fun memories from the last two months

pizza on oct 19th...2nd engagement day anniversary

roses Nate got me for our engagement anniversary. Such good memories!!!

some of Joanna's students (2 of the 3): L to R: Paganini, Heifetz, Oistrakh

Our favorite calling ever: NURSERY! Pearl (the little girl on my knee) and I are tight like unto a dish. Actually all the kids fight over Nate in nursery. Does that surprise anyone?

Joanna is the one passing the ball.  She actually deleted all the photos
she was in from the game.  As a public service, I'll make sure that never happens again.

Jabari Parker came to town!  Of course, we wouldn't miss it!

I'm pretty sure they're singing, "Baby, it's cold outside."

Danish Night with Rich, Jen, and Jen's parents. It DOES NOT get better than this! Denmark is where Rich served his mission, so they celebrate a Danish night every year. Delish! I especially enjoyed the rice pudding with cherry pie filling on top. I didn't get the almond, but I was ok with that.

A November to Remember

Thanks to our sister Jen for the great photo shoot!

November turned out to be a lot more eventful than we thought it would be.  It all began with the election.  One of my best friends, Owen Fuller, and I decided we wanted to help the Romney campaign in the closing stretch.  We discussed going to Nevada or Colorado as both were swing states, but weren't really sold on either one.  Out of the blue, I suggested we consider Ohio, as every election comes down to Ohio.  Owen, busy as he is starting his own business, said it sounded crazy enough that he would consider it.  We thought about renting a car, but after travel time that would only give us a couple days to help campaign.  What really got the ball rolling was when my brother-in-law Isaac offered to use some of his sky miles to cover my flight!  I was blown away by his kindness, and thrilled that it would fray the costs and allow more time to help out.  He also mentioned he had a sister-in-law in Cleveland that we could probably stay with, so we booked the flight to Cleveland, which really is the battleground of the battleground state.  I told Owen I got the ticket, and he said he was still on the fence.  However, within a couple days, he got a ticket of his own.  I was elated, and the trip would turn out a lot better because he was there!  The way I booked the flight, I had about 5 days to help campaign, and a few extra days afterwards to tour the University of Michigan and University of Chicago, as I am very interested in studying at either of their law schools.

A couple days before departure, we got an offer to stay with the Taylors.  Katie was a friend of mine in high school, and her husband Samuel is a really nice guy.  We thought that would be best since Ike's sister-in-law had been hosting people in her house all week due to superstorm Sandy.  They had a fun, World War II-era home that was beautifully remodeled.  They took good care of us, and we worked hard day and night.  We volunteered at the Romney victory center in Richmond Heights.  We spent most of the daylight hours knocking on doors of Republican voters who were likely to vote for Romney just to make sure they would actually get out to the polls.  In the evenings, we would make phone calls to homes in Cuyahoga County.  One of the days we helped by handing out signs and other materials at a Romney rally, where we were standing front row his speech.  Afterwards we shook his hand, which was pretty cool.  I haven't washed my hands since then.

Election day was the highlight of the trip, and it was especially demanding--Owen and I volunteered to wake up at 4:00 in the morning so we could put up signs at voting polls throughout the county.  We had a bunch of extra signs at the end, so we put them in what we felt were the most strategic locations...




That same day, we were making phone calls at the victory center when we got word that Mitt and Paul Ryan would be visiting our small office, and only our office, later that morning!  We got to work as quickly as possible to make sure the office was presentable for Romney, Ryan, and the media.  One by one the Secret Service started trickling in and scanning us to make sure the premises was safe.  Not long after, some Republican VIP's started coming in, including top fundraisers and campaign advisors.  It was pretty cool to have them there with us in a room about the size of the living room where I am typing this post.  For me, I felt like it was a little sign that we were at the right place at the right time.  Out of all the thousands of victory centers throughout the country, ours was the one Romney visited on Election Day!  It was a reminder of how critical the work we were doing was.  We were determined to give that final day our very best effort for every minute.  We were instructed to keep taking phone calls even as Romney and Ryan were inspecting the office.  We kept making calls until Romney called us around him and Ryan.  We were huddled like a football team, and he talked about his confidence in the results due to the help of volunteers

