Corden joined Tactus

A new semester has hit at Borah High School. Corden's guitar class is over and we didn't know what he would do for the next semester. His choir teacher was trying to get him to join Tactus. He came home the first day of the semester and he had done it! The tradition lives on. Garin started it, Troy joined and now Corden. I am excited. Tonight we get to listen to them perform at a Barbershop Festival. It will be a Timberline High school. With the change came a new seminary teacher that he really likes and a new math teacher that he thinks he will like a lot better also.

Crocheting hats

I crocheted a hat for Corden. It only took 2 evening. I was hoping that his friends would like it and would want one. Now I am making three more for his friends. The problem is one of them is too big and one is too small! So, I will have to undo them and start over. So, hopefully I can get the pattern down. The problem is that I think I know better than the pattern and so I alter it a little. Once a little big and once a little small and neither one worked.

My week

If you are wondering what I do all day.
Monday I go see my mom and dad and work on genealogy after I shop, clean house and do laundry
Tuesday I go to work with Mike as his assistant at Waddell and Reed
Wednesday I teach 4 dance classes
Thursday I go to the temple and teach 2 dance classes
Friday is Oma day
Sat. nothing planned

My own miracle boy

Corden turned 16 on Jan 13th. We had four of his friends over for a lazagna dinner. It was fun! They kids were so nice and we all laughed and enjoyed the meal together. We sang Happy Birthday and Corden blew out the candles on his cake. Another milestone for another child. The next day he went shopping and bought a new pair of pants, a shirt and a nice jacket. He looks great in his new clothes. He was so excited. He went with his friend (girl) Lauren. She helped him pick out his clothes and wouldn't let him buy anything unless it looked goood! He is so much fun! Today he has Thursday school (detention) for being late too many times but it wasn't his fault. He is going snowboarding today after Thursday school and on a campout with the scouts on the weekend. Oh, and he found his drivers permit so now he can drive again. What a great week for my miracle boy Corden.

Max birthday

It has almost been a year ago that our grandson Max was born. It was such a frightening time. Everyday we would wander around the house thinking about him in the hospital. When he was born his lungs weren't developed. Not something we expected from such a big baby. Our daughter, Heidi. spent so much time at the hospital away from her other children. We spent so much time worrying and praying. I will never forget the day Heidi called and said that we need a miracle. Please pray for a miracle. Of course I had to call my mom and dad and ask them to pray also. That's when everything started to turn around and why Max is a strong healthy boy now at one. I believe in miracles!

Oma Day

Friday the 9th Isabel came over. We went to the bank to make a deposit. There is a playroom there and they give out popcorn. She loved it! For lunch I made heart sandwiches and we went downstairs and watched a movie. Isabel likes to lay down and watch a movie and eat lunch.

We also played bingo. Isabel handed out the cards to me. I was to do 8 at a time so that everytime she called out a letter I would have a match. She turned all the letters over and one at a time she would pick one up slyly look at it and then turn it upside down on the carpet so I could pick it up. She didn't want me to have a handful of the markers. She wanted me to only take out one at a time. I was getting bored so I started making up songs or saying etc to each letter. She started getting excited and was joining in the fun. Then, we got so excited she was screaming at the top of her lungs and I was laughing my head off.

We also made letters to Barbie and played Barbies for a while. She was totally exhausted by the time she left.

Spending time with Corden

Corden has been asking us to go up to Bogus with him when he goes snow boarding. So, Friday he said if he could stay over night at his friends that on Saturday he would spend the day with us. I thought that we could take him up snowboarding and have a great day up watching the skiiers and snowboarders. Of course he said no he didn't want to do it. We would be bored!! so he didn't want to go. So, our next idea was to go shopping at a second hand store. Mike and I love doing that. Corden agreed. We found Corden some shoes and after that it was all over. He had to get out of there. So, our day together ended up to be a half hour of fun and a half hour of misery for all of us.

He doesn't want a birthday party. So, I asked him if he would invite 3 friends over for dinner. He said it would be alright maybe, I guess. I thought I would fix lazagna and make rolls but I think he wasn't enthusiastic at all. I think he would rather go to a fast food place.

One family home evening I asked if we could think of one thing that we all like to do that we could do together. There are only 3 of us there has to be something. You would think so. We all made a list. We tried to decide. It ended in a fight with Mike saying this is what we are going to do and that's IT! So much for spending time with Corden.

Primary class

Well, I wanted to make one of those roller boxes. I brought the box, dowels, paper and tape. The kids were going to draw and color the pictures and them tape them together and we would watch it on our "TV" when they were done. No one volunteered to draw anything. When I asked them they quickly scribbled out something that I couldn't tell what it was. I couldn't get anyone to draw any animals, so I drew some and asked one of the girls to color it. She scribbled over everything with blue crayon. O.K. I put words on each picture so I could tell what it was suppose to be. We taped them together and put on the show. It was boring to everyone I know because they told me. Only the child that helped me roll the pictures enjoyed it. Of course it was boring those blobs looked like nothing! So, I let the other 2 kids come up to roll the pictures. They couldn't do it. They kept rolling the dowels the wrong way. What a disaster!!

Hosting Special Olympics

Mike and I are hosting for the Special Olympics again. We are excited for it. It will be Feb 4-7th and the games will be Feb 7-13.

Luscious Lemon Dessert

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 sticks margarine
2 (8oz) pks cream cheese
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 cups whipped topping (2 for recipe and 1 for top)
3 boxes (4 serving size) instant lemon pudding
5 cups milk

Crumble flour and margarine together. Blend together and press in bottom of 9x13 pan. Bake 15 min at 375 let cool

Cream confectioners sugar and cream cheese together. Add 2 cups whipped topping. Whip together and spread on cooled crust.

