Answer

The following pics are in answer to my Aunt Kay's question in yesterday's comments. They were taken last night about 6:30 pm. I'll post better ones after Jess uploads the ones from her camera.

Matthew has my GPS, so I got lost, drove past their bus and police escort going the wrong way, sobbing because I was going to miss them, then the gate was closed and I had to park across the street and then wait for someone going out to slip in the closing gate.

I made it because they had to check in their guns and gear before coming out and Donovan and Trevor were at the end of the line.

And in case you are wondering why I didn't just follow Kristina or Jessica, who knew where they were going, you will see in the pictures that Brandi also has on a uniform- I was coming from here.

And you won't see Ethan and Jacob in these pictures

because they were here

(second place today!)

And Matthew was in here

In Cedar City with Whitney

That's why he has the GPS and not me

Now back to the answer pictures

Trevor, Brandi, Donovan

Trevor, Jessica, Donovan

Hunter, Donovan, Kristina, Jordan

Hoo- ra

Semper Fi

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Indeed.

Methods of Madness

It’s been three years since the terrible night Emily Ramsey suffered a double tragedy—the death of her sister and the disappearance of her fiancé. She deserves another chance at happiness, and gentle, adorable Zach Sullivan is the perfect man to mend her shattered heart. But from the moment Emily opens the hand-carved box holding a glittering diamond solitaire, she’s seized by an unshakeable fear: she’s going to lose Zach. That’s exactly what Monica, Zach’s ex-girlfriend, is banking on. Bitter with envy, Monica will stop at nothing to sabotage Zach and Emily’s romance. Troubling notes show up in Emily’s mailbox, fanning the flames of suspicion. A bloody photograph sends her reeling. But when someone is brutally murdered, will Emily be able to escape suspicion and the possibility that she might be next? Whitney Award–winning author Stephanie Black treats readers to another of her brilliantly thrilling stories that will leave the reader no choice but to keep reading well past the stroke of midnight.

No choice but to keep reading past midnight is right. I got this book from Stephanie in August and read it in two nights. I only took so long because I had to go to work. But I went to work tired because I kept saying, "One more chapter and then I'll turn off the light." And then one more chapter would turn into three or four more chapters and I just kept turning pages and the clock just kept turning numbers.

By chapter seven I was sure I knew who did it. But then that person turned up dead a couple chapters later. And Emily, is she or isn't she? Did she or didn't she? And what about last time? Was that her as well?

Or maybe it was Zach and for some reason he wants Emily to believe she did. Or is. Or... and why? His reasons for moving, truth or cover up?

And all the friends that always hang around? Are they really who you think they are? Or not?

I think this is Stephanie's book yet. A true suspence novel. In fact, scary enough that I kept all the bedroom lights on while I was reading, left the front room light on low all night and I refused to lay with my back to the window.

And check out that cover. Perfect cover for this book.

And don't read this book when taking a class on diagnosing mental illness. It adds to the creepy factor. But read the book.

6˝ X 9˝, 248 pages

ISBN 978-1-59811-730-1

Purchase the book here

Or you can get the book another way. Back in late June or Early July Stephanie asked for bloggers to review her book. I asked if I could and she said yes and said she would send me one when it came out. I said great, sent her my address and went back to mucking out my house and writing papers for school and put it in the back of my mind.

One day in early August while in a book store, I saw and bought Methods of Madness. The next day a package from Stephanie Black arrived in my mail box. After feeling silly for a few moments, I decided I would give away the book I bought when I did my review. I sat them on my desk and they promptly got covered with school work and soccer schedules. And more books to be reviewed. Today I decided to take care of that pile. So, if you want this book, leave a comment and next week I will pick a winner and send you the book.

---

Indeed.

A song

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday

Dear Dad, We sing to you.

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to you!

---

Indeed.

Simple Math Problem

Cookies + flowers + note + verbal apologie by me = the discussion I wanted to have on Saturday, laughing, crying, hugging and understanding, compromise and new friends.

