And Back Home Again!

This is too funny. I sent Adam a text to see how his taking the test went. Seems he hates Arizona already, so he's heading back home.

Go figure. Now all he has to do is avoid drunks out tonight.

Happy New Year!!

Another One Leaves the Nest . . .

Well, Adam has been talking about moving to Arizona and working at tech support for AT&T. They've got a class starting, and it's filling up quickly, so he and a friend left last night. My baby! *sniff* He sent me a text this morning to tell me they'd made it safely there, and the trip sucked.

He hates snow, so perhaps Arizona will be a good place for him. Of course, he hates heat too . . .

Christmas and New Years

We survived Christmas even though I got strep last week. It came on suddenly, as strep tends to do, but I managed to get on antibiotics in time to go to my son's house for Christmas Eve, and so far no one else appears to have caught it from me. Yay! On Christmas Eve, some family members played Rock Band and others of us watched a movie in Dave's in-house theater. We did the gift exchange and the kids opened their gifts from us. The only thing I miss is the little kids doing a nativity. Oh, well.

Grampa, bless his heart, ended up shuttling between our three homes. I hope he didn't find it to be unsettling. He's such a good sport, he won't always tell us. It was such fun to have him. As soon as the snow is melted, I'm going to send him a picture, so he knows we don't always have snow. I swear we've had so much snow the last two Christmases that he's been with us.

I did a video of our Christmas.I did another one for Grampa and pulled several videos that I'd done from the past and put them all on one DVD for him to view when he's home all alone.



I got a Wii and Wii Fit for Christmas. We bowled and golfed all Christmas Day--and I was sore on Friday! Who would have thought that a video game would make you sore? It was fun though, because I love to bowl but haven't been able to since I started having problems with recurring tendinitis in my right wrist about 10 years ago. And Erin managed to bowl two games in the 240s!

I'm just stressing out a little bit now, as we're within one week of sailing to Hawaii. The weather forecast for the 6th changes. Last night it was only 10% chance of snow, but today it's a 30% chance of snow. But the local weather station said there were no big storms coming, so I'm encouraged--right? The only other stresser is that we still don't have Ed's passport. He didn't listen to me when I told him to keep his birth certificate and send it in with the passport stuff after the cruise. So right now he has neither, and one is required to board the ship. *sigh*

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

And they said this storm was going to start out as rain and then turn into snow.

Uh huh . . . .

Grrrrr!

I'm SO frustrated with my mortgage company right now. We had that flood in the basement in October, and with one of the insurance payments, they made the check out to us and our mortgage company. Okay, so I guess I understand they need to know we did the work. Well, we endorsed that check and sent it to the mortgage company, and I requested that they credit it to my December payment, and I sent the balance.

Guess what we got in the mail yesterday from the insurance company? THE CHECK I SENT TO THE MORTGAGE COMPANY!!!!! Oh my heck!!!!! And I'm finding this out at 7 p.m. on the 15th. And then the mortgage company's lines were really busy and it took forever to talk to a real person, and she couldn't take the balance of the house payment with my debit card--which is tied to my checking account--but they wanted the routing number to my checking account. :confused: So she referred me to the automated system, which was down of course.

By this time I was practically hyperventilating. Last June I made a typo on my payment request through my online bill pay, and the June payment was accidentally scheduled for July. *sigh* Got a nice zing on my credit score because of that, so it was very important that this not happen again--especially since it wasn't my bad this time. Grrrrr

If they couldn't use the check to credit toward my mortgage payment, they should have had the courtesy to inform me rather than sending the check back to my insurance company. Morons!!!!

Anyhoo, I got it taken care of today without getting a hit either in late fees or my credit score, but this was so stupidly unnecessary. I called and complained to the department over this, and the lady agreed that I should have been notified when they couldn't credit my account.

On another stressful subject--now if we can just get Ed's birth certificate for our cruise (leaving in 3 weeks!). When we applied for our passports (the 15 day cruise is to Hawaii and back but the last day will be in Ensenada, Mexico), we found out we needed to submit our birth certificates. Well, the certificate Ed has used his entire life (including things like getting a driver's license and joining the Air Force) was the one given to his parents by the hospital and is no longer acceptable because it wasn't issue by a governmental entity. So, he's requested one from Pennsylvania, but I'm worried now they won't respond quickly enough for the trip. It certainly won't be enough time for him to get his passport back.

