Happy New Year!

Tonight at midnight the year will turn into 2006. Looking back at all the things that have happened this last year I am excited to see what this next year will hold. Rue and I have grown so much this past year. We can walk into this next year hand in hand a little bit wiser. It is so wonderful to know that at the end of 2006 we will have grown even more. God is so good!

"Trust in the Lord with all your

heart,

And lean not on your own

understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths."

Proverbs 3:5&6

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

Dirty Dishes

I am sitting here sipping a cup of hot tea and just enjoying working on my blog. When I first sat down, all ready to relax, I remembered that there was a stack of dishes in the sink. With that fact in my head there is no way I would be able to sit and relax. So I got up and did the dishes. NOW I can sit and relax.
I can think back to a year and a half ago when I was just married and dirty dishes being in the sink would not have fazed me at all. There were many nights when I would go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink and it did not bother me, to the dismay of my husband. He did not understand how I could go to bed with the kitchen a mess. I did not understand why it bothered him. But over time I started to really like the feeling when the dishes were done and all put away. (And also it made my husband happy.) Now I can't stand it when the house is messy and the dishes aren't done. Even when there is one thing left out on the coffee table. I cannot relax until it is put away. I am slowly turning into my grandmother. She is the exact same way. I can see now my L.A. family reading this shaking their heads with dismay and my gramma nodding her head in approval. :)

The Lord is My Shepherd

Right now I am reading Powerful Promises for Every Woman by Elizabeth George. It is a wonderful Bible study book about Psalm 23. She talks about 12 promises that God has for us in this chapter from Psalms. I thought I would share some of my quotes and verses from the book as I am reading through it. Here is an excerpt from the back cover:

"Do you desire greater strength for today and help for all your tomorrows? Discover 12 life-changing promises from God's Word that can carry you through every day and every season of life . . . promises that truly refresh and encourage, bringing purpose and hope in the midst of life's frantic pace. Even in your seemingly impossible situations, you can know that God's resources are available to you through His Promises. Strength . . . Guidance . . . Hope . . . Comfort . . . and More. Wouldn't you like to know what these 12 truths are and make them real in your life? Join Elizabeth George on a powerful journey through Psalm 23 and become a woman whose daily life is energized by God's enabling promises."

In her book she quoted Carole Mayhall:

"Daily I live with [one] fear - a healthy fear if there is such a thing. [It is] that I will miss something God has for me in this life. And it is mind-expanding to contemplate all that He wants me to have. I don't want to be robbed of even one of God's riches by not taking time to let Him invade my life. By not listening to what He is telling me."

I love this quote because this is exactly how I feel. I do not want to come to the end of my life and feel that I have wasted it. God has a perfect plan for me I just need to expend so much more effort everyday seeking His will and purpose for my life! Elizabeth talks about how the Shepherd has to sometimes "MAKE us lie down in green pastures." Sometimes we just don't sit down and rest like He wants us to, so, "illness, surgery, convalesence afford us time with the Shepherd. So do pregnancy and childbirth. And exhaustion, too, will certainly place us in the grassy pastures of the Lord." This has helped me to see that instead of complaining when I am sick or when there is "nothing" for me to do, I should see it then as an opportunity to feed on what the Shepherd would want to give me through the Bible, His Word.

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:28-29

Biscotti

I sure do love a good cup of coffee with biscotti. I found this very simple recipe and it is very good. You can even add chocolate chips if you wish. Enjoy! :)






Biscotti

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 tbls baking powder
1 tbls vanilla extract (you can use any flavor extract, almond, orange etc)
chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla flavoring until well blended. Combine flour and baking powder, stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. Divide dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet. Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet, and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire rack. When they are cool enough to handle, slice each one crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes in each side. Slices should be lightly toasted. Makes 3-4 dozen (they will keep for over a month in an airtight container)

Brrrrr! It's Cold Outside!

