Winter in Utah

The week after Christmas is such a beautiful week to spend with my mother and siblings in Utah.  All the families are out of school, extra activities are suspended, fathers are home and the comraderade never ends.  It really is "all felicity and kindness" (Austen, Pride and Predjudice).  This year was no exception.

Both Nick and Andy were along for our holiday (Austin was not; he stayed to work three days and project the other three days.  We missed him.), which meant that we all took a driving three hours each.  I had the first leg -- all were asleep.  I then moved to the back row with Ryan and Eddie.  Maddie and Molly used up the space in the second row.  Traveling with only 7 passengers in a 12-passenger van is quite roomy.

I sat between these two and crocheted flowers.  Ryan let me put my head in his lap, and Eddie let me put my legs on him, so I almost napped.

These two chose the movies, "Barbie and the Popstar" and "Incredibles."

My mother's home was warm and inviting -- she was waiting for us with warm hugs and warm dinner.  My birthday twin, Gabby, sent me the best gift -- crochet books.  YES!

New Year's Eve we binged and danced.  Lots of nourishing food, lots of great music (Ron was the DJ), and lots of laugher.

Of course the ball dropped early -- 8:30 pm -- not one parent complained.

Oh! We played this fun game where we each wrote down one goal, gathered the goals, and then guessed to whom the goal belonged.  Mine: To take a daily vitamin.  I'm keep my goals and expectations real low, because if I'm accomplishing mine, then all my people suffer and they aren't able to stay on track and progress.  It's interesting that my progession has everything to do with hedging up my hobbies, in order for my effort to boost others' progression.  

At one moment Andy was actully with us, as well as the Armstrongs.  We just like to be together.

Ron and his family invited us to watch "Wicked" with them.  Once again, lots of food, contented hearts and piles of people.

Friday was singular -- three different temple and three different ordinances.  

• 5:45am Mt. Timp: initiatory work with mother as my ordinace worker wherein I concluded that the powers of heaven are very real and very rewarding.
• 11:20am Jordan River: sealing session with Mom, Cherie, Kylee, Ron Rachelle, Ronnie and Jace wherein I concluded that keeping sealing covenants with God and Austin has brought the powers of heaven right into my relationships, home and heart.
• 3:30pm Orem temple: baptismal work with Nick, Eddie, Maddie and Ty.  I dropped them off and headed to Old Navy and TJMaxx to shop and buy new jeans, wherein I learned that wearing clothes that look exactly like the clothes I wore in high school does not necessarily mean that I look like I did in high school.

Another group of hungry people waiting to be fed.

Bea + Grandma = friends

We really didn't want the week to end, luckily the Campbells stayed until I called it quits.  Boo.  It always feels just right to go home to Austin, but that doesn't mean I would have loved to stay longer -- right in that space of daily relaxation for both adults and children.  It feels so good to love and be loved.

Andy rarely surfaced -- he had a week of skiing, and friends.

Eddie, Ryan and Molly spent every moment with Lucas, Beckham, Kate and Hazel and also Olivia, Kate, Miles, Brandon and Callie.  Cousins are everything.