Winding down our home: We are definitely in a stressful time of life. Lily and I are managing the aspects and uncertainties of a move and Georgia’s hip replacement, and we are living in a home with 95% of our things gone. We are starting to get into a flow again, and plans are firming up, but it’s been pretty intense for us handling everything and feeling disoriented both emotionally and logistically.
The people we love: One thing that has made this disorienting time of life still very beautiful is spending time with the people we love. In the last few days we have seen Georgia and Andrea in Andrea’s hospital room, had Dad and Suzanne over for tuna sandwiches (and my dad’s amazing salad), had the Gruwells over for veggie burgers and berries and cream, and had a game night with the Olsens. Also, Lydia has had a playdate with Lizzie, and Mary has had a playdate with Eloise. And we all got to see Amy and her kids a week ago also. These gatherings have been bittersweet as we’ve been reminded of the people we love that we will soon be very far from. But the gatherings brightened our day, and we are encouraged by our ever shrinking world due to modern travel and technology like MarcoPolo, Facetime etc.
Here is our sweet Lydia getting back on track with her harp after a month off due to the Asia tripAmmon has had many hours on the Switch and screens during this chaotic period (as have the other kids), but he also finds creative ways to play when we don’t allow screens.
Georgia’s Fall: Yesterday Georgia fell at Legacy Village. She thought she saw Lily’s car in the parking lot and walked towards it, and when she realized it wasn’t Lily’s car, she tripped on the curb as she was making her way back. It was a hard fall, and she was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Lily was in the middle of coordinating our container pickup (getting our neighbor to move their cars for the truck), and loading the kids for doctor appointments, but she was able to follow shortly behind. Georgia broke part of the ball of her hip joint, and this morning she was scheduled for surgery for a partial hip replacement. So many people love Georgia and she has had a constant flow of visitors in addition to having Lily there for long stretches each day. She’s been through a lot of pain, and we are feeling sad about her fall and hoping that she can get her mobility back. The kids and I joined Lily for a couple hours in the hospital today, and Andrea also came. It was fun to hear Lydia and Mary report their Asia trip to both Georgia and Andrea, and Andrea looked stunning in her red-themed outfit. Andrea told us about a project she’s working on that feels it’s progressing like molasses dripping from a jar in winter. Georgia was in good spirits and we were all admiring the view. We are pulling for you Georgia!
Final Prep: Lily, Lydia and Mary came home today! I had a busy day at work, and did some final prep for their homecoming afterwards (like dumping off the Christmas tree, getting more packing supplies, dropping off the broken vacuum at the shop, making dinner and getting the kids clean) and then it was off to the airport for Lily, Lydia and Mary! I told Ammon and Clarissa I would do “bubble machine” for them, and when they didn’t know what I was talking about, I realized that I must have mostly done that for Lydia and Mary when they were younger. Bubble machine is when I use my hands and arms to vigorously swish the bubble bath in the water to create lots of bubbles for them.
Ammon and Clarissa were enamored with this toy at the vacuum shop
So much travel: By my calculations, Lily, Lydia and Mary had almost two full days of travel coming home. I’m sure they were excited to be home and have a bed. Lily said she had hardly slept (maybe none at all??) for two days straight!
Opening Gifts: It was so fun to pick up Lily, Lydia and Mary from the airport! I can’t believe they were gone for so long, but we immediately connected over their trip and the excitement of having them home. Also, they got tons of gifts for the family from Asia. At home, we all sat down and opened some of their yummy treats from Japan. They also got me amazing tea and some T-shirts which I love. Lydia and Mary also opened their Christmas stocking and gift, and Ammon and Clarissa opened their gifts from Georgia (which I finally found in the garage). Lily also opened a cashmere hoodie and Kizik shoes which I got her. It was such a wonderful evening filled with gifts, togetherness, and sharing. I got to hear everyone’s top three favorite things from the trip on the car ride home. It was such a fun evening! Some things I remember from people’s top 3 are the Peak, Snorkling, I think in Palawan, Team Labs (Lydia?), Tea, and the tram ride to the big Buddha.
