Christmas surprises

For Wed. Dec. 21st. dadu and I decided to go to Orem Utah for Christmas. He had 7 days to use or loose from work. On the way out we stopped in Corona and left a couple of gifts at my brother's house...[Treats and a photo album of photos I had of him.] We got to St. George in the afternoon and did an endowment session in the temple there. We have never done that there. It was a Great experience. I love the time period furniture and lights and such !! That night we stayed in a $33.00 plus fees..hotel there...Knights Inn airport...no frills..just what we needed to sleep. Thursday we went to Manti, ate a whole pizza, and did a session in that temple.[live]...again a Great new experience and awesome time period furniture, paintings, carpet ...etc...You have got to see the dinosaurs,etc.. painted on the walls there ! We got to Orem in the afternoon..and hit D.I. of course..then to Eddie and Sandy's apt. after we dropped off gifts at Abby's house...[.they were on a cruise with his parents ..nice gift !] We camped out at Sandy and Eddie's for the duration of the trip. They are excellent hosts and hostess'. We enjoyed our visit.!! We had dinner at Cafe Rio and then they drove around to show us the lights. Friday we went to the "UP "house in Harriman Utah..it was awesome...just like in the" UP" movie !!! We got to tour the whole house ..then we went to SLC . We saw the Joseph Smith movie in the Joseph Smith memorial building...very powerful. We walked around temple square and looked at the lights..and ran into Jill Duram and her husband and 3 children...and enjoyed visiting with her a little. She looks great ! Saturday morning...Christmas Eve we couldn't wait any longer so we took some Cosco muffins and caroled to Nathan's family at breakfast time. !! They were truly surprised.!!..meanwhile before this, Shannon thought were were dead or something because she couldn't get a hold of us by phone., I forgot my cell phone and camera at home...and those in the know didn't tell..so we had to call and tell her what was going on !! Dadu and Nathan hung out most of the day and I hung with April and kiddos..April and I were able to escape and went to Shopko and to Panda Express for lunch...it was nice. ! I got cute sheets for Maddie and Ava's bunk beds..washed and dried them at Sandy's and went and put them on the beds. Christmas Eve I did some shopping..got myself a wheat grinder attachment for my Kitchen aid...and a cheese slicer for April. We all had a nice ham dinner at April's house..and the orange Christmas story....by her..and chocolate orange slices...[I sewed pajamas for 3 kids as April cut them out before dinner]..Christmas day we did stockings and gifts at Sandy's....then went to Nathan's church. He conducted the meeting. He is awesome ! We went to Nathan's house after church and watched them open gifts. We then watched Seth's family open gifts via the computer...that was fun. Abby called April so we knew she was home. We went over, pulled up in front of her house and got out of the car and she came flying down the steps..she was excited.! At midnight she had been home and seen the gifts from us and drove by Nathan's house to see if we were there...but didn't see our car so she decided we must not be around...[.our car was hidden in Eddie's garage for those first couple of days !! ] We played with the girls ...it was sweet ! We all had dinner at Nathan and April's. Monday dadu was a zombie..We visited Abby..then we went to DI in American Fork....and when he started vomiting out the car door we knew why...I dropped him off to sleep for 11 hours on our air mattress . I went to Winco, bought Lysol wipes and cleaned up the car. I went and visited Becca and Aida and the rest of the Monsivais family. Greg and family weren't home so I left a note...Tuesday we played with family some more and in the afternoon we went to church distribution and a store or two...then bade them all good bye and headed back to the cheap hotel in St. George.[ found on travelocity.com] and spent the night there..We drove home Wednesday..after we got dadu's sun glasses fixed at Walmart. We stopped in Vegas and looked at the Bellagio...all decorated ..went to their DI and had lunch then came on home....lots of people had the same idea...[to go Wed. to miss traffic]...so we didn't miss traffic...It Was A GREAT week. We enjoyed it all[ except for the sick part ] A LOT !! Thanks everyone for the Awesome Christmas vacation !!

temple aactivity

There is sure a lot of temple activity...I guess with school breaks...dadu and I are uping our temple attendance right now too !! so cool !

Lisa's stockings

Stand on your head and see the photos correctly. I don't know why they do this. Cody and Amy are dogs by the way.

busy

Today I finished a job covering four 20 inch pillows and 6 dining room chairs and a round foot stool. They got picked up really fast. My hands are rather stiff and sore..all that staple gun and hammer work..plus tugging fabric...Now I am working on 6 funky Christmas stockings for another friend..maybe I will remember to get a photo of these.

Thanksgiving dinner at mom's 2011

The 8 of us had a nice time and we all brought delicious food..enough for another dozen people !

Thanksgiving

We had visitors for about 20 hours the day before Thanksgiving...!! fun ! Matt and Shannon, and children !!

youth center..first time...

I had so much fun at the temple yesterday. I got there at 7 a.m. I thought I was a sub. for a sister but found out that is next week. I said I would work anyway...the coordinator was so excited and sent me to the front foyer immediately..then to the atrium, then to the youth center...4 children, a 10 year old with downs syndrome that was really fun !! I did a lot of chasing after her..literally...she could escape in a heartbeat ! I spent hours playing with cars and blocks with her. Their sealing was a real tear jerker !! They had names like Zaid, Jordon, Omar....It was really neat ! On my shift I got to go somewhere new every half hour..even to serve food in the cafeteria ! It was a 10 hour day but really fun !!

