Last Saturday, the SCERA recognized my grandma for her involvement and support in the arts. My grandmother is an amazing woman and has done so much for so many people. She is a fantastic piano teacher and knows how to help all her students reach their full potential. It was way cool to see her recognized for all she has done for the community and for the arts! Way to go, Grandma!
It was also really nice to spend an evening with my family and Spencer's grandparents :)
Last night Mariel and I were having fun dancing to Michael Jackson's music. Oh yes, it's all fun and games until someone's pants rip! As SC put it, my "tight pants and MJ just don't mix". How true.
On Saturday I was at home biding my time until the super night with SC. I was in my parents room talking to them when I heard Karly yell, "Natalie! Come here for a minute!" So I opened the door and all I could see was a man. It was really disconcerting because he was just standing there and obviously it wasn't my dad, and it wasn't Nathan, so who in the world?! All these thoughts ran through my head in about .5 seconds. Then I shakily looked up to meet the man's eyes and...well, it was Edward Cullen. Best surprise of my life! No, just kidding I was honestly so scared.
We all laughed about my reaction for awhile and then I had to inquire where we got such a delight. "Well, I came home from school one day and he was standing on the porch." Karly said. "Also, Erica found Jacob Black in her bedroom...pretty sure Grandma gave these to us."
My grandma is hilarious! And also my grandpa and my grandma both love Twilight.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Grandpa always talked about getting a red convertible....so we thought it would be exciting, for his 80th birthday celebration, to commandeer a red convertible so that he could arrive in style. Grandpa thought it was fun, but even so...he preferred his own car. Watch the video.
Me: How does it feel, Grandpa?! Grandpa: How does it feel?....you really want to know?
"To outsiders, the five energetic women seemed to rule the house, and so they did in many things; but the quiet scholar, sitting among his books, was still the head of the family, the household conscience, anchor, and comforter, for to him the busy, anxious women always turned in troublous times, finding him, in the truest sense of the sacred words, husband and father.
The girls gave their hearts into their mother's keeping, their souls into their father's; and to both parents, who lived and laboured so faithfully for them, they gave a love that grew with their growth, and bound them tenderly together by the sweetest tie which blesses lives and outlives death."
I love this quote from Little Women because it describes my family...not only the physical aspect (five girls at home, one father...and besides that, we have another amazing sister and wonderful brother) but it also describes the emotional aspect of our home perfectly. No, our family is not perfect or even close, but we love each other and our parents and we are all so close. I love my family and am so grateful for each of them. I often wonder how in the world I got so lucky. I can't explain it but I can only hope to live my life in gratitude and emulation of such a home.
A few years ago, I was at a rehearsal for a show when Abby came up to me and said, "Nat! Grace is going to die in one year!". This was shocking. Grace is my darling little cousin who I just love. She was probably about three at the time. I had no idea she was sick. She had had acid reflux as a baby, but I thought she was pretty healthy. "What?!" I exclaimed. "Grace is dying? Why?" "I don't know" Abby replied. "But Taylor just told Karly and I that Grace has death in one year" (Taylor is Grace's older brother).
Now you can imagine that I was a bit distraught. So I ran over to Karly and this conversation took place. Me: Karly, Grace is dying? What's going on? Karly [giving me a funny look]: No, Grace isn't dying. Taylor told us that she's deaf in one ear. Abby: What? Deaf in one ear? Oh...I thought Taylor said 'death in one year'!
It was a funny misunderstanding. I am happy to report that Grace is alive and well and as cute as ever.
Last night I was at home, lamenting the fact that I needed to study for an English test. Mariel was doing her after dinner chores and she turned to me and said, "Okay, let's do this. You do the dishes for me, and I will study for you."
It was a great offer. And oh, I wish it was that simple.
Once again I am lacking interesting things to blog about, so here is a picture. Guess who these rocker feet belong to. The person who guesses correctly can...decide what I should blog about next (I don't know, it sounded good in my head).
Stay tuned for an inevitable exciting blog that will be appearing at the end of the week.
Mariel means "sea of bitterness". Ella means "young girl". Murray means "sea town. So really, Mariel is the young girl from a sea of bitterness in the sea town. Haha.
During the month of December, people start to look over the past year and reflect on all that has happened and what they have been blessed with. I guess I'll join in the reflection and talk about one of the things that I am most thankful for this year. His name is Neil Murray, and he is my grandfather.
