Yay me!

So, I know I said I was going to be better about keeping my blog updated. Yeah, I know, not so much. I just don't seem to get downstairs to the computer except for a few minutes each day. So much to do. Remodeling the house, never ending laundry, work for 3.4 hours a day (I know, hehehe), random Mom/wife stuff, etc etc etc.

But today I got completely caught up on Elder Gary's mission posters! Yay! Take a look, it's amazing to see how much of a difference there has been. We are so EXCITED!!! And I also got the Halloween blog done. I know. Nice. Only 6 days later on that one. So much of an improvement over how I've been for about the last year, huh?

Now I need to catch up on birthdays, last years Prom, this years Homecoming, (since Sadie Hawkins is just around the corner....literally), some Color Guard, and just every day life. I'm not promising anything.....just saying I'm going to 'strive to be better'. How's that for non-committal?

Hope your November is going awesome so far!

Why Do I Do This To Myself?

Over and over again I get behind on my blog. I tell myself I enjoyed it much more when I stayed caught up! But yet, again I find myself behind. And farther behind than I've ever let myself get. But I find myself behind in so many things right now....

I decided to get caught up today on my blog, only to discover that my last real post was Elder Gary's mission poster the end of April. April? Really? I could have sworn I had done it since then, could have sworn I was only a couple of months behind. And in May I got ambitious and did numerous mission poster pictures because of it being a monumental month for him and all. I really could have sworn that I had posted them already!

I need to finish getting Tanner's things sewn on his Scout shirt. I was caught up at one point, and now they've changed some things. But that actually works to my advantage. Most of the things I don't have sewn on, they aren't doing any more and don't need to be put on his shirt. Yay me!!! Oh, wait, but then I need to put them on something else so they don't get lost. Boo! Maybe not an advantage after all.

I need to make some decisions on paint colors for my bedroom and bathroom. Why is this room the hardest to pick out? All the others I at least know the color I want and just have to find the shade. My room? Not so much. Though I'm thinking blue for the bathroom. But I don't want it so intense I can't stand to be in there!

I have two dvr's. Yes 2. One in the family room and one in my bedroom. Since Tanner is in my room for right now, I am behind on my shows in there......most of which are to help me in my house remodel. *Sigh*

I have some library movies Lexie and I were going to watch. She informed me that she has never seen the Pride and Prejudice movies. Really? Where did I screw up on that? I could have sworn I had watched them with her! So I got them from the library last Friday, which means there due tomorrow.....not watched yet. Good thing I can renew them on the computer! Done. Will watch this weekend since it's a Holiday and she has no soccer games!

And on that same trip to the library, I checked out a car full of books. I have been reading a lot this summer. Turning in a book just about every day. Plus all the other stuff I got done in a day. In the past week I have turned in one book!!! What happened? I have the house to myself all day!

So today I did get caught up on my blog......well, partly. I caught up on May. :) And I posted something for today. That in its self is a major improvement. Tomorrow I plan on working on June, and a new daily post.

I swear I'm going to keep up this time. I swear!

Now I see that Tanner is watching Pink Panther cartoons. Then after that, it's Flintstones, Jetsons....Maybe I'll go reward myself for posting May by watching with him. :)

I know, I know!

OK. So I promised FOREVER ago that I was going to go back and update my blog. Clear back to October when we took our trip to Vegas. Apparently it hasn't been done. I have varying excuses and reasons, some legit, some just to make me feel better for not doing it.

So this week I have been altering the dress I bought Morgan Saturday for the Sweethearts dance this Saturday. It fit like a glove, except the shoulders. I have been working on it since Monday. I only had 2nd grade today, so I planned on taking the day off to make sure the dress was done before the last second. So yesterday I informed my 2nd graders that they would have Miss Drew for a sub today. They were really excited about that. They love her. So when I actually finished it last night, I decided I couldn't disappoint the kiddos and actually show up to work, so I still took the day off.

Now the decision was, what of the meriad of things I have on my to do list should I do today? I actually even contemplated doing none of it and just spend the day reading a book, which I haven't done FOREVER! But no, I saw my camera sitting there and decided to download all the pictures to the computer. Done. Since I'm on the computer I may as well start the updates to the blog.....but I checked Facebook first. Where my mom caught me!

So now I have updated the background and written my blog for today. I have every intention of getting the missionary poster and birthday blogs caught up today. Then we'll see what time it is and how close it is to the kids getting home from school. And every intention of keeping up-to-date with this again while catching up at the same time. Gotta eat that elephant one bite at a time, right?

