The Seven of Us

This is the much-delayed follow-up to my initial post about  my trip to Utah.  Part II will focus on the temple, BYU, and Uncle Dennis & Aunt Susan.   I'm going to open this post with my favorite BYU story, The Dream of a Provo School Boy, as told by Jeffery R. Holland. This will be a long post and I may break it into two parts. from Elder Holland: In the spring of 1912 Brigham Young University was in a financial crisis.  In order to raise needed capital, it had been decided that the university would sell the land north and east of the then partially complete Maeser Building on Temple Hill for the development of a new Provo suburb.  The university simply had to have the money to survive.  The graduation ceremony was to conclude with a sales pitch to the community.   When Alfred Kelly was introduced that morning as the student speaker for the first four-year graduating class, he rose and stood absolutely silent for several mome...

From an Andersen cousin-in-law'sfacebook page : "Saw Jimmer walking through BYU campus today like a normal guy, no body guards or horse pulled chariot! Hmmm...who woulda thought!!!" My reply:  "He is a normal guy--off of the basketball court!" I'm glad my cousin has been so successful, but I just don't think fame is for me.  Ha! Maybe that's why I never played basketball.  :-)  

Since Corbin and I are the only ones home tonight, I spent some time writing down how he says things.  We don't have a video camera anymore and I know that I won't always remember every little nuance that makes him wonderful--or awful!  I especially want to remember the way he speaks.  Accordingly, here are a few of tonight's "Corbinisms": He's really attached to Jared, which is kind of interesting because he's a lot more demonstrative with me, but if Jared is around he will choose his dad eight of ten times.  This has been worse since he's been sick and recovering.  Tonight Corbin asked where Jared was:  "Mommy, where daddy doh (go)?  At the gock-er?" (doctor) He told me what he wanted to eat:  "I want 'biffint' (different) yoguut...deh (the) tind from a-Donald's"  (I bought a fruit & yogurt parfait at McDonald's and made the mistake of leaving the trash in the car, which meant I had to throw it away in f...

Sorry that things have been in such random order. I have written what I have felt like writing.  After a few days I'll order these chronologically.  Sorry if this bothers you. It shouldn't. :-)  (But if it does I understand, 'cause it bothers me a little.  But I can let it go... for a bit.) Christmas Day was really nice.  For starters, we arrived home from Denver on the evening of Dec. 23rd, which was just enough time to get unpacked and then to spend Thursday baking. I don't always bake a whole bunch for Christmas; it's one of the things that doesn't get done if we go away. Plus, I sometimes feel like no one needs any more junk to eat, but since I enjoy the goodies we're given I decided to bake a lot this year. I actually started in November, but much of what I made was found and devoured by the hungry masses. (Imagine!)  So I baked more.  We delivered lots of things to home and visiting teaching families and other church fr...

I found a few cute photos I'd never posted.  The first two are of Corbin, both from last July.  The last one is almost 7 years old.  I clicked on it by mistake, but then decided to leave it. Corbin was attached to these shoes for a day or two & couldn't bear to leave them behind. He was also very tired. And pretty cute if you ask me. July 2010--with one of our dog Jessica's siblings at the ballfield.  This was a few days or a week before we got Jess.  She is Isaac's dog but Corbin has befriended her.  We have two labs, a chocolate and Jess, and they are both awesome dogs. Great with the kids, tolerate all kinds of abuse and attention.   Although I don't love dogs I think Jess is beautiful--and I let her sleep inside.  Pioneer Day Activity, July 2004.  L to R:  Jared & McKenna,4; Taylor, 8, Isaac, 11 mos, Havilah & caleb, 7 yrs. 11 mos, Gramma & Grampa Droddy

Caleb's basketball season ended today.  He's already found the cleats he'd like for baseball. Country Strong is good, but heavy.  I liked it but I don't know why. Driving four days and vacationing two seems pointless. I miss my brother. I like crunchy stuff.  I want to try different types of yoga. My baby is sad and sick. American Top 40 was a great date every Saturday night.  I saved my countdown lists. Good friends are rare.  I have precious few. Chocolate is good, but strawberries are better. I have driven through or visited forty-seven of the contiguous states. Since the age of fifteen I have lived in five. Humidity bothers me. Everyone can change. When we label or categorize others too severely, we underestimate the power of the Atonement.

Although I love my family, Christmas vacation always concerns me a bit. The thought of spending 2 1/2 weeks with indoors and unscheduled under the same roof is a little intimidating. Outside it's generally cold, but not snowy, so the weather doesn't provide a diversion; certain people like the TV and computer too much; certain people fight a lot, and one certain mom begins to get a little...well, grumpy. Being caught in all of the above is about as enticing for me as sitting in the Wyoming student section at the BYU-WYO game. I'd rather go to the dentist. So this year we planned to go to Utah, watch a couple of BYU games, visit Jared's sister, and see some things in Salt Lake and Provo. The morning of our departure I-80 was closed. Instead we went to Denver. We packed a lot into 50 some-odd hours, beginning with ice skating at the Ice Centre in Westminster and eating at Applebee's. We then found our hotel, got settled, ate, and listened to the BYU-Weber St. game. ...