Cousins + Dinner = Fun

David Seth and I went to a cousin's dinner at McKenzie and Austin's house tonight.  Trent and Terrell were also there.  We ate Hawaiian Haystacks, salad, and apple crisp (that I made) with homemade ice cream.

Everyone seems to be doing great!  McKenzie should graduate in about a year.  Austin is trying to decide between English and Biology majors.  Terrell is enjoying his classes and getting ready for his mission.  We both have Mission Prep with Brother Bott!  Trent and I beat everyone at Rummikub.

I love our Cousin Dinners!  They are always full of laughter, delicious food, and great company :D

Yay!

I recently met with a school counselor to work out a graduation plan.  While we were doing that, she officially put me into the Sociology minor.... which was when we discovered that 2 of my classes weren't part of the minor plan.  Since I was hoping to finish my minor after this semester, it was kind of a problem!

So, today, I called and emailed around to try and get those classes as replacement credit.  And guess what?  I got it.  The person I needed to talk to HAPPENED to teach the two classes I needed credit for.  Coincidence?  I know what I think :)

Idea for the Family

I thought this would be a fun craft for the family (probably especially O'Kara) to do:

Make Your Own Watercolors

You're welcome :P

Soccer at Ft. Wood

so there I was, it was about 1930 and was getting dark, but i had been playing soccer and wanted to continue, so I went to a field where a rec league practice was finishing up and started taking shots on an open net. After a couple minutes this little 3-4 year old girl runs up to me and "puts up her dukes" and gets into a fighting stance. I ask her if she was going to beat me up (jokingly), whereupon she immedietly says yes. She then proceeds to chase me around, and luckily, due to my rather advanced age and mediocre soccer skills, I was able to avoid her. When she gets a little tired she challenges me to a 1-on-1 soccer game. I manage to convince her that I should be goalie and she can take shots on me. She then proceeds to try and convince me that SHE should be the goalie. Luckily, I am able to reason that perhaps I should not shoot the ball at her. She then proceeds to take 2 shots at me (rather 3-4 year old in power), and starts bragging about how powerful her shots are. Luckily for me, her parents called her over when they started to leave. Moral of the story? Women are scary at a young age. Life lessons, served up every day.

Something I've Never Done Before

Check it out:

Creativity

Fiiiiiinnee

McKenna convinced me through her persistant blogging to write something down. I've been in EBOLC for about two weeks now. We've pretty much finished in-processing and are doing some courses. At 0400 tomorrow I have my initial PT test. After that I will take a course in something then do some practice land nav in the afternoon. Thursday at about 0200 I should be starting a land nav test that will last 8 hours or so. I then have a long weekend which I plan to use for R&R. I'm finding out more information about my unit and plan to be able to get to you guys sometime in the future with more details. BTW, for all those wondering, labor day is an anti-military holiday (sort of, in a messed up way), it started after some US military/marshals or something killed 13 people, and injured a bunch more. Moral of the story, the holiday was made really soon after to try and keep people from getting all angry and stuff.... so I sleep in during labor day, can't really celebrate it, can I? okay, time to sleep, early morning tomorrow. Let me know if you want to know anything kewl.

Stubborn is my (third?) middle name

I really want you all to post on here.  I don't get to talk on the phone or Skype with you each week.  So please, just share stories of your day (whether they be interesting OR boring), goals, funny things you found on the internet, thoughts, anything.

I will start:

I've had a really bad cold ever since I came here.  David and Vinny gave me a blessing on Sunday.  It was an awesome experience.

Anyways, I still have the cold, even though I'm managing to function.  Today, in my Sociology of Psychology class (which, for whatever reason, didn't show up on Blackboard or MyBooklist, so guess who got to spend $50 more dollars on books today?), we were discussing all sorts of interesting social situations, like Jonestown, and whether the people there are really so far removed from us.  It was almost to the end of class, with about 5 minutes to go, when I felt the dreaded tickle in my throat.  And consequently went into one of those really gross coughing fits that you can't stop.  Fun, right?  Just wait.  I needed to leave, so I grabbed my backpack, but had wisely chosen to sit in the middle of the back row and wear HEELS to school.  Oh, and there were football players blocking my way to the door.  Just imagine that graceful exit :P

Thankfully, not every day or every class has been like that.  Even that class was really good until I alienated the 50 people in it with my germs.  But, for instance, in my Advertising Concepts class today, I learned that I get to blog for homework.  On a class blog, of course, but it's about all sorts of fun/creative things we do and find.

