Back to School/Work

Well today is the 1st day of school and work for me after being off for 74 days. I'm glad to have something to do again. I trying to start a fresh start this year. I have been very selfish lately and I need to change.

This morning was hard for me, my oldest Elisabeth is now a middle school-er and I will not see her during the day and I will not be here when she gets home. I know she will do great, she is so grown up and I wish her all the luck and happiness in middle school. She is nervous because she was one of the top dogs last year and now she is at the bottom again. The one good thing is that she has some great friends and she will also be in a school that has some church members there. for the past year she and her sister have been the only members at her school.

Evelyn, was so excited for school to start, she has her 1st grade teacher again this year (Miss Nussbaum last year moved up from 1st to 3rd grade) her dad makes fun of her teacher because nussbuam in German means "nut tree", but we like nutty teachers they are so fun and they teach you so much with out you even knowing that you are learning.

I start my 2nd year as a full-time school bus driver. I have the same kids that I ended the year with last year. I was so glad to see them this year it was great to hear about their summer. I am also still working i the lunchroom at Evelyn's school again, and as the girls keep telling me I am the one in charge, as Miss Patsy has moved on to doing custodial work full-time. that leaves me as the senior Lunchroom monitor. Not that I really have to boss anyone around but I know everyone will come to me when something goes wrong.

I can't say my usual here of "Been There, Done That..." because this is the 1st time I have sent a child off to middle school. So I guess I will say Good Luck to both of my girls, I believe in you and love you.

The Swimming Sisters

If you have been following me this summer you know that my girls, E-squared swam on a swim team this summer. They both did a great job here are some to the ribbons they received.

Elisabeth: 2nd year swimming
7th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:50.38
6th - Mixed (male and female) 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:18.99
5th - 100 Meter Freestyle 3:25.14
5th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:25.14
4th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:17.72
3rd - Mixed 200 Meter Medley Relay 3:12.33

Personal Best - 50 Freestyle improvement of 1.93 seconds
Personal Best- 50 Freestyle improvement of 4.41 seconds

Evelyn: 1st year swimming
6th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:56.95
5th - Mixed 8 & under 100 Meter Freestyle Relay 2:33.63
5th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 4:56.93
5th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:36.93

Personal Best - 25 meter Back Improvement of 11.10 seconds
Personal Best - Still to come but I think it was for 25 freestyle

I am so proud of them they did a great job this summer and we will keep swimming through the winter and have them ready to break more of their records next year.

"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming" quote by Dory in Nemo.

Vacation or Bust

We are getting ready to leave to visit my Dad in OBX, NC. We leave Friday and will be having the time of our lives. Yesterday was my Birthday this is my last year to count after this year I might just not celebrate any more. I had a great day, I got to sleep and read (my 2 Favs) and then my hubby made a Wonderful Dinner of Homemade Mashed Dirty Potatoes and Roast Beef, I made the gravy, then we had Homemade IceCream and Cake, I ate way to much, but I was so good. I actually got my present earlier in the week, we went to the Harry Potter 6 movie, It was great as a movie, I still like the books better. The whole Family went with me which about broke the bank but was worth it.

Today the girls and I are doing the laundry and paking for our Family Vacation, they can't wait either. So if I'm not on here for a while that is why. I hope to get lots of pix between catching fish and playing in the surf and when I get back I will start to post them. See you on the flip side.

Life in the real World.

I was thinking about the jobs I have had throughout my life. I started working about the age of 16 like most teenagers that i grew up with f we wanted spending money we had to work to get it, our Parents where doing everything they could just to keep food on the table and save enough for us to go to college. So my 1st job was working at a stuffed animal shop called "Freddy's Zoo" it was in Potomac Mills Mall, I don't remember the neighborhood but I do remember that there was a Pizza place next door and the Cinnabon store was about six stores away. I started this job because I had tried all the Vets offices in the area and nobody was hiring or at least they never called me back. so right before Christmas I got the job, I hated it then I got lucky and was fired, they accused me of taking money out of the change jar that was kept under the counter, I didn't take it and I knew who did but was never able to prove it so I was the one fired, Didn't bother me much as within 2 yrs the store closed for unknown reasons.

