tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38844306526609053292024-03-05T05:18:57.182-08:00Don't hit your brother!Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.comBlogger418125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-77691555849290980432022-01-24T20:45:00.002-08:002022-01-24T20:45:54.103-08:002021 Christmas Letter<p> <span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">December 2021</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-384320fa-7fff-f924-5da3-a3cb1ce06562"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Merry Christmas to all of you cherished friends and family!</span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve really put off writing this Christmas letter, having been sick (not covid), and having forgotten the nature of time during the holidays. Our house must have some Time Machine genes in its boards, tiles, and carpet, because I seem to have missed a few weeks here and there.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We hope you are all experiencing the warming Christmas spirit, that of the hope that comes with a knowledge of Christ our savior’s birth, his life and example, his personal atonement for each of us, and his resurrection. It’s a lot to comprehend, yet his plan is so simple and true. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sitting here thinking about some words that sum up this year, my mastery of the English language, even pig Latin, seems to be lacking. So, I’ll just wing it and do my best to “use my words,” counsel I often give kindergarteners thru 6th graders when they seem frustrated with technology. Actually, when it comes to technology, even we adults have challenges using our words…ugh!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m still working part-time at my daughters’ elementary school, teaching the computer class, which includes some basics about understanding the computer programs and proper internet use, but keyboarding is my greatest priority. There are a lot of people who sadly only use their index fingers to type and the oldest kids are the hardest to get out of that habit. Like in many things, it’s the younger kids who I’m having the most success in teaching a new skill, and in their case, to use all 10 fingers. In the hours when I’m not teaching, I’m getting back surgery, planning to exercise, and being the mom. I still have no clue how I’m doing the last one. You who still have little kids, cherish the simplicity. I’m still waiting for the manuals on raising teens and preteens. By the way, there is no single manual to provide helpful advice - they each need their own.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The coolest dude ever, my husband Chris, is still doing computer stuff for RC Willey and teaching a business law class online for BYU-Idaho. Chris has put a lot of work lately into finding the best dad jokes, for which he gets a lot of eye-rolls from his daughters and me, but we’re all secretly laughing inside. As far as his health goes, he’s the 2nd to last to get this monster cold.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><img height="200" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/79rOaBWLmQeVM4iJEZ0_1oNsoZ2P76twOsJlfP8dQE4twxQXuFvc6uvsRxtiRHSJQo7q_Rnexbj6ApfRnJV9ockaB3CY2iAed55vKNBHKDhj8TgXVPEZeh7vIgg1WrKYmNCuYl5P=w193-h200" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;" width="193" /></p></span><span><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(This is our family picture this year, with some neighbors near the end. The three brownish ones are we three girls)</span></p></span><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />Reed, the oldest of the oldest twins is at the end of his 19th year! Again, that time warping thing. He’ll be starting another semester of online college via BYU-Idaho in January. He’s recently been volunteering at a local food bank and says they have a lot of tuna! I understand, because, who really likes eating tuna anyway? For fun, he likes to go shooting, be in the great outdoors, and work on his uncle’s dad’s farm (Grandpa in-law, Doug). Yes, that’s considered fun for some.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Douglas, is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He started his first 9 out of 24 months, in the Seattle, Washington area and is now in Moldova (a country below Ukraine, and to the right of Romania), speaking Romanian. Though, at times it’s Moldovan, a combo of Romanian and Russian. He’s having great experiences, loving the people, eating interesting foods, and most importantly, sharing his testimony of the gospel with others. We miss him! At least, we get to have a call from him every Monday. Sending packages for Christmas is a challenge and I hope he gets what we sent. The first package we sent went to Aruba. The mailman in Aruba practically pounded with his stamp “not for Aruba” at least 4 times! Poor guy, I’m guessing this was not the first time.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isaac, the boy that is taller than all of us, is 16 and enjoys patting the shorties on the tops of their heads. He’s a junior in high school, works part time, plays guitar in the jazz band, and enjoys Karate. If you need anything broken or kicked, he’s your guy! He’s a great fan of Top Ramen and Reece’s Puffs :). I should say green beans and asparagus, but for him that’s only a “sometimes treat.” We won’t go too deep into the video gaming addiction, but then there are no kids out there who will admit there’s such a thing. I for sure know there’s no such thing as a chocolate or diet coke addiction.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elizabeth, the oldest of the other set of twins, is 11 and in 6th grade. She LOVES drawing! When others say they are bored because I won’t let them play on computers, she just goes and looks for a good pencil and a pad of paper. One of her favorite foods is Nutella, just like her cousin Brooklyn.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miriam, also 11 and also in 6th, loves school, gaming, reading, organizing, and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. She’s also doing karate and is a blue belt. I’d want her next to me in a fight!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The last members of the fam are the guinea pigs, Guinevere, Cali, and Cinnamon. All excellent emotional support pets and quite tidy. They seem to know when you’re in need of having your ear licked or when you need to hear a really great purr.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, my head, ears, and sinuses are still clogged and this is all that I could think of sharing with all of you loved ones. If I have a bad cold next year, I’ll just type in a large font, “WE LOVE YOU, and Merry Christmas!” and print it out on red or green paper.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Becky, Chris, Reed, Douglas (via Moldova), Isaac, Elizabeth and Miriam</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: 2pt solid #cc0000; display: inline-block; height: 189px; overflow: hidden; width: 336px;"><img height="189" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ZM8mqNlTjSpGolF1hXEUrCMoxh0TKoc210YDc2F_XH1bdcp2zPUAW2HX7X4GZDkaggXnAhp1pSscODPh93uSgr-kSjwLOyPqs_qY2h_iri7vEmxJ5rItzQgsnVWImC_6QHCQsOPQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="336" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Douglas and a few of his fellow mission elders in Moldova)</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: 2pt solid #cc0000; display: inline-block; height: 189px; overflow: hidden; width: 303px;"><img height="189" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gh8wvOy3JNOb6MyoYpszZ5-Ck42RSIOz0hvVE0Z34_eHljPizw3qQxJ89LCm94RpEVlIVyaA_9V5ty_JnHDpzporKBs5TM-_0Mp_LjUc-nx5gwhllQ_wjdKWxOgSUxB2BuHWyEiS" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="336.00000000000006" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(The piggies three)</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-90666343813289574712018-12-15T08:14:00.000-08:002018-12-15T08:14:15.579-08:00Merry Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5NVUOPBgOD4wpb_4jPyDSPKxAj0dhvtXcfCB7oktxCttwCSSzGEmhFqFj71kA7Cr5RYABDrIBvT1raPFQIdq_bCFnRdKRb8fbqBEdal8ZpJccVA6wiJXU7NTjs2LFUiLJsaf0dAK1GY/s1600/Christmas+2018+COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5NVUOPBgOD4wpb_4jPyDSPKxAj0dhvtXcfCB7oktxCttwCSSzGEmhFqFj71kA7Cr5RYABDrIBvT1raPFQIdq_bCFnRdKRb8fbqBEdal8ZpJccVA6wiJXU7NTjs2LFUiLJsaf0dAK1GY/s320/Christmas+2018+COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">December
2018<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">(Cliff’s notes version: Merry Christmas, we love you all, and have a
happy New Year!)</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">Dear
Family and Friends (who include all of those we love, like, and can endure
respectfully for at least a day), </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Brayden Script;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b>Merry Christmas!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">The self-inflicted pressure of writing
a Christmas letter has driven me to my basement lair with a large diet coke and
an extreme yearning for chocolate. No
chocolate means a lot of staring at the almond colored wall 3 feet in front of
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">Like a
person who has to say out loud what they are looking for until they find it, I must
review this year’s calendar to remember what we’ve been up to for the last 12
months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">Let’s
see, according to <b>January</b> Reed &
Douglas turned 16 (and if you know how the Gregorian calendar works, that means
next month they’ll be 17!) To continue, someone went to the dentist, something
about dry-cleaning, wrestling, and making cupcakes for something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">I drew
a lot of hearts on <b>February</b>, more
dentist appts., dance, karate, band, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">OK, I’m
no longer focused on the almond colored wall and the year is coming back to
me. Besides two of my kids turning16, they
also got glasses and drivers licenses, and for some reason my acid reflux meds
aren’t working like they used to. Baby
A. and B., as the ultrasound lady first introduced them to me, are now taller
than me and can sing way lower than I can.
Reed joined track again and got into throwing the javelin. After we cut down our maple tree, I found him
trying to carve one of the branches into a javelin, or spear --same thing. Baby B., aka Douglas, is one of our 3 karate
kids and earned his second-degree black belt this summer –</span> <span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">Hiya! I remember that I was so happy when my thoroughly
exhausted son didn’t mind giving his mom a hug in public. Of course, I was then covered in at least 3
hours’ worth of sweat, so hmmm…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">In <b>March</b> I have marked “girls’ fieldtrip
to hospital.” If I hadn’t also written
“bring lunches” in parentheses, I would have thought this was just another case
of “humoring the hypochondriacs.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">April </span></b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">had its beautiful daffodils and
clumps of colorful tulips. In our church ward, Chris was called as the Elder’s
Quorum president –a busy calling, but spiritually rewarding. Sadly, in the Spring, Chris’ grandpa Stilson
passed away at the age of 94. What a
kind and wonderful man, and a great example for his family and friends of how
to live a joyful and good life. Is it
weird that the phrase, “they don’t make them like they used to” comes to mind
when we think of him? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">In <b>May</b>, our two youngest, A. and B. (part
the second), Miriam and Elizabeth, turned 8 and were baptized members of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Their two of older brothers, Reed and Douglas agreed to baptize them. It was a wonderful day and a treat to have so
much of the family there to witness the sacred ordinance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">I also
see that in <b>May</b>, our middle, unique,
and the only one who got his own space while in mom’s uterus, had a band
concert. It was not a surprise when he
chose do percussion. Since I seem to be
inheriting my dad’s hearing genes, it’s not too bad for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">In <b>June</b> I might have gotten older, but
it’s hard to recall…uh, what were we talking about? Ballet recitals, a return
to warm days and water sports. July brought the official entrance into the
teenage years for Isaac, 13! The
symptoms that come with these years still only show up in moments of stress and
when someone else ate the last hot pocket or peanut butter chocolate chip
cookie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">July</span></b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"> and <b>August</b> were soooo hot and all those lovely gardening plans I made
in June wilted, unlike the weeds. A
couple trips to Island Park, ID for me and the girls, kept us cool. Reed also made a trip up there to help Uncle
Dave and Aunt Jodi work on their cabin. One of the highlights of the summer for
Chris, our boys, Chris’ dad, and their cousins, was a trip east to visit a
variety of sites from our church’s history.
We have an awesome picture of them in front of the Nauvoo Temple as well
as a humorous one of 5 teenage boys and to adults squeezed into our 7 passenger
Suburban. Thank goodness for windows,
AC, deodorant, music and audiobooks, especially while crossing Nebraska. You’ll
have to talk to them about more of their experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">September</span></b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">…dentist, school, homecoming
dances (dating—a frightening side effect of turning 16), oil changes, band
concert (…and that’s Douglas on the trumpet!) …Oh, and I started my part-time
job as the computer lab lady at my girl’s elementary school. I love all those kids, but the 6<sup>th</sup>
graders would have a hard time fitting into my “can endure respectfully for at
least a day”-letter category. A happy
shout from across the school of “Merry Christmas!” might be about all I can
manage on some days, but then they might have the same opinion of me, hmm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">October</span></b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">, the month I made Isaac a
mostly complete Gandalf the Gray costume, which I finished on Halloween
afternoon. The night before he was
therefore forced to go to our Trunk-o’-Treat as Randolph the Red, Gandalf’s
much more stylish roommate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">November!</span></b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"> Thanksgiving in St. George whose
residents all seem so smart in the winter, but not so much in the summer (I fit
that category several times in my life as a St. George resident) …renew vehicle
registration, Dr. appointments. Chris
aged. He’d been doing so all year, but I
don’t think he realized it until he played pickleball with his sons and
nephews. I’m sure he doesn’t remember,
but I have the feeling his subconscious self was looking for the shuffleboard
while waiting in the drinking fountain line.
Nah, he’s quite the racquet ball player, and this was the first time
he’d played pickleball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">December,</span></b><span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"> at last! Dentist, no really, Isaac had a cavity. Also, a month full of hope, and a reminder of
the wonderous things about life, filled with kindness, charity, love –and most
importantly, the celebration of the birth of the person who most embodies those
qualities, Jesus Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">A month
by month review of this year, both in its simple and not-so-simple moments,
reminds me of how important and wonderful life is and can be. It’s the daily experiences not penciled into
the calendar that are also of great value.
