Happy Halloween....

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Bored and lonely....

This week has been busy and lonely. Hubby has been in Wyoming looking for work and hunting for elk. Didn't find either one. Bummer. He did land a temporary job though. I'll post about it later.

Grands have been wonderful (as usual). The Shoopman grands sure enjoyed having Papa there with them for awhile. They had their Primary Program at church yesterday and did an awesome job. Robin is feeling better and Travis is back to his normal activities of doing way too much and working way too hard!

Baylee 'fixing' Papa's hair for church

They have been getting ready for Halloween and painted some pumpkins the other day.

I have to share a funny Taylor story with you. She was playing in the bathroom and knocked something off the counter and it hit her arm. So she ran out and told her mom, "Mom, your house is falling on me!" What a nut! She sure makes a cute Eeyore!

I guess Kolby thought it was too noisy in the truck for his liking.

He had to wear Papa's ear protection!

Queen Kallie working on puzzles in her mom's bed.

The Stuckis have been battling upset tummies and flu bugs at their house. Maybe Papa will have to go visit them and take care of them for awhile. Kallie has been having some pretty funny conversations lately. She has imaginary friends named Woody and Jessie (watch a little Toy Story do we?) and has other 'pretend friends' who live in the dungeon (but it's okay, they like it there!). She was very sad one day and her mom asked her what was the matter. She told her that Jessie didn't want to play with her, and she said, well who said she doesn't want to play with you? and Kallie said, Woody told her that Jessie didn't want to play with her. She was very sad about the whole thing too! Imaginary drama! Oh my!

Tama's the one in the green shirt.

Tama ran a 10K race and did amazing! She was even smiling after it was over! She trained hard and battled an upset tummy all week and STILL managed to run the entire way without walking or stopping! She even had enough energy to sprint at the end! We are very proud of her!

Amber has been pretty sick with swine flu at our house. Sorry, no pictures to share. She would hurt me if I did! She is on the mend now, but still not getting over the cough (She has never had healthy lungs) . She is going back to the dr. today to see about some more meds. It's always something....

Other than that, all is well at our house. I hope my hubby will find a job soon and I REALLY hope it will be one in Arizona! The news is very grim however. I heard on the radio this morning that there are 47,000 (yes THOUSAND) construction workers out of work in Arizona in the last six months. So we just keep on keepin' on and something will turn our way....eventually.

Just wanted to share a random picture. Now WHY would anyone want to play high school football in Wyoming?? This was from a game TWO WEEKS AGO!

They ended up getting 8 inches of snow.

Until next time, keep your face to the sun and bloom where you're planted!

Happy Birthday to The One I Love!!

Last weekend my hubby turned 49 years young.

We have spent almost 31 of those 49 years married to each other. He is my best friend, a wonderful father to our kids, an awesome papa to our grands, and an all around good guy! Our family is soooo blessed to have him! He is my provider, my mechanic, my handyman, my guardian, my landscaper, my bug killer, my mythbustin' trout catchin' scout leadin' Suns watchin' horse ridin' cowboy!

Our grands think the sun rises and sets in their papa. I contend that to be such a great papa, he had to have first been a great dad and he is! We became parents while still teenagers and he has never stopped working to make sure all our needs were met, all our kids were happy, and that we had fun together with our children and now our grands!

He has always worked so hard to make sure our kids had what they needed. Not just material stuff but the real life necessities as well. A loving home with two parents, the assurance that they were loved no matter what, and he instilled in them a good work ethic, and served as an example of what it is to be an good parent. All the good stuff that every child should have.

He honors his priesthood and we have all been blessed by his testimony and faith in our Father in Heaven. He also makes sure to give our grandkids all that same love and example he learned from his parents and more.

He spreads that love and example to his scouts.

He has broad shoulders that bear the weight of all the trials and challenges in our life. All the trials, hardships, fears and challenges we have ever been through, are currently experiencing and that we have yet to endure.

He uses his faith, hard work and determination to get us through whatever we're facing. If every child had a dad and a papa like him the world would be a much better place! Happy Birthday with LOVE!!!

School Days and Field Trips...

This has been a busy week at school for the grands. The Shoopman grands went on a field trip to the farm and were so LUCKY to have Papa there to go with them!

Ready to go! Kolby and Taylor with Papa and....Yes, it is snowing in this picture!

Baylee really enjoyed having Papa there

Makes me cold just seeing Kolby's face like that! Brrrr.....

