WE'RE HAVING A WARM STORM!

Today was a gorgeous day--I mean, really gorgeous. It was so nice you would think Spring was here already. Unfortunately, it is supposed to be cold and wet the rest of the week but it will be worth it just to have had a few nice days. Unfortunately, Jonathon's asthma has been bad enough the last couple weeks I haven't been able to let him run around outside while it's been nice and I practically had to stand on him to keep him indoors today. He loves to be outside and he so wanted to run and play. Poor little guy. I am really hoping he starts to grow out of this as he gets older.

He was able to go to gymnastics (indoors) today so he at least got to have a little fun. Plus, he had his pre-school and also had a friend over, too. It was all the doldrums for him. On the way back from gymnastics today he and Carly were talking about how warm it was outside and asked me if it was Summer. I told them it wasn't and explained how the seasons go and that Spring would be here soon and then Carly blurted out "Well then, we are having a warm storm--and it's making me very, very hot!" Lol! She makes me laugh!

Grandpa got his results back from the gall bladder tests he had the other day. Turns out he's got a bum gall bladder and they suggest he have it removed. I haven't talked to him myself about it yet but the word on the street is that he has other ideas about what should happen with it. Maybe he's had his gall bladder so long he's just plain attached to it, or maybe he's gotten used to the vomiting and he's starting to actually enjoy it. Lol. I'm not sure if he's really thinking about keeping it or if he just wants more time to think about it but I will find out and let you know. In the meantime, keep my Big Bad Dad in your thoughts and prayers would ya?

Also, my Aunt Kaye is back in the hospital. She had a blood clot in her left leg and it broke apart and part of it went into her left lung. She is feeling OK but they have her on oxygen now and she will have to remain on oxygen now. She is hoping to be able to go home from the hospital soon. Please keep her in your prayers as well.

I will update you when I know more. Night all.

NICE WORDS ON A HARD DAY

I taught my 14 year old's today. To be honest, I thought I would be less nervous teaching the youth. WRONG. It's just a different kind of pressure. It's still hard and you have to be on top of your game. I was so nervous this morning and trying to pull things together--after working on my lesson for many hours yesterday and this morning. Then, Rob got called out (he's on call this weekend) and I was left to finish my lesson, get myself and the kids ready, feed them and get them to church on time. Well, it didn't happen. We missed the first meeting. Luckily, I wasn't teaching until the second meeting. Rob got home about 25 minutes before the second meeting started and we pulled it together and got there.

I think the lesson went kinda, sorta well. I've been taking some small treats and give them out in return for reverence and participation. That has been helping. My co-teacher will have the next two weeks as I have taught two in a row. Now, it's her turn to do the same.

I did have a very nice thing happen after I left class. A man who had been in my adult Sunday School Class and who didn't know I am not teaching in there anymore stopped me in the hall to tell me I am his very favorite Gospel Doctrine teacher. That is a one and only moment. Never happened before, will never happen again. :) I told him he made my whole day! It really did make me feel good. Everyone needs a payday like that once in awhile, especially when you are having a hard day!

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL

Yesterday I took Carly to get her hair done. It only took about an hour and a half. Sunshine is the young woman's name who does her hair. She is always so nice. She spent extra time curling and styling her hair. It was so cute when she was through. Carly was so excited to have "shiny" (that's what she called it) hair again. I'm just thrilled to have comb-through, manageable hair again. Yay!

Here are a couple pictures of my little sweetie pie with her new 'do. :

Carly with her hair styled

Carly's curls

It was kind of funny afterwards on our way home. She hadn't seen herself in a mirror yet but she knew Sunshine had used a curling iron on her hair. She also knew we had gone there to have her hair straightened. I didn't realize the mix of the two had confused her. Our conversation went like this: 

Carly: "Mama, I thought we were getting my hair straightened?"
Me: "We did honey. That's what Sunshine just did."
Carly: "But Mommy she just curled it?"
Me: "Yes, but before she curled it, she straightened it.
Carly: But why did she straighten it if it was already curled?
Me: Who's on first, What's on second . . .

OK--so I didn't say the last one --but it kind of felt like that. Took a little explaining. She was delighted to see the "after" curls she had as opposed to the teeny weeny hard to comb through "before" curls. A mirror made all the difference!

YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY~THAT WON'T FLATTEN YOUR TUMMY :O

The weather is messin' with me. Today it was all sunny and nice again. Oh well, I'll take it. I was just glad to have a lovely day. It was a little chilly but I didn't care. It was just nice to have some sunshine!

Rob called me late afternoon and was heading to a hospital where he usually does some work. However, he told me he was headed there because his brother was in the ER really sick. They weren't sure what was wrong but thought he might even have meningitis. We went through a couple of hours of nervousness and his brother had to have a spinal tap but, thankfully, it came back negative. They think it is just a really bad virus. In the end, the symptoms remind me of what Rob had at the end of December that ended up being a really bad flu. His head hurt worse than he could remember it ever hurting and his body ached all over and he felt really, really sick. Anyway, we feel really blessed that this didn't turn out to be meningitis. They have him on some strong meds so hopefully he can start to get better quickly.

Rob and I have both lost some weight recently. In fact, we'd both like to lose a little more--though we're feeling pretty good with where we've gotten so far. We spent a month on the Whole30 Paleo diet to clean out our guts but it helped our waistline as well. We plan to continue eating Paleo-rific about 85% of the time (except when we don't.) That will help "our guts" stay clean and our waistlines thin--hopefully. However, tonight I just wasn't in the mood for Paleo anything! We had to make a trip to Costco and right by Costco is this nice little Asian restaurant called Pei Wei. It is so YUMMY! You guessed it--I talked Rob in to taking me to dinner there and we were both a bit naughty. Hopefully, it won't show too much tomorrow.

I did run for 20 minutes today and do 1,000 sit ups! Yes, you read that right. I am trying to get rid of my tummy. OK, maybe not completely rid of it--but just flatten it a little. Lol! :D

SO MUCH FOR THE SUN . . .

Hahaha! Wow, fooled me! Yesterday and the day before it was all warm and sunny here. I mean, it was almost shirt sleeve. It was around 60 degrees. Woke up this morning to heavy, flying snow! No kidding. Yesterday made me dare to believe we were done for the year. Joke's on me! Crazy weather. The one good thing is that it never did stick to the ground--hopefully, it won't overnight, either. But, I guess we get what we get and we don't throw a fit! (Jonathon comes home from pre-school and says that!) I think his teacher must have to repeat it to a bunch of 3 and 4 year olds a lot! Lol!)

Julie's doing really great this semester in school. She just aced two more quizzes. She's working really hard and we are so proud of her!

Carly got to take out her first library book from her school's library and bring it home. I don't remember doing that when I was her age. I'm not sure when I got to do it but it was an important rite of passage for her. She feels big! We read it together tonight and she gets to return it on her own and check out another one. I'm really glad they are teaching them responsibility at such a young age.

Well, not too much going on here. Time to lock up and go home. :D

WARM AND SUNNY HERE

Yesterday (Monday) since it was a holiday, Russ, Susan's husband had the day off, so they came up to visit and do some "honey do's" for Grandma and Grandpa. Russ spent the day hanging pictures and decor for Grandma and Susan helped Grandpa organize his files and papers.

The kids were were really glad to see them, too. They don't get to see them very often since they are an hour away. They stayed for dinner and then headed home. I will have to take some photos of Russ's handiwork. The walls look really nice.

Our weather has been really wrm the last few days. I think it got up around 60 degrees today and all of our snow has finally melted. With any luck, we can coast on into Spring. That wouldn't hurt my feelings at all. I haven't minded the Winter as much this year as last year but I'm still ready for a new season.

Well, better get myself to bed. It's been a long day.

A NEW ASSIGNMENT

I am now teaching the 14 year old's in Sunday School which is a relief for me. Teaching adult Sunday School was a bit stressful--not that teaching teenagers isn't. It's just that it's a bit more pressure to teach adults. So anyway, today was my first day to teach the lesson. I have a co-teacher and we take turns. I have to say I was really impressed with how good they were today. We have a whole class of boys who have been a bit rowdy at times (I have subbed in there before) and today they were very reverent. I was really grateful for that. Of course, only four out of the seven were there but still, they were good and it made it very easy to teach.

