Off A Cliff

The Book of Moon 2011

2011-12-21T09:07:00.000-08:00

Here is this year's chapter in "The Book of Moon."

CHAPTER 23

The Moon Family rejoices and is blessed.

BEHOLD, in the twenty-third year of the Tom and Terri Moon Family, there was much rejoicing.

2 And it came to pass, Cameron, having served honorably in the wilderness of Florida for the space of two years, did return home. Yea, the Moon Family was filled with much joy and rejoiced at his return. And, he did tarry for a short time, before traveling to the land of BYU in Rexburg.

3 And it came to pass, Courtney continued in her rebelliousness, and became eighteen. Yea, she accomplished high school, and worked mightily over the hot months that she might travel to the land of BYU with her brother. Yea, she did heed not the warnings of her mother and her father, and found favor in the eyes of a young man.

4 And it came to pass, Maddy continued in her love of her horn and Phantom and of bacon. Yea, she marched upon the wilderness and blew her horn. And she took possession of her sister’s bedroom on the first morning of her leaving. Yea, she rejoices much in her new room. Now, Maddy, being fifteen continues to gain knowledge as a sophomore in high school.

5 And it came to pass, Mckenna being eleven; increased in knowledge, insomuch that she became a sixth grader. Yea, she did prosper in middle school. And she did continue playing music, yea; she began to learn the bass clarinet. And she also rejoiced at having her own room.

6 And it came to pass, Tom, having labored diligently and with much love, for the space of nearly 6 ½ years, was released from his calling of Bishop. Yea, he did hearken to the words of his wife, and began to finish the basement. For, lo, Cameron and Courtney have no place to dwell in the home.

7And it came to pass; Terri did continue to find joy in her family. For, family is the most precious and desirable above all things.

8 For behold, the Moon family’s burdens have been made light, Insomuch that the windows of heaven have opened and poured blessings upon them.

9 And, verily, the Moon family makes an end of writing concerning these things for a time.

Merry Christmas!

Family time

2011-06-26T23:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, our little crew decided to take a spontaneous trip. A little adventure to a place not far from here. The girls had new shoes to break in for the pioneer trek in August, and Tom wanted to have some much needed family time. So we packed a lunch and drove off in our newly cooled Suburban. (Thanks, honey!)

Palouse Falls, is about 90 minutes from here. The drive there was desolate. I think we only passed a handful of cars. When we arrived, I was surprised at the crowds milling around the parking lot and viewing area. I am not sure where they came from.

After Tom talked to the park person, he was confident our little group would have no problem hiking to the falls. We started out, confident we were up to the task. Within seconds, Maddy started expressing her discomfort. "I'm cold." "I'm hot." "This is hard." And my favorite. "Are you trying to kill me?" I was tired of hearing her whine, I felt like we must have been on the trail for an hour or more when I turned around and saw the car not too far from where we were.

I was trying to help her down a particularly rocky part of the trail when she said.

"If I die, I'm going to sue."

"Who are you going to sue? Heavenly Father for putting the rocks here?" I asked.

"Yes, and he will have to give me Eternal Life. I deserve it." She answered.

I took a few steps away from her and looked at the clear blue sky and wondered when the lightening was going to strike.

"Maddy, I think I am glad I won't be your Ma for the trek."

"I know," she said, "My company is going to hate me."

I thought for a minute and asked, "What if (crush boy) is in your group?"

Without hesitating, she said, "Then, I will stand there and look cute."

Honestly, her comments and observations had us laughing for most of the hike. We had ourselves convinced that we were going to be on an upcoming episode of I Shouldn't be Alive.Especially when Tom tried to talk us into a very narrow, complete drop off on one side part of the trail. We backtracked the way we came and made it safely back to our car and enjoyed a wonderful picnic. All in all, it was a day we needed. Being together, laughing, sweating, a little whining and eating. What more could I want?

The Book Of Moon 2010

2010-12-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

CHAPTER 22

The Moon family continues to endure and prosper.

NOW in the 22^nd year of the Moon family, they did labor not in their basement or their wilderness. Yea, their weeds grew and did multiply abundantly across the land.

2 And it came to pass that Cameron did continue in his labors. Yea, his heart did swell in his love for the people of Florida. And he did wrestle with the gator, and he did eat its flesh and beheld that it tasted like unto chicken.

3 And it came to pass Courtney danced across the field, carrying her flag. Yea, she rejoiced in traveling across the wilderness. And Maddy, also marched across the field, carrying her large horn. Yea she did murmur at her afflictions and did rejoice mightily when the football team was defeated.

4 And it came to pass that Courtney became infected with senioritis. Yea, her hand did cramp from her writings to places of learning. And also, her schedule was full. Yea, she did not fall into idolatry. And she did find joy in the suffering of her father, for she did enjoy mocking him all the days.

5 Now, Maddy being fourteen became a freshman in high school, notwithstanding her small stature. Yea, she did partake of bacon and ice cream, and her mother was filled with much envy toward her.

6 And it came to pass; Mckenna began to be a fifth grader. Yea, her friends were numerous throughout the land. And also, she continued in the traditions of her family, and is learning the clarinet.

7 And it came to pass that Tom did continue in his service as Bishop. Yea, he did attend meetings, which begat visits, which begat service, which begat increased love, which begat meetings…

8 And it came to pass that Terri’s burdens became lighter. Yea, she did run and not faint, for she did run 3.2 miles and perished not.

9 Behold, the Moon family has old chariots. Yea, all their chariots have many, many miles on them. And yet, verily, verily, the Moon family prospered in the land, and received all manner of blessings. Yea, they did find joy in one another, and in their loved ones.

10 And again, the Moons’ make an end of writing concerning these things for a time.

Our latest project

2010-08-31T20:44:00.001-07:00

Several months ago, my niece posted on her blog a bench she had made from plans she found on a do it yourself woodworking blog. I was curious, and after a lot of snooping around, found some plans that were just what I had been wanting in our laundry room/mudroom.

I had in our house plans, a place for built in cubbies for the kids stuff. (I would have posted a before picture, but was too embarrassed by the piles of shoes, papers, and other junk that was lying all over the floor.) The plans I found, were really close to what I had pictured in my head. Her plans were for only two lockers, but I found it was very easy to adapt it to three. Her bench was designed to have a shelf, but I wanted a place for each kid to have a basket for their shoes. Again, it was simple to change to what worked for me. I am definitely someone who likes to follow a recipe I was so glad to have someone post a plan that was easy to follow.

I know I am making it seem like I made this myself, but I couldn't have done it without my hubbies skills, and patience. He was willing to try to help me build something that was very out of our comfort zone.

It didn't take to long to build this, it sat in our garage for weeks waiting for me to fill in the nail holes, sand and paint. We got it done just in time to be put in full use for the school year.

Thank you Ana! It might take me some time, but I will be working on my sweetie to build something else for our home.

Why I broke the Sabbath....

2010-05-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

Sunday, after dinner my very busy husband asked if I wanted to go with him to do a quick visit. I jumped at the chance to be with him. I kinda like him, so I grab any opportunity I can to be in the same vicinity as him. We drove around looking for a street that was nowhere to be found. After chatting and driving for awhile, he decided to try another time and we started for home.

I was gabbing away when he stopped and asked me if I saw the tennis ball in the street. I said no and he started backing up, telling me it had moved and looked up at him. I unrolled my window and heard loud kitten mews. I opened my door and saw an impossibly small kitten crouched on the road. I scooped her up and looked around for anymore. When I didn't see or hear anymore, I climbed in the car and tried to think of what to do. I didn't have anything, and by the way she was yelling and searching, I knew she was hungry. I told Tom to head over to the Pet emergency place by rd 100 to see if they could help us. They gave us a bottle, told us she was about three weeks old, a few instructions and sent us on our way. I had to run into Walmart to buy some kitten formula. I don't shop on Sunday, so I felt strange buying the formula, but she wasn't getting much from my fingers.

We didn't tell the girls until I walked in the house with her in my arms. Kenna and Maddy fell instantly and totally in love with her. Courtney is a bit of a hard sell. She claims she is a dog person, but I've caught her softening up a bit.

It has been almost ten years, but I am back to two to three hour feedings. She seems to be getting stronger and thanks to our dog Roxie, she is well groomed. Roxie has taken to cleaning her like a momma cat would do. I am most grateful.

Tom keeps telling the girls that she gets to stay for two weeks and then she has to find another home. He's so funny!

What Mother's Day looks like in our home this year...

2010-05-09T17:41:00.001-07:00

I spent most of the day eagerly waiting to talk to Elder Moon, serving in the Orlando Florida mission. I was not disappointed when, at 3:47 pm our phone rang. I will need to apologize to the Relief Society president and another member of our ward that called and got my obviously annoyed response before 3:47 pm.

He sounded so good! For the next hour plus we grilled him on every aspect of his life. He is working hard, eating good, falling to bed exhausted every night, getting hot in the Florida steamy weather, serving and all around loving his life right now. I am now refreshed better than any spa day could do for me. I know my son is happy and healthy. I know he is learning and growing and his testimony of the gospel is expanding daily. For me, as his mom, that's all I need or want.

I love Stake Conference Sundays!

2010-02-22T12:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Stake conference. I love these few Sundays a year where I get to sit by my husband and he doesn't have as many responsibilities, which means he gets a much deserved relaxing Sunday.

He actually came home from his duties right when the potatoes hit the table. (A rarity, believe me.) We talked about the meeting as we passed the rolls. This is where I try to find out if the girls heard anything, and also to help jog my memory of the talks and messages that were given, so when it is my turn to share what I got out of the meeting, I will have something to say.

When it was Mckenna's turn she said, "I learned that you shouldn't play games during Stake conference." I turned and gave her dad the look that said, "You are in trouble mister."

We found out later that Courtney had been paying attention, at least to President Wamsley's talk. He spoke about a post-it note from his little grand daughter that had been on his mirror for two and a half years. It said something like "You are handsome." Courtney decided to post her feelings for her dad.

Awww! Isn't she sweet!

Merry Christmas…..The Book of Moon 2009

2009-12-25T11:49:00.001-08:00

CHAPTER 21

The next year in the Tom and Terri Moon Family.

AND now behold, in the twenty-first year of the Tom and Terri Moon family, they did pack up their lamps and their Rubbermaid and their not so precious things and they did travel for the space of five minutes to their house that was built upon the rocks.

2 Now, Cameron did grow in his testimony of the gospel. Yea, he did desire to teach the good word. Therefore, he was called to the land of the mouse and the mighty winds. And he did seek after those who desired to know the truth. Yea, he did rejoice in those who were converted and entered into the waters of baptism.

3 And it came to pass, Courtney's afflictions were sore, for she did depart from her old school and friends to the great and spacious building that was the new school. Yea, she did not march in the wilderness, and her sorrow was great. And yet, she delighted in her stature, for she did grow taller than her father.

4 And it came to pass, Maddy continued in her love of volleyball, yea she did increase in her power in setting and bumping. Therefore, her opponents did durst not give the ball unto her. And she being thirteen has been heard to say, "Oh, woe is me. Why must I be subjected to this, my family?"

5 And it came to pass, Kenna did heed the prophet's council, yea she did pierce her ears with one hole, and she wept not. And she delighted in serving others. Therefore, her friends were many, and her family found joy in her service.

6 And it came to pass, that Tom and Terri did strive to hold on to the rod, notwithstanding the adversities of old chariots, church callings, and unfinished basements.

7 And behold, it came to pass that we did rejoice and be merry, yea; we did give thanks unto the Lord for the many blessings that have been bestowed upon us. Yea and we did pray for his blessings to be upon you.

8 And again we make an end of writing concerning these things for a time.

Deck the Moons'

2009-12-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

This will be our first Christmas in our new home. I was looking forward to decorating for the holidays but had some challenges I didn't know how to handle. One of the sacrifices we made during the building and budgeting process was to forgo a finished fireplace, complete with a beautiful mantle. We decided we could finish that on our own. (Along with a LONG list of other projects we thought we could finish. HA!)

Anyway, the first Christmas we had Cameron, I decided to make stockings for our little family. I remember staying up very late Christmas Eve sewing them together. Every time we added a new family member, I would make a new stocking for her. I had visions of a gorgeous fireplace mantle that would one day be the perfect spot for these stockings.

When I stared at the blank wall where I knew I wanted to put the stockings, I happened to glance at the sled Tom had brought in with the rest of the Christmas bins. I decided to try something a little unusual. Before I could even finish my thought, my sweet hubby was in his car heading to Lowe's to get the stuff to make my idea a reality.

A couple of hooks, some garland I had, and some dollar store picks were all I needed to make something I really love!

A closer look at the stockings.

An even closer look at Cameron's stocking. sniff sniff

Did you know popcorn will last forever if you put it in an airtight container and store it in the attic, storage unit or garage? We realized, as we were decorating our tree this year, this popcorn string is at least fifteen years old. It was hard work! But worth it.

I LOVE Christmas!

The Number One Reason I Love the Internet!

2009-11-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know, it has been awhile since I have posted. It is not like I don't have anything to post about. Our lives are crazy busy, a good crazy. It took a comment on a previous post that forced me back to my dusty, neglected blog.

Two days ago, I checked my email and read a comment from a reader that caught me completely off guard. She was from Florida and had been given my blog address from MY SON! Her kind words had me in tears. She reached out to a mommy in a way that gave me great comfort. I know he is o.k., I am so grateful to her for taking the time to connect with me. Through her facebook page, I was able to access some pictures of him at her Halloween dinner. She is so creative and fun!

Thanks Brenda!

Where's the values?

2009-09-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

I am finding it hard to be a parent these days. It is frustrating to me to fight so hard to keep "the world" away from my little family. I am so not a perfect parent, but I don't need any help from outside forces to mess up my kids. I will do it all by myself, thank you very much.

I feel the need to rant. At dinner last night, that hubby graciously offered to cook at Jack in the Box after I had run late fitting high school band uniforms, our kids let us in on aspects of their daily lives we don't see. Courtney has been practicing with the color guard for their performance tonight at the football game. As they were working out the details for the uniforms, she realized she would, once again, be the only girl wearing a sleeve under her costume. One of the other girls didn't like that she would look different from everyone else and asked her if it was against her religion to not wear the costume the way it was "meant" to be worn. My mommy heart grew three sizes when she said. "No, I don't feel comfortable showing that much skin."

I haven't seen the color guard uniforms, I don't know what they look like. She didn't use the "My mom won't let me" and I was pleased. I am frustrated that she has to defend herself in choosing the right!

