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Christmas Update

So much has been happening the last few weeks. The kids were all here for Christmas Eve. Rebekah & David spent the afternoon, then headed to his family. That evening everyone else was here for dinner and presents. Chirstmas morning we went over to Matt & Ashley's to watch them open presents.

Bekah has introduced me to the Harry Potter movies. They brought #5 over on Christmas day. I watched it with help of them explaining everything. Yep, I've never read the books or seen any of the movies. Since Christmas day, I've had to back track and view each from the beginning. I've now seen #'s 1-3.

Friday night Ron & I took off for the Grand Garden Arena to see Van Halen. I don't want any comment from the peanut gallery - I guarantee the medium age there was at least my age if not older!

Thankful Thursday

The more I study the Old Testament, the more I think it relates to our generation today. This quote was from seminary this week, talking about the Isrealites and how fast they forgot miracles performed for them from one day to the next:

"Murmuring seems to come so naturally to the natural man...Murmurers have short memories...Strange, isn't it, brothers and sisters, how those with the shortest memories have the longest lists of demands! However, with no rememberance of past blessings, there is no perspective about what is really going on."

(Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, 11/89, 82-83.)

I think Thankful Thursday causes me to remember and put each week in perspective.

• Teaching Seminary. I love being there in the morning with these teenagers. It is the best-kept secret in the church.
• Fabulous Freddies. Yesterday, they told me to put my 'FABULOUS car' in neutral...Not only am I called fabulous, but now my car is too.
• Christmas music and talented musicians
• Ward Activities Committee that provided a great evening to get together with 400 of our closest ward member friends. No easy task.
• That I could be there when someone needed help.
• The example of Lamar Noorda. He puts 100%+ in all his assignments. He constantly does little quiet things that most people don't ever know about & never does it for public acknowledgement.
• Charlie's look of amazement while she watched the animated Christmas decorations.

Christmas Music

I'm not gonna lie---when I saw this album on the store shelf a couple of months ago my first thought was, "Wow, that is a gorgeous skirt. If I was skinny, I'd definately wear that outfit." Then this week I had a lot of running around to do and decided Lexi needed some Christmas music in her. My instrumental Christmas album of choice for the last 15 years (Miracles, Kenny G) played it's last season last year - it needed replacing. That's when I remembered the gorgeous skirt.

I'm glad to report the music is as gorgeous as her skirt. It's a must have. For the girls in the family, it will definately make the My Favorite Things bag this year. (that was for you, Rebekah, now I've told you something I'm getting people...)

If you'd like a listen...http://www.jennyoaksbaker.com

Don't Mess With Foreigner

Matt and Ashley were riding in the back seat of Lexi with us last night. I was doing my usual flip through radio channels, "FINALLY a good song, about time." I'm sitting there listening to the radio, enjoying the ride home when from the backseat I hear Matt telling Ashley halfway under his breath, "This is one of my mom's favorite bands. The only way you can hear them is if you own an 8-track player."

That's just not true. They've been digitized.

I've owned (I guess I should say we've. If I bought it for Ron for his 17 or 18th birthday, then inherited it back when we got married, then I can claim possession, right?) several albums in multi-media form -- album, 8-track, cassette, CD:
Eagles, Hotel California; Boston; Supertramp, Breakfast in America. Those are the ones I can think of in all four formats. But there are lots I had either album/8-track/cassette and switched to CD format: Journey, Foreigner, Styx, Queen, The Police. (If I'm going to somewhat represent Ron here, I must confess that he had a lot of Ted Nugent stuff. It was actually the first thing I'd eject out of the 8-track player when I hopped in the truck, and I never felt the need to replace it with CD format. However, I will watch his hunting shows on VH1. To give Ron equal time, he would say he listened to WAY too much Barry Manilow to make me happy.)

Just so you know, Matt, Foreigner is CLASSIC. You can never tire of listening to them. Oh so many choices, which song should represent?

Random pictures from the last couple of weeks

I love how Scotty is in the background of David and Bekah's picture

Brian doesn't think he's been mentioned enough in the blog. Here his is with Scott's girlfriend...On my computer...

With Rebekah. Brian is studying hard, working hard, playing hard. He's hardly ever home. The best squatter a family could ask for.

