Saturday Afternoon Ride

Today my oldest brother and his wife came to visit. We decided to go to the Polar Queen to have some of their yummy fish and chips.

They use to be even better when they served them with English chips, but they still fulfill that greasy fish and chip craving. I have never figured out why they think they need to serve them with toast. Not enough carbs and fat in the fish and the fries?
Then mom felt like she was up for a ride so we drove out through Spring Lake, Santaquin, and Goshen. My brother is pretty smart and he remembered how to get to the group of white birch trees out in the fields where the bald eagles roost.

I was surprised at how many of them were hanging out there.

We counted 7 in one tree. The trees were in a field a little way from the road, but the eagles had to know we were there and they were perfectly content to have us gawk at them.
Then we drove on through Elberta to the thriving metropolis of Eureka, nearly running over a group of deer in the process. Some of them looked before crossing the road and some of them didn't.

Of course, by the time I got the camera out and working they had gotten pretty far away. It was interesting how in this one spot there was hardly any snow, but the rest of the ride there was still a lot.
It was a really pretty ride. The snow had started to melt and then refrozen and the hills were so shiny and beautiful. It looked like it would be nice, slick tubing snow. Then all the sagebrush bushes were covered with snow and they looked like little snow rocks dotting the landscape. Along one section of road there were some rock cliffs all covered with frozen water falls. So pretty.

On the way back home we stopped at the Red Barn in Santaquin for some ice cream. It was a very fun few hours of visiting, exploring, reminiscing, and eating, of course. My favorite way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Today I am thankful for

history. Both my family history and the history of the world that I live in.

nature. It's so nice to get out of the city and just enjoy all the living things that share our world with us.

small towns. I am definitely a small town kind of girl. They each seem to have their own unique personality.

Passing of the Notebook

I am very blessed to have two wonderful sisters with flexible schedules and big hearts who take turns, along with me, staying with my mom while she recovers from her recent health problems. One sister came from her home in Seattle while my mom was in the hospital and for the transfer to the rehabilitation center. She doesn't enjoy driving in the snow anymore than I do, but she did it to transport my mom to her new, temporary home. While she was here she started keeping a notebook with information about how mom was feeling, what medical procedures were being done on her, how she was eating... so she could pass the information on to us. My other sister continued making additions when the notebook, along with mom's care, was passed to her. Since mom has returned to her home the notebook entries have slowed down, but when I arrived I read through the notebook to catch up on what had transpired since I was here last month. It was interesting to read about mom's progress as her health improved and there were a few other interesting tidbits. One sister had made a notation about how the nurse had taught her an easy way to put mom's elastic hose on that made the process so much simpler, but that was all that was said. This morning as I was helping mom get dressed and I came to the socks I began to wish that the notebook had contained a little more detailed information. I commented about it to mom and she said, "Oh, it's easy. You just turn the socks inside out and they roll right on." That didn't sound too difficult so I jumped right in. I turned the socks inside out and then tried to figure out how to get them on so they ended up right. It definitely wasn't as simple as my mom made it sound. Things improved once I figured out that her toes weren't suppose to poke out of the hole at the end of the foot, but I still got a headache concentrating so hard on how in the world this was suppose to work. My mom teased me that she wished she had a camera so she could record my look of concentration and determination as I tried to figure it out. I think I am glad she didn't. We did get them on, but I'm still not sure how I finally did it. Hopefully tomorrow I'll remember what I did. Perhaps if I get it down right I can draw a diagram in the notebook as my contribution. I am also thinking there are a few other things that need to be recorded in the notebook such as how long that cream cheese, bacon, milk,... has actually been open in the fridge and maybe the last time the plants were watered. I just watered the plants, so I guess I better go write in the notebook.

Today I am thankful for

a fireplace. It's so fun to sit next to my mom's fireplace and enjoy the warmth and a good book.
physical therapy that gives my mom something to get up for.
pancakes!

Guess Where I Am?

First I looked at this for a while.

Then I focused on this for a while longer.

Finally, I was greeted by this.

I'm back in cold, snowy, beautiful Utah with my mom for the week. It was 19 degrees at 11:00 AM when my plane landed,
but the sun was shining and my mom felt good enough to come with my sister to pick me up at the airport. Life is good!

Today I am thankful that

my family can take care of themselves pretty well.
my sister is willing to pick me up at the airport.
I get to spend time with my mom and see for myself how she is doing.

New TV Excitement

Tonight the oldest son and the hubby went out and purchased a new 32 inch Digital TV. They hurriedly ate dinner so they could get it up and working. Pretty soon they were watching it and enjoying the improved picture and sound quality. I thought my husband was containing his excitement pretty well until he came to bed and we started to read the Book of Mormon together. I reminded him it was his turn to start reading and he promptly read Channel 9 (instead of Chapter 9). He can try and hide that excitement, but I still know he is thrilled with his new toy.

