Oh Deer!

2009-03-23T11:32:00.003-06:00

I woke up this morning and found two deer grazing in my backyard. I watch the "Today Show" each morning and heard that Matt Lauer was recovering from a bicycle accident he had over the weekend. Seems he had a run-in with a deer! Sounds like to avoid hitting the creature, over the handlebars he went! Coincidence? Well, I haven't seen a deer in my backyard before! Hope Matt recovers soon ..... the show isn't the same without him!

A Really, Really Good Mom ..... Really!

2009-03-22T21:30:00.008-06:00

Just a short little post tonight ..... cuz I'm just thinking about a really, really good mommy. She's totally and 100% devoted to her little baby boy. She works really hard to provide a safe and happy environment for him. She prepares really healthy meals for him and makes sure he eats, even when he doesn't really feel like it. She goes without some things in order to get him other things. She plays with him and sings really silly songs to him. She reads parenting magazines and tries new recipes that she thinks he'll really like. She lets him be a little boy and really encourages his creativity. She seems to glow just watching him discover new things. She double-checks his car seat and makes sure he's always buckled up and happy. She doesn't leave him very often, but when she does, it's usually with ME! She walks the floor with him at night when he's sick and gets medicine down him like magic. She takes lots of pictures of him and shares them with those who really care. She plans for (and worries about) his future. She brags about the cute things he does and shows a lot of patience when he tests her! She smiles a smile only a really, really good mother wears. She loves him like crazy. Yep, she's a really, really good mom. Really! You've probably already guessed it ..... I'm talkin' about my Courtnie. I admire and respect her for how she's raising her little Brody. Really. How I love her (and her little munchkin) ..... ..... really!

Happy Birthday Stephen!

2009-03-17T23:21:00.020-06:00

Ashlie and Stephen arrived late Friday night to celebrate Stephen's birthday. Of all the places they could have chosen to go, they came to visit us! Portland is a 12-hour drive so they were all pretty tired when they arrived. Destiny (5) and Lyric (4) are such good travelers, and with lots of help from Stephen's mother, Sylvia, the trip was perfect! Sylvia is one of the greatest people I know and we are blessed to be friends. We're so happy she was able to come with them. The kids call her "NayNay" and I am their "Mawna." They call Randy "Peepa" and together we are one pretty happy bunch!

Destiny and Lyric made us two beautiful ceramic plates which have taken their place on the kitchen wall. I know that every grandmother thinks her grandchildren are the brightest and cutest and smartest and most delightful. But since this is MY blog, I will just say that they are simply two of the most precious little people in the world and I adore them with my whole heart!

Five of the Booker kids were able to get together at Chelsie's for a party Saturday night. I hear they had a marvelous time singing and laughing and talking about old and new times. They really enjoy being together and that warms my heart! The grandparents tended Kaiya (Dustin's) and Brody (Courtnie's) for the evening. The four cousins had a blast together and the grandparents were just plain worn out! I wouldn't have it any other way though. We laughed and sang and played games. This is exactly why I wanted to move back to Utah! It's so great to be around family again. I'm so happy and so grateful. My heart is overflowing! P.S. I got a phone call from Destiny today. She was crying, "I miss you Mawna." I told her I'd send her a calendar so she could mark off the days until we're together again. That dried her tears a little.

BFF

2009-03-12T12:00:00.009-06:00

"So far away, doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?" ..... words from a song by Carol King back in the 70's. Well Carol, I'm here to address that question. And the answer is (in our case) YES, YES, YES!!!

Beth and Sally and I have been friends for 30 years and we make it a point to stay in one place at least once a month! Yessirree, the three of us have been having dinner together once a month for 100 years (or maybe just 20) -- minus the last few years while I lived in California. But even then, whenever I'd fly into Salt Lake we would get together if at all possible. We are kindred spirits. The best of friends. Buddies. The keepers of sacred confidences. We love each other no matter what. We support each other through good times and bad. We laugh together. We cry together. We respectfully disagree about some things and amaze ourselves at how often we agree on most everything else. We celebrate our successes and we console one another when there is heartache. We have watched our children grow and now we share pictures of our grandchildren. We share stories of up's and down's and yes, we have been known to talk behind our husbands' backs! We compliment each other on new hair-do's, fashionable clothes, and awesome jewelry. We hug each other every chance we get. And we can plant a kiss on the cheek like no other! Every woman on earth should have a friend like Beth and Sally. Try to imagine these words that I'm forming at this moment with my very own mouth ..... "I love my girlfriends, and I'd be lost without them!"

The end. No, I take that back. There is no end, this friendship has no end. It is, in our vocabulary, very eternal!

Now You See Him -- Now You Don't!!

2009-03-03T22:49:00.015-07:00

Remember the scene in "Wizard of Oz" when Dorothy throws water on the wicked witch who's on fire and the witch squeals, "I'm M-E-L-T-I-N-G ...." in that annoying little voice of hers. That's what came to my beadie little brain when I realized that my June-Bug was almost gone! The past two weeks have been very warm and my solid ice of a snowman did not hang around until June at all. See that little white spot right there on the ground next to the rock?? That's all that's left of him!

Snow, Snow, and More Snow!!!

2009-02-19T17:13:00.007-07:00

Each night, I watch the weather report on TV with great anticipation! I like the weatherman best when his report includes a "gangbuster" of a snow storm! Then I wake up early the next day with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. I quickly look out the window while whispering under my breath, "Please, please, please ...." followed by "Yes, yes, yes!!!" I love snow! I am wickedly happy with the amount of snow we've gotten here recently! I put on my warm robe and big furry slippers, made myself a big cup of hot cocoa, and sat at my front window long enough to be respectful. When I could stand it no longer, I put on my jeans and sweatshirt, found my mittens and boots, and I was OUTTA THERE!!! I grabbed the snow shovel and got busy doing what I love to do after a big snowfall! I can shovel and shovel and shovel until my old body tells me "All right -- enough already!" And, oh yes, I touched up my big old snowman I built last week -- patting here and smoothing there -- until he was perfect once again! (This picture was taken after I measured 20" of new snow on our driveway Tuesday morning. I only shoveled HALF the driveway because I couldn't throw the snow any higher. I left the rest for Randy to finish when he got home from work!) OK, he doesn't love the snow as much as I do, but we are enjoying it together nonetheless! Bring it on Mr. Weatherman -- make my day!! (again ...)

