May

Not only are we in soccer full swing, but we are also in the stages of figuring out what to do with Weston for next year.  His coach, Tyler Twitchell has decided not to coach anymore and so the team is disbanding.  Several of the players are "done", one is moving, and a few are ready to move on to bigger and better teams.  Including Weston.  There are three basics levels of soccer: Recreation, Alliance, and Competition.  In recreation, coaches are volunteer (so it is cheap), you play just with other rec teams within the club, you don't "move up", etc. In alliance, coaches are also volunteer, but the cost is more because you play with other alliance or comp teams in different clubs, and you could travel around.  Competition is much more expensive because coaches are paid, you play with other comp teams in several clubs, and you can even travel out of state.  We looked into different Alliance teams but didn't seem to find any we liked--no good coaches or good fit for Weston.  Then we found out that our neighbor is a coach of a comp team in the Utah Glory Club.  There are three or four kids on the team that he knows already and the practices are just down the road.  The best part is that the coach is a great guy and will treat the team well and help them to be good soccer players and GOOD kids (just like our previous coach, who we loved)!  He makes sure they don't practice during Family Night or scouts.  Weston tried out last week and made it!  He is so excited to be a part of a new team. 

Brennan and Aidan have loved soccer this season as well.  Brennan's friend Luke is on his team and they have had a fun time playing together.  Brennan has improved so much and loves to play "world cup" with all the neighbor friends.  Aidan is one of the star players on his team and at the last game scored three of the four goals for his team! 

Nearing the end of school, so the kids are doing quite a bit of testing.  And with the evening being brighter, it is getting hard to get through these last few weeks of school.  It has been a very cool spring with lots of rain (great since we didn't get much snow in the mountains), but now the sun is starting to shine and we are digging our hands into the soil and doing some fun gardening, playing outside with friends, and enjoying the sunshine.  I even went with Elise and my sister in law, Liz to the tulip festival at Thanksgiving point.

Elise is preparing for kindergarten at preschool and at home.  She has been reading in the "How to teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons" and is doing very well.  She is also almost done with her online preschool, UPSTART.  I think she loves learning how to read and write because she is always asking me to help her write notes to her friends.  She has been playing quite a bit with a friend from Preschool, Ellee and they are marvelous friends. 

Scott's sister Lauren came to visit so we got to do some fun things together and with the Daw family.  Weston babysat William (he is so good with kids!) and Elise got to play with Olivia.  We took a trip to the curiosity museum together and the kids had a blast.  I also had an Arbonne party for Lauren while she was here, which ended up being a fun girls night.  Then was the big day: Grandma Bea Memorial Breakfast!  We were worried about the weather, and with good reason.  It was too cold to hold the breakfast outside, so we moved it to the church.  Still fine to run our mile, though.  All the kids either biked or ran, or both, a mile (three times around our "horseshoe") and then they were ready to chow down.  I had fortunately planned for bad weather and reserved the church.  It was a great place to hold it since we could eat in one side of the gym, close the curtain and let the kids play on the other side.  I made a fancy French toast with strawberries and whip cream.  Not necessarily good for you, but DELICIOUS.  The theme was around watermelon (the invite, we ate it... not much of a theme), but I did fine these fun rice crispy treats that were like watermelons.  It was a fun success. 

We didn't do much for Memorial Day except gardening and garage cleaning (sound familiar?).  Scott has been working hard preparing the basement for drywall.  He finished all the framing, cleaned it out, etc.  We are getting to the point where we want this to be over with!  But, it is moving along and hopefully by the end of the summer it will be done! 

April

School out is a great way to start April.  General Conference and Easter were the first fun thing we did.  Omi and Opa came down for the weekend and we took the opportunity to do some family history on Dad's side and we scanned in and tagged lots of photos of the Sale family.  Adam came over to help as well.  Though really, dad and Adam just chatted while I scanned and Omi corrected photos.  It was very pleasant though.  Saturday morning we had our own Easter Basket fun--the kids got books, ties, and fun treasures (and not much candy).  We did a fun activity though.  Instead of candy in eggs, the Easter Bunny made a giant egg hunt of a secret message.  Each egg had a word and once they found all the eggs, they put the message together.  It said something about Jesus and his resurrection. That afternoon Omi and Opa went off to a Brown family get together and we all went to the Daw Family Egg Hunt.  Kids came home with pounds and pounds of candy.  I am sick of dentist visits, so we have been saving all our candy, and then kids can then turn it in for a big family gift.  They kept a few for themselves, but mostly gave the rest to me (and I didn't eat any of it!).  Just last week we bought soccer goals with our "candy money".