I found this when I was looking for pictures of winter. It made me giggle! :)

Winter Time

The Christmas season is now winding down and pretty soon things will go back to normal. Next week I will be going back to work. Even though the holidays are almost over, winter time still has some wonders of its own.
I love walking outside and being able to see my breath and having my nose get cold. It makes it all the more wonderful to come back inside to the warmth. When I was still living with my parents I would be welcomed by the wood stove with a crackling fire inside its belly. I would stand in front of it facing away and keep my hands behind my back. Once my back was much to toasty then I would turn around and cook in the front. The only down fall to this was when I finally walked away from the stove no matter how hot it was in the house it would feel cold.
On Christmas this year I made a fire in my parents wood stove even though it was not really cold enough to make one. Everyone moaned a little but I promised that I would only burn one log. Pretty soon the front door was open because everyone, but myself, was hot! :)
Another thing I love about winter is lighting candles in the evening. It gets dark at about 4:30pm this time of year. Lighting candles around the house gives a wonderful atmosphere. There is nothing like lighting some candles, sipping a cup of hot cocoa and curling up and reading a good book in winter time.

Katherine Hall Photography

Kathy Hall (my mom) is a professional wedding photographer. This is just one of her beautiful wedding pictures. If you would like to see more of her pictures her website is: www.katherinehallphotography.com

Daisy

On Christmas Eve my mother-in-law and father-in-law came over for a visit. We all sat near the Christmas tree and chatted. I hadn't been feeling good that day and it was nice to have two such wonderful people over to distract me. Bonita brought her camera and took a couple pictures of Daisy and I. This is one of Daisy in front of our Christmas tree (which we took down yesturday, sniffle). You can see the fat little chicken ornament my Aunt Karin bought me in Mammoth, in the High Sierras, this last summer. :) She has a little yellow hat on her head, just in case you can't quite see her.
Daisy had a wonderful Christmas. My mom gave her 2 disposable cameras for Christmas and she reminded me of Bonita, who is always ready to take a picture. She shot up one camera in a matter of minutes. In fact the picture of my mom baking in my previous post was taken by Daisy with her new disposable camera.

How was your Christmas?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! On Christmas Eve we enjoyed a candlelight service at church. Ezra Suko did a chalk drawing while Pastor Mark gave the message. Hannah, Gabe and little Gabriel did the scripture reading and lit the Advent candle. On Christmas morning we went to church and then headed over to my parent's. We enjoyed finger food and opened our presents. For dinner we had roast and my mom's yummy rolls. We then watched Pirates of the Carribean. I ended up having a migraine so I went and fell asleep in my parents room. For desert we had pumpkin pie and Christmas cookies my mom and I had made together on the Friday before Christmas. In all we had a wonderful Christmas day just being together. I was really sad when we had to head home. I am so thankful to the Lord for my wonderful family!

Here is mom making yummy pumpkin pie on Christmas! :)

Merry Christmas!!

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David

a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas everyone! May the Lord bless you as you celebrate the birth of the Savior!

Christmas Cabin

I thought this looked like it would be the most delightful, cozy place to have Christmas. Merry Christmas!

Chris Rogers

Chris Rogers is a talented piano player who attends my church, Discovery Baptist. (He is just engaged to Ruth Suko as I mentioned in an earlier post.) He currently has 3 CD's out. His music is very peaceful, soothing and meditative. It is wonderful to listen to at the end of a busy day. It reminds us to be still and remember who God is.

