Christmas Day is Charming

We had a great Christmas day.  It started by finishing up Christmas Eve and leaving Mom and Dads at 12:30am.  We came home and opened up our own Christmas presents.  Some how Santa always makes it to our house by the time we get home on Christmas Eve.  We finished about 1:30 and headed to bed so we could get up at 7:00am and make our way to Josh and Jen's.  We got there and watched the boys open their presents and then made our way back to Ogden for Church.  It was a great service at Church and reminded us that we should live with the Christmas spirit all year long and be in the service of our neighbors and near friends.  Awesome advise and it really made me think a bit about why we should know our neighbors and serve them.  Then we headed home crawled into bed and took a bit of a nap.  About 1:00pm we got up and started thinking about Christmas Dinner.  At 4:00pm we were increasing our dinner numbers by the handful.  It was a spectacular day and was a lot of fun to have the family over for dinner.

Breakfast with Santa

Gavin in line to see Santa

Sage and Jen are ready to have breakfast with Santa.

Skyler keeps us all laughing

CHEESE!

Gavin found Thomas

Picture with Thomas

All Sage wants for Christmas is Thomas (and to get off Santa's lap) All Sky wants for Christmas is Star Wars ANYTHING!

Gavin wants a train set maybe two or three if they fit in the sleigh

Friends play on the stage and that wraps up our day.

Never mind Santa...

It looks like all of the Garcia Boy's will make appearances this weekend.  Love it.  Wish we all lived closer and saw each other more often but we will take what we get.  Merry Christmas!

Tamales and the family

Every year a few weeks before Christmas the Garcia's get together to make tamales.  The past few years we have had such a fun time doing it with the whole family that John and I have made them with our family.  It's fun to sit around the table working together and enjoying each other.  Then you are in for a treat when they come out of the pressure cooker.

Melba's Girls

The girl "Melba" cousins got together for dinner last night.  It was so much fun to get together and eat and visit.  We don't often get to see each other in person so it is a lot of fun to get together for dinner.  We missed Aunt LaRue and Paige. 

Life knows how to keep you moving

Yesterday I was charging my phone in my car so I didn't have it with me.  When I got back to my car I had three messages.  A text message from my sister asking if my Dad had gotten a hold of me, a phone message from my Dad and a text message from my husband.  I figured I'd call my sister back.  She asked me if Dad had gotten a hold of me.  My stomach dropped.  I had not talked to him yet, but I could tell I was not going to like the news she or he had for me.  She told me that Dad called to tell me the biopsy from his prostate came back as a positive for cancer. 

Wow. That word really gets you going.  A flash through a lot of emotions and then the questions start.  I made it through our conversation on my drive home but when we hung up and I pulled into my driveway my eyes started to water like crazy.  I remember so vividly the day my Mom called to tell me she had cancer.  My life has changed a lot since that day, I was in my basement apartment in Clearfield and I was so angry and upset that I drove to Nephi and back just to process.  I remember fearing that she would die the next day or that she would be in so much pain that she would hate all of us to be around her.  Well that's not how it happened and I learned a lot from her even if she died so early. 

 So I went in to fill John in with the news.  On my way in the house I called my Dad back.  It's funny to be able to envision yourself handling the same news the same way your father is, minus the fact that I lack the body parts that make it possible.  I pointed that out to my father and he belly laughed.  My Dad, if anyone enjoys a joke in EVERY situation.  I never remember a situation that he couldn't find humor in.  Sometimes that made me mad but now I know its a great way to cope through the tough parts of life. 

I really hate cancer.  I hate that it hurts so much and that there is no cure.  I hate that the treatment is horrible and takes a lot out of you.  I hate the fact that there is so much unknown about it that it feels smarter than you.  I often wonder about the "whys" in life.  This week I'm just focusing on the facts and trying to grasp a hold and hold on with both hands.  Life is sure a roller coaster. Get on and enjoy the ride. 

Christmas Crafts

Tonight begins the Christmas Crafts. (well at least it begins the start and finish of Christmas crafts.  I found this tree skirt on line and fell in love with it.  I have never had a tree skirt before.  I usually just use a table cloth draped around the tree or use the Christmas bags my mom made me as a skirt.  This year I decided to make a real tree skirt.  I looked and looked and then ran across the pattern for the skirt.  I bought material and then the night I was going to start this project ended up to be the worst storm ever so I had to wait until today.  After we did some yard work I started sewing.  In just a few hours it was done.  I love it and think it turned out perfect. 

