I wish things would stop dying in my life! Last week with the snow and the cold and everything our oldest (and most beloved) chicken, Fluffy, caught a cold and cough (Rob noticed on Saturday) and Sunday morning before church, he went out to find that she had passed away in the night. We came in and told the kids, Missy cried but Cameron just said okay. After church, Cameron went out into the alley to bury her and Fuzzy ( so that the dogs in our yard wouldn't dig them back up again). Rob went out to see how he was doing and to take him Fluffy and when he saw her in the box was when he finally let go. Rob asked him if he'd like to say a prayer and after a minute (during which time Rob said the tears were just running off of his nose and down his cheeks) he did. He thanked Heavenly Father for her and our memories of her, and then asked that she be happy wherever she was now. Bless his little heart!!!! We're having struggles with growing up right now (11 going on 15) but times like this remind me why I love him like I do. Cameron is such a wonderful, tenderhearted, young man. I just wish that he would lose some of the bravado!

By the way, I love everyone's blog, just don't find much time to respond. My life is so very hectic. Pinewood Derby was a success, now I have basketball games tonight, kickboxing last night and tomorrow night, stake baptisms and Cameron's baskeball game on Saturday. And trying to find a time to go see "The Queen" with Nana. I'm not even sure what lies in store for next week. I'm afraid to see! Make it a good day!

SNOW!!! We have SNOW!!! Again, I wish I had a digital camera, but maybe later I'll post some pictures. Anyway, Sunday afternoon it started to snow and snowed all night and until about 3 yesterday afternoon. All schools were cancelled, so we played all day in the snow. Cameron was out for almost a straight 8 1/2 hours (only potty breaks prevailed). We also helped shovel snow off of driveways and got out the 4-wheeler and pulled the kids behind on an inflatable boat. We all had a really good time (but I'm sore from shoveling--I'm sure Terry and Kay are very buff now from their shoveling efforts this winter). We got about 6-8 inches yesterday, maybe more, haven't seen an official amount. The snow is still around so I really feel like I'm back in Calgary. That's all for now, meetings await.

Sadness abounds in my life right now! A couple of days ago I got in touch with a friend from graduate school and she informed me that Dr. Van de Graaff had passed away. She didn't know until much after the fact, but it's been a year now. Since it's new to me, though, it's as if it just happened. Dr. Van de Graaff and Dr. Tolman were the two most influence men in my professional and collegiate life. I am where I am today because of their love and concern for me. When I told Rob about Kent's passing, he said, "wasn't he the one that got you into graduate school?" That was just one of the many things he did for me. Most importantly, however, he taught me how to be a good teacher. My students often tell me just how much they enjoy my classes. But it's only because I'm copying him. He has a tremendous legacy, however, because we in the same profession all credit him with our successes. I am truly blessed to have been a friend, and not just a student that passed through his class one semester. For that I will be eternally grateful.

Then, last night, our beloved Fuzzy Butt the Hamster died of complications relating to old age. He was such a good hamster, never bit, let everyone (including Amy) hold and play with him. Cameron took it really well. He is very sensitive with animals and that's why I think he'll end up becoming a veterinarian. He has wanted to be a paleontologist ever since he was 3, so that's okay, too, if he still wants to be that. We've talked about career opportunities ever since he was small, and we know it will be something biology related. Takes after his mom, I guess.

It started raining pretty hard in the night and only stopped in the last ten or fifteen minutes. We love rain because we hardly ever see it. And snow, well, it looks nice from a distance on the mountain. But if the clouds go away (which I doubt because there's no wind and they're pretty thick) and the kids see all the new snow, they'll want to go up and play in it tomorrow. We'll have to see. We went up just after we got back from Christmas because of the snow that fell on our way home, and discovered that some mice (wild ones, not some of ours) had taken up residence in our padded snow boots. So we wore them and then threw them away. So now we have no boots. And I doubt that Wal-mart will have any. We lost our PayLess shoes, so Wallyworld is the only game in town and I don't want to make a trip to Tucson just for boots.

Well, I guess I better get ready for work. Make it a good day.

While I'm waiting for Missy to come over to the college from school, I thought I'd post a new blog since I haven't for quite some time. Part of the problem is that it is very hard to post from home, as we've been having problems with our dial-up connection (gee, what's that?), and the computer crashed some time ago and we're waiting for some up and coming money to buy a new one. So I post at work, and with the holidays, I haven't been around.

It's been a difficult Christmas break. It was good to be with family and to go to St. George so the kids can see NeeNana, but upon our return home, tragedies in the Gila Valley dominated our life. Just before the break, two kids from Thatcher High were in an ATV accident that was very serious and we didn't know what would happen to them with their recoveries. The boy who was driving sustained multiple skull fractures and we're still unsure if he will make a full recovery, even with rehabilitation. He's one of the older brother's of a buddy of Cameron's. She also works with me in the cub scout program, so we're praying for Jacob's recovery. The girl that was riding with him had the ATV land on her and she unfortunately passed away the day before we returned to Thatcher. I work with her mother in the Thatcher Stake Primary and Stephanie was an extremely wonderful girl and loved by many, as testified by the 1200+ attendance at her funeral.

While we were preparing for Stephanie's funeral on Tuesday of last week, the ex-wife of our men's basketball coach (who is a very good friend of ours) committed suicide in her garage, also taking the life of their 2 year old little boy with her. Needless to say, this is still affecting us all. I got to play the organ for Ryan's funeral, which was last Thursday. I'm really glad to have been able to do that for Tim. He's not a member of the Church, but we had the funeral at the stake center and the stake president spoke at the funeral. He did a wonderful job. If you go to http://www.eachoops.com you can see pictures of Ryan and his dad.

