minkie massacre

yesterday started out to be such a nice day. kristen and lauren were coming over to work on a little sewing project, so i brought down some fun toys from upstairs to entertain lauren and then i started on a little baby blanket i had committed for a silent auction for the young woman while i was waiting for them to get here. i have ups and downs when i attempt to use a sewing machine, but a couple of days ago i had been very successful in hemming a couple pair of shorts for jon, so i began this project with my confidence high. while sewing the nine squares together things seemed to be going well, seams matching up and so on. then kristen arrived, i put my blanket away and we started on her project. two sewing machines and a lot of frustration later my confidence was about shot. we were able to finish kristen's little project and all turned out well, but i wasn't quite ready to face my blanket. so after dinner, i decided to go to jon's institute class, (you know, be supportive because he was convinced no one would show up) and then face it when i got home. his class ended up being full, great kids, and i really enjoyed the topic. what i got from it basically, was that i need to seek first the kingdom of God (keep my main focus on God, my priorities in perspective) and also that i've been commanded to seek learning. i need to learn things of God, but also things of the earth, things of a secular nature (biology, chemistry, etc...), mind you i have been commanded to learn these things. we talked a little about how we use our time and he enjoyed teasing me about watching 24 and reading people magazines and other trash (really, only while sitting on the beach!). anyway, class got over, i came home, megan and hailey went to bed, jon and tod went out to the usa game, and i was home alone, so to speak. i got out my nine squares and measured the sides and then i got out my minkie that i was using for the bottom and tried to cut it. i was feeling so patient again, i just knew this was going to be the best baby blanket i had ever made. so i started spreading the bottom and top together, trying to get out the wrinkles and make it lay all beautiful and flat, you know like grandma does, and i turned it over and over several times trying to get it just so, when i realized my top was not square and there was no way my top and bottom were going to fit together. FRUSTRATION automatically back to high. i sewed my minkie back together and didn't cut it this time, figuring i could just cut it after i made it fit better. things just got worse from there. but did i stop? NOOOOO! i finished the ugly, stretched out, misshapen thing, and vowed to myself was never using my sewing machine again, and i was giving away all the stupid minkie i owned!!!! then i came in to read some blogs to cheer myself up. it worked a little, jen's stories of ellie and her feelings about gratitude and blessings did me a lot of good. i was starting to calm considerably. then i read that she was feeling all creative and had all these cute ideas, and i couldn't even finish, i decided to go to bed. when jon got home he came in to the bedroom and i was reading and he asked how i was doing. poor guy! he got a, "i suck at sewing, so i decided to come in here and read about vampires!" what?
anyway, this morning i got up to minkie fuzz everywhere, two sewing machines on my table, 4 boxes of material on the counter, pins, scraps, you name it strewn across the kitchen and family room. but what a difference a good night sleep can make, and some sun shining. by the time i finished cleaning up, i decided to keep my minkie, and give it one more try. i have two neighbors; keri and linda, that are experts in sewing on minkie. it is time for a serious lesson. i am only giving it one more try though. if i fail again, my material will go to the first person who comes to my door that will take it away with them! good luck to me!

wednesday, temple day

the best part of having the girls back in school so far, is that i went to the temple this morning! i can honestly say, i know it will be the best thing i do all week. (that includes seeing tod and sadie at our mini-bunker reunion this weekend, or watching usa basketball, or even babysitting lauren lucy, all REALLY great things.) it has been hard this summer to go once a week because it seems like i was always out-of-town. but thanks to my wednesday temple buddies; keri, allison, abby, and carrie i usually don't miss during the school year. i feel like i'm getting back on track...hallelujah!