And they didn't send me back my birth certificate, which the lady at the post office where we submitted the passports assured me they would do.

Man, I need some decent emoticons to show my true feelings! =D

Secret of Christmas

From the song
"The Secret of Christmas"

Look at the happy people.
Christmas is in the air.
Well, I know the secret of Christmas,
a secret I'm willing to share.

It's not the glow you feel when snow appears.
It's not the Christmas cards you've sent o'er years.
Not the joyful sound when sleigh bells ring
or the merry songs children sing.

The little gift you send
on Christmas Day
Will not bring back a friend
You've turned away.

So may I suggest
The secret of Christmas
Is not the things you do at Christmastime,
But the Christmas things you do - all year through.

~~author unknown

Special Christmas Guest

Woot! Grampa Hanson's going to join us for Christmas again this year!! He called yesterday to let me know he'd begin his traveling from Southern California on the 16th. He was with us last Christmas, too, and it was so much fun to have him. It was the first time in over a decade that he'd been able to join us because he'd had to tend Grama Hanson, who couldn't handle the high altitude's thin air and extremes in temperature. He got pneumonia last year, so I hope we have a healthy Christmas this year!

Beginning of the Season

I really love this time of year. Christmas Day was my mother's birthday, and she always went out of her way to make it special. Of course, she had to. She said that as she was growing up, people would give her one present and say "Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!" It was like she didn't really have a birthday. That was the main reason that we celebrated the December birthdays of two of our children in June--we acknowledged their real birthdays but had the party on their half birthday.

For my mom, you can imagine that it didn't get any better when she was an adult with a family. A mom getting her birthday off? And that day off just happens to be Christmas?!?! *gasp* So she made it worth giving up her birthday for.

She died when I was 14, and it still makes me sad as I have realized how special she was that I haven't been able to tell her that. She would have been 81 this year. It's hard to believe that next June she'll have been gone 40 years. But I have great faith that she's just waiting for me on the other side of the veil, and I will have my chance to hug her and talk with her again. We'll have so much to catch up on.



"Until one feels the spirit of Christmas,
there is no Christmas.
All else is outward display--
so much tinsel and decorations.
For it isn't the holly,
it isn't the snow.
It isn't the tree
not the firelight's glow.
It's the warmth that comes
to the hearts of men
when the Christmas spirit returns again."
-- Anonymous

Thanksgiving

Prior to Thanksgiving, we had my granddaughter Sienna come and stay a couple of nights. We took her and another little girl, Katie, to dinner and a movie on Tuesday night. Sienna helped me with my baking on Wednesday. It was SO much fun!

We went to my daughter Erin's house (Sienna's mom) for Thanksgiving. Robert and his fiancee Michelle, and Paul were able to come. Paul's fiancee, Kelsey, had to work, which was a bummer. But considering how many people have lost their jobs over the last few months, it would be a more grateful attitude to appreciate that she has a job even if it means she had to work on a holiday. David and his family went to Idaho to visit his wife Shannon's grandmother for the holiday. We missed seeing them.

We did get to talk with my father and Dad Hanson and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving.



Something that caught my attention was this quote, which I think is very appropriate to the day:

"When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty
my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup."
Sam Lefkowitz

Reflections on Aging

My dad sent this to me. It has so much truth in it:

Old Age, I decided, is a gift.

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60s & 70s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.
So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don’t question myself anymore.

I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.

And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).

Election is Over

I need to say right out that I didn't vote for Obama or McCain. I had concerns about both candidates. However, the American people have spoken (in amazing numbers). It was quite a moment when Obama made his acceptance speech and compared it to Martin Luther King's remarks 40 years ago. How far we have come.

As for whether or not this will be good or bad, I know of someone who woke up on Wednesday after having nightmares because of the election results. All I can say is that I have more confidence in our system than that! I refuse to believe that our elected officials don't want what's best for this country--our differences come in agreeing on how to go about it. The President does not stand alone in ruling this nation, and there are many checks and balances in place. Regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, there is a Congress and a Senate full of many egos and ideas that will have to be worked with. Hopefully they will learn to play nice with each other.

Harry Potter All Hallows Party

Well, after a furious week (and much effort before the flood), the time for the Harry Potter party arrived. It was so much fun! Everyone did such a great job getting into it.

To get into the spirit of things, I replaced all the family photos with pictures of people from HP.



