My New Job

With the economy the way that it is, we are having a hard time making it. But thanks to a local business I now have a second job to help with buying bread, milk and such. The picture below is of me in my new
uniform.

JUST KIDDING!!!  hahaha!  Lance wrote home to ask if we would send him an external hard drive to save his pictures on.  Gary wrote back and asked him if it was a necessity and said he didn't know if we could swing it because we just got through sending Alex to a lacrosse tournament in Las Vegas.  So I decided that it would be funny if I played a joke on him and sent him this email:

"Dad forwarded me his letter that he wrote to you. Don't worry about the cost of the hard drive. I just found out that the tax place that's over by Chili's has an opening from 4:30 to 7:30 everyday. I would be the Statue of Liberty holding up their sign."  Then I wrote some other stuff and ended with this: "I'm just kidding about getting a new job at the tax place. I just thought that you would think that was funny thinking of me dressed like that. hahaha."

Then he sent me this email:

"Good Night!   haha I thought for a second, "GEEZ, my mom is going to be the Statue of Liberty - dancing! hahaha  Thank goodness that's a lie.  Kids aren't nice to them, flipping her off and saying bad things to them.  I wouldn't know from first hand experience or anything that's just what I've been told....:)"

Ya, I'm glad it was a lie too!!  : D

Transferred!!

Lance is being transferred to St. Lucia!  He will be in Vieux Fort which is on the southern tip of the island.  He's been in Guyana for almost a year now and is so excited to be moving (not mention having an American companion again).  It looks like a beautiful place to be!!!

St Lucia lies at latitude 13 54’ north of the Equator and 60 50’ west. One of the Windward Islands, it is located in the middle of the Eastern Caribbean chain of islands and is approximately 21 miles south of Martinique and 90 miles northwest of Barbados. Castries (population 50,000) is the island’s capital and is

situated North-west of the island.

The island is 238 sq. miles, 27 miles long, 14 miles wide with a combination of high mountains, forests, low lying lands and beaches. A central mountain range runs the length of the island, with peaks ranging between 1000 and 3145 feet. Forests dominate the mountains, while jasmine, scarlet chenille and wild orchids provide splashes of color to the lush green slopes. The two towering volcanic cones on the southwest coast, Gros Piton (797m) and Petit Piton (750m) are one of the Caribbean’s most famous landmarks. The volcanic origin of the island provides visitors with an opportunity to visit a “drive-in volcano” and take a dip in the reputedly therapeutic Sulphur springs.

The climate on island is tropical with temperatures ranging from 70 – 90 Fahrenheit. The rainy season is from June to November and the drier period between December and May. Average rainfall is between 160-360cm depending on altitude.

Our Gifts For 2009

Simple and easy was the name of the game this year : )

Some Of My Favorite Christmas Moments. . .

I Did, I Did, I Got What I Wanted!!

The only thing I wanted this year was to have all of my family together and to talk to Lance.  The first part absolutely came true but it seemed as if the second part of my wish was not to be.  I was so sad! 

My kids always tease me that whenever I am upset, I clean.  Well, Christmas night I started scrubbing the walls after trying for so long to get a hold of Lance with no success.  They finally convinced me to sit down and play some games and we had such a fun time. 

We played Uno Attack and laughed our heads off.  After that we played Taboo.  We played that for a long time with the teams being Gary, Andy and me; and Scott, Leslie and Alex.  Then we started playing as one big team with only one person giving clues and everyone else guessing.  When it was Gary's turn we were amazed at how good he was with clues because we guessed them everytime!!  After a while he started laughing and we found out that every single clue he used was a "Taboo" word, hahaha.  He's hilarious!!  After that we straightened the house and I started getting food ready for our traditional Day After Christmas Brunch.  Then we went to bed - it was VERY late. 

