Christmas and A Little Mountain Time

Christmas was wonderful!!! We all slept in super late....we had to wake Kavan up a little before 10 to open presents!!! We did our gifts. Jenene suprised me again this year! She bought me the Willow Figurine Nativity Scene! I was so shocked, I said shut up and I was reprimanded by my niece!! So Nene, that's two years in a row you've gotten me a gift that suprised me, in a good way! That afternoon, Jake, Chris, and Kliss came from mesa. We decided to go up on the mountain. The ride up was horrible. I thought Walt was going to drive off the mountain. We only stayed for thirty minutes. The weather was bad and it was extremely cold. We had a big 'ol snowball fight and tried sledding on a cardboard box. I should say I TRIED sledding. No one else but the little ones were interested. I think they were all frozen...pansies!

My sister calls this Dasha the Yeti....I have to agree...its pretty darn funny!!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we went to the Nicholas's and watched the Live Nativity. I am so glad I went. I struggled this christmas season trying to get into the spirit and enjoying the holiday. Ummm....I didn't start listening to christmas music till christmas eve on my way to work! It wasn't until I went to the nativity scene and when they showed the video of Mary and Joseph, that I really felt the spirit and had to hold back the tears. It was powerful and made me sad that it took me so late in the season to remember the real reason we celebrate christmas. Alas, it was fun and after the show, Jenene, Walt, Kavan, and I went and looked at a few christmas lights. Kavan was talking really really loud and was driving us all nuts. So in an effort of distraction, I busted out the old camera and we had a good time.

The Kiddos Tree

In an effort to save the big tree and discourage the breakage of ornaments, Jenene had the little ones make ornaments and hang them on a little tree that was only theirs. They could touch it, play with it, whatever, pretty much just stay away from the big tree!!! While it was fun and stuff, it didn't work. By christmas, the big tree, I think, had a nutcracker in it and maybe a stuffed penguin! Alas, the little ones did enjoy decorating the tree....Canyon was sick with the flu so it was only Rachel and Kavan and they did a GREAT job!!!

This is an ornament family...for some reason Rach kept hanging them on the SAME branch, then Kavan joined in...seriously they were all on this limb

I was trying to take a pic of us with the tree. It was kinda hard!! We started out side by side, eventually they laid on me, still didn't work!! We sure did have fun trying though!!! I just like the random face we are making in each one! Don't really look at me, I'd been home sick that day with the stomache flu and look paler than normal!

Take One

Take Two

Take Three

Uncle Art's Funeral

My Uncle Art Webster passed away in early December. He was a great man, and the last of a generation of Webster which included my Grandma Layton. He had a stroke about 10+years ago but it did not slow him or his wife down for a second! I admire both he and his wife and I am so graeful for their example of faith, endurance, and simple joy for the life around them. I wish I could write or express how amazing his funeral was. The spirit was there so strong and I learned so much more about what a simple, strong person he was on this earth. At the conclusion of the service, Aunt Elaine stood up and simply thanked everyone. She radiates love and I was deeply touched by the gratitude and love she has for her family and friends. I hope I can be like her someday, I really do.

The funeral service was in Mesa on a friday and the next day, the graveside was in central, AZ. He served in WWII so they had military honors. I always love when they do the guns and the trumpet solo. When the guns went off it nearly everyone jumped out of their shoes, but it was still touching, especially when they handed Aunt Elaine the flag.

Walt, Sarah, and Jake singing "Abide With Me, Tis Eventide"

After the service, we all went to Casa Manana and filled the whole back room!! It was a great time with great food. I loved seeing so much extended family and catching up. I was sad when the day was over!

