visitors part 2

Yesterday Hillary's Andrew came in from Alaska. She is on cloud 9. So far he seems like a great guy. He has endured the Hanaike sense of humor, Luke climbing on him and Samantha talking his head off - all with a smile on his face. Reggie is very impressed that he is an Eagle scout, and so hasn't followed through on his plan to do a background check with a couple of police officer friends. Or, wait a minute. How does Reggie know that he's an Eagle Scout? Maybe he did do a background check and Andrew passed the test. Hmm.

A couple of hours after he got here my young adult children and several cousins went to walk around the Oakland Temple and then to Fenton's for ice cream. Today Hillary introduced Andrew to Grandma and Grandpa Chandler, Grandma Hanaike and Uncle Gil. There's lost more family to go and lots of friends to meet, but I think he's up to the challenge.

visitors part 1

Yesterday morning my niece Shannon called to see if she and my niece Celeste, and their kids could come and visit for the day. It was perfect timing; not much going on. We had a blast. And I can't find my camera! There were so many picture-worthy moments.

My kids (young adults) and their kids (18 mos. - 7 years) had an epic battle; first with the batman sword and Indiana Jones whip, then with nerf guns. The little ones really enjoyed getting to know "Clester" as they called him.

Into the evening more family came, and just when dinner was ready the power went out. As the rain and wind beat against the window it was fun sitting around, visiting and playing games by candlelight. With the weather being so bad they decided to stay over and so the living room became one big slumber party.

I'm so glad that they came. It was a really fun day.

It's a good day

As some of you know, I hate when Christmas is over. And so I have been trying to come up with some things to help me be stay happy into the new year. Here is one of them - my new morning routine. I am putting it on the blog so that each morning I can listen to it and get going with life. Woo Hoo!

15 years old

Samantha had a wonderful birthday. She got her own camera, which will be a blessing for us. She got to be on the computer as much as she wanted. She got lounging around time to watch her Christmas presents - The Brady Bunch and Bewitched. She got extra love and attention from her siblings and a huge cake. Tomorrow she will be going to the mall. She is a very happy teenager.

one more project

It is 11 pm Christmas night and I have one more Christmas project to stay up late to work on.

A couple of months ago Samantha had a piece of zebra-print cloth and an old bag that she wanted re-covered/re-modeled. I told her I didn't think it would work but I would see what I could do. I went to the facbric store, got a much sturdier yard of zebra-print fabric and a pattern. I then started trying to make a new bag for her for Christmas. In the mean time Samantha saw a couple of bags in the mall that she has fallen in love with. She has been constantly talking about getting one for her birthday, which is tomorrow. Well, after already investing in the money to do the zebra bag, I was not going to go buy her another one. I figured she might be disappointed, but she would live. I started making the bag; it was harder than I thought, and because the fabric is so nice and thick, I broke 3 sewing machine needles trying to finish it last week. I finally called it "good enough" and wrapped it up for her for Christmas, even though it had a few pins in it.

When she opened it she was thrilled! She hasn't meantioned one thing about the mall bags since, but she has asked me a dozen times if I can finish the bag tonight so that she can take it to church tomorrow, on her birthday. Well, its still officially Christmas, and so I'm going to put on one last Christmas movie while I finish this present for her.

Christmas Day

homemade Christmas presents are kicking my butt!

I yelled at the sewing machine several times today, and I had no idea how long it takes to make fudge! Oh well, it will all be worth it.

first day of Christmas break

Yesterday was Samantha and Luke's first day off from school and they were in heaven.

Samantha was in her favorite spot for much of the day:



Luke had Andrew over. They played the Wii and had a nerf battle with Lester.




And of course, I had to make cookies, and I got to work on some Christmas projects. It was a great day.



And on a side note: It is always fun when Luke's friend, Andrew Porter, comes over. They've been going to each other's houses since they were toddlers, and a holiday isn't complete for any of us without a little bit of Andrew. Coincidentally, Hillary's boyfriend's name is Andrew and we are looking forward to a visit from him next week. This has caused some confusing conversations. Andrew (Porter) has gotten the most bewildered look on his face when we've teased Hillary about dating Andrew (Dobbins). The other day I asked Lester what he thinks of Andrew. (I wanted a brother-in-law's perspective). He responded that he's a nice kid, and it took a while for me to realize that Lester was referring to Andrew Porter. So anyway, we love our good buddy, Andrew, and we are looking forward to meeting Hillary's sweetheart, Andrew.

the journey home

Lester's parents drove Julia and Lester home from Utah. They left late Sunday morning and arrived here around 2:30 am, Monday. Julia said it went well; was a pleasant trip. The roads were pretty crazy, with all these storms, but they made it safe and sound and we are so happy to have them here.

