Catching Up

It's been two months since I've written - crazy times! In October (a few days before Halloween) Cade and I went to Moab for a weekend. We had such a great time. The weather was beautiful and Cade knew all the sights and we saw some pretty amazing stuff. We also went to the annual Moab Pumpkin' Chuckin' Festival - it was so fun! I really had a good time with him. A few photos:

At Dead Horse Point

Cade rescuing a drowning snakeSo beautiful!

In the sun!

Cade and me at the Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival with Pumpkin Pete and one of the catapults behind us. Some of those pumpkins went far!

Here are some pictures that make me feel good:

Cade in NYC

G in NYC
Dahlia, Kelly and Heather at Kelly and Heatlher's birthday party

Us at Betsey Bosen's performance

Hahaha! Sorry Heather! (she is going to get even!) I love you!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my dad's 86th birthday. We had a family party at his house but it is so strange not having my mom there. For one thing, we can't cook like she can! It was good getting together with the family. We have all been spending a lot of time together lately trying to keep my dad company and take care of him. We are now at the point where we need to make some decisions regarding his care. So hard. It has been good spending time with the family though. If we don't stick together we will fall apart.

Payton, Katrina, Jeramie and Shanda

Dal, Kelly, me, Payton, Cade and Shanda Hahaha! Shanda and Dahlia with the pig nose Dahlia made
Payton the mini-model
Me, Cade and Nell

Payton, Cade and Dahlia Grandpa and Payton
Payton
Ed, Dahlia, Grandpa and Kelly -- he is opening presents
Blowing out the candles
This is at Shanda's birthday party, Dahlia and Pernellie. How cute are they?
Shanda blowing out her candles
This picture makes me laugh. Dahlia stayed overnight and got up before I did. When I woke up she announced, "I dressed myself!" I can tell!!!
We had Bailey overnight last weekend. How cute is she? She wore us out!

I have had many friends who lost their mothers. I have always felt sympathy for them, but never really GOT IT until now. I wish I could go back and tell all of them (Marion, Rhonda, Heather, Suzie, Marian, Kathie) that now I get it. It is horrible.

Here is what I think: Today you have people around you who you love dearly. Give them a hug. Give them a kiss. Tell them you love them. Try to realize how much richness they add to your life and what it would be like if they were gone. Try to treasure NOW because this is all we have. Right now. I am going to give my husband a kiss and thank him for all of his support. Tomorrow I am going to give my dad a hug and tell him how much I love him and what an incredible father he has been to me and what an incredible grandfather he has been to his grandchildren. I am going to tell Payton and Dahlia and Kelly and Shanda that I love them. I think I will send a text to my friends and say "I love you!" What awesome friends I have! What did I do to deserve their love and support? When I am down they are there. How lucky am I? I love my three boys and their wonderful girls and my wonderful granddaughter. I love my family and friends so much and want them to know how they have enriched my life. If I am gone tomorrow I will be lucky because of the people I have had in my life. But please . . . no one else can leave me!

Happy Birthday G

Happy birthday Gentry. I can't tell you how much I miss you. You would be 31 today and I would give anything to have you here to celebrate. Our lives have changed so much since you left. I want to think that you are with Grandma, showing her around, and that you are doing some grandmother/grandson bonding. I want to think that you are happy and are following a path that you love. I want to think that I will see you again someday. One thing I know is that my love for you is forever and will never die. How I miss the way you would make me laugh -- I could use that right now. Give Grandma a kiss and tell her we all love her. Happy birthday G. XOXOXO

With Heather In NYC with Cade
NYC
Napping with Zoe

G and Heather
With Kris and Chrit

Central Park with Mom

I have lost my beautiful mom. She was so funny, so loving and so much the core of our family. I don't know what we are going to do.

At a bonfire on the beach in Kauai

Mom, Katrina, Sim, Cade and me having lunch in Kauai
She did NOT want her picture taken!

With her brothers Fay and Dale
With Katrina in Kauai hiking up a storm
On Polihali Beach, the easternmost part of Kauai
Look how happy she is!
At Katrina's friend's house

Mom

Twila G. Mattsson 1929 ~ 2008 Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and best friend died on September 13, 2008 at St. Mark's Hospital due to complications from a sudden illness.Twila Gifford Mattsson was born on January 9, 1929 to Dewey and Pernellie Gifford in Salina, Utah at her grandmother's house. Twila grew up in Fruita, Utah on a pioneering homestead in what is now Capital Reef National Park. Her childhood home is known as the Historic Gifford Homestead, which just celebrated its 100-year centennial where she was featured and honored as one of the children who grew up in the home. She climbed the red rock hills, picked fruit, played in the Fremont River, rode horses and went to grade school in the little one-room schoolhouse in Fruita. She lived with her grandmother in Salina while she attended high school. She graduated from North Sevier High School in 1946 and worked as a waitress at Mom's Café in Salina.

She married her soul mate and best friend, Duane J. Mattsson, on November 13, 1949. They resided in Salina until 1959, when they moved to Kearns, Utah, where they raised their family. In 1977 Twila and Duane built a cabin in Torrey, Utah. Their home was an award-winning showpiece with hundreds of flowers and a large garden and orchard. They opened their cabin to their family and friends and spent many happy years at the cabin with their children and grandchildren. Twila and Duane loved to travel and would spend a few months each year in Kauai with their daughter Katrina. They traveled to Europe, Alaska, Russia, Scandinavia and Mexico. Twila was an accomplished seamstress and created beautiful embroidery and needlework.

She was always cooking delicious meals for her family and had many signature dishes that were the cornerstone of all family get-togethers. Twila was warm, loving, smart, funny, and was the heart of our family. She was generous with her time, love and wisdom. She was devoted to and loved being surrounded by her family. Her beautiful heart touched everyone she met. We cannot imagine our lives without her. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Duane Mattsson; daughters Linda (Ed) Blake, Katrina "Christy" Raphaell, Kelly (Rick) Valleley, and son, Lane Mattsson. She is also survived by her loving and devoted grandchildren Kincade (Janelle) Bauer, Simran Raphaell, Shanda (Jeramie) Wootton, Payton Valleley and Dahlia Valleley and her brothers Fay (Dessma) Gifford and Dale (Carolyn) Gifford, sister-in-law and dear friend Jean Gifford; numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her parents, brother Lloyd Gifford and grandson Gentry Bauer. Services will be held on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 1 p.m. at Garner Funeral Home, 1001 East 11th Avenue, Salt Lake City. A viewing will be held from 11:30 to 1 before the services.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Today is Adam's birthday - Happy Birthday Adam! He had to work tonight so went to Rio Grande and had him wait on us. It was funny for the people at the table to be singing "Happy Birthday" to the waiter! Love you Adam!

A few more photos from our camping trip:

Adam and Chris

Nell giving Chris a piggy-back ride
Nice!
Cute photo of Shanda and Jeramie
Cade and Nell. Cade is wearing a Stetson my dad gave him!