Meet "June-Bug"

2009-02-10T08:05:00.002-07:00

Let me introduce you to my newest creation! His name is "June-Bug" because he will most likely be around until the month of June! Why? Because I packed him so tightly that he can't possibly melt for months -- he is solid ice inside!!

Two days ago there was very little snow left on our front lawn. Ahhhh .... but yesterday we had a snowfall that left 14" of fresh, beautiful, white snow in front of our home. It was wet and heavy, perfect for building a snowman. (By the way, Salt Lake received NO SNOW yesterday, but we live in Layton and we always get an abundance when it snows!!) Now if you're familiar with the art of "snowman building," you know that you begin with a little fist-sized snowball. You pack it firmly with your mitten-covered hands and begin rolling it around on the ground, accumulating more snow, and patting and packing as you roll. The snowball gets bigger and bigger until it's just the right size for the base of the snowman. Repeat for his belly and again for his head and -- voila!! -- you have a perfect snowman!! I built June-Bug with the snow that came off the walkway leading to our front porch (now that's a lot of snow!). I rolled and patted snowballs so solidly that I could barely lift the second part of June-Bug's body! It probably weighed 250 lbs (or maybe 30). Hence the reason he will be around until June!

I love snow! I love living in the snow! I love watching snowflakes fall from the sky! I love snow all around me! I love the snow-covered mountains! I love shoveling snow from our driveway! I love, love, love building snowmen!!!

Welcome Home ..... For Good This Time!

2009-01-29T16:17:00.001-07:00

Since moving back to Utah six weeks ago, Randy has continued to work in California. At first we thought we'd both be here as of January 1st, but then it looked like he would not be joining me until February or March. After living apart for the past six weeks, I got the call that he was coming home this week! It felt like Christmas knowing he was coming home to stay. It's been an annual tradition to place luminaries in front of our home (and along the street) on Christmas Eve. I knew he was leaving for Utah at noon and that he'd be driving for 12 hours, so I went right to work on my "welcome home" project. I put two cups of sand inside each bag along with a votive candle and carefully (and lovingly) placed each bag along the driveway leading up the steps to our front porch. It was 20 degrees outside but I was so excited that I didn't even feel the cold! After the luminaries were finished, I went inside and baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies, lit a fire in the fireplace, and turned on a movie. Like clockwork I heard his car drive in just when the clock struck midnight! What a happy reunion! In the past, we knew we only had a few days together before we'd have to say good-bye again. This time is different. The luminaries burned until the wee hours of the morning. And now we begin our life in Utah, together once again .....

A Sleepover With Mawna

2009-01-24T19:15:00.001-07:00

Kaiya got to spend the night with her "Mawna" (that's what some of our grandkids call me) and we did girl things! We got out the toy beauty parlor that Tiffanie played with 20 years ago and put curlers in each other's hair. We brushed and combed and fussed until we decided we were beautiful! Then we had dinner (gourmet mac-n-cheese and string beans). Next on the agenda was a game of catch. Every time Kaiya caught the ball, she took a bow! And when I caught it, she would stare at me until I took a bow, too! We laughed at each other so hard, we almost cried! Then we curled up in front of the fireplace and watched "The Little Mermaid" together. There's something pretty magical about watching a little girl dance around like Ariel. I could tell she was getting a little tired so we brushed teeth, read a story book, and said prayers before the lights went out. As I sang her a lullabye, I could hear deep breathing and she was down for the count! She slept peacefully through the night and woke up with the biggest smile on her face. For breakfast we shared waffles with peanut butter and maple syrup (just the way Peepa likes 'em) and before we knew it, Dustin and Shalee were at the door to take their little girl home. What fun we had and I bet it won't be long before another sleepover is on the calendar! Love ya Princess Kaiya -- come back soon!

Home Again!

2009-01-16T22:37:00.001-07:00

I am home! I am really, really, home again! I have to pinch myself cuz it seems like a dream. I have missed my lovely Utah for far too long. Never to leave again.

"How did this happen?" you ask? Well, I'll tell you .....

I prayed silently for a miracle: "Please send us back to Utah where my heart longs to be." A week later Randy came home from work and said, "Ryerson needs a General Manager in Clearfield." I stared at him in disbelief and the tears ran down both our faces. He accepted the transfer and I began the process of getting everything lined up for the move: contacting the moving company, finding a home in Utah, sticking a "For Rent" sign in our front yard in Stockton, and saying a tearful "good-bye" to sweet friends in the Creekside Ward. Then away we went! We arrived in Layton on December 13th to a prize-winning snowfall. The movers delivered our furniture two days later. It stopped snowing long enough for everything to come inside, then promptly began snowing again for two straight days. I shoveled snow with a very happy heart while singing "There is sunshine in my soul today!" One of the greatest blessings of this move is that Dustin, Courtnie, Chelsie, and Tiffanie (and their families) live close enough to come over for Sunday dinner. Also, I've re-connected with dear friends that I've missed so much. The neighborhood we live in is safe and beautiful. Our new ward at church has welcomed us with open arms. And my spirit is joyful once again! And all because of a silent but powerful answer to prayer. Thank you, thank you . . . with a grateful heart, thank you! I am home again!

A Visit with the Folks!

