Thanksgiving and Black Friday

Thanksgiving is becoming my favorite Holiday because my whole family is here. Alan my older brother comes up every year and spends time with all of us. We go to Mi Ranchitos every year and reserve the big room. It is so much fun, then we take pictures and stand in a line from oldest to youngest. It's a tradition I always want to have. Black friday is a tradition we always have to do too! Oh my gosh, we had so much fun watching people argue, fight, scratch each other over things, men crying in line because they probably did not get what they wanted, the crazy long lists people tried to read in the dark standing in line and listening to them talk about their plan when they get in the store. Turn right when you walk(people did not walk in they ran) then turn left, then right ect...., counting all the people who we think did not shower, watching people run down isles, crowds of people at walmart standing around an item(which they only had 22 of that item) ready to grab when it turned 5 am sharp and watching them push and shove, going out to breakfast, shopping more and seeing the line even longer at stores which wrap around the whole store, glad we are not in the line, pretending to be very dramatic at Kohls standing in line outside, then when we got in the store, we started running to our item, with Angie pulling me by purse handles. I've never laughed so hard! Black friday is the best! We go to laugh and cry from laughing so much, to watch crazy people and pretend to be crazy ourselves. It was the best morning ever, even tho we got up at 3:15 am.


Standing in line at Kohls at 3:30am in the morning with my Mom and sisters and sister in laws. Shelley, Kristen and Shari you have to do this with us next year! We have so much fun when we all get together and my Mom is there every time. She is like one of us, crazy as ever and we laugh and laugh and laugh. Crazy!

Dinner with my brother Alan(second in line by me) who is from Arizona and comes up every Thanksgiving and we go to Mi Ranchitos and sit in the big room. We are standing oldest to youngest. SO much fun!

Millions of HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love hugs! Yesterday I was gone most of the day and Zac kept noticing. Everytime I came back for a second and then go to leave he would hug me and not let go. He had dishes to do so I said I would stay in the kitchen on the computer while he did them cause he did not want me to leave. He came up to me and said "close your eyes I have an early christmas present to give you" so I closed my eyes and he gave me a huge hug. I said "wow thanks, that was a big hug," then I said. "When you get into High School will you still give me hugs like that." He said "yeah, but not in front of his friends." He is so funny and he gives the best hugs. He gives me like 49 hugs a day. I hope he keeps that up even when he is older. Today I'm grateful for HUGS!!!!

Send a 40th birthday comment to my sister. She needs it!

Today I'm grateful for my sister who turns 40 today and I love her so much. Happy Birthday Joni!!! I also wanted to put this on my blog because it's the craziest day ever and I think she needs some positive things today because it's her 40th birthday today and I thought, "hey I could put it on my blog so maybe everyone could give her a comment to tell her happy birthday since her day yesterday was soooooooo BAD!!! Check out her blog. It's the Elegante one. So here is her day...

Let me start at the beginning:
I cried over stupid things all morning, at 11:30 Madison calls and Say's " Mom, I was goofing around at lunch and twisted my foot and I cant walk" Crying hysterically!! So i go to the school and she walks to the car with just a little limp, and I'm thinking to myself, it can't be that bad if she's walking. I put an ice pack on it for the afternoon and go on with my day. Dakota goes out to the garage and climbs up on the top shelf and, for some reason, I'll never understand jumps off!! He brakes his toe.. OK, there's more..... I bring in one of my Christmas trees and put it together, only i didn't realize it was our old tree until I was almost done!! So, I take the tree back down and bring in the right tree... I forgot about my visiting teaching appointments starting at 4, i was a little late! I take Jordan to work, go out to dinner with my siblings and then at 8 decide to take Madison to the ER. Well her foot is broken!! And it's a bad one, she has to stay completely off it for 4 weeks! She will see a specialist in 7 day's to see what the next step is. Meanwhile,My sister in law, who is watching Dakota and Shelby, text me that Shelby is shaking and Say's she's going to trow up! So I race to her house and, so far, so good! It's 11 and I'm really tired but can't go to bed because Jordan is at work and needs a ride home!!! And, in one hour i will officially be 40! Yikes, I hope tomorrow is a better day!

ThePiano Man

Wow!!! Is all I can say. Mic's concert was amazing and I was so proud of him. He did such a good job and he made me cry. My heart is full of gratitude and love for Mic and all the hard work he did to make this concert happen. The story about the blind boy when he played his last song made me cry. Mr. Price that was doing the lights and working with the crew put his whole concert on a cd and gave it to Mic. I have always wanted to have a cd with his songs on it and they turned out so clear. My sister took pictures of him and they turned out so good. Thank you Shelley. I love the hands on the piano one. Amazing! I am so grateful for all the people that showed up to see him and the food they brought. Mic's goal was to have enough food to make 50 Holiday Kits and that's what happened. He had a small box of extra cans and stuffing, but he got all 50 and put them together today. Thank you all again for coming and supporting Mic. Words cannot express how I'm feeling right now. All I can say is I love you all and thank you.



