And they're off...

A quick post to let everyone know that Alana and Nicole are on the way. They posed for a few pictures but once we got to the serious things like getting tickets and checking luggage, they forgot about the rest of us. Amazingly, Alana was 1 pound under the weight for one suitcase before she would have had to pay for the transport of her luggage . Talk about great packing...

Nicole and Alana are finally showing excitement about their flight to Hawaii, as Alana mentioned, it still doesn't seem real.

Pulling out of the driveway.

Arrival at airport.

Chay and Blade moving quickly by running on the moving belt... as if they need to be moving quicker...I can't keep up with them as it is.

The excitement grows as we are in the terminal waiting for the elevator.



Alana getting assistance to obtain her boarding pass without a confirmation number or bar code. It's amazing, you just swipe something with your name connected to it, like a debit card and the machine pulls up the ticket assigned to your name. Technology is amazing.

The two single girls "leaving on a jet plane..." for Paradise.
....at the security checkpoint...
"only passengers with boarding passes beyond this point"

Chay not too happy about going back to the vehicle instead of boarding a plane with Nicole and Alana.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

I didn't get the Christmas tree up when Mom, Dad and Doug were here but, I did get it up yesterday. I think Dave still thinks it's too early but I want family to enjoy it and so while he was out, I brought the tree down from storage in the attic (or is that no longer called the attic since we having living space up there?)

Dave helped me put the tree up and unwrap it while Blade unwrapped the top section. He was so excited and it was like watching him open up a present. He was focused, had a huge smile on his face and nothing would distract him.

Not a great angle for me but but it's a funny angle from Nicole's view from the loft and so I share it with you. I didn't know he was there and so it's a good thing I didn't decide to squat down.

Dave just looks like he is having so much fun unwrapping the tree, like going around the May Pole with a skip in his step.

Nicole had the job of working on part of the top of the tree and thank goodness we have the loft because that is the only way that we can reach the top.

And then Dave and I started to hang our ornament collection, Black Santas for him and Flintstones for me. (And you know there has to be a Black Santa because as Dave would tell you, there is no way that as a child he would believe that a white man would come down their chimney and leave presents). Chay and Blade joined in for the festive activity of putting on the ornaments.

While Dave was busy putting his Santa figurines/decorations on the ledge, Chay and Blade took time to pose for the camera, I think it's a "Charle's Hells Angels" type of thing.

Chay's favorite of the black Santas is one that my cousin Amy gave us years ago. It dances while the song "Dancing around the Christmas tree" plays. Both Chay and Blade were seen standing and moving their hips side to side like Santa but they wouldn't let me get a picture of it.
Wouldn't be it wonderful as adults to have that look of "pure joy and happiness" that Blade has on his face when we looked at the simple things of life?



I bought myself a Christmas gift already and treated myself to the new Flintstone ornament that Hallmark put out this year! I was so excited when I saw there was a new one. There hadn't been new Flintstone ornaments for years and then the past few years I have been very lucky! Okay, maybe I do get that look of pure joy and happiness with some simple things in life...

A view from our loft so that you can see Dave's Santas, I knew that ledge would come in handy for something eventually.

This dove has been on the top of our tree every Christmas since 1997. This dove was from Nana's (Dave's paternal Grandmother) funeral and it's a way we pay tribute to her and remember her as we keep her in our lives.

While the tree was going up, Dave's Mom was busy cooking cabbage and red rice. It was very good but...you know what cabbage can do. And it seems I have a very efficient digestive system because less than an hour later....well, you know...

And on that note (no pun intended), ...until next time...
"the Final Countdown...."

some things you need to see to believe

Nothing too exciting going on with us the past few days. But last night it was extremely windy and it was howling in the house, or so it seemed. I couldn't sleep (not because of the wind, I just seem to wake up at 3:00-3:30 every morning) and so as I was sitting at the computer, it sounded as if I was back in Southern Alberta. In SLC, I just don't hear the sound of wind blowing around the house very often. And then when I do, it takes me right back to my childhood as if it were yesterday (but my kids always reassure me I wasn't born yesterday. It usually happens like this: "I wasn't born yesterday you know". Their response in unison "That's for sure!")

