December 2022

We had all the regular things for the month of December.  All the crazy extra things that happen with school and finals right before Christmas.  It is too much but we do it every year.  

Adell's middle school choir had a performance that was entertaining and lovely (as always).

You know the measuring tree happened.  Clare maintains her place as the tallest daughter.  I sewed and sent a measuring tree to Wyatt, Emma, and Oliver (who have moved into their own apartment in Logan, Utah now).

Gingerbread houses...built with hot glue and old gram crackers.  They were darling.

 

 

Will and I combined efforts this year and instead of just doing presents (my way) or just doing a trip (his way) we did both.  Some presents and a state-side skiing trip.

Here are the girls opening the most shocking and exciting present: tickets to the Taylor Swift Eras Tour!  Shocking and beyond thrilling.  It was a great moment.  I can't wait for the concert! 

We had a "proper British Christmas" with our friends, the Wirigs.  It was loads of fun.

  

  

We added one fun Christmas time tradition this year.  We went to a Panto Theater show in San Francisco.  Panto is an old theater tradition where the audience is heavily involved and the story is silly.  The day of our tickets the whole cast got COVID and we had to have our day rescheduled.  It worked out just fine but we caught almost the last show.  We all had so much fun booing, cheering, and screaming "he's right behind you!".  

After the show we went to our favorite House of Nan King for Chinese food.  Everyone gave this new tradition five stars.  I hope the theater will do another Panto show next Christmas season so we can keep the tradition going.  

 Lorien has been home with us since just before Christmas.  It has been nice to have her home.  

November 2022

baby shower

Lorien and Wyatt birthday

Clare dance show

Adell Birthday

Thanksgiving break fun: Mom and Colt car Dad and Adell SF

Restaurant Thanksgiving

New Car!

November started off strong with the most amazing baby shower for Wyatt, Emma, and Baby Oliver.  Our friends from Danville who have moved to Utah over the years gathered to shower the expected baby.  Family living in Utah also came along.  

It was beautiful to see so much support for this new little family.

One really special surprise was all of Wyatt's friends showing up to play games and eat hot wings with him.  Wyatt had an amazing time catching up with these guys.  They have been friends for over a decade.  They moved from elementary, to middle, to high school together.  I cried really hard when they showed up.  

I managed to squeeze in a visit with my coach friend, Kolette.  Kolette and I certified in the same class together at The Life Coach School.  We have stayed in touch over phone calls, Marco Polos and reunion zooms with all the other gals who certified with us.  Meeting her for lunch was another highlight of the trip!

You know November is birthday month around here.  We celebrated Lorien Turing 21, Wyatt turning 19, and Adell turning 13.

 

 

 

Clare had her first high school dance team performance.  Her dance was selected as one of the final numbers (it is not this one in the picture).  Clare choreographed and taught her dance to the class.  It was awesome to see her in action this way.

November was also the month of special outings with the kids.  Will took Adell into San Francisco one afternoon.  He had a meeting and offered to let her tag a long.  She was on her own in Union Square while he was in the meeting but they met up as soon as the meeting was over and enjoyed the Christmas sights in the city.

Adell felt very independent strolling around the city on her own.  She wasn't going to go at first but marshaled her courage and went for it.  She sketched in her sketch book and took in the sights.  Very teenagerie, right?

 

Colter and I took an afternoon trip to a car museum in town.  We saw four or five super cool sports cars and a hundred old timey cool cars.  The sports cars were Colter's favorite.  I enjoyed sitting down while he took a million pictures on my phone.  Time well spent!

In a major break with tradition, we had Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant this year!  I loved every second of it.  It was so nice to not spend days preparing, a whole day cooking, and an eternity cleaning up.  The food was good (never as good as homemade, but good).  The only draw back in my opinion was being on someone else's time for the food.  The kids got impatient and we weren't home where they could go run while they waited.  Other than that, it was perfect.

Everyone else, however, did not like going out for Thanksgiving dinner.  They missed all of our traditional food, they missed the snacks, the football playing in the background, and the left overs.  They all voted to stick with homemade Thanksgiving from now on.  Maybe I'll assign each of them the job of Thanksgiving next year and still take the holiday off.  Or I'll just go to a restaurant by myself!?