The wind storm of 2011

On Thursday morning around 2:00am the wind started to blow.  It was a wind coming out of the East.  You know those are the worst kinds.  They are the kind that always shut down I-15 to semi trucks and the kind that have a lot of force to them.  By 3:30am I was wide awake listening to things crash all around me.  Bella wouldn't even go out side at 4:30am when I got up to let her our after her begging to go out.  By 5:30am we didn't have power any more.  I didn't worry because usually it's only out for a few hours at the longest.  At 6:30am I was called into work because the power was out and they needed help.  When I got to work I couldn't get out of my car because the wind was blowing so hard.  A trampoline was blowing in the air and lots of debris was flying around.  While I was at work John called me and asked me to hurry home because part of our pine tree had come through the dinning room window.  On my way home this is what I saw a block from my house. 

Visions of my parents tree flashed in my eyes.  I was scared that when I got home I would find my huge pine down on our house.  Well, my tree was still standing but the wind was blowing so hard I thought that the tree would go down soon.  We taped up our window and waited for the wind to stop.  It did not stop.  It blew all day.  We did not have power.  The whole city was out of power.  We didn't have power for 41 hours.  By the time it came back on I was so happy.  We lost some shingles and our back fence, compost bin and a few tarps but the tree still stands.

I cry the day I put the tree up

Ok ok.  So if you know the song I hope you are laughing by now.  If not you'll have to look up the forgotten Christmas carols.  Back top my blog!  I cry every year that I put my tree up.  Not all the tears are sad ones just some of them.  I love looking through all of my old decorations.  I have my first grade ornament that I made.  How fun it is to get that out each year.  I have two tree ornaments from my pre kindergarten years that I got from our neighbor boy Clint that I used to play with.  We were the cutest red heads in the neighborhood.  Each year I add an ornament to our tree.  I have ornaments from the first tree I put up many years ago where me and a few of my nieces and nephews spend a whole day threading pop corn onto string to put on the tree.  I don't have the popcorn but I do have the tinsel stars that have grown shorter each year.  They used to wrap around the whole tree but now barely make it across one side.  This year I got a few special ornaments.  My Dad downsized his collection and so he gave me two boxes from my mom's collection.  That's where the tears start.  It's so much fun to get out all of my Christmas collection but every where you turn is memories of my Mom.  That's not bad it just makes me homesick for her. 

The past three years my new ornaments have been in memory of her.  They are not anything unusually just things that remind me of her.  So, usually I don't have a problem with taking the Christmas stuff down on the 26th of December.  I know that's when lots of people cry because its over.  I however, cry when I put the tree up.  Merry Christmas!

This is the best tree decorating helper a girl can ask for.  I guess she got tired of the lights.

We are thankful!!!

Here is the list of things we are thankful for this year:
Our Savior Jesus Christ
A roof over our head
Food to eat
A pretty good two year supply
Family: it keeps growing and getting better
Friends that like us just the way we are
A wonderful wife/husband that encourages me
Minds that are open and able to learn
Seasons for the Earth
Children that keep you feeling young
Friends that remind you everyday that your situation could change at any moment
Good health
Wonderful new friends

There are a lot of things on our list but for now this will do.  Here's to you and yours for a great Thanksgiving dinner.

Dog tired

Have you ever had one of those days?  I did just the other day.  After a LONG day at both jobs I was glad to get home.  I walked in two hours after hoping to be home and opened my email.  There was a note from my cousin Kris telling me that she needed to get a hold of my father because Aunt Beverly was not doing well and was dying.  I replied with his numbers and started a few phone calls myself.  It was a great message to me that my load was not more than I could bare.  I remember when my Mom passed away like it was yesterday.  Some things you just never forget.  I had a great night visiting with cousins from my past who I have not had a lot of contact with.  It was great to talk to them and get re acquainted with them.  After a few more hours of time I just crawled into bed and felt just like this.

ThanksGiving

We have been working hard to Give to people this season.  Giving doesn't always have to be something that is worth money.  Yesterday I was shopping and the lady in back of me only had two items.  I had a cart of groceries and invited her to go in front of me.  Really you would have thought I gave her $100.  She thanked me three times and wished me a good day.  With out that little gesture, I am sure we wouldn't have exchanged any words.  Also, this week I traded job assignments with one of my co workers so she could run get lunch.  I had a few extra minutes and she was working in the office alone.  She also thanked me for letting her grab lunch.  Last week in church we were talking about giving charity.  My Mom was a great example of this.  She would do what ever she could to help or give charity to others.  She didn't have a lot of money to give but she made things happen.  Today I will try to find small ways to help others.  You should try it out.  It will make you feel better about YOU!

