Giving Thanks

I am back to work after enjoying the last 4.5 days "off". Our Thanksgiving dinner included most of the family this year, except for Ben and Caitlin who were up with Ben's family in Camp Verde, and the Tramundanas kids. Kathy and Victor stayed in Utah and made dinner up there, and Andy hosted Thanksgiving for his side of the family. It's always fun to have a house full of people. I love the moment when you get that first whiff of cooking turkey. Yummmmm. Jeanette made rolls with help from Emma and Sadee. Sarah made a beautiful raspberry jello salad, Stan brought corn, Alisha made some cheesecake pies and Jennifer made a lemon meringue pie. Other offerings: Mom made cranberry sauce, Zack made his traditional hot pickles (which I hear are very nummy, but I cannot eat them), Jeff used his muscle to mash the potatoes, then carve the turkey, and Becky and I continued our sweet potato war. I never really liked sweet potatoes until I saw Aunt Sadie cook them with brown sugar and butter, kinda chunky and really nummy. Becky liked that recipe, too, until she discovered cinnamon! Now she makes them like baby food - bake the sweet potatoes, peel, mash, and add all the other flavors. I am not a fan, but that's ok. She loves them, and so does everyone else. A couple of years ago, she was making the sweet potatoes. I assumed she would make them the "normal" way. I love the combination of a little bit of stuffing with sweet potatoes. I was horrified when I realized that instead she made the baby food style, almost completely pureed and flavored with cinnamon! I just about left the table, I was so disappointed. Since then, we have served 2 different bowls, cooked 2 different ways, and after a week, we usually have 2 different piles of yuck to throw away. We just can't seem to get the proportion right. Leftovers always sound sooo good BEFORE Thanksgiving.

Later that evening we enjoyed a wonderful rain storm and we even got some hail. It was like 45 minutes of winter, so we quickly got out the hot chocolate and marshmallows. I think it was an enjoyable day for everyone.

Friday and Saturday were days of doing nothing - for me. I crocheted and watched TV. I'm trying to get a new blankie finished for Sarah Ritchie. She loved her old one to death. Soon, very soon! Sunday - prepare myself for the marathon that is Primary. We found out that in 2 weeks our meeting time is changing to 8:30am! That's the best news I've heard in a long time! It is a really early time for families to get ready, but it's seems to be so much easier on the children. Afternoons from 3-5 pm is not a good time for Primary. We'll be home by 11:35, with the rest of the day to be productive. Or something like that.

We will be decorating our Christmas tree this evening, I hope. Should have done it this weekend when there was "nothing" to do. I love to have the house decorated for Christmas!

I'm off to Canada a week from tomorrow night for our annual BS trip, and just so you don't go "there", BS stands for Banff Springs. I get a little taste of Winter right before Christmas and I get to visit with some of my favorite people in the world! Have I mentioned before that I also look forward to breakfast at Eau Claire, and somewhere in there, lunch/dinner at Peking Garden? I know for a fact that there are some Canadians who look forward to Cafe Rio in Utah (we have one in Arizona, too), and In-n-Out Burger here in Arizona. So I guess it goes both ways. But we have something Calgary doesn't have....Baskin Robbins ice cream! I think I can be brave for a few days and live without the BR.

I'd also like to give thanks to Lara for updating my blog background. Sometimes a change is nice! Signing off....

Cyst Assistance

I have to say that time flys by soooo quickly when you try to record things. I've always been terrible at keeping a journal. There will be no way to ever write my biography because there are no records. All my stories will go with me...when I go. Maybe that's a good thing?

Yesterday I had 2 Dr's appointments: One with a urologist, a follow-up on the little kidney issue I had last year (the kidney isn't little, the issue was little). A year ago I got a pain early on a Sunday morning that wouldn't go away. Finally I agreed to go to the ER since I had started to vomit (lovely). I knew that was not a good sign. At the ER, the first order of business was to start an IV - not so fun. After a few attempts, they finally found a vein and started to give me the pain medicine. They gave me 3 different kinds before I felt like I could finally lie down on the bed and relax a little. I had some tests - CT scan and whatever - and initially they said I had a "growth" on my kidney which kinda freaked me out a little. All I could think was "kidney tumor". Zack and my home teacher gave me a blessing. I was in the hospital for 3 days, for no good reason. The urologist determined that I have a cyst on my kidney that had blocked the drainage, or something, which caused the pain. He said there was no reason to remove it as long as it wasn't causing any trouble. Honestly? The pain went away on Sunday night and never came back. It was a mystery to me - I wasn't sure what happened to make it go away. But then one of my friends looked at me like I was stupid (I was), and said, "Hmmmm, didn't you have a blessing?". Oh, duh. So, that's how it works! My arm looked terrible from all the iv's, and I was able to go home after they determined that my kidney's did indeed function. So the appointment yesterday was to give me the results of the follow-up CT scan I had a week ago. No change in the size of the cyst, and absolutely no problems for a year. Everyone was happy, but mostly me.

After that appointment, I had the pleasure of my annual mammygram. Yes, it's a pleasure. I was also blessed with an ultrasound of my left chestal region. Guess what I have? Yup, cysts. I have cysts throughout my body, I guess. There are also a couple of little areas that they are watching, but again, no change in them, so good news all around. After being adjusted, squished, mushed and inspected, I went home with all the dignity I could muster. I don't think anyone could tell by looking at me what I had just experienced, even though I felt like announcing to everyone in the waiting room, "I'M CLEAN!".

I Should Be Working...