Maddy is thirteen years old. Yesterday, she brought home a paper from her science teacher asking permission to watch an unedited rated R movie. She explained in the paper, the movie taught the concept she was trying to teach. What! We don't even watch unedited PG-13 movies in our home! I was shocked this teacher was bold enough to even ask, and more disappointed in the parents who don't have a problem with their children being exposed to so much so young. If this is what is happening now, I don't want to think about what will be surrounding my grand kids.

I know we are taught to "be in the world, not of the world", but why does the world have to make it so difficult?!

First days of School

2009-09-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

The obligatory first day of school pictures.

School started this week, and it has been very quiet around here. It is time to start working on all the finish projects I have been putting off all summer. I have doors to paint, trim to caulk, nail holes to fill, a basement to Sheetrock, underground sprinklers to put in, seed to plant, landscaping to do....(O.K. when I say I, I mean mostly not me;)) But I will do the painting and am a bit excited to see the smudged doors with a fresh coat of shiny white paint.

While I am working, I am sure my mind will think often on my kids. They are growing and changing so fast. I feel like I just barely took Kenna to Kindergarten last year, and here she is starting 4th grade! She has a great teacher and makes friends easily. (Perhaps she is too friendly, she admitted to me that she got in trouble for talking.)

Maddy is in eight grade and in full volleyball mode. She loves to play, and she loves her new long socks she wears to practice. I am looking forward to her games. I wonder what they will be like compared to last year. (Maybe this year, my prayers will help get her serves over the net.)

Chiawana High School. For months and months, I have heard from my oldest daughter what an awful place this was going to be. Courtney has a tight group of friends. They are a good group of good girls. All of them will be attending Pasco High, because of the ridiculous boundaries the district has decided on. As a junior in High School she started this new school with no close friends. She has come to accept it. She always has a smile when I pick her up. She is trying to make new friends. Seminary has been her sanctuary. There are times when I wish I had a magic wand to make things perfect. The problem is, my idea of perfect and her idea of perfect may not be what is best for her.

So tonight, this flag-twirling, half-time performing, purple bleeding girl; will be sitting in the stadium at Edgar Brown, cheering on her best friends at their first football game of the season.

Our Summer

2009-08-26T19:18:00.001-07:00

School starts in just a few days. I am going to miss the unscheduled laid back days. The days of sleeping in are almost over, it is time to get back into a routine for the school year.

I remember when I had to write a paper about what I did during the summer when school started. So here is a report of our summer of 2009.

:: We watched this silly girl walk the 4th of July parade with the summer band and color guard as an assistant.::

::Kenna (aka MNM) celebrated her ninth birthday complete with a yellow M&M ice cream cake::

::We played hide and seek in the dark. It is very painful when you sit on a patch of tack weed.::

::We got wet!::

::Our old college roommates came from Logan for a visit with their five kids. We had a blast! ::

::My wonderful hubby had a birthday. Courtney made a delicious lemonade pie for the occasion.::

::We shed tears!::

::I nearly gave a sweet man in our ward a heart attack when I heard a noise outside my bedroom window one Saturday morning. I thought it was Tom, and jumped out of bed to wish him good morning in my "special underwear". I was quite shocked to see that it wasn't my husband. Gratefully, I don't think he saw me. I jumped in the shower after I told Tom that someone was in our yard. As I showered, I heard the rumbling of a large piece of machinery outside. Tom came, with tears in his eyes, to tell me that their were over 100 people outside. They were pulling weeds, moving rock and leveling donated top soil. We were deeply touched. Thank you doesn't seem to cut it.::

::Last week, we literally threw our son out on the curb at the MTC. We took a couple of pictures near the temple before he was to report. I wasn't warned about how hard it would be to say good-bye for two years. I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and thrown on the MTC sidewalk. The hole was there as we drove away. We will miss him.::

::We LOVE you Elder Moon!::

Pants, fat, and burnt macaroni...

2009-07-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

This week, I have started mission impossible. Trying to find pants for my soon to be missionary son. We started the week at one store hopeful that "this would be the place". We left after he tried on several pairs he could pull up without undoing the zipper. He could wear a 28 inch waist pant with no problem. The problem with that, is there is no such thing as a 28 inch waist pant. I have done everything humanly possible to put some meat on that boy, but nothing works. He can (and does) eat anything. I keep telling him that one day he is going to wake up and "BAM!" all those years of eating junk will suddenly appear on his skinny body.

I am his mother and want the best for him. I would sacrifice for him because I love and care about him. So, I offered him a true gift. My fat. I am willing to donate a part of me to make finding pants a little easier. I know, I am truly unselfish. Unfortunately, I haven't found a doctor who performs fat transplants.

Yesterday was actually productive. We found some shoes that he thought were comfortable enough to wear for several hours a day. While he was trying them on, I received a phone call from Maddy.

"Mom, Kenna put some Easy Mac in the microwave for 3 1/2 minutes and smoke is coming out, I turned it off."

"What!" I yell, calmly. "Did she put water in the bowl?"

I then hear her ask, "Kenna, did you put water in it?"

"No."

The shoe salesman heard my end of the conversation, and we all had a good laugh.

When we opened the door, after we came home, the smell was overwhelming! I went to the kitchen, and saw the bowl still sitting in the wide open microwave. I ran it outside, and opened windows and turned on fans. Hopefully, the smell will dissipate soon, the quest for the perfect pant cannot be stopped by burnt macaroni.

Cam's mission call

2009-06-29T17:28:00.001-07:00

I spent the week last week at Girl's Camp and had a great time! Though, I have to admit, my only son's mission call was heavily on my mind. I fully expected him to get it while I was gone. Luckily for me, he had started the paperwork while we lived in the rental and it took a couple of extra days to get to us. So, on Saturday we gathered at a park with Tom's sister, her husband and her kids and families, and our good friends.

Shelf Reliance giveaway

2009-06-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

I have been drooling over this awesome food storage system for years! I found out through other blogs that they are having a give away.

In between conferences, I try to make sure Tom is in the room for the commercial, but so far, I am without this great system. I am doing everything I can in a selfish ploy to get one in my home. So if you want a chance to get one for yourself go here. (Except my sister, she already has one. Stinker)

Houston, we have a sixteen year old.....

2009-06-17T16:15:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, Courtney had a party to celebrate the fact that she was soon to be sixteen. (Much to her father's dismay. Not about the party, the fact that she is sixteen and there isn't a thing he can do to stop it!)

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful young lady in my life. She is a great example to me. I saw her reach out to someone who doesn't have many friends and has had a difficult time in school. I am very pleased with the kind of person she is becoming.

Because her birthday was actually on Sunday, we served cake and ice cream "sundaes".

Saturday was our stakes youth conference at a church camp an hour and a half away from here. One of the young men leaders snagged this picture and emailed it to me. Tom definitely doesn't want anyone "cutting in" any time soon. Unfortunately for him, she already has two dates this week.

If anyone in the ward needs to get a hold of the Bishop, you'll find him target shooting out back.

Bathroom etiquette

2009-05-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

After spending several minutes plunging a stubbornly clogged toilet, Tom was very frustrated. This was not the first time he had been given the honored job of toilet fixer. Someone in our home has decided that if a little bit of toilet paper is good, a LOT of toilet paper must be even better. This, of course, results in a mass of toilet paper (and other stuff) refusing to flush! Tom suggested that we have a discussion on the appropriate usage of toilet paper.

This morning, as I was getting some members of the family ready for school, I decided to take the opportunity to have this discussion. I told them when they used the bathroom, they didn't need to use so much toilet paper, and if they really felt like they needed more, they would need to flush and then use more. I felt like I had gotten my point across very well. They looked like they understood what I was trying to tell them. I asked them to try not to let the toilet get clogged again. One child's eyes lit up and eagerly said, "It wasn't me, I don't use any toilet paper!"

I guess I get to have another discussion on toilet paper.

Blonde joke

2009-05-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

Did you here the one about the teenage blonde in line to get her driver's permit at the DMV?

Yeah, me neither, because its not FUNNY!!!!!

p.s. Let me know if you want me to warn you!

If I could turn back time....

2009-05-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

Oh how I wish I had the power to redo yesterday! I have heard that bad things come in threes, and after what happened yesterday I believe it.

My nephew called and asked if he could show our house to someone who was interested in having him build her a house with the help of our builder. As I was quickly picking up, I took a step back and felt my laptop under my foot. I didn't know I did any damage until later when I finally had time to sit down and boot up my computer.

Yes, a big 'ole crack in the corner of the screen. I was sick!

If that wasn't enough for one day, Cam was replacing the fuel pump in his car with the help of his dad and a friend. I asked him for a phone number I knew he had saved in his phone. He pulled it out and there was nothing on his screen. His phone was in his pocket and when he leaned against something in the car, it cracked. Ugh!

I really just wanted to climb in bed to get this day over with, when, I remembered that I promised Mckenna that I would make brownies for her teacher for teacher appreciation week. I decided to be creative and bake them in a heart shape pan. I should have known with the day I was having that it wasn't meant to be. Of course, the middle stuck to the pan. Grrr!

To end this post on a positive note; my computer will be fixed Monday. (an expensive lesson I hope never to learn again) Cameron replaced his phone with a cheapo phone, and the kids got some yummy, but crumbly brownies!

Breaking ground and teenage girls

2009-05-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Last week, our stake broke ground for a new stake center. Our ward is pretty excited to have a building closer to home. I took Cam, Court and Maddy with me to the ceremony. It was fun to see lots of people that I know and love from other wards that I don't see often. Tom has been exceedingly busy with work deadlines, church meetings and broken cars; he was more than willing to stay home with Mckenna who had spent the previous night and morning rejecting the contents of her stomach, over and over.

After the official ceremony was over, anyone that wanted too, could have their own ground breaking pictures with the fancy shovels. I would have none of that! I spent one dollar on our special shovel, and I was going to make sure we used it again! (If you want to see how we used it the first time see here.)

The kids were less than enthusiastic. I don't understand why.

Through gritted teeth, "Please mom, get this over with, I am so embarrassed!"

"No, I am not going to bend down for your photo-op." Party pooper:(

____________________________________

Courtney has a fantastic group of friends. Once or twice a month they have what they call "Friday night". They get together, giggle; watch movies, giggle; make their own music videos, giggle louder; sleep a little bit in between more giggling. She had made plans to host a Friday night last Friday, when I told her that we had made arrangements to head up to Teancum timbers for the stake clean-up day, I thought it would be fun to invite them to camp with us. She willingly agreed, and Tom, unwittingly, stuffed seven HUGE overnight bags in the back of our Suburban and put up with over an hour of estrogen overload. I am sure he had no idea what he was getting into.

The girls

They had fun! They even managed to do a little service. Not much, but some. Where we camped was near a creek that seemed to be stuffed to the brim with noisy croaking frogs. When I looked, I couldn't see anything, but they were LOUD. I thought they would keep me up all night. Then, I remembered, if anything was going to keep me up, it would most likely be the group of giggling gals. The little girls, and Tom and I slept in our tent trailer, and the big girls slept on cots in our tent next to the trailer. I did fall asleep, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the sound of teenage girls.

Cam's heart

2009-04-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

I know I said I would post about birthdays. Cameron turned nineteen in March and Maddy turned thirteen three weeks later. Whew! There! I did it!

Now onto what I really wanted to post.

Cameron has slowly been getting all the things he needs to get done before he submits his mission papers. He had his wisdom teeth out, his general doctor appointment, dentist appointment, blood drawn and Four expensive shots.

At his doctor's appointment, the doctor asked about his heart murmur. I again recounted how he had had a coarctation (narrowing) of the aorta, and had it repaired at 4 days old. See here for more details. He also has a couple of valves that aren't "normal" that cause a murmur. I like to tease Cameron that we should name his heart Laman. He He. I am so FUNNY! He wouldn't completely sign him off as ready for a mission until we got the o.k. from Cam's cardiologist on the level of activity he can do.

He had his appointment with the pediatric cardiologist on Monday. Interesting note-- because Cam has a congenital heart defect, he will always go to a pediatric cardiologist. Even when he is eighty-three, he will be sitting on the little table with the space theme room and the latest Disney movie on the t.v. screen to pass the time.

Cam has been going to these appointments every year or two his entire life. I am pretty familiar with the process, and nothing has changed much over the years. Cam has two valves that are not normal. His aortic valve is bicuspid, it is supposed to be tricuspid, and his mitral valve doesn't open and close like it is designed to do. I like his doctor he is very thorough and has a great memory. He can remember subtle changes from previous years. There was nothing new or different at this appointment, other than he gave his approval for him having no restrictions as a missionary. He also told me that his heart is different than normal, but it works well.

After he signed the papers, and gave him the o.k. to walk eight hours a day, I looked over the forms again. I was desperately trying to find the box where he could check that said Cam's heart was strong enough to handle the door slams and rejections he was sure to get. Sniff sniff.

The move

2009-04-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

I have been a very delinquent blogger. I have so much to post, I don't even know where to begin! There is the move, of course, the unpacking, (which is far from done) two birthdays, missionary preparations, Easter, and discovering that we have been using our septic tank for weeks without it being "ON"! Who knew???!!!

I will start with the move. Tom is not one to ask for help. He likes to brag that he and I moved our piano by ourselves in one of our moves many Moon's ago ( literally and figuratively). Our backs were younger and stronger back then, and our brains were younger and dumber too. I was most grateful when I saw SEVERAL strapping young men show up with large trucks and even larger trailers. They made quick work of loading and unloading all of our stuff from one place to another.

Let the unloading begin!

Even with the heavy lifting, he can still smile for the camera!

Without the help of this guy, and a couple of other handy men, Tom would still be working on the wood floor. One night, at midnight, Tom tried to get these men to go home to their families. Scott finally agreed to leave.

Jory, (another wonderful man who went without sleep for us) looked at Tom and said, "He'll be back. He got hungry and ran to Taco Bell."

Sure enough, he came back and stayed until 2:30 AM cutting and gluing. Every time my foot steps on the beautiful warm wood, my heart is filled with gratitude for their kindness and sacrifice.

Some of the "strapping young men!"

This man, the father of this girl , brought my husband to tears. He saw what needed to be done, and did it. He saw some construction garbage and loaded it up and hauled it to the dump. He discovered a pitchfork that Tom had been meaning to fix for years. He bought a new handle for it, but it didn't fit. This wonderful man took the pitchfork and handle to his shop, cut the hole to fit and made it better than new! He also wrote Tom's name in the metal of the handle. Tom was moved by his generosity and thoughtfulness. So was I.