Love this one of his hands on the piano

I want your autograph. All the kids loved this. His little nephew Dakota came up to him with his arms outstretched and said "You did good"

Mic, you have amazing voice and can harmonize really well

The blind mans song, the song that we all cried on

Mic the amazing Piano Man.

Oh Shoot!!!!!!!

Okay that's really the only word I said, really. I was going to help Andy do lights today, but he said we will do them later tonight or tomorrow so I thought I would go home and make me a really good sandwich with my favorite chips and grape soda that brings back memories when I was younger. I don't normally drink soda, but today it sounded good. So I got my lunch all made and went to open the pop and wallah... pop goes everywhere. The force of the pop coming out threw the lid across the table. I try frantically to get the lid and put it on, but the pop was coming out so fast I could not get it on. Meanwhile it sprays everywhere as you can see. I even found some on the pantry door. It ended up all over the table, in drawers, on the floor, on all the grocery bags full of groceries, and all over my food that I carefully made. "Oh shoot!" I said. Okay I said "crap" too but that is all. Well, I got a towel and started cleaning it up, replaced the bread on my sandwich and took off the soggy chips because soggy chips and bread I don't do, changed my clothes and mopped the floor then sat down to eat and you know what the pop was so very gross. All that happened because that grape soda sounded good. A fourth of the soda is gone from spraying everywhere. I'm not drinking grape soda ever again! Where's the chocolate? I need some right about now. I should have just had water and chocolate for lunch, but instead I am cleaning, not what I wanted to do. I'm looking forward to going to Mic's concert and just enjoy the evening and forget about soggy bread and chips and drink no more grape soda. Don't forget to go to the concert. That will be my next post to put on my blog.

Reminder: Mic's Musical Eagle Scout Project

Hey everyone! Mic's concert will be tomorrow night, that's Nov 20th at 6:30. Here are the details. I hope you all can come. It's going to be so much fun. He hopes to get alot of Holiday Food Kits for the food bank:

The Musical Eagle Scout Project
What: My name is Mic Lopp and I am holding a concert for my Eagle Project to help gather food for Holiday Kits for the food bank that I will be putting together. The concert will include various groups from Timpanogos High School among others who will be sharing their talents for the community.

When: November 20, Concert time 6:30pm-7:30pm

Where: Orem Junior High School Auditorium (765 N. 600 W. Orem)

Admissions: 1 Item from the Holiday Kit listed below ( if you come as a family you can bring a whole kit.). In reality I need 200 food items to complete my kits so feel free to bring extra food. Money donations can also be donated after the additional admissions. All money contributions will be used to buy additional items needed for the Holiday kits.

HOLIDAY FOOD KIT
Stuffing Mix
Canned vegetables
Gravy Mix
Mash potatoes (Instant)

Mic will be collecting additional Holiday Kit foods from Nov 10-28.

Here is a sneak peak of the concert:

The Musical Eagle Scout Project

Thursday November 20th

Introduction: Mic Lopp

THS Chamber Choir
I’m a Train
Good King Kong
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Lex Hatch: Singer

Michael Magistro: Singer
Songs of Josh Groban

THS GUITAR CLUB MEMBERS:
Mic Lopp
Nikki Crandall
Katie Fairchild
Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

Mic Lopp: New Age Piano Music
Dust in a Storm
Ocean Tide
Pathway to Eternity
A Blind Dream

Thank you all for coming and donating food and supporting me with my Eagle Scout Project.

It's going to be so much fun!

Spiders, now MICE!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!

I've got to get these spiders off my blog and do more post so they don't show up every time I bring up my blog. It's freaking me out. Okay, so today I was taking off this clients lights off her tree in my family room(7ft tree) because they don't work. As I was putting on new lights while sitting on the floor I see this brown mouse crawl along the edge of the wall, crawl behind the entertainment center, then go behind the couch and disappear. I freaked out and tried to find it, but I could not and I still had to finish this tree. What was I too do? Sit on the floor and wait for it to crawl by me. Well, that's what I did, I had to finish it, but I never saw it again. What is it with spiders and mice doing Christmas lights. That's it I quit! Anyone want my job? I hope I never see another moving thing while I do more lights. Hopefully my next post wont have any creepy crawly things in it, just be glad I did not have a picture of the mouse. I am not thankful for mice. I know we are supposed to say one thing we are thankful for each day in Nov, but it's not working for me. I have a very long list of things I am very grateful for, but spiders and mice and creepy crawly things don't fit into things I'm grateful for. They are overtaking my life! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yikes! Which one is it???