Lydia’s sweater from her stocking
Mary loved organizing her stocking candy in the lock box I got her.
All the gifts from Asia!!!!Dress, fan and purse for ClarissaHome sweet home, although her bed is gone. Thanks dad for lending us this air mat!
Lydia Puking: All day today Lily and the girls are in transit to Salt Lake. They wont arrive until 6:30 PM tomorrow. They were excited for their 9 hour layover in Japan, but then Lydia got really sick from the food she ate at Jollibee and she puked red vomit all over the floor near the line they were all in. Lily told me that when Lydia told her she had to throw up, she said, “Not now Lydia, you always choose the worst times to introduce drama.” Lydia then said she really did need to puke, but Lily still insisted that it wait since they just got to the end of the line they had waited in. At that point Lydia just started sprinting to get to a bathroom, and she didn’t make it. She did get to the end of the line so she managed to not puke on any people (except herself and apparently some got on Lily). Lily said there was an audible gasp in the croud. Lily was feeling a bit penitent about her response to Lydia, but I thought it was a really funny story. Lydia was feeling much better by the time I talked to her several hours later. So instead of seeing Japan, they all hung out at the airport for the 9 hour layover so they could rest and so Lydia could be near a bathroom. Even though they didn’t get their last outing in Japan, they did get to have a more relaxed pace (and not have to worry about their ever shrinking supply of cash needed for Taxis to get to and from the airport), and they got to shop at sweet shops in the airport, which were amazing. Also, it was really fun to facetime with Lily, Lydia and Mary tonight while they were waiting at the airport. We cannot wait to see them!
Playing in the snow. We had a snow storm yesterday and since then Clarissa has been begging to go play in it. I spent the morning catching up on blogging, but after that, I took them out to play in the snow. I got a little shoveling done too, but mostly we just worked on a fort together. It was super fun. Clarissa eventually said her ear was very itchy and then went inside and fell asleep on the floor. I hope that doesn’t mean she’s getting an ear infection! I had to record her sweet 6 year old snores. I think they are the cutest!
Taking care of business: After playing in the snow with the kids, I banished them to the upstairs while I spent several hours on the house. Filling the container up almost all the way yesterday was a major feet, but it it did leave the house looking like a tornado hit it. I put things back together and also made more progress on the garage. I really enjoyed listening to Dixie Chicks, Dave Matthews Band and Morgan Heritage while working. I want Lily and the kids to come home to a somewhat presentable house and things in decent order. I can’t wait to see them!!
Today Lily and the girls flew to Manila to start their journey home. While in the Manila airport, Lily told me that this trip was the best trip she had in her life. Here are some of the reasons why it was so special for her:
She was over the moon about being with her family in the Philippines
She loved the beauty and history of the Philippines
She loved high tea in Hong Kong
She’s in love with Asia overall and feels she could spend a year there
She was so thrilled she and the girls connected to their Filipino roots
She loved the orderliness of Hong Kong and Japan
And the list goes on
Before leaving to Manila, they had one last day in Bohol in the Philippines. Lily has loved Bohol and told me about the 5 or more incredible pools (some with long lengths for swimming) at the Bohol resort. She had so much fun swimming there. They also had some great outings. First they went to a zoo.
Lily got a kick out of the decorative toilet
They held a giant snake!!
After their fun at the zoo, they headed back to the resort:
This is one of the amazing pools Lily was raving about:
Cousins!
Then they all enjoyed some beach time. What a great day in Bohol!