Thirty days in 1000 words or less...quite the challenge. There is life after chocolate cake. Our ward was split the end of July, and I spent the better part of August trying to accept that fact. It was a terrible jolt to me. Most of my family was aware of that, but then, I think it was a jolt to all of us. We really, really loved our ward and our bishopric, and we felt so comfortable with so many friends. Going to church was an exciting event, even at 8:00 in the morning. The first few weeks in our new ward seemed like everyone was in shock - parts of 2 different wards suddenly thrust together to be one big happy family. It's getting better, I guess. I didn't have a new calling until last week. I was starting to wonder if I would get one at all. Unless I have a calling, it's very hard for me to spend 3 hours at church just sitting, waiting for it to be over. So, I'm the Primary Chorister. I have experience with that, but it's been about 20 years, if you can believe that. Back in the olden days, we didn't have the internet. So I've been given several resources for teaching songs and keeping the kids attention. I hope I don't turn into the "reverence troll". I just can't help the "shhhhh" sound that comes out of my mouth. I am determined to teach them reverence, with or without props. Wish me luck.

I love reading others blogs. I don't stalk very often, but when I do, I find myself lost in the chain...how did I get here? Can I ever find my way back? It's a little frightening, actually, like I have to get back to where I belong before somebody finds me where I don't belong. I feel like a blog voyeur. Peeky peek at your life? I don't make very many comments, but I read a lot and smile. I know some of you are on Facebook, but I'm not savvy to that. Any teachers out there? It just seems so young and hip for someone like me. Makes me feel like I'm trying to rap, or dance hip-hop, or even text! Texting exhausts me! I got one of those phones with a mini-keyboard. Better, but I still have the urge to spell everything out, spell everything correctly, and use punctuation. I might just as well call you since texting doesn't save me anytime. Anyway...I can text, I just don't like it much.

We have planned a little family campout/sleepover for Conference weekend. The plan is to put up a couple of tents in the back yard. Some of us will be sleeping there, and those who will not, can find a spot in the house. Wake up in the morning, have breakfast and watch Conference, etc. We will move the firepit on to the grass, with the tents pitched around it, and sit around the fire at night and sing camp songs. Ok, I admit, I have a vision in my head that probably won't happen, but I think it will still be fun, as long as the weather cools down a bit. What can be better than camping so close to indoor plumbing? I got the idea from "Jon and Kate", but I added the Conference part. Everyone looks at me like I'm crazy - that's a given. But I know 2 little girls that are excited about it!

Do any of you feel challenged when thinking of a title for your post? It gets me every time. Huge obstacle for me. I always wanted to write a children's book, but I can't think of a good title. Shouldn't you have that before you begin?

Chocolate Heaven

Another one. We made another cake. I spent all week baking the layers and wrapping them for the freezer. Friday night I made 5 double batches of chocolate butter cream icing (we still have leftovers). Saturday morning we began the great assembly. Becky was the designated "icer", I made sure she had enough product. She managed to squirt out all the little "kisses" without biting her tongue off. One thing we don't have is a shot of the finished product. Once we got to Wade and Kathie's house we added chocolate curls to the top, and the little horizontal edges of each layer. The chocolate curls and shaving were added free-form, they spilled over and we also artistically decorated the board around the bottom layer of the cake. It really was a sight to behold. But even better than looking at it, you should have smelled it! If you like chocolate at all, it was the best air freshener around.

The last shot shows how we delivered the cake - in the back of the van on a day when the temperature was about 108. We put the van in the garage, and turned it on (the garage door was open) about a half hour before leaving to let the AC cool it off as much as possible. We put the chocolate shavings in a container, in an ice chest. We loaded the little girls, and Mom. The middle seat of the van was put forward, with the cake sitting very heavily on the back of the seat with a folded towel and Becky's knees as shock absorbers. It tooks us about 45 minutes to get to the Melchin's house. We were very happy and relieved to deliver it safely. I hope it was delicious. At least I thought it looked yummy!

Later Gator!

I'm just counting the minutes until I can leave the office. It's 4:37 and I'm leaving at 5:00 for the airport. Mom and I are flying to Calgary tonight. The most exciting part is that we are flying stand-by, and hoping that we both get "on". I think we will. We are gone for a week. It's my third trip up there this year, but the other 2 have been weekend deals. I'm looking forward to a whole week! I won't bore you with the repitition of my favorite things to do, but I'm still looking forward to doing them! Zack always gives me the charge to take lots of pictures. I usually take a few, I'm just lazy about posting them. Make sure you check his blog for a rundown of our "Daycation" to the Grand Canyon. It was fun.

Well, so far I've eaten up 3 minutes. I have my files pretty much in order, so there is nothing for me to get started on. I'm seriously killing time. No doubt that right before I walk out the door, I'll get a phone call. Always happens.

When I get back I'll blog my recollections of the trip, and I will try to get some photos. It's 4:42. Only 18 minutes left.

No, I didn't forget...

Just over a week ago was Father's Day. I was out of town, so I was not able to enjoy the songs and talks that would have been presented at Church. And I don't really need to send out a card to my own dad. I think he knows my thoughts on that. So I sort of ignored the holiday, at least on the outside. But over the last few days, I have thought a lot about my father and what he did for me and my family during his lifetime, and how his life continues to bless us all. Is it necessary for me to share this? No, but I'm going to share it anyway.

Thank you, Dad, for:

1. Marrying Mom. I'm not sure what stars had to align for you to cross paths with her, but I'm glad you did. And you wooed her with a milkshake...how appropriate. Not that she necessarily loved milkshakes, but appropriate that you thought a milkshake would make an impression. I guess it did, and she does.

2. Working. During medical school he had 3 jobs, which he juggled while he had a wife and 2 children, then 3, and a calling at church. I never felt neglected and my mother never complained about the time he spent away from the family. She knew that he was doing it for their future, and she kept the "homefires burning" while Dad was at school or work. When he was home, he always made a little time for us (or we just took it), then it was back to studying late into the night, I'm sure.

