A Thanksgiving Post

Seriously, look at that face!!!!



I love this picture...I can just hear him saying, 'look, mommy, look!!!'
This is his content smile!
This picture makes me laugh...the photographer wanted a few pictures of just me and Eric...well the Stink wasn't about to have that!

This is such a sincere laugh picture! He's so ticklish...when Max was just a baby, Eric and I would compete to see who could make him last faster...it really never was a challenge...he's such a good boy with such a happy disposition.

I have my mom to thank for this one...Max just loves to swing!
I was originally planning on making this a family photo 2010 post...but I thought in light of the season and that I hope my posterity will one day read this, I thought I should write a Thanksgiving post. As I sat here and began reflecting on this year...I realized how tough this year has been.

No major tragedies have occurred this year...so, I've been reflecting on why it's been so difficult...

It dawned on me that as I have gotten older I have become more 'realistic' (cynical).

I had a friend ask me if I was an alarmist. First, I thought, 'what, like Dennis Quaid's freak brother and wife who think that all of Hollywood is out to kill them?' So, I googled it and was shocked to see some of the definitions as being faint of heart, pessimistic, voice of doom (my personal favorite). So, maybe there is an alarmist in us all and we have to choose not to embrace it...or we'll end up constantly running from the 'Star whackers' and become Hollywood refugees!'

Trials have broken my heart , but that's what life is about...working through things and enduring in your endeavor to find and put all of the pieces back together. The difference recently versus my childhood, is that the hope and belief that everything would be o.k. has been replaced with fear and trepidation...often masked as worry...and how harrowing is a task when you feel like it's outcome is hopeless?

This season, I've found that hope and faith ...and as quickly as heartache can push you down, a renewal of faith can buoy you up to higher ground.

I am thankful this season for so many wonderful people that love me...the best husband whom I love so dearly, the cutest boy in the whole wide world, parents who never want anything but my happiness, my brother who has always been such a great friend and example (whom Max asks for all of the time...Peeta...Peeta) , great friends, friends who care enough to ask if you're an alarmist, wonderful in-laws who love my family...I truly am overwhelmed with gratitude for all of my blessing...and here are some pictures of my two favorite!

Cruisin' to Cozumel!!!

Jason and Meradith have kindly invited us for the past three years to their company cruise and every year we regretfully had to decline because of scheduling conflicts...but, FINALLY, we decided that it was time to spend some time alone (with thousands of other people)!

It wasn't easy, I had to fly to California to drop off Max at my parents' house. Eric flew in the next day at 8 at night, then we went on the red eye to Miami with a layover in Minneapolis. After two flight delays we ended up in Miami at 3:45p.m....the boat was supposed to leave the dock at 3:30. Luckily, when Delta screws up...they screw up big and so many flights were delayed or grounded that a significant number of cruisers were stuck at airports. To top things off, Delta made us do an in-flight check in of our carry ons and then couldn't get our bags in time so, we spent the first day of the cruise with matching shirts!
Checking out the liddo deck...
Karaoke...I may have invited that girl on stage...but it was a courtesy invite...I never thought she'd come running up!
This was part of the family that adopted us in Minneapolis...if it weren't for their tenacious mom and dad...we might not have made it! Every time we saw them on the ship we would yell, 'family!'
Breakfast by the sea..

Key West was so much fun, we happened to be their for one of their biggest holidays called, 'Fantasy Fest.' We were told it was similar Mardi Gras...it was and so much more...check out the lady on the bottom right...if you're over 18!
Dancing at the clubs...that Katie...she's AMAZING!!!Cozumel and the ruins were great and inspiring.

Catching some rays on ship day.
Halloween on the boat was great...Mer and Jason won first place...well, they tied first place with my Asian nemesis/doppelganger!!! Just kidding!
The cruise was so much fun, we are planning on attending every year...even if we aren't invited!!! Of all the activities, places, sights, food, and relaxation...our very favorite part was sitting around a table with friends, some old and some new found connecting and remembering that we were once fun and cool and could still be! Long after the slightly dizzying feeling of still being out at sea wore off, I find myself thinking about soft serve and pizza on the liddo deck and great some great conversation from the rise of Communism to wenuses...