And we all know what road is paved with good intentions!

Kill It? or Let It Die a Natural Death?

We have been having problems with our computer since June. First it messed up my whole log-in, losing all my pictures that were saved on the computer and my favorites that were saved for the internet. I found them all eventually and got them copied back where they belonged. It copied some of them several times and Lexie and I laboriously made sure we had pictures then deleted the rest....back and forth, back and forth...

Then it got a virus. We could work around it for the most part, while Wynn worked on it every day after work trying to remove it. Then it got ANOTHER virus, and we had to take it to the computer doctor. It took them no time at all and it came back feeling better. Not like new, but better than it had in a long time.

NOW it refuses to get on the internet...AT ALL!!! We are all having to use Drew's laptop for now. Are you kidding me? It says that there is a connection problem, but Drew's laptop connects just fine. GRRRRR. So now we will have to take it back to the doctor. This time I think we will add whatever it is that makes it go faster too. Might as well just get it all done now.

So that is why I am behind on my blogs again. Can't get on the computer for long and all my pictures I was going to use are on our computer and I don't feel like searching the cd's for the ones I wanted. So once we get it running, I hope I have time to catch up!

Has It Been a Week Already???

I can't believe it is Thursday already. My last post was last Friday!!! What happened to this week? I guess I have so much to do and so little time to do it in. I don't seem to get much exercising in lately, and I was doing sooooo good before. But life hits in spurts, and when it hits there is no room for anything else it seems. Here is my today....

Note to self--Used to get up at 4:30-5:00 to exercise...need to start doing that again
6:00 Got up, got Tanner up, made sure the girls were up, finish waking up Tanner
6:30-6:45-ish making sure everybody is getting ready
Tanner finish waking up
Make Tanner breakfast
Girls leave for school
7:00 Make sure Tanner is eating
Get on computer to check messages on email and facebook (give myself a
time limit so I don't run late)
Answer messages
Check on Tanner
Throw a batch of laundry in
7:30 Make sure Tanner is done
Tell him to get brushed and flossed and clothes ready before 8:00...do this for
the next 1/2 hour
Put laundry in dryer, new batch in washer
8:00 Get in shower
8:15-8:50 check on Tanner
Eat my breakfast while getting dressed, make-up, hair etc
Check on Tanner
Take care of laundry
Hurry Tanner along
8:50 Leave for the school, (Tanners school and my work), 15 minutes later than I
wanted to be
9:00 Get to the school
1:00 realize Morgan has an ortho appt to add to everything else that is this
afternoon
1:30 leave the school
1:40 make lunch
1:50 Get on computer
Check and answer messages
Write on blog

What I still have left for today:

Tanners turn to take treats for soccer game, I still need to buy them
Take Lexie shopping for new capris if we can find some inexpensive enough, need them tomorrow.
4:00 Morgan ortho appt in Smithfield
4:45 Lexie soccer pictures in Hyde Park
5:00 Lexie warm up for soccer game-Hyde Park
5:30 Lexie soccer game in Hyde Park
Tanner soccer game in North Logan
before 8:00 need to sign kids up for swimming lessons in Smithfield before all
the sessions I need are filled up

And did I mention I need to balance the checkbook, write out lunch checks (and other checks), get ready for a food drive for AmeriCorps week at the school next week (Thank you Colleen for doing the collection box by yourself!!!! I SOOOOOO owe you) and not to mention....
Get ready to leave for SLC tomorrow morning to spend 2 days
---moving Drew to Kaysville
taking family pictures
Gary's missionary family dinner and day
Saturday, nephews wedding---all day

Better get off the computer. Lexie is here 3 minutes early and remember, we need to go to the stores.

What Century Is This Again????

If it wasn't that I was watching a tv or listening to the radio, I would swear we were living in a lot earlier century....1700's or 1800's maybe? No money, armed bank robberies, pirates, pandemic, terrorists...

The economy is bad. Most people don't have to be told. All they have to do is look at their paycheck and checkbook. Believe me, they know, we know. But I guess it still has to be reported. Utah is always behind the rest of the country in the economy, and Cache valley is usually about a year behind Salt Lake. So according to that, we haven't seen the worst?

Bank Robbers? Really? I guess they are on the rise because of the aforementioned economic situation? And not only banks, but ARMED robberies at banks, stores, stealing whole ATM's. Seriously.

