Thanksgiving and more

On Thanksgiving, we met with Richard's parents and his siblings, Megan, Kevin & Matt, with Matt's family,  Felicia, Eliza, and his Great Grandpa and my brother David.  I originally was either going to do my traditional key lime pie but I had just told my sweet Mother in law that we had some sweet potatoes and I wanted to do something with them.  And I did!  And I made a key lime pie.  And some Thanksgiving Oreo Turkeys (name card holders).  And some bread.  Yeah, it was about 130 when I went to bed.  :/  Crazy.  I then had to be up about 545 to get ready for work.  At least it was a shorter shift - usually I work about 630 to 1pm.  I've started  closing a bit too which is usually 1-7pm but as I've only closed by myself twice it took me awhile both times to get everything done. We had a relaxing day.  I am sooo very thankful to be around family and thankful we love each other and even though we screw up, we try to follow a Christ centered life.  Great blessings come to those who serve God and lead honest, virtuous lives which means repenting throughout our lives, to live with courage and faith in God.  What a great support our family is!  Both my own father and my father in law have great counsel and love for our little family.  They are kind.  I hope to be a kinder, more compassionate mother and, one day, grandmother.

I'm happy to be back in Midway and to be around family and friends again.  Richard bore his testimony today and spoke about ways we feel the spirit and how he was directed  to where we lived in NY and how vital it was during Hurricane Sandy.  I am so grateful for our Father who loves and guides us, as we listen for the Spirit.  I truly miss our friends there and yet I love being around my old friends here.  I am so grateful for the awesome friendships we've made with fellow brothers and sisters.  My heart was touched by them.  When our hearts are hurting, they so often wrap us up in the comfort of their love and compassion.

In my testimony today in Relief Society, I said how vital it was to have that love and kindness of my New York family as I felt depressed many times those first 18 months in Freeport.  We never really know how, "...in the quiet heart is hidden sorrow that the eye cant' see...." (LDS Hymn #220)  With our Savior though, we can follow him and  "....be my brothers keeper."  I'm so thankful for the love of Christ spread abroad through his disciples, no matter what religion they may be.  Or age.  Or ethnicity.  Some kids with whom I came to be good friends surprised me by their deep testimonies and desire to follow Christ.  Our Jewish neighbor and our Chinese neighbor showered love on my children that I've never really seen outside of immediate family.  It was beautiful!  I certainly have seen an immense desire to do whats right and follow God, no matter how hard or unpopular it may be, in my fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We don't follow man's ideas for success, though some are enlightened.  We try to follow the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit.  What gratitude we have for this messenger that guides us to correct and eternal principles, not just what will make us happy today.  Sometimes those correct paths lead us to act in ways that may not make sense.  But that path has peace, even if it takes time to understand to some degree why we were directed in such a manner.  Through our trials and miracles, we've come to learn that God is there, he knows us and empowers us as we put our hand in his.  :)

Halloween and more

So, its been over two months since my last post and I still have yet to finish some posts from about Memorial day onward.....hmmmmm....think I'll ever be able to do it?  Our pictures are crazy right now.  I'm not sure where they all are.  Hopefully they are not lost.  I am depressed thinking about that so nope, we'll think positive.  It will be a great scavenger hunt, one day.  :)

Richard and I are the Bear Den :Leaders and so we've had a couple of meetings in our home with these 9 year old cub scouts.  They are fun guys!  Recently we did a Bike Safety achievement and we went to the Sheriff's Department and had a tour.  The boys could not WAIT to get handcuffed and fingerprinted.  We all had a great time.  We saw the booking area, the room with the breath analyzer, the riot gear, a taser, the security by the courts, and met some other officers and staff.  We learned that the taser can shoot out 25 feet, that the most arrests are due to drug and alcohol related offenses, it hurts when the officer twists your arms to handcuff you behind your back,

Halloween was fun.  We didn't get down the canyon 'til later in the afternoon, after a lot of work getting Cliffton's WALL-E costume done.  Azure was a little witch and Violet was a princess.  We carved pumpkins the day or two before.  I posted pics of them on Facebook already but I'll try to post them here too.  We took the kiddos trick or treating but Azure had fallen asleep in the car on the way down and was SUPER DE DUPER grumpy pants so we only got to go to maybe two homes with her before Richard took her to Grandmas while Cliffton and I went together and soon met up with Violet who was with her Uncle Matt, Aunt Felicia and cousin Eliza.  It was Eliza Snow Stacey's first Halloween and she was a darling little Snow White!  There is a  home around the block from Grandma and Papa's that goes ALL out for Halloween.  It was INCREDIBLE!  I seriously want to do something similar one day.  I love Halloween spiders and bats and ghosts and tombstones and fog and Police Caution tape and skeletons and witches and candy.  They had that all and more and then some more.  Unfortunately the pictures didn't turn out very good but I'll see if I can get a fairly decent one up.  We had to go trick-or-treating there and the owner runs out with a chainsaw periodically which had me screaming in terror and delight!  Ah, good times!  :)  He was dressed like the Joker.  One of the coolest decorations we saw was a large brown spider with red glowing eyes that jumped at people via noise activation.  Can we say, mine??!!  We had a fun time and since Cliffton had no school the next day we were able to relax and enjoy it more.   

