Demi & The Boys

Demi is home for the Christmas break and the boys love having her here.  I guess they really do love each other!

Thanksgiving Eve One Month Late



Sandi, Lynette, Myself & Mom



Katie, Dem & annoying little brother!

I'm the only one ready for the picture!

Lucy Glauser

The traditional game of Monopoly



Sandi, Lynn & Jake




Andrew & Katie (she looks just like her mom)



Tyson.....loving the ladies!



Jake & Abbie



The McKenzie girls



Me and My Best Friend Sandi
She looked absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

For the past 15 years we have shared a family tradition with the Glauser's.  Most people look forward to the turkey and potatoes on Thanksgiving, but the thing we enjoy the  most is Thanksgiving Eve!  Sandi has hosted this every year and we have been lucky enough to be a part of it.  She always makes a HUGE amount of the most delicious appetizer's you have ever tasted.  I always bring a few of my favorites and we get together and pig out.  The kids always get into a 4 hour game of Monopoly and we sometimes watch a movie. 

This year with Sandi with  being sick and a lot of scheduling problems we had to put off our tradition until Dec 20th.  It was worth the wait.  We had it at our home.  Demi and Abbie helped me to cook all day and my Mom, Lynette and Jake brought some tasty food too!  It was the most wonderful night!  We had the best time and loved being all together. What a wonderful memory with our dear friends! 



The Spirit of Christmas

My beautiful friend!

Friday night Dean, Kasen, my parents and I went to LDS hospital to a Christmas concert for the leukemia patients.  Sandi wanted to bring some Christmas cheer to the other patients who are in the hospital fighting this crappy disease. She invited a wonderful singing group to perform.  They were amazing.  As they sang about our Saviors birth I felt so blessed to be with these people who are fighting for their lives.  Their courage and strength was felt in that room  along with the spirit of our loving Heavenly Father.  I think this will be a favorite Christmas memory for years to come.  We were so grateful that the Glausers invited us to share this night with them.

The amazing group who sang



Courageous cancer fighters!  The man in the white hat is Bob Harris, he was Kasen's football coach
his first year playing football. He is an awesome man!





I love bald heads.....especially these two!



Sandi's Mom Norma, her darling grand-daughter Abby and her sweet hubby Lynn

She's smiling under that mask!! Well maybe not she was tuckered out by the end of the night!

My Daddy is 60!

On December 3rd my Dad turned 60 years old.  The family had a fun celebration with him.  We all met at Texas Roadhouse for a great dinner.  Demi was in St. George and Tasha was dancing at the Jazz game but everyone else was there.  After dinner we went back to my parents home for delicious cupcakes and ice cream.  Dad opened his presents and we all stayed late and watched the Jazz game. 

I am so grateful for my Dad and his example.  He is an amazing man with a huge heart.  He loves his family more than anything and loves it when we are all together.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Update

A few days ago I asked Sandi if Oct 6th (the day she was diagnosed) seemed like a year ago and she said YES, well I feel the same way.  The last two months have been amazing.  Amazingly hard and amazingly wonderful.  Lynn and Sandi have faced news that no one should ever have to hear.  They have looked at the hardest of adversity and declared, "We may be beat up, but we are up beat"!

I have had the most spiritual tender moments with my friend.  We have laughed, cried and remembered.

Sandi is starting her 2nd round of consolidation chemo on Monday Dec 6th.  She will have 6 days of hard core chemo and then work on building her strength up again so she can have two more rounds.  Her cancer is aggressive and smart.  I pray daily for a miracle but I know as Sandi does, that is all up to our Heavenly Father.  I love her and continue each day to learn from her example.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas



Dean's Christmas countdown from when he was a boy




Who it is all about!