2008-12-04T15:45:00.001-07:00

We drove up to Washington to see Randy's parents over Thanksgiving weekend. We don't see them as often as we'd like to since we live so far away. What we don't have in quantity, we more than make up for in quality! We had the best visit with them, including a fabulous dinner, a game of Skip-Bo, and some catching up on family news. They loved seeing Destiny and Lyric and were impressed with how bright and bubbly they both were after such a long drive.

Being the avid deer hunter that he is, Randy's Dad really liked the sweatshirt we gave him for his birthday. You look pretty spiffy there pal! We love them and miss them, and of course, honor them as they are 86 and 84 this year. They bowl in a couple of leagues each week and play cards with friends. I hope we can be that active when we're that age! Thank heavens for family, near and far.

Giving Thanks (on Thanksgiving!)

2008-12-02T19:44:00.003-07:00

We spent Thanksgiving in Portland with Ashlie and her family. Oh how I love being with them, and how I love being able to play gramma!! Stephen's parents live close by so we all shared Thanksgiving dinner together. We got all dressed up and headed over to the Grand Lodge for a fabulous traditional meal -- turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, yams, and pumpkin pie. No cooking, no cleaning, no leftovers (ouch, now I DO miss that part)! Ashlie and Stephen had to work the next day so Randy and I spent the night at Sylvia and Tim's and kept Destiny and Lyric overnight. What a riot! Those two little people can program and play Wii games like the pro's. It was hysterical watching Destiny box and Lyric bowl. They got a good work-out, that's for sure! It was really special to sit down next to Destiny and listen to her read. She is not even in Kindergarten yet and she's reading 3rd grade books. She doesn't even stumble over four-syllable words. Incredible! And Lyric, who isn't even four yet, navigates the Internet until he finds the educational programs he likes. Whoa, have times changed since I raised my babies! Now to give thanks for the many, many blessings in my life: a loving husband; sweet children and beautiful grandchildren; friends that love and support me; physical, mental, and emotional health; love overflowing; knowing what's true and what's not; freedom to choose; freedom to worship; happiness far beyond my deserving; opportunities to serve others; and most of all . . . knowing that I have a Heavenly Father and a love for my Savior. I try not to take these things for granted. I have at various times in my life. I will try not to and I will make course corrections when necessary. Yes, my life is overflowing with blessings and I am very grateful -- not only at Thanksgiving time, but always!

CRAZY 8's (Susan tagged me!)

2008-11-24T21:33:00.004-07:00

8 TV shows I love to watch: 1. Grey's Anatomy 2. HGTV 3. The Today Show 4. Evening News 5. Jeopardy 6. American Idol (can't wait for the new season) 7. House 8. Deal or No Deal 8 favorite restaurants: 1. Cocoro's 2. Arroyo's 3. Victoria's 4. Fatty's Kitchen in Honolulu 5. David Wong's 6. Hawaiian Ono Barbeque 7. Qdoba's 8. Panera Bread 8 things I did yesterday: 1. Went to church 2. Talked to Tiffanie on the phone 3. Talked to Courtnie on the phone 4. Talked to Jenifer on the phone 5. Talked to Patrick on the phone 6. Said good-bye to a few friends in Stockton 7. Tithing settlement with my Bishop 8. Visited my mother 8 things I'm looking forward to: 1. Thanksgiving with Ashlie, Stephen, Destiny & Lyric 2. Christmas with Patrick, Tammy, Nicholas & Jacob; Jason; Jenifer, Paul, Zackary & Joe 3. Moving back to Utah next month 4. Watching Brody learn to walk 5. Seeing both Courtnie's and Chelsie's new apartments 6. Working with Jim Smith 7. Being with my Utah friends again 8. Staying in touch with my Stockton friends 8 things I love about THIS fall: 1. Pumpkin bread 2. Colorful leaves 3. Hot apple cider 4. Sitting in the hot tub and looking at the stars 5. Having a fire in the fireplace 6. Bundling up with scarves and hats 7. Homemade soup and hot bread 8. Long walks with Randy 8 things on my wish list: 1. To see family and friends more often 2. A white Christmas 3. Less anger in the world 4. Less fat/calories in yummy desserts 5. Good dental check-up tomorrow 6. A new complicated digital camera 7. To have a "Tiffany Anderson" massage 8. More time with Randy 8 people I tag: Ashlie, Courtnie, Chelsie, Tiffanie, Shalee, Cori, Beth, Velvet

Utah Bound!

2008-11-22T19:40:00.001-07:00

This has been a whirlwind of a week -- emotionally, physically, mentally, and everything in between! The company Randy works for purchased a new facility in Clearfield and asked him if he was willing to move to Utah to be the General Manager there. Since four of our eight children live in Utah, it didn't take any time at all for us to make our decision. They want him to start before the end of December which gives us less than six weeks to finalize the move. The housing market in California (specifically in Stockton where we currently live) could not be worse right now. We have no choice but to rent our home out for the next few years until the economy improves enough to sell it. Next week we'll list the house with a rental agency, make arrangements with the movers, and begin the very intense process of another major move. We're going to Portland to visit Ashlie and Stephen and the kids for Thanksgiving; coming home for a week before the movers arrive to pack up the house; moving into the home we've rented in Layton; then going to San Diego to visit our three children and their families the week of Christmas. You're beginning to feel the whirlwind now, right? Not to mention preparing to say 'good-bye' to our friends here in Stockton -- it's already sadder than we imagined it would be. We have made some wonderful friends here, especially at church. We've talked to half a dozen of them today; each conversation was filled with laughter and tears; happy for us and sad for them. Life seems to be a series of hello's and good-bye's -- I like the hello's a lot more. So, "hello" Layton ..... I hope you welcome us as warmly as Stockton did five years ago (I think this is the last move we'll make). And "hello" Utah Booker's: Dustin and Shalee and Kaiya, Courtnie and Brody, Chelsie, and Tiffanie and Ben (sorry Ben, I know you're not a Booker)! Our hearts are ready to come home!

