Wednesday, what a great day!

Wednesday night.  Tanner is taking his baby sister out on a little date at midnight!  They are going to the opening of Avatar The Last Air Bender.  Tanner is the best big brother on earth!  REALLY.

I had a great relaxing day.  I love days like this when I can get stuff done around my house.  Tanner cleaned 3 bathrooms, Elle cleaned the kitchen (she even mopped the floor!) and I mowed the lawn, vacuumed and dusted and did laundry!  I feel like so much got done!

I am so missing Emma.  I got to chat with her on FB today for a split second before she had to get off the computer.  She said that there was a line of twenty kids waiting to use the computer she was on.  She is still doing great and enjoying every minute of her time in Europe.

I am grateful for my loving husband who said he would go out on a date with me tonight!  I think we are going to get icecream! 

P.S. No naps today even though I would have killed for one...I didn't go to bed until 3am (Eclipse was good and we had a great time) and I got up around 8am.

Late night with the girls

So today is the big day!  Eclipse opening night.  I will be up until 3am tonight with the girls from church and Elle it is going to be a great time. I am so lucky to have the life that I do!  Elle and I have been working on making t-shirts to wear tonight and they are way cool!!!!!!!!!  I will have Ann take a picture for me so I can show you all how great we did on them.  (Remember I don't have a camera for 3 weeks...well I am really missing it) 

I talked to Emma on the phone yesterday and she is doing great.  She said that Paris is beautiful and that she LOVEs it there.  She wasn't as impressed with London (there wasn't one cute boy there, unless you count the guy who was standing gaurd of the Palace).  I miss Emma tons and she sounds so grown up and seems to really be enjoying the educational asspect of this trip even though her main purpose was to look for cute guys in every nation that she visits.

I am grateful for all the little things in my life like when Elle is in a good mood!

How many naps do you take?

Tanner seems to think his mother takes a 4 hour nap every day!  Oh My Gosh!  I don't know why he would think that!!!  Seriously I think since he has been home I have had 3 naps total!  I think I will keep a chart for him and document each nap I take and for how long because really I don't take 4 hours naps nor do I take a nap every day.  Now on the other hand I kindly wake Tanner up each day (not morning) between 11 and 12 o'clock (and btw I have already been awake since 7:30 am doing "stuff" before I even so kindly and gently go wake him up.) 

OK...I just figured it out...last Friday the day I got home from camp I told Tanner I was going to lay down for a nap after my one hour shower and I did sleep for about three hours!  But that was a very much deserved and needed nap after a full week at girls camp with 17 twelve year olds up all night and doing hard stuff in the hot sun all day long...JEEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Tanner.

I am grateful for this most amazing, beautiful, cool, weather we are having! (Yes my airconditioner is still broke)

Good things to come!

My Sunday is coming to an end.  This day has been lovely.  I enjoyed my day with my family just sitting around and visiting.  The only thing missing was Emma!  I got to hear a cell phone message she left on Scott's phone while we were all in church that was nice.  She said she is having fun and missing us all very much but she sounded very good and happy.  I even saw some pictures of her on her trip.  I will post the blog link if any of you want to visit the site and check it out! 

This week is kind of laid back but it is also starting to fill up with stuff.  It seems like when ever I think I am going to have some real time to just chill that the rest of the world finds this out and then needs my help with things.  Oh well that is why I don't work so I can be available to help others when they are in need. 

One fun thing going on this week is Valeri's birthday which co-insides with the opening of Eclipse!!  Lucky Valeri!  It should be great fun and I am really looking forward to it.  Also I am so blessed to have a friend who saw me massaging my neck in church today and so she offered to give me a massage this week!  I can't wait.  Those are the two activites that I am really looking forward to this week.

I am grateful for my home teachers they came over tonight and had a great message for us.


Emma's People to People Blog
http://exploringeurope2010.blogspot.com/

I love the 80's!

My first full day home and no air conditioning!  It is so flipping hot in my house that all I can do is lay in front of the fan and sweat.  Our air conditioner went out when I was at camp and Scott had to go out of town so it won't be until the beginning of next week before it is fixed. 

