Notes

Lost of changes in our family, how do you count the ways...
1.Bryon got released from the Bishopric.
2.I got put in as YW President...Again.
3.Bryon started an EMT class 3 nights a week.
4. I had back surgery in August for one of 3 problems that have been plaguing me all year.
5.Rebekah turned 13.

Because Bryon schedule upset and my upset, I am not able to work at night anymore.  I am opening the building at 4:30am 2 days a week.  I have a 30 minute commute most of the time.  So I have to leave my house at 4AM!!

This means I am not able to be at the house when the kids wake up.  Luckily Bryon goes to work later those days so he gets everyone out the door.

In order to keep in touch with the kids I do a few things when I am gone.
1. Call Rebekah to get her up.  I love the sleepy voice and moans when she answers the phone.
2. Usually call the boys at 7 depending on how busy I am.
3. Try to leave a note for the ones who can read.

I came home at 9:30 this morning to find this on the counter.  They all left me a message too!

Fact

Alive.  Not necessarily well.  But Alive.  You would think with all this down time from surgery I would have blogged more.

Pics now. Text later. Dump Fire 2012

Must give credit because none of these shots are mine. 

 (Katie Gee)

 Lyndee Wilkerson

 (Lyndee again)  Love this shot because it shows all 3 choppers running in counterclockwise circles to the "pool" and back to the fire.

 (Lyndee) the "pool"

These last are from KSL stock photos.

 You can see Utah Lake in the upper left of this shot.

This week

Nuf said

Eclipse (the real kind)

Everyone already knows about the Eclipse the other night.  Since another one isn't expected for 75 years, I made a effort to help the kids enjoy it.  

Pinhole Viewer-FAIL!  We couldn't see anything of value.

Then my friend Brooke posted on FB that they were using an X-ray.  Have one of those from Rebekah's arm break in 2001.  Even have it cutely scrapbooked.  You can see Ethen using the page below.

 Anyway, look through the blackest part of the X-ray and Presto!

We walked 2 houses away to look with the neighbors

 And some kids forgot what we were actually doing!

 I tired to take a pic through the X-ray and this is all I got.

However, another friend got this!

I am going to print and frame the bottom one to help the kids remember.  Maybe in 75 years, they will think "Hey!  My mom was pretty awesome!"

Jack Jack

So in love with this boy!

Just a few pics from recently.

 What drinking problem?

 Camera phone.  Bad quality and all you can still see his baby soft hair flapping in the wind.

Bryon thinks its time to shave him....NOT!!

 Stupify!

 He lines up EVERYTHING.  Usually it is cars and trucks.  I found this the other day.  Organizing skills via his daddy!

The kid has a hole.  He likes to make forts in his hole.  And scare people.  Like me.

Oi!

It is always good to count your blessings. Especially when you have a day like today. So let the counting begin.

1)Car-glad I have one so I can take my kids wherever and go shopping when needed and to collect all the food, dirt, shoes, jackets, homework makeup games and toys the kids don't need right away.

2)Peace-Jack is really good in the shopping cart so I can take a long time with a big shopping list.

3)Coupons-We have saved a ton of money since discovering how to use them.

4)School-My kids go to a great one, so it was okay that I couldn't pull out all the stuff I wanted to use coupons on that the cashier didn't scan and repay for them because Sam was getting out of kindergarten.

5)Lunchables-so no lunch was actually prepared

6)Porch-Ours is a nice size so when I dropped the apples while unloading groceries only one of them made it to the end and fell in the dirt.

7)Friends-Mine and the kids. We all have great ones. Probably the only bright side to the day.

8)A job-I enjoy mine and it gives me a sense of accomplishment. It is super flexible so I can work around a lot of things. Except staff meeting which is every other Thursday (what day is it now-every other Thursday)

9)Long Drives-To work, no less. It is great to spend that much time with screaming children.

10)Voice-Singing to above mentioned screamers until they fall asleep in the car.

11)Texting-Because waving at your husband as he goes one way on Unity Pass and you go another just isn't enough contact for the week. AND it lets you know during a meeting that the kids are fighting without actually getting called out of the meeting.

