What?? January's gone!?!?

As I lay in bed last night unable to sleep, I was contemplating how fast this month has slipped by. If you don't stop and plan your life it goes right on plans or not just the same. A lot of things have happened this month some happy and some we meet with mixed emotions. Les turned 55 January 23rd. We were driving to work and all the sudden he blurted out..."It just hit me!" "What just hit you?" I replied. "I'll be 55 tomorrow," he said. Since I am a few years older then he is and I wanted to say, "No big deal! Get over it! You'll have something to complain about when your my age!" But whats to complain about? When I look in the mirror I wonder who that is staring back at me and I have more aches and pains but we're healthy, we have jobs, a home, each other, a family. We do have something to celebrate! The Texas kids called and sang Papa Happy Birthday, AshLyn and the kids came over to sing happy birthday and have birthday cake with Papa. Lily and Keagan made the cutest cards and AshLyn's brought Pop's some of her famous home made cashew turtles. That's the best things about birthdays is sharing them with those you love.

Last week end we received a call from Les's sister Susie that his uncle Ted who just recently celebrated his 90th birthday had a massive stroke and was not expected to live. They keep him on life support long enough for the his family to get there and then they would make a decision what to do. Uncle Ted has always been a great example to Les. He was a great father to 8 kids, a great husband who was married and faithful to the same women for 50+ years. He was a great example of hard work, of honesty, kindness, love of his Savior Jesus Christ. We will all miss Uncle Ted but we know he is in a much better place and that he is still moving on with his life doing and accomplishing many of the things he did right here on this earth. Then just days later our Dear Prophet President Hinckley also passed away to return and be with his sweetheart, as he put it, "the girl of his dreams." What an example he too has been to more then just the members of the LDS Church.

One of the people they interviewed said, he always prayed that he could work up until he was called home." And he really did. Two days before he passed away he was a little tired and didn't feel well and then quietly and peacefully returned home. What a legacy he has left for members of the church as well as his posterity. Sherri Dew put it so well when she said, "President Hinckley was a builder." He built his home and added additions to it through the years to accommadate his growing family. He has built more temples then any other President of this church. He built the conference center. He built bridges for the church and the media and public to cross. He helped others to come to really know what the Gospel of Jesus Christ was. He will be greatly missed. But I found I didn't feel an awful sorrow with his passing but a warm and good feeling knowing he was with his dear wife knowing he will continue the work on the other side of the veil. Les and I sat and watched his funeral on TV the tears started as I watched President Monson and Irring come and sit on either side of an empty chair where Presidently Hinckley had always sat at General Conference and other meetings and I had a sadness feel my heart knowing we would not see him and his quick wit or hear his counsel. We will miss him.

And on January 29th Les and I celebrated our 26th anniversary. Wow! 26 years. I feel pretty lucky to have made it thus far. We may not see eye to eye on a lot of things but we love each other and try to bless each others lives.

Well we've changed just a little bit don't you think?

Family Traditions

Jeramy wrote the other day saying,"Mom, now you have a blog you have to keep adding new things." OH! Is that how it works?!? Alrighty then here is my new posting.

Can there ever be such a thing as to much Christmas? Does anyone really appreciate all the work I go through to create a Christmas holiday spirit in my home? Every year in the midst of the holiday preparations and with all the stress of work and things to do I ask myself this question. And every year I answer the same way, Yes, I,or I should say we, (because Les is in this too). We probably go a bit over board. And yes, I think my children and grand children like to come to Nana and Papa's house with all the Christmas decorations and presents. I know after the house is decorated, Les and I enjoy sitting on a quite evening and just admiring the decoration and the cozy atmosphere. This year I didn't put out all the decorations because we had Jeramy, Rebecca and Family with us for the holidays and I felt it would be to much.

