President Hinkley

We had Stake Conference this weekend and our visiting authority was President Hinckley's son. He got a call from Elder Packer to come home Saturday. So, when we were told that in our meeting on Sunday, I knew that President Hinkley would pass soon. 97 years is a long time to live and he sure seemed to make the most of his. I was happy for him. Since his wife died he seems to have been so lonely. Even with all of the things he had to do and all of the people around him all of the time, there seemed to be a void that affected him more than anything. Joel said that he imagined the hero's welcome he must of had and it made me smile. Oh to be so confident about entering heaven!

Roses

I love Roses

I like yellow and orange-ish ones best. I particularly enjoy two-toned roses in these colors. But in the grocery stores it seems that the lavender ones smell the best, (Or smell at all.) and so I will sometimes get those when the price is right. I don't like the roses with tons of petals or the small ones with only a few petals that really don't look like roses. This rose is one of the dozen I bought this weekend. They smelled so good I took the pink and yellow ones. They didn't release the fragrance I thought they would but they did open beautifully. This one is the perfect rose. Just enough petals, even open, beautiful color and fragrance.

Don't buy me roses that don't really smell, when they cost $20/dozen. This bunch was quite enjoyable for $11. Someday I'll have rose bushes that line the driveway or grow along a fence. Then I'll only buy roses when I can't grow them. Actually, knowing me, I'll just wait until next season!!

Nevada Caucus

I'm not sure how I feel about Caucuses now that I have been to my first one. But it was Nevada's first too so maybe I should attend others to get a real good representation of them. Regardless, this mornings wasn't what I was under the impression it was going to be. I'm not a person who is into politics. I've only recently begun to pay any attention to what everyone has been saying and I am frustrated at the information I would like to have but can't really find anywhere!! What I do know is that voting becomes more and more important. If you have information or opinions you would like to share about any of the candidates, feel free. I havn't decided yet and would like to see what other people know. I'm more interested in why you would not vote for certain people. I can find all kinds of stuff about why one person or another would be good.
Good luck in your endevors and may the spirit guide us. (That sounds too "May the force be with you doesn't it?!)

New Barber Girl

Oh no, no, no, no,no. Not a new one of ours!! Jamin's wife Kimra had their baby girl this week. He called Joel and had to leave a message so I can only write what Joel remembered being told. (And he had to listen to the message again to let me know what they'd named her!! :) Anyway, Emerson was born at over 8 lbs.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Mardi Elizabeth's 11 yr. portrait

Primary Pajama Party

This is one of my favorite activities to do. We had a pajama party the Sat. morning before all the children would switch classes and in most cases, teachers. Almost all of our teachers showed up too! Keddi ended up moving to the table with the other kids in her class. (Keddi's were two of the teachers that didn't come.)
The counselor that planned this activity had get to know you games before breakfast and some fun games afterward too. The kids had a great time.

Mardi's class was combined 9-10 year olds last year. This year her team teachers will be teaching all of senior primary. (Which includes only 2 more boys than last year!) And in this picture, most of the kids in their class are shown!! Please pray for our poor little ward! We need more (and more) people! With children. There have been times though, that having a tiny primary allowed for fun and interesting activities that would not otherwise have been attempted. And reverance isn't really an issue. Because of that, I think that we have been blessed with opportunities to bring in the spirit and point out his presence to the children. They are good kids and I truly enjoy them.

Mardi's bithday (this year)

Since the kids were still out of school for the holidays, I took them to one of their favorite places to go.... Petland. Yes, we now have a dog, but since she really only likes Tersa, she doesn't make much of a "family" pet. And face it, she's just not a puppy. At petland they allow you to choose puppies and take them into a little cubical to play with them. This is what Mardi chose to do for her birthday.

That night we had a family party which included the Wilson's of course. Mardi got more books, a robe she wanted and a gift card to Claires. Wilson's gave her the "High School Musical II" cd. She was also grateful to Grandma's and Grandpa's that sent cards! Thanks so much for remembering her!! I know it isn't easy with the holidays having just wrapped up and the new year starting!

