Oh Christmas Tree

Before it gets too late for it, I should probably put up pictures of my Christmas tree. I am NOT pleased with how they came out. The lighting in my living room is horrible, no matter what time of day. And, as great at my camera is, subjects in low-light never, never come out right. Hmm, sounds like a photogs mantra. Haha! And don't even get me started on retaking pictures. It's all I can do to NOT run out there with my tripod and retake. That's probably why the pictures are so belated in coming. I just can't bring myself to post them. I want to take different pictures, but it was a miracle to find the time to take even these ones. Maybe now that they are up, I'll give it one more shot (ha) and take some last chance ones before it comes down on Monday.

Does anyone have a goal of when the Christmas tree HAS to come down? I didn't used to have one, just within the first week (or two) of January. But once I had my daughter, January 5th, that changed. I didn't want Christmas running into her birthday. My birthday is at the end of January and I hated it when I would get presents wrapped in Christmas paper. Or a Christmas themed present; like peppermint candy cane soap on a rope. So I wanted to try and make a differentiation for her. I usually get it down by New Year's, but that ain't happening this year. Monday is back to school for the kids and that will be Tree Day. The day before her birthday is cutting it a bit close, but hey, at least it's down.

YouTube Tuesday: I don't like it

This has become a family joke. Even Jacqueline gets in on it when we're yukking it up! The kids love to take a bite of something good, screw up their face and go, "I don't like this!" *pause for effect* "I love it!" And Jacqui goes, "I don't like this!" *pause* "I don't like it!"or the opposite. I think it was 2 summers ago that this series of commercials came out on the Science Channel to promote Space Week. It also holds a place nearer and dearer to our hearts because the scientist is German as well. Dr. Otto Gessler, danke shon! :)




Another great adopted family line, "You got a button on your remote for dat? You don't. You gotta be on video two." May not always make sense, but it always elicits a laugh. Guffaw, at lease

11 years ago . .

I know, it's the same collage as last year. But all my pictures are not readily available and I just don't have the gumption to go dig them out. Another year. Wow. I remember when we were celebrating our first anniversary, pulling that sticky, frost burned top piece of wedding cake out and trying to take a bite. It didn't go so well. All for the sake of tradition, eh? 10 years after that anniversary, here I am in the States and Spencer is in Baghdad. It's not the first anniversary we've spent apart. The second, to be precise. Our 7th anniversary I was visiting my parents in Nebraska and he was in Cairo. Though I got to see him 5 days later when we returned. I'll see Spence Feb. 3rd. For two weeks. Then he returns to the salt mines, er, work for another 3 months before I am graced by his presence again. Then another 2 week visit and another 2 months and then, he's done in mid-July. Then we get shipped off to Bahrain!

I can definitely say that we have kept the variety in our life. But I can't think of another person on this planet with whom I would rather adventure. Spencer and I have grown up together (in the adult sense) and I wouldn't change any of it. Yes, we were babies when we got married; I was one month short of 20 and he had just turned 22 five days before we were wed. We've learned, grown and matured alongside each other and I just hope we can keep it up for years to come! By my calculations, if we both live to 79 and 82 years respectively, we'll be able to celebrate 60 years married. And once we're gone from this worldly sphere? Eternity together. To steal a line from my parent's wedding vows, "Grow old along with me, the best is yet be."

Catching up

Isn't that a creative title? I have a lot of catching up to do. There are 4 picture folders on my computer that have a combined total of 276 pictures. And none of them have been posted. I know, I know, I'm slacking. Maybe it's the "holidaze" of having all 4 kids home; or apathy or just a general "who cares" feeling. I seem to have been kept in line by my drive to keep the 'YouTube Tuesday' tradition alive, though why does everything always have to happen the same day. Always. Today is YouTube Tuesday, also the day I have about a zillion things to write about and my 11th wedding anniversary. What to do? Hmmm. Well, I may just write like a machine and pump out everything bouncing around in my head. I won't post it all today. (that wouldn't be any fun) We'll be treated to a blog post a day. But here's an overview of things to come:

-- My Christmas Tree: Oh so wonderfully decorated and anticipated, yet I never put up a pic. Will happen.
-- The kids Christmas program
-- Grant's tooth pulling
-- My brother, Matt, visiting
-- Christmas Eve & Christmas
-- A sleigh ride (that turned into a wagon ride) at the National Elk Refuge.
-- An untold spoiler story about 'How Not to Tell Someone the Ending of a Movie"

And pictures to do them all justice. Stay tuned, regularly scheduled posting will be coming shortly. I promise. To whet the appetite, a picture of the kids in their full snow gear.

A very Merry Christmas

We had a very Merry Christmas here in Rexburg. The night before held the traditional matching jammies.


If you'll notice, Grant is missing. This is what he was doing. He put himself in timeout. He did not like the jammies.

We said everyone gets to open one present on Christmas Eve. He thought that meant ANY present of his choosing. Nay no burrito. Present opening begins from youngest to oldest, so Jacqui opened her's and when Grant saw that she pulled out jammies, he flipped out, went ballistic. "I don't want jammies! I don't like penguins!" One of those moments when you are truly proud to be a parent. Though he did come around tonight, 24 hours after the moment. He came to me, "Mommy, I'm ready to wear my penguin jammies." Wonderful, dude.

Here is the traditional Christmas morning hall mug shot, I mean, line up of youngest to oldest. All in all, a very memorable and to-be cherished Christmas.

YouTube Tuesday: Fa-la-la-la-la

Now, this may be controversial in the pop culture sense. Some people either love Fred or hate him. I'm not really either way. His videos are in no way aimed at my demographic. But I compare him to the proverbial train wreck; you don't want to watch, but you just can't look away. And a nice window into the world of my kids and younger siblings. My brother, for example, can't stand Fred. My other sisters love him. My girls saw that I was posting about him today and screamed, "Hey, it's Fred! He was on iCarly!" Great. That's how I found out about him; a Nickelodeon rerun of him on iCarly, another insidious tweenie pop culture icon. I figured I'd better educate myself about something my girls are obviously nuts over. That was the reason I first watched 'High School Musical'. To decide if they were allowed to watch it. I'm a neutral party. I agree that his songs have an insidious way creeping into the subconscious and that scream? *eek* But here's his Christmas contribution.




I'm thinking Fred has the right idea. I'm not saying he's right, but a new point of view is always welcome and a constructive way to change someone's mode of thinking, whether it be a productive road or a rut. And, I think I'm giving way too much credit for what this video really is; a waste of time that somehow made money. Another "gee-I-think-I'm-old" moment? I saw him in another video and said, "Aw, he's a cute kid!"

