Christmas Newsletter via Blog

I have decided to save ink and money and time and paper, to just blog my Christmas newsletter to anyone who wants to know what is going on in our lives.  That way, those who don't care, can just enjoy our picture we are sending out to friends and family.  Here it is, by the way. 

Aw!  Aren't we cute?  This picture was taken by one of my brothers at my other brothers' house.  Let's see, we will go from youngest to oldest.  Gregory (who is 3 and will tell you repeatedly), keeps us on our toes.  One day he is flirting with a woman in a hot tub and the next he is outside the church in his church clothes playing in the snow.  He has daily "Gregoryisms" that make me just laugh even though he is being completely serious.  He only has had croup three times this year and only two of those times did we have to give him steroid.  I think he is doing better.  When we went to Disneyland, he was barely tall enough to go on Splash Mountain, his favorite ride!  He is potty training, but has the same issue Patrick had with his number 2s.  He loves going to the school with me on Wednesday and thinks that school is just great!  His favorite things are anything to do with the military, pbskids.org, and frustrating mommy with his eating habits. This next year, he will be entering Primary as a Sunbeam!  Heaven help us!

Patrick just had his birthday this last week and his birthday party today.  He is now 7 years old.  He is learning to control his temper a lot better this year and has been really well behaved at church and school.  He still loves computer games, but now he also loves Wii games and playing Legos.  He also has consistently been asking us to make him a baby brother and soon.  He loves playing with his baby cousins.  He is almost as good of a mommy as Melanie!  He is very affectionate.  He can read really well, but is seeing a speech therapist.  I think it is because of his late start in talking.  He didn't start talking until he was three, but then it was full sentences, before that it was just mumbling.  I understand him, but sometimes teachers don't understand him all that well.  At least we got him to say "movie" instead of "nudie" before school started, that could have been embarrassing.

Melanie is eight years old and a big helper.  She is in 3rd grade, but reads at a sixth grade level.  She wants to take dance and swim lessons, but right now she is only doing piano lessons.  She loves to read!  She is usually up way way way past bedtime reading.  Sounds familiar (pointing at myself).  She also has been bugging us to have another baby, but she wants a girl names either Nicole or Chloe.  She loves teaching other kids to dance and choreographs dances with Gregory all the time.  They are planning on doing a number at the talent show at the end of the school year.  Melanie has her fighting moments with me, but usually she is very helpful.  Like today, she fed Patrick and Gregory lunch while I finished up the cakes for Patrick's party.  I am glad I had her first! 

Spencer, JJ's brother, is extremely busy.  He is a senior in high school and is going to be 19 in April.  He is in Madrigals, and this month they have 45 performances alone.  Tonight, as I am writing this, he is at one of three that he has to do today.  He gets tired, but I think he loves it.  He is also a Drama Geek!  He recently had the main role of Sid in "The Pajama Game" and he did a really good job.  His singing has really improved since I first met him.  He has a girlfriend right now named Morgan.  She is nice and Gregory calls her Princess and asks if she'll do sit-ups with him.  I am glad she keeps him in line too.  So far, in school, he has gotten nearly straight A's every semester.  Once in awhile he gets an A-, but I am not complaining.  He does his chores without complaining and he cooks dinner once a week, voluntarily. Sometimes it is weird having JJ's brother live with us, but most of the time I think it is a blessing.  I think living with small children has really changed him.  I do miss him when he is gone all the time.

JJ finally has a job.  He got back from deployment at the end of March, and had been searching for a job since then.  Finally found work at Teleperformance, but it won't be permanent.  In the meantime, he is going to school at University of Phoenix.  Might as well, the army pays for his schooling, so we should take advantage of that while we can.  I think the stress of working and doing school (especially taking a class right now that he doesn't like) is really stressing him out.  It will be hard, hopefully I can support him.  I sometimes try to treat it like he is still deployed and I don't bother him when he is doing schoolwork.  But, most often, I am happy he is home to help take care of the kids or chores and I do ask him to help out.  Unfortunately, he likes to procrastinate schoolwork, so he is usually happy to help.  I should say, fortunately for me, but unfortunately for him.  My love for him is strong, however, and I am trying to support him in school and work.  I do hope he finds  a job soon that he will like.  JJ has two callings, he is a primary teacher and he is the Cub Scout Master.

As for me, I am still teaching piano lessons and selling AVON.  I am still doing aerobics at the church three mornings a week.  I am still PTA secretary at Copper Hills Elementary School, and I am on the PTA board at Taylorsville High School, helping chair Teens Dating Violence Awareness.  New endeavors this year have been volunteering twice a week at Copper Hills to help in classes.  Once a week to teach PE and once a week to just help the teachers with whatever they need.  The other endeavor is doing Bountiful Baskets.  If you don't know what it is, just ask, I will let you know all about it.  I currently have three official callings and one unofficial calling.  I am the ward organist, the primary pianist, and the Webelos Den Leader.  Unofficially, I am the ward choir pianist (I say unofficial because the ward choir only really gets together around Christmastime).  Next month, I will turn 30.  I think JJ is freaking out about it more than I am, but I am a little saddened by the fact that I am not where I thought I would be by the time I was 30.  But, I think most people aren't where they thought they would be. 

