Clever Title For My Christmas Blog Post

 

Sisters Debbie and Cynthia

Christmas Eve dinner

  Aw Christmas!  So much work and preparation go into making this one day a meaningful memory.  But so much fun and family come along with it.  Here's how our Christmas went:  Christmas Eve is spent with "The Cousins".  Debbie and my mom (Cynthia) are sisters.  They raised their families close to each other and we did many things together.  So even though I have 50 first cousins between my mom's and dad's families, Debbie's family was always referred to as "The Cousins".  We spend most Thanksgivings and Christmas Eve's together.  Even though we've grown older and have our own families now, most of us are still able to get together for the holidays.  Angie, who had a baby 4 days previously and Kelly, who was with his wife Laura's family weren't there this year.  Jessica was sick, but she made a last minute appearance for which we were all happy.  But the rest of us were together and I got some great pics.  

     We start off with a wonderful dinner which for some reason usually consists of chili for the main meal.  This year Jenny made some chicken noodle soup also and of course there's the veggies and other side dishes.  My mom always orders a Christmas wreath, a cinnamon pastry with cream cheese icing for dessert and this year we also had fruit pizza with yogurt.  Yum!  Then we sat around and talked and exchanged presents.  I got the new Marshall McDonald sheet music "Hymns for the Sabbath Day Vol. 2" which I love!  Aunt Debbie said it was to play on my new piano.  Thanks Aunt Debbie!

My wonderful Lyle squishing me

Uncle Greg   

Cousins Adam and Jenny

     When we were young we also acted out the nativity story.  We had an adult narrator and the rest of the people in the families slit up the parts of the Wisemen, shepherds, angels and of course Mary and Joseph.  We had costumes and everything. I was usually an angel.  I know, you're completely shocked!  And some years we go caroling with the cousins too. You should hear us sing!  My aunt and uncle were both in the Tabernacle Choir, my aunt and 2 cousins are music teachers and everyone in their family sings well.  It's like going caroling with a professional choir.  This year we weren't able to, but here's hoping for next year!

     We went back to my mom's house and watched Garfield's Christmas special which has been a favorite of mine and my siblings for many years.  Another one of my favorites is the Muppet Christmas Carol.  I didn't get to see that one yet this year, though.  Then my mom reads our Christmas Story.  It's titled "How Come Christmas".  This is one of my favorite traditions.  This year we had Lyle videotape my mom reading it so I could put it on the blog.  So without further ado, here she is.  You'll love the story.  It's so funny!  

     Christmas Day was hectic (usually is).  First we woke up and had Christmas at our house.  Annie had fun being Santa's helper this year.  We got a lot of Christmas goodies in our stockings.  I got Just Dance 4 for our Wii.  That's right, folks.  I'm a Just Dance-r.  I love it!  It's a fun form of exercise and sometimes the kids join in.  I can't wait to try the new one.  I'll have to humiliate myself by having Lyle taping me doing on of the dances and post it here.  That'll make you laugh!  Maybe I can get the kids to join in.  The kids got clothes, movies, books, games and other fun stuff.  Lyle got a new skillet and we got new sheets for the bed!  So funny the things we get excited about as adults.  

     Then we went to my mom's house.  She made French toast and Wendy and Mike brought breakfast casserole. We ate breakfast together.  My dad came.  We don't see him much during the year, but he's always there on Christmas.  He is a loving and silly man.  

     Then we opened presents.  Mom gave me Sherlock season 1!  I'm a bit of a Sherlock Holmes fan.  I love the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  The movies with Robert Downey Jr. are fun and the series Elementary on CBS, I watch with Lyle and my mom.  Sherlock is the BBC version of a modern day Sherlock Holmes set in London.  My sister Allie got me hooked on it.

Wendy w presents for baby Harper due in Feb

Annie and her coal (it's chocolate!)

