Where Dreams Come True!

 

 

I'm at a loss for words...it's hard to describe all the fun and excitement that Disneyland held for us, but, I'll do my best. Grandma & Grandpa Reesor met us in Disneyland and played just as hard as the kids did! Thatcher and I took dips in the pool and went to bed at a reasonable hour (I have never been so grateful for a six year old) while others ran from morning until, well, uh, morning. 

Disneyland is the greatest place on earth, where smiles never escape your face...unless one's true heart's desire is to get a picture with Minnie Mouse and wait in four different long lines only to be snubbed right as you reach the front, where she is then whisked away (all four times) by men in black leaving you to swim in a puddle of tears and even then it's water under the Small World bridge because Disney redeems themselves and on the fifth try you finally get your hearts desire where Minnie poses and you say cheese. And that ladies and gentlemen is where dreams come true!

This is where memories begin!  

I loved California Adventures, that's where all of my favorite rides and shows were.

World of Color was stunning! Beside the complete awe of the show itself, Cheers to how brilliant the creators are! I loved it! 

California Screamin' was a freakin' scream! I laughed while I cried.

Tower of Terror Hollywood Hotel...I'm not sure if Thatcher will ever get in an elevator again. I wanted off this ride so bad and then later I got back on only to wish I was off again.

And,

Soarin' Over California, if hang gliding ever made it on my bucket list I could check it off.  I was hang gliding over the wonders of California!

Thatcher: Gadget's Go Coaster in Toon Town

 Tresa &Tyler: Tower of Terror in California Adventure

Talon: Space Mountain in Tomorrow Land

Jeremy: California Screamin'

Spring break 2011 is going down in history at our house with memories that will last a lifetime!

 

Hwy 101 to San Fran!




The Golden Gate Bridge



Rain...umbrella's...psh...we're from Oregon.



We took the 101 from Crescent City California to San Francisco. Wine Country is intoxicating! Ha! Alright I'm laughing at my own puns. But really the drive down the 101 offers a little awe factor from the terrain of the Redwoods on one side and on the other wide open Pacific on to the hills of vineyards  and down to the beauty of San Francisco's Victorian architecture. A beautiful drive to get us to a magical place!!

But first we did enjoy an afternoon at Fort Point, Fisherman's Wharf and taking numerous trips driving down one of the most ridiculously windy streets in America, Lombard St. Then we drove up the steepest hills we could find, making it feel like we were going to tip over backward only to turn around and drive back down catching the whoop-dee-doos on the way down. I love that our family can find fun in ridiculously simple ways. We ended our night capturing the view from the top of Coit Tower.





Oh the fun in San Francisco!

  



Oh, the Crazy!





Now on with our trip! Next stop Disneyland!

Spring Break - The Redwoods & Cruisin' the 101!

 Dude. That is a really big tree.

 Have you ever looked in the sky and made a shape out of the clouds? That is not what we were doing here but that does look like a cat up there.

 We are driving through a 2000 and some year old tree. Thatcher was deep in thought and said. "Hey this tree was here when Christ was".

Friday March 18, 2011 we left around 7am and by early afternoon we were basking in the rays of sun that trickled through the canopy of trees in Humbolt County. There is a definite feeling of peace and serenity as you walk through the home of some of the largest trees in the world. We took a few hikes and then drove through two of the three drive through trees left amongst the Redwoods, The Chandelier, and the Tour Through Tree in Kalamath. The Redwoods are truly majestic giants with towering tops that form a haven of branches when one looks to the sky.

We did stop a few places along our drive, like; Heidi's Yarn Shop in Ukiah and North Coast Knitting in Eureka. Yes. I tortured my kids and my husband and on our way to the great Redwoods, San Fran and Disneyland I made them detour to yarn shops! I had to, I was stuck and needed help, twice. We met awesome gals in the knitting world and they gave us great tips for San Francisco, so it worked out well for all of us and I did book a hotel with a pool so hopfully that made up for some of it.

Sweet Innocence

Thatcher and I took a little jaunt into town the other day and came to a water fountain. We were sitting on a bench enjoying the fresh air and sounds of the town and the trickling water, when Thatch asked if he could throw a penny in.  " Okay buddy, but here's the deal, before you throw it in you have to make a wish. It has to be a real wish and a good one."
I gave Thatcher a penny and he held it in his hand, staring at the fountain, being ever so thoughtful of a wish. "Do I say my wish when I throw it in mom?"
"Nope, you don't tell anyone or your wish won'tcome true. Just say it to yourself, turn around and throw it over your shoulder!  Make it a really good one!"
Thatcher turned around and closed his eyes and as he tossed the penny over his should I heard him whisper, "I wish for no more bad guys in the world." 
I couldn't have asked for anything more precious, or, harder to make come true.

The Things Welcoming Us Back Home!

#1 Our comfy beds that swallowed us up and didn't want to spit us out!.
#2 Our Brody could tell he was coming home when they entered our neighbohood - his excitement increased by ten fold.  AHHhh, he's happy to be home and we are glad he's is alive and well and so is Buster.
#3 Getting us back in to a routine after a week of chaos and NO routine
#4 Showing up to sacrement meeting after being gone for three weeks and realizing it was the primary program. Sweet~ this always provides great entertainment! And for the last few years some of that entertainment came from my son. This year however he did fairly well and some other chid was designated entertainer of the year award.

