It's a secret

Don't tell the boys but sometimes at night I sit outside their bedroom door and listen to them plan out their adventures for the next day. I do it to hear their excitement for life and remind me that tomorrow can be exciting. I do it to listen to their dreams and imaginations running wild. I do it to remember that tomorrow the possibilities are endless. I do it to remind me that I need to encourage the curiosity and not destroy it. I also do it so I can know what is coming so I can steer it in a "mom" approved direction.

Tonight I did it and knew that we were doing something right. They said an extra prayer together tonight that Sam could get home safe. (It was Bishopric night at Scout Camp). They reassured each other that the Baughs can get through anything because we are a family for forever. But they hoped that anything didn't include Sam dying on his way home.

They went on to plan how they were going to change the world.

At the beginning of the summer when we would talk about what they wanted to do that day I would say something like "take over the world." like off Pinkie and the Brain. Taking over the world changed to how are we going to change the world. We started making goals every day of little things we could do to change the world. They made their goals tonight by themselves. They were going to help someone when we went to the store to get the last of their school supplies. So they were going to get money out of their piggy banks and buy another kids some supplies. And surprise me at the store when they do it. They were going to give Mogles loves because they are sad their grandkids went home. Christian offered to help Seth fix his bike. Seth offered to let Chris play with his bubbles.

The plan went one to building forts, building a bike jump and finding the cool high tops for school.

I sat there on the floor with goosebumps and a warm heart. My little boys reminded me I may not have every gotten the bathroom floor swept, or the living room vacuumed but I did something right because they went to bed loved and ready to take on the world and make it better. And I took the time to listen.

Oh how my little boys have grown.  

 Best Buddy Brothers Forever

I take my last finals next week. Then I will be all done. One of my first goals is to get the blog updated. One day I will get caught up. 

Spring Break

After the Graveside and everything Sam decided he wasn't up for heading to Hurricane with us for only a few days. So the kids and I loaded up and headed down the next day. Keith headed up early.

Sam and Keith worked really hard all weekend and the rest of the next week. They did things like refinished our butcher block island counter. They rewired a bunch of stuff. They added trim to my kitchen cupboards and ripped down the back splash. They also added a few new cupboards. Put in a fan. Put in a new fence. They also did a ton of other little projects that I had listed. They might have fit in some time to go kart race and a movie and helping Aunt Tawna. Our kitchen is still a little disheveled but it's a work in progress. Keith is building us new countertops but he is doing that at home where he has more tools. We are also trying to decide what to do for our new backsplash. Then we are refinishing all the cupboards.  

While the Sam and Keith worked hard here the kids and I were in Hurricane playing the week away. 

We didn't do much to be honest. Everyone down there was still in school. We played in the dirt. Played with cousins. Jumped on the trampoline. Rode 4 wheelers. We ran errands for Grandma. Seth got to spend 2 days out with Mac checking on cows and building a shed. He loved it. Of course Papa was nice enough to get out the horses and take us for rides. 

Seth got to ride alone and was so proud.

Chris got to ride with me. 

 Lexi was down for a nap in the house. She got a ride later but I can't find the picture of it.

Grandma Bailey

 At the beginning of April Sam got a call saying his Grandma had gotten quite sick and had quit eating. She had been sick for a while and had dementia. She lived in Ferron and was now at a Care Center there. We were planning on heading down to Hurricane the next week for Spring break so we were going to go the long way and stop there to see her. Sam had already taken Friday off. He was going to spend the weekend on Hurricane and then head back up to our house on Sunday with Keith to work on a ton of projects around the house.
His Grandma passed away on Thursday morning.
The funeral home only had 2 days that they were available to do the funeral. One was the next day and one was like 2 weeks away. Grandma Bailey didn't want to be embalmed. So the next day it was.

Grandma Bailey was a spunky woman. She drove a lowrider truck around to craft fairs and sold the most beautiful doilies and things that she had made. She loved Sam, he was always her favorite.

She spoke her mind. You knew where you stood with her. She was loving and kind. It was one of those passings that was made easier to accept because then she didn't have to be sick anymore. Watching dementia take over  her mind was hard for Sam to watch. She wasn't the same.

Lexi and Grandpa Baugh at the graveside

 Sam was a pallbearer 

 

 Lexi fell asleep before the end of the graveside

 Sam's mom and her siblings

 Sam and all his siblings

 Photo bomb by Uncle Ollie

 After the graveside we went to Ollie's house for lunch and for the family to laugh and relax.
It wasn't one of those funerals where there is an overwhelming sadness. It was short and sweet and light. She will be missed but her family honored her wishes and made it a day to enjoy being together.

Florence Ellen Cox Mikkelsen Avery Bailey

FERRON – Florence Ellen Cox Mikkelsen Avery Bailey, age 86, passed away April 3, 2014. Florence was born February 27, 1928 in Kemmerer, Wyoming to Richard and Florence Garner Cox. She married Grant Elmer Mikkelsen on November 27, 1947 in Ogden, Utah. Their marriage was solemnized on February 7, 1964 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. After Grant’s passing, she later married Donald Binger Avery in 1971 in Ogden, Utah. After Donald passed away, she then married Leslie Bailey in October 1987 in Wellsville, Utah. Leslie has since passed away.

Florence was known as “The Crochet Lady”, and she operated Flossie’s Fancies in Ferron for several years. She was also a gourmet cook. She is loved dearly by her family.

Florence is survived by her children: Alice (Steven) Baugh of Hurricane, Utah, Ellen (Ed) Wingate of Ferron, Utah, Ilise (Garth) Scovill of Parker, Colorado, Olan (Rebecca) Mikkelsen of Hooper, Utah, and Udell Mikkelsen of Price, Utah; former daughter-in-law, Laura Fox of Washington state; 21 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Grant Elmer Mikkelsen, Donald Binger Avery, and Leslie Bailey; her parents; a daughter, Yvonne Rochon; two brothers; and two sisters.

Graveside services will be held Friday, April 4, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. at the Ogden City Cemetery (1875 Monroe Blvd, Ogden).

Spring

Just more random Spring pics.

 All the trees blossomed. 

 Even our little new Nectarine, Pear and Shademaster 3000 survived the winter. 

 The tulips my sister sent me from Holland that have been dug up from every one of the places I've lived in the last 12 years bloomed.

 

 My pansies from last year came back. 

 The powerwheels got re-powered up. 

 This is before the swing got recovered. 

 Seth started making his documentary. 

 Lexi took up Yoga, or was practicing for gymnastics. 

Ready for Spring and to be outside.