Kurt the Squirt and his presents

Mike and Mom with the snowblower

Dad and Paul

           Christmas gifts between my siblings and the spouses and I, we draw names.  My brother-in-law Reed and his wife Heather drew Lyle and me this year.  They sent us to The Forgotten Carols last week.  I'd never been to it before.  It was so much fun.  I hope to go again another year.  Lyle drew my brother Kurt.  Kurt has a record player and loves vinyl.  We got him a Beatles record.  But when we were at the store, the owners had a lot of Barbra Streisand's Christmas album they were trying to get rid of for practically nothing (25 cents per record).  So we decided to play a joke on Kurt.  We wrapped up the BS album and gave it to him on Christmas.  You should have seen his face.  Everyone was laughing...except him.  But we then brought out the real album.  Oh, we're so evil!  A few of us kids chipped in and bought a snowblower for my mom this year.  Now that all the kids have moved out, we wanted to get her something that will make her life a little easier.  I'm excited to see how it will work for her.

Lyle and his mom (Grace)

Taylor, Annie and Grandpa Wickham

     Then we went to Lyle's parents house.  Because all of Lyle's sisters live out of state they hadn't had anyone to visit them yet.  Lyle's brother Rob and wife Marcie came while we were there.  Mom and Dad had a delicious lunch for us and we sat and talked together.  They gave our family a tent which we've been in need of.  They did really well in selecting presents for the kids.  For Taylor they got him a pocket watch.  He's wanted one for a while now.  It had a picture of a train on it.  Lyle's father, Ralph, is big into trains and has taken Taylor to train shows before.  For Annie they selected a charm bracelet and necklace that had magnetic, exchangeable charms with the YW values on them among other things.

     Then it was time to take the kids home to their mom's house.  Next year will be her year to have them on Christmas Eve and we'll pick them up on Christmas Day.

     Now I'm left with Christmas goodies, a tree to put down and wrapping paper and boxes that still need to be cleaned up.  I'm so thankful for such a great Christmas season and Christmas Day.

     Hope your Christmas was as wonderful as mine!

Laura

My Favorite Things

     Oh the weather outside is frightful!  And the shopping lines are anything but delightful.  And since we've still a number of places to go, let's wrap all the presents (that Lyle and I left until this morning) while it snows!  We did the shoveling.  Last minute presents bought.  Now I'm taking a few minutes to reflect on the joys the Christmas season has brought me.

     It's always fun when it's cold outside to eat something warm.  One of my favorites: chili cheese dogs in tortillas.  Yum!

With Sandra's homemade tortillas

     Taylor had a Christmas concert with his beginning percussion class.  He played different instruments on each song.  He played cymbals, marimba and tambourine among others.  It was so fun to go and watch as a parent.  He made me really proud.

Lyle and Taylor at his Christmas concert

     My sister Alyson came home from Boston for 2 weeks.  I miss her when she's gone, which is most of the time.  It's always fun to have her back.  She cooks good food (we had her homemade chicken noodle soup last night) and we go out and do fun things.  All the siblings and a few of our cousins went to Ichiban for sushi (yuck, not me, I had tempura).  And this week we're planning on seeing a few movies together.  She just finished her masters's degree in library science.  At the restaurant Allie says, "When I tell most people about my degree they think it's kind of lame."  I was thinking: "Yeah, someone who's got a master's degree is such a loser!" (please note the sarcastic tone to my thoughts!)

Wendy, Mike and Allie at Ichiban

Mom, Amy's son Josh, Allie and I at the grave

     We had our annual visiting of Amy's grave for Christmas.  Amy is my older sister, who at the age of 25 died from cancer.  We take time to go and sing Christmas carols to her and let her know we still miss her and are thinking of her at Christmas.  This year we left the wreath we brought and found that the pumpkin we had left on her tombstone for Thanksgiving had never been removed, had started to rot and then was frozen to the top of the gravestone.  Hmmm...Merry Christmas Amy?  Look what we got you!

Lyle and I at temple square

Me, Will, Sarah and their adopted son Liam

Me, Jim, Cassie and their kids

     Yesterday we went to temple square to see the lights.  I was in for some luck.  Some high school friends of mine called me up and invited me to go with them.  I haven't seen Will, Jim and Sarah in years.  But it was so fun to be together again.  When I was in my sophomore and junior years, we were pretty inseparable.  We've gone on our separate ways with our different lives but it's so fun to hear from them.

candy window ornament

   
      Lyle and I made a point of looking at the candy windows at Macy's.  I was so sad when they stopped doing those a few years ago and ecstatic to see them return.  Their theme this year was Christmas tree ornaments.  Here's the gigantic beehive ornament made entirely of candy.  Lock me up with it and throw away the key!

