Look How Adorable Mom Is...

Mom says she's 17 in this photo! Isn't she cute? She made that suit for the Make It With Wool contest. I'm really upset she doesn't still have it.

The Remake of Twilight Before Christmas

Here is a remake by Maddie and I:

For All Our Twilight Loving Peeps-Thanks Di

http://www.take180.com/s/ep5l7

Sorry...

Okay everyone, I am so sorry I have not posted anything forever!!  I am working on it right now and so I will have posts shortly, on www.thecannonfamilytimes.blogspot.com.

The Cannon Family

Click on the title to see the whole fam damly.

Get your own Family Sticker Maker & MySpace Layouts.

In Case Your Hair Isn't Big Enough

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHPYPOo-oDQ

I'm about ready to rock a bob!

Our Dad is Famous!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Here is dad's news spot if you missed it.

McKennah turns 12 years old!

McKennah have a happy birthday on Friday. You are so much fun to have in our family. Thanks for all your help with the computer. You have so many talents that I don't know where to begin. I especially like your "Grandma Afro" routine. Love ya, Grandma

Happy Birthday to Bryan

my uncle Johnny doppelganger

Danny has got me all interested in doppelganger's and I wanted to show you Uncle Johnny's double that I saw in France and see what you think.

GoLean Crunch.....more like GoFart Crunch

So I tried this new cereal today...BIG mistake. This may be TMI but I ate a bowl of this cereal today, ok 2, and all was well...It is quite tasty and definitely is very crunchy but...2:00 pm came rolling around and the fun began! I have had gas from fiber before but this was something else! I thought it was the 4th of july all over again. Explosion after explosion. As dad would put it "violent peristalsis!"

So anywho, needless to say, I will not be purchasing THIS again.

Do NOT eat GoLean Crunch.....I cannot emphasize this enough.

Oh my gosh, I'm freaking out!

Ok...so as some of you may know, my favorite band in the world, Coldplay (these guys so handsomely clad above me) are coming to town THIS saturday. So, I was on my way home from work and I was listening to 101.9 the end and low and behold they were holding an auction for a private piano lesson with Chris Martin himself! So I'm sitting in my car and I hear them say there's only 20 min. left in the auction and it was at $2,000.

So, I start thinking...who in their right mind would pay $2,000 for a piano lesson with Coldplay, right?....wait a sec...I would pay $2,000 to play with Coldplay! Time keeps ticking away and I'm really contemplating "should I do this?" I keep listening to the radio....no one is calling in! I pull over to a gas station and start filling my car up with gas. Five min. left in the auction, i'm still thinking. What have I got to lose, right? It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Finally, one minute to go I work up the nerve to call.

So they answer and i'm like "So what's the bid at?" They're like "$2,000". So I say "Ok, I will bid $2,002." Immediately, he's like "whoa, stay on the line." I'm literally freaking out at this point. Suddenly, I hear the radio guys pick up and start talking and they're like "So we've got something interesting going on. I've got Kristen and Lisa on the line and I was in the process of calling Kristen up to congratulate her on winning the Coldplay auction, but with literally 30 seconds left Lisa calls up with a bid at $2,002." At this point I'm like "Oh my gosh I'm on the radio..." He continues, "So I am going to ask you Kristen, are you willing to go higher?" Immediately she's like "I will bid $3,000!" I'm like "DOH!" So he asks me "Ok, it's at $3,000. Lisa are you willing to go higher?" At this point I am so disappointed. Who does this? I was expecting maybe $200 more, but another $1,000?? I hesitate for a while and finally say, "you know, I am such a huge Coldplay fan, but I'm not going to be able to pay $3,000." So here I am, disappointed, listening to Kristen steal away my dream. But then, Parker (the radio guy) comes on the line and is like, "i think I can still get you in to meet Coldplay just because of your effort." I'm like OH MY GOSH! (say it like Sue from SNL)

So end of a long story....Parker took down my number and it seems like my chances of meeting Coldplay are actually pretty good. I don't necessarily get to play with them, but it would still be sooo awesome just to meet them. So now I am constantly sitting by my phone waiting for a call. So, cross your fingers for me and I will definitely keep you posted if I actually will get to meet them!

Old Colony

My Doppelganger?

