BYU vs. TCU - October in Fort Worth

I'm not sure why I never blogged about our quick trip to Dallas in October. We went up to watch our Cougs play and get squashed! Always sad to watch BYU lose like that. Always fun to be at a BYU game. I think I have converted to Texas fall and winter. Now that I get to experience warm fall and semi-warm winters, I'm not sure I want to go back! It was around 90 degrees that day.

Friends at the game - Lindsay, Bethany, Alyssa with baby Maddie

Breast cancer balloons at half-time

Family picture before the game started

Sweaty Byu fans

I have to mention that my Dad flew to Dallas to hang out with us and go to the game. He is just that kind of BYU fan. My Dad is a lot of fun to be around and I'm really glad we got to spend that time with him. Brooke absolutely loved the attention, too. The picture above was the best we got, post-game.

Meet My Jorgensen Family

As I mentioned in the last post, we were in Utah in August for my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary and my dad's 60th birthday! As part of the festivities we took our parents out to dinner at the Roof on top of the Joseph Smith Memorial building and rented the private room. It was nice and relaxing to be together as adults and we took turns asking my Dad questions about his life, while dining at the all-you-can-eat buffet. Such a wonderful evening with my family. I love my family. Let me introduce you to them, if you care!

Mom and Dad - I think my Dad looks great at 60 and Mom is just a beauty

Amy (the oldest) and her husband John - Amy looks great after losing 30 pounds after her 6th baby and John, who turns 40 next month! They live in American Fork.

Steve and Krista (2nd oldest) - Steve works as a dentist and Krista is the Mom to 3 boys. They have great teeth, right? They live in Vancouver, Washington.

Devin and Meagan (the youngest) - these two are good friends. Meg has traveled the world during her time at BYU and is a dance major graduating next spring.

Brent and Bethany (3rd oldest... or is is 2nd youngest?)

Mom with her four girls - we are pretty

The Jorgensen Family - August 2010

So that's my fam-damily and I like them.

GRAMMY

It is only appropriate that I post about our trip to Midway, Utah for my Grandparents 60th wedding anniversary in August now because my Grammy passed away last Saturday, October 2nd. She was fighting breast cancer for the THIRD time and all just hoped she would live for the celebration with her family in August because she loved having her family together and she loved a good party. I am so grateful I was able to see and spend that time with her in August. It is not easy being one of the only grandchildren away and to have not seen her on a regular basis for the last 4 years. Grandparents and especially grandmothers are such special people and we almost don't realize it until they are close to leaving this earth. Second to my parents and own mother, my Grandma gave me the foundation for a testimony of Jesus Christ, that I am a daughter of God, with divine nature, and all the responsibilities during this earth life that come with those blessings.

I was able to be in Utah last week for the funeral for 48 hours, sans Brent and Brooke. It was an incredible blessing and a wonderful spiritual experience to be there and help pay tribute in a small way to her life and the person she was. My grandparents have given us such rich heritage provided through many traditions and an example through living beautiful, Christlike lives. I am so proud to be a part of the family that I am and I know that my siblings and all of my cousins feel the same way. And along this note, I am the only one of my grandma's posterity that carries on her name, 'Elen.' Also the reason why it was so important to me for Brooke to have this middle name. One of the wonderful parts about the gospel and what we believe in the plan of Salvation is that while death is difficult and hard for us to deal with, what wonderful comfort we find in the knowledge that we will see these loved ones again. And not only that but we have their entire life to use as a pattern for how we should live our lives. If there was one thing I took back to Texas with me, it would be to live as Christlike as my Grammy Elen did. Thank you Grammy for your example and love!

Precious Picture - Grammy ELEN and Brooke ELEN, Midway - August 2010

Grammy, Brooke, me, Brent, Grandpa

The last night we had a dinner and dancing at the Homestead resort. I had to include this picture of Brooke dancing with my sister, Meg. Pretty darling.

Possum Kingdom Lake with the Ellistons

The first weekend of August we were lucky enought to meet up with our wonderful friends from Business School at Tyler's parent's lake house outside of Dallas. We were thrilled to get the invite from them and they gave us royal treatment the whole weekend! Friends from school or grad school really are the best and Tyler and Ann are no different. These people are as good as it gets and we will always stay in touch (right, guys?!). I had to include a few pictures from the past just because it's fun to reminisce and see how we've all changed.

In the courtyard of the Business school - April 2008

Ann, baby Brooke and I - she was one month old here!

On to pictures at the lake...

Tyler's parents have a beautiful house right on the lake with a dock and boathouse where they store their boat and jetski. Brent and I love jetskiing so we were excited for this, and it was something I could do while pregnant.

Tyler and Ann on the boat - don't they look like the nicest people ever?

This girl loved being out on a boat! She was begging for it for days after.

The three of us on the lake.

A favorite spot for Brooke on the deck of the lakehouse.

One of my favorites of the weekend were the gorgeous sunsets. And the husbands awkwardly pose in front of it....

View from the lakehouse roof.

We loved having relaxation, swim, and boating time with these dear friends. We also loved talking them into playing our Wii Karaoke game, which they inevitably loved, of course. We had great food all provided by them and we stuffed ourselves like a bunch of fat kids (okay so maybe I did). We hope we can do it again soon or return the favor to you, Tyler and Ann!

South Padre Island, Texas

Wow, where did the month of May go?!?

At the beginning of this month, we took a trip down to the coast and rented a great house with two other families. I had never done any type of trip with friends before and it was a blast!!!

