This is DUST!

This is the picture from our front porch.  You should be able to see the city and the mountains.  I know it just LOOKS in the picture like a cloudy day......that is ALL DUST from the 60 mile per hour winds.  Gritty.

Someone said they thought this was Oklahoma circa 1930.......I agree.........!!!!

Can't help but smile!

Annie and Michael bought soft serve ice cream cones for everyone and brought them over to share with Dad and I last night.  (Fun).  Miss Ray was so funny-----dad and I have repeated it several times this morning and laughed again and again.
When she says the words "upstairs" or "downstairs" she says the word perfectly, then there is a little 1/2 second gap and she adds a very sweetly lisped 's' on the end (even though she said the first s)  So it is "downstairs, 's'"  But the tongue out and the lisp are just too cute and funny.  We laughed and laughed.
I want it on video, posted on their Blog.  Darling.  Thanks for the happiness that baby girl brings!

Speaking of Interesting names...........

Dad and I just got home from the temple:  How does the name Wealthy Gold sound?  We did sealings, and Wealthy Gold was one of the women!  Optimistic parents?  Or just wishful thinking?

Odd names

I substituted for a group of 3rd graders.  Here were their names:

Rukiya, Byron, AJ, Ajla, Casen, Josmar, Bevhut, Khyler, Anlleli, Darien, Hayden, Tinelle

That was more than half the class with unusual names.  The rest were in the range of more common names, but still on the edges like: Paris, Tiffany, Howard (that name still cracks me up for a little boy, even though it is a great grandpa name.......), Kaden and then sprinkled with the usual for Utah Alma's, Ammon's and Nephi's.  .....you get the idea.  Anyway, it was interesting!  I've never been in a class room with so many unusual names.  And yes, it was a mix of cultures, but no more so than usual for Granite Schools.

Don't miss Dad's post just below this one....!

Today, Sunday, Annie was 'drugged' and asleep, I was busy building 'chick' houses for the little toy peeps that Brennan, EmmaRay and Cade had gotten, Lisa was busy looking at Europe books, Michael was Busy because Brennan wasn't feeling well.  Cade's eyes were all matted and he was starting to look just like Ben in James and Allie's blog (ouch).....and we missed Rays call to go potty.  She already had her jammies on, as did Brennan, so Michael changed her into Brennans clothes for the trek home.  Here she is:  Miss "Brennan" Ray.

Still looks like a little Pixi!

Dad's two cents worth

Last week I again finished reading the Book of Mormon in English and started over in Finnish.  I read through 1 Ne. 3:7 about Nephi's willingness to be perfectly obedient; then in verse 8 we are told that Lehi was "exceedingly glad" because of Nephi's obedience.  In Finnish the choice of words for "exceedingly glad" was just enough different that it caught my attention, and I have been pondering these words ever since.  The Finnish translation reads that Lehi was "tavattoman iloinen."  Iloinen directly translates as joyful which, to me, is a little stronger emotion than just being glad.  The adverb tavattoman adds even more intensity.  Exceedingly is a good match in English, but we could also use uncustomarily or even without comparison.  The very best match for tavattoman comes from the definition #2 of quintessential: "the essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form." 
Lehi experienced joy in its purest and most concentrated form due to Nephi's obedience.  I relate to Lehi's feelings as I reflect on the obedience and testimonies of my children, sons-in-law, and daughter-in-law. Thank you all for holding so firmly to the iron rod.  Thank you for continuing the patterns we established in our younger family: prayer, family home evening, scripture study, church attendance, temple attendance, service, and for bringing up your children in an environment of love.  Thank you each for your deep and fervent feelings for our Lord and Savior.  And thanks for so frequently making Grandpa tavattoman iloinen.

Versitle!

I realized that this week I 'taught the spectrum'!  Monday:  Special needs high school.  Tuesday, one hour each in K-5th, Wednesday regular 10-12, and Thursday and Friday the 'hard kids' at the alternative High School.  I only missed teaching 6th, 7th and 8th graders.....Interesting week!

Snowing fast!

On this Saturday that I felt like just being cozy, the weather has 'cooperated' and sent us a fast and furious snowstorm.  It has laid down several inches in just the last 15 minutes.  Keep it a comin'!!!

It is the morning of a new day!

