Party All Night Till The Sun Comes Up

The year is finally at its end!  We celebrated by going to our friends’ party where we played vintage games like Atari.  And newer games like guitar hero.  We played with cards too.  We popped poppers.  Jacob mad crab tarts, and I made white chocolate mousse with strawberry tarts.  They were delicious.  I can’t believe I didn’t get any pictures from this event**.

*I am writing this after the fact as though it is current, and pre-dating my post. As it is my site, I reserve the right to do so.

**Even more surprising, no pictures of the tarts.

Is A Kitten A Cat?

A day to rest, almost.  I agreed to take care of some friends’ pets.  One dog, two cats, a kitten**, and a guinea pig.  When I went over to check on the animals, I found a present for us on the table I took it home to Jacob and we opened it.  We got a cool keychain Atari game that you plug right into the TV and it works just like the originals did.  How cool is that.

*I am writing this after the fact as though it is current, and pre-dating my post. As it is my site, I reserve the right to do so.

**For my purposes a kitten and a cat are not the same thing

Merry Christmas

We started off the day by running an errand**, and then heading over to Jacob’s parents’ house.  I think everybody was pleased with everything they got.  I got cool soup spoons.  For those who don’t know, I love spoons.  I love to eat cereal with soup spoons, and I love to eat any other creamy thing with a tiny spoon.***

We then proceeded to Iowa for festivities at dad’s house.  Where Ronda made it known that they are expecting G4!  We had a lot of fun.  I kissed Jacob  while he was holding Geneva and she grabbed on to his shirt and pulled herself up to his face and puckered.  Geneva and Gretchyn are mimicking a bit now, and they like to mimic laughing.  Only I think they sound more like dolphins.  Listen for your self.  Gretchyn was not too interested this time.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54L_-Ks1e58[/youtube]

From there we headed over to Galesburg for Christmas over there.  Everyone was extremely pleased with the project Karen has been working on.  Good job Karen, all the hours paid off, even if they don’t all know how many hours you put into it.****

*I am writing this after the fact as though it is current, and pre-dating my post. As it is my site, I reserve the right to do so.

**If you know, do not say anything about it, please.

***some people call this a baby spoon, I call it a dessert spoon.

****Karen got a hold of Grandpa Carl’s slide from over the years. This whole years she has scanned them in to make digital prints,  put them in order and cleaned them up to made a DVD for her mom and brothers and sister.  It was a lot of work, and turned out great.

A Stitch In Time

Jacob’s Grandma Neat came to town and brought us all really cool** sweaters.  While she was here Jacob, Jared,  Erin, and Andrew were leg wrestling.  Jared beat Jacob, so Andrew showed him how to do it by flipping Erin, and Jacob then beat Jared.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx-bcg9m260[/youtube]

Today, with the DVD project all finished, I have been finishing the sewing projects.  I think people will like the things they are getting.***  I stayed up way too late sewing a certain project, and it shows.  My stitches which should have been hidden stitches were definitely not hidden.****

*I am writing this after the fact as though it is current, and pre-dating my post. As it is my site, I reserve the right to do so.

**Actually, warm

***At least I hope they pretend to like them if they don’t really like them, and convincingly, not the “oh, I just got a banana for Christmas” kind of acting, while rolling eyes.

****I am Pretty sure I could have done that in my sleep, and I may have…

Time To Make The Donuts

Today I babysat Aiden while I was trying to paint, I am not sure if this was a fun day since she has been testing her limits trying to see what she can be boss over.  She asked me if I would put some mayonnaise on her oatmeal.  I told her I would not do that, and she said that she likes it that way. I told her that was too bad I would not put it on her oatmeal, and came to realize she was asking for marshmallow cream, not mayonnaise.

We made homemade donuts for our Semi-annual Saturday Ward Choir practice and breakfast, tomorrow.  The first happens right before Easter.  It will be a good program.  The donuts are a family recipe that we used to make when I was younger.  I believe it was my Grandma Bellamy’s.  They are yummy.

*I am writing this after the fact as though it is current, and pre-dating my post. As it is my site, I reserve the right to do so.

What Was I Thinking Again?

Today was our first meeting as the new primary presidency.  I think it will be a good group to work with.  And I love to be in charge of organizing data.

I also was working on sanding for the wooden Christmas presents I am making.  I became covered in saw dust.

*I am writing this after the fact as though it is current, and pre-dating my post. As it is my site, I reserve the right to do so.

What A Blast From The Past

This morning I was supposed to go visit teach, and when I arrived, she was gone, in fact everyone was gone, they already left for vacation.  I wonder if I already knew that and just forgot, wouldn’t surprise me.  So I went to see another friend that I have had trouble catching at home for a while. We had a good visit.

