Shopping was an event of weirdness today. First, on the way to the store, I get a phone call from a dear friend who is back from BYU-I for the holidays. So, I had to pull into a parking lot and take his call - 15 minutes, but it's always a pleasure. It put me behind...a little.
Second, I get to Walmart and realize that I hadn't synced my tablet with Evernote for my grocery list. I am trying to use Evernote more, but I really love the checklist part the best and I can use it on three of my devices. I type in my list on one and make sure it's synced with the small tablet so I can take it shopping (smaller is better in this instance). Except today, I hadn't. And no, Walmart does not have wifi...at least not in Altus, but the Mexican restaurant on the FAR side of the parking lot does. So I trekked over to the restaurant lot until I got a clear signal and could sync lists. Then I trekked back.
Third, this did not damper my Christmas spirit. People (especially store employees) have a tendency to be dour during the busy holiday time. I figure it's my job to be smiley, gracious (I let a lot of people go by me and apologize for anyone I may get in the way of), and laugh when I speak. People (of all types, not just the employees) look at me as if I was weird. C'mon, we've seen much weirder at Walmart!
Of course it didn't help that I spotted the sister missionaries and called out - LOUDLY - "SISTERS!" to which they replied "SISTER BOLTON!" just as loudly. If I hadn't been feeling happy before, I sure would have been now. They always make me feel good. So we jollily (yes, it's a word - adverb!) chatted a few minutes. They, with the elders, are coming for Christmas Eve. I can't wait...I love them so much!
4H Rabbit Club had their Christmas Party tonight. So Analiese, all the cookies and fixin's, and I went to the OSU Extension office. This year it wasn't just the Rabbit Club, but the county youth leaders were there to play games with the others and get to know them better. I know some of these youth... the twins have helped me at Kids' College and one gal is the daughter of the 4H secretary.
Not surprisingly, I pushed cookies...kids, adults, you name it!
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Today was Package Day, which - to my kids - is nearly as exciting as Christmas. See, in California, pretty much everyone was nearby, so we didn't get much in the way of packages in the mail. Here, it's the upside of being far from friends and family. The Grandparents package came today, as did one from one of my BFFs (yes, more than one, because people love me!). The tree doesn't look quite so bare underneath now!
It was also Dentist Day, which is not at all exciting, at least, not in a positive way. Gal cleaning my teeth said it looked like I was good at keeping it clean (which I am). Dentist, however, noticed what I call a proto-cavity. So I gotta go back and get it taken care of in January. My kids were just fine, which is patently unfair. I am the most careful and conscientious of my teeth - and I'm the one with the cavity!
The kids finished decorating what few sugar cookies were left from the party last night. We've got quite a growing collection of goodies for Thursday evening!
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Another Bake-a-thon today. Analiese made cookies for her Dad for Christmas, so we started with those, trying to hide them from Dad...not like he couldn't smell them.
Also, I made small loaves of bread - regular, yeast, homemade bread - for the missionaries as gifts. I'll also make some cinnamon honey butter to go with them. Can't afford much, but I think that will be well-received!
Jonathan got called in to work today. He was not happy about that. He's worked two long days, getting off at 12:30 in the morning, and really didn't want to go in, especially since he has to work tomorrow, too. But eventually he caved in and worked five extra hours.
But it meant that he missed Lance, our RM friend who's back from BYU Idaho for Christmas. Ken missed him, too, because he went to bed early (5:00 a.m. start at Walmart tomorrow). That's okay, Lance likes me well, and Analiese and I talked with him for a while and then told him to go see Jonathan at Walgreens.
Thursday, December 24, 2015
I did NOT want to get up at 6:30 this morning. I had picked up Jonathan from work last night and stayed up to finish a movie from Redbox. I wanted to sleep. But Ken was already gone and Jonathan had to be at Walgreens at 7:00 this morning.
And the baking/prep continues! Honey butter made, crepes (for tomorrow's breakfast) are on the agenda for the morning, with pepperoni rolls and spinach dip appetizer cups for the afternoon. The missionaries are due here by 6:00 p.m. I only hope the oven and my Kitchenaide mixer hold out! They will need a vacation after this! HA!
