Remembering Mom's Birthday

Today is Mom's birthday. I was missing her and thought I'd put up a few pictures in her memory.

Best Deal of the Year (so far)

I'm Scotch - literally and figuratively. My husband says my ancestors invented copper wire by stretching pennies. So it's no surprise that I love the after-Christmas sales. I love it when the sales get to 90% off. I got Melissa a Christmas shirt at Target for 75 cents and was feeling pretty good about my deal. Until I saw Anthony's deal.

Ok, so our toilet seat broke. Not a great subject for a blog entry, but just wait. So Anthony went to the store to get a new one. He went to Smith's Marketplace because it was close. He was looking at the choices and Melissa was begging for the soft cushy pink one or the clear one that looked like it had water and fish in it. THANKFULLY, he resisted her pleadings and went for the normal cheap plastic seat. But they were all gone. He looked above the shelves (he's 6'6" - he can do that) and it just so happened that there was one box up there. He said it looked like the same one as the display, so he took it to the cashier to buy it. She rang it up - and said it would be 4 cents. Yep, that's not a typo - four cents! She then decided that must be a mistake so she called the manager over. The manager found that it was a discontinued model and they weren't even supposed to have any left in inventory - yet there it was. They had to charge something for it and since it rang up at 4 cents - that's how much they had to give it to him for. So he paid the 4 cents and brought the toilet seat home.

When he told me - I could hardly believe it. I was laughing pretty hard until I saw the receipt. Then I laughed even harder. Not only did it cost just 4 cents - but he actually SAVED 3 CENTS! This was so great I just had to share the best deal of the year so far (and it's not even my Christmas left overs at 90% off)!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

My wish is that this year be better than last year for everyone.

My resolution is to love more and holler less.

I pray for more serenety.

I will try to make more happy memories and will try to worry less.

Time is short and so precious, may we all savor it more this new year!

Love to all!

Zoo Lights!

I won tickets to Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo from the radio!

I had been listening to KOSY 106.5 during the holidays in my car and at work because they played all Christmas all the time during November and December. Well, one day they were talking about how they had a bunch of different versions of "White Christmas" and wondered how many versions there were. Immediately they received tons of calls from people telling how many they had heard, naming their favorite version, how many they had, etc. So the morning DJ decided to make a game out of it. He put together a version of the song cut from 12 different artists and put it on the radio and website to see how many their listeners could guess. As soon as I got to work I started working on it and soon my whole office was helping. Well, we only got 9 out of 12, but it was a lot of fun.

The station was so inundated with calls from people trying to guess and then telling them how much fun it was, that they decided to do it again the next week. I was listening again (it was in the morning on my way to work at 7 am) and quickly had my office helping again. The cut off time was 8:30 and this time there were 15 artist singing "Winter Wonderland". We had all but 1, so I emailed in and got the reply that I was tied for 1st. We still had time, and so we kept trying to figure out the one artist we were missing. Just as time was running out, my boss figured out that it was one of the same artists that had stumped us before. I quickly emailed again with the complete list, but I got it sent at 8:30 on the dot. We hoped that I had made it, but unfortunately someone else beat me to it and my email was received one minute late.

They mentioned my name on the radio as an "almost winner" just missing the deadline, but as the only other person to get all the artists. Then they decided to give me something anyway - two packages of 4 tickets to Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo!

You can listen and try to guess too (if you don't look at the answers) on KOSY's Fisher & Peggy blog http://www.kosy.com/pages/mornings.html?page=2, the one titled "Another Mish Mash Holiday Song!" and two pages previous titled "Who Hasn't Sung "White Christmas?" By the way, if you go to Wikipedia and search those songs it has a list of an amazing number of artists who have recorded those songs - and their lists are not even complete!

We went to the zoo on Monday night for family night and it was really fun. Unfortunately I didn't take my camcorder, but there is a pretty good video on youtube showing what it's like - http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=69bKDXIHHO4&feature=related. My favorite part was the representation of the 12 days of Christmas in lights choreographed to the music at the bird show stadium. We all sang along (Anthony and Jeremy sang several different versions and had the crowd around us laughing). It was the perfect day to go, no snow, no wind and it wasn't even too awfully cold. We had a lot of fun.

