Stones Family Reunion in Southern California

It is hard to explain how much fun we had at the family reunion in California but to sum it up here are 20 highlights from the week:

1.       Every morning we got to wake up in a cabin ON a private beach- no alarm, no hurry, just the waves and the surfers.

2.       We learnt to boogie board and we got to practice… a lot! By the end we were good and we looked like we were natural born CA surf bums!

3.       San Clemente Donuts- enough said!

4.       We got to build sand castles and sand apples with the nieces and nephews!

5.       We went to the San Clemente Pier to see creatures and new sites!

6.       We got to play with Nieces and Nephews!

 

7.       We got to play guitar hero- and watch Mom and Dad play guitar hero!

8.       We had a phenomenal talent show!

9.       Ben got to play air soft with “da’boys”!

10.   We had a fantastic FHE about the Ammonites and burring out weapons!

11.   We had a triple August Birthday Party with a HUGE cake!

12.   We got to be slightly mischievous…

13.   We got to go to Dana Point and see the boats, rocks and sea creatures.

14.   We got to eat delicious food all week long!

15.   We got to see Michael get married in the San Diego Temple and got a new Sister (Yay Taylor)!!

 

16.   We got to party and dance all night long!!!

17.   We got to see Best Friends!! (aka Charlotte)

18.   We got to go to the Mormon Battalion Memorial Site and pan gold.

19.   We made angry faces in the bonfire light! (well…we tried)

20.   We spent time with Family… which really is the BEST!!

There and Back Again

This year instead of flying to our family reunion, we decided to drive (more cost effective), little did we know that this drive would be so exciting. We planned our journey from Louisville, Colorado to San Clemente, California; passing through five states in about 17 hours and roughly two days. We planned stops in St George Utah (to sleep at Ben’s brother Tobin’s house) and then at in Las Vegas to eat and look around… here is how our trip went.

We left Louisville around 8:00 on Friday August 8 and started our journey. The drive was easy and we had lots of excitement and anticipation for the trip. The drive took us down through Grand Junction and through the Rocky Mountains, they are beautiful. The day went by quickly and 10 hours later we arrived in St. George, Utah where we would be staying at Tobin’s house. We got there early enough to have a light dinner at I-Hop and go to Costco (where we got a camera and our picture journal begins).

The next day we left Tob’s around 9:00 and headed west towards… nothing. Arizona had some pretty rocks and mountains but was mostly a hot dessert. Nevada was…the same. Then we came upon SIN CITY- Las Vegas. Neither Ben nor I had ever been to Vegas before so we decided to take a while walking the strip and eat some lunch. It turned out being really… HOT!!

 

We didn’t pack any water with us we were not used to the 100 degree weather. We stopped, exhausted and parched, to eat lunch at the Planet Hollywood (good food, crazy waiter and exciting movie crud everywhere). Our overall view was of Las Vegas was not great. I was super disappointed that there were people gambling and drunk out of their minds at 10am and the Casinos were all dark, twisted and filled with smoke- I guess that’s why it’s called ‘sin city’. There was nothing magical or exciting about it! So I guess we will skip it on the way back through!!

So on to Andrea’s house, or so we thought until… the tire blew…somewhere in….??

Good thing we are married because we make a GREAT team. We had that tire off, a new one on and were headed down the road to find a repair shop in no time. We ended up being 4 miles outside Victorville, CA and pulled into a Tire Repair Shop only 15 minutes before closing (yay). In total it was only an hour detour and we were on the road again!!

We arrived to Andrea’s (well Orange County) just in time for Jasen’s Birthday Dinner at In-N-Out (Yum)!! It was great to finally be there but we had fun on the way.

AND FAST FORWARD ONE WEEK TO THE RETURN!!

So I am writing about all travel in one posting- I thought that would increase suspense about the middle week AND I could overlap pictures!! So it was pretty much the same except in reverse and we had two teenaged boys with us; Yes, Michael and Jasen came home with us!!

Although there was a lot of sleeping, eating, ‘Psych’ watching, and listening to books on tape… we still tried to make it a cultural experience for the boys!! We stopped and let them see the scenery! Yikes- that’s high!!

All in all it was fun to drive and I enjoyed the scenery and the time with Ben and the boys! I would highly recommend a drive for anyone wanting to get away and have a fun, bonding experience!!

