Songs to Subject You to: Brandi Carlile - Turpentine

Daddy's Nose: Update

Lisa's mom writes: It was even better seeing the difference 6 days has made on Dad's healing.  His swelling is down.  For some reason he says his lip is swollen each morning when he wakes but it goes down when he gets moving and talking.  His nose is sore and he still can not breathe through his nose. I slept in our other bedroom so I would not wake him or take a chance on bumping his  broken nose.

Daddy' Nose: Update

Lisa's mom writes (from Utah): Update on Dad came from Kelly [his dental assistant].  She says Dad looks so much better.  ... Dad stopped by Motor City to check out the new Subaru and liked that this year's has more room, a full size spare tire and is being called the safest car made.  We will see.  The insurance company has given us a deadline on the rental car - March 12th.  We still have the 1999 Toyota Sienna we can fix up for warmer weather driving.  Madi loved getting the keys for the Montero for her birthday. [Christi bought Dad's old car from him to give to Madison.]

Friends have all offered help to Dad.  I was so glad.  He did not accept any food because he says he has enough but Linda Badurek did bring home made hot fudge for his ice cream.  So sweet!

Ciudadano Kellen

Lisa's mom writes: Yesterday, March 5th was a good day for our little DeAlbaFamily.  Kellen passed his test to be come a citizen of the United States of America! He will receive a letter for the official ceremony in April in Salt Lake City.  I was so glad I was here to celebrate and could take them out for a Hawaiian Dinner at L & L!  Dad and I are very happy for you all!  Mom/Nana Rexene

Madison's 16th Birthday

Daddy's Nose: Update

 Lisa's mom writes (from Utah): Daddy is calling himself a Who. Send some sympathy.

What does the car look like?

Dad's car accident: Update

Lisa's mom writes (from Utah, while Dad is in Colorado): Lisa -

I don't know if you called Dad today.  FYI from here in Logan.

Dad got everything out of the car with the help of the police.  It was most of his day.  He says he is feeling better.  He had a cold before all of this so his nose was already stuffed up.  Now he can not blow his nose "just pat." He has drainage - Lori had the name - of the fluid and blood from the stitches area and it is very sore.  He is waiting to see if the teeth get better and needs the veneer on the one tooth.

When he mentioned the airbag not going off, the police woman say your airbags only work when you are hit from the front or side. Dad said, "I paid for air bags to protect in an accident...."   We are looking a good, safe car.  Dad said the back of the car was pushed all the way up into front middle seat and any grandkids in the backseat would have been killed.

I just told him how grateful I was that  it wasn't any worse.  I was thinking off him (woke with a 4 am nightmare).  Dad said, "Yes, you could have been hurt."  He was thinking of me.  I shared this with Christi and she said, "Christian said the same thing, that Gramma could have been hurt."  Made my day that both my guys first thought of me.

Christian and I wrapped Madi's gifts and she is feeling and shaking them. :)   Christi and I will take her to lunch (30 min) and we will all have a little party and opening presents tomorrow after school..   I sure miss not being able to be there for Dad but it is all working out and he is getting lots of sleep.  We have a light load at the dental office tomorrow.  I have to remind him to go get his glasses too.

I love you,  Mom

Esme and Spock: A complicated relationship

Dad's car accident

Lisa writes: My dad dropped my mom office at the Denver airport this morning. As dad was leaving the airport, he was rear-ended by a truck. Smashed in the back of the car and smashed Dad's face against the steering wheel. Here's what Mom wrote.

Lisa's mom writes (from Utah):  Roy and I are both fine but he has not had a good day.

After Roy dropped me at the Denver airport  this morning before 7 am for my trip  for the LDS Academy of Dentist meetings and bonus of being in town for Madison's 16th birthday party, he was heading back home on the freeway.  A truck spun out on ice two cars in front of him and he stopped, but the car in back of Roy was so busy looking at the truck he plowed into Roy at at least 55 miles an hour (according to the police).