One of our miracles was that I got hired!  I'm now working in the bakery at the Zermatt Resort by our home.  Although its slated as a part time position, I've been working close to full time hours which has been a great blessing for our family.  With all of the challenges we've had in the last few months,  Richard and I have both prayed individually and as a family for guidance.  We've each fasted at times.
**I just realized I didnt' finish editing this post earlier. ** To continue - Richard and I had both fasted together to find employment on Sunday, Nov. 10.  I had found the job opening on the Friday before.  I was taking awhile getting my online application done and Richard said, why not go in and apply in person?  So I did.  By the next morning I had an interview with the Pastry Chef and then was officially hired the next day.  It was a miracle it happened so fast.  I think a large part of that was that we were united, in many ways, during our fast and then that I had found a job that I can literally walk to.
 Most of my shifts have been opening shifts, 630 to 12 or 1pm.   One nice benefit is free food - I can take soup, sandwiches, croissants, etc. home as long as they're not the last one.  Another great benefit is the Wellness Center.   I can use the gym for free (unless they're super busy) and in a winter wonderland like Midway, thats AWESOME!  I worked as a student baker for several months until just before I got pregnant with Cliffton back in 2006 and I enjoyed it.  I've wanted to work in a bakery again and I'm glad to have this chance.  Its been a little stressful of course to learn new responsibilities but I've enjoyed it overall and I have great co-workers.  :)   

My motto recently has become, "Expect Miracles."  We've seen miracles happen that were molded to help me know God is there and he understands ME.  I've realized how I need to focus on him and draw upon the wisdom and power he allows as I seek him.  These last three years have been very rough financially.  Rough in other ways too but especially with money.   One particular day I realized I had lost the $70 dollars for gas money we had been given by a family member.  It was horrible for me.  I searched and prayed and cried and looked and cried some more.  I started saying loudly, "Janelle, expect miracles, Janelle, expect miracles" over and over.  I told Richard about it and I looked in the car and then he took the car over to where I picked up Cliffton at the bus stop to see if it might have fallen there.  Needle in a haystack, right?  No $.  He talked to me and then said, "Janelle, I'm going to look in your jeans pocket and it going to be there."  And oh wow, it was!  Of course I had looked several times through my pockets.  :)  Prayers are answered.

So, unlike most of previous posts, this had no pictures and was more of a journal entry.  Totally worth it for me!  I will see about those pictures soon....

Pole Line Pass

I drove up hwy 220 which starts in Snake Creek Canyon and meanders through the Wasatch State Park/Uinta National Forest on my way to hike around Ant Knoll with my girls today. You can see how nice and smooth it is in the beginning.  Aren't the fall colors gorgeous?

  Ant Knoll is one of the summits above our little town of Midway.  I found a website in which a family said it was a moderate hike with kids so I figured, no time like the present, right?  I brought my camelbak with some food, first aid, phone, keys, and of course, water.  I also brought hats (which Violet will sometimes tolerate but Azure will barely wear), umbrella, sunscreen, and Azure's most prize possession, her pink blankie. I had never driven up the canyon before, let alone Cummings Parkway/hwy 220/trail 1.  Its a bumpy ride, let me tell you!  Here we are at Pole Line Pass, elev. 8920

Azure is just below the trailhead and Violet is already on it.

Violet was in incredible little hiking buddy.  She got ahead of me a few times!

Mostly Aspen forest.  The trail was damp, a little muddy in some areas.

Me!

 It was a little cold for the girls so I encouraged them to walk and sometimes to hurry.  Often I carried Azure except when I took pics or when we ate.    

It was fun!  I'd like to hike up here again with Richard so we can get to the top of Ant Knoll or go south on Ridge 157 (going north goes to the knoll) to Forest Lake.

This is "our" little summit.  I should have brought a Stacey flag to plant in place at the top.  :)

Looking north, ish.  Ridge 157 climbs along the open area.