On Easter I made my favorite Morning Buns (melt in your mouth) and had a nice day--I love the combination of General Conference and Easter.  Omi and Opa went home, and we went up to the mountains to spend time with Norma and Elaine at their cabin.  We made hamburgers and hot dogs and sat and watched the last session of General Conference and then after just came home.  It was a nice relaxing weekend.

All the kids were out on Monday, so we had some fun together time and we went to a movie at the theater.  The rest of the week Weston had school but the others didn't, so we found a few fun things together--playing in the sand at Daybreak Lake, playing at the Curiosity Museum, bikes rides, etc.

That weekend was one of the funnest we have ever had.  Scott and I had bought tickets to a Questival--similar to an "Amazing Race" or Mega Scavenger Hunt.  We were hoping friends would sign up with us, but no one did (too bad for them!), so instead, we thought it would be fun to do as a family.  And it was one of the best family activities we have ever done!  We had to do certain "tasks" and take a picture or video of ourselves doing it.  Each task is worth a certain number of points according to how difficult it is.  We told ourselves that we wanted to get 100 points by 5:00 pm.  And we just BARELY got it-- the last 5 seconds we were shoving a pie in Scott's face and taking a picture of it! This activity could easily be done at any time--you don't have to sign up and you could just change it to fit where you live, etc.  I wrote down a bunch of the activities (listed below).  I am hoping to make it into a service activity for the youth.  The idea being that there is a list of service things ranging from planting flowers in someone's yard, to cleaning windows, to gathering food for donations--and each service would get you points.  Now, I am thinking I could easily put together household spring cleaning chores and kids get points doing those chores.  Wouldn't that make it fun for the kids?  We had such a good time, I'd like to do it every year.

Weston went on two field trips--one to the Clark Planetarium and one to the Krista McAuliffe Center.  I got to go with him to the McAuliffe center and it was so cool.  They got to do space flight simulations--kind of.  Each child was given a role and they had to use their knowledge to help the crew overcome obstacles, etc.  Really fun for everyone. (I think Beanie and Tallis did this one year)

Brennan and Aidan both had field trips as well.  I got to go with Brennan and they went to Texas Roadhouse (see what happens in restaurants--they got to make their own rolls), and the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point.  Aidan went to the Bean Museum at BYU.  Both of them also participated in a speech festival.  Brennan recited "Table Manners" by Gelett Burgess and Aidan recited "Buffalo Dusk" by Carl Sandburg.  Both did great!

All the boys are doing great in school--we are so happy to be a month away from summer, though.  The nice weather is getting us itchy to play outside til all hours of the night.  We have broken out the bikes, soccer balls and even the water guns!

I got to go up to Idaho with Elise to "help" Beanie with her Distinguished Young Woman program.  It was really fun to be a part of it and to see Beans be so grown up!  It was fun to go shopping for shoes and jewelry and then to do makeup and hair!  She looked and acted beautifully.  Elise and Rowan had a grand time together.  I showed Heidi how I make my french bread (recipe below) and we did a lot of hanging out and talking.

Brennan finished up his Let's Play Music class and did a great job at his recital.  His main piece was the song "Caterpillar Song" and he did wonderfully.  He is really playing around with songs and becoming quite a pianist.  He is following in his older brothers' steps!  Weston has finally finished piano lessons.  He had to work until he had passed off a certain number of songs and he did great!  Aidan worked on a duet piece in the month of April, and I was able to practice the accompanying part with him.  He did well, too.

Elise has started a reading program (Teach your child to read in 100 lessons) so that she will be ready for Kindergarten.  She is doing well and mostly a silly fun girl. We went to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point together and enjoyed the gorgeous gardens. We are having a great spring and ready for summer!

