Thanksgiving 2009

We decided to be with my family, in Oregon, for Thanksgiving this year. Despite going an hour out of our way because of our GPS, we made the 13 hour trip safe and sound, in pretty good weather, Tuesday evening. It was so good to see my mom and dad and visit with them as we watched the results show of Dancing with the Stars (shout out to Donny who won)!

There were a lot of things I learned on this vacation; we were truly inspired to come, and I thank Mike for pushing the decision, because if I would have had my way I would have just stayed and done homework in Utah.

Wednesday we went and saw Jared, who was kind enough to fix my knee. Then we went to Ashland and went into Paddington to say hello to all of my old co-workers/employers. It really was good to see the store doing well and to see everyone again. They are incredible people, and I have so many fun memories with them. It was good to see those we didn’t get to see last year and for Mike to meet them.

It was so much fun walking around Ashland. Mike and I love it there; we love the stores. I took him to eat breakfast at Morning Glory (Yummy omelets and blueberry pancakes), and then we walked through the shops for a couple hours. We were meeting Lisa for dinner at Black Sheep (fish and chips), and so we killed another two hours by getting some yummy yogurt, and seeing the new Twighlight movie, “New Moon.” It was actually pretty good; we really enjoyed it.

Seeing Lisa and catching up was awesome! I have so much respect for her and all she does. She is one of the most intelligent, incredible people I know. It always seems I am seeking some sort of advice from her. It was good to ask her opinion about what I wanted to go into—magazine writing, and for her to tell me to not be afraid, to put myself out there, to believe in myself, my talents, and my gifts, and to submit my work to various magazines. It was good to get her advice and to catch up with such a good friend. She really is amazing and I value our friendship so much.

Thursday was a blast! My family has decided to do Thanksgiving like this every year from now on. Jenn had to work all day so we moved Thanksgiving to Friday. We drove up to Michelle’s and spent all afternoon there shooting guns (me and Mikes first time, well his second, my first), riding four wheelers, playing a game of flag football (which was a blast), goofing off, and eating some yummy dinner—cinnamon rolls, chili, deer stew (Jared shot a buck in his back yard with Jaxon a few days before), cider, cornbread, salad, cupcakes and all sorts of goodies. Michelle had us do a Thanksgiving game she bought, and we each went around and answered the questions on our individual cards. It was so much fun being with everyone, seeing everyone, getting re-acquainted, playing with the kids (Maile and her friend dressed Mike up to the nines in makeup and their dress up clothes—so cute)! It was so good to see Grandpa. I just love him so much! If it weren’t for he and my grandma none of us would be here. Despite all the ups and downs my family has gone through we truly are such a strong family. It was nice to have Mindi and Donovan there and to also have Enrique and Stella; the more the better!!! Jared and Michelle have the perfect place to host such fun Thanksgiving festivities! It was so much fun! Mike and I will never forget it.

Friday we had our actual Thanksgiving meal, and Stacey and Shayna did such a beautiful job with the setting. They put a wedding tent up in their garage and decorated it with lights, flowers, candles, and Christmas bulbs. It was gorgeous! We had heaters out there so we were toasty warm; one of the best Thanksgiving settings ever! Dinner was incredible as always! Traditional meal: Turkey, cranberries, salad, toasted marshmallow sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, cottage cheese orange jello salad, pickles/olives, a vege tray, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, celery with cheese, pumpkin/pecan pie, apple crisp, chocolate cake, this yummy pretzel cream cheese salad Michelle made . . . It was delicious! I love Thanksgiving dinner and the yummy turkey sandwiches the day after! YUM.

Another really amazing moment was Stacey toasting the renewal of his relationship to Donovan. Everyone got emotional when he said the thing he was most thankful for was their relationship, and how Donovan has always been an older brother Stacey has looked up too. He pulled out a picture he stole from mom of he and Donovan, as kids, and said he hung it in his office and looked at it everyday, reminding him that Donovan got him where he is today. He expressed how he sat and had a talk with Alec, on the way to early morning seminary one day, about brothers and the importance of family. There really wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Considering everything they have gone through, it was really an amazing moment to witness. Donovan was in tears; really grateful that Stacey expressed what he did, giving him a big hug. It was really special to be apart of.

After dinner we hung out, played games (arm and a leg and this guessing celebrity name game). I love playing games with my family; we all let loose, get crazy, loud, and obnoxious. It is seriously one of my favorite times with them because I feel like I can be myself, and we have so much fun being goofy and crazy together. Speaking of goofy and crazy, Mike pulled up this crazy photo booth program on my MAC, and boy did we ever take the ugliest pictures! We put them up on Stacey’s TV and watched them and died laughing at how distorted and ugly everyone looked. HAHA it was so freakin funny!

Another amazing thing; probably my favorite part of the trip was seeing how close Mike got to my family; how much he opened up and how they got to see the Mike I know and love. It was important to him that we spend more time with them so he could get to know them better. They love Mike. Stacey and Shayna think he is so funny! It was so fun to see people laughing/cracking up at his jokes and seeing Mike let loose and be himself. I loved every minute of it!!!