     I'm looking forward to tonight and Christmas day.  I'll take lots of pictures and blog about our Christmas traditions!

Happy Holidays!

Laura

An Exercise in Refusing Pickle Juice

     This is a post I've thought about writing since I've started my blog.  It's definitely something I've needed to ponder more and this gives me a good chance to address this woeful and gigantic weakness in me and hopefully take another step toward healing.
     January will mark 5 years since Lyle and I started trying for a baby.  And boy have I learned a lot since then!  The first year was just trying.  Years 2-4 were filled with visiting multiple doctors, being tested for various fertility problems, taking medications to see if they would do the trick, and when they didn't, trying insemination multiple times to see if we could get pregnant that way.  About a year ago after all of these had failed we were up against the options of IVF or adoption.  We prayed and talked and decided to try adoption.  So this year has been filled with qualifying for adoption...which in itself has been another kind of challenge.  This journey has been really rough on both Lyle and I (in different ways) and on our marriage as well.  Thankfully we both have strong testimonies and a commitment to each other that no matter what, we'll work out our problems.  But even so, this challenge has shaken me much more than I had expected.
     Many people don't realize the depth of grief that infertility causes.  In truth, I've been grieving for the last 5 years over the loss of the life of my child.  To the understanding heart, that will make sense.  I've watched people who don't love the kids they already have and don't want more, have another child so easily through sheer carelessness.  And I've seen people have had multiple pregnancies during the time I've been trying to have one.  I've had to listen to well meaning people give me advice about how to have kids: relax and it'll happen, just adopt and you'll get pregnant, drink the water over at so and so's house or workplace (they can't seem to stop having babies).  In fact, this picture pretty much depicts me in years 2-4 every day (we've had a lot of people at work who've had babies)!  And like most infertile women, I have fallen into the trap of anger, bitterness, and jealousy over what to me is the unattainable goal of conceiving and baring a child.  I once was waiting outside Costco while my husband was buying something inside.  It took him all of 15 minutes and in that time 15 different women passed me who were either noticeably pregnant or had a baby with them.  And I thought about tripping every single one of them!  Note:  I didn't actually trip any of them...nor do I kick small puppies, make fun of the elderly or talk on my cell phone in the movie theater, so don't consign me to hell just yet.
     This April Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave at talk at conference that really made me uncomfortable with some things he said. It was a fantastic talk!  And even though it hurt, it was something I SO needed to hear:
     "Brothers and sisters, there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing...May I plead with us not to be hurt- and certainly not to feel envious- when good fortune comes to another person?  We are not diminished when someone else is added upon.  We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed...

     "Furthermore, envy is a mistake that just keeps on giving.  Obviously we suffer a little when some misfortune befalls us, but envy requires us to suffer all good fortune that befalls everyone we know!  What a bright prospect that is- downing another quart of pickle juice every time anyone around you has a happy moment!  To say nothing of the chagrin in the end, when we find that God really is both just and merciful, giving to all who stand with Him 'all that he hath,' as the scripture says...So be kind, and be grateful that God is kind.  It is a happy way to live."  (The Laborers in the Vineyard, May 2012 Ensign)
     OUCH!  Okay, okay!  I get the message, Lord!  But how do I learn to be happy with the blessings I have (which are many) and not concentrate on the ONE blessing that I don't?  The obvious answer would be: to change my heart.
     The exercise in refusing pickle juice has begun!
     There are some things that I have felt have helped at different times.  Here are a few:  Remember the 1st principle of the gospel?  It's faith, right?  Actually, it's faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  In other words, do I trust the Savior?  Do I trust him enough to keep all the promises he's made me?  If so, then that should bring comfort as long as I'm holding up the promises I've made to him.
     I've learned that it's okay to feel rotten about a rotten situation.  That I should not expect myself to be perfect and to accept having the anger or sorrow that comes this challenge.  It's okay to feel crappy.  As long as I'm willing to pick myself back up and go through another long, hard day with no miracle or answer, but with a renewed faith and strength to see the day through.
     I've been counseled in blessings during this trial to be patient.  When that happens I've thought?  I am being patient!  It's been years for heaven's sake!  And I still want this blessing and pray for it, so obviously I'm being patient right?  Wrong!  "Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears.  Patience means active waiting and enduring.  It means staying with something and doing all that we can- working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed.  Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!" (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Continue in Patience, May 2010 Ensign)
     Woopsy!  I guess that means that I really haven't been that patient.  I've been jealous, bitter, and despairing.  I've also had times of hope and gratefulness too.  But I think this is something I need to work on.
     I've also learned that the answer to the question 'why is this happening to me' isn't really important.  The point is that this IS happening to me, and now what am I going to do with it?  My bishop once said to me (paraphrased), "There are some things in this life that we have no control over, that we can't do anything about.  What are you going to do in that situation?  The real question is 'will still you keep the covenants you made with your Heavenly Father or not'".  What a fabulous thing to say!  That's something that's helped me very much.

