Pilates and Babies

On yesterday's visit, Mike was doing pilates with Jake. They had heard that if you put their legs up and down it helped their tummies. It was working..so they will be doing alot of pilates for the next few months. This is just a short little report on the new parents and baby. Mike had put together a swing, baby holder thing that runs on D batteries...he said everything they had for the baby ran on D batteries, so he was going to have to stock up. (I don't remember any batteries involved with kids until they got their starwars stuff for Christmas) but it is a different world. Just had to put in a little about my short fun hour at the Latimer house. Then I went home and went right to sleep..Lovely day.

My Friend Teri

Two years ago I wrote a small tribute to our neighborhood, from time to time I have posted exerts from this little book. It is how we are all tied together with thread making a beautiful patchwork quilt. This is the part about my friend Teri.

Teri and I have probably walked hundreds of miles together. If you walk for exercise for twenty eight years it has to be many miles. Of course in those walks we have solved many problems and many still remain unsolved. We probably have gained a pound or two around the middle during all that walking which seems strange, and yet I think our jaws are thinner, because of all the talking! (written b/illness) I would like to state right here for the record that we do not gossip on these walks. We solve world problems and mysteries and the many strange goings on in the neighborhood. Never gossiping, but only trying to understand and solve problems and in some helpful way figure out why everyone is so strange. We come up with lots of answers, but of course not much changes, and so I sometimes wonder....what was all that walking for???? If we don't loose weight and don't solve the problems our neighbors are having or our own problems or the world's problems, and our jaws are tired from all that talking and our heads ache from all the thinking, what does it all mean? Maybe Teri and I have our own patch in the quilt. It has two women walking, talking and laughing and the stitches are very uneven and sometimes wonder on to another patch. But maybe that patch with all it's stitches kept us a little sane as we raised nine children and 2 husbands between the two of us.....friends are priceless.

Baby Jake

I am sorry, but for a while there will have to be a little blogging of nothing more than this new bundle of joy. Actually it is 3 bundles of joy, because Abby and Mike are as fun to watch as the baby. Abby went home yesterday, so I went over about 4:00 pm, got to hold and feed and snuggle and kiss this sweet little boy. Mike had run a few errands and was texting to see if Abby and Jake were ok, while he was gone for 15 minutes. He gets home and both of them are telling Jake how lucky he was to have chosen them to be their mom and dad...there is a lot of love going on in that home. And I get to watch and enjoy every minute (if I want) of it.

Amazing Daughter

I have this daughter who's name is Abigail. She is the most amazing woman I know. She can and does anything she sets her mind on. She is 30 years old and works at a worldwide company as an SBU Manager (a boss) she quilts, she has a zillion friends, she has a beautiful home, she has a great husband, who together with Abby created their beautiful home through hard work, being smart and creative. She entertains people...And again I have to say she is bossy and gets whatever she wants (not because people just hand it to her), but because she sets her mind to the task at hand, makes a goal, and then goes for it. She has been working the last few months on a boutique that she held in her home. Several cousins and friends helped work and set up a beautiful display of handcrafted items. Abby, along with the rest of them has worked really hard, and oh did I say that Abby was pregnant during this whole big project. She is due on November 11, but has been saying all along that she was having the boutique on Saturday and the baby on Sunday. And of course, because Abby gets what she wants....she ran a very successful boutique Saturday and of course on Sunday morning at 4:00am her water broke. I called her about noon to see if she had survived and she was at the hospital!!!!! We communicated by phone throughout the day and at one point she was working her ACS job from her computer while in labor, there was trouble in Mexico and the office had to open on Monday and Abby of course was bossing them around down in Mexico , but had to excuse herself because she was crowning! Mike took a picture of her and sent it to her boss with the caption ACS best hustler. She never stops. We got the best present from her at the end of that long day. At around 9:20 she delivered Jacob Michael Latimer.....6lbs. 8 oz. 19 inches long..with Abby's cute chubby little cheeks....He is beautiful...We've got a basketball team now..although this little guy will have some catching up to do since the youngest member of the team is 5...But, I'm sure Mike will have a basketball in one hand and a golfclub in the other hand as soon as possible. Abby was born to be a mom to some little boys...she loves to watch them play sports, she will probably be coaching him soon. Abby, I don't care what they say ( a little quote from Grampa Jiggs) you are amazing...I love you, I respect you, and when I grow up I want to be just like you.... See you in a minute ( oh did I mention that they live here in SLC Yay!!!!!) I get to see the newest little golfer any time I want!

