20 years & counting...

I attended the PVHS Class of '89 reunion this past weekend...20 years since we graduated!! If I had not had my weight loss surgery I would not have attended...I would have been too embarrassed to have my classmates see me like that!

Friday June 5 - we had a Pine View vs. Dixie alumni basketball game that was held at DHS. What a fun time! Meeting up with old friends, watching some b-ball, cheering for our team, smack talkin'...LOL...brings back memories!

L. to R; Front row; Kristin "Kur" Mortensen, LeAnn Lobb, Monica Anderson, Sharla Richards, Lori Crockett. L. to R.; 2nd row; Marth Merrill, Shannon Sampson, Sharley Larsen, Kami Christensen, Margo Bostwick (me). L. to R.; back row; Sheri Cowley, Christy Tobler

L to R; front row; Nate Staheli (10), Colby "Baggs" Nielsen (52), Troy Hunt (21), George Clasmen (55), Chad "Wick" McAllister (can't see his number but it ends in 5). L. to R.; back row; (sorry can't see the back row very well); Beau Gledhill, James "Orv" Anderson, Brad Jolley, Josh Little

Our valiant Pine View High School PANTHERS played an awesome game. In the end...we lost...(92 - 63) BUT...Dixie was running the score board so there may have been some extra points added on for their team...I'm just sayin'! LOL

Saturday June 6 - we had a picnic at Hidden Valley Park...so much fun to see everyone's families & all the kids running around having a great time! Unfortunately the only pictures I took were of my neices and nephews (who happened to be there at the same time)! LOL! But a good time was had by all!!!

That evening we had a dinner at the Hilton Garden Inn. It was a really nice set up & good food, good friends, good fun! Kristen "Kur" Mortensen Snow & her committee did a FABULOUS job! We had a GREAT slide show (thanks Kami Christensen Ekins), played Jeopardy, had prizes...all sorts of fun stuff. And of course we got to mingle some more & get caught up with old friends!Here we are in all our glory...the PVHS Class of '89...well ok just the ones who actually showed up!

There were people that I was looking forward to seeing that; for whatever reason; didn't show up to any of the events so I was kind of bummed. But all in all I had a really good time catching up with everyone. I haven't really kept in touch with anyone since high school until these past 6 months or so when a bunch of us reconnected on Facebook which is how this reunion thing got started.

I'm so glad I went and am so happy to see how well everyone is doing!

Tyler / Swine Flu / Graduation...

-113 lbs lost; -3 lbs under goal weight...still holding...yipeee!

So much to catch up on...I will try to make it short (don't hold your breath)!

Monday June 1st - last week of school...I take a deep breath after everything that has been going on this past year & think "Only a few more days...everything will be fine"...yeah right...not in my world!

Tyler had been sick for a few days, spent most of the weekend in his room resting (although he was up & about a little & did go to a senior dinner dance on Saturday night), we thought he had a cold. Monday morning he was "anxious" about school because he "had" to be there to do last minute stuff & get things signed & make sure he is going to graduate & he still has 3 hours of attendance school to make up but he is feeling like CRAP! His ride doesn't show up to take him to school so now he's late (more attendance issues). I have him drive me to work & I make him go to school & by this time I am almost in full blown panic attack mode because I just dont' think I can take much more! We text back & forth, he is "so sick"...he starts telling me more about his symptoms & I realize that he is sicker than I thought (fever, chills, coughing, etc.). He leaves school early & we go to the After Hours Clinic where they test him for strep (negative), mono (negative) and Influenza A (otherwise known as H1N1 virus or Swine Flu)...POSITIVE!

Yikes...now what? He is already 4 days or so into the flu (with everything that has been going on & all he has been trying to get done so he could graduate he is not positive when his symptoms started) but the Dr. says he is quarantined to our house until Friday...but WAIT...graduation is Thursday night...OMG...what are we going to do?

Tuesday June 2 - I spend over an hour at his school trying to work out whether he actually qualifies to graduate & letting them know he is sick. Because of the Dr. note the school excused his absences from the previous day but he still has 3 hours of attendance to make up which he can't do because he can't come to the school. Tyler's counselor was not in the office that day so I met with one of the Vice Principals who didn't have all the information the counselor has so at one point he tells me Tyler doesn't have enough credits to graduate...which I politely, but firmly tell him is not true. He finally gets that worked out but says that the decision on whether Tyler can attend graduation is not his to make & he will get back to me & that Tyler will have to come in next week & make up the attendance. Colton & Tessa both come home from school sick this day so now we are worried that we are all going to have Swine Flu (they were fine...none of us got it)!

