My town's Christmas tree lighting...

Since the boys are off camping and left me with so much alone time, I decided to have a plan for me... so I wouldn't sit home, sulk, and eat my way through the night. And since I wasn't up to painting the house again, I decided to call some friends. (so sad when I say it outload, I only eat or paint with my time alone... got to work on that more, and get a life!... this outing was a great start for me)

I had an invitation to the Train Depot open house (where my teenager did his eagle scout project, so it is very close to our hearts). They had finished the renovations in time to have a big party and light the towns Christmas tree along with all the lights along the newly opened up creek that used to run under ground. It's pretty cool, they are making it into a big park along the sides of the creek, with big huge foot bridges to cross, they have really gone all out to make the downtown lively and fun and family friendly again.

Since I didn't want to brave this alone, I called 3 friends in my ward, I knew they probably wouldn't venture out at night to see this on their own, and I really needed the friendship... so it was a perfect fit for all of us!

We tried to get into a self portrait just minutes before the tree was to be lit... but my arms aren't quite long enough.

So a stranger passing by offered to take it for us, I guess I am too trusting, because at the time... I thanked her profusely for her generosity (so nice of her in the hustle and bustle trying to get to the tree before it was lit to offer to take our picture for us)... and when I loaded the picture onto my blog, it dawned on me that could have been a nice Christmas gift for her, had she decided to take my camera and run with it. Note to self: Keep practicing self portraits when I am in crowds of strangers... don't pass your camera off to the stranger!

I am a slow learner sometimes. But all turned out well this time.

So here it is, the much anticipated countdown to the lights.

before...

after...

And the second countdown to the rest of the lights along the creek... only it was just too much to take all in at once and I missed it. But you get the picture. Pretty stuff! I just love the igloo!!! If I turn into one of those "kooky, put everything in my front yard at Christmas and light it up" kind of people... I want an igloo! And penguins too!

After the festivities we went back to one of the ladies homes and I got to make my famous cocoa! I kept bragging it up all night, and I made them promise that even if they didn't like it, they had to tell me "your right, this is the best cocoa ever"!

And they were all so obedient, and made me so pleased with myself and my (self proclaimed)famous hot chocolate.

We had the best girls night out! I am so glad to have fun adventurous friends who will brave the cold with me, take self portraits without complaining, and compliment me on my hot chocolate making abilities!

A good time was had by all!!!

The boys go camping...

The scouts had planned a campout this weekend... so I went to gas up the vehicle and take just one item off of my strong silent mysterious mans list before they headed out... and found our gas prices are finally under $2! I think we are the last in the country... but at least we finally made it. I will reserve my YIPEE! until they get down to $1.50.

When I arrived the men were getting everything tied down... is that a bbq grill?

Hmmmm... no cooking over the camp fire... are these guys boy scouts?

Hmmmm... they seem to be pretty excited about these air soft guns.

Are these leaders or boys?

As a Mom, I was really beginning to wonder about this boy scout camping trip...

I am beyond a stickler for eye protection... so I got to be the mean Mom and you can see the guilty looks back at me, as they get caught trying out the weapons without any eye protection.

Finally a member of our Bishopric arrived and I made him promise there would be no shooting without eye protection... so now I have some hide to get if anything should happen. Boys! I am not sure they ever really grow up.

Morgan got chosen to go along, mostly to keep my strong silent mysterious man warm at night with her body heat... poor Morgan, feeling used dear?

Bye, have fun, be safe, keep warm, wear your eye protection!

For a worrier, this is so painful... If they ever let me vote on girls getting to go camping with the scouts you know where my vote is... but until then, I swear I am getting so much better at letting go.

Stretch Armstrong...

Remember "Stretch Armstrong"? I do... I think my brother had one of these!

Now, I have one... he is known as "the teenager"... like stretch, he is growing a hundred miles every night!!! It is making me a crazy woman!

Good thing he likes being tall, it isn't bothering him as much as it is me!

I love tall, but good grief, if I hear "it doesn't fit" one more time.... Eeeeek!

It is really playing havoc on the pocket book, keeping him in clothes... but much much more hard on my emotions is shopping for new ones with him.

He knows what he wants and only wants what he loves! That's it, no compromising!

AT ALL!!! EVER!!!!

So last night I took him shopping for jeans that will be long enough... not an easy task even if he wasn't so picky, because now he is in a weird odd size that no one carries.

He tried on piles...

And piles of them...

Once we found the perfect size, they were either too dark, too light, too much fading not enough fading, touching him too much, not flowing right, too solid, not solid enough... I am not kidding it is this crazy!!!

Worse than Goldilocks!!!

But we made it through without killing each other... and found one pair that I kind of had to talk him into.

See his Dad wears Levi's... it's all he will wear, their classic, durable, comfortable and they fit right. So you find something good and you stick with it.

Well the teenager will not be caught dead in the same jeans as his Dad... nooooo, that would be too easy for me.

But I did finally talk him into just trying on a pair and they fit him just right.

They weren't the perfect color, but since nothing else was coming close, he settled.

I wasn't sure he would wear them today... I have been known to talk him into something and it hangs in the closet with the tags on never worn... but he did, and I think once he gets over his mental thing about wearing the same brands as Dad... he might just find it cool to be able to borrow his clothes. And we might be able to get Dad to wear something hip other than just jeans and a t-shirt, okay maybe that is pushing it.

Don't do that! I want a picture of the new jeans to show Aunt Lynn and Nene, I did it! On my own, without having to have an intervention this time!

