Merry Christmas!

Sorry Folks, no cards this year! We will send you a link to our family photos from JCP last week and you can enjoy looking through those. All is well with us and we pray you are all well also. We have sincerely enjoyed your cards with and without the cheery notes and family updates! Keep in touch - maybe I'll get to cards next year! Keep us on your lists :o)

 



You can try this to see our pics at JCP:
Click on this link https://www.smilesbywire.com/home.asp?AC=LTPP0479102795JCP
Customer Name: Tara Passey

Let me know if it works!

Our B'more Blessings

I really enjoy the time I sit down to read my friends' blogs. Often I end up laughing hysterically at one of your children or sobbing for one reason or another, but always I enjoy it. The spouse doesn't though as it seems to make me homesick, maybe not for the place as much for the people. Being the RS Pres here in B'more adds its own challenge. . .

My best friend in B'more, maybe the only one I'd call friend rather than acquaintance, moved in November and her most recent post was lovely - about B'more and what she loves about it. Now you have to know, she always wanted to live here, B'more specifically. I thought it would be fun to live on the East Coast, I was game for something different when I left T'ball. Little did I know what I would be leaving behind (many of you left anyway) and what I would gain. The auditor and I talk about this A LOT as he is trying to keep me happy here for the time being and since we had another one of those conversations this past weekend...I thought in the spirit of my friend, I'd write about my blessings in B'more or what I do like about it here.

(not in any particular order mind you)
1 - It snows here more often than T'ball and yes, we experience the hot, humid summers as part of all 4 seasons - and yes, spring and fall are BEAUTIFUL here.
2- I do have a nice townhome and it is my own.
3- I met my friend, who became what I was for some of your children - an aunt of sorts and someone I trust implicitly (and now I am crying...)
4- I've been to NYC 2x more than I ever really thought I would - been in the Chrysler bldg, on the Empire State bldg, visited the hallowed halls of Ellis Island and the statue of Liberty, walked Broadway and Times Square, driven through Central Park, ridden the subway, taken a taxi, eaten at Max Brenner's and Katz's Deli (not the one in Houston), eaten a Gray's Papaya dog, skated at Rockefeller Center, graced the aisles of Macy's @ 34th street, looked into the vast hole that is ground zero, window shopped 5th ave, played on the same piano as Tom Hanks at FAO Schwartz with my fireball, . . .
5- I've gotten a passport and travelled business class to CHINA! Who'd have ever thought I'd do that? And got to visit Macau - my favorite place there. Crossed the water in a high speed ferry boat and travelled on an 1800's cog wheel train to Victoria Peak. (I am constantly reminded of this as my sister is in Hawaii and I am green with envy).
6- I've enjoyed the luxury of being an hour from DC and all that that entails, and no - we haven't seen it all yet! But, I did get to see the cherry blossoms this spring! So much yet to do there, though I really enjoyed the visits with everyone who has come and walked the "Mall" with us in the dark of night or light of a HOT January day (night incidentally is our favorite time), even with my grandfather a veteran himself. We even toured the White House and the Capitol this fall thanks to the Passey's and Congressman Hatch and ran into friends from T-ball, of all things!
7 - Like my friend - Vaccaros! I love their Italian Gelato! and Little Italy here is quite the experience.
8- Jones opportunities with music have been delightful and totally unforseen. I never really thought he'd play the violin and enjoy it as he does. I am so proud of him and I really do like to listen, just on my schedule not his.
9- Cub scouting for me and Boy Scouting for the auditor. He really has enjoyed the church calling of Scoutmaster! and so have I.
10- Having the auditor less than 2 miles away when I need him as I so often have in the last 3 years.
11- the clacking sound of the trees as the wind blows today - something I don't remember hearing in all of my life.
12- all those snow days when we got to go sledding or do some other such nonsense together (I'm not sure it makes up for eggroll day at Kohrville though!).
13 - No hurricanes . . . though I missed being with you and the bonding that inevitably occurs.
14- Jones golf classes this summer - $10 each and the opportunity to play in 4 tourneys with a friend from church
15 - Jones friends at church - though they live 30 mintues or more away
16 - Fireball's preschool next year - only $500 for 2 days a week for the school year
17- Living walking distance from Target & Walmart this summer when gas was so ridiculoulsy expensive.
18- Being able to appreciate the closeness of the Houston Temple to T'ball because of the time and distance it takes to go to the beautiful DC Temple that so many I know would love to be able to attend.

