Mistakes, grace, and blessings abounding!

First mistake. Not taking any pictures on Thanksgiving. Amanda says that means we were having fun, and she's right. We were so fully engaged in living the moments that we failed to stop and document. However, without pictures, my blog posts don't get nearly as many page views. Should this matter? Nope. Does it? Kinda. So here's a picture of my delicious leftovers, which I ate last Friday night, after a full day of Black Friday shopping. 

Second mistake. Two turkeys that struggled to cook. We had movie tickets for Wicked: For Good at 5:30, so the plan was to eat at 2:30, to give us plenty of time. But at 2:30, neither turkey was done, not the one Matt had on his smoker nor the one I had in my oven. Thirteen hungry people and no turkey! By 3:30, they still weren't completely done, so we opted to have a vegetarian meal, with turkey for dessert. And that's exactly what we did. We feasted on mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots, deviled eggs, and rolls. About the time we were finished eating all this, Matt brought over a delicious smoked turkey, fully cooked!

At 5:00, we caravanned to Cinemark Riverton, where we took up the entire back row of the theater (and that's not counting Gerald, who stayed home, or Matt and Swen, who opted to see a different movie). Wicked was okay, though I liked the first one better, but it was sure fun to have so many of us there together. We completed the day by returning home for pie, so so much pie: pumpkin, pecan, apple, and Oreo!

As we welcome the Christmas season, I feel moved to acknowledge the abounding blessings in life, despite the tragic turns our country has taken under the current administration. It is hard not to feel discouraged and helpless, and I have often felt both. Still, I honor the goodness I see in so many, trying to make sense of these unspeakable circumstances, as they continue to fight for justice. Thank you to them.

In my own life, I am grateful for the love of family and friends; for the opportunity to travel to foreign lands; for my job, which provides the resources to get me to those foreign lands; for my strong, healthy body; and for technology, which allows me access to those I love who don't live here in the valley. Hooray for text messaging, email, and social media!

Finally, I'm grateful for the relentless, radical, unwavering love of God, whose grace promises hope, even in the most troubled times.

"Of course! Only the best Christmas movie! 1 of the 2 animated things you like!" -Seth

 

...this was Seth's reply last night, when I texted him this picture of my bedroom T.V. He knows me well. I don't like cartoons. Or animated movies. Or anything animated. I never did, even as a kid. The characters' creepy, gigantic eyes...eeek! It's all dumb. 

With two glorious exceptions: The Flintstones and A Charlie Brown Christmas.

I don't know why The Flintstones is different; it just is. I love the characters, despite their their alien eyes. Maybe it's because Fred is such a doofus and Wilma is such a smart, strong woman, uncommon in 60s T.V. Or maybe it's because she and Betty are such good moms, advocating for their babies at every turn, also uncommon in the 60s. You were lucky kids, Pebbles and BamBam. And of course, Dino was the coolest dinosaur/dog ever! Whatever it was, I watched Flintstones reruns religiously through middle school, often missing the bus because I was so engrossed in the town of Bedrock and those two families. Sorry, Mom and Dad, for all those mornings you had to drive me to school.

Then there's A Charlie Brown Christmas, all 30 minutes of it! What can I even say about the absolute best Christmas movie ever? My memories are many. I watched it every year growing up, sitting on the floor in front of the T.V., eyes filled tears, as Linus takes center stage in that circle of spotlight in the school auditorium, and drops his security blanket to tell the story of Jesus's birth, straight from the pathos-filled Book of Luke. Years later in college, I played Lucy, performing the show in German at the foreign language club's Christmas party: "Ein Hund hat mich geküsst!" And several years after that, I directed the play (in English, this time) at the high school where I taught in Oregon. Of course the best memories are sharing the movie with my own kids, especially Seth. He came seven years after his next older brother, so the two of us had lots of time together when the older four were off doing their own things and not quite so interested in A Charle Brown Christmas anymore. Seth and I watched it together every year, right up till 2018 when he left for his mission in Paraguay.

And now, it's 2025. It's been a rough November. I'm buried in essays, with anxiety triggers hitting from all sides, and nearing one full year of hassling with the corrupt company that manages our neighborhood's HOA. The best way to describe that last one: I feel like I'm starring in a horror movie that never ends. Alas, that is a different blog post for a different time, and I promise I'll write it, just not today. 

Suffice it to say that last night, after falling into bed exhausted, when I turned on Apple T.V.  and saw the ad for A Charlie Brown Christmas, well, a bit of light shone through my otherwise unpleasant disposition. I texted Seth right away because I knew he'd feel the same nostalgia. He did. Then I got a fresh Diet Coke and snuggled under my heated blanket to watch. 