Happy 11th Birthday Mardi

Here is a blast from the past. This is Mardi's 5th birthday party. It had a "calm" princess theme (considering that two of the three guests were boys) and included this game of "Break the Ice", "Pin the rose on Aurora's rose" and a pinata. I also like to let little ones decorate their own cupcakes instead of making a regular cake because it gives them an activity they really seem to like and because we usually have a cake when we celebrate with the family.
Mardi won't have a party this year because with four children I decided that certain birthdays will have parties. That way we can go all out. None of the children in this picture still live here, but Mardi does have a couple of girls at church and a few at school that she could invite (as seen in her Harry Potter party pictures from last year.)
Next year we will have another child in Young Womens! I keep telling the girls that time goes by so quickly the older you get!

Favorite Christmas Activity

Uncle Mitchel left yesturday and I was surprised there were no tears. (Especially from the four year old. But that night while setting the table she asked when he was coming back. She had not realized that he was returning home when she had said goodbye to him that morning.) We really enjoyed having him here. He was a great uncle and gave loads of attention to the girls. With the older girls he played board games (Monopoly became the favorite.) And the younger girls got piggy back and shoulder rides. Shinara in particular could not get enough of being picked up and carried around.

While he was here we did lots of things but the girls favorite was tickle fighting. Soon after Mitchel arrived someone discovered that like their father, Mitchel had very ticklish feet. UNLIKE their father, he allowed them to try to tickle them. He did pretty well being outnumbered all the time but on a couple of occasions, the girls got him good. It was the funniest when Shinara joined the crew. One time she came running into the room when the older girls had him on the floor and latched on to his ankle. He was concious of her being there and would not kick or wriggle away for fear of hurting her. She kept yelling, "I got him.....I got him," while running her fingers across his foot when she could. The other girls finally heard her and took full advantage. He was almost in tears and needed a full on nap after that!

We love you Uncle Mitchel!! Thanks for coming and don't let us scare you into making your next visit a really long time from now!!!


In this last picture, Shinara's head is right above his, against the couch! Sometimes they were relentless and had to be called off. I didn't want to make the hospital one of the places we visited during the holidays!

New Years Eve

Every New Years Eve, I buy a bunch of party/snack foods and spread them all over the table. We eat all night. This year Mandy gave me a fondue pot and I made a cheese fondue which we dipped french bread, soft pretzel and sausage pieces into. It was o.k. for a first try. Our preztels made the sauce get a bit salty and I had to look up alchohol free recipies! (Note to anyone who may not know, fondue has alcohol. Maybe I am the only one who did not know the origin of fondue, but if you do, it all makes sense.) Anyway, we took the rest of our food to the Hone's house where we spent our time from 7:00 to just after midnight. Our spread consisted of crackers, cheeses, cookies, shrimp ring, guacamole and chips, chips and dip, chex mix, juice and hot chocolate and I am sure I have forgotten a thing or two. Everyone was still awake for the midnight countdown and we enjoyed our tradition of toasting the new year with Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Juice.

The next morning we all slept in (shocker!) and had our traditional "lucky bread" with breakfast. Mardi makes banana bread and we wrap a dime in waxed paper and cook it into the bread. When the bread is cut we start with the oldest in the family and go down the line until we find the dime. Whoever gets the dime is the one to have luck for the year. It was caught directly between Joel's and my piece. This is the third year we have done this and I have gotten the dime the last two years!! If I get it again next year, the girls may vote to scrap this tradition!!

Christmas Continued

We made this cute little gingerbread castle for our neighbors this year. The girls got a side to decorate by themselves and the neighbors said it was delicious. I got the pan at Costco and it had a recipie on the box. I'm glad it turned out. I figured that besides holidays for which it could be used (Christmas, obviously, Halloween haunted house, Valentines...) I could probably get a princess castle out of it for a few birthday cakes too!!