Livingston Family

The BEST time of the year!

2010-12-30T16:50:00.000-08:00

We are so grateful for time together...

Greg and Megan home from College and getting to talk to Sister Livingston on the phone on Christmas Day! Here are some photos with Santa at the National Christmas Tree...

complete update coming soon...

Trip to the Northwest

2010-09-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, this is Jay, Melissa's rarely heard from husband, with no presence on the internet. I'm updating her blog with my trip to the great Pacific Northwest with Matthew and Emily! So remember, this is me writing, not Melissa--don't be confused by the change in voice!

Melissa had left town with Megan on the 20th of August, taking her out to Provo and BYU. Missy loves taking her kids to school and getting them settled in. I figured, if she thinks I'm just going to sit here alone with the kids while she's having fun in Utah, well, she's got a surprise coming. With Emily's help, we decided to go visit Grandma out in Portland. The only time Emily has seen her Grandma was 6 years ago when she was 2. Since she has no memory of her, we decided it was time to create one.

We left on the 23rd of August, catching the late flight out of Baltimore for Seattle (save $$ that way). It was a long flight, about 5 1/2 hours. Not much fun for the kids. We arrived very late, and got to the hotel around midnight. Very tired. Emily said she wasn't tired, but that was to prove untrue. We slept well, and got up around 7am, breakfasted on gourmet items like cereal, and headed off. BTW, that's a lighting effect on Matt's hair--it really isn't blond/green.

We loaded up the car with all our gear (8 bags, can you believe it?), and drove off on a beautiful, blue-sky day. These days are wonderful, and only occur in the NW during the summer. Don't be fooled by them. It WILL turn cloudy and drizzle for 9 solid months of the year. Count on it.

We drove to Anacortes and waited for the ferry to Lopez Island, one of the San Jaun islands. It was a 30 minute trip by ferry, and it was quite brisk if you were outside on the deck.

After arriving on Lopez Island, we went to our camp site and set up our tent.

Then we went exploring on the nearby beach. This beach was a spit of land between 2 islands, and is just covered with driftwood. We had taken the family to this Island some 12 or 13 years ago, and had explored the same beach then, too. Jessie and Megan had built a teepee out of driftwood, and here, Matt and Emmy have replicated the feat.

Then it was on to more serious matters, namely, dinner! We ate at a kind of earthy, healthy restaurant. It was the only one we could find open! Then we drove to a dock to start our kayaking experience. We noticed the sign on this port-a-john near the dock. It reads: Wizards of Ooze. We loved it!

We had a great guide, and he put Emmy and I into one kayak, and Matt got his very own. The single rider kayak's are very different, and are steered by leaning left and right. If you're not careful, you can roll over! Matt did really well, though. Here we are resting on our oars.

It was a beautiful experience. Very peaceful. On the way back to the dock, we noticed large areas of the surface of the bay, maybe 10 yards in diameter, erupting with fish. It turns out that a seal was chasing the herring under the water, and they would jump to get out of its way.

We then went back to our campsite and had a great nights sleep. Honestly, I don't think any of us woke up once during the night. Morning came and we again had a gourmet breakfast of various cereals. Yummy!

Up and at 'em, kids, we've got to drive to Portland today! Well, not before we stop at Agate Beach and Shark Reef!! Agate beach is covered with smooth stones (we gathered a few pounds to take home), and a few tidal pools.

Shark Reef has a jagged coastline with cliffs, and even more tidal pools.

Here, Emmy points to a bunch of anemones and a bunch of jelly fish.

After a morning of exploring, we picked up smoothies for lunch and headed back to the ferry. I drove like a maniac to make a second ferry, from Keystone to Port Townsend. I didn't want to drive back down through Seattle during rush hour, so we drove Highway 20 from Port Townsend to Olympia, and then down to Portland. We arrived around 9pm, and Emily finally got to meet her Grandma!

Then it was off to the hotel, and dropping exhausted into bed. Then next day, we toured around with Aunt Leann. We went to Bonneville dam and watched the salmon run up the fish ladders.