Us trying to keep some eyes open for the cameral...shoulda gone on the other side

Grateful Sunday

ETERNAL FAMILIES AND ONE AMAZING WOMAN

This past week, our family lost someone very dear and special to all of our hearts. My Uncle Art passed away. While in his passing, he is finally freed from his tired body, my heart goes out to his beloved and devoted wife, Elaine. This lady is amazing to me. I admire and love her so much. Years ago, can't remember how many, Uncle Art had a stroke. It left him without much use of one side of his body and unable to care for himself. Rather than place him in a home, my Aunt took care of him. She devoted her life to him!! I have NEVER heard her complain. She always had a smile on her face and was more than happy to tend to his every need. Until he became much weaker, she took him to all the family get togethers, ward activities, and they attended the temple each week. I truly do not know how she did it. I love her, and I am sad for her during this time but knowing her, she will go on without hardly flinching and continue to be the woman I admire so much and hope to one day be in a small way!

FRIENDS

The last few weeks have been rather forgettable! Drama at home and in my own little self has made life really hard. Lucky for me, I've had some great friends who have really stepped up to the plate and made me feel loved or at least wanted! They have made me leave my house, get out there and have some fun! Its really helped me forget for a while how unhappy certain things are and that some people so care. Thank you so much ladies, you know who you are;) I'm extremely grateful for you!

My Twilight Review

Since everyone is so into the whole Twilight thing, I figured I'd share my story....I went, waited basically the whole freakin' weekend outside. Saw the movie, was bored out of my head, and went home a little mad that I waited hours for that!!

On the good side, I got to play about five mad games of Speed before Melani kindly refused to play anymore. She claims it was out of immodesty, I think she was discourage cause I was winning each game...is it my fault I'm so good..lol..:) I also ate some yummy taco bell and an amazing mt. dew while waiting. I made friends with an older woman waiting in line and after the movie, in the bathroom, she was so excited about the film and all I could say was, "It was fun," in order to not burst her bubble of happiness and obvious joy about the movie!

I do not recommend the movie....Edward was hot but only by the end of the movie, and the acting was awful, "special effects" laughable, and the cheesy ackward moments were my favorite just cause I could laugh out loud and entertain myself with more than the cocoa kisses Melani had brought. I did read the books, but I hated those too, so why I thought I may like this movie, I don't know! Must be the massive amounts of mt. dew I've consumed and all those damn kisses in the last week, it affected my judgement!!




I give the move 1.5 stars out of 5 just cause Edward was rockin' the whole vampire thing! I will probably be shot down but oh well, someone has gotta be the hater:)

Grateful Sunday

Its a little hard to be grateful at the moment!! I have some sort of bronchial issue going on so I have no voice and a very sore throat!! But other than feeling a little under the weather, I am grateful for a few things!!!

CHIROPRACTORS

In high school, and for a year at EAC, I had some major back issues. Its always been there but since I hate the chiropractor, I tend to ignore it, or at least until I can hardly walk and have to go in! Earlier this year, I started going to my cousin Dennis, and he opened my eyes to a better, healthy back, and made me realize how much better you can feel!! Anyways, this last week, my back was (and still is) really bad. I missed a few days of work and actually had a migraine headache. Not fun. I am grateful for a chiropractor in Thatcher who is helping me get back into fighting form and seems to really care that I get better. I woke up Saturday feeling so good that I went and played raquetball and went walking. Needless to say, I was an eager beaver and will be going back to chiropractor tomorrow:)

NOT HAVING TO PAY BACK ALL MY STUDENT GRANT $$$

I withdrew from school this semester. My health hasn't been superb and it was interferring with doing my clinicals. After talking to my teacher, she suggested I get it taken care of now before I am way into the nursing program. It was an extremely hard decision which compounded some other problems, but now I am seeing the light and know it will all work out. As a consequence of dropping out, I had a HUGE amount of grant money that I was given (were talking thousands of dollars). I was worried I would have to pay it all back. Thankfully, EAC is only making me pay back $350 and pay for next semester's classes on my own, which is completely doable. So yeah, I am extremely blessed in that regard!

ITS COOLING OFF

Yeah for not suffocating from the heat wave everytime you walk out the door. I know I will love the cooler weather in Thatcher, after enduring the Mesa heat for awhile. I am so excited to actually have to wear a jacket and sleep with more than a sheet at night!! WAHOO!!