Me and the boys!

One of the best things about living here in St. George is that I get to spend time with my nephews. I think they tend to keep me young at heart.
Our last little "outing" I think I might have tramatized them, or maybe just me since they won't remember.
I had a brilliant idea to take them to the Sand Dunes. They had never been there to my utter dismay and so I thought it would be fun. We left about 10:30 in the morning. We stopped and got water and treats and so it was about 11:00 when we got there.
It was a beautiful morning, the sky was blue and there was a slight breeze blowing. Well, we ran and jumped and played for probably an hour and a half.


Here is a picture of Weston covered in sand from head to toe!

We were having so much fun and I buried each boy up to their chins or as far as they would let me.












Weston having fun being buried in the sand!

















We were honestly having so much fun that I wasn't paying any attention to the hour.
The sun beat down on us and we continued to play. After the water had run out, it was time to leave. I gathered up our water bottles and started up the hill.
My feet were so hot that I had to hurry and bury them in the sand to stay cool. I had left everyone's shoes on the next dune over. Not a smart idea! Poor Weston didn't understand why his feet were hurting. He wanted me to carry him. If you have ever tried carrying a almost 3 year old in a pile of sand trying to hold water bottles and everything else, It is not fun!!!!
I finally sat him down and ran to the next dune to get his shoes and put them on him. I thought maybe that would save the day but he still wanted me to carry him. What is an aunt to do! I had Colton carry the water bottles and I carried Weston. By the time I got back to the car my poor feet hurt so bad, I couldn't hardly feel the bottoms! If mine hurt that bad, I couldn't imagine what I had done to poor Weston. Dragging his little tender feet through that hot hot sand.
So if you go to the sand dunes... go early in the morning and don't leave the shoes on the next dune over! I learned some value lessons and now I know why I wasn't "blessed" with children. I probably would have killed them off!
I think everyone had fun and I bought them lunch for a bribe to forgive me! I think it worked!

Maybe they still love me anyways! That is what I love about kids. You can mess up big time and they still love you no matter what! They might even be persuaded to go with me again on another adventure!

My Heroes have always been Cowboys!

When I think of heroes, the first image that usually plobs into my brain is a man running around in his underwear, with his red cape flying behind him....Hmmm, I wonder what I use to watch as a child?

I have had many heroes throughout my life. When I was a kid there were a few famous people that I thought were pretty cool. I hung there posters up on my walls but that was about as far as it went.

I never dreamed that I would ever come to meet my heroes. They were just people on my wall, they didn't really exist beyond that.

Last night I had the opportunity to see a premiere of a documentary on Cody Wright. I have to be honest.... until last year I had no idea of who he was. For those that don't know who he is, he is a bronc rider from Milford Utah.

My nephew Colton idolizes him. He gets on his little stick horse and makes us announce that "Cody Wright" is coming out of the gate. Who knows where this instinct in Colton comes from. I certainly don't think it comes from the Hagen side, but who knows...my dad use to work on a ranch in his younger days.

I wish everyone could have seen this little boys face as he stood in line to meet Cody.

He was beaming from head to toe! He was actually getting to meet the real Cody Wright! He stood there in his wranglers and his cowboy shirt that he had picked out himself!
Picture in hand so that he could get Cody's autograph. He was so excited I thought that he would bust!

His Uncle Russ had won him tickets on the radio to be there that night. Susan said that he was all over his dad to leave so that they could get up there to Cedar.



I think Colton was a little shy when Cody was asking him questions but I think if he would have had a little more time he would have been asking Cody every question in the book!




After Colton got his autograph, he came in and watched the movie. Now for being such a little guy (almost 5) he was incredibly still and sat and watched the 60 minute movie.

He said to me a few times, "Moni, did you see that?" He absolutely loved it.
I asked him if he was going to ride Broncs like Cody when he got bigger, he sat and contemplated for a minute and said, "No, I'm gonna ride bulls!"
Sorry Sues. You better watch out for this little guy when he gets older!

I think that was very neat that Colton got to meet one of his heroes! Susan said that he was still beaming when he got home last night and won't let anyone touch his autograph.

Colton walked away one happy little cowboy....
Now he can move on to bigger and better things! Watch out bulls! Coltons coming!
Sorry Sues!

It's Spring!

If there is anything in this world that can lift my spirits fast, it is the sight of green pushing itself up from the brown dingy soil.


After a long colorless winter, it is fun to see bright colorful blossoms around town.

Within the last year, one of my favorite things to do is take pictures of flowers. I may not be very good yet, but I think the more pictures I take, the more I learn and the better the pictures seem to get.

I just wanted to share some of my favorite pictures and maybe get you excited for spring! I hope you don't mind Dan, cuz I think you are still seeing white!!!
Here are some pictures to get you excited about the upcoming season. It is amazing to me that plants know when it is time to come up from the cold winter home and bask in the warm glowing sun.