I Can't Remember anything

I woke up about an hour ago, and couldn't go to sleep, so I was just laying there thinking..I'm probably waking up just as Marty goes to bed. any way, I thought about stuff and then I decided to go and blog it. Came downstairs, got on the computer, read a few emails, a few blogs, and now I am sitting here at 4:30 am and I can't remember what I was going to write about. If I had just stayed in bed, I know I would have remembered, but I would have gone crazy, thinking about this great blog...so I had to hurry and go and write. First thing I found out is that if you are over 50...write the second the thought hits..it will be gone forever if you don't....or you will think of it at Testimony meeting out of the blue and you'll jump up and tell all about your hysterectomy, uteris, tubes and all (this really happened, only happily it wasn't me). Jim has his instructions---no testimonies til I'm totally well. Speaking of being well, the last month has been wonderful. I couldn't believe how well I have felt! Then about a week ago..I started going down hill. I thought....I can't, I can't do this anymore. I cried most of the week.. My family thinks I'm crazy (that is one of the side effects of this medicine-..the family) I ache so bad that I get up and take baths at 3:00 in the morning. My good friend Fat (refer to heading) told me to pretend like I was pregnant..Pregant woman cry all the time, but they know there is an end in sight. So now I have decided I am no longer a gypsy, (I got knockedup during that time) I am just pregnant and in a few months I will have gone through all this with many lessons learned, my health returned and...there won't be a baby to get up and feed and all that fun stuff that Abby get's to look forward to. Well, I've written long enough and still can't think of the wonderful blog I was going to write..so I'll quit writing and maybe sometime on Fast Sunday...I won't bear my testimony, I'll just jump up and run home and write my blog.

What a guy!

Hey Ty! Have a great day!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

I can't describe how great it is to wake up and feel so good!!!!!!!!!!! The small things seem like so much fun. I'm cleaning out drawers and cupboards, doesn't that sound fun? I walked to two of my neighbors homes without huffing and puffing. I drove to Draper and on the way home looking up at the mountains, made me greatful for living so close to them. Bad health is a great blessing (providing you don't die of the bad health). It wakes you up to all the beauty around you and feels you with gratitude for the family, friends and neighbors who have suffered right along with you. I have always been a person who felt gratitude and even kept a gratitude journal. But now my gratitude list is long and takes me quite awhile to write each day. You are all part of my gratitude journal and I love you all.

Becky's Birthday!!!!

On October 9th it will be Becky's birthday. We are all so glad she is in our family and the mother of the 4 most beautiful boys in the whole world. We hope that you have a great day! Becky is one of those mothers who loves what she is doing..she knows the importance of bringing up kids these days and she does the bringing up to perfection. Whatever Becky decides to do, she will do it. She is very self motivated and seems to me like she has boundless energy. If she decides to become a runner, she runs. If she decides to bike, she bikes. She loves to play games and is always good at whatever game she is playing. I will always be grateful for that day that Jamey had been playing golf with mom and dad and they stopped at Cowboy Grub for dinner. Becky had worked there for a long time...Jamey even took her out before his mission. She keeps her kids busy, a talent that will go a long way when they get older. Because they aren't just busy, they are having fun being busy. They have about 30 cousins on the Sieverts side of the family and I can picture it being like Grama Lundgren's on a Sunday afternoon...with all the kids running and playing and the adults enjoying each other's company as they watch their kids. Becky has 8 sisters if you count the in-laws. She is lucky to have that many girlfriends. She is the Scout leader in her ward in Pennsylvania and with her group of boys, she will probably enjoy that calling for many years. She has a great sense of humor, she loves my son and her boys...she makes sure they go to church and learn about the Savior's love for all of us. I couldn't ask for a better daughter in law. Jim and I have said many times that we would like to clone Becky for Tyler and Nick..But I'm sure that some day they will be as lucky as Jamey is. We all wish you a Happy Birthday..Your gift will be there soon, because for some reason it got mailed back to me... You are the best daughter in law that we could ask for and we are grateful that James refound you after his mission and grateful that you had those cute boys. They are perfect in their grama's & grampa's eyes. Have a great day and year. We love you lots!!! Love, Jim and Paula

