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Windows

Windows sales people have taken up residence in my front yard.

They have been out there for about 45 minutes, just talking in my driveway.

I was supposed to leave for work, but I don't want to leave the girls alone with weirdos in the street.

(BTW, they did approach the door.

I informed them that we are renting the property and they left...

still in the driveway, but they left the doorstep.)

Is it a sad commentary on my life when this is the most interesting thing that is happening this afternoon???

Not to mention incredibly ironic that I am watching them through my large picture window in my living room???

Perhaps I've gone a bit too far...

I always knew this day would come...

I would look around the Sunday evening dinner table and see myself as through my mother's eyes... only, the 11 year old me would be my daughter.

Tonight... it happened.

Yesterday's discovery of the lies told to a teacher came back to haunt my dear little Hailey. After reporting a proper practicing schedule to her band teacher, we came to find that she was delinquent... a lot.

I found myself thinking a lot about repentance since I discovered the problem. I wanted to teach my daughter a principle of truth, and encourage her to change her behavior. I didn't want to be mad.

Repentance is one of the first principles of the gospel and is
essential to our temporal and eternal happiness.
It is much more than just acknowledging wrongdoings.
It is a change of mind and heart that gives us a fresh view about God, about ourselves, and about the world.
It includes turning away from sin and
turning to God for forgiveness.
It is motivated by love for God
and the sincere desire to obey His commandments.

Although it hardly seems fair, a certain amount of repentance needs to take place for Hailey to become a better person. There were steps that she needed to take.

1) Acknowledge the wrong - Hailey needed to identify that she had done something wrong. She needed to feel sorrow for her choice, and a desire to fix the situation. Her lack of practicing was an issue, but more important was her bearing false witness. She lied... We needed to fix that.

2) Apologize and Ask for Forgiveness - Once she realized that we needed to fix the problem, she had to go about telling the teacher she was sorry. I sent an e-mail to the teacher, informing her that we had found the discrepancy in the practice times. I also informed Hailey that it was her responsibility to say she was sorry to her teacher.

3) Right the wrong - Hailey will now be practicing every morning: Monday-Friday at 6:30am, Saturdays at 7:30am and Sundays at 9am, so that mom can supervise proper practicing procedure. This will take place until all claimed practice time is made up. We also explained to Hailey that her grade may be affected because of the information I sent to her teacher. There are always consequences.

4) Hailey will need to go to her Heavenly Father and ask for forgiveness as well. Unfortunately, this is not something I can help her with. No amount of discipline on my part can help her see her way through this process. The best I can hope for is that she understands how much her Heavenly Father loves her, and that he wants for her to be honest. He wants her to be happy, and to tell the truth. This can only be accomplished when she understands that she has made a mistake and learns from it, and

5) Never does it again. The most vital of the repentance process, we are to change our heart so we have no more desire to perform the wrong.

As a parent, it was very hard for me to go through this process with her tonight. I'm not looking forward to the daily french horn practicing, but, as her mother, I will sit by her and support her.

DJ told me not to use the mom-ism comment "This hurts me more than it hurts you." I never really believed it until tonight, but I didn't say it. I watched my daughter weep. She felt so bad. My heart yearned to forgive her all, but I knew that it was the better part to let her go through this, and to stand by her side.

In Mosiah 4:3 it says:

And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words
the Spirit of the Lord came upon them,
and they were filled with joy,
having received a remission of their sins,
and having peace of conscience,
because of the exceeding faith
which they had in Jesus Christ...

I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to repent of my wrong-doings, and I am so blessed that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is there for my children, and for me. I know that joy can truly come when we follow the Savior.

Middle of the night...

In my experience, the times we are needed the most are most likely the times that we are most inconvenienced. Fortunately, last night was not one of those times.

My friend texted me at work asking if I could help her with her car. Seems that the lock on the door (meaning that only one door of the 5 on the car accepts a regular key to open it) was broken and the key would not turn. Adding insult to injury, the fobs (the little mechanical doo-hickeys attached to the key ring that electronically open the doors) have stopped working, even with the batteries replaced. As this is their only car, this is quite a problem. Fortunately for her, I really have nothing better to do at 11PM, immediately following a work shift, so I drove over to help her out.

I picked her up at her home, and drove her to her car, parked on a side street, in front of her husband's boss' house. Sure enough, the car won't open. I ask her if she has roadside assistance.

Digression:
Unlocking your car door if you lock the keys inside = $50.
Getting a tow truck to move your car anywhere = minimum $80 (if you are lucky).
Paying $3 a month for roadside assistance to take care of this for you = PRICELESS!!!!!