The hugs, kisses, kind things, learning moments, sad times, hard times,
family, friends, and lots of love, are what makes every day count. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="gift tags by Julianna Swaney."
style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:488.4pt;
margin-top:11.2pt;width:64.1pt;height:87.35pt;z-index:-251656192;visibility:visible;
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mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
mso-width-relative:margin;mso-height-relative:margin'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Becky/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="gift tags by Julianna Swaney" croptop="21163f" cropbottom="31056f"
cropleft="45457f" cropright="7529f"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 146px; left: 0px; margin-left: 820px; margin-top: 525px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 107px; z-index: -1895823360;"><b><img alt="gift tags by Julianna Swaney." height="117" src="file:///C:/Users/Becky/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image003.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2" width="86" /></b></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Brayden Script"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“As we Seek Christ, as we find
Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit, not for one fleeting
day each year, but as a companion always.”—Thomas S. Monson<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">Lots of
love, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">The
Williams Family (Chris, Becky, Reed, Douglas, Isaac, Miriam, and Elizabeth)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Caviar Dreams",sans-serif;">P.S. Sorry this is so long. I know after getting into the habit of Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram, anything longer than 3 sentences can be taxing on us. Glad you made it to the end of this epistle!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-60354685546006081442018-01-01T16:34:00.000-08:002018-01-01T16:47:42.595-08:00Christmas 2017- The Case of the Giggles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXXbz7_qeMpWCLe-11BymgHM4KdlQKP9KrYDhDW0ojnfidAZhuhBZM4Y03KdCnpceWZF5NfooPgZAjElUwKfaW89jDM1anq5_gpen2YON2NinQkNuzeWVTdC4EW_K8eFfLijvQYxUVQI/s1600/IMG_7079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXXbz7_qeMpWCLe-11BymgHM4KdlQKP9KrYDhDW0ojnfidAZhuhBZM4Y03KdCnpceWZF5NfooPgZAjElUwKfaW89jDM1anq5_gpen2YON2NinQkNuzeWVTdC4EW_K8eFfLijvQYxUVQI/s320/IMG_7079.JPG" width="213" /></a></span><br />
<span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“</span><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;">My liege, and madam, to expostulate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;">What majesty should be, what duty is, Why day is day, night
night, and time is time,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Were nothing but to waste night, day and time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;">And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I will be brief.</span><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;">”</span><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #669900; font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10.0pt;">―</span><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> William Shakespeare, Hamlet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, let</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">s see if I can manage a </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">brief</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Christmas letter as opposed to the mighty epistles I
usually send at Christmas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Merry Christmas to
you all! We miss you, especially those
of you who are in another state, or more than 3 hours away. 2 </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">½</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> hours away, not so
much </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">😉</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We are all well as far
as I can tell. Teenagers</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> ability to answer this question is always brief,
frustrating to the point that I must challenge them to use up to 5 words when I
ask them, </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">how are you?</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> That</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">s when I get, </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">uh, fine, what</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">s for dinner?</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I then answer, </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">uh, cereal.</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The kids are all growing quickly and I now must
tip up my head to talk to two of them (Reed & Douglas). I don</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">t think they find me all that menacing any more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Current
events/stats/facts/curiosities:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Reed</span></b><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> is now 6</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> tall and will be 16 next month! He does karate & track
and enjoys keeping up with politics and current affairs, just like his
dad. His favorite color is orange. I don</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">t know why, I think
he was under pressure when I asked him, and that</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">s the first one
that popped out of his mouth. All I
could say was, </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Orange?! Why?</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> then he said, </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">t know.</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Douglas</span></b><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> is now 5</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> in his stockinged feet, and will also be 16
next month. He does Karate, plays the
trumpet and some other instruments, and has just started wrestling. When he told me he wanted to start wrestling,
all I could picture was the guy in my high school German class spitting in a
cup all during class in order to meet some weight goal. I said he could do it if he promised not to
spit in a cup during his German class.
His favorite color is grey. I
told him that wasn</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">t considered a real color, but a color without
color, still he refused to budge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Isaac</span></b><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> is 12 </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">½</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> and almost as tall as I am.
He, like his two older brothers, also does karate. He, like most of his generation, would have a
charging cord reminiscent of an umbilical cord attached to him, leading to his
tablet; allowing constant charging via the power of body heat or heartbeat.
Isaac is the goofiest kid in the family and has a really hard time resisting a
joke or prank, to his sisters</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> annoyance. Threats
of confiscating his tablet helps to curb this tendency. His favorite color is
dark purple, though last night he said it was puce, which is a shade of purple,
but in my mind, will always be the color of a tick, ew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Miriam</span></b><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> is now 7 and is
about 4</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> tall, and taller when she jumps around, which
is often. She is currently in a ballet
class and is the tallest kid there. She can seem a big gangly next to the other
girls, but I think she</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">ll grow into the art. Miriam</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">s favorite color is red (one of my favorites too). It was pink, but I think she has chosen the
non-conformist route, rather than fall into the expected pink and purple trap. She
likes to read </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">chapter</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> books- this I
believe she sees as a step closer to being a grown-up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Elizabeth</span></b><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> is also 7 and is
about 4</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> tall.
She too is in ballet and doing well. She easily enters the magical role
of a dancing princess. She is a funny
girl and thinks in such an entertaining and unique way. Her favorite colors are
pink and purple--some girls cannot resist the tug. She loves </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">meat</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> sandwiches with mustard, mayo (NOT Miracle
Whip!), lettuce, and cheese. She made me
one, and wow, such skill! She is a
morning person and will pop right up and continue the conversation that sleep
had forced her to abandon the night before (FYI, her sister is NOT a morning
person).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Chris and I are
pretty much the same, </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From now on I</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">m going to try to
be the same</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">…</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The same as what?...The same as people who aren</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">t different.</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> -What</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">s Up Doc. Give us a
call if you want more info on us </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">😊</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, in this
letter, </span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">brief</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> means that I kept this to one page. Again, have a Merry Christmas, full of
charity and love toward all! </span><span style="color: #669900; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Love, The Williams Family</span><span style="color: #3b3838; font-family: "banda regular"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-12124241459801560832017-02-07T09:28:00.000-08:002017-02-07T09:28:02.024-08:002016 Williams Christmas Letter, the long version.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: -9.0pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">December 2016<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Family & Friends, (Unabridged Version)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Genp8D4aYMg/WJoDKtYBxeI/AAAAAAABMyQ/kmfttcXvl2M1slw2D8ju3NwgAkuNyIhiACPcB/s1600/IMG_20170105_123356_865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Genp8D4aYMg/WJoDKtYBxeI/AAAAAAABMyQ/kmfttcXvl2M1slw2D8ju3NwgAkuNyIhiACPcB/s320/IMG_20170105_123356_865.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Know that you are loved and that we wish you a
Merry Christmas and a productively happy, and/or happily productive, New
Year. As I am just starting this epistle
a few days before the postal service goes on vacation, there is a chance this
will come after the holidays. Just think
of it as an opportunity to keep on being “merry,” per my belated letter’s
request.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the moment we are all healthy, and are being
kept that way thanks to the magic of vitamin C, and luck. With the many opportunities given kids for
collecting infections to be brought home for the sharing, I am amazed we don’t
all have variations of colds, flus, bacteria, and viruses, not to mention lice
and fleas. There are times when I wish
my kids would just keep all contact with the rest of the world to the
elbow-to-elbow tap (see the movie “Young Frankenstein”).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I, Becky, am going to give you some sort of an
update on our family. As a kindness, I did ask my kids to write a paragraph’s
worth of their favorite events, or experiences, of the year. I will also share what I can from my
perspective. I will fill in the blanks
in their narratives as I see fit (a scrivener’s prerogative). As it so often
happens, most things worth remembering happen in the warm flexible days of
summer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ll start with Reed, he being the oldest by 2
minutes or more (I was pretty medicated and didn’t get an accurate count
between baby removals). He is 14 now,
but will be 15 on the 10<sup>th</sup> of January. He still has blond hair, blue eyes, and is
starting to make me feel very short; he’s “almost” 6 feet tall. The most memorable part of the summer for him
was when, for 3 weeks, one after the next with maybe a day to shower and sleep
in his own bed, he attended 3 different camps starting June 20<sup>th</sup> and
ending July 8<sup>th</sup>. In his own
words he writes, “First was scout camp which included: climbing, repelling,
running, hiking, fishing, rafting, kayaking, shooting, swimming, and snacking
with joy. The next week was Yellowstone
which included chilling with the relatives, getting driving lessons from aunt
Jodi, canoeing down the river, snacking and doing the many of the other things
one does while up there. Then, the next
week after that was track camp at BYU. I
was able to meet a lot of people from everywhere, as well as work on my
athleticism. A final trip, separate from
the camps, was our trip to Capital Reef, but we stayed in a hotel so it can’t
be called camping. To summarize, it all
came down to snacks, work, and lots of fun.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, Douglas, the second born. I’m not sure how the Dr. decides who to pull
out first in a C-section. Is it the one
sticking a foot out? Actually, I don’t really want to know, gross. He is also 14, almost 15 and is now just as
tall as me, which is 5’9”, when we stand up straight. He has dark blond hair, dark blue eyes, and
like his brother, now has to shave. Not
often, and not much, but I have threatened to wax their upper lips while they
sleep if they don’t use those razors. I
don’t think Douglas realized how much I’d share about his life before he gave
me his “paragraph,” or else he would have written more in his own words. However, this summer we were very happy and
proud of him when he, at the age of 14 1/2, earned his Eagle scout rank. As he says, “This summer I had the wonderful
opportunity to earn my Eagle Scout rank.
With the support of my amazing scout troop, I completed my projects and
all the other requirements. This was one
of many highlights of the year.” The
Hill Air Force base near us, has a lot of old aircraft that they mean to use
for different purposes. Douglas and
those in his troop, cleaned out an old C-130 in order for it to be fitted out
as a classroom for teaching kids.
Douglas also participated in those camps and vacations Reed
mentioned. I’m so glad they have a love
for the outdoors and camping. The love
of camping was inherited from my side of the family, for Chris has absolutely
no love for it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isaac, I-Man or, as aunt Jodi has nick-named him,
“Socks.” He is now 11 but is the size of
a 13-year-old and, according to his doctor will most likely hit 6’5” or
more. He still has blond hair, and big,
innocent-looking, brown puppy dog eyes.
I can’t prove it, but I think he gets away with a lot more mischief than
he should, because of those eyes. At my prompting, he took more seriously the
definition of a paragraph of info when he shared his favorite experience of the
year. “I liked when we went up to Jodi and Dave’s cabin at Island Park. One of the best parts was when we floated
down the snake river and my dad hurled up his breakfast into the river. Another time was when we went to see the
geysers. Also, when we saw the wolves,
bears, and birds. Lastly, the summer was
epic!” I’m always interested to learn what
one or another person finds of interest in shared experiences. Maybe the episode of Chris getting sick while
canoeing wasn’t as “epic” to Chris, but unfortunate. I didn’t even remember it until Isaac brought
it up (no pun intended) again. I was in
the canoe ahead of his and my view of the river was quite glorious.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elizabeth, another twin also born approximately 2
minutes before her roomie, is now 6 yrs. old.
She is tall for her age, has dark blond and very curly hair. She has also inherited the big brown,
innocent-looking eyes that her brother Isaac has, but with long curled
eyelashes, and the power to tear up on command.
She too manages to get away with more than I suspect she should. She has
a wonderful imagination and an honest perspective on life, always trying to
puzzle out how things are and work. She
has the biggest heart and gives great hugs and kisses. When I asked about her year, which seems to
have only existed, like the others, in the summer months, she too talked about
our trips. Quote: “I liked Yellowstone
the most and liked watching the buffalo cross the road. I liked canoeing on the river and watching
the squirrels on the trees next to the water.
I liked sleeping in my aunt and uncle’s cabin and eating the breakfast
uncle Dave made. We went horseback
riding. My horse ran fast and I thought
it was nice of the horses to give us a ride.
My horse kept bonking me into the branches of the trees. I liked the cowboy who was teaching us how to
ride the horse.” As I transcribed her
words, I thought what do you mean you “liked” the cowboy? I’ll have to see if this liking of her cowboy
(the college student working a summer job) leads her to an interest in
Wranglers and boots, I hope not. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our second daughter is Miriam, technically our youngest
child, though differentiating between a couple of minutes seems somehow unfair
and maybe to some, insulting. At this
point she doesn’t care, other than having the novelty of being able to use the
superlative when referring to her age.
Being the “-est” at something can be quite a big deal for a
6-year-old. With Miriam, we have another
blond, but with hazel eyes this time (Eyes that look blue one moment, green
another, and gray most of the time.
Whatever that’s called). She does
NOT have that knack for appearing not-guilty.
I think if she could figure out how to tame that high pitched scream,
she might start appearing more innocent at the end of a bout with her
siblings. Never the less, she’s still a
sweetheart and can give a hug like a sloth clinging to its favorite tree. Now, to continue with her first person
narrative of a memorable time in 2016: “This summer I got to ride a horse and
the cowboy said I was pretty good at riding.
I like summer and playing in the water at Capital Reef with my family,
Grandpa Hartvigsen, and grandma Debbie.
I like the summer so much that I would like to be in the water all the
time and be a mermaid. I also like my whole entire family; my brothers Reed,
Douglas, and Isaac and my sister Elizabeth. I love this whole world and Jesus
and he always love us, and that’s nice.”
Yes, that is truly nice!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chris didn’t give me a written paragraph of his
most memorable moment of 2016, so I get to decide for him (can you hear my
wicked laugh?). Actually, if I could
guess, I’d say he liked our trip to Yellowstone and the surrounding areas the
most. Unlike Isaac, the memory of his
bout of boat sickness will be suppressed, and replaced with the awesome views
of waterfalls, incredible geographical and geological sites, and of the time
spent with a family that loves him to bits.
