My Inquiring Mind Wants to Know

I have a few questions that I'm hoping someone can help me with.

1. Is there a way to print out blogs? I'm sorry to say that besides our family newsletter, this blog was my only journal in 2008 and it would be nice to print it out.



2. Does anyone have a tried and true way to quit biting fingernails? I've been biting them for 40 years and it is a deeply ingrained habit. I am so tired of my ugly fingernails and have tried a lot of things, but nothing lasts.



3. Do you think Dane's new companion is kind of hairy?
   

Christmas

Family, food, games, THE phone call, movies, lights, santa, 2 new feet of snow, and lots of gratitude for blessings and the Savior = Christmas.

Nick, Kent, Katie & Naomi, talking to Dane on speaker phone at 6 AM Christmas morning.

Aaron & Katie opening presents (wearing the new pajamas I made)

Caleb with some of his presents

Ethan, Papa Kent & Logan

Ethan took pictures while we were playing games. These are some of the better ones:

I Was Heard, Kind Of

Maybe it was because of my whining, or begging, or tantrumming, or maybe after 24 years Kent has learned to really know me, but whatever it is, I got my window and blinds! My wonderful husband didn't get me just that though, even though I sincerely would have been happy with that. He saw that I needed a new battery for my laptop and a new space heater for our bedroom too, so my wants and needs were both met. I should have asked for a nose mitten (do they sell those?) because my nose is always an ice cube lately!

It was so nice to talk to Dane for more than two hours on Christmas (so what if it was at 6 in the morning) but I was jealous when he said he was going with a group of missionaries to a beach because I'm already so tired of the cold weather! Anyone else agree?

As Long As You Love Me So...

Aside from the traffic accidents, the flight delays, and the shoveling and window scraping, I say, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow." My shopping is done and I have no place to go so I can stay inside my warm house and cross things off my list that I've finished (and things I've suddenly decided don't need to be finished by Christmas) and feel bad for Kent and others who have to go out to work and provide for people like me who stay home and enjoy looking out the window at the huge falling flakes. (Wow, that was probably too long of a sentence.) Here are some pictures after last weeks storms. Ethan sure had fun making a snowman with Nick.

Home for Christmas

I really miss Dane. I am a very trunky Mom. He still has 10 months in Costa Rica and I know in my head that he needs to be there, but my mother heart wants him home for Christmas. At least in five more days we'll be able to talk to him. On Mother's Day when we talked to him he had a Spanish accent that was cute. The end of every one of his sentences went up like it was a question. We're hoping that Ethan will talk to him and sing to him.

I'm conscious of the fact that there are parents, children and spouses around the world missing family members right now. Someone sent me this link that you can go to and quickly send a card that Xerox will print out and send to a soldier in Iraq. It only took me a minute to do and is free.

Sewing, Daily Sewing

I'm getting down to crunch time with my seasonal sewing. No quilts this year, just 12 pair of pajama bottoms and a bunch of other gifts that can't be mentioned because of their secretive nature. My serger has not cooperated though and has visited the repair shop twice in the last week; once for a tune up and once for new blades. After paying for the second repair Kent handed me the serger and said, "Merry Christmas!"

Speaking of presents, why do people not believe you when you tell them what you want and you will be happy with just that for Christmas? Case in point: I told Kent that all I want for Christmas is a new window and blinds for the window over the kitchen sink. The window is cracked and old and the blinds are the old plastic kind. Am I fooling myself to think I would be happy with just that under the tree from Kent? I don't think so, but he does. Yesterday in passing he informed me that if I see a Paypal receipt in my email to ignore it because he bought me something. WHAT? He then informed me that it is the wrong time of the year to buy a window and put it in. WHAT? Needless to say I got a little upset. The window and blinds were truly all I wanted. A little mouse informed me that he is looking for windows again! I guess the other present will be a bonus, unless he returns it because of my tantrum. I guess I would deserve it.

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

EXcitED?

Ethan discovered a big box in my room and asked me what was in it. I told him it was Christmas presents and there was one for him in there. His face lit up and he asked, "EXcitED?" His voice starts up high, dips down and goes back up. It's the cutest thing. I need to get it on video. Out of the blue about 10 times that day he would ask me, "EXcitED?" I realized I really wasn't too excited for Christmas because it seemed like too much work. My goal of getting my shopping done in November didn't work. For one thing, PEOPLE (meaning my kids) didn't get me their lists. But, having Ethan and Logan around is getting me excited for Christmas. They love the lights and presents and the decorations that seem old to me but are new and exciting to them. So yes Ethan, I am EXcitED. Thank you.