I have a favorite website. In fact I added an RSS feed to my homepage so I can see what is happening there every day. It is actually a view of My Mountains.
These are the mountains that I could see from my home as I grew up. Today it was snowing there. It is sunny here. Even though I KNOW the effect it will have on me, which is extreme homesickness, I still have to look at it every day. Most of the time it spurs me on to call my mom and talk to her. This doesn't ease the homesickness, but it helps. I love that cute little lady.
I would sit under the shade of our willow tree and watch the mountains and the clouds that passed over them. I would draw them and dream about my future as I watched them.
After I met my sweet future husband, I watched them anxiously as he had told me that he was climbing the third Flat Iron that day. There are three slabs of rock called Flat Irons. Near that last one to the left of the screen, is the place my dad used to work.
To the north, or the right of the screen, is another mountain, a bit smaller than the main mountain. It is upon this secondary mountain that a star appears every year. For years, this star was lit on December 1st. My Birthday, so I thought that someone knew my Birthday, and it was for me. I was quite innocent that way. After all, my Priest, Father Pat used to send me a birthday card every year, and my Uncle Jude always sent me a dollar bill. Why shouldn't I think the star was for me?
Tradition held in my home town was this star stayed on until 12th night, or the 6th of January, which is the symbolic day the Wise Men arrived. The 12 days of Christmas, therefore start on Christmas and go from there, not end on Christmas day.
On 12th Night, everyone gathered at the local rodeo grounds, about a mile outside of the town, and would bring their drying Christmas trees. Miss Merry Christmas would bring a torch and light the pile of trees and everyone would gather and watch the bonfire. When the fire was out, the star would be turned off for another year.
Miss Merry Christmas was a local High School girl who was voted by the student body. She wore a cute Santa-type dress.
My home town has grown since then. The rodeo grounds are gone, and in its place is a shopping center. It is no longer a mile out of town, but about the center of town. And the star has already been turned on, it no longer waits until December 1 to be turned on. I guess all this is progress.
If you click on the link above, you will be taken to a web cam that allows you to see just about the same view I got every day as a little girl. If you click on it at night, you will see the star about the middle of the right third of the page, above the "s" in the word "buildings".
I still love my mountains. Besides giving me a wonderful view, they helped me with direction. Of course ALL mountains should be on the west of the town. This is how I grew up, so that is law. Isn't it?
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving, Back
The title refers to a scene in You've Got Mail where Meg Ryan is trying to use her credit card in a local store where it is a cash-only line. She is not aware until the lady informs her of the total and says "no credit cards". Everyone gets upset and tells her to use another line and she is trying to just get out of there because her nemesis, Tom Hanks is behind her and she is trying to escape before he notices her. He does notice her and comes up to the front, charms the clerk, Rose by telling her she has a nice name, and says Happy Thanksgiving. Then he tells her it is her turn to say, "Happy Thanksgiving Back." This makes her smile, then he makes a Knock Knock joke.
Orange, Orange Who? Orange you going to zip this card through? Zip Zip? She does make an exception for Tom and the tension is broken, but not for Meg. After he leaves and Rose is still smiling, Meg says, "I'm sorry." Rose's smile fades to a glare, and Meg slinks out, feeling even more animosity towards Tom.
We had a great Thanksgiving day. It started out at 6:30 as Sailor and I arose and prepared stuffing, stuffed the turkey and started it baking.
S2,DIL2 and three grandchildren arrived just in time to sit down to dinner. DIL2 must have been psychic because she filled in where I was lacking. She brought three kinds of cranberry things, two pumpkin pies, and rolls. Really buttery rich rolls. She forgot the whipped cream, but I happened to have that. I had forgotten cranberries. So we balanced each other out. We had a great feast, and had enough left overs to feed a soup kitchen afterwards. As we cleared the table, Sailor took the bones from the turkey and began to boil them for soup stock. After dishes began to wash themselves in the dishwasher, the children played outside on the swing set, then we all retired by a wonderful fire Sailor built.
Next we gathered around the newly assembled artificial Christmas tree and let the children open gifts from their Grand folks (that would be us). The older two got art sets and a little car race track called Electric Car, and the baby got a baby doll and stroller. They are happily playing with their toys and life is good.
They are spending the night tonight, so we will have a fun day tomorrow as well. S2 wants to take his guns out and go target practicing, he also brought some wood down to work in the shop with his dad.
Life is good
a
(Saturday~two days later)
The older two children and I went to the park and played on the slides, watched the waterfall, watched the kids in the skate park, and played in the sand for about two hours. At one point two mean-faced little dogs, I believe they are miniature pugs came barking and racing over. Little GS1 let out a startled cry and ran to me and GD3 was already behind me. I was just sitting on the grass beside the sand pile. The owner apologized and put them back on their leashes and left. After they were safely gone, GS1 said: "Those dogs were cute." It cracked me up, because you would have never known he thought that by the way he was clinging to me. I loved it.
S2 & Sailor went out target practicing and sighting in their guns and DIL2 stayed with the baby while she slept and read a book.
Earlier the parents had gone on a run, and we watched the children. The baby is almost 2 and is quite a cutie. She has very snappy Dark black eyes and dark hair. As her parents sat on the floor stretching in preparation for their run, this cute little girl sat on the floor and imitated them. Her tiny legs are maybe 4-6" to the knee and she sat there pressing on her knees, stretching out, then lay on the floor and put up one leg, pointing to the ceiling. It was one of those moments you remember in your mind, but the camera is nowhere handy, and by the time it is found, the moment is gone. But it was so darling. We had a wonderful time with them.
