Here comes Santa Clause

So we are so excited to have Ellie and her parents visiting Utah we decided to take her to see Santa Clause.

Come to think of it, last year the twins were little babies unaware that Father Christmas was posing for a photo with them.

BUT THIS YEAR, THEY BECAME AWARE!

Madyson clearly is not happy and at first glance Savanna appears to be fine. What you don't realize is she slipped into an almost catatonic phase, I believe she was holding her breath and holding as still as possible as if St. Nicholas was going to eat her. Look closer and you can see the panic in her eyes.

It was Ellie's turn next...

This is my favorite photo of the night.

But someone reminded the children that Old St. Nick hands out treats after the photos and we managed to pull it together for this cute photo

Merry Christmas to all !

Meet the Crew

Mommy and Daddy

Fell in Love

Then came Destini

Next was Brooke Lynn

Followed by Syndey

and completed by the Twins

Savanna Jayn

Madyson June

5 Beautiful Daughters

We are the Mason Family

(plus a few tag alongs)

Favorite Season

What is your favorite Season or time of year? For me it would be Autumn. I love how the weather cools down without being "hurts to breath too cold".  Yeah snow is pretty but I like to be able to feel my nose, and ears. In fall the leaves are so colorful and  a drive or hike through the canyons can be breathtakingly beautiful. Just like the day before Christmas holds so much joy and anticipation, Autumn has that electric feeling for me of all the fun Holiday's just ready to leap from around the corner. Before you even know it you will be crazy with Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentines day... but for now its just a calm, crisp, beautiful day in Fall. Its getting darker earlier; the only thing worse for a Mom putting your kids to bed when it still looks like noon day sunlight outside is the memory of being a kid wondering why in the world is your Mother making you go to bed when it is obviously noon outside. So, Yes getting darker earlier is a big plus for Autumn. I enjoy a nice scarf or light jacket, when you are going out, before you know it, getting ready to go out will have transformed from "that's a nice jacket" comments to people's eye widening and stepping to the side as you walk towards them puffed up in multiple layers like the state puff marshmallow man. No, I do not rock a giant winter coat. Speaking of things I do not rock, Autumn is the wonderful time of year I can once again tuck away my swimsuit and congratulate myself on surviving yet another swimming season. Don't get me wrong I am not hating on my body, I have never been a swimsuit loving girl. I love going to pumpkin patches to pick my own pumpkins, apple orchards to pick our own apples. All the fruit and veggie stands have amazing selections this time of year, sweet corn, zucchini, home grown or in our case neighbor grown tomatoes (they give them, we don't steal). I have loved all these things for years, but now add that many of my loved ones have gone home during this time of year and so I find my mind wonders often to those I love and miss and find myself smiling as I remember their amazing lives and examples. So as my Father and brothers know the official way to declare its Fall I raise my glass of tart apple cider and with a glazed maple bar (a real one, none of that whipped maple junk, only the glazed kind) I say Happy Fall everyone!

And I Quote...

Oh I love a great quote, which almost makes this blog entry extra hard, because I want to search out and include all of the wonderful quotes and include them. I feel almost like I will hurt one of the quotes feelings if I overlook them. I imagine my anxiety is much like an acceptance speech for a great award..."I would like to thank all the wonderful quotes that have helped me get to where I am today. The quotes who made me chuckle when I was down. The quotes who pushed me to be a better person, more kind and caring. The quotes that inspired me and left me pondering in deep reverie...." Now you can see when I pulled today's question "What is your favorite quote?" I almost shoved the slip of paper back in the jar and faithfully logged on to hulu to spend my 10 extra minutes of free time. But then the little voice (Brittney my sister in law) popped in my head and said I owe it to my 2 blog followers to post an entry. So in fairness to all the wonderful quotes in the world I will share only one of my favorites. 

" It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us... If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers."- Gordon B. Hinckley

You see what I mean about great quotes? This one has helped me many a morning facing a day with what feels like the weight of the world on my back. So now I ask what other great quotes are just waiting to join my family of amazing quotes? - Jenny

Icky Food

 The topic of Food is a fun topic, but today I pulled the statement; I'll never eat another...
I use to think I was super brave when if came to food. I know so many people who go out to eat only to order the same thing over and over again, even worse when they are bland boring food. I like to try new things, I enjoy asking the person taking my order for recommendations and most the time have enjoyed discovering new things. I would love to be so trained and skilled as to be a food critic or better said food taster, knowing all the flavors and lets be honest eating super fancy well made meals by individuals who spent years learning the craft would be AWESOME. That dream died when I moved to Taiwan. I still love an amazing cooked meal, but I found myself challenged to try new things. Enter the "thousand year egg".
It did not smell as bad as the stinky bean curd (that was the name someone else said, though I agree it is properly named), but it did stink. It is an egg curiously preserved I believe for several months leaving it completely black with the center a Carmel consistency of a green slime. OK confession time, I know the statement above said "I'll never eat another..." I DID NOT eat this egg, so in all fairness I cannot say I'll never eat another since I never have in the first place. Oh the shame I am a sissy food taster. If you are still curious about the egg YouTube Reme eats... its this little kid who takes the phrase 'will eat anything' seriously far. Go Reme Go! I did eat many other "icky"(by American cuisine standards) things while living in Taiwan that I guess would be fair to say I'll never eat again. Oh and Almond Roca! Now before you think I am crazy cause Almond Roca is a pretty wonderful treat, I did once love it, and may in fact someday be reformed. Basically there is a story about the Almond Roca I will tell another time. 

