THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

I am going to miss my beautiful Wausau home. How I wish I could transplant it to Utah. It has been one of my favorite of the nine homes we have lived in over the 32 years we have been married. As I contemplate each of the homes I lived in, I would have to pick my Texas home as my very favorite. The selling point on that one was the pool, yard, and kitchen. We had pools in 3 of our other homes, but this one just fit me better. I spent 5 to 6 days a week in that pool doing my aerobics and having me some good old fun. And I loved working in the yard. There was much to do and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My Wausau yard is much bigger and somewhat prettier, despite the lack of floral landscaping, but there isn't much work to do other than mowing. It is a beast to mow, but once it is done it looks so majestic! Here are some pics paying homage to my lovely Texas and Wisconsin homes.
Unfortunately I was only in my Texas home 10 months and didn't take many pictures at all.The outside of my house and my friend Connie Cooper and I feeding the ducks at the neighborhood pond. That was such fun. They would come right up and eat out of your hand.

Not a very good shot of the kitchen, but it is the only one I have. It was indeed a chef's kitchen, and I LOVED it!

Wesley, and Joseph and Leya lounging in the pool.


Miss Mia, and Rachel, Halle, and Emma. Emma is an embryo at this stage and none of us including Rachel knew she was there.

Onto my current and beloved home in Wausau.
I am going to miss our beautiful wooded lot and all the wildlife that visited it.

Formal living room

Upstairs family room

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Basement Family Room

WE NOW OWN OUR UTAH HOME.....FINALLY!

HOUSE OR NO HOUSE? THAT IS THE QUESTION

As I write this, our house in Utah may be in the process of closing, then again, it may not! We were in Utah for the closing and of course it didn't happen when it was supposed to. It had been planned for the 29th of May. We were told it would happen Monday or Tuesday of this week, but not so big surprise...it didn't. This short sell business is for the birds. Evan and I will never buy a short sell home again, and the bank has been very inept at processing everything. Evan has had to do much of what the realtor and the bank should have done. He has been stressed above and beyond what would have killed the average man!!! Good thing he is a complete and total stud muffin of the premium brand!
While we were there we shared a full size bed. At home we have a king size bed. One night Evan was climbing back into bed after going to the bathroom. At the same time, I turned over to face his side and unbeknown'st to me my thumbnail jabbed smack dab into his eye. The only clue I had that something had gone wrong were the screams of pain that emanated from his throat. I didn't feel a thing. In fact I questioned whether or not it had been my hair that brushed across his eye. I guess this picture confirms that it wasn't my hair, but my thumbnail.
I would wager a guess that in a full size bed we are just too close for comfort!

Here are some pictures of the house we are thinking will be ours. At the moment I am stumped as to whether or not that will be the case.

STUFF

Can you believe I am back? Me neither. It has been awhile, and that added to the fact that this blog is supposed to be a journal of sorts, I realized it was time to get my hiney going again. Being the old fart that I am, my tired old brain will not recall all that has gone on these last 2 months so I will just hit the highlights......provided I can even remember them!
Evan and I took a trip to Utah last month to visit the kids. We decided just for fun to look at houses, not intending to seriously make offers. It was just a "Lets see what's out there" kind of trip. With the economy so bad and housing at an all time low, we ended up looking at many short sale homes. A short sell is the step taken before foreclosure. The home ends up selling much cheaper (Short) of what it is worth. We found a home we really liked and decided to make an offer with the understanding that it takes the bank 3 to 4 months to accept an offer, and that ours might not even be the one that was accepted. Apparently there can be a biding war between offers. The bank will take any and all offers and when they are satisfied with one of them, they will accept. We wanted that additional time to get our home here in Wausau sold. Two weeks later, Evan and I were at lunch with friends when a message came through on his blackberry informing us that our offer was accepted! WHAT THE CRAP!!!!! What happened to our 3 or 4 month waiting period? We still have a home to sell in Wisconsin. Lest you think we were in deep do do, we can withdraw the offer at any time without penalties. We received the message on May 1st and were told we had to close by May 29th. After some thought and financial finagling, we have decided to go ahead and buy the home because it is a house we both really like and we are getting a killer deal on it despite the fact that we put in a full price offer. The original price was 250,000 more than what we are paying. SWEET! Here are a couple pics I took of the outside.
I think Juston got the bug to sell their home while we were looking, and so this last Friday he and Rachel put their home on the market and sold it the first day with a full price offer! Hells Bells! We have had ours on for 3 months with nary an offer. Of course there is a great difference in the housing market in Utah and Wisconsin. We just don't have the population and buyers here that they have there. Rachel and Juston have a very nice starter home and Juston has put his personal professional touches on it so that it shows very well. Here is their home.