~a
Orange, Orange Who? Orange you going to zip this card through? Zip Zip? She does make an exception for Tom and the tension is broken, but not for Meg. After he leaves and Rose is still smiling, Meg says, "I'm sorry." Rose's smile fades to a glare, and Meg slinks out, feeling even more animosity towards Tom.
We had a great Thanksgiving day. It started out at 6:30 as Sailor and I arose and prepared stuffing, stuffed the turkey and started it baking.
S2,DIL2 and three grandchildren arrived just in time to sit down to dinner. DIL2 must have been psychic because she filled in where I was lacking. She brought three kinds of cranberry things, two pumpkin pies, and rolls. Really buttery rich rolls. She forgot the whipped cream, but I happened to have that. I had forgotten cranberries. So we balanced each other out. We had a great feast, and had enough left overs to feed a soup kitchen afterwards. As we cleared the table, Sailor took the bones from the turkey and began to boil them for soup stock. After dishes began to wash themselves in the dishwasher, the children played outside on the swing set, then we all retired by a wonderful fire Sailor built.
Next we gathered around the newly assembled artificial Christmas tree and let the children open gifts from their Grand folks (that would be us). The older two got art sets and a little car race track called Electric Car, and the baby got a baby doll and stroller. They are happily playing with their toys and life is good.
They are spending the night tonight, so we will have a fun day tomorrow as well. S2 wants to take his guns out and go target practicing, he also brought some wood down to work in the shop with his dad.
Life is good
a
(Saturday~two days later)
The older two children and I went to the park and played on the slides, watched the waterfall, watched the kids in the skate park, and played in the sand for about two hours. At one point two mean-faced little dogs, I believe they are miniature pugs came barking and racing over. Little GS1 let out a startled cry and ran to me and GD3 was already behind me. I was just sitting on the grass beside the sand pile. The owner apologized and put them back on their leashes and left. After they were safely gone, GS1 said: "Those dogs were cute." It cracked me up, because you would have never known he thought that by the way he was clinging to me. I loved it.
S2 & Sailor went out target practicing and sighting in their guns and DIL2 stayed with the baby while she slept and read a book.
Earlier the parents had gone on a run, and we watched the children. The baby is almost 2 and is quite a cutie. She has very snappy Dark black eyes and dark hair. As her parents sat on the floor stretching in preparation for their run, this cute little girl sat on the floor and imitated them. Her tiny legs are maybe 4-6" to the knee and she sat there pressing on her knees, stretching out, then lay on the floor and put up one leg, pointing to the ceiling. It was one of those moments you remember in your mind, but the camera is nowhere handy, and by the time it is found, the moment is gone. But it was so darling. We had a wonderful time with them.
~a
Monday, November 19, 2007
Two Shiners
Yesterday we celebrated SIL2's birthday. Happy BDay! He is such a sweet young man and such a good husband and dad. We are all counting our blessings. D2 made two kinds of cheesecake and some brownies. mmmm
I didn't over indulge.
We had 4 hours of Church before we headed north to the party. Not only did we attend the three hours in our own Ward, but my husband spoke in the Spanish Branch. He had a translator. Those people are so very friendly, and I do pick up more Spanish than I used to. That is always fun. I had associated with this group of people for about 5 years, then a branch was formed and they have their own meeting time, and we were released as Stake Missionaries. It was fun to see all my friends again and sing the hymns in Spanish, even though I just sing the syllables and don't understand the words I am singing, I get the gist of it because I know the words to the hymn in English.
My goose-egg bump from the post hitting my head on Friday is flat now, but all that liquid has to go somewhere, and gravity pulled it down, so now my eyes are both bruised and swollen. Yeah, just before our Christmas concert. We will be on TV on Wednesday, because our director is also the weatherman on the local station. I will wear my purple coat I bought in New York, when we sang in Carnegie Hall in '05 and no one will see my eyes.
It is more of an inconvenience than anything. It doesn't hurt, just looks awful and itches. I guess Sailor's mom was walking in the dark once and to protect herself, she had both hands stretched in front of her (sleep-walking style), to make sure she didn't run into anything. You guessed it she walked squarely into the end of a door, hands on either side of it didn't help her in the dark. She got two black eyes. In way of explanation when asked what had happened, her "sympathetic husband" said she had gotten too smart-mouthed with him and he had to put her in her place.
I am glad Sailor didn't take after his Dad in that way. Maybe I will just sport sunglasses. Remember those HUGE ones that took up half of your face? That ought to hide my eyes.
I heard, too late, that aspirin and ibuprofen both make the bruising worse, because they thin the blood. Does that mean conversely that if I continue to take it that the blood will rush the bruising out faster?
Wish me luck. It is time to go exercise again. I missed the cardio Saturday but did the crunches. I did nothing on Sunday but sit 4 hours in Church, another 5 hours round trip in the car to the Birthday party, another 3-4 hours around D2's house and ate cheesecake. But it was so good. Yea. Back to the old treadmill. . .
Here is a Shout out to Risible Girl for staying away from sweets for TWO WEEKS! Good job RG!
Have a good week and a WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING!
a
I didn't over indulge.
We had 4 hours of Church before we headed north to the party. Not only did we attend the three hours in our own Ward, but my husband spoke in the Spanish Branch. He had a translator. Those people are so very friendly, and I do pick up more Spanish than I used to. That is always fun. I had associated with this group of people for about 5 years, then a branch was formed and they have their own meeting time, and we were released as Stake Missionaries. It was fun to see all my friends again and sing the hymns in Spanish, even though I just sing the syllables and don't understand the words I am singing, I get the gist of it because I know the words to the hymn in English.
