Nate comes to CA...and Holidays begin

I got lucky with my in-laws. Matt's siblings are awesome and it was really easy for us all to become brother/sister without some awkward transition. We always have a good time together and since moving to CA, Matt and I have both really missed our "Family Sunday dinners" and get-togethers. SO when Nate said he was coming for Thanksgiving we were beyond excited! Here's an update in pictures since I don't have time to write about everything.

We took Nate to Pebble Beach to visit some of my family. Nate tried out his skills as a cliff-hanger haha.

Iconic tree from the Pebble Beach golf course.

 Handsome Cookies:)

Seriously, how gorgeous is this picture?! Pebble is definitely one of my favorite places to visit. It is so beautiful and serene.

On to the Golden Gate!

We of course had to take Nate to the Embarcadero to see where Matt works. Walked around the Ferry building, and saw the ridiculously small Christmas Ice Skating rink that had a huge line with a wait time of over an hour. Ummm no thanks.

This is our only picture from Thanksgiving dinner! Matt snapped it while I was mashing potatoes haha it looks like I'm having a great time. We really had a great day. Football, dinner with family, movie night, and of course Matt and Nate faced off in another epic Madden Battle.

 At Pebble I got to see my favorite little ladies! It's been hard living states away compared to a two minute walk. But even one day was awesome and Matt and I had such a fun time playing with them. They are SO big and so smart!! I was blown away.

This past Sunday we got to visit with more family. My cousin Preston and his wife Jamie and kids made the drive from Folsom to hang out with us. We had dinner, watched Christmas cartoons, and went to the Oakland temple to check out the lights and live Nativity!

Ethan and Noah

Cute Stauffer Family photo!

I love how the lights at Oakland are so completely different from those at Salt Lake. There's a tropical theme and the lights are all blue, orange, and green. PLUS it was almost 70 Saturday and Sunday which made for a very warm evening out!! LOVING California weather.

Finally, I have been a machine in the kitchen lately. Baking and testing and creating new Holiday treats! It's one of my favorite things to do. I can't wait 'til we have a place with real counter space!

 Peanut butter blossoms

 Cornflake Candy

 Homemade Peppermint Patties

AND the man who makes it all possible....Mr. Cook.
He lets me turn the kitchen into a disaster area, and then does the dishes for me!! How great is that?! It's a trade off, I make the treats he likes and he cleans up after me. It works:)

Busy, busy, busy life lately, but we are loving it.

Thanksgiving

(made these mini lemon tarts a couple weeks ago and they were soo tasty. I think they made the cut for Thanksgiving!)


First of all---I'm proud of myself. This is my third post in one day. For the girl who never updates this is quite an achievement.

Second, I'm excited---and pretty nervous--for Thanksgiving. This is my first year preparing the whole Thanksgiving sha-bang (for more than 3 people). Luckily I love to cook! I especially love to bake desserts. SO I'm really excited to have these guys come to town!!

So if you have any advice on how to cook the perfect Turkey PLEASE send it my way--never oven baked one before.
 I feel like I've got it all under control except for the Turkey and the homemade rolls. Janice sets the bar SUPER high when it comes to homemade bread and I know Nate is expecting his Mom's cooking! Yikes!
I'm definitely not going all out like my family's Thanksgiving spread but hey! there's only one of me doing kitchen duty.
So far our menu consists of the basics:
Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, green beans, pumpkin & cream cheese jelly roll, banana cream pie, oreo fudge, mini lemon tarts. What am I missing?
I want to know what your favorite Thanksgiving dish is! Wish me luck:)

Glory Days...

I couldn't have married a non-athlete. Couldn't, wouldn't, and thankfully didn't! Matt is an avid sports enthusiast and it's honestly a big part of our marriage. It's one of our big things in common and is a lot of what we like to do together--watching and playing.

We've been playing on our ward's volleyball team in the Oakland stake the past couple months and we made it to the championships. Unfortunately we couldn't make it to final but the team won and we found out this year was the first year in a long time that Pleasant Hill even had a team that participated!

 Anyway this is all for journaling purposes but what I really want to talk about is Matt's glory days as a high school football star in New Hampshire. I've seen his highlight tape, newspaper articles, pics etc.  I was REALLY impressed when a couple weeks ago a neighbor in New Hampshire told Matt's Mom that he was  being featured by the local news station as one of the top 50 wide receivers in the state of New Hampshire in the past ten years. He's actually number one!  (below is the link to the website--there's a top 50 for different positions--his is wide receiver).

The FNF 50 - Sports News Story - WMUR Manchester

Just wanted to give him a little shout out, gotta love the high school glory days. This is definitely one to be proud of.(even if they spelled his last name wrong lol)

Muir Woods

 When we moved to CA Matt and I started a list of things we'd like to do and places we'd like to see. If I had my way every weekend would be a new adventure, but life is just too busy sometimes!  Matt works a pretty long schedule and was recently called to be Young Men's president at church (which also involves Boy Scouts)--so his Saturday's are now either service project days or 'sacred' football days. He deserves the time off so I'm excited when I can convince him to go exploring with me!


A few weekends ago we went to Muir Woods. The drive was really nostalgic for me because as a kid when we'd visit our G&G Stauffer in CA Grandpa would take us to Stinson beach. Muir woods and Stinson beach are basically side by side you come to a fork in the road and choose one or the other. This time we chose the redwood trees over the beach:)
I really enjoyed and needed this excursion. I thought about life, my Grandpa, and how grateful I am for God's beautiful creations. 

Funny how walking amongst giant redwood trees can really put things into perspective and teach you some life lessons.  The tree walks and hikes were beautiful and serene. I thought I'd be cold but it was a balmy 65 the whole day. (In the weather dept. California=1 Utah=0...)

Meg & Stacie--if you read this--doesn't this place remind you of Fern Gully? Haha

With Thanksgiving around the corner I just want to list a few things I'm really thankful for these days. (in no particular order)
*My marriage
*Our families
*Our apartment
*Our ward
*Great weather
*Healthy bodies that can work hard and be active
*Jobs!
*My religion and faith in God
*Wonderful friends
*Good food
*Basketball
*The Holiday Season
...to name just a few 
Life is what you make it and being happy is a choice.  Mainly you have to choose to (try to) be selfless.  I'm not saying it's easy, I'm definitely a repeat offender. But I think the point is to keep trying. I'm refocusing myself on that goal as an early New Year's resolution.


Hope you all are preparing for a lovely Thanksgiving (more to come on ours...).

Halloween

Can't believe it already came and went. October was a month full of Fall festivities though. We carved pumpkins, made treats, went to a haunted house, watched some scary movies, and dressed up for our Ward's Trunk or Treat. (Kind of funny how once you're out of college Halloween is a time to dress up scary again, instead of feeling the pressure to look 'hot' in a costume haha.)

We took it a little too far though I think. The kids were pretty scared walking up to our trunk. Next year we'll follow suit and go the funny/clever route :)

Vampire.

 Old Hag

You can't really see it all but we had our trunk pretty decked out with spooky sounds blasting and all.

It was a good night.

Fleet Week

In all the busyness of this past month I haven't really felt like updating the blog, but we've done some fun things and I want to document them!

I've got to say that Matt and I are LOVING living in California. There is so much to do and see (and eat!) and the weather is phenomenal.

San Francisco had it's annual Fleet Week in the city a few weeks ago. We braved the crowds and ear piercing sounds to watch the Blue Angels. (This picture up-loader thing is not cooperating...not sure what is going to show up)

The highlight of the event was watching this boat full of tourists capsize in the wind. Sounds harsh but it was hilarious, they obviously didn't know what they were doing and the wind was wasn't helping their situation. They tipped several times and the whole crowd on the shore started chanting "Sink! Sink!" haha. (There were lots of other boats right nearby waiting to help so it wasn't as dangerous as it sounds.)

They eventually did capsize and start to sink, and the crowd erupted in cheers!

 It was definitely an eventful day, and the Blue Angels were amazing. I'm sure we'll go back next year.

"Don't Speak Unless You Can Improve on Silence"--Grandpa

The Funeral services for my Grandfather were just beautiful. Friends and Family came from all over to express their love and support to our family, especially to Grandma Stauffer. She and Grandpa made friends all over the U.S. (and the world) during their many travels. The morning of the service was cold and cloudy, but once we were seated in the Chapel, the sun kept brightly shining through the stained glass window and it shone down right on Grandma. I will never forget that. Grandpa was definitely with us.

I wrote a poem for Grandpa a few weeks before he passed. I wasn't going to post it but after Shelly read it during her talk at the funeral, a few people have asked me to share it. I'm glad I wrote it in time for Grandpa to read it.

The back story is that Grandpa always kept this poem by Ogden Nash on the refrigerator:

People expect old men to die,
They do not really mourn old men.
Old men are different. People look
At them with eyes that wonder when...
People watch with unshocked eyes;
But the old men know when an old man dies.

I never liked that poem. Maybe I would've if it didn't constantly remind me of the inevitable. So I decided to write a rebuttal.

"Rebuttal to Ogden Nash"

Nash says only old men know when an old man dies,

But I would have to disagree.

For I have known, loved, and learned from an old man

Who passed his last name down to me.

Many a rose has felt his touch,

And flourished in his care.

And to friends in need he has always rushed

To give some comfort there.

He set foot on every continent

Saw all the beauty the world has to offer

But his heart was always most content

With his grandsons and his granddaughters

We built Thanksgiving pyramids,

And picked weeds in his yard for a dime

This old man has had a constant goal

To never waste life’s time.

Patty cakes and peas porridge hot

Mairzy doats and Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers

Smelterites we never forgot

Oh Grandpa, there will never be another.

As the years rolled on he held his sweetheart’s hand

and his smiling eyes never faded

His pride and joy of a head full of hair?

Even chemo couldn’t take it.

All the memories that we share,

The stories, sports, and songs,

Generations will know you, when you’re not here

Because we will pass these memories along.