On top of our little mountain!  Which is part of a huge mountain!

Looking Southwest towards Timp.  I think.

South

Um, Southeast?

Definitely East!  (Heber Valley)

So here we are, some 9600 ft. or so, and feeling good!  I feel like I'm on top of the world!  Or at least Heber.

Azure with Rainbow Dash (a My Little Pony).

UltraVi with her puppy.

I said, show me your angry face.  Hmmm....How did Mushu say it in the movie, Mulan?
"I think my bunny slippers just ran away."

Violet's angry face - a bit more on the "you better watch out" side.

Right about now we hear thunder.  Time to go!  It took us about 80 minutes to get up here.
Guess how long to get back to the car?

Violet had the umbrella.  I had Azure/her blankie on my shoulders.

We got down to the car in about 40 minutes.  :)
Downhill, determination, and a dreary baby all add up to a subtraction (in our time).  

After leaving Pole Line Pass, I  drove back about 2 miles and then went on the fork towards Deer Creek Campground/Cascade Springs.  I came to a lookout area and THIS WAS AWESOME!

Stacey Vs. Nature:  Final score tba  (wish I had taken a pic of the car when we got home)

The rain started again so off we went.

                                   

                             

We also saw some very muddy, very red dirt roads but no pictures.  :(

                              

                                   
More adventures to come...

High on a mountain top, a camera was revealed, the family barely stopped, to, take some quick pictures....

We took the new blog title picture near a split up in the mountains where you can either go down Cottonwood Canyon or go to Park City.  This is close to the summit.  You basically stay on Pine Canyon road, in front of our community and then follow it up and over the mountains to get to Park City and Deer Valley.  Its closed in the winters once you get past the boundary of the Wasatch Mountain State Park.  I've really had a hard time finding the exact altitude of the highest point of Pine Canyon Rd.  The highest point of Park City is about 10,000 ft. so maybe about that.  :)  Awesome!   We had decided to go to Park City on Monday but it was getting late so we made plans to go on Tuesday.  Violet was really excited!  We walked around and had some yummy food at Rocky Mountain Chocolate and at Main St. Pizza & Noodle.  We found a park, no playground and let the kids play around.  Then just after that we found a fun playground - the zipline there (south end park??) was the coolest kids zipline I've been on at a playground.  I mean, that the KIDS went on.  :)   We had a great time and I wish we had taken pics of the kids but sometimes its nice to just be, and forget about the phones, cameras, ipods, etc.
*note - I found out the highest point of the road was after we turned off Pine Canyon onto Guardsman pass (which connects Salt Lake Valley to Park City) at 9,700 ft.  Just after that you hit some of the ski resorts in Park City.

Loving Utah, missing our Long Island Family

Just a quick post:
We moved on July 31st and arrived in Utah on August 5th.  Richard and I are so happy to be back in Midway.  Its such a lovely mountain community - no stoplights!  I just hope I wont spin out in the snow and ice again this year.  :/  I miss our friends back in Freeport, NY of course, but man, I love being in the mountains again!  I love being able to run and bike in the valley and mountains around Midway.  Its lovely.  But I do miss my buds.  And Jones Beach.
We drove through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Wyoming.  We met a wicked hailstorm in Wyoming.  People just don't get a break there.  It got so bad that I pulled over for a little while.  With grateful hearts, we were able to unload our truck with help from Richard's brother and his wife, and his Mom.  Thanks Matt, Felicia and Loretta!  And little Eliza was there to make it more fun!
Cliffton starts first grade this week and I hope we can find a little preschool for Violet.  She is way excited for school!  The kids love having a loft that is just for them and their toys.  I like it too!  Even little Azure has been up there a time or two but not for too long.
That's it for now.
 I miss you guys in New York!
Thanks for being our family.  You are amazin' and you rock!  Ain't no hurricane gonna blow down this  tough group!  Love you!!!
So happy to be around some of my family again.  :)
 Thanks Dagan for helping us out.  A lot.
Onto more adventures...

And the Guinness Record for World's Largest Arcade (2008) goes to....

Funspot!  Right in Laconia, NH, which is where we stayed for our vacation.  It was officially named the "Largest Arcade in the World" by Guinness World Records at the 10th Annual International Classic Video Game and Pinball Tournament, held from May 29 through June 1, 2008.  We had fun there although my legs were soooo sore!  Azure LOVED the carousel and Violet loved the little bumper cars.  Cliffton liked whatever gave him tickets.

Daddy's favorite!

My favorite!!!

Played this one!

Played this one!