The Long and...Long of it: This semester

Friday, November 26, 2010

This semester

Well, a lot has happened this semester. We just had Thanksgiving break, and Thanksgiving with our entire family. That was really wonderful! I have a lot to be grateful for. What a wonderful family, babies coming into it, I'm almost done with school, and I have wonderful possibilities in my future! Here are some highlights from the last couple months:

Tessa played in the state volleyball tournament. They got 8th place. Great fights!

Tessa has kept a 4.0 her entire high school career, even while playing sports. So she awarded the Academic All-State Award/Team. There were only about 13 girls from the State in our 4A division that receive this award. Great job Tessa!

Award Ceremony:

Watching the game in the event center:

Probably the most exciting news is that baby James came into the family on November 5! He is really cute. I'll admit, that he still scares me a bit because he is so precious and little. But he sure is cute and I'll get used to him! :)

These are my roommates. We like to take pictures and happened to all look good on this particular Sunday. (Posing next to the creepy log cabin next door to us- aka "Haunted House").

Halloween was fun! I finally found a costume to be Cruela Devil. I won the best "animated" costume competition at our ward Halloween party. But my hair was so difficult to get undone and get the color out, I don't know if it was really worth it! But it was fun! Mom dressed up too, and we took fun pictures, but I don't know if she would like me to post them because we look pretty funny!

Earlier in October we had a baby shower for Camille. It was really fun, and she sure got showered with gifts! We had lots of female family and friends there! This was also before Becky found out they are having twins!!! How exciting!

Picture at the shower with Camille and her moms.

Well, now I get to look forward to finishing my last semester of school and graduating in 3 weeks! I'm applying for jobs, and still considering applying to graduate school for next fall. Eeks! I better hurry up with that. But I'm also looking forward to trying to enjoy the Christmas season despite being a stressed. Just trying to remember the real reason for the season.

Happy Holidays to all, till next time...

2 comments:

CarolNovember 28, 2010 at 12:16 PM
You are a wonderful daughter. Deserving of many blessings. Thanks for all the good things you do. Love you much. Mom
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Becky PitcherNovember 29, 2010 at 8:45 AM
I love the picture of your costume, I was disappointed I never got to see it! You looked great!
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Games for Families and Groups

Because "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activites," here are some ideas:

Building by Telephone
Equipment: One matching pair of building blocks (legos, etc.) and a divider for each team.
Instructions:
Teams race to create an exact copy (color and shape) of an already-assembled set of bricks. Only one person may see the assembled model (hidden from the rest of the team in the paper bag). Instructions to the build a copy of the model are passed down the line in "telephone" fashion to a person at the end of the line, who tried to build the model as described to him or her. (Teams may rotate builders if they wish.) Questions may be asked at any time, but all communication must be passed down the line.
The game ends when one team completes the copy correctly, or when a pre-set time is up; whichever is first. The team with the most pieces assembled correctly wins.

Balloon Bag Volleyball
Need: A plastic trash bag with about 6 blown up balloons inside of it (tie it up at the top), 1 timer, 1 score keeper, 3 referees, 2 teams with 10+ players on each team
Steps:
1) Split into 2 groups with even numbers
2) Team 1 will lay on the floor in a circle with their heads pointed inwards and legs out. Get really close so heads and shoulders are touching.
3) Team 2 will kneel in a circle around Team 1 leaving 1-3 feet between Team 2's knees and Team 1's feet.
4) Referees on the outside will throw in the balloon bag and then Team 1 will START KICKING!
5) Time for 3 minutes
6) Switch teams/positions
7) Play again for 3 minutes
8) The team with the most points win
PURPOSE:
Team 1: Get the balloon bag OUT of the circle and on the ground that team 2 has formed.
Team 2: Keep the balloon bag IN the circle and from touching the ground.
RULES:
The team on the floor can only use their legs to move the balloon bag (no hands!) and the kneeling Team can only use their arms and they cannot stand up. Each time the balloon bag gets out of the circle and hits the wall/ground the team laying down gets a point. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins!

