lake powell with the mercers

Last week, we spent several days at Lake Powell with the Mercer family. I grew up spending many days at the lake waterskiing, kneeboarding, and wakeboarding. We spent enough time waterskiing that I have often joked that I waterskiied before I was born (in my mother's womb, although it's probably not likely since I was born in April).

When I was growing up, my family would make at least one trip to Lake Powell every year, but recently we hadn't been on a family trip to Lake Powell for several years. So when my parents and siblings purchased a timeshare on a houseboat, we all got excited for a trip back to Lake Powell. We filled up the houseboat and enjoyed a wonderful time together. And Alisa experienced her first trip to Lake Powell.

-Lonnie

guate slide show

My first trip to Guatemala was in the summer of 2000. I went with as part of a BYU field study project. I lived in the Mayan vilage of Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan. I feel in love with the people, the land and the complexity of cultures.

I've gone back several times since; working for the national literacy organization, working to start a fair trade buiness and just to visit friends.

This slide show is of some photos taken during various visits to Guatemala over the past 7 years.

The slide show is way too long and choppy in places, but it has some good photos of some wonderful people.

We have some friends coming over tonight for dinner who lived in Guatemala about 30 years ago. I wanted to show them some of the people and places that I love in Guatemala.

(to turn off the rustedsun blog background music scroll down to the very bottom of the page and click the pause button on the sonific player)

-Alisa

my brother

My youngest brother Mike is on a break from his Navy schooling right now. He only has a little over a week off, but he came to spend a couple days with us here in Houston before heading home to California.

Mike is 10 years younger than I am. When he was born, I was convinced that he was my own personal doll, brought home for me to love and adore. I used to fall asleep on the floor of his room so I could be the one to take care of him in the middle of the night when he woke up. I would even ask him to call me mom.

He has always been the peacemaker in our family. I remember several times as a child, after getting in an argument with one of my family members, that little Mike would come into my room, rub my back and tell me that he loved me. He is not so little anymore, but he still is a great person to have around when things are tough.

Mike joined the Navy about a year ago. He wanted to do something meaningful and service oriented. Although we worry about him, we are proud of the service he is willing to offer.

My sisters and me kissing our cute sailor.

Me, Laura (sister), Mike, Aimee (sister) and Abby (my sister-in-law, wife of my other brother Andrew)

We took these photos over Christmas when we were all in California.

-Alisa

let's be honest- I don't have supermom skills

I spent three days watching my cousin's kids while she went on a business trip. Usually she works during the day and her husband works at night. When Loretta has to go out of town for work, their delicate family balance gets thrown off. Since we moved to Houston, I have been able to take care of the kids several times when Loretta has gone on work trips.

So I spent my days this week making meals that were mostly left on the kitchen floor, cleaning the house and then cleaning the house again, answering the same questions over and over again, stopping fights and tantrums, putting kids to sleep for naps and then trying to get them to stay in bed at night, changing stinky diapers and then changing diapers again, helping with sidewalk chalk art while applying bug spray, taking the kids to the pool (a major ordeal involving trying to remember to bring swim suits, towels, sunscreen, bug spray, treats, water, swim diapers and another diaper for after swimming) and then trying to convince the kids that it was time to leave the pool because my pale skin was turning into boiled tomato.

It was wonderful to see their simling faces and hear them laugh but by the end of each day, I was tired and worn out and yet still most of the things I had on my to-do list were not done. Going to the grocery store was in itself a major task. When I talked to my dad on the phone yesterday, I said that I had decided that, instead of wanting to be mother so badly, I have now decided that I want to skip directly to the grandparent part. We could just adopt adult children who are already self-sufficient, post-pubescent, and potty trained. They would have cute kids that we could visit but not be directly responsible for all of their actions.

But the best part of the day was when Lonnie would come home from work. The kids screamed and jump up and down, yelling his name. Lonnie chased them around the house as they yelped with delight. Their playing eventually wore them all out. Together, we gave the kids a bath and put them to bed. I sometimes joined in the pretend roughhousing fun but mainly I just sat and looked at my wonderful, patient, fun loving husband, regained my strength, and I felt like I wanted to be a parent.

I also realize that I can't do this alone. I'm not going to wake up one day with the skills of a supermom. Learning to be a great parent will be a process. But luckily I work on a team, and together I think Lonnie and I will be pretty good parents.

-Alisa

celebrating life!- improtant people in our life

Stella Celebrates her 1st Birthday


Sammy Celebrates his 5th birthday



Stella and Sam (Alisa's niece and nephew http://lambsandchubbits.blogspot.com/) both had birth days in the past weeks. They are great kids and we love to hang out with them.

Stella had a baby birthday party with all of her favorite things; swimming, eating strawberries, hanging out with fellow baby friends and not getting mauled by her big brother. Alisa found that great swim suit for her.

Sammy had a Luchador party. He and all his buddies ran around with our their shirts on, slid down the the slip-and-slide and practiced their wrestling moves.

These kids make great cousins. We love them like crazy!

Happy Birthday Sammy and Stellie!

malaika and thabo visiting our house- important people in our life

Malaika (3) and Thabo (19months) are Loretta (Alisa's cousin) and Teboho's beautiful kids. They live near by and we get to see them often. They are great kids.

The day these photos were taken they came to spend the day with us while their parents went to the temple. The kids had a great day playing in our yard and feeding the fish in the pond. We always have a good time with them.

They especially love to tickle Lonnie.

these are some photos of our many wonderful nieces and nephews

Our nieces and nephews sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" at our wedding luncheon.


Having a good time in the desert.