Honor Band

Josh was invited to go to BYUI and participate in an honor band comprised of several middle schools. 8th graders came from across Southeastern Idaho to learn songs in one day and perform those songs in a concert that night. 

Due to budget cuts, there was no bussing. I drove Josh an hour to Rexvurg to get him and his friend there by 8:30. A big deal for me to leave the house before 7:15. I was even showered and my face on. 

I was planning on staying the whole day. But what to do while Josh practiced all day. 

Really no problem. I went to the Rexvurg temple. I found a fabric shop and bought some lovely peach fabric and some fleece. 

I wandered BYUI and found a full sized three D facsimile of the Rosetta Stone. 

I did not realize it was so big.  I think the original is in London. (Per the Kane Chronicles by Brandon Mull) 

I caught the last few minutes of the practice and then we wandered the campus. I tagged along with the five boys and their band teacher.  Their band teacher attended years ago and he showed the boys his favorite parts of Campus. 

We ended up back at the Library. We found the Rosetta Stone. The boys were fascinated. We were right by the Special Collections room. It had been closed earlier when I was there.  The band teacher knew a bit about the Special Collections. They had some very old Bibles. 

The oldest one was a small vellum hand written vulgate from the 1200s. We had put on little white cotton gloves so we could handle it.  There were several excellent specimens of printed Bibles, even one page of a Guttenburg Bible. It was a page from Job. Very cool. 

There was a Great Bible - a large Podium Bible. A smaller study Bible with footnotes. A very large copy of the King James Bible. A first edition copy of the Book of Mormon that was water-stained from crossing the plains. 

Simply Awesome!

They also had a reproduction (?) of an old press. An up-dated, by 100 years or so, of the Gutenburg Press. 

We had to hurry through dinner and get back to the concert hall. 

These kids learned five songs and performed them in one day. They were intricate, complicated songs. I was so proud of Josh.  He was surprised by what he was able to accomplish in one day. 

We came home with a few momentous of our day. A Stripling Warrior recommend holder and a BYUI water bottle. He is thinking about how cool it would be to attend BYUI. For that it was worth the day and farming Boaz out. 

As for Boaz, he came home having been talked into completing an assignment from his friend.  I didn't have to play the heavy and make him do the reading assignment. He gathered all the items for his book report. I didn't even have to make him cry. 

All in all, a fabulous day. 

She's a brunette

New hair. She looks good. 

Too long for the couch

Really what do I need to say more?

He is reading the history notes that he missed staying home today. 

Kansas

He got the box I shipped with ties, work shirts, work pants, and a sports coat. 

He laughed with me that he went from being the chief pooper scooper to carrying his laptop through the airport.

I was happy that he was out of the weather, away from the hazardous material, and at work when we was away instead of just keeping the truck from freezing up.

Also they paid for travel, the hotel and his meals. I told him to eat his vegetables. 

He sent me a picture of his dinner one day. 

His yummy Thai soup. I had made Thai soup at home and he was missing it. 

His fortune. I don't know why the orientation is odd, but you will have to read it sideways.  It is none the less a very good fortune. 

He teased me with a picture of his dessert. I said and I wanted some and he said "come on over."  Not very nice. I missed the ice cream and him. 

He is now back in Wisconsin and then he will drive home next week. Good thing. I miss him. 

One more down.

Just as I get this one done, I find I have another one to add to my list. 

I do love this pattern. 

The swirls are getting better. 

Hummm

The boys  are in school.

I have leftover tuna casserole ready for dinner tonight. 

I have a book that Josh has recommended, waiting to be read. The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann.

I have to see what he is reading, right?

I don't think I'll get to the quilt this morning. 

The stone

The back showed the memories of the home made ice skating rink and the volleyball in the yard. 

Cody's farewell.

My sister, Deb, has three boys. They have all achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. They have all graduated high school.  And now, the third will join his brothers and serve The Lord on an LDS mission. Cody will attend the MTC in Mexico City and then travel to his mission in Honduras. That means that he and his brother, Cody, will finally be able to get something over their oldest brother, Nicko.  Nicko didn't learn Spanish. I think he might try and pick it up a bit.

Cody gave an excellent talk about never getting defeated.  No matter how many times you fall, you get back up and try again. He said that Christ is always there, ready to help you find your way again. An amazing kid, and he will work miracles in Honduras. 

The brothers with their baby sister, who isn't a baby any more and their two cousins. Such beautiful people. 

The Paraso Clan. 

Raven is shorter, but only because Deb has on her sassy, red heels. 

I've known her since kindergarten

Some people you just hang on to.  It's been about ten years since I've seen her last, but with some people time just doesn't matter. 

We spent time catching up with our siblings and families. I showed her some pictures and she showed me her pictures. We laughed over memories. We mourned over our tragedies. We rejoiced in our triumphs. We cried over our challenges. 

It was so good to see her. 

With our boys. 

I want my celestial mansion to be on the same block as hers. 

Pictures from Mark's party.

These pictures are too good to not put in the blog. Craig's brother, Mark, had a birthday on Monday. He was born on the Seventies. At is important to understand the wardrobe choices. 

