Love my Lulu

Back in May, Steve and I stayed in a very posh resort, the Arizona Biltmore.   It was heavenly to lay by the pool and soak up the warmth of the sun, especially considering that we still were not fully out of an extremely long and cold winter back home.  I was also in training for an upcoming Ragnar Relay race in June and was feeling the panic of being unprepared.  This time away from the children was not only recharging my batteries and adding an extra jolt to my marriage (love our getaways, baby!), but it was also giving me some much needed training time in the sun.  Unfortunately (or fortunately for me, as it turns out) I had failed to pack a good running bra.  Steve, my ultimate "athletic supporter" (haha, I couldn't resist) insisted that we check out the LuLu Lemon store at the nearby mall.  As I slipped on my first piece of LuLu athletic wear, I was in love.  The running skirts, tanks, shirts, bras...the fabric!  Not only functional, but SMART functional, and pretty.  The clothing is designed to take you from the gym and into your day. Everything I picked up that day has since become my favorite running gear.  Last month, on our little girl trip to St. George, Kelsey and I buzzed over to Las Vegas to do some shopping and I introduced her to LuLu Lemon.  She, too, was immediately sold on their products and I had her Christmas presents bought and wrapped for under the tree in that one short store visit.  Turns out that she went home and told her husband and in-laws also, because they all added to her LuLu Lemon collection.  Well, after seeing all of the cute things she got for Christmas, I had to go back to LuLu for myself.  Oh my, you should just see how smokin' hot I am in my new tights, long sleeved shirt and jacket...and it feels so incredibly good on! The best treat of all:  Lulu Lemon in coming to Trolley Square in February. Love my LuLu!

My 2011 Christmas Gift to Lily

Dear Lily,

I am so glad your family invited us to join them in giving gifts to you this year.  These are gifts from the heart, and I searched mine to discover what it was that you would want me to do for you this Christmas.  I thought that one thing you would want me to do was to follow the promptings of the Spirit, no matter how silly or illogical the prompting seemed to be.  As you know, we got a cute little puppy this past summer, and we named her Jesse.  She has brought our whole family so much happiness and joy, and every time I think about how much this sweet little soul has brought to our family, I immediately have the thought that I should thank her “birth parents”—the family that we bought her from.  I have had this thought—or prompting—many times over the past 6 months, and so my gift to you this year is to act on that prompting.  I bought a box of oranges and a bag of doggie treats and toys, wrote a card of gratitude and included the above picture and delivered it to Jesse’s pre-family (before she became ours).  I was a little nervous to take it to them because I thought they would think I was a little strange, but it turned out to be such a great experience.  We had a wonderful visit, and the kids were excited to see a picture of Jesse.  I wanted them to know that when she left their loving home, she came to a home that was just as loving and that we adored her.  When I left their home, I had a big smile on my face.  It turned out to be one the most fun things I did for Christmas this year!

We love and miss you Lily!

Love,

Your Aunt Karen

The Best of Friends

Dear Jody,

My daughter called me at work today with laughter in her voice.  You had just dropped off this GORGEOUS platter that you hand made for me (thank you, dear friend...I love it!) and the saying on it gave Ashley such a chuckle that she had to call me right then and there to share it.  I thought it fitting that you chose this saying...and not just because I currently work with **ahem** mature residents of an assisted living facility.  But because shortly after the phone call, I witnessed a perfect example of the kind of friends you and I are to each other.  This is what I saw: Willma with her walker pulling Alice choo-choo style behind her and guiding her back to her room.  Both women had huge smiles on their faces and you could tell that they truly cared and looked out for one another.  You are that kind of friend to me...guiding me and laughing with me along the way.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

With love,
me

A New Tradition

Kim and Spencer have invited the extended family to join them in a new Christmas tradition in honor of their daughter, Lily:

Dear Family:

We have been trying to think of something we can do to keep Lily in our Christmas. Everywhere we've been, we've wanted to get her a gift, which seems pointless. So we finally decided what we wanted to do as a family last night.

We decided that we would give her a gift. After thinking about it we thought that the best gift we could give Lily is what she would want from us right now. So each of us thought about what we thought Lily would most want from us.

As an example, I determined that what Lily would want most from me is to go to the temple more often. That is where I will be doing the Lords work and can feel closest to her. Which is what I think she would want most from me. 