The next job I got was working for Dr Grissom at Woodbridge Animal Hospital. After losing the job at the Zoo I started back at the beginning again with the Vets offices. When I went to see Dr. Grissom she told me she was glad I came back because they wanted to hire me the last time I was there but someone had lost my application. I learned a valuable lesson, when you have an interview always check back with them, don't assume that they didn't hire you call and find out.
I worked for Dr G until I finished High school and it was probably the best place I have ever worked for even thought I was the "Pooper Scooper." Well I did a lot more but my main job was to clean the kennels and runs. I knew then that I wanted to be come a Vet Tech.

After HS I moved to the Shenandoah Valley and went to Blue Ridge Community College, I didn't stay long I wanted to play more than study, there goes the dream never to be again. the next job this bum got was working for Lowe's Home Centers, at the time it was just Lowe's Hardware. after my interview here I pestered the manager until he gave me a job. he told me that the reason he gave me the job was because I was the one that showed the most interest (2nd Lesson Learned) I worked for Lowe's for about 61/2 years. I worked my way up from being a cashier to Department Team Leader, basically at was the assistant department Manager. I worked in Bath, Electrical, Lighting, Power tools (#1 Favorite) Hand tools, Paint and Home decor, and Lawn and Garden (2nd Fav). I also worked for about 1 1/2 years on the over night stocking crew. I worked in 3 different stores Harrisonburg VA, Elizabeth City NC and Staunton VA, But i also traveled to other stores and help reset or set up a new store, one of my favorite jobs to do with the company. I wasn't making the kind of money I wanted even with all the jobs that I did for the company so I decided to changed jobs, but the best compliment I ever got was when I was transferring to a new store and my old manager said that he was "going to have to hire 4 men to replace me."

The next job was for R. R. Donnelley and Sons, Inc. a book binding company I worked for them for 6 years. I did many different jobs there too, I started as a Material Handler, in other works I did the boring job of feeding the pages of the book into the machine or I boxed at the end of the line. I was also a Forklift operator and moved stuff from one place to the other. I worked in the roll stock warehouse, this is where all the rolls of paper is kept. Then I got to work in the receiving department and High bay warehouse, this warehouse had a section that was so tall you had to use a special lift to store things, it was fun moving this machine that was about20 feet long and as tall at the building from one aisle to the next. I also worked in Handwork where things where done that could not be done by machine. probably the best paying job I ever had although they didn't pay you enough for the sweat and hearing damage done. But they decided to get rid of me when I got Pregnant with Evelyn, they actually laid me off, so I decided to move on.

I decided then that I wanted to work in a bank, so I started applying at all of them, Bank of America was the only one hiring. I became a bank Teller, and anyone that says banking is a great place to work has never worked in one. First off, Banking Hours are not what they used to be, I remember as a child my grandmother saying she had to get to the bank before it closed, at 2pm. then I remember bank closing a 5pm, But BOA didn't close the drive thru (my Job) until 6p. I also remember banks where not open on the weekends but they are now, I went to work about every other Saturday, but only 1/2 a day but by the time the bank closed at 1pm your day was gone. then seeing all that money was depressing. I would sit there and wish that one day the bank would be nice and call us up and tell us that what ever money we had in our till we could have to do what ever we wanted, it never happened.

I decided to leave the banking world and try my hand at staying home and doing childcare out of my home, so in 2003 when Elisabeth started school I started working from home. I loved this because I was able to be home with Evelyn and be there when Elisabeth got off the bus in the afternoon. The 1st year I only watched teacher kids, I figured that way I could be off when the kids where out of school. I did this until Evelyn started school in 2006, At this time I decided I wanted to work for the school system so I became a Substitute teacher or anything they needed me for to do, that is how I became a Lunchroom monitor. I also took the bus driver class and was a sub driver until this year, when I got my own route.

So life in the real world for me has been fun I have learned from all of my jobs and have enjoyed certain aspects of all of them. I don't know what the next step will lead me to, but I await the adventure when it comes.