The smiles in this picture are all brought to you by TriValley Orthodontics.  Braces for the straight teeth win!

Wonder of wonders, miracles of miracles my Tesla arrived.  After being delayed for months and us living the one car life, we got the second Tesla.  Yes, we are those people but we like being those people so it is good for us!

 

Grand baby boy. Oliver Knox Anderson

I intend to head out to Idaho to be helpful after the baby's birth.  Having had five babies myself, I was of the opinion it is nice to have help after the baby is a month or so old.  Babies are not hard in the beginning, they sleep for 22 hours a day/night and their needs are easily met.  So, I thought an early December visit would be best.

Wyatt informed me that he and Emma wanted me to be there for the birth.  So I made travel arrangements for the baby's due date thinking I would wait around in Centerville with my brother and sister until Emma went into labor.  

I had a 10:00 flight out on November 28th (the baby's due date).  At midnight I landed during a snow storm, looking forward to borrowing my brother's car and crashing at my sister's house for some much needed sleep.

To be fully honest, it was hard to go out.  I still have kids at home who need me and I am not in Grandma mode yet.  I wanted to help but was feeling cranky for sure.  

As the plan landed I switched my phone on and saw some texts from Wyatt come in.  I didn't check them right away (deplaning and all).  Steps into the airport I got a call from Wyatt asking when I was going to be up.  I told him I just landed, it was midnight and I needed to sleep.  He said Emma was in labor and they were at the hospital.  If at all possible could I come straight up to Preston for the birth?  

Did I mention it was snowing?  Like a full on blizzard?  My brother picked me up at the airport and we strategized for a few minutes.  Ultimately, we decided he would drive me up and stay in the area until his wife could come pick him up and we could exchange cars. 

I was deeply grateful for his sacrifice.  Did I mention it was snowing?  Like a full on blizzard?  We started the normally hour and a half drive north going 30 mph.  No one else was on the road.  Oh!  Chris, my brother, had suffered a concussion in September and was still healing so that was fun.  This was his first time driving for a long distance.  He did great and I offered frequently to help but he did fine.  That was lucky because I don't know how to drive in the snow anymore.  

We got up to the hospital at about 3:00 in the morning.  I was deliriously tired but there to help.

Emma's labor progressed slowly.  The epidural made it hard for her to move and pushing was not effective.  After many hours and through the night Emma decided to have a C-section instead of a traditional birth.  At that point (after I had my own sobbing melt down in the car) I decided to go straight to the hotel and sleep.  I didn't need to hang out waiting for post op baby viewing.

After a few hours of sleep I found out Oliver had been born around noon on November 29th.  Perfectly healthy and sweet as ever.  I went to the hospital to meet him.  Reports were accurate.  He is darling.  

I stayed around for a couple of days while they were still in the hospital.  Going over in the evening bringing them take out and visiting.  Answering questions about new baby care and getting my snuggles in.  Once Wyatt, Emma and Oliver headed "home" (back to Emma's parent's house) I decided it was time for me to go too.  They had plenty of help and I thought they could use some quiet time.  

Here are my overall thoughts.  I don't like labor.  I don't like being in the room for the miracle.  It's not for me.  My darling daughters, if you are reading this, please know that if you and your spouse desire privacy for your births...I will not be offended to miss out.  It is ok with me.  If you really, really, really, want me to be there...I will be there for you.  

I did think I was the most helpful and supportive person in the room.  Emma's mom was too worried about her daughter (understandable).  Wyatt didn't know what was happening or how to help (understandable).  The nurses and doctors were doing their job but not with a lot of instruction or care...less understandable.   I was able to help Emma breathe through contractions and say focused when she got upset.  I had my five births to give me experience and to offer support.  

BUT it is not for me this miracle of birth.  Maybe I'll feel differently in a few years.

For now, Oliver Knox is in the world.  He is so sweet and perfect.  He has piles of gold blonde hair.  Wyatt had silver blonde hair and it is fun to see the similarities and differences.  He is amazing and I cannot believe I am a grandmother.  

 

October, the month that was over in 10 seconds...