Good Saturday Morning to everyone!  It is the WEEKEND!!!  I am so excited. I think I have been tired most of the week, and had a headache most of the week, so I am hoping to have some sleep catch up time.  (Bad weeked for it as it is Spring Forward, which puts me back getting up in the darkness........)
Kristen and Alex will be here on Tuesday, as they are on Spring Break!  I'm glad, I've missed them!
I'm going to finish Sara's Valances today!!!  That is about all that is on my agenda!  Dad had had the opportunity to help clean the chandelier in the Celestial Room in the temple.  The Stake President was cleaning the one in the foyer.  The Stake President broke one of the crystals.  The maintenance chief said, "Don't tell anyone, but you can take it home with you".....and so he got one of the beautiful crystals. [It was don't tell anyone because they don't want people breaking any crystals 'on purpose' so they get to take them home.......!]   Last night dad and I admired the extra sparkle of the super--just washed-- chandeliers.  Breath taking, really.   When we came out of the temple (we went to the 5:00 session).......it was just that perfect time of night when the lights of the city are sparkling, yet the mountains are still a little pink from the sunset.  What a BEAUTIFUL view!

So, so cute!!

Look what Lisa brought to me......just as a 'just because' present!!!

 

Aren't those just the two cutest birdies you ever saw.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Lisa!!

Good Day!

I had one of those catch up days today.  The house/life etc. was out of control because of lack of time.  Today I got all the beds changed, all the laundry done, the floors mopped, everything dusted, vacuumed, straightened, put away, etc.  Closets/cupboards washed down.  (Not all of them totally cleaned out......one house is too much for one day.)  Basement put back together after 7 little children played..........Made banana bread, did grocery shopping, cleaned out the fridge.  Feels good!

Friday, March 5, 2010

First we had to say goodbye to the Thornbrue's as they headed home:  Sniff, sniff.

Cade made a snow angel

Brennan made a snow angel

Ray is a snow angel

Michael hugging my snow lady (well, actually it is more like he is biting her hair)

It was melting fast on the hillside, but still good for a dozen fun runs down

The kids didn't want a ride, so Michael gave Annie a ride back to the car!

Then we went to my house for some really good white/dark chocolate cookies.

Then I had to get back to the mopping, cleaning process again.

Great little snow break.

It is probably about 55 degrees out now!

Look who dropped in!

 

Allie and Grace

Studious Miss Marie, who wore these glasses almost the whole time they were here.......I hope she remembered to take them home!

  

Ben (It is hard to capture Ben on film......too wiggley!)

 

Tessa practicing diligently

 

Cute picture of Marie!

 

Walking into Lisa's school

 

Writing on the whiteboard!

 

The kids got to eat lunch on a train!

 

Brennan, Grace and Ray in their train car.

 

Tessa

 

Playing at Annies!

March 5, 2010

Sometimes you get exactly what you pray for!

Very pretty!  Plus, this is packing snow!  Way fun!

Huh?

 I went to sub in a 2nd grade classroom yesterday.  Here were the sub plans:

1.  Take roll (no seating chart, no list of kids names, no nothing......so I asked them their names and who was missing.......)
2.  Have students write in planners and put homework in planners.  (Where's the homework?}
3.  Do fraction puzzles (no puzzles)
4.  Do fraction worksheet.  (This WAS there)
5.  Do centers.  I told the kids 'It is time for centers', thinking that they would 'go and do'.  They said, "What are we supposed to do.....the teacher always sets it all up for us, and has stuff for us to work on."  [great.........]
6.  All recesses today, you have duty.
7.  Annie will come in at 11:08 and work with one group while you work with another.  She didn't come in until 11:35.  What was I supposed to do with the other group?  Naturally, I asked Annie.  Her response, "Dunno."  That was all she said to me the 1/2 hour she was there......!
8.  Have students do pages 21-29.  (What book?)
9.  Have students go down to the kindergarten class and read to them.  (What class, what time?)
10.  Clean up.  Don't forget to give students their necklace.  (What necklaces?)
Anyway, it made for a rather long and interesting day!  (What time is recess, lunch, etc.)

Ewwwwwww!

 

For all you Oregonians/Washintonians and others that live in prettier parts of the country......this is OUR lawn. [It is flattened from being under a ton of snow for 3 months...and hasn't started the 'fluff up' process.  It is much greener than any of the neighbors lawns, which look like this: {This lawn was not flattened, because it gets enough sun to melt the snow early.....most are yellow as below and flattened too.)

Straw bale yellow........

Our view is this:

We beg for snow to cover it up!!!!

Spring is still nearly two months away!

Dad just looked and said, "Where is that?"  I said, "Our yard, the neighbors yard and our view"  He said, "Whoa, that is REALLY UGLY"

We try to avoid looking!

{P.S.--the view is pretty......the mountains awesome.....it's just the brown of it all....}