Tis the season to be busy!! It's hard to believe Christmas is only 6 days away!!! I finally finished shopping yesterday and today is the last day of school!! At work I accepted a 6-month supervisor job, so there has been lots of training going on and really strange schedules. Finally, things are back to normal, for the most part, and we are settling down and getting ready for the fun!!

We got a new family member this year, his name is Buddy, he is an elf that watches to make sure we are all being good!! He moves mysteriously every night to check up on us without our knowing where he will be. Brigitte has been performing with her school choir all month, and finally finished her last concert yesterday!

Brigitte will not be competing in the winter games this year, we feel like it is just too much to add on right now, so she has been working on her skills and just got her loop down! I wish I could tell you what kind of jump that is, but they all kinda look the same to me!

Thanksgiving is officially over and we are now looking toward Christmas. While I love this season, I am not so fond of the cold!! Ever wonder how we could have snow with warmer temps?! I love snowmen, but alas, snow is required. If snow is required, I guess I have to endure the cold!! Good thing I also love coats. My collection just keeps growing. It's also a good thing John is patient with my coats!!
Brigitte performed with her choir at the lighting ceremony at our local park. This week she is going to perform at the festival of the trees, and next week they are going to a retirement home. She has really enjoyed this opportunity, and I know she isn't tone deaf since she is constantly asking me not to sing along.
We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and hope you all have a wonderful, relaxing Christmas!! (Is that an oxymoron?!)

How much fun can one family have?! Thursday, my niece Madysen and her brother Harrison came to play. Brigitte and Madysen were negotiating a sleepover and with their extensive series of notes went through lots and lots of paper. They even let us know Brigitte had an unopened toothbrush, p.j.s and clothes for Madysen the next day. Because of a little issue, school, the sleepover didn't happen, but Madysen did come to play the next day. Then Saturday, my brother needed help with a roof, so John and Trev took off, and Brigitte and I took Madysen with us to visit Gramma and Grampa Gailey. We found out Blake and Hannie are moving to another state on Wednesday, sad! Everyone was doing great, and it is always fun to visit. Yesterday after work, John and Brigitte brought me home for ice cream!!!!

Brigitte has no ice skating lesson for the next two weeks, so we get to relax and prepare to have our annual Thanksgiving feast.

Here are some of the pictures of my adorable, talented daughter's latest achievement!!

WAY TO GO BRIGITTE!!!!!!!

1ST PLACE IN FREESTYLE!!!!

3RD PLACE IN SHOWCASE!!!!

Another competition down and finished with flying colors!!! She worked really hard to get ready and it really paid off!! We are really proud of her! I will post pictures soon!

Food 4 Thought Friday ~
This week's questions
Breakfast
What are you most grateful for at this very moment? Peace and calm in my life right now!!!
Lunch
Did this week's election results leave you feeling optimistic, pesimistic, or neither? Answer even if you aren't a U.S. citizen. Neither, I really didn't feel strongly in favor of either candidate, I just hope we are able to improve on the current state of affairs with this new prez!
Dinner
Name five meals you repeatedly have for dinner over and over. Fettucine Alfredo, meatballs, chicken gravy w/rice, confetti spaghetti and veggie lo mein
Midnight Snack
If you had a robot to help around the house, what three jobs would you have them do? What are three jobs you would not let them do? Floors, bathrooms and changing bed linens--I don't think there is anything I wouldn't let them do except maybe dishes after Thanksgiving, totally don't want to walk in and see any broken dishes!!
Recipe for this Week (instead of your recipe for life - what is it for just this week?) Stop and breathe. Maybe that will help my mind catch up and I will quit forgetting everything!!