Christmas Tag

Merry Christmas to All!

I don't usually do the "Tags" but this one looked fun and I wanted something Christmassy on here so you don't see my halloween pictures first anymore.

So, I guess, once you read mine, you copy it, erase the answers and put in your own - so "TAG" you're it.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Fun wrapping paper
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial (no needles, no smell, no more cost)
3. When do you put up the tree? Thanksgiving weekend
4. When do you take the tree down? Before Valentine's
5. Do you like egg nog? No
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Giant can of pork & beans (family joke)
7. Hardest person to buy for? Other people's teens (for the cousin gift exchange)
8. Easiest person to buy for? My husband (give him a magic trick and he's happy)
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Three
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail (am I too late?)
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Store bought fruitcake
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? There's too many to choose! Ok, this year I've liked watching "The Santa Clause 1, 2 & 3"
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? October or November (I find if I start too soon, the things are outdated, wrong size, or already owned)
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Homemade almond roca, fudge and sugar cookies (not made by me - by the way)
16. Lights on the tree? On my new tree they are all white
17. Favorite Christmas song? Sleigh Ride & Christmas Waltz (I couldn't pick just one!)
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home is where the family is
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes, as Mrs. Claus, it is mandatory
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star (I'd love one like in the movie "The Santa Clause 3!")
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Santa doesn't come until late Christmas Eve - so Christmas morning of course!
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Time seems to go by too fast, wasn't yesterday the day after Thanksgiving?
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Christmas Through the Years - we get a new ornament or two each year so it's a mixture of those and the homemade kids ornaments and glass bulbs (the best part is hearing "oh, I remember that one!")
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham, homemade rolls, etc.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Peace in my heart

By the way - here's Anthony all decked out as Santa (who he portrays for a living this month!) Which makes me Mrs. Claus - right?

Halloween

I only had one trick-or-treater to take out on Halloween this year. We made her a queen. We found a velvety robe at a thrift store and I sewed on fur and the gold pleated front. Then we glued on jewels and added a crown and there you have it! Our little royal highness. I went as a gypsy.

It was so warm that we didn’t need to bundle up at all! What a change from the usual freezing we have to trick or treat in. We went with cousins until Melissa was so tired that she decided to take a break and let them go on without her around a cul-de-sac while she rested. She didn’t miss much though. She had so much candy that she happily shared with her big brother who went to a magic show with his Dad.

Speaking of which, Anthony was sort of a Dracula for many Halloween magic shows this season. Jeremy was his helper for a lot of those shows, and on Halloween night he dressed up as Jason from Friday the 13th. Jessica went to a party with friends, unfortunately I didn't get a picture of her before she left.

PETS! Believe It or Not

My whole life I knew I was allergic to cats and dogs. My sisters were too. So we had birds as pets growing up. My own kids have begged for pets - I refused cats, dogs, lizards and turtles (they said I wouldn't be allergic to those last two). We did have birds and fish, but they don't last long.

Well last year, our neighbor got twin black kittens. They were outdoor cats and came over to visit – a lot! My kids adored the kittens and played with them all the time. The cats got so comfortable with us that they thought they lived at both houses. Anthony would sneak them food and left a bowl of water on the stairs for them. They even wormed their way into my heart. I tried not to touch them or let them in the house, but they “accidentally” got in a couple of times. The kids would even leave the garage open a bit so they could get in and stay warm. When one of the twins was hit by a car and killed, the other kitty (Snowflake) suddenly got free reign at our house – relieving our grief. Miraculously I was not allergic. We figured that after years of visiting Anthony’s family with their multitude of pets, I had become used to them and maybe built up an immunity. Sadly, after a few months the cat disappeared. The kids thought they saw Snowflake at another neighbor’s house, and they would chase any black cat in the neighborhood to see if it was “our” kitty, but they could never find her.

Then a couple of months later when Jessica’s friend needed to find a home for their cat that wasn’t getting along with their other pets, Jessica was passed excited to bring it home. Since I no longer had the excuse that I was allergic, and the cat was a short hair and already litter box trained, I gave in. So we have had our own cat since April. Sammy is a snow bengal - a cross between a snow leopard and a bengal tiger. He is a very curious cat and gets right in the middle of whatever we're doing, but he has been a lot of fun and we all love him. (Even better, the kids clean the litter box - not me!)

