I Have a Family Here on Earth

It's been an awesome day. This Tuesday will mark my parents 25th wedding anniversary, and to celebrate we had a family sealing session at the Jordan River Temple. This was my first time getting to do sealings since taking my endowments out back in October. It was so neat to sit there in the temple with so many of my family members. 7 out of 9 of us kids were in the temple, as well as spouses, plus my nephew Jake and his wife. It was amazing to sit there and seal families together for all eternity, and realize how lucky we are that ours already is. To quote my daddy "(Our experience in the temple) today was heaven."

The whole gang in front of the Jordan River Temple.

In Back: Jon, Lori, Joni, Melissa, Andrea, Jake, Tim

In Front: Bob, Carrie, Teri, Kelly, Mother, Annette, Daddy, Lisa

We had an awesome get together back at the house afterwards to celebrate with the whole family. Those who weren't with us at the temple joined us, and all told we had a grand total of 24 people here including all 9 of us kids. Tons of good food. We had cheesecake because my parents had served it at their wedding, and then per my mothers request we had cupcakes.

I think my favorite part was that my niece Olivia decided I was hers for the day. She gave me the biggest grin when they first arrived. At one point I was sitting and visiting with the adults, and she came in and pointed at me. Maile said she wondered how strong that finger was. Next thing you know, Olivia is waving come here to me, and I'm headed over. Maile's comment was simply "Very strong." I taught Olivia to act like a monkey. It was a hysterical.

Trying out new frosting techniques.

To keep little hands out of the treats while we were at the temple we had to keep them hidden.

Besides my parent's anniversary this week, we were also celebrating my niece Chloe's birthday. Grandma took Chloe shopping in the morning before we went to the temple, and while she was gone Grandpa and I played with Kelsea. These are a couple of my favorite shots of Kelsea and Grandpa making faces. She really got to see Grandpa at his storytelling best. Stories of the three little pigs, with homes made of crazy materials, no wolf, and ending with them living in a pit in the ground of a pigs stye. She was enthralled, and we were laughing really hard the whole time.

Je veux mais je ne peux pas

I am a traveler. Sometimes I dream about vacations past, and other times I like to explore travel sites looking for deals on airfare to some of my favorite destinations. Planning for future adventures is a way I decompress at the end of a long or stressful day. Today I was on Delta's website and saw an ad for flights from the U.S. to Paris for an amazingly low price. Even with taxes, the deal was awesome. The restrictions would have easily allowed for a trip over spring break.

I am also a college student. I have a budget I try to stick to while at the grocery store, I spend most of my evenings in, and I second guess every movie ticket and t-shirt I buy. I am not so much of a tight wad that I live on ramen and water, but I prioritize what is most important to me, and try to stick within a reasonable budget based on my limited income. Each paycheck I do try and put $2 or $3 away into a special account for trips and souvenirs. It's not a lot, but I am making an effort. I wish I could say that I am graduating debt free, but I didn't get a scholarship until my fourth year. I have worked part-time throughout college to pay for as much as I can though. The debt I have incurred has been for educational purposes, not clothes or toys. I look forward to getting a job after graduation, and getting my debt payed off as quickly as possible. Maybe then I'll make enough to at least put $10 or $20 away each check instead.

I will likely never be so financially flush that I can just buy a plane ticket to Paris without serious consideration, but for now I will keep putting my $2 away each paycheck, and hopefully someday I'll have enough of a reserve to take advantage of a deal like I saw today.

When I find myself really wanting something I can't afford I go back and watch this funny SNL skit with Steve Martin and Amy Poehler. It reminds me just how stupid unnecessary debt is.

Mâlô e lelei and Aloha

I was flipping through some old photos from around the time my little niece Olivia was born, and stumbled upon some videos I'd recorded of my daddy singing with some friends of his. I am struggling to recall the details of exactly who they were, other than Tongans who came to visit him. He spent 3 years in Tonga for a mission, and then went back and worked at the church high school there for another 6. He made a lot of friends, and loves the people, and they him. I loved growing up with the influence of the Tongan culture. I have several memories of Tongan events, people coming to visit, and my daddy using his language skills on anyone who looked remotely Polynesian (sometimes turning out to be Hispanic or of Middle Eastern decent). One of my favorite sounds is to be sitting in a silent house, and all of a sudden hear him start to read out loud. He has taken to reading the Book of Mormon out loud in Tongan daily, and it is so cool. I just wish he had spoken to me more in Tongan when I was a child. I would love to be able to speak the language. Ironically enough the song they are singing in this clip is actually about Hawaii.

