Evelyn, Eve, Evy, E...Panda!

My sister, Erica, had her little girl on Wednesday March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day); they named her Evelyn Grace and she was 7 lbs 8 ounces. On Saturday we had the chance to go down to Denver to see the new baby and the growing family. Evelyn was very cute and fun to hold and just watch. She cries (aka squawks) like a baby seagull. Her big sister, Alice (who is three) likes the baby but was most excited by the snow and the promise of cupcakes. It was fun to be with family and see the new baby.

This brings our niece/nephew count up to…21!!!

Still Modelling for LAA

I had the opportunity to be a live still model for the Louisville Art Association today. My mother-in-law, Nedra, is a member of the Art Association and she recommended me for the job (thinking that I was capable of sitting still) and I was picked. The artists said that the past models had worn blacks and grays and they were excited to paint color so they staged me in a royal blue velvet renaissance gown with a turquoise shall and many colorful drapes and flowers in the background. Because it was my first time posing, they were nice and gave me an easy pose and let me sit and read (I had my head up and just had to slightly look down).
It was shocking how your body gets sore after posing, even in a simple position, for a long period of time. We did 20 minute sessions, which seemed pretty short and manageable, and total I posed for 3 ½ hours. I got paid and got tipped. It was fun and defiantly a great experience.

Here are some of the paintings the Art Association did…

RIP

In memory of Diablo, my first car…

With me when I got my first… and second tickets, drove into my first…and second ditches, went through my first… and second fields, hit and killed a fox, swerved into a fence trying not to hit and kill a cow. With me in High School while I TP’d, dragged Main and canoodled... a little. Acted as my home away from home; housing my sports equipment, books, food,a change of cloths and a change of shoes. My escape to...and from social events. Never broke down, acted out or gave out.

With me through High school, then entrusted to my brother, with me through college brakes, then entrusted to my brother, with me through poor married life, then entrusted to my brother and now… GONE!!! Smashed and pulverized by… my brother.


Oh... yeah my brothers fine!

“And the Oscar Goes to…”

Every year in Young Women’s we introduce the program to New Girls/Parents and refresh the program for the other girls. This year we decided to do it a little bit more ‘light hearted’ and went with the theme, “A Night With the Stars.” The girls assumed it was going to be all about stars in the sky however when they showed up they found a slightly different evening, a Night at the OSCARS with the STARS of Young Women’s (aka them).

We decorated fancy with gold and silver stars, each girl was presented with an Oscar (representing a value, theme or YW motto) and then their acceptance speeches were prompted to be mini testimonies. As leaders we were dressed in fancy ‘Oscar’ dresses and the evening was very grand.

As always it was fun to celebrate the Young Women and the wonderful program that we have, set up by the prophets of the Lord, to help them develop and grow in this challenging world!

50's Valentine's Dance

This weekend we had friends come up from college (Nate, Liesel and Charlotte) and we all went to the Longmont Stake Valentine’s Dance. We went to this dance last year and new it would be fun. This year it was a 50’s theme and it was so cool. They had burgers, fries, and floats. There were raffle drawings and there was a projector showing old movies. There was a dance floor with swing music (my most amazing husband danced with me) and other dancing. It was a great night!!

Good Reads

My friend, Emily, introduced me to something wonderful known as goodreads.com. This is a website that tracks your book infatuations. It tracks the books you have read, the books you want to read and the books you are currently reading. It lets you rate books and write comments about them- and then read the rating and comments from people you know. It allows you to search for book with high rating in certain genres and the best part- it keeps it all organized and safe in one place. I think this is a great idea! ( I guess its been around for a while and I am just behind- but I am really excited.)

Now that I am out of school, I have more time to read and I am really enjoying throwing myself into my reading. I like to read all kinds of literature and I am opening my mind to different genres and authors. Emily and I are also starting a small book club, in which we are going to be reading a wide variety of books- so I will keep you posted on that venture.

Reading is fun and goodreads.com is a GREAT way to stay organized while doing it!

Ping Pong Tournament

Saturday we went had the privilege to participate in the Regional Northern Colorado Ping Pong Tournament hosted by the Paul’s. It was a REALLY BIG DEAL!! There were "crowds", decorations, food, and hot people standing on the side lines (which totally makes an event)! There was an official bracket and we even had the Universal Ping Pong Handbook of Rules and Regulations (memorized by Ben) handy…just in case.