Props & Plugs

I know, this is an easy cop out. I am driven to such distraction, I can't get my own thoughts out right. Getting ready this morning, I just about sprayed myself down with hairspray instead of the perfume bottle. Yes, I put on perfume every day. Bath & Body Works White Citrus to be exact. It's nothing classic like what my Mom wears (which I can't remember right now because I'm just frazzled) but it works for me. I think scent is a very strong memory maker. I can catch the scent of what my mom wears and immediately think of her. We go to her house or she comes to mine, and the scent is what lingers the longest. (do you have to let it linger? yes, yes I do) When I was 12, I got to have a summer visit with my grandparents, all by myself. I was there for 6 weeks or so and when I got back, I put a shirt of mine in a plastic garment bag because I didn't want the smell of grandma's to go away. I have a couple of scents that I wear, but I didn't think my kids noticed until Eliza was about 5. She was helping me pick clothes up and put them in the laundry basket and she lifted my church blouse to her nose and breathed in deeply.

"Ahhhh, it smells like you, Mommy!"

Now, that's not the only reason I wear perfume. I'll go for months without wearing any certain kind, but when I find a scent I like, I stick with it. It also makes me feel pretty, oh so pretty, even when I'm not. Little Black Dress by Avon was a first favorite. Golden Pearls by Avon has also stuck around for a while. I only recently discovered the perfume scents by Bath & Body Works and I love them! White Citrus is just my style; Butterfly Kisses by B&BW works too. I'll take another post to plug their alluring scents, but, as stated earlier, my brain is fried.

To thread one topic into another relation, Cairo is another place full of memory-rific smells. Not always pleasant, but definitely embedded in memories. My friend, Simmone, lives in Cairo with her husband Dan. She is one chick that is full of energy for life. This video is one of her recent projects. Careful, it's a catchy tune. But not in the annoying sense like earlier this week.



**i hope i didn't need a copyright waiver or something. oh well, simmy loves me anyways.**

A Change of Plans

If my life could be defined in 5 words, those would be it. "A change of plans". But really, isn't that what life is; a continuous revision of plan upon plan? Nobody ever says, "I'm doing today exactly what I said I'd be doing 5 years ago." Never. Ever.

I'm finding it hard to even compose a cohesive paragraph. I so want write a better post and give this new news justice, but my brain power is failing. And let's face it, Christmas is 8 days away, so that means I don't have any presents wrapped, my laundry is lurking in the basement planning mutiny, and I'm just not clever enough to balance it all.

Without further ado, our change of plans is just that, a change of plans. Turns out we're not really going to Amman, Jordan. We are going to . . . . *drumroll*


Manama, Bahrain




Surprise! Now you know why that muppets song was stuck in my head. Great, now I get to listen to it in there for 3 years. Move over Roberta and Carlos, you have a new friend. Forecast for Manama December 17th, 2009: High 71F (21C) Low 62F (16F) Humidity 68% Chance of precipitation 20% (water equivalent of 0.05 in) Water equivalent? What the heck does that mean? What's the 'equivalent' of water? Powered potatoes? Oh well, I hear we may get a villa. Whoopee!

YouTube Tuesday: Manamana

I've had this song stuck in my head for the last week. Reasons why will be further explained tomorrow. Sorry, it's one of those 'earworm' songs; it just won't leave the subconscious no matter how hard you try to NOT think about it. You're welcome.






*p.s. is anyone using the christmas devotional at the side or should i erase it? just curious*

The Bends

I have hit the parental jackpot. I have all 4 children in school 3 days a week. The older ones go to school every day, but Jacqui has now joined the ranks of preschool. Alhamdu-allah! Sorry, I don't have a picture yet. Friday was her first day and she loved it! Though I would like to add that getting 4 children dressed, fed, lunch packed and out the door is not as easy as it looks. Especially when the two middle ones (7 & 5 yo) already act like teenagers when the morning comes. Both of them wrapped up in their blanket cocoons, wincing when I flip on the light. I have to physically pull the covers off and even still they are left shivering in the fetal position. Or like Mairyn this morning; flopped on her stomach, head under pillow, arms pinned under her torso, left knee pulled up to the ribs, the other leg splayed out and that little, pinchable bum sticking up in the air.

Getting out the door this morning was akin to herding chickens. Because from what I've heard, you can't herd chickens. One headed to the car, another still buttering toast, yet another deciding they needed a second potty break and Jacqueline standing beside me, clutching her lunchbox, asking me if it's time to go to her school. We made it through the slickery roads and once they unloaded, I pulled away from the school, and felt *weird*. Not like I missed them, but that the van was empty. I was having some separation anxiety from my littlest, I mean, she's only 3. Then I reminded myself of the next 6 hours of uninterrupted time I had, and I relaxed a bit. But the thing that doesn't add up, the factor that seems to bend the space time continuum, is that I have less time. How is this possible?

I Hit the gym and had a nice, hot shower by myself. Yes, I didn't have to reach out and help put a doll dress on or get a tissue or let the child get in, too.

**sidenote** And you know what met me when I pulled into my driveway? My next door neighbor, shoveling my snow. He looked up a bit sheepishly and said that he had hoped to get to this yesterday and was apologizing! For what? I thanked him profusely and then he said, "Well, just so you know, there are about 4 of us in the neighborhood that keep an eye on your driveway. So we'll get to it, we don't want to see you out here!" Aw gee, let me go grab a tissue! **end side note**

So I guess it's not a factor of not knowing what to do with myself, it's finding time to cram it all in. I think of something I need to do, then internally argue with myself how I couldn't do it today, and then, the light bulb flicks on and I go, "Oh yeah, I don't have any kids with me!" I may need to bend that continuum further to accommodate all of the ideas I have! Let me say it again, Alhamdulillah!!! Even if it may feel like swimming upstream, I have 19 1/2 hours a week of time to myself. Well, until this Friday when school lets out for the holidays. For 2 weeks. Poo. I'd almost forgotten, getting ahead of myself I guess. Then I will declare it again, as of January 4th, I will have 19 1/2 hours a week of time to myself. To quote Skippyjon Jones (yes, go to the link, it's a wonderful children's book series.): Yip Yipee Yippito!!