To listen to a sample of his music or to buy a CD, visit Chris' website at: www.thesoundofpiano.com

Perfect Creamy Cauliflower Soup

This recipe is from the book Fit for Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. I made it last night and it is wonderful! It is really simple, very tasty and very healthy for you. I hope you will try it. :)


Perfect Creamy Cauliflower Soup

2 tbls butter
1 tbls olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
6-8 scallions chopped (I just added a little extra onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium cauliflower, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp curry powder (optional, I didn't use this)
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried savory or marjoram
6 cups water (boiling if disolving chicken bouillon cubes)
2 tbls white miso (I used 4 chicken bouillon cubes and disolved them in the 6 cups of water)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (optional, I didn't us this)

In heavy soup kettle melt butter. Add oil. Add onion, scallions and garlic. Add celery and cauliflower. Add seasonings. Mix well and cook uncovered over medium heat for several minutes, stirring frequently. Add water and miso. Bring to a boil. Simmer covered over medium heat for 15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Remove cover and cool slightly. Puree in small increments in blender until smooth and creamy. Reheat adding nutmeg if desired. Serves 4.

A New Engagment

This is a picture of our pastor's family, the Suko's. This picture was taken at Rachel's wedding on November 12th this last fall. On the far right are Ruth Suko and Chris Rogers. They were just engaged this last week!! The wedding date is set for July 8th, 2006.

Cannon Beach

On Sunday Rue surprised me and told me that we were going to go to Cannon Beach on Monday and spend the night! So Monday we woke up, packed and we headed down there. The weather was really rainy but I love the rain when I am on the coast.
We stayed at this adorable little Inn. It is called the Hearthstone in because each room has a gorgeous, huge stone fireplace. When we pulled up it looked like a little cottage. Our room had a kitchenette also.
We checked in and brought everything inside and walked down to the beach which was only a block away. The beach was beautiful but it was pouring down rain. I had only brought one pair of pants and they were quickly getting soaked. So we went back to our room and watched a movie while my pants dried.
We drove around looking for a place for dinner. We found a place that looked like a mountain lodge. I forget the name but it was really nice. Inside there was a huge fireplace in the middle of the room with a fire going and a large Christmas tree all decorated.
The next day we went out for breakfast and found a cute little bakery that made cinnamon rolls. Rue and I each had one with some milk. Then Rue graciously let me do some window shopping. We stopped at a candy shop and bought Daisy a little treat. After that we headed home.
We had such a delightful time! I have a really sweet husband! :)

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Today is my dad's 53rd birthday! This is a picture of him with my grampa. (I am not sure when this picture was taken but I love it!) My dad, mom, Daisy and I are going out to Red Lobster tonight to celebrate and then heading back to their house for chocolate cake!

Sleds

This article about sleds is from the December issue of Country Living magazine. I thought it was cute and wanted to share it with you. Especially since it is winter time and I am sure we can all remember flying down snow covered hills on sleds and sometimes the occasional trash can lid or whatever could be found that would slide on snow. :)

Sled History
No one is quite certain where the sport has its origin. Romans supposedly used their shields as sleds in battle. Boston's Beacon Hill was a favorite launching pad in Colonial times. By the mid 19th century, amateur racing was all the rage in America, and many of the early hardwood sleds had well-known names such as Thunder, Comet and Flying Cloud. In 1861, Henry F. Morton opened one of the country's first sled factories in South Paris, Maine, where he made what came to be known, shorthand, as Paris sleds. Clippers, where the runners formed a V-shaped point, were created for boys so they could belly-flop head first down the slopes. Beauty, not speed, was de rigueur for girls. They were supposed to sit up straight on Cutters, where the runners were often curled in a bow fashion, and swan-shaped finials added a touch of elegance. Morton's wife, Lucilla, hand-painted each of these sleds with motifs of horses and dogs for lads, birds and flowers for the girls."It's the aesthetic of these finely crafted Paris sleds that drives the market today," says Leon Weiss, owner of Gemini Antiques in New York City and a collector and dealer of sleds. "The period between 1860 and 1890 is most intriguing because of the hand-painted imagery," he adds.