I was only getting parts of the story as  phone signals in the airport were bad as I went through security.  He was not giving all the details.  He just said he was fine so it was after arriving in Utah I got the rest of the story.

Our car is totaled.  The gas tank  was pushed up and the back is caved in.  The police had the car towed to their compound  near the airport because they determined it was dangerous.  Roy did a face plant into the steering wheel.  He chipped his teeth and could see a laceration inside his nose.  The airbag did not go off.  He walked to the off-airport Budget car rental near the police compound with bleeding from his nose.  He can not get the things from the car until tomorrow. (3 hours round trip).  Insurance told him they will talk to him on Monday.

I got our oral surgeon's emergency number and he met Roy at his office.   It was worse than Roy knew.  Roy has  a broken nose  and it was dislocated.  The doctor pushed it back in place and it will heal if he does not bump it again.  Roy has 6 sutures inside his nose.  The doctor said, "This is a lot worse than it looks.  You peeled your nose back.  You have lacerated an  inch into the sinus.  Your eyes have taken a beating.  Watch for floaters." (Roy is still healing for his torn retina in the left eye).

He told Roy to go home and put ice on his face.  After Roy reported all this to me he said, " I am going home to eat ice cream."   I said, " Ha ha!"  and just smiled.  He is taking his injuries better than me.  I am hurting for him.

Roy chipped his front tooth and will need a veneer.   Three others ache.  We will have to wait and watch and hope they don't die.  We have been told whiplash is coming.  He told me he is not looking pretty.  I haven't been able to get him to take a picture for insurance.  I just talked to him again and he is going to rest and go to bed early.  He plans to drive back to Denver tomorrow with his rental car and hopefully get everything out.  The back "72 hr kit" and tools may be hard to get.  He has electrical things he put in for my "office on wheels."  (I will miss our car).

I have a lot of things in the car and even emergency money hidden.  Things are are pinned in.  He has to wait for policeman to let him in so I hope it works out.  He says he feels okay.  We will see how he feels in the morning and in four days.

Life goes on.  I am grateful he is okay.  It could have been worse.  We were planning  and saving for a car for NEXT year.  It will work out.  It just takes time away from better things.  I count my blessings and I am having a lot better time than my sweetheart.  I am in Provo with cute 15 month old Esme.  Deb and Kellen have made me homemade sugar cookies and pizza and we are watching "Jack Carter."  Actually I am having more fun watching Esme and Roy is in bed early.  I will check on him in the morning.  I will be in Logan tomorrow  with Christi, Madison and Christian and back here on Tuesday.  Meeting on Wednesday.  Sure wish I could be in two places at once.  I will be home Thursday.

Love, Rexene

Guys who wear glasses

Lisa's mom writes: Hi - love Christian in his glasses.  Looks so smart! Love, Mom

Christian shakes it out a Cousin Teresa's house

Lisa writes: My mom sent this video from my cousin Teresa's house. This is Christian trying out some sort of exercise equipment in her basement. (The legitimate function of this thing, as far as I can see, is to remind you of how much jiggling fat is on your body. I guess that's motivating...)

Valentine's Day with Esme

Esme walking up stairs (with some help)

Mom's Banana Cream Pie Recipe

Rexene's Banana Cream Pie

(This is inspired by the Lion House Basic Cream Pie with Mom's improvements )

5 T. cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs put through blender
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
2 c.  milk -  1 %, 2 % or whole milk
2 T. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 c.  whipping cream/ or cool whip
Baked 9 inch pie shell
3  Bananas

Mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a 3 quart saucepan.  Add all the milk and cook over medium heat (I do high) with a metal pancake turner constantly stirring and scrapping the bottom to prevent burning.   As the mix becomes smooth, bubbles and thickens  removed a half cup of the hot mix and place in glass cup and stir in the blended eggs making a warm mix.  Lower heat.  Pour in egg mixture and stir constantly  to cook the egg 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.

