Uncle Shaun

Shaun is good with babies.

He was sick when John was born and didn't get to hold him until now.

Santa's Little Helper

John-John at 2 1/2 weeks.

I'm in Utah with Natalie and Robert taking care of the baby during their finals. I'm certainly not complaining!

I bought him this little Christmas outfit and hat before he was born. I'm glad I got the 3 month size because he will almost be out of it by Christmas. At his 2 week check-up on Monday, he had gained 1 lb. 1 oz. and grew 1/2 an inch!!!

I made this cute little flannel Christmas blanket for him. It has a brown background and brown jumbo rick-rack around it. It really makes the reindeer 'pop'. I couldn't resist when he woke up from one of his naps today, so the camera came out and we did a photo shoot.

Dang cute!

A Christmas Carol

Tonight we went to the South Coast Reperatory Theater in Costa Mesa to see the play "A Christmas Carol". It was amazing. The same actor has played Scrooge for 29 years. He is very good at it. Film is a great entertainment medium but there is just something so very unique about theater.

We went with some friends. Duff decided to stay home and continue to get better since he has finally turned a corner with this asthma/flu/bronchitis thing. So it was Christine and I with the Kleins. True to form, I got car sick on the way up. I should have taken the Dramamine before we left. Bumper to bumper traffic will do it every time. Even in the front seat. So by the time we got to Jerry's Deli for our dinner, I was not well. I did order, but the smells coming from the kitchen weren't helping things. And I LOVE a good old-fashioned deli. It brings out the German in me from my childhood.

A trip to the restroom brought 'relief'. One always feels soooo much better after that. I was able to eat half my meal and the brisk walk from Jerry's to the Theater did the trick. Plus, the Dramamine I took after the fact to help settle my tummy kicked in.

We had a wonderful evening and it was a great way to begin the Christmas Season. Dicken's story is a classic uplift and motivator.

Johnny Sequence

From This:

Could Nats belly get any bigger?

To This:
Check out that roll on his neck and those chub-a-lub legs at birth!

To This!
He's a KEEPER!

A Round Of Applause!

Christine decided about 6 weeks ago to try her hand at the cello. She has been playing the violin for 5 years and is a beautiful violinist. Duff and I were not keen on her changing instruments since we already own her violin and she has invested so much time with it.

But we reluctantly agreed to let her 'try'.

This afternoon we got a phone call from her right after school:

Chair tests were today in orchestra. Everyone has to take the test to determine where you are/sit. She is now 1st chair cello! Guess we need to invest in a cello now.

Congratulations, Christine!

Shaun received a letter telling him he is a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society!

Golden Key is the world’s premier collegiate honor society, recognizing outstanding academic achievement and connecting high-achieving individuals locally, regionally & globally with lifetime opportunity, reward & success. Membership is by invitation only.

Congratulations, Shaun!

Going Home

Lots of miscellaneous things today to get ready to fly home tonight.

Took an afternoon trip down the canyon. When Duff, Mike, Josh, and Christine left on Sunday, none of us thought through the details of me staying for a few extra days. Duff forgot his briefcase, all his meds, and they left Darla with me. Which was fine EXCEPT I had no airline approved carrier for her. Down to Orem I went. Got the least expensive one I could find at Petsmart and would you believe, I like it better than the higher priced one we've been using all these years!

One thing about going down the canyon for errands: you get as much done as you can. So I dropped a bag off at Deseret Industries (love their drive-through!), and also stopped at Costco to pick up some Christmas presents. They had the best price for the items I've been looking for, and it reduces my shopping anxiety to be able to cross them off 'the list'.

Robert took me to the airport and I made it with plenty of time to spare. Everyone who had booked had checked in, so we boarded and left early! Loved that, and got in to Long Beach 25 minutes ahead of schedule. Duff and Christine picked me up and it was heaven to be with them.

Dorothy got it right: There's No Place Like Home.

Fa La La La La

Grandma and Grandpa left this morning. They are feeling better--not 100%--but Gpa was anxious to get home. I got sheets washed, blankets washed, beds made, cabin picked up and cleaned, and finished holiday decorating. So now I get to go home and do that all over again! I listened to Christmas music all day while I worked and it just set the mood magically.

I will admit that I am tired. I think it's just normal tired, and I'm hoping it's not leading to getting sick like everybody else has been.

I'm hoping for some snow by the time I get back next week for babysitting John during finals! Better me staying home with him than they taking him out every day to campus. Especially with all this seasonal and swine flu going around. Natalie's professors have been GREAT with her. They have rescheduled her tests and given her special compensations for just having a new baby.

