Happy Day 365

 

 

Dear Kendry,

Today is your very first birthday and I look down at you as you sleep. I fall in love with you deeper and deeper each and every day.

I remember so clearly meeting you for the first time, which was one year ago. When I saw you for the first time, you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! You cried and it made mommy cry because I had waited so long to meet you and hear that sound. I held you in my arms and said, “Hi son!” and you looked right in my eyes and stopped crying. It was the most magical moment of my entire life. In that moment, I knew I was your mother and you were my son and you would change my life forever…

And now a year has passed since that amazing day. In this incredible year, I saw your very first smile, heard your first giggles, and I cheered you on when you began to roll for the first time. I cheered and cried as you struggled to crawl because I was so proud and amazed at how far you’d come. You came into this world, 6 lbs and 5 oz…a tiny little baby, so warm and soft, so innocent and dependent and absolutely perfect in every way. And now, you are a little man…19 lbs, laughing, talking, waving, walking…charming every person who is lucky enough to meet you.

You are one today, and beginning a journey—A journey that will take you in many different directions and teach you many things. As I sit here and watch you cautiously take your first of many steps in life, I think of the man I hope you’ll become and that I will do anything under the sun to be a good mother to you and help guide you in your journey through childhood and into adulthood.

Your name means: “Royal Chieftain” strongly independent and with a highly creative nature, with drive and ambition to have experiences and accomplish things out of the ordinary. We chose that name for you because we hope to raise you to be an honorable man with the integrity, strength, and spirit of a true royal chief-- someone who stands up and fights for what they believe in.

You have developed into such an amazing little person already. You are the sweetest, most loving child I’ve ever met. You are kind and gentle-hearted. You are so smart and very calculated. I know in my heart there are big things ahead for you. They say the eyes are a window to a person’s soul and you’ve got the most breath-taking eyes. You have a gentle and wise spirit already…my little “Shock-a-Mala.” You have made this world a better place for being in it and I feel so honored to have been chosen to be your mother.

You melt my heart every time you smile, and when you lay your head on my shoulder after a long day…it helps make the world right again. Never in my life have I been so excited to wake up…it’s because I get to wake up next to you, my little man. I look so forward to when you wake up and seeing your precious, smiling face and I am excited for what the day might hold for the two of us.

This last year has been an amazing journey. It has been the most rewarding, incredible, special time in my whole life. I will cherish the experience of your first year of life in a special way, and treasure it always in my heart. Even when we spent 6 days with you in the hospital, will be remembered as a blessing….because you pulled through with flying colors.

Words cannot express how much I love you, my little man, my precious son. You are my sunshine, my heart, my purpose for being—my everything. I’m so very proud of you and honored to be your mommy. This last year has been filled with priceless memories and I look forward to so many more to come.

Love you to the moon and back!

Mommy XOXOXO

PS….Because you are always on the move when you are awake, this is the only way we can get close-up pictures of you now! 

Mother’s Day Weekend ~~~~ Before Unexpected Plan B took over!

Brevin’s soccer game, finally there was some sunshine, we even had to find shade under a small tree! Halie took Kendry for his first slide ride!  They love each other!

 

Jason made fun of us for sitting in the shade! 

Joke on him……he was roasted when we got home!

Aunt Julie taking her turn with the Little Man.

 Game On

First Mother’s Day

 

Halie loved spending time with Tia ….yes we said she was 12!

Gerber Daisy from Grandma and Grandpa Buffo….beautiful color!

and the card read:  Happy Mother’s Day Mami. So proud to be your son and a part of your family.   Love Always, Kendry!

What a smartie for only 11 months old!

Thank you family and friends for all your prayers, love, visits, flowers, and support during my very difficult week in ICU in American Fork.   I wasn’t planning to spend my first Mother’s Day without my Little Man and the rest of my family.   I’m finally doing much better, in fact, I’m feeling great today! 

Not to many pictures have been taken for almost 2 weeks.   As soon as the Raindrop Quit Falling On My Head we’ll be back with a look at how beautiful the world is becoming! 

Oh yes……Kendry will be 1 on June 4th…….we are planning a roaring party!   Come one come all….Saturday June 4th.  We’ll have more details in a few days!  

Grandma Buffo’s Dolls

Grandma Great has been busy  croqueting dresses for these cute little dolls that will be donated to little girls in need.  She does an amazing job. We all wish we had the talent that GG has. 

Happy Mother’s Day

Yes, It’s Mother’s Day.  It's a day for celebrating and honoring moms everywhere, but particularly my own mom.

Have you thanked your mom for all that she is and everything she does?

I hope you don't mind, but in honor of Mother's Day, I really wanted to take the opportunity to pay tribute to my mom, who has always been Super Mom to me.

In the last year, I've learned more than ever just how hard it is to be a grand mom. The saying "A mothers' work is never done" is really so true, isn't it?

I mean, I gripe and complain about my how much work it is and I'm a stay-at-home grand mom, but I must give thanks to my own mom for showing me the way in all the goodness of life.

