Good-bye Old Girl...

December 17, 2010 we said good-bye to C'Me who is the only family dog that we've ever had.  She was 17 1/2 years old and has been such a great pet!  I realized I was being selfish is keeping her alive as she was not living a quality life and just looked worn and old.  It was hard for me to let her go.  Dylan took her in and saying good-bye to her and looking into her eyes was one of the most difficult things I've done.  I feel like a part of the family is gone and it is.  She was a pup when we got her from the animal shelter so having her for 17 years was a very long time!  Here are just a few pictures of her. 

C'Me with Dylan and Derek when she was about 1.  We lived in Arlington, Washington and she loved running around on our 5 acres with the boys.  She actually had room to run further as we lived in the country and there were woods nearby.  She loved life there.

We would take her camping with us once in a while, while living in Washington.  She'd go on the hikes with us and prance around.

Eddy took this picture of her this last August when he was here.  He figured he wouldn't see her alive again plus he found it funny that she was laying on his shoes!  Silly girl! But as you can see, where the places that her fur had been gold had gone gray and all she would do is lay down all day long in her final days.  I know she is happier now and probably reunited with our cat Bagheera.  

Alan told me that he thinks the reason I'm having a hard time with losing C'Me is because for 17 years she's grown up with the boys and now that they are grown and leaving home, letting her go and leave home was like losing everyone at once.  Needless to say, I was not comforted!!  His words of wisdom made me cry more, but he is right.  She was a good girl...I will miss her.

It's That Time...

I really don't have much to blog about but feel like it anyway.

Today has been a mixed day of many emotions.  I've laughed, sighed, smiled, cried and also felt great elation.

I decided today that it has come time to let C'Me, our 17 year old dog, go to rest.  This is hard for me since she has been a part of our family for the last 17 years.  The poor girl is just old...she's deaf and now I can see that she is in pain.  It looks like she might have arthritis because I can see it hurts her to stand, lay back down or to walk very much.  So the time I've dreaded has come and it's just sad.  I asked Chandler if he would take her in to the city animal shelter where they will "put her to sleep".  He said he would.  I can't.  I would walk in there crying and walk out bawling!  I know...I'm a coward.   So that is why I've cried today.  I'm so thankful though that Chandler lives nearby and is willing to help his cowardly Mom.  He's good to me and I appreciate him greatly...

My laughter and elation is just because I love my dang family!  Dylan is happy because school is almost out for Christmas break, he started a new job, he's working on his mission papers and he has his sweetie, Ciara.  I love seeing him so happy...he's always enjoyed life and couldn't wait for the next tomorrow.  His love of life is contagious!
Derek emailed today and he, too is on cloud 10,001!!!  He is loving his new area, Kenai and loves being back out in the backwoods of Alaska!  He is such a city kid...or so we all thought...including him!!  His humor through his emails and his craziness just shines through and cracks me up!!  He is weird!!!!  That's what I love most about him.  He sent Christmas cards for me to deliver to members of the ward and I have to explain to each of them that the photo card is supposed to be a joke but I don't think many will get it!  Dylan got it right away, but they are brothers so they think alike.  In one picture Derek is wearing a really red, wintery sweater that belongs to another missionary and he looks like he's posing for a catalog that sells sweaters...the next picture is of him and two other missionaries in geeky sweaters...and the third picture is their silhouettes  with the sun behind them.  They meant for these to be a funny card that is kind of making fun of  what other people do for their Christmas cards. Some people will laugh at it and get it  but I think the majority will look at them and think, "huh?"  If they know...REALLY know Derek, then they will get it...but if not...he's a strange kid. He also sent home two furs...a Lynx and a Red Fox.  They are very soft and beautiful.  Not sure what he is going to do with them but I was instructed to take very good care of them.
In just three days he'll have been gone a year!  In 11 days...I get a phone call from him!!  I know I'll cry...of course...I always cry...but it will be sweet to hear his laugh.

