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!