The Madness Has Begun!

I had intended on writing at least a couple of times a week, but I'll just blame my inconsistency on the holidays for now, since we've already had family with us for Christmas for the last week! John David flew from Germany, picked up Cami and Isabelle in Texas, then flew with them to Utah last Sunday. It's been so nice spending time with my brother, as it's been quite some time since we've been able to really catch up. My girls are LOVING having their cousins here, too! They all get along really well--at least for this first week--we'll see how worn down they get in the next two!!! I'm excited to get the rest of the family here on Saturday. THANKFULLY , they'll be staying with Meredith since having 9 people in here is already making our tiny house bulge at the seams!
I really should be taking advantage of everyone being at school and out shopping, and clean my house before they all get back. There's now toothpaste in places I never knew existed, and seriously, who knew milk could superglue cheerios to the kitchen floor? I've already told the rest of my family that I can't guarantee what I clean today will stay that way by the time they all get here, and until my children learn how to fold laundry, clean the dishes and mop the floor WITHOUT me having to redo it, they'll just have to be satisfied with what I get around to doing!!!

We Need a Little Christmas

I'm so happy that Christmas is FINALLY here! There's just something about his time of year that brings so much peace, even as we begin frantic shopping and endless get-togethers. I'm so grateful for this time that I get to spend with family, whether from my side or Mike's. This year, my parents and all my sibs and their kids will be coming to Utah--all except Emily & her family, who are a little too far away in Georgia to make the long trek for a short visit. We have lots planned--Christmas lights at Temple Square, a trip to the Planetarium for 14-year-old Alex who has been saving his money for a whole year to finally buy himself some gadgets he saw on the last visit, a traditional King Family sacrament meeting musical number, Christmas Eve caroling to some dear friends and sweet neighbors, LOTS of shopping, eating & of course, talking (my favorite part)! My family has truly become my BEST FRIENDS, and I only hope my daughters will develop the same kind of close relationship that I have been so blessed with. This year, each of us have come across different challenges--some more painful and difficult than others--but through it all, we've been there for each other, which is the greatest blessing any of us could ask for. Maybe the reason Christmas brings so much peace amid so much chaos is that this is the time of year I can say that I already have everything I could ever need or want...and mean it.

King Henry Reunion!

After being on Facebook for a few months, I've reconnected with SO many old friends! As a result of this, a few of us have decided to organize a little (or big) King Henry Reunion, for those who were with Bishop Nick Smith, Bro. Chris Mathews, & Bro. Todd Christensen (I think we could also include those who were with Bishop Craig & Bro. Covey, too!)--tentatively scheduled for the spring of next year, in Utah. The following is a list of people that I know we have been in contact with through Facebook, and I'm hoping that if any of you out there know how to contact someone NOT on this list, you can pass on that info!

Dan Altimirano
Steven Braithwaite
Tara Taylor Brown
Ardie Burnham
Cherie Call Anderson
Emily King Bruce
Miquelle Kendall Crosland
Brittany Wilde Fell
Heather Zahn Gardner
Duane Hager
Penny Redd Hager
Brian Hall
Jill Martin Hall
Karrin Harline
Rich Harline
Jen Knips Hiser
Jen Steffen Johnson
Stan Johnson
Janice Jones Oswald
Molly Jones
Jeff Jones
Christine Jones
Travis Kimball
Marcie Knips Barnhart
Desi Lomax
Jeff McMinn
Amber Payne
Dave Peck
Doug Peterson
Chris Petty
Marisa Mellor Schwartz
Jen Peck Stephens
Mike Stephens
Amanda King Stringham
Lincoln Stromness
Sheri Stromness
Glenn Swanson
Begly Thompson
Becky Ursem Yawney

Thanks for all your help in advance! It promises to be a GREAT time & I hope everyone can make it! I'll be keeping this updated as to dates, times and places, too.

Thankful

I am thankful today.

