20 years ago...

20 yrs ago: Mike was 17 and just graduated from HS, Misty was 15 and trying to convince mom and dad she was mature enough to date! Mandy was 11 and excited about being in the last grade of elementary school for the coming year. Marin was 6 and looking forward to a fun summer. I was going on 40 and not at a very good place in my life. We all went to Liberty Park on the 4th to lay in the backyard of Garn's grandmother's house and listen to the radio play music as the fireworks were going off. Garn was still working for the State of Utah in corrections and I was still reffing b-ball, teaching early morning spanish (Mandy and Marin attended too), and tutoring math (if you can believe it! Mr. Webb Snarr had invented "Snarr math and it was a hit.)
10 yrs ago: Mike and Marcie were married with 4 yr old twins, Austin and Devan. Misty and Dan had 2 1/2 yr old McKy and was pg with Mason and they were living in Holladay. Mandy was going on 21 and she and Jon had 6 mo. old Sadie. Marin was 16 and had just finished her soph yr at Murray High and loved the dating scene. I was Still reffing b-ball, soccer and softball but no longer playing those sports but was really into racquetball. Still teaching Espanol in the am but no longer tutoring math. ( Which was probably a good thing since I could never get my time card to add up right!) I was about to be hired as an ESL tutor for Liberty Elem. with Darlene Evans as my boss (love that woman) Garn was still running Marathons and working for the state. We were serving as service missionaries in an inner-city ward, Liberty 8th ward, downtown and loving it.
One Year Ago: Mike and Marcie still living in Murray and the twins just finished their 7th grade yr at Hillcrest Jr High. Misty and Dan are finally back home from living in Meridian, Id and then Redlands, Calif. for the past 5 yrs and settled in Herriman with their 4 boys: McKy 11, Mason going on 9, Marcus going on 6 and Merrick 3. Mandy and Jon were living in Murray across the street from Grant Elem with their 4 kids: Sadie 9, Haylie 6, Carden 3, and Alicyn 1. Marin and JR, newlyweds of a little over a year are living 0n 31st south ( Imperial Lane) having sold their condo in West Jordan. Wow, ALL my kids were still here just a year ago. Garn is now doing tri-athelons and I no longer am reffing soccer; still playing racquetball and doing tournaments.
1 Month ago: Garn and I had just returned the end of May from Kirkland, Wash having helped Marin and JR move up there. Mandy and Jon moved to McKinney, Tx in Feb. Misty and Dan's 4 boys all played b aseball. Mike and Marcie and boys finished up their motorcycle races with no broken bones this time.
Yesterday: I actually got up early ( 7:45am) to prepare my RS lesson for Aug. and do the RS agendas and birthday treats for the next 3 weeks so I'll be free to enjoy my kids returning here for our reunion at Cherry Hill in less than 2 wks! I did laundry and called all those who have to clean the ward bldg. this Sat. then picked up the twins and went shopping and came back home and we played board games. Read my scriptures and watched The Mole on TV.
Gee, Marin, when I accepted your challenge to do this, I didn't realize how taxing it would be on my brain but it was fun to do. Now, I give the 20 yr challenge to ya'll!

