it's beginning...

to feel a bit like Christmas.

And the need to begin some gifts!

the big 22

Today marked my 22 time around the sun (Mark's way of thinking of a birthday)! I got so much love from everyone, I almost fell over.

Much of the day was spent in my pajamas while enjoying Dancing with the Stars, chocolate, New Moon, and the company of Mark and Buckwheat, and talking with and/or texting many of you.

Later, when Mark was home from his simulator, we scoured the town in search of a restaurant. Our plan of Applebee's was dashed with bad reviews. We settled on Tres Rios, a Mexican Restaurant with yummy sopapias (sp?) that come free when it's your birthday!

The restaurant at 9:30 pm. Scratch that, we had it privately reserved:

Me about to embark on the quest for achieving 'sugar lips'. mmm delicious! It looks like the plate is about to dump on me, but I was careful of course! My name ain't 'Stain' for no good reason!

happy things

don't you love 'happy things' that resemble colorful one of a kind, hand-painted dishes? Me too.

This one was for Chelsea (if she ever reads this). She has a thing for black and white decor spun through different designs as the one you see above. Below, the blurry picture is just a red tea mug, with a country sort of napkin stuffed inside it like a feather in a hat. I know it's sort of like Luke's diner, but I love differently ornate dishes and mugs, especially mugs. Pick your favorite. I'm still looking for mine!

Veteran's Day

Today was our stake conference in Lawton, Oklahoma. When the meeting started, the Stake President got up and started to get choked up. He said it gets him every time. I didn't know what he was going to do.

"Will all the active duty in our military armed forces stand up."

"...and their families."

"Will all the reserve military stand up."

"Will the retired military please stand."

"Will the veterans who fought in wars please stand."

More than half of all the people in the stake center were standing. As I stood there looking at young and old, I teared up at the realization of how lucky I am to be a part of something so special, a part of something that I have so much respect for.

I'm so thankful for Mark bringing the military to me, and me to the military.

Reeder's Digest

When we moved here to Oklahoma, we met a lady in our church who was just so fun to spend time with. Our first time over to her house we got to talking about her house and how much work she has put into it just by herself; she just needed shelves for some food storage. Mark knows how to build sturdy things, so he volunteered for the job. I was a little skeptical seeing is how all we had to work with was what's in the picture above and a box of nails! But it took off when Mark got working.
After 700 nails and lots of arm pain, Mark and I finished the shelves for Ruth. I only hammered about 200 or so, but I did come up with some time-saving, sturdy-ensuring ideas. Regarding those ideas, Mark had to tell me, "Jayci, I'm sure glad you're smart." He made my day.

good mail and happy things

Two days ago I got my first official 'good mail' from Jamie in Texas! It was really nice of her. So thank you, Jamie! It was a sweet card for a special day coming up around the weekend and it had this simple wish with a note written on the opposite fold. The two words that stuck out to me were HAPPY and things. I looked around thinking 'happy things' and I caught a glimpse of my little dangley-mirror that I have on my purse; a simple joy. I have so many 'happy things': simple ones, complex ones, and immeasureable ones.

Here was the first to make my endless list of 'happy things.'

*another current simple-joy of mine is reading the book below called Twilight. I can't stop!

overdue

It's getting colder outside so I haven't been out to snap pictures of things out there. So I have been inside catching up with some good new books. I'm still working on Queen of Babble (I left it in Enid on our weekend visit to meet Mark's old friends, so if you see my librarian, dodge her!), I just finished One Good Knight (2 stars), and I'm almost done with The Angel and the Jabberwocky Murders (I have a feeling it will be 4 stars). fyi: my rating system for books and movies consist of 5 stars maximum.

While perusing the library's first row selections, I kept passing up The Thirteenth Tale. Until I saw it on a list from the Border's website. So I clicked on a review; it was a good review. So yesterday I went to pick it up. I already knew the exact location, so it only took me less than a minute to zig in and zag out. Mark didn't need to wait long in the car at all! I think he's afraid of libraries. That's between you and me.