The Gingham Dog & The Calico Cat

Sometimes you never know what will become a treasured tradition. Years ago, when our oldest kids were little ones, I was Christmas shopping and saw a clearance bin full of CDs. I bought a story one, even though I had never heard of it: The Gingham Dog & The Calico Cat. The kids fell in love with it and it has been a tradition for them ever since to, at least one night each Christmas, sleep in the living room, by the tree, and listen to the story. It is narrated by Amy Grant and has a nice Christmas guitar playing along. I didn't realize how important this CD was to them until we couldn't find it tonight. I started frantically searching ebay until Samantha found it. The living room is now full of matresses and they are keeping up the tradition.

David Archeleta and Captain Crane

Last night Lester's parents met Julia and Lester in Salt Lake City and they all went to a concert of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with David Archeleta. Julia said that you could tell David Archuletta was nervous, but he sang great. The MoTab was great, and the narrator - Michael York - was also great. We found this particularly interesting because Michael York is a British actor who played a dirty old pirate in our favorite t.v. series: Avonlea. What a versatile actor. Needless to say it was a wonderful experience for Julia and Lester.

13 days

Yesterday was the 13th day that Reggie has worked straight/without a day off. The overtime is so appreciated. Today he finally had a day off and I urged him to relax, take a nap and rejuvinate. But my nephew in San Jose is having his Eagle Court of Honor tonight and Reggie felt it was really important that we go. He really wanted to support Joe and wanted Luke to see his good example. I continued to point out to Reggie that he's tired, its storming, and it would be okay if we didn't go. But he was determined. Then Julia called this morning to say that she and Lester would be getting home tonight instead of tomorrow night (yeah!) Since I have been using their room as a laundry room/sewing room/ gift wrapping room I had alot to do to get it ready. I was planning on doing an all-nighter after the Court of Honor, but Reggie convinced me to stay behind and get it done early.

So, to make a long story a little shorter, Reggie started his day off by going to church, and is ending it by picking up my brother's father in law and heading to San Jose with him and the kids. I am home, getting things done and thinking about how much I love Reggie. He really is a great man and we are very blessed.

Hillary is home!

And she went through a lot to get here. She took the train from Salt Lake City to Emeryville. She got to the depot in Salt Lake city at 11 last night, only to find out that the train was running 2 hours late. She got to Emeryville at 6:30 tonight. She sat up all night, with the pet fish she was bringing home to Luke, but did manage to get some sleep. Hillary always sees the bright side of everything; she found people to talk to and enjoyed the scenery. She said it was all worth it to get home. (The fish made it safe and sound too, and Luke is very happy.)

it's finals week and I'm exhausted!

Samantha has a huge final tomorrow for her driver's training class. I've been helping her study the California Driver's Handbook. Between this and taking Mariah to get her license last week, I must be THE BEST DRIVER IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA!

Ms. Christmas herself

Mariah has truly caught the Christmas spirit and is making things wonderful around here. She has been working hard since August and has saved most of her money, but she is also enjoying Christmas shopping for the family. She has been so excited when she's found each gift, and she loves wrapping the packages in creative ways. She also bought some decorations for our tree.




Today she got Luke to help her make snowflakes and hung them from our living-room ceiling.


(My camera has gone missing, again, so here is a picture from the internet)

Her days are numbered around here - 23 to be exact. She is certainly making her last few weeks at home memorable.

the payoff

All of the stress of teaching another kid how to drive started paying off tonight with these wonderful words: "Mariah, please go to the store and get us some milk".

3 down, 2 to go

Mariah passed her driving test today, and I just watched her drive away on her own. Ready or not, world, here she comes!

movie time with Uncle Gil and Grandma

I am so thankful for extended family. This parenting thing would be alot harder if we didn't have so much family around, happy to help. When Luke is sick with a cold or just not feeling well on a school day, I have been able to call Grandma Hanaike. She is always happy to watch him while I still go to work. While he is at Grandma's house he always ends up having movie time with Uncle Gil. They have watched Iron Man 2 (the day it came out on DVD), Jason and the Argonauts, Mysterious Island, and more that I can't remember right now. I am starting to see a smile creep across his face, even though he's sick, when I tell him that I still have to go to work, but I'm going to call Grandma. Since he enjoys this time so much I guess I will have to watch more closely, and make sure he really is sick! Either way, we are very lucky.