We watched a bit of the Olympics tonight and then had a family home evening lesson with the kids. After that Rob helped Carly practice her piano lesson. I am so grateful he knows enough to help her. Otherwise, I'd be up a creek without a paddle. I so want her to learn to play but I managed to learn nothing about reading or playing music in my life (unless you count the radio--which I don't!) Anyway, it was so sweet to watch him help her so I had to run and get my camera.

She reminds me so much of myself when I was growing up. When I didn't understand something or when something seemed too complicated to grasp, I would just kind of stiffen up and my lips would start to quiver and the tears would start to fall. I watched her on the piano being a bit confused about how to do what she was supposed to do. She started into that same lip quivering mode until her daddy carefully walked her through how to do it. I love my husband so much and I am so happy he is such a wonderful father.

Like this.

Like this?

How am I doing Daddy?

Perfect.

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLY! YOU MAKE US SO HAPPY!

We had a really fun day with Carly today! Her older sister Julie came up last night (Friday) and babysat while Rob and I had a Valentine date so she was here to help wish her a Happy Birthday today and help with her party. We all got up early and prepared for an onslaught of five and six year olds! About 11:30 they started to arrive and before we knew it we had nine or ten kids running around the house making all sorts of wild noises and laughter!

It turned out that Daddy (Rob, not Grandpa) was the surprise favorite of the party. He started out by coming out with his Frankenstein mask on and getting lots of screams (and then they begged for more) and then got down on the floor and played magic card games, balloon stomps and all kinds of games that got huge giggles from all of them! He is so great with kids is really warms my heart. They all just loved him and had so much fun! They all got to make their own pizzas and then we stuffed them with cake, ice cream and even more sugar, wound them up and sent them back home! I'm sure their mommas are thrilled with us! Hahaha!

Sister Megan came over and was a big help as well, and sister Sara called Carly from Oregon this evening. She is one loved and spoiled little girl. Jono was happy to tag along all day and photo bomb a bunch of the pictures. He's really good at that.

I'm hoping by Sunday afternoon Grandma and Grandpa will have recovered from all the noise. Here are a few fun pictures. Enjoy!


My little 6 year old



The whole gang



Let us eat cake! Yum!



Carly with the photo bomber
(He was no where in sight when I started taking the picture!)

Carly, you are the sweetest little girl ever and we love you so much! Happy, Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

JUST A FEW THINGS

I can't believe Wednesday is over already! I am so far behind the 8 ball! I've been running all week and am SO not caught up! I am trying to clean the house which is not an easy thing to do when I have two power wrecking balls under my feet at all times! I want to get it clean before the week is over since I'm having a birthday party for Carly here on Saturday with a whole bunch of little kids.

I am also supposed to take treats to her school on Friday. Although, Carly let me know today the teacher thinks I'm coming with them tomorrow. Great! I am going in to help the teacher do grades tomorrow but I am not doing Carly's birthday stuff till Friday--no matter how confused the teacher is! Gah!

Rob and I have been off our Whole30 for a whole day now and are doing pretty good. We've added a few normal foods back in but still ate pretty paleo for the most part today.

Well, better get some sleep for my busy day tomorrw. Still have a cake to order, presents to get and treat bags to make among other things! Night all!

A GOOD START TO OUR WEEK

Grandpa had an appt. with his Parkinson's doctor today--just a check-up. He got a good report. They think he is doing really good.

He doesn't have much of an appetite these days and he has gotten pretty darn skinny. I think it has to do with the ulcers he has. Hopefully, this medication they've started him on will kick in and help with that. Either that or we are going to have to hire in some better cooks around here.

I'm spending my week planning my baby girl's birthday party! She turns 6 on Saturday. I ran around today getting favors, invitations, decorations and all that fun stuff. Now to get them all delivered, assembled and put up! I just can't believe Carly is growing up so fast! She is such a sweet little girl and I am so blessed to be her mommy!

A LITTLE NOT SO GREAT NEWS

Grandpa went to the dermatologist last week and had some skin taken off his ear and the doctor wanted to have it biopsied. He saw the doctor again this week and learned it had come back positive for skin cancer. They have already removed all of it so they are just going to keep a close eye on it. He doesn't have to do any follow up tests right now or any spot radiation or chemo. Hopefully, the removal will be all that was necessary.