Next: Birthdays!

Home

2009-04-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

We are HOME! Of course, right now, it doesn't feel very homey. The boxes and stuff waiting to find a permanent home are getting in the way of sitting by the fire and enjoying my new surroundings. Little by little, we are slowly unpacking. The kitchen is functioning, except for the gas range that has yet to be installed. Our builder has confidence that Tom could convert it to propane. The instructions are unclear, so we are waiting for more parts, or a professional. Either way, it looks like about a week before I will have a cook top. Luckily, I have an electric frying pan that has been getting plenty of use the last few days.

___________________

Tom called me this morning to tell me Cam's car died, he had taken it to work so I could use his truck. He said it was making a horrible knocking sound and then quit, he had to walk a block-and a half back to work. He asked me to come get him to tow the car with the Suburban. I wasn't that surprised. We belong to the "how many miles can we squeeze out of our cars" club. I drove out to work, picked him up and went in the direction he told me to go.

After more than a couple of blocks, I said, "Wow, you walked really far!"

He grinned, and said, "I thought this was a great way to get you to go out to lunch with me."

He was very pleased with himself for pulling off a great prank. He gloated all the way to Wendy's and back. I fell for it because it is so unlike him to do anything like this.

Next year sweetie.....next year;)

True or False

2009-03-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

A simple little test:

::True or False::

I have had ample sleep for several weeks.

The prospect of scrubbing down this rental at the same time as cleaning all the construction mess at our new home has me excited beyond belief.

I feel great! Bronchitis is awesome!

I LOVE tiling floors, back splashes, bathtubs and around fireplaces!

Grouting is the best!

I see my sweetie way too much.

My kids have been fed the most nutritious, well-balanced meals while we have been working at the house.

I am completely relaxed.

I will miss renting. I could stay here forever!

This building process has been so much fun, I can't wait to do it again!

Obviously, the answer to all of the above is False!

I don't want to seem ungrateful. I am. Our family is getting excited for next week when we officially get the keys. We are all just a little tired of the process. I actually heard a teenage girl near me, murmur under her breath, "I hate this house." Tom has been working until midnight or later almost every night, on top of work and bishop stuff, he is exhausted. We can't wait to be together as a family.

We have also been blessed, a post I will do another time. Right now, I need to keep my lung from trying to come up;)

Sooooo tired....

2009-03-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

I am so glad I don't have surveillance cameras mounted in my house. This morning, I caught myself with my head in my hand, the wetness of my own saliva waking me from an unexpected drift off. The reason for my sleepy state was to take Court to school at 4:30 this morning to promote Jungle Book, the high school play she has been rehearsing for months as a dancer and colorguard member. Courtney was also very tired and had me come and pick her up early from school to catch a little nap before opening night tonight.

This is the very short clip of the local morning news show she was on. She is the first flag on screen and the center flag for a few seconds toward the end of the scene.

This past week---a photo essay

2009-03-01T11:32:00.000-08:00

Tom spent this week in a great deal of pain. He did get some enjoyment out of playing with this big boy toy.

Howard the incredible, came over to help Tom get started with measuring and cutting. Howard is Tom's brother-in-law. He is very smart, and a hard worker! We are so grateful for his help.

This is the place Tom should have been most of the week. He finally went to the doctor on Tuesday because of severe shoulder pain. The doctor diagnosed him with this.

He was prescribed meds for pain and inflammation, but his main recommendation was REST!!!

Yes, that's right, the water is back! The septic pipe was not sealed properly. The builder sent someone to fix it. I so hope this is the last time I see water on the floor of the basement.

The "hero", Cameron. He willingly did anything and everything that we asked of him. He ran me home one night at eleven completely exhausted. As he was leaving to go back and help his dad, I told him he was my hero. They worked until two-thirty in the morning. Throughout the week, he cut tile, cut and glued pipe, measured, and grouted. He was always so pleasant and a bit silly. Even though, I was turning into a grouch, working with him was a pleasure.

The cabinets were delivered and partially installed.

Our "Cinderella". She made a mouse helper out of masking tape and wanted to wear an old raggedy dress. We got a good laugh when her dad asked her for something, she grabbed a roll of paper towels, shoved them up her back, and hobbled to him. With her best Igor voice, she said, "Yes, Master".

Setting the last few tiles in the master bath. This week has been hard. One I hope not to repeat. My kids have shown me they can handle tough situations with a great attitude. They are a wonderful example to me.

What makes me smile....

2009-02-18T17:49:00.001-08:00

I Spent the day yesterday, taking sofa and loveseat cushion covers off of our very used but comfortable set and washing them. I decided they were old enough, I was willing to risk tossing them in the washer to see what would happen. The back cushions were floppy and no longer did their job. So I bought some new foam, (there was an amazing Presidents' day sale!) cut it to fit and stuffed them back into the cushions.

They went from this...

and this...

To this.....

and this....

The picture doesn't show how much better they really look. They are still old and a bit grungy looking, but the improvement is huge! While the covers were washing, I took the opportunity to scrub the dirty arm rests and back. I feel like I bought new furniture!

Last night, I watched Courtney perform in her winter concert. She has a sixth sense when it comes to my camera, and has learned some pretty evasive moves to avoid being caught by my lens. Luckily, I captured this image by sheer luck. The rest of the pitures I took of the evening, have a music stand stratigically placed in front of her face.

And finally, the lighting was put in the house and this pretty little number makes me grin every time I see it. I LOVE it! It now hangs in the entry way waiting to welcome visitors.

Look at that face....

2009-02-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

Today, I spent the day being a nurse to my wisdomless son. The teeth not the knowledge. Lucky for him, the surgeon only had three to remove. He is cozily snuggled on the couch right now, dozing off and on as his body tries to rid itself of the drugs that took him to sleepyville.

He had to go into surgery fasting, which is no small feat for a teenage boy. He has, so far, eaten two yogurts and water, with the various scheduled meds he must take for the next few days. I'm sure it will be too soon before he has his voracious appetite back.

I can't wait.

Until then, I will continue to change his bloody gauze, administer meds and give extra hugs and kisses. He is worth it.

We have a winner!

2009-02-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all that commented and entered my giveaway. I had fun checking out your blogs, and will continue to peek into your world.

Jan, my fan, be careful. While you are looking at me, I may be spying on you! How else can I learn to be just like you?;)

Now, the reason you are reading this...... the winner of my very first, (and possibly last) giveaway is.......

STACIA!!!!

That's right, when I entered all the numbers into Random.org, the winning number was the very last commenter. Lucky girl! I'll be dropping off your card soon. I hope you and your hubby enjoy it!

Update and a giveaway

2009-02-03T18:26:00.000-08:00

Progress on our house is at break neck speed. Over the weekend we (when I say we, I mean Tom, with help from a dear friend and his son) installed the plumbing for a central vac system and were wrapping up the last bit of wiring as the sheetrockers were screwing in drywall. We also frantically threw in some sound insulation in the bedrooms. Our home is becoming more and more real with each new screw and wire. The paint colors, both inside and out, have been picked.(It is a miracle I know, considering my lack of decision making abilities.) The only decisions left are the counter-tops, light fixtures, towel bars and carpet.

From the kitchen, looking into the family room.

The master bedroom

______________________________________________

AND.......I know it has taken me forever, but I have finally made it to my 100th post! (enough with the cheering.... calm down) Anyway, to celebrate I am offering my very first giveaway. I will randomly select a commenter to receive this.......

?
?

Just in time for Valentine's day! I would love to hear from my readers, lurkers come out! Comment before midnight on Friday, February 6th, please!

Good luck!

Boring post

2009-01-28T18:18:00.000-08:00

O.K. For most of us, this would be very boring. For the few that might be interested in this kind of thing, I give you pictures on the progress of our house.

Insulation (yawn)

Plumbing and wiring (sigh)

duct work (zzzzzzz)

~
Septic tank (This post is making me pooped;))

What to blog...

2009-01-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

I received an email from my mom a couple of days ago, chastising me on my lack of blogs lately. It's not that nothing is going on, our lives are quite chaotic right now. Courtney recently started winter colorquard, Maddy and Kenna are taking piano, and other school activities keep us running. My mom also asked about the house. How much should I write about the house? I like my house, it is beautiful, but I am a little embarrassed by it, and it is just a house. I am not the kind of person to say, "Hey, look at me. Look at how wonderful my house, life, kids, dumb dog, car........" you get the picture. I want to keep people updated on the progress without seeming pretentious. Not for the readers benefit, but because I want to be true to me. It wouldn't matter to me if I lived in a 300 square foot house, or a 15,000 square foot house (it's not even close), as long as the five people on the right of this screen are with me it is my HOME. And, besides, how exciting is it to write about wiring, duct work and septic tanks?

Let it Snow!

2009-01-15T15:20:00.001-08:00

The windows and doors are in, and the roof... the wonderful roof is on! (insert hallelujah chorus here)

Now, winter can come.

If Your Basement Gets Filled With Water

2009-01-08T14:00:00.000-08:00

If you have weeks of snow, slush, and melt without a roof, you will have a basement full of water. You will go and try to remove it.

The framer will want to pose for pictures.

You will have to wade through water.

You will vacuum up the water. If it is too hard, you will go and rent a sump pump.

If the sump pump doesn't work, you will go back to using the shop-vac.

If smoke and flames start shooting out the motor, you will quickly turn it off.

And, you will go and buy a new one.

If you are working with your son, he will keep track of the water and let you know you dumped 150 gallons of water and you will sleep very well.

Happy Birthday Sis!

2009-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Thirty-nine years ago today, my little sister was born. She is two years younger than me and my only sibling. To be honest, when we were growing up, we did not get along. I didn't like her telling me what to do, and she didn't like me telling her what to do. I used to tell her, when I was especially angry with her, "If I could, I would divorce you!"

I'm not sure how it happened, she has turned into an amazing woman whom I am very proud to call my sister. She is one of the few people who really knows me inside and out and still loves me. For that, I am grateful.

Some tidbits about my sister:

:: She is an awesome wife and mother to four great kids.

:: She is a gadget fiend. There is not a kitchen gadget she does not have.

:: Her presents are gorgeously wrapped. When we put her presents under our tree, our presents looked very plain. Courtney took the tag to school to show her friends her handwriting. She does beautiful calligraphy.

:: She is very compassionate. She is frequently giving homemade bread to a neighbor, or taking a meal into a sick family, without being asked. I am impressed with her willingness to serve and lessen the burdens of others.

Happy Birthday, Ging! I hope you have a great day. And again, I apologize for slamming your finger in the door. I'm glad the fingernail grew back:) Love Ya!

December

2008-12-31T12:32:00.000-08:00

In all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I have been neglectful in keeping up on the doings at our house. A quick recap is in order.

Because of the nasty weather we have had, not much has been done since this picture was taken on December 12. We are hopeful, in the next few days, a lot of work will be done. If the roof gets on and shingled, the weather won't be as much of a factor. (fingers crossed)

Kenna and Tom signed up to run the Cable Bridge run for the second year. It was very cold! Kenna's feet got cold and Tom ran most of the 3.2 miles with her on his shoulders. When she saw the finish line, she asked her dad to let her run. He put her down, and she ran the last leg of the race, very cold and miserable. It took a long soak in a nice warm bath to defrost her frozen toes.

The kids patiently (not) waiting to open their Christmas Eve P.J.'s.

Santa came!

One of Courtney's favorite presents was her boyfriend. Her friend gave her a tiny man. When you put it in water it grows. The package says he is the perfect boyfriend because he will listen to you talk for hours, never complains, is loyal and always there. Her dad and I approve and hope she doesn't break up with him for a very long time.

Though I am at an age when I would rather not acknowledge getting older, I celebrated my 41st birthday last Saturday. I have great friends. We went to a movie, (Benjamin Buttons) and Applebee's for lunch. I had to rush home to get ready for the ward temple night. After the temple we were invited to join some friends for dinner and had a wonderful time. It was late when we got home, but the kids were excited for cake and presents.

This year has been scary, rewarding, exciting and many other things. I am looking forward to the new year and have put things in motion to make it a year to remember.

THE BOOK OF MOON

2008-12-25T16:07:00.001-08:00

CHAPTER 20

By popular demand, an accounting of the 20^th year of the Moon family.

AND It came to pass, that Tom and Terri did begin to wax old. Yea, many lines and white hairs did appear upon them, for they sought to have an understanding of their children. Yet they learned not.

2 And the parents, said unto their children. "You will go and do the things which we have commanded, for we know that we give no commandments unto you, our children, save you shall accomplish the commandments that your days may be long in the land."

3 And it came to pass, that the Moons' did leave the house that was built on the sand. They did take with them their possessions and the dumb dog and began to build a house upon the rocks.

4 Now, behold, Cameron, being the firstborn, did do most of what was required of him and accomplished the task of High School and became an Eagle Scout. He did travel east that he might increase in wisdom, for he had none. Yea, he did live upon the land at the University of Idaho. He did not partake of the Wii or the Xbox and his afflictions were sore.

5 Now Courtney did not hide her talents under a bush. For she did learn to walk and chew gum; notwithstanding the color of her hair. Yea, she did twirl her flag and dance upon the fields and was merry. And her father did fear and tremble, for she did desire to drive his chariot. And the people did cry throughout the land, "Wo be unto us!"

6 And it came to pass, that Maddy did continue in her love for the animals of the Earth and bacon. In her twelfth year she did grow in spirit but remained small in stature. Notwithstanding she did serve valiantly in the McLoughlin Middle School Volleyball court. And she did multiply her talents in music. She was given the talent of French Horn and Piano, and increased her talents by learning how to play the iPod.

7 Mckenna, being eight years old, went into the waters of baptism and was baptized. Her brightness did exceed the brightness of the sun at noonday. She did increase in knowledge and "cuteness" which she used to her advantage, knowing beforehand how to influence her father.

8 And Behold, we lift up our heads and be of good cheer; for behold, we have been blessed. Our faith in Jesus Christ increases and we rejoice in it.

9 And, again, we, the Moon family, make an end of writing concerning these things for a time.

This was our Christmas card this year. We have had a wonderful day and hope all is well with you.

Merry Christmas and Love,

Tom, Terri, Cameron, Courtney, Maddy and Mckenna

2008-12-10T17:16:00.000-08:00

After the headache of having my computer out of commission, it is nice to have it up and running again. Hopefully, it won't happen again.

