Stuff

Work: I  now have 30 students! Holy Cow! We celebrated with ice cream cake. (that was the deal we made when I hit 20 students).

One new little student "I" (6 yrs old) on her first day sat on the piano bench, looked me straight in the eye and says " I have something to tell you.. Why did the music teacher need a ladder?"

Me:"Why?" I: " so she could reach the high notes!" So cute huh? It totally made my day! I am so glad that I had my notebook on hand to record it. Oh and another funny, "L" my 4 year old student (yes, 4 but that kid is a freakin' genius). He got really excited and told me that he heard a Beethoven Bear song at preschool and he wanted to sing it to me (Beethoven Bear is a character that we use in his lessons) "Beethoven's wig, is REALLY BIG!" sung to Beethoven's 5th. What is awesome is that I know exactly what he sung, its from Beethoven's Wig or Sing along symphonies, a neat collection of classical songs with hysterical lyrics, some that deal with the real facts about the composer. Apparently "L" had been singing it all day so he couldn't forget. Adorable!

Church: A new year, a new batch of sunbeams- fresh out of nursery. 11 am church may be good for some but not great in junior primary, it's definitely nap time and lunchtime for most of them. Which makes it a little rowdy- and being in the presidency and not having a child in sunbeams makes me the official sunbeam-wrangler- and I'm good at it. Sure there are some tears and boogers but they also cuddle. One kid "T" had a hard time at first then she was really happy the rest of the time- after I wiped the sad away I got some serious cuddles then she was fine. I even ended up taking her to the bathroom and it was an adventure, I'll spare you the details. Another sunbeam "A" was having a full blown meltdown we spent a lot of time together- until class time when he totally passed out asleep. LOL. Speaking of bathrooms, while I was out in the hall tacking up letters on our bulletin board CTR4/5 class was taking a potty break, soon out came 4 screaming little girls- there was a dead fish in the toilet! True Story. It was hilarious, but luckily it was girls not boys since I am pretty sure we would have heard what one of them did on time of it. Primary is so fun- yet so exhausting- at least until the sunbeams adjust. Then I may get bored!

Joseph is team teaching Valient 10/11 boys with two other teachers one is Bro. Stites who is pretty awesome, but I think that he and Joseph get along a little too well sometimes! And Joseph is subbing in seminary tomorrow for Bro. Moses, and again next week for Sis Wright, I am so glad that he gets to do that!

2010 wrap-up

November: Thanksgiving, Forgotten Carols, Black Friday shopping, Reception.

Thanksgiving was awesome we were lucky enough to spend it in Spokane, staying with family, and being able to spend it with our Idaho family. There was soooo much food! As all way too good. Spokane was beautiful and snowy.

We got to go to the Forgotten Carols performance while in Spokane, a performance in which Mom & Dad Mecham, Jessica, Sam & Kaelee, Landon, Ashton & Raelyn Toth participated in. The rest of us were up high in the balcony watching. It had been almost 6 years since Joseph and I saw it together (that was also my first time) It was amazing as always, and fun to know so many people in it.

Black Friday, umm well I hadn't really planned on going out shopping in Spokane. But John really really wanted to go shopping, especially becuase no one else is really into Black Friday Shopping. We left just before 6 am, we felt a little like we were sneaking out, since everyone was still sleeping! We had a lot of fun, and were quite successful too. We got back to the house and Joseph asked about one item, and we had forgotten to get it, it was still early. John was wired and we didn't want him to wake anyone up, so we all got dressed again and went to get the special item and breakfast. The special item was a gift idea for Sam and Kaelee (we hadn't given them a wedding present, and Kaelee expressed  interest in ....a garden gnome!)

here is Nacho the Gnome!