For those of you unfamiliar with the theory of dopplegangers, it is the idea that for every person there is another person somewhere in the world that is an identical replica of that person only their opposite. If he/she is good than the other is bad and vice versa. Some of you may recall a seinfeld episode where Elaine meets bizarro Jerry, George and Kramer. It's similar to that. So my friend sent me a picture text of this ad and wanted to know when I started doing commercials. I was like, what the crap are you talking about. Then I saw the picture and I had to do a double take. Is that really me?

I started thinking about all of the possibilities. What if this person becomes a really famous actor? I could be his stunt double or maybe even get a segment on a "stars look-a-like episode" of the Maury Pouvich show. Maybe he becomes America's next top model and all of a sudden women mistakenly recognize me and chase me through malls and parking structures. I could dupe the paparazzi into thinking I was him and sell pictures of me on the beach with a gut and having really let myself go. I could drop out of medical school with all of the money I would make. Then I found this tidbit on wikipedia about dopplegangers... "In some traditions, a doppelgänger seen by a person's friends or relatives portends illness or danger, while seeing one's own doppelgänger is an Omen of Death!"

That can't be good. Do you think you have to see the doppelganger in person or does it work when you see their picture? Anyways, this triggered my memory back to a family outing we had about ten years ago. We went up to deer creek for labor day and while we were on the "beach" there was another kid my age in a similar swimming suit and when he turned around I thought I was looking in the mirror. I think that Sylvia may have actually pointed him out to me. (Do you remember this, Sylvia?) Well, it definitely weirded me out and I still remember it. I can't remember anything particularly bad happening to me after that though.

I searched the internet and found the ad. It's the ad at the top of the page that alternates with another ad, so you may have to wait a second for it to appear. Just click on the title of this post for a link and let me know what you guys think?

So much to say, yet so little time! Since June 2007 I have spent hours on hours and wrote check after check working to get a job with the School District of Philadelphia. I was reading websites, filling out paper work and applications and resumes, taking tests, studying about the schools, neighborhoods, distances, blah, blah, blah, and up until Tuesday none of it has done me an ounce of good. Instead of getting a job with the school district when we moved here I had to spend a year nannying. The next school year I quit to start teaching but still didn't get offered a safe job, so I had to teach preschool for $13.50 an hour.

It was a really complicated process, but to save time I'll just leave it at, I finally got a job with the school district!! The name of the school is H.R. Edmunds and I'm teaching kindergarten!! Technically I should be getting paid a substantial salary at my current preschool job but didn't think they'd ever get around to paying me with the way things have been working there so I gave them an ultimatum. They didn't want to lose me, but weren't willing to cough up the money either, so I gave them my two weeks notice. I'll be really sad to leave my perfect class, but the administration was unorganized and didn't seem to care about the teachers so it isn't going to be that hard to leave. I'm excited to get a lot more paid holidays now, and if I work over the summer to be getting two paychecks.

I went into the school yesterday and had a really good talk with the assistant principal. They're going to let me spend some time in the other K classes and give me some time to get my classroom all set up when I first start next Monday. It will be a week or two until I'm actually teaching, which is nice.

In other news, life here in Philly keeps rolling along. It's weird that we're celebrating holidays for the second time in this city and in this house. It makes it feel like we're actually residents here instead of just visitors.

We were supposed to go to the timeshare for Halloween weekend but then Emma Arnquist (a friend I grew up with) called and told me she wanted to come visit. She enters the MTC on November 19^th so this was the only weekend we could work it in. She came on Thursday night and just left today. Friday I had to work so she just walked around center city all day by herself. She had great timing since that was the day of the Phillies championship parade. She enjoyed the streets of Philly with the other 2 million (literally) Phillies fans. It was a crazy day.

Saturday Emma and I had a girls day at Longwood gardens (it's like the arboretum times ten)

and then a little shopping at Plato's Closet. Today she got to enjoy my ward on a fast/testimony day (which is always a treat) and she even got up and bore her testimony. It was weird to have her here. When I'm hanging out with my friends in Dallas or Utah I feel like a kid (basically I feel my own age) and when I'm here in Philly with all the other couples I feel like a mature, responsible wife. This weekend my two worlds collided and I had to reconcile them together, which made for a unique realization.

On Halloween we had a parade at my school and then a Halloween party complete with a piñata. I dressed up as Miss Swamp from the book Miss Nelson is Missing. I got a few pictures but not any great ones.

