Preparing For Christmas

Christmas is coming.  Can you feel it?

Ok, seriously, it happened almost a month ago. 

But I have to catch up remember?

And can you believe I'm actually blogging?!?!

We went to Abbie and Poppy's for our annual Abbie's Christmas Cookie Party. 

Isaac had fun.  He even wore an apron!

I really don't know what's going on here with Sam.  I assume he's crying about the horrors of cookie mutilation in the world. 

And Ruthie Made 8 beautiful cookies.  Then, as we were leaving, she couldn't find her plate of beautiful cookies.  We threw some icing on a few and threw 'em on a plate and tried to call it good.  Then, as we arrived home, Aunt Emilie texted to say she had Ruthie's cookies. Grrr.  Ruthie was nice and said she hoped Emilie enjoyed them!

Sam is in his school choir this year.  Hurray!  The choir gave a Christmas concert.  Sam sang his heart out.  He later informed me that he doesn't really sing.  He just moves his mouth.  But I think the shape of his mouth as it matched all the other mouths in his area proves he was singing.  He's refuses to take choir in junior high.  I did try!

And Christmas Eve was spent with Abbie and Poppy.  Ruthie was an angel with some cousins in the annual Nativity story.

We also had a ward Christmas party.  We did a pie contest and had so many pies, people were talking about still being full of pie at church the next day.  Daniel and I were able to attend the sealing of a very dear couple in our ward.  Sheryl asked me to be her escort and I was happy to do it.  What a beautiful day it was, too.  Ice and snow on all the trees and everything just blanketed.  It was beautiful.  We had our family Christmas party with Daniel's family on the same day and I have no recollection of it.  Except that we got there late and left early. Darn it.

Christmas is next!!

Can't wait.

Holy Cats Batman!

I'm just gonna say it. 

I've been busy.

Very Very Busy.

I've got nothing more to say on that.

 

I have taken a few pictures though.

Here is the scale.  Something weighs 141 pounds.  What could it be??

It's a pumpkin.  Daniel had gotten pumpkin seeds from a guy at work and we got 3 huge pumpkins from them.  Daniel carved one...

Pretty cool.  We have one more left that didn't get carved.  We're taking it up to the Ranch this Saturday to blow it up.  Yep.  You read that right.  We're gonna blow it up. 

We know how to have fun!

Woody.

Sam.  He bruised just under his bottom lip. Like a strange soul patch!

As for Halloween, Isaac went to a party with all his friends.  He has such a great group of boys he hangs out with.  They are all across the street and in a different Stake.  Dang it.

Sam and Ruthie dressed up.  I did not get a picture.  I was taking care of some RS business as they got ready and then they took off.  Sam was a pumpkin zombie. Here's his stash!

And Ruthie with hers.  She was a vampire.  You can see the blood coming from her mouth. 

Life has certainly been full lately.  My family has been blessed as I've been working with my new calling.  We are all busy and happy and healthy.  Couldn't ask for more!

Dad.. Dad.. Daddy O.

You remember that scene on Back To The Future when Marty is talking to his dad, but a young, his own age dad?  He says something to him and ends with dad... dad...Daddy O.   That's why I titled this post with that.  I always say that to Daniel. Dad, dad, daddy O.

Anyhoo, it's his day!  Dad's day.  We began with his gifts.  Some shirts.

His favorite drink.

A Creeper from Mine Craft

And the best one yet...  World's Coolest Dad!  Yep!

We had a fancy dinner after church.  Ooh, a table cloth.

Pinkies up

Roast, mashed potatoes, corn from last year's garden, gravy and rolls.  Daniel's request.

We love our dad and are so glad he's ours.  Life would be boring without him!

And a happy father's day to my dad and Daniel's dad.  Both men have been a huge influence in our lives growing up and are still a big part of our lives.  And we are grateful for the brilliant role models our kiddos have!

Family Home Evening Activity.

For FHE tonight I put this game together that I found on another blog.  You take tape-I took frog tape and masking tape-and then lots of candy-whatever candy makes the kiddos smile.  Then you take something like one of those plastic Easter eggs and put a prize in it.  Then you start with the filled egg and start taping, adding candy to the tape as you go.  I traded between the two tape types (say that 10 times fast) to mix it up.  Then let it sit on the table in your bedroom for a few days.

Suspense....

Tonight was Isaac's turn to teach the lesson.  He talked about prayer and that Heavenly Father will always answer your prayers, but it might be in a different way and might not even happen right away.  He did an awesome job.  Pay no attention to the dust on the floor.  It's summer.  I'm off duty.

Then it was game time.  So you need a pair of dice.  And the person to the left of the person with the ball rolls the dice while the ball person undoes tape and takes candy.  When the dice person rolls a double, the un-taping stops and the ball goes to the roller and the dice goes to the person on their left.  Got it?  You keep going until it's all unwrapped.  We had a blast.  It actually took a while to get the whole thing unwrapped, too.

Isaac undid the egg and got the dollar bill inside.

Sam complained that he could have gotten the dollar bill if Isaac hadn't grabbed the egg out of his hand.  So, understanding the little value given to the American dollar bill at the moment, each kid got a buck!

Candy!!  And tape!!  And excitement!!