From Daddy Singing the Hukilau

107 days

CDO?

My brother Bob loves to remind me that for the person truly suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, it is not OCD, but rather CDO, because it must be in alphabetical order. Whatever you want to call it, I have it. At least some rather OCD like tendencies. For example, my planner this semester. Using my favorite program of all time, Excel, I created lovely color-coded schedules for myself. It was fun. The creation of the planner itself, not the items on the calendar. This isn't my exact schedule, because some of the things have changed, but it gives you an idea of what my OCD nature can create.

(Also did you notice, the colors on the assignments in the semester view correspond with the colors in the weekly view? Yeah, I really am that OCD)

113 days

Last First Day of School

With Graduation in view (so long as I pass my classes), I realized that today was my very last "first day of school." To commemorate I had my mother take the traditional obligatory picture. Yes I know I should have had a backpack on to make it truly authentic, but I'd already dropped it off in my apartment.

(Notice my cute new hat from Bob & Carrie, and my new sweatshirt from my trip? Everyone needs new clothes for the first day, right?)

This may have been the craziest start to a first day of school I have ever experienced. Since my flight got in late last night, and I didn't want to drive through the canyon in the dark, I got up at 5:30 this morning in order to make it to my 8:30 class. That shouldn't have been too bad. I got all packed, and loaded into my car, and went to leave. I turned the key. I turned the key again. Finally after several tries, with nothing to show for it, I went inside to complain that the car was dead. Since we were running out of time, and I had to go to this class (trust me, if I didn't need the teachers signature to get in, and it weren't a requirement, I wouldn't have rushed) my mother decided to just drive me up here.

We rushed about getting my stuff transferred over, and we were on our way, arriving in Logan just in time for her to drop me at the door for class. She ran and got some breakfast while I was in class, and then picked me up where she'd left me. I have to admit, it was kind of nice to have her help taking everything inside. I have become very adept at carrying absurd amounts of grocery bags, my laundry basket, backpack, and purse all in one load, but help is greatly appreciated. Especially since she was really kind, and surprised me by buying me some groceries while I was in class, since I wouldn't have a car to get to the grocery store this week. (One of the downfalls of no roommates, you can't bum a ride with someone else.)

She was wonderful. She even took me out to get french toast sticks at Burger King before she left. It was much appreciated, especially in light of latter figuring out that it was she who left my headlights on, therefore killing my battery, and causing such a crazy morning. (Can't even get too mad at her for that though, because she left them on after taking my car to gas it up, and through the car wash.)

It's now 11:06 pm , and I haven't even had a nap since waking up at 5:35 am. Unfortunately part of my first day of school is a desk shift at work until midnight. It's been a long day, and I am bored, but I'm really grateful that it has all worked out. Actually I'm really grateful for the whole thing. It was memorable, and an adventure, and I feel totally spoiled.

The countdown begins: 115 day

6 Going on 20

Shannon is an adorable, and precocious 6 year old. I have adored the girl from day 1. How many 6 year olds do you know who can properly use, and define the word prototype, and can give an accurate and entertaining definition of a guillotine? Here are just a few of my favorite Shanny things from the week.

1. Her Sense of Style.

Her Sense of style really isn't all that different from any other 6 year old allowed to pick their own clothes, but it's how she does it. She puts an outfit on and then comes out, knowing full well she looks adorable, and just a little silly, and puts on her little "don't I look just fabulous?" act, which always gets a laugh, and all the attention she could want. She is all girl, this one. She loves all things Princess, Fairy, Ballet, and Pink.

Favorite thing Bonus: The fact that she loved our "Deadly Dozen (animals)" documentaries that we watched this week, and even drew snake fangs in her notebook otherwise full of "Fairy Ballerinas".

2. Her "Pretending"

She is such a little actress. Everything is exaggerated to its fullest extent, from accents when reading out loud, to her facial expressions when she talks, and in particular, her looks when you turn the camera on an otherwise adorable moment. Can you see how much she is reacting to the book? They closed the book right before this shot, and when they saw my camera they opened it back up, and did this.

3. Her expressions

I love to make faces at people. Some people think I'm just weird, and others make faces right back. Shannon and I have had many "silly face showdowns" this week. (Also, can you see how red and chapped my nose is? 2 boxes of tissues, and 2 rolls of toilet paper within 36 hours. Ouch!)

