JANUARY 1 and NO HANGOVER

January Friday, January 01, 2010 Judy left for one night to chase with her mother Bev and her friends in Minneapolis and left me here alone. Ha! Last night Chris came over with Sierra, Lynn, Wyatt and Cade. A little later Julia and Autumn showed up. Then it was Corey, Stacey, Jayden and Bailey. Austin and Molly were here early and are here for the weekend. Chris and his gang didn’t stay late but the rest were here until well after midnight and of course we had to make a big noise. I didn’t go outside but Corey said they were setting off fireworks down by the lake. By this time Austin had gone with Chris and his gang. They dropped him off at a church dance. I don’t know when or if he got home. His room doesn’t look like it has been slept in. the dance was up in Salt Lake. Maybe he called his mother and went back to her place. Chris called trying to get hold of Jim to say that Austin couldn’t get into the dance because he didn’t have on a tie and didn’t have a dance card from his bishopric, but while we were still speaking he said, “Oh, he just got in. I guess he must have sweet talked them” or some such wording. Jim wasn’t here because everyone had gone over to the pool. They came back shivering. Stacey said that the water was so warm that when they got out, Corey lay in the snow and made a snow angel and of course some of the others had to follow suit. I’m positive Stacey didn’t and I bet Julia didn’t either.

NEW YEARS EVE BLING BLING

Fred and Lyn, Chris' girlfriend at our house in Saratoga Springs, Utah. Lynn and her boys Wyatt and Cade gave the blig blig to me.

BAILEY the SPIDER QUEEN

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 An-email from Stacey You’re always asking for stories‏ From: Stacey Jepson (staceyjep@gmail.com) Sent: Wed 12/30/09 1:28 PM To: Fred C. Jepson (fcjepson@hotmail.com) So, I was putting away Christmas and I was out in the garage. I moved a box out of the way and there was this spider under it. I freaked out and was scared to go into the garage for the rest of the day. Bailey said mom don't be scared. I will go take care of it. A few seconds went bye and she came back into the house laughing her head off, saying this is what you’re scared of mom. I went to go look and the spider was fake. So the point of the story is, don't always believe what you see. Ps. Bailey is still laughing at me. I couldn't get the picture of the spider to upload.

GORJ SAVED SANTA (Jayden age 10)

MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2009 As promised here is the story Jayden wrote in school for Christmas. "Gorj Saved Santa Jayden We are going to staret with a elf named Gorj. All the elves wer hard at work in santas work shop all but one. It was Gorj (George) he was slepeing (sleeping) santa cam in and asked way arnt you working I’m sleeping Way don’t you fix m slay. (Why don’t you fix my sleigh?) How (why) don’t we take the engen out then we poot it bak in. Thay take the engen out then poot it bak in. Santa went to work. Gorj thought it was cool to see Santa go to work then lookt at the engen remembrd he fix it. We fixt it he felt hape. (happy) He went to the work shop. Gorj felt Good about Him Self antil he got sik. Santa is stuk in the hcimne (chimney) Ho Ho Ho help me a vois (voice) cam fram the hcimen (chimney) Gorj savd santa. Santa gave Gorj a brake. Gorj did not tak it."

