Welcome to The World!

Welcome to the World, little guy, little bubba, little Charlie.

We are so glad to meet you and love you!

Words cannot describe seeing you come into the world.

I love your Mom and Dad.

I love your brother.

I love your Grandpa.

I love your Tio

I love your Prana

I love you.

Blast From the past

These are pictures from the 1979-1980 Murray High School Boosters.

In the first picture, I am in the second row, just past center.  

In the 2nd picture I am on the left 4th row from the bottom.  

Wow, could I get my hair any bigger?  

Yes, I actually could and probably should have!

I think these are great pictures with wonderfully great memories.

A LIttle Bit Busy

Things have been a little bit busy here at La Casa. We've had L & R and their family with us for a few weeks. They moved to Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, but L was about 37 weeks along and didn't want to start new with a doctor she didn't know. So she stayed with us and went to a family friend. And a new baby joined us on Saturday. We are all a little sleep deprived but so happy our family has grown. We are so happy for R & L; they have such a bright future!

I've read a few books since my last post, but none of them really worth writing about here. I just started re-reading Death Comes For the Archbishop by Willa Cather. I first about this book when I was in the American Lit class taught by Professor Genaro Padilla. He was from New Mexico and also taught the Southwest Lit class. He is now at Berkeley. The first time I read the book was when we traveled to Albuquerque to visit family, and I was reading it as we passed by Acoma. [We later visited Acoma on a subsequent visit] I think I've read just about everything Willa Cather has written; I've even taken a Willa Cather Lit class taught by a Cather expert, Marilyn Arnold. My other Cather favorite is Shadow on the Rocks. My one complaint about Death Comes for the Archbishop is her treatment of the local Spanish people. Her Anglo arrogance [as well as Archbishop Lamy's] shows through the prose. I wish there were a book of this caliber written for and about the Spanish people who settled New Mexico and showed them as I believe they were -- hardworking people trying to make a living for their families.

I'm going to visit the Land of Enchantment this weekend with some of my sisters. We will visit our Aunts, go to a lecture about the Jaquez family, visit several of my "internet" cousins who have been so helpful with genealogy, and enjoy the scenery. When we go to restaurants and they ask "red or green" I will always choose green. I will stand where my Dad played and grew up, and remember.

Fun In The Fort

My next door neighbor friends (age 9)

have made use of a little hole in the shrubbery in our yard.

We had one of the shrubs died and so, I pulled out the remains.

The shrubbery on each side filled in through the front,

but in the back, there is a nice little hole and it is the perfect hiding place.

They call it The Fort.

Yesterday, they took Little D in there and he loved it

so today, he wanted to play some more.

I fit in The Fort but preferred sitting on the wall

or even better, on a blanket on the grass out in the open!

We had fun playing

Chase The Ball,

Kick The Ball,

Roll The Ball,

Throw Rocks in The Rock Garden,

Find Rocks in the Grass to Throw in the Rock Garden,

and Roll In the Grass.

What a fun day with a fun fellow!

I also had fun with his Uncle D,

his Mom Linds,

and his Grandpa.

I had a fun evening with our next door neighbors, D & C,

and a surprise visit with my sis and her co-worker.

It is now 1:20 AM.

Can't go to sleep. Not sure why.

Could be the two Diet Cokes I had with dinner. :(

Today would have been my Mom's 82nd Birthday.

I miss you, Mom, and have wonderful memories to keep you always in my heart.

I found her family in the 1940 census. She was 9 years old at the time.

I also found my Dad's family. He was 19 years old.

The 1940 census became available online 5 days ago.

It took me an hour or so of looking

but it wasn't too hard and well worth it to see their pages.

Maybe now I can go to sleep.

Pacific Northwest

On our journey north, we had some extra days on our schedule so we took a little side trip to Forks, WA. For those who might not know, this is where the Twilight series (by Stephenie Meyer) takes place. It is a pretty place and very cloudy and rainy so I can see why the Cullens chose to live there! B and I decided that we are probably Team Jacob. Trying to explain the stories to B was hilarious and more fun than any two people should have! We stayed in Sequim (pronounced Sqwim) and had the best, absolute best, salmon dinner ever! I'm pretty lucky to be on Team B. He's a pretty great guy and I'm grateful to spend my life with him.

We took 3 different ferries to get to the various places -- one to get to Forks, one to get to Victoria, and one to get to Vancouver. On one of the ferry rides I overheard the following exchange:

Child: But I thought we were going to ride a ferry.

Mom: This boat is the ferry. It is called a ferry.

Child: Oh, I thought we were going to ride a fairy.

In Victoria, we went to Butchart Garden -- a small estate with various gardens dedicated to the beauty of nature -- there was a Sunken Garden (in an old quarry), a Rose Garden (not blooming yet), a Japanese Garden (beyond beautiful), and Italian Garden, and more. There were blooming flowers and trees but I am sure the coming months will only be more beautiful.

We also went to China Beach. It meant walking through a very dark forest down down down to the ocean beach. B was humming a song and I asked why the humming. His reply: to let the bears know I am here. What? When we got to the beach, there was a sign alerting us to possible cougars in the area as well as black bears. I started humming a song too.

