Eh...

I really don't blog anymore... just thought I'd let ya know...

Wow...

It's a girl!!! Due date is sometime this August...
Name will be Alison Clayson
Weight: I have no idea... and for someone who has had such big babies, this one will be the biggest, but also very very small...
Height: 4'8 as in 56 inches long.... again, seems huge, but trust me... this girl is tiny...
Proud new parents to be: Ed and Joey... and I guess Janie and Kent Hall... 'scept they're getting a boy... a very very cute boy, I might add...

So there ya have it... any questions?

He's doing what???

So this is what I came home to the other day. Yep… that would be my youngest son mowing the lawn in a cape. I really have no words to describe the situation, other than he is 14, and his sister dared him to do it. What a great kid… what a great personality… and it made the neighbors’ night. Trust me. I am still hearing from some of them…

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Newest Clayson...

She's now a month old, but I thought I would through up a few pics I stole from Angie of the newest Clayson.... she is adorable.

Irelynd Lola Clayson

Good job Ange... oh, and Mike...

We're back, eh?

So we're back from Canada, eh? I have to say eh, cause of the Canadian thing, eh? Apart from the cool weather, and lots of rain, we had a great time. Vancouver is a beautiful city. We stayed in the Sheraton Hotel, downtown. We were on the 26th floor. Breathtaking views of the city, and the water. The entire outside wall of the hotel room was made of windows. Stunning.
Here's a look...
View from the front of the hotel. This city reminds me of parts of Europe...
While we were there, we drove out to see the Vancouver Temple in progress. The location is beautiful. The temple is nestled in a highly wooded area, in the suburbs of Vancouver, approximately 30 minutes out of downtown Vancouver. It was worth the drive, even though we were taking pictures in the rain. After we saw the temple, we went to dinner, then stopped to get ice cream at the Marble Slab (like ColdStone). In line behind us were two missionaries and their bishop. We bought their ice cream, and visited with them while we ate. It was fun to see the work in progress. The church is the same wherever you go.
I was excited to see all of the 'hoopla' for the upcoming winter Olympics, but the only thing I saw, other than a few t-shirts in the giftshop, was the Olympic Rings, placed just outside the Vancouver Airport... which we happened upon just by chance...

One of the fun things we did was we actually flew into Seattle, then drove the last two hours to Vancouver. What a beautiful drive. We got to see alot more of the area than if we had just flown the whole way. We love Seattle. One of my favorite places to eat is at Ivar's. Great seafood, just on the harbor. Best clam chowder I have ever, or will most likely ever eat. Made with thick cream... it is heaven. It alone was worth the extra driving. I looked forward to having lunch there on the way home for days. Here's a view from the restaurant window...A picture of me and Ed at Ivar's. It's blurry, but it's the only pic we took of us on the whole trip. Lame... I know... Anyway, we had a good time, but it's always nice to be home.

Lucky, Lucky Me....

What an amazingly good looking bunch of kids, if I do say so myself. And amazing they are. I don't care if I am their mother... they are amazing. I can't tell you how much fun it has been to have them all together again... even if I only get Joshie on weekends. It warms a mother's heart. They are almost all grown up now, and are such good spirits. And the funnest part is, they all like each other.... I mean REALLY like each other. They are good friends. They enjoy each other's company. They hangout with each other on PURPOSE.... wow... that's all I can say.
I realize the time I have with them at home will be short lived from this point on, so I plan to enjoy the time I have left. Tyson starts LDS Business college on June 8th... 2 days after we get home from a family vacation we have planned to Catalina Island and parts of Mexico. Ed and I had a feeling that if we were going to do it, we better get after it now... cause change is just around the corner. We can feel it. Will I elaborate at this point? Ummm, no... but just trust me... change is a comin'. So that is my report. My boy is home, for now, and we are happy.... the kids are happy... and he is happy.

An important announcement...

All right ya'll... listen up... cause I hope to only have to say this once... My most amazingly awesome missionary son will be home in just 7 days... yes, you heard me right... 7!!! He flies in from Houston on February 24th at 6:53 pm... But here's the part that I really want you to pay attention to:

His missionary homecoming report will be on March 8th at 9:00 am... (sorry about the 9 am part).
The church is on about 243 south, and 200 east in Tooele.
We would LOVE for you all to attend... Sherrie, Lisa, Chris, Amy... and the rest of you that didn't get an official invite on facebook... which would totally be your fault for not joining facebook... but that's another matter...
anyway... consider this your official... We love ya... Joey

My poor baby...

