GimletBlog

Trick or Treat:

• Pumpkin Way is an inspiring gallery of cool-and-creepy pumpkins, with tips, wallpapers, a screensaver and more.
• Check out ThinkGeek’s geeky pumpkin template contest.  First place wins a Tauntaun sleeping bag, no joke!

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Our family’s third generation of Roughriders has begun:  Thing One started high school this week.  We’ve been swamped with homework (Thing One) paperwork (his parents), writing checks and buying supplies (also his parents) ever since.  In addition to the usual basic subjects, he’ll continue to learn French and play the cello in the concert orchestra.

On the shopping list was an upgrade to the full-size cello rental, and new shoes to replace the pair we bought at the beginning of the summer, which he has since outgrown. (!)  We hope this pair will last at least until Christmas.

A Court of Honor was also on the schedule this week, where Thing One received eleven merit badges and his religious On My Honor award.  He has now earned all the merit badges required for Eagle, and has begun work on his Eagle project.  It’s very exciting to be so close, but it’s not done yet; support and encouragement from family and friends (and a weekend work party to be scheduled later this fall) will help Thing One finish the journey.

If you’re searching through the blog archives muttering, “But didn’t he just start middle school?” the answer is Yes.  We still can’t quite believe that we’re to this point already, because that means that (1) our little Thing One is a not-so-little-and-still-growing teenager; (2) a driver’s license, college, and a mission are all going to be here before we know it, too; and worst of all:  (3) we are now officially old fogies, not the twentysomething newlyweds we were last week, or so it seems.

Here’s Thing One’s bed, (fairly) neatly made.*  This is how it looked for nearly the entire summer, as he was away at youth conference, then NYLT, then we were all at Philmont, then Thing One left again for Camp Parsons, Camp Pigott, and WashJam.  Next summer is already filling up with the National Jamboree, Camp Parsons, and the possibility of NYLT staff and a trip back to Philmont for a NAYLE session.  As for now, The Gimlet has commented how odd it is to drop Thing One off at seminary at 6:00 am and expect him to work his way through his day without any help from parents.  Although parenting has often been described as a process by which we give our children roots and wings, to actually arrive at the stage where we watch our oldest begin to test his wings is an exciting, poignant, and reflective time.  His room stays neat now, but more often than not, it’s empty.

• “Finding Joy in the Journey” by Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, November 2008)
  With a ten-year gap between Things as our perspective, we can attest that there is much to enjoy and look forward to at every age.
• The Value of the Eagle Scout Award and Eagle Scout testimonials:  How does it feel to earn the Eagle Scout rank?  What kept you striving toward Eagle?  What did you learn from becoming an Eagle Scout? Watch these and more short videos from the National Eagle Scout Association.

* A certain reader from Tulsa will notice that the afghan she made as a baby gift for Thing One is still in use!  (Although he doesn’t take it to scout camp.)  It’s looking quite ragged around the edges these days, but he still wraps up in it to read or watch TV.

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This year’s Christmas celebrations didn’t happen quite as expected, but we made the best of the changes wrought by the weather.

Santa Claus was scheduled to make his traditional pre-Christmas visit the Monday before Christmas, but since the roads were dangerously icy, there was some question whether he would be able to venture out.  (I know, the sleigh and reindeer ought to be able to handle winter weather.  Work with me, here.)  Luckily the Gimletmobile and its 4-wheel drive abilities were able to make the trip to and from the North Pole, plus a much-needed grocery store stop for Mrs. Claus and the elves, too.

Thing One has always enjoyed his Santa visits, but Thing Two isn’t quite ready to let down his guard yet.  This year he was cordial but wary, eventually sitting on Santa’s lap, but confined his remarks to one word, regardless of the conversation topic:  “Yes.”  After Santa made his departure, Thing Two was heard to say, “Santa was a little scary.   He was very big.”  Unlike many celebrities one might see in person, Santa really is very big (as can be seen in the first photo, where he barely fits under the doorway) but we hope Thing Two will not let that prevent him from making friends with Santa as he gets to know him better.  Chinook and Nanaimo were disappointed at not being allowed to meet Santa; after he left they rushed upstairs to inspect his chair.

While the Gimletmobile was able to get around town for work and grocery shopping, conditions were worse for other family members.  Between cancelled trains from Portland, OR and Vancouver, BC which left cousins stranded, and steep, slippery hills and deep snow drifts, the decision was made to postpone the traditional Christmas Eve extended family party.  Instead, on Christmas Eve we put together a small dinner (not easy, since the grocery stores were running low on several items). The Gimlet brought over the GrandGimlets, Uncle B, and Uncle B’s friend Hillary, we opened a few presents and played games.  Santa had left behind a special gift for Grandpa:  canned haggis.  We’re not sure if that means Grandpa was good or bad this year.

Christmas Day brought yet another snowstorm and a long-distance surprise for the GrandGimlets:  Christmas greetings from Norway! (But no lutefisk to go with the haggis.)  Grandma was able to tell her cousin (who had no snow in her town) that Seattle was snowed in.  Over the next few days the temperatures (finally) rose above freezing and the snow melted enough to make our traditional family party possible on the Sunday after Christmas.  (The delay also made it possible for me to finish everybody’s Christmas gifts, an added bonus.)  As always, dinner was magnificent (the Christmas crackers were a fun new addition), we had a wonderful time, and we were especially grateful that the family was able to get together.  Thing Two had been very disappointed that Christmas was over, so a belated party helped him — and all of us — enjoy Christmas a little longer.

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A few images from our multiple snowstorms:

The view up the street

Brr for the birds
(The chickadee in the top photo tried to nibble on that frozen apple,
but didn’t have much luck.)

A good day to stay home

but some of us have to go to work
(We’re especially thankful for the Gimletmobile and its 4WD,
without which we would have been completely stuck!)

A cozy spot

Kittens watching the snowstorm
(There can never be too many kitten pictures on a blog)

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I blogged about this creche slideshow last year but it’s worth sharing again:  BYU Magazine and photographer Bradley Slade present a four-minute series of lovely nativity scenes from around the world, accompanied by Away in a Manger.  Use as a serenity break throughout the month as needed.  Enjoy!

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