I read two very good books while on the journey in addition to the Book of Mormon. The last few chapters of Alma are some of my favorite. They are war stories but there is so much to learn from them, and then the first few chapters of Helaman are amazing too. I read them on my Kindle, and each time I read, it was an amazing wonderful experience. I know there is more excitement yet to come so I will keep reading.

The two books I read were Midwives by Chris Bohjalian and The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Both of them were really good books and I would recommend both for book clubs or pleasure reading. Midwives is about a midwife's practice, a tragic death, and the various possible outcomes. It was gripping to the very last page, the very last word. The Snow Child is about loss, overcoming loss, finding joy in small things, letting free things be free, and what effect we have on others. I don't know what is like to lose a child, but I have had loss in my life and have moments of despair and sadness. I have also had wonderful moments of joy and fortunately for me, the joyful moments are plentiful. I have been blessed many times over with sweet and tender mercies of the Lord.

L and R picked us up at the airport and showed us their new home. It was warm and cozy and already filled with love. We talked about the coming baby, the new job, the new house, the new places to explore, and just how much fun it will be for them. My favorite moment was when little D showed us his yard. He chased Prana, who was playing with a stick. Prana dropped the stick, and Little D picked it up and started chewing on it too. We all laughed. He hunkered down and said hello to the darkling beetle crawling across the grass. He wanted to touch it but didn't and then did, then didn't. Finally he touched its back. The beetle scuttled quicker and Little D drew back with a surprise and a laugh.

Another great moment came when our Big D joined us for dinner. He's a busy guy and we love spending time with him. I was glad to hear he helped his sister and brother with their move. We loved hearing his plans and talking about his van and his future.

The next surprise was when our friend brought Buddy and Buster home to us. I didn't expect it; I was planning to drive to her house to get them because she had worked until 4:30 am. She brought them to us because she said we probably were tired from travel and the dogs had awakened her anyway. She is an angel and it was wonderful having them home.

I'm very grateful for so many things.

I don't say thank you enough to everyone I should.

Thank you.

President Howard W. Hunter said in his last public address to the Church:

This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend.

Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.

Write a letter. Give a soft answer.

Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.

Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize.

Try to understand. Examine your demands on others.

Think first of someone else.

Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude.

Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child.

Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.

Speak your love and then speak it again.

I finished reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien last night about 3 a.m. I thought it would be good to read it in preparation for the movie that comes out in December of this year. It will be a two-parter so we have something to look forward to in 2013. The reason I was up so late was because the dogs needed to go outside to potty. I drowsed for a while hoping they would go back to sleep but they kept jumping off the bed and then Buddy started whining. That usually means "I have to go and I have to go NOW" so it meant down the stairs and out the door. It was just long enough to wake me up for a while. I had just a few more chapters to go so I finished. It is always a great read and I forget little parts here and there, so it is a good refresher. I am sure the movie will be wonderful

I've been helping a friend with her new business and last night received the title of Senior Editor and Technical Writer. Apparently, I am even going to get business cards! Well, I'm not working that hard to deserve those but it has been an interesting journey learning how to edit and draw and create on the computer. My job has been to do the pattern inserts (also known as the pattern instructions) complete with illustrations. Some of the drawing has been done the old fashioned way by hand, but most has been done by computer. I've learned a lot and it has been a lot of fun seeing the creativity put in to the business. Here is a link to their website: mylazydaisy.com

We've been sick at our house = lots of naps. I can't seem to get through the day without a nap, and oftentimes, they are too long during the peak of the day. But I'm so tired that it doesn't really matter because I can't do much else. I am trying to do some spring cleaning but it is a slow go as a result of the nappage. Oh, well.

Food Glorious Food

Our trip thus far has been about friends, fun, and food. I will have to wait until I get home to get pictures from B. We met Doug and Patrice Vermillion and their daughter Teresa in Hilo for a few days at Volcano National Park. We did three hikes to the Green Sand Beach, across a volcano crater, and at Akaka Falls. And we ate three, yes, three times at the Thai Thai in Volcano. Yummy yummy food. Then we moved over to Oahu where we hiked to Diamond Head, over and back to the Hale Koa hotel from our hotel, and to Ka'ena Point. We ate at Duke's, Ruth's Chris, the Udon Noodle House, a shrimp shack, shave ice at Matsumoto's, Cheesecake Factory, Bippa's at the Hale Koa, and Denny's (which was pretty yum for breakfast). We went to Duke's a second time with D, and are planning to go to Niko's with Ben and Krystal and their family tonight. We wanted to go to Uncle's but it closes at 3 on Monday. We also snorkeled in Hanauma Bay, and went to the Dole Pineapple Plantation, and walked the main drag of Waikiki numerous times. What an adventure! Today is our last day. Oh, and DSC men's b-ball have won 3 games thus far. They have one more game tonight.

Reading this trip included Hawaii by James Michener. It was originally published in 1959. The other book I am still reading is Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy, published in 1891. I remember seeing the movie that was made in the 1980's and having taught The Mayor of Casterbridge, decided that it would be a good one to read. I am enjoying it. I keep seeing Nastassja Kinski in the title role. I think it won an Oscar for the cinematography. It was beautifully filmed.

I am looking forward to being home. Miss my girl and her family. Miss my dogs. Miss my regular routine. Vacations are delightful but there in no place like home.