For a little over a year, Brett has been working on a website (www.readeo.com) that lets people read childrens books online together even if they live far away. The site uses video chat and digital books so that you can see and hear each other as you read. It’s perfect for grandparents with grandkids who live out of town, parents who travel a lot for business, and other situations where you’d want to read with little kids who don’t live close by. It would have been perfect when Noah and Logan lived in Ohio, and us in Utah.

There are guest and member accounts, and a family usually only needs one member account (guests are free). Choosing the right account for you might be a little confusing, so if you have questions about which to chose, send Brett an email and tell him to make it a little easier to understand And if you check Readeo out and want an account (you will!), you can use the code “readeolaunch” to get a free month.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

More pictures here.

Whittney and I were too lazy busy to actually send out Christmas cards, but we thought we’d still wish you and yours a happy holidays anyway.

And thanks to Bryan for the photography!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=TwMX2sbqriCka8rOOxC7nw_3d_3d

By the way, I will let you know that Brett has been working on a post for almost two months now and it’s still not finished.  Point your fingers his direction.

It had just rained so the water was a little dirty and quite cold.  Needless to say, I was not down with trying it.  We’ll go back in a couple weeks when it’s a little warmer and a little less muddy.

Video of Brett on Sliding Rock.

Brett Crockett:
It’s the Davy Crockett blood in me. An extension of the battle at the Alamo.

Whittney Crockett:
you aren’t even a descendant

Brett Crockett:
yes I am

Whittney Crockett:
no you aren’t

Brett Crockett:
YES I AM!!!

Whittney Crockett:
no you aren’t
you are descended from his brother

Brett Crockett:
yes. but he and his brother had the same blood.

Whittney Crockett:
you still aren’t descended from him

Brett Crockett:
BUT I HAVE SOME OF THE SAME BLOOD!
You’re just jealous.

Whittney Crockett:
You’re right
i am SOOOOOOOOOooo jealous

A couple of times a week we now ride our bikes to work. It takes us fifteen minutes or so and it’s not so bad in the mornings when it’s still cool outside and the entire ride is downhill. We won’t talk about the ride home. So not only do we get more exercise, save gas, lower our carbon footprint and do more sweaty laundry, we also ride over to a little park for lunch. It’s nice to get out of the office for a little while, take our shoes off and lay on the grass.

Unless you suddenly feel wetness on your forehead and wonder why your husband is laughing so dang hard?

Not so nice after all.

And he’s obsessed with it.

The other morning I was in doing my hair and heard funny clicking noises coming from the living room. I go out to find him still in his underwear shooting at make believe stuff on the ground and making exploding noises! We’re supposed to be getting ready for work! I think he’d sleep with it if I let him.

Disclaimer: I know a gun is not a toy. And he hasn’t even loaded the thing once yet so don’t think he runs around with live ammo and a gun strapped to his chest like a fundamentalist from Idaho. But he might just love that thing more than Maggie.

2. I am SO in over my head. I spent two hours in the store and walked out with no thread. THREAD! How do you sew without thread? I cut out the pattern wrong and had to tape it all back together. I didn’t buy enough fabric and had to go back to the store. Then there was the whole threading the needle thing that we’ll pretend didn’t happen. And then I think I spent more time unpicking my stitches than actually making the stitches to begin with. I have a whole gaggle of stuff to learn and a whole lot more unpicking in my future I’m afraid. I think the pillow I tried turned out pretty good for my first time on a machine in a decade but that’s only cause you can’t see my uneven seams. On to the next project…

And if you’re interested you should really check out the graphic fabric prints by Amy Butler. They fill me with some very whimsical daydreams of projects that are so out of my comfort level.