Chris works really hard and takes such great care of all of us. He’s a wonderful husband and friend and we
are blessed he is ours.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I say amen to all of the great memories shared by
my family. My memory is currently
attached to the wall upstairs, and is at the moment labeled, “December.” Many of my own goings on seem to be contained
in digital social media. I love, love,
love my family. They are my joy, part of
who I am, the people who make me laugh, and give me the most smile lines. I know I am so blessed to have them, as well
as all of you. Christmas is the perfect
holiday and is celebrated right when many of us are committing to make better
choices and to live them. Christmas is
celebrated because it’s a time to remember the Savior. To remember who he truly IS, why he was born,
why he willingly atoned for our sins, why he died and was resurrected. Christ loves me and you and he is here for
us all, to comfort and to save. I hope
we all will remember this fact and go forward with the comfort and hope this
truth offers. Have a Merry Christmas
all! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Williams Family</span></span><span style="font-family: "Champagne & Limousines",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Kalinga;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-89329775740281562402016-09-27T14:27:00.000-07:002016-09-27T14:27:18.144-07:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Here's a picture of the first of my three boys, </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100009374273343" href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009374273343" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;">Douglas Williams</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, to become an Eagle Scout. We are so proud of him; for his hard work in learning, applying his knowledge, and taking an active part in making a better community. For his Eagle project he, along with the help of his scout troop, cleaned out and worked toward repairing a C-130 airplane at Hill Air force Base, done in preparation for it to be converted and used as part of a classroom. He has such an awesome troop and fabulous leaders. I am so thankful for all who have helped him work toward this achievement.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-89914453115593789252015-09-08T20:43:00.000-07:002015-09-08T20:43:22.226-07:00Salsa! <div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
How we spent last Friday and Saturday...So productive of us!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Salsa (adjusted 2015
version)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Here's the basic
salsa recipe we use (the way we make it, we get around 17 pts. per batch):</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
About 35 Roma
tomatoes, peeled, cored, cut into chunks (enough to fill a 2 quart pitcher
after they've been cut up and some of the juices drained).</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Vegetables: </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
2 medium onions,
chopped (chop fresh, don't store)</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
5 stalks of celery,
chopped into small pieces</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper </div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
4 T. cilantro,
chopped (we add more, because we like it)</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
3 12-oz, cans tomato
paste (prefer Hunt's brand)</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Your choice of
chilies </div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
2 c. vinegar (we
prefer the apple cider vinegar)</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: bold;">Spices: </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Prepare
beforehand in separate baggies or cups for ea. batch</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
3 T. salt</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
1 tsp. chili powder</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
2 tsp. cumin</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
1/2 tsp. oregano</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
1/2 tsp. black
pepper</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
1 T. sugar</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Juices:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
1 Lime juice (from 1
whole lime)</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
1 T. lemon juice</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Chili Pepper Prep:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Slice & seed w/
gloves. Place in a large bowl and coat
with olive oil and sprinkle coarse salt over all. Place closely together on a cookie sheet,
then bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Use a
processor and mix to a paste. Add
to salsa. </div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 10.0pt; margin: 0in;">
(If you like, add
frozen corn or whatever else you like in salsa. Sometimes we put garlic and
other peppers in, depending on how spicy or strong you like it)</div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Tomato Prep: </span></div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 10.0pt;">wash, make an X slash on one
end of tomato, the place in simmering water for 20-30 seconds then drop
into ice cold water and skin will slip right off.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chop up tomatoes with a
serrated knife and let some of the juices drain so the salsa is not
watery. Squish more out if you want the salsa thicker. Let them sit while
you prepare the other veggies.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Other veggies:</span></div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chop and put into the food
processor for a bit, depending on how chunky you want it. You can also use
a potato masher or blender. As you get everything mashed up, start putting
it in a large pot.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Cook:</span></div>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 10.0pt;">Cook salsa in large pot</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 10.0pt;">Stir so everything is
incorporated and bring to a boil. Stir often, and turn the heat low enough
so that the bottom doesn’t burn.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ladle hot salsa into scalded
pint jars, and process for 10 minutes.</span></li>
</ul>
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-90202271490895857032015-08-19T09:09:00.003-07:002015-08-19T09:09:52.710-07:00Family Vacation, at last!!!!!<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have not blogged for an ETERNITY, so here I go!</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After at least 11 hours on the road, we finally got down to see
the family and the beach. Oh, how I missed the smell of salt water and that cool
breeze that comes from the ocean! Yes, I swam but those pictures, along with the
Loch Ness monster ones, have been long lost. Each kid had their favorite day and
activity. Mine was the beach, Mr. I loved picking raspberries, the girls weren't
sure if they liked the beach or swimming in aunt Heidi’s pool most. We all got
sunburns and for some, in some not so fortunate places. I finally bought a back
scratcher to reach the itchy stage of the burn. It's not polite to ask anyone
standing near you to scratch your back, or at least that's what I've heard. It's
nice to be back, but I still wouldn't mind owning a beach house, hut, or sand
castle. We didn’t make it to Disneyland this time as such a trip would cost us
at least a thousand dollars with the 7 of us. That’s one we’ll have to save up
for.
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More to come from the rest of our trip!</span></div>
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-51286197341461367392014-12-25T23:44:00.000-08:002014-12-25T23:44:17.470-08:002014 Christmas: The Annual Narrative<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Merry Christmas!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga;">December 9, 2014</span>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Kalinga;">Dear Family, Friends, and People
who receive this due to an incorrect address,</span></b>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: large;"><b>Merry Christmas!</b> </span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga;">I must
admit, this holiday has snuck up on me, and the hiatus between Halloween and
Thanksgiving didn’t even seem to happen. All I can say, is I’m grateful for the
ability to do a lot of my Christmas shopping on-line. I am haunted by hopeful
lists to Santa from children who think they’ve been good enough to deserve
iPhones and pet dogs. We realized it was time to remind our kids why we
celebrate Christmas, and that it’s not a holiday about getting, but giving and
remembering Christ, and to live by the example he has set for us. I suppose it’s
my fault for putting off commercialism earlier in the year, when hearing “Will
you get me…” such and such? And answering, “Wait until Christmas.” So, Chris and
I have been doing our best to bring them back to Earth. Chris’ work and some
other companies are helping out refugees from Sudan and other children in need
this Christmas by taking them to Walmart and helping a child shop for what he
wants or needs. Many of these children have never had a Christmas gift. Chris
will be taking the 3 boys early Saturday morning to be a part of this. It’s so
wonderful that there are businesses and people willing to do something like this
and I’m glad my kids are able to help.</span>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga;"><b>I’</b>m trying to think of
an appropriate summary of our lives through the year of 2014, but it’s kind of a
blur. Wasn’t I just making a Jawa costume, gluing on Vulcan ears, and finding
the perfect bowtie for Dr. Who? I’m still finding dum-dum sucker sticks in odd
places, along with other unwanted, but slightly tasted, trick-or-treat spoils
(lots of fruit flavored Tootsie-Rolls, ew!). I suppose I’ll try to sum things up
by examining each child.</span>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: Kalinga;">R</b><span style="font-family: Kalinga;">eed and Douglas both
shed the small desks, chairs and knee-high children of elementary school and</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga;">started Junior High. I must say, I pity those poor 6<sup>th</sup> grade teachers
who have to be the ones to introduce the subject of puberty and at the same
time, be tortured by kids not yet committed to deodorant. However, it must be 10
times worse for Junior High teachers! Reed and Douglas will be 13 in January and
I still haven’t gotten my head around the idea. I’m sure it will hit me when, in
a year or two, I will have to tilt my head upward to look at my child and say,
“go to your room for a timeout!” Mr. Douglas is currently in band learning how
to play the clarinet and bass clarinet. Reed is working hard in German and can
practice with his mom, who has to keep referring to a dictionary for long
forgotten vocabulary. All three boys are in Karate and love it. Isaac at 9 is
nearly the size of a junior high student. He still hasn’t found the virtue in
doing homework, nor has he mastered the skills necessary for not teasing his
sisters, but at his center he is a very sweet and loveable boy. I think it must
be written in law somewhere in the mind of the male child, that little sisters
are supposed to be teased by older brothers.</span>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga;"><b>T</b>he girls…4 years
old…need I say more? Perhaps. Much of their cuteness and antics have been posted
on Facebook and will be used as evidence in the case that commits me to an
insane asylum. To put it nicely, let’s just say they have enquiring minds. Only
this Sunday, when I went about putting some make-up on, did I find that the
sponge for applying powder had a large bite taken out of it. Don’t come to our
house begging for a Band-Aid because they have long ago joined the crayons as
mediums used for mosaics and frescos. Also, if you want to borrow tongs or a
potato masher, you’ll have to feel for them in the back yard grass or hop into a
window well. Still, just gotta love ‘em. How boring and predictable it would be
to find my make-up in one piece and Band-Aids where they belong.</span>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga;"><b>I </b>must brag and say,
Chris and I are the parents of some awesome kids and we daily thank Heavenly
Father that they are ours forever. Chris has had a yearlong battle with his
Chevy Impala and I think a truce and treaty are in the making. Something like,
“if you ever break down again, I will roll you off of the highest cliff and into
the deepest ravine!” I do all kinds of things; I just can’t remember what they
are by the end of the day. All I know is I have a feeling my time was well
spent. I’m kind of like the Sasquatch in the woods who looks like he’s up to
something but all you see is the lumbering hairy figure as it hides behind trees
or mountains of dirty laundry.</span>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga;"><b>W</b>e hope you are all well
and happy. Have a Merry Christmas!</span>
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Kalinga;">Love,</span>
</span></div>
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Kalinga; font-size: large;">Chris, Becky, Reed, Douglas, Isaac,
Miriam, & Elizabeth Williams</span></div>
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-73311304055835563092013-12-24T13:44:00.001-08:002013-12-24T13:44:47.208-08:00Merry Christmas! And how things really are…<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9nUaswV66Nf_SZ_KyWXIR1Wd6HcPGsTHs_XAXaFzWO1gKRvPdXx1OHSXxGjvK7jp7JZ4hCEUjV-lnKIlkbPIWnNKR3oQNVzgnY2dypNOZux1CDU3JDE-GLiP8dXPzynqkHGHveKiU0k/s1600-h/Christmas%2525202013blackand%252520white%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Christmas 2013blackand white" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Christmas 2013blackand white" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VfaAzHRfXUs/UroASMAd4jI/AAAAAAAAKnA/G5_vOOU6ul0/Christmas%2525202013blackand%252520white_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="309"></a></p> <p>A while ago, I was teased about presenting a picture of how we really look as a family. Pre- primped . Here’s our…uh…realistic photo and family Christmas letter:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-M4LGd_umwd0/UroASjpuFYI/AAAAAAAAKnI/OP8KsWI6uhs/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img title="image" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-s_H-y5jH_bY/UroATDJkZyI/AAAAAAAAKnU/wVnkdC19k6k/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="151" align="right" height="242"></a></p> <p>(<i>Note from Editor:</i> <b>If you have glasses, find them now).</b> <p>A Novella, <b>“A Christmas Letter”</b> by the Williams Family Published by the Williams Family, Inc., Copyright © Dec. 2013 (just kidding about the copyright, it was just fun to write.) <p><b>T</b>his year I thought I’d experiment with perspectives and short stories in Christmas letter writing. I’m going to experiment with 3<sup>rd</sup> person omniscient, but because I said “experiment”, this may end up being a bit of 1<sup>st</sup> person, some head-hopping, 2<sup>nd</sup> person, or a whole chorus of varying and conflicting points of view. Where was I? So, let us begin. <p><b>Prologue:</b> The year was 2013, their elevation 4,449 ft. above sea level, and the temperature a toe-tingling 20 degrees F., when the Williams family sat to recollect the past year and to decide what to, or what not to, reveal. If they were to package their story for the faint of heart it would go: Chris works at R.C. Willey doing beneficial stuff to their computers, Becky watches 5 kids, uh…and does other stuff; Reed, Douglas, and Isaac attend school, study karate, and also do less beneficial stuff to computers. Miriam and Elizabeth stay home with mom, enjoy playing with monkeys and horses, and avoid vegetables, but feel guilty about it. The End… However, this letter isn’t for the faint of heart nor does the author care about weak hearts or digestive complaints. This author is going to attempt to tell the audience plainly, and with as many polite words as possible, what the Williams’ family is all about. Also, it will have to take only 500-ish words (<i>editor: this actually turns out to be 1,914 words (editor eye-rolling)).</i> <p><b>Chapter One: </b>Early one morning, Becky sat in her living room casually perusing an article on cross-genetic species regeneration, when the lack of 3 year old conversation caught her ear. The silence was deafening in its ominous warning. Guiltily, yet reluctantly, she put down her reading and ran downstairs to see the reason for the silence. She had to brace herself on the wall as she looked down on what appeared to be a chain of General Mills volcanos. Nearly every box of cereal had been upended to create separate mounds of Cheerios, Fruit Loops, Grape Nuts, and Lucky Charms. At that moment, it was no longer the silence that was ominous, but the shocked song of “no, no, no’s” coming from her mouth. She nearly echoed Charlton Heston’s famous phrase from Planet of the Apes, where he yells, (edited) “Gosh-Dang you all to heck!” Instead, she just took a picture and texted it to their father. Her logical side told her she’d better laugh instead of cry. Besides, if there was ever a need for this kind of evidence, it would best if it wasn’t tampered with. <p><b>Chapter Two:</b> Chris sat quietly driving home with only the sounds of the road, and another traffic report in the style of a Greek chorus. His mind wandered from work to his bishopric calling (2<sup>nd</sup> counselor), and on to his family. He began thinking lovingly of his 3 strapping sons, adorable<i> (editor’s note: also talented, majestic, and cuddly)</i> wife, and of course, his two, doting daughters. Chris thought of a recent conversation he’d had with Elizabeth, one of the twin three year old girls who were still rapturously pleased to talk about the simplest things; such as bathroom etiquette and the proper uses of sharp knives. But, there are times when the mind can wander, when what a parent has to say really isn’t that interesting. The girl’s parents had made pizza for dinner that night and it was one of those nights when everyone was starving and therefore ornery about it, and neglectful of polite dinner time conversation. Chris asked Elizabeth, “do you have <i>your</i> pizza? / Elizabeth: NO! /Chris: Do you want pizza? /Elizabeth: NO! /Chris: Are you hungry? /Elizabeth: NO! /Chris: Are you cute? /Elizabeth: (pause)…I are cute!” The final response gave him a bit of hope that she really could still listen, that she was still his little girl, and she hadn’t passed over to the blatantly-uninterested side where parents were background noise. She was just contrary! What a relief!