Grace

Our lives here have been a little crazy and until I knew what some the craziness was going to come to I haven't wanted to write about it.  On top of that, one of our computers decided to die on us and with 2 children in online school I never get anytime to get on the computer unless it's after everyone has gone to bed.  I'll catch everyone up on all that we have done but I just have to quickly write about my day.  To understand my day I need to take you back 2 weeks.

It was decided that I needed to have an overnight sleep study done to see if I have sleep apnea.  I shared some of my concerns with family who have had sleep studies done before and they told me not to worry.  Needless to say, my worries came true only they weren't as bad as I thought they would be.  I showed up at my appointment time and when it was my turn to get all "hooked up" is when those worries were realized.  I had wires down my clothes, attached to my head, my face, my neck, my double chin, my chest, my legs.  I also had sensors that were wrapped around my tummy and chest.  I was afraid because the paper said that they could place sensors in my nose and or mouth.  I was told that it wouldn't happen, but to my surprise, I had not 1 but 2 sensors placed in the opening of my nose.  It wasn't too bad, it was like going back to wearing oxygen.  By the time I was done I must have looked like one of the Borg. It's the best way I can think of to explain what I think I looked like.  All I could imagine was when the Borg are attached in their little holding cell thing and they are plugged in and there are all these wires everywhere.  I think I've been watching too much Star Trek.

After waiting for 2 weeks I went into see my doctor today.  It has been an off day and I was barely able to squeeze in a shower and dry my hair before I had to leave.  I thought that I was lookin' pretty good except for the fact that I never got to do my make up.  I even had on my oh so cute denim high heel sandals that have an open toe so you could see my blue toe nails. For some of you, to clarify, these are not the blue and white checked high heel sandals that I wore for family pictures and fell in the middle of the road in.

So, here is the good part.  Picture it, me running late (nothing new so far).  I open the door to the very quiet waiting room and as I step through the doorway I stepped to my side.  My foot moved but my shoe stayed where it was, it liked where it was.  I start to tumble and fall but amazingly I catch myself on the door jam with my lightning fast reflexes (haha).  There were only 2 women in the waiting room and they both looked up and just as quickly looked back down.  I could hear some giggling at the receptionist desk and I was kind of giggling myself.  As I walked up to the counter the lady asked for my name and as I answered her I also said, way to make an entrance there.  She kept doing her job and then asked me what I had said, I repeated my name.  She said no, before, oh my we weren't laughing at you there was something else going on.  Uh Huh! I told her it was okay because I was laughing at myself.  When it's that obvious that you just fell into a room it's really hard to hide what you just did.

Not just anyone can enter their doctor's waiting room with that much style and class and pull it off.

Yep, just call me Grace!!


By the way, I do have sleep apnea and will have another sleep study in 2 weeks.  Really! As if being an uncoordinated Borg with Fibromyalgia and RA isn't enough, now I have to add another diagnosis to my ever growing list that makes me the freak that I am.  There is no way I'm going to ask what else because I could end up with multiple surgeries in one day again :)

The star Spangled Banner

I absolutely melt every time I hear this man sing.  I love how Trace Adkins sings and overall his deep voice.  We saw him in concert a few years ago and it was amazing.  In fact that was the concert that we have been to. I think I have almost all of his CD's and almost lost 2 of them when we sold our car, they had fallen underneath one of the seats and was almost lost forever.  Trace Adkins sings about normal everyday stuff and has many songs that praise your everyday hardworking man and our Country and soldiers.

A couple weeks ago I had heard that he was going to be singing the National Anthem at one of the college football games and I missed it. However, today on Facebook they had a link to him singing the National Anthem at the 2011 MLB World Series - Game 2.  He sounds amazing and so of course I have to share this with everyone :)  I still am amazed at how low his voice can go.

Here is the link, I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.

Trace Adkins singing The Star Spangled Banner

An Award!!

My friend Jaymie who writes dancesdishesanddreams awarded me this along with several other people.  I love reading her blogs.  She has 2 blogs, her other blog is becomingwhatibelieve.  Both are amazing to read.  Jaymie is working on earning her English degree and has been teaching reading to children.  I just think she is amazing. 

The rules for this award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave the award to you.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Send it along to 15 other bloggers and let them know that you've awarded it to them. 
(I wish I followed 15 blogs and had the time to enjoy them but I don't 
so I will share this award with as many as I can)

Seven Fantabulous Things About Me: 


1- I enjoy cooking and baking. Finding new recipes are always exciting.