Merry Christmas, 1967

My brother-in-law just posted some family pictures on his facebook, and I stole this one. It is of my mother and her 3 girls (I'm the baby, apparently trying to look into the camera), in the house we are still in today.








I also copied this one from him. Isn't she beautiful? This is my Mom, I think when she was a senior in high school. She sure looks like a 1940's movie star.

Christmas music

For the month of December it looks like the only kind of music we are listening to is Christmas music. I am still amazed that I can turn on a certain pop-radio station and hear people singing about Jesus. Its wonderful. I also love that I can find my favorite songs - even ones I remember from my childhood - on the "create your own playlist" site.

We all have our favorites.

Julia has always loved "Joy To The World" sung by Whitney Houston, with a full choir as backup. Its loud, lively, and really gets your spirit going. When she's home we crank it up and the kids jump around, singing it with all the feeling they can produce. It is a fun way to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I don't know what Lester's favorite Christmas music is, but I would bet that she has him listening to this one quite often.



Luke loves the song "Believe" by Josh Grobin, from the movie "Polar Express". I think one reason is because it reminds him of good times with Hillary. They would sit on the couch singing it together. He can't wait for Hillary and Julia to come home.



Samantha enjoys songs from our "Muppet's Christmas CD". She loves the humor that they throw into their songs. She also loves "Oh Holy Night", especially the version sung by "Celtic Women" - another CD that Hillary introduced us to.



Hillary loves so many types of Christmas music, as you can tell. But one of her favorites is Frank Sinatra.



Mariah. Hmm. I don't think I know what Mariah's favorite Christmas music is! But, her favorite movie is "White Christmas". She couldn't find it for a few days and it drove her crazy! So, I will have to say that she must love the music in that movie.



Reggie enjoys Harry Conick Jr's "Must Have Been Old Santa Clause", Michael Buble's "Let it Snow", and "The 12 Days of Christmas" sung by Alvin and the Chipmunks. He has also come to love my favorite, which I will mention next, and has been listening to it while driving to and from work.


I love so many, but the one that is the most worth mentioning is Handel's "Messiah". I don't remember my parents having alot of music on in the house when I was growing up, but every Christmas they would play The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing "The Messiah", with a full orchestra. I loved it then and I love it now. I think Handel was truly inspired, to be able to take verses from the Bible and make such beautiful, testimony-building music. "For Unto Us A Child Is Born", "Halleluiah!" and "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth" especially bring tears to my eyes.




The next 3 weeks till Christmas might not be enough time for us to listen to all of our favorites. But we'll give it a go!

self-photography

I went to upload pictures from my camera and found that Samantha had gotten ahold of it and
taken lots of pictures. This one is a keeper:

HAPPY DECEMBER!

decisions, decisions

Today is my birthday, and Reggie is giving me the best gift - time. This has been a tradition for us for years, and I love it. On my birthday Reggie takes care of the kids - sometimes all day and sometimes all weekend - while I have time to myself; time to do Christmas shopping, and work on Christmas projects while watching my favorite Christmas movies. He does all the cooking, all the driving around, all the everything that comes with taking care of the house and the kids. I love it, and by the time the weekend is over, I am happy to join my family again.

So today I am set up in the family room with the sewing machine, a bag of Reeses, and Christmas movies, but I have a problem. Luke told me last night that he wants to watch "I'ts a Wonderful Life" with me. I was planning on watching it today, alone, because I absolutely cry throughout the whole movie. You know how it is, when you are emotional in a movie, you kind of don't want anybody else to see you that way. So, should I watch it now, freely crying uncontrollably by myself, and then watch it again with Luke later, when I can maybe hold it in more? Or should I just wait for him.

In trying to decided, I figured it would be okay if I watched the extras anyway. They said that after it had been released, the director - Frank Capra - received many letters expressing people's disappointments that Mr. Potter did not receive some punishment in the end. Of course, everybody wants to see the villian get what he deserves. But I am so glad that it ended the way it did - I think it is very profound. Mr. Potter did keep the $8,000 dollars. The Bailey's never found out what had happened to it, and Potter never went to jail. But, Potter still didn't win. He still didn't ruin the Bailey's, and he was still left a bitter old man while George was surrounded with friends and loved ones - and money.

