Well the Christmas presents are all mailed and I feel relief and joy.

We got the angels up for the season.  It's so good to see them again.  I love my angel children!  It makes me happy to look at you there.

And the stockings for the man, me, Heather and Sasha to match the angels.  Brings back happy memories.  :o)

Now we can relax and really enjoy the sweet Spirit of the season.  We had a fun Relief Society party Thursday and there was a picture booth that Lara helped set up.  Sarah went to help and had her picture taken too, before the start of the party.

I love it!

And Mary was finished with school so she could also attend.  It was fun to see her visit and catch up with some of her friends and ladies that love her.  

After the RS party and cleaning up, I went with Lara and Mary to the midnight showing of Rogue One.  I liked it a lot.  We went to a movie tavern that serves food at the movie, but I was too full to enjoy that part.  Mary said the rogue had to die to make the movie authentic and I was hoping she would survive.  It was a fitting ending just the way it played out.  

I have given my last lesson to Da.  She will be leaving for Oman the middle of January.  I told the library person in charge that I didn't want to do anymore tutoring but said if there is some one person that you really need me for I will be available.  I want to help, but it's very stressful for me for some reason.  Other tutors really love it and enjoy the flexibility of the whole process.  I wish I did.  Sometimes in the classes one student comes, sometimes 6 come, new ones join in the middle of the semester, always in flux, different levels of understanding, and so on. 

I have received my new position in the Primary.  I am going to teach 5 year olds this year.  I got a fever blister a couple weeks ago when I was asked to teach Sunbeams and it finally went away and last night after receiving my materials for the 5 year olds I got a new one.   I talked to Heavenly Father about it and He assured me that He loves me and that I will enjoy it.  I trust Him and so I will work hard at making it a good class for the kids.  Heather did get Sunbeams.  She originally said she really wanted Sunbeams because they are so fresh and enthusiastic, and then she got to really enjoy the 9 year olds.  But she is happy now to have the little ones.  The church isn't about comfort zones.  

Heather is having a hard time at work now.  Her supervisor is a witch.  She and the girl who is supposed to train her treat her like anathema.  They actively are nasty to her.  We can't understand it but it's very uncomfortable for her.  Every time she makes a mistake (she has been there two months and is still learning the system) they act like it's the worst.  She is growing and has learned to brush it off as much as possible, but she dreads going to work now.  She was told by one of the other friendly workers that she won't be fired; they just make you so miserable that you quit.  It's what has happened to other girls.  We will see how she does.  There are plenty of other places that she can work if it doesn't work out there.  

The man has finished his classes for preparing tax returns for the community.  He got perfect scores on his tests.  He is looking forward to doing it starting in January.  It will be free for people who make less than $58,000/year.  It's well supervised and controlled so that there is little chance of doing harm to the people.  Lots of checks and balances so that the people will get the best help.  He doesn't want to work for money anymore.  The place he worked for last year charged so much he couldn't do it with a good conscience.  He began telling the people that they should go somewhere else.  So now he can be happy to help them and not worry about that.  

And bowling I got two more scores over 100!!  I don't know what I do differently to do well, but somehow sometimes I can.  I just need to keep on trying, I guess.  Everyone has good days and bad days.  I see that with my teammates.  So I guess I'm no different from most people.  But it sure is fun to do well!  

We will be at Lara's for dinner on Christmas day.  Don't know what we will bring yet.  But we expect a nice quiet peaceful happy Christmas day.  :o)  And we wish you all the same.  We love you!!

Happy December!!  I dreaded it since it's always stressful trying to get just the right things for just the right people, but then I relaxed and am enjoying the anticipation.  I hope you are the same.

We have a puzzle set up in the corner since Thanksgiving.  We have done several familiar ones and I bought a new one this year.  We are sad to realize we are missing one piece in the quilt puzzle that has been classic in the family forever.  I guess it got lost in the move.  Darn.  I have now put the pieces in plastic bags inside the boxes, but too late for that one.

Heather had us set up the tree a little earlier than we might have, and it's nice to have it up.  We have Christmas music playing and it's so pleasant to be here and now.

We had a really nice Thanksgiving with dinner and games at Lara's.  She made a wonderful turkey.  Jer said it was the juiciest one he had ever eaten.  She brined it before cooking.  I had a Tofurkey roast that wasn't that bad.  I was happy to discover something that was tasty and festive.  I made pies:  chocolate, apple, coconut cream, and pumpkin.  Lara's coconut cream recipe was wonderful!!

