tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197035342024-03-13T14:08:16.049+09:00We don't mean to brag...Stuff I write about.... How's that for creative?Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.comBlogger585125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-30981679963050323322017-06-30T21:17:00.000+09:002017-06-30T21:41:43.989+09:00What is a Bulldog?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The past several days I've been immersed in the work of finding Bulldogs. It's not always simple to find a lost dog. I wish I could just xerox a photo and staple it to a telephone pole for passers by to see and call my number. I'm looking for special Bulldogs. The ones who graduated in 1987 from Provo High School. Through a series of unfortunate events I find myself the point-person to look for those of my graduating class. I didn't run for office during my Jr year, I was appointed by one person while I slept on eastern standard time and woke up to my phone sending me contact information. At first I was surprised, but I think my appointer knew I would take this on and now I really have no choice. I'm actually grateful for the chance I've had to catch up with people I once knew. It's been a lot of fun along with a lot of headache.<br />
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There are many missing still. Every time I find one I get so excited though. I finally got smart and figured out via a tutorial from the inter webs how to scan a document and send it in an email to all the contacts I have in the system. T was away at the time so I had to learn myself how to do it. So that has been productive to get the Bulldogs working for me. Still I'm like Oscar Schindler with a desire for more. I must find one more! Laundry, dishes, and grocery shopping are pushed aside while I scour the internet for missing Bulldogs. The email pings and my heart sings every time a new RSVP comes in. Is it a yes? A no? A maybe? I respond with a heart/like and comment "YAY!" or some other word of encouragement to every yes, encouraging them to continue.<br />
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Looking at names I brush the cobwebs from my brain and remember myself in high school. I read the comments in my yearbook that is old an falling apart (much like myself as of late). I didn't know a lot of those people well, I just wasn't shy about asking for signatures. My kids see how many I have and think I was popular. I never saw myself that way. I remember looking in the mirror and thinking "who even are you?" I had a lot of hesitation as a teen. I wasn't one to try out for everything or form a club. As a 48 year old I am much more comfortable in much more skin. I look in the mirror now and know that what I see matters much less than what I do.<br />
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The surprising thing is as I fill out my own 'Bulldog Bio' and decide what I will share about my today self with my yesterday classmates I realize that most of my interests had their beginnings in high school. I was part of Mr Lindsay's high school choir and I didn't know then that I could sing. Today I love to sing and I don't mind telling you that I have a decent soprano voice. I learned to sew in home economics and that is a skill I still use today. I look around and not many people today know how to sew, and I have Mrs Price to thank for that. I am a bit of a francofile and love all thinks Franacais. I finally went to France with my family for the first time last Summer and I thought often of my French teacher (for 3 years) at PHS, M. Burnah. Yes he might have given too many shoulder rubs in class but he really knew how to teach French. I love art! Thank you Mr Jones!!! I can spot a Matisse or a Van Gough from across the museum thanks to that man. I still remember the slide show test he gave us where we had to identify artists from Picasso to Marie Cassette, Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec. How Grateful I am to that man who inspired my love for good art. Mr Rutter & Mrs Brown taught me how to write and express myself. I'm still an avid reader and part of a monthly book club. I might have been all of those things without those good people teaching at PHS. But I know my life has been enriched because of those caring teachers. So even though my photo is not on every other page in the yearbook with clubs I joined or offices I was elected to, I know who I am today. I'm a Bulldog! Proud to be litter-<span style="text-align: center;">mates with the class of 1987! Beat 'em.... YA! Beat 'em.... YA! Beat 'em YA! Beat 'em YA! Beat 'em YA! YA! YA!!!!!</span><br />
<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-75862963616586331802017-05-03T22:23:00.000+09:002017-05-03T22:23:19.461+09:00AppreciationThis week it's Teacher Appreciation week at my daughter's elementary school. With 5 kids under my belt, I've been through many teacher appreciation weeks. I have a bit of a snarky attitude towards this week. Why are we as parents being assigned a specific time to appreciate our child's teacher? Not only are we assigned a designated week to do our appreciating we are also told how to show that appreciation. Day one is 'give your teacher a flower' to show your appreciation. Day two was a note, today is day three and it's 'give your teacher a snack' tomorrow is office supplies. I mean really.... what says I appreciate you more than pencil lead refills or post-its? I've always participated because I don't want my kid to be the one who is heaven-for-bid unappreciative. But I'll be honest and tell you that I do it with an attitude. I do appreciate our teacher, I just don't appreciate being told I have to show in assignment form. Next they'll be grading us on how well we showed our appreciation.<br />
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My last child is special. I mean they are all special in their own way but she has the blessed opportunity to be last. She may have come this way but it's also part of where she falls in the family. She needs to fend for herself more and she does. Is it this way because I'm older and tired, because I just don't care about the stuff that I know doesn't matter, or because I'm spread thinner? I'm not sure the reason. Eliza has street smarts. She doesn't come to me as much as my 18 yr old does for help with stuff. Bless her, she just figures things out on her own. <b>She</b> reminded <b>me</b> this year that it's time to bring a flower to the teacher. And she didn't ask me to go buy a big bouquet from the florist either. There were plenty of those emerging flowers-first out of the cars at the drop off line Monday morning. No, Eliza simply asked "do we have any good flowers blooming in our yard this week Mom?" She planned to pick and arrange them herself with a wet napkin and foil to hold them until they got to school. She chose bleeding hearts and azaleas and they were stunning in their simplicity and uniqueness. She wrote a note on paper from the printer folded it in half and drew a nice piece of pencil artwork on the front for note day (without a reminder!!!). Heartfelt words from an 11 yr old. Today when I returned from the middle school drop off she was holding a sheer fabric bag of salt water taffy from our Spring break trip to the beach. She'd found a mini heart shaped wedding card from some stash of cards and told me she was going to use it to write her note on if that was okay with me. I couldn't help but think how I've been doing teacher appreciation week wrong for so many years. Why was I stepping in and doing it for them without real appreciation?<br />
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Eliza has shown me how to appreciate a teacher. How to appreciate a self sufficient child. Audrey is always accusing me of showing favoritism to my youngest child and this is a prime example of why. She does things so I don't have to. I appreciate my cleaning help in a similar way. When she comes every two weeks I have a love that goes beyond the check I write that I don't have to vacuum dog hair off the impossible to vacuum steps to the garage. I think with every step I take up to the kitchen how much I love Fransisca. When people help me and do things so I don't have to do, I get a bit giddy. The other day Troy organized the tupperware cupboard. I wanted to take him right then and there. Instead I texted him a sweet thank you the following day. It seemed more appropriate. <br />
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I think humans need appreciation and one of the best ways to show this is to do something for them that they didn't expect. I know Mother's Day is coming up and there will be expectations met or unmet. But nothing beats a kid who saves you a trip to the store. I wonder what office supply day will bring? I can't wait to see what she'll come up with..Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-79029056471871083532016-03-20T11:45:00.001+09:002017-05-03T21:55:25.792+09:00Philippines: Feeling UncomfortableWhen you jump down from the jeepney and look around at all the faces lined up outside the hospital it can be a bit uncomfortable. Many have shown up for you to take care of their needs and have most likely been there a while. Some of them in pain. Many of them afraid. Perhaps not all of them completely trusting. <br />
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The wait ahead for these people is lengthy to say the least. The line will just get progressively longer throughout the day. I personally don't like to have people wait for me. I'm impatient by nature and waiting for others at times sets me off. So, for me, showing up to all those watchful eyes waiting in the hot sun for me to get myself in gear was unsettling. <br />
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However there's another underlying feeling. I felt a bit like I was being observed. Especially when awkwardly finding my footing climbing off the roof of the jeepney. It felt awkward, because I'm sure this kind of thing was as natural to them as a monkey jumping from tree to tree. I did feel different. Obviously I looked different. My circumstances were... different to say the least. The feeling of awkwardness melted away by day 3. By that time I felt looked upon and welcomed with grateful smiles.<br />
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On the 3rd day I became more able to greet them one by one, looking in their eyes during that walk through the front doors. Before the last day I took it upon myself to boldly take a panoramic photo of the entire scene outside our clinic. I slowly made a circle and photographed them all waiting in plastic chairs. Waiting under plastic tents. Holding children on their hips. Grasping their paperwork. I'm not entirely sure they were completely aware of what I was doing. A number of them could speak English and laughed when I proclaimed that I now had a photo of <i><b>each</b></i> and <i><b>every</b></i> one of them! "I've got you all <b>right here</b> in my phone!" LOL they did. If there's any culture of people who loves to laugh it's these people. <br />
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I have recently returned from a medical/dental mission trip to the Philippines. One of the first things I learned is that there is no time for resting, and that you don't use two Ls when spelling the word Philippines. Almost within the first minute that we rolled our suitcases into our rooms we were told to change and get ready to start working in the clinic. This would not have been so hard if we hadn't been traveling for the last 17 hours to get there. Funny but now I can't remember the tired feeling as much as I remember the faces in the waiting crowds.<br />
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When we arrived that first day we saw perhaps the largest crowd of the week. We met with the man in charge and he choked up during his welcome speech. We knew were in the right place. Getting organized and ready to see people that day was probably the hardest thing we did all week. Much of our equipment had not arrived yet, so we were reduced to working with 1 syringe to numb people up with. We just wiped it down between patients. We saw 50 people that afternoon.<br />
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On day 2 I needed a distraction, (our scalers hadn't arrived still), so I grabbed a bag of found toothbrushes and started teaching the kids in the crowd how to brush. A translator soon found me, offering to carry my bag around while translating. Being that close to the people I strangely felt like I should have worn different shoes. My tennis shoes were florescent green and yellow and I felt like they made me stick out even more. No one was mentally criticizing my footwear I'm certain. <br />
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Most of the kids were happy to get a toothbrush but some were too shy to interact with me. Then I found one girl who was eager to learn what I had to say. This sweet girl wore a blue striped T shirt and I decided to teach her to floss as well. Floss samples were not something we had for everyone, but I gave one to her. The thing that melted my heart about this girl was that she not only absorbed what I had to say, but that she went and got friends that were willing to listen and brought them to me for instruction. That made my day! I truly feel that cleaning someone's teeth is a good deed, extracting rotten teeth and avoiding infection is critical & making someone a partial denture is super! But teaching a young child the value of putting bristles to gumline and flossing interproximally.... that is the best thing of all! That prevents the need for everything else. The fact that I taught someone who wanted friends to know this great thing, made my dental hygienist heart swell. It was a true highlight.<br />
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And another thing I learned that day was that people aren't so scary when you go out in the hot crowded hallway with them and start to teach their children. I definitely felt the stares of welcome friendship and gratitude that afternoon. I saw smiles and nods. It was not uncomfortable. It was not awkward. I found my footing in my loud green shoes.<br />
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When Igore (our philanthropist/organizer) came up to me that day and told me I should probably find a cooler place to work, I know he meant well and was encouraging me to pace myself. But I couldn't think of a cooler place to be. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Jeepney (a multiple passenger vehicle)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dental savvy friend, and my shoes : )</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable kids!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A comparably small crowd that morning</td></tr>
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Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-68396656152253256992016-01-16T01:38:00.004+09:002017-05-03T22:30:12.668+09:00Missing EricYesterday I realized that I am still mourning for the loss of my brother Eric. You don't realize how much you miss a person when they are not really a part of your everyday life. We didn't live close enough to interact with regularity. Thus, my daily routine was not upset by his passing. Yet there is still a hole left when I think about him. Today marks 2 months since he was able to stop suffering and pass through the veil.<br />
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I realized this as I unexpectedly cried while I drove up my driveway and spied the pot of mums dead in the dead of winter. Dead like my brother. They were a gift this past October from a kind neighbor who had heard about the pain I was in over my brother's steady loss of health. His days numbered on this earth motivated a visit home for me to see him and rub his feet one last time. My friend and carpool buddy had been in the loop driving more for me in my absence. The mums were an act of kindness during a hard time and now serve and a reminder of life missing where it once bloomed. <br />
