Monday, December 27, 2004
CHRISTMAS
We had such a great time. My parents and brother Dean, James, Melissa and the kids,
and my nephew Jake all showed up for Christmas. Jakes mom and sister live here now so they were already here. The only ones missing were Our son Matthew, and my youngest sister and her husband and daughter. We ate until we were all so uncomfortable that we couldn't breathe or walk. I didn't take a single picture. I was so busy that I didn't even think about it. No one else did either.
On Thursday afternoon Em and I had gone out shopping for a little while. When we got home I realized that something was different about the way that I had left the entry way. I looked up and there was Jake. I was so tickled to see him. We didn't know if he would be able to get away for Christmas or not. James and Melissa came over that day also. We just didn't see them until the next night. Mom and dad got here early afternoon on Christmas eve. So did Bill and Lenora some good friends.
Mom and I had to go get some shopping done so we left for a few hours.
We fixed vege trays, cracker trays, coldcut trays, cheese balls, Shrimp Scampi a Christmas Eve tradidtion for the last several years, and Rumaki, water chestnuts, chicken livers, and bacon skewered with a toothpick and broiled until done. YUMMY!
Everyone stayed and visited until about 11:00 or shortly thereafter. Then we still had Christmas gifts to wrap. Phillip had bought all of the stocking stuffer things so he was up into the early hours wrappingg and putting out gifts,
CHRISTMAS DAY
Em loves to sleep in except for Christmas morning. She got us up at 7:05. She wouldn't even wait for grandma and grandpa to get here. That's OK. She got spoiled!
We all pretty much did.
Jul, Jess, Jake, Mom, Dad, and Dean showed up at about 9:00 AM. We exchanged gifts with them, then we made breakfast. Waffles, sausages, and eggs. YUMMY! again!
We just sat and visited and ate and watched movies all day and into the night. Em wanted to take grandma and grandpa over to the new Idaho Veterans Cemetary that was just dedicated a couple of months ago. So grandma, Em, Dean and I drove over there it is less than a a mile away so we didn't have far to go. The place is spectacular,
it sits partly up on the hill over looking the valley so you can see clear across town. It is huge, incredibly beautiful and peaceful. that was about the end of the day. just before night fall. Mom and Dad stuck around for just a couple of hours longer then went back to their motel for the night.
The next morning they came back over to pick up things that needed to go back with them and to meet James and Melissa so that they could carry some of their things back with them. We said good by at about noon and sent them on their way. Bitter sweet for me. I love having my family around I just don't want to move back across the state to where they are. I hate the weather over there. Their lives are all over home so they wouldn't think of ever moving over here.
and my nephew Jake all showed up for Christmas. Jakes mom and sister live here now so they were already here. The only ones missing were Our son Matthew, and my youngest sister and her husband and daughter. We ate until we were all so uncomfortable that we couldn't breathe or walk. I didn't take a single picture. I was so busy that I didn't even think about it. No one else did either.
On Thursday afternoon Em and I had gone out shopping for a little while. When we got home I realized that something was different about the way that I had left the entry way. I looked up and there was Jake. I was so tickled to see him. We didn't know if he would be able to get away for Christmas or not. James and Melissa came over that day also. We just didn't see them until the next night. Mom and dad got here early afternoon on Christmas eve. So did Bill and Lenora some good friends.
Mom and I had to go get some shopping done so we left for a few hours.
We fixed vege trays, cracker trays, coldcut trays, cheese balls, Shrimp Scampi a Christmas Eve tradidtion for the last several years, and Rumaki, water chestnuts, chicken livers, and bacon skewered with a toothpick and broiled until done. YUMMY!
Everyone stayed and visited until about 11:00 or shortly thereafter. Then we still had Christmas gifts to wrap. Phillip had bought all of the stocking stuffer things so he was up into the early hours wrappingg and putting out gifts,
CHRISTMAS DAY
Em loves to sleep in except for Christmas morning. She got us up at 7:05. She wouldn't even wait for grandma and grandpa to get here. That's OK. She got spoiled!
We all pretty much did.
Jul, Jess, Jake, Mom, Dad, and Dean showed up at about 9:00 AM. We exchanged gifts with them, then we made breakfast. Waffles, sausages, and eggs. YUMMY! again!
We just sat and visited and ate and watched movies all day and into the night. Em wanted to take grandma and grandpa over to the new Idaho Veterans Cemetary that was just dedicated a couple of months ago. So grandma, Em, Dean and I drove over there it is less than a a mile away so we didn't have far to go. The place is spectacular,
it sits partly up on the hill over looking the valley so you can see clear across town. It is huge, incredibly beautiful and peaceful. that was about the end of the day. just before night fall. Mom and Dad stuck around for just a couple of hours longer then went back to their motel for the night.
