2020...!

 WOW !!!

2020 has been THEE craziest year, but, for me, it's been the happiest and best!

My life has changed in ways I only dreamed and I am sooo excited to share Matt & I's new adventures!

For starters;

You can call me Mrs. Julie H. Shumway.... I love how that rolls off my tongue and brings the biggest smile to my face!!!

My New Fabulous Life...

I just got my blog up and running again.
So, much has happened. It's been wonderful and good and I feel so incredibly blessed !!!
( Now I just need to figure out how to change all the setting on my blog, so I can update it!)

My children have all grown up and made big changes....
I'm excited to get all caught up on that !

I'm HAPPY and that's what I've been wanting my whole life.
I love how the Lord loves us and blesses us, He knows us so well.

More later....

2017...

We've had a good 2017 year so far.....

okay, okay, so it's only been a few days.....

but,

Kurt and I have been going to a "life coach" she has been amazing.....

it's really changed the way we think... and that's were it all starts!

the kids are good.....

I wish Candice & Steven lived closer.

I miss having them around and in our lives.

but,

we face-time them, and they are doing great.

I need to post pictures of the wedding, it was beautiful.

Dave and Kristen stopped by to see us, 

and as usual it was fun and entertaining and insightful,

as they could talk to the kids and help them understand that families aren't perfect, 

but, we all try.

(it's hard, because sometimes you think your family is the only one that is dysfunctional,

when, in all reality.... every family has it's ups and downs....)

It's hard, cuz social media portrays a whole wonderful world of fun family perfectness....

it's hard for kids to see and separate the two worlds.... it's hard for adults to do that as well!

Every time I'm around Dave, I just laugh, he says the funniest things!

Kristen talked to us about doing the 26 day cleanse...

so,

we bought the stuff and are going to do it as a family.

we all want too.

and,

 it's nice to have Kristen, she is the pro and will be able to help us.

Thanks to Dave and Kristen.

What a better way to start the new year with a healthy body!!!

CHEERS TO  2017!!!

Howdy and Hello....

It's almost the new year and I have a sweet but strong feeling that I need to start blogging and journaling for myself, and for our family again!

It's been so fun to go back and remember what we were doing, when, where & why......
 and to see the kids grow and change and just to touch base and share.
Writing is a creative outlet for me and I've not only missed it, but have felt stuck  in my creativity.
It's good to be back....!

The last 2 to 3 years have been hard and I haven't wanted to write and have every post sound like a
"Debbie Downer" so I choose not to write.....
 but,
 it's a new wonderful year and I feel like we, my little
 (not so little anymore) family are doing good,
 sure, we still have bumps in the road of life,
but..... divorce or not, there will always be bumps in the road..... that's what life is all about,
it's those bumps that make us grow....
I think Kurt and I were on auto-pilot in our marriage, and getting divorce has been the best, but, hardest thing ever...
 but..... it has woken us up to ourselves, our relationships, and our children....
 all in all, it's been good. hard, but good.
We are not on auto-pilot anymore!
We have to be present and accountable for our actions.

Candice and Steven got married September 3rd 2016 in Lake Tahoe on the beach.
it was the most beautiful, spiritual, stress free wedding! They are both so happy and are doing good.
They drove in for Thanksgiving and we loved spending every minute with them.
She is baby hungry which is so cute.

Caitlyn is good.

Spencer has decided to get his GED and move onto college.

Lynzie is a health nut, she is so diligent in her eating and exercise, she is starting lacrosse in a few weeks...... likes school, gets good grades.

I just got my cortisone shots today. It's sooo painful getting them, but worth it....

Kurt is working hard......

We are going to counseling separately... which is been so amazing for the both of us!!!

So, I am going to keep journaling and recording about my cute little families life
 cuz I love them so much,
and they are worth it.....

2017, is a good time to make a fresh start.

As you can imagine, there is so much to get caught up on!!!

Happy New Year......

a birth day....

He was thee cutest little peanut ever!

....

....