I don't think there is anything prettier than a bright, sunny, daffodil. I don't care what kind of mood I am in, they always seem to make me smile.
I will just leave you with my most recent pictures of sunshine! And wish you a bright sunshiney flower filled day!

Girls Day out (plus a couple of cute boys)

Monday, February 16th was President's Day. I had no school and Barb was off work so mom wanted to take us out for a late Valentines Day lunch and to celebrate Barb getting accepted to Grad School in Colorado. The boys came along with us because we had no one to watch them, but that was okay.
They were all right as long as there were video games! They probably did better than me! I must be getting old! I can't stand a big mass of people any more! I need my space!

Here's a picture of the necklace that Dad gave Barb for getting into Grad School




The traffic was horrible due to baseball tournaments and the Parade of Homes. By the time we fought traffic and actually got to the restaurant, I had had it and was ready to go home.

One look at the amount of the people in line waiting to get in and I was really ready to just go home. I told everyone we should just go to McDonalds. Unfortunately for me Payton was the only one that agreed with me! Thanks Payter!!! You Rock! Thanks for taking my side!



After 35 minutes of waiting we finally got into the restaurant!



We had a fun lunch. It was good to sit down and visit with one another. Susan is getting ready to have her baby in a few weeks and life will get really chaotic once the new one is here and so it was nice to have some time just to talk.
Seems like everyone is just so busy with every day life that we don't take time out for each other as much as we use to.
So I guess it is a good thing that no one took me up on my suggestion of McDonalds. Maybe next time Payt!


Here's Weston giving me his best fish face impersonation! Pretty good for a 2 year old!
I think everyone had a pretty enjoyable time and there was no spilling of any food or drink (that's pretty good for us!)
There's a lesson I learned that day. We do need to pause and remember these simple things or life can get pretty complicated. No matter how hectic and crazy the world is...slow down and take time out with your friends and family. You don't want to have any regrets in the end. Life is just too dang short!

My Brother Travis

On Saturday January 10th I got a phone call that you never want to receive. My mom called to tell me that my foster brother Travis had died.
I was in shock. I hadn't seen Travis for many years but I still had a great love for him.
Travis entered our family while I was in 3rd grade. He lived with us for two years. Travis and I had a special bond. He looked out for me. I remember him always telling people that he was my brother and no one had better mess with me.
I vividly remember the day Travis came to live with my family. We had to go over to Hurricane High School to pick him up. I was so excited of the thought of having another brother but I think I was also a little apprehensive.


Travis took to our family like a bee takes to honey. He fit in so well with my siblings and I.
He by no means was an angel. He was very mischievous and got into a little trouble once in awhile.
When he would get into trouble, he would start speaking in Navajo so that we couldn't understand him. I remember my mom joking with his Mother that she needed a dictionary so she could understand what Travis was saying. The next time his parents came to visit, lo and behold they had a dictionary for us. We laughed because we couldn't understand the dictionary either.
After two years of having Travis live with us, my dad decided to go to Medical School. We would be moving far away and his family didn't want Travis that far from them. It was decided after much agonizing that Travis would go live with another family. It was hard for him as well as us.
We shared some fun times with Travis. He tried to teach my older brother and I how to swear in Navajo. A trick, unfortunately that I never picked up. He snuck into my room one night before Christmas and tried to measure my finger for a ring he was making me. A true gift that I will treasure forever. Travis loved the outdoors and we had many camping trips with him.
Travis made life fun. I loved his smile and he had this infectious laugh that would get everyone going.
This was our last family picture before we moved away.
It feels like apart of me is gone now.

We felt like we owed it to Travis to attend his funeral. My dad, mom, Barb and I drove down to Gallup New Mexico.
It was a beautiful service. One that I will never soon forget.
His family welcomed us with open arms as well as everyone else that attended. They kept coming up to us and hugging us and saying, "thanks for loving our little one."
On the back of the program was this poem entitled I'm Free

I'm Free

Don't grieve for me for now, I'm free. I'm following the path God laid for me. I took His hand when I heard him call. I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day to laugh, to love , to work or play. Tasks left undone must stay that way. I found that place at the close of day. If my parting has left a void, then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss. Ah yes, these things I too will miss. Be not burdened with time or sorrow. I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My life's been full, I savored much. Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch. Perhaps my time seems all to brief. Don't lengthen it now with undo grief. Lift up your heart and share with me. God wanted me now. He set me free.

