Update on The Hopkinsons

 Ok, it's the 3rd week of the month, so according to Mikalyn, it's our turn. Here goes...

      Jake and I absolutely love it here in North Carolina (we were reminded of our love for it especially when Mignon and Joel came for Christmas. Mignon couldn't stop talking about how much she loved it here).  We love the weather, the people, the distance to "pristine" beaches and beautiful mountains, and we love the beautiful landscape. The only thing we don't love are the prices of plane tickets to Utah. After the reunion this year, we may only be able to come every other year so we can use vacation money elsewhere... This gives YOU a great opportunity to come HERE for a fun vacation. We have a spare bedroom with your name on it. We will literally put your name on it if you so desire.

    Lately, Jake and I are anxiously awaiting the month of March.  Jake's brother and his wife just had their baby, and since then we have grown impatient.  The other day I stood up and both of my legs completely cramped up and I fell forward, supporting myself with my arms on the table saying, "Owowo!" Jake got all excited and asked, "What, are you having contractions?" When I laughed and told him no, he gave a very disappointed, "Awe." I have to keep reminding him that we do not want her to come this early.

I am 30 weeks! wahooo

I wanted to include this picture because I think it is hilarious. No, I did not mean to be standing like such a gomer. Yes. Gomer.

    Meanwhile, we continue to make progress in our preparations. The nursery is just about complete! It takes me forever to find the best deals on everything. I got the bedding from ebay (new) for a great deal. All we need now is a rocking chair/glider, and a few pictures or something on the walls. I will also probably paint block letters of her name, but since she doesn't have one yet that will have to wait. Oh, and those things on top of the crib will be hung on the wall. Oh, and I painted the vases on the dresser- one of my little projects.
  

I'm starting a baby blanket... I'm always so nervous that the colors wont work in the end. 

 For the grandkids: Charlie loves playing tug, and I can't ever beat her (I don't have a whole lot of abdominal strength right now). She plays so gently when Dixie starts tugging and gets this look on her face as if to say (in the voice of Fezzic, the giant from Princess Bride), "I just want you to feel like you are doing well."

 Mckay and Karalyn will appreciate this one... This is the turtle, Shelly, that we may or may not have drowned. We let her go "free" in the water thinking she was a water turtle only to find out later from Mckay that she wasn't.  No wonder she was looking at us like that. Hope she made it.

And since I even posted about our turtle that we owned for about an hour, I figured I should give a little update about Jake, too.  He is sad he's had to miss out on the past couple of family gatherings, but is looking forward to the reunion this summer.  He works so hard and is doing exceptionally well at his job here. His boss has great plans for him and has been helping to set him up for success in the future. He stands out wherever he goes. Oh, he has been officially called to be a Sunday school teacher with me, so it has gone MUCH smoother.  (This picture is when we were waiting for Joel to finish his Christmas shopping at Walmart. Jake was sitting on the car keeping an eye on the door so Joel wouldn't get lost.)

 I can't wait to hear about what everyone else is up to.  I love to see pictures and hear stories about the youngsters. Oh, by the way, just so we are on the same page the family reunion is scheduled for July 12-15 (Thursday-Sunday).  If for some reason this isn't going to work for you let me know, but otherwise that's the date.  Jake has approved time off for July 6-22. Before the reunion we will be staying at Mom and Dad's and will have "Orton time," and after the reunion we will spend time with Jake's side, so make sure you plan around us... ok, at least just consider us when you make your plans. Love you all!

Does this thing work?

I was assigned to write so I did it...I'm done.  I can now check it off my list.

Babies Don't Keep

These days, I here about one sentence per Sacrament meeting, between screaming kids and running-up-to-the-pulpit kids, and you never know how pertinent the one sentence is going to be.  This week it was this little old vintagey poem, which has run through my mind over and over again:


The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

for Children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep......

~Author Unknown ~


You know, each new phase of life is fun and exciting and brings something new to enjoy, but if I wanted to, I could (and some days do) spend all of the precious time when my children need me more than anybody else doing house work. 

and that, Mikalyn, is basically what is going on around here.  The war between my house and my kids.  Luckily, it's quite clear by looking around that the kids are winning.

here they are  in all their cuteness:

Adam and new bride Stephanie had a trolley waiting to give rides outside the temple after they got married, which really came in handy for 1)keeping hte kids around and 2) keeping warm!

All these candy cane pictures are after the kids sang "Rudolph" in front of thousands of Walmart employees (including right in front of the CEO) at the Christmas meeting.