Rollin' Back Time

I know, it sound cliche, but this time of year is magical. It's full of memories and feelings that seem unreachable, indescribable; only felt. And that magic seems magnified by the bitter cold and piles of snow outside. I know that doesn't sound ideal and for some, a definite 'warm fuzzy' eraser. But for me, it brings back memories of my childhood. Good memories. Waking up in my second story room in the farmhouse in Minnesota and peering out the frosted glass to check the weather. Snow? I could already tell before I sat up; that bright glow seeping through the curtains, telling me it was a snowsuit day. But the dread of getting out of my warm bed and meeting the cold curtain of air almost makes me want to roll over for a few more minutes. Almost. I know that if I hurry, I can have a little time before the bus comes to dawdle in the snow. Make a snow angel along the quarter mile road leading from my house to the point where I meet the bus. Or snap ice-encrusted twigs off the little bush by the mailbox; marveling at the glassy casing and the delicate woody core.

Moving ahead a few years, we're still in Minnesota, but not on the farm. In the city, we live across the street from my elementary school. I am entrusted with walking my little sister to school. All the way across our yard, between the crossing guards and skirting the baseball diamond that is all visible from our front window. In the winter, the school floods an area of the soccer field, making an ice rink. If we bring our skates from home, we can ice skate during recess. There was a sort of shed that had benches to sit on and change from boots to skates. We all jostled each other, wanting to get out and make the most of our 20 minutes of freedom on the ice.

It's these memories that I hope to be able to impress upon my children; create lasting impressions on their little gray matter. In a way, I feel under a lot of pressure to make the most out of this "Year In Country". Living overseas, I have regrets about what my children don't experience. I know, stop shaking your heads. How can I have any regrets when we took afternoon drives around the Sphinx and Great Pyramids of Giza? But it's these parts of my childhood that I want my children to have as well that I know can't be duplicated. Ice skating, building snowmen, freezing their noses off while they wait for the bus or stampeding inside, peeling off frozen layers of clothing and having a hot cup of cocoa. I've come to grips with the fact that their memories are drastically different from mine. That's not a bad thing. I hope I'm making a great, memorable childhood for them. But I am secretly pleased that they do get to have a winter of freezing their tushies off. Grant has already come plowing inside; shedding soggy gloves and socks, in search of a cup of hot chocolate.

Eliza Climbs

Beginning the last week of October, Eliza took a Rock Climbing class once a week. It was a bit of a pain because it started at 7pm. But she's a big girl that doesn't go to bed with the babies. (Grant's words, not mine. And he doesn't consider himself a baby.) Anyway, this last Saturday, there was a Speed Climbing competition. They had a kid's category and Eliza entered. Lots and lots of people showed up; there was a category for each: mens, womens, teens, etc. We had a fun afternoon, Eliza loved it and she won a coupon for a free frozen yogurt in the raffle. Go Eliza!

YouTube Tuesday: Brain Candy

Here is posed the eternal question; when a few spare minutes are found, do you a) feed your brain with healthy, wholesome, enriching facts and information or b) gorge on brain candy? Well, there are many factors to consider when making this decision. What time of day is it? Past a certain hour of the evening, my brain will not retain (hee-hee) anything of worth. First thing in the morning, I feed my gray matter with the stuff of champions; Slate, NYTimes, Drudge, MSN, etc. (And even some of that is fluffy.) But there is a point that you reach and your brain just needs some "lighter stuff". Ah, cue the intro music . . . . . . . . oh, sorry, I couldn't find the rockin' guitar riffs that roll before the beginning of "THE SOUP"!! Yes, I guess you could count this as a dirty little secret #3, but I'm really not that ashamed of it and um, I think we can just chalk this one up as a "Gee Whiz Fact on Lydia". I love The Soup. But the fact that it's combined something else I wanted to talk about this week in the clip, well, we just hit the double clip dip!



So, about all these cartoons from my childhood being made into full length movies; I don't like it. We have seen the cartoon choices available to our children these days and it's pathetic. I will admit, SpongeBob is occasionally entertaining in a train wreck sort of way. But the artistry, content and overall presentation of Saturday morning or after school cartoons is awful. Whatever happened to a good theme song? (see last week's Y.T.T.) Or do they care if the characters look like something that crawled out from under crazy cat lady's back patio? My husband and I have not been delinquent parents. We have been "The Best" and bought all of our childhood favorites on DVD. Gummi Bears, Smurfs, Transformers, Dungeons & Dragons, Jem, etc. So what really bugs me is when my son talks about how he loves Transformers, adults either a) patronize him, nod their head in agreement and whisper behind their hand, "Sheesh, what ELSE do his parents let him watch." thinking he's referring to the movies or b) if Gummi Bears are mentioned, they think my kids are asking for candy. Oh people, it's not your fault you've been poorly educated. Here, enjoy these introductions.

Christmas Idea #5

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without watching your favorite seasonal movie. My favorite? It's a Wonderful Life. Classic. And hey, Jimmy Stewart. I don't know if many are aware of 'What a Wonderful Guy' Jimmy Stewart was. His on-screen self-effacing performances reflected much of the man off-screen. Did you know he was a decorated World War Two pilot? Before the war ended, he was one of only a few men to move from private to colonel in just 4 years. He continued in the Reserves until 1959; when he retired at the rank of Brigadier General. He did do some successful acting before the war; and so after a short break after the war, he went back to acting. But he would not let the studios publicise his wartime triumphs. He did not want to appear to be profiting from the war in any way, even though he was a hero.

'It's a Wonderful Life' was his first movie after the war. Released in 1946, it was Jimmy's final Capra production and his first on-screen kiss since before the war. That phone scene kiss with Donna Reed? One take. It went so well that part of the embrace had to be cut to make it past the censors. Too passionate. I say well done, you can kiss me anytime, Jimmy! ;) Of course he has many other non-christmas-y classics; Harvey, North by Northwest, Winchester, Vertigo, Rear Window, The Man who shot Liberty Valence. Well, I could go on and on, but we have to veer back in the direction of holiday movies. I just HAD to plug one of my favorite actors; Jimmy Stewart.

So take some time and pop in your favorite holiday movie, whatever it may be. For more ideas, here are some great Christmas classics.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (original 1964 version)
Elf (2003 with Will Ferrell and James Caan)
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Scrooged (1988 with Bill Murray)
Miracle on 34th Street (original 1947 version)
A Christmas Story (1983)

Christmas Idea #4

Ok, my computer is smarter than me. Not like that was any big revelation, but I can't get my little christmas tree picture up there to align to the left. So, it will sit stupidly up there in the middle of the page. Booger, I mean, Blogger; it's a love/hate relationship. Though I am going to try the 'write the post on windows and post it' thing. I've heard it's good.

