Living A Balance

It's Our 20th Anniversary!

2010-03-10T11:45:00.000-08:00

20 years ago today, Nathan and I began our journey together as husband and wife. Here we are, on that same road 20 years later. What a ride it has been!

I met Nathan when I was 16. He saw me walk into a dance place in Salt Lake City with my brother and some friends and was completely smitten by my hotness. He watched me for a while. After whiping the drool off of his chin, he got up the courage to ask me if I wanted to dance. I had no first impressions of Nathan. He was just a guy who asked me to dance. I said "Yes". That was the beginning of the ride.

Nathan was a lot of fun to be with. He made me laugh. He was looking at his future with me in it. I was looking at the test I needed to take the next day. I was just a kid.

He was always there for me and he wanted me to know it. He was determined that I was going to notice him.

He went on his mission 6 months after we met. His mission allowed me to experience what it was like to be without him....it stunk.

Then he came home. He was even more devoted to me than before. I was 19. I was very confused and didn't know what I wanted. I complained and whined to everyone about how I did NOT want to marry him. Nathan was a great friend. I loved him, but didn't want anything serious. But he wanted me. It was as simple as that.

He was a determined guy. When he wanted something, he worked hard to get it. And he always got what he wanted. He was very persistant! I was the one he wanted. He had a lot of faith that I would come around.

After a couple of years and about a dozen proposals later, I just couldn't take it anymore. Enough was enough. So we made a deal: we would leave each other alone and not speak to each other for one week. I would fast and pray to see what the Lord's will was for me. If I didn't want to marry him after the week, then we would walk away from each other's lives forever.

I was at work a few days later and deep in my thoughts. I was a wreck. I needed some answers right then and there. I knelt down at a chair in one of the offices and plead for answers. Almost immediately I was overcome by a feeling of love for Nathan. The deepest love I have ever felt for anyone in my life. I was a changed woman. I was exstatic.

I loved him! I wanted to spend the rest of eternity with him. I wanted to get up on the highest mountain and shout out, "I LOVE YOU NATHAN AND I DO WANT TO MARRY YOU". When I did shout out, everyone thought I had lost my mind. They would say things like, "I thought you didn't like him." or "Are you serious? Are you sure he didn't just wear you down?"

I was sure! I was now unstoppable! Nothing was going to get in my way of marrying that man!

We were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple! It was March 10, 1990. I remember there were a lot of 10s that day....It was the 10th; We were the 10th couple to be married that day; and we were married at 10:10 a.m. 10 became sort of our lucky number. Nathan had the number 10 put on his license plate and the house number we bought just before we got married was 1036. That was about the end of our luck with the number 10.

Here we are at our wedding reception...don't ya just love the mullet? Nathan's mom made that wedding cake. It was the most beautiful wedding cake and 4 tiers!!!

Here is the house we bought. I should tell you about our wedding night in that house. I'll save it for another post. I will keep it rated G.

There was three concerns we had when we got married. 1. I worked full time and went to school full time, so we never saw each other. We missed each other terribly. 2. We gutted the house we bought. Yes, we gutted it! Tore down the walls and the ceiling and tore out the bathroom. We brushed our teeth in the kitchen sink and used a toilet in the basement...just a toilet. There was no door or walls for privacy. We jumped into this marriage with both feet. I don't remember what we did for a shower. What can I say, we were young and dumb. 3. We didn't have the money to put it back together as fast as we wanted. We actually didn't finish it completely until after we moved to the house we are living at now. Fourteen years later!

Here was the house when we were finally done!

Our lives are completely different than it was 20 years ago. We spend a lot of time together and we have no remodeling going on whatsoever. But one thing has never changed and that is our devotion to each other. We are completely mad for each other. We occasionally embarrass the children...and the neighbors! Occassionally we don't like what is on the road. Sometimes there is a lot of rain, or even a tornado. But no matter where we are, we are there together!

The Best of Times, And The Not So Best Of Times

2010-03-02T06:51:00.001-08:00

I love this picture! It was taken at a time when life was practically perfect. My kids not only talked nice to each other, but they would often hug each other just because they were there (it's true). They happily did things that were asked of them and they didn't make big messes. They were so good, that I never hesitated to take all four of them out in public at the same time. Everything that came out of their mouths was something that should be quoted and maybe even formed into a song or sometimes a comic strip.

I loved cleaning my house back then. A few times a week I would clean and mop the wood floors. It was a time for reflection as I ran the buffer across the wood floor to make it shine. Inspiration seemed to flow freely from doing this mundane task.

I was in good shape. I got up almost every morning at 5:45 and traveled only 3 blocks to the 24 hour fitness gym. I was home in time to get the kids up for school and get ready for the day.

My husband and I were going to the temple quite a bit back then. We had a sitter who would baby sit for free, but because we didn't want to take advantage of her generosity, she switched off with her sister.

How horrible would it be if life didn't throw in a lemon or two or three!!

We have made a lot of lemonade over the years and today, quite frankly, we are bored with it, so we are taking those lemons and trying to make cakes and pies as well.

Today we are learning to take patience and kindness up a notch when a son drives into a school bus or falls asleep at the wheel on the freeway! Thankfully no one was hurt.

Today we are learning to be more frugal because teenagers clothes and shoes are more expensive. Believe it or not, they outgrow them faster as well.

I would have to get up much earlier these days to go to the gym, so I am out of shape. I don't enjoy cleaning my house any more. There is too much of it!

Nathan and I still go to the temple, but we haven't been together in quite some time. Our evenings are full, so I can only go in the afternoons, and Nathan goes when he can.

The kids have changed too. At times we have to send the children into another room or outside, because their words are loaded with sharp tones and would cut out the spirit that our home should instead welcome in.

It is hard to have teenagers! Their messes are bigger, their expenses are bigger, and their attitudes are bigger. Fortunately, so are the lessons we can learn from having them.

I have aged about 5 years in the last 3 months, but with age comes wisdom. With trials come blessings, and with faith comes understanding. I wasn't growing when my life was practically perfect, I am growing now...but I think I am done growing for the time being.

Remembering Christmas

2009-12-17T18:49:00.000-08:00

Christ: The Real Gift of Christmasgreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

General Conference Packet

2009-10-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a great resource to keep kids busy watching conference instead of annoying you while you are trying to watch.

http://www.ldsresources.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/2009-october-general-conference-primary-activity-packet.pdf

Life Is A Gift

2009-09-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

My last post was about my little friend Sadie Huish. The Huish family is amazing! Now there is another family close to my heart who is now facing the unimaginable. Then Nelsons. http://nelsonsforever.blogspot.com

I am so grateful for each day that Heavenly Father gives me to learn and grow from these little ones. I'm grateful for the joy that I get from being a wife, mother, sister, daughter and teacher and friend. At times like these, I remember how important it is to not waste the life that I have been given.

I saw a moment of a tv show the other day where a lady visited a family for a week. She was given a vase that was painted by the children as a "going away present". The visitor gave it back and then told the children she didn't have room for it in her luggage. The pain on those kids faces broke my heart.

Heavenly Father has given us the gift of life. When we make room for Him in our lives (suitecases), he will bless us.

