Pomegranates and Conductors

As I'm sitting here eating my pomegranate and trying to think of things to tell you, my mind is drawing a complete blank. The only thought that keeps entering my wee brain is, "There's naught tha' can do." I've been watching a lot of "All Creatures Great and Small" and it's beginning to take its toll on my accent and manner of speaking. Gibbie and Demya are absolutely hooked on the show. Gibbie loves the animals and Demya loves the stories. I like the landscape and accent.
Well, the patch on the Geo's gas tank didn't hold, so it's being repaired again and as soon as that's done I'll have an easier go at teaching my lessons in Hotchkiss. Then we'll have to come up with some way of getting the heater working again.
Gibbie's being himself, being Tigger, bouncing all over the place when he's not spinning circles and falling down playing ring-a-round-the-rosies by himself. He also figured out who Santa Claus is and what he does this week. The wee monkey began giving kisses this past week. Big, sloppy, wet kisses that no-one can escape. (Not even Cady.)

Well, we hope to see everyone soon and wish all of you a Merry Christmas.
I have to go and rescue an unhappily, waking monkey.

"Hiiy Doddy" and other quaint sayings.

...This and other utterances from the mouth of Babe (the pig and the curly-headed besocked-monkey [Gibbie]) shall issue forth in the forth-coming, fourth installment, of the fourth months... enough of the "fo[u]rths". Sooooo, Gibbie rode a horse, Demya and I rode a thoroughbred who was feeling kind enough to allow me on its back, and we had a great time in the Colorado Springs area.

As I said earlier, I think. At least I thought of it, so everyone should just read my mind now, I will update soon with fresh anecdotes and the update on the Geo, (it is working, but I keep breaking my tools [more about that later]) and more about what everyone wants to know...What Gibbie is up to.

'Til then, T-T-F-N.



I had to add this picture because it is so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o cold right now as I'm writing this that I needed something to help everyone in colder clime's feel a little warmer.

Signing off,

Me

Next Time...

On the upcoming post we will see if the Geo is working again after recovering from a cracked gas tank. We will also learn the inner workings of said car as we try to get the heater and fan working properly so Demya can drive it to work when it's cold.



P.S. It snowed today

Soooooooo......

here's what's been goin' on.
We almost added a new fuzzy addition to our family but, unfortunately, Cady and Austin (his name) did not get along and we had to give him back the next day.
Now for some better things...


We had a busy pre-halloween week, we went to the harvest festival at Paonia High and had fun with the little carnival there. We then went to our ward's halloween party and trunk-or-treat where Gibbie came away with a pretty good haul. Sunday brought Gibbie's first official trick-or-treating which went very well. Everyone loved it when he would say "tick... or... tree... (get candy)... tank you." We went to a little halloween party hosted by one of Demya's coworkers and had a very good time visiting and watching trick or treaters come 'round and recognizing most of the kids.

Update coming soon.

For the few of you that read this blog, I will update it by Sunday with pictures from all the Halloween things we went to and some brief anecdotes.
Until then,

T-T-F-N!

They're coming to take me away...

Ha ha he he ho ho, to the funny farm where Gibbie conducts music all day long, and he screeches sweetly in the trees...... Enough of that for now, though a video of him performing will follow shortly. If the video doesn't work let me know.

I have been told that I am remiss in my duties of updating the blog, I didn't have any new pictures until now. So, here's what's been happening.

The combined band made it to state through their performance at Western Regionals last weekend,(fall break week, so we didn't get any kind of break) and everyone involved is thumbing their noses at all the people that said this experiment wouldn't work. I am currently teaching one guitar lesson and will hopefully add a few more as soon as my back-ground check clears with the school district. (I submitted my application to the Vision School, which is the home-school branch of the district.) Demya's choir girls did fairly well this week at the district Solo and Ensemble contest(?). Gibbie is growing up faster than we want him to. This week he started saying his own prayers at dinner and night, usually remembering to give thanks for cookies and to ask for blessings for Mommy. He is bunny-hopping and he learned how to play on the monkey bars yesterday. At the park, he fits in a little better with the three year olds than he does the the kids his own age. He moves a little too fast for them and he's too strong for most of them. He is doing really well in nursery and hasn't hurt anyone including himself.

Demya was called to be the Secretary of the Primary Presidency two weeks ago and I'm loving my calling of Priesthood Opening Exercises Music Coordinator. We also get to sing in the choir on Sundays Gibby-free, because a couple "Grandmas" take the kids for the hour after block so everyone who wants to can sing. The only catch to dropping the kids off is you have to go to choir, you can't do anything else.
Cady is still alive and kicking and now letting Rollie try to ride her like a horse. She is being very patient with this new stage in her boy's life.