There are more things I suppose, but I am running out of time and tears. And, more importantly, Jones has a dr appt for his broken arm to xray it one more time and then 4 more weeks in the cast, I think. I may just have to add to this later this week.

I'm grateful for all of you . . . wherever you are and whereever we have been to touch each other's lives.

File Folders & Sunday Mania

Okay, I need to start off with - Jaren broke his arm today! Three practices and 2 days before the big concert. He tripped, bless his heart, just off of school property as he was walking to the corner for me to pick him up after school. Not a true break but it looks like a bump on the x-ray. I guess he's not through growing.

Jeff spoke in church Sunday and left me alone on the bench with James - what utter chaos!!! I haven't found what works to keep him happy and fairly quiet. I've decided to try some folder games and bought some books from Deseretbook and they are almost done. What I was wondering, was:

What works for you?

The active 3 yr old does pretty good with dad, but if it is just me I might as well just go to the car!

You're What????

It is a drizzly Sunday and so I am doing what I like to do after my nap, Indexing for FamilySearch online and I hear something rattling in a cup behind me (that would be originating from the livingroom). I turn around and get up because I see Bug with the cup by the tree --Jeff had to put the tree up yesterday to get in the mood, no decor, just the prelit tree. I look in the cup and start to laugh. "What are you doing, Bug?"

"I'm collecting the lights!" he triumphantly exclaims.

"You're What????" I furiously laugh as I walk into the kitchen to share with Jeff.

The little stinker pulled the lights out of the prelit tree very nice and quiet-like and now it has patchy dark spots! Kind of defeats the purpose of a pre-lit tree? Guess Jeff will have fun finding those sockets!

Love that Christmas mood - and that cute little boy. I wonder what he was going to do with the lights?

Happy 13th Birthday Jar!

Well, today puddin-bones-jones turned Hoover has turned 13 - officially early this afternoon! I can't believe he is this old and I've been married this long. Time has sure flown. . .

My little boy who dragged his Bob Cranberry teddy bear everywhere and used proper grammar while correcting mine, who loved to play in the mud and the rain, who slept with us until he was five because he never slept through the night, who didn't like chocolate, who loved the Utah Jazz and played pretend as John Stockton has grown up.

Now, he sleeps with his 75 lb mutt, often corrects my grammar while lazily trying to get me to write his papers for him, spends all that energy he used to have for the outdoors plugged into a video game, sleeps in his own room - but with the dog when he doesn't get caught, doesn't sleep in and tries to get as few hours of sleep as he can, loves chocolate at Max Brenner's Chocolate by the Bald Man in NYC (and at home too - providing it is not accompanied by nuts), and can't bear to watch the Jazz play.

What are we going to do with him? Love him I guess. I really am pleased at who he can be. I enjoy spending time with him, he reminds me so much of my brother and often Jeff's brothers. I enjoy watching him play with his brother for whom he waited so long. I am impressed by how quickly he learns and remembers things, how he excels at music and enjoys music of all kinds, and how much of a gentleman he can be. One of these days he'll be a man and we can be friends. . . but, for that I can wait a few more years.

Thank you friends and family for your influences on him over the years.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Announcing....

Did that get your attention? No, we're not adding our family to the growing list of those expecting, but we are proud to announce. . .

Jar made the Dumbarton (yes, that's the school's name) Honor Orchestra, after making 4th chair violin, and just this week he came home to announce . . .

he is a proud member of the All County Middle School Orchestra!

We are pleased in his talents and the dedicated practice he put in - it would be amazing to see what he could do with lessons and REAL practice!

Really, though, he is an amazing kid and is doing well in school and orchestra and scouts with little help from his parents.

Trick or treat? - Treat of course!

Dressing for the big night!

The Great Flying Pumpkin arrives home Triumphant!