O.k., O.k., another week has come and gone seemingly without notice, but John is leaving town this afternoon, Brigitte has a competition we are preparing for, and with Halloween over we are transitioning decorations to Thanksgiving. Yes I think it is sick and wrong for people to be putting up their Christmas decorations already. Thanksgiving sets the mood for Christmas, so do we really want to pretend not to notice this extremely wonderful holiday?! I say no way!!!! Alright enough of the soapbox speech!
Thursday is already here again and time for
Thankful Thursday

1. I am thankful for the right to vote!!! I hope all of you out there did!
2. I am thankful for my very cute nieces and nephews! Especially when I get to watch them!!
3. I am thankful for my husband's willingness to help out with whatever I need!
4. I am thankful we are setting my mom's headstone today, it will help me feel better!
5. I am thankful for a headstrong daughter, she isn't easy to talk into things she doesn't want to do!!
6. I am thankful for snow! I know that's crazy but we do need the water and it makes things feel really beautiful and peaceful, don't believe me? Try a walk in the snow, you hardly even hear the cars passing!
7. I am thankful for my fireplace!
8. I am thankful to be able to cook dinner for my family most nights!! John is thankful for the leftovers on the other nights!
9. I am thankful for my activity day girls and their willingness to help others!
10. I am thankful for the comfort of the gospel in my life!

It's already thursday!!! Where has this week gone?! Here is my list for

THANKFUL THURSDAY!!

1. Stephanie, my hair stylist, for the cute new cut!
2. lower gas prices!!
3. family home evening with extended family
4. a home to come home to
5. the right to vote
6. a warm coat, especially at the ice rink!
7. new friends
8. my job
9. cell phones
10.love

How crazy is it to stay home sick because you are actually sick?! I thought sick days were more to recharge the battery to stay well!!! O.k., maybe not, it just seemed better to be sick when I was little and my mom would make "sick soup" and let me lay on the couch and watch t.v. all day. Something about having to take care of yourself makes being sick even less fun. Plus, when did daytime t.v. become so completely horrible?! I would read if I could get rid of this sinus headache. It's a good thing I have a great library of disney movies. The only problem with those is, every couple of hours I have to move to change the video. Now I am starting to see the intelligence behind the multiple dvd players!!! They must have been invented while someone was home on a real sick day. And employers don't think anything productive comes from people staying home! Ah ha! Sick days are therefore good for business!!! Everybody take more sick days!!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

BREAKFAST

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN YOUR HOUSE AND WHY? DESCRIBE IT OR ADD A PHOTO.

I love my family room. Everything is done here, reading, playing video games, watching movies and family game nights.

LUNCH

IF YOUR SPOUSE OF SIGNIFICANT OTHER WERE A LIGHTBULB, WHAT WATTAGE WOULD THEY BE? 25-60-75-100 OR A DIM BLACK LIGHT?

I would think he would be a 75 watt. He really keeps us going, but he doesn't like the attention for it. He likes to kind of be in the background.

DINNER

NAME SOMETHING THAT WOULD DISQUALIFY YOU IF YOU WERE A CONTESTANT ON FEAR FACTOR.

Eating anything disgusting.

MIDNIGHT SNACK

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU DO THAT HELPS YOU ESCAPE FOR A WHILE?

Reading, I can go anywhere in a book, see anything or be anybody for a small time.

FRIDAY FILL IN

1. Right now, I'm feeling relaxed.

2. Home is where I want to be.

3. How does one find time for everything that needs to be done and still be a good parent?

4. My husband keeps me on track.

5. Please don't be rude while driving, others are sharing the road with you.

6. My daughter's laughter fills me with joy.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a halloween party, tomorrow my plans include work and Sunday, I want to rest, but I will work again!

Thankful Thursday!!!



What am I thankful for this week?!



1. I can volunteer at school. (really I am thankful)








2. Computers!!! (they make #1 easier)

3. Autumn

4. Family!!!!

5. Washing machines (can you imagine all your laundry without them?)








6. pumpkin patches

7. a partner in crime!







8. hot water and bubble baths










9. hair dryers






10. good dreams

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!!

Hair Raising Experience at local Elementary

Mother Shows up at Child's School....Bald!!
What could lead an otherwise sane woman to rip out all her lush, beautiful hair?

