Musings from the Ward Bulletin

Obvious the Bishop didn't see this before it was printed:

Attention all members who use the library:
ALL PENS have been "taken" from the library. Also borrowed and not returned are four gray/blue chalk bags, four black chalk bags, and three white board markers. The Library cannot function without this equipment. Librarians are not expected to continually buy these items from their own resources for careless users to always have them at their disposal. If you have any of these items, please RETURN THEM IMMEDIATELY, today if at all possible. They are needed for classes both for the Shingle Creek and for the Elm Creek. Consider- this behavior violates your baptism and Temple covenants!!!

HEREAFTER: No materials should leave the library without being signed out-that includes a single pen. They must be able to be tracked. That does not mean the librarians run down the halls trying to catch up with the borrower. Thank you for your compliance.

Welcome to our ward!

Christmas 2010

Christmas this year was great and stress free. We spent most of Christmas eve morning cleaning then when to see tangled (awesome) then relaxed and spent time as a family. The kids were in bed by 6:45 and Santa had no large toys to put together so me and Kurt had a fun night by the yule log listening to carols. This year we did most of the Christmas shopping in October when we were in Duluth for a romantic weekend. We found this awesome kids store on Superior st. that was filled with all sorts of interactive toys and science stuff, which the boys are really into right know. So filled our carts and they wrapped them all for us. We might have to make that a yearly tradition. They kids had a blast and loved all the toys everyone gave them. Hazel we found out loved to play with balls and played with her ball popper all day. We had a great time hangin gout with my family on christmas day and Kurt was excited to find out muy brother had given us a year or netflixs and that night we watched movies all night. Thanks to everyone for a great Christmas!

The Vikings Game at the Bank

Kurt really wanted to go to the Vikings game than was at the TCF Bank stadium last week and lucky for him he's friend Aaron got assigned seat tickets so they didn't even have to wait in line, plus they were on the 50 yard line. Needless to say they had a blast even though it was cold (9 degrees) and snowing the whole time (see last picture). Later that week Aaron also got tickets to a men's Uof M basketball game center court 5 row up that he invited Kurt too. Kurt's been in sports heaven all week.

Hazel at 8 Months

Hazel is 8 months old and is really showing her personality. She loves to roll and get in to everything she can on the floor. She only laughs at her brothers. Loves making stinky faces and give kisses to mommy not daddy. Smiles all the time. Kisses herself in the mirror. Loves balls and rattles. Chows down on her baby food and can feed herself puffs. She is still a supper calm and easy baby which is why she is beloved of all the ladies in the workroom of Josh's school where I volunteer. We love our Hazel Basil, Hazelnut, hazey and cutie pie.

Better Late Than Never~ Michael's First Day of Preschool

Michael started ECFE Preschool this year, it's a first for both of us. He loves it most of the time, but it helps that he has 3 awesome teachers and his good friend Eliza to go with him. He's learned so much already and keeps pointign out things he's learned like he starts with M. He's favorite thing is rocking out to the ABC song. He plays air guitar while yelling the ABC song, he rocks!

My Love Affair with PBS

I know interesting topic to write about, but this is my journal so here goes. If I could only watch one channel on TV for the rest of my life, without hesitation I would say PBS. I grew up in a home and currently only have antenna TV. Saturday mornings growing up were spent watching cooking shows with my dad on PBS. Now me and Joshua watch Julia and plan how we can create what she created. I grew up watching old black and white movies with my family and wanted to major in film. I learned at the feet of masters all wonders of the world above and beneath watching nature and nova. Then I wanted to be a marine biologist.

Tonight I was watching independent lens' The Calling. I love that learning new things strenghtens my own beliefs and makes me think about what my calling is. I loved the last line of the film, (paraphrasing) What is a calling... it's not waiting around to find out what you are to do but finding out by doing how you can make the world, your life, your surroundings better. What are you good at, what do you love, what can you share with others? As a child I thought it was to save the animals of the world though documentary films and science. Now by making my home and community a place of where we respect and love for one another.

