Busy, busy, busy...

Boy have things been busy lately. For a week, I wasn't home before 9 pm and it's taken it's toll. All I want to do this week is sleep!

Here are some of the highlights:

• Spent a couple of nights with the family. Youngest nephew left me a voicemail, it was so cute. Was told by my 2nd niece that I am her favorite aunt! (since she has 7 aunts I felt this was a great thing, even if she was just trying to avoid going to bed! And yes, it worked...I let her sit and rock with me a bit longer.)
• Spent some great time at Friday's Kids and played a great game of 'Duck, Duck, Goose'.
• Went to a fun basketball game with roommate.
• And in the midst of everything, I even got my laundry done!

Now, if I can just get through this week at work everything will be great. I've got a couple of days of vacation next week, added to the holiday, I don't have go all week! I can't wait for my vacation to start Friday at 5.

Halloween

I borrowed my brother's 4 kids tonight and took them to a spook alley. They were raising money for Friday's Kids and I thought it would be fun to go. The youngest 2 got a little scared and only went through with me once, but the older 2 had a blast and went 4 times. The youngest nephew kept saying "guy scare me". All in all it was a fun night.

Happy Halloween!

This weekend...

my sister and brother-in-law moved into their new house. Yay! It's beautiful and going to be so fun for them.

I got the best job during moving day - I got to play with my 18 month old niece and my 20 month old nephew. When I went to get my niece, I helped my sister with a little packing while we waited for my brother to get there with his son. It's a good thing we got my neice out of her house before too many people got there to move everything. I was folding up her blankets that were in her crib and she threw a fit when I put them in a bag for moving. I'm not sure what she thought I was up to, but those were *her* blankets! (My sister said that she won't sleep unless all 5 of her blankets are in the crib with her. Crazy kid!)

The kids were good and we even went to the grocery store before going to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We made "tooties" (cookies), played with lots of toys, read stories and ate noodles. It was a fun day!

Last organ class

I just finished my last organ class. It did get better and although I'm not sure I'll ever be a fantastic organist, I might (with some practicing) be a passable organist. We'll have to see if I can work in the practice time. Let's hope someone who knows how to play moves into the ward in the next 3 months because I noticed on Sunday that the organ playing is messing with my piano playing in Relief Society. Seems I can play one or the other.

Vacation

I just got back from a marvelous vacation. I got to go spend 4 wonderful days with a dear friend and her 4 kids. We did many fun things, but I liked seeing the new "Lincoln Log House" the best! Such a fun home. I can't wait to go back and see it after they've finished remodeling and moving in.

Sam also spent hours sewing a border for my mom's Christmas gift and I can't wait to put it together. I'm going to have it done by Thanksgiving for you to see.

I already miss little Strawberry Shortcake and am counting down the days until I get to see her at Thanksgiving. I miss holding the baby and listening to her 'talk' to me too. And I loved learning about bugs from the boys. There is a whole other world out there if you look through the eyes of little boys.

Thanks again Sam, for letting me visit you and for the greatest vacation I've had in quite awhile.

The cutest niece ever!

I just went to my sisters blog and saw an adorable picture (well 2 cute pictures but the second one is the best!).

My niece in her snowsuit + the first snowstorm = cutest photo I've ever seen!

http://wesandkatrinasouthwick.blogspot.com/2008/10/snow.html

Organ class

I decided to take a community education class on how to play the organ. The organ has always fascinated me and it seemed like the next thing to learn once you can play the piano. Now, I feel that I am a good pianist but I just can not figure out this organ stuff! Our teacher said it best this week. "Take everything you learned in piano [speaking of fingering, posture, playing which notes with which hand, etc.] and throw it out. All you need to remember are the notes."

I'm not sure this is something you can pick up in a 6 week course and I think you have to do a lot more practicing than I am. I'm struggling with having to go to the church to practice and I am embarrassed to practice if others are around.

Today my songs actually sounded like Hymns and I was getting my feet playing on the right notes, so maybe I should give it more than 2 weeks before I give up! :)

But here's the real challenge, the bishop has all but called me to be the organist when my roommate has to leave the ward in January. I'm in his office on Sunday to receive a different calling but in the middle of the conversation he asks me if I know how to play the organ. I tell him no, but then feeling like I can't lie by omission to the bishop in his office, tell him that I am taking a class right now. So he gets really excited and tells me to have her show me everything she knows. I tried telling him that I would only be there 5 months after her, but I think he's thinking I will be the new organist. I'm not sure that I can figure it out that quickly, even if I am starting to pick up on how to play the thing. Let's hope someone moves into the ward that already knows how to play the organ!