I'm Gonna Be A BEAR

In this life I'm a woman. In my next life, I'd like to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that.

Before your hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too.

When you're a girl bear, you birth your children( who are the size of walnuts) while you are sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that.

If you're mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that.

If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat.

YUP, I'm gonna be a bear...

Running Flats for Todd

I was so excited for Todd this week that I have to share. On Monday night it was his birthday and we ended up going to St George to the running store and bought him some new running shoes and we also bought him some running flats. I guess they are supposed to make you run faster in races. I thought well if that is what he wants for his birthday that is what he wants for his birthday but don't plan on any changes in your time.
Well, me of little faith... Mike and I went to his cross country meet on Wednesday night and he ran a 5 K race. We were all excited as he came in because his time was 21 minutes. To some people that is slow but when you consider his last race a week ago he ran it in 22:50 minutes that is GREAT. He was so excited he could hardly stand it. So I guess the running flats will now be called his MAGIC.
Great Job Todd. That is a 7 minute mile all around.

Nice Bike Ride

This morning was great. I got to sleep in until 7 am and then get the kids off to school. One of my classes was cancelled so I left and went on a bike ride. It was so nice outside and a very nice change to go on a bike ride instead of a run. I enjoyed every minute of it. By the time I was finished I was tired but felt like I had accomplished something. I ended up doing about 17 miles on my bike.
What a great way to start a good day.

Is it worth it?

I have been wondering lately as my alarm wakes me up every morning at 5:50 am if it is worth the sleep that I lose to wake up early every morning and work out. I have been working out every day for a very long time, but now that school is here it is a lot harder to want to get up early to work out.
I usually walk/run 5-8 miles every day. It usually takes about 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs a day. It does make me feel better but I still wonder if it is really worth it. Many days I am so tired, so very tired and I just want to sleep. I guess I wish that I saw more results besides just having more energy. I don't know I just sometimes wonder if it really does make a difference.
How do you keep motivated???? I think it helps to stay motivated if you actually see something come out of your committment but when there doesn't seem to be anything it is hard to keep the motivation. I guess I need to get to where my only motivation is that I have more energy and feel better and not plan on anything else changing and maybe I would be able to deal with it better. Tell me what you think.

School has started

Yes, I am back in school and have less time to keep up on blogging. Today is so much a better day at school than yesterday. It is real different to be around all of these young kids at college. I still feel their age but they are not really wanting to be a friend with an old lady.

I am real excited about two of my classes. They are Elementary Education reading classes. In one of them we get to go to the elementary school and read with the third grader students. I think it will be great. I am finally getting to where I am able to do more on hands learning so that maybe someday I can actually be a teacher and make a difference.

Sweet 16

It is Todd's sixteenth birthday. I can't believe it. Todd is such a great kid. Everyone that knows him just loves him. He is so good with kids, he actually still loves to play with them because he knows how great it makes them feel. Todd is real smart and fun to be around. It is real boring at our house when Todd is not around because he is always making a humorous joke or making us smile. One thing that Todd really likes is his hair. He loves to grow it as long as he can and still get away with it.
Todd is always busy with mowing lawns, running cross country, doing homework, taking care of his church responsibilities. It is so hard to believe that my cute little red head boy is now a 16 year old. I miss him being little but he is a great teenager and one of my best friends.
Happy birthday Todd. Thanks for being you. Just remember that your mom will always be your girlfriend and you don't need to go find a girl now that you are 16.
Just remember Todd, " I know I made a good choice.... my best friend".

A Day for Celebration

Yesterday morning, we woke up early and were staying in Draper with Mike's parents and we drove over to the Trax station to take the Trax up to Salt Lake for a wedding of one of our best friend's daughter. Dave and Sherrie met at the train station and we spent the day with Karrilyn and them.

This is a picture of Dave and Sherrie. They have been great friends for a very long time. They are actually our special friends that lined Mike and I up on a blind date many years ago. It is so interesting how our lives are so intertwined with each other. We don't see them very often but when we do we have such a great time.