Today I went to a 80's concert by a band called Hairball it was fabulous to bad it was ruined because of the lightening and rain storm.  Even though it ended after one hour it was still great fun to go out with some of my favorite girls in the whole wide world!

I am grateful for electricity because it is allowing my fan to work!

Ps. no sickness so far!

Do Elle and I have a bug???

Did you all miss my daily blog??  I really missed writing one.  Each night as I would lay my very tired head to sleep I would feel weird that I wasn't sending out a blog to all my family and friends.

I am going to give you all a boring re-cap of my week.

Monday- First day of camp.  I am clean and even smell good.  It is very hard work setting up camp and getting all the girls registered.  All but one of my 17 twelve year olds seem to be doing well (only one had seiver homesickness and that is pretty good considering it is all their first year at camp).  I even took a shower this evening.  Some of you reading this will understand how horrible it is to take a shower in a place where 100 other women and girls have been using the same showers.  Yuck!

Tuesday- Certification day!  Today was sooo hot and humid.  The girls are starting to get to know each other.  We have been grouped together as levels this year instead of wards.  I think I like it better this way.  It give the girls a chance to get to know one another in the stake and build relationships outside of their wards.  We move from one activity to another and do a service project.  The girls don't have time to sit and just rest they are very hot and tired!  The end of the day brought another shower that was much needed.  One great thing about camp this year is there are no misquetos!!!!!!!  But we have bat houses that come alive around 8:30pm each night.  Would I rather have misquetos or bats???  I think BATs.

Wednesday- Finally...FREE TIME with the girls.  We have a beach near by that we take turns driving girls over to just play.  Elle drives over with another leader and on the one mile ride home the leader gives into peer preasure of the girls (I am sure it was Elle) crying to her to go faster and jam the music loud....the leader's car slips on the gravel road and crashes into a ditch narrowly missing a tree on Elle's front passanger side.  Elle comes  running into camp yelling "Mom, it was so fun!!  I almost just died!"  I didn't find out until today that Elle had been giving the leader preasure to "Go faster, go faster!" and the new leader (a twenty four year old  caved in...I can't blame her I know what it is like to have Elle begging me to do something!)  Everyone was just fine (except the leader!  She was pretty upset with herself)  This day is beautiful.  The weather is cool and breezy.  Camp food is great.  I am so happy I don't have to cook for my ward this is such a wonderful experience.  No shower tonight.  I stink.

Thursday- Last full day of camp.  Elle wakes up feeling sick.  I let her stay back in camp and sleep for 4 more hours while I go with the other girls on a hike (that is the perk of having your mom go to camp and be in charge of the first years).  The hike was difficult, it was a steep and narrow trail we followed.  On most of the hike we had to hike single file.  I had about 4 complainers the whole time but it wasn't to hard to movtivate them.  There is always a small group of girls that think they are going to die on the hike each year and are very vocal about it.  We had our testimony fireside this night.  I think it is a good learning experience for the girls to do this but OH MY GOSH have you ever heard 75 girls bear their tesitmonies about camp and how "great" their new friends are?  It can be very interesting!  No shower tonight.  I really, really, really, am dirty and smelly. (deoderant is a very good thing to bring to camp.)

Friday- I am so glad to go home!  Camp has been an exceptional experience.  I am sitting on my bed right now after taking a 45 minute shower and having a 2 hour nap.  It was heaven. 

Now for my only bad experience(maybe I will find out in a couple of days if it was a bad experience)....read a portion of the letter below and I will blog this weekend and let you all know if I got the dreaded bug!!  I did know about this problem at camp but there was nothing to do about it but wait it out and see if anyone became ill.  So far so good.

The camp water is supplied by a private well. Just prior to our visit, the well had received a chlorination treatment, however it had not been tested and approved for consumption. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication about using the water. An employee told us that the water had been treated, and we could use it. We were told later in the week that was not correct; that although the water was safe to shower and wash hands in, it was not approved for drinking until the test results came back.