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Today Eric's daughter will likely give birth to his first grandson. I can imagine he is hanging around the hospital room whispering encouragement to his loved ones, saying "take good care of each other." Life is amazing and hard. It comes and goes with so much goodness and difficulty in-between. I hope the new spirit entering that family will be just the healing balm they need to help them recover. <br />
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I have been swirling with memories of my young boys lately. We unearthed some family home videos of our little boys. So much happy crazy joy to behold on our 10 inch portable VCR. One wishes you could go back through time and live one or two of those days again. Baby Drew pretends to be a tiger from "our zoo." During a feeding session on his 3rd birthday, said tiger suddenly learns to feed himself picking up a slice of bread and carefully eating yet avoiding crust. Evan insists his name is Darth Vader and builds amazing Lego swords. Nathan learns to write the number 5 (the trickiest number for him to learn) in "11 or so" tries. Where did those years go? I cry readily at the thought of their passing. When things are taken from us we mourn their loss but we also neglect to feel the joy of the now due to our sadness! LIFE! EXPERIENCE! PAIN! LOSS! Why why why???<br />
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I know it will all make perfect sense one day, but a Mother's pain at the very thing we knew would happen (kids growing up and leaving us) is sometimes more than I can bear! Yet what did I think would happen to them if I brought them to earth and kept feeding them? Did I somehow not realize this was part of the deal? Why do I take this so personally? We want them to be good people and leave us right? It's what is best! I should be planning my fun times with Troy, we've only got 3 left at home and setting the table is so much simpler. Vacations can happen with more ease and less hotel rooms right? ...Right? There has to be a bright side to this. I struggle to be content with these perks. I want my little walkie talkie toting school walkers back! <br />
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Perhaps God wants us back with Him too and that's why our time together is limited. We will all be together in the end. I'll hear my brother call me Kelly B or say "how's my beautiful sister?" once again. And I need to learn to enjoy my adult children more and not cling to the past. It was lovely but it was also a trial in it's own way. Why don't we remember the hard stuff as much? I just hope I didn't mess up too much. I hope in our future we can remain connected and close. That's why we really need a cabin or a boat right? Maybe texting and Skype will be good for now. I wish I could Skype my brother. What would he say to me? I am sure it would be some sort of message of love. He'd tell me how great it is to be with your loved ones on earth and not to waste a single moment of it. <br />
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I love you Eric<br />
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Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-59003677082887336772015-04-14T22:41:00.000+09:002015-04-14T22:41:37.034+09:00Spring Break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had a wonderful Spring Break. The only thing that would have made it better is if we had this week's weather last week : (<br />
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We had T's parents in town which was a rare treat. We celebrated Easter with them and that was very fun. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DC Temple on Conference Sunday</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easter Carrot Cake. Still eating this out of the freezer over a week later.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring has sprung!</td></tr>
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We went to Virginia Beach (our old vacation spot!) and had a very good time. A new place was build to replace the one that closed down. This one was even closer to the ocean... Score! We flew a kite, went to the movies, ate marvelous pizza, hung out and played games indoors, went swimming at an indoor pool. We made do with the bad weather. Unfortunately we skipped out on the amusement park due to chilly weather and not much time to enjoy the day by the time we dealt with slow waffle house service and traffic. Big Girl was the most disappointed. We will go back in August and do it for sure.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My feet and Big Girls feet. Hers look like she's having more fun.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windy cold fun at VA Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9CyWXTpzFTqjilq_4Vy_ZoYdsPNm6lKk1jBEyy6jlyGEMw3CYo01dtC7LOJhEm25CilTeStijFQcG60k-0ZFpTz_AsZ-a9tDWLqPXwURowFK7fCGbGqGqxzrgUyX-EPwV39XNw/s1600/IMG_6339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9CyWXTpzFTqjilq_4Vy_ZoYdsPNm6lKk1jBEyy6jlyGEMw3CYo01dtC7LOJhEm25CilTeStijFQcG60k-0ZFpTz_AsZ-a9tDWLqPXwURowFK7fCGbGqGqxzrgUyX-EPwV39XNw/s1600/IMG_6339.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swim Day</td></tr>
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On the way home we stopped at the cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin. Cold but fun once again. I always love doing that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RjSEZxEnwUzl6iV6-hsVSKgrtLNJjGFpeqTODQAZNHJJzu9AxGHTdmf7oTwTK_ZSwDSRXHU6PfPicSWabY07_jfk8HCy0jzjcyma2dJo5toh3I7ncVqdoUqwuvyqSB7F55fPew/s1600/IMG_6359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RjSEZxEnwUzl6iV6-hsVSKgrtLNJjGFpeqTODQAZNHJJzu9AxGHTdmf7oTwTK_ZSwDSRXHU6PfPicSWabY07_jfk8HCy0jzjcyma2dJo5toh3I7ncVqdoUqwuvyqSB7F55fPew/s1600/IMG_6359.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheesy Grin from T</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnfOZJGEIjN6kACe-Z_a-B1XcfwB8l8gZ16JQMtimPwFoiDv0J4yeWw1ynlyLQOpLuFc1Tichlb7Yv9HyRcQuDFH9udPD5cYmuLJhbk6fG5z6YXXOitsMdfknsly1w2ckz3eFkQ/s1600/IMG_6361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnfOZJGEIjN6kACe-Z_a-B1XcfwB8l8gZ16JQMtimPwFoiDv0J4yeWw1ynlyLQOpLuFc1Tichlb7Yv9HyRcQuDFH9udPD5cYmuLJhbk6fG5z6YXXOitsMdfknsly1w2ckz3eFkQ/s1600/IMG_6361.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Selfie of... myself<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz51bCrHuG1TeNk_vc0IWng0mBF6mzNKoRNvj7l1ALWF7k-7ctNHx_VCodcZs1_-cLF_6Zei03A5LPBqTKE7YgkSLE5hq_PzW3o3c0jf4RRgxAMY4NVJ3Imzu9QUthQd1-vNzE2g/s1600/IMG_6356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz51bCrHuG1TeNk_vc0IWng0mBF6mzNKoRNvj7l1ALWF7k-7ctNHx_VCodcZs1_-cLF_6Zei03A5LPBqTKE7YgkSLE5hq_PzW3o3c0jf4RRgxAMY4NVJ3Imzu9QUthQd1-vNzE2g/s1600/IMG_6356.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A less happy shot of Little Boy... (who is no longer little)</td></tr>
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We are getting anxious to hear where Evan will be serving his mission. He met with his Bishop on Sunday and will be submitting his paperwork with the Stake President soon. The big question will be where he will be when the call comes. In Utah still at school or here for his ear surgery. He will have them send the mission call to us here and we will forward it to him if he's still in Utah. I secretly hope it's here. I want to be with him when he opens it. Selfish of me. I suppose whatever will be will be.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9t-lQS1SiD5LS1gzRlZRy4pcJExuMhWPKxZ17BCltEUQ4yViPHMB-XTR7b3CjzViw8JRTbMTXgCTvPF7T0cV_2HPHAAZGgO6OSZaCV-azsXJOuWWxVbbcWhd8vYWVwJ4V0su5Dw/s1600/DSC_0035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9t-lQS1SiD5LS1gzRlZRy4pcJExuMhWPKxZ17BCltEUQ4yViPHMB-XTR7b3CjzViw8JRTbMTXgCTvPF7T0cV_2HPHAAZGgO6OSZaCV-azsXJOuWWxVbbcWhd8vYWVwJ4V0su5Dw/s1600/DSC_0035.jpg" height="630" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Handsome pre missionary son. With a bad haircut from a friend.</td></tr>
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A funny thing was said yesterday that bares recording. Little Girl said that when she gets to college she wants to study art. No surprise there. She loves to draw and is especially good at anime style cartoon people. She has a dear friend in the area named Lucy and the two of them recently decided to go to college together to study art. After some reflection the other day she said to me "I'm afraid Lucy might distract me from my work in art college" A very mature concern I must say. I also fear she has overheard one too many conversations about her older sibling's first year in college : ( There certainly are a lot of distractions out there.<br />
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At the moment I have piles of laundry and an empty fridge awaiting me... she should know that distractions are a life time trial. Whelp... Better get to it! <br />
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Kelly<br />
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-80630631102353907462015-03-24T22:44:00.002+09:002015-03-24T22:54:44.447+09:00A Yearly Update : )Hello Blog! <br />
How about an update on the goings on around here? We are at a pretty sweet stage in life. With two son's out of the nest and three kids who are pretty easy left at home it feels nice. I miss the older ones but going from 5 to 3 in a relatively short period of time makes a huge difference. We are still busy but it's pretty manageable. Having girls who usually like to help me makes it even sweeter. <br />
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So here's what my crew are all up to these days:<br />
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Big Boy is serving his mission in Brazil and has only until July 28th left! We just heard the official date yesterday from him. It's earlier than I had thought so now I'm happily processing this information. He is loving his time there despite the hard times. He has grown so much as a person it's almost unbelievable! His influence on his brother Middle Boy has been incredible. The two of them have had a relationship that has been somewhat competitive in the past, but now it has been so sweet to see him reach out and encourage his brother for good. What a great person! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZZjdf_WGe0HZ3v7dQ0BxUq5LOE8kdlGvnUwIKkqLycVTuSresGKLZJE_KuJzVPcjXS5Dmrzb27D4aZCH2LATU45_-DdTspqbzrI0bO5EpucEoZp_rVrGyHkXRri55ZGwzYmXnQ/s1600/Photo0106%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZZjdf_WGe0HZ3v7dQ0BxUq5LOE8kdlGvnUwIKkqLycVTuSresGKLZJE_KuJzVPcjXS5Dmrzb27D4aZCH2LATU45_-DdTspqbzrI0bO5EpucEoZp_rVrGyHkXRri55ZGwzYmXnQ/s1600/Photo0106%5B1%5D.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Boy in Brazil Spring 2015</td></tr>
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Middle Boy is making a come back this semester! His first one was rough, but he's really proving himself this time around. He is in Logan at Utah State. He really likes it. I am super proud of him for getting back on the horse and learning from mistakes. College is harder than it looks in the pamphlets. He s also taking the Aggie by the horns by filling out his mission papers on his own. This is a huge answer to our prayers. He plans to submit his papers this coming week and we should know in a few weeks (or so) where that kid will be heading for his next two years. Fasting and prayer do work people! I really love this young man.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKeZOWFMPVcgNZPBdBU98ud5Wjfs81cuBloPm6B0rDtMAlZjpr9snY6mBqq5IECBbrbPtEe7WnD58NsWvLJRfJwR_U4w_36GpREdYFLSQK1uftAuTl2FxQmC4uXO4RczaSZeJLg/s1600/IMG_6094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKeZOWFMPVcgNZPBdBU98ud5Wjfs81cuBloPm6B0rDtMAlZjpr9snY6mBqq5IECBbrbPtEe7WnD58NsWvLJRfJwR_U4w_36GpREdYFLSQK1uftAuTl2FxQmC4uXO4RczaSZeJLg/s1600/IMG_6094.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skyping with Middle Boy</td></tr>
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Little Boy is not so little anymore. He's about passed his Father in height. But My husband will not admit this openly. He is a star student and runs XC and track. Yesterday he ran 10 miles after school. He was bushed! He recently completed his eagle project. He did a blanket making/sleeping bag/school supply drive for a camp for underprivileged kids effected by drug abuse in the home. He keeps busy with violin and school and running and that keeps him happy. Sometimes stressed but mostly happy. Yesterday I felt for him so I spent about an hour organizing his room for him. He's stretched pretty thin lately and honestly when I do this every once in a while it makes us both feel better. I hate messes. He hates nagging. It's a win win. I found several items that were unopened from his Christmas stocking(s) that he had no idea he had because his room was such a mess. I even unearthed two brand new shirts! He had just been telling me he was growing out of shirts the other day. Hello!? If this is my biggest problem with him I know how lucky I am. Believe me... I know. He's a gem.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEeE3PVjb_exG70Bm6VMNmQhKBvxYjzu0EmOJgmWs3FRggrdamGetJPha3nR0QUqNioGamnYLepW-J6YSoXGHfoGSwU0HpqcTAwMuCKfr5ZmQmSJmUg5FHfqoTb_4eBTR7lIpXw/s1600/IMG_5965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEeE3PVjb_exG70Bm6VMNmQhKBvxYjzu0EmOJgmWs3FRggrdamGetJPha3nR0QUqNioGamnYLepW-J6YSoXGHfoGSwU0HpqcTAwMuCKfr5ZmQmSJmUg5FHfqoTb_4eBTR7lIpXw/s1600/IMG_5965.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making the final delivery for his eagle project</td></tr>
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Big Girl is blossoming into a young woman. It's sad to see her childhood leaving our sights. But she is still a delight. She's into fashion and friends. She loves her newly decorated room that she inherited when Middle Boy left for college. She works hard in school and at the violin and piano. She really wants a cell phone but we are holding off on that for now. I think I may have bribed her to keep playing piano for a few more years at the end of which time she'll get a phone... Tricky? Maybe. She turned 12 in February and enter Young Women's at church. She's thrilled with this and looks up to many good girls there. Her younger sister is still her best friend. She is not without the struggles that come with growing up. I'm glad I get a front row seat to watch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAxEB6j5E48RfIRiVYVRP34rnZw6ZYrhmnvV_Dvl9UBSvHjT_qLIjax6KSCiFv-wbwEwyZmSKbMJsIYhTG3Ez4p85yUBYP_YvjauzwXtkx098KbjVawFIm8IcYwvtMtmbiTMIIA/s1600/IMG_6137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAxEB6j5E48RfIRiVYVRP34rnZw6ZYrhmnvV_Dvl9UBSvHjT_qLIjax6KSCiFv-wbwEwyZmSKbMJsIYhTG3Ez4p85yUBYP_YvjauzwXtkx098KbjVawFIm8IcYwvtMtmbiTMIIA/s1600/IMG_6137.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet rolls made by a sweetie</td></tr>
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Little Girl is fantastic. She is funny and smart and enjoying reading Harry Potter for the first time on her own. She was baptized in January. What a great way to start off our year. She enjoys piano (most of the time). She loves spending her money. Every time she gets her allowance she wants to buy another set of earrings for herself. She got her ears pierced in November and often tells me how long she has until she can wear dangly earrings. She's organized and wants to be a teacher. The playroom is her classroom (the same location as her predecessor's: teacher Audrey). One addition she has added is separate hand sanitizer for boys and girls. When I asked her about it she told me it's also the 'pass' for them to put on their desk so the teacher knows they are in the bathroom. Then when they return, they use the sanitizer and replace it to it's spot. I think that is an revolutionary and germ-free idea! This teacher is well loved by her family.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2HSo_XbXZCkZV1BFrnL8eZgpGAX2xnRONP77tT84iL7i0UH3qq0R65WesHFSirsTJ8Wxg5ovWn3hHx5rhkDmLa-u_iVYRBlh9w1oQH9jKrG2D04SvYGOXA0Chj-WA6o09g4K6g/s1600/7ad0afe195f64391901e67369f3d863f+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2HSo_XbXZCkZV1BFrnL8eZgpGAX2xnRONP77tT84iL7i0UH3qq0R65WesHFSirsTJ8Wxg5ovWn3hHx5rhkDmLa-u_iVYRBlh9w1oQH9jKrG2D04SvYGOXA0Chj-WA6o09g4K6g/s1600/7ad0afe195f64391901e67369f3d863f+-+Version+2.jpg" height="414" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On a hike in Utah last Summer. </td></tr>