Since Brigitte went into public school I really haven't had to volunteer more than once or twice a year in the classroom, especially with my crazy hours. Well that came to a screeching halt this year!!! Her teachers have created a class paper and I get to be the editor-in-chief! I have to assign all the kids a story, help them write it and then compile it into a newspaper, then print and copy it for all!! Now I know why editors are so grumpy!

The first edition is now hot off the presses and will be available in the classroom tomorrow morning! It's truly amazing the variety of interests these kids have!!! Some are very neat with their stories, others I don't know about, I couldn't read their writitng to determine how good the story was or wasn't. One paragraph took me and John an hour to decipher. All you parents out there stress the importance of good handwriting and separation between words!!! Please!!!!

I finally figured out why computers and typewriters have become so mainstream in our lives, its the only way we can communicate!!! Without them, I imagine wars have been started over someone writing in a letter "Have a Great Day!", illegibly.

Food 4 Thought Friday ~


Breakfast
Would you rather be really hot or really cold?
Hot without doubt!!! Cold is absolutely miserable!

Lunch
Name three things (modern conveniences) you could not live without?
Indoor plumbing, cars, phones

Dinner
If you were the eighth dwarf, what would your name be?
Nutty?!

Midnight Snack
Would you rather live to be 100 and sick, or live to be 50 (dying from a freak accident) and healthy?
If I had to choose, I would rather be healthy and die at 50 than not have any quality of life! My real choice is a little of both. I would like to be healthy and live to 100!

Recipe for this Week (instead of your recipe for life - what is it for just this week?)
Be still

I had to add one more!!!

I am thankful for my new nephew Ethan!!! Congratulations Joy!! My sister-in-law lives in Taiwan and just had her first baby!! To see pictures and read all about it you can go to her blog here!! www.maxandjoy.blogspot.com

Time for "Thankful Thursday" once again!!

1. I am thankful there have been no catastrophies this week!
2. I am thankful for the new DMV in Farmington, it only took two minutes to register a vehicle!
3. I am thankful for my dad!!! Happy Birthday yesterday!!
4. I am thankful to live in Utah where we experience the seasons.
5. I am thankful Brigitte loves to ice skate! (Even while freezing to death!)
6. I am thankful for my extended family!!
7. I am thankful for my handy husband!!
8. I am thankful Brigitte is healthy.
9. I am thankful for the opportunity to volunteer at school!
10. I am thankful for laughter!

Maybe it's just because Brigitte is back in school. This was the time of year I really had some time to visit with my mom without any help, and we had some amazing visits. This week I have really been missing her something terrible. So here are some of her fun things she said, if you can think of others lets add them!!

1. No shit!

2. no, but I really love you!

3. Have a great day!

Talk about an amazing woman. I have nothing but love and respect for the quiet way (and not so quiet ways) she influenced me and those around her. If ever there was an example of enduring to the end she was it. Never did she complain about the pain, only about not being able to get up and move around! Her grandchildren were her pride and joy and I am so thankful my daughter had the opportunity to know and love her. Even though she couldn't move and play, Brigitte loved to visit her!! Maybe it was the captive audience! My mom always made her feel special and loved without question.

My mom and I didn't always get along, but, as I look back, I am amazed at the things she was able to accomplish from a chair. Her love for us is evident in the fact that she put for the effort to give us a really good life, and a love for each other. She made it very clear that we were lucky to have brothers and sisters and we better get along, or she would run over us.

For all she gave me and all she didn't, I will always be grateful. Mom I love you!

Ah fall!!! My favorite time of year. There is just something about the air, crisp in the morning, awesome during the day and cool at night. Leaves changing color and falling to the ground to crunch under feet, piles for kids to jump in, while raking isn't so fun the rest is an amazing experience. Isn't it great our kids can enjoy these things?! The excitement of picking out a halloween costume is something that lasts all year long at our home. Brigitte takes all year long thinking about what she will be. Maybe that is just a way to convince me to buy more dress-up!!! Hmmmmm!!! I knew there had to be an ulterior motive!!