We even had Moaning Myrtle's bathroom (do you see her peeking in the mirror?):



And don't forget the cauldron of Polyjuice Potion being brewed in there:



Some of our guests included The Weird Sisters (Paul (son), Kelsey (Paul's fiancee), and Adam (son)--who still hasn't figured out how to keep his mouth closed for pictures ;) ):



Here's Harry (Spencer--son in law) and Ginny (Erin--daughter). The picture of Harry Potter in the background was done by my oldest son, David Weaver for one of his senior projects when he graduated in Art from Utah Valley State College (now Utah Valley University).



Here's Robert (son) stepping out with Narcissa Malfoy (his fiancee Michelle):



Here we have Julie and Bob (friends) as a Dementor and a Death Eater:



And, of course, there's our friends Kelly as Gilderoy Lockhart and Arlene as Trelawney:



Okay, enough character snapshots! I can't put them all on here. =D

Everyone was sorted into houses. We did History of Magic (trivia quiz) as a group--Slytherin and Gryffindor tied. Then the members of the various houses went to different locations where their other classes were being held. Below is from potions.



We had Ancient Runes and Arithmancy classes in the newly painted basement (notice that Spencer is trying to copy Adam by hanging his mouth open for the picture):



The following is from the transfiguration class. The Slytherins (second class) got the idea to show the graveyard scene from Goblet of Fire (on the right). The next two classes followed suit, showing the wild ride at Gringotts Bank (bottom) and the trio having to get past Fluffy in Sorceror's Stone. It was so good, they all got equal points, but the Slytherins were disgruntled because they felt everyone had copied them and the should have gotten creativity points.

They were probably right, but I'd forgotten that I hadn't included that when doing up the points, and I knew there were people who needed to get going. In trying to be fair, I admit I did them a disservice.

I bow to their incredible creativity and honor them! :notworthy:



Gryffindor won the house cup.

Thanks everyone for making it such a fun night!

Phew! We're all ready for the installation of the carpet in the morning, and I'll be home in the afternoon to start hauling everything back down where it belongs.

We're not absolutely sure what we'll have the the end of the "hallway" below. It may end up being an outdoor scene. But we won't decide until we have the ceiling painted.



I love what Paul did with the lichen:


It looks cooler in person!

A Castle in the Making

We got a lot done in the room downstairs. The first picture is what it looked like when the new sheetrock was in.


This is what the room looks like with a primer and light gray coat of paint.


The castle stones are in place.


We only had time to get the beginnings of the shading on the stone. I'm not thrilled with the way it looks up close. But I have an idea on how to proceed. We'll have to see how it goes tomorrow.


By the way--my feet hurt!

Flood Update

Well, after hours and hours of ripping out wet sheetrock and putting new rock in the larger of the flooded rooms, we're going to be doing some painting today. The house is nearly as old as I am, and the wood is old and dry. I'm finding it very hard to drill the sheetrock screws into it!

Flood!

Well, we had a little too much adventure yesterday. An outside pipe broke (it didn't freeze so we have no idea what happened), and it flooded half of our basement. We had to haul the furniture, books, albums, cassette tapes, toys, etc. out. Thank heavens that our sons David, Robert, Paul, and Adam plus Adam's friend Colby were able to help.

The carpet and padding is a loss, and we're going to have to replace some of the sheetrock and paneling. And everywhere else in the house is a mess, because that's where we had to put the stuff we removed from the basement!

Now all we have to do is get it fixed by Saturday, when I'm having my Harry Potter Party!

Upcoming Weddings

Wow, we haven't have a wedding in the family for several years now. Looks like 2009 is going to be a busy year!

Paul and Kelsey are planning a Casablanca themed wedding for May. Kelsey would like it to be outdoors, so hopefully the Utah weather will cooperate.

Robert and Michelle are now engaged, and they are looking at an April wedding.

How can these two little boys (Paul on the left and Robert on the right above) be old enough to be married? Time sure does fly! Robert (left below) with Ed and Paul (right below) from our family portraits done in 2006.

Robert, whose hair is now shorter than in the picture above, says his hair looks nappy. Paul's hair is much longer than in the above picture.