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I feel like I am writing a yearly Christmas letter here. At least it will be fun for me to read back on even if it is a bit long for the blog. <br />
<br />
T and I are good. We both just got over horrible head colds. We are both looking forward to Spring when we celebrate our 23rd anniversary! This year it's a chocolate walking tour in Georgetown and an over night stay in the city. Sounds good eh? It will be ; ) I planned it.<br />
<br />
Overall I am very happy with my life. The plantar fasciitis hasn't got me completely down. I've discovered I love yoga. I may go back to work if I can screw up the courage this year. Having college-aged kids going on missions, and kids at home with music lessons and braces is pricey! However I seem to keep pretty busy with what I currently have going on. I love being there to volunteer and be home when kids get home. I spend a lot of time wondering about our future when T leaves his current job in five years. Where will we be next? I search real-estate online to help me determine the answer. The best wrap around porch home wins! <br />
<br />
That's all for now! <br />
KellyKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-63825700567728367332014-11-20T11:16:00.002+09:002014-11-20T11:16:47.291+09:00Farewell RandyJust ten short weeks ago my brother in law Randy didn't feel so well. On November 12th he passed away peacefully. We may never know what really happened but there have been lots of theories. I am numb trying to make sense of this. Just two days before he passed we still had hope. My heart aches for his family. He has a new missionary in the field right now. He was only 60. <br />
<br />
I got to see things unfold through the lens of my neurologist husband. That was good and bad I suppose. Good to be more informed, but harder because I could see the looks of concern on his face that no one else could. "This life is fragile" coming out of his mouth quite regularly. <br />
<br />
I know it's not fair, I know he was a good man doing good things. He had many people who loved him. Why? I want to know why! But if he were a bad man doing bad things with many people who hated him that would have been the worse scenario right? So it's logical to look at the good things he did and the fun memories we have of him. That certainly makes it easier for a short time. But then you just start feeling sad and gypped. I tell my iPhone "my brother in law died" and Siri answers "I don't know how to respond to that" I completely understand that response. I'm struggling to find meaning and comfort as well. <br />
<br />
Here are some memories I have of Randy. His family and ours used to take family vacations together. So I recall trips to Mexico with him as a teenager. I believe it was either Randy who once heard me swear unknowingly at about the age of 8-10. I saw him doing something mechanical to the motorhome and asked him casually "hey Randy, what the hell ya doin'?" He laughed out loud and kindly corrected my use of the word 'hell'. I think I may have picked that up from Randy's Dad Lavar. <br />
<br />
Randy loved to laugh and visit with people. He was a tease but a nice tease, never poking fun at your expense, but laughing with you. He loved to play games and he was really smart. He loved his kids and really really loved my Sister Marie. I learned at his funeral that he used to call her the most beautiful woman you've ever seen to anyone who would listen. I loved him. <br />
<br />
My husband said something profound as we were traveling back to Maryland yesterday. He said you know it's sad that he's left loved ones behind but for him it's actually not that bad. He lived a fulfilling good life. He had a strong testimony and was doing good. His children just about all raised with his last son on a mission. You know he really went out on top and avoided the perils of growing old. We think that when you die somewhat early that it's so tragic, but if you've done all you were meant to do then it's really not so bad except for the separation that death brings. Someday when we have a different perspective our separation will seem like a short period of time. <br />
<br />
I couldn't think of any of that eloquent stuff when I hugged my dear sister. All I could say to her is "this really sucks!" And she agreed. Sometimes life sucks, but looking back on the good stuff makes it better, and after time has done some healing we will most likely agree that life is good. Randy sure thought so during his lifetime. He was a good example to us all. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTbEO5FGyuS5xdRARxSt1g4OW-zfjD4bV2Ae36WbmQwikhcYyTE0RmgxuNjbwsLPmhKtuZZHxF0pq35Y1OmTjx_JCohq4XnSr0MTz6lOEZzEMbTY2sYswCrRF8SBi8-39LwLxcQ/s1600/10632797_10152277947666394_5198454763996280932_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTbEO5FGyuS5xdRARxSt1g4OW-zfjD4bV2Ae36WbmQwikhcYyTE0RmgxuNjbwsLPmhKtuZZHxF0pq35Y1OmTjx_JCohq4XnSr0MTz6lOEZzEMbTY2sYswCrRF8SBi8-39LwLxcQ/s1600/10632797_10152277947666394_5198454763996280932_n.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Randy Loveless</td></tr>
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-19582398661659951032014-08-04T22:44:00.000+09:002014-08-04T22:53:07.709+09:00The BS.... A<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGvUNsvKfmC5mWHixw-2vi1avSWhI_cexUXDDC3owicXJctwGSQcKj3LhSOKJ8EaTOqk4kvMWDnWiLqoAjgfou3F4lFmbghqqDMzrAiHKEKKOcxTdxDRD1MVfVPMdYnVOybNnGQ/s1600/10581260_10152230343131657_1768875524_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGvUNsvKfmC5mWHixw-2vi1avSWhI_cexUXDDC3owicXJctwGSQcKj3LhSOKJ8EaTOqk4kvMWDnWiLqoAjgfou3F4lFmbghqqDMzrAiHKEKKOcxTdxDRD1MVfVPMdYnVOybNnGQ/s1600/10581260_10152230343131657_1768875524_n.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">artistry by Jarom Vogel (a cousin)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As I said in my last post, we left our appointment with sad hearts thinking all was lost. There would be no signature from Ms X making it impossible to meet with the board's monthly meeting in two days time. On the ride home I discussed our options with my 2nd son. There was the option of trying to find another who would sign. Time being short that seemed unlikely. We didn't even know where to start looking. We could forfeit the court of honor party we were planning and spend the money on a plane ticket home some weekend in the near future with the only purpose of meeting with the elusive board. That seemed like that was a silly way to spend 500.00 just because someone didn't like the spacing on your application. Perhaps he would just like to be a Life Scout for Life. I've known plenty of very nice men who never got their eagle scout award who turned out just fine.<br />
<br />
It just seemed so sad to have come this far and not be allowed go the last 2% of the way. I knew my son deserved this and more importantly he wanted it. My apathetic son, who hardly found motivation in anything really, <i>wanted</i> to be an eagle scout. He wanted to jump through the silly hoops to get himself there. Even though the past month getting him through the hoops was painful, as long as he told me he wanted this, I was willing to keep holding his hand, guiding him through it. <br />
<br />
His older brother had gotten his eagle two years earlier (with another frustrating experience with these scout enthusiasts). I still recall that at my Big Boy's eagle court of honor, my Middle Boy seemed more excited about scouting and getting his eagle than I had seen before. He wanted that cake and slide show party for himself one day. I didn't want him to feel like he would be a life long 2nd to his brother in this department. His older brother may rub his face in it. <br />
<br />
Despite our pointless position I encouraged my son to work on the small details she had pointed out to him, and I contacted his Father who was away at high adventure campout for 3 days. It was just the place my husband needed to be actually. He was rubbing elbows with our scout district leader on the beach with boys from our stake at a scout outing. The heavens where smiling down on us after all. He talked to the right person who asked that we put down our situation in an email and send it to him. T is good with words and wrote the most diplomatic reasonable explanation for why his son deserved to advance. He simply explained our current situation, sited the BSA website where it explained that we only needed to provide references not actual letters in hand and asked for the board to consider meeting with him. <br />
<br />
The email circulated all the way up to the district commissioner. It basically started a firestorm of follow up emails. One man being so upset that he accused us of feeling dismissed, waiting until the 11th hour, misrepresenting facts and going in the back door over their heads to get what we wanted, etc. We just stayed silent. Sometimes silence speaks the loudest. <br />
<br />
The following day my son received a phone call asking if he was the scout that was leaving for college soon. He replied that he was. "Scan me a copy of your application and I will sign it for you" she stated. We sent it. Our date spacing was still off, that couldn't be helped a this point. We also never changed his personal statement that she felt wasn't on point enough. The board he met with said it was the best one they had ever read though : )<br />
<br />
Ironically when I turned in his book at the official scout offices the secretary noted that there was no date by Ms X's signature. I had to look hard to find it printed very small above her name. On purpose? Perhaps a way to have the last laugh on her part. One last mini heart attack for the LDS scout slackers. Well played Ms X, well played.<br />
<br />
At the official board of review my son had a moment with one of the most angry of the emailers who decided to have 'a chat' with him. This was relayed to me by our scout master who was close by. My husband and I were in the other room. He asked my son "why on earth did you wait so long to be here tonight? You did your project in 2012 for heaven's sake! You denied yourself 2 years of serving in scouts as an eagle where you could participate in mentoring programs and so much more... why did you wait?!" Evan kept his cool and replied "I'm good." Even though he probably meant it as "I just didn't care about all this" I really do think his wording was perfect, because he really IS good. He's a good kid who on the following day helped a single mother for several hours with a move. Too bad that didn't get recorded in a book somewhere so that he could report it as doing a good turn daily or something right? <br />
<br />
Scouting represents a lot of good things. It's really too bad when some people forget about being helpful and friendly, courteous and kind. After it was over I did email the list of angrys. I calmly thanked them for their accommodations, explained our situation, refuted the accusations and asked that kindness and communication prevail. Never heard a word back. Honestly I don't think they knew we were reading along all that time. I also showed my son what you do when someone acts badly. I walked up to that angry man looked him in the eyes, shook his hand warmly and thanked him sincerely for his time and for helping us out. I was cheerful <i><u>and</u></i> brave.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the Fork</td></tr>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<h2 style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Arial Black', 'Helvetica Black', sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=19703534" name="Law">Boy Scout Law</a></h2>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Arial Black', 'Helvetica Black', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
A Scout is:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Arial Black', 'Helvetica Black', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">
<li style="text-align: left;">Trustworthy,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Loyal,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Helpful,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Friendly,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Courteous,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Kind,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Obedient,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Cheerful,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Thrifty,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Brave,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Clean,</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">and Reverent.</li>
</ul>
</div>
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Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-41931026856775749222014-07-28T21:36:00.002+09:002014-07-28T21:38:38.879+09:00Scout AggravationThe lady at the scout office was aggravated and insulted. I was confused and frustrated. How dare I suggest that on 'E-Trail to Eagle' my son's merit badges were all in there, all his advancements from Tenderfoot to Life Scout... complete! "E-Trail to Eagle is NOT an official scout website" she screamed into the phone. Then she managed to compose herself and apologize for her ruddiness. <br />
<br />
You know when someone loves something. I mean really really loves it then it's offensive when they encounter another human who does not study it and give it the proper understanding it deserves. Welcome to the situation wherein you need to work with a scouting enthusiast. <br />
<br />
In the past week I have had to deal with 6 of them. It's an interesting road trip met with many detours and dangerous curves ahead. <br />
<br />
My second son had met (albeit just barely) all the requirements to earn his eagle scout award, and just needed a couple signatures from them. Now the scouters can smell a 'just barely' scout a mile away, and they don't appreciate the stench. Where as I was just pleased he still wanted his eagle and was semi-willing to do the work to get there, the enthusiast just saw him as the weakest link in their eagle chain of command. <br />
<br />
I won't even go into the problems he ran into getting signatures from merit badge leaders. There were hurdles that he put there for himself and I don't like to rag on my own kids on the blog (at least I'm trying to repent of that). But just know that it had been a bumpy stress-inducing road to get us through the last month to get to the point where we needed to enter the scouting enthusiast lion's den. So we were already a bit frazzled. <br />
<br />
Then came the day that my husband mistakenly decided to pick up the phone to call the book approval lady. I realize she has an official title but I'm too inexperienced to know it. And I am not ashamed of that fact either. See the apple doesn't fall far from the tree now does it? The first book approver could not be reached via email or phone. We just figured he was out of town. Middle Boy had been the one trying to reach him. We sorta did things hand in hand here. I'd make my son call people (which he hated) and when he'd done his emotional quota for the day, one of his parents would step in and do a step for him on his behalf. Like a good secretary would do for one's lazy boss. Sorta. On that day when T made the call, our son was actually out hunting down an elusive signature for a last minute blue card. Here's how the call went...<br />
<br />
"Hi are you available to look over my son's eagle application and book this week so that he can make the board of review this Friday?"<br />
<br />
.... silience.... "May I ask why it is that your son is not making this call for himself?" ...Sigh<br />
<br />
"Well he should be, but he couldn't get through to the first guy and now he's out getting a signature, could you just let us know if you are the right person to call and we'll have him call you when he gets home or he'll get no supper tonight." (Just kidding).<br />
<br />
By the time we got to see the book lady face to face, her radar was on high and she was hip to us slackers. It made no difference whatsoever that we fawned over her dog who looked just like ours and had the same name! She didn't care to see a photo.<br />
