Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

We have been very blessed, here, to be the recipiants of so much kindness and generosity.  Our new Idaho friends have really gone out of their way to make us feel at home.  My heart if full this holiday season.

IDAHO: send me your acronyms!

I  
Don't
Always
Hug
Others

I
Delivered
A
Huge
Ostrich

Industrial
Dogs
Are
Happy
Over Achievers

Hide & Go Scream!

After Family Home Evening last night, Lucas wanted to play hide & go seek.  So we each took our turn counting & seeking; Sage ended up being the last one.  She started to get nervous when she couldn't find any of us.  Ethan made himself visible so she could find him, then he lent her his flashlight to help her find the rest of us.  Little by little she began locating each of us.  Except for me.  Ethan kept hinting at her on where to look (her bedroom closet) but she just wasn't gettin it.  So, I decided to make some noise thinking she'd figure out where I was.  That completely backfired when Sage heard someone say spider.  That just created panic (Sage HATES spiders)!!!  So when I opened to the door to give myself up, she nearly had a heart attack.  After the initial shock, she was mad at all of us, but wanted to be held my mommy.  Not so much fun for Sage, but we got a chuckle from it.  (It wasn't funny that she was scared, but it was funny.  The boys especially loved it.)

Meetings, meetings, meetings!

Yesterday was a bit crazy with meetings.  I met with my presidency to get some planning done for the end of year.  Primary is singing, Priesthood preview coming up, getting ready for the new year & new theme.  Want to have a get together with all the primary board.

Attended my first Activity Day Girls meeting.  I am still trying to get names with faces & faces with names.  Our ward has a large group requiring that we call a 3rd leader.  Last night was her first activity days meeting, too.  I have very nice ladies serving in those positions.

Lastly, was BSA roundtable.  I attended the Cub portion while my hubbie was at the Boy Scout portion.  A first for both of us.  It was very imformative.  As it turns out, our Cub Master is moving into a fixer-upper soon & has been quite busy with that and work, so I am in charge of December's Pack meeting.  (One more thing.)  If we don't get a committee chair soon, I'll also be in charge of the pinewood derby in Jan.  Talk about stress.  I am glad that I like to delegate and share responsibilities with others.  But, it's time to get organized.

I'm not quite at point of wanting to choke.  But I do feel like what this dude looks like!

(Speaking of choke, so sad to see the Cav's loose to the Miami Heat last night.)

Oh Christmas Tree

Sage and I adapted this crafthttp://taylordesign.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/curled-paper-christmas-tree-tutorial/  (I don't know how to make this link work, just google it.)
to make a craft at home.
I was determined to make it without buying any supplies.  So I had to make my own cones.

These were just stapled together.  Didn't have to be pretty because they were going to be covered.






 The next step is to cut out the little paper strips from scrapbook paper. I didn't have any two sided paper (which would look cuter) but I forged ahead anyway.  They each need to be curled.
Then begin gluing.  My tacky glue was a bit glumpy after a hot trek across the US of A, but it seemed to still do the job.



When all was glued on, I added some glitter glue at the top & a dollop on each "leaf" to add some sparkle.  Given more time, I could add a star or angle.  I'm going to make 4 more of these to use in the display at the middle school library.

 Sage wanted to make some too.  I think she did pretty good!  And I wasn't allowed to help her.

 

Views of Star

I sent Ethan out one day on his bicycle to take some photos of our little town.

This is the town hall.  Ethan took only a close up shot of the building.  We haven't actually been inside, yet.  This building sits near the fire station & the food bank.  Yep, we actually have one. Local scouts have come by several times to collect food. The food bank is actually housed in a little house.

As you can tell from the sign, this is our local post office.  It is actually bigger than the little post office down the street from us in Ohio.  The parking lot was recently paved.  That was exciting.  Simply because, as the post mistress shared with me, some people got mad that the post office was closed.  Can't make everybody happy.

This is the one "fancy" restaurant in town.  Yep, we haven't been there, either.  I have no idea if the food is any good; no one we know has been there, either.  They do broadcast the Boise Broncos games.  We usually only watch the Scarlet & Gray.  

Our neighbor across the street works for the Star Fire Department.  One day, he and another fireman stopped by his house for lunch.  The boys are actually friends with his son & have been able to visit the firehouse a couple of times.  Nice folks.  They have snowmobiles.  I think we should become better friends!!

This is the little club house for our neighborhood.  I had no idea our neighborhood as one of these until I was invited to the Relief Society Progressive Dinner (next week).  I guess it will end here.  Sadly, there's no pool, hot tub, work out equipment, etc.  It is across the street from Lucas' school & does provide some convenient parking when you don't want to get stuck in the student pick up line!

This is the sign for little park in our neighborhood.  It's a nice little park, but you won't get to see that since Ethan only photographed the sign.  We have a couple of pieces of nice play equipment.  There are a couple of soccer fields.  There is one gazebo, that Sage & I like to stop at & have picnics when we have finished volunteering at Lucas' school.  There are a couple of benches.  And a great sign.

Ok everyone.  As me questions about what you see so that I know what else to blog about.  Stay tuned for Toon Time!

Fall 2010

My first Star Ward Craft

My first Meridan Ward Craft

Display at Eagle Middle School Library

Ethan carving pumpkin

Ivan carving pumpkin

Lucas carving pumpkin

Sage carving pumpkin

Finished products

Recycled wreath

The view down our street

Sage took this photo after finishing our first library display at Ethan's school.