now we can turn on Christmas music!

Thanksgiving was held at C & R's this year.  Seth & his girlfriend Nichole drove up for the day, and so did we.  Christy provided a delicious brined turkey...YUM!  Seth made his hitmaking mashed potatos and I made 5 pies--- 1 apple, 2 pumpkin and 2 slighly burned chocolate (luckily, everyone had a good sense of humor about the burned chocolate.  Aaron even said, "it was pretty good, if you put enough whipped cream on it!) WE all had a lot of fun together.  Lots of wrestling went on.  The kids were hysterical.  Funny quotes of the day are: Aaron "I'm invisible" (because he wore camouflage in honor of Uncle John), Alton: " Easy peasy, lemon squeezy" (while he ran up the stairs to make a 'scorpion'), Kara "You broke my heart" (when Sarah had the audacity to not be upstairs playing with her.  There is such joy in simply being together.  Christy, Seth and I played a few rounds of Family Seek, just to brush up on our family history (hopefully we didn't scare Nichole).    It was a good day (loooong drive, but good day!)

 

Uncle John attempts to text "happy thanksgiving" while being tackled, constantly!

Alton's living for his art right now.  He decided his art belonged on his and Peek's faces!

the whole clan-- even the elusive ryan

you can't tell by his face- but, alton was thrilled to be taking a picture with uncle john

girl power!

Sethy and Nichole

the camouflaged ones!  (we almost couldn't see them in the couch!!)

back again!

JR and I have been married 17 years, actually, it's 17 years next week.  When we got married, it was 2 days after Thanksgiving.  We got married then because we thought it would be easiest for my friends and family who were away at school to attend, otherwise we would have to wait for spring and we didn't want to wait that long.  In retrospect, getting married at thanksgiving time has had distinct ups and downs.

The ups are:
Everyone's in a celebratory mood that time of year
JR usually has time off of work that time of year
WE always have our marriage to be grateful for @ thanksgiving

The downs are:
every 4 years our anniversary LANDS on Thanksgiving, making it expensive to go anywhere & our special day is glossed over in favor of the holiday everyone else is sharing
every 5 years our anniversary lands on a Sunday, ensuring that we don't go anywhere on those years- and for those who are curious those are the big ones...5th anniverary, 10th, 15th....we always end up doing something small on a different day so that we can keep the sabbath day holy.
JR may have time off...but, it is limited, meaning we usually can't get away for loong.

This year we had the opportunity to go back to the place we went on our honeymoon 17 years ago.  It's a condo owned by a good friend's parents and we were thrilled to be offered the opportunity to go.  Sneaking a way for time together can be hard.   There are so many pulls on us, on our time together.  I literally felt the pull as we drove away and then it snaked it's arms back around us when we came back, but while we were gone....we exhaled.....it was bliss.

For those of you who are familiar with the Oregon Coast in November...it is rainy and windy.  We have celebrate several anniversaries at the coast in near gale force winds (it's actually quite fun!).  Imagine our surprise when this particular trip we arrived in freezing, pouring down rain but awoke to blissfully blue skies.  It was surprising to say the least!

I'm so grateful for my time with my hubby, although I think I need more.  I think I'd just started the relaxation process when we had to come back.  I feel lucky that after 17 years together we still really like each other and are relaxed and happy in each other's company.  All in all 17 years is just a drop in the bucket.  It's a small fraction of the time I intend to stay committed to this wonderful man.

This quote says it all for me: "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."  ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

october 2010 recognition night

Recognition Night has come and gone.  It was actually held on October 10th but the leader who was going to bring her camera forgot so we enlisted a willing parent, who then was unexpectedly called to Japan (or is it China) on work for a while.  So, now...ta da....

Recognition Night pictures! 

For Muti

Ok, Muti,

This post is for you.  baby J came to Oregon briefly for a friend's wedding.  WE got together as a fam for dinner and frivolity.  Mostly, we just chatted about everything from politics to family, emphasis on two particular brother's having significant others.  We certainly covered a gamut of topics.

Abi & Cedes entertained us by dancing.  First Abi danced her dance.

Then, Abi & cedes danced together (no music available).

Too Cute!!

I did take some family photos.  It's tricky getting pictures of this goofy group. 

the sibs! (and I'm wearing heels!!:( )

one constant wrestling match!

improving my run

I've been thinking a lot about running today.  I am not a natural runner.  I do not like to run, AT ALL.  Having said that I do run, slooooowly.  I decided to run for my own health.  I feel good about it as a decision and a lifestyle change, but I struggle.  I struggle with breaking the one mile barrier without needing to vomit.  I struggle with injuries to my ankle and feet.  So, I've been doing a lot of reading, trying to educate myself more about the technical aspect of running and get myself re-energized in all of this.  I read a wonderful book called "run like a mother" about finding balance and inspiration amid the chaos of life. 

Amid all of this running fixation I went to our Stake's Young Women in Excellence.  The topic for the night was "Running Your Marathon".  The show piece of the evening was a beautiful video by a seminary teacher who ran the Boston Marathon.  She compares running a marathon with our life here on earth.  It's beautiful,and moving.  I wanted to share.  It certainly gives a second perspective to running.  Am I running this marathon here on life to the best of my ability or do I occasionally think I can stop when I want or know better than those who've gone before.

for your crying pleasure.