This Christmas is bitter/sweet.  This is Derek's last Christmas away from home but it's also Dylan's last Christmas before his mission.  Also, no Eddy, Miken, Chandler or Marissa will be at our house for Christmas.   It will be just the three of us so I plan on Dylan getting SPOILED!!!!  Our house is just getting much to quiet for my liking.  Anyone want to share their little ones with me?!

I wish that at this time of year we didn't have any stress and that we could just enjoy the season without the worry and being crazily busy!  When I pause and take a moment and just ponder...then the real reason of Christmas settles into my heart and I can feel peace.  I just need to pause more often...It's like I told the Primary kids as I was teaching them "When Joseph Went to Bethlehem"...I can't imagine how Joseph must have felt knowing he was called to be the guardian of the Christ child.  What an overwhelming burden he must have felt yet, what an honor to be the one who was trusted enough by our Heavenly Father to help raise this most precious child.  Then I think about Mary and the tears begin to flow.  My heart fills with emotion for this most incredible woman who knew that the sweet little baby she held was one day going to be sacrificed to save all mankind...herself included. I think of when I held Eddy for the first time and the overwhelming emotion of love that over took me.  He was incredible!  From the moment he was born there isn't anything I wouldn't do for him or anything I wouldn't protect him from.  I'd stop the world if I thought anything might have hurt my precious son.  But what was Mary feeling the first time she held her first born?  She knew his future and what was to come.  How frightening that must have been!  I would have wanted to take him and run so that nothing could ever cause him harm, but yet she knew...she knew His call and what he'd been born to do and what was to come.  Mary's love and courage was  insurmountable.  Indeed, she was an elect woman and a very loving Mother. I honor her greatly.

So I may have written that I didn't have much to blog about, but I guess I really did!  Sometimes it is just therapeutic for me to write...helps get my emotions in check.  So this post is for me...

FUNICULAR!! And the Olympic Training Park

First I just have to say that I wish I would have changed my playlist at the beginning of November because I LOVE this song by the one and only Barry Manilow "When October Goes".  I know it's a favorite of LaVoy's, too.  Yes, we were very much Barry fans...still am and am proud to be!

Okay...now onto the posting...
So while we were at the retreat, we spent part of Saturday going to the Olympic Museum and up to the Luge, Bobsled and Ski Jump starter gates.  We were a little bummed because at first we were told that we'd get to ride in a bobsled and then found out that there were actual men's competitions going on that day.  So then they told us that we'd be able to attend and watch the competitions...that didn't happen either.  The competitions ended earlier than planned so we missed seeing the athletes but that was okay.  We were so spoiled in many other ways.

Alan on what they call the "Skeleton" sled

that they use for the Luge.

Tommy Silvers, Alan and Jason Craven each on a sled.  

Each sled went from oldest to newest.  Quite a difference but 

you can't see that because their butts are on them and yes...Alan

is reaching for Tommy's butt.

Here is the opening gate for the Luge.  The guide is an Olympian athlete  that competed in the Luge.  She was short but muscular and had been training since she was 11.

The Luge starts fast!  The drop from the start is very steep.

We are at the top of the ski jump starting gates.  It was a bit

intimidating!  It is way, way steep!!  My legs hurt just standing there!

So Alan wanted us pictured at the top of the ski jump. I was afraid...(more afraid because my 

sweater was huge on me...it's going back to the store).

So this is the famous "FUNICULAR"

It was built for this hotel alone.  In order to check into the hotel you have to check in down below and ride up.  If you want to go to town you have to ride this back down and catch a bus.  

It goes slow but it is very steep.  I wish it would have gone a bit faster so that it was like a roller coaster.

The tracks for the Funicular and the sight we see from the top.

One of the ski slopes that was right by our hotel.  They were making and blowing snow

the whole time we were there so that they could open for Thanksgiving weekend to ski.

This now completes my posting of our adventure in Park City.  If you want to see pics of the mini-reunion with Cherise's fam, RyLee's fam, Kylie and all the little ones...go to Miken's blog.  She took the pictures so they are on her blog and are dang cute!  Thanks again Mikey...oh, and we aren't tired of you...YET!  Can't wait until Thanksgiving!!  I'm sure I'll get the famous "Miken Look"...haha!!!!