 19 years ago, my water broke
 and I spent April 24 through May 1st, 1996
in the University of Utah Hospital,
my water was low,
but I had enough to keep Landon safe, 

we worried about infection,
 I would stayed in bed all day on bedrest,

 and the sweet nurses
 would come in every couple of hours
to check on Landon, 

we were just trying to buy time..... 

every moment that we could keep him
 inside was a blessing, 

we were at 31 weeks
 and are goal
 was to get at least to 35 weeks,

 even longer if possible.....

 losing him never crossed my mind,

 so on the 8 day
of being in the hospital,

 I woke up and call for the nurse
 because I knew I was in labor, 

they brought in the ultra sound machine
 and that is when they realize
 that his heart beat was too low, 

so they yelled
 "code blue"

 about 15 nurses and dr's, were in my room
within seconds......

 they rushed me down to delivery to do a c-section,

 everything happened so fast,

 they had to get him out as fast as they could! 

 I had one sweet nurse straddled over me
 pushing on my stomach 

to wake Landon up

 or

 to get him moving and his heart beat going,

 then when we reached the delivery room, 

they did another ultra sound
and realized that he was gone.....

......it was too late....

I went back up to my room,

 and within a few hours
I delivered the cutest little baby boy, 

he was perfect and it broke Kurt and I's hearts. 

 We got to spend time with him and just hold him

 and cry for what would have been,

we missed him already....

 our dreams of our son were shattered.

I wish we had the internet back then,

so I could have
written and documented in greater detail.

19 years seems like a life time,
 and really it is.....

He would be getting ready to go,
or
on his mission already!

I don't feel a sharp pain in my chest this year,

 April 24th - May 1st,
that week that I spent in the hospital

 is always the hardest for me....?

This year I'm just a little sadder than usual,
 and have a dull ache in my heart....

I'm grateful
that I'm not broken
 as I have been in the past,

 it's honestly too painful
 to have to endure that pain every year.....

Happy Birthday little buddy!

Until we meet again...

7 years.....

We celebrated Sadie's 7th birthday!!!

two weeks ago...

we love any excuse to eat chocolate cake with delicious homemade chocolate frosting!!!

We can't believe she is 7 years old already,

I put a purple bow in her hair for the special occasion....
(which she hated!)

she has been the best dog ever....

we really luck out with her.

 Sadie, you is kind, you is smart and you is important!

Weloveyou!

P.S. RIP Winston...

(we love you Diane)

Prom 2015...

(excuse these pictures, they are taken off a picture of a picture!)

Spencer and Shaylee went to prom last Saturday and we couldn't have been happier!

We love this sweet girl.

This is the kind of girl that every mother wants their son to marry!

These two have been friends for over 3 years, since we moved to Riverton,

it helped that we were next door neighbors but,

  secretly they made a pack to go to Shaylee's senior prom together...

and they did!

and they had fun!

Mother's Day 2014....

I had a nice day. 

I LOVED being together with all my kids again,

 ( and even their boyfriends Tyler and Ryan)

we went out to eat, just enjoying good food and laughter,

 and then came home and watched "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"

and that made us laugh harder!

I love being their mom and altho it's a hard time for us all right now,

things will get better, but one thing will never change!

MY LOVE FOR THEM....

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's out there...

I had a lot of sweet messages from everyone,

THANK YOU!

Happy Day after Christmas...

Angelo once said to me, 25 years ago today, in the little town of Caltanissetta, Italy
 in the cutest broken English I've ever heard,
 "Happy Day after Christmas!!!

It's one of those sweet memories that will be forever engraved in my heart, mind and soul!

I can still see him standing there in my minds eye, and because he really meant what he said,
 is exactly why it has stayed with me all these years and every day after Christmas,
that phrase pops into my mind, and I smile and cry at the same time! I loved my mission! 

(some times....)

just like every missionary, some days were great and some were not so much!

Anyway,

we had a nice 2013 Christmas...

I have to admit, that I have been feeling quite like the Grinch since Halloween,

I wasn't really ready for all the hoopla that sometime can come with Christmas,

I just wanted it to be as simple and as sweet as it should be.

So, I didn't start decorating immediately,

(as I've done in years past!)