Each of us wrote Lily a letter with our gift on it and put it in her stocking. I told the kids that it was important that they followed through with this gift because she will know.

We decided to let Lily spread her wings and do the work she is meant to do for us all still on the earth. We decided to open it up to her extended family who she also loves and wants to be with forever.

If you would like to join us. You can do the same, by thinking of the gift you think Lily would want most from you. Write her a note and either come put it in her stocking, or mail it and I will put it in for you. I will be putting these in a book for each year, so if you don't want it read just seal it up and that is how it will go in the book.

Will you tell your kids and let them decide if they want to do it also.

Thank you, and we love you all,

The Mordue's

I am really excited to think of something special that I can do as my gift for Lily.  I know that a lot of people have already been touched and have had their lives changed in the name of doing something for Lily.  A friend of Kim's put up a pink Christmas Tree on Lily's grave.  Aunts and Uncles went in on a beautiful Christmas tree from Kneaders for Spencer's family.  They all met and set it up while Spencer and Kim and their boys were in Arizona for Thanksgiving.  Other friends helped decorate the house for Christmas, so that the family could come home to a house all ready for the Christmas season.  The manager from Kneaders was so moved by this outpouring of love for this family that she wanted to do something special also, and she joined in the decorating and donated a lot of beautiful Christmas decorations for the banisters and fireplace mantel.  I love that Lily will always be a part of our Christmas celebrations through our yearly gift that we give her.

Among Friends

Note:  This post contains NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, just Martinelli's

Last Friday night, Steve and I hosted a semi regular Christmas party for a group of friends that we have known since we were all newly married and having our first kids.  It was an interesting night...so different from years past when we have had these get-togethers.  For the first time I felt that we have all been through life's storms and tossed around a little to where we are no longer naive, yet still hopeful for good things to come.  This evening had a particular soberness to it, in that one of our dear friends has recently been diagnosed with stomach cancer.  As she shared with all of us some of the incredible spiritual experiences that have accompanied this illness, we were moved to tears and filled with optimism for her recovery.  I don't think life has turned out exactly how any of us planned, but it's still good.  Just different. Here's to good friends, and many more years of getting together!

Remembering Mark

As I sat in the audience of the Kurt Bestor Christmas concert and drank in the incredible orchestrations and Kurt's beautiful composition of "Carol of the Bells," I had an overwhelming feeling of Mark's spirit in attendance.  He would have loved this music!  I wouldn't be too surprised to hear him come up with his own version of emotionally moving renditions of beloved Christmas carols.  He was an incredible young man who packed a life time of living in 26 too short years.  Happy 41st Birthday on December 5th, Mark.  I love you and miss and can't wait to see you again.

On another birthday note, Steve sent me this text while I was at work this morning:  

"Donny Osmond birthday today.:). 54"

He knows and understands my crush from afar of Donny.

There Was Power

Last night we watched the weathermen on three different news channels warn the masses of the eminent wind storm...they were predicting gale force winds similar to hurricanian (my new made-up word) rates of 80 to 100 mph.  We pulled in the wreaths and patio furniture and secured as much as we could in preparation.  The night time winds woke me up with the howling and banging, and the morning carpool run was impeded by non working stop lights, roaming tumbleweeds and flying gangs of leaves.  As I drove towards Jody's house, I passed many toppled fir trees, their thin layer of root systems sprawled out heavenward.  A classic lesson on the importance of establishing deep, substantial roots came to mind and I made a mental note to share this with my daughter when I picked her up at school later today.  The power was out at Jody's house, and we contemplated on whether or not the power would be out at the temple.  We decided to go forward with our morning plans of attending the temple.  When we arrived, it was a lot more quiet than it normally is, but the temple was definitely open and functioning, albeit with the help of back up generators.  With the soft glow of half light, we entered the temple to the warm smiles of greeting from the temple workers.  It was business as usual, despite a few improvisations, and as I received the names I would be performing ordinances for, I had the sweet confirmation enter my heart that there was indeed power at the temple...not the electrical kind, but the highest form possible, the power that comes from our loving Father in Heaven in the form of the Holy Priesthood.  I was so glad that we went this morning, despite the inconveniences that accompanied this high wind storm.  I know that it made a difference for me today, as well as for Maria, Emelia, Elsa, and Sophia.