Joplin Journal Volume 9-12, Issue 1

From the Editor's Desk:

Well, it's December. Will I get more than one Joplin Journal written this month? I guess we'll see. The next two Saturdays I do have something going on, but we'll see. Right now I'm sitting here at my rather cluttered desk listening to Christmas music as I write this. I'm not even sure what I need to catch you all up on. I guess we'll find out was we go along. Ready?

Weather Report:

The last two days have been sunny and in the 70s. Before that we've had frosts and nights in the 20s. We've had rain, and we've had sunshine. No snow yet though. Our yard if covered with leaves! Sarah and I have started raking them into piles and then we'll rake the piles onto a tarp and take them down to the sidewalk to be picked up by the city.

"Genius Burns":

I didn't get a lot written in November due to being busy with many other things, but I did get 600 words written the last day of the month. You see, a story idea just suddenly popped into my head and then started writing itself so I had to run for NEO and start writing. :D But I did get 2k words written last month. Compared to October's 297 words, that's quite a bit. ;) I'm hoping I can get some more written this month as ideas keep popping up. I'd just like to be able to finish a story soon.

Project Prognosis:

Well, I've made progress on different projects.

• The house is decorated!
• Blog posts written – I just need to finish a few in December and then those will be done for the year.
• Work on the house – More on this project in On the House.
• Wrap presents – All the presents (except 2 that haven't arrived yet) for Jimmy & Co. are wrapped!
• Story for Christmas Cards – Written and formatted.

On the House:

The rooms do NOT look like our house! Mom and Dad are moved back into their room and it's so nice! Sorry, I don't have pictures yet.

Sarah is sewing in her sewing room, but it's not quite done. The shelves for her fabric are being built so she has stacks and tubs of fabric not put away. But it's getting there.

All our stuff is out of storage! Not all out of boxes, but out of storage. :D We actually have coats and blankets now! We have stacks of boxes of books waiting for shelves. But it's kind of fun as we stacked some back in the corner behind the Christmas tree and covered them with white sheets and put presents on them. :D

The hall isn't done, but it's painted and has new lights up. We'll probably work on the floor on days when Dad can't work on the roof. After he's framed in the door to the furnace and the place for the cabinets. It's going to be so strange and different having real floors and not just plywood.

Thanksgiving:

We headed over to Jimmy's late morning. Hung out, ate, played games, and then ate pie. I played a game of ping-pong with Joel and one with Krista and beat them both. I was going to play James and Lucas, but they got pulled into a long game of Scrabble with Grammy and Daddy. I played Flinch with Drew, Joel, and Kailyn. It was Kailyn's first time to play it and she loved it! Then Drew and I played Monopoly together. It was super low-key and at one point we started talking in accents and even singing our rolls and what we had to do much to the amusement of the others. In some ways Drew and I are a lot alike. :D It was a good day. Dad and Kinsley took a nap together on the couch.

Babysitting:

Let's see, James & Joel (and Kinsley) got to come over last week, I think on Wednesday, and helped moved things from storage. (Kinsley was only here in the morning while Megan & Krista were shopping.)

Then on Friday I watched the three youngest all afternoon. Grant and Kailyn helped me set up and decorate the Christmas tree.

On Saturday Krista came over for lunch and most of the afternoon to help me start decorating. Then she came back over on Tuesday and we finished it except the outside stuff. It was so nice to have help. I'd share a picture, but they're all still on Sarah's camera.

The Music Stand:

I played for prelude in our ensemble on Sunday. You can watch and listen to it HERE. (I'm 2nd from left near the wall.)

Sarah and I are working on bells with the kids and that is going well.

The Children's Church song we're teaching them is coming along. Tomorrow I get to start teaching a special part to the older kids. Should be fun! :D

Oh, and Sarah and I are singing "O Holy Night" with some others for the Christmas program.

And I got asked to be a caroler in the Christmas play. All I have to do is sing, so that should be pretty easy.

KDWC:

We had a good writing camp last month. We ended up with 103 of us there or at least that's how many were signed up. Some girls got a lot of writing in.

Sewing Room:

Sarah is very busy with orders. Lots of sewing going on.

Read Another Page:

Still trying to proof listen to Hymns in the Hills, but I've been so busy with trying to get the house in order again that I haven't had time to do much listening. I did get through chapter 4.

Teacher's Lounge:

Closed until January. There's no place to teach.

Book Nook:

Reading has really slacked off this last month. I'm hoping to change that this month as I have stacks of Christmas books to read. :D But here's the list of what I've read. Something Sweet Someone Sweet, A Gingham Patch, A Desperate Experiment, A Chance and a Hope, Home for Christmas, The Old Mansion's Secret. Yes, I did reread my own book. :D I just felt like it, so I did. And the first two books on the list and the 4th one are really short. So, while it make look like I read a good number, 3 of them are short. Two don't even have chapters they are so short.

Farewell:

And that, my readers, is all I have time for. Dad might be home. He was at a men's breakfast at church. Mom is off watching James & Joel's basketball game. Sarah is sewing, and I have a list of things to do. I'd better get busy. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I'll write again when I can.