2009 Christmas Visit

My family had another wonderful couple of weeks together at the end of 2009.  I love having them around. I like the conversation filling the house. I like gathering around the dinner table. I like that we like each other!

Michael enjoyed the novelty of watching football with his brothers-in law. We had a LOT of football on the TV over those two weeks; much more than we usually have on at our house. I can't say that was especially fun, though. At the risk of shocking a reader or two: what is the point!? (unless the point is exactly this: sitting and muching and hanging out... then I can understand.)

Dad passing out presents on a sunny & bright Christmas morning.

Zuki got an adorable pink Abducted Twice doll from minelolly. Zuki is growing so fast! I couldn't help but be amazed that she knew exactly where the doll goes and to push it around in her new stroller. She's so cute!

Mom got Zuki a brand-new red wagon for this purpose: giving rides around the great room! This was the perfect distraction for Zuki...and the perfect escape from the doting aunts and other relatives fawing over her.

Natalie had to show her how to do it first, though.

Don't know why...don't know who all was involved. I opened the fridge one morning and the eggs had spontaneously taken on personalities.

As you may have read on Anna's blog, new year's day was spent cleaning up from the incredible snow storm we had a few weeks earlier. So many trees are maimed from that storm. It made a mess needing to be conqured...and there was a lot of conquering going on! Anna conqured logs.

Dad conquered logs.

Adam conqured logs.

Michael conquered traipsing to the bon fire with branches on his back.

Mo conqured the pile. We later cooked our dinners in the coals and had a marvelous time.

A Wonderful Day

The Sacramento Temple

It's MY temple, now.

Anna, Adam, Mom, Natalie, Mmangaliso, Dwynne, Grampa Zenk

Dad is taking the picture... so here we are together!

Here is a "before" shot. In my "after" shot, I don't look any different... but life will never be the same.

And I am glad.

I love my sisters. I feel so lucky to be part of my family. I adore them, and treasure the times when we can be together, but this day was special. I am grateful I got to have my family with me.

I posted this Merry Christmas before leaving work on Wed, 12/23. About three hours later, I was on my way to the emergency room.  Somewhere around 8 pm, my whole right side exploded in red hot burning pain. Fearing appendicitis, Dad rushed me to the hospital where they found that I was in the midst of passing my first kidney stone. Interesting how fast life changes, no? There I was, thinking my first night of vacation was going to be super fun...and boom. Nope. I can't really describe the pain, but if this blog is for the logging of memories, I'm pretty sure I won't forget how that felt.

I think I've passed the stone...I feel mostly better now, a few sharp pains and lots of soreness. I feel wierd from so much pain medicine. I have a cool IV bruise to show everyone.

Just thought I'd log that story away.

I haven't got anything else to say about this particular unpleasant experience, except that kidney stones are not fun. Morphine is nice, though!!

Christmas post coming up. My family is still here for the rest of the week, so I intend to soak up every minute of their visit.

Hope you all had wonderful (and kidney stone free) Christmases!

Snow Day!! ... and a half!

We. Got. Snow. A lot.

Monday morning.The power is out. Work is cancelled. It's freezing cold. First thing in the morning, Michael decides to brave the hilly roads in his Toyota Corrolla to get to school, so Dad loads him up with a 48 hour kit, chains, emergency radio/flashlight/cell charger, rock salt, shovel, extra coat, gloves, and strict instructions to call when he gets to the freeway. Thusly burdened, Michael sets out to find his car...Dad found it for him.

He never did call us to say he'd gotten to the freeway. Michael found that both Buck Mountain Road and Grassy Run were blocked by fallen trees, got his car stuck, so he hiked back up to the house. We had a good day together, the four of us stranded at home with nothing to do but decorate for Christmas. Yay! I had been complaining that I wasn't feeling the holiday spirit, but I can't say that anymore. With snow on the ground, a fire in the stove, and a Christmas tree up, I feel it now! Christmas is here!! Michael and Dad left at one point to get Michael's car, which was the highlight of thier day. Dad and I both enjoyed wandering around taking pictures. We could hear branches snapping all over the hill. We're going to have quite a mess to clean up in the spring... if I'm here for spring, that is. Ha ha!! Nyah!

Michael and Dad get warm after rescuing Michael's car.

We got super bored once the sun went down. Since she couldn't quilt anymore, Mom talked to Anna for a while on my cell phone, then we called Natalie to hear Zuki count to ten, insist that she's a happy girl, and tell us what a Kangaroo says. (Boing! Boi-oi-oi-oi-ing!) Candlelight has a soporific effect. Mom and Dad went to bed at the impossible hour of 9:00, while Michael and I ended the day with homework and Jane Eyre.

I ventured out to go to work about 12 the next day. We didn't get electricity back until 6 or so, but I came home to a fully-lighted house with Christmas lights a-blazing!! It was a relief. Candles are fun for a night, but I wasn't looking forward to another evening spent in a tiny sphere of light. Its oppressive. I had a hard time getting back up the hill, so Michael and I walked down the steepest part of our street and sprinkled the rest of our rock salt on the ice. "Heavenly Father, bless this salt, that with it thou mayest blow the ice to tiny bits, in thy mercy."

Yes, this post is a mess... It doesn't look like it did in the compose mode.  Why does blogger do that!?

 You can click on the images for a better view.