A new kind of Halloween chill...

If you have a Facebook page, you definitely need to check out the site called Take This Lollipop. It is interactive and produces a whole new brand of Halloween creepiness.

Click HERE to check it out and it will show you how to link to your FB page. You'll have to allow access and have a Flash player in order for it to work.

I would love comments on who tried it! Enjoy! MuahHAHAHAHA!!!!

THIS is Halloween!

This family has a bunch of videos on YouTube showing the incredible music/light displays at their house, but this one is definitely my favorite. Enjoy! And HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Oregon Zoo Trip

Part of the itinerary during my friend's visit these last few days was to visit the Oregon Zoo. I love this zoo! I haven't really walked around it since 2004, when I drove up to OR to visit my brother the year he lived there.

It is definitely smaller than your bigger zoos, like San Diego, but I really like the way the animals are displayed.

Here are a few we saw...










But wait! What is this animal right here? Oh...it is my husband playing with the thermal camera in the snake exhibit:

The Hostess with the Mostest...

Today my friend, Tracey, flew in for a visit from California. She'll be staying until the middle of next week.

Eric and I picked her up from the Portland Airport and we went drove downtown and ate at Jake's Grill, this beautiful restaurant in a 102 year old building. The food is great, you get to watch all of the "interesting" people walking around outside the window, and the decor is old art deco. If we had gotten married in the Pacific Northwest, this is where I would want the rehearsal dinner to be.

Then we walked around and I showed Tracey one of my favorite stores, The Real Mother Goose, which has all handmade jewelry, furniture, art and household items. I always visit that store when we go to Portland, and have never bought anything. It is kind of pricey, like the $362 sweater and the $4000 sofa table.
As our lunch settled we headed over to the malls downtown and looked for this cool do-it-yourself frozen yogurt place that Eric and I discovered a few months ago called Chef Fresh. I used chocolate mint frozen yogurt, a ton of coconut, and mini peanut butter cups. YUM.

Back in Longview, Tracey also got to visit our Fred Meyer store and see all of its goodies there. That is a fun store to show people who haven't been there. It has everything. No, really...everything.

The tiredness was starting to weigh in, so we came back, I made dinner and we all relaxed from a while. Eric and I have been watching that new show called A Gifted Man...very, VERY good. High quality scripts without the gratuitous nonsense that so many other shows feel the need to insert. I hope this show stays on for a long time.

And now I'm the only one awake! Tracey's enjoying our small, but very comfortable and well-equipped guest bedroom and bathroom downstairs and Eric is happily in Snoozeville. I'm a wind down person. I need a while of quiet time before nodding off. So I'm spending it here.

Good day, today.

Other things on the roster are church tomorrow, where I'm teaching Relief Society, and one day for the Portland Zoo and another for the big outlet mall in Woodburn, OR. Tracey leaves on Wednesday.

So we've got some fun things planned. All I have to do now is fall asleep and let the new day dawn.

Through Heaven's Eyes...

BYU's Homecoming Spectacular is coming up and Brian Stokes Mitchell, who possesses one of the best voices out there, will be the musical guest. Here is a very powerful number he did with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Through Heaven's Eyes, from the film The Prince of Egypt--a great film. When music gives me chills, I KNOW it's good!

Home

There really is something to be said about home when you haven't been there for a while. Now that I'm back home I can really understand why Jonathan kept asking to go home during all those weeks in the hospital.

And his request was granted.

It was a little harrowing, because last Thursday his wife received a call from the hospital telling her that they were going to release Jonathan that day. Come and pick him up, they said. Oh, and by the way, he won't be able to drive for several months and will need 24 hour supervision.

Obviously this news did not set well with any of us who have been living this medical nightmare for the last 3 weeks. After getting pretty firm with the hospital, Jonathan's wife was able to get an extra day to prepare the house. The hospital also agreed to have a meeting on Friday morning with all of those people involved in his care.

10:00am Friday, while I took my little niece to her toddler music class (great fun,) my mom, Jonathan's wife, the doctor, the head nurse, the nutritionist, the speech therapist, physical therapist, social worker, and Jonathan himself all participated in a meeting to discuss the next step in his recovery. Why something like this isn't protocol with a case as serious as this, we'll never know. It should be.

They discussed his diet (he's terribly underweight,) his limitations and restrictions these upcoming months, his meds, and who will be coming to the house to monitor different aspects of his recovery.

Friday afternoon he went home. I picked up my nephew from pre-school, my mom and I gave the kids lunch, and Xander and I went to the park and grocery shopping. That evening my mom made some lentil soup for Jonathan, which I delivered, although he was fast asleep. he was sleeping more soundly than I have seen him sleep in weeks. Later I delivered the kids, who were thrilled that Daddy was home. Although I could already see the challenges that lie ahead for their little family during that 2nd trip.

On Saturday my mom, aunt, and I took a much-needed break and went for sushi and saw a wonderful production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at the Glendale Center Theatre. It was absolutely delightful! The chemistry between the two leads was extra good because they are married in real life.

Sunday was my last full day in California. And, despite the fact that it was Sunday, I decided that I had to take advantage of the fact that things had finally calmed down enough to enjoy some fun. So my cousins, Laura and Cassidy, met me at Disneyland and we had a fabulous day together. Laura and I talked and talked and talked and it felt so good to be out in the sunshine having fun after weeks of daily hospital visits, touch-and-go news every day regarding Jonathan, and constant worrying. That night I got back to my mom's house, did some laundry, packed, and collapsed into bed around 1am. Tired, but happy.

Yesterday morning we coordinated with my sister-in-law and I took Xander to pre-school. Jonathan greeted us in a friendly mood at the door. You can tell he's happy to be home, and who could blame him?

My mom and I had a nice chat in the car on the way to the airport and said our goodbyes. I am so grateful that I could be there as a support to her, but I was also really happy to be going home.

My flight was delayed 2 hours, but it was a minor setback. I reached Portland around 3:45 and gave my sweet husband a big hug and kiss! That is a long time for a married couple to be apart. And, because of the circumstances, it felt longer.

We went to have sushi (yes, we both love sushi,) drove back to town, picked up a thrilled Bailey at the kennel and came HOME. Eric had the house all clean, the towels and sheets all fresh, and the laundry all done. What a wonderful, wonderful husband.

I unpacked and looked around our house that I really love living in up here. It is so great to be back.

There is no doubt. Home really is where the heart is. Jonathan's is with his little family and mine is here with my hubby. Jonathan's recovery is far from over. He won't be able to drive for months and will be on medication for a long time. So, yes, he still needs your prayers. But, it looks like the worst is over.