New Family Pictures

Here are the latest family photos we have had taken. My dear friend Maggi took them for us before Colby left on his mission...Enjoy Ü

Say What??

I'm having knee surgery today.....PRAY FOR ME!!!

Retail Therapy

I just got back from Las Vegas with my mom. After 30 years I finally talked her into taking a vacation with me. There's nothing like a little retail therapy to cheer a girl up.

We stayed at the Mirage which is our most favorite hotel, and we had a great view of the pool and the strip from our room

It was nice to hang out with my mom for 6 days. 6 days in Vegas to some is a lot but it went by really fast. We like to shop, eat, shop, sleep in, shop,take in the sights, oh and did I say Shop!! If not for Mat and Riley I could have easily stayed another 6 days......money might have become a problem as well come to think of it.

No one shops like my mom shops and much to Mats dismay I whole heartedly inherited that trait. Here is how our days went:

Get up, lay in bed for a while and eat croissants from the bakery downstairs or head to our favorite breakfast place The Peppermill, shop the afternoon away, go eat somewhere fabulous, go back to the room and gown up for the evening, lay in bed and watch TV or a movie, eat our dessert, go to bed around 11 or 12 and then get up and do it all again. It was nothing short of perfect. Not to mention that the weather was gorgeous.

I found lots of treasures while shopping, and I could have brought home a lot more if my money supply would have been endless. We ate at some great restaurants, The Grand Lux, China Grill, BLT Burger just to name a few

I just want to tell my mom thanks. It really was nice to spend some time just the two of us. You are a wonderful mom and I know I turned out as good as I did thanks to you (and a lot of other people) Until next time...Love you up to the moon and back ever.........

Looking up

I am sure this will not be a week the Beck's/Norths will soon forget. It has been an emotional roller coaster to say the least, but somehow we have managed to get through it all. Between the passing of my sweet Grandpa Richard, my precious niece Kinley being in the hospital with RSV and my brother Colby heading into the MTC today, I am ready for a LARGE box of wine and a funnel. Somehow I am not sure that will help either.
But even after all the rough things that have transpired this week, I am forced to once again take note of all the wonderful things I do have. Watching my family this last week, I am amazed at the strength some people carry. My grandma Colene is a perfect example of this. What an amazing woman. And my step mom Teri, I can't even begin to imagine all that she must be carrying in her heart. I hope she knows how much we all love her. And my uncle Tad has been a rock for all of us even if he doesn't know it.
I know I have said before how lucky my brother and I have been with the wonderful way we are connected with our step parents, but whats more amazing is the way in which we fit in with those families. I know I wasn't Richards biological granddaughter, but he never treated me like I wasn't. and more important I have great memories of him with Riley that will always make me smile.
It was hard to say goodbye to Colby today, but I am so glad he was here with us for the Funeral. We are going to miss him so much. But we know he is going to do something that is important to him, and we offer our love and encouragement on this new adventure.
As for me I am going to try to leave the tears behind and have a fun time in Vegas with my mom on a much needed vacation....hopefully for all of us things will start looking up.