This is why I was in Utah - 'nuff said!'

Happy Birthday to Me!

I had the nicest birthday ever. I had awakened in the morning with a firm conviction that this would be a great day - 50 or not! I had a regular day with rehearsals and shopping for food, etc. I had people facebooking me happy birthday. I got phone calls and text messages all day from family and friends. I just felt so great. It's amazing how just a few kinds words during the day just energized me. A good lesson learned I think!

As I was walking out the door in the morning I was talking to my sis - Jayne - and telling her that the perfect day would be watching HSM3 but that I was forbidden to buy it so I couldn't watch it. Paul and I went to breakfast and his first present appeared on the table - HSM3! So any moment I was home I had it on!

As we sat down to dinner, another gift arrived at the table. It was a shirt that said 'I've done + the mathe = I'm Old! and a tiara that lit up. Yes, I wore it proudly for the evening. Pics to follow. Paul, Alli, Nic, and I made a scrumptious dinner with one of the best salads I have ever made - I'm pretty sure it was the feta cheese. We had bread with olive oil and toasted garlic, Rib Eye steak, and jumbo shrimp - boiled to perfection. I ate way too many of those! mmmmmmmmmmm!

Then onto present opening. I got a book with fifty things to do for your 50th year of life. They are funny, poignant, and interesting. It should be a good read! (I did have to buy new reading glasses today so I could see it better - I can't keep track of the 3 pair I already have!)

Then I got a gift bag with a note that Paul had worded very carefully. It was all about 'fun' and 'don't take this personally' 'it's intended to be fun'. I LOVED it! It was a bag with wrinkle creams, hair dye, lotions for old skin, reading glasses, etc. This will be used a lot and I took it how it was intended.

The next gift Paul had written in yet another card about all of the things that happened in the year 1959. Like Alaska and Hawaii became states. Like it is Simon Cowells year of birth. The first astronauts were introduced. And the list went on. The end of the list was that the best thing that happened that year was that Suzanne Jensen was born! The gift that followed was a bag full of movies released in 1959 and some fantastic cd's released in 1959. Like Porgy and Bess. Some Like It Hot. Sleeping Beauty and many more! Loved it!

Then Alli gave me the gift from the kids. They had a book published from shutterfly. Each of them took two pages and filled it with pictures of them and their families and a top ten list of why they love me! I laughed and cried and felt so humbled to be their mom! The pictures are priceless and the lists so kind.

The next event was a survey that Paul had sent out to each of the kids and inlaw kids. There were six questions for them to answer. For instance: What's the dumbest thing you've ever seen mom/zan do? Answers ranged from 'watching her try to do DDR' to 'attempting the worm'. Funniest thing I've seen mom do? Answers included 'Being thrown 12 feet in the air as she flipped her four wheeler and she broke her elbow. I tried not to laugh but it was really funny! to 'nuggie pants'! They were asked their favorite things about me. 'Best friend' 'Love for life' devotion to family' 'selfless' 'passion for life' etc. I would never have put those words to me so that was really sweet. Happiest I ever saw mom? It ranged from 'when she has a diet coke' to 'when she is looking at Dad'. There were just lots of answers. I had to guess who said each one. Paul had written up a survey for the four of us that were there to write down our answers. He emailed all of the kids the same thing of course, without answers. It was fun to see who said what and I actually guessed lots of them right! That was so thoughtful and I know it time away from everyones busy lives. Thank you thank you thank you! It was soooooooo fun to read.

The next gift - accompanied by a card of course - was a custom made mothers ring. Paul had gone to Main Street jewelers and had them make up a white gold band and had each of the kids birthstones put in them. It's beautiful and stunning. And sooooo unexpected. Here are the birthstones: diamond, amethyst,topaz, sapphire, and ruby. I will cherish this ring forever.

And the final gift - if you can believe there was more and it was accompanied by a card - read something along the lines of "Turning 50 is memorable and happens once in a lifetime. So I thought I should get you a once in a lifetime gift" I almost didn't want to open it. It was exciting! I made a few guesses. It was a trip. Not just any trip. A trip to go to NYC for the first week in September. Why in September you may ask? BECAUSE ITS THE US OPEN! He got us a package to spend the week at Flushing Meadows to watch the us open! Holy Smokes! Wow. I just can't even come up with the adjectives to express how excited I am! Also tickets to Mary Poppins and one of my super favs, West Side Story!

I know I got lots of gifts but truly the thought that went into each gift was so touching. Thank you to my beautiful family - my children, in-law kids, my sweet grandbabies, and last but certainly not least - the orchestrator of all of this, my best friend and hubby, Paul! I love all of you and can't express how grateful I feel for each one of you. You made me see that even thru some tough times of being married and of raising kids, the payoff is now! We get it as a family. Loves wins every time!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I Have One Great Ward!

Last night we had a Sweetheart's Dinner at our ward. Ladies from the Relief Society were asked to set a nice table with their best dishes. We had enough for 8 tables and ended up with 10 tables set because we had so many people show up. Members brought their friends and neighbors. It was decorated just so nice and it made you feel like you were in a nice restaurant. The food was delicious - there was a Chinese theme for the evening. We had egg drop soup, schezwan wraps, chicken chowmein, beef and broccoli, house fried rice, homemade key lime pie, and homemade angel food cake. My quartet sang - E.Q. - and they all came with their spouses!