I mentioned before that our friends the Frisbies are moving.  They have lived here for about 5 years.  Today I went over to offer a hand and hold babies so she can pack or pack so she can hold a baby.  In any case there was a lot more talk than pack.  As I was sitting holding one of her boys I saw a Christmas picture sitting next to me so I picked it up** and told Brittany that she looks really familiar to me.  I looked at her first name and asked what the maiden name is.  And would you believe that one of my MTC companions is her good friend!  Anyhow, I had lost touch with her***, so it was nice to see that she has a family.  Brittany called her and left a message and she called back, so she and I got to visit for a few minutes.  That was nice.  I have missed her.  We exchanged emails, and I have given her the address to this site, and I hope that we can keep in touch****. Brittany and I encouraged her to start a blog as well.  Now if only I had seen the picture on Brittany’s fridge a few years ago…


Hermana Makai, Hermana Prickett, Hermana Gold
*I am writing this after the fact as though it is current, and pre-dating my post. As it is my site, I reserve the right to do so

**Yes, I am nosey

***Yes, I have gotten lazy in the pen-pal department

****Even if this is the main medium

Say Cheese

Snow is still around, good for pictures! Though I still do not like to be cold.

I offered to take some pictures for Jason, Jessie, and Aiden playing in the snow, but Aiden is the only one crazy** enough to play in it. So this morning I got some cute shots of her.

This afternoon Rick and Ginny came over and I got lots of pictures of them in the snow. I hope there is at least one that they like enough to use. Rick was so cold and tired of having snowballs thrown at him, so we were unable to get a good one of a snowball in the air. I am sure I could photoshop one in there. Directly against Skyler’s orders I got some kissing pictures. He told them that they are not allowed to kiss anymore until they are married. He he he.

This evening I babysat for other friends, and while I was there the doorbell rang. All three kids*** ran to the door. I opened the door and there he was. In his red suit and white hair, it was Santa Clause. He looked a little concerned and asked if it was the Smith**** house. I said it is and he looked relived. He asked the kids if I was the babysitter and they shouted “yes.” He asked it they had been good, again the chorus of “yes.” And he said then he brought them a plate of cookies/goodies. He “Ho! Ho! Ho!” ‘d and hopped in his old white car and drove away. Then the 6 yr old girl asked if that was the real Santa? I not knowing quite what the parents’ take on the issue is, asked her what she thinks. She said she thinks it is the real Santa, and the 4 yr old boy said he thinks it isn’t, so I asked why he thinks that. He said, “Because he wasn’t wearing red and white striped boots.” I said he was wearing a red suit with white trim, and the girl said he was “wearing black boots, and that is what Santa wears.” He seemed satisfied with that. Then when I put them to bed the older two made me promise to “tell mom and dad that the real Santa was here.” I obliged.*****

*I am writing this after the fact as though it is current, and pre-dating my post. As it is my site, I reserve the right to do so.

**By crazy I mean young enough to not know it is a crazy idea

***2,4 & 6 I think

****Insert family surname here

*****The 2 year old, he just wanted candy from the plate, he didn’t seem to care who brought it.

Happy Birthday Geneva And Gretchyn

I can not believe how much snow there has been this year!!!  Sure it is pretty to look at, but when it makes your drive twice as long forget it.  It can just melt and go away for all I care.

Today we** drove to St Louis to pick up Erin and Linda***.  Linda was told to take the same flight as Erin, but she decided that she would leave 15 min earlier than Erin….  I am sure she thought she would arrive earlier than Erin too, however we were waiting at the airport for long time between their flights.  We are just glad they both made it safely home.  We arrived at the airport and things were ok, but it was snowing.

We went down a set of stairs that were half indoors and half outdoors.  The top was outdoors.  So the top of the stairs was wet.  I noticed a bag sitting at the top of the steps alone and was thinking about whether or not to turn it in or if someone was just putting the rest of their luggage in the car at the curb there.  So, no, I was not holding on to the rail or thinking about the wet steps, and my feet slipped, and somehow ended up behind me, and I fell.  In my head I could see myself doing a somersault down the stairs, but no, that didn’t happen.  It felt like some one was holding me back by my left shoulder, keeping my head up.  And my toes caught on the steps and stopped me after hitting three steps and I was able to reach my hands over to the slats in the railing and pick myself up.  Jacob and Karen were already down the stairs and Emily was behind me a few steps.  I think I believe in angels.  My bones were not broken.  My hands ache, and my ankles too, but the worst of it was a small scratch on my leg.  I had better get a really cool bruise from this; it isn’t worth falling if there isn’t anything to show for it.  And no, people can not see pain the way we feel it.

Because of the snow, it took us 6 hours to get home!!!!!!  Just crazy.  We saw some scary looking accidents along the side of the highway.  I just hope the families are all ok.  We went really slowly, and made it home intact.

FYI boil order was lifted when we got home.

Here is a picture of the janitor’s cart we saw.

*I am writing this after the fact as though it is current, and pre-dating my post. As it is my site, I reserve the right to do so.

** Karen, Emily, Jacob, Marcia

***Our friend and Erin’s roommate at school