Drew was a shark, and Charlie was an octopus for Halloween.

Cousins...Ashley, Jenn, and Litany.

Gangsta' bros.

Awesome stuffing.

Shorter hair!

Thanksgiving

thankful thursday

I've been thinking a lot this week. How to approach this thankful thursday deal. Especially since last week was Thanksgiving. I would hope that just every day mundane things that I think of being thankful for were not misconstrued as ignoring the really big things in life that I really should be thankful for. Not that I'm not, I just didn't feel that I should put them in print. There are times when it seems too personal.

Along the same lines there's a story I'm looking for a reference for. My seminary buddies liked the story but had never heard it. Their reasoning was if 4 seminary teachers and a coordinator haven't heard it before - it didn't happen. Funny. anyhow - I'll throw out the story in the hopes that someone else has heard it and can give me a reference and the correct apostle's name.

A stake president was addressing the congregation at stake conference how he was so thankful for his family and all the things they were doing 'right', you know, return missionaries, temple marriages, eagle scouts, college grads. At the conclusion of his remarks an apostle got up and said, "President, please don't burden the rest of us with all of your blessings."

Somebody, please have a reference for me... And now this week's list:

• Book Club. I decided this year to participate in book club as an enrichment group. I have to admit it won by default because I don't scrapbook, but I have read books that I never would have. It's also been what I really needed to be around other women.
• The Book of Mormon. I finished reading it again this week.
• My car. I usually keep the trip odometer on. Somehow this week it was switched over to the regular odometer. 128,500 miles. Wow. they have been very comfortable 128,500 miles. And still, 3 1/2 years later, my favorite part is when Lexi talks to me, her patience when I turn off-course because I want to avoid the way she's told me to go, she never gives up trying to get me back on course, and my two favorite lines are "When possible, make a legal U-turn," and "You have arrived at your destination." There's a church talk in there somewhere
• Chocolate covered macadamian nuts. I don't like nuts - until they're smoothered in chocolate and come from Hawaii.
• Meatloaf. I don't know who invented it, but you can't go wrong with meatloaf on a cool night.

For Amanda
Grandma Pack would be proud to think "this 'ole thing," is being passed down to the third generation.

Hot Dish
(I don't go off of written recipes or solid measurements, so I'll do my best to get it right.)
1 each onion, green pepper, red pepper diced up (I omit green & red peppers)
2 Tbs or more, chili pepper, salt & pepper (don't omit chili pepper, essential)
1.5 lbs. ground beef
fry the above all together. (technically, fry the onion and peppers in 2 Tbs oil until they are clear, then add meat) Drain fat from meat.
add 2 cans tomatoe sauce, 2 cans diced tomatoes (drain most liquid)
add about 1.5 cups frozen peas
let this all simmer and cook (about 20 mins or so, while the macaroni boils)
Boil about a pound or small bag of macaroni, or if its in a big container, 3 or 4 hand fulls.
Stir in the drained macaroni with the meat mixture and put in oblong glass pans (or foil pans for freezing or giving to others). This should make two oblong pans full.
Grate Velvetta cheese over the top and bake 350, 20 mins.

Cranberry Salad
(use a food processor for apples and cranberries)
4-6 red delicious apples, cored and diced with the peels on.
add 1/2 cup sugar
1 bag cranberrys, diced
add one can crushed pineapple, drained
1 bag of miniature marshmellows (it has to 'look' right, might just be 3/4 a bag)
Let sit on counter about 30 min.
Fold in whip cream and pour in glass oblong dish.
*here's where the urban grandma legends starts. I thought you put it in the freezer and served it frozen. YEARS later my mom tells me, "Oh, no. You just put it in the fridge. Grandma always froze it and would forget to take it out in time so it ended up being served frozen." My family likes the frozen version better than the fridge version.
**Grandma Pack always cooked with nuts. I don't like nuts. I think Cranberry Salad might originally have had nuts in it and I omitted them. If you guys like nuts, throw them in the mixture.
***How to make whip cream in case you don't know. 1/2 pint Heavy Whipping Cream (sold by the milk) Pour in bowl and mix at highest speed adding sugar as you go. It will be 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar. Do it to taste. Stop mixing with the cream forms peaks that stay upright. If you mix past this point it's ruined and becomes just runny again.