We are trying to trust in the Lord in the decisions that we make every day.  Sometimes I forget how important it is to include the Lord in our decisions.  He knows what is best for us and what will help us learn and grow.  I am grateful for my family and the situations I have been through to make me the person I am today.  I love my family and especially my husband.  He has always supported me in every little project I ever wanted to do.  God bless you all and wishing you the merriest Christmas and the happiest New Year possible!

Disneyland and Halloween together in one blog!

I am going to try something I haven't tried before.  Combining pictures with my blog!  OOOOHHHHH!  So, let's start with Halloween.

Since JJ is still out of a job, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would be making the kids' costumes again this year.  However, the kids did not like this idea.  Then, one day, while getting the oil changed on the car at Wal-Mart, I let them look through the costumes to get some ideas. And guess what?  Wal-Mart is cheap!  All of their costumes were under 20 bucks!  So, I let them pick something out.  Melanie and I both went as Cleopatra (she picked out my costume), Patrick went as a Night Fury and Gregory went as a Monstrous Nightmare!  JJ went as Goofy, getting most of his costume at Disneyland.  Okay, here is the picture part.

Earlier we carved pumpkins and cooked the pumpkin seeds.  I made three types this year.  The kids liked the parmesan ones the best.  It rained a bit while we trick or treated, but we had a lot of fun.  One of my favorite parts is going to JJ's Uncles house for hot dogs and hot chocolate.

Okay, let's attempt Disneyland now.

 Day one: very nice, stopped at St. George for dinner and hotel. Hotel was wonderful, we swam for a very long time and had a blast! Dinner, we did not like. The theme was cute and fun, pirates, but the service and food was horrible. Everything was soggy and overspicy.  It took about an hour to get our appetizer and over an hour and a half for our meals to arrive. Patrick fell asleep while waiting for his food. No silverware, had to ask repeatedly for that. I got up and got everyone refills on drinks and napkins and things like that because our waitress never did.

Day two: arrived in Anaheim three hours early before we could check into our hotels, so we spent a long time at a McDonalds. Just rested and prepared Sunday night, had a little Home church with the family.

Day Three: Disneyland! Though it rained a little, we had a blast! Went on Haunted Mansion, PIrates of the Caribbean (Gregory 5 times), Splash Mountain (which Gregory insisted on being in front both times and in the photo, had such a stoic... face while the rest of us were screaming!), Winnie the Pooh, Indiana Jones (Patrick went on twice because he closed his eyes the whole time the first time), Jungle Cruise, Tarzan's Treehouse, Autopia, Buzz Lightyear (a really good one, JJ got 89,000 points! Darn army training), Finding Nemo, It's a Small World, Peter Pan, Pinnochio, Snow White, and Space Mountain (all the kids hated this one). Melanie got to meet Rapunzel. Gregory fell asleep twice that day, once before noon.

 

Day Four: California Adventure! Not as good as our first day. ALmost non-stop raining today. We still insisted on going on as many rides as possible. Monsters, INc. (3 times), Tower of Terror (only Ben and JJ), Playhouse Disney, Muppets... 3D, It's Tough to be a Bug 3D (a must see), Flik's Flyers, Francis' Ladybugs, Heimlich's CHew Chew Train, Tuck and Roll's Buggies (a disappointment), California Screamin' (Ben, Becky, JJ, and me only), Carousel, Soarin' Over California (a must do, twice). We were going to do World of COlor, but most of us were cold, wet, and tired. Melanie's lunch fell in the water, and some rides were not open because of the rain. We have a day off today because of the rain again and we will finish up Disneyland/California Adventure on Friday (when it will be drier), and we will do SeaWorld tomorrow. Oh yeah, we also got to see many characters. So far, a good vacation. Well worth it, despite the rain. But would be better without it. Happy to make everyone jealous!

Day 5: Our day of rest.  It rained so much the day before, that we slept in and kind of rested this day.  Original beach day.  Instead, in the afternoon we went to Downtown Disney.  Which was pretty fun.  We ate at the Rainforest Cafe.  They had pretty good food, but kind of pricey.

Day 6: SeaWorld.  I absolutely love SeaWorld!  I love the animals and the shows, and guess what?  They have rides!  I didn't know that.  There is a Sesame Street are with some rides and some more adult rides too.  I think my absolute favorite ride was the Journey to Atlantis.  If you ever go to SeaWorld and you like rollercoaster rides and getting wet.  Go on this one!  You will not be disappointed.  We saw the Shamu show and fed the bat rays.  We saw polar bears and manatees and Beluga Whales!  It was great!

