Perfect Weekend

On our way home from my mom's house on Saturday night at 10:30 p.m., I commented to Brent that it had been a really great day. We started out the morning (early) with a temple sealing session with Mom, my brothers Cash and Jared, and my sisters-in-law Marisa and Maren. We also had Maren's sister and brother-in-law, and our great family friends, Jayne and Darrin Heaps. The session was wonderful, as it's always good to be in the temple with family.

After the temple we came home to prepare for evening festivities. Brent and my brothers picked the boat up after a tune-up at the shop, so they were ready to hit the lake. Good thing they have a 70 degree condition placed by Marisa, or we would have had Easter festivities without the men. Instead, all those big boys, including Dalin, had to hide 84 Easter eggs in Mom's back yard, and then we turned the kids loose. They scoured the yard, although they didn't have to look too hard because after finding a couple of stray eggs a couple of summers ago while mowing Mom's lawn, the men decided that most of the eggs would be in plain sight. No more plastic egg shrapnel all over the yard. . . . We had a ham and funeral potato Easter dinner and spent the rest of the evening just enjoying each other's company and watching March Madness (sorry about the Aggies, Cash). My cousin Linda and I hung some things down mom's hall for her, and the kids played outside most of the day. Even the four- and five-year-olds got along swimmingly, so the day was darn near perfect. Thanks to my mom for always hosting the big, crazy party. We found out that my cousin Kathy and family (hubby Kevin and girls Hannah and Breanna) will be moving to Utah in May where Kevin will be managing a construction project. We love and miss them, and it won't be the same without them here. I hate it when life happens like that. . . .

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On Sunday, the whole family gathered again at our church building to see Dalin ordained an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We met in a large room where men that Dalin loves and admires placed their hands on his head while his mom cried. During the beautiful blessing that Brent gave Dalin, I couldn't help but run a mind-film of my son's life. I concluded that while Dalin has his faults, my son has always been an obedient, easy child, very sensitive to things of the spirit and full of faith. I am wonderfully blessed to have such a son and such a husband worthy to bestow the gift of the priesthood on his son. No wonder I was crying! The only thing that would have made the day more perfect is if Dalin's grandfathers had been here. I know that one of them was watching and smiling from another realm, and the other was praying for Dalin and wishing he were here. We missed you, Dads. I also know that my brother Jay would have given his right arm to be here, and I missed him terribly. Dalin wished Jay could be here, too, and he is lucky to know that his uncle loves him.

Dalin Brent Gunnell was ordained an Elder by his father, J. Brent Gunnell, on March 23, 2008. Participating in the ordinance and standing in the circle were the following: Bishop James Aydelotte, Brother Hogg (ward high councilor), my brothers Cash and Jared Hill, my cousin Kevin Lamb, and our home teachers John Patterson and Dennis Beckman.

As I reflect on this time in my life, other than feeling old, I can only feel gratitude to the Lord for placing me on the earth in the hands of parents who honored and honor their covenants and by so doing have made me part of their celestial family. Also, every time I look at my husband, I am overwhelmed by love for an amazing man who leads our family in righteousness and loves me despite my faults. Brent comes from a family who loves the Lord and the gospel and taught him to do the same. What an awesome heritage my children have! Thank you Mom, Dad, and Mom and Dad Gunnell.

Sun Valley in March

Every year we take the kids and get a condo in Sun Valley so Brent can attend a law conference there. Actually, Brent's boss gets the condo, which makes the trip even more appealing. We had a great time, as usual, and the kids wanted me to get some of the pictures up for all to see. So here we are, first weekend in March, Sun Valley, Idaho, one of our favorite places on earth.

There were some really great snow sculptures still around the lodge and shopping area, so we took a few pictures of those, too:

Yes, Brent was on the trip, but he was in meetings all day Friday which was the only day we remembered to get the camera out to take some pictures. Maybe one day I'll get the hang of this blogging/photo journaling thing and remember to keep my camera handy all of the time. Brent went to dinner with us, my mom, and Preston and Noah at our favorite pizza and wings place, then he went to breakfast with us at our favorite place for fantastic crepes and omelettes--the Konditerei in the Sun Valley Lodge shopping area. We stopped at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for our annual white chocolate and cinnamon/sugar-covered caramel apples and beat it back home in time for stake conference where Dalin was sustained as an Elder. What a perfect weekend! (I think you can double-click on any of the pictures you want to see closer up. The expressions on the kids' faces are priceless!)

