Van Natter - JANUARY

January began cold and windy, and ended like Spring. We had very little snow all month, though the mountains did okay, so that's good.That's a wreath I bought myself for Christmas up there! It's not a Christmas wreath though and I plan to keep it out all year. Guess what those roses are made of? Wood curls!! Currently it's on my white pantry door. Not sure if that's its home for sure, but it is for now.

In years past, the girls always helped John out by shopping with him on Christmas Eve day (this has not happened in recent years though due to schedules) and then wrapping my gifts from him with some sort of fun theme. But since they weren't going to be here there had to be a change of tradition. First of all, John had to wrap his own gifts, which was pretttttty funny! And very enjoyable for me! Second, the girls came up with a new tradition and gave me a "gift certificate" all fancied up. The three of  us would have a girls' night - dinner and a movie. Early in January we met up and went to see "Into the Woods" - which was SO good!! We loved it! Heidi and I have seen the play twice together, and I think she's seen it a 3rd time as well. Emily had never seen it, so she was in for some surprises! We were at Farmington Station - a lovely outdoor mall close to both the girls. We walked past the dismantling of Santa's house (sad) and people ice skating on the little pond (fun!), to have dinner at Twig, a hipster-style Bistro, but they seated us anyway! Delicious, so fun. Except Heidi forgot her leftovers. (more sad) Fun fun fun!

Emily got sick with bronchitis right after Christmas and it took several weeks before she felt well. Heidi and I helped out one day with the kids. And wouldn't you know it - that's the day Neil decided to take his first steps? While his mom was in bed and missed it! Fortunately he did it again a few days later while they were here and he walked across the living room so not only his momma got to see it, but Grandpa too! It's been a long time coming with Mr. Bendy Joints, so this is very welcome - even just seeing him standing!

My old friend Annie sent me a special Christmas gift - a little china pitcher/vase that had been her mother, Martha's. She passed away last year and as Annie was going through all her mother's things, she wanted me to have this, as it was her mother's favorite thing. I loved her mother, so this is a treasure. You can see the years of wear in it.

Annie also found this photo in her mother's things. That's me with kitties, age 9, in 1963, just before Annie and her family moved to England for a year for her father's Sabbatical at Cambridge.

I got very motivated and got both my December Daily and 2014 Project Life books finished and ordered, and now I have the bound books. I did the DD entirely on the Project Life app on my phone, which was super easy and fast. And I was able to keep up because of it. Nothing snappy, but it's done!

December Daily

 Below is the page in last year's Project Life for this week. The kids are so little! Life was so different then. And look at that! I had posted on the Family Blog!!

2014 Project Life - This time last year!

Finally, FINALLY, John finished painting the Study, and we got carpet. That was a 'gift' from him too - he wanted me to go choose it in December, when I just didn't have time. I told him he could do it for me for Christmas, anything grey. And he did! I didn't have to do a thing. It's lovely carpet on a thick pad, and once I get some furniture in here, I'll really be thrillllllllllled'!!

Met up with Annette to plan Grammy's 90th. Originally we planned to have one event, but we ended up planning 3, to spread out the fun, and to make it easier to accommodate everyone. We spent the afternoon in Paradise Cafe & Bakery - our favorite place because they have delicious tomato soup, and it's a big enough place that we can sit and stay without feeling like we're taking up a table. Annette always has great entertaining ideas.

John always remembers the dates of our first date (Nov 19) and our engagement (Jan 23.) (Yes, 2 months from 1st date to commitment!) He brought me flowers and chocolates!

We got a kick out of Neil's love of these little plastic eggs and carton that are part of a Fractions game that belongs to Heidi and ended up here. He spent ages putting the eggs into the holes in the carton, then dumping them and doing it over again, then putting them into whatever he could find, dumping that, and starting all over. Simple pleasures!

John hurt his foot somehow (probably working out.) He was in so much pain there was nothing to be done but tough it out for 6-8 weeks! It woke him multiple times every night for 2+ weeks but has begun to settle down a bit, though it's still a real problem. It's the back of his heel and the Achilles tendon, plus he's developed Plantar Fasciitis again! Poor guy! He's really annoyed that he can't work out like he wants to.