PROGRESSIVE DINNER etc.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2009 Today after church we had a progressive dinner at ours and our kid’s houses so Grandma Bev could see them. We had appetizers at Corey’s and Stacey’s, soup and salad at our place, the main course, Café Rio chicken burritos at Niki’s, then desert at Chris and Sierra’s. Jim’s Julia and her kids, Ethan, Jacob and Autumn were there at Niki’s and at Chris’. Of course in no time they were best friends with Jayden, Bailey and Alexa and were yelling and screaming and running around like a bunch of Banshees. And of course they wanted an adult to chase them, and at Niki’s house have a war throwing light plastic balls at us. First it was Jim, then it was my turn and finally I sicked them on Corey. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. And I was being careful. At Chris’ house it was all me, up and down stairs umpteen times. At first I thought I was going to die then I wished I would and get it over with. Just kidding! We got in a conversation about Jayden’s new pellet/B.B. gun and how Stacey is paranoid about someone getting hurt. The story came up about how when they were living in their apartment in Albuquerque and Jayden was six or seven years old. They saw a show about a kid throwing a stick and hitting a rabbit. After seeing it, Jayden asked if he could go outside. After a while they started wondering where he had gone. They went out and found him lying on the ground with a stick in his hand waiting for the rabbit that lives in the apartment complex courtyard to show up. Tonight when Corey was telling the story, Jayden got all embarrassed and tried to shut his dad up. When he wouldn’t he hid his face. I kind of felt bad for him but loved the story. In my entry of 20 November I recorded what Jayden wrote in school about what he was thankful for. He did a very good job and used a lot of imagination. Tonight while we were at their house they showed us a Christmas story he wrote in school. Again he used a lot of imagination and again it was way good. I will try to get it home so I can transcribe it into my journal for you.

SHY BAILEY--NOT!

Saturday, December 26, 2009 I spent much of the day running around with Corey, Jayden and Bailey buying stuff they needed for tomorrow’s progressive dinner and whatnot. We also went in to Payless Shoe Source in Lehi/American Fork to buy Jayden a much needed new pair of brown winter boots. While we were in there I noticed that Sven Menssen, his wife Nicole, their daughter Cara and son Robert were in there also. I told Bailey that they were in our ward and with only a slight nudge from me, Bailey was all over Cara pretending to take her knitted brown hat off her head etc. Bailey has got to be the friendliest girl on the face of the planet.

MERRY CHRIST-MAS EVERYONE

Friday, December 25, 2009 Christmas day 2009 Today is the big day. For Judy and me, we didn’t start the family festivities—food and presents wise until 4:30 this afternoon. That is when everyone was scheduled to arrive—appetizers at 4:30—dinner at 5:30 and opening presents after that, dessert later. The kids of course did their Christmas’ last night and this morning with their other families which was fine. Grandma Bev; Judy’s mother has been with us since the 22nd and will stay through next Tuesday if I understand it correctly. She has been a lot of fun. Last night, Judy, Bev and I went to a ward Christmas program where various ward members performed, singing, piano playing etc. Of course the finale (and high-note) was Jim playing his flute with Judy accompanying him on her harp. Just kidding on the high-note, they were all wonderful! At 11:30 Judy and I were back over to the church to listen to Fred Blackburn give a forty-five minute organ recital. He is a very gifted musician. He finished it off with two carols on the chimes played along with the organ. I have no idea how he pulled that one off. The organ was playing without him sitting at it. Hmm! In addition to tonight’s family dinner, we will be having a progressive dinner on Sunday. Ah ha here it is off an e-mail: At Fred & Judy's – (Christmas Day) 4:00 - Doors Open 4:30 - Appetizers 5:30 - Dinner Served 6:30 - Open Presents 7:00 - Dessert Family Progressive Dinner - Sunday, December 27th 4:00 to 4:45 - Appetizers at Corey & Stacey's house 5:15 to 6:00 - Soup & Salad at Fred & Judy's house 6:30 to 7:30 - Main Course at Niki & Greg's house 8:00 to 9:00 - Dessert at Chris & Sierra's house On an unhappy note, Chris was bumped off his first flight and didn’t get in until fourish this afternoon. When he did, he told us that he has been fighting the flu for the last several days and was running to the bathroom on the plane every fifteen minutes. He decided to forgo the festivities and stay home in bed. Through it all Sierra missed the message that Chris missed the first flight and was waiting at hers and his house for him to pick her up and bring her out here. Somehow Niki (I think it was) found out and I drove into Salt Lake and got her so she was here in time for everything. Anyway Merry Christ-mas to you Merry Christ-mas to you Merry Christ-mas family friends and loved ones Merry Christ-mas to you As they say, let’s keep Christ in Christmas!