Sure enough, her warranty with her automobile's manufacturer covered just such an emergency, so we called them. They told us it was going to be an hour before they could get a tow truck to the car.

My diabetes SCREAMED at me. I needed protein. So we drove a few blocks to D'Leon's. For those of you Lincolnites who have never had D'Leons... The 24 hour fast food mexican restraunts are wonderful. For just over $4 I received a LARGE chicken burrito, of which I could only eat half. The other half will be lunch today. (I'm so excited!). We drove back over to the boss' house to wait for the tow truck, and the boss came out and asked us to park in his driveway so we didn't look like we were casing the neighborhood. (Don't I just come off as the burglary type???) We are sitting in the driveway, and I open my burrito wrapper, and some of the burrito juice dumps onto my shirt. The consistancy, color, and texture greatly resembled what I'm sure the burrito would have looked like digested in reverse, and we laughed and laughed.

Thus is the story of my facebook status....

don`t mind me... I`m just sitting in your driveway in my car at midnight wiping what appears to be puke off my shirt.

Side note - The two truck arrived, and was able to open the car door, after picking the lock with one of those long metal things. It was quite the adventure!!!

Moral of the story: If you are locked out of your car in the middle of the night, I can probably be reached to give you a warm place to sit... Just don't let me open my D'Leon's burrito without covering myself in napkins.

Righteous Women... A Call to Arms

The onslaught of e-mails has increased. Blogs tirade regularly of dissatisfaction. People, if they can find something to complain about, will.

I say - "Thumper... what did you father

tell you just this morning?"

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Nonetheless, sometimes we find ourselves in a position where we need to stop another from affecting us negatively, and still do it positively.

I found myself in just such this situation recently. A self-professed Latter-day Saint Christian woman with whom I am associated recently sent me a mass e-mail. She does this pretty regularly, and I, typically, ignore her emails, but this time it really got to me. The first paragraph, a comment on the article she forwarded, was scathing. Among other things, she referred to the President of the United States as evil, a racist, and that he is "filled with hate." She then included a forwarded e-mail claiming to be written by an American historian. She testified that the comments were along the same lines as she was thinking.

Allow me to interject briefly... This blog is not about politics. For those of you that know me, I'm not a fan of politics, and so I'm not writing about that. I am writing to illustrate methods of communication.

I don't trust a lot of what I read in mass mailings. When I check the facts (usually at snopes.com) I find that the email is a myth, and not worth my time. I reviewed the article she forwarded and found it to be a fallacy. At this point, I knew that perhaps this individual needed to be reminded of her worth. To refer to the President as she did, and then propagate the mis-information she received, without checking her facts, frightened me.

I was afraid for her, that she could hold so much hate.

How to proceed, and still follow the credo left by Thumper's father... hmmm... I responded to her e-mail. Please, dear reader, tell me what you think of my response. My goal was to be patient, understanding, but request a bit more respect when she sends things to me.

I received your mass e-mail today, and I would like to respectfully request that unless you have verified your facts, please do not forward me political articles. If if you have verified the facts, please attach the proof to the e-mail. That being said, to further give you some light and knowledge on the e-mail you forwarded to me, I went to a website called snopes.com. The purpose of this website is to factually prove or debunk internet "rumors." I suggest you take the time to read this link I am sending you, in the hopes that you will understand why I made this request.

In the Articles of Faith it says that "We believe in being subject to kings, PRESIDENTS, rulers and magistrates in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law." Whether or not you approve of President Obama is your choice, however, to force your opinions that he is evil upon me, unsolicited, is not welcome or okay. President Obama is still a child of God, and did, in the pre-mortal world make a decision to follow the Savior, just as you and I did. If you choose not to think of him as a child of God, just remember the promises and covenants you have made, and the commandments from the Savior to “Love thy neighbor as thyself” and then remember who Christ defined as our neighbors from the parable of the Good Samaritan.

That being said, and because, by sending this e-mail you solicited my response, please consider my opinion on President Obama. I do not believe that he is evil. I believe that he is governing the country to the best of HIS ability. My concern with Mr. Obama is that he is not going to the Lord for their instruction about what should happen in this country. That does not make him evil; it just makes him not relying on the arm of the Lord. The only way he is going to change his attitudes is if we, as an American public, go to him and force the changes through the APPROPRIATE POLITICAL PROCESSES. We write letters and e-mails to our leaders about specific issues and choices, not involving character. We can’t control how they behave; we can control how they vote IN OUR BEHALF.