I should do a post about our wonderful Thanksgiving, and the great time we had with Cameron. We got our tree and decorated it while he was here. I noticed this time, when he is home, there is always someone laughing. (Either at him or with him). We miss him and look forward to him coming home next week for good. He has decided to either finish the year at our local university or prepare for his mission. (He turns nineteen in March.)

Our house is progressing very quickly.

This picture was taken eight days ago. They partially framed the basement to support the upper floor.
*

The floor was put on a week ago.

This was taken today. All the rooms are framed.

The laundry room.

The master bedroom;)

The kitchen

The dining area.

The office/library.

The family room

This is the bathroom. This room looks so tiny, I can't imagine a bathtub fitting in here.

Maddy checking out her room.

Now for the basement...

Ooops! Better wait.

Idiotic!

2008-12-04T19:33:00.000-08:00

I love my laptop. After Christmas last year, Tom was sweet and let me order the laptop I'd been drooling over for months with some unexpected funds. My laptop and I have had great times together.

I feel like an idiot. I clicked on a facebook friend email, and like so many others, my beloved computer is very sick. It is at the computer doctor for a few days. When I called, they informed me that they are pretty backed up because of a huge number of sick computers. It seems I am not the only naive computer user.

Since so many of you have asked about my foot, I will only admit; me and handicapped ramps at elementary schools on a crowded bingo night do not mix! Oh, and it is healing up nicely.

This week so far...

2008-11-26T12:23:00.000-08:00

Something happens when elderly teenagers come home for the week. Their elderly teenage friends gather. When it happens on a Monday night, what do we do? We include them in on our Family Home Evening. They were forced to sing a primary song, listen to a Thanksgiving lesson and a poem complete with actions.

Of course, Family home evening wouldn't be complete without a game. Tom had them stare at a pizza pan in anticipation of a piece of candy being dropped.

The grabbing frenzy!

Wouldn't you know? Dad had a little trick up his sleeve. (Or pocket)

If you look close, the candy looks suspiciously like a broken egg!

Next comes the activity.

Aren't they cute?

In house news: the basement floor was poured yesterday.

Kenna and I had fun watching the process before I ran her to school.

*

The finished project!

And Finally.....

Don't the "fall" colors look pretty?

These bruises don't look nearly as bad as the ones on my fragile ego.

My favorite son

2008-11-21T14:08:00.000-08:00

Every night, Tom and Cam get on their cell phones and walk. Tom walks around the neighborhood, and Cam walks around campus. They talk about what happened that day, what was for dinner at Bob's and future plans. The following conversation was relayed to me by Tom.

"You made your Mom cry today."

"What?... What did I do?"

"She was at the church bookstore, looking at missionary stuff, and started crying right there in the store."

"Oh. Well, I will always be her little boy."

He's coming home tonight for Thanksgiving, and I can't wait!

Bestest blog post ever NOT!

2008-11-20T09:42:00.000-08:00

There have been many nights, as I'm drifting off to sleep, I have written the most amazingly, awesome blog posts ever. In my head, I draft, well thought, and beautifully written posts. Every time that happens, I get giddy. I can't wait to put my inspired thoughts on my blog! I snuggle deeper under my covers, content that tomorrow will be the bestest post ever written by any blogger ever.

Something happens during the night. The bestest post ever, mysteriously disappears. Somehow, my well thought, creative words, make their way to the tiny garbage can in my head. It is very frustrating when I wake up and remember the feeling I had the night before of having something to post, and have it be... well, just gone!

It happened again last night.

This morning, I am sitting here trying to remember what I was thinking about last night before my brain shut down. It is all too fuzzy. I should keep a notebook next to my bed for just this very thing. But that would mean, I would have to:

turn on a light
sit up
grab a pencil....

much too much work for my sleepy soul. It will just have to wait until the morning.

Honestly, I am hesitant to follow my impulse and write my thoughts when I get them. What seems wonderful in my sleepy state, might not look so great in my fully conscious state. Maybe I'm fooling myself into thinking I have something so important to share with the world that my little post will be copied and pasted and sent in emails all over the world....but you may never know... and neither will I.

house update: The walls of the basement are up. The plumbing for the basement and the floor is next!

Basement humor

2008-11-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, Tom had the great idea to write a song for Cameron. After much murmuring from the family, we finally gave into his enthusiasm and came up with this gem, sung to the tune of Popcorn Popping.

I looked in the web cam and what did I see,

A handsome, young college boy staring at me.

Conquering the monster gave us such surprise,

Putting in the quarters and a bunch of Tide.

Sorry 'bout your undies and that's too bad,

A permanent wedgie could be what you have.

It was really so, and it seem to be,

Our college freshman who's cool and clean!

We all gathered around the computer and sang it to him. I was a bit offended when we told him we had a song for him, he quickly plugged in his headphones! Rude!

****

Now, onto another hole we've gotten our selves in.

I was tempted to say, "Forget the house, lets add water and have a big swimming pool!"

*
Yesterday, the footings were poured. Courtney likes to call it the houses "shoes".

*

Next, the walls will be built to get ready to pour. We could have a basement by the end of next week!

Even though the election didn't end the way I was hoping for. I am full of optimism. I live in the greatest country in the world!

Are you afraid? I am.

2008-11-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday turned into a very scary day.

Yes, they may look sweet and innocent, but these two walked around the neighborhood demanding candy from perfectly nice people! The HORROR!!! Don't worry, their parents have everything under control. They don't think it is fair that they have so much when we have so little, so we have taken it upon ourselves to redistribute the candy wealth.

Yesterday morning, I was shaking in terror as I saw this. How appropriate that one of the scariest things I have ever done began on Halloween! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Insights

2008-10-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

Whew! Maddy's last volleyball game was last Tuesday (they lost every game they played, but she loved playing.) Every time she had to serve, I was very nervous for her. She is so small and has spaghetti noodles for arms, she rarely got her serves over the net. She never did during a game, but she improved markedly from where she started. She came very close to getting it over.

Courtney had her final band competition in Everett on Saturday. After the prelim competition, she was not happy with her performance. She said she had dropped all her tosses and she felt it was her fault that the color guard didn't score as high as they should have. I think I held my breath for ten minutes during her show in finals. I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Every time she threw her flag, I clenched my hands around an imaginary pole, hoping that my actions would somehow make it so she would connect with her pole. I desperately wanted her to do well. Not because I wanted a trophy, I just wanted her to feel like she had done her best. When I saw her after, she was beaming. The band went home with a fourth place trophy. Courtney went home knowing she had done her best show ever.

This may seem like a stretch, but these two girls got me thinking about my own Heavenly Father. I believe he is watching me, rooting for me to do well. I picture Him desperately wanting me to do well. Not for any earthly reward, He wants me to feel like I have done my best. He knows that I will be happy if I follow his guidance. When I think of the love that I have for my children, I am suddenly awed by the love that He has for me. He is not an angry, abusive father. He is patient and loving. He knows who I need to be to be happy. That gives me hope to keep trying to hit it over the net.

I will keep making lots of mistakes, (I am good at it) but I will keep trying to do better. I know HE loves me, just as I love my kids, mistakes and all.

Video from Courtney's last band competition

2008-10-19T16:55:00.001-07:00

A band Mom posted this video on You tube and I thought I would share it. Mostly for our families benefit, unless you are a huge fan of marching band. Enjoy!

Music Everywhere!

2008-10-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was filled with music!

Seeing these girls faces when we got to the Opera House was Music to my eyes.

Waiting for the show to start and the excitement of my daughter, was music to my heart.

Hearing their excited chatter as they waited to get autographs from "The Phantom" and "Christine" was another sweet song from the weekend.

Of course, the music the band played wasn't half bad either.

Hearing all the details about her weekend from this daughter, and laughing at her misadventures, seared another wonderful tune in my mind.

I am going to be playing these melodies over and over for a very long time.

The Phantom was AMAZING! We all loved it. Maddy, as always, was really hoping it would end differently this time. (She has a thing for Eric. aka The Phantom) The special effects had us wondering how they did it. The performances were great. I had never been to a professional play before. I was blown away by the talent. They allowed people to ask some questions after (we went to a matinee) and introduced some of the cast. Maddy, Court, and Kenna all had something signed. I took pictures of the girls with the actress who plays Christine; it didn't turn out. Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera and only had my cell phone. That explains the quality of the first two pictures on this post. For the rest of the day, "Phantom" was all they talked about.

The band did well. They competed with seventeen schools and won first place in the AA division and placed third overall. They also won best percussion in their division. We thought we might freeze to death. Thank goodness for hot chocolate and hand warmers!

What I hope to remember about this past weekend

2008-10-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

What an insanely, great weekend I had. Last Saturday was Cavalcade ( a local band competition, which I am co-chair of concessions), and my niece got married.

Tom's family arrived Thursday night. I was again reminded why I am so grateful to have married into this wonderful family. We managed to find beds for two of his brothers and their wives and one daughter and grandson. The accommodations may not have been five stars, but they were most gracious and appreciative of Cam's double bed and the airbed we put in Court's room.

Friday, my very talented sister-in-law, did a photo shoot of my nephews family. I tagged along, hoping to learn from her. She has a good eye for what looks good in pictures. I wish I could spend more time with her learning from her and getting a better grasp of what makes a great photo.

I snapped a few pictures behind my sister-in-law. This is one of the few that turned out pretty cute. Their daughter Olivia, is soooo much fun! I wish they lived closer.

On Friday night we helped decorate for the wedding. If you notice in the back, their is a bouncy house for the kids. Tom's sister Janna is such a good grandma. She was thinking of the kids and how to make this wedding fun for them.

I told the coordinators of Cavalcade I would not be there, but I would help with all the prep work. I picked up the potatoes, got the health permit, called Pepsi and had the drinks delivered and with the help of two hard working, wonder women, did the shopping for the event. So, when Court called and said she needed money, I jumped at the chance to run down to see how things were going. In my five years of doing Cavalcade, I have never had a health inspector check out the concessions. Shortly after I arrived, I noticed a lady with a clipboard talking to my friend and taking notes. They passed with flying colors! Whew!

After helping with the bridal shoot for a little while, we changed and headed to the church for the wedding. Tom performed the ceremony and was very nervous. He thought he was shaking so hard that everyone could tell. His words were sweet and loving. He talked about the legacy of love that they have come from. The groom's family are not members, but enjoyed the words he gave to the new couple. It was a small wedding, mostly family and close friends, it was what they wanted and was very nice.

We were able to get back to Cavalcade in time to watch Courtney perform. One of Tom's brothers, his wife and daughter came also. Their show is getting better every time I see it. Because our school was hosting the competition, they didn't compete. They did their show as an exhibition performance.

________________________

This weekend is another exciting and exhausting one. Tomorrow we are going north to fulfill a dream for my twelve year old. We are going with the band, to see The Phantom of the Opera. Maddy is very excited. We get to meet the cast and she is bringing her phantom mask to have signed and also the phantom sweatshirt we got her for Christmas last year. On Saturday is Courtneys first competition. We are looking forward to cheering our favorite flag twirler.

My tag!

2008-09-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by this sweet lady. I have and will continue to be praying for her little boy who is in the hospital fighting a very serious infection. ((hugs))

Random and/or weird facts about me... Wow! hard to narrow it down to just seven.

I have two bellybuttons. When I was about five I contracted chicken pox. I did everything wrong. I scratched the ones that itched and didn't wash my hands and ended up getting a very nasty infection in one a couple inches from my "real" bellybutton. I had to go to the hospital for several days with a very high fever. As a result I ended up with an indentation that looks (or used to when I wasn't so chubby) like another bellybutton.

I was obsessed with horses growing up. I loved anything to do with them. In third grade, my favorite pants were multi-colored, bell bottom, horse print paints. I wore them nearly every day.

The summer after I graduated from high school, I moved to Jackson, Wyoming. I worked at McDonald's and gave Harrison Ford his Big Mac at the drive thru window.

In college, I got a lot of parking tickets. I was a poor starving college student, and couldn't afford to pay them, so I began parking in the free lot and walking to campus. I didn't know campus police checked the free lots. After paying the ENORMOUS fines, I was able to have the big, ugly, yellow parking boot removed from my car. (lesson learned)

I drove a yellow 1975 Chevy Vega in college. This model of car was notorious for rusting. When it rained, I needed an umbrella inside because of the leak around the windshield. During the winter, I would put a big bag of sand in my trunk to help weigh it down to keep it from slipping on icy roads. I got in one day and heard, and felt a big "thunk". The bag of sand had rusted through the trunk and landed in the parking lot.

I dated a guy who neglected to tell me he was going through a divorce, had two kids, and his almost ex was pregnant with his third, for several weeks.

I sneeze almost every time I go out into the sun. I thought I was abnormal until I found out it is an actual syndrome. It's ironically named ADCHOO!

I tag Ging, Cameron, Sonda, Nicki, Mollie, Catherine, Pam and Laurel. Have fun! I can't wait to read yours! OOPS! That's eight. I guess you've guessed that I'm not the best at math either.

Decisions, decisions!

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

This past week has been a week of mind-boggling decisions. This is very difficult for the decision making challenged. (me) I remember one night in Salt Lake, Tom and I were STARVING. We drove up and down State Street looking for a place to eat. Neither one of us was willing to decide where we would eat. The decision was eventually made for us when all the eateries were closed but one, a little scone sandwich shop. It was very good. I tried to convince Tom I knew what I was doing all along! I know it stems from me not wanting to make a mistake. I don't want to do the wrong thing, or disappoint someone, or regret my choice. So this week I was thrown in the decision making fire.

Monday: What kind of flooring do you want in the entry way? Carpet? Tile? Wood? Laminate? Vinyl? Where would you like it to stop? Do you want carpet in the hall by the kitchen? Do you want wood laminate or hardwood? What is your price range? Do you want granite counter tops, synthetic, laminate, tile or granite tiles? Do you want a tile backsplace? How high do you want it? 4in? 6in? or 18in? What flooring do you want in the office, living room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms? Looking at these tiny sample squares, what carpet to you like for your ENTIRE house?

Tuesday: Do you want painted doors or fake wood doors? Which style of door do you like? Do you want a metal or wood door for the exterior? How about trim? What style do you want out of these 6, 823 choices? What kind of hardware do you want for your doors? Do you want the pantry door to say "pantry"?

Wednesday: Which cabinets do you like...

the cook top in the island?
or not?

What kind of wood do you want for the cabinets? What finish do you want? Which style of door do you like?

Plumbing: What faucets do you want? Do you want a standard toilet, or an elongated toilet? Is your shower tiled or fiberglass? Do you want a soaker or a jetted tub? What kind of kitchen sink do you want?

