Bryce and Natali Jolley Family Pictures 2008

Natali's close up.

A little bit of an engagement pic, but oh well. I like it.

Merry Christmas with the snowflakes behind us.

Cool red door.

Bryce's favorite.

Oh! how we are in love.

Bryce's close up.

My favorite, and the one we sent with our Christmas cards.

Jolley Family Pictures 2008

From Right To Left - Conner, Steve, Chelsea, Lori, Ivan, Summer, Bryce, Natali, Dallin, and Haley

All Laughing and enjoying each-others company! Haley is still posing for the pictures.

Chelsea, Conner, Steve, Kailey, Lori, Ivan, Summer, Bryce, Natali, Dallin, and Haley

Last but not least of our pictures. The best part of these pictures was that they were taken by our uncle Bryce Goodwin and they were just snapshots in his backyard. Pretty darn good don't you think.

Christmas Fondness

Oinkers now 2008

New Oinkers

Like most of us, I love this time of year. I have very fond memories of Christmas as a child and on throughout my life. I attribute this season so some of my most happy times. Here are just a couple of the memories that come to my mind.

When I was young, it was really hard for me to let go of Christmas. When it was over, I wanted to keep the tree up through the whole year. I know that my Mom kept the tree up longer than she wanted to, because I would get so sad when it was gone. You know that song, "I cry the day I take the tree down?" I know that some tears were spilled as we put that evergreen away. I am sure that there were years we had the tree up way into February. The tree is not the only thing I had a hard time letting go of. Christmas music is probably my favorite of all genres of music. I would literally listen to it year round. There was one year when this was quite annoying to my other family members. I was repeatedly asked to turn it off, turn it down, or just listen to something different. My wonderful father knew how much I was enjoying my music, so he came home one day with an old portable tape player and some headphones. He said that he had just put in some new batteries, and I could listen to my music as much as I wanted and no one else would bug me. So I did. A LOT. I had quite the stash of Christmas tapes and I listened to my hearts content. Thanks Dad.

Going back a few years, I was 5 yrs old. I had become VERY attached to my baby blanket. It was just a simple tied quilt with a flannel backing. It had carebears all over it and I loved that thing. I was also a thumb sucker as a child. I am sure I was quite easy to appease because all I needed was that blanket and my right thumb stuck in my mouth. My Mom tried numerous times to get me to stop sucking my thumb, and nothing worked. She took away my blanket several times and I always ended up with it in the end. However, she did finally take it away for good and I was devastated. I felt so lonely, especially while falling asleep. I so wanted something to replace this security. This is just a preface to the actually story coming . . .
My Grammie worked in a jewelry store when I was young. Vandenberg's. It was also a little gift shop as well. They had an especially impressive array of collectible dolls and stuffed animals. Around Chrismtas time around the time I was 5, I spent a large amount of time in the store. I don't know why, but I seemed to be there often. I would go in and go straight to the section with the stuffed animals. I had made a friend in that part of the store, and he sat on the top shelf. His pink fur was plush and irresistable, I had to touch and pet it. His tail was curly and adorable. I just had to push my nose onto his big round nose and I just couldn't put that guy down. If you haven't guessed, he was a pig. The best part about this stuffed friend pig of mine, was that he was larger than life. He was the biggest stuffed pig I had ever seen. He was just smaller than me and I loved to cuddle him and squeeze him.
I so looked forward to the times that I went to visit Grammie at the store because she let me spend as much time as I wanted with my pig. I carried him around with me as if I owned him. I even called him "my pig." You can imagine my horror when I walked through "Vandenberg's" one day and rushed back to greet my pig. HE WAS GONE! GONE! I asked Grammie, with big tears in my eyes, where he was. She said that I shouldn't worry about my pig, he was okay. She had a little smile on her face and it made me kind of suspicious. I got it into my head that she had hidden him in the stock room. I snuck a peak in that room a few times, but never found my pink, plush friend.
Then it hit me, someone must have bought him. He was gone forever. I would never see him again. But then, maybe MY Mom bought him and he was waiting for me at home. YES, that was it. Mom had bought him for me for Christmas. Since I already knew that Mom hid most of our gifts in her closet, I searched that closet just as soon as I got home. Not there. No pig. Actually, I didn't find any gifts. Mom must have realized that she had snooping children in the house and she had to move their surprises to a new location.
Skip forward, Christmas Day. It was a very wonderful year. I got a new doll that when you touched her hand to a little butterfly on her head, her hair grew. Then you cranked her arm up and down and her hair retracted into her head again. She was precious. I can't remember anything else but one thing. There was a particularly large package under the tree that seemed to be bulging at the seams. The wrapping paper was awkwardly placed around a bulging box. Obviously the contents of the box were spilling out. AND, it had my name on it. For some reason, I didn't put it together at that point that it may be my pig. I opened the huge package with confusion and as the paper was ripped from the box, my breath was taken away. A beautiful, fluffy, larger than life, stuffed pig sat there waiting for me. I gladly took him from his cramped quaters and didn't let him go for YEARS. Literally. He became my new obsession. I no longer cared that I didn't have my baby blanket. Oh, and I named him Oinkers.
I still have that pig. He was my constant companion. He went with me to every slumber party. He was in my arms every night as I fell asleep. And, he accompanied me as I left home and headed to college. He has been with me when I was happy and sad. Never to judge or let me down. He was my best friend. Oh, my Oinkers. As the years went on, and after he received so much love, he became quite disheveled. His fur fell out in numerous places, and his fluff got squished into almost nothing. Mom and I tried to wash him, but this only deteriorated his state more. Now Oinkers is helplessly stained and mangled. I keep hoping that he will be like the Velveteen Rabbit and turn into a real pig. He certainly received enough love to qualify. I could go on for ages about the journey of Natali and Oinkers, but I will spare you all.
I guess in closing, I want to say this. I have received countless gifts over the years. Some expensive, and some less so. Some that were straight from the top shelf of a store, and some that were made by hands of loving family members. But, as I think back, I can remember so few of them. Not that they weren't important to me and not that I didn't love them. But, my memory serves me better than that. What I remember most about Christmas is the Love. All of the gifts I received were because of Love. Love envelopes the whole season. My Mom and Dad loved me and they only wanted for me to feel that love. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. And Christ loved his fellow man, so as to die for all of us. I love Oinkers, but mostly what he was to me. He was LOVE. I hope I can remember than love, along with all the gifts.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Mansion - Henry Van Dyke