Trademark Looks
The Garton Toy Manufacturing Company's sleds, produced from 1879 to the 1920s with signature red decks, help support an interest in this collectible, as does the best-known name in the industry, the Flexible Flyer, the first steerable sled. In 1889, Samuel Allen of Westfield, New Jersey, patented the Flexible Flyer, whose T-shaped runners could be moved by hands or feet for turning. Their centerboards were decorated with flowers and are not as visually appealing as those of the Paris sleds. But Joan Palicia, author of Flexible Flyers and Other Great Sleds for Collectors (Schiffer Books), notes that Allen's sleds had far more significance. "To this day, it's one of the few toys that crosses gender lines and is loved by both boys and girls," she says. There's still a great interest in finding early Flexible Flyers, especially the miniature salesmen's samples, notes Leon Weiss. By 1915, however, Flexible Flyer had changed its logo to its trademark eagle, shield and ribbon and was selling at Macy's and Wanamaker's at a rate of 2,000 per day. That signaled the demise of hand-painted imagery, and for collectors it was all downhill after that.

Miniatures
Miniature models of sleds, built to scale, are coveted by collectors. Measuring 16 inches in length, they were used as holiday decor and as props for dolls, and typically feature scenes of flowers with a red, green and blue backdrop. Even rarer and smaller, at nine inches long, are salesmen's samples, created by manufacturers to sell their goods.

By Steve Jermanok

Advice from Mrs. Dunwoody

A few months ago I found a book called Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping. It is an adorable book with tons of housekeeping, cooking, entertaining, health, beauty and gardening tips from the late 1800's. I thought that I would share some of this timeless advice with you.

Miscellaneous Household Tips

• Full-strength vinegar applied to a glass will remove the cloudy appeareance.
• Place a piece of white chalk in your silver chest or jewelry box to absorb moisture and help prevent the tarnishing of silverware or jewelry.
• Before you hand wash china, crystal or other delicate items, place a thick towel in the bottom of the sink to cushion and prevent them from chipping or breaking.
• To make your own water proof matches, dip just the tips into melted wax. Apply a thin coating and allow to dry on a piece of waxed paper. Store in a tim or other waterproof container.
• Use a dry bar of soap on creaky doors or stuck drawers.
• For a sink that drips and keeps you awake at night: Tie a piece of string to the faucet, placing the end down the drain. When the water drips, it will flow down the length of the string, which will absorb enough to silence the maddening drip.
• Rub a few drops of vanilla extract on your radiators or outer edge of a cast-iron stove. When warmed, the plesant scent is released.
• Stuff wet shoes with newspaper to speed up the drying process.
• Put sugar cubes in your empty suitcase to absorb odors.
• Tie a dozen pieces of chalk together and hang them in a damp closet. The chalk will absorb the moisture in the air.
• Shoe boxes create ideal storage for photographs, letters, or other personal items. Paint or cover with paper or fabric.

from Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping by Miriam Lukken

It's A Boy!!

Yesturday at 11:30am, Hannah had little (or should I say big) Gabriel Glen DeRoo. He is 10 pounds 1 ounce and 21 inches long!! (She was 2 weeks overdue) She went in to be induced at 3:30pm on Tuesday. Pastor Mark, Nancy, Ruth and I arrived at 2:30am on Wednesday. She was doing really well and then the petocin was causing her to have one long contraction so there was no relief from the pain so she had an epideral. She stayed at 6 centimeters for 5 hours with no change so they decided to give her a c-section. They took her in for the c-section at 10:30am and by 11:30 she had her little baby. They brought her back to the room and we all got to see him. He is so sweet and precious. Gabe(Hannah's husband) let me hold him and he was so beautiful. He even has dimples! God is so good!

A Glimpse into the Future

I found this picture on my mother-in-law, Bonita's, blog. (I hope she doesn't mind me posting it on my blog.) Rue and I always talk about how we are going to be a little old couple in our 90's and still be deeply in love! :) I thought this was a perfect little picture of that. (Plus I always sleep with my feet sticking outside the covers because I hate it when they get hot.)