Okay, that's as good as I can get, he is tired of the photos and doesn't want a bunch of pictures of his backside on my blog. What? I wouldn't do that!

Oh well, I good time was had by all!

Tag!

Tag!

Rachel tagged me! :D

The task:Use Google image search to answer each question. Post the first image that comes up. (I cheated a little too... because sometimes the first picture was a little bit iffy.)

First Name: Elizabeth

Middle Name: Ashley

Last Name: Dayley (Ken Dayley, pitcher for the Atlanta Braves... give me a woo hoo!!)

Age: 43 (the 1st photo was of some 43 year old womens internal organs... yuk! The "X-43" that's much better, I wish I were as sleek as this)

Favorite Food: steak

Favorite Object that you Own: temple recommend

Favorite Color: orange

Favorite Animal: labs

Favorite Store: Ikea

Best Friend: My Sister Lynn

First Job: trucking industry

Bad Habit: yelling at my kid

Place You've Been Recently: D&B Supply

Place You Want to Visit: Alaska

Place Where You Were Born: Greenville, SC

What You Are Doing Right Now: Wasting Time

Thankful Thursday...

I am so thankful for God's grace in my life... really, he has trusted me to serve in a calling in my church that allows me to witness some great and marvelous things with the youth.

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Once a year in the young women program their is an opportunity to hold an event to celebrate personal progress the young women have made during the year as they have worked on value experiences or value projects. And it can include talents ans skills the young women have developed through their personal progress goals.

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So in my service, I have the opportunity to visit each of the 10 wards in our stake and potentially attend all of these programs. It is a really great way to get to know the girls and some of their personal interests.

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So last night, there were 2 different wards holding theirs in the stake, so our presidency wanted to split up so between us we could attend both. My assignment was not in my home ward, so I traveled and attended another ward. It was a wonderful night, I laughed and cried.

When I got home, I found this shoe! Filled with mints.

One of the 12 year old young women in our ward took on the program as one of her value projects, there are certain requirements and one of them is that it should include at least 10 hours of effort into the project. No problem on this project.

She had to come up with a theme, decorations, a program, assign speakers, treats, setting up tables to display projects, getting all the other girls involved and participating, conducting the program... it is a huge undertaking!

I have only ever seen this done by a 17 or 18 year old.

I was so impressed, she has awesome leaders to help her learn and develop the skills it would take to pull this off. I had talked to one of her leaders, and she gave me an update on how this young girl was doing and the theme... I was really sad I wasn't going to be there.

So I was thrilled to have this shoe when I got home!

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Check it out... it's made of folded paper, not just cute as a paper shoe, I would wear this!!

Except I have big ol' ugly step sister feet... and only Cinderella would it fit.

The scripture quote that is tied to it...

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God" D&C 18:10

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Souls... I love it!

I heard she had assigned each girl one of the 7 values from the YW theme, Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, and Integrity... and a shoe that fit them and that value and talk about what it meant to them.

A very cute theme, great ideas, I can't wait to talk to her and find out how she felt about all the work and how it turned out.

I am so thankful for inspired programs to help us teach our youth such valuable skills and develop talents.

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Something else that hit me this week, is that I am so thankful for good examples in leaders that are so steadfast and in tuned to my teenager!

We came home from a meeting at the church on Tuesday night, and my teenager rushed to get on the computer and print this!!!

When I asked him what it was all about... he said for a long time, every time he sees one of our leaders he says to him "Do Better"... smiles gives him a big hand shake that turns into a hug pat on the back thing that men do.

And he said it just always makes him stand a little taller and WANT to "do better"!

(at first I am a little miffed that I didn't think of it... all the long lectures and talks and screaming and begging and pounding my head against the wall... and all it takes is two little words)

But then I realize... sometimes it does take a village to raise a child. He doesn't always act like he is listening to me, or his Dad, but we know from his actions he hears us. Sometimes something said and taught repeatedly through actions and deeds means more to him in an instant... and totally supports everything we have been teaching him all his life!

This was huge... he is now wanting to adopt it as his Senior quote next year. I hope it sticks, it is much better than any of those Bart Simpson quotes he was throwing around last year. Cross our fingers!

I am so thankful for those who are strong and willing to live their lives in manner that sets such a wonderful example to me and to my family on what would be pleasing unto God.

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I am soooo thankful!!!

Today I want to "Do Better" too!

Slurpee Sadness...

Yesterday was a very sad day in our family... we found out all of the 7 11's in Idaho were bought out by Jackson!

No more 7 11's which means no more Slurpee's!


Anyone who knows me well knows I am the Queen of Slurpee's and have been since Jr. High school. One of the most exciting times in my life was when I got my license and could go get my own Slurpee's instead of having to talk my parents into pulling in as we passed by. I can spot a 7 11 from a hundred miles away!

And I have passed the love of Slurpee's onto my son. He loves them as much or more than me.... lucky for him talking me into pulling in to get one, is pretty easy. But when he got his license, one of the 1st trips he made was to 7 11 for a Slurpee. I had to giggle, as we try and teach him not to spend his money frivolously... it is a matter of opinion of what is frivolous I guess. My husband and I are on different planets when it comes to Slurpee's.

They will officially be gone by Dec 15th... so the next 30 days will not be good for my waistline as we try and let go and say goodbye to our Slurpee's and wean ourselves from one of life's simple pleasures.

Elmer Fudd...

Just and update... no deer.

(they are still all safe and sound with their little deer families in the woods)

But my strong silent mysterious man had such a great time out there stalking them like Elmer Fudd... he didn't even seem disappointed that he didn't get one.

It really must be the thrill of the hunt!