Rise and Shout!!!

We have loved a whole season of BYU football tickets, but of course, the game I looked forward to most this year was the last home game against the Utes. As usual, the game was a real nail-biter, but it seems this rivalry is always that way for me! It was great fun to cheer the cougs to their final home-game victory. Way to go! I forgot to take my camera into the stadium but managed to catch this one in the car before we got there.

Andrew and Aaron "Cougars in training"



Las Vegas, here we come!

Thankful

Recently I had someone tell me that I seemed to be one of those people to whom life comes easily, and that I didn't appear to have any trials. Of course, as any person would, I beg to differ, because we all struggle with many things in our lives whether or not they are visible to anyone else.

But this Thanksgiving, I chose to be grateful. Today in Church we talked about the blessing of being content. It doesn't matter who you are or what your special circumstances are. You can be thankful for the things you have and the blessings that are so abundantly showered down...and they are...on ALL of us.

I know this is supposed to be my Thanksgiving post, but in this lesson (now in December) we talked about Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and looked at the many people Dickens wove into the story, and what we stood to learn from each one of them. We talked about Scrooge's nephew Fred who ALWAYS extended his annual invitation to Christmas dinner, expecting rejection, yet nevertheless unwaivering in his attempt at a family connection with his uncle. Then there was Fezziwig and his wife who were joyful, cheerful, delightful, and very generous. Of course, there are the Kratchits. Bob made next to nothing, but had such a great treasure. His family loved one another. They cared for and loved their disabled little brother, and on Christmas morning (before the visits of the three spirits) Bob Kratchit made a toast to Scrooge, the "founder of the feast" which wasn't much of a feast at all.

It was a parallel discussion that followed the Proclamation to the World on the family. Dickens managed to portray such different circumstances in these different characters, yet all seemed to have Truth. They knew the value of family and recognized it as their greatest treasure.

So, this Thanksgiving season helped me reflect on the many blessings I have in the form of the angels that surround me in my family. I have AMAZING parents who are two of my greatest friends. I have AWESOME siblings (and siblings-in-law) that I LOVE to spend time with and learn from. I have the greatest aunts and uncles, and completely cool cousins you could ever imagine. I have wonderful nieces and nephews, and even some great-neices and nephews! I am married to the most indescribably great man I ever could dream of. I have six healthy, happy, and busy children. Yes, I do have much to be thankful for.

So this season, I'll put aside my perhaps disguised trials, and focus on the very obvious blessings I have.

Our Thanksgiving celebration started off the night before. We have sadly realized we can't fit much pie in after all of the turkey and stuffing (of our bodies), so we have pie night before Thanksgiving. Everyone brought pies :)Natalie and Ashton and Elayna

Tiffany and Amy (on supposed bed-rest)

Lauren wants more pie!

Tiffany and Tim took on the gargantuan task of hosting our entire Loveridge family at their home. Not only was it beautifully and tastefully decorated, the spirit was there. Their home just "feels" nice...and that's with 35 people, most of them children, running around.

On Thanksgiving Day, Tim started us off with a spiritual thought on gratitude and Thanksgiving before we started eating. It was a beautiful expression of the gratitude we all feel.
Tiffany's beautiful table decorations

Some of the kids
I think Daniel is trying to say he's "finished"
Look at all of those children!Carrie baked a beautiful cornucopia out of bread. So cool!
My first homemade cherry pie. Dad was thankful!

I love that we have this national day set aside for us to remember our many blessings. It's a nice preview to the Christmas season. Of course, my greatest blessing is my Savior, and his sacrifice so that I have the opportunity to repent and live with my family forever. Yeah, I am blessed.

Budding Balloonist

Natalie's friend had a "magic" birthday party complete with magician and tricks. The best part was that they learned to make their own balloon animals and hats. She was so anxious to show us her tricks and to make us all our own animals. What a fun idea!

Midnight Madness

At the last minute, I got a phone call from Tiffany, ecstatic that she had gotten us tickets to go and see the new Twilight movie "New Moon." THEN, she broke the news that our showing was at 2:50 in the morning! CRAZY!!! But I love those fun times that break up life! I really liked the movie (minus the FAKE make-up on the vamp lead, and the expressionless acting) but really, the story was great. Thanks again Tiff for mixing it up! It was a great time! :)

Not old enough yet...but still fun

Ashley was in a play at school, and was directed to put on make-up before arriving at school. It was so fun to see what a LOVELY thing she is. Her eyelashes are like tarantulas! Lucky thing!

She's just growing up too fast. :)

Girls' Getaway

This year marked the first year of our annual tradition...a favorite of mine (I can already tell.) We kissed our husbands and kids goodbye and went to Park City for an overnighter full (and boy, do I mean FULL) of food and fun. Special thanks to hubby John for footing the bill for our hotel room! LOVE THAT GUY!!!