Stir for a minute or so until it is not longer hot. (I put in a glass or stainless steel bowl so it cools faster) .   Slice  3  bananas into the cream mix and gently fold. Place into a cool pie crust.  Place in fridge to completely cool and top with whip cream.


P.S. I just want to added that if you add about have a cup more milk and  3 sliced bananas it will make two pies.  Twice the fun and you can share with friends.


Enjoy!  Love,  Mom

Esme's new tricks

Lisa's mom writes:

It is always so good to visit with you. Time goes so fast I can hardly believe how fast the week flew. I skyped with Deb and Esme last night while Kellen was out on a "Freezeree" with the Boy Scouts.  Dad has done that it  and was very hard.  He was up all night, around the tents making sure all the boys were covered and not freezing to death.

Esme just turned 14 months old and is was so cute.  She has a new thing. The computer screen gave me a complete view of the whole TV room.  Esme likes to tickle her mommy.  She would sneak up on her mom from behind and tickle her and then chew on her shirt like she was biting her and then laugh and laugh.  Esme is more fun than a puppy dog! She can get climb up on the sofa and back down again to get anything she wants. She sang to me and Deb read us both a book of animal mommy's and their babies. She loves it and it was at least the 5th time that Deb had read it to her in the day. Deb says she will cry if she brings it to you and you don't read.  She loves books.  Her latest sound is "baa" when you get to the page with the lambs.  She still calls me Nana and remembers me.  A new word is "Gracious" but leaves off the G. and is learning to count in spanish.

Twelve more days until I see Esme, Deb and Kellen.  Thirteen until we will be together.  Yes, I am counting :)   ~   Miss you too.  How many days until we will be together again?  Do you Skype?  Dad and I love you both so much.
Lots of love, Mom
 I love you,  Gramma

Seasons Greetings from Gatorland

Dear Friends,

Happy 9th Day of Christmas! My family celebrated with a early trip to Florida and a festive photo-stop at Gatorland. I've included a copy with helpful captions for figuring out who belongs to whom.

The news from 2012: 

• Tom did NOT get knee surgery and only made ONE trip to Urgent Care (a new record!). (His eardrum exploded.) (He's OK.)
• Jimmy the Hamster is still alive. 
• Tom's 1993 Honda Civic with 213,000 miles is not. It died a natural death. Tom mourned for about three seconds, then replaced it with a VW Passat TDI. (Jimmy, take note.)
• We are still teaching the 4 year olds at church. I've spent a lot of time pondering Christ's instruction to "be like a little child." There is no scriptural record of Christ ever doing any childcare. I'm just sayin'.

Things we might be looking forward to in 2013:

• Maybe we'll go to Brazil again or Hawaii or Scotland.
• We'll probably go to Utah at least once. I don't know why. These things just happen.
• Tom will ride his bike a lot. I will come up with increasingly creative ways to get out of joining him.
• We'll work a lot of hours and spend a lot of time in traffic and watch a lot of wimp.com and think about you often.

Love,

Lisa and Tom

Curt's 6th birthday

Lisa's mom writes: Our brother Curt's 6th birthday, July 21st 1960. Top left to right - Marilyn 8 (in August) - Joyce 10 - Rexene 12. Our backyard at 151 Ross Drive, Clearfield, Utah with all the neighborhood children.

The secret to glamour and sophistication? One word: Aquanet

 

Lisa's mom writes: I spent 4 hours scanning my "Baby Book." This was the last page I added. This was best friend in Jr. High, Linda Sylvester. Her mom taught 5th grade in our Elementary School. She is now Linda Hunsaker. She moved to Roy, Utah as I started HS. (9th grade was my hardest year). We shared our Senior pictures.

Swan Lake in Clearfield, Utah

Lisa's mom writes: Joyce is in front of me :) Our beautiful costumes were made by our mom, June Catmull. The colors in the pictures have faded. They were chartreuse with silver sequins and the prettiest purple with more silver sequins.

