Temple lights, and of course, Mesa Frozen Yogurt!

The Day after Thanksgiving is always a wonderful day, and not just because of the Black Friday sales. It is because they turn on the Christmas lights at the Mesa temple. It is a beautiful experience that my kids didn't get to have until living here. There were crowds and crowds of people there, just like I remembered from my youth. And inside the Visitor Center stands the same Christmas tree that Morgan and I posed in front of for or wedding photographer...(has is really been almost 14 years????!!!!)....Ahhh the memories at the Mesa Temple.

 We went with the Hynes clan and Papa Lund and Gramma Karen. It was even a bit chilly, which is always fun in the desert.

 oh look, I am even in this picture because we made some poor missionary take a picture of all of us.

 Look at all those smiling faces, and a french Beret right in the middle!  Thank you Elder So-and-so! and his companion, Elder something-or-other!

 The girls were really chummy! Cassidy and Lucy sure bonded on this trip as the "oldest girls" in their families.

 Oh yes! then we had to go to Mesa Frozen Yogurt.  Yum-a-thon in your mouth!! (sidenote: I used to walk here everyday during the summer when I was a kid, and both my sisters worked there at one time or another.)

 Here is the other table of yummy-ites! (I have decided that Eliott is a GREAT picture poser ! he is always smiling so cute for pictures! )

And Will bites off a little bit more than he can chew so to speak. He loved getting to pick out his topping, "M-a-M's"

CANCER UPDATE: This is my "sick week" on my chemo meds. Which means, someone from the ward graciously comes in and gets the kids ready for school in the mornings, and then my mom comes over and gets Will on his bus and then runs any errands I need. And then, as if that isn't enough, someone brings in dinner. Sounds like the life, huh? I am being pampered on all sides. I wake up at maybe 1pm because of the exhaustion and have a few other side effects such as hand, foot syndrome, and nausea, but not too bad. All in all, I feel very, very loved from all angles! And now that Lund and Karen have gone back to help more family, everyone at church and all my wonderful neighbors have picked up right where they left off! Aren't I so incredibly blessed!!!!!! I am definitely feelin' the love! Thank you all from the bottom of my achin' toes!

Thanksgiving Extravaganza!!!!!

Thanksgiving this year was the greatest holiday EVER!!!!! We had visiting family, we had a potluck turkey dinner, and we had love surrounding us!!! What more can you ask for....oh, and pie, lots and lots of pies!!!!!!!

There are a billion pictures, so let's just dig right in......

 My sister, Becky, brought over her 3-week-old baby who was a HUGE hit!!!!

 And of course, Morgan always loves to hold a baby. We did learn that Warren (sitting next to Morgan) does not like to hold babies. We figured it was because he might think she is a football during one of the games and pass her across the room.

 .............my goodness, she is seriously so precious!!

 Here is the oldest and youngest in my family. My brother, Ryan, home from BYU, and my older sister Alisha.

 And here is more family from my side of the clan. Alisha, Becky, and her hubby Jeff.

 All the cousins LOVED to play outside on the trampoline and we didn't even make any trips to the ER...yipppeee

  I love it when a "tough guy" like Guilio Garino (Brother-in-law), holds a little precious child... how sweet!!

                                               My big Sis!

                                   And we really enjoyed working off all the turkey playing "So you think you can Dance", on the Wii.

Everybody was really getting into it.

 And I only took this picture to make my sister nervous. This is my 13-year-old niece texting while holding a baby... that is multitasking at it's best!!! (don't worry: I staged this picture, no babies were hurt in the photographing of Kayla)

 And my niece Chantell holding the baby.... can you tell that the baby was a big hit??!!!

 And here is Jeff talking on the "potato phone". My in-laws brought about 100lbs of Idaho potatoes here straight from, well...Idaho. We distributed them to many family members and Jeff got a kick out of how big the potatoes were.

 And yes, this is the actual mom, of said adorable baby. And yes, she doesn't look like she had a baby and a huge c-section just three weeks ago!!! What an amazing gal!

 My older sister can groove!!!!!!

 And my neice Kayla has got the moves too.