Pirates? PIRATES? Yep. Somalian pirates. Taking ships and hostages on the high seas. I saw their pictures on the news. Not one of them looked like Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom. Darn, THAT would have been worth watching on the news!!! Not that I want anyone hurt or killed by Pirates, but at least they could be worth looking at! And Yeah for the American snipers that took them out and freed the American Captain that gave himself up for a hostage to free his crew. We got the Captain AND the ship back.

Epidemic? Pandemic? Didn't whole civilizations get wiped out by these things hundreds of years ago? Swine flu. Bird flu. Regular flu. Hmmmmm. Don't go to Mexico right now. Between murders and Swine flu, your chances of returning intact are slim. Drew went on a Mexican cruise for Spring Break, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas.....she doesn't have Swine Flu. Texas has reported Swine Flu there, Gary leaves for the MTC May 27th for 3 weeks then on to Texas. He'll be on a mission. He should be safe. I'll pray anyway.

Terrorists. They aren't going away people. We have been attacked on our own soil numerous times and on foreign soil numerous other times. They may lay low(er) for a while, but they are still there. Just biding their time. Laying in wait for Americans to get complacent, again.

Flooding in the midwest, tornados in Tornado Alley, earthquakes in Italy....

Have I not read about all this somewhere? Diverse places, wars and rumors of wars, secret combinations, strange weather.....I'm not predicting the end of the world, I'm not one of those people. I'm not seeking for signs, I'm not one of those people either. But I do know that I'm not as ready as I would like to be for something major to happen. I am more ready than I used to be, but still not comfortably so. I think I will just continue to try to be as ready as possible....

And keep reminding myself that this is 2009 and not an earlier century when I hear, watch or read the news.

After much weeping and wailing and nashing of teeth

I finished my online CERT course today!!!

Colleen and I have been printing off the lessons, 2 to 3 at a time, and taking them home to read and highlight them. Then we would go back to school the next day and answer the questions from the lessons we highlighted. Then we would do it again for the next couple of lessons. Yesterday we printed off the last 3 lessons...and the test. We have been working on this since January. We highlighted 2 of the lessons at school, so we only had 1 lesson to highlight and the test, 40 questions, to answer, and since it was 'open book' it would be no big deal. Then we could just go through and mark the answers on the computer.

I went to get my hair cut, help Lexie shop for a couple of things she needed, got home and had forgotten about Morgan and Lexie's basketball game. We were going to be late so decided not to go. Then Drew got off work and texted that she was just going to meet us there, so we decided to go. I figured I could just read and highlight while they played. Started highlighting and then my friend got there so we visited instead. Got home and still needed to get dinner, Tanners' homework done, and my CERT stuff done.

I got it all highlighted and started on the test. It wasn't too hard but not everything was phrased the same on the test as they were in the lessons. One question in particular could have had 2 answers because of the phrasing and I just couldn't figure it out. I searched and searched, and worked on it and worked on it and just couldn't find which was the right answer. Since I was tired and frustrated, and just tired of CERT, I started to cry and worry (weeping wailing and nashing of teeth) about what was I thinking. How could I go back to school if I was too stupid to do this test? Wynn talked me through it, told me I wasn't stupid and I would figure it out. I watched some Burn Notice (always cheers me up) and I eventually finished the rest of the test, late last night.

I only had to teach for one hour today so we spent the rest of the time answering the lesson questions then took the test. That question was still bothering me & she wasn't sure either. She answered one way & I answered the other. It still bothered me. She got them all right, 100%. I had gone back and changed my answer, so I got a 100% as well!!!

So now I know that I was so frustrated because in my subconscience I knew the other answer was right. If I will just listen to my gut, still small voice, or what ever you want to call it, I will do fine in school. There will still be frustration & feelings of being overwhelmed, but I will be fine.

And did I mention.... I GOT A 100%!!!!!

Did I mention I'm ready for NEW!

I never told how the furnace/frozen water turned out. Tuesday morning we woke up to a warm house & the water was unfrozen before Morgan & Lexie went to school (after I turned up the heat for the day). It has actually been a nice, warm 3 days, warm being a relative term. It was actually in the 40's today, everything was melting, beautiful blue sky. And the furnace has continued working......until now.

