Busy, busy, busy...

Whew! Time flies!

Christmas is past and we are running full speed ahead into a new year. Already this month, we have lost yet another family member. Our dear, sweet, Aunt Afton passed away on the 8Th. (She is my Grandma Wanda's sister.) I recently learned that she had fallen and broke her hip in October and she just never recovered from it.

I had the pleasure of attending her grave side service in Nyssa, Oregon last Tuesday. It was very nice. I was also able to meet her daughter Jackie for the first time. It was a neat experience. Jackie is beautiful! She is older than I expected, but very nice. She seems like a very elite woman. I also got to meet her son Eric. He seems like a very nice individual; handsome and on top of things.

I've had a bit of tummy trouble in recent months. They are still trying to determine the cause of my woes. Tomorrow I go into the hospital for more rounds of tests. JOY!!! It is not a major big deal, just a colonoscopy. So, today I have to be on a special diet of tea, broth, jello, juice-YUCK! But, I have to do it. It is good that I am going in to have things checked out since my dad had colon cancer and pancreatic cancer. I just wish we didn't have to eat. It is such a pain! There are too many things to enjoy!

When I went to Idaho last week, I had the opportunity of visiting with my family. I especially enjoyed being with my sister, who took the day off work to spend time with me. We had so much fun! We laughed like a couple of high school girls, we did a little shopping, we cooked dinner together, took her daughter's to their activities, and laughed some more. We looked through photographs, talked about her missionary son and college attending daughter and her other children. The time went much too fast, but I greatly enjoyed the time we spent together. I was hoping we'd have more time together before I had to come home, but I hope we can do more together in the days ahead. I had such a nice time being with her.

I also had the privilege of helping my mom with some tasks around her house. I hung pictures for her, rearranged bedrooms and hung some more things, rearranged kitchen cabinets, swept and vacuumed, and visited with her. I wish I had spent a little more time visiting with her, but I was glad to help her get things taken care of that were bugging her for a while. It felt good to help.

I was able spend time with my brother too. We had him and his family over to mom's for sloppy Joe's and root beer floats. Later, we watched a video. He was in a music production in his Stake which consisted of 120 choir members. They did a nice production about Joseph Smith. It was a great tribute to him both in music and word. It was full of his personal history and songs that portrayed him, the man that "has done more for the salvation of man, save Jesus Christ, than any other man on this earth". (I put that in quotes because I need to go and look up who said that but don't want to take credit for those words myself.)

It was nice to visit with him and later spend time with his little girls. We had a sleepover that I am certain was much too late for them, but was fun nevertheless. The girls and my little ones after getting them bed down for the night, decided it would be fun to undo that plan. They made mountains out of all their pillows, blankets, and sleeping bags and then proceeded to jump onto them. The would run from the living room into the bedroom and jump on the pile. It was so much fun! Cute too! Then, they told stories, giggled, cried, and played some more. Just before midnight, we made up their beds and turned out the lights. No sooner than the lights went out, they were out too. Fun!

Though probably my brother was probably a little upset with me for keeping his girls up too late, it was nice to spend time with them too.

I also got to go out with my sister-in-law to a candle party, out to dinner, visit her grandma and sister, and gab a bit with her. It was nice to spend time with her and each of us vent. I was able to visit with her a couple of different times and days while there. It was nice to have a sounding board, but nice that I could be one too. You learn that we are all in similar situations in life; just at different stages. It is a good feeling to know that you are not alone.

I also had a chance to spend a few minutes with the sister missionaries that are living with my mom. They are some of the sweetest people I know. Their hearts are pure and spirits are strong. It was fun getting acquainted with them.

It was nice to get home to my own bed. When I got home, the house was trashed! There were dishes everywhere and it looked like a bomb went off in the family room and my daughter's bedroom. I still have yet to finish up the task of cleaning all that up. I tried "assembling the troops", but they did not "obey orders". They did not seem to like the consequence that were imposed, but I shouldn't have to clean up all that! I was still trying to get the house back together before I left from after Christmas! What a job! I also had piles of laundry to do. I made a good dent in that yesterday but there is still more to do and I also must clean MY room. When someone is coming over unexpected or otherwise, things inadvertently get tossed in my room to be dealt with later. Well, later doesn't come too often. Now my room looks like a bomb went off in it! At least I am spending time to blog today. :) Oh well. I guess my excuse today is to keep as far from the kitchen today as possible since I have to be on a special diet. Someone was right when they said that a diet is DIE with a T. This diet is yucky. Thankfully it is short term.

I better go. Hopefully it won't be so long until the next posting. Since I am new at this, I hope I'll quickly learn better how this works and be more consistent about it.

