Christmas afternoon we went over to Scott Jr and Polly's house. We enjoyed visiting with the girls. They had a houseful of friends and family and we had a wonderful prime rib dinner. Maj-lis got an animated parrot that was really cute.

This was our first Christmas morning with the grandkids waking up here. That was really fun. They got up about 7:50 which was nice. We did all go to bed late the night before. RJ had left a cookie and milk with a note out for Santa. Santa enjoyed the treat and left RJ a note! They opened their stockings and presents from Santa. RJ was happy because he said he got just what he asked for. Jen got a pretty diamond necklace. Savannah loved anything that was Strawberry Shortcake. The one picture of Jared and RJ was when they both got the present that they wanted, the game for Wii- Mario Kart. I guess RJ made sure to tell Santa that Daddy wanted it too. Scott got a laser for his chop saw, but of course I need to send it back. I got the wrong one. He got me a new 32 inch flatscreen TV for my craftroom! We had a nice morning.
Then the missionaries came over to join us for breakfast. I made a french toast casserole, eggs, and bacon. Then Jared and Jen left to go to her parents house and then to her grandparents for dinner. We had an enjoyable morning, only sad thing is not everyone was here.

I picked up Jared, Jen, RJ, and Savannah from Carmichael the Saturday before Christmas. It has been nice to have them here this year. They haven't come for 2 years. Savannah and RJ have enjoyed playing with the nativity set that I got just for the kids to touch and play with. I hope that they all grow up knowing the reason we celebrate Christmas is to remember the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Christmas Gathering

I had to decorate much earlier than usual. In fact I had to have it done by the 11th for this Relief Society progressive dinner. That is about the date that I usually start. It was rather stressful, but wow, now I'm done. The tree turned out really pretty this year I think. We had a really nice time together having soup in bread bowls, and a wonderful salad done in Christmas colors. We then went to another home and met with all the ladies that had small gatherings as we did. We talked about ways to keep Christ in our Christmas celebrations. It was fun to share our home with others and to feel the spirit of Christ at this wonderful time.

We look forward to having family with us this year. Merry Christmas to all!

No pictures yet, just an update.
I have actually been putting up pictures on the walls, FINALLY! I only painted the greatroom a year and a half ago! It wasn't as hard to put holes in the walls since it has been so long since painting. I am excited to decorate for Christmas this year. I have one side of the hallway done and the entryway. I changed the color of the hallway light fixtures too. I painted the ceiling in the greatroom last Sat. I have never been so exhausted after painting. I hurt everywhere. I could really tell I'm getting older. I didn't get it much darker in color but it isn't so stark white. Oh well, it'
s done, not doing it again! The vents and light fixtures are back up too.
Scott has been working away on the shed. He finally has the siding finished. Next is the trim and the roof. I moved the stuff that belongs in the shed back on to the patio so I could paint. Hopefully he will get it done soon. Scott found the shelves he wants for it in Sacramento. We will go pick them up when we get back from St. George for Thanksgiving.
Ronna and Kalven are going with us for the holiday. That will be nice for Scott's parents. They have never seen Kalven.
Well, tonight is the opening of the movie Twightlight. I can't believe I'm doing this but I AM. I am going with about 15 other ladies and girls from our ward to the midnight showing. I am nuts. I have never done anything like this. Scott thinks it's great. I am going to try to take a nap tonight then go over and take turns in line with the girls. Will let you know how the movie was and how I manage at work tomorrow!

update

Scott has been working on building a new shed since I left for Idaho. I am calling it a monstrosity because he decided to make it taller than a regular room so it can have a loft built in it. It started to sprinkle tonight so we had to cover all the contents from the shed that are sitting in the side yard. He has the walls up, next I think the roof trusses go up.
Saturday mornings he hasn't been able to work on it though because we have been asked by the Prophet to get involved in trying to pass the proposition that states that marriage is between a man and a woman. I don't believe that our children should be taught in schools that any kind of family is normal. So we have been going door to door handing out flyers that explain the proposition. Everyone has been very nice, even those people that disagree. We aren't there to argue, just to inform people.
I have been sanding our new door, getting ready to varnish it. I hope to varnish one side tomorrow afternoon. It really is a pretty door. I am anxious to get it done.
We also dropped off the 4-Runner to have the seats recovered. The upholsterer thought he might be able to get the identical fabric but alas, it wasn't to be. But he did suggest that we reuse the fabric down the center of the seats since it was in good shape and matches the door panels. But they just didn't have a good match in fabric so we ended up deciding on leather. I hope that we like it.
Well number 4 receptionist at our office since last November has quit. Sharon decided she just wanted a cushy, easy job, and this just isn't such a thing. So we are getting resumes again. OH Boy! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited that I get to start training all over again.