Just a little view of our room at the St. Regis

The St. Regis Deer Valley Hotel, Park City, Utah

We had a two room suite. One side was the kitchen/living area and then through a door was 

the master bedroom and bathroom.

  Our bedroom was spectacular with the fireplace and king bed!

         We had a kitchen that was soooo nice...the microwave was one that I had never seen before.  

It was like a drawer.  Very nice to say the least!

The living area.

I wish I had a picture of the bathroom mirror we had in our suite...I know that sounds really strange but the master bathroom had a TV in it.  It's called a "TV Mirror".  The one below shows you what it's like but this isn't the actual one that was in our suite.  It gives you an idea of what it is though.  See the little picture at the bottom of the mirror?  That's the TV screen...it is soooo cool!!! All I know is I have to have one but I'm sure won't ever be able to afford one! 

So this suite was very "sweet"!  Needless to say, 

we enjoyed it immensely!

What I came home to...

So Alan and I went to Park City, Utah for a business retreat with Southern Botanical...(the company Alan works for).  Anyway, Dylan and Chandler decided to haul all of the Christmas stuff down from the attic in hopes that as  soon as I got home I'd put it all up.  NOPE!  Not doing it until after Thanksgiving.  The main reason though for them getting it all down was so that Chandler could get all of my Christmas CD's and burn them and also so Dylan could get all of the Christmas movies down and yes, every night as he goes to sleep he's watching one.  Did I mention that these boys are 22 and 18 1/2!!  What I've done through the years is created holiday crazed kids!!  Actually it makes me happy that they love every holiday so much...it means that they enjoyed them as kids.  Let's hope that some traditions continue as they have their own families.

I will be posting some pictures of our adventure in Utah.  One thing I can say is it was "FABULOUS"!   I love vacations where we are pampered but don't have to pay for any of it!!

Dylan's Nose Adventure

So many of you have heard about Dylan and his broken nose so I thought I'd take you on a little show of his surgery.  To make it clear on how he broke his nose he was walking by a kid and as he passed him Dylan said "NUNN" which is a joke with some of his friends and other kids at school. It's really more of a noise then a word...hard to explain.  They do it to be funny and it's kind of an inside joke...like one of his buddies who's on the football team will be playing a game and a bunch of the kids will yell "NUNN!".  Seth then knows they are there and will yell it back or give a wave.  Well when Dylan said it to this  kid, he came up from behind Dylan, totally unexpected, put Dylan in a headlock, shoved him to the ground a couple of times and as Dylan was getting up and had one of his knees bent to stand, Drew (the kid who apparently has some anger issues) shoved Dylan's face into that knee making Dylan's nose break.  It happened in literally a few seconds.  Thankfully there were many witnesses two of whom were his really good friends.  He went to the nurse and then to the Assistant Principal who then got a hold of the officer on duty at the school.  We did file charges against Drew for assault.  We then went to the ER and they recommended plastic surgery to straighten it....so that's what we did a week later!  If we would have waited any longer they would have had to re-break his nose or we could have chosen no surgery and Dylan would have a crooked nose the rest of his life!  Not an option!  So I want to make it clear that Dylan had no way of defending himself since he was jumped from behind...but I know Dylan, too...he never would have hit the kid.  He's not that kind of person.  Oh, Dylan had never even spoke to this kid before and didn't know him.  Weird, unacceptable and unexpected!!  To watch the video just push the play button and if you want to read the captions, press that button...you may have to press the play button again.

Thank you Dylan

I was going Visiting Teaching to an older couple, Oran and Colleen Wilson.  They are in their 80's and are just a really neat couple.  They only have one living daughter and she lives in Utah.  Their son died when he was 47 from Melenoma and they have no grand kids, so they are pretty lonely people but have had a very adventurous life.  Although they aren't active in the church anymore, I love visiting them.  Oran really loves music of any kind  so I asked Dylan to come with me on a visit and play for them.  He willingly did so and they loved it.  Oran took the picture and thanked us over and over for the performance.  So I just had to thank Dylan for being so willing to make some people happy.