So if your reading this I would love to pose that question to you, what is your calling?

Snow Fun

That's a our neighbors minivan behind Josh.

We had a Blizzard this weekend and not the dairy queen kind, though that does sound good. It snowed from midnight to 7pm on Saturday giving us over 15 inches of the fluffy white stuff. The snow plow driver that plows our cul-de-sac gave us a about 3 more feet to shovel out. I love being at the center of the cul-de-sac! The worst part was the wind. We had about 25 mph winds all day. We found out on the news that we already have 2/3 of the annual snow fall for the winter, and winter hasn't even official started year. Kurt was not deterd by the weather so we still went to our ward Christmas brunch on Sat. morning but when we can back the plows had gone through and blocked our drive way with a 3 to 4 foot wall of snow. Kurt shoveled it so he could get the car in the garage then left the rest till the morning and the winds died down. The next morning we received a great surprise when our home teacher, Brian and his kids showed up and blew out our driveway with their snow blower. Sorry the pictures are through the window.

We are so grateful because it would have taken us hours to to the same job that took them minutes. Thanks again! Sunday the boys got to play out side and love the snow mountain that is our front year thanks to the snow plows. They had a blast. The first pictures are the boys playing in the front yard. and the last is our back steps.

Weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's House

I was fun to go to my grandparents house in upper Michigan for the weekend with my sister and nephew. I named Hazel after my grandma and great-grandma but they've never met till this weekend. As soon as we got there my grandparents were tyring to get Hazel to smile and cuddle with them. It was funny to see the care and concern they had for her. The only time Hazel talked was when my grandma was holding her then she was jabbering away. The boys had fun too, playing out on the porch and front yard. We also let them play at the park and see deer. Not to forget our trip to shopko, a must. On Saturday night I got my grandparents talking about their families and when they grew up. I got some wonderful information for family history. Then me and grandma stayed up late looking through old recipes and finding the gravestone info. of her family. I will cherish this weekend to get to know them better and knowing my grandma got to meet her namesake for the first time.

Family Pictures

We final got our family pictures taken with Hazel. Audrey did a great job as usual!

Energy Drink Experiment

I've been meaning to do this post for a while, so here goes... I did an experiment this summer while we drove 27 hours to Kurt brothers house and then 24 hours home from his parents house. I don't know about you but driving for long periods of time gets boring for me. So I decide to test out different energy drinks to keep me awake and alert. So here was the verdict.

5 hour energy= nasty taste, not very effective.
Rockstar= very carbonated, not bad taste, makes you jumpy and a bad crash after it wears off.

Redbull=nasty taste, very carbonated, jumpy, wear off fast.
Spark (Advocare)=no carbonation, tastes like crystal light, works for about 5 hours with out giving you that jumpy feeling, no crash.

As you can see there was one clear winner. Seriously I loved spark. My friend Karlene gave me some samples and I was sceptical. I don't usually like energy drinks because they make me jumpy with all the caffeine. But I brought them along with me on the trip and on the first day I started feeling tried so I figured I try it. I work great. Thats how the experiment started I wanted to see if it was just spark that worked or if other energy drinks did too. I also looked at the ingredients an spark was the only on that had natural energy enhancing vitamin in it too so you felt happy and energetic. Anyways I didn't write this blog as a commercial I just want those of you out there that need a lift every once it a while like me or more that there is a great option out there. Plus is comes in powder do you can bring it anywhere and just mix it with your drink. If you want to know more contact Karlene Call at callfitfactor.blogspot.com.

The Books I Can't Get Enough Of

I just found my new favorite writer. Her name is Neta Jackson. She writes the Yada Yada Prayer Group and Yada Yada House of Hope series. I can't put them down. It's like reading a chicklit and a spiritual devotional at the same time. I have learned so much about my own spirituality and they way I pray in the last few weeks. I don't usually like to read books twice but after I'm done reading through all the books (Prayer Group is first then House of Hope) I want to read them again to get even deeper in to the scriptures she writes about. They are amazing!