Oh and a discussion with Brandi on Matthew 25:36-45

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Indeed.

Neighbors and stuff

Ok, still don't like my neighbors but I am saying a prayer of thanks that there was a downpour all night so no one's dog was out to bark giving me a chance to calm down.

Plan for today- make brownies, or cookies or something to take over to them. Write a note saying what I was trying to say when they attacked me yesterday. Include my phone number in the note asking them to please call me anytime, day or night, if my dogs are annoying them and I will go and make sure it is my dogs and deal with it.

They don't realize that my part of the street sits in a bowl and everything echos making it sound like it is coming from behind my house. And since the church was put it and the houses across from the church and behind the church on the hill it has gotten worse. The dog that lives on the street that is on the other side of the church barks and the sound is funneled through the parking lot between the hill and the church and bounces off of both the neighbor's house and mine.

Any way. Brandi got to play in the soccer game again yesterday. We lost 2-1. But they are getting better. It is kinda hard for her to go from best player on the team, playing almost the entire game to worst player and sitting out most of the game. But she is getting better and that is the real goal. And she is working hard.

I still am having a hard time understanding the calls the ref makes. There are so many little rules about where each player can be when the ball is here and it is different when the ball is there... And I still don't see how you know who is playing what when they are all out there and the action is so fast.

I found this this morning. I will be watching all the tutorials. Maybe when I am finished I will be able to understand a bit more and actually look somewhat intelligent at the next game on Thursday?

---

Indeed.

Love your neighbor as yourself

Ok guys, I need some serious help here. Because that post title? I am just not feeling it today at all. And it is a situation that I really, really need to remember to be Christ like, love my neighbor, turn the other cheek, and all that stuff.

If I were to ever write a story about how to alienate your new neighbors, this is how it would go:

Move in to new house on Friday night.

Saturday morning have the husband stand in the back yard and throw rocks into the backyard of the neighboring house, causing dogs to bark. When neighbor is woken up and goes to check on dogs, start yelling at them because dogs are barking.

Sunday have the Relief Society president announce that you have moved in and have 2 autistic children and need the entire ward to help raise them. If you see them outside, you are required to watch them until mom realizes they are gone and comes to find them. (you are not members and hate Mormons, but Mormons help everyone whenever and where ever needed so you know you can count on them to do this.)

Monday- attack one of neighbor's childen when they walk out of the house screaming at them to keep the dogs quiet because they bark all. night. long.

Wednesday- attack another member of the family but start with a nice statement by saying, "Oh your yard looks nice. But your dogs are a real problem and I am tired of you and your family so you had better take care of it or I will."

Thursday- Neighbor finds a big pile of dog presents next to car and almost steps in it while trying to get in. Presents are from your dog. That barks every night.

Friday- Wait until Midnight when not a single dog in the neighborhood is barking and the neighbor has just fallen asleep. Call cops and complain about neighbor. Cops come. No dogs barking but warning given. Neighbor tells cop what has happened for the last week. Neighbor also explains that on Wed. when she heard dogs barking she went outside to make sure it was not her dog. Her dog was laying on deck asleep. Other neighbor, through the block was barking.

Saturday- when neighbor sees you outside and wants to talk to you about problem, yell at her, swear at her, call her stupid and tell her that you know more than she does about whos dog is barking because she has no intellegence. Then 5 minutes later when she is out in her back yard, petting her quiet, non barking dog and you are standing on your deck looking into her backyard, and someone else's dog is barking, start telling your wife how stupid the neighbor is because she can't even tell her dog is barking while she is standing next to it.

Seriously folks. My thoughts towards these new neighbors have been less than charitable this week and far less than Christ like today. If you could even imagine the horrible things I have thought about them you would not even be close. And the things I have muttered? My mom would not be happy. She wouldn't need soap but she wouldn't be happy. And my kids are not being taught how to be Christlike toward those that are less than kind.