My goose-egg bump from the post hitting my head on Friday is flat now, but all that liquid has to go somewhere, and gravity pulled it down, so now my eyes are both bruised and swollen. Yeah, just before our Christmas concert. We will be on TV on Wednesday, because our director is also the weatherman on the local station. I will wear my purple coat I bought in New York, when we sang in Carnegie Hall in '05 and no one will see my eyes.
It is more of an inconvenience than anything. It doesn't hurt, just looks awful and itches. I guess Sailor's mom was walking in the dark once and to protect herself, she had both hands stretched in front of her (sleep-walking style), to make sure she didn't run into anything. You guessed it she walked squarely into the end of a door, hands on either side of it didn't help her in the dark. She got two black eyes. In way of explanation when asked what had happened, her "sympathetic husband" said she had gotten too smart-mouthed with him and he had to put her in her place. I am glad Sailor didn't take after his Dad in that way. Maybe I will just sport sunglasses. Remember those HUGE ones that took up half of your face? That ought to hide my eyes.
I heard, too late, that aspirin and ibuprofen both make the bruising worse, because they thin the blood. Does that mean conversely that if I continue to take it that the blood will rush the bruising out faster?
Wish me luck. It is time to go exercise again. I missed the cardio Saturday but did the crunches. I did nothing on Sunday but sit 4 hours in Church, another 5 hours round trip in the car to the Birthday party, another 3-4 hours around D2's house and ate cheesecake. But it was so good. Yea. Back to the old treadmill. . .
Here is a Shout out to Risible Girl for staying away from sweets for TWO WEEKS! Good job RG!
Have a good week and a WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING!
a
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Savage Chickens: Thursday Cartoon
Some time ago I discovered this cartoon and have had an RSS feed added to my homepage. This guy is so talented. They are so funny. Hope you enjoy
a
Saturday, November 17, 2007
progress
I have gone two days, doing my exercise. My abs already feel the pain. This is good.
Yesterday we raked leaves. I was in the process of breaking the twigs into kindling. It sort of hurt my knees to break them over my knee, so I used a post in the new shed my husband is building. I was putting the twig on the other side of the post and pulling, until the post came lose and conked me on my head. I saw stars and now have a goose egg where that post hit me. Apparently my sweet husband temporarily propped that post up and hadn't put braces on the top to secure it to the shed. All the rest are secured and I didn't realize this one was not. That sort of put a kibosh on my helping for the day. I got a goose-egg and applied an ice bag. It caused a giant-sized headache, but it is already down with minimal bruising, just a nice long blue line where the corner of the post hit me squarely.
Sweet Sailor felt so bad. After tending to me, he got back to cleaning the back yard and poured the last of the cement for that shed. We will have a wonderful place behind the shed and out of sight to store all the garden tools and the wood. I am so excited to make a place for everything. This is something his dad always had said. "A Place for everything and Everything in it's place."
Since S3 came home from his mission, and we knew he would be broke, we hired him to paint the house and shed. Painting the shed involved moving stuff away from its walls, which has been there since we moved here 21 years ago. He moved it onto our back patio. It is amazing how much stuff can be stored against a tiny shed! Poor Sailor has spent the remainder of the summer and fall trying to sort through, throw, cut up wood and basically "find" our patio again. Just before the wedding, he found most of it. Most of the stuff was old wood, some railroad ties and other wood. He has sawed most of it up and stacked the remainder of dimension wood in an orderly pile, away from the shed, near the garden and out of sight from the house.
Recently several tube leaks at work have caused him a great deal of overtime, so we have enough to finally buy that wooden fence we have been wanting. Sailor has been working on the sprinkler system and has a beautiful vegetable garden. I work on the flowers. I wish I had a better sense of landscape architecture. But I am excited about the progress we have been making.
And speaking of progress, now I must get on that treadmill, so I can make progress in this strength training, weight loss, and fitness. Wish me luck.
a
Yesterday we raked leaves. I was in the process of breaking the twigs into kindling. It sort of hurt my knees to break them over my knee, so I used a post in the new shed my husband is building. I was putting the twig on the other side of the post and pulling, until the post came lose and conked me on my head. I saw stars and now have a goose egg where that post hit me. Apparently my sweet husband temporarily propped that post up and hadn't put braces on the top to secure it to the shed. All the rest are secured and I didn't realize this one was not. That sort of put a kibosh on my helping for the day. I got a goose-egg and applied an ice bag. It caused a giant-sized headache, but it is already down with minimal bruising, just a nice long blue line where the corner of the post hit me squarely.
Sweet Sailor felt so bad. After tending to me, he got back to cleaning the back yard and poured the last of the cement for that shed. We will have a wonderful place behind the shed and out of sight to store all the garden tools and the wood. I am so excited to make a place for everything. This is something his dad always had said. "A Place for everything and Everything in it's place."
Since S3 came home from his mission, and we knew he would be broke, we hired him to paint the house and shed. Painting the shed involved moving stuff away from its walls, which has been there since we moved here 21 years ago. He moved it onto our back patio. It is amazing how much stuff can be stored against a tiny shed! Poor Sailor has spent the remainder of the summer and fall trying to sort through, throw, cut up wood and basically "find" our patio again. Just before the wedding, he found most of it. Most of the stuff was old wood, some railroad ties and other wood. He has sawed most of it up and stacked the remainder of dimension wood in an orderly pile, away from the shed, near the garden and out of sight from the house.