3. Laughing. My dad had a great sense of humor, and I think he passed that on to his children. We sometimes laugh at each other, and sometimes it goes too far. But mostly, we enjoy laughing. I remember a conversation I had with my dad within the last couple of years of his life. He commented that he thought we should plant some seedless grapes in the back yard. I just looked at him and said, " Now, how are we supposed to do that?" He immediately got it, and sat there laughing, silently, with his shoulders moving up and down, and a big grin on his face. He also loved the line from the movie "The Great Race" - "Leslie, ran off with a chicken?". (I'll explain it later for those who are not familiar with that movie.)

4. Loving chocolate. My dad handed this down to me. I love chocolate in most forms. One Christmas, instead of making a gingerbread house, my dad made a chocolate house. I think he was a frustrated architect, too. Anyway, he used every type of chocolate candy he could find to put that house together. I remember him carefully heating up a scalpel to cut the chocolate into the right shape, and then melt the sides a little so that they would stick together. It was a beautiful creation. Lovely to look at, lovely to smell. I don't remember if we ate it, but I'm sure there was some sneaking of little bits here and there.

5. Serving in church callings. My dad always had a calling in church. And sometimes he recruited us to help him. When he was Sunday School Superintendant (back in the olden days), he printed up nice programs and decided to attach little scripture cards in each one - a reminder to memorize or read the verse during the week. We had a system of glueing with Rubber Cement glue - another wonderful smell! We put a blob of glue on a paper and used a tongue depressor or the eraser on the end of a pencil to dab into the glue and put it on the program, then the next person would stick the card on the dab of glue. Once they were dry, we folded them, again, very efficiently. You fold about 10 papers at a time, then pull them apart and make the final crease. I learned this from dad. What does it have to do with church callings? I guess it taught me to go the extra mile.

6. Teaching me how to type. During the summer between 5th and 6th grade, my dad signed me up for a typing class at my school. Every morning, I went to school with all the other typing nerds and learned to type on a manual typewriter. I think that's worse than walking to school uphill both ways! I could never really use my little finger to type on that monster, but boy was I a happy camper when electric typewriters were invented! Anyway, without saying anything to me about how this little skill would bless my life, my dad made it possible for me to learn how to type. i wll be fOrefer geatfil.

7. Letting me go on a mission. My dad planted the seed when I was 11 years old by giving me a gift at Christmas. The gift was pocket size scriptures, and he said I would be able to use them on my mission. That seed was planted VERY deeply. Ten years later when a mission was actually becoming a reality, I called my parents very early one morning (I was living in Hawaii, they were in Dallas) to tell them I had decided to go on a mission. My dad's response? "I've know that for years, but I'm glad you finally found out." He never once hesitated to support me in that decision. I think I'd put my parents through enough anxiety, so they were relieved that I had finally decided to do something worthwile.

8. Taking me fishing. Corny, I know. I used to love to go fishing, mostly because I didn't want to be left out. I was even able to thread a worm on a hook, or stick a hook through the back of a minnow. I was a little more distressed about actually catching a fish and taking out the hook. But I did it. I even cleaned fish with my brother, Jeff. Dad told us he couldn't clean fish because he needed to protect his hands from any cuts or germs. Once I realized that the reason dad didn't clean the fish because it was really gross, I didn't clean them anymore either. In fact, I lost interest in the whole process. A worm, no matter how simple a life, I'm sure has feelings. But at least my dad indulged me in the learning process, a little. He also took me duck hunting once. I never asked again.

9. Loving the simple things in life. My dad showed me how to enjoy simple joys. We used to go camping at a little lake near Dallas. If I told my friends we were going to the lake, they would assume Lake Dallas or that other big lake east of Dallas - Lake Ray Hubbard? But no, we were at a little private, scruffy lake. At this little lake, there was an old abandoned house on the hill. I loved to walk through it and imagine the family that used to live there. I always wanted to find some artifact that would give some clue, but I never did. We also used to vacation in Mexico. Cabo, you ask? Puerto Vallarta? No. The interior. Deep, deep interior. No beaches, no stores, no nothin'. But you know what? We still had fun and I have great memories of those vacations. As a side note, my dad taught me to appreciate a good cemetary - the older the better.

10. Taking care of us all. My dad used to say "We have everything we need, and most of the things we want." I think my dad would have done anything to give us those things. When I was little, I would beg nicely for some spending money. I remember a time period right after my mission, within the first week home, when every morning, my dad would come into my room and wake me up and ask what I was going to do that day. I never had a plan, but he would always ask if I needed any money. I always said no. But he would always leave $20 on the dresser. I felt so guilty - I would never touch it until I had cleaned up the family room, or the kitchen or something, so I would feel like I deserved the money. Dad has always taken care of us ALL. Even now, we are blessed financially because of the decisions that dad made at some point in his life.

I would like to say that these words are not meant to exclude my mother in any way. Dad would be the first to admit that most of the time it was Mom who had the good idea, and I would have to agree. She quietly supported my dad in everything, never asking for recognition, or credit.

Also, this is not an complete list of reasons that I appreciate and love my dad. But you get the idea.

Ketchup!

Let's see if I can remember what's been happening over the last few weeks that I have not posted!