I went to the rec center tonight to get on the treadmill instead of going this morning because Morgan wanted to go with me. (We saw my brother there lifting weights.) She hadn't gone before but is in good shape from color guard & now winter guard, so she did over 3 miles in 1 hour. I was proud of her. I did more than that, but I've been working on it for a while. But that is all beside the point. When we headed home it had started to rain in Smithfield. By the time we got to Hyde Park, it was 1/2 rain 1/2 snow. When we got to North Logan, it was snow, that slushy slimy slick kind. Yuck. If it gets cold tonight, it will be slick in the morning. Because of the weather, the satellite had lost the signal & needed brushed off. Because of this, the football game I had recording for Wynn & Gary had a big chunk that hadn't gotten recorded. They're easy going, they will be OK with it. Lexie & Tanner were here while I was gone, but even with a broom Lexie doesn't come anywhere close to reaching the satellite to brush it off. So I got to trudge through the snow to do it. I came inside & realized it was cold so I turned the heat up. After a while I realized it wasn't getting any warmer. That's when I found out the furnace is acting up AGAIN! I haven't been able to get it to click on yet, but Wynn is home now, that usually helps, even though I used to be the only one that could get it working. At least it isn't both furnaces at the same time like happened last winter. At least we do have one room we can go to & be toasty. I don't need a cold house & frozen water again. I'm ready for a brand new house that noone else has ever lived in. New appliances that actually work, new fixtures, new bathrooms, new walls, new windows, new doors, new, new, new..........

and the printer started giving a 'cartridge error' Sunday that for some reason only Drew can fix, & she doesn't live here anymore! She fixed it Tuesday & now it is doing it again. We do what she did (& did the same thing before she ever did it) & nothing. Frustration to no end. And yet, I'm still in a decent mood. Go figure.

Should have stayed in bed

Today was the first day back to school/work after Christmas break. I started the day going to work out at 5:30am, it was 3* outside! I went anyway. I got home & the girls left for school & I got me & Tanner ready to leave. It was all the way up to 7* & started snowing as we left the house.

The furnace in the kindergarten section of the school has been having fits all year, & they can't seem to get it fixed. It was freezing there & even though we have all learned to wear our jackets & sweaters when we go up there for reading group, we weren't prepared for it being so very cold. It didn't even seem to phase the kids. It snowed the whole time I was at work & had about 4 inches of snow on the car when I went home.

We have 2 furnaces for the house, but the one for the main section hasn't seemed to be working very well the last couple of days. So when I got home, I got to deal with a kitchen sink that the cold water has been frozen now for 2 days & a house that was as cold as the kindergarten rooms. I fiddled with the furnace since Wynn & Gary had apparently gone stir crazy at home & had been gone doing I'm not sure what all day after their doctors appointment & wasn't aware it had quit working. When Wynn got home he messed with the furnace for a while & finally got it working right. Maybe now the sink will thaw out since the house is finally a decent temperature. I guess it doesn't help that I have had an annoying cough for a week now that won't go away.

But I will get up again tomorrow morning in a nice warm house & go to the rec center in the freezing cold to work out in a nice warm building & do it all over again. Hopefully minus the not working furnaces this time!

Thank you Elder Hales

This weekend was our Stake Conference. Elder Hales came to speak to us & fill our cups.
I have been feeling very overwhelmed & inadequate lately. I have so much going on & don't feel that I am able to do any of it. I'm not only a reading aide this year, I am an AmeriCorps volunteer. That adds about the same as 3 jobs to my day. About 1 1/2 months ago we were released from the Primary Presidency. The other 3 have new callings, but not me. I have been feeling very glad for that as I didn't know how I was going to do everything as it was without a calling. Can I just say that made me feel guilty on top of it all. I was taught that you are never supposed to say no to a calling, & I haven't, & that you should always have a calling.

Then Saturday night Elder Hales said an amazing thing & I feel it was just for me. He talked about seeing a woman sobbing in a church parking lot. She was the mother of 5, pregnant again & the primary president. The program was coming up & they wanted her to do some elaborate thing that was beyond her at that time. She hadn't spoke to the Bishop or Stake President about it. Elder Hales told her he would see what he could do to help her. He spoke to the Bishop & Stake President. They saw the problem & said for her to do a nice simple program. Then he said, I hate it when I see these mothers so overwhelmed. I do not understand why the husbands are not asked, " is this a good time for your wife to have a calling?". If it is not, then don't give them one. You don't have to be so overwhelmed.
I now know it is ok for me to not have a calling at this time, not want a calling at this time, and it is OK for me to not feel guilty about that. I wouldn't be good as a mother, wife, reading aide or whatever the calling would be. I am at peace with this. Thank you Elder Hales.