Travis,
You left us too early!
But your memories will linger on.
In your short stay here you have taught me much. You have been a true brother and friend.
I will miss your warm smiles and your infectious laugh! May you rest in peace.
Til we meet again,
Your sister always,
Monica

Lucille Kooyman Hagen

This past few weeks my Grandma Hagen has been on my mind. My aunt called and wanted to put together a book of memories of her. It has kept my mind spinning constantly of things that I remember about my grandma.
I found a picture of my grandma in my grandpa's journal.
I wish that I had more pictures of her when she was younger. Of course I tend to think of my grandma as old because that is how I knew her. I see a lot of my aunt in her. I wonder how many of my siblings have ever seen this picture?

The one thing that I remember most about my grandma is that she was always busy. Whether she would be in the kitchen cooking, doing extraction work or writing letters. She never seemed to me that she would ever just be sitting.

My grandparents lived in North Ogden when I was little. Old age brought them to Cedar City where they were closer to family and that is where they lived until they passed away.

However, my favorite memories of my grandparents are in North Ogden. They had the coolest house. The yard was also a favorite of mine, Curtis and Dan. The other two, Susan and Barb were too little to remember much about North Ogden.

They had the best climbing trees. Grandpa even put a swing in one of the trees. We made him push us for hours. We would fight who would get to swing and for how long and so grandpa would always say... "you have to get out when the cat dies" I remember always looking around for a cat, but could never find one. When the cat dies meant that when the swing came to a stop after the last push we were done. We always thought that was fair.

We would go get cucumbers out of the garden and take them in the house. Grandma and grandpa would help us carve the cucumbers into boats. Then we would take them to the ditch that ran in the front yard and sail our "boats." My brothers and I would have races for hours.

My sisters don't remember grandma like I do. It makes me sad because they missed out on a lot of fun memories we had at that old house. I guess that is why I wanted to write this. To help them get to know the grandma that I knew.

Grandma helped me through my mission so much with her letters. Every week I could count on a letter from grandma with words of encouragement for me. I think she knew of my struggles and would do her best to buoy me up. I have saved every letter she sent me. I read them still every once in awhile. It is like she is sending her love from heaven. They still help buoy me up when I get down.
Thank you so much Grandma, I love and miss you! Especially during the holiday season.
Thank you for caring and loving me. I can still feel your soft warm arms around me encouraging me.
I have some wonderful memories of my grandparents and their home. They are some of my favorite child hood memories.

Happy Thanksgiving

Just recently with the holidays right around the corner I have had a little time to sit and reflect on the purpose of Thanksgiving.
Earlier in the year as my class and I studied the first Thanksgiving we learned some interesting facts. They were fascinated to find out that Thanksgiving lasted three whole days. They also found out that the first Thanksgiving wasn't in November but in the middle of October instead.

I wonder if it weren't for Thanksgiving would we ever stop and give thanks for all the things that we have been given? I am not so sure. Take me for example, I tend to get so busy and so caught up in the every day things that go on that I don't take time to stop and think about the things I have. What I find myself doing is taking time to stop and think about the things I don't have!

My favorite Thanksgiving memory is when I was in fifth grade. We had just left Monsterrat. We had moved in with Grandpa and Grandma Hagen in North Ogden. It was kind of a hard time because we had left my dad down on the island to finish school. We had moved to northern utah where we hardly knew anyone. We had to move up there until the renters had a chance to move out of our house in southern utah.

My grandparents happened to be going away somewhere for Thanksgiving, I can't remember where so it was just my mom, my two sisters and two brothers and I. I think we were all feeling a little down in the dumps without my dad around. We had been eating so much chicken down on the island it was a wonder we all didn't have feathers and clucked! So when it came time for Thanksgiving we couldn't even look at another bird. When my mom asked us what we wanted for dinner it was unanimous! We all said, "PIZZA" So that is exactly what we had. I remember all my friends thinking that was so funny but to us it was the best Thanksgivings we had ever had. Of course it was difficult without having my dad around but we did the best we could and ate pizza and had a great Thanksgiving Feast!

This Thanksgiving I would like to tell everyone what I am grateful for. There are way too many to mention but I will give it a good start. I am thankful for a family who loves me no matter what. My family has always been a strong support to me and I love them. I am thankful for good friends who help me get through difficult times and are so caring and supportive of me and the things I do. I am not exactly sure what I would do without them. I know sometimes I can drive them nuts but they are still there to help pull me through.
I am thankful for all my nephews. They brighten my days and help me to be a child again. I love each of them so much! In March I will have 11 nephews. They are so fun and make me laugh all the time. I am thankful I am a teacher. I have helped me have many growing experiences and I am grateful for each of them. There are so many things to be thankful for. I could go on and on. I may not know too many things but what I do know is that I have more things in my life to be thankful for than not. So next time when I get to thinking that life is too hard and the stresses start out weighing everything else, I need to stop and think of all the things that I have in my life.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and I hope that you will remember all the things in your life to be thankful for.