"Sundae Night"

Yummy treats for the kids, mom, and I'm not sure if it goes up my nose or not...

Black Friday?

Aha, when a number of us weren't sure what today's moniker meant, I looked it up and found the first Black Friday was in 1869 when gold market went kaput. But now, as I thought, it is when all those retail giants out there can add to their coffers and make sure they are in the black rather than red for rest of year. Did any of you venture out? I just finished baking a cake and delicious turkey soup from food Sunshine sent home with me. I'm still bummed out that I forgot to take the bottled sauerkraut up to prep for dinner. Your dad and my dad and Lance are very disappointed with me I'm sure. Two of family were wearing Jack Skellington shirts and when they found out I'd never heard of the dude before I sat down with grandkids and I watched the DVD and found out all about Jack.

Kudos to Hyun for losing some excess pounds and he looks great and was doing some GQ poses for his mom and me.These silly relatives of yours are doing better with illness, but Sunshine has no voice yet and had to whisper all day. Sorry to learn that Rebecca has been sick for 2 weeks with similar symptons.

Way to go!!! is right to the CO family who were out running early yesterday and I'm impressed with Brayden's win. Another Howells athelete in the making I think. And Holly - I'm so glad you were invited to spend the day with nice friends. Thanks for posting photos.

Thanksgiving 5k

We ran a 5k at 8am today, me and Katie, drew and Brayden, and a spattering of Katie's extended fam. Katie's finished in the top third for her age group and Brayden got 2nd place!!! Wtg!

Wednesday Weigh-In

I've got the pie and rolls made for tomorrow's dinner with Brooke, Sunshine and family but did manage to get a 40 minute walk in the 79 degree sunshine, yea. I got an email from honey Hannah letting me know that she's got straight A's going in all of her classes. She's got a heavy load, has been working very hard and I'm so proud of her. Congrats and Good Going!! I weigh 89.0.

Disney & CA Adventure

We spent the Last day in Anaheim at Disney
& Ca Adventure. the girls were tired & sick still, but we managed to ride the favorites before 3pm & head back to AZ!

hands down Favorite- Grisley Rapids (fast lines) and of course CA Screamin! Ffiona is offically a thrill junkie!!

Regionals

Here is Taryn with her Over 15 Team from Phoenix. She was on 3 teams, 2 from Tucson all 3 teams looked great.

Ffiona was spectaular in her solos and made her teacher proud!

Look out next year!!!! She's fierce!

Her under 10 team placed 17th of 35 teams the next day!!!

Taryn was amazing- sick for 2 weeks, she competed with Strep Throat & the beginnings of Bronchittis and still managed to palce 24th in the region! (of 122 dancers) She collapsed on the floor from exhaustion durring awards ceremony but managed to make it on stage for her award presentation. Once again she has qualified for Nationals, we know where we'll be for the 4th of July!!! (Chicago!)

Taegan had her first Oireachtas experience- she competed in Traditional Set against 38 dancers. she looked & danced Beautifuly- we were so proud of her.

Brayden's Building

Here is Brayden's 3 story Lego super building. The pic doesn't do it justice, pretty cool! Better than I did at his age!

Sunny Sabbath

Hi again on this beautiful sunny day. I feel much better this morning (slept until 8:00 which I needed a lot). I had such a terrible headache, sour stomach and chills yesterday afternoon that I laid down and didn't go to the Thanksgiving dinner for Adult Seniors as I had planned.

Oh Holly, thank you, thank you, thank you for retrieving my adorable red mouse and getting it to me by yesterday. I can't tell you how much I missed that sweet little thing with the many times I've had to send messages, change of address notices and look up stuff, etc. I'm amazed how fast my computer runs this year as the megs have been increased and I hardly place the hand over a prompt and I'm there. Wow, It's great! Also thanks for suggesting I get dark clip-ons for my glasses. I bought a pair at DMAFB on Fri and the drive facing the sun on way home was so much better.

Congrats to Katie as she's been called as Relief Society President of her ward. I'm not at all surprised as she's so capable and willing to serve and those sisters will be blessed (as will the brethren) in the coming years.

I met my new neighbors on Friday (where Bob and Judy Neessen used to live - they loved dad so much and miss him down here). The Kitchens are from Boise but didn't know my two Hull cousins who live in that area. They seem nice and he has already cut off some huge dead agave branches for me.

Congrats to Mary on her birthday tomorrow. They don't eat much cake in their house now that they are eating healthy, so hopefully Brady will find something to bake to honor her. She told me that the dark pumpernickel bread he baked two weeks ago was wonderful. So maybe he could add a candle to top of loaf.

Weigh In Wednesday

Hi y'all, I just returned from a wonderful walk along the golf courses before it get's too hot (75) today, ha! I had a great and safe trip down arriving yesterday at noon. I quite liked the way I broke the trip up this year by staying overnight with Lance and went with him, Becky and Wes to see his musical "Beauty/Beast". It was great and he did a fabulous job on the props and scenery. I was soooo proud of him as he's very talented in this field of work. Early start and stayed in Flagstaff Tues night - another early start to GV and loved the sight of gas at 3.11. Sunshine and all kids were sick with various stages of strep so Brooke came down solo to help lift heavy boxes out of car. Then in no time he had the router, modem, computer, cable box powered up and ready to go. The gas guy came and got water heater and gas going and this a.m. the plumber came to fix my leaky kitchen faucet (he makes more than a doctor)!!!