To serve Hot Dish and Cranberry Salad truly authentic GPack style, put it on Lenox china :), and keep asking everybody if they would like more rolls, "Please, eat these up, I can't save them."

Whoo-Hoo Matt!

Matt has officially attended his last class at CCSN/CSN. He's completed the classes for a 2-year degree in Construction Management.

This is a great accomplishment for him. I've watched in quiet amazement the last four years as he's worked full time (40+ hours a week) and served in the Young Men's programs in each ward he's lived in (which included Wednesday nights, Sunday meetings, weekend campouts, extra activities). I've been even more proud of Ashley for being so supportive and not complaining. Matt often had classes on mon, tues, thurs, wed was scouts, leaving only Friday for her - if he didn't have a campout to go on. She's had two beautiful babies and kept a wonderful home for their family.

I think it's terrific he set this goal for himself and achieved it.

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged!
A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. Hair habits you may or may not have observed:
a) 80-degree rule. Hotter than 80 degrees, I wear my hair pulled up. Below 80, my hair's usually down.
b) I shower and wash it at night and go to bed with wet hair...even in the middle of winter. I haven't had pneumonia yet.
c) on the nights it's not washed wet, I put it up in a banana clip (I have ONE left over from the 80s that I'm hoping doesn't break) or french braid it down the back. I can't sleep with my hair all over the place.

2. Two of my preset buttons on my car radio are for KLUC and 97.5. I listen to all kinds of music and this causes me pause for thought occassionally. I'm secretly terrified that I am Terrestrial at best because of my music habits. Nothing too bad, and radio editted versions definately, but I can't handle all Mo-Tab, all the time.

3. I have concert tickets for Van Halen the end of December. David Lee Roth, hollar. But then there's that quote by Maxwell that keeps floating through my head to the effect that sometimes the distance traveled to a far away country is no further than a vile rock concert... I'm right back to my Terrestrial fears.

4. I almost hate to admit this one out loud, so let's keep it among ourselves on the DL...I have had two callings multiple times, like 6 times each, in the last 27 years 1. Primary chorister. 2. Activities director. I'm not going to lie, I know how to feed 300+ people.

5. My New Year's resolution for 2007 was to always clean my bedroom 1st, then the rest of the house. Nope, didn't keep this one either.

6. The ONLY resolution I have ever kept - and it's a weird one, but I learned a lot. It goes something like this: "Why, if it was so difficult to write on the plates, would Jacob spend so many pages talking about the Allegory of the Olive Tree? It must be more important or significant than you realize." I spent a year reading and studying this topic - amazing stuff in there. And I will end with 6B: I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. Read it....again.

As far as tagging other people...How about all the people that that mention when they see me that they read my blog, but I didn't know it because they don't leave a comment....you're IT.

Happy Thanksgiving

I've noticed several other bloggers do Thankful Thursdays, I've read them the past couple of months and thought that was really cool. This would be a good week to start that. So for Thankful Thursday on a Wednesday evening here are a few things I'm thankful for this week:

• That we could fast for rain. I was nervous with the whole Las Vegas Valley fasting for rain. I'm not going to lie, my prayers included the line, 'can we just have a little 6-hour window of non-rain on November 17th.' I'm looking forward to the rain.
• Bun warmers in my car. I ask my seminary kids a question on the sign-in sheet every morning. Back in September one of the questions was "When will it get cold enough for me to turn on the seat warmers in my car?" November 21st is pretty darn late in the season, but this morning it felt great.
• The wax spray that is put on apples. I bought 6 red delicious apples today for cranberry salad. They look so pretty sitting on my counter.
• Food processors, KitchenAid mixers, ovens with timers.
• My family.

And now, my favorite Thanksgiving song:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY

Jordan & Jennifer Shields

Here are final pictures from this weekend. I've had a lot of people ask me about various parts of the reception - so here's the shout-out to all that helped make it look great:

Food: Natalie Littlefield Catering
Pastries & Cake: Marie's Gourmet Bakery
Photography: Candace Simpson - Elegant Images
Flowers: Melinda Terry & Cindy Sorenson
Jenn's Hair: Heather Lantz
Invitations: Michael Durham - Silver Bull Printing
DJ: All Events DJ

WEDDING WEEKEND

I'd love to tell you all about it, and show pictures, but to tell you the truth, I'M EXAUSTED. The weather was beautiful. The bride & groom were beautiful.

