Temple Square

Along with a trillion other families, we made the trip up to Salt Lake to visit the lights at Temple Square. And - to top off the magic, we made it on a Monday Night which is a traditional "family night" for LDS families. Needless to say, the grounds were busy!

We did successfully bundle up our bodies enough to fight off the single digit temperatures and did not turn down the make shift hot chocolate stand that the cafe had put up to capitalize on all the crazy visitors. After waiting in line for the presentation at the Christus, we walked over to enjoy the virtually empty tabernacle and Meeting house. A break from the cold chill and crowds was very welcomed.  And - for a grande finale, we witnessed a proposal. At first I thought it was a joke, only then to realize that in fact it was real and I think she was excited. It was hard to tell, but in her defense, it was 3 degrees and he sort of sprang it on her mid photo. Ah nerves and young love. Tender.

Our venture was delightful, and Cameron sure enjoyed the "pretties" that were everywhere. I'm not sure we will put this down in the December traditions book, not sure the magnificent sights was worth dealing with the cold and the crowds.

Ranting and Raving

Rave: Internet Shopping. This is such a great luxury in our generation of time. I am so much in love with getting a whole list of shopping complete during one nap time. Most of the items are shipped without cost, I can get exactly what I want, with a million color options, all in one place. I never have to worry about them being out of stock of my item, going to 3 different stores to find it. It's just an awesome example of the modern age.

Rant: CALSTRS. The required organization where my retirement money was kept during my teaching stint. I have been trying to transfer the funds to a different investment and they can not get it right. It's been just shy of a year now. Wow.

Rave: The 2014 Mormon Mommy Planner. Click right about here to see the marvelous planner that I CAN. NOT. WAIT. to use. It is so organized and clean with all the color and cute fonts a girl could want. I open it and stare at it's brilliant pages every day. Again, can. not. wait! Bring on the new year - I'm going to be crazy awesome!

Rant: HOA. I have never really liked the idea of an HOA, and now that both live in one, and own property in another one, I am having a hard time being okay with this association and their claims for a better community. It seems like a lot red tape and rules for property that I own. If I want to put a shed up to store my gardening supplies, I should be able to do it by the mere nature that I own the backyard and it's a free country. But no, I must clear it with the HOA and the neighbors who will be affected with the sight of it. Grr!

Rave: My coworkers and the job that I have are fantastic. I work with some awesome women who are funny and kind and just really cool to know. I have been blessed to work from home for these 18 months that Cameron has been around, and I couldn't have been more blessed.  Recently, the company reorganized, and my position was dissolved for now. I know I had it good and have been so blessed to be associated with such great people.

Rant: Bank of American Fork. People - get your website working better. Please. I get so frustrated when I have to sit forever to wait for the page to load, only to have the internet tell me that your server isn't responding...again! Just fix it please so I can pay my bills online and balance my checkbook the moment I sit down to do it.  Not within the hour. thanks.

Rave: I'm on a doTERRA kick. I have been loving their oils for all their medicinal purposes. I believe there is a time and place for doctors - don't get me wrong. But there is something really awesome about some of the healing properties of these oils. I'm really loving Breathe right now, and OnGuard. Awesome.

Rave: Maxi Skirts. These are awesome. I am fighting the culture of my county to wear these skirts to every function, but come on - they are basically sweat pants in a skirt form. And -bonus- they come in every color and fit every shape. Hello winter body!

Rant: It is COLD! and the infamous inversion layer is gross. Please do not mistake me, I love this weather. Seriously, I love the snow; I think's its beautiful and peaceful and winter. But, the inversion is nasty; it smells weird, it clogs the air, it clogs my pours; gross. And it is cold-for a long time cold. 7pm is our high and that is only 12 degrees. Cold mornings and evenings are fine by me, but at least 30 during the day would be nicer.

Merry Christmas

 Hello Dearest Loved Ones,

   It’s another delightful holiday season, when our home fills with joyful music and our fridge fills with scrumptious food. The weather has turned crisp and cool, and I sit here excited to catch up our friends on the goings and doings of our lives. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I look forward to the annual Christmas postage all year long. Plus, the US Postal Service is highly under-used! So here’s to a traditional Christmas newsletter from our doorstep to yours.

