new paint.

Sam is out of town quite a bit with his job. When a new Maverik opens or they have regional meetings he is there. I hate it.. It is hard for me and I tend to get quite anxious. He is gone this week for a couple days and ALL week next week, but that is not what this blog is about.

We have a small half bath off of our main floor family room. Like the rest of the house it needed to be painted. So the last time Sam was out of town I got my paint brush and painted the bathroom. I love it... It looks so much better. Yes it is really painted a greyish blue and I put bright orange with it!! I LOVE IT!

I wonder what I can get done in the next couple weeks while he is in and out!!

HONK IF YOU LOVE JESUS, TEXT AND DRIVE IF YOU WANT TO MEET HIM!!

To the cutest Step Dad!!

My cute Mom got married in December of 2008 to the cutes nicest man ever, Nolan.. He has taken on our crazy family and all of our crazy problems and does it with a smile. He is so gentle and kind to my Mom and after all the years my Mom was single it is nice to see her have a "soul" mate.
Nolan has given us quite a scare the last few weeks. He had a terrible pain in his leg and was just sick as heck and was put in the hospital.. To make a really long "medical mystery" short... they eventually found out he had a Aneurysm in his leg which was stopping blood flow to his lower leg. They operated on the leg. The went into the upper thigh and got a graph so they could remove the aneurysm.. Picture below...
then after the surgery to remove the aneurysm his lower leg started to swell. They said that when tissue and muscle has been this long with out blood it swells as soon as it starts to get blood. So the swelling caused a problem and they had to go in and LEAVE an open wound in his leg.. Picture below. Now the picture below is his leg as of yesterday, Saturday, afternoon. The wound care people came to take care of it..

So I am sure you are thinking the same thing we are all thinking..

WILL THEY BE ABLE TO SAVE THE FOOT?

Well we don't really know yet. There is skin that is dying on his leg and they said it will turn black and fall off but said only time will say about his foot.. on top of the aneurysm he has a really really bad staph infection.

I kinda thought hard before I blogged this because I didn't want to invade Nolan's privacy but I figure that now all my friends in my blog world can prayer for the cutest step dad ever to get better.

We love you Nolan!!

is it so hard to believe???

The first question Sam and I get asked A LOT, is...
"Did you really meet on eHarmony?"
hmmmm... I think it is obvious that we REALLY met on eHarmony but every time we meet someone and they hear about our commercial they just can't quite believe we are a real couple.
Well, I am here to tell you..

• We are a "real" couple!!


• We have a "real" house!!


• We do "real" things!


• We have "real" kids!


• We have two really spoiled dogs!


• We have "real" ugly pasts. Each of us had been married before and been in NIGHTMARE relationships and said are "do's" and then signed.. are dont's!!


• Sam's chewing ice annoys the hell out of me.


• My "analness" about how some things are done drives Sam nuts..

but the one thing that is "different" about us then the other relationships we both have been is.. WE WORK.. We don't fight, we love each other to death and we are very very best friends. So to everyone.. WE ARE A REAL COUPLE AND WE REALLY MET ON eHarmony..

remember Honk if you love Jesus, Text and drive if you want to meet him!!

FIRE FIRE FIRE!!!

Years and years ago my sister, Jill, went to her 6 year old son's, Brady, parent teacher conference. On the wall of the classroom were all these picture of what each child loves... Each child drew something they loved and wrote a short title. Most of the little kids drawing were of their Family, and their title would say.. "I LOVE MY FAMILY", or some of the Earth and would say, "I love the Earth" and then my sister spots Brady's.. There were flames all over the paper and it was messy and Brady's paper said.. "I love FIRE FIRE FIRE"...

any how onto why I am writing this blog!

WE HAD A KITCHEN FIRE.. A rag started on fire, started my cabinets on fire burnt my cupboards, countertops and made a heck of a mess. The insurance company has been here, they had a team come in and clean up and now I am just waiting for my counter tops and cabinets to be replaced..

I will post pictures but just wanted to tell you about our FIRE FIRE FIRE!!!

It was 1970 or 80 SOMETHING!!

These are all pictures of me from the 70's or 80's..I remember something from everyone of these photo's and I was looking through them and I thought to my self. "The day I got this picture taken...this happened or that happened so I wanted to share a few with you!!"

I don't remember anything from this day but I had to show you how cute I was!!
This is my kindergarten picture.. I remember this outfit like it was yesterday. It had cute peach pants that matched and a picture of an ugly doll on the back. I remember having to take a spare outfit to keep in my cubby for kindergarten (in case you had an accident). So I remember getting the picture above taken and then we went to recess and I peed my pants, I didn't want any one to know I peed my pants so I sat down in a huge puddle under the swings and pretended I fell in it. It was an eventful day because I got to change into my "spare" outfit!!

