Dear Santa,

I'm already feeling the panic of the approaching holidays...haven't done one ounce of Christmas shopping yet (and don't really have the money or time to do it anyway...but that's another story.) I did ask the boys to make some suggestions for Santa...it's a start!

I'll translate Christopher's list for you (in blue):
"Dear Santa,
Thank you so much for the hard work you do. You are so kind and generous. If it's not too much trouble, could you bring me an airplane, 2 trucks, a doughnut and/or a Christmas pumpkin?
Thanks,
Christopher"

Aaron's is remarkably legible (and I believe he got some spelling help from Anthony):

"To Santa

Aaron Christmas List

a snowcone maker

Wii

remote control car

car track

my photograph (he sure doesn't suffer from lack of self-esteem!)

a cook book

a mirror" (again, the self-esteem, HA! Hope we don't have a little narcissist on our hands...)

And Anthony's: 

"Christmas List

Remote control Acura MDX (I asked him, "What if Santa isn't able to get the Acura MDX specifically...would that be ok?")...so then he added:

/any kind

Wii

From Anthony

To Santa Claus"

Decent little lists...and shhhh! Don't tell the boys...I overheard Santa say that he was going to do his best to get that Wii!

NOT a Turkey!

I have been majorly busy lately working on a project here which unfortunately I can't put on the blog. Who knows when I'll have time to work on a Christmas card--somehow or other it WILL get done though!

I did take time out of the busy project though to help Anthony with a homework project the other night. He came home with an assignment to help disguise a turkey so it survives Thanksgiving--the entire 3rd grade is doing the same project. He was given an entire week to get it done (and it was a family project so it was perfectly ok for me to help!) but we were so excited about his idea that we got it all done in one night!

Check out the finished product:

Along with the disguised turkey, he had to write what the turkey might say... We had fun with this!

He said he was the first one in the entire 3rd grade to bring back his finished turkey--and it was a major hit! His teacher paraded it around first to the class and then to the other three 3rd grade classes. He said kids kept repeating "gobble, gobble--oops, I mean Ho-ho-ho!" all day and laughing. I know Anthony was loving the attention all day. Such fun!

Chili Cook-Off 2008

The Annual Bethany Ward Chili Cook-Off was held this past weekend...always a lot of fun and we all engorge ourselves on yummy chili, cornbread & pie (and this year Baskin-Robbins ice cream too!) This year's festivities also included a tribute to our former bishopric, whom we all loved so much!

For the last 4 years in a row, I've entered the pie contest with the same kind of pie (it's an amazingly delicious maple pumpkin cheesecake...I take no credit for it myself beyond the effort of baking it--it's this fabulous recipe). The first 2 years, I lost to the same lady in the ward, who makes fabulous pies...really tough competition! The third time, there was new leadership in the Activities Committee & they chose to give out prizes to more than just 1st place...so I lucked out and came in 2nd or 3rd (can't remember which...) Finally, this year was my year--I WON FIRST PLACE! Sorry...I know I shouldn't be boastful and proud...I am just majorly competitive and it feels SO GOOD to finally have won!

Fun times...and really good food:








Here I am below with the devoured pie and my prize--a Symphony bar & a gift card to Blockbuster...hmm, which movie shall I get??? And now that this pie has finally won, I'm on the hunt for the next greatest pie recipe!

And funny story on this other bottom pie pic. I always make 2 pies. There are a number of reasons for that (and this year gave me a new reason too!) First, there are never any leftovers so we want a whole pie at home to enjoy by ourselves. Second, it gives me a back-up if one pie turns out horribly. And here's my new reason: in case Benno puts his foot in one! I had it in a bag ready to go and set it down on the floor when Benno was having a hard time as we were leaving. I put him down and next thing I know, he had his foot in it! (It's hard to see, but can you make out the shape of his foot in the top of that pie?) Thank goodness there was plastic on it so it wasn't completely ruined...and thank goodness I had another pie to take for the Cook-Off!

Happy Exploding Whale Day!

As if yesterday wasn't festive enough, today marks the 38th anniversary of the exploding whale.

As a sidenote, the reporter Paul Linnman is on the local radio station now & I enjoy listening to him in the mornings...he wrote a book about the exploding whale.
He writes, "We could smell it the moment we stepped from the car. Not anything recognizable, just this incredible stench, which grew stronger as we walked up the sand dune trail heading toward the beach...I glanced over at Doug, my photographer, as we made our way up the dune through the deep, dry sand, both of us loaded down with cameras, tri-pod, and assorted gear. We were the same age, 23, and relative newcomers to the television news business...Our assignment that day, Thursday, November 12, 1970, was to cover the disposal of a dead whale for the 5 o'clock news, which sounded easy enough, if of questionable news value, but this thing had an odd twist to it. My boss had learned that the whale was going to be blown up with dynamite...There was certainly no way we could have known that in a few hours, both of us would be running for our lives, trying to escape the heavy and potentially lethal pieces of whale blubber which rained from the sky. Nor could we anticipate that this single news story would be with us forever and, in some ways, define our careers."

Human ingenuity at its best! Good times!



***Listen for my favorite part--right after the whale explodes, a woman's voice says, "All right, Fred, you can take your hands out of your ears...Here comes pieces of (mumble, mumble...then it cuts out)" LOL!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Thank you to our Veterans!

This date in history is significant in a couple other ways as well:

Of course you know that on Nov 11, 1918, World War I ended with the armistice agreement--the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

And did you know that on this day in 1620, the Mayflower Compact was signed on the Mayflower in what is now Provincetown Harbor. (Going by the new style date--old style marks it as Nov 21.) 

(*Today also happens to be the birthday of a couple notables as well: Abigail Adams in 1744, and General George Smith Patton III in 1885...among others.)

So Happy Armistice Day & Mayflower Compact Day as well (not to detract at all from Veteran's Day)!

Art Lit: O'Keeffe

It's Art Lit time again. Today I taught the training for our 2nd artist this year: Georgia O'Keeffe. O'Keeffe is always a fun artist to study and I remember the projects I did growing up specifically about her. The project this time is an easy one which anyone can do--I got a positive response from the parents this morning so I know the kids are going to love it. In high school I once did a "tissue paper painting" which I had so much fun with that I've been "craving" another project just like it--O'Keeffe provided me the perfect opportunity.

First step is to use a viewfinder (just a small card with a square/rectangle cut out of the middle) to crop in an image of a flower.

Second step is to simply draw that image on a piece of watercolor paper (and it's nothing too detailed since it all gets covered up with tissue paper.)

Third and most fun step is to take torn pieces of tissue paper and with a paintbrush, use watered-down glue to "paint" down the tissue paper onto the watercolor paper. You have to cover the entire piece of tissue paper so it lays flat against the watercolor paper. Then keep layering and layering until the space is filled. This is special art tissue paper that bleeds so that you get a watercolor effect (your average ordinary tissue paper does not bleed and instead you'll end up with a simple collage.)

Really easy to do and always the results are beautiful!

Apology

I've removed the post from a couple nights ago. I've thought a lot about and decided that it was indeed inappropriate and I want to apologize for posting it. Above all I've embarrassed the one person whose opinion matters most to me.

I do know and understand that LDS members cover the political spectrum from one end to the other and the church doesn't dictate how or what we should believe. I'm sorry if you thought I was saying anything otherwise. I have legitimate doubts and concerns about the president-elect which I pray are wrong.

I'm sorry.