Moving Day.

For the first time in 4 months, our basement is empty. 

And it's already feeling a little lonely. 

We have grown quite accustomed to having a little community down there,

  We are going through a few withdrawal pains. 

But the Cooks have moved on-

 and though they are just 15 minutes away, 

for two families who have meshed their lives for 4 months, 

it feels a lot further.  

I honestly feel so grateful for the opportunity 

to get to know and love those kids up close and personal. 

They used to be the cousins we barely knew,

 and now we probably know too much :) 

(Kidding of course...)

Here is what moving day looked like....

Two giant pods were emptied by neighbors who just showed this morning to see if they could help. (All that Utah hospitality helped to lessen the sting of the BYU /Hawaii blowout )

Teamwork...

You might think that Zac is cleaning the kitchen...nope. Just scrounging up some grub...

The kids actually worked pretty hard, and took a much needed break in the backyard.

Will sent "Columbus" (Lego guy in a Dixie cup) down the river a few times...

...while Elijah caught "river monsters" for his Biology bug collection.

Alyssa and Beth doing what they do best: observing....

I am sorry I didn't get a picture of the woman of the house 

who worked the hardest of all.

She is amazing.

It's been a day and we are all exhausted. 

But tomorrow, we will gather again and eat Sunday dinner together. 

Sure beats having that pesky Pacific ocean between us.

That Awkward Moment When...

...you realize your sister wore the exact same outfit on picture day.

I Love Cookies.

I love to make them, I love to eat them.

For as long as I can remember we have made cookies almost every Sunday.

It's a habit and an addiction.

If I don't make them, my brain knows it and will not let me rest.

For example, last Sunday we had birthday cake. It was from Costco and it was delicious. 

But it wasn't cookies. 

I started to get antsy on Monday.

Tuesday, I white-knuckled it thinking it would pass.

Today I gave in. 

Just a small batch.

New recipe.

Delish.

Post Script:  Zac asked me once if I would ever consider making them without chocolate chips.

Uh, no...

Post Post Script: I got this lovely book for my birthday. 

The one I should have written...

...life's lessons learned brilliantly  through cookies.

Yes, indeed.

Tonight at Family Home Evening.

What they were supposed to be paying attention to...

What they were actually paying attention to.

Heaven help me.

A Little More Homecoming and a Sunday Dinner.

Last night was Springville High's homecoming...and Jordan's first date. So of course,a good aunt must document such momentous events.

They were by far the cutest couple in their group :)

Right?

And then today, after dinner Jordan took Angie's usual spot on the couch- all that excitement plumb wore him out!

 

 

We celebrated Ashley and Christine's birthday.

Ashely-22

Christine-11

Wow, Ashley is exactly double Christine's age this year!

Cassidy and Christine

We love having Lindsey with us now and she played a "killer" game of Killer Bunnies.

The best part of the Sabbath was attending the dedication of the Brigham City Temple. 

What a sweet experience and so amazing to have another  temple ready for service in Utah.

Hope your week is a great one...

Shabbat Shalom.

The Girl Who Lives Here...

...got her first "adult" ward calling.

Wait for it.....

Relief Society Music Coordinator.

The church is true. Amen.

Elijah Has A Job.

At some point in August, Elijah renewed his interest/obsession in making some money. He googled "jobs for 14 year olds" and soon discovered that he could apply with Provo City to referee flag football games.
"But, Elijah," we said, "You have never even played flag football."
"How hard could it be to learn the rules?" he poo-pooed.(Yes, that is a word)
He filled out an online application, clicked send, and that was the last we thought about it.
Until a few weeks later, when they called him.
For an interview. 
He was as cool as a cucumber.
He dressed in a white shirt and tie.
He got the job.
Lucky for him, he really doesn't need to know the rules.
He teaches"Smart Start" for 3 and 4 year olds. 
He teaches them how to hold a football, to toss it, and to run.
Not bad. He was excited to be earning a paycheck.
Until he lost his $300.00 retainer. 
Now his paychecks are mine.
Thank goodness for that day in August.

It's Been A Day And I Am Cranky.

Some clues I might need more sleep:

1) I made a horrible dinner then forced everyone to eat it.
 I didn't make a horrible dinner on purpose, it just turned out that way. I choked it down and so did everyone else. Except for Elijah who snuck a bowl of Raisin Bran. Are you understanding that Raisin Bran was better than what I made?

2) FHE. It was lovely. I planned a game centered around the temple to reinforce the temple dedication we have coming up on Sunday. I really believe I heard the Spirit warn: "It might not be a good idea to talk about the temple with the mood you're in." Yes indeed, Jeopardy became Family Feud.

