Well, I am finally back after a month of crazy Christmas trips and not feeling good. The week after my last post I started aching and did not feel good. I made it through the end of school frenzy before Christmas but only by taking Excedrin most days to stop the aching. I started to feel better and it was time to go to Texas. Larry couldn't go because his work banned all emergency leave from December 20th until January 2 and that was all he had left for the year. So Erick, BJ, and I took off with our map from Mapquest and started across country to see Nathan and Sara and the crew. Things went pretty well the first day but I had to stop so much for the bathroom that I decided to stop taking the Excedrin and then I really got feeling bad. Sore throat, aches and chills, all the way to Kerrville where John and Judy live. Luckily they would still take us in even though it was possible I could be bringing them more than a Christmas present. After sleeping and taking some medicine I felt much better and had a good visit with Judy, John, Jane, David, Mike, Sandra and their children. Hillary had grown alot from our last visit four years ago and seemed to enjoy talking to Erick and BJ. The baby that we saw the last time was now almost 5 and seeing him really put it in perspective how long it had been. We had a great brunch with the family and exchanged gifts and moved on to Houston.

We had a good trip to Houston and I kept thinking that I would be able to go to an urgent care when I finally got to Houston but by the time I got there and had dinner with the family the urgent cares were closed. So I made Nathan take me to the nearest Target and we bought a big bottle of Excedrin and went back to the drugs for comfort. We had a great night when we got there watching Nacho Libre and eating taco's and other Mexican food. We were able to stay with Nathan and Sara in their duplex on air mattresses. They have a spacious place and it was fun to be there full time, but Sara had to put up with a bed on the Living Room and Office floor for three days. Sara's mom Gail was also there. She is staying with Sara while Nathan is gone and we had a good visit with her also. We had a good time playing games and watching movies and eating good food for three days. Sara made some really good food and by Christmas night I was feeling better.

We went to Nathan and Sara's ward on Christmas Eve and then some couple missionaries there helped us contact Weston's mission president to see if we could see Weston when we took the package Annette had sent with us. He said, "no!" so we gave the package to the missionaries to take to him and called him to tell him the situation. It was good to talk to him on the phone for a few minutes.

We got up early the day after Christmas and left Houston hoping to make it back for Maren's graduation from Fran Brown at 2:00p.m. on the 27th. We drove straight through and I enjoyed reading some genealogy magazines that Judy had given us for Christmas all across Texas. I felt pretty good all the way home. We made it home by noon on the 27th just before the Snow started to fall. We had dry roads down and back. Nathan called us about 6:00 a.m. when we were in Moab eating breakfast because he had heard about the big storm coming in and he was worried but it had not arrived and we made it safely. After the storm arrived I was glad that we had needed to get home so fast because we would not have had dry roads a day later.

I tried to go without my medicine on the Thursday I got back and found out I was not better. I went to the doctor and had a strep test and it was negative so I went home and took my drugs and began finishing up the plans for the Jenkins, Presser, Christiansen party that we had planned for Saturday morning at our church.

The party seemed to go well, despite some minor gliches like the Primary also scheduled the cultural hall for their breakfast activity that morning so we had to move the Humanitarian projects into the Multipurpose room. But it went well and then we had a good dinner with Ham and Turkey and rolls and numerous salads and desserts. We had a video of Steven and his companions entertaining in Ukraine and some entertainment by Ethan and Hailee and Ashley and Uncle Gary. Craig and Corrinne's little boys had strep the last minute so they could not come but eventually most of the family showed up. Then we cleaned up and our family went to our house and opened our presents. Larry worked the whole day, then went to a team meeting for school. I was frustrated but we still love each other.

Sunday I got so sick with aches and chills at church again that I had Larry call the doctor. I talked him into giving me an antibiotic and went to bed for New Years Eve. I slept most of the day on New Years and got feeling much better in the evening and was able to go to work on the 2nd and feel good the rest of the week. So at least by then I had something that was bacterial. BJ took a date to first night in Salt Lake for New Year's Eve. Erick invited some friends over to the house and I shut my door and ignored them. I think the rest of the kids stayed home with their families.

