Wayne and I went to an alpaca convention this weekend. Why, you may ask? Because it was there, and it was free, and because I love animals!! There were vendors all the way from Peru to Oregon and California to Pennsylvania. I told one woman how absolutely cute I thought they were and she said " yes, that's the ways it starts." Well, if I had an acre of land outside the city limits, I would have one too...along with a pygmy goat and a few other critters. Maybe I was an animal caretaker in Heaven before I came to this earth because I just feel a connection to them. I think (with a few exceptions) all animals are wonderful. I can do without the skunk, the snake and the rat. I'll let my sister Margaret take care of those because she probably even likes them.

Giving his sister a hug

He is my favorite. He looks like a big old Teddy bear.

They weren't as tall as I thought they were.

They shaved the baby one but left his little face fluffy.

They come in lots of colors

There were two different types of alpacas. Those with fluffy poodle type hair and those with the dreadlocks. They were all adorable. I would go again in a minute. Maybe I need to get out more often.

My favorite soldier...my hubby Wayne. National Guard 1968-1973

Wayne's Uncle Bert Ostler..US Army WW2

My brother Ned in Kuwait

My brother Greg in Bosnia

Greg served in Bosnia and Iraq

Memorial Day 2008

Thank you to all the men and women who have served or are serving in our military. Most of the ones in my family served overseas and all of them came home. Yahoo!! My Marchant side has had several men that served: Uncles....Ronn Marchant, Richard Marchant, Lewis Marchant and V Willis, my cousins.....Rue Ligget and Ed Willis, and my brothers....... Ned and Greg Marchant. I know there may be more that I just don't know about. On Mom's side I think Uncle Carlyle Eyre served as did Leo Baird. This is a picture of my Uncle Lewis Marchant who was a gunner on a navy avenger/ dive bomber torpedo plane in the South Pacific.

I love this picture of Uncle Lewis. He looks so suave and handsome. It could be a poster for recruiting purposes.

Emerson is the best baby ever. He never cried or fussed once all night.

Wes scores earphones and Itune gift certificates. Emerson helps unwrap.

Wayne's new Croc sandles from Colett and Matt. They are the ONLY thing to wear to Disneyland.

The end of the evening sees Wayne and Wes in their Kingly crowns, thanks to Isabelle's tradition of making them each year. Such regal characters don't you think? NOT!

Isabelle was sick with a fever and cold but couldn't miss out on the fun so she came out for her turn.

Matt uses all his skill as a computer geek to access his chances of a win.

I was the self-appointed unofficial judge of the event, as Nick tries his luck.

Colett pretended like she was the State champion bean bag tosser, and told us all to follow her technique. It was hilarious. You had to.....well never mind, just picture a cross between a bowler and a horseshoe pitcher and a prissy Miss Jean Brody and you will still not figure it out.

Wes tries his skill as Amy and Amelia look on.

Wayne's technique is kind of a cheater sideways toss, but he got one out of three in the winner's circle. Then Nick, Wes and I tied him.

Here we see all the techniques of throwing backwards over the head. We had 3 beanbags that you had to land in the hose circle. I think Amy had the best looking technique, but it didn't help her land the big prize. Oh, wait a minute, there was no big prize!

What is it with the month of "May". We just have one celebration after another. We get together on Sundays with our Utah kids for dinner each week. Three weeks ago we celebrated

Colett's birthday, last week we celebrated Mother's Day and Amy's birthday, yesterday we celebrated Wayne's and my son-in-law Wes' birthdays. My grandson Alex's day is on the 25th. I also have a brother, sister-in-law, 2 nieces, 2 good friends, and a nephew who celebrate birthdays this month. Then we get to party for Memorial Day. If I didn't have my calender to write on, I don't think I could remember them all anymore. Yesterday we had pulled pork sandwiches, pasta salad, chips and cake and cake. Yes two cakes...one for Wayne and one for Wes. We had a bean bag tournament outside and I'm not sure who won the whole thing. It may have been Wes. We had a backwards throw contest and that ended in a three way tie as I recall but don't quote me on that. We played with balloons, hitting them into the ceiling fan which the grandkids loved (and so did Grandpa). The weather was hot...90 today...but no wind for a change so we sat outside and soaked it in. Our trees are finally big enough to give us some nice shade. We had a really fun day. The pictures will prove it.

Do all Dads do this trick with their babies?

I would be afraid to, but I know that my parents have a picture of my Dad doing this with me too.

OK, so all my kids have blogs now. I love that!! We talk all the time anyway, but you see little insights into their lives that you might not see otherwise. I love going over their pictures and memories, and just maybe they like mine too. I have heard that at the end of the year you can get a book made out of your blog and have it as a journal or memory book. I think I will do just that.

My little grandson Emerson just turned 8 months old and here are the latest pictures of him. He isn't crawling yet. He lays on his back and does some kind of an inch worm movement that seems to get him where he needs to go. Boy he has strong leg and tummy muscles. I need to lay down on the carpet and do just what he does. I'd be in shape in no time at all. He got his first tooth this week. He won't let you see it but you can feel the little ridges coming through.