At 6:30 the next morning our phone rang and it was Lance.  He told us to call him back which we tried to do, again unsuccessfully.  He ended up going to the Hymas's (the Senior Couple in his area) and called us from their phone.  We got to talk to him for 2 1/2 hours!  It was soooooooooo great to hear his voice.  He sounded very, very happy.  He did tell me a couple for stories that I will relate later, having to do with bats, anacondas and wild monkeys. . .

(Sorry, I just can't bring myself to post a picture of a bat and Les would have a fit about the anaconda, maybe later?)

I Didn't Get What I Wanted . . .

I've been looking forward to today for for the past 6 months.  In fact, the whole family has.  Today at 5:00 pm we were going to call Lance in Guyana!  We had everything set up right down to how we were going to record the conversation so we could listen to it later.  We had gone over to my mom and dad's for dinner and left about 4:40 so we could be ready for "The Phone Call".  We dialed once, we dialed twice, we dialed three times.  Nothing but a busy signal!  We called the international operator and he told us to just keep trying.  After about 30 minutes Lance calls us and tells us to call him back.  We try again - nothing.  He calls back and we tell him that our call won't go through.  He said that he would try to get permission to call us tomorrow.  We'll see how that works out.

Other than that our day was great!  It was all pretty laid back this year but all of the kids were here except Lance and he was in our hearts : ).  Everyone had a great day and I have to say that I have certainly been blessed in my life.  I'm so thankful for such a wonderful family!!  And at least our house doesn't look like this, hahaha  : D

Merry Christmas!

Image by Greg Olsen

Happy 50th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

We've been celebrating our parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary for the past week and it's been wonderful!  The family all went to Maddox last Saturday for a big dinner.  It was a very scary drive through the canyon with all of the snow but well worth it.  We all had a great time!

Then today we all went to see The Bar J Wranglers.  It was awesome!  I love the way that they sing and they are hilarious!! 

We have such a great family with the BEST parents in the world!!!!  Thanks for everything, Mom and Dad.  WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Our Company Party

Once again our company party was a blast!  We had it at Hamilton's Steak and Seafood Restaurant and had the best table in the house, right in front of the big fireplace!  Christmas trees flanked the fireplace and everything looked beautiful.

My food was amazing!  I had a green salad, roasted mashed sweet potatoes, asparagus, roasted vegetables and chicken cordon bleu.  For dessert I had crème brulee - YUM!  We ate and laughed and had a great time.  We always have a good time together, you'd think we were related we get along so well, hahaha.  Then it came time for the awards - What a SURPRISE!!!  It was truly a night to remember!

Our Family's Own Celebrity

Andy works in Salt Lake at an upscale restaurant called The New Yorker.  The following article appeared in the Salt Lake Examiner newspaper.  Andy is such a hard worker and everyone likes him.  He's easy to talk to, understanding and kind.  I'm so proud of him!!!  I did have to laugh about what he had to "endure" though, hahaha!

The New Yorker’s $14 prix-fixe lunch in SLC

Salt Lake City Lunch Examiner Heather King

The New Yorker is certainly one of the finest restaurants in Salt Lake City. Designed in 1940’s New York era décor with dark woods, fine linens and a stained-glass ceiling, The New Yorker is a wonderful place to take visitors or become a frequent local diner for lunch or dinner.

Located in the historic 1906 New York Hotel, The New Yorker offers a fantastic two course prix-fixe lunch for just $14 in addition to a wide selection of specials, salads, sandwiches and other entrees.

Included on the prix-fixe menu is a chopped salad with roasted chicken breast, a New York steak sandwich with shoestring potatoes which comes highly recommended, chicken breast marsala or a filet of Atlantic salmon (excellently prepared to the perfect point of juiciness while flaking apart just right) with sour cream whipped potatoes. Each of these entrees comes with the choice of soup (Gastronomy’s wonderful clam chowder or, on this day, cream of mushroom) or Caesar or mixed green salad or a dessert of Tahitian vanilla crème brûleé or vanilla Haagen Dazs with fresh berries. It’s a great deal for some delicious food (see slideshow for tempting photos!).