This is a picture at the reception of Sherrie, Rowena and myself. We have been great friends for a long time. We have seen our kids grow, change, and struggle and even though we don't see each other often we are such great friends and always will be. Rowena is the mother of the bride, which is Mindy.

Of course we had to get a picture of the guys. They are such great friends and have been since they were kids. This picture is of Mike, Frank (father of the bride), and Dave. Do they look like they enjoy each other or what?

This picture didn't turn out too great but it is of Mike and I and Dave and Sherrie at the Salt Lake temple while we were waiting for the pictures of the bride and groom to get finished. We truly feel like family when we are together. Our kids actually call our friends kids their cousins because they are like family.

There was a little nook outside that Karrilyn decided to take a picture of us in.

Here is one of Karrilyn and I at the same spot.

Another picture of Mike and Karrilyn while we are waiting.

This picture reminds me of years ago when I was having my picture taken for my very special day with the same very special guy.

I always have to get a picture of the Salt Lake Temple when I get a chance. It is a very special place to Mike and I and is so beautiful.

Here is a picture of the wedding couple at the temple. I think it is going to be a long day for them.

After pictures we headed over to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to watch the Joseph Smith movie. It was great, I had already seen it but Mike hadn't. After the movie we were invited to the Lion House for a luncheon. It was so yummy. Their rolls are to die for and we also had homemade carrot cake. YUM YUM!!!

At 4:30 pm they had a small ring exchange at the reception center. It was nothing real big but interesting. By the time it started I think we all had sunburns, or at least it felt like it.

This is a picture of the reception center. It was gorgeous. They had the food all taken care of and everything. I think it is a little pricy that way but it just might be worth it not to have to worry about the cleanup.

As we were getting ready to head home after a day of fun, we decided to take one more picture of the bride and groom. They look very happy.

We are so excited for them. It was so nice to be there during the day and enjoy the celebration. It was such a beautiful day. The food was great, companionship wonderful, and the temple beautiful as always.

We are so thankful for such great friends that make such an impact on our lives and continue to do so.

Happy Birthday Sis

I bet you don't have a great sister like mine. Today is my sister, Kristi's 34th birthday. I can't believe it. It seems like we are still kids, but I guess if we were then I would still be living in the same house as her.
My sister, Kristi, is awesome. She is one of those people that everyone wants to be like. She is talented in almost every way. She is very creative, very organized, strong, cute and many other things. She is a great mother too. She can even wakeboard, water ski and many other crazy things.
Everything that she does, she does extra well. Kristi is one of the most loving kind people that I know. I am so glad that I started out being Kristi's sister and that I can say that we are best of friends. Maybe just maybe someday her many awesome ways will rub off on me.
Kristi, happy birthday. I hope you have a great year.

I'm just not that old

As I have been talking to my friends and family about the starting of school and how hard it is to see their kids go to school. I remember back when my first child went to school and how sad I was but how excited I was for her.

School has also started at our house and I too am sad because my baby girl is now in high school. Angela started high school this year. I can't believe that I am really old enough for her to be in high school. In my mind my children should always be in elementary school. It is so hard to believe.

She was a little stressed on Monday morning but as soon as we got to school and she saw her friends her world was ok. She is growing up to be such a beautiful young lady. I am so glad to be her mother and to be able to experience such great experiences with each of my kids. I know there will be the day when she graduates and actually moves away from home but I will be heart broken at that time because I just love having my children at home. They are such a joy to me and they are my life.

Frustrating

I don't know if it is just me but I hate shopping these days. I have been shopping and shopping for clothes and no luck. I went to St. George with Karrilyn today and I even have birthday money to spend and I couldn't find anything that I wanted.

It seems like I used to always enjoy shopping and just loved getting new clothes. Lately, I have hated it because I can't find anything. I don't know if it is because I am not the size I would really like to be or I am getting old and hate shopping. Does anyone else have the same problem? If any of you have had luck shopping at any certain shop lately, please let me know.