 This is my favorite picture to demonstrate how cozy our house was for Turkey Day. Can you tell I love my new house?!

 And while we were waiting for the turkey to cook and Morgan was back at the house cooking, a few of us went "geocaching". It was a lot of fun, but there were a lot of pokey bushes that didn't like us.

 Score! We finally found the "treasure"!! it was my first time "geocaching" and it was a lot of fun. I guess the Hynes and Wilson's are old pros at it, but you really need a hand-held GPS system to do it.

 This is a great memory as my dad reads a book to Will and his cousin, Eliott.

 Here is a gaggle of folks watching the football games. (and playing on their electronic devices as well)

Here is the Spread!!! I LOVED having a "potluck style" turkey meal. I think we should do this every year!!!

My brother Ryan got tired of Will complaining about walking, so he just picked him up and lugged him about. Thanks Ry!

And thank you Grandma Frazier for the pomogranates sent straight from your tree in California... they were a HUGE hit!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi-Yah!!! and Down-Set-Hike...

My kids, as I mentioned in a previous post, are taking various classes from the Parks and Recreation Department here in town. Lund picked Flag Football and Sarah picked karate... soooo enjoy the pictures..

 Will likes to throw the football around while we watch Lund play football...

 ........and make his sister hold the football while he kicks it.

 Lund has really taken to football and has natural ability helping him out. Way to go Lund!

 .........and doesn't this remind you of a certain scene from Charlie Brown???????

  "come on, kick the ball, I won't move the football!!!"

 And back to Lund and his football class.

 And Sarah is sure loving her karate classes!!!! Isn't she soooo tough!

...........see, she is just an adorable karate girl!

How Great Shall Be your Joy.... at the "ole folks home"!

Do you ever have one of those moments where you are sooo inexplicidly proud of your kids, that it brings tears to your eyes??? Well, I had one of those moments yesterday when we went to the "ole' folks home" for their Primary Activity Day.

A long time ago in Primary they asked the kids who wanted to play the piano at the Ole' Folks Home. Cassidy and Lund were happy to comply and yesterday was THE day. I have been sooo impressed with Cassidy and Lund as they have been practicing continually lately. I don't even have to tell them 15 times and then threaten them within an inch of their life. They have had motivation lately because they had the performance yesterday and they have their Christmas recital coming up in two weeks. (By the way, you are all invited! Call me for details).

My heart wasn't just filled with joy because of their performances, which were AMAZING, but also because of the amount of love the kids showed towards the elderly folks that live there. I am one proud momma today and we made some friends that we are going back to visit soon.

 Cassidy opted to play a duet with her piano teacher, "The First Noel". It was great!!!!  She dressed up so beautifuly with her matching scarf... I just love her styles lately!

 The kids also sang many primary songs, and here is Sarah being a snowman for the song, "Once there was a Snowman!"

 Lund picked "Holding Hands Around the World" and it was also amazing. By the way, both of my kids had it memorized and didn't need their sheet music.

 He was very serious while playing....

                                            Now, you have to understand that an hour is a long time for a four-year-old to sit still. In this picture, Will and his little neighbor had distracted each other for a while......

                                            ............What do you expect? They are 4!

 Some of the Ole folks, like Raymond that you see here, were sooo excited to see the kids that he kept leaning forward in his chair waving at them and trying to get their attention. It brings tears to my eyes now just thinking about it... they loved having the kids there SOOOO much!

 Isn't my smiley girl sooooo cute!!!

                             Lund was a great singer and really got into the songs.....

 When Will wouldn't be still any longer, I pulled him out of the crowd of kids and gave him to Raymond. It really made Raymond happy!!! I think Raymond was once a rowdy 4-year-old too!

And this is Maracella, a beautiful and loving lady that I met there. She brought her doll with her so her doll could see the performance as well. Oh, my goodness, the Spirit was sooo strong with these souls that are so innocent and loving!
  Another wonderful moment came when Tim in our ward who has Down Syndrome, ran up to one of the ole' folks and gave him a bit hug. I think their sweet, innocent spirits were speaking a language they know so well and give so freely................love!!!!