A houseful of missionaries is a very jolly place! We sat around the dining table in the candlelight, noshing, relating Christmas memories and laughing...a lot!
After that (Believe it or not, there's more), we Skyped with my family in California. This year we did ours in front of our Christmas tree, too, so that they could see our decorations as well as us theirs. Hearing is always at a premium, because everyone is so excited. Other than the fact that the kids keep getting older, that livingroom in Norwalk, California still looks the same as all the Christmases I remember!
Friday, December 25, 2015
MERRY CHRISTMAS! To be honest, we started our day pretty low-key because Jonathan is working at Walgreens (selling batteries, we joke) until this afternoon. Then we will have our family Christmas. The stockings, the tree, all are waiting until we can all be together.
Ken grilled bacon-wrapped filet minon* for dinner tonight. I made Caesar salad, green beans, and crash potatoes to go with it.
For gifts: Ken got socks and a homemade loaf of bread (with cinnamon-honey butter) from me, Analiese made him cookies, and Jonathan bought him some chocolate filled cookies (the thin, rolled-up kind)
We had lots of texts, e-mails, and a phone call (Niles in Alaska) with well wishes of the season. Not bad at all. My favorite part, though, was sitting with my family and discussing what scriptures about the Savior did they like the most. Most amazing was the fact that they all came from the Book of Mormon! And Jonathan led out, knowing immediately what scripture he wanted. That boy is getting ready. Mom is trying...
*NOTE: Ken wants me to clarify that we just didn't go out to the store and say, "Hey, let's have filet minon for dinner tonight!" Nope, a couple of months ago, a refrigerated truck came to town with a deal on a bunch of beef. Beef prices being what they are, Ken got some and we put it in the freezer, gradually using them for special things (we've mainly become chicken and turkey people). The filet minon cuts were in there, so we saved them for Christmas. We're still poor, just so you know. LOL
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Because Jonathan had to work Christmas morning, we had our special Christmas breakfast this morning. I made strawberry-banana crepes, skillet hashbrowns and bacon with CranCherry and eggnog on the side. We all slept in a little, so it was more brunchy than breakfasty, but it was very filling.
Due to an impending storm, I used my day to change linens and put on the flannels. Ken & Analiese set about lighting the wall heaters and filling the gas cans for the generator. Yes, they are expecting a "biggie." Once more, I'll believe it when I see it.
Ken and Jonathan both headed out for work this afternoon. It had started raining and the day was very gray. Other than taking Jonathan to work, I really wanted nothing more than to stay cozy at home. And...to try my new bath salts out!
Oh, but the wind picked up in the evening! By the time I got Analiese and myself to bed a little before ten, I was a little nervous about it. Ken was going to pick up Jonathan from work on his way home, but the wind was so strong. It really rattled the house!
Sunday, December 27, 2015
No church today. We woke up (all of us home safe!) to a white world. But it was not snow...it was ice!
Until about 11 a.m., when the power went out and the Bolton's went into action! Bring out the generator, hook up the fridge and the microwave (and the internet, but that was a luxury!). Bummer is, that the ice and wind has knocked over part of our fence. Actually, it started leaning, and the ice and wind just kept pushing it down, down, down.
Oh, and the front door, bearing the brunt of the storm, is iced SHUT.
More wonderful news! A civil advisory notice from Altus Emergency Council. The power went out at the pumps at Tom Steed Lake where our water comes from. So we're on water rations, too. Good thing I had Ken get us more drinking water yesterday when he went to work!
The missionaries messaged me this afternoon...they were stuck in their apartments without power ...which also meant without heat. Could they come over in the late afternoon/evening to bask in our heat and use our microwave? So, about 5:30, all four showed up, so cold, to sit in our dining room (where one wall heater resides) to drink cocoa, play games, and keep warm. I have offered my floors in the warm areas if they feel the need to sleep here.
If they do, though, they could be stuck a while. Because more great weather is on it's way...a BLIZZARD! I intend to sleep through it and only face it's aftereffects in the morning!
No comments:
Post a Comment