Venus If you Will

I'm probably the last to know about this, but this razor ROCKS!!! It has shave gel bars on it that you just get wet and then start shaving. You will never have to buy shave gel again! You don't get nicks and cuts with it! Your life will never be the same. . .really.

Elder Friedel & Elder Friedel

Here are my sweet twin nephews at the MTC. The one on the left is now at the Argentina, Rosario mission and the one on the right is now at the Dominican Republic, Santiago mission. They are great missionaries and I'm so proud of them making this decision to serve.

Sister Scotty

Bryn said the word "dang" today. Scotlyn informed her that we don't say that word. Bryn said, "Oops!" Scotlyn said, "It's okay. Even I won't tell on you cuz that's what sisters do." I'll have to remind her of that the next time she starts tattling (which was 5 minutes ago).

All True Southerners. . .Bless Their Hearts

We've lived in the south for about 11 months and I still haven't become a true southerner. I'm trying, so here's my cheat sheet.

All true southerners:
1. Know every carbonated drink is a "Coke". Even if they want a Pepsi or Sprite they say they want a "Coke".
2. Know license plates are called "tags".
3. Pronounce cities with "ville" in them as "vull" (i.e. Nashvull, Louisvull, Knoxvull).
4. Understand that an Interstate is any major road (including interstates).
5. Can show or point out to you the general direction of "yonder."
6. Know exactly how long "directly" is - as in: "Going to town, be back directly (generally pronounced dreckly).
7. (even babies), know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl on the middle of the table.
8. Know that "fixin'" can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb. (As in, I was fixin to go over to BettyLou's. Or, we had a huge Christmas dinner with all the fixins. Or, are you fixin my car next?).
9. Know that the term "booger" can be a resident of the nose, a descriptive, as in "that ol' booger," a first name, or something that jumps out at you in the dark and scares you senseless.
10. Can make friends while standing in lines.
11. Never refer to only one person as "y'all"... more than three is way more than one, it's "all y'all".
12. Know you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway. You just say, "Bless her heart" and go your own way.

Enriching

Tonight I went to an Enrichment activity on the lake. I had SO MUCH FUN!!! I wasn't planning on having so much fun, it just happened. I thought I would just go, socialize for a few minutes, and sneak out (I didn't think many people would be there). No, I actually went tubing! It was a double tube and Krystin and I went together. It was HILARIOUS!!! We were laughing the entire time! I got an ab workout laughing so hard. By the end, I was SOAKING and enriched with the bond of sisterhood! I love my ward family and the sisters in it!

The Paparazzi & Red Carpet

Bryn's Birthday Bash

For Bryn's birthday we had a "High School Musical 2" Premiere Party on Friday. All the girls dressed up like movie stars and walked the red carpet that we had laid out on the the driveway when they arrived. My friend, Amy, and Jared posed as paparazzi and took pictures of them on the red carpet. Then, they went inside for a gourmet meal of hot dogs and tater tots. After which, they went to the bonus room that was decorated as a movie theatre. We had Bryn's HSM posters complete with white Christmas lights around them to give the mood of a theatre when the lights were off. The girls loved the movie and had a great time. In all, we had 18 girls but not all are pictured here. From left to right: Kara, Bryn, Carley, Brianna, Alix, Rachel A., Ashley, Addi, Taylor, Nicole, Anna, Rachel N., Raquel, and Kirsten. More pictures to follow. . .

The Seamstress: A Memoir of Survival

Just in case you want another book to read, this is the new book we are reading in Book Club. It is a true and inspiring Holocaust survival story. The author is Sara Tuvel Bernstein. Enjoy!

The Club

So, I just got back from Book Club and the questions were compelling , the conversation provocative. We laughed and cried and related personal experiences that were similar to the book characters' experiences. Please read this book if you haven't already. It's so interesting!

Cold Sassy Tree

I just read this, about a month ago, for Book Club this Thursday. It is so FANTASTIC!! It takes place in the early 1900's and is set in the south--Cold Sassy, Georgia to be precise. It has humor, romance, tragedy, and suspense. It makes you laugh and cry. I can always tell when I think I've found a great book if it makes me laugh OUT LOUD. I highly recommend this book! I am so excited to discuss it in book club as there are so many controversial issues and I know we'll have some great conversation.

Things That Make You Go, Hmm. . .

This is a shopping cart. People here call it buggy. Hmmm. . .

Honky Tonk

All ya'all, I've been noticing southern accents again. I noticed them when we first moved here, but then it was the norm and I didn't notice anymore. When my sister came she got a kick out of the southern accents and southern expressions she found everywhere she went and I started hearing them again, too. Some accents sound thick and hick-like, others are Honky Tonk, and others are "Designing Women" drawls. I would say the Honky Tonk is the most common. It sounds like how Country Music stars sound when they talk--or sing. Bryn started saying "Golly!" We nipped that one in the bud real quick because it sounded hick-like. Coco has a speech therapist that has a nice southern accent and I think she may pick it up. Golly! Bless her heart. . .

Like a Little Schoolgirl

So, the girls started school. They have a strict dress code policy here. (All shirts must have a collar and be solid in color. Pants, shorts, or skirts with belt loops must be worn with a belt. No carpenter pants or pants or shirts with logos or with pockets bigger than a credit card). I didn't think I'd like this policy, but I really do now. It's nice to see all of the children wearing basically the same thing and they always look so nice and neat.

Scotty started Kindergarten today and Bryn started 4th grade last Wednesday. Two of my little girls are in school now and I don't know whether to cry (like a little schoolgirl) or PARTY! Coco keeps walking around the house asking, "Whe Cotty, whe Bin?" (Where's Scotty, where's Bryn?"). I think we're both lost without them.