We are in Utah again as was the case the last time I wrote (which was a while ago I admit)! This time Morty gave us the crazy notion to stop overnight in Las Vegas to celebrate his birthday. We feel so honored that he would suggest that to us. What a fun idea! And, all the while we realize what a huge privilege that we have through Katie to be able to fly and connect with all of you. We are so grateful.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORTY!!!
Today is Morty’s birthday; big 33. As we were joking last night as we were laughing about some Jimmer Fredette mania happening in Provo, he is Jimmer plus 1!He was kind enough to get up at 6:15 on his birthday to shuttle us to the airport. He provided great service even informing us of our gate number and its location from security with a few tricks to get around the crowds. We learned last night when he looked up our chances of getting on our standby flight this morning that had only 4 seats available for 16 standby passengers, that Sunday is a difficult day to get out of Las Vegas on standby. He rerouted through a flight first to Reno and then onto Salt Lake. The late night nonstop to Salt Lake was very open but then we would have missed Jena’s family birthday party (her birthday is this Friday).
We had a fun visit with the boys last night. They all have a unique sense of humor and keep us smiling. It was very refreshing to me to be there. Aaron picked us up a the airport and then we met Morty and Aaron at a beautiful new resort called M not far from their home. We went to dinner at a very tasty restaurant known for its home cooking style and huge servings. We all shared a few entrees and took a HEAVY take-out bag home afterwards. I made a yellow cake with chocolate frosting and the boys and Dad all enjoyed warm cake dripping with thick chocolate frosting at midnight as we sang happy birthday to Morty. We slept, not long enough, in their beautiful guest room. They have it fixed up so comfortably.
I don’t know where to start this letter as I really do not remember much about the last few weeks. Dad and I did travel to Utah in mid January to help Heidi with some of her packing. They were blessed to be able to find renters for their town home so that they could move into their friend’s home who will be on an eighteen month mission. For that period of time they will have more space and a yard! We are so thrilled for them and especially the girls to be able to play in their own yard. The new place is just down about a block from where they were. We are excited to see it.
We were hoping to get in on a family night deal at Sundance ski resort while we were there in January but they weather was not good enough; it was raining at the resort. We haven’t skied at all this year and our usual anniversary trip to Timberline will be replaced with celebrating our anniversary at the open house in Hughson. Maybe we can hope for some late snows this March like a couple of years ago, just as long as the weatherman gives us a beautiful last weekend in February!
We did more wedding planning in Utah in January and made some interactive TO-DO lists to alleviate some of the stress of one person remembering everything that must be done. Blake and Adrianne have made several documents that need to be watched closely, like the wedding budget, into Google documents so we can all view and update them. This has been very helpful. I heard someone refer to Adrianne’s sit down dinner reception as extravagant and I thought how little they knew about the power of careful and creative planning with a lot of leg work. I know that we have accomplished this wedding with a smaller budget than most of our friends have put on a reception at the church.
Most of our weeks since that earlier Utah trip have been focused around wedding details. Dad hasn’t had any concrete work so he has been able to help more than usual. I think that he has made more dinners in the past month than our entire married years; it has been very nice for me. Dad is starting to do more bids now so the spring is looking more positive. We don’t expect that the business will ever be the same again since the builders are just not as active anymore but we have received a good amount of referral business from previous customers for homeowner work by using our SendOutCards business to help market the concrete business. It is nice that we have that reference as we show other businesses the incredible tool that it can also be to business. Through the wedding planning, I have tried to stay as active as possible with SOC to keep the momentum going. I have a couple of distributors that have also made goals for their own that has boasted my business. I LOVE the fact that I can be working on the wedding part of the day and my business is still growing elsewhere!
Morty came for a Blazer weekend just shortly after we returned and we met one of his cute friends Abby. She is from Cannon Beach. She is also a fun game player and was very wiling to learn some new ones. He got in a couple of Blazer games and was gone again. While he was here, Dad and I went to a meeting in Seattle. We flew there in the morning and returned that afternoon; SO COOL! We rented a car and it cost us so much less to do it that way. Thank you Katie again.
