Requests

Trina started the Christmas things going so I thought I'd put my two cents in. I have a couple of ideas of gifts for the grandkids but I need some help from you. I need to know the kids t-shirt sizes. I also need their head measurements. How big around is each kids head? And I need their favorite colors. I think that's it for now. I'm not promising anything but I'll try to make them something. Dad would also like any pictures or videos you took during our reunions this summer including coming and going. It would be nice if you could tell us when and where they were taken. I've pulled some off Trina's blog and off facebook but the resolution is lower when you do it that way so if you could put them on the FTP that would be best. I made a folder on the main page to put them in, "Palmer Reunion 2011".

Thanks, MOM

Christmas exchanges?

I know, I know. It's still August. But hey! 4 months from today is Christmas Eve! And I've got a lot to do between now and then, so I'm starting on my Christmas planning now.

Just wanted to make sure that all the applicable parents are on board with the cousin book exchange - this is the 5th year. Yay! I actually really like choosing the books for the other kids - it's fun for me. Although, maybe this year I'll let Summer and Marnie choose what book they give to their cousin - narrow it down to 3 or 4 options and let them pick.

Yes or no on the sibling exchange again? Theme? The first year, we had "something that inspires you." I don't remember the 2nd year (2008). The 3rd year was food, and last year was FHE in a box. All of them good ideas - I wouldn't mind doing any of them again, or something new.

Palmer Family Reunion Mad-Libs

Here we are at the Palmer family reunion in playful Nauvoo. I've been forbidding forward to this for 1,000,273 nanoseconds, and I know you're just as itchy.

We've come from all over -- Virginia, Mississippi, and McDonald's. We came by car and by camel. Some of us exploded at the zoo and saw lions and tigers and roller-coasters -- oh my!

At Nauvoo, we saw fish heads built in the year 17. We enjoyed the pageant with all the singing and splaining. Our family talent show is even more sparkly. Rosemary will tease the songs "Row, Row, Row Your TV" and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Lazy Beret." Grandma will tell stories about our barrels -- such as the time Summer built a fire in the spray can or when her wood said, "The Jello is flammable." At the reunion, Adam is in charge of all the screaming -- except when Eric makes purple food. Yummy!

One more thing -- I call dibs on the duck bed!

moving

Announcement!

We will be moving (just a couple miles) soon. How soon? Well, we've started packing. We plan to have everything packed up and cleaned before we leave for the reunion, and we'll load it into a truck and take it to our new apartment on Saturday August 6, right after we get home again.

I'll send the address and other pertinent information out later.

Video challenge update!

First of all, congratulations Aaron and Mindy!

B: It has taken me less time than I expected to edit all the videos together into one big conglomeration of awesomeness. So, here is a brand-new, one-time special offer. If you want to submit any additional videos (like if you missed one of the challenges, or something) you still can! Yay!

Also, BONUS CHALLENGE!

Boot to the Head!

movies

Jared,
What is the absolute date that these movies can be in? We are working on them and don't want to miss out.
Too bad we won't be there. We are jealous that all the grandkids will be there except ours, and that you and Trina and Eric will be there and we haven't seen you in years (five years for you and Trina).

Last two weeks!

Just a reminder, I need everybody else's videos sent to me within the next TWO WEEKS for inclusion at the reunion! Great big thank yous to everyone who has already contributed!

Video challenge!

I know, it's not June quite yet, but our school year has ended, so it's close enough for me.

Our sixth and final video challenge is called... "RANDOM DANCING!!!"

In recap, the challenges are all as follows:

1. I'm a Little Teapot

2. What's Your Sign?

3. Pump your own gas

4. Tell a joke

5. Oops!

6. Random Dancing!!!

So far, I've gotten videos from Mom, Dad, Emily, Trina, and Tawnia. I'd love to see some videos from everyone - you don't even have to do all of them! We just really want to have everyone involved in what is shaping up to be a really fun project. I think everyone will love the result, even more so if you took part in it. Eric, Nate, Mindy, Clarissa, I'm talking to you.

That being said.... I need to impose a deadline. I want to have all the videos compiled and edited so we can watch them at the reunion, and I'm going to need some time to get that done. Therefore, I need to have all your videos filmed and sent to me (just upload them to the ftp folder and let me know) by the end of June. That way, I can edit them all together in July in time for the reunion.

reunion challenges

Here's the Caudle update for the reunion challenges -

Read the entire Book of Mormon: Adam has completed it himself so he gets the prize. We started reading it as a family and we do read EVERY DAY but there's no way we're going to finish before the reunion. We get through only about 10 verses at a time and we're in Alma 10 or 11 as of today. Well, we're trying! I'm not reading the Book of Mormon for my personal reading because I'm still working through the Old Testament (and wow, is it ever WORK to read the Old Testament!), and I'm teaching Sunday School out of the New Testament right now. My brain can do only so much lately.

