Our Thanksgiving

We usually head out to the desert for a day during the Thanksgiving weekend, but several months ago we started asking our friends with desert toys who wanted to go and camp out there for a couple days.  The Sotos and clan were the only takers this year.  They have an awesome RV and we were able to crash it whenever we needed.  Their son, Georgie and his family came out, too.  Mark showed up with his cousin Mitch for awhile, so we had a great Thanksgiving Day and weekend with friends and family.  This was one of our best Thanksgivings we have had in a long time.  A great long weekend with not too much rushing around.  I didn't even mind tent camping, although we look like total losers amongst those huge toyhaulers and Kenworths!

 Thank goodness our friends use cameras.  I always take mine and then never take pictures!  The top picture is the only one of the 4 of us.  I thought about using it for Christmas cards because we won't be back again together until the week before Christmas, but I'm not too sure about it.  Some of my relatives may think we are in Iraq! 

 

There is a bombing range near where we camp.  They had all kinds of tanks and army trucks out there this time.  It is fun to go searching for bombs and bullets, and climb on the tanks.  (Only once in all the years we went there they were actually bombing, and I can tell you that you've never seen anybody run so fast in all their life!)

 

Lillian wasn't able to come home for the holiday, so Jason found a new girlfriend to keep him company.  She is such a cutie!!  But we did miss Lillian.

 

We are already planning on more trips out to the desert for the season.  I can't wait!

Favorite Things

Eric has a few loves in life.  His guitar, his xbox, and recording music onto his laptop.  One would think if they didn't know any better that to take all those things in one day would crush the kid.  The kid has been crushed :(  Tuesday we were robbed, and all of those things were taken.  A few other things as well, including the gold & diamond "MOM" necklace that the boys bought me for Mother's Day several years ago.

Just last week Eric entered a contest for his favorite band and uploaded a video to youtube.  This may be the only picture of his guitar we even have.  He didn't win the contest, and he will have to wait for new toys, but life goes on.  He's been a super good sport.  He always is. 

Among the disappointments, there was also a real high.  He received his Patriarchal Blessing.  During Conference weekend, he asked his Bishop for an appointment.  Yes, there is a distinction between Dad and Bishop in our house!!  Funny story - last week he had an appointment, fasted all day long, and at 7pm went to Patriarch's house.  Patriarch had forgot!  So he asked Eric to return this week.  He fasted again all day Thursday and returned again.  I'm pretty sure he feels that it was worth it.  I always knew he was extra special. 

Today he is out surfing with SSC (Sweetwater Surf Club).  I'm glad he loves to surf and act, too.  It may help with the sting of an empty wall, desk and tv cabinet :)  He's not super good at surfing yet, but he's a BOSS at acting. 

We're sure lucky he's our kid!!

Twenty Five

I love this time of year, not just because of the cooler tempatures, Santa Ana winds, or the shorter days (more snuggle time) but actually I love this time of year because it reminds me of the most important decision that I've made so far in life - oh so long ago. It reminds me to reflect on my life & appreciate all that I have, all the changes I've been through and how far I have come (and sometimes how far I still have to go!).
Twenty five years ago today I married my high school sweetheart, my best friend, my love and I have never looked back. Can I say the last 25 years has been easy? No certainly not but nothing worth while ever is... I guess I would have to thank the people out there who took bets on our wedding day that we wouldn't last six months.... even though at the time it really hurt my feelings. But looking back, I think knowing that some people didn't think our marriage would work out, made us try harder. Jamey & I were night & day different. He the bad boy, me the good girl - but we've had an incredible spark from the moment we first met that has not died & never will. We've been through a lot together and I am thankful for the good & the bad because they have made us better people. I am thankful for his love & companionship - it gets me up in the morning & keeps me going during the day.

I'm thankful for the father he is to our boys & the example he sets for them on how to treat a wife.  I'm glad that he hasn't grown tired of me & that we still like to have fun together. He is my strength & the person I turn to in all things. He puts up with my weird quirks & still makes me feel beautiful, even more so as I age. I'm grateful for the changes he made in his life so that he can be my eternal companion. I hope that the next 25 years are even better than the first!

First Annual Ward Campout

I have always said that we need to have a ward campout, so one of the first things I said after David was called as Bishop is exactly that.  His response, "Then you're in charge".  That'll teach me!!  A few months ago we drove ALL over trying to find the best place for our ward to camp.  We found Thousand Trails in Descanso, and fell in love.  It was so much nicer than the others we went to, and there is so much to do there!  Who wants to be in charge of an activity and have everyone bored to tears?! 

 

There was mini golf, an RC track (kinda small, but what do ya want??), bocce ball, horseshoes, swimming, and the list goes on and on and on.  I am definitely not one that likes to be in charge, so needless to say, I have had stress for months about all the details.  Most were pointless worries.  People signed up like crazy for this new adventure and we had such a great turn out. 

 

Mini golfing with friends was first thing Friday.

