Filing in some blanks

Cousin Kate's baptism

Clara's Tea Party with Cousin Amy (Clara), Cousins Lucy, Madison, and Addie.

Lights at Temple Square

Lots of hockey-  This one is Middle out in front

This is Oldest- taking the puck down

and this is shooting on net

And- after the TaVaci concert.

To Do List Dec 20th to Dec 25th.

Play in massive snow piles-  Check.

Outpatient and Oldest play hockey together for first time EVER---- Check ( Outpatient got a hat trick- kid's still got it- albeit a bit rusty) 

EAT..... Check.  Check.  Check.

Wear our Pajamas a lot... Check.

Dress up....  Check.

Elf Shoes.... Check.

Double Check. (those shoes belong to LOL.)

Receive wonderful surprises.  Check. Check. Check.

Bust out the new snow gear and ride the new powder... Check.

Lots of hugging and smooching.  (well- for these two).... Double Check.

Christmas Memories 2010-  Check.

Merry Christmas to All, and to all- a good night

If You Blog it- IT will come

The Provo Tabernacle

My earliest clear memory of the tabernacle is from my early childhood. My sister and I were arrayed in our Easter Finest- white lace gloves and two of the itchiest, stiffly pleated dresses, one pink, one yellow. We were maybe 5 or 6 plus two years for her. I remember walking across the sunny west lawn to return to our parked car following Stake Conference.

The scene was repeated many times over the course of my youth and teen years. Thankfully minus those particular dresses (cute to my mom, but torture to us).

I have mental snap shots of memories in different pews, up in the balcony, and down on the main level.

My senior year, it was the scene of a funeral that was unlike any other I had or have atended, as three members of a family were mourned while the father watched from his hospital bed by closed circut tv, and then he passed away too- just days later. The three dark wood caskets covered in huge sprays of red roses. I remember my friend Stacy's brother- the sole survivor of the accident being wheeled in from the right side, his silent sobs shaking his large Football star frame.

My next memory is of Seminary graduation later that spring.

My phone buzzed early Friday morning. I expected to see a text of some sort from Outpatient. Instead, it was from my mother.

"The Provo Tabernacle is burning"

My heart sunk. I am so sad and I pray that it was not arson.

The Weather Outside...

Is not Frightful- nor is it delightful. It doesn't look even remotely as if Christmas is right around the corner.

The following are examples of what is should be looking like outside...

For Entertainment Purposes

Bob and Jillian are hurting me

I have been using the 30 day Shred workout DVD for the past little while-  off and on-  more off than on I admit.  I have been kicking it on the elliptical several times a week for 30-50 minutes at a time-  sometimes several times a day while the patients are at hockey practice.  Yesterday I added a new twist to my torture-  the Biggest Loser Cardio Max workout.

Today, I can barely sit or stand.

I have a whole new level of respect for the people who go on the show and live to tell about it.

A few Joys of Parenting

The holidays are busy for pretty much everyone.  We complicate ours by being involved in a time and travel intensive sport.

This week, I single parented for a couple of days while the DR was at a tax conference.  Which meant 6 trips to the rink on Monday instead 4. It also meant that I had to pick up Oldest on Tuesday for him to go clean the office.  Oldest's observation on Monday night as we were on our way home from his game (in which- by the way- he scored an awesome breakaway goal that I would have missed if the DR were in town because he would have been at the game and I would have been home getting the girls to bed).  sorry- back to the Oldest's comment- "gee, I guess we really do miss dad a little when he isn't around".

Tuesday was a tad busier than normal, but Wednesday was so very lovely- starting with one call from Youngest saying she wasn't feeling well.  She is a bit of a drama- so I lovingly (or not) told her to stick it out until lunch and if she still felt sick, I would come.  I no sooner hung up, then the phone rang again-  Middle- sick, almost fainted while running in PE (she is very conditioned and the fastest runner in the class).   Nice.  So- needless to say, I picked up youngest too.  I forgot to mention that my internet went out (deadly for one who works via internet from home) and I was having Activity Day at my house that afternoon. Very frustrating day- but it all turned out okay- and the Activity Day girls had fun starting to work on their time capsules.

Thursday was Hockey Team Pictures times 2 and hockey practice for Oldest- SEP conferences times seven teachers times 2 patients (28 minutes in line for just one teacher), TaVaci for Middle all squished between the hours of 3:00 pm and 6:00.  We survived.  Then, the DR spent almost 3 hours helping a friend who's wife and children have been stuck in Brazil due to a typo on her paperwork.  The final piece of Thursday was getting a message from a boy who likes Middle. He sent me a message on Facebook.  He was promising me that he didn't send that message to Middle, his brother did and now she won't talk to him.  She unfriended him on Facebook.  Her friends won't talk to him.  And she shouldn't be in trouble because it wasn't her fault.

 Well- that just drips of mystery and intrigue.  I read it to the DR, and his response, "there is one poor stressed out boy tonight".  Poor Guy.  I didn't respond because there were a few questions- number one- what was the message?  Obviously something terribly mean and rude right?  WRONG-  the message?  "I love you".   Needless to say- Middle had quite the drama moment.  All is okay now (well except that she says she doesn't like him at all now).  As I pointed out to her-  he would not have sent ME a message if he wasn't totally sincere.