12)Laundry-Yep that's right. A great punishment for kids who are not doing what they are supposed to when mom is gone.

13)Dog Poop Clean up-See 12

14)Washing walls and baseboards with toothbrush-See 12

15)Spotless Bathrooms-See 12

I could go on.

See there is something to be thankful for in every day. I hope yours finds as many blessings as mine did.

Breaking Up

With hopefully only one more Physical Therapy appointment left, I can finally get back to my semi-normal (because anyone who calls me normal needs glasses) routine.

I have discovered this weekend several things that have become habits in the 6 weeks that I have been non to semi functional. It is time I put an end to such things.

1) Eating everything in sight. Pretty sure I gained 20 lbs that I REALLY didn't need.

2)Yes you can bend over and get that now. The kids don't need to do it for you.

3)Whimpering is for dogs

4)Facebook games are time suckers!

5)Watching 100 episodes of Bones and 76 episodes of Battlestar Galatica, while impressive, is not necessarily something to celebrate.

6)PJ trips to Walmart should be saved for special occasions only.

7)No more excuses to not train for the 5K in June that I have been planning for a year.

8)The dishwasher does not load itself. It was Bryon.

9) The washer isn't that far down if you squat and not bend.

Sigh. I have a lot to change.

General Conference Prep

Yep. 2 weeks early.
We had the opportunity for 4 of us to go downtown and watch a session in the conference center this year. Both the kids old enough to go said they didn't want to because it would be harder to do all the fun stuff we did last time. Makes a parent at least "think" they are doing something right.

Here is our list of things we will be doing this year:

Conference Store-HUGE HIT!
Print out commonly used words (of just write them on slips of paper big enough to read) and tape them to the wall. Use different words each session. Every time one of the words is said the kids that heard it get a penny. At the end of the session they get to "buy" something from the store. I collect cheapo fun things and treats, giving each a monetary value. They can choose to either save up or spend. Hints: the kids have to be quiet this time. Last year Sam got lost of penny's from association. He just listened to the older kids and knew when to ask for one. Also, we had to trade off being the bank. That person doesn't get to do anything but hand out penny's.

Prophet Wall:
Tape pictures of each of the Apostles and First Presidency on a wall. Leave them up the entire weekend. As soon as one talks, the kids write what the subject was on the picture. It is a guessing game near the end to see who is going to talk that session.

Conference Packets:
Find these on www.lds.org or www.sugardoodle.net . There are a bunch of them for all different ages. We let the kids have these for one session. I save extras for any session that they might need the extra help paying attention.

Snack Drawing:
Essential! Must have Treats! This year I am going to put the names of each snack in a bag and the kids get to draw out which ones we will be having during that session. They last longer and it gives them something to look forward too.

King Benjamin Tents:
I debated this one last year, but the boys got a fort building kit for Christmas. Sunday morning session we are going to build ourselves a rockin' tent to sit under while watching the session. We will have a short discussion about King Benjamin before hand so that the children understand.

And finally: Priesthood Session Party!
Since Bryon is currently the only one who can attend, I am putting Rebekah in charge of planning something fantabulous for us to do while he is gone. There are a ton of ideas on SugarDoodle that we are going to discuss. Best of all, she can use the entire weekend as a Faith Value Project. 8 hours of regular sessions with party planning and execution.

Inevitablilty

I hate that I have asthma. I hate it even more that I am prom to pneumonia because of it. Every year even the slightest bit of a cold sends me into huge coughing fits that make me see stars. If that cold settles into my lungs, I am doomed to cough for weeks. I mean weeks! Last year it was 6!

I also hate that while in college I had a repelling accident that majorly messed up my back and neck. Chronic problems. Usually every 2 months or so I do something ridiculous to injure it and spend a few days in bed.

Combine the two ailments and you have my current state. BEDREST!

1 cold settling into lungs. 2 weeks of coughing. 1 badly placed computer cord. Thats all it took. I sprained all the muscles in my lower back and hips. I haven't been able to do anything for a week! I tried nursery yesterday and failed miserably and spent the remainder of the day in a Lortab stupor.

Stupid Stupid Stupid.