December 2006Monthly Archives

I’m not going to pretend I’m up on all the happenings around the world – or that they interest me all that much. I live in my own little world, I rarely watch television, and the only newspaper I read is our smalltown Chillicothe Independent. That said, on my weekly run to the bank I heard something on the radio news about the FDA allowing cloned meat to enter the foodstream. I thought maybe I heard it wrong, so I went to look it up.

MSNBC – US says food from cloned animals is safe.

The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday took a big step towards approving the sale of meat and milk from cloned animals and their offspring without special labelling.

Seriously?

I’m not necessarily a well-spoken individual. My idea’s tend to be more emotional than thought out and carefully constructed. There are two certain things for me – God and me. I believe and know both exist.

That said, I know that this cloning is not something I feel at all comfortable with. I knew it was happening – however it didn’t affect me or my world. Now it will affect me and my world.

From USAToday.com:

The FDA has consistently tilted toward those who want cloned milk and meat in our food. Agency officials have repeatedly asserted that science shows cloned milk and meat are safe for humans. But the FDA has never published the complete scientific studies it says support that claim.

Maybe I’m overreacting to this. Maybe the gut feeling I have that the only being that should create life is God is incorrect. People are saying that this will help starving individuals, but I seem to recall stories of endless supplies of bread and water turning into wine. I guess we’ll see.

I’m thinking I might just need to make a change in my eating habits.

It’s a few days late, but better late than never!

I went over to my folks home on Friday, December 22 after my last lesson at 5:30p.m. Rosie was home from Georgia, dad was home, Alec and Meggan due home from work soon. I brought over a carful, that’s for sure – between my computer (must have World of Warcraft fix), 5 loads of laundry, about 15 piano books and all my gifts it was, needless to say, a bit crazy loading and unloading!

Friday night my dad spent time turning our old piano and getting it ready for me to spend some time playing on. (I think I knocked it out of tune though, sorry Dad!). Friday night Lauren, her husband John, and her kids, Gage and Alaynna came over to exchange gifts since the kids were going to be gone over Christmas with their mom. After gifts were exchanged (waffles on my new waffle iron anyone?) we went out to the living room, pulled out the Ray Boltz book, the Charlie Brown book and a few of my classical books and began to do what the Presley’s do best – make music! It was so incredible to hear the voices, new and old. It’s been years since Abby, Meggan and I gathered around the piano and sang for hours. Some of the faces of changed, some have grown older and wiser, but the outcome was still the same. Dad went to town on Suppertime (but he’s having a harder time reading those little words), Meggan charmed us all with My Blanket and Me, and we got to hear Alec sing with Meggan for the first time. I cried, I admit it. Later on that night I worked with Rosie and Candace and helped them pick out their own “songs” so next year they can shine with the rest.

Saturday was a busy, busy day. I had brought recipes and had planned to make Christmas sweets. I got off to a late start, and my trip to the grocery store ended up being a trip to the grocery store, a trip back home to get my wallet that I had forgotten, a trip back to the grocery store to pay for the food, a trip to Game Stop for Rosie to get Alec’s gift, a trip to Wal-Mart to pick up a toaster, a trip around the Wal-Mart parking lot while waiting for Rosie to emerge from Wal-Mart (not Game Stop!) with Alec’s gift. We made it back home and mom hustled out the door, leaving me the kitchen, to go have dinner with her friend.

Alec had to be dropped off at work at 2:00 p.m., so I couldn’t start my cooking yet, and had yet to eat lunch, so I dropped him off at Pizza Hut, picked up a salad, and went home to find that mom had left her cell phone in the kitchen. The boys thoughtfully gathered up every phone in the house and brought them to the kitchen for me as well, since no one in that house likes to answer the phone when it rings..and boy does the phone ring. It rang when I tried to take a bite of my salad, and I got dressing slopped on my clean shirt, it rang when I tried to pour myself a soda, and I spilled soda on the floor.. it rang when my sister, Meggan, got home on a break from work and it rang when my hands were full of chocolate flavored cream cheese for the cheesecake I was making. I had a few other stops I had to make – the moral of the story is, don’t cook on the day before Christmas Eve unless you are prepared to run lots of errands and get very frustrated!

Dad worked both the 23rd and the 24th, so I didn’t see much of him until the evenings. Meggan worked double shifts both those days as well. But I got to spend a lot of bonding time with Rose and Nan, and got to bond with my brothers on Christmas Eve over computer games. I got to sleep in a pullout sofa, smell the cat’s doodoo when she decided to make the corner of the room her home, and on Christmas got to see the incredible happiness that one of those perfect Chrismas days give.

