It's Your Birthday!

Hey everyone, it's Cherilyn's b-day! #30! That would be Friday, January 2. What a year she's had. I just got thinking as I was putting away Christmas, that just before Valentine's Day last year, we were having an engagement tea. It must have been that couple of days at Oakley and cross-country skiing that convinced Brady that he just had to be part of our family! Anyway, what an eventful year!

Britton's Farewell

As you know, Britton is leaving soon. He is speaking in church on Sunday December 28th at 1:00pm. We will have an open house after, we will start right after and continue after church for the members of our ward. Since I have the most amazing support group that we call family, I was wondering if you wanted to make something to help me out. I would love anything that you want to bring. If you feel like making cookies and freezing about 5 dozen of them now, feel free. I am sure you will be blessed for your efforts. We are having appetizer type food. Thanking you in advance.

Maria

A Fun Day

Today Anita brought breakfast (bacon, pancakes, chocolate milk, pomegranate seeds)over all prepared. Jason and Ryan were still here (Michelle let him sleep in and miss 1st period so he could eat with us). Then we went to Frontenac Mall over past Kirkwood to shop. They have a Sur la Table and Williams and Sonoma plus a wonderful Christmas shop with all kinds of decor. We ate at The Women's Place - a boutique where they sell people's products (all very nice and expensive). We also shopped at some other strip malls until Anita had to rush home to be at the Temple.

I had washed Justin's tuxedo shirt for his concert tonite and was in the middle of ironing those awful pleats down the front when we had to leave and pick up Ryan from school. While we were gone, Justin came home and wanted to take his clothes for tonite with him to physical therapy so he could go to a friend's house right after. Michelle told him to finish ironing it, so I can't imagine how it will look. The pleats were a beast! Oh well. We are just about to leave for the concert - the 3rd in a row this week. It has been fun to hear how talented they are.

My plane arrives at 9:25 tomorrow night. I will miss being here, but am looking forward to seeing you all. Happy birthday Jessica!

More from St. Louie

Hi folks,
Miss you all very much. Thanks for keeping Dad in your schedules. I know he's worrying a lot and needs someone to talk to so that he doesn't focus too much on the things that worry him.

We (Anita, Michelle and I)went to lunch yesterday at a great Italian place (wonderful food in just a little old shack-type building) to celebrate Michelle's graduation from her radiation treatments. She won't have to have anymore of those - ever. She cried when she had to say goodbye to them because they have been so nice to her. She has also been very charming to them. Now she will take the chemo medication for a year.

John, Ryan, Jason and I went to Justin's concert last night. It was a string orchestra-three levels of ability and all three were astounding for high school musicians. Then they brought the band in to join the strings (Justin plays in the band)and it was great. Justin played the whinny of the horse at the end of Sleigh Ride. Then they had a sing along, which was fun. Tonight Ryan has his concert - he plays percussion.

Michelle has taken the dogs out, then is going running with one of them (the dogs). It rained most of the day yesterday with the wind blowing. I was afraid it would freeze in the night, but it didn't. The sun is out today. Two days ago it was so cold that the drizzle in the night froze into a sheet of ice on the driveway. Before I was aware, I was skidding down the driveway almost into the neighbor's tree. Then when we came back home from Michelle's treatment, we couldn't get any traction on the driveway and just kept sliding back down. Finally we changed places while we sat in Bankhead's driveway trying to decide how to get home. Michelle charged up the less steep circle of the driveway and as she tried to turn the car to head for the garage, we did a complete donut! It's good I wasn't at the wheel because my eyes were shut and I was hanging on tight. Finally we were able to creep up the hill and into the garage with only minor slipping. Love for now, Mom

Clubbin'

Last night we all went to a club in Webster Groves where they have live music several times a week. Justin and his jazz band from school were the musicians last night. Even though most of the crowd were probably family members of the band, there was a huge crowd in a fairly small area. There were about 5 different combo sections of the band. 5 or 6 of Justin's close friends had buzz haircuts like Justin and wore headbands that said "We love you, Mrs. Firth." The whole band looked sharp in dress colored shirts,ties and slacks. They dedicated the performance to Michelle. They were so professional in their playing. Justin was featured in several numbers. He did so well. The teacher said he was going to give him an F because he didn't play like that in practices at school.

This morning I went with Michelle to her treatment and they let me come in and see how they did it and take pictures. It was so interesting and they were so nice. We met her oncology radiation doctor in the elevator.

We came home and John went with us to the temple to do initiatory work. Dee and Anita were there working. We then went to a couple of shops for Christmas shopping and to lunch at Kirkwood. It was a really good pizza place.

More later. Love, Mom

St. Louis

Hi everyone! We had the first snowfall of the season the day after I arrived. It has been cold, but most of the snow has melted. Ryan has moved out of his room so I could be in it. (He had moved into the guest bedroom.) He has been sleeping in Tyler's bed since Tyler went back to Utah. He's quite the magician and has lots of tricks. He's also got the rhythm and shows it on his drums and everything else. It sometimes gets him into trouble.

Jason is on the home team of his hockey league and is working hard to become a force to be reckoned with. He is happy-go-lucky and very pleasant to be around. (We missed the bus yesterday and had to drive to Shawn's bus stop so he wouldn't be at school too early. PS - I get to drive a Cadillac SUV - can't remember what they're called.)

Justin is a slighter version of Colton - taller than Tyler, very smart, and a wonder on the trumpet. He just had to give a presentation on a book by Salmon Rushdie - very difficult.

John, Michelle, Jason and I went to the beautiful Fox Theatre last night to see Glenn Beck in person narrating a visual presentation of his book, The Christmas Sweater. It was awesome - very moving. The theatre is so ornate and had a man in an upper box of the foyer playing a theater organ.

Other than a bit of laundry, I have not had to do much except make sure Jason catches the bus (failed the 1st day!) Anita drove Michelle to treatment yesterday and a girl from John's work today. Michelle does amazingly well in keeping everything going and everyone's schedules straight.

Love to you all, Mom