*side note.. are my bangs a little crooked?? WOW!

The day this picture was taken my Mom was out of town or had to be to work early or something and she could not do my hair for picture day.. TRAGIC IN the life of a 9 year old. So my sister Jill did my hair and I hated it.. My hair looked just like Jill's did every day and for some reason I hated it.. I hated these pictures and was quite certain my Mom would also.. My Mom got a huge 8 X 10 and put it in an ugly gold frame and there sat this picture for years...

I was not planning on getting my picture done this day. I was shopping with my Mom in Logan mall and we just swung by this place and got my pictures taken. I was in 8th grade and I remember the guy taking my pictures said to me.. "You have a string on your boob"... and I looked down and I had a grey string from somewhere and I was HORRIFIED that I had to pick it off in front of that man...

I feel like this picture should be on one of those... "what were you thinking emails".. YUCK!

This was my junior year in high school. This army green shirt had mc hammer like army green pants that went with it and I would wear white socks pushed down with army green tennis shoes.. It was horrific!!! I aqua netted my hair threw this out fit on and went to school. This guy that was a year older than me said to me.. "You look like the green hornet!!" and then I went and got my pictures taken..

and please remember.... DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE!

My Brother Mark 30 years later

Most of you probably don't know that I have (had) a brother named Mark. He passed away when I was 14.. he was 24. I wont go into detail about his death since this blog is about his life when he was here. He was a great musician and was touched by the hand of God (along with his 12 string guitar). His music was truly inspiring and touched a lot of lives as he moved along in this world preaching the gospel.
Just recently he has been on my mind a lot and recently my sister Coyeanne found a 30+ year old cassette tape with nearly 40 songs of his. She converted this old tape into a CD and gave it to all of our family to enjoy and remember. She wrote down all the words and now this music can be passed down to generations.
Just today a long lost cousin of mine sent me an email on Facebook. He recently has gone through a family tragedy of his own and asked me how old I was when Mark died and we chatted a bit. I still dream of Mark singing with his 12 string and I wake up with tears even after all these years.
Here is a small portion of Pauls email this morning.

"I want you to know that even though I was raised in a Christian home and went to church all my life, Mark was the guy that truly explained the Gospel to me on night when I was 15 years old, when we were both sleeping in the same room in Grandmommy's house in Louisville.

The next day, our family left for NY, and I got out my Bible and read the entire thing within a few days. I credit my parents for bringing me up right, but I will always credit Mark for bringing the point home to where I realized my need for Jesus as the savior."

Its so great to know that Mark is still remembered and in reality, still alive in peoples hearts.

I tried to post some songs on this blog but it wont let me. If I find a way to post some MP3's I will do it.

Dear:

Dear George:

The wine barrel to the right is

NOT for you to pee on!! Not today, Not tomorrow.. NOT EVER!!!

to my head:

Please get all better!!! I am sick of being

dizzy every time I look over my shoulder, down,

or lay down!! I know it has only been 7 months but

SERIOUSLY? It's not even a cool dizzy it's a bad

carnival ride dizzy!!

TO ALL DRIVERS:

I am on a voyage to do my part in stopping people from using their phone and driving. A car is for getting to point A to point B. NOT AS A PHONE BOOTH!!

Dear Bank Account:

I think you should have more money in you! I want to go to Greece

and Venezuela and Argentina and when you are low

that is just not going to happen as fast as I want it to!

Dear Sam's Motorcycle:

Please don't kill us this summer. I love to ride

you but riding you scares me and one head injury

in my life is ENOUGH. Keep us safe from dumb

ass drivers!!

Dear house and laundry:

CLEAN YOURSELF!!

Dear Sam's Cholesterol!

In the next few months it is my life's ambition

to get you down!! Sam will probably have to do

his part also. But I need Sam around to grow old

with and YOU will not stop that!

Dear Maverik:

I am so glad to see March coming to an end.

I WANT MY HUSBAND BACK! Thank goodness

March only comes once a year and soon Maverik's March Madness

will be over. END OF THE FISCAL YEAR SUCKS!

TO ALL SIX KIDS:

Please be safe, smart, and well!!!

DON'T TEMPT FATE!! THAT TEXT CAN WAIT.. DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE!

Why these are the BOMB!!!

• They do not split down the sides and you do not have to chase your can goods to your front curb!
• They fit about three times the amount as one of the plastic bags!
• DUH.. they are environmentally friendly!!
• I have to make 1/3 of the trips from my garage to my kitchen..
• I look cool while using them.
• they come in different colors, blue, green, yellow, red!!!

any how you have the point.. I LOVE LOVE LOVE reusable grocery bags mostly for selfish reasons. It makes the chore of grocery shopping easier on me!! If you don't use these you should buy a couple of them and try it, YOU WILL LIKE IT!!