Then, of course, Anthony HAD to get a bunny now that he is a full time magician. That makes two furry pets. At least that one stays outside and I don't have to clean up after him.

Well, surprise! Yesterday Jessica had another friend who had given all his kittens away except one. She jumped at the chance to get another kitten and so she just brought it home with her! I wanted to say no, I tried to say no. But when we saw that cute little tiny kitten with a teeny tiny little meow, so soft and cuddly, we all instantly fell in love. We don't know what kind of cat she is, but she supposedly is also already litter box trained. We've named her Pepper. That makes three furry pets! Me - with three furry pets! Can you believe it? I still can't hardly believe it. Sigh...

Smile :)

After many years of wishing for braces and being embarrassed at her crooked smile, Jessica finally got braces. Don’t you love the purple bands? Jessica takes after her mother in having a small jaw and not enough room for her teeth. But instead of pulling teeth (like they did to me) she is getting her jaw expanded.

The “expander” should be called the torture device. She has to put a tool into a small hole in the center of the device and turn the screw that pushes the bands and her teeth apart widening her upper palate. At first it was once a day, now she has to do it twice a day! With all that equipment in her mouth she is having a hard time speaking clearly. She sounds like she has a mouth full of mush – but no, it’s a mouth full of a metal torture device.

She’s excited though, because she can already see some movement in her teeth. She smiles bigger now than she ever did before the braces. We can hardly wait to see the beautiful straight smile she deserves!

Blessed by a Prophet

We were privileged to have a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a member of the Quorum of Seventy at our Stake Conference yesterday and today. After 10 years of service, our Stake Presidency was being released and a new presidency called. Our Stake hasn't had a visit from a general authority in over 17 years.

It was a very special feeling when he walked into the chapel and the entire audience rose to their feet in reverence. I could feel the close connection he has with the Lord as he spoke to us on Saturday evening about the history of temples and the temple covenants.

This morning he taught us the things he wanted to make sure we were teaching our children. He said if he had it to do over again, when he had family home evening he would turn to the topical guide in the scriptures and use the section on Jesus to teach from. He wanted us to teach our children about Jesus. He didn't stop there, however. He reminded us to teach about our Prophet and all the prophets who have lead by revelation, the foundation of the Church. He also said it was important to teach about temples and the covenants we make there. That lead to the sacrament, and fasting and praying. He also mentioned that the up coming Conference was important to prepare for.

That wasn't quite all. He went on to say that we should teach our children that the most important commandment was to honor your father and mother, and then he admonished us that we needed to be the kind of parents worthy of being honored. He also mentioned the importance of tithing and the Word of Wisdom and avoiding pornography like the plague it is today. He encouraged us to encourage our children to become educated and asked us to participate in politics, standing up for our moral values in government.

Then he invoked his keys as an apostle and pronounced upon us a blessing of the Lord that we would be His disciples as we lived our religion and were good examples to those around us. He blessed our children, particularly that our sons would be missionaries. He also blessed us with answers to our problems as we attended the temple.

He taught us nothing new, and blessed us with nothing earth shattering . . . and yet it felt special! It felt powerful. I am grateful for latter-day prophets and for the blessings of the gospel. I hope I can live up to the special blessing I received today.

End of Summer

Every Memorial Day Anthony's family had a tradition of going to the Zoo. I found out shortly after Jessica was born. They said we were expected to participate and continue the tradition. Jessica was exactly three weeks old! But I was a good wife and bundled up my newborn (it was cold for the end of May that year) and headed out to join the family at the Zoo.

Every year since, we have faithfully attended with the family. But a couple of years ago, they decided they were tired of going to the zoo and wanted to do something different, but we didn't actually DO anything. The next year fell through as well. This year we got rained out, so we went to the movies instead. Well Melissa has not had as many chances to go to the zoo as all the older cousins who are bored with it, so I promised her we would go on Labor Day with or without the cousins. But when we heard it was going to rain on Labor Day too, we decided to go yesterday so we wouldn't miss our chance. Jessica had to work and none of the cousins wanted to join us, so we went without them!