My kids love that book and have me read it to them almost every day. I always threaten that if they misbehave I'm going to call Miss Swamp to come in so they are always good because they are so terrified of her. They were so scared of me when they came to school they would cling to their moms and wouldn't come near me until I took off my nose and teeth. Even kids in other classes were running up to their moms at the end of the day and the first thing they told them was "Miss Swamp came to school today!"

That night when I came home Danny and Emma and I went out to eat and then planned to come home and pass out candy while watching The Others. The dinner took so long though that by the time we got home it was too late for trick-or-treaters. Whoops. Now I'm stuck with a lot of cheap dollar store candy. Dang it! It was still a fun Halloween though.

There's much more I could write, but in the interest of time once again I will spare you. :) I love you all! Maretta and Danny

Halloween Greetings

Hey everyone, Happy Halloween.  Lisa is in Disneyland, Di in NY with Stephen visiting her and Danny and Maretta in Philly celebrating the big baseball championship today.  Everyone else is in Salt Lake (I think).  Dad and I are going golfing this afternoon because he has the afternoon off.  We are looking forward to seeing the grandkids in their costumes tonight and maybe I can figure out how to post some pictures on this and will show you what they look like.  Bye for now.  Mom

Who Misses Bama???

Who misses Bama???  I sure do.

I can draw...who knew?

I was bored today while Danny chose to focus on his books instead of me (the nerve), so I decided to do something I've never done before...sketch. I took my headphones, blanket, drawing paper, pictures to draw, and bug spray out to our infested backyard and began. Two hours later I ended up with these. I thought they were pretty good (the originals look better than they do on here). Who knew I could draw? The first one is the boy I used to nanny, the second is the most adorable boy in my preschool class.

We're getting a temple!!!

AHHHH!!! We are so excited for our temple!! We watched conference over the internet yesterday. Last conference we had a lot of problems watching it over the internet. Either we would get the wrong session or the broadcast would freeze, etc. Yesterday morning we were late getting conference started because we were talking Grant and Susan. We got it going about 10 min after it started but weren't sure if we had gotten the right session or not. We could tell that he was about to announce temples so we listened to see if we had gotten an old session or the current one. When he announce Philadelphia, Pennsylvania I started screaming and I think I hurt Danny when I grabbed his arm in excitement!

We couldn't be happier right now. I've always lived within 15 minutes of a temple and it has been so hard that almost as soon as I received my endowments we moved to a place where our temple is 3 hours away (or if we chose we could drive to the manhattan temple which is 2 1/2 hours away and pay $65 in tolls, parking, and gas). I'm embarrassed to say that we've only made the trip once. It's hard to take an entire Saturday off for the temple when your husband is ALWAYS studying.

They've already posted on our stake website the address for our new temple, and it's only 10-15 minutes away from us!! The church already owns the land. It's on the outskirts of center city. They were planning on building us a new chapel there for our ward to use, but now they are going to make it a temple/chapel like the one in Manhattan. I'm assuming since our ward was going to meet there before that our ward will still meet there when it's complete. That will bring a whole new meaning to going to church if it's attached to a temple! What a neat experience for us, hopefully. I'm hoping since we already have the land, and it's going to be a small temple that they will finish it quickly. We only have 2 1/2 more years here. I've always wished that I could work and serve in the temple during this time. I don't have kids and Danny is always busy, and this will probably be my only chance for years and years since mothers can't work at the temple while they have children living at home. My prayers have been answered and hopefully we'll be able to have lots of time to enjoy it. The Lord is so good to us!

The Taming of the Fro

Politics

This is a letter I wrote for Maretta's family newsletter

This is my third attempt at starting this letter and after realizing that if I updated everyone about what has going on since the last time I wrote I would be here all night. Instead I will just focus on the past week. Last Sunday we had our third visitors since we have lived in Philly. Maretta’s uncle Sid and cousin Remington spent the night at our house so that Sid could visit a specialist at the U of Penn hospital about his recent loss of smell. We very much enjoyed their company and were glad to put them up for the night as they put us up for the night a couple of months ago in New Jersey. It is great to have family so close by. Maretta prepared a wonderful meal and we all sat around talking for hours afterwards about a million different topics. It was interesting to hear Sid talk about his job working for the oil companies and his reasons why gas prices are so high and that big oil companies are not as evil as people would have you believe (except Citgo). Remington was excited about his mission call to Sacramento and still adjusting to wearing garments. We hope to have more visitors soon.