Eat spaghetti with no hands

Draw a ketchup smiley face

Drink water without bending your elbow

Toss food into someone mouth

Pie someone

Drink a slurpee really fast

Run a mile

Do a handstand for 5 seconds

Do a yoga pose

Do a fake Karate fight

Go down a slide at park

Ride a bike while singing

Photo of Waterfall

Photo of Sego Lily

Photo of 3 generations of people

Photo of Someone with a dog

Photo of Someone in a scarf

Photo of Alaska or Hawaii liscence plates

Photo of Cool car

Give flowers to someone

Donate clothes to DI

Help someone cross the street

Give a pillow to a homeless person

Pick up 100 pieces of trash

Do a random act of kindness

Write a Thank you note to a teacher/leader

Donate 1$ to a charity

Visit a nursing home

Share stories with the elderly

Sing at hospital

Sing National Anthem

Sing a song like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Arm wrestle a stranger

Yodel outloud in public

Sing a song from a musical

Write a rap about….

Write a haiku about…

Get 20 people to high five you in 20 seconds

Get 4 people you don't know, to dance with you in a circle

Draw a portrait of someone and give it to them

Do the Ellen Dance Dare

Crash someone's wedding party (pic with bride and groom)

Play tic tac toe

Geocache

Visit a museum

Visit animal shelter

Go to a sporting event

City Hall

Chamber of Commerce

State Capitol

This is the place

Trolley Square

Tracy Aviary

Elevator in SL Library

Fountains at City Creek

Fountains at the Gateway

Ride the frontrunner (one stop)

Ride Trax (one stop)

Historical Monument

International Peace Gardens

Milk a farm animal

Learn a first aid skill

Tie a bowline, clove hitch, square knot

French Bread

2 pkgs dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups hot water

3 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp salt

5 Tbsp melted butter (or oil)

6 cups flour, divided

egg white or butter

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.  Let stand 10 minutes.  IN a large bowl, combine 2 cups hot water, sugar, salt, butter, and half of the flour; beat well.  Stir in dissolved yeast.  Stir in remaining flour.  Mix well.  Leave spoon in batter; allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Stir vigorously.  Allow to rest again for 10 minutes.  Repeat 3 more times.  (Can be done with bread hooks on my mixer)

Turn out dough onto floured cloth or board. Knead once or twice until lightly coated with flour.  Divide dough in half.  Roll each half into a 9x 12 inch rectangle.  Starting at the long edge, roll loosely as for jelly roll. Seal edge.

Place both rolls seam-side down on one large baking sheet.  Gash top of each loaf diagonally 3 times with sharp knife.  Brush with beaten egg white or butter.  Let rise for 30 minutes.  Bake at 400 degree for 20 to 35 minutes, until golden brown (you may need to lower the degrees according to your oven).  Cover with foil if needed.  Brush with melted butter when done.  Makes 2 loaves.

March

Big news...  We are finishing our basement.  We have had many men in and out, giving us bids, and finally starting the work.  And actually we have all the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical done.  In order to get all that done though, we have had to plan everything out--where we want everything, etc.  It is a bit frightening because then you have to live with those decisions!  Do we put 6 lights or 8?  Is it worth the cost to do certain things, etc?  How can we save money?  And the anxiety goes on and on.  But, I think we are doing well.  I have put in tons of closet/storage space and planned for future things.  We have two rooms downstairs, one set up for visitors and one for exercise, toys, and visitors if needed (on a blow up bed or floor....).  The rest of the basement is kind of one giant room.  Well, there is a living room area where we will put the fireplace and TV and then it opens into another room that will have a kitchen along a wall and an air hockey table and then just open space so we can have lots of tables for dinners, etc.  It will be nice area for people to come visit and stay.  So please come (well, give us a few more months so we can finish!).  We just need to get the insulation and drywall up and then we will paint and do the tile work.  Shouldn't be too long--I guess we will just have to see how long it really takes us!  I am so proud of Scott because he has done so much of it himself and he is so handy!

The new movie Cinderella came out and Elise and her friend Halle dressed up in princess dresses and we had a girls night out!  She has been playing with a new friend from school, Ellee, and we all went to the curiosity museum.  Her favorite color today is purple.  Yesterday it was blue.  She also got to have a fun time with her cousin Hallie and her brothers came to stay the night.  She is advancing nicely in tumbling and just a light and love!

