Super Saturday!

Our day started with some blueberry and raspberry muffins and juice. Nice way to begin a Saturday. Christine and I got Meredith up to 'speed' with DWTStars with some of the highlights from our DVR/Tivo. (That's a whole 'nother post! GREAT invention...) Then we scrambled because Elyse Powell was on her way to the house at 10am for haircuts!

Duff getting his haircut. It's so nice that Elyse can come to the house! She went to cosmetology school and earns her money for college by doing hair. We love Elyse--she is a good friend of Shaun and Meredith.

Josh--all done. Cut by Elyse, directed by Meredith.

Christine is up next. Lots of hair to brush out .

Mike finished up the group. He was not happy I took this picture, can you tell? (side note: ALL my children got Duff's hair. It is thick, thick, thick. No matter who they go to to have a haircut, they always tell them that they can't believe how much hair they have! Duff gets it from his mom. Natalie's hair is so thick that when she puts it in a braid it looks like a ROPE.)

After we finished with haircuts, it was off to the soccer game. One more game to go for the season! Christine's teammates were shocked when they saw her and true to pre-teen girls had many screams, oh my goshs, and I can't believe you DID IT! (What is IT, you may ask???? Watch for another post coming soon!) Picture above: J.T., Pam Forkner (her daughter was playing on the team against us. She grew up with me in my ward and married my next door neighbor! So fun that after all the years, we live near each other again), and Meredith.

Meredith and Josh. His finger is healing slowly, but just how the doctors want it to. The tendon finally holds it up without falling down.

Duff forgot his sunglasses and is fighting off the sun.

Meredith, J.T., and Josh. The Diablos took home a victory: 5-1. Great game, Christine. The 'haircut' was the good luck charm!

Off to the nail shop! My feet were in need of some 'help', and Christine and Meredith wanted a little pampering themselves. This is a great place right by our house.

Christine getting a good soaking. (Notice anything 'new' about her???)

Meredith relaxing and softening up those cuticles!

Me, getting in some more Eclipse reading.

The results: Meredith=sienna, Christine=french, Cindy=dark pink. I almost went with the sienna, but just couldn't quite pull it off. I'm a pink girl at heart! Hey--just noticed we all have the same flip flops on! Gotta love the Rainbow sandals. So comfy and with arch support. I don't think I've ever seen a pair of these wear out, yet.

When we got home, Mike and Adrianne's new dresser arrived! They got a great deal at a consignment store in town and it will be awesome in their first apartment!

Off now for dinner at El Torito Grill. In a nutshell: fresh, hot, flour tortillas with salsa and/or honey butter. Ooooo. Delish! When Adrianne arrived, she sported an new 'do' as well. Looks like it was a Duffy hair day!

Finally, finished sharing time for tomorrow and then went grocery shopping at Albertson's at 9:30pm. Way too late for me. Meredith fell asleep on the living room couch reading Eclipse and Josh lovingly walked her up to bed, said prayers, and then went back down to finish the movie with Mike and Adrianne and Duff.

What a day! I'm tired and going to BED!

Kids Are On Their Way!

Josh and Meredith are on the road coming 'home' for a long weekend. They just called and are about 3 hours away now. Drive CAREFUL!

(Note: Kids got here safely around 2pm. Mere went off to surprise JT and pick him up from pre-K and then took Patti to the train station to meet Richard at Pepperdine for a law school event. She brought JT over here and they had subway sandwiches with Christine and her friend Leslie for dinner and then watched a movie, Meet the Robinsons. I had made Chicken Brocilli Casserole and the rest of us had that. Yummy! Got the rest of the Fall decorations out and it is festive with all the candles burning and mini-lights through the fall garland on the mantle. Every year when I decorate the mantle for fall, I love putting the pilgrims and indians out among the autumn leaves and lights. I think about their sacrifice to come to this land so we can have the freedom we enjoy. Thankful, Thankful, Blessed, Blessed.)

We're Going to DWTStars/We're NOT Going to DWTS..

Dang it! We had tickets all lined up to go to Dancing With The Stars next Tuesday night for the results show with Gloria Estefan as the entertainment. Angie, my cousin Kurt's wife, got us the tickets through her brother who is on the production team of DWTS. Can you believe how cool that is!

Well, everything was lined up and then we had a 'hitch-in-the-giddy-up'. Christine has to be 16! So there were two options: she is tall enough to pass for 16 with make-up, etc. or we don't go. I decided on the latter. As I was explaining to some friends who suggested we go anyway, if we went, Christine could always use that to find an excuse, a loophole to bend the rules of life and the gospel. So instead, we will put on our jammies, pop some popcorn, and settle in and watch it from home.