A couple years ago, our stake conference was held via satellite from Salt Lake. President Monson spoke, then First Counselor of the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He recited many of his favorite stories, but these were not the usual stories he refers to. He didn't refer to stories of his youth or of an acquaintance of his. He spoke of favorite books and movies he has read and watched over the years. He spoke of My Fair Lady, It's a Wonderful Life, and many other movies that had touched him in some way. He spoke of many books that shared profound messages that had taught him much.

Most of what he spoke I was familiar with and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to his perspective on things. One story, I was not familiar with. He spoke of a short story written by Henry Van Dyke, called The Mansion. I left the meeting with a determination to find the story and read it. I did attempt a few times to trace it down at the bookstore, but didn't really make a good effort. So here I am, a good 2 years later, finally fulfilling my goal. Takes me a while sometimes. Oops.

I used the lazy mans way of all research and typed "The Mansion" into my Google search engine. Good old Google never lets me down. Not only did I find the story, but I read the whole thing on-line. It carries such a message that it is perfect for Christmas time. It even takes place on Christmas Eve. The story has a "Christmas Carol" sort of a backbone to it and I will forever use it as a staple of my Christmas story telling from now on. I wanted to share it with all of you. I guarantee you will enjoy it.

The Mansion

Creating Christmas

I volunteered at the YMCA Christmas Tree Sale the other night. I have done it in the past, and I really think it is fun. We NEVER bought a tree growing up. If we had a read tree it was one that we cut down ourselves. So this idea of going and buying a real tree is quite novel to me. People are always happy to buy a tree and they have a little TV in the trailer that I watched Christmas Shows on while I waited for customers. Anyway, I gathered some branches that had fallen off and been cut from the trees and I made a little Christmas swag!

First thing Bryce said when he saw it was, "Sure is better than paying 50 bucks for one." I think that means that he liked it.

Festival of Trees and DISNEY ON ICE

A very pretty tree. Whitney and I went to the tree lighting downtown and then to the Festival of Trees. It was fun, but I got all bundled up for the cold and then the tree building was HOT. I had leggings on under my jeans, three shirts, a sweatshirt, my coat, my gloves, and a scarf. I was not cold. I tried to shed layers for this pic, but I still have a thousand on.

This was a spectacular event. Disney on Ice. Our good friend Jamie Cook invited us to go with her and her kids. It was really cool! I have never seen people ice-skate in real life. I have only seen it on TV. They go so fast and are so graceful.