Wanlass Family July 2, 2011 + 1

Seth photo shopped Hazel into this photo..she was actually born 11 days after this photo...He and Abby did great to make this picture how I wanted it for Christmas cards !

37th anniversary..Coronado

The old Victorian hotel is very well kept up !!

We looked in art galleries..and little shops. We just enjoyed being together.

Photo shoot for Abby and J's family

You know...I turned this photo but it chose to stand on it's head when it got here...so, you get to stand on your head to see the dresses !!

I finished making the dresses and decorations and found matching stuff...and mailed it all in a flat rate priority box for $14.20...it weighed 19 lbs...[ 3 lbs were gummy bears] Anthony is trading sewing capes for taking their photos.

Abbys' sketches

Abby did not take these photos when she moved, so I have them in my album...her first self portrait in 2000 she caught something about her cool eyes !! And a sketch from her drawing class...she is good !

For M., A. and H..

I am going to try to get some sewing done today[ that I want to try]..inventing dresses for 3 little grand daughters...with what I have..and try to make them look current...good trick I know. Abby can invent way better..but you know..aging grandmas still want to try.

taped and first mudding

I found fabric to match this yard sale jacket..and made this skirt for mom. A new color for her...we shall see ! I taped the drywall and did the first mudding. I am supposed to clean house today because we have a family coming over Sunday and I am busy all day tomorrow..but I am reading this good book.......

What we do for home evening

For home evening we went to the Escondido Center for the Performing Arts..to a REUNION concert. Two of the old...[literally] Lettermen. Their third now is Ric de Azevedo [ from the King brothers.] Some unknown temple lover bought the place out for the evening and invited all the San Diego temple workers [like 1500]to a free concert..and as we were leaving they gave us all a REUNION CD...songs we sang as the Lettermen. It was really a fun evening. The guy on the drums is a temple worker in Draper. I got my CD signed..free thrills, I tell ya.! Opening the evening with 2 songs was Craig Heesch...who was once nominated for a Grammy....I work with him and his wife every Tuesday !

Capt. hook

I got Capt. Hook done...to wear with a white shirt and black pants.

Nice breeze today slamming doors inside the house [the windows are open] Here is dadu's prayer rug...very appropriate ! Oh, and I chopped off my hair...the texture so changes with age..all wiry.

drywall

Today I cut sheetrock and drywalled my holes. I made a pattern like I was sewing. I watched U Tube people doing it. TA DA.

BOUQUET

The wife of a brother ordinance worker at the San Diego Temple makes flower bouquets as a thank you for sisters working there. The brothers working my shift choose who gets it. Today I was picked as the one to receive it. They are always different. Today I was follower on the 12 p.m. session and on the 3p.m. session.

sheetrock !!

I felt inspired to, so I called my neighbor last evening..her kitchen was remodeled last year..I asked it she happened to have pieces of drywall around. She said meet her at her garage..walla....15"x8 foot piece..Whoo hoo..she gave it to me !!! I feel so blessed.

soffit down

This is the soffit being taken down in reverse order...

General Relief Society meeting

I loved Pres. Uchtdorf's talk tonight...He talked about Forget-Me-Nots being such a tiny over looked flower...but beautiful and important. he gave 5 points to remember...

1. Forget not to be patient with yourself !! It is part of your mortal experience to have weaknesses. Stop punishing yourself. Be patient and compassionate with yourself ! You have many unnoticed successes !

2.Forget not the difference between good sacrifice and foolish sacrifice. Am I committing my time and energies to the things that matter the most ?

3.Forget not to be HAPPY now ! Talking about Willy Wonka...Don't wait for you "golden ticket " to be happy. Don't put your happiness on hold. Don't be disappointed, withdrawn or lonely. If you spend your time expecting perfect big roses, you may miss the simple beauty of the Forget-me-nots. Treasure the everyday moments.

4.Forget not the WHY of the gospel. Practicing the gospel is not an obligation...it is a pathway to follow. Seek out the joy and majesty of the Why.

5. Forget not that the Lord loves YOU. You are NOT forgotten, where ever you are, what ever the circumstances may be. No matter how you feel..your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. He knows you and your name. Allow his Divine Love into your life.

blessing grandbaby #15 trip

Did I mention that I was sick as a dog for a day and a half sstarting two Sundays ago..in Utah . On the way home our car's check engine light came on and stayed on..and it had no get up and go.. We had an 11 hour power outage here the day after we got home..We got the car into the shop and paid 2 thousand to get it out again..{ catalytic converter , pv something, battery, and ?} Life...so tricky...having a great time !..

I made...

Zucchini bread...too much flour=cracked. I have always wanted to do this on a wall since I saw it a the restaurant years ago with Jill in SLC. It helps define the dining area of my great room. The first time I have ground and used used white wheat to make bread. Delicious ! {Melissa Daniels' recipe.}

altered boy shirts

I buy my shirts in the boys dept. the sleeves are long enough that way. I decided to put graphics on these nice cheap thermals for fall. {these shirts were from Nordstrom Rack } All the same shirts...just color variations.

2 costumes done

Here is Wendys costume ..
Peter Pan's dagger is made from a large paint stir stick. I don't know why it is upside down.