Nutcracker Pictures

Contents Under Pressure

In all my excitement of finishing my first official Christmas project of the season, I forgot to take a picture of it before Rich and I miraculously stuffed it into a large flat rate shipping box, which will explode when it's opened, like those pressurized biscuit cans do when you bang them on the counter. This is what the project was: a twin sized four-patch quilt made with fabric that I inherited from my mom when she passed away in May. I have five siblings, and divided the cloth into six color groupings. Each Christmas I'm going to give one of my siblings a quilt that I've made with my mom's fabric. She left two 18 gallon containers full. She sewed aprons and pillowcases and was an accomplished embroiderer. I'm sending it to my sister in Colorado today.

I have a Blog??

Meg's First Day of 9th Grade

Sometimes I forget that I have a blog. It's four weeks late, but here is Meg's adorable first day of school photo. She's a ninth grader now. Her favorite classes are: Spanish, sewing and Seminary. She's doing well in math, too. Thanks, Mr. Fitzgerald.

The day after school started, I got a call from Hurricane Intermediate School, asking me to come and interview for the Computer Lab Assistant position I'd applied for. I'd applied for it over a month before then, and thought I wasn't getting the job because school had already started. So, Rich and I were going to attend BYU Education week. But it was only if I hadn't gotten one of the SEVEN jobs I'd applied for.

So, of course, I said I'd come and interview, cancelled the BYU and staying with the Thaynes plans and took in my resume and interviewed. The next day I was offered the job. Hurray!! I really wanted this one and I love it so far. I work with 6th and 7th graders in the writing lab, helping them get started taking computerized book quizzes, etc. Someday I will take my picture holding my official name badge. I work 2-3 days a week, and get home 45 minutes before Megan. I leave 45 minutes before she does, which is very early for me. It's a great thing that I have been sleeping better lately.

Send Me Some ZZZZZZ's

My personal alphabet of life doesn't have a "z" in it. When I go to bed at night I close my eyes and breathe. After two or three hours of just laying there, I start thinking about the national debt, Michael Jackson's mother getting custody of his children, who I'm going to vote for in 2012, and about my food storage little black bug infestation. This should explain why I've looked and acted like an "ombie" this past year. And why this is such a short post. And why I use such short sentences. And why I haven't posted very often.

Chair Cheer

I think I overheard Rich telling someone that he bought some miss-mixed oil base paint from some place around here for a really good deal. He was getting ready to paint some doors at one of our duplexes in Cedar City (you want to buy one?) and was getting the paint sprayer ready to go. We've had these folding chairs a coon's age since La Verkin city offices moved out of the "old white chapel" to a different office building. They had a yard sale and we (Rich) bought 22 of them. They used to say "La Verkin Third Ward" on the back. Lori and Kevin sanded them and Cesar helped Rich paint them. These chairs are now very nice looking and are READY TO PARTY! We are going to keep them in Kevin and Lori's basement instead of behind our back porch swing, and they won't collect cobwebs or dead leaves, and we won't have to wipe them off before we have parties. Our next party, by the way, will be the Friday and Saturday right after Labor Day. Mexican Food Potluck.

Ah Hah!

Yes, I know. I haven't posted in a long time. Just kidding. Anyways, I was just looking through some of our older posts and came across the one where my mom, who was sleep deprived because of a mysterious beeping noise made at night, managed to burn some raisins in a pot.
I am happy to report that I, yes I, figured out what the noise was and put a stop to it. My mom has been suffering from this beeping noise for many months thought that it had something to do with the electric currents in the clock and dad's watch colliding. She had explained the noise to me since I had never heard it. It went: De do de do de do.
I thought and pondered for a minute and came to the conclusion that it sounded just like the alarm that I have on my ipod. My mom did not believe me since the sound sounded like it was coming from somewhere else. So I waited around in her room until the time when she said the alarm always went off.
Lo and behold, it came from her ipod. In about 30 seconds I had deleted the alarm from her ipod and told her that from now on she would not be haunted with the beeping noise.
That was a couple of months ago when that happened. My mom says that I am fearless. When I ask her why she says:
"Because you take on technology like its nothing."
That is sort of true.
So now that I have reassured all of you that she is now sleeping soundly, I must be off.

Sixty Years Ago Today...

My parents, Wally & Nora married sixty years ago in Salt Lake City.
Their wedding reception was a week later in Taos, New Mexico at Visarriga's Dance Hall & Skating Rink in El Prado. Mom's brother, Tito and his new wife, Carmen also celebrated their marriage that night. My mom's sister, Lorraine (to the right of my dad) was a bridesmaid. (She borrowed my mom's wedding gown for her own wedding a few years later. I wore the same gown for my wedding in 1978. My uncle Ralph bought the gown for my mom.)

When my dad passed away in 2006, they had been married 57 years. I am sure they are celebrating today and loving being together again.

Oh, They Say When You Marry in June...

June 5, 2009. Maria & Shay emerge from the St. George Temple. They had been husband wife for about 30 minutes and were greeted by a loving crowd of family and friends. Thank-you all for your love and support in getting them off to a great beginning of their life together.

Maria with her wedding planner sister, Melissa. Thank-you Melissa, you did a beautiful job with Maria's bridal shower (in May), and the flowers and decorations were stunning.

Maria & Shay with their proud parents.

Rich, myself (my name is Carolyn), Maria & Shay. Welcome to our family, Shay.

Maria & Shay cutting the cake. Thanks to my sister for decorating it.

My wonderful kitchen helpers: Liz, Taylor, Ceanna, Alane, my sister, Susan, myself, and Gerri. Thank-you ladies!

Kevin capturing the cake cutting, garter & bouquet toss.

So, Now What Should I Do At 9:20p.m.?

Before my mom passed away May 12th of this year, I enjoyed calling her up on the phone, usually at night, usually at 9:20 p.m. I'd be doing whatever, then the realization would hit me, "I haven't talked to mom yet today!" It was always that time of night. So I'd call. I wasn't perfect at contacting her every day, but did the best I could.

I started missing her even before she was gone. I missed her when I sat right next to her holding her hand while she was in the ICU at Lovelace Hospital in Albuquerque and all she could do was look at me and my siblings, who were also there.

What was really strange was walking through my front door after returning from her funeral in New Mexico and wanting to call to tell her we'd gotten home safely, as I'd usually do after returning from a trip. Luckily, my sister Susan called and it filled that void.

So to you who are reading this post, if your mom still alive, call her.

Happy Birthday Melissa!

Today is our beautiful and talented daughter, Melissa Yoder's birthday!  She and Mark and Madelyn live right next door to us and we are very glad to have them so close by.  Melissa is an excellent photographer and blogger, as you all know.  You also may know that she is an awesome ballerina, jewelry maker, cook, daughter, wife and  mother.  She's very generous and loving and we adore her very much!  We love you, Melissa!

An Important Announcement

It's official:  Maria is engaged to be married to Shay Nielson!  She moved back home about three weeks ago so that she could start saving $$ in anticipation of getting married.  Now we get to see her more often at the beginning of every week, when she doesn't work at the salon.  The wedding date has shifted around a bit and is currently the first Friday in June.  Yippee! Thanks, Melissa for decorating her room, and Lori, for the roses.  Check out Melissa's blog for more detailed info and photos.

Reflections of Christ Video