I slowly picked the things I wanted to pull out as decorations,

I wanted it to feel more rustic and more Christ-like, and it did to me!

The kids seem to enjoy what they received,

 Kurt and I have never gone overboard with giving them gifts galore,

so, I feel very lucky because they are always grateful for what they get...

Yes,
I'm sure, they sometimes wish they were getting all the new electrical gadget that all there friends get...
but,
 they don't seem to complain about it, at least not to my face, or they would be adding a new shiner to their list of gifts,
something I'm sure there friends wouldn't even think about asking Santa for! ha, ha.

I got a new phone with big buttons so I can actually see it,
being able to see is kind-of important to me!

which,

was a complete surprise, since I didn't ask for one, I've dropped my old phone so many times that it had these two big black dots on the screen,  but I just thought it added more character to my phone,
it still worked, kind-of, it started dropping calls and text messages...

anyway,
 Christmas morning I hear this phone ringing in the garland on top of the mantle,

all the kids of course, are acting surprised and saying "mom, you better go check it out"

so, of course, I did, and of course, it was a nice nifty new phone,

now,

 it's just going to take me forever to figure it all out!

 but, I ain't complaining!!!! 

I'll leave you with a few photo's of our day!

Lynzie and I had a good story to remember about our p.j.'s this year....
we'll save that story for another day!

Kurt got a lot of clothes that he needed,
but
 lets just pre-tend that he is such a sexy model and sooo photogenic that it just wouldn't be right to show them all to ya. One is enough!

Spencer got some new shoes, 

(will his feet ever stop growing! If anyone needs to barrow some backwoods snowshoes,

 you can barrow his new tennis shoes, they're grey with a beautiful blue color!)

and a gun with a scope...everyone needs one of those, right?

Lynzie gave this to Caitlyn...it said,

"Exercise, I thought you said Accessorize!!!!

Truer words could not have been spoken about our little fashionista!
of course,
our little shoe-horse added a few new pairs of boots to her collection,
and a computer for all the studying that she will be doing in college.

and Candice spent her time with both families, (I didn't get a picture of her)
 we did give her a portable esthetics/message table! HOORAY!!!
and a new vacuum,
Spencer was trying to give her a hint of what it was, he kept saying, "your gift really sucks"!
 I asked her if she wanted to try it out to see if it worked/sucked on my rugs
but
she declined!!!

Lynzie got a real pink basketball, at first I thought Caitlyn was so excited for her,
but,
 then upon further examination....
she is yawning!!!
 hey, don't judge folks,
 apparently it's like really, really early.... like 7:30 am!!!!

she got cute clothes, cuz, #1- she is a girl and
#2- because she keeps growing!
she also got a computer too.

I didn't take a lot of pictures this year, as we were just laughing and enjoying being in the moment.
We hope ya'all had a Merry Christmas with a re-newed love for Our Savior.




P.S. remember how I was feeling a little grinchy this year, well, I didn't get my Christmas cards sent out just yet....
so now, they will be New Years Cards instead!

love ya.

twenty.....

BUON  COMPLEANNO!!!


(and many, many more...)

Steve....

It's been nine years!

and, 

although my heart is not ripped out like it has in the past, 

it's still intact, and beating.

it still hurts....

because, sometimes you want someone here instead of there!

 and sometimes life seems a little unfair because of that.

but,

 that is just my opinion!

I really like this Santa Clause...

one,

 because he is full of detail and he's wearing a green suit instead of a red one, 

he has a lot of character and details and I like that about him.

 One year when Steve and Heather were married they always made the coolest gifts.

they didn't gifted me the Santa but.....

(Thanks Heather)

 Heather had made all of us girls a Christmas swag with unique California pine cones, that she picked up from California.....
these pine cones are flatter like a flower instead of those long tall pine cones that we are use to seeing everywhere everday,
I've always tried to keep mine special and intact. It's quite fragile after all these years.

It reminds me of the good ole' days when Steve was happy with his little family.

He brought a happiest into my life, and into others lives and seemed to lift my burdens by just reminding me "not to sweat the small stuff," that is a gift if you ask me,
 cuz not everyone has that ability!