So I haven’t written in a while, I feel like I have been kind of a downer lately and anything I have to say is… well… down! But I have enjoyed seeing my siblings writing more lately- so I guess since I enjoy it, maybe they would enjoy it if I wrote! So I am going to try!


I am backlogging a little bit and so… here it goes!!

Jonah vs Plunger

At one point in Anne of Green Gables, Anne collapses on the bed and declares, “Oh, Marilla, it is such a Jonah day!” (For those of you who don’t know Jonah was a Bible prophet who got eaten by a whale.) Yesterday was one of those days.

I have had to work a lot this week and work has… not been fun. I am at the bottom of many totem poles. Yesterday I got yelled at for things I didn’t do. I came home ranting and yelling for a whole 15 minutes to Ben. Then I realized that Ben needed me and I was insensitive- that made me feel like a bad wife. So grumpy and depressed I go to have one of the most fun afternoons of the week with my nephews and…we got lost and got pulled over for speeding. I see the cop and our destination at the same time so I pull into the parking lot and park, the boys take of their seat belts to get out and…I get busted for speeding AND teenage boys with no belts. I called Ben to tell him and got chewed out for not sticking up for myself and not driving right. The afternoon was fun- go carts and lazer tag (plus my stirring bad mood). Then we go have ice cream (skip the dinner-starving) with the boys and their friends and take them home… where there is a lack of communication, I get lost and…more frustrated. (Probably my frustration level wouldn’t have been so bad, had I not already been in a heightened irritable state.)

Then after it all I get this text from my sister, “Toilet back ups are my favorite. Just saying.” The “whale” spits me back to earth and I am forced to wipe a bunch of humble spit off my face. I was just in a bad mood; life wasn’t THAT bad… I got off work early. I spent a day playing with two of my favorite men. I have an amazing husband. And I got ice cream. Minus the slight stink of fish... it was a good day!!

P.S- I forgot to set my alarm last night and woke up late. 14 minutes later I was showered, clothed and out the door. 21 minutes later I was clocked in at work. Not the best way to start Jonah day #2… but I just keep thinking of those dang toilets!!

Truth or Lie

I have been contemplating the difference between a lie and the truth. 

To lie by definition is to mislead or deceive; yet is it bad to tell your child there is gold at the end of a rainbow, that fairies do exist and that if they cross their eye’s they will stay that way? Those things could be considered ‘lies’ yet they do not cause pain but generate dreams and creativity.  They cultivate imagination and the joys of childhood.  Other lies such as stealing, cheating and manipulating can be so harmful to businesses, countries and families, they are corruptive. It is interesting how a lie can be so painful but others can be so great.

Likewise, the truth can ‘set you free’ yet the truth hurts if it is harsh or biting.  You never want to hear you look fat in a dress or your new hair cut is awful.  The truth also can teach you diligence and hard work; you must work harder to get a raise or hit that goal.

So which is better?  Which should we strive for? I recently learned the ‘truth’ to my beloved brother’s death and it hurt.  It did not give me warmth or joy, yet neither did the lie. With this new found truth I am no longer able to create a childhood imagination of dreams but am harshly brought back into reality with a thud.  It hurts and I am left wondering if I would have created a different ‘truth’- had I had the choice.  I am confused and I am sad.  That is the truth!

3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

Another year gone by…

We’ve got a job and worked.

We’ve graduated.

We’ve served.

We’ve celebrated.

We’ve got laid off.

We’ve worked.

We’ve mourned and cried.

We’ve grown.

We’ve loved!

We celebrated at Cheesecake Factory- YUM!

50 Things You May Not Know About Me

(Inspired by Andrea…and Dad)