Conclusions?
1. I really like my major so far.
2. Being sick isn't all that fun.
3. Don't wear heels to school.

Skype

I love that we can chat online face-to-face.  The family and I talked for 80 minutes or so today.  This lovely conversation included random dances from N'Krysta, close-ups of O'Kara's face, my roommates meeting the 'rents, and Mom, Dad, and I talking talking talking.

I highly recommend this experience!!

Jacob and I were on the news!!

Fox News interviewed us waiting in the freezing cold for the BYU-Utah game.

Go Cougars!!

Two words that describe me right now:

Cough and sniffle.

Bleh.  I don't like being sick...

Family

I was listening to Snails by The Format and thought of you guys.

"My family’s not rich by any means
But I feel we won the lottery"

I love you!!

Blogging

This made me laugh.  Enjoy :)

I'm Thankful for Thanksgiving

I just want to say that I had a great Thanksgiving. I love Jacob, Suzie, Jefferson, David, and McKenna. I hope that just like me you all had a good Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is awesome and I am thankful for everything I did today!!!!!!

Be Thankful

Go watch this video to start off Thanksgiving week!

State Soccer Champsionship Nov 2009

Good news! This afternoon at the new Middletown High School, a few friends and family sat together on a cold bleacher to watch the final high school "S" soccer match of the 2009 season. Who was there? Stephen and Julie, O'Kara, Ivy Gilchrist, David Mahler, and Jared Allred with his daughter, Ellie were there. N'Krysta had a humdinger case of stomach flu and opted to stay at home.

The competitors were dressed in white, while our favorite team, Cromwell High School's Boys Varsity team wore red. But one could easily see that Lyman Memorial was bigger than our team. Everyone was nervous. Even the spectators.

Adams Kramer started, but was moved on and off the field frequently, as if the coach was matching style and specific skills to create difficuly for the opposition. Adams played this game with a band-aid instead of bandage that was covering his forehead. He even headed the ball once during the game.

The whole first half went by without a score. That indicated that each team was not able to find each other's weak points.

Tyler VanderSloot made the one and only score. But he was not the only one to contribute on the field. Maybe you have heard of Mike Mancuso, Rob Parnasso, Jamie Ianecelli (sorry about the spelling), Dan Smith, Reed Buggie, Sean Flannigan, Florian. The coach is John Harder. The assistant coaches are Madej, and Mike Boucher. The trainer is Keynon Love.

At the end of the game, Coach Petrazello was there. He is over the state competitions. He is the current director of athletics at Middletown High School.

A fire engine accompanied the bus back to Cromwell High School - blaring its siren and celebrating with the boys!!

We are so proud of Adams and his contributions to the season. He is our favorite soccer player on the varsity team!! Go Cromwell.

Anniversary

11/19/09

Today your dad & I have been married for 27 years. Seems like we have been friends forever. We love traveling together and working side-by-side. What a great life we have together! The church is what brought us together...and continues to sustain us. We have the greatest kids ever to keep us going! We are so surrounded by love.

Get a kick out of soccer!

Adams and the Cromwell Panthers beat Somers to advance to the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS!!!!  Adams actually played, according to Mom, although he had to be taped up (I imagine a mummy head-- is this anywhere near accurate?).

Read all about it here or here.

Congratulations, Adams!!!

From Mom:

I thought I would let you know that Cromwell beat its opponent (Valley Regional) yesterday in a double overtime 4-2.  That means we advance in the competition.  Wed. the team is playing Somers (I think) at a stadium in New Britain.  It will be a night game.

Adams bumped heads with an opponent at yesterday's game.  He had to have stitches in his eyebrow area (8).  He is feeling pretty good.  The swelling is not ping pong ball sized anymore.  He could actually open his eye this morning.  So I think that the bone took the impact.  He is actually anxious to play.  The stitches  could pop open if he did.  Keep him in your prayers.

Lots of love,
Mom

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Has everyone heard about the meteor shower tonight?  Olivia and I are thinking of waking up at some point in the night to go see it-- it should be pretty awesome!!!

Reading Rainbow

Would anyone like to start a book club with me?  It wouldn't have to be very formal... I was thinking that a different person could suggest a book every week (or month).  We could discuss it or not-- up to you all :)

Post your thoughts!!