Tagged by Telisa for four answers! (Dad)

4 Random things that I like about my wife!
1. Her complete devotion to her family.
2. How cute she looks in her little exercise outfits.
3. Constantly developing new talents.
4. That she still puts up with me.

4 Jobs I have had
1. Bank Teller
2. Washing cars for a car dealer
3. Testing Clerk at Geneva Steel
4. Field Researcher for the Survey Research Center at BYU

4 Movies I have watched more than once.
1. Princess Bride
2. What About Bob?
3. Ben Hur
4. Almost any movie I watched once!

4 Places I have lived...
1. Glendale, California
2. Tampico, Mexico
3. La Canada, California (twice!)
4. Mexico City, Mexico

4 TV shows I have watched
1. MASH
2. 24
3. Bonanza
4. Sports Center

4 Places I have been most recently
1. Talon's Cove Golf Course
2. Park City Municipal Golf Course
3. Wingpointe Golf Course
4. Willow Creek Country Club

4 people who e-mail me regularly
1. Gordon Lambert
2. Mitt Romney
3. Ron Beach
4. RaKell Gardner

4 Favorite Foods
1. Barbecued hamburgers
2. Fresh Lobster
3. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich with potato chips
4. Cottage Cheese with my Mom's French dressing

4 Places I would like to visit
1. The Holy Land
2. New Zealand and Australia
3. Old Course St. Andrews, Scotland
4. Outer Space

4 Things I look forward to this coming year
1. At least two new grandchildren
2. A family reunion at a cabin
3. An undefeated BYU football team (or just beating Utah!)
4. A hole in ONE!

Salt Lake Temple

Another Lifer!

On Saturday, the 26th of July, our little Liberty Park Branch was assigned to the Salt Lake Temple for Baptisms. Grandpa Dennis decided to invite our three oldest grandkids because we blinked and the next thing we knew Gunnar, Jessica and Sabrina have become teenagers! We always enjoy spending time with them and we hoped they would be able to experience the beauty and spirit of the Salt Lake Temple. Their grandpa was able to baptize them (in spanish, no less). Since it was Sabrina 's first time, Kim came as well. Pretty quick, our Branch called on her for her musical ability. The whole experience was glorious to me. I love the strength I am seeing exhibited by these young adults, Gunnar, Sabrina and Jessica! Thanks for going guys!! We love you so much!!

Visit Down Memory Lane!

Little me wearing the dress Grandma made, holding the flowers from her garden!!!!

Last week Den and I took a short trip down south to St. George to retrieve our wave runners. We stayed only two nights and were fortunate enough to see two plays at the Tuachaun Theater- "Les Miserables" and "Sound of Music". Excellent! (by the way). My grandparents lived in Washington, a small town adjacent to St. George, while I attended Dixie College. Naturally, I visited them often. My grandma always welcomed me and my friends with a yummy meal and a strong hug for me and each one of my friends.
So while we were in the vicinity,Den and I drove over to their home, which is still standing, thank goodness, and floods of memories poured into my heart. Children often have some similarities to their parents, but in my case, I seem to have received an abundance of my grandma's dna. As far back as I can remember, my Grandma loved to garden, cook, sew, decorate her home, take lots of pictures, (sound familiar?)wrote daily in journal, created mountains of scrapbooks, cried easily, laughed even more, adored her husband and two children. And every night, she took out her teeth and put them in a jar in the bathroom. As a child and a youth, I noticed every time I walked into her home, she had redecorated a room! When I would get to stay with her for a few days, Grandma would sew a dress for me, she and I would work in the garden together and she always made oatmeal raisin cookies and rice pudding! I remember one summer, she and grandpa built me a playhouse. Grandma made furniture and sewed curtains. (I can still see the pattern on the curtains) My grandpa even put in a sink and cabinets for my plastic dishes! Grandpa always had a tire hanging in the tree for me to swing on! My memories of my Grandpa are always whistling, always cheerful, white overalls with paint splattered all over! My Grandpa was a Painter and painted up until the day he died. He always kissed my forehead and told me he loved me! I felt that kiss the night Telisa was born. My grandpa died the day before Telisa was born. (Did I tell you my Grandpa had red hair?)My grandma died while we were on our mission in Mexico. I wish my children could of known them, so my point for this post is to give them a little insight into their lives. I miss them, but am forever grateful for their legacy and love. Thank you Grandma Verna Louisa Smith and Grandpa Heber Parley Smith

Tagged!

1. 4 random things I like about my husband

-His ability to fix anything around the house.
-His desire to help his children.
-His passion to share the gospel.
-When he gives me a compliment or a gift.

2. 4 jobs I have had

-Clerk at a Toy Store
-Legal Secretary
-Home Decorator
-Photographer

3. 4 movies I've watched more than once

-Pride and Prejudice
-The Kid
-Apollo 13
-All the old Musicals!

4. 4 places I've lived

-Glendale, California
-La Canada, California
-Mexico City, Mexico
-Salt Lake City, Utah

5. 4 TV shows I've watched

-Alias
-24
-Dancing With The Stars
-American Idol

6. 4 places I have been recently

-St. George, Utah
-Argentina
-Guatemala
-my kids' homes

7. 4 people that e-mail me regularly

-Telisa
-Kim
-Tiffany
-Jan Booth

8. 4 favorite foods

-desserts with chocolate and caramel
-Chinese food
-Cafe Rio's pork burrito enchilada style, black beans, mild!
-Good Salmon dishes

9. 4 places I would like to visit

-anywhere WITH my family
-Prince Edward Island
-North Carolina
-New England states in the fall

10. 4 things I am looking forward to this year

-two new healthy grandchildren
-becoming a better photographer
-family reunion
-girls trip

11. 4 people I tag
-Stephanie
-Mikel
-Dennis
-Sarah (Telisa's friend)

July Birthdays!!