Back at the homefront, I had a monster day and I was so touched by how my family and Todd supported me today. First of all David and Olivia picked up Ammon and Clarissa and took them to see Wish in the morning. Clarissa and Ammon both have wanted to see the movie, and Clarissa especially has been begging, so it was such a nice thing for David and Olivia to do. Plus it was just so neat that they got to spend time together. It looks like they had such a fun time. Here is a really cute picture and video:
After they picked up Ammon and Clarissa, I went to Georgia’s and helped her pack and did two loads of her things in the Subaru. It was amazing to see how Georgia was up and doing to help with the move. It’s a big effort for her both mentally and physically and she was up for it. I was reflecting on how she’s actually in better condition now than she was a few years ago when she first entered the care facility, and I’m hopeful that she wont need memory care in her new facility, and she might thrive more without it. Also, over and over, I’m getting staff telling me that they miss will miss her, and they are so sad to see her go and they love her etc. One staff member told me she cried when she learned that Georgia was leaving. Also, a couple of the guys in the choir that sings there periodically read Georgia’s autobiographical book she made, and gushed to me about what an incredible person she is. It’s amazing that all Georgia is going through, she is still brightening the lives of those around her so much so that they are genuinely sad to see her go. I am sad for her to leave this community, but I know she will make friends in this way no matter where she goes. She told me that God told her at this facility her mission was to love the people, and she certainly did that well.
After some hours working on Georgia’s things, I met my dad back at the house. He picked up the kids from the theater and brought them home with him. Then my dad and I cranked on the house for almost 7 hours. My dad is 66, and I marveled at how healthy he is. He is very focussed on his diet, and sleep and he takes a lot of supplements and he said right now he feels he’s at one of the healthiest periods of his life and he feels great. It was amazing how much he knocked out with me over such a long period of the time. He helped me move furniture and boxes (some very heavy). He took down our Christmas tree decorations and the tree. He helped pack boxes, and helped me pack the container. I was energized by having his support, so I was moving very fast, and 1+1 truly equalled 3. We want from having the second container about 15% full, to having it 85% full. It was a massive achievement and it made me feel like the hardest parts of the move are behind us. It was a huge relief. Also, it was just so fun to chat and pal around with my dad in the process. I also played some Bob Marley while we worked. Bob Marley is an artist we’ve shared our love for for many years after I introduced him to my dad as a teenager, and then my dad went deep and got many many albums and played them a lot while I grew up.
Halfway through working with my dad, my friend Todd came over. He borrowed his dad’s pickup truck so that he could help us go pick up Georgia’s red reclining chair. It was also so fun to see him, he is such a good guy.
Ammon and Clarissa enjoying Georgia’s chair before we moved it.
So much got done today, and so many fun things happened, and it was all thanks to my incredible friends and family. My dad, David and Olivia and Todd all really showed up big for me and I was very touched by it. It turned out to be an amazing day, and at the end I collapsed at a massage that I booked for myself to finish off the day. It was an incredible massage.
When I got home, I tucked in Ammon and Clarissa and they asked for Smash hugs. A smash hug is something I started a year or so ago and the kids love it. A smash hug is when a kid is in bed and I try to smash him/her as much as possible in the process of giving him/her a hug. Sometimes I even grab the mattress to pull myself in for an even greater smash. The kids love it. One time, after giving Clarissa a smash hug, she lifted up the covers and evaluated herself. She told me, “I’m seeing if I am flat.” She is so adorable!
Lily, Lydia and Mary are still enjoying Bohol. They have really enjoyed being with Clark, Swathi, Soren and Meera. Here are some cute scenes of cousin time:
Their two big outings today were going to the Tarsier Sanctuary and going to the Chocolate Hills. Keep in mind, these may have been on separate days for them (due to different time zone), but they were during my day here in Utah.
Lily told me all about Tarsiers. She said at first she wasn’t very interested in seeing them because someone mentioned they are a bit like rats, and they have a tail. Pictures of them really aren’t that cute. But after she saw them, she thought they were so cute. She said she just had to block out the fact that they had a tail. She really raved about how cute they are. Apparently their brains are tiny (in part because their eyes take up something like 2/3 of their head). And the funny thing is that even with eyes that big, they can’t see well! Yoda and other characters have been based off of Tarsiers. They just look so interesting. Here are some pics and videos:
After the Tarsier sanctuary, they went to the Chocolate Hills. They are so beautiful. Many years ago they were all underwater coral reefs, and now they are the beautiful chocolate hills:
After the Chocolate Hills, it appears they had an amazing boat, dinner, dance and cultural experience.
All in all, they had a great day in Bohol!
Back at the home front, I continued to work towards packing the house. Ammon and Clarissa were very cute to have along at Lowe’s. We also got a board for the piano mover while we were there.