     I am also reminded how much I am loved by my Savior.  I once heard a saying: never doubt in the dark what you learned in the light.  I've been given a testimony that my Savior loves me personally.  I've needed to remember that during this trial when I've felt that my worth or worthiness in God's eyes has been in question.  In fact, not only does he love me, but he needs me to follow him.
     "In the hearts of many faithful disciples there is no question why or whether they need Christ.  Their private doubt is whether He needs them...Mistakenly we think that Jesus already has everything, but He doesn't.  He doesn't have you.  He doesn't have me- not until we give ourselves to Him.  Elder Neal A. Maxwell confirmed this truth when he taught, 'the submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar'...Through my righteous choice to give myself to God and Jesus, I bring them glory.  And in a world full of ignorance, apathy, and open rebellion, that offering matters.  It may seem small.  It may be limited, but it is not trivial..."  (Brad Wilcox, The Continuous Atonement, pgs 38, 39, 41)
     I'm so thankful to the Lord for being with me during this time and helping me learn so not only can I get through this messy trial, but that I can come through it a better person.
   
Whew!  Holy Long Post, Batman!
     Okay, if you're really just BEGGING for more, the last thing I would say is check out this article entitled: The Blessing of the Blackberry Bush.
     To all my dear infertile friends and to those who are still struggling with other trials, keep up the faith and choose to still believe!

Laura

Dear Santa,

     I think I've done a little better this year.  I've tried really hard to be good.  I realize that I still have some work to do, but I almost always apologize to my husband whenever I yell at him because I'm easily irritated, hormonal or just plain tired and hungry.  I've done better being less judgmental and jealous of others...I think.  The kids are still alive and appear to still have some affection for me, so I must be doing an okay job.  If we still laugh and tease together, then I can't be all bad as a stepmom, right?  See, things are looking up for me.

Cocoa with marshamllows (or snowman poop)

     In return for my constant efforts at balancing work, church callings, friends, family, home and still keeping my sanity and sense of humor, I wonder if you could do a few things for me:  1. These Christmas goodies are getting out of hand.  Can you please make it so I lose weight when I eat them, instead of gain?  That would be such a big help!   2. Send those elves over some night.  I can keep them occupied for hours.  There's nooks and crannies all of the place here that I could use help cleaning.  The oven ain't looking so pretty.  Neither are the tops of the cabinets.  I'm ready anytime they are!   3. I need some help with my hair.  I love that it's long and pretty.  And my hair and I have come to a mutual understanding...I won't try to pull it and tease it in ways it doesn't want to go and don't lather it with product, and it in turn curls nicely for me so I can do the lazy-but-still-looks-good look.  We're pretty happy together.  My one complaint: it's turning a color I REALLY don't want it to be.  Grey may be in vogue somewhere in the world, but along with the wrinkles that have taken up residence at the side of my eyes, it makes me look older than I care to.  Please turn it back to it's original color...oh, and if you could get it to stop shedding like a dog's that would be an awesome bonus (plus it would help so the elves don't have so much work to do in the bathroom)!
     Santa, there's one other thing that's been bothering me.  For the last few years the one thing I've really wanted, I haven't received.  Will you check on your back order of babies?  I'm sure mine must be there somewhere!  Did it get sent to the wrong place maybe?  I'll pay the extra postage.  If you could get back to me as soon as possible on that front, I'd appreciate it!  It's been a lot of waiting and hoping and a lot of crying and heartbreak.  I'm really looking forward to when that package finally comes through!
     I realize you have an awful lot of people to please at this time of the year, so I've decided to make things a little easier for you.  If any of these requests are too hard to fill, I'd be willing to take the following instead: a kinder heart to find and serve those who are in more need than I, a patient soul so that I can have more clarity to understand lessons I'm supposed to be learning, the ability to see instead of loneliness, peaceful solitude, and the courage to find instead of the pain of childlessness, the appreciation for a loving husband and the best stepkids I could ask for.  Also if you could help me understand that the inability to have children is not a deficiency in me, that would give me solace.  After all, maybe the real reason isn't because there's something wrong with me, but that my natural mothering ability is so strong that I just don't need the practice that most people do.  Ah, I'm starting to feel better already!
     Most of all, help me to understand that I don't actually need all of these wants.  That all I really need is that Baby in the manger and the joy and good tidings and peace the angels brought that night so long ago in that small town of Bethlehem.
     My kindest regards to you and your wife...and all the reindeer of course.  I'll try to remember to leave some carrots out for them this year too.  Remember to stay healthy and safe.

