Santa Puke

Jenna came back from visiting a friend and told me that the friend's Mom LOVES Christmas and warned Jenna that her house looks like Santa puked all over it.  I had to laugh.  I think we have the same illness over here!

Twas the day of Thanksgiving

We had a glorious Thanksgiving Day.
We slept in.

We spent hours getting ready for our traditional crazy family Christmas Card.  Giggles.  Posing in a variety different ways.  Beautiful weather (in the 60's!).   Editing (Julia is working on it still!).  I can't wait!

We headed to visit family for Thanksgiving Dinner.  Yum.

Came home.  We were tired.  John took Jenna, Jaley and Kerst to the outlets.  I hung out with Julia while she edited more pictures for the card.

We headed out just before midnight to hit a couple of sales.  We were slap happy.  We got some great sales, and the lines at one store was pretty non-existent ... and Julia did the grabbing for one particular item.  The line at Kohls was insane, but worth it.  We saved a bundle on new boots for the girls (shhhhh).

It was a great day.  So much to be thankful for.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

Julia's Thanksgiving plans changed daily. She has been homesick and has been wanting to come home, but it wasn't working out. I finally convinced her to go to Nevada with her friend, Katie G.

Julia surprised the kids and found a way home for Thanksgiving.

A boy from our other ward at church was driving home for Thanksgiving from Logan. Julia thought she had a ride to Logan, but that fell through last minute. Aunt Kelly saved the day and drove Julia and her friend, Bri, to Logan.

Julia arrived this afternoon around 3:00. We met up at the high school. I texted Jenna to let her know I would be picking her up rather than taking the bus.  I pulled up ... Julia was in the car behind me. The girls arrived at the van and Julia popped out of the other car. Oh the squeals and screaming! So sweet!

I don't think Kendall knew what was happening until Julia pulled him out of the van and hugged him.

Kendall has been overjoyed having Daeia home. He has been reading to her and talking to her about going on a Daeia and Kendall date. Nacho parties. Sleep overs. Playing.

Kerst arrived home at 4:30. He walked in the back door and saw Julia standing in the living room. He ran to her, hugged her and started to cry. It was SO sweet.

It is wonderful to have her home again. I love it that my kids love each other.

DanceSport

Julia fell in love with Ballroom dancing several years ago when she saw her friends participate in Ballroom competitions in UT.  She took several months of ballroom here in CO, but it was difficult since the teen class consisted of 5 girls (3 were my girls) and 2 boys.  Julia ended up dancing the boy part most of the time.  She still loved it!

Julia is taking a ballroom dance class at BYU.  Today she is participating in DanceSport at BYU - a large ballroom dance competition.

An update from my friend Wendi - aka Beautiful - Julia has been called back twice, she is very precise and dances well with her partner, Alexander.

Wish I could be there!  I'm glad my Mom and Wendi could go cheer her on!

Devoted Marine. Devoted Soldier. Devoted Wife

I came across this story and pictures and had to post it.  In honor of the veterans who sacrificed for us so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today - and in honor of their families who sacrificed too.

The night before the burial of her husband’s body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of “Cat,” and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. “I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,” she said. “I think that’s what he would have wanted.”

The full story behind this picture is located here 

This photographic series won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography for Todd Heisler and The Rocky Mountain News. The Rocky Mountain News newspaper closed in 2009.

At the first sight of her husband’s flag-draped casket, Katherine Cathey broke into uncontrollable sobs, finding support in the arms of Major Steve Beck. When Beck first knocked on her door in Brighton, Colorado, to notify her of her husband’s death, she glared at him, cursed him, and refused to speak to him for more than an hour. Over the next several days, he helped guide her through the grief. By the time they reached the tarmac, she wouldn’t let go.

Minutes after her husband’s casket arrived at the Reno airport, Katherine Cathey fell onto the flag. When 2nd Lt. James Cathey left for Iraq, he wrote a letter to Katherine that read, in part, “there are no words to describe how much I love you, and will miss you. I will also promise you one thing: I will be home. I have a wife and a new baby to take care of, and you guys are my world.”

The knock at the door begins a ritual steeped in tradition more than two centuries old; a tradition based on the same tenet: “Never leave a Marine behind.” When the wars began in Afghanistan and Iraq, Maj. Steve Beck expected to find himself overseas, in the heat of battle. He never thought he would be the one arranging funerals for his fallen comrades.

Major Steve Beck and another Marine approach the family home of 2nd Lt. James Cathey, preparing to escort the Catheys to the airport to receive their son’s body. Five days earlier, the shadows of Casualty Assistance Call Officers followed the same path, carrying the news no military family ever wants to hear. “I’ll never forget Major Beck’s profile,” said Bob Burns of the night he was notified of his son’s death. The gold star flag in the window signifies the death of a loved one oversees.

