Wednesday, November 28, 2007

California Thanksgiving

Jack of course had fun exploring every inch of the plane but when he crawled into his mother's lap and went to sleep we started to wonder if he was really our son. The last time he slept in either of our arms was probably a year ago.


Jack loves getting his very own apple or cob of corn. He puts those little teeth to work and is entertained for a while.


We made a couple trips to San Onofre to test out the new Gibbs Longboards. Here is Beth in her new wetsuit showing how it's done at Old Man's. There are now 9 surfboards at my parents place so if we ever do Thanksgiving in PV we can outfit just about everyone who wants.





Jack was anxious to get in on the surfing action but was happy to settle for trips to the pool.






On Monday we went to Oxnard and Grandpa McEuen took us to lunch at Yolanda's.


The weekend wouldn't have been complete without a victory over Yewtah. GOOOO Cougars!





Tuesday, November 27, 2007

MARGARET TURNS 1








































We had a little party for Margaret last night for her birhtday. I can't believe she is already one. She seeemed to understand that if you ripped the paper off the gift there was something good inside. She was a little frustrated with the ripping off part though. The other kids were happy to help. She was running a fever all day, so we weren't sure how happy she would be for her birthday, but as far as we could tell it was a success. I even have a video of her squealing while playing with the ball machine. As far as the cupcake went she wasn't too sure about the feeling of the frosting, but was happy to feed to to Papa. She got the hang it shortly after and ate a little bit of the cake part herself.

Legoland, San Diego Zoo and Other Adventures

Some pictures from our recent trip to CA. We had a great time. The kids liked the roller coasters best at Legoland and both liked seeing the Panda bears.






Butterflies and Indians





Just thought I would send out some new pictures. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Ours was good, even with the pinkeye, ear infections, and cough/colds that have taken over our house! Our turkey I must say turned out just perfect- good job Greg.

On to Christmas... Elena is excited about the lights in our front yard and loves to sing Christmas songs. At preschool they already learned two or three Christmas songs and she knows them word for word, I am impressed!

Ollie turned two a few weeks ago and is ever learning new things. He says funny things like "in two minutes" (compliments of Elena) or "are you serious?" (that's my contribution).

As for Hallie, she is our angel. She likes to suck on her fists and smile and sleep (8-9 hours at night). She is the only unsick person in this household. What would we do without her?

Monday, November 26, 2007

Papa Has Been Good Practice


Anna took her first picture with Santa last week and here is the result. She sat right on his lap without crying or worrying her chubby little cheeks about the man with the beard...I'm sure it didn't hurt that Papa had been here that same day and she was reminded that the bearded kind were the best.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving, Turkeys - UPDATED WITH NEW PICTURES!!!








Most of you turkeys weren't in Heber for Thanksgiving, so I thought I would torture you with pictures of Grandma's food. Please understand my taunting only comes from the despair of not having you all with us this year. It's really because I am sad and a wee bit angry that almost everyone had to go to their in-laws. But also because I knew I was probably having better food than you.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

And the Fair Land


This is an article that has appeared annually at Thanksgiving since 1961 in the Wall Street Journal. I enjoy it every year and am stuck by how it is as relevant now as it was back then. I thought I would share it with the family...

And the Fair Land
November 21, 2007; Page A18


Any one whose labors take him into the far reaches of the country, as ours lately have done, is bound to mark how the years have made the land grow fruitful.

This is indeed a big country, a rich country, in a way no array of figures can measure and so in a way past belief of those who have not seen it. Even those who journey through its Northeastern complex, into the Southern lands, across the central plains and to its Western slopes can only glimpse a measure of the bounty of America.

And a traveler cannot but be struck on his journey by the thought that this country, one day, can be even greater. America, though many know it not, is one of the great underdeveloped countries of the world; what it reaches for exceeds by far what it has grasped.

So the visitor returns thankful for much of what he has seen, and, in spite of everything, an optimist about what his country might be. Yet the visitor, if he is to make an honest report, must also note the air of unease that hangs everywhere.

For the traveler, as travelers have been always, is as much questioned as questioning. And for all the abundance he sees, he finds the questions put to him ask where men may repair for succor from the troubles that beset them.

His countrymen cannot forget the savage face of war. Too often they have been asked to fight in strange and distant places, for no clear purpose they could see and for no accomplishment they can measure. Their spirits are not quieted by the thought that the good and pleasant bounty that surrounds them can be destroyed in an instant by a single bomb. Yet they find no escape, for their survival and comfort now depend on unpredictable strangers in far-off corners of the globe.

How can they turn from melancholy when at home they see young arrayed against old, black against white, neighbor against neighbor, so that they stand in peril of social discord. Or not despair when they see that the cities and countryside are in need of repair, yet find themselves threatened by scarcities of the resources that sustain their way of life. Or when, in the face of these challenges, they turn for leadership to men in high places -- only to find those men as frail as any others.

So sometimes the traveler is asked whence will come their succor. What is to preserve their abundance, or even their civility? How can they pass on to their children a nation as strong and free as the one they inherited from their forefathers? How is their country to endure these cruel storms that beset it from without and from within?

