Not All Immigrants Are Criminal!

 

So far the month of June has been an emotional one. First with my dear friend passing away and now with all the ICE raids going on in LA and spreading around the whole country. Because of this chaos I haven’t felt the need to post or share anything adventurous so instead I’ve been sharing the passion that I have for my heritage and POC and for what’s happening in the world on my Instagram stories in hopes that those who think the opposite, will have some compassion instead and try to understand why this is wrong.

In Memory of Marielle.

On June 1st, the day of my daughters first wedding anniversary, one of my sweetest and dearest friends passed away. It was a bittersweet moment as we did the four hour drive to and from Boston on the same day. It was raining but somehow the rain seemed so fitting for a funeral. I was so happy that we made it and that we met the rest of Eddie and Barbara's family. Everyone gave the most beautiful talks of memory about their mother. Every pew in the chapel was filled to capacity. Marielle was surely loved and a legend! Oh the things she accomplished while she was living.

A Sweet Little Birthday Celebration!

My momentum in blogging has gone downhill and as I was scrolling though my phone importing photos and deleting duplicates man have I left out a lot of the past two years! I really want to get back into writing and blogging. I sure do miss it at times. Since we had Trent's 8th birthday party last week I decided to post about his birthday last year. We have totally adopted this kid as my second kid and Noah's "little bro." Noah didn't make it to his party last year. He was at a campout but luckily both my girls were here and since his party fell the day after Lexie and Hyrum got married they decided to come. 

It's Great To Be 8!

We first met Rachel and Trent when he was a just a little baby and last week we celebrated his 8th birthday celebration. It seems like yesterday he had his 7th birthday celebration. Time certainly does fly and this year Noah was able to make it. He had so much fun playing with him and the other kids. He definitely was the "big brother" of the group. They all played tag, and Noah constantly was going Trent piggyback rides. Trent is an only child and Noah is the only boy so they are lucky to have each other. They both long for brothers and having Hyrum as a brother in law and Trent as a "little bro" makes Noah happy. It was such a beautiful day and the weather turned out nice. Such a fun space for kids to hang out and play and be themselves running around free in the courtyard. These kids need to stop growing!

Strawberry Picking!

Summer is just around the corner which means that farms are opening up and the time to go picking is upon us. My friend Sandy and I woke up early last Thursday and were among the first to go strawberry picking. And let me tell you after days of rain picking strawberries was the perfect time. Although the field was wet and a bit muddy we were lucky to have had an area where all the strawberries were vibrant, juicy and huge! We picked a ton and later that evening Sandy made strawberry shortcakes for the gathering we were having and it was delicious! I'm so happy she invited me because I sure miss going picking with my kids. All my girls are adults now and Noah is almost 16 and most likely he will come if I ask him but he's not a huge fan of strawberries anymore. He loves apple picking in the fall but when it comes to summer picking he'd rather go to the beach! 

Scenes from Memorial Day!

Snippets of Memorial Day weekend included going to Grants tomb for the hundredth time, a walk down Riverside park, enjoying the somewhat less crowds in the city and topping it off with our fave from Wafels & Dinges. It was a beautiful spring day honoring those who have fought for our country and still continue to fight! Thankful! 

My Firstborn is 3O y'all!

How in the heck did this happen and where in the heck did the time go! My oldest daughter Sierra turned 30 a couple of weeks and I'm still in shock! I feel as if she was born yesterday and that I am still mothering her. One thing I have learned all these years that she has been away from me is that the worrying for any of my kids never ends. That the mothering will never stop. And that giving advice will always continue. However, I am proud of how Sierra has come so far in her role as a human. She is still that smart cookie and a phenomenal writer. She is the head poetry editor at UVU in Orem and studied so hard this past year to continue her education. She got her associates and hopes to graduate in spring of 2026. I know she will do it and I'm just so dang proud of her as to never giving up. Despite all the obstacles she has faced in her life she managed to lift herself up and continue her education in a field that she loves! She will always be my musical bookworm! Happy 30th sweet Sierra! 

You can read a short story I wrote about her here if you'd like to read!

Mother's Day 2025.

Don't let my smile fool you in these photos. Mothers day this year was...."off." I wasn't myself and in all honesty did not want to get out of bed. I know I shared how I find joy in every hard situation but it's truly not that easy. I heard that the "firsts" are hard. The first birthday without your mom. The first Christmas, first holiday, etc. Yes...is true and painful as hell. But I got up and I went to church and although I wasn't smiling at everyone I made it through and having Jon and Noah comfort me with hugs and kisses is all I needed to make my first Mother's Day without my mama bearable. And a yummy dinner! Thanks babe! Hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day this year especially those who are without their mother. Take good care of yourself! 

A Day with Andie...Owner of And Skin Esthetics!