As a side note, this most recent visit to The New Yorker involved a group of 10 business women gathering for a baby shower. We were seated in one of the beautiful private dining rooms and given excellent service by our server, Andy. In addition to needing separate checks and accommodating special orders, Andy was also subjected to some very graphic conversations about pregnancy, surgeries and gynocologists. Besides an occasional lifted eyebrow or jaw drop, he was an excellent sport and met our every whim with a smile. I’m happy to say that most of my visits to The New Yorker have been with large parties and they are one of the most accommodating restaurants for this. Thank you!

Progressive Dinner 2009 - 20th Anniversary!!

Once again a good time was had by ALL!!   What a fun, fun night.  We started at Daryl and Melinda's for appetizers.  They served a yummy punch, barbequed little smokies, a relish tray, crackers, mozzerella sticks, jalepeno poppers, and Melinda's famous "Holiday Dip" with a wonderful bread bowl.  They probably had other things too but the dip is my favorite so I mostly concentrated on that, hahaha.  Their house looked beautiful!  I loved the way she decorated her table and as always the tree was pretty too. 

(I wish that I had pictures but I don't have my own camera anymore - since it was STOLEN AT THE MTC!!)  They gave us a Willow Tree Figure called Happiness.  I love it!

Then it was on to our house.  We had the main course.  My work party was the same night and one of my friends is opening a new restaurant called Smokin Blues.  They were catering the party at work so he said he'd do ours too.  Yayyy!  We served pulled pork, baked beans, baked potatoes, green salad and rolls.  It was yummy!  This year we didn't put up any lights outside.  Right now I really miss them and feel disappointed but I'm sure come January I won't feel bad at all when I don't have to go out and take them down!  Since I don't have as much time as I used to Leslie helped me a TON!  She's such an awesome daughter - Thanks, sweetheart!  You saved me again!!  For presents this year we gave Santas that hang on the wall. 

Then we went to Brian and Marilyn's house for dessert.  I LOVED  how her porch was decorated!  Her house looked awesome too!  I'm very envious of her basement by the way.  Her family room is just what I want.  Anyway, enough with the envy, (hahaha, for now).  We had the best decadent chocolate cheesecake ever and also regular cheesecake with cherries or blueberries.  It was the perfect end for the evening, and I say this tongue in cheek because by this time it was about 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning!!  Marilyn bought us each a wonderful "something" in the Philipinnes a couple of months ago, but sad to say it got left there by accident.  Now Angela will be in charge of getting it home for Christmas so we can see what it is  : D  They also gave us the newest Christmas CD of the Tabernacle Choir, Ring Christmas Bells.  It was recorded last year and we got to see the show in person so that's awesome!

This has got to be the one of the BEST traditions our family has.  The only sad thing about it is that Jay and Linda moved to Arizona and aren't with us  : (   WE MISS YOU!!!!!!

Thanks everyone it was great!!!!!!

A Christmas Carol

One of my all time favorite movies is A Christmas Carol.  I've seen all of the versions below and probably my favorite one is A Muppet Christmas Carol.  Although the Albert Finney version, Scrooge, is a close second.  I really, really HATED the Bill Murray version, Scrooged!!!  I thought the new version with Jim Carrey was awesome though a little scary.  I wouldn't recommend it for families with small children.

The Nutcracker Tradition

Every year for at least the last twelve years, we have a tradition of going to the Nutcracker Ballet at the Ellen Eccles Theatre on the Friday night after Thanksgiving.  My mom and dad, my sister, Toni, her daughter, Kailee, my daughter, Leslie, and I all go together.  The first couple of times it seemed like it would never end, now it seems like it flys by so fast!  We have such a good time together - and all of us "girls" are very proud of my dad for going with us each year, it wouldn't be the same without him.  This fun night is the beginning of the Christmas Season for us all and WE LOVE IT!!!!!

God's Wings

After reading this story I was so touched that I wanted to share it.

