In other news

Am I the only one tired of turning on the t.v., radio, or opening the newspaper to nothing but doom and gloom? The economy is so bad we are all going to be living on the streets unless we can afford an old refridgerator box to live in. Mr. Obama walks on water. Or not, depending on who is being interviewed. We all need to run around in a panic because someone forgot to get their pig immunized.

Whatever happened to good news?

Last Saturday and awards banquet was held for LDS books released in 2008. The book I nominated did not win, but I was happy about the winners that I had read because I loved them all. Here is a picture of the winners.

You can go here to read more about this award and the books, their authors and how to nominate books for next year's awards. And even though it is not out yet, this will be my pick for best historical fiction. This year's winner in that category was my top pick when my first choice was not a finalist. She is the only author that I have read that has come close to evoking the same emotional experience when reading as David does. Deep, gut wrenching, soul touching experiences that engulf my entire being as I read. If I could choose only 1 author's works to have in my house, they would be David's works. If I could pick 2, H.B. Moore's would be my second pick to go along with them.

Our stake president has asked every home in our stake boundaries to have a garden this summer. I need to get my garden area tilled and planted. I hate my garden area and want to move it. I have been toying with the idea of tilling up most of the back yard and turning it into garden space, but mine is not the only opinion on the matter and the other opinion is saying no. Don't ask, it gets really complicated really fast. Since I don't plan on being in this house much longer and he can have it and all it's flaws, I am not going to argue. What I am doing is planting every space I can.

The other day Brandi, Ethan, Jacob and I pulled weeds. And pulled weeds. And pulled weeds. And I think I pulled something in my back, I don't think backs are supposed to hurt like this even with Ankylosing.

Last year I cleared an area in the front yard for a fairy garden. I took out the grass, fixed up the pond, Matt built me a waterfall for the pond and I made and area for the swing. Brandi and I planned what plants we wanted in there for the fairies to use for their homes and dresses and playground and what would invite them to live there. We made a path from the sidewalk to the porch and spent the winter dreaming of this summer and sitting in the swing on warm nights enjoying the flowers.

This spring about all that came up were weeds. Note to self: if you are going to use weed barrier cloth, buy the expensive heavy duty stuff, not the wimpy grey flannel stuff.

So after all the weed pulling, we planted. Again. This time we decided that we would add something besides flowers. We put flowers in, but I went to my favorite nursery and got some rhubarb and a currant bush to add. I was going to add a couple of boisenberries but they didn't have any. I'll have to order them from my other favorite nursery. (After I got home I realized that I meant to ask Noelle about crab apple trees but we were so busy talking about other stuff that it slipped my mind.) Brandi and I decided that we are going to put some melons in the fairy garden, some more berries and maybe we will even put a couple pea or bean plants in there as well. Then we can sit on the swing and snack at the same time. Brandi also wants me to get a couple of those topsy turvy things for tomatoes. Any thoughts on that? If we do that, then the small backyard space can be used for other veggies. And instead of petunias in the porch pots, I think we will fill them with strawberries.

While doing some research on the no sugar eating I ran across this


Dr. Stan Gardner's website

And speaking of no sugar, I made some caramels the other night. I used butter, Agave nectar and coconut cream. I don't particularly like coconut, but found that it lends itself well to caramels. I also found out that when the recipe says "stir constantly" it means stir constantly. I also found out that when the biggest ingredient is butter, you don't have to butter your dish to keep it from sticking. If you do you just get greasy, slippery caramels. I feel like I am having to learn how to cook all over again. At least so far everything has been edible and the kids even ask for me to make things a second time.

I think that just about uses up all my news items. Feel free to go back to your regularly scheduled gloom and doom.

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Emily Post anyone?

Brandi got an invitation to a party this weekend. This is what it said:

Brandi

are you doing anything on Saturday?

You are invited to a picnic. we will all meet at (name of place) and have a picnic and play around. Please bring yourown lunch, and if so you can bring an extra one please! thank you

Hope to see you there!

Love,

(name) all Girls

It's at (time)

If can't come call

The way I remember it, you are not supposed to invite someone to a party and then ask them to provide lunch for all the guests. I don't mind an invite to a bring your own picnic, but I do take exception to this child planning a party and then asking Brandi to provide the refreshments.