As soon as this error was discovered, we hauled in purified water for consumption. In the mean time, many of the young women and leaders consumed the well water. The results from the lab Thursday showed passing purification levels at some faucets, and failing total coliform levels at others. It is impossible to know which youth consumed non-potable water and how much, but probably everyone consumed some.

I am grateful for this safe, fun week I had with Elle.  We had a good time and I am grateful for the memories we will have.  Now wish me luck I or Elle don't get sick and 100 other girls from out stake!

P.S. Emma is doing fine enjoying her trip to Europe!  She has my camera and so I will be pictureless for the next 3 weeks!

My Dad, My Hero

Happy Fathers Day!!!  I love my dad he is the best.  Not perfect but perfect enough for me!  I am one of those very blessed daughters on earth to have a dad who loves me and he always shows me his love with his actions.  I have always looked up to my dad and admired the kind of person he was.  He always treated others with respect and kindness.  He always told the truth.  He always was silly.  He always was positive.  He always tried to cheer me up.  He always was a good provider.  He always was responsible.  He always worked hard even when he was home.  He always served others and gave of his time and talents.  He always was a good listener.  He always made things right even if it was just an encouraging word.  My dad is the best!  He is one of my greatest heros, I always look up to him and I love him with all my heart!

I am grateful to have such a great DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here comes the bride...and now I am tired.

I have had a very busy day.  Someone I visit teach got married and had their wedding reception this evening.  I spent a few hours this morning helping to decorate and then about 6 hours tonight helping in the kitchen and cleaning up afterwards.  I am so tired! 
I can't wait for tomorrow because it is Father's Day and I get to honor the two most important men in my life.  My Dad and my Husband!

I am grateful for new love.  It is so sweet.

I love today!

I decided to do a post at noon instead of tonight.  I have had the most lovely day so far.  I hate to admitt this especially since I will not hear the end of this from Scott but I have not got out of bed yet today except to pee and wiegh myself.  The house has been quite as a mouse, no movement at all. I woke up this morning at 10:00 and turned on my computer to check some emails and I have just come to the realization that two hours have gone by without me doing anything but browsing the net!  I love this day.  The kids are just starting to get up I can hear a spoon clanking on the side of a bowl in the kitchen, I beleive it is Elle enjoying her breakfast food at noon.  Emma just jumped into the shower because she has to go to work in an hour and I am sure Tanner is still snoring away in the basement because he can and he probably was awake until 3am chatting with friends!  What a summer life.  I have been so busy this week everyday that I think I deserve to have a day like this once in a while (right Scott).  Oh the first phone call of the day is coming in...I think that means I better start my day and get up.

I am grateful for a husband that works so hard so I can spend a friday afternoon in bed!  I love you honey!!

The weather

We have a tornado warning tonight.  It makes for such an exciting evening.  It seems like when the weather is a little different everyone behaves a little differently too.  I think Minnesota weather is so interesting.  It is always a source of many conversations between the neighbors and when you bump into someone you know in the grocery store, on the sidewalk while they are walking their dogs, or just at church, it is always the same question  "can you believe this weather?"  (even when it is a boring 75 degrees outside or if it is -40 degrees below it is always the same question.)  You gotta love people who get so excited about weather!  I know I now get way to excited over the weather!

I am grateful for cool summer breezes. 

The perfect day? Not today!

Hideeho everyone.  I am not sure what to blog about tonight.  I have been having lots of fun with Tanner watching The Office with him.  Emma has been annoyed with her mom for a day because she thinks I have "ruined" her hair.  (I colored it yesterday but it didn't turn out the way she wanted it to but it looks fine)  Elle  has been pretty good today because I took her to get her guitar fixed and signed her up for lessons this summer.  I wish I could have a day when all my kids like me all day long without anyone of them getting mad at me for some reason or another but it doesn't happen very often.  Oh well I can dream!