I like this Santa, it reminds me of Steve

and, 

that makes me smile....

*this is one of my favorite picture of Steve and his little son Arik,

who I think was about 2 or 3 years old at the time.

(we just came across it a couple of months ago!)

Steve traveled a lot all over the world and so when he was home, he was home and enjoyed his family,

I think this picture kind-of says it all.

I can feel the love just jumping off the page.

pictures can speak a thousand words sometimes!!!

don't ya think?

we still love and miss you everyday Steve.

You better watch out, and you better not pout....

 I got the awesome opportunity to sit on Santa's lap a few weekends ago..... 

it was a magical experience, 

one that doesn't happen every year, in fact, I think I sat on ole' St. Nick's lap about 15 years ago,

 but, 

this one was just a little extra special to me....

CUZ, THIS CUTE OLE' ST. NICK JUST HAPPENED TO BE... 

MY DAD!!!

(one is never to old to sit on Santa's lap.)

He's since clean shaven again, dang-it!

Memories!!!

Heads are going to roll...

 Ohhh Thanksgiving...2013

*Lynzie was sick.
*Our fridge hose broke, which caused a water leak in Caitlyn's room. 

*Mrs Pilgrim (aka Martha) head fell off.
and
*Mr. Pilgrim (aka George) can't stand up by himself...(only on hard surfaces)

George and Martha make a good pair, those two.

BUT

all in all

it was a nice day,

the food was delicious and it was so nice to hang out as a family

we were low keyed,

 my mom and dad came up later that evening for a little left-overs....

Cj is Twenty and One!

Happy Birthday to my oldest daughter.....

she's 21 already!

boy, times fly when you're having fun!!!

twenty-one...

perspective....

Life is a learning experience every day.... 

or, 

at least it should be seeing that's what we are here for, right?...

most of the time we are running around doing those really important things like yelling at the kids to hurry up and catch the bus, or reminding them for the 1,000th times to take out the trash, brush there teeth, or only use a few towels during the week, not two a day, ugh.

you know,

 all those REALLY life altering important things that matter most!

and your running around with your head cut off like a chicken cuz there is so much to do that is sooo

important!

and then,

one little minute and a few short words can change all that!

I had the honor of cutting my beautiful cousins'  hair tonight,

I've cut it before so I didn't think anything about it...

but, she showed me a picture of Hallie Berry and said that's what she wanted!?!

now, keep in mind this cousin is a few years younger than I am,

she is gorgeous, she takes good care of herself, she was a model, just to give you an idea,

she's one of those beautiful long thick red-headed brown eyed girls, with the cutest nose and the best smile ever...

I asked her if she was donating her hair again to locks of love?

but, even at that, she's never gone that short.

"no, she said, 

 I have colon cancer and I'm going to lose it next week, 

so, I thought I'd have a little fun and have it short and spiky"!!!

she was so positive about it,

 after I picked my jaw up off the floor, we started cutting and talking.

I just couldn't believe how gorgeous she still looked even with short hair...

my heart just started to swell at her positiveness about her situation,

everything has happened so fast, she just called all her brothers and sister to tell them about it today...

It made me seemed to forget about all those REALLY important things,

you know, like the dirty socks, and all those feelings

that I feel that I need to control to be a good mom,

it was a beautifully spiritual experience cutting her hair and remembering to just focused on what life is really for and all about.

Tomorrow I don't think I'll be too worried about the kids catching the bus or mad because once again they forgot to have me sign one of their school papers.

life is about LOVE and treasuring those whom we do love,

and learning to serve and love others....

not about Spencer's socks constantly on the floor....

 so what,

 if I get to pick them up everyday for the next 4 years, (what's 4 more years, I've already done it for 15, you'd think I'd be a pro at it by now, not a grumpy old women!)

 one day,

 I won't have that awesome opportunity cuz he'll get married and then his wife will get to do that wonderful job, and I might even kind-of miss it...maybe

(after a while, of course)

I'm just so touched by Hiedi,

life is short and fragile and heck, how many times do we forget that during the day.