Note the influence of the fish on Matthew. We then went to Cascade Locks, and walked across them on a bridge. The wind was blowing SO HARD. We could hardly stand up straight.

After a delicious lunch at the Eastwind Drive In (great milkshakes, fries, and burgers!), we went to the fish hatchery. Now, Leann claims that we went to the hatchery when I was a kid, but I have no memory of it. At any rate, it was more fun than it sounds. Here Emmy and Matt feed a holding pen full of rainbow trout, each of them was about 18 inches long! Oh, but I wish I could fish there. That statement alone should let you know that Melissa is not writing this.

Then we saw the sturgeon. This guy is HUGE. 10 feet long, about 600 pounds, and 70 years old.

We also saw salmon running up the ladders there. It was a really cool place.

Then we went to Multomah Falls. This is a very beautiful falls right off the freeway there. I've hiked to the top before with Greg, and it's very strenuous, but the view is not worth it. BTW, Greg ran down the trail on the way back, wearing FLIP FLOPS, and got blisters. He had to cool his feet off in the small creek at the falls.

We then went to Leann's and had dinner with Uncle Gary and Cousin Jared with his wife Jubilee and their two kids Tate and Fin. Absolutely great day.

Then next day we went shopping at the Nike outlet, then met Grandma for lunch. Emmy then went shopping with Aunt Leann, while Matt and I hung out with Grandma and Uncle David.

We had dinner again with Leann and Gary, and then went to VooDoo Donuts for dessert!!

Here Emmy is eating a bubble gum donut.

And Matt enjoys a maple bar with bacon donut!

Then it was off to bed, well, after a swim by Emmy, first.

It's now Saturday, for those who keep track of those kind of things. We got up and hit the Portland Market. The kids made excellent purchases: a bracelet, a toy turtle, and a ceramic 3-note whistle for Emmy. A Batman belt buckle and a South American-style hoodie for Matt. We had delicious fresh cut fruit for a snack and then drove to Powell's Books.

Now I love books, and I love this place. I picked up two used books by William Goldman (Marathon Man and Which Lie Did I Tell?). Emmy bought a How to Train you Dragon book. She is now practicing the language that dragon trainers use on their charges.

Lunch was at Noodles Co., and then we went to the Portland Audobon Society. They only had one bird out, but it was a beautiful owl.

And for the highlight of the morning/afternoon, we went to the Japanese Gardens. This place is really incredible. We all really enjoyed the beauty and peacefulness of it.

Then we had dinner with Grandma and spent some time with her. A final trip to get ice cream with Aunt Leann and Uncle Gary, and then off to bed! Whew. Tiring. Here Emmy snuggles into Matt's bed (the fold-out couch) while they watch a movie.

Sunday we got up, packed, and went to church with Grandma. We then said goodbye, and drove up to Seattle. But on the way, we stopped at Mt. Rainier to see real mountains and hike a bit. Here are some photos. It is incredibly beautiful.

After the hike, we were kind of cold, so we had hot chocolate.

Then we drove to Seattle. Monday morning we got up and hit the trail, stopping first at the Space Needle, where we had a delicious (really, it was) lunch.

We took in the view, which was wonderful, it being another blue-sky day in the Pacific Northwest.

Then off to Pike Street Market where the kids made more wonderful purchases.

I bought them some honeycomb to try. Yum, that is really good stuff. We then had lunch of sushi (the kids wanted to try it), and walked around for awhile. We also got a treat at Starbucks. The kids got the double chocolate chip frappuccino, and I got the strawberry-banana smoothie. Then, as a final act, we walked down to the waterfront, and stood at Ivar's Acre's of Clams!!! This was a place we went to EVERY TIME we visited Seattle when I was growing up.

We drove to the airport, dropped the car off (whew!! no accidents!!), and checked in. The flight was a red-eye, and we arrived in Baltimore at 6am. By 7am, we had our bags and were driving down I-95. Wait, there is an accident. Traffic is stopped. OK, we can handle this. We take surface streets for an hour, finally get back on the freeway, and get home at 9am. Well, except for that last two hours of travel, it was the perfect trip. We couldn't have done any more or had anymore fun than we did. Now that I'm rested, I'm ready to go again!

