June Fun

The thing I love about summer, that if done correctly, there isn’t a whole lot to do. Except, of course, for those lovely vacations we all enjoy. So, pretty much I am loving summer. Well, except it has been over 110 degrees for the last couple of days.

Last week, Gary, Sam and I went to St. George to attend the plays at Tuacahn--The Little Mermaid and Grease. We loved both of them. Jeff, Debby and Neal joined Mom and Dad and us for The Little Mermaid. We dined at Chuck-a-Rama before the show. Ursula’s death scene was stupendous, Scuttle was hilarious, and Ariel had a beautiful voice.






The next day Gary, Sam and I visited the home of Jacob Hamblin. His job was to work with the Native Americans and help keep the peace. We also toured the St. George tabernacle, a beautiful old building, in which all of the presidents of the church (except Joseph Smith) have spoken. I had to go shopping so I dropped the other two off at the hotel. I found some cute clothes for Lily.





Tuacahn procured some great old cars for Grease. But why oh why is Sandy the one who has to change. I guess it wouldn’t be “cool” otherwise. As an added bonus, it started to sprinkle during intermission, which made the song “It’s Raining on Prom Night” even more fun for the audience. We were all sweating during The Little Mermaid; the weather during Grease was much more pleasant. I’m sure glad it didn’t really RAIN or we wouldn’t have gotten to see the rest of the play.

On the way back, just east of Kingman, there was a car fire. We were stopped for awhile, Thank goodness it was only about 84 degrees so it wasn’t to bad to sit there on the freeway. The truck, that I assume ran into the gas tanker, was toast. The only thing left was black metal. There was also a fire along the side of the road, which firefighters put out quickly. It did make our trip seem much longer.

All of our kids and Lily were here for Father’s Day which made it a lot of fun. Chris gave Gary a Diamondback’s cover for his Iphone and April made him a excellent memory book.

I am now helping to teach the 11-year-old Primary class as well as doing Activity Day for the girls. This month we held a recognition night for the girls. Their favorite thing we did seemed to be the scripture plaques they made. I purchased a sheet of fake wood and Sam S. cut it into pieces. The girls painted them. They each picked their favorite scripture and we put that with a picture of the temple and a picture of Jesus and mod podged the whole thing. I was a little worried about how a few of them would turn out, but they all did. Gary is going to be teaching Gospel Doctrine along with his clerking duties. Sam is the secretary in the Teacher’s Quorum.


We have had our old living room couch in the kitchen for the past few months. We finally got rid of it. Yahoo! Someone in our ward needed a couch so they hauled it away last night, now maybe I can restore a bit of order in the midst of chaos. I always envy RaKay and Stacie because the houses are in such good order. Mine, it seems, never is.

Last, but not least here are some pictures of Lily's favorite activity--unloading my purse of all its contents. I couldn't get her to smile either.

Family Newsletter

Each month Gary's family all write newsletters that his mom puts together and mails to everyone. Here's ours.. .

Yesterday was the last day of school. All I have to say is “Yipee”. It was a hard year and I am so glad that it is finally over. On the success side, the first grade teachers (who are the best) met their academic goals for the kids in reading and math. I hope that I had some part in their success. There is nothing more satisfying than watching a child learn. I saw many learning successes this year.

Sam has had a wonderful May! He auditioned for the Phoenix Children’s Choir and made the highest choir. Next summer he will get to go to Italy with them. He was also on the honor role at school with a 4.0 grade point average. On Sunday he will be leaving for Washington D.C. on his Close Up tour sponsored by the school. He will get to see all the sights and learn a lot too. He is then going to help with Jumpstart which is the program at the junior high to help incoming 7th graders learn the ropes of junior high. In August he starts at Mountain View High School. Sam also had his voice recital on May 14. He sang “Across the Western Sea” (an art/classical song) and “Close Every Door” (from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat). I give a huge “thank you” to his voice teacher, Mrs. Lori Woods. She was a big part of his singing success this year. She is an awesome voice teacher. Sam has learned a lot from her. Grandma and Grandpa came to see him. He did an epic job and we all went to the Olive Garden to celebrate his birthday (only three months late).



We all met last night at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville for Sam Shelley’s birthday. He hit the big 30. Chris brought Lily a balloon shaped like a duck. She loved it. She was great as long as she had someone to carry her around and look at the sights. Her dad, Stephen and Chris got some exercise packing her around. She liked the food, but just didn’t appreciate sitting around.