I might end up going to school in pajamas, ok I guess it isn't that bad but it is frustrating.

Go Redmen

Starting the first of the Summer, Todd has been waking up every morning and going to Cross Country at 6 am. It has been very hard for him to want to get up every morning when it was Summer but he has been doing it.

This morning in Hurricane his Cross Country team had their first meet. They ran a 5 K for competition.

His time wasn't as good as he would have liked it to be but it was much faster than I can run

a 5K run.

It takes a lot of dedication to continue in a sport like this. Even if he never wins a race I think he will be glad that he ran Cross Country because of the other kids that he gets to associate with. He says he has lost 10 lbs since he has started and I believe it. They work hard. Great Job Todd, Keep it up.

Better than the Mummy

On Friday we had yet another trip up to Salt Lake to pick up Angela because she has been at Oakcrest with a friend for a week. Lately, we have been up there every weekend. I think it was worth it because she really had a great time.

We decided to call my sister, Kristi because her birthday is on August 22, and see if she wanted to go see the Mummy movie because we were leaving early enough that we could stop and see a movie. I was surprised that she was able to because she has three small children and it isn't easy to get away on the spur of the moment but she said that she found a babysitter.

We met her at the movie theater in American Fork and went to go pay for it and found out that the internet was wrong about the time and that we were out of luck. We decided that we might as well go out for lunch or something. Pier 49 Pizza was right by the movie theater so we decided to go there for lunch. It was pretty good, not as good as the one in Cedar City. The best part was that we were able to visit and visit. I think that is better than a movie any day. I don't get to visit or spend time with her much so it was very nice to see her.

No More Math

I just wanted to let you all know that I finished my Summer classes last week. I am so glad
to be finished with them. I was really happy to finally get my grades. I received an A from both classes that I took in July-August. I am finished with Math. I am so happy about that.

Memory Lane

Here is a fun little game that my sister started, This is how it works:

Leave a comment on my blog of a memory that you and I have had together. It doesn't matter if you've known me for a very short time, a long time, or just your first impression of me, any memory that you can think of. I have many of my friends that read my blog but don't comment, I would love to hear from you. Even if you don't have a blog you can comment, all you have to have is an email address.

Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses.

I will try to jog my memory and come up with a memory for you too.

Update

This weekend I was able to go up north and see some family and friends. We did a little shopping(very little), went out for ice cream, got a hair cut and were able to stop and see my dad.
I thought I should update those of you that are interested. My dad is looking a lot better. He is finally eating, and talking. Even last weekend he was not very coherent with our conversations but this weekend he was back to chatting and chatting. His face finally had some color back and wasn't green like it has been. I am so glad that he is doing better. YEAH.

Heartaches of Motherhood

Have you ever had one of those days when it hurts to be a mom and you would rather be your child because they are going through something real hard?
Today was one of those days when I wish I could have taken all of my daughter's hurt away.
Karrilyn had an awful day at work. She teaches at a day care and of course they are not paid hardly anything, not given money for supplies and expect them to teach the kids and keep them under control.
Today she was having a real hard time because she teaches the Kindergarten children at the day care while they are out of school and she can't get them to listen to her. The hard thing about it is that she can't discipline them at ALL. She can't even put them in time out or anything. She is expected to keep them in control but very limited. She has been struggling with getting them to listen for quite a while and today she had ENOUGH.
I was in town with a friend and she called just sobbing. I couldn't even understand what she was saying. It was awful. I decided that I better leave what I was doing and go and rescue her.
We sat in the car and talked and talked. She was so upset. Her boss kept saying "Why can't you control them" "How hard is it" "I don't know what to do with you".

Days like this are so hard, all you want to do is just take all of the problems away. I went over a little later and read some stories and played with the kids to help to alleviate some of her stress and it seemed like she was doing a little better.
Motherhood is hard.