Celebrating Sadie

2009-06-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

Sadie

Our amazing class

I have the privilege of being a preschool teacher to the best of God’s children. It amazes me at how blessed I am to be able to spend my days with these little ones. One of these little ones is Sadie. I will never forget meeting Sadie and her dimpled smile. It was contagious. And then I heard her giggle. I would try to say funny things just so I could hear it. If I could bottle up that giggle and sale it, I would be a rich woman and joy would fill the world.

This particular class that Sadie was a part of was crazy fun! I loved this class. Everyday was a new adventure. I never knew how one particular game or activity would evolve. Just a simple game of Duck Duck Goose would turn into something similar to what you would see on World Wrestling Entertainment. No matter how crazy things got, my class made me laugh every day. Sadie brought a perfect balance to our classroom. She was a peace maker and a spiritual giant. She would talk to all of us about how important it was to be nice to friends in our class. She would recite to me the Articles of Faith she was learning during Family Home Evening. I was impressed that someone her young age would even want to memorize something so hard for a four year old to understand. I think she understood. My own children had complained so much about learning the Articles of Faith that I gave up attempting to teach them. I was encouraged by Sadie’s example to try it again. We have learned many and are continuing to learn them because of Sadie.

Our little class seemed to change in March of last year when Sadie was diagnosed with brain stem cancer with a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (dipg). It is very rare and is in a spot where surgery or a biopsy isn't possible. There is no home run to treat this tumor -- the statistics attributed to this diagnosis are just heartbreaking. With all the treatments she was having, we didn’t see much of Sadie at preschool any more. There was a sad undertone in that class that we couldn’t seem to shake. We tried to be positive and happy knowing that Sadie may come back to class. We were thrilled when Sadie came to our field trip to the library. We talked often about Sadie and how much she meant to our class.

She touched so many lives with her desire as part of Make A Wish to meet our prophet Thomas S Monson. Her story was told on television between conference sessions of the LDS church last April. She became sort of a local celebrity as she held the title of Little Miss Eagle Mountain this past year. She and her family have touched so many lives as they battled this horrible disease with such strength and hope.

I wear the “Team Sadie” bracelet and talk about the sweet little girl and the vicious disease behind it. I will probably always wear it.

Yesterday I received a call that Sadie had passed away. How heartbreaking it is to not have her in all of our lives. But she has filled our hearts with love, hope and joy by just knowing her. She is truly an angel. We will miss you Sadie! Our prayers go out to her family as they begin to live there lives without her sweet spirit, her adorable giggle and her contagious smile.

Living A Balance Through Laundry

2009-05-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

My mom told me today that I need to make more posts, so I am sitting down at the laptop in the kitchen and thinking ....what do I write about? The laundry room is just off the kitchen. I am looking at the dryer that has just gone off, and I tell myself, "I should probably get those clothes folded before they get wrinkled."

Ta Da...my subject: But let me fold the clothes first. BRB (Be Right Back)

I'm done! You know, I really don't like to do laundry. I don't ever get a break when it comes to laundry. It never seems to end. When we clean the toilets, at least we can say "Yes, I am done." Have you ever told yourself...."yes, all the laundry is done (washed, folded and put away)." Maybe you have (you also may need your head examined), but just as you say that, an item mysteriously shows up in that dreaded laundry basket. As the family gets bigger, so does the laundry. If you have kids that have accidents, even more laundry. Each day you don't do laundry is another day for it to pile up.

Laundry is never done in my house, However, in order to live in my house, you have to go through my Laundry 101 course. Part of that course includes an understanding that no one is to ever to touch any of mom's clothes. There also can not be anything in the dryer at 7:00 a.m. mostly because Trevor and Brooklyn like to heat up their clothes in the dryer before putting them on in the morning. When you live in a refrigerator like we do, you will understand. Because Preston, Megan and Trevor are older than 12, they must do their own laundry. Preston has Monday, Megan has Wednesday and Trevor has Friday....Ask me how many times they have done their laundry on their assigned day. If you can count to 1 then you got it.

My goal is to do two loads of laundry every day. I put a load in the washer at 5:00 a.m. and then another one around 7:00. Most days the clothes are washed dried and put away by 9:00 a.m. Today was an exception, because Nathan put a load in the washer when he got home from work. Nathan doesn't do laundry. So if he is doing it, the laundry situation has reached critical mass. It doesn't matter if there is only 2 loads to do or 12 loads to do, I only do 2. Eventually I will catch up. We have had guests these past two and half weeks, so taking care of them has taken precedence over the laundry.

I know lots of people who do all of their laundry in one day. I could not do 12 loads of laundry in one day. I would be so burned out, that you would have to throw me into a room with padded walls. I am a believer in slow and steady, steady and slow. It is all part of living a balance. Whatever your balance is, keep it up. At least we no longer have to wash our clothes on washboards.

Balancing Mind, Body, Spirit and Heart

2009-05-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

I have known, for as long as I can remember, how important it is to live a balanced life. I remind my 16 year old son that no matter how busy we are, we can live a balanced life. He is often overwhelmed by his schedule. He manages to do well in balancing except he doesn't like homework. So he doesn't do it until it becomes a crises. I tell him that balancing our lives requires sacrifice. He doesn't like that those sacrifices include eliminating video games, and tv. We can do everything we want to do, just not at the same time.

When I used to think of balance, I would always think in terms of mind, body, and spirit. I am always in the process of learning knew things like drawing with colored pencils or learning about people who have impacted the world like Winston Churchill. I am getting back into shape physically (I am just a few pounds shy of my ideal weight) and it is important for me to study the scriptures personally and as a family; as well as have personal, family, and companion prayer. But there is one more aspect of balance I have forgotten.

I received a copy of the Utah Valley magazine in the mail the other day. Stephen R Covey was on the front cover. I am a huge fan of his and have read several of his books like 7 Habit of Highly Effective People and First Things First. I own his the 8th Habbit, but have not been able to read it yet. I was excited to read what he had to say. He talked about the mind, body, spirit and to my surprise, the heart. Except for the occasional helping someone out or visiting teaching, I have completely lost my focus on being compassionate and serving others.

My husband and I were waiting at the accountants office the other day. I had a doctor appointment scheduled for that same day. I was a little stressed about making it to the doctor's appointment because I had waited 2 years to see this particular doctor. Yes two years. We were sitting in the foyer of the accountant's office for 45 minutes. The accountant's secretary came out after realizing we were there and showed us into another, more comfortable waiting area. She apologized that we had to wait in the foyer. She said, "If I had known you were here, I would have brought you back to this more confortable sofa sooner." I replied, "Whether it's waiting in the foyer or waiting on this couch, it is still waiting." She smiled and then asked us if we wanted a drink of something. When we both said "no" she left. Nathan looked right at me and said only one word. "Wow." I looked at him and said, "Was I too harsh?" He said, "Oh yes." We spent another 10 minutes waiting for the accountant and talking about how I have forgotten how to "be nice".

Knowing I needed to work on the 4th aspect of balance (love), I went to Stephen R Covey's website/blog. I learned a very important lesson about love and service. When we work on that aspect of our lives, we are less likely to say something that isn't nice. I love this website. In fact I signed up as a member of a learning community in developing a paradigm shift in my own life. It is free. I am looking forward to more favorably balancing these four areas in my life and perhaps encourage others along the way. Check it out and perhaps sign up with the rest of us 80,000 people who are hoping to leave a great legacy. http://www.stephenrcovey.com/community

Balancing Life With Music

2009-04-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

I love music....I use it a lot to help me get in the spirit of the moment. When I am getting ready for the day and in the bathroom putting makeup on and doing my hair, I listen to hymns.