E-Squared Swims

Tuesday night the girls swim team had a meet against Broadway, we had many swimmers out of town so my girls had to swim a fair share of events. This is only the 1st year of swimming on the team for Lil' e and it was only her 2nd swim meet, the 1st meet of the season her nerves got the better of her and she scratched out, then last week (meet #2) she told them to give her just one event the Back stroke (25 ft). But this week they gave her 3 Events one being a relay where she swam Free Style (not her strong suite yet) the others where a 25 free style and 25 back stroke. She did Great in all of these, but I wish you could have seen her face before she started the 1st event (which BTW was event #1 a free style relay) she was green around the gills and looked like she was going to lose it all over the pool deck. But she over came her nerves and swam great, I think they placed 6th in that event. When her back stroke event came up she was very confident, she had swam it last week, this week she did amazing I think (don't have the official times yet) she shaved about 12 seconds off her time. Then came her last Event again another Free Style, but this time she got in the water an swam like she was a fish, I was so proud of her. I can see her confidence growing by leaps and bounds.

Big E also swam she had 5 events, she too swam in event #1 but not on the same team as her sister, which I'm not sure if that is good or bad. Her relay team came in 5th place, then she did the 100 free style this is a 1st time event for her. and by the end I could tell her had given it her all, but she came in in 5th place, way to go Big E. the Next 2 events where the 50 back and the 50 free, she did well but I don't have the times yet to see where she placed. I do know that she need to work on her turns she loses a lot of time on those turns, but she swam great in between.
Then her last event for the night was #70 which is almost the end, it was also a relay but one fo the boys on the team didn't stay around for the event and they had to scratch that one, she was a little disappointed and relieved at the same time, I think she was tired. This was the 1st time that she had to swim so many events in fact she was maxed out they are only aloud to swim 5 events. I can see a lot of improvement in Big E this year especially now that she got over the attitude that she knew everything and didn't need to learn from the coach.

Way to Go Girls, keep swimming and leave the other team to EAT YOUR BUBBLES and Kiss Your Feet.

Update on the swim meet results from Tuesday night.

Evelyn-
200 Free Relay- 3.56.95 6th place (1st time swimming relay)
25 Back- Last weeks time 1.02.27 this week 49.45 didn't place very high but beat her own time.
25 Free- 48.63 again didn't place high but was !st time swimming a free style race.

Elisabeth-
200 Free Relay- 3.25.14 5th place (1st time swimming this relay)
100 Free- 1.55.83 5th place (1st time swimming this race)
50 Back- she was DQ not sure why but will work on.
50 Free- Last weeks time 55.16 this week 52.48 (didn't place but we really don't care)

I think that my girls are awesome swimmers they can beat me in the pool which isn't saying much.
Keep it up E-squared.

Moving a Mountain

I believe I have the worlds smallest washer and dryer, it is a stacking one, and it lives in a corner of my kitchen. On a good day, meaning not doing anything but washing clothes I can get a weeks worth of laundry done in 24 hrs. But if I don't stay on top of it it gets a way from me. I hate doing the laundry, and Jill before you sent me your "Nothing says I love you like clean underwear" story I've read it and I have tried that attitude, I still hate it. I will only do laundry once a week if I'm lucky. But yesterday after looking at this mountain of clothes that was growing daily in my living room floor I decided to take on the mountain I was either going to conquer or it was. I also decided to better my odds so I took all of it to the laundry mat. It filled the trunk of the car and 1/2 of the back seat. But I like the laundry mat and have decided if I ever get my dream home I'm going to have one in it. They have the largest washers I've ever seen there, I believe that i could fit inside one if I was so incline. With the mountain i had if I had done it at home I would have had at least 15-20 loads, see hubby and I are both not what you would call skinny or average built, in fact I call it FAT!!! so in our little washer at home only about 2 of his jeans and 2 of mine will fit in the washer at a time. But at the laundry mat I had 3 large loads Whites, Colors and Darks, then I had a small load of towels that I put in one of the smaller washers. To wash dry and fold only cost me less than $25 and about 2 hrs. that is the great part two hours later everything was done and I was on my way to a visiting teaching appointment. The mountain was tackled and my sanity saved, now if I can only get everyone to put there clothes away correctly. I really should rethink my doing it once a week maybe if I try twice a week I will not have to move a mountain next time just a mole hill.

Been There, Done That, and will be doing it until I die.