Wednesday June 3 - Graduation practice is that morning & of course Tyler can't attend & I can't reach the VP because he is at the practice. I call Tyler's school counselor & leave a message & hope he will get back to me so I can finalize all this stuff & know for sure whether Tyler will get his diploma or not. He finally calls me back at the end of the day, he confirms that Tyler has enough credits to graduate but that he needs to talk to the VP to find out about making up the 3 hours of attendance. The VP has apparently left for the day so we continue to wait...

Thursday June 4 - GRADUATION DAY! I decide to take Tyler back to the clinic to have him re-tested because although he is tired he has been feeling better & hasn't had chills since he was diagnosed 3 days earlier (his fever was normal that day). We talk to the Dr., he asks a bunch more questions & checks Tyler's vitals & says that Tyler is doing better & he gives him a medical release to attend graduation!! We rush down to the school, meet with his counselor & another VP. They say Tyler can serve his last 3 hours of attendance right then & when he is done he can get his cap & gown & he can attend graduation! Since he missed the graduation practice he will be one of the very last names called (they don't do it in alphabetical order) but we don't care...as long as they call his name!!!!! He will also be able to sing with the A Cappella choir at graduation!

I have the world's WORST camera & it takes too long to focus & snap! They go so fast when calling names that I didn't get a good picutre of him receiving his diploma!

Tyler HATES when I take his picture...I bribed him & brought him a cookie & some gum cause he was starving...LOL! This was before Graduation started.

Hanging with some dudes before Graduation started.

It was a CRAZY week, made even more crazy as I was still trying to get the other 2 kids through their last week of school, work for a few days (the rest I had off already), do laundry & pack for our trip to SG for my 20 year reunion. It seems just when I think things will slow down...they never do!

Tyler is now preparing to move to SG to find a job & get ready to attend Dixie State College. I get the feeling from him that he desperately wants to change some things in his life & I sincerely hope he does. We want only for him to be happy in whatever he chooses to do. We love him so much & will miss him like crazy but we are excited for this next step for him!! Time to move on & into the BIG TIME baby!!!

WE LOVE YOU TYLER ORION BROWN!!!!

Trouble with the law...

Haven't weighed myself this week...keep forgetting...but am pretty sure I have gained a few LBS...stress will do that to a person & I am NOT dealing well with my stress lately...*SIGH*

The boys had some trouble with the law this week. I'm sure someday they will be HORRIFIED that I spilled their dirty laundry to the world (not like anyone reads my blog but ya never know...this blog is more for my own sake...like a journal).

Anywhoo...It seems that one of the boys "took" something over 6 months ago that did not belong to him. The story is that he was at a party, helping a friend clean up, found these 2 "items" on the floor & stuck them in his pocket, came home, emptied his pockets & pretty much forgot about these items. They have been in his room for over 6 months. My other son saw one of these items the other day & decided to wear it to school. Just so happens the officer at his school was investigating a theft of some similar items & one of my sons teachers alerted the officer to the item that my son was wearing (because said son apparently thought it was cool & showed it to the teacher & "supposedly" bragged about it's value).

When my son was pulled in by the officer to be questioned it came out that he had taken the item from my other sons room that morning. The officer told me that my son told him that he "knew" that my other son had stolen the item. My son says that is not true...he says he didn't say that to the officer.

So, this school officer contacts the school officer at my other sons school & they pull the other son in to question him. He didn't have a clue at that time, how they found out about the item but he admits that he picked it up after a party. They badger him with questions about the "other" theft incident that they are investigating at the other sons school & try to get this son to admit that he was involved in that theft. He wasn't so he repeatedly says he knows nothing about this other incident. The officers tell him that they "searched" his bedroom (not true) & that is how they found this item. So when they ask him if he has any other items he (truthfully) tells them about the 2nd item he picked up at the same time he picked up the first item at the party over 6 months ago. So they take him to our house to get this 2nd item.

In the meantime, the son who wore the item to school has also been called in to talk to the asst. principal about his tardies at school. This son gets upset, says a few profanity words & gets sent to ISS (In School Suspension) for the day. At ISS he refuses to do his work & uses profanity again so they suspend him for the day. Hubby was already on his way to other sons school to find out what was going on there since we could not reach that son & we knew he was being questioned. I call hubby to go get son that has been suspended (should have let them send him to JDC for the day). Hubby picks up suspended son & is headed to the other school to see what is going on with other son. As hubby is driving past our house he sees police car coming up the street with other son in the back seat, heading to our house to get that 2nd "stolen" item. He pulls into home, talks to police. They are not arresting son. Son hands over 2nd item and police take him back to school but charges could be filed against him for stealing these 2 items from this persons home...so fabulous.

Got a call later in the day from a Sandy City police officer telling me that the son who wore the item to school could also be charged with "possession of stolen property"...more fabulous-ness!