 

This is Andie and I have known her over 10 years. She was a tween when I first met her. She and my daughter Lexie became great friends when they were young. They are both in their 20's now and even though they went a different direction they still have a nice friendship. I absolutely love that our girls all got along and that I reconnected with her after all these years. She now owns an esthetic store and I was able to see her and catch up! I love that we picked up right where we left off from 2016. She reminds me of Lexie and it felt so nice to have seen Andie. She made my day when I saw her. I miss my girls so much and seeing Andie just fixed the daughter sickness. (Is there even such a word??) 

Anyway, I'm so so proud of her to have built something out of studying something she loved. She's really good at it too. I see her in action in her stories and post on Instagram and highly recommend to follow her if you are in need of skin care. She sells the best products and I have seen the results. At my age I feel as if I have pretty good skin but I should still take better care of it and add more self care into my life! 

So if you're anywhere in the south jersey area particularly in Haddonfield where her cute, cozy little store is please stop by! 

Stranger Things- The First Shadow

 

Last weekend we saw Stranger Things- The First Shadow on broadway and it was jaw dropping, crazy good!!!! I was in awe at all the special effects. Every single actor was in character. Noah was glued to the show and never once made a move! We are big fans of the series and have been wanting to see this since it was announced. We waited for the official opening instead of going to the advanced opening. It was a remarkable show and we would see it again and again! 10/10!!!!

BYU Museum of Art!

For years I have been wanting to go to the byu museum in Prove but always took it for granted. I have dropped off two kids at college and still never made time to go inside. I had other priorities like visiting friends or attending the temple. I finally got to go this year when Lexie graduated and I just thought it was  so cool to have a museum right smack in the middle of campus! The exhibits were amazing! I love Brian Kershisnik's art and this painting called "Nativity" is one of my favorites. This little museum is so inspiring and I am so glad to have seen this enlarged painting in person. The BYU museum quaint, well curated and free!!! I didn't want to take too many pictures but you know me...I did anyway. 

"Pieces of Evidence"

Noah finally received his third collaborated published book called "Pieces of Evidence." He wrote last spring in 8th grade and it took a while to get it printed and published. Noah loves creative writing and told me the night he received it that as much as he didn't mind writing with other authors he'd rather write on his own and publish his own book. Since starting freshman year he's gotten a bit busy and doesn't plan on doing any creative writing right now. His heart is set on school and scouts and his future perhaps architecture. I'm good with that! It was a chill evening announcing all the kids who wrote books. I'm just grateful he got to write for three years while  he was in middle school and that he got published! 

May Has Arrived!

Blossoms are indeed a favorite and feel as if I've been neglecting them in photos. Lately I've just been walking to admire them instead of capturing pictures of every cherry tree in sight. Spring is such a beautiful season and it flies by so fast. There were a few trees in Utah while we were walking around Lexie's neighborhood. The flowers are vibrant but soon they will fall off. I captured a few in Utah and a couple here in our Jersey hood. Noah's allergies were bothering him that day but he was a good sport and he let me take a few photos! 

Class of 2025- BYU!

There's something about a married couple or couples in general who graduate together. I'm so so happy that this day has come for Lexie and Hyrum. They can now stop studying hard (for now) and get a bit of a break from school. I am also filled with gratitude that we were able to fly out and witness their graduation. She is my first in the family to graduate. Neither my husband or I got degrees from a university so you can see why I'm so so happy for them! I captured a few moments from that day. It was long day but a good one. Being with family was so nice. I wish my mom could have been here but I know she's looking down from heaven seeing these two filled with JOY and shouting "WE DID IT!"

Nemours Madison In Delaware!

Over spring break we toured Nemours Mansion in Delaware and it was dreamy! The 77 rooms were filled with such rich history. Noah loved the architecture and his favorite room besides the library was the garage with all the cars! In a garage full of Rolls Royce's who wouldn't want to drool over vintage vehicles! It was a beautiful spring day and after touring the mansion we walked on the grounds. It was so fun and I felt as if I was in an episode of Downton Abbey. So fascinating and not too far from Jersey! I highly recommend coming and the price is right! 

BYU School of Music Presents.....

15 years of violin lessons certainly paid off when Lexie performed with the BYU orchestra for her senior year. She graduates in two weeks and we are so proud of her. I wish we could have been there in person to hear and watch her play but luckily it was streamed live and so we were able to see and zoom in on her. I have missed her playing and man did it feel good hearing her in the orchestra. I have missed my girls music in the home and it's so nice to be able to have heard it even though its online. Oh the nostaglia...if only my kids can play music for me all afternoon long just like they did when they were still living at home. Luckily I have a son at home who plays the guitar and on occasion will play a tune I love! 

Spring is in the air!

Spring is here and the blossoms are in full bloom. The weather is still a bit nippy hence the sweater wearing but walking along the jersey waterfront and along the neighborhood of Hoboken made this day the best! And although he longs to go back to work it sure has been nice having Jon home so that he can hang out with us more during the day. 

Date Night In Dumbo, Brooklyn.