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park , forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.  One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick.  When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings.

The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise.


She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. Then the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast ...because she had been willing to die, so those under the cover of her wings would live.


'He will cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you will find refuge.'
(Psalm 91:4)


Being loved this much should make a difference in our lives.
Remember the One who loves you, and then be different because of it.

It's THAT Time of the Year

It's that time of the year again, where everyone is sick.  Everyday at least one child comes to my desk to tell me, "I don't feel very good."  Then there is coughing, sneezing, wiping of the nose across a sleeve or a hand and sometimes throw up!  I take the poor little thing's temperature, "Yup, you've got a fever, I'll call your mom." 

I HATE to be sick.  I really hate taking my vacation time from work to be sick!  So once again our family makes the annual trip to get a flu shot.  People tell me all the time, "I never get the flu shot and I never get the flu" or "The last time I got the flu shot, I got the flu anyway, I nearly died!"  Whatever.  I'm not taking any chances.  In fact, as soon as the N1H1 shot comes out, I'm first in line!! 

Anyway, I was first to get my shot - and it really HURT!  Gary was next and then Alex.  They said it didn't really hurt but my whole arm was aching.  By the next day I had a red spot on my arm as big as a baseball with a big lump in it and a fever there too.  Not only did my arm ache but it felt like someone had punched me as hard as they could.  It feels a little better today but is very itchy.

If I can avoid being sick though it will be WORTH IT!! (Secret:  Sometimes "my throat is a little scratchy", hahaha, Alex).

Guilty By Association . . . I wish!

Confession!  When I was a little girl I wanted to be in the Tabernacle Choir.  As I grew up I realized that although I could carry a tune and sing in a choir, my "talents" did not include beautiful singing.  After I had been married a few years, my husband's family made "The Lundberg Family Christmas Album".  Each of the six families (5 brothers, and mother and father) would prepare 3 songs for the album.  (I'll post about that sometime closer to Christmas.)  My husband, Gary, convinced me to sing a "little" solo at the beginnng of one of our family's songs.  Even though I cherish the cd dearly,I always cringe when it comes to my part on that song.  Anyway, back to the Tab Choir - my sister-in-law, Marilyn sings in it, her sister-in-law, Marilyn (that is not a typo) sings in it, my friend and fellow co-worker, Nancy sings in it, and two of my other friends, Yvonne and Edie, sing in it.  I wish that "Birds of a Feather Flock Together"!  Loved the music this conference!!!!!  Thanks!

This Really Happened!

This is the story in CacheValleyDaily.com:

Standoff in Logan ends peacefully
By Heather Bailey
Story Created: Sep 18, 2009 at 8:53 AM MDT
Story Updated: Sep 18, 2009 at 8:56 AM MDT
A 4-hour standoff ended peacefully last night in Logan. Logan Police Captain Jeff Curtis says 31-year old Jeremy R. Peterson was at his home near 400 West and 200 North at approximately 6:30 p.m. when he threatened to harm himself and others. When police responded they contacted Peterson in the stairway. Curtis says they saw he had two very large knives in his possession. Peterson then barricaded himself in an upstairs bedroom. Negotiators were sent into the residence while Logan Police and SWAT and with fire officials staged themselves outside. Curtis says at about 10:30 p.m. negotiators felt Peterson was ready to surrender. SWAT went in and safely took him into custody. Curtis says Peterson was taken to the hospital and stayed overnight for observation. He says police have had dealings with Peterson in the past. Curtis says no one was hurt and the standoff didn’t result in road closures since it was in the middle of the block.

This is the story from our backyard, according to our daughter:

http://www.scottandles.com/

The one in the "paper" doesn't seem like it was that big of a deal, but it seemed like a REAL big deal watching it all unfold. It was pretty intense!!

News - AT LAST!!