Son who originally took said "stolen" items is frantic...police have told him a warrant will go out for his arrenst & he could go to jail for 15 years (not likely...items weren't worth that much). He can't believe that one week before school is out & while he is trying to get his life cleaned up lately, that this thing from 6 months ago has come back to bite him in the ASS like this...I tell him such is life...LIVE & LEARN.

I of course spent the better part of the day FREAKING out until I realized (and told both sons) that there is nothing we can do about it until we find out if charges will be filed. Yes they both did stupid things, yes they should pay the consequences but worrying about it now doesn't help anything (easier said than done...I know).

Can life get any better? We are struggling worse than we have ever struggled! We are in serious financial trouble, can't pay bills, may lose our house, kids being naughty, fighting with IRS about taxes, etc...stress, stress, stress coming at us from every single angle. There MUST be a reason for it; I just haven't figured out what it is yet! The past year has been the most trying year of our 16 years together...and we have had some seriously TRYING times!

I often wonder & question "WHY"???? I'm sure that is not the right attitude to have but I just don't understand! We are good people...why does this keep happening to us? Did we piss someone off in a past life? Did we do something so awful that we deserve to struggle every single minute of every single day?

I don't mean to sound ungrateful because I am truly grateful for what we DO have & I do my best to be positive every single day & live life to the fullest. I do struggle sometimes with coveting "material" things that others have...maybe that is the problem! I don't understand why other people have nice homes, vehicles, money to spare while we live in an old, crappy, half done home that we never have the money to finish remodeling! Why does it come so easy to others? Why can't we catch a break?

Ok...my pity party is over...I vented & now I am done. I seriously do not go around feeling like this every day but every once in a while it catches up with me! Thank goodness it's the weekend!

The Prom...

113 lbs lost; 3 lbs below goal weight.

We were invited to attend a SLC Chamber function last night. They were honoring Ellis Ivory & Roger Boyer as "Giants in our City". Ivory Homes has been a customer of Rio's employer for many, many years. Rio has been the cabinet salesman to Ivory Homes for a few years now and they love him (who doesn't?).

This was a first for us and we weren't quite sure what to expect...or what was expected of us. We were told it was a "black tie" event so Rio rented a tux (first time in a tux since our wedding 16 years ago!); although most men were just in suits so he felt very overdressed but he looked so handsome!

Since I have "shrunk" out of all my clothes and have not yet stocked up on a new spring/summer wardrobe this year; and since I am allowed to wear jeans to work now, I do not currently have any suitable dresses for this type of occasion (I'm not much of a dress wearer anyway). Thank goodness my little sister had something nice that I could borrow (Thanks Anna); it's nice that we are the same size now!

I kept telling Rio we are too "white trash" for this sort of event...LOL! We prefer to hang out at home and if/when we ever go out it's to dinner and a movie...we just aren't the type to go to these types of things.

It was held at the Grand America Hotel and was actually a very nice event...although somewhat boring. They served a nice dinner and there were some nice speeches about the honorees. It was a little long for my taste and we even left a little bit early. It was a nice evening but not the type of thing I want to attend on a regular basis.

It was definately a chance for me to "show off" my skinnier self...haha. And NO...I have not had a boob job (had someone ask me that recently)...LOL! It's all "smoke & mirrors". I have worn "enhancements" in my bra for like 15 years now because I was not blessed with much in the "chest" area and now that I have lost so much weight the girls are pretty non-existent! HAHA

Here we are...all dressed up...I think we clean up nicely...but we do look like we are headed to the Prom...all we need is a corsage!

The pictures actually do not do the "cleavage" justice. I was actually worried about showing too much and kept asking Rio if the "girls" looked like they were falling out. It's great what a good push up bra, inserts and SPANX can do for a girls figure! :-)

I have no idea why Rio isn't smiling...maybe he is trying to look tough or maybe he just hates weraing a tux...LOL!

I took yesterday off work because Colton volunteered me to chaperone a field trip for his Reading class. We spent the day on TRAX doing a scavenger hunt (great idea actually). As you can probably tell from the pictures I got to hang with a spectacular group of kids...my son included (yes that was sarcasm)! I took Tessa along and she had fun hanging with the older kids and riding on TRAX!

Yes that's Colton in the white headband...he thinks he is a hippie. I think that he thinks that if he says he is a hippie then it's makes it ok that he does some of the things he does...*sigh*...KIDS!

Anywhoo...it was a LONG, busy day and I'm tired! I'm so glad today is the start of the long Memorial weekend as soon as I get off work today!

Love to you all!

Court...