The Perfect Weekend!

2008-11-21T16:55:00.002-07:00

Monterey, CA - The Perfect Getaway!

The Perfect Wave!

The Perfect Weekend!

Randy and I enjoyed three perfect days in Monterey and Carmel last weekend. We heard comments from people in town about the unusually "perfect" weather -- clear blue skies, no wind, and temperatures in the low 80's, unseasonably warm for November. We shared this special time with two other couples -- the guys played golf and the girls spent the day at the spa. The day began with a soak in a jetted tub filled to the top with bubbles in a private room overlooking the ocean. Soft music, fresh fruit, herb tea, and a private sun-deck made this day -- well, umm -- perfect! A tap on the door was the signal that it was time to move on to an hour-long facial followed by a therapeutic massage, then finishing up in the sauna. Ahhhhh ....

We visited the Monterey Aquarium on the infamous Cannery Row, enjoyed delicious seafood, shopped a little, and played a lot! We took the 17-mile scenic drive through Carmel which follows the coast line and winds through the notorious Pebble Beach Golf Course. No matter where in the world we go, our hearts are happiest near the ocean. There's just something rather special about the salt air, the sound of crashing waves and seagulls, and the warm sand beneath our feet. My idea of a perfect getaway for sure! For the record, this was a perfect weekend!

California's Prop 8

2008-11-11T16:35:00.001-07:00

One week ago today, California passed Prop 8 -- a very contraversial issue, not only in this state but in the nation.

In 2000, 61% of California voters passed Proposition 22 which banned same-sex marriage. In May 2008, four San Francisco-based judges overturned that vote and disregarded the will of the people, forcing Prop 8 to appear on the ballot as an amendment to the state constitution. In August, Randy and I were asked by the grassroots coalition to actively work on the "YES on 8" campaign restoring the definition of marriage to read, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

We believe that the judges did not have the right to do what they did, the way they did it. Why do we vote if it doesn't matter anyway?

We worked very hard for three months on this campaign. We believed then, and more firmly believe now, that we did the right thing. We have friends and family who have been offended by our stand. We love them nonetheless. The state of California has a Domestic Partnership Code which allows them all the benefits and rights they desire, short of being married. If the majority of the state believes in traditional marriage, the law should not be changed. Plain and simply, that's how I feel.

Anticipating the failure of Prop 8, a local elementary school had begun teaching that there is no difference between traditional marriage and gay marriage. A friend of mine's niece came home from elementary school two weeks ago with a paper introducing this subject. A school in San Francisco took the children on a field trip to attend a lesbian wedding. Friends of ours who recently got married said the application for their marriage license read "Party A and Party B" instead of "husband and wife." The opponents of Prop 8 said this had nothing to do with children. It has everything in the world to do with children. Sadly, this is just the beginning of how children and society will be affected as we continue to address this issue.

The majority of people in California have, one more time, voiced their opinion through proper legal channels. There are not words to describe the chaos that has begun in California over this subject. I'm sad and disappointed in the way the opponents of this proposition have reacted -- vandalizing churches, protesting in front of LDS temples, verbally and physically abusing people, etc. Undoubtedly, this will appear before the voters again one day. But for now, the majority of registered voters in the state of California believe that marriage should be reserved for one man and one woman. My personal belief is that the divine sanctity of marriage was instituted by our God 6000 years ago. Who are we to change that?

Steadfast in the Sun (and in the Son)

2008-09-23T14:03:00.003-06:00

What I get from the sun and from the "Son" .....

The Sun:

Light - I need lots of this; lots of windows; I don't do well in the dark

Warmth - I'm a summer kind of girl; I love to feel the sun on my skin

Energy - Being outside during the day gives me lots of this

Brilliance - I adore vivid colors and hues

Inspiration - I get my best thinking done on long summer walks

Joy - Everything seems happier in the daylight

Memories - Growing up on the beach in San Diego and vacations to tropical islands

Hope - I can count on it coming up every morning, bringing me a new day

The Son:

Light - He "is" this in my life

Warmth - I can feel His presence, especially when I pray

Energy - He gives me everything I need to keep going

Brilliance - He is the Giver of all intelligence and wisdom Inspiration - He plants good thoughts in my mind and answers my prayers Joy - He gave me a happy spirit