Please understand that I do not mean any disrespect, and that is why I share these things with you. We need to respect our leaders, and check our facts, before we go accusing people of things of which they may or may not be guilty.

President Spencer W. Kimball gave a speech in 1979, that, in recent months, I have heard quoted on many occassions. I'd like to quote part of it now.

How special it is for Latter-day Saint women to be given the lofty assignments they have been given by our Father in Heaven, especially those of you who have been privileged to be born in this part of this last dispensation. Let other women pursue heedlessly … their selfish interests. You can be a much needed force for love and truth and righteousness on this planet. …

… My dear sisters, may I suggest to you something that has not been said before or at least in quite this way. Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because

Many of the good women of the world

(in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality)

will be drawn to the Church in large numbers.

This will happen to the degree that

the women of the Church reflect

righteousness and articulateness in their lives

and to the degree that

the women of the Church are seen as

distinct and different—in happy ways—

from the women of the world.

… Thus it will be that female exemplars of the Church will be a significant force in both the numerical and the spiritual growth of the Church in the last days. …

We love you sisters. We have confidence in you. We rejoice in your devotion. We are greatly heartened by your presence … in this portion of this dispensation wherein your talents and spiritual strength are so desperately needed.. Ensign, Nov. 1979, 103–4

President Kimball stipulated that we need to be righteous, articulate, distinct and different in happy ways. We need to stand for the good there is in this world. That will separate us from the others, and they will be drawn to us because of the difference.

Sisters, my call today is for us to be more righteous, articulate, distinct, different and happy. When the time comes for us to say something... let it be nice... let it be positive... let it be uplifting, and let us be known as a sisterhood that looks for the best, and welcomes with open arms. If changes must be made, let us please look for the way to adjust without offense, relying on the example of the Savior. We are all chidlren of our Heavenly Father, and deserve that respect. Remember...

We can not like choices that are made,
but we can still love the person.

Jesus did... and so can we.

Reputation

I said, "Mom, what are you doing, you're ruining my rep"
She said, "You're only sixteen, you don't have a rep yet"
"If they were laughing you don't need them,
"Cause they're not good friends"

The Fresh Prince definitely had his own take on the power of reputation... I didn't realize my 11 year old would have to deal with it too.

Her 6th grade Health class participates in a program called All-stars, where they talk about several different choices that teenagers are now forced to make, and the steps leading to these choices, and what can be done to help make the best choice. One of the aspects I particularly love about this program is the parental involvement. Every so often, Hailey will bring home a worksheet with answers to scripted questions on one side, and a few questions she is to discuss with me on the other side. The questions that she discusses with me are based upon the answers given on the previous page.

This time, the paper was about reputation.

By definition, a reputation is the estimation in which a person or thing is held, esp. by the community or the public generally. According to my daughter, this means that a reputation is what other people think of you.

So I ask, can you affect what other people think of you.
She says, yes, by the choices you make.
Okay, so what kinds of choices should you make. Right ones...

So far, so good.

Okay, so now I am going to tell you a story. There was this guy. He had some people that HATED him. It was really bad. They thought that he broke rules. He made other people question their belief. They thought he wasn't obedient to his leaders.
Then there was this other group of people who thought he wasn't very important, but because of the choices he made, other people got mad, and there was arguing and fighting and violence, and this second group didn't like that, so they did bad things to him.
Then there was this third group of people who thought that he was super important. They would sit and listen to him for hours. They saw the good that he did and would tell their friends.
Hailey, who is this man? Mom.... that's Jesus.
That's right. Did Jesus care what people thought of Him? Nope.
Who's opinion did Jesus care about? Heavenly Father's.
That's right. Did Jesus make bad decisions? No.
That's right. Not once. Did everyone think he was a good person? No.
So, is your reputation the most important thing to worry about? No.
So what should you think about? I should try to make the right decisions, and not worry about what other people think of me.
That's right. What can you do to help you remember to make the right decisions? I can remember that I am a child of God and that He loves me. If I remember that, then I don't need to worry about whether or not people like me or not.
That's right. You can't control what other people think, but as long as you are doing what's right, that's all that matters. You know your Heavenly Father loves you, and you know I love you, and you know that is not going to change. The friends that you have, that are good friends, are not going to give you a bad reputation if you are making good choices. You won't always be perfect, but at least you are doing the best you can, and fixing things when you need to. That's all that we ask.

Now the clincher...

Mom... I can't write that on my paper. This is for school. I will get into trouble.

Friends, I'm not gonna lie. That simple statement broke my heart. To think that the most important thing I can teach my daughter about who she is and how she is special, and the best defense I can give her against the forces of darkness in this world, will get her into trouble at school is such a sad little commentary on the world today. I told her to write it anyway. (I'm a rebel...) Then I took her paper and wrote a note to her teacher, right under my signature.

