Hello Family

Yes, it has been awhile but I just never seem to have much energy to sit in front of the computer. I try to do a little work in the basement here and there but only for about an hour at a time until my back starts hurting from sitting. In case some of you haven't seen me in a while, there is ALOT more of me to love! That little bugger never lets me get any sleep which is why it is after 2:00 a.m. and I am wide awake. I can't seem to get comfortable no matter what I try. Tylenol PM doesnt even help. I am going on my 3rd night in a row with very little sleep. So I get up and wander through the house, watch tv, unload the dishwasher, read on the couch and other various things that should not be happening after about 10pm.
The boys are all doing good. Braxton is finally over what ever sickness he had and they are all still enjoying football. Both Weston and Garrett's team made it to the playoffs and played their first game today. Westons team won 20-0 but sadly Garrett's team lost 21-14. They were all very sad because for a bunch of little scrawny boys, they put up one hell of a fight every week and really kicked butt in the regular season only losing 1 game. This means of course that they are out of the playoffs now but will take a week off and then begin practice again for the tournament that they are going to play in starting in November. They all really work hard and have not complained once over the past 3 months. I am very proud of them.
Dennis has been in town the last couple weeks and it has been nice to have someone else be the "Football Shuttle Bus".
I think I have finally convinced him to finish the room in the basement for Braxton next weekend so we can start moving kids around. I would like to get Brody's room set up and have everything ready. Then Tammy won't have to be doing it while I am at the hospital like she has done before! With me you never know when my body might decide to give birth!
I don't remember being this uncomfortable with the other 2 boys but isnt there a saying about mentally blocking it all out because if you remembered everything then you would never have more than 1 child? My stomach feels so tight and achy all the time. I can tell when I am having some small contractions because it gets even worse.
My right foot is always swollen and nothing seems to help. I usually have it elevated all night and it is still looks like I have a club foot in the morning!
I sure hope the fact that Brody never seems to sleep now means that he is going to be a very good sleeper when he comes out!
I should head back to bed AGAIN and see if that sleep thing will work this time!

SUCCESS/FAILURE ? MATURE/OLD?

I don't know where to classify myself anymore. I am 63 years old and don't know if I have been a failure or a success with my life. Sadly I am not even sure if I am mature or just plain old. I thought wisdom came with age---must have been a lie!!! Life is so difficult at times and all any of us want is some peace and happiness. It seems so unreachable most times that many people quit trying. I will always put one foot in front of the other and keep trying to find that peak. Grandpa Hanks never liked a whiner---no matter what the issue, we were told to "grab our boot straps, pull yourself up and get on with living." I have come to realize that it has to come from within---no one can give it to you. I enjoy my family and the times we have together. Being able to watch the grandkids grow up is such a blessing. The simple things are the most important-------"The rich man is not the one who has the most......but the one who needs the least." The rough times we are facing now should make us all realize that we don't need as much as we think----Time should be spent and money saved. Memories are all you have in the end and taking time is what creates them.

MELON DAYS 2009

Yes Mother the Black's definately rock. Melon Days was great, it's been a long time since we have all been there together. Watching the kids get the float ready reminded me of all the years we used to get down there at 10 or 11 at night and throw together what we had been planning in our heads and getting up early for the finishing touches since it was always so hard to see what we were doing after dark. I can say it sure made me remember all the good times we had and how lucky we were to have had them and also how lucky our kids are to be able to do the same thing we did as kids. Not many kids get the chance to know their great grandparents but ours have and it is something I hope they will cherish and never forget just as I will always cherish our times down their growing up. Yea we complained alot about leaving our friends all summer but thinking back I wouldn't change it for anything. Hell I wish life was as simple now as it was then. Ok so I put together a slideshow of the pictures from Melon Days to put on here, we can't have our Mother complaining that we only post on Facebook now Geez. I am glad that we all got to go down this year an I will hope that we will have the chance to do it all again next year!! They are great times that neither us or our children should ever forget memories last forever don't ya know.
Love to all
Suzy

BLACK'S ROCK!!!!!

