HAVE to celebrate this day

National Hot Chocolate day is a must in our house.  Davis is a hot chocolate addict, like hooked up to 24 hour IV drip addict. 

Cotton Candy

My mom always laughed at me for celebrating this silly little days, that is why I know she was happy when we celebrated National Cotton Candy Day on Monday, it helped a little with the sadness of the day of moms viewing to eat cotton candy.

Beautiful heartbreak

My moms viewing and funeral were  draining, exhausting, long, hard, and heart-breaking sad days, but they were also beautiful and spiritual.  Carrie, Krissy and Mat did so good on their talks.  I loved their words.  Josh gave an amazing prayer on her burial spot.  I know my mom is happy, I know she is with loved ones, but I miss her.  On my phone, it shows she is still logged on to messenger, I wish she could use messenger in heaven, I would love to see a notification that I had a new message from mom.  I've driven by her house a few times, and I still look at her house and think about her inside sitting by the window.  I've got many pictures of the funeral and viewing, but I'm not going to post most of them, they are safe on my computer, and I will spend lots of time looking at pictures and thinking about the memories in my mind and my heart.

I will never learn

Last year, I about burned the house down by burning Gators lunch box on the stove, well I apparently didn't learn my lesson because I did the same thing today to my neighbors crockpot.  She was so sweet and brought us dinner this week, and I had her dishes washed and ready to take back to her on the stove.  Such a bad habit to use the stove top as counter space especially when I have another bad habit of turning on the wrong burner. 

A little pick me up

It's been a rough week.  It is hard dealing with my own emotions when I am so worried about my kids and how they are handling stress and life and my mom's passing.  Owen has been ill the last 2 days, I think it's everything catching up, so he didn't play in his basketball game last night.  I took the opportunity of having all my kids home and we went into Ogden to see some Christmas lights.  I feel bad, because Owen wasn't feeling his best, and we were all tired, it probably wasn't the best idea to go out, but I needed something to get my mind off of my mom and sports and school and work.  The lights were pretty, but the mood just wasn't quite there.  And to top it all off, my camera isn't working.  The pictures are really blurry, these were the best I could get.   I did enjoy being with my kids though.  We came home and made dinner and dessert then fell asleep watching The Grinch. 

Mom's Obituary

Susan Rae Johns Burton
1953 –2015
LAYTON - Susan Rae Johns Burton, our loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, was released from her long, 14-year battle with cancer on Sunday, November 29, 2015, as she passed peacefully from this life while surrounded by loved ones.
Susan was born the youngest of three daughters on May 19, 1953, in Ogden, UT to Lamont James and Betty Gene Savage Johns.  She lived in Farmington, UT for most of her childhood, attending Davis County schools and graduating from Davis High School in 1971.
Susan married her high school sweetheart, Joel Jeppson, in 1973 in the Salt Lake City temple. Together, they raised five children before parting ways in 2000.  In 2001, Susan married Colin Burton and they were later sealed for time and eternity in the Bountiful temple in 2006.  Susan spent many years working at the Davis County Health Department in various capacities where she made many dear friends that she loved and appreciated, even during times of infrequent contact. 
Susan was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and had a deep testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation.  She will be profoundly missed but always remembered by all who knew her for her kindness, enduring faith, and quiet strength.  She leaves behind her legacy of love and family in her five children and her 17 (soon to be 18) greatest blessings, her grandchildren.  We were all blessed to be loved by her. 
Susan is survived by her beloved, eternal companion, Colin; her sister, Luanne (Royal) Bowler; her five children, Joshua (Rachelle) Jeppson, Carrieann (Wayne) Borges, Erika (Clark) Stewart, James (Andrea) Jeppson, and Kristina (Patrick) Stewart; step-children Steven (Kathy) Burton, Jeffery (Becky) Burton, and Shannon (Chris) Williams; and many grandchildren.  She is now joyfully reunited with those that preceded her in death – her parents and her eldest sister, Beverly Johns. She is also spending some quality time with her next greatest blessing on the other side of the veil before he joins his family here on earth.
The family would like to acknowledge and thank all of the doctors and medical staff that cared for Susan during her long illness, with a special thanks to her favorite - Dr. Vincent Hansen and his staff at McKay-Dee Hospital for their compassionate, loving care, and friendship. 
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at 11 a.m. at the Layton Utah LDS Stake Center, 60 W. Gordon.  Friends may visit family Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road and Tuesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.
Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.

