Meditations from Mel

We are living the good life in Iowa. I am looking forward to having a new couch to sit on by Christmas: it is forest green leather so I can just wipe it off to clean it. I also made a couple new friends so instead of going to Kambri's school 10x's per week now I go on 4 afternoons. Carpool... what a great thing! I am working on a Christmas letter with a family picture, so if the editor could post current family addresses, it would please me greatly.

Kambri's class has been studying fabric as a science project. How it is made ect. So they read a book called The Queen Made a Quilt. And of course Kambri let her teacher know that her mom and grandma and even her dad knows how to make quilts. So we brought the puff quilt to show the kindergartners. It was a super hit! Now that the weather is getting colder and colder and colder, she is experiencing outside playtime withdrawals.

Michael is happy most of the time, he is learning to write his name, and dress (and undress)himself. He spends a lot of time building camels and horses and other animals with his legos. He lets everyone he sees know that Santa is bringing him a train for Christmas. I think he is just hoping that somehow it will get back to Santa that way.

McKayla can think of and say about 150 words now. I know because Andy said she knew around 50 if that. So I counted them up as she said them yesterday and I came up with 102 words, I figure there are probably 48 more that she knows but just didn't say to me yesterday.

Andy is driving an 87 Honda accord that each of his 8 siblings have wrecked (some 2 times) His parents figured that since it wouldn't pass safety inspection in UT, he could have it. So in August he drove it back from UT and I drove the van. In case of breakdown we planned to just leave it on the road, I always pondered what type of people left their cars. Anyway, the car made it to IA and with a recharged battery, seems to be working fine. It was our old dating car before we got married, that is when I didn't drive. Anyway it makes me laugh, but I am easily amused. Luckily it hasn't snowed yet, but it should this weekend.

I sure feel sad when I think of Christmas in Logandale at 65 degrees or so, and me not there.

Love, Melanie

Marvels from Martha

Hey Fam,

Jeremy and I had Thanksgiving at Logandale--where were the rest of you? November came and went so fast I can't remember what we did. I know we went to Logandale for Thanksgiving and really enjoyed the down home treatment Mom, Dad, Matt, and MK give so graciously. We sat through Matt's dress rehearsal of Arsenic and Old Lace. I guess I never saw the play before because I was not prepared for Matt's, oops, I mean, the "President's" grand entry. When President Roosevelt came out in his authoritative manor blasting a bugle, I jumped right out of my chair. It was a very enjoyable play; Matt does a great job with his role. Mel would be proud that Matt is carrying on the tradition exceptionally. We also went on a four-wheeler trip up to the old Savanic Mines. Between MK's and Dad's memory--MK trying to remember what Grandpa told him, and poor Dad trying to recollect the last time he went, it took us all day to find the spot. Jeremy didn't mind and had plenty of wheelin' time and adventure. In fact, I think he and MK are already planning another trip during Christmas.

The only other thing I can remember about November was preparing for December. So far these past 8 days have whirled by full speed. We've had early morning and after school rehearsals preparing for our Christmas performances. I kept going and going at full speed thinking I had finally gotten the hang of everything. That is until last Sunday when everything caught up. I had a breakdown at church when I thought about having to teach yet another group of kids. A neighbor drive me home while I had one of my mental breakdowns. I was pretty close to forgetting it all and just leaving to Logandale for an extended holiday. After a few hours of crying and then a day of sleep, I acquired the energy I needed to go on. Thank goodness, because this past week I've needed it. We had our Holiday concert Dec. 5th. It went very well. Despite my predictions of either the kids majorly messing up or me tripping on stage, things went surprisingly well. Then yesterday I took my 7th/8th grade chorus to the local mall to sing. They delighted the audience and their music teacher. At times things get pretty discouraging, but then times like yesterday make up for everything. Today I took the jazz band to the local mall. They really put on a show. These are the cream of the crop and I love showing them off. This Tuesday I'm taking them to a big-time mall out of town. Then next Thursday and Friday I'm taking the choir and jazz band to a rest home to sing. I hope they have a memorable experience like I did when Aunt Gaye took us. The final week of school we're going on an elementary school tour and then the jazz band is having their final get together having lunch at Pizza Hut. Next season is marching band.

Jeremy's been preparing for finals and working in the genetics lab: nothing too exciting. Whenever he has free time, I have him help me with a performance or fix all the things I have no idea about (like when a sousaphone mouthpiece end keeps falling off).

We were excited to hear MK's mission call. I don't know about you guys but I was so afraid Mk would get called to Provo, Utah or Boise, Idaho. Paraguay will be a great place to grow and learn in.

So who's coming for Christmas. I hear the party is in Logandale. Chris and Summer, Leslie, MK and Matt will be there. Hope to see you all there!

Take care,

Love, Jeremy and Martha

This month I experienced something entirely new to me. I went the day after Thanksgiving Day shopping with Nick's family. We got up at 4:30 in the morning to make sure that we could get to the nearest Wal Mart to St. David by the time they opened their doors at 6:00 am. So we got there at 5:45 and stood in line behind about 500 other people with shopping carts. It was crazy! After the doors opened it still took us 10 minutes to get in. Then once we were in we couldn't walk anywhere because the store was so crowded! So I took the shopping cart and sent Nick to go find us a computer. Well we got our computer all right but it was quite a sight. I've never seen so many aggressive ladies with shopping carts. I had my cart pushed backwards into me numerous times. I was with Nick's youngest sister so I was able to keep my sense of humor. I ran into two ladies with my cart when I tried to be aggressive. Oh well.