Book of the Month: Christy

For those of you who have never read the book Christy by Catherine Marshal, I highly recommend you do. And for those of you who have read it, I recommend you read it again! :) This is my 3rd time reading it in the last 5 years and it is still as wonderful as before. Although now that I am married and no longer a girl in high school I am reading it through different eyes. Instead of being swept away by the romance in the story I can see more how Christy really tried to reach out to those around her and touch their lives in some way. She made such a wonderful impact on the people who surrounded her. I really hope and pray that I will have an impact like she did. And the wonderful thing is I don't have to go to the Appalachians to do it, God has placed me right here!

Back Cover Excerpt:

"Christy Huddleston left home at 19 to teach school in the Smoky Mountains. There she came to know and love the wild mountain people with their fierce pride, their dark superstitions, their terrible poverty, their yearning for beauty and truth. Christy found her faith severely challenged in these primitive surroundings; and, confronted with two young men of unique strengths and needs, she found her own growing yearnings challenged by love." Spire Books

Survivor!

Last night I cuddled up on the couch and watched the finale of Survivor. I actually had no clue who I thought would win. I wanted either Stephanie or Danni to win. So I was really happy when Danni won!

Daily Writing

When I was a senior in high school my AP English teacher Ms. Cromitt, would have us do a daily writing. We would have 20 minutes and the assignment was to start writing and not stop until the time was up. We would just write about anything that popped into our heads. Pretty soon a clear thought would come into your head and you would write about it. I actually enjoyed this very much. I have started doing daily writing again to help get me back to writing. I thought it would be fun to post them on my blog. Sometimes they can be really clear and well put together and on other days when my brain doesn't seem to be working it may just be little chunks of thoughts that randomly come to my head. I hope you will enjoy reading them and enjoy having a little glimpse into my brain.


Daily Writing #1

I am at the Schneidlers now with my feet up and my big toe is sticking out of the hole in my brand new sock. The chair I am sitting in is so comfortable and if I am not careful I may dose off. I thought I just heard one of the boys wake up from their nap but I guess it was just a car out front driving by on the busy road. The road leads all the way down to 30th street which goes through Old Town and then to Ruston Way on the waterfront. Rue and I have been there many times and have eaten at The Ram many times also. I love going out on dates with Rue. We need to do that more often. I think I am starting to grow up at least a little bit. I still find myself wanting to daydream about this or that but it does not have the joy it once did. I find being more down to earth and in touch with reality makes me feel good. I feel like I am finally starting to become an adult. I so want to be a good wife and step-mom but it is really hard sometimes. No, it is hard most of the time and yet it is still wonderful. I am getting the hang of it though. I do miss the fun of being on your own with nobody's time table to think about but your own. I could take off and go for a drive and look at all the beautiful scenery and do it whenever I wanted. There was really no responsibility in my life. But now that I think about it I am really glad that I have grown as much as I have and have responsibilities now. I can't put my finger on it but I am a lot more content and at peace now. There may be harder things to have to deal with but they are making me grow. If I was still back there I wouldn't have the knowledge and wisdom that I do now. The Lord is working on me and, as He promised, He will not stop working on me until He has finished what He started. I take hold of that promise every single day.

Lauralyn

This beautiful girl is my dearest cousin Lauralyn. She is the youngest daughter of my mom's twin sister. My mom took this picture of her when she was visiting her side of the family in L.A. this last October. Rue lovingly calls her LooLoo. :)

The Soldier

Today I did my weekly grocery shopping trip and as I was almost home I passed a soldier walking on the side of the road. He was wearing his desert fatigues and a red burae (the french hat?) He was also carrying a huge army bag. As I passed I wondered if he has been to Iraq yet or if he is getting ready to go. I wondered if he has a wife and kids or if he is still living at home. What soldier's story does he have to tell?

