New Year's Eve

A few years ago, Lynn and April invited us to their house for a New Year's Eve Party. It has become a tradition that our family looks forward to each year. We hang out in our jammies, snack until we are all sick, play games, laugh, throw confetti, and ring the the new year! Thanks Godderigdes for the fun times and memories!

Thanks for the Memories--Elder Aguilar

On a Saturday night in March of 2008, April called me and said she was in a bind and wondered if I'd feed the missionaries on Sunday afternoon. Of course, I'd feed the missionaries. I figured we'd have them over for an hour and life would go. Well, life did go on, plus one new friend.

Elder Aguliar instantly won over our hearts, and we became instant friends. The following week was General Conference. He called to see if they could watch the afternoon session with us. I was very hesitate to say yes, because sometimes there is more napping during Sunday afternoon Conference than watching but I found myself saying "sure, come on over." We laughed, listened, and had a very enjoyable time. Quickly, our house became a place that Elder Aguliar and Elder Jensen liked to hang out. Having never served a mission, I thought this was a little strange. Todd quickly reassured me that it is nice to have a home where you can relax and feel at home while serving the Lord. Tyler and Kody looked forward to the missionaries many visits. On a few P-days they came over and played games with the boys. We had many visits outside while the boys swam in the pool, they went to Black-n-White Days pulling matches with us, we would share slurpee's together, they came to our house for Mother's Day and brought me a cake they had made, we roasted marshmallows together, they cooked us dinner, we laughed, we cried, and we shared our testimonies. We really enjoyed having them in our home.

Of course, we knew that someday transfers would happen but we were lucky to have 4 great months with Elder Jensen and Elder Aguliar. One summer morning in June, the doorbell rang at about 7:00am. As I opened the door, there stood two young elders with a plate full of cookies telling us they were both being transferred. Todd had already gone to work, so the elders stayed out on the porch while Kody, Tyler and I stood inside with the door open and all 5 of us crying.

Elder Aguliar was transferred to Ogden. We stayed in touch and in the fall when Tyler started playing football, we would always take Elder Aguliar and his companion out to lunch if Tyler played close by his area. It was a fun time to keep up on his stories and adventures as a missionary. Shortly, before Christmas he was transferred back to Logan and we invited him to spend Christmas with us. Last night, we invited him back to our house for one last time, before he goes home on Thursday. We gave him a USU sweatshirt to hopefully remember his time here in Logan and us each time he wears it.

After we dropped him off at his apartment last night, we all rode home in complete silence thinking about the fun times and the memories we've made. Todd and I both have wondered why he came into our lives, and why there was such an instant bond between us. Todd and Tyler don't let many people past their personal wall but Elder Aguliar never slowed down for this wall. I know that there is a reason he has had such an impact on us. Maybe it's for the boys and to help them serve missions or maybe we will never know the reason but we grateful for the opportunity we've had to share this time with him.

Good Luck, Elder Aguliar and keep in touch!

A fun and much needed surprise!

Last night I was working - that is not the surprise. I was on my laptop but had the Internet up on my desktop because for some reason the Internet wouldn't work on my laptop. Again, I was feeling a little bit blue because it was a Friday night and I was working. All of the sudden my facebook page popped up and a very good friend from many years ago had found me. We started "talking". It was so good to hear from him. Now before anyone gets any wild ideas - yes Todd is very much aware of this person and is very much okay with us being friends. This individual helped me survive my days of living in Bountiful and going to LDS Business College. We had many, many heart to heart talks during those days but had lost track of each other over time. Anyway, I soon put work aside and we chatted online for nearly an hour. By the time we were done chatting, my fingers hurt from typing but it was soo worth the visit.

I've found a few other people from those long ago single days. It's always fun to reconnect and find out what paths others have taken.

The Presents are Wrapped!!

I can now relax and enjoy the rest of the Holiday season! Yesterday I found myself home alone for a few hours in between Kody's basketball games so I dropped everything and finished wrapping our Christmas presents. I still have 2 small gifts to complete but I hope to have those done in the next couple of days. I still have some baking to do but I'm hoping not to step foot inside another store, except a grocery store for a few weeks!! You all know that I LOVE Christmas, and I LOVE shopping but Christmas shopping after about Dec 10, isn't my idea of fun!

Yesterday was our first "real" snowstorm of the season. I enjoy the snow but don't really care for the cold -- can't have one without the other! Tyler, Alex, and Duncan rode the tube behind the 4 wheeler yesterday afternoon in the fresh snow. When I looked outside to find them, they were all in the snow laughing. I knew that they where having a good time.

On Friday night, we took the boys, and Randy and Shonie, with us to see the Pickleville Playhouse Santa's Christmas Party. When we went to Pickleville during the summer, the boys really liked it so we thought this would be a fun activity. It was fun, but a different fun than the summer play. To me it was more like a variety show and not so much a play. When we left I asked the boys what they thought, and they both told me they like the one at Bear Lake better. But if you are looking for a fun, enjoyable evening out, you wouldn't be disappointed.

Our week this week has very little sports, or any extra curricular activities -- we all need the break! I hope to bake, cook, and go to another Christmas concert this weekend.

Happy 11th Day of Christmas!!

Krazy Tuesdays

Yesterday was one of those "Krazy" days, although Tuesdays usually are at our house. Kody had Cub Scouts at 4:00pm, Tyler had Football Practice at 5:00pm, Kody had Basketball Practice at 6:00pm, and then Tyler had Scouts at 7:00pm. On Tuesday afternoons, I am simply a taxi service for the boys. I'm glad that they are involved and enjoy various activities but they certainly keep the miles on the car!!

I also went to lunch yesterday with my two very good friends, Linda and Maureen. We all met in college (USU 1988). We have been able to stay in touch and try to get together every few months for a catch-up. Maureen and Linda both have toddler girls, so Shiloh and Sidney joined us for lunch. It was good to get together but it was definitely good birth control for me. You forget how much work and patience toddlers take until you spend an hour with them! I'm way too tired to even want to try that -- way to go Linda and Maureen!!

Today at work, I have several items that I need to get accomplished, most of them will spill over into the next few days but I hope to get a good start on them today. I'm hoping that I can finish them so I don't have to work this weekend. Tyler has an early game on Saturday, so I could actually have a entire Saturday afternoon -- I would love to accomplish a few things at home this weekend!