We had help from so many family and friends that made it all possible (All of our kids, Calvin Callaway family, Gordon Marx family, Roundys, Jones', Shields family). Thank you! We couldn't have done it without you guys. Set up took about 7 hours, clean-up just over 1 hour. We were driving away at 10:15 p.m.

If you came to the beginning of the reception, thanks for putting up with the strobe lights and warning message to evacuate the building. I really tried to plan for and cover all the details, this is one thing I didn't imagine happening. :) What's a wedding reception w/out the fire department showing up?!

The luncheon was awesome. After staying as Jenn & Jordan took pictures at the temple, helping her get out of her dress, I was driving to the building-My eyes were watering because my head was pounding so hard - my throat was on fire because I was so thirsty - my feet were killing me, I walked into the luncheon and it looked so beautiful, and the food was terrific and there was extra strength tylenol in my purse, I was feeling great 15 minutes later.

I can't wait to see Candace's pictures she clicked away through many memory cards all day. I have just a few shots I managed to take and from a Shields family friend, Staphanie Rapp. Here's a sneak peak till I put more together:

Jenn was so excited when Heather finished her hair, she wanted to see how it looked with her dress on. I was nervous. It was 9:47. Jordan was supposed to be here at 10. He has front door walk-in priviledges. What if he's a few minutes early? I didn't want him to walk in while she was in her dress.

Just in time. Dress back in the bag just as Jordan arrived.

Kudos & My Bad...

Thank You just doesn't seem adequate enough. Connie Barrett volunteered to hem the reception tablecloths for me. I wasn't asking/fishing for her to do it, I was simply asking if she had a serger machine I could barrow, and should I come over to her house or would it be o.k. to bring it to my house. She insisted I leave the tablecloths and she would hem them. I protested. She reminded me she had been asking what she could do to help for 6 weeks, she wanted to hem them. In the middle of my protest my mouth just stopped mid-sentence and I said o.k., I'll let you help. I then dropped off the cloths and said, I don't think you know what you're getting yourself into. She assurred me she did. Just doing quick math - if each tablecloth takes 15 minutes times 18 that would equal 4.5 hours of hemming. We're all busy, who has 4.5 hours to donate to a wedding that you're not blood related to? I walked away feeling totally elated, like a load had been lifted. I felt what it was like to be the recipiant of service. Thank you so much, Connie. If you see her, give her a high-five.

In the My Bad category. 2nd ongoing controversy with Rebekah has been the cake serving utinsils. Background: Jenn goes shopping 3 weeks ago and calls to ask me if I realize how expensive the cake knife and server are? Yes, I'm well aware. She asks what Bekah used and I told her I bought Bekah some. I remember shopping for them, wanting her to have this heirloom gift (you'll use it the rest of your life, baby blessing desserts, yada yada yada...). So Jenn announces she's calling Bekah and will just use her's. Then Jenn calls back, Bekah says you didn't buy her one, she used yours. My response is "I don't have one she could have used." For two weeks Bek's been insisting she used mine, I'm thinking I spent $50 to buy her one and she lost it. Where are those wedding pictures as proof?

Then I have both girls in the kitchen and we're arguing over it again. I show my utinsil drawer. The every-day pie cutter from Pampered Chef with the serrated edge that cuts and serves so well. The generic pie server I've had since day one with the wooden handle. And then over here in the butler's pantry with the big-gathering serving utinsils is this silver cake server that's fake silver. Bekah is sure that's the one she used. "This thing? I only paid $2.50 for it in the dollar bin at Kmart. There's no way, I bought you a "nice" serving set."

So last night when Bekah was over she brought it up once again. That's it - where's that disk with your wedding pictures. We're getting to the bottom of the cake serving controversy.

With the proof in her hand in photos, BEKAH WAS RIGHT. Since I blog blasted her over the softball issue, she is demanding a public blog apology about the cake server.

So there you have it. This Saturday when Jenn & Jordan cut their cake, Jenn will be using my $2.50 Kmart dollar bin heirloom cake server that's cut and served it's way through many family dinners and now two daughter's weddings.