Since April 11th, hmmm.... Ok so I don't remember anything in April yet. The first weekend of May, though, was really fun! I came up with a plan to surprise Cathy for her birthday. I enlisted Lara to help me, and of course, she enlisted Erin and Melinda. There was a wise decision to NOT tell Rick. As wonderful as he is, there was a huge risk that he might blurt it out. I flew in on Friday afternoon, Cathy's actual birthday. Lara picked me up, and the coordinating began so that Erin would get to the house at the same time. When we got to the front door, Melinda answered and said that Cathy was on the phone...wait, wait, wait. Then we decided to all go in, kids included, and wait inside. Erin had made a beautiful cake and the kids were going to sing Happy Birthday. I waited on the stairs, just below the wall to the TV/bedroom level. When they got to the ending, I jumped up and sang with them. I think I am safe to say the Cathy was indeed surprised! Speaking from experience, it is very disorienting to be surprised. We visited for a few minutes, then Lara and Erin left to take the kids home so all the girls could go out for dinner. Part of the perfect plan is that Rick was out of town, so he didn't have to deal with all the chaos.

That weekend was all about the "food". We went to Earll's on Friday night which is always delicious, then back to the house for a visit. We are not a "party" bunch. The next morning Cathy and I went to Eau Claire downtown to our favorite little breakfast place. I've probably posted about it before cause I'm having a little deja vu right now. Anyway, after that we did some errands - always fun when you run errands in another country and have someone to laugh with! We tried really hard to work off the breakfast because we planned to somehow get in a dinner at Peking Garden. We succeeded! Yes, it was all about the food. Sunday was Church and a little visit before going back to the airport. It was another quick trip, but it was so much fun! I had to keep reminding myself that it was Cathy's weekend. The fact that I was enjoying it was a bonus.

At work, the month of May started out just fine. As we progressed to the end of the month, it got more stressful and the last week was a killer. I'm just so glad it's over and that everything has basically worked out. It's very frustrating to have to depend on others to complete the job that I started, and to have others do it poorly.

I have a new great-niece! Her name is Camille, and her parents are Jeff and Alisha. We got to see her on Memorial Day, and she is just gorgeous! She has a full head of dark hair and she looks like her mama. Jillian looks just like her daddy. It looks like Camille will have huge eyes like her big sister.

I have a weird feeling that my time in YW may be over soon. Maybe not. But I think they will be making a change in the YW president after camp in a couple of weeks, and you never know what that will bring. I would be really sad to go.

The weather has been pretty nice lately. A few weeks ago it got really hot, then it cooled way down to the 50's! Weird. It has slowly warmed back up, but it's been very comfortable.

I just remembered something else from May...Kerri and Cade were down for her work. I went up to their hotel one evening to watch Luke while they went to a formal dinner. I decided to take Emma with me because Luke doesn't know me that well, and I know that babies always relate better to little people. Well, I was right. It was so funny to see him laugh at Emma, and when it was time to put him to bed and he cried, he grabbed onto Emma and wouldn't let her go. He is not that much smaller than she, but he still felt more comforted holding onto her. I even asked her to climb into the little crib with him, which she did willingly (for $5), to help him settle down. Did it work? Not really. He did settle down, but Emma fell asleep before he did. Luke was awake when Kerri and Cade came back, but the good news was that he was alive and well. I always think that's a good goal to have when you are in charge of a child!

I promise to post some pictures so my posts aren't so boring! Ta! Ta!

IMO

I spent several precious minutes yesterday working on a new entry. I thought I saved it. I didn't. So for those of you who have had this happen to you in the past, you will understand that I am less than enthused about trying to remember what I had typed. I'm sure it was enjoyable.

I have been out of town the last two weekends: Calgary 2 weeks ago, and Utah last weekend. The fact that I was also a little bit pressured at work made travelling less thrilling. But I did enjoy the break during the moments when I wasn't thinking about work. I usually went to sleep and woke up trying to figure out how to get things done when I wasn't in the office. I can now say that two-thirds of my stress is now resolved. And the other third is a little out of my hands. So I'm feeling better...On to the new stress!

The trip to Utah was nice. We stayed at Little America which turns out to be very convenient in many ways: coffee shop, little store, location, Richelieu furniture...yeah, don't know what that is either, but we had it. I really missed my Sleep Number bed and ceiling fan. I sleep hot and I don't like to touch my own skin at night, so I really depend on a little circulation to cool down.

I ordered room service every morning except for the last day. On Friday, Mom and I ate together. Saturday and Sunday I was by myself. I did the usual "throw them off" order: I was by myself, but I wanted eggs, bacon and pancakes, too, so I ordered 2 drinks so the delivery guy would never suspect that I was going to eat both breakfasts myself! I'm so clever. Like they really care. Some of you know that I am compelled to justify, clarify, and defend my every action. I just can't look at someone and say "nunya". Anyway, the french toast was very good. Better than the pancakes which I only tasted! Just in case you are wondering.

Rather than give a complete rundown of each day, let me share some random thoughts:

Conference Visitors - You see all types of people at the Conference Center. Some of the obvious foreign visitors were from Ecuador, I think. A gentleman wearing a dark blue wool poncho, ankle length linen type pants, canvas and rope type sandals with the rope tied around his ankles, a hat and a long single braid down his back. Ecuador? I think so. If the hat had been a little different, I would have said Bolivia. There were also some African outfits that were interesting. Being me, I also have to comment on those people that were wearing outfits that screamed "what were you thinking". Then I had to remind myself that maybe this WAS their Sunday best, and I pulled the "beam" out of my own eye. I, however, looked spectacular!

Distribution Center - It's been a long while since I have "needed" anything from there, but I still feel the need to browse. It's difficult to resist grabbing up a bunch of the "No Charge" items, but then, what would I do with 50 Personal Progress books? Sell them? So just to keep them in business, because I know they are struggling, I buy the token miniature Book of Mormon. It's so cute. Don't know what I'll do with it yet, but I love the feel of the pages. Good smooth paper. I now have a complete family of the BoM- large print Daddy size, regular Mommy size, and little bitty baby size. Now if Three Bears ever come calling, I'll be able to convert them!

