11/27/07

We got about 2 inches of snow last night. The dogs really had a great time wrestling and playing in the wee hours this morning. The picture on the left is looking out the back door. The one on the right is out the front window looking across the golf course.
Ron and friend, Hey Hey solve all the world's ills while the kids clown around.

Today was really pretty outside. The sun was out and the fresh snow made everything look so clean at the start of the day. It is now mostly mud and slush.

It was a short day of classes for me, so I went with Ron ton watch the kids at their last gymnastics class with the school.

Once we got home Ron's late wife's family (his former sister-in-law and mother-in-law with their SO's) dropped in to have an impromptu celebration of Adam's BD. We had a nice time.

Ron took the 3 older kids to activities tonight while Elizabeth and I tackled her bedroom. It is actually almost clean now. . .

11/26/07

I went to gym class this morning and it was the last time I was really warm until after I was home for awhile. The weather wasn't all that cold, right around freezing, but my hair was damp most of the morning and there was a sharp breeze blowing at school. And did I wear my "longies" today??? NO! I will tomorrow. I will probably even wear my boots tomorrow as it is snowing outside right now!

We watched a movie together this evening and the dogs kept wanting to go outside to romp in the fresh, fluffy, cold stuff outside. Aurora looked so funny standing at the back door with the white crystalline dusting on her back and the snow in her beard.

This is the last week of classes for me and I am ready for the break. . .I was really happy to see that I got 75% on my calculus quiz last Friday. If I can do that on the final next week I'll have it made (for this semester).

I will get some pictures of the pretty white stuff in the morning . . .good night all.

11/25/07

Today was a pretty low key day. There is a physics problem due tomorrow that I never could quite get myself to sit down and do. Well, it IS Sunday, and we really are supposed to take a day of rest. . . Off on a tangent, I was thinking earlier this week when I heard about and saw that people were trying to organize a "Buy nothing day" in a effort to heighten awareness of the environment and consumerism; usually we as a Church and in particular our family actually practice a buy nothing day nearly every week of the year.

At church we were taught by the Primary with their annual presentation for sacrament meeting. Those kids are always so cute! They did a very good job too. We also got to meet the new addition to the Audet's family today. Lacy arrived last Sunday and big sisters Tiarra and Sharley (totally wrong spelling!) were SO proud today. After meetings we had another choir practice, some of the songs are still sounding a bit rough around the edges, but I'm sure we will have it worked out by performance time. One of my favorites has kind of an old english, renaissance feel about it. We will be performing in a couple of weeks at the annual Nativity exhibit.

I usually get the Christmas stuff out and we start decorating right after Thanksgiving, but we aren't doing it this year. It feels very strange to think we won't even be doing a tree since we will be about 1400 miles south of here much of December. I have put Mom on notice that the kids are still looking forward to making marzipan, stained glass window cookies, gingerbread and all the other treats we make every year even though we will be at HER house. I have told in no uncertain terms by the kids that my great-grandmother Katavich's Hrstula recipe is to go south with us so I can make that too.

11/24/07

Today Ron and I finally painted the window frames in the living and dining areas. We started this particular project last year during Christmas break. We also got the two curtain rods installed and I hemmed the curtains for the living room.

The 3 older kids went to a stake youth activity in Vernon which was based on Covey's 7 Habits for Highly Effective Teens. They really had a lot of fun and I think they learned a lot too.

Ron and I took Elizabeth out for fish and chips and then had DQ treats on the way home. As we were leaving for dinner, there was just a bit of snow, and the moon was out and very bright. It always reminds me of powdered doughnuts when everything gets that light dusting of snow on it.

Adam's 16th

This is Adam's favorite, Black Forest Cake. I used cherries we canned 2 years ago in the middle. His friend, Darren is here for the night and they will be up late watching movies. . . I can't believe he is 16 already, he has become quite the young man. Kaili was quite put out when she and Elizabeth were sent to bed at about the normal time. We got to talk about the difference between 12 and 16 and the corresponding freedoms. We will get the driver's manual to him next week for study over Christmas break so we can start the driver's training fun when we get home from California.

I skipped the gym this morning to eek a bit more study in. My tests went OK today, not stellar, but I think I will probably pass all my courses this term. There is still one week of classes and the finals to pass.

It was cool again today, but I wore my "longies" so I'm not sure if it was actually less cold out or if I was just warmer because of the extra layer. . .maybe a little of both.

Picture perfect- Harvest

This is where some of our harvest ends-up. We are fortunate to have an abundance of peaces, cherries, apples, pears and berries available to us in the spring and summer.