Thanks so much Angie, and cross your fingers for Helio, Jenny, or Mel B. (Marie, I love you too!)

On To Eclipse!

Aaaaahhhhh! Finally finished New Moon! Geez, Mere, you are a speed reading 'demon' (couldn't resist!) I can't believe you started after me and finished before me! Now I can't decide who I want Bella to end up with: Edward or Jacob? I've also been wondering if the story isn't all a dream for Bella and she is going to wake up at the end of the last book...for an ending twist.

I'm still trying to get ready earlier this year for Christmas, so I will have to divide my time with the 'Cullen Family' and that goal. It just might be the thing to help me get my shopping done more quickly!

A Quick Look At The Fire: What We Now Know By The Numbers...

The Santiago Fire is still burning. Hard to believe, but true! Currently we are not in ANY danger, and probably won't be. But here are some facts that I want to record:

As of Wednesday night at 11p.m. 11/7/07 :

• Acres burned: 29,000
• Containment: 98%
• Control: Not under control. Potential threats including rolling debris and boulders and hot spots with extremely dry fuel.
• Full containment expected: Friday 11/9/07 (However this date keeps getting pushed back)
• Help: 1948 firefighters, 167 engines/trucks, 32 handcrews, 18 bulldozers, 634 officers from the OC Sheriff's Dept., 100 plus CHPatrol officers.
• Air support: 12 helicopters, 8 air tankers, 13 water tenders
• Injuries: 16 firefighters
• Structures burned: 8 residences damaged and 15 destroyed, 12 outbuildings damaged and 9 destroyed.
• Cause: ARSON!
• Roads still only open to residents with ID.
• Cleveland National Forest still closed.

I think that the above support numbers are probably lower with containment coming soon. But still pretty staggering.

(We got some charcoal filters for our AC/Heating to keep the smoke out while the fire was at it's worst. We broiled some salmon for dinner a couple of nights ago, and to our surprise, NO fishy smell at all!)

White Roses

On Tuesday, Christine has piano lessons with Miss Lily Yuan. While she has her lesson, I do my walking through the neighborhood. It dawned on me last week that I see these white rose plants EVERYWHERE. Then I started noticing them in yards in MY neighborhood. Now I'm noticing them all over. I decided I really like them. So this week I brought my camera and took a couple pictures on my walk.

I love rose bushes as part of a landscape. I have quite a few in my backyard. but they are the BIG cabbage type, traditional roses. I have yellow, dark pink, and a reddish-pinky-orange bushes. I also have a white rose bush, but more of a traditional one. Does anyone know the name of this kind of rose bush/white rose? The leaves are smaller and the flowers are smaller and almost kind of daisy-like???? Are they harder to grow?, easier?, history?, etc.

I am really falling in love with these and would like to plant some.

JOURNAL: Got a hair cut and weave today. I've noticed I'm getting some gray hairs now. I noticed them because my color was quite grown out and my natural color is a lot darker all of a sudden! When did THAT happen and why? I got talked in to trying to grow out my bangs. This will not be easy for me. I can't stand it when they get too long and have many times taken the scissors to them myself when I can't get right in. So we will see what happens with those!

Then left straight from there to go to Cypress to Nancy Shaw's to do chocolate. It arrived yesterday early afternoon. When I got there ready to roll up my sleeves and dig into weighing and bagging, she walked me out to the garage and it was ALL done! Now I knew she was having a couple friends over to help her get started, but hadn't figured that they would get it all done. Boy, they must have worked sooooo fast. So all I had to do was settle up ($1500), and load it in the Denali and come home. Even the traffic at 4pm on the 405fwy was agreeable today and I made it home at about the same time Christine did from school. The chocolate is still in my car in my cool garage. I'll get it in tomorrow and distribute and gather up the rest of the money I haven't gotten yet.

Homework and dinner and YW for Christine. There was a big box on the front porch when I got home too. Mike and Adrianne got their first wedding gifts from BBBeyond! We kept asking: who could this be from? and would look at each other and shake our heads. Inside was a beautiful oval platter, 2 gravy boats, and a smaller platter shaped like a bunch of asparagus. The mystery giver: Auntie Lisa! Of course it would be her! Always so generous and supportive.