Property Details:

Sq. Feet: 2234 ft.

Acres: 0.19

Year Built: 2004

Bedrooms: 5

Bathrooms: 4

Cooling: Central Air

Heating: Forced Air

Garage: 2 Car

Description:

Please don't call if you are a realtor wanting to list our home. 2234 sq/ft home in East Lehi. 5 bedrooms, 3.5 bath, RV pad, Spacious two car garage with built in shelving, fully fenced (vinyl)yard, back patio, nine foot ceilings, custom bead board and molding, window seats, double sinks and garden tub in the master bath, built in kids playhouse, tile and maple cabinets throughout. Fantastic location. Easy freeway access and close to shopping.
We can't wait to have Juston help us with our new home in Utah. We have some finishing to do in the basement. We will stay here in Wausau until August in order to keep our home furnished for showings since it shows much better with staging. Hopefully it will sell by then. Keep us in your prayers, cross your fingers, knock on wood, etc. etc. etc.!

Last week we were able to host 3 BYU dance students in our home for 3 nights. They are touring the midwest with their show and while they were in our area the members housed them. What fun that was. We had 3 young men stay with us. It was so good to have youth in our home again. I miss that. I enjoy being an empty nester, but it is so nice to have kids around off and on. They were such nice young men and their dance group was excellent. After getting to know these boys, it was as if they were mine for a short time and I felt such pride watching them dance. One of them was from New Zealand (Phillip) and he had a darling accent and personality. The other two were from Colorado(Ben) and California (Aaron). The Colorado boy was the dreamy one all the young girls in the ward and everywhere else went gaga for. Aaron was the oldest and just a wonderful young man. My own opinion was that all 3 of them were very nice looking boys with great personalities. This is one of the advantages of living in the mission field. We have had missionaries living with us, youth conference girls staying with us, and now these dancers. I am really going to miss this aspect of living away from a highly populated LDS area.

Here are our boys

Aaron, Ben Phillip


And our girliesHalle, Ava, Mia

Emma, Joseph, Ava, Halle

RACHEL, RACHIE, RACH, PEE PODER, SAL, SAL, SALAMANDER

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LITTLE GIRL (And I mean that literally!)

Thirty one years ago today at 3 o'clockish pm I gave birth to my first born child and only daughter...Rachel Denise Byington, who is now also a Sandberg.
She is my favorite daughter in the entire world and universe. I feel very blessed to have her as my child. Rachel is outwardly very very pretty, but it doesn't stop there. She is truly a beautiful woman. She has many admirable qualities. She is fun, compassionate, loyal, generous, talented, sensitive, kind, wise, a great mother, hard working, stylish, animated, a wonderful friend, a sexy wife (I had to put that in there for Juston! ), and really and truly the best daughter we could have ever hoped for. Happy Birthday Rachel.

Our sweet baby girl soon after her birth
Three years old, five years old, Baptism day, 14 years old
Graduation from high school in 1995, and Wedding day July 8th 2000
First time mommy with Mia in 2002, and last time as a new mommy with Emma in 2006
Beautiful mother with three beautiful daughters, and beautiful daughter with her adorable mother! :-)

TWO MONTHS OF PURE BLISS

DANCING WITH THE STARS!!!!