Now the food and decor was lovely but the people are what made the evening. Here's a shout out to April, Tiffany, and Rachel for all they did. Thanks for letting me be a part of the evening! And to my ward family - I love you all! You make our ward a wonderful place to worship and fellowship!

Enough about poo!

This is the new Amy Butler patterns that I have discovered. I spent an eternity in the Hawaiian fabric store buying and looking at fabrics. Sorry Paul! I brought home about 25 yards of fabric. This bag is really sturdy - it's interfaced and I also used fusible fleece for extra padding and heaviness. Love it! Afterall, what's there not to love about a new bag!

This is a picture of a Tiki that was carved for us that we shipped home from Hawaii! A word to the wise - always check the prices of shipping before you commit to buying something in Hawaii! However, it was worth every penny of it. Paul just wanted a tiki to set on a rock by our pool. Maybe it will replace the owl that the birds sit on! The man who made it for us was probably late 20's and was a fourth generation carver. He would sit on the floor with the wood between his feet and just carve away. This tiki represent luck and happiness. It's a unique piece as it's multi colored and it has two 'trunks' coming out of the top which made it much more fun for the guy to carve. He recognized us from going to church so that was an added bonus that he's LDS. Can't wait to get it out on a rock! We got the surnames of all of our family carved into the back as well. And yes, the boys who share our last name got their own line with Stewart on it!

Walmart bathrooms.

I've sworn them off forever. Now mind you, I try hard not to have to use public bathrooms. It just seems un-natural to have women lined up next to each other with a half wall between them........... However, I had to go to Walmart to exchange something and when I got there the diet coke that I'm not supposed to be drinking and that I have sworn off but apparently only half-heartedly decided that it was indeed a diuretic. So I walk into the bathroom and the stalls were full but besides that I looked down at the floor and in front of the sink was a womens - full size women's - pair of undies in front of the sink full of poo! And there were many paper towels in the same disrepair next to them. Who is poo-ing and leaving their undies on the floor? At least put them in the garbage can. How about you just leave the store next time and take care of things at home. And who were the women who were in the stalls as if nothing was going on in there? Sufficeth it to say, my gag reflex kicked in - I gagged and walked - no, ran out..............Honestly, what is the matter with people these days?

Sewing projects!

While we were in Hawaii I visited two fabric stores that specialize in Hawaiian fabrics. I bought some to make me, Andi, and Reece matching mu mu's for the summer. Not sure I spelled that correctly! However, in the process I found a new designer named Amy Butler. She has patterns and fabrics for really great purses, baby bags, etc. She also has a line of clothing, bedding, toys, etc for 0 - 12 month olds. I made this up today for Reece. A little kimono p.j. set! I loved how it turned out and can't wait to make other things from her line.

Hawaii 2009!

Me and my sweetie celebrating 30 years of happily married bliss!

This is the Iao Needle. The King was trying to take over the island of Maui so that all of the islands would be united as one. So he sent his warriors to the top of this peak (how? I could not even imagine!) to watch for attacks from the people of the island that didn't want to unite. We had a nice hike to see this and many other beautiful sites that day.

This is just one of the many many beautiful sunsets we were privileged to see. We made sure that each night by 5:30 we were somewhere on the island that we could see the sun set. Every night was a testimony to God's creations. We also saw whale after whale jumping out of the water. Lots of moms and babies............quite remarkable!

I was hiking in front of Paul and pulled out my camera and shot him backwards. He was apparantly enjoying the hike! Smiling. We were at some falls above the Seven Sacred Pools. An amazing hike. The road to get there took 2 1/2 hours and 2 of that was spent on 30 miles! It is a road that has 300 curves - like hairpin curves - and 62 some odd one lane bridges. These are bridges that I am certain were built by Christopher Columbus. It was one scary drive! No wiggle room at all. Just a cliff on one side and a rock wall carved out of the other side! There was a lot of jungle as well. It was stunningly beautiful! The road to Hana is one incredible memory!

This is Paul and I during our first week there! Yay!

You know we have decided that two weeks away is just about right. It gives Paul a chance to really relax and let down. Thank you Paul for a most memorable trip! I will never ever forget your generosity and kindness and love towards me! Here's to the next 30!

This may gross you out but ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

Aloha! We are back and I will try to post some pictures in the next few days. However when we got home last night we had a wonderful night with Alli and Nic. Lots of good food and hot tubbing. Love them! But then just as they were leaving we let the dogs in. Chaska, a girl, ran over to Paul and I'm looking at my floors and there is blood drops all over the floor. Paul checks her paws. Nothing. And he checks her over as best he can. Nothing. She doesn't act like she is hurting or anything. She is sitting and so when she gets up we can see some blood. So we are thinking that she must have scraped her tail or something. WRONGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chaska is so having a period! Are you kidding me? I have never had a girl dog that wasn't fixed. I had no idea that they could have periods. I'm just so seriously grossed out! So I'm calling the vet in a few minutes to set up getting her fixed. EEEEEEWWWWWWWWW................