May I Borrow ...?

I came home today to find the oldest son and the fiancee preparing to make Snicker doodles. They were searching the cupboard looking for Cream of Tartar without much luck. I was 99% sure that we had some, so I dug through the cupboard too. No luck. We searched some other cupboards thinking perhaps it got misplaced. No Cream of Tartar. Luckily two doors down I have a wonderful friend and neighbor who keeps very well stocked shelves. I told the son I would call her and borrow some. When she answered the phone I asked if she had any Cream of Tartar I could borrow. There was a little giggle on her end of the phone. "Just yours that's been sitting on my counter for a week." Then I remembered where my Cream of Tartar had run off to. Apparently I'm not the only one who uses the "grocery store" two doors down.

Today I am grateful for

oranges and grapefruit from the Orange Patch.

Snicker doodles.
church basketball because it makes my sons happy and it makes me laugh.

Church Basketball

The new, extra-special basketball shoes finally got some game time. Church basketball has officially begun once more and the youngest son is a happy guy.

Coronation Invite

Today the youngest son got invited to an upcoming dance. I think he was excited, but he has an image that he has to keep up so it was kind of hard to tell.

Today I am thankful for

a clean refrigerator.
a "B" in math.
helpful siblings who assist with coronation acceptance activities.

Today I am thankful that

all days aren't like today.
my husband cuts raw meat.
my friends share their good recipes.

Today I am thankful that

my youngest son is home safe and sound.
my mom is back home and improving daily.
my husband called the phone company tonight when the phone didn't work.

Where Were You?

January 20, 2009
10:00 AM Arizona Time

My youngest son was here.

I was here.
Where were you?

Digital TV

Perhaps I should begin this post
by saying that I am not a big fan of TV.
I'm pretty sure I could very happily live
without even one TV in my home.
Unfortunately I am the only member
of my household that feels this way.
My husband is a major TV fan.
I have to admit that I have known
since my very first encounter with him
that TV is a very important part of his life.
In fact, if it weren't for the fact
that he didn't get TV reception in his basement apartment
and his TV was "living"
in the apartment that I moved into
when I returned to BYU following my mission,
I might have never even made his acquaintance.
I should be grateful for TV
because it brought us together,
but usually I'm not,
because most days
I feel like it drives our family apart.
The boys in the family room
watching their shows
and the hubby in the bedroom watching his.
Me talking and never being heard.
Because of my dislike of TV
we have 2 very old, very small
analog television sets with rabbit ears.
Because of my dislike of TV
we do not subscribe to cable or satellite.
Because of my dislike of TV
I haven't been all that worried
about the switch to digital TV.
So what if the TV
doesn't work after February 17th?
Hooray!
Because of my dislike of TV
when my husband ordered coupons
for converter boxes
I put them away in a safe place
and then forgot where that safe place was.
No one told me they had expiration dates,
which by the way,
I think is absolutely ridiculous.
Well, the other day
when the hubby was talking about going out
and buying converter boxes at full price
I slipped and said,
"Maybe it would be smarter to just buy a digital TV."
You should have seen his face light up.
Ever since that thoughtless moment
all I've heard is "I better go look at TVs".
Well, tonight he suggested we go by Walmart
and check out their TVs.
I do try to be a supportive wife,
every now and then,
so I said OK.
We walked into the electronics department
and there on the far wall was a sea of TVs,
all big enough to view from across the room.
I tried to act interested
and walked closer with him
and the closer I got
the more I realized
I am definitely not a fan of digital TV either,
especially not on a big screen.
There were snowboarders
on every screen and I was sure
I was going to plunge to my death momentarily.
It was all very, very well defined
and I felt like I was on
the STAR TOURS ride at Disneyland
(which I will admit here,
but no where else,
I usually ride with my eyes closed)
and was going to loose my hot dogs any second.
Maybe it was the number of sets,
all showing the same highly defined image,
but I got vertigo like you can not believe.
My husband thinks it was just an excuse
to not buy a TV, but I am not lying.
It just about did me in and
I had to get out of there.
The oldest son says it's OK
if I can't watch the TV.
They'll put it in the family room
and I won't ever have to look at it,
except to dust it I'm sure,
but at least then it will be turned off.
Such a thoughtful child.
The family says they'll "only" get a 32 inch screen,
so maybe that won't send me over the edge.
I'm pretty sure we're getting a new TV
any day now
and my husband works hard and deserves one.
Those are my words not his.
See I am a supportive wife.
I also buy him TV shows on DVD
because I love him and he loves them,
even though I know he'll ignore me
when he watches them.
As long as he doesn't watch them
in high definition maybe I'm OK with that.

One last thing.
Can anyone tell me why
the government cares
what kind of TV reception I get?
I just don't understand
why this is a government issue.

