MARCH

Well- just a quick update. Time does MARCH forward whether we want it to or not. Our little Jenna is out of the hospital after a bout with pneumonia and RSV. The whole family (the Seals kids extended families) have been so sick. Luckily Jenna seemed to have been passed by and then it hit. She was in the hospital a few days but did so very well. She is so strong for being so fragile. (I guess maybe she is not fragile anymore). She is proving us all wrong! I love her beautiful eyes and you know you see something special in her. Poor Gavin. It was hard on him. He is so sweet but he is so glad things are back to normal. All the rest of us are doing great! I seem to have the sweetest most loving little grandkids ever! No bias of course. The house has only a few more weeks to sell and then the company will buy us out. Then we have a bit of time to vacate. Will be so glad to have all the furniture in one house. We have kept some here while trying to sell the house. The AF house is looking great and can't wait to live with my husband under the same roof! So proud of my 5 kids and the great responsible lives they are living and the way they treat their families and one another. Makes me proud!

Blessing Day and Vacations

We had the most terrific day last Sunday. Jenna Nicole Heath was blessed. It was a day we never thought we would have. There were so many times when that was so far from a reality. We felt truly blessed when she survived birth, and then when she survived the NICU, and then when she came home. She has literally beat all odds and continues to thrive and grow and bless our lives! I got to tend her and Gavin last night while Kurt and Tara went to a Jazz game, a much needed out. She is so sweet and I am so grateful for her and for all the grandkids. Each one is a blessing and brings such joy. Also, on another note, we get to go to Colorado Springs for a quick little trip. It is always so fun and I love it there. Ma and Pa spoil us rotten and we have favorite places we like to go so should be a great time.
I will get a picture up of the baby in her blessing dress as soon as a daughter can help me. haha..

HOUSES - - - - - -

I know this has drug on longer than it takes to have a baby, but, I finally signed papers today to get the house listed with Caldwell Bankers. It has taken so much time to jump through all the hoops, but I think we are done jumping.(For the relocation company). It sounds like someone is interested in the house too, so that is awesome! I can't wait to have everything done and get settled in to one place. My family is great to help however they can. I appreciate the kids and all they do for us. I will be making lots of trips back and forth still. It's hard to want to be in two places at once. Scott is so happy at Rio Tinto. He loves his job and things are going great there. We have worked hard on the A.F. house, too. Lots of changes, but will be well worth it when we are done.

Happy New Year

We had such a wonderful Christmas and December. It was lots of fun getting ready for the Holidays. I was extremely late in getting a tree up and decorations out but I have two houses to do. We HAVE to stop this immediately! It had to feel like the Holidays in both places as we spend a lot of time between them. We had Christmas in Salina as it will be our last. I plan now to pack up the Living Room as the room is waiting for the furniture in American Fork. I wanted it here for Christmas so we had somewhere to sit. The Relocation Company is being completely slow about every step we take. We should have the house listed this week or next. Most our belongings now can be in A.F.
Christmas was the best. We had parties with both extended families and that was great. Then our own family got to spend a ton of time and food together. We felt blessed to be in the great circumstances we are in and have the health and happiness we are fortunate to have. Last year brought lots of trials and fears with baby Jenna but we have been blessed with a beautiful little girl who is straight from Heaven. She brings a love with her that is so sweet. Our family grew together through the trials. We are loved and blessed. Here is to a Great New Year with only one house but lots of family togetherness! We are blessed to have wonderful friends both near and far who mean so much so us. Happy New Year!

SHOCK OF MY LIFE!

Wow, talk about a heart stopper! Yesterday was the big day. 50 years old. I know, I don't look a day over 29! Nothing could have prepared me for the surprise I got. We had a relaxing day. Everything seemed normal. The kids decided we would go to the Church gym and play some basketball and then go to El Mexicano for dinner. Seemed ok to me. Nothing too unusual. Scott, Ryan and I went to the church but I wasn't going in because there were some cars there. The building was dark so Scott convinced me it must be a youth group gone somewhere and said Krista had texted him and was inside. So... I go in. I open the door to the recreation hall and SHOCK....friends, family, neighbors, kids, co-workers.. all their for ME!!!! I was speechless, for a moment. haha. It was so fun and touching that my family would do this for me, that all those I care about would come and be with me, (some of course had other obligations and were missed) but I was so happy and surprised I could hardly believe it. The girls and Mom and Pam did an amazing job with dinner. There was a GREAT Video Presentation that Krista and Valma spent many hours putting together. Thanks. It will be a memory I will keep with me always! Thanks to Scott, a great husband, for thinking to do something so special. It meant the world to me! Thank you for the wonderful and (entertaining) gifts. My family means the world to me. My girls worked so hard for this day. THANK YOU ALL

THANKSGIVING!

It seems only appropriate to express appreciation for all the wonderful things in our lives. It seems this last year was full of lots of stress with Tara and Kurt and baby Jenna. Our hearts were so full and almost broken at times and stretched so many ways, but we should have known God would see us through and our prayers would be answered. We are so grateful for all those who shared their love and prayers for Jenna. There may be a long road ahead, and maybe not, but we have a beautiful little spirit to love and to hold and to watch grow up! They have come through the fire and have been blessed for it. Our other children have all done well, some with life's little difficulties, but also blessed abundantly! Scott and I too have been blessed with a great job opportunity and relocation (if we would get our rears in gear and get done with it!). We went for a ride yesterday and looked at homes in Day Break and the West Jordan area. It does look like a beautiful community that has a city and country feel to it. Imagine that! Eventually we will end up in the West Jordan or Thanksgiving Point area. A compromise from A.F and P.G. and Rio Tinto. Haha. Salina just doesn't quite cut it anymore. Thanks to all for love and support and thanks for the best family possible!