He enjoys attacking himself with his stamps and was very happy to show off his "Stamp and Apple Pie Face."

Ya-hoo for hymns with Latin subtexts.

I finally got my i-tunes copy of Vocal Point's "Nonstop" that has the best arrangement of "Nearer My God to Thee" I have ever heard. So that's what Gibbie and I have been listening to for the last couple months since Demya's uncle Curtis let us listen to it back in July.
Sooooo, I've been bad about the blog, again, but I do have a reason. I haven't been home much, or had internet access for several weeks. Here are some pics of Rollie for everyone. All have been taken by either Jessica or Jeff, so many thanks to them.

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The new school year is off and running a little slower than Rollie. He is now imitating animals and people and is trying to leave toddler-hood as fast as he can, while being cute about it, of course.
I'll try to update more often, and if i haven't posted in a while write me a note or comment and I'll remember to let you know what is going on over here.

Time Flew With the Coup

Hello once again. Demya is at band camp for the rest of the week so I thought I better take a little time to update those who read this unfortunately inconsistent blog.
Time has just performed a coup d'eta on this summer. Two months ago school was in and Rollie was running around playing with swords and daggers and just starting to express himself with a combination of signs and words. Now he is requesting which songs we lullaby him with (excellent use of a noun as a verb if I say so myself), singing to his doll, monkeys and Cady, and throwing honest-to-goodness, full-out temper tantrums when he doesn't get his way. He is no longer just a toddler, he's turned into a little boy over the last two or three weeks. Two nights ago he stopped us in the middle of dinner to pray again, He pushed his plate away, folded his arms and said "pray." Demya then helped him say a prayer over the food and he was trying to repeat what she was saying.

Demya has begun working with the "North Fork Marching Band" and it is going well so far. This is going to be an interesting experiment in the area. They are performing selections from the "Rocky" soundtracks and it is sounding pretty good already.



July has been insanely busy and somewhat stressful. Jessica and the "Kid-O's" have spent a few weeks with us while Allen has been studying for the bar exam. It has been great having them here but there isn't quite enough room for all the energy that is in the three runners (Riley, Emma, and Rollie). While they were here this last time we decided to look into another rental property, soooo, once again we are moving. We found an extremely pet-friendly house (3 bedroom, 1 bath with big yard, basement, and separate family and sitting rooms) for rent in a neighboring town (Cedaredge) at a fantastic rate. Demya will have a longer commute to school than she did this year, but I'm closer to more guitar students and the local guitar shop (It's the only guitar shop within 60 miles) so the lesson business should pick up for me which will help us get into our own home in a few years.

Here is a picture of the house.

*All photos in this blog are courtesy of Jessica.

School's Out... (continue '80s rock song here)

So, as I was sitting here eating my granola (because no-one else eats it)I remembered that I needed to update the blog at least one more time before the end of the month. School is officially over for Demya for the next 2 1/2 months except for the mandatory work-day next week, band camps this summer with the "North Fork Combined Band" (Hotchkiss and Paonia High Schools combined marching bands), and possibly a few classes over the summer.
This week Rollie decided to start blowing his own nose. He points at the tissues then starts sniffing and snuffing his nose until he gets the tissue. He wipes his nose with everything he can get his hands on.
We have been enjoying Glee on hulu and so we decided to get the 1st season on dvd last night so we could watch all the episodes we missed due to our lack of tv stations. We have one fuzzy analog channel that happens to be CBS.
Well off we go to do summer-time things now that it feels like summer and not early spring.

Has it really been a month?

Soooo, I've been shirking my duty to inform all interested parties of the happenings of the Gibber-monster. This weekend we took him to watch the 7th Annual Stock-dog Trials here in town. (Think of "Babe," the movie of the sheep pig.) He loved the "Cadys" and I think he was secretly rooting for the sheep. He discovered dandelions and the act of blowing the seeds to the four corners of the yard. Gibbie and Cady are being best friends for the moment and she lets him climb all over her and give her huge hugs and head-butts.
Demya is finishing up the school year by auditioning students for her show choir and for drum major for this next year's marching band. We are performing an experiment with the Paonia marching band by combining the two bands, which are tiny, into a larger small band that has a larger selection of students in each section. We hope it will be a success and will allow us to be more competitive with the other bands in the area.
I have a new guitar student that will be starting in the next few weeks. I bought a Wales rugby ball that Gibbie and I have been tossing and kicking around for almost a week now. He thinks it's a great toy because he's never quite sure which direction it will bounce when he throws it. He constantly tries to share our new ball with Cady. Fortunately she is not interested in it or it would not have survived the week.
I will attempt to keep this blog updated in the coming months of vacation. 'Til then, Bye.