I am grateful for the beautiful weather today.

dreaming of a nap

Hello all my friends and family!  I have been very busy today doing stuff!  I always seem to be doing stuff.  I do so much stuff I haven't had time for a nap in ages and I think I am going through withdrawls.  I don't think I will get a nap in for another 2 weeks because I a busy all week with stuff and then next week is girls camp.  I am going to need an eight hour nap when I get home from girls camp!!

I am grateful for my computer.

No Energy

I am very, very tired tonight so I am not going to blog for long.  I have another interesting dentist story to share but I just don't have the energy to retale the nightmare right now.  You will all have to stay tuned for the story tomorrow.

Oh, I got my hair cut today and I really like it.  I will take pictures tomorrow and post! It is short.

I am grateful for a husband who is going to snuggle with me tonight.

Happy Sunday

I just got up from my Sunday nap.  I feel so much better.  When I laid down I had a bad headache behind my eye and now no more.  My quiet week has turned into a busy crazy week.  I love to busy though as it keeps me from taking naps and gives me many opportunities to serve my neighbors.  This week Emma will be getting ready to take her 3 week journey and Elle and I will be getting ready to go to girls camp.  I just realized that while I am at girls camp next week I won't be able to blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh NO!  I guess I will have to journal each day and then do one big blog at the end of the week when I return.  I hope Scott doesn't go through any withdrawls from my blogging while I am gone.

I am grateful for my lesson in RS on prayer today.  It inspired me to be perfect with saying my prayers! I can do it!!

closing a chapter in our life...Goodbye and Good Luck Hannah!

Scott is gone this weekend.  He had a trip to take to Florida.  I miss him. 

I took the kids to Hannah's graduation open house and when both the girls came out to the car they were dressed very interestingly.  They didn't even plan this.  What do you think?

 Hannah graduated from High School today!  It has been a very long journey for her but at last she has achieved her goal of finishing high school.  I am proud of her that she stuck it out because the easy thing for her would have been to drop out and just get her GED or even not that.  She has worked hard all year long while working about 30 hours a week.  Now is is leaving to move back to Arizona where her family lives.  It has been an interesting year for us having Jackson (Jackson stayed with us for about 7 months) and Hannah living with us.  I have learned many things about myself through this process of inviting them to stay with us. But it is now coming to an end.  I wish Hannah the best in her future.

I am grateful for the good times I had with my kids today.

Summer To Do List for Elle

Today has been an exhausting day.  I am feeling like I need to just shut down my brain and body and just get some sleep.  I think it is because it is Friday that I feel this way because I haven't been doing anything extraordinary today like climbing Mt Everest that would make me feel this tired. 

I have enjoyed this week a lot because I have all three of my kids around me.  I forgot how much I like having Tanner around.  He just gets my humor and laughs and laughs with me (at me most of he time) he thinks I am just ridiculous and I have really missed laughing at silly things with him this last year. 

I am so glad today was the last day of school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now we get to sleep in a little.  I am going to try to not sleep in a lot this summer only a little.  A little means 8am to me.  I want to get up and go work out before I get the kids up at 9am.  That sounds like a reasonable time doesn't it?  I am not going o nag my kids about what time they go to bed this summer but I am going to let them know that come 9am they will be getting up and getting their "stuff" done and then staying awake the rest of the day (no napping).  Elle already complained to me earlier that she was bored and wanted to know what she was going to do this summer....I am going to write out a list for her to refer to when she says that to me this summer.  Some of the items on that list will be:
1. Rub my feet
2. practice piano
3. make cookies
4. take a walk
5. take the dogs for a walk
6. unload the dish washer
7. make homemade icecream
8. start a blog
9. do a good deed
10. read a clasic book (that does not have to do with vampires) Elle already reads a book once a week 
11. cut your toenails
12. take some pictures
13. make a scrapbook
14. ride your bike
15. make jewlery

That is a pretty good list.  Now I shouldn't hear again those dreaded words..."Mom, I am bored what can I do?"  (In my wildest dreams!)

I am grateful for summer and the time I get with all three of my kids!