She is a neighbor girl and I like her. I have had dealings with her older brothers, though. Mom is a single mom, her husband died about 8 years ago. They are a Tongan family, mostly boys. The boys have taken over and rule the roost and do not listen to mom. And they are the biggest mooches I have ever met. Oh that mooching was the biggest of what they do. The brother that is a senior this year spent most of the first 1/2 of the school year either in my office or the principal's office until we invited him to get his education some where else. But let me tell you what he did the other day.

He and some other friends from school went to a local t-shirt shop to get a $10 t-shirt. John (not his real name) decided that he should have a 5 finger discount for the shirt. He proceeded to take the alarm tag off of the shirt. Then he put it in his pants pocket. Yes he did! Right in his pants pocket. He then tried to leave the store through the detector! Did I mention he has never been great on thinking things through? I was disgusted at the shop owner, though.

Instead of calling the cops he charged the boys $40 for the shirt. John didn't have the money or the smarts to just leave the shirt and get out. No, he talked one of his friends into using the friend's mother's debit card to pay $40 for the shirt!! The mom was upset but shrugged it off saying, "Boys, what are you going to do with them?"

But back to my original point, I would have been upset and told Brandi no she could not go, but what else would I expect when girlfriend has example like that to look up to?

Just to clarify- I don't have a problem with someone planning a picnic and asking everyone to bring a part of it, pot luck style. I dont' have a problem with someone planning a picnic and asking everyone to bring their own lunch. I do have a problem with someone planning a picnic and asking the guest to bring all the food.

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My new favorites

I have two new favorite things to drink. At first I could buy the small size because the kids took one look at them and turned up their noses. Then one of them tasted, then another, then... Now I have to buy the bigger sizes because if I don't, I wont' get any.

I buy this in both the large bottle and individual sizes. Matt puts his in the fridge at work and then drinks it at lunch. Mine just sits on my desk and I drink it in the middle of the morning.

I keep saying that I wish this came in bigger containers. There is never enough of it.

This morning I saw that it does come in bigger containers. Yay! Now to find who sells it that way.

You can check out more of the juices here.

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Just because

Just because I have nothing to say this morning and I love Jon Schmidt's music.

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Pearly whites

I went to the dentist today. It has been a few years since I've been so I knew there would be a thorough cleaning. It ended up being not as bad as I expected. Good report- no cavities, 1 filling from childhood that is starting to wear out and needs to be watched, but for now it is still sealed and all is well.

When the hygentist was ready to polish my teeth I had the choice of strawberry, cinnamon or grape flavored polish. I like cinnamon as a spice but not in candy, gum or mouth products. Strawberry and grape flavors are usually too sweet. I chose grape, but honestly? grape flavored things never taste like grape. They taste like purple.

Really. When you think of grape flavoring, you don't think

No you think:

But I can handle purple flavored tooth polish because I no longer have to spit it out in that little chairside sink or endure 30 minute flouride treatments with gritty grey cement flavored goop running down my chin.

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Ken Garff Keys to Success

If you live in Utah County and have kids that go to school, you know that Ken Garff has a literacy program to help kids do well in school. In the high school the way this works is this:

The schools are given a bunch of key cards- little plastic cards the students are given as a reward for scholarship, citizenship, raising grades etc. The students can then go to www.kengarffkeys.com and choose a prize. The students can earn up to 3 cards per year. For every card that the student earns, their name is put into a drawing. In the elementary school level, the drawing is for a bicycle and in the high school level the drawing is for a new car. Ken Garff supplies the car and pays the taxes and licensing so it really and truly is a free car. 50 names are drawn out and each of the 50 students are given a key. Then 1 by 1 they try the key and the one that turns on the car wins.

Seniors are also eligable for a $1,000 scholarship. All they have to do is earn a key card, get the permission slip signed and write an essay about their keys to success. Matthew and Ethan both earned a key card. Matthew's name was drawn out to try a key. He also wrote an essay for the scholarship.

We had an assembly at school for the Ken Garff people to announce the winner of the scholarship and for the students to try for the car. I was told that there has never been someone win both the car and the scholarship and they were really hoping for Matt to win both. Results below:

He really needs a new car, but I told him that if he could only have one to pray for the scholarship because he needs that more.

As Matt said, "Now I only need $49,000 more!"

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More Birthdays!!

I can't believe that it has been 2 years since Hunter entered my life. It seems as if it was yesterday. The overwhelming feelings of joy that I felt when I heard his first cry is indescribable. The love for the tiny being was instataneous and has only grown by leaps and bounds in the past two years.