Christmas Recipes

Whoever has a favorite Christmas recipe (or two) please feel free to share them. If there is a Christmas memory attachd to the recipe feel free to share it too! :)

My favorite recipe:

Sugar Cookies
Makes 3 dozen
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter

In medium bowl combine flour and salt w/ wire wisk. In large bowl, cream the butter and sugar w/ electric mixer on medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well blended. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add flour mixture. Blend on low speed just until combined. Do not over mix.
Gather dough into a ball. Flatten ball into disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or large ziploc bag. Refigerate unitl firm or 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a floured surfac, roll out dough to a 1/4 of an inch thickness. With cookie cutters cut dough into desired shapes and place on an ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 13-15minutes but watch closely DO NOT let them brown! Immediatly transfer cookies to a cool flat surface. When cooled decorate as desired. (I usually use buttercream frosting dyed all different colors and put into little ziploc bags with a tiny bit of the one of the corners cut off. This makes a perfect pastry bag! Then also pick out fun little Christmas candies to decorate them with too. )

Butter Cream Frosting:
1/3 cup softened butter
3 cups powdered sugar
dash salt
1 and 1/2 tsp clear vanilla for
white frosting regular vanills for
colored frosting
2-3 tbls milk

Cream butter. Add remaining ingredients. Beat well.

I remember when we lived in Sumner and we lived across the street from Judy. Every Christmas time she would make sugar cookies, decorate them, put them in little baggies and staple them around her front door. Anyone who wanted one could come up and take one. I remember one year going over and she let me help her bake them and then of course I got to have one. Whenever I eat Christmas sugar cookies that memory comes flooding back to me and I can see Judy and the cookies around her front door. I believe that she still does it every single year. I hope she will never stop because I am sure she is making Christmas memories for lots of children!

Christmas Toenails

Last night I decided to paint my toenails scarlet red. I was watching America's Next Top Model (I know, shame shame) and I realized I had been neglecting my toes for the longest time. I don't think I had painted them since this last summer. So I thought since it is Christmas time why not paint them a nice bright Christmas red. Now when I look at my toenails it makes me smile and I feel as if my toes are in the holiday spirit. :) Why should the Christmas tree be the only thing decorated for Christmas? Teehee!

Christmas Picture 2005

Here is the Christmas picture of us for this year. Rue is 28, Daisy is 9 and I am 21. My mom (a wedding photgrapher) took this picture. :)