After he left I drove to P.O. (garage d00r opener was dead) and called Holly about forgetting to pack the mouse to this computer. She was so good to go right over and retrieve it and get in mail. You can't believe how many times already I've lost this message because of this stupid laptop mouse. I simply hate it!!!!!!

So I'm not going to take any more risks and I'll just send this much. I'm at 87.5 but am sooooo happy for Holly's progress. Good going!

Weigh In Wednesday

189! Booyah! (with a fist pump)!

Under 190!

Just talked to Mom and she said before she left Cache Valley she weighed in at 87.5. Bummer for both of us.

Mom, you need to get that up. Not just for my goal but because I want to see you above 90.

I feel great! I don't know how to describe it, but I feel lighter. Almost like I'm floating. Don't know if it is the actual pounds off or the muscle gain moving my mass easier or both, but I feel GREAT!

Bring on the MORE!

(lots of exclamation points in this blog, eh?) (!)

Wednesday Weigh-In

Or Thur, no it's Friday isn't it. I've felt so rotten the past three days with terrible headaches, sour stomach, etc that all I've wanted to is lie down. But haven't been able to do much of that with all I've had to do this week.

I think I've got most of my assignments and commitments and other things done on my list: arranging for special music for sacrament meetings through
Dec in my ward plus Assisted Living Center; taking all my donations to Humanitarian Effort to D.I.; wrapping and mailing Christmas boxes (no opening of these early) and Mary's birthday box; getting car serviced and tires rotated; having hair trimmed; winterizing yard with Ryan's help; distributing apples to friends and neighbors; obtaining, wrapping and delivering wedding and baby gifts; meeting with Hull's who are going to downsize my blue spruce tree that's getting too tall; getting my visiting teaching done today and taking some homemade bread, jam, cake and kraut to John and Virginia as they both love it although she's getting worse everyday with Alzheimers; making lots of applesauce for Holly instead of apple pie; and starting to organize and pack boxes to take with me.

The ward members are coming tomorrow to help rake all my leaves and Holly is coming to help lift the heavy boxes into the car as she does every year. Then I can get the rest packed before I leave on Mon.

My friend from Green Valley who I was going to caravan back to GV with (she was in Springville helping with new grandson, had to return home last Sunday due to husband being hospitalized. So I'll be flying solo. I plan to drive to So. Jordan Mon afternoon to attend Lance's HS musical "Beauty and the Beast" and spend the night. Then I'll have 2 hours less driving on Tues, will stop in Flagstaff for night and then I can get into G.V. a little earlier than usual. Keeping my eye on the weather and hope the storm that's coming in tomorrow lasts only thru Sun and doesn't leave snow on roads.

It seems like I'm giving Holly her incentive as I'm down to 89 this week, but I must tell all of you how proud of her I was Sunday night when she left her game prize of a 2 lb container of Almond Toffee with me to eat on my trip, ha! rather than take it home and consume it and break her goal. Good Going HollySue!!!!

Weigh In Thursday

191.

How would it be to actually hit my first goal BEFORE Thanksgiving and Christmas???

Ugh.

Can't wait for Biggest Loser to start. That always seems to motivate me to get a good workout in!

It's done!

The siding company finished the house on Friday.  Now we have to wait for the inspection by the mortgage company on Thursday and we will be all done with our claim.  Hooray!

Christmas Party at Kate and Bob's

I am not a shutter bug. I took these pics very quickly with my iPhone telling everyone I would not be doing this all night and only one pic per person. Whew.

Winston looks like I do when someone puts a camera in my face.

Sorry about some of the eyes.

I think I forgot Kate.

We had a good time grazing waiting for everyone to show. Then played "Who can be the Best Liar". Because that is a good skill to learn.
Actually it was a fun game where you tell two true things about yourself and one false. Then everyone has to guess which is false. Becky and Jen tied to win.

After pork tenderloin dinner (yum) we played Thanksgiving trivia. I got 18 out of 26 and Mom got 17. We both got a prize.
Wouldn't you know it, I won a big jar of milk chocolate almond toffee made with real butter! Just what I need!
I ate one piece and made Mom decide what to do with the rest.

I had a really good time. All those annoying young cousins have matured and I found myself enjoying their company- or maybe I have mellowed in my old age.

Taegan Turns 12!

We took Taegan to a 50's Diner for Icecream - she ate the whole thing!

Here she is showing off all her gifts- boots, arm warmers, skirt.....



Thanks for the gifts Grandma! (and to Thanks aunt Reba too!!!)

She's blogging like crazy today

I forgot to post this with the other blog, mom was teaching Rowan to fold laundry.

Even if you don't like cats, this is cute!

Monday they put up the foam insulation on the house.  They are putting up the siding as I type this caption.  Hooray!

Halloween in Hamilton

I helped in Dylan's classroom and we made Oreo spiders.

Batman ate the Oreo, but doesn't care for licorice

This is Dylan's friend Anna, her mom did face painting for the Halloween party.

Monster mash

On our way to collect the goods

Dylan loved it.

 Boo!

Too much fun (except when bagging them up)