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Another Scrumptious Sunday

Sunday dinner at Grandmas is always a high light of the week. We have great discussions, delicious meals, and often, love entertainment. Tonight was no different. Dutch oven pork chops were cooked to perfection, perfectly mashed potatoes and all the fixings to complete the meal including savory asparagus, veggie packed green salad, sweet watermelon, and my favorite pretzel rolls from Costco. Oh, and an assortment of pies for dessert. We are priming our stomachs for thanksgiving dinner.  After tonight's meal I couldn't find mom and went downstairs to find her making pajama pants with her grand daughters. Then I walked around checking out the rest of my family finding so much joy in the serenity of the contentment. So of course I had to capture a few moments. 

I love this family of mine. 

 

 

Off track with Carson

I have had so much fun being off track with my not-so-little baby boy!  Carson is such an enjoyable, delightful child full of humor, wit, sarcasm, and compassion, that I can not help but be full of life and love when I am around him.  Here are a few high lights of our time together this (our first of three for the 2017 school year) off-track:
October 26
Breakfast downtown to celebrate John's Birthday

October 26th @ the zoo. "Swag shots" with some "sick statues" according to the hipster Carson. He wanted to have all the zoo statues wear his fedora.  Silly boy. Glad Grandma and Grandpa were able to join us for this one!  They are always so fun to be around.

October 27th the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.  We were here three hours! THREE!  I thought we would be in and out in one hour, but this kid loves his sea creatures.  He examined each one so intensely.  It always interests me to see what grabs his attention.  The tide pool is always a fun spot, as well as the stingray pool.  This time, he was particularly interested in the worm looking things that you barely even notice.  He looked at those things for a good 10 minutes in their mundane tank.  Fascinated.

October 31.  Finally all of my "Off Track tasks are mostly done (sewing, laundry, cleaning, halloween (today), etc, etc, etc, ) and it is a good thing because on the way home from the awesome Castleberry Halloween Party, our car decided to fizz out!  So... with a broken car (serpentine belt is broken) and an empty fridge, I introduce my child to the modern convenience of freaky-fast sandwiches, TV trays, and Movie Marathons.  He chose the Divergent movies.  Although I felt really lazy and extremely unproductive, It was refreshing to see the empty laundry baskets.

We also got regular tasks done as well, but having these two along always makes the trip a little more.... interesting?

In fact, during a run-of-the-mill outing to Oraon Gygi, for the best boullion ever, and a few other items, he declared, "mom, I don't know why, but I really like shopping". 

But, after three weeks of sleeping in, lunching out, high-price adventures, I asked him what his favorite thing was (not including Halloween), and he responded, "The massage chair at R.C. Willey." The $4,000 one on display in the electronic department. He even tried convincing AJ to choose it for an after school activity instead of the Skate-Park. 

Good to know you're easy to please, Cars. Good to know. Next track off, we'll hit up IKEA and R.C.Willey and call it good. 

Now that we are back in school, life will resume a sense of normalcy and we can go on counting down until our next break. 

8 weeks. 

 

 

 

St. George Temple

August 11, 2016

When AJ turned 12 he was given a "Baptism's for the Dead trip" To any temple in Utah.  Of course he chooses the St. George temple.  So because Grandpa has Thursday's off, they Left Wednesday evening, got there in time for dinner at Texas Roadhouse, spent the morning at the temple, then went swimming and to the lava caves in snow canyon (stopping for a good parkour pic along the way).  Then they were on their way back home.  AJ loved every second of the one-on-one attention he was getting.  He also loved the names during the baptism.  They were mostly native american indian names that were very literal, like "Chief. Moose Big Foot" and such.  I was a little bummed he chose to miss the waterskiing trip, but proud that he chose baptisms over it.  He never ceases to amaze me.

May the Fourth in Box Elder

May 4, 2016

Being off track is awesome!  Well... The kids are off track, and I took the day off so I could play tour guide and help Carson get some pictures for his county report that is due when he goes back.  His county is Box Elder.  It is a pretty fun county! We went to the golden spike museum, the spiral jetty, and the bird sanctuary.  We spent the entire day looking and learning.  Since the day was May 4th, also known as, "May the Fourth (be with you)", Grandma brought along some Star Wars characters to pose in some pictures to commemorate the occasion. 

Because AJ and I had school, and Grandpa had the next day off, They got to spend the night in a trailer from grandpa's work! They went to willard bay, camped, and had an absolute blast!

This was definitely a fourth to remember.