Snowboarding

Rue and I went snowboarding for the first time this season last Friday. We woke up at 5am and packed all our stuff in the car. We each had a cup of coffee and we were off while it was still dark. It had actually snowed here the night before so there was a slight dusting of snow on the ground. As we got closer to Crystal Mountain and drove up onto the Plateau it was snowing. Up in Buckley and Enumclaw they had about 3 inches of snow. We stopped at good ol' Charlies at the foot of the mountain and got a big breakfast. I had a ham and cheese omlet and another cup of coffee.
The drive up the mountain was breathtaking. As we climbed higher the trees were completely covered in snow. The roads started to get a lot more icy. There were plenty of times when I insisted that Rue slow down. At one point I was looking over at him reminding him of the last time we had gone snowboarding and how everytime I fell I got a good scoop of snow down my snowpants. I was glad that we had bought new snowpants that were high enough that they would not do that this time around. All of a sudden Rue got a shocked look on his face. I turned and let out a half-gasp half-scream. An elk had run out into the road right in front of us! He was so majestic and yet so freaked out, just like us. Rue slammed on the brakes (not a good thing to do on the ice) and the elk proceeded to run across to the other side of the road and into the woods. We both gave a nervous laugh and we continued on.
We pulled into the snowy parking lot bulldozers had just cleared and they were continuing to clear other areas as we drove up. Rue got out and starting unpacking. I put his coat over me and changed into my new (non-snow scooping) snowpants. We got all bundled up and headed up to buy our lift tickets.
We then went to the rental room and I rented snowboots and a snowboard. Putting on boarding boots is quite a task especially when you are twice your size from all the snow clothes you are wearing. But Rue was a gentleman and helped me.
The ski lift is always great fun until it sling shots you off in every direction. Getting off usually consists of a little bit of panic and then scrambling to get out of the way of the other helpless skiers or snowboarders slung off just after you. It is not uncommon to see a pile of skiers at the end of the lift piled on top of eachother. And then of course there are the skilled professional skiers or snowboarders who glide gracefully off and glide right past and on down the mountain like there is not a care in the world. Sigh!
But enough about the "bane of my existence". Once you are able to stand up and get your bairings you snap in and slowly hop to the edge. Now on the bunny slope there really is no "edge" you just kind of start going. On the regular slopes though, oh my, there is an EDGE. This trip was the first time that I went on the regular slope. As I was making my way to the edge I noticed how I could not actually see the slope until I got right to the edge. That is a little intimidating for a beginner. But I was determined that I was going to do it. And I did, the first time. But snowboarding is a lot of work! So by lunchtime I was absolutely exhausted. We made our way back to the car. Rather awkwardly I might add since skiing and snowboarding boots give you a rather awkward gate. Something between a load in your pants and a turkey gobbling around the barnyard. If you haven't seen it or experienced it then there is really no way for you to get the actual picture.
We ate and I was still exhausted. I wanted to tell Rue that he could go back and I would just stay in the car. I should have done that. But we went back. Rue took me up almost to the top of the mountain. The whole way up I was thinking about how tired I was and how I was worried I wouldn't make it back down the mountian. It would take about 10 minutes and that's if you were really really good at it!
We shot off the lift and, hallelujah, when I was shot off I squatted down and accidentally sat on my board and I glided off sitting on my rump and I came to a graceful stop completely clear of the lift. AH HA! I had discovered how I was going to get off the lift from now on! So I slowly made my way to the EDGE and the whole time I was dreading it. I sat down and told Rue how I didn't think I had the strength to make it down. Well, of course there is no other way to get down than to board down. So I clasped in and headed down. I fell many times on the first slope and finally I could not push myself back up anymore. I tried and tried with every ounce of strength I had left but I couldn't. It was getting dark and we still had a long way to go. Rue was really mad and I was crying. Finally he told me to take the board off and he had me sit on it. And down the moutain I went. Now that's the way to get down a mountain. People were hootin' and hollerin' as I flew past. At one point I tried to stop and stuck both feet straight out into the snow and all I saw was white! It took a while for me to stop and when I finally did my head was covered in snow. My face felt like it was frozen through. I had to wait a minute before I could turn around and look for Rue. Once he caught up with me I started off again! I think I must have reached the bottom in record time and broke some rules while doing it. Sledding is not allowed and I am guessing even if it is on a snowboard.
Well, we returned my board and got back to the car all in one piece but I was SORE. When you are sore right after you do something then you know what you will feel like the next day. The next day the only time I wasn't hurting was when I wasn't moving.
But I am determined to go back to the mountain and do it again! I am going to keep snowboarding until I get it. There is nothing like the feeling when you are gliding down the slopes. I have only done it a couple times but I plan on doing it more. And next time I will stop if I get that tired. I think Rue will thank me for that! :)

Christmas Cookies

What could be more wonderful on a cold winter night than to make Christmas sugar cookies and then decorate them. Last night Daisy and I did just that. After I cut the cookies out and baked them, she decorated. There were about 2 dozen cookies. I got her set up a the table and let her have at it. I figured it would take her awhile to decorate all those cookies. About 5 minutes later I hear, "I'm finished! Can I eat one now?". I was a bit suprised at how fast she had finished them. I walked over to check out her handy work. I found Christmas trees that looked like a blind man had tried to throw ribbons on them and gingerbread men who had rags for clothes and no faces. I saw how it was. Get them decorated as quickly as possible and then they can be eaten which is, of course, the best part. I giggled and told her that she could have one. I proceeded to sit down and try to give the poor gingerbread men some dignity and give the Christmas trees some lights. But of course they will end up inside a happy little girls tummy and that is the best part of all.