Anyway, that's nothing related to a Christmas Idea. I would like to preface this idea by saying that just because I'm suggesting these activities does it mean that I have accomplished any of it. These ideas are just as much a push in the tush for me as anyone. If there is a completely formed plan for me, I'm more likely to do it. More likely. Not necessarily do it, but at least I thought about it. For the record, I have managed to put up the tree, get it half decorated and set out my Nativities. And pay some guys to hang my lights. The rest of the week has been spent cleaning up kid barf. But, we're all good now.

O-K! Christmas Idea #4:
Make a paper chain to count down to Christmas. Or till the party next week. Or till that present comes in the mail. Count down to Boxing day, or New Years; whatever floats your boat. You could take it one step further and glue a little 'thought of the day' inside. Or make the chain out of candies and have a sweet a day!

Advent Paper Chain -- printable templates
Christmas Advent Calendars -- Step by step instructions for different kinds of advent things.

I did it . .

I wore them. THE pearls. The pearls that I loved on the display rack & bought, but really didn't think I'd ever be brave enough to wear in public. I wore 'em. Last night was the Relief Society Christmas Dinner and it was "church dress". Well, I actually found out it was church dress after I showed up in my jeans and all the other ladies were clopping their way inside wearing heels and skirts. Crap. Fortunately, I was early because I had a Nativity that would be used as one of the dinner table centerpieces. And double fortunate because we live less than five minutes from the church. AND I had all four kids in tow. Triple fortunate because they had a nursery provided. Whew. I'm worn out. Can I go home yet? Anyway, as much as I wanted to run right back out the door, screaming, people actually complimented me on them! I didn't feel so self-conscious & insecure about wearing them as I thought. Thanks also to my sis that pre-approved the outfit via picture text. Don't you love technology?

Christmas Idea #3

Ok, I'm getting a little more carried away with these Christmas idea posts than I thought I would. And the previous post was long enough already without adding this length on the end. Geez, I'm posting more than I did for NaBloPoMo. What have I morphed into; some crazy blogging lady?? Not that there's anything wrong with that . . .

Christmas Idea #3:
Make cookies & treats early. Even if you don't feel like it. That way you feel like you've already accomplished something in the holiday season! And usually, if you've accomplished one thing, it snowballs into a bunch of other activities; feeding from the productive enthusiasm high of making treats! And if the temptation to eat every. single. treat. is too strong, just have one of each treat, stack them on a plate and take it to a neighbor. Or send them to work with the husband. That way you can be Superwoman. "Wow! You've already made holiday treats? You're amazing!" I know. I know. ;)

Here's some easy & quick recipes. I promise.

Lemon Curd --> seriously tasty and insanely easy. Dolloped on a Nilla wafer or sugar cookie. yum. For an added flourish, use the extra zest and sprinkle a little on top of the whole confection and it looks professional! Just follow my LINK FOR LEMON CURD. And this is the place where I found the ORIGINAL RECIPE. It has step by step pictures.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick --> This is not my creation, but it's dang good! And easy. Though I haven't made the homemade marshmallow (it looks a little time consuming. yes, i'm lazy) the fudge is super easy. Oh so yummy. And again, looks like it took forever, but didn't!

No fail sugar cookies (this makes a huge batch. though you can refrigerate the extra and have it on hand for cookie emergencies!)

Ingredients

• 6 cups flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract or desired flavoring
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together. Chill for 1 to 2 hours Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges. This recipe can make up to 5-dozen 3” cookies.

Second Dirty Little Secret

Dirty Little Secret #2: The Bump-It

Yes, I owned a set of Bump-Its. But, like my previous confession, it can be explained. In some odd pattern of events, I did use my own hard earned cash on this as well, but it's not what you think. Really! I'm standing in line at WalMart and I notice the Wall o' Sweets has been replaced by "As seen on TV" products. There was some Touch n Bond, What Odor? spray, Snuggies and the Bump-It. Out of sheer boredom beyond my control, I picked up a box and read the back. Spouting the exact crap that is on the T.V. commercial, it touted the 'volumizing effects' and 'stylish hair in seconds'. I can't say I wasn't mildly intrigued; who wouldn't want a low maintenance style with added body? My hair needs all the help it can get! It was $4.99, with just 3 heights. Compared to the $10 T.V. one that has like 6, I was willing to try this over ordering. I tucked it into my cart and put it on the checkout counter under a package of children's socks.

When I got home, I went to work experimenting with this so-called 'wonder product'. I tried all three levels and the only one I didn't feel completely ridiculous in was the teeny mini comb. And with the volume it provided, I could accomplish the same effect with some intense back combing and mousse. And it's not a fast fix, either. You have to back comb, spray, wait to dry, then anchor it, arrange the hair, spray again, ugh. They are uncomfortable and feel like they're going to fall off. I did a pony tail with one in it, and I felt mildly at ease with it in. And I tried the up sweep twist; it looked great, but both times I felt like I had a baby porcupine living on the crown of my head. If I was a reviewer, I'd give it 4 thumbs down. (if I had that many thumbs.)

On that same thread, Mairyn walked in on me whilst I was trying them out. I felt like I'd been caught doing something naughty, and quickly shoved the hairpieces in a drawer.

"What are you doing, Mommy?"
"Nothing, sweetie, just fixing my hair."

She scanned the bathroom, looking for some evidence of misdeeds taking place. I wasn't as sneaky as I thought. The box was teetering on top of a full trash bin, in plain sight.

"Mommy!!" she exclaimed excitedly, "You got Bump-Its!!"
"Ummm, yes?" I said, a bit confused.
"Just like on T.V.! Cool!" she gushed.

Well, I learned two things that afternoon. One, don't try to hide anything from Mairyn, she will find out. And two, she has seen waaay too many commercials. She quizzed me down until I guiltily pulled the pieces out of the drawer. She wanted to know when I would wear them and if she could try them, too! Never and heck, no. She'd look like some overdone kiddie pageant queen. Well, I fibbed a little, I did wear it out in public. Once. It was a humid, sweaty day and my hair was doing nothing except flop flat. I pulled that brown, prickly thing out of hiding from the back of the drawer and put it at the crown of my ponytail. And who should walk in right when I'm placing on my crown of glory? Yep, Mairyn.

"Ooooh, you're wearing the Bump-It!!" she crows.

Yes, I'm wearing the Bump-it. While we're at the family function, Mairyn whispers in my ear, "Can I tell everyone that you're wearing the Bump-It?" No. N-O. No freakin' way. It's my dirty little secret. **p.s.** I have never worn it since nor will I again. Unless it can resurrect itself from the garbage, it ain't coming back.

Postdate

Ok, so I've made a crude little blurb on the sidebar. Right there --> It has a complete evening Christmas moment. Each scripture, carol and story is hotlinked. Just click and it will take you to where you can read it! Hope this helps make things easier!