So while in some ways it doesn't seem fair; and in reality, life is not always fair; the movie does seem just. Good did win and prevail, and all of George's kindness and hard work for others did continue to provide him with a wonderful life.

So, I'm going to get back to my Christmas projects. But what movie should I put on? I just don't know.

On the 12th day of Thanksgiving, the good Lord gave to me . . .

wonderful family and friends. We spent the day with some of my family and some of Reggie's. We missed Hillary, Julia and Lester, but they had a good day, successfully cooking Thanksgiving dinner in their own apartments. We're thinking alot about my extended family this weekend. My sister's daughter is getting married in Arizona on Saturday, and we wish we could be there. We're thankful for Reggie's family who is always near; close enough to go shopping with, go to the movies with, and have big loud dinners with. And we're thankful for all of our friends who make life bearable and fun. Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night!

11th day of Thanksgiving

The house is full of yummy smells: pumpkin pies, apple pies, brownies and rolls. Tomorrow the turkey will begin cooking at about 7 am. We are very thankful today to be at the TOP of the food chain, and thankful for this beautiful Earth that can grow so many wonderful things.

shopping

Well, for the last week I have been pouring over the ads - for regular sales, black friday sales, etc. I decided what to get the kids, then changed my mind, quizzed them some more about what they want or need, etc. I am now happy to say that I am DONE Christmas shopping!; or pretty much anyway. Now the challenge is to get out of the habit of shopping; if I see something that I bought for a cheaper price now I will be frustrated and want to do returns, buying it back, etc. etc. Its maddening! But, I will say that for the first time in years I will not be going Black Friday shopping in the wee hours of the morning. It feels wierd - but good.

I am hoping, for the month of December, to not focus on shopping but focus on all of the other wonderful, beautiful, amazing things about Christmas.

10th day of Thanksgiving

Grateful for laughter! I mean, really, doesn't your whole body feel great after you've had a fit of laughter? Mine did after seeing this Target commercial. I showed it to my family and they got a good laugh laughing at me.

the 9th day of Thanksgiving - by himself

So when I blogged a few days ago about what Luke said he was thankful for, he was disappointed. He said that I got it right, but that he wanted to blog it himself - and that he wanted another turn. So here is something else that Luke is thankful for - typed by him:



Ya know, I don't think I could get through life without books.When I'm bored and got nothing to do I just read.I cherish books and I collect them.This is one of the things I am thanking for for thanksgiving.

The 8th day of Thanksgiving, by Julia and Lester

We are grateful for warmth. For heaters, mittens, scarves, anne of green gables, christmas movies, dry socks, hot chocolate and cider, and our Columbia jackets. Whether it be at home in the foggy midst, or here in the heavy snow and ice we are big fans of things that warm both your heart and soul. Its nice that even when the high for the day is supposed to be 19 degrees and the low 3, that we can still wake up every morning in our warm down comforter and fleece pjs, turn our kettle right on, suit up for the day and not feel the cold penetrate for even a second. And whether its physical warmth, or the warmth we feel in our hearts when we think of how blessed we are to be safe and happy, this is one of the many things we think of at this time of year.

my turn again

Well, Julia and Lester have not emailed me their "7th day of Thanksgiving" yet. So while we are waiting on that, I am going to have my second turn at what I am thankful for.

It would, of course, be impossible for me state all of the things I am thankful for. I am so thankful for my children; they are my dream come true. I am thankful for all of my family, my in-laws, my friends, and my Savior.

