Thanksgiving Point Garden Reopens!

I admit it. I am completely obsessed with the Thanksgiving Point Gardens! There is just nothing like being there watching the birds, admiring the colors, and hearing the sound of leaves rustling. My personal favorite is standing near the bamboo and just closing my eyes and savoring the sound it makes in the breeze. The gardens opened this last Saturday. It should probably go without saying that I got there right at the opening time. Yes the gardens are still rather brown. There's no bamboo or aspen leaves but it was still fantastic to be back. The thing is, you never know what to expect when you are there. You can turn a corner and see a robin, find a pair of geese, discover a monster frog in the Monet garden, be surprised by a snake, sneak up on a rabbit, or find yourself staring eye to eye with a fox. All of these things have happened to us on our excursions there. We spent 3 hours enjoying the gardens and our company. It was a great time and I love love love seeing the children experience it. I'm sure now that it is open, that I'll be back often. It is my home away from home after all.

Carter's Baptism and Birthday

Carter's baptism was a beautiful wonderful day! My parents and my niece Cheyenne flew in from California and Matt's parents were here as well. Matt's grandpa was also able to attend so it was neat to see 4 generations of Morrison guys. My parents flew in Friday with Cheyenne and we went to The Mayan and to Best Buy (grandpa's favorite store) to get Carter's present from them to him. Saturday was the big day! Carter's baptism started at 9am! It felt so incredibly wonderful to watch Matt baptize Carter and to look around and see all these people who we love there to support Carter. It was a really great feeling. His confirmation was so comforting and beautiful. I loved the things that were said and I felt so happy for Carter and so proud of what a great kid he is! After the baptism we had an open house and then we had a couple hours to clean and rest before the birthday party. Carter had a Percy Jackson themed birthday party. I dressed up as Medusa by wearing a snake wig I found on Amazon (I won't be posting pictures I looked hideous!). We played a game where the kids walked around me and I closed my eyes but when I took off my sunglasses whoever was in front of me got "turned to stone." Ironically the kid who was the sole survivor has the last name of Stone. I honestly didn't peek so I just think that is hysterical! The kids loved the game so it was totally worth looking like an idiot. We served blue food and the kids played and seemed to have a great time. Carter's older friend created a Greek God quiz and the kids really enjoyed that too. They took the quiz to see which one they were most like and then we used a Greek myth book to tell them more about themselves. Then my niece Cheyennne led the group in tracing and cutting out lightning bolts. The kids got very creative! So all around it was a very wonderful day! If you read a couple posts ago you'd read about Matt's horrible eye infection. Well, I ended up with it too and so all my pictures at the baptism and the whole weekend actually have me wearing sunglasses in them. I'm sure someday Carter will think I was quite weird for wearing them in every picture. It was fairly miserable having to constantly blot my eye and I am just so thankful I now feel recovered. Even though I wasn't healed before Carter's baptism day I am so thankful for the blessings we've received and so thankful to be able to have such a great day!

32 Years Later

I will be turning 32 next in less than 2 months and I can't help but take stock of my characteristics and what I thought I'd be like when I turned 32. As a child I would watch my mom dress up for fancy conventions and parties. I'd see her put on gorgeous gowns and walk out the door with matching beaded purses of every little girl's dreams. I loved watching her get ready and loved opening her dresser drawers and admiring the elbow length gloves, the variety of small clutches, and exploring the boxes of jewelry. My mom has always been graceful, always poised and collected, ladylike and articulate. I always looked forward to the day I'd be old enough to be graceful and comfortable enough in my skin to be poised, confident enough in my opinions to be articulate, and calm enough to be ladylike. What I've discovered is that these things do not come with age. I mistook age to be the factor when in reality that is just who my mom is. It's sad for me to realize that I'll always be the clumsy girl bumping into someone or something in every hall. I won't be petite and glamorous and won't be twirled around a dance floor any day soon especially not in the nice heels my mom can wear. Who I am isn't who I thought I'd be and I can't help but mourn that.

I've been shrinking a bit and so I've started enjoying buying clothes for like the first time in my life. This Saturday I went shopping and got treated like a second class citizen for needing to shop in the larger womens' dept. Then when I went to a specialty store for sizes 14+ the ladies there gave me dirty looks and the sales associate was rude about me needing a smaller size that the one I had picked up. I left the mall empty handed and feeling even more acutely just how awkward I am and feeling like I just never fit in. Yes I know I am loved. I am blessed to have a husband who tells me that about 50 times a day and who shows me he loves me even when I can't fathom why he does. There are some things I do know about myself. I know that I am someone who tries. I love deeply, I care very much, I have good intentions, I strive to learn and do better, I notice small things, I am a very thankful person, I like to help, I am blissfully happy outdoors, and I feel happy over many simple little things, laugh at my own jokes mainly because I get surprised, and love nothing more than being a mother. So see I do feel like I know myself and I have made great efforts to help people realize I am not as strict or serious as they think I am. After all that, I can't help but ask the rhetorical question if I know I am loved and accept that I was created as a specific individual with unique characteristics why do I feel so disappointed?

February and So Excited About March!