4. Teacher Shanny

Tonight she had her violin recital, which she has been working very hard for. Since I had to practice with her while Dan and Jen were gone, she felt it necessary to tell me exactly how she needed to hold her violin, when, and what she needed in order to bow, and everything else I never asked, but apparently needed to know about foot placement, her case, etc. She did really well, and I was quite proud of her.

My First ER Visit

Today brought a new adventure. I made my first trip to the ER for myself (that I can remember at least). Sure I've broken a bone, gotten sick, and needed tetanus shots before, but I'd always gone to urgent care for those things. Today wouldn't have been any different except when we were looking for places that took my insurance the closest urgent care was an hour away.

I've been sick for a few days. Nothing unusual of course. Just a really bad runny nose. (So much so that in a little over 12 hours I went though an entire box of tissues, a brand new role of toilet paper, and several other random and assorted tissues, napkins, and paper towels.) Last night I started to get really cold. Obviously a fever was setting in. I sent the kids to bed. I am lucky to say I am baby-sitting the most awesome kids ever. When they saw me, they knew I wasn't trying to take away their play time, and the very easily got ready and went to bed. Several hours later I started to feel the fever lift, and thought I was in the clear. I was very weak, but felt much better. Then the cough set in.

For those of you who have spent much time around me, you know that I don't have a delicate, or feminine chuckle of a cough. I can stop a lecture hall with my cough, and have on more than one occasion. I got Sabrina to Seminary at 5:30am, and then to school. I came home and went back to bed, but when I woke up I had a terrible pain in my chest. I figured cough syrup would help, but when it didn't and the pain wouldn't go away, I knew I needed to get to the doctor. Through some awesome coordination on the part of my mother in Utah, and my mad internet searching skills in Maine, we found that the nearest urgent care was at least an hour away. Since the nearest ER was only 10 minutes away, it seemed like a no brainer.

I left the 12 year old in charge (again, BEST KIDS EVER!, that I could leave them, and know they wouldn't kill each other). I told them what school work they needed to, turned on GPSy, and headed off. The ER wasn't crowded, and I got through the first nurse really quickly, but because of other problems, I didn't see the doctor for nearly an hour. He ordered chest x-rays to check for Pneumonia. Luckily those came back negative, so he gave me a prescription for anti-biotics, and refilled my inhaler prescription, which was probably the most helpful. It had been quite disheartening to try to use the one I had on hand this morning, only to find that it was out of medicine, and it helps so much with my cough.

I got out of there just in time to pick Sabrina up from school, and head over to the pharmacy to fill the prescriptions. As icing on the cake, the soldier that knows me best was at the gate, so I was able to pull right through onto base.

Anti-biotics are taken, cough syrup is on the horizon, and I even stomached some food for the first time today, even if it was just yogurt. Now to just make it through taking the kids up to the church for mutual and/or violin lessons, and we should be good to go. I have got to count my blessings today.

1. Kids did all of their school work while I was gone, and were quietly watching a movie when I came back

2. It wasn't anything particularly serious, and I'm starting to feel a little better.

3. I got on to base easily both times.

4. I was finally able to eat food.

5. Medicine is a wonderful blessing.

6. The kids are so easy going, and helpful with any and everything.

7. Did I mention BEST KIDS EVER!!!

For added fun, here is a pic of me at the hospital today.

Run, Run as Fast as You Can!

Gingerbread is a tradition that hasn't been a part of my Christmas very much growing up. We did so many other things, that it just didn't ever happen. My cousin and his family are a different story. Dan is a master of the art of gingerbread. When we started planning what we were going to make, all sorts of ideas were bounced back and forth, and I had no clue he was so amazing with the stuff.

This is Joel's "Jedi Temple" from Star Wars. (For those of you as pop culturally impaired as I am, I've included a picture of the movie image as well.)

This is Spencer and his "Aircraft Carrier." Can you tell this is a military family? He even used gummy lifesavers torn in half to create an anchor on the side.

This is the making of Sabrina's Eiffel Tower. It was awesome, but needed a little extra support, after one of her sides broke. This was the simplified down option, after Dan declared Hogwarts beyond his skill level.

This is Shannon and my "Sweet Tooth Castle." We decided we wanted to make a sandcastle, and it turned kind of beachy, and princessy. I mostly just loved that we could use sweedish fish for the moat. We had a blast.

This was by far the most impressive. With a little brainstorming Dan was able to get the gingerbread to cool in this bowed shape, and make the Sydney Opera House. SO COOL!

These are just a random bunch of other fun photos from our adventures. The kids were on a major sugar rush, and bouncing off the walls silly.