Last night, Tom asked me where I wanted to go for dinner.

"BAM!!!!!!!!"

I think my brain exploded.

p.s. Please, feel free to share your opinions!

The Honeymoon's over

2008-09-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

Well, the honeymoon is over. It's back to my irregularly scheduled posts. First, I'll answer some questions from the comments of the last few posts.

Sometime in our married life, I lost the squirt ring. I was very sad. It made me smile, remembering how I had gotten it.

For our anniversary this year, We went to P.F. Changs. I tried the lettuce chicken wraps I've heard so much about. They were delicious! We had a nice evening. We had a good laugh at my fortune in my cookie after dinner. It said, "You will be receiving unexpected support in the next week, accept it graciously."

Tom said, "Oh, you must be getting some extra help with Cavalcade." (Cavalcade is a local band competition On October 4th. I am on the board over concessions.)

My first thought was, "There must be a good sale on bras somewhere."

I have run into a few people who have asked me to post the floor plan for our house. It's probably hard to see, but here is the main floor. The basement will be unfinished until all the kids are grown and gone and we won't need it anymore.(kidding)

_________

In other news, Courtney had her first performance in color guard Friday night. We love going to the games to watch her. I just wish the silly football team would get off the marching band field!

She is easy to pick out on the field, she is the only one who wears a shirt under her uniform to cover her arm. LOVE. HER.

On Saturday, our ward had a carnival with good food, games and colorful faces.

The primary kids were given a challenge to memorize the articles of faith. For every article of faith learned, they would get a water balloon to throw at the Bishop.

The Spurgeon kids had a little too much fun dousing the Bishop!

He was a good sport and the kids were thrilled!

The Honeymoon

2008-09-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, the honeymoon...a time to get to know each other better. To spend lots of time together, alone.

After the wedding, reception, and open house in Burley the next day, Tom and I were really looking forward to the honeymoon. His family had friends who owned a cabin near Sun Valley. We arrived Sunday evening and worked hard at getting to know each other;)

It was on our honeymoon that I learned Tom has nightmares. One night, his screams woke me from a deep sleep. We were in a cabin in the woods in the middle of the night and the man next to me starts screaming! I woke him, and he soon saw that I was more terrified than he was. He calmed me back to sleep by singing to me.(Now, if he starts screaming, I whack him 'til he stops.)

We did venture out of the cabin. We went to a movie one day, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. After the movie, we went across the street to a store. We noticed an ad for an Arabian horse ranch nearby. I love horses, especially Arabians. When I was younger, I would trade babysitting for horse lessons at an Arabian school near my home. They were show horses and were leg trained. What that means is the horse responds to the pressure on his back from your legs. If you squeeze your legs the horse will go, if you relax, the horse will stop. When Tom saw that ad, he suggested we check it out.

The ranch was beautiful. There were many gorgeous horses in the pastures surrounding the owners house. When he saw us, he talked to us and offered to let us ride one of his horses around the corral. I was rusty, but the lessons I had when I was younger came back to me and in no time I felt very comfortable on the pretty white mare. She didn't have a saddle or bridle. I was riding her bareback with a lead rope hooked to her halter. Tom got on and after a brief lesson did really well. The owner grabbed another mare and let us take the two horses out of the corral for a short walk down the lane and back. On one side of the lane was a pasture with several mares. On the other side was a pasture with two or three stallions. The walk down the lane was uneventful. As we turned to head back, the stallions became agitated. The were shaking their heads and snorting. The mares on the other side responded by dancing and whiniing. The stallions took off on a dead run. The mares did the same. Our horses in the middle were following instinct, and bolted. I was trying to relax my legs and hang on without a saddle. Tom's horse was just ahead of me and I saw him fly off his horse just before I couldn't hang on mine anymore.

After I came to a stop, I knew something was wrong, I just didn't know what. Tom was there almost as soon as I fell. When I looked at him I noticed the bright red mark just above his eye. Apparently, the horses back hoof clipped him as he went off the horse. He reached down to help me up. I tried to move my arm to take his hand when the pain hit. After sitting for awhile trying to gain some composure, I was able to get up. The owner felt terrible. We sat on his porch, but it soon became obvious that I would have to go to the hospital.

Tom drove me to the tiny hospital in Sun Valley. I was examined and the doctor believed I had broken my collarbone. The x-ray was very painful. In order to see the break I held on to full gallon jugs in hopes the break would separate enough to be seen. The x-rays did show a break. He also believed I had broken my tailbone, but I didn't get an x-ray there. I was given a brace, some pain meds and discharged.

We went back to the cabin where I willingly took the pain medicine and went to sleep. I don't remember how long I slept. I woke and before I was even very conscious I felt overwhelming nausea and threw-up close to the bed. The drugs made me feel very out of it. I felt like I was having an out of body experience. I was pretty helpless. My dear, sweet, brand new husband cleaned and scrubbed the cabin.

It was decided (by him, I was in no condition to make any kind of decisions), that we should go back to Burley. On the way home, I slept most of the time. I woke up once to throw-up in Tom's prized Toyota Celica. Poor guy! We got to his Mom's house where she graciously swooped in to minister to me. The pattern for the next couple of days was sleep, throw-up, sleep.....One thing I do remember was being so helpless my new mother-in-law had to help give me a bath. Very humbling.

Tom decided we needed to head back to Logan as school would be starting soon. On the way home, I was in the same pattern, but Tom was able to pull over in time for me to throw-up. It finally hit me, I stopped taking the pain medicine. I felt so much better after that!

Even though my head was clear, I wasn't able to do much. For the first few weeks of our marriage, Tom did my hair.(As you could tell in the two previous posts, big hair was very important to me) I know there were times in those first few weeks where he wondered what he had gotten himself into. He was thrown into getting to know me more than he might have wanted too, but he was always sweet and wonderful to me.

Can your honeymoon top that? I'd love to hear.

The Wedding

2008-09-16T06:05:00.000-07:00

The morning of September 16, 1988 was beautiful. I remember walking to the Logan temple and being completely in awe over where I was and what I was about to do.I was in the right place with the right guy, and it felt wonderful! I was ready to become Tom's wife.

My mother worked as a cook at the Old Rock Church. One of the first churches built in Cache Valley. Part of it had been converted to an assisted living place. They kept a section in its original, old charm and rented it for receptions. My mom made a deal with the owner so we could use it. She also happens to be a cake decorator so I got a sweet deal on my cake. (free) Thanks Mom!

There were a couple notes of interest on our wedding day. Things that happened that need to be learned from.

A nervous, frazzled bride should not be entrusted with anything important such as a temple recommend. She will look frantically EVERYWHERE and not be able to find it. She will have to call the Bishop to get her into the temple for her wedding. (She will find it a few weeks later, in her purse ((imagine that!))
When the wife of one of your favorite cousins calls asking if she can drop something by your apartment, DO NOT leave the key for them. After the reception, you will walk through the door to find toilet paper strewn everywhere, shoes in various places filled with rice, notes on the mirror with lipstick, kool-aid in the shower and an alarm clock under the bed that goes off at 3:00 a.m. And don't believe them when they vehemently deny doing it. A few years later, when you stop by to visit, they will be watching home movies. You will stare, open mouthed, at giggling relatives throwing toilet paper around your old apartment on the screen.

To Tom:

It has been twenty years since I leaned over that altar in the temple. In many ways, it seems like it wasn't that long ago, yet I feel as if you've been a part of me forever. I can't imagine my life without you, ever. I love you more.

The Proposal

2008-09-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

I first met Tom the fall of 1987. His roommate was dating my roommate. He was dating someone at the time and I quickly began dating a boy (I mean, frog). I only had a few interactions with him that first quarter of school. I've said before, the thought that came to my head when I first met him was, "Wow! He is short." After spending more time with him, and seeing first hand his confidence, my thought turned to, "Does he not know he's short"? He made people quickly forget about his height and see the giant of a man inside.

Shortly before Christmas break, I was with my roommate at her boyfriend and Tom's apartment. He seemed to be working hard to impress me and by the end of the night, he promised he would call and take me on a date after school started. I hoped he would, but I was a bit afraid he wouldn't. He did call and we went on our first and probably last "official" date. We went to one his married friends house and played games. He was charming and funny and sweet. After that first date, we were pretty inseparable. He would go to the library every night and study. If I wanted to see him, I had to go too. Surprisingly, that is the quarter of school that I got my best grades! (Even with some smooching when we hoped no one was looking.;))

There is some debate in our household about the first kiss. He tells me I attacked him, but I don't remember it that way. I remember really wanting him to kiss me. I think I might have made it easy for him. You know, eyes closed, lips pursed, leaning towards him, kind of thing. We may never know who is right. (me)

The "love" word was first used at my Grandpa's ranch in Idaho. Getting that out was huge for both of us. It was late spring, and by then, I was totally smitten. We began throwing out the "M" word in early summer. We had talked about marriage and even thrown a possible date out into the conversations, but nothing was official. Everywhere we went, he would tell people. "I am just waiting for her to ask me to marry her." At first, I loved when he said that, because I knew he was thinking it and it would happen soon. After awhile, I was frustrated and irritated. "Does he really think I'm going to ask him?" I'd think to myself.

In early August, I was more sure than ever that I wanted to spend eternity with him, BUT I was tired of waiting for him to get busy and ask me. His apartment was near the Logan temple. In fact, when you opened the curtains, his window framed the temple nearly perfectly. A great place for a nearly engaged couple to be;)

One late summer evening, Tom took me on a walk. We walked hand in hand as he began confessing his fear of marriage and commitment and blah, blah, blah...Inside, I was seething. I had had enough. It's a good thing he couldn't read my thoughts, they were not pretty. Somehow, in my inward rage, I hadn't noticed that we were walking around the temple. Out of the blue, on the sidewalk surrounding the temple, Tom stops and takes both of my hands and gets on one knee. It wasn't until then, I noticed his hands were shaking. He asked me to marry him and placed my brand new not-so-shiny squirt ring on my finger. I was thrilled! And mad! He was trying to throw me off his scent with the whole, "I'm afraid" thing. I quickly forgave him and couldn't wait to tell everyone!

He asked me at the beginning of August, and the date we picked to get married was September 16. We didn't want a long engagement. (I was having a hard time keeping my hands off him.;))

My first engagement ring was a squirt ring similar to one of these. Tom had picked out a diamond and setting for me on his own, but they wouldn't be ready for a couple more weeks. Not enough time to get the wedding plans done.
This banana clip explains my hair in the next picture.

One of our engagement pictures. Yes, Tom had a mustache!

**********

Tomorrow--The Wedding

You’re Invited!

2008-09-13T21:34:00.001-07:00

You are Cordially Invited

To a

20^th anniversary extravaganza!

Yes, that's right, On Friday the sixteenth of September

Nineteen hundred eighty-eight

Our family began.

So to celebrate, I am subjecting all those that dare to read….

The story of US!

Monday: The proposal
Tuesday: The wedding

Wednesday: The honeymoon (Don't worry, I'll TRY to keep it G rated)

The couple is not registered anywhere, though after twenty years, maybe they should be.

Ze plans

2008-09-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Guess what I did yesterday?

?
?

I picked up the final...ready-for-construction house plans. Our builder sent them out for bids today. Now we just have to figure out what (or who) we will have to sell to pay for our new home.

New blog

2008-09-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

If you need to smile, check out a new blog I am very partial too. It is written by an AMAZING person!

Check it out here !

Backyard Fun

2008-09-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

The last weekend of the summer was spent with an awesome family. MINE!

Cameron decided to come home for the three day weekend. Tom and I thought it was because he was already homesick. Now, I think he wanted to get more "stuff" and get his laundry done. We enjoyed our time with him though. When he is home, there is always a lot of laughter.

Maddy's recent obsession has been volleyball. She has been wanting a volleyball net to practice in the backyard. Tom rigged up a homemade court in the backyard and they spent a lot of time working on trying to hit the ball over the net.The family playing together.
I got it! I got it!.... Never mind.
Doesn't she have the cutest smile?
Maddy has found that she plays best in her P.J.'s.
There was plenty of "trash talking" to go around.

Maddy signed up to play 7th grade volleyball, she was excited, until she found out they have VERY early morning practices. I may need to buy a gong to get her up.

Back to School Continued

2008-08-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

This morning was Courtney and Maddy's first day of school. Courtney is going back very tired. The reason for her tiredness is, strangely, homework. Apparently, summer homework is best done seconds before school starts. Oh, well. I'm sure I would never put off something I was dreading until the very last millisecond;)

I had to post the conversation I overheard between Maddy and her Dad this morning.

Dad: Good Morning Maddy! How are you.

Maddy: Tired. I couldn't get to sleep last night so I got mad at myself.

Dad: Why couldn't you sleep?

Maddy: Because I was too excited for today. I was so mad at myself for not going to sleep that it made me grumpy at myself.

Hopefully, she will be able to cheer herself up today.

Back to school

2008-08-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

Mckenna with her new teacher Mrs. Simpkin

Mckenna started third grade today. I have been told by many people the school she is going to is wonderful, I'm sure it is. As I walked Kenna to her new class, I felt like I was in a foreign land. My three older kids have all gone to the same elementary school, it was very familiar and comfortable. Mckenna keeps telling me that she is fine with going to a new school where she knows NOBODY her age, but the last few nights have told us differently. She has not been able to go to sleep. She tearfully asks her dad to lay with her, then she finally, fitfully, falls to sleep.

Last night, I put her to bed without our annual father's blessings, Tom hadn't gotten home from his church duties. I figured the blessing would count, even if it was a day late. When he got home, he checked on her and found her sobbing in her bed. He scooped her up and brought her downstairs. She looked so little when he sat her in a chair with her puffy eyes and tear streaked cheeks. He gave her a beautiful blessing, promising her that she would be calm and at peace. Shortly after the blessing, she climbed on my lap and I rocked her and sang her favorite lullaby to her. Tom carried her to bed where she slept well and woke excited for her new school. I am still anxious, I hope she finds some good friends. But for her, I feel so blessed to have her dad hold the precious power to calm her troubled spirit.

Adventures in Camping

2008-08-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

We haven't had the opportunity to go camping this summer with all that we've had going on. We decided to hook up our tent trailer, and find a place to camp around Moscow. We would get some camping in for the two youngest (Courtney had to stay home for band camp), and get Cam set up in his dorm. We assumed it would be easy to find a campground in or around Moscow. It wasn't. Just when we were getting panicky that we would have to sleep in the Walmart parking lot, some great friends came to the rescue. We called the Banks and they knew of a campground that was close by. We called and they had one slot available. Bishop Banks was concerned that we wouldn't find it in the dark. His family piled in their car, and guided us to our destination. We were most grateful!

