Football, Moving, & Fall...er, Fall-ing (oh MY!)

It's football season folks! Here we are in our awesome top of the stadium FREE seats! I emphasize the word "free" because we really do appreciate them! We sit among all of the other coaches and trainers from various teams who also get seats as a nice little perk of their jobs. Besides, walking up there is the best workout I get all week! This was at our first home game of the season, 3rd game overall.

It was BYU vs. Houston and was played on Septemebr 11th.

 Our awesome ROTC carried out the 

Mother-of-all-Flags and the players from each them helped hold it for the National Anthem.

Breath-taking.

My husband the coach may, or may not have been crying.

I love Cougar Stadium. I love the view. WE saw a lovely sunset that evening.

 (Yes, I know it's LaVell Edwards Stadium now. I am not big into name changes. It will ALWAYS be Cougar Stadium to me!!)

I got to participate in my first-EVER stadium card stunt during half-time. It was really fun! Notice the large instructions printed on the card. How could we fail?!

After a beautiful half-time show paying respect to the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, we got our big moment. You will see us at the top of the second "W" in the white. Aren't we great?!
Wait for it...there are TWO card stunts!

We are so talented!

 A few days later on a Thursday morning, I went up to the airport and met a very early morning flight from San Diego. What a treat to have Diana and Lucas visit us for four short days on their way to their new home in Minnesota!! This little trooper was so tired after getting up at 5:00 am on the coast!

Nick and his father were driving the truck. Mike flew out from South Carolina to help. That's a nice Dad! They arrived in Utah a little bit after Diana and the boy did. They spent the night at Nick's Grandparent's home down the hill so there would be enough beds for everyone. They left early two days later and began their long, Lo-o-o-ng journey! They arrived after driving I think about 23 hours and went to work unpacking the truck and putting together the beds so that all would be ready for Nick's little family to arrive. They deserve a medal!

We were the fortunate ones who got to enjoy a few more days with the young Master and his Mom!

This has become a standard thing for Pa and Lucas. Lucas asks for a "Choo Choo" and Pa finds a video on his iPad. There are some pretty awesome train videos out there! They boy could do this alllll day! What Pa? You have a Priesthood lesson to prepare? Pshhh! What's more important?

Anything the kid needed, his Aunties and Uncle were right there!

Here's Auntie Rachel making her famous "Unicorn Poop" cookies. You read that right.

I grabbed these pictures from the web. Someone in the house posted a picture that night but I can't find it.

They're just sugar cookies. No Unicorns were squeezed!

Does your Gramma have a big Piggy Bank? She should!

When someone says "Feed the Pig" Mr. Lucas tries, but that Piggie just won't eat!

"Gramma says you do it THIS way."

He's got a very good eye for this!

We took Lucas to "Cookie Cutters" for a trim. He chose the pink car this time!

One day Momma went to lunch with her BFF Whitney. Gramma and Lucas went outside to enjoy the afternoon. Pa and Gramma have a really fun neighbor. Lucas told me all about the "poy-pul" pumpkin and asked to go see the others.

Then he decided Pa's yard needed a trim!

Gramma grew some zinnias this year.  See that dead bush in the background? Pa and Uncle Richard are pulling it out this weekend...they don't know this yet!

"BUS!!" We had a great time watching the school bus, a big UPS truck and lots of cars go by.

Friends since they were both the new girls on the first day of 8th grade. Love Whitney so much!! She now drives a mini-van because she's the mother of twins Lucy and Eloise, and sweet baby Ava!

I took the gang down to Provo to enjoy some Sodalicious, ON ME! 

(Those $100 of gift certificates are awesome!)

Lucas gave me a flower!

Auntie Britt came over from Google Fiber to join us.

It was a gorgeous day but we were racing a thunderstorm!!

Story time on the last night before they left. We all wanted him to stay up just a bit longer.

Nick, Diana, & Lucas have been in Minnesota for just over a month now. Somehow I miss them more knowing they are just that much farther away. They are doing well and love exploring their new home. If you want to follow their blog, the link is off to the right. She makes some fun observations on the difference between living in Utah vs. San Diego vs. Minnesota. Kinda hilarious! I'm not sure if she's private anymore but she welcomes friendly readers. If you need an invite you can send me an email and I'll send you hers. mloose79@gmail.com

It's autumn now at the Little House on the Corner. Sigh. I always mourn summer's passing for about a week. Not because I hate fall, but because I LOATHE winter!!

See those feet? They are wearing their brand new NIKE Cross Trainers. I was so enjoying them and how they feel. This is just minutes before they tripped on uneven sidewalk and I fell forward, hitting the sidewalk hard on my left chest area. Yep. Grace. I dislocated a few ribs and spent the next week in a Lortab induced state of drowsy pain! I'm healing now and dealing with the fact that winter is just around the corner. Sigh.

Next Time? ROLLER DERBY!!

LA Roundup and a Championship!

When last I left you in Los Angeles, I had just tended my grandson for the evening. How lovely is it to take a trip far from home and have it be in a place where your married children can come see you?
After Diana, Nick, and Lucas went back to San Diego I spent the next few days at the swim meet with my husband. One afternoon I sat and took splits for him as his distance swimmers raced in the 1650 Freestyle. That's 1,650 yards folks. These kids are hard core! They swam it in an average of 15 minutes. I was in awe.

 One morning I read by the pool some more and sunned my poor white legs. By the week's end they were a rosier shade of white!

 

 We had a lovely lunch one day out on the back patio and watched the golfers go by.

 Coach Dee was naughty and fed the squirrels!

Then it was back to the pool every evening for finals. I was so proud of our BYU kids. The sportsmanship, team spirit, dignity, and modesty shown by them was so good to see! On the last night Diana & Nick came back up to  LA to watch finals. Lucas was a riot! We taught him how to cheer the swimmers on just like his Pa does! Fluttering arms means kick harder!