Boo from the crew

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  Hope you all have a great halloween.  I know I will.  I get to hang out this week with some cool kids.

He's back

Last night we made the journey to SLC to pick up Elder Elliot Gillies from the airport.  After he had a long day flying to Hong Kong and then to LA he made it back to Utah.  It was so much fun counting down to his arrival.  Lena spent the night with me and we made a bunch of signs to decorate the airport and the garage.  I only got a few photos with my phone but as soon as Lena, Lori and Megan post their photos I'll add some more.  It will be good to visit with him on Sunday after he speaks in church.  Welcome Home Elliot we love you and missed you.

Lena made a great sign for the garage

Fall is back

Yesterday was a rainy morning.  Today was a rainy all day long.  While I was out running errands this afternoon in the rain my pants became wet.  You know how well cotton pants dry right? Well on my way home to fix dinner I decided today was the day.  First fire of the year.  This has usually been one of my favorite nights of the year. You know how romantic a fire is.  A snuggle buddy and a good dinner make a fire all that much nicer.  I knew tonight was not going to be a snuggle buddy kind of night because I got strict orders to let John sleep until 9:00pm but I did think a fire and a good dinner was worth the sacrifice.  I fixed an easy dinner of pork chops and bakers and started my fire.  That's the funny part.

 I figured I would use a self starting log because the hatchet is in the garage waiting for one more camping trip.  I light the paper that surrounds the log and wait.  All of the paper is burning but the log is not burning.  I light another match to start more of the paper on fire.  Still the log refuses to burn.  Here is where I get desperate.  You see, we do a lot of camping in the year and I can usually make a great fire with one match and a few pieces of wood.  I have some wood inside but no way to cut it.  I break the piece into small pieces and start my very own wood fire on the side of the log hoping it will start on fire at some point.  Good news...the log will burn once you have a very nice fire burning on it.  Note to self.  Take all of the dura flames out of the 72 hour kit and replace with real wood.

You don't have to push a hand cart

to tour the Church history museum.  It was a great thing to fill up a whole Friday night.  In fact we didn't even finish the whole thing.  The upstairs has a hands on display.  I know, its for kids.  When we saw it we looked at each other and grinned.  We tried out all of the activities.  It was supper fun and we probably looked really funny to the grown ups that were helping their kids but it was supper fun.

John trying his hand at building an ark

M gathering eggs from the hen house

Reading the fine pring on the gold plates

Having a snack with the missionaries.

This is IT! This is what we came for.  I only make it to his knee.

Look whos talking:)

Never say never

This summer we took our clients camping for a few days.  This is not anything unusual because we do this every year.  The thing that we did do new this year was take them all swimming at crystal Hot Springs.  It is an amazing thing to help people do things that they don't always do.  Working through the fear and the anxiety and having the event be successful is an amazing thing.  I hope in the dead of winter when things are not looking so good I can look back on this time and enjoy our getting out and swimming. 

You've got GOLD inside of you

Last week we took a trip to California.  Not just to take a trip but my nephew Ben was getting married.  On Friday we went to Sutters Mill just North, I think, of Folsom and went on a tour of the are.  It was amazing to check out all of the saw mill stuff and also to find GOLD.  It was a lot of fun.  Saturday we spent the day with the family and Ben and Natalie.  We enjoyed the day with them and loved visiting with everyone.  Here are some of the photos from the trip.  Not in a specific order.

Here we are at John's church.  St. John's.  It was worth the hike up the hill to peak in the windows.  Thank goodness we had Brent along with us to see in the tall windows.  The rest of us stood on stacked rocks to see.

Chugging contest with real Mexican Coke.  Looks like Elise wins.

Cute Ben and Natalie are enjoying their day!

Aunt Mandy and two beautiful girls.  It was a girls weekend for sure.

More girls...

Silly girls

All of the girls on the trip.  It was a lot of fun and look all those girls are so Beautiful and growing up too fast.

The saw mill that was huge and had great craftsman ship involved

John admiring the mill

the best traveling group around

we had a fun trip and can't wait to go on the next one!!!