Just wanted to get this short update out. Grandpa is in good spirits, but he never minds a phone call just to chat or catch up!

GRANDPA AND GRANDMA

Grandpa had a Dr. appt. this morning. It was just a check-up and all went well. Grandma got him a new coat for Christmas and he looked so handsome in it I had to take a picture as he was headed out the door. I got a picture of Grandma and Grandpa together, too since they are such a cute couple. I thought you'd enjoy seeing them. So--ENJOY!

Grandpa in his new jacket

Grandpa and Grandma
on their way out for the morning

I GOT ME A BACK UP BAND!

You know, it's a not so subtle irony that I want my little girl to be able to read music and play the piano because I never learned to--and it really never occurred to me that I might need to know how to read music or at least understand something about it to help her understand what she needs to practice each week after her lessons. (Yes, I know that was the longest sentence ever written but I'm too tired to fix it. Lol.)

Last week after Carly's first lesson, when her teacher was explaining her assignment to me so I could help her practice I felt like I was back in 9th grade chemistry class. I never understood chemistry. It was worse than reading a map or sewing instructions! Don't get me started! Unfortunately, I don't have a decoder in my brain for those things--and I've learned to compensate.

However, in school when I had no choice but to try or to fake it--I sometimes sat and let the tears roll down my face--not quite as dramatically as my five year old. But I'm sure I felt just as helpless then as she does sometimes when she doesn't understand something and has a meltdown. At any rate, when her teacher was explaining her practice instructions to me I was immediately beamed back to one of those moments! Gah! What was I going to do?! I had a momentary panic and then I remembered that Rob knew how to read music and I could have him help her.

I tried having her work on her own when we first got home but she didn't remember a whole lot. So, when Rob came home he sat down at the piano and helped her and was so patient and loving with her. It made me so happy. I was so worried I'd gotten in over my head. Then, last night as I was going to bed, I remembered that my mom played the saxaphone in high school! That means she can read music too! I have a backup BAND! She claims she does not remember much! But hey, Carly is a beginner--so I don't need much! Ha! Yippee! I am not alone! All is well!

A SWEET DAY OF VISITS

We went to Provo today and spent some time with Julie between her classes. We had an appointment down there and it was a good time to catch up with her. She's been doing so great in her classes and at work! We are so proud of her! It was fun to have lunch with her. We took Carly out of school today so she could go with us and see her big sis. The kids were so excited to see her! They were sad we couldn't bring her home and keep her. Secretly, so was mommy--but don't tell anyone. I'm not sure mommy's ever outgrow that feeling ~ but I'll have to get back to you on that one.

We also went to visit one of my very dearest and sweetest friends. Her name is Venice and I had the blessing of working with her for years. She lost her husband about a year ago and we keep in close touch. She has worried over my mom and dad and was so sweet to knit each of them a lap blanket. She worries that their legs will get cold while they are sitting. She also knitted my babies first blankets, which they are both still very attached to. I love this dear friend so much and am so grateful to have her in my life.

I really have been blessed with truly wonderful friends and a beautiful family. It was so nice to spend time with both today. My spirit is happy.

SUPER BOWL PART-AY!

We had a big Super Bowl party here after church today. It was pretty fun, except that Rob and I couldn't eat most of what we served. We still have 9 or 10 days to go on our 30 days of Paleo--but who's counting? OK, I am! It's 9 full days left after today! Maybe longer--we have a doctor appointment tomorrow--hopefully, we won't get sentenced to a longer fate. Lol. Actually, it really hasn't been that bad--but I think I would definitely need a couple free days a week if I had to eat this way the rest of my life!

Anyway, we had a couple kinds of pizza and 3 different kinds of cookies for the game and the usual chips and sides. Then I made stuffed mushrooms and some pretty awesome lettuce wraps that were Paleo friendly so Rob and I wouldn't starve.

I have to admit I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the game and only some to the commercials. I was too busy cooking and chatting -- and then cleaning up. It was fun to have some family and friends over. It made for a nice Sunday.

Grandma and Grandpa grabbed some goodies along with us but watched the game in their room. I think maybe the kids were too noisy--or maybe it was us. :) Anyway, they are doing good.

All is well here. Hope you all have a fabulous week!