And yes, I definitely felt the welling of tears behind my eyes, then dripping down my cheeks, when Linus recited those iconic words: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11). 

"And that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." 

I read a scary book in honor of Halloween! Are you proud of me?

 To be clear.... I DON'T LIKE TO BE SCARED.

• I don't watch scary T.V. shows,
• I don't go to scary movies,
• and I certainly don't read scary books!

It's not worth paying the price for a movie ticket, only to miss 80% of the movie because my hands are covering my eyes. And there are plenty of wonderful books to read, so I don't need ones that will trigger my anxiety to the point that I'm scared to turn the page (or more accurately, touch the screen on my Kindle). 

But! A few months ago, my friend and fellow book devourer, Lena, suggested a Stephen King novel.

"No way," I immediately responded. 'The 'King' of all things gruesome? The 'King' of horror?! Hard pass!"

"This one's not horror," Lena explained. Turns out it's lightweight, time-travel fantasy about a guy who finds a hidden portal that allows him to travel into the past and decides to use it to go back to 1963 and (hopefully) prevent the JFK assassination.  

"Okay," I thought. "Why not?" Well, the most compelling "Why not?" is its length, over 800 pages or 30 hours for the audio version. I ordered it on audio anyway. Midway through the semester, there is no way I have time to read an 800-page book. Listening during my commute down to UVU was the only option.

Within the first 15 minutes, I was hooked. Fully captivated by the characters and mesmerized by the voice. And I don't mean the vocal quality of the reader (though that was excellent) but rather the writing voice of author, Stephen King. Dang, the guy is good. So raw and real. In the day of that insidious AI shit, no one is more moved by honest, genuine voice than me. And just like that, I'm a Stephen King fan.

I listened to 11/22/63 (yes, the name of the time-travel novel is the date of the assassination), all 30 hours of it, in about a week. It was so, so good, You should definitely download it.

But then what? I wanted, no needed, to read another King novel, but most are of the horror genre. What to do? One of my students is researching exposure therapy for her semester writing topic, so I've read a couple of her papers on the subject. Am I ever gonna use exposure therapy to overcome my world-renowned phobia of slithery creatures with no arms or legs? Nope. But horror novels? Maybe? I asked Shulamith to find me another Stephen King novel even if it's horror. She downloaded the book Holly, and I jumped right in. 

Holly did not disappoint. It wasn't exactly traditional horror, with monsters jumping out and scaring people, but it was certainly dark and gruesome. Hard to read in places, but I persevered because I was once again drawn in by the characters and their stories, revealed through the lovely literary voice of a brilliant writer. Shulamith is reading it now, and she mentioned that it's trending to read a scary book in October for Halloween. Well, okay, then. I'm nothing if not trending.

I read a scary book in honor of Halloween. And now I'm reading another one, Mr. Mercedes, also by King. Are you proud of me?

The Heirarchy of Diet Cola

In one of my recent trips out of Utah, I was in four restaurants in two days. Same conversation with each new server:

Server: Can I get you started with something to drink?

Me: Diet Coke, please!

Server: Diet Pepsi, okay?

Me (in my head): No, you lunatic! How could you even suggest such a thing?

Me (aloud): Oh, no thank you, I'll just stick with water.

Oh my goodness! Why would any self-respecting restaurant serve Pepsi products, when everyone knows Diet Pepsi is grossly inferior to Diet Coke in every possible way? Do people outside of Utah not understand soda?

In case anyone is confused, here is the hierarchy of diet cola:

First Place, above all the rest: A Stanley filled with ice-cold Diet Coke from a fountain, over crushed or pebble ice.

• Holiday or Maverik are usually solid; 7-11 is sus, sometimes okay, other times not, but never great.
• Fast food restaurants are typically good; McDonald's Diet Coke gets the most fanfare though I've never thought it was much better than say Wendy's or Chick-fil-A.
• The places that do soda as their main gig (Swig, Quench It, Splash, Sodalicious) are almost always good, but better to go to the ones who actually pour it into your Stanley, so you don't have to transfer it (Yay, Quench It!). You pay a little more, but we're talking Diet Coke here, so.

WARNING! At Holiday, the pebble ice is on the right side of the fountain, and the larger cubed ice (blah) is on the left side. At Maverik, it's the opposite. Make sure to take note, so you go to the correct side to get your pebble ice.

WARNING! A few otherwise decent restaurants don't even serve Diet Coke, so you need to stop by a gas station (see above) to fill your Stanley before you go: Aubergine, Hot Texas Chicken, Panera, Buffalo Wild Wings, IHOP,  Jersey Mike's, Taco Bell, just to name a few.