This is basically how the night went. Michaela is awesome. Benjamin and Brent are Ping Pong Ninja’s. Eric puts up a good fight but Emily is just warming up. Good try Jaime but look out…here comes the Ben Power. Breanne is a double loser…and so is Jaime. Brent’s Ninja moves beat out Eric’s Jedi mind power. Benjamin is victorious. Emily conquers … again. Brent’s Jedi moves vs Emily’s lazy mazy southern drawl… Emily is victorious. Benjamin versus Ben the double name double confusing duel. Ben rises to the top in triumph. Now is the Spouse Wars: Emily vs Benjamin. And the Southern Bell is victorious once again. In the FINAL ROUND, Emily vs Ben. Everyone cheered for Emily…poor Ben. Yet through the woe Sayers and negativity he came out strong and was the overall PING PONG CHAMPION!!!! (cheer)

Quote from our Champion: "I came here to kick butt and chew bubblegum! And I'm all out of bubblegum!"

Jogging to Joy

Last year I participated in two 5 k (3.1 mile) races with my family. In one I went with my 5 year old niece and we completed it in about 56 minutes. In one I pushed my other 2 year old niece in a stroller and we completed it in about 52 minutes.
This year I am trying to exercise more and increase my overall health. I have gotten a rec center pass and go three times a week to run (usually on the elliptical). I have recently been trying to do the 5K in less time. Today, after a short ‘sick’ break, I went back to the gym and I completed 3.1 miles in 33 minutes- a new record.
I am happy to be setting goals and slowly completing them. It feels good to succeed. Now I will get to running on a treadmill and then on the road and in the summer you will see me running in another race. It feels good!

‘Seriously’ Funny

The other night while trying to fall asleep Ben rolled over and made a very serious face at me and for one reason or another- I found it hilarious. Not just giggle or snort funny but laugh out loud till your stomach hurts and the tears are rolling funny. Of course that made him react my continuing this face, over and over, until I was close to near unconsciousness due to the lack of breath and felt like I had done enough stomach crunches to last me a month.
I think a good laugh it good for the soul. It uplifts, it energizes, it exercises. If all else fails it brings people together!!

The Brr’s and the Bees

Just a Thought:
I was walking out of a store yesterday and saw a dead bee in the parking lot. This might not usually strike me as odd except that it is the middle of January and I thought “Where do the bees go for winter?”
Then I started thinking about what lots of things did during the season changes and how the world turns. What a wonderfully intricate world it is that we live in!

metaphorical long winded opinionated writers

I like reading some of my friends and families blogs because they are so metaphorical, packed with theory and reason and contain the meanings for every small detail in life; why do people flinch when they hear a loud noise? Can a dog really smell fear? And why is it bad to eat yellow snow if pee is really as sanitary as they say? As I read these entries I often contemplate my own style of writing and in turn my own style of thinking.
My thoughts are strange and often surprisingly bizarre however I am very blunt, forward and to the point in my writing. This alter does not make it easy for me to express my thoughts or feelings.

My forward communication is a good quality to have, if there were a burning building and you were telling the residents to exit in this case you would not want a long winded theological advisor, “In my opinion it would be to the best advantage to your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing to calmly and collectively exit the premises. If you decide that this is not what you feel would best suit your own needs or conscience please let me know your… ahhh!” Death! However for some topics and points, especially when writing, it would be nice to be able to describe with an interesting vocabulary and have a fluidity about my words that would both interests the reader as much as make my point.

I wish there were a class I could take to teach me to be a metaphorical long winded opinionated writer. I suppose until then I will have to continue reading the entertaining thoughts of others and ask my friends and family… what can I do to be a better writer?

The Joys of Ice Skating

During the holiday break we had an opportunity to go ice skating with the youth. It was so much fun to strap on the skates and get onto the ice. It is a sport that I only have the opportunity to do once or twice a year and one that I thoroughly enjoy. Gliding around makes me feel young and inspired and gives me the enthusiasm to try new things such as skating backwards, turning in circles and even stopping quickly. It sounds weird that this 4000 year old sport could give me such joy but the idea that I could try something that they do in the Olympics thrills me.
In the end my fingers and toes are frozen, my ankles ache and my thighs are sore but I have the exhilaration that for a few hours I was like those beautiful figure skaters I remember watching as a young child.

