The Joys of Home

I promised pictures in my last post-I realized it doesn't matter if I brought the camera cord home, because lappy has a card reader. Don't you just love modern technology? Pictures will follow, but there are also stories that need to be told.

For reasons I love being home, family is at the top of the list. I'm pretty close to my cousins. We had a party last so we could all get together. My cousin Owen called and left my dad a message earlier in the day, asking if his sister Mindy could bring her boyfriend. I returned the call-it went something like this:
Owen: Hello?
Me: Hey Owen, this is Janelle. Dad said he got a message from you asking about bringing Mindy's boyfriend...he's welcome to come.
Owen: Who's your dad?
Me: Your uncle...Doug.
Owen: Oh!
Conversation continues, but is not funny past this point.

Yeah, that was the first laugh of the day. When Owen, Rachael (his other sister), Brad (one of his brothers), Uncle Kieth (his dad) and Aunt Jo (his mom) arrived, I was in the kitchen helping mom cook. The conversation kind of stayed in the kitchen area. We asked about significant others. My lack of said other came up, and they offered to set me up with someone (like any good family would). I said sure, as long as he's Mormon. Owen said (with much surprise) "Janelle, you're Mormon?!?! When did this happen?" and everyone burst out laughing. I said something like "All my life". Aunt Jo said "She went to BYU!". Poor kid, he then started asking other family members if they were Mormon too. Turns out he had no idea. I wish I had been able to see his face, I'm sure he was pretty surprised-he sounded pretty surprised. I guess we can't give him too hard a time-he is 10 years younger than I am, which means that he was about 10 years old when I left for college.

Now, for pictures.

Below is a picture of my uncle Dennis and our dog, Zeke. He usually doesn't come in the house (the dog, not my uncle), and we were super surprised when he came right in the open door after someone said his name. He is part chow part lab and probably something else too. He's quite camera shy. I've tried to get pictures of him several times, but he runs away from the camera. This was the best one.


Below is how we often spend our cousin parties. Pinochle is a favorite with my cousins, and we almost always play a game (or eight) when we get together. There was also a table playing Five Crowns, and eventually the Farming Game came out too.


As I mentioned before, Mom and I always make copious amounts of cookies and candy. What's in the bowl below is divinity.

These are my favorite Christmas cookie. Not only do the look neat, they taste great too!

What Christmas cookie plate would be complete without ginger snaps?

The finished products, awaiting delivery.

And, no trip home would be complete without several trips to town in the Mustang. I love the way this car feels. The seats are comfortable, the steering wheel feels good in my hands, and all the world is right (even when she won't start easily because it's cold-she can be coaxed). Sitting in front of Shubert's eating my milkshake behind the wheel of the Mustang. How can Texas ever hope to compete?