Monday and Tuesday was the day of my first test of the school year. Supposedly this block is the most difficult of the year and I can see why. They gave us an enormous amount to cover in the six weeks and it’s hard to prepare for the first test because you never know what they’re going to focus on. To celebrate, Maretta and I went out to Olive Garden for dinner and feasted on the never-ending pasta.

Wednesday was back to business as usual with a new case to study. They don’t mess around in med school I’ve realized. Our tests are always on a Monday because heaven forbid they gave us a weekend of nothing to study. Anyway, as a reward for finishing the exam I decided I would regrip my golf clubs. They still had the same grips on them as when I got them for graduating high school. I went to Dick’s sporting goods and purchased some grips, tape and solvent. I watched a few demonstrations of how to do it on youtube and felt like it should be an easy task. In fact, some of you reading this may have even done it before and can attest to the simplicity of it. I removed the old grips and cleaned off the shaft. I wrapped the double-sided tape around the shaft and removed the backing from the tape. Now the tricky part is to soak the tape and the inside of the new grip with a solvent. Mineral spirits work, but the guy at Dick’s convinced me to get the store brand. I sprayed it on and attempted to slide the grip over. I got the grip on about a half an inch and tried to slide it on like the dude on youtube so effortlessly demonstrated. I couldn’t budge it though. I pushed and pushed, but the grip was too flimsy and would collapse and the tape was too sticky. Even after I cut the tip to give it a bigger caliber it still wouldn’t glide. I had to give up before I drove myself crazy from frustration. I don’t claim to be a handy man, but I knew I should have been able to put these grips on and I could tell Maretta lost a lot of respect for me.

Friday, I took my clubs back to Dick’s and the guy that helped me felt bad that he had convinced me to get the tape and solvent from their store. He remembered that someone had complained to him before about the solvent or tape and regripped my clubs for free. He let me go to the back and watch him do it. Five minutes later my clubs were ready to go and I now had a good excuse for Maretta to gain back her respect.

Earlier on Friday we had another group meeting to discuss our case about a patient with liver disease. In honor of completing our first test and maybe since we were studying the effects of alcohol on the liver, our group decided to have a little group party. I made pretzels from a recipe that a lady in Jann’s neighborhood gave to Maretta and others brought hummus, beer, and donuts. Everyone enjoyed a bottle of beer (rootbeer for me) and we finished our discussions on the liver. The pretzels were a big hit and in fact Maretta is thinking about making them every Saturday and selling them in our neighborhood for some extra cash. She needs some money to pay off her latest purchase, a keyboard. She’s been diligently practicing ever since she got it yesterday. She can already play ode to joy and Fur Elise. Speaking of Maretta, today she was told she was being “promoted” from young women’s advisor to first counselor in the young women’s presidency. She’s excited to whip our young women in to shape and increase the attendance from 2 active girls. Maretta is also enjoying her job as a preschool teacher and we just found out that one of her student’s dad is a classmate of mine. So now we’re becoming better friends so that Maretta will give his daughter an A. Ok. I have to end this letter. We love and miss you all.

Danny and Maretta

Caden is About to Knock Down Duke

Here is Caden about to knock down the Duke Statue at Grandma's House.  Look how long his hair is.

I Love It When Maddie And McKennah Get A Hold Of My Computer

Creepy...

Hey y'all! As you all know I was applying for jobs not too long ago. I got so desperate that I started responding to random postings on Craig's List to apply for a job. This was one man's response. I thought y'all might appreciate reading about the caliber of people we have here in good ol' Philly. I promise I did not tamper with his letter in any way. This was exactly how it came to me...

Me:

Good Afternoon,

I read your ad on Craig's list seeking a nanny and am interested in speaking to you further about the job. Let me know if the position is still available and if you are interested in speaking further with me.

