O Christmas Tree...

The Christmas Story (Draper Version)

Max in the Snow

Mom thought some of the little ones might enjoy this.
(maybe some of the big ones too :)

Scenes From Papa's Birthday Celebration

getting an early start on dinner

getting an early start on dessert

enjoying technology

playing with the noise-making Christmas decorations

Callisters

Does anyone know when the Callisters are moving? Didn't want to pester them with an address request, because I know they are busy!

It doesn't capture the charm, but this picture shows something that makes me smile every day. All five of my kitchen window sill African violets are in bloom. It has been a LONG time since that happened.

Just a couple of fyi items . . .

We planted some crookneck squash in this summer's garden, like the above. It's a hard winter squash. I don't have a picture of zucchini, but we had some zucchini plants, also, in the same box and got a fairly decent crop (we never get the zucchini bonanzas you hear about). But the last zucchini has been on our counter for about 6 weeks now and I was surprised it wasn't going soft and rotten. I decided to shred it (in our new cusinart that saved the day for Thanksgiving), freeze it, and use it for zucchini bread, later. This is what I found when I opened it (the top two pics)--and it much harder to cut than zucchini usually is. I think our last zucchini cross-pollinated with the harder winter crookneck squash. It smelled a lot like pumpkin when I shredded it, but that will work, too.

Just thought that was kind of interesting :).

"How come Bubbe smokes?"

Overheard:

Chris: "How come Bubbe smokes?"
T and N: "Bubbe doesn't smoke!"
Chris: "You said, 'Eden's mom smokes,' and Bubbe is Eden's mom."
Tanner: "I said, 'Ian.'"

Poor Ian. Ian is sad his mom smokes and is trying to hide it from his whole family.

Bubbe, we're glad you don't smoke.

Halloween 2010

I find it ironic that of the three costumes for the kids this year, the one I didn't make won a prize at Spencer's school's Halloween party. That makes three years in a row for Benny. The Max wolf suit I made two years ago won two years in a row. This year he won "Scariest" costume. I tried explaining that to him and he kept telling me he wasn't scary. He's a good Darth Vader.

I wish you could hear Benny saying "cheeeeeeeese!"


Lilia loved her costume and wore it around a couple of afternoons.
She looked adorable walking around the party.



And...
my award winning costume.

Apparently they didn't take points off for being a pregnant Pippi.
I'm just amazed that my hair is long enough to reach the end of the hanger!

Winterizing the Patio Furniture...

...now looks something like this:

update

Our CA home is in escrow. After only about 14 days on the market we had a number of offers, and one really stood out. If all goes as plans we'll close on December 19th and will need to be out by the 22nd, although we'll most likely be gone before we close anyway, since Nate will need to start in CO around the 15th. Our realtor has been great to work with, definitely knows what she's doing and has been a good match for us.

In the meantime, after countless hours of research on CO possibilities (seriously, Nate probably knows CO cities, neighborhoods and school districts better than most locals), we found a home we really like in a neighborhood we love there. The realtor we found via friends of Caitlin (thanks again, Caitlin) is a nice guy that we really like. He was able to get us in for a viewing on the 1st, and by the 4th we'd put down an offer. It's a short sale, but our realtor is hopeful we'll hear back from the bank shortly since they've already approved the price. Of course, he was hopeful we'd hear back last week, but we didn't. SO, best case scenario we're in by Christmas. Worst case scenario, we'll be homeless for Christmas and end up in a hotel in CO. OR, maybe we'd beg Mom and Dad to take us in and spend Christmas with them.

Just thought I'd share.

nice story

http://www.mormontimes.com/article/18200/Mormon-church-helps-former-NFL-player-sort-out-spiritual-puzzle?s_cid=newsline

It's official

Most of you have heard, but in case you haven't yet, Nate just accepted an offer from the Wells Fargo office in Denver and we will be moving around the beginning of December.

Eden is coming for Thanksgiving as well as Nate's brother, Jared and his family. At this point we have no more sleeping places to offer, but if anybody wants to make the trip and stay in a motel, we'd be happy to have more people over for dinner and talk.

Random pics

Not in any great order--some pics from our trip to NY/CT.