First the cakes. LuRose is a genius when it comes to cakes. So yummy! They were both delicious. 

The cake baker. She is the most reserved and she had on the most outlandish and loud outfit. The wig is my favorite. 

Josh stole his Uncle Brad's head band and I had to have a picture. 

Honestly I don't love the mullet look, but he sure is cute. 

Pinewood Derby season

It is that time do the year again.  At  the December pack meeting they passed out wrapped kits. We knew we would have together on it before Craig left North Dakota. 

Here are a few pictures from last month. 

It was too cold to do this outside. Boaz is holding the wretch to keep it steady. 

Boaz got a turn using the saw.  But I didn't get a picture. They also got it sanded. But that happened in the garage. 

They rigged a scale and used the former cars to judge the weight. 

Craig headed east and it was up to me to get it painted and the wheels on. 

We painted it, but I asked a very nice man at the weigh in to put the wheels on. 

Craig had the weight right at 5 ounces. Awesome. Wheels were on and we left the car at the Church over night. 

This morning was the derby. I was nervous for Boaz because he didn't win any races last year. I was relieved when he won his first race. 

I texted Craig through the whole event. He was a bit sad to miss it.  But we are happy he is working. 

A few pictures from today. 

Waiting for the races to begin. 

A picture for his dad. He had just won another heat. 

He ended up taking second in his den and third over all. I was happy he didn't take first because I didn't want to go to districts. 

He got the award for the most cubbiest - note the word Scouts on the car.  His trophy.  The car fits in the trophy. 

A pretty awesome day. :)

The latest three

Baby quilts are a never ending project.  But I have fun doing them. I thought I had five quilts to do. I have three done, one more to go and I can't remember the fifth. I have been wracking my brain, but nothing. 

A fifth one was recently added, but I still think I'm missing one. 

Oh well. I'll know soon enough. 

This is Dallin's quilt.  It's been done for a while, but I didn't download the camera until today. 

I love the grey flowered fabric. I have used it in two baby quilts and now it is gone.  :) To hurry along the process so Deb could take it to Utah when she came out I free motioned quilted inside my grid of stitching in the ditch. I have used that method on all three quilts. It's faster. 

Quilt number two:

This is Roxie's quilt. She is two weeks old and I got to hold her today. She still curls up in a little ball and she slept peacefully. Such a doll.

You can see the swirls in this one pretty good.

Quilt number three:

The baby shower was today. I finished it up last night at about 9:30. I do know how to cut things close. 

I'm getting better at this simple free motion design. Start simple, right?

Plan . . . F (or that is what I am calling it)

It is a good thing we have learned to be flexible. 

Our plan has changed so many times.

I'll just give you the last two versions. 

We have been in the middle of extreme weather. Sunday, with the windchill, it was -55 in North Dakota. That is too cold for Craig to work. He has had days where instead of driving, he has sat in the cab while it was running, just to keep the fuel from jelling and the oil from freezing. There is no money in babysitting the truck. If he is going to spend days away, I would rather he was working and getting paid.

One truck is down and with the holidays over, three drivers were ready to start working. Craig, as the newest guy decided to go on to Wisconsin and check out the farm. (We are planning on moving out after the school year and becoming farmers with my sister and her husband.)

He was going to spend two weeks on the farm and then go back to ND and drive the second half of the month. 

Before he left, he got a call from his good friend and mentor, Tripp. He was offered a consulting job in Goodland, Kansas. So he packed up all his gear and headed to the farm foe an abbreviated stay.  I mailed him a package with pants, shirts, ties, and a sports coat. Actually, I sent it to the hotel where he will be staying. He needs or be presentable in the office. 

In the mean time he is playing with dogs, cows and horses. He sent me some pictures. 

A few fun facts:

Did you know the Bismark temple is only open the second half do the week. Craig was hoping to attend Tues morning.  Instead he took a picture and kept driving on to Minneapolis. 

In Minnneapolis he was able to attend the temple Tues night and again Wed morning. 

He then met up with Tim and they arrived at the farm last night. 

This morning he stated with a few chores.  He sent me some pictures. 

Dixie the dog in the barn with the cows. 

Milking time. 

Craig called this one "morning prayers". 

The horses' rumps are almost taller than the men. 

This will be an adventure. Time to fasten the seatbelts. 

Burr!

It is cold where Craig is.

They canceled church because it is so cold.

Face muffs

Last year, I bought myself a face muff for when I had recess duty outside in the freezing wind of Southeastern Idaho winters.

I have loved it.

Josh gets sick every winter, and I tried to find a men's version of the same thing. It was much smaller. 

This year I had an epiphany.  I have left over fleece. One Saturday before Josh and I went running! I made him a face muff.

Last Saturday, Craig wore it and said he wanted one too. He said it would be great for North Dakota. 

So I made one for Boaz too. And I also made one foe Thea, but she was busy today.

So before Craig heads to North Dakota, I made the boys model them for me. (Thea's is just like Boaz's.). I used the fleece I had from other projects.

Josh's lime green looks yellow in the picture. He is liking neon colors right now.

It looks like they are ready to hold somebody up. A bit scary. :)

They will have warm cheeks this winter though.