Fireproof

Alex and I saw the movie "Fireproof" today. Wow!! What a great message. This movie is a must see. I had not heard of it before today. I am so glad we saw it. I feel strongly that all married people should see this movie....and those planning on being married one day...it's great. I was just amazed to sit in a Harkins movie theater and hear so many good reference to God and Jesus Christ and to hear people speaking highly of marriage. It's great...go see it. Run..don't walk...it's been out for 3 weeks...may not be out much longer.

Yay for the 70's!!!

WOW!!!! The weather today is amazing....my little weather widget said it was 61 degrees at 8:30 this morning....HOLY COW....Now it's 12:30 and only 72degrees. I LOVE THIS!! This is what I've been waiting for. Bring on the boots and sweaters. YAY!!


Today is my cute little grandson's birthday party....Dutch is 2 years old. Wow...hard to believe...the b-day was on the 9th but we're partying today.





From this:
To this:

In just two years....Cute huh?

Happy Birthday Dutch!!

Fall is in the Air!! and so is Love!!

This morning when Alex and I went outside to go for our walk there was an actual chill in the air....YAY!!! I've been waiting for that. It was great. The only thing that could be better is if there were actually some true fall colors around here. But alas...we can't have everything.

I had an engagement photo session recently with Jon and Jodi. They were really fun and we got a lot of great photographs. I'll post a few of them. The wedding is coming up and I look forward to photographing that. I love people that get married in the cool months....it makes it so much fun to work outside.

The one they chose for the announcement is awesome....but I have to keep that top secret until they're sent out. Check back later for that. :)

For Debbie

My dear friend Debbie. This post is dedicated to her. Debbie Pocock. A very dear friend of mine. I've known Debbie for 27 years. I sat beside her in church one Sunday and she held my baby, Seth…he was 4 months old. Debbie loves babies. If there's a baby to be held…she's just the one to hold it.

WE became friends right away and have been since. Debbie….what fun she is….she has the most one-liners of anyone I've ever known. I've picked up a lot of things from Debbie over the years. "Stupid is as stupid does" as Debbie would say. We have worked side by side as girls camp directors, YCL Cabin moms, and just buddies for 27 years now. We usually would have our camp meetings at her house…it's always clean. One day for some reason…I'm sure it was her choice, not mine…we met at my house. No big deal…I tidied up the typical areas that one sees when they come to visit. No worries. Debbie lets herself in through the garage which comes into the laundry room. I had mountains of laundry in there…both clean and dirty…when she gets to the kitchen where I am she says.. "I love what you've done with your laundry room." UGH!!! Leave it to Debbie. J Her rule was to fold and put it away as soon as it came out of the dryer. I've never been able to keep that rule. Her dishes are washed as soon as they're dirtied. Debbie….she's 'a prince of a guy'.

She once asked me if I ever wore anything other than jeans. Nope…not me..I'm a jeans girl. Debbie is class…always looks stylish….a real 'fashion plate'. One day at my house Alex came in and offered to make us some lunch while we had our camp meeting…when he asked her what she would like she replied "pheasant under glass"….well…she got Tuna on Toast under a pyrex baking dish. She loved it. High class all the way. Debbie's not one to hold back. If she thinks it…chances are..she says it, and she always gets away with it. Alex has been told many times over the years that he's 'not as stupid as he looks'. Debbie loves baseball. If she wasn't watching it on TV….or listening to it on the radio…then you can bet she was sitting in the stands watching the game and cheering on 'her boys'. She knew all about each player and kept up with the game. She also loved basketball and spent many hours courtside watching her team play.

Debbie is the queen of decorating for the holidays. You name the holiday, she has a box of decorations in her storage room just for the occasion. Nativities are her pride and joy. She has them from all over the world and at Christmas time each one of them is on display.

Debbie is always willing to help out. When my daughter Breezy got married Debbie offered her yard and house for the reception. It turned out beautiful, Don is a master gardener and had the nicest lawn in the neighborhood.

Debbie loves to go to the movies. She even goes by herself if necessary. One day I went to a movie with another friend. We sat in the dark and noticed several rows in front of us a woman all by herself. Yep..it was Debbie. We joined her and had a great time. She had a bag full of snacks. Nuts and chocolates…mmmm…Debbie..always prepared. Her and I would drive through Wendy's for lunch and then stick it in our purses to take into the theater with us. One day we decided to meet for a movie. I got to the theatre and she wasn't there. I went in and waited…the movie started…I waited…I watched the movie…I waited. After the movie we realized we had each gone to the same movie, at the same time, but at different theatres. "It was fun seeing a movie without you, let's do it again sometime."