Recently several tube leaks at work have caused him a great deal of overtime, so we have enough to finally buy that wooden fence we have been wanting. Sailor has been working on the sprinkler system and has a beautiful vegetable garden. I work on the flowers. I wish I had a better sense of landscape architecture. But I am excited about the progress we have been making.
And speaking of progress, now I must get on that treadmill, so I can make progress in this strength training, weight loss, and fitness. Wish me luck.
a
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Stick a fork in me. . . I'm done
I mentioned that my Post-Wedding Resolution was to exercise. By Wednesday night and I hadn't gotten there yet.
Bear with me as I explain:
My treadmill is downstairs because it is so LARGE, it doesn't fit anywhere else. The Girl's Room spans the width of the house, so there was room when the three girls lived there for three beds AND a couch. Eventually we moved one of the beds upstairs in the office and removed the couch, so there is more room now. I have set it up so I can watch a television and videos. I like to tape episodes of Sewing With Nancy and some Oprah shows when I cannot watch them in the daytime, then the next morning when nothing is on, I can watch my favorite things as I jog.
I have been in the groove before where I cannot miss a day of exercise, but since about June when we went to Taiwan to pick up our Missionary son from his Mission, my life has been one of constant activity that pulled me away from my exercise. I know, I know, that is really no excuse. But before I left for Taiwan I had been very regular for about a month and I had lost 12 pounds. Well, let me say right here folks, I found them again, plus a few that someone else lost. I am miserable. Seeing people around me losing weight, and being the one who found their weight is no fun, but it is inspirational. My cute DIL-2 and her husband S2 wanted money for Christmas last year so they could get their treadmill fixed. And she began to exercise every day. Pretty soon she was going faster and faster, and finally a friend coaxed her into coming outside and jogging with her. They began to set goals to run a 5K, then a 10K and finally a half a marathon. I am in such awe of her for accomplishing that and not letting vacations or other interruptions get in her way. Just a week before the big event, she injured a limb. I cannot remember if it was her knee, ankle or shin, but she went to physical therapy and got it in shape before the race and completed it. Her dear husband surprised her with a Serger after the race. She is an amazing seamstress and really deserves to have one.
In the mean time, she also lost 35 pounds and comfortably fit back into her wedding dress. This is such an inspiration to me. My other daughter, D2 has also lost weight, 25 pounds, but through a different way. She got her tonsils out and was so sore for awhile that she didn't eat much but liquids, when she finally got back onto solids, she couldn't taste anything. All the sweets that she loves tastes bitter. So she eats a little bit of the treats, but cannot finish it. Both girls have discovered they are pregnant as well.
Anyway my point is I want to get back to where I feel better. Tonight I had a tiny bowl of soup and a roll and piece of cake and I don't feel well. I had to drink a lot of water and chew on a Maalox to just settle things. When I eat any carbohydrates I feel awful. I have to get back to fruits and vegetables and small portions of meat. I feel so much better when I do.
So here is how my progress went.
Monday: Set the bottled water by the steps, which is in the laundry room. Notice that I had washed but not dried some laundry. Pulled laundry out of washer, sniffed. Still smelled good, since I used that wonderful Tide with lavender to release stress. Ran that out to the clothes line, notice the cat needed feeding and watering. Hung wash, went back inside. Noticed the table needed some things brought to the kitchen, picked that up, glanced at the laundry room and my bottled water, oh yes, exercise. Head to the laundry room, notice more stuff needs to be washed. Pull sheets off one bed and start another load. NOW head downstairs. The treadmill had been tucked way into a corner with other things in front to accommodate company that came a while ago. I think for the June Homecoming for my son. Remove old school desk and blankets piled on it. Put blankets away, move desk, move mattress and take to other room. Make that bed. Phone rings. I grab the phone and head upstairs to talk, since this phone doesn't work as well. Sit by the computer as I talk. When I hang up, I have forgotten about the downstairs. I am at the computer making sure the notes I took for the Choir Board meeting are disbursed to all the Board members so they can approve them tomorrow in our meeting. That took up a good part of the day. I also got distracted with Ebay, blogs, and email as I sat there. Before I knew it, the day had passed and I saw my husband drive up. Yikes what happened to the day?
Husband and I are sitting in the Living room. We are contemplating making soup when a nephew calls from about 1 1/2 hours away and says he is heading through our town for a business trip, can he stop by? We make soup and biscuits, and he arrives later. We eat together and invite him to spend the night. He accepts. I remake his bed with the fresh sheets I have just pulled off the line. I notice the light on downstairs in the "Exercise Room", and hurry downstairs and turn the light off. So much for Monday.
Tuesday: Nephew is a very friendly sort and we talk for quite some time before he is launched, only to go to his room and find his coat, call him and meet him outside with the coat. Back inside. I strip the sheets from his bed and start another batch of laundry. Take the last load out, separate the towels and sheets from the things I want dried in the drier. Start washer and dryer, head outside to hang wash. Kitty needs more food and water. . .Back inside I decide TODAY I will WILL start my exercise. I head downstairs only to realize my exercise clothes are upstairs. Back upstairs I go. Grab the clothes, phone rings. Lay clothes at top of stairs. Chat on the phone for a bit. Here is my downfall. I sit at the computer while I talk and pretty soon I am on the internet. Realize I have much to do before I head up to choir practice. Run around packing stuff and finally get in the shower. As I walked past the laundry room to take my stuff to the car, I glanced down at the floor by the stairs. There sat my work-out clothes. hmmmm well, I got a little closer. Yesterday I got the treadmill found from behind stuff. Today I got my clothes. I guess I am making progress.