Thursdays are my "clean the house" day and I am usually in a hurry to see how fast I can get it done. I start in the kitchen and set the timer for 15 minutes. I then turn on the fastest music I can find...It is usually workout music. I move on to the next room and do it all over again.

On Sundays, hymns are played all day on the ihome in the kitchen.

Nathan and I were listening to the radio while driving. A listener called in to ask for the most romantic song that would magically convince this guy to fall in love with her. I knew the perfect song, and I started to sing it....from Chicago...."You know our love was meant to be, the kind of love to last forever, and I want you hear with me, from tonight until the end of time." Nathan agreed that that was a good choice. That wasn't the song they played for her. The song that was played was from Blonde..."The tide is high and I'm movin on, I'm gonna be your number one." We thought that was a bad choice....the guy would definately run the other way.

My life seems to be one big musical. When I am in the middle of a conversation with my kids or husband and someone says words that happen to be lyrics to a song, I usually break out in that song. My kids think that is very weird. I live a musical everyday....often I say..."que music" and start singing or humming. I guess that might not be something I should confess...now that I think about it, that does seem a little weird.

Whenever I am having a "moment", I always think about what song would go best with my situtation. There is always music playing in my head. I am working on my life's playlist. Music is awesome. So are musicals.

I love musicals! Preston was in his high school production this last week of the Children of Eden. He was great! Trevor was in his school production of Suessical this past week. He was great! Nathan and I went and saw Wicked downtown this past week. I loved it! I thought Glinda and Alphie were absolutely FANTASTIC!

Music brings joy to my soul. May your life's musical bring you joy! I feel a song coming on..

General Conference Packet

2009-03-31T15:23:00.000-07:00

It is time to bring out your kids and enjoy general conference as a family. I found a general conference packet that will entertain everyone from 18 months to 81 years. Try it! General Conference Packets

Looking For A Great Husband?

2009-03-13T15:49:00.001-07:00

Top 10 Qualities:

10. Hair: It is good to have someone who has little or no hair...or at least balding potential. Men with a lot of hair spend a lot of money on it. He may even still your favorite brush. Bald guys or guys with little hair don't use a lot of hair products or brushes. You will never have to worry that his hair looks better than yours.

9. Size: It is good to have a husband who is at least twice your size and strength. When the wind isn't always blowing at your back, you will need a big massive guy to block it from messing up your hair; and what will happen if you brake your ankle hiking up a mountain? Are you going to walk down that mountain yourself? Skinny guys can't carry you down that mountain without having to rest one hundred times. Big guys would prove to be much more time efficient.

8. Handy: It is good to have a husband who can do more than change a light bulb. If he can fix a hole in the drywall, big deal; if he can build you a whole house, even better; but if he can turn a 30 year old fixer upper into the most beautiful house on the block, he's a keeper.

7. Entertainer: It is good to have a guy who can entertain 2 people or 2 hundred people. No one wants to go to a party and hear that your husband is the "boring one". Of course your husband must keep you laughing even when you are suffering from the "I'm sick of picking up after you" syndrome.

6. Cook: It is good to have a man who can cook better than you...enough said.

5. Employment: It is good to have a husband with a job. It is better if he actually works for himself and not for a boss. The ideal situation, would be for him to make enough money where he can take care of you and your family and can still be flexible enough to go to Disney Land at the last minute. So you definately don't want your husband to be a doctor, lawyer, a rocket scientist, or anything like that; unless of course you don't really like to have him around.

4. It is good to have a husband who is smarter than you. Like someone once said to me, if your husband is smarter than you are, then you are smarter than he is.

3. Music: It is good to have a husband who can sing to you or play an instrument in dedication to you (because without you he is nothing). It is good if he can sing Karaoke. People will then come up to you and say..."Hey your husband should be on American Idol!" instead of "Where is the closest wall...I need a place to bang my head." Of course you know your husband is AWESOME when a guy comes up to him after he sang a song and kisses him on the cheek and says, "You moved me man...you really moved me," followed by a tear running down his cheek.

2. It is good to have a husband who would give the shirt off of his back for someone...especially if it doesn't stink.

1. It is good to have a husband who worships the ground you walk on. So when you ask your husband what he will do with that life insurance money after you kick the bucket and he says...."I think I will need to spend it all trying to find someone as great as you are", then you have found your man.

You may have guessed that these qualities make up my husband. It is our 19th Wedding Anniversary. We have been so blessed to have each other.

Nathan, you have been by me through thick and thin and still love me more than I deserve. Here's to another 19 years.

You Keep Me Grounded

You Carry Me Through Lifes Challenges

You Lift Me When I Am Down

Living Happily Balanced - Sometimes

2009-02-28T08:16:00.001-08:00

Jill tagged me

Rules:
1. Go to the file that holds pictures.
2. Go to the 6th file or if there aren't 6 files skip this step.
3. Go to the 6th picture and blog about it.

Nathan is the president of an HOA in Mesquite NV. We go there a few times a year. This picture was taken at one of the Villas we stayed at between Christmas and New Years of 2007. We brought my parents and my brother Justin with us that year. The pink plaid purse was given to Brooklyn for her 7th birthday from a friend (a boy). He has very good taste...well, his mother does any way. The purse is loaded with makeup and jewelry. Brooklyn loves that purse even today, except the zipper is now broken. Perhaps because of the stress of over filling it.

Brooklyn is not playing with her little princess polly pockets in this picture, she is making a display. Brooklyn is forever setting up displays in her room and as you can see, any surface that is bare. We have gone over how much nicer our home and her room looks when things are put away. I tell her that little children will get to and ruin her beautiful things if they are out for them to see. Her solution: When little kids are around, we should make some sort of blockade around the area so they can't get to it. Or in the case of her room, just keep it locked so the little children can't go in. I have tried to tell her the benefits of the phrase "out of sight, out of mind" but she doesn't get it. The more displays, the more stuff out, the better she can see all of her beautiful things. Occassionaly, she will cave and let me help her clean her room, where we put everything in its place. She loves it, and dances in it, and says how beautiful it is....after a day or so, she starts building displays again. She makes me laugh...one of the many reasons I love her so much.

The Balancing Act

2009-02-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

I have two minutes, but I wanted to post something. If you are reading this I just want you to know that you are an important part of my life whether we know each other well or not. I post because you read. Thanks for reading and commenting. When I am rich and famous I won't forget you.....thanks.

Balance in Relationships

2009-01-28T16:19:00.000-08:00

Warning: This may be inappropriate for the unmarried or people who don't like to talk about s...e....x.

I have a day planner that is so full, that sometimes the to do lists, grocery lists and agendas carry over into the next day. The pages are sprinkled with quotes by different people. This week's quote is from Joyce Brothers, it reads: "Marriage is not just spiritual communion and passionate embraces; marriage is also three-meals-a-day and remembering to take out the trash." I had to laugh out loud at this one. I won't let my husband leave the house without a passionate embrace, (it could be our last after all) but then it is quickly followed by, "Don't forget to..." My husband would rather fill the day with passionate embraces and just skip over the part about taking out the garbage or picking up the clothes off the floor.