Sabrina Leigh!!

Ten Reasons Why I Love Sabrina Leigh!!

1. Her desire to learn all things good and praiseworthy
2. The way she cares for her younger sisters and cousins
3. Her sense of style and grace!
4. Her intellect!
5. Her athletic ability!
6. Her musical talent!
7. Her creativity, especially with photography!!!
8. Her love and devotion to her wonderful parents!!
9. Her beauty on the inside and out!
10. Her spirituality!

Tristen Marie!!

Ten Reasons Why I Love Tristen Marie!!

1. Her tenderness when someone is hurting.
2. Her awesome listening skills!
3. Her incredible cooking abilities!
4. Her quick sense of humor, especially movie quoting skills!!
5. Her dark exotic brown eyes!
6. Her testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
7. Her intelligence!!
8. Her affection with her husband!
9. Giving me three (almost four) beautiful, adorable, incredible grandchildren!!!
10. Her unselfish loving skills as a mother, wife, sister, daughter!

Kourtney Marie!!

Ten Reasons Why I Love Kourtney Marie!!

1. Her dependability!
2. Her good conversation !
3. Her giggle!
4. Her bright sparkle!
5. Her neatness!
6. Her love for reading!
7. Her desire to do what is right!
8. Her thirst for knowledge!
9. Her love for all God's creatures from snails to bears!
10.Her genuine love for her family!!

The Finale Clip!

American Idol Concert 2008!!

David Archuleta Groupies!! (GRANNIES)

After the last performance of Idol this season, and David C took the number one spot, the tickets for the concert went on sale. I checked it out the next morning, the tickets were too expensive and were mostly sold out leaving only the bad seats left, which is what I should be accustomed to since every concert I have ever been to has been in the nose bleed section! However fast forward to Thursday night, I was giving my pantry a thorough disinfecting and scrubbing (due to a flood in our bathroom above it-that's another yucky story!!?), when a commercial came on and said they had more tickets available for American Idol. I thought, what the heck! I know the seats will be horrible, but it will be fun for Den and I just to be in the room and listen to the music. I bought some tickets on line, much cheaper than before and told Dennis. He was mildly thrilled. That's an understatement. A few days later, he said, I don't really want to go, why don't you call Nancy (my BFF) and I will hang out with Rulon while you are gone. I told Nancy when I called, that they will most assuredly be horrible seats. Her response was, that doesn't even matter, it will just be so fun to be there! So last night, I picked up Nancy, dropped Dennis off, Nancy and I went to dinner not forgetting our binoculars of course, camera and away we went to the E-Center!
Much to our surprise and amazement, we were seated on row 7 from the stage, right in the middle!! We kept looking at each other in shock as they took us closer and closer to the front! How did that happen? We watched as several other people were moved because they thought they had those seats only to find out, they were wrong. We fully expected that to happen, but it didn't! The second picture is us standing in front of the stage just before the show started. I seriously think we were in shock( I keep using that word, but it still applies), not believing we were there. Then we wished with all our hearts that we could of afforded to bring all our daughters and grand daughters! I did take a few videos which I will get to work on uploading to my blog. Look for them!

Chikezie, Ramiele

It all began with Chikezie, number 10, and then went down to David Cook. Each artist sang three songs, David A sang 4 songs and David C sang 5. There were two group songs, one just before intermission with the Chikezie, Ramiele, Michael, Kristy Lee, Carly and Brooke, and then the finale was with all ten singers!!

Michael, Kristy Lee (for Gunnar) and Carly

Michael gave me chills with "We Will Rock You" !! Kristy touched our hearts with "I Am Proud To Be An American"! Carly sang a terrific version of "I Drove All Night" Celine would be proud or jeolous!

Brooke, Jason and Syesha

All the Idols performed better than they did on TV especially Jason! They showed a great comradery for each other. Brooke commented after her first song " This is the place, right?" She also thanked Utah profusely for all their votes! She knows much of her fan base was here.

The man of the hour! DAVID ARCHULETA

I have to say, he melted our hearts with his rendention of "When You Say You Love Me". He got very emotional, which of course, made us cry!! The audience brought the house down. I may never recover my complete hearing!

For Tara!! DAVID COOK

Great Intertainer!!!

Concert over!

We are still in shock!! Did this really happen? The only thing that would of made it perfect is if all our girls were with us!!

More Birthday photos

June 19th and June 22nd
the month of the never ending birthdays!!
Happy Birthday Dennis, Travis and Kathryn!!

4th of July Breakfast 2008

Many years ago, our friends, Bette and Marilyn, had all of us over for Breakfast every 4th of July!! The kids loved it. When that tradition subsided, there was murmuring amongst the troupes, so we started having our own. This year we extended invitations to our kids in-laws and Travis invited an old friend from High School who happened to be in town, Eric Robinson and his family. (he has 6 daughters!) Greatly missed were Clay, Telisa and Bodie, Kim who was ill, Chad and Steve (both working), Stephanie, Jason, Jack, Dave, Mikel and Lilly! After we stuffed ourselves with homemade Egg Mc Muffins (aka Lake Powell Special), Hash Browns, Fresh Fruit, Turkey Sausage, Yogurt & Granola, Bran Muffins and 3 1/2 Cinnamon Rolls each!, we played in the water, and by we, I mean the kids and the dads, Tara invited us all over to the Sansoms to swim. We actually wore out the kids, some of them fell asleep before they even went home! Speaking of worn out--Den and I crashed when it was all over, we could hear the fireworks from our bed, but we were too tired (old) to do anything about it!! Happy Independence Day everyone! We are truly blessed to be Americans and enjoy the freedoms we have!!

The Pledge of Alligence

Breakfast in Red, White and Blue!