Happy Birthday Mom

So many things in my heart and yet it seems impossible to put into words. And although I miss you and know that you couldn't be celebrating in a better place. So for your 58th Birthday here are 58 things I love about you...and 58 reasons to smile today.

1. Your laugh

2. Your smile

3. Your dedication to our family

4. That you always had my back

5. Your ability to make anything out of anything

6. That you smiled at the finger prints our kids would leave on the French doors when we left.

7. Your sewing abilities.

8. All of the quilts you made that comfort us now.

9. Your unconditional love even when I probably didn't deserve it.

10. Our picnic breakfast and lunch on the beach last August which turned out to be our last time spent together here on earth.

11. Your homemade bread

12. The thought of you wrapped up in cozy blankets, jackets and robes

13. That your favorite color was dirt.

14. That you never just said "Ross" but rather "Ross Dress for Less"

15. Your ability to stretch a dollar.

16. That every gift you gave was personal, well thought out, and sentimental

17. Your deeply personal love for our Savior.

18. That you could laugh at yourself.

19. That every recipe always needed a hint (or a lot) of brown sugar.

20. When you came to visit and we made cinnamon rolls in the middle of the night and even though we couldn't keep our eyes open while they were baking. When they were ready we still managed to eat them.

21. Our late night talks.

22. Playing games together.

23. That you wrote messages, which are now treasured, inside all the books you gave us.

24. That you are one of my best friends.

25. The smile that you tried to hide on your face when we would say something inappropriate and although you also thought it was funny you tried awfully hard to not smile.

26. That you always crushed up your frosted mini wheat cereal to eat it.

27. Your homemade hot fudge. Which you typically ate by itself in the little white cups with a few chocolate chips and a smidgen of butter instead of on ice cream.

28. That you loved the crumbs at the end of the cereal bags.

29. That you never could have enough tables.

30. That you loved to take the kids on nature walks.

31. Your love of photographing Bear Lake in all the seasons and lighting.

32. Your ability to garden.

33. Your work ethic.

34. That you took pleasure in watching us learn the exhausting routines of motherhood.

35. Sunday night treats.

36. When you told the story of how you and dad met.

37. That you loved your siblings and taught us to do the same.

38. That you could take an old door and fix it up and sell it as a decoration or better yet make it into a bed.

39. That there was no where you would rather be or nothing you would rather be doing than spending time with your kids and grandkids.

40. Your love of the simple things in life.

41. That you always sacrificed for us without complaining.

42. The blue blanket.

43. Having you go to parent teacher conference and stand up for me when my teacher said I "sometimes" talked to much in class and your response was "well socializing is an important part of school"

44. Your testimony.

45. Quilting blankets together (well you quilted I just tried)

46. That it didn't matter how dumb a movie was if you started watching it you finished it. (like the movie I found you watching in another language... without subtitles)

47. That you could never sit and watch a movie without asking what was going to happen next or without a little (or a lot) of chit chat.

48. That you love my kids as much as I do.

49. That our phone conversations always ended with about 20 different attempts at saying goodbye because we always seemed to find something else to say.

50. That my kids love you as much as I do.

51. That you were a firm believer in dessert before dinner because it seemed silly not to have room for the good stuff.

52. Your love of shopping.

53. Your love of purses and bags.

54. How much you loved sitting in your sun room watching the beauty of nature.

55. Eating cheese sticks together at the telephone office during the summer.

56. How much fun we had together no matter where we were or what we were doing.

57. I always thought it was so funny when you would have to cross your legs when you laughed...then I had kids and now I get it.

58. Did I mention your laugh....well it is worth mentioning again. I can still hear it and it always makes me smile.

I am so blessed to call you MOM!!! Thank you for your love and example. We love you and miss you so so much. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Mom

“May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human enough hope to make you happy.”

GARDEN CITY, Utah – Catherine Irene Lewis Pope, 57, returned to her Heavenly Father on Tuesday, October 5, 2010.

Cathy was born April 21, 1953 in Montpelier, Idaho to Calvert and Agnes Lewis. She grew up in the Bear Lake Valley and was the youngest of six children. At the age of 16 her mother passed away leaving Cathy as the only child at home. She assumed responsibility for the household and developed self-reliance and determination. In 1971 Cathy married her eternal companion Howard Max Pope and they were sealed in the Logan Utah Temple.

Cathy was mother to five children for whom she devoted her life. Her children learned the importance of provident living through her example of finding a good bargain and stretching a dollar. She was never idle and thoughtfully performed many acts of service without thought of recognition.

By fostering an atmosphere of love, she created a home that nurtured deep family unity. Using her home as her canvas, Cathy’s unending creativity made her a true homemaker in every sense of the word. She enjoyed working with her hands through gardening, carpentry, cooking, sewing and quilting. This desire to develop and share of your talents is instilled in her children.

Cathy served valiantly in many church callings throughout her life. Her deep personal testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ resonated among all who knew her. She leaves behind a rich legacy of faith and family to her children and grandchildren.