 Then Lucas wandered down the observation deck and flirted with some 

cute UC Santa Barbara blondes. They let him wear their Gauchos hat!

 

I borrowed this photo from Haley Bertoldo on Facebook.

It shows the many styles of coaching a swimmer on to go faster! From left, John and Yolanda do the flutter your arms (kick harder) move, while Tamber, Sherry, and Dee point and lean forward as if by doing so the athlete will be magically propelled onward. I asked Coach Dee once if the kids can actually see their coaches jerking and undulating on the sidelines

 and he said, having been a former swimmer himself, "Yes!"

There is always a break between the evenings' main events and the final relays so that the relays can warm up. sometimes coaches get a little giddy after a week long meet and let their guard down a bit!

 That's our little Cougar in his Gaucho hat. Good thing Pa was busy coaching and didn't see!

 There's always time for a Gramma/Lucas selfie!

 Here are the final scores before the last relays were added in. The places stayed the same though.
Our Cougars Men won the MPSF Championship!

 Our Lady Cougars took third! (We are not sure if the grandson wearing 

the Santa Barbara hat made a difference here!)

 Here are our Seniors being recognized.

It's always sad each season when we get to the last meet and we have to say goodbye to the Seniors who have worked so hard. The coaches really come to love them.

 

It's tradition for the winning team to leap into the pool after being receiving their trophy, and to pull their coaches in as well! Dee is so superstitious about this. He will not bring the extra clothes into the pool area until all is said and done. They have to stay locked up in the trunk of the car. It's a sad, soggy coach who forgets a change of clothing and has to ride back to the hotel all wet. Someone forgot dry underwear this year. I won't say who, but it wasn't Coach Dee this time!

There's my Sweetie on the far left.

The next morning we were up before the sun to get to the Long Beach Airport. After a 90 minute fight we were back in chilly Utah! At least this year we didn't come home to a fresh foot of new snow! I am looking forward to next year.It should be a good one!

Let's Wrap Up December!

We were blessed to have Diana & Lucas stay on an extra week or so after Nick went back to San Diego. 

The week dawned with fresh snow on the mountains. (Actually, this is a sunset!)

 There was plenty of napping too. It would appear that Roxie fell asleep mid-text!

 Gram pulled out all of her old tricks such as Rachel and Richard's ton of Duplos...

 

...building blanket forts...

 ...bath time and jumping/lotion afterward...

...and pulling out the mini flashlight when the boy got fussy.

 

Roxie took care of the tickling department!

 One evening we all piled into the van and drove south to Provo for the annual BYU Athletic Dept. Christmas party. It is held in the Cougar Club room under Edwards Stadium. Diana wanted a shot of Lucas in front of Heisman Trophy winner, Ty Detmer's wall. Very cool! We sent this one to his Daddy who was Cougar Blue with envy!

The party is always fun with plenty of good food.
As usual, my girlies did not appreciate my photo taking...

 ...until I cried! (No, I just looked really sad!)

 There was plenty of passing the boy around...

 ... and coloring in the kid's area where Lucas charmed rather large athletes.

 Coach & I complied with the request for a photo the FIRST time!

Then Louie finished up the bread sticks!

 We had SO much fun during those days but all good things must come to an end, so they say.

I took this photo a few days later at the airport with a lump in my throat
and tears all of the way home.

Once at home I found evidence in one of my fake apples that Lucas had been there . 

A little love note!

A few days later we were excited to get this photo of our California gang!

Nick loves Santa! Lucas is not so sure!

I caught this wintry shot one morning of the Little House on the Corner.

 Too bad it was garbage day!

 

Dr. Sarah arrived mid-month and we settled into a cozy, fire-building, movie-watching norm.

Oh, and the "Mom! Stop taking pictures policy was still in force! 

Roxie took every opportunity to find warmth. Notice her fleece vest matches Rachel's shirt? 

How clever of her!

We went out to Thanksgiving Point and attended Holiday Lights with Britt. It was one of her last events at this job. She was moving on the BIGGER things!

One night we went to Salt Lake City and enjoyed the lights on Temple Square. 

SO beautiful and peaceful there!

Say "cheese"!

"One was enough Mom. Knock it off!"

 I always love the floating tea lights in front of the temple.
Can you call them TEA lights if they are on Temple Square?

 Such a beautiful backdrop for the Holy Family!

And there were Shepherds abiding in a field of snow, wondering what they were doing there.

Santa came and filled the stockings!

We love him forever because he left us Nutella and Chocolate-dipped Peeps!!

 Oh, and a game to dance away those calories!

There were lots of long winter's naps still to be had...

 ...yeah, I got the message.

 This is me taking a nap. well actually it is my feet under a quilt and pillow, taking a nap!

 This is my most awesome and biggest word score ever
 in "Words With Friends" before I fell asleep!
YES!!

I baked gingerbread men after Christmas because I just couldn't get around to it before!~ I love my Mom's old gingerbread man cutter! Takes me right back to my little girl days, standing on a chair, helping my Mom with her apron tied up around my chest.

 

 There were more naps and mucho book reading! This man can fall asleep anywhere!

 We got a fun new game called "Pictionary Man".

 You have to draw the word right on the little guy. It was funny, loud,

 and sometimes a bit irreverent...ahem!

 Diana sent us this darling photo of herself and Lucas in South Carolina at Nick's parents' home. 

Makes my heart want to burst with love! After all, isn't that what Christmas is all about?
Let's not mention that he is munching on the baby Jesus in his manger!

 Sending love to all of you who make me smile and hope you have a wonderful New Year!