Lisa writes: I think I dressed up in at least one of these costumes for Halloween as a kid.

1967-1977 St. Louis, Missouri

Lisa writes: My family and the family of mom's best friend, Marilyn McAllister. This was while my dad was at dental school at Washington University at St. Louis (a university which no longer has a dental school -- don't worry Dad, nobody blames you). We were living in a duplex on Rankin Road in Brentwood, MO. Wild mint and pussywillows grew behind our house. I went to Mark Twain Elementary School. The playground had a jungle gym shaped like a covered wagon. We had a parakeet named Tweety (we always had a parakeet named Tweety) and our basement was carpeted in free 12"x12" samples from a carpet store. My grandparents visited and grandpa left his false teeth on the nightstand next to the bed when he slept. The Mississippi River rose and the little tributary creek behind our house flooded the neighborhood. I've been to the top of the Gateway Arch and I've eaten French fries from the McDonald's riverboat.

Deb's mission reunion, 2012

Lisa's mom writes: Extra bonus of our trip. Last night attended Deb's mission reunion in Lindon, Utah. We last saw Pres. and Sister Hacking at Deb and Kellen's Wedding reception. After being Mission President in Independence, MO they were have called on their return home to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.

Esme, the weasel, and a squeaky toy

Lisa writes: The baby is Esme. The weasel is Debbie's ferret, Morena. And the squeaky toy is just an innocent bystander in the whole affair.

Lisa's mom writes: We are in Provo...

And Lisa adds: ... and Esme is psyched!

Madison and Christi's makeovers -- and a warning

Lisa writes: Madison is 15, has her learner's permit, got her braces off, is back from the farm and ready to hit the town. Here is today's makeup experiment, as posted on Facebook.

Before

After

But before you start getting worried, here's what she also posted on Facebook recently: "I saw one of the stupid tumbler quotes, "Every girl wants a guy to call her at 3 a.m. just to say I love you." Fair warning. Wake me up at 3 a.m., It will be the last thing u ever do."

She also gussied up her mom:

Christi wrote: Madison gave me a make-up make over...Christian keeps staring at me :) 

Her friend wrote: He can't take eyes off his beautiful momma. 

Christi replied: His comment was more like...'Whoa, that's just weird'...but I'm sure that's what he actually meant...

Lisa's mom is a fan

Lisa writes: My mom was in Cincinnati visiting her friend, Marilyn, when they got word that there would be a "Victory Rally" in town the next day. Mom was SO THERE.

Lori's family

Lisa writes: Got some family shots during the Utah vacation. Here's Lori's brood as they looked on that particular day. The kids have probably grown again the past 24 hours, but Lori and Dave never change.

Back: Cameron (14), Lori, Dave
Front: Benjamin (4), Evelyn (3), Ava (11)

Squinting into the sun at Yellowstone

Lisa's mom writes: Christi just found this picture on her phone of Lisa, me and Christi. So sweet! Christian had captured the moment on her phone! Tom was trying to take the picture with my camera and it was on video so I thought I had missed the moment. Roy and I were so excited to be with our Lisa and Christi on this Teton/Yellowstone adventure for 4 days and 3 (2 cold nights). We did so much and there was just was not a lot of time for all we hoped to do. Our girls were so little when we were there last. How quickly the years fly. Now we have just been with Lori and family for her 4oth birthday celebration. Lori drove in with the four kids on her 3 1/2 day trek from WA after picking up Daddy Dave at the SLC airport. We all met this afternoon to party at Thanksgiving Point, Utah ~ perfect place for how Thankful I am to have such beautiful daughters. I took lots of pictures but need a mom with all daughter's photo next. At eight months, Esme has loved meeting her Aunt Lisa and Lori and Uncle Tom and Dave and Weller cousins for the first time. Love, Rexene

Grandpa served in WWII and Christian can prove it

Where in the world are Lisa's parents: Provo, Utah

Lisa's mom writes: Roy and I arrived in Provo, driving 9 1/2 hrs from Colorado Springs to be greeted by Deb and Esme. In just three weeks since we last saw her, Esme was not sure who we were. She warmed up quickly to me, but was not sure about Grandpa. Esme is now crawling, holding her own bottle and can grab anything she wants. Roy and I had brought her a new, big toy and she figured it out in no time, strolling around the kitchen floor.