The night the cousins came, we had neighbor friends over as well and ended up watching a movie with 12 kids in the toy room!  And they were actually just great.  It has been nice weather so they all played outside most of the time, then enjoyed a movie and settled down to sleep.  It will be nice to have the basement done so next time they can be down there! Speaking of people over, Devan brought Tallis and Rowan for a Tai Kwon Do competition and we had a great time with them. Weston was especially good with Rowan; he is so good with kids!

Weston has started soccer practice and is absolutely thrilled about it. He has gotten some new shoes and is excited to start using them.  He has been able to go to the local high school soccer games and is hoping to be on that team some day!  He is worried about starting Junior High next year.  It is a daunting thought (for me, too!), but he will thrive there.  He and Scott got to go on a 11 year old camping trip.  They actually stayed at a cabin, but a pretty basic cabin (outhouse...).  They had a blast and ate tons of cookies and smores, etc.  He also participated in a Pow Wow and was able to do a "movie making" merit badge.  In two months he will be twelve and I am not ready for that...

Aidan has had a busy month.  He participated in a piano recital and a talent show at school and did marvelously (of course) and he is now working on a duet for another recital.  The Utah Symphony had a special pianist come and so we got tickets and Aidan and I went to the show.  It was great and I was so pleasantly surprised at how well he did--and that he wanted to stay for the whole thing.  His love of music, buffalos and rocks continues.  There was a Gem and Mineral Show and Aidan and I went to that and spent some good money on *******.  What a kid!  We did have a cool experience while there.  One of the first places we stopped had a guy named Jorge working there.  We started talking and he was so kind and gave a free rock to Aidan.  We started a nice conversation and I asked where he was from.  He said San Fernando, California.  I told him that I had lived there as a missionary for the Mormon Church and he said, "Oh, I have some missionary friends!"  Come to find out he has been taking the discussions.  They had told him to go to downtown SLC and see things and he loved it all.  He has a good friend who is a member, and when he was at the Joseph Smith Building he called and told him "I am with Joseph Smith."  He thought that was so funny.  The booth became busy with people trying to buy rocks, so we had to go, but before we left, we stopped by again and he said he would be back in June for another rock show, so we are going to go to that one to see him as well.  So cool!

All the kids got to participate in a race--a cardboard racecar race at Pack Meeting.  I've said before that our scout leaders are the best, and they live up to that every month!  Each kid made their own car from a box that they cut a hole in the bottom so they can put it around their waist and then run with it.  Aidan painted his and decorated it, but we didn't do much with the other kids' cars.  Then they raced their cars and Aidan won (it was based on how many times around the "track" they could go).  He also got an award for best looking car.

Brennan's big news is that he failed his eye exam--so he got glasses, and boy does he look darling!  He has been very responsible with them, wearing them to school daily, and putting them away when he isn't using them.  He is doing so well in school, getting straight A's.  I get to correct papers in his class sometimes and it is so fun to correct his papers and see how great he does.

Happy Easter to you all!

February

Aidan has been lucky enough to participate in a Junior iTri program at the local rec center.  He went every Saturday in February and the last week they did a little triathlon and he worked so hard and accomplished all the goals he set.  I am so proud of him!  He also took the first part of his AIM piano test and did wonderful on that as well.  He still has another portion of the test where he plays two songs for the judges and some scales/cadences, etc.  He is so good at working hard without complaint!

Weston and I got to spend some great time together this month.  He (and his friend Gideon) came with Omi, Heidi, and me to the Family History Rootstech conference downtown.  We were hoping to meet Studio C and David Archuleta, but the lines were WAY too long.  Still we had fun.  We went to Seigfrieds and Weston and Gideon had their first real German food--and it was rather fun seeing them try some of that ... 

It was so fun having Heidi and Omi here.  Heidi and I got our toenails done and we went to IKEA (I think they went several times...). Unfortunately, I hurt my back trying to get frames for Heidi, so we quickly went back home and I was then laid up for a few days.  Once home I was lamenting to Scott about it when Elise turned to us and said, "Jesus can heal you."  I just love the simplicity of little children, and of course she is just so darling!!  She is constantly making us laugh and smile.  She is such a helper around the house and loves to do "girl things" with me. 

Heidi and Omi were here to go to the One Heart Bulgaria Gala and Scott and I went, and took Scott's brother Matt and his wife Liz with us.  What a great event it turned out to be.  Great conversations, food, and entertainment.  A great way to spend pre-Valentines Day (better than being in bed on the actual Valentines Day!).  Scott and I also went on another date to the wedding of our friends' (Amber and Reed) daughter.  What a great month for LOVE!