• Finally, here is a splendid bit of news to offset the bullet warning just above: This past July, Costco, an otherwise brilliant company, added to its brilliance by switching from Pepsi to Coke products. I may have cried.

Second Place (far, far, below first place): A 44-oz. styrofoam cup filled with Diet Coke from a fountain, over crushed or pebble ice. (See above for specific location guidelines.)

Third Place: A 32-oz. plastic cup filled with Diet Coke from a fountain, over crushed or pebble ice. Sadly, the soda will be diluted long before you finish; hence, no point getting the 44-oz cup. (See above for specific location guidelines.)

Fourth Place: An ice-cold can of Diet Coke. Be sure to set your refrigerator to the coldest setting that doesn't freeze everything. 

Fifth Place: (Seriously, guys, this is only if you're desperate): A 20-oz. bottle of ice-cold Diet Coke.

You're better off just being thirsty: Diet Coke from a 2-liter bottle poured over ice. Ick!

Lastly: Get a grip! Under no circumstances is Diet Pepsi comparable to Diet Coke. 

A Celebration of Life!

 

"What did you even talk about for five hours?" queried the few people I told.

" Everything? Nothing? I don't really know." 

It was one week ago, and I was in Billings, Montana to attend the memorial service for my friend Trudy's husband, Frank. We moved to Billings in 2004 for a job for Gerald. I always knew it wouldn't be forever. We stayed seven years, long enough for Eli to graduate from high school, and then relocated to Utah in 2011. When people ask me if I liked living in Billings, my response is always the same: The winters practically killed me, but I wouldn't trade my time there for anything because of a few lifelong friends I made. 

One of those is Jay Ericksen. When people see her comments on my socials, they often assume she's somehow related to Gerald, because his last name is Erichsen. She's not. (Note the one letter difference in the spelling.) I met Jay less than a week after we moved to Billings. I showed up at church with 4-year-old Seth by my side. Jay was up on the stand playing prelude music on the organ. In her eyes, Seth will forever be four years old. Same, Jay, same. Though I don't think 25-year-old Seth would agree. We barely knew each other when we embarked on a roadtrip to Utah, where she had family, and where I had Shulamith, who was a freshman at Westminster College. I won't retell the story of that trip because you can read about it here, but let's just say Jay and I have a history of lengthy, sustained conversations. This night was no different. We walked into Applebee's at 5:30 p.m. and walked out at 10:30 p.m. In those five hours, never was there even the hint of a lull in the conversation. 

Another one of my Montana friends is Trudy Carey, whose awesome husband Frank passed away recently. Trudy and I also go back to the beginning of my time in Billings. I have written several posts that include her, but this one is my favorite because it also includes Frank and explains how much both of them helped me with Shulamith's wedding preparation. Trudy was my devoted walking partner the whole seven years we were in Billings. Seven days a week for seven years, we walked the 4-mile roundtrip trail near our neighborhood. Yes, we missed days, of course we did. But mostly we didn't. When you spend over an hour with someone nearly every day, you come to them well. Trudy and I became each other's sounding board for the events of our days, and through Trudy, I came to know Frank. 

The two of them had a remarkable relationship in their 50-year marriage. They were truly each other's "person." Frank was retired by the time I met them, while Trudy had only just begun her career, having raised their four children before returning to school to get her degrees. So every day, Frank drove to the university where Trudy was the Director of Disability Support Services to have lunch with her. For real. Every day. Frank was quiet and funny and so intelligent. And his memorial service manifested that. It was perhaps the loveliest memorial service I've ever attended. Trudy, their four children, and all eleven grandchildren sat proudly in the first two rows of the chapel to honor their beloved husband, father, and "budda." All three talks presented a clear vision of Frank Carey, who he was and what he valued. The music perfectly complemented the speakers' words, especially the beautiful duet sung by two of Frank and Trudy's granddaughters.

I'm so glad I was able to be there last weekend to be with my friend and to join with a community of family and friends to celebrate Frank's life. 

In the midst of all that is so very wrong today, an evening of joy!

I have been known to voice the sometimes unpopular opinion that although there have been many incredible songs written and recorded by incredible artists in the past 40+ years, nothing equals the breadth, depth, or volume of soul-reaching music than the brilliance that came out of the 1970s. Nothing.

That's my hill. I'll die on it.

There are so many solo artists who made their initial marks during that decade that it's tough to choose a favorite, but I'll narrow it down to two: Elton John and Neil Diamond. I've had the privilege to see both live in concert, Elton John twice and Neil Diamond three times.