<i></i> <p><b>Chapter Three:</b> School had been tedious that day, and Reed dreaded having to go home and try to use his Jedi mind tricks to dissuade his mother from forcing him to do his homework. His Jedi powers had been running low of late. Doors wouldn’t swing open with a slight twitch of two fingers, and he’d lost his light saber, again! What he needed was a handful of his mother’s hidden stash of M&Ms and one of his dad’s Cokes. His parents were so strict! He hadn’t even had a cavity in at least 2 years and the caffeine in the Coke never kept him awake. (The wakefulness was a result of the iPod hidden under his pillow at night). After a smelly bus ride home, he stumbled into the house, dropped his backpack and coat as quickly as he could, and kicked off his boots barely avoiding the entryway lamp. He looked around and noticed his mom wasn’t in the room; the computer was logged in and was begging for cyber companionship. Just one quick game of Minecraft, and a short video on sloths, then he’d jump off and adopt a casually bored post-school look. It worked, only he’d been on the computer long enough that he’d forgotten the time and ended up viewing three of his favorite sloth videos instead of one. Where had his mother gone? Then, almost imperceptibly, he heard a creak of a stair plank and someone struggling for breath, only this breathing seemed to be coming from a device that regulated the breather’s intake and output of air. Then he heard something like a threat about someone’s father and a death star. As if inspired, he remembered his light saber was wedged in between two couch cushions, and at the same time he felt a tremendous spike in his Jedi powers. His uninterrupted cyber time and sloth observations had refocused him and he was able to defend his mother, who was being slowly strangled in Darth Vader’s cloak. Reed knew that this guy definitely was not his father and sent his black helmeted head bouncing down the stairs, thump, thump, thump… <p><b>Chapter Four:</b> <p><b></b>Douglas, the second-born Williams son (by a mere three minutes), felt the tiny age difference most strongly in his shorter stature; but, height wasn’t everything. In fact, there was a lot more to him than the eye could see. He had powers, super powers, which none but his closest friends and family knew about. He was strong (like Mr. Incredible), had a keen sense of humor (like Condor Man), was very intelligent (like Iron Man), and could jump and swing from objects with little ease (like Spiderman). As all super heroes know, “with great power, comes great responsibility.” So between rescues he did his homework, read great books, played with friends, attended his Karate classes and scouts, and made sure to give his mom and dad a hug and kiss before bed each night. Only then could he answer the calls for rescue and a few light hearted comments perfectly timed between punches, smashes, webbings, and blasts. <p><b>Chapter Five:</b> Finding himself abducted and sitting in an alien ship, Isaac was foolishly left unrestrained and began playing with random buttons and switches. Before his captor could stop him, they were off! Because the switches reacted with the pusher’s DNA, thoughts, and personality, they found themselves hopping from one of the boy’s favorite places to the next. First, his baptism in August, his best friend Cameron’s house, and then the hill he often sledded down. From there to Disneyland, then to his cousins’ houses, Lake Michigan, all the grandparent’s houses, the beach, and finally back to the mound of snow he’d left his backpack on. His alien abductor quickly decided that the whole alien-abduction thing was too much of a risk and ejected Isaac from her space craft, then zoomed off planet to hide in a moon crater. Isaac was disappointed, but couldn’t wait to get home to tell his family all about it. <p><b>Chapter Six: </b>“Zizzy. Open. The. Door!” called Miriam angrily from her room where she was currently trapped. Child locks are the bane of every curious 3 year old child’s existence. This time was not a parental trap, but one of her twin sister, Elizabeth’s, making. As far as one could tell, there was no reason for the act - it could be done, and so it was. Elizabeth knew payback was inevitable, but the temporary thrill of control was worth the small infraction. The age of boundary testing was escalating. Food, as a medium for art, had long been accepted by the masses, starting with the first mashed potato mountain, and Elizabeth knew it. What her parents thought of as “three year old messes,” the chocolate hand prints emotionally pasted down the stair walls, the sculpted mound of bananas guarded by a moat of honey, the Jackson Pollock inspired tomato splatters on the kitchen wall, and the aforementioned cereal ring of fire; were all results of a social non-conformist, free of the 8 ½ by 11 paper boarders…On a side note, Elizabeth loves Curious George, and would gladly join him whenever and in whatever jungle he chose…<b></b> <p><b>Chapter Seven: </b>Unlike her sister, Miriam loved the traditional mediums – pencils and ink, and reserved bananas for eating, not mashing. However, she too had no respect for boundaries. Every bare surface in the Williams home begged to be covered in swirls, letters, shapes, and line art - and Miriam obliged them. Her free spirit also had a place for obsessive order, for taking her toy horses wherever she went: The car, the bath, to bed, and when she couldn’t take them, they found nice little hiding places under beds or behind flour containers. Earlier that summer, she attended a picnic where real live horses were giving children rides. After her ride, she had to get off and had the most extreme temper tantrum of her life. She happens to be in the 95<sup>th </sup>percentile for height, so I don’t see jockey-ing in her future, but perhaps a cowgirl or horse trainer… <p><b></b> <p><b><i>Editor: </i></b><b>Unfortunately, there was a paper shortage and this novella had to come to an end. The Williams family really just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, express their immense gratitude to their friends, family, and most importantly to their Savior Jesus Christ; his life, example, and the greatest gift of all, his atonement for all. We love you all and thank you for your love and support through good and tough times. Have a Merry Christmas!</b> <p><b></b> <p><b>Love, The Williams Family XOXOX (those kisses were also from the author and editor). </b> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-77753966537381810912013-11-18T11:12:00.001-08:002013-11-18T11:12:41.068-08:00Halloween 2013: Tooth Decay Day!<p align="justify">This was the first Halloween in which Miriam and Elizabeth actually took an active part. They properly walked with their bags in hand, held mom or dad’s hand and knocked on doors. They almost mastered the traditional greeting, “trick or treat” but the one thing we hope to teach them by next year, is that after we knock, we do not let ourselves into their houses. Ah well, they were cute enough that no offense was taken.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2L6mLtza-nU/UopmgVpSCII/AAAAAAAAKgA/46kDUFHZTC0/s1600-h/IMG_2429%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2429" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2429" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Fk_4SiNQanE/UopmhC8y7kI/AAAAAAAAKgI/6faGQUC_Fvw/IMG_2429_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="337" height="495"></a></p> <p align="center">A Wookie, Duct Tape Man, and Pirate Black Beard</p> <p align="center">These three boys had a great time and came home loaded with potential cavity tools.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SSVYFKSpSCE/UopmhxuziDI/AAAAAAAAKgQ/WnjpKdRPjOU/s1600-h/IMG_2436%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2436" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2436" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fs8PDoBKYWs/Uopmixnn4XI/AAAAAAAAKgY/pCLBBYQeRaU/IMG_2436_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="517" height="351"></a></p> <p align="center">A pair of woodland fairies, or at least that’s what we decided they were.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ieJdnNT3J6Y/UopmjuhjitI/AAAAAAAAKgg/dd70BrXzJ2I/s1600-h/IMG_2447%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2447" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2447" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qZCA359mmcw/UopmkLHmU3I/AAAAAAAAKgo/bcYg3YvJ7S0/IMG_2447_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="417" height="615"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-78FqDX3iz9c/Uopmk71QpwI/AAAAAAAAKgw/1cRUlVY8kDY/s1600-h/IMG_2437%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2437" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2437" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lIuXfnN1DEA/UopmltCE6OI/AAAAAAAAKg4/nBQu7aHC1Pw/IMG_2437_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="412" height="642"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0qYY-YAfcwk/UopmmbL4OSI/AAAAAAAAKhA/mieDTfeqvtE/s1600-h/IMG_2450%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2450" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2450" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zIwZHgLi3Pk/UopmnSBhACI/AAAAAAAAKhI/8f4gjibMiLs/IMG_2450_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="449" height="663"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pJh5eciud0w/Uopmn6DZmFI/AAAAAAAAKhQ/mHuqss2wdJc/s1600-h/IMG_2452%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2452" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2452" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LjSbonJtEU8/UopmosGZOQI/AAAAAAAAKhU/MpOAkL4dsFw/IMG_2452_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="513" height="349"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-F0Hb8BkHZAw/Uopmpex88_I/AAAAAAAAKhg/DdTfeqW7cLE/s1600-h/IMG_2454%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2454" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2454" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Z_WfggC1w7A/Uopmp7K5GaI/AAAAAAAAKhk/kZW-eNUVZRE/IMG_2454_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="521" height="354"></a></p> <p align="center"></p> <p align="center">Isaac and his good friend Cameron</p> <p align="center">This year, Isaac gave a half hearted attempt at dressing up. He just wanted to hurry up and get trick or treating. Where is the proper respect due to this ghoulish holiday?</p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-69370580534052173362013-07-01T15:14:00.001-07:002013-07-01T15:14:47.402-07:00Grandpa Stilson’s 90th Birthday!<p align="justify">A trip down to Orangeville to see these wonderful people was definitely worth it! Chris’ grandparents and all of his family are such good people and I feel blessed to know them. As usual, I had to relearn everyone’s names, this being a challenge as Chris definitely has more cousins, aunts and uncles than I do. We stayed the night in a hotel, swam in their indoor pool, and slept…well, I know my kids did. The twin girls actually took turns not sleeping and I think I managed 3 hours. Oh ya! That’s why we don’t go anywhere, I forgot. We only managed to have one professional barfer on this trip and we were even able to catch one of the mementos, thanks to Douglas’ attentiveness, in a Maverick cup. At least we didn’t have to make the long drive from our house to theirs early in the morning. We visited Price’s dinosaur museum which I thought was very well done, especially the part with the brachiosaurus bones sprawled out all over the floor of the central part of the museum. We all had a great time, even the girls, though their academic interests bent more toward the study and feel of stuffed animals (taxidermy) then dried up bones. Instead of, “oh, isn’t that interesting!”, my most common exclamation was, “don’t touch that!”</p> <p align="justify">Here are a few pictures from the day down in Orangeville.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wkfg8oXPt_I/UdH_LdP9SjI/AAAAAAAAKVc/yyC-jOIp93Y/s1600-h/IMG_2089%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2089 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_2089 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Kr8MePmeVN8/UdH_MKaLryI/AAAAAAAAKVk/2vMFzC51U-I/IMG_2089%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="343" height="512"></a></p> <p align="center">Nice thing about wearing glasses, is it’s hard to tell if the subject is blinking or if it’s just the glare from the flash.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MaGjv3J2LZw/UdH_M-VJ_zI/AAAAAAAAKVs/i9JteUVjAaU/s1600-h/IMG_2043%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2043 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_2043 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sZH5kn3JI5o/UdH_Nnin6gI/AAAAAAAAKV0/_kfBWO7sm9c/IMG_2043%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="380" height="567"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SDvKXT0bM90/UdH_OMSIr9I/AAAAAAAAKV8/paNdsJe6GWk/s1600-h/IMG_2044%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2044 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_2044 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-P4Qqia-gbOY/UdH_O-JxkEI/AAAAAAAAKWE/49HbX81Vxtk/IMG_2044%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="383" height="573"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HggG8mtRxS8/UdH_PaHlCWI/AAAAAAAAKWM/J7x301q5v3U/s1600-h/IMG_2052%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2052 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_2052 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-X1h-O2Gz3H8/UdH_P10BIBI/AAAAAAAAKWU/R6OhaRXOCH8/IMG_2052%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="374" height="549"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tGMZzdPknKw/UdH_Qysm7NI/AAAAAAAAKWc/V5BCJb8cqJA/s1600-h/IMG_2057%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2057 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_2057 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rOB_GtxCTlk/UdH_RnVA3PI/AAAAAAAAKWk/OkmBKnwzxTQ/IMG_2057%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="529" height="367"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KZga-OAuRoM/UdH_SNsJloI/AAAAAAAAKWs/aypDUsB_8TM/s1600-h/IMG_2060%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2060 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_2060 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wHGOOmkA2dI/UdH_SyiIENI/AAAAAAAAKW0/R1ouc0arhXs/IMG_2060%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="470" height="315"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BDoZr-MzBdc/UdH_TeahQDI/AAAAAAAAKW8/mEav57fc_Uo/s1600-h/IMG_2072%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2072 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_2072 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ki_KKTdcG84/UdH_UJbAXeI/AAAAAAAAKXE/3Cx8lIKzjfM/IMG_2072%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="489" height="321"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vc-p5Jym52o/UdH_UztTeUI/AAAAAAAAKXM/LDOzdSkWlGo/s1600-h/IMG_2083%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2083 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_2083 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uIv75h6MjB4/UdH_VaCGbCI/AAAAAAAAKXU/UUTIVFe7y0k/IMG_2083%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="489" height="327"></a></p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-612722965907622712013-05-14T16:39:00.001-07:002013-05-14T16:39:37.075-07:00No more monkeys jumping on the bed!<p align="justify">Sunday morning play time on mom and dad’s bed. They had a great time until the end when they grabbed each other, tipped over, and bonked heads. I wonder how many good times throughout history have ended because someone bonked heads with someone else. Probably happens in sky diving on occasion, ruining the thrill and psychotic joy one has while plummeting to a possible death, and all thanks to a head-bonking headache. George and Judy therefore, preoccupied with rubbing their heads, failed to notice how close they were to the ground and along with the failed observation, didn’t release their parachutes on time. I think this is why the “No more monkeys jumping on the bed” song has lasted so long, and with years of repetition, allowing its thoughtful advice to squirm into the psyche of many a wise listener.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QzUjQZFHtzs/UZLLHJCGQcI/AAAAAAAAKLs/OCkRy5l-mHY/s1600-h/IMG_1902%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1902 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1902 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OKKhxdP7tzs/UZLLH7hIZ2I/AAAAAAAAKL0/1tmXvkqO08M/IMG_1902%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="529" height="345"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NaoXXaBliqc/UZLLIiPIKqI/AAAAAAAAKL8/2q2Yo-HKY7U/s1600-h/IMG_1918%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1918 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1918 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Pk0lATk_b8I/UZLLJDwb03I/AAAAAAAAKME/IO0gf8Y7acg/IMG_1918%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="530" height="355"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-o7mjKgyoa_g/UZLLJj3BBgI/AAAAAAAAKMM/63mH3qRKndc/s1600-h/IMG_1919%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1919 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1919 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dxDfM5WTdWg/UZLLKZ1Xg7I/AAAAAAAAKMU/h65xvkTR004/IMG_1919%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="365" height="545"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2d1Nzc6Lhcg/UZLLK5DlSqI/AAAAAAAAKMc/LO7u5mQeECo/s1600-h/IMG_1897%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1897 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1897 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IbkG-xFMhBE/UZLLLlQLD3I/AAAAAAAAKMk/b5pv32J_rCA/IMG_1897%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="340" height="508"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--Hzcwe38XFo/UZLLMIWbMrI/AAAAAAAAKMs/MVfR2xPs-Lc/s1600-h/IMG_1905%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1905 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1905 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-24gh7MEiZDs/UZLLMuseb8I/AAAAAAAAKM0/tsQP4DpdKr0/IMG_1905%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="518" height="347"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ax2t5z5zcOE/UZLLNRvh8OI/AAAAAAAAKM8/BItroLt8jSM/s1600-h/IMG_1910%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1910 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1910 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6j_9LQzDUmU/UZLLN4vF-FI/AAAAAAAAKNE/ZOSh1buQXWk/IMG_1910%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="529" height="354"></a></p> <p align="center">Just before the bonk.