And then there was a Date

Oh, it was all planned before the sweet 16 birthday party! 

 She actually had two other guys who talked about taking her out, as well, but something got in the way for both of them.  One is in show choir and they are busy, busy right now and the other one's double date fell through.  I am sure she will have plenty of opportunities, though!

Rob just missed the send off and I was at work, but Joseph got out the machete and wielded it in front of the young man, just for good measure.

They headed to a mall and did a scavenger hunt with the other couple they were double dating with.

Emma and her date, Payton, won.

The other guy said, "100 points for the first couple back to the house."  They decided to let the loosing team have those points, so they climbed a big pile of snow and rolled down it a couple times.  Then they leisurely made their way back to Sam's house.  Amazingly enough, Sam and Karissa still hadn't made it back.  They had forgotten where they had put the car!  Ha ha!  They finally realized they had walked out the wrong side of the mall to get to it and made their way home.  Then they all made pizza 

and cupcakes and played Compatibility, which Emma and Payton also won.  Poor Sam and Karissa.  Sam's mom came visiting teaching the other day and told me that Sam was not used to loosing, so that was a hard date for him.  Guess he better go with Emma next time!

Sweet Sixteen

Sweet 16 and never been kissed!

  It was true and ;therefore, this little princess got a cash reward from her Daddy!  She had to give some of it back for damaging the bumper of our car, but Rob said he would hold it for her until she can make it to 16 1/2 without being kissed.  Her and Sam were talking about how long they could go, getting money every 6 months, but we told them that eventually they had to kiss around a little- to weed out the bad kissers!

She also got her (traditional) first real piece of jewelry- we got her one of those bead bracelets with a few beads on it-  a couple with garnets for January, a soccer ball, a pearl for her 16th birthday, a princess bead and a couple pretty blue ones.  Grandma and Grandpa Keck also got her a treasure box that actually opens and has "jewels" inside.  All the girls were excited about that one!

We set up a Candy bar

and a photo booth.

Sam and Max did some photo bombing! 

The girls danced

and played 

and did ice cream cake

and presents,

then we got out the glow necklaces, 

Emma's crown and sash

and went cosmic bowling on base.  There was almost no one there when we arrived, but about 1/2 hour into it a youth group showed up and took the rest of the lanes.  We did M&M bowling on one lane and regular bowling on the other.  I found the M&M bowling on the Dating Diva's website.  You have to bowl a certain way, depending on what color of M&M you blindly pick.  There was granny style, 

bowl with the opposite hand,

your date gets to bowl for you, backwards

and roll it with your foot.

Besides the lights, they were playing fun songs, so the girls dances at the bowling alley too. 

It was a really fun night. 

Emma has been asked out for this coming Saturday and talked to about going out with two other guys- one that turns 16, today.  He gave her a snowflake necklace on her birthday, so we had to run and get him something for his birthday as well.  Craziness may in sue- but we are hoping that she keeps her head on her shoulders as well as she has done thus far!

Happy Sweet 16, Princess!  

Poor Sam

Poor Sam- it seems like everything major happens to him.  Yesterday he had eye surgery.  He really didn't want it and I was kind of against it.  I have taken a firm stance against surgery unless absolutely necessary.  But in the end, I was swayed.  That left Sam with no choice, so he asked Rob for a blessing.  He is such a strong, good boy!  He is the deacon's president right now, but I have no doubt in my mind that he will be called to many more leadership positions.  

Monday, Rob gave him a blessing that he would heal and continue strong and active.

Tuesday we went in to the hospital and after talking to the nurse and nurse practitioner they decided along with the anesthesiologist to put Sam out with some Versed and some gas before they put in his IV.  The anesthesiologist took a look at the report the cardiologist sent and said, "24 seconds without a heart beat, that's a really long time!"  Yes, thank you!  I don't know if the the cardiologist was trying to comfort me or he just really thought it was no big deal, but I personally think 24 seconds without your heart beating is a big thing!!  Anyway, they didn't want to repeat that episode.  The nurse had put lidocaine patches on his hands and she said to not worry, that she had been a nurse for 12 years, so I wasn't as worried.  Really knowing that they were putting him under without an IV in place was just as nerve racking for me.  Sometimes it's not a good thing to know too much!