CHRISTMAS: " You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!"

Twas the Night before Christmas… when all through the house not a creature was stirring- except Ben and I- WE COULDN’T SLEEP. It was like we were young children, so excited for Christmas. I probably woke up every ½ hour from 4 till 7:30 (when we finally got up). Ben claims it was not from excitement that he awoke but from… gas? Just joking. We finally got up but could not go upstairs until the rest of the family got up (and they were not struck with the same “excitement” that we were).

Finally we got to go upstairs and find our stockings (thanks Santa) and opened presents with the family (this is quite a feat with young children). It was so much fun to see everyone’s eyes light up with surprise and excitement. (Ben got 2 Nurf guns- Hence the Blog Title.) We got to talk to all the Newson siblings and see most of them on Skyp- which made it that much more fun.

In the afternoon we went to the Stones house to spend time with family there. It was fun to see everyone and here what Santa had brought them all. We hung out watching movies, eating good food (like always at a Stones event) and playing games. Ben and I got a fun game called ‘Curses’ in which you are cursed to act in a certain way. It was hilarious to watch Mom bark at Dad as he clucked as a chicken, itched like a gorilla and talked like Scooby Doo.

We are fortunate enough to have family very close and therefore we had a wonderful Christmas full of the spirit of love and family. It was wonderful!

In these pictures: Ben pushed me in the snow. They are all playing with Grandpa’s tourch. Ben is on Mylie’s new skateboard. Christmas Morning in front of the tree. Ben and Jacob with a scrumptious Christmas Eve Dinner.

Family Birthday's

December is the month for Stones Family Birthdays- with Erica, Mat and my Dad’s Birthday’s all within a week. We all got together and had a big birthday party for everyone. It was fun to see everyone, eat the good food and hang out. Although it is often crazy, as most Stones events are, it is family and I love them.

Holiday Spirit

Being in our callings (with the youth) and close to family (aka nieces and nephews) we have the great privilege of getting to do all the WONDERFUL holiday things that otherwise two “working” twenty-some aged scrooges like ourselves might not get to. Here is what we’ve been up to:

The youth did a gingerbread decorating contest and yours truly made all the frosting (yikes)! The priests constructed the buildings the week before and then the youth got together and decorated them (with the intent on delivering them, but it was just too cold). It was fun to see how creative they got- from making man eating buildings to a mathematically proportioned red structure. It is always interesting to see the creative genius of today’s youth + candy!












We went down to Denver and go to go to a live Nativity with Mylie, Wyatt and Andrew (and Mat and Andi). It was great to see the kids faces light up as we watched the program and to watch them entranced. It was really spiritual and awe inspiring for me also.

The Young Women learned how to make pies (pumpkin, 2 kinds of apple and cheese cake/fruit) and then took them to people in the ward. It was fun to be able to teach them how to make pies and to be with them as they cooked and learnt a new skill (one I am still learning myself). At the end we got to sample the pies- it was really fun and festive.













We had a youth fireside at our house with music and simple Christmas stories. It was wonderful to have the spirit of Christmas in our home. It was great to be surrounded by friends and family while singing songs about the Saviors birth and about people giving and serving. It was a very wonderful experience and I felt the spirit so strongly.

We got to go down to Denver and watch Andrew in his holiday concert. It was so much fun to sit and hear holiday music sung by Andrew’s Elementary School Choir. It was fun to be with family and to support Andrew in his talent. He did a great job and we were so proud of him!

Melinda and Jacob came over to make sugar cookies. One day they cut them out with Grandma’s help and the next day I got to help them decorate. Their ideas of decorating were each different. Melinda wanted to fit as much candy on the cookie as possible. Jacob wanted to distract me so that he could eat the candy. And Alex just wanted to eat the cookies. It was fun being able to decorate with them.













There were so many more experiences and more to come (we get to go ice skating with the youth this week- yay). I am glad that I have been able to experience the simple side of the holidays with family and friends and share the holiday spirit with those I’ve met.