Congrats Josh!
Miller Family 2008
Whole Fam Damily 2008
These were my friends Kresta Spencer & Kenna Wilson. This was taken in Nauvoo during the youth trip that our stake took (Killeen, Tx-Nauvoo) in June 1986. Our stake chartered a Kerrville bus and we were gone for about a week. We had a blast.
2 sick kids (the babies) or knowing that we have yet another mouse in the house (which I just need to realize that they are field mice trying to get warm, but still! Why so many?!)?
Since I am filling in for my Mother-in-law with her calling, I am doing the Activity Night tonight for the 8-11 yr old Primary kids. I don't say girls, how they mostly are for in our wards/stakes, but our Primary is so small, and with Jacob being in a local cub scout group, we have the boys (which usually just is Jacob) attend. She and me try to make sure we do "co-ed" things so Jacob doesn't feel left out or out of place. Tonight I am teaching them to sew a basic stitch as we make bean bags for the nursery. Hey, all boys need to learn how to do a basic stitch... especially since when they are on their mission they may need to sew a tear up in their pants or socks... LOL!! I am hoping that we have at least 5 there, but last time we only had 2 (my own 2!). There are 9 that should be coming. Kayley invited 2 of her friends, and 1 can't come & the other we don't know yet. I think they kids will have a good time.
So tonight I take the kids to Walmart. Krissy has saved and saved and saved coins forever. Tonight she actually had her purse and all those coins. We put them in Coinstar, and she had $9+ worth of coins! Then with the .08 cents per dollar fee, she got like $8.70 something cents back. 288 of the coins were pennies! Crazy kid! No wonder she complained about her purse.
And then we came home, and as we got to the house before ours, I noticed a light on the side of the road. As I passed I noticed it was a small flame. Not huge, but a flame. We stopped, and Kayley & I got out to investigate. Cigarette burning. We stomped it out. I doubt it would have gotten bigger like this summer when we had a fire out there & had to call the FD, but who knows. Better be safe then sorry.
So I am now the proud owner of yet another car. We bought Shawn's niece's car... 1994 Toyota Corolla. We wanted to get one for either Shawn or Josh to drive, and even though Josh complains the "new" car is a "girly" car (because of the teal paint job), he hates the white car (Honda Accord) so won't drive it. I say whatever gets the best gas milage is what Shawn should drive, but I will let them work that out. Once Josh leaves on his mission, we will get rid of one. Wow! My so-called parking area out front is beginning to look like my parents house when they had lots of older kids at home still. LOL!!!
Shawn had to go get 7 stitches today. Last year about this time, I had to take Lauren in to get 6 stitches for almost shooting her eye out (Look @ Nov. 2007 blog). Today Shawn was sawing off some branches to put up a deer stand for the hunters (for Thanksgiving), and sliced/sawed his finger @ the knuckle to the bone! It was rather gross. I had just put the kids down for a nap, and with Shawn's mom in the hospital (knee surgery for those that know her, and didn't know... she'll be home in a few days... doing good!), I had no choice but to stay here and make him drive himself into ER. Oh, well. I got a good nap while he was gone. ;-)
Tomorrow is the program. Kayley and Jacob are excited because they both get to sing a duet. I don't know if that's good or bad for the congregation. :-s
I'll post how it went... ETA on Sunday after:
This morning as I was getting kids ready for church, Lindsey threw a fit (I mean, why not?) and announced that she was NOT going to church because she did NOT want to do the program. "Um, ok Lindsey. Let's do your hair now." We get to church, and all the kids go sit in their spot. Lindsey was sitting in the bishop's chair. I told Lindsey we needed to find out where she needed to sit for a moment because the bishop was going to sit there for a few minutes. Nope, none of that, I tell ya... and she threw herself on the floor and had another fit. So I get her, and have her sit next to me, Lauren & Joey (and Papaw too). Finally the program is starting, and her seat is free, but would she go up? Nope. But when her class was nearing the end of their parts, she wanted to go up. When she saw them sitting down, she got mad. We sat, we listen to Kayley & Jacob sing with their duet group (2 seperate ones), and was actually in aw when I heard them. All the way to church, Kayley was upset because she didn't know the song well, etc... But she did great. They all were awesome. ABout 15 minutes left into the program, Lindsey decided to go up. She went up, and sat with her class... all smiles. During closing exercises in Primary, Krissy gave the closing talk, and she did great too. She talked about service (I guess I should have used the November Friend, but for some reason I was thinking it was still October, so I prepared a talk for her from the October Friend Sharing Time). All was good.