EARLY APRIL FOOLS

I'm not leaving after all. However, I won't post nearly as often. Isn't it a woman's right to change her mind?

GOING, GOING, GONE

I will be leaving the blog world soon. A year of blogging has been quite sufficient for me. Perhaps I will come back sometime, but for now Adieu.

HE SAID...SHE SAID

Cute little funnies to give you a laugh for the day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY STUDDLY DO RIGHT! :-)

Happy Birthday to the most handsome, intelligent, loving, kind, funny, compassionate, wise, beautiful, sweet, spiritual, handy, sensitive, and great at everything he does, husband of mine... Evan Dowe Byington. Here are some facts about my "Stud Muffin."

He is very studious.
He loves to fish and is very good at it.
He used to be an avid hunter and will probably be so again once we get back to Utah
My man brings home the bacon, and I fry it up in a pan!
He once had a horse named Susie
He is loyal and true to his friends, and really loves them (Deniece, we miss you!)
He is a manly man despite growing up with 4 sisters and no brothers
He has a beautiful mother
Even grown up men LOVE him as Santa Claus!
He loves winter sports

He was a football hero in high school
He was Mr. Marsh Valley in high school
He is friends with Johnny Miller
He seriously dated these 2 girls, but unfortunately for them and lucky for me, I am the one he married.
Because he married me, these gorgeous women and girls are his posterity
He loves his truck
He likes my seriously abnormal family
I like to cook, and he likes to eat!
He is a really cute clone of Radar O'Reilly
He looks cute sleeping and loved our little doggy To sum it all up....He is the best husband in the whole world and even the entire universe! And.......I LOVE HIM SOOOOO
HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVAN

ALBEQURQUE, HE"S MY TURKEY

Mr. Turkey came for a visit this morning looking for scraps of bird seed. Isn't he the cutest? This is one of the things I am really, really, really going to miss about living here. I just love the wild life. The only wild life I will see in Utah are my 4 granddaughters! :-)

OH MY MAN I LOVE HIM SO

Today is the celebration of love…love for my man. I love my man for the following reasons

He is smart
He is not so smart that he won’t play baby with me
He is a mighty hunter and fisher, providing all good things nutritious for me
He makes me laugh
He has bought me many beautiful homes
He is some"Bunny" special
He is a great listener
He lets me dress him up for all sorts of adventures
He is a wonderful grandpa
He is totally cool and hip
He helps me keep my bum clean
He is Santa Claus
He is damn good looking And there you have a glimpse as to why my man is KING!

