Christmas Treats

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is Grandma May's caramels. Jason makes them and we cut, wrap, and eat them.

They turned out perfect this year.

We'll see if this jar lasts a few days.

Grandma Dedee had us all over for cookie decorating. It was so nice to leave the mess at her house.

Piper has one decorating trick. Red hots.

Thanksgiving Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving started with our own May Family Turkey Trot. It was held in Twin Falls, up the road from Grandma May's house.
Dalton organized it for his Scout Family Life merit badge. There was a 5K and a 1 mile. We made our own starting line with flour and water.

Uncle Jerrod, our official timer, couldn't run with an injured leg. AWWW, Jerrod.

Jason

Dalton and Ethan . Dalton did the 1-mile and then ran with Ethan as he finished the 5K.

Bronwen and Lauren.

Speaking of Bronwen and Lauren, two guys (above) showed up for the Turkey Trot (friends of friends) that we had not expected. Bronwen and Lauren had just rolled out of bed in time for the run. As soon as the guys left, they wailed, "Why didn't anyone tell us hot guys were coming?!"

Aunt Jerrilee (far right) and two friends (moms of above-mentioned hot guys).

Erin

Classic!

I love it when this happens. We had guests over for dinner too.

Listening In

Dalton: Ethan, if you got $20,000.00, what would you do with it?

Ethan (without missing a beat): I would get a giant box of lemonheads and then save the rest.

Dalton: Oh yeah, I'd get the lemonheads too. But then I'd get an iPhone 4S, some Freerun shoes, and some clothes.

Ethan: But if you save the money, then when you are 16 you can get a sweet motorcycle.

Dalton: Oh, cool. I would save it too then. But I would still get the iPhone 4S.

XC Region

Yesterday was Ethan's Cross Country Region Meet. This is Ethan pre-race, looking serious (and knobbly-kneed). Is that the eye of the tiger I see?

Logan hosted Region this year. Our home course is at the American West Heritage Center. Gorgeous scenery, fun course, with hills!

Finishing. His goal was to break 19:00. His time was 18:59. Close, but good enough! That's 6 min. 8 second miles on this 3.13 mile course! WooHoo, Ethan!

Setter

Bronwen is the setter (again) for the Logan Varsity Volleyball team this year. She is right in the middle of the season. It hasn't been the best season so far, but they are improving.

Bronwen wishes she were taller (she's just 5'4"), but she's got the highest vertical jump on the team.

Jump serve. She rarely misses.

Is the team dancing here? I can't remember.

Clockwise from top left: Mindy, Sarah, Taylor, Coach Dan, Nicole, Ashley, Bronwen, Katie, Britt. Dan is a new coach. Bronwen likes him. She likes that he is a guy; there was a lot of female drama with our previous coach.

I liked Coach Dan from the beginning: at tryouts, he told the girls not to use their cell phones at all. "In fact," he said, "If I even see you with your cell phone , I'll ask you to leave."

Back in the Saddle

I'm taking piano lessons again! "Again" meaning I haven't since I was sixteen.

I'm really learning how much I don't know. Andrea, my new teacher, is a perfectionist. When I play a song I've been working on all week, she stops me after two measures and tells me six things wrong with my playing. She's right, of course, but it's still intimidating. After being stopped several times through Debussy's First Arabesque, I told her I was afraid to play any more. My hands got clumsy and I made more mistakes than was really necessary. I just need to get a thicker skin. When I fixed all those problems (it took a few weeks), the song sounded much, much better.

I am loving the practicing. I look forward to it. Dalton watched me the other day and said, "YOU are the one that loves the piano. I hate it. Now that you're taking lessons, we shouldn't have to any more." He does have a point, but he still has to keep taking lessons for a few more years.