Your friend,

Laura

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

     December is here.  I could use a little more snow falling...precisely on the lawn, not the walks (hey, shoot for the moon right?).  Stores are filled with Christmas items, just like they were starting late September.  24 hour Christmas music.  I'm starting to feel that heartwarming Christmas spirit!

Whew!  That was a close one!(A sign I saw at Dickens)

Reindeer at the Dickens Festival

     Spent today with my mom at the Dickens Festival.  My favorite thing: the fudge stand.  Mmm boy!   I always get some stocking stuffers there.  Marshmallow shooter: check.  Splat balls: check.  Twirly air-born thingies that Lyle and the kids play with: check.  And I enjoy spending time with my mom.  She's such a great companion!  And she bought me some chocolates.  Aren't mom's great?  Then we sat and watched a Lutheran grade school choir sing.  So adorable!  And they all sang so well!
     Now it's time to decorate the house for Christmas while Harry Connick Jr sings Frosty the Snowman in the background.  Christmas tree: check.  Stockings: check.  Nativity set: check.  My good friend Amanda helps me since I've been such a pain in the butt about getting the house ready that Lyle's stuck in bed.  Okay, so the pain in the butt really isn't me...it's his sciatic nerve. I'm not sure he could tell which it was at first!

Me and beautiful Amanda

     I've been thinking about the words to one of my favorite Christmas songs: O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel

Shall come to thee O Israel.

     I think about how long the world waited for the Savior to come.  And when He did, He came in a most unexpected and infinitely more humble surrounding than anyone expected.  And He came at the exact time that the world needed. And notice, that the song is sung from the perspective of the awaited Lord, not the already arrived Lord.  And still they rejoice, knowing He will come.

      I think about my life.  It's not what I expected it to be.  Sometimes that starts to make me sad.  And I think of this song.  Life may not be exactly how I pictured it to be, but look at all the blessings I have because it happened they way Heavenly Father knew it should.  I may be waiting for the blessing of my own children, but they will come in the time and surroundings that is right for them.  And I'll be so much happier than I can now imagine when they arrive.  Until then, I will rejoice, knowing my God will be with me and comfort me until they come.

     I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.  May you feel the importance of the Christ child in your own lives.

Laura

Give Thanks

     And so we enter the holiday season.  And my mind starts thinking about things I should be thinking about all year round.   We had Thanksgiving dinner this year at my brother's house.  He deep fat fried the turkey (but before he did that he injected it with a Creole sauce which made it so juicy!  He's got my nomination to be in charge of the turkey every year now) and we all brought side dishes.  Lyle and I brought stuffing.  Downside: we bought a Costco box of it.  What the heck are we going to do with two more makings of stuffing before next Thanksgiving?

Brothers Paul and Mike, almost sister-in-law Wendy, Taylor, brother Kurt, Mom and Lyle.