Wednesday: I am usually so wiped out from the long trip to choir and getting home at midnight, Wednesdays are usually WIPE OUT Days. But that is not permitted when I have a HomeFamily&PersonalEnrichment Night (Relief Society or Homemaking for all you traditional folks). My Leader calls and wants me to meet her there. We go set the tables and decorate them. It is now about 3pm. I have to make soup for the shindig still. I notice my clothes still waiting for me at the top of the stairs. I say to them: "Stop Nagging ME!" and turn away and ignore them.
Now it is Thursday evening. This morning I got up and noticed the clothes still there. I had other things to do as well. I was still cleaning up boxes used for the reception and other various tail ends that needed finishing. I got all the laundry off the line yesterday and it still was there on the washer. Hmmm. My house is not enchanted with house fairies who come and complete stuff I forgot. I had grabbed a blanket off one bed to show at RS. It is a quilt I had made and we had show and tell last night. It still sat in the Living room rocking chair where I deposited it last night. I decide it is time to make beds. I grab all the sheets fresh from the line and take them to their beds. I keep watching the clock. I had started downstairs at 8:30 to exercise. I will be done for sure by 9:30. By the time I actually got downstairs it was 10. Then I had to pull that hefty machine away from the wall and set up my TV which I had borrowed and brought upstairs to watch while I sewed the wedding dress in the dining room, and just deposited there when I was done.
So folks, You will be happy to know (and for the sake of having to read this long post) I did actually exercise today. All that for 30 minutes. Then I got on line and went to SparkPeople and found some core videos and some strength training videos all posted on UTube. I did 15 minutes of core training and 15 of strength training. And now it is 6 in the evening.
This is the first day of actual exercise since way back when. My body is really not happy with my enthusiasm, even though I really took it easy. But the hard part? I have to do this again tomorrow. I know it will take awhile to get used to and get into the groove, but I tend to argue with myself and put it off, like I have in the past. If it took me 4 days to get down there for the first time. . . How long will it take me tomorrow?
Wish me luck, urge me on, I am posting this because I want encouragement and someone to report to. So check up on me, please and give words of encouragement. It takes 3 weeks to form a habit and this is one I want for the rest of my life.
As my choir director says: "Onward and Upward"
and on we go
a
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Contemplating my slipperszzzzzzzzzZZZZ
I can't remember when exactly it was that I announced my son was engaged and they had upped the wedding to October from the original plan of June of next year, and I began to sew a dress for the little bride, but it seems like a huge long time ago. I could check back in my blogs, but that would mean saving this and finding my way back out and back into this post, and that could spell disaster, since I get distracted way too easily.
So anyway, he re-met her in July, he had known of her for years as her cousin was his best friend and I think it was August he announced the marriage, and maybe September he announced the change of dates and asked me to make her dress, about two months ago. But since that announcement, my world has been turned upside down with trying to meet deadlines.
Now since all the hoopla is finally over, I am exhausted. My body tried to pull a fast one on me and come down with a cold last week at their reception, but a great trick from DIL-1 worked. Take 2 Mucinex (I use the WM house brand) every four hours along with Sudafed PE. I guess the Mucinex breaks up any mucus, and the Sudafed dries it up. You still have other symptoms, like headache and scratchy throat and extreme tiredness, but you can keep going, especially when you add Excedrin to the mix.
So this last week as I have tried to fight off the cold and continue to get ready for our reception, I continued to make sheet cakes (I made 5 of them and we only used two or three), clean the house, change bed sheets, etc. etc. etc.
The Saturday reception came off without a hitch, thanks to DIL-3's family and my own pitching in to decorate the Cultural Hall, and help with set up and clean up. We got to bed around midnight, I think. Sunday after Church, we came home and my sweetheart made two casseroles from the dutch oven left overs he had made for the crowd the day before. Yes I know, I have the best husband in the WORLD who sweetly cooks for the crowds. I had to conduct our Women's Relief Society meeting on Sunday (being in a counselor in the Presidency~makes me have to do such things) and was gone while everyone else went home.
We all had a delicious dinner and two of the remaining couples (D2 and S3 and spouses) left, and we continued to visit with D2 and her sweetheart until around 5. They looked at the clock and realized it was time to get back as well.
As soon as they left, I turned on the news, because my choir director, Sterling Poulson on Channel 2 does the weekend weather. He is such a very nice man and is married to such a darling lady, Danette who is a Dear Friend to me, and sits by me in choir. So I try watch him. It's always fun because usually when he slips in references to our town, which I have noticed other stations don't even put on their map with a temperature next to it, and sometimes blatantly says stuff that I know refers to me. One time he said on the weather: "And down here in (name of my town) where (my name and my husband's name) live, the temperature is 55 degrees. He has made reference to my town many times, especially for Tuesday when I come up 2 1/2 hours drive to practice in the choir. He will say something like "Now, if you are going to be driving from (my town) today, watch for the rain clouds which will be forming around 4 pm. So drive safely."