I was really grateful to get feeling better for school. We just had two more weeks until the end of the term and I needed to be able to do my job. Larry received a promotion the first day back that entailed that he be at work at seven a.m. At the same time his car started acting up again on him and we had to carpool. I was able to complete several projects that I had to do in the hour and a half that I had to get to school early so I felt like things were going good.

Larry's promotion is a good one. He is making $3.00 an hour more and working more hours. We feel like we have been really blessed. I am really proud of him. He didn't think he would make it to coach until maybe another year and he is there now. We have really felt the help of the Lord as we have worked through our finances. It really pays to pay your tithing and counsel with the Lord.

I was aching and chilling again this weekend but I think it is a combination of not enough sleep and the cold. We have really seen the temperatures drop this past week. I am feeling okay tonight so I guess this is my new trial for the year.

I am still teaching primary with a sister in our ward. Larry decided that he wanted to go to Priesthood and get to know some of the men in our ward better so they released him but I am sure they will find a job for him. We are on the early schedule from 9:00-12:00 in the morning. Larry is going to school still but I am only finishing up ESL Endorsement and other projects for my Technology Endorsement. We also have curriculum maps to do at school for each subject.

Michelle is the Relief Society book club leader which must be something unique to their ward, she is also the choirster for young women, and the achievement day leader for the 8-10 year olds. Dan is ward mission leader and rotating organist. Hailee and Ethan are learning the song "On the road again" to sing as a duet for their choir in March. Michelle is struggling because she is trying to lose 20 lbs. and Daniel is trying to gain 20 lbs. so she is having to fix him all the things that she cannot eat.

Jake is trying to figure out how to go back to school. He has been exploring on line universities and trying to figure out if their accrediatation is going to be what he wants. The kids have colds. Lexie is back in school after being off track during and before Christmas. Jake bought a new car when his work car broke down and it would cost more than it was worth to fix it. He was really upset when a week later a Christmas tree that was on the curb rolled into the road and hit his car and did body damage so his new car is going in the shop tomorrow.

BJ is alive but has lots of girl friends. He has one that is more than a friend named Holly Milligan. He just started the new semester and hates his schedule. He is still working for Alert Cellular but looking for a new job. He says he might start running again. I think he needs to start going to bed earlier. He is a real night owl at school. He agrees.

Erick finally got the courage to ask a girl out on the same day he was going to take her out after all his dates fell through yesterday. He has staunchly defended his position that it is rude to ask a girl out on the same day up until yesterday. He had a good time too. He likes his schedule for school. He was happy to find out that his Chemistry class was using the same text that BJ used last semester and BJ didn't make him pay for the use of his book. He is getting really busy in his University of Utah ward.

Maren takes her state test on the 27th of January. She has a job working nights at Hair Play here in Kaysville when she passes. She has enjoyed being home with Brinlie and spending more time with her. She is planning on having a family party for Brinlie's birthday this Saturday at 6:00 p.m. You should be getting an invitation. Landon is still working for his dad in the family business but is working towards starting school now Maren is finished. They took Binlie sleigh riding on Saturday with all the snow.

Kirsten and Jon took the kids sleigh riding on Saturday also. They have all the kids for the weekend. Kyle has been sick with a cold so Kirsten was glad we have the four day weekend from school so he can rest. She and Jon have been working hard to keep up financially. Jon has two jobs so I hope that he does not overload himself. Larry and Dad tell me that is just standard operating for Dad's sometimes. I know John Christiansen also had two jobs for a while.

Sara has been in Missouri for a while. Her brother came home from his mission on the 4th of January. He spoke today in his ward. She was going to go home to Houston today but there has been an ice storm so they decided to wait until tomorrow. Sara went down to McAllen, Texas to stay with Nathan for a week before she went to Missouri so they have been on the road alot this month.

Nathan gave me his address last week and I finally got it in my head that he is in McAllen instead of Brownsville. Larry said that Jeff spent some of his time on his mission in McAllen, Texas. Nathan tried out for a part in a play called "Once Upon a Mattress" and he got a part as an understudy to one of the leads and he is in the chorus there in McAllen. He has had several people from the ward there invite him over for dinner. Someone even invited him for his birthday.

Well I was going to upload some pictures but the battery on my camera is dead and I left the charger in Texas so as soon as Sara is back in Texas then maybe I can show you some pictures of our trip and other things.