time with my mom

Tosh, Liv and I have been in Utah with my folks for the past two weeks. For updates on my mom's health please go here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/maryanadunning.

There is so much that I could write about, but in general I will say that it has been so wonderful to be here and to have the opportunity to help my parents and to serve my mother in any way I am able. I am truly treasuring this time.

I've been going through some of my mom's photos and things and wanted to share just a few favorite old photos of my mom:

This next one was on the boat to (or from?) Hawaii in the early 60's (my mom did a semester at the University of Hawaii with some of her girlfriends):
I love this one from 1976:

I haven't taken many photos since I got here but here are a few. Tosh and Liv playing with toys in my parents' basement:

Don't you love this sweet Sesame Street house that I played with as a kid?

Tosh and Liv were so excited to see and play in the snow a week ago! They even got a chance at helping to build a snowman.

This next one was while we were out for a walk in my parents' neighborhood a few days ago. (Liv wasn't willing to join us in the photo):

I should have Rob write a post about the doings in Arizona, including getting our kitchen cabinets painted and Hewitt losing a front tooth! Those boys are staying very busy and sounds like they are doing well and having a lot of fun too (dinner with friends, staying up late to watch Rob play church ball, etc.).

I realize there is a lot I am leaving out, but don't have the time (or energy) to write it all down. Thanks for all of the notes and texts; we appreciate the support and prayers. I know that our family is being blessed right now for sure.

take-off!

I love this face. Here we are, Utah!

memory monday: dear diary

So I'm in the mood for something light-hearted today.

Liv found my first journal in our bookcase and was carrying it around yesterday morning before church. I opened it up and read a few entries to Rob. We were laughing our heads off at this one, although it's kind of sweet at the same time:

Jan. 12, 1986
Good hello!
It's 8:04 and pretty warm for a January.
Boy ya know for some reason I feel real special tonight. I don't know why. I gave a talk in primary today, and I think I did okay. Ya know I wish I were 14 or 16 because then I could go to the stake dances and date. Tomorrow is a school skating party. I hope Geoff doesn't ask me to skate with him! He calls all the time and asks if I'll go with him. I don't like to thow. [I liked this guy, but wasn't allowed to "go with boys" of course]
I just recently got home from a church meeting. Thats probably why I feel good! My stomach kind of hurts thow. I in the past week had a lot of bad stomach hurts. I'm pretty bored. I'm glad it's a new year. I was getting sick of "85! Well I'm getting tired--
Tamsen Dunning

That last line about "getting sick of '85" had us rolling. And my poor parents that I was so boy crazy by age 10 (if not before).

holiday wrap-up

I thought I would try to catch up on the last two weeks.

Let's see, the last of the new Lego sets were finished up. The boys worked well putting this together (they were each in charge of their own section):

The Friday before New Year's we went to a little railroad park in Chandler that we've never been to before. The kids always enjoy a new playground, and they had fun walking around the duck pond enjoyed the merry-go-round and train ride, of course. Some photos from my phone:

Liv LOVED the Merry-go-round and afterwards would say, " That ride is awesome!" I think that's the first time I've heard her say 'awesome' and it sounds so cute as you can probably imagine. We went to the park probably five times over the last week and a half. One day we went to the park in our neighborhood and the boys all rode scooters over (Rob got a new Razor scooter for Christmas) and I walked with Liv while she pushed Bunny in the stroller. When the boys got ahead of us around the corner, Liv yelled out (very loud and clear), "Wait up, boys! I coming!" It was so cute. When we got the park Liv called out, "I here now Daddy!" She is cracking us up all the time.

Here is a random photo from my phone of Hewitt in the glasses (from an FBI set) he got from Burke for Christmas. After he put on the glasses he said, "Do I look more like Burke now? Because I want to." p.s. Hewitt seemed disappointed when he accompanied me to my eye exam and was told that he didn't need glasses when the got a turn at reading the wall chart.

We spent a few days working on potty training with Liv over the break. She is willing to sit on the potty most of the time, but I'm not sure she is really ready. She is starting to wear a pull up some, but I'm not in any real hurry and am not going to stress over this right now.

She has been carrying this "Indiana Jones" bag that my mom make for Burke's Halloween costume (in 2008) as a purse. She puts all sorts of goodies in her "purse" and then distributes her random treasures throughout the house.

Liv's bangs are finally long enough to lie down flat (instead of sticking straight up). I try to comb part of her hair over so the missing hair doesn't look so obvious. I think she is looking more normal...she sure is a blondie.

When we were at a city park on Tuesday, Liv climbed right to the top of this huge rock (One of the young women in our ward was up there and helped her at the end or I would have never let her do this). I couldn't believe how easily she got up there--almost scary. She truly is part monkey! She was so proud of herself and didn't want to get down.

Besides playing outside in the high 70's weather we've been having, we've done some house organizing and yard work. The kids head back to school tomorrow and things will be back to normal for a couple of days.

My mom has had a couple of rough days this week and after much discussion, Rob and I decided that I should fly to Utah on Thursday with Tosh and Liv to spent time with my parents (and hopefully be of some support/help). Our plan is that Rob and the older boys will drive up to get us in a couple of weeks. Liv and Tosh are so excited to fly on an airplane (Tosh is our only child that hasn't been on one, but of course Liv was too little to remember). We would appreciate you keeping our family in your prayers. Thanks and Happy New Year.