But until last Thursday night, I had never seen my favorite band from the 70s perform live. So it was lovely mix of excitement, nostalgia, and full-on joy to sit on camp chairs at the Sandy Amphitheater and rock out for 90 minutes to the iconic music of Chicago. I knew every word to almost every song, one after another. They played only one of my two favorites: "Color My World." Don't know how they missed "Wishing You Were Here."

I forgive them. Because you know, with that many classics, they can't play everything. And yes, I would have loved it if they'd played longer than 90 minutes. But keep in mind that three of them have been with the band since its formation in 1967! Huge respect and kudos to Robert Lamm, age 80 (vocals and keyboards); Lee Loughnane, age 78 (trumpet); and Jimmy Pankow, age 77 (trombone). 

It was a fabulous concert and dream come true for me to see them live. I've also been known to say that I managed to raise at least one child who has good taste in music. Isaiah truly appreciates 70s music and agrees that no other decade compares. His brothers, not so much. Luke and Eli like screaming music. No, really! The bands they like have actual members identified as "screamers." To be fair, Led Zeppelin and Alice Cooper had some pretty aggressive vocals that bordered on screaming, but nothing like what Eli listens to. Seth likes a variety of music but also fails to recognize the obvious superiority of the music from the 70s. 

And Shulamith doesn't like music much at all. So weird. But then she doesn't like fruit either. But she loves me, and she'll go with me to most anything I ask her to, so after a yummy dinner of Indian curry, the three of us went to the concert. Shulamith recognized at least two of the songs, maybe three, and I think she enjoyed some of the others. Isaiah and I sang loud and proud to every last one.

In the turmoil that is today. In the horror that is our country's administration. In the pain so many are experiencing at the hands of an oligarch, who has suggested that "Maybe we like a dictator." In the throes of yet another shooting, where I'm guessing those inside were already doing plenty of praying at their Catholic school. In what often seems like just too much! It was pure delight to have an evening away from all that, an evening to reminisce, an evening to hang with two of my babies and very best friends.

Excitement, nostalgia, and full-on joy! 

From glaciers to Covid: the highs and lows of Alaska crusin'!

It was my third cruise.

In 2008, Shulamith and I took a Western Caribbean cruise to Jamaica, The Grand Cayman Islands, and Cozumel. That was one year before the start of itslegs, so I don't even have a post to prove it. Did it even happen? Then two years ago, we did a Mediterranean cruise to Barcelona, Cannes, Pisa, Florence, and Rome. Both these cruises, though different from each other, were awesome in their own ways. The first was full of relaxation both on warm beaches and on the ship, itself. The second was fast-paced; we basically used the ship as a hotel, a place to sleep. Each morning, we awoke in a new country, having sailed all night, and other than at night, we were rarely on board.

This time was different from both of those. First, we had way more people! Ten! Shulamith, Matt, and their kids; Eli, Amanda, and Jane; Seth and I. Such a fun group!

It was also different because it was kinda cold. We actually had perfect weather for Alaska, but I'm glad we were warned ahead of time to bring warm clothes and dress in layers. For example, this is what sunbathing looks like on an Alaskan cruise:

The ship provided these warm, fresh blankets out on the deck at all times, and we took full advantage. I pretty much wrapped myself in one whenever I was outside. It really was such a fun trip, with mostly "highs" and very few "lows," but allow me to share a few of both:

HIGHS

Service on the ship. From the delightful waitstaff in the dining room, to the dedicated professionals who cleaned our cabins, the bartenders who provided us 20+ Diet Cokes a day, Princess knows how to train its employees. They were thoughtful, kind, and courteous. Our servers in the dining room were over-the-top amazing and brought us way too much food. 

"I can't decide between the lobster bisque and the shrimp cocktail. What do you suggest?" 

"I will bring you both!"

It didn't help that I wasn't ever actually hungry at our 7:30 p.m. dinner appointments. After grazing on pizza and ice cream (available all day) and the buffet which seemed to be open almost all the time too, it was hard not to just eat all the time! Gratefully, the ship had a nice gym, so Shulamith and I were able to work out each morning before everyone else woke up, and we even grabbed a fun Zumba class one day. It wasn't as intense as Matt doing 350 pushups in the rain out on the deck of the ship, but it was something.

Shore Excursions. We went to three cities: Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. I believe Ketchikan was my favorite. It's hard to explain why; it is a city with a small-town feel, surrounded by lush green, rich with Native American history, and home to the largest collection of totem poles in the world. 

The weather was perfect that day, overcast with light, drizzly rain, my absolute favorite! I donned my rain poncho and walked the streets. It was there that I encountered my only actual wildlife scene of the trip. A sea otter caught a fish and ate it right in front of me! Poor fish!

