Friday, November 18, 2011

The only constant in life is CHANGE

It's been snowing!  Our first "real" snow here.  Is is sticking?  A tiny bit, but not too much so far (that's Ok....I like it that way, and it's enough to bring on that "holiday feel".  Ahhhhh.....I can almost smell the Turkey and pumpkin pie now,  and then Christmas...........lights, trees, presents, goodies...........!!!!!).

ANYWAY, here's some pictures:    

Also, another GREAT change is that Daylight Savings time went away earlier this month (Yay!!!!!!.....I'll enjoy "real time" while it lasts) and now the kids don't have to go to school in the dark.
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     Last night Emily and I went to a friend's house and made hair flowers.  It's been a while since I've made any and it was kind of fun!  I'm too old for hair flowers (I would feel silly wearing one) so I will use mine on a scarf.  Recently, I learned how to make 3 different types of T-shirt scarves (thanks to Pinterest!).  

I'm just learning so many crafty, frugal things here!  I made plum jam with a friend (it was DELICIOUS!!!!), and liquid laundry soap with another friend, and I've got 2500 or so idea pins on Pinterest  just waiting for me to try them out (food recipes, crafts, recipes for homemade cleaners, all kinds of things).

I've also been busy playing the piano for various groups/events:  
1) I'm in the YW's organization at Church and one of my jobs is pianist, so I play every Sunday and whenever the girls do a musical number for something.  There was a convert baptism last Saturday that I played for (a Laurel aged girl).  
2) I think I mentioned before that since moving here I've joined a music group....I am the accompanist for three singers.  Anyway, we've all been really busy so we've only been able to "perform" once, and that was in a Sacrament Meeting last Sunday.  Our goal is to start doing firesides, and even do some professional recording. 
3)  I've also been recruited to play a couple of the songs for the Ward choir's Christmas presentation, 
~AND~ 
4)  I'm playing for another choir who does a volunteer Christmas Program for inmates at four low to medium security Prisons here in the area.  Hopefully my fingers will hold out!

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OK, enough about me.  Look at how this kid has grown!
I bought this outfit for him last December at Disneyland and the pants were NOT high-waters at the time!!!!  This was the smallest shirt I could find (that wasn't baby-size) and it was huge on him.  For the past several weeks especially, he's been constantly hungry and has made complaints about hurting legs.  
Obviously it was growing pains!!!!
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November 11th was a very special, but sad day.  Yes, it was the day that Harry Potter 7~2 was released on Blu-ray, DVD, 3D...........anyway------it was exciting to buy it and own it, but it was also very sad knowing that this was the last big Harry Potter release of any kind to look forward to.  We decided to have a small family movie viewing party so we bought a big sub-sandwich and some treats.  Watching just part 2 alone would've felt WRONG, so we watched 7-1 first, and then 7-2 immediately after.


 Nathan and Sarah crashed out real fast!!!!

I know it's so silly, but I've almost felt like I've been in a slight state of mourning ever since this night.  
We LOVE the Harry Potter story (movies and books) and it feels terrible that it's over.  I even get teary thinking about it (how old am I?).  Especially when I look at this picture (GEEZ!!!!!!!):  
THANK YOU for all these magical years (*sob, sniff*)

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Speaking of Harry Potter, his look-alike, Dean, turned 17 on November 5th!!!!!  Crazy, I know.  Now he's officially "of age" (in the Wizarding world anyway).  No more trace!  
If you don't know what I'm talking about, you best read Harry Potter!!!!
The Birthday boy (we celebrated a day early, btw):
Only one candle as per Dean's request....we didn't want the Boston Cream Pie riddled with holes!!!! 
 Opening presents:



 (Yes, he writes down what presents he gets.  He is definitely my son....I used to do the same thing)
 I think that Nathan was even more excited for Dean's birthday than Dean was.........
 (Ha, look!  Nathan still has Lasagna sauce on his arm!)

 .......especially when Dean unwrapped "Cars 2 on blu-ray"!!!!!




 After presents, we put in the Cars 2 blu-ray and watched it.
First was the Toy Story Toon "Hawaiian Vacation" (at least, I THINK that's what it's called).......
 ........and THEN the actual movie.
Happy Birthday, Dean!!!!!!!

3 comments:

Dean Brink said...

Thank You for the Birthday Post! The DST time change was amazing! Harry Potter ending made me very sad. It is not silly to be sad about a good story. J. K. Rowling just did her job making us feel like this.
Wow. I look really strange over my cake.

The Browns said...

Ditto what Dean said...AND CUTE flower and CUTE scarf! So...uh...Christmas is coming! =] We saw a lady at a craft show today selling those scarves for $18. Mom and I agreed that you should just give each of us one for Christmas. *wink*

Carolyn Smith said...

Thanks for the new post. And thanks for telling what you are doing as well as the kids. Have a great Thanksgiving. I will miss you all tremendously!!!!!