"Dear Mr. N,
Our family stands very firm in our religious faith. We use the lessons we learn from our faith to teach our children correct principles. The answers Hailey has written reflect the discussion we had, and the principles taught within our faith, and within our family. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me."

The best thing that we can do for our families, and for the world today, is to continue being the best men and women we can be. I believe that by following the principles of the gospel, and remembering our own divinity, we can change the world... even if it is one growing-up girl at a time.

PS... When I checked my reader this morning, there was my daily nugget of religious wisdom, that totally applied to this post...

“Let us . . . honor the special place of the family. As James Q. Wilson wrote:“ ‘We learn to cope with the people of this world because we learn to cope with the members of our family. Those who flee the family flee the world; bereft of the [family’s] affection, tutelage, and challenges, they are unprepared for the [world’s] tests, judgments, and demands’ (The Moral Sense [1993], 163).”

Neal A. Maxwel, “The Tugs and Pulls of the World,” Liahona, Jan. 2001, 44

September Visiting Teaching

I love visiting teaching. There are few greater things that I enjoy more. The biggest reason that I do love visiting teaching, is because it helps me connect with Sisters.

I never had sisters of my own. I ended up with brothers, so when they got married, I was thrilled because there were finally girls!!!

September's Visiting Teaching message from the Ensign talked about Understanding and living the Gospel of Christ. You may wonder what this has to do with Visiting Teaching and sisterhood... I don't. It means the world to me. It means eternity to me.

How Does Understanding and Living the Gospel Bless Lives?

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “We must live the gospel in such a way that we will have the Spirit to ever be with us. If we live worthily, the Spirit will always be with us. We can then teach by the Spirit. … The reason we pray, study the scriptures, have good friends, and live the gospel through obedience to the commandments is so that when—not if, but when—the trials come, we are ready” (“Teaching by Faith,” Liahona, Sept. 2003, 10, 14–15; Ensign, Sept. 2003, 20, 24–25).

I absolutely love that Elder Hales listed "Have good friends" in the same list as prayer, scripture study and obedience to the commandments. I think there are few things that are more important to us than the friendships that we have, whether they are based upon our relationships with our family, or without, it is these relationships that have been promised us in the hereafter.

Even as I sit and type, "Angels Among Us" by Alabama is playing. I cannot thank the many women who I am grateful to call friends. They are truly angels to me, and they know who they are.

Thank you, my sisters, for your love, your support and your ongoing friendship. When my trials come, you are ready... I love you!

Eulogy

CP had lived an amazing life, 12 years spent in the service of our family. CP was a great support; the kind of foundation that holds you up you when you need something to be there. He once saved my life. In the pitfalls of my first pregnancy, CP came in and cradled me with comfort, offering me the rest that I truly needed for the trying times ahead. That’s how I became close to CP. Yes, that was over 11 years ago and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

I remember once CP suffered negative effects of the dirt and grime of the world. These stains left me shocked and thinking evil thoughts of those who would abuse such a loved one so. Of course as you all know, I am referring to CP. A little bit of crud is not going to separate us.

CP supported my first husband and I through the end of our marriage, and, without even batting a button, came with me when we separated. He held me up, when there was nothing else to do so, and was more than willing to spring up and do his part to comfort me in my grief.

Then one day, I met a man who was ready to love me for everything that I am. It was not because I’m in love with CP but it’s more of I was simply not used to sharing CP’s time with anyone else. It was always me and CP. When I met DJ, I didn’t know how CP would react. DJ turned out to be a really nice person and he ended up being a good friend of CP's too. I must say, wonderful things happened with DJ, CP and I.

What is it that we remember when we think of CP? I think everyone who knows him very well would agree with me on this. It was his welcoming space. He was the kind of person that would make everyone jump on board and get comfortable. Who could forget about his willingness to wrap those he loved and hold them tight? What we especially loved were the groans and squeaks as he took the weights off our shoulders, and off our feet? Goodness! You could hear the sounds of relief rooms away. He was so available. That is what I will truly miss about CP. He could make me relax when I was really wound up. He always comforted me when he knew I just had a bad day. That’s the trademark of CP. He always wanted to make people happy.

