Family Week

A few years ago the President of the United States of America proclaimed a week in November to be National Family Week where time and energy would be focused on strengthening and honoring families.

This year the Dayton Ohio East Stake (a stake in our church) is supporting this concept with its own initiative. The DOES First Annual Family Proclamation Week has been this week, November 23-29, with a strong focus on families and family time. Our stake and ward calendars have been cleared to make room for a whole week of free time to spend with our families.

They even put up a website for more information about this wonderful initiative. It is a good place to go and register, find ideas, and refer others in our communities to learn about Family Week.

We decided to start our evenings off with our usual scripture study and then we spend time learning about one of the kid's aunts and uncles. Then we have a fun activity together.

- So far, we've -

Played games. (Sunday & Thursday)

(button, button, who's got the button)

Went Swimming. (Monday)

Went bowling. (Tuesday)

I was really surprised how nervous I was to go bowling. Last time I went (two Christmas' ago) I fell and broke my tailbone. It was a LONG time healing....18 months or so.... BUT, it was a fun time and I bowled better than ever. As a matter of fact, we all bowled pretty good. You can see here that Judd had a blast.

Read a book together. (Wednesday)

Tonight we are going to put up all our Christmas decorations together and Saturday we are going to make some goodies to take to some new neighbors and our 'Ohio Grandma & Grandpa'. I'll try to post about those two days too.

This has been a great week. No electronics (TV, computer, phones, movies, video games, etc) allowed from 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Just us together, doing something together. Josie took the week off from work so that didn't interfere, and since Thanksgiving was on Thursday, piano lessons weren't scheduled. It was great to have a clean sweep on the calendar for the evenings this week. Yea for family!

*****

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving. We had good friends and lots of yummy food that filled up our day. I hope all of you had a wonderful day with friends and/or family and being able to notice all the blessings you've been given.

(Thank you for the beautiful flowers, Holly!)

On the other hand.....

Some things that have happened

these past few days.

Tuesday through Friday in bed. I ended up with the flu.

* The upside? I can cancel my appointment for my flu shot.

We had to drive to Dayton three times this past weekend.

* The upside? We could fill up for $1.77!

We got our first measurable snow on Saturday.

*The upside? My boys are in heaven. Mitch lives for winter.

Today my right eye was completely swollen shut most of the day.

*The upside? I got to sleep most of the day away while the Benadryl did its magic.

image this

*rules* search google images to match your answers
only use images from first 2 pages of your search

*my age*

*place I've been*

(niagara falls)

*place i want to go*

*one of my favorite places*

(Mudlake, Idaho)

*favorite object*

*favorite food*

*favorite animal*

*favorite color*

*birth place*

*current place of residence*

(bellefontaine)

*current pet*

*past loves*

*best friend*

*nickname*

*first name*

*first job*

*what am i doing now*

*tag*

Becky S./Becky P./Beth M./Angie M.

I Refuse

Today I refuse to have a pity party. So I'm going to do what I know I need to do.

1. Keep saving money.
2. Focus on my family.
3. Buy another gun, before I can't.
4. Determine what is a need and a want.
5. Make sure our kids know how to work.
6. Figure out a way to convince my husband to come home from Japan.

Layne, if you are reading this, see what I made for you. You love cake.

By the way, Banana-Sour Cream Cake, easy, pretty, & yummy.

Or maybe if the cake doesn't tempt you back to the good ol' USA....maybe these guys will.

Only kidding! Can't wait for you to get home Friday. We miss you!

Halloween

(Thanks for the pic Bec)

Every year at Halloween I feel like I just go through the motions. It just isn't on my list of 'can't wait' holidays. But the kids have fun and there is nothing wrong with four pumpkin buckets full of candy.

As you can see...

Josie was a cowgirl, and a cute one too.

Justin was a cowboy, like he is on most days.

Mitch was Darth Vader. We were at the church in the picture so his mask isn't on.

Todd.....Todd has inherited the gene that doesn't get into Halloween from his parents. So this year (with the help of our friend Chris) he was an E-mail. (Get it??? The letter E is on the chest of a 'male' body. It took me a while to figure it out, but I did get a laugh out of it when it all clicked.)

The one thing I do kind of like is carving pumpkins. Josie walked in and found it odd that we were having fun carving jack-o-lanterns while the radio was on full blast with Christmas music. I'm just ensuring that the kids know how to multi-task.

Now we are on to the next holiday. I've started the menu for our Thanksgiving Feast. Then ONLY four weeks later is Christmas! The end of the year goes too fast. And at the store they all get rolled up into one big, calorie counting countdown.

my very political post

I guess it is the cross we must bear living in a 'swing' state, BUT STOP CALLING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Mr. Obama, sir. (yes, all calls are from the Obama Camp.)

I've even had young children from Texas call me to ask if I'm voting for Obama.

* I keep telling them I voted a month ago.

* I was telling the pollers that I don't have to tell them who I voted for since we live in a country that has secret ballots.

*Now I just pick up, say I already voted for McCain and hang up.

Wednesday will not come fast enough!

Layne is in Japan right now. That is why I keep picking up the phone when I see strange numbers. Just in case it is something to do with him. That and Judd answers the phone 90% of time before I can even get to it to look at the caller I.D.

Before Layne left, he told me that if Obama wins that he will just stay there and wait for me to get the kids passports ready and we'll join up with him later. Seems a little extreme, I think. He could at least come help me pack. He's only kidding, of course. Although the idea of living in a socialist country does make me want to pack up and go.

Yesterday a friend of ours gave us a number to register our names as a 'do not call' list for political campaign calls, but it is a little too late for that now. Although, I'll keep it on hand for another year.

Sorry. Just had to blow off some steam. Maybe in 2012 I will like my options better and not have such a bad attitude.