Our Christmas Tree Tradition

I love that we have the tradition to go get our own Christmas tree every year. Usually we go the Saturday after Thanksgiving but we couldn't go cause we were babysitting (overnight) 2 year old twins. We went tonight for FHE.

We didn't leave Vale until 4:30 (I had a piano lesson right after school.) So it was a race against the clock. Everyone fell asleep on the way up. I couldn't ever get Spence awake enough to join us. So we didn't get a family picture (we don't know how to work the timer yet on my new camera anyway. That'll probably insult Kurt. I have no doubt that you could have figured it out honey!) We got 2 trees for us this year. One for the living room and one for outside the preschool door. Kurt did really well especially considering the amount of time he had (or didn't!) They are smaller but fairly full (comparing to our previous trees.) I'm pleased. As always they are beautiful to us!


gorgeous snowy sunset












A brilliant full moon

22

Most 1st graders are losing teeth. My son on the other hand is gaining them. He now has 22 teeth. A second permanent one came in right next to the other one (behind that perfectly straight row of baby teeth.) I'm taking Rooster in for her 2nd consultation on Wednesday. I'm really thinking it would be great for the Dentist to look at Austin too.

Black Friday Survival???

Black Friday has always been somewhat of a phenomenon to me. Growing up overseas they definitely did not have such events. Ever since I have moved to Vale I have gone shopping on the mecca day of all shopping sales. But in a reasonable, manageable way. I would get to the stores at 6:30 - 7 am and by that time all the super crazies had left and shopping was even more quiet (and therefore more blissful) than any other day of the year. I can handle that kind of Black Friday shopping!

This year Marti and I planned to go together. She spent Thanksgiving with Jeff's family and on their way home they decided to stay in Boise and hit the sales early. I decided to be spontaneous and join them. I left Vale at 11pm, got to Boise at midnight and we started the all night shopping experience. CRAZY!!! I have never seen such madness. I did get some deals but it came with a price (like standing in long lines.) I'm pretty sure that I'll be returning to my former method of shopping next year!

I did find some UBER cute boots for Rooster. Emma Lynn has been a boot lover since she could walk. Her boots this winter are very cute and Rooster has been loving them. She was constantly putting them on and tromping around the house. So I was determined to find a pair for Rooster during the Black Friday madness. They weren't even a killer deal but I love them. Just look at her, adorable! I could just eat her up! What's what's even more fun Brooke has a pair too!







One experience that I do want to record. I had taken out my debit cards and put everything in the pocket of my coat so I wouldn't have to deal with a purse in the crazy stores. Around 6 am I got back on the freeway to head home when I received a phone call from my Progressive agent. A man had found my wallet and was trying to get a hold of me. Long story short I got his cell number and called him. He was at K-Mart and wanted me to come and pick it up from him. So I turned around and headed back to Boise to meet him. The closer I got to Boise the more uneasy I got about the situation. I had never been to K-Mart that morning. He was about 2 miles away from the last store I had been at. My stomach was in knots and I was about ready to pull over so I could throw up. I could not go meet this stranger and get my wallet. I called Kurt and filled him in. I told him I could not go. I did not feel good about it. I was physically ill. Of course he was understanding and supportive. I turned the car around headed home. Almost immediately I felt better and the sick feeling was gone. I called the guy back and asked him to leave my wallet at the customer service desk. I have no idea what would have happened if I had met him and I don't need to know! All I do know is that the spirit gave me a very strong impression that it was not a good situation. I'm grateful to have a member of the Godhead with me at all times if I so choose by my actions. I know that his power and witness is real.

Thankful Day 09

I LOVE thanksgiving.

I love that we have a holiday to stop and take a moment from our too busy lives to just give thanks for all that we have. And we have a lot. Life is so good. My cup runneth o're.


The brisk sunrise Thanksgiving morning.

Austin, Emma Lynn and I spent the morning making turkey table name cards. We had fun and they turned out so cute! I think it will become a new tradition (to make name card for the turkey table.) There are just so many ideas....





At noon we went over to Bill and Cindy's for Thanksgiving lunch. Jeff, Julie, Mollie, Grandparents Miles and Romans were also in attendance. A total of 15 - pretty small group compared to years past. It was nice and cozy. The food was excellent and the company was perfect. Thanks Cindy for hosting yet another fabulous Thanksgiving!


I'm thankful for beautiful daughters who love to dress up as much as I like dressing them up! :)


I'm thankful for my family (and of course this applies to all the other wonderful members not pictured! I HEART You!)


I'm thankful for delicious food, a perfect roof over my head, clothes to wear and food storage in my basement.