Dirty Little Secret

We all have one. Or two. A dirty little secret. Some we care to share, others we like to keep in the deep dark corners of our room. I'm willing to admit to two today just because of the stigma attached to them and how hilarious I think they are!

Dirty Little Secret #1: The Snuggie

I admit it. I OWN a Snuggie. I'm not proud of it, but I do have one in my possesion. In my opinion, they are dumb. A backwards robe; just take your bathrobe, turn it around and put it on. Everyone has a snuggie. But mine is an officially licensed namebrand bona-fide real one. How did I get it? Was it gifted? Nope, I spent my own money on it. Why? Because I didn't know what I was buying. At the end of October, we went down to Provo for a weekend. We also went to a BYU football game. (one of only two games they lost this season) At the game, I saw this great poncho; it had sturdy duckcloth on the exterior, a nice embroidered BYU logo on the front, a hood and on the inside; warm, snuggly goodness. It was lined with polar fleece that had BYU logos on it. Perfect for any Cougar fan! They told me where they bought it and my memory remembered 'WalMart'. So we swung by WalMart and I searched high and low for that darn poncho. They were cleaned out of a lot of BYU merchandise. I flagged down an employee and she said, "Oh yeah, it's at the front of the store on an end cap." Perfect. I grabbed the box, threw it in the cart, checked out and ran to the car. We got home and I'm unpacking our loot. (we hit Ikea that weekend too) I open up the supposed poncho box and I pull out a Snuggie. What?? Yes, a college football themed Snuggie. Apparently you can buy them for just about any sports team. I thought I might as well try it since I'm stuck with it. Yes, it does keep you toasty, but my back gets cold. Especially the back of my neck. And those commercials where the fans are wearing a Snuggie then leaping to their feet to cheer on that homerun? Completely impossible. I tried a one person wave on my couch and you just get colder. And I tried turning it around and it doesn't meet evenly in the middle. What's the point? Just put on your robe and quit complaining, people. Oh, and I was mistaken about where the poncho was bought; not WalMart, Costco. Ahhh, that explains a lot.

Dirty Little Secret #2:

Um, let me interrupt. This post has gone on a bit longer than I intended. I won't air all of my dirty secrets today. Besides, I haven't given my Christmas Idea #2 yet.

Christmas Idea #2: Evening Devotional
Have a nightly Christmas themed devotional. A song & poem or story. I am lucky enough to have a book with a scripture, carol and story for each night leading up to Christmas. But here are some great sites that have all of the aforementioned topics available. Last night, the kids and I sang Angels we have heard on High and read the story "The Littlest Angel". If anyone is interested, I can email you the current devotional. Wait, I just had an idea. I'll try and make a sidebar "thing" with the day's scripture, carol & story. We'll see how it works out.

All Things Christmas

North Pole.com

Apples 4 the Teacher

YouTube Tuesday: Are you Sure?

Ah, commercials from the 80's. Much like full length songs of the era, those jingles were power ballads. For once, people belted from the rooftops their love of deoderant or soap. Why aren't commercials like this anymore? I guess it's just not cool.

The First Day of December

Wow, where did the year go? Really, I was just here, December 1, 2008. Except it's 2009. A lot has changed, but at the same time, not much either. I am not in Cairo, but am without husband. Last year he was gone, too. But I'm fine with that. We keep in contact every day; talking at least once daily and emailing everything.

I do miss not having my husband around the house, but I also miss the "Man Around the House" aspect of it, too. Like wrestling with the Christmas tree yesterday. I bought a new, fake, pre-lit behemoth. I love it. 7.5 feet tall. (2.3 meters) But it's heavy and unwieldy. It would have been a lot easier with some help. I already solved the "Christmas Lights on the House" dilemma. I paid someone to do it. 6.5 hours later, I have a lighted house.

Or hauling out the Christmas boxes, bulging with decorations. I did it. It just took me longer. But I feel like the house is holiday-ready. Green pine scented candles are scattered around the main living area and I have all my nativities set up. I'll probably rearrange them a few more times, but that's what they're for! The kids are making present lists and delivering them to my office, complete with illustrations. My sister and her husband visited at the beginning of November and Uncle Chris asked Mairyn what she wanted for Christmas. Her response? Egypt. Hmmm, I don't know how to package that up, sweetie. She has since rearranged her priorities and already has 9 items on the Santa list. You want to see it? I think it's hilarious.

For Santa
What I want for x-mas. (yes, she wrote x-mas)

1. A snuggie.
2. A Pillow pet. (dolphin shaped, i think, b/c there's a dolphin drawn next to it)
3. All of the doll's like this. (and there's a nondescript 'doll' drawn)
4. A pair of roller blades.
5. A pack of animals.
6. A sticky frog, red.
7. A toy of Troy and Gabriella (with troy & gabriella drawings)
8. A toy of an ayd kid ( i'm thinking a first aid kit?)
9. A glow dome

Alright, kid, we'll see what Santa can do. The kids do miss Spencer, but they are handling it pretty well. They get to talk to him occasionally. He gets off work about mid-morning our time, so they're at school when he calls. Sundays are our reconnect days, they get to talk to him. Saturdays sometimes, but they can be busy days, too.

I am going to try and post a Christmas idea every day until said holiday. First holiday idea? Plan to do the 12 days of Christmas for someone, anonymously. Now, I know there are different ways of doing it. The original 12 days of Christmas actually begin on Christmas and continue until January 5th. Is it called Epiphany? I don't know, I'm not Catholic. But the Americanized 12 days of Christmas begins December 14th and continues until Christmas. For me, that usually means 12 anonymous gifts to a person(s). Keeping it with one person usually makes it quite fun and full of mystery for the receiving end. But start thinking about it now. Usually I realize that, "Oh, today is the first of the 12 days of Christmas, crap!" and hurriedly whip something together. Take time, put thought into it, and I know you'll feel like you received more!

Finally

Well, here we are, the last day of NaBloPoMo. I feel like I should write something profound or riveting, like my life has found serious purpose because of this challenge. Not that it has, that just sounds like something that should have happened! Or that I want to blog every day now that I've done it for a month. No, actually the opposite reaction has happened. Though the thought of not blogging makes me feel like I'm slacking and I should post something!

Truth be told, I have learned from this month of daily publishing that I have more ideas than I thought I did. I have at least 6 nuggets of blogging gold in my notebook, waiting their turn to be melted down and turned into a charm on my posting necklace. (eh, how's that for analogy?) More often than not, I was met with the evening panic of, "Eeek! What the heck am I going to post about tomorrow?" I always had back-up ideas, it's just I didn't always have the time to compose. I felt like I'd be wasting that idea if I just threw it out there for the sake of posting it. I wanted to spend time with it, feel it out and create it. I just wish I had a computer that could translate my thoughts as fast as I think them!