Like Kristi, I just post pictures of Blade because he is just so darn cute... Dave was walking by and he just hung on for a free ride around the room, and I was also thrill to have my floor cleaned.

The next group of pictures are of something, that as I young girl, I never dreamed of or even imagined that I would be doing when I grew up.
Taking pictures of my daughter straightening my son's hair!
...you just don't know what life will throw you...
And more surprisingly, it's Nicole actually doing Chay's hair, with Chay resting his head gently in his loving sister's lap.

(Yes, I cracked up at the above shot also. I thought of those famous words of Simon Cowel, "He looks like a bushbaby")

I don't why I didn't take an after shot. Maybe I just didn't want to remember it...

While Nicole and Chay have been at school, Blade has been having a great time with his PaPa and MeMeMa. Yesterday he chose to stay home with them while Dave and I ran errands, and today he chose to stay home instead of going to "the store" with us.
Maybe it's because they took him outside to ride his bike and played catch with him in the house.
And my little boy just seems to have the weight of the world on his back... I'm not much into art but, isn't this a simulation of a famous sculture? Help me out here Alana...protecting art at the museum qualifies you as an expert...

Nicole mentioned to me last night that she is getting excited about her trip. Then she said she is just excited to be out of school. (I think she was saying that to spare my feelings since I will be here in good ol' Salt Lake City while she is kicking sand on the beach and drinking coconut juice from fresh coconuts dropping from the trees...)

Aloha!

Everyday life continues on, and we continue to enjoy our NEW faucet. It still shocks me when I go to the sink to wash something or just turn on the faucet, it turns on so easily and nothing shifts. Blade really enjoys washing the dishes. Thanks again Mom, Dad and Doug!

Here's a shot of Chay moving Grandpa's supplies downstairs. It's a bit blurry because I had to rush to take a picture of him in action and couldn't have him slow down for the picture because he might have stopped completely and then the last box wouldn't have made in downstairs. Mom, I need to tell you that the supplies actually expire June 2009.

Mom, they don't expire until 2010, I just wrote that so you would mentally start planning another trip soon! I miss having you around.

Friday night Blade was EXTREMELY tired and I was surprised to find him sleeping on the stairs. I was on the computer and heard him tell me he was tired and so I told him I was almost done and a few minutes later I go down the stairs and stepped over this....

It's amazing that he stayed on the step but it's more amazing that he has that tongue thing going after a few minutes....that's usually his "Q sign" when he's playing dead.

Saturday afternoon we made a trip to the airport to pick up Dave's parents. It's too bad that there wasn't an overlap on the parental visitation because it would have been nice to have them see each other again...because who knows when the next time will be because I'm not planning on having any more children for them to attend a baby blessing....

Waiting at the airport for the flight to arrive.Luggage all accounted for and we're ready to head out. Notice that we're not wearing coats (except of course Nicole) but those North Carolinans are ready for that "Utah" weather. It's interesting how we get use to certain things and for us the weather in Utah is exceptionally warm for this time of the year.

Blade did a great job taking the luggage all the way to the vehicle, he wouldn't let anyone help him.

Being in the airport made us realize that we will be returning to this same spot in less than a week when Alana and Nicole leave for Hawaii! That sure came up quickly.
The countdown begins....

Nothing beats FAMILY

Mom, Dad and Doug left yesterday just before 1:00 pm and by 1:30, I was missing them. I loved having them here for a week, and the week unfortunately went by too quickly. While they were here, I didn't have the feeling that we lived hundreds of miles apart but felt as if we were a family together all the time. I don't know if they felt the same way as I did but I sure did LOVE having them at my home.

Mom made it up the steep stairs to the attic numerous times and checked the blogs and got comfortable. I had to smile when I saw Mom lying on the floor against the lovesac. She doesn't look her age NOR does she act her age. I missed seeing her get up off the floor though...