Grand sleepover

I go through spells of missing my grandparents. They have such warm places in my heart and those places pulsed with love when I was texted these pictures...

Granddaughter sleepover. 

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of these moments with my female cousins wrapped in the warm cinnamon scented arms of grandmas house. I absolutely love that my mom is creating those treasures for my daughter. Although she didn't break out the lion house taffy recipe, like her mom often did, but the night wasn't without its spread of flavors and activities. These beauties danced, crafted, read, ate, watched, cuddled and loved their way into their beds, and slept with sweet toothed grins all through the night. 

And what's a granddaughter sleepover without a Group-grandpa hug?! 

Moving day.

My Junior year of High School, this house was completed and ready for us to go from "homeless-after-a-house-fire" to "Finally-home-after-living-outside-of-Davis-County-for-2-years".  Now, after a few years of contemplating downsizing, my parents are bidding farewell to 122 N. Foxpointe Circle.  

Moving day brings out a lot of emotions.  The strongest is that of comfort.  Knowing it doesn't matter what dwelling my parents live in, what matters is that they are happy and healthy, and still able to have an occasional gathering place for their growing family. 

They sold their home to a family in their ward with kids the ages of my siblings when we moved into the house.  We are so thrilled that the home we loved, that welcomed friends at all hours, that fed masses, that comforted tears, that celebrated so much, will continue to do so as the cycle starts again with the new residents.  We will miss this home greatly, but look forward to the place!

For now, Mom and Dad are moving in with Rich and Carrie for a couple weeks until they cement their next dwelling.  They hope to obtain a condo in the Maple Hills development next to Bountiful Ridge Golf Course.

Telegraphs

My mom had a box of photos and letters that she acquired when going through my grandmas house after she passed away. I was going through some them with her and came across these two Western Union telegraphs. Heartbreaking. These are hard to read, but they are documentation from the war office about my great uncle (grandpa Jack's brother Chauncey). The first one is a message home informing the family he has been reported missing. The second is a retraction of the first, stating that he is officially reported killed in action. Like I said,
heart. breaking.
Although it is a sad ending to his life, finding small pieces of paper like this connect a small piece of me to him. The brother of my beloved grandpa. I wonder. I dream. I imagine. What kind of tricks did my joke-loving grandpa play on his brother. What kind of games did they play together? 21... Grandpa taught me that. Did he Chauncey too?? What about backgammon? Was Chauncey his competitor before grandpas grandkids stepped in? I wonder. I dream. I imagine.

Christmas calendar pages

It is so fun to watch BJS parents look forward to this calendar each year. Sometimes it's a big pain, but their expressions always make it worth it. Here are my contributions for this year:

Gingerbread trains and party couches

We can't let a Christmas season go by without making a gingerbread creation! This year grandma and grandpa Castleberry came over just in time to help out! They turned out pretty cute...

And they stayed and played for a bit, of course!

After grandma and grandpa left, we went and visited with some friends while we watched Home Alone on their giant reclining party couch!

Grandpa is 29!

Grandpa built a new play-set for his birthday party! The grand kids had a blast welcoming it to the family... In addition to the tramp, and the ginormous waterside set up to celebrate.

Nappy New Year

I am always so exhausted on New Year's Day.  This year BJ worked on New Year's Eve and had plans to go shooting with his dad and brother's in law on New Year's Day.  So, I decided to take the kids to my parents and have a sleep over. They were ecstatic.  Especially AJ when he was asked by Grandpa if he wanted to go skiing...at an actual resort.  Dad took he and Camden to Brighton, rented snowboarding equipment, and entered them in lessons. 

Can we say cloud 9???

AJ couldn't smile big enough.  He quickly got all the gear he needed and got right in the truck (Before Grandpa was even ready!).  I was a little jealous I was going to miss his excursion but knew he would tell me all about it when he got back. 

While they were on the crowded slopes, Mom taught me how to knit. I started a hat and a washcloth. Ash and carson fought consiousness until after lunch then crashed...as did mom and I.

Around 6:00 Dad and AJ got back and AJ was limping.  Dad then told me about the "Last Run" of the day where AJ went full speed off a berm and flew about 20 feet up in the air and landed right on his back.  Thank heavens AJ started writhing (and screaming) in pain or dad would have assumed he was paralyzed.  My stomach was lurching just watching dad's face as he told me what happened. He was so scared. After AJ thought about what a great story it would make he was able to calm down and make his way down the slope.

We cleaned up @ my parents and headed to Kellie's house in Tooele for dinner. 

What a great and memorable New Year's day.