Cousins in AZ

Paisley & Elora

First cousins at the funeral

Background: my cousin Cathy (student at ASU) and her niece Stella

Foreground: Jonah and my cousin Trevor (student at USU)

Lindsay (Danny's wife), my cousin Danny, and my cousin Skye

Jonah & Henry

Duck, Duck, Goose

Jonah & Tucker were pretty much inseparable

Henry & Elora

Green painted fingernails

Mi Vida Loca

I slept in my own bed last night for just the second time in the past two weeks.
Yesterday I worked at my medical front office job from 8-5 (including a 15 minute power nap in my car on my lunch break).  From 5:30 to 7:30 I did training and paperwork for my new job at Silver.  It is a restaurant opening on Park City's historic Main Street on January 9th.  The menu is fabulous!
So, a recap of my recent life:
Saturday, Dec. 11th - my dad's mom, Grandma Donna, passed away.  See recent photos of her here and Dad's words here.
Mon & Tues - worked
Wednesday- the kids and I drove all dreary day to Mesa, Arizona.
Thurs. - woke up at sister Robin's house and played with the kids, talked to Adam for awhile & left the kids to bond with him, helped prepare Grandma's body for the funeral (I did her makeup and my sister Karen did her hair, at Grandma's request).  It was a really neat experience and really confirmed my belief that her spirit is elsewhere because that body really was no longer my grandmother.
Had a late lunch with Ted, Karen, and Adam at Nunthaporn.  Got ready for the viewing/visitation.  Left the kids with a babysitter at my parent's house.
Friday- Beautiful funeral at Grandma's church at 11am.  Uncle Steve, Aunt Susan, Dad, and her bishop spoke.  Tears, laughter.  Gravesite dedication.

Family luncheon back at the church.

Sat. - shopping and lunch with Sarah while the kids spent time with their Papa Stan.  Dinner at Robin's house.
Sunday - vegged at Robin's house all day with sick kids.  Enjoyed our lazy day.  Walked around the Mesa temple grounds with Robin's family and my brother Mark.  Loved the Christmas lights and decorations.
Mon. - Took Tucker, Charlotte, and Jonah to the mall.  Watched Robin's kids for awhile so she could Christmas shop too.
Tues. - played.  Finally mailed off our Christmas cards.  Finally had some Ned's Krazy subs:)  Said goodbye to all my family.  Drove thru pouring rain to Henderson, NV to stay with my friend Summer and her family for the night.
Wednesday - hung out with the H fam for awhile then drove to Linda & Alan's house in Sandy, UT.  Showered and got ready for the big J family Christmas party.  Crashed at the in-laws house after the party.
Thurs- worked in Park City.  Boss got annoyed that I was wearing jeans.  Finished Christmas shopping (stocking stuffers, etc.)!  FINALLY WENT HOME.  Kissed kids good night and went to bed at a decent hour.
Friday - got up to the cabin about 11am.  Got fires started and lunch going while Brandon cleared the driveways with the Kabota and the decks with the snowblower.  Alan and Bobby, his brother, and Ian arrive.  Linda and the dog and cat arrive.  Kids open one gift.
Sat. - kids oblivious to the fact that it is Christmas day.  They each open one gift.  Katie, Jason, Andy, Coach, and Trey arrive.  Bobby and fam leave.  Christmas dinner is smoked beef tenderloin:)  Santa (Brandon M.) makes an appearance in the yard and tells the kids to get in bed.  Wrapping, wrapping, wrapping.
Sunday - our Christmas morning.  Kids in heaven.  Everyone happy.  Kathy, Bryson, and Bailee arrive.  Kids play.  Adults play.  Everyone having a good time.  Smoked turkey for dinner.  Adult gift exchange.  Adults play games.  Everyone laughs hysterically thru Reverse Charades.
Mon. - Brandon and I work while everyone else stays up at the cabin.  We spend a final night at the cabin.
Tuesday - Leave the kids with Grammy and Katie at the cabin for the day while B, Alan, and I work.  Andy and fam go home.  See more above.
Wed./Today - laze around in pajamas while blizzard rages outside.

My crazy life.


More pictures to come.

Santa

We saw Santa at the mall on Thursday.  Jonah told him he wanted a foot monster (bigfoot robot at Target) and Elora told him she wanted a present.  This morning they got to sit on Santa's lap again.  Here is Jonah explaining what he wants:

Elora snuck to the front of the line and jumped right into Santa's lap when one kid got down.

Cute Kids

This morning I knew Elora was awake because I could hear her in bed singing Jingle Bells.
She calls Santa "ho ho" and stockings are "sockthings".
Jonah likes to say, "actually" a lot lately, which is always cute and funny.
Oh my gosh, they so many cute things lately, I've got to start writing more down.  They are hysterical.

Music Night

I just watched two episodes of Glee (online since we no longer have tv).  Then I doinked around on itunes for a bit.  Now I've decided to post this clip from Easy A.
Intro: Olive has no plans for the weekend.  She gets a musical birthday card from her grandma on Friday and it accompanies her all around the house during her various activities the whole weekend.