Debbie has taught primary for years and is the best primary teacher ever. She's told me so often about how she loves her primary kids. They always got an ice cream cone on their birthday. And Debbie always gets birthday presents from them. They love her so much.

Several years ago Debbie was told she had breast cancer. What a shock. She had surgery and the anesthesia made her sick. After puking all over herself she joked with the nurse about the mess she had made and had him laughing right along with her. She had radiation treatments. All was well. Debbie went on living, laughing, and loving. Then one day they said it was back. More radiation…again…all is well…for a while.

After some back pain she found out she had a tumor near her spine...the cancer was back...the medication shrunk it...the doc gave her an all clear.

The four of us went on an Alaskan cruise. What fun. It was a great time. Debbie harassed Alex about eating pizza on the lido deck all day and into the night. We saw the sights, relaxed and had a wonderful time. After we returned home so did the cancer. She started chemo. One Sunday she called and asked me to come down and shave her head since most of her hair had fallen out.

We went to doctor visits together...chemo treatments...and out for a 'spot of lunch'.

Debbie...always witty...always fun...did her best to keep her chin up....when she was bedridden and had no mobility I would ask her "How the heck are you?" to which she always replied..."Jim-Dandy Fine".

Debbie....she died this morning at 4:15 am....I miss her....I always will...her wit....her laugh...her wonderful sense of humor....her tender heart...her love of her friends...her love of the Gospel.

Debbie...."a real peach"...."the big cheese"...."a prince of a guy"....and best of all...."not as stupid as she looks"...

Debbie is Jim-Dandy Fine....she's happy...and free to be Debbie...to live, to laugh and to love.

I'll never forget my dear friend Debbie.

Summer's End???

When I wake up tomorrow morning, September 1st, I feel like it should be cool outside...I live near Phoenix so I know that won't be the case. But for me...I just think September means the end of summer. I'm ready for that late rising sun and those cool mornings, and by cool I mean 70 degrees. Don't get me wrong...summer has its place...family vacations....swimming...suntans...watermelon.....high a/c bills....but I feel that summer's place is between the end of May and the end of August. Now it's time for fall. Here in Phoenix fall doesn't last very long. Last year I was in the shower when it happened and by the time I was dressed it was gone. Don't let that happen to you. Some places brag about their 4 seasons....but I've become accustomed to the way the seasons roll here in the valley of the sun. We have the extreme heat of the summer followed immediatley by winter (I use the term winter loosely)...by winter I mean 55-74 degrees. That's the time when we can pull out and dust off those boxes of socks and sweaters. I'm ready for that. However...at the risk of contradicting myself, today, while being sedentary in my home (Sunday afternoon nap)...I felt chilled so I took my dogs and went outside to sit in the sun and warm up. Sometimes that heat does come in handy. Like when you go to a grocery store or restaurant in Phoenix in the summer. They for some reason feel the need to crank the a/c in those places down to a blustery 47degrees. By the time I leave I just love to feel that blast of hot air hit me in the face on the way out. Yes....I'm an Arizona girl alright, and now I'm ready for an Arizona winter...come on September...be good to us.

100 Things.....the continuation!

Well it's a been a whole week and I still have the same purse.....and I don't even love this one...does this mean I'm overcoming a fetish? I think it jsut means I can't afford a new purse right now.
I know everyone is so anxious for me to finish my list....you've all been checking daily to see what I have to say next...right? Humor me....jsut go along with it.
Alright....where was I? Oh ya:

80. Have I mentioned that I do photography? I'm a photographer. I love getting an awesome photo once in a great while. It's a good feeling.

81. I love the smell of paint. I know...weird....I don't sniff it or anything weird like that...but I love to paint walls and when I do I really enjoy the way it smells. I think its so great to take a white boring wall and roll on that first stripe of a rich warm delicious color....ooohhhh I love that.

82. I have been married for 28 years and we have moved, I think, 22 times.....I keep telling myself I need to sit down and figure that out....i will do that one day....at any rate...I'm pretty good at packing and moving.....it's the cleaning of the house I'm moving out of that I don't enjoy....I'd much rather be at the new house getting it set up.