Easter

So this has been a really busy week for us. Benson has been involved in a community production of "Nunsence". The musical has run from Thursday to Sunday and I think that he is very ready for it to be over. I played my horn at church on Friday. We had an Easter musical devotional, I had to be a part of it so I took Rollie and we attended that while Benson was performing at the theatre.
We went to March for Mutts this weekend with Cady. She really isn't getting around very well any more, but she managed 4 laps. She almost gave up at 2 but when we told her that she was being sponsored and that the money was going to rescue dogs like her, she managed a 3rd and 4th lap. There were prizes for this event and Cady, believe it or not, was named the most obedient. She even got a beautiful ribbon that she strutted around with for more than an hour before she let us take it off and put it up. Here is a picture.


Rollie enjoyed his Easter. We went to March for Mutts rather than an Easter Egg Hunt. I think that he enjoyed the dogs more than he would have with the Easter eggs. Here are some cute photos of our weekend.

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Rollie growing up

This is Demya. I have high jacked the blog in an effort to get my mind off of the dessert show that I'm putting on tomorrow. This week Rollie really began fitting into his 18mo cloths. We are really happy about that because most of the cloths that we have for the little guy are 18mo including this amazing 3 piece suit just in time for Easter. We decided to put him in it on Sunday to rave reviews at church.
I thought that he was SOOOO cute that I had to snap a picture or two to share. He kinda resembles a line backer.

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"Hen Wlad fy Nhadau" or "Sunshine and Spring Weather at Last"

Yes, that is a real title for a song and no the latter is not a traslation. Hen Wlad fy Nhadau is the Welsh National Anthem and is more correctly translated as "Land of Our Fathers" and Gibbie and I have been listening to it and other Welsh songs because they keep the Gibber-toss's attention longer than english, spanish, and italian lyrics.
We've been able to start our walks again and have enjoyed rather mild weather in our neck of the mesas.
Now for what everyone has been wanting... pictures of Rollie.

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My full-time job

Employer:The Terrifying Rolliecady Monster

Position:King of the World

Location:Hotchkiss, CO

Description:I rule my own little kingdom and defend it against the terror of the dreadful rolliecady monster. This horrendous beast screeches at incomprehensible pitches and decibel levels while tottering about knocking things over with a combined effort of feet, hands, paws and tail. The devastation leveled on my kingdom daily would have any other socio-politcal leader begging for mercy or abandoning their office, however, I don't have that option. I must make do with appeasing the rolliecady on an hourly basis until my queen gets home and separates the rolliecady into a rather adorable boy and his favorite friend, Miss Demenor (Cady for short).

Refereeing

Last night I (Benson)got to ref one of four mats at the middle school's wrestling night because of a few miscommunications with others and a general lack of referees in the area. Amazingly I still remember most of the hand signals and calls after 12 years of not refereeing. Demya is keeping busy with her bands and choirs and I think she is starting to enjoy nursury when there are more than 2 kids in there.

for the news that everyone else wants:

Rollie is now coloring and singing, often at the same time, and he is enthralled with books of every type. He is also turning into a little grappler because of the wrestling he has watched. He has tried to throw kids, ankle pick them, leg-lace them, and generally terrorize any kid within six months of his age because of his trying to practice the moves he has seen.
He has been my little critic for the marching band show I am writing for Demya. If the music gets to dissonant or complicated he will screetch at me until it sound right to him. We've had to make a few compromises for the music to work as planned but he's always been pretty good at discerning the difference between good music and schlop.

Until next time...

the promised pictures

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I hope everyone enjoys the slide-show.

"... for the longest time..."

Ok, so I'm not very good at keeping the blog updated. Here are the last three months a la "Reader's Digest Condensed Novel" style. November brought my birthday, the end of football season, and the beginning of wrestling season. It also gave us Thanksgiving, a month without Cady, and a walking and crashing Rollie. December came and went with Demya's birthday, Christmas with its accompanying trips to Salt Lake and Las Vegas, and more of Rollie running around, knocking himself out on the treadle sewing machine, and chasing Cady, Fritz, Mars, and completely terrorising Ceres (the new yapping puppy [a chihuahueno]). January brought us back to Hotchkiss with a running Rollie and an insane Cady. Unfortunately we now have to find a new home for Cady because she reacted to Rollie tripping and falling by biting him. Fortunately Rollie doesn't seem to be affected by the bite at all and still loves to be around the dog, and the bruises and scratches are almost gone after just a week.

Hopefully I can get some pictures and more info up for everyone soon.