I just finished reading a book
about a new government
that is ruling earth
after earth as we know it is destroyed.
The centralized government
doesn't like the fact that the
districts around North America
rebelled against them and
they squash the rebellion and
then as a reminder of who's in charge
each year the government requires
each district to send 2 of their young adults
to the hunger games -
a reality show
where the last person alive wins
and gets to stay alive.
The citizens of the districts
who can't afford food,
who live without electricity most of the time,
and work to provide luxuries for the leaders
are required to watch day after day
as these games transpire
and the youth kill each other
one by one.
Amazingly, there is always enough electricity
to power TV sets
either in homes
or in the public square
during this time.

Please hurry and explain to me
why the government cares
what kind of TV reception I get.

Marching in the Snow

When McClintock High School decided to travel to Washington DC for a band festival and the Inaguration they applied to march in the Inaguration Day Parade. They were not selected to perform in that parade, but they did receive an invitation to march in the Leesburg, Virginia MLK Day Parade. Following the parade, the son texted us that he could now say that he had marched in the snow, which is an experience that I think every marching band member should have in their lifetime. I remember marching in the Santa Claus parade at University Mall in Orem, Utah one November and thinking that my fingers were going to freeze to my clarinet, as well as my lips. After viewing the video link, I don't know if I believe there was snow, but it does definitely look cold. The son is playing a trombone in the middle of the second row of the red and navy blue band toward the start of the video.

Today I'm grateful for

a clean family room and the son who cleaned it.
hotdogs "burned" on the grill.
my husband that takes my van for oil changes.

Party!

Happy Birthday

Martin Luther King,

Kaily, and Yasmine.

Trepidation

There are some words that I really don't care for and other words that I just really like the sound of. I don't like the word anxiety. It sounds like a disease. Wait, it actually is a disease. At least they have pills to treat it so that seems to indicate that it's a disease. I also don't care for the word worry. I am very familiar with this word because I do it way more than I should. I am a chronic worrier, even though I really try not to be. Fear is another word that isn't one of my favorites. Fear frightens me. However, I really think that the word trepidation is a great word. First of all, it's fun to say. It is similar to anxious, or worried, or fearful but to me it is a little bit different. In my mind it is a little more positive . When I feel anxious or worried or fearful I tend to draw into myself, hunker down and refuse to budge but when I hear the word trepidation I think more of proceeding with caution than coming to a sudden halt. Be prepared for what might possibly happen, but keep going. I can work through trepidation easier than the others.

Now, with that said, I will actually begin this post by saying that with some trepidation I shipped my youngest son off to Washington DC this morning to perform in a band festival and also to attend the Inauguration of President Barack Obama. When this band tour was first announced, back in September, I was more concerned about the amount of money it was going to cost and where it was going to come from than with the safety of my son. However, as events have transpired and things have fallen into place it has crossed my mind once or twice that perhaps the nation's capitol on January 20, 2009 might not be the safest place in the world to be. It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago though, when I attended the mandatory parent meeting, received the trip schedule, heard about the plans for Inauguration Day and was given the option to have my son remain at the hotel and watch the proceedings on TV rather than in person that I actually started really thinking about the whole safety issue. Was I being an irresponsible parent and putting my son in danger by allowing him to attend this historic event? The hubby and I discussed the possibilities. The boy and I discussed the possibilities. The hubby, the boy and I discussed the possibilities. We all know that unfortunately there are crazy people in the world who have their own ideas and agendas who might feel like this is a perfect opportunity to make a forceful statement about how they believe. There is the possibility that something dangerous might happen, but should that cause us to hide? After our discussions and some prayer concerning the matter we all signed the permission slip that said he would attend the Inauguration. My trepidation did cause me to give my son a little more advice on safe and cautious behavior in large groups than I'm sure he wanted to hear, but it didn't stop me from allowing him to have this experience. The new president will be happy to know that I will be offering my most heartfelt prayers for his safety (and my son's) on Tuesday morning, but I hope he will forgive me if I choose to attend the temple during his swearing in rather than watch the proceedings. One never knows when trepidation might actually turn into one of those less positive words and I'm not taking any chances.

Today I am thankful for

a husband who played taxi driver for the 4:45 AM trip to the airport and the later trip to another airport to pick up the daughter and son-in-law.
a son-in-law who's smart enough not to fly a plane that is having issues.
a more upbeat report from my mom about how she feels.