     Almost every year before we'd done Thanksgiving in conjunction with other family.  We missed them this year but it was nice to start our own tradition.  Taylor called us up Thanksgiving morning and told us he wanted to spend more time with us and asked us to pick him up so we got to have him at dinner as well.  I love it when he does that!  My brother has 2 dogs: Rocky (aka Rockstar or Crackhead) and Wally (aka Walter or Wallace).  I love dogs.  Too bad I'm allergic.  But they were fun to play with and I can't resist their cute faces and sad eyes.  Lyle and Mike had a fun time devising the perfect plan to drain the turkey and I hit Kurt (almost in the face) with a slobbery dog toy.  I told him it was an accident...which it was.
     Things I'm thankful for: A wonderful husband who some days puts up with a lot, stepkids I love the guts out of, a fun family who I love doing things with (missing from the picture: my sister Alyson who currently lives in Boston), a nice house, a constant job, great in-laws, good health (ironic since I'm writing this with a cold), friends who love me, a fun calling (I work in Primary), my talents, and most of all a relationship with the Savior who's birthday we celebrate next month.
     I've also started to learn to be thankful for my infertility.  It's been a heartbreaking road; one I certainly would never have chosen.  But through it I've become stronger, met wonderful friends, learned more compassion and after almost 5 years I'm now starting to learn about patience too.  And those are lessons I wouldn't trade for anything.  But I will still look forward to the day when I'm able to be a mother to my own children.
     Hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine!

Laura

The intricacies of blogging

Here's me teasing my kids.  Good thing they're having so much fun.

So, it is now my time to let you know about myself.  I am not very good at talking about myself, but I will try and in the end probably succeed.  I am Lyle.  Some of the things I like are spending time with my children being my usual self.  I like to read books, mostly fiction, but I do like biographies.  I like to tease.  I tend to tease my children and wife, I enjoy making them laugh.  I work hard and strive to provide for the desires and needs of my family.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and try to live accordingly.  It is always enjoyable spending time with family.  I enjoy visiting and talking with my siblings and their children and with my parents.  I also enjoy doing things with my wife's family. 

That is me Lyle.

About Annie

     I am a 12 year old girl my favorite color is any light color.  I like to read books and ride my bike.  Things I like to do are listen to ONE DIRECTION, which I have a mad obsession with.  I also like romantic, action, and fantasy novels. 

     Some of the things I like are animals, singing, dancing, spending time with my family, going to and watching movies, eating even though I have a high metabolism and never gain any weight.  

     My fashion sense is pretty odd.  One day my friend loaned me fake glasses and suspenders.   I looked awesome!!!!!  I like to collect my littlest pet shops. I have 88 so far.  One trait I got from my dad is my sense of humor.  We love teasing each other.  

     I love art and do well in school.  My 2 most favorite classes are art and English.  

 ANNIE 

Hi...I'm Taylor

I am a 14 year old middle school student who has a strong interest in musical arts. I started out with the guitar then piano/keyboard, and now I am learning to be a percussionist. So that brings me to my favorite thing MUSIC. I have always held a large interest in music, I currently Dance and Sing for performance plus dance academy.  On my free time I study drumming or listen to music. 

Boom, Boom...Firepower!

 A little more about my self - when I was in fourth grade I was kinda dumb.  One of the dumb things I did on my spring break that year was car surf. While I did this I started day dreaming and fell off the car and got a concussion. After the treatments I was sent home told not to go to school at all due to massive migraines I got. About 3 days out of the hospital I had two seizures causing me to stay in the hospital for another week.  I was final released for good and sent home where I spent 6 weeks out of school and when I returned I could only stay for half a day. Making it so I fell far behind in schooling and education both physical and mental. Happily I am now fully recovered and working at a normal rate in sports and education.

Playing  a quick hands game with Lyle

The final thing about me is I am a lover of sporting. I play soccer. and enjoy football season as if it were my birthday. My favorite football team is the GREEN-BAY PACKERS! My favorite soccer team is the Salt Lake REAL. My other interests include hunting fishing,  4 wheeling, hiking, and snowshoeing. 

("And that is every thing about me")

sincerely: x Taylor

                   

That's the Way I Like It

Our new piano

10 Things I Like: 

1. Music.  I love to play the piano.  We got a new piano this week (well, used- but new to us!) and I haven't been able to keep myself off it.  I've started playing Christmas music!  I'd also love to learn to play the violin.

2. Reading.  Huge bookcase in my front room, small bookcase in Annie's room, books stacked on my nightstand and I still go to the library often enough to have memorized mine and my husband's library card numbers.  Me like reading?  Maybe a little.  Favorite book: To Kill A Mockingbird.

