A rough few weeks

Well...it really all started a few weeks ago.  Garrin was down all weekend with a really really bad cold.  Did I mention it was really bad?  It's one of those that leaves you completely drained and tired and feeling horrible and in bed.  I was staying away, and didn't think I'd get anything from him.  Devin was also sick.  And Kaylee.  That should have been my first clue :)  Kaylee finally ended up at the doctor and on some antibiotics as hers seemed to last over a month and she had a lot coming up.  She had a job interview on Thurs for a supervisor position at her work (she got the job!), was taking the ACT on Saturday, she had a few tests at school, she had missed 2 days plus 1 period of another 2 days, and her boyfriend was leaving on his mission the next week.  She had things to do!

Devin and Garrin were starting to come out of their colds.  Kaylee was feeling better and able to feel halfway alive.  It was all starting to look good.  Then came last Friday.  I had to work late...which is never a good thing.  :)  I usually work 6am-2:30pm but have to "close" every 3rd Friday so don't get off until 5 and with bad traffic...usually don't get home until 5:45pm.  This Friday---I started going down hill about 4---and by 6 I was really really sick.  I had an appointment with a chiropractor/massage therapist who has been working on my upper back and arm for a few weeks. I barely made it through the office visit, and I left his office and went straight home and to bed.  I stayed in bed all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  I was just plain miserable!  By the time I had to get up for work at 4:45am on Tuesday, I was feeling a lot better. Although Garrin and I have still felt a little under the weather all week, we have been TONS better and able to get back to regular life!

But...back to Monday.  Kaylee and her boyfriend Justin were on their way to the mall to get a present for his mom (he left for his mission to Edmonton, Canada on Wed.) when a truck started coming over into their lane.  Justin swerved into the left lane to miss the truck and over corrected.  The car went back and forth a bit and then they ended up across 2 lanes of traffic and into the guard rail.  Kaylee was ok except for a sore neck and back for a few days.  Justin had air bag burns all over his arms and his arm was quite swollen...but in the end..he was ok too.  The car...not so much.  They totaled the car.  I feel quite blessed that they weren't injured more and told Justin that his missionary blessings were starting early :)  Glad we were included in those.  From all accounts, the car should have rolled, or at least hit several cars that had surrounded them only minutes before.  It did neither.

Tuesday was goodbye day for Kaylee and that was really hard for her.  But she did it.  As soon as she got home, she realized that Justin had left some things in her car.  She said..."Mom--I CAN'T go back over there.  I can't say goodbye again."  With 10 minutes to spare before his setting apart, I jumped in the car to return his items.  His mom answered the door and I was able to meet her (we had been trying to meet for a few days but I had been sick).  We've had a sad Kaylee for a few days, but a short letter that arrived on Saturday brightened her right up.

The rest of the week was pretty uneventful.  Except this. .........

  

Yep.  After my $500 Costco run (I had $300 in Costco rebates so I have tons for storage...woohoo!)  I went to load the rice into the car and broke it open ALL over the back seat.  I was able to salvage a lot of it that wan't touching anything...but lost a lot too :(    I did get some really beautiful roses from my Valentine too. :)

AND.... Devin got REALLY sick again on Thursday and had to cancel out his Valentine's plans.  His girlfriend, Madi was very understanding and came over to our house to watch movies with the sicky.  They have been dating since first of December.  He had to call in sick to work on Friday and call in sick to the temple (he works there on Saturday mornings.)  By Sunday---he was good again.

Saturday our stake had women's conference and it is always so excellent!  Shawnee happened to come down for the weekend and so I asked her to come with me.  Teresa and Deni also came up.  It was Hillary Weeks and she always does such a great presentation with singing and talking.  She talked about having positive thoughts in your lives and how to make changes.  It was very uplifting and just what I needed :)

Saturday night all the kids were home for just about 30 minutes together before we all went to bed.   It was fun to see them all interacting about a sleep app that Devin had been using.  (we ALL have sleep problems it seems).  This app monitors you all night and wakes you at the right moment in the morning so you aren't too groggy.  I caught this quick picture.  Love it!

Kaylee is 18!!!

 THIS beautiful girl is 18!  I can hardly believe it! Kaylee is such a beautiful young woman inside and out.  She is a great friend to many people and has a very kind heart.  She makes me laugh often.  She has a great sense of humor and likes to tease.  Kaylee, for the most part, has a pretty easy going personality and is pretty easy to get along with.  She is a very hard worker and is very valued at work.  She is a supervisor in training at the moment at Thanksgiving Point Megaplex Theaters.  

Kaylee--- age 1                                                                         Kaylee---age 18

I got out of bed a few minutes early as I had to be at work at 6:30.  I wanted to decorate her car a little.

Once I got to work--I conned a few co-workers into holding up decorations and texted Kaylee a bday message from us.

Kaylee had friends over to celebrate her birthday that night.  We ordered pizza and they ate and talked and then left to go bowling.  When they got back, a few more came over and they played games all evening.  Sounds like from all the laughter that they had a great time.

We pretty much celebrated her birthday all weekend.  Saturday, we went out for a late lunch to Texas Roadhouse as Kaylee had to work Sat. nite.  Shawnee came home from Logan to join us and Devin actually had the day off.  Amazing how many people can arrange to be here when Texas Roadhouse is in the plan!

