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!