Him:

Hello,
How are you doing and i got your response and i do like to know more about concerning the Job. i am Solomon by name and i do work for a IT company and i do travel alot and i need a nanny for my son John , i will be going to for a business trip soon and that should be around 14th September and really appreciate your reply and i can see that you are willing to be my son nanny so i will need some information from you so that i and my wife can have you interview and we can have a date for the interview and i will need your
Full Name......
Address........
City...........
State...........
Zip code.......
Phone number...
Sex............
Age.............
Experience.....
Your picture...
Because i will be sending to my company because they will be taking care of this and they are the one that will be in care of the financial part and you will be paying $500 weekly. i will love you to be my son nanny . So that we can see and you will be taking my son to your place for 2 weeks and i will get you all what you need and you will just do your best to me him happy.
Hope to read back from you.
Solomon.

Creepy...

Some pics!

We've been posting all our pics we've taken this summer online and figured y'all might enjoy taking a peek at them. Here they are...(or just click on this post's title)

Philly Summer 2008
http://picasaweb.google.com/Marettap/PhillySummer2008

Alabama 08
http://picasaweb.google.com/Marettap/Alabama08

Dallas Trip Summer 08
http://picasaweb.google.com/Marettap/DallasTripSummer08

Utah Trip Summer 08
http://picasaweb.google.com/Marettap/UtahTripSummer08

We need to get better at taking pictures. Some activities we had MORE than enough photos and some we completely forgot to pull out our camera all-together. Oh well, it's better than nothing, right?
--
Maretta

Oh BAMA, For Change

Click on the post title for some 'bama pics.

Emma and Annika: Bargain Shoppers


Caden Doesn't Crack Under Pressure

I Got Fake-Punched In The Stomach By A Homeless Guy And It Was Kind Of Awesome

Yesterday I got fake-punched in the stomach by a homeless man. I was walking down 8th Ave with my friends Mollye and Chris and wasn't really paying much attention to my surroundings (texting). Out of nowhere I see a giant fist coming at my stomach. I'm thinking...

Am I getting punched in the stomach?

NO! I'm getting FAKE-punched in the stomach. And by somebody I don't even know. And, what's that?...oh jeez, I think he is homeless. But, due to my cat-like reflexes, I still double over as if I'm really getting punched. I immediately start laughing out of serious disbelief, shawkwardness (shock & awkwardness at the same time), and cuz hey, that was really funny.

I hardly even saw the guy cuz we immediately went into a bodega and were like...Did that really just happen? But a few minutes later, as we were walking down the same street, I saw him sitting by the wall with some of his buddies. So I fake-kicked him in the face.

Susan's been on a diet

I think she's had enough. Here she is asking Dad for more cookies, for some reason he thinks her name is Katrina.

Ramble On

To my beloved family or the 5 people (give or take a few) who actually read this blog,

Remember when we went to breakfast and the 2 girls who work at Cafe Normandie blew our minds with their inability to control the rock godesses within them? I haven't forgotten. So I give you this gift:

Leprechaun in Mobile, Alabama

Pay close attention to the Amateur Sketch. It's very important we know EXACTLY what the leprechaun looks like.

Countdown to Bama

Are ya'll as excited as I am for Gulf Shores? My kids can't stop working on their six packs. Seriously, Tommy makes me check his out several times a day. Annika's is looking tight n' right too. I have a video that I've been trying to put up, but can't get it to work. So I've asked Diane to post it. Look for it soon. Ya'll need to be aware that there has been a Leprachaun spotting in Mobile. If any of you have a leprachaun flute or a belt that wards off spells I stronly suggest you bring it.

Just So You Know...

Hey Everyone!!  Just so you know my family (Dave, Sylvia, Me, Caden, and Emma) has made a blog.  I wasn't sure if anyone knew, so I decided to advertise it a little.  I have made a link to our blog.  To go to it, click on the title of this post.

I LOVE NYC....

Look how young Maddie and I are in this picture.  I love this picture it is so cute!!!

Breaking Dawn

Just to let everyone know that this is the new book in the "Twilight Series".  It comes out August 2nd.  For more info about this book click on the title of this post.

Sweet Sweet Victory Dance 2 in Progress...

Do not worry,  I won't stop posting even though are family has a new blog. For those who haven't heard it's THECANNONFAMILYTIMES.BLOGSPOT.COM.  Back to the point....

I am in progress of SWEET SWEET VICTORY DANCE #2.  Keep your eyes pealed for it around next week.  HOPE YOU ENJOY!!!  

I also plan on doing an APOLOGIZE THE AWESOME WAY (when Emma Sings it).