Friends

This picture makes me so happy.

These are our "best couple friends", Elaine and Ryan and their daughter Malia.  We have known them for about 11 years now.  We were neighbors in the married-student apartment complex at BYU-Hawaii. They are two of the most unselfish people I know.  I adore them both and am so grateful to have them in my life.  I could seriously write an essay on each of them and why I love them, but I won't right now, but just know that my life is better because of Ryan and Elaine.

Have I mentioned how great my Thanksgiving was?

Last Tuesday I got off work two hours early cause a HUGE storm was supposed to hit and close road, etc., etc.  It turned out to be a pretty minor storm.  Lame.  But I still got off work early;)  Went grocery shopping, then met the fam at home, finished packing, and headed up to the cabin.  We'd already spent two nights there a couple days earlier and we spent the next five nights there:)

Tuesday night:

Elora wearing Grammy's accessories

Wednesday was lots of family-time, good food, and fun.

Grandkids snuggling with Grammy in the morning.

Elora, Jonah, Linda, Bailee, and Bryson.

Grandkids hanging on Poppa.

Kathy, her kids, and her friend Heather were the only ones at the cabin with Alan, Linda, and my little family until the big day.  That morning Alex (Kathy's S.O., Bobby (Kathy's brother), his wife Emily, and their son Ian, Brandon's cousin's son Derek, his wife Tianna, Tianna's sister Kristin and her hubby Joseph and their twin 5 y.o. girls all came up.  It was good times.

More photos to come.  No time now.

More Gratitude

18- I'm grateful for the beautiful Christmas tree in my front room.

19- I'm grateful that Brandon has job in a profession where he will always have work to do.

20- I'm grateful that I got to see this sister and her family over the Thanksgiving holiday:

21- I'm thankful that I also got to see this friend that day:

Hadn't seen Elaine and her little family in a whole year!

22- I'm grateful for Christmas time.  I love it.

23- I'm grateful for modern-day prophets.

24- I'm grateful for all my cousins and cousin-in-law and cousins-once-removed and second cousins, etc.

25- Good food

26- Good kisses

27- Pilgrims (& Native Americans)

28- Ancestors, forefathers, pioneers

29- Photoshop

30- My dishwasher

Where Has This Month Gone?

Back to my gratitude list.  One thing for each day.

5- I am grateful for Tropicana Orange Tangerine juice which transports me from a cold day in Utah to a sunny day in Arizona in my grandparent's backyard with each sip.

6- Kleenex Lotion Tissue.  I know using tissues instead of handkerchiefs is wasteful, but my nose is grateful and so is my already tall stack of dirty laundry.

7- Kids that are in bed by 8:00pm when we are all sick.

8- My Grandma Donna, who my kids refer to as "Grammy Donnie".  She is very sick right now and I pray multiple times a day for her comfort.

(Grandma and I this summer)

9- My friend Autumn.  Our moms met when her mom was pregnant with her, so I've literally known her since birth.  It is her birthday today.  She is one of those friends who I can go a whole year without seeing and still tell her everything when I do.

(Autumn with her hubby Bryan and son Brayden)

10- Girls' Night Out is tomorrow.  Jen and I are going to see a movie.  I think it's just going to be the two of us and that's alright with me.  Maybe we'll do dinner before or dessert after.

11- I'm grateful that Janette & RoyAl and their four beautiful kids were able to come over and spend the day with us on Saturday.  We met them in Hawaii when we were all without kids and though they only live an hour away we don't see them often.

(Subway sandwiches for lunch on Sat. with Laura and the twins)

12- To be able to be the teacher of Jonah's joyschool preschool this week.

13- For a warm, comfortable home.

14- Unlimited long distance phone calls.

15- The internet (which I am trying to limit to approx 30 mins a day now).

16- The Bible.

17- The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ (aka: The LDS Church).

Smile That Frown Away

Connecticut

Somewhere between Washington, CT and Kent, CT.

I'd nearly forgotten how much I love New England.  It probably helps that I've only seen it in fall:)

The leaves were in high color and on most roads the trees are so thick that you can't see the next street over.

Looking down

Bull's Bridge.  Kent, CT.

Bull's Bridge has been in place since 1842.

Lisa's fiancée, Matt, picking us some produce out of their garden.

Their LOTR tree

Lunch with five Italian women in North Salem, NY.

I had a lot of fun hanging out with Lisa's family while I was in town.

You can see a lake from Lisa's backyard.

An afternoon in Manhattan began with lunch at Matt's favorite restaurant, Grammercy Tavern.

Lisa's mushroom lasagna was the best dish we tried.  The cheese sampler appetizer was great too.

The owner of the restaurant, Danny Meyer, stopped in while we were there and he is a bit of a celebrity among chefs and New Yorkers (Matt is both) so I took their picture with him.

Next we walked over to Union Square to check out the farmer's market.

Last stop in NYC was Momofuku, their favorite spot for dessert.  I tasted the "cereal milk" soft serve ice-cream and several delicious cookies (compost, blueberry muffin, and corn).  This is where they will be ordering a wedding cake of "crack pie" from in the future.