2- I love to write.  Being creative and sharing my life and thoughts is therapeutic.


3- I have been married for 17 years.  


4- Embracing my limitations is hard but it has taught me how to look at life differently.
I am able to enjoy all the little things better.


5- I love to laugh and have fun.


6- Family is the most important thing in my life.


7- Living frugally is like a game for me.  Making things from scratch for my family brings more
joy for me than I ever thought it could.


namebrandmomingenericjeans


kgreenfamily


coalcreekfarm


My Family


sincelastweekwithglenandshelly


theivs


theworldthroughtheeyesofme


waveatthebus

Due to my poor editing, I can not explain why half of the links are green (the right color) and why half are black.  Thanks for bearing with me :)

Sacrifice

My cousin shared this on Facebook today and I had to share this with everyone.

I don't think people truly understand the cost and sacrifice it takes for us to be able to enjoy our way of life.

Thank you to all who are brave and willing to serve our Country!!

Saturday at Temple Square

We were able to spend today together as a family and took the opportunity to visit Temple Square.  We first went to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building where they have the Legacy Theater and watched the movie that they are showing right now.  It is Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration.  It was amazing to watch all that he went through so that we can enjoy the blessings that come from our loving Heavenly Father.

The Joseph Smith Memorial Building is so beautiful.  It used to be a hotel and then a few years ago the church went through and did a big makeover and changed it into more of a very nice reception building.  It also has the theater, several dinning rooms, some different restaurants and a family history center.

The front of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

This is the inside of the lobby.  I love all the chandeliers.  When we went today they had a wedding display in the center of the lobby where the flowers are in the picture.  It was so fun to see the wedding dress and read some of the stories.  We enjoyed watching the movie and it was nice to share in seeing so many people in there that were touched by the spirit.  It was one of those inspiring moments.

After the movie we took the boys over to the Salt Lake Temple so we could do Baptisms.  This was Taylor's first time going to the Temple and Kelton has always wanted to go to the Salt Lake Temple.  It was a moment that I will always remember and one that I would never have imagined possible when I was younger.  I am so happy that we were able to go as a family to do Temple work and to enjoy the blessings of the Temple that come from keeping our covenants that we have made.

Taylor and Kelton in front of the Salt Lake Temple

In Rememberance

I just learned from a blog that I read and follow that today, October 15th, is a day set aside for parents to remember their sweet babies that they have lost.  She said it much better here: http://theworldthroughtheeyesofme.blogspot.com/

I had no idea that there was even a day set aside for this.  In honor of my only daughter I would like to take a moment to remember her now.  She would be 16 years old right now.  That means she would be old enough to drive, date, and if she is anything like me, moody.  We would be planning for her 17th birthday that is coming up in December.

I am so thankful for the knowledge that I will be with her later and be able to spend all eternity with her.  Without this knowledge I think it would be devastating (even more than it was) for both my husband and I to move on.  It is still hard all these years later.

We will always love you Laura and you will always be my baby girl.

Wheeler Farm Field Trip

I haven't mentioned how much I am loving having the kids home and having them be a part of K12.  We have gone on field trips before on our own but today was our first official field trip with K12.  I was of course running late.  I was worried about being late but it ended up working out perfect because I was able to meet some wonderful moms and their boys.  If we had been on time I wouldn't have been able to meet moms that I could click with so quickly.

We started with a get to know you game where we had to introduce ourselves and then answer a question.  Other people were getting easy questions like what was the last book you read.  My question was, "what person, living or dead, would you like to meet?"  How do you narrow that down?  Of course I stood there like a moron trying to think of something.  I finally answered that I would like to meet Laura Bush....who knows, she is someone I would like to meet but there are so many other people I would like to meet as well.

Each of the boys had to then introduce themselves and answer their questions.  Kelton was asked what his greatest fear is and Taylor was asked what is the worst job.  Kelton is afraid of heights and Taylor said that the worst job is picking up dog poop.  We have been picking up lots of dog poop lately, it must be his favorite part of walking Maggie.

They had a craft activity for us to do while we waited to begin our tour of the farm.  We were to make friendship bracelets.  I messed mine up so bad, it is a mess. Taylor's looks really cool and of course he made his with the Panthers colors.  Kelton refused to make a bracelet, I guess he's too old for this stuff now.  So I gave him the job of texting his dad for me.