Now, another question I have for myself. What did I hope to accomplish by participating? I think I wanted to complete the challenge. I wanted to see if I could do it. And I also hoped that I would have more ideas and that I could hone my writing skills a bit. Practice makes perfect, even in writing. Even if I didn't compose my magnum opus this month, I learned some things about my writing. If I really like the topic, the ideas just flow. Alternatively, I can be just as passionate about an idea and be completely stumped when it comes down to conveying my message.

All in all, it was very therapeutic for me. I ignored the taunts and jeers when I mentioned that such and such would make for great blogging fodder. I think I've been surrounded by blogger haters most of the time and I thought there was a stigma attached to the practice. I'm also not one to follow the crowd; if everyone is blogging, well I'm not going to. Just because I'm facetious that way. I'm glad that I did resurrect this blog and have kept on posting. What I have appreciated is all the support from my bloggy friends! Comments make my day! And since I've had such a positive experience, I will be posting more regularly. I am a little more "okay" with posting something that isn't exactly perfect. Thank you NaBloPoMo! Even if I don't get a prize!

**Tomorrow is still YouTube Tuesday!!**

Traveling: Part Deux

Where did I leave off? Oh yes, Grant and his nice 'present' to me. Well, we hopped back in the car and continued on down the windy road. Gina the GPS kept us informed that we would be arriving in Boise at 5:15 pm. As we neared Nampa, I all I felt was hungry. I asked Gina to find me an Olive Garden. Lo and behold, there was one 2.5 miles from the next off-ramp. My sister and I pow-wowed and decided that if we still fell the need for speed, we would just skip Boise and continue on to Rexburg. After all, Gina said we would arrive at 11:34 pm.

We had a lovely, filling dinner and exited the restaurant to a steady rain. Hmmmm, not ideal, but we still wanted to sleep in our own beds that night. Baby Taylor was crying, but she always calms down once the car starts moving. She doesn't like it when the car stops! Well, Baby Taylor did not stop screaming and I had hit a wall. Being on the road for 12 hours was enough. We pulled off and found the Auntie's house and crashed.

I set my alarms for 5 am, just wanting to plow home and be done. I laid in bed until 5:45 am when Baby Taylor started her alarm. I piled the kids into the car and we were back on the road by 6:45 am. 40 miles down the freeway, an interesting sight loomed ahead of us. It looked like a sandstorm wall cloud, except it was black and not sandy. Steady drizzle followed us all the way to Pocatello. *sneer* And, I think the stretch between Boise and Pocatello could be on par with I-80 that runs along Southern Wyoming as the most boring piece of scenery that ever was. It also doesn't help that I had a snoozing co-pilot and zoned out kids. Not much for conversation.

We reached Rexburg by 11:10 am and beat Gina's prediction of arriving by 11:30 am. Yes, my whole purpose in life is to beat arbitrary time limits set by a mini-computer on my dashboard. The rest of Saturday was spent unloading (a little) and then taking my sister to Idaho Falls for some shopping she needed to accomplish. Baby Taylor managed to poop through 2 outfits during the outing. And we had to cajole and sweet-talk the eye doctor at Sams Club to give Katelyn one contact. See, she forgot her glasses in Montana and last night, she somehow missed the mark and her left contact did not make it to the case. So she was a cyclops all day, trying to figure out how she would make the drive home to Montana today. We waltzed up to the Vision counter, baby visibly bundled in arms and looking very cute. We explained the dilemma and, after much persistence and cute baby showcasing, they forked over one contact. Whew, mission accomplished, time to head back home, crash into bed and get up in the morning and do it all over again. Except not for me. Only Katelyn. Sorry, sis. But she only has 4 hours to go. I'm glad we did it, but I'm glad it's done!

Traveling

*sigh* I'm pooped. We arrived, finally, at home today. Friday morning at 5:30 am, my alarm boing-ed off (yes, it makes a *boing* sound) and signaled the beginning of a long journey. Though nothing compares to traveling internationally; it was still arduous. I had the kids, bags, my sister & her 7 week old packed in the car and headed down the road by 6:30 am. It was cold, drizzly and the weather was not happy I was driving. Mounting the passes by Crater Lake, there was already 6 feet of snow on the ground. Creeping along at speeds between 35 and 50 miles an hour, it took us almost 3 hours to reach our first pit stop of Bend. The clouds had thankfully parted while we ran in and out of WalMart & the gas station, to feed both the hungry humans and the car.

Once we were back on the road, the clouds decided that they were sad we had left Bend, and started crying. It cried all the way to Burns. We were able to up the speed since there wasn't any snow & ice, but still not fun driving in spats of rain. Potty stop in Burns and then we piled back in the car. Literally, 5 minutes down the road and Grant proclaims,

"I've gotta go to the bathroom!!"

Crap. Little did I know, that would soon be literal. We pulled over into a small turnout and I took Grant around to the side of the van. Since it's a van, we only have one door to open and act as his "stall". He kind of shuffled his feet, with his little red sweatpants around his ankles, and tried to attempt the roadside relief effort. He was not being successful, so I offered to hold him on my arms and let him sit, like a toilet and I would look away. As I am squatting in the gravel with my 5 year old slung between my arm and him clinging to my neck for dear life, a truck pulls up behind us. Crap again. She was peering over her steering wheel, assessing the situation, trying to figure out if we needed help. (it was pretty unpopulated out there) In her defense, I was next to the front tire. She soon realized we needed some privacy and pulled back out onto the road. I told Grant to just ignore her and get this DONE! (it had started to sprinkle rain again) I was thinking he had #1 to accomplish; noooo, a nice fragrant #2 was deposited at Mommy's feet. Double crap. Fortunately, we were traveling with an infant and we used a diaper to scoop up our "present" and be on our merry way. (I couldn't leave that desert blossom on the side of the road; wipes, tissue and all.)

Tune in for part 2 of our merry trip tomorrow! I'm going to bed, but darn it if I'm going to skip blogging!!

Thanksgiving!

We had a great Thanksgiving get together! Now it's time to start the 8 hour drive to Boise, then another 5 hours over to Rexburg on Saturday. Fun fun fun. It has been a wonderful visit, but I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. No matter how great the hotel bed may be (there have been one or two) it's still not the same as my own beddy.