He looks so grown up.

Grandma love you so much, buddy.

Happy Birthday!

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Watch out on the road

When you are born 2 days after your brother's birthday, sometimes you get left out because everyone is birthday partied out. But when it is your 16th birthday, your mom will make it special. Today is Ethan's 16th birthday, but he will not be getting his driver's licence just yet- he still has to finish the driver's ed class at school and finish up a couple other stipulations that I gave him.

Ethan and Brandi at the San Diego temple

Happy birthday son!

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Celebrate

If it were your birthday on April 18th and you were in San Diego with your family, this is how you would celebrate.

Matt & Whitney


Matt

Happy 18th birthday Matthew!! Hope it was a good one

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Rocks

Indulge me if you will. While we were on the beach, I was standing in the waves and these rocks intrigued me. As I was watching them, an idea began to form in my mind.

As I stood there, the waves came one after another. Again and again, each one a small bit stronger than the one before. If you have ever stood on the beach as the waves come in, you know that as the water goes back out to the sea it pulls the sand with it and your firm foundation is shown to be not so firm. The sand slowly errodes away beneath your feet and you will fall if you do not adjust your stance.

As I watched these I thought about how they roll with the water and I thought about how we should be like that and let life's trials and storms buffer us and make us polished.

Then I saw this rock.

And I started thinking about the smaller rocks again and two words came to my mind: Steadfast and immovable. See how the big rock stands there, strong, steadfast and immovable no matter how many waves come and overwhelm it, seeming to bury it in the depths. There are even small rocks that have taken shelter behind it where they are safe from the pull of the relentless water.

Look back at the first video. See those rocks? They are not steadfast and immovable, they wander here and there where ever the ocean pulls them. Are we like that? Following where ever the world takes us? First this way and then that? Feeling overwhelmed and buried by the relentless waves of life? Do we give in and roll with everyone else? Or are we like the small rocks in the second video? Do we look for shelter behind our Rock and our Redeemer where we will be safe even when life seems to bury us? Or are we even like unto the big rock? Do we stand steadfast and immovable relying on the foundation that the Lord has given us knowing that even through the storms of life, even when we feel buried beneath the waves of trials, we will be fine?

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Total Tourist Thing

Today we did tourist things:
Took a 2 hour bay cruise

Played (and got sunburnt) at the beach

Walked all over Old Town

Took a bazillion pictures to prove it- here are just a few

In front of "The Lord Hornblower"

our cruise boat

The Lord Hornblower

Jess, Jacob and Ethan on the boat

Sea Lions

Jacob

Me

that's Mexico in the background

Brandi

The water was cold but that didn't stop us from having fun

Jacob, Ethan, Jessica

Matthew and Whitney

The only picture of me in a swim suit you will ever see

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No More Snow!

Spring Break day 1

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Need a vacation?

As I was checking out the blogs I follow this morning, this caught my eye. I was hoping that there would be service from SLC and we could book a flight for in the morning. That would save drive time, $$, and we would have 1/2 day more to play. The flights book fast and the offer ends today at 6p.m. PDT. so hurry if you think you may be able to use it.

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Updates

Some updates-

--The university charged me too much tuition and that is why the account was wrong. Refund! Yay. Except it just goes back into my account to pay for the next class.

--My computer is still not fixed. Today I was told that he had replaced the hard drive, gotten all of my files moved over and it is still not working right. Now he thinks that it might be the mother board and the fix for that is a new computer. I don't have funds for a new computer and really do not want to make payments for one. On the other hand, I need my computer and all my files. Is it ok for to pray for my computer to get fixed instead?

-- Matthew still needs about 27 more donors for the blood drive tomorrow for his eagle project. Any one willing to help? Or know someone that is? Let me know and I will get you the details.

--It is raining. It is supposed to snow tomorrow. But it is supposed to be in the 70s in CA.

-- I have to finish writing my paper now. I was putting it off until my computer came home because it has the software that automatically formats my papers in the APA format. I hate doing it the old fashioned way. It takes me forever to figure it out. I am clueless with Word.

--I went to the Draper temple with the ladies from work this morning. Had a great experience. Someday I'll share. Maybe.

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Life is Tough

Life is Tough- I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive

Stacy Gooch-Anderson

Ok, I am having one of those life is tough weeks and this review is just one of the things. Stacy sent me all kinds of graphics and info and links and daily lifesavers that I could use in this post. They are all stored on my laptop and as you know from yesterday's post, my laptop is in the shop. So I guess we will just wing it this morning, ok?