Because of countless recommendations to read the Twilight series, I finally looked into it and needed to order it from another library. It came in today from the Great Bend Public Library in Kansas.

I wish I could blame my blog absence on reading myself silly, but this week has been a little stressful, causing a bit of a blog drought. But now that I have all sorts of stories to fill my thoughts, let's get reading!

*I took this picture thinking it would look a little more like late night-reading supplies if I added a bit more contrast! And I don't know why I had my ginger citrus cream sitting on top. Probably because my hands get so chapped while my hands are holding (so tightly) the riveting tales before me in the cold night air

sailing in

On Ref-desk, the word of the day is "centerboard." I was thinking it had something to do with a professor's display board for class (or something as ordinary as that).

Centerboard: A movable keel in a sailboat that can be pivoted upward to reduce the boat's draft in shallow water.

hm! I can learn something new every day online. I thought Uncle Stan could appreciate that one. I remember looking over the brick wall that separated our back yard from the cousin's and seeing big sailboats back there that he would work on. I never asked him too much about them because I was too young to think up questions to ask, but I sure thought they were pretty.

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A couple of years ago I did this sketch, so I thought I'd share seeing how the word was about a sail boat. I promise it looks better small, so don't enlarge it! And thanks for all the votes below, I'll update when I get myself to tally all the votes.

all Hallow's Eve

While sipping on smooth and delicious pumpkin smoothies and thinking how Mark should go about making his homemade rootbeer, we brought out the steak knives and started carving our delightfully round pumpkins. As a new Reeder Tradition, we've begun an Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest.

All day I've been longing for a traditional pumpkin head, but I had just watched The Adventures of Ichabod and I really liked the Headless Horseman Pumpkin-substitute look; the pumpkin was even the perfect shape. It looks like it's leaning back and about to come after you! So I did a mixture. Mark decided to pull at the heart strings and make a buck-toothed cutie pumpkin-pie.

Because this is a contest, I ask you to submit one vote: for either Mark's or mine (no pressure on voting for mine). If you're family I'll try sending you an email to make it 'official' as well, if I've got your email. Stakes are high - the winner gets to choose a dinner to be made and cleaned up by the loser (I know, ultimate high stakes). If Mark looses, this is the Zoolanderish face he'll be giving you next time you cross paths.

cranberry pumpkin cookies

Tomorrow I teach Young Womens. Scary? Why yes, so I bring peace offerings.

mmmm...

shoe repair man

I bought these shoes a while ago (when I was still in Texas). I fell in love with them, they're based on a shoe style by Steve Madden. They were the last pair, and they had a bit of a heel problem. But they were too cute, and too Thoroughly Modern Millie/roaring 20s to pass them up. So I bought them for full price even though they were a little injured. It's like seeing a wounded puppy in a pound; you can't say no.

Eventually I found the shoe repair shop, walked through the doors saying, "Excuse me, hello, Sir?" and I still ended up startling the poor old man when he turned around. His npr radio station was on a little loud (probably because he was a tad hard of hearing). The repair man looked oddly familiar, and I associated his looks to little dolls I've seen, comical caricature dolls I've seen (look like wood or porcelain or something), but I couldn't quite place his familiarity... until the visit I had yesterday when I picked up my shoes.

This time I had a method for not startling him: stand at the door and knock very loudly. He heard me after a couple of tries. Improvement! He came up to the counter after placing a pair of worn boots down and asked which were mine. He asked how much he said he'd charge me. I recounted to him he said it would only be a dollar, but I thought he had been kidding. He said, "then that will be just a dollar." That's when I noticed his register. Beautiful antique!! And since I'm now an antiquing expert, I have an eye for these things, right? hm. I commented on it and he said he'd sell it to me. I laughed and said, "You wouldn’t, it’s too pretty! ..How much?” He said, "$80,000." My mouth dropped and my eyes widened...so I do have an eye for these sort of things. He said "it'll be worth something some day." To that I replied, "aren't they already?" Then he told me they were selling these registers for $68,000! I just handed him my dollar and said, "oh it's beautiful, and thanks for fixing my shoes!" Just as he smiled, the phrase "Tha'll do pig, tha'll do" came ringing through my head and that's when I realized just who he looked so much like!!