Memories - I know where I came from

Hope - He gives this to me constantly and I know everything will be OK

What Goes Around, Comes Around

2008-09-19T18:25:00.002-06:00

I wrote the following poem in 1997 and found the exercise to be wonderful (and very affordable) therapy during a difficult time with teenage children who were "acting out" (is THAT what they really called it?) -- and yes, that was a run-on sentence. They did it all and have pretty much made amends for their bad behavior (bad, bad, bad little children ....) When I’m an old lady (no home of my own), I’ll live with my children who are finally grown. I’ll move in with my kids, bring them all the same joys That they brought to me – my girls and my boys. I’ll run and I’ll play and just piddle away The time that I should be doing chores every day. I’ll run off to the movies and not wash a dish; I’ll beg for allowance whenever I wish. I’ll plug up the toilet, flushing onto the floor; As soon as they mop it, I’ll flood it some more. I will draw on the walls and scuff up the floor; I’ll run in and out without closing the door. I’ll pester my children when they’re on the phone. As long as they’re busy, I won’t leave them alone. I’ll spill orange Kool-Aid as I eat every meal; I’ll eat my banana and just drop the peel. I’ll hide beer in the fridge; “Play Girl” under my bed. Whenever they scold me, I’ll just hang my head. I’ll look like I don’t understand what they say, Then I’ll do what I want just to get my own way. I’ll hide men in the closet (maybe drugs in a drawer), And never pick up my clothes from the floor. I’ll throw the clean laundry right back down the chute; And pound on the furniture with my brand new flute. I’ll promise to clean, straighten, pick up my mess Before company comes (then forget and confess) That I really intended to get the job done, But my friends called me up and I needed to run. I’ll take all their flashlights, their batteries, and then When they buy new ones, I’ll take them again. I’ll put pets on the table, spill jam on the floor; I’ll break their good dishes as though I were four. I’ll steal pocket money from their wallets for spite; And sneak my friends in through a window at night. I’ll throw their wallets in fast-food trash cans; I’ll scratch, dent and damage their cars and their vans. I’ll answer the phone and say they’re not here; I’ll wash their best clothes in Drano, not Cheer. I’ll borrow an outfit and not give it back; I’ll complain that the house they live in’s "a shack." I’ll subscribe to the offers that I see on TV; When asked for a parent, I’ll answer, “That’s me!” I may pick my nose and wipe it on walls; I’ll probably skateboard through kitchen and halls. In the fridge I will leave empty cartons of drink; I’ll eat all their ice cream without even one blink. In the cupboards I’ll leave empty boxes of food; Then I’ll burp and I’ll fart if I’m in the mood. If I eat the last cookie and leave just the crumbs; When asked “why” I’ll shrug and look like I’m dumb. I’ll fling cooked spaghetti at the ceiling above; And record over video tapes that they love. With scissors I’ll cut all the sleeves from their shirts; And with permanent marker, I’ll draw on their skirts. If they dare to correct me, I’ll lie down and cry; I’ll kick and I’ll scream, not a tear in my eye. What fun I shall have, what a blast it will be .... To live with my children as they lived with me! -- dedicated to the Booker children who have all grown to be responsible and respectful adults (they know they are loved and adored by their mother and father) and we wouldn't trade them for anyone else's children!

I Filled in the Blanks - Will You?

2008-09-01T14:15:00.002-06:00

I am: a child of God – the daughter of a King I think: I have a lot to offer I know: I am loved by my family and friends I want: everyone to be happy I have: the best husband in the world and very amazing children I dislike: mean, selfish, deceitful people I miss: being with my children and grandchildren I fear: not being with my family for eternity I feel: a deep sense of gratitude I hear: what I want to hear sometimes I smell: babies and flowers whenever I can I crave: sushi almost every day I cry: silently when someone hurts my feelings I usually: am the first to apologize I search: for answers I wonder: if my posterity will know what kind of person I was I regret: things I’ve said that may have offended someone I love: passionately and deeply, sometimes to a fault I care: about the feelings of others I always: fall asleep during a video I worry: when I absolutely have to; but if someone else does, I don’t I am not: a mean person I remember: to say "please" and "thank-you" I believe: there is good in everyone I sing: when I’m driving because I know no one can hear me I don't always: remember what people say, but I do remember how they make me feel I argue: with myself and try not to with others I write: a weekly update to my children without fail I win: at games very rarely I lose: things quite often, but I find them eventually if I look hard enough I wish: I could see my children and grandchildren more often I listen: with my heart and not with my ears sometimes I am talented: but not at art or music or sports or design or writing or .... (oh crap) I can usually be found: where I'm supposed to be I am scared: of snakes and spiders and creepy crawly things I need: my friends I forget: about problems when I’m with Randy I am happy: because I choose to be!

Busy Bees!

2008-08-21T13:09:00.002-06:00

Another busy week! No matter where I go, it seems everyone has the same thing to say: I’m so busy; life is so busy; we’re too busy. Why are people always so busy? And, get this . . . I was asked to help with a major project recently and I was told, “If you want something done, give it to someone who’s busy!” Did they mean ME?? Ack! I can’t get away from that word! It’s driving me crazy. So I'm considered a busy person. Hmmmmm . . . I do hate it, however, when I ask someone to help me with something and they say, “I’m sorry but I’m too busy.” So I try not to say that. When did the world get like this? I guess I missed it along the way. I have made it a point not to be too busy to help people. Many times I drop what I'm doing to take someone here, or pick something up there, or deliver something that's late, or . . . you get the picture. Or are you too busy? My point is that I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now because I really am very busy! We have a friend who is running for superior court judge in November. I have committed to be his fundraising manager. In addition to my stake calling in the Young Women's presidency, I've been asked to sub in Primary. This past weekend I was asked to supervise a portion of our city in the task of passing a proposition which will appear on the ballot during the next election. It would have been much to simple to respond with "I'm too busy" but that's not what I'm made of. At least not right now. So, if you need anything, call me. I'm never too busy for those I love!

The Things in Life That Really Matter

2008-08-11T00:00:00.001-06:00

What really matters in life? My list would include love, families, tolerance, forgiveness, charity, service, time, and a little sense of humor. It's also very important to us to get the entire Booker family together once a year. That's not an easy task when you consider the miles between us and the busy schedules of two parents, eight adult children, their five spouses, and our eight grandchildren (#9 is due next February). We have successfully pulled it off for two years in a row now and we're already planning the 2009 reunion!

Last year we had a fun-filled reunion in Oceanside, CA where every single member of the family was present. This year we chose Park City, UT and were able to include my mother who will be 81 in a few weeks. For the record, I think Park City is one of the greatest places on earth! The mountains are majestic, the air is clean, and the people could not be more friendly. We rode bicycles, hiked mountain trails lined with wild flowers and trickling water, took long walks, played in the pool, and enjoyed amazing meals together. Those activities are only surpassed in importance by the simplicity of just sharing "air time" together. Being with our kids and grandkids is the most fulfilling part of our lives. It puts everything else in perspective and brings balance to life. It makes hard things easier. It turns sadness into gladness. It puts more laugh lines on the face. It brings me to my knees in gratitude. I count my blessings each day for the gift of being a mother (and now, a grandmother). I set aside resentments and disappointments and hurt feelings and concentrate on the magnificent human beings that God has shared with us. I can't forget to acknowledge the most important man in my life, my Randy. He tolerates me without complaint; he never criticizes me; he showers me with affection and adoration; and he loves me unconditionally. He doesn't call attention to the side of me that is definitely from Venus and he overlooks my adult attention deficit disorder (which is such a distraction at times)! He works hard so that I can focus my attention on things that are important to me. He's just an all-around great guy and the best friend I've ever had in my entire life. Did you notice the slight dose of ADD that just pranced in? I began this post by talking about our family reunion and got sidetracked . . . once again! Gosh, I don't even know how that happens. I hate it sometimes. Anyway, that's me -- it's who I am -- the mother of eight incredibly wonderful adult children: Patrick, Jason, Jenifer, Dustin, Ashlie, Courtnie, Chelsie, and Tiffanie. The spouses they've chosen and the families they are creating mean more to me than anything in the world. Nothing would make me happier than to spend eternity with them. So, am I planning the 2009 Booker family reunion??? You bet I am!! A condo in Lake Tahoe or maybe camping somewhere. Gotta go . . .