This type of issue has happened before. When I finally humbled myself and prayed for my heart and the hearts of my family to change toward that family, things got better. But right now- I don't want to pray for that. But I want to want to. So maybe if you could pray for me to want to?

Because I don't want a war between neighbors. I don't want to be mad all the time. I don't want my dogs to be taken away when it isn't even them. (we have discussed my non sleep issues before and if the dogs, who live beneath my bedroom window were barking all night? I would know) And I truly do want to love my neighbor.

Oh, and just so you know, them not being members or having autistic children have nothing to do with my feelings. It was them that brought it up not me and I have no problem if I see their kids outside with making sure they get home promptly and safely. But when they were screaming at me today they brought up the issue of how Mormons want everyone to be the same. I found it ironic that they would ask for help and then turn around and be so mean to the same people they expected to help them. And to do all this within the first 6 days of living in a new neighborhood?

I really, really do want to love my neighbors. And to be kind, no matter what. I really do. But today I am angry.

---

Indeed.

I love...

I love a lot of things, but today's post is about those Random Acts of Kindness (RAK days for my kids) the Lord blesses you with. You know, the ones that are kinda hard to pass of as something that just happens.

I am a reader of this blog. Last week she blogged about Luvs diapers. Now, I know that I am way past the diaper stage of my family, but my wonderful daughter in law is not. And her husband, my first born, is gone. Far away. Overseas. Fighting to keep us free from tyrany and opression. And when he comes home (next week or the next maybe, if the military people don't change their minds- again) he will not have a job.

What he will have is a wife that loves him. And two children older than they were when he left them. 4 days after child #2 was born. She doesn't even know she has a daddy that loves her (luvs? her). And 2 kids in diapers and no job is not fun. For anyone.

So I commented on Kristen's blog last Friday. Tuesday Kristen told us who won the 6 month supply of diapers. It wasn't my comment. Later in the day she updated the blog to tell us that someone had donated some money for diapers to a random commenter.

Then Wed. afternoon I got this e-mail from Kristen:

Hi,

Another of my readers wanted to contribute $50 for a commenter of my diaper post. Your comment was randomly picked for your daughter (in law), I believe!Congratulations!

Blessings,

Kristen Welch http://www.wearethatfamily.com

I opened the e-mail while I was at work and had to fix my makeup from the tears. Then I got home and had to run to class. I have not even had a chance to tell Kristina yet. She is probably finding out about it at the same time you are.

Here is the post where she updated that. (Except the link to my name goes to the wrong website. The link used to be mine, but I let it expire and someone else bought it.)

So Kristina, I have diaper money for you. And if you are not familiar with Kristen's blog, check it out. She truly is one of God's angels here on earth blessing lives and giving others that opportunity as well.

---

Indeed.

Just Stuff

1) Wow, when I was having a dilemma with deciding on changing jobs, I had no idea that I would set off such a controversial conversation. Not my intention at all- but I did have a lot of comments. Because I know everyone involved in the conversation, though, this has become hard for me and everytime I get a comment notification with that blog title, my stomach gets all tied in knots and I have started approaching my e-mail box with trepidation.

So I have turned on comment moderation on that post just because I have too much stress right now to feel that way over my blog. K? Love you all and respect all of your individual opinions and I am sure the truth is in there somewhere, it is just not the conversation I wanted to have when I wrote the post. In fact, I may have that conversation sometime, just not right now. And I am glad that it got a response from Dustin. He never talks to me, so a comment from him was great. (Maybe I should send some orange Tic-Tacs? Maybe then he will remember that he does actually have a way older sister hanging around somewhere in the world.)

2) Remember that I told you I was going to open an Etsy shop? I did it. The link is in the sidebar (that I am still working on cleaning up and rearranging along with a billion other things in my life) I only have 4 things in there now, but take special orders. I need a light box so my pictures are clearer when I resize them. You can see more of my work here. I have had a special order from a woman at work and I also had a contact through my Etsy shop wanting me to come be a vendor at a boutique in SLC. Guess I had better get on the new business cards.