MY SIS KRIS

Fractured Fairy Tales presents:
Happy Birthday to Krissy Poo

Once upon a LONG LONG time ago in a FAR FAR away century, a young lass was born to two noble commoners. The 2nd born of 8, as well as the first daughter, she was as cute as the proverbial bug in a rug.
Oh how her parents loved, adored, and treasured this beauty. "A daughter, a daughter, we finally have a daughter," was heard throughout the house. The name chosen for the beloved daughter was Kristin Natalie Read. All went well as the little family grew larger and larger. Perhaps this young lassie was even the favored child, but as is the way of fairy tale lives, a younger, more beautiful, precious, kinder, more humble ;-) and cuter than the proverbial bug in a rug, daughter, was born to the noble commoners. A proclamation was sent forth unto all the extended family announcing the momentous event of the birth of Luana Denise Read. Although not of royal birth, the kingdom of Read regarded her as a gift, a true princess in her own right. And that is where Kristin Natalie (Krissy Poo) once again enters our story. You see, out of the family of 8 siblings, these two most resembled one another; therefore, Krissy was much taken with her little princess sister, loved her best, and strived all her days to please and cater to her.
The End (Of the fairy tale, and back to modern day)
Memories of Kris:
Since there is such a GINORMOUS age difference between us...after all she was born a LONG LONG time ago in a FAR FAR away century, my memories don't really begin until my junior high school days.
As has been mentioned before in my blog posts, I come from a family who have a sordid love affair with FOOD! Kris was living with us while her hubby was overseas in the service. There were many weekend nights after mammy and pappy had retired for the night and the younguns were still up raising Cain! Occasionally Kris would treat us on those evenings to a wonderful meal at a fast food restaurant close to our home called the "Red Steer." I have never had fast food that has tasted as good and I believe it was both a combination of the food as well as the excitement for us to be treated by Kris to those meals that were not just delicious sustenance, but wonderful memory making.
During my senior year I was able to finish my last semester with only morning classes. Many times Kris would let me drive her car to school. Seriously, I can't imagine handing my car over to a teenage sibling, but she did it several times. She probably doesn't have any idea how cool that made me feel!
I absolutely loved it when my married sisters moved home for periods of time, especially once they had children. Kris' son Michael was my first experience with having nieces and nephews living in our home. I developed such a strong bond with him. I just loved him so much. I remember one time when he had been outside playing (he loved to be outside) and didn't want to come in to go to the bathroom. He waited too long and had an accident. Kris took him in the bathroom and gave him a spanking. I was so devastated. I felt the hurt right along with him and wanted more than anything to rescue him from my wicked wicked sister.
After my graduation I got to fly in an airplane for the first time ever. Kris let me come stay with her for a month in Colorado at the army base they were living on. That was so much fun. My first time away from home. I was treated to sumptuous meals, lots of time with Michael, and no responsibilities.
During the early years of my marriage before Evan and I moved out of state, Kris probably got sick to death of me. I pretty much took up residence with her. It seems like I was at her house 50% of the time. I loved going over there and visiting and playing with her kids. Once my own kids came along all of us would go over and spend lots of time. I don't know how I would have survived those years if she hadn't lived in town and allowed me to spend so much time there.
Kris is an amazing cook, just like mom was. I really don't remember having her over for dinner at my house, but my family had lots of meals at hers. I was just in awe of her cooking abilities. Evan probably secretly wished I could cook like her. My cooking abilities have improved dramatically since then, and I am sure some of it is due to watching Kris with her mad skills.
Oh, and on a final note....Kris was King at the shimmy. You should have seen those buns shake!!! You wouldn't want to see them shake now; you know, old age butt wrinkles and all. She could also do a mean jitterbug. I wasn't nearly as good, but when I danced it with her, she made me look better.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISSY!

OUR HOME VIRTUAL TOUR

I am hoping this link works for going to the virtual tour of our house here in Wausau Wisconsin. If any of you reading this know of someone looking for a home in the area please let them know about our house. Just doing a little marketing on my own in addition to what our realtor is doing.

1904 Patriot Way.wmv (video/x-ms-wmv Object)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SUZANNY JOANNY

Today is my sister Susan's 61st birthday, but she is celebrating it in heaven. It will be two years ago this Sunday that she passed away from a very fast acting cancer. In her memory I would like to post a few items from the past
At one family party many moons ago, Erin did a survey game with questions that each of us was to answer. She then read the answers and we had to guess the person. These were Susan's answers:
1- If you could have any career you like and do well in it, what would you choose?
Veterinarian
2- If your life was made into a book, what would be an appropriate title?
Home Is Where The Heart Is
3- If money was no object, where is the perfect vacation spot and why?
My ideal vacation would be to spend two weeks a short time before Christmas, in New England. I want to have all the money I need to stay in nice hotels, eat in good restaurants, see a few shows, and do as much shopping as I want. Then I would want another week off after I got home.
4- What do you hope heaven is like?
Earth
5- How do you feel about mercy killing and why?
If there is no reasonable expectation for recovery and the individual is capable of choosing or has indicated his/her wishes previously, mercy killing is just that.
6- If you could change one physical feature of your looks, what would it be?
Be thinner
7- If you won a million dollars what would you buy first?
New house
8- Excluding Christmas, what is your favorite holiday?
Fourth of July
9- If your real life could be any character from a move, who would you be and why?
Scarlet O'Hara because she knew exactly what she wanted and was not afraid to go after it.
10- Would you rather cook like Julia Child, sing like Barbra Streisand, dance like Fred Astaire, act like Laurence Olivier, or write like Pearl Buck, and why?
Sing like Streisand because you can enjoy it yourself and get and immediate feedback from your audience.
11- What do you think is your best quality?
My good nature
12- If you were starting over again today, would you choose the same occupation?
If I knew what I know now, it would probably change. If I did not have this knowledge, I doubt there would be that much change.
13- If you were left with a huge trust fund tomorrow, how would your life change?
I could relax and enjoy it more. Even work would be a pleasure because it would be something I would choose to do rather than being something I had to do.

