Tree Cutting and Decorating

We’ve had an adventure. 

Kent got a permit to go cut our own Christmas tree, so this morning we headed up the canyon above Heber to find one. After last year’s somewhat fiasco and half-tree, I was determined to find a full tree, with branches all the way around. Seems a reasonable hope, doesn’t it? We borrowed Christopher’s truck so we would have a means of transporting our tree and started up the canyon. About the time we got to Timberlakes, Brandt said, “When’s lunch?” We left about 11:00 and had passed anywhere with food. I told him he was going to have to suffer because lunch wasn’t until after tree cutting. He whined.

 We had been driving for probably 45 minutes when an oil notification alarm began to sound. I pulled out the owner’s manual while Kent found someplace to pull over on the narrow canyon road. The manual indicated that we needed to add oil if there wasn’t enough, and if we didn’t take action, worst-case scenario, the car could catch fire. Kent checked the oil and all seemed fine. We waited for a few minutes, giving the truck a chance to cool down, then carried on. Blythe insisted we should turn around and go home, freaking out that the truck was going to catch fire and we were all going to be burned alive, but we were almost to our destination, and we assured her the manual had to give us all the possibilities, however slim they might be.

 

We carried on and found a spot to look for our tree. Our problem last year was that we found a tree surrounded by other trees, and while it looked full in situ, when we cut it down and pulled it out, half of our tree was actually another tree. So, I told everyone we needed to find a stand-alone tree so we could really tell what it looked like. We tromped around in the snow and found a couple of possibilities. After about half an hour, we went back to the first tree I thought was a good option. It was full, under twenty feet tall, and as a bonus, wasn’t too far from the truck. Kent sawed, he and I carried the tree to the truck, and Brandt offered words of encouragement.

Blythe took this picture.

She was with us, but largely chose not to participate,

instead sitting in the truck that might catch on fire.

 

As we drove into town, the oil alarm went off again. Blythe freaked out. Brant was hungry. We pulled over and had lunch, allowing the truck to cool off and to fill Brandt’s belly.

 

The adventure continued when it came time to decorate the tree. Kent and Brandt were both gone so I hauled the tree in myself and asked Blythe to help me get it in the stand. I dragged it into the house and discovered our tree was ENORMOUS!! It is tall and wide and takes up half the family room. It looked smaller in nature. Blythe helped me push apart the couches and we put the tree in the middle of the room. It is taller than the arched window and is so wide we won’t be able to see the TV very well, much less anyone sitting across from you on the other couch. We went from half a tree last year to a double-wide this year. It’s ridiculous.

Decorating was quite a process. I had to use twice as many lights as normal, use a ladder to get to the top parts, and use practically all of the decorations. The tree branches are very long/wide, so every branch has multiple ornaments, big and small. It looks kind of goofy, but the whole tree situation is silly, so it works. And all decorated and lit, it looks magical.

Here We Come a Wassailing

The Stovalls invited our culdesac families to their home for wassailing, treats, and carol singing with chimes. We love our neighbors and it was a delight to be with the Atkinsons, the Stovalls, and Sam Oyler. The wassail was hot and sweet, the cookies and munchies were tasty, and the company was the best. Our chime playing needs some practice before we take our show on the road, but it was fun to play and sing together. We are truly blessed by our wonderful neighbors.

Blythe and Emmet

Me and Blythe and Emmet

Emmet loves me so much he peed not once but twice when I talked to him.

Brandt took my phone and proceeded to take many selfies.

  

Not a selfie, but still silly

 

 

Encanto

Months ago we saw the trailer for Encanto, a new Disney animated musical with music by Lin Manuel-Miranda. Blythe was super excited and has been asking when it was coming out. And asking and asking, because it was really a long time ago (like maybe in March when we saw Raya). But it was finally released and we all went to see it this afternoon. 

The music was fun, though typical of Lin Manuel-Miranda, the tempo and lyrics were sung so quickly it was hard to understand everything. It was bright and fun and we all loved it. Well, Brandt tolerated it, but he's got a bad attitude about Lin Manuel-Miranda, so even if he loved it, he wouldn't admit it. It was fun to be with everyone at the movie.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

 

A new Ghostbusters movie came out this weekend, and we went to see it. I intended it to be a family outing, but Blythe chose not to come at the last minute, so we extended an invitation to Brick to join us. We all liked it, laughed at several parts and were nearly moved to tears at other parts. Ghost movies are fairly silly but also very entertaining.