DON'T TEMPT FATE, THAT TEXT WILL WAIT.. DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE!

SUCH A FUN WEEK WITH SARAH!!

Sarah (Sam's oldest daughter) and her friend, Kelsie, just left to go home to Laramie. They are now done with their spring break and back to the college life at the University of Wyoming.. We had to laugh because some girls go to Mexico and get a bunch of HOT 21 year olds.. Sarah and Kelsie came to Utah and hung out with Sam and I and all our friends.. We had such a fun week and here are a few pictures of our highlights.. I MISS YOU GUYS ALREADY!!

We had some friends come from Logan and we all road bikes to Kelly's Roadhouse. Sarah and Kelsie got offered to play with finger paint and we are not talking on paper!!
We got a little "too" Irish on St. Patties Day!!! Sam looks so cute!! OOOO.

They looked so festive in GREEN!!


Brock's 12th Birthday. We went to Gateway and like you would guess.. With 2 girl at Gateway from Laramie.. WE SHOPPED!!

We had a "Double W" party.. WAX AND WINE!!

I can't wait for Sarah to come back~

DON'T TEMP FATE, THAT TEXT WILL WAIT. DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROCK!!!

Brock turns 12 on Thursday.. 12.. he is the caboose in the family and usually is surrounded by all girls.. We love him so much and he is Sam and my little side kick!! He brings so much life to our house!! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BABY BROCK!!

Brock;

I've always loved you the best because endings generally are sad and you are such a joy. You readily accepted the mild-stained bibs. The lower bunk. The cracked baseball bat. The baby book, barren but for a recipe for graham cracker pie crust that someone jammed between the pages.

You are the one I held onto so tightly. For you see, you are the link with the past that gives a reason for tomorrow. You darken my hair, quicken my steps, square my shoulders, restore my vision, and give me humor that security and maturity can't give me.

When your hairline takes on the shape of Lake Erie and your children tower over you, you will still be "MY Baby."

LOVE YOU!~

MOM!

Bikers Prayer!!

Sam and I are starting up the engine today for the 2010 riding year!!
For all the biker's!!

PLEASE WATCH FOR BIKES!!


According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, of the 88,000 motorcycle accidents in 2009, 44,000 were caused by vehicle drivers who "didn't see" the motorcycle and either turned or pulled out in front of the motorcycle.

Sarah and Kelsie!

Sarah has come from Laraime to spend a week with us for spring break and she has brought a friend with her Kelsie. They got here Saturday afternoon and we made it though the first weekend..
My nephew and a friend from Logan came and spent last night here... Funny how that work. I have hardly seen him down here in a year and a half and we have 2 coed's at our house and BAM.. He is spending the night..!! Ha.. In all honesty it is GREAT to have the house full again...

We also had a funeral yesterday. One of our good friends Jerry's Mom passed away so we all went to Ogden to the viewing. Before the viewing we had a dinner/Dexter party at our house... We had a bunch of people and lots of fun!!!

kewl brutha!!!

Sam and I have made a "contract" or pack or a "deal" with each other.. NO TEXTING AND DRIVING.. or email and driving or facebook and driving or blogging and driving.. etc. etc. etc.. NO PHONE AND DRIVING!!!

I have nightmares about those terrible video's you see via you tube of the crashes from Texting and driving.. So I am "dead" serious about this.. and all of you should write up a contract about the exact same thing and have everyone in your family sign it!!

*side note.. So Sam does not text and drive we were headed to Logan last night to meet some friends and someone texted Sam.. So Sam says will you read that. So I read it to him and I notice a text that he had sent to a friend of his that simply said..

"kewl brutha"

which I think he meant.

"cool brother"

I HAD A TALK WITH HIM HOW HE SHOULD NEVER EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!! ;-)

"When I Retire........."

Today I made a trip to the Boise area to work on some new store layouts that are going to be built this year. I always tour stores as I travel and I happened to catch up with Steve.... the Executive Regional Director for the Boise area stores. Good friend and co-worker..... he is the one that originally hired me on to Maverik in 1997.... anyway.....
He said Sam I want to show you my cars that I am working on at my shop... hop in it will only take a few minutes. Now I know his new hobby is that he and his wife take a car to car shows around this area but what he showed me absolutely floored me!!!!!! He opened the garage door to his shop and I think I heard angels sing in the distance. The perfectly decorated and designed shop is the ultimate manroom. He closed the door and turned on all the display lights and not only did I hear angels sing but God himself spoke I think.
Everything in this shop is perfectly clean and immaculate. The cars are all in perfect show room condition. Old antiques that have been refurbished... cars have all been gone through and totally redone, even is office in the corner is decorated with old coke machines and all kinds of details. I could have spent hours and hours in here looking at every detail. I wish I would have brought my high resolution camera. Steve kept saying "When I retire I am going to finish this car..... or finish this project... or get another car.... get a bigger shop etc...." So I am saying...."when I retire I want to be just like Steve" haha... I hope you enjoy the pics..... it doesn't do it justice

SAD!