The next morning they came back over to pick up things that needed to go back with them and to meet James and Melissa so that they could carry some of their things back with them. We said good by at about noon and sent them on their way. Bitter sweet for me. I love having my family around I just don't want to move back across the state to where they are. I hate the weather over there. Their lives are all over home so they wouldn't think of ever moving over here.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
THURSDAY DECEMBER 23, 2004
Just 2 day's before Christmas. Also our oldest Son Barton's 23rd Birthday.
I just called Grandma Ritchie she is going to put flowers on his grave for me
today. My brother and his wife and family are leaving IF for Boise as we speak.
They are going to spend the weekend over here with her family. My parents are coming over here tomorrow to spend the weekend with us.
I have a busy day ahead of me. I need to run to town with Em. I really need to get a rug cleaned that I keep in the Living Room but I don't think that I'll have time. I need to get the Kitchen cleaned up, and figure out what groceries that I will need to buy for the weekend. I still need to get a Christmas gift for my one brother, and for some good friends.
The weather just doesn't feel like Christmas. Alot of the time I have run around with out as much as a sweater over my cloths. On cooler days I wear a dress sweater and don't have to worry about a coat.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. TALK TO YOU LATER
I just called Grandma Ritchie she is going to put flowers on his grave for me
today. My brother and his wife and family are leaving IF for Boise as we speak.
They are going to spend the weekend over here with her family. My parents are coming over here tomorrow to spend the weekend with us.
I have a busy day ahead of me. I need to run to town with Em. I really need to get a rug cleaned that I keep in the Living Room but I don't think that I'll have time. I need to get the Kitchen cleaned up, and figure out what groceries that I will need to buy for the weekend. I still need to get a Christmas gift for my one brother, and for some good friends.
The weather just doesn't feel like Christmas. Alot of the time I have run around with out as much as a sweater over my cloths. On cooler days I wear a dress sweater and don't have to worry about a coat.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. TALK TO YOU LATER
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
A BUSY WEEK
This is going to be a busy week. Matthew got home last night for a visit. He will be here until next Sunday morning. We will celebrate our christmas with him this Saturday. He and Dad and I rearranged the living room today to accomodate the Christmas tree. It also made a better living arrangement for everyday living. My living room is a reallly weird room with windows, doors, a fireplace and walkways set up in a way that it is hard to arrange living room furniture.
As some of you know Em takes voice lessons now. Tonight was their recital. She did so good. She is very talented. I am so proud of her. Tomorrow night and Thursday night, her High School Choirs and the Choirs from another of the District schools are combining for a Christmas concert. We don't go tomorrow night but we will have to Thursday night. Then on Friday I will need to start preparing for Dinner on Saturday. Saturday will be our Christmas with Matthew and Sunday we send him back to Seattle. Then we have just the following week before the actual Christmas day and more family and friends...DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU DON'T HEAR FROM ME FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS!
As some of you know Em takes voice lessons now. Tonight was their recital. She did so good. She is very talented. I am so proud of her. Tomorrow night and Thursday night, her High School Choirs and the Choirs from another of the District schools are combining for a Christmas concert. We don't go tomorrow night but we will have to Thursday night. Then on Friday I will need to start preparing for Dinner on Saturday. Saturday will be our Christmas with Matthew and Sunday we send him back to Seattle. Then we have just the following week before the actual Christmas day and more family and friends...DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU DON'T HEAR FROM ME FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS!
Saturday, December 11, 2004
SLEEP DEPRIVED
I am getting to the point that I am really tired! Something has happened every night for a week now to keep me from sleeping at night Some times I have been able to catch up some during the day, but not usually.
I will get myself back on track soon and then I won't have any problems again for a few months. This is pretty typical of me.
I will get myself back on track soon and then I won't have any problems again for a few months. This is pretty typical of me.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
EMILY
I am getting a little frustrated with this blog stuff. I love blogging I just want to be able to put pic's onto my blog. I have done some as you well know but, that is because I put some pics into a file with liljsm. Those pic
's transferred easily to my blog. I have since put some pics on a Lycos site and I can't get the idiot things to move to my blog! BAH!
These pics are mostly of my lovely daughter Gremlin. I want to share her with the world. She isn't just beautiful on the exterior but on the interior also. I just CAN'T do it!!!!!!!!!!!
's transferred easily to my blog. I have since put some pics on a Lycos site and I can't get the idiot things to move to my blog! BAH!