Cleaning again and again and again

Why is it that i can have my house clean but as soon as I turn my back it's a mess again? I think my girls love to be told to clean, even though they complain when I tell them to clean this up or that up. They don't seem to understand that if you leave a plate on the living room table it will stay there until some one (MOM) picks it up and takes it to the kitchen. They think that if they take off their clothes in the bathroom and leave them on the floor there they will get washed, it doesn't matter how long I leave them there they will not pick them up until I tell them too. Don't get me started on the nice clean room they had just 2 weeks ago or how they don't know how to clean the kitchen up. We live in a very, very , very small place, I would say less the 12oo sq.ft. If you don't keep up with the cleaning up then in a 24 hr period it looks like a storm has come through. I know some of my friend think that i have a spotless house because I am always saying that I'm cleaning this or that, but in truth my home is not that clean, but it's not for a lack of trying.

I remember my mother having to get on us to clean our rooms but I don't remember having to tell us over and over and over to clean up the living room kitchen etc. I was not the neat freak in the family and I'm still not one but I would like for my house to stay a little cleaner. With four sets of hands it should be a breeze, don't you think? Not here.

Been there, Done that, and I sound like a broken record.

The Quest : Chapter 1

The Book of Mormon
Another Testament of Jesus Christ
Remember these are my thoughts and questions nothing here is church sanctioned, but it my just get you to start thinking.

Introduction: Why did the 3 witnesses only get to SEE the plates, where as the 8 where able to touch and feel and see them?

J.S. Testimony: 3x Moroni came to Joseph Smith in the night- 1x in the day, Why? Did Heavenly Father think JS could not remember things? We too are taugh things over and over again in the church.

1 Nephi 1-7 talking about how they left Jerusalem and then had to return to get the plates from Laban, killed laban, return to their family then return back to town and convincing Ismael's family to join them. the plates that they had to have where alot like the old family bible, not only was their scriptures but it have a history of the family. I think about Saraih, what faith she had to have to follow her husband into the wilderness. Had i ever thought that Lehi and Laban where related? I don't thin I had until now. Were the Plates of Laben like our Bible filled with truths and untriths or were they more like the Book of Moron all true? It says the Lehi searched them.

Chapter 8: when I read this verse with the others I thought that is doesn't belong with the onthers, until I thought about how much the lord wants us to prepare to live with him. he teaches us by little steps. Nephi is telling us that they prepared thereselves for the journey.

Chapter 9 Neohi talks about the different record he was to keep. This Chapter show that the Lord does know all things. He knew that 116 pages of the B of M translation would be lost. And he knew we needed to have that information but differently.

The Quest

I'm going on a quest, a quest for Truth and Knowledge. I would like your help in this quest, to stay on the task and not stray from my journey. Just as the quest for the "Holy Grail" was not finished is a short time, neither will mine. I started this quest many years ago but the adversary got in my path and stopped my journey. I will continue from where I left off, luckily I have kept a notebook with the notes from from the beginning of this quest so that I will be able to continue on. You may want to know what kind of quest you have been asked to help me with. I am undertaking a journey into the Book of Mormon.

I will start my new quest with some thoughts from the earlier journey. Then my hope is to write about once a week about how my journey is going. So let the journey begin!!!!!!

I have not read the Book of Mormon completely for many, many years. I will be posting thoughts and questions for the sections I read and ponder. Please feel free to comment on my questions.

Long Lost Feelings Found at Last

First I would like to say that my blogging is more for me that for anyone else, but if I help someone else along the way then that is great. I was cleaning some stuff up in my room yesterday and found this talk/ Testimony that I gave in RS sometime ago (2003 think). I think it had been hidden away for a time when I needed to be reminded of the feelings and Faith I had and need to regain. What is in Red is added thoughts I had when I read this yesterday for the first time since giving it.

Sister Bland (Vickie Bland RS Teacher, she is till teaching and is great) asked me today to talk about how I prepared for a temple marriage. For me it started years before I met my Husband Lyston. My Parents joined the church when I was 5 yrs old, then they where sealed about 1 yr later. I remember that day how wonderful it felt to know that I would be sealed to my Parents forever. As I was growing up I decided that I also wanted my children to be sealed to me and my Eternal Companion. So I set a goal as a Young Woman (YW Program of the Church) that I would be married in the temple. (I remember that as i was being interviewed for my YW medallion, by Sister Kelly and Pargas they asked if I had completed all of my goal and I told them no, because I had not completed this one.) As a single adult I filled my home with pictures of the temple and quotes about temple marriage. At the age of 24 I decided I could not stay out of the temple any longer. I was not yet ready to get married but my next step was to go on my own. The lord works differently for different people. About 1 month after I went on my own the Lord blessed me with my E.C. As we prepared to get married I told my soon to be husband that I would only be married in the temple. We prayed together and made sure we where worthy to go and then we went to the temple together and prayed for guidance that we where doing the right thing, in the Celestrial room we both knew this was right and this August will be 8 wonderful years. (Actually this August will be 14 wonderful years)