Our second excursion was in Juneau, where we rented a 10-seater van, and Matt drove us around to the various sites. 

The highlight was Mendenhall Glacier. Wow! It's a very good thing we went there when we did, because it is currently closed due to outburst flooding from Suicide Basin.

With three of my five babies: Shulamith, Eli, and Seth

The third and final shore day was in Skagway. Here, most of us went zip-lining. Jane isn't old enough, so she and her parents met up with us later for lunch. I don't have any pics of zip-lining, unfortunately, but the experience was anything but unfortunate. So much fun flying through the trees! I think this might have been Seth's favorite part of the trip? And Shulamith somehow managed to choose the perfect day. It was sunny, so we could see the mountain peaks all around us, and the guides kept telling us that they so rarely get days (and views!) like we had.

Food. As mentioned before, the food on the ship was decent and plentiful. Nothing gourmet, but good. My favorite ship meal was our first night when fresh salmon was on the menu. Mmmmm. The final evening, I had steak and lobster, also delicious. But the best food was off the boat. I can't remember precisely in which city we ate which food, but my favorite shore food were burgers and onion rings at a diner (3rd place), Indian fry bread (2nd place), and this delicious fresh crab (1st place):

Matt, Seth, and I are the only ones of the 10 of us who eat seafood. What's wrong with these people?

LOWS

I feel like I should preface this section with "Lows? I've had a few. But then again, too few to mention." It was a complicated trip, requiring so many steps (passports, flights, shuttles, hotels, van rental, excursions, meals, packing lists, etc.). Shulamith, almost singlehandedly, handled all of it. She truly missed her calling in life; she should have been a professional travel agent. I can really only think of two actual lows:

First, having to work on the trip. I dream of a day that I can take an actual vacation without having to work. But that will be many years in the future, if ever. Tied to the academic year, I can only travel in May, August or December. And December is just a little busy with my favorite holiday, so that leaves May and August. This year, I went to Israel in May and Alaska last week, and on both trips, I was closing out one semester and prepping for a new one. Ugh! One downside of having to work while on a cruise is that Internet is expensive: $30/day. I bought it just once, but sadly took my computer with me on each excursion so I could connect and work while off the ship. I don't particularly recommend this, but if it's this or don't travel, I'll choose this!

Second, Covid. Yes, you heard that right. Friday afternoon, our last day on the ship, we all gathered in one of the lounges to play Bingo. Amanda was trying to win back the $25 Eli lost in the casino playing the claw game. Do they have a 12-step program for claw game addicts? Anyway, we all had our Bingo cards and the caller was about to begin, when I noticed Eli get up and walk out. He hadn't been feeling well that morning, so I assumed he was still sick. When Bingo was over and Amanda and I went to their cabin to check on him, we found him in bed, shivering under a blanket. He said his arms and legs were numb, and that was enough for us to insist we walk down to the ship's medical center.

The care there was fabulous, and after checking his vitals which revealed a fever of 102 degrees, they ran a Covid test which was positive. He had to isolate back in his cabin the rest of the evening and ride separately to the airport from all the rest of us the next morning. However this "low" could have been so much lower, had he become ill earlier in the week. He might have missed so much! Once home, Matt also tested positive, and Amanda, Shulamith, and I were all a little sick, so it's possible we had mild cases as well.

We flew out of Anchorage on a red-eye that left at 12:31 a.m. Sunday, and we were back in SLC at 7:00 a.m., tired and jet-lagged, but happy. 

It was a good trip. Here are a few random pics:

Back left to right: Amanda, Eli, Seth, me, Shulamith, Matt.

Front left to right: Jane, Theodore, Kennedy, Swen

Seth and I in Edmonton, Alberta, our layover stop on the way to the cruise in Vancouver, B.C.

Kennedy in the sunset!

Shulamith and I

My name is Dr. Evelyn Grey, and I am a murderer! (and other July excitement)

I didn't even know I was a murderer until the very end of the night. It was my friend Emily's 40th birthday celebration and surprise murder mystery dinner, and I managed to kill not one, but two people without even knowing it! That's impressive, don't you think? What a fun evening! Super kudos to Emily's husband Trent for arranging the whole thing, even writing the script! 

Emily and I on the Red Carpet!