After the polls closed, we headed to the Holiday Inn in the town of Independence for the GOP election night party.  It was fun to hang out with the people who had put in so many hours to help out the Romney campaign.  There was lots of good food and drinks (non-alcoholic of course!), and a couple large screens so we could watch the results come in.  The initial numbers looked good, but as the swing states started to swing towards Obama, there was an ominous mood in the hall.  There were some boos and concerned whispers as things started to slip away.  Sure enough, around midnight the election was called.  It was painful to watch Romney give his concession speech.  The pain was probably exacerbated because I had seen him that very day.  It was painful enough for me after putting in a full week of work to help out, but I can't imagine what it felt like for him and his family.  In the end, I am very, very glad I went because I was able to contribute instead of bang my head against a well.  I am grateful for family back at home who was cheering on our efforts.

So, that was Ohio.  The morning after the election I boarded a bus to Ann Arbor so I could tour the law school at the University of Michigan.  Upon arrival I dropped by the admissions office.  They had two 1L students chosen to give me a tour.  They were cordial and intelligent, and seemed to have been "coached" on how to deal with a BYU graduate :)  I loved the law school facilities, especially the reading room.  I would not mind studying in that room.  It was actually the third option for the mess hall in the Harry Potter movie, but Oxford won the bid for that.  Here's the reading room...




After thanking the students for their terrific tour, I met with Lindsey on the admissions council, and she answered my numerous questions.  Michigan's law school moved up a couple spots on my list of favorites.  I will definitely apply there.  Afterwards, I met up with Jeff Edwards by the reading room.  Jeff was in my freshman ward at BYU, but I had no idea he was at Michigan until I found him on the JRCLS website the prior week.  He offered me to stay at his place, and he showed me around the beautiful campus.  He and his wife, Elizabeth, were great hosts.  I could tell they enjoyed living in Ann Arbor, even if there aren't as many LDS students as some other law schools.  The town seemed safe and vibrant, with a really cool arts scene.  The three of us met with Robert Couch at Zingerman's Deli for dinner--delicious!

Givingthanks day!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year!  The combination of family, food, and football is borderline celestial in my book.  It was a warm, but crisp fall day, and it was especially nice to have Grandpa and Grandma Clawson with us as they were still in town after Jason's wedding.  Grandma Montgomery and Uncle Lane came as well, so we had wonderful company all around!  And, as always, the feast was terrific!  My parents know how to cook a great meal--hopefully I can learn how to do the same someday.  Thank goodness Joanna can teach me the ways of a chef.  This Thanksgiving, we had a lot to be grateful for.  We have wonderful family and friends nearby.  We live in a beautiful apartment thanks to Ike and Angie.  While I've been unemployed for a few months, we've been able to enjoy a lot of extra time together and my employer gave us a generous severance package, I have been provided a wonderful education that I can use to do something useful for the world and provide for my family, we've had pretty good health overall during the year, and most of all, we know Heavenly Father and the Savior love us and have a perfect plan for each of us.  With family, faith, friends, and freedom, okay, and maybe sports, what more could you ask for? :)  I hope we will live with gratitude throughout our lives.

I'm not sure if this was thirds or fourths.

I'm pretty sure the pilgrims didn't use forks and knives,
so why should I?

Mason loves playing with Jenica and Ginger.  Aren't they cute? :)

J & A Forever!!

My brother Jason and his new bride Ashley (formerly Haycock) were married November 20th. It was a beautiful and memorable day! Congratulations Jason and Ashley--you are destined for greatness and we love you both.  I'm pretty sure Jason got the better end of the bargain, but I did too, so I think it's just a Freeman thing.  Marrying a wonderful girl makes you luckier than anything else ever could.  I'm excited to see where Jason and Ashley end up, with the first stop being New York City.  We have them here with us for about another 10 days, after which they'll spend a couple weeks in Georgia (Ashley's home), before they head to their apartment in NYC.  It's true--if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere, and I'm confident they will!

