Wednesday, December 31, 2008

PS: While We're On a Scottish Kick...

dance with my favorite Scots...

"Live and breathe and see the sun in wintertime..."
Happy New Year!

The Auld Lang Syne...

We just came home from a quick trip to Bozeman and on the way home I tried to remember as many New Years' Eves as I could...

1984: Stayed home at our house on David Drive an watched the ball drop on TV
1985: Regional Dance at the U of A Ballroom where we thought "the spike was punched."
1986: Regional Dance at one of the stake centers in Tucson--was it North? Cuz all I remember is lovin' A1 with all my might.
1987: Regional Dance in Glendale, AZ with Brent G. and I stayed over with his family all weekend...This was shortly after seeing U2 twice at SunDevil Stadium and we were still hopped up on the Joshua Tree, even a year after it came out.
1988: House Party in NW Tucson with HS friends; last night KFOX was on the air; I remember counting down the new year to the sounds of Pink Floyd's "Learning to Fly," and feeling much like an earth-bound misfit. I think I was with Robert because I know we went to Marie Callendar's for breakfast in the morning.
1989: At home in SV with my sibs, I think....
1990: At the misison home in Oklahoma with the G'rents
1991: At the Bergeson's home in SLC with Kevin (I think we were breaking up)
1992: On my mission--transferred to Rockingham from Tarboro, my first night in Rockingham was NY Eve, and I stayed there until September transfers.
1993: On my mission--first week in Southern Pines, NC
1994: Party hopped with old HS friends, ended up at home counting down with Matt Basham (Hi, Matt!) --oh, no, wait...I think that was 1991. Did I go to Ohio? I don't remember, but I was living at Ruper Five with Heidi and Erin that year.
1995: In Pinehurst NC with all the young adults there (Adam, BJay, etc.)
1996: In Tucson, at the Bingham's big party with A2, dreamy midnight kisses and Square Pegs on TV
1997: Same thing as '96, I think, pretty much. Oh wait! I was with A2, but I think that's the year that Liz Kersey made a gourmet dinner for all us friends. That was so fun!
1998: Party at the Palmers in Alpine, UT with A3
1999: Day at Disneyland, night at regional dance across the street from Disneyland with Steve Mackay and friends; took off early to celebrate Y2K at my mom's in Ramona, CA.
2000: Hung out with Rich doing wedding announcements
2001: Surprised the Melins by coming up to Livingston with Baby Addie; watched Lord of the Rings in the theatre and watched Dick Clark on TV.
2002: Can't remember--were we here or on the road home from Texas Christmas? My fabulous scrapbook tells me we were on our way home, staying with Jill and Drew in SLC playing board games.
2003: I was prego and we were super sick and we stopped and spent New Years Eve in Tempe/ Higley with the Halls/Arnetts. Celeste and Ryan let us sleep over at their (then) new house. Celeste was pregnant with Max and I was pregnant with Heidi.
2004: At my in-laws'--Read about it HERE
2005: In Sierra Vista--read about it HERE
2006: In Tucson, in a bit of turmoil--read about it HERE
2007: In Livingston, partially with the Bates Family, then all by myself at home while everyone slept for the countdown--see pix HERE

...and tonight we are all in our jammies at 7pm, ready to play wii and eat treats with our Gray cousins (across the street) and ring in 2009. I will be exorcising my tummy demon (made of holiday junk food, I am sure; I told Rich today that I am having "an intestinal infarction" --I made that up, but I am seriously cleansing!), starting with this berry smoothie and no meat, dairy, or white stuff for a couple of weeks. Gotta love myself a little for the new year, ya know!

Have a great one, y'all...start the new year off right and celebrate havign the ESSENTIALS: food, shelter, and LOVE.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Brotherhood of the Traveling Facial Hair


Seriously, how cute are you guys?
(my bro/cousins in 1997 & 2008)
***
Here's a get-well-shout-out to my poor sister, Jill, who has taken a tumble and sprained her ankle. At press time, she was inthe ER getting X-rays. Pobrecita...I hope you're 100% soon! That is so lame! (no pun intended...)

Blasphemous or Adorable?

While I was unloading/unpacking the trip stuff this morning, Addie and Heidi decided to build this nativity scene with their stuffed animals...Baby Jesus was a FurReal Chimp and his manger was a new sled from Uncle Mike.Zoo animals came to adore the baby chimp instead of farm animals...



James was supposed to be a wiseman, but he was too excited about trains and hats to play along.

Can I Get a Hallelujah?...

...the Christmas photos are posted! Below you will find three slideshows of our Arizona trip, which you can double click to see larger. Enjoy them!

One of my faves from the AZ pix...James and Peeps being so sweet!

Trip to Arizona

Fun in Sierra Vista

Christmas Slideshow

Monday, December 29, 2008

Just in case you were wondering, we are indeed alive. The weather on our ride home was terrible just ahead or behind us, but it was like the parting of the Red Sea as we drove home mostly on dry ground. We are grateful for our safe arrival and your prayers on our behalf.

As I listen to my kids squealing with delight as they Wii-bowl, and the 60-mph-wind/blizzard howls outside my warm, comfy home, I reflect on the past three weeks with so much love and affection in my heart. Thanks to all the loved ones who hosted us, visited us, gifted us, or just shared hugs and chats over this holiday. We feel so very richly blessed, our greatest blessings being the relationships we share with our families and the other amazing friends God has places in our paths. Thanks for strengthening us with your love and support and making our lives so sweet in so many tiny ways. I think of the quote from Dead Poets Society..."And medicine, law, business, engineering--these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love--these are what we stay alive for."

I will post the photos and log of our adventures after I get my wee ones to sleep tominght, so check back soon...it's going to be AMAZING. XOXO

Monday, December 22, 2008

Guess Where We Went Today?

***
After a quick lunch with the delightful Dorathys, we headed down into the San Pedro River Valley to see some cowboy towns, and now we are all cozy at Aunt Marti's in Sierra Vista. Viva la familia!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Twelve Hundred Miles in Nineteen Hours

So yeah...

we left Livingston at 2:30pm yesterday and we arrived here inNorth Phoenix at our beloved Laytons' around 10:30am. We stopped for a half hour at Petersens' in Lehi at 11pm. We picked up my cutie bro, Sam, and visited with Jill and Drew for a few minutes (great gifts, Sue!), and we were off. Sam drove the toughtest leg, midnite to 4am, from Payson to Kanab...what a trooper! I cruised into Flagstaff around 7:30am and we had a super yummy breakfast and a little shopping at Cracker Barrel. The rest of the drive was so much fun...I sat in the back with the kids and we sang a long to the Elf soundtrack and colored pictures with color wonder markers.

Now Sam and Kristen (and her teeny tiny baby belly) are making us dinner, we are watching Mickey's Twice , Upon A Christmas, snuggling and so happy. All the kids had baths and we all napped (while Kristen entertained the girls). Life is good (even tho our President tried to pull a deplorable fast one today), and we hope the peace and fun continues. Our prayers are with all y'all who have more traveling to do...it's a little stormy out there...

and LAST BUT NEVER LEAST, Happy Birthday to Laura & Lisa, my beloved twin sisters. Happy Anniversary to Jill & Drew, and Happy June Roses Day (Geo, we are sharing memories over dinner tonight--I shall return and report on our June Roses later).

FAMILY LETTER 07.28.19

Dear Loved Ones,                                                                                                        We have just ...