1. I got busted in High School for cheating in my Calculus class.
2. I always brag and elaborate stories to make myself sound much better then I am.
3. I am irrationally mortified of spiders.
4. I love watching the Disney Channel movies.
5. I eat the chocolate off of the outside of the candy bars before I eat the bar.
6. I want to skydive but I am afraid of heights.
7. I want to do international travel but I have only been to Canada.
8. My DREAM is to ‘teach poor kids to brush their teeth’; translation I want to do humanitarian service. 
9. I love to organize things- pantries, office supplies, ect.
10. I love to dance and wish I were better and more versatile.
11. I talk to myself when I am alone.
12. I think of morbid 911 stories or do interior design in my mind to help me fall asleep at night.
13. I am a ‘social’ person but I am secretly really shy and insecure.
14. I am not a neat freak but I am a clean freak (things must be deep down clean).
15. I love pasta.
16. I love my husband more today than I did the day we got married.
17. I have run down the Southern California beaches in my underwear.
18. I have never tasted alcohol, smoked a cigarette or drank coffee.
19. I was sucked into an underground water drain as a child-it was mortifying and I thought I was going to die.
20. I think I am slightly OCD- closed cabinet doors, toilet paper rolling the right direction, ect.
21. I have never had a job longer than 5 months.
22. I love the smell of a camp fire.
23. I got out of a Spanish Final in HS by throwing my teacher a surprise birthday fiesta.  I knew it wasn’t her birthday!
24. I have the best barfing stories- but I almost never throw up.
25. I have never read a Jane Austen book- but I claim to be one of her biggest fans.
26. I have a list of “CAN’T” goals I am trying to overcome; so far I have not checked off any of them.
27. My FAMILY is the single most important thing to me in the world.
28. I have dissected a human cadaver.
29. I like Tai food.
30. I have worked on a beef farm.
31. I am constantly listening to music- but I never know the artist or the song.
32. I have so many creative ideas and no way to express them.
33. My favorite season is autumn; I would love to see Boston in the fall.
34. I have driven into fences, through parks and through corn fields- all without involving the police.
35. I have eaten a meal worm- fried!
36. I have ridden in an ambulance twice- I don’t remember either time.
37. I have lived both on the east coast and the west coast.
38. My favorite animal is a moose- I have never seen one in the wild.
39. I am told I am too practical.
40. I do not like seafood- but I a trying to be open minded.
41. I like scary movies (not R rates).
42. I actually enjoy watching college sports with my husband; not golf and not on Sunday.
43. I love the outdoors- I could camp for days.
44. I am big on traditions and I am a nester.
45. I have been to Sacrament Meeting in Chinese.
46. I had braces for almost 7 years. I didn’t wear my retainers and now my lower teeth are crooked again.
47. I like the old 1940’s glam (Aubrey Hepburn) and love wearing pearls.
48. I love horseback riding but I don’t go as often as I’d like.
49. I don’t like hand washing dishes- the dishwasher is my favorite invention.
50. I love donuts. Really gooey fried apple fritters are my favorite.

Called Upon to Change

I have been serving in the Young Women’s organization in our ward for the last year and a half and this last week I was released. Combined with the stress of the rest of my month this feels like I am getting fired. I have been very upset and very downtrodden. I love these Young Women. When we moved here and I knew know one- I got to know them. When I had no job and no purpose- I had a call to serve and lead them. I planned projects for them. I organized activities for them. I taught lessons to them. All of which are things that helped ME as a person grow and in the process I was able to work with a great a great Presidency of sisters. I am sad, to say the least- but the new presidency sounds spectacular.


I have been called to teach the CTR 7-8 class in Primary. I have not taught a Primary class since I was 18 and I have not been in Primary since we lived in NYC. Yesterday was my first day I was nervous, still a little upset and honestly didn’t put the energy into it that I would have been proud of. But even in one day, I found that I loved those children. They were a little wild and talkative but attentive and sometimes interested. It was a new experience but one that I enjoyed and I am now getting more excited for this new era in my life.

(One other perk with Primary is I can 'hide' from most of the adults and I don't feel as overwhelmed all day  This was my first positive Sunday in weeks!)

Memories

Since Aaron’s death I’ve been thinking a lot about memories. Memories of him. Memories of me. Memories of my other siblings. I realized that I don’t remember a lot about Aaron. He was 4 years older than me- so we never really played together (Unless he was picking on me in some cruel way) and by the time we were older and could have been close… I was bitter, judgmental and we were “estranged.” But I loved him- oh so much.

Here are some things I do remember.

I remember sitting upstairs in Mom and Dad’s peach room on the water bed with Michael on one side of Aaron and me on the other (I was probably 4-5 yrs old). He was ‘reading us’ a Where’s Waldo (actually I think it was Where’s Nephi). I think Mom and Dad were downstairs ‘reprimanding’ a troubled teen (1 guess who that was), when all of a sudden our fire alarms went off. We were mortified; we thought we were going to die. Aaron was calm, told us to stay calm and stay there. He ran downstairs to find out what was wrong and then quickly came back.

