I am happy to be able to post today. This blog/site has undergone some big changes. Okay, so there’s nothing different you can see, but I recently changed web hosts. I thought I had it, but my computer lied to me and then I spent a couple hours finding and fixing what was wrong. Quite exciting. I actually loving solving computer problems, provided I have nothing else to do, and it doesn’t take me forever.

It is winter and snowy. Actually today we had rain on top of snow, so everything is slush. Not horrible for Christmas–maybe some of the snow/slush will stick around until then. I also was given a poinsettia for a Christmas present that is now brightening up my house. It got a little tattered in the several car rides it took to get it here, but I just need it to last for a week. I’m actually more worried about the over-watering (a perpetual problem of retail store plants) for long term survival.

The question is, do I want to keep it after Christmas? Many people have it as a year-round houseplant. But poinsettias need long day length to form the lovely red leaves (they are not flowers, so you know). That means around 12 hrs or so of uninterrupted darkness. A single bulb on can ruin the flowering process. I used to know a bunch of sciency details about this all. I don’t want to look it all up, the results are all that is important anyway.

I might keep it, if its doing well and not giving me too many problems. But I’m planning on throwing it out. After all, a trip to nursery in the winter is something to look forward too.

We didn’t go on a hike this week. Instead we went Christmas shopping and watched Harry Potter. I was happy to find some very good deals shopping, along with using e-bay. Plus I found 4 new shirts for $10 and Joe found a pair of shoe for $6. That was at DI, that is kind of a hit and miss store, but is often very useful to stay under budget. So most of the presents are wrapped under the tree.

Last week I also celebrated Hanukkah for the first time, with my neighbor who has Jewish heritage. Besides eating wonderful traditional food like latkes, we made and lighted menorahs with clay and birthday candles. It was quite fun. And for the first time in my life I saw a birthday candle melt all the way down. It doesn’t take very long. When we were first invited, I wondered why we would celebrate Hanukkah because we are not Jewish. But it’s a fun tradition that I think wouldn’t mind doing every year. So thanks to my neighbor for introducing me!

Another fun happening was watching my little brother play jr. high basketball. It’s entertaining. And not stressful. Sometimes with sporting events its easy to care a lot who wins, but Junior High its not as big a deal. Plus my brothers team did blow out the other team. Peter really enjoyed it as well. I’m disappointed my brother isn’t playing college ball this year (he just had back surgery)–last year we did go to a few of his games and had lots of fun.  But the little brother’s games are fun too.

It came and went and was pretty uneventful. I went to my parents. It was small. My four grandparents (all alive and well, which is neat), parents, Riss and Daniel, and my little family were all there. One of the smallest thanksgivings I’ve had, but I enjoyed it. It was nice to be able to fit at one table and have leftover turkey. My mom is an excellent cook too, so all the food was wonderful. I poured rainbow jell-o again this year. Delicious–certainly the dish that makes thanksgiving thanksgiving. More so than turkey. We played apples to apples with everyone. I lost, didn’t get a single card. 😦 My grandparents even did better than me. Family is wonderful, and I’m lucky to have so much around.

We went to the Scarlet Pimpernal the night before. There was a guy in our ward that was in the play, but not performing that night because he switched. Should have checked. It was still good. The great thing was apparently Peter cried when we left, calmed down played for about twenty minutes and then he laid down and went to sleep on the floor. I love it when kids are good for babysitters. And I don’t think you can get much better.

I babysat a bunch of kids a couple weeks ago. It’s lots of fun. More kids aren’t that much harder either. They help entertain one another. I have a bunch of cute neighbor kids close in age to Peter. I like where I live because of that.

Heather was also able to stop by and take some family pictures for us on her way home from her in-laws thanksgiving. Peter was very tired, so we might try again when he’s not. But here are some of the ones I liked. (Heather wanted to edit them a bit, but I took them anyway. Because I don’t think they need it.)

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The storm came and left and wasn’t all that bad. Our family went out and played in the snow this morning. Peter does not like to eat it.

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I very much wish I could play competitive volleyball again. Sometime I want to play in a good league with a team that is good enough to have a designated setter and maybe even wear kneepads. But Saturday I did have an opportunity to play and watch. It was the district volleyball tournament, and our ward played in it. We won by forfeit and just played for fun the first game. Then we played another team that was quite good and lost. (I was okay with that. It meant we didn’t have to come back later on.) I had a lot of fun. I’m not good anymore (I was never wonderful), but with the co-ed I don’t do to bad. And it is fun to play with Joe. Peter was with us, he did pretty good about being distracted by the other kids there. But he still sometimes tried to come play too.  When we were just playing for fun, he would wander out on the court. It was great fun to say “Hands up” and he would do it.

That night I went on a double date with my brother to the last BYU women’s volleyball game. (After a delicious meal where I made ham for the first time. I love to cook for people.) A girl I played with in high school plays on the team (and she’s really good). It was the last time I could go see her play, and it was lots of fun to watch her. It was a pretty good match too. Peter was crawling around the bleachers, and at one time ended up in a strange women’s arms. He was fine with it and stayed there quite a while. I love grandmas that like whatever kid passes their way.

For old time’s sake, here is a picture of me playing:

For three days we go exploring outside. He find rattles in a seedpod from a honeylocust. He walks so far away that I can no longer see him and have to go find him. He gets leaves all over his shoes and pants, using them as a cushion to sit in. He stares at everyone passing by, enthralled by the cat and dog. He goes to pet, but just with one finger, warily.

I am amazed at the warm weather. Just a jacket will do. I bring out projects to work on, but quickly get distracted by the smaller toddler, walking away. I tell him what trees and leaves and houses are. He even seems to understand a little, pointing up at the tops of trees and the bricks on the buildings. We smile and play together and neither of us go inside until nap-time.