CP’s death was long, torturous and tedious. Gradually he had begun to sag, and just didn't hold up the way he used to. While not coiled quite as tight, he just didn't have the bounce he once did. Then he began to really fail. The creaks and groans were no longer a relief for us, but a reminder that the time had come. CP indeed lived his life wonderfully. I will forever be grateful to have known CP. I will forever be grateful that CP was there at the right places and at the right times to save my life. I will forever be grateful for spending 12 years of my life with a friend like him. All the memories I have shared with him will forever be cherished and remembered. CP will forever live in my heart… In our hearts.

CP has moved on to the Valhalla of the landfill, a wonderful place where all good mattresses go to die and we are here at his funeral. This is not the time for us to grieve his death but it’s our time to celebrate his life. Don’t ever forget CP. He never wanted to see people cry, but would support us when we did, and catch our tears. He wanted to make everyone happy. So at this moment when we are about to lay his upholstery to rest, let’s all think back and remember how CP touched our lives. How he made us settle in and how good CP was at supporting us. This is not the moment for us to shed our tears but we should all be thankful that we were given the chance to have known a mattress named CP.

CP will forever be missed but I know that in moving on, we are only bringing ourselves a little more comfort, and support. Thus, on to the next part of our lives... DCP (Doctor's Choice Plus of Denver Mattress)

Precipitation

Rain Rain, go away.. come again another day...

I am not a huge fan of rain. Sure, I understand the necessity of the precipitation to keep my lawn wet without me paying extra on my water bill. It is also important to note that rainy days are the perfect time to turn on my little fireplace-looking space heater, find a good book and vegetate all day. Alas, where have those days gone...

NONETHELESS

Rain has a tendency, also, of sneaking into my basement and leaving my carpets and toy room floor wet. Three areas, this time, at last count. While this moderate inconvenience could be significantly worse, the annoyance it brings with it knows no bounds, for instead of taking a nap yesterday, I had to clean carpet and dry floor.

HOWEVER

Earlier this week, I found myself praying for rain. My little car drove me to the state fair and back twice over the weekend. Once, I took my children and their cousins (which was great fun, pictures to follow), and the other I took my friend, Wendy, to a concert (again, pictures to follow). The combination of driving on dirt roads to park and a busy schedule left my poor Mali looking a little like an off-road vehicle without a hose. Time crunches being what they are, I was unable to get my car washed, and every morning, walking to my car, I prayed a silent prayer that some rain would absolve my bronze baby of her uncharacteristic sheen.

This morning, my prayer was answered. As I peer out the front window of my home, I see that the rain from yesterday has washed away the dirt and dew lines. While she is not perfect, I thank heaven for small miracles.

Now... Can the rain just go away for the rest of the day.

I've got a picnic tonight.

Presidency

(The video feed is for streaming the speech on Tuesday. It is more for my reference so I dont' have to hunt when the time comes!)



Politics are not my best friend. I'll admit it freely. However, I do want to keep informed about things that are going on. Enter my friend, Janelle. She contacts her Congressmen monthly, and keeps up to date on all things governmental. This morning she contacted me about a situation that I was not even aware of, and which I am passing along now as an FYI.

President Barack Obama is presenting a speech to elementary school students on Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 at 12PM EDT. (Here in Lincoln, it will be presented at 11AM.) According to the whitehouse.gov website, President Obama will be talking about making and keeping educational goals. Also linked to the government website are some ideas for educators on preparing for this speech, and follow ups to the speech. I have read it all, and found nothing that disturbed me.

HOWEVER... I have read some articles from newspapers not directly affiliated with the President indicating that there are additional materials (among them a worksheet) that are being sent to the educators that offer a left-winged bias to some of the political issues in the country today. Sadly, nowhere was I given the ability to see such a handout.

That being said, this morning, I sent an e-mail to the principals of H&K's schools. Here is what it said...

Dear Dr. D and Mrs. R,

I am the mother of HB (6th grade) and KB (4th grade).

This morning I became aware of the speech the President will be giving to the elementary school children on Tuesday morning. (Here is the link to the website discussing it!) I was wondering if your schools will be presenting this speech to the students. I was also wondering what educational resources had been provided to the schools for preparing for and following up on the speech. Some news outlets have claimed to seeing a supplemental worksheet that is not included in the links to educational conversations on the website. If such a worksheet exists, and you have access to it, would it be possible for me to look over it prior to the speech on Tuesday morning, please?

Thank you for your attention to this matter!

In the five minutes it has taken me to type thus far, I received a response from K's 'pal, Mrs. R.

Thanks for your message. I just learned of the President's speech earlier this week. I have not heard about a supplemental worksheet but will let you know if I do. Thanks again.

Please understand that I am not expressing an opinion about the speech at all, for if I did, I would be prejudicing myself to something that could be very beneficial. At the same time, I think it is important for us as parents to be aware of what is happening, so we can make the best decisions for our children.

