Christmas rememberies . . .

One Christmas that stands out in my mind is the year that mom made me a dress. We lived in Boise, and I was nine. Somehow mom must have known that I loved the fancy dresses that my cousin, Staci Stokes wore . . . or maybe she just liked the style, too. Regardless, I did love Staci's dresses and wished that I had one. They probably cost a crazy amount - as the only daughter, she was a little bit spoiled. Anyway, what is especially funny about this memory is that I actually saw the dress well before Christmas. It's tricky to hide homemade gifts. The dress was hanging in mom and dad's closet and it caught my eye when I was in there one day for a legitimate reason. My little heart beat faster, but then it occurred to me that it might not be for me at all; it might be for April, or for somebody not in the family at all. Not wanting to completely ruin the surprise for myself I quickly exited the closet, but naturally continued to wonder about it for the remaining time until Christmas morning.
On Christmas morning as we walked from our room to mom and dad's for the devotional I couldn't resist peeking to see if that dress was out; we could easily see where gifts had been placed from the upper floor. I could hardly stand waiting through the devotional to find out that the pile that had that beautiful dress was mine. I was so thrilled when I found out it was.

That might have been the same Christmas that Nathan gave me a beautiful dress, too (wish I had a picture - it really was gorgeous). Obviously, he didn't make it, but I remember being so surprised that he had picked it out himself. I didn't know yet that Nathan was actually very good at gifting, but somehow in my mind it seemed inconsistent with his personality in general. Or at least with what I understood about his personality at the time. Now it makes sense. haha

Christmas Memories

Well, I've really been bad about posting on here...and on my personal blog.  Oh well!  I have a problem where I have an inability to choose just one memory...so I believe there shall be at least three.

Probably the youngest memory I can come up with is the year I was given a Barbie JEEP.  It actually drove, and I was super thrilled.  Probably one of my favorite toys.

I'm not actually sure how old I was for this, but the first year Mike set a trap for us was really fun.  Rachael was there, so it may have been Christmas break for her because I'm pretty sure she would have been in college.  So three of us were working on it.  I just remember being so excited to see what Mike would do, and then strategizing with Rachael on how best to get through it.

Possibly my favorite/most memorable is the year that we built forts to have a snowball fight.  I think it was Dad, Rachael...and someone else (sorry I don't remember) against me, April, Mike, and Andrew.  Our fort dominated.  Mike pulled out a cooler and we used it to make blocks so our fort was way legit.  It was SO fun.

Mike thought we were so weird! Why does your family sit on the kitchen floor to talk?

Just thought I'd post the few pictures we had of one of Charity's favorite Christmases:)

I guess this means that was 8 years ago!

It was a sweet fort!

Look at cute little, Susan!

And of course, every year playing laser tag in the store was fun.  Definitely miss that.  Christmas is great!  Love you all!

The Fairy Tale House

We have all made a lot of fun memories in that house and I think that always makes it hard to let go. I get a little sad every time I move, even though the houses are military housing and not my dream home, but after making memories in a place it's hard to say goodbye to it. We've painted wall beds and watched it transform. Our kids have been delighted with the magic and the swimming pool and the climbing tree and the yard. But in trying to put ourselves in Mom and Dad's position we feel like we would sell it. We would not want the burden of keeping it when we weren't living in it. If they keep it would we help? If we could. But we don't expect to be around to physically do anything.

July Birthday's

Sorry this is so late! It was a busy month for me, but I thought often of some of my favorite people and what I would write when I got around to it. I guess I'll go by date in the month.

Mit! I met Tim his Senior year of high school. We were both on the ballroom team all year, but it wasn't until the end of that school year that I really started getting to know him. He was the first one to call me Lirpa. I have a lot of fun memories of hanging out with Tim, but one of my favorite stories is right before his first date with Sarah. Sarah had come home for the summer and we were working at Stokes. I would often stand and bag groceries for her while she was at the register so we could talk and help work go by more pleasantly. One day Tim came into the store and he was supposed to have a date so I would have a double and so he asked Sarah at the register. It was funny because he asked her, not knowing who she was and said he'd pick her up at my house. I had so much fun dating with you two. Tim was always ready with a smile and a joke. Once we all went to the unfinished house where we climbed the ladder and made mini s'mores over a candle in what is now the Winnie the Pooh room. He was always fun to have around the house and was always ready to help with Mom's projects. He helped paint the garage when it was on the other side of the house. I know that I was thrilled when you asked Sarah to marry you! Happy to have you become a permanent part of our family. I only wish that I lived closer to the both of you. I don't smile and laugh enough without you two.

Andrew! It is crazy to see you now so much taller than me. I was looking at pictures this summer and someone commented that Sarah was in a lot of pictures with you and I wasn't in hardly any. That's because we played with you all the time, but I was the one behind the camera. You were such a fun little boy. You had a ready smile and laugh and loved to perform. I don't think any of us will ever forget your performance of Joe Cool :) And now you are taller than me! It has been fun watching you grow up and I am very impressed with the talented, considerate, and smart young man you are. And still you love to make people laugh and are very clever with your witty comebacks.