Downtown SLC - It's either wonderful church sites, or scum of the earthville. What is up with that? I know there is a lot of renovation going on, and I can't wait. The parking is horrible, and there are no decent restaurants. You can eat at The Garden, or The Lion House. And you know what? I think it's the same darn food! All they do is use different dishes, and let you decide whether you want to do it cafeteria style or have a waiter bring it to you. One thing for sure - the rolls are the same! So how about a little variety? Why can't someone open a Texas Roadhouse or In and Out Burger in the vicinity? How about a new ice cream store since they killed Snelgroves? Who's with me on this?

Ok. I think I'm done. I still don't remember what I originally typed, but I guess it doesn't matter. I'll try to get some pics posted. That's my next goal.

Here and There

Yes, I knew that trying to post at least once a week would be difficult. Nevertheless, I will keep trying. I have noticed that my desire to post is directly correlated to my stress level - the higher the stress, the less likely that I will post. Hence....I'm feeling a little less stressed right now.

I just got back last evening from a short visit to Calgary to attend the blessing of Melinda and Michael's new baby, Claire. When I left AZ, the temp was around 85. When I got to Calgary, it was 1 degree. Keep in mind that there is a change from Fahrenheit to Celsius. Still, quite the swing in temp. And it snowed Saturday night, but it was beautiful - big, fluffy flakes that stacked up on the smallest branch. Life does not stop for a little snow in Calgary. I always enjoy visiting with the family, and an added bonus was that Kerri and Luke were there, too. By the time they left, Luke would actually look me in the face. I also feel that I made progress with Erik, Lara and Sean's little boy. He does not really speak to anyone, choosing instead to communicate by growling like a lion, a sweet, gentle little lion. If you growl back, he seems pleased that you are actually acknowledging him. He did approach me a few times and I picked him up and chatted about whatever, anything to keep his attention and let him know that I'm someone he can trust. When Sean and Lara were leaving on Saturday evening, I became aware that Erik was kind of sing-talking in the background, not really to anyone in particular, just out loud. As I listened, I realized that he was singing "good-bye, Judy - good-bye, Judy"! What? He said my name. I am a real person as far as Erik is concerned.

I hope this doesn't sound like some kind of social experiment, because it wasn't. But anyone who has been around Erik knows that it is a gift for him to acknowledge and actually enjoy your presence. Right?

So the actual reason for the trip was the Baby Blessing. I will post more on that when I attempt to also post some pictures! I know, don't faint!

Same Ol' Stuff

What's new? Not really anything. I was talking to Cathy Melchin the other day and she used the phrase "every day is Groundhog's Day". That's what I feel like sometimes - same routine, different day, with very few exceptions. Even down to reporting the activities of others, it's still the same thing, different week. Mom and Zack went on a road trip last week, got home this week. Becky and I were alone in the house and sometimes we even saw each other - she goes to bed around 7, or earlier. So on my late nights, I didn't see her. I wandered around the house all by myself, nobody to talk to, so sad....not. I enjoyed the quiet.

One thing that is new and different, I am now a red-head, with blond highlights. It's really not so shocking and now that I have red hair, I realize how non-descript my actual hair color is. As the roots start to show, I have the feeling that I will keep this red hair!

I also want everyone north of the border to know that I'm wearing sandals today, and it's almost 80 outside, a crisp coolish 80 degrees. I have to make the most of it right now because all too soon it will be a crisp hotish 100 outside. And nobody will be jealous.

I'm still crocheting like a mad woman, trying to get a white blankie done for Melinda's baby who came early without asking permission! I'm actually almost done with it, then I have to figure out how to get it in her hands before March 30th, the blessing day. I'm thinking the best way is to deliver it personally.

Mom and I are also planning a trip to SLC for Conference. I'm looking forward to that - I always enjoy the break. The only real vacation I'm anticipating is going to Calgary in May. The last few trips there have been in the Winter, so I've seen lot's of snow. Better not be snowing in May - although I seem to remember snow 4 years ago when Melinda and Michael got married. Hmmm....June?

Went to the grocery store last weekend (oooo! big news!) and saw the cutest thing! Those who know me well are aware of my attraction to almost anything miniature: tiny ketchup bottles, tiny little books, tiny flashlights, etc. Well, can you imagine my delight when I saw itty bitty little cartons of Haagen Dazs ice cream? They were 10 for $10! So I bought 5. They are/were so cute! I sat down that night with a spoon, opened the teeny tiny lid, and pulled off the teeny tiny paper. I waited a teeny tiny minute to give the ice cream a chance to soften a little. I took my first teeny tiny bite. Yummo. Haven't had HD for awhile. Second bite. Just as yummy. Third bite as well. Fourth bite hit the spot. As I scraped the bottom of the teeny tiny carton, I decided that I needed a teeny tiny bit more! Next time, I'll splurge a teeny tiny bit!

Happiness and Joy

I decided to list some things that bring Happiness and Joy to my life. I thought I would start out with 20, then decided that I needed to reduce that to 10. Then I decided that if I have more than 10, I'll keep going, so who knows where this will end up? These are not really in any particular order, but those of the psychology persuasion might say otherwise...

1. Being able to relax and crochet: When I am sitting down to crochet, it usually means my mind is clear, so that's always a good thing. Making a blankie is another experience altogether, expecially if I'm crocheting with a purpose. For instance, right now I'm working on a blankie for Melinda's new baby girl (a white one for her blessing day). So as I stare at the yarn while crocheting, I get to think of Melinda and the baby, even though I don't know her yet. A few weeks ago, I was working on a pretty deep pink blankie which was also for Melinda's baby. Sadee was watching me and quietly said "I want a blankie like that." So in mid-crochet, I changed the owner to Sadee, and everytime she saw me working on it, she would smile and say "that's my blankie". I still have enough yarn to do one for Melinda's baby, though.