I hope my readers have a great day!

-TA!

STINK!!!!!

I started writing a post and my computer starting doing automatic updates and I lost a whole page full of blog! How frustrating! So, I guess I will try again tomorrow. I will get this stuff figured out one day.

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY...

We have had an amazingly busy last couple of weeks. We had a Cello recital last Monday starring Robbie, a choir concert Thursday for Joshua, girls night out with the cousins and friends on the 12th (I want to post a special blog on that event.), a band concert for Zachary this Thursday, my birthday on Tuesday, a talent show starring Julia singing "Me and My Teddy Bear" accompanied by me, a Christmas sing at the elementary school starring Julia, a Stake Christmas choir event starring myself, and doctor appointments. Whew! Oh, and least I forget...Christmas shopping! Phew! I am tired!

I haven't done my annual Christmas letter yet, and now I don't know if I am going to at this point. Time has caught up with me and I don't seem to have the time or gumption to do it. Perhaps we will forgo it this year. I didn't get family pictures like I had planned either. So, we will either do it next week or not at all. I don't even feel like baking this year. We'll see what the next few days bring.

I bought myself a new laptop for Christmas. I had one several years ago that was kind of a hunk of junk. It was used, which is fine, but I had to squeeze the screen

Yesterday and into last night, I had the privilege of watching my cousins' kids while they were at the hospital having another one. (Congrats Jared & Amy!!! I can't wait to come see little Victoria Noelle. I'll bet she is as cute as the rest of the bunch!)

I was worried that I would not be able to handle someone else's large family, but it went rather well. There were a few occasions of difficulty, but it wasn't terrible. It was a good experience for me and I was glad to help. I had trouble sleeping at their house, so needless to say, I am extremely tired, but not as tired as they are or are going to be.

I was thinking about putting up a post of recipes on my blog, perhaps a spot that we can share some of our favorites. I will look into that. I have had requests for my carrot cake recipe, dinner rolls, and a few cookie recipes. I will learn what I need to, to get those posted.

Jeepers! I am more tired than I first thought. I had better get up and moving around.

Have a great day!

It was good to have the kids home for Thanksgiving, but the house looks like we had a tornado roll through! I am not complaining! It's all good!

My mom left this morning to go home. She has had a hard time the past few weeks while she was here. Hopefully a visit to her doctor will shed more light on things and she'll feel better soon.

I have to run carpool in a few minutes, so this is going to be short.

Been busy with the usual laundry, menu planning, grocery list making, and so forth today. I'll soon be off to the market and dropping the little girls off at Gymnastics.

Perhaps I can update more later.

Hope everyone who reads this is having a good day today. I love you!

One Month Later...

Ok, I still don't know what I am doing. It has been a busy month.

My Uncle Mike passed away on the 6th and I went to Arizona for the funeral, which was on the 13th. I took my mom and two youngest ones with me. The funeral was very nice. Uncle Mike was given full military honors at a special tribute at the cemetary. It was also very nice and it was neat to experience that.

My mom has been with us since she came here on the 8th or 9th, I can't remember. She ended up with a very bad UTI and has been sick most of the time here. Today she didn't even come upstairs. I guess she thinks we are tired of her. Perhaps some of us are, I don't know. It was good to have her here with us on the anniversary of my dad's passing. Given the fact that my dad passed away on our daughter's first birthday, four years ago, we try to make her birthday the focus of the day. As it should be! We had a really nice day on the 21st and celebrated Marissa's birthday the following day with her first birthday party with friends. It was a big event for her! It was lots of fun! We handed out little skirts, made fairy wings and butterfly masks, had a pinata, cake, ice cream, punch, and party favors. We played duck-duck-goose, animal charades, put the nose on "Benny" the clown (a family tradition), and opened up a few gifts. Marissa went to a birthday party before hers, so I think she was a bit overdone at the end of the day, but it was a fun day.

Thanksgiving Day was a joke this year. Doug and I had an argument and he spent the day downstairs. It was a bummer. Oh well! At least the Turkey was good!

Today I went to Mervyn's to see what they might still have. Their "going-out-of-business" sale was ok. Several items were picked over, but there was still a lot of stuff left. They will be there until after Christmas.

It is hard to believe that so many iconic stores are closing down. It will be intersting to see what becomes of others in the not too distant future. With the largest bank in the U.S. seeking assistance, I wonder what the future holds. I don't fear too much yet, but I feel something major is coming. I just hope I am ready.

Enough doom and gloom. Tomorrow is another day! :)

OK

I totally don't know what I am doing. I will get this set up right one of these days. But for now, goodnight.