I love this picture from Mike and Raylyn.  They went to California for Thanksgiving.  Remember how we would put the turkey in the oven and then go to the beach to play for a few hours while it cooked?   We never meant to get in the water, but always did.  It was cold but refreshing and we were all so tired and relaxed when we got home to a delicious turkey and all the trimmings.  Those are happy memories for me.  Some of the best times.

And here is a picture of some of my bowling teammates.  One is missing, but hopefully will be back soon.  

I stayed home with Sarah who was sick this week and didn't go bowling and they won all three games!!  What does that tell you about my contribution to the team?  I keep us humble.  But I keep trying to be a decent bowler and will one day succeed.  They are all very kind and don't make me feel bad.  

We had the 19th annual Nativity Display again at the church this weekend and it was just as beautiful as in the past.  What a gorgeous display!!  No picture could do it justice.  And tonight is the First Presidency Christmas Message.  It's always beautiful and uplifting.  This is a wonderful time of year.  I am very happy.  I hope you are all happy and doing well.  We love you with all our hearts and think of you all the time.  We pray for your safety and happiness every day.  

Almost a month has gone by since I last wrote!  I am sorry and hope you are still checking from time to time and haven't given up hope that I will ever write again.

Heather is still doing really well at work, getting acquainted with the other girls and with the way they do things in that office.  She has gotten paid twice and she finally got back her deposit from her apartment there in Salt Lake.  She had almost decided that it wasn't coming, but it finally did and it was more than she expected so it was a happy day.  Her money was getting really thin.

Jer got his plane!  He put it together and he found a nice big open field to practice in.  We took it out and he flew it that day and it was tricky to control so after doing a couple of loops (which he didn't mean to do) it crashed nose first.  We were done that day.  We went to the remote control store and got some repair parts and he tried out maneuvering the controls on a video of his plane.  What a great idea!  It was the same controller he has.

So the next week we took it out and he was able to get it up and flying and it made circles around the field, and then a larger circle and then it crashed into a tree.  He finally realized that because he was on the "beginner" setting there was not enough movement in the rudder to get it to turn a tighter circle and come closer.  It was so far out we could hardly see it.  And it's a pretty big plane!  So now it was up in a 60 foot tree.  Pretty discouraging.  But we remembered our wonderful tree cutting guys that took care of our dead pine trees last month.  So Dad called George and he came out and looked at it and said, sure, he could get it down.  Yay!!  He came out and climbed the tree and sailed it down to Dad.  He and his friend were disappointed that Dad didn't have his controller so they could see it fly, but the battery was dead anyway.  Now it is repaired again and ready to fly!  Dad will take it off of the beginner setting and have more control.  It's a learning process.  I'm glad Dad isn't discouraged and ready to give up.  Have to just learn the controls, their limits and abilities, and then he can have fun with it.  He would like to get into building planes at some point.  He used to have fun doing that when he was younger.  This one is styrofoam, but you can build them out of balsa wood.  I guess you can even build them out of styrofoam, too, if you buy blocks of it.

And I got a bowling ball and bag to go with my bowling shoes!  Isn't that the prettiest bowling ball you've ever seen?  It's purple and blue with sparkles!!  And it fits my hand.  And I still haven't broken through to 100+ more than twice yet.  But I will!!  One of my teammates and I went to a center near Kingwood and practiced.  Tuesday is $2/game day so I will go again this Tuesday and see if I can apply some techniques a couple of the ladies on the league were showing me this past week.  I am so grateful that everyone is so encouraging and kind, not being angry or upset at my lack of ability.  Everyone is happy when someone does something good.  Everyone cheers for everyone making such a comfortable atmosphere.  I couldn't be in a better league.  This is my cousin Cynthia's league in Conroe.  She lives in Conroe and that's why the league bowls there.  The center is old and could use some improvements, but they are also very friendly so that's better than being at a modern one that is impersonal.

And Cynthia's son got married last month.  It was a beautiful wedding in the patio of a very nice restaurant in Houston.

This is Seth Wilson and his new wife Stephanie.  They met online and everyone says they are perfect for each other.  They were able to get together often to actually become friends first and then decide if they wanted to be married.

                                        Her dress was gorgeous!  The bridesmaids are her sisters.

These are Tom and Cynthia, Seth's parents, Stephanie and Seth and then Gloria, my first cousin and Seth's grandmother.  She is married to Juan, Amy and Claude's second son.  I always admired Gloria because she was so pretty and knew how to dress and keep a nice house.  And yet she is very practical and down to earth.  And she has a cute sense of humor.  We go out to lunch after bowling every week and it's fun to visit with her and the others.

This is Carol, one of the bowlers, and her husband.  I sat at this table with several bowlers and it was great to get to know them better.  It was a very elegant dinner served after the wedding.  They were ever so gracious to include me.