Chelsie Palmer 1981- 2010

I wish this picture wasn't so blurry. I love it.

Chelsie Dawn Palmer lost a long hard battle to depression on Monday October 11, 2011. Chelsie is survived by five beautiful and amazing children Ryder 5, Zolan & Cyrus 11, Sequoya 15, and Elijah 16 and her husband Chad. She was also survived by a sister Andrea Palmer, a brother Jeremy Lyman and her parents Dennis and BillieJo Vialpando.

Chelsie had a smile that brightened up an entire room and had the most inviting laugh.  She always tried to make sure you felt special. She never missed birthday calls, cards and gifts, even when you forgot hers. When visiting she was the sweetest host, always wanting to make sure you were happy, fed and comfortable. When she would tell a story you had to listen closely because she talked a hundred miles a minute. She had the longest eyelashes and would spend an hour making each lash perfect.  Chelsie made the best grilled cheese sandwiches and growing up would make Jeremy five in a row.

We are grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ and the ultimate sacrifice he made to suffer our pains and weaknesses so that we could once again return to our Father in Heaven in a perfected state both physical as well as mental. What a blessing it is to have this knowledge as comfort in a time of grief.

President Kimball’s The Miracle of Forgiveness gives us insight into the accountability of some who commit suicide. “A minister acquaintance of mine, whom I knew rather well, was found by his wife to have hung himself,” President Kimball wrote. “His thoughts had taken his life. He had become morose and despondent for two or more years. Certainly he had not come to suicide in a moment, for he had been a happy, pleasant person as I had known him. It must have been a long decline, ever steeper, controllable by him at first and perhaps out of hand as he neared the end of the trail. No one in his ‘right mind,’ and especially if he has an understanding of the gospel, will permit himself to arrive at this ‘point of no return.’ ” 

This too was Chelsie and we will have peace in knowing that it too perhaps was out of her hands as she neared the end of her trial. “I believe the Lord will consider each case separately and judge the circumstances of each individual. I have sincerely sought direction from our Father in Heaven to help me understand the nature of suicide. And I have come to know, as well as anything else that I know from God, that these people have a place in the kingdom of our Father, and it is not one of darkness or despair, but one where they can receive comfort and experience serenity.” I believe this quote to be of absolute truth. 

While we cannot ignore the shock and sadness but we can also hold on to the beautiful memories of Chelsie. We can rejoice for a Redeeming Savior and Mericful and Loving God.

Till We Meet Again.

~Halloween~

Enough Said!

Somewhere Someone Is 10!

I am 34 on 10-10-10! Pretty Cool! I have been planning this celebration for some time now, like 34 years.  But things come up and plans change and oh, how I loved it!

I know what your thinking looking at all of these books? WOW! She got 34 books for her birthday!? -Or- WOW! She got 10 x 10 books for her birthday!? -Or- WOW! She got 10 x 10 x 10 books for her birthday!?  I actually received 10 x 10 + 10 books for my birthday!  *Gasp* Yes, I know very cool! And while some people have aspirations of swimming in a sea of money, I have aspirations of swimming in a sea of books.  I'm feeling very accomplished right now!

My dreadful second job *wink wink*asked me to attend a Conference in Portland from  October 7th through the 9th where I would mix and mingle with Book Shops, Authors, have friendly chit-chat, a tasty fish dish while attending a dinner called "Feast of Authors" and acquire book after book of Bestsellers, not yet released and new author releases. "Well, Okay. If you insist."

So my personal birthday celebration started on the 7th! Continued through the 8th and fast forward to Saturday the 9th - I enjoyed an early breakfast with some of my favorite girls and went for a swim in the newest additions to my library where many times throughout the day I had to remind Jeremy I would find a place for all of the books even if we had to build shelves in the garage, but please, do not to rain on my parade. He didn't. By evening I was sitting in one of my favorite restaurants devouring the best blue burger ever with great friends and a little angel!

Thursday, Friday and Saturday ended up being the perfect appetizers but I really loved the main dish...

We took a little drive to Tillamook Cheese Factory and to the Cape Mears light house. We did some hiking and enveloped ourselves in a beautiful day. We've given a name to these outings we have, "Adventures"

During our adventures we stumbled upon the great "Octopus Tree."  We acted silly and completely ridiculous, we laughed, and skipped and sang at the top of our lungs in the car. We made duck lips out of Pringles and rocked out to the "Retun of the Quack". Our family has a love for the University of Oregon Ducks but yes, we still love the University of Utah Utes.  We had the best family adventure and it was the best way to spend my 34th birthday!



Pinch Me

It is such a pleasure when the simple things in life bring you pure joy! Sometimes so much joy that one might need to be pinched for a reality check. I've often said my dream job, other than being a perfect housewife and mother of 4 awesome children  and a dog who all have constant smiles on perfectly groomed heads -because of the stellar perfection in which I do my job, would be working at a Book Store.

Okay, I said Barnes & Noble to be exact but I only said that to help in the building up effect, you know...the granduer of it all. Nonetheless, I have been granted my wish/dream and I now work at the local book shop as their Author & Events Coordinator. So as of current I am not only surrounded by fabulous people, meeting amazing authors and swimming in books but I also have not one but two jobs that offer no monetary value but fill my empty piggy bank with...Well. Nothing. But they do fill me with all sorts of warm fuzzies and stuff which makes me happy!

Friday Night Lights

Good Old High School Football Game!