Snow Day 2 Sledding Day 1

Sole was so EXCITED to go sledding with the girls in the neighborhood...about45 minutes later as I was on my way to go get pictures she comes tearing up the walk saying NO NO NO NO COLD COLD COLD COLD!!!!!! She threw off her boots and gloves and ran to the sink to put her hands under hot water...still not sure if she liked it or not...she is BUSY drinking her HOT CHOCOLATE!!!!!

Letter FROM Josh 7 Dec 2009

(these are Solita's older brother and sisters when they lived in the US for a few years...Solita wasn't even thought of then!) Josh...this picture speaks volumes about who you are and how you have ALWAYS been so easy going and willing to share! I miss those snug in the chair days with picture books!!!!

Hey family!

This week was pretty good. it was the last week of the transfer, so we will be getting transfer news tonight. but i dont think i will be going anywhere. we had some baptisms on sunday which was really good. there were two for my area but technicaly only one because the second was a girl that was taught by other missionarys and came here to be baptised because her family stays here and her records will be in the ward of the people that taught her. then the other missionarys in the branch (the ones that i had to show around at the beggining of the transfer) also had two. one of them was a lady i had been teaching and then handed ovr to them, so that was good to see. and then the other was somebody that they found on their own and that is totally commited and awesome so bada-bing one month later and she is baptised. Its funny how some areas can have so many baptisms and others have so few when missionarys are doing their best in both areas. my first 3 months i had 1 baptism then in arusha i had 6 in 6 months and i have been here for 4 1/2 and have had 15. these people are just ready here. which is funny because mombasa is like 80% muslim and 5% hindu. but the ones that are christian are coming fast. its a major blessing.
The rest of the week was kinda just normal. We had to go do some shopping for the new flat. or pricing anyway. we still have to send a list of all the stuff we need with the prices to one of the couples so that they can send us the money to go and buy the beds and couch and stove and etc. We should move in sometime this week. but that will also depend on when we get the money and when the electricity is connected.
We finally got the general conference ensign! i know its like two months later than you all got to hear them but it makes me excited since we dont get to see it here. i havent finished it yet, i am jus starting the sunday morning sesion, but it has all been good so far. i am excited to finish it because most people tell me that their favorites have been from the sunday sesions.
i love you guys. if i get transer news and anything is changing for me (once again i dont think it will but you never know) ill try to come back to send that message to you but i cant promise anything.
Love your guts! you are all my favorite!
Elder Harris

P.S. my mom was right. i dont mind that she is a bit obsesive of me and that she freaks out if i e-mail a day late. i thinks its funny, plus its because she loves me. what could be better than that

Love you Josh

Well Lovebug...
Week number 57 down and on to 58.
These old Christmas pictures are 1995...those were the days-- when Breakfast with Santa was the highlight of the month! So easy to be a fun Mom then.

It snowed today, and is snowing tonight...not much stayed,but maybe by morning we'll have a few inches. It is COLD..suppose to be 11 degrees in the morning. That probably sounds pretty nice to you right now. You are so going to love the hot tub in the snow!
How is the ankle? The companion? The country? The uprisings :) ? Your sweet and tolerant feelings for your ridiculous Mother?
Michelle and boys came for Michelle and Robert's birthday dinner tonight. I wish for once I could remember to take their picture! Robert has really put his man on. I guess it's time since this is his 18th birthday...but it still surprises me.
Sole is our resident celebrity. Kelly Harline came by to interview her for her BYU Spanish 106 class. There was a lot of giggling so I think it went well.
I saw Alyssa Chischille with her family the other day and she said to say hi. She is hoping for Med School. She has been working for Sis. Savage and realized what a great profession it can be after you pay the price. I was impressed with how sweet and good she is...her family has moved to Paige, Arizona and she is living in the house and renting out rooms. Tyson joined the Army and is trying for special forces. I just don't know how all those mom's do it.
We had tithing settlement today. Brindy and Ryan Slade blessed their new baby girl ELLA. The new Sunbeams for next year came into Primary to "try" sitting in Sharing Time...they did GREAT!I love those little guys...they just want to know when snack time is...no wonder I love them! We had the kids make the angels for the angel tree and Kim Peterson brought glitter and they were SOOOOOO happy and made a pretty good mess. Somehow I just know that that building is happier now with the floors more sparkily. Megan took Sole home to her apartment for a sleepover after dinnertonight, she'll bring her back in time for school tomorrow. Michael came and left, had 2 dates with different girls this weekend and I guess neither of them struck his fancy. Sam is working on another paper. He has Honors English and History ---both classes require way more than I would have expected but he is brilliant and doing well. Just likes to moan before actually getting around to it....he also picked up a habit from I DON'T KNOW WHO where he doesn't start till like 10 or 10:30. Spencer needs a job and is looking. Dad heads out tomorrow and I don't have a project lined up. Might just not do one.
Tiger Woods had an affair and the media is taking him to the cleaners. Spencer seems pretty indifferent about it. I am just sad for him and all he has to go through so publicly.
NINETEEN DAYS till we get to TALK...let us know what will be best this time.
Sorry not much new.
I love you. I love you more than my new electric blanket that I thank God someone was smart enough to invent and wish I had tried it YEARS ago. I love you more than my first meal after the 9 day cleanse/fast...and believe me...that was euphoric. I love you more than sitting in the hot tub in the snow. I love you more and more and more and more....
XXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOO MOM OOOXXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOOXXX

Ward Christmas Party

Yesterday we started the morning early at the Ward Christmas Party. FINALLY (like the first in 5 years...they had one geared to the WHOLE FAMILY...meaning the CHILDREN. I was SO PLEASED!!!! The Reeves are an amazing family in our ward among whose gifts is to PLAN PARTIES!!!! They did an excellent job. I think even the seniors had a good time! Sole sure did. To introduce Santa they gave everyone a "part" to act out in "Twas the Night Before Christmas"...Don was the porch and I was the Wall :) They served sweet Christmas breads and fruits. Had tables for the kids to make cards and play games. A lovely way to start a Saturday morning. No. I did not eat.
And I did not eat at Winger's when the whole family went since Don is leaving for Guatemala this week. No. I DID NOT EAT the Pizza from Papa Murphy's for dinner.
We went to hear Michelle Lewis give her INCREDIBLE talk at her Stake Conference (she is in a different Stake than us). She is my sister. We don't need the same blood...it's still just as real.
But as soon as she was done and I was done being nervous for her...that sicko hunger, that ACHE in my upper rib cage, thatI am miserable, I hate everybody, must eat now feeling from the last 2 days over came me. As we left I looked at Don and said "I think I'm going to eat. Right now." He says"do we need to go get oranges and orange juice?" (that is how you are SUPPOSE to come off the cleanse). NO. I DO NOT WANT AN ORANGE OR ORANGE JUICE. He raises his eyebrows in that Damned if I do, damned if I don't expression WAITING for me....then he can tell I haven't really decided to break it and still wants to be the good guy and says..."You know I will take you WHERE EVER YOU WANT". People, that was it. It was all over. It was. It just was. I DID EAT. I'm NOT telling you what and I'm NOT telling you where. I will tell you that on the way, my mouth was literally FILLED with saliva in anticipation. I have NEVER had that experience. I can tell you, that the first mouthful was NOT a disappointment. Yes. I felt sick when I was done. GLORIOUSLY SICK. I swear I LIKED it. But when I got home I didn't want the treats. I didn't want the cold pizza. I had had enough. And this morning I don't have any cravings. I don't even feel like eating. I'm ready to continue the journey I started. Maybe there really is a part of food snob coming back. Yes Sara, I am a wuss. And there is NO WAY I'm calling you or texting you to fess up. I'll just be waiting...and somehow magically be able to run the whole route tomorrow:)

Happy Birthday Grandmom!

I thought of you alot during the day yesterday wondering what kind of a celebration you were having over there. John Davis TRIED to stop by to see GrandDad but he wasn't home. The picture of us on the porch with Abigail made me remember how she was SO BIG and would just knock me over trying to get loves. A hundred other memories came flooding back as I went through the pictures to find ones to scan. The peanut butter cookies in the cupboard by the stove made me smile...and HUNGRY!!! Have my own stash now...carrying on the tradition.
LOVE YOU!!!!

Day 7 --YES...SEVEN!!!!

Let's just say I'm a little preoccupied with FOOD right now...and I think Day 7 just might be the hardest day so far on this cleanse. And hey...making dinner for the fam...I want an AWARD!!! Especially since this is some of my favorite ...so favorite I think ALL of you should have the recipe so here goes:
Chicken Cashew Stir Fry
(given to me by Barb Muirhead and she got it out of a Women's Day Magazine at least 12 years ago)

2 cups broccoli
4 oz. snow peas
1 carrot sliced
1 med. bell pepper
1/2 cup (I ALWAYS use more :)) cashews

1 envelope lipton onion soup mix
3T soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sugar and ginger
1 1/2 cups of water
Throughly combine and set aside
Put 3 Tbls vegt. oil in frying pan and heat.
Cut up 1 pound of chicken breasts into strips and stir fry 3 minutes. Add Vegies and soup mix. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Stir in nuts, serve over rice. Super yummy with fresh pineapple on the side.

As you can see, I only had broccoli and carrots and it is STILL YUMMY.

Tuesday night was the Relief Society Christmas Progressive Dinner. I SO WISH I had taken my camera...the homes were beautiful and the food about did me in...I took two appetizer...my favorite green onion cheese ball (buy it at Smith's--ready made heaven) and Spinach Dip. And as long as I am sharing some of my all time favorites...you WANT THIS ONE!!!

SPINACH DIP
(This was given to me by Jan Fowler like 25 years ago)
2 cups Mayo
2 cups sour cream
1 package KNORR's LEAK soup mix
1 can or cup of water chesnuts
1 small bunch of green onions
1 package of frozen spinach thawed and squeezed
Put the last four items in food processor until finely chopped. Mix all together. Hollow out french bread loaf and buy a 2nd loaf for dipping. I like it best on day two. You are SOOOOO gonna love me!!!!

Tuesday was day 5!!! And I DID NOT EAT ANYTHING THE whole progressive dinner!!! Where IS that AWARD??? Alas, the food snob in me still has not returned and it is day 7...I wonder when she's coming back????

A BOOK I would give the world...

This isn't the END all...but it's a good beginning to CHANGING all. I love it when books CHANGE me. It's not a spectacular read. What is spectacular are the ideas and the UNDERSTANDING it awakens in your brain and heart. I want to thank our marriage counselor for giving us each a copy and asking that we read it. I would name him by name but he doesn't take any new clients...I sincerely hope that that is not because I have exhausted him for life. For those of you who really know me you are smiling with understanding right now. Now for those of you who are gasping because we are in marriage counseling I am sorry to startle you. Unfortunately, 26 married years later, I am still not perfect, and still can't quite see my way to the next level. I love imperfectly. I think we all do. I want to love better...and there ARE people out there who have the gift of showing the way. I am so grateful I found one of them. There are books to be read that can help too...and this IS one of them. And hey...I'm not out of here yet...and with more help, and LIFE CHANGING books...who KNOWS how loving I might end up BEING!!!!! Many of YOU are my light leading the way---through you I KNOW there is another level and I want to join you there.