I am so thankful for a car that works without worries.
-- family that I care about and that I like to visit!
-- our health. Because with 4 little kiddos, the germs could be rampant!
-- beautiful weather! Fog every morning, burning off by quarter to noon.
-- lush, green nature walks on the mountain.
-- and friends that read my blog!! Even slogging through the boring posts with me! ;)

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

More visits

Sorry, today isn't going to be very literary. More of a square filler day . . blech. I don't like to post them, but hey, I'm almost done with this darn challenge. I WILL beat you, NaBloPoMo!! We went and visited the kid's other great-grandparent. I counted it up, and my kids have all four of their grandparents and six of their great-grandparents. That's pretty impressive! I think it's because Spencer & I are the oldest in both of our families. The senior kids in the family get that sort of advantage! ;) And at this point in our life and theirs, every visit is precious.

And a sneak peek at tomorrow's yummies?

Cravings

I have been having withdrawals for the last 7 years. That's how long it's been since I've had anything from Butte Creek Mill. This mill was built and began operation in 1872. On the banks of Butte Creek, pioneers erected a central mill where farmers brought their grain to be made into flour, cereal and cornmeal. And the stone has been grinding along in Eagle Point ever since. I grew up with their buckwheat pancakes and steel cut oats wherever my family lived. My grandmother would send my mom the mixes monthly. Those pancakes slathered with applesauce, steaming in a lovely pile on my plate; best foodie childhood memory, hands down. My sister and I ventured to the Mill and were catapulted back in time. Pushing opening the squeaky spring-loaded door, warm drafts of cinnamon enveloped us with open arms, welcoming us home. The black wood-burning potbellied stove crackled in the corner with a pan of spiced apples bubbling away on top. The amount of goodies had grown over the years. Rough hewn shelves groaned under their burdens of cracked wheat and cornmeal. Sacks of oatmeal, spelt flour and soup mixes lay in orderly rows while jars of spices sat behind the century old plank board counter. We both loaded our arm baskets with an assortment of goodies; hoping it's enough to tide us over. For how long? Definitely not 7 years.

Baby Taylor update

Who's ready for Turkey day?

I thought I'd throw up a couple of pictures of baby Taylor and let you see how big she's growing. Since Katelyn is a pretty busy mama, I'm doing some double duty blogging for her to keep the extended family loaded with their new baby picture fix! Enjoy.

Yep, nothin' like some bath time with mama.

And the oh so elusive smile. We caught a good one!

Who's taking my picture? Put your head down, baby. You're too tiny to do that!! (she's six weeks old)

Making Memories

I'm so thankful to have grandparents that can still take kids 'on adventure' like when I was a kid. We found some huge sugar pine cones up on the mountain yesterday. And we get to take these babies home! Just in time for Christmas.

Mairyn & her great-grandpa on the back porch

Zip begging for scraps and Jacqueline being the willing enabler

And finishing the day by making hot chocolate and homemade whipped cream with Great-grandma. Yum.

Long time gone . . .

It has been 7 years since I've been in Southern Oregon. I am ashamed it has been so long. I love this area. We stopped about 25 minutes away from Grandma & Grandpa's house to take a roadside potty break (Mairyn couldn't hold it ANY LONGER!) When I opened the car door, the fresh smell of wet pine and earth came flooding in and I was almost in tears. Oregon, my Oregon, I am home. Having always had a very mobile life (Dad, 20 years in the Air Force) we moved a lot. The saying goes, "Home is where your household goods are delivered", and my Mom did a wonderful job of creating an oasis in the middle of whatever state we moved to. But when we would go to Grandma & Grandpa's, we went HOME. H-O-M-E, home. Familiar places, food and faces were around every corner. We would spend every summer in Southern Oregon. Going to the dairy to buy squeaky cheese (cheese curds), visiting the Jacksonville Children's museum, picking blackberries; I could go on and on. I am practically giddy with warm fuzzies! It rained our first night, and in the morning, with the mist slowly rising out of the valley and the sun peeking through the pines, the Rogue River flowing along, I could hardly stand it. I am home!

When you give a girl a camera . .

This is what she does . . .





Pretty productive for spending 14 hours in the car! We all made it safely to Oregon!

Chinese Water Torture

According to Wikipedia Chinese Water Torture is not as awful as everyone says it is. Actually, the Chinese never even used it. The phrase may have come from Harry Houdini's Chinese Water Torture Cell; a feat he created for an act in Berlin. Mythbusters investigated the "torture" itself, not the origins of the title, and found it was plausible for a person to be driven insane, but not definitive. No one was willing to be driven insane.

The misnomer of Chinese Water Torture; something probably not that bad, but nobody is willing to try. Sounds like Jacqui's opinion of everyday ordinary grooming habits. Jacqueline is opposed to anything that has to do with trimming her nails, washing her hair, combing or fixing said hair or washing any part of her body that needs it. Cute little pigtails are positioned on either side of those kissable ears and *yank* "No, I no like dem." Ooookay.

We can usually avoid the nail clipping encounters for about 2 weeks at a time. Sometimes, I can surreptitiously peel a pinkie fingernail off without her noticing while we read a book. But it always comes down to the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. You'd think I was pulling the nails out instead of just trimming them so she wouldn't have to register those daggers as concealed weapons.


An Unexpected Client Comes for a Manicure - Watch more funny videos here


I really can't wait for her to be out of this stage. Her hair hanging in her face, catching any debris that doesn't make it to her mouth. I do keep it short, but it doesn't solve everything. Seriously, would I want to have to explain this in 15 years.

"Why Mom, why did you make me look like Scout?" I don't even have the excuse of "It was popular then."

So until Jacqui decides to cooperate on the grooming front, please don't mistake my little girl for some abandoned orphan. Or an extra from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. Thank you.

Recessionista Rocks

My sister and I went to a party last night. Funny story. So my sister follows this blog called Make it and Love it. The lady that writes the blog was hosting a Recessionista party. They sell shoes, jewelry, purses, some clothing; all for way low prices. Recessionista is to shoes & purses like Pampered Chef is to kitchen gadgets.

Back to the story, she's very excited about the party and decides to come to the 'Burg a day early just so we can go. I looked up the address; 5 minutes (if that) from my house. Also, Spencer's cousin is the gal that runs this Recessionista chapter. Way too small of a world. Katelyn is in awe. (you know them?) It's hard NOT to know any of Spencer's 437 cousins. Well, probably not that many, but he's got a ton. At least 50. I am not joking; on any level whatsoever.



So here's a pic of the loot I got. I wasn't so sure about any of it; I like some of the chunky stuff, but I'm not sure if I can pull it off. But I have a black dress and I just know that those pearls would look great at a Christmas party. (like I have a christmas party to go to) And the feathers & junk in my hair is a headband. Yeah, I look like a peacock. But a peacock that wears pearls and got it all for super super cheap.

