It's My Party!

Bruce & I at the end of a great night...Don't we look fresh!

I don't know how to get that dang date stamp off my photos. It's so irritating! But, check us out!
Turning 32 was absolutely fabulous, AS IT SHOULD BE! I'd been planning my birthday outfit for weeks. I had this vision in my mind of how I wanted it to be. The thing is that I knew we would be doing karaoke. I've been planning that too. I love singing all the classic rock chic songs. Janis Joplin, Pat Benatar, Bonnie Tyler, Blondie.....So, I had to look like a rock star! I wore my skinny jeans...of course everything held in tight with my SPANX. I found this fabulous shirt at TJ Maxx. Got some great jewelry. Lots of make-up. It came down to Friday, I picked up the babysitter and we went to the shoe store to finalize my look. The shoes aren't in the picture. That's a cryin' shame!

We went to dinner a La Rosa Blanca with some friends. You must go to this place! Excellent food and great live music on Friday nights. It was dreamy to have a bunch of Mexican men surround me with guitars and tambourine's and sing their lungs out! Wheww!

After dinner we went to Ruru Lala.....small group but so fun!! Here's a few pics and some video clips(although the video is pretty dark, you can hear us screeching out our songs!)

Felisha & Ashley.....prego power!!
Dan , myself, Georgia and Mary

Jason and Bruce rock the house!


"I Will Survive"....but you might die listening to it!

Memorial Day

Memorial Day 2009 found us once again cemetery hopping.
This tradition was new for me when I married into the Anderson family but has become one of my most treasured ones. I have always had somewhat of an obsession with death, as my loyal readers know. For me there is something so amazing about taking time to honor loved ones past. Partly, I know it's because I fear I will die and be forgotten. It's also because I feel so drawn to my ancestors. I believe that the lives they lived have influenced how I was raised and who I am. When I am down, I often talk to my deceased grandparents. I believe they are busy doing other things now, but I also believe they are aware of me and surround me when I need them to. This year was bittersweet at the cemetery. I had just lost my grandfather. My mother and uncles were in Utah putting him to rest. I was sad that I couldn't be there. I also lamented about my Grandma Boone. I missed putting flowers on her grave last year. I missed her birthday this year. And now, I've missed her death date, June 1, as well. I will go there soon to do that.

As we cleaned the headstones and decorated the graves with flowers, my children listened to stories from Bruce and their Grandma Anderson about the loved ones we were honoring. My mother in law shared a story about her son, lost at 3 years old. About 2 weeks before his passing he said to her that he was going to go be with Heavenly Father. She said to him, "Wow! You must be a really good boy to get to go and be with him." His reply was,"Oh, mommy, I have been." She said he was so excited. Two weeks later he developed a brain bleed and died. I cried as she told my children that story. The thought of losing a child kills me. But, as I heard this part of the story for the first time I couldn't help but be grateful that my kids could hear this from their grandmother. Bruce also shared memories of his grandparents with our kids. We had a great time together. I'm so thankful for the cherished traditions that are not only fun for my family but unify us and are shaping who we are and what we value.