All that I ask is that we stay informed, and that we educate ourselves as much as possible, AND THAT WE GO DIRECTLY TO VALID SOURCES, rather than relying on media efforts to sensationalize the true situation.

If you would like to use the letter I wrote to my children's principals to contact your own, please feel free to do so. Thanks!

PS - The President published his speech on Whitehouse.gov today! Take a look at the link!

Lake of the Ozarks July 2009

It's hard to describe...

I'm not a fan of summer.

I know... Sacreligious, right?

None the less, its truth.

The weather is too hot, and my air conditioner overkills my electricity bill.

My kids are home all day, which is great... then again, my kids are home all day, no structure, etc... and it is sometimes easier to just hang out and play than actually get stuff done.

Plus, by the time I do get motivated, it is nap time in the afternoon. (Is there anything better than afternoon naptime???)

Then, I go to work. Which, I love, but I work late into the night perpetuating the lack of motivation cycle.

And yet, I dread the ending of the summer season, because then my children will return to school and life will be regimented once more, and I will find myself wishing that I had more time to be non-motivated.

I guess that's what Summer Doldrums are like...

Holmes Lake Ward Fourth of July Picnic

Waiting...

The time has come,
Shannon said,
To Talk of just one thing.

Of moving on
and moving out
to see what the future brings.

But silence and sleeping
and phone calls have kept the
talk from coming.

And now she waits,
the preface in play
her feelings o so bumming.

For not far hence
The sad news of
permanent removal imminent.

And yet, she pauses,
for the talks to start,
the conversation unpleasant.

For on the morrow,
Rain or shine,
Those once welcomed will remove

And to the promise
Previous made
Shannon will be true.

So wish us luck,
FOr hurt feelings dread,
and Shannon can't yet sleep

For as long as
he's on the phone,
She cannot make a peep.

one-fifteen
the clock does say
as it approaches two

The time has come
and Shannon knows
Exactly what she must do.

Wish me luck everyone!
The tenure now is through!

Rockin the External Hard Drive

I know what you were thinking and you should be ashamed of yourselves!!!

I have been mourning the loss of my laptop for many months.

Yes, I miss the convenience of sitting on my bed and playing on the internet with a large screen and an actual keyboard (no offense AX), but I truly missed the memory from the hard drive. I had a lot of pictures, songs, documents, etc, that I couldn't access because the hardware was defunct.

Enter HERO BRAD!!!

He pulled my hard drive's soul from the deteriorating encasement of the laptop and placed it inside an enclosure kit.

I have been listening to music I haven't heard in over a year. I am so excited!!!

Thanks tons!!!

Randomness pictures...

I unloaded my camera onto the computer this morning, and thought I would share some of my favorite pictures.

Bubby and the Babe... I can't believe I got this one. Aaron didn't even know I was taking it!!!



The Easter Dresses!!! (Thanks Management... BTW - DJ is still waiting for his!!!)

My sister in law let me watch Elizabeth and Nathaniel one day, so we took lots of pictures! I like this one of the four kids together!

Science fair fun!!! This is Bug and her principal!

My migraine on Monday really took my energy away.

That and feeling sick to my stomach for the last few weeks.

Plus, I've been really cranky lately, and super tired.

And the thought of spaghetti sauce is making me sick, but bring on the steak!!!!

100 and counting...

I didn't even realize that my last post was number 100 until today. I am completely oblivious.

I'm not the most dedicated blogger, mostly because getting to the computer where blogging is an option is a little tricky, but I do try to keep up now and then.

I got around to uploading some pics off the digicam last night, so I thought I would share a few!

The movie Coraline is definitely a Tim Burton, and by sheer defenition, not my favorite. However, there were aspects of this film that I found mildly amusing, which I am sure was not what Mr. Burton had in mind. The 3-D feature was mildly entertaining, and the girls seemed to like it pretty well.

Here's my Katie blowing out her 9 birthday candles. Suprisingly enough, there was cake left over, but the veggie and fruit trays didn't stand a chance!!!

When was the last time you had fun in a box? (with a fox?)

Race to Witch Mountain was a wonderful updating of the movies I watched as a kid. The kiddos loved it, and so did I.

Only at a Star Trek convention is all I have to say!!

Behind my front door is this bulletin board. I have randomly stuck pictures of people we love to it, but it is full.

I like the concept of making the pictures a permanent fixture in our home, but I need the bulletin board for family information stuff, so I took down the pictures and am going to create a collage with the pictures.

