Snow, Snow, Snow!

Well today is the most snow we have received since Matt and I moved here. We already have about 3 inches of snow, I know, that's not a lot but it seems like a lot for us since we really haven't gotten any yet. Anyhew, I have the day off because my one lesson is in Charlottesville and the only way to get there is on a very, very curvy road. This picture is down the street from our house. The area is growing very quickly.

My piano has arrived!

My new piano arrived today, YAY AND FINALLY! I am so happy. I have already had my 1st lesson with it and my student loved it. I played it for 2 hours after it came, up until my student got here. Once she left I played it again for an hour and a half. I love having a piano in the house. Matt was pretty surprised too, because he didn't think I was as good as I am. Humph, how rude. But he likes to hear me playing as well. I have been working on things to play as interlude music for my new calling in church. Primary pianist. I love my new calling. Here are pix of the piano.

Happy New Year!

Happy new year everyone!!!

Things are going great here. We had the same fam that came over for Christmas over for New Year's eve. they all spent the night here and we had a ton of fun. Their kids are so cute. The 4 kids fell asleep at 8pm and the rest of us watched a movie until 11:55. Then we got the bubbly (welches white grape cider) and watched the ball drop at Time Square. We had so much fun.

Here is a pix of our Christmas Dinner table setting

"Merry Christmas Mom!" Matt calling his family on Christmas Day.

"Merry Christmas everyone!!!" Me when I was calling my parents.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS TIME!

Here are some pix of our Christmas decorations. Oh and who ordered snow for my birthday, THANK YOU! I LOVE SNOW!

Our Tree. Look at all the gifts under there, thanks Mom and Dad!

First snow of the season!

Our Back yard.

The other side of our back yard

Down the street, look at all the houses that are up.

Thanksgiving

Well Thanksgiving is done. We spent all day at the Assey home, some friends in our branch. We had a ton of fun. We got there about 12:30pm and didn't get home until 11 at night, there is a 30 minute drive home. We had all the traditional food for lunch. They deep fried the turkey but there was so much wind that it just cooked the meat and didn't crisp the outside of the turkey. I cooked the ham, which is so easy by the way and tasted amazing. She made the rolls, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and gravey. I did the salad, mashed taters, and dessert and drinks. We had a ton of fun. They are going to be coming here to our house for Christmas dinner.

Our house is all decorated now, and we took our Christmas pictures the other day, and we will be sending out our first Christmas cards to family. Here's the pix:

On Friday Matt and I are going to be attending a Christmas Ball, that rights I am going to a ball. It is for Matt's work. Very formal attire. The military are asked to wear their nicest uniform and civillians are asked to wear a tux or nice dress suit. Matt got permission to wear his military uniform, since he works as a civillian he needed permission I guess to wear his military uniform. For a Birthday gift to myself I am getting my hair done up nice and pretty. We will be getting pictures at the Ball so look forward to that.

Matt's military profile was accepted so he doesn't have to run for the military for at least the next 5 years in the military. Hopefully his knee will be better by then. So in March Matt will head back to AZ to complete his training for the military.

Anyhew this week is going to be very busy, with; my birthday, getting lesson schedules arranged for January and advertising like crazy for new students. I just got another contact this morning for a student and if I get them that will put me at 18 students. Only 12 more and I hit my max for teaching. Then I will start a waiting list.

Bad Mother Part 2

Argh!!!! I am such a bad mother to our dog. So this morning I was checking his mouth before I was going to brush his teeth and noticed that part of his back molar tooth was missing. There is a huge break in it and a huge chunk is completely missing. Now I have to take him in to the vet today, which is not one of his happy places, probably more so after his "procedure". And someone is going to be messing with his mouth which he hates it when I look at it and they are going to poke and prod it and possibly worse if they have to drill at it or remove it. I don't know how this dog is going to forgive me after this. Worse thing is that I don't even know when this happened. He has been eating fine, so it must not hurt that bad but he was wincing when I was poking and prodding at it. Now he is hiding under my covers sleeping. Poor Archer.

On to happier news after my previous ranting and raving...

We got invited to eat Thanksgiving dinner at a family's home. Beka (since we have the same name it is nice that she like to go by Beka and me Becky) and Basil are the same age as Matt and I and they have 4 kids, one of them is in my primary class, and have been married for 10 years. She was married at 16. It is nice that they are the same age as us but 10 years married. I can't even imagine being married at 16 in high school. So weird. Well they are from UT and have no fam out here so it will be fun. We are going to have a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimming and just split who is making what. So far I am making the Honey Baked Ham, yum, potatoes, yummy, bringing the greens, yummier, and a streusel pumpkin pie, yummiest! She wants to fry the turkey, not sure what that means but I do know that doing that is one of the largest risks for fire at Thanksgiving, the rolls, stuffing, and not sure what else she is doing. It will be good none the less. Anyhew that's all at this end of the US. Stay tuned at the same Allen channel for more to come.

-------------------------Update----------------------------------

Well Archer and I just got back from the vet. He has a lateral tooth fracture. Instead of a vertical cut on the tooth, just the side chunk of tooth was broken off. There is still a piece of tooth in his gums that they have to put him asleep and go and get it. At that time they will see if they can salvage his whole tooth or remove all of it. It is his left molar tooth that has been damaged. He has his apt for Monday morning and it will take a few days for it to heal. At least I am off all next week from teaching to help him. Starting today I have to give him some antibiotic pills, which I have to force feed because he hates taking pills, and a mouth wash stuff I have to squirt into his mouth on his teeth especially the back molar. He is so mad at me now. Well we'll see how he does for the next few days.

-----------------------Update #2---------------------------------

I took Archer to his surgery today. We just got a call from the Dr's office and he did fine during the surgery and they were able to save his tooth. We get him back tonight.

I did a ton of Christmas shopping today. Since we are mailing all the gifts we have to get them quite early and sent out early to make sure they gett there by Christmas. This week since I am not teaching I am decorating the house. I was going to put up the lights on the house, but I think it would be better if Matt was there, just in case he had to call 911 cause I fell off our house. Still trying to figure out how we are going to put lights up and where we, correction, I am going to be putting them. Matt is such a Mr. Grinch about decorating. Anyhew, that's all folks!

Veterans Day

To all the men and women who have served and are currently serving in our wonderful military, Thank you for risking your lives to protect our freedom and our way of life. Including Matt who would do anything he can to remain in the military and fight for our freedom.