Cleaned up dinner while Duff was helping M & A make their travel plans for Thanksgiving. Christine home with details about YW. They had a Beehive Etiquette Dinner. Then settled in to try and finish New Moon. I'm sooo tired, so I'm going to bed and will finish tomorrow.... only 50 pages left!

Today I Am Thankful For...

Did you 'get it'?! Try again.... Ahhh, very good! I'm proud of you!

Yes, today I am thankful for CHRISTMAS MUSIC . I started playing it yesterday. Now, lest you think I've totally flipped my 'cookie', let me explain.

When I was growing up, my mom began playing Christmas music in September. She had all the fall decorations out and we were listening to the Ray Coniff Singers, Andy Williams, The Tabernacle Choir, Johnny Mathis, Percy Faith, the German Carolers, Julie Andrews. We had a beautiful 'stereo' that in those days was a large piece of furniture. It had a reel-to-reel, AM/FM radio, and a turntable that held 10 albums. Every day she started the morning with the maximum 10 and played all the A sides. When those were done, she'd turn them over and play the B sides. Over and over again. I could sing every word. I remember when I was 8 and 9 years old. I would put on my baptism dress because it had a twirly skirt on it and dance on the family room steps pretending I was a dancer on the Andy Williams Christmas Show singing and twirling my heart out!

I really could listen to Christmas Music all year long! It puts happiness and life in you! It causes people to dig a little deeper in their hearts and in their pockets. It gets you thinking of others! You count your blessings. If I'm in a down mood, just put on the Christmas music and I get out of it.

Most of all it brings our hearts and feelings back around to the Savior.

Over the years my own family can tell tales of the Christmas music I've carried on and introduced. We definitely have our favorites--those ones that bring all your thoughts to the season and FAMILY. Here are some of ours:

• Amy Grant
  
• Kenny G


• Mormon Tabernacle Choir


• Johnny Mathis


• German


• Andy Williams


• Winter's Solstice IV


• James Taylor


• The Nutcracker


• The Messiah (by the Tab Choir)


• The Carpenters-A Christmas Portrait
  

What do you listen to at the holidays? Let me know! So YES, today I am thankful for Christmas Music !

Mondays! You Gotta Love 'Em....

Well, here we are! The start of a new week! I actually like Mondays because it feels good to get back on track from the weekend. The house gets picked up, laundry going, FHE, Christine back in school--things are more 'routine'. It gives a sense of 'order'. You can 'count' on it. We got Shaun to his doctors visits for his check-ups, and I got my October blogs copied and in the binder and switched things over to November. (That's a big deal for me, because I'm still learning soooo much on the computer. My family laughs at me when I figure something new out because I get so excited!) AND I got the laundry all the way done! No 'stragglers'.

Christine had major homework tonight. 2 BIG tests. One in science, and the other in social studies. She did something unique tonight--she went in her room and sat down by the side of her bed and used her expo markers to test herself by writing the answers down on the closet mirrored doors! She had them divided into sections, etc. They say that writing things down helps to reinforce them in your memory. When I came in to go over flash cards with her, she had the information down pat!
Hey--who is this handsome guy, Shaun? Glad you got back to Provo safely. Good luck with your classes tomorrow!

*Remember to: Think 'Thankful'*

Sunday's Elixir

Have you ever noticed the contradiction in the term 'Sunday is a day of rest'?

It took me many years to figure this one out. When I was a young married, BC, (before children) it was so incredibly restful. Duff would go to priesthood meeting while I was getting ready, come home and get me for SS, and then we would come home. I would put on a lovely dinner, set the table with china, and while he was usually napping on the couch, I would sneak out and pick some roses to put in a vase on the dinner table with the candles. We would eat, clean up the kitchen, and then go to Sacrament Meeting. (In the 'olden days' before the current block schedule that's how it was)

Then enter children. Naps, diaper rash, ear infections, tantrums, all played a factor into a not so 'restful' Sunday. I remember the one and ONLY time we ever took Cheerios to church--Sacrament meeting. Mike was a toddler. Had a tantrum, arched his back, hit my arm, and the fold over baggie (no ziploc then either) went flying across the overflow chairs, spraying cereal all over the place. NEVER AGAIN. If our meetings ever coincided with a snack time before they were 18 months and could get one in the nursery we took the kids out to the car for a few minutes. Kids can wait for an hour!

Then the combination of children--baby, toddler, child, youth, young adult. With 5 kids of my own, we had this line-up! By this time, either Duff or I had leadership callings and at least one of us, or both, were gone for early morning meetings before the block. Lost shoes, wrinkled clothes, misplaced scriptures, combing hair, breakfast/lunch, unmade beds, dirty dishes that didn't make it into the dishwasher, a forgotten talk written during Sacrament Meeting, messy diaper, spit up, DOES NOT make for a 'restful' sabbath!

