Meet Desmond McDreamy Hanson

We have a dog! (We don't know if that's really going to be his name but it's a start!)

True, it looks like a stuffed animal, but no...it's real. I have been thinking about this for awhile, it DID happen pretty quickly. So I'll just start with Saturday Morning. 

Mike went to work and I was at home alone. I got online and started thinking about his Bday and Fathers day gifts. What the heck do I get him??? I'm so tired of Shirts, Shoes, Underwear, and stuff he won't really use. So I got on KSL.com and started looking at the cute puppies. All kinds of puppies. It's extremely addictive!!! Cuteness on every page!!! So, I ran into this cute mini Schnauzer puppy named Zeus. My heart skipped a beat! He was so handsome. Oh man, he was so NOT cheap. I called Don Stirling and told him what I was thinking about doing and asked his opinion. He told me I should do it! Mike loves everyones dogs; even the ugly ones! I really felt like it was time and I knew no other dog breed would be ok for him. He's a schnauzer guy. I wanted and Standard or a Giant but you can't find those around here anywhere, and we don't have THAT kind of money. 

So, I went to visit the breeder, Deziree; just to check them out. I was dying! They were all so sweet. oh man...how do I get out of this house WITHOUT a puppy...there had to be a way. But I couldn't find it. So...I left...puppy in hand, nervous beyond belief. I had no idea how Mike would take it. He has made it very clear that he's done having animals, done with the heartache when they die, but I remember, the LOVE Mike has for other peoples pets!! I just knew he needed his own again. 

"Puppy" spent the afternoon with the Andrus' and while Mike and I went out with Jim and Jen Andrus That night I kept trying to decide when to give this dog to him. I decided at the last minute, after the date was over that I needed to surprise him that night, alone, without the kids, just in case things didn't go well. I wanted him to feel whatever feelings he would have, without an audience. 

(Those of you who know Mike, know just how hard Stockton's passing was on him)

So, it was almost 10:00 pm and I ran to the grocery store for some things for Sunday dinner. After that I stopped at Andrus' where Deanne DeGraw was waiting for me with a crate to borrow. I wrote  out a B day card, took the puppy and went home. 

OMG! this was getting scary!  

I sat the crate on the Washer and took the card to Mike. I told him to let me know when he was done reading the card and I would come back. 

Instead, Mike came walking through the kitchen toward me in the Laundry room where the puppy was! I just pretended like it was no big deal that he was standing in the laundry room right next to the crate!! 

We finished our conversation and he turned to walk away...he was almost gone...then he turned back...and saw the crate. DANG!

"What's this?", he asked. 

"A crate", I said. 

"What's in it?", he asked. 

"A puppy", I said. 

"Who's Puppy?", He asked, getting more and more suspicious. 

"It could be yours, if you want it to be." I said. (Sheepishly)

He started to cry, demanding that it wasn't true. Saying that I wouldn't do that to him.  I took the puppy out and handed it to him. It was a Schnauzer. He was a mess. We sat on the wood floor for an hour. He'd pick up the puppy and nuzzle him, and cry, then he'd put him down and tell me all the reasons why he doesn't want a dog. Then he'd pick him up again. This went on and on. Again, I was glad I did it that night while the kids were gone. 

When Nate got home and saw the pup, he giggled like a little girl. hehehehehe!

Obviously, we're keeping him...how do you say no to this much sweetness??? 

Mike and his sister Nancy

As you can see, friends just had to come see the sweet new baby. The kids were all so excited! Andrus', DeGraws, Westons, and Sanders all got a chance to love on him a little bit. Monday morning he was mauled all over again by some more great friends. 

Whittier Stake 50th Anniversary Reunion

This first picture may throw you a bit. I tend to be a little ADD. (self diagnosed of course) This really is a post about the wonderful time I had with old friends and dear family members from the Whittier Stake but...

... this shot made me smile! A missionary homecoming in the Ontario Airport! YAY! It got me so excited for my own missionary's homecoming in a year. I loved all the onlookers. What a tender moment. I could see the excitement on his mother's face even before he made his grand entrance down the escalator.

This wasn't just a reunion trip for me. I wanted to take in every bit of nostalgia from my teen years that I could. So I made my way up the hill searching for the last home I lived in before I got married.

The house on Rainbow place in Diamond Bar.

(Our home at the end of the Rainbow)

Uncle Kim and I went to pick Mom up from the airport then stopped for lunch, where I had Taquitos! (I can't find them anywhere in the Salt Lake Valley) and headed to Perris to spend a little time with Uncle Duane and Aunt Betty. I was so glad to see them...to hug them...to kiss them...to look at pictures and listen to them chat.

It was time to hurry back to get ready for the dinner and dance! Don't we look Fine!

The dance was so great! Many of my parents' friends were there. Marianne and Gordon Sharp, Dean Alger, Don Hall, So Many Friends! It was a pretty serious overload for me. Bob and Merci Garcia, Mario and Anabella Vivanco (Anabella gets a special THANK YOU for letting me know about this shindig in the first place) The Renoufs were there, Carey and Aida Klingfus, Sean and Robin Warner, and David...I mean Bishop and Eileen Cluff...oh my! There were so many more...Oh there was Trina and her husband Gene Dunford too LOL I'll never be able to name everyone so forgive me!

Mom and Gordon Sharp and Garine (my sister-in-Law) dancing with someone I haven't met.

...which is ok because her husband (my brother Ben) is dancing with the unnamed guys wife Bridget. :) Very good dancers!

I had the chance to dance with my Father for a couple of dances; he's so easy to follow and I must admit...he made me look pretty good!

**EDIT**

I forgot to mention how fun it was to spend a little time with Mary Herzberg, Greg, his wife Betty, and Tammy at Marys yard sale, before we went to the picnic! It was nice to just sit and chat and catch up.