The week-end

So Fri. night I gave blood for Devan's Eagle Project. Garn and I stayed about 4 hrs. to help. It was fun and the staff was really nice. Then Garn and I got up at 5:30 the next morning to run a race for Herriman Days. Misty, Dan and Garn ran the 5 k and Mason, Marcus and I ran the one mile. When I got to what I thought was the half mile turn around I asked the patrol officer stationed there if this was the right spot and he said " Uh, I think it's down the hill past the church and park." So I get down to that point where I meet another officer and ask again if this is the turn around place. He says," No, you passed it by, up there where the other officer is." So.... I head back up the hill to where the first guy was and in a breathless, onery voice tell him that THIS is the turn around! He says, " Oh, really?" Herriman City's finest.... ( I really should RUN at least once before I enter a race). As it turns out, My age (60 in July) was lumped into the age category of 40-99. I ended up 2nd overall (some 10 yr old girl had the nerve to enter the 1 miler!) but I was 1st in my age range. Mason and Marcus took 1st in their respective ages and Dan took third in his age range. Misty won 2 Heber Valley Railroad passes which are kind of expensive so it was all good. Then we went to Garn's family reunion and ate ourselves crazy and had an ok time. It was good to see all his cousins and Aunts and Uncles but without Mandy and Jon and the kids and Marin and JR it just wasn't the same and we were actually one of the first to leave. July 11 and 12 are the days we're really looking forward to. The whole family will be here for Cherry Hill! A gal in our ward said their whole family is staying at a condo in Calif. in July and I asked if she was holding their family reunion there and she said yes, but she's not telling her kids that's what it is or they won't come. I'm so grateful our kids want to come to ours. I miss them more than words can say...

Thanks Mandy

These new layouts are great! Only two weeks to go! Hope they go fast and then the rest of the summer goes s l o w.... Love your new background on your blog. Wish decorating a house were that easy!

Hello Summer!

OK, No more Lion House Rolls!

I don't understand ! I went to Deseret Book to get Joseph Mc Conkie's books on Doctrinal Commentary on th B of M. For some reason I had only 2 volumes instead of all 4 so I needed the last two. ( If anybody borrowed the last 2 then keep them cuz I now have all 4!) I took Devan with me and we ate at the cafe. All I had was an orange Lion House roll and chocolate milk. ( I refuse to believe it was the milk! ) Now I'm sick again! Whatever.... At least I got Sadie and Haylie signed up for Murray library's summer reading program and Devan signed Austin and himself up for the teen program. Guess I'll just lay here and read now that I have plenty of books.

No more Panda Express!

So Misty and I eat at the food court in Fashion Place Mall on Thurs. June 19 after I had 2 crowns installed in my mouth (without anesthesia I might add). I wait in an interminably(extremely long) line and finally ask for a bowl with fried rice and orange chicken. " Sorry, there will be a wait for the chicken" I'll just have the sweet and sour pork then, I say. Misty was smart and spotted the Subway counter which was empty and got her order right away! That night I was excited to be going to my first Stake exercise class since my Thurs. night umpiring is over. Garn bought me an exercise ball and I bought a mat and hand weights. I was prepared! (See previous blog on "being prepared") Anyway, about an hour before it was to start I ended up in the bathroom on the toilet losing the sweet and sour pork. (hint: I don't throw up) So.. there went the evening. The next day, Fri. I am weak and tired. I played racquetball for an hour and went home. Today, Sat., I have a huge headache and still don't feel so hot, but tonight Garn and I need to bbq hotdogs and hamburgers at our ward for the multi-stake Ysa's(young single adults) summer party of which we are a shepherding couple in our ward. We bought a big orange Igloo water cooler for the reunion so we'll all have enough to drink. I've always wanted one. I also found a BODY GLOVE water shirt that has uva protection from the sun's harmful rays and board shorts to match. This way I won't have to worry about getting burned or having to apply sunscreen to my back,shoulders,neck or thighs. That's a time saver right there! Less than 3 weeks to go!

Now for the garage....

I LOVE summer! I'm getting rid of the two car seats that I've had forever. They're outdated anyway and I have NO babies to put in them...mmmmmmm Marin? I also went through the shelves in the garage and got rid of soccer and volley balls (which were flat) and all my old softballs and cleats and yes, Mandy, I finally got rid of my MOONBOOTS!! Can you believe it? I didn't realize that I had 3 pairs of snow boots...duh! And the yellow baby water floats are gone too. ( I think they were flat too) The shelves are lookin good! I called Garn and told him to come DI all the stuff along with other baby seats and my stereo/cd player. He said," Are you having fun?" I think he's worried some of his stuff will go too! I just love summer....