Thankful my childern were relatively well-behaved at church, even though Dad stayed home sick and Mom had to go it alone. I'm thankful that my hubby was well enough to get the roast in the oven and dinner rolls made (yes, HE makes rolls from scratch--no freezer buns here!) so that I could "relax" after getting home from church. I'm thankful that Mike loves to make popcorn & orange julius' on Sunday nights, beginning a little Stringham Family Tradition. I'm thankful that my Gospel Doctrine lesson went well today, and that we actually covered ALL of the lesson material I had prepared. (That NEVER happens!!!) I'm thankful for sweet Ward Members who are always generous with their compliments on my teaching, even when I think there was room for improvement. I'm thankful that on Friday, Trick-or-Treating was NOTHING like Trunk-or-Treating this year, and that even though it rained on us a bit, everyone stayed happy & safe--despite a few detours by the girls to chase cats instead of candy.Bridget was supposed to be Hannah Montana, and I even bought her a long blonde wig, but she hated the feel of it, so at the last minute she found the witch costume from last year, and demanded to be a witch instead--go figure!Princess Leia (aka Katie) really got into character as she fended off the storm troopers--okay, so she has no idea who they are, but she makes a dang cute Leia, right?Brooke has been obsessed with our cat, JillyBoo, ever since we got her a couple of months ago. She decided then that she wanted to be a cat for Halloween, and was so excited to wear JillyBoo's real tag from off her collar! (That reminds me--I better get it back on the cat, before the Halloween costumes get put away for the year...)Maggie was first a nurse, then she changed her mind and wanted to be a doctor, then after seeing Brooke dressed as a cat, she decided she was actually a veterinarian. Not that it matters, since the costume didn't change...I guess she was a nursoctorinarian...Right now, I'm thankful that my girls are learning to love the gospel--they are in the background here practicing the song, "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission," as Maggie plays choir director by writing down the words for each of them (none of which can read it), and splitting them into parts. Can't imagine where she got her bossiness--I mean LEADERSHIP--from. Must be Mike.
Anyway, I just wanted express my thankfulness for the things that have made my life a little easier the last couple of days, as I'm FULLY aware of ALL the things that are making my life--well, less than easy.

Now THAT'S Talent!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f86qKQJg3Z8


The first couple of summers after high school, I was a lifeguard/swim instructor at my hometown swimming pool. I got to work with Emily and John David, which was such a blast, and we even got really creative and made up our own sychronized swimming routines between classes. None of those compare to the video my friend found on YouTube. Watch and try not to wet your pants!

Questions for My Girls--Maggie (7), Katie (4), Brooke (5)

Just a little programming note...None of the girls heard each other's responses, and none were coerced--no, really...

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Maggie--"Don't do that! Don't do that! Don't do that!"
Katie--"No!"
Brooke--"Don't."
2. What makes mom happy?
Maggie --"Hugging you. "
Katie--"Getting you an animal."
Brooke--"Me being nice."
3. What makes mom sad?
Maggie--"If we ran away."
Katie--"Your sneezing with the cat."
Brooke--"Me being mean."
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Maggie--"Tickling me."
Katie--"By giving me a cat."
Brooke--"Tickling me."
5. What was your mom like as a child?
Maggie--"Like me."
Katie--"Like a cat."
Brooke--"The same thing as me."
6. How old is your mom?
Maggie--"33"
Katie--"33"
Brooke--"36"
7. How tall is your mom?
Maggie--"As tall as my treehouse."
Katie--"11"
Brooke--"100"
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Maggie--"Laugh with me."
Katie--"Clean the dishes."
Brooke--"Sleep."
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Maggie--"Nothing--she just watches TV."
Katie--"Cleans the dishes."
Brooke--"Watch TV."
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Maggie--"Being the President."
Katie--"She would go to Dancing with the Stars."
Brooke--"For being the President."
11. What is your mom really good at?
Maggie--"Exercising at Meredith's house."
Katie--"Dancing and getting Halloween stuff."
Brooke--"Watching the kids."
12. What is your mom not very good at?
Maggie--"Playing dress up, cuz you can't fit into our dress up clothes...."
Katie--"Polishing shoes."
Brooke--"Playing fetch."
13. What does your mom do for her job?
Maggie--"She watches us."
Katie--"You go at the zoo to hunt for horsies."
Brooke--"Working in the basement."
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Maggie--"Chicken."
Katie--"Chicken."
Brooke--"Lasagna."
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Maggie--"Nothing that I know of..."
Katie--"Nothing."
Brooke--"Being nice to me."
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Maggie--"Sleeping Beauty, cuz you sleep a lot."
Katie--"Higglytown Heroes cuz I love Higglytown Heroes! I want you to be Twinkle!"
Brooke--"Word Girl!"
17. What do you and your mom do together?
Maggie--"Clean up."
Katie--"Both of us clean the dishes, like wash 'em, you know?"
Brooke--"Love each other."
18. How are you and your mom the same?
Maggie--"Everybody says we look the same. "
Katie--"Both of us have ears, both of us have necks, both of us have heads, both of us have bodies, (and she continues to name EVERY body part--in one breath!)"
Brooke--"We have blue eyes."
19. How are you and your mom different?
Maggie--"She's older and I'm littler."
Katie--"I don't have brown hair and I don't have a spray bottle."
Brooke--"You're a mom and I'm a kid."
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Maggie--"Because she gives me hugs and kisses every night and every morning!"
Katie--"Cuz she kisses me. I'm done Mom, can I go now?"
Brooke--"You give me a hug and a kiss!"