I raced home and pulled up a picture of Farmer Arthur Hoggett from the movie Babe. He looked exactly like him, just a little older with some big glasses on. It was an epiphany and felt like a breakthrough. I told Mark all about him and am waiting anxiously for another shoe to break so Mark can go back with me to see the resemblence.

I'm so glad my shoe is 'feeling better'. Now that it has glue and a nail holding it in place, I'm sure they'll last a life time. I have the Mr. Hoggett look-a-like to thank. What a charming shoe repair man.

the favorite antique

It's about 6 feet tall (taller than I would have thought it would be), blue and yellow with this little clasp handle. I tried to take a bigger picture, but it didn't turn out that great because the lighting (looks very florescent) and angle I had to hold the camera; I was smashed in front of it by all the other furniture, and so I couldn't easily get the whole piece in one picture. So if you really want to see it, you'll have to click here. ....Oh never mind, it's not that bad I guess. Don't judge. Don't compare the colors from photo to photo. Just adore its simplistic perfection:

gone antiquing

I have been impressed with today since the moment I opened my eyes and realized how comfortable I was inside my soft, warm bed with the cold wind blowing outside. Normally this sort of serenity doesn't hit me until about Thursday, seeing is how it's a Monday, I was pleasantly surprised. When I decided to leave my comfort for some hot chocolate-for-breakfast, I was greeted by a happy, furry little dog in a hoodie. Yep, that's right, Mark bought Buckwheat a dog-hoodie! It is darling (I'm still trying to get a good picture of him in it).

There was time for some morning reading before taking Mark to work and I started my day of errands, so I read, and decided I needed to check out another book for when I finish the one I'm working on. Currently, I have 3 books checked out; even though there's not a limit at the base library, I feel I'm cheating the other books if I have too many out at once... but they're BOOKS! How can you not be reading one at any given time: waiting in the car, sitting on the couch after lunch, during lunch, before you fall asleep... the list goes on.

A couple of the errands were fun ones; one imparticular called for me to go to a boutique in town to look at some Halloween decorations, and of course I had to browse all the jewelry (found LOTS that I loved, but I refrained from buying anything.. for now). Above this adorable boutique there are antique rooms set up. So I followed the sign up there today and found some fun things! It was my second time in the store, but it's the first store I've ever been "antiquing" in.

I walked up the stairs to find a mirrored coat and hat hanger with an old riding hat and a top hat. Yes, I tried them both on and made some oo-la-la faces in the mirror. After that, I had to choose which room I should explore first. I went left. I found two chairs that were fun: one with green velvet padding and the other with pink:
A bit further down the long room, I spotted an old wirey fan, and a little desk bell. You know the kind, they usually have a sign by them that says "Ring Bell for Service." I rang the bell, not for service, but just for the sake that it probably hadn't been rung in a long time. It sounded old and dull, but I still thought it looked pretty.

Two more pieces:

One is for my dad, and the other is for my mom (now that I just found out they're reading this). The first is an old Poker table. It didn't have a date on it, but my guess would be the late 3os or early 40s. This is for my dad, because he said once he was pretty good at poker; and I remember an Ocean Shores trip with the Barretts where he was a big help to me and my winnings:

The last piece is for my mom because it's one that her mother gave to her. I've now seen 3 of these in my lifetime, and I think it's pretty neat that it must have come from a furniture line about 45 years or so ago. It has the folding/slanted door that turns into a writing ledge when open, and it has two hidden drawers (they look like columns around a front door of a house, sorry for not having this picture) on either side of a swinging door inside (it actually looks like a door with a fan window). Have I described it well enough, mom? It is the same! At home, mom puts all our papers, markers, rubber-bands, and miscellaneous letter-things in the drawers. I forget now what's inside the windows. I suppose I was always too busy playing with the drawers inside. This piece of furniture used to sit in my Grandma Barrett's kitchen in Bellevue, WA when I was younger.