Moulten Mini Chocolate Cakes

Makes 8 individual servings Bake @ 425 degrees for 15 minutes

(Edges will be firm and centers gooey)

1 cup semi-chocolate chips

2 sticks real butter (1 cup)

2 t. vanilla

2 c. powdered sugar

4 eggs

2 egg yolks

3/4 c. flour

Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave and whisk until completely melted and blended.

Stir in vanilla and sugar until blended

Whisk in eggs, yolks and flour

Butter 8 custard cups and place on a cookie sheet. Pour equal amount of batter into each one. Bake and let cool. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Colett and Wayne




Mini moulten chocolate cake

Amy's new vase

Amy opens her gifts








My bounty

Wheat grass and begonia planter

32 years ago, I had my baby Amy on Mother's Day. Every year it was a little hard for her because her birthday was so close to Mother's Day. For me it was great, because she was such a gift but we always tried to keep the celebrations separate. This year, however, we celebrated together again. Wayne made chicken cordon bleu and mashed potatoes and we made homemade ice cream and mini moulten chocolate cakes. Can you say gastronomic disaster? I didn't even figure up the calories, but let's just say thank goodness it only happens once a year. My daughters and husband spoiled me. I got a new memory card from Amy for my camera, a necklace, Pj's, plant and a new mouse pad from Colett, and electric handheld sheers for my gardening from Wayne.

I have a wonderful mother. When I grow up I want to be just like her. She is the woman who bakes all day and then takes the goodies to her neighbors. My Dad has said that he sometimes wishes he was their neighbor. She has a voice of a bird, is very artistic and fun and giggles at the Sunday funny papers (I don't know anyone else that does that). She has raised 6 kids, a menagerie of cats and dogs, and many gardens of vegetables and flowers. She has learned to deal with health problems, has an eternal perspective on just about everything, and still believes her children can become great individuals in spite of themselves. Her husband is her best friend and she often reads his mind....that's a little scary. She knows that she is a daughter of God and acts accordingly. Mom I love you.

Happy Mother's Day!!

This is Amy at age 11 and then at graduation and then as her beautiful self today.

Love the dimples!!

On May 9th, 1976 Wayne and I welcomed our beautiful new daughter into the world. I was stunned because for some reason I was 100% sure this baby would be a boy. I hadn't picked out a serious baby girl name. We said all along that if it happened to be a girl we would name her Heather. I was in Wyoming staying at my parents house to have her because my doctor lived there and I didn't want anyone else to deliver her. Besides, it was MUCH cheaper than having her in Boise, Idaho where we lived. We did not have insurance at the time and if anything went wrong, I wanted to be near my parents. I went into labor in the middle of the night (of course) and Mom took me to the hospital. I had a cervical block....I don't think they do that anymore.... and fell asleep on the delivery table. Mom couldn't believe it because she was so nervous. After about 4 hours I had my new baby girl. A GIRL?????? They wanted me to fill out the papers and put her the name on the birth certificate. I couldn't name her Heather. She didn't look anything like a Heather. Wayne had called eveyone and told them we had a new baby Heather, but before I left the hospital I put the name Amy Lee on the certificate. Yes, she was an Amy, not a Heather. Wayne had to call everyone and tell them the new name. She was a tiny 6 lb. 13 oz. baby with a little mowhawk. She had problems breathing and they released us to go to Billings to have her checked out by a pediatrition who ran a tube down her nose and throat much to my horror. She was ultimately OK but we had some rough months with her. I didn't think I'd ever get to sleep again. She was allergic to milk, had projectile vomiting, never napped and wouldn't cuddle. I thought at the time that Heavenly Father had "done me wrong" but boy was I wrong. She turned out to be the most lovable, fun child ever and such a gift to us. She is now a new mother herself, one of my dearest friends and we love her so much. Our song for her was:

We love you Amy, oh yes we do, we don't love anyone as much as you, when you're not near us, we're blue, oh Amy we love you. As with the others we still sing her song to her too. Happy Birthday Amy Lee you are a beautiful, talented woman and such a dear daughter to us. What would I ever have done without my little buddy to tag along when the others were at school?

We celebrated Colett's birthday at our home on Sunday. Wayne made her favorite meal...Chicken Parmesan, broccoli rotini, and lemon/grape punch and Amy made her a darling chocolate cake decorated with a tree and birds. For her gift, we gave her a leaf blower/vacuum. It's not the usual birthday gift, but Colett is the one who does the yard work and she has seen the fun and easy clean up that I have with mine and now she can have fun at her house too. Yes, I asked for mine a few years ago for Mother's Day. I especially love the vacuum aspect of it. I suck up all the leaves out of the rock beds and around the tree bases.

Colett today....beautiful still, a homebody still, and Mom's buddy still. I hope she never changes.

This is Colett's graduation picture. Bangs were fluffy in the 80's. Wayne always called it the Woody Woodpecker phase.

This is Colett in Jr. High. She has those big beautiful eyes that everyone notices. They are a very different color..... golden brown, almost the color of a hazelnut.