Day 7: JJ and our little family only spent half a day at Disneyland the last day because we were going to keep going up north to visit JJ's family for the weekend.  But, it was bright and sunny and we rode all of our favorite rides again.  Plus, we got to see some Jedi's training little kids and having them fight against Darth Vader and Darth Maul, it was really cute! 

I am including a picture here of Gregory's ride face that he had on for every single ride.  He got smiley and excited before and after the ride, but during the ride, this was his face.

Porter's Funeral

Today I got to play the music for my friend's son's funeral.  It was the hardest thing and most rewarding thing I have ever done.  I heard about the death Friday night and immediately called Catherine and started crying.  Saturday and Sunday was off and on crying.  I thought I had a hold of myself on Monday, then Tuesday and Wednesday there were no tears.  I thought to myself that I would hold up during the funeral.  But, as soon as I saw Jeanette, I knew I was going to lose it again.  My grief for their family, for the surreal feeling of the experience, and for the heartache I know will follow was too much for me.  I had to pray very hard for Heavenly Father to please help me to not cry so I could play the organ.  Miraculously, whenever I played the organ, the tears did not flow.  But, every time I stopped, they tears came.  I still have a lump in my throat as I write this.

I wanted to write a message to Jeanette.  She probably does not know how much she means to me.  My last best friend was back in Elementary School, Kristen Saunders.  We did everything together and I loved her very much.  When she moved away, I was devastated.  I never really had any other close girlfriends after that.  Even into my adult years, I shied away from gaining a true girlfriend.  I was afraid that if I got to know and love someone, one of us would move away.  Even after I moved into this ward, it took me a long time to start talking to someone and feeling close to someone.  It wasn't until I started the exercise group in the morning that I started really talking to Jeanette and getting to know someone.  I loved and looked forward to our hour in the morning to exercise and just talk.  I talked to her about everything.  Things I wouldn't normally just tell anyone.  I know I am not her best friend and that I am not a very good friend.  But, she helped me open up and love again.  I now have several friends in the ward and I know it is because I was able to open up and talk to her and be myself.  Jeanette, I love you and want you to know you are an inspiration to me.  I hope I can learn to be a better friend by knowing you and that you can lean on me during these tough times.

Tuna Fish is a Condiment

I would like some help from my friends and family out there.  I want to put together a book.  A book about the weird things we will put together when they are leftovers.  If you, or your spouse, has ever put together a bunch of random leftovers to make something new, let me know.  If you have a good recipe, will you please send me the recipe.  Even better, also tell me the mindset of why you, or your spouse, did it.  Let me give an example:

JJ, my husband, could not decide what type of sandwich he wanted to have.  He sometimes has a hard time making decisions.  So, he ended making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with lunchmeat and cheese, lettuce, mayo, ketchup, and tuna fish (and yes, my husband believes that tuna fish counts as a condiment, we had a huge discussion about that when we were first married.)  That is another story, suitable for it's own chapter in this book. 

If this book ends up being published, I would like to be able to recognize all that helped.  I will also be trying out each of these recipes so I can put my own comment on the bottom and a picture.  Thanks!

After the Funeral

I decided to do a blog finally. It was after attending my grandfather's funeral (the second one we have lost in the last five months), that I decided I need to keep up with family more. Some of the talks at this funeral really got me thinking about some important topics. It was mentioned several times how much my grandfather loves my grandmother and how well he took care of her. It made me think about love, marraige, commitment, and what all that means.

I used to think that love meant that you would do anything for that person. I have now come to realize that is not the case. I mean, if my husband told me that we can no longer be LDS and wanted us to get a snake (which he would never do), I would not do it, no matter how much I love him. It's not that you have everything in common or that you both are physically attracted to each other. In the long scheme of things, it boils down to this. When you are deciding if you love someone, ask yourself one not-so-simple question, "Can I take care of this person for the rest of our lives on earth and for eternity?" Can you picture yourself taking care of this person if they got in a car crash, had cancer, or alzheimer's and didn't even remember who you are? Can you imagine yourself cleaning up their vomit, feces, or urine if they got sick? Can you picture yourself feeding them three times a day because they can't feed themselves? Can you picture all of this and still say you love them? What if they are suffering depression and become aloof? What if they lost their job and your bills are starting to pile up with no hopes in sight? Because it is easy to say that you can when you are staring at them when they are in their peak, they are smiling at you, loving words are being said. But what if some day, all you get is a blank stare when you stroke their cheek tenderly?

I believe that the words in most traditional wedding services are not taken seriously, "through sickness and health, for richer for poorer." I believe that a lot of divorces would not happen if we can ask ourselves this question, not just before we get married, but constantly throughout our marriage. My grandfather was the epitome of love. Through his actions of taking care of my grandmother for 25 years with endless devotion, he has inspired us all. I looked at my husband as we were driving home and asked myself those questions. I decided to marry him, and through that decision promised to take care of him no matter what. I am in charge of him and he is in charge of me. I know that he would do exactly what my grandfather did if I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and I would do the same for him. That, my friends, is what is called the true love of Christ.