But what I want to elaborate on tonight is how thankful I am for my Reggie. One night, during our teenage years, Reggie came over to hang out with me and my family. The power went out, and without the t.v. to watch, we decided to read a book together called "The Vanilla Theory", written by a member of our church. The book said that you can't know what your favorite kind of ice cream is if you only try vanilla, and likewise, you can't know what kind of person you wan't to marry without dating several people first. Well, after reading the book Reggie and I decided that we ought to be dating other people. So he went home, and by the next morning, during our first class, I was sobbing. I didn't want to date anybody else. I only wanted Reggie. By the end of the class we were back together. I talked with my Mom about it that evening and she explained that "The Vanilla Theory" was good advice, by a good person, but it was not "doctrine"; it was not scripture.
She said it was our priviledge and responsibility to pray about our circumstance to know what was right for us. So we did. Reggie has been the one for me ever since. Now of course the realities of life bring both joy and pain, as we have experienced. I can't imagine going through either without him. I've loved him when we were young and skinny; I loved him when we went our separate ways for college and a mission; I've loved him when we've had babies and toddlers running around us; I've loved him when our teenagers have driven us to the breaking point; I've loved him when we were so mad at each other we couldn't be in the same room together. I love him now, even when his clothes are IN FRONT of the laundry hamper instead of IN the laundry hamper. I love him now, more than I ever have,for a million reasons, and for just being Reggie; my Reggie. And the biggest blessing of all is that he still loves me, and tells me so, even when I'm at my worst. I have tried to counsel my daughters on what I think makes a marriage last; tried to help them understand the realities of life. But as much as I can prepare them, there will of course never be any guarantee. In writing this, I'm realizing that what a marriage really needs to last is a miracle. Because when you think about it, thats what love is: a miracle.
Reggie is mine, and I'm thankful.

The 6th day of Thanksgiving, by Samantha

I am thankful for my bed I just got a new bed and I already love it I was so happy to see the bunk bed go after having it for nine years my new bed is so warm and cozy I sleep very well in it and I still have the same pillow,blanket,and sheet.Now with the bunk bed gone I no longer have to worry about jumping off when I wake up or bumping my head on the top of the bottom,my hair getting stuck in rusty screws and finally my new bed does not creak unlike the top of the bunk which creaked when I'd turn.Thanks for putting together my new bed Dad I really appericate it.

5th day of Thanksgiving, by Mariah

Where I work there are a lot of regulars. One of them, is named Micheal Slaughter. (isnt that the worst last name ever? yuck) He is an older man who loves to smile and responds the same way every time I tell him his total, " ok!sold!" This week was the same old thing, but he was the only customer in the store, with no where to get to, so we started talking. The conversation began with his talking about my name, and ended hours later with him bringing me a book. He started telling me about his various careers before retirement, and among them were pilot, composer and pianist for Broadway ( he brought me a CD as well of some of his original works ), and published author. His book, is called Operation Sunflower. Its the story of his neighbor (he went by Jo), who at seventeen years old, was drafted into the German army during WW2. He spent almost two years in a Russian POW camp after being captured at Stalingrad, and during that time fell in love with a nurse. She was a native Russian, but Stalin had killed all of her family excpet for her sister, so she was just as eager to leave as any POW. So Jo, his best friend, his fiance and her sister planned an escape from first the camp, and then from Russia altogther. After disabling the electrified fence during a blizzard, they ski-ed for three days and three nights as hunted animals, and then walked eight hundred miles across the Russian tundra. Sustained only,by sunflower seeds (ergo, operation sunflower). When they got to civilization, they sold the girls' only possesions be smuggled into Iran. Once there, they worked and lived in hiding until they had enough money to be smuggled to London. On his way one night to pay for the trip, Jo was mugged and put into a coma for ten days. His friends left without him. When he awoke, he had to stay in Iran, alone, for 6 months until he could re-earn the money to get across. When he finally got to London he realized he had no way to find them. So for another six months, he searched. All he had to go on (this part makes you think its movie) is that his fiance always taked about how they would go dancing every night when they got to London and were truly free. So after months and months of searching, he found her at a night club, where she fainted at the sight of him. They had a son together and lived happily in London for 7 years. Then, (this is how you know its real)his son ran into the street after a ball, and she ran after him. They were both killed by a bus. He just couldn't stay in Europe anymore, so he came to the united states. He wrote his memoirs in German in his journal, and there they stayed until Michael Slaughter came along and helped him translate it. Then he had it published in Italy. Jo died two weeks ago, and four days later, Michael got an email telling him they wanted to re-print the book and sell it here. It took maybe a half hour for him to tell me the story, and then he left. About three hours later, I had a line of people and at the very end, he was there with a copy of the book for me to keep. Even the synopsis of this story makes me feel thankful, but then reading the book itself makes me appreciate the smallest things like socks and band-aids. I am thankful for books like these and meeting people like Michael Slaughter and a thousand other things. :)