Saturday Mike and I were able to go see Jared and he was able to address some of the problems I have been having with dreaming all the time, and then he did a session with us as a couple so Mike could see what he did for work. It was the coolest thing ever! He opened up some channels that needed to be opened in both of us, together and individually, healing us from past relationships, and experiences as kids with our parents, etc. The spirit was really strong at one point, when he tested me on some things with my past. Another really cool things about Jared’s visit with us was when he told Mike, without knowing what Mike wanted to go into career wise, to make a list of all of his talents and to keep that list in his prayers. He told him the Lord would guide him to where he needed to be, to what he needed to do to make him happy and to help him utilize his gifts. So many more things were discussed; it was all so helpful for us.

Later that day we met everyone, had turkey sandwiches for lunch, and then headed up this canyon to cut down Christmas trees. Stacey was trying to get up the steep hills really fast, wanting to catch up to the guy in front of him, which was super crazy/scary. Mike and I seriously thought we were going off the cliff. I was surprised Shayna didn’t say anything, seeing that Vienna was in the truck. It was pretty fun though, knowing we made it back okay ☺. We also realized, half way up the mountain that we didn’t have any gas; we were running on empty. We didn’t know how we were going to get back down the mountain, but Stacey put it in neutral half the time and we made it down fine. It was gorgeous up there; a bit cold, but gorgeous. Everyone picked out their tree, cut it down, and loaded them up. It was fun because that was the first time any of us have cut our own Christmas tree. It was a good bonding family moment ☺.


We went to dinner at Si Casa Flores for dinner and then went back and played more games at Stacey’s. It was a really fun night! I love being with my family! They bring so much energy and life to my life; it is so much fun to all socialize together.
We were supposed to leave Sunday morning but Mike really wanted to stay an extra day; he was having too much fun with the fam. And we wanted an extra day to relax together. Everyone kept pulling for Mike, that he would win in getting us to stay; I kept telling everyone we were leaving unless they threw me a fiesta party with a piñata, dancing goats with too too’s , a roasted pig, and a luau. Stacey said he would get everything and throw the party for me, but he never did ☺.

We debated and debated, whether I really wanted/could miss another day of school up until the following morning. By the time we decided it was a bit late anyway so our decision was basically made ☺. We were inspired to stay though; we got to spend some more quality time with my family; with my parents, Jenn, Stace and Shayna’s kids, and with Stace and Shayna. We had a really good chat with Stace and Shayna for a few hours when everyone left. Mike was able to share his story with them and him and Stace were able to relate to each other about their past and all the things they have been through. It was really neat to hear/see how similar they are with what they have gone through, and to see each other in the present light of coming out of a really hard past and being the men that they are today. I came to admire both he and Shayna more for all the things they have been through and to for the people they are today. It gives me hope for our future, because it is hard when you are in something, to see there is hope at the end, there is success at the end, that you can get through things, and that things always have a way of working out. It was a really productive, positive conversation. I know how much Mike appreciated how relatable Stacey is and how accepting he is of him and his past. They also gave us some really good advice about moving; about getting away from Utah and moving on from both of our pasts and starting a fresh new life together. Even if you think you have healed and have moved on from your past, environments and memories surface, and subconsciously affect you. They create feelings of being consistently pulled back into this persona, into this “label,” into this person that you no longer are. I have realized, living where I live now, that it effects me almost on a daily basis, and as Stacey said, “you may not know it but those feelings transfer into your relationship with your spouse and you could find yourself upset or struggling with each other for reasons that have to do with your past and feeling like you are always held back.” I told them how tied down I felt to our house, and not feeling like we could pick up and move whenever we wanted too, and Stace made a good point: “you can never let anything feel like it is taking away your freedom; especially if it is doing something, moving some where, that is going to better you and your relationship. A house isn’t worth it, money isn’t worth it (Stacey knowing well enough that money isn’t worth it because if he moved back to Utah he could make three times the income he is making now). Your guy’s happiness is the most important thing, and I will tell you that you will never feel something so incredible and so freeing than moving to a new place; a place where you can create your future together, where you can leave your past behind you and move forward.” He told us that if we couldn’t sell the house we should consider renting it through a management company. “You have to look at things differently; you aren’t bound by your mortgage; it doesn’t own you. There are things you can do to get out of there if you want to, tomorrow.” That was something I needed to hear because I struggle with that, with feeling like I am bound to my house and other things around me. It was nice to have a different perspective presented to me and to see people who have lived that perspective and who have made it. Sure it was hard for them, but those hard times strengthened them as a couple. I am really excited now to have more options; to have the hope given to me that we don’t have to wait till the market turns around; we can, if we wanted to, move next year. And I am excited that Mike is equally looking forward to it, that he has that same perspective. And that Stacey was able to help him see things/think about things he really hasn’t before about his past, despite him being healed from it, consistently being apart of his life by surrounding himself in it.

This trip was incredible! It was the one of the best trips we have ever been on together. We created so many wonderful memories; we took some memorable pictures; we strengthened relationships; renewed perspectives, etc. I love my family; Mike loves my family. I am so grateful for everyone; everyone brings such a wonderful dynamic into our family. I will miss them tremendously!