</p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-11677376675162568842013-05-14T16:14:00.001-07:002013-05-14T16:14:43.057-07:00Three…not terrible like the twos but not far behind!<p>The young misses have turned 3 and with great grace and poise. Of course, like many languages, words loose their meanings with time or are distorted so I might be using “grace and poise” incorrectly. Whatever etiquette goes with the delicately licking the frosting off of the top of the cupcakes or whichever goes with licking the side of the cake before it’s even been sliced (sorry I didn’t warn any of you party goers, but she wasn’t sick and I didn’t want to upset anyone <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-40omcaaBD08/UZLFRdBK0UI/AAAAAAAAKJ4/dsPrgdkOfOY/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> ). Whatever etiquette goes with jumping on the trampoline with a cup full of root beer or screaming in a high enough pitch that glass is tempted to shatter (glass can have a very strong will when needed and won’t always succumb to the pressure high pitches).</p> <p>We had a lovely party with the cousins. The girls got their first Barbie dolls, uh-oh. They were actually doll versions of Merida from Brave and Rapunzel (aka : “Blondie” ) from Tangled and were therefore not as busty as the usual Barbie dolls, after all, they are both about Skipper’s age. Grandma & Grandpa W. got them a little kitchen, which they love, with plastic food and pots and pans. I’m in the midst of completing their blankets, but at least aunt Rhi made them some for their dolls. Elizabeth walked around all morning with her doll wrapped in its blanket. Aunt Jodi brought a tiger pool and a book. The girls keep trying to get me to open the pool but I’m just not yet ready for the commitment of keeping the water clean, sand out, and whatever responsibilities come with an inflatable pool. We’ll wait till it’s hotter out and I can find someone gulli…kind enough to blow it up for us. I believe they had a wonderful 3rd birthday.</p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:b231ba8f-4483-464f-b148-7629638818ab" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:400px;border-collapse:collapse;' > <tr> <td colspan=2 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:5px 0px 5px 5px;width:157px;vertical-align:bottom;' > <a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!332&parid=20F1661D38698325!323&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AOq5pfagc5VjNGk" target="_blank" border="0" style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;"> <img 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href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!331&parid=20F1661D38698325!323&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AOq5pfagc5VjNGk" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="76" alt="View album" title="View album" height="76" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--0ECu6GvDHY/UZLFWOJlGZI/AAAAAAAAKLA/gBWkx25x1lA/21380606762B2C283C.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!324&parid=20F1661D38698325!323&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AOq5pfagc5VjNGk" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="76" alt="View album" title="View album" height="76" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zxTZy7GbPvY/UZLFWnjeJcI/AAAAAAAAKLI/fN8I555LEXA/6860389454427F881.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!335&parid=20F1661D38698325!323&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AOq5pfagc5VjNGk" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="76" alt="View album" title="View album" height="76" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oHRmWO5--wg/UZLFXDu1w1I/AAAAAAAAKLQ/08kaQZbcBOo/15154159665D23C8C6.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 5px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!330&parid=20F1661D38698325!323&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AOq5pfagc5VjNGk" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="76" alt="View album" title="View album" height="76" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YQK_t6bAvGM/UZLFXaAkIFI/AAAAAAAAKLY/HevP1ifmymw/205843069838FE6E37.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!327&parid=20F1661D38698325!323&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AOq5pfagc5VjNGk" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="76" alt="View album" title="View album" height="76" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ztJ3K6YrVWg/UZLFYDqYv1I/AAAAAAAAKLg/sDjb_AFeZio/-17004253333D08BC09.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' > </td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' > </td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' > </td></tr></table></div></p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-57984489785300526452013-05-14T10:36:00.001-07:002013-05-14T10:36:55.542-07:00Sleeping Beauties<p align="center">Here are two examples of angels. These rare beings can only be found for about 2 hours between 3pm and 5pm. I love them to bits and they make me laugh, scream, and cry only like little banshees can.</p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcJ31M460X4rzdu02SalW9mjOus8GGxk7b9nYiN3RDacOA9xMzNOs_-wEDQ2i3df_czuR-LzrYQkpUJDzQrV5Q0Xr9C2-CoBjS3eq4jZ4IupNaC-X3Q6P5mgQp7J7SgJP2h2LCY2_Gcc/s1600-h/IMG_1866%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1866 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1866 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bzUiwT3mocQ/UZJ2BLMwuZI/AAAAAAAAKHY/hGaYXcbxalA/IMG_1866%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="479" height="321"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Jq4lukm5xiw/UZJ2Bof8v6I/AAAAAAAAKHg/_dvKLTsgcjU/s1600-h/IMG_1867%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1867 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1867 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-D4OHrA_xXJE/UZJ2CB4qD6I/AAAAAAAAKHo/ppsypNkv9zs/IMG_1867%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="479" height="321"></a></p> <p align="center">Right brain expressed and a love for beautiful fabrics</p> <p align="justify">I have gone quilt crazy as of late and am loving it. One has to take advantage of one’s mood when possible and my mood was cutting, fabric, sewing, and possible blindness. Here’s a collection of my work and the reason why I am so sleep deprived and the muscles in my eye lids twitch for, it is after the kids get in bed or nap that I get most of my sewing done. If only I could get into a cleaning mood or a scrap booking mood or a laundry mood or a weeding mood, if only.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GH__aYwAAp0/UZJ2CyNROLI/AAAAAAAAKHw/lEFbYmCIsP0/s1600-h/IMG_1875%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1875 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1875 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ox0Zf-5a0aE/UZJ2DYO9TcI/AAAAAAAAKH4/P1R4XZD2fFs/IMG_1875%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="460" height="308"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HMSilel7Ua4/UZJ2D536V5I/AAAAAAAAKIA/2pHOXGFlLqk/s1600-h/IMG_1870%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1870 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1870 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tXWejOJEKm8/UZJ2EqIXH3I/AAAAAAAAKII/vM1N5mZd6NM/IMG_1870%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="452" height="303"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kmaLiaCS4tY/UZJ2FNI8BmI/AAAAAAAAKIQ/iS2oZ3ZMyNo/s1600-h/IMG_1890%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1890 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1890 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PmFo7T6DSPs/UZJ2G3cVj0I/AAAAAAAAKIY/gCL88Ld0GlU/IMG_1890%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="327" height="468"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aiSN2GN6KHw/UZJ2IdIXlQI/AAAAAAAAKIg/JiFtRF0KCzk/s1600-h/Emilia%252527s%252520quilt%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Emilia's quilt [1024x768]" border="0" alt="Emilia's quilt [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SrUvDCfEb8A/UZJ2I73y3cI/AAAAAAAAKIo/VScWNn4wa0o/Emilia%252527s%252520quilt%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="408" height="461"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dH6OgR_NIkE/UZJ2JpsTOeI/AAAAAAAAKIw/G7EniLCyp08/s1600-h/Caleb%252527s%252520Quilt%2525201%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Caleb's Quilt 1 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="Caleb's Quilt 1 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hQ-WWkcRTwM/UZJ2KOHRx5I/AAAAAAAAKI4/tKICgMyJpGw/Caleb%252527s%252520Quilt%2525201%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="443" height="297"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-l4oVYgxpbWE/UZJ2KvsWkfI/AAAAAAAAKJA/vgfhSoStCLw/s1600-h/Andelyn%252527s%252520quilt%2525201%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Andelyn's quilt 1 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="Andelyn's quilt 1 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qnUpxIJEDGI/UZJ2LOVwg0I/AAAAAAAAKJI/IC9G5bAoktk/Andelyn%252527s%252520quilt%2525201%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="487" height="326"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S8xP2gzUqN0/UZJ2LwdDCEI/AAAAAAAAKJQ/wPy3Z8uRoMg/s1600-h/IMG_1992%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1992" border="0" alt="IMG_1992" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RIAZX9ri9w8/UZJ2MWipuvI/AAAAAAAAKJY/j4gvmEU4iFI/IMG_1992_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="368" height="550"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4g4olZCS7WQ/UZJ2M8LMiRI/AAAAAAAAKJg/AvDbVPoK_fs/s1600-h/IMG_1987%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1987" border="0" alt="IMG_1987" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0QcQvuGpgb0/UZJ2NY___UI/AAAAAAAAKJo/ltFonokxWh0/IMG_1987_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="538"></a></p> <p align="center">There will be more if this mania continues or my fabric runs out.</p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-77974633779719929002013-04-06T22:03:00.001-07:002013-04-06T22:03:54.551-07:00Easter bunnies<p align="justify">Cleaned up, dressed, and looking angelic, or at least for about 5 minutes. Chocolate does very interesting things to people under the age of 12. Once past 12 it does other interesting things especially if one has a family history of acne or one that has had a family full of chain chocolate eaters. Here are a few pictures of the first group of chocolate eaters. The chain chocolate addict is the one taking the pictures.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-e8M5qoETMac/UWD91RZrfbI/AAAAAAAAJ_Q/v7OIVyZuydg/s1600-h/IMG_1774%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1774 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1774 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RQ1G2BNdUbE/UWD919g0riI/AAAAAAAAJ_Y/7PawPS6PrNs/IMG_1774%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="488" height="396"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qM3k_cmYVBo/UWD92p5fKLI/AAAAAAAAJ_g/BVwqC-gJaLE/s1600-h/IMG_1777%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1777 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1777 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mXjZV4lkrAs/UWD93OZ3bII/AAAAAAAAJ_o/7tB-Rp6iCyo/IMG_1777%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="491" height="334"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TUWamSCV3V8/UWD93htIhqI/AAAAAAAAJ_w/hYm16izbMZA/s1600-h/IMG_1839%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1839 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1839 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5l21pomhhj0/UWD94aaEPPI/AAAAAAAAJ_4/78iKGk5FHcI/IMG_1839%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="355" height="569"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cjpx2gaOh14/UWD941WddmI/AAAAAAAAKAA/XJdgMjHyk2Q/s1600-h/IMG_1779%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1779 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1779 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vfza1qY8Ucw/UWD95S5ipKI/AAAAAAAAKAI/ad5O4ZGHXLA/IMG_1779%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="501" height="341"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nXVznY8kdnE/UWD96CSjkAI/AAAAAAAAKAQ/bWBvUs1qN54/s1600-h/IMG_1781%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1781 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1781 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0DS3qGCegu0/UWD96l1C7mI/AAAAAAAAKAY/nUMCoxq1xM8/IMG_1781%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="507" height="345"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cdYmQLEpjRU/UWD97K3gT2I/AAAAAAAAKAg/GpATEC4gsks/s1600-h/IMG_1787%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1787 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1787 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Lt4FHIjvdQs/UWD970veueI/AAAAAAAAKAo/ZKTP7yhKgQ4/IMG_1787%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="368" height="542"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZvxTZfwW55I/UWD98RgLoSI/AAAAAAAAKAw/XeXIp7P4HWU/s1600-h/IMG_1789%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1789 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1789 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-C57D2EDhINk/UWD98oygK7I/AAAAAAAAKA4/5nmyzkzqWsk/IMG_1789%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="358" height="527"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-d9K0pZ_cRNE/UWD99ZkH9xI/AAAAAAAAKBA/C9wW8svNp9I/s1600-h/IMG_1794%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1794 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1794 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vVZGoSGidsc/UWD999HkizI/AAAAAAAAKBI/cY6xM-GBnhI/IMG_1794%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="353" height="519"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-X5xvJ0JTyg8/UWD9-jMoZnI/AAAAAAAAKBQ/cUGMEWPLwCc/s1600-h/IMG_1795%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; 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Whatever you want to name it, it was a mess! I hope I haven’t done my vacuum any major harm sucking up all of that lovely scented baby powder. My girls looked like 18th century French aristocrats; only nobody offered me cake, as I the oppressed and soon to be turned revolutionary, vacuumed up their royal mess. By the way, I have no idea what Miss E. is looking at on the ceiling, perhaps begging help from heaven after hearing and seeing mommy’s reaction to their asphyxiating mess.</p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:7f44be84-9b5e-4f2e-896c-47633d9e813a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:455px;border-collapse:collapse;' > <tr> <td colspan=2 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:5px 0px 5px 5px;width:179px;vertical-align:bottom;' > <a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!253&parid=20F1661D38698325!252&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!ADkpk5tBGXI4Oig" target="_blank" border="0" style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;"> 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sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 5px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!254&parid=20F1661D38698325!252&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!ADkpk5tBGXI4Oig" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="87" alt="View album" title="View album" height="87" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IvlMApyDA40/URtHgeSk95I/AAAAAAAAJ88/VecSvstkHmE/145608715342DBD6C1.png?imgmax=800" 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href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!259&parid=20F1661D38698325!252&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!ADkpk5tBGXI4Oig" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="87" alt="View album" title="View album" height="87" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-d8g7-KA5bx0/URtHiaPU12I/AAAAAAAAJ9k/3aCWC3Jl0Kg/-180389468530930FFF.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!260&parid=20F1661D38698325!252&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!ADkpk5tBGXI4Oig" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="87" alt="View album" title="View album" height="87" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-g5WPMdAzIz0/URtHi6W5xqI/AAAAAAAAJ9s/iSVzvUMNYfc/-1804655684498EE044.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!261&parid=20F1661D38698325!252&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!ADkpk5tBGXI4Oig" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="87" alt="View album" title="View album" height="87" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qc9oST20_jY/URtHjcVttlI/AAAAAAAAJ90/l20j8dslvsQ/-1804621927628AB089.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!262&parid=20F1661D38698325!252&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!ADkpk5tBGXI4Oig" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="87" alt="View album" title="View album" height="87" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KuCQ1XOiOow/URtHjqRmO2I/AAAAAAAAJ98/q5eckdQckpk/-18044652862973D387.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!263&parid=20F1661D38698325!252&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!ADkpk5tBGXI4Oig" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="87" alt="View album" title="View album" height="87" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_ro5MNmc9n8/URtHj3tvX8I/AAAAAAAAJ-E/0cObsUaDWwo/-1804693673705CF684.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 5px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!264&parid=20F1661D38698325!252&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!ADkpk5tBGXI4Oig" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="87" alt="View album" title="View album" height="87" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ik2Gs2SwY0A/URtHkaQWXxI/AAAAAAAAJ-M/jEcb2Zby-W0/-18042495200958C6CA.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' > </td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' > </td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' > </td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:87px;height:87px;' > </td></tr></table></div></p> <p>I love my girls to bits, but they are at least twice as hard as their male twin brothers were at this same age. Actually, they haven’t yet locked me out of the house or called the cops while playing with the phone. Give them time though; I know they’ll try their hardest to out due their predecessors. Actually, I don’t think they’ll even have to<em> try</em>, it will come so naturally that when the house explodes I will look at the rubble and say, “I sensed that would happen dear, it was only a matter of time. At least we got the baby powder out because that could have really made a mess!”