Wedding Pics

Cute Aubrey and Grandpa Karl
Outside the temple
It was a lovely wedding cake!
The beautiful sisters. I thought it was so clever to have each bridesmaid use the same material, but choose her own pattern. All the dresses were so pretty and becoming. Good idea!
Cousins throwing kisses to cousins. We were all thinking about those who weren't there. :(

I had so much fun on my trip to Utah. I just wanted to hurry and post these pictures because I knew my girls were wanting to see the dresses and cake, etc. I'm so glad I got to attend the wedding! The ceremony was wonderful, everyone looked beautiful, the food was delicious, and the company was entertaining! I'm so glad my sister got to go with me because we had a great time together! I hope we can do it again sometime.

The Flu and Surprises

Last week found me at home 3 days out of 5 with the flu which turned into bronchitis. I didn't realize what it was in time to get Tamiflu, but when David had the symptoms, we got right in to the doctor and he had to miss only one day of school. The flu really left me weak, needing several naps a day (which was actually kind of nice). And I missed hugging and holding my little grandchildren on Thursday when they came over, but I sure hope they don't get it. I think the baby would have sat in my lap and read books quite a while, but I had to stay away from him. :(

Speaking of books, I finished Goose Girl while I was recuperating. I really enjoyed the story and am so glad everyone recommended it. It was a really nice change from Animal Farm. ;)

On Friday, though, I got a great surprise from those two sneaky Lubbock girls of mine. I had talked to both of them during the day and I thought they were in Lubbock doing their thing, when low and behold, they walked in the sunroom and surprised me Friday evening! I was sitting at the computer, and I just could not believe my eyes! It was a great surprise. We watched President Hinckley's funeral on Saturday and cried together. I will really miss him.

It was really quite remarkable that they kept their trip a secret. I went to get my hair cut on Wednesday, and my hairdresser never said a word even though Carrie already had an appointment with her so Vicki, my hairdresser, knew they were coming. And she told a fellow teacher at school when she went in for her haircut, but she never said a word either!

After the girls left on Sunday I immediately took a nice long nap. They had quite an eventful trip home, but I am sure one of them will blog about it. I'm just so grateful that they were safe and protected.

I just love surprises, don't you?

A Little Update

Has it really been December 30 since I blogged? Surely not. But it has been rather hectic around here. Gratefully that should be slowing down soon. The yearbook goes to print on Feb. 13, so I will get to celebrate that little project being finished by going to SLC with my sis to be at Allison's wedding. I am so looking forward to the trip, seeing our family at another great wedding , and spending some time with my sister and our Hancock family whom we have not seen in several years. In fact, Tricia has not been to SLC since Liz was born, so we are really looking forward to seeing our dad's family again. The only thing missing (besides the rest of my family) is taking pictures outside the Houston temple during the summer!!!

On a bittersweet note, another reason life is slowing down, is because I was released from being the Enrichment counselor in the RS. I still feel sad about it, but actually, it happened in such a neat way that it increased my testimony. Many, many times in the past few weeks I have left Presidency Mtg saying to myself, "How am I ever going to get all of this done?" "All of this" being not only church responsibilities, but mostly school related work. But I was very discouraged and one week I realized that J had asked me twice to play pingpong and once to play him a piece on the piano and I had refused all 3 times because I had "too much to do." On the other hand, it is very hard for me to say no to a church calling and I keep thinking, if I just have more faith, or if I organize my time better, or something, then things will work out. Endure to the end, right? And look at how much time Bishops and others spend on their callings.... Anyway, one Friday the RS president was talking to me about a new secretary and happened to mention that the Bishop was making several changes on Sunday. I just felt I had to tell her how things were for me, and she was very, very understanding. Then she said that the Bishop had specifically asked her about how I was doing and expressed that he was concerned about me. The next day he asked to speak to me and he was so loving and kind. He told me he didn't want me to be unhappy and that he wanted me to let him know when I was sad. Anyway, to make a long story short, I am now the choir pianist and the ward canning specialist, and I am very happy to be doing both of those callings.

On a final note, since on some of the blogs I have been reading the cold weather has been mentioned, I will just leave you with this tidbit of news. Christopher arrived home at 2:00 am Sat. morning from one of his trips. It was -4 degress outside (that does not include wind chill) only to find his apartment heater was broken and could not be repaired all weekend long. Brrrr!!! Talk about cold!

Also, I am enjoying all the blogs and "older" blogs very much. I really do love all of you.

I Miss Christmas

I am so sad that the holidays are over. (Of course, going back to school has nothing to do with my sorrow--sniff, sniff.) I loved having everyone at home--even if it was for only one night. Thanks to the ice storm in the MidWest, Traveling Man had 3 flights cancelled, was stranded in an airport with no rental cars available so took a 2 hour cab ride home, and finally drove the 16 hours from Madison to here. He left at 8:00 am on Sunday and arrived here at 4:00 am on Christmas Eve. Cathy arrived about 12 hours later--she had to leave late due to one of her families in a crisis-- and the newlyweds got here Christmas evening, but I can't really complain because at least everyone got to come. Anyway, it wasn't the Christmas I had envisioned, but once everyone was here I was so happy to be together and so grateful everyone arrived safely.