St. John the Divine. Dad's favorite in NYC. This was our destination when we got caught in the storm that they think may have included a tornado touching down in Queens.



We were damp during the play but still enjoyed it.


Rockefeller Center


Grand Central Station with the Chrysler Building behind it.


Rockefeller Center

St. Pat's

Apple Store on 5th Avenue, just below the park.




I love the Tiffany windows and fountain--and many, many, many other parts of the Metropolitan.



Some modern art--we don't spend too much time with that but these were across from the impressionists.



World's biggest dairy store. This was near Darien, CT where we stayed with Steve and Tammy Potter. Dad loves stuff like this.




It doesn't capture it but it was HEAVY rain. The gutters flooded and spilled onto the sidewalk. Sheets of rain came down the sidewalk.
In the Park.





Bad news for our purple robe locust tree. Before our trip, we had a really windy night and in the morning, this is what we found. We had been trying to treat the tree for bore worms and it looked fairly healthy this year but the trunk was riddled and weak. Too bad.

Dad, I'm just curious.....

Do you remember the time you were anticipating ribs for lunch but got Adam's peanut butter sandwich instead?

Nate and I still chuckle at that story.

The Best Football Defense Ever

Joseph August Anderson—probably May-June 1891

wi [sic] held a Meeting on the 28th at Harmon Mattson Munkbo Norberke [maybe somewhere in either Munkbogatan or Norberg, Sweden or ] su. I spoke the hole [sic] time and treated on the Gospell [sic] of the Kingdom matthew 24 Chapt. and showed up to them that those sions [sic] of the times that the Savior told his desiples [sic] should preside [sic] his siecond [sic] comming [sic] or [are?] the Sions [sic] of the Times as [?} being fullfilled [sic] Right-along when wi [sic] Consider the Conditions of the nation of the Earth. and explained the first principles of the Gospell as plain as I culd [sic]. a Good spirit prevaled [sic] and those present where [sic] wery [sic] atentive [sic] and I felt well I was led by the spirit of God in mi [sic] remarks. after meeting was out did I sell good many trakts [sic]. I was promised to hold another Meeting there some other time. the same evening was a sacramented Meeting held at br C. Jansons house with those that belongd [sic] to the Church and we hade [sic] a good time together. I spoke upon the dutis [sic] of the saints and about the law of Tithing and of the word of wisdom br Nymon and Janson and three of his family bore their testamony [sic] to the Gospell about 6 o. Clock that same Evening was a daugther [sic] of C. Janson baptized she was 12 years old I baptized her and Confermed [sic] her also the 29th tock [sic] live [sic] of the saints and started back towards Solvarbo [maybe Solvarbo, Säter Municipality, 23.7 km (14.73 miles) northwest of Munkbogatan or 51.8 km (32.19 miles) northwest of Norberg]. in a plase [sic] called Morgerden Iron Works a Shoemaker by name of C.J. Blomquist came and stoped [sic] us hi [sic] wanted information regarding the Gospell [sic] and wi [sic] spoke to him for about an our [sic] and a half. hi [sic] Bought a good deal of books or tracks [sic] of us. hi [sic] has studied the Relions [sic] for many years. hi [sic] was interested to know about our Belif [sic] hi [sic] atended [sic] de [sic] Meeting held by us at Herman Mattsons plase [sic]. Munkbo wi pased [sic] Smedje backen on our way back wi [sic] tried hard to get to stop ofver [sic] night at many plases [sic] but wi [sic] failed in 11 at the 12 house we [sic] was alowed [sic] to stay and this was at Ostunds Bondhyltan Silvberg as wi [sic] called at Miller H.E. Dahlstroms house the Brethren use to stop there and holl [sic] Meetings but this time they could not take us in. but were promised to holl Meeting there in the future. it cost us 25 vee togather for the bed and the same day did wi [sic] try to get somthing [sic] to eate [sic] but could not get it at one house nither [sic] would they talke [sic] about the Gospell but we met with a Ladee [sic] in an other house and thise [sic] did wi [sic] get what wi [sic] wanted bor [sic] testamony [sic] to her about the Gospell. sold one track [sic] to her. At Busgorden at P. Hillstons Plase [sic] they Received us well and promised us to come there and holl [sic] meeting any time when wi [sic] would wiite arrived in Solvarbo the 30th saturday hade [sic] Two Meetings on Sunday in the hal [sic] at Solvarbo in the for noon there was mostly Saints and I spoke upon the duties of the members of the Church that it was nessesary [sic] to kip [sic] the Spirit of God in order that wi [sic] may retain the nolege [sic] that wi [sic] have received and Continue to receive more said that it was the Spiritt [sic] that gives nolege [sic] and if wi [sic] loose [sic] the Spirit of God and fall in sin and live [sic] this Church wi will then to a Great extent loose the nolege [sic] that wi [sic] once possesed [sic] admonished the Saints not to be dillatory [sic] concerning the work of God but be diligent to carry out His commandmens [sic] and live by the revelation becose [sic] that is the life of this Church. I felt much blessed and lead [sic] by the Spirit of God in the afternoon spoke about the first princip. of the Gospell [sic] and showed up the difference bitwin [sic] us and the Sickts [?] of to day. I was ledd [sic] by the Spirit of God. Monday morning the 1st of June Nyman and I took live [sic] of the saints in Solvarbo and went first to Sater [maybe Säter, 8.3 km (5.16 miles) southeast of Solvarbo] visited a Syster [sic] Anderson there she felt well in the Gospell and new [sic] that it was from God but her husband is not so faithfull [sic] as he shuld so she said.