   We leapt into the year with the huge, rather unexpected decision, to relocate our family from our life in California, to Mark’s old stomping grounds in Utah. Mark transferred his Real Estate license in February and has been enjoying the flexibility that the career path allows. The first few months here were flooded with new friends and family that lives close. It was more welcoming and wonderful than any of us could have hoped. In April, Kay’s mom Diane was re-married in Farmington, Utah, to a man who found her on an internet dating website. What a lovely chance for them both to finish out their lives here on Earth with a companion to share it with. Kay ran her second half marathon in May, and was reminded why she had only done one previously, they are intense. In June, Cameron competed in his first, (and only) pageant. After a brief interview, he was selected among hundreds of children as the “Most Charismatic” child in Orem, a title that I fear will follow him the rest of his life. July brought Cameron’s first Birthday, filled with way more Disney paraphernalia than I care to admit. But with parents like these, who can be surprised? August, Kay went to Girls Camp with the Young Women in the ward (church congregation) where we live. She came home with all kinds of stories about how different it was from her Girls Camp days and a truckload of memories to add to her scrapbook. September was another big month for us, as we finalized the purchase of our first rental property in Arizona. We have always wanted to invest our retirement into Real Estate, having seen the success with my mother after the passing of my dad, and so this was a huge step into the future we are building. October had us venturing north to take a family vacation to Yellowstone. Sadly, this trip conflicted with the week of the Government shut down, so we only made it into the park one time. November held a lot of travelling, with a few business trips (mixed with pleasure) for the Real Estate Investment company. Sprinkle it all with several trips of Disney Magic, a few visits with the Arizona cousins, and a LOT of Café Rio.

   We are thrilled with our new life in Utah and are daily grateful that we had the choice to move our life and start anew somewhere else. We recognize the Lord of All in the details of our personal lives. We stand as witnesses that he does live, and he loves each of His children upon the Earth. May we fill our home with His love this Christmas season ~

                                    Morrell Family

                                   Mark, Kaylinn and Cameron

Christmas 2013

A Day of Thanksgiving

It had been well over 6 years since Mark has been able to spend a Holiday season with his family, so upon moving to the area, it was an unsaid agreement that both Christmas and Thanksgiving would be spent with the Morrell's. We celebrated Thanksgiving like most people do, with lots of sitting around and socializing, too much delicious food, and naps all around. 

I was responsible to contribute the rolls and the Candy Yams. The rolls were gone by the time the day was over, the only sure test that they were good. Passed! We played games. Uncle Tom is the master of all things games, so we were introduced to a few new ones that we liked, and some that we took half a game to understand. Malissa made the darling Turkey candies from Pinterest; Cameron had it all over his face in seconds; mamma didn't raise no fool. And the weather was perfect that we were able to get a few runs around the front yard before the sun set. 

I have so much to be grateful for; a list wouldn't scratch the surface. But I recognize that I have been blessed and express my appreciation to my Heavenly Father for all he has sent my way.

Preschool

I have a love of school. Most nights, my dreams are in a school setting with either me as the student or the teacher. I reflect back on my high school teaching days fondly. I collect teaching materials like a hoarder for "one day" purposes. I love school. So when the opportunity for me to work as a co-teacher at a local preschool was made, I jumped at the chance. Plus, I have dreams of having a Mommy's Little School with Cameron one day. 

Being in the class with these kids has been super fun, and a huge learning curve for me. Going from High School to Preschool was a bit of a jump. :) Some kids are beyond awesome at following directions, sitting still, listening to stories or lessons, and just being in a learning environment in general. Other kids are off the wall! It is good for me to see the affects of parents who are involved and those who are not at such a young age. Oh how I have high hopes for my boy.

I can't say that I don't have my favorites - I totally do. But as a high school teacher, I totally had favorites as well. (Disclaimer: favorites did not affect anyones grade - just to clear the air) So I'm not surprised. I am excited to see Cameron's little personality when he is of preschool age. 

As the semester has progressed, I find that I am more excited for Christmas Break than I thought I would be. Although working has been fun, it has been a little stressful for me too. I've been working the morning class which takes a toll on Mark's schedule as he stays home to be with the lad. I am falling way behind in my chores, and my hobbies have taken a back seat which makes me sad. So - I think I'll have to move on after December and catch up on my life come January. But it has been a really fun ride!

