Puzzled?

Question? Could this be a new blade on the old tractor, that will move snow this winter? Stylin', Dad only wishes we had more snow to move. Question? What are these people doing in the mud? Well it is very tasty mud and we made a lot of chocolates and made a big mess and we had lots of helpers.

Question? What is Meggie Sue doing? They are doing a great service project in their ward and making quilts for Primary Children's Hospital, where they will travel in the spring to deliver.

Question? More mud? You just have to really get into it.

Question? Who got to see Santa? These cute ones were never afraid of this Santa. Ward party 2008.

Question? isn't this puzzling all these questions? Well I have had the fever and took on a 1000 piece puzzle and have really found it relaxing. I need help finishing, any volunteers?

One more question? Guess who will be here on the 19th? We are settling in for Christmas festivities. Yahoo!!!!!!

Another star and another Nativity

I know that this picture is not the best, but the only one that we could get. Bri scored 2 points in this game that they won. She is really a little hustler, she played with girls a lot bigger than her. This takes us way back to the Bod family Christmas party at Marci and Troy's. We had the Weiser B's and all the local ones. We ate big sandwiches, did the nativity with the cutest sheep you ever saw and picked out our snowflake doilies that Grandma O had made for us. She handed out the new 2009 calendars that were just darling.

What good sports.

A snow plow?

Stay tuned for pictures and story!

Hot Chocolate

The bank gave us a present for our families, they rented a theatre and we could take our family to see a movie, the one playing was "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Bri, Dalton and Maeley got to go with me. We had treats and got presents from Santa and then I think the part they liked the best was going to Bubba's for hot chocolate and breakfast. Yup! that was the best part. Sorry no pictures. I forgot my camera.

Also, this week I was in SLC for meetings, we had an Executive Banking Christmas dinner and then it was fun to have the Utah kids come and swim in the pool and have a short visit. Then we were on to Friday meetins and our annual service project for EB. We went to a shelter for families that have lost their housing for some reason or another and they are temporarily housed at this shelter, where they are counseled and they get help finding jobs and affordable housing. It was an eye opener. We decorated their offices and a main part of their shelter for Christmas. I am thankful for my job and my home, me and my family are so blessed.

Nativities and Christmas

Okay, I don't know how to turn this picture, after trying, I think it would be better if you turn you head to look at it. ;o) This is my new tree that I got at Tai Pan's for cheap. So I have a thing for nativities. They all are special to me. This one is a puzzle, when put together it fits in the fram at the back. It was a little painstaking to paint all the figures, thus it has become very special and the kids like to put the puzzle togehter.

This one was hand etched on the glass and sits in a wooden base This is one that is a smaller version that Barb and Steve gave us, of a bigger one that we got when I was in Primary, many years ago.

This is a picture (with a big flash of light in it) of a nativity that the Bod family depicted about ten years ago. I loved it so much I had to frame it.

This nativity was one that I bought the little figures and made my our stable and it has been with us for many years.

This one is special because Jill got it in Jerusalem where it was hand made of the olive wood there.

I love Christmas and it has been fun to decorate. Now we have to get on with the shopping and get the gifts.

Remembering a friend

We got word on Thanksgiving weekend that Charlotte a friend and schoolmate had been killed in an accident near her home. She was raised here in our little community where they were good friends with the Cook's. They moved from here but they continued to go to school with us and we graduated from high school together. We enjoyed many activities together and just recently we celebrated our 40th class reunion and we got to see and visit with her and her husband, another of our schoolmates. It was a reality check for both of us. We thought we were too young to die, now we know that our time here could be shorter than we thought. Who knows, but we are thankful for our lives that were touched for good because of Char and Dean.

'Cook'ies for Christmas

So we have to make the traditional cut-out cookies for Christmas. . . . . .We had lots of good help. More troops came by to help get the job done. It helps us get in the Christmas spirit. Love these kids aren't they the best?

They even taste pretty good (the cookies, not the grandkids)!!!!!!

Is that Grandpa's hand? He must be sneaking some treats, too.

Thankful Day

We had a thankful tree. We wrote little things we were thankful for. Dad's was "no oil leaks" (he's working on his tractor and it has plenty). Mine was chocolate, warm home, car that runs good, good job 10 good grandkids and good health. We are very blessed.

So is this winter, oh no it was Thanksgiving day and it was so nice we were going to eat our pumpkin pie outside, sitting next to the Christmas decorations. Such a nice day.

We had a little football (the outside kind). He just caught the ball, but I'm not the best photographer.

We had to take a ride on the lawn tractor.

and we got some trampoline time in too.

Then what we really look forward to, reading the ads!!!!!!

All in all it was very relaxing, good food and company. Hope your's was great. PS we will not be contributing to Black Friday!!!!!

TWILIGHT

When I found out that all the Anderson's were going to the midnight preview of "Twilight", I had to go, and they were nice and let me go. I don't know why they were shocked that I would want to go. They knew I would probably fall asleep during the show. I planned ahead and tried to take a nap early in the evening (didn't work too good), but I was determined. Erica and I met everyone in there cause they had saved seats. There were a lot of people up at midnight.

When I parked my car as I got out the wind caught my door and hit the rear view mirror of the car next to us and broke it off. Woops! I left them a note with my phone number. I was kind of hoping they wouldn't call. (They did call and we arranged to get it fixed).

Anyway, the show was a great love story, and it was really fun. I will probably read the books.
I was a little bit of a zombie the next day, but it was worth it.

I had a fun surprise at work........I was approving my last vacation days and I found out that I had five more days than I thought I had. I didn't know that after being with the bank for 5 years you get four weeks vacation!!!!!!!!! SO Now I have to schedule in 5 more days. Darn. I won't be working too much in December. How fun!

The weather has been so good that I got all the Christmas lights up on the outside. So festive and fun, I tried to wait till after Thanksgiving to turn them on, but I couldn't wait. Can I talke pictures at night? I will try.

Things have calmed down

Well we got the bank robbery behind us and found out that many people expressed concern and care for us. Now we can say "Been there done that".

We are the proud owner of a human elastic! Erica was trying to find one to take up to school so all her friends could play. Well I though it was time that we owned one. So her and I went shopping and she sewed it together. What fun to be in college.

We have lots of sports of course going on this week. We try to get to whatever ones we can. We really have some good athletes.

The weather has been so beautiful. Didn't I say I love fall. Well this has been a good one. I got my Christmas lights up and didn't freeze my fingers. (We can't light the lights until after Thanksgiving). I worked some more on my little shop (the wash house). Now we will hunker down for winter.

The primary program was today and the music was great. They sang "I love to see the Temple" and they had written a verse for the IF temple, they sang part of "I am a child of God" in spanish and they sang a medly of primary songs with parts. The kids did their parts so well and it was very enjoyable. A few got bashful when it was their turn. Rach you would like this one. Kyler told his story of how we are children of God. He gave a homeless guy some food and Gatorade and said I didn't know him but I liked him. I kind of miss Primary, a little.

Now we prepare for Thanksgiving and all the family things that go with it. A great time of year.

I am thankful for: all the little things that make my life wonderful-electric blanket, sunny days, mashed potates and gravy, a day off, when my excercising is done, popcorn, a project done, and hugs just to name a few. I am so blessed.