from joseph august anderson's 2d mission—1891

[O]n the 22d did we anoint a sick woman that had been confined to bed for about a year and hundreds of crowns had been paid out for medicine but to no avail. She having faith in the Gospell [sic] but could not get out of the house in order to receive baptism was the cause of us administering the ordinance of healing to her. wi [sic] fasted and prayed all day and the Lord heard and answered our prayers to the efect [sic] that the woman went up directly and dressed and took in food. She got well as soon as wi [sic] were through. and wi [sic] felt thankfull [sic] to God for his kindness towards and the woman she will be baptized as soon as she can obtain strength in her body to go out to the river.

Talent Show Videos

a preview of what's to come:


the opener


mandita


our cousins from cowboy country (:

tanner

adam

naomi


merry girls


group song - we've got to take this show on the road, share it with the world


iris


andy

Blast from the Past

Andy's Song

Gracie's Haircut

Mom and Michelob

SO--Mom finally wins something (not that I intended to enter in the first place). Our Fresh Market (formerly Albertson's) grocery store regularly sells donation cards at the checkout. I usually buy a couple ("freely ye have received, freely give"). They were selling Make-A-Wish stars the other day and I bought a $25 one. They handed me 25 tickets and said I needed to put my name and number on them. I started and then asked why. They said there was going to be a drawing. I said that wasn't why I donated but I went ahead and filled them out. Dad had taken the groceries to the car and came back as I was finishing. We walked to the drop boxes and they had 3 prizes. A $25 gift card to Fresh Market, a camp stove, and the bike. Already having a camp stove and no longer camping, we randomly divided the tickets between the gift card and the bike boxes. As we walked out, I said, "We should have put them all in the $25 box. Maybe we would have gotten lucky." No big deal.

Two nights ago, Dad was checking phone messages before we fell asleep and we heard something about winning the bike. We deleted it and went in last evening and said we thought we won a prize in the "bike drawing" and it was--the bike. So, out of semi-guilt, I bought a couple more Make-a-Wish stars, and we took home a few groceries and the bike. A Michelob Ultra bike.

Dad and I have been talking about maybe buying bikes for the trail. We walk a lot and thought of changing things up a bit. We'll have Adam check the bike out and see if it's worth keeping for now. I'm thinking of a cruiser, myself :). Much better for back and shoulder.

See you all soon!!

Star Pitcher in Action

Good luck tonight, Spanky!!!

Eden, Faith, and Mose

Jimmy on Cinco De Mayo

Now you can watch whenever you want.

Can anybody spot me? I'm famous.

Commencement

(Graydon is thr good-looking one.)

The Big Moment (G's Graduation)

Graydon's Graduation