Memorize the Family Proclamation: Adam has been working on this as well and is almost done. I should do it - I'm a question mark.

Family food storage/emergency supplies: my challenge ... is anyone doing this? I'll keep the prize all to myself, if no one is! Adam found a news article the other day that the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has recently released information on "what to do in case of a zombie attack." No kidding! It said in the article that it's so "interesting" that preparing for a zombie attack is just the same as preparing for a hurricane or an earthquake. Imagine that! Very funny PR campaign and a good way to get people's attention when normally they just tune out - "yeah yeah get ready for a hurricane." But getting ready for ZOMBIES! Totally different!

Jared's video challenge: Tawnia did our filming when she was here in March. I think she missed one of them but five out of six ain't bad! I just have no idea if the video clips actually made it to Jared. Tawnia, did you send them to him? I know they're in my computer somewhere, but I have no idea how to access them or send them to Jared if I knew where they were. Can you please give him the clips? Thanks!

Did I miss anything?

Question

Hey Everyone,

I need a head count of who is completing and/or attempting my challenge so that I can make my final decision on how to do prizes. I have some ideas but I'm not sure which to go with.

As for myself, I'm less than 30 chapters of being back to where I was in the Book of Mormon when Mom made the challenge so that one is almost completed. I've filmed one of the videos for Jared's challenge but still need to do the others.... maybe today? And I don't think I'm going to get to Trina's challenge. At this point I'm in the midst of packing things and giving things away as quickly as possible so that I can leave for the summer. And I am trying to memorize the Proclamation on the Family.

It's not to late for anyone else to make a challenge. It doesn't have to be anything big and the prize doesn't have to be anything huge either. (Something from the dollar store or even a hug for a smaller challenge, OR you could serenade the person that does the best whatever with a song you made up for them.... on the spot.) So yeah, let's do some more fun challenges if you'd like.... even those of us who have already made challenges. I'm really enjoying Jared's challenge and can't wait to see the videos.

Love you all! Can't wait to see all of you at some point this summer.

Love,

Tawnia

Sightseeing after the reunion

Before I can get plane tickets, I need to figure out when and from which airport to fly home. Personally, I'm not in a big hurry to get back to mopping floors, so I was thinking of staying around until the next Saturday.

Who else is thinking about doing some sightseeing? Tawnia, Mom, and Dad, at least. Anyone else?

Mom talked about seeing the sites in Independence and Liberty, and I thought about flying out from that side of the state. But then she talked about going back to St. Louis. So I wondered why drive all the way across the state (about 4 hours one way) just to turn around and come back? There's plenty to do in St. Louis.

The zoo is free (except for the parking). There's a temple in St. Louis. There's the Gateway Arch and several museums. There are Indian mounds 8 miles away in Illinois. Trina and Adam's girls might like the Children's Museum.

But I don't want to be the only one making these decisions. So, who else wants to sightsee? And what do you want to do?

sdoo

,,˙oops,, :sı ǝɯǝɥʇ s,ɥʇuoɯ sıɥ┴ ¡ǝƃuǝllɐɥɔ oǝpıʌ ʇxǝu ǝɥʇ ɹoɟ ǝɯıʇ s,ʇı suɐǝɯ ʇɐɥʇ os 'ʎɐW s,ʇI

Oh, wait, it's not May yet? Oops.

temple day

I realized that not everyone knows the news: Aaron is going through the temple for the first time on Saturday, April 9th. Yes, that's only two days away. We're going to the Cardston temple. If anyone else has the chance to be in the temple on Saturday (11:30 mountain time) we would love to feel of your spirit. We're going to wait until we go to Oregon to get sealed - so at least some of the family can be there!

We did look into what it would take to go to Nauvoo - $800 for a plane ticket. And we would need two. Driving would take a long time, and a whole lot of gas (and we only have an SUV). Just too expensive for us right now! We'll just stick with our Oregon trip - a lot less time and money. Be we still are planning on doing the reunion video challenges, so we can be part of the fun.

And our Oregon trip will probably take place at the end of May, beginning of June. My residency interview is on the 28th of this month, and we aren't sure how much longer it will be after that. We're hoping my residency is granted immediately, so Aaron can put me on his taxes and I can look for work. Once Aaron gets his tax return back we'll be on our way!

