one of my favorite spots

Today after work & before getting dinner started I was looking through the photos in my phone & found this one.

What's so interesting...

is that - at that very moment- I was sitting in this exact spot & wearing the same black socks & jeans.

The only difference? The fireplace was on today.

I love this spot in my house, especially with the fireplace on.

It's so comfy & it's where I like to play Words With Friends.

Words With Friends- a game on my IPhone-

(my beloved IPhone- sigh)

Words with Friends is SO FUN- It's good for mental health too!

It gets you thinking & spelling, with friends. It's kind of like scrabble. It's the game Alec Baldwin was kicked off of an airplane for- because he wouldn't stop playing it on his IPad.

 Ha- ya, I suppose it's addictive?

I've been thinking a lot-

 thinking that retail at Christmas time & the week after is hard work. So hard that I'm frankly sick of it & relieved today was a good day at the store. Good as in- not so many returns or crabby people. Thinking that I'm glad I didn't "announce" my word for last year & I don't think I will this year either? Thinking that I'm worried we haven't had any snow or really even very much winter like weather.... Will it be snowing when Jack gets home? It snowed 4" the day he left (April 6 2010). What will happen to our garden? Will it snow in June & July again?! (For real-- people were still skiing on the 4th of July last year!) That is not NOT good for gardening. Let's face it farmer + bad weather = no food- tomatoes, peaches.... It's just one of those things that bugs/worries me.

 Thinking that I should exercise more. Ya just thinking & NOT doing.

Thinking/worrying about Hailey being sick. She is struggling with her fibromyalgia -- it's just so hard to watch this. I wish there was more I could do. Is this better than seizures-- yes, but still- not good for a teenager. Such a bummer. Such a worry.
We are trying to decide what to do about Trent... for Jr. High next year. I love our neighborhood school, but the doctor has recommended a couple other options. I can't stand the thought of him in Jr. High. 7 different classes & Trent in a crowded hall of students several times a day. Oh boy. Worried. Really I'm so worried.

All this thinking/worrying has me kind of stressed out.

How about you- you thinking a lot lately?

Whatcha thinkin' bout'?

2012 the year of the temple

In November Brett & I were doing some Christmas shopping & found these at Deseret Book.

We fell in LOVE with them immediately & decided to use them to make an announcement Christmas Day. That announcement:

 We declared 2012- the YEAR OF THE TEMPLE!

Hailey, Chloe & Trent each had one wrapped under the tree. They unwrapped them at the same time- and we told them our plan to visit all of the Utah temples in 2012!

There are 12+ temples -- so that's roughly one a month.

Some have just been announced- others are being built.

We are so excited to see more of our beautiful state- learn more about each individual temple- keep our recommends updated- and write in our passports about our experiences.

This month we have plans to go to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple in Draper.

It's going to be a good year!

(Hailey did admit later that when she first opened it she thought it was a real passport... just a little bit of a let down there- can't say I blame her!? that would have been fun too.)

waffle palooza

For Christmas this year...

I bought this beauty--

I've been seriously coveting wanting it ever since I started working.

With all the extra hours- I splurged & bought it for myself, well- for all of us.

(Not that anyone else was asking for one.)

It's an All Clad, four slice, Belgian waffler!!

Oh gosh- Oh golly

This baby is a beaut!

It's shiny-- really shiny

It's the, "Cadillac of waffle makers."

Oh man- they are GOOD.

One of the main reasons I wanted this waffler was so that I could make them ahead & then the kids could toast their own in the morning.

So- that's what I did- Yesterday I made a big batch & filled up three gallon ziploc bags for the freezer. It's nice to wake up to hot waffles, without having to get up & make hot waffles.

Do you love small appliances?

Do you think I'm crazy pining after a waffle maker?

Really?

Cause I really love this baby!

christmas break times two edition

Over Christmas break we have been so blessed!

We were invited to eat dinner with our friends the Johnsons not once... BUT TWICE.

Okay, the second time we kind of invited ourselves?

It was awesome!!

Besides having excellent taste (Karen & I love the same kinds of food) the company can't be beat. Just look at these lovely gals. Somehow Larkin escaped the photo?

Lily & Hailey

Hailey & Lily

two cuties- both so funny



They like to take funny pictures of themselves & put them on facebook.

It just cracks me up.

 Caroline & Chloe- best friends since kindergarten.

Really I couldn't ask for a better friend for Chloe.

 I love you Lily & Caroline.

I really do!

 I love your whole family- we all do!

 Your just so darn easy to love.

Besides eating with the Johnson's twice-- we also ate here twice.

It's true that I haven't quite figured out all of my new year's goals. I do have a couple.

#1 goal of 2012- no more crappy cheap cheeseburgers for me!

If I want a burger- this is the place.

Tony Burgers

Rated the #1 new place to eat in Utah & the best shake in the state!

I tell you what...

This place makes all other burger places look like junk. Even In & Out Burger.



It's amazing--- AMAZING I teLL YOU.

mmmmm

What makes them so good?

The meat is fresh, a combo of beef that has such great flavor. Hamburger meat that has flavor? Ya- I had no idea either? Also- the fries... oh mama.. they double fry them. Ketchup, fry sauce & Hickory fry sauce. Need I say more?