</p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-8211944775492673092013-01-13T20:56:00.001-08:002013-01-13T20:56:54.225-08:00Another Ventilation Shaft<p>My husband Chris was recently called to be a counselor in the Bishopric of our church ward (in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) and with this calling you are expected to sit on the stand with the other counselor and the bishop. Most of you, knowing the number of children we have, can therefore imagine what my days at church will be like now - in particular, Sacrament meeting. Yes, 5 children and not just any 5 children, but two 2 1/2 year old girls, one 7 year old boy, and two 11 year old boys and one lonely control-top-panty-hosed me. It’s actually kind of hard not to find panty hose that are not control top which must mean there are a lot of out of control… Anyway, it’s 5 to 1. </p> <p>In the old days, like up till two weeks ago, Chris and I played the roles of buffers, me on one end and him on the other, keeping runners, crawlers, and rollers contained in a single row of chairs. With that other buffer now on the stand, I find that I have turned into an ineffective tyrant whose loudly whispered vocabulary has been honed down to, “SHHHH!”, “that’s another time-out for you!”, and “Stop ____________ (fill in the blank)!” Actually, the lines have always been about the same, but now there is no supportive masculine echo and no, “obey your mother, or else” ‘s. Today, I realized that I need a new plan for coping in church. Here’s how that realization came to be:</p> <p>Today’s meeting started with the boys loudly playing Rock-Paper-Scissors. Next came the “he’s poking me” complaints, soon to be harmonized by a duet of high notes singing praises about cell phones and marshmallows, then a soft descant of long, “ahhhhhs!” in Italian of course. The repeat was taken 3 times and the coda was ignored; to be replaced by waving to the familiar handsome man in the suit up on the stand while yelling “Daddy, that’s Daddy!”. At this point the Italian started up again but with some “eeeees!” and giggles (those ones are in German). </p> <p>There was, at last, an intermission of about two minutes where the sacrament bread and water was being passed. Next to us was a kind girl who was acting, unbeknownst to her, as an imaginary, yet uneducated buffer. As she passed the bread to me, she kindly put it in front of Miriam who, instead of seeing symbolism saw lunch and grabbed a large handful before the girl could hand me the tray. What do you do? The same thing almost happened with the water but thankfully I have long arms and was able to hold it high above their reaching paws. </p> <p>The intermission having ended, the final straw, marshmallow, or squeal happened when one girl (E) ran full speed up to their dad while a lady was giving a talk. E peeked out at everyone over the railing, and went up and down the stairs. After a few minutes, the other girl decided to join the fun, and ran up to sit on dad’s lap. The boys were too embarrassed to grab their sisters, so I ended up having to delicately gallop, shod in high heals, up to the stand to grab them and bring them down (with Chris’s help). Only, as I said, that was the last straw. So, instead of going back to our seats, I dragged them all out to the car and drove home in a shaky huff, changed two poopy diapers and popped open a diet coke with a side of chocolate. Next week will be better, right? I’ll kick off the heals before the gallop next time.</p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-56889715461344654982013-01-11T12:31:00.001-08:002013-01-11T12:31:02.411-08:00Rusty Shovel Muscles<div align="justify">Actually, I don’t think I <em>have</em> shovel muscles but was making them up as I went along. They are there only in spirit and it took a ton of spirit to move all of that snow. I told Chris that I wanted to shovel because then I could get a workout. 1/4 of the way in I realized I should have hired those 3 boys who came by trying to earn money for shoveling snow. The thing is, they were way to pricey and wouldn’t take my offered two bits. Kids now-a-days.</div> <div align="center"> </div> <div align="center"> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:cc3666e2-99ee-4c72-bc05-f164fc721aed" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:400px;border-collapse:collapse;' > <tr> <td colspan=2 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:5px 0px 5px 5px;width:157px;vertical-align:bottom;' > <a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!247&parid=20F1661D38698325!243&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AGG4DfbUEw5TFS4" target="_blank" border="0" style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;"> <img 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sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 5px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' ><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!248&parid=20F1661D38698325!243&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AGG4DfbUEw5TFS4" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="76" alt="View album" title="View album" height="76" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-A8f8WjoByGU/UPB2VPh_p1I/AAAAAAAAJ7I/NFTxvKp2zx8/9408303227278661D.png?imgmax=800" 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href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!250&parid=20F1661D38698325!243&type=1&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AGG4DfbUEw5TFS4" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" border="0" width="76" alt="View album" title="View album" height="76" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hvFBGwKAcUM/UPB2ZM8i6NI/AAAAAAAAJ74/1o5NOpU-Wns/395439764720C3328.png?imgmax=800" /></a></td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' > </td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' > </td><td style='vertical-align:bottom;outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px 5px 5px 0px;margin:0px;width:76px;height:76px;' > </td></tr></table></div></div> <p align="center">Here you see Thing 1 and Thing 2 enjoying their ketchup with fries. Yes, I know my girls have the hair styles of lions but what can you do? Have any of you tried to groom a moving target?</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dR4pgdHbkJI/UPB2Zy2bejI/AAAAAAAAJ8A/A4XuXibvtqc/s1600-h/IMG_1576%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1576 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1576 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-U63Gp9l56Xo/UPB2cq85ruI/AAAAAAAAJ8I/Oz57Kq1Jpw4/IMG_1576%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="503" height="335"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6wY02k4WUMU/UPB2dRdJsdI/AAAAAAAAJ8Q/5BJFyR4U9F4/s1600-h/IMG_1575%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1575 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1575 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3t75VUd3UIk/UPB2gwyetcI/AAAAAAAAJ8Y/iWxSaHNeO1Y/IMG_1575%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="508" height="339"></a></p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-85774643862626547912013-01-09T15:06:00.001-08:002013-01-09T15:06:24.904-08:00Christmas, numb tongue, and someone got hitched!<div align="justify">I have no clue how my kids manage to get up at 7 am on holidays and weekends, yet are like waking the dead on those every day school mornings. I truly should look into the art of necromancy for those every day wake-up calls. So, they came in at actually 6:30 Christmas morning wondering why we wouldn’t get up for Christmas. Well, someone had to stay up late and force cookies down a reindeer’s throat and wipe up the spilt milk, not to mention the soot left by Santa’s boots. Mornings are rough on elves. We had a lovely Christmas morning and evening with family. Unfortunately, there was a stomach bug that jumped from one family member to another family member, choosing carefully who to land on, and I was one of those chosen, along with my Dad, uncle Dave, aunt Jodi, and Grandpa P. I may have missed someone, but I’m pretty darned sure I was one of its victims. I will not be craving that particular night’s dinner for a long time.</div> <div align="center"> </div> <div align="center"> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:fa470d99-b392-41ea-8729-7b15613e797b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:410px;border-collapse:collapse;'><tbody><tr><td style='margin:0px;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;width:auto'><a style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;" target="_blank" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!218&type=5&authkey=!APB9qmQCUsHyCXQ&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" alt="View album" title="View album" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-v_dqVfEsXHY/UO332ZP7l_I/AAAAAAAAJ5Y/Clxm2XrEYYw/album%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a><div style='width:410px;text-align:center;overflow:visible;padding:0px;margin:0px;'> <div style='width:410px;overflow:visible;'><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=browse&resid=20F1661D38698325!218&type=5&authkey=!APB9qmQCUsHyCXQ&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:1.26em;padding:0px;width:410px;font-size:26pt;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" defaultText="Enter album name here">Christmas Morning</span></a></div> <div style="text-align:center;padding:9px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style="text-align:center;width:auto;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;border-collapse:collapse;"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 12px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!218&type=5&authkey=!APB9qmQCUsHyCXQ&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">VIEW SLIDE SHOW</a></td> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 0px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=downloadphotos&resid=20F1661D38698325!218&type=5&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!APB9qmQCUsHyCXQ" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div> <div align="justify">Time in the snow and trying to soak up a little vitamin D, a rarely gotten one during the winter. I actually did hear that in order to get the proper amount of vitamin D from the sun, you need to have at least 75% of your body exposed and for at least 20 minutes. Ah well, at least we got to see the sun and feel it’s warming rays on our faces.</div> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PZ6j7Erhm-M/UO3326iCpwI/AAAAAAAAJ5g/58yyYJTb55Y/s1600-h/IMG_1497%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1497 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1497 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WDLu3_5WgRM/UO333aUgopI/AAAAAAAAJ5o/CopPAyffC58/IMG_1497%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="515" height="350"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1iyVmz1EBUU/UO333-j2WBI/AAAAAAAAJ5w/wRg6Sg4ezHI/s1600-h/IMG_1491%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1491 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1491 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j-t7vjKefPw/UO334kNWz6I/AAAAAAAAJ54/suaBdzEOvMc/IMG_1491%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="447" height="660"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oQVgwbMFIAE/UO335c1SD-I/AAAAAAAAJ6A/jBP8IWv6eIw/s1600-h/IMG_1493%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1493 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1493 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-e7NFNp0pw1s/UO3354FzgII/AAAAAAAAJ6I/UcN6Y2ZvuFg/IMG_1493%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="517" height="351"></a></p> <p align="center">Cold tongue…bluh…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1m5qETVLfyA/UO336gSrUCI/AAAAAAAAJ6Q/7TDcSsAbfbU/s1600-h/IMG_1496%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1496 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1496 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Z7Z2hJcz0L4/UO337X9q6rI/AAAAAAAAJ6Y/89wqBITniI0/IMG_1496%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="398" height="587"></a></p> <p align="center"> </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 410px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:0a23b2a0-b31c-4d62-a638-bf211eee012f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:410px;border-collapse:collapse;'><tbody><tr><td style='margin:0px;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;width:auto'><a style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;" target="_blank" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!231&type=5&authkey=!ADgUINxDu0ZItqI&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" alt="View album" title="View album" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-53-276OL2es/UO3377ZH3kI/AAAAAAAAJ6g/jl4E61Ym1CI/album%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a><div style='width:410px;text-align:center;overflow:visible;padding:0px;margin:0px;'> <div style='width:410px;overflow:visible;'><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=browse&resid=20F1661D38698325!231&type=5&authkey=!ADgUINxDu0ZItqI&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:1.26em;padding:0px;width:410px;font-size:26pt;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" defaultText="Enter album name here">Drew & Christi got hitched!</span></a></div> <div style="text-align:center;padding:9px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style="text-align:center;width:auto;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;border-collapse:collapse;"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 12px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!231&type=5&authkey=!ADgUINxDu0ZItqI&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">VIEW SLIDE SHOW</a></td> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 0px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=downloadphotos&resid=20F1661D38698325!231&type=5&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!ADgUINxDu0ZItqI" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="center"></p> <p align="justify">I was so glad I was able to fly down to California to attend one of my bestest of friend’s wedding. She married, from what I could tell, a very nice man. I actually just met him but I figure if Christi likes him, he must be quite the catch! I am so happy for them and even jealous knowing they are going down to the Caribbean for their honeymoon. They were married in a little chapel by the beach and the view was absolutely gorgeous! Going to California in the winter is the greatest therapy, especially when one is leaving a temp. of 11F and arriving in a temp. of 63F. The trip also included staying with my dad and wrapping up some things. We managed to meet my sister and her husband to see the Hobbit, which I loved. Ah, Golem, what an absolutely insane yet strangely adorable multiple personality hobbit. Yes, Precious. </p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-32466724362808330282012-12-31T14:34:00.001-08:002012-12-31T14:34:24.662-08:00Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!<p>I’m not sure for how many years we’ve been doing this little tradition of going to Aunt Jodi’s each year, but I say, let’s keep it going! My aunt makes this DELICIOUS goulash soup every time. In fact, it was because of that soup that we began insisting we come down each year to sample it. This Christmas was, as to be expected, a bitter-sweet experience without my mom there. We managed to find her music pipes and played all of the Christmas songs that she would always lead us in. Jodi has taken on the role of the Pipe Maestro, but we’ll all think of my mom whenever we play, and smile for leaving us this tradition. We of course played out the night of Christ’s birth, with the very talented and well behaved Caleb, playing the role of the baby Jesus. </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:a5136611-293b-4299-98a8-17cd0b5f72a9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:540px;border-collapse:collapse;'><tbody><tr><td style='margin:0px;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;width:auto'><a style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;" target="_blank" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!202&type=5&authkey=!AG2fxVl3b9KkNF8&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" alt="View album" title="View album" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-seseyJ0XDQU/UOIS63_oxAI/AAAAAAAAJ4k/afPQl0c4EmY/album%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a><div style='width:540px;text-align:center;overflow:visible;padding:0px;margin:0px;'> <div style='width:540px;overflow:visible;'><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=browse&resid=20F1661D38698325!202&type=5&authkey=!AG2fxVl3b9KkNF8&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:1.26em;padding:0px;width:540px;font-size:26pt;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" defaultText="Enter album name here">The Annual Christmas Party</span></a></div> <div style="text-align:center;padding:9px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style="text-align:center;width:auto;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;border-collapse:collapse;"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 12px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!202&type=5&authkey=!AG2fxVl3b9KkNF8&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">VIEW SLIDE SHOW</a></td> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 0px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=downloadphotos&resid=20F1661D38698325!202&type=5&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AG2fxVl3b9KkNF8" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p>This year we failed to send out our annual Christmas letter as life got extremely busy, crazy, and all other words having to do with unpredictable. I did write some of it which I will just add to this blog if you want to read it. I wish you all the best and thank you for your friendship!</p> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0000">December 2012</font> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0000">Dear Family, Friends, and those who happen to find this in the dead-letter office,</font> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0000">First things first, Merry Christmas to all! Do you ever feel like life is too unpredictable and suspenseful to objectively analyze? Ever have trouble verbally sharing those thoughts without seeming like a total nutcase? Here goes the “total nutcase” in an attempt at holiday merriment, in her usual “blah-blah-blah” style.