Two other cool activities made July, 2025 a month to remember. First, a reunion of four moms from the Arkansas Little Rock Mission, where Eli served from 2012-2014. The four of us, for whatever reason, were drawn to each other. Those were the days when we all lived for Monday, P-day, when we eagerly awaited email from our missionary. When it didn't come, we texted each other for support. "Have you heard from your missionary?" "Me either." "Where are they?" "Wait, isn't it transfers this week? I'll bet they're busy moving." "Did your son transfer? Who's his new companion?" "Oh yeah, Eli knows him. Super nice kid." Stuff like that. We were each other's support network, and I was so grateful to have that. During the mission, we met with a larger group of parents of ALRM missionaries, but once they were all four home, we began to meet up occasionally with just the four of us. Over 10 years later, we still feel drawn to each other. 

We met at a place called Edna's down in Provo. Carlene and Lisa were there when I arrived, and both stood to offer hugs and hellos. Same when Janeen got there. So, so good to be together. We sat at a table for 3.5 hours, without a lull in the conversation. We talked about our former missionaries of course, where they are, what they're doing for work. All four are married now, two with children. And we talked about us, our lives, our jobs, our other kids. Eventually, the restaurant was closing, so we took a picture and said goodbye, vowing not to let quite so many years pass before we gather again. 

Moms of Elders Randall, Draper, Armstrong, and Webster

Finally,  the highlight of July was flying to my hometown of Portland for my niece Katie's wedding. Gerald dropped me at the airport on his way to work and took this quick picture before I headed inside to meet up with Isaiah, who went with me.

Our first night there, everyone in my extended family was at the rehearsal dinner, so Isaiah and I had dinner with my best friend Lorrie, who kindly drove all the way from Vancouver, WA to meet us at our hotel in Clackamas. Literally every single time I get to see Lorrie, I tell myself that I'll get a picture of the two of us, and every single time, I don't do it. Ugh! Still, it was a delightful evening, where Lorrie told Isaiah all sorts of stories of our past, which she remembers in minute detail, and which I remember once she tells them. The time when Luke was on his mission in Portland, and Lorrie spotted him at a U. of Portland / BYU basketball game that the missionaries were allowed to attend because one of the BYU players previously served in the Oregon Portland Mission. The time when she and her husband Ernst were living in Vienna but flew home and came to visit me at college shortly after my dad passed away. I met Lorrie when I was 13, so there are lots of stories! It was the most lovely evening with good food and even better conversation. I miss my friend. I wish we could be together more often.

The day of the wedding, Isaiah and I picked up my mom at her house to head to the venue for pictures. We took a couple informal ones before we left.

Look at my very handsome Isaiah!

Soon we arrived at the beautiful venue. The weather was perfect...cool breeze and sunshine with no rain. Yes, you actually heard me say that. Under almost all circumstances, I'd. prefer. rain. But at an outdoor wedding and dinner, no. Katie and Josh were married under a gazebo overlooking the beautiful green hills of West Linn, Oregon in front of a long-time family friend who officiated, and surrounded by the love of dozens. You could feel the love and support for this couple everywhere, so much joy!

Bride and groom!

The ceremony was followed by dinner at several large round tables also outside and then dessert and dancing inside the pavilion. I didn't get a lot of pictures; they requested no personal photography during the ceremony. But here's one...

Isaiah, my mom, and my brother Tom

Finally, a giant shoutout to the folks who have my back. I don't see any of these people very often because I live in Utah, and they live in Oregon and Washington. It's a problem. But when it comes down to the wire, they are there for me. My nieces Leslie and Carley, who were bridesmaids, stocked a couple 20 oz. Diet Cokes upstairs where they all got dressed, and Carley brought a cold one down to me at the start of the reception. Then, Yvonne also realized I wouldn't like any of the drinks they were serving, so she asked her daughter to stop on the way to the wedding and pick up a 2-liter, along with a cup for me. Multiple times, throughout the dinner and reception, I just walked back to the kitchen, where the nice caterers happily kept the 2-liter in the fridge. Each time, I filled the cup with ice and poured fresh Diet Coke. Thank you for thinking of me, Leslie, Carley, and Yvonne! Totally over-the-top kindness but so, so appreciated.

That's a wrap for July, 2025. We leave this Friday for an Alaskan cruise, so more fun to come in August.

Halfway Christmas: Can we get any more chill?

Okay, I get it. It's not a real holiday. It's totally fake. But fake or not, it truly does get the nod for the most low-key, low stress, low-maintenance holiday around. Which is why we love it so much!

Here I am setting up on Saturday afternoon. Yep, that's it! All the decorations for Halfway Christmas. I set up my little Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I trimmed it with one red ornament and one wooden one that says "Merry Halfway Christmas," given to me by my friend Carolynn. I lit a Christmas-scented candle. I wrapped up two presents, one for the person whose name I drew (Kennedy), and one for Isaiah, who doesn't celebrate Halfway Christmas but comes for food---(this mama can't leave him out of the gift exchange).