Valentine's Day proved to be a day to focus on since we were all healthy! I think it was one of very few days in February that all of us were healthy! Katherine started out the month with RSV, brocolitis, and mild croup. So it was insta care, primary dr, hospital xrays and RSV treatment for her and prescription. Carter got a fever and got tested for strep. Matt got a nasty viral pink eye and so he visited Insta care, a primary doctor, and an optomologist (not covered by insurance) and so yeah we've been keeping the health care industry in business this month! I am SO ready for Monday so I can take down my February calendar off of the refrigerator and move on to much better things. Did I say much better things? I meant incredible, miraculous, wonderful events!

Now that the cat is out of the bag I can speak freely about Matt and I. We were able to be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on December 5! It was the most beautiful, wonderful day! One that I had dreamed of for 9 years. In my dreams I always pictured getting sealed and walking out to the gorgeous gardens but the joy I felt that day was so immense that I didn't mind freezing in the snow for a picture of our family on the steps. It was such a miraculous, wonderful day. I feel like my heart is bursting when I think about what it was like to be there with my husband and then with my adorable children. I love my family so much and I can tell you I have felt and continue to feel the blessings from going to the temple in our home.

I am so elated to know that next Saturday I'll be seeing my husband and son dressed all in white, enter the baptismal font. I am so thankful for this blessing that I think when I see them my soul will just leap out of my body! Carter turns 8 the day before and I wonder where those 8 years went. I've looked through photo albums getting pictures for his school spotlight poster to show on his birthday and I just can't believe how quickly the time has gone by. Words cannot express how honored I feel to be the mother of this sweet boy with the most tender heart around. I love how much he cares for others feelings, how he helps his sister, and eager he is to learn, and how much he teaches me! I don't consider myself a crier but I think I better bring a whole box of tissues to his baptism. My dreams have come true and I can't even express how truly thankful I am.

The Thanksgiving Point Gardens also open this month. I will finally have my mood booster, my comfort, and my natural home back. The opening day reminds me that I survived yet another winter. They remind me of God's love for me and when I am there I feel like I understand myself. I've been known to cry there over how delicate a flower is, how beautifully green the grass is, how adorable a pair of birds look as they chase each other, and over the wonderful sound bamboo makes in the breeze. I'm sure I'll shed plenty of tears watching Katherine re-learn the gorgeous sights, smells, and sounds of the gardens. She was just barely walking when they closed for winter and it was incredible to watch her explore the textures of the petals, leaves, grass, and stone and to watch her try to find the birds that were chirping. One day when she was sleepy we laid down side by side on the grass and watched the clouds go by just smelling the delicious smell of mulch and flowers and letting her drift off to sleep. I think when you have to deal with winter you just live for those moments. It's how I feel anyway. So goodbye February and hello March of my dreams!

Spoiled Morrison Girls

This year Matt really spoiled us Morrison girls for Valentine's Day. We celebrated a day early since Matt couldn't exactly go to the store tomorrow. Matt told Carter to get dressed they were going to the store. The boys came home with some gorgeous roses for me and a delightful Gerber daisy arrangement from Carter to Katherine. He gave her the flowers and called her his valentine and she clapped and gave him a hug (see picture) and then even kissed him on his hair. It was heart meltingly adorable. I love my boys and love how thoughtful they both are. We are excited to eat our chocolate covered strawberries and raspberries as a family tomorrow too. Feeling so spoiled and so proud of my chivalrous boys. Happy Valentine's Day!

The Sweetest Things

Carter and I had a lot of fun baking pies for the first time. I then had him make his valentines for his class party. He's just the sweetest thing. I totally love spending time with my boy. I also love my sweet girl who amazes me with her strong emotions and independence. I love seeing her eyes twinkle with mischief (see picture).

Local Book Signing

I was really excited to hear that our little local bookstore was hosting a book signing! I wasn't familiar with the author since I don't read many fantasy novels but I do love the excitement of meeting authors, supporting local businesses, and mostly giving Carter new experiences. I googled Brandon Sanderson to see what books he writes and saw that he has a series for middle school students called Alcatraz (the name of the character not the prison). Anyway, the synopsis is that the world is ruled by evil librarians. Sounded intriguing so I bought a copy at the local bookstore and we brought it back for the signing. By the way he has a ton of books so I'll need to add some to my reading list. As always happens when I am stuck in a long line, the guy behind me was entirely obnoxious and was talking SO loud and bashing his ex wife to his friends who came with him. It was obvious from their pained expressions and body language (think, I don't really know this guy) that they were as unhappy as I was. I told Carter he could go snuggle up on the couch close to the fireplace (cozy bookstore) and start reading the book. He happily strode off. I waited most of the rest of the hour wishing I could kill the guy behind me but we finally made it towards the front. When Carter was almost directly in front of the author some older guy with a very fancy camera and long lens started taking pictures so I will have to watch the local papers and see if Carter is in any of the pictures. Mr. Sanderson was very nice and said I looked familiar and asked where he knew me from. I really did think he looked familiar too but I knew there was no way I'd be able to place from where and I was honestly nervous so I replied that he looked familiar too but that was because he's famous. Good grief I am the biggest geek ever! He was really sweet and let me take Carter's picture with him (above). We then headed over to Wasatch Deli to share a piece of cheesecake. It was so fun to spend time with my sweet boy. Carter recommends the Alcatraz book. He said it's so funny he keeps dropping it and has to find his page again. I think that's a rather good endorsement. :-) And I wonder where I previously met that nice author.