A few weeks ago Nathan and I had one of those days just for us. It was a Tuesday, so I didn't have preschool. We sent the kids off to school and spent the morning just hanging out in bed. I never had such a lazy morning in my life. We went to lunch and ran some errands. Lots of passionate embraces but no taking out the trash, or cleaning up. We had the best day together. I told him, "We should do this every Tuesday." He thought a better idea would be every day. I said we had to be responsible every once in a while. After all toilets need to be cleaned, dishes need to be done and laundry needs to be folded.

I think it is possible to be both passionate and responsible, but it is a team effort. When one person is doing all the laundry, dishes, and vacuuming, there is not a balance. My husband's eyes roll in the back of his head when I tell him it is such a turn on to see him elbow deep in toilet water. There is something sexy about a man who loves his wife enough to get on his hands and knees and clean the toilet (he is afterall the one who made the mess).

I think the woman should give into their husband's whenever the husband wants it...and I think husband's should clean up just as often. And everyone should do it without complaint.

Ok...that is not where I was going with this...but it is where I ended up, so take it for what it is worth.

PS...do you really think it is a big deal that the husband put the toilet seat down? Just curious.

Still going

2009-01-26T07:40:00.000-08:00

I gave myself a year to write this book and I will need it. On Friday, when I wasn't in preschool, I spent most of day looking at a blank screen.

I spent Saturday the same way, except for once in a while the kids would come in and ask if I was ever going to get off the computer. So I eventually had to leave the computer to kiss Nathan and Trevor goodbye, they were going to one of Nathans performances....he sings in a singing group. I also had to make sure the other kids weren't starving. I fixed something for dinner and took Preston and a friend to the Lehi High School Play...I can't remember the name of it right now. I went to Walmart thinking it was a one stop shopping place....I have to do the balancing act with as much effeciency as I can. Walmart was out of Cream of Chicken Soup, they didn't have the right aluminum pans I was looking for, and they were out of the Ink Cartridge that I needed. When I stood there at Walmart realizing that I was going to have to go to 3 stores now I was so tempted to leave my cart right there in the isle with my frozen chicken and whipped cream and a million other things that would spoil if I left it. I shook my evil thoughts away and got in my car and cried. I had planned on doing the shopping quickly and then going home and playing games with the girls....after all I had promised them. So instead of one store I ended up going to three. I was back home in time to put the groceries away and give the girls a hug and say "I love you" and then leave again to pick up Preston and his friend from the play.

Life Out of Balance

2009-01-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

Have you ever come to a sort of crossroads in your life? Maybe begin to question why the heck are you changing diapers every day? Maybe your life is out of balance, and something is telling you to make a change? Maybe you needed to have another baby (are you kidding me?), or maybe you needed to find something else to study in school (like Men 101 - How To Get Hubby To Put The Seat Down). Maybe you needed to get a new hobby. Maybe you needed to move from plastic back to paper? But no matter what it was, something was making you reevaluate your life.

5 1/2 years ago, I got a sort of tugging that led to us moving here. So many things fell into place that allowed us to just pick up and move. Our lives were completely different after that. We had a new house, new neighbors, new friends, a new ward, I was teaching preschool (something I never thought of doing in the area we were living before), and we knew we were where we needed to be.

So what if you reach another crossroads. This time, however, the answer isn't clear. In fact, the fog on the road you are currently traveling on is so thick, you can't even see a fork or a bend. Maybe it smells like cat throw up (I just spent 2 cleaning it up). I have been on that very road before. I cry out and maybe sometimes scream out, waiting for an answer. The answer doesn't come. I think it is important, no matter where you are on that road, that you keep listening to that voice that seems to be tugging at you. Keep asking what is your purpose, what does the world need from you. The answer will come. It may not be the best answer; like pack up your things and move to Zumbago (I made that country up) but the answer will come and most likely you will be willing to follow the answer because you know deep down you need to do it to fulfill your purpose. Everyone has a purpose.

I have been toying with the idea of writing a children's book for a long time. Something like 20 years. That road has been very foggy as I have tried to write something and then it turns into mush. The road is not so cloudy anymore. Besides mush isn't so bad.

I have a friend who told me that if you want to accomplish something and you declare it to the world, you will most likely accomplish it. So today I am making a declaration. I declare that I will finish writing my children's book by December 31, 2009. There, I said it. Now I am commited. There is no going back. The road has been chosen...will it make all the difference? I think so.

A Year Of Lessons

2009-01-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

This has probably been the most challenging year of my life. But with each challenge the Lord seemed to prepare me. I have learned to have gratitude and faith.

The lessons learned actually started in 2006. We sold our cabin on the lake and invested the money with 3 different companies. With the profits from these investments, we were making almost 3 times the money we were making before. We took the kids on trips, we bought a nice car, and I found two great ladies who cleaned my house for me. We bought 3 lots at the lake and built another cabin on one of them. We got season tickets to the Jazz games with great seats. We were living large and life was easy.

In the summer of 2007 the money from one investment had stopped coming. A few months later, income from another investment had stopped coming. We not only lost the monthly income we were making from these investments, but the investments themselves were gone. We don't know if we will see any of it.

September of 2007 was the first of many miracles. We shut off the water to the cabin we had just finished building (we had a "for sale" sign in the window), but somehow a pipe broke and water began gushing into the cabin. A man who happened to be walking by the cabin walked up to the door. He could hear water running. He peeked into the window and saw water coming from behind the refrigerator. He called the number on the "for sale" sign and reached Nathan. He told Nathan what was happening. Nathan told him how to get into the cabin and the man got in and turned off the water. Nathan, the plumber and I took the 3 hour trip to the cabin and found this man still there cleaning up with a shop vacuum that we had left there. I believe this man, we only know by the name of Richard, was sent by the Lord to bless our lives. We assessed the damage that day and found that the carpets were going to need replacing, and all the wood doors on the main floor were so warped that they needed to be replaced. Walls were damaged and baseboards were damaged. We found a company to get the water out of the carpet so they didn't need to be replaced. The next trip to the cabin we found the doors were working perfectly, the base boards fit and were not warped and the walls were just fine. The only lasting damamge was a hole in the wall behind the refrigerator where the water blew through and a rug had bled through and stained some of the tile on the bathroom floor.

2008 brought much humility. We stopped using the housekeepers; the children stopped extra activities that were costing money; and we ate out less often. We started using coupons and buying only essential things that were on sale. I stopped going to Lia Sophia, Pampered Chef and other parties. The children stopped asking for things and became more concerned about our families' welfare. We wanted our children to know that everything would be just fine and to have faith. We began to look at the things that we did have, and became more grateful for those things. Nathan continued to have work and we were able to keep paying the bills.

During one particularly expensive month this past year, I didn't know how we were going to make it. After much prayer and fasting, I got a phone call from the guy who helped us build our cabin. He told me that he had gone through the numbers on the cabin and said he owed us money and he would be sending a check. That check kept us going for another 3 months. Many prayers of thanks were offered at that time.

2008 brought 3 serious injuries to Nathan's hands. Never in the 19 years that Nathan had been working was he ever injured, and this year he had 3. Instead of being angry, we had learned how important these blessings were. He could still work and he still had full use of his hands.

This past year has been humbling, and a test of faith. We have experienced so many small miracles that I can't even name them all. I am grateful that I can clean my own toilets, that my children are healthy, that Nathan has his hands, and that we have an abudance of blessings. These blessings have come from remembering our Heavenly Father's hand in our lives and by trying to live in a way to be worthy of those blessings.