P.S. It's kinda cool when you get sidetracked and pull it back together again! I prefer to call it "multi-tasking" . . . what do ya think?

Why? "Because . . ." (that's why)!

2008-07-29T17:49:00.002-06:00

"Why?" It's all about peer pressure. That terrible thing that happens to all mankind at some point in life. I don't recall doing anything like this when I was a kid. So perhaps this is part of a mid-life crisis for me . . . "I don't know!" Now that I think about it, that's the answer I always got when I asked my children why they did some off-the-wall stupid thing. "I don't know!" or "because . . . " To which I'd respond, "What were you thinking?" And the obvious answer to that question was, "I wasn't." But in this case (the case of kissing the banana slug), I did know what I was doing. And it's like this: I was hiking with seven young women from the Stockton Stake. We were on a 20-mile trek over three days and we happened across a banana slug. The banana slug is actually the mascot for the University of Santa Cruz, the area in which we were hiking. Kissing a banana slug is a 5th grade science class tradition and, as they say, "everyone's doing it!" So - if everyone jumped off the top of a building, would I? NO! If everyone jumped out of a boat, would I? NO! But, for some reason, when each of these young women kissed the banana slug, I felt compelled to follow their lead. So there, Booker children, we're even! OK, OK, OK???

God Bless America

2008-07-04T09:37:00.001-06:00

Sixty years ago my mother came to the United States, looking for a place where she could be safe and free. During World War II she spent her adolescent years in the Philippines, running from enemy fire. She and her family were forced to abandon their comfortable home and lifestyle as they literally ran to stay alive. They hid during the day and traveled during the night; they bathed in rivers and ate whatever they could find. After the war her grandfather put her on a ship all by herself and sent her to America to start a new life. English was a second language for her but she was determined to overcome that and, as time went on, many more obstacles. She got a job working in a factory and worked very hard to provide for my younger sister and me. She attended the required classes to become a naturalized citizen and never returned to her homeland. I'm grateful for the sacrifices she made so that her children could be born and raised in America.

I am thankful to her for giving me life. I'm so very thankful to live in America! I appreciate the freedom I have to make choices, good or bad, and I accept the responsibility of my choices. I respect our flag and the country it represents. I am grateful for those who lead us in righteousness. I'm thankful to be able to worship God as I choose and for the freedom of speech; to read what I want; to listen and discern right from wrong; and to live the lifestyle I have chosen. I honor those who have given (and continue to give) their lives to protect the freedom we enjoy in this great nation. God bless America -- always!

What Is She Good At?

2008-06-25T18:42:00.002-06:00

This is Chelsie Victoria . . . seventh of eight Booker children, fourth daughter of five, and lovingly called Auntie Chels (or Chechie Bo-Bo) by her 8 nieces and nephews! I, for one, happen to think she is one of the greatest people breathing air on the earth! But I AM her mother, so I may have very biased opinions of this wonderful and beautiful young woman! Last week she sent me a text message asking what I think she's good at. I am honored to answer that question and think my thoughts are worth sharing!

First of all, here's how I responded: listening, reasoning, loving, and giving. I also made the comment that I could list many more things because there are so many, many things that she's good at. Here are just a few:

sincerity
confidentiality
not judging
spontaneity
contagious humor
eye-contact during conversations
being a friend
discernment
honesty
not easily offended
careful to not offend
creativity
art
music
understanding
empathy
using her head
using her heart
writing (composing and penmanship)
fashion
make-up
hair
beauty, in general!
laughing
making others laugh
sewing
healthy eating
respect
spirituality
affection for animals
non-materialism (is that a word?)
remembering Mother's Day and Father's Day
remembering Mother's and Father's birthdays
love for holidays, in general
generosity
playtime
working
sharing

I would really like to go on and on with this list, but I have to fix dinner.

Father's Day 2008

2008-06-17T12:22:00.000-06:00

Holidays are not the same as they used to be. Back in the days when we were raising a large family, there were lots of bodies around and lots to do. Now that we live in an empty nest, the bodies are HIS and HERS and we still have lots to do! This Father's Day we packed a picnic lunch, rode our bikes to a local park, spread out a blanket, plopped ourselves down and devoured the best hoagie sandwiches around! We took a nap in the shade of a big old tree, laughed at the ducks, smiled at little children with their fishing poles, listened to birds chirping, and talked about life. Although the world only celebrates Father's Day once a year, there are men who should be celebrated much more often. I was fortunate to be married to such a man. Our children are blessed to have the Dad they have; truly a gift to all eight Booker kids. I wish I would have had such a Dad when I was growing up. So, my dear Ran, here's to you! Thanks for being who you are and for making my life so sweet -- so very, very sweet!! They say there's a season for all things and this is our season. We'd take the kids back in a breath. But for now, they are in their own season, making their own memories. We're just grateful for the understanding we have that we'll always be a family -- a forever family!

Happy Birthday, Randy!

