January 2019

Finally, we are putting 2018 behind us and starting anew with 2019! Happy New Year!

I spent a lot of time at UVA spending the night with my nephew Lane, who continues his battle with Leukemia. I've come to know my way around that hospital fairly well, even though just a few weeks ago, I was terrified of going there because I didn't know way around at all. 

It's not a pretty sight to watch someone who is normally so full of energy and life, suffer so much. 

Dallin lost another tooth! I always love those toothless grins. 

 I've fun across this quote a couple of times, and want to remember it. Perhaps I've shared this before. But I really like it. 

I also really like this quote that I just read yesterday: 

“You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.”

--Rene Daumal

It's wonderful to think of all the summits I've been on. While I don't particularly feel like I'm on a summit right now, I've been there and I must live my life accordingly to the view I saw from there. 

I have lunch with a friend and this was the Nutella calzone dessert I got. Yes, I took a picture of my food. And yes, I'm sharing that picture.  It was delicious. 

We got a fairly decent snow storm this month too. I love the way the snow looks. How it blankets everything with softness. But I am eternally grateful that my kids are all self sufficient enough to get themselves out the door to play in the snow by themselves! 

I don't know how it happened, but after months of negotiations, Dallin finally agreed to swap rooms with Carmen. She'd get the bigger room and he got the smallest "fairy room". It was a big mess and a lot of work, but I think in the end, it's been a great change. 

 Along with the swap, came new paint. We started with Carmen's room and got really brave trying this cool design. It was actually much easier than it may appear. We learned a few lessons along the way, but we love how it turned out!

Is a post even complete until I've shared a picture of Koda Bear?!! 

We made a trip up to Philly to visit the temple and sight see a little. While David and the big girls went in to do baptisms, I stuck around with Charlotte and Dallin. Before the temple, we had a little time, so we visited the Liberty Bell and posed with Rocky Balboa. 

 Once they were inside, the rest of us did some temple touching, and explored the surrounding blocks of the temple. It was a pretty chilly day, so we didn't go far.

Then we had to have some famous Philly cheesesteaks. We went to one of the most popular spots and sat outside in the freezing wind to eat these. No one was super impressed.... I think I prefer fake cheesesteaks, over authentic one. 

Oh gosh, another Koda Bear picture. How did that get there?!!

And Aliza and I spent a lot of time at the cheer gym getting ready for their first competition. We spend 6 hours a week at cheer, including driving time. It's a big sacrifice of time, but I absolutely love how Aliza just lights up when she is there. It's definitely her happy place.