3) Speaking of business cards, I need a logo. My business name is BanglesBeadsN'Baubles. Any ideas for a logo? Maybe I should have a contest for a logo idea? What do you think?

4)Brandi's team lost their game yesterday. If I was the type of mother that complained about refs, I would. But since I'm not I won't. I hope we don't have her as a ref. very often. She was one crabby lady and rode one high horse.

But a good thing happened. Kaitlin, the coach, told us when Brandi joined the team that she probably wouldn't play the first half of the season and we were ok with that. We just want Brandi to get the coaching/teaching she needs to develop her talent.

The team mom sent me an e-mail yesterday morning letting me know that she forgot to have me fill out some paperwork for Brandi. I understand, we are only 3 months late to the game after all. She then called me to let me know that Brandi may not be allowed to play because she doesn't have a players card and that the ref would make that decision at the game. But if we had the paperwork then she might be allowed to play. I told her I planned on bringing the paperwork, but that we hadn't expected Brandi to play anyway but just be there to be part of the team and learn from that.

Imagine my surprise when 1/2 way through the first half, Kaitlin put Brandi in the game! And then again right at the end of the game. So even though they lost, Brandi was excited that she got to play. I asked her which ref made that decision. It wasn't Miss Crabby. But we do have to thank Miss Crabby for giving us an opportunity for a lesson on good sportsmanship even when the ref obviously has a favorite team and makes rude remarks about your coach where you as a team can hear them.

5) We are studying body language and face reading in class. Learning teams are in the process of writing papers about what we have learned. We had to read our own face and then the faces of each of our team members and talk about it with each other and give feedback. I learned that I have a soft face, a face that invites people to confide in me, a face that says I have experienced life and know how to handle it- even if it has made me bone weary and life tired. And I have surprisingly few wrinkles for a grandma. Everyone is always surprised at my age given how few wrinkles I have. Everyone guessed me to be 5-10 years younger than I really am. So, if you don't know the answer, how old do you think I am. I'll tell you tomorrow because I don't mind people knowing- I earned each and every year.

6) I don't really have a 6, but I do not like odd numbers and will have anxiety if I end on an odd number. Oh, wait, I know what I can say. Today was my last day teaching the 15/16 year olds in Sunday School. I am sad about that. One of the students came to me at school the other day and asked if it was true that today was my last day. When I said yes, he said, bummer. I had to ask if that was bummer that I was teaching one more Sunday or bummer that I was teaching only one more Sunday. He said bummer only one more Sunday, he wanted me to stay. And one of the students told me today that he had forgotten I wasn't their "real" teacher. I am going to miss them.

7) And darn, 6 made me remember something else. Now I am going to have to think of an 8. Maybe I'll just move 7 to 8 and leave this inane comment as 7.

8) Lately the Relief Society choirister has been calling me to substitute for her. That is a really hard thing for me to do. I know how to lead the songs, but singing on tune? Happens rarely. I have led the singing for the last 3 weeks in RS. For our practice hymn she has us breaking it down into parts. Ha! I laughed. I just remind myself that due to some surgery, my mother can no longer physically sing and it makes her sad because she wants to. So, I can stand in front of the sisters and sing off key because at least I can physically sing. I guess I had better get used to it because the choirister told me that she is going to give me the songs she has picked out for the next 3 months because she just started a new job and has to work a lot of Sundays and she plans on using me when she has to work. I just hope the pianist is not gone on the same Sunday because I am also the permanant RS substitute pianist. It would be like the day I was the only member of the primary presidency that was not ill/in the hospital/or out of town along with half of our teachers.

Ok, enough rambling about stuff that you probably don't care about anyway. I have things I need to do.

Happy Sabbath!

