Sarah :) :) :) and Evoly :) :)

It's late - it's Sarah and Evoly's first night home, and I am too tired to post anything fabulous! - so tomorrow or the next day - I've got quite a few pictures, but my first priority right now is a maid-of-honor's dress! Hopefully I can do both soon :) be patient :)

full of "tired"s and smiles

Hi again :) well, tomorrow is the day, folks! a new granddaughter - Evoly Mercedes - I'll fill you in of all of that later (I'm sure Sarah will eventually and maybe even Emily will, too) I've spent my days here in Virginia helping Sarah get ready for Evoly's big day and playing and sleeping with Emily's two wonderful little beauties! (they sleep beside my couch/bed on their own mattress on the floor - they switch days with me) I also spend lots of time each day reading to them out of library books, after our trips there. I bought a new children's book - a Caldecott Honor Book (which means it didn't win the award for best art work of the year, but was in the top 5 or so) It's "The Talking Eggs" Sarah and I saw in on one of our trips to the book store - she loved it when she was younger, so I bought it in honor of her. I'll have her sign it :) It will become part of my permanent kids-grandkids "Nana library". So many things going on here - which include fixing Sarah's car all up (LOTS needed done!) -- and shopping for Emily as well (she will attend her 10th High School Reunion right before George and Lynnette get married on 19th August) We've also been to going away parties for a cute family in Emily's ward - they are moving to Vienna, Austria this Friday (the 'girls' stayed out until 2:30 AM!!! - not me, too tired) We've seen two movies - Harry Potter and Hairspray - both great ones - go check them out. I haven't done any sewing yet, but I must get Miriam's monkey blanket done, plus 2 sock monkeys and a Maid of Honor dress for one of Emily's future sisters-in-law. Plus help Sarah sew a blanket for Evoly. Then I plan to finish a knitted baby afghan -- do you think I take on too many things?? ya think?!?!? We've also been enjoying reading Livvy's blog on her two "wild baby" boys (check out her blog) and of Mandy's newly announced wedding in early Septembeer -- never a dull moment in MY family! It's almost midnight now, to ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz - nighty night ;) ((by the way - it really is almost midnight here in Virginia - if you see the time signature below it says almost noon - that's because my blog is set to Singapore time and Virginia is 12 hours earlier)) plus I've managed to read 2 books while ZZzzzzzzzzzzz - "E" is For Evidence and Wish You Well -- Now starting Harry Potter's newest and last adventures (I take Zantac eveyday, too!! hehe!!!>:-)

HAPPPY 4TH OF JULY!!

I sure miss being home for the 4th! They do a small program here at the Naval Base, but nothing like at home. We have the most wonderful country in the whole world. I'm always so happy when I come home, even if it is just for a visit. Soon we will be home for good - and I'll be so happy. God Bless America.

Autobots vs. Decepticons >:-)

WOW - COOL - NEAT -- Daddy and I saw the new "Transformers" movie last night - It was a work-group thing. There were 16 of us. We ate sweet popcorn and diet cokes and got little Transformer cardboard toys. We took up a whole row. Before the movie started, I was really skeptical about it. I thought "oh, great! I've chosen to come to a really dumb, kids movie" -- but......I was pleasantly surprised :) It was a great movie - not much in the way of bad language (actually I don't remember any) no sex - well a girl kissed a boy once or twice I think ;) but there was LOTS of violence. There was a plot, and even the robots were good actors :) There are good ones and bad ones. There was even a time when we almost cried over the "death" of one of the robots. While I would recommend it for you all to see - I'm not sure it would be good for the little kids - just too much violence. I'm pretty sure George would like it :) being "an old Transformer player" himself - go see it - you'll like it!

OH wow! okay already!

blah blah blah! is this enough :-) ? I really don't have anything to say. Okay, here is one, not very exciting thing - I have a new calling - It's Stake Music Chairman - don't know what I am going to do about that - I can't read music, and I'm NOT creative when it comes to the inventing and scripting, etc. The last chairman was a composer and a writer! And now I have to go visit other wards and make sure all the RS, Priesthood, YM and YW and Primary are singing the correct music and trying to do different, appropriate songs - 8 wards here and 1 branch in another country! Also, I have to oversee and coordinate stake musicals and programs and productions - and the stake president wants us to form a choir for performing in the public for missionary work! I guess I don't do all those things, just make sure they all get done. Phew :-) Okay sometimes I sew, sometime I knit, sometimes I go out to lunch with someone - though all my friends have gone, so I don't do that so much anymore. I try to exercise. I watch TV or listen to music - sometimes I go to a movie with daddy. That's my life - exciting, huh!?!? done! Now aren't you glad you made me write this ;-) love you all

We don't have to move :)