Here is a beautiful drawing that Mary made that I found while cleaning. The poem is very apt as Mary and Lily are getting so much time together and Lily has reported that they both have been perfect the entire trip. They really have both bloomed into such incredible people.
I finished clearing out the basement today!
This is one of the kid’s craft tables. I love it both because it makes me think of the hours they spent their crafting and also because I love it as a work of modern art.
Clarissa has done some fun crafting to pass the time. This is a house she made for Barbie. Clarissa was so intentional with each part of the house including the clothes rack, the couch (the bra pad) and more. Each item in there had a specific purpose (I’m just not quite sure what each one was).
And this is a house she made for Ken. She said Ken’s house is more plain.
Lily, Lydia and Mary went to Cebu with Clark, Swathi, Soren and Meera today. They took a tour of the city and had a really nice time. Lily said the tour guide was not super knowledgeable and she didn’t find Cebu to be as interesting as some of the other places she went to, except at the end, Lily was blown away by the church. It was a very old a beautiful church that had a lot of tradition going back to Magellan. If I understood Lily correctly, the church was associated with a Christian revival that happened in the Philippines when a relic (I think a cross) that Magellan gave to the Philippine Queen was found in a well. The Queen had rejected the gift and threw it out, but when it was later found in a well, it was interpreted as a sign of Christianity and that started the revival. Here are picture from their day in Cebu:
Here are pictures and videos of the church Lily was so fascinated by. The placard on the church gives details about the story of Magellan’s cross:
They also drove by the Philippine LDS temple in Cebu:
Back at the homefront, I had my first full-on day at work. I spent most of the day having one on ones meeting with my new reps in Provo. I really enjoyed meeting everyone. I also felt super fortunate, because the Jazz suite happened to be available tonight, and I arranged to take all of my Provo-based employees to the game as a team-building experience. It was such a great way to bond together, and the game was absolutely incredible. In the last 31 seconds, there were 4 back to back three pointers that sent the game into overtime. I was worried the game wouldn’t be good because the Pistons are the worst team in the league and only recently snapped a 28 game losing streak, but they came to play and it was the best game I ever saw live. The Jazz ended up winning and breaking a record for most points scored in a game at home, and they tied an all-time franchise record for points scored in a game and they also broke a franchise record for total points recorded in a game (across both teams). The energy in the building was great! (see the video below). What a game to be at, and what a way to bond as a team! Also, my dad and Suzanne watched the kids, which, once again, was so incredibly helpful.
Lily, Lydia, Mary, Clark, Swathi, Soren and Meera all recently arrived in Cebu. It has been a wonderful change of pace for them since their agenda has been so packed. In Cebu, they will get a lot more time to relax. Here are some scenes from the day, I think all from the resort:
Below is footage of tinikling. Mary and Lydia had done it before in their elementary school and it’s so amazing they got to do it in the Philippines with professional dancers and their cousins. This is hard faught footage, because Lily tripped and strained her ankle while getting a video of Lydia tinikling. I should also mention that Lily and Lydia have been wrestling with sickness throughout the whole trip (especially Lily who has a raspy voice and cough almost every time I talk to her). But they are all very happy and loving their trip!
Today was a really good day because I got a lot done, but (fresh on the heels of my self care conversation with Chris and Jenn) I stayed with in my limits, paced myself correctly, and found joy along the way.
I had so much fun chatting with Chris and Jen before they all left at 9:45 in the morning, and then I just relaxed for a couple of hours. I watched Top Gun Maverick which was an incredible movie, truly sensational. Then I got lunch for everyone and took the kids on a bike ride because the weather was nice. Just was we were starting we got to have a nice conversation with Lily:
Another great milestone is Clarissa just learned to ride on Lydia’s old bike. She’s a little small for it, but she will grow into it and she was getting too big for the purple Schwinn (which I will always love). Here are Ammon and Clarissa riding around the neighborhood with me!
