Thanksgiving...

Like always, my Mother-In-Law made an amazing Thanksgiving dinner. Let me tell you, she can cook, and she loves to cook- and pretty much born to make amazing food! When Trav and I were dating, I flew to Nampa to visit one time, and after that trip I knew if we became "serious", poor Trav was going to be a very sad boy- I AM NOT A COOK! And coming from his Mama's cooking, I was going to be the world's biggest let down. Trav didn't seem to care about my million flaws because he still married me, what a silly, silly man.
And sadly, 11 1/2 years later, I am still the furthest from being super in the kitchen, I hate it infact.

Anyway... Thanksgiving was very nice. All of Trav's siblings drove to Edith & Max's for dinner. Ben & Cammy came with their 5 girls, Rob drove from Utah with his 4, Ellen and Will came down with their 4, and we had our 4 as well. Somehow, we all manage to fit in their 1300 sq. ft home- all 26 of us. We also opened presents, like we do each year (from the cousins)it's our mini Christmas with them since they all stay home for Christmas. I had to fly out right after presents were done, but it was a very nice day.

I am so grateful for my beautiful family, amazing food, vaccuum cleaners, chocolate, Advil, The Office, my bed, fuzzy slippers, Lysol, our warm house, running cars, junk food, water, washer/dryers, the gospel, computers, Target, America, toilets, Costco, hand sanitizer, our jobs, amazing friends,laughter & chapstick.

Flying home to Seattle...

It was such a mix of emotions getting ready to leave for Seattle on Thanksgiving. I was so excited to go home and be with family, but the circumstances were just so sad. G-ma Lillian has been apart of my life for 25 years and saying goodbye and putting things to rest was hard to do. The funeral was very nice and Mom did an incredible job with the lunch afterwards, it was just so strange not to see G-ma sitting there with all of us. It makes my heart smile to know she is no longer in pain and having the gospel in my life gives me added comfort to know where she is and that she is ok.
It was just Willow and I on this trip and we were gone for 4 days. The last time I left the kids was when Audra, Amber & I drove home to Seattle to go to jaime's baby shower years ago. I just had Tristin & Daisy at the time.I missed the kids, but talked to them everyday. I knew they were having fun filled days with their cousins from Utah, spending time with G-ma & G-pa & doing fine, so I didn't worry too much. I just missed their hugs and 'I love you's". Being away from Trav those nights was weird too, but we did fine.
We had a great time with Mom & Brent. They kept Willow occupied and laughing most of the time. We ate hamburgers Thanksgiving night, stayed up talking,prepared for the funeral & lunch, talked a lot about death, cremation, wills & funeral plans. It was a little too much by the end of the day, so I tried to focus on what was uplifting about the trip. We kept Willow busy with toys,watched Man Vs. Food a lot, ate yummy food, relaxed, worked on Christmas stuff, went to Seattle to see the boys and Cindy and ate 8:00 fruit, pizza & ice cream!
Willow & I stayed the night at my Grandparents house Friday night and had a great time there as well. My G-ma & G-pa helped raise us and we are so close with them. They are like parents to us and after all they have done for us, they earn that title. I love spending the night there. I love watching my Grandfather in his bathrobe with his long white legs showing, I love watching him get all the rounds correct in Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy, I love watching G-ma crochet her millionth blanket for the hospital, I love the coo-coo clocks that are constantly ticking, I love that G-pa keeps the fireplace going even in the Summer, I love that G-ma still cooks my favorites when I come, I love that I get to hear the same stories over and over. I love to watch them play Nintendo golf together. I love staying up late talking with them. I love the goofy presents G-ma always gives me to take home with me. I love to watch G-pa feed my babies. I love watching them hold Willow (and pat her tummy like he used to with Aunt Abby & Mom when they were little) I love that G-pa stands at the top of the driveway waving goodbye. I love that they adore me and that I can't imagine a second of my life without them. I couldn't love them more even if my heart let me. G-pa has been like a Father to me and I adore and look up to him more than any other man in my life. He is the rock that has held us together for so many years and I am so blessed to have him in my life. Besides Mom,Grandma has been the one to get in and get things done. She has showered her love upon us for years and sewn more blankets, made more underware & made more meals to prove that love for us. She has been there for me every moment of my life and with her and Mom, I have all the support in the world. Oh, how I love them.
It was a wonderful trip home and I cannot thank Mom & Brent enough for getting me there- thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
G-ma Lillian... we will see you soon.