Tom having a temper tantrum after Maddy beat him, again.

Nightly beatings!

Maybe if I pretend to be asleep, Mom will stop taking pictures!

Daddy's tummy makes the best squishy pillow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to Amy for her tutorial on how to feather pictures! I love how this turned out!

This Hurts!

2008-08-23T22:01:00.000-07:00

I know I should be grateful. Grateful that after eighteen-and-a-half years under our roof, Cam wants to try out independence. Grateful that I have had all these years to know him, to laugh at, (with), and love him. Grateful that he has blazed a clean, noble trail for his little sisters to follow. I should be glad he is taking a big step into adulthood. I SHOULD!

We dropped Cam off at the University of Idaho in Moscow on Thursday. He has the room to himself right now. I can't help but ask all the same questions every time I talk to him.

"How did you sleep?"

"Did you eat?"

"Have you made any new friends?"

I knew this would be hard. I didn't realize how empty it would feel without him here. Sitting down to dinner tonight, looking at the empty chair brought me to tears. Giving Kenna a bath, and seeing the men's body wash still in the tub brought me to tears. Good meaning friends asking me how I'm doing is enough to start the waterworks. I know it will get easier. I know he is where he needs to be. I know eventually I will be o.k. with this. Right now, I just miss him.

Typical big brother. Teasing and tickling before we left.

Old and Young

2008-08-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a certain fifteen year old girl, Tom woke up to these placed all over the house on Saturday:

The Old Man.

C'mon blow! I don't want to call the fire department!

I had a weepy mommy moment yesterday when Cam was ordained an Elder in preparation for leaving for college soon. I hope the worry lessens some. I still see him as a little boy sometimes. I hope, as he leaves our nest, that he is able to fly. Have we done enough to prepare him?

Special Day

2008-08-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Forty-three years ago today, a young woman gave birth to her fifth boy. He would be the sixth, and last child to join this family. She looked at the doctor and said,

"Couldn't you do better than that?" She was a bit hopeful she would have another daughter.

"I can give him to somebody else. I'm sure there are lots of people that would love to have a baby boy." He said.

It took her no time to reject that offer.

She did love him. Her two youngest boys were several years younger than the next oldest brother. She called them "pleasure" and "pure pleasure". She said she enjoyed them so much she didn't want them to grow up. She didn't care if they went off to school with a bottle in their back pocket.

I am so glad she accepted and loved that sweet boy. He grew up to be somebody that I could not imagine living without. And I am really glad he is not a girl!

Happy Birthday Tom!

He does so much for so many people, it is hard to make him stop and think of himself. When Courtney told him he was not allowed to mow the lawn or work today, we all knew that would fall on deaf ears. He likes to serve. Especially, the ones he loves. Hopefully, we can make this day a little special to honor a great father, husband and friend.

pictures from our trip

2008-08-08T12:50:00.001-07:00

Our trip

2008-08-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

It was nice to get away for a few days. Our batteries were getting pretty low. We enjoyed ourselves and only wished it was a little bit longer.

Wednesday
We traveled with Tom's sister and her husband to Idaho. We decided to make a stop in Twin Falls to tour the new temple. It was truly a BEAUTIFUL building. I had a hard time suppressing a little envy over the layout and size of this gorgeous temple. We felt like true investigators, because we literally pulled off the freeway into the parking lot. Tom's sisters plates were Washington and for some reason our rental vans plates were from Nevada. We didn't change our clothes, and I was a bit uncomfortable in my street clothes, but I'm so glad we got the opportunity to show the inside of a temple to our kids.

Outside of Burley, is Tom's family cabin. We stayed there and I loved falling asleep to the sound of my four kids giggling upstairs in the loft. (The picture of the bear in the slide show was the reason for some of the laughter.)

Thursday
After Tom and Howard worked on the lawn outside the cabin, and I took the girls for a photo shoot at Elba park, we headed to Salt Lake for our nephews wedding dinner. My Mom took the kids to dinner and then to a park. They enjoyed their time with her. Courtney was impressed by how Grandma knew everything about Salt Lake. (Probably because her parents seemed to make wrong turns constantly.) The wedding dinner was nice. It was in the Old Spaghetti Factory in Trolley Square.

Friday
The wedding was held in the Salt Lake Temple. The brides ninety-seven year old great-grandpa was the sealer. He was a cute little man who liked the fact that she was marrying into a family of people his size.

The kids stayed at temple square and toured (stalked). Courtney spotted a cute boy and followed him around the various visitor centers. After the family photo at the temple, she spotted him posing for his family photo at the temple. He really was pretty cute.

The afternoon was spent with me taking Cam and Court to The Gateway Mall, and Tom with Kenna and Maddy at the hotel pool. I was surprised how much a piece of denim could be sold for! We went into a store that said jeans were 50% off. Of course the original price was $180.00! Uh, no.

The reception was at an old church by the University. It had a beautiful pond and lots of big trees. It was a nice night. We visited with Tom's other brother Ray and his wife, Jillyn a very talented photographer. I want to stay with her and be her apprentice!

Saturday
After meeting my parents for brunch, we left Salt Lake and headed back to the cabin. We got to the cabin in time for dinner and made Carne Asada for those that were there. Later that night we drove down to the hot springs to soak and play. It felt so good!

Sunday
In all the years we have gone to the cabin, we have never gone to church in Elba. We would usually go down to Burley to Tom's moms ward. This time we decided to stay. It was a nice little church and a nice little ward. We felt like all eyes were on us when we walked in. I don't think they get too many visitors.

Later we went down and had dinner with Tom's brother Ned and his wife Mary, the parents of the groom. It was good to reconnect with his family. They are good people.

Monday
After cleaning up the cabin, we took off for Boise to spend some time with my sister and her four kids. My kids were really looking forward to seeing them. They have grown so much!
When I was young, my sister and I did not get along. There was just the two of us, and we clashed! It is so nice to see that she grew up into a lovely person who is extremely talented. (I, of course, was already perfect, and didn't need to grow up;)

Tuesday
Sadly, we packed up and started for home. The whole trip, what amazed me the most, was how well our kids got along with each other. I don't remember any bickering. I do remember lots of laughter. I hope that is what they remember as well.

I am so grateful we know so many wonderful people we get to call family!

Getaway

2008-07-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

After a summer so far that has focused mostly on selling our house, and moving, our family is off for a few days to a wedding in Utah. The kids are very excited. I'm not sure if they are more excited about the trip, or the new rental van we got.

The Big Move

2008-07-25T23:54:00.000-07:00

We are moved! There are still boxes to unpack and things to do, but we are officially out of our old home. Moving is never fun, but this move hasn't been too miserable. I think it helps that the kids really are a big help.

I have learned some very valuable lessons this week. I want to remember them, so I am writing down the examples from some awesome people. These people I mention are the kind of people that do not need accolades or attention. They have behaved in a Christlike way. I want to be like that.

Tom's sister came Monday and Tuesday to pitch in. She worked hard packing, unpacking and cleaning. She jumped right in and scrubbed three bathrooms. She also fed us and kept us hydrated (with the help of Sonic and happy hour!) I am so grateful to all that she did. She is easy to be around. She is the kind of person that sees the good. Which is great, because we fooled her into thinking our kids are angels.

After spending most of Tuesday scrubbing the kitchen and packing and unpacking, I came home exhausted. I still needed to finish wiping the oven and doing the last few dishes, cleaning the counter tops and mopping the floor. I intended to go back after dinner and finish the kitchen. Before I had the chance, Cindy and her husband, Jerry, knocked on the door with a box of dishes. She had gone back on her own and finished the kitchen! I was in tears over her thoughtfulness. She also provided hydration on Monday via Sonic's happy hour. If that is not enough, she helped pack several boxes with cute labels like "What's upon a time there was a box with remotes........" She is also very skilled with the vacuum.

The Ashton's almost make me want to move more often. On Tuesday, Austin, Marinda and Eric knocked on our door bearing scones from heaven. Debie's famous buttermilk syrup and scones were a HUGE hit. Scott not only provided a giant trailer to help move the big furniture, he and Eric lifted and hauled and lugged a lot of heavy stuff. Scott also showed up with pizza for lunch. That wasn't the end of their goodness. Debie brought us a muy deliciouso dinner. When Maddy asked what was for dinner, I told her Sister Ashton was bringing it. She said, "Good, I'm tired of fast food." We are most grateful to this sweet family.

In our unloading Courtney came across a large garment bag. Her curiosity got the better of her and this was the result:

And this:
When I showed Tom the pictures, he wanted me to delete them immediately. Unfortunately, he already saw them and I couldn't take them out of his head. He is not ready for even the THOUGHT of his little girl in a white dress.

We are not homeless!

2008-07-17T09:28:00.001-07:00

Tonight we sign papers to have this be our home for the next few months. Yay! I will finally be able to sleep. It won't be available until next Monday. (3 days before we close!) We are so glad we found something that doesn't require a year lease AND will let us keep our dog.

We will not be living in our ward boundaries, but rest assured eighth warders, you will not be getting a new bishop. The Stake President has approved our arrangement. (darn!)

What I should be doing:

packing
packing
packing

What I am doing:

blogging
fighting a headache
thinking about packing
making my kids pack
trying to find other distractions that keep me from feeling guilty for not packing.

It's great to be eight!

2008-07-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

My baby girl turned eight on Saturday. I can't believe my youngest is that old! She brings a lot of joy and fun into our home. I love being her mom.

In our home, the kids can't do sleep-overs with friends until they are eight. We bent it a little by letting her best friend, Sara, spend the night on Friday. The girls had fun with their little camp party. They decorated foam crowns, sang camp songs and ate smore's. Tom set up the tent in the backyard. They watched a movie in the tent, but decided to come inside to sleep.

On Saturday morning, Kenna opened her brand new scriptures and bag her grandma gave her. She loved the dark green quad with matching case. (Thanks grandma!) She then opened the birthstone barbie from Maddy, the makeup and case from Cam, and the journal from Court. Tom then told her to go into the living room where she was shocked to see a new (gently used) pink bike!

Saturday night, no amount of begging would change Kenna's mind on her pick for dinner. She chose Chuck E. Cheeses. For years now, it is the destination of choice for her. She had a good time, and luckily, she is old enough not to cry over the tickets and prizes as has happened in the past. The Norr's spoiled her with presents and came with us to eat cardboard pizza. One day, I may miss Chuck. I'm not sure how much longer she will request him.

Maddy and Kenna helped decorate the cake. It's hard to see in the picture, the cakes are supposed to look like a pair of flip flops. They used M&M's and bottlecaps to decorate the sides, and the straps are licorice pieces.

My favorite part of this tornado of a weekend was her baptism Saturday afternoon. She was excited! It was a small, but wonderful group of people that came. Courtney gave the talk on baptism. She reminded Kenna of how she was as a baby and how she would help take care of her, and when she is baptized, it is like being born again. Cameron talked on the Holy Ghost. He made me face reality. He is ready to go on a mission in a few months. He showed two flashlights; one bright and one dim and compared that to the Holy Ghost. The bright when we are obedient and the dim when we aren't.

I watched her put her hands in her dads, and teared up when I realized this was the last time one of our children stepped into that water. We laughed when her toe popped up and she had to be dunked again. It truly was a beautiful day!

2:00 p.m. Saturday

2008-07-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

This cute little girl will be turning eight on Saturday! She is lucky enough to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on her birthday. That is one of the few things I remember about my baptism. The stake baptism day happened to fall on my birthday. I always thought that was nice of the stake to do that for me;)

Goodbye...

2008-07-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

WARNING: Long, journally post

Tonight, our house was poked and prodded to see if it would hold up for the future owners. In preparation, I scrubbed (again) and grabbed my camera before we messed it up again. I want to remember this house. It has been good to us.

In the laundry room, I painted this wall blue and added clouds to make it feel like I was outside putting my clothes on the line. The window treatment is a group of doilies hung on a clothesline.
A few years ago, I saw a system like this in a friends house. It has changed my laundry life! The kids sort their clothes even before they can read by looking at the pictures.
The family room, where we spend a lot of our time. When we put our house on the market, we were told to remove personal photos. I couldn't stand to take these pictures down. It wouldn't feel like home without them.

The kitchen, pretty bare I know. My fridge doesn't normally look that clean!
These window treatments were very easy to make and I love how they look.
When I look at this room, I think of the late nights painting. I know the wallpaper is dated now, it was one of the first things I did when we moved here. I really like the bead board Tom put up and the laminate floor we put in. We bought the chairs for this dining set on clearance. When we had saved enough to get the table, it was gone. I found this one at an unfinished furniture store and stained it to match.
This room is pretty new. We painted and re carpeted to get it ready to sell.
Courtney's room is my favorite room in the house. We were given this vanity. It was painted a deep green and didn't have a mirror. I painted it yellow and used a mirror that went with another dresser. The shelf is a very cheap unit that I stained with the yellow paint. We taped the walls for the fence and used a template for the rounded tops.

The inspiration for the room was this yellow quilt my grandma made for me as a graduation gift. It has a butterfly stitched in the middle. I was thrilled that Courtney loved it and wanted it in her room. Tom made the headboard to match the fence and we stained it yellow. This room is about 8 years old now, and Courtney is ready for a change. Her mom isn't.
The memory I have for Cam's room, is pulling an extreme room makeover on him while he was away at scout camp a few years ago. We gutted his room by taking down the stars and moon wallpaper, painted, reorganized, bought new bedding and surprised him. It was a lot of fun.
This is another room that we repainted to sell. It used to be a pale pink and purple that matched their bedding. This is Maddy's side and I love the shelf that holds all her wolf collections and Indian doll. Her pillowcase was given to her by a friend. The fabric is, of course, wolves.
Mckenna's side is much more girly, with the porcelain dolls on her shelf.
I fell in love with this bedding and thanks to my sister and the handy dandy gift card she gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago, I was able to get it.

Even though I am excited about the next chapter in our lives, I can't help but get nostalgic on what we are leaving behind. This is the only home most of our family has ever known. When they remember pillow fights, or being sent to their room, they will picture this house.