Anyway I eased into my lazy-boy, put my feet up and snuggled in. Sweet Friend brought me a blanket and tucked me in, and I warned him that was a dangerous thing to do. Next thing I knew I was out. I think I slept for 3 hours while "watching" TV. My Dear Friend is the one who invented the quote which I used to name this post. She described the hard work her husband had been putting in, and said that Sunday he just collapsed, completely exhausted into his easy chair, and spent the afternoon contemplating his slippers. I cannot think of a better way to put it. ha ha ha ha
Monday was clean-up day. I washed bedsheets, towels, dishes, cleaned etc. etc, Again! Don't you hate when you work all week for company and just after they leave, you have to do it all over again? Even the leaves I raked, mowed and blew with the leaf blower have somehow showed up again. Of course I am not surprised, my neighbor's huge Poplar trees (about 100 feet high) like to hold onto their leaves until the coldest ice and strongest wind forces them off. And so the raking is not just a Saturday afternoon thing, it is an "all Fall" event.
So if you haven't heard from me in a while, this is why. I am just exhausted.
But there is no rest for the wicked, and the righteous don't need it, as my husband is fond of saying. I have a Relief Society Homemaking event on Wednesday which I will make a pot of soup for, and give the rest of the wedding cake to. I have Thanksgiving coming. We will have S2 and family come, so I want to put up the Christmas tree and have presents for the children under there. And I have a concert on my Birthday December 1. After that Christmas is well on its way, and the person whose name I drew probably won't get a completed quilt, like last year and the year before went. But thankfully my understanding children know me and forgive. Last year, the person I drew the year before got theirs, and the current person got a top which I have to finish. They have to develop patience when it comes to my procrastination, I think. Thank you children.
And so life continues. You haven't heard from me in a while because I have been busy, and true to the schedule, it is Tuesday and time to head to choir practice.
I hope you are all having a very nice day.
a
So anyway, he re-met her in July, he had known of her for years as her cousin was his best friend and I think it was August he announced the marriage, and maybe September he announced the change of dates and asked me to make her dress, about two months ago. But since that announcement, my world has been turned upside down with trying to meet deadlines.
Now since all the hoopla is finally over, I am exhausted. My body tried to pull a fast one on me and come down with a cold last week at their reception, but a great trick from DIL-1 worked. Take 2 Mucinex (I use the WM house brand) every four hours along with Sudafed PE. I guess the Mucinex breaks up any mucus, and the Sudafed dries it up. You still have other symptoms, like headache and scratchy throat and extreme tiredness, but you can keep going, especially when you add Excedrin to the mix.
So this last week as I have tried to fight off the cold and continue to get ready for our reception, I continued to make sheet cakes (I made 5 of them and we only used two or three), clean the house, change bed sheets, etc. etc. etc.
The Saturday reception came off without a hitch, thanks to DIL-3's family and my own pitching in to decorate the Cultural Hall, and help with set up and clean up. We got to bed around midnight, I think. Sunday after Church, we came home and my sweetheart made two casseroles from the dutch oven left overs he had made for the crowd the day before. Yes I know, I have the best husband in the WORLD who sweetly cooks for the crowds. I had to conduct our Women's Relief Society meeting on Sunday (being in a counselor in the Presidency~makes me have to do such things) and was gone while everyone else went home.
We all had a delicious dinner and two of the remaining couples (D2 and S3 and spouses) left, and we continued to visit with D2 and her sweetheart until around 5. They looked at the clock and realized it was time to get back as well.
As soon as they left, I turned on the news, because my choir director, Sterling Poulson on Channel 2 does the weekend weather. He is such a very nice man and is married to such a darling lady, Danette who is a Dear Friend to me, and sits by me in choir. So I try watch him. It's always fun because usually when he slips in references to our town, which I have noticed other stations don't even put on their map with a temperature next to it, and sometimes blatantly says stuff that I know refers to me. One time he said on the weather: "And down here in (name of my town) where (my name and my husband's name) live, the temperature is 55 degrees. He has made reference to my town many times, especially for Tuesday when I come up 2 1/2 hours drive to practice in the choir. He will say something like "Now, if you are going to be driving from (my town) today, watch for the rain clouds which will be forming around 4 pm. So drive safely."
Anyway I eased into my lazy-boy, put my feet up and snuggled in. Sweet Friend brought me a blanket and tucked me in, and I warned him that was a dangerous thing to do. Next thing I knew I was out. I think I slept for 3 hours while "watching" TV. My Dear Friend is the one who invented the quote which I used to name this post. She described the hard work her husband had been putting in, and said that Sunday he just collapsed, completely exhausted into his easy chair, and spent the afternoon contemplating his slippers. I cannot think of a better way to put it. ha ha ha ha
Monday was clean-up day. I washed bedsheets, towels, dishes, cleaned etc. etc, Again! Don't you hate when you work all week for company and just after they leave, you have to do it all over again? Even the leaves I raked, mowed and blew with the leaf blower have somehow showed up again. Of course I am not surprised, my neighbor's huge Poplar trees (about 100 feet high) like to hold onto their leaves until the coldest ice and strongest wind forces them off. And so the raking is not just a Saturday afternoon thing, it is an "all Fall" event.
So if you haven't heard from me in a while, this is why. I am just exhausted.
But there is no rest for the wicked, and the righteous don't need it, as my husband is fond of saying. I have a Relief Society Homemaking event on Wednesday which I will make a pot of soup for, and give the rest of the wedding cake to. I have Thanksgiving coming. We will have S2 and family come, so I want to put up the Christmas tree and have presents for the children under there. And I have a concert on my Birthday December 1. After that Christmas is well on its way, and the person whose name I drew probably won't get a completed quilt, like last year and the year before went. But thankfully my understanding children know me and forgive. Last year, the person I drew the year before got theirs, and the current person got a top which I have to finish. They have to develop patience when it comes to my procrastination, I think. Thank you children.