Willow eating fruit with G-ma April...

Staying the night with G-ma & G-pa...

After the funeral and lunch, Willow & I stayed the night at G-ma & G-pa's house. We had fun playing, watching Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, eating pudding, making carmaled popcorn, eating waffles, staying up until 1:00 AM talking with G-ma, watching Willow play, thrift store shopping and relaxing. I adore my Grandparents and I love every second with them! We had a great time, thank you!!!

Fun with G-ma & G-pa...

Spending time at Grammy's house...

These are a few pictures taken as we were about to leave my G-ma's house. Willow hasn't had this much attention in all her life!

Visiting Uncle Caleb, Eli & Aunt Cindy...

Sunday morning Mom, Willow and I drove to Seattle to visit my brothers and Aunt Cindy. We ate lunch and visited for a few hours. Dexter, their dog and Willow were the highlight of the afternoon. Mom bought the cutest X-mas pj's for Dexter and he looked adorable waddling around in them. After Willow woke up from her nap, she was in love with the dog!

My pink bundle of joy...

I admit it- I am late to join the world in all its tecnology advanced, time consuming miracles. Like online shopping, printing boarding passes 24 hours ahead of time, thanks for the tip Mom!, reserving Redbox movies online and then making your husband go get it for you...
We didn't have cell phones for the longest time, I was late to blog, I didn't understand why people were obsessed with texting, wasn't a phone made for talking? I have almost 2000 emails to look through because I hardly check that anymore, I still don't know how to figure out Facebook, I had to ask my 3 year old how to exit a game on the computer the other day and after the cell phone I lost track of all the advancments. I've heard of thinks like: mp3 players, Ipods, iphones, itunes, blackberrys, ipads and so on, but don't ask me what they do because I have no clue- except, I'm learning!!!
I know, brace yourself. The beauty of knowing nothing means you have very little expectations, which is why my cute little ipod shuffle is my new modern miracle! Don't laugh at me.
A few years ago I entertained the though of how cool it would be to have one, because at the time I was guessing they played music, like a walkman, right? Yes. Travis told me, sadly shaking his head. So for our 9th wedding Anniversary he slipped me a tiny box and I squealed with delight knowing what was waiting for me inside. He got the hot pink one and I couldn't wait to be cleaning my houses and singing to Alannis while I worked. But then a very sad thing happened...
My wonderful, amazing, very technology capable husband never put my songs on it. Really Trav? I asked him at least a thousand times to do it for me because just opening the little plastic box was challenging enough for me, but no, he didn't do it. So afer several months, I grew upset with him for blowing our gift budget, getting me all excited and then not helping me! For months I nagged him to do it, but nothing. Before Willow was born, I asked him so I could have it at the hospital-nothing. For our 10th anniversary I asked him to do it as my gift-but nothing. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY HUSBAND??? It became the topic of conversation many times and I was not very happy about it. He knew I was computer challenged and he was really going to get me a gift that required computer knowledge and then not help me?? I was really frustrated!!!
So, yesterday I became 100% sick and tired of needing and depending on my husband to download or upload (which ever one it is)my adorable little ipod and I told myself, I'm going to do it without him and when he comes home he will see that I can do anything on my own... Oh Emily, how wrong you were. I spent hours watching you tube videos, searching the internet for help, but I was stuck. I couldn't get to the page where I knew if I was, I could probably figure it out. So, I gave in. I surrendered and lowerd my head in shame. I indeed needed my computer savy husband, but it was taking over a year and a half to do it and I wanted it for my trip home to Seattle in 2 days.
To make a long boring story longer, HE HELPED ME and in a few minutes it was done. That's why i wanted him to to it. When I attempt, I waste hours which equals no clean underware because I didn't get the laundry done because my husband should have done it back in the year that he purchased the item. Was it really worth 18 months of nagging Travis Alan???!! needless to say, I love it.
I drifted off to sleep last night listening to all my wonderful friends singing softly in my ear. It was amazing! So while our 11th anniversary is approaching in 5 months, I will be quiet now and thank my husband for a sweet gift that took incredibly way too long to set up! Thanks babe! Can't wait to get you your next gift...