Actual Thanksgiving

Although we celebrated Thanksgiving with the DeMartinis on Halloween, we had real Thanksgiving today, Thanksgiving. It is a Barrus year, so we talked to Kent's nearby siblings (Lee and David) about their plans. David and Sharon now have enough immediate family people that they don't feel a need to gather with extended family anymore. I get it. Just with their children and grandchildren, they have a houseful. So it was the four of us with Lee, Cammie, and Aaron. We invited Richard and Tom and Suzan to join us, and planned on having ten for dinner. In the end, Suzan didn't feel up to coming, so we were only eight. But although we had a small gathering, we had delicious food and good company. Blythe was keen to set the table with all the beautiful china and silverware, and we expressed gratitude to Heavenly Father for the richness of our lives. 

Yesterday evening, after work, I had Mikayla, Sharae, Makenna, and Luke come over to make pie. Normally we would have done this earlier in the day, but with work, it had to be the evening. We made pecan, pumpkin, and apple pie, working quickly and efficiently together to insure one and all had tasty dessert. Mikayla's family and Eugene's family gathered at "Blake's" house (my mom's) for their dinner today. Mikayla was in charge of the turkey, her first time ever. It turned out beautifully. 

This morning I sent Mikayla a text and said I needed some help with my rolls and asked if she would come over and offer her excellent assistance. This was a bit of a tease because Mikayla has totally struggled with the rolls the last two times we have gathered for a big family meal. She vowed she would never make them again. Mine were fine. She had Sharae's mother make the rolls for their dinner.

I took no pictures of Thanksgiving today, but did take pictures of our pie making last night.

Mission Field Delivery

Mom began attending the MTC on November 8^th. She has been there during the day but home in the evenings. She was there two weeks and this weekend left home for the mission field. She was allowed to bring someone along as a companion and asked if Mikayla and I would join her. We couldn’t stay with her once she arrived and we couldn’t hang around with her once she was installed, so it was going to be a quick trip. We would drive down with her and then fly home.

 

Mikayla obliterated her ACL in October and was meant to have surgery in December, after our trip and the Celebration of Christmas concert at BYU. Then Guy lost his job and although they have three months of severance which includes insurance, Mikayla decided to have her surgery while still completely covered. This was going to put a serious crimp in trip plans. Mikayla had her surgery last week and has been largely laid up, hanging around on a mattress in the loft, paying attention to her children from a supine position. It has been good that Guy is not working. We were leaving on Friday after work. On Tuesday, Mikayla spent the day thinking about going to California, seeking confirmation about the decision to go. Nothing felt wrong. Then on Wednesday, she decided she would spend the day thinking about NOT going to California. She cried all morning. So Wednesday afternoon she texted and said, “I’m coming to California. I will be no help at all, but I will try really hard not to be a burden.”

 

We planned to leave when I got off work on Friday. I worked in American Fork and we were slow enough that I asked if I could leave early. Doug (manager) said I could go, so I left work at 3:00pm. Mom was finished at the MTC at noon, but she had gone home and Christopher had come over with Camme Cox, and they didn’t leave until 3:00. Christopher was a mess. I knew that was coming for me, too, I just got to delay the inevitable by a couple of days. Mom had not packed, so I helped her put all her clothes into suitcases. She had packed boxes of other stuff and we loaded the car. We were finished and ready to go get Mikayla about 5:00. She and I both had only a backpack, and we felt like we were doing pretty well getting on the road about the time we thought I would be home.

 

We didn’t make it far, however. We needed dinner and thought to stop in Spanish Fork where it might not be quite so busy. We were wrong. We went to Cubby’s and it was crazy busy. Although we ordered online for pickup, we still waited over 30 minutes to get our food. We got on the road and ate until Santaquin where we stopped for gas and to throw away our garbage. We weren’t really seriously on our way until close to 7:00pm.