What about trick or treating? What other time of the year do we allow our kids to walk around the neighborhood and knock on doors to ask for candy?! What isn't great about a holiday that focuses on sweets?!

Isn't it fun to go to the pumpkin patch to get a pumpkin then the carving is an adventure in itself. There is something about cleaning out the insides that really gets the halloween spirit going, something about pumpkin guts. What would fall be without harvest stews and roasted pumpkin seeds?

Ah, fall!!!

For all those interested, Brigitte took 4th in her freestyle program and 6th in her showcase (It's a hard knock life). We are so proud of her for the hard work she put in and for her poise on the ice. I am amazed at her courage, she skates out there in front of all those people without any worries. The thing we are most proud about is her sportsmanship. She went up to the girls who won and let them know they did really great!! Then one of her club friends competed with her and came in behind her, this friend was upset, Brigitte went over to her a made a big deal about how great she did and helped cheer her up. (That is her friend in the first picture.) Within minutes the two were laughing and having a great time again. Now we are back to practicing for the next competition. The second picture is her waiting to get her skates on for her "Annie" routine.

Also wanted to add a few things for Thankful Thursday.

1. I am thankful for good books.

2. I am thankful for my home.

3. I am thankful for nieces and nephews.

4. I am thankful for my grandparents.

5. I am thankful for good music.

Food 4 Thought Friday ~
This week's questions
Breakfast
What is one thing you look forward to each day? Each week?

I really look forward to time with my family, whenever I might get it.


Lunch
Are you a hoarder or a chucker?

Definitely a chucker, sometimes to my own detriment. I often throw things away I later wish I had kept.

Dinner
Do your dinner meals consist mostly of home cooked meals, convenience foods (i.e. boxed, frozen, heat & serve, etc.), or fast food? Who does most of the cooking in your home?

Mostly home cooked meals. Sometimes convenience foods, we almost never eat out. I usually do the cooking in my house, although Brigitte has really started to spread her wings and helps with dinner lots of times.

Midnight Snack
Has the rising cost of gasoline caused you to restrict, limit, or alter anything in your life? If so what?

We really haven't restricted anything.

Recipe for this Week (instead of your recipe for life - what is it for just this week?)

Remember, in a year I will be laughing about almost everything happening now!!!

I saw this on Blake and Hannie's blog a while back and really liked the idea, so today is "Thankful Thursday". There are always so many things to be thankful for, but this week these are my top 10.

1. I have eyes to see the leaves change colors.

2. My daughter is healthy.

3. We have amazing neighbors.
4. Garden vegetables from our own garden.
5. Family close by.

6. Legs that work so I can walk anywhere I choose.
7. Prayer. If you are thankful for it too, I don't need to say more.

8. Sisters--Cyndi you are a Gailey Girl too.
9. Laughter in my home.
10. Good friends, you know, they help you through a Lucy moment.

Well, when it rains it pours!!! Last night I was making dinner and had started to preheat the oven. I got everything mixed up and ready to go in to bake when Brigitte said she smelled gas. I looked at the oven and it hadn't even started to heat up, but it had been dumping gas into the house. When John got home he said we lost one of the ignitors?! What?! Anyway, our range was in really bad shape when we bought the house and it was something we had planned on replacing, just not quite yet. So last night, my very sweet husband who had already worked overtime came home, went shopping for a new range with me, and then came home and installed it for us.

Once again, we are thankful it was nothing worse and that the remedy was relatively easy. And I am thankful to have a beautiful new range to cook on. It makes me want to bake up a storm, I now have two ovens!!! If you have been to Tif's house it is the same range she has, yes I'm a copycat, but a good idea is a good idea!!

Hooray for extracurricular activities!!!! Brigitte is old enough to join choir at the school, which means going early twice a week. Who knew that hour would be invaluable to me?! Having her there so quickly, I come home and start running to get things in order, then look at the clock and realize there is plenty of time. These days are so much easier when nothing has to be hurried.

