I have the best family in the world!

 

When my family gets together we have so much fun!  We went to Cedar City this past weekend to see Megan graduate from Southern Utah University.  We missed Nathan and his family, but are very happy with how well their family is doing!  We drove over Thursday evening and then Friday morning had a nice breakfast, and then the girls watched the kids so I could take Jer out to Bob Ray's Saddle Shop.  I think I will be regretting that decision for a while!  What good people, it was so fun to sit and talk with Bob and his wife Carolyn. 

Then on Friday afternoon we headed to Megan's Graduation where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and was awarded the "Outstanding History Student".  We are so proud of her.  Then we headed to Wingers for a graduation dinner, we got there just in time, and didn't even have to wait; that makes my Dad happy!

The food was yummy and the company even better.

Jeremy with his Cookie Dough Ice Cream Pie, Happy 30th Birthday!

Tori, Lindsay & Carson

The wild and crazy table! 

Dad got us four free ice creams by informing our waitress that we had a two Birthdays ( Mom & Jer)  one graduation and a free coupon.  Way too go DAD!

On Saturday we got up super early and went to Megan's Colleges' Graduation, she is such a trooper to stand out in the cold just to walk in and sit so her family could watch her get her diploma. 

After graduation we went down to St. George and did some shopping, and then headed to a state park for a picnic lunch of pulled pork sandwiches and salads.  Thanks Mom & Dad!

We had so much fun!

Here are some special pictures I took that show the caliber of people that I hang out with! 

When we were on our way up the trail we came to a place where you had to use a rope and some foothold.  We came to this spot the same time as a family with a bunch of little boys and one little girl who was in a baby backpack held by her mother.  Andrew and Jer just jumped right in and started helping the little boys around.  When Andrew asked the mother if she needed help in Spanish she asked him where he served his mission. 

Jer and Andrew took time to make sure that the whole family safely made it to the other side. 

 

 What great guys!

After our hiking trip we went and got ice cream and then headed to Snow Canyon to hike into a cave made by Lava flow. 

 Okay looking at a picture of it now it doesn't look so scary, but that night I was really thinking I might just sit outside the cave and wait for everyone to come back out.  I am so glad I went though because it was so fun.  When  we hiked down inside there is a big open room and we took glow sticks and broke them apart and shook them on the walls and on ourselves, and then we played hide and seek.  I was so much fun even though my Dad stepped on me.  I can't complain though because I stepped on my Mom's head and Jeremy's head oops!  Did I tell you that it is really dark in there? We had so much fun, but the best were the silly things my kids said while they were the seekers!  "Papa your not very skinny, but you can fit in really small spaces!"  I was laughing so hard that Payton found me really easily, but she was too scared to touch me and had to go get Parker to do it!  Silly kids!  This was the best sleeping night for the kids, they fell asleep right away in the truck and then at the motel we had to force them into there pj's.

On Sunday we woke up to a few inches of snow!  The kids just kept saying it's May, it shouldn't snow!  I know but we are in Cedar City! and I think it snows all year long.  We went to church at the Old Rock Church in Cedar City.  I love this building, it is so pretty.

After church we headed back to Megan's house for lunch and we finally finished the hamburger cupcakes we started a few days earlier. 

Jer not participating in the fun!

Because I love my Mom!

Our family is going through a rough time right now, because my Mom is going through breast cancer. Now if you haven't heard this already or you read it on FB don't get your panties in a wad! Because my Mom didn't want to tell anyone she has cancer, and because it is her cancer and she has to live with it; we obliged her. My Mom is the heart of everything, and when I say everything I mean everything.

She is the heart of the community because she is the 4-H lady and she works so hard to make sure that the youth have a great time learning about 4-H. She teaches afterschool clubs in the community and works with kids that I have zero patience with. I could never teach sewing to anyone yet alone a bunch of young girls, or the Hispanic kids she works with.

She is the heart of the church because she works in Stake Young Women’s program and she truly loves each and every girl. I know this because I can feel the spirit so strongly when she tells me about them. She is rarely at her own ward because she has to attend all the other wards, where she knows all of the leaders and all of the girls.