It was definitely a family weekend, and I feel so much closer to all of them. That’s what the holidays should be about – reconnecting and rebonding with the people who will always be there, no matter what.

Now, next weekend I plan to lock myself in and turn off the dang phone!

From the desk of Candy:

December 2006

Dear family and friends,

We the Presley family have much to give thanks for this holiday season. Without getting too sappy, allow me to share the highlights of 2006.

This past January, Loran and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in May, 2005 by spending two full weeks on Kauai in January, 2007. 82 degrees and tropical breezes make for a vacation that felt like Paradise. The longer we’re married and the older we become, the more we enjoy warm weather and doing absolutely nothing.

Lydia hit the big one this year – 30! I do not feel old enough for this to have taken place. She is in her third year as a legal secretary for the attorney she works for in Chillicothe. This past summer she delighted both her dad and mom by opening her piano studio and teaching lessons. If that wasn’t enough to make us smile, she started taking lessons herself again. We are so jealous of the neighbors who enjoy the endless evening hours that she practices daily.

Abigail and Scott have officially been married five years. They live in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. There is always a home improvement project going on at what Scott affectionately calls “Camp Abby”. They have two adorable children – Cole who is three and Grace who is almost two. We treasure each visit – which is never long enough. Abby has embraced being both a wife and mother. She does everything whether it’s cooking, baking, crafting, decorating or organizing the next social event in her neighborhood with an all-out enthusiasm. Let’s just says the wives on the block can tend to get just a little jealous of Abby’s skills.

Meggan gave us hope this year. She completed and graduated from Gateway Drug Rehabilitation this past summer. She continues to set short term goals – 90 N.A. meetings in 90 days and then the opportunity to go back as a guest speaker to Gateway. Next is the Constitution test for her GED. We celebrated her sobriety at 7 ½ months. At 25, she is taking one day at a time and embracing life for the first time in a very long time. Her family – especially her brothers and sisters are enjoying each day with Meggan and the chance they have to get to know the sister they thought they had lost.

Lauren became wife and mother when she married John 2 ½ years ago. Gage who is 9 and Alaynna who is 4 have been accepted into our family. They at the present are living in a home that we have been renovating for the past two years. Lauren loves to cook and makes all of us smile. She is so generous in her caring and is blossoming into a lovely woman.

Alec is our senior this year. He has a big heart and not so small in stature either. He has been managing at Pizza Hut while working forty hour weeks. He also chose music over football these past two years. We as a family love to hear him sing. His passion is gaming and he is hoping for one of those rare Wii systems come this Christmas.

Rosie is now a sophomore. She decided on making a change this year and chose to live with her sister in Atlanta and attend school there. The music program is excellent where she plays flute and piccolo. She is a straight A student again and is embracing the challenge of her studies. We miss her voice in our home but holidays are now the best for her and us!

Candace is thirty-five and locked in a fourteen year old body. She’s always been like a grown-up. She informed us today she has always had straight A’s. She will not settle for less and would really like to be challenged more. She has her first boyfriend this year and it’s fun to see the two of them together.

Ethan is 12 and in the sixth grade. He now has his own room which he takes pride in keeping immaculate. He is my third hand in the morning – takes trash out, makes his bed, helps with laundry and lunches, and has officially learned how to make macaroni and cheese. Ethan makes us smile with sports and it all just comes easy to him.

Evan, now 11 and in the fifth grade means we are now done with grade school. School has always been a challenge but studies seem to be coming easier. Evan loves web-kins and spending time with his buddy Tyler. He has a sweet spirit and soft heart which on a regular basis his older brother takes the advantage.

That pretty much sums up 2006. We’ve been in Washington almost ten years now. It’s been a decade of joys and sorrows. This year Loran and I can say we are so proud and greateful for each of our children. We look forward to celebrating this holiday season.

Merry Christmas to you our dear friends and family,
Loran and Candy

My sister, Candace (14) and her boyfriend, Kyle. My teeth hurt this picture is so cute.

What are things coming to?!

Miss USA is in danger of losing her title!!

Help!

Circuit Judge is Charged with DUI

Newly elected St. Clair County Circuit Judge Patrick Young received a drunken driving charge after a traffic crash Sunday afternoon in Belleville — with his boss, the chief judge, sitting in the passenger seat. From the Belleville News-Democrat