Hope for 2009. I have learned so much from this past year. I have learned how important it is to pay tithing, to spend less than we make, and to save as much as possible. I no longer take for granite our ability to work, the opportunity to share with those less fortunate that us, and how easy it is to have our lives turn up-side-down. We can prepare for those difficult times by putting our hearts on the things of the Lord. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and will always be with us if we do our part. I will do more of my part this year.

May this year bring you joy, hope and more gratitude.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-26T08:28:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! May the spirit of Christmas be with you for the remaining holiday season and the coming year.

It is a tradition that the kids open one present on Christmas Eve. It is always PJs.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Giving of Christmas Cards

2008-12-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the traditions you shared in response to my last post. I plan to implement many of them. Some traditions can be quite time consuming and may not seem worth it at the time. Sending christmas cards is one of them. My husband and I have had this tradition since we got married. When the kids came along, we had a family picture taken around Thanksgiving to include with the christmas card along with a note about our family. This year I went shopping for some really cute photo christmas cards. I saw some darling ones that looked homemade. They were very expensive, about $2.00 each. I have about 60 people on my list. That would cost me $120 not including the postage. So this year I made my own using photoshop elements. I decided against the traditional family photo and found one we had taken at our city's parade. We are all wearing red white and blue. Not very festive, but it seems to work with the card.

Whether or not someone makes our christmas card list is very simple: 1. We must have their address; and 2. They must be a relative or a friend we don't see that much if ever. I go through the christmas card list every year and add or subract from it. If someone sends us a christmas card, they are automatically put on our christmas card list. As long as we continue to get christmas cards from them, they continue to stay on our list. If they don't send us one...they are off. There may be people on our list who would rather not receive a card from us. That is just too bad! I am sure there are thousands of people who wish they could be on our christmas card list. Ok maybe not. We tease people who we don't hear from, and threaten to take them off our list.

We do have people who continue to stay on our list whether we get a card from them or not in hopes by a miracle, we hear from them. The Jensens were some of those people. The Jensens are amazing! We love the Jensens. We have found it a privilege to be their friends. We loved hanging out with them. They knew of the best restaurants. She is the kind of person who does everything well. She sews, cooks, cleans house, decorates, everything better then I ever did. Fortunately, her perfection didn't make me bitter or jealous. I asked her a lot of questions and learned from her. A few days before we moved away from Sandy, the Jensens lives' turned up-side-down. Their lives became public, and they disconnected their phones in an attempt to have a little more privacy. We knew how they were doing through his parents. His dad came over to our house on moving day to show support. We sent them a christmas card every year hoping to get back in touch with them. Two christmases ago, I sent them the last christmas card I would ever send them. We didn't get a card from them that year. With one last attempt to get in touch with them, I sent them an invitation to Nathan's 40th birthday party that January. Nathan's birthday party came and the door bell rang. There was the Jensens at my door. I screamed, "You came!" I was never so excited to see two people in my whole life. I managed to hold back the tears. Needless to say they remain on my list, and we continue to receive a card from them.

I love getting and giving christmas cards, especially the ones with family photos and a note about the goings on of the family. When I receive a christmas card, I tape it the door between my kitchen and laundry room. Many years the door is overflowing with cards. Visitors love looking at all the cards and family photos. Occasionally they know some of the same people and great memories are exchanged. I never throw away christmas cards.

Christmas cards are a great way to stay in touch with friends and family and sometimes a hope to rekindle lost relationships. If you are one who doesn't send out christmas cards, make this a new tradition. I know it will bless your life and those you send them to. It certainly has blessed mine.

Help!! I Need Advice on a Holiday Planner and Holiday Traditions

2008-11-30T15:39:00.000-08:00

I have always been fanatical about providing a memorable Christmas for my family. I want things to run smoothly, so I have had two Holiday Planners that I have used over the years. Marth Stewart Ultimate Planner and Flylady Holiday Journal. I have adapted them to fit my and my family's needs. Martha Stewart's planner suggests to send holiday cards on the 3rd week in December. She also doesn't have her Christmas tree up and decorated until the 3rd week as well. I think that is way too late. The Flylady Holiday Journal requires most everything to be done by December 1st. I don't even think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. But the Flylady Holiday Journal has cute family traditions like making your own christmas wrapping paper using plain white paper and using stamps, stickers etc to decorate it. We did this one year and the kids had a great time. Unfortunately, if presents are supposed to be wrapped by December 1st this doesn't make for such a great Christmas tradition. My kids and I also decorate gingerbread houses which has been a fund tradition. Some of those houses have made it to Christmas without being eaten.

I need your help with new ideas on having this holiday season run smoothly, how to bring the Christmas spirit into the home, and making this the best Christmas yet. What does your family do? If you have any ideas, please post them or email them, and I will share your ideas here.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T19:40:00.001-08:00

I love Thanksgiving because it is a time for reflection and a great opportunity to express thanks for all of our blessings. Because I have so much to be grateful for this year, this will be long:

I am thankful for the 5 senses. To see the beautiful sky when I walk the kids out to the bus in the morning; to smell my favorite Salt City Candle "Apricot Cream", to hear my children and husband tell me they love me, and to touch their faces and feel their hugs and kisses.

I am thankful for Nathan's ability to work. Nathan has had many injuries to his hands these past couple of months. He continues to have significant pain, but I am so thankful that he still has them and can still work. He has always worked hard and I am grateful for his ability to provide for our family.

I am thankful to be a teacher. I get to have fun with 19 great kids every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They say and do the funniest things; they bring me pictures they have drawn; and they even remember some of the important things I teach them like what is Peter's last name in the nursery rhyme Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater (His last name is Peter just in case you were wondering).

I am thankful to be a mom. I have 4 fantastic kids who keep me on my toes. They make me laugh, cry, worry, and wish that I had more kids....not. They each have a unique ability to make me feel as though my cup runneth over.

I am thankful for technology. I love things like email, blogs, facebook, twitter, and other computer gadgets that can take up too much time if I let it. I love text messaging, cell phones, and getting pictures of nephews from my sisters. I love DVRs: particularly the "skip back" and "skip forward" buttons. I love my Ipod, and being able to download General Conference so I can listen to a talk every morning while I get ready for the day.

I am thankful for cooking stuff like microwaves, crockpots, and food processors.

I am thankful for neighbors who let me borrow cups of milk, sugar, bleach, aluminum foil, or other things I run out of. I am grateful for neighbors who don't complain about the weeds in our yard or our lawn that needs to be mowed.

I am thankful for friends and family who invite us over for dinner, bring us goodies, write us notes, and laugh at our jokes even when they've heard them all before.

I am thankful for my parents who were faithful in keeping the commandments and stead fast in raising 11 children.

I am grateful for the sacrifice that so many have made so that I could enjoy the freedoms I have. I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for my Savior's atoning sacrifice for all of us. I am grateful that my Heavenly Father knows and loves us all individually.

I am grateful to those who stuck around to read to the end of this post....thank you.

Happy Birthday Trevor

2008-11-23T14:20:00.001-08:00

I was almost 26 years old when I gave birth to Trevor. I wasn't ready to have 3 kids. I was busy working at home doing data entry on the computer from 10 p.m.to Midnight and then I'd get up at 4 a.m. and work until 9 a.m. so I could be a mom for my kids during the day. I remember being tired all the time. Heavenly Father knew I needed a baby that was content, happy and even tempered.