Mulan was my favorite part of the show. This dragon was very long and very beautiful.

I think most the kids in the audience enjoyed this the most. Finding Nemo! Here is Dori and Marlin talking to Bruce the shark. Unfortunately, Whitters was really sick the whole time. I felt so awful. I would look over and she would be just uncomfortable and in pain. Sorry Bub, it was a good show.

Christmas Countdown

This is courtesy of Erin Pitcher. I thought I would share it!


November 28: Decide what gift you're giving to Christ this year. (service to others, working on a personal weakness, etc.) Write it down and put it in the Christmas box.
November 29: Attend the temple or plan when you will attend.
November 30: At church, talk to someone new or who you don't know well.
December 1: Visit JesusChrist.lds.org. Read one of the articles or watch one of the multimedia presentations.
December 2: Call a friend or family member you haven't spoken with in a while.
December 3: Study your scriptures 15 minutes longer than usual.
December 4: Do an act of service for a family member or friend.
December 5: Offer a prayer of gratitude.
December 6: Study The Living Christ. Memorize one of the sentences. (Study this every day next week and keep memorizing sentences.)
December 7: Listen to or watch The First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Listen for one principle that you can work on. Write down one thing you're going to do this week to live that principle. Share this with your family, and follow up with each other later in the week.
December 8: Write down your beliefs about Christ.
December 9: Brighten a stranger's day.
December 10: Share the Christmas video (the one with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing…) with a friend.
December 11: Think about one way you can magnify your church calling. Put your idea into action.
December 12: Study Matthew chapters 1 and 2.
December 13: Pray for someone in need. Ponder about what you can do to help that person. Do it.
December 14: Visit the elderly or home bound.
December 15: Get to know a neighbor—take him or her a treat.
December 16: Send a note or email to someone.
December 17: Study the lyrics to a Christmas carol.
December 18: Read another article on JesusChrist.lds.org.
December 19: Pray for safety in your or others' Christmas travels.
December 20: Memorize your favorite scripture about Christ.
December 21: Write in your journal about how the Lord has blessed you this year.
December 22: Look at Christmas lights!
December 23: Make gingerbread houses, and think about how you can keep the Christmas spirit in your home year round.
December 24: Study Luke chapter 2.
December 25: Talk to someone about the gift you gave to the Savior this holiday season.

Girls Loving Girl Stuff

I look like I am about to go to sleep, and I was. The massage chair was amazing and I loved the pedicure. Whitney and I decided that we would treat ourselves to a pedicure and manicure. We went to a SUPER nice place, I don't know if any of you have heard of it is just too nice and swank. I won't reveal the location to save the employees from a rush of people. But, if you look in the background of this pic, you may be able to figure it out.

This little lady working on Bubbers feet was in a pretty big rush. She was talkative too, I didn't say three words to the girl who did mine. I liked it that way too.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread. We used a little more of my fresh pumpkin to make this delicious bread. It tasted A LOT like the Great Harvest C.C. Pumpkin Bread. I will post the recipe sometime soon.

Bryce actually hates decorating the Christmas Tree, so Whit and I did it. It was a blast. I have so many fun ornaments that I got on sale after Christmas last year. So, it was like they were brand new and I had never seen them before.

Visitor! WE HAVE A VISITOR!!

Hooray!!! Bubberoonigus came to see me and Bryce this week over Thanksgiving. I have been looking forward to this week for months. Lets just say that it is some much needed time off! She got here on Saturday night really late. Sunday we took it easy and it was a nice night so we went on a walk around Greys Lake. (pictured above) It was a great time.

Iowa Machine Shed! Good old fashioned country cooking. I love this place. Here is Whit taking a ride on this prize winning hog. She is having so much fun, it was hard to pry her off that pig.

CORN, CORN, CORN! We love corn here in Iowa and this giant corn just looked so delicious we had to have a taste.

Whitters is going to plow the ground with her little plow and I will supervise cuz I am older and wiser. Plus, I've got those nice squiny eyes that will help me be extremely perceptive. Bring on the farm.

Again, Bubber gets to do the work while I supervise. She does look a little crazed on this lovely tractor. We'd better not leave her to her own very long, she might run us all to the ground.

Iowa State Historical Museum

Who knew that there was so much adventure right down the road! This Saturday we went to the State Historical Museum. It was very fun and I know that there are a lot of pics here but I thought they were all so great I had to share them.

Native American Bryce. He built this hut from his own materials and with his bare hands.