The fourth day of Thanksgiving, by Hillary

I’m thankful for good music. Good songs, mood music, story telling…all of it. Almost all of my favorite memories can be associated with a song or two. When my Mom’s family comes into town we usually are not allowed to eat dinner until we all do a Soul Train. The first time I had a bad bout of homesickness in 2008 my Dad called and started singing the song “My Little Girl” to me over the phone. While it did make me cry harder, it also made me feel like a MILLION BUCKS. And songs from the Broadway play Wicked will always be a big part of my life with both sides of my family. My favorite memories of my Dad’s side of the family are the times we all sit around and play ‘Name That Disney song’- uncles and all. In fact the uncles are the ones who seem to get the most competitive about it! Owl City, Sara Bareilles, and Chris Brown go with me to school all the time, and I’m glad to say that I never have to go a day without being serenaded by Frank Sinatra or Michael Buble. Good music…that’s what I’m thankful for. From EFY to country to rap…there really is good stuff everywhere!

Third day of Thanksgiving, by Luke

When discussing our 12 Days of Thanksgiving, Luke said that what he would pick to blog about is that he is "thankful for clothes; so that people wouldn't have to go around being nude". Then he said, not just clothes, but maybe fabric in general, because he loves blankets.

Its funny because this is a very true, sincere answer for Luke. He loves his clothes. He especially likes fleece, hooded, zippered jackets. For his back to school shopping he got a brown one from Old Navy, and I couldn't get him to wear anything else - he even slept in it for several nights. Then his Aunt gave him an orange one and an orange/brown-striped one from Old Navy for his birthday. He was so happy. He also loves Rugby shirts and jeans; he refuses to wear any kind of "soft pants", like sweats, to school.

And as far as "fabrics in general, like blankets" his perfect day starts out with turning the heater on and sitting by the vent in the dining room with a blanket over his whole body.

So there you have it, the third day of Thanksgiving, by Luke.

Second day of Thanksgiving, by Reggie.

I am thankful for my family.

Here are some interesting things about Thanksgiving.

Top Ten Historical Thanksgiving Facts
»Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the USA.
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.
The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate the Thanksgiving.
They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621.
The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.
The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford, had organized the first Thanksgiving feast in the year 1621 and invited the neighboring Wampanoag Indians also to the feast.
The state of New York officially made Thanksgiving Day an annual custom in 1817.
The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in the 1920's.
Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the USA.
By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to hold a thanksgiving feast.


Ode to Thanksgiving
May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

the 12 days of Thanksgiving

I've seen some people on facebook having the goal of stating something they are thankful for every day in November. Well, it is too late for that for us. But, I realized today that there are 12 days until Thanksgiving, and so our family is going to have the goal of stating something we are thankful for, on this blog, until Thanksgiving.

And I'm going first. I have thought alot about this one the last week or so. I am VERY thankful for milk. There is nothing that tastes quite as good as an ice-cold glass of nonfat milk. Especially with a warm chocolate chip cookie. And you know how much we like to make cookies around here. But I also love milk all day long, with a peanut butter sandwich, cereal, etc. A couple of weeks ago I was on some medicine that required me to not drink milk. It drove me crazy! I was going through withdrawals. That is when I realized how much I love it, and how much I drink it. I've also been reading up on women's health, since I will be turning the big 45 in a couple of weeks, and one thing they said is that Osteoporosis is a typical/big concern for women my age. Well, thanks to my love of milk, I think I'll be okay in that department.

So, I am very thankful for milk.

moving day

We have never moved from our home; I grew up here, our kids have grown up here, etc. But, it seems like we are constantly moving inside our home; changing rooms around, etc., based on who is moving in and who is moving out. Today Samantha is very happy because, even though she loves Julia, she knows that she doesn't have to share a room with her, or anybody, anymore (for the time-being anyway); we therefore got rid of the bunkbed. The family room has been rearranged to accomodate Julia and her roommate, Lester, when they come home. We also got some good work done cleaning the basement, and finding room for the boxes that Mariah has packed up; things she is done with, but doesn't want thrown away when she leaves in January. We also cleaned up the backyard. As we were getting rid of the sandbox and other toddler toys that have served us so well for so many kids, I was remembering the swingset and the fort that used to be in there when I was little. I guess this house is on the tail-end of its second generation of children. I love this place. We are so lucky.

and speaking of Veterans day

I picked up a DVD set from the library, "Young Indiana Jones" because I thought it would be a fun thing for us to watch together, as a family. I didn't realize, however, that it was "Volume 2: the War Years". It is suspenseful, but pretty intense. Its about Indie fighting in the army, being a prisoner of war, etc. in World War One. We watched some last night; Luke lost his attention for it, but now Reggie, Luke and Mariah are watching more of it. I guess its worth the watch, as long as you know what your in for.

veterans day

Between the two of us Reggie and I have several nephews serving in the armed forces. We are proud of them and love them all. They are in our prayers and we are so grateful that they have all remained safe.