---

Indeed.

Saving Madeline

As a public defender, Caitlin McLoughlin dreams of someday locking the bad guys in prison instead of defending them. But prosecuting jobs are scarce, and Caitlin’s future seems bleak. When her current client is about to walk away from a brutal crime, she risks her career to make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else. But how far is she is willing to go— especially when she needs her job so she can continue caring for her mentally disabled sister? Then Caitlin meets Parker Hathaway, charged with kidnapping a four- year- old child. Just another criminal, just another job, Caitlin thinks. But when she learns the real story, she realizes that she must put everything on the line to defend her client and save the little girl before it’s too late. Saving Madeline is the story of a man determined to protect a child he loves, and the woman who dared to trust him.

I read an advanced review pdf copy of this book. I was in the middle of a class called, "Legal and Ethical Practices". I found that to be an interesting dichotomy as I read this book because some of the things Caitlin does are really not wise and she, along with the reader, question the ethics of her choices.

We are introduced to her first dilemma early on in the first chapter. The decision Caitlin makes here sets the scene for what comes after. It also caused me to stop and think about whether I agreed with her actions or not. In theory but perhaps not in practice. But then again...

Questions like this were running rampant in my mind throughout the book. I was being exposed to them both in the classroom and in this book. Just because something is the law, does that make it right or fair?

And if you know that someone did something unethical in order to make the right outcome happen, what would you do about it? And for Caitlin, the question becomes just who is it that knows? Or does someone know? And what does that mean now? for her career? for her personal life?

And faced with the same circumstance and decision, what would you do?

I was a foreman on a jury once. Every single one of us jury members knew the defendant was guilty. But we didn't have enough evidence to find him guilty. We wanted to. We could if we wanted to. We were the jury after all and we had that power. All we had to do was agree that the evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty. Then I could mark the paper with an "X" next to the guilty box and hand it to the baliff and wait for the judge to read it in court.

But we all knew that the evidence did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty. There just was not enough and he was going to go free. Again. And probably do it again. But the next time he could hurt or even kill someone. So we did the only thing we could do in this circumstance. I marked the "X" next to Not Guilty, we all signed the paper, I handed it back to the baliff and we went home knowing that we did the right thing and hating it.

But we were also left with the question- "Is it ever ok to do what is fair, even if it is not right?" I have always been glad that my name is not Solomon.

As for Caitlin? I am not sure she did what was right. In any of her choices with her clients in this novel. What they desered, yes, but what was right? You be the judge.

My verdict on Saving Madeline? Read it, then make your own case for or against her actions.

Everyone that comments on this post will be entered in a drawing for a copy of this book.

You can read sample chapters at Rachel Nunes' site

Where to buy and general info:

Amazon.com

CedarFort.com

DeseretBook.com

Shadow Mountain Softcover Tradeback $17.95

Romance, 321 pages.

First printing in September 2009

ISBN 13-978-160461-049-3

Book also includes a discussion guide.

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Indeed.

Put Your Game Face On

On a lighter note

*Did you see the football game between PG and Hillcrest last night? I didn't "see" it because I was working selling tickets so my back was to the field, but I heard it and could hear the announcing. Just to be clear here, I know marginally more about foot ball than I know about soccer. But seriously folks, even I know that when a team is playing all of its second string and letting the clock run and the score is 48-10 who is going to win. From what I hear, we have an awesome quarterback this year in Dallas Lloyd and the rest of the team is pretty good as well. And the gate total was one of the highest we have ever had for a first home game. I went through a lot of hand cleanser. Touching all that money is just gross.

*Today is the first game for Brandi's new team. Cleats- check, shin guards- check, water bottle (new, uncrushed)- check, uniform-waiting. She will get it at the game because someone else is bringing it so it gets half a check. Homework for her to do on the drive to Layton- check, homework for me to do for the 45 minute practice time- check.