Dumbo in Brooklyn is one of our favorite places to go on a date and man did we have fun on this night! Time out market has so many places to eat and we had some pretty tasty Thai food. It was windy and cold and walked under the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridge until our faces couldn't take the cold wind anymore. We then drove into Manhattan and went to see our "old friend" which is our new favorite photo booth to take goofy photos because that's what you do inside these photo booths! Even with a fractured arm...it was the perfect date night! 

March Recap!

Here we are on the last day of March attempting to catch up on a months worth of living. I've been unmotivated to blog online and when I tell myself I'm done and am only going to handwrite in my journal, here I am hopping on my old iMac from 2011 trying to play catch up. So here we go...

Moulin Rouge On Valentine's Weekend!

 

Here we are on the last day of February and I'm glad! I can tell spring is upon us and I am so excited for it! Valentines day this month was the best and I'm so happy that I spent it on broadway watching Moulin Rouge with my love. It was amazing and everything about the show was exquisite. The costumes, the set, and the scraps of songs that were sung were awesome! The show was very similar to the movie with Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman. I would see both again and again. Loved every minute of valentines weekend and hope that y'all had a nice long February! 

Our Town On Broadway.

So ironic we saw this play the day before the L.A. fires started. Thornton Wilder's OUR TOWN n on Broadway was beautiful and it was so fitting with what had happened that week. It totally made me realize how fleeting and precious life is. To never take people or life for granted. To take care of each other as a community the way that L.A. did with all the essential workers and volunteers helping out. I read so many stories where people were so giving as to donating their time, money, and items for those who lost everything! So many people lost their homes and the photos I saw online looked like something our of an  apocalypse movie! I'm sure there were a lot of bittersweet moments for those people who lost so much and I'm so grateful to have seen this show before it closed. It was a huge reminder for me to appreciate all that we have and to be there for those no matter who they are or where they come from. 

**I also have to add that Jim Parsons did a magnificent job in his role. It was a pleasure to have met him after the show too...

A Love Letter To The Jersey Shore...

Dear Jersey Shore, 

You certainly keep our family sane during the winter months and I'm so happy we are still here. To hear the waves crashing while standing or walking along the shore is a blessing for our mental health. For my mental health. You know how to deliver the sounds of the beach. Walking on the sand is a soft reminder that life is good. A sign that spring is not too far off. I love the sounds of the seagulls when it's quiet. I love it when you're empty and only a single soul is on the beach with us playing with their dog. Oh how I love that. 

Winter!

On January 21st, we woke ups to 7 degree temps and for that entire week we had the most frigid temperatures since 2014!! It hasn't snowed or been cold in almost 10 years and I wasn't here for it! I stayed indoors and the only reason I went out is to take Noah to and from school and that's it! As I get older I'm not big on cold weather except when I'm having a hot flash. (that's the only time I'll thank menopause) but it is nice to see the first snow of the season fall onto the ground. I do miss those days when my kids were were little when we'd go out and play in the snow. Noah does have a soft spot for winter still and even though we don't ski or snowboard he does like the snow. I personally would love to have learned to ski but at my age I'm afraid I'll twist an ankle with how my joints are. Not that I'm old but man did I feel stiff during that frigid cold week we had! 

20 & 25 IN 2025!!

All is have to say is that time flies and now all my girls are in their 20's!!! It's hard to believe that my baby girl turned 20 last week and Lexie turned 25! It's surreal and I'm so happy they are both living in the same town going to the same school and living a good life. They surely are surviving the things of the world that is thrown at them in todays generation! I pray for them everyday and wish them a wonderful semester in school this year! This will be Lexie's final semester and then she will graduate this spring!! Can't wait! Happy birthday to my two beautiful girls!

The Day I Took The Tree Down.

The day Chelsea flew back to Utah was the day I took the tree down and I wasn't even sad. I have to say I was relieved and glad that I made it through my first Christmas without my mom. I was glad to have taken  the tree out on New Years day. The branches were starting to snap in half anyway and there were so many pine needles on the floor. I was ready to get rid of it but sad that my daughter left. It's bittersweet you know. I know with time it'll get easier but I will always miss my mom during the holidays. I will always be 50 percent sad and 50 percent happy until the day I die. I am grateful that in spite of my feelings of not caring to put up a tree that I did. 

Romeo & Juliet On Broadway!

Romeo and Juliet for Chelsea's Christmas/birthday that is coming up in 14 days! She was sooooo excited that I got tickets for us to see this. It was riveting and beautiful and oh my gosh I could watch it again. It ends in February after valentines day so if you're in the city go see it! After the show we walked around Times Square and walked through the holiday village where we found a shop that sold ate 30 dollars worth of tongula. This candy coated fruit was delish! It began to snow a bit and the flurries were falling so gently. We walked toward radio city and captured pics in front of these huge iconic red ornaments! Christmas time in the city never gets old and walking to see all the ornaments on this side of Manhattan is always the best!

Happy 2025!

 

Happy 2025. Hope this year is more gentler and kinder to us.