I've been thinking alot about my Dad today, he being a veteran of World War 2. He is 91 now, and I was realizing that WWII veterans are a vanishing breed; not alot of them left. I have always been fascinated by his stories. We always give him a hard time for not getting married until he was 29, and for robbing the cradle because my Mom was 18 at the time. But when I think about it, he had alot going on in his 20s; he served a mission for our church in Canada and when he got home he was immediately drafted. He served in England and tells about the frequent bombings they endured. I've seen one picture of him during this time frame, and in my opinion he looked just like Bing Crosby. Maybe I'll go to my parent's and scan the picture and then post it here, next to Bing, so you can see what I mean. (For you youngins, who haven't had a proper education: Bing Crosby is the one on the right!)


So thank you to my Dad and all of the veterans for their bravery and service to our country. We salute you!

"in a relationship"

And speaking of good people that Hillary has met, there seems to be something extra special about this boy, because he has won Hillary's heart - to the point that they are, in facebook terms, in a relationship. He is coming here for a visit during the Christmas break. We are looking forward to meeting him!

a "mormon message"

I love the experiences that my kids have had by going away to school. They've been able to meet so many good people from around the world. They've learned so much from teachers, friends, roommates, etc. And I will admit, they've been able to make their own choices and lead their own lives without me being right there to worry about them.

Like I said, they have met some fantastic people, like Paris Tomas. He is a kid that both Hillary and Julia have palled around with. Hillary blogged about how much she was going to miss him when he left on his mission this fall. Today, while looking at some "mormon messages" on Youtube I came across this video of him. I am just so thankful for the wonderful experiences and good people that have been in my children's lives.

It really was a "Super Saturday"

This morning I went to a "Super Saturday" activity for the women at my church. It was alot of fun. There was good food, fun projects to make, and great conversation. Everybody needs friends, no matter what their age or circumstance in life, and it was fun getting together with mine. And I got so excited about the Christmas present that I made! I don't think I can wait for December, or even the day after Thanksgiving, to put the Christmas music on. We'll see.

After the activity I came home and was pleasantly surprised that Samantha and Mariah were out of bed and had even voluntarily cleaned the living room. After doing some more cleaning and spending some time with the family, I ended the day by making cookies, putting on my newest favorite Jane Austin DVD "Emma" and working on some more Christmas projects. It was a great day!

My own "Toy Story"

I just watched Toy Story 3 with the kids today. Its a great movie. Problem is, I've got a child starting to pack to go away to college in January, just like the character Andy, and she already hates to get rid of anything from her childhood - especially stuffed animals. This movie is not going to make it any easier. But I will admit, this movie got me thinking about my childhood toys.

So who was my "Woody"? Who would have been in my "Toy Story"?

I do fondly remember Mr. Potato head. In fact, when I was about 9, my grandmother took me to a toy store and said I could pick out anything I wanted. She was quite disappointed when I picked Mr. Potato Head. She kept pointing out this doll and that doll, but I was in love with Mr. Potato Head, and so that is what she reluctantly got for me.


I did enjoy playing with dolls however, and the one I remember the best was "Giggles". It was a hand-me-down from my sister. When you lifted up the right arm she would giggle, as her name indicated. I loved that doll, and was very bothered when my sister reminded me that it was really hers. My mom made beautiful clothes for the doll, and I wish so much that I had kept them.


My biggest pastime, however, was playing Barbies. One Christmas I got the ultimate present - the Barbie townhouse, with elevator. It was set up in my room (which is now Samantha's room) and I played with it for hours. I do remember what happened to that toy. Like in the movie, after it and all of my barbies had been stored away for a few years, I was heading for college, and my Mom suggested that I pass it all on to someone else. So I gave it to my niece Suzanne. I was happy that someone else was going to enjoy it like I did.


So thank you to the Pixar people for making these Toy Story movies. They've brought back alot of good memories, and I guess as long as we've got room in the basement, Mariah can hold on to her treasures a little longer.