Everything went fine, though and he is now sleeping.

I went to Young Women's last night after we got him home.   By the time I got home he was really pale and I could tell something was wrong.  I asked him if he wanted some tylenol.  "Will that help take the pain away, "  He said.  Poor guy!  We had a talk about how he was suppose to tell me that he needed some medicine before he let the pain get so that he couldn't stand it anymore or the medicine wouldn't work as well.  He is too tough for his own good at times.

So Far in 2013

So far...

We had a wonderful New Year's Celebration with friends who invited us just a day or two before New Year's to come to their house and celebrate.  We were so glad we got the invite, because we were super lazy this year and didn't want to do anything ourselves!  We had lots of fun playing games, playing ping pong,

dancing,

singing

and making merry.

A day or two into 2013, we went with the same friends to the ski hill and went tubing.  They had this wonderful conveyer belt,

so that you didn't even have to do the work of getting up the hill, before you went swooshing down it again.  We kept trying to write our names in the snow on the side of the belt as it carried us along.  If you wrote it on the left, you could usually get it- although Deborah is really hard to get all done!

If you tried it on the right, you had to do one or two letters per ride or have the people in back of you write the next couple letters.

They had 5 different hills- 4 and 5 being the most fun runs!  They allowed up to 3 tubes in a train on all the hills,

but on 2 and 4 they were letting unlimited amounts.  We saw trains of more than 20 tubes!

When we first got there, they were making new snow and shooting it right into your face.  The temperature was only in the 20's to begin with.  It was so cold, I thought we were never going to fully enjoy this!  The spray from the snow as you barreled down the run, stung so badly that you had to close your eyes and sometimes cover your face with your hands.

We took a break around their outdoor firepit around 1030-1100 and then decided to go in for lunch.  After lunch, the sun had come out and we had a blast!!

We were the very last group off the mountain.  Some of the workers climbed on our tube train and came down with us- we caught some great air!

And in other fun happenings... I cut the tip of my thumb off.  I super glued and steri stripped it back on and it is healing nicely now. 

I can't feel anything with it, but otherwise, not bad.  It's amazing to watch the body knit itself back together!  

We are in the midst of physicals and other preparations for our move now, birthdays and working with the new church curriculum-  all items for another post.  Oh and then there is the new bow purchase- hmmm- not sure I want to really get into that one.

Merry Christmas

We didn't end up going to see family and friends out west, which was probably a good thing, considering Robert still isn't done with his thesis and he went in almost every day.  He did, however; get all his calculations done!  

I did get some baking done and get it off to friends.

Besides these, I did caramels.  The caramels and the candy apples are always the biggest hit!

Our cards this year were a little more on the sparser side.  I think less and less people are doing them- sad!

Christmas eve we did the traditional Christmas story.  Joseph always plays Joseph and Emma is always Mary.  That leaves the rest of the parts to the other two boys.  Sam was the angel, the wisemen (all of them!), and King Herod. 

Joseph is really excited about the gifts the baby got!

Max was the shepherds- all of them.  Don't you like his "sore afraid" face? 

Dad reads the narrative and mom slaughters the songs on the piano as we all slaughter the singing of the words.  Unfortunately, I never practice and none of us can sing.  Thankfully, we were the only ones around to hear us.

This year we also had everyone perform a Christmas song.  Even Max participated.  He has been begging me to let him take lessons.  I decided for half a year, it wasn't worth it, but have been teaching him myself (when I get the chance.)

Christmas morning is still lots of fun!  The kids are still very excited.

Santa wrote us another letter (ala JRR Tolkien style).  It was two pages long and explained why he fled north and how he got his sleigh.

I love the beauty of Christmas!

I love the days off to play and bond.

I love new stuff- even though the electronics do bring some headaches!

I love the traditions and the excitement of getting a present that delights the person you got it for!

Especially we love the meaning of Christmas and the wonderful story that we re-enact each year!