So that was way too long for one entry, and I don't know if I should count it as 1 or 2...

2. A clean room: order, peace, quiet. I love my room, but I especially love it when it's basically clean.

3. Sunday after church: Our meetings start at 8:00 this year, but before you groan, remember that starting at 8 means we get out at 11! Love that!

4. A clean car: Haven't had that in a while, but it does bring me happiness.

5. Driving home from work: Does this really need explanation?

6. Fresh nails: Yes, this is shallow, but I love having freshly painted nails.

7. An empty dishwasher: I absolutely detest unloading the dishwasher! But, if the dishwasher is empty, I love loading it. Don't know why this is, but it just is. Becky and I have worked out a nice symbiotic relationship - she empties, I load. I'd rather load it 100 times, than empty it once.

8. A good batch of cookie dough: Chocolate chip, of course. Normally, my mouth starts to water when I'm stirring in the flour and chips. What I love is a big spoonful of freshly made cookie dough. I don't even have to bake any cookies. Lately, though, I've not been too happy with our vanilla extract. I need to buy some good vanilla.

9. Mornings that I don't have to wash my hair: This particular chore adds a good 30-40 minutes to my morning routine, and those of you who know me well, know that I would rather sleep than wash my hair. I love clean hair, mind you, but drying it takes way too long. So I love knowing that I don't need to get up "early". This morning was a "no wash" day. Love it.

10. Three little girls: When the front door opens and I see those little girls, my day immediately gets brighter. I love to watch them - they absolutely know the routine at our house. One time, several months ago, I let Emma and Sadee have some hot chocolate. They pulled chairs up to the counter. I gave them cups, spoons and the can of hot chocolate mix. I let them spoon in however much chocolate they wanted, and I gave them marshmallows. They would put a handful in the cup, eat the globby marshmallows, and then ask for more. Sure, I said. Eat all you want. Did they make a mess? A little bit, but nothing that didn't wipe up. Did they drink all the hot chocolate in their cup? No. But watching them brought me happiness and joy.

11. Looking at pictures from the family reunion: I can't believe that it's almost a year since our reunion. I'm still amazed at how wonderful it was to see everyone! I love to look at all the faces, and even though we don't see each other so often, it gives me happiness and joy to remember that week we spent together.

12. Looking forward to a trip/vacation: I love having something to anticipate. I plan every detail in my head. I'm notorious for packing early. This is a good thing.

13. Knowing that my DVR actually worked: Ok, another shallow thing. But it's true. I think I'm more proud of my accomplishment in setting it to record than actually watching whatever was recorded.

Ok. That's it for now. Maybe you should make a list, too. For a few moments, just thinking about these few pleasures will bring a smile to your face. Have a wonderful week!

Just Desserts

Ok, so I missed a week. Sorry about that. I feel like I owe myself an apology because I had a goal to post at least once a week.

Since my last post I have visited the Happiest Place on Earth. There was a trip planned, but because of Becky's surgery, we weren't sure if we could go. We went. It was fun. Our 2nd day there, Becky rented an electric cart. All that walking on the day before took it's toll. So she zoomed off in her cart down Main Street, quite literally leaving us in the dust, seemingly unaware that we were not jogging to keep up with her. When we finally got her to stop, she lowered the speed on the cart and that seemed to work better. The advantage of the cart was that she didn't have to walk so much...so we thought! The REAL advantage was something that we hadn't even considered...when one of the party is in a cart or wheelchair, the entire party gets to avoid the lines and go right to the "jumping off point". Kinda fun, for the first few rides. Then we even became impatient with that...Why are we waiting so long? Can't they see we have a person in a cart? Is this discrimination towards cart people? There is also some pressure to not look too happy that you have a cart person in your party. It would just not be right to be so happy about someone with a disability, would it? That night Sarah, Sadee and I wanted to go on the Matterhorn, but how to do it without a cart person? A-ha...switch places with the cart person. So I did, and I found that the crowd seemed to part in front of me. We did have to go through part of the line, but not the last snaking part. The whole time I was in line, I started to panic that they were going to ask me why I was in the cart...what if my reason for being in the cart was severe enough to keep me off the ride? The whole "blue", must-explain-everything part of my personality was bubbling to the surface! Panic. Uhh, I have a bad knee? I have a bad back? I have a sore throat? I just had surgery? I'm lazy and didn't want to wait in line? Sarah finally convinced me that I didn't have to give any explanation, so I did my best to keep my mouth shut and not smile because I didn't have to wait in line. I dutifully hobbled over to the little Matterhorn car and stepped in, buckled up and held on. Within the first couple of jerks of the ride, I realized 2 things: 1) I didn't really like this ride at night, and 2) I think the jerking has wrenched my back. Good thing I have an electric cart!

Medical Check-up

We are mostly healthy now. A couple of weeks ago Becky developed a gut pain that would not go away. She stayed home from work, thinking she might need to go to the emergency room. I had a commitment in north Phoenix, so I took her to the ER, but I could not stay. It was weird to just drop her off "bye" and then then leave. Mom was able to get over there by mid-morning. After a few tests and scans, it was determined that she had an obstruction and she was transferred to the hospital in Phoenix to see her surgeon. How many people do you know that have a surgeon? Well, Becky does. He said she had...well, I don't really understand what the issue was, but they went in laproscopically (sp?) and repaired it. By 8:00 that night she was out of recovery and sleeping like a drugged up baby. The sore throat that she felt coming on a few days prior was a distant memory. This all happened on a Wednesday. She came home on Friday and recovered the following week. Yesterday the doctor released her to return to work, but she has a restriction - she cannot lift anything over 20lbs for a month. I guess she'll have to postpone her clean & jerk training until late March. And we'll only buy 10lbs of potatoes at a time. My mom is concerned because all of her kids have been in the ER and/or hospital within the last 8 months. She, however, has been healthly. We decided that it might be our Taylor genes. Becky and I were wondering if we are all hypochondriacs, but each time there has been a legitimate malady. Becky wins the prize, though. She's been in twice. Becky had a surgery in June. Zack went in October - kidney stone. I went the end of October - kidney cyst. Jeff was in for MRSA - look it up. Jennifer - dislocated hip. Mom is getting a reputation at the Family History Center for the least healthy children: "I need to leave. My daughter is in the hospital." "I need to leave. My other daughter is in the hospital." "I won't be in. My son is in the hospital." " I need to leave. My other daughter is in the hospital. No, the other one." Fact of the matter is that we don't really get "sick", we have just had some weird issues. But for the moment, everything is good...knock on wood!

