A Night To Remember

The inn opened up a stall and the very pregnant momma was able to begin her birthing process.  We all wondered if she would be a New Year’s Eve baby, showered with the gifts from the hospital and the notoriety of a news clip or would she squeak into this world in the eleventh hour claiming her fame with a Permanent Fund Dividend and tax break for the year.  With a sky bursting with fireworks, showering down a glitter of welcome, Georgie Lee was born at 11:47 pm.  Miss Pudge, weighing in at 9 lbs 1 ounce arrived to the world rejoicing.

Grandma’s Rules

I’m not really sure where lies my appreciation to Lane and Kelcy for their Christmas gift.  I now have it hanging and to the eyes of smart grandchildren I am now doomed or blessed however one chooses to look at it.  On my board it says “The answer is always yes” and “Eat whatever you want” so as of today there is a little chatter about spending the night at Grandma’s and me buying more soda pop.  The root beers are all gone.  The sign will be life changing.

Miss Thang

The waters are calm – or are they??  In the quiet stillness of the night the message ding on my phone resonated loudly and I immediately knew we had a baby on the way.  Wrong!  It was Kelcy telling me that Gwendolyn had stopped breathing, was at Mat-su Regional and on her way to Providence.  When I was thinking “baby on the way” I was not thinking that.  After a day of worry and answers we now move onward.  Gwendolyn is now Princess of the PICU for the next week as she is treated for Aspirational Pneumonia with additional tests ongoing.  The waters aren’t calm so I’ll just go with that.  No baby yet either.

 

 

And They Are Down!

What a year and by the looks of it – it has wound down! Miracle Gwennie arrived, Rhea left on her mission, Mike’s garage went up, Mrs Crumb’s cookie business exploded and now we wait for one more baby, any day now. I am so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ for the joy and blessings my family receives because of Him. Looking forward to a wonderful 2020.

Please, Go Ahead

It is getting close to that time of year where reflection happens, a sort of rebirth begins and we look to the new year as a fresh start.  I love that feeling.  I can put the old behind and begin anew.  As I pondered where I might begin with life’s plight to perfection I became acutely aware of something error in my ways that needs to be changed and/or improved.  I tend to always push myself ahead of everyone else.  Case in point.  While I am shopping and I come to a crossroads in between aisles where there are two of us trying to proceed,  I’ll scoot across first because I feel like I’m always ahead of the other person and move a little faster.  Why not wait those few seconds and let my “friend” move across first and then I can patiently and happily proceed on my way.  The same goes for when I am in my car.  I don’t need to turn quickly in front of someone else that is oncoming.  I need to just wait, let them drive by and then I can patiently and happily drive on my merry way.    So simple.  So important and so needed.  Watch out 2020 – you are first!!

 

I Need To Invent Something Cool

Shrinky Dinks were invented in 1973 by two housewives Betty Morris and Kate Bloomberg of Brookfield, Wisconsin as a Cub Scout project with their sons.    Shrinky Dinks are also known as “Shrinkles.”  They are a kit consisting of sheets of polystyrene which can be cut into shapes with household scissors.  When they are heated, the cut shapes become about nine times thicker than their original size.   Hats off to Betty and Kate from many years ago for one of my Christmas gifts this year from the Dahl family.  I now have key chains of me and the boys.  Priceless.  Truly priceless.

Rink Rats

The Styers annual Christmas Day skate rolls forward.  With the addition of some friends we had a blast on the ice.  The littles tried skating but really liked us pushing them better and we were awed by the older boys’ skills on the ice.  Hot cocoa and sweets were had by all at the end of the evening and a happy well blessed family completed another Christmas season.

“Let Thine Alms Be In Secret”

Christmas Eve.  Just that word makes me sparkle with excitement.  We had an incredible spread of food – one fried turkey, one Traeger turkey, a ham and a smorgasbord of sides and desserts.   Following the lavish banquet we assembled in the living room for our traditional program under the direction of Britta this year.  We sang and then she used the nativity blocks with the kids to tell the story of Christ’s birth.  The children then gathered around my chair and we read “Sam’s Christmas Wish” which we have read since our children were very little.   The highlight of our evening was our phonemail with Rhea where we all gathered around my phone and shared.  Rhea opened her star gift and showed us her little Christmas tree and gifts.  This will be a Christmas for her to remember always.

The Tree Is Down

Kristi posted this picture and my first thought was, “Wow!!  Now this is one pure hard core Alaskan guy!”  Dillon could be the cover shot of Alaskan Men or Real Men or whatever magazine sees the beauty of the look.  That’s my boy!!!

Another Success

The annual Styers White Elephant gift exchange came and went!  We had some laughs, some tortuous trading and basically happy peeps with some odd gifts and some super awesome ones too.  The rundown was as follows:  a bb gun, a kids Star Wars electric toothbrush, a case of Ramen with a Ramen cooker, a Mine Craft mug with an iTunes gift card, two popular ball caps,  a machete, a tool with a mirror and light that can see things under a couch, a giant Kiss, some disposable underwear and a Picachu mug that I can’t figure out how to drink out of it.