I can not have imagined a better baby than Trevor. He would look at you as if he knew what you were saying. He smiled early. I remember taking him in for his shots. All babies freak out when they get their shots and I was ready for the battle. The nurse and I got his attention and she and I were talking to him and making him smile. He was so busy smiling and paying attention to us that he didn't even realize he just got stuck by a needle. He did this every time! I remember the nurse saying to me, "You have a special baby here." I agreed.

Trevor is a special kid. He is friendly in a quiet way. He is confident in a humble way. He is sweet in a "cool" way. Trevor has Christ-like characteristics that are unique to a few of our Heavely Father's children.

The best part is that Trevor turned 12 and was sustained as a deacon. He passed the sacrament for the first time today. He asked me if he did a good job. I said, "Of course." But I actually couldn't see him where I was sitting. He is always concerned about doing a good job. Trevor is awesome! We love him very much!

Young Woman in Excellence

2008-11-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

I haven't gotten a chance to talk about Megan on this blog, so I would like to dedicate this post to her. Our ward had their Young Women in Excellence on Tuesday. It was an opportunity for the young women to display their talents. The theme was "Night at the Oscars..You Are a Star" with a charge from the YW general President, not to ever forget their devine worth. The Primary Room was decorated so beautifully with gold, black and white. There was even a red carpet for the girls to walk down. There were displays of the girl's talents and projects that they have been working on. Megan likes to make things. She likes to sew, crochet, knit, make jewelry, and much more. She made a necklace for Brooklyn. She is wearing it here.

She made a couple of ceramic bowls at school.

She made many earings and bracelets.

Each girl was also given an award for a special talent that they have. Megan was given the award for being "Helpful". She loves to help out and lift the burden from others. Megan is always thinking of others.

When I was in High School I had a friend named Linda who told me often that she was thinking about me, and hoping I did well on a test that I was worried about or anything that was troubling me at the time. I used to think that Linda was full of balogna. I couldn't imagine that someone would put my concerns over their own; even if for a minute.

Now I have Megan in my life who is probably the most thoughtful person I have ever known. Whether it's moving from the sofa to the floor so someone can have a seat or making cookies for someone; or giving someone a hug who is sad. It is Megan's mission to leave a ray of sunshine in each life she touches. I am so blessed that I have Megan as an example of genuine thoughfulness. Megan, you are my angel and I love you very much.

A Week in Review

2008-11-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

What a crazy week we just had.

Monday we celebrated Brooklyn's birthday by going out to Carl's Jr for a quick meal and then went to see "Beverly Hills Chihuahua". The movie had mixed reviews among family members.

Tuesday we had a get-together to see Memo who was in town. Jilly went to the airport and waited for her. Jilly gave up and came to mom's where every one was gathered to see Memo and family. We called Memo to see what was going on. She wasn't scheduled to come in until this week. OOPS! We had fun anyway. We'll do it again this week. This time we hope that Memo and family will be there.

Wednesday was the last game of the Spartans.

GO SPARTANS! We got Trevor's hair cut and the hair stylist was a mom from the team and suggested we shave Spartan's in his head. Looks awesome!

We dropped Trevor off an hour before the game and went to One Man Band for some dinner. Brooklyn wanted to take a picture of me and Nathan.

We get to the field and the game was just about to start. The girls wanted nothing to do with the game so they played at the huge playground. The rest of us watched from the side lines.

This may be little league with a bunch of 11 year olds playing, but I will tell you, this game was just as intense as any college rivalry game. It was complete with one player being taken by ambulance to the hopital because of a head and a possible neck injury (we hope he is ok). Another player dislocated his fingers....yes it looked nasty and he was taken to the emergency room to get it straightened out (OUCH!); and then several more players were out with injuries. Our team dominated the game up until the last quarter when there were several huge mistakes by the coach and a couple of players which costed us the game.

This is the first year for these kids to play for the Spartans. They played kids that have been a team for 5 years. We parents are so pleased with their dedication and spirit. YOU ROCK SPARTANS!!

Thursday: Brooklyn had a school program celebrating "Things That Make You Go AHHHH!" It was fun. I have no pictures because I brought the video camera. I am learning that I need to bring both cameras everywhere I go.

Friday: Halloween. I dressed up like a witch, Nathan was "the sheriff" and the kids...well here's the picture.

Brooklyn put herself in charge of handing out the candy. She had a great time teasing the little trick-or-treaters with a fake mouse. She made coming to our house memorable for so many kids. They may never come back. We ran out of candy, and I had to go into the preschool stash for more.

Saturday: The most stressful and great day and the cause of my cold sore. The Pow Wow and Brooklyn's Baptism. Nathan was supposed to take the Boys to the Pow Wow on Saturday morning and stay with them until they were done at 11:45. They were then supposed to meet us at the church at 12:30 and Preston was to get fitted for the jump suit (He was baptizing Brooklyn). The baptism started at 1:00. But at 2:00 a.m. when Nathan came home from doing a Halloween Karaoke party, He decided he was too tired to get up at 7:00 to take the boys to the Pow Wow.

I proceeded to tell him all the girly stuff that needed to be done, like clean the toilets, get Brooklyn's hair in a braid, and finish the augraten potatoes that I couldn't finish because the store was out of Cream of Chicken Soup (who runs out of C of CH Soup?) The list went on and on. He said he could handle it.

Everything ran more smoothly than I had ever could have imagined. My mom came to the house to fix Brooklyn's hair, Megan and Brooklyn cleaned as best they could and Nathan finished the potatoes.

I was teary eyed watching Preston baptize Brooklyn. She was so excited! Nathan gave the confirmation prayer. What a great blessing it is to see our littlest child be baptized by our oldest. We are so pleased and blessed!

Our families went to our house after and had dinner.

We finished the night at the Utah Jazz game. We missed most of the first quarter because we wanted to watch the rest of the BYU game on the big screen tv they have at the Energy Solutions Arena. BYU won! We finished the evening with a Jazz win!

It was a great week.

Happy Birthday Brooklyn

2008-10-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

Today Brooklyn turned 8 years old. It took over 1 1/2 years to get pregnant with her, but she came over a week early. I remember going into labor on the morning of the 26th. It is 30 or more hours from the first sign of labor pains to the birth of my kids. I usually go into the hospital when the pain is about a 5 or 6. Because I am usually in the hospital 8 to 10 hours before my babies are born, this time I decided to wait. Nathan and I got to the hospital about 8:15 a.m. I asked for an epideral. The nurses were dragging their feet because they knew this was going to be an all day event. Just as I had put on my hospital gown and needed to use the rest room, I felt like a truck had just ran over my stomach. I yelled, "I need that epideral!" The nurse checked and said, "It is too late." I screamed, "What do you mean it is too late!" followed by a few obsenities. Brooklyn was born just as Live with Regis and Kelly came on the tv. I would not recommend natural child birth. It is way over rated.

Brooklyn makes us laugh everyday! She says and does the funniest things. We just have to shake our heads. We blame it on letter her watch so much television. The other day she said to her teacher, "I struggle with short term memory loss." Her teacher was so concerned and said, "Do you really?" I guess Brooklyn sensed her concern and said, "Not really, I just forget things." She got this term "short term memory loss" from a medical tv show we were watching. She prays every day not to have nightmares, but she is fascinated by horror movies. It's a mystery.