-JNL

I hope they call me on a mission...

2010-03-09T13:23:00.000-08:00

As a Mother there are a few days that just take you breathe away... Well, last Wednesday was one of them. My daughter, Jessie had applied to serve a mission for our church and now the letter had arrived stating where she would serve for a year and a half. Words do not express the tender feelings I have for Jessie's choice to serve. To give her heart, soul, time and energy to the betterment of mankind in whatever way she is assigned is a gift not to be taken lightly. We were linked by phone as Jessie shared her news...

She will be serving in the California San Diego Mission, Spanish speaking and will be involved with the San Diego Mormon Battalion Historical Site. I know that great experiences are ahead for her. I can see that she has been well prepared for this specific assignment and can hardly wait for her to begin this adventure. I wish I could go along with her...

Megan is headed off to college...

2010-02-16T14:59:00.000-08:00

Today Megan received notice that she was accepted to BYU. She has been an incredible student and her hard work has paid off. I am so proud of her and thrilled for her future. She is still waiting to hear from William and Mary and UVA, but BYU seemed to be her favored choice, so I am grateful she has the option. Hooray for Megan Elizabeth!!!!

Happy Birthday to Greg!

2010-02-14T10:51:00.000-08:00

On Valentines Day twenty-three years ago, I received an amazing gift... I became a mother. I fell head over heals in love with my little bald headed valentine. We named him Gregory Scott and it has been a thrill to watch that little baby become a great man. Jay and I are so grateful to have such a son to forge the way for our children. Greg is a delight to be around, he can turn any event into a celebration and lives his life with honor, integrity and fun. It has been 5 years since I have spent a birthday with this boy and I miss him. I hope he can feel my fierce mother love clear across the country. Happy Birthday Greg!!! I love you!!!!

a funny story...

2010-02-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

We were all outside sledding, shoveling and snow cave building... our dog, Max was alone in the house. With a new costco size bag of chocolate chips in the pantry to get us through the storm, an almost gone bag was left on the counter. Well Max made the lucky find and slipped his nose in to get a taste... a little further to get the last of the chocolaty chips and guess what... his head was stuck in the bag. Jay and Em were the first ones in to find him with the bag on his head running into walls because he couldn't see a thing... poor Max! Pictured here is Matt and his cool snow cave and the neatly shoved driveway... FREEDOM! No school this week!!! Gotta love the snow days... off to make cookies...

Let it Snow... Let it Snow... Let it Snow...

2010-02-06T16:44:00.000-08:00

We are safe and sound, cozy and snug... living in a winter wonderland... Friday school was canceled in anticipation of the big storm. Two feet of snow later we really are snowed in. Meg even arranged to have a dear friend snowed in as well! The view is breathtaking, our woods are magical. No church tomorrow and I would bet no school on Monday... lots of sledding and hot chocolate. Life is good!

Together Again!!!

2009-12-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

Now it really feels like Christmas because we are all together! Greg arrived late Thursday night and Jessie Friday afternoon... just in time to drop by Dupont Circle for a Crepe and head to see the National Christmas tree where we had our photo taken with Santa. Here comes Christmas...

Count Down to Thanksgiving...

2009-11-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a favorite of mine... a sweet time of gathering, celebrating, eating, remembering and thanking... I love everything about it. This will be a tender year as we mark the year anniversary of my Dad's death. I am reminded of his great example and miss the details of being with him... extra thankful for the opportunity to be his daughter.

New York, New York!

2009-10-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

My sister, Merry and her daughter Emily came for a whirlwind visit at the beginning of October... Meg and I accompanied them to New York for 3 amazing days packed with a delightful stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge, incredible thin crusted pizza from a coal fired oven, brunch at Sarabeth's, experiencing central park on a perfect autumn day, purse shopping in Chinatown, spying the statue of Liberty from Battery Park, the awe of ground zero, Chocolate treats at Max Brennan's and a quick tour of the Met, scouting out Tiffany's and other fine shopping on fifth avenue, a couple of very thrilling taxi rides, a quick look at Columbia University (Meg could count the trip as a college visit) and of course the Broadway shows... Meg and I saw West Side Story, Emily and Merry saw Wicked and Phantom and we all saw Momma Mia which was especially exciting to see with the real dancing queen herself, my own sister, Merry! We ate great food and nearly walked our feet off... the trip was a grand success.