How about you all? Do your kids to extracurricular activities? Does it allow you time to finish things without all the extra help?

Jackson Hole was a blast, and Brigitte apparently had fun too. When we showed up to pick her up she wasn't quite ready to go home. Grandma Donna and Aunt Kathy are way better to hang with than mom and dad!!!

While in Jackson, we went into Teton national forest, and did the hike at Jenny Lake into Hidden Falls. The sign says it is 2 1/2 miles, but it doesn't say how tough a hike it is!! Thankfully we made it, but chickened out on the way back and took the boat across the lake. That was the better two mile trek!! It is so incredibly gorgeous up there!! We continued up to the Jackson Lake Lodge, and the view there is just breathtaking, you see the huge mountains with the lake shining in the foreground. No wonder so many photographers head there!!
We also went to the Bar J Chuckwagon dinner. It's been 20 years since I was there, it is still just as hilarious as ever. We were cracking up, and our table was full of really interesting people. We met a couple from Maryland who flew into Denver, then began driving. The went to Glacier, Bryce and Jackson and everywhere in between. Another group was from Pocatello, and the couple across from us was from Ogden, go figure.

Overall, it was a great weekend for all!!!

Happy Anniversary to us!!! Tomorrow will be our 16th (feels like yesterday) anniversary. It's crazy to think I am old enough to have been married that long!! I thought it would be fun to give ten reasons I am still madly in love with my husband, so here goes:

1. He looks great in a pair of jeans!!! (that one is for my mom)
2. He is an incredible father and Brigitte adores him.
3. He reminds me to laugh!!
4. He does all the vacuuming in our house!!!
5. He can fix a leaky toilet and a damaged ceiling!
6. He is always up for whatever crazy idea I might get
7. He never makes me feel bad when I don't clean the house! He takes me out to dinner cuz he figures I've had a day!!
8. He thinks my cooking is better than his mother's.
9. He gives the best homework help so I don't have to.
10. He always plays (and fights) fair.

So this weekend we are off to Jackson Hole to celebrate. Thank heavens John's sister Kathy and her husband are willing to add one more child for a few days. Of course after nine what's one more!?

Brigitte has her first ice skating competition of the season on the 19th and 20th in Park City. She has been training really hard and she is really looking strong! That means lots of extra time the ice rink for me and John while she has been practicing. As soon as she gets out of school we are off to the rink to practice. Hockey moms will know this too, ice is never available when it would be convenient to take kids, only at really odd times throughout the day, and especially for hockey players, the night! Her competition falls during school on friday and then late saturday night. Who the heck schedules these things. My brothers hockey games were always really late at night when he was in high school. What are people thinking? It is my guess they have the same problem I do in an ice rink. It is so cold everything freezes up, including my brain until I can go outside to warm up and defrost! Anyway, she is doing to routines, one is to music from a video game, and then her showcase number is to "It's a Hard Knock Life". She is really excited to skate at the competition and we wish her luck!!

O.k. I understand it has been a while since I updated this blog. It has just been so incredibly nice to have a house together and no urgent plans to attend to that our family has been enjoying time together doing what we want!!!

Anyway, here are the picks I promised of our new floors!!! I could add the new toilet pics too, but really, is there anyone who hasn't seen enough of those? Especially if you have little kids.

Aren't they FABULOUS!!!!

With school back in session and John back to work, our lives have calmed down dramatically and now with peace back in our home, John feels it is time to buy more wood and move into our entry way right away, ugh, is peace and tranquility destined to be short lived forever?!