House news

2008-07-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

As I was backing out of my driveway, taking Kenna to swimming lessons, I nearly ran into a real estate agent. This was a Monday morning! My house takes at least a full day to recuperate from the weekend craziness. Anyway, the agent wants to show the house and when I tell him no way can he see the house in the condition it is in, He tells me that they can overlook the mess. I wanted to die. I want to sell my house. I told him I needed an hour--(more like three, but I would take one) to get it show ready after I got home from the pool. I came home and instantly sent kids in different directions to clean. The kitchen was the biggest disaster. I was just wiping down the counter tops, when he called and said. "I know I said we wouldn't come for another half hour, and not to put any pressure on you, can we come now? We have no other houses to look at."

I was not liking this guy.

He showed up and I hadn't even touched my bedroom yet. I ran upstairs, and did a quick hide the mess game and left the house. I then called and complained to hubby about the inconsiderate agent.

Yes, they are the ones that made the offer.

Things are happening so fast that it is a bit overwhelming. After I looked at the paper I signed to accept the offer, In tiny print, was the closing date of.....

????????

wait for it........

__________________________________

July 24!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, that means our family has less than three weeks to find a place to rent that will let us rent month to month and will accept a big hairy dog! Tom is so confidant that everything will work out. I wish I was. This house thing has turned a normally positive thinking girl into a terrible, horrible, no good very bad pessimist. I really want to believe we will find a place, get moved, and start building in August, but my faith is not very strong right now. My hubby is so cheerful and positive and excited that it can get annoying at times. I'm doing my best to counter his excitement by being anxious, pouty and slightly panicked.

An accounting of the journeys in the wilderness of my family.

2008-07-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

While Mckenna and I enjoyed the house to ourselves, the rest of our clan experienced the great outdoors.

Maddy couldn't wait for her first year at girl's camp. She had a great time and met some new friends. Courtney lived through the 4th year hike and had many testimony building experiences at camp. She did say she missed the boys.

All of the boys that went on the float trip came home from the float trip. That is always a good thing. Cameron and Tom, probably had the most exciting raft trip. The boat they were supposed to take down the river popped so they had to divide up the people on other boats. Cam and Tom went together on another boat. When it hit the first rapids, it hit a hole and flew up and over, dumping everyone in the river. Tom and Cam had to float through two more rapids before a kayaker pulled Tom out exhausted and pretty scared. Cam was able to get to the side. Tom said he thought he was going to drown. He took in a lot of water, and said he couldn't go any further when the kayaker pulled him out. They were a bit nervous to get back on the boat the next day. They got on the boat and had a great time. They both loved it, and are already planning more whitewater trips. BOYS!

blackout

2008-06-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

O.K. here's the story. At the primary activity yesterday, I was visiting with Debie. Mckenna, whispered, "Aren't you going to tell her what happened?" So, with her permission, I told Debie about our exciting Tuesday night. Debie mentioned it in her comment and when I checked my email before bed last night, I found this email...

What fainting incident? Are you ok?
Hope you are OK. Maybe you need to go to the Dr.
Love ya
Mom

I am fine!

Mckenna had a dentist appointment on Tuesday afternoon. It was just a cleaning. The hygienist had to work hard on her. She had a lot of plaque built up on her teeth. They have mentioned this before, so after the last appointment I bought her an electric toothbrush. For some reason, it hasn't worked. I guess it might be because you have to actually put it in your mouth and turn it on and apply it to your teeth! I sent her up to brush her teeth every night, but after visiting with her sister, I find that she hasn't been doing a very good job. I thought she was old enough to not have me hover over her anymore. I guess I was wrong. The dentist suggested that for awhile I supervise to make sure she is doing a good job.

Anyway, later that night I was brushing her teeth to have her feel what it is supposed to feel like. Her gums were very tender and irritated from the intense cleaning earlier. When she spit and saw the blood in the sink, she said, "I don't feel good."

"Do you need to sit down?" I asked.

She nodded and went completely limp. I helped lay her down on the bath mat and started yelling her name. Her eyes were wide open but I knew nobody was there. She stiffened up and didn't respond to my attempts to get her back. I remembered she needed blood to her head, so I grabbed her feet and held them up. It seemed like she was out for a long time, but I know it was probably less than a minute. When she came to, she blinked and looked at me and asked, "What happened?" Other than being scared from the whole thing, she was fine. She had a hard time going to sleep after that, so when dad got home he gave her a blessing and she went right to sleep.

I'm honestly getting better. My kids have done this before. Court and Cam have each had a couple of fainting episodes. The first time it happened, I had the phone in my hand, ready to call 911. Now, I know what it is and even though it is scary, I don't panic.

I ask all those in the blogging world to do me and my kids a favor. Please don't bleed around my kids!

Playing mice

2008-06-26T00:10:00.000-07:00

This girl left Monday to hike in the rain.

This girl joined her for girl's camp the next day.

These guys left yesterday to float down a river.

What are these girls going to do?

PARTAY!!!

Shh! Don't tell the Bishop!

Some of the wild and crazy things we have done or will do:

Dinner at Applebees. (On Wednesdays, kids eat for .99 cents!)
Primary activity at the temple
Pool time!
Movies
Lots and lots of cuddles

Sounds exciting, doesn't it?

Sunday nap?!

2008-06-22T23:15:00.000-07:00

I was so exhausted after church that I decided to take a well deserved Sunday nap. I stretched out on my comfy bed, looking for a nice long restful sleep.

Slam! muffled giggling and talking.

I waited for Mad and Kenna to quiet down.

"Shh! Mom's trying to sleep!

giggle, giggle, bark!

After a while of trying to shut them out I gave up and grabbed the book that was the reason for me being so tired. I had stayed up way to late last night engrossed in the story. I couldn't get it off my mind.

I spent the afternoon reading and finished it by dinner time. I hadn't noticed how quiet the house had gotten.

Little stinkers!

Answers to questions you have been dying to know, and some that you haven't

2008-06-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, our house is still on the market.

No, we haven't gotten any offers. We thought we were close last week. Our realtor said the couple that looked at it twice were deciding between ours and another one. They must have picked the other one.

No, we have not started building. We are big chickens. We decided we would not start building until after we sold this house. Which means we move, and build, and move again. Yay us!

No, I have not ordered the plans yet. I do not know how I managed to get married and have four children. This deciding on a plan has made me terrified of commitment. If any of the three people who read this know of a good house plan drawer upper that is also a mind reader, please let me know. My husband would thank you.

Yes, we have been showing our house more.

No, I don't mind showing my house at the drop of a hat. It makes me so happy to pick-up, wipe, sweep and vacuum at a moments notice. I am not at all witchy and unpleasant to be around. Just ask my family.

A Happy Quinseanera!

2008-06-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

This is a big birthday year for several members of our family. Cameron turned eighteen and is now officially an adult. Maddy had her twelfth birthday in April. She now gets to attend Young Women's in church and she graduated from primary. She is also excited about attending girl's camp next week. Next month, Mckenna will turn eight and be baptized. She also thinks that when she is eight she will be able to have unlimited sleep overs. (Not!)

Courtney's birthday was Saturday. I had been teasing her for months that I would throw her a quinseanera, complete with a pinata, a big poofy dress and a tiara. She thankfully rejected my offer.

We did, however, make the most of her fifteenth birthday. The day started with us girls using the gift certificates we got for Christmas for manicures and pedicures. Maddy was forced to go and let us know we were torturing her. Courtney, Mckenna and I were entertained by her torment. The scowl on her face didn't leave until we walked out of the salon.

Courtney loves the flowers on her freshly pedicured toes.

After presents, she picked Applebee's for dinner. We stuffed ourselves so much that she decided to save the cake for Sunday and make it a combined birthday/father's day celebration.

Blow, baby blow!

Yesterday, I gained such a respect for Courtney. We have been looking for a modest swim suit for months for her to wear this summer. The girl's camp rules are that it must be a one piece or a tankini sewn together. (I know... weird!) Anyway, we looked at the local stores and were disappointed at the very, very slim selection. We couldn't find any modest one pieces. The few one pieces we found were not much better than a bikini. After another failed attempt in a popular store, we decided to try a sporting goods store. When I asked the sales lady if they had any one pieces she said, "The only one pieces we have are competitive suits. I saw some the other day at ____ that were pretty cute." She was referring to the store we had just been too. The one piece she was suggesting was basically a bikini with a small piece of fabric down the middle.

I was so pleased that she stuck to her values. She knew exactly what she wanted and what she would be comfortable wearing. She also wanted to find a good deal. (If her dad gives her ten dollars, she will come home with an outfit and shoes.) She tried on several suits, but even a suit I thought was acceptable, she didn't feel right in. I ended up spending more money than I wanted to on a swim suit, but it was worth every penny knowing she is comfortable and trying so hard to make good choices.

Courtney looking stylish in her new suit and board shorts.

Many people have commented on how pretty Court is. She is, but her inner beauty is what knocks the wind out of me.

School's Out For The Summer!

2008-06-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

This day is here! Finally, no rushing around in the morning. No more washing p.e. clothes. No more homework! (o.k., I will not let their brains die. We will still read and work on math facts. The school math really lacks on computation skills.)

I gathered all the "stuff" the kids brought home and dropped in various places and took a picture. I will be trying to find places to hide all of this while we are still trying to sell our house!

Mckenna came home today, and said that she got an award at the last day of school assembly. She got a starship Mcgee award for Caring. Her classmates also signed a large paper heart to say goodbye to her. She will not be attending Mcgee next year. I will miss Mcgee. My kids have had awesome teachers and great experiences. It's hard to imagine a new school. Mckenna seems so at ease about changing schools. I hope she makes good friends at Livingston. My goals for the summer:

READ every day (all of us)
Practice math facts
Swimming lessons
Work on Personnel Progress (Maddy and Courtney)
Prepare for Kenna's baptism
Mooch off someones garden (hint, hint) and finally... one that I am not looking forward too
MOVE!!!

Highlights and lowlights from our busy weekend

2008-06-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

My sister called this morning and asked if I had survived the crazy weekend.

"Sort of," I answered.

Hair of the Dog

2008-06-05T10:55:00.001-07:00

For eight years, Maddy would ask, "Is tomorrow the day we get a dog?" She would pray to get a dog. Her walls were covered with pictures of dogs. I resisted for as long as I could. I told them I didn't want the burden of taking care of it to fall on me. I didn't want to make sure it was fed. I told them that I didn't want to teach it to be good, but in reality; I just didn't want to deal with poop. I finally could not deny her what she wanted any longer. Three years ago for Christmas, Tom took the kids to the pound and they brought home Roxie. I made it clear to him that I didn't want a big dog. (Smaller poop) She is big.

She is a good dog. She will sit on command. She will shake and go down. We can't get her to roll over and she is not the best at fetch. But, she loves our family and even though she has gotten out of our yard a few times, she always comes back. (Much to Hubby's dismay)

There is one area that she and I do not mesh well on. I think I need to take her to obedience school. I have used all the training tricks I know and she is still not doing what I want her too. I can't handle her lack of respect for me much longer!

Her hair is driving me CRAZY! Our house is on the market so I have to keep it presentable ALL the time. I admit, I have slacked a little because of our busy schedule, and nobody calling to see our house for about a week, but this is FOUR days worth of hair! I vacuumed on Saturday, and didn't get to it again until yesterday. Oh, and this mass of disgusting hair, is just from PART of the downstairs. It doesn't include the stairs or the upstairs. That's today's job. We also take her outside and brush her several times a week. It doesn't seem to help much.

I heart, HEART my Dyson. It does such a good job of getting ALL the hair. I've tried to skip a step and just vacuum Roxie, but the sound scares her and she runs away too fast. (It was worth a try!) With as much hair as I get each time, I am shocked the dog has any hair left!

My family is so attached to her, so I will tolerate the hair everywhere a little longer, but this gives me one reason to look forward to winter.

Playing Catch-up

2008-06-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

Since I have neglected my blog of late, I thought I had a bit of catching up to do.

Mckenna performed in her 2nd grade play. She was a rain dancer and the cutest singer on the stage!

All I wanted for Mother's Day was a Wii Fit. There is no way I am posting a picture of me on the thing, so Maddy is the lucky victim.
Mckenna wanted curly hair for church last Sunday. I rolled her hair in pink foam rollers and she slept on them. This is the result that lasted for about 20 minutes! It sure was cute while it lasted.
Cameron had his last jazz band concert last Tuesday. He is not missing the 6:50 a.m. practices!

Cam and Court had their final band concert of the year Thursday night. It was a LONG concert. I was asked to put together a retirement slide show for the district music director, and I did a tribute to the band director leaving to take the district job. Mckenna and Maddy had their piano recital last night. It was held in the Battelle auditorium and they did such a good job!

Mckenna played; Tiny Lullaby and Indian Song. Maddy played; Fandango and Think of Me from The Phantom of the Opera.

I have had a couple of people ask me how I'm doing with Cam graduating this year. Honestly, I have been so busy that I haven't had time to think about it. It will almost be a relief to get it done! He had his senior boards last night and passed very easily. Saturday, we are having a BBQ for friends and family before graduation. On Sunday, he will participate in Seminary graduation and have his Eagle Board of Review immediately after. Now, if I can survive this weekend, maybe my head will stop spinning long enough for my heart to feel him leaving me in a few short months!

blog fog

2008-05-29T13:21:00.001-07:00

I promise I am not dead.
Though I would really
love to climb in bed!

I can't wait for May to end.
Perhaps June will bring
a better trend.

I often think of things to blog.
Kids activities keep me
spinning on a log.

I am not too good at poetry.
It's where in high school
I received my only D.

My sincerest apologies to those that were subjected to the above post. Love ya!

Extra! Extra!

2008-05-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Monday evening, three future homeowners of the Jacob's Lane housing development met for the official groundbreaking of their homes. The first home is expected to be started in two to three weeks.

The event included a meal featuring, roasted hot dogs and smore's. After the meal, each family posed for pictures with ceremonial golden shovels. The evening was a great success. The families are looking forward to the completion of the development.

fast and furious

2008-05-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

On Friday afternoon, Hubby and I rented a car and sprinted down to Boise to watch our nephew, Alex, play in the state high school baseball tournament. They were ranked first, having lost only two of their games this season. They were favored to win, and Tom wanted to be there to cheer him on. I wanted to go to be with him and see my sister. We were also wanting to spend time with Tom's older brother, his wife and two of their kids.

Unfortunately for Alex, the game did not go as planned. They lost the game Friday night which put them out of the running for first place. They played a very exciting game on Saturday and took the third place trophy. My sister took some time out of her busy Saturday to hang with me for a couple of hours. I miss her, and enjoy being with my only sibling. Because of time, I didn't get to see her four kids. Hopefully, I'll see them soon.