Doo dah! Sarah has always been an amazing big sister. She sang us to sleep and let us crawl into bed with her when we had bad dreams. She was patient with me and my bad temper and never acted annoyed with my endless chatter. When I was in Young Women's with her and went to my first Girl's Camp she let me hang out with her and her friends and saved me from what would otherwise have been a very lonely week. When she started seminary and was reading her scriptures every day she shared it with me and challenged me to read too. She always had fun and thoughtful ideas and I remember planning fun Valentine's surprises, movie parties, and dates with her. She had all the creative ideas, but she let me in on it anyway. It's amazing that we weren't in high school together, but got to go on so many dates together and I'm grateful for all the fun memories I have with you. People were never sure which of us was older and one time when we went to a dance club in Logan they let me through (16, you were supposed to be 18) and made her show her I.D. She wanted me to get in so she just showed hers and didn't say anything. Now I'm sure she is glad to look so young. :) This summer I told about how everyone commented on your looks when you sang, but I didn't finish my thought well. I think people commented on your looks because your beautiful face and big blue eyes along with your beautiful voice made them think of angels. You have been an angel of a sister. I love you!

My Vote

Look how cute our blog background is!  I hadn't seen it yet.  Anyhow, I vote NOT sell.  I have told mom this, but I guess just to add to what other people are thinking here is my reasoning.  Actually it's not reasoning, just selfish.  My kids will never experience that house if we sell it, and that makes me sad.  However, I obviously can't afford to contribute financially to upkeep...so as a non-contributor my vote probably doesn't count for much. :)  Anyway, I'd just be bummed out to just have to tell my kids about it and show them pictures.  So there's my two bits.  If I come up with better arguments I will be sure and update, ha.  Love you all!

Priesthood Power

I know this is a little late, but this weekend feels like a good time to catch up on this post.
I don't remember not having a testimony of the priesthood. I remember getting up and saying I was grateful my dad was the Bishop all the time, but I don't remember why I said it or why it was important to me. I do remember feeling very special when dad interviewed me for baptism and baptized me. I know I felt the power every year when Dad gave us a Father's Blessing. It gave me increased confidence in myself every time I felt that power enter me through his blessings. Over the years my understanding has grown and my testimony has strengthened. I had the opportunity to teach several 11 year old boys in primary for only a few months at the end of the year and go to the priesthood preview program with them. As I bore my testimony about God sharing His power with them I felt the Spirit bear witness to me that it really was His plan to give power to 12 year old boys. I have hoped since then that I can teach my girls to treat those boys with respect so they will rise to their potential. That they will be able to look past the immaturity to see their potential and recognize that it is those same silly antics that make them fun dads some day.

July Celebrities

I think my title of choice will make sense as the post goes on. I'll share my memories in the order that the birthdays happen in the month of July.

I don't actually recollect meeting Tim - I was young enough when he and Sarah started dating that he just kind of appeared. :D Tim is a celebrity because it seems as though everyone that meets him adores him. Seriously. My first memory of Tim was actually in that six-month period between his return from his mission and Sarah's return from hers. Mom talked about him pretty often partly because she was worried that he wouldn't be available for Sarah when she came home. She had heard reports or something that he was dating some gal in his parents' home ward (I happened to know the young lady a little). Clearly there was nothing to worry about really, since Sarah & Tim's future together was pretty well settled within a week of her return. I also remember very clearly the first time we took Tim out on the boat. Pretty sure it was Mom that asked him if he had slalom skied before and he said that he had a little bit. I think we were all prepared to give him tips if it didn't go very well for him. But he got up just fine and showed us how it was done! It totally changed the way we skied - true story.

Andrew John. Oh my goodness - he was an adorable little boy and I can't help thinking that he's still adorable even though he's taller than me now. :) One of my favorite memories of Andrew is when he was really young he called water, 'lapo'. If ice was in it then it was, of course 'ice lapo'. He was very insistent on calling it that for a long time. There was no conflict in his mind when everyone else called it water. We joked that maybe that's what water was in the Adamic language. Another favorite memory of Andrew is his nickname for me. He called me Ra-ree . . . although he said it more like 'Wa-wee' because he had trouble with the r's. It's my favorite nickname ever, and in fact the only nickname that I ever offer as an option if people want to call me something other than Rachael. I find the nickname 'Rach' horrifying. Yick. Just because I've expressed that I bet that Tim will start calling me that . . . but please restrain yourself. :) Andrew's a celebrity because he certainly seems to be a bit of one in Preston and he certainly was that, if only briefly in Nauvoo.

And finally Sarah. From a very young age I wanted to be like her. In my mind she was practically perfection. She was beautiful, had a lovely voice, and was a great dancer. As I got older my view of her changed, but I still totally thought she was awesome. She was outgoing, positive and funny. Before her mission she lived at home again for a year working at the store. After she left I really felt like people sought me out just to ask about Sarah (see, another celebrity). Every time I worked I was asked by at least one person how she was doing and I was instructed to send her some kind of greeting. It astonished me how many people knew her and loved her - and she had lived there for such a short time! I still wanted to emulate her in a lot of ways, and my efforts to do so had a really positive effect on me. I don't think I've ever really expressed it, Sarah but thank you for being such a great example to me. You and Tim are really an excessively awesome couple. :D