New Moon trip

I flew to Vegas and Shanna drove up from LA to meet Lacee and Shanelle to see New Moon.  Misty couldn't make it, but not to fear, her and I went when she came down for Thanksgiving.  Anyway, back to our trip.  We lined up with all the other teenage girls (oh, that's right, we're not 14) to see it at midnight.  We had our crazy eyelashes and our camera.  Before we got to the theater, we went to dinner and saw a big group of women with black and red "Edward" shirts.  From their perfect bobbed, stacked, highlighted trendy hair, I knew they were LDS.  My sisters couldn't keep me from asking them and sure enough, I called it, they were all Mormon- he he he!  What if they hadn't been, you ask?  Well, I've done more embarrasing things than that- just ask my sisters! (Because I'm not a girl!)

The next morning Lacee and I went to the temple and then we all met for lunch and got our toes done.  I flew out that night to Mom and Dad's.  They picked me up and we went to Benihana's.  On Saturday, we drove out to the apple groves and saw some great homes, walked through some fun stores, and had yummy cider.  On the way home, we went to see "The Blind Side" (which was great, even thought I cried the entire beginning and end).  As we walked out, Daddy asked what time "2012" was playing.  It was the wrong time, so we drove to the other AMC on the way home and saw it there.  We Preciado's love to go to dinner and a movie(s).  I flew home the next day.  It was a great trip.  I loved seeing my family just on my own.  I forget how much things have changed with kids.  Everything we do is different and as much as I love it, it was fun doing adult things and not worrying about anybody else- at least for a couple of days!

World Travelers

We had a snow day at the Merrill house. After roasting hot dogs and smores over the fire-place, the kids spent the rest of the evening carrying Sockeye (our kitty) around in his kennel (a cardboard box with holes that Adam cut out for windows). They returned home a few times for forgotten items for their travels and then returned to Africa (Ryan's room), Antarctica (living room) and, it took a moment for them to decide, the tropical jungle- Mexico.  I love when they go on trips (see camping, last year in Sitka).

As for the snow day, DC had a big storm starting last night until this evening.  It didn't blow much, just snowed and snowed.  We probably got about 18 inches, maybe more.  The whole world has shut down.  We canceled the ward Christmas party that we had just finished decorating yesterday (150 people, tables, chairs, centerpieces, everything down to the silverware- I'm the Activites Chairman) and turned down the opportunity to reschedule for the day after Christmas.  I really wanted people to see how pretty it looked, but not that bad. 

Yesterday, we stopped at Home Depot and all there was a big sign "NO MORE SHOVELS" and a whole line of people carrying nothing but bags of salt.  I laughed out loud right in the store and a man turned and said "Are you laughing at me?"  I told him no, but that we had just moved from Alaska and a storm coming with twelve inches of snow didn't seem to be that big a deal.  He retorted, "It's going to be eighteen inches."  I smiled and tried not to laugh out loud again, like eighteen inches was going to stop everything.  Standing in line, I started to think maybe I forgot what snow was like, maybe we wouldn't be able to get anywhere.  The checker said, "I grew up in Illinois and no, this isn't any big deal.  They just don't know what to do with it here."  So I walked to the car, told it all to Adam and he laughed out loud too.

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving with Misty, Dave and the girls at Dad's house.  Before we went, we visited the Natural History museum, but mostly the kids just played.  Seth, Ryan and Dayton played tagged and typical silly kids games.  They did alot of "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo" with their toes in a circle.  Just like Ryan tagged along to play with Hadley (who was older), Dayton tagged along to play with Ryan and Ryan "taught" her to play with them.  They were all so cute together.  Paisley was a little young, so she mostly just wandered around on her own.  While playing, Misty made Shanna's pretzel jello (which Shanelle just told me that Shanna doesn't remember ever making, but that have great memories of that being her specialty at family dinners) and homemade rolls that survived despite having to "remember" the yeast at the end.  I, however, was not quite as successful with the yams.  Hurrying to get them in the oven so I could run water over the arm I just burned, I didn't take off the lid.  When we checked on them, the marhsmallows were so puffed up they were lifting the lid and obviously not browning.  Deciding to just remove the top layer that were glued to the lid, we placed them on the table browned to a perfect spiderweb of marshmallow deliciousness.  Luckily, Misty added enough sugar and butter that they really were tasty despite the weblike-mallows...  to be cont.

Adam and K.C.'s Week of Fun

Did anyone get that Joey from "Friends" reference?  Adam had the week off between semesters and so we had some fun.  We went on a bike ride to one of George Washington's gardens, but the coolest part was the grass bench.  Yes!  A bench made out of dirt with grass on top.  It was awesome!  I rode with him on some of his runs (he's training for the triathlon next year).  We went to the temple and saw Brother and Sister Cole from Dad's ward.  We visited the Masonic temple (it was amazing) and ate at Bilbo Baggins (it was named after the books not the movies or else Adam would not have eaten there).   He got to come for helping day at school.  The kids were so happy to have him there.  School is starting again, so we'll finally have some clean clothes again.  I just don't get enough work done when we are working so hard on playing.

My First Capital Rally

I went to the capital steps to stand against the Health Care Reform Bill.  It was really awe-inspiring.  I was shocked at the number of people, but I was also impressed with how kind and polite everyone was.  It was great standing up for something I believe in and joining with others in a cause.

Williamsburg

Training in the "Awkward Squad"-- once he can load and fire his musket four times in a minute, he'll graduate out.

the courtroom

Seth LOVED playing hoops.

Ryan liked hoops too, but she loved making her very first throw over the post.  Daddy never did make one.

The kids delivering letters to the printer.

watering the garden with the Master Gardener

on the bus, resting our feet

Revolutionary City

General Lafayette

on the way to the Palace maze

waiting for our last bus ride of the night

I almost didn't put this picture in because my camera on my belt makes me look like I have a huge roll, so I am clearly stating "It is not a roll, it is a camera!"

We went to Colonial Williamsburg over Veteran's Day weekend.  We had a fabulous time.  It was so much fun.  We went down to the hotel Sunday night.  We brought microwave meals with us so we didn't have to eat out, but our hotel didn't have a microwave, so we had to use the hotel next door.  The kids, of course, did lots of jumping across the beds.  The next day we dressed the kids up in colonial garb and they got letters that sent them on errands (Ryan was helping a friend with a sick sister and Seth was training for the militia).  She learned etiquette and Seth trained with his musket.  They both learned their courtesies (a curtsy for Ryan with a "Goodday, ma'am/sir" and a bow for Seth with his leg turned out to show off his calf and a flourish of his hat) and did them to anyone else in costume.  The interpreters were very impressed!  They helped out in the garden and picked up letters at the post office and delivered them to the printmaker.  We also saw the wigmaker, the silversmith, the castle maze, the horses and buggy... the list goes on.  But all in all, we had a great time!  Before we left, we stopped at Yankee Candle which was huge.  The kids dipped candles, danced in the bubble snow, looked at the Christmas houses and Adam bought everyone chocolate caramel corn.  I love being with my family!

Some gorgeous pics Dad took on his sailing trip

Maybe next time he'll let us go with him.  But, then again, the last time we were on the sailboat at 4th of july, I dropped my flip flop in the water stepping on, so maybe not!