Thankgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving is in just a few days and I am packing up to head home for some traditional family gatherings. I am looking forward to delicious food and conversation.

The truth is that I've always loved Thanksgiving. There is something so special about gathering together with the people who are your family, your roots and being thankful. With busy schedules, school and work monopolizing our time, we don't get home very often to see the people we love and the places that made us who we are.

I have an incredible amount of things to be thankful for. I will spare you an entire post and just include the short list: Heber in every way, jobs that we like, a home, the gospel, good friends who we can talk and laugh with for hours and who are there during the hard times, allergy shots (I really am), reliable cars, the Taiwan Imports shopping buddy, Hillary Clinton Chocolate Chip Cookies, darling nephews and nieces, being called "ya-ya," family that listens and supports me in every way and opportunities to be brave.

I'm going to be eating pie for days. Yeah! Happy Thanksgiving!

The Two Happiest Places on Earth

So, just last week I decided I needed a vacation and booked a flight to Southern California to see Loni and her family. As I was in the airport, I rode the escalators down to the waiting area, it was one of the happiest sites I could see, my sister and a little boy standing beside her (last time I saw Judd, he wasn't even crawling yet).

Heb had a business trip to Washington D.C., so I was traveling alone. I don't really mind, it's nice to be independent once in a while. We'll have to get down there again in January when we'll really need some sunshine (Logan gets very dark, dreary and cold during January).

I stayed in Southern California with Loni, Steve and Judd. We had a great time visiting Disneyland decked out in holiday decor (this felt a little weird because the sun was shining and it was 90 degrees). We only had to wait in a few lines and rode all of the best rides.

Judd's favorite was the Teacups, just look at this happy little face.

We also participated in my favorite vacation activity, shopping! I think that I would go on vacation just to shop, Heber doesn't understand this.


Aside from the activities, it was just fun to hang out with their family and play with Juddie. To spend hours talking and laughing about nothing at all. Thanks goes to Loni and her fam for letting me stay a few days, I can't wait for Christmas to come.

Tagged!

So Loni, my sister, tagged me. Enjoy!

1. Do you like blue cheese? No, but I am married to a guy who he and his whole family LOVES it.
2. Do you own a gun? Heber does. My dad gave it to him the first Christmas we were married. We knew he was officially accepted into the family.
3. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? To be honest, I have never eaten at Sonic. Must be this sheltered Logan life.
4. Do you get nervous before doctor Appointments? Not anymore. I've been getting allergy shots and spend like 2 hours in the doctor's office every week.
5. What do you think of hot dogs? I like them. Every once in a while I crave them.
6. Favorite Christmas movie? White Christmas, especially the cheesy dancing scenes.
7. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? I'm not much of a morning person so water.
8. Can you do push-ups? Not very well.
9. Age? 24
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? It's hard to say. I like making jewelry a lot and have lots of favorites but maybe the necklace Heber brought back from DC for me.
11. Favorite hobby? Jewelry Making
12. Favorite Actor? Tom Hanks. An oldie but a goodie.
13. Do you have A.D.D.? No
14. What's one trait you hate about yourself? that I can't seem to be on time anywhere.
15. Middle name? It was Michelle but when I got married I changed it to Lawrence
16. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment: 1-I can't wait to go to California, 2 days!! 2-I am nervous about a meeting with my writing professor this afternoon, she will be critiquing my writing and 3- I am so overwhelmed with projects at work. I don't know what to work on.
17. Name 3 things you bought yesterday/today? Um, a scrapbook for Loni, one of those ones that comes in a bag and all the cuteness is done for you, some Christmas tags with gold accents and that's it. Heb and I did visit the tile store but didn't buy anything. We are redoing our bathroom, yeah!
18. 3 drinks you regularly drink? water and milk. Yes, I know that's boring. And not even milk that much.
19. 3 Current worries? Getting my work done, cleaning my house (I've been stressed with other stuff) and the economy.
20. Favorite place to be? Anywhere with Heb. But I do love D.C. or my home in Grantsville.
21. How did you bring in the New Year? We spent it with Heber's parents. We started a new tradition of burning the regrets of the old year. Very rejuvenating.
22.Where would you like to go? Israel
23. Tag three to six people... Tami, Mindy and Laura
24. Do you own slippers? Yes, I love to wear them on cold nights.
25. What shirt are you wearing? a black turtleneck. Very Chic.
26. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I've never done it before, am I missing out?
27. Can you whistle? Yes, seriously so good.
28. favorite color? green almost always.
29. Would you be a pirate? Maybe for a while but not back in the old times with the diseases and stuff.
30. What songs do you sing in the shower? Most recently Christmas music, I haven't even started listening to it yet but it must be in my head.
31. Favorite girl's name? boy's name? I don't have any yet. It's hard to find something that goes well with Green (Amber, Hunter, Emerald, Dale, Dean, you get the idea).
32. What is in your pocket? Chapstick. It's been so dry lately.
33. Last thing that made you laugh? A David Sederas reading on David Letterman.
34. Best bed sheets as a child? Disney sheets
35. Worst injury you've ever had? I broke my toe a couple of years ago a week before I went on a business trip to D.C. I had to hobble around the city.
36. How many TVs do you own? 1
37. Who is your loudest friend? Um...I don't have really loud friends, maybe Joanna.
38. How many dogs do you have? none, we want to get one though.
39. Does someone have a crush on you? Heber, I'm almost positive.
40. What is your favorite book(S)? Guests of the Sheik, so good! Anne of Avonlea
41. Where were you born? Salt Lake City, UT
42. What is your favorite candy? I am a sugar a holic so this is pretty hard. Maybe Twix
43. Favorite Sports Teams? I'm not a big fan of sports except for the Olympics
44. What songs do you want played at your funeral? The Lord is my Shepherd, Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd and Be Still My Soul
45.What are you doing at 12 A.M.? Sleeping, unless I'm procrastinating sleeping.
46. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I'm going to be late for work.
47. Do you live away from your home town? Where are you currently? Yes, I live in Logan
48. Do you like to celebrate the holidays? I love them, especially Christmas and the 4th of July, who doesn't love parades and fireworks?
49. Do you own/use excessive equipment, if so what kind? Excessive equipment...I'm going with no.
50. What do you think of this long list of questions? Its long.

A New Addition

Heber and I are excited to announce a new addition to our family. After many years of waiting, please welcome Dean.



Yes, Heber's new road bike. It is fast and very light with all sorts of great additions.



Heber has spent many months scouring ebay and working with guys at the office who are hard core bikers, road biking that is, to find all the parts.



All we can hope is that it stays warm enough to take a few more rides.

It's Voting Time!

Tomorrow is voting day. I am excited to get out and vote for my favorite candidates and issues. More than anything, I am excited to see it resolved and to not have to be inundated with analysis about the candidates every move.

When I lived in Washington, I saw the inauguration of our last president. By May of that year, they were already putting out complete magazines speculating on who the next president would be. They were just three years early! So I'm excited to get this all done.

As cynical as I am about politics, I still think it's important to participate. So, get out there and vote!