Bully's

So my wonderful sister in law says its time for another blog. So I went to my handy dandy idea jar (a jar full of topic ideas and questions) and pulled out today the topic; My first encounter with a bully.

To be honest I don't know if it was my "first" encounter but when I read the word bully, it was the first memory that popped into my head. So here goes. I was in middle school in Rockville Maryland dutifully attending a choir class. I was walking along the riser type setup in the classroom when my foot caught a kids backpack strap throwing me into the all embarrassing "in front of everyone"moment of falling flat on my face. The best thing to do when the whole class is laughing at you is to laugh with them, so I did just that, face turning red I bounced back to my feet with lightning speed and laughed along. No harm right?Well...

The backpack I later understood belonged to a kid named Jay who viewed the whole experience quite differently. He interpreted the scene as my "kicking" his back pack and laughing along with the entire class about it. (He must have missed the face to the floor part I played). So Jay I can only imagine felt his pride needed defending and waited patiently outside the class room door that day. Now back to me...

Having somewhat recovered from landing on my face I sheepishly finished the class and headed out after the bell rang when WHAM!!! I was slapped in the face. No it was not a punch but this was one of those slaps that turns you whole body around while seeing black for a second. To use the kleshay I didn't know what hit me, but it hit me hard. As I came to my senses the cheers of "fight! fight! fight!" rang out as kids came running to the scene. Like a movie, part of my brain said (little devil on the shoulder) Yeah do it, I maybe a girl, but I had 2 brothers and could probably take this kid. (John, Sean no laughing at that thought please, I said probably). But then like the good little angel on the other shoulder all the lessons of Family Home Evening and Sunday school came flooding in and it took some courage to push my way through the crowd of kids and walk away. That's right one of the bravest things I did in middle school was walked away. I had no intention of mentioning the incident but my Mother's first words when I jumped in the car 20 min later was "What happened to you face?" Like a kindergarten finger paining I had Jay's entire hand print on my face, if it hadn't hurt so bad I would have thought it looked kinda cool. I of coarse had many other run ins with bullies growing up, every school had one and growing up in dozens of schools I avoided some and others met head on. I have been hit, spit on and threatened, threatened threatened but for me each time I simply walked away. OK in at least 2 incidences I had to run away, but for me it never was me fighting back. Well at least no physically I kinda had a mouth sometimes. 

There you go Britt hope you enjoyed- Love Jenny

Destini Donates

A few days ago Destini came home excited about locks for love. Her aunt Melanie had told her about how you cut your hair and donate it to be made into wigs for children whom have lost or do not have hair. It was kinda cute because she was explaining this all to me unaware that I myself have in years past donated I believe 4 times. Inside I was so proud that my little baby girl was feeling empathy and charity towards others. Destini has long beautiful hair which she has worked hard to grow out. I say worked hard because she has over and over resisted the temptation to cut it while her sisters have been treated to almost spa like trips to the salons complete with treats and balloons (thank you cookie cutters). So I was more than surprised when unprompted to told me she would like to donate because she is sure some little kid would love to have long blond hair like hers. I wanted her to think it over and make the final decision in a few days. The last few days she has fretted no doubt about the sacrifice she starts middle school in a few weeks, we have a family reunion and picture coming up and I of coarse put in my two cents. I encouraged her explaining "hair grows back", you always looked cut with any length hair and reminded her all wonderful feelings donating would give her. (Has anyone noticed how easy giving your two cents is?)

This morning came and Destini still wanted to donate but was clearly nervous and ill at ease. The thought came maybe I should donate with her. I quickly texted the man of the house and William gave 2 thumbs up. I fully expected him to talk me out of it. I video chatted with Michelle Young for support but as Destini and I left for the mall I was the nervous one now. Luckly we ran into Tyler and Marla and I recieved the final push I needed to take my own advice (the same advice I so freely offered Destini earlier) and we both went under the chopping block.

Mad Hatter's

Post #2

Here is a fun video of Sydney. The girls often have a hard time getting up for school in the morning, but we have found playing music sometimes helps. Well Sydney this particular morning popped right out of bed and began dancing. She did not know she was being filmed for this. I have not edited it mainly because I have yet learned how to edit video and secondly because I am just now learning how to blog. Love from Jenny

I am learning how to blog. Hello World

Hello World

This is my new blog! Stay tuned for pictures soon!