The wedding was beautiful.  The sealer shared wonderful thoughts and advice, and with a good sense of humor.  Heaven knows that marriage needs humor, and I'm thankful mine has a good dose of it.  Jason and Ashley have a wonderful sense of humor, but more importantly they are mature, kind people who love each other very much, and they never hesitate to share that love with others.  I'm a very proud older brother, and I hope they will find joy and happiness throughout their lives as they learn to work together and with God.  While they will be living on the other side of the country, we will do our best to stay in touch, and hopefully visit once in a while.

The reception was also memorable, and was a good reflection of Jason and Ashley's fun personalities.  Ashley's friends from Young Ambassadors provided a lot of gusto.  There was dancing, singing, kind words shared, and lots of smiles all around.  It was fun to see mutual friends of Jason's, including the wonderful ward members who helped keep us in line and set great examples.  Our family has been blessed to have the best kind of people around us who have strengthened us and provided so many happy memories.  The wedding day will carry a lot of wonderful memories for us, but I'm sure even more for Jason and Ashley.  May the party continue evermore!  Love you guys!

That exciting moment awaiting the new couple!

There's the new couple!

That's still them.

They're still a new couple :)

Mason almost couldn't hold back his excitement.

Mason definitely knows when to clap.

I'm pretty sure Mason was thinking, "What the heck is this?  More
importantly, what does it taste like?"

Mason's 1st birthday...well, technically 2nd

Aunt Jenica made cupcakes especially for his birthday. It was his first, and he obviously enjoyed it. Thank you Jenica! The King Kong Kone came from Macey's. We got it for him for his birthday (but really it was for us). Nate calls it the 'Ting Tong Tone'.  Mason, it's been a fun first year!  You are sweet, sympathetic, smart, clever, and good.  Keep it up!

"I grow a way better mustache than Dad!"

Here's a montage of the emotions that Mason has brought out of me:

snow!

After the Sisters Retreat and while Nate was still away campaigning in Ohio and visiting Law Schools, we enjoyed our first snow of the season. Mason was very curious.

Sister's Retreat

While Nate was in Ohio I got to be with my sisters. Almost every year we have a 'Sisters Retreat'. This year we went to Park City. The night before we went to Park City we attended the Provo Temple together and my sisters went to eat at 'The Cheesecake Factory' in Salt Lake City. It was great to catch up. Mason enjoyed playing with his new cousins, while we did what girls do best...talk.

Nate's send off at Joe's cafe

Before leaving to Ohio for a week, we decided to go out for breakfast at Joe's Cafe in Orem. It had great reviews, and it definitely lived up to them.  If you're sitting somewhere in Utah right now trying to think of something fun to do, go to Joe's!  It was a fun experience! The food was delicious...real Southern cooking...and the atmosphere was awesome!  Joe knows how to make you feel welcome and appreciated as a customer.  Mason really seemed to enjoy it as well.

Mason's a soul man!  Bada ba ba

He's probably looking at Joe.

I really appreciate a good meal

Mason loves applauding the chef, and just about everybody/thing else

Joanna can never resist a good omelet

I'm more of a pancakes guy myself, but the grits were fantastic as well!
The portions are more than generous.

Joe, Jo, and Mase, who apparently needs to spend more time with black people :)

Our smiles could have probably saved Kodak from bankruptcy.

It's always hard to say goodbye!  He was a great man
of the house while I was gone.

Halloween

For Halloween this year Mason went trick-or treating with his favorite Freeman Aunts and Uncles. It was his first time!

At first he was a little bear

Then he turned into a Springville High School Red Devil

But in the end, all he really wanted, was the candy

But his FAVORITE thing was when Grandma read to him

He really liked it...a lot!

The Hunt for Red October...Politically Speaking

Another fortnight has come and gone, and it has been a good one!  One of the highlights was last night, when I was able to watch Joanna and the fabulous Orchestra at Temple Square perform at, of all places, Temple Square!  It was a delightful program, and had a fun Viennese Theme.  Hayden, Mozart, and Strauss highlighted the concert.  My parents were able to attend, and they loved it as well.  The orchestra played beautifully, and I was especially touched when Vesna dedicated a song to President Hinckley and Igor paid tribute to his father.  Afterwards, Joanna and I met up with Teran and her boyfriend, Mike, and we had a delightful time together.  We went to the Salt Lake Roasting Company and enjoyed hot cocoa while chatting the night away.