One of my teenagers had court yesterday. He got caught shoplifting twice in a 2 week period. The first time he took a bag of beef jerky and a bottle of Robitussen (seriously...cough medicine...do kids really drink this stuff?); the second time it was glow sticks and baby binky's (possibly for a rave???). About $7 worth of merchandise both times...*SIGH*

He had 2 court dates set up; one yesterday and then another one 4 days later. We were planning on going with him but he did not want us to so he went alone. I assumed he would have to go in front of a judge; but he didn't. He met with an arbitrator yesterday and got both charges taken care of in one sitting. He received a $125 fine for each one, then the arbitrator dropped $50 off the total. He has one month to pay a $200 fine.

Seems that they took it easy on him, probably because they were his first offenses (and I pray they are his last!). Sure hope he can come up with that $200 since he doesn't have a job...

Happy 18th Birthday TYLER...

113 lbs lost; 3 lbs below goal weight. I continue to fluctuate up & down by 2 or 3 lbs every other week or so. As long as I stay at goal or under I am happy. Plastic Surgery is something I REALLY want to have but it will have to wait until I can afford it (which may be NEVER). I will look worse in a swimming suit this year than I did when I was fat because now everything just sags...oh well at least I am healthy! Woot Woot!

My baby boy; my first born; Tyler is EIGHTEEN years old today! Oh the memories of having my very first child at the ripe old age of barely 20 years old! I was still a child myself & sometimes I can't believe how excited I was to be having a baby at such a young age!

Tyler has always been a smart, funny, talented and "knock em dead" gorgeous! I remember how extremely funny he was as a small child and also how very moody he was.

A favorite memory is when he was about 7 or 8 years old and he would "assume the position" of an opera singer (hands clasped together) and sing "Figaro, Figaro, Fi-gaaaaa-ro" for anyone who would listen. This same boy still loves music but turns beet red when he performs, even when he is on stage with a group (Madrigals or A Capella)...it's kind of funny!

From the time Tyler was about 6 or 7 until he reached about 12 years old he was so moody & emotional that we used to say he should have been a girl! He had serious anger management issues that carried over into sports to the point where we had to pull him out of basketball / football games because he was throwing fits about calls the refs would make or when he would shoot the ball and miss or when the quarterback wasn't fast enough to get the ball to him...every little thing set him off! He still has anger issue when it comes to sports...holy moly!

He went through a phase (around age 6 or 7) where he wore the belt on his pants so tight that I though he would injure his interal organs! His pants also had to fall to a certain place in order to cover his shoes a certain way or he was MAD! His shoes had to be tied as TIGHT as they could possibly be. He had shirts that he loved and would wear over and over and over...I guess I should have known he would end up having fabulous fashion sense and be voted "Best Dressed" Senior this year...LOL!! It's all about style for Tyler!

Tyler has always had pretty decent grades although he could have done better if he wanted to but social life is a big thing for him and to some degree I think school always bored him a little bit.

Although we have had many challenges with him over the years; this past year has been the biggest by far as he has struggled to come into his own and has done things he shouldn't be doing. I guess it's all part of growing up and we are here to support him and we cross our fingers (and pray) that he comes out on top of it all.

So...today is for wishing my first baby boy a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May the future bring you much happiness and success!

Happy BIRTHDAYS...

-115 lbs lost; 5 lbs below goal weight! Again...not sure how...just happy that it is so. Still haven't made it to the gym to tone up...someday...*sigh*

Rio turned 40 yesterday! We had a fabulous dinner at Bonsai last night with 17 close friends & family...adults only...it was alot of fun and Rio could "feel the love"! Here is a picture of the gang...not a very good picture but a picture all the same...

Colton turns 14 today! He is still the same huge hearted, loving, sarcastic, funny kid he has always been except this past year he has developed quite a "sense of self" that he will defend to the death! It's been a tough year but I wouldn't trade him for anything...he is a keeper!

Tyler will be 18 on May 11th! My first born will be EIGHTEEN! *big sigh*. He seems to be getting his head on straighter the past week but who knows...I sincerely hope the future holds fabulous things for him and that he will take advantage of the opportunities that come his way!

Tessa is "5 1/2" and does not understand why everyone is having a birthday and she isn't. She constantly asks "how many days until August"...lol! She wanted to "share" daddy's birthday with him yesterday. She is too funny. She insists that when her birthday comes around she will be 6 1/2, not just 6!

I have been having a pitty party this past week or so...coveting (big sin) things that others have that I don't...not a good or healthy way to live. This kind of thing sneaks up on me every so often and I work hard to push it away. I AM thankful for what I have...family, home, job, health and a husband who is my very best friend in the world and treats me like a queen!

Life is precious and often too short...live to the fullest everyday!