Here he is in the costume contest for kids 0-3 yrs. No, he didn't win (are you surprised?). The pink girl won one of the places, and I don't think Hulk is in this picture, but he won. He was cute. If you can see Lauren's outfit, she has on a "Bach to Broadway" costume (ask Holly), and she won for best original in the 12-18 yrs contest as a majorette. Her friend Victoria also won.
Lindsey as Spy Girl (don't ask), and Krissy as Belle. I did her hair, and it was cute.
Jacob going as the ol' stand-by Pinnochio. I actually made this costume when I was very very pregnant with Jacob, for Josh. Josh was in a school play, and needed this. I've kept it all these years, and both Lauren & Kayley have each worn this costume too, and have both won. Jacob did wear this a few years ago, and won in that contest, and won again this year for Best Original for 8-12 yrs. Wow! So creative I am!!
The twins in our ward as Thing 1 & Thing 2. Actually they played this part well. Actually, they play this part well every time you see them no matter when it is!! They were cute!
The day after... Joey so sick! If you do a close-up on his nose, you will see how gross it is. He fell asleep to Texarkana as I was taking him to see Dr. P. Dr. P assured us no ear infection this time (he just got over a double ear infection a few weeks ago), but maybe RSV. He is on medication, and seems to be doing a lot better. Kayley had RSV when she was 9 months old, and was admitted to the hospital for 2 days.
Kayley
Krissy
Lindsey
I'll post the color ones later, when I have more time...
Many, many years ago, Shawn & I decided to invest in a charcoal grill. He really wanted to grill chicken, and wanted to think that he was actually helping with the dinner the night I decide to grill. Many years later, and hundreds of nasty burnt chicken, and total embarrassement at a dinner that we had invited friends over... I banned Shawn from grilling FOREVER! This was while we lived in Bryan. Never again would I allow it from him. I then started to try to master it. I read books and articles on how to have the perfect charcoal-grilled food, and while I was getting close, it still wasn't great. Finally I asked a friend about it, and she told me the secret! And from then on, I have truly mastered it, and have never had burnt chicken (or steak, or hamburgers or hot dogs or whatever) again. The secret? Can't tell! But I will say that the chicken that I grilled tonight was superb!
*Oh, and just to let you know... I cannot stand gas grills, even though I know most restaurants (and my dad and brother, Chad) cook their food that way. Maybe that's why I never get the steak or chicken much because of it.
So, I was in charge of it again this year. I had my friend Cori do the decorating, and it was very cute considering the budget we DON'T have. I got the YW/YM to do the games and cupcake walk, and the Primary presidency along with their judges, did the costume contest. I forgot to do the prizes for the pumpkin contest, and the coolest of the 3 there was Victoria's so I told her she won. She had Harry Potter's face carved into it and a cape draping the outside of the pumpkin. It was rather cute and original. I think she is still in love with Harry. I didn't do a chili contest like I did last year, and that I think caused me not to be so stressful. We had lots of chili, the Frito-pie works, cornbread and I also did a crock-pot of mac & cheese and oranges for the kids (both yellow/orange), and all of that was gone (except for a tiny bit of mac & cheese). We had tons of cupcakes, and I had a few adults (me included) do the cupcake walk. The RS room (off of the cultral hall) was decorated cute by the YW for their little games. I went in there a few times, and the kids seemed like they were having a great time winning some prizes. I know my little kids did. They did an awesome job. Thanks guys! About 8pm, all went outside for the Trunk-or-Treating and a tractor pull ride by the bishop. My kids came home with loads of candy (for me to raid on Monday), and it's the good stuff too!! We left the church by 9pm, and I was in bed by 10:30pm. It was a fun night I think. I hope my ward had a good time.