Love this comparison of Addie seeing Ian's ukelele for the first time, and playing her own - a gift from UncaIan for her birthday. She experiments to find the easiest way to play it! Out of all the toys she has here, that one surfaces the most.

Hope you have all had a wonderful January and are enjoying the freshness of a new year. May all your 2015 wishes come true!
2/5/2015

Castro's News

Hi Family,

Quick summary to bring everyone up to what the Castro's have been up to. We are living in Carmel, Indiana. We love the area we live in and are only a couple miles from the new Indianapolis Temple. We can't wait for the open house and dedication this summer! Still can't believe Indianapolis is getting temple...

Emmanuel is working at Banker's Life Insurance as an analyst. He's not super thrilled with the job, but loves that it's only 5 minutes from home and there are lots of opportunities at the company. I took a job in the fall as the school nurse at Joseph's elementary school. It's been super fabulous that we are on the same schedule, that I don't have to work weekends or holidays anymore, and that I am near in case Joseph gets sick with his asthma. I still pick up hours at the hospital to work in the NICU and will be able to work there more often during the summer break. Joseph turned 6 in December and is really enjoying being in Kindergarten, he loves his teacher and he's learning a lot (though I'm sure it's chaotic as there are 30 students in his class!) He's getting so big, always growing out of clothes. We got an xbox for Christmas and he's been having a blast building and destroying things in Minecraft, his latest obsession. 

That's all from our neck of the woods!

Until next time, 

The Castro's  

Cottrell Christmas Memories 2014

I let the kids decorate the Christmas tree all by themselves this year. They did a great job.

Sarah and her Masterpiece for the Gingerbread display at the Trail Center

Isaac and his Masterpiece for the Gingerbread display at the Trail Center

Adam and his Masterpiece for the Gingerbread display at the Trail Center

My friend, Donnica, and I made this one with the Relief Society sister for the Gingerbread display at the Trail Center.

My mom made trees similar to this one for my Grandparents when I was little. Loved the trees when I was girl and have always wanted one of my own. This year my parents surprised me and ordered me one from eBay. I LOVE it.

Since our first gingerbread houses went to displays we had to make more for our own home.

Reading and Hot Chocolate at school with the cute boy.

For the first time since we lived in Omaha we went to looked at some of the amazing light displays we had heard about in the past few years. Crazy that it was still 50 degrees at 8pm that night.

Last minute we decided to go to Wyoming for Christmas.

Walter must have known we were leaving, because somehow he found his way into the truck.

Around Elk Mountain there were several semi-trucks off the road or jackknifed.  Traffic stopped moving and they sat on the freeway for an hour.  We did make it past Rawlins, but the roads were closed behind them.   Bad roads, winds, snow,  darkness, no sleeping accommodations,=a sleepover in the truck at the Love’s truck stop in Wamsutter. WY about 4 am Isaac could stand being the truck anymore, so we went into the truck stop/Subway, watched tv and played made up games with penny we found on the floor.

I love this view, a South End, a sign we are almost to my parents home.

The kids couldn’t wait to get out in play in the snow. This the “snow hill” my dad makes when plowing the snow from the driveway.

We had fun bowling and eating pizza with Grandma Jane. I think this one the first times Isaac or Sarah had been bowling.

Uncle Alan Linford invited us to ride the magic carpet.  He hitched his horse team to the hay wagon.  Behind the wagon is the magic carpet (piece of wide conveyer belt) then the horses pull us through a field of swales and ditches.

The kids had a great time on the little snowmobiles, but they all agree the yellow one is the best…..because it’s the FASTEST.

Greg and I got to play to.

Getting pulled behind the snowmobile on the tube is also a blast.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Morning

We also enjoyed spending time with Great Grandma Rose during our visit.

More snowmobile and sledding fun. 

I love this view. Beautiful!!

We didn’t spend all the time outside, we enjoyed learning new games like CLUE and LIFE.

Leaving…..not my favorite part.

More blowing snow, I love WYOMING, hate I-80 in the winter.

Long traveling day=stopping to stay the night in Sidney, NE. At least we had a hotel this time and got to watch the Nebraska football game while enjoying pizza. 

We had a great trip, but we  were happy to be home.