These pics are mostly of my lovely daughter Gremlin. I want to share her with the world. She isn't just beautiful on the exterior but on the interior also. I just CAN'T do it!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
INSPIRATION
I went to church yesterday as every good christian should. The Lessons given were extremely inspiritational. The one was on the birth of Christ and it's importance to us as his literal brothers and sisters. I was so inspired. There were some profound thoughts that were going thru my head at that time and I wanted to share them with the world. By the time that I got home I had forgotten what they were! Leave it to me! Boy I had a tough time getting thru church yesterday without being extremely emotional. The problem was I had to give the closing prayer after Relief Society. If I had started crying I wouldn't have been able to pray especially in front of a group of ladies.
Em came home from her young womens meeting with some advent candles that they had made. The Young Womens president, sister Walker had done up some copies of things for the girls to do and to journal about as the Christmas season progresses. We are having a really good time with this. She made one for Matthew to take back to Seattle with him after he is here for a few days. I think this is a really good exercise in being able to keep in mind what Christmas is reallly about.
Em came home from her young womens meeting with some advent candles that they had made. The Young Womens president, sister Walker had done up some copies of things for the girls to do and to journal about as the Christmas season progresses. We are having a really good time with this. She made one for Matthew to take back to Seattle with him after he is here for a few days. I think this is a really good exercise in being able to keep in mind what Christmas is reallly about.
Friday, December 03, 2004
COUNT OLAF
By the way ya'all need to check out Count Olafs' blog here on Blogger. What a Crazy man. I love his blog
CHRISTMAS WISHES
As Christmas approaches I am feeling a little inadequate. Money is short
this year. Em is feeling badly about that and I don't know what to tell her. I know that Christmas isn't about gifts, money, trees, etc. Christmas is about the birthday of our Savior Jesus Christ. The greatest gift that the world has ever been given.
My Christmas wishes are, health and happiness for my children, husband, and I. I want to share the love of my personal Savior with my family and friends. I have so much love to give. My mom accused me one time of wishing that I could take in every stray that I found. Animals,
People, it doesn't matter. That is pretty much the truth.
I have done plenty of that since we moved to the Boise area. Probably to the detriment of the family, mostly financially, because those people that stayed here with us never paid much in rent or groceries. It is a little bit tough when you have 3 or 4 extra's in the house at a time and they didn't help out much. (So much for my rantings) That isn't what I started out wanting to put in this blog.
Matthew our oldest is going to be home on the 13th thru the 19th or 20th. We'll have our Christmas with him on the 18th. I am really looking forward to having him home for a few days. I talked to my mother on the phone the other day. If the weather stays good they will try to come over to Boise for Christmas. My Brother and his family are coming over to spend some time with her family for the holiday, and some with us also, of course. Some good friends from Jerome are going to come over and spend Christmas with us also. That is what Christmas is all about.......Family, Friends, Children, what more do I need.
this year. Em is feeling badly about that and I don't know what to tell her. I know that Christmas isn't about gifts, money, trees, etc. Christmas is about the birthday of our Savior Jesus Christ. The greatest gift that the world has ever been given.
My Christmas wishes are, health and happiness for my children, husband, and I. I want to share the love of my personal Savior with my family and friends. I have so much love to give. My mom accused me one time of wishing that I could take in every stray that I found. Animals,
People, it doesn't matter. That is pretty much the truth.
I have done plenty of that since we moved to the Boise area. Probably to the detriment of the family, mostly financially, because those people that stayed here with us never paid much in rent or groceries. It is a little bit tough when you have 3 or 4 extra's in the house at a time and they didn't help out much. (So much for my rantings) That isn't what I started out wanting to put in this blog.
Matthew our oldest is going to be home on the 13th thru the 19th or 20th. We'll have our Christmas with him on the 18th. I am really looking forward to having him home for a few days. I talked to my mother on the phone the other day. If the weather stays good they will try to come over to Boise for Christmas. My Brother and his family are coming over to spend some time with her family for the holiday, and some with us also, of course. Some good friends from Jerome are going to come over and spend Christmas with us also. That is what Christmas is all about.......Family, Friends, Children, what more do I need.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
DECEMBER 1, 2004
Wow December 1st hard to believe. My grandmother Reva would have been 91 today.
We actually had Swing Club tonight. I probably had 15 to 20 kids show up. They sure have alot of fun. I just can't seem to convince some of them that the church is not the place to be running around acting like
We actually had Swing Club tonight. I probably had 15 to 20 kids show up. They sure have alot of fun. I just can't seem to convince some of them that the church is not the place to be running around acting like
idiots.
I love watching Phillip dance. He has been diligent about going out to Caldwell every week for the Swing Dance Lessons at AC. He was actually trying to teach Em some of the dances. I was a proud mom watching the 2 of them together. He is really good and she is getting there.