<br />
She looked over his book like it smelled bad. She took out things it didn't need and flung them on the table like they were radioactive. She wondered why in world he had trouble on the computer with spacing the dates correctly (a problem no one had ever had before us). We didn't need both the white and blue cards. No extra photos besides the eagle project related ones. Our essay was too warm and fuzzy. Where was our list of accomplishments?! No letters of recommendation in hand seemed to be the biggest no no. Although when I pointed out to her that the website clearly stated that all the scout needed to do was provide names and information for people who could recommend you she acted like I was crazy. We looked it up later- guess what? Not crazy. <br />
<br />
So we left her house signatureless, with our tails between our legs feeling like all was lost. No board of review for us. Leaving for college in 3 weeks and another board didn't meet until after our departure. Christmas break would not work because, she informed us as we were about to leave, "the board doesn't meet over the holidays." Too bad for us. Unless we wanted to foot the bill for a 500.00 plane ticket home just to meet with a board. That seemed crazy. Surely there had to be another way. <br />
<br />
Well we found that other way... Oh yes, we found it alright. When you tell us no, we just figure well... we'll see about that.<br />
<br />
<br />
To be continuedKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-91347467159368885792014-07-23T19:31:00.002+09:002014-07-23T19:31:35.560+09:00A Confusing Conversation With a Brazilian on FB<div aria-atomic="false" aria-live="polite" class="conversation" id="u_0_11" style="background-color: #edeff4; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 3px;">
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<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406063608701=2a11c3d1f718c8f5e84.2:0.0.0.0.0">Hello Today I found his son in the transfer and talked with him</span></div>
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<div class="_5wdf _5w1r" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406063900677=2b3dd21ed83b8770b79.2:0.0.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(220, 224, 230) 0px 1px 0px; -webkit-transition: opacity 0ms; background-color: #dbedfe; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(bottom, rgb(199, 222, 254), rgb(231, 241, 254)); border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.290196); border-style: solid; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-width: 1px; color: #3e454c; margin-right: 6px; max-width: 161px; min-height: 14px; opacity: 1; padding: 4px 5px 3px 6px; position: relative; text-shadow: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.498039) 0px 1px 0px; transition: opacity 0ms; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406063900677=2b3dd21ed83b8770b79.2:0.0.0.0">
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406063900677=2b3dd21ed83b8770b79.2:0.0.0.0.0">cool do you know where he is being transferred?</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_3ry4" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406063900677=2b3dd21ed83b8770b79.2:1" style="float: right;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="_5wd4 _1nc7 direction_ltr _5yt9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064023998=20c4ca9e2025d0c4046" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 1.28; margin: 0px 4px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 0px; position: relative;">
<a aria-label="5:20pm" class="_5ys_" data-hover="tooltip" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064023998=20c4ca9e2025d0c4046.1" data-tooltip-position="left" href="https://www.facebook.com/marcelo.sebastiao.9" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 34px; left: 0px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; width: 34px;"><img data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064023998=20c4ca9e2025d0c4046.1.0" src="https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-1/c0.0.32.32/p32x32/10488007_652967471425087_2256285212237314182_n.jpg?oh=abbab84d5ca82fe51a26e6283b1c7f2e&oe=54363ED7&__gda__=1414760937_0f7139f96ed4b6ff717c83b4fa76edea" style="border: 0px; height: 32px; width: 32px;" /></a><div class="_5wd9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064023998=20c4ca9e2025d0c4046.2:0" style="margin-left: 35px; min-height: 34px;">
<div class="_5wde" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064023998=20c4ca9e2025d0c4046.2:0.0">
<div class="_5wdf _5w1r" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064023998=20c4ca9e2025d0c4046.2:0.0.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(220, 224, 230) 0px 1px 0px; -webkit-transition: opacity 0ms; background-color: #f7f7f7; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(bottom, rgb(242, 242, 242), rgb(255, 255, 255)); border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.290196); border-style: solid; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-width: 1px; color: #3e454c; float: left; margin-left: 6px; max-width: 188px; min-height: 14px; opacity: 1; padding: 4px 6px 3px 5px; position: relative; text-shadow: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.498039) 0px 1px 0px; transition: opacity 0ms; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064023998=20c4ca9e2025d0c4046.2:0.0.0.0">
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064023998=20c4ca9e2025d0c4046.2:0.0.0.0.0">I think it was to not know right ribeirao saucer is much elder to me remember. kkkkkk But I guess he's in Ribeirao Pires. If I'm not mistaken he district leader</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_3ry4" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064023998=20c4ca9e2025d0c4046.2:1" style="margin-left: 35px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="_5wd4 _1nc6 direction_ltr _5yt9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064144571=2e820b75978a9742871" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 1.28; margin: 0px 4px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 0px; position: relative;" title="5:22pm">
<div class="_5wd9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064144571=2e820b75978a9742871.2:0" style="float: right;">
<div class="_5wde" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064144571=2e820b75978a9742871.2:0.0">
<div class="_5wdf _5w1r" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064144571=2e820b75978a9742871.2:0.0.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(220, 224, 230) 0px 1px 0px; -webkit-transition: opacity 0ms; background-color: #dbedfe; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(bottom, rgb(199, 222, 254), rgb(231, 241, 254)); border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.290196); border-style: solid; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-width: 1px; color: #3e454c; margin-right: 6px; max-width: 180px; min-height: 14px; opacity: 1; padding: 4px 5px 3px 6px; position: relative; text-shadow: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.498039) 0px 1px 0px; transition: opacity 0ms; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064144571=2e820b75978a9742871.2:0.0.0.0">
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064144571=2e820b75978a9742871.2:0.0.0.0.0">He is district leader. Did he meet his companion?</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_3ry4" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064144571=2e820b75978a9742871.2:1" style="float: right;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="_5wd4 _1nc7 direction_ltr _5yt9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064288595=28ae48f9ece08d1f980" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 1.28; margin: 0px 4px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 0px; position: relative;">
<a aria-label="5:24pm" class="_5ys_" data-hover="tooltip" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064288595=28ae48f9ece08d1f980.1" data-tooltip-position="left" href="https://www.facebook.com/marcelo.sebastiao.9" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 34px; left: 0px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; width: 34px;"><img data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064288595=28ae48f9ece08d1f980.1.0" src="https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-1/c0.0.32.32/p32x32/10488007_652967471425087_2256285212237314182_n.jpg?oh=abbab84d5ca82fe51a26e6283b1c7f2e&oe=54363ED7&__gda__=1414760937_0f7139f96ed4b6ff717c83b4fa76edea" style="border: 0px; height: 32px; width: 32px;" /></a><div class="_5wd9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064288595=28ae48f9ece08d1f980.2:0" style="margin-left: 35px; min-height: 34px;">
<div class="_5wde" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064288595=28ae48f9ece08d1f980.2:0.0">
<div class="_5wdf _5w1r" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064288595=28ae48f9ece08d1f980.2:0.0.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(220, 224, 230) 0px 1px 0px; -webkit-transition: opacity 0ms; background-color: #f7f7f7; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(bottom, rgb(242, 242, 242), rgb(255, 255, 255)); border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.290196); border-style: solid; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-width: 1px; color: #3e454c; float: left; margin-left: 6px; max-width: 181px; min-height: 14px; opacity: 1; padding: 4px 6px 3px 5px; position: relative; text-shadow: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.498039) 0px 1px 0px; transition: opacity 0ms; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064288595=28ae48f9ece08d1f980.2:0.0.0.0">
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064288595=28ae48f9ece08d1f980.2:0.0.0.0.0">Mate it is a Brazilian I think also had a very Argentine then I'm confused but he was very excited because he would be transferred</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_3ry4" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064288595=28ae48f9ece08d1f980.2:1" style="margin-left: 35px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="_5wd4 _1nc6 direction_ltr _5yt9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064401995=2b97cf608b79f0ad280" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 1.28; margin: 0px 4px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 0px; position: relative;" title="5:26pm">
<div class="_5wd9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064401995=2b97cf608b79f0ad280.2:0" style="float: right;">
<div class="_5wde" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064401995=2b97cf608b79f0ad280.2:0.0">
<div class="_5wdf _5w1r" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064401995=2b97cf608b79f0ad280.2:0.0.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(220, 224, 230) 0px 1px 0px; -webkit-transition: opacity 0ms; background-color: #dbedfe; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(bottom, rgb(199, 222, 254), rgb(231, 241, 254)); border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.290196); border-style: solid; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-width: 1px; color: #3e454c; margin-right: 6px; max-width: 188px; min-height: 14px; opacity: 1; padding: 4px 5px 3px 6px; position: relative; text-shadow: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.498039) 0px 1px 0px; transition: opacity 0ms; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064401995=2b97cf608b79f0ad280.2:0.0.0.0">
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064401995=2b97cf608b79f0ad280.2:0.0.0.0.0">thanks for the information</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_3ry4" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064401995=2b97cf608b79f0ad280.2:1" style="float: right;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="_5wd4 _1nc7 direction_ltr _5yt9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064465113=2620a0cc5787cfc7821" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 1.28; margin: 0px 4px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 0px; position: relative;">
<a aria-label="5:27pm" class="_5ys_" data-hover="tooltip" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064465113=2620a0cc5787cfc7821.1" data-tooltip-position="left" href="https://www.facebook.com/marcelo.sebastiao.9" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 34px; left: 0px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; width: 34px;"><img data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064465113=2620a0cc5787cfc7821.1.0" src="https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-1/c0.0.32.32/p32x32/10488007_652967471425087_2256285212237314182_n.jpg?oh=abbab84d5ca82fe51a26e6283b1c7f2e&oe=54363ED7&__gda__=1414760937_0f7139f96ed4b6ff717c83b4fa76edea" style="border: 0px; height: 32px; width: 32px;" /></a><div class="_5wd9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064465113=2620a0cc5787cfc7821.2:0" style="margin-left: 35px; min-height: 34px;">
<div class="_5wde" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064465113=2620a0cc5787cfc7821.2:0.0">
<div class="_5wdf _5w1r" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064465113=2620a0cc5787cfc7821.2:0.0.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(220, 224, 230) 0px 1px 0px; -webkit-transition: opacity 0ms; background-color: #f7f7f7; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(bottom, rgb(242, 242, 242), rgb(255, 255, 255)); border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.290196); border-style: solid; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-width: 1px; color: #3e454c; float: left; margin-left: 6px; max-width: 163px; min-height: 14px; opacity: 1; padding: 4px 6px 3px 5px; position: relative; text-shadow: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.498039) 0px 1px 0px; transition: opacity 0ms; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064465113=2620a0cc5787cfc7821.2:0.0.0.0">
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064465113=2620a0cc5787cfc7821.2:0.0.0.0.0">Nothing now will have to go to school. even more</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_3ry4" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064465113=2620a0cc5787cfc7821.2:1" style="margin-left: 35px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="_5wd4 _1nc6 direction_ltr _5yt9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064502912=203b1bace1132dd3902" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 1.28; margin: 0px 4px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 0px; position: relative;" title="5:28pm">
<div class="_5wd9" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064502912=203b1bace1132dd3902.2:0" style="float: right;">
<div class="_5wde" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064502912=203b1bace1132dd3902.2:0.0">
<div class="_5wdf _5w1r" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064502912=203b1bace1132dd3902.2:0.0.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(220, 224, 230) 0px 1px 0px; -webkit-transition: opacity 0ms; background-color: #dbedfe; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(bottom, rgb(199, 222, 254), rgb(231, 241, 254)); border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.180392) rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.290196); border-style: solid; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-width: 1px; color: #3e454c; margin-right: 6px; max-width: 188px; min-height: 14px; opacity: 1; padding: 4px 5px 3px 6px; position: relative; text-shadow: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.498039) 0px 1px 0px; transition: opacity 0ms; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064502912=203b1bace1132dd3902.2:0.0.0.0">
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064502912=203b1bace1132dd3902.2:0.0.0.0.0">good luck</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_3ry4" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11406064502912=203b1bace1132dd3902.2:1" style="float: right;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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<div class="_51lq" style="background-color: #edeff4; clear: both; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #edeff4; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<div class="_510g _510e seen" data-reactid=".z" style="-webkit-user-select: none; clear: both; color: #a6a6a6; display: inline-block; float: right; font-size: 11px; margin-left: 26px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-right: 10px; visibility: visible;">