 

We drove as far as Mesquite. We pulled in late having talked and talked and laughed and laughed and cried just a bit. I love being with Mikayla and Mom. We arrived late and happily fell into bed.

This was on the gas pump we used to refuel on one of our stops.

Totally made me laugh!

Saturday morning we had a pathetic breakfast at the hotel (hardly worth eating) and then continued our drive towards Burbank. We did more talking. We made good time until we stopped for lunch. Service was slow, lunch wasn't great, and traffic got really bad. We didn't arrive until 3:00pm, later than we had hoped.

Sister Keen, Mom's companion, had arrived earlier in the week and met us in the parking garage under their apartment building. She had asked the elders to come help unload the car and move stuff up the three flights of stairs, but Mom and I were able to schlep everything up without too much effort. Mikayla crutched up and stayed. Mom is on the top floor of the apartment building which has no interior walls so it has a nice-ish view from the door. She has her own bedroom and bathroom, a large living room and a good size kitchen which was stocked with most of the things they will need. 

We looked around and decided to make a Wal-Mart run for a few things Mom needed. We'd made a list as we drove down and added a few more things when we saw the apartment. She needed foodstuffs as well, so after getting stuff into Mom's room, we headed out to Wal-Mart. It was super busy and tricky to maneuver around. Mikayla got an electric cart and tried not to drive over/into anyone. 

Sister Keen had made dinner for us, so after our shopping trip, we ate with her. After dinner, while Mikayla sat on Mom's bed, Mom and I unpacked her suitcases, hung up clothes, filled drawers, and hung the family picture Mikayla had printed for her. It had been a long, exhausting day, and although it was still pretty early in the evening, Mom said she was done for the day and sent us on our way. She had no room for us to stay, so Mikayla and I stayed at a hotel in Burbank. Uninterrupted time with Mikayla is rare and it was so nice to be with her. 

Our flight home wasn't until around 5:00pm, so we knew we had time to go to church with Mom and spend a bit more time with her before saying our official goodbye. Church was at 9:00. Mikayla and I had breakfast at a little restaurant called Another Broken Egg. We both ordered cinnamon roll french toast with was delicious but enormous. We should have shared an order. We did our best. 

We drove through the neighborhoods near Mom's apartment which isn't very far from the church. Burbank is really lovely, with cute little homes that probably cost over a million dollars with bougainvillea and fruit trees. The downtown is nice and everything seems well maintained. The church building is an old country club, with three levels, beautiful big windows, and lovely landscaping. It should be a nice place to live.

Mom, Sister Keen, Mikayla, and I all sat down together. We were greeted by the bishop who asked if we were there for the animation convention. Mom introduced herself and Sister Keen and said they were the new sister missionaries. He seemed surprised to have them there, but was kind in his greeting. He wasn't expecting them. We thought that was kind of weird. After the meeting, several people came up to Mom and Sister Keen and introduced themselves. One woman nabbed them after the meeting and talked shop, wanting to put them right to work. We felt good about the ward and where they would fit in. 

We returned to Mom's apartment and began to cry. Our ride to the airport wasn't expected until 2:30, but time together was drawing to a close. It was awful. We all three just cried and cried. Then we cried some more. We pulled it together long enough to make some lunch which we ate with Sister Keen. While we were chatting, Sister Keen looked at her phone and saw a text message from the Relief Society President. She said how excited they were to have them coming to their ward, that church started at 1:00, and that there would be a munch and mingle afterwards. It was 1:15. We had gone to the wrong ward which explained the bishop's surprise at seeing them. We all jumped up, put dishes in the sink, and Mom and Sister Keen grabbed their stuff to head back to church. 

We had more ugly tears as we said our for real goodbyes, and waved the Sisters off to do the Lord's work. Then Mikayla and I cried and cried until our Uber came to pick us up. It was such a hard goodbye. I am relieved, however, that we will get to talk to Mom once a week, and really more often than that if we want. Senior missionaries have more leeway than the young missionaries. But we still left her there in California.