After biking, I moved some things into the container and then blogged the rest of the evening. I didn’t push myself too hard and I stopped for breaks. Like when I found myself sitting at the top of the stairs, then lying down, then asleep, lol. It was a nice little nap. An I also played Smash Brothers with Ammon and Clarissa at the end of the day, which was so fun, it is at the level of of Wingspan with Lily for me. I really love playing Smash Brothers with my kids! I keep accidentally calling Ammon “David” lately and I think it is because when I play with him, he feels like my little brother. I’m having so much fun with them!
Also, I have loved our tree so much. It makes me happy every time I see it. Thank you Lily for reminding me to get the good tree to cheer me up while half of my loved ones are across the world!
Today Lily woke up early to go birdwatching with Swathi and Louie. She said the birds were amazing!
As a rough overview of their time in the Phillipines: Lily and the girls started in Manila, then went to a resort at Coron, and then have spent the last 4 days or so at the resort in El Nido. Today they flew to Cebu to stay there for two days, and then they stay in Bohol before coming home (via Japan which just had a major earthquake). What a trip they have had!
Here are some pictures and videos from their last day at El Nido in Palawan.
Lily went birdwatching first thing in the morning with Louie and Swathi
Today Lily and the girls had the best time snorkeling near their resort at El Nido! Here are some pictures:
Here are some more pictures from their fun day today:
Back in Utah it was a very exciting day for us because Chris and I took all the kids skiing and this is the first time Ammon and Clarissa ever skied. Jen stayed home and bonded with Basil 🙂
Everyone were such champs. Clarissa, Ammon and Gigi all did lessons with an instructor on the bunny hill. I hung out with them some to get video and see them, and also got a few runs of my own up the mountain. Chris and Caelan also spent time on the bunny hill. Then we all had a delicious lunch. After lunch the kids wanted to keep skiing. After observing Ammon and Clarissa for a bit, I was convinced they were ready for the lift (Gigi and Caelen had already done it before). So I took Clarissa two times, Gigi two times, and Ammon and Caelen two times (Caelen also joined with Clarissa once). Everyone did such a great job and made it down the mountain with no problem. I was so proud of everyone!
Clarissa and Gigi with their awesome instructor Maggie
This picture cracks me up.
It’s incredible to track Ammon and Clarissa’s progress throughout the day. I put these videos in order so you can see how they progressed, from barely being able to stay upright on their skies to bombing down the mountain by the end fo the day. I’m so proud of them!
In the video below, Ammon is so excited to tell me about the progress he had made!
Look at him go! And he’s not even using an Edgie Wedgie!
Look at Clarissa go!
Lunch at the lodge was delicious!
After lunch we hit the slopes again. We spent time on the bunny hill until I felt Ammon and Clarissa were ready, and then we all spent time on the slopes. Here is footage from our time on the bunny hill:
This is one of my favorite videos from the day. Why is skiing good? “Cause I’m awesome at it!”
Ammon showing his progress
And here are videos from us going on the lift. This is Clarissa’s first lift ride and run down the mountain!! She went down the whole thing without falling once except for at the very end. She did so well!!!
Here’s is Gigi’s first run of the day down the mountain!
Here’s Ammon’s first chair ride and run down the mountain ever! Caelan was with us also, and he did great!
“He is flying, holy cow”
I was so proud of all of them. Gigi also progressed so much since last time, and Caelan was doing great on the snowboard, and I think snowboarding is much harder to learn at first than skiing.
It was such an incredible day. I felt true happiness skiing with all the kids, participating in Ammon and Clarissa’s first ski day, and seeing them all have such an incredible time and progress so much. It was a 2023 highlight for me.
Speaking of 2023, Jen bought a delicious French pie to celebrate New Years’ Eve. We took turns sharing a high, a low, and a high from 2023. The kids mostly all shared things from today or this week, which the adults thought was funny (a little recency bias). My highs for this year were running half-marathons and having my job situation work out, and my low was my challenges with mental health. It was so so fun to spend New Years’ Eve with the Deans and I’m so glad they chose to spend it with me! I had such rich conversation with Jen and Chris after the kids went down also. We talked about self care during challenging times and Jen had great insight that she has picked up in her demanding work with refugees. What a wonderful famly they are!