83. My house is for sale.

84. Favorite Movie....hmmmm....can't pick just one.....I have several...but a couple come to mind right away...."Message in a Bottle" love that one....."Somersby".....another must see. I enjoy movies....movie popcorn makes me feel nauseaus most of the time....but I still usually eat it....it just goes so well with a movie....

85. I tend to spell 'just' wrong...I dont' know it jsut doesnt always work out jsut the way it should. sometimes that s jsut slips in there right before the u. But i jsut don't feel the need to fix it....you know...as long as the first and last letters are there it still jsut makes sense. it jsut does.

86. I, like many others, have read the Twilight series. However, I unlike many others, did not fall in love with Edward. i was told I would and so I expected it...when it didn't happen....I felt as though i had done somehting wrong. I mean....I like him a lot....but I just don't feel like i'm in love with him....i'm jsut now getting ready to begin reading the 4th book....i can't wait.

87. Remember my smart son Noah? Of the people who actually do read my blog...he was the only one that "did the math". See #78....you do the math. :)

88. I think its so fun to change the living room furniture around. It makes it seem like a different house...I don't do it anymore. My furniture is too heavy.. now I jsut try to keep it convenient for grandkids to run around and play.

89. I wish someone would come up with a fake tan that really looks real and doesn't smell funny. I hate the smell of fake tanner. Now that I'm older I wish I never had tanned as a young girl. I hate what I did to my skin. Still looking for a good wrinkle cream.

90. My favorite actress when I was growing up was Carol Burnett. I always loved her show. I always wanted to be on her show and act with her. Where are the Carol Burnett Show reruns? i think society would be better if more people watched The Carol Burnett Show.

91. I never understood why Ginger and Mrs. Howell took so many clothes with them on a 3 hour tour. Now that's overpacking!!!

92. If I could meet a celebrity I would like to meet Tom Hanks....but I really don't want to because I worry that if I meet a celebrity that I like I will find out that they are nothing like they seem....then I would be so disappointed. But I think Tom Hanks would be great....I'd like to have lunch with him.....and Carol Burnett....how cool would that be.

93. I would love to have a huge flower garden....flowers of all kinds....but I'm terrible at keeping them alive. I used to be better with plants...lately I jsut kill them.

94. I love to snorkel....it's so cool to see whats under the water....and I love how quiet and peaceful it is. I'm afraid to learn to scuba dive....everyone says it's awesome...but I'm afraid of the equipment....

95. I'm terrified of heights. I'm even more terrified to see one of my kids or my husband someplace high...it scares me to death. If you're not afraid of heights you have no idea what it's like. I have had occasion to be so overcome with the fear of it that I burst into tears without even knowing what was happening. Fear is terrible.....it scares me.

96. I don't cook. Nope...I don't.. I don't even like to cook. I wish I did. I wish I liked it and was good at it. My hubby Alex cooks....he's amazing at it...and he enjoys it. I used to cook when my kids were little. They don't remember that....but I did. Alex would always come in when I was cooking and jsut take over. Eventually I jsut let him do it from the start. We have a deal...he cooks...I clean. I'd much rather clean than cook.

97. I teach every 4th Sunday in Relief Society in Church. I enjoy it when I feel like I'm well prepared. Sometimes I put off preparing...I don't like it when I do that. I'm going to be prepared for next week.

98. My name is Cindy Carroll...and I called Jenny Craig....yep...I did....i weigh in once a week. I lost 17 pounds....then I found some of it....ugh....I wish I could find the money I lost.

99. Sunny...Little Ted....Freckles.....Pretty Boy (he was a parakeet, a pretty one)....Harley...

100. I jsut posted 100 things about myself. and I'm sure you can too. try it....it's fun.

100 Things About Me!!

It's time to update again....wow, that sure rolls around fast. Seriously, for me, blogging is a bit like mopping the floor. I put it off and put it off and when I finally get around to doing it I wish I would have done it a long time ago. The only difference with blogging is my feet don't slide nicely on the floor once I've updated...I really do have to mop for that. Oh well...another day.
Anyhow, I've seen a few blogs lately that have 100 things about me..(well..not me really..but them) anyway...i thought it was a good idea so if you don't mind I thought I would give it a whirl. The only concern I have is that I may get too carried away with negative things...not that I'm a negative person, because I'm not....NO WAY....UN-UH....NOT ME....but...as I try to think of 100 things about me I keep coming up with things I don't like. I'll try to keep it under control. Another concern is that I will sit in front of the computer with a blank page...and by blank page I mean my brain....so....I may only do it a little at a time....you know....25 today....25 tomorrow....ok...next month....whenever I get back to it. Anyhoo....here goes. OH...and keep in mind...these are in no particular order. I wouldn't want anyone to get the idea that #1 on the list is the most important thing about me....not true....well....I don't know...I haven't thought of what #1 is yet....OK....now here goes.