The next bunch of pics are from the Iowa Caucus exhibit. They had all these rooms filled with these big people. They looked so real! Its like Where's Waldo. Where are we in the pics?

A heated political discussion over a nice lunch.

There must be a celebrity over there at the table! Who is it?

Lets be serious people.

I am a political person.

My one vote counts.

I am voting for . . . ? I should think about this.

Big Bison!? YES, that is so awesome.

OH NO, Bear attack . . . RUN!

Wow, this Mammoth is really big. I am a little scared.

You can't even tell that this isn't a real pic of a red-headed farmer and and his dark headed, serious wife. What an authentic reproduction.

Bowlers

Heartburn Kills

For the past year or so I have been getting heartburn. And this isn't just any regular old heartburn. This is so painful I have to call it "kill me now" heartburn. There have been several times I thought that my chest was going to rip open and explode with pain. I have often wanted to be taken to the emergency room because it hurt so bad. Now, you are probably thinking right now that I am exaggerating right? Wrong, I am 100% serious. The worst thing about this heartburn is that nothing touches it. TUMS, no! Rolaids, n0! Pepto, no! Mylanta, no! And all of these are the "extra strength" kind. Extra strength my big toe, they don't even make me feel better in the slightest. Sometimes they make me feel more sick because they taste so gross and leave me feeling like I just swallowed a bowl of flavored chalk. Also, this heartburn only happens at night, right before I go to bed. So I feel it coming on, take some medicine (that doesn't help), and wait for the pain to begin. And I often awake in the wee small hours of the morning just hurting dreadfully.

Since the silly chalk medicines didn't seem to be working for my particular case of heartburn, I have sought out home grown remedies. I searched on the internet, while in pain, what remedies others have used that worked. So I swallowed straight apple cider vinegar, didn't work. It made me gag and almost let it all go. I wanted to cry after this attempt to make myself feel better. Then I chugged down a lovely baking soda and water mixture. Not much better than the vinegar. Fizzier, but not much better in taste. Still no results. So, I swallowed ice cold water by the gallons. Not even a smiggen of relief. Plus, it made me have to pee every two minutes. Then came the milk, and the wierd positions I was supossed to lay in to make the "flow" go down. I have taken nice hott showers @ 3:00 in the morning that consist of my laying on the floor of the shower crying and praying for it to just go away. A shower is usually my cure all, and even that didn't do anything.

Usually the symptoms last for about 6 hours or so. All the way through my sleepy time. The shortest has been a nice 2 hour stint. However, one night while I was in Idaho at my in-laws over the summer, it lasted a good 8 hours or more. This was one of the times I begged Bryce to take me to the hospital because I hurt so bad. After it is over, I am usually so tired that I sleep most the day away. Luckily, I am also so exhausted as to forget the lovely pain and go out a few weeks later and order a nice greasy hamburger for dinner. Oh how I love a good hamburger. Almost nothing appeals to me more. (now I did say almost nothing:) So, curse my poor memory and my dreadful love for that delicious american pastime called the burger and fries. Curse you Red Robin for having such delicious burgers that call my name in the quiet hours of the afternoon. Curse you deep fried potatoes, cut "french style, for being so scrumptious. Curses to you all.

This story does have a happy ending. I will get to it shortly.

Of course, the clear cut answer to my woes is to stop the train of grease that is going down my throat. I have tried this avenue, but you remember my memory loss and my love for food. It hinders me. Oh, it hinders me greatly. So, I called on the only person I know that has frequent heartburn (other than pregnant women) that might be able to offer me a solution. My big brother BEN! So, after my horrible battle with this monster in Idaho (which I formentioned), I could take it no longer. I called my brother as a last resort and asked him what I should do. He suggested some of the chalk remedies that I told him didn't work. Then he told me of something that changed my life. Zantac! Yes, you have all heard of it and I had do. So, why oh why, in all my pain and midnight runs to the drug store did I not think to use this? Beats me cookie lee! That very day I went and bought myself the strongest doseage you can buy without a perscirption. I knew that my heartburn was just waiting to return and I was one step ahead of it this time. Sure enough, that very night it returned. I am lucky, in a way, because I can feel it before it comes on strong. This never proved profitable before, but I was hoping that this time it would save me. I quickly took a little pink pill and waited. within an hour or so, I was feeling good! Not perfect, but I was feeling good. I only felt slightly nauseous and my chest was a little tight, but no searing pain. From that day on I have used those blessed Zantac, and they have never failed me . . .