We returned home to a quick tour of DC for Merry and Emily... we walked the monuments at night, saw the museum of American History, visited Arlington National Cemetery, and old towne Alexandria before sadly sending Merry and Emily off to their homes...

Hooray for sisters and daughters!

We're Back!

2009-10-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

After neglecting the blog for way too long I am recommitted to start again... Look for updates!

Road Show...

2009-02-25T17:10:00.000-08:00

This year our stake held a road show in 1 day event. The youth gathered Friday night and divided into 10 groups and enjoyed brownie sundaes (we had about 160 youth come). On Saturday they arrived at 1 to write the script... practice... eat dinner together and at 7 it was show time. Matthew made his road show debut starring as a Mormon boy (he said it was very hard to get into character). He did a great job and his skit was cute. Megan was an angelic narrator... I guess she too was cast as her own real life person. Her skit was also darling. She and a group of friends also performed a great dance to I'm the King of New York from Newsies as an in-between-the-skits show.

The grand finale nearly did me in. Our Stake Young Womens Presidency performed Dancing Queen from Momma Mia. I am not a dancer and have never worn high heels... so combining these two factors was no small task. Luckily Anita, Merilee and Lenora are amazing women and stole the show and I managed to stay on my feet! So for your amusement here is a video clip...I must say that I owe a debt of gratitude to Diane as my silver pants and Lenora's silver shirt are straight from her closet, although they now belong to Jessie who inherited them. Diane, we miss your style!

Matthew's Marble Mania!

2009-02-15T19:47:00.000-08:00

Tonight Matthew and I had a great time building a marble contraption... We were hoping to knock down the king, but were pleased when the marble made contact with the king.

Valentine Fondu

2009-02-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

Tonight Jay made a special valentine dinner for the two of us... beautiful salads with pears, candied walnuts and goat cheese along with amazing cheese fondu with apples and crusty bread for dipping. What a treat... I am grateful for my sweetheart!

Our boy is 22!

2009-02-14T15:22:00.000-08:00

22 years ago our Gregory Scott was born! We love him... He will always be our special valentine. Happy Birthday Greg!!!

Friday night bowling with Emily...

2009-02-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Friday found everyone with plans but Em and I so she thought it would be fun to go bowling!

Emily gets glasses!

2009-02-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

Emily had been complaining about headaches and so we went to the eye doctor and she is now the proud owner of new glasses!

Snow Days!

2009-02-01T12:45:00.000-08:00

Max's 2nd Birthday!

2009-01-27T11:29:00.000-08:00

We are grateful to live with a sweet creature named Max. January 27th we celebrated his 2nd birthday and he looks dashing in his new "tummy warmer". He loves the star shaped chicken liver cookies we made just for him!

IHOP Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2009-01-18T19:39:00.000-08:00

A delightful childhood memory of mine is chocolate chip pancakes at IHOP. We recently discovered that Emily had somehow gotten through her 7 years and never had this experience... so she and I had a special date!

Jessie off to Spain!!!

2009-01-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

You can follow Jessie's grand adventures in Spain on her blog at jessielivingston.blogspot.com

Off to College...

2009-01-04T19:24:00.000-08:00

Parting is such sweet sorrow...

Ice Skating...

2009-01-03T19:20:00.000-08:00

Emily had dreamed of our whole family ice skating... so we had to squeeze it in before Greg and Jessie headed off...

The National Gallery of Art

2009-01-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!!

2009-01-01T19:50:00.000-08:00

One of the perks of working with the young women of our stake is that I get to help plan and attend the New Years Dance! This year we had about 340 youth and I got to ring in the New Year with Megan...

New York New York!

2008-12-28T18:22:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas we traveled to New York. We stayed at the Marriot Marquis at Times Square. We ate great food... saw fun plays and just enjoyed being together!