USA Basketball

I have had so much fun watching our USA Basketball team play this past week. I could get used to watching these guys. Each one of them adds a different dimension to the team, and it seems like each night I watch I have a new favorite or two. I just wish there were more fans at the T&M cheering them on. It seems like the fans from different countries are much louder than us. Too many American fans have issues with the players because of their NBA affiliation. But together, playing for our country, to bring back the gold, they all seem very unselfish, working hard, playing good defense, it's about the game and American pride, not about the players personally. So, if you get a chance, go cheer them on and get the USA chant going. I'm proud to be an American!!!
I wonder if Jon would take me to Beijing for the Olympics next year. I would love to watch the games, I'm not sure I would love to go to China!!!

last, lazy days of summer...

Believe it or not, we had to take one last trip to California before school could start. So Thursday afternoon, we left for the beach; another few hours in the car, another couple of movies, another hotel room, a little more shopping, some good eating, and two more gorgeous green flag days, where the waves were big but not vicious! We actually found a really cool outdoor shopping area in Rancho Cucamunga, I think it was called Victoria Gardens or Victoria Commons. All kinds of great stores from West Elm to Urban Outfitters to Limited Too:) We stopped on Thursday night because they had a huge movie theatre and we needed to see Bourne Ultimatum. Great movie!!!! Poor Hailey was plugging her ears and hiding her eyes but I don't think she has suffered too badly from bad dreams. Friday night we saw Rush Hour 3. Eventhough it's scary too, she was laughing the whole time. I enjoyed a great lunch at Crab Cooker on Saturday, by myself, and when the day was over we drove home sandy and salty, straight from the beach. So when Jon was asking if anyone wanted to stop and see what shops were in Rancho Cucamunga I quickly said, "I think we've had enough!" But did I get my way? No! I guess he doesn't realize that if you let my girls in a store, any store, they will find some things they like and want! Boy, am I glad "school shopping" is completed!!!! The last days of our lazy summer were very fun. Thanks Jon and Megan for needing one more get away. I am now ready to be home, even waking up at 5:30. The schedule actually feels good, and that is AMAZING! I usually really fight the start of a new school year.

PS-Hailey is very upset with me! I am the world's worst mother. No first day of school photos this year. I don't think my camera works that early in the morning. Both she and Megan are thinking this is going to be a good school year. Nice teachers, nice friends, being able to drive to school, new classes, you know a clean slate, a new beginning! YOU GO GIRLS!!!!

happy birthday to tod!

happy, happy birthday to you son!!! you are 23 years old today. (that sounds pretty young to me, but i guess it is all relative!:)
i hope you have a great day, i am sad we aren't together, but i know you have jessie, taylor and sadie to help you celebrate! i want you to know how much i love you and how grateful i am to be your mother. you are a very unique son, and i appreciate the special care and attention you give to me and your sisters! this is going to be your best year yet. i can feel it. have a very special day, and we'll celebrate again next weekend. i love you, mom!

Official College Students

It has been fun spending the last few days with Sadie, Kristen and Lauren getting Sadie set up for college. Monday was the start date, so being the obnoxious mother with a camera that I am, I had to take a picture of Sadie and AJ on their first day of school (college)! I think they will love it! It is a beautiful campus, Sadie likes all of her teachers, and there are many, many new friends to be met.
Truthfully, leaving home was a little rough. I don't send my children off very well. Eventhough I know it is a great thing, and that we are still a family, and that we still talk and see each other often, the initial parting rips some heart chords! Her apartment turned out to be nice, and setting up her room was very, very fun. Walking around campus looking for the buildings where her classes were going to be (without a map) in humid heat wasn't very fun, but Monday the air was cool and drier and at 85 degrees everyone had smiles on their faces!! We met Tod for dinner and then I left her in his very capable hands. Thank goodness for an older brother who has been there for a couple of years, who is being wonderful, and attentive and caring, and who can help and guide when necessary. And thank goodness for a great friend who is happy, and easy going, who loves macaroni and tomatoes, and who is strong and can carry tv's up three flights of stairs.