It Finally Happened

Well, I was going to post last night so that I could keep up with my "once a week" posting goal. However, our evening was filled with trying to find out information about Pres. Hinckley. It was very interesting how quickly the news spread. We do live in an amazing age of technology. While knowing that he could go at any time, once it happened it was a jolt to the system. Poor man, every time he got up to speak, we all evaluated how much he had aged in the last few months. I read in one of the articles about him that he prayed that he wouldn't "linger" in his old age. How wonderful that he was productive up to the very end. There are so many thoughts that I have about him, and about the organization of the church. I am looking forward to his funeral. I remember when Pres. Kimball died and the first thought I had was that he would be reunited with his mother who had passed away when he was a boy of 10 or 11. He missed her so much. When I was born, David O. McKay was president of the church. He is the prophet who issued the call to Pres Hinckley as an Asst to the Twelve in 1958. I will give one piece of advice: If you have not already read Pres Hinckley's biography by Sheri Dew, read it. If you have read it, read it again. He is an amazing man.

Once a week

Life is back to...normal? Mom came home yesterday, a couple of days earlier than expected. That was a nice surprise for us. We went out to Native New Yorker for chicken wings with Jennifer after picking up Mom at the airport. I know she (Mom) was tired from the exhausting visit she had in Dallas. She said she got to visit with most of the cousins while there and because she was there for almost 2 weeks, there was plenty of time to have some nice relaxed visits with Mary and Jesse and Uncle Ed (Julie was in Japan).

Today in church our speaker was a young man who is leaving in 10 days for his mission in Bolivia. This is a boy that had always stood out in a quiet, yet strong way among the other young men in our ward. He is confident, happy, and has no problem expressing his testimony of the gospel. In my opinion, he is a young man who not only meets the raised bar, I think he helped to raise it even more. I will be interested to see his progression, not only on his mission, but after. One thing that I enjoyed the most about his talk today is that he wasn't silly at all. He has a great sense of humor, but that doesn't mean you have to be silly. He isn't one of those young men that seems like a "boy" before his mission and then comes home a "man". I predict that he will come home a little older and with some wonderful experiences to share. But he is already a very strong leader and an excellent example of being 100% ready to go on a mission.

As you may or may not be aware, the housing market in our area is very slow. People are still buying homes, but at a much slower pace. Much, much slower. I'm am still confident, that I can make it through this slump as long as it picks up by the end of the year. It's scary times. I feel like I'm too old to start a new career, so I'm praying that I can make it through. Anyone need a nanny?

Status quo

I have had a pretty good week (knock on wood!). Last Thursday some of us went to the temple. We are trying to have a monthly family temple night. Ben and Caitlin came - it was their 2nd time. Nice to be there for them. We ran into Kathy Melchin, Wade's wife. She told us that their daughter, Bridgette, is in the MTC on her way to Lithuania on a mission. Lithuania? Oh my goodness!

Friday, I went to dinner with Becky, Zack and Jennifer at Native New Yorker. Still gotta love those wings! On Saturday, Becky and I drove with Sarah and the little girls up to Camp Verde (north of Phoenix on the way to Flagstaff) for Ben and Caitlin's Open House up there. His parents have a very nice home. They even served us dinner before the party started. It was nice to be around them. Honestly? They seem like they've always been related to us. Very welcoming, very warm, very relaxed visit. We drove home that evening, arriving a little after 11pm. Church is at 8, remember. I felt like my lesson in YW was good. My girls are very active and respond to questions really well. That's always a good feeling. I worry that they are getting bored with me. I've been teaching some of them for over 2 years.

The weather? It's beautiful. Two weeks ago when Ben and Caitlin got married, it was soooo cold! I was really caught off guard. But the last few days have been beautiful. I see the weather reports across the country with blizzards and tornados and I'm thankful that all we have to deal with is the summer heat.

Yesterday in church the speakers were the High Councilor and a Sr missionary couple. Remember my resolution to "thank" the speakers each Sunday? Well, I was successful, I'm proud to say. I didn't even have to fake it - I told them "thank you so much for coming out so early for us." Actually, the talks were ok, too. Missionary work. Go figure.

Mom is in Dallas for another week. The house is really quiet without her. I turned on a light in her room so it wouldn't be so dark in there. When I went in, I noticed there is a crossword puzzle on her bed, a definate sign that she's been there. But not for a week. I've been able to speak with her almost every day, and she's not as far away as when she was in Panama. And they do speak English in Dallas, so I guess she's ok. It will be nice to have her home. There is something comforting about having her take a little nap on the couch in the evening. We'll have to plan a dinner out next Monday when she comes home!

If I think about it, I'll try to get some pics on here when I get home.

All Alone

Mom left us - again. She went to Dallas on Monday to visit with the Mary's and the Ed's. She will be gone for 2 weeks. There are many things we will miss while she is gone:

1. Daily crossword puzzles in various stages of completion set here or there until she can get back to finish (always with a pen clipped to the folded newpaper section).