We were back in the car after Deb ran to do two hrs at one of her jobs and Kellen arrived home from work at 6 p.m.. Christi and Christian were driving down from Logan and we met in Salt Lake City for dinner. Christi presented me with a book she wrote with pictures of her Humanitarian Mission to Fiji in June. What a treasure. Christi has work through Thursday. We got to take Christian back to Provo with us. Madison has activities in Logan. We pick up Lisa and Tom about 9 p.m. Thursday night and Lori arrives on the 8th, bringing all four girls to Utah. Let the Games begin! Love, Rexene/Mom/Gramma

Esme's first merry-go-round

Lisa writes: Esme at eight months. She's loving every minute of this. No, really.

Esme singing the walker song

Lisa writes: Esme isn't a cryer. She sings. This is her usual song.

True Country's biggest fans

Lisa's brother, Donny, writes: Probably my favorite night of dancing ever at Montana's last night... A mom and daughter ran up to me and asked if I was the guy from the True Country YouTube videos!? She said they were visiting from Oklahoma and they are our biggest fans :) They took a bunch of pictures with me and said their friends back home aren't gonna believe they met me..Then she slapped a hundred dollar bill in my hand an asked if I would give her daughter a country swing lesson... Couldn't say no to my biggest fan haha ;) That made my night... Love my country family! We need to make a trip out to Oklahoma... Apparently we got some great fans out there!

Dive boy

Lisa's mom writes: Christian - You got everyone's Attention!

Madison is home

Lisa's mom writes: Christi and Christian picked up Madi at the SLC airport at 8:30 p.m. after about 24 hrs of driving to and from Colorado Springs. [Christian was in the North Carolina and Mexico all summer. Madison was in West Virginia.] This cute family is together again - for a day! Madi leaves in the morning for YW girl's camp. I called Christi to check on her today and got a text, "taking a nap." She deserves a very long one. Love, Rexene

Esme latest talent at 7 months

It's like Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings, except that situation had a happy ending (except for Gollum ... and one of Frodo's fingers)

Lisa writes: A couple of summers ago, my cousin and her family were visiting D.C. and I took them to the National Gallery of Art. In the lobby of the modern art wing there was an installation that consisted of piles of rocks, arranged in beehive shapes, about three feet tall. Some were cleverly arranged so that they were split in half by the glass wall between the lobby and the outside patio. I'm sure it had a name like "Industrial Inertia" or "Pileage #48" but I can't remember.

So, picture this: big piles of highly-climbable-looking rocks + three kids between the ages of 1 and 5. This is a set-up, right? Now add two grumpy-looking security guards whose entire job, all day, every day, is to say, "Please don't touch the art." "Don't climb on the art." "Ma'am, please keep your children off the art." Everybody in this scenario has been set up to fail.

Denounement. Nothing happened -- the kids were tempted, but restrained. The only reason I mention it is because it has become a visual metaphor in my brain for other doomed enterprises. Remember this. I will bring it up again.

In the heavenly Book of Life of Lisa's family, an entire chapter is devoted to the adventures of Lisa's Mom's contact lenses

Lisa's mom watched an old movie about the life of President David O. McKay and writes about attending his funeral in January 1970: Roy and I and thousands of others encircled the SLC City wooden boardwalk around the New Church Office Building, under construction, the first January after we were married. It was raining. Roy poked my eye with the umbrella and my contact popped out. I could see well with one eye to said my farewells to our handsome, tall, Prophet who returned home January 18th 1970.