UNTIL TONIGHT!

That cursed Red Robin burger menu drew me in, and on Thursday afternoon I went and indulged. Bryce and I always share a burger and then you get bottomless fries! GREAT, but not so smart. The fries, for some reason or other, were insanely greasy. I promise that I didn't want to eat those piping hot potatoes fried in heartburn breeding grounds, but I did. STUPID NATALI! I am paying for it tonight. I don't know why, but my heartburn seems to hold off a day until I think I am in the clear and, BAM it hits me. I took my little salvation pill and went to bed confident I would feel better soon. Wrong again. I awoke @ 2 a.m. with a burning chest. Now, I am one of those people who takes exactly the recommened dose and I get so worried if I take more of the medicine that it tells me to. But, this night I broke that conviction. I took another of my little pink wonders. It hurt like the devil for another 2 hours or so, but I am feeling a little bit of relief now that the early hours of dawn are creeping up on me. I still hurt, and have considered taking a third pill, but I hope that this will work itself out here soon. By soon I mean at least by 7 or 8 this morning.

So this post goes out to all of you who have felt "the burn." Oh me oh my, how I hurt for you. I have now made a goal (again) not to eat mindlessly. Any suggestions as to how to beat this addiction to bad food, would be so appreciated. I am serious too, I feel as if I am addicted to food that is bad for me. It can't be good if it causes me this much pain. I suppose that my body is trying to teach me a lesson and is crying out for me to take better care of it. How sad that I continue to stuff my face with unhealthy things. *big sigh* Oh where oh where has my common sense gone. Oh where oh where could it be.

I know I said that I had a happy ending, but I guess I have a semi-happy ending. My heartburn is under control for tonight, thanks to medicine. BUT, I could have a much happier ending if I stop the cycle. Here is my resolution in writing. I, Natali Jolley, am going to live a healthier life. That is a good place to start, don't you think.

Pumpkin Painting

I got a bunch of pumpkins after Halloween for free from the grocery store. They were just sitting outside of the store it a big box and they were FREE! So, of course I couldn't pass up this opportunity. I got too many, but I would have even gotten more had Bryce not been there to stop me. So, I envisioned so many beautiful things for these pumpkins to grace my doorstep. This is what came out. I still have three more that I didn't paint. I guess I will have to cook those, or Bryce has been talking about blowing them up and using them as dry ice bombs.

"Family", how not original is this. I was just out of ideas by the time I painted this one.

You can kinda see how I had to wash this one off a few times. The good thing about acrylic paints and pumpkins is that even if the paint dries, it comes right off with a little water. This design came from about 5 different attempts that I washed off and started all over.

This one was the first and I think the best. I actually saw a decoration at a store that said this on it and was designed a little similar. I wanted it to look exactly like the one I saw in the store, but how often does that happen.

My little Turkey! I got this pumpkin from my Visiting Teachers and I hope they know it went to good use.

My whole collaboration. Forgive the awful wall paper in the background. This is what my hallway looks like. It reminds me of a chinese restaurant. (and not a fancy one)

What Do I Do With That Jack-o-Lantern?

I am always sad to see Halloween come and go. No more pumpkins dressing our doorsteps and no more spooky costumes. What am I going to do with that Jack-O-Lantern now that Halloween is over? It is a shame to throw it out and let it go to waste. So you eat it of course! I love all pumpkin things: Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bars, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pancakes. I could go on forever, it seems almost anything can be dressed up with a little pumpkin. So, every year I take my pumpkin and I cook it so I can use it in all these ways. A few of my friends have asked how I do it. So here is my step by step guide on how to cook your pumpkin.

Step #1: Cut the pumpkin into pieces and put into a large pot of boiling water.

Step #2: Let the pumpkin boil until tender. This big pot of pumpkin boiled for about 1 hr. Poke it with a fork to test for tenderness. You should be able to poke through the skin and into the soft meat.

Step #3: Drain the pieces of pumpkin. Press all the water out of the pumpkin with a spoon or a large bowl over top of the strainer. Then, cut the meat from the skin.

Step #4: Let the pumpkin set for a while and cool. Then, drain water from meat again.

Step #5: Store in freezer bag. You can stick this in your fridge if you plan to use it soon, but if not freeze it. Of course, you must drain as much air from the bag as possible. You may blend the pumpkin before, or after you freeze it. I choose to freeze it without blending it, just to save me a step.

THERE YOU HAVE IT! ENJOY!