Cathy is survived by her husband Howard, of Garden City, Utah; her children Kerrie Taylor (Toby) of Lehi, Utah; Courtney Guymon (Chris) of Smithfield, Utah; Candice Eborn (Stephen) of Pueblo, Colorado; Cami McCabe (Patrick) of Queen Creek, Arizona; Nicholas Pope of Provo, Utah; and 12 beautiful grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and one elder brother.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. at Garden City Chapel, 65 South Bear Lake Blvd. with Bishop Howard M. Pope conducting. Friends may call prior to the service from 9:30 to 10:50 a.m. A viewing will be held on Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Matthew’s Mortuary, 702 Clay Street inMontpelier, Idaho. Interment will be in the Garden City Cemetery

At Last An Update

APRIL FOOLS

You thought there was really an update didn't you.

Maybe someday.....maybe.

Keep scrolling there is another new post below. I am on a roll!

Field Day Fun

Madi and her friend Cody at field day...Cody looks a little to content right there.

They had sprinkler's and the fire truck from across the street keeping them cool!

I love this picture...it encompasses all the freedoms of being a kid. (like being able to run across a field in a swim suit without a care in the world..ahh the good old days)

Happy Birthday Madison

Still trying to catch up so I am dating back to May...so enjoy the posts because there is no telling when another one will come your way.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADISON

Madison is obsessed with animals...especially dogs. I think she asks me 10 time a day to take a picture of her and her dog Oreo so I can put in on the blog so it is only fitting she would have a littlest Pet Shop party.Littlest Pet Shop Cake.
Plenty of friends to help her celebrate the big day!!!

They played freeze dance, threw water balloons at Patrick (wouldn't be a McCabe party without water) played on the swing set, and for some reason I didn't get any footage of her opening presents. But thanks to all who came she had a great party.

I had to throw this shot in there for no other reason than it is one of those pictures you take not realizing what you captured until you are looking back through the photos. The little girl upside down on the swing in mid air on the swing set from HE Double Hockey Sticks (see earlier post for explanation) by some miracle didn't fall out on her head but man that totally could have gone south!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN MADISON
We love you so so so much!!

NO GOOD VERY BAD DAY

I KNOW I'M BLOGGIN' TWO DAYS IN A ROW...SIGN OF THE TIMES

THE SWING SET FROM H-E-Double Hockey Sticks I know it looks innocent enough sitting there, all put together, with my children happily having a picnic beneath its shady green roof. But there is a dark side in its shadows.

Most of you have heard the story but here it is in a nut shell for those who have not been so fortunate. Play house slides off of truck onto Rich who was holding it onto the back of the truck going down the road. Rich hits his head quite hard on the ground. House is loaded back onto truck and taken to new location (my house). Rich is not doing well and starting to forget things. Lacee takes Rich to Urgent Care where they send him to the hospital via ambulance, head scan is inconclusive so they life flight him to a trauma center where he stays for a few days and then take about two weeks to fully recover to where they will let him return to work. Meanwhile I have Lacee's kids while she is in the hospital with Rich, company coming to stay with us for a few days. Pat and I decide to take the house off the truck and move it back by the gate until we can find someone to help move it over the fence. Well while we are taking it off I slip off of the bumper of the truck and smash my hands on the tailgate between the truck and the playhouse. No big deal, kind of hurts but I feel like I am getting off easy compared to Rich. I clean the house, pack dinner and get all five kids off to work with me. When I get there I rub my finger because it was hurting from smashing it and look down to see my diamond missing from my wedding ring. It also smashed the diamond band on my other hand so the bottom was completely flat. I call Pat crying and he looks with a flashlight, but to no avail. I kept thinking I was going to wake up soon but this was a real life no good very bad day. Makes me grateful for the days that are only no good or just bad. Like maybe when Jacob pours a half gallon of bleach into my washing machine that was full of colors I had just washed, or constantly dumps full shampoo and conditioner bottles into the tub, or use an entire new bottle of ranch to dress a hand full of salad or flushes my undies down the toilet or okay I guess you get the point. But at the end of the day I can always be assured that someone has it worse than me.

Turkey Hunting

This spring Patrick and I went Turkey Hunting up in Kiabab. My first time going hunting with a tag and not as a cheerleader. The night before opening day we scouted but ended up stuck in the snow for over an hour high centered, Pat in shorts and a short sleeve shirt, and we actually found it humorous which has not been our past experiences stuck in the snow. It was FREEZING cold and INSANELY windy which as we found out is perfect weather for NOT finding turkey. Not for a lack of trying however we got up at the crack of dawn, hiked all up and down steep slopes, sat for hours still as we could against trees calling and calling, road hunted, and even pulled out the blind, but the turkey had the upper hand.

What I learned from the trip.

1. I can easily get addicted to anything that involves competition. (The turkey may have gotten the upper hand this time but next year they are mine)

2. I can survive in a tent when the weather is in the teens.

3. I love spending time in the outdoors.

4. I feel pretty lucky that my husband actually wants me to go hunting with him and doesn't use it as a time to get away from me.

5. It is possible for two people to shower in a tent, in freezing weather, in a bucket, with one gallon of water. (Hair and all)

6. I love that my husband and I love that we can still laugh together over nothing. And we both think we are funnier than the other.

7. Thank heavens for family. (Thanks Kennedy's for keeping the kids)

8. Hand woven native rugs are crazy expensive.

9. Never eat breakfast at the lodge in Jacob's lake...Seriously don't.

10. LIFE IS GOOD!!