Aidan and Brennan were out of school for a week so we took some friends (Tate and Addie) and went to the Natural History Museum (we love that place!).  We made some food, tumbled some rocks, and did a lot of sitting around playing the wii. 

Brennan has been studying different countries in school and the latest is Mexico.  They had a fun party where they got to experience different things from their culture.  I took Mexican Hot Chocolate and real Mexican cookies for them to try.  He is doing so well in school and really loves it.  I love it when he comes home and tells me all the new things he is learning. 

The month ended with a fun but a little sad night with some friends, the Lesters.  They were our neighbors in Herriman and they are moving to Colorado and we will miss them!!! Weston's first friend was their daughter Maddy.  And Brennan and Tommy have been friends for years.  We invited them over for dinner, and then thought, "Let's make a party of this!" and invited a bunch of friends from the old neighborhood.  Realizing they wouldn't fit in our house, we held the party at the church instead.  We had about 12 adults and 25+ kids!  I made some pizzas for the adults and we bought cheap pizza for the kids.  We had a great time laughing and reminiscing over good times.  We are so glad they are such good friends and we will miss them!

January 2015

The weather has been so strange this year.  For some reason there was a lot of talk that it was going to be this horrendous winter, and it started cold, and snow came.  But then it has just warmed up!  We got a free ski pass for Weston, once to each ski resort, but because there hasn't been much snow, they have only been able to go twice!  I hope they will get a few more times in!  Soott was able to take both Aidan and Weston though and they are getting better and better (and they enjoy it).

Scott took the vacation time to do some "improvements" on the house.  And he did a marvelous job!  Since our lightbulbs are so high and our fire alarm in unreachable, we rented scaffolding so we could change the lightbulbs and battery (we put in a lithium battery which should last 10 years...), we figured we should make it worth the money to rent it, so we put up some decorations on our tall walls.  We ended up putting a dividing board and above it put three big boxes (of board) and in each box put a pretty metal decoration.  We also put up the same thing on the wall above our dining room.  I think it is different, without being strange, and it really helps out our big blank walls... Not so boring.  I am so proud that I have such a handy husband. 

After a nice and relaxing Christmas break (for me at least...), we had to get back to school. Aidan has been studying the middle ages, and so they got to have a medieval market where they made objects and sold them to each other.  He made paper swords and hats.  Then they had a feast and got to dress up like a knights, etc.  He looked very regal and took the shield that Weston had used years ago for his King Arthur presentation (I love to reuse!).  They got to eat chicken on the bone and have some other fun activities.  Aidan has also been studying for his AIM (Achievement in Music) test coming up.  As the teacher teaches him the theory, I sit at their feet and learn as well.  I am loving it and really expanding my knowledge of the hows and whys of piano (I can now tell you what key a song it written in!).  He will do marvelous.

Brennan has been studying about the body and can name several bones.  He is also becoming a whiz at math and reading.  He loves to read nightly and has been reading a lot of Little Critter and Curious George books.  Because he read so many books in December and upped his reading level he received the prestigious award in Reading University at the school.  It was so fun to see him receive his award.  I am proud of his hard work.  He is also rocking Karate class and loves to practice with his friend Luke at home.

Elise also practicing Tumbling with Halle and is finally able to do an "arch up" and keep her head off the ground for 10 seconds.  She has passed off handstand as well.  Of course her big news this month is that she is FIVE YEARS OLD!  And it wasn't just one day of celebration, it went on and on.  We started with a friend party that may have gotten out of hand...  She chose the theme La La Loopsy.  Don't know what it is?  Neither did I!  They are dolls that are "sewn" and have button eyes--really cute actually.  So I tried to think of ideas for activities for the girls and settled on felt dolls.  It really wasn't that hard, but it did take some trial and error.  I cut out a beige colored outline of a doll, and then made a bunch of different dresses that the girls could choose (they got to choose three each).  Then I had some ribbon, rickrack, buttons, flowers, etc that they could choose to decorated the dresses.  They could also choose hair--several different tops of head in multiple colors and then different add ons to the hair--braids, curls, etc.  Every single doll was different.  They even got shoes for feet and bows for hair.  While I glued everything together, a cute clown entertained them.  He is BoBo the Clown and he is a 9 year old that lives nearby.  He was so much fun.  He made a giant balloon hat for Elise and then made each kid a balloon animal.  He did some magic tricks and read them a fun book. He even rode the unicycle for them. So cute and the kids loved it.  Then the girls broke a pinata and ate button cupcakes and opened presents. Ah, what a fun day!

