EASTER

Joel flew out this morning, to help his sick Mom who is in the Eisenhower Hospital in Palm Springs, CA. She is hoping to come home to Provo later in the week. She has congestive heart failure and is going down hill fast. I have been coughing up a storm for a few days now. I thought that I better get to the doctor, as our insurance ends at the end of this month, due to the layoff.

Diagnosis: pneumonia of all things! I don't have time for this! I must admit I really don't feel too good right now. It really hurts to cough...... Maybe I will get lucky and loose some more weight. I lost ten pounds with my hand surgery. It was really hard to get out of bed (we have a bed that you almost need to pole vault to get on it.) I didn't have the strength to go to the fridge, plus there was not COKE in the house, and no one in the family would bring me any. One day I did beg my sweet friend Kathi to bring me some. Did it ever taste good! Illness or stress is a great diet.

I missed out on all of the Easter fun yesterday @Jenny's house. I laid in her bed coughing. We did have an egg hunt, and a really good ham dinner, which didn't taste that good to me since I was not feeling well. Anyway here are some pictures:

By the way: Where did that blond headed kid come from? (Olivia)

George Bush's WAR

It's the five year anniversary of the start of this helpless war, and as a nation, the death toll is almost to 4000,00 lives. Dick Cheney was interviewed on tv, and was told about 65 % of the nation no longer supports the war. His reply: "SO". So? How far removed is that? What does he care. Soon he will be fly fishing all summer in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. That is how he spend last summer......

You Utah Republicans: if you vote for McCain, you are voting for a never ending war, and more of the same as now. McCain is nothing more than a clone of George.
I Know. the only good Mormon is a Republican Mormon, or so I was told...

Gas for my diesel Jetta is now close to $4.00 a gallon. I thought it was bad when it went to $3.00. Do you think the present administration cares about that? I don't think so.

Remember the fallen soldiers when you vote in November.

Picture is the flags flying at the American Fork Cemetery for the funeral for Nathan Barnes, who died serving his country.

March updates

Well, the month got off to a great start when Joel was laid off from his job at XanGo. About 55 others were let go too. We got rest of the month's pay, plus severance. It will be OK--Joel always lands on his feet. He and his friend are going to open up a small car lot somewhere........

I got the release from my hand doctor this month. I can resume my normal activities' whatever that is! That means I pick Jayda up from school, watch the noon news, surf the internet for food recipes, take an afternoon nap, let the dog out, talk on the phone, check my email, and then maybe fix dinner.

My dad, Donald Rasmussen, found out that he has cancer of the lower jaw. He underwent 9 1/2 hours of surgery on Friday, March 7th. The doctor removed his lower jaw and took out some lymph nodes. They could not do any more surgery, such as reconstruct his jaw, because his cardiac doctor would not OK him to be in surgery longer than 8 hours. We pray for him everyday and hope that he recovers soon. Our family went to St. George this past weekend (13th to 15th) to see him. He is swollen, and will never be able to chew again, as his jaw is forever gone. We wish him all the luck in the world, and I know he will be up and going soon.


Today is St. Patty's Day--remember: KISS ME, I'M IRISH.

More Family/Funeral Pictures

Sharon and Randee----related in marriage--some people think we are sisters.
Carrie, Joel , Jenny with Becky
Becky and granddaughter Carrie
Becky and Brice Cornaby

Randee and David Murphy

Glen, Audrey and Dave

Murphy siblings:

Joel, Phil. Gayle, Dave and Robert with Mom

Becky's grandchildren:

Matt, Carrie and Alan

Ashel Robison with my girls, Natalie, Jenny and the back of Ashleigh

Growing like a weed

Brady is growing up so fast, he looks different every time I see him.

Brady's Blessing

Miriam and Mitch laughing it up.....again.

Olivia, BRADY and JenBrady was blessed on Sunday, March 1, 2008. It was a wonderful day, and most of our family was there. There was food galore, and lots of fun and laughter. I didn't take very many pictures, as I was too busy talking and watching Mitch and Miriam laugh their guts out. Something funny happened at church and I never did get all of the story, but I guess it was a good one.

The girls with grandpa Andy

The Road Trip

We had an adventure in February. Some of us in our family went on a "hurried trip" to Palm Springs and Long Beach California for the funeral of our beloved Uncle Garland Sutton. We went in Jenny's van, with the following: Joel, Sharon, Jenny, Jayda, Randy, Ashleigh and baby Brady. We stopped in St. George. on Friday night, and stayed in motels and some of us stayed with my Dad and Martha. We got up the next day and went to Palm Springs for the weekend. Natalie got a buddy pass and flew into Palm Springs on Friday night--since we all could not fit in the van....... We arrived to great weather, but we brought a lot of confusion with us--to many people for a starter. Randy planned on flying out on Sunday so he could get to work on Monday. Randy could not get a flight out of Palm Springs at all. So he decided to try to fly out of Long Beach on Monday. The caravan of cars left early Monday morning for the funeral. Randy could not get out of the Long Beach airport either. With a buddy pass--you fly "stand by". So Randy went to the funeral and met some more of our interesting family.