It was fun playing pingpong and beating everyone soundly--well, almost everyone. (and almost beating them , truth be told) It was also fun going to 6 Flags and riding roller-coasters (which I haven't done in years). Another highlight was seeing the travelers from down south. It was fun to do a little post-season shopping together, as we once did pre-season shopping together, but alas they had to get back to their own family in Houston.

I am happy to make the formal announcement that my New Years letters have been mailed. Please note that I did not send out Christmas letters this year, but intentionally sent out New Years letters, which are less than a week late. Go me! It's going to be a great year!!

Well, my blog reading sessions on Sunday afternoon are going a little faster than I'd like because there is not much new out there to read. I miss all of you! You don't know how much I love reading your blogs. It makes me feel so close to everyone.

I will admit, it did occur to me that it has been awhile since I blogged, so perhaps I should give it a try. It just seems like nothing is new here--two people in shows, band is over, and I'm just trying to survive a rather trying school year. Anyway...

Thanksgiving was wonderful. I loved having my family all home and it was so much fun. CJ even went shopping with me at 4:15 am on the day after. Of course, I was home in bed by 5:30, so I didn't sacrifice too much. When I got up at 4:15, the nicest surprise awaited me--a beeeutifully clean kitchen and living room. All the sibs were still up talking and they had cleaned it up for me and I REALLY APPRECIATED IT!! Following our usual tradition, some of us went to see "Enchanted" after Thanksgiving dinner. It was a cute little musical, but here's the ironic thing. You know Idina Menzel, the original Elfaba? She was in it --but she didn't have a singing role!!!! Go figure that out!

Moving forward, "Oliver" opened this weekend and I have seen it twice already. David is Charley somebody...I thought it was Charley Bone, but then I remembered that is a character in a series of books some of the kids are reading... I really like the music in "Oliver". This theater is not theater in the round (I would say persinium, but I don't really know how to spell it) so it seems very different to me. But I am enjoying it, and so is he.

"Meet Me in St. Louis" opened two weekends ago. Methedad is the trolley driver and a fine one he is, too. But what really steals the show is the trolley itself--which Methedad made. It is very creative, and hopefully I can post a pic of it for you to see.

Marching band is over for this year, but it was a great year. I hope they go back next year to defend their title, but it hasn't been decided yet. I thought it was odd that they didn't give the students a medal or patch for winning, but they didn't. However, never fear, we get to buy a rather expensive championship ring! The letterjackets finally came in this week, so now the poor boy has a coat to wear.

As for me, I'm just working hard at school. There is so much pressure this year for the famous (dare I say infamous) state test the students have to pass, that it is overiding everything else. For the first time, we now have to have the students make graphs of how many questions they answered correctly on each objective every time we have one of the practice tests. It takes class time from when we could actually be teaching. But at least we can do it as a class. When it was first announced, we had to have a one on one conference with every single student--I have about 120. Where was that time going to come from? Anyway, enough of my griping. I'm just so frustrated with it all...

On a positive note, I'm getting ready for Christmas. I got organized this weekend (which was a good thing because I discovered I actually bought 5 copies of one movie) so maybe I'll be ready this year. I love having my family home and I can hardly wait until they all get here. The weather turned cold, so it's finally starting to seem like winter.

Well, enough about us. Hope to read about all of you soon!

We won!!

Saturday, November 17 the L.D. Bell Blue Raider Band received 1st place in the BOA Grand National Championship Marching Contest in Indianaopolis, Indiana!!! We are so excited for the band and proud of our own band nerd for the part he played.

They received First in Class, Music Caption, and General Effects Caption in prelims. In the finals competition they again recevied the Music Caption and General Effects Caption.

This performance is the completion of a trilogy started in 2005 with "The Ascension." In 2006 they place 2nd with "The Remaining." This year was "Transcendents."

The video is available on YouTube. (Just google LD Bell Grand National Champion) Watch the Edited for Time version first. It cuts off right at the end. So then you have to watch the one and only performace of part 6, which is called the Extended Version and is only the new ending. It was a great show and I hope all you band lovers will watch it! Hopefully I can post pictures at a later time. We will leaving shortly to go greet the band on their triumphant return. The Bedford police will be escorting them. :) What a great weekend!

To my Hunny Bunny

Hunny Bunny
You're so funny
Thanks for doing
all the laundry.

The garage organizer is so grand.
You have quite a creative hand.
Chips and drinks won't roll on the floor,
You've got them stored forevermore.

I'm so looking forward to the rain gutter,
and never again will you hear me mutter.
And a new roof on top of the house--
all thanks to you and your laptop mouse.

So here's to you, the man of my dream,
Of the crop, you are the cream.