 

Eric has worked for weeks trying to get his RC car running.   It did run - for about 10 minutes before it died and the pull started pulled all the way out.  It was too hot outside for his dad to want to put it back together.

 Next stop, swimming pool!  David got nice and cooled off, and had fun with his friends:) 

We heard a lot of great feedback, so I'm pretty sure it's our First Annual instead of our One and Only Campout. So many people pitched in and helped, and made this a great activity. You Rock, SW1!

Missing My Boy

It's not very often I post about Elder Prescott on this blog, but thought I'd switch it up.  His letters are always put on his own blog, but technically, this isn't a letter from Troy :)

 

There is an e-mail group for the missionary moms.  The missions are then separated into their own groups.  Troy's is the Pacific Islands, which consist of Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Marshall Island Missions. The moms can e-mail with questions, concerns, vent, or anything else and get answers and support from others.  That is how I met my friend, Martha.  Her son is Elder Jacob Michael.   They live in Downey.  Troy and Jacob got their mission calls on the same day (or just a week apart).  Jacob went out in January of 2011, Troy in March.   I don't know if it's all missions, but this is a tough one because we may not hear from our missionaries for weeks or even months at a time.  Martha and I have helped each other get thru this time.  We even met face to face a few months back.  I sure hope we'll be friends forever!

The boys know that their moms are friends, so whenever they have the chance to meet up, they take pictures for us.  I'm sure that's Jacob's idea!!!  Jacob is the AP in the office in Nuku'alofa now.  He seems like he is such a great young man, and such a hard worker.  He has survived even the hardest of areas, the island of Nuia.  There is no electricity, little food, and so remote.  I REALLY hope Troy gets sent there before his mission is over.  Can you imagine having to catch your own fish to eat, learn which plants and berries are safe, read by kerosene lanters, and get to e-mail only when the generators are working?  (which isn't often)

 

Jacob had to travel to Troy's island for a meeting last week.  It was an 8 min flight!  After the meeting, they all went to another part of Eua (Troy's island), and stood at cliffs.  It is so windy there that if you throw something off, it blows back.  So they all threw ties and flip flops off.  Here they are standing in front of a massive land bridge there.  It sure is beautiful!

 So this week as I wait to hear from my own missionary, who has pretty much decided it's too much trouble to walk 3 minutes to the airport to e-mail his mother, I will enjoy reading Jacob's letters to his mom.  There's another missionary who writes wonderful, detailed messages to his family.  But he's in Nuia right now, so letters have slowed down tremendously.  I'm just happy that some of these boys don't mind writing!  We'll give Elder Prescott the benefit of the doubt and just say that he's super busy doing the Lord's work :)

 

I am so thankful for the opportunity that Troy has to serve his mission.  My friend came to me crying a couple weeks ago after Troy's "I'm hungry letter", and said she was so impressed with how much he's grown, and that the church has this program for the young men and women of the church.  Troy is definitely learning and growing from these experiences, and he will be the one that learns the most from his mission.  This picture makes me smile, but then makes me miss him more.  He is definitely NOT starving, and I think his eye looks infected.  But hopefully it's just because he's squinting from the bright sunshine in the Garden of Eden. 

6. more. months. 



They're Back!!

Our senior missionaries have returned!

Wow, the big day is here.  We were so excited to meet Joy & Max at the airport.  You know, you picture in your mind them coming down the escalator, the huge crowd gathers with a sign, and all the girls just cry, while everyone tries to get their hugs in...

 

As we all checked online to make sure the flight status was up to date, we noticed the plane was going to be an hour late.  Joy's cousin that works at the airport even checked and kept in touch saying, "yes, it's late".  Well, just a few minutes after their scheduled arrival time, Joy called and asked, "where is everyone?"  The phones started ringing and we all rushed to the airport to find them standing on the curb with their bags.  (Apparently the airline computers were incorrect)  Grandpa was so anxious to get his bags in the car and get home that he could hardly stand still for a group picture.  Kevin was out looking for Aunt Bobbie, making sure she wasn't lost.  It was kinda hectic and crazy, and not such the excitement we plan in our heads.  (Lillian even spent about 2 hours making the sign!!)  Their welcome home BBQ went about the same, as they arrived as we were leaving.  But we all have them for the rest of forever, so we'll get lots of time to catch up.  Welcome home, Max & Joy.  We're super proud of you and the 4 missions you have served.  Job well done!

Little Things....

That make me smile today -

 Last week we went to the zoo for the first time in YEARS. When the boys were little we went often because we usually had annual passes & every time we went they wanted a picture with this gorilla. It was fun to do it again, but the boys are much bigger now.

 Recently we all went to the temple to do baptisms. It's so fun to go as a family... as I was walking up to the temple I looked behind me & this is what I saw (them all holding hands). Of course they all struck a pose for the camera. You can tell the only girl with us does not belong to me - she's the only normal one of the group! Ha.

 Found this picture when I was going through old pictures... it's actually not too old (maybe a year?). It just makes me smile every time I see it.... these boys dressed up like this all by themselves & took a picture. Really? Hope you get a kick out of it too.