Saying goodbye

I did say goodbye to the kids last night, in fact RJ was upset the night before when I reminded him that we had one more day. So last night wasn't so bad. This morning getting up at 5:30 was a drag. I was definitely tired today.
The babysitter showed up right on time which was great. Just as I was getting ready to leave RJ came down the stairs. He heard me talking to Katie. I was surprised. He hugged me and we talked a couple minutes. He didn't cry though. I told him to tell Katie all about our week and he surprised me even more when I asked him to go back to bed. He did and went back up the stairs. Now whether or not he stayed there I don't know.
I will miss them both a ton. I have to say that RJ was an angel almost the entire time. Savannah is so cute and sweet when she's good, but when she wants something her way she can be quite trying. Jen, you are a saint to be so patient with her.
I love you all! Already miss them tons. I just love the hugs and kisses and "I love you Gramma's"!
Travel home was nice, but oh how I appreciated the 70 degree weather in Idaho. When I got home it was about 100 or more. YULK!

Friday-Last day in Idaho

Last night wasn't fun. An hour after RJ went to bed he woke up crying and complaining that his nose hurt. He was half asleep and cranky. I got him back to bed but he did the same thing an hour later. So I ended up after the 3rd time getting in bed with him. He slept fitfully all night. Not until morning and several more questions did I understand that his sinuses hurt. I found some Saline solution which helped immediately. Dummy, I should have figured that out last night. We both would have gotten a better night's sleep. Savannah had a runny nose today too. My nose has bothered me since I got here from the dry air. Jared called a little later and told me where to find the decongestant. That helped them both.

So today was a more difficult day for them both.

After breakfast and baths we got ready to go to Bear World, near Rexburg. Jared called and talked to the kids just as we were getting ready to leave. It was a quick and easy trip. We drove through the animal park first which is why I wanted to get there early while the animals were still roaming around. That was smart because we drove through again a couple hours later on our way out and it was warmer so the animals were mostly sleeping and a lot harder to see.
The grizzly bear was my favorite. I didn't get a picture of it though.

We walked through the petting zoo which was one of the best I've ever seen. The goats are fed so they don't attack you so much like other places, but they have many other animals too; a pig, chickens, turkeys, several deer (I don't recall ever petting a deer before), and a moose (behind a fence). The moose was lying down so we didn't get to actually pet it. They also have an illusive turtle which we never found. Mostly RJ just wanted to go get on the rides which is included in the price of admission.(Thanks for the 1/2 off coupon Jen!). That was worth it completely after what I paid for rides at the fair the other day. They could ride as much as they wanted which was fun, until I was ready to leave. Savannah wasn't too happy. They also have 2 pens that house 6 bear cubs. They were adorable and we got to watch them play while we had lunch. And to my delight they had shaved ice snow cones. Yeah! I was so looking forward to that when I came. I finally got one on my last day here. It really has felt like a vacation. I have enjoyed the kids a lot. I have been frustrated at times with Savannah but she is 2, what can you expect?

We got home about 2 and I put Savannah down for a nap and had RJ play quietly since they are both a little sick. I did some straightening up so Jen could come home to a nice clean home. RJ and I played the pig game which is one of my favorites. The Simply Fun games are really great. They are especially nice for the younger kids. A much better selection and easier to play for young kids.

The evening was spent quietly watching Curious George. Savannah was quite unhappy that we weren't watching Strawberry Shortcake again. Sorry Savannah. They got to bed 1/2 hour late because of the movie. Jen called and talked to them. Savannah was so cute. She giggled and laughed and laughed while listening to her Mom. She and RJ were kind of egging each other on.