Rain, Rain don't go away

Why do 13 and 16 year old girls have to be so moody? I hope they wake up on the happy side tomorrow after all it is the last day of school.


Today has been a great rainy day. I love weather that lets me feel comfortable wearing a pair of long snuggly pants and a soft sweatshirt.

I am grateful for rainy days.

blessings

Today was beautiful. The weather was a wonderful 74 degrees sunny with a light breeze. I started my day very early (I am not use to early now that seminary is over). I had to pick someone up in my ward and a group of us went to the Bishop’s Store House, it was about an hour and a half away from Rochester. We helped fill food orders and now I know how the process works from beginning to end. What a blessing to many the church welfare service is from those that give so generously in sacred tithing funds to those that are in need and receive food to feed their families.

P.S. Boy am I tired...extra early wake up call and no nap!

I am grateful for the blessings I recieve from being a member of the church.

homeschooling

I am going to just talk about Emma because she is getting a little jelous of her big brother since he came home.  I won't say his name because I told her I would quit blogging about him.  So Emma stayed home from school today because she just can't wait to be out of school in 3 days.  I can't wait for school to be done with this year either.  I don't think I have ever looked forward to school getting out like this before.  Maybe it is because I am looking forward to not having to call kids in if they are sick or just not feeling like going off to school.  They can sleep a little longer in the morning and do their school work on their own time during the day instead of on the school districts schedule.  I am looking forward to the fieldtrips and the independent self directed learning and the activiites of volunteering in the community.  I really am looking forward to our new life of homeschooling.  Emma is one of the biggest reasons why I am homeschooling and I am looking forward to spending lots of time with her. 

I am grateful for the freedom I have to homeschool.

My stage of life means I can read all day long!

I am looking forward to this week being over.  That means school will be out.

I have been reading all day long. Sometimes I'm grateful I don't have a two year old to change and feed or feel guilty about if I totally ignore them all day long, but instead I am in the stage of life when I get to have an uninterupted reading marathon all day long. I was especially happy today when I realized I could send Tanner to do my carpooling assignments.  Teenagers are good for somethings you see.

I am grateful for interesting books.

Do Good Anyway

Have I done any good in the world today? I should ask myself that question every day. I really liked the lesson today in RS it was about being the hands of Christ. Giving service and loving our fellow man kind. It is difficult sometimes to always feel charitable towards others and want to serve but the key is doing it anyways. It is so cliché but if we asked ourselves what Jesus would do and then actually did it then this world would be perfect!
Here is one of my favorite quotes that Emma gave me last week and I would like to share it with you all.

People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you.
Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
It never was between you and them anyway.
                                                                   ~Mother Theresa

I am grateful for the smell filling my house (cherry cobbler).

Getting caught up with Tanner

Another Saturday come and gone.  Today Tanner and I went on a 7 mile hike!  My bum and legs are feeling it now.  After our almost two hour walk about I came home and cleaned the house and I am feeling exhausted now.  I just want to crawl into bed and close my eyes and sweetly let my mind go to dream land.  I feel such peace and contentment having Tanner in the house again.  It is so weird when he is gone because I just realized that even though he is gone and I go on living my life and taking care of things here he is always on my mind and I am always hoping he is doing well and to have him so far away I just don't think I feel 100% at peace. 

I am grateful for my walk with Tanner today (he talked the whole time).

There is beauty all around when there is laughter in the kitchen

Not much to say tonight.  I am listening to the fun, laughter and playing going on in the kitchen as Tanner tries to translate everything Emma says into Chinese.  He said he is going to do that all summer long so he doesn't get rusty with his new skills he has been learning.  I think this summer is going to be the best!

I am grateful for laughter and children.

No Pain allowed, Oh Joy, and Oh Crap!

Lots to write about today. Let’s just go in order.

I had my much anticipated dentist apt. today. When I got there, the dr. told me that he wouldn’t need to give me any shots because he wouldn’t be drilling deeply to fix some old fillings. He told me there would be ABSOLUTELY NO PAIN INVOLVED. I tend to trust people and especially since my anxiety is actually about getting shots, I thought okay if you say so….