Yesterday was very scary for me because I hate spiders to the point I have spider dreams very often. Parker and I were putting lights on trees in Cedar Hills yesterday and all the sudden something moved out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and there was this huge spider just sitting there. I hurry and took a picture of it while frantically calling to Parker to come and kill it. He came over and got his camera phone out. He tried throwing rocks on it, but it just moved a little. I was tempted to just step on it, but it was way too big and I did not want to feel it being smashed so Parker kept throwing things at it and then it crawled over to the rocks while I was freakin out thinking it was going to get away and IT DID!!!!!!! Crap, now I had to finish my tree right next to the spider who got away. I almost made Parker do it, but his tree was harder and taller, so I hurried as fast as I could while looking at the ground 49 times and brushing my clothes off 49 times, and sweating 49 buckets, I was so scared. We are not sure what it was, but I showed a neighbor the picture from my phone and he said it was a baby tarantula. He said they have them all the time. Yikes!!!!! Parker wanted to keep it for a pet. NO WAY!!!!!!!!!! I posted some other spiders that looked like the one we saw and I'm not sure which one it could be. I'm going to let you all decide and hopefully I did not freak you out with all these spiders. I told Andy to watch out for a spider dream tonight and guess what I really did, except it was about ants. Millions of ants starting crawling and appearing in my sheets... or maybe they were millions of baby spiders. There was a ton, but luckily it only lasted a few seconds. I HATE SPIDERS!!!! Which kind was it? You decide. This is the one from my phone and its hard to see, but it was big. That is the crack in the cement with the spider covering the whole thing.

On the Internet this said it was a tarantula

A Huntsman or wolf spider

Hobo spider

brown recluse spider

I think it looked a lot like the Hobo spider. Parker thinks so too. Do they live here? I don't know, but I don't want to see another one EVER again, and sorry if I freaked all of you out big time, but I just wanted to know what it was. I hope you all don't have spider dreams tonight! Ha Ha! I saw the same one in St. George a few months back and yes I had a spider dream that night. I am NOT grateful for spiders at all. I wish there was no such thing as spiders.

A challenge for you all.

I am feeling grateful today for everyone in this ward, and I'm thankful for blogging because it has given me the chance to get to know each of you better. I feel closer to all of you and I feel I have more friends. I love to read all your blogs and read all about your lives. I really wish we could find a way to make our blog list bigger and read about others too in this ward. We have an amazing ward and I'm grateful for everyone. I love to go to church and see and say hi to everyone. I hope that I have been a friend to everyone. Sometimes when I don't know someone very well I get into my quiet mode which I hate and I have a hard time talking. Sorry if I came off not friendly, it's just me being too quiet and not knowing what to say. I have always been quiet and I hate it. Blogging has helped me reach out to others and I'm just grateful for it. You guys are all so GREAT and I hope we always blog and involve others. Let's make our blog list bigger. I also love that I blog with my family(Mom, sisters and sister in laws and their friends) You guys are all so great and I love you. Big challenge of the week; get 2 new people on your list.

What a day, I mean 2 days!!!

What a day I had with my sister on Monday and my arms are about ready to fall off they are so sore. I feel like I have done lunges with my arms. We clean this house in Alpine every Tuesday and it has 7 bathrooms and it takes us 3 hours. It's not bad because it's already clean, but the owners asked us if we could clean their cabin up in Heber in Timberlakes on Monday, so we decided to give it a try.

The weather was kinda cloudy and rainy, but as we got to the dirt road all the sudden we were in a snow storm and the road was packed. A window cleaning guy was coming the same time to do their windows and up ahead we could see him sliding all over and barely moving, so we thought maybe if we go a little faster we could catch up to him, but once we slowed down we started sliding. We could not make it any further. Snow was coming down like crazy! We seriously could not make it up this hill and we had no phone service. Well the window cleaning guy started backing up slowing, so we did too. We had to back up a long ways. We finally got turned around and made it back to the office. We had to call the owners to see what he wanted us to do. He decided to come and get us and the window guy. How embarrassing!!!!!!! His car made it up just fine and we were there in no time.

Thinking that their house takes 3 hours to clean we thought we would be home before 1 or 2. Well...... we were wrong. It's a brand new cabin and there was dust, paint, and caulk everywhere. The hours kept ticking by and the bathrooms were slowly coming to an end (7 of them) and by the time we were done we were dead and hungry. They did have big windows and we could see the snow coming down. It was beautiful and for a second I felt the Christmas season. This cabin was huge and really cool. There was this one room with 4 single beds lined up(just enough for the beds)and it was our favorite room. This would have been a fun room to have sleep overs with all your friends.