As I said above I blog more for me than for anyone else and I needed this yesterday, not that things are bad but I have had a bad couple of years and needed to know that I was still doing what the Lord wants me to do. My normal ending quote doesn't fit in this context so I will just end with. Enduring to the End and Returning with Honor.

E-Squared

Some of you have notices that I have 2 daughters. They are the most precious and special people in my life. Sometimes I wonder how did i get to have these two special spirits in my life. I made the mistake, if you want to call it that of naming them both with 1st names that start with "E".


Elisabeth Victoria is the oldest she is named after her great Grandmother and Great Great Grandmother on her Father's Mother (German) side. Elisabeth is the German spelling of the name, she will always be plagued with the problems of people misspelling her name, just as I am.but the name also had meaning to my mother as a child she always names her baby dolls Mary Ann Elizabeth Victoria, and told her mother that she was going to name her 1st daughter that. but when I came along she decided that name was too much for such a like baby like me. So my parents decided on something different instead. Well I grew up hearing this story and secretly thought I would name my 1st daughter that name. when I told my husband he didn't care for the Mary Ann part but he liked the Elizabeth part if I would spell it with the German "S" for the "Z", the way his Oma spelled hers. Then his mother told me that her Oma had been named Victoria. So that is where her name came from.

Evelyn Lee, I knew pretty much from the beginning that she was a girls, i don't know how I but I just knew. When I told my mom I was pregnant she was getting ready to go visit her Grandmother "Mom Mom." Mom Mom was in her 90's and had lived a long life. Well mom went to visit Mom Mom,she was sick and not going to make it. So mom told her that I was going to have another baby and the she wanted Mom Mom to go and take care of that special spirit before it care to earth. My mom told her that it was going to be a girls (We didn't even know yet, I was only about 2-3 months on)Mom said she didn't know why she told her that but that she must have been inspired. Mom Mom passed on soon after, when mom came home and told me this story I told mom that I known it was a girl. I also felt very impressed that I needed to name this baby Evelyn, after Mom Mom. I asked my sister if it was OK since she and Mom Mom where close, she Ok'd it after thinking about it for a while. Evelyn's Middle name came from Mom Mom's husband, Pop Pop. It was his middle name. They had given it to their son my grandfather, then he gave it to his daughter my mother. My Mother didn't like the name so she didn't pass it on to her children. I decided that since my husband is a Southern Confederate that he would like to use one of the names of is hero's for our children. So that is how Evelyn Lee was name.

Now several years ago Evelyn and I would go to story time at Barnes and Noble, we became good friends with "Miss Annie' Hololobo the story time lady. One day she sent me and email and said to give her love to E-squared, and that began the nickname for both of the girls. They have had others some are E1 & E2, big E & Lil e or even just E & e. but we love E-Squared as much as we love Miss Annie, so they will forever be E-Squared.

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day, a day to honor our fathers her on earth. I love my dad and know that he loves me and has tried his best through the years to show me right from wrong. I remember him being at everything I did, even my violin concerts when i was a beginner and sounded like I was pulling on a cats tail. I remember how much I missed him when he spent 1 year away from us because of work (Stationed in Korea- No Family Allowed) My father was always there to give me or my family members a blessing when we needed them. I remember he slways gave us one before the start of a new school year. My father daily told me that he loved me, but what i remember are the ways that he showed it. I never saw him be put out when asked to give a blessing, or if he had to cancel something because I had a concert. My father was there for me when i needed him.

I now have another father in my life, he is my husband and the father of my 2 girls, he loves them just as my dad loves me, iIcan see it in the things he does daily.

Happy Father's Day to all.