1. Yep...I knew it....here i sit with not a thought in my head....oh wait....I know....ok....#1...I'm not a very good blogger....I know it comes as a surprise...but I jsut have a hard time thinking of things to blog about...I really admire people that can just blog about anything and make it enjoyable. (I was right, it's not the most important thing about me.)

2. I've been married to my hubby Alex for 28 years....I was recently asked if I still think he's good looking....YES....I do. I think my husband is very good looking. A hottie actually. :) I always did have a thing for older men....now I have one of my own. LOL!!

3. People think I'm grumpy when I'm not. Again, a surprise, but true....I have a natural frown on my face which gives people the wrong impression. Trust me...if I'm grumpy...you'll know it.

4. I have awesome kids. No...I really do. I'm not jsut saying that. They are great. I couldn't ask for anything better.

5. I love my kids-in-law. I got really lucky there, they are really great.

6. I really enjoy laughing. Maybe because my natural frown goes away, I don't know...but I like it. I love to laugh until I cry...that's the funnest thing ever.

7. I'm a convert to the church...yep...was baptized at the tender age of 17, by Alex....my then boyfriend.

8. 10 days after I was baptized I got married. That's right...at the tender age of 17. No regrets. Might not work for everyone but has worked well for us.

9. As a girl growing up I was always very very self-conscious of my big forehead. Now i call it a fivehead. It doesn't bother me anymore....I'll even push my glasses up on my head and pull my hair back with it...and I don't even care....crazy huh?

10. When I was a kid I wanted to grow up and be an airline stewardess...that's what they were called back then. I'm glad that didn't work out because i now know that they are just traveling waitresses. I dodged that bullet, thanks to Alex coming along and whisking me away.

11. I don't like my hands. I think they're ugly. Mostly my right hand. My left one is tolerable.

12. I used to raise Golden Retrievers and show them for obedience. I put obedience titles on two different dogs. That was a lot of work...a lot of fun...and very rewarding. Now I have poodles that don't listen to a thing I say. Hmmmm.....

13. Can we just skip this one like the skyscrapers skip the 13th floor?

14. I'm not a very organized person. I really wish I was...but I'm not. I hate that about me. i want to be organized...but I just don't know how to do it.

15. I know how to get a toilet really clean and looking brand new. Pumice!!!!

16. I love purses.....Noah accused me of having a purse fetish. I think he's right. I jsut bought a new one a couple of weeks ago....I don't love this one....I may need another one soon.

17. I'm a good reader....now see...that was hard to do because I feel like I'm bragging. I'm not....I jsut thought you would want to know a little about me ....and....I'm a good reader.

18. I love Photoshop!! It's awesome....I could spend all my time in Photoshop and never be bored....although my feet swell from sitting too long...but that's what the little stool under my desk is for.....

19. I had bad acne as a kid. My 6th grade picture is just hideous. My mom tried everything...she was always buying me stuff to help it. Nothing did. Thank goodness I'm through that phase....does anyone know of a good wrinkle cream????

20. I think I'm LOUD. I always wish i had a soft little feminine voice..but I don't....I'm just a loud mouth...I really don't like that about me.

21. I rinse all my clothes before i wash them. I jsut can't stand the thought of throwing dirty clothes in the washer...put in some soap and add water...yuck. I feel like I should rinse the yuck out first... then wash.

22. My real name is Lucinda. I hated that growing up. I changed schools alot and my mom always registered me as Lucinda....apparently she figured she chose the name and wanted people to know it. So it always took a few weeks to get everyone to call me Cindy. In high school there was a girl named Cheryl that always called me Lucinda....some people never learn.

23. I jsut got a passport this past year....my name is Cindy on it. Enough said!!!

24. I love to be out on a boat on the water. I love it.

25. Whales are awesome....I truly want to swim with whales one day!! Humpbacks preferably...the black and white ones intimidate me!!!