I’m looking forward to finally finishing my home improvement projects, going to St. George to see the plays there, and a family reunion. Also, reading all the books I have time for. I had a busy May also with Relief Society, Sam’s concerts, Activity Days, and the biggest funeral luncheon I have ever seen.

Gary is busy with work and training our new bishopric members how to count tithing. The first weekend in June is the big law firm retreat. We are going to a very nice resort, Dove Mountain, near Tucson.

Weather wise May was a great month. Today the real heat begins and won’t end until October. Boo.

My Favorite Christmas Carols

Back in the 1960's the Firestone Tire Company released a new album of Christmas Carols every year. My mom bought one almost every year. I loved to listen to those albums played on my parents' Magnavox stereo. If I had a turn table I would still listen to them. So of course, I grew up listening to Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, etc. Frankly, I don't have much use for many of the "new" Christmas songs (except for a very few). Because they don't make 'em like they used to. So in no particular order here are my favorites:

1. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole. One of the best!
2. White Christmas by Bing Crosby. I'd love to visit Holiday Inn!
3. Away in a Manager by Julie Andrews. One of those Firestone Favorites, but her whole album is available for purchase.
4. Star Carol by Anna Maria Alberghetti. Another one of the Firestone gems.
5. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Perry Como.
6. Jingle Bells by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters. One of the fun songs from "A Christmas Story."
7. I'll Be Home for Christmas by Bing Crosby. The most popular Christmas carol during WWII and the Korean War.
8. Candlelight Carol by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Beautiful.
9. Let It Be Christmas by Alan Jackson. One of the new ones.
10. The Chipmunk Song by The Chipmunks. Another one from my childhood.
11. A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives. We watch "Rudolph" every year.
12. Christmas Time is Here by Jeffrey Osborne. Always reminds me of Charlie Brown.
13. Irish Carol by Julie Andrews. Same Julie Andrews album.
14. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by the Three Stooges. We had an old 45 record with some Three Stooges Christmas Songs. I found them on I Tunes. I was so happy!
15. Merry Christmas Darling by The Carpenters. One semester at BYU we played it continually in the Business Office Lab.
16. O Come Emmanuel by Voice Male. Emmanuel shall ransom captive Israel.
17. Oh Holy Night by Nat King Cole, Josh Groban, Martina McBride and Jeffrey Osborne.
18. Penguin, James Penguin by Brad Paisley. Brad Paisley is pretty funny!
19. Silent Night by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The one from A Christmas Story.
20. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by Dean Martin. A Dean Martin Twist on a old song.


My despised list (If I don't hear these during the Christmas season, I'm happy.)

1. Santa Baby by Madonna. Gag.
2. The Twelve Days of Christmas (Except the one by Straight No Chaser. It's pretty amusing.)
3. The Little Boy that Santa Claus Forgot by Nat King Cole. Makes me SAD every time I hear it.
4. The Christmas Shoes. Argggg.
5. My Favorite Things. This is NOT a Christmas song.
6. Anything by Mariah Carey.
7. I Saw Three Ships. What do ships have to do with Christmas?
8. Last Christmas I Gave you my Heart. Yuck.

Merry Christmas everyone!

P.S. Don't you just love the new cool title to my blog. My son Stephen made it. He rocks!

Getting in Touch with my Inner Crafter

April and I found these cute "Gobble" letters when we were in Utah. I haven't done crafts for a long time and this looked quick and easy. It wasn't too quick, but it was pretty easy and I am pretty happy how they turned out.

The Famous Sour Cream Cookies

This is picture of my mom, Vera Rasband, dressed as a witch for Halloween. She liked Halloween a lot. One of my favorite Halloween memories occurred when I was in the first grade. Mom dressed up as a ghost and Margie dressed up as Frankenstein and they visited each of their children's classes on Halloween. They didn't have to check in at the office and they brought homemade popcorn balls. I didn't know who they were and wondered why this ghost kept hovering around my desk. There were five children between the two of them in elementary school so they made a whole lot of popcorn balls.

One of her most famous Halloween treats was Sour Cream Cookies. She passed them out to trick or treaters and people came from all over to get a cookie. In honor of Halloween here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Sour Cream Cookies

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
About 3 1/2 cups of flour (enough to make a soft dough)

Mix sugar and shortening together. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together flour, salt and baking powder. Add dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream.

Chill dough well.

Roll out dough and cut into shapes. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Frost with your favorite frosting.

Enjoy!

Fall Fun

The weather is now perfect here. I was wondering if it would ever happen. I feel so much better now that it has cooled off. Heat makes me feel hot and grouchy.