Looks like a succes for all - candy is gone - none for Jar to give Bug

Hello all! (Yes I cheated - this is an email I sent out tonight to family)

Hope you each enjoyed your halloween night. I'm sorry Bug wasn't much for talking, but he conversed with nearly everyone on their porch last night as he trick-or-treated! He was really funny to watch skip and jump down the sidewalk singing, "Trick-or-treat, Trick-or treat....Happy Halloween" from Little Einsteins. Often he would say Thank you, or Happy Halloween or even "May I have two pieces please? After taking two pieces, or course. There were a few decorations he warned the owners about being too scary and one he asked them to close - the lid of a skull with a fake fire inside! That was funny.

Jar was disappointed to stay home handing out candy, but it seemed he enjoyed it. He played pyro with his 35 lb pumpkin while the neighbors looked on. He drank soda and conversed with the neighbors - even trading candy. I enjoy seeing him when he doesn't realize I'm watching and I can see his maturity and how kind he can be. He really is a great kid! It turned out that he wasn't the only one barred from trick-or-treating, but he was the youngest. All in all it was fun. We stayed up til 1:00 am watching Harry Potter IV in preparation for the upcoming movie - an annual tradition we will miss after the last movie is made.

Happy Halloween! It truly was a lot of fun last night. Hope it was for you too, whatever you were able to do.

Still can't remember that the computer can't rotate the video - stay with me - I fix it in just a few seconds!

Tribute to Husbands

Aren't husband's wonderful?

I read my friend's blogs and hear of the great things all their husband's are doing and sometimes I forget all that mine does for me just because he is different and we are in a different stage of our lives - teenage parenthood! This is a crazy existence.

Most days I do what I want: Dad takes Jar to school, I go to the gym or leisurely start my day; he comes home to eat lunch with us and give me adult talking time and often puts Bug down for nap (and embarassingly enough he often fixes lunch); he comes home to a tired wife who is absorbed in her own thing (blogging, email, RS, genealogy) and often fixes dinner; usually he does dishes. He even puts Bug to bed after a day like that.

He is amazing and I take him for granted a lot. I am thankful for him and for how he was raised. I'm glad he can nurture the kids, bring home the bacon (and yes, he goes to the store too), put up with me, cook and clean. I am happy to have him for a sounding board and a support in my calling and to see how he works tirelessly for the scouts.

Right now, he's upstairs reading a story to Bug putting him to bed while I am sending email, talking on the phone, and blogging.

I did help with dinner and I walked to the store with him and I cleaned up after dinner, but how does that compare?

Thanks, Dad!

New York City & DC

So in August, Jeff's parents surprised us with the news they were coming to visit! We were quite excited, though as I may have told you - we live in a small expensive box compared to our Texas friends. It has been maybe 3 months since we threw out the queen bed in Jaren's room leaving only his twin bed up. So - acommodations have very much been on our minds and amid all the other things going on I was very anxious to finish the household repairs & remodeling we had started. So I spent a bit of time painting early last week in the bathroom and Jeff feverishly cut trim with a mitre saw and put it up trim at 8:30 at night late last week.

We almost finished - the towel rod is in the bathroom closet as is the tp holder and the touchups on the paint and calking didn't get done, but it is much prettier.

We picked them up on Thursday night and raced to dinner and bed so we could be off to New York City by way of Philadelphia at first light. So much for that! I was up late with last minute things as usual and we did pull out by 11:00 which in the end was what I had figured. We did enjoy the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, a portrait musuem and saw Ben Franklin's grave. It was fun and enabled me to check off some things on my list of things to do on the East Coast!

Off to New York for our 4 star hotel (thanks to priceline). This time in NYC we got to visit Time Square - still dazzling, NBC Studio Tour, Grand Central, Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Empire State Building for sunset, ate dinner with Kristi, Noah, McKay & Lyla, ate at Katz's Deli (the only), walked through Herald Square in front of Macy's - yes THE Macy's, drove through Greenwich village and Central Park and past the Manhattan LDS Temple, spent the day at Liberty & Ellis Islands (Statue of Liberty), tried to drive by the stock exchange on Wall Street - but wouldn't you know it? Road Construction! Walked around Ground Zero at night and drove across the Brooklyn Bridge in the daytime! We took the subway to church, rode a taxi to dinner and generally walked a TON!