The cabin was full of log cabin furniture and big fat log beams everywhere that I bumped my head on one time. When I get rich(Okay I said "When" and not "If" I'm trying to be positive here) I want a cabin just like this one. Well by the time we were done it was dark outside(5). We left our house about 8:15am and got home close to 6pm. I called my kids to let them know I was coming home and could not deal with a messy house so to get busy. The kitchen was clean, but dinner was not cooked, laundry piled to the ceiling and the family room a disaster. So I told myself..okay, just one more hour then I can take a bath and lay on my bed and watch a show I had taped. Ahhhh.... I hurried as fast as I could and was in heaven when I reached my bed except for one thing, I had no chocolate in the house and had not had any all day and not much food too. I was way too tired to do anything about it, so I told myself I would just eat a big breakfast in the morning before we go clean the owners house and another one cause it would be Tuesday.

It's Wednesday now and I'm glad Monday and Tuesday are over with. I might have to sit at the computer all day so I don't have to lift my arms. Sounds good to me. So, I am grateful for today and I have no cleaning to do (Except for my house.... Nah, that's not going to happen.) I do feel bad for my sister Joni tho, she has 4 houses to clean with my other sister Shari today. Sorry Joni, hope it goes okay. I told her I would call her if I'm not doing Christmas lights with Andy. I might need some help holding up my arms to put lights on trees tho. Wow this is turning into a very long post, it's been a very long 2 days and I'm grateful they are over with.

Yeah! It's all done.

Just thought I would comment on the primary program today. I thought it went really good and so many of the kids memorized their parts and some had some long parts. I was just going to read mine, but 10 min before the program started I tried to memorize mine so I could be like the kids. I had to look down a few times. Through the program I was emotional just hearing the kids sing and saying their parts. I could feel the spirit so strong and had to keep my emotions under control because we as a primary were up on the stand in front of the whole ward. I just loved the program and hearing from the kids. We have amazing kids in our primary and I learn from them. I really enjoy being in the primary. I am so proud of all the kids today for their hard work in memorizing their parts and learning all the songs. I made a page of all the songs and had to use it today on some songs, but I tried really hard to listen to the kids so I would not have to look at my cheat cheat page. Oh, and thanks Caradon for singing so great because if I forgot a word I could hear you or watch you. You are amazing and helped the kids so much. Great job! Today was great and I felt the spirit so strong. It was amazing! So I am thankful today for the primary and all the wonderful children and how they strenghten my testimony. Love all you guys.

Try it now

My comment thing is working now. I had it set to always view comments before they are posted, but I did not put my email address. Now it's changed, I had no idea it was like that, so sorry if you commented on my blog and it did not post. Try it now

Mic's Musical Eagle Scout Project

Mic has been getting ready to do his Eagle project and it's on Nov. 20th. Please come, it will be amazing! This is actually Mic's dream to put on a concert and play the piano in front of lots of people, and he wants to fill the whole auditorium. There will also be others performing. Bring your whole family,extended family, and lots of food. The food banks need it. It will be an amazing concert! Here are the details:

The Musical Eagle Scout Project

What: My name is Mic Lopp and I am holding a concert for my Eagle Project to help gather food for Holiday Kits for the food bank that I will be putting together. The concert will include various groups from Timpanogos High School, among others who will be sharing their talents for the community.

When: November 20, Concert time 6:30pm-7:30pm

Where: Orem Junior High School Auditorium

Admission: 1 Item from the Holiday Kit listed below. In reality I need 200 food items to complete my kits, so feel free to bring extra food. Money donations can also be donated after the additional admissions. All money contributions will be used to buy additional items needed for the Holiday kits.

HOLIDAY FOOD KIT
Stuffing Mix
Canned vegetables
Gravy Mix
Mash potatoes(Instant)
Mic will be collecting additional Holiday Kit foods from Nov 24-28. See Mic if you are bringing more food later.

No rides to school?

Ahhhhh..... I am thankful for today because it was light outside, sunny, and not raining when the Jr. high and high school kids left for school. Not one of them said "Mom can you give me a ride?" They have been asking that for days since it's been dark outside when they leave, so it was nice today because it was light and they just walked. It was a very nice morning. And I did not have to go outside in my pj's with a very bad hair day, and take them to school. I am grateful for today for the early morning sun, no rain, and not stepping foot outside till I went to work.

Mic and others are famous on Halloween

Here is Mic fighting Ken Bretschneider on Halloween, they even got themselves in the newspaper on the FRONT PAGE of the Daily Herald! Logan Wyatt is there too. Pretty cool! Mic spent all night there till all the trick or treaters were gone. He would rather do that than go trick or treating. I'm sure he is thinking he will just get the left over candy that Mom and Dad were passing out. You are out of luck Mic, cause all that is left is chocolate and you know your Mom. She needs a stash of her own. Mmmmmmmm