Finally....we get to go on the tour and we are heading toward the barn.

They gave the kids "hay rides".  There was no hay but they did get to go for a ride in a wagon that was pulled by a tractor and saw the majority of the farm.  I almost can't believe that they are old enough to just go off on their own.  

After the tractor ride we got to start our tour around the animals.  We saw piggies and rabbits and horses.  They also had chickens and turkeys and sheep.  When we got to the goats I couldn't help snapping a picture of this little bearded fellow.  He is so cute and I guess rare.

This cute little pony is named Snickers.  Taylor just fell in love with him.

We then moved onto the cows and went into the milking building.  They had signs up on the walls that described the different cows and how much it took to feed them.  I was amazed to read how much hay and grains they eat every day.  I was also shocked to find out that they still milk the cows there by hand and that it takes on average 500 pulls to milk a cow.  How does anyone last that long?  

This is the holding area where the cows and goats are milked.

 Our guide explained that the cows and goats have their own milkers and if someone different tries to milk them they will throw a fit.  She said that she tried to milk a goat that wasn't normally hers to milk and it kicked her repeatedly.  She also said that goats are the worst to milk.  Who knew?

Our last stop on our tour was to meet the blacksmith.  He was really nice and patient with all the children (there were a lot of younger children).  He explained how to heat the metal and then shape it.  He made a chain and then started asking the kids how many chains he would have if he connected two little chains he had.  It was fun to see him sneak that math into his presentation.

This was our guide through the farm.

I tried several times to get the boys to pose for some nice pictures, but them being boys, that didn't happen.  I didn't even bother adding the other pictures of them.  I took one of Kelton in front of one of the old wagons and Taylor was inside the outhouse.  They wouldn't smile for nothing.  I thought this one had turned out but they are both pulling faces.  I still like this picture of them but I don't think it will make it as something I would want to give to the grandma's for Christmas.

It was so nice to go and have the boys interact with some of the other kids that they are in school with.  I also got to meet their science teacher (they have the same teacher for science, she teaches for both the middle and high schools), Taylor's history teacher, Kelton's geometry teacher and the High School Principal.  It is really nice to be able to put a face with a name, not so sure they had the same feeling since I am constantly emailing them with questions.

On the way to our car Taylor suddenly asked for the hand sanitizer.  My boys never ask for that, what, you want to "wash" your hands?  I think they might have been switched on the hay ride.  They always tease me about the big bottle of sanitizer that I carry in my purse and now they couldn't get to it fast enough.  I couldn't help laughing.  I've turned them into such city boys :) What makes this really funny is that we didn't even pet or touch in any way any of the animals.  

We were able to end our morning adventure by having lunch at the park with Kenny.  I thought I timed this picture better, sorry guys.  We got to indulge with Jimmy Johns.  I now hate other sub sandwich places, Jimmy Johns has ruined me.  I then went to McDonald's for drinks because they are cheap and so are their apple and pumpkin pies.  We also got to be entertained by the guys at a table behind us that were drinking.  The park rules state that you can't have alcohol on the property, but they were having a nice little Friday afternoon party back there.  I think the rules said that your dogs had to be on leashes and there was a lady there with 2 dogs that had leashes on but she just let them run wild with their leashes dragging behind them.

This has been such a fun day for all of us.  We got to meet so many people and make some new friends.  There was some really good people watching.  Most of all, there was lots of family time.

Monday Morning Breakfast

After I dropped Kenny off at work I thought it would be nice to run to Wal Mart before the crowds hit.  It was  just after 7am and the parking lot was almost empty.  Unfortunately, this just gave me more room and didn't feel rushed by people so I wandered.  

Wal mart has done something so insane...they have fresh donuts under the warming lights right by the cash register.  Insane for me, I can't walk past warm donuts.  I turn into our new dog and start salivating (or as Kelton calls it, turns into Homer).

As you can see below, they jumped into my cart.  Someone better give me a Gold Star...I only bought the box with 6, normally I would have gone all out, without a second thought, and grabbed the box with the whole dozen!!

I quickly became mom of the year when I told the boys they could have donuts for breakfast.  As Kelton went to open the box he looked down and noticed that listed as the first ingredient was...wait for it.... no, I don't think you're ready yet....okay.....DONUT!  