I'm thankful for help, surprises, work and the ability to teach. Austin came into the kitchen and asked if he could wash the dishes for me. What a great surprise! I love the help and the opportunity to teach him the importance of work.


I'm thankful for a wonderfully supportive, devoted and handsome husband.


I'm thankful for all the loving grandparents my children have in their lives. For siblings who are friends, that love and play with each other. For talents my children possess that give them joy and confidence.


I'm thankful for eyes to see, a brain to learn and the ability to read. For the joy reading brings to my family. For creativity to make a fort to escape and create new worlds.


I'm thankful for my 6 nieces and 1 nephew. And for a new nephew to arrive next month!!



I'm thankful for sleep!


I'm thankful for thoughtful little love notes that brighten my day. For kids who can now write/draw them. [It says: Spencer P.S. You are my favorite buddy. Love, Austin.]

I'm thankful for SPENCER (whom I did not get a picture of by some large misfortune! And NO this does not have anything to do with the middle children syndrome which I do not believe in!!!) He is fun, easy to love, adorable, smart, and funny. I would be lost and empty without him in my life.



I'm thankful for my children who bring me so much joy.

Harvest Potlucks

So last year in preschool I did a Thanksgiving program. It went miserably. Definitely not my finest hour directing on stage. Let's leave it at that! So naturally I vowed to never again put 20 preschool kids on the stage at one time. Here is the approach I took this year: Spencer's 3 year old class met for a potluck dinner at my house on Monday the 16th.


table decor from crafts we did in class


table loaded with delicious food - so much to be thankful for!


chowing down

The 4 year olds had their potluck dinners this Tuesday the 24th down at the church. For both classes each family brought a pot of soup to share and I provided everything else. At the very end the kids perform 4 songs that we had learned and shared what they were thankful for. The program aspect went a lot smoother than last year. But I felt like it was a lot more work (food prep wise.) So now I have to decide which way I prefer or if it is even worth doing at all!

Emma Lynn got up on the stage with her class and she SANG!!! I was so PROUD of her! She has come such a long way! Way to go girl!!!

Happy 31st

Today my honey turned 31. A Sunday birthday makes celebrating a little more difficult. When asked what he wanted for his birthday he said,

"A night away with you."

Okay. I spoke with Cindy to see if she was available to watch the kids over night for us. As always, she was very sweet and supportive and made it work. The plan was to go Saturday night and be back for meetings and church Sunday (actual bday) morning.

Vale HS had a play off game Saturday that Kurt wanted to watch. I already had the kids lined up to be at grandma's during that time. So I went to the game with him. That was definitely a birthday sacrifice on my part! ;)

We ate at Kurt's most FAV "Mongolian BBQ" and then headed over to Boise. We went to the temple first and then to our hotel. The hotel was nice and trendy and most important clean. [I sure like our bed the best out of any I've ever slept on though!]

We were able to get home in time for meetings and all our other responsibilities this morning. A HUGE thank you to Grandma and Grandpa for helping us get-away. I'm deciding that it is truly an important element for any marriage.

The more I see and learn about this world and the people in it the more I realize how incredibly BLESSED I am to have married such a man. He is patient, loving, supportive, righteous, easy-going, funny, hard working, and kind. Out of all the material possession he could have asked for for his birthday the only thing he wanted was to spend time with me. How sweet. I love you so much! I am honored to spend eternity with you.

Hear's to another fabulous year in your life. Happy, Happy Birthday!

The LOVES of my eternity

Horn of Plenty

I made these cute cornucopias for my YW today. So naturally we had to make a bunch for the kids when we got home! It was fun and easy - there is still time for you to make some too.


Take a sugar ice cream cone, put a little frosting (edible glue) and stick food shaped candy there (we used fruit snacks, but runts would work or even the pretty colors of M&M's or Skittles.)

the kids chowing down on their horns of plenty.

Our cornucopia is over flowing. Some things that are topping my lists are:
~ A handsome, helpful, honoring husband
~ Four fantastic, friendly, fun children
~ The plan of salvation is for the meek, the sinner, the rejected, the lonely, and the humble. And all encompassing plan for every child of God.
~ Health & Strength and daily food.
~ Callings that give the opportunity to serve and grow and love.
~ My Savior.
~ Being able to find JOY in the journey. And mainly that is such a good journey!

First Snow

The first snow of the season has arrived. Snow is pure magic.

Crash

For the past month I have been planning a major activity for the youth. The airplane crash. You have them board the plane, and after it crashes they are led through the spirit world, telestial, terristial and celestial kingdoms. I had never seen or been apart of this activity before but only heard how wonderful and what an impact it had on those who participated. The last time they did it in Vale was when Kurt was in mutual. Definitely time to do it again.