Brooklyn and I were at Target a couple of years ago. Brooklyn was just being herself and saying funny and off the wall things. A lady who seemed to be looking at the same things we were, every once in a while would burst into laughter. She was alone, so I just thought she was crazy. She confessed to me later at the store that she was enjoying listening to Brooklyn so much that she was following us just to see what else Brooklyn would say.

Brooklyn keeps our family laughing! I tell her all the time. "I want you to stay little, so you can always make me laugh and be my little girl." That might be one reason why she doesn't want to turn 8. She says she is not going to turn 8. She is going to be 7 forever. So today she doesn't want a "Happy Birthday" song, or cake or ice cream, or presents. Our family is just celebrating her being our little girl and sister by taking her to a movie, and out to dinner. We love you Brooklyn!

Things Change

2008-10-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

I love fall! The falling leaves signify a sort of shedding of old habits in preparation for the cleansing that winter brings. Fall is about change. You can fill it thick in the cool air. So to embrace change, I have also changed the template on the blog.

I don't like some changes, like BYU losing their football game today (sigh), and me celebrating my 40th birthday this year (bigger sigh). Some changes are fun. Preston went on his first date to the Lehi High School Homecoming Dance. He also got his Learners Permit last week so he can drive. UGH!

Some changes are significant. 23 years ago this past week I met Nathan. That day back in 1985, when I was 16, I never would have imagined that the guy I danced with at The Bay would not only be such a blessing in my life, but that he would be my husband and eternal companion about 5 years later. I have known Nathan for more than half of my life, and it is definately the best half. He is funny, charming, honest, generous, thoughtful, and he still thinks I am smoken hot (he never really had great vision). Thanks, honey for always being by my side. I couldn't have asked for a better 23 years. (Below is the 1985 Christmas Dance at West High School, two months after I met Nathan.)

Oops I Did It Again!

2008-10-10T19:32:00.001-07:00

Yes! Nathan has done it again. This time it was his other hand. I guess he had to balance out the pain and do some damamge to the other one. This week Nathan and Glen were carrying a mirror. They began to lift it up and it broke and crashed down on his hand. His hand was cut and he tore a couple of tendons in it. So it is back to surgery. Nathan has been doing this kind of work for over 20 years. He got a couple of stitches about 17 years ago from a cut on his finger, so this is not normal. I think he needs to get a new job. Something that doesn't require the use of sharp objects. If you have any ideas, let me know and I will pass them on to him.

Let me just add that in spite of these challenges, and during these economic difficulties that our country is facing, I am grateful that Nathan has enough work to keep busy. I am so grateful for all of our blessings. Life is good.

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General Conference Packet

2008-09-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

Last year my kids and I had a great time during General Conference. I found a packet that works for older and younger children. It will entertain them during all four sessions.

Here is a place to get General Conference Packets

Balancing The Good With The Bad

2008-09-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

There must be adversity in life to make those times of joy much more sweet. These are those times. Nathan was at work cutting wood for framing. He was using a circular saw and the wood bound up and his hand slipped under the blades of the saw. OUCH! With all the blood spraying around, he thought at first that he had cut off his thumb. He looked at it and realized that the saw didn't even cut to the bone. He went to the insta care and the doctor stitched it up and said that he needed to go see a specialist. The specialist said that Nathan had cut some tendons and will need surgery. He had surgery last week and he is in a cast. Look at that thumb. I think he should be a professional hitch hiker.

The Road Ends Here

2008-09-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

We arrived at the super secret location this morning at 8:00 a.m. Preston was brought into a room and came out deflated. The road ends for him on this adventure. Unfortunately we are not allowed to say anything more. We can take heart in knowing that he went farther in the audition process than all of his friends and thousands of other people. We love Preston and our proud of him. The next thing for him is getting an "A" on his Chemistry exam. And then asking his friend to the Lehi High School Homecoming Dance. GO PRESTON!!!

The Super Secret World of Show Business!

2008-09-17T16:36:00.001-07:00

Nathan and I took Preston to a super secret audition today. There was no publicity around it, and we were to tell no one what was going on. We were running behind this morning getting kids ready for school and stopping at the drive up window at Mc Donald's for breakfast, and trying to find a place to park. So we arrived about 25 minutes late to this super secret location on this super secret day.

When we walked into the doors there was no one but a security lady sitting at a desk. She informed us that this super secret audition was yesterday. Nathan put his head in his hands and shook his head. He has been dealing with his own issues of almost cutting off his thumb with a circular saw, so this news was not easy to handle. We showed her the paper we had received showing the date. The security lady informed us that there were several young men in there just 10 minutes ago who produced the same paper and also got the news. One young man flew all the way from Vancouver Canada for this audition and had been on the phone weeping. Another young man was pacing the floor crying on his phone. And another guy said, well if this is how show business is, I don't know if I want to be a part of it. All the young men had left by the time we got there. Where they went, I still don't know.

We asked the security lady if there was anyone we can talk to. She called someone on the phone and wrote down a name and phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to me. Soon another lady came into the lobby and sat down and the first lady left. The phone rang and she picked it up. She hung up and said that we needed to go to "the other venue" and gave us the address. We walked over to this other super secret venue (I did not wear walking shoe and got a blister) and there was not a sole who looked super secret. We went to a floor that looked like it could hold super secret activities. There was no one who looked like they could help us. We called the name and number on the paper the first security lady gave us and left a message. We finally decided to try another floor. Just as we were getting on the elevator, another set of elevator doors opened and I saw someone who was wearing a super secret shirt. We got out of the elevator and stopped her.

We were supposed to have gotten a call letting us know of the change. To make a long story short, we are supposed to go back tomorrow to the super secret location for a super secret audition with the executive producers of this super secret production.

We actually feel blessed that we were running behind, because we were able to get news that there was another venue. We also felt blessed because at the same time we decided to leave, we found someone who could help us. I know everything happens for a reason. Preston was actually glad he was going to be able to go to school today. Preston may not make it through, but we are happy that he has been given another chance.

You are probably wondering why I used so many "super secrets" It is to add to the word count....One of the many ways I seek balance in my life is writing 500 words a day. I passed by quota. HURRAY......so until tomorrow.

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Air Supply Still Rocks

2008-09-16T11:29:00.001-07:00

One of the perks of being the wife of a city councilman is the many events I get to go to and most of the time these events and activities are free. One of those events was the Utah League of Cities and Towns Annual Conference. It was held at the Sheraton Hotel in down town Salt Lake City this past week. There was workshops, a golf tournament, and fantastic speakers. To close the conference on Saturday, there was a dinner of fantastic food and thres leches for dessert...yum. Finally Air Supply showed us that they still got it by giving us a memorable concert. Three of the four band members were from Salt Lake City. I thought that was pretty awesome. I took some pictures using Nathan's phone. I will post them as soon as I figure out how to do it.

http://www.airsupplymusic.com/index.html

My mind went back to the 80s when Air Supply ruled the airwaves. During the middle of the concert Air Supply started singing the song "The One That You Love" and had the audience sing the chorus a couple of times. My mind was immediately brought back to that same girl scout camp I wrote about in a previous post. Our camp director must have really loved that song because she had us all sing it over and over throughout the week. On the last day we all (100s of girls) sang it to her. It was very moving.