“The fireplace was broken and caught the roof on fire- Dad was fixing it- don’t worry.” He then sat back down and continued to read to us. He was the calm in that potentially scary time. He took care of us when no one else was there!

When I was in 2nd grade I got mono and missed about 2 months of school. I missed the eyeball section of science and therefore missed getting to dissect a cows eye- something I had been looking forward to since Aaron got to do it four years earlier. I was SUPER bummed. I remember Aaron sitting with me on the couch in the family room and helping me with my eyeball homework and then describing to me a cows eye and how cool it is to dissect an eyeball. He told me all about it, so that I wouldn’t feel like I was missing anything.

Aaron used to have pet lizards (when he was in elementary school), geckos to be exact. He could let them crawl all over his body- on his shoulder, face, neck, arms, ect. They would get loose in his messy room and we wouldn’t be able to find them (those things are small) and then we would find them in the weirdest places. Once we lost one… permanently and then later found the smelly carcass.

More later…Dad’s harassing me to go get tacos!

Aaron Lawrence Stones

My big brother passed away. This is his obituary:

Aaron Lawrence Stones, our kind, loving, gentle and wonderful son, brother, uncle and friend died Monday in his home in Denver . He was 28.

Aaron was born in Prescott , Arizona to Larry and Margaret (Baker) Stones. He was a happy and precocious child. He loved He-Man and wearing capes of all colors.

His family settled in Longmont when he was six. He attended Niwot High School where he excelled in drama and was known for his delightful sense of humor. He received his Eagle Scout award and his Duty to God award. He also graduated from LDS Seminary with four years of perfect attendance.

Aaron always loved music and played the guitar, banjo and kazoo. He was a talented artist and enjoyed painting and drawing whenever he could.

In 2007 he married Kiyoka Tamasue. They lived happily in Denver with their dogs, Petri Dish and Charlotte.
He loved all animals and found great happiness working with them.

He found a second family in his close circle of friends, who will miss his quick wit and tender ways.

Aaron was loved by his family and was adored by his nieces and nephews. Lovingly referred to as “Uncle Geek”, he spent hours coloring with crayons, building sand castles, chasing balls, stacking blocks and toting small children around on his shoulders.

Aaron will be deeply missed by his parents and five brothers and sisters
Andrea Dawson (Ben), San Clemente CA.
Mathew Stones (Andrea), Aurora
Erica Lundgreen (Richard), Aurora
Breanne Newson (Ben), Lafayette
Michael Stones (Taylor ), Longmont
As well as his 9 nieces and nephews

Funeral services were held Monday, July 5, 2010 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 11th Ave. Bldg., Longmont, CO. at 2:00 PM

New Family Reunion- 2010

The entire Newson Family came out for a fun filled week of REUNION!! It was so wonderful seeing everyone and being able to make new memories. The kids are all getting so big and so there were all new things to do. We spent our nights playing t-ball, soccer or catch in the backyard or roasting marshmallows by the fire pit. After the kids went to bed the adults (and teens) spent hours roaring with laughter or playing games and reminiscing. The days were spent at parks, playing legos, canoeing, hiking, swimming or lounging inside (away from the hot sun). We had a special fiesta with games, dance, music, food and a surprise thunder and lightening storm. We had a talent show, sing-a long parties and a Newson Family Olympics. And we can’t forget to give a shout out to the food- cooking for 25 people and it was still DELICOUS. In all it was so great seeing everyone and such a fun week. Thanks everyone for coming. We love you!

The Entire Newson Family- 2010

Taking the younger kids on a scavenger hunt for fiesta treasure!

Ben passed out from all the good fiesta food.

The Newson Men racing for the gold at the Family Olympics! Yes- they were sore!

Dunes Days 2010

Ben went with about 21 Young Men from our Ward on a High Adventure to the Southern Colorado Sand Dunes. They hikes, camped, snowboarded down the dunes, toured through a ghost town, went to a gator farm, swam in a mountain lake and had a week of pure manliness. Ben had a ton of fun with the boys and really enjoyed it!

Ben hanging out with some of the leaders in the ghost town.

Beautiful view!

Picture at the Summit