After he started drilling and I began to feel that wonderful pain that is associated with drills in your mouth making holes in your teeth he told me “oh that doesn’t hurt stop moving”. I said “yes it does hurt”. He then said “no it doesn’t hurt, that is just air you are feeling”. I said “no that is not air it is pain”. He then said “tough it out, I am not giving you a shot now we are almost done and besides that you have had babies before!” Now I must say my Dr. was kind of a funny man until that moment. I still like the guy but I think he doesn’t understand pain and drilling and having babies. In the end I think it would have been just as painful to get the shots and then I would have had a big swollen mouth for a few hours afterward so instead I felt a lot of pain for a short time and then it was all over. But can you see why I don’t like going to the dentist now?

Next event of the day was….Tanner got home! I am sitting here blogging in the office while he is laying on the kitchen floor with the girls giving them a lesson on politics! Boy have I missed my teacher. I wish he were here next year for our homeschooling year. When we homeschooled a few years ago he was the unofficial teacher that year too!

I have missed him so much and feel so happy to hear my kids all home and chatting it up. There is not a more peaceful feeling then having all my chickens’ home under the same roof. It has been a long time. I am happy!

Now on to my husband. Scott is in a weight loss contest with a few people from work. Tomorrow is the final weigh in. He is a couple of pounds behind the lead person. So Scott got a bright idea…he went to the local pharmacist and asked him what he would recommend to help him “clean out his colon” so he could drop a couple of pounds tonight. He came home with a concoction to drink that the pharmacist said would be quite violent but would get the job done! So Scott drank his miracle drink and now he is in the bathroom. I think he should plan on spending the whole night in there.

I am grateful for the peace I feel in my heart right now.

"I promise you won't feel any pain at all!"

Elle's favorite fruit.

Elle always takes a good picture of me while we are waiting for Emma to get out of school.

Look how tan my son Tanner got in Hawaii!

Scott is all smiles now...doesn't he remember that the pharmacist said the word "violent"?

Gulp, Gulp, Gulp....poop!

Tanner is so happy to be with Emma!

This picture says it all...I love Tanner

When Elle's mood permits she is so loving!

Christmas and Nightmare on Elm Street all on the same day!

Tanner is getting on an airplane tonight to fly home to me!  I am so dang excited to see my son tomorrow that I feel like it is Christmas Eve!  As sad as I was last Sept. when he left that is how happy I feel for him to be coming home.  He will be with us a short 6 weeks and then off to school again.  I won't think about that day yet.

Today was a great day for the girls.  They both worked on homework without me even nagging!  They seem to be getting along and they both were in good moods.  This has been a really good day.

I will be going to the dreaded dentist tomorrow.  I really dislike the dentist.  I had a bad experience probably 8 years ago when the dentist gave me a shot and it hit a nerve going into my ear.  I have never felt that kind of intense pain ever!  And that says alot!!  Ever since then I have avoided going to the dentist often and I pray each time I do go that I will be cavity free.  But alas not this time.  I have two cavities to be filled that means I will be getting two shots (at least).  I remember the first time I went back to the dentist after my bad experience that I wanted Scott to go with me and hold my hand.  I think he thought I was joking because he kind of laughed it off but I really was serious.  I am finally to the point where I can go without wanting a hand to hold but I do use my child birthing skills of having an out of body experience to get me through the anxiety and pain.  I have learned to put my mind somewhere esle while I experience very uncomfortable (painful) situations.  Thank goodness for my natural birth books that I read 13 years ago.

I am grateful for airplanes that fly safely through the sky.

To Tired To Cook

I am tired and worn out.  I think I will go to bed early.  If only I had dinner ready for Scott...(I did make dinner for another family tonight just not for my family)  I must go and find some energy to give my family nutrients and calories.  Tonight would be a good night for cereal!  But Scott deserves better then that so here I go wish me luck.

P.S. Tanner gets home in 2 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so excited :)

I am grateful for the food tht is in my fridge.  Many people are not as blessed!