<div class="_510h" data-reactid=".z.0" style="background-image: url(https://fbstatic-a.akamaihd.net/rsrc.php/v2/y6/r/B6RwMwBhMRa.png); background-position: -80px -258px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: auto; float: left; height: 12px; margin-right: 2px; position: relative; width: 12px;">
</div>
<span class="_510f" data-reactid=".z.1">Seen 6:01pm</span></div>
</div>
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<div class="accessible_elem" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #edeff4; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 1px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; width: 1px; word-spacing: 0px;">
Chat Conversation End</div>
Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-61521168717385546422014-07-16T04:22:00.000+09:002014-07-16T08:28:30.890+09:00Summer Luvin'<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncEVeFeMMo2A5q-wwp-_E3d5131QzGJBhTJ1ZhtjBll0CAXHRr_HsOy4k9mXBPRYhCEx_mLxkeR5iyA_64oIKI6MQZCXZ0MyS682ZSJ1urCDiuEzJ3c0m4vquQ26vCPLHH-no0w/s1600/photo-15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncEVeFeMMo2A5q-wwp-_E3d5131QzGJBhTJ1ZhtjBll0CAXHRr_HsOy4k9mXBPRYhCEx_mLxkeR5iyA_64oIKI6MQZCXZ0MyS682ZSJ1urCDiuEzJ3c0m4vquQ26vCPLHH-no0w/s1600/photo-15.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Girl in a Hammock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hello! <br />
<br />
Summer is well underway and quickly slipping though our fingers. I believe I am not alone when I confess that Summer is both anticipated and dreaded by the stay at home Mother. All our solitude goes out the window and we have to fill the fridge constantly. We're suddenly responsible for multiple social schedules and we dread those three little words "Mom, I'm bored." <br />
<br />
I am happy to report that this Summer somehow has turned out to be different from Summers of the past. I can't quite figure out why. Perhaps I have wised up a bit about how quickly my chicks leave the nest. With one son out of the home and another just 4 weeks away from his own solo flight I am anxious to make the most of our time left. This has turned into a Summer of good memories. We took off our training wheels. We have joined swim team. We have hiked 50 miles along the Appalachian trail (not all of us). We've gone to the movies. We've enrolled in art camp. We've done girl scout day camp. We've been to a baseball game. We have enjoyed an outdoor movie night in our back yard with friends. We've made excellent food together. We've gown flowers and tomatoes. We've cleaned out closets and rediscovered forgotten loved toys. We have made mini crossbows that shoot matchsticks out of hair clips and popsicle sticks. We've eaten popsicles. We've taken music lessons (piano and violin). We have set goals like learn sign language, and fill the entire driveway with sidewalk chalk. We're getting there. A beach trip awaits with more good memories (one hopes). Then finally... a farewell trip to Utah where we will leave Middle Boy there to start college, fend for himself, and make his own dang quesa dillas. I hope he gets his Summer reading finished. I'm trying real hard not to remind him to do it. I'm trying not to be such a Momma to him anymore. But how will he ever finish his eagle if I do that completely?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-0S3od8fsRgVYUm1v8uNGtFGjUVInhJUreM-IweMAepvQNFy5oW6cuJhRPq1OKJ54SW4NnhVdVDIPCeJNWm37iqvf2ByZGmIWp4oRofEH7fPi1PnMW-_5WG8fWGYYhQ9gS0fdA/s1600/photo-18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-0S3od8fsRgVYUm1v8uNGtFGjUVInhJUreM-IweMAepvQNFy5oW6cuJhRPq1OKJ54SW4NnhVdVDIPCeJNWm37iqvf2ByZGmIWp4oRofEH7fPi1PnMW-_5WG8fWGYYhQ9gS0fdA/s1600/photo-18.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pondering the Nat's chances</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5q59l3qM6fJgeBJX1l81yVWoDBwCKOdY_ISSeqOltxB8m5cXMkrDolGlRWvZt7Q444mZnJw-4wV9XKbnSic0s_-d8YVbXw-pv3ern87e1oPsrmmPzWWbuBsdg6pn8InblUdJQtA/s1600/photo-17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5q59l3qM6fJgeBJX1l81yVWoDBwCKOdY_ISSeqOltxB8m5cXMkrDolGlRWvZt7Q444mZnJw-4wV9XKbnSic0s_-d8YVbXw-pv3ern87e1oPsrmmPzWWbuBsdg6pn8InblUdJQtA/s1600/photo-17.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaaannd they're off</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our mico crossbows</td></tr>
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There have been a few thorny days with all this rosiness however. I managed to rip my toenail up from the bed (again!! argh! @#&^"). There has been fighting. The kids have stayed out past curfew. Or had kids over to the house until way late. The boys have been hard to get up off the couch in order to do....anything. We've been bit by mosquito's, we've thrown up in the middle of the night. Teeth have been extracted and braces are about to be put on for the second time. I've had concerns about my children this Summer. Will they stay strong? Will they be safe? Will they make good choices? But that is something I do year round.<br />
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Today we actually bought school supplies for my soon to be 2nd grader. Don't laugh, in my area the supplies go fast! You gotta shop while the shopping's still good or it's total frustration. I suppose that is a sure sign that Summer is on the downhill slope. There's still enough muggy hot air around to justify Slurpees though. So I'll take all the warm lazy days I can get until the cool solitude of Fall comes around. And then I will welcome that too. I hope you are smart enough to catch a few fireflies, get some pedicures, lay in your hammock, grill outdoors, do slip and slides in the back yard, and make home-made ice cream for the next few weeks. That is my plan at least : )<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd place in the kick board popsicle meet!</td></tr>
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-23608194834511493532014-05-13T22:38:00.001+09:002014-05-13T22:40:35.353+09:00Busy Life!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Each year at this time I am reminded of how much I like Spring. Everything is blooming and beautiful and the weather is lovely. It is also the time of year that activities at school seem to be all happening at once! It gets so crazy that you are longing for lazy days of Summer to kick in. I compare it in my head to the last stages of pregnancy, where you will do <i>anything</i> to have that baby out and screaming at night to be fed, just to not have to be pregnant any longer. </div>
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We had the school science fair where we tested our hamster's speed in a <span style="font-size: large;">large</span> cardboard maze. That took some doing and at times had me wishing we had opted out since it was, after all, optional. Then there came the school's variety show performance where both of my girls participated. There was costume making, and drama, and lots of clear packing tape, and all that goes along with a big performance. The end pay off was big though. So although I'm glad it's over, it was worth it. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Happy Girl back stage before her "Glow Bots" routine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My performers after the show was over- whew!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">My red head on the far left... workin' it</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We had violin concerts and track meets and soccer games this Spring. Put a visitor in there while all of this is going on and it gets even crazier. It was fun to have my sister here helping me do all the stuff I do daily. She made dinners and watched kids overnight and we had fun seeing the DC sights. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister Dawn in front of a piece of the Berlin Wall at the Newseum</td></tr>
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My life is just nuts. No wonder I never blog anymore. Too busy! Oh I just remembered we also went on a fun trip to Palmyra NY and Niagra falls this spring. Maybe I will tackle that in another post. It was super fun! We rented an RV.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPh3lJUsRJE_dEKWpFDcfQdur4LOBDkcWhSuzVvlTUuVfDrhr_A61-DSIyyPUdJhyphenhyphen7lL8zyC9r78dMnceQdGmxdTkTomg-olqvJAYEVrmvwFdvl8TUzir_OwNFd6L_8ItHyGlqg/s1600/photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPh3lJUsRJE_dEKWpFDcfQdur4LOBDkcWhSuzVvlTUuVfDrhr_A61-DSIyyPUdJhyphenhyphen7lL8zyC9r78dMnceQdGmxdTkTomg-olqvJAYEVrmvwFdvl8TUzir_OwNFd6L_8ItHyGlqg/s1600/photo1.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wandering through the Sacred Grove in Palmyra NY, not looking busy at all!</td></tr>
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On the horizon I have an end of the year track banquet, a slide show to put together for the 5th grade recognition ceremony. Then there is graduation for Middle Boy and hopefully an eagle court of honor just after that. Fingers crossed! At least the yard looks fantastic after the hired crew came and mulched yesterday. My goal is to have the court of honor/graduation party back there before the weeds come back. Wish me luck. I also need a new area rug for the porch. It looks horrible right now. Throw in soccer season for Audrey (we are just entering the finals), music lessons x3 and ortho visits x2. Middle Boy gets his braces off just as Little Boy gets his second set on. Good times!<br />
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Then there is my missionary in Brazil who sometimes gives me panic attacks. I heard through my resources that he was in the middle of a big mob of police arresting bad guys the other day. Then there were whisperings about a robbery that he was directly involved in. He tells me nothing. We did get to see his face on Mother's Day through Skype. That was nice and he looked great. I'm proud of him. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfbYWvMrayAQLMWtnmTvLpU_BKOX5MJnFsbEJqeTyqcQ4qGS6r8qTXieQafg7WcJOHUYxg1h_4TVYyrY2AAA5eSkKrdF5RGimYrfNEnFKxgSdqtte3yg1rY29rpxJvxPw8g10kg/s1600/DSCN0318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfbYWvMrayAQLMWtnmTvLpU_BKOX5MJnFsbEJqeTyqcQ4qGS6r8qTXieQafg7WcJOHUYxg1h_4TVYyrY2AAA5eSkKrdF5RGimYrfNEnFKxgSdqtte3yg1rY29rpxJvxPw8g10kg/s1600/DSCN0318.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elder F and Elder Tagg *a unique pair*</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkq59esbGZNVk7z4IWQ6Oto8cedQizlMVXNVFpV7Pt8dYhueZoTjm5B6isf9JK8J8b-8xQpMh5WsiKr4-gSwoRRNvEOpG67p6aHkDZ6DLlrfogyMOYpDoZhTZ2oLU7ETXthAPKw/s1600/photo-8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkq59esbGZNVk7z4IWQ6Oto8cedQizlMVXNVFpV7Pt8dYhueZoTjm5B6isf9JK8J8b-8xQpMh5WsiKr4-gSwoRRNvEOpG67p6aHkDZ6DLlrfogyMOYpDoZhTZ2oLU7ETXthAPKw/s1600/photo-8.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skyping on the big screen with Elder Tagg</td></tr>
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So even though life gets busy and kids get sassy I know I'll look back on this time with fondness. Because doing <i>something</i> is better than nothing right? I better get going if I want to stay on top of my life today, or perhaps I should just take a nice nap : ) <br />
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-88106943782607878932014-04-06T22:28:00.003+09:002014-04-06T22:52:12.199+09:00Taking CareWhen I was a young mother with smaller and less children I once had an encounter with a stranger in a hospital waiting room. This older woman admired my small boys and began a conversion with me as we waited for our appointments. "I can tell they are well taken care of" she commented. I thought this over. Yes I did take pretty good care of them. But if I was a horrible mother in private and just spit-combed their hair down in public, would anyone really know? So this thought prompted my next question to her. "How can you tell?" She said that she'd been watching me for some time and that she instinctively knew these were well-loved children. She assured me that she had ways of telling. She said it wasn't just that they were clean, but the interactions between parent and child that gave it away. <br />
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I remember I used to attend regular presidency meetings in a young mother's home where she would be frequently interrupted by her small children while we were trying to hammer out relevant things to our relief society callings. I was always impressed by her consistent reactions to her kids. Even after multiple interruptions, she would put on her "I'm so happy to see you face!" each time they'd enter the room. Her body would lower and she'd look them directly in the eyes. I was almost jealous of this great relationship she seemed to be having with her preschooler. Was I that happy when my kid interrupted me? The answer was no I'm afraid.<br />
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I've been sick this week. I am not complaining (much) but when a common cold goes through our house it always ends up being <i>un</i>commonly bad for me. Everyone else in this house has recovered within 1-2 days. I'm on day 7 here with a postnasal gunk-filled/ sinusitis/ sore-throat trifecta of misery. I try to avoid antibiotics with a regimen of nasal rinsing, Afrin, Sudaphed, Mucinex, hot tea with honey, humidifier, and prayer. When the mucus turns yellow and the headaches are never ending I head for a Rx. It's a process. I'm almost there. <br />
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My teenager saw how sick I was yesterday and did something amazing. Up until this point he's complained that my fridge stocking has been below par lately. However yesterday, without being asked (and that is <b>really it</b> isn't it?) he washed a sink full of pans for me. As I was trying to nap I thought, who could that be? T was at the store (shopping for groceries). My son was not hesitant to tell me, and anyone else who walked through the kitchen in the next 30 min. "Who do you think washed all these pans? <i>Me</i>!" If I could have hung that dishes job on the fridge for all to see I would have. Earlier in the week he'd pulled a fast one, sleeping in, telling us he was 'sick' and just to take a senior half day off. I guess he figured if everyone else was gonna be getting this cold he may as well ride the train for a stop. It's hard to fake a cold though. Either he was faking or he had the shortest lived sniffles of all of us. Perhaps doing the dishes was his way of evening things up. Or maybe he just wanted the insure his chances of going out with his friends later. I am going to choose to believe that he just wanted to take care of someone he loved.<br />
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The joy in serving I saw on his face that afternoon was priceless. So today I will give him that look like I am so happy to see his face, I'll try to stretch up to his level and look him in the eyes and tell him how much I appreciate him. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49JHJsdTSWjRnNGKzaIZ8Z7CIm1BFdUCtFvQ9tFmNE6HVniPciRQl12J9YYfHn6-UI0yyRQbVBeNEquJSIWYcK-x-xsm57zy5p6Gf-muRx_kHh6bDqj3KwUsI7rBDRn7B8pwoJA/s1600/Evan+Senior+Pic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49JHJsdTSWjRnNGKzaIZ8Z7CIm1BFdUCtFvQ9tFmNE6HVniPciRQl12J9YYfHn6-UI0yyRQbVBeNEquJSIWYcK-x-xsm57zy5p6Gf-muRx_kHh6bDqj3KwUsI7rBDRn7B8pwoJA/s1600/Evan+Senior+Pic1.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-81797805391909213132013-11-08T04:23:00.001+09:002013-11-08T04:27:16.697+09:00Hello Dusty BlogWell I feel a sense of accomplishment today because I got all the Halloween stuff neatly folded and put in boxes under the stairs. Patted myself on the back and ate a fun sized snickers is what I did about that! I still need to balance the checkbook, pay the bills, make potato soup, buy soccer game snacks, and go visiting teaching but the kids come home in an hour so I'll need to pick one or two of those : ) We can have pancakes and I can always buy snacks on the way to the game right? Curses I need to slice orange wedges... It'll have to happen before the game on Saturday I suppose. This is the price you pay for having a girl on a winning team I suppose. When she was on worse teams they never had an orange wedge requirement for half time. Her team is in the running for 3rd place and she has made great strides this season. My poor 10 year old is overbooked this year but managing like a champ. I see a great future for her. <br />