My annual girl’s weekend with my previous Young Women group was at the end of January. It was so nice. We played tons of games, ate, walked on the beach, ate shopped, ate, talked and laughed, ate and just had wonderful time together. We all look forward to the break each year; it is rejuvenating. I didn’t completely put a halt to the wedding planning while there as I brought some things to brainstorm with them. It was at the beach that we designed our “bargain” centerpieces.
Our family had two big moves this month with Heidi and Bill’s move to 11491 Wexford Way with their city and zip code staying the same. Heidi also received a new calling in her ward Relief Society as the Second Counselor. That will keep the Brady family moving at a fast pace. Shawn and Aubrey’s family moved into the apartment complex that many of their friends live at 143 Virginia Hills #C keeping the same city and zip code also. They have been watching for an opening there in a particular spot and then Aubrey luckily heard it through visiting teaching before anyone else knew. She is going to fix it up so cute; she sent me one of her pictures. We are anxious to see it. We just might be able to on our way home from Adrianne’s open house if we don’t fly. We are planning on driving sin
ce we will have all the unopened gifts to take down for them to open the day after the open house. But, we would love to fly; it would be cheaper and easier of course. So, we are going to try and send some boxes of gifts home (pack them up right there after the reception) with some of the Severson’s returning to California. We can’t send any with Shawn and Aubrey since they are flying Alaska and have to pay for luggage.
Adrianne came home the first weekend of February for a special shower given by her good friend and mentor, Sharon Gueck, for all of her Cheveaux Training Stables family. They planned a very nice event for Adrianne and included some of the friends that she grew up with. After the shower her best friends of the group took her on an overnighter to a spa resort and treated her to a very relaxing time.
We have had a couple of days of nice weather this week, which gives us hope of a beautiful weather day next Saturday . . . hope, hope! One gorgeous day the sun was shinning and the birds were singing and it even smelled like spring was not too far off. When the sun is shinning, it makes even the grays and the browns look more beautiful. Dad was at the temple for a bid and the daffodils, heather and even early rhododendrons are in bloom. Yes! Oddly enough, Dad is working on a summertime bid, during the closure, for the bride’s door. The brides and grooms no longer exit from the main doors of the temple. They go out one of the lower doors so there is not so much congestion and they want to make that area where people now need to wait, more beautiful.
Lately, I have been catching up on my important reading by walking at the gym instead of outside. There is a book slot and I am happy to say that I think this is the first month that I have finished the whole Ensign in the very month that it was received. I know that sounds crazy since I should be able to accomplish that in any given month. So I hope to keep that going. I feel so lifted when I leave the gym after having just exercised AND read something uplifting. You all know me well enough to know that I do not LIKE exercising but like the feeling after the fact. Reading something uplifting while walking takes my mind off of what I am doing. It is great! Right now I am reading a book called The Single Voice by Kristin Oaks. It is SO good; I would suggest it to everyone. I felt odd buying it but my good friend, Jeannena, suggested it to me saying that her thoughts in the book are great suggestions for everyone.
My last institute class was so good. It seems that lately, as soon as I get close to arriving at class, I get a phone call that I need to take and it keeps me from attending. This week we discussed Elder Holland’s general conference message. We played a Mormon Messages video clip called, Good Things to Come, depicting a message from one of his talks awhile back (about the young family driving across country in a car that kept stopping and needing repairs in the same spot just outside of their departure city). It was very moving. I would suggest that to everyone also! His message was: Don’t quit; don’t give up. For those who love and follow the Lord, it will be alright. There are more good things to come.
Trust God and believe in His power to help you live fulfilled lives and return to Him. As I told my Primary children last week, it is absolutely amazing to think that we all have the Godhead rooting and pulling for us to live so that we may be happy and fulfilled and return to them.
I love you and am so happy that we will be together in a couple of weeks to celebrate and support Adrianne and Blake on their wonderful day.
Love, Mom
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