The funeral was very nice, and Aunt Becky was really sad. Her and Garland had been living together at the local care center. It was a long day for her, and Grandma Loneta came to the funeral also, and it was a long day for her, as both her and Becky are in wheel chairs, and their health if questionable.

Family came from all over, and Garland had a good send off. We will really miss him, as he was always there for us, and came to all of our family celebrations--all the way from California for weddings, funerals, more weddings and more funerals. They are the best.

By the time Monday night rolled around, everyone was exhausted. Natalie, Jenny and Randy were dropped off at the airport to fly home. Ashleigh started crying, she wanted to go home too, but were driving the van home. Natalie and Jayda were crying and Joel had asthma and was coughing his head off. I read a really good novel about Marilyn Monroe the whole trip and just sort of ignored it all. I was still recovering from my hand surgery, so I was kind of miserable at times also. Dave referred to the trip as a FIASCO, and he was glad to see us leave. Here are some of the pictures from that trip.

What were we thinking?.......

In January, Joel and I had same day surgery during the same week. Joel had hernia surgery, and a few days later, I had thumb reconstuction for basil joint arthritis. Joel's surgery went well, but when the doctor got down to businesss, he found another hernia, so he had double surgery. My surgery was fast and I had a great doctor. He took a tendon out of my left arm and reconstructioned the thumb joint with the tendon. I came home with a soft cast, and was bed-ridden for a while--on great pain pills, etc. Two weeks after that, the doctor put on a hard cast, and I wore that one for two more weeks. Now I am in physical therapy, with an acrylic splint on my hand. I have to be real careful for a few more months, so the joint can heal properly. In other words, I can't do anything with my left hand. Joel has been nice to keep the kitchen clean, does the dishes, and attend to my needs. Thank goodness it is over, but sometime I need to get the other hand done. Not looking forward to that one.

2007--the end

So glad that this year is over. The latter part of the year was ruined because of the return of the TERMITES. I was hanging up my fall decor on the front doorway when I noticed a small hole above the doorway--on the inside of the house. I started poking around and LOW AND BEHOLD! those darn things were back for the third time. I just could not believe it. Needless to say our Christmas fund was spent on getting rid of those guys again. Upon this discovery Joel and I decided it was time to move on--literally. We decided that a change was as good as a rest. So he is looking for another job and we are planning on moving--anytime, anywhere---wherever the spirit takes us. In early December we drove to Las Vegas to check out a job offer there--but we were not too excited about the town. The housing market is dead there and there are very good deals to be had, but it was just not for us. Joel is checking out other opportunites in St. George, Utah.

We have lived in the same house for thirty years--can't believe it. We are tired of yard work, or lack of it. Some place with a warmer climate and no yard sounds appealing right now. Our home needs much updating, and we think we will let someone else do it. I refer to our house as "The dump". It will take a few months getting rid of thirty years of keepsakes and clutter, but it has to be done.......and soon.

Ashleigh's Baby Shower!!

November 3rd was the date for Ashleigh's baby shower. Jenny had the party at her home and I helped, along with Natalie helping with the food. Almost everyone came, and there was no more room to stand or sit. She got some very nice gifts, and a great time was had by all attending. We were very glad to see some of the family members that we had seen for a long time.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

There are some very scary folk in these pictures. We all went to Joel's and Ashleigh's work (XanGo) for trick or treat. I was so scary that I made Joel JUMP when he turned around and saw me for the first time. Yes, I am always a witch, but a little more so on Halloween....... The kids got more candy than they knew what to do with. Halloween is always fun and it was really fun this year because we all dressed up. Ashleigh was a black widow spider, in case you could not tell.

150 Anniversary: Mountain Meadows Massacre

In September Joel and I attended the weekend actvities of the 150 anniversary of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. We have always been interested in this event and have read numerous books on the subject. In 2001 we were on a wagon train that travel to Mountain Meadows. During that trip, we were leaving The Herb Young Living Farm in Mona on the morning of 911. We were on our way home when we heard it on the radio. The following weekend we spent in Cove Fort and the next weekend we were at Mountain Meadows. We camped there for the weekend. Our wagon train is the only one to ever camp there since the massacre. We had a church meeting put on by the local ward in Enterprise. After the meeting the flag was raised back to full staff. It was a wonderful experience for everyone. Here are some pictures of the events that took place that weekend of the Memorial Services.