The Score

I have done an evaluation of comments on my blog and am seeing a definate pattern. What it boils down to is this: People don't want to comment on holidays (Valentines Day and Christmas in particular), nor handcart pioneers nor any wierd gifts they may have received.



However, the comments seem to roll in when I include pictures of celebrities, namely Barney Fife and Darrel Issa. So what I'm going to do is turn in this semester's class census and write a report for the Social Science Dept. In the meantime, here's something you might want to look at:

Valentines Day '08

I hope you and your significant other are having a very nice Valentine's Day. Steve and I celebrated by opening our gifts from each other together over the phone. Steve gave me a beautiful mug I had been coveting.

I gave Steve a box of Cheerios. As you all know, nothing says loving more than something that is "heart smart." The inference of course is that I want him to live forever.

So what did you do for your significant other? And did he or she appreciate it?

OoxOox

Bedroom Redo

Here it is: what I did with "the big white box." The apartment managers said I couldn't paint the walls, so this is the best I could come up with. I was so sick of white walls, white bedding, and white vertical blinds that I could have screamed.

I added a green duvet cover and matching drapes. Notice that the closet wall has been covered in purple cloth which also matches the bed skirt and an accent stripe on the drapes.

By the way, the bedroom is also why I haven't updated my blog recently. I have been busy making furniture (the headboard and mirror frame), refinishing the nightstand, recovering the chair and footstool, sewing up the drapes, valence, duvet cover, and bedskirt, and creating original art for the walls.

This also explains why I haven't been grocery shopping in a while. But I have a four-day week-end coming so I'm thinking the pantry will be restocked in the near future.

Interests

Here is a montage of what I see as our families' interests. It represents family, getting a job, making a workable life, getting the degree, creativity, security, animal rights, ecology, music, and biking. I could have added more things, but I ran out of time before I ran out of issues.

Weirdest Gift

Kids, In-laws, and Granny,

I read an article that asked people what their weirdest Christmas gift was. One lady said she got a package of lint from her aunt, who had forgotten to include the instructions for how to make fire-starters out of it.

So what's the weirdest Christmas gift you ever received?

Love,

Mom West.

Scouting the Territory

So, guess where Steven and I were last Friday. We visited a section of the Mormon Trail. This seemed like a good idea because Steven and I are on the Cody 2nd Ward Handcart Treck Committee.




For those that are unsure of what I am talking about, our ancestors crossed the plains in covered wagons. Later during the migration, persons wanting to migrate to Salt Lake, but who had insufficient means to travel by wagon train, formed handcart companies. Of the ten handcart companies, two (the Willies and the Martin Handcart Companies) met terrible hardships due to inclement weather, poor cart construction and several other calamities which added up to tragedy; one third of the members dying along the way.

In reverence to their sacrifices, many groups of LDS persons walk parts of the trail. Our ward has been scheduled to participate this July. We will be pushing handcarts and living the experience except without the snow.


Steven took me up to what is known as "7th Crossing," where our ancestors had to cross the Sweetwater River for the 7th time. Then we went to Martin's Cove, where the Martin Company sought refuge for several days.


The first picture is of the ward committee's leadership Orientation and Training session last July.





This next picture is of Martin's Cove during the winter. Steven and I decided to hike from the visitors' center to the cove itself. We walked through the snow and got a little cold and wind-burned. We did it without a handcart, but we had a small appreciation of what the original group may have experienced.

Thank You, Santa

Dear Santa,

Thank you for a wonderful Christmas! It may be the best Christmas I ever had. Being with family is the best gift of all. Not that I am unappreciative of the material gifts, but to me, "things" can't hold a candle to watching Miya and Bess with their heads together in the kitchen, having to flee the dart gun battlefield, seeing David and Sheena happy just sitting next to each other, or making Baby Buns with Granny.

Nevertheless, gifts do have their place. It was delightful to watch Henri (with all his curls) and Micah play with the train set, gratifying to hear my children's expressions of appreciation for the gifts, and enchanting to see Harriett pat her chest in excitement, as if to say, "I hope my heart does not burst with happiness." So thank you very much for the presents. I know that a lot of thought went into each and every one. And truly, there were more than expected and much more than we needed.

I have a hard time deciding which was the best part of the celebration. Was it meeting Sheena, the dart gun battle, or the great gift opening? Actually, I believe that it was practicing the traditions. I cannot express the joy I felt when the Bauer women requested a pre-Christmas snack of gingerbread men. Nor can I describe the peace I felt as we read the story of the First Christmas. And could anyone not delight in the Christmas morning rehearsal? (Next year I want to be Noah's wife.)

How can one thousand endearing moments be condensed into less than 24 hours? I suppose that is just part of the Christmas magic. Thank you again for bringing us together. I see now that family is the common denominator to all the joy.

Love,

Mom West