In the twinkling of an eye I was standing on the Greenbrook black top waiting for the Halloween parade to start.  How did this happen?  Ten seconds ago I was half a world a way in Bulgaria touring a ginormous cathedral.  

October has been packed with travel, family, and adventure and somehow, it all happened in 10 seconds?  Time is a mystery.  

Let's look back at the month that was 10/2022.  We are going to go backwards on this one, I hope you will understand.  It is how time makes sense to me:

Halloween, maybe one of the reasons time is so wonky this month is because we had our ward Halloween party very early this year.  Usually the party is over Halloween weekend but we are sharing our building with a few congregations and we drew the "super early" party date.  It was a good excuse to get our costumes in order sooner rather than later.  

In a move I never thought I would have to take, I found myself in a Spirit Halloween pop up store a few nights before the party to get Colter's costume.  I couldn't believe it.  The woman who had labored, toiled, sewed, and sworn over homemade costumes for the last 20 years was in a Spirit Halloween store to BUY a costume?  How?  When?  What happened?  

I have bought costumes in the past.  Even instituting an "make and buy every-other-year" policy to save my sanity.  But never, did I ever, consider crossing the threshold of a Spirit Halloween store.  Never.  

Alas, since October was 10 seconds long I didn't even have time to order a Bowzer costume early on Amazon.  Spirit Halloween was my only option.

With heavy heart Adell and I stepped inside to look around.  If the ghouls and goblins didn't eat us a live all of the gruesome, blood soaked clown masks would.  It was terrifying.  

Bowzer costume secured and our offering on the joint alters of Capitalism and Chinese Merchandise paid we went home to lick our DIY wounds.  Colter loved his costume so the pain was worth it.

The church party was a hit.  Adell decided to abandon her store-bought-costume (Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas) in honor of her own creativity in becoming a mushroom.  She also did an amazing job running the face paint booth all by herself at the party.  

I had planned my costume months in advance and was delighted with the results.  I should dress like Iris Apfel every day.

 

Other Halloween happenings included: my Mom dressing as Eve of the North and tempting dudes with her apple (she is on the right).  She went out with friends who "trick or treated" where the treat had to be small bottles of liquor.  My mom doesn't drink but she went along with the fun and donated all of her collection to friends.  

Lorien had THREE Halloween events and dressed in a different costume for each one.  She was Alice in Wonderland, Tinkerbell and Rapunzel.  I don't have a Rapunzel picture but she nailed it.  She nailed all three costumes, cute as ever.  

                 

Adell revamped her Mushroom Costume with a red beret and white spots.  Learning the top she first wore to the church party was too cold she upgraded to a sweatshirt.  She went to school in her shroom gear and loved it.

    

I have stood out on the Greenbrook black top to watch the Halloween parade every year for 10 years.  We missed the last two years because of COVID, they didn't have it in 2020 and in 2021 parents could not come (fine with me...).  Colter was super happy to see my face this year.  He is the last kid I have at elementary school.  I was robbed of Adell's last Halloween.  And next year will be my last year ever at the parade.  Sigh.  Time...it is weird.  

Halloween night was a hit.  Adell disappeared before I could get a picture.  She went out with friends.  Clare disappeared too but I knew where to find her.  Clare and her friends were the Princesses at a house that goes all out for Halloween every year.  This year they were Disney Land with the Princesses, the Pirates of the Caribbean, and other attractions.  Clare and her friends were the delight of every little girl in the neighborhood.  It was darling.  

Colter wanted to go out with his best friend, Rock.  Rock was dressed as Mario and Colter was Bowzer.  I drove him over to meet up with his friend.  He told me he did not want me to tag along.  I was a little hurt.  With the girls gone, it seemed my days of going out on Halloween were over.  I told Colter I wanted to check in with Rock's mom before I left.  He wanted a drop and go...good thing we did things my way.  When we got there Colter discovered it would be a big group of kids going out.  Moreover, some of the kids were not Colter's friends and kind of rowdy.  As discretely as possible he told me he wanted to leave and not trick or treat with this crowd.  We made our exit!

We went over to the neighborhood Clare was princessing at.  Colter made his way all around the blocks and gathered pounds of candy.  I think this will be the last year I accompany any kids on their scavenge.  I soaked up every chilly second of this night.