KEEP COMING TO THIS BLOG AND YOU MAY BE LUCKY TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO SEE ONE OF THE VIDEOS LISTED ABOVE.

Sanders Family News and Happings

Well, I didn't really post those pictures. McKennah was helping me but ended up doing the whole thing. I can't believe how good she is on the computer and how really bad I am. She says I need to get a Mac. That would be much easier for me she says. Last night we went to a great play at Hale Center Thretre. It's called the "Curious Savage". I am going to try and get some tickets for it while Diane is here. You would all love it. Today we went down to Cindy and Tim Slone's farewell. They will be mission Presidents in Equador. They are going to be great. Their son Chad who just graduated from high school gets to go on his mission early so it was his farewell too. He is going to Spain. Their whole family will be going down to Equador together and be there for a couple of months. Chad will leave for Spain from there and the two oldest Jason and Jessica will come home to go to school. The two youngest girls Stephanie and Natallie will be with them in Equador. They are 13 and 10. LeeLee is moving into their house with her youngest daughter. Her son Jesse is having his farewell next week and going to Brazil. We are hoping to say goodbye to all of them at the family party the day after fathers day. We saw Jason Sanders down there and he has one more year at Utah State and is working in Sandy this summer selling food storage. Mika and Sara Pullins are moving to Michigan this week where he will be doing his residency in orthepedics. Brad Sanders is getting married August 8th and we met his finance' Emily. Now you have an update on some of your cousins etc. Looking forward to having Diane out for a few days and then meeting ya'll in Alabam! Love, Mom

Here are some pictures of us in Hawaii for Christmas. I hope you enjoy them. I'll try and post more.

Update...

Well, I guess this isn't huge news, but seeing as how no one has posted anything since the whole David Archuleta craze, I figured we could use some change.

I had my first job interview today to teach this next school year and it went Gr-r-r-r-r-EAT! It was for an inner city school. It wasn't my first choice of schools, and I don't even know if I'll except if they offer it to me. I was just nice to get an interview and will be even nicer if they offer me the job so I know I'm not completely unwanted. :)

I'll keep y'all updated with any news. Love y'all and can't wait to see you in a month and a week!

Out Of The Random

Go David Archuleta!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to his party on Friday the 9th.  I hope he sings!!!!

Script for the New Play: Where Are My Pills!! Created by: McKennah Cannon

Chilito-Honey!, have you taken your pills???

Grandma Afro- No!!! I need guava juice to chug it down. We don't have any in my stock!! Go get me some!!! (mumbles) I hate pills....

Chilito- I just bought you a....

Grandma Afro- ...Don't start it!!! You married me you promised me all of my unusual desires.

Chilito- Well, I guess I'll be right back...

Grandma Afro- Good, get on with it!!!

Chilito just left to go grab Grandma Afro a case of Guava Juice.

Grandma Afro- (grabs phone and dials Chilito) Hey Chilito, while your out and about grab the new BACONATOR at Carl's Junior.

Chilito- Okay, see you in a little while.

Grandma Afro- (gets pills and throws them out the window and flips on the tv) CRUNCH... CRACKLE... CRUNCH.... CRUNCH.... YUM-O THESE CHIPS ARE SCRUMPTIOS!!!

Chilito- (opens door) Honey, I'm home!!! Here's your BACONATOR and case of Guava Juice, so now take your pills.

Grandma Afro- Go look for them!! Your interupting my favortie soap opera!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chilito looks for them for more than an hour and still can't find them

Chilito- I can't seem to find them, do you know where they are?

Grandma Afro- Nope.

Chilito- Well, we better go to bed it's getting kinda late.

Grandma Afro- Okay.

Chilito walks Grandma Afro to bed. They are now laying in bed.

Chilito- We'll look for your pills in the morning.

Grandma Afro- ZZZZZ.....

Person Unknown- CRUNCH! CRUNCH! MUNCH!

Chilito- What's that!!

Chilito walks to living area where he see's the man an apartment below him munching on their chips.

Chilito- What are you doing here!!!

Man- Oh, I was just came here to return these (hands Chilito the bottle of pills). Grandma Afro threw them out the window and so I went to see if it my be something good, like last month when she through the $1000 check out the window. But I don't need these.

Chilito- (starts walking back to bed) Thanks!!! (pauses) Hey get out of my house!!!!)