Swim Team Written June 16, 2009

Tonight was the 1st swim meet of the season. Both of my girls are swimming this year. It is Elisabeth's 2nd year but she is on a different team this year. They are the Westover Waves. This is Evelyn's 1st year to swim on a team, she is still learning but we think she will do great. She was suppose to swim the 25 back and 25 freestyle tonight but her nerves got the better of her and she felt sick to her stomach and decided not to swim, that's OK she can try next week.

Elisabeth swam the 50 back, 50 breast and 50 freestyle, she did well except that her coach thought she was DQ'd in both the back and the breast, (we found out later that she didn't) she over came her frustration or channeled it into power and I believe she swam her best on free, her time has never been under 1 minute on the 50 free but tonight it was her official time was 59:43. Way to Go!!!! I hope she keeps it up.

Evelyn has decided to try just the back for next weeks meet. and Elisabeth has told the coach she wants the same events and she is ready to do anything they ask her to do. Her coach says she has a Beautiful -- Butterfly stroke, I would like to see her try this but she doesn't like it.

Never Been There, Never Done That, but proud of E-squared!!!!

Last Day of School

I Never thought as an adult I would look forward to the last day of school with the same anticipation that the kids do, but I do. I may even have even more excitement for it.

You see I work for the school system. I am a full-time (10 month) school Bus driver and I am also a lunchroom monitor both of these jobs are fun and stressful at the same time. I had a blast in the lunchroom today. I tried telling the classes that they had 1 more day to go, that Mrs. Williams our Principal had made a mistake, but nobody believed me, which I'm glad I didn't want to get up tomorrow and drive.

then on the way home on the bus I asked my kids to raise their hands if they hated me the 1st week I was their driver, I would say that about 90% out of 60 kids raised their hands. Then I asked how many still hated me, I only had about 5 hands this time. I then told these kids that they where not getting a treat when they got off like the rest of them did. you should have heard them start with "I have never hated you Mrs. B", "Your the best driver I've ever had" and Your the Best." I have a soft heart I gave in and let them have a treat which was "dum dums" I wanted to give them Smarties but couldn't find any. I got a few hugs on the way off and everyone got a treat. I will miss them but not much, I will have all but 12 of them next year.

Been There, Done That, and Signed up to do it again.

She's a 6th grader Now

Today June 8th 2009, Elisabeth closed a chapter in her life, she has finished with elementary school. she has 3 more days really but she has her certificate saying that she is DONE, FINISHED!!! Next year she will adventure on to Middle School, she will be on her own other that friends, I will not be following her.

Today at the 5th Grade Farewell I thought I was holding it together until they started to sing, the whole 5th grade about 90+ students stood up and sang a song for the parents called "Thanks Mom, Thanks Dad" by Teresa Jennings they also handed their mothers Red Carnations (My Favorite Flower). My Hope is that Elisabeth will continue on the right Path and make the right chooses in life. Good Luck Elisabeth.

this is the song, by Teresa Jennings.

THANKS, MOM.

optional solo
Thanks, Mom, for all that you've done. You've shaped my life with selfless love and grace.
Thanks, Dad, for giving your all. Because of you, this world's a better place.

unison

I think you are the greatest. I recall how you held my hand.
You help me to do better, and I know you're my number one fan. Oh.

Thanks, Mom, for all that you've done. You've shaped my life with selfless love and grace.
Thanks, Dad, for giving your all. because of you, this wold's a better place.

When i hurt, you give comfort. Empathize, yeah--you cry when i cry.
And we'll see all the good times. When I win, I see you smile inside. Oh.

Thanks, Mom, for all that you've done. You've shaped my life with selfless love and grace.
Thanks, Dad, for giving your all. because of you, this wold's a better place.
Because of you, this world's a better place.
Because of you, this world's a better place.

Been There, Done That, I think, it was so long ago.

On My Fridge

I know I haven't posted in a while, and I don't have a lot of time now either. So I thought I would quickly post a few quotes that have accumulated on my refrigerator. Everything below is on some type of magnet that is hanging on my frig. If you have anything interesting or enlightening please share.

Love is an act of
endless forgiveness, a
tender look which
becomes a habit.

I
Cook
Therefore I Don't
Do Dishes

Volunteers
Hands that Serve
Hearts that Care


Recipe for a happy Successful Home.