After arriving at the funeral home, Katherine Cathey pressed her pregnant belly to her husband’s casket, moaning softly. Two days after she was notified of Jim’s death in Iraq, she found out they would have a boy. Born on December 23, 2005, he was named James Jeffrey Cathey, Jr.

Since James Cathey was killed in a massive explosion, his body was delicately wrapped in a shroud by military morticians, then his Marine uniform was laid atop his body. Since Katherine Cathey decided not to view her husband’s body, Maj. Steve Beck took her hand, and pressed it down on the uniform. “He’s here,” he said quietly. “Feel right here.”

The night before the burial of her husband’s body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of “Cat,” and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. “I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,” she said. “I think that’s what he would have wanted.”

Proud to serve

It was a long time ago.  To pay for college.  My Dad said it was the only way.

I loved my country, so why not?  I met many wonderful people.  I learned some amazing things.  I became stronger in many ways.  I was able to share my standards and beliefs.

Happy Veteran's Day!

Me on my Army Training Graduation Day - ready to head home for Christmas and then off to BYU!

Warm Blooded

My boys are warm blooded.  They can run around the house in shorts and short sleeves and not be cold ... even if it is snowing outside.  I put my foot down and won't let them dress like that when they go to school.  I can still influence Kendall to put a long sleeve shirt on and socks.  Yesterday I discovered he put his long sleeve shirt on over his undershirt and short sleeve shirt.

This morning we woke up chilly.  Cold.  Upon further investigation, our warm blooded 10 year old - Kerst - adjusted the thermostat last night because he was hot.

54 degrees.

Silly kid.

Julia goes Broadway ... BYU

Julia auditioned for a spot in the BYU Goes Broadway production on Wednesday, Nov 16 -

She made it!!!

BYU Goes Broadway - Varsity Theatre, 7pm, FREE . I love Free!

She will be singing "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from Phantom of the Opera. 

I do wish she were here again.

If you are in the area, you should go!!!

Sharing

Kendall spoke on the phone with Julia yesterday and said that he would share his candy with her and that she needed to come home.  Julia told me about this conversation.

When I woke up Kendall this morning, I told him that Julia thought it was sweet he would share his candy with her and that she loves him.

He perked right up. "Daeia's coming home today?"

"No, not until closer to Christmas."

His face fell. "Oh no. My candy will be gone by then."

Yep. He's sweet. He loves his Daeia.

Never to old to Trick-or-Treat

As told by my Mom:

"Dad had been in his grubbies in the attic and came down fluffy with insulation. He changed out of his clothes in the laundry room and put them directly into the washer. He was going to be in for the evening reading, so he put on his Stanford Dad sweatshirt and some exercise pants. He was reading contentedly in the living room prepared to hand out Halloween candy. When out on the lawn there was lots of commotion...lots of activity , the Stan A. family came over to Reed and Brooke's in Costume, Bill and Linda were there too, then Katie and Mark F. arrived. It was the huge gathering of Cousins to go trick or treating. I was on the phone with Grandma P at the time of the commotion. I was standing in our bay window describing the costumes and the activity with the arrival of so many. Then our neighbors started arriving for trick or treating. Dad just disappeared. He was gone for a long time. Next thing I knew Tigger (Mike) was ringing the doorbell. Dad was grinning from ear to ear... back with lots of candy in his trusty wheelbarrow. ..you know it, the one he'd used for every cement job he'd ever done....the one he'd hauled logs in for the huge pile by the barn and sand when the lateral lines were laid in Peck. The one our neighbors had on their roof as they were taking off four layers of shingles and trying to get it in the dumpster in the driveway. The one he bought when he attended NIU and had the 1948 yellow dodge pickup truck that he bought from an Episcopal priest and had his "P... Construction Company" All of his cement tools and the wheelbarrow were painted red so he could spot them easily. He just decided to go to a couple of the neighbors and they got such a kick out of it, he decided to do lots more. He brought the candy over to Reed and Brookes. The kiddos will have Halloween candy to last until Valentines day now!

He had a fine time, got some good exercise, created a few memories, and has warmed the heart of some ward members!"

Thanks for sharing Mom!  I can picture Dad doing this.

More trick-or treating

Kendall just came up to me with a big chocolaty grin on his face and said, "Trick-or-Treat".

I am thinking, "What? He wants more?"

No ... my sweet boy was offering me some of his Halloween candy.

A treat

I got my blizzard treat.  No M&M's though.

John dug out for 2 hours this morning.

School is cancelled.

Perfect!  We pulled in our outdoor Halloween decorations last night and gathered the indoor ones.  We will put those away today and then .... deck the halls! 

I will soon be blasting Holiday music throughout the house ... as soon as Jenna finishes watching Psych (after all, it is a snow day).

M&M please

I would like an M&M blizzard ... we shall see if I get my wish.  We are under a blizzard warning.  It started snowing about an hour ago and we already have 2 inches of snow ... waiting for the wind to pick up.