It was quite the production and took a lot of people to put it together. It took 2 afternoons to completely rearrange the church. But it was so worth it. I'm so grateful we took the time to do it.

They started in the seminary room (airport.) We had boarding passes and everything for them. Christy Phillips (other YW pres) and I were the stewardesses. We took them through security (they had to take off their shoes) and then boarded the plane.







We were short just a few seats so as they crammed in it got a little rowdy. That made me nervous, if they weren't reverent it wasn't going to work! They all went to the spirit world together where Bishop Jacobs explained the plan of salvation (in the YW room.) At that point they were separated into 2 groups (based on their ticket number found on their boarding pass.) They started the progression through the different kingdoms.

The Telestial Kingdom was in the Primary room with Jeff Romans, Brad and Cheryl Jacobs, Scott and Katy Lamb, Dena and Toby Cummings, and April Johnson.


It was very dark (I turned on the light for the picture) with a few red lights, fog machine and heavy metal music. It was dark and creepy.

The Terristial Kingdom was in the Relief Society room with Bill Romans, Amy Lamb, Jacob Atkinson, Christy Christensen, Janice Belnap and Tony Munk.



There were a few stools, one picture of Christ, one lamp and the piano. It was dim and dull. They were good people on earth but didn't endure to the end, really try their best or magnify their callings (life.)

The Celestial Kingdom was in the chapel (sorry I'm not posting a picture.) It was very white and very bright. We had couples together in this room to emphasize families. Barnes, Ruf, Saunders, Rindlisbacher, Johnson, and Wolfe. We gave the youth a chance to bare their testimonies at the end. It was uplifting. I really love our youth.

There was a distinct difference in feeling and mood in each kingdom. Hopefully that is what the youth will remember. Austin was there too and he went through the rooms with me. When we came home he was explaining the different kingdoms to Emma Lynn (in terms of sun, moon and stars.) Even my 6 year old could feel and recognize the difference. Let's hope he remembers too. And in the same respect it was wonderful to think about and prepare for myself. There is still the course that needs to be maintained and magnified. I loved sitting in the chapel (celestial kingdom) with my son and husband and all the YW that I love as my own. What joy there will be in that kingdom!

Indian Language

Austin had part Friday this morning (they only have school 4 days a week. There are a few part Fridays during the year and they go from 8-10.) Austin can speak Indian now! He came home with a paper with different symbols and their meanings. Using those symbols he wrote a story. He had such a fun time with it that he wrote 2 more since he's been home. I love that he is learning to love writing and the creative juices are flowing. Here is our favorite story in "Indian Language."



"I chief hunt no deer, rabbit and catch forest beaver.
Feast four days on rabbit.
We will have a surprise war.
We awarded the chief.
There will be a flood for eight days.
Rain for summer grass.
We go over mountains to hunt.
We see bird tracks.
Lighting speed we run."

The End

Our Toothbrush Tale

This is our bathroom sink.


The drain has a little cap to protect from objects falling down or getting stuck. Unfortunately the cap is very easily removed.


I am constantly reminding the kids to leave it alone, please don't put it in your mouth, yes it has germs and stop spraying the water every where by putting it over the faucet!!!

Rooster's spot has always been to sit on the counter while I get ready. This morning while I was getting ready for church I looked over just in time to see tip of my toothbrush disappear down the drain! When I inspected the drain I could see 2 toothbrushes down then. Nice. I made a mental note to tell Kurt that night when we got home.

Miracles happen and I actually remembered to tell him. Naturally it wasn't any easy process to get the toothbrushes out because the laundry chute is right below the sink so the pipes twist around in a funny way. The sink bowl was removed from the counter, a metal hanger became a hook and the fishing began.


Kurt found 9 TOOTHBRUSHES down our drain. Yes, that's correct. NINE! [PLus a toothpaste cap and plastic caterpillar.] It looks like she might have been at this past time a while! And so sneaky too!


Major kudos to Kurt for being dad of the decade for completely keeping his cool during a nasty fishing job and immediately finding the humor in the situation.

I'm not sure, do you think this is the face of a truly repentant little girl?

Nursery Rhyme Time Play

In Spencer's preschool class we learned about Nursery Rhymes this week. He was assigned "Hey diddle, diddle." We made props and he enlisted Austin and Emma Lynn to help him present it. We practiced the words and performed it for dad. Today at school he did it for his class. It was so cute! We had a fun time getting ready for it. I have a feeling more family plays will be coming to our stage!
:D


Spencer - little dog laughing & dish / spoon running away
Emma Lynn - cat playing the fiddle
Austin - cow jumping over the moon


"The Little Dog laughed and laughed to see much sport!"


With Mother Goose