Family Reunions

Okay, so it's been awhile since I blogged! I've been hooked on Facebook, I cannot lie! :) BUT...I guess I need to do both, b/c I found I can't really "journal" on a fb!

I just returned from our Bertelsen Family reunion in Utah. It was quite fun! The crazy thing is that amidst the craziness of that reunion, a Whitney Family reunion broke out! It was a BLAST! The first time really since my mother passed away, that we had all been together, enjoying each other's company and just playing HARD!

We had a mean game of football going the greenway of my nieces neighborhood. Even my 75 yr old dad came and joined us! It was a blast! I was sweating so much, but enjoyed every minute of it. All my brothers in law, my nephews, my new nephews in law (??? I never got that stuff) and all relatives in my immediate family. It was just really so much fun.

Johnny - my brother in law - make a MEAN enchalada dinner. Anyway.....we have really not had this much fun, or really gotten together with all the kids an spouses, etc...since I can remember and I'm so happy it happened. I'm grateful for my sis who organized it all b/c my kids got in the car on the way home and said, "I LOVE mom's side of the family".

I grew up only knowing one side of my family and I really didn't want that to happen. I'm so happy that my kids now know and enjoy the "other half" and will have memories to last.

Until next time!!!!.....

Thembi is a ROBOT!!!

Jim was downstairs and Stockton came running in. "Dad, DAD...GUESS WHAT!?" His eyes where popping out of his head! "What" Jim replied. "Thembi is a ROBOT"!!!! Jim had taken a computer apart and kept the magnet from the hard drive. It is really powerful. Stockton was walking around and randomly sticking it to things. He walked up to Thembi and put it on her back and it stuck!!!!! He gently backed away with his eyes huge saying, "Whoooaaaahhhh!!! are you a robot?". Thembi was tryig to figure out what was on her back and she saw Stockton's eyes. She said, "do it again". So he did...and each time he did it, he had a bigger "WHHOOOAAAHHHH....You are a ROBOT!!!". That is when he took off downstairs to report the cool news to his dad!

Jim said, "Stock, I think I know why that magnet was sticking to Thembis back". "Why" Stock replied. So Jim went to my drawer, pulled out a bra and stuck the magnet to it. Stockton quickly replied with an "Eeeewwwwweeeee, disgusting!!!!!!!" (hahaha).

SNOW DAYS

This is our first snow of the year!! We had snow days on Mon, Wed, Thurs and Fri! Woohoo! Wed, I took Micah to Jazz Band before we knew school was cancelled (instead of a 3 hour early release). Thurs was supposed to be a 2 hour delay and ended up being cancelled, so it's been fun.

It was also Thembi and Lwazi's first time in snow ever!!! Thurs snow was the best as it covered the trees, limbs and everything. It was beautiful. The kids all raced down the driveway with the sleds, had snowball fights and just enjoyed the days off school!

I enjoyed actually having my house clean and getting my laundry caught up! Here are some pics from the big "snow days".

CHRISTMAS 2008

Well, Christmas this year is extra special b/c we have two new members of our family! Lwazi Mazi from Margate, Kwa Zulu Natal and Thembi Zulu from Johannesburg, S. Africa! They are such incredible individuals!

Lwazi helped us cut down our Christmas tree this year after he had arrived on Dec. 2nd and we waited for Thembi to arrive a week later on Dec 10th, to decorated it. They both had quite sever jet lag and time change to overcome...but they did and they love Christmas in the U.S.! Lwazi said you can "really feel the Christmas spirit in America" as we hung ornaments on the tree and listened to carols on the stereo.

We hope to show them more traditions as the season continues and hope they enjoy themselves. I know we have as we've been able to enjoy true giving this season!

Here are some pics of our Christmas season thus far!

Lwazi Mazwi

Well, we have a new addition to our family. Teagen emailed a few weeks ago and said he had run into Numfundo, a gal he new from his previous area - Mdantsane. They were with two friends - Lwazi and Thembi. They had work Visas and were wanting to come to the USA but had no idea where they were going or who they were staying with. Teagen said, "My parents would love to have you stay with them". He emailed us and we now have Lwazi with us and are awaiting the arrival of Thembi.

He is such a great guy! We have loved getting to know him and his culture. He is trying to teach us how to speak some Xhosa so that we speak it better than Elder Wise when he returns..haha. He is so humble, so sweet. It is amazing to hear his "story".

He has met Elder Duncan and Lavin and they are all coming this Sunday for dinner and a lesson. Elder Wise and company had taught them when in Georgetown, and he is anxious to learn more. We have loved having him and it's only been 3 days!

Here is a pic of him with us downtown Camas at the Christmas celebration. Micah had a jazz band gig and the Elders came to it. This is me, Elder Duncan, Elder Lavin, Elder Lowry (replaced Elder Rendon), Elder Olson and Lwazi.

Transfers

Well, all good things must come to an end. We got news while in Thanksgiving that Elder Reyes would be transferred to Milton-Freewater. He is actually serving a Spanish mission here, and in M-F, there is a lot of hispanics, so he will be speaking a lot more Spanish there.

Then, we got a late call on Sunday morning that there was some changes and that Elder Rendon would be transferred also - even though he would be leaving on Dec 23rd. So, this night they came over to say goodbye.

I had made Elder Rendon a blanket (showed on him at the right) b/c he loved our "tv blankets". Weird, b/c I started his during Thanksgiving before I even knew he would be transferred. I'm really glad I did.

Our boys were really disappointed that Elder Rendon was leaving, but I told them we cannot be selfish : ) Elder Rendon and Olson have done a lot for our family, have loved us, etc...but other families need him too! We'll stay in touch.


Here is some funny pics of the Elders dressed with our hats and using the RockBand guitars. They had been quoting "Nacho Libre" for the last month! Micah is an actor, so he quotes movies and plays constantly. It was hilarious! Elder Reyes even shared a "spiritual thought" that was "Under the clothes is a man, under the man is the.....NUCLEUS!". He is so funny. We will miss them all dearly. But we know there are more on the way!

Thanksgiving

We traveled to Jim's folks place in Coeur d'Alene, ID (actually Hayden Lake) for our annual Thanksgiving trip. We almost didn't make it as Jim and Levi both woke up on Wed morning with a sort throat and fever. We had planned to leave at 6am on Wed, but we had them sleep in to see if they would get any better. We just didn't want to take any flu bug up to Jim' parents.

As it turned out, they did get feeling better, we pumped them up with drugs and we were on our way. It was a great visit with everyone.

Ben and Amy's fam came up, but had to get Syd back for basketball practices, so we kept Jake and Sammy (our kids were elated!). Of course we hit BLACK FRIDAY. I don't know why they call it black friday, it should be RED friday, b/c that is what happens to your accounts! They go into the RED! Amy BETH's Family was in town (Deenie's) and so Westin came shopping with us. Very cool kid. Great family.

We also got to visit with John and Angela Geddes and family. It was great - as usual - to see them again. We really enjoy being around them and their family. The also have a great family. Jim and John are planning a CAT skiing trip since they have talked about it since apparently HS. John looked at me and said, "Alisa, are you okay with this?". Are you kididng? I'm so happy that he has a passion! He supports me in all mine!!! GO FOR IT!

We played a LOT of games, ate a LOT of food, spent a LOT of money and all in all had a great time. Here is a slide show of some of the pics.