Disco King!!!
Materials: A playlist or CD with a fast and good beat (4/4 or 2/4), speakers, a group of about 10-15 people.
Instructions:
-Everyone stands in a circle
-Pick someone to be the Disco King and someone to be the Loser. They need to be standing by each other in the circle.
-Each other person in the circle makes up a 2 count dance move (could be simple or complex- snapping fingers, the jive, karaote kick, rock n'roll, etc.)
-The Disco King's dance move is the "Disco Dance" with your index finger pointing and move from the hip to shoulder.
-The Loser's dance move is just using your index finger and thumb to make an L in front of your face and pulsing it for 2 counts.
-Everyone needs to know all the dance moves. Practice them together a few times.
-To start playing, the Disco King does his/her move for 2 counts then passes it on to someone of their choice by doing the other person's danced move for 2 counts.
-Then that person receives it by doing their own dance move and then passes it on to someone else by doing their person of choice's dance move.

The point of the game is to get the Disco King out. It is kind of like Big Booty. They way you get out is if you forget to the move, you're too slow, if you get off beat, or if you mess up in anyway. When this happens, the person who messes up moves to the place of the Loser. Everyon in between rotates over one spot. *Remember the dance move stays in the original spot, it doesn't move with the person. You will be doing the dance moves of others. Then the Disco King starts up again after everyone has shifted.
Rating: THE BEST GAME EVER!

The Snorting Game
This game can be played with any size of people and is enjoyable for all.
Everyone stands in a circle, facing towards the center of circle.
Rules: Every person must hide their teeth and avoid smiling or showing their teeth throughout the entire game. One person begins by turning to the left or to the right and snorting at the person next to them. Each person can snort at the person on their left or right.
The goal is to get the person next to you to laugh and show their teeth. If they do so, they will be eliminated from the game. The circle gets smaller and smaller until only one person is left and wins the game.
*Anything goes, except physical contact.
**You can smile and laugh as long as you never show your teeth.
Rating: Funny, but awekward!

The Hand Game
Number of people: 5+
Objective: Stay in the game the longest
Materials: Able bodies with hands
Rules: Each group will lay down in a circle on their stomachs with hands facing in the center. Everyone will pu their right hand under the arm to the person to the right. You will have a hand in between yours. Within the circle of hands you will be going around by tapping your hand in succession according to how the hands are arranged. One tap maintains the direction, two taps reverses the direction. If you miss the tap or are too slow...you are out of the game. You will setp outside the circle and everyone moves in. The game lasts until there are two peple left.
The talent of the game is keeping track of which hand is yours within the circle.
Rating: FUN

Pinchy, Hitty, Flatty, Cutty, Cow
Signs:
Pinchy- pinch the person
Hitty- hit with fists
Flatty- hands flat
Cutty- side of hands (chopping motion)
Cow- use all five finger tips to hit/tickle the person

One person lays down on their stomach. Everyone gathers around the person lying down. The group chooses a sign to do. Then they say, "Pinchy, Hitty, Flatty, Cutty, Cow" really fast. Then the person lying down guesses one of those actions. If the person lying down does not guess it right then the group gets to do that sign to that person (hit, pinch, chop, tickle). Each player who guessed within the three tries gets two points.
(This game might be fun with little kids, as long as you can still teach them good values of non-violence).
Rating: meh

Cup and Flour Game
Needed items: Small plastic cup, knife, flour, a coin, paper plate

Object: Not have the coin fall off of the flour on your turn. (Like Jenga)

Directions: Fill the cup with flour and pack it down. Make it even on the top of the cup. Put the paper plate on top of the cup and flip it over. Hit the edges of the cup gently to loosen the flour from the cup and pull the cup off the flour. Place the coin on the top of the flour stack in the middle. Each person takes a turn using the knife to cut a little off the flour going vertically. Each person cuts away until someone makes the coin fall. When the coin has fallen, whoever made it fall must get it out using their mouth without hands. Repeat game as many times as you want.

***This is a great game for Family Home Evening. And for all ages, children and adults.***