Life in Peru

Elder C is doing great in Peru. He sent these pictures right before Christmas - they are great. Attached is also a note he wrote to his buddies who are serving around the world.







Hello!!!
How´s it going Armored Knights!! I don´t have much time but I want you all to know that I love you so much. I am right now in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon jungle hours away from everything, it´s so chill. I just barely got here from my last area that was also in the jungle and it was the best thing ever. I was only there one change, but we were able to baptize 6 weeks in a row. The Lord is helping us. This is His work. He is preparing His children to hear and accept this glad message. Time goes by so fast, I can´t believe it, enjoy every second as a full-time servant of the Lord because it really is the best thing ever!! I know that this church is true and the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that I have been called by God to be a representative of Jesus Christ and I know that I am in EXACTLY the place that He wants me to be. Our Heavenly Father is mindful of every single one of us, spiritual gifts are real. Seek them. I love you all. Return with honor. Every day.
Much love,

Elder C

The Italian Bistro

For Preference we opened a small Italian Bistro in our home. Doodle and a bunch of her friends brought their dates over for an evening of fine dining. T(in his white gig tuxedo)was the head waiter and I was the head chef! We had the other girls work as servers. The place looked great and the girls had a blast. We had lovely menus with a variety of choices. It was fun, we served about 20 that night - but I won't be opening a restaurant anytime soon!

7 is a magic number

Miss M turned 7 the other day - her and Elvis share the same birthday! I can't believe that she is already 7. We had a fun but rather low key day, presents in the morning and cake in the evening. But, before bed Miss M commented that it was "Better than she had even hoped."

Each year on this day, I pray and wonder about a birth mother that is half a world away. I'm grateful that she decided to carry our daughter full term and then left her safely in a place where she would be found. Miss M was left hours after her birth. I pray that she knows Miss M is safe and happy. I wonder if she thinks about her? If she could even imagine how beautiful, smart and kind Miss M has become. How quick witted she is, and how her laugh is infectious to those around her. For a seven year old she has quite a sense of humor and uses it to impress and charm those around her. We are very blessed to have this child in our home. Happy Birthday Miss M!

The Amazing Shrinking Slippers

These are the slippers before...



So a few weeks ago Granny dropped off a big box of yarn from about 30 years ago. I have been wondering what to do with it - then I found the perfect project - SLIPPER CLOGS! These are the most amazing knitted slippers ever. The girls and I have never really been knitters aside from a scarf. But with the help from a friend and an old box of wool yarn we made these cool felted slippers. You knit them and they look so huge that they could fit Hagid - then you throw them in the wash and they shrink down and turn into amazing FELTED CLOGS - like the kind you buy at REI or Kirkhams. Check out the before and after pictures. They were so fun to knit. If anyone wants to learn - let me know!

These are the finished project..... (Doodle and Boo have been knitting too)

Timberline Christmas Concert

This has been a busy holiday concert season between music and dance - but Boo was given the opportunity to accompany her choir at the Timberline Christmas Concert. They sang "Ding Dong Merrily on High" it was a rather rocking piano part for 4 hands. Sorry about the video, we were at the back of the auditorium and so my camera really had to zoom plus I have to knock the quality down to put it on the blog - but you get the idea....

Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

This year, by some miracle, our family got tickets to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert. On Friday we drove up to Salt Lake to watch this amazing show. It was fabulous and we loved every second. The girls thought it was especially fun because Edward Herrman from the Gilmore Girls was one of the special guests. Anyway, it put us in the Christmas spirit - if you ever get lucky enough to score tickets you had better go!

Christmas Clogging

The clogging season is in full force. The girls have had several opportunities to dance this holiday season - this video is of the team dance at the Christmas Studio Program. And the picture is from dancing at the Festival of Trees. ENJOY!

Pepper The Bunny!

This weekend our family had the opportunity to take care of Pepper the class bunny. I had a bunny named "Fluffy" when I was kid so I thought this would be fun. One thing I didn't realize is that RABBITS STINK! We always kept Fluffy outside in a cage but Pepper is used to being inside, so I told AB that we could keep Pepper in the laundry room. After the short ride home from school with Pepper I realized that it was going to be an interesting weekend. I also realized that the class had appropriately named the rabbit "Pepper" - a pungent aromatic herb. Definitely pungent and aromatic. Despite cleaning the cage, after only one day there is a pungent odor coming from the basement! Pepper goes back to school on Monday - and I guess we dodged a bullet by not getting to take care of Pepper over the entire Christmas Break! We love you Pepper (at school that is)

PS I think Sadie wouldn't mind some Pepper on her dog food!

Soft Bed for Baby Jesus

A few years ago our friend Jamie made us a small manger as a Christmas present. The idea of the manger is that you put one piece of straw in the manger with each act of secret service that you do for a member of the family. If everyone in the family tries hard to serve each other, there will be enough straw in the manger for the Christ child to have a soft place to sleep. Miss M has really taken this to heart, everyday this month, each member of the family has gotten special notes, candy or some act of service from someone..... Baby Jesus will definitely have a soft place to sleep this Christmas.

Happy Birthday Boo!

Boo just celebrated her 15th Birthday! What an amazing young lady she is becoming. Boo has always been dedicated and determined, her father maintains that, "Boo must be an old spirit" because of her determination and self discipline. We love you Boo! She celebrated this birthday by getting checked out of school, having a fun lunch at Olive Garden then going to the DMV to get her Driving Permit. After a few attempts at the test and a little drama at the DMV she emerged with her permit in hand and drove us home to eat some cake. Happy Birthday!

Thanksgiving Fun

This year for Thanksgiving we went to Soda Springs Idaho to have fun with extended family. Doodle thought it would be fun to show up dressed like indians. So the night before Thanksgiving we weren't busy stuffing a bird but sewing and painting Indian costumes! We also decided on Indian names to go with our costumes. Miss M = Singing Fawn (she is always singing and is little), AB = Tapping Sun (clogging and is always in constant motion) Boo = Driving Sparrow (she just got her driving permit), Doodle = Running Beaver (the marathon girl with big teeth) Me= Laughing Bird (because of my name) and TR = Chief Cracking Wind (you figure it out)

It was a fun holiday - We have much to be thankful for.

Us making the costumes....


We also we out Thanksgiving afternoon and rode 4 wheelers and shot guns - you might be a redneck if...?



Doodle loading the black powder pistol..

Happy Birthday Cubby

Each year we have the kids hold up their age with their fingers, this year it took the whole family to help Cubby on his birthday! Can you say 70?