I've experienced enough tragedy in my little 47 years of life that I should have never forgotten, 

and yet somehow I did!

When people asked us where Lynzie got her red hair from,

we always tell them from my cousin Heidi.....

We love you Heidi,

 We will send you our thoughts and prayer during the days and weeks and months that are ahead,

 just to help keep you going during those rough days.

Thank you for being so positive and helping me remember what LOVE and LIFE is all about!

**post note, she just sent me pictures this morning of her cute hair on the way to work!
she looked gorgeous!

F.A.V.O.R.I.T.E.

This is my favorite picture ever!

It just speaks to my heart.

I'm going to blow it up and put it on a canvas...

why is it my favorite?

5 of the people I love most are in it, 

they are all laughing, 

the camera just caught them being them!!!

family pictures 2013...

So,

the other day, we finally did family pictures before our first snow storm hit...

it's always stressful to get everyone together and trying to cloth everyone to kind-of match...

Our colors were grey, blue with a pop of orange,

I had every thing planned out and every single person except Spencer and I changed their clothes right before we were walking out the door, Candice almost didn't even make it....  it was chaos, as a mom, I wanted to lose it..... all my best laid plans gone....
 but,
I just put a smile on my face and just hoped that some how it would work out,
 I was just so thankful that we were actually all together just doing a family picture!

we had a great time, we got some great pictures of us just being us!

our cute photographer did a fabulous job.

 Thank-you!!!

Of course we tried the old pyramid thingy again!
and
still couldn't quite get it!

(2013)

              

                                                                                        (2011)                                       

I'll share more of our pictures later...

but

one thing that was weird to see was this!

.

.

.

just take a look at

 which one of my girls has change from a little girl to a teenager!

LYNZIE

not only has she started wearing mascara, and doing her hair, worrying about clothes, and boys,

you know, all the important stuff,

she's quite our little diva.... 

not to mention that she is now TALLER than both her older sister!

she's changed right before our eyes this past year!!!!

it's been quiet amazing!

(2012)

(2013)

these 3 sweeties have a fun and close relationships as sisters!

we got another one!!!

(Another cute teenager, that is!!!)

Our cute little Lynzie is a teenager!!!
our last teenager.....

she's had a great birthday today.

Candice surprised her with a gel manicure and a pedicure at her Day Spa.

She got a few new outfit for the big day....

she got her ipod fixed, the screen was shattered,
and with a pretty new red case!

we'll get to continue celebrating with her this weekend when the whole family is together.

I can't believe my baby is a 13.....

we love you Lynzie,
Happy 13th Birthday!

the new....

our house...

On Saturday Candice and Tyler brought over there new 4 month old pugle....

which is a pug and a beagle mix.

it was fun for Sadie and Zaylee to run around and play together.

we all just sat around and laughed at their cuteness.

I texted Cj to bring her back over today so that Spencer could met Zaylee,

she is a really cute pup with a lot of energy just like 4 month old little baby pup are.

So today,

Sadie being 4 years old (and being sush the older and wiser/lazier dog) is over Zaylee.... 

she just looks at her like "why are running around you crazy dog?"

but,

 I laugh cuz I remember when Sadie was a crazy baby dog...

I guess Zaylee is our new grand-dog!!!

Tyler's house...

Spencer's 15th...

Happy Birthday

 to my birthday boy who keeps reminding us every chance he gets,

 that he can get his Learner's Permit.... 

and who asked us every chance he gets if he can drive around the neighborhood, 

which we mostly oblige him because it's just one of those fun things to do, and he needs the practice and it makes him feel like a million dollars!!!

(you remember that feeling!?!)

Yesterday, we took him to his favorite sushi restaurant,

today, we took him to Flaming Gorge, were he fished and cliffed jumped, he swore it was like 40 feet......BUT.....?

Tomorrow, we'll get to go to Seven Peaks Water park.

What a nice birthday to have it on a long weekend!

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

We love you...

(not included in picture...
Cj just left to go home, and Caitlyn is so sunburned that she went to bed, plus she gets to work tomorrow!)