I was ready.

Yesterday, I re-lit the candle, and Gerald put a Christmas picture on the Frame TV. Christmas music played throughout the house.

 It really is the best day. 

Around 4:30, people began to arrive. Amanda made some yummy guacamole, and we all ate chips and guac as an appetizer. Once everyone was here, Shulamith and Amanda started frying bread to make Navajo tacos with chili, cheese, and all the toppings. 

Next, we hurried downstairs (though not nearly fast enough according to Swen, Kennedy, Theodore, and Jane) to open presents, one for each of us.

When you only have one present, I think it might be more exciting than on the real Christmas when you get so many. Delightful!

Back upstairs we went for dessert: fried scones with butter, cinnamon, and sugar! We ended the evening with a game of "Cards Against Humanity Family Edition" though with all the bathroom humor, I'm not sure it was suitable for anyone (eeeek!).

The best part of it all was having almost everyone together. Luke lives in Maryland, so he wasn't here, and Mathew doesn't like the real Christmas, so he's surely not gonna celebrate the "Halfway" version in June, but he stopped by briefly at one point to say hi.

And then it was over for another year. If you don't celebrate Halfway Christmas at your house, you should really consider it. It's the most chill holiday ever. And one of my favorites!

"Did they forget about us?" Tommy asked.

"Did they forget about us?" Tommy asked. We were in Seaside, Oregon with our parents for a holiday weekend. We went there at least once, most summers. This time we were maybe 10 and 8, respectively. Tom is two years younger than me, and the two of us were just barely old enough to be left on our own for an hour to explore the one major street in Seaside, Broadway, while our parents played Fascination. Back then, Fascination was an "adults only" game. I'm not sure why; maybe it seems too much like gambling? You pay $1.00 per game (back then, probably a quarter), sit on a stool, and roll two rubber balls down an inclined ramp to a table with holes, hoping to score a "bingo" or "blackout," as the balls fall into holes, lighting up circles in the same pattern on a board above each table. When someone wins, the game ends, and you pay another dollar if you wish to play again. Gambling? Maybe? I don't know. I think it's fine for kids, and those in power must agree because nowadays everyone, regardless of age, is welcome to play.

My mom loved Fascination, and I think my dad enjoyed it enough to play it with her, and Tommy and I were delighted to be out on our own, as kids that age typically are, a few dollars in our pockets, feeling so mature and responsible. There was a small carnival with a few fair-type rides, including the famous Octopus. The Websters are ride junkies, so that was our final destination, after eating an elephant ear and way too much home-spun taffy and fudge. By the time we got on the Octopus, the sky was darkening, with that twilight glow just between sunset and nightfall. We stood in line and rode it multiple times. By the last time, it was fully dark, and just as we were at the very top, waiting our turn to make it down to the bottom to be let off, we noticed that the ride had stopped moving. Looking around, we realized we were the only ones left on the ride at the very top, and the attendant was nowhere.

"Did they forget about us?" Tommy asked. 

"I think they did!" I replied.

I wish I could remember how this story ended. Did we scream to get someone's attention? Did our parents come find us? I have no idea. Tom, do you remember? Somehow, we got down from that ride safely, and this memory remains with us both all these years later. It's not the only one. 

Seaside remains a family tradition. My mom used to take Tom's kids and my older kids there every year to celebrate the 4th of July. I don't have any stories from those visits because I wasn't there, but I believe these holiday weekends with Grandma (my kids) / Nanny (Tom's kids) and the resulting memories are what bonded the cousins.

Two weeks ago, Shulamith and her kids, plus Eli, Amanda, Jane, and I roadtripped to Oregon to visit my mom and Tom, along with Seaside and the Oregon coast. After an overnight stop in Eastern Oregon, we finally arrived in Portland to spend one evening and morning with my mom. It was a good visit, which included a trip to Clackamas Town Center, a shopping mall much larger than any we have here. Here's a quick pic of my mom and me just outside the mall:

The 2-hour drive to seaside the following day felt so short compared to six hours in the car both the previous two days. We stayed true to the past and stopped for breakfast at Camp 18 on the way there.

We had nice weather for June at the Oregon coast; still, I was cold most of the time. While I prefer Oregon weather (especially rain!) way more than Utah weather, I think my body has become accustomed to the dry climate. We did all the typical Seaside stuff: Tilt-a-Whirl, elephant ears, fudge, taffy, and yes...we all played Fascination. The ocean was freezing as it always is and the temperature outside around 60 degrees, but the brave ones (not I) still jumped the waves and played in the sand.