Yum yum.

Our game was a success and is something we'll have to do again. 

Ummm...

When this sugar rush is over.

Reunion Weekend.

But First!! 

I graduated from high school many many many years ago.  Ok.  24 years ago.  Almost a quarter century ago.  I guess in the scheme of things it's not really that long ago.  Anyhoo, I went to high school for 3 years in California.  Then we moved to Utah right before my senior year.  Who planned that?!  I graduated from Alta in 1989.  I never ever ever got a reunion notice for either school.  I spent 3 years at one, but didn't graduate from it, then graduated from one that I was only in for 1 lousy year.  So I didn't expect much.  Last week I got this.  It's a postcard from Alta asking for my information so they can put me in the Alumni book. 

Um.  No thanks.

Last Friday was my kids' last day of school.  Yay!  After school we got packed up and headed to our family reunion.  Each year we go up to the Ranch in Idaho and spend Memorial weekend together. 

This is the view from our tent door.  We invested in a new tent that will hold heat better at night when we're cold.  We use a heater. 



THIS is the view from the other end of the tent.  I spent Saturday morning sitting in that blue chair with these windows open just sitting and looking.  It's so pretty.

Here's the tent.  This is out of order but I don't want to move it. Do you believe me now?  So so pretty!

Here is what I was doing while sitting and looking on Saturday morning.  I was editing.  And I think I edited well.  I sent in my submission to the Ensign magazine when we got home.  I'll let you know if I hear anything!

Sam in the car so we can go for a drive.  Sunday after church we went to Malad to the 2 cemeteries where we have family buried.  Grandpa told us stories and tales.  It was so fun to hear them and spend time together.  And it was also nice to get cell service to catch up on some texts ;)

Roooooothie!

There is a very thick and long rope hanging in the garage part of the building.  The kids spent hours swinging.

Saturday morning was the Almosta-thon.  Almosta is a name for the Ranch.  It's Almost-a-ranch.  Get it?  All the people who ran in the Almosta-thon got a t-shirt.  It says Almosta-Thon  23.6 miles of mud and glory.  Ruthie and Sam each got one.  Isaac didn't run and Daniel has a hurt heel and my back was killing me.  Plus, I had some editing to do.  That, and I really don't find any enjoyment in running.  Or sweating. Absolutely no enjoyment whatsoever!  Not even for a cool t-shirt.

Sunday afternoon we had a huge yellow scary smiley face pinata.  Here's Sam taking a swing.  Hi aunt Jennifer!

Isaac took a swing.  A couple of cousins later it looked like...

this....

Then one great swipe with the stick and it fell to the ground.  All the kids and many adults grabbed candy.  There was tons!  Hear me?  ToNs! of candy.

We spent Sunday evening sharing missionary stories.  Our family has a rich missionary heritage.  Not just the full time kind, though there are many who have served full time, but in everyday experiences.  Monday morning we played, rode 4 wheelers and packed for home.  We had a terrific time with family and came home exhausted and with many fun memories!

Thanks aunt Jennifer and uncle Bryan for planning a fun fun weekend.

Demolition Derby Fun!

Saturday night we got to go participate in one of our family's favorites. 

Demolition Derby.

So just what is it about a demolition derby that sucks us in? 

I gave it some thought as I sat in the arena.

This is what I came up with...

We always begin with the National Anthem.  I love when everyone stands, removes hats, puts hands on hearts, looks up to the flag and quiets down.  And then we listen.  Then we cheer.

I love the patriotism!

Of course we love the demolition itself. 

The crashes. 

The smoke. 

The fires. 

The exhaust. 

The fun!

We love the crowds.  Now I will point out some of the crowd negatives, too, but right now, we love the crowds all there to watch and yell and scream!

We love the treats.  Licorice, soda, kettle corn. Yum.

We love when the car comes up right to us.  We were on the second row and this lovely green "mini" came right up to say hi. 

Hi.

Speaking of second row, did you see all that rain Friday night and Saturday?  Hello!  There was mud squished up the sides of the arena and blocked from running back into the middle by those barricades.  But when the cars came screaming by.. the mud came and got us.  This is just the first round.  When we got home I found dirt clods in my treat bag, down my shirt, and the next morning, in my bed. It must have been in my hair.

Okay.  Here was an annoyance.  I hadn't actually seen these until the derby.  They are those water vapor smoker things.  Harmless. ?  When you have every adult in the row in front of you blowing thick water vapor out of their mouths and noses during a spectacular event, it's not so harmless.  Yuck.  The people using them reminded me of that caterpillar sitting on the mushroom smoking opium.  You know the one.  At one point Ruthie jumped up and began leaving and said "I have to get the freak out of here because of all the smoke!"  We talked her into staying.

The other bug was the beer.  Now I understand that there are people who can't seem to enjoy crashing cars without alcohol.  But the wickedest part of the evening was the little family in front of us, including a mom, a dad and 2 young girls, smoking those water vapor things and drinking beer.  We counted a total of 9 bottles of beer shared between the two adults.  My question is.. who is going to drive those two little girls home???

The best-est part of the night are the people who came with us...

Dad, Ruthie and Isaac

Sam, mom and Isaac

We got dirty, we got home late and we got derby-ed out!