Top ten AWESOME things about this trip:

1) Our beach house (not exactly on the beach, but still). Each of us had our own room and bathroom, there was a large kitchen and family room area, a wrap-around deck on the top floor, and a pool in the backyard.

2) The beach, 85 degree weather, need I say more?

3) The FOOD. Alyssa, Crystal and I planned it out well, I must say. Each of us took three meals and we ate so well on this trip... YUM. Stuffed strawberry french toast... amazing chicken tacos... grilled chocolate sandwiches...Way better than going out to eat would have ever been.

4) Enjoying Brent minus his work laptop and blackberry.

5) Watching Brooke with her friends at the beach and at the pool. We haven't taken her to the beach since she was 8 months old in California. She's so grown up and it's so fun to see.

6) The hardly-bad-at-all 4 1/2 hour drive each way.

7) Being able to put all our kids to bed and then have grown-up time with dessert and games. So much fun.

8) Watching my friends be such awesome Moms to their kids. I wanna be like those girls.

9) The interesting town of South Padre that I would never really want to visit... just has an awesome beach.

10) The fun fun fun in the sun memories of this trip!

Thank you, Expedia.

Last week, we spent 4 nights in Boca Raton, Florida. Yes, somewhat of a random location, but all we wanted was a great beach and a nice resort and expedia granted our wish with an amazing deal. Brent starts a new rotation with AT&T next month and the schedule is less than "family-friendly." We found out about this the day before we left, so it made this trip extra special, just being able to fully relax, with the impending demanding schedule of the next 8-10 months with his job and all. Brooke was well taken care of but we did miss her terribly. We enjoyed sleeping in, cooking much of our own food, lounging at the beach and pool, snorkeling, shopping, seeing three movies, and two very romantic (ooh-la la) dinners at the resort, and also going to church in the Boca Raton ward. We loved the area and would go back in a heartbeat!

Guerisoli Girls Trip - San Francisco and Napa California

I can honestly say that I may have just had one of the best weekends ever. Ever. EVER!

My sister in law, Amber, and I have been trying to orchestrate a Girl's trip in the Guerisoli family for quite awhile now. I guess since Randi graduated from BYU, everyone finally felt it to be justified, so thanks for graduating Randi!

***

I have been nervous about leaving Brooke (for the fist time) for awhile now, but after a few hours and a glorious plane ride by myself... yeah, I was alright with it! We flew in to San Francisco thursday night and after a great dinner at an Italian place, we drove to Napa. We spent friday wandering throughout the Napa Valley. The drive is worth it by itself, but the peace and serenity of that area, not to mention the amazing food, darling boutiques and people-watching just caps it off. Ok, but maybe no kids and being with just "the girls" capped it off, too.

Mother in law Vicki, Newest Sister in law, AnnElise, Randi, Amber, Me

Me and my wonderful Mother in law

Beautiful home boutique in Napa

Amber and AnnElise in Yountville (Napa Valley), which apparently has more 5 star restaurants than anywhere in the nation.


Randi and Amber - beautiful girls!

One of the reasons I have been so excited for this trip is to be able to be back and enjoy all the food that I have missed so terribly since being in Texas. Well... excruciating stomache pain the day before I left landed me in the ER the night before. The doctor thought that I may have ruptured an ovarian cyst but wasn't sure. Anyways, I didn't have much of an appetite until the last day but tried to enjoy it as much as possible.

We ate at this darling Hamburger joint in St. Helena (also in Napa Valley). I always love a good burger!

I'm getting a little out of order... After spending the day in Napa, we drove through San Francisco to our hotel in Burlingame. Amber is able to get great hotel rates so the hotels were fabulous.

The next day we spent the day doing a few "touristy" things in the city. We hopped on the trolley in Union Square and headed to the wharf to do a boat tour out on the bay. I have to say that it was really fun being back and getting to be a tourist after living there! And very nostalgic for me, too. I was really missing the Bay area the entire weekend.

AnnElise and I before church (sorry... out of order again!)

Beautiful Randi at Dinner receiving her graduation present from Aunt Shelley. Which just happened to be Grandma Edna's wedding ring. Randi is their only Granddaughter so it was very special.

Friday night we went to Wicked!!!!! This was for sure the highlight of the trip. I was on the edge of my seat the entire show and just soaking it up.

Giselle (AnnElise's Mom who spent two days with us because she lives in Vacaville), me, Randi, AnnElise, Aunt Shelley (who lives in Walnut Creek and came to Wicked with us), Amber, Vicki

Guerisoli girls after the show

Riding the trolley (fun to do this since we never did when we lived there!)

Before the boat ride on Fisherman's Wharf

Like I said before, it was fun being a tourist, taking pictures of the Golden Gate!

The City skyline

Okay, isn't this a cool picture?!

Saturday night we ate at the Cliffhouse restaurant.

I loved eating there because we also never did while we lived there. We exchanged gifts on Saturday night and really enjoyed each other.

On Sunday, we went to church in Berkeley! It was wonderful to be back and see so many people that I love, even if for just a few minutes!

Brent picked me up at the airport late last night and I walked in to see flowers on the table and the garage all cleaned out and organized with a new shelving unit put up! This was such a surprise since we've been needing to get it organzied for awhile. Yay for wonderful husbands.

Thanks Brent for letting me go, thank you Griffeths for watching Brooke, and thank you Guerisoli girls for going (and putting up with my crazy driving all weekend)!