2. Mail delivery. Yes, the mailman brings the mail to our box, but we have one of those community boxes and Mom has always gone to get the mail. We have the key, but we aren't sure which box is ours. Sarah might have to show us - or maybe Zack knows. I just hope there aren't any bills!

3. Dry cleaning service. There is a magical thing that happens in our house. If you have something that needs cleaning, you put it on the ottoman at night. The next morning, it's gone, and by the time you get home from work, it will be hanging on the hall tree in plastic - all clean. It's kind of like the cobbler's shoes, only it's dry cleaning and we are pretty sure that it's mom doing it.

4. All the lights are on. Mom is the only one in our house who knows how to turn off the lights, and she demonstrates it all the time - sometimes while you are still in the room reading.

5. BYU Channel. I tease Mom that this is the "only true" TV channel. Only problem? They never have any original programming. I'm not interested in 15 year old football or volleyball games. Actually, neither is Mom, but she does like to listen to devotionals and the like. Reminds me of when I was about 11 or 12 and we would only get one session of Gen'l Conference on Sunday morning. She would turn on the little TV in my room and tell me to wake up. I promised to. I always heard the opening song and prayer and the closing song and prayer. I think she is still trying to make sure that at some point each day we are exposed to something good.

6. Solitaire. Mom quite frequently uses the computer to work on classes for the Family History Center. But part of every lesson (usually the last part) is a game or two of solitaire. She is very good with the mouse.

7. Leftovers. We always have leftovers in the fridge because Mom always says she is going to eat them. While she is gone, we are going to give them as an offering to the "leftover god". We will, however, wait a respectable amount of time to make sure there is no chance of reprieve.

8. Dishes. While Becky and I are quite capable of loading and unloading the dishwasher, it seems that doing so brings great joy to our mother. So we try to give her ample opportunity to refine her kitchen cleaning skills. She is very good at the dish thing.

9. Phone calls. Everyone leaves the house in the morning before I get up. Maybe twice a month, the phone will ring at about 7:30. I always answer it because I think it might be Mom, and I'm right. She will ask me to make sure that she unplugged her curling iron, then tell me to have a good day, and I tell her to, too. She has never forgotten to unplug her curling iron, by the way. But I appreciate the phone calls and the chance to say good morning to her.

10. Saying good night. Sometimes Mom sneaks into her room and goes to sleep without announcing it. But most of the time as we all make our departures to our room, we have the opportunity to close the day with a "good night" to each other. I hope someone will wish her a good night while she is gone.

These are just a few things that we have to do without while Mom is gone. My niece, Sarah, says that Becky and I are "mama's girls". I accept that. We will try to be brave.

I Hereby Resolve...

I rarely make New Years resolutions, especially in public. But in an effort to really take advantage of this new beginning, and put into action some of the things that I wish I had been doing, I'm going to tell you some of my resolutions. I tell you only because it somehow makes me a little more accountable. I have already written them down and carry them in my purse. One of the enduring lessons of my mission is "A goal not written is only a wish". The other reason to write them down? So I don't forget them.

1. Every week at church I want to personally thank each speaker. I know I always appreciate the comments I get after speaking and usually they are from random people, ones I don't usually have contact with. So I am choosing to "pay it forward" and let each speaker know that I appreciate their efforts. I will take a "pass" each Fast Sunday.

2. Send birthday cards to everyone in my Corbett family. Since I have their addresses and birthdates in my book, I'm going to make good use of that information. I want everyone to know that I'm thinking of them. Please explain to your small children who I am.

3. I'm going to read my Relief Society manual along with the schedule even though I don't attend RS (I've been in Young Women for 2 years, and Primary for a year prior to that). I'm looking forward to the new Joseph Smith manual.

4. I have a new Visiting Teaching companion and route. I'm going to actually do better at this. I always feel like such a failure because I'm terrible at this. As proud as I am of what I do with the YW, I suspect that my VT ladies know the real truth about my dedication. I also do not look forward to being at work all day and then having to go out an "visit" again. A new year, new companion, new list.

5. Read the Book of Mormon. This is the course of study in Gospel Doctrine this year so I will read it again. But actually I will attend the Gospel Essentials class. I like the more intimate group.

6. Finish my History class. I signed up for a class on line last Fall, totally stressed out that I only have 12 months to finish it. I'm half way done. Biggest obstacle? The mid-term! I have to study 6 possible essay questions and write for an estimated 90 minutes. I have finished the first 6 chapters and quizzes and I have a 97% average. But, the tests were multiple choice and open book. I think the mid-term might actually require me to remember something. I have always had an interest in this subject so I'm hoping that I can be motivated to finish with a respectable grade.

So there you have it. These are the things that I have resolved to do. I guess the list can change - be added to, I mean. I don't think I've taken on too much. Meeting these goals will require that I watch less TV in the evening, and I will actually have to schedule time to get things done (like studying).

Hope you are enjoying the New Year so far! I am.

Ima Yarn Nerd

Melinda: See which one (if either) of these colors will work the best for your baby bedding. The darker one is called Watermelon. The lighter one is called Bright Pink (how clever!). The lighter one is a little more vivid than the color I did for you personally. The darker one is kind of nice, too. It isn't flourescent, even though it may look that way. Remember, I already have a pale pink one almost finished - it's the "little girl" blankie. This one is for the nursery. So, see what you think and let me know so I can get started. If neither of these hits you, I can do a bright blue, or a lavender/purple. Honestly? I know there are lots of colors in the bedding but I can't remember them all. I can also do one that is like the yellow in a sunflower - really bright. I think I did one like that for Erin and Scott. If all else fails, take a picture of the bedding and post it for me like Kerri did.