Man- (starts running out)

Grandma Afro- (still sleeping) YOU MEAN MY HOUSE CHILITO!!


THE END

It was not at gunpoint!

If any of y'all are interested, we have a ton of pictures from the Special Olympics. One of my girls got a hold of my camera and filled up our entire memory card. I deleted lots of pictures and we still have several. Check em out if you wanna. http://picasaweb.google.com/Marettap/SpecialOlympics

Another letter at gunpoint

Since Maretta is watching her new favorite show Step it up and Dance with Jesse Spano, I guess that gives me a little time to write a letter. Sorry I don’t have any major injuries to write about.

First of all my shoulder is feeling completely better. It took about 6 weeks, but now the only thing is my left AC joint sticks up more than my right. I had to wear the sling for the first two weeks which was really annoying. It also added a level of difficulty to the physical exam practical we had to do. One part of the exam requires me to place a finger on the patients back and tap it with my other hand to listen for fluid or a tumor in the lungs. I tried to lift my arm up, but couldn’t do it and just described what I would normally do. I’m sure the evaluator looking through the two-way mirror got a good laugh.

Things have slowed down a little bit for me school wise and I’ve had more free time. With that free time I’ve decided to work off the freshman fifteen that I’ve gained since school began. My friend Preston and I have started to go to the gym every morning. Hopefully I can keep it up.

Right now instead of classes I have been working with a local physician. He has a family practice that I go to on Monday and Wednesday nights. My first night there he sat me down and asked me what year I was and then said, “Ok, I’m gonna throw you into the frying pan then. Go get a history on the patient in room 1.” It’s been great so far. He’s really laid back and is teaching me a lot. Last night he gave me a prescription pad and wants me to start writing scripts for the patients. He’ll check them after I present the patient to him and either sign them or tell me what he would have done. So now I have this list of 35 drugs that I need to memorize what they do and when to prescribe them. This is so much better than going to group or lecture. On Tuesday and Thursday I have been interpreting Spanish for the ambulatory clinic at a local children’s hospital. It’s been a lot of fun, but most of the doctors and residents speak a little bit of Spanish to get by and I’m not as busy there as I would like to be.

Last Saturday we took the young men and women to help out with the Special Olympics. We were in charge of the standing long jump event. There were a lot of competitors and it was a challenge to keep all the groups together, but it all worked out and the kids all had a great time helping out. Meanwhile one of the boys (Amir) from young mens was actually competing at another Special Olympics venue somewhere in the city. He was proudly sporting all the medals he won at church the next day. He always keeps me entertained during priesthood meetings when he yells out “KFC” or “Chicken” or “Burger King” at the top of his lungs whenever anybody mentions something related to food. Basheer and Baseer (or if you’re like their grandma and can’t pronounce those names you can call them by the names she made up for them, Tamir and Tamik) are twins that are in deacons. I pick them and their older brother Daryl up for mutual every Wednesday night from their grandpa’s house in West Philly. We recently had a basketball tournament with the stake and lost all of our games. They had a blast though and everybody scored, so I called it a success. I’ve enjoyed working with the youth so far and I hope they keep me in there for a while. I know I’ve already gone to more mutual activities here than I ever did growing up.

On the 17^th Maretta and I are participating in the Great Urban Race that Eddie (Maretta’s brother) told us about. It’s basically a huge scavenger hunt around the entire city. I don’t think we’re going to do so well, but it should be fun either way. At least it will give us a chance to get out and see the city some more. Well that should do it for now. We miss you all.

Love Danny

Guys, remember when we went to Hawaii?

And we could NOT stop reading and talking about this book?


Oh, sorry, I mean THIS book


"Why did he have to look like a runway model when I couldn't?"

Gosh dang that was fun.

And do you know who's going to play Edward in the movie version?
Oh, you don't?
Let me show you. . .



. . . so this is from my scrap book:



This is when I Edward and I went to prom. Emmett's in the background wearing part of the grizzly bear he ate and Alice and Rosalie and there too. What? You don't believe me? Well, if I had a scanner and my 1995 prom photo you'd see i DID wear a Chinese dress.


And seriously, you know the English dude who played Cedric Diggory is going to be Edward, right?

Well I think we should ALL as a family go see the movie on 12/12/08 when it comes out.