Wednesday

~Goodness, gracious! Life clips along at a pretty quick speed! ~



How is it that time just seems to speed up, the older I get?? 
Before I know it, a day is gone, then a week, then a month, and so forth. 
I never had any intentions of being MIA from blogging so long, but then that time thingy happened, and before I knew it "poof", months had passed by.
Wonderful, amazing, miraculous life has been happening around here.
The above picture is from Waikiki, Hawaii. 
My darling husband and I just returned from a lovely and wonderful trip to Hawaii, to celebrate our 30th anniversary!!
Our amazing kids got together and surprised us with the trip! They paid for and arranged everything! The flights, hotel, excursions, etc... 
All we had to do, is pack a bag. 
We have been so incredibly blessed, and the blessings just keep coming. 
I feel truly humbled by the blessings that have been showered upon us.
A huge blessing is that we are going to be first time grandparents!!!!!!
Yep.. we finally get to join the grandparents club, after waiting for years.
Our darling daughter in law is due in July. This is an older picture, of course.
She is really good to update her pictures, but I don't have an instagram account, and that is how she usually does it.
We got the happy news about becoming grandparents on Christmas day.
The last present that was opened was one that our son gave me. It was a bag, and inside the bag wrapped up in tissue paper was a framed picture of a sonogram.
Instantly, I gasped then started to cry.
I blubberly gave the bag to my hubby, and jumped up and gave our daughter in law a hug.
By this time, she was crying too.
I told her that I had no idea why I was crying, but I suppose it was because I was so happy,
She told me that she didn't know why she was crying either, because she had known for a few weeks!!!
Those stinkers knew that they were expecting when they were here for Thanksgiving, and didn't utter a word.
Anyway... we are over the moon happy about being grandparents!


 Gender reveal party.
Our son and wife called after their checkup to see what the gender was. That was on a Wednesday, and they wouldn't tell us!
They wanted to drive down and have a gender reveal party with the whole family.
So that following Sunday, the whole family met, and we had my daughter in laws family on Skype, and she handed me the knife to cut the cake.
Of course laughter, and squeals of delight followed the cutting into to the cake to reveal that the baby is a boy!!
Just my daughter in law and I had been thinking that the baby would be a boy, everyone else in both families thought that the baby would be a girl.
Yay!!! We can hardly wait to meet this darling boy!!
Now... if they could just pick a name! I keep texting my ideas to then, but so far, none of my name ideas have been chosen.
Our son wants a name that is adventurous like : Indiana Jones, or John McClane... etc.
Naturally, our DIL vettos those names... **giggle**
So, if anyone has any awesome name suggestions, I'd love to hear them!!

 A few more pictures from our recent trip.
All of you that are still waiting for snow to melt and the weather to warm up,~~ you are welcome!
 We stayed in a five star hotel that overlooked the ocean and Waikiki Yacht Club.
Boy, did we ever feel spoiled and la~te~da.
Our kids really spoiled us!
When we left Utah, it was snowy, snowy, and cold.
We had to wait for the plane to be de~iced, before the plane could take off.
You can imagine what a welcome sight blue water, palm trees, sand and sun were for us!

 Sunrise over North Shore.
We made it just in time one morning to see the sun rise over the ocean.
We collected a few pieces of beach glass, coral, and lava rock to take home with us.
I put all of our little 'treasures' on a blue colored glass dish in the living room. A constant reminder of a wonderful and lovely trip,

 The LDS Laie Hawaii temple.
We had wanted to attend a session of the temple while we were in Hawaii, but it wasn't open when we were over on that side of the island.
It sure is beautiful though!

 The view from one of our adventurous days.
Our kids arranged for us to go to Kualoa Ranch, and do a two hour ATV ride.
Kualoa Ranch is the setting for many movies and shows :Jurassic World, Jurassic Park, Godzilla, and 50 First Dates, Lost, & Hawaii Five-O..., just to name a few.
There are tons of activities to do there, and I would highly suggest a visit there if you go to Oahu.


 Too fun!


Looks impressive.
Made completely out of styrofoam.
Our tour guide looking at a rope that someone had placed on the skull.