Other than all that, everything is great up here. Aaron is working, I'm babysitting and painting, and we both play lots of games.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Was it an African chicken or a European chicken?

(pause for laughter)

Happy New Month everybody! Here is your video challenge for April. Tell a joke!

reunion challenges

Just out of curiosity... who all is participating in the challenges for the family reunion?

We're not doing Trina's food storage challenge, but Brooke, Bryan, and I are all working on the Book of Mormon challenge.

I'm still planning to memorize the Proclamation. (Brooke thinks it's too much and wants to keep working on the Articles of Faith.)

As for my video challenges, we're going to do them, and I've already gotten videos from Mom and Dad and Emily. I know Trina and Tawnia are going to do them this week. Is anyone else doing them? I'd love to see videos from Eric, Nate, Mindy, and Clarissa. Even if you can't make it to the reunion, we'd love to "see" you there!

March video challenge

Oregon statute 480.320 Use of coin-operated pumps and dispensing of gasoline by self-service declared hazardous.

48 out of 49 non-Oregon states respectfully disagree.

Here's an interesting tidbit - there are members of our family who, having lived in Oregon since obtaining their driver's licenses, have never pumped their own gas. This is especially fascinating to members of our family who have never lived in Oregon, and therefore never NOT pumped their own gas.

So, here is your video challenge for March: everyone, pump your own gas. Including those people who... well, you know who you are.

Reunion Notes

Greetings my children,

Some time ago, Jared asked for an update about the costs of the reunion in Nauvoo. The housing cost is $188 per adult or $376 per couple (kids are free). That's for 4 nights. I just talked to Trina about the food and she suggested we estimate high so we have enough to work with. We can always return funds if need be. Let's say $50 per adult or $100 per couple and again kids are free. Adam will draw up a menu a month or so before the reunion - if you want input contact him. So the total cost per couple is $476 - which isn't bad at all.

I also have a question regarding the Book of Mormon challenge that I issued a few months back. How many of you are accepting this challenge? I need to know how many rewards to make, so if the kids are reading with you - please let me know. I have them mentally designed but need to get busy and make them.

As for the other challenges we've received, we're working on them. I've done an inventory of all the home canned and frozen fruits and veggies I have so I can track how much we use, and I figured out how much toilet paper we use in a year - we almost have a year's supply of that. I've been working on my memorization of the Family Proclamation. We've found our sign for February's video challenge and will film it when we have a dry day and I don't have a rotten cold.

I have another project concerning the reunion which will unfold in the next few weeks. Hope you all enjoy it.

Love always,
MOM

new calling

We finally found out about Aaron's new calling. He was set apart today as the second counselor in the Elders Quorum. He was pretty surprised to be called, and is a little nervous since he has no idea what he's doing, but we're both excited for the new experiences to come.

request for pictures

I have a bulletin board in my kitchen that I put pictures on of my family - especially my nieces and nephews. I've realized that most of them need to be updated! The most recent was from Eric at Christmas. Nathan and Amanda gave me some the Christmas before, from Trina the Christmas before that, and Jared sent some probably around that same time too (Emma isn't more than six months old). I don't need anything much - group shots or wallet sized would be enough. OR, instead of printing and mailing stuff, could you please post lots of pictures on Facebook or here? I'm in a painting sort of mood, and Amanda has requested something of her boys, but I feel bad that I've done so much of them and not as much of the either kids (but then I was around them and able to take my own pictures). Emma is already two, and I haven't done anything of her yet! I need pictures to work from though!


And instead of just requesting, I'll give an update as well. Still lots of waiting in the frozen north. According to the immigration website they are up to processing paperwork received on May 1st - and our was received on the 26th. So it should be soon! Then I'll be able to work for a while before kids come along. Aaron is getting a new calling at church, but it's through the stake, and signals got crossed at church, so we have no idea what, just that it's coming. With Aaron doing that, I got shuffled around in Primary so I'll be teaching the Sunbeams. There's only two of them, so it should be fun. Other than that, just painting lots, trying to stay busy, selling my cards, and staying happy and warm.

New Challenge!

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Here is your video challenge for February. I call it What's Your Sign?

Find a sign that is funny or ridiculous in some way. Be sure and get yourselves in the video, to prove that you actually found the sign in real life, and not just on the internet like I did with the picture here.

As a backup plan, if you are not able to find a funny sign, then you could always find a regular sign, and MAKE it funny in some way. (I mean reading it or acting it out or something, not drawing cartoon characters on it.)