Holiday Fun

OK...that last post was not truly representative of how our winter has really been . We had great holidays! Thanksgiving was fun, but quiet, with just the local family (Brant, me, Scott, and Meagan, Aaron and Emery) and enough food to feed a small army. No cooking needed for the rest of the weekend.

Christmas was fun, too. We flew Dad and Rosie our from Oregon for a few days and had a good visit with them. Brant and I were both off work for the week, Meagan and family came over every evening, and Scott had some extra time since finals were over, so we were able to have a nice time together. Then on the 27th, Jolie, Mark and family came from Colorado for a few days. Their trip was delayed a day due to bad weather, so they only had the one evening to visit with Dad and Rosie.

We had lots of fun while the Griffin family was here...always lots of activity and commotion! They brought their Wii game system, and their whole Rock Band set-up, which everyone enjoyed. Some of us are not as talented and coordinated as others, but it was still fun! We played and sang in the New Year!

We also went skiing in Santa Fe on Tuesday. Scott and I had not been for 5 years . We came back with no injuries! Jolie, Mark, Sarah and Jake represented the Griffins on the slopes, with skill and talent all around! Anders stayed home with Grandpa. They both seemed to survive just fine. They also had Emery for company at Grandpa's Day Care!

So, even though I have the winter blahs, the whole winter has not been blah...

Winter Blahs

I have decide that winter and I don't do well together, so it's a good thing that winters in Albuquerque are not overly long or severe. My definition of severe has changed in recent years...by severe I mean anything below 40 degrees. So, although we have had our share of "severe" days this winter :) I know that warmer days are not far away. Winter, for me and for bears, is a time of hibernation. I don't want to go outside much, especially after dark. I don't have alot of energy for things other than what I have to do. I want to sleep more than normal (which is kinda scary). I want to eat fattening foods more than normal. So...that said, we may conclude that I have the winter blahs!! Aren't you glad to know this?

Emery Laughing

As most of you know, I watch Emery on Thursday, Friday, and half of Saturday. It has been a challenge to get used to having a baby around, and to try to remember how to take care of a tiny one. But it has been great fun, since this is the first time any of our grandkids has ever lived near us. We have had many enjoyable moments. But today was especially fun! She was laying on the floor happily, while we all were doing things around her. Scott had brought his laundry to the couch to fold, and was watching TV (probably Top Chef!!). As he started folding, Emery started laughing hysterically. We have seen her laugh, but never like this! And she laughed the whole time he was folding his laundry...about 15 minutes.

Musing About Nothing

Sadly, it takes me a few minutes to remember how to make a new entry every time. Hopefully I'll get smarter soon. In the meantime, I have to figure out something to say.

I'm starting to think about what to do for everyone for Christmas...a more difficult task each year. Do any of us really NEED anything? No. So we give each other stuff (because we love each other, of course) and hopefully it is all things we can use or enjoy, and rejoice in our ability to give, and the fact that we have so many people to give to. I sometimes think about people who really don't have other people in their lives to love and who will love them back. That is probably the saddest thing of all. So...no matter what we all give each other for Christmas...hooray for family! And friends. And neighbors. And co-workers. We are blessed.

Do I have anything else to say? Hmmmm...I'm thinking about the fact that in a few weeks Scott will be moving to Utah, and how much we will miss him. I'm tempted to be one of those whiny, clingy, creepy moms who try to make their sons feel guilty for leaving...but I am going to rise above my own personal feelings and be noble. Yes, I want him to move on and open the next chapter in his life...if he must. I want him to find a wonderful girl (if he hasn't already:)...but who could really replace ME???? We'll see. I want him to finish his education...no joking about that. And to really find out who and what he is, and what he believes, and what is truly important. I hope the answers to these and other important questions, can be found in Happy Valley, Utah.
So we will support him in this adventure...and hope that someday he will decide that Albuquerque is the place to be!! :)

OK...that is enough rambling for today...

While I'm At It...

Now that I've remembered how to do this (for today :) I want to add something that I was thinking about in church a week or two ago. I am increasingly aware of how blessed I am, so I decided to make my Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For list...