Halloween

This is Dax after a wild Halloween party!



This is Dolce, (Katelyn's dog) at the wild party.




These are my 5 crazy kids on Halloween. They created the wild party!- with their little spooks and princesses and mice.



Grandpa with our newest baby mouse, Jenna.



Dax- a spooky skeleton with an adorable face!



Dylan- A black Ninja Warrior.



Alyssa- A beautiful princess butterfly.



Gavin- The one and only Mickie Mouse. His Hero!



Jenna- laying back and enjoying her first Halloween. She quite enjoyed it.



Jenna being entertained by everyone.



Jenna- the party is over!



We missed getting a good picture of Keaton. He was so cute. He was Storm Shadow off of GI Joe. Hopefully Amy got one of him. Kaydee and Anders were not here this weekend. Kaydee was a pirate maiden and Anders was a Ninja Warrior. It is lots of fun to get together and have a good time. Lots of food, fun, noise and CANDY!

San Francisco and Home Renovations!

I was fortunate enough to go with my Mom and sister Pam on a 5 day road trip to San Francisco last week. We had the best time. It is a very very long drive but we had alot of fun. We stayed in Winemucca, NV the first night and then drove in to San Fran the next day. You drive up over Donner Pass and I always love to stop and remember the sacrifices that were made by the early pioneers. Such treacherous times and weather. What sacrifices they made. We stayed with my brother and his wife Robin in Walnut Creek. It was so fun. We spent a day in San Francisco, ate at Bubba Gumps on the wharf, Pier 39, shopped at all the tourist stores, and bought treats at Boudin Bakery. (Sourdough Bread). The next day we went to Napa Valley. You would think you were in Italy. The grapes growing are so beautiful. We went to Sonoma and visited a couple of winerys. They have delicous deli foods and olive oils. We went to the Culinary Arts Institute and attended a cooking class. It was fun. It was a great day. Doug treated us to Japenese food- squid, edommome (sp), such delights. We had Chinese food, Pizza from an authentic Italian Pizzaria. It was lots of fun. And then the long ride home.....
I did miss the Annual Pumpkin Patch trip and I felt bad about that. Always fun.
We have worked our hearts out at the A.F. house. Thanks to Kyle and Amy and Krista and Velma, Scott and I got the front room floor done. We brought the real wood floor back to life. It is beautiful!!! We painted the kitchen and the bathroom. We hung new blinds on lots of windows. It is really shaping up. Thanks to all for the help. We ended the weekend with a fun family Halloween Party at Nanny Barts. What a treat. We missed Tara and Kurt and family but understand the need to keep Jenna healthy. She is doing great. Tara is probably a little house crazy by now.

Happy Homecoming!!!

Welcome Home Jenna Nichole Heath! Jenna came home from the NICU Friday 10/9. They let Grandma Barton and Katelyn get a first peek and then came home to Richfield the same day. None of the family except for the grandparents have seen Jenna. The family was all so excited to meet this little miracle. What a blessing to have them all home and healthy as can be. Jenna is doing great and their family is so happy to be home. Gavin is thrilled. The dog is too! Jenna has surpassed all odds and is doing so exceptionally well. Tara and Kurt know just what to do and they have everything under control. Friends and Family have been awesome! How loved they are. It seems like the end of a long hard journey for them. They have truly been under so much stress for such a long time. It is so good to see them enjoy this little bundle. She will be watched closely and I don't think she will get to journey out for abt 6 months. Hopefully Tara will get some pictures of her on her blog soon. So Cute! I have to say being Grandparents is great but so much worry! We need a few easy ones along with all the hard ones. ( Emergency C-Sections and NICUs and scary deliveries.) We are grateful for each and every grandchild!

Jenna and Moving

Just a quick update to say Jenna is doing remarkably well. She has won the hearts of the whole family and all the nurses. She is a beautiful little girl with an amazing spirit and fight. She continues to amaze us all. Hopefully she will come home in about a week. Tara and Kurt are doing good and would just like to get Jenna home. The outpouring of kindness has been amazing. Thanks.
We now have half a house in American Fork and live there mostly and half a house in Salina and live there when we need to. It is kind of convienent. We had some things to do on the Salina house to bring it up to 2009 code for the relocation company so we are finishing that up. Meanwhile, since we are in American Fork so much, Scott is working and Ryan going to school and me there all I can be with the baby at UVRMC NICU, that we are busy remodeling that house too. Sometimes its confusing where I am to be. I still work in Richfield. I spend lots of time driving. I doubt I will catch up with all the times Scott has drivin back and forth.
Rio Tinto just happens to have their contracts come due at the end of this month, which mean the union workers can go on strike. That means Scott, because he is in management, has to stay on the property and not leave, until the strike is over. Great! Strikes in past years have lasted 1-3 months! They really don't think this will happen and hopefully will only last a day or 2. Nothing can pass the strike line, not even food or water. We bought him a bed as we don't have a self contained trailer. He is stock piling some food and water just in case. Should be interesting. Hopefully in this economy there will be no problem!
Life seems to always open new challenges for us but things are looking good. We just need to get the house sold in Salina and only manage one place. That will help. We want to get baby Jenna home healthy and happy. She has been so blessed.