My cousin in Haiti

My cousin Billy is in Haiti offering medical services and found a little girl to adopt. He was on the front page of Deseret News this morning. See this link deseret news for the article and a video. Such a miracle! (Just a clarification the article/video make it seem like he was down there shopping for a kid. That isn't the case. Yes, they were trying to adopt back home in Texas, but he was down there to offer medical services first and foremost.  Things just fell into place that he found this little girl. Also, she didn't lose her parents in the earthquake, she's been in the orphanage since she was 3 months old.

More from the Utah trip

I was able to stay for a few extra days after the funeral with my sister Regan in SLC.

Mom with three of her sisters and Grandma

Carson taking a bath with Nellie and Ollie.

 

Carson is such a tech. kid. He will find any cell phones, remotes or laptops in a room quicker then anyone else! Uncle Pete was sweet enough to pull out his old broken laptop. Carson was in heaven!

Playing in the snow, and no he is not a fan.

Regan has a membership at a really cool kids museum place called Discovery Gateway and the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake. Carson had so much fun there exploring and acting like he was bigger then his is. I wish we had a place like this! Here are some pictures from there.

Cowboy

Playing in the water

Shopping for produce in the "grocery store"

Pretending to be the butcher

 

Checking out the medic helecopter

Taking the controls

Playing newscasters

James Robert Price 1986-2010

My cousin J.R. died January 11th at the age of 23 from pneumonia/ ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome). He and his family all had the flu over Christmas but were feeling better. He drove from his parent's house in Sandy back to Provo where he was attending school. He ended up driving himself to the ER in Provo because he was having a hard time breathing. He was put on a respirator and passed away after an 11 day stay in the hospital. It has been quite a shock to the entire family. He was a perfectly healthy young man and it is hard to believe that something like the flu could have killed him. His funeral was this past Saturday so Carson and I flew to Utah to be there. Steve couldn't get away from work. It was wonderful to see so much family and to be together. The funeral was heartbreaking, but uplifting because of our knowledge that he is with family that has passed on before, with our Lord and Savior, and that we will all see him again. I really can't imagine what his parents and siblings are feeling and try not to because I get to emotional. The thought of losing my brother Brian or my own son is more then I can't take. I, along with so many others are constantly thinking of them and praying for them. Here are a few pictures at a family luncheon after the services.

Carson and Grandpa

Grandma Knudsen posing with us.

My cousin Jessica holding Danielle's baby Zane.

Us and my cousin Nicole

A generation shot. Carson would only cooperate if he could suck on a Sprite can. (Sounds about right...)

Siblings, cousins, aunts.

Koreans...You've gotta love them!

My sister Laura is on a mission in Korea. This is an excerpt from her latest letter. I thought it was hilarious and wanted to share it. 

SO one of my favorite Korean moments this week had to be when this member and his wife were giving us a ride home.  First let me explain the parking situation here.  There is like no parking.  So people have come up with many clever ways to make more space.  For example everyone has their phone number on their car so that you can block anyone in and then when you need out, you can just call the person and tell them to more.  The best is that in lots people will put their cars in neutral when they are parallel-parked so that you can push the cars really close together for more space.  I didn't know about the whole put your car in neutral thing so I thought it was hilarious when the member who was giving us the ride doesn't want to loose his parking spot so he gets out and pushes the two cars on either side closer so that it will be less tempting for people to park there.  So funny.

Craft Table

With part of my Christmas money this year I decided that I wanted to create a craft table for me and only me. It is so nice to have an area in the house that is all mine! I ended up finding the table at Goodwill and only had to make a few modifications. I added some hardware to the drawers and staple-gunned fabric and ribbon on the back of the hutch section to create a photo display area/holder. I bought the ribbon holder on the wall and the 12x12 paper organizer under the desk at a craft store, along with the magnetic containers on the wall. I used a tutorial I found on homemadebyjill.blogspot.com on how to re-upholster a desk chair  and I think it adds a little pazazz. Anyway, I like the finshed product. Why does organizing all your stuff feel so good? I'll let you know if I end up crafting more now. At least everything has it's place regardless!

Christmas 2009

We spent a week in Washington with Steve's family for Christmas and had a lot of fun. It was just us and his parents for the first few days, then after Christmas Steve's sister Gail came with her 7 (1/2) kids. Carson was in heaven playing with all the big boys! It was really really cold there. Poor Carson wasn't use to  wearing a big coat. It was tricky for him to get his balance with it on. We did get a little snow while we were there which always makes things seem so much more Christmas-y. The Bonner woman are huge after Christmas shoppers! Early on the 26th we hit up a few stores in the mall, Walmart, and Target. I found tons of great deals much to Steve's dismay =). Today I went back to Target and all Christmas is now 75% off. I bought all plastic ornament bulbs for next year. (No explanation needed for that purchase...)

Anyway it was a great trip. It had been a while since we've been in Richland and felt good to be back. We were able to see many friends that Steve grew-up with and a few mutual friends from college. The only bummer was driving up and back. It wasn't too bad going up. The roads were clear and it took 12 hours. On the way back we had to go the long way through Portland because the roads were closed in Bend, so it ended up taking 14 hours, yuck. Carson did so well, we were lucky there. We have learned that it is better to drive through the middle of the night with kids. Carson slept most of the drive. So now back to reality. Unpacking, putting Christmas away, getting organized. Well-- I hope everyone had a great Christmas and had a fun New Years last night!

Every Christmas Eve Steve's extended family has a dinner, acts out the nativity and plays games. During the games Santa doorbell ditches and leaves a gift for everyone. All the men and boys always end up with some sort of Nerf gun. Carson was loving being a part of the war.

Carson coming down the stairs Christmas morning. He didn't seem too excited...


Playing outside in the freezing cold. What a trooper.