21st Century Coat

My youngest son is leaving this weekend to go to the East Coast on Band Tour. Since we live in sunny, warm Arizona his idea of a winter coat is his McClintock Basketball Hoody. It's plenty warm for our temperatures, but not quite as warm as he needs for this trip. His dad has a coat that is warm and he told the son he could borrow it. Unfortunately, the son is more concerned about keeping up his image of looking cool than he is about staying warm. He said he would freeze to death rather than wear that coat. I'm not really sure what is so wrong with this coat. I actually like it. Perhaps that is exactly what is wrong with it. In the boy's opinion he needed a new "cool" coat. However he isn't all that sure what constitutes a "cool" coat. When I asked him for more information all he could come up with was "Something that looks like it was made in the 21st century." I'm pretty sure the hubby's coat was purchased in the 21st century (or pretty darn close) so that wasn't all that much help.

Well, JCPenney was having a clearance sale on coats and I got a coupon in the mail for $15.00 off a $15.00 or more purchase during my birthday month (I'm not sure why it was good for the month of January since my birthday is in August, but heck I wasn't going to complain) so I headed off to Penneys. After some extensive searching I came up with a navy blue coat that I thought the son might approve of. I checked the price tag. The coat was originally $100 but it was on clearance for $50. Clearance items were an additional 40% off which made it $30 and I could use my coupon which would make it $15. I decided maybe the coat was worth $15 to me. The clincher however was when I looked inside and realized there was a cell phone pocket on one side and a IPOD pocket on the other. This was definitely a 21st century coat so I bought it!

"Do you think this jacket makes me look Pooffy?"

Today I am grateful for

a completed physical for 2009 and no pap test needed.
visiting teachers.
shopping bargains, especially surprise ones, and gift cards. The hubby decided to go with me to Penneys to spend the gift card the oldest daughter gave him for Christmas. He bought 2 pair of pants which were suppose to cost $40 each, but the second pair was going to be half price. When the cashier rang them up they were on clearance and ended up costing $11 each. He actually had money left over on the gift card instead of having to add to it. Hooray!

Today I am thankful for

Sunshine.
Sonic Diet Cherry Limeade.
a husband that cooks.

Today I am thankful for

Temple Promises.
the Peace of the Celestial Room.
Carpools.

First and Last

This is a picture of my oldest daughter
and her brand new 2005 Toyota Corolla
on the first day she ever drove it.
It wasn't her first car,
but it was her first NEW car and she was excited
even though she doesn't look it in this photo.

Fast forward about 4 years. This is a picture of what this same car looked like today, the last time she drove it.

This morning she was involved in a car accident on the way to work. There was a chain reaction 4 car crash when the front vehicle decided to make a u-turn and didn't quite manage to get out of the way fast enough. The speed limit on the road she was on is 65 and she apparently hit pretty hard even though she tried to swerve and slow down. She says she is fine. She is sore in the areas where the seatbelt hit, but it definitely could have been so much worse. These kind of experiences always make me stop and realize how fragile life really is and how quickly things can change. Luckily this time all that really got hurt was her car.

Today I am grateful for

Seatbelts, and a daughter that uses hers.
a son-in-law who gets called in an emergency instead of me.
Cell phones with cameras.

Today I am grateful for

a heater in my car.
people who are willing to be chaperones for band tour so I don't have to be.
tax credit money.

Today I am thankful for

medical insurance.
dental insurance.
my hubby's job that lets us have said insurance for a nominal fee.

Nursery in the Afternoon

Our church schedule changed today and our block of meetings is from 11:30 to 2:30. Now, I don't really mind this time usually, but I have already decided that nursery during nap time is not my favorite thing. It's my nap time. It's the kids' nap time and nobody gets to take a nap. We had 9 children "graduate" to Sunbeams today (hooray for them on being so big) and that left us with a nursery full of mostly babies. We are down to 8 kids, which is a nice change, but most of them are so little. We only have one child that can really talk and she left early, before we needed to come up with someone to say 3 prayers. It took 20 minutes to pick up the toys because the buckets got dumped as fast as I could fill them up. When it was lesson time no one wanted to sit on the blanket. When it was action singing time no one wanted to stand up. No one wanted to sit on their chair, but every one wanted to ride on them upside down, or stand on them, or climb on the stack of them, or knock each other down with them, or fight over them. When it was snack time no one wanted to eat. When it was coloring time we couldn't keep the crayons out of our mouths. By 2:15 today we were all ready for our mommies and daddies to come. Most of us ended up spread out around the room with blankets and books trying to keep our eyes open for those last 15 minutes. It will be interesting to see how this schedule evolves. It will be fun to watch these little ones grow into their personalities. My first goal is everyone sitting in a chair with their arms folded for snack prayer. That should take us at least the first 3 months. Wish me luck!

Today I am thankful for

a husband who holds the priesthood and is worthy to bless babies and a son and son-in-law who can assist him.
a nephew who wants his baby blessed even though he's not active in the church at the moment.
the stalwart members of the Papago Ward.
the opportunity to hear my daughter share her testimony.
the chance to attend church with lots more family members than usual.
a "new" two year old whose smile and sweet "Hi" can melt my heart and everyone else's as well. She is such a cutie!