Dear mom and dad merry chrismas and thank you for doing grate things like dad thank you for teaching me Roman numburs and dad I will give you III Roman numburs I II III and mom thank you for baking the best things ever and i will draw you a halopinyo Pepper Pizza.
Shelbs and BRi.
Cousins came with us to temple lights this year.
Weston "accidentally" stepped in the fountain.
We always go get hot chocolate and pie at Village Inn afterward. Weston just wanted to let corporate VI know that he was there.
Wise man to Angel: Don't I know you from somewhere?
Looks more like a wise guy to me.
....oh, never mind...
175 cards stuffed, addressed and stamped after about 4 hours, a neck cramp, a backache and a hand cramp.
I had a volunteer licker for about 37 cards. She stomped away from the job after her little brother kicked the stack of un-licked cards into the stack of licked ones.
I also had a volunteer sorter who made piles according to the picture on the postage stamp--a very important job.
Dropped them at the post office yesterday (in my pajamas) and felt a little spring in my step as I walked away.
Check that off my list for another 347 days.
Spokt (pronounced "spoked") is a website, created by my brother a few years ago, that my family uses to stay connected. Almost everyday, my family, in three different states, log on to it to see what is going on in each other's lives that day or that week. Also, it is a great place to share pictures and videos. Some of us blog and some of us are on Facebook, but we all contribute to spokt. It shortens the miles between us, everyday. Click here to keep in touch privately with family.
***Right now there is also a contest to win an iPod Touch...click here for details.
I got to snuggle with my precious niece, Gwen, for just a moment at our Annual Old Friends Christmas Bash last weekend. She is just yummy.
Before the white elephant game begins...all is calm all is bright.
The white elephant gift that Brian stole and got to keep...soap shaped like poop. Disgustion...to steal a phrase from my sis-in law Rachel...
Some of the Old Friend guests...
I look forward to this bash all year...even if we end up with poop soap.
He could not wait.
He could NOT wait.
He COULD NOT wait.
So he announced from his seat at the dinner table that he had a share. He held up his fist, with his pinky finger raised.
"This is a bad word in China!"
Isn't he a dear?
Keaton informed me that it was Cowboy Day at school...about 17 minutes before it was time to to go.
I grabbed a couple of things from around the house with about 13 minutes to spare.
Keaton grabbed some grub for breakfast with about two minutes to spare.
And that's how we giddy up 'round here.
Keaton was baptized on Saturday...love this kid.
(Keaton and Treyson...best buddies baptized on the same day)
Hand written invitation to his teacher. Mr. Martin came and got all teary during the baptism and confirmation.
Love the feet in this picture.
It was a great day.
As soon as he got home from school, Weston went directly upstairs, grabbed his Halloween candy and plopped himself down in front of the TV in my bedroom.
After some time I realized it was so peaceful in the house and coincidentally, I hadn't seen Weston since he hopped out of the car.
I climbed the stairs and heard the sound of mindless cartoons coming from my room. I walked in to see him in smack in the middle of a candy smorgasbord. Wrappers, sticks, and errant candy surrounded the boy.
"What in the world are you doing up here....shoveling in candy and watching gross cartoons?" I asked.
He unwrapped another candy, flung the wrapper and shoved the treat in his mouth.
Lazily he asked a question back, "Am I gonna get fat?"
It was ever so apparent that he could care the less about calories or cavities. He was in 6 year old bliss.
So, as the responsible mother that I am, I sprawled on the floor next to him and ate a Reese's peanut butter cup.
Last week we celebrated Kate's 13th birthday.
13! When did that happen?
I distinctly remember sitting on my bed, folding the newborn clothes my baby Kate had outgrown. Brian found me surrounded by tiny onesies and sleepers with tears wet on my cheeks. He was surprised to see me crying. Shakily, I exclaimed that our baby was growing up too fast.
He soothed,"Don't cry...she doesn't even have teeth yet."
Well, she surely has teeth now...and braces and a cell phone, a sense of humor and a sense of style, crushes on boys, perfume and mascara. She carts around a school ID card and wrote two articles for the school newspaper. She is perfecting "On My Own" on the piano and reads thick books.
She is still growing up too fast, but, oh my, she is doing it beautifully.
Sara has been on a little trip with some friends – it is just not the same without her with us. We miss her!
The Silver Lining – solo time with my kids.
The Gray Lining – eating at the spots Sara doesn’t like in the least. It would actually be more appropriate to say these places disgust her.
Panda Express is just ok, but the kids love it.