Of course the stranger cannot quiet their spirits. For it is true that everywhere men turn their eyes today much of the world has a truly wild and savage hue. No man, if he be truthful, can say that the specter of war is banished. Nor can he say that when men or communities are put upon their own resources they are sure of solace; nor be sure that men of diverse kinds and diverse views can live peaceably together in a time of troubles.

But we can all remind ourselves that the richness of this country was not born in the resources of the earth, though they be plentiful, but in the men that took its measure. For that reminder is everywhere -- in the cities, towns, farms, roads, factories, homes, hospitals, schools that spread everywhere over that wilderness.

We can remind ourselves that for all our social discord we yet remain the longest enduring society of free men governing themselves without benefit of kings or dictators. Being so, we are the marvel and the mystery of the world, for that enduring liberty is no less a blessing than the abundance of the earth.

And we might remind ourselves also, that if those men setting out from Delftshaven had been daunted by the troubles they saw around them, then we could not this autumn be thankful for a fair land.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Happy 2nd Birthday Oliver!



I think Oliver had fun on his birthday (last Friday), you will see his Thomas balloon in several pictures- it is still flying strong almost a week later! We had a few friends over for cake and to sing Happy Birthday, Ollie's favorite song. I will post some more pictures later today~

Monday, November 12, 2007

Update on Maggie

Amber went to get a second opinion this morning, and the new doctor said that she was 99.9% sure Maggie does not have Rubella. The doctor went and checked with two other doctors in her practice (all of whom have something like 50 years of collective experience), and none of them have ever even seen or diagnosed a case of it. Maggie does have something viral, but you can rest assured being around her this past week is not going to drag you back into the Dark Ages or have you end up as some spotlight on CNN Headline News. There is no way to actually test for it unless you do blood work before she came down with symptoms and then after the symptoms go away, but the family health scare is pretty much over.

I can't wait until Maggie's next appointment when we find out she has Bubonic Plague or Polio. Amber, please keep us posted.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Sicky

I thought this might be the easiest way to give everyone a heads up. I took Margaret to the doctor today and she has a sinus and ear infection as well as Rubella. She has a rash and the doctor checked her glands and diagnosed it that way, no blood tests were taken. I am so sorry. Marci and Beth, you should talk to your OBGYN's and tell them that you have been around Margaret, etc. Her rash symptoms started on Friday. I have absolutely no idea where she would have got this from (most people only get it in underdeveloped countries), so I doubt the diagnosis a little bit. And supposedly the US has been free of it for like 10 years. Let me know what your doctor's say.

Amber

Monday, November 5, 2007

Christmas Gift Exchange


We drew names today for the Christmas Gift Exchange (the Garnica side). The assignments are as follows:

Jen has Amber

Mike has Steve

Noelle has Chelsea

Steve has Ben

Amber has Bridget

Matt has Eddie

Chris has Mike

Bridget has Noelle

Ben has Matt

Chelsea has Jen

Eddie has Chris


P.S. the $ limit is $40 this year :)



Friday, November 2, 2007

Pumpkin Carving





It's our tradition to carve pumpkins w/Nick every FHE before Halloween. This year we found potato head pumpkin parts and made a pirate & princess. J & I dressed up as 80's rockers this year. Jason's mullet was totally awesome!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Something Good to Eat









We had a great time trick or treating this year. The kids really caught the the jist of it an ran between the houses to get as much candy as possible. Just what we need. They picked their own costumes this year, Parker was with his Dad when he got his and I had nothing to do with the green skeleton costume and Kate gave me a long list of things she was willing to be and this was on her list. The both loved their costumes and have worn them three or four times now to different school/church events. I tried to get Maggie to be an elephant, but she really hated the head thing, so on Halloween we tried the bumble bee and she didn't mind it. Andrew was a very cute chicken and feeling very generous with his sucker. The two of them are so cute together. Margaret is always hugging and kissing him. He doesn't seem to mind, so she keeps it up.

p.s. I asked Kate why she was posing like that and she said, "Because this is how Superwoman stands." Just thought you would want to know that.

TRICK OR TREAT!
















We had a great Halloween this year! We started off by picking up Beth and Jack from the airport and heading straight to Provo where John's office does in-office Trick or Treating- it was great fun and we got a great start on our candy accumulation- and John got to show off his family (we were tag-alongs for this part- but hey- what do you do?). Our ward had a Halloween party so we all headed over there for Chili, cornbread, and more trick or treating... it was fun despite the fact that Mom went of and ditched us on Halloween (to go to Houston for the quilt show) and John was working late so as to make his 100% sales goal and win a trip to Hawaii- which I believe he did (congratulations!). Anyway, so Tigger, Hunny pot, and Jack-o-lantern were accompanied by the rest of us for some actual neighborhood trick or treating. It was just fun to be out being part of Halloween after a long hiatus. We are filling out a tree as a Johnson family project for Thanksgiving where every night for the next month we have to write on a leaf something that we have been thankful for each day and stick it on a paper tree trunk- needless to say, Porter was full of thankfulness for Trick or Treating last night!!