We finally got some news about what's going on in Guyana. This is a picture which was printed in one of the newspapers there. Lance told us his picture was on the front page of the newspaper there and that he would send it home. I don't know if this is the picture or not, but I'm thinking that Lance is the missionary in the window on the left, 2nd one from the left in the pink tie. You'd think a mother would know her own son but alas, I'm not positive.

Lance and his companion got a call around midnight on Tuesday night telling them that they needed to report to the police station in Georgetown at 8:00 a.m. the following morning. There were about 60 missionaries in all who were detained - that is every missionary serving there. When they got there, their lawyer, who is guyanese, said that he would have them out by 10:00 a.m. that morning.

The missionaries were told that the reasons they were there was because they hadn't filled out work permits, that they were there illegally and all of their passports were expired, none of which was true. They were all held together in one room (which was very hot) and while they waited they played games, sang songs (not "We Shall Overcome"), slept and talked. It was a very long day.

Lance wrote, "This didn't sound like a big deal until that later that day. Everyone made it sound like it was gonna be a wham bam done deal and that the missionaries would be fine. I've heard rumors that the government thinks we are spies and that they don't want us here because we are leaking info to the US. The president of Guyana said that we had 24 hours to leave the country, all 60 of us."

They were finally able to leave a little after 7:00 p.m. having been there for almost 12 hours after they made a deal to keep a few missionaries in Guyana and everyone else had until the end of the month to leave. The next morning it was all over the news and in all of the papers.

Everyone was very nervous about who was staying, who was going, and where they would go. Lance says he is one of the lucky ones (I say, lucky?) who gets to stay and that there would only be about 18 of them who will remain in Guyana. President Gamiette (their Mission President) came and talked with them and told them what to expect.

They are going to bring in 20 mini missionaries who are local. So Lance will be serving with a guyanese missionary. Some of them will be coming on full time missions. There are some who aren't 19 yet, but they are getting permission from the church to come early.

Lance wrote, "I think one of the things that's sweet is when you step back and look at the Lord's hand in the work. We think this is a horrible thing at first but then stepping back it's great. Guyana is looking to get a stake but in order to do that we need worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holders. God gives us that. It's sweet.

So while I'm worried sick about my "little boy" and what will happen to him, and impatient for a good outcome (all the while thinking that Lance will be leaving Guyana and that he will be so sad), God once again proves to me that He knows what he's doing, He knows what is best, and He knows us and loves us. His work will go on!!

I'm so grateful for our Heavenly Father and for the love and kindness he shows to us. For His wisdom in all things and for humbling me without devastating me.

I asked Lance if he was scared and this is what he wrote: I was scared about going to a new mission but that's not happening. I told a bunch of people, "The next time I step foot in America it's to hug my mom!" Okay, the tears are flowing again so I'll leave you with one last picture for today. : ) I AM SOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!

I'm Worried. . .

I couldn't sleep on Tuesday night and so got up and started looking at some of the mission blogs I follow. One of them had a very large blog about their temple trip to the DR. I was so excited but then noticed a little blurb about one of the senior couples having been arrested that day and that my fellow blogger aka another missionary couple, had to report to the police station the next morning at 8:00 a.m.

And so began my sleepless nights. The only information which we have personally been given is: "Some of you have heard that the missionaries in Guyana are being deported. There is nothing for you to be concerned about your son in not in danger. Missionary work is continuing as usual. We are working with the mission presidency to work out this situation. When it is resolved, we will be in touch with you."

I wrote to Sister Robison who is the wife of the former Mission President (they just returned about two months ago). She told me that most of the time they were on their mission, the government refused to approve their missionary permit applications. Under advice from the local Church lawyer they would always reapply so the elders were technically legal to continue in Guyana while the reapplication process was ongoing. Apparently the government decided to stop completely considering these applications.

The only other things that we know are from what we've read both here in the US and in a couple of the Caribbean papers. My personal feeling is that they will leave Guyana at least for a while. We know that whatever happens, it will be the Lord's will but a phone call right now sounds great!!