Winter in Texas??

Winter fun!!

 So those who have ever lived in Texas know that winter is not the normal kind of winter you have when you have lived in places like Washington, Minnesota or other Northern areas. This last week, "winter" has come to the south. The highs have only reached the high 20's. It is crazy!!

  

The kids were ecstatic when I told them that church was cancelled and to look outside to find out why. They have missed the snow since moving to Lubbock. I have missed it. I have some very fond memories of sledding and playing in the snow. Josh, on the other hand, HATES the cold and unfortunately, snow only comes when it is cold, so he could care less. His loss :(

 

The first thing the kids wanted to do is run out and have a snowball fight. I let them loose and the joyous sounds of glee screamed through the house as they got ready to endure the cold.

 

I was very surprised that we actually got inches worth of snow that day. Elizabeth my sister who just happens to be on a mission for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas never believed me that snow came to us. Ha!  Told ya so, Sis!  I really love snow, and hope that it will, by some miracle, not only snow again, but snow on Christmas day. We shall see....

-Sarah 

Cubanopolis 2013 and Pack Meeting

Last Tuesday was Pack Meeting for the Cub Scouts.  Jacob had gotten enough items done that he was able to get his first red bead toward his Bear badge (once 4 are attained, you get your Bear).

With the pesky award ceremony out of the way, we could get to the important stuff: Cubanopolis.  The Cubs each had to create a "race car" from a cardboard box (and pieces).  Because he only focuses on one recreational activity at a time, his car HAD to be Minecraft-related.  So we discussed it as a family and decided on helping him to create a Creeper car.  They split into "heats" and were off to the races.

Each lap required a "pit stop".  Meagan and I were his crew.  We had to change his tires (untie and re-tie his shoes), clean his windshield (he was wearing some goggles that we sprayed with water and wiped off), and filled him up with gas (gave him a small cup of water).

4 laps in total, Sarah got a couple of photos of him racing. We need to work on running mechanics at some point...

Here's a shot of him and his creepermobile.  He liked it enough that he still has it to play with. 

He had a good time, and that always makes us happy.  We like that he is finally starting to consistently enjoy going to Cub Scouts and do some of the activities involved in getting his awards.  As a Cub and later a Boy Scout, I learned many valuable lessons that have helped me in life.  I hope that he continues in his excitement to learn those lessons for himself.

- Josh

Birthday Celebrations

Happy Birthday Josh!!!

To celebrate 35 years of life we started the occasion by going out to eat at his favorite Mexican restaurant, Taqueria Jalisco. It is the most authentic we have found here and it reminds him of his mission. We partied with great friends and great eats!

So you may be asking yourself why is he blowing candles out that are in an ice cream carton. Well Josh dislikes cake and would much rather have ice cream or pumpkin pie.

 Gifts, gifts glorious gifts, this year he received two expansions to one of our favorite games, Dominion. If you have never heard of it or played it I highly recommend it. The kids and I got him the Seaside expansion and Robinsons gave him the Guilds expansion.

Anyone who knows Josh knows him to be and avid reader and the Dowers gave him a book to not only enjoy but devour with some heavy thinking and learning.  The book is Theory and History, a treatise on general economic theory and approach to historical study by the founder of the Austrian School of economic thought, Ludwig von Mises.

Last but not least Josh and Meagan went on a daddy-daughter date to go see a movie Josh has been waiting for Hollywood to adapt for the silver screen, Ender's Game, based on the Orson Scott Card novel! The movie has been in the process of being made since shortly after we got married.  They both came home with smiles and had a pretty good time (even if it wasn't exactly like the book, but they never are, are they?) All in all I think he had a pretty good birthday.

 - Sarah

All Hallows Eve fun

Haunted House

So this year I have been making lots of new friends and I found a kindred spirit. Nicole and I love doing crafts and really enjoy spending time together talking and playing :D

She had the brilliant idea of making some Halloween themed houses. She decided to do a more victorian themed house and I chose to make mine a haunted looking house.

 So I used glitter to craft the orange spiders on the roof and Popsicle sticks cut up all jagged like for the door and fence and windows. The ghosts in the windows are molded clay and the sign and skull are stickers. I really really love the way the door turned out.

The sides both have a spider climbing up or down the house and sparkles around the windows. The pumpkins were also made with molding clay and then painted. I really hate spiders so they are scary for me :D

The back I had trouble trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I went through many different ideas but ended up with the brooms (which were tricky to make) and the moon with bats. I am very pleased how it turned out. The roof is one of my fav's I love the spider web. Like I said spiders creep me out.

 It took us all month to finish but we had so much fun in the process. That and we had some really great talks too. She is an amazing woman and I am so lucky to have befriended her. Her two year old daughter, Cheyenne also helped me a little. We are already thinking of the next fun activity to start.....maybe a gingerbread house.....we will see.

- Sarah      

 

Of Wizards and Blockheads...

This Halloween, our children decided to dress up as some of their favorite things, not simply things that were convenient or interesting.  It required a little bit of extra preparation, but they were much more excited about it; especially since this is Meagan's last Halloween going trick-or-treating.

Jacob, being the computer game fanatic that he is, decided to dress up as the main character from his favorite game: Minecraft (linked for those who don't already know what it is - I'm helpful that way...).

We have a pixelated sword for slaying creepers (...again with the linkage)...

...and yes, that IS what amounts to a cardboard box on his head.

Meagan, on the other hand, is and has always been "my child" in her flavor of imagination.  Accordingly, I am not dissatisfied to report that she wanted to dress up as a wizard.  Thinking that her favorite wizard, Gandalf the Grey, was a bit... masculine, she opted for another popular, and brilliant wizard: Hermione Granger.

...and Hogwarts will never be the same...

For the Trunk-or-Treat that our ward put on on October 24th, there were no masks allowed, so we had to pixelize Jacob's face instead.  As usual, Sarah did an awesome job, and puts me to shame.

We used the mask as a template, and despite his consistent lack of ability to sit still, Sarah STILL managed to make it look like squares.  The picture really does not do it justice for the amount of work she put into it.  She did a fantastic job.

Wizards and Blockheads at the Trunk-Or-Treat

The Trunk-or-Treat itself was so chaotic that I did not get any pictures of them doing any of the activities because kids were bouncing off the wall everywhere.  When they finally got the actual Trunk-or-Treat started, it was already dark out.

On Halloween proper, we opted to go out again so that Jacob could wear his mask.  We invited some friends of ours to go along.  Their daughter, Cheyenne, went as one of the most adorable fairies I have ever seen.

She absolutely adores Meagan and Sarah.  They are two of her all-time favorite people.  Once we went out trick-or-treating, she stole the show, slaying everyone that answered the door with her overpowering cuteness.

So, at least for Hermione, it was a good Halloween in that she got to double her candy acquisitions this year.  She went out with a bang.  We'll see what next year holds for the Blockhead and his amazing pixelated self.

- Josh

Meagan's First Choir Recital

Meagan has been working really hard at her first "official" music class in school.   She opted for Choir over Insturnments and I really think I'm glad she did.  Her voice is starting to develop VERY nicely.  She sings around the house a lot and it's such a delight to listen to.  Anyway, on October 8, she had her first recital.  What follows is something that made us feel very blessed to be her parents.  (Her group did extremely well...).

Do YOU remember the dance?

I honestly felt like I was watching Aristocats...

Her talent is developing so beautifully and we are so very pleased with the progress she is making.  What's more, she is gaining confidence as a musician and is learning to truly love music.  I am very grateful.

We love you, Meagan and the beautiful sounds you bring to our lives.

- Josh