Dearest Castillo Children,
The month of November of 2013 was so full of eventful things. We had to make the trip up to Phoenix from the Tucson area 4 times that month. That's about 16 hours in the car to be apart of everything. I'm glad we did since everything was important and meaningful for us to be there. As my Aunt Suzie always says, you can't fake showing up. So we show up, even when it's a sacrifice on our budget and time. But family is always worth the sacrifice.
I had said earlier in October that I was burned out on driving up to Phx, so I made plans to stay home as much as possible. When we spend so much time away nothing gets done around our home, because it's not just 3 or 4 hours with family, it's 7 to 8 hours gone. That's basically the full day.
The first event we had to be a part of was the blessing of the newest cousin, Aven! She's so sweet and we love to be there for baby blessings. I'm sure if we're still close enough we'll try to make all the baptisms when those start rolling in a few years. (Maybe we'll all be done with babies by the time everyone's ready for baptism?) I'm extra glad we went to the blessing because Todd's Grandpa was there and we got to see him. It had been a while since we saw them last because we can't make it to the big family dinners. He was in a wheelchair and was looking tired. Which, when you learn about your Great Grandpa, is something he NEVER looked. The man was always working and busy. But he looked tired. Of course, he was the same sweet self and give me a kiss on the check and called me beautiful. He's a charmer, your Great Grandpa! After they left from the blessing we heard just how bad his health was getting and were told that he probably was going to pass soon. It was hard to imagine, since he always was doing something. The last thing we talked about was were we got the name Annalise. I told him I found it in the book The Hiding Place and loved it. Especially since it had a little of my sister, Dianna, and a little of Todd's sister, Alicia, in it. Apparently he knew an Annalise on his mission.
So, I go to these important family function and I ALWAYS forget to take pictures. So I don't have any from when we went to the blessing (I'm too busy talking with everyone to take pictures!) BUT you can see some randomly cute pictures of my sweet girls!
A butternut squash that grew in our garden that Nora treated like a baby.
Annalise showing off her Jesse toy from Toy Story
Annalise pushing Nora in our little rollercoaster toy (I LOVED this pic to show how strong she is after breaking her leg. You just can't stop a 2 year old!)
Nora enjoying ride.
Nora and Miss Mable 2.0 since the original Mable disappeared...
During the week we did our usual things of chores, dinners, play groups, preschool and library trips. I love taking pictures of my girls just playing and having fun. It's so nice to have a sister.
The next weekend I left for Time Out for Women with my mom and sister. I love TOFW, it's an excuse to plan a spiritual weekend with family. If there wasn't a scheduled time we'd probably never get together and do something like that. It was wonderful to get to ride up to Phx with my friends, Kathy, Kaylee and Melissa and then spend time with me mom and sister, and her friend Beth. It's hard though, because every time I go to Phoenix I'm reminded how much I love the people and the city.
Todd wrestling with his babies.
Nora set this up and asked for a picture with it.
Nora and Annalise set the white blanket out and said it was snow and then went "sledding"
It was hilarious! They rode their sled for like an hour. Poor Arizona girls without snow.
Some backyard artwork. That's suppose to be me.
The third weekend we went up for a Castillo family Temple Day. It was great to have an excuse to go since we hadn't been to the temple in a while because Annalise broke her leg and I've been so ill this pregnancy. We did sealings for some ancestors on Todd's side of the family. That's were a learned that one of the couples that were sealed were actually on the Trail of Tears. I remember learning about that in school and how much more impactful will it be for my children to learn that they had family on that trail. I'm loving learning about our ancestry, because my girls should hopefully feel more connected to history class. Especially since they had family in the US during the American Revolution, on the Oregon Trail, a part of the Gold rush in California and of course, a part of the great immigration to Utah. This is stuff I wish I had known. These aren't strangers you're learning about - this is family.
The sealing was only a part of the day. While we were all in the temple Todd's cousin Julie and a few friends watch ALL the kids. And there had to be like 20 kids. Crazy. After the temple we went back to Cheryl the Great and Scott the Great's house and had the most heavenly wings. Seriously. Awesome. I had been craving wings and Todd's cousin Shane said she knew someone who makes great wings. So we had a big wing party and they were good. (which is sad now because I can no longer eat chicken because I've started to have some really bad food aversion towards the end of my pregnancy) It is so generous of Todd's Aunt and Uncle to host and pay for our get togethers - they are always amazingly fun.