Sister DeMartini and Sister Keen

We had an easy drive to the airport. We got dinner and played cards as we waited for our flight. It had been a somewhat physically and absolutely emotionally difficult couple of days, and I felt drained of the energy needed to cry. Mikayla and I both had headaches and red eyes from all the crying. We both felt that we were cried out. When we landed, Mikayla took her phone off airplane mode and received a text message from Mom. She said, "I am so sad and miss you already. What have I done? I hope this gets easier. Love you so much." 

We were not done crying.

I hope Mom is busy, that she gets wrapped up in the work, and that she finds joy in her service. And I hope we can survive without her.

Here are some funny quotes from our trip.

Katherine: "I can't stand the clock."

Goes to change the clock, goes past the minute I needs, says "I'm going to spend a minute getting the clock back to 6:18 so then it will be 6:19 which is what I was on."

Katherine: "I'm going to park in the handicap spot and then get out and run"

Katherine: "I have lots of things to talk to you about."

Mom: "Okay, let's hear about all the things"

Katherine: "Okay..."

Mom's phone rings.

Katherine: "Can I have a short whine?"

20 minutes later

Katherine: "Okay, that was a long whine."

Katherine: "How great that Guy has had two job interviews in one week."

Mom: "Yes. You can't even get one."

Mikayla: "Wow Mom. That was low."

Katherine: "Look there's a cat hospital. Look there's Nickelodeon. Look there's the Marriott that has an outdoor elevator."

Mikayla: "Look there's 111 North 3rd Street"

Katherine starts to pour soup into a big bowl, stops and says, "Actually, I'm going to use the small bowl," then proceeds to almost over flow the small bowl and in the end uses the big bowl.

Helping Mikayla Prepare

Mikayla is yet again having surgery. She blew apart the ACL in her left knee in October, and while it was scheduled for December, Guy lost his job last week and their insurance will expire at the end of the month. Surgery was supposed to be today, a day I have off for Veterans Day, and I was pleased I would be able to help her. Then surgery was changed to tomorrow, a day I work, but I told her I could help her prepare today, with shopping, cleaning, and laundry. Together we worked at her house, picking things up, vacuuming, moping, and then we went grocery shopping. Blythe joined us for the shopping. Then, all together, we watched Shazam! while we folded clothes. It was a productive day, as well as being a great time to be together. Here’s hoping the surgery and recovery go well. 

Mom Becomes a Missionary

 

It's official. My mother was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this evening. We all met at the stake center this evening for the actual setting apart. It was tender and spiritual and sweet and hard. We all cried ugly tears. The stake president asked if anyone wanted to share anything, give any advice, or say some last words before she starts the MTC tomorrow and leaves in two weeks. So some of us shared, but most of us just cried. Brick spoke on behalf of the grandchildren telling Grandma how much we would miss her. We expressed gratitude and love and cried some more. The stake president gave her a beautiful blessing and conferred on her the rights and keys she qualifies for and will need as a missionary. And we cried about that too. Pretty much, we cried. But then we went to her house for a treat. Boy howdy are we going to miss her. But we also know that she is doing what Heavenly Father wants her to be doing and we will all be blessed by her service. 

And I'm going to go in the other room and cry.

End of Season Ultimate Tournament

The Ultimate Frisbee season came to an end this evening, with a tournament against several other schools. Brandt’s B team played Freedom Prep Academy and lost, scoring only two points to their thirteen. Brandt says he doesn’t mind being on the B team because there is less pressure than being on the A team, and he can still do tech crew and not feel bad if he missed Frisbee stuff.

 

The A team played Freedom Prep after Brandt’s team played them, and they beat them soundly. They went on to beat a Lehi team and win the tournament. It was a terrific way to end the season. Brandt rallied all the B team players to do pushups for each point scored, then ran around the field holding a Frisbee blanket like a flag in celebration of the big win. He’s a funny boy. We’ve really been delighted to have Brandt play on the team, and look forward to the spring season.

All the pictures are bad. All the pictures all season have been bad. I don't know what to do about that.

*As a side note, Brandt was incredibly sore the next morning from all the pushups.

He could hardly lift his arms and his wrists were especially sore.

Bubba, Herman, Paul, Brandt, Zach, Luke

Funny boys in funny staches. 

Nice to have friends to hang with.

This picture was taken at our ward Halloween party.

While not at a frisbee event, all these guys play Ultimate together.