Finally, after Susan's death, my brother Jeff wrote a tribute to her called, "Sueisms."
1988 and 2005

The last family picture we had taken with Susan 1 month before her death
Suey and Johnny
Happy Birthday Suey. I hope you are celebrating big time in the heavens above. I love you.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY

Doodles During General Conference
Happy Father's Day Homemade Card

HEY, COME HERE, I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU

WE ARE MOVING BACK TO UTAH!!!!!! :-)
I couldn't say anything until now, but today the official announcement will be in the national news. Wausau Insurance company who is owned by Liberty Mutual Insurance will become extinct the end of Febraury! After over 100 years in the business it is being, for lack of better verbage, "put to rest"! Evan's job here in Wausau of course will no longer exist. He will no longer work for Wausau Insurance, but Liberty Mutual has offered him a job in Utah. We are both so very happy that we get to move back to where our children are, and to be once again so close to extended family. I have not made any pretense that Wisconsin is one of my favorite places to live, but I do have to say that I have absolutely loved my neighborhood friends here. I will most definitely have a hard time leaving them, as well as my beautiful home and all the wildlife I have sincerely grown to love. I too will really miss the small town ambiance and the great lack of traffic. I dread going back to Utah traffic, but I will just have to tough it out and not be a wanny baby about it. Afterall, I GET TO MOVE BACK AND BE WITH MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN!!!!! I have no reason to complain. We have been extremely blessed. Many people will lose jobs with this change. Really, my only concern is getting our home sold. For the first time ever, we do not have a buy out option. There are going to be many homes put up for sale now that Wausau Insurance will no longer exist. This is possibly the very worst time to sell, but it is also one of the very best times to buy. We will definitely take a loss on this house, but hope to make up for it on the other end. Anyway, all that drudgery aside, I am so thrilled, and happy, and elated, and pumped, and giddy, and ecstatic, and wonderfully wonderfully happy that I am moving back to Utah.
Los Hermanos, Cafe Rio,Chilis, Macaroni Grill, Outback, Olive Garden, Tai Pan, real malls, and Hobby Lobby..........HERE I COME!

HAIR STYLIST EXTRAORDANIARE

THE NEW DO

Got into the shower yesterday morning with hair that looked like this.
After getting dressed for the day, I had hair that looked like this.
It really doesn't look any different than this cut in 2007 that was done at the salon.
I figured I could save myself $15 bucks and cut it myself. Yes, I am cheap. I have only been to an "expensive" salon once in my married life. The rest of the times I went to places like "Dollar Cuts" and was perfectly happy with the cut. But being the lazo that I felt like yesterday combined with the nasty cold temps here in Wisconsin, I did not want to venture outside. I was sick of my hair. I cut it myself in July as well and did just fine. Just stick a full length mirror behind you and a straight across cut is not too difficult. I then proceeded to layer it. Again, not too hard as with layering nobody really knows where the fine lines should be. I did however cut it a smidge shorter than I had wanted. My right side got cut shorter than the left and so I had to repair. Damnation! And many verbal nasties! But saints be praised...hair always grows back! Now if I could just figure out what to do about my old haggard look........................ And don't suggest makeup. I haven't worn it for years and years. It is a thorn in my hiney to have to gussy up and then have it all ruined when I forget and rub my eyes or shed a tear or two hundred! I can only make the gussied up sacrifice once in a great while. Wait....Stop the press....I know what to do....I will have Rachel fix me up in photo shop and unless people see me in person they will never be the wiser! Oh, how they will all ooh and aah at how young and ageless a 53 year old fart can look. Just like in this picture from last year that Rachel photo shopped. Girl....I am phat! with a capital P! Everyone will be sooooo jealous! Yes indeedy doodle bugs, that will fix me right up. Gotta go call Rachel!
P.S. It could be worse. I could look like this!