...till we meet again

I'm sitting here surrounded by boxes and wrapped furniture and I had to somehow release all these emotions that I am feeling. At the tip, I believe I am feeling a little excitement for what the future holds, but deeper down, I am feeling grief. I guess I'm grieving for time passing...somehow, the moment I knew which university I would be attending, every high school activity became sacred because it would be the last. I know that this is a unique idiosyncrasy that I have, even as a young child, I remember bidding adieu to my Cabbage Patch doll, Ronnie, and telling her that I would be in middle school next year and could no longer associate with 'dolls.' I've always made change such a dramatic thing in my life...for better or for worse, I hate it.

But as I begin to sulk in my grief and hatred for change, I realize that even within our time in Kemmerer there has been much change...in fact, some of the greatest changes of my life occurred while living in this home...our marriage, our first born child, his first steps, words, laughs will all be remembered as happening in Kemmerer. So, as I delve even deeper into the myriad of feelings I am having, I become cognizant of a more profound emotion: gratitude. I am so grateful to so many people and how they have affected our lives, the Erickson's, who never judge us for our sometimes long absence in our friendship and always welcome us with open arms when we call, The Deardens (Big and Little) would we even be married without you guys?,

Jill Allen for cooking your first Thanksgiving turkey with me, for Holly who shared in a lot of sadness...but everything for a reason, the Hogan's who just were a great couple of look up to in so many ways, but just as fun to just hang out with, Sandal's thanks for being great neighbors, even when I showed up at your doorstep and scared the crap out of Colton, Peterson's,Hubbard's, Meagan & Chase, the saddest part of your arrival was that we knew we were exiting and try as we might, we still got hooked on your coolness!

Jackie Holt, worlds' most tireless worker...she is what you get if you google, 'magnify your calling.', Gigi, I'm not sure you know how important what you created, and work so tirelessly at, is to us and to all of Kemmerer, Deb Archibald, what will we do every July...come to Kemmerer for Fossil Fest!!!!

...Nancy Ellis, it actually pains my heart to think of anyone else teaching Max in nursery, who will know and love each of these kids like you...who will actually prepare lessons and games that teach them of the gospel, I've been to other wards, they don't compare to you,

Lump & Dan, I think Max would have been naked the entire first year of his life if it were not for you and Braydon!!! and Dan, pretty much you kept our house in tact and functioning! You guys were a part of the Phillips family before I was, so, no good-byes...just a heartfelt Thanks!

We wanted to drive around and tell each of you in person how much you mean to us...but realized that we'd need weeks to get everyone, there are many who will never know how they've touched or inspired us, we will take a piece of you where ever we go. Thank you and we wistfully bid you, 'Adieu...till we meet again.'

Max's HalLoween!

Eric and I sent Max to California to be with my family for Halloween...they took him to one of my favorite places as a child...Children's Fairyland...to which Jim replied, "I will not have a grandson of mine going to 'Fairyland' in San Francisco!"




Well, I'm sorry to report, he went and had a fabulous time!!!

Upset that someone disturbed his reading time!
Welcoming my mom into his humble abode.
Gotta remember to go to church...my mom said that while we were gone, every time he would eat he would say, 'Father, blessing, food, Christ, Amen." It warms your heart as a mother to realize that you are teaching them and equipping them with the tools to go through life without you.
Max, taking off his shoes before going inside...little things like this show how quickly Max is growing up into a big boy.

Trying on the Spiderman mask...a new development this year has been his fear of masks...
Getting psyched for the big night...
Sadly, he this picture is the only one taken because after three houses and three separate failed attempts, they retired for the night! Hope everyone had a great Halloween!!