2008-06-09T15:21:00.000-06:00

Birthdays are celebrated so differently these days. Used to be I'd bake a cake and spend three hours decorating it, usually after midnight so the kids would be surprised in the morning. I have pictures of the cakes to remind myself of those days (Darth Vader, Strawberry Shortcake, Cowboys, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and Barbies). Where is that energy level now, I ask myself??

Today, with just the two of us, we'd rather have any number of other goodies instead of cake, so no cake for the birthday boy yesterday. We did, however, enjoy a fabulous dinner at the Elephant Bar and the waitress was kind enough to take our picture. Using my Blackberry phone, she took this picture (after deleting the first one) which to me isn't such an easy task. But for her? Click, click, click, without any hesitation at all, making me feel sorta silly about needing all 17 days that it took me to figure out how to use the stupid thing. I don't know -- are people just born today knowing how to program and use Blackberries, iPods, DVRs, digital cameras, GPS systems, X-boxes, and all four remotes that it takes to watch a DVD on TV???

Sidetracked again, sorry . . . Randy had a very nice birthday. All eight Booker kids called him on the phone (which when you think about it, takes up much of the day) and he enjoyed reading all the thoughtful cards that he got in the mail. So -- do I miss decorating those storybook cakes that I spent hours decorating a hundred years ago? In a word, yes!

Over the river and thru the woods .....

2008-06-06T00:55:00.000-06:00

OK, this is what happens when you set the camera on "Timer" then run to get in the picture, then run to stop the camera. My next camera will have a remote!

Into the Woods!

2008-06-02T22:04:00.001-06:00

This is a tree laying on the ground on its side. Randy is standing at one end (which was the base of the tree at one time) and you can see what used to be the top of the tree (which looks like a hole at the other end). Is that awesome, or what?

We spent the day hiking at Big Trees State Park this weekend. It's just a couple of hours from home located in the Calaveras National Forest -- a beautiful place to forget about work, the phone, and people! We couldn't have asked for a better day -- just a handful of other hikers, clear blue sky, all the sounds of a fairytale forest, massive redwoods, fragrant pines, and an intimidating river complete with rapids -- yep, a perfect day!

Some of the trees were 20 feet wide and so tall that at times we couldn't see the sky above. Getting away like this recharges my spiritual battery. We kept saying that our kids and grandkids would love this. We solved all the problems of the world -- well, it seemed like it anyway! We reminisced about the past and dreamed about the future. On the way home we talked about the great day we had -- how glad we are to live so close to such an amazing place; how grateful we are to be strong and active; and how much we appreciate a company car and FREE gas! We came home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and decided that we will probably fill the summer with mini-vacations just like this one!

Words that start with "F" . . . . .

2008-05-29T22:04:00.001-06:00

In addition to Family, Friends, Faith, Fotos, Food, Fun and Forever Fran, here are some words that come to my mind: fantastic, fabulous, fascinating, Farmington, fluffy, frilly, female, fifty-five, Filipino, frosty, faithful, foreordained, forgive and forget, fellowship, funloving, flip-flops, festive, familiar, fancy, fresh, fireflies, formula, fudge, February, fairygodmother, ferrari, fishing, firefighter, flavorful, filet mignon, fireworks, flowers, frisbee, 49ers, furniture, freedom, feelings, fantasyland, folksongs, flying, fountains, footloose and fancy free, Florida, feasible, floss, feminine, fruitcake, flexible, frolic, fairness, fireside, ferris wheel, fritos, fajitas, frijoles, fiesta, feathers, fantasia, Friday, fleece, fingerpainting, father-in-law, frankly, ferocious, flag, forest, fidelity, fiddle faddle, fig newtons, fizzy, fuzzy, funky, fashionable, ferryboat, froglegs, future, fabric, fragrant, french fries, fictional, favorable, flute, footrub, fern, fragile, festival, futon, fertility, fiancee, fuchsia, floating, finesse, fortify, fiber, far-out, fooey, FM (as opposed to AM), and 50/50 (as in my former Farmington fone number and my favorite ice cream bar when I was a child) . . . phew!!! (or is that spelled "few"?) There are other words that don't come to my mind as quickly (nor do I use on a regular basis) such as frazzled, fickle, fighting, fearful, famine, forensic, financial, France, filthy, fade, freak, freckles, flippant, Frankenstein, formica, for real?

I Left My Heart in San Francisco . . .

2008-05-27T16:35:00.001-06:00

Tony Bennett made that song popular in the 60's and I've loved it ever since! We will find any excuse to drive into San Francisco. This time it was to celebrate Mother's Day. Riding the cable car down to Fisherman's Wharf brings out the child in me! I love the sound of the clanging bell and the feel of the wind in my face as we ride up and down the steep hills of the city! We stand on the outside step of the cable car as close to the front as possible, sometimes hanging on for dear life! It reminds me of the scene in "Titanic" when Leonardo DiCaprio is holding Kate Winslet by the waist as they're standing on the bow of the ship, her hair blowing in the wind and . . . sorry, I totally just got sidetracked there . . . ! Where was I? Oh yes, down at the wharf. We sat on a bench and ate a whole crab and a bread bowl filled with clam chowder. There's nothing better than to sit next to the water and eat shellfish! It's a great place to just sit and watch people, too, if you like to do that sort of thing (which I do). If you've ever walked along the wharf, you've most likely seen the "Bush Man." Free entertainment. He brings his own greenery, which he carefully hides behind, and awaits the unsuspecting tourist! At just the right moment he picks up the entire bush and jumps in the path of an oncoming victim, causing gasps and jumps and expletives that should be deleted! It's all in fun and he's part of the wharf!

Mother's Day 2008. Randy made it a perfect day for me . . . and, for the record, I didn't really leave my heart in San Francisco. He made sure I brought it home, along with lots of great memories and a promise that we'll go back again and again and again!

What Was I Doing 10 Years Ago?

