Thankful for Thanksgiving

I am glad there is a time set aside to be grateful and gather together as a family. Joe came for Thanksgiving and we had a grand time. We ate twice, once and Grandma's and once together here at home. We loved our Black friday tradtion and shopped for quite a while, seven stores. Good deals were found and Joe liked being in the know for what everyone was getting for Christmas. He helped me pull out the Christmas trees and wrap quite a few presents. I love that Spencer is in town and we stillget to se ehim weekely. My kids in Utah visit often and Im so pleased to have Celia dn SPencer in town. They are getting more and more independent, but they mean so much to me. I love spending time with each of our children. I am glad we have our health and friends that help shape our time and community. Ward Temple night has been nice and we will keep that going in the New Year. November is a pause in traveling for me. I really felt like staying home, enjoying routines and nesting. We celebrated Emmys Birthday from afar and welcomned the holidays. I am sure there are difficult things going on, but I love to focus on gathering family and keeping those essential relationsships alive and thriving.

Moab and Trunk or Treat

After Chicago, we got to go see the kids and spend some time together in Moab, Utah. It was such a great realzing time seeing all the desert beauty and play games together. We saw a water fall and went tot he beautiful Canyonlands. I was brave enough to try the food trucks and was glad we got to see the kids again this year. After getting home from Utah we had a trunk or treat for Church. It was a great time and Cleia dressed up for Hallween twice that day, So fun!

Chicago and Bri's Bday

It was a great month. I got a new to me Audi and am quite pleased. Tanya came to vist for a weekend and things went well. We had beautiful sunsets and time with our routines. I went and saw Downton Abbey with my pickeball friends and we celebrated Brian's birthday with the Jones, out for Thai and had gelato After. It was a great time and even though we didnt have cake, we celebrated later in Chicago with a few more of Brian's work friends. THe steak resturant we went to was amazing. Celia and I shared Lobster and fele mignon. Celia and I loved walking around and shopping on Magnificent mile and we got so many steps in. Celia liked Build of Bear and I sure loved the Harry Potter store. We all enjoyed the aritecture tour boat ride and of course Chicago dogs and Deep Dish Pizza at Giodanis. Im not a city girl, the sewers could be smelled from above ground and it was quite loud and unclean, but the city was fun and full of life and culture. We stayed at the Royal Sonista and loveed the grounds. We made a lot of good memories and I'm so glad we were able to go. />

Practicing Patience and Compassion

My Beautiful car was rearended by a teen. It was my dream car and I planned on having it for another 10 years at least. I was forced to deal with the underinsured and various shops and insurances. In the end I was happy with how things turned out. Was it better? Yes. Was it difficult to wait and wonder? Absolutely. This replacement car was hand picked by me and Celia rather than my husband which was how the first one was found. I did feel like it was the one and I did get extremely happy seeing it pull up to test drive just as I did before when I drove my First Audi. I know it sounds silly, but it really does make me happy, almost as happy as the first. I feel blessed to have gone through all the hardship of waiting and wondering and dealing with banks to get the funds. I feel a tiny bit stronger for it. I also repaired some relationship with a family member and that was good too. Was it stressful? Yes, but I made it and it went better than I thought that it would. I need to remember things work out and being anxious about it isnt going to help anything. What a beautiful end to August, I can't wait to see what the next months bring.

Best Birthday Ever

Emmy and Jordon were supposed to visit me for my birthday to go see a waterfall. Jordon traded places with Joe and wow I loved having all my kids in town. I couldnt believe how happy I was on the Sunday after my birthday when we went for a ride with Spencer and all our family of origin. My mama heart could burst. I celebrated my birthday the Friday before seeing the Movie Superman, Play ing pickball with friends and picking up the kids from the airport. On Saturday we traveled to Burney Falls which was so beautiful. We were blessed with a close parking spot despite how busy it was. It was unqiue and mesmorizing. The colors of the water and spray seemed tropical. I'm soo glad we went. I loved going out to eat that night in Redding and the next day with my folks at La Huaca. To have an anniversay so close too was fun. We had a beautiful yummy cake from Nugget to commemorate the raspberry topper cake from opur first year married. I'm blessed to be loved and to enjoy my life.