Popcorn and a Movie!

I was in Target the other day and this caught my eye....

I immediately tossed it in my cart. I've never watched it...but Natalie LOVED it. Of course she was young...probably around 10-11 years old? I can remember her and her sisters watching it over and over...it must have been on T.V a lot or on a movie channel, because until the other day, we did not own this movie. One of these days, I'm going to pop some Popcorn...and watch this movie to see what was so facinating about it.

Another movie Natalie loved that I don't understand is this piece of wierdness... Kent would constantly tease Natalie about the fact that she loved this movie..

Unlike Labyrinth, I've TRIED to watch this when it's been on TV before. Can't do it. Unbelievably weird. This could be on the list of things to ask Natalie about one day when we have ran out of things to catch up on.

And then there is this movie. ... this is the last memory I have of a movie that jog's a tender Memory of Natalie...

New Years Eve 2001...waiting to ring in 2002. We popped popcorn, we watched this movie...and of course, we girls all sniffled and wiped away tears. How could he die? and leave the one he loves and his baby boy?...talk about ripping your heart out. We collected ourselves, kept the party going... We sat at the kitchen table in our house on Morningside Dr. and played games, cards all those fun things waiting for midnight! It had been at least an hour since the movie was over...then right in the middle of a intense game of cards... "sniff" "sniff"... What?! Natalie is in TEARS...big alligator tears.."Natalie..what the heck?!...are YOU crying!?".....all she could say was "That movie was SO SAD, why did he have to die and leave her and the baby".....SERIOUSLY... we laughed because we thought it was so funny that she was still so upset a hour or two later...she was still upset from the movie..

Popcorn and a movie. How I wish life didn't imitate the movies quite so much.

I sometimes forget that Natalie hasn't seen movies that we have seen...when I see certain movies like this one, I think of Natalie....because I know that she would absolutely LOVE this movie... This would be on her list of favorites I AM SURE of it!...she LOVED ABBA ...and she loved to sing... I'll pop some popcorn and watch it for you Natalie...and I'll give Labyrinth a try... Fifth Element?...mmm..don't know if I can make it through, but if I do you can bet I'll be thinking of you...and I will never be able to watch Pearl Harbor the same way again....

Doc Martins ~

I have lived in my new home for a little over a year now

...and in the garage of the new home has been

"the pile"

It's a pile of things and stuff that got moved over from the old house and just never got put away since moving in. Every day I would see "the pile" and I would tell myself, that tomorrow or next week, or next day off work I would go through "the pile" and put those things away, or take them to the D.I. or throw them away.

Well...Christmas 2008 is over and in the process of putting all of it away...Kent was being very helpful and started what I have neglected for over a year and he cleaned up "the pile"! He had bags to be thrown away and bags and boxes to go to the D.I.

I was sooooo happy, to finally be rid of "the pile"!

I drove to the D.I. and opened the back of my car to let the guy get all the boxes and bags of treasures from "the pile" and immediately I spotted a big bag of shoes...

with a Doc Martin peeking out from the top.

STOP

I grabbed the bag from the guy and stated "you can't have those!"

I'm sure he thought I was completely NUTS...

They were Natalie's Doc Martins.....I don't think Kent knew that they were Natalie's...

we all wore them.. loved them, lived in them...had 100 pairs of those rubbery, chunky soled various Mary Jane style shoes...we had them in brown, tan, blue, burgandy,

black, green, mustard... a pair for every outfit!

OH the memories of Doc Martins....of Natalie's Doc Martins!

....they make me smile and they are just one of those things I'll keep forever

and I'll look at them and I'll dust them off when they get dusty

and I will picture Natalie in her cute outfits and

her darling hair...bouncing along in her

Doc Martins

~who knew that a brand of shoes could bring back so many memories~

Get me to the Church on Time!....

No...not for a wedding, but for Reese's baby blessing!

Is it possible for 6 adults, 2 toddlers and 2 tiny babies all staying in the same house to be up, ready in their Sunday best and be across town for a very special event by 9:00 a.m.?

YES, and we did it!

The first thing we noticed as we got outside to drive over was a shimmery sliver of a Rainbow hanging in the sky....