Quaint

I find the Eastern Idaho AM traffic report wildly hilarious. Reporting the traffic includes everything from Yellowstone, Jackson, Rexburg, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Twin Falls. Seriously. If you don't know, that's a north to south span of about 6 hours drive and a parallel distance of 3 hours. I can't fathom the speedster that needs the traffic report of 8am leaving West Yellowstone because he's got work in Twin Falls. Well, someone could do that, but even so, I don't think the traffic stop on 17th in Idaho Falls is still going to be relevant in 3 hours.

I just laugh because every day the report is "Traffic in Eastern Idaho is moving smoothly". A whole section of a state! This morning a traffic violation stop was reported in Idaho Falls, a fender bender in Pocatello and ice in the mountains.

"People in Rexburg, you'll want to watch out for the fender bender in Pocatello. Maybe leave a few minutes early for work because uh, traffic could get backed up 80 miles. There's a look at our traffic and weather for this morning."

Though they overlooked an accident on the main highway between Rexburg & Idaho Falls this morning. Saw the cop cars & fire truck, too. Nothing. I'm not saying it's not reliable, I'm just saying . . . . uh, yeah, it's not reliable.

Now, the traffic reports in D.C., those are nothing to laugh at. Though comparing Idaho to D.C. traffic, it is laughable. Cairo traffic is even worse than D.C., but they didn't have traffic reports for Cairo, or at least ones that I could understand. What are they going to say?

"This morning, Ahmed left his donkey in the middle of the road while he went upstairs to have tea with his brother-in-law. Traffic slowed to a crawl around his cart and then picked up for a block. Then Sherif decided he needed to turn left when he's in the far right hand lane. Picking his way across 5 lanes of traffic, he finally succeeded, but clogged traffic all the way back to Ahmed's cart. And we're back where we started."

*for emily! to see cairo traffic*

Anyway, just something that made me laugh this morning.



NaBloPoMo update:
**seriously, i am barely hanging in here, people. i'll say it again, i'm all about quality, not quantity. i'm a perfectionist. and really, why did they have to pick november? why not september or march? the months where a major holiday doesn't occur? couldn't they see that june was lonely? i'm trying my best to get things in order, write blog posts and pack. visiting grandparents that don't have access to the internet could pose a problem for me. but don't worry, i'm determined**

A love affair

Books and me; we've always been bosom buddies. The printed word in any form; magazines, books, newspapers or billboards. I adore them. That's how my mom figured out I needed glasses. I quit reading all the advertisements and billboards. I'm sure it was a bittersweet moment.

I was always impatient at school. Meaning, when the teacher read a book, chapter by agonizing chapter, only one a day, it was torture. I got fed up and would go check the book out from the library, finish reading it that afternoon, and then be at peace for the rest of the month while she read it to the drooling masses. I was perplexed as to how they could just be satisfied with that one measly chapter a day.

And magazines, oh my magazines. Well, not mine, my parent's when I was a kid. National Geographic, Reader's Digest, Highlights, Ranger Rick, The Friend; I could go on and on. That was one of the first things that made me feel 'grown up'; when I got my first magazine subscription to my own place. My address there in the white box. But magazines were my enemy a bit. I still don't understand why the November issue comes out halfway through October. (for some magazines) Other mags would come the first week of the month, but I would have to pace myself or be doomed to remaining new magazine-less for the other 3 weeks of the month. "Okay, only Highlights this week. Then National Geographic next week." And it would be like Christmas, waiting to peel open the cover and see if they really had discovered another Mayan ruin.

And that's how we come to the digital world. I read a lot online. A lot. Mostly my news, but there are other sites (truecrimelibrary.com) that have books & stories. I'm still not completely converted to reading all digital, all the time. I love curling up on the couch with a new read; something to look forward to all day while I shuttle kids or sort laundry. I've been told the Kindle is really great. You can put books, newspaper & magazine subscriptions all in one little device the size of a piece of paper and thick as a cell phone. I have my doubts, but that looks like the future of my books, magazines and newspapers. Though, just one fantasy thought (for me), I could take 10 different books and just as many magazines on the plane with me and have it all in one place. Ooh, the possibilities!

YouTube Tuesday: Appropriate?

Yes, yes, I know. Why am I posting twice? Well, I couldn't put off posting about the riveting weather forecast any longer and duh, it's YouTube Tuesday. Two huge labels for one tiny post. Is this appropriate? I dug out a wonderful clip from a recent Soup show. Oh my, Joel McHale, you are my hero. You rock.

W-w-winter is h-h-here

Like a swift kick in the pants, winter is here. Some may say that it's always cold in Rexburg, how is this any different? I'll tell you. Since September, we have had a roller coaster of weather. Frequent typical fall weather; need-your-coat cold in the morning and tying that same jacket around your waist in the glow of a pleasant afternoon sun.

We had snow a bit early, October 5th, I believe. The last week of September, I felt a chill creep in. The next week was the snow and we shivered for a month. Then, Oct. 14th, the day Spencer flew in, he must have brought the warm weather with him from Baghdad. It was still 'cold' for him, but mid 60s felt downright balmy to us! Beautiful fall weather prevailed again and the day before Spencer left, we were digging out the cold weather coats. Even the season was sad to see him go.

It was still moderate for the next week; but progressively sliding to the colder end of the spectrum. Last Thursday, it snowed in the evening, leaving us with about 3/4 of an inch on the ground. When the sun rose Friday morning, the snow did not melt with it. Off and on, all day, the gray cover of clouds sprinkled snow down on the town.

Saturday morning, a cloak of clouds still remained, spluttering flakes here and there. All in all, we only accumulated an inch, tops. By evening, the cloud cover blew out and the wind was howling. Oh, it's been a long time since I felt that bite. The wind so sharp it cuts through to the core. Though I have to say, I am LOVING my new winter coat. I don't feel the chill. I notice it when I'm lazy and just throw a hoodie on over my t-shirt and cardigan. Layers help, right? Wrong smartypants. There aren't many barriers that can keep Jack Frost at bay.

My marvelous mother & father in law took the kids on Saturday afternoon and I had some time to myself. When I went to pick them up that night, we stepped out onto the porch, and into the wind, to say goodbye. I looked at my father-in-law and stated, without a doubt,

"Winter is here. Isn't it?"

He nodded his head solemnly, "That it is, my dear. That it is."

And even though the clouds have been gone for 2 days, the high today was only 31F (0C). Chilly chilly, willy the penguin.

Brrrrr. . . .