</font> <p align="justify"><u><font color="#ff0000">Facebook asks the question: “<b>What’s on your mind?</b>” Here are a few possible posts from this year:</font></u> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0000"><b>“What’s on your mind?”</b> - Besides chocolate, sugar cookies, and milk, I’d say I’ve joined a “Save the trees” movement. Our foes are two extremely pesky, yet adorably charming, 2 ½ year old girls. The Christmas tree is decorated from the top to a little less than halfway down. The lights are throughout but the sparkly and fragile things can only be seen by the girls with the assistance of binoculars..</font> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0000"><b>“What’s on your mind?”</b> - Well, Chris lost his job on June 28 when his company decided to surprise everyone by closing down their Provo office that day. No warning for anyone. Again, after much prayer, fasting, and lots of work on Chris’ part, he found a job in October that he enjoys a lot more. He is working at RC Willey’s corporate office doing IT/computer, blah, blah, blah stuff with a little bit of law blah-blah. Sorry for the ambiguity of language here but I can’t keep certain terminology in my mind if it has no meaning to me. If more computer terms had Latin or Greek roots, I might have a chance at memorizing them. But really: USB, LCD, VDI, MCSE, iOS, SuSE, SCCM, DMCA? No normal person can remember them. “Blah” is probably Latin, so that’s why I can remember it.</font> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0000"><b>“What’s on your mind?”</b> - Music. Chris had the privilege of singing in the choir during the Priesthood session of General Conference on October. He really enjoyed the experience, both practices and performance. It provided a much needed spiritual boost during his job search.</font> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0000"><b>“What’s NOT on your mind?”</b> - Not much. The boys are all in school, playing various sports, spending way too much time on the Wii, claiming boredom when forced to do something IRL (In Real Life – working on the computer terms), growing like crazy, and other things that I try not to remember for the sake of personal sanity. We love them so much and I hope they know that, even when we have to act like ornery dad or momsters to get them to do the right things. We’re becoming Calvin’s parents from the comic. We notice that phrases like, “You’ll thank me for this when you’re older,” or, “there are starving people in China,” or even “It builds character” spill out of our mouths when triggered. A “yuck”, “not fair”, or “ugh!” automatically release wisdom to counter utter disregard for proper behavior in the young.</font> <p align="justify"><font color="#ff0000"><b>“What’s on your mind right now</b>?” - Napping toddlers, thus this letter. Gratitude and awe for all we have been blessed with. Love for family, friends, and the possible stranger reading this letter. Christ, his birth, and the great gift of the atonement. Christmas! Merry Christmas to you all and lots of love from our whole family!</font> <p align="justify"><font color="#b7b73d">This letter, as you see, was written before the death of my mom but all we said is still true! I wish you all wonderful a New Year loaded with worthwhile goals, and a few worthless ones <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-p_0ea84IAgw/UOIS72Q9G6I/AAAAAAAAJ4s/kFvVpCLpzyc/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800">.</font></p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-62438860397702011422012-12-28T19:11:00.001-08:002012-12-28T19:19:49.031-08:00Funeral and Graveside Service for my Mom<p><font size="3" face="Arial">I’ve often thought it unfortunate that we can’t get together as a whole family more often. It seems we have to wait for weddings and funerals for gatherings to happen at all. Maybe that’s a sign that we should be finding no occasion at all other than to see whose gained or lost weight, how old or tall someone’s kids have gotten, or just to tell stories and share memories.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Thanks to a good friend, my kids, my nieces (notice the camera angle that starts down low and looks up into the face of an adult), and to a small degree, me, we are blessed with a plethora of pictures from the day of my mom’s funeral in California and the graveside service in St. George, Utah. No pressure to look through them all. Some of us, me included, can be quite entertained for hours looking through family photos. I’m sure I even acquire a deer in the headlights look while staring at the light of the computer screen. In fact, I feel my eyes drying out as I stare wide-eyed at these words which keep getting little red squigglies under them.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Oh, I miss my mom so much as do many more. She was one of the greatest people in my life and, as is often the case, we don’t realize the treasure we have with us until she is gone. Yes, I know I will see her again in the afterlife, but I am impatient to have her with me now.</font></p> <blockquote> <p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Arial">“It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It all works out in the end. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.”<br>― </font><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/313356.Gordon_B_Hinckley"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Arial">Gordon B. Hinckley</font></a></p></blockquote> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:e6ffbe57-dcd3-4900-831d-8f4a36c3c77c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:410px;border-collapse:collapse;'><tbody><tr><td style='margin:0px;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;width:auto'><a style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;" target="_blank" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!118&type=5&authkey=!AHDduZoBbvqbmJw&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" alt="View album" title="View album" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MHU80B1YqCc/UN5fUodDvlI/AAAAAAAAJ38/hAdBX8_Uqf4/Vicki%252520D.%252520Hartvigsen%252520Funeral%252520and%252520Graveside%252520Service%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a><div style='width:410px;text-align:center;overflow:visible;padding:0px;margin:0px;'> <div style='width:410px;overflow:visible;'><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=browse&resid=20F1661D38698325!118&type=5&authkey=!AHDduZoBbvqbmJw&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:1.26em;padding:0px;width:410px;font-size:26pt;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" defaultText="Enter album name here">Vicki D. Hartvigsen Funeral and Graveside Service (album 1)</span></a></div> <div style="text-align:center;padding:9px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style="text-align:center;width:auto;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;border-collapse:collapse;"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 12px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!118&type=5&authkey=!AHDduZoBbvqbmJw&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">VIEW SLIDE SHOW</a></td> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 0px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=downloadphotos&resid=20F1661D38698325!118&type=5&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AHDduZoBbvqbmJw" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:6e457d8e-ca20-4d7f-abfe-2e300cb45334" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:410px;border-collapse:collapse;'><tbody><tr><td style='margin:0px;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;width:auto'><a style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;" target="_blank" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!139&type=5&authkey=!AJgrVZ8wrlgqR4w&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" alt="View album" title="View album" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tekJJyXwOy0/UN5fVNinegI/AAAAAAAAJ4A/pvz4ck45cZM/album%25255B12%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a><div style='width:410px;text-align:center;overflow:visible;padding:0px;margin:0px;'> <div style='width:410px;overflow:visible;'><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=browse&resid=20F1661D38698325!139&type=5&authkey=!AJgrVZ8wrlgqR4w&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:1.26em;padding:0px;width:410px;font-size:26pt;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" defaultText="Enter album name here">album 2</span></a></div> <div style="text-align:center;padding:9px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style="text-align:center;width:auto;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;border-collapse:collapse;"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 12px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!139&type=5&authkey=!AJgrVZ8wrlgqR4w&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">VIEW SLIDE SHOW</a></td> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 0px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=downloadphotos&resid=20F1661D38698325!139&type=5&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AJgrVZ8wrlgqR4w" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:a1178726-2f94-4874-a140-e46bd97f4c13" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:410px;border-collapse:collapse;'><tbody><tr><td style='margin:0px;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;width:auto'><a style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;" target="_blank" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!149&type=5&authkey=!AMQ4oTEznhp6k8E&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" alt="View album" title="View album" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KRNlo1j2QYM/UN5fVguKejI/AAAAAAAAJ4E/E7K0NYVNxVc/album%25255B13%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a><div style='width:410px;text-align:center;overflow:visible;padding:0px;margin:0px;'> <div style='width:410px;overflow:visible;'><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=browse&resid=20F1661D38698325!149&type=5&authkey=!AMQ4oTEznhp6k8E&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:1.26em;padding:0px;width:410px;font-size:26pt;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" defaultText="Enter album name here">album 3</span></a></div> <div style="text-align:center;padding:9px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style="text-align:center;width:auto;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;border-collapse:collapse;"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 12px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!149&type=5&authkey=!AMQ4oTEznhp6k8E&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">VIEW SLIDE SHOW</a></td> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 0px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=downloadphotos&resid=20F1661D38698325!149&type=5&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AMQ4oTEznhp6k8E" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:8b319042-1af4-44b7-a5d1-894ea295c90a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:410px;border-collapse:collapse;'><tbody><tr><td style='margin:0px;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;width:auto'><a style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;" target="_blank" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!154&type=5&authkey=!AK7u5tJ3YInoHx0&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" alt="View album" title="View album" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QeI6-nM1e7Y/UN5fWIyeK6I/AAAAAAAAJ4I/QVGzzPnaYEA/album%25255B14%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a><div style='width:410px;text-align:center;overflow:visible;padding:0px;margin:0px;'> <div style='width:410px;overflow:visible;'><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=browse&resid=20F1661D38698325!154&type=5&authkey=!AK7u5tJ3YInoHx0&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:1.26em;padding:0px;width:410px;font-size:26pt;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" defaultText="Enter album name here">album 4</span></a></div> <div style="text-align:center;padding:9px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style="text-align:center;width:auto;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;border-collapse:collapse;"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 12px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!154&type=5&authkey=!AK7u5tJ3YInoHx0&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">VIEW SLIDE SHOW</a></td> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 0px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=downloadphotos&resid=20F1661D38698325!154&type=5&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AK7u5tJ3YInoHx0" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:358ac800-ef3e-4d9f-a44e-ec8a986e9793" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:410px;border-collapse:collapse;'><tbody><tr><td style='margin:0px;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;width:auto'><a style="outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;" target="_blank" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!184&type=5&authkey=!AFruh3TXZ82fO00&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos"><img style="outline:none;border-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;background:none;background-image:none;vertical-align:bottom;" alt="View album" title="View album" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1ypK3PzL-VQ/UN5fWj_yFKI/AAAAAAAAJ4M/tY7tGj74Ahg/album%25255B15%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a><div style='width:410px;text-align:center;overflow:visible;padding:0px;margin:0px;'> <div style='width:410px;overflow:visible;'><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=browse&resid=20F1661D38698325!184&type=5&authkey=!AFruh3TXZ82fO00&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:1.26em;padding:0px;width:410px;font-size:26pt;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" defaultText="Enter album name here">album 5</span></a></div> <div style="text-align:center;padding:9px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style="text-align:center;width:auto;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:0px;outline:none;border-style:none;border-collapse:collapse;"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 12px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=play&resid=20F1661D38698325!184&type=5&authkey=!AFruh3TXZ82fO00&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">VIEW SLIDE SHOW</a></td> <td style="vertical-align:top;outline:none;border-style:none;margin:0px;padding:6px 0px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=20f1661d38698325&page=downloadphotos&resid=20F1661D38698325!184&type=5&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos&authkey=!AFruh3TXZ82fO00" border="0" target="_blank" style="font-family:'Segoe UI', helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:8pt;outline:none;border-style:none;text-decoration: none;padding:0px;margin:0px;">DOWNLOAD ALL</a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Thank you everyone who helped our family and who continue to help us while we mourn the loss of our mom, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. Thank you seems so simple a word for the expression of gratitude each of us feel, but it is most seriously said and thought. Thank you!</font></p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-41815267893111850932012-12-24T14:37:00.001-08:002012-12-24T14:37:25.419-08:00Another Sharpie, please, and getting high on Endorphins.<p align="justify">As many of you know, we’ve been going through some tough times with the passing of my mom. Many of us are emotional, of course. Many of us are also sleep deprived. I thought I’d like to share a little experience I had that helped with both of the above issues. </p> <p align="justify">While in St. George, where my mom was to be buried, I needed to go to Wal-Mart to buy a couple of sippy-cups to replace the ones I left in California. I took my sister Erin with me. We shopped around some, and then parted when I needed to use the restroom. Note: I was one of those greatly suffering from sleep deprivation. I went into the stall and before taking care of business (you know, like writing memos on walls with a Sharpie), Chris called on my cell phone. We talked about what I should write on the wall and if I should include any profanity and decided upon lyrics to “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” because that’s what we’ve been listening to for the past month and thought, “hey, why should we be the only ones suffering?” (yes I know that’s a run on sentence.) I digress. I finally ended my creative session with Chris and went on with my memos, finished them, and got ready to walk out of the stall. It was at that moment, when I was about to slide the metal lock open, that I heard another bathroom cell phone user. Only this user had a very deep voice, and seemed to be writing his memos in an area near the wall. Yes, I was in the men’s room. Instead of announcing myself, or running out with my head bent and purse protecting my tender eyeballs, I waited until he was finished. I then waited quietly in my stall for 3 more men to write their memos or make important phone calls, until the coast was finally clear (about 10 minutes). At that point I ran as fast as I could out that door, hoping that I would not meet anyone on their way in to do their business. By the way, the men’s room in that particular store is low on paper products.</p> <p align="justify">Once I made it out of the restroom, I found support on the arm of a rack of cloths and waited for Erin to meet up with me. I could not hold it above 30 seconds before I started laughing uncontrollably with tears streaming down my face. After days of the other kind of tears which we had all been shedding practically non-stop, these were a relief and so <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2CFkko5x_Jc/UNjZIGI0uTI/AAAAAAAAJ2o/5wPc1Mfxa9g/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pw19dnpjGlE/UNjZIyc-n1I/AAAAAAAAJ2w/twgMM_Af5As/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" width="244" height="201"></a>therapeutic! Once I explained my little experience to Erin, the laughter started all over again. I was suddenly awake and feeling better. Besides, thinking about it later, I know my mom would have laughed herself in need of a restroom if she had been there too. </p> <p align="justify">A tidbit on the benefit of laughter: <em>“Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like </em><a href="http://stress.about.com/od/stressmanagementglossary/g/Cortisol.htm"><em>cortisol</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://stress.about.com/od/stressmanagementglossary/g/Epinephrine.htm"><em>epinephrine</em></a><em> (</em><a href="http://stress.about.com/od/stressmanagementglossary/g/Adrenalin.htm"><em>adrenaline</em></a><em>), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.”