Lauren deserves a large shout out. She only had three twenty minute naps in three days. She went to IKEA (on Saturday/BAD IDEA), target (twice), Sam's Club, Dan's, restaurants, and Sadie's apartment (mostly trapped in her bedroom) and then back to her car seat for five days straight. She was a trooper. By Monday night, she was rubbing my pasta in her hair at Macaroni Grill, but when I whipped out my camera she was ready to give me a smile. I swear, not one of my children would have been so happy in such rough circumstances. And I know I wouldn't have been as patient as her mother either!

p.s.- last night jon, megan, hailey and i were sitting in the spa. hailey looked up and said, "i guess it's just the four of us now." luckily i was too tired to think too deeply about that comment...i will adjust!

i still LOVE being a grandma

this isn't the cutest picture of me, but since i'm with lauren it reminds me of all the fun i had playing with her while we were together. i just can't adequately express the joy i feel whenever i look at her, and watch the things she is doing.
THANK HEAVEN FOR LITTLE GRAND-DAUGHTERS!!!!

struggles

i have truly struggled coming back to my life here in las vegas. i need to apologize to anyone who has had to be around me since monday, especially my family. it is hard to get over your edginess when you really don't understand what is causing it!! i have been pondering and i think it all started when we left cedar city on our way home sunday. i had told kristen at lunch that if lauren was awake come st. george, i wanted to stop in bloomington and get some of my very favorite connie's crunch gourmet popcorn. (if you haven't tasted this stuff - it is to die for!) anyway, by the time i reached bloomington, i was feeling so much road rage from having to pass slower drivers along the two lane freeway, that there was no way i was going to pull off the road and chance getting behind them all again. i could feel my blood pressure rising, and even though i kept telling myself that i wasn't in any hurry; i was in my hurry, hurry, i'm an hour late mode already! i need to learn how to slow down. mind you, i can have my off days, and even off several days, if i'm reading a good book, or if i just don't feel like doing what needs to be done, but most of the time i feel like i'm going a hundred miles an hour and i really need to stay up all night to try to catch up on what i am so far behind on. how can i relax, enjoy the journey more, and be satisfied with a good days work, eventhough i never finish the things i think i need to? oh well, as you can see i have a lot of work to do to find my happy balance in life.

p.s. - my sadness may be partly due to the fact that i am leaving friday to take sadie to college, and when i come home on tuesday she won't be in the car with me. i really can't think about it, it makes me cry!

p.s.s. - since kristen didn't get a very pretty picture on my ranch post, i have decided to be kind and put this cute picture up now for her:)

A Beautiful Woman

I think it is time my mother got some face time on the blog! She is really a remarkable and beautiful woman. It has been a difficult summer for her, discovering her diabetes now requires medicine, giving up sugar and potatoes, pasta, and rice (that alone would send me over the edge!), and her worries over every little thing with my father! I really don't know how she keeps it all together. Having company in my home for two to three months each summer would probably make me very cranky! So I want to give her some props today! Thank you Mom for smiling when we come to the ranch and really making us feel like you want us there. Thank you for taking such good care of our father. Not one of your daughters could ever come close to your example of love, kindness and service. Thank you for teaching me how to be a wife and mother. Thank you for teaching my children (Tod especially) how to make a bed:) Thank you for fun visits at night with popcorn and otter pops. Thank you for millions of baby blankets, and now big girl blankets! Thank you for always being there, ready to share, help, lift and love! Thank you for being my MOTHER! I LOVE YOU!

WE LOVE THE RANCH!!!!!!!

the ranch is a one in a million kind of place. it has family, beautiful animals, amazing scenery, peace and quiet, love and laughter, and perhaps the one place on earth to feel a lot of joy. somehow you're in the world but you feel out of it. truly the best part is being here with my family. it was great to be here with craig and patt's family, and now rhonda and larry's. brent, michelle, mom and dad are always a treat to be around, and the joy comes from feeling good about what you are surrounded with and whom. thanks for another great year of wonderful memories!