Ringadingding

This is an old picture of the house we took when we were still thinking about moving here. I don't have any new pictures because I'm having issues with my computer uploading photos from my camera. If I could put rooms on my scanner I could get some pictures of the inside of the house for you, but unfortunately they don't fit on my scanner-too big and bulky.

Tice, where are you living now? Is it cold were you guys are? The last couple of weeks have been freezing.

Try putting up a 14 foot trampoline in freezing weather. The fingers get awfully numb. My trampoline assembly was quite a bit of a laugh. Carlos and I took down the net posts 3 times and still the net is crooked. I'm not undoing and redoing 72 springs. I could barely do them the first time. In fact, if Lizzy's friend Thomas hadn't helped we'd still be attaching springs. The whole thing took over a week to do. We had about 3 days of rain. Then Liz left but Thomas didn't (a long story) and so I did as much as I could by myself. I had to wait until this past Wed. so Carlos would be home to help. I actually like assembling most things. The directions were ridiculous.

I just made cookies tonight. We have an enrichment tomorrow and we are suppose to bring 3 dozen cookies to exchange. Let me just preface by saying I'm not a baker. I have a recipe that makes 112 cookies. About half way through I realized I don't have a bowl that is even close to being big enough. I called my landlady next door to see if she had a bowl big enough. She asked me why I didn't make two batches. Uhhhh, cause I didn't think of it? Luckily she had a huge bowl she let me borrow. I finished making the required number of cookies and froze the rest of the dough. The dough was too dry so they crumbled when I tried to put them on the pan. We have a new oven because the old broke (very long story) and it's temperature is off. The outside burns and the inside is raw. Now I remember why I hate to bake.

My husband just laughs at me because I absolutely love Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer. I don't own a dog. In fact, I am allergic to animal dander. I love listening and reading and watching him in action. I think I love his assertiveness and confidence. I so wish I were like that. Some of what he says seems to apply to raising children. But mostly, it is the calm assertiveness and confidence that I just soak up.

Do you have a love affair like mine?

My sister, Lizzy, visited me for a few days last week. I haven't really spent time with her for decades. It was so nice to be with her. She is moving to Norway for the next 9 years to attend college and medical school for free. She doesn't even speak the language. I admire my sister's boldness, determination and strength. I am so proud of how far she has come. She has been through horrible things. Lizzy is amazing. I love you and miss you already. I believe in you.

My new challenge is to organize the ward Christmas dinner party for 120 people. Mind you I've never even cooked a holiday dinner in my entire life. Now I'm organizing a dinner for over a hundred. This should be fun.