No Place Like Disney

I almost feel like writing a blog about yet another disney trip is a little unnecessary.  Y'all get the point right? We drove, we played, we ate, and we came home. I played Midway Mania - and scored higher than the other players in my car, we saw Mickey, and made our usual rounds around the park. And loved every moment of it.

 Cameron is now old enough to really have changed the dynamic of our park going adventures.  Being that we went solo this time around, we didn't have any families to pawn him off onto so Mark and I could ride bigger rides.  Thus, our day was full of magic with Cameron. And he just loved it! He took to the characters amazingly well. Would run right up to them, and then stop - to touch fingers with them, or point out their nose. Hey, at least he didn't cry. His favorite ride seems to still be the carousel. And is now old enough to ride by himself. He seemed to like Pirates by our 5th ride. And would enter the line saying, Yo Ho - unprompted I might add. Be still my Disney heart! The Disney Junior show was also a thrill for Cameron. Mark loved watching Cameron get really into the puppets and songs with the rest of the children there. So very cute.

 The park closed early being that it was the off season, but Disney did grace us with a Fireworks show and some "snow" for our liking. I had arranged to see 2 of my all-time Favorite students from my La Sierra days. They were brave enough to come out and see their old Teacher, and spend an evening with me. I still think they're fun kids, and am lucky that I got to teach them for 4 years.

We managed to stumble on Santa, quite unintentionally and made the effort to get a Santa photo op with the lad. Mark captured the moment perfectly! Maybe next year Santa, but can I put in a word for my son? He has been grand this year, and wants cars. Preferably the ones where you push the drivers head and it zooms off. Cameron did take the candy cane without hesitation, and for that I think Santa might have a chance at winning him over one day.

I wondered what a Disney trip with just the 3 of us would turn out like, but I must say - it was magical to the last drop. I did learn a few things I didn't know before. (1) The Dole Whip dessert is way over rated and I will not be wasting my time in line, or my money to be getting one of those again in the future. No offense to the lovers of the Dole. (2) We waited in line at Jungle Cruise for a good 30 minutes, only to see that we had another good 30 minutes before we were close to the boats. We bailed. Later learning the cruise was Christmas themed. Drat. (3) We didn't go into Tommorwland once, and I didn't miss it. (4) I tripped and scuffed my knee pretty bad - the ladies in the First Aid were super nice, and I expect a "get well" card from Mickey with all the info they took. (5) Cameron is half way to the proper ride hight. Almost there. And yes friends, this will be the last Disneyland vacation post of the year!

Pumpkins and Halloween

Halloween was splendidly fun this year with a little boy who was just old enough to understand that something was going on. We learned our lesson last year, after carving our pumpkins too early and having a moldy mess on our porch before Trick Or Treating night even arrived. So this year, we waited until the week of Halloween to have a carving Family Night activity. I thought Cameron would dive right into the guts and just explore the feeling of it in his fingers. Alas, he was more interested in playing with the scooper than anything else. 

 I choose to carve something fast and simple, while Mark went much more advanced.  He searched the web for a perfect pattern, settled on Ghostbusters, and carved a rather delightful looking pumpkin.  Nice work hubs. We had a nice turnout this year if I do say so myself.

On Halloween, we boarded a plane and headed south to visit my brother David. A delightful choice for 2 reasons.  One: my brother is delightful company, and Two: the weather merits an easy costume. Thankfully, Lesley had a stash of old costumes (being the awesome parents we are, we didn't bring one) and threw Cameron in the bear suit with a little makeup. Hot Dog he looked cute! We hit the streets with cousins, Jack and Cubby - both home made costumes; she puts me to shame. Cameron had the whole trick or treating gig down after the second house. He was knocking the doors and holding his cute hand out for some candy. Then dropping it in his pumpkin. One house had the bowl of candy on the doorstep and the little lad just sat right next to it and starting loading up his pumpkin. I better keep my out for this one; looks like he'll be THAT kid.

 The rest of the weekend was just spent hanging out with the family. We enjoyed a morning soccer game, and dinner out, and lots of warm weather and sun. The cousins are warming up to each other each visit.  A few more in and I think I'll have them convinced to be friends. Spencer is still a bullet train compared to Cameron's slow reflexes. But soon enough I hope they'll keep each other entertained. I can only hope.