Because I got behind on stuff I am supposed to do, I will post a book review later this evening. I was supposed to have it this morning and I had plans to write it and set it to post today, but didn't get it done. I promise to do it before I go to bed. The book is:

Saving Madeline by Rachel Ann Nunes

And just as a preview- loved it even though it had parts that had me saying "Are you serious!!" They were the parts that made it so outstanding and made me think about what I would have done in the same situation. Coming to a blog near you this evening.

Wish Brandi's team luck today.

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Indeed.

Decision making

So my principal called me into his office this morning just as school started. I knew he wanted to discuss what I had learned at Americorp training. I wanted to talk about it, but had planned on talking to a couple people that had the program in their high school last year, because I guess it works very different than the elementaries.

I was right, we were going to discuss Americorp. But the financial secretary was in there as well. I assumed she was going to talk to me about how my paycheck/time card worked now. Sorta.

It turns out that not everything was communicated to my principal before he offered me the opportunity. We understood that I would do nothing different than I am doing now and the only difference was that Americorp would pay 1/2 my salary and the district the other 1/2, except the salary would be a flat fee and would increase by about $ 500-700 a month. And there would be tuition reembursment. Sounds good, yes?

Well, the program to help struggling students is good. It is helping students and making a difference in their lives. Literacy is increasing for the students.

But, there is always a but doesn't there?

I told you that as I was driving to training I was feeling extremely tired. Tired in a way that I should not. What I didn't tell you was that I was feeling very uncomfortable as well. The "I feel sick to my stomach", or "I really don't want to go" type of uncomfortable. But we all know that I am that way in new situations and even more so when I have to drive somewhere I am unfamiliar with, so I just dealt with it, happy that I no longer have panic attacks when I have to drive. But the feeling didn't go away all through the training session on Th. Or on Friday. In fact, by the time it was done on Friday I was almost in tears the uncomfortable feeling was so bad.

So back to my meeting this morning with the principal and financial secretary, it seems, by "volunteering" for Americorp I can no longer be an employee of the school district. No longer get paid by the district. No my salary is not a salary at all, but a living stipend while I "volunteer". Well, that could be ok, because it would still be more than the district pays me. But that is not all. I will loose my bonus track and retirement track. They go away. After working "x" amount of hours for the district, pay is supplemented by a boost in pay, called a bonus, when you work over that amount of hours. My bonus is nice. Not as nice as the extra for the stipend, but nice all the same.

If I do the Americorp, and am no longer an employee, and then go back to the district, I start over with no hours, no bonus, no perks or anything. It is as if I was a brand new to the district employee. I can no longer contribute to my retirement fund through the district. I can no longer substitute- which adds to my pay, because when I do that I get paid a sub wage instead of my normal wage- I can no longer work the till in the lunch room- also a supplement, 1 hour at a higher wage. No longer work the football games, like I am tonight for 4 hours at the higher wage. No longer have the time to spend counseling the students. No longer, no longer, no longer..... fill in the blanks because there are pages of them.

I need to do an internship next year. The principal and I had talked about me doing it there. If I am no longer his employee, he can't guarantee that I will be able to do that. Or if I am, he can't guarantee that it will be a paid internship. (well he can't guarantee that anyway, but if I am his employee I can at least have the internship) But if I am doing Americorp next year, then I can just move my office to the counseling office and get my internship in that way. Maybe. no promises.

I need to have a paying job while I am doing my internship. I don't want to check groceries at night after spending the day at a school. And if I do Americorp this year and decide not to next year, he can't guarantee me a job next year. But if I don't do it, then I can at least stay in my job that I am doing now, for the wage I make now and work through the counselors to get my internship hours in- an unpaid internship, but I will have a job and a boss that understands what I am doing and make me the time to do both my job and the internship.