3. Sweets.  I have a sweet tooth.  I love Ben and Jerry's ice cream, licorice, chocolate, donuts, Dots, and many other yummy and not-so-good-for-you things to eat.  What am I eating right now?  Good 'n Plenties.  Okay, maybe that sounds like that's all I eat (which I don't), but I still wish veggies tasted like Oreos.

Our street in fall

4. Nature.  I may not be really outdoorsy, but I love the softly falling snow, spring rain, nights full of stars, the colors of autumn, the wind through the trees, sunsets and many other beautiful things we have all around us every day.

5. Humor.  I have a bit of a wacky sense of humor.  Thankfully, my hubby and stepkids not only tolerate it, they even like it and sometimes even enjoy it!  I have a loud laugh which I'm reminded of constantly.  Some of my coworkers have told me that they can hear me laughing on the other side of the building!

6. Movies.  I like kids animated movies like Disney, Pixar, etc.  I like old movies; Cary Grant's got it going on!  I like stupid-funny movies; the best car chase scene I've ever seen is in Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and yes, I own it.  I like adventures and epics.  I like Jane Austen adaptations and romantic comedies.  And I like musicals.

7. Dancing.  I took dance class all through school and was on the Drill Team and Dance Company and was even a sophomore cheerleader.  Nowadays, I restrict my dancing to my Wii Just Dance exercise nights!  It's fun for the kids to jump in and dance their booties with me.  Annie and I went to the ballet the other day.  I hadn't been in a long time and I fell in love again!  

8. Good friends.  I've been blessed with friends who have been good to me and who have been a real support to me in times when I've needed strength.  You all know who you are.  Thank You!

9. Family.  I have an angel for a mother, siblings who still like me (shocker!), a handsome and good husband, stepkids to have fun with.  You all make my life rich and full.

10. God.  I'm so thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves me and who celebrates with me in the happy moments, and holds my hand through the trials.

Laura

How We Met

      Lyle and I met on a blind date.  My best friend lived in his ward and told me about someone she'd like to set me up with.  It was December and I had tickets to an acapella group's Christmas concert.  We met at my friend's house so she could introduce us and then we went to the concert together.
     My friend had told me that Lyle is a quiet person when you first meet him and then when you get to know him, he opens up more.  This, I have found out, is true most of the time.  I didn't have a problem with that since I can be outgoing.  I remember thinking part way through the date, 'I thought she said he was quiet.  He's been talking a lot more than I thought he would.'  For some reason Lyle felt pretty comfortable with me right off and so I never saw the quiet side of him that I now notice he shows to most people when they meet him.
     That date was a success and the very next day Lyle came to my primary program (I was serving as Primary President at the time) to see me.  We had a few more dates in the next few weeks.  I was a little nervous getting involved with someone again and Lyle wanted to see me more often.  I was pretty heartless and made him wait a whole month before I was ready to see him more than once a week!  Can you believe it?
     During this time I met Taylor and Annie.   The first time I met them, Lyle brought them on a date and they showed up at my doorstep with flowers for me.  We went to Jungle Jim's and I rode some of the rides with them.  Taylor was 8 and Annie was 6. Annie and I found out that our birthdays are 3 days apart.  The kids from the beginning were very nice and accepting of me and fun to be with too.
     Lyle and I decided pretty quickly that we belonged together.  In February we went to visit Lyle's sister in Arizona with the kids and Lyle's parents.  While we were there Lyle proposed to me in the celestial room of the Mesa temple.  Wait to get it right, babe!  I don't think there could have possibly been a better place!
     During the months of our engagement, Lyle and I got to know each other even more and I had some of my first experiences taking on a parental role to his kids.  The  relationships with Lyle and with the kids were challenging but very rewarding.  At the end of July Lyle and I were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple.

     Both Lyle and I had been married before so we were partially prepared to live together, but thankfully we've had a great marriage.  It gets difficult sometimes, but not only do we love each other, we've also committed to work out any issues that would cause a problem between us.  And so our marriage has been quite a different experience for us from our first attempts.  We've grown a great deal and learned much.  We've been married for 5 years now and still happy together.  Love you, Lyle!

Laura

P.S. Didn't Taylor look good?  I think so considering he cut a chunk of his own hair off a couple of days before the wedding!

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