Go figure, you would think that people would already know what was in the box but I guess you have to make sure you list everything.  You never know, you could open that box with the clear cellophane lid and find .........

I'll let you finish that and I would love to know how impossible you can make it.

Forget Not To....

I have pondered on the post that I posted earlier today and decided that even though I still agree with what I wrote that it was just so serious and negative.  A change of perspective was needed.

Looking through some of my pictures I kept coming back to this picture that I bet most of you have seen on Facebook.  It is from a talk given by President Uchtdorf during the General Relief Society Meeting.  The entire meeting was so uplifting and positive and I left feeling that I had the whole world in front of me and I could do whatever the Lord needed me to do.  For days I kept singing in my head the primary song "Nephi's Courage".

I love that someone put this picture together, it is perfect!  There is no way for me to fully express the joy and love that I felt and continue to feel when I remember this talk.  There is no way for me to sum up President Uchtdorf's talk and do it any justice.  I have added the link to his talk below.  I hope anyone who reads it is able to feel of their Saviors love for them.

http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/forget-me-not?lang=eng

Leaving the sidelines

When I was younger I loved politics.  I loved to get up on Sunday and watch all the political shows like Meet the Nation and because I knew it all I would have great debates with the T.V.  Now I'm older and realize that there is much that I don't know.  I have a family now that I need to protect and at the same time educate as to what is happening in our Nation.  I know that I have voiced my opinion here many times and even though when I started this blog I thought it would be just another cute place to update and record our little life, I can't leave it that way.  I have way too much going on in this little brain of mine and I will no longer fret over my postings and if they might offend.  There are things that need to be said.

Growing up with parents that were from the Vietnam era, I heard stories about people protesting.  I heard how our citizens didn't support the government (and unfortunately our soldiers).  People back then were not afraid to stand up and protest when they saw something that was wrong.  They were willing to get out there and march and rebel against a government that was not working for the people. Let's go further back to when our new little Nation was ruled over by a corrupt government that was across the ocean.  People then also stood up and had to not just protest but fight against wrong.  

Fast forward 30is or so years and we have a group of people running our Country that are, most likely, just as corrupt or more so now.  I already wrote about Kelton and his volcano theory, now we have people protesting and becoming a part of OCCUPYWALLST.  On the radio this morning they said that it is not just college students any more, that there are middle age adults joining who have lost their jobs.  On CNN's home page it shows a story that the unions want to join in with OCCUPYWALLST.

Part of that same story that I was listening to on the radio said that we also have an OCCUYSLC group.  They are planning a march for tomorrow evening, however, their web site does not have the time or location on there yet.  The radio story said that it was to begin at The Capital and move to Pioneer Park.  I put one of their flyer's above.  For the first time ever, I am pondering being part of a true movement instead of saying that I'm too busy with my family and others are taking care of it.

How can I sit by any longer knowing how many of my friends that have lost their jobs this year. My neighbor who has a college degree but makes minimum wage.  Our own income has dropped, sometimes by as much as $800 a paycheck.  Our government doesn't have enough money to run our Country and threaten to shut down.  If they do that, I know several people who rely on their disability, their SSI, they are government employee's, and they are enlisted in our armed forces.  How can I sit by and see/or know of people who are working hard and all they might get is an IOU instead of a paycheck.  Other threats have included taking away our military's pension and their low cost health care.

I can no longer sit silently when I see how all of this is affecting my neighbors.  Our ancestors were probably just as nervous as I am now to stand up and say enough is enough.  If our government has enough money to give billions in hand outs to banks and other lending institutions, why can't they cover the basic day to day operations of our Country?  If we have to cut healthcare to our low income citizens, how can we continue to  fund 2 wars?  Oh, that's right, we are giving our soldiers IOU's!  Unless, our government can take out another loan and put us further in debt, all we watch the bickering and drama that will take place just so they won't have to follow through with the threat of shutting down.

It is still my responsibility to research out this movement to make sure that the rebellion they mention on their flyer is to stick with the peaceful movement that was started on Wall St.  It is still my responsibility to educate myself as much as possible with the truth and not just what is being fed to us in the media.  Then I can move forward with knowledge in hand and leave the sidelines.  It's my time to have the same strength that others have, to not allow myself to sit by and watch things fall apart around me.  All those people before us who have fought, protested, and gave their lives so we could live in this amazing Country, I feel, would be ashamed of where we are now.