Grandpa Murray broke his neck back in March; it was a very scary time for our family. He was blessed with a very clean break, though (it sounds odd to say that, but it's true) and after a time of bated breath, we found out that he would not even need surgery. He spent months in a neck brace and had to live away from home for a bit, but eventually he was able to move home and ditch the brace.
We are blessed that Grandpa was able to recover so well--he is so recovered, in fact, that we were just able to dance the Merry Christmas Polka together (it's a Christmas Eve tradition)! Our family became closer to one another, to Grandpa, and to the Lord during this time. I am so grateful for the gospel and the knowledge that we have, for my family, and for Grandpa Murray
Have you ever had an experience where you've said something that came out completely different than you intended? It makes for awkward conversations. Abby has recently had a couple of experiences where people have said things to her that just make us think.
Example One Home Teacher: Abby, you gave a great talk on Sunday! We were all really surprised. [Looks of shock are displayed on the faces of my family. Did he really just say that?! we all thought] Home Teacher [seeing our looks of shock]: Um, we were really surprised to hear that you had recently had surgery! I don't think any one knew! Uh, yeah, surgery...
Example Two Abby [while watching an old home video of herself]: That was back when I looked like a badger. Nathan: Oh, you haven't really changed at all. You still look the same. Abby: What? Nathan: No! I mean, you never looked like a badger! You have always looked normal!
My Grandma and Grandpa Elison will be telling the "Christmas story" during Kurt Bestor's Christmas concert next week at Abravanel Hall. Apparently Kurt just called them up the other day and asked them to participate. I guess it isn't too weird since they've known Mr. Bestor for practically his whole life, but I just think it's funny.
I'm getting ready to type up some of my physical science labs, but sometimes before doing homework I like to blog-it gets me thinking and puts me in the writing mode. So I decided, for an unknown reason, to go to my 5th photo album, choose the 20th picture from the end, and write about it. Here is my story.This was probably the third day of our trip to Disneyland in the summer of '07. You can see my whole family (and Grandpa Murray) in this picture if you look closely (Nathan, Karly, Dad, and I are in the mirror, and Nicole is hidden by Mariel).
We were waiting to be seated for lunch in our favorite restaurant-The Blue Bayou. You have to make reservations and it's very, very pricey. But the restaurant is in the ride Pirates of the Caribbean, so it has great atmosphere. It's so dark you can barley read your menu, but it's fun. I had the deep fried Monte Cristo sandwhich with raspberry dipping sauce and I was very pleased.
However, the restaurant does add a 15-20% gratuity for parties over six, so it is helpful to note that before paying a tip.
The Elison family was staying at the Zermatt resort in honor of Grandma and Grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary. On the morning of the big BYU v. Utah game, the Elison clan headed down to breakfast decked out in our BYU apparel. There was another family in the breakfasting nook. They were decked out in red. Our two families sat on opposite sides of the restaurant. No interaction, until... ...we were presented with this gift. Yeah, right.
Confession: I have been listening to Christmas music. How could I not? It was 5:30 AM, dark, cold, way snowy, and I was in the car. What ELSE would you listen to at a time like that? Queen? Of course not.
Last Sunday I went home and my mom was making cookies. My mom will often make desserts (they are her forte) and take them to different people or functions, so I asked her what the cookies were for.
Natalie: Mom, are you taking those cookies to someone or are they just for us? Mom: They're just for us, but I know your dad might go home teaching tonight so I thought he might take some of these.
Later that afternoon, I overheard this conversation:
Dad: Kerry, would I be able to take some cookies to the people I home teach? Mom: Of course you can.
Dad, she was just one step ahead of you. She's wonderful. I love my mom.
This is one of my favorite pictures from the family reunion. We look like Grandpa's bodyguards, standing there with our oars crossed in front of him. "Don't you dare touch my Grandpa...!"
You can see more of our family reunion pictures right here!
You may find some of my blogs to be alarming. I tend to be mildly over-dramatic and/or cryptic at times. This is due (in part) to the fact that these blogs are more for me than anyone else. So if you're ever concerned-don't be.
I frequently edit my blogs. If you read something that seems different than it was before, it probably is.
Also, I have a tendency to post blogs only to delete them a few hours later. If you read one of those posts-lucky you! I heard it described once as a "blog special".