And so life continues. You haven't heard from me in a while because I have been busy, and true to the schedule, it is Tuesday and time to head to choir practice.
I hope you are all having a very nice day.
a
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Then the Two Shall be One (Gen 22:24)
Happy Couple 
The Wedding went very well.
Because we were required to be at the Temple with our son by 7:45 a.m., we got a hotel in the city the night before.
All of my children, my cute little mom, and the bride's family then began to arrive. The young mothers who brought their children were allowed to leave them in a nursery (of sorts) inside the waiting area. It is equipped with tables and coloring books, a movie screen with a choice of three church movies, drinking fountains and bathrooms nearby. The parents have to supply the babysitters. So sweet volunteer friends, family and siblings showed up to help take care of the younger children.
The guests who were witnessing the wedding were asked to remove their shoes and put on little white footies. Then we waited in another room until they call us to the sealing room upstairs in the Temple.
The ceremony is only about 15 or 20 minutes long. It takes place in a Sealing Room. The families of the couple are seated on either side of the alter, which is located in the center of the room. Behind the guests on either side are HUGE mirrors placed so when the couple looks into them they can see their images continuing on into eternity. After everyone is seated, the couple is brought in and they sit on a love seat opposite the sealer and the dads who also serve as official witnesses and sign the wedding document. Next to the couple are the mothers and grandmothers of the couple. I sat next to my son and her mom and grandma sat on the other side next to the Bride.
The Sealer talked to them about marriage, commitment, love, unselfishness, you know all the stuff you need to think about when you "tie the knot." All my children and their spouses were in that room together. I got a little emotional at that thought, and don't remember specifically what the sealer said.
Here I would like to quote from my daughter-in-law's latest email:
"The wedding was nice. I'm not sure how much the bride and groom got out of it, but
the sealer had some really neat things to say. He talked about how the way we treat our spouses is evidence of our discipleship, and mentioned that since Heavenly Father often answers our prayers through others, we need to be actively looking for ways and trying to receive inspiration on how we can be an answer to our spouse's prayers. It's always neat to attend a temple sealing and be a part of that powerful experience."
It was touching and sweet. Kleenex was had by all as we reviewed the vows we all took when we were in their place. Then he had them kneel across the alter from one another and hold hands as he married and sealed them together for time and all eternity.
When it was all done, he invited everyone to greet the bride and groom as they filed out. The new couple were invited to look into the mirrors. We went back downstairs and put on our shoes, gathered the children and went outside to await the couple's grand entry. They wore special white clothes in the temple, so they changed into their wedding attire for pictures. Eventually they emerged all beautified and ready for pictures. I was totally taken aback and astonished to see that she had chosen to wear white bedroom slippers with her dress. It was not my choice of shoes, and when she had told me she was going to wear slippers, I didn't picture these. I pictured glass slippers or ballet slippers. But I am sure she was comfortable and her toes were warm, contrary to my uncomfortable but cute shoes.
Her sweet aunt did a dinner across the city at a church building and invited the family to eat afterwards. So after the pictures, S1 and his wife needed to get food into their little ones, so we walked to a nearby McDonald's. As we were heading back to the car, we saw the new couple wandering around the Temple grounds, the photographer already gone. They spotted the McDonald's sack and asked where it was, and they too headed to McDonald's. I thought it was so funny to see a beautiful bride in her really puffy Cinderella dress looking at the fast food menu, so I took a picture. S3 mentioned to his dad that his car smelled like Prestone and gave him the car keys. We went to the parking lot, found his car and added some water about the time the couple arrived and away we went. But as we were trying to get onto the freeway, we spotted the newlyweds parked by the side, with the hood up again. We stopped behind them added more water and hurried onto the Church for the dinner.
After a delicious dinner, and lots of visiting, most of us headed to D3's new home. It is an older home that needs some renovation, which they are jumping in with enthusiasm. Wall paper has been torn off and the scent of fresh paint greets the guest.
S1 and his family reside in a nearby state, about a 12 hour drive away. They graciously brought my sweet little mother who, at the age of 86, is still game for adventures. She is such an amazing little lady. I hope I can be just like her when I grow up.
This world is filled with all stages of life and we were surrounded by most stages, and as we ate dinner and visited, D3's father-in-law showed up with a U-haul full of his lifetime of treasures to store in part of their garage. It seems his livelihood has evaporated out from underneath his feet, not from anything he did wrong. His sweet wife will stay with his daughter as he goes on the road to pursue employment. At this stage in life, not yet ready for retirement and with a job loss, he has to start all over again. I am so sad for him and to lose him from our town. They were the only "family" we have in this town.
My mom who is enthusiastically living life like she is still 25 gamely comes on a 12 hour ride to see her youngest grandson get married. My youngest daughter has just purchased a house, and D2 announced she is expecting in May. Then the next day we all drove an hour south to visit S2 and his sweet little family. He had us gather around his Apple Laptop and watch a cute little movie that he, my talented graphic designer son made.
And so life hurries on. Halloween came yesterday, and my new little married couple called to tell us that they were home from their honeymoon. They had carved a pumpkin and purchased candy for the little Trick-or-Treaters, but no one came.
All I can say is. I feel tremendously blessed by a wonderful husband and father to my children, sweet children, the best in-law children in the world and the most beautiful 8 grandchildren I have ever known, with at least two more on the way.
Now as I sit here writing about the wedding and contemplating downloading my pictures from my camera to add to this blog, I am burning an Evergreen candle and playing Christmas music on my CD player. It has such a calming effect, if I could get by with it, I would play it all year.