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One thing I have noticed about Big Girl, when the girls in her grade are being less than "golden" i.e.: being boy crazy, dressing up for Halloween in slutty costumes, acting like they are all that, she doesn't let it ruffle her feathers. She knows she is choosing the higher road and she isn't snotty about it, she just rolls with it. I could see the jealousy and sadness in another girl's eyes as she felt left out at the Halloween party. Big Girl just 'let it be'. I'm not sure I was made of that kind of stuff at her age. I had the hutspa (as a 44 yr old) to ask one of the popular girls dressed as a pink lady from Grease where her hickeys were. She had the surprising response of "let's go and you can give me one!" Yeah... not scheduling any play dates with her and Big Girl anytime soon. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. I'm not altogether sure she knew what she was saying. Let's hope not.<br />
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What else is there... It's a cold and rainy day here today so I've been wanting to curl up with a book but I don't have a good one right now that I am in to. I've actually been reading a book to the girls called Ozma of Oz. It's good! I want to read ahead but then it won't be as fun when I read to them later. I'll close with a disturbing fact for you. I think I may have a bladder infection! SCAREY <br />
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Kelly<br />
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PS I am really out of practice in blogging. I apologize for this sad sad excuse for a post : ( To make up for it here is a photo of my Big Girl as Rainbow Dash and my Fox Halloween Costume with my Little Girl Rock Star by my side!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">her make up took 20 min! too bad you can't see her awesome mane full of ribbon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not a coke addict- a fox nose!</td></tr>
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Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-59103743709102163322013-10-23T22:35:00.003+09:002013-10-23T22:35:59.930+09:00Halloween UpdateHi there!<br />
It's time I wrote. We are gearing up for Halloween which is a favorite time of the year for me. I am one of the only Mom's at the school who dresses up (can you believe that?!) This year I was going to be a witch but changed my mind recently. When you dress up as a witch people tend to joke around with you and ask "where's your costume?" HA HA HA! Speaking of ha has. What is up with all the missionaries writing ha ha after every other sentence in their letters? My missionary does it and so do lots of others I have been reading lately. The 'funny' (ha ha) thing about it is that they use it in places where there is nothing funny whatsoever. Like "we went to the fruit market and bought some bananas ha ha" What's so funny about that? And then there's the misuse of 'to' vs 'too' and the under capitalizing of the word i. It's just lazy. Sorry for my rant... where was i? Just joking (ha ha).<br />
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Where was I? Oh yes, my Halloween costume this year will be a dancer from the viral video "What Does the Fox Say?" You know the dancing gals with white shirts and ties wearing fox ears. I've been making a study of their dance moves for people in case they don't get who I am. The costume is pretty much a litmus test for who is into pop culture. One may just assume I'm a well dressed fox with crazy dance moves if they haven't seen <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpLw_qr2_3A">the video</a>. <br />
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Little Girl is excited to be a rock star (I admit that I pushed for an <i>80's rock star</i> influence-it was a great time to be a rock star what with all those black rubber bracelets and big hair). Big Girl was pretty sold on her costume when we purchased it in *cough cough* July.... don't judge me, I love Halloween and I needed an outlet for the pain I had when sending off my oldest for Brazil. However, now she is less sold on her Rainbow Dash pony costume. I'm sure once she sees the hair and make-up I have planned I can make a believer out of her. I just can't let her obsession with all things Harry Potter turn her this year. Next year she can be a great Hermione but this year I already have rainbow nail decals lined up! The boys are not dressing up this year but I do have fake mustaches for them. I can imagine that they will both enjoy pretending they actually grew the mustaches and didn't wear a costume at all. I LOVE Halloween too much for words. <br />
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In other news my missionary son is growing up just a bit on his mission. He actually loves getting up early and studying.... when I read that I had to pick up my jaw off the floor. He is enjoying Jesus the Christ right now. His letters have been pretty few on the details but he sounds happy and he is really encouraging us to do more missionary work. Not just to our friends but like everyone we come in contact with. He's caught the missionary spirit that's for sure. I'm a very proud momma. He got his visa (we think) and will most likely transfer from Washington state to Sao Paulo Brazil in November. <br />
That will be a stressful day for me I think. <br />
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Middle Boy gave us a bit of a difficult day yesterday when he decided to just get in the car and drive away minutes before his piano lesson. He says he was just 'going for gas' but I think I could actually see his nose growing as he spun that tale. I understand his dislike for his piano lesson but we are under contract with the teacher for two more months and we aren't paying for nothing here. We decided to prorate the amount of this missed lesson and charge my son for it. I can hardly wait to see what kind of mood he will be in when that hits the fan. Teenagers are hard. <br />
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Little Boy is loving high school and is very involved which is I think the key to loving high school. The kid is in Key Club, Engineers Club, Music Honors Society, Cross Country, and something called Best Buddies. Best Buddies is a cool club where kids interact with disabled kids their same age. <br />
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Some may think "nerdy kid" when they read those things, but I look at that and think "kid with great potential to improve the world!" As I type that list of activities I wonder how I made a kid like that? This is new territory for us. My older boys were much less into things than this one is. I've come to understand that I probably should have pushed the older ones more when they were younger. Moving around a lot and having less money didn't help much either. Oh heck, why is it always parent's fault? They are who they are and we have very little influence! I'm going to to with that philosophy. It just feels better. Ha Ha (just kidding I know that isn't funny).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Girls just wanna have fun</td></tr>
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-16324375018559931172013-09-15T04:06:00.000+09:002013-09-15T04:06:00.910+09:00StrugglingLately I have been struggling. Struggling to adjust to my son being gone for two years. Struggling with time management. Struggling to figure out where I stand with people. Struggling with children who make less than the best decisions. I have figured out that this life is <i>full</i> of struggle. Struggling with decisions about what to make for dinner....<br />
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But then there is calm. Calm that comes with knowing I am not alone. Calm when I attend the temple. Calm when I look outward. Calm when I serve someone else. Calm when I realize that my struggles are understood. Calm when I realized what I have to be thankful for. Calm when I get to take a nap. Calm when I laugh with my children. Calm when I cuddle with my husband. Calm when the cleaning lady comes. Calm when I know someone is looking out for me.<br />
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Tomorrow I will face another Sunday. Those are hard days for me lately. Mondays are worse. I struggle now to decide if I should mention why. I struggle with being to open and honest on my blog. I've actually tried to be less forthcoming to protect the guilty. Yes, the guilty party who is too young to know better but may look back and feel betrayed. <br />
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T and I are taking a parenting class on Sunday evenings. Parenting is the toughest gig. My missionary son asked in his last letter why we were taking a parenting class now. Weren't we finished with parenting? I guess he forgot that he has a 6 year old sister. In am tempted to write back that we were hoping not to make the same mistakes on the rest of the kids that we made with him. I held back (but not here- see my struggle?). One thing they talked about in the class last week was tenderness. Are we tender with our children? We will get much better results when parenting if we use love in equal or more amounts as opposed to discipline. So I worked on that this week. I found it much easier than I thought. I got to say he was right about that. I had much more success than failure. <br />
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I believe one key here may be to let go of the struggle and get on with the cuddle. It melts cold hearts.<br />
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I wrote a paper letter to my son in Washington State. I went through many drafts and even asked for outside opinions. My goal was to show love and also to inspire and motivate behavior that has not seen previously. If only I could give him a cyber hug. I haven't seen the expected response yet. Maybe Monday...<br />
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-33861177220707030402013-09-02T10:40:00.002+09:002013-09-02T10:40:37.137+09:00Sunday PostWell well well,<br />
It's Sunday. I've had a good week I suppose. The biggest news is that my son is an official Elder serving in the mission field in Everett Washington. He will serve there until his visa arrives. Could be soon, could be months. I hope he will do his best and dig in and work hard. I miss him still, but I am glad he is where he is. I am anxious to see the growth that is bound to happen while in the Lord's service as a missionary. He gets to write to me each Tuesday. I'm hoping for at least 3 paragraphs this time but I won't hold my breath.<br />
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In other news it was T's birthday on Friday. He turned 44. Funny thing was I thought he was turning 45. I thought I was 45 and he was turning my age. I'm still 44 until November and I forgot it. Does anyone else do that? I just don't think about it. Sometimes I have to sit down and do the math to figure out my age. Not regularly or anything but about twice a year or so. At least I'm not age obsessed. When he told me his age and we figured out about my brain fart I was so pleased to have gained another year! You're only as old as you feel right. I feel 30. For T's big day he took the day off from work and we did just whatever came to us. With all the kids in school you can imagine where that led to.... exactly, we went to breakfast, went to a book store, a running store, and then to a gas station for a corned beef sandwich that he had been told he must try. Corn Beef King at the Exxon station on Georgia Ave really knows what they are doing, and buyer beware they don't make breakfast items. <br />
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I got the following facebook message along with a friend request yesterday:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I don't know if you remember who I am, but I had classes with you in High School. English was one we had together, i was not a very good student you on the other hand was. I remember one time we were asked to read our short story out loud and if we did we would receive extra credit, You always did and I never did. Sometimes I didn't like you very much because you were always prepared and just a happy girl. When i married 26 years ago it was my goal to have girls with the confidence you had and to stand up and read their stories for extra credit.. my oldest daughter is in college to be a high School Math and science teacher, My youngest is a girl in 9th grade and she has stood up and read her story, i smiled to myself and said Thank You Kelly!!!! Kinda weird I know but I felt like i should let you know You were an example to me all those years ago -Kathy."</span><br />
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At first I didn't remember her, but after confirming her in a yearbook I accepted her friendship. T thought it was possibly a scam. As if I couldn't have been that great in high school or something. I was insulted! (kidding). It just goes to show that you never know who you are influencing with your behavior. For good or bad. <br />
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Tonight I found a binder full of letters that I put together as a gift for T. It's all the correspondence we kept while he was in Iraq in 2008. Reading all that writing has gotten me in the writing mood. It was a hard time for us and I was alone with my thoughts so much that I needed a place to vent. Thankfully I like to write. I thank my Heavenly Father for watching over us and for giving me this blog as an outlet to work out my feelings. I certainly had a lot of support from the blogging world as well. I haven't kept up with it as of late but I suppose even that is a good thing. It means I am busy with being present in the moment with my family more. Reading back brings back such good memories though. It also reminds me of all that I have to be grateful for. Family, church, my marriage, my children, my talents, my testimony, our family trials. I'm thankful for it all....<br />
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Kelly<br />
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Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-53197266621770202042013-08-22T09:43:00.000+09:002013-08-22T09:46:09.145+09:00Above AverageHey, it's me!<br />
Yes I am still here. I find I have not made the time for blogging like I used to. Oh well, I guess the blog bug that had once bit me so badly has let me go. I still love to read over the past entries though so I should probably keep it going for the sake of history. I recently found several blogs of the people serving in my oldest son's district at the MTC (missionary training center). I felt they were so lucky to have sons who like to write. While Big Boy is many great things, he is not a great writer (yet). In fact I had to gather tid bits of information from a letter written to a friend of his in order to have enough substantial stuff to post on his latest entry on his mission blog. Funny how nice and suavely informative he can be with persons of the female persuasion. Yet when he writes to me he tells me to write less and stop using the nicknames that I found so hilarious. <br />
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My Dad tells me to be more patient with him. He's probably right. Then he told me what I was like at that age. I'm certain he's wrong there ; )<br />