Saturday afternoon, Jaycee set to work making this cake for Kaylee.  It took 4 hours from start to finish--but it turned out great.  Because Kaylee was working, we waited until Sunday after church to eat it.  We had cake and ice cream and sang Happy Birthday to Kaylee.  Because I'm lame and never check to see if we have candles--we didn't.  So....here we improvised.  Garrin's 10 + Kaylee's 4 plus 4 candles=18!!!

She *almost* has a boyfriend there---one candle almost looks still lit :)  It's kind of like real life and her *almost* boyfriend.  

She got some new jeans and a cell phone case for her birthday. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAYLEE!!

Christmas Eve 2012

Every Christmas Eve we get together at my parents house in Springville.  We usually come around noon and have lunch and then play games until everyone has to get home to do their own stuff.  

 No gathering can be complete without the teens and their phones.  

Landon and Logan--both on their phones.

 

 Devin on his phone....oh and I think Shawnee in the background is on her phone.  LOL!

 Playing rummy---Garrin, Stefanie, Brett, Deni

 Gma and Gpa Berger playing games with the grandkids--Dawson, and Jaycee

 Deni and Ryan

 Sydney, Bailey, and Gma Berger 

 Jaycee, Gma Berger, Bailey, Kennedy, and Syd playing the matching game with Hershey's Kisses

 Devin, Gpa Berger, Garrin checking out the leftovers

 And HERE....is what we call the MANY MANY faces of Austin.  Too funny.

Teresa and Austin

 Austin, Teresa, and Shawnee

 Austin and Teresa

Once we got home, we hung up our stockings.  It was so nice to have ALL 4 of my kids home this year.  It's been 2 yrs because Devin's been on his mission. Glad Shawnee could come home from college too.  She is only home today and tomorrow and then has to go back to Logan as she has to work this week at Payless Shoes.

After hanging the stockings...mom and dad retreat to their bedroom to watch Christmas movies and wrap!

Bowling at Christmas!

This has been our tradition for as long as I can remember---it started when the kids were little.  We bowl on Christmas Eve.  Partly just to keep the kids busy and keep their minds off Christmas.  However, as they got older--we started being at Gma and Gpa Bergers a little later on Christmas Eve--and it got harder to find a bowling alley that was actually OPEN Christmas Eve.  About 3 yrs ago--we decided to keep the tradition--just move it up earlier in the week.  It took me planning this a month ago and telling everyone they HAD to get off work in order to pull it off.  It's so rare...but so good...to have all the kids home at one time!

We ate first at Whistle Wok---or as Kaylee calls it---Asian food.  YUM!

Shawnee, Kaylee, Devin

 Stefanie, Garrin, Jaycee

 Twinners in their hats

 Go Kaylee!

 Jaycee!

 Garrin was doing great on the first game

 Shawnee

 Devin

 So....because this never happens...I have to brag!  I got my FIRST EVER turkey!!!  THREE strikes in a row!  I got a strike or spare in every single frame except one--and ended up with a 184.  So I won the whole 2nd game.  Even if we added the scores from the first and second games together---I still won overall!  So rare....probably will never happen again.

So much fun!  Our favorite Christmas Tradition!

Christmas Traditions

We have lots of Christmas traditions---but we start with the tree decorating.  Each of the kids gets a new ornament each year, and we pull out the huge box and each kid puts up their own ornaments--plus a few extras.  We were lucky enough to have all 4 kids home this year!

 Devin was so tired that he fell asleep after decorating the tree---right on the floor.  The girls put stickers on his clothes and he didn't even notice,

Shawnee missed decorating the gingerbread houses because she was away at college--and she was sad.  

                                                         Frosting war with Devin and Kaylee

                                                                        Done!

                                                   Now---can we EAT it????

 While Shawnee was home the week before Christmas, we went shopping at Winco for groceries and supplies to make our holiday treats.

 We made poppyseed bread, chocolate dipped pretzels, chocolate candies, chocolate dipped Oreos, and tiger butter--YUM!

Live Nativity

Every year for the past several years, we have made it a family tradition to help out at the Live Nativity.  It's always so much fun for us and helps us remember the true meaning of Christmas.  Only Jaycee helped us this  year, but it was lots of fun.  It was very warm for Dec, but we were NOT complaining!  It was about 50 degrees when we started out.  There were about 4,000 people that came through Sat night when we helped.

Garrin, Stefanie, and Jaycee

 PHOTOBOMB while I was trying to take a picture of Garrin.

Garrin was one of the 3 Wise Men with a small speaking part.  

Jaycee and her friends Madi, Ali and Ryah.

Most of the evening, I was outside the barn welcoming people to Bethlehem--which I rather enjoyed!  Glad it was so warm.  It was great because I could see people coming up the walkway--and some didn't seem in great moods (there was a really long wait for the shuttles to take them from the church to the Bethlehem city).  By the time they left, they were thanking me and very quiet and had really gotten into the spirit of what they had witnessed.  Although I didn't get a picture this year of baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph--it's always my favorite part--to imagine having been there.