Family Update :)

Jan and I caught a wicked head/chest cold last month. Jan's progressed into pneumonia. It was pretty scary for a few days, but he is doing much better now. I broke a toe/foot last month and was on crutches for 2 weeks and was privileged to wear a stylish shoe for about 6 wks :) I am also doing much better and am hoping to resume giving massages this week, provided anyone can afford a massage in this economy!!

I completed our taxes and am so pleased to know that we will be getting money back instead of paying!! Which may be a good thing as Jan is not getting a bonus this year, so things have been real tight!

The barn and fence have been a godsend this winter. However, as spring thaws the snow/ice and brings the rain, our barn is flooding. It has become obvious that we will have to do some major flood control work this summer to prepare for next year. It also appears that the water line to our barn has busted somewhere between the pump and the frost free spigot.

Auriana

Auri played the Snow Queen in the Princess and the Pea last month. I was so impressed with her singing and acting! She has really improved since last year. She is currently practicing to be a school play of Lost in Yonkers. She has been practicing 3-5 days a week for many weeks.The play will be March 27th & 28th at 7pm. We'll make room if you want to come on out to see the play! She was nominated last year, and again this year, to attend the MCT theatre arts camp on Flathead Lake this summer. She has to audition, along with kids from all over the world, but she has been told that she has an excellent chance to be accepted! Unfortunately, she is trying to get a job and as such may not be able to attend.

Auri has a boyfriend. His name is Chance and he is a very nice young man..although he is very similar to her brother (minus the authority issues)!! She has already made it clear to him that she may get mad at him easier then others as he is so like her brother (and we know how he is able to irritate her :) She will also be going to Junior prom...but not with her boyfriend, as she already had committed to going with another friend of hers, Dallin (arguably the cutest boy in school). Prom is March 21.

Jameson

Jamie started martial arts training in January at the Sakura dojo in Missoula, run by Jim Harrison (World Famous, Hall of Fame, etc). This is not a belt of the month club; it takes about a year and a lot of hard work to progress to the next belt. They don't even give them the belt to close their gi (uniform), it has to be earned! He is doing amazing well and seems to have a natural talent. He has already earned his white belt and is learning quickly. We have been so pleased with the effect his training is having on his attitude. He is already being used to help demonstrate the basics to the new kids. He will be allowed to start sparring as soon as we can get him the required protective gear ($350).

As you know, Jamie struggles mightily with school and as such has decided to attend the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program this summer (if accepted). If he succeeds in this program, he will have a GED, discipline, perseverance, leadership and better hygiene! He has stated that he would like to go into the military after the program (though he will have to wait 5 months to be old enough to enlist).

skiing

The family (minus jamie) went skiing monday (some holiday I can never remember the name of) to Lookout Pass (Idaho/Montana Border, right on I-90). A fun day was had by all, including poor Sara, who spent the entire day in snow-plow-configuration, as that's what beginners do. She was absolutely tired at the end of the day.

Auri made some huge steps in skiing, as she started doing parallel turns, as I've been teaching her the last few times we went skiing. I bet she'll enjoy skiing even MORE from now on, as this makes skiing much easier on the muscles.

I rented some really nice skis (atomic metron 10) and enjoyed them so much I decided to get my own pair. Unfortunately they are very expensive, so I decided for a competing brand instead (rossignol bandit b78), that is said to be equally good and was on sale. It's on layaway until we get our tax refund or I find enough coins in the couch, whichever comes first.

The weather was cold and windy and very cloudy/foggy. I got some nice pictures of the clouds blowing over and the sun just behind some trees.

Back to school

Kids are back and it's time for them to go back to school! Having two weeks off from work has been great. It's back to work for me as well.

COLD!

I just went out for a short walk with the dogs, barely even 10 minutes. Just up to the turn-around/mailboxes, and a bit beyond, and then back. My ears almost froze off (need to get a hat). It's currently -1 degrees F (-18C). I guess that might explain the numb feeling in my ears.

The neighbor's and I sat in their hot tub last night, too. I went over, after they invited me over during the day, and when I arrived mentioned that it was 3 degrees out (at least at our house it was). Bob looked and their thermometer showed 1F! So I joked that we should wait until the temp goes negative. So we did :) We sat around drinking beer until I noticed the thermometer showing -0.3 degrees, and out we went.

Not the brightest idea we ever had, but it was VERY refreshing trying to come back in from the hottub afterwards.

Now that I think about it, maybe THAT's where my ears froze off :) The rest of my body was, of course, nice and warm in the 100F water.

Winter is apparently here...

Tuba Christmas

Auri took part in an annual event called "Tuba Christmas". A bunch of Tubas (and related instruments) in the Mall, playing Christmas music. It was quite amazing and fun. Lots of deep-low-bass notes vibrating the mall. And Auri in the middle. She had a blast.

Winter heating

With fuel prices being what they are (read: high!), we decided it was a good idea to invest in another wood-stove. We already have one downstairs, but upstairs all we have is a kerosene stove (and another one downstairs). Our kerosene bill last year was somewhere between $600-$700. The new wood-stove was a bit of an outlay up-front, but I can get 4 cords of wood for $20 (provided we cut up the wood ourselves).

We've gone wood-cutting with (auri's best friend) Aspen's parents twice now and have probably a 1.5-2 cords of wood. We have quite the system going, and with all the people there (our family and most of theirs), and we can do truck-full of wood on about an hour, from cutting down the tree to having it in the truck (and another 20 minutes unloading it at the house). And it's fun to boot!

And who doesn't like lighting a fire.

I doubt we'll be cold at ALL this winter: this stove is really good. We can control it reasonably well, but is, I think, on the large-side for the living room (and our bedroom). So when it's on, it's really nice and toasty. That'll work well when the temperature drops (currently, our nights are a balmy 30, give or take).

Welcome lucy

We acquired a new pet. I think this is pet number 451. Welcome Lucy to the family. (more pics added 9/11/08)

jan