Earlier that day, Joanna went with Ike, Jenet, and Shirley to make phone calls for Romney.  There is a call center down the street from UVU, so they made calls all morning.  Joanna is hoping to make a few more rounds during the coming week.  We're looking to do even more to help Romney get elected, but more on that in the next blog post.  Considering how close this election is, a few phone calls can make a big difference.  Only 9 days left until the election!

Now that Joanna has finished her rehearsals, she can be my study buddy.  I am still devoting most of my time studying the LSAT, but I'm still having a hard time catching on the games section.  That's the greatest obstacle left.  I hope that by reviewing the material with Joanna I'll be able to make more improvement.  It helps a lot to be able to vocalize the concepts, so we are going to give that a try.  I feel like I'm almost there.  Aside from the test, I worked a lot on polishing my personal statement last week and getting the letters of recommendation in order.  I feel like I'm making progress, and I am grateful for my friends and mentors who are writing my letters: Taylor Drage, Larry St. Clair, and the one and only Rick Dawg Lounsbury.  Each of them has made a very positive impact on my life.  I met up with Rick Dawg last week, and I am thrilled that he is willing to write my letter, as if having him lift weights with me every Saturday morning at 6:30 wasn't enough.  You won't find a more devoted friend than Rick Dawg.

Mason has been a little out of the weather lately, and it seems like a lot of it has to do with his teething.  He has had a fever the last couple days, and he has been more irritable and grumpy as of late.  I keep telling him that the ability to eat steak and ribs will make this all worth it, but he doesn't seem to quite get it.  Hopefully he starts feeling better soon because the weather is starting to get colder (much to my dismay).  It looks like we are going to get some more warm weather this coming week, so we'll try to make something of it.

On Friday, while Joanna was playing in her first concert, I took Mason to the Czech Consulate in Salt Lake, which is in the office of Jonathan Tichy, who works at the Prince Yeats law firm.  In commemoration of Czech Independence Day (Oct. 28), they showed the film Fireman's Ball, a biting critique of communism in the Czech Republic.  It was comical and political, so I loved it.  It was fun to chat with a few of my mission friends and reminisce about the registration of the Church in Slovakia, which Jonathan Tichy and Ryan Mecham (also in attendance) helped lead.

One of the highlights of the past couple weeks was attending a speech by Ron Paul at UVU!  Although I'm supporting Mitt Romney this election, I've always admired Ron Paul and his principles.  He's a caring, ethical person who stands for individual liberties.  He resonates with a lot of people, and I get the feeling his impact will continue to be felt long after he retires from politics.  Even Mason enjoyed the speech:

Last week we had the opportunity to talk to Mom and Dad in the Philippines, and it was good to hear they are doing well and that they are healthy and happy.  It sounds like they are very busy sharing the Gospel with the good people there.  I can tell they've had the opportunity to impact many lives already.  We are proud of them, and wish we could visit them in person!  At least we have Skype.

Joanna and I celebrated the two year mark from our engagement day, October 19.  While October 19 is known for being the day when the stock market took the second biggest plunge in history, the market forecast for us as a couple has only gotten better :)  We went on a simple date--bowling, pizza, and just a good time.

Here's to more good times in the coming week.  Time to work hard, play hard!

living a balanced life

Highlights of this week: Nate took me golfing at Cascade (a repeat of our first date with Bob and Jacobie). He kept hitting those balls out of the park! He knows how to impress me and win my heart all over again. He has quite a swing. He is teaching me some important golf skills as well. I enjoyed that a lot! Mason is learning more walking skills, and we've discovered that he seems to like the piano as well! Nate and I spoke in Sacrament meeting yesterday about service and sacrifice. We couldn't help but think so much of our parents as we prepared. Nate has been studying a lot the last week! I'm so proud of him! Mason also got a little cold :(. Hearing him cough just makes my heart sad! He is such a sweet sweet boy!