Went to a funeral today of two year old little girl. Her Dad is my cousin. It was the sadest funeral I had ever been to. I started to cry so hard I put my head on Sam's shoulder and said..
"I WANT TO LEAVE"
Sam grabs my hand and whispers in my ear "I WILL LEAD THE WAY". We stood up and left about 1/4 the way through the service. It was a beautiful but heart wrenching service and my meltdown was not how I wanted to "support" the family. I have made myself sick thinking about it.. Headache, sick to my stomache and anxious. God bless the Barton family!!!

Another reminder how lucky we all are to have all of our loved ones in our life..


SAGE BARTON Sage Caroline Barton "Sagie Boo" Our beautiful baby, Sage Caroline Barton, returned to her Heavenly Father on March 2nd, after two brief and glorious years with her family here on earth.No child was more cherished by all who knew her than our " Sagie Boo". Her beautiful dark brown hair, gorgeous and expressive big brown eyes, little bowed legs, and a smile that melted our hearts. She was a very warm and expressive child whose funny little antics made us laugh until our eyes brimmed with tears. If you were to visit the Barton home you would most likely hear a strong little voice say "I love you much", which she truly did. Sage is survived by her parents Tyler and Sarah Barton of Centerville, Utah. Her siblings who loved and cherished her are Haley (13), Zachary (11), Kelsey (7), and Amanda (4). Her grandparents, who she completely captivated, are Byron and Judy Barton, Farmington, Utah and Richard and Claudia Barth, Los Banos, California, and Great Grandfather, DeLamar Palmer of Kaysville, Utah. There are several aunts, uncles, and cousins who loved her dearly. We know she has secured her exalted place with her Father in Heaven. We look forward to the day we can hold her in our arms again. Sagie Boo, we love you much! Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 8, 2010 at the Greenfield Ward, 1298 North 400 West, Centerville, Utah. There will be a viewing Sunday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main, and Monday morning 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Online guest book at www.russonmortuary.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made at Wells Fargo Bank to help with burial costs.

Bud Light!!

One of my favorite things about Mexico is the BEER. O' the beer in Mexico.. I dream of it. I can't wait to get off the plane and RUN to the nearest bar, cooler, or grocery store and get ice cold Corona or Dos Equis and have a little lime and enjoy my FIRST taste of the weeks MEXICAN beer.
We get off the plane and start heading south to Playa Del Carmen and we see a 7-11 (they don't have Maverik's.. HA) and Sam asks our driver to stop so he can buy some beer. He goes inside and comes out with a NICE WARM six pack of BUD "FRICKEN" LIGHT..
When he sat down in the car I could barely wait to tear into the bag he had and I looked at the bud light and I looked at Sam (like he had 18 heads) and I looked at the bud light and you would have thought he had just purchased a six pack of baby kittens. I could hardly BELIEVE my eyes. "BUD LIGHT?"

OOOOO...

An elderly couple walked into the lobby of the Mayo Clinic for a checkup and spotted a piano. They've been married for 62 years and he'll be 90 this year. Check out this impromptu performance.

Cassidi's Parts!!

This is Cassidi's shoulder now. Who knew that when they said she would have permanent sutures they meant.. "We are going to take some nylon rope and tie her shoulder back on"...
I sure hope that guy knows how to tie knots... ;-)

Happy 19th Birthday Jordan!!

Jordan is Sam's baby (or youngest) and its her BIRFDAY today. Happy Birthday Jordan and thank you so much for sharing your Daddy with me!!

I know your Dad and I being married was not the fairytale everyone had dreamed of but sometimes when things go wrong some wonderful things happen and now we have a different kind of fairytale. I know for sure that your Dad, Sarah, Josh and yourself have made my life a lot more full and happy and I look forward to spending many more Birthday with all of you!! WE LOVE you the most!! (don't tell the others~~) First time Sarah and Josh met JordanJordan and DAD.. Jordan has always been a daddy's girl!

What are little sister for?

Tuesday ROCK..

Tuesday at our house is "Sam Cooks".. So what usually happens is we do Chinese take out or chicken from Smiths or something..
Tonight we are going to a Mexican restaurant in Farmington.

I HEART TUESDAY NIGHTS.. IT'S THE NEW FRIDAY!