In other news, Dad finally got the swing set up!!!  I know, it has been 30 some years that we have had it.  Always in the box, always meaning to set it up in THIS house.  No, maybe then THIS house.  Now we are in the 5th house since buying it and you are all grown up.  I am sad that you didn't get the chance to enjoy it when you were little as we meant to happen when we bought it, but now you can please bring your children to swing in it.  We always meant it to hang from a patio arbor but never quite got the arbor built.  Now it's in a frame that works just fine.

                                           
                                                           The swing finally built!

Now it's finally hung in a frame.  We like to sit out in the back in the evenings when the weather is pleasant as it is now.  This is the perfect time of year here!

Da has about given up wanting to read since she knows she will be going to Oman in January, but I wrote her some personal stories about her little girl and herself so she would be interested in reading them.  She liked them so I will have to write some more to keep her going.  The more English she knows when she leaves the better, I think.  She will be mingling with the other company wives and wanting to do things with them.  At least that's how I imagine it.

And lastly, Erin has given us a happy thing to anticipate.  She says she will visit us between Christmas and New Years!  We are really excited to see her again.

That's about all the news from here. We love you and your children with all our hearts and appreciate hearing what you are doing and how you are doing. We pray for you always, for your safety and your happiness.

Well, Heather has been here two weeks and hasn't decided to leave yet.  She spent the first week applying to all the eye care offices around, got hired right away, and for the past week has been working at her new job!!  She got hired at Texas State Optical.  She will get 40 hours a week and gets to wear scrubs.  She is very happy!  There are several girls who work there with one main doctor and two part time doctors.  They all do everything and since Heather has so much experience she is already valuable to them.  She can do most everything they need.  The one glitch is that some of their patients are Hispanic and since she doesn't speak Spanish the doctor gives them to the other girls.  She is on salary plus commission so that's not what she would like. She may have to learn Spanish.  It's a good language to know here in Texas anyway.
                                                 She fixed up her room so prettily!

                                                       I love her in these black scrubs!

Sasha is adjusting well.  She loves going out to smell the footprints of squirrels and cats that wander through the yard.  She threw up a couple days in a row so the vet has her on several small meals instead of two regular ones so now she thinks that she should eat anytime.  She will get back to normal next week if she continues to be okay.

We have been attending Sarah's volleyball games every Saturday and yesterday was a benchmark day!! They lost their first game and then won the second and third with Sarah serving the winning balls both times!  She was really really happy.  She said it pays to not get discouraged when things don't work out the way you want the first time.  I could do well to remember that.

Dad and I have been talking about things that we would like to do with the free time we have now.  We have been sort of bored sometimes with nothing really good to do.  Dad has been reading some books by Clive Cussler that are fun for him, and working in the yard when the weather permits.  He cleared up that pile of wood shavings, dug out the long root, and filled the hole with soil so that the grass can take over in the spring.  Then yesterday we sat out in the front yard in our white chairs while he watered the grass.  Dad and I were sitting there and a car came by, stopped, rolled down the window and the man said, Now that's the way to do it!!

His bucket list includes touring the Tabasco factory in Louisiana near New Orleans.  We meant to do that on our way to see Evanses last month and the timing didn't work out right, so now we plan to visit there in two weeks.  It's nice to have an actual date instead of just "some time."  It's at
http://www.tabasco.com/avery-island/visitor-information/ if you are interested in seeing what we will see.  :o)

I said to the man maybe we should buy a little boat to buzz around in on the lake.  He said no, he had no more desire for a boat, but he thought about what he would like to do instead, and he decided that he has always been interested in remote control airplanes.  And they don't cost nearly as much as a boat.  He made several when he was young and had fun making them and trying to fly them.  Now he has more experience and a little more money so he can actually build and fly a real little airplane.  He looked up the websites and learned that you have to be cleared by the FCC and maybe get a license to fly one.  It's sort of a big legal deal since you would be using radio frequencies.  So he will look further into that.  I'm glad he settled on something that will actually be fun for him.  He loves to build things, and loves flying.  He is still working at the peanut butter factory.  That isn't so much fun since it's a lot of work, but when that mission is over next year we may apply to help out in the storehouse.  He loves to visit with people and help them with what they need.  We could help people fill their orders and stock shelves.

And I decided that I have always had a little talent for drawing so I want to pursue that soon.  Have to look up classes and see what's available nearby.  I think we could find anything we could think of here in Houston.

My little Myanmar reading student's husband is an attorney for an oil company and he has been asked to go to Oman for two years so the first of the year she will be leaving.  I don't mind because for some reason it has been really stressful for me to do that twice a week.  Why?  It's only two hours a week.  What is my problem?  She is a great young woman and tries very hard. Somehow I really don't like to do it.  She says when she comes back she wants to continue.  We will see.