We are doing well and I'm feeling pretty great.  I was recently tested for adrenal insufficiency (basically what Mer has) and all came back normal, so I'm pretty sure it was Lyme Disease, and it's all over now.

I have sworn in my wrath that I will have no more babies until the ones I have now sleep through the night for at least an entire month.  So if you want to pray for something...

love you all!

A Proposition

Ok guys, its time to bring this blog back to life.  I don't even know what everybody is up to.  I used to just say, 'Hey Mom, what state is Mignon in this weekend?', or, 'Hey Mom, when is our family reunion?', and she would tell me.  Well, that is what this blog is for.  I want to know what is going on, and I want pictures; I am sure we all feel this way.  We can make this blog work.  It has been limping along for almost two years, and it is time to set down the crutches.  Think of the benefits this blog has to offer our family.  Not only will it provide a convenient and accurate family record, but we will also feel the power of a family that stays close, and cares for each other.  President Henry B. Eyring said in a general conference address, " At family prayer around a breakfast table, one child may pray for another to be blessed that things will go well that day in a test or in some performance. When the blessings come, the child blessed will remember the love of the morning and the kindness of the Advocate in whose name the prayer was offered. Hearts will be bound in love."   We may not be able to pray together around the breakfast table, but we can still bind our hearts with love.

               So to start things off, I would love to have everyone write a little post about their families current place in life.  Just a little something and maybe a picture or two.  Please have this done within the next week.

                I have also taken the liberty to plan out a weekly schedule, each family will be assigned to post once a month.  This is in similitude to our old Orton Family Newsletter.  I am really looking forward to this, when I pray for you guys I want to know what I should be praying for.   I love you all so much!

              Also a special thanks to Melanie and Mardee, who have been such faithful and enjoyable bloggers.
             

I'm seein my father in me (or at least in my catch prases).

Hey, I found this old post in the drafts pile... Its from a few months ago but its still applicable so I will share it anyway.

I have had so many crazy experiences up here in the 49th state, I am sorry I have not been a faithful blogger, or caller... or e-mailer.......or even facebooker. But!(if you buy 5 compleatos.... ha ha just kidding) but that does not mean I haven't been thinking of you every day. It has become apparent to me that I am who I am because of my family, I never realized how much influence you all have had on my life, personality, and habits. One way that has manifested itself is the way I use "dad phrases" on a daily basis. Its like hiccups, or maybe a reflex reaction. Like when you go to the doctor and they hit your knee with a rubber mallet (or does that only happen in movies?). When someone askes; "did you get a hair cut?" I reply, " ya, a few of them." when some one says "guess what!" reply with, "an elephant stepped on your toe?" "Bless you" "I am blessed" "what er you doin? standin on your head spittin' quarters?" etc. etc. (I guess the only one that is not really applicable to me is, "hurry up, we're burnin daylight." with 23 hours of daylight each day- I think there is a little to spare). Even when I don't say them out loud, they just pop into my head before even have time to think about it. I even had the urge to watch a western the other day. Mignon told me one time that if I want to make friends I have to stop telling 'dad' jokes. Well, that has gotten worse too, as you could probably tell with the 'apparently' word play. Hailey can attest to it, I have become down right punny.

Some of these phases have become very useful, and very dear to me. Like when I walk out the door to work in the morning, I hear dad telling me to make a great day, and then I hear him ask if I said my morning prayer. When I say my morning prayer, I pray for enthusiasm, because that is what my dad prays for. While at work if I find myself moving a little slow, I imagine my dad walking in through the door and it scares the heebee jeebees out of me, right back into working; just like at home! Words like: attitude, effectiveness, sinue, and enthusiasm roll through my head and shape my thinking, just like Dad intended them to. Thank you Dad, thank you so much. You and Mom are the best parents in the world. I hear Moms voice too, she tells me to make sure my plate has all different colors on it, so I can have a variety of vitamins. She tells me to fold up my clothes and put them in my drawer when I am done with the laundry. She tells me to bite my toung when if I am tempted to speak ill of another, and to pray for the people that I have a hard time getting along with. She even tells me to work on my personal progress and that is where I have to tell the little mom in my head, "I finished that already!"

I love every single one of you more than ever! you guys are so amazing and I don't know how I have been so lucky to have you as my family. Sorry this was long, with bad grammar. Thanks again everybody!

Dear family...
This blog is really struggling. I want to post a bunch of pictures from last month, but I can't decide whether or not it would be worth it. Is anyone out there? Would anyone even see them if I posted them? Would facebook be better? Please let me know what you think.. that is, if you are even out there.