Happy St. Patty's Day

For the last three weeks (you think I'm kidding--I'm not), Jensen has been talking about what she will wear on St. Patrick's Day. Well, this attractive ensemble is what she decided on:

Her reasoning, which is very sound really, went something like this, "Mom, I have to wear green so I don't get pinched, and I want to wear red so I'll get kisses. So this what I'm going wear." Believe me, I didn't pick this out. I would have tried to find something with red and green that looked somewhat decent together, if that's possible--maybe talked her into pink and green. I guess it's all my fault. This is what I get for explaining to my incredibly precocious child the silly traditions of what has become such a hedonistic celebration (hard to believe it started out as a religious holiday to honor a saint--interesting reading, by the way). Good thing I didn't tell her about drinking green beer. . . .

Tagged?

My friend Lynette has tagged me. I'd say the last time I was tagged was when I was in college playing with a bunch of friends on the lawn at the state capitol, but that would be a lie. The last time I was tagged was probably about a month ago when I was at home playing with a bunch of pre-schoolers. Of course, this tag is way more fun for big people.

10 Years Ago:
1998--we had been living in our first home for almost a year enjoying our three little kids. Dalin had just been baptized (keep in mind he was just sustained as an elder on Sunday!), Cassie was in kindergarten, and Shaina was four! I was teaching about 12 piano students and was the primary president. Brent had been at Goicoechea for three years and was working with the youth. Nothing too exciting, I guess.

Things on my to-do list Today:
1. Go to the high school to play the piano for the Concert and Advanced Women's Choirs
2. Meet up with Laurie and Jensen for lunch at Costco to pick up laundry soap (gotta love Costco for lunch. . .)
3. Go back to the school to play for the Select Treble Choir
4. Pick up Jensen at Laurie's and meet my mom in Meridian at Jared and Maren's old house to do some painting
5. Go home finally to watch American Idol

What would I do if I suddenly became a Billionaire:
1. Pay off my house(s), my brothers' houses, Brent's parent's house, heck. . .why not as many houses as possible?
2. I agree with Lynette, TRAVEL. Having not been out of the U.S., I would love to go somewhere, anywhere, especially on a mission with Brent
3. Donate to leukemia, alzheimers, and autism research
4. Send Brent back to school to get his teaching certificate so he could do what he loves--work with kids
5. Ok, I would buy a Mercedes convertible and a new T-bird
6. I would love to have the disposable income to just help people out when they are in need

3 Bad Habits:
1. Emotional eating--I go straight to the fridge if I'm bored or upset
2. Dropping my clothes wherever I take them off (although since we have moved into the new house, I have been better about picking them up every couple days)
3. Drinking Diet Dr. Pepper, fully leaded

3 Places I've Lived:
1. Salem, Oregon
2. Provo, Utah
3. Weiser, Idaho

5 Jobs I've Had:
1. Reading/Writing tutor at BYU (best paying job on campus!)
2. Freshman Honors English teacher at BYU
3. Receptionist/go-fer in high school for a construction company (in Garden City--very scary! but there was a Red Steer a couple doors down that I went to all of the time for the most excellent root beer shakes)
4. Piano teacher
5. Contract editor for the Oregon Dept. of Transportation

5 Things people don't know about me:
1. I had red hair for a year (hey, I think that was in 1998!)
2. I don't crack my knuckles, but my jaw and ankles pop enough to make up for it
3. I won a writing contest while a junior at BYU which paid for my senior year
4. I had scarlet fever as a child (quarantined and everything) which left me with a mildly prolapsed mitral valve in my heart
5. I would rather do anything in my house but cook or mop (I like ironing--I iron all of Brent and Dalin's shirts)

Alright Marisa, Maren, and Lauralee. . . YOU'RE IT!

Addictions Not a Few

My sister-in-law Marisa did a fun post on her blog today about her addictions, quirks, vices, etc. She wanted readers to fess up to their's, but I have too many to list in the comment section, so I figured I would do my own post of some of the addictions/vices that help keep me sane. Here goes nothing:

*DIET DR. PEPPER
*Reading late into the night (er...morning)
*Creme brulee
*Word puzzles
*American Idol & Dancing With the Stars
*Ok. . .Biggest Loser, too
*Chewing gum
*My woobie (blanket I've had since I was three. Not the same one--that would be gross! I keep replacing it with one just like the first)
*Cost Plus World Market
*Any movie with Will Smith
*Sleeping late
*Woot.com
*Not eating my whole entree when we go out so I have room for dessert (bonus--leftovers for lunch!)
*Lotion--lots of it
*Magazines
*Old Navy clearance

There we go. Good to get that off my chest. I love rice krispie treats as well, Ris, especially with chocolate chips. In fact, the first time I made rk treats without chocolate, Jensen asked what they were and refused to eat them. She's not spoiled.

Alright everyone, fess up.