Hey look'it I found some photos

My Doggies, Sonic and Daisy. Daisy is getting hosed off and you can't see her head so well. Scott and Aunt Jocye and I at Tarah's dive meet in Dallas.
Emma and I playing salon just moments before eating Thanksgiving Dinner.
Emma and I playing computers at Co Olina House in Hawaii.
Scott and Emma and I napping at Uncle Scott's Christmas Morning, also in Hawaii.

Super cute picture of Emma. She looks like Marlania to me....

Christmas Vacation

Next year I vote for a white Christmas!!

perhaps in Washington? who knows, eh?

We woke up and came into the family area, where stockings had ben stuffed and laid around the table and a pile of presents was surrounding the indoor palm tree.

...and there was much rejoicing...yeah...

But not everyone was awake, so we waited for Grandparents to wake up...

Then there was talk of our being expected at Scott and Mariana's, so we piled into the van and drove to the Latimer's. We trundled upstairs to the family room and watched as my cousin's opened their presents. And put them together. And played with them. I think at one point everyone who had not yet opened a present was asleep for the sheer boredom of it all. It was cute to watch Nicky and CeCe, but I had presents waiting for me back at Co Olina house... and I was ready to open my presents. SO we made waffles and had breakfast. I missed out because I was wrapping the presents I had brought and bought. I got one belgum waffle. FINALLY after hours of waiting... We go there around 8 and left around 12:30... we came home and *grabae* waited around while people went upstairs to change and get lunch and all sorts of stuff that was not opening presents. I finally broke down and opened my stocking. I don't think I have ever started opening presents with the rest of the family awake and around without everyone sitting around to watch. I got some meh gifts... I got a macadamian nut lei that I had my eye on... actually I handed it to Mom and she bought it for me and I acted supprised to see it the next morning. :P and some chocolates... and um... other stuff.
I got a recording of Grandpa O reading stories from Dad, and that was great. I got Scott Pirates of the Carabbian 3... I don't really remember, oh wait, Tarah gave me a shirt, and um that's all I remember without looking into the bag of gifts.

Eventually everyone opened their presents and we popped in a movie. Tarah got Mom "Hairspray" and we have watched it at least once a day since. It's awesome.

I'm looking forward to having our own family. Been daydreaming of was it could concievably happen... most are more proposterous than the last... But one of these days...

Oh and a huge thank you goes out to Jamies for my Birthday journal. I am several days behind...if I were doing a page a day, but I carry it around with me everywhere. Honsetly. We went to the Dole Pineapple plantation. It was raining the entire time. I didn't wear my poncho because I used it to wrap up and keep my journal dry. It's my grown-up security blanket. I love it.

I need to go and get some sleep, we are hiking to the Lighthouse overlooking the north of the island at sunrise tomorrow. I'm excited, it sounds like fun.

Funerals... feelings from so very far, like we've know each other oh so long...

Am I a heartless sick-o for having fun over the weekend?

I met and played and mothered and laughed and cried and froze and cooked and edited and slept and I was so busy with all that, I didn't have to be sad. I know where Megan is, I know my opinion of why she was taken now. I am at peace with her sudden death.

I cried when I saw her, her skin so waxy and the makeup so fake. Everything was wrong looking, the hair was stringy and wet, there was no part in her lips and I don't think her eye lashes were ever that think.

Bless the hands that prepared her, I was supposed to be there.

On having only one kid

but Megan, the arguments you gave rely so heavily on you being there for it all.

Now you're not. And Quinn only has one baby to remember you by.

We miss you.

Prince Marcus and the Ice Dragon

Genie in a Bottle

By James Quigley 12/33/07

After such a long day of adventuring and eating lambs, Prince Marcus and the Ice Dragon were very tired so they flew back to the Ice Dragon's cave to go to sleep.

Prince Marcus was awaken by a faint voice that said "Let me out and I will play with you." Prince Marcus sat up and said to the Ice Dragon, "Did you hear that?" The Ice dragon had been asleep and said that he had not heard anything. "Go back to sleep, Prince Marcus." Prince Marcus laid down to go to sleep and he heard the voice again. "Please, let me out."

Prince marcus jumped up again, this time the Ice Dragon heard the voice. "I think I know what that is." he said. Prince marcus followed the voice to a crack in the back of the cave.

The Ice Dragon couldn't go down the crack because he was to big, but Prince Marcus could. So they let down a rope and Prince Marcus went down and down, past the treasures that had fallen down the crack in the Ice Dragon's cave.

Then Prince Marcus saw a glowing lamp, it was still burning bright, so he picked it up and gave the rope a tug. The Ice Dragon pulled the rope up, with Prince Marcus on it. It was a genie lamp and Prince Marcus rubbed on it to get the ganie to come out.

"I'd be careful, if I were you," said the Ice Dragon"it took me three years to get that genie back into the bottle."

When the genie popped out, Prince Marcus was supprised because the genie was a beautiful woman. Girl genies are tricker than boy genies, and this one was no exception.

"You have three wished and when those three wishes are used up I get to go away." said the Genie.

"What is your first wish? Are you hungry?" asked the genie. She wanted to trick Prince Marcus into using his first wish, but Prince Marcus was to smart for that. So he told her that he already had food.

He started to cook the Daddy lamb that was encased in frozen ice. While he was eating his mutton the genie conjured up a wonderful, lavish feast. She invited Prince Marcus to join her. Prince Marcus didn't want to be rude so he accepted the invitation. When they had finished the feast, Prince Marcus said thank you and went back to where the Ice Dragon was eatting the mutton. Prince Marcus started to eat more mutton because he knew that the genie's food was magic and didn't really fill you up.