Until then, since we just looked through Rebekah & David's pictures, here's a few of my favorites to enjoy until we all gather again this weekend.

BEKAH-BEKAH-BEKAH, bekah-bekah-bekah, BEKAH-BEKAH-BEKAH, bekah-bekah-bekah, BEK

The softball controversy started inocently enough. David and Bekah made a video for Jenn's bridal shower where they ask questions of Jenn & Jordan. Bekah says to me, "Jordan thinks Jennifer played softball all through high school, she didn't play for Bonanza." I know their high school story can be confusing. [Quick version, we moved to Phoenix for a year and a half - so Jenn went to one semester at Aqua Fria, then 9th grade second semester transfered to Millennium, both in Avondale. Then 10th grade 2nd semester we came back here. Just in time for softball tryouts. Since both had played softball leagues here in town for years, everyone knew them, and they were on the teams that semester.] So I tell Rebekah, "Jenn did play at Bonanza, you guys played against each other." She totally denied it and wanted to see pictures as proof.

Home game on Bonanza fields, looking south toward Oakey. Jenn playing 1st base.

Same game, Rebekah playing catcher

for Durango

Bekah at bat

And finally......

Rebekah as catcher for Durango, Jenn batting for Bonanza.

I know I've sat through a few hundred baseball/softball practices & games between all you kids, but I still remember.

P.S. I kind of miss the sound of a lawn chair rattling around in the back of my car.

TWELVE DAYS TO GO...

I definately need an update, but don't really have the time...Things are close to being ready. A few more tablecloths need to be assembled. I think I have the secret down for the 90" diameter cultural hall tablecloth. I never really thought I'd have to know how to make these, they rent fairly easily, but somehow the right colors and fabrics weren't available to rent so here I am, 18 tablecloths later. With each seam I plot my sweet revenge 25 years from now... I've heard Wednesday will be wedding favor assembly night. And then I think I need to go digging through my "Jennifer Box" in the upstairs hallway closet for pictures from her life. After that, I think people will start arriving - let the party begin.

As I dig through the "Jennifer Box" I need to look for some pictures from 4 years ago. Rebekah swears that Jennifer didn't play softball at Bonanza, I am sure she did, and I have the pictures to prove it. Bekah played for Durango, and I know I have a picture of the two schools/girls playing against each other. Jenn should use one of her softball pictures in the display - for as prim and proper and girly as she is, she was always head to toe filthy dirty when she played.

Scott will be whining for some attention in the blog soon, I just know it. He's doing great. He's totally involved in the North Star singles ward. Last night it was CES Fireside, mission prep class, cereal pot luck and ward prayer. Tonight was school, then FHE. His friends are starting to get mission calls. Scott spent Sunday dinner trying to talk Jenn into doing his laundry. He thinks since I've been busy doing her wedding, she should do his laundry. Perfect Scott logic.

Rebekah has had some opportunities to sign interpret for different organizations and is getting very good. She has a seriously heavy school load, so we see her when we can (Mon. and Wed. afternoons, and some Friday or Saturday nights.)

Since Drew was born I thought it would be so cool to have him open my front door and run in calling for grandma. Well, that time is here - and it is a cool thing to hear. The next sound I'm waiting for is the sound of little girl church shoes running in.

Kara has a nice blog with lots of pictures of Hallie. I'm so glad with them living in Tucson that we can keep up with their activitites and especially pictures. Brad and Kara were here to go to the temple with Jenn last week, and they'll be back in 12 days as well. I've had the family together quite a bit lately, exciting times.

That's the latest and greatest from our house.

Surprise!!!

Last night we had two special visitors walk into the house and surprise us.

Kara & Hallie are in town!

I was so excited to see them. We knew they were planning on being here on Tuesday to go to the temple with Jennifer - but Kara and Hallie decided to fly to Vegas early to visit with family for a few days. We're glad they did.

Welcome to town!

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Happy Birthday, Mom

Friday, October 19th was mom's birthday. Here are a few things I've learned from my mom, and maybe some facts you didn't know:

1. "Don't walk across the grass - "they" spend a lot of time and money to make it look that nice. Use the sidewalk." this is for neighbor's houses, public parks, grass, I guess, is not to be walked on.

