Here One Moment

I finished yesterday's book 
and started the newest Liane Moriarty early this morning while still in bed.
So good right from the first page!

You'll be happy to know I took a walk and a shower.

I got dressed in real clothes and even ran some errands.

Eyes looking much better!

 But when I wasn't doing those things, I read and read some more.
I'm so excited I saved this book for a time when I could really savor it.

Dallas Cowboys

 Boys trip to Dallas for a Cowboys game! 
They've talked about a trip to AT&T Stadium for years,
but it's hard to find a Monday Night Game that everyone can attend.

But this year it happened!
(Of course, never imagining the Dodgers would be in the World Series and that would become a priority and the Cowboys would be playing pretty crummy by the time the game rolled around.)

They gorged themselves on barbecue, were in awe of AT&T Stadium and "all the shows" 

leading up to the football game. It was cheerleader alumni day and Dan looked for Norann on the overhead, but didn't see her. (Our claim to fame back in the LA days.)

Dan reported that they had a blast!

Meanwhile I laid about in sweats, reading all day and took three naps.
I considered showering because I could smell myself.
But, my book was too good and I never got around to it.

(I wonder if when I'm old, showering will be one of the things my kids have to insist that I do because I'll get too lazy to do it on my own. I hope not. But I seem to have tendencies to put it off if I'm sick or alone.)

This HAS to be a shout-out to Louise Penny and her famed Quebec detective

Armand Gamache, married to Reine-Marie.

Good Genes

Chris and I were playing with his Snapchat filter 

and this is me made to look like a middle aged man.

Look like anyone you know?

We're making plans for a day with Marty, Lizzie & Emi in Salt Lake 

during Thanksgiving week.

And New York plans for the week of Thanksgiving.

I found this photo from last year.

I love these three boys of mine.

(Chris, standing on his toes! haha)

They Things They Didn't See

I'm soooooo excited about my back cover blurb!

Raised on sunny boating days, Jill piloted a speedboat long before driving a car. Her father, husband, and three boys share her love for Lake Koda and cherish their annual first-day-of-summer boating tradition, until a surprise storm and tragic accident change everything.

Jill's grief is compounded by her struggle to connect with her teenage son, Jake. Everything she says or does seems to be wrong. Her husband takes Jake's side, and even her sweet youngest child doesn't trust her judgment. Striving to parent perfectly is backfiring.

Jake's trying to be a good kid but doesn't know where to turn when his head and heart are constantly racing; Matt's focused on keeping the peace between his wife and son; and Grandpa is determined to do anything to help ease their shared grief.

Jill is faced with challenges that threaten to destroy her relationships with those she loves most. Will her once-happy family be torn apart, or can they overcome their heartbreaking sorrow and find their way back to one another?

The emotional and ultimately hopeful story intertwines a family's love for each other with their misunderstandings, guilt, blame, and misguided attempts to grieve individually rather than together. Tensions build as they bump and band into one another with all the extra space as a family of four living in a home built for five.

Kids in the Box

Painting is hung and I love it so much.

Frame will be coming at a later date.

Asked Dan and Michael (Petersen -- in town for a boys trip to the Cowboys on Monday)

what we should title it. 

This is what Michael came up with in three seconds:

Adventure in the Box

Exploring the Box 

Out of the Box

In the Box

Boxing Day

Hidden Treasure

This morning on my walk I saw a little branch in the ground that looked like a sculpture.

And it was! I'm dying to know the story behind it.

Joy in the Morning

I loooooovvvvee spending time each morning in my sunroom. 

I never get tired of all the life I can view from that cozy space.

Today's feature: a deer and a buck.

Plus they effortlessly hopped the fence and I looooovvvvee

watching them do that trick.

I say my morning prayers most often in the sunroom and every time

I'm filled with joy and gratitude for our beautiful earth.

And for this special spot to observe nature. 

Several variety and sizes of birds fliting around the trees. 

Squirrels jumping across the branches, even way up high.

Leaves floating to the ground, or huge snowflakes falling, or rain pouring.

The trees showing off their seasonal outfits.

The view constantly changes so it never gets old.

I love it so so much.

I watched a hawk fly in and perch in this tree after the deer left.

A deer? A hawk? Are you serious? It's so wonderful.

Sometimes I'm so grateful, I think I'll just give prayers of thanks.

And then I think of my children and my husband and prayers they need.

And I feel bad if I miss not praying for them.

I'm kind of OCD that way, but thankfully the Lord knows me

and he knows my heart, so he gets it. 

Christmas Letter Memories

I was looking through the photo boxes and came across old Christmas letters.