I was released from YW last month and still haven't gotten another calling.  It's hard waiting for the shoe to drop.

And that's pretty much what's been going on here.  We think of you and pray for you and love you with all our hearts.  You are the most important part of our lives.

Our front yard is missing some trees tonight.  We had to have the two pine trees cut down.  They totally died and were a hazard.  We got lots of bids starting at $1200 and finally settled on the cheapest at $850.  Dad said the boss said they would accept any tips we wanted to give too, so he told them if they could take out the two pines and not damage the one next to them he would tip them $50.  They worked so hard and so steadily that they deserved that and more.  What workers!!  We were really impressed.  We sat out there and watched the whole show, beginning to end.  Took them from about 930 to 1230.

  Here is the view of the dead trees.  Poor old trees.  And the squirrels are going to miss the pine cones.

You can see the guy up in the top through the other one.

They let every branch down carefully and when they did the top of the first tree it went directly in the street.  Perfect aim!  The top of the second tree wanted to tilt into the tree we wanted to save, so they had to work hard to keep it away.  They were pulling for all they were worth and it wasn't enough, so they finally got the truck tied to it and pulled it right.  They were very conscientious. I can't say enough about how efficient and careful they were.   And strong!  They lifted those logs and threw them in the truck.  And their shredder took great big branches and ate them down to dust.

They took them both down and ground the stumps.  Now it's just a nice little circle of wood shavings.

So here is the way it looks now.  No trees, just a circle of mulch.  

It was worth every penny.  Can you imagine us doing that with rented equipment?  Not likely.  We are so very grateful for all that they did and were happy to pay for it.  And would recommend them to anyone.  

While the temple is closed for a few weeks we took advantage of the time and went to visit the Evanses.  We had great, uneventful drives there and back.  Dad did say several times that the trip is a whole lot prettier than the drive between here and Utah.  Pretty desolate in some places along that highway.  We got to go through some of Missouri, Tennessee, and some of Kansas, all with lots of green trees and some rivers and lakes.  Got to cross the Mississippi River a few times too, since it winds around so much.  Driving out we spent the night in Memphis and had dinner at Corky's Barbecue.  Jer got some tender juicy ribs and I got half an onion loaf to share and an awesome baked potato with everything on it.  It was a great way to end the day.

While we were at Evanses we didn't do very much but just visit and enjoy the company.  A perfect trip!  We did help some in the yard with some of Susan's mulching and weeding and Dad trimmed her blackberry vines that were really growing well.  They look kinda sparse now, but hopefully they will bear larger, juicier berries when it's time.

I got to go to piano lessons with them and enjoyed seeing them and their teacher together.  Both Alice and Robert are taking piano now and Alice is also taking flute lessons.  I can't believe how well they are both doing on the piano!  I think they must have some talent.  And Alice is doing better every time we hear her on the flute.  It's a hard instrument to play, I think, with fingering and lip tension, and so forth.

They played a board game after family home evening Sunday night and James and Matthew didn't play, but they played around anyway, involved in the evening.  I aimed the camera at Matthew while he was walking around and when he noticed he pulled a total pose.  Where in the world did he learn that?  Look at the bent knee, even.  What a cutie!!

And James didn't want his picture taken, but I did manage to snap a quick one of him.

They are all growing up so fast!  We saw them here just after Christmas this past year, and then this summer we visited with them at Lake Michigan on their vacation.  I am still impressed with how much more mature they all are!  

Another thing we got to do was go to "Bring a Friend to Lunch" day at school.  We all went to have lunch with Robert who has the first lunch and then everyone went home (so the little guys could start their quiet time) but I got to stay and have lunch with Alice and her friend and her family.  She and this friend are preparing a play that they are inviting some friends to do.  It's a real play and they will be casting this Saturday, I think.  She says they will take a video of it so we can see it too.  The friend came over so they could make props and they were very earnest and serious about doing it.  They were also willing to include Robert and James in the play.  Robert was helping with the props too.  See how mature they are becoming?

Susan had to go to the Family History Library one evening so I went with her and we made some discoveries!!  It was a great evening.  It was so fun to do it with her.  We really need to plan another family history trip!

Susan made delicious food and we watched a movie on their big screen one evening.  It was a great visit.  So glad to be able to go and see them for a bit.

When we got back I had a package from Erin who said when she saw it she just knew I had to have it.   It says, "Never underestimate an old woman who plays World of Warcraft".  I laughed out loud when I saw it.  How delightful!  