The only real concern was that we couldn't get a hold of the babysitter that is due tomorrow at 6:30am. I think she will be here though. Jen got a backup just in case though. I feel bad though that she needs her sleep and she is worried about it.

I packed and finally got in bed about 10:30, way too late. Up at 5:30 tomorrow.

Thursday in Idaho-Quieter Day

Well, a busy day really took a toll on Savannah. Last night after only an hour of sleep she woke up screaming. I went up and rocked her back to sleep which only took a few minutes. I was tired too. I talked to Scott who took this week of for vacation time also to rebuild our backyard shed. He has the old one torn down and 2 walls built on the new one.

I woke up at 5:30, UGH, and couldn't go back to sleep. Savannah woke up at 6:30 and cried. I was surprised it didn't wake RJ up. I let her cry and she went back to sleep. I had to get her up at 8:20 to take RJ to school. I had to wake him up too at 7:45. We still had enough time to get a bath (he wet the bed) and have breakfast. He changed his mind about what he wanted to show his classmates today. He found a toy yesterday at the fair which is something he really wanted. It has a compass and 2 magnifying glasses.

When we got back home Savannah and I had breakfast and then into the bath she went. She spent a long time playing. I had to all warm water twice and she was still upset when I did finally get her out. I do expect her to be tired today though. Now she is watching her movie which I figure will help her get some rest.



I forgot to note that yesterday morning RJ had the only what I would call "meltdown" since I got here. It was actually kind of funny cuz his misunderstood. The kids were in the bath and the water was getting cold. RJ complained that it was cold so I asked him to get out first so I could dry him off and get him warm. He instead layed back down so instead I thought I would let him stay in and I took Savannah out to dry her off. RJ totally lost it, was bawling and screaming that he wanted to go first. I kept telling him I was trying to be nice but he would have nothing to do with that. I took Savannah in the bedroom to dress her and then he really got upset, started screaming not to leave him. He thought I was going to leave for the fair. I told him I would never, never leave him alone. He finally calmed down when I got him out and held him. I was a bit concerned that we would have a hard day but as I said in the previous post we had a great day.

We picked up RJ from school and stopped at the post office, no mail. RJ was excited about the book he wrote (2 pages). He is also learning to read from "left to right and top to bottom". We had little pizzas for lunch and about the time they were done Jared and Jen called and wanted to talk to the kids on Skype (the computer). RJ told them about school and the fair yesterday. Savannah showed her new PJs. Tomorrow is Jen's 24 hours of flying and has to get up at 3am. Yuck.
After lunch was naptime for Savannah and since it got a little nicer outside RJ got to ride his jeep. While we were out there Sally came bolting across the front yard to go bark at the dogs across the street. I had to go drag her back and before I could find a way to block the fence, the part that is in the ditch water she got out again so I had to drag her back again, which wasn't easy because she is so low to the ground. So I put her in the mudroom and then hunted up some wood and stakes to rig the fence and I found another hole in the side fence as well that I had to plug up. I guess she has been really lonely.
Then we played Ribbit and OOga. Lisa called while we were playing Sorry. We talked for about 10 minutes. I could hear that cute little Makale in the background.
Savannah slept til almost 4 although it took her awhile to go to sleep. She was still a bit cranky still though. We went out in the backyard to pick tomatoes and play with Sally. They played on the swings and slide for a few minutes before we ended up in the sandbox. We all played together and had a great time. Savannah insisted on lying down in the sand and trying to cover herself with sand. She was wet and it was getting overcast so we went in and took a warm bath. I made tacquitos for dinner. I can't get RJ to eat grapes or watermelon but Savannah loves them. They both had yogurt too though. Then we watched Monsters Inc together and did the regular books, scriptures, and prayer. As I tucked RJ into bed I told him we have one more day together. I should have waited til tomorrow. That made him really sad but we talked about all the things we have done together and how we can talk on the computer after I go home. I also reminded him Mommy will be home too. Hopefully he's not too sad tomorrow.
Savannah had a tough day. I think I messed her up not having a nap yesterday. I think she'll be better tomorrow. Love them both. I can't believe it's almost over already. I will miss them but look forward to being home in my own bed. I just wish we lived closer to all the grandkids.