My 7 month pregnant belly - which is so weird because I'm usually HUGE by now!
All of us who participated in the "Sealings and Wings"
The next weekend was bitter-sweet. Grandpa Blau, or Grandpa Great, passed away and we had to opportunity to attend his funeral. It was sad, because he is such a great man that I was sad to see him go. But like all things, I'm glad he is somewhere without pain or sorrow. I know that heavenly man is with our Heavenly Father so it's hard to be sad. I'm a little sad that my girls won't get to know him well in this life, but that's what eternity is for, right? My parents were also so sad for his passing and weren't able to make it to his funeral since they were in Utah. My dad worked with Grandpa Blau in the temple and just thinks SO highly of him. When Todd and I were discussing marriage plans my dad saw a picture of Grandpa Blau in a photo book and said that was the man who trained him in the temple. My dad would often speak about how he never seemed to stop working while at the temple, which is a trait that is greatly associated with Grandpa Blau.
The funeral was lovely and filled with such sweet stories. My personal favorite was the story about his time in the military during WWII. At one point he was in Japan and was a guard over the Japanese POWs. Todd and I had just finished reading a book called Unbroken, about this man who served being in a Japanese POW camp. The pain and suffering he endured while in the camp was beyond horrific. In contrast to that, the American POW camps were considered the "happy camps" where people were treated well. Found in Grandpa Great's things were a hand painted scene of Mount Fuji with Japanese figures on parachute silk and a list of men's names and their families. When discussing these items with someone in Japan, and having them framed, someone remarked that they were museum quality and that Grandpa Blau must have been greatly loved by the people of Japan. Contrasting those two experience just shows again the kind man that Grandpa Blau was inherently.
My favorite moment at the funeral, however, was at the gravesite. After the dedication of the grave and songs, Grandma Blau took flowers from this beautiful flower arrangement on the casket and handed each child there a red rose. Nora and Annalise both got one and they were thrilled. They didn't really understand why we were at the gravesite but loved getting a flower. I think I bawled like a baby watching Grandma Blau do something so beautiful and sweet during such a difficult time for her. I just kept thinking, what a class act. There's a reason that Annalise got the middle name of Geniel, after Grandma Great.
Here are some random pictures to lighten the mood!
Nora finger painting a flower
Annalise finger painting with palm prints.
Annalise and Daddy dancing during one of our Castillo Family Dance Times
Every little girl needs a picture like this of her dancing with her daddy.
I loved this picture of Nora and Daddy, look at that pointed footed!
The last weekend of the month was Thanksgiving and funny enough we decided NOT to go up to Phoenix. We stayed home and were invited over to our friends the Grissoms' house for dinner. It was just our family and theirs but it was wonderful. They both are great cooks and we were spoiled. I even took home a bunch of recipes from them. It was so nice not to have to drive up to Phoenix again. My parents and sister's family were in Colorado visiting my brother in law, Chris', family. Todd mad a billion pies (okay, like 8, but that is more than any two families can eat!) We ended up giving pie to people all weekend long. Luckily our friends the Gardeners and the Jones came over to help us finish them off. We usually have a tradition with the Gardeners of something called "Second Thanksgiving" (were we make a thanksgiving dinner for friends and get to have some leftovers to enjoy at our own home) but we didn't do it this year. At least we got to eat some pie with them!
Nora likes to do thumbs up in pictures - it's hilarious
Balancing on Daddy's one hand (with Annalise photobomb)
He started on the ground and stood up while Nora balanced on one hand.
Annalise's turn to balance!
How they dressed themselves for a trip to the library for Story Time.
I made an advent calendar at a friend's house and they wanted a picture with it.
Friends over to eat our pies.
The last of the pies (there are still plenty that aren't shown here...)
Sorry this post was SO long - but that's what happens when I try to catch up. I was tired every weekend in November and it was mostly because of the traveling. I am still so glad we have the ability to see family, even if it is time consuming and tiring. We could live 10 hours away and then miss out on things like blessing and funerals. Two hours is tough, but at least it is manageable. Someday we'll live in Phoenix again, I hope.
Love you my beautiful children! I can't wait for another sister to come to our family.
With All My Love,
Your Mother
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