2008-12-27T19:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas PJs

2008-12-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

Another favorite is the Christmas PJs opened every Christmas Eve.

Favorite Christmas Traditions

2008-12-24T18:12:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is the letters we write to each other and deposit in Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve. Our special Christmas eve program includes a few quiet minutes to read our letters. The room is a sweet tender emotion as we reflect on the love we share.

We're getting ready for Christmas

2008-12-07T19:17:00.000-08:00

The Lighting Celebration

2008-12-05T19:16:00.000-08:00

Emily's Birthday

2008-12-05T19:12:00.000-08:00

Matthew's Concert

2008-12-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving at Home

2008-11-29T19:09:00.000-08:00

We were so glad to come home to Dave and Miranda visiting from New Hampshire... We cooked up a Thanksgiving feast of our own... It turned out pretty well even though the turkey was still a little frozen and that threw off my timing... but Miranda's amazing gravy made up for it all and we had a delightful time together... complete with a late night tour of the monuments. We are so grateful for the chance to get to know Dave and Miranda better... what amazing people who will be wonderful parents! We look forward to next Thanksgiving together with hopefully a thawed turkey!

Thanksgiving in Midway

2008-11-27T19:07:00.000-08:00

Mike and Pam gave us the wonderful treat to be at their beautiful home in Midway... complete with a late night trip to the hot pots! Cousin Katherine Mackey joined in the fun. Thursday we loved being with the Mike Weilenmann clan for a Thanksgiving feast to be cherished. The room was full of tender emotion... we have so much to be thankful for. That night we traveled up to Merry and Jim's, where they welcomed us with the best pie I have ever eaten. Meg and Jay left early the next morning and Greg and Jessie took the rest of us to the airport that afternoon after a fun breakfast they enjoyed at the Aspittle's while my siblings and I took care of some business.

Dad's Funeral

2008-11-26T19:05:00.000-08:00

Dad's Funeral was a tender tribute from people who love him. A great day to honor a great man! We miss him dearly!

Gathering with Family

2008-11-23T19:01:00.000-08:00

With the news of Dad's death we quick made plans to travel to Utah... We flew in 2 teams (Me, Matt and Em... Jay and Megan) and by Saturday afternoon we all arrived. Mark and Louise treated us to a spontaneous turkey feast and tour of their new home! Emily fell in love with Lucy - Melanie's cute little dog. We loved spending time with family and attending to the sacred task of preparing for a funeral. Melanie wrote a beautiful obituary... we all pulled together to attend to the details.

A Week to Clap for Megan

2008-11-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

Monday I got to clap for Megan as she was inducted into the Nation Honor society, Tuesday I got to clap for Megan at our Young Women Night of Excellence where Meg played the violin and wowed everyone modeling her modest homecoming dress, Wednesday I clapped for Megan as she received a special academic award at Oakton High School for straight A's! After we celebrated with a hot cider at Starbucks... which Megan enjoyed! (see photo above)

The Halloween Haul

2008-11-02T17:23:00.000-08:00

Another successful Halloween... Emily and Megan sort and count.

Trunk or Treat

2008-10-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

Megan, Emily and I had a spooky time at the trunk or treat held at our church. There was chili and candy galore. Matthew and Jay were at Matthew's soccer game and missed out on this fun.

off to a halloween party...

2008-10-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

That evening Jay and I went to a Halloween Party for a little bit before I had to leave to chaperon at the youth dance. I had a great time even though my date was a little goofy!

A visit from Merry!

2008-10-18T16:52:00.000-07:00

October brought a wonderful surprise visit from my sister Merry. We had a great time together... I will always remember the late night run for the new donut craze at The Fractured Prune... the experience was amazing, especially the car ride there with a special cd fresh for the occasion, burned by Matthew. The visit was topped off by a trip to the Library of Congress for Merry and I . Thank you Merry for your time and love. We all loved having you here!

visit to the pumpkin patch

2008-10-13T17:34:00.000-07:00

Columbus Day afforded the sweet opportunity for Megan, Emily and I to enjoy a wonderful autumn afternoon at Cox Farm, including lots of cider and apples, burlap sack sliding and a pony ride for Em. Three cute little pumpkins now adorn our steps!