{ Tonyburger's signature Strawberry Coconut shake}

The Johnson's & Tony Burgers

what do they have in common?

Two things we need a lot more of in 2012.

missionary jack's last call

Latter Day Saint (LDS) missionaries only get to call home a couple of times while on their missions. I didn't understand this rule... until Megan went to Ecuador to work in an orphanage one summer. I won't go into my "phone call theory" right now... but I do agree this is a good idea. EASIER SAID THAN DONE-- but better for everyone in the long run for many reasons. Anyhow--- HOORAY for Christmas Day because we got to talk to Jack!!!

It was glorious.

I have to say-- that I started bawling hysterically & couldn't stop about 1/2 hour before the call. I had tried really hard not to think about the phone call for so long that all of the sudden- I just broke & I was so excited! As soon as I heard his voice... I was fine. He sounded just like Jack. He sounded good. He has a bit of an accent (cute) and--- he is in full on missionary mode- hasn't thought once about coming home. I had to remind him that he does have to make some plans for coming home... college plans etc. He will be going back to BYU of course, but housing - jobs - etc. I'm glad he is not thinking about it- it will come soon enough. Still I needed to know a couple of things to help him be ready for the transition back to regular life. bummer for him - awesome for us.

So-- guess what?

Jack comes home in exactly 95 days.

CaN YOU BElieVe iT?

He will be home right smack in the middle of spring break. Plus Megan, Tony & the boys will be here. I am so excited for this week--- I can't even describe it. Also- everyone will be home for Easter. EVERYONE will be home for Easter 2012. Oh gosh- I can't think of anything I would enjoy more.

BRING ON 2012



Christmas post... finally!

On Christmas morning....

I couldn't find my IPhone- this is NOT a good thing. I am absolutely in love with that phone & can hardly exist without it. The kids were stuck on the stairs... couldn't come down... with out a photo! My camera battery is long dead- hello? I almost never use it anymore since I was given the best. gift. ever. my IPhone. So- we decided to use Brian's IPhone to take pictures. I KNEW this was a mistake- he still hasn't given me the pictures. He thinks it's ridiculous that I took 75 pictures with his phone-- until I was given my new IPhone 4Gs! These pictures are from that. Poor Brian was up half the night switching over all my info/pictures/etc. from the old phone to the new phone. sorry bri- sorry I had a big fat fit & couldn't sleep without my iphone & you had to wait until I was asleep to steal it out of my obsessive control. YEs-- I really love my IPhone.

So- these are all the pictures I've got. This is it.

Here are a few (hopefully I will get more soon wink wink) pictures from Christmas.

 the mess

 getting ready to leave for sacrament meeting

 Hailey is the accompanist for the choir so she practiced a minute before we left. I am so proud!

 Chloe is a BIG fan & she got Martha Stewart's new Entertaining book-- a signed copy!!!

It was a GREAT morning- we were up by 5:00. We were not rushed to get to 11:00 church in time & I loved having Christmas day on a Sunday- it was beautiful.

Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve

Christmas was wonderful at our house!!!

I hope it was at yours too?

On Christmas Eve early afternoon we all went to see this movie.

WE LOVED IT!

Our town has a new movie theater & boy golly is it FaNCy!

This is a picture of Trent by the cool new age pop machine-- it's hard to see in the photo-- but it really is cool.

There is all kinds of food to purchase & take into the movie... the seats are those high ones that rock... wow. Super fun.

We got popcorn & drinks & opted to eat lunch after the movie. We went out for burgers & fries & had a ball. 

The girls & Brett did some last minute shopping while I did some last minute wrapping!

Then we all met back up for our traditional --Hoagies & Floats-- Christmas Eve dinner.

Trent wouldn't even come to the table.

He was busy tracking Santa on Norad... he was giving us updates constantly through the night.

He was also begging us to open his traditional one present.

oh boy

We were waiting for Brian & Laura to come over.. and it was painful.

but--

worth it!

We love, Love, LOVE having them close enough to be here on a regular basis.



Sure enough everyone got pj's for Christmas.

It was a fun day & a long night...

more to come.

merry christmas

I am taking a break from wrapping presents & getting ready for our Christmas Eve traditional hoagie dinner to say~

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Thank you to all my friends & family for your love & support of this little blog. It is a joy to look back through & see the good times in my life.
This Christmas I am grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. For His birth, His life, & His atonement. I love Him. I am thankful to know that He is my brother & He is on my side.

I am also thankful for my husband & six children-- they are the joy of my life.
Oh how I wish we were all together on this special day-- but it's okay, that's what Heaven is going to be all about!

I am also thankful for my missionary. Who comes home in just over 100 days. (YES You better believe I am counting the days- no I don't tell him that, although I'm sure he knows.) Tomorrow- Christmas Day 2011- will be his third & last call home from Brazil. The next time I hear his voice it will be in person. I cannot wait to wrap my arms around him & kiss him on the face. It will be one of the best weeks in my life- as all my children will be home to celebrate Easter (and those two beautiful grand baby's of mine!!)
I remember when he left- two years seemed so far away- and yet, here we are.

NO- life here is not perfect-- I leave a lot of those details out. But, YES- life here is good.

again~
Merry Christmas
May the light of Christ our Lord bless your life as it has mine.

Love,
Patsy

wordless wednesday