• Respect
• No-quarreling -- No Bickering
• Misunderstandings talked sensibly
• Maintenance of spiritual contacts
• Family prayers
• Constant attention to Church Dutes
• unselfish service
• Love of God & others

Stir gently-- "then love will abound and your joy will be increased.-- The most important of the Lord's work you will ever do will be within the wall of your own homes" President Harold B. Lee

"Successful Motherhood
today spans the years
and the eternities."
President Harold B. Lee

"Train up a child
in the way he should
go: and when he is
old, he will not
depart from it"
Proverbs 22:6

That which we persist in doing
becomes easier for us to do...
not that the nature of the
thing is changed, but that our
power to do is increased.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

FROGS

Two frogs fell in a deep bowl
One was an optimistic soul.
But the other took the gloomy view.
"We shall drown", and he cried adieu.

So with a last despairing cry,
He flung up his legs and said goodbye.
The other frog quoted with a merry grin,
"I can't get out, but I won't give in!"

I'll just swim around till my strength is spent.
Then will I die, the more content.
Bravely he swam till it would seem,
His struggles began to churn the cream.

On top of the butter at last he stopped,
and out of the bowl he gaily hopped.
what is the moral? tis easily found--
If you can't hop out, keep swimming around.

All Good Words to live by,
Been There, Done That, and Still trying.

Activity days/ Journaling

On Wednesday nights I am the Activity day Girls leader. This is a fun job and I love each one of the girls in my group of which I have 13. But sadly 4 of them including my daughter are moving on to Young Women's this year.

On Wednesday night I planned an activity on journaling, something that all of us should be doing. I have a group of girls from just turned 8 to right at 12 so I have to make my activities fun for all (not always an easy task) But this night I had fun showing the girls my journals. No I'm not the perfect person who write every day or even once a week but i do have a pretty thick book full of my different journals. We talked about the different ways you can journal. The old fashion way with pen and paper or now you can type into a computer, you can save it on a blog or just as a program on the computer, I have both. Some of my girls scrapbook and I told them that was a way of journaling, especially if you write captions of what was happening in the pictures. I also know that some teacher in school will have you write a report on yourself or even on a family member, I have had to do both in the past. I have kept those and keep them with my journal. If I wrote a report on a family member or someone special in my life I gave them a copy to keep with there journals.

I had some girls complain that they didn't like reading journals (I can't imagine why?) but then I told them that at least once a week they read from some one journal and i bet they didn't know it... they all say "no we don't, unless our school teacher make us" I then asked them if they read from the scriptures at least once a week and they answered yes. And I answered back I told you that you read from a journal at least once a week the Scriptures where a journal for the prophet of person whom wrote in them. After that they couldn't wait to start there journals.

I had picked up at the store a composition book for each one of them ($1 each),a pen and then I printed up a list of about 50 prompts to help them get started, because they are like me they don't want to write about the same old boring thing they do everyday. (this morning I got up went to school then came home then had dinner, Etc, Etc, Etc.) so i made up some good ones like: My Favorite desserts and why? What do I do in the summer time? Describe my room, What is your favorite story from the B of M? etc.they loved that they didn't have to write the same old thing down. They cut these prompts up into strips and placed them in an envelope that they taped to the notebook. So if they had free time and wanted to write but couldn't think of something interesting to write about they could just pull out a slip and begin there.
They where so happy and excited, I hope they keep working n them and start a good habit.

Well on the way home I decided I needed to work on my journal writing too. So I tool one of the left over notebooks and started my own. so if over the next couple of months you see any weird topics i might have just pulled out a slip of paper and started writing.

Lucky Rodent

This morning "Big E's" hamster got out of it's cage and decided to go play behind the Washer and Dryer (W&D). When I go to get him, when in the process of removing the broom it's storage place next the the W&D I knock a Hot Coco mug off the rack and I tried to Catch it when it also hit a stoneware bread pan that I had, it knocked a big chip in the pan and sliced a big Chunk of my finger. The mug was saved, I gotta have my hot coco. and by the time I got my finger bandaged up and back to together, the little varmint that started the whole thing was sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor looking for someone to put him back in his cage. He's lucky that he is old and on his last leg or he might have been flushed away.

Been There, Done that, and don't like Cuts and Blood.