And now the man is in Utah helping Heather get ready to move.  They reserved a U-Haul van weeks and weeks ago.  They wanted a 15 foot van but then decided that a 17 foot van would give them a little extra room.  He got confirmation and an order number.  So when he got there there were no vans.  None in the whole Salt Lake valley and surrounding areas up to Logan and down past Provo.  He called and said pray for us to get a van or we could be here another week sleeping on the floor in the dark.  And then later he called and said, we got a van.  It's in Heber and it's a 26 footer for the price of the small one.  So they went to get it before it was gone again.  That's good and it 's bad.  There will be plenty of room to put everything, but they have to drive that huge hulking van all the way here like we did before.  It's the same size as the one we drove here with our house full of stuff.  Even with the car dolly on the back for Heather's little car.  I don't envy that drive.  But there's no rush.  They can take the time they need.  They will have plenty of help from Mike and James and from some people in Heather's ward there and then when they get here the elders are signed up to help unload.  We really really do appreciate all the help.  Hopefully it won't be too much trouble or strain with enough helpers.  Jer and I both have tweaky backs so we can't do much lifting anymore.

While Jer is gone I have also been having fun.  I went yesterday to bowl with my cousins.  I have been wanting to see them more often and they bowl every Thursday in Conroe which is about an hour from us. This is Juan's wife Gloria and her second daughter Cynthia.  And Karen, her third daughter, was also there yesterday. I finally decided that I would join their league and hang out with them every Thursday.  I went yesterday and bowled a whopping average of 77!  I hope to improve quickly.  Maybe I can go and practice a little here in town before the next time.  Everyone was really very kind and helpful and welcoming and kept saying don't worry, it's all for fun anyway.  But I don't want to pull their scores down to the dirt.  For me the thing isn't about the bowling, but I need to at least not be embarrassed.  I'm going to get some bowling shoes tomorrow.  They look like running shoes now instead of the clunky colored ones I rented.

And hey, I got released from Beehives!  I have enjoyed the girls a lot.  They are really nice girls who appreciated what we did, but the midweek activity was a constant stress to plan, prepare for, and make happen.  But who knows what's next?  I may be out of the frying pan into the fire with cub scouts or something similar.  We will see.  I know that they need people to work so I will definitely get something.  Probably Primary since it's impossible to keep reliable teachers there.  Just have to wait and see.

So now I'm alone for a few days till the man and Heather arrive.  I don't have any bushes to buzz down or walls to tear out or rooms to repaint.  I used to go a little crazy when the man was gone but not so much anymore.  Maybe I'm maturing.  :o)

The most interesting thing that has happened in the last little while is that Heather came to see us!  It was great to get her here and visit.  We didn't do very much.  She checked out the living space and decided which room she wanted to stay in while she is living with us.  She will take the twin bed room.  It's larger and has a better view from the window.  We will put the twin beds in her storage unit while she is here.
We went to see the latest Star Trek movie with her since she hadn't seen it.  We are always ready to go to the movies.
And we went to the Natural Science Museum.  That was such an interesting place!!  We will have to take whoever comes next (If you want to go:o))  because it goes on and on forever.  They have more dinosaurs than even the Utah museums and they have a great Egyptian exhibit.  The docent said that they did some research before they set it up and one little kid said to make it kind of creepy so they did.  It's all semi-dark so you can hardly read the signs and there's quiet Egyptian music playing.  And since we can't use flash photography I couldn't get any pictures in that exhibit.  But here are some of the dinosaurs.  Sorry it's fuzzy.

Then we went into the butterfly cage and down into the tropical forest.  It was beautiful.

It was all so gratifying to see and learn about.  And we just got to see maybe half of the museum.  We pooped out before we could do anymore.  We did buy a membership so we can go back and see what we want when we want, and there is a bus to take us from here there.  So no problem with traffic.  :o)  The only problem is our built in inertia.  We don't like getting out of the house.  Unless there's a real, compelling reason.  We will see how it goes in the next year.

In other news, the temple is closed most of September for renovating and so we will be going to visit the Evanses!  We look forward to seeing them.  We will leave here on the 12th and return on the 19-20 just in time for Jer to fly out to help Heather pack up the U-Haul and drive back here.  She went around to a few temp agencies while she was visiting here and they will be looking for some things for her to do while she is finding the right job she wants to stay with.

Otherwise, we have just been hanging around, doing things on the computer, working in the yard, etc, etc.  Nothing very exciting.  But we are very happy and are grateful every day to be here where it's green and wet (at the moment) and pleasant.  We love our little house and yard and friends and neighbors.  We love you all and look forward to seeing you when we can.