2. The greatest cassarole ever: HOTDISH

3. How to make roast, mashed potatoes, and peas. Not to mention gravy from scratch. You can not serve roast any other way, only with mashed potatoes and peas

4. Her singing voice is incredible

5. She can paint her nails better than any nail shop anywhere. And she never smudges them...

6. Spend the money for a good pair of shoes. "If your feet aren't happy, you won't be happy."

7. She has RARELY shampooed and fixed her hair herself. She has a standing appointment at the Beauty Palor every week. When I was at home it was on Wednesdays. But for over 15 years it's been on Thursdays. I have known by name most of her hair dressers and I'm sure her hair dresser knows way too much about me & my family.

8. Mom keeps a SPOTLESS house. In the whole house there are only two spots that would be remotely considered 'cluttered'. There's a small stack of mail and important papers she needs next to the kitchen table. And another sea shell full of odds and ends on her nightstand. This is the kind of house where you dust weekly undusty furniture. And it's not called dusting it's called "polishing the furniture."

9. She totally believed in her kids and thought we could do anything we put our minds to.

10. She's really smart.

11. Every morning she "puts her face on"

12. Every night she "takes her face off."

13. Four children; 11 grandchildren; 6 great-granchildren

14. Mom kept detailed baby books for each of us.

15. I think she is flawless in remembering holidays and especially birthdays. Everyone gets a card and a present in the mail.

16. Don't leave her a voice message on her cell phone, she doesn't know how to retrieve her messages. (she is not alone in this handicap, I could name several - and my own daughters don't even LISTEN to their messages)

17. She reads a lot.

18. She does crossword puzzles.

19. I pretty much consider her Emily Post in disguise.

20. She's creative

21. She taught me not to run in the house, not to yell in the house, don't bounce the ball in the house, and stay out of grandma's livingroom

22. She watches the news every night - used to watch Johnny Carson. I guess I don't know her well enough, because I don't know if she's a Jay or a Dave watcher now.

23. She's beautiful.

24. All the way from Texas she keeps close tabs on what all my kids are doing, their activities, how they're doing in school, work, who they're dating.

25. I think it totally rocks that she's 70 and still has red hair. (does she dye it? only her hairdresser knows for sure...)

I did not inherit her birthday gene (see #15). As you can tell, the Birthday Blog is two days late, and the CD I was really excited to buy her is still in the front seat of my car, unmailed. UGGGHHHHH. I know it's so rude (see #19), I'd say I'll improve as a new year's resolution or something like that (BTW - thanks to my mom I know that you're supposed to eat black-eyed peas on new years day for good luck that year), but I keep trying to be better at mailing and fail miserably each year. Maybe it's because I'm not combining the resolution with the eating of the peas.

Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you.

Hallie's Blessing

On a sad note

I guess to be an honest blogger, you must include the sad with the good. Kaia, the 4-month old infant of our niece Zan is in the hospital in critical condition. These emergency situations are always difficult but it is compounded by the fact that Zan's husband, Jason, is stationed in the military in Germany. We are so sorry we could not be closer. Our thoughts and prayers are with you guys in Kaiserslautern.

Happy Birthday, David

We'll sing a song that we all know - Happy Birthday, to you!! Congrats on the new job, nice birthday present. It's great to have you in our family.

Driving Frustrations

I try not to be a complainer, to go with the flow, to accept and embrace change in my life.....but whomever redesigned the speghetti bowl (how long ago, 6 years? and I'm still griping about this?) I'm upset with.

Basically the problem is we lived on the southwest side of town for over 15 years. That meant for years I drove north on I-15 and the vast majority of the time I went west on: 1. The Expressway, then it was called 2. 95 westbound, now it's referred to as 3. 515 (already see my confusion on this?). Sometimes I needed to go downtown or towards Henderson so I would take the east exit. Life was so simple - wanted to go downtown or Henderson and you're going north on I-15 - those areas are to your right, and so was the exit, far right lane. Want to go to the west, which was your left, be in the 2nd right hand land. No brainer.