I know its been a while, but the computer is temporarily in the laundry room which is blocked off for floor refininshing. Anyway, John finished the last coat of poly on them.
Last night we went out to dinner with Britt and Hunter and then went to a movie in the park in South Weber, they were playing "Enchanted", how could we miss McDreamy?! Most of the evening was wonderful, but then the wind started to blow (I know it's South Weber, what did I expect). We left a little early (11:00) just cuz everyone was beat, the wind was getting pretty strong, and believe it or not it was getting kinda chilly. The kids really enjoyed playing in the park while we waited for the movie to start, then we got to have Hunter spend the night!! Too cool since we haven't seen him for a while.
We have a brand new toilet in the bathroom and we are just finishing painting the ceiling. Finally a house back in one piece, at least for a bit!
Adam and Maria went back to Ecuador on Wednesday, July 30. It was lots of fun having them here, and trying out all of Maria's fabulous dinners! We hope they are enjoying being home again. The extreme heat was a little hard for Maria to get used to. They live in Quito and it is usually in the 70's. She said they don't need air conditioners, but it does get cold at night.
I can't believe August is already here and we are off today to go and find school clothes!! We are going to have a fun girl's day out with just me and Brigitte. She really wants to stop at Lagoon and go on "Wicked" again. Where did this daredevil girl come from?

First thing first, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIGITTE!!!!! I can't believe she is already nine years old!!! I am so grateful everyday for your sweetness, sauciness and attitude!! Thank you for being my daughter!

What a week!! On tuesday I got home from work to discover a swimming pool in my kitchen, water was dripping from the droopy ceiling and light fixture over our island. Ugh!!! My biggest worry was we just laid new hardwood floors in the adjoining dining room that had not yet been sealed, yikes. Luckily, the water hadn't spread that far yet. Our toilet in Brigitte's bathroom cracked from the top of the tank all the way to the bottom and from the look of things, it had been pouring out for several hours. One new toilet and several hours worth of clean up later and the bathroom is back in tiptop shape. The kitchen ceiling is just waiting for a little sanding and then texture and paint, and the hardwood floors that were supposed to be finished by now are still waiting for their final finishing touches. I was feeling kinda put out until we watched the news on tuesday night and saw some people in Salt Lake with 6 feet of water in their basements from the heavy rain that afternoon. That sure put things into perspective and helped remind us we are really very lucky, after all it could have been out of the toilet bowl, ick!!!

Yipee!!! We survived one very busy week!! Friday John and I went golfing, and as soon as we were done there we went to Meek's Cabin to go camping with John's family and Brigitte took a ride on the lake in a kayak. Then Saturday morning it was off to Robertson, WY for the family reunion. As soon as we were done there it was back here to clean up and unload, then run off to N.O. for Dean and Suz's 50th Anniversary open house, which was beautiful by the way!!

Later that night I was up sicker than could be, I didn't know kidney beans came out the same way they went in, need I say more?! Anyway, since I ended up with a little case of food poisoning after Saturdays potluck picnic at the reunion I took Sunday off of work. This is my last week on this schedule then I get to go to Thur/Fri off. Our family is really looking forward to it.

This weekend we have a dutch oven cookout at my dad's in Wyoming and Brigitte is back into ice skating lessons on Friday.

Cousins

Brigitte and Aunt Jennie

Family at the lake

Hope you all had a great fourth of July!! We sure did, John ran the North Ogden 5k and Brigitte was in the kids parade. What a great holiday!! You get to eat fabulous food, spend the whole day with family, and it is warm enough to be outside the entire day, while we celebrate this great country we live in!!! And who doesn't like a parade?

We were lucky enough to hang out with John's nephews, Isaac and Porter. Porter wouldn't go down our slide on his rear, only on his tummy!! Too cute! Isaac loved the swings and the sandbox the most, well besides Uncle John!

John surprised me and bought "Rock Band". Yes I failed miserably at singing, guess your supposed to be able to hit notes. Hard to do when you are completely tone deaf!! Brigitte is much better at the singing than me, but I play a mean drum solo!

At the end of the week we are off to Wyoming for a family reunion, then back here for Aunt Suz's 50th Anniversary party!! What an amazing accomplishment, Dean and Suz you are awesome, congratulations!!! We love you guys!!