2008-05-23T16:07:00.001-06:00

I checked out Tiffanie's blog yesterday and found her game of "TAG!" Her question was "What were you doing 10 years ago?" and she specifically tagged me! So here is my answer, daughter dear, along with the list you asked me to complete . . .

Ten years ago I was living in our peaceful little town of Farmington and I still had kids at home. I was doing laundry, preparing meals, cleaning house, grinding wheat and baking bread. I was playing with flowers in the yard. I was driving kids to cheer practice and music lessons and going to karate tournaments. I was spending time with good friends (that I miss with all my heart right now). I was working full-time at Life-Line. I was speaking to schools, churches, and civic organizations about drug abuse. I had less grey hair, fewer wrinkles, and less time to do some of the things I'm enjoying today. But I still wish I was 10 years younger right now . . .

5 things on my to-do list today:

grocery shop
have my Xterra serviced
get a physical so I can go to Girls Camp this summer
pack for the weekend
get this list done!

5 snacks I enjoy:

fresh fruit
pistachio nuts
string cheese
skinny cows
popcorn

3 bad habits:

procrastination
falling asleep during a video
expecting way too much out of myself and others

If I were suddenly a billionaire:

Randy would retire early and we'd travel around the world.
I would buy a house for each of my 8 kids so we could be near each other.
I would buy a family business and provide job security for our whole family.
I would put enough $$$ in the bank for all our grandchildren to go to college.
I would give $$$ to families in our church who can't afford to send their sons and daughters on missions.
I would run a soup kitchen and feed the poor.
I would help Life-Line build a gymnasium and donate $$$ to their endowment fund.

4 places I have lived:

Alameda, CA
San Diego, CA
Farmington, UT
Stockton, CA

4 jobs I have had:

Secretary
Wife and mother (the best and my favorite)
Dental assistant
Director of Admissions

5 things people don't know about me:

I'm afraid of heights
I can't sleep when it's light outside
I eat the center of my pancakes first before I eat the outside
I hate the smell of "old lady" perfume
I love Western movies

I TAG anyone reading this who has time to do what I just did!!!! Remember, Tiffanie -- I've never told you "no" because you've never told me "no" . . .

Celebrating Life

2008-05-11T14:54:00.000-06:00

Blessings . . . I have many -- far too many to count. The one that's floating on the top of my heart today (which happens to be Mother's Day), is the one that's an answer to prayers offered on behalf of our daughter, Ashlie, by countless people who care about us. Ashlie called us on Monday night to tell us that she had seen the neurosurgeon that day and was scheduled for surgery the next day. Four months ago she was diagnosed with chiari malformation (when the lower part of the brain hangs below the skull) and pseudo tumors (pockets of trapped spinal fluid behind the eyes) both of which were causing severe headaches and distorted vision. A spinal tap would normally relieve the pressure caused by the pseudo tumors but because of the chiari, that procedure could have killed her. The only option was to insert a shunt from the right side of the brain down to the stomach. As she described what was going to happen, Randy and I felt a sense of peace. We knew we'd be getting this phone call eventually and felt strongly that we were not alone. I got on-line and booked a ticket, packed a bag, got up at 3:30 in the morning, and flew into Portland two hours before her surgery. Talking to her surgeon brought great relief as he described how well the surgery went. He assured us that she would be fine and that she wouldn't have the headaches anymore. I heard myself saying, "Thank you, God" over and over and over again. It's amazing that a person can have brain surgery one day and go home the next. It's truly a remarkable time to be alive on this earth. I'm staying until the end of the week and enjoying every minute with Destiny and Lyric. Ashlie is resting and getting stronger every day. Today she is being celebrated by her husband and two small children. I'd say it's a beautiful reason to celebrate Mother's Day! It never meant what it means this year. Life is a blessing, and we have so much to be thankful for!

Missing My Grandkids . . .

2008-05-03T22:16:00.007-06:00

Zack and Joe in San Diego Destiny and Lyric in Portland Nicholas and Jacob in San Diego Kaiya and Brody in Farmington

Hooray, Hooray -- The First of May!

2008-05-01T20:36:00.000-06:00

Before Randy and I got married we both worked for General Atomic, a large corporation located in Torrey Pines, north of San Diego near La Jolla. I remember one beautiful sunshiny day -- 33 years ago this very day -- flowers were in bloom everywhere! I took him for a ride in my '67 Ford Mustang during our lunch hour. We drove up the coast to Carlsbad to a farm that grows large, colorful, incredibly beautiful flowers called ranunculus that smell as delicious as they look! It was the very best May basket in the whole wide world! Seeing acres and acres of these bright flowers just took our breaths away! He says it wasn't the flowers that took HIS breath away . . . awwww!! Well, for the record, he still takes MY breath away! This picture brought back that sweet memory for me. It's taken in front of a flowering plum tree in our backyard. The pink blossoms seem to burst in the early spring and then are replaced with dark plum colored leaves which hang on until winter. Just thought I'd mention that I loved the man in 1975; I completely and totally adore him today! Hooray, horray, the first of May -- fun in the sun begins today!

This New "BLOG" Thing!

2008-04-28T17:07:00.001-06:00

I've put this "blog" thing off for far too long (according to my kids who blog)! I'll get the hang of it eventually. But for now, this is as good as it gets! Hey, that just happens to be one of my favorite movies, starring Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. Sorry ... I got sidetracked there for a moment. Oh, and by the way, I've discovered that I have an adult case of ADD (attention deficit disorder). I start something, get up to get something, do something with that something that I got up to get, forget what I started to begin with, remember what it was, head back that direction and see another something, and about 90 minutes later I get back to the thing I began in the first place. I could say that I began this blog in 2005 and am just now getting around to finishing it but that would be a lie, and I try not to tell even little white ones, so . . . (where was I going with this?), oh ya, I will give this new "blog" thing a try.