Birthday Wishes

I turned the whopping 37 yesterday...and it was, hands down, the best birthday I've ever had.  My kids all remembered to tell me happy birthday before I left the house (Danny woke me up with "Happy birthday, babe"...best wake up ever).  The day itself was wonderful.  Work was great and the people I saw were wonderful.

The most amazing thing happened, though, and that's what I need to blog about so I never forget.  Both of my beautiful girls posted on my Facebook wall and their posts made me laugh out loud and cry at the same time.  I don't ever want to forget it, so I'm going to copy/paste those awesome words here so I might read them any time I want to.

My children are my greatest joy, my greatest blessing from a Father in Heaven who obviously loves me and trusts me with these elite spirits.  I am the luckiest mother in the world.  Read on...

Cam's post:

"So I have the MOST AMAZING Madre IN THE WORLD!! She can get through anything good or bad. She can give until there is deffinetly nothing at all left to give, but then wake up in the morning to just simply do it all over again! She is a wonderful life example to look up to and have goals set. And when she asks you "WANT SOME OF THIS!" I recommend that you do NOT answer with ". . .yes" cause she is ...

a flippin lady ninja! Yupp that's how awesome my mom is! I love all the support she gives me with whatever I might be doing and she never downgrades me with anything. She is always there by my families side and goes through anything with you, thick or thin. I might think at times that she pushes me to hard, but she only does it because she cares and knows that in the end that is what I would have truly wanted. She looks out for us, even though mama bear might be scary at times, and she only wants what is best for us. She gives whether or not she wants to. She is simply BEAUTIFUL, loving and oh and how could you not love her! She is the sweetest thing and I don't know where I would be on this earth without her! Love you mom and thank you SO MUCH for everything you do for me, big or small! I appreciate you putting up with my crap even if you don't want to! Thank you mom, I can't say it enough!! Hope your birthday was BOMB!! LOVE YOU forever and always!
Love, Bones ♥

— with Lisa Cox Lloyd."

 

Chels' post:

 

"I know that everyone says that their mom is re best, but I don't think they have ever met my mom! Happy birthday to the best mom ever!! You push me to my limits, stick by me through whatever, and tell me I can do it. I would never have thought I would be where I am today with out you. You are the best thing in my life and I am thankful for you everyday. You are the strongest person I know. You can...

make it through anything and even when you don't think you will, you always do. You are my rock, my best friend, and Iwould say lover but that's gross!!;) I hope that you have had an AWESOME birthday. I hope that everything goes smooth tomorrow with the election. I love you. And that offer for a drink and a sammich from Caliente still stands. just ring me up on the Telly!!:) I love you mom. To the moon and back..... Infinity

— with Lisa Cox Lloyd."

 

Graduation Gifts

Naturally, since Ryan is graduating, common sense dictates that we should've purchased him a gift that would help him with his future, something like a laptop, microwave, etc.  I went with the Orvis fly fishing rod and have no regrets! :)

We played a little game with Ryan, a little game called "Guess What Your Graduation Gift Is".  We let him touch each item for about.5 seconds and laughed so hard because he tried to hold onto the fly rod in its round case but I ripped it right out of his hands, his .5 seconds were up you see, and it was a dead give away.  Dead give away = game over.  He was so excited about his present and we went out fishing the very next night so he could hone his mad skillz.  I don't recall that he caught anything, but he had a great time trying. 

I actually slept in this morning.  First time in nearly two months that I slept past 6.  It was lovely.  As I was slowly being awakend by the beautiful sunlight filtering into my room it dawned on me...so this is how it is, graduation day for my beautiful baby boy, and it starts in such a beautifully ordinary way.  Hmmm.  It is the day I've dreaded for 18 years, but I find that I'm not as sad as I thought I would be.  I am excited for my miracle boy, for the closing of a chapter and the beginning of a new, adventurous one.  He's ready to move on and be what Chucky from the Rugrats referred to as a "growed up".  And he is a growed up.  Ryan has changed and matured so much in the last few months I hardly recognize him but love him even more.  I've said so many times that he is the son every mother dreams of, and I'm going to repeat myself.  He IS the son that every mother dreams of and I still can't believe I'm the one he calls mom.  

I'm proud of you, Ryan Cory Lloyd.  Proud of the man you've become, proud of you and your new adventure, and proud that I am your mother. I am well pleased with your choices.  Go out and show everyone the strength of your character; you're amazing.  I love you to the moon and back...infinity.

Things that make you smile...

I was in interviews all day yesterday.  Grueling, exhausting interviews.  Chels decided to stop by and see me when she got out of school.  Upon learning that I was tied up the rest of the day, she decided to leave me a little note.  I didn't see it before I left last night (at 7p.m.; pretty late for me), but it sure did crack me up when I saw it this morning.  My kids are awesome.

 June 3-5 saw the Dan Lloyd clan on their first REAL vacation....ever.  We weren't in Utah or Nevada.  We actually left the state altogether and headed for LA.  Dan Lloyd and I decided it was high time to start making some really great memories.  I'll never forget how it all came about.  As you know, we are avid Yankees fans.  LOVE us some Yankees.  We were all downstairs in the mancave watching the Yanks play when I said, "I'd love to go to a Yankees game." Dan responded with, "Why don't we?".  Then, after really thinking about it, he said, "Why don't we?".  I figured I had about twenty seconds before he changed his mind.  I got on the computer to see where the nearest place is that they play.  Turns out, L.A. was closest and the game just happened to fall just two days before our 18th wedding anniversary.

I'm so mad!  I just spent the last thirty minutes writing about our vacation...I got kicked off the internet and lost all the work.  Grrrrr.....

So, no stories right now to accompany these pictures from our trip to see the Yankees, the ocean, Hollywood, and Knotts Berry Farm.  Brother!

Abercrombie & Fitch

See? This handsome fellow would do their label proud.  Ryan recently went to a school dance with one of the Anderson twins, Melody to be exact.  They wore matching checkered shirts.  Ry looked every bit as handsome as the model on the huge billboard as you enter A&F in Galleria Mall.  Except, of course, Ry had quite a few more clothes on...that dude on the billboard was half naked!  I wonder if his mother walks into that store and is proud?  Anyway, I digress.  Ry looked so cute and was super funny.  Of course, he's always super funny.  He's just that kind of guy....find the funny in nearly everything...or he's a total smartaleck and makes everything funny.  Either way.  Don't you think he looks adorable?

DISTRICT CHAMPS!

After two very close games, and some good, then horrible playing, our girls decided they wanted to be winners.  They took the 2A District Championship and are headed to Reno for state playoffs.  Cross your fingers and wish Chels lots of luck!

I'm so proud of her and how hard she's worked to be a post...foreign territory for a girl who's all of 5'6".  Chels has learned so much this year, from posting up to driving the ball to the hole.  She's also learned how to use the gift that is her butt.  Way to go, Poppy Tater!

Hoops

Cam has been playing in two different basketball leagues and it's been a crazy-fun winter.  She plays at 8 a.m. NV time in St. George every Saturday, then again at 1 & 3 usually.  She has some great moves and when she decides to she's the best rebounder I've seen since her big sis.  She's a good ball handler, can drive and shoot, and is a blast to watch.  I can't believe how much she's progressed this winter.  Her skillz are mad good (lingo I heard on MTV...kidding!).