I found a favorite piece in this left room of the upstairs-antique store, but I'll have to post it another time. It deserves a few other pictures to go along with it. Here's a hint: my Grandma Judd taught me how to make jelly and jam, and this would be perfect for those jars full of sugar.

oh so pretty

I prefer not to think of myself as an 'Ee-gads!' sort of girl, but I couldn't help it when I saw this house. I also don't think I'm the prissy-sissy sort, but this house brought out the Queen-need in me! If I'm not making sense, here's what I mean. This house is gorgeous, and I wouldn't mind calling it mine...even if just in my dreams.

We found this coldesac of mansions on a drive through a neighborhood behind Wal-Mart (of all places). There is a nice neighborhood of up-scale brick homes, and then behind all of them, there's this coldesac with the biggest most elaborately vain homes you could imagine. If you're a friend from Las Vegas, you know what I mean when I say, "These homes rival Tournament Hills." Except there, it's hard to keep anything pretty from dying (plants, I mean). But here this house has ivy on the outerwalls (blocked by foilage.. great word!), lush grass, little yellow flowers around the bare tree, windows framed in stone... it's my fairy princess house.

So in my spy-paparazzi mode, Mark drove by and I snapped a picture! He didn't slow down (because he didn't want to appear quite as odd as we felt) too much, so here is as best a picture I could get. Enjoy your staring!

cotton harvest

For those interested to see the cotton harvest underway, here are the pictures I promised. The cotton harvest was finished as of Monday. The cotton fields have been driven over (but not crushed) by a weird cotton truck that sucks the cotton from the pods. I'm guessing. I can't think of how else they would be able to do that without mowing over the plants. Look above at how much cotton is left!

Here is the picture book story of how the cotton is pressed into bales that are the size of small houses. The green box-trucks lift up and pour the cotton into these yello crates that are also pulled by trucks. The tilted one just finished pouring the mounds of cotton into it's bin. Then the three sticky things (do you like how educated I sound?) press the cotton into the yellow bin for a box and the truck starts to move away as a cover for wind protection is placed on top:

When the truck pulling the yellow bin slips away from the cotton block, a worker (the black worm looking thing standing on the back of the yellow truck) makes sure that the cover is secured over the cotton block:

Then the block is left for people like me to go up and touch!

Here is me touching it, especially for this picture. My hand looks so funny because I'm pushing so hard on it! It's all white and red because it is such a thick block. Those machines sure are powerful.

The cotton laying on the ground afterward is all dirty and solomn looking because it has been left to blow away. I wonder how much was picked when people were picking the cotton. The machines probably aren't as efficient, but at least people aren't getting arthritis this way. This concludes the picture-book story of how cotton is harvested! Oh. now go on and check your shirt's tag to give your own little salute to this fluffy plant called cotton.

Halloweenish films

It's almost Halloween again, and there are many ways people try to get into the spirit of things. Some go to the nearest costume shop and search out that perfect oufit for their night of disguise. Others carve pumkins, and some can merely see something and it reminds them of a memory that ties their thoughts so closely to this tricky holiday.

Mark and I have been watching our favorite Halloween movies this last week. We started this venture with the movie Casper. I had forgotten how candy-corny this movie was; it is definitely a middle-school romancer. Last night we watched Watcher in the Woods. It is a Disney title, but quite scary! I'm surprised Mark's brothers and sisters were able to watch it without any bad dreams. The next few on our list are:

Hocus Pocus (my altime favorite Halloween movie!)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (this can be watched any time in the months Oct-Dec)
Beetlejuice (ew!)