3) And seriously, all afternoon I kept repeating the quote on Trilby's blog:"Always Be Kinder Than You Feel."
I couldn't. It just wasn't happening.


And so, I must get more sleep. My life is running on 6 hours or less each day and at 47, I am hearing the message loud and clear:  
It's not working.

My sincere apologies to my family today. I will try harder tomorrow.

Our Week In Review:

Alissa had a birthday (don't you love Kaitlyn's face?)...

Zac discovered his inner "Punisher" for black-out day at school...

Will was the first in his class to pass off all states and capitals...

Beth went to homecoming with her dress stuck in the car door...

We skyped with Michaela who is thoroughly enjoying her new BYU-I lifestyle...

And Elijah speared a cat while riding a dolphin with laser beams shooting out of its eyes.

And how was your week?

Timpview Homecoming 2012.

 

Christian and Bethany

 Getting this photo was like pulling teeth...

Much like finding the right dress...

and the right shoes...

Oh, Beth :)

Wisdom.

And Tonight We Ate the Other Half.

The Great Urban Legend that is: Buca di Beppo.

Once upon a time there was a boy who left everything he loved behind in Hawaii, and moved to Provo, Utah. It was a strange new experience for him. He tried lots of different things, went on many exciting adventures, and learned a great deal about his new host family. The hardest concept for him to fathom, however, was that the Labit family had never, ever, ever, been to his all-time favorite restaurant, Buca di Beppo. It agonized him to think that we had not once tasted the mouth-watering sauces and cheese-laden pizzas that they are famous for. At least once a week, all summer long, he reminded us of our great misfortune. "Surely someday," he pleaded, "You will have to take your family to Buca di Beppo!" 

Last night, Zachary's dream came true! 

It didn't matter to him that it was in honor of his archenemy, sister number two's birthday! All that mattered was that finally, finally, the Labit family would have the golden opportunity of dining with the pope (or at least with his head in the middle of the table), while savory cheeses and sauces dripped from their chins.

And that is what actually happened. 

Don't you love happy endings?

And despite September 11th being a day 

we commemorate a terrible tragedy,

it's nice to have something wonderful to celebrate.

September 11th, 2001, Alissa Cook was born.

Happy Birthday, Alissa. 

We Love You!

Ah, Rexburg.

We did it. 
We really dropped Michaela off and left her in that little one-horse town called Rexburg that was the meeting place of some pretty unpleasant experiences for me. 
I tried to warn her, prepare her.
But she was having none of my pessimism. 
That's because the sun was shining and it was a balmy 76 degrees as we drove out of town... 
Rexburg has a way of fooling you like that. 
Next thing you know, your eyelashes and nose hairs are brittle to the touch and the wind chill factor is a temperature you never thought you'd experience in your lifetime.
Oh, you can tell I walked down memory lane a bit this weekend.... But- we left her happy, full of Big Jud's burgers, and ready to "have an adventure." 
And an adventure is something I'm sure she will have. 

The I-card...her ticket to everything BYU-I.

Unwittingly, we turned the Unplugged sign into Rexburg Plugged. It's foreshadowing I think...

Here is the dorm I believe that I lived in....either my memory is hazy after 30 years, or I have blocked it from my subconscious....

We took a trip to the cemetery where my grandparents are buried, followed by a tour of Menan where they lived a good deal of their lives. As kids, we spent many great summers there...

(My mom's name on the back of the headstone)

We loved this "headstone" posted on the gate as you leave. Shutting the gate is serious business in Idaho.

This is the house my mom grew up in-it looks nothing like it did back in the day...

Apparently a contractor owns it now and has done a lot of fancyin' it up.

This was an original building in the back yard...

Here is the house that made me cry...I have so many great memories of visiting here.  Not much had been changed even after 40 years...

I once locked a stray cat in this granary, fed it secretly and pretended it was my own for a few days :)

This is my Aunt Lu who took us on this whirlwind tour of Menan. She and her husband are two of the kindest people I know.

Obviously, we couldn't leave Idaho without a trip to Big Jud's. Michaela's roommate, as well as her dad, had never experienced Big Jud's so it was a must do.

To accommodate Michael's picky palate,  we had to order everything on the side and then dress our hamburger accordingly. I was sure it was going to  compromise the taste, but no. It was awesome!

It was just as good as Michaela remembered...

...and her roommate Dani was pretty impressed too.

For me, it went without saying.

So Rexburg, even though I had my doubts,

Michaela is Michaela and will be just fine. 

Until the first snowfall :)