But alas:
It is late and I need rest, so keep watching for my downloaded pictures.
a
The Wedding went very well.
Because we were required to be at the Temple with our son by 7:45 a.m., we got a hotel in the city the night before.
All of my children, my cute little mom, and the bride's family then began to arrive. The young mothers who brought their children were allowed to leave them in a nursery (of sorts) inside the waiting area. It is equipped with tables and coloring books, a movie screen with a choice of three church movies, drinking fountains and bathrooms nearby. The parents have to supply the babysitters. So sweet volunteer friends, family and siblings showed up to help take care of the younger children.
The guests who were witnessing the wedding were asked to remove their shoes and put on little white footies. Then we waited in another room until they call us to the sealing room upstairs in the Temple.
The ceremony is only about 15 or 20 minutes long. It takes place in a Sealing Room. The families of the couple are seated on either side of the alter, which is located in the center of the room. Behind the guests on either side are HUGE mirrors placed so when the couple looks into them they can see their images continuing on into eternity. After everyone is seated, the couple is brought in and they sit on a love seat opposite the sealer and the dads who also serve as official witnesses and sign the wedding document. Next to the couple are the mothers and grandmothers of the couple. I sat next to my son and her mom and grandma sat on the other side next to the Bride.
The Sealer talked to them about marriage, commitment, love, unselfishness, you know all the stuff you need to think about when you "tie the knot." All my children and their spouses were in that room together. I got a little emotional at that thought, and don't remember specifically what the sealer said.
Here I would like to quote from my daughter-in-law's latest email:
"The wedding was nice. I'm not sure how much the bride and groom got out of it, but
the sealer had some really neat things to say. He talked about how the way we treat our spouses is evidence of our discipleship, and mentioned that since Heavenly Father often answers our prayers through others, we need to be actively looking for ways and trying to receive inspiration on how we can be an answer to our spouse's prayers. It's always neat to attend a temple sealing and be a part of that powerful experience."
It was touching and sweet. Kleenex was had by all as we reviewed the vows we all took when we were in their place. Then he had them kneel across the alter from one another and hold hands as he married and sealed them together for time and all eternity.
When it was all done, he invited everyone to greet the bride and groom as they filed out. The new couple were invited to look into the mirrors. We went back downstairs and put on our shoes, gathered the children and went outside to await the couple's grand entry. They wore special white clothes in the temple, so they changed into their wedding attire for pictures. Eventually they emerged all beautified and ready for pictures. I was totally taken aback and astonished to see that she had chosen to wear white bedroom slippers with her dress. It was not my choice of shoes, and when she had told me she was going to wear slippers, I didn't picture these. I pictured glass slippers or ballet slippers. But I am sure she was comfortable and her toes were warm, contrary to my uncomfortable but cute shoes.
Her sweet aunt did a dinner across the city at a church building and invited the family to eat afterwards. So after the pictures, S1 and his wife needed to get food into their little ones, so we walked to a nearby McDonald's. As we were heading back to the car, we saw the new couple wandering around the Temple grounds, the photographer already gone. They spotted the McDonald's sack and asked where it was, and they too headed to McDonald's. I thought it was so funny to see a beautiful bride in her really puffy Cinderella dress looking at the fast food menu, so I took a picture. S3 mentioned to his dad that his car smelled like Prestone and gave him the car keys. We went to the parking lot, found his car and added some water about the time the couple arrived and away we went. But as we were trying to get onto the freeway, we spotted the newlyweds parked by the side, with the hood up again. We stopped behind them added more water and hurried onto the Church for the dinner.
After a delicious dinner, and lots of visiting, most of us headed to D3's new home. It is an older home that needs some renovation, which they are jumping in with enthusiasm. Wall paper has been torn off and the scent of fresh paint greets the guest.
S1 and his family reside in a nearby state, about a 12 hour drive away. They graciously brought my sweet little mother who, at the age of 86, is still game for adventures. She is such an amazing little lady. I hope I can be just like her when I grow up.
This world is filled with all stages of life and we were surrounded by most stages, and as we ate dinner and visited, D3's father-in-law showed up with a U-haul full of his lifetime of treasures to store in part of their garage. It seems his livelihood has evaporated out from underneath his feet, not from anything he did wrong. His sweet wife will stay with his daughter as he goes on the road to pursue employment. At this stage in life, not yet ready for retirement and with a job loss, he has to start all over again. I am so sad for him and to lose him from our town. They were the only "family" we have in this town.
My mom who is enthusiastically living life like she is still 25 gamely comes on a 12 hour ride to see her youngest grandson get married. My youngest daughter has just purchased a house, and D2 announced she is expecting in May. Then the next day we all drove an hour south to visit S2 and his sweet little family. He had us gather around his Apple Laptop and watch a cute little movie that he, my talented graphic designer son made.
And so life hurries on. Halloween came yesterday, and my new little married couple called to tell us that they were home from their honeymoon. They had carved a pumpkin and purchased candy for the little Trick-or-Treaters, but no one came.
All I can say is. I feel tremendously blessed by a wonderful husband and father to my children, sweet children, the best in-law children in the world and the most beautiful 8 grandchildren I have ever known, with at least two more on the way.
Now as I sit here writing about the wedding and contemplating downloading my pictures from my camera to add to this blog, I am burning an Evergreen candle and playing Christmas music on my CD player. It has such a calming effect, if I could get by with it, I would play it all year.
But alas:
It is late and I need rest, so keep watching for my downloaded pictures.
a
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