We then had a family party for her and went out to eat at Culvers.  I made a giant cookie (which was divine if you want the recipe or just google "swig cookie recipe", but I add almond flavoring).  Norma and Elaine joined us and gave her a giant pink unicorn which has quickly become the favorite toy.  Mom Daw had come earlier and got her a Barbie car (she loves it... of course!).  And she got some cute clothes from me (target sale!) and other fun toys.  I can't believe how quickly she grows up, and yet stays the same silly girl.

Scott also had a birthday and mostly he got things to finish the basement (yea, it is getting finished!).  But, I also got him a inside grill which will be nice.  I would have taken him snowshoeing but I hurt my neck (big surprise) and their isn't much snow in the mountains.  It is nice to be the same age as he, if only for a few months.

Weston started reading the Book of Mormon again and wants to finish it (again) by the time he turns twelve.  He also has the goal to read the New Testament.  He has also been reading the Chronicles of Prydain and loves them.  It is fun because his teacher doesn't know about them (??? Can you believe it???) and so he gets to tell his teacher all about them.  He has had several papers that he has been working on: Pisces constellation, Russian Religion, and Gerald Ford.  He is getting ready to move into Junior High!  He also got a kendama (they are all the rage right now) and although it broke after a day, he became very good at it.  Hopefully he will replace it soon.

I have been busy with normal everyday life (I think I say that every month).  I did get a visit from an "old friend", Karen Gray Rowe.  We were friends when I lived at Janets.  She is a wonderful friend, and she happens to know Kim and Val as well!  She lived in their ward in Germany for awhile.  (Small world!)  I have signed up to take a class on Health Nutrition, and I am studying piano with Aidan...  so we are all trying to improve ourselves!  One month down of the year, doing well, I'd say!

December 2014

December is always full of parties and fun.  Our ward Christmas party was quite an affair.  The theme was The Polar Express.  I was given the task of putting the book into power point so we could project it up on the wall while someone read the book.  The person in charge did a phenomenal job.  She got a humongous train printed--6-8 feet tall and longer than half the gym.  Santa even came to visit.  The kids loved it.

We started a new tradition called "Giving Gloves".  We saw some people outside in the cold without gloves so we went and bought a bunch and then put cute tags on them (thanks so Omi's help) and gave them away to people who looked like they needed them.  It was fun to have the kids be looking for people in need and finding ways to help. (Although because of the unusally warm winter, it isn't as successful as we had hoped).

We also had our annual "Christmas Sing-A-Long" with neighbors and friends.  It has been a fun way for us to invite people we might not know well and celebrate Christmas in a very sweet and joyful way.

The kids have been busy with all their normal routines, school, activities, etc.  It has made the month fly by (with all the other activities in there as well)!  And Christmas came quickly.  And now the kids are already counting down to the next Christmas!  It was especially fun for Elise, she is at the perfect age for this.  The kids love to give gifts to each other.  They usually make their own gifts, out of paper, etc, and we get to each open several "love" gifts.  It makes my heart soar to see them love each other so much.

Weston and Aidan took swimming lessons this month so that Weston could pass off some scout thing.  He doesn't love it, but he worked hard.  Aidan is trying really hard as well and wants to take a Junior iTri class.  He was also the "Virtue Boy" in his class at school and we got to make a fun poster about him and all the kids in his class wrote letters to him.

All of the kids (and Scott and I) finished reading the Book of Mormon before Christmas.  We had set the goal to read it back in August and pretty much stayed on target!  It is fun to be able to read it the same time as the kids.

Brennan is studying different religions at school and it has been very good for him to realize his relationship to religions.  Now he knows he is Christian.  It has been difficult to explain that Jews an Christians came from the same line and that there are some Christians who were "Jews"...