We (well, daddy) signed the contract to stay here another 2 years :) We will pay a little more, but even when the owner sells, the contract says that we cannot be kicked out and the new owners cannot charge more rent - we are protected. Isn't that great! And we don't owe any US taxes this year, 'cause apparently we over paid last year! hahah!! Have a great day everyone - we love you :) sometimes good things happen :)

TV in Singapore

Ok - good news and bad news about TV in Singapore - well not BAD news exactly - just weird news I guess. ;) This past week, the Oprah show has changed channels (from Ch 18-Star World to Ch 17-The Hallmark Channel - there are no "networks" here - it's all government controlled) That's the good part, because in the changing, they also updated their "all new""never seen before" shows to the 2006-07 --- Previously, for the past 2-1/2 years, I've been watching reruns of 2002-05's "all new""never seen before" shows ! :) hehe Yestereday, on Oprah, I actually watched a show that was taped just after the Virginia Tech troubles - so that is fairly new and in 2007! cool! the BAD news is, even though I get to see "new shows" at 9am, 1pm and 10pm - they are rotated each day - example - today's 9 am show is yesterday's 1 pm show - so hopefully today at 1 pm, I will actually see a "all new""never seen before" show taped either in 2006 or 2007. (Oh Oprah is talking via sattelite to the 6 remaining singers on American Idol -- Sanjyah was just eliminated) - but still it's new to me :) And most shows have at least 1 repeat sometime during the week, so if I miss the "premiere" I can still catch the repeat "premiere" ! hahahhehehehe -- anyway, a little taste of Singapore :)

Did You Know #2...

...That the California Sea Otter's fur is so thick, it has 1,000,000 hairs per square inch! awesome! They have no blubber, so their fur is how they keep their temp at 100 degrees....that the Orcas live in pods that includes up to their great-grandmothers!! what a family bond! They are in danger because the salmon runs on the Pacific are down in numbers -one of their main foods...and the PCB's they ingest from the foods they eat are fed directly to their young through the milk - another killer...Females can live up to 80 years old - wow! California Seals like to feed in the same feeding grounds as the Blue Whales' 'leftovers' - and feed with them at the same time :)
This past Sunday, I was released from the RS Secretary position - :( - but I got called as the Ward Music Coordinator (including being over my own position as the Sacrament Chorister - which I won't release myself from just yet:) Bishop wants me to have a Christams & Easter program, a Ward Musical, teaching clinics, and keep tract of all the other music people in the ward. Daddy is the Assistant Ward Librarian and a ward Missionary. We are both the SA/YSA Ward (don't what it's called) --the house where they all land when they have their cottage meetings, or FHE's etc. We don't do anything - they take care of all the parts of their meetings, but we open our door and let them use our home. It'll be fun. This coming Sunday, they will be here and watch Elder Bednar's most recent CES Fireside.

oh my!................

Well -- no one will ever acuse me of being a reliable witness :) Remember that beautiful lithograpgh that I've wanted for over a year?? The one I've looked at and coveted?? Read the last post and you'll read how I describe it. Now read what it really looks like -- hahaha!!! The colors are right! There are cliffs. The rest....well........it's a mom & son and she is carrying a bundle on her head. They are standing on the opposite side of a bay looking at the cliffs. I use to be a detail person --- well NO MORE! hahahaha! Is it age or can I blame it on the lowly peanut ?? Only Heavenly Father knows for sure - Via con Dios :) Felize dia de madre (correct me Carlos or Marlon :) :)

bits and pieces

Just some newsy news ;) It's not supposed to be the 'rainy' season here - it rains almost everyday! but it's SO HOT almost like summer - ugh. I just saw a car advertised yesterday for 'off peak season' - usual price is SGD$91,000 and 'today only' it's 18,000 less - it was a simple Toyota :O !! We're still working on re-negotiating our rental contract - they want 50% more right now, but are making us hold out, so possibly by end of August they can ask 100% more - augh! My best friend, Trish, is leaving and moving back to California (Sacramento) next month, so our RS Presidency is going to be released and a new one called. AndI was just getting good at being a secretary, too :( Wonder what I'll get next?? Two more of my friends are leaving forever, too -- sad :( This is summer-time - our ward has 77 ladies in the RS and almost 3/4 of them leave Singapore in the summer - either for vacation during june-july-august or permanently - this summer only 10 families will be here for the summer months - it's weird! Daddy might be going to India in a week or two - he doesn't know yet, but I'll probably wait until his old co-worker takes us - She is from there and I'd feel more comfortable -- I'm not as adventurous as daddy :) We still haven't seen SpiderMan3 yet - has anyone? How is it? I hear it is really good. There is a new building going up next door and an apartment renovation going on upstairs and the pounding of the jack-hammers and the whinning of the drills is making me CRAZY! There are 4 new babies in my ward and 2 in my family - yippee! :~) Send me my mail and lots of pictures of 'my babies' ;) please ;) I love you! check again for an update - sometime ;)