The more the day wore on the more I didn't want to do Americorp. The more uncomfortable I got. The more students I had coming in to see me that needed counseling- the student having an anxiety attack because not only was it the 9-11 anniversary, but the 3 year anniversary of his father's death. The student that was feeling super stressed over the decisions she is having to make as a senior that will affect her for a long time, the student that______, the parent that_______, again, fill in the blanks because there were 6.5 hours of them. I have never had that many in one day before.

Then I checked my mail and the comments from yesterday's post. Yeah. I called one of the women from the other high school. She went home sick and wouldn't get my message until Monday. After I have to make my decision.

So I did what I told one of my students to do. Make the decision and live with it for a couple of days and see how you feel. Then make it the other way and live with it. If you listen to your gut, you will know what to do.

I am not saying one way or the other just yet- I need to do some fact checking and a lot of praying first. But let me say this, everytime I have had this uncomfortable feeling and explained it away or ignored it or talked myself into ignoring it-- it has turned out not good and has taken me years and years at times to repair the damage to my spiritual/emotional/physical life. In fact I am still dealing with the fall out from 6 years ago. I don't know that I have that much reserve left.

I'll let you know Monday.

---

Indeed.

Why am I so tired.

I spent the last 2 days in Ogden being trained with Americorp on my new/additional/extra/different duties. I am not really sure how it is all going to fit with what I am already doing, but the principal and I will figure it out.

For some reason the drive up there has made me tired both days. I slept the night before, but by the time I hit the Point of the Mountain (and all the gridlock) I was feeling as if I could go back to bed and sleep some more.

Last night I had class right after I got home so it was late when I headed to bed. Tonight I headed to bed early, but got a phone call as I was getting ready to close all the open windows on the computer. It was my a member of my learning team. We had scheduled a conference call for tonight to work on the paper that is due next Wed. The one I am compiling. I had forgotten we agreed to do it tonight. I am glad I hadn't made it to bed yet.

We have been learning to read body and face language and we had to look at each other's faces and tell what we see in them, after telling what we see in our own face and what we think others see in our face. I found it interesting that the rest of my learning team sees softness in me- "a person that has seen life and knows how to deal with it, but hasn't let it make her hard" I thought they would see life weariness because that is what I see when I look in the mirror.

And the good thing they all said- So few wrinkles for a grandma. In fact, both of the trainers at Americorp this past week were surprised to find out I was old enough to have 7 children and then even more surprised that I had 2 grandkids! And I was sure to tell them that I was older than both my sisters that also do Americorp. And this is the first time I have ever been called by my younger sister's name. My whole life I was called by my older sister's name, Dawna. One time my picture was in the paper, but it was Dawna's name underneath. Not fun. But I have never been called Sharon before.

Now I really and truly am going to bed before I fall asleep in my chair.

---

Indeed.

BYU Women's soccer

I know, you probably feel that all I post about anymore is soccer. I promise to vary that with marching band in a couple of weeks.

Actually, I have a stack of 5 books I have finished and want to review, 1 that is part of a blog tour and another one that is waiting to be read to be part of a blog tour, training for Americorps, cleaning up the food storage room, and the boys will be home in about 3 weeks instead of 3 months!!

But the subject of this post is soccer. Brandi's new team were ball girls for BYU Women's soccer team on Friday night. The girls went to their coach's house for a pizza/swim party and then moms drove them to the BYU stadium. Brandi's dad and I joined them at the stadium to watch the game.

Ok, I have to tell you the truth here. Watching a college soccer game is very different than watching a 10 year old city rec center game. Very. Different. I thought I would be bored. I wasn't. I spent enough time watching Brandi practice this summer, that I understood the rudiments of the game. But I wish I had had someone to sit next to that understood the game to explain it to me. Brandi's dad sat between me and the other moms so I couldn't ask them.*

The girls were so excited to be there, but they did get a bit bored towards the end and Brandi was "disgusted with the satelite guy". (he was part of the broadcast team) He stepped on her water bottle and smooshed it. It is a metal bottle. I really need to find her a good sturdy bottle. Any suggestions?