Maybe you will end up as art in my home? Do you see your picture here??? If not, better send me one! I'm starting collage number two!!!

TP - (a little bathroom humor)

We have a rule at our house.

Look before you sit.

This rule has come from several instances where from the nether-reaches of our home has come the yodeling call of

"TEEE-PEEE".

In our house, it is Popple's job to place the spare rolls in their proper cabinetry when the tp is liberated from its packaging.

More often than not, the tp is stacked in architecture Frank Lloyd Wright would envy in the girls bathroom, not making it into the master bathroom.

Such was the occasion yesterday morning as my physical needs outweighed the need to abide by our family rule.

I sat there, realizing that I did not have the necessary tool of cleanliness. My husband slept through a door a few feet away.

KING

says I.

WHAT

says he.

Where's the tp?

asks I.

With the Indians.

says he.

(Those darn Indians...)

(NO offense intended for those of native American ancestry. It was simply my husbands feeble attempt at bathroom humor.)

It wouldn't have been nearly as funny except that Popples latest creation was conical, and the King took a roll from the bottom making a doorway and stuck a plunger and toilet brush into the top. Alas, the camera is not charged, and the structure, out of necessity, has been destroyed.

Looking Up

I know, I know, standing under a ladder is bad luck.

Tough.

This was the best time I ever had standing under a ladder.

Hailey, Katie and I were helping the Builders at their house, and this ladder was just sitting there.

After some convincing, I got my girls to climb up the (almost) 8 feet so I could take this picture.

Okay, Hailey didn't take much convincing. Kate on the other hand struggled a bit to climb. You gotta admit, the picture is great.

Looking up to my girls was a change in perspective for me. They are always looking up to me for guidance, examples, because I'm taller (right now... it's about to change... they aren't supposed to get big). But I look up to them for the examples they are to me everyday. And then they smile down on me, and I know that they are the closest people to angels and heaven that I know.

My little miracles.

Blessings

Today the forecast is 70 degrees and sunshiny.

I have a job that I am not at risk of losing anytime soon, and that pays me pretty well.

I live in a little house that has some personality.

My husband also has a job that he is not at risk of losing anytime soon, and that pays him pretty well.

H&K are the best kids ever.

I have the best friends EVER!!!

I often wonder what it would be like to not know that the Lord blesses me everyday. I know I'm not the most grateful or humble of His children, but I do know that He loves me, and cares about me and the family he has given me.

My friend is getting married next weekened, and she picked this gorgeous song for her untiy candle lighting. It's called Footprints in the Sand (it's on my playlist, take a listen!). It's based upon the poem of the same name. It go to me this morning. He never gives up on me, even when I sometimes give up on myself.

I thank Him for that!

Kickbacks...

kick-back  - /ˈkɪkˌbæk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [kik-bak] –noun

I always thought this was a great word. Usually it meant that I was retaliating to my brothers' feet. Now I have more defenitions. (Thank you dictionary.com)

1. a percentage of income given to a person in a position of power or influence as payment for having made the income possible: usually considered improper or unethical. Don't usually use this partcular defenition. I'm not a bribery girl, but I do see where finding extra hours at work will get me extra income... and I can find extra hours.

2. a rebate, usually given secretively by a seller to a buyer or to one who influenced the buyer. If only this worked at bookstores... or restaraunts... hmmm...

3. the practice of an employer or a person in a supervisory position of taking back a portion of the wages due workers. I have on occasion had to penalize my children for problems by withdrawing funds from their piggys... but I don't think that counts.

4. a response, usually vigorous. Aha!! One I can get on board with. I respond pretty vigorously to everything:

• Weight gain (5 pounds in the last two weeks. What is up with that???)
• My husband asking me out on a date. (Who is this man and what did he do with my husband? Know what? Don't care. I'm going to an afternoon movie matinee today...)
• Puppies (I love that I can pop out to The Management's and something is so happy to see me that it jumps, barks and wags its tail. If only we all responded like that to everything. Well, okay, some of us do.)

5. a sudden, uncontrolled movement of a machine, tool, or other device, as on starting or in striking an obstruction: A kickback from a chain saw can be dangerous. I'll just leave this one alone for today!

Origin: 1930–35, Americanism; n. use of v. phrase kick back

It never ceases to amaze me how one word, symbol, or idea can mean so many different things. I still like my first defenition the best. Beware shins everywhere!

Motivation....

I have struggled with weight problems since... egads... childhood. I can still remember at the ripe age of 8 my mother telling me I need to lose weight, or at the age of 11 my father calling me thunder thighs. I swore someday, I would solve my weight problems and be gorgeous.