26. I would like to live in Alaska....a coastal town...like Sitka. It's gorgeous there.

27. My favorite TV show is 7th Heaven. We're watching it from season one on DVD. I like to watch about 4 episodes at a time....that doesn't happen very often...but I like it when it does.

28. I can't ever remember not having a pet. I love my pets. i remember the day Missy died. i was 10 and it was horrible....she was hit by a car the day I came home from spending the summer in Indiana with my Dad. Welcome Home....Missy died today!!!! OUCH!!!

29. My parents divorced when I was 5. I was married with children before i have any memory of seeing them together. I felt I should introduce them. It was weird.

30. I wish my Dad could have lived longer....he was such a fun Grandpa to my kids....i wish he was still here. My kids missed out on having a Grandpa as they got older. I'm glad Alex is such a good Grandpa to our grandkids. They really love him. I love that!!!

31. I want at least one of my grandkids to love me the most....you know...to be their favorite extended relative. Just one...is that too much to ask?

32. I love my son-in-law, David....he makes me laugh...he's very witty....I love witty people.

33. I love the smell of Pine-Sol. It jsut smells clean to me. If I'm going to go to the trouble to clean house...then i want it to smell clean.

34. I don't understand politics....it's just too over my head.

35. I don't like special news bulletins that break into my TV programming. At first I'm afraid it's going to be some awful news that we've jsut been hit by a nuclear bomb...but then...I'm jsut mad cuz I'm missing my show. I think subtitles would suffice.

36. I love Jazz....and light rock.....and country......and some of the really great stuff that Stormy has me listen to. Right now my favorite music CD is an A cappela group named Eclipse...the title of the CD is Grateful Praise. It's awesome.

37. I miss Stormy....she's in Ecuador until the end of October. Now I know what your'e thinking. She's been away at college for 3 years. yes...it's true...she has....but she was not in Ecuador. She makes me laugh....Stormy is so good at making me laugh....OHHHH DAANNNNGGGG!!!.... only Stormy will understand that....I hope she laughs. I did!

38. Names of pets I've had... in no particular order...mostly cuz I can't remember the order.....Sugar....Rainbow....Cricket....Missy......Aviance.....Freeway...Charlie....Scooby...

39. I check my email several times a day...i don't like it when theres nothing new. Just checked...nothing!

40. I love chocolate...no...you don't understand...I really love chocolate. Don't get me started cuz I seriously can't stop. I bought a can of chocolate covered cashews and ate the whole can on my way home from the store.

41. i have an eating disorder. I can't stop eating chocolate.

42. I named my first Grandson. Maxx. Yep....before Tara even knew if it was a boy or a girl I started calling it Max. By the time he was born lots of people were calling him Max. I was so thrilled when they named him that. I can't imagine him being anyone else. Took me a bit to get used to the second X...

43. I don't like the smell of roses. That smell jsut makes me think of funerals. Please don't get me roses....save them for my funeral... i won't be smelling anything then.

44. I had my teeth whitened at the dentist office a few years ago. i wish they were whiter. But I hate wearing the trays to do it. My teeth are very sensitive...it hurts.

45. Hey...that's how old I am.

46. I flunked Algebra my freshman year.

47. I hate the saying "You do the math".....

48. I don't like Peas. Even the smell of them makes me sick. Ewww!!

49. I'm terrified of snakes. Sometimes I have snake dreams and I wake up screaming. Then I'm afraid to walk to the bathroom in the dark, for fear of snakes on the floor.

50. Sissy....KiKi.....Lukie.....Duke....Mike.....Mama Cat....Lacey...Gunner

51. Noah had the cutest voice ever when he was little. I love to watch home movies and hear his voice. Good thing it was cute cuz he sure said some mean stuff. :) When Mama Cat had babies he called them Baby Tittens....I guess you had to be there. Trust me...it was precious. I still can't look at a kitten without thinking of that.

52. I love cold cereal. Captn Crunch is one of my all time favorites. I don't eat it anymore...I guess cuz I'm a grown up now.... Lucky Charms is another favorite. Wow...those were the good ol days.

53. One of my favorite snacks is toast with Crunchy peanut butter on it. Be right back!!!

54. I can type with peanut butter stuck to the roof of my mouth.

55. I don't like my handwriting. it's very sloppy. I've always wished I had cute handwriting. I don't...I'm over it.

56. I think thank you cards are great. Havent' you ever done something with no thought of someone thanking you for it...then a few days later got a thank you card in the mail? I don't know...I jsut think it's so thoughtful. Someone went out of their way to say thank you. i want to send out thank you cards.