My mom.....

My mom was beautiful inside and out.  She was quiet, but loved to be around family, especially her grandkids.  She had a testimony, and that is what got her through 14 years with cancer, never once complaining.  She fought back many times when we were scared that her body was too tired, but she pulled through with a smile.  I never doubted she loved me, not once.  She would send me a random message on Facebook asking how I was doing.  She was always more concerned for her children than herself.  This morning, up at Powder Mountain, my mom passed away.  I was with her, and I kissed her and I cried...a lot.  I didn't want to say goodbye.  I hated watching the paramedics work on her because it was legally what they had to do even though she had expressed to us that she was tired and if it was her time to go, she wanted to go.  She went peacefully and despite their efforts she was already gone.  We sat with her for some time in a room at the hospital before the mortuary came to take her body away.  She couldn't smile, but I know she was there smiling with us.  I love my mom, and I miss my mom. 

Ichabod

Ichabod followed us up to the condo.  He will stay with us through the month of December, keeping an eye on the kids.  We enjoyed each other this morning, and I will cherish memories like this with my family forever.  It was as we were finishing breakfast that we found my mom in her room not responding.  She was still there with us, just from above.

It started out fun

Mom and Colin invited us up to the condo for the weekend.  We couldn't check in until 4 pm, so we decided to sled at Powder Mountain for a couple of hours before we went on up to the condo to warm up in the hot tub.  It was a quick trip, that ended  quickly and in extreme sadness, but we have good memories of being at the condo with Grandpa and Grandma Burton.

Some more random

Gator was confused, didn't know if she wanted to cook, go to bed, or play basketball.

Sunday evening, a late night 4 square game.  Between 4 square and basketball, lots of fun memories are made out on Stewarts patio.

Owen is playing basketball for the high school.  It is crazy demanding, and when he is trying to wrestle at the same time, it is just insane.  He is one worn out kid!

I LOVE my job for 2 reasons.  Well, for more reasons than just 2, but I love being at the same school as my kids, and I also love what being around my students does for my kids.  They are very kind to my students and I love the understanding and compassion my kids have for these handicapped kids. 

Late night shopping trip to Walmart.  This was right after I was asked how babies were made.  I told them that wasn't a conversation I wanted to have at Walmart. 

The boys spent a couple nights at Stewarts since they were on break from school.  Davis went skiing, but Owen was home with Grammy and Bahkey all day.  I told him, he'd love it one day if he took pictures with his grandparents.  I got these pictures sent to me.  He worked in the yard cleaning up leaves with Dave and cooked mock oreos for the Thanksgiving football game with Grammy.  Memories and pictures he will always cherish. 

We went to see the new Peanuts movie, it was a good show. 

 

Davis is so dang excited that ski season is here.  Him and Chris went on Wednesday, opening day, and had a fantastic time until Davis crashed and had to come home with a massive headache.  It won't slow him down for long though, this kid loves to ski!

Black Friday Shopping

I am not a fan of Black Friday shopping, and I stay far away from the stores, but the Christmas tree lots are a perfect place to spend some time.  Only problem was, after we got the tree picked out, the kids wanted to pick out their ornaments which meant going to a store.  Luckily it was late afternoon, and most the crowds had gone home to bed, we didn't run into too much traffic or crazy shoppers fighting over deals.

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of family, lots of fun, and some delicious food.  We are blessed and we need to realize that more and more not just on Thanksgiving.