Shaun's finals start next week too. I think we are all looking forward to Christmas vacation.

Happy Birthday To My Sistas!

Today is a special day. 3 of my 'sistas' have their birthdays today! When Duff and I first met and were going through that discovery period, it was so fun to find that our sisters all shared the same birthday!

Lisa.

What can I say about her? A precious friend besides being a sister. Loves unconditionally and deeply. A second mother to my children. Compassionate. Kind. Fun. Would do anything for me. Generous. Wise.

Ann.

Precious. Loving. Sweet yet tough as nails. Great seamstress. Good mother. Always compliments and thinks of others. Would do anything for me.

Jan.
Darling. Strong. Smart. Flexible. Good mama. Intuitive. Loves more deeply than she lets on sometimes. Tender heart. Good homemaker. Would do anything for me.

I love these women. They have shaped my life more than they know. I love them and am so grateful for them in my life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTERS!

Some People Are Just Good.

Our ox was in the mire. Tonight after dinner Grandpa and I went to town to get Grandma some otc meds. She was not in a good way. Midway is a tiny town and hasn't had a grocery store. Until now. The Store (it's real name) has been under construction since the summer. Locals are thrilled because now we don't have to go all the way into Heber to shop or rely on the 7/11 at the gas station.

There were cars in the parking lot. The lights were on. Grandpa and I parked and went in and got our cart. We ooh and aahed over how quaint and cute this market is. We quickly found the first aid/medical aisle and got what we needed. All of a sudden a man came up to us and said, "Hi folks. I don't want to burst your bubble, but we're not open." I said, "Oh. I didn't realize it was closing time. I'm sorry." He said, "Well, we don't open until Tuesday!"

Uh-oh. The realization that we would have to go to Heber hit me right away, and I felt more tired than I was. Another man came over then and we chatted about how cute the store was and just little polite conversation. You know. Grandpa told them how sick Grandma was and that we were from out of town. They truly felt bad for us. Then I asked if we could just pay cash for what we needed????? They looked at each other and at the things in our cart. The 2nd man added up the sum in his head and told me it would be $10. What? Only $10 for the things in our basket? Yes. And he threw in 2 bottles of hand sanitizer. I gave him $10 and they sent us on our way.

Some people are just good.

Change of Plans

I did not go home today after all. Grandma is very sick, and Shaun is sick too. Grandpa and I are picking things up and taking care of them. Both are down with bad coughs, colds, but not H1N1. Duff had been sick all week while I was with Natalie and the new baby. It started at home with the Santa Ana winds that triggered his asthma and turned into that darn bronchitis that doesn't go away forever. After the AFA game last Saturday he ended up in the ER in Heber for a breathing treatment and a new round of steroids to try and kick it.

Duff, Christine, Mike, and Josh all left this morning. I will end up flying home sometime midweek. Mike and Josh came up on Friday to see the baby and to go to the BYU--Utah game. It was their turn for a game. That is what Christine wanted for her birthday: to go to that game with her brothers. Mission accomplished.

Grandma is still asleep. She only woke up for about an hour, ate something, and went back down. I think she needs to go to the doctor, but she is fighting that. If she isn't better in the morning, I will insist. They had lunch with Tim on Monday and on Tuesday he was really, really sick. They went back down to Provo to get him some food, medicine, and a thermometer, and do the grandparent thing by making some homemade chicken noodle soup and clean up his apartment. He still isn't better and now Grandma is down with the same thing.

Grandpa and I are holding down the fort!

Why? Why Do They Do This To Us?

I've been nervous all day for 'the' game. Even baby John was dressed up in his Cougar game day best.

I was singing the Cougar Fight Song to him. He paid attention!

(In the hallway in his bouncer on vibrate while mommy was doing laundry. He was quite happy while she was explaining the ins and outs of dirty clothes, mostly his now!)

This BYU--Utah football game rivalry just wears me out until the end. And can you tell me WHY does it always go down to the wire? the final seconds? Today it was overtime. It's got to wear out the Utah fans too.

It was a great game. 26-23 in overtime. Thank goodness it went our way! Now for the bowl game...

Just M.I.A. with this Cute Baby

Things are good. Baby John is darling and a pretty good newborn, except at midnight! Why do newborns change so quickly? He is already different than a few days ago. Natalie and Robert are catching on very fast and I've enjoyed watching them transition into a little family.

Going home tomorrow. Can hardly believe it's been a week. Pictures to follow later....