Then it finally dawned on me that this is the 'stuff that dreams are made of''! and I needed to re-focus. I was walking Christine in the hallway one Sunday, missing RS for the umpteen-millionth time. She was about 16 months in the arching the back and throwing her head backwards phase. Someone came up to me (who was 'ditching', btw...) and commented that she bet I could 'hardly wait' for her to get to the nursery. As I was opening my mouth to agree--something stopped me. (The Spirit obviously ready to teach me a lesson !) And this reply surprisingly came out, "Oh, I would never wish this time away. Once it's gone, you NEVER get it back. I'm ENJOYING this precious, private time with her. It will be gone before I know it and I will be able to sit through all my meetings again, but I will never get this back!" There is something 'different' about quiet, private time walking the halls at church on a Sunday, than there is during the week at home.

Now, we have adult children back and forth visiting on a Sunday and Christine, who is a Beehive still at home. Duff and I still have early morning meetings and we never know when he will get home--it just is when it is. I'm on a 'Sunday treadmill' from the time I get up until after the block. It doesn't feel restful!

My point is this: It is a DIFFERENT KIND OF RESTFUL. There is a renewing, uplifting, rejuvenating of ourselves and our families on the Sabbath, even a busy one! There is something invigorating about partaking of and participating in worshipping and fellowshippng and serving together. It is a deep connection that strengthens us.

A TRUE elixir!

(Journal: Testimony meeting was very moving. So many testimonies strengthened and borne from our fire situation the last two weeks. In the end: things are things. Life and relationships are eternal! Primary is back to normal now that the program is done. The new theme this month is on gratitude and thanking the Lord in ALL things. Lots of fun teaching that goes along with that! Tired today. Got a little rest in. Stayed up late though to read New Moon. Whoa! Can't believe the twist the story just took. Woke up and turned out the light when I fell asleep and the book fell on the floor and the thud woke me up! Duff complained about the light on, and then finally gave up and went to sleep. He can fall asleep in about 2 minutes anywhere!)

Steady Saturday

Today was a great day. Mostly because it was so normal. With all that's been going on, it was
w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l just to have regular things to do.

We slept in--woohooie!-- and then had homemade waffles for breakfast. We got ready for the soccer game at 11a.m. Christine's team won 2-0. She played well. Came home, had lunch and then Adrianne and I went to Patti's at 1 p.m. to take measurements and go over patterns for her wedding gown. It was exciting to get this started. We are meeting again on Tuesday to fit a paper pattern to her and then go and look at fabric!

When I came home, Duff was in a very good mood because BYU won their game against Colorado State. I worked on sharing time for Primary tomorrow and got that ready to go, then went to gas up the Denali and grocery shop.

We had dinner, cleaned up the dishes and now I'm wrapping up the evening. I'm off to wash my face, brush my teeth, take my vitamins and calcium, hop into bed and read another couple of chapters of New Moon.

*******Don't forget to change the clock back an hour!

Remember: Spring ahead, and Fall behind!

Finish Up Friday

I have had a lot of 'loose' ends to tie up this week. Just coming off the Primary Program and having fire evacuees for a week left me with several things un-done. So, today was a good day to do them!

Finished up:

• Laundry
• Folding clothes
• Ironing
• Clean sheets on beds
• Shaun's Dr. visits
• Putting costumes away
• Gathering things together to take to the cabin
• Copying September's blog for my journal

Boy, does that feel good! Now if it will only stay that way!

Scorched Earth

Duff was in Utah for a few days, and he and Shaun flew back in this afternoon. Shaun has some doctor appointments tomorrow and Monday and then back to Provo Monday evening.

Christine and I went to pick them up at John Wayne airport. It was the first time we have been on the 241 toll road since the fires. It was completely shocking. The earth just looks scorched. Black, barren, dead. It was amazing how the fire burned and jumped over the toll road and how it ate up the orange and avocado groves. All of a sudden there will be a row of trees untouched. It's hard to comprehend how random and yet complete it burned.

The city has already sprayed some of that seedling green landscape spray over some of the areas that they are concerned about for the winter rains so we don't have mudslides.

I will get some pictures when I can and post them here. Needless to say--it was emotional to see the destruction this caused with my own eyes. I wondered what Heavenly Father thought about His creation being treated this way.