57. I hate junk mail. I waste so much time ripping up or shredding junk mail. I'm too afraid to just throw it away...I have to destroy it first. Sometimes I put it back in the enclosed self addressed stamped envelope and send it back to them. I feel better about that.

58. I don't like to go into a grocery store that stinks. I jsut don't even want to buy anything. Sometimes it smells like rotten meat....oh I hate that.

59. I love cool whip. Seriously....I jsut eat it out of the tub with a spoon. or my finger if the spoons are too far away.

60. I love grass and trees. Theres not enough grass around here. I would love to have grass all over my entire yard.....I just don't think you can have too much grass.

61. I love riding lawn mowers.

62. I wish when you bought a car you just paid the price on the tag and moved on...I hate all the bartering that goes on.

63. I don't like it when people drive too close. I think it's rude. It makes me nervous. I always try to stay far behind other people so they don't feel nervous.

64. I love rings....silver rings....bling bling especially....they don't have to be expensive....jsut blingy....I really love rings.

65. I used to have sculptured nails.....now I have my own very short nails and I love it. I think they're cute....and that says a lot since I have ugly hands....especially my right hand, my left hand is tolerable.

66. I get headaches a lot. I have one right now.

67. I can't beleive I'm on #67....OHHHH DAANNNGGG!!!

68. I enjoy being alone. True....perhaps it goes back to when i was young and the only one left at home and my mom worked....I had a lot of alone time....I love it. Nobody enjoys me as much as i do!!! :)

69. Liebchen....Baby.....Gracie....Moose.....

70. It's 52 degrees in Quito Ecuador right now...I wonder what Stormy's doing?

71. My son Noah is a pilot. I know, right? He got his pilots license when he was 17. One day he's going to be pilot of someones private jet....well...that would be cool anyway. Noah's cool. He's a smart kid....much smarter than I could ever hope to be. He used to tell me about new things he had learned from articles that he read. I jsut nodded and interjected the occaional "Oh wow"...."uh -huh"...."Cool".....I really didn't have a clue....it was always way over my head. But I thought it was so cool that he loved learning I wasn't about to discourage him. Sorry Noah...you know I love you.....:)

72. wow....28 more things and I'm done....this isn't so hard.

73. So lets talk about my kids...that could easily take up several slots.

74. Seth is amazing. He's the most patient person I know. And so considerate of others. when he was little he always wanted to hold the door open for his teachers. They always siad on his progress reports what a kind and considerate boy he was. Still is. When people are mean to Seth it makes me very angry. I yelled at a girl in a photo studio for being rude to him. Poor Seth..he was so embarrassed. In my defense, he was leaving on his mission that week and I was very stressed about it.

75. Breezy is very organized. I'm not sure where she gets it. It must be from her Aunt Sally. But....she didn't get it until she moved out. When she lived at home she was not organized...OH NO....her room was a mess. I'm glad she got organized...maybe theres hope for me yet. Breezy is the one person I know that can laugh at herself. If she does something silly she just laughs. I love that about her. She is really a fun girl....I enjoy her a lot. I love having grown children...now I have kids and friends all rolled into one.

76. Noah....see #71 and #51.

77. Stormy....see #37. Stormy is great with accents. I used to think I had the corner on the market on that one. Nope...Stormy is better. She can pick up an accent so quick. Stormy is a lot of fun...but when she's not....yikes....watch out...step back....Do Not Git Loud Wit Her.

78. Ok....that does it...I'm hungry....12 to go....i'll save them for later.

......to be continued.......

79. Oh....I hate it when shows are continued....Oh that really irks me. you know it's already been filmed....and I'm sure they could jsut play it at the same time...but no...they make us wait....why??...because they can!!!

...to be continued.....because I can.....

There's No Place Like Home!!

This is exactly why I never had a journal....I'm terrible at keeping up with it. The kids were all over for dinner the other night and I overheard them bashing me cuz I'm bad at updating my blog. BRATS!!!! I'm not going to tell them I've updated it....I'll just wait to see how long it takes them to realize it.

In my defense...it has been an extremely busy month. Alex and I were in charge of the 4th year girls for girls camp this summer. That was June 20th - 24th. We camped at a KOA in Flagstaff, my kind of camping with showers and flushing toilets nearby..hiked into Fossil Springs and then ended up at Camp LoMia in Pine. It was a good trip and we did have a lot of fun.