 Reception. There was tons of snow the day of the reception and when everyone went to decorate we were left behind, something about too many "helpers". So we decided to shovel the driveway and stairs etc, but when we had finished there was already another couple inches covering up our work. so we went to the backyard where Joseph made a snow man (which was later wrecked by boys jumping into it from the balcony, lol) and I took pictures. The reception was beautiful, we had fun. We even created a little sibling mischief  (J&S, Jessica, John Aston and Landon) which I don't think Sam and Kaelee know about yet. We took bets on when they would find it, but we all agreed it would be a LONG time. And no I am not telling, lets just say it is payback. We all ate too many desserts but they were amazing! And visited with some great people. 

self portrait of us at the reception, please notice Joseph's bow tie.

 He LOVES doing that!

December: Random stuff leading up to Christmas....

Igloo! Joseph had started making an igloo, he didn't finish before we went over to a friends house for dinner. We had an awesome time and stayed up wayyy too late. When we arrived home (after 2 am) we found that Mom and Dad had finished it for him! 

Here is T-Bone inside it, to show the massive size.

yes, he insisted on having his ear up, in all the pictures!

Christmas was spent at Ensign Ranch (Cle Elum Washington, about 2 1/2 hours away) Our Family, Dad's side had rented out the main lodge for a few days. It is the second time I have been able to go, the best time to be sure (I was really sick the first time and quarantined to a room. And there wasn't any snow last time)

Here are some trees in Cle Elum that Mom and I found while exploring!

And here is the view right out our bedroom window during the stay.

A view outside toward the pasture with an awesome snowman. 

This picture just looks like Christmas to me.

Christmas morning was eventful. After stockings were opened my uncle Ron opened his hand with his knife. So after some quick First Aid and Preisthood blessing, the men were off to Ellensburg for the Hospital, he needed 5 stitches.( his 20th set of stitches) so the main present opening was put off until the men came back so we did breakfast, of custom omlettes (our family was in charge + Bentley filling in for Dad) We wore aprons and chef hats, it was a lot of fun. We did our best keeping the kids occupied while waiting for our Dads to come back. Once they were back we fed them and Christmas continued. Other things we did: sang Christmas carols, children 1/2 pound gift exchange, adult 1 pound gift exchange, lots of card games, sledding, snow ball fights etc.  And to finish this post... the Swanger family nativity!

There were shepherds in the fields, herding pillow pets!

And wise men who saw the star!

and followed it riding camels (or ripsticks!) to see the baby Jesus

and the whole cast

shepherds, wise men, angel , mary Joseph and the Donkey resting.
minus the narrator in the rafters.
sorry there aren't more pictures, we didn't have the most reverent nativity and there was much laughter. Considering that the gifts from the wise men included a slinky, chocolate and a guinea pig. The angel was shy, the donkey past out after the long journey, the  shepherds had animals of all kinds, Joseph had a headache and Mary has an attitude.... lol.


Goodbye 2010.
I missed a lot of things I know,
but that's what happens when you wait soo long to post.

A letter...

So Long 2010,
We're sorry to tell you that we did  not like you very much. Don't feel bad, it's not all your fault, your predecessor  left us in a state of shock & disbelief- a direct result of Joseph's being diagnosed as legally blind. Not to worry you, we were very quick to act, even before you came around. Our time with you tested the very limit of what we could endure, in a very different way than ever before. No, you are not the worst year we have had, but you are still not looking too good. Please don't think that we hated you, our time together wasn't all bad. We've had some great adventures too: working with DSB, amazing DSB counselors, braille classes, computer classes, flying to Idaho, 1st TL Mecham family reunion,  camping at Mt. Rainier, getting two nieces, Sam and Kaelee getting married, working in Primary, Joseph subbing for seminary, Thanksgiving with the Mechams & Toths, among other things....ending with the Swanger family (extended too) gathering at Ensign Ranch for Christmas. There are some things about you we'd like to forget but also good memories that we will hold onto. We rang in 2011 (early) with our family at Diana and Matt's log cabin, with giant bonfire. During our year together we learned that we are both stronger and braver that we thought possible and plan on rising from the ashes o 2010 with renewed hope for good things to come in 2011. No hard feelings.

Sincerely,
Joseph & Shaylee