Saturday was the picnic at Parnell Park. (Another place full of great memories)

This is Sean Warner, David Cluff, and Conrad Kreutzer.

Fernando Vivanco (The son of Mario and Anabella) I was sad that I didn't get to see his sister Deiudon.

David and Eileen Cluff and 2 of their 7 children. So cute!

Carey and Aida Klingfus. They haven't aged at all.

Sister Renouf and my cousin Karen Galewick Wilkinson

Proud Uncle Gordon with his "Boys" Ken Dorff, Grant Anderson, Mark Petersen, Danny Thorn,and Jeff Shields

And yet again, too many familiar faces to remember or mention. My only compliant? The hamburgers were GONE because I was too busy talking! LOL my own fault I guess.

Then we spent some time at Garines parents house where I was able to spend some time getting to know my Nieces, Ashley and Amber. Amber couldn't have cared less if she tried, that Aunt Shelly was here to play! So I kissed her and loved her anyway! HA HA HA !!!! Then I left her alone and went to play with Ashley, my new buddy. Yay Me! We played catch and bumped the ball around a little. She's a strong girl with a pretty good aim, she needs to be in some kind of sports... soon!

Matt Mom and Ben (Mamma's boys)

Ashley and Mom

My brother Matt and his girly friend Jessica

Saturday Night Program

It was a fun little musical about how the Whittier Stake got started, reminiscent of the Road Shows we used to perform!

Aunt Marlene, Me, Uncle Gordon, and Jeff Shields.

(Picture lovingly stolen from Karen)

I saw more people that I love and miss here! The Montierths, the Butlers, one of the Ostler girls, at one point David came up beside me, bent down to ask me if I was needing a seat, I looked up and he scared me to death with his spray on Grey Hair! he obviously had a part in the show.

Sunday Morning Stake Sacrament Meeting

I took notes off and on during sacrament meeting. Emotions were so close to the surface for me. Just the chance to sit in the chapel that I grew up in, with my mother and father and Ben and Matt, and so many people I've loved and missed for so long, OH MAN! I haven't enjoyed church like that in so long. I didn't want it to end. There were five sacrament tables set up for this Sundays meeting...it was impressive. I'm still sensitive about it. I can't quit help anyone understand it.

Karen Galewick Wilkenson, Dianne Nuttall, Wendy Ostler, Marilyn Thorn, Marianne Sharp, Rayanne Thorn, Joanne Petersen, Aunt Marlene Galewick

One of the speakers that day said exactly what I was thinking,

"This place is sacred ground to me."

This is the place where I was baptized a member of the true church, where I made my first friends, where some of the BEST Stake Dances in the region were held! Where I met my first boyfriend at 14, who later became just such a dear friend,

and where my "family" could be found.

David Cluff, (Still hard to call him Bishop)Me, and Sweet Craig Montierth

*Miss these guys like crazy*

Well, after I dried up my slobbery*crying*emotional face DUH!...

...I had lunch with the family and took off for a few hours alone to see Kaylene Canaan. It was so good to see her and her kids. It was nice to just sit and talk like we always did when we were young, living across the pool from each other. I'm sorry I missed seeing her husband. Maybe another time.

The most beautiful stake center I've ever seen.

No Lie! Really.

A man I don't know LOL, Dean Alger (i.e. major flirt! but I loved every minute of it.)

Uncle Gordon and my dad.

The Fireside was just as good as Sacrament Meeting. The children's choir was beautiful, there was a boy who played a drum during one of the songs, he was so cute! Grant's talk was great and when David started crying during one of the songs I started crying...AGAIN! Good grief!

He got up to say the closing prayer and gave me a wink while I was making my ugly cry face! The prayer was over...

...and I cried some more.

We all made one more mad dash to hug and say our last goodbyes to everyone we could. I wish more people had been there for the fireside, to see them one last time.

I gave Dad and his buddies one last hug and kiss...wondering if i'd ever see them again in this life; not Dad...I know i'll see HIM again, just those guys like Dean and Don, Uncle Gordon... Sweet , Sweet men, My sugar daddies. :) They all took such good care of me when I was a kid.

Anabella Vivanco and Me

(If I haven't said this before, I love this woman, because she just loves EVERYONE)

There were hugs for Ben and Garine and one last "It was really nice to meet you" to a friends wife...who just sneered at me. Oh well, can't be friends with everyone I guess.

That night

I fell asleep, thinking about the events of the weekend...it was bittersweet for me.

Time to go...

I got moving this morning with excitement to get home to my family and to my good life. It was wonderful spending the weekend with Mom. My favorite time with her was probably sitting in the chapel, her arm around me, rubbing or scratching my arm or back, just like when I was little. My favorite time with Dad was definitely the dancing! I hope someone got a picture.

Thank you to Uncle Kim and Aunt Charlene for the bed and breakfast experience, it was so good to see you two!

My cute bedroom; Aunt Charlene does some of the prettiest quilts. My favorite? The mini Halloween quilts...they were spectacular--if you're a Halloween fanatic like me!

I just liked this...i'm not sure how much the guy like me taking the picture though. oops!

I got a phone call as I drove into the rental car return, trying not to get lost. It was my "super model" friend Jen Andrus. WHERE ARE YOU?????

LOL, well ok...if talking to my sweetie this morning and getting a text from my daughter about school stuff wasn't enough, there was Jen, reminding me of the good life I have waiting for me in Utah.

My childhood is sacred and memorable thanks to my Whittier Stake friends and family but I have to end by saying that my friends and "family" in the Cottonwood Heights Stake in Utah run an extreamly close 2nd...

...As it probably should be.