Delicious!

Yesterday we made and ate cookies and even put some on plates to deliver this evening. I made cookie press cookies, Lauren made Chocolate Avalanches (marshmallow creme sandwiched between chocolate cookies), and Sara made Patricia's sugar cookies (recipe from my Aunt's mother-in-law, Patricia). My aunt used to make them for my brothers and sisters and I when I us growing up. We would spend the night at my Aunt Vickie and Uncle John's house on the night before Christmas eve. We'd have dinner, yummy cookies, hot chocolate, open gifts from them and watch TV or movies. It's a great memory. Thanks Aunt Vickie and Uncle John!!!

And thank you Lauren and Sara for making cookies with me!

How many more?

I had been planning on getting a lovely family picture for our Christmas cards (not unlike I do every year). In October I started thinking seriously and saying, "I'm going to make an appointment for family pictures, so if anyone needs a haircut, tell me now." Well, the weeks went by, no appointment was made and at the end of November I thought we could just set up the camera with the timer and take our own. That didn't happen either. So on Dallin's birthday when the kids got home from school I told them we were heading across the street to the park for pictures. David was in Kansas, so if I were going to get the cards in the mail with a picture it would have to be just kids, no parents. They were really good sports and we took some crazy pictures. It had been a good 15 minutes before anyone said, "How many more?".

PS - I knew I was making the photos B&W so we didn't worry about what colors they were wearing!

Happy Belated Birthday Dallin!

OK, OK. It's late. Dallin turned 16 on the 16th. Dallin, I just want to let you know how glad I am to be your Mom. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. Happy Birthday! Top picture was taken on 12/16/09. I forced him to let me take a picture of him on his birthday before school. Bottom picture was taken 2/26/00. Six years old, on a hike with Dad.

Why is that OK?

Why is it OK for women and girls to say things like, "Men are so stupid" or "Leave it to a man to do something so idiotic"? I have a real issue with this. We are all created after our Heavenly Father, who happens to be male. None of us are perfect and we all do and say stupid things sometimes. It is not only men, nor are men as a group stupid or idiotic. What a disrepectful thing to say about any group of people. How is that not different than saying an ethnic group or a religious group is "stupid" or "idiotic". I just don't get it. Do women want their sons growing up thinking that because they are male they are stupid? Do these women realize that without men, they could not live up to their potential? We need them and they need us. We are on the same team, not rival teams. It's interesting to me that the same women who use these terms would be livid if a man said something so demeaning about a woman. Just something to think about.

I want my guys to know that I think they are smart and have a lot of good about them. They're fun, too. I love my guys!

Conference Sunday

Yesterday and today we were able to listen to our prophet Thomas S. Monson and some of the apostles speak to us. The talks were amazing. It's so nice to be able to get these inspired messages twice a year. I'm looking forward to getting the Ensign (a church magazine) with the talks published so I can read them. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave a very powerful talk on The Book of Mormon in the Sunday afternoon session.
It's been a nice relaxing day. The kids and I just sat on the couch, watched conference, played a game, made bread and hung out. David is in Utah visiting family. He's actually there for his older brother's wedding reception. He's been able to watch conference with his family. I'm missing him, but glad he is with his mom and dad and brothers and sisters.
Hmmmm, I've been laying around so much today I haven't even thought about dinner. Guess it's time to go check the cupboards. I hear the kids eating something crunchy...it's probably not dinner fare.

I'll be updating later today.

I love this picture.