We were brave and left our kids home alone. On Saturday Cameron made crepes for breakfast. His mission assignment went over great with everyone. He pulled out my largest frying pan to try to break a record for the largest crepe.

Courtney, knowing me, thought I would like pictures documenting the momentous event.
We returned home Saturday night, grateful for friends who kept an eye on our kids and went above and beyond the call for them. The kids are ready for us to go again!

It was a fast and furious trip, but well worth it.

I'm glad they're going on a mission!

2008-05-14T23:29:00.000-07:00

This week, my two oldest are serving missions in seminary. Bishop Peterson gave each student an official letter calling them to serve. Cameron was called to the Johannesburg, South Africa mission, and Courtney was called to the Atlanta, Georgia mission.

They get points for what they do during the day. I am loving the cooking and cleaning.
One of their assignments was to write a Dear John/Jane letter. It's probably hard to read. Cameron's basically says he is to busy baptizing an entire village to think about her. Courtney had to burn his picture because it was to distracting.
Apparently, this is how you learn the language for the Atlanta mission.
They are not supposed to watch t.v., listen to the radio, play video games or be on the computer. (Courtney is NOT happy about missing American Idol. Luckily, she can watch the finale next Wednesday.) It is nice to have intellectual, spiritual and deep material around for them to study and increase their knowledge of the gospel. It took both of them to figure out the word find.
So far, they have worked out a deal where Cameron cooks Courtney breakfast in the morning and Courtney will cook dinner. Yay me! Last night she made tator tot casserole. Tonight she is making Chicken enchilada casserole. Courtney will clean the bathroom and Cameron will clean the kitchen. Yay, Yay me! They are also going to do a load of laundry a day. Yay, Yay, Yay me! (Does anyone know where I can get some good Bon Bon's?)

The Hardest job I've ever LOVED!

2008-05-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

"Bye, I love you! Have a good day" I call out the door as she hurries to the bus stop.

"I love you too!" She turns and blows me a kiss.

I know she does. I know all my kids love me. I have a drawer full of homemade cards that tell me they do. I have gotten thousands of slobbery kisses and tons of hugs in my eighteen years of being their mom.

But they cannot even begin to understand MY love. From the moment I held each of my four infants in my arms, I adored them. When I saw their tiny fingers and toes, my heart could barely contain what I felt for them. If I close my eyes, I can still smell that sweet baby smell. I can see them sleeping peacefully. I can hear their first cries. I can feel them nestled in my arms as I nurse them. Oh, how I miss it! It really did go too fast.

It hasn't been easy. The sleepless nights that left me exhausted beyond exhausted. The time I spent holding sick kids hoping they would be O.K. The guilt that is part of mom DNA. I know I haven't been perfect. I'm sure they have plenty of material saved up to take to a therapist in a few years. (The hours of listening to my beautiful arias is one shot to their Psyche.) I hope they will never doubt my love for them. And maybe, one day, they will understand my love, when they become a dad and moms.

Prom continued

2008-05-05T14:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I posted pictures from prom Saturday night. In the newspaper, it said that every high school but one was having their prom on Saturday night. Cam and his friend Scott had grand plans for places to go for dinner. As the date approached, they realized that getting into any restaurant, would be nearly impossible. Scott's mom, Cindy, had a great idea and I assisted.

We sent them on a scavenger hunt! The first clue: "Oscar the Grouch lives here. Look for the "sandy whirlwind". (dumpster at the Dust Devil stadium) They didn't get it and had to come home for more help. That clue led them to the mustang at Mcgee elementary. That one led them to CBC and the next clue said: This place not only feeds your stomach, it also feeds your spirit. Cameron called and said,"Mom, we are at the Stake Center..."
"No! Think lunch!" I yelled. They eat lunch in the Seminary building every day.
They were running out of time, because earlier, Cindy and I had paid for them to play a round of miniature golf as part of the hunt. The course was closing and they were taking a lot longer than we thought they would. We had them skip the playground of dreams and head to the mini golf place.

While they were running around, Cindy and I,and Court and Michelle, went to the mall's food court to set up a table for them. Scott's date is a vegetarian, so the food court made sense. She could have whatever she wanted.

When the kids got to the mini golf place, they were told it was too late to start a game. They refunded their money and gave them their final clue: "In the middle of the largest river, you will find a place where you can get a napkin". Check this out. The kids love it and watch it over and over, yet they didn't get the clue! They called for help when they got stuck. We were hiding in a corner of the food court when they showed up.

They could pick from so many choices, yet they all chose pizza except Scott who went for seafood. I went over to snap a couple of pictures before they ate. As I was walking away, I turned back in time to see them bowing their heads to say a blessing on the food. What good kids! An older man came to us and commented on how kind the young men were to the ladies. How they held the chair for them and gentlemanly they were. Another older man commented on their modesty as we were cleaning up. Their were actually quite a few prom goers that had the same idea, minus the fancy tables. We had fun and they said they did too.

Prom 2008

2008-05-04T17:11:00.001-07:00

Finally!

2008-05-03T12:37:00.001-07:00

Nuff said!

The Ginzu car trip

2008-05-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

Today I picked up my elderly Suburban from the auto repair shop. With over 175,000 miles, every mile we squeeze out of her is a blessing. We are so in love with not having a car payment, that we will drive her as long as we can, and put everyone we know on our emergency "come pick me up 'cause I'm stranded" call list. (Thank goodness for cell phones) If it weren't for the family reunion a couple of years ago, I would have very few complaints with the Burb.

We were pulling our tent trailer to Tom's family reunion outside of Burley in early August. I was a little on guard, because at the same trip the year before, the fuel pump had gone out in the middle of the night outside of Mountain Home. Tom's brother drove from Burley in his expedition and towed us home. While we waited by the side of the road, the semi's would pass us and shake us. It was not a pleasant experience.

Forward to the next year, we had gotten off earlier, it was nice to travel in daylight. The closer we got to Burley, the more I was able to relax. We were within forty minutes when Tom noticed something wrong. He saw oil spraying out the back and onto the tent trailer. He pulled over and quickly realized, our transmission was shot. We hobbled into Jerome, found a repair shop, poured transmission fluid in and limped into Burley. An arm and a leg later, we thought all was good.

BUT, That's not all
During the reunion at the family cabin, Cam and Tom went exploring a nearby mountain in the Burb. When they were coming back and almost to the cabin, Cam told his dad that he had no power. They coasted into the driveway. After investigating, he decided it was the fuel pump (again!) The cabin is about 45 miles from Burley. He called a tow company to have it towed into town. Another arm later, we thought all was good.

BUT, that's not all
As we were packing up, getting ready to head home, Tom took the two little girls to the park one last time. They played for awhile and on their way home, he couldn't steer. By then, we were ready to use the guns the adults had been using for target practice, to put the burb out of her misery! (and ours) When Tom popped the hood, a belt had disintegrated and another part had melted. Tom's mom let us borrow a car to pick up the parts. So a trip to Burley to pick up the parts and head on back to fix it and be on our way. Of course, the belt was the wrong size! At this point, it needs to be made clear that the language used has been repented of. We hop back in the car, head towards Burley when we see a tiny shop not far from the cabin. We stop in and, luckily, they have the right belt and were happy to sell it to us for twice what it was in Burley. Yay, us! Tom, put the car back together. I no longer thought all was good.

BUT, that's not all
The store that sold us the fuel pump the year before, said we could bring it back and get our money back. We packed it in our trailer at the cabin. One of the girls wanted a pair of shoes, Tom pulled it out, set it on top, and got the shoes. When we got to the store, the fuel pump was nowhere to be found. We were beyond frustrated at this point. After driving back to the cabin and searching all along the way, we finally gave up, defeated, and headed home.

BUT,that's not all
On the way home, I was on edge. Every little click, bump or sound had me convinced that something else was going to happen. We made it to La Grande when the car shuddered. I started laughing! What else could I do? Shockingly, it wasn't the burb this time. One of the tires on the trailer had separated and blown up. Because it was so big, Tom had a very difficult time getting it off. After much effort, he finally got it off. Luckily, this happened in La Grande where there is a Les Schwab. Tom changed the tire, and we continued home. Now, not only was I waiting for the burb to fall apart piece by piece, I was waiting for the other tire to blow. When we pulled into the driveway, I threw open the door, jumped out and kissed the ground. I was home! I never want another trip like that again. With the money we spent on car repairs, we could have flown to Disneyworld, and stayed in a nice hotel for a week! That's another reason we are keeping the Burb. We put so much into it, we want to get more out of it. Strangely, Tom can't understand why I don't want to take it on a long trip ever again!

Update

2008-04-29T12:09:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Tom took Maddy and Kenna on an overnight camping/working trip to Teancum timbers. Unfortunately, I forgot to send a camera with them, so I don't have pictures. They said they had a good time. It was pretty cold that night but Luckily, the furnace didn't run out of gas until five a.m. Cam had to work Friday night, so he decided to drive up on his own Saturday morning with a friend. After he helped his friend with his paper route, they headed up thinking they knew where they were going. They left after seven, and I got a call about an hour later.
"Mom, if I hit Pomeroy, have I gone too far?"
"Yes! Turn around. Cam, I've never been there before, you have. I don't know where it is!" Have you tried to call your Dad?"
"Yes, there's no cell service there."
They drove around for THREE hours before he remembered the turn off at Dayton. He showed up just in time to eat lunch and drive home. I am sure I did silly things like that at eighteen that I am not willing to admit to now.

Last night at FHE, I gave a lesson on gratitude. We sang count your many blessings and I had the kids write down all their blessings. I was busily writing; 1. family 2. church 3. health....When I see Courtney lean over to Cameron and ask
"Psst. What did you get for number 4?"
"Scriptures," He responded. "What did you get for number 6?"
I think next weeks lesson will be on cheating.

My latest project

2008-04-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

I have been in a bit of a blogging funk lately. There have been a couple of reasons why:

1. My kids are in school and my husband is back at work, so there hasn't been anything funny or embarrassing to share with the world wide web. And....

2. I have been hunkered in front of my computer compiling, editing and ordering pictures to make this.
It's a DVD slide show documenting the graduating classes time, especially their last year with the Pasco High band and color guard. Tonight is the senior awards banquet, where they (including my baby boy) will be honored. This is the second year I have done this, and though it takes a lot of time, I enjoy putting it together. The kids love seeing pictures of their past, and I hope it makes a nice keepsake. I have burned twenty-five DVD's for the students and the band director. Hopefully, they will come.
So tonight, after the banquet, this will be shown in the auditorium as part of the awards night. I need to thank this gal for her help in picking beautiful music to go with the pictures. Her knowledge was invaluable.

Sunday

2008-04-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

The second counselor in the bishopric wasted no time in asking Maddy to speak in Sacrament meeting as the youth speaker. Too be honest, I was very nervous for her. At home, she has two volumes, loud and louder. We are constantly asking her to be quiet. That's why I am always so shocked when her teachers always comment on how quiet she is. I always ask if we are talking about the same girl. She is reserved in public. She casually informed me on Saturday that she was asked to speak on Sunday. I of course, reacted in typical mom fashion. "What! Why didn't you tell me earlier?! I never heard you tell me you had to give a talk. I am NOT always busy." Guilt. Tom and I helped her put together a simple talk on humility. In the back of my mind, I had the picture of a young girl about Maddy's age, who at the last minute, backed out of her talk. She was tearful and visibly shaking.

This Sunday was Brother Demille's first time conducting Sacrament meeting. After he had announced the program, he sat down but forgot to lower the podium. Maddy is tiny, she patiently waited for him to lower it to the very lowest it could go when her dad nudged him and the congregation was giggling. (For a minute, I thought they might need to get the step stool.) I watched as my quiet, reserved daughter stood at the pulpit, and read her talk as if it weren't her first time. When she sat down, a little piece of my heart grew. She proved to me what a brave, strong girl she is.

What did I buy today?

2008-04-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

These are some things I may have "bought" today:

A slab of concrete for this bridge?

A repair of this pothole?

Or, perhaps, this gold toilet for my hard working representative?

My purse is lighter today:(

What did you buy?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2008-04-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

Spring Break!

The Good:
Maddy's Birthday party at the rollerena!
Cameron's senior project-a presentation on engineering and creating his own Rube Goldberg creation, using engineering techniques. Done!

Bad!

Roxi ripping out her stitches and having to take her back to the vet to stitch her back up. It cost us $173.00 to have her spayed and $120.00 to re-stitch her up and the lovely cone. Dumb dog.

Ugly!

Finally replacing our old kitchen floor.

The floor looks beautiful!

I promised my hubby I wouldn't post his latest misadventure. Let's just say we were both frustrated. The following is the dialogue that was said on Saturday night.

hubby: "This has not been a good week for me. I've blown it on two projects I've taken on."

me: "Uh, it's been more than two."

hubby: "Thanks for being such a supportive wife."

Later--

Hubby: "I guess it could be worse."

me: "Yeah, my first... no my forth, no fifth thought, was at least nobody died."

hubby: "You sure know how to make me feel better. I can't wait to go back to work."

I am so glad he knows what he is doing. He! He!

2008-04-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

We have a willow tree in our backyard that has become a nuisance. Maybe not so much for us, but for our neighbors. The shallow roots have interfered with their new pool. They tried to remedy the problem by applying root killer to the offending roots. In the process, it partially killed the tree. The neighbors felt bad. The solution was to remove the tree. I decided to document the event. Please note that my husband is a scientist not an engineer.

I am glad the fence was there, or we might have been making a trip to the hospital! The goal of this project was to keep the tree in OUR yard.

So, if you have a tree that needs removed and want some help--- call someone else!

letter to the Prophet

2008-04-07T15:04:00.000-07:00

Dear President Monson,

This weekend was relaxing, inspiring and motivating. I miss President Hinkley's wit and warmth, he will always have a special place in my heart. On Saturday, I stood with other Relief Society sisters around the world to sustain you as our new prophet. I know that you are our prophet. The story of you climbing five flights of stairs, with an injured foot, to visit an ill member in Germany, helped me to feel of your love for all of us.

Please thank Elder Ballard for his wonderful words. I have been holding my head a little higher and being more grateful for the life I have been so blessed to have. (Even after the pillow fights and ice cubes down backs during conference! Teenagers!) His talk has motivated me to try a little harder and be a little better at my important calling of Mom.

I have enjoyed feeling the spirit manifest so many truths this weekend. Hopefully, I can keep the feeling I have had from this conference with me for months to come.

Respectfully,

Sister Moon

p.s. Since this conference was such a success, I think we should do it more often. Just a suggestion.