Just a little over a week ago!

Just a little over a week ago, our son Lee and his fiance Caitlin got married.
Amy and I were the lucky ones that got to drive there with her 3 little girls.
Hard...yes! Long...yes! Exhausting...yes!
Fun...yes! Lots of bonding time...yes! Worth it...YES!!!


I have to admit Amy drove more than I did, still eating is the only thing that kept us awake!

Girls were troopers but after a whole day of driving we decided to get a Motel room and rest for the night!

You can see how excited the girls were to get to do a Sleep Over in a Motel! Actually so were we!

Arriving in Salt Lake and being with family and friends, was so fun! I have missed my great nieces and nephews! I love how the cousins all connected!

Two of them, we met for the first time. Oh how I instantly loved them!

Look at those faces...aren't they the sweetest?

We all got to be together for meals!


For a special trip to the Dinosaur Museum, where the kids got to actually dig for bones,

while their parents got to reconnect!

Hard to imagine my own kids, neices and nephews grew up but now to see the next generation...was a Priceless gift!






Stuffed animals have always been near and dear to our hearts, only fitting that Amy's girls got to go home with one each!

Then because we got to Utah a few days early, we were able to have breakfast with some old friends, ones that we hadn't seen in over 35 years...what a treat!

I love, love, loved seeing all the kids and grandkids together.

What a powerhouse of women, these 5 ladies are!

Then after Lee and Caitlin got married, right before they came out of the Temple, Jeff and I came out and acted like we were the newly weds! It was too funny, people starting clicking their cameras then they stopped and I heard someone say... " who are they?" It was too funny,  

What we were really excited about was...we just had our last child get married! Can't you just see the excitement on our faces?

Ok, here is who they were really waiting for, but Jeff and I looked just as excited ...right? :)

All the kids couldn't wait to tell Uncle Lee congratulations!

When I look at these young men, I am grateful first of all ...for Bradley and the great older brother he has always been for Lee. Then as I look at the rest, and I am so thankful that Lee has such incredible friends in his life. Good friends can make all the difference!

Here is the Bride ( our new daughter in law ) and her sweet sisters and friends!

So blessed to have all our family together for such an amazing wedding!

We are glad to see our family getting bigger.

And congrats to Lee and Caitlin, your journey has just begun! We love you!

Good Night dear friends!

How you make Others feel!

We are working on my Mission Statement now for our LynnMade business . I saw this quote the other day and it felt like the person who wrote this...knew my heart. This is exactly how I want my business to be. Actually, this is exactly how I would like my life to be!
There are so many things to do as I prepare this business to launch, I feel overwhelmed to say the least. Still the bottom line is I hope that I can make a difference in the world, through my classes. Sounds a bit corny doesn't it? But it's true!:)

I went tonight to have a LynnMade Rubber Stamp made, it was fun talking to the young girl who worked there as we waited for the stamp to be made. She was only 17 but very sweet. As we talked about my business, she said that her Grandmother had taught her how to quilt....just the way she talked you could tell how much she loved her Grandmother! I love to see when good things get passed down from generation to generation!

We kept trying size after size! This sweet sewing machine (which is upside down ) was the part that Lauren drew! How grateful I am for such talented kids ( who help their Mother )!
Good Night dear friends!

Forever Families!

I love Easter! I love knowing that because of Jesus Christ, that our family gets to be a Forever Family, if we but live a good life and keep the commandments! What a gift! What a message of Hope, to know that we will live again!
 For years, I have been counseling women who are battling Cancer. The people I find it harest to help or comfort were ...those who do not believe in God or JesusChrist. It's as is they have no anchor and it makes me realize who grateful that I had this knowledge ever since I was a little girl. How thankful I am that my little grandchildren are being raised in homes that have that knowledge and conviction too! It will be just such a light for them throughout their lives! And every kid deserves to be taught about HOPE!

 Here is our handsome little Kai, who just turned 4 years old! Miss him so much!

 This is the cute Woodard Family in Texas! What a beautiful family! We feel so blessed to have them!

  (above )Our son Bradley with his little ones, Oakley and Mr. Kai!

Then Lee and Caitlin ( his fiance) are in Rexbur,g and we are hoping to see them this Spring Break!

And Lauren and Nik are still in Rexburg too! Miss all of them so much!

We decided to go to Amy and John's ward today, so that we could be with them for Easter! It went well and once again we were able to here the beautiful songs and messages about Christ and His life!

 
Then we came back and had dinner, an Easter egg hunt in the house. We even got to break confetti eggs all over each other! I think it is a tradition from Texas? :)
So grateful for the knowledge , that we can be a Forever Family...all because of our Savior Jesus Christ!!

Good Night dear friends,and Happy Easter!

Family History

I love this quote..."Knowing who our family WAS reveals part of who we ARE!"

This photo is of my Aunt Ina, we lived in her home with her from the time I was born, till she passed away when I was 10 years old. I loved Aunt Ina like a Mother and she loved me just as much. Aunt Ina never had children of her own, and was married later in her life ...to a man much older than her. After he passed away, she invited our family to move from our small apartment and live with her in her home
. She lived upstair,s and that is where I spent many, many wonderful hours and days with her. She was a fabulous cook, she shared her love of jewelry and hats with me... and always let me play and dress up with her. She taught me how important I was to her! That was probably the greatest gift she could have ever given me. I was LOVED! What a great gift to pass on to the next generation!

This photo below is a of my Grandma Johnny ( her last name was Johnson )

I had to laugh when I saw this photo of her, because it is quite out of her character. I don't remember her doing any snow mobiling, but the fact that she did at her age was inspiring to me. Grandma Johnny was the one who first taught me to crochet and sew! I spent countless hours in her home. Her home was a safe place for me. I loved my time with her! She loved cornbread and made the best around. She taught me how to cook, and told me that I could do anything that I set my mind to! Oh how eternally grateful I am for her in my life. She loved me and I felt it!

So how did these ladies effect my life? They taught me that I was important and loved. They told me it was ok to do what I loved...the arts!

So at the age of 12 I started selling my crafts in a craft shows.

 Here is a photo of me in 1974  ( age 15 )at a craft show. I was sharing a booth with a dear friend.  She was a painter,  and you can see her artwork behind me.

Then here I am 39 years later in Texas at a Quilt Show with my dear friend! Still loving the opportunity to do what I love and meet new people!

So as I look back at the photos of Aunt Ina and Grandma Johnny, I hope that they can see ( from Heaven ) where that Love and Encouragement they gave me all those years ago...has taken me. 

And how many lives it has effected. My marriage, my kids and my grandkids!

I love passing on to my kids and grandkids the love of CREATING!

Grateful that I have the time to be with them, that I get to tell them how loved they are! I love being able to hold them in my arms and tell them how proud their Aunt Ina and Grandma Johnny would be of them too! 

Yes, family roots are important!

Good Night dear friends!

What we can learn from children!

Kid's have so much to teach us! I think that is why we need to try and spend some time with a kid every week or every day ( if you could be so lucky ). They just see the world differently than we do, is that good?  Yes, because look how happy they are! Couldn't we all be so blessed... to feel that happy every day!

Good Night dear friends!