Life in General

So things are going along just fine here in the PALS household. Karen is going to a 5th grade class for her math. She might need to bump up to the higher level since she says she's not learning anything new. Smarty Pants! She should be joining them for Reading, also.

Curtis is a crack up. He always wants to 'talk in you ear' , but it's never about anything very secret.

The girls might be going home this weekend! I'm quite suprised as I thought it'd be a bit longer since there was a step to be done before going home. All the legal-ese that must be gone through. But they are considered to have been completed. Guess I'll find out for sure tomorrow. Better start packing!

The weather can't decide what it wants to do. Saturday it was no-jacket-plat-at-the-park weather. Sunday it was freezing fog. Yesterday it snowed. Today it's just cold.

I've started Bible Study Fellowship that my friend had been attending. I started the first of January. They were beginning The Life Of Moses, so some exciting Exodus/Leviticus reading. I am learning quite a bit and am excited to find out all I'll be learning in the months to come. Curtis gets to go since they have a wonderful kids' program. He likes it.. especially snack time!

Time to entertain the restless natives. ♥♥

The party

Finally, the celebrating can be done! Here is his cake: It's my first attempt at fondant, so I'm pleased with the results. Of course: panda noodles!

Playing "pin the mustache on Shifu"

Decorating lanterns

Blow out the candles!

Since Paul was out of town, mom and dad came over to help.

This is what child abuse looks like

I know, not a happy post. But this is a little boy from our church. Just over 2 yrs old. He was killed by his abusive mother, allegedly. Feel free to share, if you know someone. Don't be afraid to speak out if you see unnecessary roughness, unexplained bruising (although abusers are good liars) or bumps. This could have been avoided.

Sleep in heavenly peace, Lucas.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy

Today is my Curter's 4th birthday. He was pretty excited when he woke up. I had turned on a string of Christmas lights and lined them up to end at a present. He thought that was pretty neat. He got to cut off the last loop on his Countdown Chain. Now he is piling pillows and blankets and watching Bee Movie.

Here is his Birthday Minute photo. My Dad happened to call at his birth time (pure coincidence, I'm sure) so I snapped his picture while he was chatting.

Last week, when he was supposed to be cleaning his room, he bent over for a toy and hit his eye on the heater. He got himself a pretty shiner to commemorate the event. His first black eye.... *sigh*

And if you are the super observant type, you will notice that the green garbage can is in both picture backgrounds.

Oregon Zoo

Christmas Day

Look at the footprints left behind! He should carry a dust buster with him!

Chirstmas morning... stocking time!

Karen and I finally got to play in the snow!

Dec 26... at my parents'. "Is it my turn now?"

Christmas Pageant

The snow hit early and hard!

We got snow on Saturday, and Sunday, and Monday. We got Tuesday and Wednesday off for good behavior. Then it hit again today, Thursday. The top of the garbage can is accumulation from 6am to 4pm. And we're averaging 15° every day. Some days it has been 4°. Sooo..when did I move to Alaska??

Holiday Happenings

Curtis decided on Friday we needed to make cupcakes. At 7:00 a.m.

Then on Saturday we decorated gingerbread men.

Happy THANKSgiving

So here we are again, doing a catch-up post.

We had a great Thanksgiving. We spent 3 days in Ontario visiting our loved ones. We have such a good time up there. Paul's sister, and brother and family arrived a couple hours before we had to head home.

Grandma Fluffy arrived from TX via Salt Lake City so we got to visit her before we left.

As always we had fun at Grandma Lucy's and Grandpa Chauncy's. They had a John Deere in the back yard and Curtis thought "holy cow that's a big tractow!"

Then we headed home and visited my parents and grandparents for Thanksgiving day.

Now I am working on Christmas cards....