So my Joshie had his wisdom teeth taken out today... he was very very brave... sort of. He was so freaked out about having an IV, that he was literally making himself sick. He told me he just KNEW this was going to be the worst part... and I said Bud, if that's the worst part, this will be a piece of cake. First thing they did was give him some good ol' laughing gas... which settled him right down. He didn't care at that point if he had an IV or 20. No big deal. Like I said. He really should listen to me more. I am very very wise. Anyway... whole procedure took about 45 minutes. When they brought me back to his little recovery cubbie, he was already awake, and grinning... even gave me a big "thumbs up" which really made me laugh. He kept talking to me, but I could not understand a word he was saying... which would crack me up. So then he would start spelling things for me with his fingers.... HILARIOUS!!! Where is a video camera when you need one... that's what I'm askin... anyway... hang in there Joshie... you'll be good as new in a few...

A break...

Well, I'm off.... to St. George... for a much needed break with the girls...
What will we be doing? Who cares... that's what I say. Just a fun little get away. So I'll see ya when I get back.... and do please try to remember not to have fun without me.... you know how I hate that...

We're so proud...

Go Mikal!!! Go Sha-Ronns!!! Just a little shout-out for Tooele High's drill team. They took first place in EVERY event last weekend for 4-A high school state comps... Solo's, military, props,... everything. Mikal showing off her trophy for her first place solo.... you go girl... you totally rock. We love you....

It's a virtual forest...

It’s time to start taking down christmas…

It always makes me a little sad that the season is over, but it is always nice to get things put back in order. I thought I would take a few pics (since nobody except Heather ever makes it down to Tooele) of all the trees that make an appearance during the holidays… as you can see, I might just have an obsession…

I think my favorite is the tree in the formal living room… though it alone takes me several days to finish. So many trips up and down the ladder… but it is worth it.
I also love having a tree in the kitchen. Grab a good book, light the fire, and snuggle up on the most comfy couch in the whole house…
The tree in the family room is the one that the kids decorate… it is always the most fun. It is full of memories. Every ornament made in school, or given by a neighbor, not too mention the many many ornaments collected by the kids. It is tradition in our home to let the kids choose their own ornament every year. We put their name and date on it somewhere. The idea is to eventually let them take them with them when they get their own homes with their own trees… but to be honest, I don’t know if I will be able to part with them. I will cross that bridge when I come to it…
So I’m off to start dismantling… hope to be done by Valentine’s Day…

Sleep is over-rated...

Says the girl who isn’t getting any… I seem to have found myself with two adorable little gremlins in my bed. The kind that toss and turn and kick and prod and want to sleep on top of, if not underneath me all night. That kind of gremlin. You wouldn’t think that little somethings so small would require so much of my king-size bed…leaving me with so little. But they do. And they did. And I am stiff and sore, and oh so tired. And the best part is… I have 3 more nights of this to look forward too. For some unknown reason, these particular little gremlins insist on MY bed… no other will do. Apparently I am the big winner. My husband (who slept downstairs in the spare bedroom) thinks this is hilarious. “Wow, you look comfy”, was my greeting from him this morning… ha… shows what he knows. But here’s the thing… I happen to adore these little creatures. My two little nieces, whose most favorite thing in the world is to stay at Joey’s house. It might have a little something to do with being spoiled rotten while they’re here. That is my job. My duty. And I take it very seriously. So to my little sis I say… enjoy your break while you can… you owe me.

Happy Birthday little bro...

Happy Birthday to you....
Happy Birthday to you....
Happy Birthday dear TROOOYYYY...
We sure do love you...

Yep... the little bro is 40 today. 40. I love saying that. He hates hearing it. Bummer...

I wanted to share a breathtaking recording of O Holy Night… which was recorded by a friend of mine and my husband’s. Kenneth Cope is truly a gifted man. The artwork is by Liz Lemon Swindle… I can’t really say that I know her, though we have met. Her depictions of the Savior are truly amazing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do… Merry Christmas from me to you…

Christmas in Ogden...