10. Opportunities to learn and grow. They are all around me...in the form of callings, challenges and problems, people in my life, my work, books to read, etc. etc. I hope I can always have a desire to learn and grow (more of the anti-crumbly campaign!!)
9. My job, and Brant's job and all of my family members' jobs. How blessed we are to be able to work and earn a living and provide for our needs. So many don't have that.
8. My home. I love my home because it feels safe and comfortable. I love walking in the door!
7. My friends. What would I do without all of my wonderful friends who are always there? When I need to cry , laugh, complain, celebrate, plan a wedding, eat lunch...they are the best therapy ever!
6. My health. This makes it possible for me to enjoy and accomplish all the other things in my life. I try to take care of my health (anti-crumbly campaign!!). I am not always doing the right things, but the effort is real. And thanks, Mom and Dad, for good genes!
5. My adorable, smart, fun grandchildren...Alexis, David, Lily, Joe, Evelyn, Sarah, Jacob, Anders and Emery. They make all that parenting worthwhile!!
4. My wonderful, good, talented, faithful and loving children...Jolie, Keri, Meagan, and Scott. I couldn't (overall) ask for better children (though there have been moments...:) I love the way they approach life, with courage, hard work, willingness to struggle through problems, striving to keep their covenants, supporting each other through the happy times and the hard times, their willingness to serve, the love and respect they give to their parents...I could go on. I am also thankful for three excellent sons-in-law who love and honor my daughters. And I am thankful for the great parents they all strive to be. I am also confident that someday I will have a daughter-in-law to love!
3. My husband and eternal companion, Brant. He is truly one of the kindest, most patient people on the planet. He has been more than patient with me for 35 years as I have struggled to "become". I know that hasn't been easy, but he has only been loving and cheerful through it all. I love him! He is also a great father, who has been strong where I have been weak, who has been wise when I have been...unwise, patient when I have been a raving lunatic! What more could I ask for?
2. Answered prayers. I haven't always, and still don't always, realize when the Lord answers my prayers. They are often not answered in the way I would like, but they are always answered in the way that is best for me, and for those for whom I pray. I often don't see that until after the fact. But I know that prayers are answered.
1.The Gospel of Jesus Christ, which gives meaning and purpose and understanding to all of the above. It is the center of who I am and all that I do.

I hope that I can show my gratitude for all of my blessings in the way that I live my life...realizing that I am still a work in progress, too.

Four Days of Fun, Sun, Rides and Exhaustion

OK...since I've only done 2 posts, it has taken me a few minutes to figure out how to add another one! This is why technology and I aren't good friends. But I am trying...it's all part of my anti-crumbly campaign. Not sure if it's really working, though. (and if I add pictures, who knows where they will end up...it's a learning process!!)

A couple of weeks ago I was able to spend 4 days with Keri, Ez, and kids at Disneyland and California Adventure. I hadn't been there in about 16 years...where did the giant parking lot go that used to be in front of Disneyland?? I guess that is where they put California Adventure, which is also very fun for little kids, but has some bigger, scarier rides, too. My big accomplishment on this trip was overcoming, with the help of brave 8-year-old David, my fear of the free-fall type of rides. Together we rode the California Screamin' roller coaster, the free-fall Tower of Terror (an appropriate name), and the ultimate (to me) was the Maliboomer. Shooting 180 feet (that's the equivalentof 18 stories)into the air, then free-falling back down is, well...very scary! Thanks, David, for your help!

Lots of other rides with the other kids were really fun, too. The first 2 days were VERY hot, the last two were lovely. Walking miles around the parks, keeping watch over 5 kids, sometimes pushing a double stroller or carrying someone, and baking in the sun made Grandma tired...so I was asleep by 9:30 every night. I hope that Alexis, who slept in my room with me, will forgive me for not being much fun. Of course, she was pretty tired, too!

It was fun to be with everyone, see how much the kids have grown, enjoy all of their fun personalities, and also...celebrate Keri's 32nd birthday! Thanks, Beauchamp family, for letting me join you on your vacation!!

PS...it took me forever to figure out how to get the pictures in and I'm still trying to learn how to arrange them...sorry you all have to suffer with me while I learn!

Day Two of Blogging

Ok, I just looked at a few blogs of friends, and that was depressing. I've decided that I can't compete, so I will be content to have a fairly hum-drum blog. But that's ok, because my life is pretty hum-drum...and I mean that as a good thing. Hum-drum means that nothing bad is happening. Things are going along fairly smoothly. The people in my world are, for the most part, healthy, happy, and doing the right things. Of course, there is always room for improvement...but as we move forward things are on an even keel. I like that. So now I am crumbly and hum-drum. Sounds great, huh? It is!!!
Today was a good day. I like my job (mostly), but the best part of my day is always coming home. I love my home. It is a safe and comfortable place...a good place to be. That is what every home should be.