"Hurry! I said....Natalie is there waiting"

And so Reese Natalie Carter recieved her name and blessing on Sunday Dec. 21st

"Be true to the name you bear"

~ gordon b. hinckley

All I want for Christmas

You are looking at all I could ever want for Christmas...
ALL {7}of my grandchildren together!
My wish came true when Lexie Daun Labrum arrived Saturday Dec. 27 th
@ 2:34 p.m.
A couple of weeks early, and so teeny tiny at 5lbs 9 oz 19 inches long!
Heaven sent...and so thankful that she is here and doing good!
I'm in {Seventh} Heaven!

Tonight you are mine....

I have this photo of baby Jesus by Simon Dewey....I LOVE it..it is one of my favorite things.

I can't wait until Christmas every year to bring it out and display it...

I pictured it in my mind during a special Christmas lesson in Relief Society that really touched me in so many ways.

They asked a young mother in our ward to sing "Marys lullaby" and while she was singing it, it brought so many thoughts to my mind. I could picture Mary holding baby Jesus, knowing she had just given birth to the Savior of this world....knowing all that he was going to endure one day....but even knowing all that he would endure in his life, she was first his Mother... and at least for a moment, he was hers....

I also reflected on being a Mother, knowing that the children I have been entrusted with are just mine for a time...they truely belong to our Heavenly Father...but for now, they are mine.

I also pictured Natalie holding Noah on her shoulder...tiny and new...the picture which is the header on this blog. For such a short time, {a blink really}..... Noah was hers....she found so much joy in being his Mother...and I know that she is still so much a part of his life. I had never heard this lullaby before. I can imagine Natalie singing the words to Noah...."for tonight you are mine"...in her angel voice.

I have tried to find the music on the internet to add to my playlist but have not been successful at finding it yet. I wanted to at least share the words to express what Christmas is all about.

Mary's Lullaby

All mine in your loviness baby, all mine.

Al mine in your holiness baby divine.

Sing on herald angels in chorus sublime;

Sing on and adore, for "tonight you are mine".

The wise men are coming to worship their King.

The sheperds are kneeling their homage to bring.

Out yonder the star over Judah will keep.

No harm will befall thee, then sleep baby sleep.

O let me enfold thee, my baby tonight,

while legions are singing in joyous delight.

A new star has risen to hail thee divine,

For you are a King, but "tonight you are mine".

Away spectered future of sorrow and plight,

Away to the years that must follow tonight.

The pangs of Gesthsemane, let them be dim,

The red drops on Calvery, not Lord, for Him.

O let me enfold thee, my baby tonight,

While legions are singing in joyous delight.

A new star has risen to hail thee divine,

For you are a King, but "tonight you are mine".

Sing on herald angels in chorus sublime;

Sing on and adore, for "tonight you are mine".

Merry Christmas!

Favorite Things!.........

One of Natalies favorite Christmas treats is Peppermint Bark. This was one of her favorite things to make during the holidays....or whenever she wanted a yummy treat! You need to try this version just once, you won't believe how good saltine crackers can taste!

Natalies Saltine Cracker Peppermint Bark

1 Cup butter

1 Cup light brown sugar

1 pkg. milk chocolate chips

40 saltine crackers

1 Cup chopped candy canes/nuts {which ever you prefer}

*Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spray with pam. Lay out the saltine crackers flat to cover the pan.

*Melt the sugar and butter together, heat until "foamy". Pour mixture over the crackers evenly.

*Place in oven @ 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven sprinkle choc. chips over entire pan while still hot and let sit and melt until spreadable.

*Sprinkle chopped candy canes over the top and let cool then break apart into various size pieces!

Enjoy!

What am I Thankful For?.........

Today in Relief Society we each had to say something we were "Thankful for"...and for me, the image came to my mind instantly.....

I am so Thankful for the blessings of the Temple....the sealing powers that enables us to be together forever..

For these 3 beautiful daughters of God...who I am lucky enough to be called their Mother...

Not only here....but beyond the veil ... forever....

How lucky am I?... I am the luckiest ~