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So what else is going down... My kids are ready for school to start and so am I. Part of me will miss them when the crickets start chirping at home. Part of me will be glad that the house is less messy and that I can take an uninterrupted nap/shower/potty break. Big Girl and Little Girl found out what teachers they will have this year and a few tears were shed as we found out that their most beloved friends are all (ALL) in the other class. What is up with that?! I see it as a new opportunity to make new friends but at this stage (5th grade) the choices for really nice girls are slimming. They all start acting snotty a bit sooner than they should it would seem. Big girl also has a cold starting... blah. We will survive.<br />
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Little Boy is starting his first year on the cross country team at Sherwood High. He had a two mile time trial today and clocked in at 15min 33 seconds. He was proud of himself. His older brother has decided not to run on the team this year and is going to have to find an after school job instead. He needs to save for his mission. I wish he would run but you can only lead a horse to water so many seasons. <br />
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So that's the new from our Lake Wobegone, where the women are strong the men are good looking and all the children are above average.<br />
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Kelly<br />
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-42303029567614950412013-08-13T10:11:00.000+09:002013-08-13T10:42:27.114+09:00A Decent Beginning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All packed </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjq1ZDhWHsGFEgFpMFOV87idLtNoossG4Lgi2V81wdFtLOksl7R5n0kFsLq46jfpuFb3qXxCiYzPCuwMQCvDs0uidbY8lrfzcCXRdtiD6vAkpE8Kl0SK3mVZtRqO0feCSszEn5Q/s1600/IMG_2759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjq1ZDhWHsGFEgFpMFOV87idLtNoossG4Lgi2V81wdFtLOksl7R5n0kFsLq46jfpuFb3qXxCiYzPCuwMQCvDs0uidbY8lrfzcCXRdtiD6vAkpE8Kl0SK3mVZtRqO0feCSszEn5Q/s640/IMG_2759.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before heading through security</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjaS8-UIYhfHSUk8Lmxe4swldtZ72Y1l1NoIC7lNXVUsrgEBkpxWegF9YUxaFMReNiu-rwNGWCI-oN0OfkajfrMwqpfBGaXAK3SnEHycvlC2_ENq9lks6gtaA55xOB9c8tHqxucw/s1600/IMG_2762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjaS8-UIYhfHSUk8Lmxe4swldtZ72Y1l1NoIC7lNXVUsrgEBkpxWegF9YUxaFMReNiu-rwNGWCI-oN0OfkajfrMwqpfBGaXAK3SnEHycvlC2_ENq9lks6gtaA55xOB9c8tHqxucw/s640/IMG_2762.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">One last glimpse<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">This post is way overdue. I guess I've been in a funk about it. I don't really know how to put it into words. My son left for two years on Wednesday the 17th of July. I went from being SO ready for him to just leave already to being touched by his kindness the last couple days at home with me to bawling in public at the Baltimore International airport. He kissed my cheek, hugged me and walked into that security check line like a champ. He never even looked back at us. I felt odd. I kept changing positions so that I could get one last peek. Then at long last he could be seen no more and I wept uncontrollably.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I know this is where he should be right now. I know it's what we've talked about and saved for his entire life long! I know it's the best place for him to learn and grow. He needs this time to learn so much about himself and to bless the lives of others. I know all of this. But I also feel empty and sad. I have been doing things like taking a nap in his bed, wearing his hoodie, smelling his clothing, and buying the gum he used to chew. A favorite song of his keeps playing on the radio and I weep each time I hear it. I'm much better now, but for a few days there I could hardly get out of bed. I wish I had been warned about this by someone. It was almost too much to bear waiting for that first letter home. It took 9 days before hearing from him. When his letter did come I was so happy to hear that he was in good spirits that I tried not to be bothered by his not mentioning the packages we'd sent. He's always been brief when it comes to communicating. I hope to see growth there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As therapy I have been eating chocolate, shopping for Halloween costumes for my girls, writing to my son and sending him too many things, dream-house hunting online for houses we'll never be able to afford. My favorite is waterfront property on Bambrige Island in the Seattle area. Sigh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I've also been praying for comfort. Sunday I received that comfort in the form of an outpouring of the spirit confirming that my son is learning and growing and in the <b>right place</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the meantime we got our family photos from July back. I was so pleased to see them. I'll share some </span><span style="font-size: small;">here. It was the last chance for us to be photographed as a family for 4.5 years. Thank goodness we had some lovely shots! We were battling rain, sun going down, and sprinklers going off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As we took Big Boy to the airport for our last farewell I asked him about the layout for his missionary blog that I would be starting for him. We discussed colors and photo options for the heading. "What shall we call it?" I asked him next. "How about <a href="http://eldertagg.blogspot.com/">Decent Beginnings</a>" was his reply. We had a good laugh about that. We had just been discussing the Jared Hess sleeper movie we'd seen. The same director who made Napoleon Dynamite made a kookie movie called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentlemen_Broncos">Gentlemen Broncos</a>. In the movie a woman has a line of modest lingerie. <i>Funny right?</i> She decides to call her new collection 'Decent Beginnings' because it has a wholesome ring to it and she thinks it will appeal to a younger market. I guess Big Boy really took that to heart. So link to it if you like from my side bar and have a read. I guarantee he won't be as long winded as I am.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">July 2013 <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">totally Big Boy</td></tr>
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-36112986832322335562013-03-15T23:15:00.002+09:002013-03-16T04:36:41.275+09:00Be Good and Sing <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our family has been so blessed this week. Our oldest son was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He will be serving for 2 years in Sao Paulo Brazil! We were beyond shocked when we heard this news. We asked him to send a photo of his call before we were convinced. He wanted to open it privately in Rexburg, so he texted the news to us. It made me a bit sad that he wanted to do this without us online or something, but I had to get over that. I'm just grateful that he is worthy and willing to go. He seems happy with his call. I am thrilled. I was totally expecting Ohio. It is not usual for kids with a history of ADD to get calls outside the United States. They want them to have access to medication if needed. Nathan only uses his medication on rare occasions. He's pretty high functioning without it. The church leaders may send you to Canada, but not <b>Brazil</b>. It must really be 'meant to be' for our son to go to Sao Paulo. He did get an extra interview and follow up call relating to his medication issue. I'm sure they were just being careful. </div>
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So now I'm obsessed with finding out more about Brazil and it's culture. We own the movie Rio. You know the one with the blue parrot? So I think that should pretty much cover things. Oh and we have the <b>soundtrack</b> as well, so... we're good! Its funny how many things start popping up that are Brazil-related once you start looking for them. I looked online this morning to see when we could possibly combine a family photo shoot with my oldest before he leaves and found the <a href="http://bluelily.squarespace.com/">Blue Lily</a> photographers will be in Utah this summer. I hope to combine a trip home at the same time that they are there. The Blue Lilys travel all over the globe and are just now posting photos from guess where? Brazil of course! It was fun to see that. Then yesterday I recalled that in the 5th grade, my friend Amy P and I did a report together on <b>Brazil </b>for the cultural fair. I recall the little green and yellow Brazilian flags on toothpicks that we passed out. The half shelled out watermelon bowl her mom made for us to serve fruit from. It was pretty classy with a zig zag cut edge. I should have <i>known</i> that would have some future impact. I don't ever recall studying or making hand-outs for Ohio or passing out buck-eye treats. I told my friend that maybe I <i>thought </i>I heard the spirit whisper "Ohio" and it was just too noisy in my house to hear correctly. "Sao Paulo" kinda sounds like "Ohio" right? It's totally possible.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(a pre-mission photo shoot below)</span><br />
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The night we got the word I was just so happy. I could not stop thinking about what this would mean for our family. The trials leading up to this week have been plentiful. I think that is usually the way things go. Satan works harder on us before a big blessing comes. I was awake into the wee hours of the morning thinking about everything under the Brazilian sun. Would my red head get enough sunscreen? Could/should he bring his violin? Would he have to drive in that crazy city? Would my baby get swept up in a Carnival parade and be forced to wear big puffy sleeves? I'm pretty sure he wouldn't like that. I got up an surfed the web a bit and that just gave my mind more things to wonder about. I snickered like <a href="http://eater.com/archives/2013/03/10/watch-snls-stefon-recommend-nightclubs-for-spring.php">Stefon</a> when I read that there would be a chance that my oldest would be doing his laundry by hand on a cement slab in the sink or possibly the river. I could barely get that kid to put it from the washer to the dryer on his own. So there is room for growth. </div>
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And that is really the thing isn't it? The growth? He's going to do some growing on his mission, our family will experience growth, hopefully the Brazilian people will experience the message of hope and grow from knowing my son. He will be a wonderful asset. He's charming and funny. He has a testimony of the Gospel and he wants to choose the right. From the time he was small and would push his little red trike around the block, he'd say on the hilly side "press forward saints!" I knew then he would serve this way someday. However, he did used to complain about church from time to time and say "Church is the same thing each week the message is just 'be good' and then we sing. Be good and sing be good and sing week in and week out" So now as he gets ready to depart I will be sure and give him two bits of advise... Be Good. And Sing. Because that is the thing right? Just choose the right and then praise God and be happy. Sing! Be thankful. Pay it forward. Share what you know. That's the singing part. I pray that as he goes forward his song will be heard. <br />
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-74886540439472550602012-11-26T07:13:00.002+09:002012-11-26T07:31:36.084+09:00The Yellow VestsI need to write about my weekend but I'm not sure where to start. I guess it started when I saw this video posted on facebook by a friend in my ward. Perhaps you've seen it.<br />
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When an opportunity arose to go with a large group of volunteers from our stake to be a part of this my heart was willing. When I heard more details about the raw sewage in basements my flesh was weak, but I struggled on the fence wishing I were braver. I encouraged my teenagers to get involved and at the same time I encouraged myself. My husband was on board and I told myself that I'd stay home with the children while he represented us with my teenagers. Then it became impossible for him to go due to a work conflict. He is on call this month and would have to go in each morning over the Thanksgiving break. We would need at least one of our teens to stay home with the younger girls while he went in, but the door was still open for me. Then I saw an email asking for food helpers to volunteer. All those volunteers would need to eat and they needed kitchen help. I'm a kitchen helper! My youngest son has a willing heart and is a good worker. I signed us both up. I'm so glad I did. Part of me did wish that I'd been a work crew person working directly with home owners. Dealing directly with the storm victims was a humbling and wonderful part. Another part of me was glad I hadn't signed up for that kind of duty when we showed up and smelled the sulphuric backed up sewage smell in the air. I can't imagine what those poor people must feel like. It could have been us unflooding our basement instead of them. Mother nature makes that decision. <br />
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So we provided meals for the volunteers and for anyone else passing by who seemed to need food. We talked to police officers and locals walking by, we walked down to the ocean to see the distruction, we looked into faces and tried to think of encouraging things to say. One group of boys kept hanging around wanting food and they were told by the missionaries to put on yellow vests with us and collect trash in the streets for 30 minutes to earn a lunch. We would have just given it to them, but perhaps the local missionaries knew them. They were the cutest kids and were so proud of the 5 bags of trash they collected that they posed for photos. Construction workers came by and took food, some polite, some not. Overall it was a great experience that I would jump to do again. My husband may go up next weekend if he can work out his work schedule. I feel different upon my return. More patient, more thankful, more loving. However temporary this shot in the arm is I will take it. I can't think of a better was to spend our Thanksgiving weekend than by showing thanks through giving. The day after traditions will have to wait until next week.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were the cute local trash collectors</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Little Boy and half a house</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These dingy mini flags were in all the yards</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A collection of shovels</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach front property is no longer a priority for me</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My boy and me</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He was such a solid worker. Never complained once.</td></tr>
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-7444773794489490672012-11-14T23:07:00.002+09:002012-11-14T23:07:52.416+09:00Fun To Do To Do To Do<div style="text-align: center;">
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This morning there has been a malfunction with my Iphone. (the second self induced one this week!) While updating the calendar I remembered something I wanted to be reminded of and went over to my list to add it. I accidentally clicked on something new and must have done something wrong. Suddenly all of the reminders I have ever put in there came back into the 'to do' section. I figured that when I had checked that box on the left that they were forever gone. Not so, and now I had retrieved them. Now I had created a monster 'to do' list and a new 'to do'... delete all the old finished tasks from the past 367 days. As I read over them memories of cutting out snowflakes for a birthday party or getting ready for an anniversary vacation came flooding back. One of my children is now away at school and I saw all the violin concerts and orthodontist appointments I had reminded myself to do on his behalf. A tug on my heart strings. <br />