We then had a Scout Conference in Cimarron New Mexico June 28th - July 4th. We left on the 27th and made the 10 hour drive with an overnight stop in Gallup. The conference was great...the weather was awesome....and once again....we camped. Showers and flushing toilets once again...tho not quite as close as they were at the KOA. We got back home on the 5th of July and immediately resumed our preparations for our Stake Pioneer Trek coming up on the 16th. Before we knew it the 16th was here and we were headed to Heber...wearing our Pioneer garb...i.e...bonnets....skirts...aprons....suspenders...and hats.

Alex was the trail boss and I was one of the photographers. Stormy went as well as videographer. There were approximately 78 youth that attended. They were all dressed in Pioneer era clothing and were only allowed 17lbs of gear per person. They were divided into "Families", and each family pulled all of their own gear in a handcart. They walked 15 1/2 miles the first day , 3 1/2 miles the second day where they then set up camp and stayed for two days until walking the final 2 miles to the end where they were met by their 'real' families. It was really an awesome experience. At one point the boys and men were all called away to battle and the women and girls were left to pull the handcarts on their own. THey had a brutal hill to climb and it was a very spiritual and awesome experience to watch. I was so overcome by emotion that it was difficult to take photos.

Day Two...each family had a baby (made from a flour sack)...they carried it the first day and it was part of their family. During the night the babies all died and the burials were held the next morning. Once again a very emotional event to photograph...but what an awesome experience for everyone.

Seth and Tara were on the Trek as well. They were a big brother and big sister in one of the familys. It was so fun to have them there and be able to see them each day and visit with them. It was hard for me the first day knowing they had to walk so far pulling a handcart and have no food while doing it. I was so tempted to sneak food to them, so very tempted!Are'nt we just the cutest little pioneer family you've ever seen? I thought so. Did I mention that nowhere did this Trek include showers and flushing toilets? Nope!!! No showers for 4 days....and Port-A-Pottys. Ick!!! Be it ever so humble there's no place like home ;)

Well now the pressure is really on. Stormy leaves on WEdnesday for Ecuador (I'm going to miss her like crazy) and she has to have the video of the Pioneer Trek put together by Tuesday night. It's a huge job but I'm so excited about it because she's so amazing at it. I'm so glad she went on the Trek with us. I had such a good time with her. We laughed constantly. The other photographer was a lady from my ward, Sharilyn. I'm sure she'll never be the same after that experience. She was such a nice sweet person and i'm afraid Stormy and I corrupted her. But we had a lot of fun doing it! The three of us were driven around by our own personal chauffer for the duration of the Trek. WE had to be in several places so he was assigned to get us where we needed to go. We instantly nick-named him Jeffrey...sounds like a good name for a chauffer right? We thought so. He was a ton of fun and took such good care of us.

Jeffrey waiting for us at a Potty stop.....What a guy!!!

Mimi's Day Care!!!!

Last week we had a couple of birthdays in the family. Alex on the 3rd an Tara on the 4th. So in celebration Alex, Seth and Tara took a day trip to Fossil Springs for hiking and swimming. I was the bigger person and offered to stay home with the kids...(lol). Anyhow...Breezy came out for the day as well with her two little ones. At times if felt like a day-care center but we had a fun day and since we were so busy with 5 little ones the time really flew. We even managed to get all the babies down for a nap at the same time...including Stormy. Wow...am I good or what? Breezy has been wanting some new photos of Dutch and Maylee for her wall so we decided to take some pics of them and of all of the kids. We set up a backdrop and props, lighting, the whole deal. Then the fun started. Apparently it's not possible to have 5 children sit still and be happy all at the same time. If 4 were happy then one wasn't....if 3 were sitting then two were up and running. If one was angry at the mere idea of a photo session then the rest were running amuck. OMG, it was a mess! Breezy and I were exhausted by the time we gave up. That's right. It just wasn't happening the way we had envisioned, so we gave up. We gave it a good try though. The pictures below prove that it didn't work out. I guess it's the thought that counts. I've thought many times that I'd really like to do Children's Photography...I love setting up cute props and stuff....but if I do pursue it...I think I may have to stipulate no more than 2 children at a time unless they are on some sort of calming medication. :)

At least Kade is happy...what a good baby!!!

