Sunday, November 23

I've gotten hooked on Facebook and find I spend my spare moments there rather than updating my blog (sorry, Kaylene)! Like tonight, I am chatting with Kaylene, Dell, and my friend Jessica as I write this update. Isn't this cool? I found some long lost friends on this website and it's been fun catching up with everyone.

Besides wasting time on the computer, I've been busy with husband, kids, and work and maybe not necessarily in that order, unfortunately. Rachel has been working hard with the 4th grade honor choir. We attended two performances over the last several weeks and look forward to a few more before Christmas. This month seems to be flying by. I cannot believe Thanksgiving is this week.

We went to Trent's house last night to watch the Texas Tech/Oklahoma game. Trent cooked steaks and Aly (Trent's girlfriend, not our Alyson) made the rest of the fixings. Rachel introduced them to "fry sauce". She has the recipe down to where she can make it all by herself - and much better than Artic Circle's! The food was great, but the game was definitely NOT! We went home disappointed even before the game ended.

We're headed to Hereford this week. I will leave work early on Wednesday and we hope to be to Dave's parent's home not long after dark. Alyson is so excited to go that she keeps asking me every night if she can get her suitcase out and start packing. She started making piles in my bedroom of all the stuff she wants to take with her. I have to remind her we aren't going for the whole year!

Matthew is struggling with nightmares lately and has been spending many nights sleeping on the floor beside our bed. He is much too big to climb in bed with Dave and I anymore. I don't know what's causing the nightmares, but he doesn't seem to mind the floor if it means he can be with us.

Rachel feels her parents (Mom in particular) are totally unfair and mean. We've had several incidents lately where she accused us of never buying anything for her and not caring about the things that are important to her. This is all a phase, right?!?! Yes, she is ten - not a teenager and definitely not a "child". I love her so dearly that I hate to see her be this way. It's hard living in a world where other friends' parents spoil their children rotten when your own parents are doing their best to live within their means! Trust me, I can relate and totally appreciate my parents for this lesson. When she's not grumpy, she is an absolutely beautiful "not a teenager and definitely not a child" girl!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

A special day for a special girl!

Alyson on her baptism day

(pictured with Aly from left to right: Grandpa Ankeney, David (Dad), and Grandpa Anderson)

"And whosoever believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God."

(3 Nephi 11:33)

On Saturday, Nov. 1, Alyson was baptized. It was a special weekend with visits from both sets of grandparents and her closest cousin from Austin. She was so excited for this day and was counting down for weeks. It makes me happy to know she wanted this for herself; I know she made the right decision. I am proud of her!

4 Things About Me You May Not Know

Four jobs I have had in my life:
Scooping ice cream at Baskin Robbins
Sales for Walden Software
Collecting change from copy machines in BYU Library/Business Office
Registered Representative with WMA Securities

Four movies I would watch over and over:
"Scarlet Pimpernell"
"Parent Trap" (the new one)
"Two Week Notice"
"Polar Express"

Four places I've lived:
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Lubbock, Texas
Provo, Utah
Torrington, Wyoming

People who e-mail me (regularly):
Financial Institutions
Family/Friends
Coworkers
My husband

Four of my favorite foods:
#1 = Snow Crab
Mexican food (yes, the homemade kind)
The Training Table's Cheese Fries and dipping sauce (boy, I miss this!)
Black Licorice

Four places I would rather be right now:
any LDS Temple
(I'm at home, but if I wasn't I'd want to be here)
in bed sleeping
Driving mountain canyons looking at the leaves changing colors

Four Things I am looking forward to this year:
(We've done a lot this year and there's not much left of the year)
Promotion and pay raise
Thanksgiving
Decorating for Christmas
13 days off!