The lava is really starting to boil!

McDonald's Flashback

We stopped last night on the way home to grab something to eat and ended up at McDonald's.  I know, glamorous huh!  We only take our kids to the very best.

Anyway, when we were done with our meal we turned around and saw this high chair.  I hope others of you remember these.  Kenny and I about died.  We couldn't believe that they would still have one of these "vintage" high chairs still around.  Does anyone, other than us, remember how they used to be all clean and would have a bag with cookies attached to the side?  Just remembering that made my mouth water for those yummy cookies. When was the last time any of us saw a high chair with wheels?  I'm pretty sure I pushed either my little sister around in one of those or some younger cousin.  I'm also pretty sure that I got in trouble for pushing anyone around in the restaurant!  What else was I supposed to do, we didn't have playlands back then.

I do remember when they started adding in the outside playlands and how cool they were.  I also remember that for the most part it was either too hot or too cold to ever play on them.  They were all metal and in the summer you could get 3rd degree burns and in the winter we could have all re-created one of my favorite scenes from A Christmas Story!  It's shtuck...It's shtuck!!  If only you could see me laughing right now thinking of that movie and that I don't think I spelled that right but you get the point.

It is amazing how much of my childhood came back just from seeing one high chair on wheels!

(I could go on and on and on and......)

I hope that this brought back a little piece of each of your childhood's.  I also am hoping that I am not the only one who could taste vanilla in my mouth when I remembered the little bag of cookies.

The Library

I love going to the library.  I love seeing all of the books.  I love finding new authors that can take me on an adventure or to another place and time.  Now my boys love going to the library and they love to see all the books and they like to check out stuff that I don't think I would have found unless I had to read it or listen to it as research for something.

Before I get to our treasures that we found and checked out, I have to show you the entire section of comics that my friends husband does the artwork for.  I actually went to school with the artist but we didn't really meet until they moved into our neighborhood and I became friends with his wife.  Aside from the shameless advertising for Wya, I need to add that he also does other amazing artwork (not just the amazing bloody fight scenes you see here).

Above and below are the treasures that Taylor found.  I have to add that he first brought me a book that was all about protecting yourself from identity theft and announced "that it will be really good information for the future."  Then he added that his other idea was a a legal book.  Not just any legal book, a book on how to do lawsuits.  Just what every 12 year old needs to be thinking about and planning for.

After some negotiations he came back with the 2 CD's that are above.  Not one but 2 sound effect CD's.  I finally consented and listened to some of the commercial CD.  It really didn't last long.  Kenny finally gave in and put in the Military sounds CD.  That was much more fun and we thought it would be fun to place a microphone on the outside of our car and drive through certain suburb neighborhoods playing the gun fire. Any bets as to how long before we would get pulled over by police? heehee!!

With some gentle nudging from his brother Taylor gave up reading about the law and identity theft and found this novel.  So far he loves it!

   

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Above are the selections that Kelton picked.  He actually picked another couple books, all of his books are number one in a series.  I love how he picks 3 or 4 books and then will read them in a round.  He will read so many pages from on and then move to the next, do the same thing, move to the next and then go back to the first.  I could never do that, I have to read one book and then the next.  I would confuse them and put them all together.  We have all the episodes of Star Trek The Next Generation, Star Trek Voyager, and the old original Star Trek.  I think they even found some old Star Trek cartoons.  That is obviously not enough Star Trek for one home because he had to check out those 2 movies.  

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here we have my boring girl picks.  No sound effects or ships or blowing things up or anything that includes fart sounds.  Yes, I said fart sounds!

I found 2 Jane Austen books.  Since I have never read any of her books I thought I would pick 2 random ones and give them a try.  I can't wait to finish Anna Karinana so I can start these.  I then found The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest.  When I started to read what the story is about (because I feel that I'm one of the few that hasn't read that book yet) it mentioned that it has the same main character that was in the first 2 books that Larsson wrote.  I decided that due to my OCD nature of having to read things in order that I would begin with the first book and then move on.  

 This is pretty much how all of our trips to the library goes.  I love going with my boys and seeing them wander through the isles and try to choose just a few books and then go back and forth forever.  I bet I could get pretty far in a book and spend half the day there waiting while they decide.  

No more writing...time to read!