She is 12.  Heaven help us for the next 6 - 10 or so years.

Dear Boys-  If you want Middle to like you- don't like her as more than a friend.  She will freeze you out.

What's in a Name

Miss O will now be known as LOL (laugh out loud- if you didn't know :)  ) on this blog.

It fits her, athough not the theme of the blog-

But, then again, they do say that laughter is the best medicine.

part of him

When Outpatient was 7, our good friends' dog decided that his face was dinner.  It was a traumatic experience for him and me, not to mention our friends.  It has been a source of fun and heartache over the years.  The fun comes in with the tall tales involving the origins of the scar.  One of the favorites is that it is a shark bite.  Another popular misconception we found out about was that many people thought it came from hockey.  (I may love to watch my boy play hockey-  but I can tell you if hockey caused that kind of injury- it would be all over).

This traumatic event occurred just a short time before we moved to Small Town.  I called my mom a few days before we arrived to warn her because it was looking pretty bad at that time.  The swelling and some of the bruising was a lot better by the time we actually got to CougarTown so it wasn't as bad.  A month or so later, Outpatient and I were shopping at the local Wally world, and apparently a woman on another aisle was quite involved in the conversation we were having and decided to join in as she came around the corner and into our aisle.  All of which came to a screeching halt and she very loudly and dramatically gasped and demanded to know what had happened to his face. 

I was stunned.  Sucker punched as it were.  My poor son was too. I told her it was a dog bite, rather coldly.  Then he and I turned on our heels and left the store immediately.  I was livid.  No way on earth would she have reacted like that to an adult- so why would she do that to a small child who had obviously been through some trauma.

My son is very handsome. His smile lights up my world. And his scar is a part of him.  When his senior pictures came back- they had removed it.  It hurt me to see it gone- they judged it an imperfection. 

It is him.  I know he wouldn't mind having some work done on it.  I don't blame him.  But at the same time, it is a reminder of how something you love can turn on you.  It is a reminder of the goodness of people and the tender mercies of the Lord.  His injury could have been a lot worse- really.  He was blessed to be stitched up by an excellent plastic surgeon who very kindly stayed late to help us out. He was blessed that he didn't lose an eye or have nerve damage.  And many more.

I have been thinking about that scar lately.  Outpatient and LOL just got their engagement photos.  We talked about if the photographer would edit the scar out.  So far, she hasn't.  I love her.

Happy Celebrations!!!!

Jason
DJ

Amy and Aaron

Addie (8 is Great!)

Cadence
Josh and Whitney

David and Cony

Russ

Amy

Dave
Chelsi

Harvey

Asher

Dad

Dustin

Teisha
* Bronson-  New Arrival

If I missed someone, I am really sorry-  but boy are there a lot of you!

Hawaii 2010- part 4

Friday began with an early morning on the beach for me- just so I could watch this.  The beauty of creation is so powerful as the sun rises.

The day involved a little more relaxation poolside.........

Oceanside

roadside ( new twist- this year it was the Janes and not so much the Tarzans)

deck side.....

And a final, breathtaking sunset....

It was amazing.  Thank you, so very much, M & P, for letting us tag along.

Hawaii 2010 - Part 3

 Wednesday we had a relaxing day- mostly spent at the hotel.  The DR had a lot of work to deal with, everyone slept in, and that night, we bbq'd and tried breadfruit (everyone we talked to had different opinions on how to make it- we went with a brown sugar glaze-which was fine- but I needed it to have a lot more :)-  no one was really a fan of it)

We also tried "soursap"(I can't remember the real name)- which was not sour- but was rather different

 M pretending to go after the papayas in the trees by the parking lot.  It is funny to see stuff like that growing wild, knowing how much money it costs to buy at home

 Thursday was a big day :)  We went to a local waterfall/jumping spot-  Ki'po Falls.  There were lots of warnings about leaving anything in the cars and in the paper that very day a man was sentenced for theft from tourists' vehicles there.  So- we left nothing in the car-  note to self: next time leave way more at the hotel.
We headed down the trail, which was a whole lot of creepy feeling-  the further we got away from the cars, the thicker the bushes-  felt like something could jump out of the brush to get us.

 It was a gorgeous!  And I can personally say- the water was super warm.  I fell in the brook above.

 M and the DR jumping off-  it was about 20-25 feet high, but I couldn't get over to get a good pic- there were lots of locals up there, as well as several tourists. 

That night, we had a celebratory dinner at Ray's to celebrate M & P's 30th and our 24th Anniversaries.  They had a personalized message in the front of our menus!  We had great food, service, ambiance, and company :)

My shrimp dish- can't remember it's fancy name- but it had pesto, veggies including hawaiian eggplant, and rice.

My dessert-  Maccadamia Nut Tart with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (oh man!  sooooo good!)

The DR's dessert- Apple Volcano with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream-