For Brent

Seeing as November was our 18 year anniversary month, and Brent would want this documented, here is a photo of the facial hair he was able to grow in Movember.  He's always looking for a good excuse to grow it, and then feels relieved after a few weeks to shave it off.  I personally like the freshly-shaved face.  But we all have evidence now that Brent really is a REAL MAN.

And speaking of Brent, his favorite all-time holiday is GROUNDHOG DAY.  We have an annual tradition on February 2nd of making a five-pound meatloaf in the shape of a groundhog (roadkill, that is) and eating it and then watching, what else, "Groundhog Day".  2013 was another successful Groundhog celebration.

First Brent and Sadie Goulding family Thanksgiving!

Some years Brent and I have been lucky and had our anniversary actually fall ON Thanksgiving Day.  2012 was one of those years.  18 years ago we were married on a snowy, cold November morning.  And in those 18 years, we have never had Thanksgiving without at least part of our extended family.  We switch off between the Gouldings and the Taylors, but being in Elko on a Goulding year where everyone was spread out and doing their own thing, left us to eat ALONE.  Strange!  I was excited, though, to have to make all the food myself for once!  I've been pregnant or nursing or had several babes so many years, that I have been assigned just jello before.  So to go from jello alone-- to turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, homemade croissant rolls, pretzel salad, green bean casserole, yams, and several desserts was quite a stretch!  What I quickly realized as I did most my prep the day before, was that I don't have enough dishes to do so much food!  I had to get creative with my baking/servingware.   Here we are, all ready for a scrumptious dinner, just the 9 of us.

As we sat down to eat and pray, we decided to go around the table and share what we were most thankful for.  I was the last to go.  I couldn't hold back tears as I looked at this amazing bunch of people.  We have been so blessed!  I have the seven best children I could have ever hoped for.  I told the kids that 18 years ago, if I had been able to get a glimpse of this Thanksgiving Day scene and all these precious faces looking at me, I would not have known what to think.  Seven healthy kids, a husband who has turned out to be pretty great himself, a nice home to live in, a good job that supports us, the gospel--I can't even stand it.  Pinch me, I'm dreaming!

It was a great day filled with eating, resting, playing, eating some more, and Black Friday shopping.  Brent had to go in to Walmart that night to take his order for the next day.  We decided to make it an anniversary date.  Another dream come true: I've always wanted to spend my anniversary Black Friday shopping at Walmart!  I can die happy.

And I'll tell you, these babes were sure happy with these monster rolls.  A triple batch for this group!

A great Thanksgiving in Elko.  Number one of hmmmmmm.......?

December in Elko

I am new to this whole blogging thing, so I'm going to be going backwards chronologically from time to time as I find a picture, or think of an event from our lives that should be documented.  This is one of those times.
We are BUSY these days.  We have the five girls in four different schools, Scarlett in pre-school that I host every 5th week, busy church callings, Brent's job that requires anywhere from 55-80 hours per week, my job that I try to work as often as possible with Inthinc, two early morning newspaper routes that Romney, Raegan, and I do, Alivia in violin, Landrie in dance, Romney and Raegan in early morning Seminary and dance every day after school plus their state-renowned choir the Choraliers who practice every Tuesday evening, Young Women activities...just the usual busy stuff for a family of 9.  Well, you can imagine my great joy when Brent and I were called into the Bishop's office in November  and asked to put on the WARD CHRISTMAS PARTY on December 22nd.  Also, Brent was asked to lead the ward choir, and to be ready to perform the Sunday before Christmas.  Easy peasy!  Because of course I have all my Christmas shopping and wrapping and prep done WAY before the holiday, so I'm usually sitting by the fire each evening leading up to Christmas with my feet up, leisurely reading a book and sipping hot chocolate.  (Someday I really DO hope to make that happen!)
Well, Brent and I began to brainstorm, and came up with the idea to do a Luau/Hawaiian theme Christmas party.  We thought Hawaiian haystacks and leis and hula dancing sounded easier than the watery ham, baked potatoes, and sweaty Santa that usually accompany a ward Christmas party.  So, we started planning.
The day of the party, Brent had just started a new route and was finishing up a 70 hour work week.  So Saturday morning, we loaded 2 cars with all our household plants, flowers, vases, lights, and anything else we thought we might need and headed to the chapel.  It was a cold, but sunny and clear day and with all seven kids helping we actually set up pretty quickly.

Hartman was a lot of help with the set up.

By the time Brent got to the church with his Maui Onion chips (get it?  MAUI?!) to use as centerpieces, we were about done.
We went home and gussied up in our best luau attire, and by the time we went back to the chapel, it was a BLIZZARD.  I mean, a real, genuine, Elko blizzard.  I wanted to put torches outside to make it look more festive, and when I saw that snow I decided that we for sure needed those torches!  I know they say no fire at the church, but they glowed all night to welcome people from the storm into the Island Oasis we had prepared in the gym.

People started filling in and bringing their ingredients to top the Hawaiian haystacks and put them on our festive center table.  A Samoan family from Spring Creek with 9 children came to provide our entertainment.  They drove through the storm with their huge speakers and equipment and hula dancing outfits, and entertained us all night long.

A nice guy in our ward who takes pictures professionally came and set up a backdrop and all his equipment and took photos of families in their Hawaiian attire as a souvenir.  And then at the end, a big, Polynesian Santa appeared in a non-typical red velvet suit coat and had all the children line up.  He said "HO HO HO" to each one, and put a candy lei on them.  A pretty good finish to the evening.  People stayed and danced and partied and told us it was the best ward party they'd ever been to. 

The next morning we had early choir practice, I had Sharing time, Christmas treats for all the Primary kids, and then came home exhausted with a headache.  And I still had quite a few things to do the next day for Christmas!  But it was a great party and we have pictures to prove it.   Mele Kalikimaka!

Happy Birthday Sophie!

Sophie Ann Goulding is now 14 years old.  She's in 8th grade.  She's a straight-A student.  She takes her math class at the high school because they don't offer that advanced a class at the middle school.  She is basically done with Personal Progress.  She has been the Beehive President. 

All of the teachers and administrators at her school love and depend on her.  She stars in the plays at her school. 

She was cast as the Genie in Aladdin.  She STOLE THE SHOW.

You ain't never had a friend like her.

Seriously, many parents came up to me afterwards to tell me they came back again and again just to see Sophie as the Genie.  Her songs and acting were superb.

She knows everything.  (If you don't believe me, just ask her.)  She is the most-requested babysitter in the ward and even outside the ward.  She looks absolutely FABULOUS every single day and pays attention to every detail of her outfits, shoes, hair, and accessories.  Her fashion sense is impeccable.  She is an avid reader and a crazy sleeper.  She is very helpful and kind.  She has a pretty hearty appetite, yet stays as skinny as a rail.  She is anxious to have perfectly straight teeth like her two older sisters and the second our dental insurance was effective in 2013, she was willing to get her wisdom teeth pulled and then only hours later the same day, have molds made and bands put in for a roof-widener.  She has no tolerance for sub-par work or performance.  She has some great friends in Elko that all look up to her.  She's a goal setter.  She's an achiever.  She's got it!  She's our Sophie.

Sadie Sadie 41-year-old Lady

Last year for my 40th birthday, I had a fabulous trip planned with my sisters to St. George and Las Vegas.  We stayed in the Geertsen's Hurricane house and saw movies, talked all night, shopped, ate Sweet Tooth cupcakes, and then went to see CELINE DION at Caesar's Palace.  She's my absolute fave.  It was a good birthday.  This year, I turned 41 in Elko, Nevada.  Since my birthday was on a Sunday where I had our Missionary Meeting and Ward Council first thing in the morning, the first day of Primary in the new year where we were trying out a new schedule and new teachers and had several subs, and Sharing Time for both Junior and Senior primary, I knew my birthday wouldn't even cross my mind on January 6th.  So the night before, Brent and I snuck away for a date.
We ate at one of our favorite Mexican place here in town, Dos Amigos, and then went to see Les Miserables.  I absolutely love the broadway musical, the movie not quite as much.  Oh well.  There was nothing out with Tom Cruise that I hadn't seen, so that was our choice.
The kids were sweet and wrote me some nice cards that I came home to after my Sunday morning meetings.  After the exhausting day with the Primary kids at church, I was excited to come home after our 3-hour block and relax.  Brent went all out and took charge of the frozen lasagna, and then I dozed on the couch by the fire.  I woke up and was just picking up the Ensign to read the article about Sister missionaries, and someone from the ward knocked on the door bringing me cookies for my birthday.  So sweet!  That visit was followed by several more, all bringing treats.  Many of these visitors have kids that I know well in Primary, and by the time the last of them left, the entire house was a mess, most the treats were gone, and I was pooped!  I could have planned a party for myself and invited all the Primary kids!  But I went to bed grateful for so many dear friends we have made in Elko, Nevada.  There are some great people here.
And now I'm 41.