Life as a human on this planet is not always a happy thing. There are days-weeks-months and even years that I feel like I am drowning in my life and it will never be better and it is hard and why can't I just stop where I am and sit down until someone comes along to rescue me and make it happy and sunshiny again? Then someone like Stacy writes a book that reminds me that there is sunshine even on the gloomiest days if I will just look for it.

Stacy Gooch-Anderson, author of The Santa Letters, has had her share of trials as a mother. Grom making decisions about her career and future to dealing with illness in her family, she has learned that life will continue to teach her lessons in all circumstances. These lessons can be poignant, meaningful, and, in the case of Stacy, quite humorous.

Stacy reveals a life filled with laughter and wit as she chronicles her adventures of being a mother. Join her as she shares 28 life lessons that changed her perspective and helped her grow in character. Full of humor and practical advice, Life is Tough-I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive is sure to inspire mothers everywhere!

In the 28 chapters of this book, with titles like "Calling all Prince Charmings, How to Tour the Pacific without Crossing an Ocean and Toddler- 864 Mom-0, Stacy takes us through some of the tough life lessons she has learned. Choosing a husband, having and raising children, loosing a child at birth, death of family members, buying a house that needs numerous repairs- all things that will teach you lessons. All things that can bring you down to the depths of despair. Stacy is able to see the bigger picture and the humor in the everyday mundane things. And she reminds us that the humor and lesson can be our lifesaver.

Under each chapter title she has a chapter summary. One of my favorites accompanies Life Lesson Number Seventeen: Another One Bit the Dust:

If wisdom equals age and age is a state of mind, then it's safe to assume that one can use wisdom as he gets older to state his mind and never mind his mindless state when having fun. Everyone expects old people to dress oddly, have messy hair, and be opinionated anyway.

Or how about Life Lesson Number Twenty-five: If I Want to Get Over the Rainbow, Can I Use a Stepstool:

Walt Disney once said, "All your dreams come true if you have the courage to pursue them." It's good advice from a guy who succeded by living most of his life in a fantasy land with a six-foot mouse and a duck who never wore pants.

Because I don't have my list of daily lifesavers, you will have to click over here to see what the lifsaver for today is. I'll post it here as soon as I get my laptop back, hopefully today.

Purchase the book here

Release Date:
2009-02-01
ISBN/UPC:
9781599551760
Dimensions: 6x9
Pages: 192

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Lists again

--Spent the morning moving from my old, cramped, bump-into-each-other- whenever-we-breathe office to our new, spacious need to use the phone just to talk to each other office.

--Took Matthew to the dentist for a checkup and we figured out why he is so smart. He has 5 wisdom teeth! I am guessing that the extra one is where he gets all his smarts.

--Took Jess and Brandi to the doctor. Still can't figure out Jess' problem. Brandi got some cream to deal with the rash she woke up with yesterday. No more itching!!

--Kristina brought Hunter and Jordan over. Jordan is not feeling well. She seems to have been exposed to a virus and has spent the day throwing up. Poor baby. She slept while I held her. Hunter found an extra Easter basket that the Easter bunny left. It was filled with his favorites- ducks and bubbles and a story book about Thomas the train. I wonder how that got on the shelf next to my front door?

--I start a new class Wed. night, Foundations of School Counseling Part 1. I have to write a paper reflecting on my personal experiences with a school counselor in my own K-12 experience. Do you know how long ago I graduated from high school? And I am supposed to remember my personal experiences from 6 years before that? 2 words- Mr. Wilmeth

-- I noticed that my invoice for tuition was wrong. I called my financial counselor at the school. He can't figure it out either.

-- My laptop is in being fixed. I guess I have some errors on the hard drive. Whatever that means. Because I bought it at PC Laptops the last 3 days worth of work have been free. But the new hard drive is not. I have been using the kids' computer. There is a line behind me of impatient children wanting to get on here. Take a number.

I hope you all had a happy Easter. President Paul was speaking in Sacrament meeting. He was quoting from President Holland's talk that I posted yesterday. I posted it Saturday and scheduled it for Sunday. During President Paul's talk. Brandi leaned over and said to me- "Hey, weren't we listening to that last night?" I guess they are listening.

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Happy Easter

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