Just before dinner (homemade Egg-drop soup and asian chicken salad)

Carrie, Natalie, Mom, Amy, and Tiffany

Tiffany and Mom (after NO sleep) making an early breakfast for everyone

Carrie and Amy in the bathroom getting ready to hit the outlet stores in style!

All of us again...minus Amy

Me, Mom, Carrie, Natalie, Tiffany

You girls are the BEST! I can't believe the coolest people I know are in my very own FAMILY! I'm one lucky chica! Love you all! Can't wait for next year! :)

HALLOWEEN!

I just LOVE Halloween! My kids did the best to "scrounge" up their costumes after weeks and weeks of indecision. John and I did alright as well! I dug up my wedding dress and threw it on with Tiffany's veil, and voila! Costume! My mother, of course, was MORTIFIED that I would trapse around town dragging my dress. I figured it was nice to actually let the thing breathe for once!

We trunk-or-treated our ward parking lot, then headed off to Grandma Loveridge's neighborhood to increase our loot! The weather was great, and the kids FAST! I think they're finally catching on to the trick...We had a great time with the Mercers, Johnsons, Dustins, and Hendricksons.

Mom, on the other hand, spent her night in the ER...she was sharpening a knife, looked up to see a play during the U of U game, and SLICED her thumb! She was trying to be brave, but when Dr. Tim showed up, immediately shooed her off to get it looked at. She was sent from InstaCare to a specialist who diagnosed her cut TENDON. Crazy! She got surgery, and is now healing...but talk about a SCARY HALLOWEEN! Love you, Mom!

Ashley...Indian...(after I talked her out of being an "archer.")
Andrew...never gets tired of the BYU thing. I think this is 3 years running. Looks like many of his friends wanted to show thier colors this year as well.

Natalie, the good little witch.Matthew...Navy admiral. Love that grin!
Here we all are! For the first year, Ashley asked to trick-or-treat with friends. She was a little torn, because she wanted to be with us, but gave into her friend and went with her. We truly missed having her with us, but she had a good night! Happy Halloween!

Cheesecake, Anyone?

Congratulations to Jeff and Josh who earned degrees...Jeff a masters in Education, and Josh his Bachelor's in nutrition? I can't remember. Sorry! :) But I DO remember the party! Love you guys! Way to go!

Wheeler Farm

My sister, Tiffany, teaches a little pre-school with some other moms, and during their study of animals, decided to visit the farm! She invited me and Amy and Marshall along with our kids to join them! It was a fun day! Thanks again!

Timothy and the TRACTOR!!!
Sisters :) (Me, Amy, and Tiffany)

Lauren braves up and tries to reach out to pet the horses

Elizabeth, Bethany, and Timothy

Timothy tries to make friends with the geese

Dear John

This is a tough post to write. I love that line in the movie "Contact" when Jodie Foster is in "space" and has to try and describe to others what she is seeing. She simply says, "You should have sent a poet." That completely describes how I feel.

I love John. He's just one of those people that I never knew existed until I found him. He is kind, caring, and so very thoughtful. He is so other-centered and selfless. He spends much of his time doing things for others. The best part is, he does most of that for me. He has made me his priority...and yet, accomplished so much for so many other people in the process.

He just turned 47. I can't believe how much he has become in so few years. He reminds me of what Ezra Taft Benson said: "Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can." John is one who truly has turned his life over to God. He just wants to fulfill the mission that he said he would finish. He is constantly engaged in that work.


He has a GREAT sense of humor. We laugh ourselves silly at our house. People often ask me what John is "really" like, and it's so fun to tell them that what they see is what they get. He is what he seems and more: Funny, happy, spiritual, and lively.


John is a great dad. EVERY one of my children could be described as a "Daddy's girl" or "Daddy's boy." They ADORE him. It's very obvious who the favorite parent is at our house, and I simply LOVE that, because they couldn't love a better man. He is always laughing with them, playing with them, teaching them in ways that only he can.

He is a hard worker. I used to not understand how on vacation he constantly had his computer with him so he could write, or how he was always reading and studying something. But now I know that it's just IN him. He is a worker. He is happiest when he is accomplishing something, and he accomplishes great things. He recently taught himself to play the banjo! He's always trying new things!

He is generous. I don't mean to embarrass him, but he is ALWAYS doing things for others. Whether he pays for others' car repairs, lends them his truck, or slips them some needed money, he is always doing for others. He spends at least a couple of nights a week helping others, either in his church calling, or his own chosen goal to better others' lives. It's amazing to watch.

I can't believe I get him. He is the best friend I've ever had. He doesn't judge me for my inadequacies, but focuses on my better traits. What more could I ask for? He's simply perfect for me. I love you, honey!!!