getting ready for Christmas

It's the Getting Ready Season

With the temple closed for cleaning for two weeks, I've been busy getting ready for Christmas, an exercise that sometimes gets a little crazy. Except for a couple of small items, my shopping is done (Thanks Esther and Lezlie for your help), the tree is up, and my house is sort of clean. I bought the stuff today to make fruitcakes and took Boyd's suits to the cleaners, shortened one of my temple dresses, and got one review written. Hopefully I'll get the fruitcakes baked tomorrow, then Saturday will again be devoted to book signings. (1700 South Redwood at 11 and West Jordan at 1) Next week I'll start on cards, then more signings and our ward party. And at some point I've got a ton of wrapping to do. I love Christmas, but sometimes I think I tend to let too much business creep in. I wrote a blog about getting into the Christmas Spirit for another blog I contribute to. You can read it here.

Vada sent me some pictures of her "winter garden." She still has roses blooming and primroses jumping the gun. We got a little snow storm this morning, but it didn't amount to much. I was hoping it would at least clean off the mud the last itty bitty storm plastered all over my windows

In other news, I got new glasses. This picture isn't too great, but it gives you the general idea.

Congratulations Trent on being commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Force! What a scholarship!

If any of our extended family would like to post your Christmas letter and a few pictures on this blog send them to me and I'll post them for you. It would be so fun to share our family's year in review.

Yeah!!!! We are all moved in to our new house!!! We have the fence in the back yard and most of the unpacking done (thanks Dad, Mom and Lezlie). Now we just need everyone to feel better and all will be well.

Shopping Extravaganza

This blog has nothing to do with politics, the state of the nation, or anything controversial. It doesn't even have anything to do with my cute grandkids or my views on writing. The only bomb shell dropping is the news that there's a fantastic sale going on on E-Bay. Dozens of writers and readers have contributed books, jewelery, editing services, photo sessions, clothes, figurines, and many, many other items to be auctioned off to support the Whitney Awards program. Whitneys you ask? What is that? It's a recognition program designed to award LDS writers for outstanding achievment. Nominations are made by readers. Go here to nominate your favorite LDS novel for an award. You can nominate more than one book, but only nominate a particular book once. It takes five nominations from at least five different people to put an author in the running for an award. Sadly, like everything else the program takes money and this year's sponsors decided to hold an auction to raise funds to run the program. Click on the Whitney icon beside this blog to see what is available and to bid.A complete set of my Bracelet series is one of the offerings, along with a little bracelet featuring the jewels from the series (not real ones of course). That's four books and so far the highest bid is just $30.00.

Chuck and Vada's trip etc.

Chuck and Vada just returned from another trip to the Oregon coast and brought back some stunning pictures.

We haven't taken any trips lately, but this past week was an awfully busy one with Halloween and both Boyd's and my birthdays. We had a great party at Bob and Esther's house last night. We ate until we were stuffed then while the men watched ball in the office, everyone else played wii in the family room. I forgot to take my camera, but here are a few shots of our ward Halloween carnival and trick or trunk held last Tuesday. By the time Halloween actually rolled around I think the whole novelty of costumes and getting candy had kind of worn off. We had less than a hundred trick or treaters this year.

Mecco and Katie

MarJean and Darrell's granddaughters Mecco and Katie are spending a lot of time with their grandmother right now while their parents and Grandpa are working long hours to finish up the fall harvest and prepare the ground for spring planting. One of their favorite things to do is go to the nearby park in Buhl to play. Here they're sitting on the tank which is a favorite feature of the park.

Snowing last Saturday

Last Saturday and Sunday it snowed. This was the first real snow storm for Brandon that he can remember. Yes, it would snow in Maryland but it wasn't the fluffy cool snow we have here in Utah. As soon as we showed him that it was snowing he had to get his coat on and go outside and play. Luma wanted to go out too but she had surgery on her foot and couldn't get the bandage wet (Poor Luma).
Brushing the snow off...
He had fun catching the snow on his tongue even though we told him that the snow was dirty. I guess he thought just the snow on the ground was dirty.

video of Brandon...

video of Brandon...