Never mind. He's not happy any more. :(

Oh dear...Dutch is angry!!! This is where the other ones are running amuck!!

Lookie there....Jace in the box. How did that happen? Maylee wins the "best participant" award...for today anyway. :)

We got that mess all cleaned up and put away and then it was on to more adventure. Stormy came home from a meeting in the evening. She had on a dress and had kicked off her shoes when all of a sudden we heard Jace screaming in the bathroom...she got to him first and found that he had slammed his finger in the toilet lid and couldn't get it out. She picked him up and loved him and then began shreaking...."GROSS..GROSS...GROSS...MOMMMMM!!!" Breezy and I came running to find Stormy standing in front of the toilet holding Jace while Dutch looked on...Maxx was leaning rather strangely against the door jam and Kade had jsut crawled up to see what the excitement was. As soon as I got to the door I noticed the smell....I looked down to see Maxx with poop running out of his underwear and down his leg. "Hold on Maxx", I said, "Mimi will get you cleaned up." I turned to head for the paper towels when Stormy screamed, "Mom, I stepped in it...it's on my foot...clean it off.."(more screaming and yucking) At this point I don't remeber who I cleaned off first...I think Stormy since it was fastest. Then I began to work on Maxx. Meanwhile Stormy got out of there still holding Jace and Breezy took Dutch and Kade out of the danger zone. Before I finished with Maxx Stormy was yelling again that she had poop between her toes. I look up to see her foot very near my face with her toes spread apart. So I quickly cleaned that up and went back to work on Maxx. His parents have very successfully taught him how to stand to be wiped after going potty, bent over at the waist with his hands flat on the floor. WOW...that certainly helps. However, as soon as he bent over he pointed and said..."There's poop on the ground...there's poop on the ground." I nearly wet my pants laughing....thankfully I didn't...I had enough of a mess to clean up as it was. Anyhow...in Maxx's defense let me jsut say that because the other two were playing in there he couldn't get to the toilet and I could tell by the consistency of the 'you-know-what' that he jsut couldnt wait. Next on the agenda was rub-a-dub-dub, 3 boys in the tub. It was about 9:30 pm when all the little ones went home...I fell into bed exhausted. There is a reason we have babies when we're young!!! Hats off to all you mommy's with little ones....you have a tough job. I've been there and done that....and am so glad now to get to send them home so I can rest up for the next time. I love my grandkids....they're so awesome....I had no idea I could love someone else's kids so much....:)

THE WHAT????

A whole month since I've written in here. I can't believe I've procrastinated this long...well....yes I guess I can. It's just like me. I try to take life one day at a time but lately several days seem to attack at once.
So last week Alex and I decided to go to a movie. He wanted to see the Chronicles of Narnia...not really my kind of movie but I was happy to go with him. We invited Stormy to go with us but she had other plans and wasn't sure if she would be done in time. She asked me to call her when we knew what time we were going. So, on our way to the theatre I texted her and told her where and when and to join us if she could. Her text back to me said this, " I can't, I'm going to the".
That was it....so I figured that perhaps she hit send to soon before she finished her sentence..(I do that accidentally sometimes). So I texted her back and said..."to the what?". She wrote back and said, "to FHE...Shane thinks I'm inactive." (for anyone who doesnt know, FHE stands for Family Home Evening...it's an activity on Monday nights.) Anyhow...I wrote back and said, "why does he think you're inactive?". To which she replied, "because I told him I wasnt' going to the". Ok...I thought, what is the deal? so I texted back and said "It would be really nice if you would finish your sentences". As you can imagine I got a rather grumpy reply from her that said, "FHE Mom, it stands for Family Home Evening!!". Good grief, she didn't have to yell at me...she was the one not finishing her sentences. So I wrote back and said.."I know what FHE stands for but you didn't tell me that that's where you were going."
So...a short while later when Alex and I were seated in the theater I pulled out my phone to turn it off and I had a thought. So I looked at my inbox and re-read the texts that she had sent me....turns out what she said was, "I can't, I'm going to fhe." and the second time she said, "because I told him I wasn't going to fhe." Well guess what. I didn't have any glasses with me so I didn't realize it was an 'f'. I thought it was a 't' and said 'the'. UGH!!! I immediatly texted her and apologized for being stupid. She forgave me and then had a good laugh about with her friends.
NOTE TO SELF: Always have reading glasses in purse...eyes arent' what they used to be.