Nick got his test scores back. He scored better than average (we already knew he was better than that though). He scored in the 80th percentile (I think 83 to be exact). Nick also planted us some flowers for our 4-month anniversary. He planted English Daisies and Snap Dragons and a couple others that I can't remember the name. We also grew a winter lawn. It looks really good from a distance. If you get too close though you can see all of the bare spots from the birds' Thanksgiving feast. We actually shot a pigeon with the bb gun to try and teach them all a lesson. Well it didn't even phase them! When that pigeon went down, the other birds around didn't even notice! So we're glad for the grass that we even have.

Nick and I are planning on going to Logandale on the 27th or really late the 26th (if I get too antsy). We can't wait to hang with the family!

Me and my roomies got a little Christmas tree. Well, actually Dad got it for us in Circleville. It's about four feet tall, and covered with lights. It's great! We all gathered around it and took a picture for a greeting card that you all should have gotten. I am moving out slowly in the next week and a half, but plan to be completely out by Dec. 22. I am done with school.

It feels great to be finished. Here's the big news.. I got robbed. This morning when I woke up, my truck back windows were wide open. As Dad knows, the back windows don't lock on this pickup, so that is how the hooligan entered. Luckily he only stole my CD player and mag-lite. It was a weird feeling seeing my truck completely disorganized and thrashed. But after a few minutes everything was back in order and nothing was broken. It was weird they didn't take my speakers. They had to have seen them, and they don't require unbolting or anything. Oh well. I hear that as soon as you get your mission call the adversary works really hard on you until you're in the field. I guess it's starting!! Ill be home for Christmas. love you all,

~mk

Well...I know Chris has been working, driving his truck around often accompanied by the chief navigator, Leslie. Summer is busily finishing up her semester. She observes Will Smith's class at the elementary school. He was Matt's English teacher in 8th Grade. She says it's an enlightening experience. Leslie came over the other night with the grand announcement that she didn't even have to go to "time out" at pre-school! After braving some extreme blizzards and snowstorms to spend Thanksgiving in Colorado, they plan to relax and spend Christmas right here. After all, Martha says, "The party's in Logandale!"

November certainly flew by! Matt performed spectacularly in Arsenic & Old Lace. After enjoying the dress rehearsal with my 8th grade class, they all sympathized with me over having to withstand months of Matt's practicing at home: running up the stairs shouting, "Charge!" and bellowing that bugle in our ears. I gave them an assignment to write fan mail to any three of the characters, and almost everyone wrote to Matt. Jake Street's class was there too, and they unanimously pronounced Matt as their favorite. I'm afraid it may be going to his head, as he's making plans to answer some of that fan mail!

Last Thursday I aroused plenty of excitement at school when a phone message arrived at lunch time notifying me that McKay's mission call awaited us at the Post Office. Unfortunately I was committed to chaperone our Christmas Dance after school, so I didn't leave until 4:00. When I finally made it home, we sped in with Matt, Chris & Summer, almost forgetting McKay's big white envelope, and met McKay for dinner: pretty thrilling. Paraguay sounds like a cool country. You can see pictures on this website:

http://www.romanistik.uni-mainz.de/hisp/py/

We sure have a long December this year with three weeks instead of the usual two. My class is finishing up the novel The Giver, and can hardly stand to be in school. I'm also pushing through my third Holiday Food Drive with Student Council. As we decorated the showcase, I realized that I'm the only one who knows how to make snowflakes. The kids make these clumsy square concoctions that they think are snowflakes. They don't even seem to realize that snowflakes have six sides. Are they just Nevada challenged, or do I posses a lost art that I need to pass on? I'll have to offer Snowflakes 101 for anyone interested this Christmas!

The newsletter has really been a challenge this month as Ken monopolizes the computer with the mammoth task of reproducing all the Whitney Family Newsletters from the beginning of time (1980) on to computer disk. While the work is long & tedious, I can't believe the cute little articles all our children used to write way back when they were tykes! He plans to have it ready by Christmas; however, I can see it taking a bit longer, not that I would complain. Gramps is even coming over during the day to expedite the work.

P.S. This is a secret gift to his sibilings, so don't tell.

We're looking forward to seeing & hearing from all of you at Christmas.

Love, Mom & Dad

Well hmmmm...I guess last month sure did go by fast. I barely have a recolection of it! I just remember being tired all the time in a flash of charges and bugle blasts with a few images of Harry Potter blinking by on occasion. Uhhhh, I don't ever want to hear the word "CHARGE" again! Everyone else seemed to enjoy it though. The following friday at a basketball game, I received a few requests to run up and down the bleachers yelling charge and blasting on my trombone! I was content to simply play the fight song though.

Last Saturday I drove into Vegas to audition for the Clark County Honor Band. I thought I did very well. The next day in school Mrs. D handed me the memo received from the county music department. Results were in but no trombones! At the bottom of the page there was a sidenote: "trombone re-auditions will be held at a later date blah blah blah due to inconclusive results." WHATTTT!?! So yesterday I went in again and did not do nearly as well as the first time and I am still waiting for new results. {{{sigh}}}

What else, what else, what else! I suppose I have let my great studies go to my head. For the last Physics test, I opened up a betting pool. Two dollars to enter, highest grade takes all! Sounds pretty enticing eh? I thought I had an easy ten bucks (only 5 were gutsy enough to enter) but oh how wrong I was. I'll just say this, the cure to pride is humbility (or is it humility?).....

Have a great Christmas and Hanakah and Kwanza and Martin Luther King Junior's Birthday Observed Day! (whatever reason you need to party)

Matthias B.

A tense moment for "Teddy"

"You see general, that's you!"

"You mean a "State Secret?"

"I demand we go to PANAMA"

President Roosevelt's final bows

The thirteen bodies in the cellar....

Our favorite two!