Rock'in Around the Christmas Tree

Only 29 days left until Christmas. Time to decorate the tree. It turned into an all day affair. We started @ 10am with Christmas music playing in the background, picture perfect. At noon the BYU/Utah game began and drowned out the Christmas music. Nothing like trimming the tree with football highlights on the TV. All and all it was a great day: the house looks festive, we enjoyed leftover turkey, caught a few football highlights and enjoyed the classic It's a Wonderful Life....we do have a wonderful life. Happy Holiday Kick off.

The kids decorat their own tree in their room. They put all of their decorations that they have made over the years. It is fun to see what they have made and how they have changed.

30 day countdown to Christmas

thanks April for the fun idea. The kids got a kick out of it. Happy Holidays
Hey, I just made a total elf of myself. Check it out by clicking the link below. http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9588350083 This elfin' greeting brought to you by OfficeMax®.

17 years and just beginning

17 years ago today we were celebrating thanksgiving with both of our families and excited about beginning our new life together. We had dinner with my family and then went and had pie with Bruce's family. We ended up back up at my house for the evening and some how we had a disagreement about something (who knows what) and I became emotional (so unlike me) and said, "if this is what married life is going to be like I don't want to get married." Bruce reassured me all would be well and that a good nights rest is what I needed. A good nights sleep was exactly what I needed.

Our wedding day was amazing the weather could not have been better. It was in the 60's and no snow which was odd for late November. We were to be married at 9am in the Salt Lake Temple. We were all ready to go waiting in the Celestial room until it was our turn. Being the day after thanks giving there were 30 other brides being married that day. Being young and in love we did not realize that when they did come to get us it was 10am. Bruce's mission president Elder Kikuchi, of the Seventy, was going to marry us but had been called out of town on an assignment. Since they were quite booked they were trying to find another sealer who could seal us. They did of course and all was well. Before they began the ceremony Bruce's mom leaned over to me and said, referring to the sealer, "I think he was my OBGYN he delivered Bruce." The sealer, recognizing the name Spratling comment, "I brought you into this world, I am performing your marriage, now as all I need to do is get my under takers license".

Seventeen years later, four children, three homes, two states and a life time of memories we are beginning to figure things out. It is OK to not agree on everything. It is OK to squeeze the tooth paste in the middle. It is OK to wear shoes in the house. It is OK to eat dessert first. It is OK to leave the toilet seat up (as long as it is not in the middle of the night). It is OK to leave clothes in piles, sometimes not even making it into the drawer before being worn again. I have discovered that life is a journey and we are trying to take it one day at a time and enjoy it along the way. Life happens daily:) I am just grateful I have Bruce to share it with. Happy Anniversary Love.

Happy Turkey Day

Thanksgiving Day Plans

We are getting together with two families who moved up here, from Utah. Our Thanksgiving menu:

Turkey (a given)

Ham (Mr. Kevin Bacon)

sweet potato/yams (a friends recipe)

stuffing

corn

home-made rolls and strawberry jam

mash potatoes and Bruce's gravy

pies: pumpkin, blackberry, apple, peach, banana cream, coconut cream, chocolate

We are doing the turkey, ham, corn, and half the pies so we will be eating gooooood for several days. Thanks giving weekend.

I love this time of year and am grateful for a day to reflect on all that I am thankful for. I am so grateful for all the basics (my family, home, friends, the gospel) yet this year I am grateful for LIFE. Having a dear friend pass away just three months ago it has made me realize how precious and short life is. I am grateful to take one breath at a time. I am also grateful for this new found means of communication of Blogging and all my blogging friends. I am also grateful to be living the simple life. Fishing and hiking and cliff jumping in the summer, ice skating on the pond in the winter. To me it is like stepping back in time, another era, where for a moment time stands still. These are a few of my favorite things, and no I am not going to break into song, that I am grateful for.

Hope you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving.

monday's To Do List

1. wake up @ 6am being serenaded by Sidney playing her clarinet (she set her alarm for 5:50am so she could be up, dressed and be the first to practice. rise and shine.
2. since i was up and it was laundry day i started the first of 8 loads of laundry.
3. ready to make breakfast...OK lets just have cold cereal
4. 7am read scriptures (today was a successful day everyone was ready and it did not end in a fight)
5. 7:30 kids make cold lunches today
6. 8am off to school. 3 out of 4 (Hannah goes back to bed not feeling well, the flu)
7. home again - put two lunches back in the fridge Hannah's and Parker left his in the car (I'm sure he secretly wanted to have hot.
8. 8:10 another load of laundry
9. 8:30 ride bike stationary bike and read (it's great when i can multi task)
10. 9:30 shower, change laundry load #3
11. 10:30 pop corn and movie with Hannah (I'm sure it is not the flu - just wanted a play day with mom)
12. 12:oo change load #4 and scrapbbook trying to finish up NY trip scrapbook
13. 1:30 lunch - the rest of th bag of popcorn from movie with Hannah
14. up to 3:00 scrapbook finished up NY scrapbook, laundry #5, pick up kids from school
16. 3:15 homework
17. 4:30 #6 load of laundry, begin dinner (haystacks yum -yum Sidney is making dinner)
18.5:30 # 7 load of laundry and all the kids put away the mounds of clothes
19. 6:00 Dinner , clean up and decide not to do load # 8
20. FHE movie night Holiday Inn - kicking off the holiday season
21. 8:30 prayers, hugs and kisses good night.
22. Blog
23. 10:00 Everyone Loves Raymond
24. 10:30 to Bed

our freezer is filling up

Parker viewed our blog today and wanted to know where his hunting picture was. He wanted to know why it wasn't on the current page. He was so proud of his deer. Yesterday he went hunting again and they shot deer #2. He is loving this fall. For all of you animal lovers out there we are not posting a picture but for the love of my son I am posting this blog for him tonight. FYI if you want to see what the deer looks like you can view the previous hunting blog deer. Surprisingly deer #2 looks quite similar to deer #1 minus the antlers (It was a doe) . Could they be related?
(I think Parker wants to start his own blog... he proofed mine and wanted me to add that his #2nd was a doe, for any of you out there not knowing your deer classification. Thanks Parker:)