I need to compile a book. Such sweet memories!

(And oh, my, we moved a lot! And had a lot of broken bones.)

 

Kershaw is 8!

Happy Birthday, Kershaw!

Born on Veteran's Day, 2016, he was originally named, Sarge,

and all of his litter given military names.

Our family debated names: Hermione if she was a girl,

Marty came up with Dak or Kershaw if he was a boy,

and everyone loved those choices, especially Kershaw.

We picked him up a few days after Chris broke his leg and before Marty went on his mission.

We had him home a few days, then left to Hawaii on our family trip and Kershaw went to puppy training.

Now he's eight years old!

Here he is with his second family -- also the Schaffers!

They watch him when we're out of town and the two little girls adore him.

He gets lots of treats and spoiled when we're gone.

Kershaw goes hiking every day he's home with a pack and is soooo excited 

when Aimee comes to the door to pick him up.

If any other white truck pulls into the driveway, he tries to jump in thinking he's going hiking.

Early days eight years ago!

Phoenix Family

We had the nicest morning with EC.

Visiting around the breakfast table and then together lounging in her bedroom.

Sacrament Meeting was Testimony Meeting and it's always sweet to 

get to hear the hearts of a ward family.

After church Marty & Erin walked over and we all ate lunch on the back patio 

and caught up until it was time to leave.

Sometimes quick trips are the nicest trips because you focus on being together

rather than planning stuff to do.

On the plane home, I discovered I had a lot in common with the woman sitting next to me.

We both talked about how much we loved our Mothers-in-law and 

how special they are.

💙

Chicago to Phoenix

First: Things Emi says that I always want to remember:

"Hold my hand, Grammy." 

"I want Grammy to hold me."

(Or Papa. And when she was tired, Mommy or Daddy.)

"Where's Papa and Daddy?"

"Is my Mommy coming home soon?"

"Where is the eye blinking?" (The digital face/eyes near the Bean.)

(I thought she was saying I-banking which would have been REALLY astute.)

"See the red hand?" (The don't walk symbol.)

I just can't get enough!

We considered going down to the Museum of Science and Industry today,

but thought we'd better look at housing options while we were here.

We toured a couple different buildings and got a sense of location pros and cons.

It seems like most of the business students live downtown now instead of Hyde Park. 

I'm kinda bummed about that because you lose some of that school community.

But, living in a city has a lot of perks too, so, it's just different than our experience.

Then we drove up to Lincoln Park where a lot of families

 in the downtown ward live, and the preschools are and mapped what the drive would be from downtown.

And before we went to the airport,

we stopped for lunch at Giordanos, which is every bit as delicious as we remembered it to be.

Once we got to the airport we stopped for Garrett's popcorn.

Dan and I flew to Phoenix to spend Sunday with Gram.

When we arrived, we went straight to dinner with EC, Dunc & Kristin and Marty & Erin.

Then home to watch the BYU/Utah game. Oh wow. It was one for the books.

I feel SOOOO sad for the Utes! And I never feel bad for them. 

Marty & Lizzie arrived home to Denver to the end of a three-day snowstorm and a foot of 

snow on their car at the airport lot.

I think they said they got 19 inches in the last three days!

Memory Lane - Chicago Version

We met the kids and grandkid for breakfast which included the breakfast buffet

and several rounds of toddler hide and seek.

(So many memories of hoteling at the Embassy Suites with our kids when they were little.

And then I started panicking about someone falling over the rail and we never went back.

Those stays at the E.S. could be when my fear of heights became aggravated! 

Or maybe that's just from being a mom. But its hard to beat a pool and buffet with kids.)

Dan & Marty went to U of C for Marty's interview and then to the burbs for lunch

with  a friend of Dan's who is also a real estate professor at Chicago.

Meanwhile, Lizzie, Emi & I went to Lincoln Park to look at a couple of preschools

and check out the neighborhood.

I bought this princess rubber duck for Emi in Croatia,

and she loved it.

Marty at the business school (yesterday).

Marty & Lizzie in front of the business school.

Me and Emi, yesterday!

When they got back from lunch and Emi awoke from her nap,

we went back down to campus to walk around and reminisce.

The architecture, ivy (changing colors for fall!) and quads are so beautiful!

The hall that Dan had a lot of study groups.

It gets dark in Chicago by 4:45!! Yikes!

We met Michelle and Brent downtown for dinner.

I never get tired of seeing them -- even after spending two weeks together in September.

After dinner, we walked down the riverwalk and Brent gave us an architectural tour.

He's very knowledgable and has such a good memory!

Then we stuffed ourselves at Ghiradelli.