Balloon Launch 2011

In order for students to understand the scientific principles required for a balloon to fly, the young people at the school where I teach design and create weather balloons made of tissue paper. It's really quite something to watch their creative juices flow. The students love it. I have really enjoyed witnessing the annual event. It's pretty awesome.

Some balloon creations travel quite far while others are lucky to clear the parking lot and there are loads of trees that get to meet the balloons up close and personal.








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All Hail Global Warming

With temperature lows at 3 and 4 degrees Fahrenheit, and with windchill factors making it seem even colder, I'm really grateful for the idea of global warming.

This morning when I was driving to work and watching the temperature gauge in my car rapidly drop degree by degree I couldn't help but think about how glad I was for global warming. After all, if humanity weren't facing such a global problem, we might all be Popsicles. It would be really difficult to move around. Imagine driving as a Popsicle...impossible!

Thank the heavens above that we are in the middle of a global warming crisis, we might all freeze to death!

V

In December I welcomed a few visitors for dinner. I was so happy to have a former mission companion and her family come by. They always think of me when they are in town. They reside in another state. His particular former companion was my first in country companion and she taught me everything about how to be a missionary. Our companionship ended when her mission concluded and she headed home. I cried for three days (so sorry Sora Parent) and it took a few more days after that for me to really settle into life without her.

Since those days, we have kept in touch really well. I've become great friends with her children. It's always a great time when we get together.











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Rice Pudding

We only get it once a year. That's what makes it so delicious. It's a long standing Abel Christmas tradition. Mom makes it for Christmas Day dessert. An almond is hidden inside the pudding (two almonds now, accommodating for the large numbers) and the person(s) who get the almond receive a prize. There is simply nothing better than my mom's rice pudding topped with warm raspberry sauce!


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Christmas is coming...

...the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man's hat...

Well, I don't have a goose myself, but I imagine there are fat geese out there. I'm also not planning to put a penny in anyone's hat. Given today's economy, a penny wouldn't do anyone any good anyway.

My sister and I finally got out tree up along with a few (a very few) other festive directions. Christmas is next week. I can hardly believe it. Every year seems to go by faster than the preceding year.





I am grateful for all we celebrate at this time of the year. It is a wonderful thing that we can celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world with the people we live.





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Happy Thanksgiving

Here are a few people I am thankful for. I wish everyone could have here.


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Brrr!!!

It's awfully cold. We have January temperatures in November, before Thanksgiving no less.



This was the temperature reading in my car this morning.


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