Wednesday at the Eastern Idaho State Fair

Wow, what a long day. RJ was up early and I for some stupid reason couldn't sleep very well last night. But I was surprised that I didn't get tired or frustrated today.
Savannah slept in which was good since I figured she wouldn't get a nap since we were headed to the fair. It was cloudy at 7:30 so I was a bit concerned. I checked the weather for Blackfoot. It said it would get to 70 but I still wasn't sure how to dress for the morning. But by the time we took baths and had breakfast and got all packed it was nearly 11 when we left or was that the time we got there. I'm not sure. The GPS was great and I had used the map of the fair on their website. It took me to the back parking lot by the petting zoo which was perfect, saved us a ton of walking! We went in the petting zoo first. The kids loved the goats especially the tiny baby ones. They had donkeys, llamas, rabbits, chickens, and puppies. It's not quite like a normal petting zoo where you actually mingle with the animals. You get to pet and feed them through the fence. It only cost $5 to get in and they had several things for kids that were free which gave us plenty to do for a long time. The science area had shells, magnets, Kinex building blocks, snakes, tree frogs, lizards, and a fun giant bubble maker. We ended up back there at the end of the day to watch a half hour science show.
Next to that was a play area which had bowling, basketball (RJ actually got a basket too!), a sand box with lots of shovels and funnels and other toys. They had spinning boxes that hold paper to use markers on. Savannah was covered in magic marker. They also had a ring toss, bean bag toss and ball toss into a face. They also had giant wood blocks, plastic blocks, and PVC pipe pieces to build with. There was also a chalk board, but the favorite thing of all was a bicycle that was connected to a fan that faced up to the sky. Covering the fan was a grate. On the sides were several bubble bottles and many wands. You would put the wands on top of the grate with bubble solution and then when the person on the bike would pedal the fan would turn causing the wind to make many bubbles. They loved it. We spent forever in there and it was all free.
Then we went down through the tunnel to the carnival side. Of course this side was more expensive. I bought $20 of tickets which only gave RJ 4 rides I think and Savannah 2. She was too small to go on most of them and I couldn't go on all of them. That was the only time besides sitting at the end of the science show that she got upset. I let them both play 2 games that had a prize for sure. They got to pick a ducky out of the pond. RJ got 2 and Savannah got 1 because you got 3 picks for $5. RJ got a small and large toy so he ended up with 2 mediums instead and Savannah got one too. Then we played the fishing game. You had to snag a frog when it opened it's mouth. We got our moneys worth there cuz it took Savannah and I several minutes to manage to snag one. RJ was really quick though, much better than Grandma.
Then we had a thoroughly nutritious lunch, yeah right, this was a carnival! Ok, Grandma forgot to pack the PBJs, but we did have grapes and granola bars. So for lunch we had corn dogs on a stick. Then RJ wanted popcorn so we walked down the food area and lo and behold we found FREE popcorn at the stand that was trying to sell newspaper subscriptions. That was cool! So they each got their own little bag half full which was great.
Then we headed back over to the kids side and played in the play area again until it was almost time for the science show. I was absolutely amazed at how well both of them did today. Savannah was a bit tired of sitting at the show but she was fine when I pulled out the goldfish to eat. Then we headed back to the van, which was so close, how nice. Of course I forgot to stop at the bathroom and as soon as we got in the car RJ had to go, so did I. So on the way out of town we stopped at the Maverick store.
Then we headed to the Mall on the way home. Thank-you for the GPS and the DVD player. How wonderful. And having the movie helped RJ stay awake, so did Savannah. So we picked up the adorable pictures of Savannah and then went to the play area in the mall. I couldn't believe they still had energy but we spent quite awhile there. I wish they had had such great free things when my kids were little. It was getting on to 7pm already! Wow, so we had to get home and to bed so RJ can get up for school.
We stopped at Arbys and took home some dinner. I got the kids chicken nuggets, which I am sick of and I got a roast beef sandwich. We took it home so we could have something nutritious with it, cottage cheese. It turned out they ate the cottage cheese and hardly any chicken but they had just finished off the grapes on the way home from Arby's.
We had books, scriptures (we finished Alma 14), and prayer, brushed our teeth and off to bed. Poor RJ started complaining at dinner that his knees hurt from all the walking. Still they were so good today. I never planned to be there so long.
We had a great day.