So thank you Mom:

for all the times you've said "I love you" over and over and over again… Not once in my life have I ever doubted your love for me. Those words are always like home-sweet-home to my ears and to my heart. 

for the clean and comfortable home you provided… our home was always clean and usually had a very comforting smell of fresh baked goodies.  You taught through your own example what it takes to clean a home, make it comfortable for the family, and live a life completely within your means. You were never materialistic and always made the best of every situation. I always remember thinking we had the best house in the neighborhood. And every time I think about sending you flowers, I think of how you would remind me that they wither and die…so here is a picture to remind you that I think of sending you flowers on many occasions.

for the fresh, home cooked, healthy meals… Many of which came right out of that beautiful garden that Dad had in the very back of the yard.  I remember so many evening dinner where we all sat down at the kitchen table, spaghetti, roasts, corn beef on toast, the list of yummy things goes on and I.   I attribute all my cooking skills to the well prepared meals that I grew up with. 

for being the model of a hard-working woman who would do anything for her family… I know you worked full-time outside of our home because you wanted to help share in the responsibilities of keeping our family well provided for. I'm glad you set the example of what it means to work hard, because I learned from that and have carried it over into my own life, and my own children have learned the lesson well, both of them working from the time they were 16 years old.

for your listening ear… You've laughed with me and cried with me. You've heard about my successes and my failures. You've offered wisdom when it was necessary and remained silent when advice wasn't what I needed. You know exactly how to pick me up from my boot straps and remind me to stand strong.

for being an amazing grandmother to my children –and grand children…  you were the best grandmother ever to Jason and Ali. I’m especially grateful for the years you spent training and nurturing both of them. Your love is known and felt by all three of those little great grandchildren as well. I know they love dropping by to see you and play in all those treasures they find throughout the house.

and for so much more…

I love you mom. I appreciate you in every way, in all you've done. Thanks for being my SuperMom.

Come Saturday Morning

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51: 10-12

PB & J

Yes, I was a PB & J kinda kid, and yes, I still  am!  So when Little Man decided he wanted a taste of my delicious sandwich…I knew we were a match made in Heaven!   Look at this cute little bite he took from his lunch sandwich! Yes that is his little mouth bite!

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
First you take the peanuts
and you
dig-em, dig-em,
dig-em dig-em dig-em
then you
smash-em, smash-em
smash-em smash-em smash-em
then you
spread em, you spread-em
spread-em spread-em spread-em
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Next you take the berries and you
pick-em, pick-em
pick-em pick-em pick-em
then you
smash-em, smash-em
smash-em smash-em smash-em
then you
spread em, you spread-em
spread-em spread-em spread-em
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Then you take the slices
and you put-em together
and you
bite em, bite em
bite em bite em bite em
and you
chew em, chew em
chew em, chew em chew em
then you
swallow, swallow
swallow, swallow, swallow
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly
Pea-nut Peanut butter Jelly

 

Photo Challenge “Catch A Cutie at 11 months”

 

Things That Annoy Me

Most of you know me as a very easy going, happy go lucky person (RIGHT?).,….well not all the time. So today I meet someone who thinks her recipes are sacred and to top it off here is her response to why she doesn’t share them : “ I don't share them because I’m sure your cooking skills are lacking and you would not be able to come close to duplicating what I have made and you would just be wasting food to try it.” Are you freakin’ kidding me.  My tolerance for people that want me to be exactly like they are and do things exactly as they do is nonexistent. (Me getting Annoyed) I guess to each her own, but honey my cooking, I’m sure, stands up to yours and probably even leaves you in a pile of flour…you no ‘DUST’.  So take that!   With all that said I present to you “Paula Dean’s Pumpkin Squares”…..Thanks Paula!   Yes I know it’s May Day…..but I can make Pumpkin Squares year round if I want to!    Deep Breath……la dolce vita!
Pumpkin Squares

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• walnut halves to top each square

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.
To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin squares. Top each square with a walnut half.

Ball 4 – That means “Walk”

Yes I know you have to tip you head to watch this……such a rookie!

Pork and Rice Casserole

• 1 lean pork roast or pork chops cut in cubes or left whole (I used the roast from Costco…yummo)
• 1 1/2 pack dry onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoon + vegetable oil use as much as you like to brown the cubes
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) cream of mushroom
• 1/2 can milk
• 2 T Worcestershire Sauce

Preparation:

Heat oil over medium heat; coat the pork cubes with dry onion soup mix and Worcestershire sauce (let marinate for 30 minutes), brown pork cubes in oil. Remove meat to another bowl while you cook celery and onions. Deglaze the pan with dry sherry, then add onion and celery  Continue cooking until onion is golden and celery cooked. Add the cream of mushroom soup and and milk mix to blend. Add the meat to the mixture and mix well.

Place cooked rice in the bottom of a lightly greased 2 quart casserole, pour the pork mixture on top. Cover and bake at 350° for 35 – 40 minutes.