Mix 3 boxes of lemon instant pudding with 5 cups milk (do not follow the directions on pudding box) Pour over second layer and top with additional whipped topping. Chill serves 12-18
(cream cheese and butter should be at room temperature for best results)

Book Club

Book Club was wonderful. The book this month was written by a woman who was born in Russia. During the Russian revolution her family emigrated to France. She became a successful writer in France. She began writing this novel during the 2nd World war as Germany swiftly overcame and occupied France. She was arrested and died in Auschwitz. Her young daughter took the notebook she had been writing in and kept it. Her daughter thought it was a diary. Years later her daughter discovered it was an unfinished novel. Her daughter was instrumental in getting this book published. The novel tells about the people fleeing France before the Germans arrive. Then, it tells about a small village and how the people coped with the occupation. There is no mention of the camps or other happenings of the war. Mostly a commentary on how the people reacted to their circumstances.

We talked about how in times of stress we do seem to think of ourselves and our family and try to survive. As the times in our country seem to become more unknown it is good to think about our reactions. We must decide if we will help those around us or horde to protect our own.

The dessert I fixed was yummy. It had a flour and butter crust, a cream cheese middle and lemon pudding.

This week I added tap to my dance classes. They love the noise they make. One of the girls was so excited for tap class that she cried when I said we were having ballet first. Tonight the ladies are coming to my house for book club. The dessert is in the fridge. The chairs are out and the house is clean. It is such a good feeling.

Temple Sealings

On the last day of 08 Adam and Kimberly, David and Leticia, Evelyn, Mike and I met at the temple. We were able to seal Grandma Fuhriman to her parents. It was a wonderful spiritual experience. From the family file were also sealed 4 couples, 14 daughters and 17 sons. These people are from my dad's line and were all from Virginia or West Virginia.

Primary

Sunday I taught my primary lesson. I brought playdough, string, tin foil, pom poms, blocks and chalk for the chalk board. They had to spell CTR with each one. After they finished we played a match game. They tried to find the letters. . . can you guess. . CTR! Then we sang the song about choosing the right and I gave them their new CTR ring.

Quilt

David brought his old jeans with him and Leticia and I made a jeans quilt while they were here for Christmas. I really liked the way it turned out and enjoyed the marathon sewing project.

Mike's birthday

Sunday Jan 4th was Mike's birthday. We bought him a new suit so he wore his birthday suit for church. (When Grandpa Martin got a new suit for his birthday he said it was because his other birthday suit was wrinkled) I fixed a roast with german potato pancakes and german sweet red cabbage. Yum! I baked the double cupcakes and when Adam and Kim and children came over we all got a cupcake and a candle to blow out after we sang happy birthday. Of course they had rainbow chip frosting. Mike had been hinting about his gift and he got exactly what he wanted, a renewal to net flicks. Thank you!! It's what I wanted too!

Oma Day

This Friday Jan 2, 2009 we had Oma day. Destenee, Thomas and Isabel came over. We played with playdough, ate sandwiches with raisen eyes and noodle smiles cut into hearts or stars. Destenee spent time rollerblading. We put together puzzles, played clue and spiderman monopoly. Destenee and I played Yahtzee which is our game. She beat me again. Aghhh! We went to the dollar store and they all picked out something. Destenee got jalopeno chips, Thomas got a gun and Isabel got a small princess and prince with accessories. I love Oma day.

Christmas 08

The treasured tradition of my dad playing Silent Night on his harmonica was experienced again this year for Christmas Eve. Even though my dad is still weak he played through the song twice. We had my moms delicious enchiladas prepared by Angie, tacos, chips, mango salsa, refried beans and salads to eat. The children dressed for the nativity scene with Gene and Destenee as Joseph and Mary. Lyndee's Toree was the baby. Thomas was the shepherd and Isabel was disappointed not to be chosen as Mary. Mike read the Christmas story from the Bible. We sang Christmas songs together and recieved our generous gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Martin. The traditions become more dear to me each year.

Christmas morning with Gene was exciting. He was happy about everything especially the candy. He played with every gift and in the middle ran down to play fooseball again!

Our dear children surprised us with a Year of Romance for my husband and I. They gave us a booklet with a whole year full of dinners, movies and desserts for us to use. We love going out together especially when we don't have to pay for it. It makes it soooo much sweeter for us! Thank you for the perfect gift!

We got a phone call from Troy on his mission in Virginia. It was nice to hear from him in the short 40 minutes allowed to talk. He sounds excited and he is striving to do his best and learn all he can.

After the turkey was finally done we traveled Christmas day to the cabin. The drive was breath taking beautiful. The snow plopped on each tree wherever it could fit. The river was flowing with the rocks covered in white. The roads were clear until we reached the road to the cabin. It had been plowed to the first house. We took several attempts and finally the Land Rover made it through.

We ate our Christmas dinner and relaxed inside. The turkey was especially tasty because we had smelled the aroma the whole way up. Gene was surprised to see the animal heads on the wall! He showed them to all of us. We put together a puzzle of Time Square New York until 3 in the morning. We got that particular puzzle because David, Leticia, Gene, Mike and I were there together this year.

The next day we played in the snow. It was deep and fresh and soft. Even Leticia, Dad and I went sledding. When we got too cold we went in to warm up but David and Corden stayed out longer having contests of various brother competitions. The snow plow came and blew the snow in the air with Gene giggling and shouting about the tractor and the snow flying!