Twilight

Went to see the movie "Twilight" last evening. Pretty good, even Clyde liked it. The scenery was beautiful, and action fast. She looked perfect for the part and he was...different. Handsome yet, strange. I guess that is good acting. There was something about his eyebrows, to plucked and shaped????? Eye's were nice. The northwest coast is somewhere I've never been and would love to see someday. We are expecting missionaries tonight for Jambalaya and they will help me trim the Christmas tree and wrap presents. It will help me out and with some Christmas music going in the background, maybe get them in the Christmas spirit, too. They are far from home, traditions, and family.

Black Friday

Well, I made it to the store by 6:10. Unfortunately, (tee hee) Clyde had a sore throat and needed to stay home on medication. I met Donna Cagle and friends on their way out. What time did she get there, 4AM? I went straight to the children's department and made a killing. I calmly gathered my doorbuster items and wandered around, picking at this and that. The fact that it had started raining cats and dogs about 3AM might have slowed those other ninny's down. Things picked up about 7AM and it began to get crowded. After my second load to the truck (a hearty shopper can only carry so much) I gave in and came home to spread my trophys on the floor for poor old sick Clyde to see. Well done, my good and faithful bargain hunter.

Turkey Day 2008

We had a nice Thanksgiving. Mike, Barb, and Casey and Kristen, Chrissy, Mrs. B and Amber and Ben and Lisa Whittington came. I made the Turkey, dressing, leasuer peas, corn on cob and my second stab at cabbage. Bam made her broccoli rice casserole, it's always good. Kristin brought a cream cheese and sausage casserole, yum. Barb brought that cranberry jello salad and a real salad, sweet potatoes, and turnip greens. We had homemade chocolate chip cookies, a Boston cream cake,2 pecan pies, a coconut pie, isn't that enough?? Oh and my newlywed new neighbors brought over some jumbo shimp. YUM!

What a feast we had. It was good to see everyone but felt like there was a hole in the festivities. Randy, he was missed. He was such a wonderful, kind, christian fellow. I miss him. If the world could strive a little harder to be like hi, what a place this would be.

Chrissy has changed nursing homes. She's over off Linwood and Interloop. I should try harder to see her more often.

The "cousins" on this side are really growing. Emma is adorable and maybe one day she'll let me hold her. She's just out of the hospital with a staph infection. Brooks and beau look like little clones and are so boy.

All in all, we had a pleasant day. Played Skipbo with Mike, Lisa, and Barb. I plan to go shopping in the morning "Black Friday" bargains. Wish me luck...

We had a splendid time

Saturday we had the Stake Youth Missionary Training Academy. It was fantastic! I enjoyed myself all day. I went to the classes prepared for the youth, upkeep of self while on a mission, Spirituality, Preparing now for your mission, Blessing given and received from a mission. I spoke in the opening exercises and recounted the Hattie and Larkin Bounds story and how our membership got started in the church for our family in 1926. Later we had workshops and then I had to cut out to get 30 pizza's for dinner. I took Clyde's hatchback Tribute, thank goodness. They brought them out 4 at a time, I'd open, they'd place them in, I'd close the hatchback. By the time they were all in and ready to go, the Tribute was ALL FOGGED UP! I couldn't see a thing. Should I roll the window down and let the cool air chill them, or make it back across the street the best I could? I chose both. While gone Lauren and Cori taught them a new line dance. After the pizza's were wolfed , we went in for a Fireside. Luke and Bro. Lawson put on two man play to the tune of "Saturday's Warriors". Lauren and Rocky spoke and then the music selection that I was in charge of, was sang very sweetly by Elder Tunes "The Promise" by Afterglow. I then had to leave to go to Margerite Wenk's suprise 70th birthday party. There was a big crowd . We then went back to the dance for another hour. All in all, it was a fabulous day. Tis is Cori Platt, one of my crazy best friends.

Beau's birthday

Had a busy weekend. It started out with me giving the house a super cleaning. Afterwords, I worked on a quilt that is long overdue. Then grocery shopping and Making Turkey, dressing and giblet gravy for a church linger longer. Sunday we went to Beau Brossette's 1st birthday party. Same list of characters. All a little older.

Halloween at Crown

Had fun day at work. Several of us dressed in costume. It seemed like an all day party with some work mixed in. Tonight we had maybe 100 kids come by the house. We sat in lawn chairs (swatting mosquito's). Yeah, it's the south and we have the little critters most the year. Our newest neighbors, Natalie and Joey made us sugar cookies that looked like pumpkins, but were then off to see their niece in another neighborhood. Not the same old Halloween extravaganza we used to have. Here are a few lab pictures.

Ozark Trip

Well, we had an interesting weekend. Just to get away we went to Arkansas. We visited 3 different parks.
1. Daisy State Park- we WON'T be camping there. Although quite beautiful, (pines, clean, perfect weather) the camp is located on a steep ridge extending into the lake.. with the narrow road on top. You would have to carry down all your camping equiptment and then lug it all the way back up. Campsites were near the lake but, na-da. One look at the ramp where you launch your boat blew me away. The steepness of it scared me WITLESS! I was climbing the cab of the truck. Get me outta here! I wondered how many boats, trailers, and trucks were at the bottom of that lake.
2. Shady Lake State Park. Okay, nice campsites, bathhouses. Didn't see a whole lot, I was driving. Shady is right. The down side was there is a 3 mile drive from paved road and it's only one lane. It is graded so that if you meet someone coming the other way, your in real trouble, and yes is is in the Ozark mountians, steep sides. A little freaky for a flatlander.
3. Albert's Pike- Holy Moly, I've hit the motherload. It's magnificent! A little piece of Utah. Exposed rock cliffs and all. A moment of silence, please.... After a lovely ride through the canyon walls , outside of Langly, AR. I just had to soak it in. I had heard it was pretty, but I didn't expect this calm, peaceful feeling. I could have stayed there 2 weeks. That's the amount you are allowed to stay at a time. I wonder how many people they have to throw out.

We also visited "Crater of Diamonds" State Park. The only park you can pay a fee and go in and dig for diamond to your hearts content. They have a nice visitor's center and a water slide area for the kids. Inside, you can buy all kinds of rocks (again, I'm in heaven) or tee shirts or jewelry. They have movies that explain how to sift the dirt and equiptment to buy. We drove down the road a bit to a rock shop, looking for better prices, and a lady working there told us about her grandpa. He worked the mines 50 years ago for the family that owned the land. She had found a huge diamond of good quality years ago. They have recently graded the hillside and now the diamonds are suppose to be easier to fine. (Rather than a bunch of pock marks in the dirt.) maybe we'll go there if we ever have visitors who like camping.

But we are home, cleaning, washing clothes, and preparing for work in the morning. All good things must come to an end.