A Balmy Thanksgiving

We decided to switch it up in a big way this year and headed to California to see the amazing Sedgwick family.  This is part of our family that we just don't get to see enough and so we decided to change that this year!  We had such a fun time staying with them and watching the kids become better friends.  Thanksgiving day was so enjoyable spending time cooking, listening to music and enjoying the traditional feast together.  Once the holiday wrapped up we headed to Knott's Berry Farm to kick off Christmas.  It was so festive and fun--lots of holiday shows and time well spent together.  So glad we made the time to change things up and spend a week in sunny California with people we love. 

Happiness, gratitude and love

look something like this.  

The end.

Parowan Days

Getting away to Parowan by myself was gratifying in so many ways.  Let this post serve as a reminder of how important it is to seize the moment and do something that speaks to your heart. It's hard to describe the spirit I felt here this week-- the spirit of my heritage I guess would be the best way to define it.  Every activity and interaction seemed to cast it's spell on me and I was able to enjoy the full emotion and peak of each experience.  I don't know why it all came together for me in such a way, but it did.  My Uncle Tex's impressive garden in my parents background, touring the cemetery with my mom and taking our time, visiting with my dear Great Aunt Mary and her daughters, making honey candy with Aunt Maryjane, walking the Cedar City campus with mom and taking in the Shakespearean displays are some really precious memories to me now.  Perhaps the thing that sticks with me the most though, that even now brings a tightness to my throat, is driving with my dad-- his playlist blaring.  Before each song he tells me why this particular song made the cut and why it means so much to him. Dad's music never changes much.  He's listened to many of the same songs on the same playlist for decades I think. Actually, playlist isn't really accurate since he's still inserting CD's.  I can appreciate his bond these songs since many of my playlists are my most cherished memory makers--the narration of my life.  A means of transporting me to a far-off and well loved time and place.   I love that he shared this with me.  A newcomer to the list that I had never heard before was Meditation from Thais which he told me chokes him up every time as he thinks of his parents.  Such a sweet glimpse into his heart and mind.  I'm thankful for these few days to reconnect with those I love in a place that I love.

Rejoice with your family 

in the beautiful land of life.

-Albert Einstein

Hit Me Baby One More Time

I mean I don't actually want to be hit, but I'll take a hard body slam to the sand if it'll buy me more time here.  After the anniversary trip we brought the fruits of our labor back for even more fun--just look at Nicholas's face! (aw, this place again?)

  

We found our version of the Tree of Life and spent a good portion of the afternoon discussing Lehi's Dream and the kids wouldn't leave until we'd had a proper testimony meeting.  Sometimes I'm funny.

Certainly the highlight of this tropical round was meeting up with the funnest family on the planet--The Parson's.  I am in love with this bunch.  They are hilarious, easy going, up for anything and if I could give them a collective mantra it would be, "party all the time, party all the time."  I challenge any 20 something or other to go head to head with Robert and MaryAnn's energy -- you will be put to shame! A few highlights were chocolate shakes in the hot tub, watching Lizzie get all three babies to Water Lemon by herself on a paddle board, searching for a ball in the pitch black (no worries there!), and Robert leaving the boat around 11:00 pm to figure out where he was and how he was going to get the family off the boat and back to the hotel like it ain't no thang!  I honestly could learn a ton from these guys--they just go and DO and don't sweat the details; it is fantastically inspiring to me.  They are remarkable people and friends.

I realize that building group forts is not long for this world.. but for here and now I just beam when they do this sort of thing.

Bubbly Pool for the win! I think Nick was close to pitching a tent and calling it forever good.  It was/is such a phenomenal day, trip... LIFE.