 Sunset view from our room.
That view never got old, as you can imagine.
I have this pic as my current computer save screen.... sigh.... wish I had this view each and every day.
While we were on our trip, our youngest son got engaged!!
Goodness, gracious!!
We knew that these two were going to get engaged, but we thought it would be official once we got home from our trip, not while we were away.
He sent us a pic, and told us it was official.
They are so darling together, and I hope and pray that it all works out beautifully.
This is one of my favorite pics that they had taken.
Her dad took it, and I think it shows their cute personalities and how much fun they have together.
Her dad did an excellent job taking pictures, and I think he is planning on taking the wedding pictures as well.... yay!!
So, now y'all are up to speed, as much as possible at least, without having to read a novel...*giggle**.
This is a big year for me:
  * Our 30th Anniversary
  * Our first grandbaby
  * A wedding
  *Four family birthdays in July
  * Me turning 50, later on in the year.
I'll do my best to update this ol' blog more often, and to get around to visit and chat with everyone.
Enjoy this amazing day... 'cause it'll be gone for ya know it ** hee hee**.

Attitude of gratitude:
~Feeling so thankful for the birdsong outside. Seeing robins and hearing birdsong means that warmer weather is on the way.
~Feeling thankful for daffodils blossoming in the yard.
~Feeling so grateful that our youngest son is in fine health this morning, after a late night scare.
Second time that he's had a disabling panic attack. This time we managed to avoid and emergency room visit and the docs giving him nitro.
Seriously, hope and pray this boy finds out what is triggering these extreme anxiety attacks and is able to fix them.
~Feeling grateful for sweet friends that help out... no questions asked, just supportive and loving when we call at 10:30 at night and asked for help with Spencer.

Our view... trees are beginning to green up, as are the fields.

Last nights scene.
The sunset reflecting off the tops of the mountains. A fresh dusting of snow covers the tops of the mountains, but all that moisture sure helped everything green up even more.

23 comments:

  1. Wow, a lot has been happening!! Congratulations on your anniversary, and on becoming grandparents!! What a wonderful gift that your children gave you to celebrate!

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  2. My goodness, Kerin. You weren't kidding when you said lots has been happening. And, it is all so wonderful. What a great trip you must have had and how special are your kids to provide it. Hawaii is such a beautiful place, and I only know that from pictures! Jerry was stationed there in the Navy way back but I have never been. You are just going to love being grandparents. It is the most wonderful thing. Our time happened almost 24 years ago, but enjoy all those years as they go by so quickly. Very cute couples, your sons and DILs. Congrats to them all on the new baby and the engagement. You live in such beautiful country, so very different from where I do, but both so beautiful. Is your view, looking at that house or looking at the animals, or both? Either way it is gorgeous, but that house looks like a mansion!. Well, I've taken up enough of your space. So good to hear from you and have a wonderful week..xxoJudy

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    1. Thanks for the kind comments, Judy. Yes.. our view is of that house, which indeed looks like a mansion, and of the elk farm. Pretty cool, huh??!! We are so stinkin excited about being Grandparents. This Grand will be so spoiled :)

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  3. Oh my . . . wonderful to hear from you.
    Congratulations on everything.
    Engagement
    New baby
    Being grandparents
    Wedding
    Wonderful trip
    Blessings many . . .
    Happy you are back on the blog circle . . .
    I have missed you.
    ❤️

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  4. Hello Kerin, I found you through my dear daughter, Stephanie from The Enchanting Rose, so happy that I did as you have a lovely place here.
    This was certainly a beautifully packed post! Your life has been blessed in deed. A vacation in Hawaii, first time grand parents,a wedding congratulations to you!
    I pray that your son finds answers to his panic attacks.
    I look forward to visiting here with you~~

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    1. Thanks for your visit, Debbie, and for your kind comments. Thanks for you prayers too. I do hope our SPencer gets these panic attacks under control too.... no fun!

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  5. Nice to read an update from you and yours.

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  6. I am so glad you wrote everything down with all of the pictures. It will be such a nice record of all of the amazing things that have happened so far in 2017. You have had such an exciting year!
    I really enjoyed all of your pictures. So nice to see a post.

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  7. Wow - what a lot of excitement in your life! Congratulations on your anniversary and what an amazing gift from your kids!
    So exciting to be grandparents - it's the best!
    Is the newly engaged son the one that you were helping with a house a while back?
    Happy for all your good news!

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    1. Aw... thanks Mari!
      Yep.. this newly engaged son is the one that we've helped with his amazing old house. He will have someone else to help out now too.. and she loves his house, just as much as he does. So cute!