My body just doesn't work the same way it used to, and I have to be careful or I hurt my back.  Well, a few days before Christmas I hurt my neck and so I decided to go to the doctor to see if he could shoot me with something (I didn't want to be stiff and sore for Christmas).  While there, the doctor told me to change into a gown.  Elise got so excited, but then when I put on the "hospital" gown and not a "ball gown", she didn't think I looked as pretty as she expected.  She is such a funny and fun girl!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

November

Weston was involved in a lot of scout activities this week.  He went to his first Pow Wow and was able to get some badges--one was Citizenship and he was able to go to the State Capitol and have a tour.  Then he went to a Court of Honor where he received his Tenderfoot and 2nd Class.  He and Aidan have been taking swimming lessons so he can finish up the last of his swimming merit badge as well.  And, though it is hard to believe, he went to Priesthood Preview.  I can't believe he will be turning 12 in 6 months!

Aidan had another piano recital and did a marvelous job.  You can view the piece on YouTube.  He has been very busy with homework, studying geology in science (yea!) and medieval times in history.  He has done so well on his tests.  At his school if you get below a B on a test you retake it until you do better.  He had three tests this month and was one of a few that didn't have to retake them.  In math, he was the ONLY one who didn't have to retake it!  I am proud of his hard work.  He also sang a little one line solo in the Primary Program.  This was the first and last time I would have all four kids in the Primary Program.

Elise has had an unfortunate month.  We went to church and she was supposed to give a talk, but she started to act very sick (with a cold), so I told her we were going to go home.  She was so mad and wanted to stay and give her talk (threw a fit), so I took her in and had her go up to give her talk.  But she chickened out and wouldn't!  We took her home to get a much needed nap.  With the cold, her mouth and throat were hurting her.  Or at least I thought that is what it was, but she kept saying her tooth hurt.  I thought it was sinus problems.  It was a terrible infection in her tooth!  Two teeth actually.  They were so bad she had to have them removed (terrible mom for not brushing her teeth better...).  She now has some spacers where her teeth were.  She did get a note from the tooth fairy urging her to brush her teeth more often and not eat as much candy.  And now we use Anti-Cavity mouthwash in our family (I hear it is very helpful).  

Brennan's big news is that he is seven!  His friend birthday party was a Lego themed party, complete with little chocolate lego men.  I made a lego pinata and the kids hit it open and inside were bags of lego shaped candy and lego car kit.  Each boy made his car and then we had a race.  They also made their own paper lego heads and pinned the head on the lego man.  They ate cupcakes with chocolate lego men on them and opened presents.  For his family party, I made a little lego cake and some brownies. For presents, he got.... legos!  And a beautiful new bike.  He is such a fun kid and so good!  I am proud of him for what he is growing up to be.

We decided to take a little family getaway into the mountains and went to a nice hotel for a few days. The hotel had a pool.  But there was a slight problem.  It was outdoors.  Why???  We still braved it and the water was actually really warm, but didn't last too long.  We did have a hot tub on our balcony, so we used that a few times.  I took up all my Christmas projects (neighbor gifts and Christmas cards, etc) to work on as we watched shows.  We also attempted sledding, but that was a total bust.  We went shopping at the outlets and went out to eat.  It was a nice, relaxing trip without many cares.  

Thanksgiving was fun at the Daw's.  I was in charge of rolls, again.  I made 96.  We always eat so many of them, this time I wanted to make sure we had enough.  We had leftovers....  But, that is fine.  This year we divided everything out after so everyone could have leftovers of each thing--turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and rolls.  Yippee.  I love leftover Thanksgiving Dinner.  We played some games and just sat around.  It was fun to have a few days off of school and just hang with the kids.  Scott's sister Lauren was in town, so we got to spend some time with them.  Since everyone was in town, we also did family photos with the whole Daw family.  After we went downtown to see the lights at temple square.  We also took time to put up all the Christmas decor.  And now we are ready for Christmas (right?).

Scott and I are busy with normal life.  I am jazzing it up at Jazzercise, helping out at the school, running here and there, and doing family history with Uncle Adam.  I wish I had more time to do it--it is getting addicting.  Scott is working out a lot (nice weather still to go biking) and working hard.  We went on a really fun date with some friends.  It was similar to the Amazing Race, but just in downtown Salt Lake.  You had to use clues to find things and then go on to the next place.  We went with three other couples and made it a race.  It was so much fun.  See if there is one near you: http://urbanadventurequest.com/  

I hope you all have a marvelous Christmas!