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Then another thought of how <i>here</i> was actual proof of all the things a mother does on a day to day basis for her loved ones. I should read it to the next sassy teen who tells me I don't do anything around here. Oh yeah? I don't do anything? Take a look at the long list on my iphone! I bet you can't even sit still long enough to read them all! That doesn't even cover half of all the stuff I do for you kids! Oh the stench of ingratitude. <br />
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Then another thought. This is the stuff life is made up of. Without it we would just be sitting there staring at walls all day. It would be miserable right? And some day when I have less kids to shuttle around, and feed, and throw parties for, I will miss this to do list. Sometimes the things we think are bogging us down are what define us. So we should really be filling it with good stuff. Instead of resenting all the sign up sheets that go around we should be first in line to offer our time and talents. I was glad to see that some of the things on my list were 'making dinner for Tiffany', 'volunteering at the school', 'muffins for the homeless shelter', or 'bring strawberries to the RS meeting'. Plenty were mundane like 'buy stamps' or 'pay speeding ticket' but those things are part of what makes this family go right? And without me who would buy the milk? My wish is that I will be able to find reverence for those mundane activities as well, and that someday when my kids are in charge of their own to do lists that they will turn around and respectfully thank me for checking off that list when they were that person that needed that thing done for them. <br />
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PS lets blame that 'to do' list for my lack of blogging for the past month shall we?Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-33616262825019547842012-09-15T23:45:00.000+09:002012-09-16T01:23:47.886+09:00The Eagle has LandedNo my title has nothing to do with the president touching ground in Air Force One. In fact I intend to avoid everything political on this blog because I am so friggin' sick of politics at this point I could puke. Instead my title refers to my eagle scout son who recently had his night in the sun (except being at night you could technically say his night in the moonlight) at his eagle court of honor and then we swiftly took him off to college where he landed safely in his apartment and then pretty much told us to scoot. <br />
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Big Boy's court of honor should really have happened like a month before but we like to procrastinate around here I guess. Trying to get all that done just before leaving was a note I will make to myself not to repeat with boy's 2 and 3. He didn't really want the court of honor, but I felt it was something good to do for the younger boys in the troop to look up to. We had a nifty cub scout display and I made an effort to invite those families with cub scout aged boys. We got many positive remarks, especially over the white chocolate dipped Oreos with the trefoil scout emblems on them (60 was not enough)... Anyways I will spare you any more of the details but would like to say that I wish we could have had more involvement from the Eagle himself when planning this. Not wanting it done he simply told me that I could do whatever and not to involve him. When he started hearing whisperings about a slide show he sat me down for a talk. He wanted to know what songs I'd chosen, what kind of photos were in there, etc. Suddenly he was super interested. I should have just sat him down and showed it to him but I feared that he would over-ride too much if it and make me have to start from scratch. Instead he saw a glimpse of it while we were setting it up and had his melt down right then and there 10 min before we were to start the event. Nice. Troy somehow pulled off a miracle and replaced the 3-4 slides that most upset him ("I have a cold sore in that one!" "I'm pulling a stupid face there!"), without messing up the timing too much. I'm sorry, but if you want a photo of Big Boy where he's NOT pulling a silly face then you will be looking through a lot of silly faced photos to find a normal one. I dare you to try and put together a slide show of BB without the silly showing through. Not possible. Here is one slide he didn't mind. A Big Boy cartoon character drawn by his cousin.... </div>
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Awesome no? Thanks Jarom!</div>
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So 4 days later we were on a plane to SLC and then a short visit with T's parents there before our 3.5hr drive to Rexburg. On our way we stopped at a thrift store, a dollar store and a Walmart outside of town where it wouldn't be so crowded. We were like sleepy zombies walking down the isles trying to figure out what he would need. We stopped when the rental car would hold no more. We checked into the hotel and as BB was brushing his teeth he actually asked me, in all seriousness, if I could send him new toothbrushes when he texted me. I logically answered that it would take several days for a toothbrush to get to him. He graciously told me he could give me a few day's notice before his current toothbrush needed replacing. I worried that this request meant he was not really ready for the real world. And also that there was no time like the present for him to be pushed out of the nest. <br />
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By the time we left him we were ready to go and he was ready for us to go. His manners where not the best and T and I were pretty upset as we drove back to Salt Lake. This sense of entitlement and ingratitude made us feel like failures as parents. It made saying good-bye fairly easy though I must say. Then we had a bit of an ah ha moment on our long drive back. He is a good kid. He's making good choices. He is where he needs to be. He isn't perfect but neither are we. We thought of some kids we know who are in much worse places right now than our son, and suddenly thought that perhaps we were the ungrateful ones. <br />
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On the ride to the airport I started thinking about my boy. He must be getting ready for church. Who would be waking him? Would he find his cufflinks? He might not find the iron, or matching socks. Suddenly the tears started coming. I'd been so strong up to this point. Walking onto the plane- another mystery melt down. I don't even know what I was thinking about at that point to bring it on. The other passengers must have thought I was completely nuts.<br />
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At home without him there is an invisible hole where he used to be, and way too many cheese sticks in the fridge. Being the oldest child, he had the tendency to always make his presence known. It's quiet even though there are 4 kids left. Weird. I think it's going to be okay though. Sniff.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-43575743617201328952012-08-28T22:31:00.003+09:002012-11-15T03:04:20.862+09:00BusyLately I have been so busy it's driving me crazy. My house is a wreck and that always makes me edgy. If I can't find stuff because of clutter I find that stressful beyond stressful. Recently I have been asked to produce my kid's immunization records and due to a new purse purchase things have been moved around and relocated and now the records that I ALWAYS carry with me are lost. I'm sure I have put them in a very safe place that I can't recall at the moment, but I think I may have to call in a hypnotist or something to recall where I safely put them away. Nesting and purging hasn't produced them yet. Today I tackle the playroom/office. Say an extra prayer for me will ya? <br />
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I'm battling sinusitis again. One germ comes through this house and most of the family ends up getting the sniffles and they are done in a few days. But for me, it ends in week long headaches and sleeplessness. The added stress of getting a son ready for college has also been taking it's toll. Throw in an eagle court of honor, a brother with re-occurring cancer, the recent death of a friend, <i>and</i> sinusitis and you've got quite the stress cocktail there! <br />
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I've been grinding my teeth and dreaming weird dreams. School couldn't have started at a better time for me. It was yesterday! Yet each day I look at my to-do list and think "well- what am I going to be able to do here because I sure can't conquer it all." I'm looking forward to one golden day soon that comes up on the calendar where nothing has to be done. Where I can just think up something I want to do and do it! We really need a new couch downstairs and we are in a position to purchase one too. Like that doesn't happen too often right? But we have no time to shop for one. Now that is sad. Do I have you all feeling sorry for me yet? <br />
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I need to remember all the things I am blessed with and change my tune here. I am typing with a migraine right now though so that makes it hard. <br />
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I am grateful that Little Girl went off to Kindergarten without much more than a nervous hand squeeze. Today was day #2 and usually I would be back on the black top with her waving good-byes but my headache prevented that. She was golden though with her big sister guardian taking her to her place in line for me. I am so lucky to have Big Girl as my assistant. She made her sister breakfast and labelled her T-shirt that had to be sent in with Little Girl's name in the tag with a sharpie. So capable! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">4th Grader and Kindergarten Baby</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Sweet Sisters</td></tr>
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Glad that Middle Boy has stopped complaining about cross country. The team started practicing a couple weeks ago and getting him to go has been a struggle. That boy likes things to come easily for him and when life just isn't like that he turns his back on life. It's hard to see him like that. But he's getting stronger and even ran faster then a usually faster friend of his yesterday. That put a proud smirk on his face. Little successes in life are sometimes the sweetest. <br />
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Happy that Big Boy has been less contentious as of late. He and I are still learning how to navigate rough waters together. He hates to be nagged by me but when there is A, B, C, D, and E to get done someone has to tell him about it. As I am learning to let go more though, he seems to be coming around on some stuff on his own. Weird how that happened the other day with Winter shoes. He was convinced that he only needed his vans for Winters in Rexburg. Would not be convinced otherwise. My whisperings I'd heard before of having the "faith to let him fail" kept coming back to me. I stopped arguing with him and told him it was his choice and I meant it. A few hours later he came to his Dad and said he'd be taking his hiking shoes with tread and weatherproofing with him. Now I ask you? Why did he have to go to his Father and not me? That would have been a sweet moment for me. Oh well, can't win them all. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPO30KsPM2-5gEN6rksH6FaNoV5OyBJ6HMjG9nIVagqJThs4-kx5qgdEC1JcMScF3dbxLYFTx_fs_I6AZc1nIan_tT27dPHtq6yjItywmQnLNR37D2-Qc_9QbyTPXqHXxEI2YXQ/s1600/IMG_1036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPO30KsPM2-5gEN6rksH6FaNoV5OyBJ6HMjG9nIVagqJThs4-kx5qgdEC1JcMScF3dbxLYFTx_fs_I6AZc1nIan_tT27dPHtq6yjItywmQnLNR37D2-Qc_9QbyTPXqHXxEI2YXQ/s640/IMG_1036.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Big Boy's not above falling asleep on car rides</td></tr>
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Little Boy continues to be a delight. I am suspicious of him turning on me at any minute but will just enjoy him until then. <br />
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Well that is more than enough rambling on the blog. I will go and do what I need to do- in spite of how I feel today. Because that is just what we mothers do right? Hope you are all well out there in the blogosphere.<br />
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19703534.post-77815938206952242412012-07-20T23:41:00.002+09:002012-07-20T23:41:40.169+09:00Adventures in UtahI am in the beehive state. I needed dental work and have loss trust in my Maryland dentist so we decided to work in a family vacation around a gold crown on number 15. It has been so great to connect with my many relatives here. We also timed this so that I could possibly be here for the birth of my sister's baby. She had it yesterday- Yeah! I get to go down to Provo and meet him in about an hour. I wisely decided to let the kids get some much needed rest this morning instead of waking them early to go go go as we have done done done all week week week. My hint that this was needed was that my Big Girl said to me last night, "can we just have a day at Grandma's where we don't leave and we have nothing to do all day?" Sounds boring to me but they just can't get enough of the suitcase full of old marbles and laundry scoopers she keeps for sorting. Who needs LaGoon (a Utah amusement park) when you have a bunch of marbles?<br />
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Today our zoo plans have been changed to sleeping in and then going to see a new baby. That sounds like a good swap. Here's what we have done so far for anyone who's taking notes (and btw for all you stalkers who may be up to no good, my husband and two oldest boys are now home in Maryland so don't even think about home invasion). What we've done in Utah (list style because details would only bore): LaGoon (disappointed in the lack of street shoot-outs in Pioneer Village but otherwise awesome). A family reunion in the park with a 6 mile hike up the mountains and plenty of karaoke, paper airplane contests, ice-blocking and rain. Get together with old friends from medical school days (twice! Meaning we met up with two different sets of friends). This was a real highlight for me. A family ice cream social with T's family-fun and fattening, A visit to Utah lake where both boys got up on a wake board my husband skiied like a 20 yr old, I gave up on abusing my body trying to get up, and Little Boy's sunscreen failed him miserably. That boy got an A for not giving up even when the life jacket was rubbing his poor armpits into abrasion status. He was an inspiration to me. Looking back I realized I forgot to use my old super duper gripping position that stops the handle from snapping out of my hands. Next time for sure! I better also keep doing my push-ups in cage fitness class. There is still a Saturday left if I can corner my niece with a nice boat and bribe her somehow to take us inexperienced Easterners out on that filthy green lake of glass. I'm afraid if Middle Boy hears that we went out again he without him he will be furious. We also went swimming at a nice pool with water slides but way too many kids yesterday. Afterwards we sampled the Utah Cafe Rio and made comparisons to the Olney one where we live. About the same but with a whiter staff, tons more screaming kids, and a higher sneeze guard. Then we went to the Iceburg malt shop and gorged on ice cream to the point of throwing the extra away. Never had that happen before but we were without 3 of our best finishers. All in all it's been busy but so fun. I think I have T convinced that we need to do this annually. We just need to plan for it. <br />
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I was a bit worried because we left our oldest home alone for a week. He showed all sorts of creativity when he ran out of gas money by filling his tank with our lawn mowing tanks. Not surprisingly the lawn didn't get mowed. But hey, at least the dog was alive upon T's return so that's saying something. Maybe he will learn next time to not buy 10.00 headphones (when you only have 20.00 gas money) on his lunch hour at work just because he forgot his at home. KIDS! Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08338688515732965297noreply@blogger.com6