My Day

Well, it is just another day but to me it is the day I was born many years ago. I don't enjoy having my birthday on a Sunday. It is just not that great. I get to go to Stake Conference this morning and then we are going to Salt Lake to take Angela so she can go to Oakcrest with some friends from our ward in Herriman. The best part of the day will be I get to see some friends while we are up there.
I don't know about Birthdays any more. When I was young and still at home it was such a big deal and mom always made it so special. My family tries to make it special and they really care but usually it is just another day.

A Night Out

On Wednesday night, we were all hoping to be able to go to Tuacahn because AJ and Karrilyn had taken work off thinking that we were going to be able to get tickets. At the last minute the Shakespeare festival called and Karrilyn was able to get six free tickets for us to go to Tuacahn in St. George. Free tickets can you believe it. We were so excited.

If you have never had the opportunity to go to Tuacahn and see their plays it is great. Mike and I have had the chance to be ushers there but the kids have never had the chance to go see any of the plays.

It is so enjoyable, unlike any other theater, because it is outside right next to the red cliffs of St. George. Usually it is so hot that you just want to die but it was so nice and cool because it looked like it was going to rain.

The play that we went to see was "The Sound of Music". My kids just loved it. I am so glad that we had this great chance and Free to boot. We wish Todd could have come with us but he is up Parowan canyon on a Scout Camp.

Oh by the way, I wasn't supposed to have my camera in the theater but it was too late by the time I took these pictures but I wasn't able to take any of the play but at least if you have never been to the outside theater you will get an idea of how fun it is.

Finally!!!!

This Friday is my last day for this semester of school. I can't believe it. I have actually made it through the summer and had a math class to boot. I just can't tell you how hard it is to continue to be motivated during the summer when your entire family is home and you want to be doing activities with them.

It has also been hard because of my dad and the troubles that he has had while I have been in school. With school every day I can't just pack up and go see my dad and that has been very hard. In case any of you are wondering, my dad is doing a little better. He was put back into the hospital with a couple of blood clots in his lungs and his legs but they gave him shots that he has to give himself and sent him home the next day. I was able to go up and visit him last weekend.

This week he has been in a lot of pain with the blood clot that is close to his knee, but if he keeps his feet elevated and wears socks(hose) from the hospital it seems to help his pain. This whole recovery is going to take a while.
Back to school, I am so glad that I am going to have a break. I just can't stand it. If anyone wants to have a party and help me celebrate just let me know. I am up to lunch, a party, shopping or anything......

Thanks to all of you who really care and have given me support and encouragement during this summer and always!!!!

A Night of Fun

On Thursday night I was able to go see the play"Fiddler on the Roof" at the Shakespeare Festival here in Cedar. My friend and I have been enjoying the plays this summer but this was the Best. We loved it. It was so well done. The music was fabulous and the actors and actresses were great too. One of my friends has two of her daughters as two of the the daughters in the play. It was fun to see them.
I have always loved this play and been to it other times but it was never done as well as this time. I just wanted to start singing with the actors when they were singing because I love the music. If you have never had a chance to go see the plays at the Shakespeare festival you need to put it on your list to do. It is an awesome experience.

New Running Shoes

Do you have a pair of running shoes that are worn out? Look at these. If these running shoes could talk they would tell a long story of the last year and a half of where they have been and what we have done together.

I guess they are a little worn out.... What do you expect of a pair of shoes that goes 5-9 miles a day?? Shoes are interesting because they can paint quite a picture.

Well, we finally had the chance to buy me new shoes because as you can see I am in desperate need of them. My toes have been starting to bother me so I am so glad that we were able to go running shoe shopping. It is not easy to go shoe shopping in Cedar but we went up to SLC to see my dad and stopped at the Running Shoe Corner and wow these shoes are great.

I think the tread on these will do me a lot better than my other shoes. I am not too sure about the color but I guess the important thing is that I don't lose any toenails like I have in the past when I haven't had decent shoes to work out in. I am so excited to try these out, who knows maybe it will be like running in lounge around shoes.