Our last day at the ocean, we drove 15 minutes up to Cannon Beach. That is something I never did as a kid, and it is beyond beautiful! We went at low tide, so we could walk out and see the tide pools and all the incredible sea life. Impressive!

We returned to Portland the following day to spend another evening with my mom before beginning the two-day roadtrip home. It was a good week, and we'll all have memories, I'm sure, but none so cool as getting stuck at the top of the Octopus ride.

Did anything go right? Part 4 of "The trip that goes wrong."

"Did anything go right? Did you enjoy any part of it?" Isaiah asked quietly. He and Shulamith and I sat at a large table at The Olive Garden last Thursday evening, awaiting the arrival of the rest of the family. We were gathering to celebrate a late Mother's Day since I was gone the previous Sunday, and I'd just told Isaiah my tale of woe,

The answer is, of course, yes. Some things did go right. For me, all the troubles in the beginning definitely clouded the experience; I felt sort of like an observer, rather than the participant I'd hoped to be. But yes, the tour was packed full of incredible sites, which we visited one after the other, all nine days. We stayed three nights in Magdala on the Sea of Galilee, three nights in Jerusalem, and three nights in Jordan. Each day we arose early and ate breakfast at the hotel, before boarding the tour bus at 7:30 a.m. Thirteen hours later, at around 8:30 p.m., we rolled back into the hotel to enjoy dinner before showering and crashing. The pace was relentless, and our tour guide John made it clear that he would leave anyone behind who wasn't at the right place at the appointed time throughout the day. "I even left my wife behind at the hotel once," he explained. "Turns out that was not my best decision."

I obsess over time normally, so this rigid structure only exacerbated my stress. "Where are we? What time is it? When do we need to be on the bus? How far away is it?" Multiple times every day. You get the idea. That said, I do understand the reason for John's precise schedule. He wanted us to see every last thing. And we did! I will highlight a few of my favorites:

• Nazareth Village. Here, they replicate what the city might have looked like in Jesus' time. It was very cool, and I learned a lot. I felt grateful, as I often do, that I live now. Here are some pics:

• The Sea of Galilee. Its beauty kinda speaks for itself.

• This picture lining a wall in the chapel at our hotel in Magdala. First, I want this for my house. Also, we spent part of one evening in this chapel attending a Catholic service. LOVED IT! We got to sing some contemporary Christian songs including one of my favorites,  Thy Word. Isn't it awesome that God is God is God. How we access God may be different, but God is not.

• The River Jordan. We didn't baptize anyone, but we did get to wade in it. 

• Dead Sea Float. Clearly a bucket list item. It's true. You float. Without trying. 

• The Wailing Wall, aka The Western Wall. This was definitely a high point of the tour for me, probably my second favorite thing. So amazing to see such faithful people seeking God at what is considered the holiest site in Judaism.They walked to the wall with prayer requests written on little scraps of paper, then folded and inserted them into various cracks in this wall. Placing a hand on the wall, they communed with God in prayer, then carefully backed away, taking care not to turn their backs on this holy place. It was lovely to witness.

• St. Anne's Church. This is one of my favorites of the many churches we saw on the tour. It honors Mary's mother, Anne. I'd never thought much about Mary's parents, but they deserve to be thought about. The beautiful statue depicts Anne teaching the scriptures to her young daughter, Mary.

• Garden of Gethsemane. As our tour guide, John, said repeatedly, "It was either here or it was somewhere else." But if it was somewhere else, it was still very near.

• Shabbat worship Saturday morning at BYU Jerusalem Center. What a beautiful place this is! I kept wishing I had encouraged Eli to do a summer study abroad here. 

• Jordan! Once in Jordan I was no longer as sad. It was a different bus, a different driver, a different tour guide, and I wasn't late. Jordan is like the actual desert! One of three favorite activities there was hiking to the top of this sand dune. I beat everyone else to the top, and that made me quite proud!

• I really want a pet camel. Seriously. I always thought camels were mean, but they are really the nicest animals. Mine was a sweet girl, who was very aware of me and tried so hard to make it an easy, comfortable ride. They are emotionally intelligent and will mourn the loss of an owner for a whole year.

• Petra! Can you believe they created this on the side of a rock with the most rudimentary of tools?

It was a challenging trip for sure, harder than I would have liked. I will definitely need to go back one day, so I can be on time and participate 100%. Also, I need to go when I'm not frantically grading final essays for 150 students because the semester just ended. That was far more stressful than I expected, especially the night Chrome decided to malfunction and close out only a micro-second after opening. Gerald was the hero of that night, managing to fix it, so I could continue working and ultimately submit my grades on time.

"The trip that goes wrong," indeed! But yes, a few things went right.