</em></p> <p align="justify"><em>--Ask.com</em></p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-43299032010641251912012-12-17T19:51:00.001-08:002012-12-17T19:51:40.782-08:00My mom…<p align="justify">Everyone we love has a precious place and warm presence in our lives and when they are gone we are left a little cold and lost. I try to keep busy in order to deal with life right now lest I become a constant watering pot leaving a trail of tissues and tears around the house; but it happens now and then when I hear or see something that reminds me of her. When I think of her it is of a great life, fun, joy, smiles, laughter, goodness, magic and adventures. She’s suffered so much of her life from a disease that has caused a lot of great physical and emotional challenges, but I know of nobody who put up with it and hid her pain as she did. She appeared to us as Wonder Woman and we all naturally thought, “sure she’ll get better, she always does and anyway we need her here,” we being somewhat selfish for her presence. When she passed away it was 10 minutes before my dad, sister, and bro-in-law made it to the hospital. My theory is that people as loved as<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7Spwk8CDI5k/UM_oSEaKF-I/AAAAAAAAJ2M/8zYcZ11pyWc/s1600-h/image5_0001%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image5_0001" border="0" alt="image5_0001" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTjDVjwwjVg707q9O0Xz1AF_W6jgVDyIMlZMtkbzRQpgiMomOpt-p0Ah8chRpBoU651sT2OVwy4fpVCznJgXonT6JankUEESsOIg_rFELQynPmPNOGRkDHgMQevczH1Ys5obFZS3YRJk/?imgmax=800" width="240" height="335"></a> she is, have to go while we who are left in mortality are out of the room or we might not let them go. I had a dream the night she died, finally sleeping when I feared I could not. She was in my dream telling me a sort of list of things she had completed saying, “I’m done with that,” after each list was done. It was almost like watching a many parted mini-series of her life. Though I can’t remember any specific scenes, only that she had completed them with satisfaction. I feel that she was telling me that her life was completed as she’d come to earth to accomplish certain tasks and had. It was the most comforting night of sleep I’ve ever had and know it was a blessing from God to me. There isn’t enough I can say about my love for my mom and how much I’ll miss her. She has been a wonderful example to me of living a full life and making the best of every moment. <p align="justify"> <p align="justify">Obituary: <p align="justify">Vicki Dawn Hartvigsen passed away on the morning of December 13, 2012 at the age of 59. She lived in Yucaipa, California with her loving husband Gary R. Hartvigsen. They married for time and eternity in the LDS Los Angeles Temple on October 7<sup>th</sup>, 1972. Vicki died from multiple complications stemming from her struggle with Rheumatoid arthritis. She passed away in the UCI Medical Center in Irvine, California. She is survived by her husband, and four children Rebecca Williams (Chris), Erin Hansen (Bill), Jared Hartvigsen (Rhiannon), and Dani Thomas (Michael); also, by her parents, Curtis and Billie Poet, and sister, Jodi Jensen (David). She loved music and worked as a music teacher for most of her life teaching piano lessons at home and music to 4<sup>th</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup> graders in the Fontana, California school district. She worked as a nurse in earlier years before returning to college to earn a double bachelors degree in Music and History from Cal Poly Pomona. She loved learning, traveling, serving in her church as organist and as a temple worker for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She was also an excellent gardener, razzleberry jam maker and a wonderful and greatly loved wife, mother, daughter, sister and grandmother. She was preceded in death by her dear granddaughter, Julia Hansen her younger brother, Scott Poet; also her beloved grandparents, Bill and Mayda Hertig. Perhaps her favorite of all things was spending time with her family, and especially her 15 grandchildren. A special thanks to Vicki’s aunts Heidi Hoyal and Shirley Hoffman who showed much compassion and love to her during this past challenging year. Vicki’s funeral will be held Wednesday December 19, 2013 at 11:00 am in the Yucaipa LDS Stake Center located at 12776 6<sup>th</sup> Street, Yucaipa, CA. Her grave side service will be December 20<sup>th</sup> at 1:00pm at the Tonaquint Cemetery located at 1777 South Dixie Drive, St. George, UT. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) Humanitarian aid fund, ward missionary fund, or perpetual education fund. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-13750748845444737942012-12-01T13:08:00.001-08:002012-12-01T13:08:39.518-08:00The eleventh month<p align="center"><strong>“Let me ‘splain…there is to much…let me sum up.”</strong></p> <p align="left">This was the first part of November with a lovely 8 inches of snow and a ton of fun for the Shirelings. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ur_YE1VofQo/ULpxmVW1ODI/AAAAAAAAJyw/YdUpwqVd3BU/s1600-h/IMG_1054%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1054" border="0" alt="IMG_1054" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JW7-teAQdfo/ULpxm376TzI/AAAAAAAAJy4/cZj6O7HFqIQ/IMG_1054_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="256" height="373"></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9ND7B7yixpA/ULpxnlPAdDI/AAAAAAAAJzA/M9QfPRS5QFA/s1600-h/IMG_1068%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1068" border="0" alt="IMG_1068" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BrltrrJU8Hw/ULpxoV6DLeI/AAAAAAAAJzI/DF5Sx0fuP2E/IMG_1068_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="257" height="375"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qKN_VsPbWG4/ULpxpG4E8aI/AAAAAAAAJzQ/ASNERDRLckc/s1600-h/IMG_1064%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1064" border="0" alt="IMG_1064" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SarWZ3G4exs/ULpxpvra7rI/AAAAAAAAJzY/LSSPjayOtZo/IMG_1064_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="456" height="311"></a></p> <p align="center">Cyber Girl and a pair of artistic monkeys.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZWih8PM1uEA/ULpxqtpgz4I/AAAAAAAAJzg/wyPvB_2XvwU/s1600-h/IMG_1070%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1070" border="0" alt="IMG_1070" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KAwxYh4h7fk/ULpxrZUmC2I/AAAAAAAAJzo/n3raZaFkMH4/IMG_1070_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="578" height="392"></a></p> <p align="justify">The little ladies never get bored of climbing on tables, drawing on walls and tables, and jumping, pounding, and screaming on tables. I can see why there are those who build high towers to be heard and observed. If I had a tower, I’d climb it and bring a good book, a box of See’s chocolates, a soft pillow, and a medium diet coke (well, a large if I happened to include a bathroom near the upper floor of the tower in my design).</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Q576yoZHJ4M/ULpxsXQ7D9I/AAAAAAAAJzw/iGXQ20DM_jM/s1600-h/IMG_1080%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1080" border="0" alt="IMG_1080" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rT9AsZyn6SY/ULpxs9BgQWI/AAAAAAAAJz4/Juj6dBVJhSA/IMG_1080_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="571" height="401"></a></p> <p align="justify">All cleaned up and ready for church. I still have not mastered doing girl hair. I used to be quite good at it but never practiced on moving targets or naturally curly hair with a tendrilled mind of its own. (I am a great fan of making up new words).</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e9ptuLY_Z38/ULpxtjdRb7I/AAAAAAAAJ0A/i9lvQI98Bts/s1600-h/Thanksgiving%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Thanksgiving [1024x768]" border="0" alt="Thanksgiving [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M2J47NpGb6w/ULpxuWWEaMI/AAAAAAAAJ0I/_PDGbXA1RcM/Thanksgiving%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="583" height="395"></a></p> <p align="center"><em>Dad, Caleb, Erin, and Dani</em></p> <p align="justify">Thanksgiving! This was the smallest and THE most calm Thanksgiving I have ever attended. Erin and I flew to CA to visit with my dad and mom. My mom has been in and out of the hospital since July and was in a very bad state when we came to visit. She seems stable for now but is desperate to get out of the nursing home they put her in once she didn’t need to be in reverse isolation. We worry about her but hope and pray for the best. Erin and I stayed for 5 days and it was so relaxing that I think a few of my grey hairs slipped back into my scalp, no doubt with a plan to make their stressed out appearance next Thanksgiving.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QPPe-w50ZxM/ULpxvP4c2sI/AAAAAAAAJ0Q/WReBH0zpAXc/s1600-h/IMG_1091%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1091" border="0" alt="IMG_1091" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-thl835JzQZ8/ULpxvpytp1I/AAAAAAAAJ0Y/eB1hlU5hKgc/IMG_1091_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="596" height="399"></a></p> <p align="justify">I have to say that I have one of THE cutest nephews on the planet oh and he is so agreeable! I have never known a better behaved baby on a flight or in a car or anywhere! It’s amazing how comforting it is to have a sweet baby around when everything else is scary and worrisome.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oGyOWqsnJEc/ULpxwtAdybI/AAAAAAAAJ0g/QWYiAUfM-FQ/s1600-h/IMG_1092%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1092" border="0" alt="IMG_1092" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2Pzb9KyZkao/ULpxxPCZNpI/AAAAAAAAJ0o/amIMtx-GOSU/IMG_1092_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" height="507"></a></p> <p align="center">Dani and Dad</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cbRtuOYU9a0/ULpxx0M0EgI/AAAAAAAAJ0w/vQF0Jj1gXvk/s1600-h/IMG_1101%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1101 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1101 [1024x768]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbMwF_hVQzB_WpUg1Gf6JsCyxFPlwhKrUi_-E0qIVmU_FaLZcnsMgqGS_0IMLOyxd0TsUkTrsHzt-n_z05kn95TBveTjtsGRn6vojolxlV-NzXsDkc63zzzMfYhDPGNiRCIYdehDmsO0/?imgmax=800" width="367" height="540"></a></p> <p align="center">Dani and Caleb the Cute</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-erTRz_948xM/ULpx0zyeQXI/AAAAAAAAJ1A/ZlhzWOOyYkc/s1600-h/IMG_1104%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1104 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1104 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6msnx-ib2yw/ULpx1eADQcI/AAAAAAAAJ1I/X-4MAu1fPhc/IMG_1104%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="592" height="402"></a></p> <p align="center"></p> <p align="center"></p> <p align="center">He is so expressive and his smiles were making everyone one who saw him go “goo.” </p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884430652660905329.post-30085455999582919882012-10-31T23:17:00.001-07:002012-10-31T23:17:25.994-07:00Cheetahs made of Iron and Sith (C2Fe1Si2)<p align="center"><font size="3">Halloween 2012</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">We tried to remember when we stopped trick or treating as kids and I think I was about 12 years old. I don’t mind older kids trick or treating as long as they have costumes on. Maybe I was 13…hmm.</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XJD0q18fKLE/UJITszR1uYI/AAAAAAAAJvk/oyg5hmyXaz0/s1600-h/IMG_1040%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1040 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1040 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PTaBph3gNTc/UJITtdTFCsI/AAAAAAAAJvs/6_rvxrHNgbU/IMG_1040%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="584" height="396"></font></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Ah, how quickly they grow! They finally managed it, I gave in and let them go trick-or-treating without me. They survived the night but I’m sure they’re going to wake up with at least one cavity and “a sort of conceited independence.” Reed and Douglas are the ones in the middle in case you didn’t recognize the Sith. Isaac and his friend Cameron wound a different path around the neighborhood. </font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Wvb4B1UAU9U/UJITuU9NuzI/AAAAAAAAJv0/RZCc9bFIbwE/s1600-h/IMG_1018%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1018 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1018 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-30BYNiZhSO4/UJITu3CFHJI/AAAAAAAAJv8/q0-TkETthR8/IMG_1018%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="371" height="547"></font></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Cheetahs! A pair of costumes I had fortunately saved from when Reed and Douglas were little. Something in my sometimes hoarding modes told me to hold on to both of those costumes and <font style="font-weight: normal">voilà</font>! I got to use them again!</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PyJCLu-c0Yw/UJITvT6cYlI/AAAAAAAAJwE/YnrVkDpbBKg/s1600-h/IMG_1024%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1024 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1024 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HoFv5qAa_QI/UJITwDlrohI/AAAAAAAAJwM/8cmMIVEeNXw/IMG_1024%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="369" height="544"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XFgh6OFiZww/UJITw-7uiPI/AAAAAAAAJwU/jiXUrgQpBzc/s1600-h/IMG_1026%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1026 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1026 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NveHWSjSZgg/UJITx5FG77I/AAAAAAAAJwc/j_K695elaFU/IMG_1026%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="356" height="524"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">Do I have to wear the hood?</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MnyU0ZeFJ-Y/UJITy6LOQUI/AAAAAAAAJwk/KO327fKiBe4/s1600-h/IMG_1027%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1027 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1027 [1024x768]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hsLCMrAsKD4/UJITz7yE08I/AAAAAAAAJws/oJVA31hNaeY/IMG_1027%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="430" height="635"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-R8ZmBz1eF6U/UJIT0cbzLII/AAAAAAAAJw0/Qg8MzzD3loo/s1600-h/IMG_1030%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1030 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1030 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-w1L-Lufx47Q/UJIT1IJyneI/AAAAAAAAJw8/8Kx1ZYAuLh8/IMG_1030%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="437" height="646"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-X6F7Vimdwrk/UJIT112jIPI/AAAAAAAAJxE/AUAGMDVCHuU/s1600-h/IMG_1037%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1037 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1037 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ush2TME8n9I/UJIT2jJgQ7I/AAAAAAAAJxM/N-srFv1mjHQ/IMG_1037%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="565" height="383"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">Isaac and his friend Cameron.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">_________________________________________________________</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">More stuff dealing with life bereft of candy or costumes.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">The grand ol’ pair up to their old tricks.</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W-BBiAt1998/UJIT3WWO3vI/AAAAAAAAJxU/i2cR2f_p7ls/s1600-h/IMG_1003%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1003 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1003 [1024x768]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7F-UZLJx_gLjdoqiYLHtA6dsyeZ3fYL6RCN2gd-sAzRczFoGJCnlcGwcEolVSdf_jA-a8WUpMWzemYCtRN-qjbM4W-TbINwRsdIP380IpgtYGIenLnkNYkenAdbZpHQlR83G_J8g6D0E/?imgmax=800" width="227" height="330"></font></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7vDWScONNus/UJIT4gNmp1I/AAAAAAAAJxk/LVX-t_98lkI/s1600-h/IMG_1004%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1004 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1004 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cdw5CMKVRpA/UJIT5P6sVgI/AAAAAAAAJxs/L9JRDJU25qo/IMG_1004%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="225" height="328"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">Duct Tape: the two week solution to nap/bedtime diaper removal parties.</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-InU8zmVWgDM/UJIT50QPwDI/AAAAAAAAJx0/J9uY13vq5jA/s1600-h/IMG_1005%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1005 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1005 [1024x768]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qcBCI72ImZ4/UJIT6bdNpYI/AAAAAAAAJx8/A3Bt1N9eVqU/IMG_1005%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="523" height="355"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">Hair so healthy it sticks up in the tub!</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-e0R29zytqJU/UJIT7D0NS3I/AAAAAAAAJyE/bYLl5V0colk/s1600-h/IMG_1009%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1009 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1009 [1024x768]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yyZh3oC92SY/UJIT7y6t_0I/AAAAAAAAJyM/hXOgpEaZhkY/IMG_1009%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="513" height="349"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pKFp8LevCDk/UJIT8XRTKxI/AAAAAAAAJyU/JWIDXaDsW1U/s1600-h/IMG_1017%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><font size="3"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1017 [1024x768]" border="0" alt="IMG_1017 [1024x768]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-v-W4-2YqJSo/UJIT9HUhSxI/AAAAAAAAJyc/AfoOUuz-muo/IMG_1017%252520%25255B1024x768%25255D_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="381" height="562"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">Hi mom, look! What? Daddy said they matched!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3"></font></p> Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10245342113173376269noreply@blogger.com2