A Weekend Together

We had a truly lovely Thanksgiving weekend. Jeremy all but ignored his studying for the weekend- and spent the entire time with us. It was heaven! a few highlights... Jer and the girls went bowling while I did a service project with the young women. (we collected, sorted and packaged more then 1300 toys for an orphanage in Columbia). Spent Thanksgiving with Jeremy's family- including playing flag football (my personal highlight of the day), and watching movies together. I shopped early Friday morning. That's my tradition. Jeremy thinks im crazy to fight the crowds on the busiest shopping day of the year, but I think there's some adrenalyn working on my part- plus there's no one on the roads that early, there are pallets of what you want, and every employee is working, trying to help, every register open, and its crazy, but its all over with by about 9am, and ive got virtually everything for christmas! And Saturday, we drove to the Uintah's to cut our Christmas tree. We've done this every year we've been in Utah since we've been married. This year was a bit unusual because there was NO SNOW! It was hilarious- our kids bundled in thier snowsuits- freezing, in the dirt! But we got to drive roads that are normally closed because of snow- and explore some of Utah we haven't seen before. The bonus was- we arrived in a beautiful meadow with lots of Spruce that looked to have potential for our Christmas tree, and Viola! Someone had cut a tree and left it by the side of the road. (not a very green thing to do), but it was perfect for us and we took it home, and didn't even have to feel a bit bad for cutting a tree down! (we usually feel a little bit bad when we count the tree rings and realize its lived for 30 years to die in our living room in one month, but we still do it every year) But this year, we saved someone else's waste, and got the perfect tree!
















ps. that is NOT naomi's real hair (top), and yes, Olivia really did chop down the baby tree.

Do you know where your telephone is???

Have you ever misplaced one of your portable telephones? We do. All of the time. We have 3, and frequently one of them gets shoved under a bed, or couch cushion, and runs out of batteries- and is found at a later time when we're cleaning its hiding place. No harm done- no reason to be concerned about a missing phone. Well, today we learned about a rather interresting adventure of our most recent missing telephone...
Jeremy happened to be home during the middle of the day- packing for a trip to Denver. I was at Addie's school teaching science and Jer was hanging out with the other girls at home, when he recieved an interresting telephone call (on his cell phone). A man called and asked Jeremy if he was missing a Uniden portable phone. Jeremy paused and recalled that I mentioned that one of the phones was missing. He told the caller, "yes". "Why do you have it?" He walked outside to see if the man was in the front yard calling him. No one there. I am not sure how the actual phone conversation went, but the man was a few miles away from our home, calling from a public phone. He had noticed the phone in the gutter of the 13th East on-ramp to the freeway for several days. (what in the heck is he doing on the on-ramp of the freeway? Begging?) He finally picked the phone up, thinking it was a cell phone, and pushed redial. Lo and behold, Jeremy's cell phone number appeared on the screen. He took the number and walked to a nearby public phone and called Jeremy. He arranged to drop it off at a lost and found at a public library. How in the heck did our phone get there? How did the battery power last for so long? He obviously couldn't call on that phone, but I am amazed that the redial worked from so far from our home. And the phone wasn't run over, or destroyed from sitting in the gutter of a freeway for several days??? Good thing my last call wasn't to the doctor's office, or the pizza guy. If phones could talk, I would sure like to hear that one's story. I can only imagine that I must have put the phone on the car after talking to Jer on his cell phone. Then drove off, and lost it a few miles later as I entered the freeway. Who knows? I never will... So, now we'll see if it appears in the library lost and found. And don't worry, i'll give that clever little phone a good bath before we welcome him home!

Under the Knife

Our sweet little patient is hernia free! She had surgery a week ago friday, and the worst part was trying to get her to relax and take it easy. She must have a high tolerance for pain because she never even complained more than for a minute. She seems to be doing well and things are healing fine. Thank goodness surgery has been so smooth for us. And the procedures routine and nothing major.

Grandpa Bud

As today is Veterans' Day, I would like to honor, my Grandpa Bud Slagle. He recieved an award on Friday for his courageous service in WWII. It was such a neat ceremony @ the U of U union Building. Here's the highlights- and thanks uncle Guy, (I stole your pictures!) I was lucky enough to be able to "run" into the ceremony quickly while Addie, steps away was having her hernia surgery (more to come about that later). It was perfect timing!

From the Deseret Morning News Article:Each year around Veterans Day, the University of Utah selects nominated military veterans to be honored during a special ceremony. This year the University Veterans Day committee chose to honor World War II veterans because of their "advancing" years and "enormous" contributions they made to their country.Luman P. Slagle went into the Army in 1942. He served in the 60th Artillery of the 9th Infantry Division. Slagle landed on Normandy two days after D-Day. He was given the duties of radio operator on an artillery forward observation team. Slagle and company advanced through France and captured the Remagen Bridge, which was the only one over the Rhine left standing. Slagle was awarded the Silver Star.

(enlarge pic to read very cute poster)

Grandpa kissing his sweetheart! They are the cutest, couple. I am so lucky to have them in my life, and so proud of Grandpa. And to Grandma for always being my biggest fan (and all of her grandchildren's too, I am sure). You are both amazing and I love you both!

We're All in This Together

A photo update of the most recent 7 year old High School Musical Birthday Party!

The lovely and infamous birthday girl (don't ask me why she chose pjs to wear, but it was her party- the rest was part of a game)

We did karoke to HS Musical- they all loved it- some WAY TOO MUCH!

We had a giant E birthday cake

We did basketball relays coach Bolton style
We made a giant letter "E"
played musical dress-ups (thanks mostly to old EHS cheerleading & pepclub uniforms)

Things that were great about the party

-I used my church- so i didn't have to clean up my house and so everyone could be invited! Addie is very good about not ever wanting to leave anyone out.

-Addie shared her birthday party with her best friend Millie. Her birthday is a few days before Addie's- so it was half the cost, half the work!

-we had more than 35 kids at the birthday party, and got away with saying "no gifts please" because how could you possibly watch 2 kids open 35 presents each! And the birthday girls were fine with the idea!

Boo!

lots of fun on halloween! Always one of my favorites! We sure missed Jeremy this year!