One of our traditions is for the family to get together for our big dinner and opening presents on Christmas Eve. I know our grandchildren look forward to this time together just as I did as a child growing up in the farm lands of American Fork. Each of us cousins would draw names. Then we would get together Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Wanlass home. There would be stories and song and last but not least the opening of gifts. I really don't remember any of the gifts I received but I do remember the love and fun we had as a family. That tradition carried on with my parents. Mom still has everyone together for a Christmas party. We've grown to big to meet in any ones home anymore, we rent the Senior Citizens Building. What fun the little kids have as they come together as cousins. I hope our grand children will have those same kinds of memories when they are older and hopefully keep those traditions going with their children and grandchildren. Les always makes a point to try to get every grandchild something they really want and this year wasn't any different. Before I married Les I didn't have a lot of money to give my children very much for Christmas. Les and I don't have a lot of money now, but Les makes preparations just for Christmas and has always made sure that our children and grandchildren have a great Christmas. It's fun to watch him as he picks out each child's special gift.

Along with the Christmas tradition we have a tradition of having sleep overs and with the Texas cousins here this Christmas it was no different. Just after Christmas Ashlyn's Children came to have a sleep over with their cousins. What fun they had but it's hard keeping everyone occupied and happy when their all together. I remembered an occasion when Les's family were all here for Thanksgiving and his sister Sandy brought a video camera, this is when video cameras were a novelty. We set the camera on a tripod and we all did some acting. No one knows what happened to the video but all the children remember how much fun we had together and how funny this was. So, I suggested to Keagan that they write a play and then act it out. They took my suggest and ran with it coming up with a darling video that I'm sure they will remember and love to watch for a long time. It was called the Chocolate Touch. I wish I would have used my digital camera to video so I could share it with you but darn, I didn't. As you can see from the pictures below the children had some pretty awesome times together creating family memories!

Lily, Keagan, and Brynlee

Lily and Brynlee getting ready for their big acting debut.

Jeramy ready to give Brynlee a head plant in the snow.

Jake, (Look at the snowball in midair) Keagan, Isaac getting ready to pelt someone with a snowball and little Jaron with snow caked gloves.

Keagan getting snow tackled

Family Picture

Having family pictures taken in comparison is like going to the dentist, getting a shot, or better still having a baby. It’s a real pain getting ready, setting the time, coordinating colors, getting everyone to the photographers, and last but not least getting everyone to say cheese, SMILE, and watch the birdie all at the same time?!? But when it’s all over done you have something wonderful to show for all the hard work and labor pains. Jeramy, Rebecca and family were here for the Holidays this year, and Doug and family as well as Rod and family had moved back to the area. This is the first time in 12 years that our and family has all been together. We felt this would be the perfect time to have a family picture taken. Ashlyn went to work arranging for the photographer, who is a friend of hers and put together the color scheme. If any of you know Les and me very well you know we are directionally challenged which Les strongly disagrees. He says, I'm directionally challenged not him, to which I reply, "then why do we almost always get lost?" Anyway, everyone agreed to meet at our house in plenty of time to make it over to the photographers. Well that sounds easy right? Wrong! Everyone arrived but Rod, Raquel and the boys. We waited a little bit thinking they were just running a late, but finally called only to find out that they weren’t going to make it. What? Rod had to stay late at work and so did Raquel. This was disappointing because now it would only be part of our family. We all got into our cars and proceeded to caravan following Ashlyn with Les, Brynlee (our grand daughter) and myself at the rear. All the sudden Les passes everyone and gets right behind Ashlyn. This is a bad choice because Les doesn’t follow very close, allowing other cars to crowd in and soon we can’t even see Ashlyn. To make matters worse he takes off the wrong exit, that’s right the wrong exit and Doug and Jeramy follow right behind us. We have an address but like I said, Les and I have a problem. I call Ashlyn on my cel and she can’t understand why Les had to crowd in. We all start in the same right direction but it’s dark and we can’t see the address signs. I’m angry with Les, Les is getting angry with me and Brynlee doesn’t know if she wants to ride with Nana and Papa again, mean while everyones driving around behind us. Finally, I tell Les to pull over and we all stop. I called Ashlyn on her cell phone and she came and found us. I made everyone go ahead of Les so we don’t end up with the same problem AGAIN. Do you think anyone was in the mood to have their pictures taken when we FINALLY arrived?!?!

Well, I’ll let you be the judge. Here is the final product, at least one of them turned out. Now I need to get Rod and his family to get a picture taken and put it next to the family photo so at least he is practically in the family. I'll bet this makes you want to rush right out and schedule your family for a family picture after reading this. :-) Happy family photo taking!