So I really seem to have tradition on my mind... or at least my blog... this year, but hang in there with me for another Christmas memory. If you've ever been in the Ogden, Utah area at christmas time, you may have heard of Christmas Village. I know that Temple Square gets all the 'claim to fame' during the holidays... but hey, it's got nothin on Ogden's City Hall. Both are amazingly beautiful in their own way. Temple Square in a very classy, winter wonderland sort of way... Christmas Village in a "I've somehow taken a wrong turn, and ended up in Santa's Workshop" sort of way. ( I should mention that Christmas Village encompasses a full city block, so it is truly something to see...)

I haven't been to Christmas Village for years. I had a strong desire to see it this year... through the eyes of my two nieces. I wanted to see the magic through their eyes. So Jordyn and I drove up yesterday, went for pizza at another Ogden landmark, Tony's Pizza... (anybody who is anybody from Ogden knows about Tony's Pizza...) then bundled up to go see the lights. My nieces were so excited to see everything, though Dantley did keep asking when we were going to go into Christmas Village. She had a hard time grasping the concept of going to, as opposed to going into... and hey, who could really blame her... the temperature was hovering in the 15 degree range... a yeah... BRRR....Anyway, there were tons of lights and displays to see, as well as Santa and Mrs. Clause and the Grinch wandering around, plus some live entertainment in the apitheater. Here's a few pics...

Sarandon and Jordyn all bundled up...
Little Miss Dantley being a good sport. I was actually trying to take a picture of the very very sad, pathetic face she had been displaying moments before... but out comes the camera, out comes her smile...

What??? Is that a lovely display of a child in bondage? Why yes it is... it took me a minute to realize this was Hansel and Gretel... but give me a break... my brain was frozen... Ha. So there ya go... another tradition revisited this year. Glad we made the effort. Be even gladder when my toes thaw out...

Tradition... to the next generation...

I read an article in Woman's Day mag last night that cracked me up... it was titled 'Here's to a year of NUTCRACKER moments'. As in a special experience you can't wait to give your kids that bombs- or at least, unfolds in a way you didn't expect. The author calls it being 'NUTCRACKERED'. She says when visions of sugarplum fairies dance in a mom's head, logic doesn't stand a chance. All I was thinking was that my turn had come at last to enter the theater holding hands with a wide-eyed daughter decked out in velvet, crinoline and black patent leather. The first strains of Tchaikovsky will play. The curtain will rise. So will the goose bumps... and then there is reality... Please bear in mind that this poor author's daughter was only 3 years old... and her son was 5. Not many kids that young have the attention span to sit through a ballet without getting restless, getting bored senseless, or falling asleep... all of which happened. Her expectations were too high. Now anytime she plans something special where her bubble is burst is called being nutcrackered... too funny. The Nutcracker holds a very special place in my heart. The very name means tradition to me, my mother, and my daughter. When I was a little girl, I would often find Nutcracker tickets in my christmas stocking. Not every year, but several times. My mom was trying to raise 4 children alone on a very fixed income, but she managed to scrape enough together to provide me with some very special experiences. When I was married and had 4 kids of my own, she wanted to pass that tradition on to them. She wanted to be the one to take them to the nutcracker for the first time. I was welcome to come along for the ride, but had to pay for my own ticket. My 2 oldest sons were good sports, and made an effort to act like they enjoyed it. My daughter and youngest son (who was 4) were mesmerized. 4 years ago mom was fighting colon cancer, and I had a prompting to take her to the Nutcracker... my treat. I bought 3 front row tickets, and took her to dinner afterwords. What a special night. She died the following September. I will never regret the money that I spent that night. Some might say frivolous... I say priceless. I couldn't bring myself to go the following year without her. My daughter asked a few times if we were going to go. I felt bad having to tell her no. She enjoys it as much as I had as a child. The next year just the two of us went. It was an emotional experience for me, but in a good cleansing way. This year my sister's oldest daughter is 5. Old enough to have her first time. I know that if mom were here she would have wanted to buy her first ticket... so I did it for her... (of course if Heather wanted to come along she would have to pay for her own... fair is fair after all... ha). What a magical night. Sarandon was anything but bored. She was literally on the edge of her seat, and a few times started dancing right along with the ballerinas. I won't say my emotions didn't get the best of me, cause they did. Mom was there. I could feel her presence. How glad I am that being NUTCRACKERED has better memories for me... though I do remember taking the kids to Disneyland for the first time... I was so excited. I couldn't wait to share that with them. And what happened??? NUTCRACKERED. Yep... they were little dream killers... " is this it? Where are all the good rides...?" Phrases that still haunt me to this day... but that's another story...

