Blizzard Thanksgiving

Highlights from our trip to Utah:

LONI AND DALLAS' WEDDING
Loni and Dallas got married on November 19th in the Salt Lake temple. It was BEAUTIFUL and as far as I could tell, the day went perfectly. It was cold, but the snow and rainy weather didn't hit until 24 hours later. Her colors were turquoise, purple and lime green and together they were spectacular! She looked radiant, Dallas was a handsome groom and all went well. After the temple, we had lunch at TGIFridays where we ate our hearts out and Landen and Caitlin freaked out because they saw George W Bush (he was signing books at Costco in Sandy that day). Our kids were good, Matt's wonderful mom watched them during the temple ceremony. After lunch, we headed to White Willow in Provo for the reception. A good day, very emotional for the parental units since she is the baby in our family. But we are so happy for her, it was hard to shed sad tears :):) I love my Lonsters!

Dallas is wondering what he got himself into...
Max, my nephew the TOTAL studmuffin. I love this dude!
Another studmuffin nephew, Elijah. I asked him to smile for the camera and this is what I got!!! LOVE! All I can say is he is definitely Lance's son.

The three young princesses in their purple attire. Reagan, Jane and Emma.

My two guys. It is hard to believe such a harsh diaper as one I changed 10 minutes ago could come from such a dang cute guy (Nolan, not Matt ;))

My family.The original Roundy's: (L to R) the parental units, LOTOJA, 2 of the hoes, FBI, Adam Sandler, and the hoe bride. LOVE THEM! Oh and my nephew Easton popping up in the background, LOL :)Loni and Dallas with the Roundy grandkids, looks like one is trying to escape. Who's kid is that???

Loni and Dad dancing.

Reagan and Emma dancing....so funny! They were totally going nuts.

The boys dancing some. I may have to post the video of Max break dancing. I am pretty sure I peed my pants a little.

Loni with some of the girls.

ZUMBA

So have you ever done a Zumba class? Well, I did! My sisters let me come to her class with her at the gym and man, it has been a while since I have shaken my thang like that. To be honest, I have never shaken "what my momma gave me" quite like that ever. But it was SO MUCH FUN! Such an intense workout, maybe knocked off several hundred calories of the thousands I ingested that week. The down side was the mirrors allowing me and the whole class to see how silly I looked.

2010 BLIZZARD

So while we were out there, the biggest blizzard of the year was predicted to hit Utah. Schools closed early, stores and restaurants closed, everything shut down and everyone was shouting from their rooftops to get in homes before 3pm. I have never experienced preparation of that nature, I was thinking a tornado. I half expected to see the neighbors putting boards up on their windows or something ;) Anyways, the blizzard came...and then went in about 10 minutes. Totally overhyped!!! We all got a good laugh about it and went on our merry way. If you see a t-shirt with the slogan, "I survived the Utah 2010 Blizzard," snag me one.

SNOW

Even though the blizzard was less than exciting, we did get a lot of snow! Reagan and Matt built a snowman, which in days following, leaned to the side, like he was doing aerobics. Nolan hates wearing jackets and hats and pretty much any sort of clothing, so he wasn't in the snow much. He seemed pretty content the whole week pushing his cars around the house, playing with the kitchen and shopping cart and running around downstairs.

POLLY POCKET

My older nieces and I held a contest using all of Ashlee's polly pockets to see who could make the ugliest doll. We presented them to all the adults. I am pretty sure the top left doll won.

SHOPPING

We did lots of shopping out there, two good reasons: 1-great deals this time of year and 2-we can buy our families presents and leave them out there and not have to ship from California. I sure like this tradition, though, because as I sit here on December 5th, I am totally done shopping. Such a good feeling. Matt was a sport and let me cruise the mall with my sister, only to find that he had squished Alyssa into a cart and we had to tug a bit to get her out :):)

Deseret Book had a fun Christmas display, which Reagan asked for her picture in front of. One of my favorite pics of her to date!!!

COUSINS

Hands down, one of the down sides to living away from family is the distance between cousins. It is fun to go out and visit and see how much fun Reagan has with her them. She and Emma would disappear for hours. Whitney and Brooklyn played polly pockets with her, Travis played with her, her older cousins doted on her. Nolan loved all the attention as well! We also got to meet our two newest nephews: Emmett was born in August and Trae (pictured below) was born in September. Two very handsome babies and such a treat to finally meet.