So now I'm back in school today, the kids went back on Monday. Things hopefully will be better for all of us this semester. Many sad things happened last semester to people associated with EAC, but it's such a great place to work because there is so much support. We really are one big family and I'm privileged to work here.

The kids are all in tip top shape. Cameron's back into little league basketball and piano, Missy's back to playing with all of her friends again, and Amy is still molesting the cat, and has the scratches to prove it! Our rats and mice had babies over the break so Rob has dollar signs in his eyes. He started school today, too, and is getting ready to enter his elementary ed program this fall. Finally, maybe a light at the end of the tunnel.

I've got stake Pinewood Derby in two weeks from Saturday to get through and the district commissioner asked me today if I would do the district derby. Absolutely not! So he said he'd take me off of his list. Thank heavens!

I'm hoping, too, with the money that we're going to get shortly that I can get a digital camera and post pictures, as well. Well, Missy should be here any minute, better go look for her. Make it a great day.

Okay, here's my versions of the Christmas questions:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, with marshmellows or whipped cream on top.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wrapped, usually, and with different wrapping paper than we have around the house (the Santa wrap)
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored and the big old fashioned sized ones from the 60's, not those little ones for outside and colored lights that do things for the tree.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Never have, it's a parasite that grows on trees around here.
5. When do you put your decorations up? I try after thanksgiving, but like Becky, it keeps getting later and later.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Black and green olives, but they're not a dish.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: picking out Charlie Brown Christmas trees with dad at the Episcopalian church on 19th street. Ugliest trees you've ever seen, but still fun!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? 5 years old, found the doll house under mom's bed that supposedly was from Santa. Oh well.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No, but the kids always want to
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? With ornaments the kids made when they were younger or with ornaments we’ve kept over the years. Kept Becky's answer since it was the same.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it, miss it, need it for the full Christmas feeling
12. Can you ice skate? Can I skate, people, PLUHLEASE!!!!! Still have the bum bruises to prove it!
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Nope, sad isn't it?
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Creating memories for my children
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I guess anything with pumpkin in it.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? just what everyone else usually does.
17. What tops your tree? a star.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Ooh, giving, easy. I always buy myself what I want throughout the year.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, but not because it's mine, but it's the favorite of a friend and always reminds me of her and my life in Canada.
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum! - Especially wintergreen ones.

That was fun. Just finished a final so I will go and enter grades. One down, two to go.

Today's short blog is for anyone who thought that Missy's finger in the safe sound a little fishy (and you know who you are!). We have this cat that we saved from getting hit out on Highway 70 (the main drag through town) and Rob doesn't really like to have her in the house. The rest of us have really wanted another one ever since Ginger got eaten by coyotes when I was 8 months pregnant with Amy. Well, she never came back one morning and if cats disappear in our neighborhood, it's the coyotes. So we rescue this cat and since Rob grew up with cats in the house, he hates hair and dander, etc. Amy enjoys carrying the cat around its neck and by one leg, etc, and laying on her and mauling her, and all sorts of stuff like that. When we get to the point where we can't stand it anymore, we put her in the dog kennel we got for Wiley. Rob had to lock it up on Sunday because Missy kept taking her back out. So Rob took the key and hid it. Then that became a game for Missy to find the key (and she recruited Cameron, too). So they run around looking and Missy, of course, finds it and to stop it, Rob opens the safe to put in the key. Missy jumps on his back and reaches in just as Rob is shutting the door.

Thus, the finger in the safe. Luckily, I was not home to witness the whole ordeal, but according Missy, she cried like crazy. Just like my life, crazy!

Tonight is opening night for Missy! Hope all goes well. We're going tomorrow night. EAC plays Cochise tonight and Cochise is always #1 so hopefully we beat them. Plus their coach is a real jerk. Cam and I will be at the game.

Anyone know why Becky's blog is down today?

It's cold in my office today. I have a window, I'm right next to the outside door, and my heat is connected to two other offices that get really hot (when the heat is working and I don't think it is), so we can't crank the thermostat. I have a space heater (that just warms my seat) and my coat on. I had to send my work-study to the lab because it was warm in there. She's been sick with some bizarre virus (aren't they all) so I don't want her to get sick again. Well, I think I've made this week (which I thought was going to be the week from you-know-where) bearable. I've written both of my lab finals and my last two lecture tests. The finals are already written, and I just have to grade the lab finals by hand. Nicole (my work-study) can record everything for me, so life is great!

Aren't computers great? I just love clicking here, there and everywhere to get things done. What would we do without mouses (I don't think the plural for computer mouse is mice, I think it's mouses-- anyone know for sure?)?

Basketball season has begun in earnest for Cameron. He played his first game (they won, hooray) on Saturday, and it was really nice to have Uncle Tony there rooting for him along with the rest of us. So basketball is now our life. Missy's in a play on campus called "It's a Small World" and dress rehearsal is tonight. It runs Wednesday through Saturday nights. We've been running to rehearsals for a month now. It's been a fun thing for her, though.

Um, I guess that's all for now. I'm sure I'll think of something else, later. Oh, Missy smashed another finger on Sunday, this time in our safe. It's a wonder she has any fingers at all! Make it a good day!