Jordyn and mom in 2004

Sarandon... isn't she adorable?

Sarandon and JordySue...

Me, Heather, Sarandon, and Jordyn...

This is a clip of mom's favorite number from the ballet... the Grand Pas de Deux . She thought it was breathtaking, and it is. Listening to it now is like having her arms wrapped around me. Enjoy...

Am I a Grinch? Nah...

I am the opposite of the grinch... though if you asked my kids, they might tell a different story. Anyway, I absolutely love the holidays. House is decked out inside and out...finally...(maybe I'll take you on a V tour someday). I have a total of 14 trees on the main floor of my home . I know this because my nephew announced it to me the other day... as in "Did you know you have 14 christmas trees in your house?" Actually, I think he said like 29, or something insane like that. He was counting things that were soooo obviously not christmas trees... but related to the pine family in general... as in wreaths, and garlands wrapped in the light fixtures...sorry Payton, but that doesn't count. I love all the sights, sounds, and smells associated with the holiday season. I love the traditions. I love to match my wrapping paper, as in I need like them to coordinate. Not only that, but I like them to coordinate with the tree that they are under... there, now you have had a small glimpse into my OCD world... (ok, not really ocd... but I do get teased about it). I came across this fun test on My Crazy Life With a Toddler, and thought I would check it out. I was pretty sure I wasn't a grinch, but needed validation... just had to make sure. Here's the consensus...

You Are the Furthest Thing From A Grinch

You love and live for the holidays. You even love the Grinch! You're in the holiday spirit year round... because you're all about celebrating and giving.

Are You a Grinch?

So are ya? Take the test and find out.

Let me know what you find out. It's always nice to know what kind of riff-raff I am associating with...

I want to go back in time...

but just for a visit every now and again… Look at the excitement on those babies faces… they are precious. It seems like only yesterday that they were that small… and innocent. Those babies are now much bigger… and smarter… and not so much in awe and wonder of this magical season. The oldest is now 21, and the youngest was 14 a few days ago. I’m not saying that I would go back in time indefinitely. I wouldn’t. I love the time in life that I am in right now. For everything there is a season. Having older kids has it’s perks. I have a lot more freedom now. We have a lot of fun together. They do their own laundry. But every once in awhile I have a brief longing for days gone by…to see those precious babies again…

My baby boy is 14 today... 14. That's pretty old for the baby, don't ya think? I look back at pictures I have around the house, and it's almost surreal... like were they ever that little? Sometimes it seems sooo long ago, and other times it seems like just yesterday. What an adorable little guy he was... so full of it... we never ceased to be entertained by the things he would say. Now don't get me wrong... he is still adorable, but in a BIG clumsy teenage boy sort a way. His voice is in the process of changing... and he now uses a razor. Yep. One of his proudest moments was when he realized he was taller than I. It seemed to have happened over night. He used to compare heights constantly. I would always say, "Not yet, bud." Then one day, not only was he taller, but by several inches... literally overnight. That's how it seems to happen. So for you young moms out there... enjoy every precious minute with your babies... cause one day they're going to be taller than you. Happy Birthday Colton...

I remember when...

“I remember when… we decorated our house (or tree, or apartment - or whatever else!) for the holidays”.

My mom was THE master of tree decorating. Known for it for miles... well, maybe not miles, but still... anyway... our tree was always a masterpiece. Took forever to decorate. She was fanatical about the wires from the lights not showing... so you had to wind in and out of every branch, tucking here and there to disguise them. I have inherited this problem obsession. No two similar ornaments can hang too closely together, and ALL ornaments need to have equal spacing between them. This is paramount... I mean very very important. Does it take some time to set up the tree? Yes, it does. Now this might be manageable if I didn't find it necessary to have 3 full size trees on the main floor of my house... (which I do), and bear in mind that the mack daddy tree (my pride and joy) is 12 feet tall. Yep. Have I put it up yet...ummm.... no. I have saved the worst for last. It requires many many trips up and down the ladder. But it's worth it. I remember the first time my mom called to tell me that she had a genious idea. She was tired of dealing with the lights every year, and decided to just wire them on... and put the tree away with them. Aha, I thought... BRILLIANT!!! And it was. We were doing this for years before some OTHER genious started marketing pre-lit trees. Oh, to go back in time... we could have made millions.