2 for the price of Free

Well today was the big day for the root canal, I pray this morning that everything would go well and that I would somehow find a way to pay for the $875 bill, or what ever my Insurance company wouldn't pay. So I guess I should count my blessings. I go in early because Lyston had an appointment at Bio-life (Which I have not been able to do for a week now and have 1 more week before I can go back. another story). So get there and fill out the paper work, am called back and the tech asked all the questions about which tooth and all that stuff, took X-rays that where digital the picture came right up on the computer monitor, so cool! Then the Dr came in we started chatting and I know his boys they go to my school so we where talking about them then on to me. He again asked about which tooth and did a few test to make sure we where sure which tooth it was. So he numbs me up and lets me sit for a while, the tech comes back in and preps my mouth with a Rubber Dam and clamps the tooth. Dr comes back ask if I'm ready sure why not the right side of my mouth feels like it is sticking out about 10 ft and I can't feel my tongue or control it for that matter. So he begins, I'll spare you the details of what they do, but after he work for a while it was time for another X-ray to make sure they got it all. Instant picture on computer, look of "What the H*ll!!" on the Drs. face and the tech had a look like "Oops!"
The Dr tells me "guess your getting 2 root canals today"
Me, "WHAT????.... WHY?????"... well it didn't sound like that remember I have that damn rubber thing in my mouth.
Dr "we did the wrong tooth."
Me "2 for the price of one?"
Dr "Nope... 2 for price of FREE"
Me "COOL!!!... Lets go"

Well after about 1 hour an half in the chair I left with 2 root canals for Free. the Dr was very sorry that it happened but I probably would have had to have the other tooth done sooner or later. So I left carrying the right side of my face out to the car, I wasn't sure it was going to fit in the car with me. It still felt like it was sticking out about 15 ft from my face.

My biggest fear of the day was that I would be numb for 3 months, which is what happened with the last root canal I had done over 3 years ago. But as of right now I have no numbness in my face which is great other than my jaw being sore I think I survived.

Been There, Done That, and It was FREE

HATE Dentist

OK, so I have this problem with a tooth. I thought I could wait until school was out before I had to take care of it but NO!!! About 1 week ago I was in such pain that I knew it would be another root canal for me. Not something I'm looking forward to, especially since the last one I was numb for about 3 months after, Long story and not a fun memory. So last Wednesday I go in to see the Dentist,I would rather see the OB/GYN or have a baby in a public place than go to the dentist, I don't know why, But I HATE (Yes I Know Hate is a strong word But I have strong feelings on this.)Dentist. I have friends and people that I know from church and community that are dentist, I tell them "I like you as a person outside of your office but when you are sitting beside me with your hands in my mouth, heck for that matter when you are in your office I HATE you." they laugh and we get along great until I have a problem. That is why I have decided that I will not see a dentist that I know personally any more that way we done lose the good friendship, My OB/GYN is the 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric, I don't have a problem with him in fact I love Dr. A. but when it comes to someone with their hands in my mouth I can't help but want to bite them.

OK enough about how I hate dentist, back to the tooth. I was given an Antibiotic and pain meds and told go see Dr ??? across town and then we will take care of the rest of your teeth later. So the soonest Dr ??? could get me in as 1 week that's OK I think I can life with it until then. WRONG!!!! the pain meds make me want to sleep, So I can't take them during the day, I still have to drive the School bus. 1st night took pill before bed and exactly 6 hours later I woke up in pain, can't take 2nd pill because I have to drive in 2 hrs. next night the same thing. Finally Friday night gets here good I can take all the pain meds I want, I do. Saturday was OK, by the way tooth hurts worse at night, then Saturday night I did the same thing as I did friday night but this time the pain meds didn't work for me other than make me feel like I was in a fog all day long. So Sunday I stayed home from Church. I was thinking am I going to make it to Wednesday or will I give up before that and do what the guy in the movie "Cast a Way" did and knock the tooth out. I couldn't eat, because when I swallowed I felt like I have a rock under my tongue, and I didn't help that my daughter kept making brownies for the family and they ate them right in front of them. But by late Sunday night I thought I think I feel better, I decided not to take pain meds before bed and Slept the whole night. When I woke up this morning I could swallow and feel great other than I can still feel the tooth on that side but I think now I will make until Wednesday then I should be all better after that.

Been There, Done That, I HATE Dentist.

OH, I over did it this morning with Breakfast and now I'm a little sore but I still think I'll live.