Remembering Grama Lundgren

Grama Lundgren was the sweetest grama in the whole world. She left me the most precious gift I could ever get. Letters and writings about her grandchildren and her thoughts on world events. I love them, they are in her handwriting. They are like little messages from the past, but remind me how some things just don't change. She made a scrapbook for me when I was little and it is very ragged, but I keep it safe and bring it out sometimes so I can visit with Grama just for a little while. Here are some of her writings. "We were to dinner on Father's Day 1956 at June and Gerald's. Marty, Tommy and Paula put on a show. It beat all the television shows we ever could see. Marty takes dancing lessons so she of course was the star." Another entry, "Paula's sixth birthday was a lovely day. I had just gotten home from the hospital. The RS President and her counselors were visiting me when in came two of the most lovely little girls. Paula had a pretty green silk formal on. She had a necklace, a ribbon with a big card-board six hanging on it. Jolyn was dressed up too. They both had their pretty blue Easter Jackets, They looked so sweet and I was so proud of them." One more entry " Feb 10, 1956.. One of those wonderful (quiet) days when the three little Indian Bagley's were here. If you have gotten into a rut and the house seems a morgue, just have these little kiddies over and you come to life at once. Marty and I made valentines. It's fun to live the old days over again. After Tommie had had his rough and tumble till we forgot about his nap, he settled down to the TV Paula had a lot of phoning to catch up on, so for about an hour, she sat by the phone pretending she was phoning. She chatted and chatted. If any one tried to disturb her, she gave them a look that meant "Don't bother me now, can't you see I'm busy" One night the whole family came in with hats of many lands. Jiggs wore a scotch hat, Marty and Tommy had Mexican hats, June had Jigg's straw hat, but Paula would have none of such foolishness. She was prim in her best bonnet. What a life and what would we old foggys do if we didn't have these livewires around. Mr. Bageley (she really spelled it like that) was counting on Paula's fingers how many days till their vacation time came. He counted her thumb in. She said, "my thumb ain't a day". One night Paula decided she wanted a new bed. She got her pillow and blanket and made a bed on the floor. That didn't suit her so she made her bed in a long drawer below the closet in the hall. There she fell to sleep. During the night she stirred and her Daddy thinking she was awake, got up..there she was still asleep with her legs hanging over the drawer. What a fine picture it was. Gerald put her in her bed. Next morning she was mad as could be because someone had moved her out of her drawer bed. At one point Grama writes " June can see herself growing up if she wants to". That's enough for now, but reading this reassures me that life doesn't change that much..We still feel the same way about our families, our kids, sisters and brothers and our grandchildren that grama Lundgren did. It is that part of life I like to think about. To know those wonderful people before us, loved us just like we love ours. In the very beginning of the scrapbook Grama write's words to live by: "You can't describe love; you can't define it. Only it goes with you all your life. I think that love is more like a light that you carry. At first childish happiness keeps it lighted and after that romance. Then motherhood lights it and then duty, and maybe after that sorrow. You wouldn't think that sorrow could be a light would you dear? But it can. And then after that service lights it. Yes, I think that is what love is to a woman. A lantern in her hand." She wrote this quote down when I was very little. It is from the book "A lantern in her hand". Funny that years later that book would become one of my favorites..it's where I got the name Abby from.

Happy Birthday to Mike!

Today is Mike's birthday. He has been married to Abby for a little over 6 years. I would like to tell him how greatful I am that he took Abby on. (Not an easy task) and being with you, she has blossomed and grown and turned into a beautiful mother to be. I think Abby was looking for you all her life and when she found you, you didn't have a chance. You also fit into our family perfectly. You are best friends with Jamey and when the 4 little DeSpain boys come to town, they want to see you fast! They always say "Where's Mike"? As soon as they come in the door. (I think they think you live with us). I still want to see you play dance dance revolution with them. You play golf, which is very important for the men in this family, you love sports. You are a perfectionist in everything you do. Your house and yard show how you and Abby work together so well to create a beautiful home. I can't wait to see Abby and baby Jake together, but for some strange reason I am most excited to see you with that new baby! Your life will never be the same! Thanks for whisking Abby off to Hawaii (I've almost forgiven you) and making my daughter happier than she has ever been. You are a great son-in-law, and Jim and I love you. Happy Birthday.....