Doug had gone to Costco down in Orem and met the artist of some puzzles (Dowdle) that we both own and have enjoyed. Doug was like a groupie and talked with him for about 15 minutes and from what Doug told us, really enjoyed the artist's sense of humor. (According to Doug, Alana stated that he was the funnies person she has met-the artist, not her Dad...) Doug was sold and bought some puzzles. My family received and early Christmas present and are now owners of a puzzle of the Utah Governer's Mansion. We of course had to put it together that night. Doug was told that it could be put together in 1.5 hours and with all of us working on it, fighting for space, we were able to do it in 35 minutes.

There's a technique and we flipped all the pieces over and divided the pieces by color and did the edges first. I was told that we needed Auntie Sharon with us because she has a specialty when putting together puzzles. I can't remember what she does though.

Somehow Blade had the last two pieces in his hand and had the honor of putting in those last pieces.

Thursday night, I came home from work and was pleasantly surprised to have my Dad's ribs cooking! That's alot better than going out to eat! Unfortunately, Dave got called into work and wasn't able to be with us as a family that evening. While we were waiting, Doug used all his knowledge with technology and the newest services and got us online with Angie, Mike, Brylie, Tyken and Erika in Hawaii (who just got back from "the beach"). Like Doug mentioned, it's like the Jetson's era and seeing the people as you talk with them, and you see yourself in the bottom corner. I'm amazed by all this technology and what can be done. I was and still am amazed but, apparently my Dad wasn't as amazed...okay he was but he was just tired at the end of the day.

This is what we saw on the monitor, minus Blade's reflection.
Still enjoying the visit with the "Hawaii" bunch.


Another pre-supper activity. Playing the Wii.
Grandpa couldn't get the hang of how to use the control (like me, it must be genetic) and Blade had to show him how to use it. Grandma got the hang of it, she's pretty good at bowling!
Now all we need is "smellavision" so that everyone can enjoy the aroma we were experiencing as the ribs cooked.


And the part just about as good as eating the ribs is that there were LEFTOVERS!

It kept getting better and Mom and Dad gave us another early Christmas gift and there was a new shiny kitchen faucet waiting to be installed. Installation was included in the gift because Doug installed if for us while his "best friend" supervised his work.Dave got home just before 11:00pm and "assisted" Doug.The "before" faucet with the broken handle.
The "after" faucet in all its' beauty and soap dispenser. AND what's interesting is that we are such a Costco family as a whole, that Doug and possible Sheila, have the same faucet!

Doug found great deals at NPS and bought himself and Dave matching shirts. You can't go wrong with black shirts and you can't go wrong with nice quality shirts for $2! (or was it $3?)

Nicole and Chay were at school when Mom, Dad, and Doug left for home but Blade was there to enjoy every last minute of their stay. Blade was shy at first when they arrived but it only took minutes before he was showing Grandpa his "tickle me Elmo" and sitting with Grandma to draw with the stencils she brought. It touched my heart to be able to see Blade so comfortable with Mom and Dad. Grandpa kept telling Blade to pack his things so that he could go with them and Blade just said, "he's so silly".

You can't beat the next two pictures...

"I love you too"

Blade tossing the basketball with Dave while they waited. The secret to a good pass seems to be keeping your eyes tightly closed...

The world as seen by Blade. I'll have to post some of the pictues that he takes. Sometimes, okay often, I get my camera and I'm surprised by some of the pictures that are on my camera.

Mom and Dad with their faithful and loving chauffeur.

The dearest people in my life... How do I thank them adequately for all the love they have given me and for all the things that they have done for me while growing up and continue to do for me and my family. Mom and Dad started with honest, hardworking parents and went on to achieve successful careers, kids that are pretty decent and remain close to each other, wonderful friends, a strong relationship with our Heavenly Father and a love, faith and dedication for Church and family that is unbeatable.

I LOVE YOU MOM and DAD!

I miss you and you bring tears to my eyes as I think about my love for you and all that you mean to me.