At family get-togethers, we occasionally sing songs from the 80s. Air Supply is some of my favorites to sing. I was surprised that my little brother Nathan and my sister Jill knew the words to many of the Air Supply songs. They are still kids in my book...not even 30 yet. I believe that music from the 80s is the best music ever. Back then the music was more important than how beautiful the singer was (Boy George and Cindy Lauper). There was no wardrobe malfunctions, no singers who wore very little clothing, no singers or bands who were constantly on the front page of tabloids revealing their shortcomings on a daily basis.

The 80s rocked! and Air Supply showed me Saturday that they still Rock!

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The Declutter Delirium

2008-09-08T17:11:00.000-07:00

In an effort to continue living a balance, I try not to acumulate too much of a good thing like shoes, clothes, decorations etc. When I buy a pair of shoes I must sacrifice another pair I already have to make room for the new pair. I have room in my closet for 21 pairs of shoes. Some of them can use a replacement. Is 21 pairs of shoes too many? Not enough? What do you think?

I love getting rid of stuff I don't need, so when Nathan asked me if I would set aside some time on Saturday to help declutter the garage. I said "Absolutely!!"

Nathan suggested we put out a "yard sale" sign down the street to see if maybe we can sell a few things from the garage. I was a little sceptical, but I went along. I don't like accumulating junk, so why would I want to sell people our junk. Well, as our family started to plow through the junk in the garage, people pulled up to ask what we were selling. Apparently "Yard Sale" signs are magnets for people looking for a bargain. My kids ran into the house and got all of the stuff they had set aside for the DI (Deseret Industries/like the Salvation Army). I was freaking out! I didn't want to have a yard sale, but I kept quiet and watched my kids have the time of their lives.

Wow! The kids were really in their element. Brooklyn demonstrated to a little girl how easy it was to ride the bike she wanted to sell. Brooklyn pointed out the bell on the front and the basket that could hold her favorite things. She offered the little girl her bike for 5 cents. I think we ended up selling it for $5. Megan showed people a stuffed animal backpack and how it had never been used and if someone wasn't interested in that, then maybe they would be interested in something else. Preston would point out something that they may like and then run up to his room, to get something they may like more. Trevor gave suggestions on possible prices for items they were selling.

We got much of the garage cleaned up, we created some HLV (Human Life Value) for the kids, and we made over $160. The very best part for me, was pulling out of the driveway to get lunch for the family and seeing the blinds up in the garage window. Nathan too those blinds down 5 years ago so he could paint the inside of the garage. I actually cried when I saw them. It was a great day!!!

Preschool Started Yesterday!!!

2008-09-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

HURRAY FOR PRESCHOOL!!!!!

The balancing act continues......Yesterday was the first day of preschool. HURRAY!! I teach two classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and they are all adorable! Only the best kids come to my preschool. I don't know how I can be so blessed to have the best kids in my preschool, but it happens every year. Look at them! You can tell they are all future leaders (I don't mean of the country). They are the next generation of greatness. That's why my brilliant husband came up with the name of the preschool "Next Generation Preschool".

Speaking of Greatness. One of my students last year is Sadie. She was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer earlier this year. She and her family had these bracelets made for anyone who wants to bring awareness to this type of cancer. Check out her blog and wear a bracelet. This sweet family sure can teach us a thing or two about living a balance.

The Joy of Competition!

2008-08-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

I never really thought of myself as being competitive, but I love the feeling that I get when I have experienced the thrill of victory! So I suppose there must be some sort of competition involved in order to be a winner. I loved watching the olympics these past two weeks! I was overjoyed when my teams ended their olympic experience in victory. Standing on that podium getting a gold medal must have been such a rush. All of the aches, pains, and losses must have been worth it just to be in that moment.

I remember when I went to girl scout camp when I was 11 or 12. We had a girl scout version of the olympics. I was in a race. I don't even remember the race or what kind it was, something like taking a spoon and running and filling a cup. What I do remember was winning the race and my troop (my sister Tifani was one of them) ran up to me and hugged me and screamed and cheered. They wrapped their arms around me and we all to the ground! I was never so excited about something I had done in my life up to that point! Looking back, I wasn't happy because I had one, but because I had people who loved me and cheered me on.

We had our annual Edwards Family Reunion this past Saturday. The kids and some adults participated in games and races. I watched my kids race. Some of them won and some of them didn't. Then it was time for the adult women to race. That was me. There was about 10 of us. Most of the women running were more than 10 years younger than me. I decided that I was in it to win it. When the word "go" was yelled, I ran as fast as I could. I got a slow start, then I began to pull away. It was just like a scene taken out of the movie "Chariots of Fire". I was so into it that I almost expected someone to cue the music. I was on fire. I was leading and then, the unthinkable. My feet slipped out from under me and I crashed to the ground about 10 yards from the finish line. I was devistated! I was ticked! But before I could even stand up, my sister-in-law Michelle, instead of stepping over me to finish the race, came and helped me up. Then she picked up my sun glasses that had fallen off and handed them to me. I may not have won the race, but I had someone to pick me up and encourage me. I felt like a winner.

I compete against myself a lot. Especially when it comes to housework. I like to use timers to see how much I can get done in 15 minutes. Last week as I wrote previously, went on a cleaning spree and an over haul of my house. I had a competition with myself to see if I can keep my office clean for a week. Now this is a hard task with school starting and computer work that needed to be done. Here is my office today. I call it the dungeon because it is dark and out of the way of the action going on in the rest of the house.

I managed to keep it looking clean, just like it was when I cleaned it a week ago. You should have seen it before I cleaned it. There was so much stuff piled on the desk I forgot for a while that I even had a desk calendar. Of course no one is going to run and give me a hug and cheer for me because I kept it clean. In fact no one will say anything about how great I am for keeping the office clean. That must be why so many mothers get discouraged about being homemakers. There are no medals, no cheers, no pay raises. For most of us, we have to get the joy by knowing that what we do is great and worth all the aches and pains. We have to give ourselves the medals. My medal of choice? Chocolate!

What a Productive Week!

2008-08-21T20:41:00.001-07:00

This week is BYU Education Week. I love going to the campus and learning about the scriptures, how to live and teach by the spirit, and how to be a better person. This year however, I didn't want to spend the money (which is not much) and I didn't want to make that drive everyday. I decided to take the opportunity to do a complete overhaul of my house. WOW! I am almost at a point where I can take visitors on a tour of my house. Even the closets! I usually get burned out by Wednesday when attempting something of this magnitude. This week I can even walk circles around the Energizer Bunny. I was able to work like a mad woman and still go swimming with my sisters (Jill, Tifani, and Jamie and their kids), hang out with my mom, watch some olympics, go school shopping, go visit with some neighbors, go to the temple, and have a warm meal for my family everyday. Well, Monday was Little Ceasar's Pizza, but it was warm nonetheless. Tomorrow I am going to tackle the weeds in my yard. It may require more than gloves and a hand shovel, like maybe a backhoe, but I am willing to give it a whirl. Here's to production!

In the Beginning

2008-08-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

I finally have a blog! I'm not sure why I picked today; maybe because I have a flower bed full of weeds that need to be pulled and it is 90 degrees outside. I am always on the look out for something better to do than what is on my "to do list".