So lest you think only old men know

when an old man’s time is through

I will stand and say that is incorrect

For Grandchildren know it too.

--September 2010

Grandpa Stauffer

I haven't blogged in awhile because all of my and my family's focus has been on experiencing the last weeks of my Grandfather's life. Matt and I have gone out and done fun things, but all the while on my mind has been my dear Grandfather. 

If I were to blog all the memories I have with him and my Grandmother, it would take a novel. Instead for my own journaling purposes I just want to jot down a few things. 

I am so glad that in college I got to play basketball with him. I'd go visit and spend the night, he'd come tap on my door at 5am and wake me up to go play basketball with men from his Stake. There were plenty of times I felt way too tired (or nervous at being the only girl) but I went anyways and I'm so glad I did. I have such fun memories from those early morning pick-up games. He taught me the number one rule in basketball, "Stay between your man and the basket." I've heard that all my life from him and from my own Father. Funny how it has taken on a double meaning now.

He taught me to appreciate nature and flowers, and to enjoy the hard work of an uphill hike. Lemon trees, freshly mowed grass, roses and the Beach Boys will always remind me of him. 

About a year ago he talked to me and my sister about his Patriarchal Blessing, and how--with some recent genealogical work--he had accomplished everything listed. (I didn't know that was possible!) Missionary work, a strong family, world travels, countless acts of service, and genealogy to name just a few of the things he accomplished here on earth. Then he joked to us, "Well, since I've got all that done it won't be long 'til the Lord calls me home to do more work." He was right. 

My family and I miss him terribly all ready, but that's because we love him so much.  It's going to be really hard for awhile. But we are not sad because we know where he is and that we will see him again. I wish that everyone whoever lost a loved one could have that same assurance. 

Richard Vern Stauffer

Richard Vern Stauffer, “Dick”, of Murray Utah passed away October 21, 2010 after a long and joyful life.

Dick was born in Salt Lake City on August 7 1929 to Vern Henry and Irene Millard Stauffer.  An avid sports fan since childhood, some of Dick’s favorite memories of his youth were spending time with his siblings David, Jerry, Rosalee, and Joni, and playing catch with his father.

He met his one and only sweetheart, Joyce McCleery, when they both attended Murray High School. They had their first date on New Year’s Eve and then fate took over.

After graduation he served a two-year mission for the L.D.S. Church in California. He married Joyce a month after he returned and they began their vibrant journey together as husband and wife.  They had plans to attend BYU, but one week after enrolling they received the draft letter in the mail.

Drafted into the army Dick and Joyce spent time in Fort Lewis Washington, Fort Bliss Texas, and Fort George Meade Maryland. Joyce worked as a GS 2 Clerk, and Dick was a Corporal.

After their time in the service, Dick attended the University of Utah while Joyce worked at a mortgage company.  They soon had their first child, their daughter Richele.

Dick studied Economics and earned his MBA. He got a job with Del Monte In San Francisco and they moved to California, where they would reside for over 30 years. In California, they added two sons to their family, Preston and then Brett. Dick took a job at Riches Research in Palo Alto, and later returned to San Francisco to work for Bechtel. The family moved to Pleasant Hill and made numerous life long friends.

With Bechtel, Dick traveled to over 100 countries and set foot on every continent.

He served as Bishop of the Pleasant Hill Ward, then the High Council, and was then called to be the Branch President of the Cambodian branch. Dick and Joyce loved their time working with the Cambodian people.

Dick and his sons participated in numerous softball, volleyball, and basketball leagues. Many of those games gave way to exciting stories to be told over the years.

Another lifelong passion for Dick was the Boy Scouts organization.  He dedicated innumerable hours of service to the Boy Scouts and was always trying to find the next backpacking or scuba diving trip to go on.  Of his many adventures and 50-mile hikes, he always said Half Dome was his favorite.

One of his last big trips was the John Muir trail up to Mt. Whitney with his Explorer Post.

In 1997 Dick and Joyce returned to their hometown of Murray, Utah. Dick was elected to the Murray City Council, becoming close friends with Mayor Dan Snarr. He has since served on the Murray City Power Board.

 An avid gardener, Dick sanctioned the Murray city Rose Garden and loved working in his yard. He was also a frequent writer of ‘Letters to the Editor’ in the Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune. Dick was always ready for a pickup game, a service project, or to entertain a fussy baby.

Dick and Joyce became Sunday Dinner central for all their grandchildren attending BYU, as well as for many friends who came to know them as Grandma and Grandpa Stauffer.

He is survived by his wife, three children, 10 grandchildren, six great grandchildren, 27 nieces and nephews and countless other ‘adopted’ grandkids, who all brought him joy throughout his life.

His motto and parting words of advice to all family and friends,  “Stay between your man and the basket.”

The family wants to express their thanks and gratitude to Alpine Hospice, namely Carol, Janine and Sandy. Words cannot express our love and appreciation to our daughter, Richele, who became her father's medical advocate along with our granddaughters, especially Stacie. They all took such loving care of him.

Donations can be made to the L.D.S. Perpetual Education Fund.