She is everything to her grandkids, and will drive hours out of her way to spend time with them. Or will take a whole day to drive her favorite grandson to a wrestling match in Blanding, where he will get beaten by a girl! I feel guilty sometimes because of the time she spends with my kids!

I love that she is always at church, 4-H or some sporting event it the community, but this is also hard sometimes to share our Mom, because we love to play games or just sit and talk, and it is never the same without her. We love her so very much. We love her patient teaching moments, her crazy science experiments, her telling me as a Mom to chill out and let my kids be kids.

I have the best Mom in the world and I want her to know that I love her! and that my kids love her! and that she is even pretty darn loved by her son-in-law! Because she is such a special person to all of us.

Now that I have written all this NO she is not dying! She has just completed her second round of chemo and she is doing great. Yes it is hard that her hair is falling out, and that makes me cry A LOT!, but she is feeling well and is in great spirits.

I love this picture of my Mom, she is always so busy doing so many things for others that it seems she is in more than one place at a time! 

(I know that this is really cheesy and not my Mom's style!  But we all love her so it had to be said!)

I have to give a shout out to my awesome husband too!  He is so great he loves me even when I am not worth loving.  I test him almost every day and I swear the guy is a freakin' saint. 

It is really hard to live in a small town and hear rumors about things people know nothing about.  I get my feelings hurt, and I am a true blue Holyoak and I can hold a grudge like no other, but he talks me down keeps me grounded (and probably saves a few people from a good butt kicking!)  Gotta love the guy!

LAME

So I finally purcased a new camera, and I even took some pictures, but then our computer got a viruse and I had to start all over!  I thought I had just recently backed up my pictures, but I had actually only backed up one photo  (BOOO!)
So in all my lameness here are our Easter photos:

We usually hunt our Easter Eggs and then play baseball with them.  I guess we weren't into hiding them cause we went straight to hitting them this year.  I love how everyone is flinching in all he pictures!  Never know quite whats coming at you after you pitch the egg, maybe the egg, maybe just egg gooeynees from the bat.  Anyway we had a really fun Easter, but missed Jer like crazy!  Even my Mom said I miss Jer at Easter, he dyes the best Easter Eggs!  We love you Cowboy, Thanks for working so hard for our family!

More Pictures of the BP Liberty Project

My favorite is the aurora borealis! I love it, and when I asked Jer about it he said "Oh yeah, it's okay. "

Okay?!?!? Silly guy he doesn't even appreciate it, or maybe he is just busy working.

The Derrick is Up!

The derrick is up on the world's largest land rig!  Hopefully she we be drilling soon.  I am so proud of Jer for working so hard for our family.

The Fun we've had

Here are some pictures of the fun things we have been doing. Please bare with us, we are using our really old camera, because someone washed the good one.

Everytime I try to move the photos blogger deletes them so they are all out of order.

 Parker's Birthday present, I really don't think he is old enough for.

My cutie neice Crystal likes me to do her hair, and see likes to stand really close when I take her picture.

Jer being Jer!

Grandma at Moms and Muffins, Parker is reading Scooby Do to her.

Payton and I at Mom's and muffins.

Parker and I at Moms and Muffins

Jer snuggling with Crystal's blanket

Payton dacing with the cheerleaders.

Payton at her Valentine Day Party

Payton and Dad at Dads and doughnuts

Parker and Dad at Dads and Doughnuts reading an X-Men book.

Parker at the Moab Wrestling Tourneyment.

Parker wrestling (stresses mommy out!)

Cute rainbow cupcakes that I made aren't they fun!

Parker's Baptism

Disney on Ice

I'm such a bad person, I was so excited for Jer to go back to work so I could get some rest!  We just have way to much fun when he is home.  Love It!

Dad came home and knocked some teeth out!

Where do you belong????

Last night at the Temple the officiater read our last name and said "Mallorys, are you from La Sal?"  I smiled and said "Yes!"  Jer elbowed me and told the nice man that we really live in Moab, but we have lived in La Sal.

My heart longs to live in La Sal, but I know that right now we need to be in Moab.  Why?????  I don't know, and if you know that answer please let me know.  I love my friends that I have made everywhere we have lived, but I really have a special connection with my friends from La Sal, old and young. 

So where is it that you belong?, and why?