TWO TURKEY DINNERS=LOTS OF INDIGESTION

I was able to arrange it this year so that we could make it to both families turkey dinners. It was great to eat with both families, but my stomach couldn't handle it. I was sucking down Rolaids all night. But thinking back, it was worth it. I love my dads fried turkey, but smothering premium cranberry sauce all over Bev's traditional turkey also really hit the spot! By the time we hit the pies, I couldn't handle anymore.

The only down side to Thanksgiving was the knowledge we would be leaving the next morning, cutting our trip short by 2 planned days. The weather forecasted snow all day Saturday in Truckee and we knew that would make our commute Saturday and Sunday really awful. I sadly missed out on shopping with family Friday and the BYU/Utah game on Saturday, but the accounts from friends who traveled home when we had originally planned made me realize we had made a good decision. Besides, we stopped along the way and shopped...Walmart in Elko, Nevada (empty!), Target in Sparks, then Old Navy and Carters in Fairfield. It was a slow, casual trip home and I am glad we had a couple of days to recoup until Monday.

I am grateful for our families. They really put up with us this year, with all the chaos of holiday and weddings. We can't wait to see them next year!

A month of gratitude

I feel silly for the name of my post, as it refers to the month of November being the month of gratitude. While I think Thanksgiving is an amazing holiday and everything, gratitude is something I feel all year long. Even my patriarchal blessing was very specific about the constant thanksgiving I would feel in my soul. Matt taught me through example what it is to be thankful in all things. He served a really tough mission, sometimes tracting 10 hours a day and not talking to anyone. He was down often because of the lack of success they had. He said his focus on his blessings-what he had versus what he lacked--got him through. I love that he experienced that so early on in life and that he passes that wisdom onto me often. Despite any challenges we may face in life, there is always so much to be grateful for!

Sunday evening I was spiritually fed. The youth in our stake performed the musical From Cumorah's Hill in a fireside. They practiced for weeks and really put heart and soul into this. I was totally uplifted by the music and especially the example that these kids set. Being in junior high and high school isn't easy and they are faced with so much, but this is a strong generation and a strong stake. I hope these are the kind of kids my children are surrounded by in years to come.

This Friday we will have the opportunity to attend the sealing of my sister and her fiancee--and my future brother in law--in the Salt Lake Temple. We are really excited for this and to get some time with family. I am proud of my sister and the choices she has made. I have said before, back when my sister Lindsey got married, that it is fun to see brothers get married, but there is something so special to see my younger sisters go through the same thing. Maybe because I am a girl and I can relate to them more. We haven't even made the 12 hour trek to Utah yet, but I feel emotional just thinking about it.

Perhaps the thing I am most grateful for and my most prized possesion on earth is my family. I lucked out in this department. My kids are amazing and the gift of being their mom is the best ever. I learn so much from them and they are in turn sure lucky to have Matt as their dad. He is one selfless person. He gets that from his parents. Matt comes home everyday and plays with his kids, never bringing the stress of work or outside influence in. He is a mirror of his own father that way. I sure love my family.

I can't help but shove sports into my kids faces all day. We expect them to attend church, we expect them to clean their rooms and say prayers and clear their dinner places, and BY ALL MEANS, those kids will play sports!! LOL :)

Our next door neighbor rescues animals who are in danger or sick. A few weeks ago she got these 7 week old pups (2 of them) who were on the brink of death. She took them in and now they are thriving and seem like they will survive. My kids love seeing them and they are the perfect size--right now anyways--for my kids!

I just thought I would end this on a funny note: Reagan loves Shrek! She loves the movie and loves Fiona and watched it a lot. Mom finally had to limit the Shrek time when she caught Reagan calling her brother a "stupid ugly ogre." But regardless, she has the Shrek face down pat. She always comes up to Matt and I and says, "This is how Shrek smiles" and she demonstrates with this half smile, almost like a shrug. She let me take some pics of the smile and Matt and I could barely contain ourselves.

For your personal enjoyment, here is Reagan's very own impersonation of Shrek:

Happy Thanksgiving!

My Liberty Mutual moment

I was driving home from a friends house today and as I waited at a 4 way stop light, I saw a car stalled in the middle of the intersection, struggling to turn left (I was several cars back, waiting to turn left, too). A man was out pushing the car with all his might as the driver steered. Two or three cars behind them each swerved around them hurriedly so that they wouldn't miss the green light.

Out of nowhere and almost instincively, I see another car, that had been waiting to go straight, turn and get right behind this stalled car and turn on their hazards. Two teenagers jumped out of the back seat and immediately started helping this man push. They helped him and followed him until he was safely in the gas station parking lot.