"Are you going to make your first wish?" asked the genie.

"I don't think I'm going to use my wishes right away. I like you and I want to keep you around" said Price Marcus. Then he went to sleep.

The next morning Prince Marcus had come up with a plan. He told the genie that he was ready to make his first wish. The Ice Dragon wanted Prince Marcus to ask for his advice, but when he looked into Prince Marcus' eyes he could see that Prince Marcus had a plan so he didn't say anything.

"My first wish," said Prince Marcus to the genie, "is that the second and third wishes be turned into one wish."

"Are you sure?" asked the Ice Dragon. Prince Marcus said that he was sure. The Ice Dragon knew that Prince Marcus was very clever and so he trusted him.

"Are you sure?" asked the genie. "if you use your first wish to turn the second and third with into one wish, you'll only have one wish left."

"Yes, that is what I want to do" said Prince Marcus.

Poof.

"Your wish has been granted" said the genie.

"My second and last wish" said Prince Marcus "is that you become a real human, and stop being a genie."

"You can't do that" said the genie. "It breaks the rules of the genie magic."

"Well," said Prince Marcus "you already broke the rules when you changed my second and third with into one wish. The rules are that I get three wishes and because of my first wish, I only have two wishes. You must honor my wish"

The Ice Dragon smiled because he saw the clever tick that Prince Marcus had made.

The genie saw that Princ marcus was right and honored his wish.

Poof.

She was a human now. Prince Marcus gave her his cloak to wear because she was cold in the Ice Dragon's icy lair. When she was a genie she didn't feel hot or cold, so this was a new experience for her.

Then Prince Marcus taught her how to eat real food, and they ate up the rest of their mutton, and the woman learned to love mutton. Then Prince Marcus taught the woman how to be all about being a human and they were married and lived happily ever after.

The End.

One word

Here is a little fun something from my Aunt Mariana.
This should be interesting. Let the Game Begin!!!!!
GAME IS ON
The Game is on!!! And you're IT! [this means you the reader...not me the poster :P]
Describe ME in one word.... just one single word. Send it to me and
to me only. Then send this message to all your friends and see how
many strange & interesting things they say about you. This is really
fun. Here's how to Play:
1. Hit the reply key and send me my one word.
2. Then return to this message, and forward it to your friends
(including me) and see what people say about you when limited to one
word!!!
The Game is On!!!!!

having one only one child is a disservice to your kid.

My sister in law Megan does not understand why.

This is what I came up with in 10 minutes. Anyone else have something to add?

Megan-
Also, maybe you could help me understand something that continues toescape me: Why do you see it as a disservice to the child to not haveany siblings? I was thinking that as long as I provide Teaq withsocial experiences time after time as he's growing up, that he willlearn about people and how to interact with society in an acceptableway. I guess I was also thinking that I was doing him a favor by notbeing a crabby mom all the time (cuz that's what I turn into when Idon't get enough time alone and have too much to do :)

Arren - Well, I am not even sure where to start. How about the future. Your grandkids will have no extended family on your side. This means less presents for birthdays and Christmas. Less letters from family while on a mission, less opportunity to get to know their parent (father). Aunts and uncles remember stories of each other better than the grand parents do... grandparents memories fail them :P and half the time they were not around for the stuff that was fun/ funny. Less inside jokes, less safety net to fall back on. Think of it, if you were an only child and your parents died... or left the church. Who would you turn to? Now what if your parents were only children too? No family anywhere you turn! No cousins with shoulders to cry on. No relatives to move in and continue on with. And no one who knows your parents like you know your parents (if not better) and can mourn them the way your mourn them. There would be no one for Teaq to fight with and learn to forgive, because they are stuck under one roof. I think a lesson this important should be taught while growing up. Not when you are married and suddenly 'stuck' with your spouce. No one for Teaq to feel proud of, (siblings are the BEST show and tell) no little siblings to protect on the playground. To one to tease. No one to giggle late at night with, he'll always sleep alone :( No one to share the quirks you and Quin have, that only a child would love. If he tried to tell some they would think you extremly strange, not endearing. No one to pray for when they fall astray. No one to wish him the best at his wedding. No one to give hard learned lessons to. No secret languages that are not for mom's ears. No one to share disclipline with. No one who understands things like you've forgotten how to do, like a child does. No friendly face when you go to a new school. He'll always be alone at the end of the day, no matter how many times you take him out to play. How would he learn to nuture? To treat a baby? How sad to be afraid to hold one when he is a dad.

Happy Birthday to me!

I had a great birthday. The office took me out to eat, Scott to me to a swanky restraunt for dinner and James got me an awesome present.

It's a journal, a nice wooden one, and on EVERY page he wrote something for me to do that will help me to be happier. How cool is that?!

He is leaving on the 21st. That's the day we are leaving for Hawaii. We will be Christmas-ing in Hawaii this year. I'm stoked.

Becca asked me to sing a duet with her for the ward Christmas party.

We have added Google calender, and it's been fun to play around with.

I have been scrap booking the pictures that were abandoned at James' house. Many of them have stuff written on the back, so I am making those corner sticker things so the picture is not permanently affixed to the page. I don't have the time or money to go out and buy them so I'm making mine out of tape. It's pretty cool.

Also check out "Dear Body," on youtube.