I'm sure there are so many more! So if you have any recommendations, share them! I'm sure we'd like to watch them .. if they're not too scary!

Reeder's Digest

Last night we decided to go to an Altus High Football Game! It was crazy! It was like in one of those movies like Friday Night Lights (which I don't recommend, I walked out!..which is unlike me) where football games is the happenin' place on a Friday night. The stadium was made out of old Sandstone Bricks that gave it a medieval feel, and it was packed! Even the visitors side was full of Demons. Demons was the opposing team mascot. No! I'm not that mean.

While I was there I felt like I had never graduated from High School. It was a lot of fun to experience with Mark, since we didn't know eachother in high school, so it was like being high school sweethearts. And it felt just like Las Vegas, warm and really windy. Hence the tight back hair and little wispies that have escaped!

We went with our good friend Josh Q. who is also going to Alaska with us - his wife Nikki and son Christian had to stay in Del Rio while he is here TDY. Here's the picture with him and Mark:

a national memory

This past weekend we went to Enid, Oklahoma so I could meet some of Mark's friends from his Academy days. It was a lot of fun hanging out with Brian and Melanie W. They are so much fun!

On the way up to Enid, we decided to swing through Oklahoma City and enjoy the sights there. One of these sights is the Oklahoma City National Memorial. It was a very nice experience. I was pretty young, but I remember the day the Murrah Building was bombed by an American Terrorist who was upset with impertinent things in the Government. The building was full of offices and had a day care by the main entrance (where the bomb was in a car outside).

Walking up to the memorial, there is a gate where loved ones and coworkers could attach memorabilia to the outside as someone would put flowers on a grave site. There were ID cards, pictures, key chains, teddy bears, children's shoes, shirts, dried flowers, necklaces, etc.

Then you keep walking past this sad, sad gate to two enormous, statuesque walls with engravings on the front denoting who this place is in memory of. It is intimidating how large these two walls are. Mirroring the two walls on one side is the view of two more walls on the other side. Their reflection is present in a wide, and very long reflection pool. There are two times on each of the mirrored walls (on opposite ends of the pool) that have the two times of the minutes before and after the bomb went off: 9:01 and 9:03. They remember the minute within these two times, marked by these towering black walls.

To the right you can see the "Empty Chairs" as they call them. I don't know what it implies, whether it is referring to the offices that were destroyed, or the chairs at the dinner table that will never be refilled or what, but whatever it is, it is a moving gesture. What is the saddest part of all, is spotting a small chair for a child in the midst of the others.

Here is another view of a child's chair:

This was not a sad experience, but it was nevertheless a moving one. It is humbling to think how fragile life is! We really need to do our best while we are here.

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to eachother. ~Mother Teresa

just a weed

If one way be better than another, that you may be sure is nature's way. - Aristotle


If you remember the note about that pretty little purple flower that was a weed, well.. this is what weeds turn in to. And sometimes we just need a harsh reminder.

It may be because it was a weed, after all. Or it might be because some mean man sprayed poison all over the grass and turned these little daisy-dollops into a mane of scariness. You decide.

They should have left The Man out of this.

sit here for luck

There was a chair made out of horse-shoes I saw at the restaurant called Backdoor Steakhouse, also known as Backdoor to the Witchitas. It was a delicious restaurant with little silver buckets full of peanuts where you could just throw the shells on the floor. Because I ate so many and was embarrassed, I threw mine around the feet of Mark's friend who sat across from me (he was also eating peanuts).

This week I have been so busy! I have been jam-packed with school assignments and this morning I just finished a paper on the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. Anyway, this chair is what I need right now. I turned in the paper, am fairly confident about it, but still, it's going to be a big grade. Don't you wish we all had a chair like this to sit in when our weeks are stressful? Just for a moment to 'recharge our luck'. If only such a thing existed.