One of my favorite James moments was after the M&M store and James had Grandma's mini-bag full of mms and wouldn't say whose bag it was nor would he admit that it wasn't his- just that he was borrowing it, using it....and on. Pure denial with a straight face.

A favorite Jaren moment was riding with him on the ferry to the Sof L. It was nice just to be with him, not yelling, arguing, just looking at the sights as the wind blew through our hair. Occasionally as we walked he'd take my hand. He really is a sweet kid.

We had a great time being spoiled by Grandpa & Grandma Passey. I hope they enjoyed putting up with us. I had a sinus headache for most of the trip, was distracted by relief society, of no use in helping with James - he is more than I can handle these days (rambunctious boy) - and tired because, yes, we slept with James in a double bed masquerading as a queen! But the king bed always seems to small with James in it! We really enjoyed the luxury and pampering of the hotel, but it was nice to come home too. James is really not in a good museum/travelling stage. He is just too active. Friends at church call him a fireball; there are lots of good adjectives for him - but he says he is James.

We also enjoyed a fun day arranged by Grandpa in DC. We were able to tour the White House and the US Capitol through Sen. Orrin Hatch's office. I think the funnest thing was walking in his office and seeing Brian Yorgesen and calling Jennifer there. Who would think you'd run into old friends in DC? I definitely recommend the Staff guided tour of the Capitol - write your senator before you come to DC and make arrangements!

Real life today - laundry, dishes, vacuuming, school, nagging (oh, that didn't really stop), dogs, making my own bed....I'm already looking forward to going away again, without the kids.

Okay, I think I've figured a few things out thanks to Nicole and Cia! Lovely blog pages ladies!

Now for the exciting test - can Tara put up a new photo! I might even try to add a slide show.

A picture of James from our last summer fling campout in Westerm Maryland - Cumberland area.

Success! Now for something else...I was called to be the RS Pres here in our ward so today's momentary lull will be just that so we'll see what else comes up and if I ever get time for hobbies again!

Blogging - where, how, what

I thought I'd try this out again - James is licking his yogurt "pancakes" off the table! aaarrrggghh.

Where do you all get those super cute scrapbooky templates and backgrounds? I need to hurry and get past the frustrational organizational things and into the ease of posting BEFORE I quit (thanks for the caps - james).

Off to wipe the table!

The Joy of James

I am one hormonal woman some days and so much is going on right now. The joy in my life is James because he makes me laugh. Earlier this week it was him sitting at the kitchen table after his nap, ice cream scoop in hand, carton of ice cream squarely in front of him saying, "I just need a nibble, some nibbles of ice cream." He got them.

He just said the funniest thing a mintue ago - at least the funniest thing so far today - and I've already forgotten it. I thought if I hurried to write it down I'd remember, but just now he decided to add to his picnic (in the kitchen on the hardwood floor) and in searching through the fridge, threw the partial gallon of milk across the room (good thing it is so small) and luckily for us both the lid stayed on.

That is life with James - rollercoaster-ish.Maybe this afternoon I'll take the time to add some pictures from camping last week! or maybe I'll just enjoy the peace of a quiet rainy afternoon while he sleeps before the afternoon rush of the teenager begins!

Maybe I'll have a nibble!

Feelings of indecision

Here in Maryland it feels undecided. It is VERY late in August, but today's high was less than 80, the leaves are either drying up from the edges or starting to turn fall colors.

In my house, the kids schedules are all amuck with Jaren in school again, James needs to start potty training, and I got called into the Bishop's office Sunday for a change in my calling. Undecided...Not summer, not fall, not young, not old, not in Texas, not happy in Maryland...hmmmm.

James just had his afternoon "nibble" of ice cream as he calls it and I have had a few large handfuls of chocolate chips (I'm sure I'll finish the bag tomorrow - the stress is killing me).

Jeff has come home to find me once again attached to the computer, trying to hold the house together without being fully engaged and quickly, he puts dinner on the table - leftovers, but he did it for me.

I am proud of my boys - Jaren is cute and good at school, James is making me laugh one minute and the next I want to run away he's so crazy, and Jeff - he is just a good dad and a good husband. What would I do without them?

Sometimes it is hard to focus on the important things - the other things blur what counts. I think I could enjoy fall and maybe another year in Maryland...