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The main reason for going to Utah this time

Another Duclos wedding!

This is my beautiful sister Laurie and her wonderful husband Jerry. They have 6 boys, Kendall is number 4. All these years of adding boys to their family, now they have added 4 beautiful and sweet daughter-in-laws and 3 darling grand daughters. The girls actually out number the boys now in the Duclos household. Yea!

Newly returned, Chinese speaking missionary Kendall (Nov. 08)

and his darling bride Megan,

at the Timpanogos temple, aren't they are just beautiful!

More pictures from "Zion"

This deer was walking along side us for a long way on the "River Walk" trail. It took a while but I finally got a picture of him. When I was finally focusing on him, Gene said, "Holly go closer to him!" So of course I started walking closer and all these people who I hadn't noticed before moving toward the deer, yelled, "Mam, don't scare him away!!!" I was really embarrassed. But I got the picture.

Here's a cute pose of Greg and Jess.

Gene and I as we started out on our water trek, it was fun!

Trip to Utah

Last week we went to Utah for our annual Summer trip. Greg and Jessica meet us in St. George for two days. We went to Zion National Park and hiked in the narrows, and went to the Tuacahn Amphitheatre where we saw Footloose. We had a great time with them. Aren't they so cute. They left their kids in Provo so they could really enjoy the time together and with us hiking and just being grown-ups without the kiddies for a few days.
Here we are in the "Narrows", I had heard about it and always wanted to go and see the wondrous sights, but we were always in such a hurry to get up to see everyone in Provo we never stopped to enjoy the journey much.
Greg was so cute, offering to hold my hand while we walked along in the water. The water was pretty cold but worst of all there were grapefruit size and larger boulders all over the river bottom. The walking was really slippery and scary. While we were hiking to the river there were all these really pro-looking hikers with walking sticks and special shoes, and I kept thinking why would you need a walking stick? Well now I know, next time I will take or rent a walking stick. It would have really helped stabilize the experience. Instead this time I had my wonderful son, holding my hand. It was an awesome feeling, remembering and reflecting about when I held his hand and worried about keeping him safe when he was little. Now that he towers over me and is so strong he kept me safe and from falling down in that slippery cold river bottom. It was a really beautiful experience in so many ways.
So many beautiful sights and so many pictures of them, which ones to share?

Another Birthday at Disneylannd!

Ella turned 4 on the 19th, so what else could we do except take her to the "Happiest Place on Earth?" Brandi invited me to tag along, and even included Payton, as she and Ella are always asking for "play dates."

Abby, Ella with her birthday button on and Payton, ready for an all girls day at

THE PARK.
Two of my most favorite 4 year olds, who just happen to very good friends. I'm so stinken lucky!

My Beautiful Brandi and her darling little ones, sorry big ones who had to go to school, boo hoo.

Alice in Wonderland's tiny door, in fantasyland, which is always a good photo spot.

To make a Happy Birthday even happier, Ella was surprised by being taken to Chuck E. Cheese's. Now that place is just about Brandi's lest favorite place on earth to go, but I've taken Ella there a few times. She had been saying, "when can Grandma Holly take me to Chuck E. Cheese's, again?" So Kevin and Brandi had her close her eyes as they drove into the parking lot, and she was so excited when she realized that they were going there for dinner. I'll have to get some pictures from them to share.

Springtime in California

There are many people whom I know and love very much who are always so crazy about the "Seasons in Utah". Oh, pull-eese, give me the 20 to 30 degree temperature range, I can take that, not the endless months of FREEZING! Any way, I just need to go on record and show all interested that Spring does definitely come to SoCal too!
Look at my treasured lilacs, they are very rare in Southern California. I have finally figured out the secret of growing and getting lilacs to bloom here too. I do love my lilacs!

In 1994, Jenny and Julie were both BYU students. When they came home after winter semester, they brought me two lilac plants in 5 gallon size containers. We planted them, and anxiously watched every spring for the coveted blossoms. Once in a while I'd get one or two tiny blooms. I was always disappointed with the outcome, but the bushes were nice greenery in the planter boxes anyway.

I tried to figure out why they didn't bloom better. I remembered that in the fall, when the leaves were falling, a lot would remain clinging to the branches of my bushes. Leaves usually completely fall off trees after freezing, and that was probably the step that was missing in the life cycle of my plants. I decided to go and knock off all of the remaining leaves from the branches, thus helping the bushes have a fuller cycle. After doing this the blooms the following spring were beautiful.
Look at my wonderful bushes now. I have clipped some beautiful bunches of flowers to share with the Young Women at church and here in the house.
Here's our pretty Jacaranda tree too. I don't ever say that my favorite color is purple, maybe it should be since it stands for Integrity. Almost everything that blooms in our front yard is purple, maybe secretly purple is my favorite color.

Spring-time is Beautiful wherever you see it. It's remembering to look for and notice it that is the essential part of enjoying Spring to it's fullest!

It's Almost Time!

In my kitchen I have this basket that I keep all the swimming goggles in . . . .

The little ones love to get them out and play with them . . . . they can really mess up their little eyes. Look closely at these two, they kinda look like aliens.

They are all getting so excited to go swimming. We told them, "after Wade's birthday!" That's on Friday, oh boy Summer is almost here!!!

Stake Play "The Wizard of Oz"

Ema and Kylie participated in our Stake Play this time. They were very committed to the many practices and performances. Ema was a dancing Poppy and a Jitter-bug, with a lot of other kids her age.

Kylie got to be a "Munchkin". It took a lot of dedication but they both really enjoyed it and both were very sad when the last performance was over. These are the only pictures I got of them before their parts, because we were asked not to take pictures durring the performances, so I didn't. I do know people who I can get more pictures from though, I'm going to try to get more.

I got to see it 3 times, once the first night with the mutual kids, then two more times because we had bake sales for girls camp.

If I had it to over again I would try to be more involved myself in things like this. My parents tried to encourage me but I was never very outgoing and hesitated at being in the spot light. I didn't participate in the dance festivals because I was afraid of who they would make me be a partner with. I disliked the road showes and just didn't want to be very involved.

Our kids were more involved because both Gene and I really regreted not being more involved our selves and they went along with our encouragement.

I know a family who's motto is . . . "Popes are Participators!" I love it, that is a great motto! I think we should all try to be more involved with life in general, it's way too short!!!

My best little buddies!

Jenny with her boys, trying to catch up with me and the girls in Dumbo.
Love those Orange Swings in California Disney.
They are one of our most favorite rides. To bad Paytie is still to short.

My beautiful girl and her baby!

Posing Paytie, I sure love that darling girl.

I cherish every minute that I get to spend with my kids and their children. I am so grateful that the little ones love being with me and always want to spend time at our house. Being a mommy is the thing that brought me the most joy, and now as a Grandma, the joy continues. I don't know what I'd do if they ever have to move far away from us.

This is so true!

Thought for Today

"Mothers believe we are responsible for our children from the womb to the grave. We are connected by the longing to protect them after they leave our bodies, so the impetus for making this planet safe for them lies with us. Mark my words: It's the soccer moms who will change the world."—
Kyra Sedgwick, from O, The Oprah Magazine July 2008

Oprah was interesting today. It really made me reflect on my path in life and the wonderful joy being a mother has given me.

As life goes on, even when our children are grown, you never stop being their mom. You want to shelter and protect them from pain, emotionally and physically, but alas you have to step back and let them muddle through, stepping in only as needed to love and support. Believe me, as our children age and mature your love only grows stronger. You begin to get a small understanding of how our Father in Heaven loves and supports us as we try to make our way back to Him.