This just warmed my heart. I thought of those Liberty Mutual commercials, you know the ones with the sappy song playing and everyone doing good works for each other and paying it forward. I watched this scene play out before my eyes and I was reminded of the good that is still in the world. There is so much focus on the bad--crime rates, the economy, the insane politicians in office--that it is so easy to forget that most people really have a good heart and want to do the right thing. I am thankful today for witnessing that and for receiving my own "Liberty Mutual" moment. :)

TV TIME!

Well, it has been a while since I have posted about all my tv shows, but don't worry, I am still watching. This season we say good-bye to Michael on The Office and I am wondering how the writers are handing that. Will he get fired? Will he quit? I have a feeling Holly will make her way back into his life so that we can assume a happily ever after for him. But there are many changes taking place. I didn't think this last episode was very funny (the Christening of Cece), but most this season have been hilarious. Dwight cracks me up. And Gabe is just too weird for words. I wish they gave Kelly and Ryan more screen time, as well as my other oldie favorites, Stan the man and Phyllis. We shall see where this goes...

Well, without a doubt, the show that has had me going all along is VAMPIRE DIARIES!! Do not laugh. This show is seriously so good and if you aren't watching, you are missing out. The writers are brilliant, they take an already used up theme (vampires, ala Twilight and True Blood) and make it completely its own genre. Each episode leaves me hanging on the edge of my seat. There are so many characters, plot developments, and twists in storylines. I love all of the characters. I cannot wait to see Elena and Damon get together, you know it will eventually happen, maybe not for another season or two. And I love all the other relationships, Matt/Caroline, Alaric/Jenna and now, Bonnie/Jeremy. I love how they kill off characters just like that, but it is always okay, because so many other plots are developing. My sisters and I call each other each Friday and discuss the episodes.

I have been slacking on many other shows. I kind of gave up on Glee, the first few episodes this season bored me and I felt like too many characters changed over the summer. Rachel isn't as geeky anymore and I loved her. She is skinnier and has bangs. Too much change. I haven't tuned into Biggest Loser either. We catch up on 30 Rock and Outsourced through On Demand and that is nice. They are pretty funny. 30 Rock is one of the wittiest comedies ever. But the live show stank, I thought.

I love watching Curb Appeal, Dear Genevieve and Designed to Sell on HGTV. The style in those shows is really cool. I love Genevieve's style, classy but not boring.

This is Halloween....BOO!

A fun thing about October is the plethora of Halloween songs that we get to sing, but it isn't so pleasant when they get stuck in my head...all month long. For many reasons, I am actually glad Halloween is finally over. It lasted over a week, with friends parties, multiple trips to the pumpkin patch, ward trunk or treat, then another friends party. We ended the week with WAYYYYYY too much candy. Three freezer bags full...stuck way in the back of my freezer where mom cannot reach it without removing all the frozen vegetables. But my kids had a blast and that is where Halloween is just so much dang fun.

Reagan made sugar cookies and rolled them and cut them all by herself. She loved it, they tasted so-so and keeps asking when she can make "playdough" cookies again. Nolan happily licked the beaters of the dough and left the hard work to sis.OK, this is his face he makes lately. Cute, huh? All bashful and shy, yet mischievious at the same time.
We were blessed with a pretty princess, a binkied Batman and a mean old witch. Oh and Matt was "Jack Johnson", an ensemble of jeans, t-shirt and flip flops.

I was able to attend a field trip to the pumpkin patch with Reagan's preschool class. My, how cute. It was fun to put faces with names.

It only took her 15 seconds to find "the one."

Here is Reagan smothering her friend Katie.

We also went to the patch with Addie and Josh. Laura and I attempted some cute kiddie shots, but most of mine turned out like this...kids running here and there :)

Some were decent...

Some were silly...Addie would agree with me.

Some were just too obsessed with handling the pumpkins.

And some resulted in weird smiles like this, but still dang cute, huh?

Well, we are paying the price this week. I don't know if it was all the late night partying, the candy or just being around so many people, but both my children are sick right now. Our first day hanging out home was fine, I got to tackle some indoor projects while they laid around and it was sort of nice. Now I am going insane. The whining, the messes, the complaining, holy freakin cow, someone GET ME OUTTA HERE!!! But honestly, better now than in 2 weeks when we will partying in Utah.

LOVE TO ALL!!! Here come the holidays...