Baylee had fun driving the tractor

Mommy with Kolby and Taylor

Taylor enjoyed the goats


Poor Kallie was sick most of the week....

So was her mommy....

But she made it to school for the fire truck visit!

Abbie is just too cool! She was quizzing me on spanish words the other day on the phone. Umm...yeah....I don't know much!

On our way home!


School sure wears you out!

Time for a Happier Post

Okay, so my last few posts have been a little down. Too much going on with life and dwelling on the bad. Wade passing, Blaine getting laid off, stressing about kids, worrying in general, etc. You know...the norm.

So...enough of that! It's time to concentrate on the good stuff! I am totally in love with my family and especially with my grands! They are the cutest little people and say some of the funniest things! So, here are some cute pictures, and funny stories from the last few weeks.

Taylor hanging at the park with her mom.


Kolby being all smiles about something...

Kallie playing in shaving cream at OT

Miss Abbie pretending to be Aunt Fannie (Robots-Cute movie...watch it!)

Masiu using the doggie door to go in and out to the back yard! (pay no attention to the food storage buckets!)

All three Shoopman grands on the fake horse at the tack shop. (Like they don't have enough REAL ones to ride....)

Abbie being cute. Note, she is not always so innocent. Her mom overheard her saying something mean to Kallie and called her on it and Abbie replied, "Wow, Mommy! You have really good EARSIGHT" Tama just laughed and forgot what she was getting after her about!

Being bored at the dr. office so they made paper skirts out of the paper on the table. Kallie wore hers all the way home! Later in the day, according to Kallie, she and Abbie played 'cops and Rogers'.

♪ Riding along in our automobile... ♪

On her way to preschool

The princess Kallie

Kallie the magician (She said she looked like a magician with her 'hat' on)

Picasso

See???..... Didn't I TELL you they were cute..... until next time, keep your face to the sunshine and bloom where you're planted!

Ramblings....

I went to a funeral last Friday. A very hard funeral. Our 35-year old nephew died of cancer September 27th. He left behind his wife, an 11-year old daughter and a 7-year old autistic son.
I can't tell you how happy it makes me that this family has a testimony of the gospel and an understanding of the plan of happiness. They KNOW they will see each other again. That's the happy part. The sad part is that he was just too young! It was mentioned several times over the passed week that there must be something big going on on the other side because it seems like Heavenly Father is taking a lot of faithful young fathers away from their families right now.

The funeral was very good. The life sketch shared by his sister was great, the memories shared by his friends were touching, the song sung by his father and other sister was amazing to say the least! And seeing all his nieces and nephews up there singing Families Can Be Together Forever was especially touching.

During the funeral, we were honored to have his son, Bryce, sit with us. Bryce did such a good job! He had a little nap, then recited his a-b-c s. When he got to “I-Iguana” we figured it was time to take him out for a drink and a little walk. He came back and did really good for the remainder of the service. After the closing prayer, he very loudly said, “"AMEN!—What an imagination!" Bryce cracks us up. The innocence of children is so adorable! We have another young nephew that was there. I’m convinced he watches way too many old western movies with his dad though! During the viewing, his dad took him up to the casket to see Uncle Wade. When they returned to their seats, this little cowboy asked his dad “Who shot him?” I guess to a little cowboy like him the only way you can die is if the bad guy shoots you. His dad lovingly explained to him about cancer and that Uncle Wade got very sick and that was how he died. His dad did a great job explaining it all to him.

Sitting there listening to the memories shared by Wade’s family and friends and their stories and love for him during his very short life my thoughts wandered to my own family. I wonder if they really know how much I love them. It always seems to be easier to say unkind things to one another than it is to give a compliment, offer support, or tell them you love them. And that is really sad to me.

So… I want to tell you all, even those of you who don't like me much, that I love you. If I died tomorrow, I would want all of you to know that I love each of you! I'm sorry if I am not the person you think I should be, but I am who I am and I am happy being me. So, I want you each to know that I love you, I’ve always loved you and I will continue to love you. Life’s to short not to.

I’ve been stopping by our niece’s house after work most nights. There is nothing to say or do really, just checking in on her and letting her know we are here if she needs anything and hugging on the kids. Words don’t always ease the pain or loneliness and most times it’s hard to know what to say or do. Sometimes, we just sit. There are moments of quiet and stories and memories, and life lessons are remembered. It’s always hard to leave, I just want to gather them up and bring them home with me. But, she will move on and begin to figure out the ‘new’ normal for her and the kids and they will be fine. After all, they have the best guardian angel watching over them!!