I liked general conference a lot. Especially the talks given by Elder Holland and President Uchdorf. We all met at Rakay and Claye’s after the last session of conference for dinner.

Sam, Stephen, April, Lily and I went to Utah for Fall Break. Stephen, Sam and I drove and April and Lily flew (on an airplane). The S’s and I arrived in Price so we could attend Whitney’s and Dexter’s wedding reception. Caryl Tatton did a beautiful job of feeding everyone and decorating. Whitney looked beautiful. I especially liked her shoes.

We enjoyed seeing everyone there--especially the part where we all stayed up until 1:00 a.m. talking. Fun times.

We drove to SLC on Monday to pick up Lily and April at the airport. Lily was really good for the whole trip and we drug here around a lot. April and I had a great time boutique shopping. Stephen avoided this activity by having dates and Sam sat in the car mainly because Lily had fallen asleep.

We went to all our favorite places to eat: Magleby’s Fresh, The Brick Oven, Dairy Keen and the Lion House. Stephen introduced us to a new place called Zupas. It serves soup, salads and sandwiches. Yummy.

While in SLC visiting Kirk we went to temple square to see the model of the Salt Lake temple. Very cool. We also showed Lily and Christus statue and went to the new Deseret Book Store.

People were just moving out of my family’s old house. The door wasn’t locked so we went in to take a look. The remodeled kitchen was wonderful. My mom would have loved it. They uncovered the wood floor and refinished them. Some of the paint colors I didn’t really like, but it looked really good. I wish that a nice family would move in.

The weather was pretty wonderful there which was good because one day we walked all over the BYU campus. Can I just say how different it all is from when I went there. Who would have thought? New buildings, new technology, and really young looking kids. Sam’s goal is to attend there someday.

A missionary from our ward died of an aneurysm last week. He had only been out for three months. His funeral was yesterday. Our ward had a rather sad week.

Sam had his first orchestra and choir concerts. They were excellent. His choir is going to be singing at the temple on December 8. I’m sure Sam doesn’t remember how rotten he was when we went to go hear April sing there during the Christmas season. I told him he was never coming to the temple again and he told everyone in Primary that I told him that. He was probably about 3 or 4. The adults in Primary got a good laugh.

The first quarter of school if over already. A big shout out to Sam for getting straight A’s. I’ve been working hard at school also. Lots of kids to see.

I taught Primary today. It was pretty fun. It’s amazing what 7 year olds will do for stickers--things like being quiet and sitting in their seats--magical things like that. We talked about service.

Our back yard is all dug up because Salt River Project is putting in some new electrical lines. Our neighbor is very upset because he just finished landscaping his back yard. They have made a big mess.

Happy fall everyone!

Today is my Dad's birthday

My dad's birthday was always Memorial Day until the government in its infinite wisdom changed a bunch of holidays to Monday. We would always have a cook out and go look at the flowers in the cemeteries.

My dad passed away in January after 11 years without my mom. I'm sure they were very glad to be reunited.

My dad was a good dad. He went with me to all the daddy/daughter dates. He was a "steady ender" when my friend Lois and I wanted to jump rope. We tied one side to the hand rail of the stairs to the house and he turned the other side. He worked hard making a living for our family. He drove my friends and I to a big seminary program in Salt Lake and sat in the parking lot for two hours until it was over. He loved my mom. He was a quiet man. He didn't say much.

I miss him, but I am very happy he is with my mom and my brother Phil. Happy birthday Dad!

Christmas Carol

Long ago in a different city, in a different state, I attended church in this building--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Heber 1st Ward. The bishop of the ward was George Holmes. My dad was the financial clerk, so I used to hang out with him after church while he waited for people to bring their tithing into the clerk's office. He wrote them a tithing receipt and they would be on their way. Bishop Holmes was there a lot also. I don't remember how it started, but he began to call me "Christmas Carol." Know what--it totally fits me.

When I started this blog, I knew it had to have something to do with being called "Christmas Carol." I LOVE Christmas. It's my favorite time of year. I have the decorations to prove it, but it's not just the decorations, or the food, or the presents, or the Christmas programs, or even having family all around. It's remembering and being thankful for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It's the fact that because of his atonement, I can live with my Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and my family forever and that's the MOST IMPORTANT thing! All these good and wonderful things are what I think of when I think about Christmas. That's why I think it's great to have a little Christmas around all year and when other people look at my blog I want them to have that Christmas feeling too.