American Thanksgiving

We had the Elders and the Sisters over for "American Thanksgiving" at our house this evening. I got home from my physics lab final in time to make the gravy, Ron and the kids had done the rest. We read a couple of Thanksgiving poems, a short history of Thanksgiving and a few scriptures about Thanksgiving and gratitude before we actually ate the meal. We also wrote what we were thankful for on some paper leaves and tried to guess who wrote which one (a tradition in our house). The meal was very good and I forgot about grabbing a few pictures until it was time for pie. Adam sure seems to like helping the sisters. Isis and Aurora were vigilant for any possible crumbs or spills. They are very good at clean-up duty.

My test was a TEST, the math anxiety had me for the first few minutes, then I started to figure it out. I think my days of acing tests is gone. I guess I only have to pass them.

Tomorrow it is two quizzes, then Adam's birthday cake and dinner. . .

It was another very sharp day as far as the temps go, right around freezing or a little below.

11/21/07

I actually made it to my second gym class this week this morning. . .woohooo!!

I was up late last night trying to get yesterday's paper and my scripture reading done. I am getting my journaling done early, so I can squeeze in my newspaper earlier tonight. I like to read my scriptures before bed, so I can "sleep on it".

Ron and I picked-up a few things for tomorrow's "American Thanksgiving" dinner at our house. It is almost identical to the "Canadian Thanksgiving" we celebrate in October. We usually have a bunch of people over for it, but I have a physics lab final tomorrow afternoon. The missionaries will be coming over and Ron and the kids will be responsible for the meal preparation. This feels very strange for me, as I love to cook for people. Ron and the kids are upstairs right now getting the pumpkin and lemon meringue pies done. (I helped a just smidge, but they want to do it and I need to get some study done.) Ron said he wanted to tackle the pies while I was here to bail them out if they need it. They should be fine, the kids have all helped me bake pies before, so they know to temper the egg yolks and such.

It was another cold one today and I was really dragging all day.

OH yeah, I was actually able to confidently answer a question in physics today, though. All my previous fire training came in handy when the prof asked about the three types of heat transfer. . .I knew that one COLD! Then we got into the math part and I was back to treading water, so to speak.

Have a great night all. . .being paged to the kitchen now!

11/20/07

Tonight was "Young Women in Excellence" for Kaili. They had a garden/flower theme. We were supposed to choose a flower that best represents our daughters. I really struggled with the questionnaire at first, but then after mulling it over for a couple of weeks, I finally remembered to pray about it. I woke after a dream and realized that a violet was pretty "Kaili-like". She is pretty shy at first, but is very deeply colored and complex upon closer inspection. She has very definite ideas and will quietly take over and go where she wants to.

The girls sang "If I Planted a Garden" for us and they had made displays demonstrating the Young Women's values which are; Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity.
During the main presentation, Kaili acted as the gardener, planting and tending the flowers. She did a really good job and it was a pleasant evening.

Yesterday and today have been winter like. There is a definite bite in the air and I don't think it has gotten much above freezing, if it has at all.

I woke up with a slight headache and it has persisted all day. I think the stress of the upcoming tests this week is getting to me. I got my physics mid-term score today, and it looks like I squeaked by another one. I will be really glad when I make it through all the required math stuff.

11/19/07

Yesterday was cool, but pleasant. The Stake President was visiting and gave a talk about personal revelation and the priesthood. He is such a warm personable man and a wonderful speaker. One story that stuck out for me was about expressing gratitude and how it helps us to be nearer the Spirit and thus more available for personal revelation.

We (the choir) sang the intermediate hymn and then had practice after church. Adam had a Bishop's Youth Council meeting then it was hurry home for dinner so the older 3 could return for the Bishop's Youth Discussion in the evening. Elizabeth and I cuddled up in my big bed with the dogs and watched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition together until her bedtime.

Today I made it to the gym and had a good workout again, we'll see if I pull it off more than once this week. My hamstrings are a bit tight after the weed-pulling on Saturday.

I had a very hard time staying awake in class this afternoon and just wanted to crawl into bed when I got home, but alas that was not to be. . .

I got here and Ron's former MIL (His late wife's mother) and her significant other were here. She has been pleasant to me since we had a MAJOR blowout in the front driveway one day. There is still an undercurrent of coolness towards me and Elizabeth.

After they left Ron made a really nice dinner of rice/veggies/shrimp. Just as we were finishing that, the phone rang and some friends invited us out for a family swim at Canada Games Pool. This is not our typical FHE ritual, but It is only $13.50 for all six of us, and the kids love to swim, so we went. Ron enjoyed the hot tub, sauna, steam room with the guys and sauna and I enjoyed chatting with a couple of women friends from church. We are all so busy, it seems we never really just get to chat.

I am now REALLY tired. Fortunately, tomorrow is a short day at school, so I can get some studying done before week's end. I have lots to get done by Friday, and sometime in there I need to get a black forest birthday cake made for Adam.

Thanks for all the encouragement and good wishes. 'night all