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  8. Holy moly, Kerin! That's a whole lot of congratulations!! You've definitely been busy lol All of it is so wonderful and I'm so happy for you and your family. Gorgeous pictures of Hawaii too :)

    I'll say a prayer that your son gets better.

    Welcome back and big hugs,
    rue

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  9. Well, I hardly know where to start! Congratulations! First grandbaby, vacation to Hawaii, new engagements, and I bet you were even happy to get back home after your trip. Happy late Anniversary, too!~

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  10. Wow things have been happening with you and your family.
    Congratulations!!
    Great photos.
    So glad to see a post from you. You have been missed.
    Pray your son finds out what it triggering those panic attacks.

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  11. Hello sweet friend.. So great to hear from you.. My eyes filled as I read your lovely news and remember the joy of hearing about our first of five grandsons.. smile.. The oldest is 20 already.. Love your trip and your son's engagement pics.. So dear.. God bless...xoxox

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  12. My oh my, you have indeed had a lot going on! Where do I begin....

    Congratulations for you son and daughter-in-law. Oh, what a precious time! And congratulations to YOU, sweet friend, for becoming grandparents {{smiles}} What a precious joy from the Lord.

    Your youngest and his fiance as just too cute and make the sweetest couple. I hope and pray they have a blessed and beautiful marriage.

    And oh, what fun to have gone to Hawaii to celebrate your 30th anniversary. 30 years....what a testimony of love and faithfulness. May the Lord bless you with 30 more years :)

    Thank you for visiting my blog yesterday as it was wonderful to hear from you! I have missed you!

    Much love and sweet hugs!

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  13. Hi Kerin! I'm so happy you are back. You've been missed! Congratulations are in order...a new baby, a wedding and a wonderful trip to Hawaii! So happy for you! Loved seeing all your photos and hearing the news. I will pray that your son finds help for his panic attacks. Take care! xx Cheryl

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  14. Oh. My. Goodness! I don't know where to start! I am SOOOOOOO excited for you, Kerin! Welcome to the Grandmother Club! LOL! And, an anniversary! And, birthdays! And, a new Daughter in Love!! You are blessed beyond measure, girl! AND, an amazing trip to Hawaii! I can't tell you how happy I was to see your note and how much I appreciate your prayers! So glad you're back! blessings and BIG HUGS!! tanna

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  15. My goodness! I am so excited for you I can't stand it. I have really missed you. Happy Anniversary, Happy First Grandbaby, And yayyyy for everything else. :)
    Love your pics. The Laie Temple is gorgeous, isn't it?
    I was so surprised and glad that you stopped by my blog. Lots has happened with us too, only not on the fun side like with you.

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  16. oops! I just left my comment sitting here all evening and came back and sent it without finishing it lol
    Have a great weekend my friend. Take care, Janet W

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  17. Welcome back to blogland!
    I was so happy to see that
    you had stopped by Dreaming!
    Congratulations to EVERYTHING. Whew!
    You are going to be a busy gal soon.
    Enjoy every minute.

    M : )

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  18. your supreme quality that shine through your post is the REALIZATION of the Blessings that you have from your Creator !
    All that our Lord want from his man is attitude of gratitude and you are Blessed with it my friend!!!
    how lovely to have such caring kids to plan and arrange trip for you for the anniversary .Happy anniversary dear! may you see many more.
    your daughter in law is so pretty and looks nice lady.
    God was pleased with the tears of gratitude from both of you.heartiest congrats!

    glad that your son got engaged and marring soon ,they both look fabulous in photo .
    more blessings to you my friend!
    sunrise and sunsets are breathtaking Hawaii

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  19. First, so glad you are back. What a beautiful array of blessings. This is one of those years for me, too. Saturday one of my dear friends celebrated her 95th birthday. The celebration was at our synagogue and our study group hosted the luncheon after services. My friends who are family niece adopted a baby and her naming is later this month followed by my college reunion a few days later. Lots and lots of happy tears!

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  20. Wow! What a year you are having! Congratulations on everything! Now I know why you have so much more energy than I do....you're young! I'm 68 and very grateful I can do everything I want but I do run out of steam! LOL! I haven't started taking naps yet though so that's good! I'd really get nothing done if I napped! LOL! I'm so happy for you and your family!!!! Blessings to all!

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Thank you for taking time to comment.
It means so much to me, that you've taken a few minutes in your day, to stop by and visit.
I love getting to know you, and having our "chats".
Have a wonderful day.