a perfect day for a picnic

2008-10-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

Today we were fortunate to have Elizabeth, Katherine and Matthew Mackey attend church with us. Following we all made a wardrobe switch and headed off for adventure. Our first stop was Fairfax Hospital to see the historic location where Matthew Mackey was born. We then drove in and met Kimball for an incredible picnic at the Iwo Jima Memorial... followed by a heroic effort of races and general fun. I am proud to say that Kimball and I won the wheel barrow race and I must say, he gets extra points for not complaining when partners were chosen and he ended up with the old aunt! We returned home and ate caramel drizzled apples with whipped cream and toasted peacans and played games. A memorable time to realize again what a blessing family association is. We missed Jay who had taken an early flight to Arizona for a week of work.

memorials at night

2008-10-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

Jay and I had the pleasure of meeting Elizabeth, her boyfriend Kimball, Katherine and Matthew Mackey in DC for the late night tour of the memorials. We never tire of the inspiring beauty of this place. A highlight was the intense pear and almond chocolate bar on the steps of the Lincoln.

visit to historic Waterford

2008-10-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

A friend encouraged me to visit a wonderful craft festival in Waterford and we had a lovely day of touring historic homes, looking at beautiful things and eating good food... a winning combination!

Look who's cooking tonight!

2008-10-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

Matthew is earning his cooking merit badge!

Megan's homecoming dance

2008-09-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

Megan looked beautiful tonight for Oakton's Homecoming Dance.

Emily's spa night...

2008-09-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

Tonight Emily created a spa in our home... Dad was her first customer!

Trip to Utah

2008-09-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

This past week I had the privilege to travel to Utah and see many people that I love.

What a joy to see my adult children functioning happily in their college world!

We had a wonderful gathering at Melanie's home (unfortunately I forgot to take pictures). Greg reported on his mission experience and made his mama proud. We ate the best pizzas in the world.

Monday Dad and I went on an outing to the ranch. It was a sacred experience to share memories of that beautiful place together. We stopped by Hires for a rootbeer freeze.

I went to lunch with 3 of my sisters... we missed martha! What a thrill to see Merry's school and the difference she is making in the lives of so many children and educators... way to go Miss Merry! Aren't sisters wonderful!

In Provo we shopped til we dropped, but I left feeling grateful to leave Greg and Jessie a bit more settled and having seen where they live. I loved staying at Jessie's apartment and meeting her delightful roommates.

It is tough to have your heart spread out across the country.

Family is the great blessing of my life... to be sandwiched in between two great generations and so many to love and admire.

off to college...

2008-09-01T05:34:00.000-07:00

Greg and Jessie flew off to BYU to start classes September 2...
We miss them!!!!

Together at Last...

2008-08-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

What joy to have our family together...
We only had two days so we made the most of it.

Greg Returns!!!!!

2008-08-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

Megan made us t-shirts to wear to the airport... we anxiously awaited the time... Greg's plane was late in leaving New York. I will always remember the moment he came around the corner and there he was... tall and thin with shinning eyes... our boy who had become a man!

Sarah come to Washington!

2008-08-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

We were grateful to have Sarah Anderson come visit. A cousin is a special relationship and it was great to have a cousin here... Sarah we love you!

Counting down 'til Greg's Return...

2008-08-09T10:41:00.000-07:00

Elder Gregory Scott Livingston returns on August 29th at 5:30 pm after two years of missionary service in Donetsk Ukraine!

We are certainly counting down the minutes.
Greg recently had a picnic in a field of sun flowers.

Happy Birthday to Jay!

2008-08-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

08/08/08

A Historic day to celebrate a great guy's birth!

Jay and I celebrated his birthday with kabobs and an evening stroll around DC. Reminding us what a great place this is to live.

Jessie is a great tour guide!

2008-08-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

We had the good fortune of having a wonderful tour of the capitol building, guided by Jessie! We were joined by our dear friends, the Nixons, from College Station.

Megan... sweet sixteen!

2008-07-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

happy birthday to Megan...