The week-end in Torrey was great---Boyd was so tickled to have you all there for a visit and some good food. This past week-end in Green River was also a success. You all did a great job with the food and clean-up. Mom and Dad really enjoyed visiting and eating some good meals. The memories of these two trips are priceless to us all. I am proud of all of you----taking the time to do this was awesome. I am hoping someone got lots of pictures as I really would love to have copies of some from both of these camp-trips. Memories are worth more than money in the bank---you will never regret doing these kind of things. Your children are so fortunate to have great-grandparents-----it is a privilege that not many kids have. I hope they will never forget the good times with us as that is the most important thing we can leave for them.

I GIVE UP!!!!

T0day was Steve's birthday--he is 62. We are getting old and it is so very hard to have to admit to that. Thanks to the ones who called and wished him Happy Birthday---it was appreciated. The others I have no words for. I appreciate all the effort that went into the trip to Torrey. Grandpa really enjoyed having you all down there....He has told us that every day for the past week.

HELLO FAMILY!!!!!!!!

The news from this end of the family isn't much but like to make sure everyone is informed. I took a few days off last week and we took the Corvette out for a bit of a spin. I wanted to see if it would run after almost $3500.00 in repairs. It ran great and I got it up over 90 miles an hour on a few stretches in Nevada-----cops don't take kindly to speeding even if it is in a VETTE!!! We went through Baker, Ely and back to Wendover and spent the night. I learned to play roulette and did come out about $40.00 ahead and for me that was a surprise. We tried to stop and see Rex and Charlene in Geneola but they were not at home. Rex has been having health problems for the last couple of years. Jacque and I took the horses down to the Equestrian Center last week. I was the one who got thrown off-----my supposedly bomb-proof horse. I got up and got back on----I'm tough don't you know!!! That was a good day despite the upset though. Work for me is chaos and I don't seem to have the energy for it anymore. Steve hasn't done much for the last few months so he is understandably worried about his job. Boyd seems to be doing alright---had to put his pup Ladd to sleep so we took him another one. He agreed to keep it for two weeks only. Well now he has changed his mind and said we can't come and get him. His name is Prince. I have taken over some of his finances as he gets things mixed up. The scary thing is between the farm and home bills I have and his I am getting CONFUSED!!! Mom and Dad are doing okay but they also seem to do some crazy things. Dad put in some asphalt and it cost him $8500.00. They also bought a $2000.00 vacuum----crazy stuff!! There seems to be no end to people going around and taking advantage of the elderly....wish there was some way to stop it. I am hoping we do not get quite like that-----you kids will have your hands full trying to keep us in line. Hope someone has the time!!!

YES MOTHER I'M STILL ALIVE JUST BUSY!!!

Hello all, yea I haven't posted anything on here in awhile but I have been busy working 2 jobs so by the time I get home I am usually beat. All is going ok other than me and Steven seem to have non-stop car problems lately. Steven has been working all summer for West Valley City and playing baseball as always. I do have some pictures and I promise I will make time to put them on here soon. I was just sitting at work this morning and it's kinda quiet so I figured I better write something just to let everyone know we're still alive an kicking. In case you don't all know already I moved into a basement apartment in Sandy it's great other than I swear I'll never figure out how I want to hang all my pictures etc and I still have boxes in the shed I haven't even started looking threw yet but I'm sure Ill get there sooner or later. I am still working at Frankco Mon thru Fri then also working at a Maverik Fri, Sat and Sun so I am staying pretty busy so basically my life has been boring other than Steve's games I have been able to make when I'm not working. So there is my update for now and I will get some more pictures on here soon I promise. I hope all is well and hopefully someone else will post on here soon also so our Mother doesn't think we've all abandoned the family blog for facebook so get on it guys.
Love ya all
Sue