The I GAME

I am: Luana, a daughter of God
I think: Wisconsin winters suck
I want: To move back to Utah
I have: Some of the best friends EVER!
I dislike: Mean people
I miss: My childhood
I fear: One of my grandchildren will be abducted
I feel: Passionate about family
I hear: Crows cawing and I love it
I smell: The cheeseburger I just ate for breakfast
I crave: Sweets...I always crave sweets
I cry: When my children hurt
I regret: Putting my Hermie down
I search: The scriptures
I wonder: Why I can't move things with my mind since I firmly have faith that I can
I love: My husband
I care: About the lonely
I always: Wanted to be a Broadway star
I worry: I am not doing enough for others
I am not: One to get stressed
I remember: The day I got married
I believe: Jesus Christ, God the Father and the Holy Ghost are 3 seperate personages
I dance:By myself in my kitchen
I sing: Whenever someone says something that reminds me of a song, which happens a lot when I am playing games
I don't always: Clean my bathroom as often as I should
I argue: Rarely
I write: About the blessings I am thankful for
I win: When I see my children make good choices
I lose: When I don't make good choices
I wish: I could go into the back of the closest and discover Narnia really exists
I listen: To beautiful music
I don't understand: Why children and the elderly have to suffer abuse
I can usually: Throw a good party
I watch: Dancing With The Stars and American Idol
I need: Nothing, except what I already have
I forget: Lots of things. Evan says I drink too much diet coke!
I am happy: Yes I am!

FAMILY FEUD MORMON STYLE

STAKE HIGH COUNCIL ANNUAL DINNER

Evan and I once again hosted the stake high council dinner at our house last night. We had a fun evening of food and games. On the menu this year was lasagne, rolls, salad, and of course varied desserts. The game this year was an LDS version of family feud. Since I was busy photographing I did not have to participate, WHEW! Some of those questions were stumpers. Andy and Alesha Thompson did a great job with the game and with their portrayals of Pat and Vanna! :-) And of course the winning team was the one my studdly muffin was on! Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.Sorry about the backside photo Kim but this was the only picture of the food spread

"Are you talkin to me? Are you talkin to me?" (Name the movie) I don't even know what it is but I know it was a Robert Deniro line. Joseph likes to use it ocassionally.
In photo - Susanna Lau, Fred Lane

Luana Byington and Debbie Beck

Setting up the game

Our game hosts for the evening Pat and Vanna (aka Andy and Alesha Thompson)

Must be Debbie's turn and she's looking worried. Glad I'm taking pictures instead of playing!
In photo - Heidi Pleshak, Kim DeMille, Nolan (Whiz) Beck, Debbie Beck

Consulting among the Even team.

Oh they look confident now, but at the end of the day they were the LOSERS!!!
In photo- President Pleshak, Brother Lau, Jim Wagner, Diana Lane, Susanna Lau, Sister Fuller

Oh please, please, please let me know the answer
In photo - Jim Wagner, Steve DeMille, Sister Fuller, Sister Blunck, President Blunck

Ah ha ha ha ha, you missed and we win!
In photo - Fred Lane, Brother Fuller, Heidi Pleshak, Kim Demille