Picture time:

Before the game

Getting ready to take the field

Watching the game


This is right after she retrieved the ball
for the team



It got exciting
Final score was
William & Mary 1- BYU 0
W&M made their goal at the very end of a sudden death overtime


The girls played a scrimmage during half time
They met the BYU team after the game
Got posters and had the team sign their balls
Brandi doesn't want to use her ball anymore
because she doesn't want the signatures to rub off
She wanted me to buy her a new ball today

But I didn't because she has 3 others


*(mark this on your calendars- I am going to say something in his defense- I am claustrophobic and have to sit on the outside of the aisle. He did ask part way through if I wanted to switch places with him, but by then there were so many people that I would not have been able to breath.)





Indeed.

Now Open

I just opened my Etsy Shop. I only have 4 items in there now because I discovered that I need to get a light box to take my pictures so that they are cleaner in the dimensions required for the shop.

You can go here to see some of my other bracelets that I have not listed yet.

Etsy address:

www.banglesbeadsnbaubles.etsy.com

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Indeed.

A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief

The lesson today in Sunday School is on Joseph Smith and his death. This, of course, is the song that has been playing in my head as I prepared the lesson during this past week.

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Indeed.

Have you ever?

Have you ever had a bad day when you just want to be mad? When you just want to justify why you are right and the other person is wrong? But you have to be the grown up? Even when it is your feelings that were hurt? By someone that forgets that moms are people and have feelings?

Ya, that was me last night and today. I hate the days after I cry myself to sleep, especially when it is because one (or more) of my kids have done something or said something to me that was mean and uncaring and I don't answer because if I did I would be mean and immature. And then when you get up and you get a letter from one of them and it lists all the ways you are a bad parent? Ouch.

It makes you glad that the child decides to walk to school instead of riding with you and that he has marching band after so you don't have to drive him home. And that you have to take your daughter to soccer practice and aren't home when he gets home so that you still don't have to talk to him, because you aren't done being mad.

And then when you do get home, and he has done most of the chores (that the letter said were unfair and that you were treating him like a slave) and even cleaned up a cat surprise left by a cat that wasn't even supposed to be in the house to start with, but was in the house with no one to let it out, and then he is nice and asks what else he can do to help you. Then you are done being mad and you are able to talk about what was and wasn't said and apologies are made and there is a reconcilliation and all is well again.

And you are glad you didn't say what you had been wanting to say all day, which would have been mostly lies anyway, but said what was really in your heart and was truth and love.

In other news, the soccer coach said that even though Brandi is 3 months behind, she is willing to take Brandi onto the team. We had our option of not paying the fees, Brandi going to practice and attending the games, but never suiting up and never playing- just learning and growing as a player. Or we can pay the fees, she'll practice and attend games, suit up but probably sit on the bench for the first part of the season. But the coach said that if we take that option she can guarantee that Brandi will play because she has so much raw talent. Or we can do neither of those, try and find someone to play with this fall and winter and try out in the spring. If we take option 1 or 2, she is pretty much guaranteed a spot next year, but if we take option 3, it is a chance.

We choose option 2 because if she really is as good as the coaches have been telling me after just playing playground ball, then who am I to stop her from developing it. If all she lacks is a coach to train her, then I would be a fool to not take advantage of that training, now wouldn't I?

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Indeed.

Doing a happy dance!

Ok, this is going to be fast because I have to get ready for work, but I have to tell you the news.

Remember that Christmas story contest I entered? Well, I didn't win. But that is ok because I was just hoping that people didn't hate it and say bad things about my story. That would be worse than not winning.

However, the publisher needed more than 4 winning stories to go into her book. My story was chosen to be included in the book!!

I will never be able to enter a contest as an unpublished author again. And that folder full of rejection slips? I am ignoring them.

I'll give you more details later, that work thing you know, but I just wanted to share this with you.

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Indeed.