Mural

For years now we have been working on a room in our basement. It was originally used as the video game room for the kids. We had an old TV down there and some funky recliners from D.I. Since I have some very talented children, I suggested it would be fun to do murals of their favorite video games. They were excited about it, and we got the initial sketching done, but the painting has taken years. First Paul did some with our family friend, Chanel. I even did some painting. Then later, Paul and his fiancee Kelsey finished up the backgrounds. Slowly, Chanel (and even me a little) has been doing the finish work on them.

Most people know that I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, and I wanted to have a section of the wall for HP, since there have been games released with every movie. I did the initial sketching, and then Chanel tightened it up and put her unique Anime touch to it. She finished the painting on Harry Potter yesterday, and it's fabulous!



Here is a close up:



And here is another wall:



Well done, Chanel!!! I need to take updated pictures of some of the other walls. Perhaps I will post them here as well. It's been fun to be part of the project even though my part was very small.

**Edited to add** I'm a moderator at an HP website, and I must say it makes me laugh that I got spammed because I mentioned Harry Potter!

Gardner Village

I LOVE it when I get to go to Gardner Village with my daughter and her children! The folks at Gardner Village always do such a great job with the atmosphere, and the shops have so much fun stuff to look at. And Sienna and Aidan (and now hopefully Madelyn) love going there as well. It was colder today than it usually is when we go, because of an incoming storm--but it was actually nicer than we heard it might be and hot chocolate always helps!

President Monson's talk made me think of this. It's from a talk by Lucille Johnson (author unknown) that I've always found to be very profound.

Why Don't You Kids Grow Up?

One of these days you'll shout, "Why don't you kids grow up and act your age?" and they will.

Or, "You guys get outside and find something to do," and they will.

"Don't slam that door!" and they won't.

You'll straighten the boys' room neat and tidy, discard the gum and the candy wrappers, pick up the dirty socks and stack the toys on the shelves, make the beds, sweep the floors, and yell, "Now, I want this room to stay like this." and it will.

You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been been picked to death and bring out a cake with no finger marks on the icing, and then you'll sit down to a beautiful table with everything in its place and say, "Now this is a meal fit for company!" and you will eat it alone.

You'll say, "I want some quiet around here--shut off that TV, turn down that radio, quit banging around, quit fighting; I want some privacy!" and you'll have it.

No more plastic table cloths stained with spaghetti and no more dirty bedspreads; no more plastic sheets to protect the mattresses from wet bottoms. No more toys on the floor to fall over and no more school books on the table. No more dirty rings in the bathtub; no stopped up sinks; and no washer over-run. No more shirts burned with ironing marks or bubble gum in the blankets.

No more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent. No more colic, diarrhea, whooping cough, runny nose, wet clothes or colds. No more sand in the bed or food on the rugs or marks on the wall, dirt on the furniture, paint on the windows; no more smashed fingers.

Imagine, no more ironed patches, wet knotted shoe strings, lipstick with a point on it, no more odd socks that don't match. No babysitter on New Year's Eve. Imagine, seeing a steak that isn't ground. No PTA meeting; no Back to School Nights; no more cavities; no more car pools.

Think about it, no more broken toys on Christmas Day. No more gifts for you made of toothpicks or library glue. No more sloppy, oatmeal kisses. No more giggles in the dark. No more scraped knees. No responsibility.

Only a reflective voice crying out, "Why don't you kids grow up?" and the silence echoing, "We have."

*sob*

After I heard this the first time, I tried very hard to keep it in mind when I would get frustrated with all the little vexations of raising a family. I tried to enjoy the moments as I was experiencing them. I don't know what the kids think of their childhood, but I certainly enjoyed raising them.

It's been the highlight of my life to be a mom.

Of course, that being said, since I worked really hard to enjoy it while my kids were growing up, I'm now really enjoying the time afterward. It's fun to see them making their own lives, raising their own children, and spending time together as an ever growing family (growing in a different way now).

Me too!

Having followed the blogs of my daughter and daughter-in-law, I thought perhaps it would be fun to do this, too.

I've been listening to conference today and feel inspired. I guess this is a kind of journaling--now if we could just find a way to preserve it!

It's raining outside today, and it's a really pleasant change, considering that I started out the week at a conference in Tucson--way too hot for late September!

One of the conference activities was to go to the Pima Air & Space Museum where we saw a lot of planes--including an old Air Force One used by Presidents Kennedy & Johnson. It was really something that they had to block off the restroom at the back of the plane, because they found that people were going in there and sitting on the toilet so they could say they'd sat on the same pot that a president had!