This was great until someone decided the speghetti bowl couldn't handle our traffic and needed to be redesigned and obviously this important task was turned over to an engineer in some office on the east coast who doesn't even say 'Nevada' correctly. His/her bright idea was to reverse the ramps. And take one lane and expand it to two.

Now, switching freeways comes with a lot of brain power on my part. What once used to be done in my sleep, becomes a private conversation of lightening fast silent questions all asked to myself while I'm wizzing down the freeway trying to merge. Where am I going? Oh, yeah, I need to go left -- but the sign doesn't say 95 Left or 95 Right, it says West or East. So then my brain has to picture a map to so I can visualize left is .....west. O.k. I'm going west, which lane is that....geez I can't see around that truck.....holla hannah, if you're going to live in the United States, you should drive the speed limit on the freeway....o.k. Here I am ready to go left-uh, west. wait - does this lane go west, does it expand for two lane for the other direction?

From Charleston in the space of 3/4 of a mile my brain is going crazy trying to figure out where I need to be. I can't answer my phone, listen to the radio....good thing I don't cart kids around anymore to distract me.

So then it happened yesterday. I was at LVBS between Sahara and Flamingo. Needed to go to Henderson city complex, stop off at the printers on Sunset. A no brainer drive, get on I-15 at Flaming-O, north on I-15, loop around the city on 95 exit Sunset, printers, then follow Boulder Hwy to Lake Mead. Fun drive, start some good music.

But at Flamingo on-ramp my phone rang, another no brainer - I've entered at this point for the same above-mentioned two decades. I'm driving along trying to answer Jenn's questions about how to blog, how to make a new post, "click on the B at the top, you're looking for the dashboard, you know, I haven't done this in two years, if I could look at the screen I could answer these questions and help you better....can this wait until I get home...?" Then it happened, I came back into driving reality just as I was in the far-right lane, which my brain on auto-pilot still thinks will take me to Henderson, only to find myself on the flyover heading left...uh, west.

Dang engineers, why did they have to mess with tradition?

Sunday Birthday Dinner

This year we celebrated Jordan's earlier, so Drew got the whole night to himself. I'm really glad everyone could be here. Some brought quieter gifts than others...thanks Jordan & Jenn...

Watching Drew get so excited was very entertaining. He's at a great age.

Ashley thought the drum set would be a great new toy for Grandma's house....Drew wouldn't hear of it. Ashely even had quite a conversation explaining the drums were going to stay at Grandma's until they moved into their new house, then you can bring the drums to your new room. When all was said and done, Drew personally carried the drums out to the car "My house." He's a funny kid. Charlie just sat around observing all night. It would be interesting to know what's going on behind those big blue eyes of hers.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREW

Time for Something NEW

I'm getting tired of celebrating the life of Scotty, so it's definately time for something new on this page. Nothing has really been happening. Well, in the unusual category, in the last two days I've had visits from DHL (400 miniture chinese take-out boxes), UPS (cute black flat shoes with woven ribbons in a huge size 11 from Nordstroms), FedEx (replacement phone for Brian who blames Jennifer for dropping and breaking his old phone), and finally USPS (3 boxes of checks). Not bad for a house at the very edge of town.

Two weeks ago Ron & I decided to go out to dinner on a Saturday night. So I said, "Hey, call Bekah. David's working tonight, maybe she wants to go with us." Bekah says she was going to 'hang with Jenn' but Jenn always ditches me so let me call and make sure she's ditching me so I can go with you guys. Two phone calls later, now Rebekah, Jenn, and Jordan are going to dinner with us. Then we showed up at On The Border, and sitting with the kids was Brian - such a squatter move to find out we were going to dinner and join in. Rush to judgement there - he was meeting up with his own group of friends, we just happened to arrive at the same time. Just so you know, Brian, squatters are always welcome at dinner with us. Brian came very close to losing house priviledges though by informing the waiters that it was my birthday. The more people find out I don't like this, the more they think it's funny to have me humiliated in public all days of the year. Grrrrrrr.

And as I finish this up - can you believe it - here's FedEx AGAIN (contract from a general contractor up in Utah) If shipping rates go up in the next week, it's because all these guys had to drive to the edge of town to get to my house, and even though $21.00 for overnight is high, I know it doesn't cover the several gallons it takes for one of those trucks to make the trek out here :)