I did. At the age of 18, I was my leanest ever. I still weighed in at 180 pounds, but thanks to some great friends, the Y mountain (walking to and from my dorms up to the main campus two to three times a day) and aerobics class 4 times per week, I managed to really look pretty good.



I am not so lean now.



Two babies, depression, divorce and a sedentary job will do that to a person.



Fortunately, I have a few things going my way.



Number 1 - A great support system.



My friend, Audra, gets up and walks with me three times per week. Even though I am tremendously poky... We visit and laugh, and plan... We sample each others delicious recipes... It works out great! Thanks for your support!



My doctor is fabulous! He is so great to help me make the good choices, so he doesn't have to make the big icky ones.



The nurse at my doctor's office that meets with me once a week to help me with my weigh in and support me by helping me set goals.



My boss always asks how I am doing, and if there is anything she can do to help. And people at my work who will come down on breaks and walk around with me.



Number 2 - A great mall that lets people come in and walk for health. Around and around and around we go, and hopefully it pays off.



Actually, funny story... The other day, Audra and I were walking around and a lady came up to us and asked us if we were walking to lose weight. (UMMMM DUHHHH) She told us to stick to it. She had lost weight walking, and we shouldn't give up.



I am also grateful to a city and state that promote well-being by offering programs like N-Lighten Nebraska.



Number 3 - My Rewards - This year there are a bunch of trips that I want to go on, but my weight is starting to restrict my ability to travel comfortably on a plane. Therefore, if I hit my little goals, I can go on little trips. My big goal this year is a trip to Las Vegas with my parents and husband for Christmas and New Years. I want to be able to walk the strip comfortably and enjoy the everything.



SO, even though it seems like I have a lot of discouragement, I am grateful to the people who support me, the blessing of living in a health conscious city and the rewards i can set up that keep me motivated.



Thanks!

Mantras and mission plans

William S. Preston, Esquire, and Theodore Logan, had the right idea in the early nineties, they just didn’t execute it all that well.

Today, in Relief Society, the idea was driven home to me so poignantly that I could not help but giggle in mirth for several minutes, (I am not known for being the most reverent in church) much to the chagrin of the presenter.

We were discussing our Ward Mission plan, and the things that we are doing to promote it. I’m not big on asking the GQ (the genealogist wanted to know why Mormons were promoting Gentlemen’s Quarterly???) but I don’t have a problem inviting people to go places with me, or to do stuff. As a matter of fact, I have been known to host parties, in dark basements by candlelight (because of power outages) that last well into the early morning hours. It’s the great company, I’m sure, that holds these together.

I digress…

We were discussing how the best way to meet people and share with them our religion is to get into the community and to be nice good people. We should be excellent and outstanding members of society who people should want to be around.

The only thing I could think was a direct quote from a movie that my mother regrets ever letting my brothers and I see…

If you have not been introduced to Bill and Ted and their Excellent Adventure, may I recommend the movie in the wee hours of the morning, when adrenaline, caffeine and a sugar rush are all keeping you conscious? It is really funny, I promise!!!

Suffice it to say, the giggles began.

Then I started thinking of my initial experience with their mantra.

You have all heard of the Buckingham Palace Guards. They are not supposed to move, smile, nothing, no matter what you do. (Side note – I could not do this job. I am a guaranteed sell at the Make You Smile Game.)

Military police (college boys on a power trip) are the same way. They are not supposed to express emotion. At the ripe ages of 11, 10, 7 and 4 my brothers and I would make faces out the car window, wave, etc trying to get these boys to smile, laugh, roll their eyes, anything. NADA!

About two weeks after seeing this movie, we were driving through the main gates of the military installation upon which my family lived, and I rolled down the window. In unison, the Judge, the Builder, Bubby and myself all screamed Bill and Ted’s catch phrase.

Those two MP’s didn’t stand a chance. The guy inside at the desk put his head on the desk, his shoulders shaking. The guy outside saluting my father (who is ranked a major, as marked by the sticky pass in the corner of the windshield, and therefore an upper-level officer) almost fell over the little curb he was laughing so hard. The Doc was mortified in the front seat, trying to raise the window from his arm control and locking down my control of the window. The Management was trying hard not too laugh while looking properly, motheringly, annoyed at the four of us in the backseats.

Reflecting back, I feel kinda bad. These guys could have gotten into a lot of trouble. I’m sure, for them, though, it was worth it.

So, what do Bill and Ted have to do with being good missionaries???

Their mantra, and my personal mission statement -

“BE EXCELLENT TO EACH OTHER, AND PARTY ON, DUDES!!!”